After a few weeks in the hospital Jack finally was released. All charges had been dropped and he even got an apology out of Brad Hammond. Jack laughed to himself, the joys of knowing the man in the highest place on Earth. He was wheeled out of the hospital even though he insisted on walking. When he got outside Chase and Kim waited for him. Chase was holding his daughter. Jack grabbed her from him and would not let her go for quite awhile. He couldn't but help look in her eyes and see the innocence's. Even though she wasn't his granddaughter he swore to himself to protect her from the world as long as he could so she could retain that innocent look.

Chase joked as he say the look in Jack's eyes, "Jack you aren't going soft on me are you?"

Kim smiled and said, "Babies turn him into a big buffoon. If the terrorist only knew his true weakness we would all be in trouble." They all laughed. Jack put Angela in her car seat in the back and sat next to her. He had tried to call Kate countless times but whether he called her house or her office all he could do was leave a message.

He had a few obligations, but he had postponed them for a day or two. Kim and the others wanted him to go out to dinner with them, and Amber's mom wanted him to visit them. He told them all he had to deal with something first. He invited Amber and her mom to the dinner and hoped with his plan he would be able to win Kate back.

Kim dropped him off at home and made sure he was fine. She had already went through the entire house and cleaned it out of any drug she could find, including aspirin and all other over the counter drugs. She was not going to take any chances. After a long and weary struggle she left in defeat she didn't want to leave him alone after he just got out.

Jack found his car keys, and than walked to his SUV that Tony had been nice enough to drive back up for him. He got into the SUV and drove to the florist. He bout three dozen roses that cost him a pretty penny. He sat out in his SUV writing a card for them. He went back in and had a set of roses delivered to Kate's office and the card just said, "I'm sorry I'm a big jerk."

He drove to her house and sat on the steps in the chill of the late fall. He waited for what seemed like hours till she drove up to the house. She sat in her car seeing him sit on the steps by himself with the flowers in hand. He had worked out what he wanted to say, but as soon as he saw her he could not remember a word of it.

Finally Kate got out of her car and walked over to the door. "What are you doing here?"

"You wouldn't return my calls." He said.

"And you thought you'd get better luck stopping at my house?"

"You are talking to me aren't you." He said trying to hide a smile.

"You have five minutes." Kate said crossing her arms defensively.

"I'm sorry. I am the hugest arshole that ever lived. I don't expect you to forgive me, but I wish you would Kate. I didn't leave you. I had to do it on my own, but I didn't understand you just wanted to help me. What I saw was you seeing me weak. I didn't understand than that it was fine for you to see me weak, I thought I had to be this man you needed. I have a lot of baggage and you've had to deal with it and you shouldn't have to." he paused she showed no emotion. "I'm trying to change. I'm trying real hard. I need your help. I need you Kate. I love you." He said almost surprising himself because he did love her. Just the thought of seeing her made the day seem more bearable.

She showed him no emotion when she said, "You should of figured this out a long time ago Jack. I can't do it again. I can't let you hurt me again."

Jack lowered his head trying to hide the pain he felt, but when he lifted his head again tears were in his eyes. It broke Kate's heart, but her heart was already so broken what was a little more, "I'm sorry Jack. I just can't anymore."

"I'm sorry to have taken your time up." Jack said handing her the flowers and walking away with his head hung. He looked back once to see Kate walk into the house not watching him leave. He drove away back to his house in defeat. He was going through his clothes when he found the drug kit. Kim must have missed it. He put it on the bed and studied it for awhile. His heart hurt and he knew this would take the pain away. The pain he hated so much, yet needed too. Could he let go of the pain? He knew he couldn't do it alone he needed someone there to help him, he thought Kate was the person, but she didn't want to be that person. He studied the kit one more time before he picked it up and threw it away. He didn't need the drug, it just dulled the pain, but it always came back. He needed to face it all head on, and fight his way through it. He was a fighter and he needed to go back and fight through the world. Life may deal you a bad hand but you had to change the cards in and hope for a better set of cards. That's what he would do and maybe if he begged enough Kate would eventually take him back.