A/N - apologies for how slow the chapters are coming. Lots of stuff going on Chez Moi at the moment. Will try and speed it up.

Chapter 11

Sam remained at Jack's side the whole night. Once he had come off the nebuliser, he could feel a significant improvement. It didn't hurt as much to breathe as it had earlier and the wheezing had lessened. Samantha had noticed this also and felt hugely relieved. However, Jack remained extremely tired and weak. However much he struggled to remain awake and talk to Samantha, it became too much for him. Eventually he fell back asleep, still sitting up in the bed. Samantha found that she was unable to get to sleep, despite her own exhaustion. Thoughts and scenarios buzzed through her head, keeping her mind alert and awake.

She tried to decide what she wanted from the man who lay before her. They had experienced so many ups and downs together. She wasn't sure she wanted to go through it all again. If what he said was true, could they really be together? Her head told her no. Nothing had changed much since their last attempt at a relationship and that had ended in broken hearts and broken promises.

She looked at Jack sleeping peacefully at last. She sat there like a love-struck teenager with a crush on the quarterback, her heart all a quiver. Why was she so irrefutably attracted to him, she wondered, especially when all that had come of her feelings for him was a whole lot of hurt. Even now, after so many years of convincing herself that she was better off without him, she still wanted him. Her mind was all a muddle and she felt like she needed to clear her head. She wanted to gain perspective on everything that had happened over the last few days. Maybe it was just the fact that he was ill that was making her feel like she had a responsibility towards him. Maybe it was some feeling of loyalty that she was confusing with feelings of love. She decided to leave him sleeping there and to take a walk in the early morning freshness.

As she emerged from the sterility of the hospital, she drew in a cleansing breath of fresh, crisp air. Morning dew glistened on the grass as she strolled aimlessly through the hospital grounds. She pulled her jacket tightly around her, feeling the chill in the breeze. She wandered for a while before sitting on a bench close to the hospital gate. She watched as the sun rose steadily on the horizon and opened her mind in an attempt to make sense of her feelings.

She had already decided that she and Jack needed to talk about what he had said to her after he had first woken. But she also needed to be clear on where she stood if it turned out that he still felt the same way. Her biggest quandary was whether she should follow her heart or her head. Her head insisted 'no' but her heart screamed 'yes.'

She remained outside for over an hour without realising it. The growling of her stomach reminded her that she hadn't eaten in a long while, so she returned inside to see if the cafeteria was open yet. To her relief it was, so she ordered breakfast.

While she was having breakfast, Jack woke and was disappointed to find that Sam had left. He wondered how long she was gone and whether she would be coming back. He squirmed in the bed in an effort to get more comfortable. His headache had abated and the pain in his chest had lessened significantly. He was definitely on the road to recovery, although he felt as weak as a kitten. He was relieved, however, to be able to take a deep breath without that heavy, suffocating feeling consuming him. He sat there, watching the door, waiting for Samantha to return. He wanted, so desperately, to explain his feelings. He waited patiently for what felt like an age. In fact, it was only thirty minutes. Sitting there, his eyes grew heavy and he allowed them to close briefly. He opened them immediately when he heard the door of the room open.

"Hey, you're back," he said, eagerly straightening up, his smile showing his delight.

"Hey, yourself. I wasn't expecting you to be awake yet," Sam said, approaching the bed. "How are you feeling now?"

"Better," he said truthfully.

"Good," Sam replied. "You had me worried there for a while."

"You don't have to worry about me," Jack told her.

"I can't help it," Sam replied. "An old habit I guess."

"Sam, can we talk?" Jack asked seriously, not wanting to waste any time on small talk.

"Of course," Sam replied tentatively, sensing something strange in the air.

"It's about what I said earlier," Jack informed her. "I didn't mean to come on so strong. It's just, that after what happened, I've realised how precious life is. I don't want to waste any more of mine."

Sam looked at him, wondering where this was going.

"I know I've treated you badly in the past, Sam. I didn't know what I wanted or maybe I just wanted the best of both worlds, but I realise now that to be happy, I have to make a decision. I know this is coming from left field but I love you, Sam, always have. I want to make it work," Jack told her, opening up his heart entirely.

Sam gawped and unconsciously took a step back as she listened to Jack's words. Jack's face was solemn and serious. He certainly looked like he meant it, she thought. Inside, she knew she felt the same way, but in typical female fashion, she decided not to just melt at his words. She remained silent for a while, but she could feel Jack's eyes boring into her. She did her best to stay in control and play it cool. Eventually she allowed her gaze to meet his.

"I don't know what to say," Sam admitted candidly. "I mean, that's pretty unexpected, Jack."

"I know, Sam. It must seem so sudden, especially since I was the one to end things between us, but I was a fool, Sam," Jack declared. "I never stopped loving you, you know that. My priorities were totally screwed up, but I realise now that I was wrong. I can change, Sam. I can make this work for us," he promised enthusiastically, before a cough interrupted his monologue.

Samantha reached for the glass of water on the bedside table. She put it to his lips, smiling at the seriousness of his facial expression as she did so. He was taking a deep breath to continue when she stopped him.

"Ssshh," she said, placing her index finger on his moist lips. "It's okay. I do understand, Jack. I just need some time to get my head straight. I need to know how you plan to make it work, Jack. Words are fine, but so far words have only let me down."

Jack hung his head in shame. He knew she was right. He felt guilty for hurting her in the past and, now, for springing this on her. What must she think of him?

"I'll put in a call to Olczyk in the morning and tender my resignation," Jack announced without hesitation, much to Samantha's shock.

"Don't be ridiculous, Jack. You can't live without this job. You'd be miserable. I don't want to be responsible for making you miserable," Sam said, setting him straight. "As you've so often said, it's complicated."

Jack didn't respond. He knew she was right. Jack Malone and the FBI were inter-dependent. Neither would function satisfactorily without the other. Missing Person's was in his blood. Sam recognised this but Jack was pained to admit it. All he wanted was to prove to her that he would do anything to win her back. Then what he blurted out next even took him by surprise.

"Marry me," he said out of the blue.

Samantha's jaw dropped, as it was the last thing she had expected to hear from him.

"Excuse me?" she said, sounding slightly insulted.

"I said, marry me," Jack repeated, this time saying it with conviction.

"I, eh, Jack …. I, eh, don't know what to say," Sam stammered, her cheeks reddening.

"You could say yes," Jack suggested hopefully.

Sam shook her head. Her mind was filling with possibilities and probabilities. In another situation, at another time, she would jump at his proposal, but this just felt wrong. The timing was really wrong. She couldn't answer him. She was literally speechless, but she was mindful not to hurt him either. She took a step closer to him and reached for his hand. Jack could read her expression. It wasn't that of a woman who was overjoyed at a marriage proposal.

"I'm sorry, Jack. We can talk about this when you're feeling better, when we get back to New York," Sam said, placing an affectionate kiss on his forehead and turning to leave.

"Where are you going?" Jack asked, as she walked away.

"I need some time, Jack. I need to get things straight in my head. I hope you can understand that," Sam said ruefully.

Jack nodded his head as she disappeared, then lay back heavily into his pillows. He ran his hand through his hair and considered his actions.

Nice one, Jack! Marry me? Seriously, could you have put her under any more pressure? Well, I guess it's out there now. Lets see what she does with it. I just hope I haven't blown our friendship.

A/N - Couldn't resist throwing another spanner in the works for our heroes. So advise me - to be or not to be, that is the question!