A/N- Hey guys-thanks for all the reviews, it's so great to hear from everybody! Usual disclaimers apply, the lyrics are from "After All" by Delerium.

Counting the Cost

~*~

Chapter Sixteen

Screaming Silence

~*~

She knows the noises in her mind

Nothing's left but

Screaming silence

After all she feels numbness inside

The feeling's gone

She's upside down

The pictures behind her closed eyes

This time you went too far

After all they shared

How could he simply say no

After all they shared

He turned away from her to go

She said she wouldn't cry

That was really just a lie

~*~



Nina sat alone in the apartment the next morning, exhausted and still in shock from last night's events. She had cried right in front of him. Jack had made her cry, something she had sworn up and down, would never, ever happen.



Lying awake last night, she had been so upset she could hardly even see straight. Now, she had a little more perspective. She hadn't exactly been an angel last night either with the things she'd said to him. And she had always known, deep down, that every word out of his mouth had been in his mind all along.



But somehow, they had both fooled themselves into thinking he still had feelings for her. And now their sad little charade had crumbled. It was pretty hard to swallow. Actually hearing him say all those things cut a lot deeper than she would have imagined it would.



Suddenly, her cell phone rang. Nina hesitantly answered it.



"Yes?"



"It's me."



"Oh, remembered a few more things you'd like to tell me?"



She could hear him sigh on the other end.



"I'm not going to apologize for being honest." His gravelly voice was laced with anger.



"Fine. Then why are you calling?"



"The doctor just called back. He can fit us in today at noon for your first appointment."



"Oh, goody."



"I'll pick you up at 11:30."



"Oh, but that's two hours from now. I miss you so much." Nina said monotonously, rolling her eyes.



"Well, you're just going to have to wait until then." Jack said sarcastically.



Nina blinked. Jack wasn't usually sarcastic. Scratch that- Jack was never sarcastic.



"Well, well, look who got a sense of humor. Or at least an attempt at one."



"I have to go."



"That's a real shame."



"I'll see you at 11:30."



"Fantastic." Nina hung up the phone, throwing it to the other side of the couch.

~*~



Jack hung up his cell phone, looking up at Michelle, who had just walked into the hallway he thought he had been inconspicuously hiding in.



"Hey, Jack." She smiled a little nervously, perching on the edge of the desk.



"Something I can help you with?" Jack looked up at her ingenuously.



"Who was that?" She motioned to his phone.



"Division."



"What'd they want?"



"Don't worry about it." Jack shrugged, starting to walk away.



"It was her, wasn't it?" Michelle suddenly said.



Jack froze, his entire body rigid.



"I thought so." Michelle walked up to him, crossing her arms.



"Michelle, this isn't any of your business."



"I think it is."



"Why's that?"



"You're harboring a fugitive. That's a federal offense. I'm a federal agent. I'd say that makes it my business."



Jack sighed heavily, and then suddenly moved towards her, his mouth inches from her ear.



"Just leave it alone." He whispered.



"Why should I?" Michelle said defiantly.



"I like you, Michelle. You seem nice enough. I don't want there to be any bad blood between us," he moved even closer, his voice lowering to a gravelly whisper, "You don't want me as an enemy."



"Everyone else might be afraid of you, Jack. I'm not." She stepped away from him, trying to keep her voice steady.



"That's very naïve of you." Jack patted her condescendingly on the shoulder, giving her one last look and walking away.

~*~



Jack began to walk out of the office towards his car at 11:15.



"Dad!"



"Hey, sweetheart." Jack turned around hesitantly.



"Hey, where are you going?"



"Lunch break."



"Oh, I'm starving too. Can I come?"



Jack racked his brain for some kind of excuse.



Suddenly, Chase walked up as well.



"What's going on?"



"Lunch break. Want to come?" Kim smiled affectionately at him.



"You two go ahead." Jack said, seeing a solution.



"But I haven't talked to you all week." Kim pouted.



"I know that, sweetheart, how about we go out to dinner Thursday? I've got to be in and out today, Tony needs me on something." Jack said, praying she'd buy it.



Kim's face broke into a wide, innocent smile.



"Of course, Dad. Thursday sounds great."



"Okay." Jack smiled, walking off quickly.

~*~



When Jack walked back into the apartment, all the lights were off and Nina was asleep on the couch, propped up on pillows and in his CTU sweats.



Jack sighed. She was so passive-aggressive. Well, for that matter, she was also just aggressive-aggressive. He had told her when he was coming, so of course she was conveniently asleep.



He set down his briefcase, walking over to the couch.



"Nina, wake up." He said.



She didn't even stir. She had always been a heavy sleeper. Jack always had to practically pour a bucket of water on her to wake her up before work.



"Come on." He knelt reluctantly beside her, prodding her shoulder.



Still nothing.



"Nina!" He said more loudly, shaking her slightly.



Her eyes opened slightly, still not completely aware. She looked up at him.



Jack opened his mouth to say "Finally", when she suddenly took his face in her hands, pulling him to her and kissing him deeply. Jack, confused and shocked, kissed her back. Her mouth parted willingly under his, grabbing his collar to pull him down farther. Jack breathed in her scent, her hair wet and her skin damp from a recent shower. He felt the same strange heat spreading through him he had felt that night in London.



After a long, intense moment, it ended.



"So…I take it you're not mad at me anymore?" Jack said, at a loss.



Nina looked at him, wide-eyed for a moment. Then she sighed with realization, rolling her eyes.



"Hardly, Jack."



"Wait…what?"



"So I WAS awake. Sorry, Jack- I was having a dream that I'd really rather forget."



"You lost me."



"How shocking. Let's go." She said, pushing him off and getting to her feet, exhaling heavily.



Jack blinked, still reeling slightly.



"Are you coming?" She looked back at him.



"Yeah."

~*~

A/N- Review please! Chapter Seventeen to come soon!