Title: Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps

Author: Amanda, nihongogirl.whichever

Rating: I'm gonna go with PG-13 for this one, just in case

Characters: Jack and Irina, Sydney and Vaughn

Disclaimers: I don't own them, obviously

A/N: This is the final part in The Music Series. I'm posting it separately because it's getting long. You don't really need to read Criminal and Shadowboxer first, but I would recommend reading Cry Me A River first.it goes more with the plot of this one than the other two. And, in my opinion, it's better. Please, read and review.



Jack woke and, not hearing any noises coming from the kitchen area, assumed he was the first one up. He had always been awake before his wife. He got out of bed and walked into the living room. She had left her bedroom door open through the night. He continued to the door frame, leaning against the wood. His breath again stuck in his throat when he saw her sleeping peacefully in her bed. He could remember a time when he would wake her with kisses and a traveling hand, but that time no longer existed.

He watched her sleeping form for a few minutes longer and then decided he should actually wake her up. Jack walked to the bed and gently shook her shoulder. There was no response. He shook her again, a little more forcefully, and he felt a warm hand clamp hard around his forearm. He was startled, to say the least. So was Irina, when she realized it was Jack and not someone less friendly. She released his arm and whispered a barely audible, "I'm sorry," before pushing the blankets off her.

"I'm going to take a shower, if that's ok with you," she said, avoiding his questioning gaze.

"You took one last night."

"Yes, and I've also spent the last 8 months in a prison cell. That is a little hard to wash off in just one shower. So if you don't mind," she said, walking past him, toward the bathroom.

"Fine, I have some things to do anyway. Just don't take too long, we have to be at the airport in a few hours." He watched her walk into the bathroom and then went to call Kendall and get the finalized mission plans.

When Irina felt she had successfully washed the feel of her cell off her, she stepped out of the shower and into the robe she had found in the closet. She wrapped her hair in a towel and left the bathroom. Jack was sitting on the couch, staring into space. She didn't know that he was thinking about her strange reaction when he had gone to wake her up. "Bathroom's all yours," she said. "I'll make us some breakfast while you get ready."

Jack mumbled his thanks and headed to his bedroom to grab some clothes before going to the bathroom. Irina headed to her room to get dressed. She dressed in jeans and a sweater. She went to the kitchen, surveying what was stocked, much like Jack had done the night before when they arrived. All the ingredients for French toast were there, so she turned on the stove and set to work.

Jack came out of the bathroom about 20 minutes later, dressed much like Irina in jeans and a long-sleeved tee. He saw a plate of French toast on the table, noting that Irina had remembered his favorite breakfast food, even after 20 years. There was also toast, orange juice and of course, syrup. He sat down and waited for Irina to follow suit before piling his plate with French toast. It was something that he had always done, waiting for her and Sydney to be seated before getting food and he slipped back into the routine easily.

They ate in relative silence. Jack was silent because he was thinking of a way to ask her about what had occurred earlier, Irina because she was trying to keep the fighting to a minimum. He finally worked up the courage to ask her. "Irina," he said, trying not to force his voice too much.

"What, Jack?"

"Who did you think I was when you grabbed my arm this morning when I went to wake you up?"

Irina was prepared to be defensive, but changed her mind when Jack spoke. His tone was much softer than it had been for the last 12 hours, almost like he was concerned for her. She knew it had taken him awhile to figure some way to ask her so she answered as best she could. "It was just a reaction. When I was in that prison in Kashmir, they liked to wake the prisoners in ways that were not so nice. It was a reflex, something I've done ever since whenever someone tries to wake me."

He nodded in understanding and let the subject drop, sensing her uneasiness with the topic. The rest of the breakfast passed in silence. When Irina had finished, she rinsed her plate and went to dry her hair. When she came out of the bathroom, she saw that Jack had his bag packed and was almost ready to go to the airport. She quickly got her things together and he took the bags to the car, putting them in the trunk. Irina made sure everything was off in the house, then went to meet him at the car. Jack opened her door for her and then got in himself. He started the car, backed out the driveway and then they were on their way to meet Sydney and Vaughn at the airport.