I screamed, thoughts of an event that had happened years ago but still haunted me to this day. I stood up quickly and began buttoning up my shirt. I looked at Jack, who had a look in his eyes of concern, worry, and desire. I had just interrupted the best make out session I had ever been in in my life, and I had to let my thoughts of something awful get in the way of all that.

"Abbie? What is wrong? Did you see something? Hear something?" Jack asked, his voice full of concern towards me.

I didn't know how to answer him, but I knew that I had to. I had to tell him that it wasn't his fault. I couldn't let him think that he had done something wrong. That's not it at all. I had to come clean with it so that we could move on and I could get over this.

"I, I, I was r-r-raped, Jack," I tell him, my voice very close to a whisper. I looked down, although I told myself to look him in the eyes. I just couldn't bring myself to see the expression on his face.

"I know that's a silly excuse and all, but everything came flooding back and I didn't know what else to do. I'm sorry Jack, I really am," I continue, rambling on and on making me sound ridiculous.

Jack just sat there, pondering what I had just said. It felt good to tell someone that I loved and respected, but I didn't know what the hell he was going to say.

"Abbie, you have nothing to apologize for. It's not silly, so you can stop thinking that for one thing, and I should not have pushed like I did," Jack said, his voice stern but his eyes very soft, apologizing with me.

I never thought that Jack could be this way. Caring and apologizing for something that he didn't really do. That didn't seem like Jack, but then again, we weren't at the office and he wasn't worried about all of the cases he was juggling. He was just Jack, not E.A.D.A. John James McCoy. It was refreshing, to see him in another light. I did fall in love with the cocky, aggressive in court, driven prosecutor. But this side really made the feelings I felt for Jack even stronger.

The song that was playing was beautiful, it really was. It was a different kind of love song, but the music was beautiful and moving all the same. I looked at Jack, who was looking at me. He wasn't doing anything, just sitting on the couch and taking me in. I knew that this cat was out of the bag, and if he didn't accept me, I would really have to consider another job.

I walked over to the couch and nuzzled into the side of Jack, who had placed his arm around my back. He held me close, and I placed my head over his heart and cried. I cried for myself, I cried for Jack, I cried for everything. He just stroked my hair and whispered that it was going to be "okay". I have to say that I believed him. After what seemed like hours of crying, I just fell asleep. My emotions were running wild and it was too much.

I woke up in Jack's warm, cozy bed, my shoes in the corner. I don't remember going up his stairs, so I'm guessing Jack had to carry me up a decent number of steps. That must have sucked, I think to myself, and then chuckle at the mental image of Jack carrying me up the stairs. I looked at my watch and saw that it was 2:30 p.m. Whoa, we need to get back to the office. Adam is probably going berserk looking for the two of us.

I padded down the stairs to where we had originally fallen asleep. I looked at the couch and saw Jack sleeping, his face seemingly childlike in slumber. I laugh at myself, thinking that that is the only time you will see Jack innocent and angelic. I shook him slightly, not wanting to jolt him out of sleep and have him be crabby the rest of the day.

It took him a minute of two to wake up and then I was blessed to see his beautiful hazel eyes staring at me. He sat up, his hair sticking up all over the place. I had to laugh, I couldn't even hold it in. Jack's hand instantly went to the back of his head to smooth his hair down. I'm thinking that he is used to people laughing at his bed head. I sat next to him and kissed him lightly, which was easily reciprocated.

"So, how did you sleep?" He asked me, his voice still gruff from just waking up.

"Okay, how about you?" I answer, before asking. It must have been uncomfortable to sleep on the couch, as comfy as it was.

"You know you're a special person if I end up taking the couch," He tells me, his eyes smiling at me. I couldn't help but smile back at him. He made me laugh when he was trying to sound stern or intimidating. It didn't work on me, on a witness it sure as hell did. I would be afraid of him if I was on the stand.

"We better get back to the office before Adam sends out the dogs," I tell him, giggling at the thought of a bunch of dogs scraping at the door and Adam holding all of their leashes.

Jack just nodded and gathered up his things. I remembered that my shoes were upstairs, so I quickly went up there to retrieve them. I looked at the array of frames on his dresser and completely forgot that Jack was downstairs, getting ready to leave. There was a picture of his daughter, a picture of him and Claire, a picture of Lennie, Anita, Rey, and himself, and a picture of the two of them. I had to pick it up to get a better look at it. It was taken a few weeks ago, at one of their colleague's retirement parties.

We were very dressed up, considering the party was being held at the Ritz-Carlton. Lennie insisted on taking pictures of everyone all dressed up, and I remember Jack telling him that he was dressed up everyday. Lennie pushed the two of us together, with the help of Eddie Green. Jack had his arms around my waist and had pulled me close to him. We were both smiling our best smiles, and I wished that I had this picture. I forgot to ask Lennie for one, I'm going to have to talk to him when I see him next. I didn't hear Jack walk in his room, but I heard him as he came up behind me and put his arms around me. I turned around and kissed him before squirming out of his hold.

I knew we had to get going and Jack wouldn't help matters by holding me and kissing me. We walked down the stairs and we went outside to catch a cab. Damn, it was so cold out here.

"You know, I always look at that picture before I leave the house," Jack said to me, quietly, like he was afraid he would say something wrong.

"Really?" I ask, my voice incredulous. I had no idea.

"Yeah, it's a great picture, don't you think?" He questions, his voice giving me the chills. Either that or the fact that it was about twelve degrees outside.

"I sure do," I tell him, meaning every word.

We get into the cab and as we are driving to the office, Jack pulls me close and whispers in my ear,

"I love you Abbie Carmichael."

I definitely got chills that time and it wasn't because of the weather.

"I love you Jack McCoy," I tell him, loud enough that the cab driver turns his head slightly. I kissed his cheek and then whispered to him,

"Did you ever think about having sex on your desk?"

"About a million times. Why?" He asks me.

"I was just curious, that's all," I reply.

"I don't want our first time to be on a damn desk. Bed first, then we'll see what happens," He tells me, his eyes smiling once again.

"Okay," I respond. I knew that I could trust Jack, I knew that I could be honest with him. He accepted me, rape and all, and I can't help it that I'm in love with him. We got to the office and as I was getting out, I heard the cabbie say,

"Lucky bastard."

Jack just laughed and we walked into the office. This was going to work, I could just feel it.

To Be Continued