A/N – Hey guys, thanks for the reviews. I know the chapters are a little short, but that way I can post them more often. I could lengthen them but then I would only be posting about once or twice a week. I'll try and make them longer, and keep them coming Sorry for the delay – I was on holidays this weekend.
Chapter 13:
Jack and Sue finally settled on the couch of her apartment. It had been a very long day. Sue offered to make tea, but Jack told her to sit on the couch and rest while he went and made it. He was going over in his mind what he was going to say. It was obvious she didn't want to think about it, it was almost as if she had forgotten about who Greg was and what he had done. Jack also knew she needed to remain calm but all he wanted to do was catch the guy and tear him apart for hurting her.
"So…" Sue said after a few seconds of silence, "what exactly did you want to talk about?" Jack took a deep breath; he didn't know how to go around it – she needed to get it out and he would be there for her. He hated to see her upset but he couldn't risk him hurting her again.
"Everything that happened today. And yesterday. I want you to tell me the whole story of what happened with your date with Greg and why you were so scared this morning when you saw him." Bobby had told Jack the whole story of him setting her up on a blind date. Jack wanted to be mad at him but couldn't when he heard the guilt in Bobby's voice. Sue looked at Jack, her eyes boring into his. He couldn't quite tell how she was going to react.
"There's nothing to talk about." She got up suddenly and started to automatically rearrange stuff in her kitchen. Jack followed her. He couldn't give up.
"I think there is. Look Sue, I know we're colleagues but I care a lot about you." She turned to face him. She held back the tears in her eyes, but they were starting to sting for release. All day she had pushed back what had happened in her mind, almost made herself forget and excused her injuries but now Jack was going to want the truth and she didn't know if she could bring herself to tell him.
"You need to tell me everything so I can help you. I'm here to support you and so is everyone else, I'll be here for you to get past this but you can't just ignore what happened. Please, come sit down, let's talk." She hesitated. He was being so sweet, but she didn't know how to tell him. Maybe she was just over-reacting maybe it was nothing, but after looking into Jack's pleading eyes, she gave up. She walked back over to the couch and they both sat down. "Just start from the beginning," Jack said hopefully. She seemed to be taking it well. The doctor was right, she was strong and she was going to make it through this.
"Two days ago, Bobby came up to me and asked if I would go out to dinner with one of his friends who was in town for a visit. He said that he thought it was a good idea considering I had worked so hard on the last case and needed a night off. I thought it was kind of strange because, well…" her cheeks started to redden. "Well…never mind," she continued. "Anyways, I agreed to go. I met Greg at the restaurant yesterday evening. He was very polite, very nice. He seemed very interested at the fact I'm deaf and how I communicate. Kept asking me questions. It didn't really bother me. Near the end of the evening he got a phone call. He excused himself and went to take it. He had his back to me most of the time, so I couldn't read what he was saying except I caught a few words - bakery, dough and something about finding someone to help him. I just figured it was nothing. Afterwards we decided to take a walk in the park before going home." Sue started to choke, her eyes fresh with tears. Jack took her hand in his.
"It's okay, I promise you I wont let him hurt you again." Sue nodded, the tears now streaming down her face. For the second time that day, Jacks heart broke. He never realized how important she was to him, and how much he hated to see her hurt. When she started again her voice was quiet,
"I could tell something was wrong as we walked in the park. He asked me about what cases I was working on. I told him that of course I couldn't tell him. He didn't say anything. I decided to break the silence by asking him who was on the phone earlier. He tensed up. All of the sudden he slammed me against the tree and covered my mouth. He told me not to scream. Another man came up and took me by the wrists and held me. I looked around, hoping someone would walk by and see me pinned to the tree but it was oddly quiet in the park. Greg asked me what I knew about the conversation. I told him, honestly, nothing – that I was just curious as to whom he was talking to. I was so scared Jack, I didn't know what I had done wrong. The other man with Greg took out his knife…" She couldn't go on anymore. Jack knew enough. She dissolved into tears, and he reached out and brought her into a close hug. He vowed to himself to catch them no matter what it took for doing this to her. She couldn't hear what he was saying but Sue felt better having told Jack everything. "I'm so sorry." She whispered to him.