Their Story

September 11th, 2001 signaled changes for many people. Jack was arguing a forgettable motion in Judge Pongracic's chambers when the courts building shook with the first explosion at the World Trade Center just six blocks away. The next few days were chaotic all over New York including the DA's office. As a senior executive, Jack remained in the building for the next several days. Water, telephone, electric and gas services were all disrupted. Most were restored within a day, but there were sporadic interruptions. He was still in the office when the lobby security guard radioed to tell him that he needed to sign in a visitor. Somewhat irritated at the interruption, Jack rode the elevator downstairs. His heart skipped a beat when he saw Kate. He seen her twice her since that day in 1996. He'd gone to Elizabeth's high school graduation and Dr. Shipman's funeral. As they rode back upstairs, Kate told him she had been quickly brought into the city to help with the expected casualties. It turned out there were few survivors, and her skills in emergency medicine weren't needed. She's been worried when she hadn't been able to reach him.

Kate told him that she needed to talk to him now, privately and away from the office. By her look and tone, Jack knew it was important. He went into Nora's office and told her he was heading home for a while. They managed to get to the brownstone via subway, then walking several blocks. Kate's eyes widened when she saw the clutter and piles of books, but she didn't say anything. Jack heated water for tea and they settled into opposite ends of the sofa. Kate regarded Jack silently for a few moments, unsure of how to begin. Jack kept quiet politely until she began by asking him if he remembered the day Claire died. His rare blush answered her question. "You had your secrets and I had mine." She told him. She slowly drew a picture out of her bag and handed it to him. Jack stared at the picture of a little dark haired boy with an impish grin. "We made him on May 22nd, 1996," Kate told Jack, "and he was born the following January 28th. Elizabeth was angry that I didn't let you chose whether to be involved or not." "I'm a little late, but I'm giving you a choice now." Jack had to swallow hard several times before he was able to talk, but Kate stopped him and told him she didn't want an immediate answer. She was heading back to Connecticut and would spend the last few weeks of September at the beach house. As she left, Kate set a photo album on the table.

It took Jack quite a while to compose himself. He finally picked up the album and started studying the pictures of his wife, daughter and son. His son. He was 53 years old, had lived in the same apartment for 31 years, had managed to estrange his wife and daughter, and had never met the little boy who was apparently his son. He'd earned his dream job. He was the Executive Assistant District Attorney heading the Trials Bureau, but at night he still came home to the same cluttered apartment, the same empty life.

Jack sat up the entire night deciding on a course of action. Used to making snap decisions and living with the consequences, Jack knew this was too important to make a rush decision. His plan decided, Jack went into the office. His first stop was with Nora. Jack asked for some time off. He told her he had some personal business that needed attention, and he hadn't had a vacation in a long time. He got his time off. Jack went home and packed a few things into his duffle, adding the album. Then he roared off on the silver and black Buell Firebolt motorcycle, that he had bought the past spring. He headed to New Haven to see his daughter, a student at Yale. Elizabeth was surprised to see him outside her dorm when she got out of class. He took her to lunch, and then they settled on a park bench to talk. Jack apologized to her for his indifferent parenting and told her he loved her. Elizabeth didn't say much. Tears in her eyes, she told him that she was angry with him for his choices, but that she loved him anyway. He told her his decision and asked her opinion. Elizabeth agreed that his plan sounded good, but it was Kate's decision. He left after hugging Elizabeth tightly. She promised she'd come to the beach house on the weekend.

When Jack got to the beach house, he didn't see Kate at first. Walking around to the front, he finally saw her in the distance. She was in a beach chair, paperback in hand, keeping an eye on her little boy as he played in the shallow estuary that fed into the quiet ocean cove. Jack dropped his gear on the porch and walked down to meet them. He sat in the sand beside her and watched the little boy play. When Matt came up to them, he said excitedly, "I know you. You are my daddy. Mommy showed me pictures." Jack told him that he was right and held his hand as they walked up to the house. After dinner, Kate put a protesting Matt into the bathtub, "I'll just get dirty again!" She washed his hair and then asked Jack to keep an eye on him while she straightened up the kitchen and washed dishes. Jack watched him splash and play with his toys until his mother lifted him out and wrapped him in a big towel. Pajamas donned and hair and teeth brushed, he settled between them for bedtime stories. Jack leaned over and smelled his hair. Kate looked at him funny, but finished the book. Then tucking her sleepy son into his bed, Kate looked at Jack to begin.

Jack began with an apology. He told her that he still loved her deeply and wanted to be a part of their lives. Then he told her the plan he hoped she would like. If she could accept him and let him be a part of their lives again, Jack would take a three month leave of absence from his job to spend time getting to know her again and helping with Matt. Jack told her that he was eligible to retire at 55, less than two years from now. He told her that after the leave of absence, he would work until his retirement date. He said he knew that she didn't want to come back to the city, but he promised to spend weekends with them in Connecticut. If Nora wouldn't approve the leave, then he would resign. This time Kate was speechless. She wasn't quite sure she trusted him to keep his word, but he looked sincere. Kate told him she'd think about it. She gave him a blanket and pillow for the sofa and went to bed herself. Matt was the only sound sleeper in the house that night.

When Matt woke up at the crack of dawn as little ones tend to do, Jack fixed him breakfast and then took him outside to play on the beach. He knew that Kate was not a morning person and some extra sleep might help his cause. Kate woke long enough to remind Jack to sunscreen Matt and then went back to sleep. Later, they sat on the porch sipping iced tea and watching their boy feed his sandwich crusts to seagulls. Kate looked at Jack and said, "No half way here. You are either in or you are out." Jack gave her the impish grin that she loved and said, "I'm in!"

After they tucked Matt in that night, Kate and Jack went to bed together. Their love making was slow and sweet, and they both slept more soundly than they had in weeks. They were awakened by a warm little body jumping on them and pulled him between them to snuggle. When Jack sniffed Matt's hair again, Kate looked at him with a question in her eyes. Smiling, he said that was one thing he missed when she left with Elizabeth…and with a devilish grin added, "You were the other."