Where'd everyone go? I'm starting to worry that you're losing interest with only three more chapters left...

I know you all wanted Margo to come around, but I don't think it's in her nature to back down completely. She is willing to try to get to know Kate though, which is something. She might even like her.

I couldn't finish the fic without bringing Marc back, so here he is one last time.

By the way, I have a myspace account now under my pen name, so if any of you guys want to come say hi, let me know who you are, and I'll be sure to add you to my friends. I'm thinking of putting samples of some of my original stuff up, but I don't know...

Chapter 37. Off On Another Big Adventure

Sam stayed until the New Year to help them pack, keeping Kate company over the holidays while Jack was stuck at the hospital. After renewing her bond with him in the months since Izzy's birth, she cried when he left, moping around the apartment, but while Jack knew that she was sorry to be leaving him behind, now that the danger had almost passed, he could see that she was impatient to get out of the country.

While he would have loved to jump on the boat and go as soon as the arrangements were made, his loyalty to the chief prevented him from taking off without warning, so they set the date of their departure for January thirty first, exactly a month after Jack had given in his notice.

But as the day they were due to leave drew nearer, Jack couldn't help regretting his decision. The longer they waited, the more he began to worry that it was all too easy, that they would get caught, that something would happen to kill their happiness again; he was so busy psyching himself out of going that when the morning finally arrived, he almost couldn't find it in himself to muster his enthusiasm.

Just after eight, as they were preparing to down head to the marina, he thought his worst fears had been confirmed when he heard a loud knock at the door. Convinced that the Feds had discovered their plans, dread flooded through him as he cracked it open, but it was only Marc.

They'd already said goodbye over drinks the night before, so Jack was surprised to see him again so soon.

"Off on your big adventure?" he asked with a smirk as his eyes fell on the jumble of bags in the living room.

"Adventure is right," Jack told him, returning his friend's grin as he stepped aside to let him into the apartment. "Exactly what part of sailing across the Pacific with a four month old baby seemed like a good idea at the time?"

"You'll be fine – she's a good kid," Marc reminded him, his affectionate smile turning self-deprecating as he added, "Tell they're all like that and I might be persuaded to want one one day."

Jack laughed, unable to resist poking fun at his friend's self-imposed life as a bachelor; for all of his quips about commitment, he knew Marc envied what he had with Kate. "You'd have to find a woman you can stand to be around for more than a few days first," he told him.

"Easy for you to say – if we weren't friends, you might have some competition." Marc flashed him a lop-sided grin to show Jack that he had nothing to worry about, falling silent as Kate wandered into the room with Izzy.

She and Marc exchanged greetings while she rummaged through Izzy's bag, collecting a fresh diaper and sleepsuit before heading back into the bedroom to finish getting the baby ready.

When she was out of earshot, Marc added, looking thoughtful, "You know, part of me still can't believe you're crazy enough to try this – you who was always too much of a square to cut class with me in high school." He smirked, his voice teasing. "But I guess that's what happens when a straight-laced spinal surgeon falls in love with a fugitive."

Getting the smile he was after, his seriousness returned, his tone growing sober again. "But the other part of me knows how committed you are. You don't do things by halves, man. I just hope it all works out."

"If it does, I have you to thank," Jack told him, returning his grin.

Between the three of them, they had too much stuff to carry, so Marc gave them a lift to the marina. Kate had her hands full with Izzy, so when they arrived, he helped Jack load their bags onto the boat, standing quietly beside him on the dock when they were done.

It was a strange moment; after knowing him for so long, Jack found it hard to believe that they wouldn't be seeing each other every day anymore. Aside from his parents, Marc had been the most constant person in his life since childhood, more like a brother than even a close friend.

Jack was just trying to figure out how to say goodbye to him, when Kate saved him from having to break the silence by crossing to Marc's side, giving him an awkward one-armed hug. "Jack told me this was your idea," she said, stepping back to offer him a grateful smile. "I don't think you'll ever know how much this means to me – to us – but if there's ever anything…" she trailed off once she'd made her point, beaming at him as he grinned back.

"Just take good care of my buddy here," he said, clapping Jack on the shoulder. "Make sure he doesn't work too hard…"

She laughed, nodding, her eyes growing serious. "I will," she promised. She looked over at Jack, smiling softly. "I always do."

Jack returned her smile, thinking, not for the first time, how lucky he was to have her in his life. She was right; she always took care of him, whether he wanted her to or not.

He could hear his friend's voice wavering as he turned away from Kate, facing him. "And you – you just enjoy this, man. God knows you've earned it," he said, hugging him for a moment, before releasing him with a slap on the back. He shook off his sadness as he added with a grin, "I'll have to come see your new digs soon – I've been meaning to check out the party scene in Bali."

Jack pretended to roll his eyes, earning him a mock-wounded look from Marc.

"Hey, just because you're a family man now, doesn't mean the rest of us can't have fun." His voice wobbled again as he teased him; Jack could feel himself getting choked up as his friend turned back to Kate.

Marc brushed his knuckles lightly against Izzy's cheek, causing her to look around wildly for him. "See ya, kid," he said when he caught her eye, eliciting one of her smiles. "And go easy on your dad, huh? He's a sucker for a pretty face."

Looking at Jack, making sure that he heard him, he lowered his voice to a conspiratorial tone as he added, his words reminiscent of their first conversation about Kate, "I heard he once moved his entire life to Bali for some chick…"

I've only got two more chapters planned after this: one of Jack and Kate (and Izzy!) on the boat, and an epilogue, so please, please review! The more reviews I get, the more inspired I'll be to start a new fic...