A/N Thank you for the reviews of the last chapter :). Enjoy!

Chapter 19- Sara

Dec 1993

Jack awakens to his house phone ringing, he looked over at Sam before he picked it up. He was wondering who was ringing him at 6am in the morning. He hoped that it wasn't Peterson AFB asking him to come in, he had only been asleep for about an hour after making love to his fiancée all night and he was in desperate need of sleep.

"O'Neill" he answered gruffly.

"Jack, its me" a female voice said at the end of the phone.

"Sara"

"I am at the hospital"

"Charlie?" He asked, his heart pounding in his chest, his mind screaming at him 'please don't let it be Charlie'.

"Charlie's fine Jack, he stayed with dad last night. I know I have no right Jack but could you come to the hospital, I really need to talk to you"

"Why do I need to be there if Charlie is alright Sara?"

"There was a time when you would be here straight away Jack" she said to him sadly.

"Yeah, well those days are long past Sara" he said

"Please Jack it is important" she pleaded with him, Jack was tempted to hang up on her but his eyes met Sam's who mouthed.

"Who is it?"

"Sara," he mouth back and Sam nodded her head in understanding.

"Can't you tell me over the phone?" He asked her wanting to hanging up, but he knew that he would feel guilty.

He knew that he would always love her in his own way; after all she was the mother of his child and it didn't stop him from worrying about her. But right now, all he wanted was to stay in bed with Sam. They had hardly seen each other since they had gotten engaged and he had missed her so much. They had organised the majority of their wedding over the phone, and Sam was moving to the springs; just before Christmas and they had arranged to get married in January. He knew that he had to tell Sara that he was getting married again, but he didn't want to hurt her or do it over the phone.

"I really need to talk to you Jack in person, Please?"

"Okay, I will be there in an hour"

"Thank you Jack, see you soon" she said before hanging up. Jack rolled over to Sam, and kissed her like he did every morning when they woke up.

"What did Sara want?" Sam asked him, she would never admit it but she felt a little insecure when it came Sara, after all she was Charlie's mother.

"She is in the hospital and she wants to talk to me apparently"

"And are you going to?" She asked him, already knowing the answer.

"I have too Sam"

"I know... I will see you when you get home. Love you" she said kissing him before climbing out of bed and heading out of their bedroom, not looking behind her.

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He was directed to Sara's room by the nurse on the ward and walking into the room, he was shocked to see Sara looking battered and bruised.

"What the hell happened to you?" He asked her.

"Paul" she told him.

"Really Sara, I can't believe you still let that guy around our son" he told her, it wasn't the first time that he had seen Sara with bruises, but he had kept his mouth shut, seeing that Charlie hadn't suffered any physical abuse otherwise Paul would have been dead by now.

"Jack... Please"

"No Sara, I have let this go on long enough because I didn't want to upset Charlie, but he is staying with me until you get it sorted" he told her in no uncertain tone.

"Jack"

"No Sara, I am going to pick Charlie up from Mike's and he will be staying with me" he wasn't about to let his son so into that environment.

"Jack I am scared of what he will do" she told him.

"That is why Charlie is staying with me, until you make a choice; it is either Charlie or him. What are you talking about Sara?" He asked finally picking up on what she said. He was frustrated he just wanted to pick up his son.

"How will Samantha feel about it?" She had to ask him, and seeing the grin on his face at the mention of her name, before he hid it from her.

"About what?" He asked feeling confused to why she would be asking that.

"About having Charlie with you all the time"

"Samantha loves Charlie and he adores her so there will not be a problem. Actually Sara there is something I need to tell you" he knew that he had to tell her.

"What?"

"I asked Samantha to marry me" he told her and he didn't miss the look of hurt that flashed into her eyes and he hated seeing the pain that flashed across Sara's features and it was only because he knew her so well that he picked up on it. He took Sara's hand and giving her a small smile.

"I'm sorry Sara..." He whispered.

"No Jack, don't be, Samantha is lovely. I guess I am a little jealous" she told him honestly.

"Why?"

"Because you look at her in a way you never looked at me Jack" she said sadly.

"Sara... I loved you... And in my own way I always will, you are the mother of my son but Sam, she is it for me. I never wanted to hurt you Sara." He said, being totally honest with her for the first time in their six year marriage, his thumb gently caressed her hand, telling her in his own way that no matter what he would always be there for her.

"I know that Jack, believe me I do. And, I am happy for you, I just can't help but wish that you loved me the way you love her. Don't say you're sorry Jack, because deep down I know your not"

"I will not apologise Sara for falling in love with Samantha"

"I know Jack, and i don't want you too... I am asking you to help me Jack" she said, taking a deep breath before asking him the one question she never wanted to ask.

"With what?" he asked her.

"I need a gun, Jack" she told him.

"No" he told her, not willing to have a gun in the house where his son lived.

"Jack I am terrified that Paul might try to hurt me and I am thinking of Charlie"

"Sara... You hate guns... Especially having them in the house with Charlie around.

"I know... But it is for Charlie's safety I am talking about" she told him, seeing how reluctant he felt.

"What if Charlie hurt himself?" He said sadly.

"I would keep it out of Charlie's reach, I promise and he knows not to touch your gun Jack!" She told him but he still hated the idea of a gun around Charlie especially as he wasn't in the house.

"I don't know" he said looking down at his hands.

"Please Jack!" She begged him, and Jack looked up at her, not believing that he was considering agreeing to this.

"Okay Sara, give me a call when they release you, but Charlie is staying with me and Sam for the next week at least!" He said in no uncertain terms and she simply nodded. Jack gave her a quick kiss on the head before leaving the hospital room and making his way home to where his fiancée was waiting for him, and they would pick up Charlie from school.