AN: Music for this Chapter (on repeat): When A Man Loves A Woman by Brian Adams, All I've Ever Needed by Paul McDonald and Nikki Reed


FIFTY

o

Irina was talking on the phone with a member of her Russian cabinet, discussing the upcoming Coronation and government transition and was just finishing putting the silverware on the table when they heard the doorbell ring.

"I'll get it." Jack smiled from across the table seeing she was on the phone, he made his way towards their door. Irina smiled in appreciation at his retreating form. He looked damn sexy in her favorite color. Black dress pants, and a lightweight black sweater…something she had picked out for him and couldn't wait to tear off.

"Hello and Welcome!" Jack smiled warmly at the cute couple before him, a small chuckle inside of him at entertaining guests with Irina as a couple for the first time in over twenty years.

"Hello Mr. Bristow." Dr. Ryan Peterson greeted Jack as he ushered his wife inside and handed him a bottle of champagne. "Thank you for having us." He smiled nervously, clasping his hands and fidgeting somewhat nervously, spotting Irina standing at the French doors talking on the phone in Russian and returned the little wave she gave to them with a big smile.

"It's our pleasure to have you. Irina and I have been looking forward to having you over for sometime." Jack closed the door behind them. "And please call me Jack." He smiled at the both of them.

"Ok…Jack," Ryan smiled, clasping his wife's hand, "I'd like to introduce you to my wife, Ann."

The woman was staring wide-eyed at Irina since the moment she entered the house, not believing what she was really seeing.

"Ann, it's a pleasure to meet you." Jack kissed her cheek with a smile, "Irina has told me many times that you were her favorite student. I know she's excited to talk with you."

That statement seemed to light up the woman's eyes as she turned her attention back to her mentor who had her back to them, arms folded over her chest, looking outside.

"It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Mr. Bristow. I just can't believe that's her; that I'm standing here looking at her, in her house." She gaped and the men laughed softly. "And she's speaking in Russian!" That fact seemed to make it all a reality for her…that her former Professor was in fact a Russian spy.

"Yes, she is." Jack chuckled at the woman's awe, "Let's open this and have a drink while we wait for her to finish her business call." He ushered them into the kitchen, giving Irina her space, knowing the call was important.

"You have a beautiful home!" Ann smiled widely, taking in her beautiful surroundings.

"Thank you." Jack smiled, popping the bottle of champagne and pouring it into four flutes.

"You have two black eyes!" Ann suddenly noticed the pale green on Jack's face and he laughed softly looking down. "What happened?"

"Yes, a job hazard I'm afraid." Jack chuckled and handed them each a flute.

"Ohhh." Ann's eyes went wide, remembering who this man worked for. "I must tell you, I've read all about your lives and the incredibly beautiful love story between the two of you…absolutely fascinating." She smiled widely taking a seat at the kitchen island, "I couldn't believe it when Ryan came home and told me that he had taken care of Professor Bristow. You could have knocked me over with a feather! Finding out she was still alive…and then her story! She's absolutely amazing!"

"Yes," Jack smiled, leaning against the counter. "I think we were all quite stunned to find out about Irina."

"Sorry about that." Irina smiled with her phone in hand as she entered the kitchen. "Business." Her smile widened looking at the couple before her, "Look at the two of you! I just knew it!" She laughed softly remembering their electricity radiating in her class, reaching out to hug Ann. "Ann Bartholomew…my favorite student!"

"I can't believe you're alive!" Ann's eyes were still wide looking at Irina as she maintained holding onto her hands. "And you're still so beautiful!" She added and Irina laughed more blushing even.

"Well 'Thank you'…I could say the same for you!" Irina smiled at the dark haired younger woman.

"And you have bruises, too!"Ann's eyes looked at Irina in shock and then to Jack, wondering what the hell had happened.

"Job hazard." Irina chuckled and the guys laughed out loud as Jack had said the same thing.

"So I gather." Ann smiled laughing with them, "Never in a million years would I have thought you a spy for the KGB back then…nope, never." She shook her head in disbelief to this day. "And the daughter of Anastasia Romanov! The next Tsar of Russia. I feel so privileged and honored that I was your student. You were a brilliant teacher. You're the reason I went into teaching!"

"I loved having you in my class. You were an amazing student! Unlike your husband here." She smiled her famous grin, teasing the doctor and making him blush with it.

"Yeah you gave me 'D' on my last mid-term!" Ryan laughed in mock disappointment. "I was clearly not the teacher's pet my wife was!"

"Oh Dr. Peterson, you were one of my favorites. You drove me nuts, but you were still one of my favorites." Irina laughed as did everyone else, "And the assignment was to turn in at least a thirty page paper on the works of Shakespeare. If the paper was excellent, I would except less for the page count but you. you only turned in nine pages! You're lucky you got a passing grade!" She added and they all burst into laughter, "As I recall, those nine pages were mainly about you ranting on, 'why you shouldn't have to write about some dead guy who was seriously disturbed and spoke ridiculous English."

"How in the world do you remember that?" Ryan shook his head in amazement that after twenty years, she still remembered what one of her students had written.

"Because I was laughing the entire time I was grading it!" Irina smiled widely, "It was one of the funniest things I'd ever read; which is why I gave you a passing grade, Dr. Peterson!" Her smile grew as they all laughed again.

"Please, call me Ryan." The man blushed at his former Mrs. Robinson.

Yuriy entered the kitchen looking apologetic for disturbing and carrying two packages.

"Sorry to interrupt, your Highness, but these just arrived for the both of you." He smiled warmly at Irina and nodded at her guests, handing a package to Jack and one to Irina.

Irina blushed thinking about what was in the small white box in her hands from the CIA and Jack's was a stack of requested files he'd asked to be delivered to work on over the weekend.

"Thank you, Yuriy." Irina thanked the man in Russian before he stepped outside again and Jack took Irina's package with his.

"I'll put these in the office." He smiled warmly, kissing her cheek as he scooted out of the kitchen.

"Your Highness…" Ann repeated in awe, "I keep forgetting that you're royalty. I'm sorry for not addressing you as such. What is the proper way to address you?" The woman asked nervously.

"Please, I am just Irina." She grasped the woman's hand sweetly.

"Irina," Sark entered the kitchen carrying Lena in one arm, looking at the strangers in the kitchen with fascination, "She was awake in her crib."

Irina scooped up the baby and smiled brightly, kissing her all over before making introductions.

"Julian, these are two of my former students Ann and Ryan Peterson, Ann and Ryan this is my son." She looked back to Julian with a warm smile and saw his surprise, "Julian."

"I didn't know you had a son, too!" Ryan smiled and shook the young man's hand, "It's a pleasure, Julian."

"I've raised Julian since he was five years old," Irina smiled widely, "For all intent and purposes, he is my son."

Sark felt like he could cry and rapidly had to bring his emotions under control with Irina's introduction, especially after learning about her son with Jack.

"Well it's a pleasure to meet you, Julian." Ann stood and kissed his cheeks, "And from the looks of it…you must be in the same hazardous business as your mom." She looked between two and saw the intense gaze they shared.

'She just referred to Irina as my 'mom,' Sark gulped with the reality and felt a surge of pride that came with that entitlement to call her his 'mom.'

"And this little beauty must be Lena!" Ann moved right on, cooing over the baby in Irina's arms, "Oh God, she's beautiful!" She ran her hand over the baby's smooth dark hair. "Look at those intense eyes!"

"Thank you." Irina smiled widely with motherly pride, "Would you like to hold her?" She saw the itch in the woman to hold the baby.

"Oh yes! I would love to!" Ann lit up with glee, carefully taking the baby from Irina. "Oh, she's so little!" She snuggled her cheek against Lena's little head. "And she smells so good!"

Irina looked over to Julian who was still frozen in the moment. She saw his reaction to hearing her being referred to as his 'mom,' and felt a sense of joy come over her.

"Dr. Peterson is the one responsible for saving my life, Julian…after the Execution." She added quietly, looking from him to the man that saved her life.

Sark had seen the doctor at the JTTF training and monitoring Irina but had no idea who he was. "You have my deepest sense of gratitude." Sark extended his hand once more to thank the man for saving the most important person in his life.

"I really don't deserve the credit. Irina fought her way back on her own…with the help of this little miracle." He reached out to stroke Lena's head with a smile.

"Look who I found at the door." Jack smiled widely, entering the kitchen followed by Sydney, Vaughn and Weiss all of them still recovering from bruises and Weiss's arm in an immobilizer.

"Oh my goodness, you people must have been in some battle!" Ann looked over the damage and her eyes went wide again as everyone laughed softly.

"Ann I would like to introduce you to my daughter Sydney," Irina beamed proudly, kissing Sydney's head. "My future son-in-law Michael Vaughn and our dear friend Eric Weiss." Irina winked at Weiss and he felt his heart skip a beat with that smile. "Ryan, I believe you know everyone already."

"Oh Sydney! You're so beautiful! Just like your mother! She used to talk about you all the time when you were little!" The woman gave Sydney a big hug, smiling from ear to ear, "Telling us about all the insane things you used to do like jumping out of trees and riding your tricycle off the sofa! She had us all in stitches with her latest 'trip the emergency room story!"Ann sat back down and everyone laughed having just heard these stories about Syd in the desert last week. "And congratulations on the engagement!" Her eyes lit up, "I just read the beautiful article in People yesterday! Such a beautiful love story like your parents! And what a gorgeous engagement picture!"

"Thank you." Sydney blushed, taking hold of Vaughn's hand and snuggling against his shoulder with a big smile. "We haven't even seen the article yet, I have no idea what it says."

"I have a copy of it in my office." Jack admitted with a small smile of fatherly pride. "You can take it with you if you promise to bring it back."

"Ok Dad." Sydney laughed, as did everyone else when she leaned over and kissed his cheek, about his funny insistence he get it back. "I'll bring it back."

"It's my little girl's engagement announcement to the world. I want to keep it." Jack smiled softly, wrapping his arms around Irina from behind, resting his chin on her head as everyone 'awed' his sentimentality.

"Speaking of articles." Ryan set his glass of champagne down and retrieved a rolled up magazine from his jacket pocket with a smile. "This just came out today and I saw it at work, had to pick one up for you." He handed Irina a copy of UCLA's magazine.

"Whoa Mom, look at you!" Sydney smiled madly at the photos on the front. "Professor Bristow." She read the name with pride.

"Holy Hades, Irina…Talk about Mrs. Robinson!" Weiss sucked in his breath staring at her photo from her time at UCLA. "No way I would have learned anything in your class! No way I could concentrate!" He added and everyone laughed, except Irina who just shook her head with a smile.

"I had that problem." Ryan added, sipping his champagne and everyone laughed deeply again. "Between sitting next to my future wife and being lectured by Mrs. Robinson. I was doomed to fail." He kissed his wife's head when she smiled and laughed at him, knowing all about his former obsession with their beautiful Professor having talked about it and their mutual admirations and respect for her after her supposed death and several other times over the years."She used to sit on the corner of her desk, with her legs crossed in a skirt while she read to us and 'we' were supposed to listen and pay attention. Now how in the world she expected any of us to do that when she was sitting their with those legs in our face is beyond me!" He added and everyone but Irina burst out laughing again at Irina, as she looked down embarrassed.

"Well I managed to pay attention and learn something!" Ann clasped Irina's forearm with her hand, smiling and jumping to Irina's defense.

"That's because you're a woman, Honey. You didn't have a crush on her like every other male in that class did!" He laughed as everyone else kept laughing as well.

"I don't know about that, Dear, I can think of a few women, especially that nice girl Karen Finkle, whose crush on our Professor rivaled that of the men!" Ann arched her eyebrows with a smug grin as everyone died in laughter, except Irina who was smiling but turning slightly red.

"Oh my God, that's hysterical!" Weiss howled with laughter, "Lesbian lust for Professor Bristow! That's hot!" He died in laughter again as did everyone else with tears in their eyes and finally, Irina cracked and laughed with them.

"Wait, wasn't that the girl you always told me would stay late after class and arrive early, asking you pointless questions?" Jack furrowed his brow in thought then died laughing when he realized he was right from the look in Irina's face.

"I love it! Why couldn't you have been my English Lit. Professor!? What an entertaining class that must have been!" Weiss gasped for breath in between laughs.

"Ok children!" Irina started ushering them out of the kitchen, before anymore embarrassing moments were revealed. "Time for you to go and have fun now!" She pushed on their backs and only made them laugh harder at her attempt to get rid of them.

"Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait!" Sydney tried to put on the brakes and slow them down while she giggled, "Mom, what time are we going shopping tomorrow?" She wheeled around as everyone kept chuckling.

"Oh Sweetheart," Irina's face fell as she caught Sydney's face with her hand, "I can't go now. I got a call earlier and I actually have to go to Moscow late tonight." She shrugged pained and sheepishly, wishing she didn't have to. "I'm so sorry."

"What?" Sydney looked deflated. She and Irina were going wedding shopping tomorrow and Jack's eyes went wide as well, having just heard it for the first time. "Why?"

"I have a meeting with the Cabinet and Vladimir that I have to be in attendance for. I'm sorry, Sweetie, I was looking forward to a 'girl's day out' as much as you. I promise we'll go as soon as I get back, ok?" Irina hated the fallen look in Sydney's face; she hated disappointing her daughter.

"It's ok, Mom, I get it. It's important." Sydney turned her frown into a smile, "We'll go when you get back!" Irina returned the smile, thankful for Sydney's, "What time are you leaving?"

"Early, I probably won't see you until I return on Wednesday so give me a big hug." Irina smiled sadly and grabbed her daughter, holding her tightly as the Peterson's watched with captivated fascination hearing talk of Russia and President Putin and Irina's involvement with it all.

Sydney pulled her mother close, and kissed Irina and then Lena, knowing that if here mother was leaving, so was her sister. Irina kissed her cheeks, forehead and lips, hating to say 'goodbye.'

"Be safe Mom. I love you." Sydney kissed and hugged her one more time and stepped back to hug her father as Irina kissed and hugged Weiss, then Vaughn and finally Julian 'goodbye.'

"I love you, too. Have fun." Irina smiled as Jack returned from his office with the magazine handing it to Sydney.

"Whoa Syd, you look smokin'!" Weiss nodded enthusiastically with a smile and Vaughn laughed, "You don't look bad either, Mike." He smiled until he read the caption and died laughing again, "Hunky Spy-beau!' Oh, you are so not living this one down!"

"Oh be quiet." Vaughn sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Ok Irina, another little kiss, right here." Weiss smirked pointing to his cheek again and she smiled and gave him another quick peck as Vaughn and Sydney muttered 'oh brother' on the porch at Weiss and his infatuation with Irina.

"Da svidanya." Irina waved to them as they headed down the steps.

"You have a beautiful family." Ann smiled watching the older kids leave, laughing and smiling. "Your daughter is just gorgeous!" She gushed over Sydney.

"Thank you." Irina and Jack both smiled and replied simultaneously making everyone laugh softly.

"And her fiancé is quite the cutie!" Ann continued to smile as she ran her hand down Lena's head.

Irina smiled brightly, laughing softly, "Yes, he is a cutie. He's also the son of my childhood best friend in Russia."

"Really?" Ann's eyes went wide as she followed Irina into the kitchen and Jack and Ryan shared a look that said 'women!'

They enjoyed their dinner and chatted for few hours before the Petersons had to go and relieve their babysitter.

Jack had helped Irina finish cleaning up before they headed upstairs, knowing Irina had to leave for Moscow in an hour.

"I had a good time tonight, did you?" She asked sweetly with obvious tiredness, pulling her shirt over her head watching Jack undress with a smile.

"I did too. It's been a long time since I…we, had anyone over for dinner as a couple." He smiled warmly pulling his own sweater off. "I hate that you're leaving in an hour." He admitted after a moment of watching her strip off her clothes to put more comfortable clothes on for the long flight ahead.

"I know." Irina sighed, pulling out a pair of pink yoga pants, and matching, form fitting zipped sweatshirt with hood. "I don't like it either." She gave him a small smile, flipping her hair over her shoulder slipping her foot into her pant leg. "I will make this trip as fast as possible."

*When A Man Loves A Woman*

"Dance with me?" Jack grabbed her arm softly, standing beside her in just his pants with a deviant smile.

Irina folded into his arms, and Jack pulled her close, inhaling the scent of her shampoo and then nuzzling into her neck smelling her perfume. Irina rested her cheek against his, closing her eyes as she let him guide her slowly in their own little dance with a smile, enjoying the feel of his bare skin under her hands and against her face.

His hand started to creep up under her sweatshirt and caress the smooth skin across the small of her back. Her satiny skin burning beneath his touch when he dipped his mouth to kiss her lightly just below the ear and he heard her hiss with pleasure. His hot tongue darting out to tease her scalding flesh and trail kisses along the length of her jaw towards her mouth. She dipped her own chin and captured his lips with hers, kissing him softly and trailing her tongue along the length of his upper lip before letting it enter his sweet depths and greet his tongue with a growing passion.

Jack's hands urgently went to her waist and up her sides under the sweatshirt, his palms cupping the undersides of her naked breasts beneath as his thumbs rolled over her darkened peaks, hardening under his touch.

"I want you." He whispered against her mouth, seizing her lip with his and pulling back slowly.

"Then take me." She smiled back and forcefully kissed his mouth with her sweeping tongue and hunger for the man she loved, knowing it was going to be five long days and nights before she was with him again.

His hands found her zipper and pulled, opening her sweatshirt and exposing her beautiful treasures beneath to him with a smile. His eyes lit up in a smile as his mouth moved to the space between her breasts, laving and kissing at her soft flesh while he pulled the shirt free from her body and his hands slid up her back, pulling her closer and kissing her hot flesh between and around her breasts aggressively, making her arch backwards lifting her heaving breasts towards the ceiling like an offering to the Gods. His body kept them swaying to the music as his tongue swirled her erect peaks, nipping and dragging his teeth slowing over them making her moan and hiss in pleasure.

Slowly he pulled her back up to him as his mouth ventured north and glided along the curve of her neck and collarbone, his hands going to her waistband and pushing them down over her firm little ass with his fingers digging into her flesh as he went. Irina helped him by stepping on the pant legs pulling them all the way off and stepping out of them as her own hands worked to free him from the confines of his pants, repeating exactly what Jack had just done to her. His cock was already hard and pressing against his stomach when his pants joined hers on the floor and she stepped forward, grasping his length in her hand and his balls with the other, laughing softly when Jack inhaled sharply and clenched his stomach muscles when she began to stroke him slowly. Her thumb circling his head and spreading the drop of pre-cum his surprise had forced out. Her tongue delving into his mouth in time with her strokes against his shaft and Jack groaned loudly into her mouth feeling her tight fingers making him rock hard against her palm and her tongue thrusting into his mouth.

"God that feels good." Jack gasped and screwed his eyes shut when she pulled long and hard against his shaft, stepping closer and rubbing it against her own scorching flesh. His fingers worked down over her ass and to her front dipping into her drenched folds and teasing her already engorged clit with his thumb and forefinger making her gasp and moan with his, thrusting her hips onto his hand with involuntary movement and making Jack smile.

"So…you like…that." Jack plunged his finger inside of her lifting her to her toes with a sharp gasp of surprise making her eyes wide and smiling madly at her.

"Yeah… I like that." She flashed him her sexy smile, thrusting her own fingers up and into the skin behind his sack making him lift to his toes and gasp for breath when his cock twitched with the surge she pumped through his body with that single move.

Now the game was on…they both smiled at each other. Irina's body was dripping for him and he slowly slid another finger into her impossibly tight vagina.

"My God woman, you're getting tighter I swear." He moaned when she clenched his fingers hard inside of her and his cock simultaneously.

"Exercises, Sweetheart." She waggled her eyebrows and clenched him again with a smile.

His fingers stroked her internally while his mouth dipped to suck on her neck and his thumb pressed against her clit in hard circles, thrusting his cock into her hand and against her stomach. Irina was falling fast when his speed picked up and he found her G-spot, caressing it wildly as her body clenched around his fingers making her pant and moan, thrusting against his hand.

"Cum for me, Irina." He hissed against her neck, lapping softly at her pulse point as his fingers danced inside of her.

His words pulling her over the edge and she shattered around his fingers, soaking them with her own cum and squeezing him tightly inside and against his cock making him hiss out his breath as he continually stroked her and she threw her head back with a loud moan. He quickly swooped her over to the bed and lowered her onto it, kissing her body as he moved south with soft, wet kisses over her quivering flesh with a smile. He placed a long open mouthed kiss just below her belly button before he dropped to his knees by the side of the bed and grabbed her hips with his hands, pulling her close to the edge. His mouth, licked and bite the soft skin of her inner thighs, tasting the rivulets of her juices as he moved toward his destination with a big smile, intent on giving her maximum pleasure before she had to leave. His tongue dipped into her folds and Irina moaned loudly, gripping the bed sheets with her fists and screwing her eyes shut feeling his hot tongue against her radiating heat lapping at her juices and nipping her swollen bud with his teeth, pulling and teasing it into a frenzy. His fingers slid in slowly and began stroking upwards against her internal ridges of pleasure while his tongue continued to lap and suck, his teeth continued to tease hearing her rapid breath and the small sounds of escaping from the back of her throat as her orgasm built again.

Knowing she was close he moved his other hand slowly over her abdomen and pressed down against his assaulting fingers making Irina moan loudly and quiver just before she exploded and her body trembled again, sending another round of her scent down his fingers and he greedily lapped it up, loving the taste of her as he helped her ride out the waves of her orgasm by continuing to stroke and tease her.

"I love the way you taste." Jack climbed up over her smiling at her flushed face he dropped his mouth to hers, giving her a taste of her own scent as his tongue drove into her and swept with force through her mouth while his wet fingers stroked her nipples making her moan loudly against him she was on fire from him and for him and any touch was keeping her dangling on the edge.

He rolled her over quickly and leaned against her body, pressing hot kisses down he back, sweeping her hair out of the way while his hands massaged her tense muscles until they reached her hips. Propping himself up on his knees, he pulled gently against her hips and brought her to her knees in front of him. Her body ached for him to be inside of her and she begged for release.

"Deep Jack." She pleaded and his groin surged with her words as he looked over her beautiful back and ass.

His hand slid to his rock hard dick and caressed it a few times, as he brought it down between her legs, sliding it slowly at first into her hot soaking core and making her gasp into the bed where her face was hiding between her arms as her upper body rested on her forearms with her body bent up in the air for him.

The tip of his cock buried inside her hot tightness made Jack pant and when he thrust fast and deep lost his breath completely as they both moaned in ecstasy at his depth and the angle of his cock against her vaginal walls, rubbing directly over her inner bundles of exploding nerves.

"Oh God… you feel good." She moaned when he pulled out and plunged back in, stealing her breath, knowing she wouldn't last long with this angle.

"I think I'm in heaven." Jack panted and gasped feeling her clench around him so deeply his body was quivering buried inside her. His cock throbbed with its urgent need for release and he picked up his speed, pounding into her with a fluid force and Irina's hands formed tight white fists feeling him plunging into her deeply and filling her completely every thrust. Jack's ass was burning and his teeth clenched feeling his explosion starting to build deep inside and about to let go hearing Irina's chanting and soft screams of pleasure as he pushed her towards the edge with a deep thrust she screamed out his name and her body rocked violently against his shaft buried deep into her hot, tight core pulling him with her and erupted inside of her with such a force he felt a shot to his groin and screaming her name in turn at the immense pleasure their bodies together brought each other.

He pulled out quickly while he was still rocked hard and dripping his semen, rolled her over and plunged back in, determined to bring her back to her height before his member faded. She wrapped her trembling legs around his waist as he continued to pound into her dripping heat and making her pant all over again…

"Oh…God…Jack." She hissed as he pounded into her with his own quivering body, his mouth dipping to assault her breast with his tongue and then sucked, drawing out her milky sweetness and raking his teeth over her tender flesh making her fly over the edge one more time as her body shook and trembled violently against and around him, screaming and digging her nails into his back. Her climactic reaction fired through Jack's body and he exploded inside her once more feeling her muscles clenching and grabbing at him frantic with ecstasy.

Spent he collapsed on top of her with his sweat slicked body matted to hers, her heart pounding furiously inside her chest as it rose and rapidly fell again with her labored breaths that matched his own.

*All I've Ever Needed*

"Wow Jack…that was…wow." She smiled running her fingers through his hair as his exhausted member deflated inside her, caressed by her inner muscles.

"I was just thinking that." Jack smiled, kissing the breast right in front of him, turning to face her and pushed himself up onto shaky elbows so his weight wouldn't crush her.

"I." He kissed up her chest. "Love." His mouth reached her neck. "You." He smiled and his lips seized hers in a passionate kiss."God, I'm going to miss you." He rolled her over onto him, "My little security blanket." He smiled as his hand smoothed down her long hair over her back and kissed her head.

"I love you, too and believe me, I won't sleep at all while I am away. I'll have to resort to mediating again." She snuggled her head into the crook of her neck, as she laid sprawled over him. "I don't want to go." Just the thought of leaving him before she'd even gone was killing her. She felt like she couldn't breath when he wasn't with her.

"I know…and I don't want you to but it sounds like you have to. Soon, this will all be over and I promise you, we'll never have to spend a night apart for the rest of our lives." Jack spoke softly, wrapping his hands around her body and kissing her head again.

Irina lifted her head and her dark sated eyes found his, staring into them for a moment before breaking into a small smile, her lips descending onto his. Her tongue sweeping into his hot mouth and memorizing every single detail she already knew by heart. Her face resting against his when they came up for air, her eyes closed and she groaned having to pull away to get ready to leave.

She pulled off and away from him, sliding off the edge of the bed, she checked on Lena sleeping peacefully in her basket and Jack jumped out of bed, pulling her hard against his chest with her back to him, his arms wrapped securely around her burying his face into her hair.

"I'm not letting you leave."

"Jack…" She sighed, not wanting to leave either and feeling tears forming at the thought while she wrapped her arms around his.

"No, I'm not letting you leave right now you can leave in the morning but tonight, I want you in my arms, sleeping beside me." His warm breath tickled her ear as he backed them towards the bed, the room smelling of their sweaty ambitions and scent.

"Ok." Irina smiled and felt him smile into her hair. "I guess there are perks to being the future Tsar. I can push back the meeting." She giggled and he turned her rapidly in his arms…kissing her soundly.

"First, you need to drink this." Jack reached over to the nightstand and found the bottle of juice she had planned on taking to the plane, he handed it to her with a smile. "All those 'O's undoubtedly dropped your blood sugar." He smiled smugly, and peppered her face with his kisses laughing, when she gave him 'the look.'

"We could make it five…or six." Irina challenged him taking a swig of her juice and Jack shot her a look of disbelief, his body was exhausted and hers' had to be as couldn't take it and burst out laughing, almost spitting her juice out. "Jack, I was kidding. I'll end up in a coma if we continue at that pace all night!"

"Oh good…because I'd hate to disappoint you." He smiled and flopped back onto the bed with a big sigh.

"You never disappoint, My Love." Irina smiled warmly, setting her juice on the nightstand and hitting the lights. She crawled into bed next to him and snuggled against his body as he pulled the sheets and blanket around them.

"I am going to miss you." He turned his face after a moment, his eyes adjusting to the darkness and found her face outlined by the light of the moon he caressed it softly, kissing her lightly.

"Not as much as I'm going to miss you." She smiled against his mouth and kissed him soundly.

"Da Svidanya, Sweetheart." She snuggled against him and closed her eyes.

"Da svidanya, My Love." He kissed her forehead and closed his eyes as well, both falling asleep within minutes.

Jack felt the warm early morning sunlight against his skin and slowly opened his eyes to greet the day. His eyes smiled as he dug his face deeper into the pillow and cherished one of the few moments when he actually awoke before Irina.

She looked so beautiful in her sleep, at ease with no lines of stress interrupting her gorgeous features, her breathing even and shallow; her long lashes lying softly against her cheeks. She was lying on her side, facing him with one arm under her pillow and the other, softly under her cheek palm down in complete relaxation.

The sunlight streaming through the window caught her wedding rings, casting beams of sparkling light out from the diamonds. The white bed sheet was pulled up just over her slender hips and the natural curve of her body fell to open exposed flesh up the remainder of her body. Her Chestnut hair highlighted by the sun creating amber waves, cascading over her shoulder and disappearing from his sight behind her back. She was amazing…and he couldn't stop the smile from coming to his face as he lay quietly, watching her sleep looking like a Greek Goddess. He would never stop thanking God for bringing her back to him.

Slowly, her eyes fluttered open and a smile came to her lips when she saw him smiling at her, wide-awake.

"Good morning beautiful." He leaned in and placed a soft kiss against her lips, smiling.

"Good morning." She whispered with a smile in her deep voice, still heavy from sleep and making her accent thick. She moved her hand to place gently over his cheek, leaning in for another soft kiss before rolling onto her stomach and plunging the other arm under her pillow, propping her head up, with her head turned towards him smiling.

Jack reached his hand out and lazily traced his fingers down the length of her back, brushing aside her hair and enjoying the smoothness of her skin. When they dipped down her side she pulled away quickly with a laugh.

"Jack…that tickles."

"Ooooh…" He smiled with a deviant look in his eyes and attacked her, throwing her into a fit of giggles as she wiggled and squirmed to get away from him, begging him to stop. He flipped her over and straddled her body with his own laughing at how insanely ticklish she was and the torment he was putting her through.

"Jack, please!" She begged squirming beneath his touch.

"Do you surrender?" He paused, holding her arms to the bed hovering over her with a smile.

"Yes…now please stop." She agreed readily with a smile having her own plan of attack ready.

"Seal it with a kiss." He waited for her nod and descended his lips onto hers. It quickly became passionate and Jack lost himself in the depths of her mouth.

Irina waited for him to loose the tension and pushed him off, rolling over and pinning him to the bed.

"Ah ha! You should know, I never surrender! I just wait for my moment of attack!" She laughed triumphantly sitting atop him and Jack had to laugh. "What, what is that look?" She asked staring down at him when he kept smiling with a funny curiosity.

"I was just thinking how adorable you are." He smiled and her eyes went wide with surprise and then deep laughter.

"Jack, I am not adorable! Our baby is adorable. I am many things, but never adorable! Never." She pounded her fist lightly onto his peck like a hammer with determined eyes and a hidden smile.

"Oh yes you are." He kept smiling, seeing this word drove her nuts when used in reference to herself, "Right now and when I was tickling you…you just look adorable."

"Stop it." She scorned even as her laughter bubbled out.

"Why? You don't want word to get out and ruin your tough-guy image if people knew that the 'the Man' is super ticklish and absolutely adorable when I do this!"

He attacked her sides again and sent her squirming with giggles.

"You're adorable! See…" He tickled smiling, "Right now…your giggles and smile are adorable! Adorable!"

"Jack!" She finally grasped his wrists away from her body and pinned them down again, breathing heavily over him with her face inches above his. Her eyes pinned to his a smile spread across her face as she dipped her head and kissed him softly. "If you were anyone else, I would have shot you for that!" She smirked teasing him and making him erupt in another bout of laughter.

They both laughed and Irina leaned forward again, whispering into his face with a soft smile.

"I love you Jack…" She was thankful for this morning and every other morning she woke with him beside her.

"And I love you, my crazy beautiful wife." He replied in Russian with his smile meeting his eyes. "What are you thinking about?" He reached up and put her long hair behind one ear, seeing a sudden flash of sadness race through her eyes.

"A year ago today…and how far apart we were. It was a year ago today that Emily died." She answered in a soft whisper thinking about that horrible day in Tuscany and her standoff with Sydney that ended with her being shot and Emily being killed.

"I know." Jack said softly, reaching up to touch her face lightly, "We've come along way from then to now." He smiled softly, "And I will thank God for everyday I wake with you beside me; I never want to be without you again."

"I was just thinking the same thing." Her smile reached her eyes and he pulled her towards him for another kiss. "I'm never letting you go again."

"Don't go, Irina. Stay here with me." He held her tightly brushing his hand over her hair as she lay with her head to his chest on top of him. He couldn't explain the anxiety he felt about her leaving, but he didn't want to let her out of his arms; five days was agony without her.

"Jack, I have to go." She sighed and snuggled her cheek against his skin, kissing him lightly on the chest. She really didn't want to leave him either. "Why don't you come with me?" She asked already knowing the answer.

"I can't." He fingered her soft tresses with a soft sigh of his own, "If you're taking care of business, then I need to stay and keep looking for Cuvee. We both can't leave."

She remained quiet as her mind drifted to unwanted thoughts that name always brought to her and Jack realized where her mind had wondered when he felt the slight tremble run through her.

"I'm sorry for bringing his name up." He ran his hand softly down her head and back, kissing her head. "I promise to never say his name in our bed again."

"It's ok, Jack. I just can't wait for this all to be over." She turned her head so that her chin was propped against his chest, looking him in the eye. "I have to get going. " She smiled sadly, pressing her lips to his chest once more before rolling off of him and out of bed.


"You have everything?" Jack smiled sadly handing Irina the baby bag as he waited with Lena on their front porch, the limo taking her to the airport in their driveway.

"Yes." She smiled clasping his hand and laughed softly looking down at Lena who was smiling in her sleep. "She is so cute and I'm not just saying that because I'm her mother." Irina laughed softly looking at her sweet baby looking absolutely adorable in her little sundress sleeping.

"No, I agree, Your Highness. She is so cute." Yuriy smiled broadly standing behind them looking down at the tiny Duchess.

"Thank you, Yuriy." Irina smiled and laughed softly.

"I thought so too, that's why I took her picture." Jack smiled holding up their small digital camera. "I have to have a recent one if she's going to be gone for the next five days."

Irina shook her head smiling at Jack and his camera as he picked up Lena and they all walked towards the waiting car. He snapped the seat into the base and clasped the straps around his little angel.

"I'll see you in a few days baby girl." He dropped a series of soft kisses to her head and hands. "Take care of your Mommy." He turned to face Irina as Yuriy climbed into the car on the other side. "Be safe, be careful and return to me quickly." He kissed her face and then her mouth, "I love you, Irina." He held her beautiful face in his hands.

"I will do my best to all of the above and I love you, too." She closed her eyes, inhaling his scent when he brought her softly to his chest to hug her. "I'll see you in five days."

"Call me when you get to your apartment, please? Let me know my girls got there safely." He held the door open for her and gave her his hand as she climbed in.

"I promise, I'll see you later, Sweetheart." She kissed his lips once more quickly before settling into her seat in the dark limo next to Lena's car seat.

"Yuriy." Jack looked into the dark space with a smile, "Take care of my girls."

"I will." The tall Russian smiled and Jack nodded shutting the door and watching as the car backed out and turned down the street out of sight. He was walking up the steps to the house when his cell phone rang. It was Irina and Jack opened it smiling.

"Miss me already?" He answered and heard her laugh softly.

"Of course but I almost forgot to tell you…the little box delivered to me last night…was from Marshall. It is the security tape of Panama Jack wrangling that Wild Siberian tiger in her old cage," She spoke lowly trying not to laugh even though Yuriy had no idea what she was talking about. "I wanted it to burn it myself but if you miss me that much while I'm gone, you may want to take a look at it." She laughed softly with a big smile hearing him swallow hard on the other side of the phone.

"Oh sure make me watch when I can't have you after!" Jack laughed, stepping inside the house, "No, that's definitely something we'll have to watch together. At least once, before we burn it. See what the kiddies saw." He laughed and picked up the package off his desk. "Damn! Now you really have to hurry up and get back here. I'm getting aroused by just the memory of you against the glass!" His smiled widened hearing her laughter on the other end.

"I love you." She sighed into the phone, missing him terribly already.

"I miss you too, my feisty Siberian Tiger." He sighed, missing her so much already it hurt as he looked over to the new framed photo of his gorgeous bride on their wedding day just a few weeks ago. "I love you. I'll talk to you later."

"Later…bye." She clicked her phone shut and sighed, leaning back against her seat with her eyes closed. This is going to be a long and torturous five days.


Jack had gone over files all day and Sark had helped him poor over many documents before they went out to dinner and met with Sydney and Vaughn. Jack had recanted stories to them all from the night before and about life with Irina when she was 'Laura.'

It was late when they finally got home and both of them went straight to bed. Jack knew it was futile to try and get any sleep without his security blanket next to him. The bed just seemed to big and empty without her. She should be calling at anytime to say that they'd landed and were now settled into her apartment overlooking the Red Square. He flopped from side to side, trying to get comfortable and dug his face into her pillow, inhaling her scent with his eyes closed and finally fell asleep.

Two hours later his cell phone began ringing and Jack groggily awoke from his sleep, rubbed his eyes and reached for his phone with a smile. The clock said 2:30am and she was late. He flipped open the phone without even looking and closed his eyes against the brilliant blue light of the screen.

"Good afternoon." He smiled with his eyes closed, laying against his pillow knowing it would be that time of day in Russia now.

"Jack," Vladimir's cracked voice came over the other end of the phone and Jack bolted upright in bed, eyes wide.

"Vladimir." Jack's heart immediately began to pound knowing this man wouldn't be calling him unless something happened to Irina. "What happened? Where's Irina?"

"Her security was ambushed on the way from the airport." Vladimir sighed into the phone, obviously upset. "When our agents got to the scene, all of her guards were dead. The cars were both shot out. Yuriy…is dead." Vladimir choked on his words, having known the man for a long time and a good friend to both he and Irina.

"And Irina and Lena?" Jack's heart pounded in his ears as he sprang out of bed, and rapidly flew around in the darkness searching for his clothes.

"Jack, they're gone. Both of them were taken." Vladimir was a mix of rage and fear. "I don't know if they're hurt or not but-"

"But what?" Jack practically screamed into the phone dancing around trying to hold the phone and get into his pants at the same time as his hands trembled.

"Irina's side of the car…there is a lot of blood. My team is testing it now to see if it matches her DNA…or Lena's."