Three Weeks Later

Chapter 5

Jack woke up as the sunlight began to stream through the windows of his apartment. He felt a slight pressure on his leg and wondered briefly how he was still on the couch. Looking down, he saw Kate's head pillowed on his leg and smiled softly. He had never seen her while she was asleep before. Not that she wasn't beautiful while she was awake, she just looked so contented and secure right now.

Kate stirred and was startled by the presence of another person. Opening her eyes, she remembered that she had fallen asleep at Jack's apartment and that she didn't have to go to her father's office today. "Mmm." She smiled and looked up at Jack while trying to sit up. He was looking down at her with such an intense expression on his face, she almost turned away. *He's thinking about Terri again,* she thought wistfully. Her smile faded as she attempted to turn away.

Jack loved Kate. When she had woken up and smiled at him, the force of his feelings came rushing forward like someone had opened a dam. He didn't know why she was turning her head away with that pained expression on her face, but he couldn't let her leave. Quickly, he reached out and pulled her to him, his lips brushing hers tenderly. Kate pulled away surprised and looked at him, questions written all over her face. Jack smoothed her hair away from her face and whispered, "I love you, Kate."

*Oh my gosh! He just told me he loved me! Well, answer him, you idiot!* Kate's mind worked a million miles a minute as thoughts and feelings flew through her soul. She kissed Jack lightly on the lips. "I love you, too." She heard a soft growl in Jack's throat and wrapped her arms around his neck as he pulled her tightly against him. He reclaimed her lips and began to kiss her with a passion neither had ever experienced before. When they parted for air, his heart beat even harder at the sight of Kate's swollen lips and love-filled eyes. He was just about to suggest they head for a more private room of the house, when they were startled by a slight knock on the hallway, followed by the appearance of Kim and Nikki.

"Good morning Daddy, Kate." Kim grinned at both. Nikki echoed Kim's greeting.

Kate recovered first and smiled at the girls. "What time did you two get home?"

"Oh, about midnight. You two were already asleep, so we decided not to wake you." Nikki smiled back.

After Kim had made a pot of coffee and they had sat around talking while they sipped it, Jack and Kate decided that the four of them would get together for brunch after Kate had gone home to freshen up and Jack and the girls had done the same.

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It was eight o' clock when Michelle awoke to the sound of her cell phone ringing. Blindly searching for it on her nightstand, she made contact with it just as it was vibrating onto the floor. She missed and the noisy phone kept ringing as it hit the floor. Hanging headfirst off of her bed, Michelle kept grabbing for the phone, hitting it under her bed before she actually managed to wrap her fingers around it. Still hanging off of her bed, she flipped open the phone and answered "Dessler." Several seconds passed by and she was about to hang up when she heard a voice on the other end.

"Michelle?"

Her heart began to pound. "Yes. This is Michelle."

"This is Tony." He sounded unsure.

"Is something wrong?" Michelle worried. It had only been three weeks, but the US received threats almost daily.

"No, well, not at CTU."

"So? What do you want?" Michelle asked as she sat back up. *Smooth, Michelle, know he knows you're mad at him.*

"Actually, I wanted to apologize." Tony took a deep breath. He couldn't blame her for being angry.

"And?"

"I'm sorry."

"Well, you've said it. I have work to do." Michelle threw his words back in his face.

"Listen, Michelle. I know I've been an asshole in the past three weeks, but I want you to know that I really do like you. I've kept away because I'm...well..."

"Just trying to make me feel better about myself for taking advantage of you?"

"Michelle. When I told you I wasn't sorry about kissing you, I meant it."

"I'm not so sure."

"Think back," Tony sighed. "You started the kiss, yes. But I finished it."

Michelle was silent.

"Can we talk?" Tony held his breath.

"Be at my place in twenty minutes."

Tony smiled on his end of the line. "Okay."

Michelle's hands shook as she put her phone back on the nightstand. Tony was going to be there in twenty minutes! She had to clean up.

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A little under two hours later, Tony was getting ready to leave Michelle's house so they could both take care of some things and get cleaned up. Tony smiled to himself. Michelle wasn't really too upset. Just hurt. Once they had talked, she forgave him. *Rather wholeheartedly* Tony thought, looking at her messy hair and swollen lips.

"I'll pick you up at seven?" Tony grinned at her.

Michelle looked at him from her passion-darkened eyes and nodded. She followed him to the front door and he pulled her to him for one last kiss; and another; and another. Several minutes and a few extra `last' kisses later, Tony was on his way home.

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