Hello friends. Hope you are doing good…

Seriously starting to regret once telling someone I would become a writer 'but only if all else fails…' Cause it seems like everything just decided to go to shit after that. This last illusion too… FML…

"So… How long are you staying for?" Michelle asked as she sipped her coffee.

"Well, I was supposed to head back to L.A. tomorrow…" Jack shrugged, "But I've been thinking about calling my boss, to tell her that I'll stay a few more days. I'm on medical leave either way…"

"I'd like that…"

"Me too…" Jack admitted as the waitress came back with the breakfast plates.

"Here you go, two 2x2x2's" Raelynn smiled as she set the plates down. "If there is anything else you should need, just let me know…"

"Thank you…" Jack smiled and picked up his knife and fork, "Looks good!"

"Thank you, Rae…" Michelle grinned just before Raelynn turned to go back to her chores.

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"Where in L.A. do you live?" Michelle asked after a little while.

"Jefferson Park. I bought a tired, run down house there when I first moved to Los Angeles. Fixed it up little by little. Now it's pretty decent…" Jack explained proudly, "Honestly, I often question why I didn't just buy a small apartment instead. I mean, sure… It's awesome to have a bedroom or two extra when Mac or Riley needs to stay over, but it's just me there usually. And then there's the 'business trips' and all that."

"Too much house?"

"Maybe a little too much for just one person…" Jack nodded. "And you, 40 minutes or so away from here?"

Michelle nodded. "Just a little house and a shack to park inside. I never planned on staying…"

"You never planned on staying?"

"That was almost 10 years ago…" Michelle laughed as she finished up the last of her pancakes. "I would live near my hometown for a little while. A year, two tops… Then I would go out and see the world, work all across the US, maybe volunteer for doctors without borders or something… I wasn't going to plant roots at least…"

"Could still happen…" Jack winked, taking another sip of his coffee.

"Nah… A miracle would have to happen first…"

"Could happen…"

"Doubt it…" Michelle sighed, "I would love it, but I doubt it will ever happen…"

Jack nodded.

"And you? You have certainly seen the world…" Michelle said as sha tilted her head. "How is it?"

"Texas is still stuck in my heart…"

"Ever met a Texan who doesn't LOVE Texas?" Michelle chuckled.

Jack shook his head, "Don't think I have…"

"Same…" Michelle grinned, "But how is the rest of the world?"

"Loud. Dirty. Rough. Sometimes scary…" Jack shrugged, "But other parts of the world are beautiful, rich of life… Worth seeing…"

"If you could go back to when you enlisted?"

"I'd do it all again, in a heartbeat." Jack admitted as he rubbed the back of his neck, before he repeated himself. "I'd do it all again…"

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They stayed at the café for a good while after finishing up their breakfasts. After a couple of refills of coffee, Jack looked up at Michelle. "Maybe we should get going?"

"Are you getting tired?"

Jack shook his head, "No, but if I want to hang around town for a few more days, I better call Matty and have her re-schedule my flight…"

"So you're staying?"

"As long as my boss doesn't go all Matty-the-hun over the request… -Yes." Jack couldn't help but smile when he saw Michelle's face light up.

"Hope she lets you…"

"She will, I'm pretty sure…" Jack smirked, "If not, it wouldn't be the first time I skipped out on an exfil…"

"Huh?"

"Long story, boring actually. Another day?"

"Okay…"

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The walk back to the motel room went a lot smoother than the trip to the IHOP. They didn't have to stop to let Jack catch his breath, and his leg didn't feel like it was about to fall off. Much thanks to the painkillers which had kicked in a good while ago.

"So… One thing…" Michelle started, obviously nervous.

Jack stopped dead in his tracks and nodded.

"You said you kinda still were a soldier…" she paused for a few seconds, "What does that mean?"

Jack didn't say anything straight away. His eyes fell to the ground, then he shuffled over to the ice chest standing up against the motel wall. He leaned up against it.

"It means…" Jack sighed, "It means… It means I still work for the government. Still get shot at, a lot… Still get ops or missions to go on. I don't have any flags assaulting forward on my arm, I don't get any medals or stuff, cause that shit is just expected of me… But I protect people who need protection…"

"But you're one of the good guys, right?" Michelle asked with a wink, not really doubting what answer she would get.

"Yeah, I am… At least I try to be…"

Michelle nodded. "So the business trips you mentioned…?"

"Missions." Jack admitted.

Okay, I better get some sleep… Good night…