***
When I tried to put my best face on
You know the damn thing always fit me wrong
***
The guests laughed as the kiss went on longer than it should. Most of the people there knew how unlike the groom it was, so they laughed a little harder and felt a little more pleasure at the sight of Jack Bristow kissing his bride with enthusiasm.
"Thank you, Laura, for being here," he whispered in her ear.
He heard the laughter in her voice as she said, "No need to thank me, Jack. That's what brides are for."
They were still laughing two hours later when Sloane approached them at the main table. "There's the best man," Laura said as he stopped by her.
He gave her his charming grin. "I agree, but you married Jack anyway."
Jack laughed. "Thank you so much, Arvin, for everything you've done today."
Sloane lost his smile. "I'm sorry, Jack--"
Jack shook his head. "No--"
"Andrews sent a messenger."
"I leave for my honeymoon in three hours, Arvin."
"That's a half-hour after you leave for China."
Laura held up her hand before he could answer. "Jack, we'll have our honeymoon when you get back. Maybe you can talk Andrews into letting us do some kind of working honeymoon, and we can go explore Europe or something."
Jack reached out and grasped her hand. "Laura, you deserve a honeymoon."
"I want a husband who doesn't feel guilty for putting what he wanted first," she answered. "I know you, Jack. They must really need you or they wouldn't be asking for you, and you know it, too. I'm proud of your work. I'm willing to be second--occasionally."
Putting his hands beside her face, he kissed her. "You are the best thing that's ever happened to me, Laura. The best."
"Remember that," she whispered, "when some beautiful Chinese lady tries to seduce you."
She turned her attention to Sloane who had been standing back, allowing them some privacy. "You take good care of him."
"He always does," Jack said.
"And don't lead him down any wrong paths."
Sloane grinned. "Mr. Boy Scout? There's no way I could, Laura. I've been trying for years."
"Actually, rumor has it there's a lady over at the State Department who's attracted his attention," Jack informed his wife. "They're saying he's walking away from trouble these days."
Laura looked over at Sloane. "Oh?" His friend just looked at her, not revealing anything by word or action. She smiled and turned her attention back to her husband. Grasping his hand, she stood. "You're already packed, and your bags are out in Arvin's car, so we don't have to worry about that, and the flight to China should be long enough to debrief you and let you get some rest. So, Arvin, you'll have to excuse us for a little while."
"Where are you going?" he asked, looking down at his watch. "Andrew's sending a car in a little over an hour."
"I rented a room upstairs to get ready in today," she explained. "Jack and I are going to use it so we can change our clothes." It was obvious that she wasn't really thinking about their outfits. "See you in a little over an hour," she called as she led Jack out of the hotel's ballroom. Sloane's laughter followed them.
Jack pressed the button for the elevator and turned to look at his bride. She was beautiful, and the love shining from her eyes made him feel wonderful and scared at the same time. He'd never had anyone give him such unconditional love in his life. She'd given him what he'd always yearned for. "I'm sorry."
"Don't apologize, Jack."
"Yes," he said as the elevator dinged. They walked onto it, and Jack was relieved to see that they were alone. "I need to apologize. I want to be the perfect husband for you, Laura, and leaving you before we even get to celebrate our wedding together is not a good start."
She laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Jack, you aren't the stay-at-home type. Don't try to convince yourself that you are."
"I could be."
He felt the muscles in her back tense beneath his fingers. "You mean leave the CIA?"
"Yeah."
She pulled away from him and shook her head. "Jack, you are what you are. Don't try to be anything else. I love you. Just the way you are."
"So, I can still leave the toilet lid up?" he teased.
She kissed him. "Okay, so maybe a few changes are in order, but nothing major. I love you, Jack Bristow," she whispered against his lips. The elevator doors opened, and she put her hand in his. "Now, let's go celebrate this wedding before they take you away from me."
***
Too bad
You got nothing
***
"I'm the luckiest man alive, Laura. I have everything," he whispered.
She leaned down and kissed him. Their daughter opened her eyes and frowned at them for the interruption of the rocking action that had been putting her to sleep. "Sorry, Sydney," Jack whispered as he set the rocking chair back in motion.
Laura smiled and waved as she walked out of the room, turning off the little lamp by the door as she passed. Moonlight streamed into the room from the tiny window, and Jack enjoyed the feeling of contentment that was resting over him.
"I'm not going to let you down," he told his daughter. "I'm not going to be like my old man and die all alone and with nothing to show for my life except a great work record. No, you, your mom, and I are a team. And we're going to stick together. I'm going to be the best dad ever, Sydney. I promise. I won't let anyone hurt you."
Jack leaned back in the chair and held his daughter close as he thought about his father, a man he never really knew. "You had nothing, Father. Nothing. But I'm not going to be like you," he whispered into the air.
***
Nothing to say
***
Jack stood six feet away from the white tombstone. The flag waved in the wind over the Santa Fe National Cemetery as Jack stared at the marker showing his father's final resting place. He hadn't been here since the Colonel's burial, and he wasn't sure why he was here today.
He stood there, wanting to say something, wanting to talk about how his life had been since the day Thomas Bristow had died. He wanted to talk about Laura, about his Sydney, and how life was just perfect.
But as it had been while his father was alive, he couldn't find the words to communicate. He had nothing to say to the man who'd raised him but had never given him anything he needed or wanted.
***
Cause there is no road to walk upon
And there is no room to fly
***
"She's walking?"
Jack slumped against the doorway as he watched his little girl haltingly step towards her mother. Hearing his voice, Sydney turned her head, losing her balance in the process. She landed on her well-padded bottom with a plopping noise. She still smiled and turned towards him.
Bending down, he dropped his briefcase and picked up his crawling daughter. She giggled, and he hugged her tight. "I love you, Sydney."
Laura walked over and kissed him. He wrapped his free arm around her and hugged her to him. "My two favorite ladies."
"And don't you forget it," Laura whispered.
"I won't," he said, looking at her. He wondered how it was possible to keep falling more in love every day.
"I missed her first steps, Laura."
"You were taking care of business."
He almost shuddered as he thought of that hellhole in Sri Lanka. While his little girl was busy walking, he was busy breaking a guy's leg. It struck him as wrong. "I should quit."
"You wouldn't be happy, Jack. And an unhappy father who's around for everything isn't better than a happy father who misses the occasional event. Besides, you're doing more and more desk work these days. By the time she's ready for you to be checking out her dates, you probably won't be in the field at all. She doesn't know you missed her fist steps."
"I know it, Laura."
She walked around him and picked up one of their daughter's play toys. "And you know she's safer because of the job you're doing."
"That was my father's excuse."
Fire burned in his wife's eyes as she turned and looked at him. "You are not your father."
"I feel like it."
"Jack, you're not a damn thing like him. You may be out there fighting the same enemies, but you make damn sure that when you're with us that you're with us. The first thing you do when you get home is tell our little girl that you love her, and you always tell me how much you miss me."
She looked away from him as she whispered, "You're not locked into your job, Jack. You let yourself be free to love us." She looked back at him. "You're not him."
***
End 3/5
When I tried to put my best face on
You know the damn thing always fit me wrong
***
The guests laughed as the kiss went on longer than it should. Most of the people there knew how unlike the groom it was, so they laughed a little harder and felt a little more pleasure at the sight of Jack Bristow kissing his bride with enthusiasm.
"Thank you, Laura, for being here," he whispered in her ear.
He heard the laughter in her voice as she said, "No need to thank me, Jack. That's what brides are for."
They were still laughing two hours later when Sloane approached them at the main table. "There's the best man," Laura said as he stopped by her.
He gave her his charming grin. "I agree, but you married Jack anyway."
Jack laughed. "Thank you so much, Arvin, for everything you've done today."
Sloane lost his smile. "I'm sorry, Jack--"
Jack shook his head. "No--"
"Andrews sent a messenger."
"I leave for my honeymoon in three hours, Arvin."
"That's a half-hour after you leave for China."
Laura held up her hand before he could answer. "Jack, we'll have our honeymoon when you get back. Maybe you can talk Andrews into letting us do some kind of working honeymoon, and we can go explore Europe or something."
Jack reached out and grasped her hand. "Laura, you deserve a honeymoon."
"I want a husband who doesn't feel guilty for putting what he wanted first," she answered. "I know you, Jack. They must really need you or they wouldn't be asking for you, and you know it, too. I'm proud of your work. I'm willing to be second--occasionally."
Putting his hands beside her face, he kissed her. "You are the best thing that's ever happened to me, Laura. The best."
"Remember that," she whispered, "when some beautiful Chinese lady tries to seduce you."
She turned her attention to Sloane who had been standing back, allowing them some privacy. "You take good care of him."
"He always does," Jack said.
"And don't lead him down any wrong paths."
Sloane grinned. "Mr. Boy Scout? There's no way I could, Laura. I've been trying for years."
"Actually, rumor has it there's a lady over at the State Department who's attracted his attention," Jack informed his wife. "They're saying he's walking away from trouble these days."
Laura looked over at Sloane. "Oh?" His friend just looked at her, not revealing anything by word or action. She smiled and turned her attention back to her husband. Grasping his hand, she stood. "You're already packed, and your bags are out in Arvin's car, so we don't have to worry about that, and the flight to China should be long enough to debrief you and let you get some rest. So, Arvin, you'll have to excuse us for a little while."
"Where are you going?" he asked, looking down at his watch. "Andrew's sending a car in a little over an hour."
"I rented a room upstairs to get ready in today," she explained. "Jack and I are going to use it so we can change our clothes." It was obvious that she wasn't really thinking about their outfits. "See you in a little over an hour," she called as she led Jack out of the hotel's ballroom. Sloane's laughter followed them.
Jack pressed the button for the elevator and turned to look at his bride. She was beautiful, and the love shining from her eyes made him feel wonderful and scared at the same time. He'd never had anyone give him such unconditional love in his life. She'd given him what he'd always yearned for. "I'm sorry."
"Don't apologize, Jack."
"Yes," he said as the elevator dinged. They walked onto it, and Jack was relieved to see that they were alone. "I need to apologize. I want to be the perfect husband for you, Laura, and leaving you before we even get to celebrate our wedding together is not a good start."
She laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Jack, you aren't the stay-at-home type. Don't try to convince yourself that you are."
"I could be."
He felt the muscles in her back tense beneath his fingers. "You mean leave the CIA?"
"Yeah."
She pulled away from him and shook her head. "Jack, you are what you are. Don't try to be anything else. I love you. Just the way you are."
"So, I can still leave the toilet lid up?" he teased.
She kissed him. "Okay, so maybe a few changes are in order, but nothing major. I love you, Jack Bristow," she whispered against his lips. The elevator doors opened, and she put her hand in his. "Now, let's go celebrate this wedding before they take you away from me."
***
Too bad
You got nothing
***
"I'm the luckiest man alive, Laura. I have everything," he whispered.
She leaned down and kissed him. Their daughter opened her eyes and frowned at them for the interruption of the rocking action that had been putting her to sleep. "Sorry, Sydney," Jack whispered as he set the rocking chair back in motion.
Laura smiled and waved as she walked out of the room, turning off the little lamp by the door as she passed. Moonlight streamed into the room from the tiny window, and Jack enjoyed the feeling of contentment that was resting over him.
"I'm not going to let you down," he told his daughter. "I'm not going to be like my old man and die all alone and with nothing to show for my life except a great work record. No, you, your mom, and I are a team. And we're going to stick together. I'm going to be the best dad ever, Sydney. I promise. I won't let anyone hurt you."
Jack leaned back in the chair and held his daughter close as he thought about his father, a man he never really knew. "You had nothing, Father. Nothing. But I'm not going to be like you," he whispered into the air.
***
Nothing to say
***
Jack stood six feet away from the white tombstone. The flag waved in the wind over the Santa Fe National Cemetery as Jack stared at the marker showing his father's final resting place. He hadn't been here since the Colonel's burial, and he wasn't sure why he was here today.
He stood there, wanting to say something, wanting to talk about how his life had been since the day Thomas Bristow had died. He wanted to talk about Laura, about his Sydney, and how life was just perfect.
But as it had been while his father was alive, he couldn't find the words to communicate. He had nothing to say to the man who'd raised him but had never given him anything he needed or wanted.
***
Cause there is no road to walk upon
And there is no room to fly
***
"She's walking?"
Jack slumped against the doorway as he watched his little girl haltingly step towards her mother. Hearing his voice, Sydney turned her head, losing her balance in the process. She landed on her well-padded bottom with a plopping noise. She still smiled and turned towards him.
Bending down, he dropped his briefcase and picked up his crawling daughter. She giggled, and he hugged her tight. "I love you, Sydney."
Laura walked over and kissed him. He wrapped his free arm around her and hugged her to him. "My two favorite ladies."
"And don't you forget it," Laura whispered.
"I won't," he said, looking at her. He wondered how it was possible to keep falling more in love every day.
"I missed her first steps, Laura."
"You were taking care of business."
He almost shuddered as he thought of that hellhole in Sri Lanka. While his little girl was busy walking, he was busy breaking a guy's leg. It struck him as wrong. "I should quit."
"You wouldn't be happy, Jack. And an unhappy father who's around for everything isn't better than a happy father who misses the occasional event. Besides, you're doing more and more desk work these days. By the time she's ready for you to be checking out her dates, you probably won't be in the field at all. She doesn't know you missed her fist steps."
"I know it, Laura."
She walked around him and picked up one of their daughter's play toys. "And you know she's safer because of the job you're doing."
"That was my father's excuse."
Fire burned in his wife's eyes as she turned and looked at him. "You are not your father."
"I feel like it."
"Jack, you're not a damn thing like him. You may be out there fighting the same enemies, but you make damn sure that when you're with us that you're with us. The first thing you do when you get home is tell our little girl that you love her, and you always tell me how much you miss me."
She looked away from him as she whispered, "You're not locked into your job, Jack. You let yourself be free to love us." She looked back at him. "You're not him."
***
End 3/5