Disclaimer – I do not own Eureka.

A/N – I'm sure I wasn't the only person who thought of this...

Author – Emcey_Squared

Just a Little Bit Different

"SARAH, are you there?" Jack had hesitated a moment, afraid that the answer would be silence. The interior of the Bunker was mildly different; there was no telling just what had changed.

"Yes, Sheriff," Sarah responded and Jack nearly sighed in relief.

Maybe it was just the little things that were different. After all, a bronze statue instead of a granite statue wasn't that big a deal, right? And the new furniture arrangement wasn't all that different from the old arrangement. It even looked nicer. However, there was one very important question he needed answered. As SARAH shut the door behind him, Jack started walking towards the living area. "SARAH, is, ah... is Zoe still at Harvard?"

"Of course she is, Jack."

Jack froze. That was not SARAH's voice. It wasn't Tess' either, which would have been less surprising.

"Where else would she be?"

The last time Jack heard that voice in person, the man had said "see you around, Jack." It seemed that he hadn't been lying after all. Turning to face the couch, Jack couldn't quite keep the shock off his face as he saw Nathan Stark lounging on his couch.

No... not his couch. Their couch. The ring on the Stark's finger and the look in his eyes said that much.

Nathan had never been slow on the uptake. Staring at Jack with growing worry, the scientist straightened up and asked, "Jack, what's wrong?"

Later, Jack would vehemently deny that he fainted. He merely... passed out in a manly fashion.

On the Other Side of the Equation

When Nathan Stark appeared in the Bunker on Founder's Day, Jack was determinedly considering all the ways he could get out of doing Fargo's bidding concerning the exhibition. Though the sudden appearance of Nathan Stark was unexpected, Jack was just as resigned to the idea of Stark's reappearance as he was relieved and happy. After all, he'd liked Nathan and been attracted to the handsome scientist; but the relationship between Nathan and Allison had effectively blocked Jack from finding love with either one of them.

Yet, it kind of figured that the annoying scientist had managed to come back to life. It also figured that the man would choose Jack's home, of all places, to pull off his reappearing act.

"Jack..." The way Stark was staring at Jack spoke volumes, but not nearly so much as the shocked, almost awe-struck way he'd whispered Jack's name. This wasn't the response of a man who'd died on his wedding day to Allison Blake. This was the response of a man looking at someone he'd cared for and lost.

"Jack..." Nathan repeated, taking a step forward to bridge the distance between them. "You're alive..." Nathan put his hand on Jack's cheek and then drew him into a searing kiss that, after a moment of frozen panic, Jack couldn't help but reciprocate.

He'd worry about figuring out how to explain all this to Allison later.

A/N – Once I see the second episode of the season, I'm going to see about turning one of those two into the prologue of a longer story. I haven't decided which one, yet.

Also, does anyone else share my feelings of instant-like for Grace? The moment I saw her, I thought that finally Henry would have a chance of moving on... and that was before they wound up married at the end of the episode. I love the look on his face as he's staring at the wedding band; he's clearly wondering 'what the hell? I barely know her name!'