-1Chapter 21

Jack lay awake the next morning staring at the ceiling. He had heard Heller visit Audrey earlier; he had whimpered a few words to Audrey, which Jack hadn't heard. Dr Smith entered the room, pulling Jack from his thoughts.

"How's your shoulder?" he asked.

Jack hesitated, "it's a bit stiff, bit I'll manage."

Dr Smith nodded and continued to fill in the papers. The last twelve hours had been absolute hell for him and Audrey, yet again. It was over for Jack but Audrey was still in danger of dying.

"How she doing?" Jack asked indicating to Audrey.

Dr Smith didn't answer for a minute; choosing his words carefully he replied, "To be honest Jack, it's going to take a miracle for her to wake up. Her brain activity is incredibly low"

Jack shook his head; this was like a nightmare coming true.

"So basically, you're saying she is not going to make it?"

Dr Smith said nothing, which answered Jack's question.

"She'll make it" Jack uttered, "She's a fighter."

Again Dr Smith was silent. "Look Jack may be you're right, all I'm basing my verdict on is medical history, which 9 out of 10 times is always right. But like I said you may be right."

Jack was silent. He continued to gaze at Audrey, she would make it wouldn't she?

Thirty minutes past and Dr Smith had eventually left, giving Jack and Audrey their privacy. Jack was now sitting on the chair next to Audrey and clasping her hand. He had no idea what to say to her.

"I know that I haven't been there for you over the past year while you were recovering and I regret that. But baby I'm here now and I swear to you that I'm not going anywhere." he paused. "I really need you Audrey, more than you will ever know. You're my life, you're the only thing I have left and I swear to you once you pull through I'll leave my job at CTU and we can go wherever you want to go." Jack stopped and gazed at Audrey, he still couldn't believe this was happening to her.

He stared down at Audrey's hand, stroking it gently, a smile crept across his face, as an old memory came to his mind. "Hey, I bet you don't remember what our first song we danced to was?" He asked half expecting Audrey to answer. Jack lent forward and placed his head next to hers.

" 'I don't wanna miss a thing' Do you remember that? It became our song after that." he croaked as tears started to flood his face. "Lying close to you feeling your heart beating….then I close my eyes and thank God we're together.." Jack sang, he had always sung those exact lines in the song knowing that Audrey had always liked them.

He moved his head to her face and trailed kisses from her forehead to her eyes then to her lips. Leaning back into the chair he continued, " I remember that night and how perfect you looked," he said drawing the distant memory of that night 5 ½ years ago….

Jack stepped from the limo onto the pavement, where he was to wait for Secretary Heller and his daughter Audrey. This was his first ball and saying that he was nervous was only putting it mildly. At least Audrey would be with him.

He had been working for Secretary Heller for the last three months; he and Audrey had got on well almost instantly. For the first three weeks Jack couldn't get his mind off of Audrey, she was simply beautiful. However, when he found out that she was Heller's daughter he backed off immediately and just put his feelings away. A month went by and he still hadn't managed to drag his mind from Audrey, there was something about her that amazed him. They had to work many late nights together, where they grew closer to one another and not just in a work relationship. The nights they had to spent together were usually because of unfinished work but recently Jack noticed that they had been spending unnecessary time together and sharing linger glances. They had almost kissed the other night but were stopped by Audrey's phone ringing. What sent Jack into confusion was the fact that after the phone call neither one could look at each other let alone speak and the following morning, when Jack went to apologize to her, she would hear nothing of it. In fact she had totally ignored what he was trying to say and told him she was trying to prepare for some meeting. Jack's confusion had then taken a certain nose dive, did she like him or not?

A limo pulling up distracted Jack from his thoughts. 'Here we go' he thought. It was Heller who exited the car first. Jack looked at what Heller was wearing; there Heller was in some designer tux which was no doubt expensive, whereas he was in simple black slack, a white dress shirt and a plain black jacket. Jack straightened out his tie and headed over to the limo.

"Sorry we're late Jack, we had to wait for Audrey, and you know how women are." Heller laughed at which Jack smiled.

"Dad, I am here you know." came the voice from the limo. Her voice. The voice that could melt away his defences with just one look.

When Audrey stepped out from the limo, Jack couldn't help but gawp, she was breathtaking. She wore a long black dress; with short sleeves that emphasized her amazing cleavage. Heller smiled at his daughter's remark.

"Hey Jack" Audrey said softly.

"Hey" Jack replied barely being able to form a sentence let alone words.

"Shall we go in?" Heller asked at which both of them nodded.

Heller was the first to enter, before Audrey walked past Jack she stepped up to him, eyeing him. Jack shuffled backwards, while a sudden wave of nerves ran through his body.

"You look beau… great." Jack uttered, quickly changing his choice of words so they wouldn't have to be embarrassed again.

"Thanks. Jack look I'm sorry about the other night." She said referring to their attempted kiss.

Jack brought his eyes to her ocean blue ones, " don't worry about it, I was just as willing as you were."

Audrey smiled, blushed and then turned away, "Come on we better go in and follow dad."

Jack nodded and followed her into the ballroom…

----

Jack stopped the story as he heard the door open. "Sorry Sir, but here is your breakfast."

Jack inwardly rolled his eyes, he didn't want to eat, and he wanted to finish telling Audrey the story. "Thanks" he replied.

The nurse nodded and retreated out of the room. Jack was about to continue the story but is stomach began to protest as it growled loudly. If he came to think of it he couldn't think of the last time he had eaten. Moving hungrily to the tray he began to eat, the story could wait.

Twenty minutes later Jack finished his meal and turned his attentions back to Audrey. There was still no hint that she was alive apart from the steady beating of the heart machine.

"Anyway" he spoke " Where was I?" he asked her, praying that somehow she would answer. Remembering where he was he carried on telling the story…

----

Jack followed Audrey into the room. He could tell that she was struggling for her feelings for him as he was for her. Stepping into the large room, he noted some familiar faces. Jack looked around for Audrey in the hope that he may have had her company for the evening. However, this was not the case; Audrey was joined with her friend and was currently being chatted up by some guys. Groaning, Jack turned toward the buffet table, where he found his friend Pete.

Pete and he had instantly got on with each other. Pete worked in the Pentagon as well.

"Hey buddy." Pete chirped.

"Hi" Jack uttered.

Sensing there was something wrong Pete asked, "What's wrong?"

Jack hadn't told Pete of how he and Audrey had almost kissed the other night, "It doesn't matter, it's a long story."

Pete smirked, "Let me guess it has something to do with Audrey?"

Jack felt himself blush.

"Ha! I'm right. What happened did you kiss or something?"

Jack painfully rolled his eyes, "not exactly."

"How do you mean not exactly? You either kissed her or you didn't." Pete asked confused.

"The other night, Audrey and I, well we nearly kissed but we got interrupted by her bloody phone ringing, after she took the call we couldn't even look at each other and then the next day when I tried to talk about she acted as though nothing had happened."

Pete laughed "Well that's women for you."

Jack smirked "Yeah thanks Pete, you're a real help."

"Why don't you just go and ask her to dance, besides it doesn't look like she is having a good time being chatted up by those guys."

Jack rolled his eyes how could Pete be so confident? " No, I can't dance anyway."

Pete laughed again, "Jack just ask her to dance! It's not that hard."

"For you maybe." Jack retorted.

"What you're telling me that you saved America three times, fight terrorists and even risked death and you can't ask Audrey to dance."

Jack was silent. He felt himself start to blush.

"Seriously Jack what have you go to lose? If she says no then yeah you're going to be embarrassed, just laugh about it but if she says yes then you've got everything you've wanted."

Jack stared at Pete, where did he come up with all this advice. "You know sometimes I wonder why you even entered Politics." he retorted caused Pete to laugh. "I'll tell you what." Jack uttered, "If I ask Audrey to dance then you have to ask her friend to. Deal?"

Pete rolled his eyes, "It's always negotiations with you isn't it? Yes fine. Now go ask her."

Jack took a deep breath and wondered over to Audrey. "Hey"

Audrey turned around and was surprised to see who it was, "Hey" she replied "Are you having a good time?"

Jack nodded, "Erm, I was wondering whether you wanted to dance?"

He could tell by the look on Audrey's face that she was surprised by his question, loosing all his confidence Jack muttered, "Actually it doesn't matter, I'm sorry I shouldn't have asked."

Jack turned and was about to walk away when he felt Audrey tug on his arm, "I would love to dance with you." she said.

Jack grinned like a school boy as he led Audrey to the dance floor. He peered over his shoulder to look at Pete who was now asking Audrey's friend to dance. Pete glanced up, gave Jack thumbs up and winked. Jack smirked.

When they reached the dance floor, Jack slowly pulled Audrey into his embrace until their bodies were pressed together. Audrey looked up at Jack and smiled at him sweetly as the song began to play. Audrey sighed.

"What?" he asked

"It's nothing I just love this song."

Jack listened to the song it was of course, 'I don't wanna miss a thing' by Aerosmith. He smiled to her, "I love this song too." the pair than began to slowly sway to the melody.

After the song was over Jack reluctantly pulled back from Audrey's embrace.

"Thank you." she said

"It was my pleasure."

They continued to stare at one another, not sure of what the other was thinking or what they were feeling. Audrey smiled and started to wonder off. Jack snapped back to reality, he couldn't give Audrey up, no matter how hard he tried, he was simply crazy about her.

"Audrey." Jack at last said.

Audrey stopped, and turned around expectantly.

"I was wondering if you wanted to go to dinner with me tomorrow night." Jack asked.

Audrey smiled at him, "I would love to."

----

Jack sighed as he finished off the story, "That's when I started to feel happy again, and that was all down to you." he whispered, into her ear.

Just then he heard someone open the door to the room, Jack looked up to find Heller gazing down at him.

"Sir" Jack started but was cut off by Heller.

"Jack call me James. How is she doing?"

"She's doing alright; the Doctor said her brain activity is low though."

Heller nodded sadly "What about you, how are you feeling?"

"I'm fine, but shoulder is a bit stiff but I'll live."

Heller smiled.

-----

Audrey had heard every word of Jack's story. She too remembered the night vividly, it was one of memories she had clung onto while she was in China. In fact that night was the night when she first realised what her true feelings for Jack were. As he had spoken the words she could hear the pain in his voice. She also remembered him saying something about regret and that he was sorry. What did he have to be sorry for? He had done nothing wrong but care for her, she knew that was what he had done all along, even when he left her.

Audrey tried desperately to open her eyes but she couldn't. She had listened to the Doctor's report on her, exclaiming that she may not make it out of the coma and that her brain activity was low. But in the matter of fact her brain was fine, she could think perfectly well, it was just her damn eyes that wouldn't open. A new voice entering the room pulled her from her thoughts. Audrey recognized the new voice, it was the same voice that had talked to her this morning, it was the kind, loving voice of her fathers. All Audrey wanted to say was 'Oh dad, Jack I'm fine, I honestly am, I love you both so much'

-----

Heller turned his attention to Jack again, "Look Jack why don't you go get some sleep, you've been up here all day."

Jack looked up, "James, I'm fine" he retorted, and at the same time stifled a yawn.

"Yeah I'm sure Jack, look your beds right there just sleep for a while, I'll wake you if there is anything new on Audrey."

Jack contemplated on what Heller had just said, "Alright." he agreed.

Shifting over to his bed, Jack climbed into the warm blankets and found that sleep claimed him quickly….

TBC…