Last chapter. Its happy this time
Jack felt the usual surge of jealousy run through him as he watched Tony and Michelle. He pushed it away easily, it wasn't very big today anyway, Michelle was in bad mood.
He hated that he felt that way, but he did. They had a second chance, and there was no way either of them was letting go of it. He knew that if he had a second chance, if he could hold Teri again, he wouldn't let her go for all the world.
He watched Tony approach her from her right side, neither of them was stupid enough to try and approach Michelle from the left. Michelle tried to swipe him away, so Tony leaned in and kissed her deeply. They'd be doing that a lot lately, Tony had figured out that by kissing her, he'd cause her to forget whatever it was she was supposed to be mad for.
Jack coughed slightly, but was ignored. Rolling his eyes, he slid himself out of the room as Tony's hands started to grope further than Jack wanted to see.
He found himself in their bathroom, staring into the mirror at his reflection. He looked old.
"Don't do that," her voice startled him. She was standing behind him, looking very worried. Staring aimlessly into mirrors had been a habit he'd had whilst he was going through withdrawal. It scared her more than anything else he did, he wasn't Jack any more when he did that. She'd hated having to go through that with him, she didn't want to have to do it again.
"Michelle," he muttered in an exasperated voice, "I'm in the bathroom." She'd never learnt, despite Tony's wariness. She still saw Jack as hers, and had absolutely no qualms about invading his personal space, even when he was in the bathroom.
Ignoring that, she asked, "What's wrong Jack. Please don't tell me its heroin, I will kill you if its heroin." Probably not the best way of encouraging him to tell her, but she knew full well that he would never lie to her.
Smiling at her protectiveness, he shook his head. "I look old," he said. He caught her smile, the teasing look in her eyes, and let himself laugh too.
She wrapped her arms about him, "I still think you're hot Jack."
More exasperated sighing. "Michelle..." They both knew the flirting between them was nothing more than a joke, but Tony hated it. Tony hated the presence of Jack in Michelle's life, but had been unable to prevent it. Michelle was still so broken inside. She still couldn't sleep, and Jack could only imagine what she saw when she closed her eyes. She needed him, and Tony wasn't about to stop her from seeing him, it would shatter her.
Tracing her fingers across his face, the scar he'd got from Tony when he'd finally cracked, unable to contain his anger any longer, Michelle whispered, "What are you still doing here Jack?"
They'd had this conversation before. Michelle would try and convince him that he needed to go and have his own life. He'd refused. He wouldn't leave her, she wasn't strong enough, he still felt responsible for what had happened to her. "I'm not leaving you Michelle. I promised you I'd look after you, and I will."
"Jack, I'm fine." She knew that was a lie, but she needed him to understand. Most of her injuries had healed, she could put weight on her left leg again, and yes she hurt inside, but she was getting better. Seeing Jack give up his life so that he could help her was destroying the progress she was making. Watching him about to protest, she continued, "Ok, so I'm not fine, but I will be. Tony's helping me, I have my life back Jack, and I'm living it. I want you to live yours."
What life was she talking about. He hadn't had a life since Teri died, he'd pretended with Kate, but it hadn't been the same. And unlike Michelle, he didn't get a second chance. Teri was dead. He took that thought back immediately. Michelle had paid so very dearly for her second chance. There was no way that she didn't deserve it. He wouldn't want Teri to pay it, even if it meant he could hold her again. He'd seen Michelle's injuries, he'd heard her screams echoing into the night.
"Michelle, we've been through this. No. Ok. I'm not going."
She shook her head at him. She knew what he was thinking. From her pocket she pulled out a folded up piece of paper.
"Jack, please don't give up on life. Please." She twirled the piece of paper in her fingers, then brought her hands down to her swollen stomach that was the source of her recent bad moods.
He'd been with her the day that the doctors told her she couldn't have kids. She'd cried so hard, holding him as tight as she could. All he could think of was hadn't she paid enough already, why wasn't she allowed to be happy? They'd said it was because of the injuries sustained whilst she was captured. So not only had her torture unhinged her emotionally and destroyed her physically, it had rendered her unable to have children.
She'd been so happy when she found out she was pregnant, but that was months ago, and months of Tony telling her to be careful and forcing her to sit quietly had left cross and annoyed with everyone.
He guessed she was right, you couldn't give up on life, she'd got her second chance. Tony loved her more than anything, and she was going to have a daughter. That didn't mean he was going to leave her.
As he shook his head, she placed the piece of paper in his hands. It was an address. Kimberley Edmunds.
"No Michelle. Don't do this." He was shaking. Kim was gone, she wasn't part of his life anymore. He didn't have to deal with this.
"Its your second chance Jack, take it." She started to walk out, praying that he had the sense to listen to her. She couldn't deal with this anymore.
Watching her leave, he knew that she was right. The Jack Bauer in the mirror was old, and he needed to start living his life before it was all gone. Before she walked out, he pulled her back, very gently so as not to scare her.
"Thank you," he whispered, then leaned in and kissed her.
It was her turn to be annoyed. "Jack. Do you want me to tell Tony you're flirting with his wife again."
Jack laughed as she turned and left. His smile fled when he looked in the mirror. She was so right. He didn't want to give up. He wanted what she had, a second chance at happiness.
As he left, he saw Michelle lean in and give Tony the kiss that he had tried to take, the kiss that would never be meant for him. He felt a surge of jealousy, but ignored it. Out of everyone he knew, she deserved to be happy.
He twirled the piece of paper in his hands, just as Michelle had. Kimberley Edmunds. She was married. That would be a good place to start.
Final note: That's all folks. And I gave it a happy (well happy-ish) T/M fluff ending. Please let me know what you thought about it.