-1Chapter 14

The following morning came quicker than Jack had anticipated; he slowly opened his eyes, and it took a moment for him to work out where he was. Gathering his bearings, he gazed down to the figure next to him, who was currently nuzzled up again his chest. A smile crept across his face; Audrey looked so cute when she was sleeping. Her long sandy blonde hair, which was nearly always tied in a tight bun at work, was now spread across the pillow and on her face. Moving his hand slowly, making sure he would not wake her, he swept the hair from her face. He then shifted himself so that his face was next to hers. Leaning into her face, Jack kissed Audrey gently on her lips, so that she would rise from her sleep.

Audrey's eyes fluttered open seconds later. She looked up at Jack, who at the moment was kisses and nuzzling into her neck.

"What time is it?" she asked groggily.

"It's about 6am." Jack replied.

"Urgh, I'm not getting up, I'll phone in and tell the office that I'm ill."

Jack laughed, "Now Ms Raines" he teased, "that would be known as a lie."

Audrey rolled her eyes, "and since when were you a Saint Bauer? If I remember rightly you hardly ever follow rules."

Jack smirked at her comment, "yes, well… I…" he stuttered.

"Cat got your tongue Jack?" Audrey teased.

Jack brought his hand up to cradle her face, "You know you really are beautiful." Audrey blushed, and lent in his touch, she then brought her lips to his, kissing him passionately. Jack surprised at first didn't react but when he did, he slipped his tongue into her mouth, moving his hand down her back, pulling her closer to him. Audrey moaned as he did so.

"Come on we better get going." Jack panted, as they broke away.

"Aww do we have to". Audrey asked pulling a puppy face, causing Jack to laugh yet again.

"Yes. I'll tell you what, if you come into work today, I'll make you breakfast and take you out to dinner tonight. How does that sound?"

Audrey pretended to think about it for a moment or two. "Well if you're paying then maybe." she winked.

"Of course I'll pay." Jack smirked.

Stealing one more kiss, Audrey rose from the bed, "Fine if you insist, I'm off to have a shower and by the time I'm out and dressed I expect a breakfast ready" she joked.

"Yes Ma'am" Jack retorted.

Audrey disappeared into the bathroom, and reappeared again with just a towel on.

"You're fast" Jack said, desperately trying not to eye Audrey in her towel.

"Funny, I just came back in here for my clip, and then I'm back out again."

Jack nodded, handed Audrey her clip. Jack concentrated on gathering his clothes together, putting them on he remembered that he didn't have a spare change of clothing. "Damn it." he muttered under his breath. It meant that he would have to go home, get a spare change of clothing and then be late for work.

Jack sighed as he wondered downstairs thinking of what to cook Audrey for breakfast.

Jack reached Audrey's oversize kitchen, finally deciding on what he was going to cook her. He opened the fridge and took out eggs, bacon and the butter, he would just have to make her a fancy omelette with bacon and toast as his cooking skills in the kitchen were minimal. After retrieving the food Jack went on a search for the frying pan and cutlery. Reaching into a cupboard he found the frying pan but also pulled down some other pans with it creating a noise.

"Damn it" he muttered under his breath, he was hopeless in the kitchen.

"What was that?" he heard Audrey call from upstairs.

"Oh nothing don't worry."

"Right" Audrey replied, worried that Jack was turning her kitchen into a bomb site.

Jack gazed around the room for the damn cutlery draw. Taking a guess he turned to the one on his left, which turned out to be the right one. Gathering all his ingredients and equipment Jack started to make Audrey's breakfast.

--

Audrey was upstairs applying the last of her make up. She really did not want to go into work today; she actually wanted to be with Jack for the day and not have to think about work. But of course Jack not wanting to break the rules for once in his life wanted to go in. She took a step back from the mirror, looking at herself as she straightened out her white blouse. Wanting to look nice for Jack, Audrey had dressed herself in her favourite blouse and a random pink skirt that she had chosen from her closet.

'Now for breakfast' she thought as she turned from the room and headed down the stairs, where an overwhelming smell of egg and bacon greeted her.

"Hey" Audrey said seeing Jack with an apron around his waist, standing by the cooker. "Nice outfit." she teased.

Jack pulled a face at her "Thanks" he said agreeing with her "I thought so to."

Audrey rolled her eyes, "So where is my breakfast then?"

"It's on its way your highness."

Audrey smirked at Jack's remark; she walked over to the table and sat down. Jack looked up over the counter to Audrey, who was now currently reading the newspaper, Jack smiled.

"Here you go" he said handing Audrey over her breakfast.

Jack took a seat opposite her and began to drink his coffee. "Aren't you going to have any breakfast?" Audrey asked.

"No, I have to go back to my apartment to get dressed, so I'll have something there."

Audrey nodded, and a smile started to spread across her face, "So that's the plan is it? Send me off to work while you take the day off."

"What?" Jack asked confused, "No I just have to-"

"Sure" Audrey teased, winking at Jack. She got up and stood behind Jack, wrapping her arms around his neck, "I'm kidding." Jack turned around, slowly leaning in for a kiss, which Audrey happily gave him. Pulling apart to catch their breaths, Jack took the opportunity to see what Audrey was wearing.

"You look gorgeous" he claimed, causing Audrey to blush.

"Thank you."

Ten minutes later Audrey had finished her breakfast and was gathering her things together.

"Right I have to go it's almost 7:30 and I'm normally at work by now."

Jack laughed, which earned him a playful slap on the arm from Audrey.

"I'll see you later." Jack said kissing Audrey's neck, "and don't eat a lot at lunch." he whispered.

Jack's breath so close sent shivers down her spine. "Alright" she muttered. "See you in a while."

With that Jack and Audrey stepped from the apartment and headed to their cars. Jack watched Audrey drive off in the direction of work and he headed back home.

---

The elevator doors opened as Heller stepped out onto his floor. He was surprised when he didn't see the usual light coming from Jack and Audrey's office. Where were they he thought? Audrey was nearly always at work at 7:30 despite what he had said about work actually starting at 8am. Audrey had always argued that she preferred to come into work early. Maybe she had taken is advice for once in her life. But why wasn't Jack here? That was more of a mystery to him. Jack was never late for work, well that was until now. He stepped towards his secretary's desk.

"Morning Judy, I was wondering have you seen Audrey or Jack yet?"

"No Sir, I haven't."

Heller nodded his thanks and walked into his office. Where the hell were they then?

----

Audrey pulled up into the car park, when her phone vibrated signalling to her that she had a message. It was from Jack:

Hey, I just got home and decided I might stay here for the day. Hope you got to work okay. Jackxx

Audrey laughed at the screen. She walked into the elevator, pressing the button for her floor she replied to Jack's text:

You dare Bauer, and you'll being going to dinner by yourself tonight. Xx

Sending the text she stepped from the elevator, only to be confronted by her father.

"Good Morning." Heller said.

"Morning" Audrey replied.

"Where were you this morning its almost 8'o clock?"

Audrey looked away, trying to think of a good excuse. "I overslept. I'm sorry."

Heller laughed, "Oh Right ok. Well I have to be in a meeting in thirty minutes. I suppose you haven't seen Jack have you?"

"Erm, no I don't think so. The last time saw him was last night sorry. Why were you looking for him?" she asked.

"No I was just wondering where he was. Alright, I'd better be going. I'll speak to you later."

Audrey nodded and headed into her office, groaning at the amount of papers that had stacked up on her desk. Shaking her head she got down to work.

Forty minutes later Audrey heard a soft tap at her door.

"Come in" she said a little agitated.

"Hey" Jack replied wondering in the room.

Audrey looked up and smiled, "So you decided to come in did you?"

"Yep I thought I'd be bored without anyone at home and besides I still wanted to take you out." he said winking.

Audrey laughed shaking her head, "Right, oh just to warn you, Dad is pretty pissed that you weren't at work early, today."

Jack rolled his eyes. "What did you say to him?"

"I didn't say anything about you all I said was that I overslept and he seemed okay with that."

"Well its alright for you, you're his daughter."

Audrey made a face a Jack, "I'm sure he'll understand."

"Hmm, I bet." Jack retorted, "Anyway I better be heading back to the mounts of papers that await me in my office. I'll pick you up around o'clock tonight okay?"

"Sure" Audrey agreed.

---

Jack wondered back into his office, with a grin still on his face from his previous conversation with Audrey. As he got settled in, his phone rang.

"Jack Bauer."

"Jack, its James. Could you come up to my office for a second please and on your way could you remind Audrey that I need the protocols before 9am."

"Yes Sir." he said then putting down the phone.

Shit he thought you're in the dog house now, Heller is probably going to fire you. Shaking his head free of thoughts Jack knocked on Audrey's door.

"Come in" she said

"Hey, your dad wanted me to tell you that he wanted the protocols in forty minutes."

Audrey nodded her head, "So he asked to talk to you did he?"

Jack rolled his eyes, "Yes, I'd better get going"

"Wait I'll join you."

"You don't -"

"Please" Audrey said, "I wouldn't miss you getting told off by my father for the world."

Jack laughed, as they both headed to Heller's office.

Knocking on the door, Jack took a deep breath.

"Sir, you wanted to see me?"

Heller looked up from his work to find Jack and Audrey hovering at his door.

"Ah, Yes Jack I just wanted to know where you were this morning that's all."

Audrey had to stop herself from laughing, when she saw the expression on Jack's face.

"Well…I…I" Jack mumbled. "I had to talk to my daughter this morning; she's just having family problems."

Heller nodded, "Alright that will be all."

Jack nodded relieved to get out of the room.

Once he was gone Audrey stepped into his office, closing the door behind her.

"You know you shouldn't be too hard on him."

Heller looked up surprised. "I wasn't being hard on him I -"

Audrey shook her head, "What I mean is that Jack is a private man, and he doesn't like to tell people about his private life, and besides he has just struck up a bond with his daughter again."

Heller stared at Audrey bewildered. "How do you know all this?"

Audrey felt herself blushing, "He's told me that's all."

"Right" Heller replied, still not convinced, "Do you like him?"

Audrey felt her heart skip a beat. "No! Dad why would you ask me that."

"I don't know, just the way that your always protecting him or sticking up for him."

"Dad, Just because I stick up for him doesn't mean I like him."

Heller could tell how outraged his daughter was. "Alright, I'm sorry. So how are things with you and Paul?"

Audrey rolled her eyes, "O there great" she replied sarcastically, "Dad I haven't even had a chance to talk to him yet, ok? Will you just give me a rest, please?"

Heller nodded his head getting on with his work. Heller and Audrey remained in silence for the rest of the day, only speaking a few times to confirm facts or ask if the other wanted a coffee.

Finally the clock flashed 6:00pm, "I'll see you tomorrow." Audrey said

"See you sweetie. I love you." Heller replied.

"Yeah I love you too."

Audrey walked out of the office and headed towards her own, packing up her things she walked to Jack's office and was surprised to see the light was off. Walking into the deserted office she looked down on his table, where she found a note saying Audrey on it. It read:

Audrey,

I had to leave work early in order to get a place at the restaurant tonight. I'll pick you up at 8.

Jack

Xxx

Audrey smiled; he could be so cryptic at times. Collecting her things she wondered home to get ready for her date with Jack…

TBC.