A/N- Glad ya'll all liked Mandy- she and Amador are definitely this story's big bads. Keep the reviews coming- usual disclaimers apply, the lyrics belong to the classic song by the Goo Goo Dolls, "Iris."

Counting the Cost

~*~

Chapter Twelve

Made to Be Broken

~*~

And you can't fight the tears that aren't coming

Or the moment of truth in your lies

When everything feels like the movies

Yeah, you bleed just to know you're alive

And I don't want the world to see me

Cause I don't think that they'd understand

When everything's made to be broken

I just want you to know who I am

~*~



The phone rang early the next morning, Kim hurried into the kitchen to answer it, finally back in her business suits after weeks in pajamas.



"Hello?" She said, slightly out of breath.



"Hey, Kim, it's Michelle. Is your dad around?"



"Sure, I'll go get him."



"Thanks. Tell him it's important."



Kim knocked on the door to her dad's room.



"Dad-Michelle's on the phone. She said it's urgent."



Jack opened the door, buttoning up the last buttons of his crisp white shirt.



"Thanks, sweetie."



He took the phone, closing the door behind him.



"Hello, Michelle. What's so urgent that it couldn't wait until I got to the office?"



"Jack- I can't ignore my lust for you any longer. I'm leaving Tony for you."



Jack blinked.



"What?"



"I'm just kidding- it's Nina."



Jack couldn't help but laugh.



"You kind of threw me there for a second."



"Yeah, well, I'm tricky."



"You really shouldn't call here."



"Sorry- it really is important though."



"What's wrong?"



"Apparently, Amador's not coming by himself. Amanda's joining him in their little "Kill Nina" quest. She planted a bug in my cell phone, and knows everything."



"Great." Jack sighed.



"So what should I do?"



"I'll be back probably around 7:30. Call me if you need to."



"At work?"



"Yeah."



"Let's hope no one else answers your phone."



"You can just do your Michelle impression again. Which, by the way, was uncanny."



"Thanks. But what if Michelle answers the phone?"



"I don't know," Jack smiled slightly, "I really have to go. Seriously, call me if you need anything."



"How about food?"



"I'll bring it on my lunch break."



"Thanks."



"All right, see you tonight."



"Yeah."



Nina hung up the phone; hunger pangs making her feel even more tired. She hadn't gotten much sleep after Amanda's phone call. She had always been something of an insomniac, but something about being pregnant and the target of two international terrorists was making it even more difficult to sleep at all.



She got up, pacing around the apartment like a caged animal. That's a little how she felt. Going from jet setting to just sitting around all day was quite a transition. After a while of this, she heard very familiar voices outside her door. Jack and Kim were headed off to work, but had apparently stopped in the hallway.



"Dad, I have to tell you something."



"What is it?"



"Chase called the other night. He said he needs to talk about something really important today."



Nina didn't hear Jack say anything in return.



"Dad, I think he's going to ask me to move in with him. We've talked about a lot; he just never actually did the asking. And I just wanted to talk to you first. I feel like I'm deserting you."



"Sweetheart, you're twenty-three years old. You can make decisions without consulting me."



"I know-it's just, I'd be leaving you all alone, and I'd feel horrible doing that."



"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine." Jack assured her.



"Are you sure?" Nina could practically hear Kim smiling.



"I'm positive. I'm happy for you guys."



"You're the best, dad."



Kim hugged him tightly.



Nina could only hear faint traces of their conversation after that as they walked away.



She leaned against the door, smiling. Kim was moving out. She never thought she'd think this, but God bless Chase Edmunds.

~*~



Jack and Kim walked back into work together, and many people looked up at them with interest. The last most people had heard, Jack Bauer had gone rogue. Yet, here he was, playing proud father to his miraculously healed daughter as they walked in side by side.



Tony came up to greet them.



"Kim, so glad you're doing okay."



"Thanks, Tony. My desk still open?"



"Of course. Go talk to Michelle, she'll give your new assignments."



"All right." Kim smiled at her dad, walking off.



"Jack. It's good to see you back here."



"Thank you. Can I get to work?"



"Yeah…just, Jack?"



"Yes?"



"What did you do? How did you take care of things?" Tony said in a low, quiet voice, steering Jack away from the rest of the office.



"I did what I had to. Let's just leave it at that."



"Is there a reason you don't want to tell me?" Tony looked at him.



"Tony, what exactly are you suspicious of? What, you think we're living together and going to Lamaze classes? I…took…care…of…it." Jack said with a tone of finality.



"Fine." Tony shook his head, walking off.

~*~



"Hey, Michelle." Kim walked up.



"Kim- you're back! It's great to see you. We've all missed you here." Michelle smiled warmly.



"Well, you talked to me just this morning." Kim smiled back.



"What?" Michelle looked at her blankly.



"When you called me this morning- looking for my dad." Kim said slowly, confused.



"I didn't call your house this morning."



"Well, then who did? I don't think my dad knows any other Michelle's." Kim's eyebrows went together in puzzlement.



Realization suddenly dawned on Michelle's face, but she quickly masked it.



"I don't know- Tony says I talk in my sleep. Maybe I make phone calls too." Michelle laughed, but it sounded a little false.



It was enough for Kim though. She smiled back.



"So, get me up to speed-what do I need to work on?"

~*~



Jack came back to the apartment complex, laden with grocery bags. He kicked Nina's door, unable to knock. No answer. He kicked it again.



Finally, she answered the door, smiling.



"You going to kick it down or what?"



"I was thinking about it." Jack said, about to drop everything he was holding.



"Well, whenever you did that on operations it always really turned me on."



"Really?"



"Oh, yeah."



"Good to know." Jack looked at her quizzically, handing her some of the bags.



"Oh, finally, food. I am starving. I found some Tic-Tacs in Kim's jeans that you leant me, but apparently that is not enough to provide for two." Nina looked down at her ever-increasing bump.



"It's really growing fast." Jack looked down at it too.



"Yeah."



"We should probably go to the doctor soon. Prenatal stuff." He pointed out.



"What?"



"You know, checkups, physicals, all that."



"Oh. Yeah. I guess we should do that."



"Yeah. I'll make an appointment for you- my girlfriend…uh…"



"Jenny. That was my sister's name."



"You have a sister?"



"Had. She died when I was sixteen."



"You never told me that."



"You never asked." Nina shrugged.



Jack cleared his throat uncomfortably.



"So, just call me if you need anything."



"Will do."



"I'll come by later tonight."



"See you then."



Jack just nodded, unsure of what else to say, and left.



Nina watched the door close behind him, running a hand through her hair, and wondering what had just happened. She and Jack had just fallen right back into the easy camaraderie they had had when they were partners. It was strange…but nice. Better than the whispers of hatred and betrayal that usually hung between them. She had never hated him. But he had every reason to hate her. Nina refused to let herself fall into believing that that detestation was fading. The only thing that would lead to was disappointment and another broken dream whose shards she always willingly walked through. Not anymore. He wasn't breaking her heart again.

~*~

A/N- Review please! Ch. 13 to come soon!