A/N: Going on vacation so i probably won't be writing again until August 23rd. Sorry, i know it's a long wait. Trust me, I'm going to be having 24 withdrawls while i'm gone. Review until i get back!

Chapter 7

How was it that just a couple weeks ago he didn't want Audrey and Jack in the same country never mind the same room? Heller thought hard for the answer to this question while sitting outside looking out at the beach. Jack had been coming over every day to spend time with Audrey. Heller was both angry and relieved. Angry because he knew Jack would hurt her and he already had. Relieved because whenever he talked to Audrey they'd run out of things to say. Somehow that was never a problem when Jack was with her.

Heller had stopped eavesdropping ever since Jack called him out a couple days ago. He went in every once in a while to offer them food or drinks, but mostly just to make sure Audrey was okay around Jack. Heller's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the back door opening.

"Is everything okay?" Heller asked immediately. Jack looked at him and shook his head no. Did Heller really not trust him that much? Every time Jack came out of Audrey's room he'd ask that same question. As if Jack wouldn't tell him Audrey was dying or something.

"Everything's fine. I just wanted to let you know that I'm leaving and Audrey's still awake." Jack said. He always told Heller when he was leaving so that Heller could keep her company if she wanted him to.

"Thanks." Heller said, standing up to walk inside the house.

"Sir, she's getting really impatient. Maybe, we should let her get out of bed or something."

"I didn't ask for your opinion." Heller said.

"Well, maybe you should ask for Audrey's every once in a while. She asked me to talk to you about it. She's feeling stronger. She wants to get up."

"It's too soon, Jack." Heller said. He walked by Jack and went into his house.

"You know she's just going to start trying to stand up without us, right? And, then she falls. And, then it takes her even longer to recover." Jack said.

"Goodbye, Jack. It was good talking to you." Heller said sarcastically, opening the front door so Jack would leave. Jack left not wanting to start a fight.

Heller went to his daughter's room. Audrey was sitting up. She looked healthier and healthier every single day.

"Hi, sweetheart." Heller said.

"Hi, daddy." Audrey said.

"Jack talked to me about you wanting to get out of bed." Heller said.

"I know I could hear some of it." Audrey said.

"Do you really feel like you're up to it?" He said.

"Yeah, I've been feeling really good lately." Audrey said.

"Do you want to try now?" Heller asked, giving in. "Just standing not walking."

"Yeah sure." Audrey said, excitedly. Then her eyes looked down. "Never mind. Can we try tomorrow when Jack's here?"

Heller nodded while cursing Jack for having so much influence on her. He sat and talked with Audrey longer than they ever had since China. They talked about Audrey's childhood. They talked about the times they'd come here for vacation and go to the beach. They talked about Audrey's mother. Audrey asked about her brother, Richard. Heller wasn't sure how he was. They'd been having a better relationship until Audrey died. After that, Richard had become angry with him for not stopping or helping Audrey.

"Well, do you ever call him or anything? I mean I'm not dead now. Maybe you guys can still fix things." Audrey suggested. "Not to mention I'd like to see him."

"I doubt Richard and I will ever get along. But, if you want to see him, I'll call him." Heller said.

"Thanks. Now why can't you accept Jack like that?" Audrey asked.

"Jack's not your brother." He said leaving before Audrey could make a reply that leaves him looking like an idiot. Audrey smiled just before he turned around and Heller caught a glimpse of it. The only time he had seen Audrey smile was when she was around Jack. Now she was finally smiling around him and him alone. Granted the comment was about Jack. But it didn't really matter.

Jack got back to the apartment to find Chloe packing up more of her things. She had basically taken everything out of the apartment.

"Chloe, do you need some help?" He asked as he saw her reaching for something on the top shelf of her closet.

"Can you just get that shirt that's up there for me?" Chloe asked. Jack reached up with no problem. "Thanks. Morris is still working so I thought I'd stop by here before I went home. How was Audrey, today?"

Jack smiled at her name. "She's doing really well. She wants to start getting out of bed but Heller doesn't want her to."

"Well, that's good. That she wants to get out of bed, I mean. Shows that she's coming back."

Chloe left with her things and Jack tried to get some sleep. He and Audrey tried to sleep at night so that they could both stay awake during the day when they were together. But, without each other they couldn't sleep without the nightmares.

The next Audrey told Jack about her father agreeing to let her get out of bed. Jack stood on one side of her and Heller stood on the other. Jack's arm was held firmly against her waist. Heller stood by just in case. Audrey stood up and could feel her legs shaking beneath her. Jack held on tightly to her as to not let her fall. Audrey balanced her weight on her legs. Eventually the shaking minimized and Audrey was standing. Jack arm had released its grip slightly and Jack moved his hand to the small of her back.

Audrey sat back down on the bed. "Next time, we'll walk."