Previously
A/n Sorry it took so long guys! I hope you all like it and I'd love some feedback so let me know if you're reading!
Redemption Chapter 50
"Hello Jack."
Jack felt the cool metal of the gun pressed against the base of his neck. "Brought your toys," he commented staying fully relaxed.
"Drop it."
Jack obeyed and tossed his gun behind him. Slowly he turned around. "Aren't you going to drop yours?"
"Where is she?"
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Don't play games with me Jack." Irina pressed the barrell of the gun against his chest. "Now where the hell is my daughter?"
"Put your gun away Irina, you won't need it."
Reluctantly Irina lowered her weapon, knowing that she wouldn't get any answers otherwise. Her eyes narrowed as she watched Jack stroll down the hallway into the kitchen, intent on now having that second glass of scotch.
Jack poured himself another glass of scotch and silently promised Kat that he would stop drinking. Tomorrow.
"Nice place," Irina commented. She took the glass bottle from him and took a long swig. "Security seems a little lax however."
Jack ignored her knowing that she knew full well that the apartment's security system was top of the line and tweaked to his specifications by Marshall. He would have to have a chat with Marshall and determine how Irina was able to get past it.
Jack grabbed his glass and walked into the living room. He stopped in front of the small fish tank and tapped the glass with his index finger. The fish made no movement and he tapped the glass again.
"I don't think that is going to recessitate the creature." Irina bent to examine the tank and Jack glanced at her in annoyance.
"Remember Mr. Bubbles?" she asked.
"How could I forget," he sighed remembering the goldfish Sydney had received for her fifth birthday. Shortly after her birthday, Sydney and Laura had gone to Florida for a few weeks leaving Jack in charge of the house and Sydney's new goldfish Mr. Bubbles. Jack had been preoccupied with work and forgotten about the new addition to their family until Sydney called and asked how Mr. Bubbles was. Jack immediately went to check and found her pet floating at the bottom of bowl.
"How long did you spend looking for an identical one?" Irina teased.
Jack shot her a glare. "Nearly a week." All his searching for an identical replacement had been for nothing. When Sydney arrived home, she rushed to her room to see her new pet and then promptly burst into tears declaring that the fish in the bowl was not Mr. Bubbles. Jack had visited at least fifteen different pet stores in his search to find an identical goldfish. The fish he'd put in the bowl a week earlier was identical or so he'd thought. When Sydney had found the replacement, its belly was nearly double the size. Laura confirmed that Mr. Bubbles was really a very pregnant Mrs. Bubbles and Jack was forced to tell Sydney the truth.
"Now Jack, Katy is quite a bit older than Sydney was, I don't think pulling a switch is going to work."
"The thought never crossed my mind."
Irina raised an eyebrow challenging his statement. She took a seat on the leather couch and tucked her legs under her. "Perhaps you can clear something up for me Jack."
Jack took a seat across from her knowing exactly where she was headed. He quickly analyzed the situation deciding what information if any he would give.
"Two weeks ago following our meeting in St. Petersburg, Katarina returned to the US in your custody. The next day she was tracked to LAX accompanied by an Agent Alexander Cole, where I assume she boarded a plane. That is where her trail ends. She hasn't been heard or seen from since and no flight manifestations have any record of her or any alias fitting her description. She isn't with Sydney and she certainly isn't here so tell me Jack, where is my daughter?"
Jack finished his glass of scotch in one swallow and set it on the side table. "Our daughter," he corrected not even bothering to hide the disdain in his voice, "is fine."
"Don't fuck with me Jack." Irina's voice was ice. "I'm in no mood for your games."
"Isn't that what you do best? Play games?" In one swift motion he stood and pinned her to the couch. "Tell me Irina," his voice was hoarse as he whispered in her ear, his body leaning heavily over hers. "Did you know about The Countess Prophecy? Is that why you went to St. Petersburg? You wanted it, but you couldn't find it." His hands closed around her shoulders and then slipped closer to her neck. Her breathing shallowed as his fingertips pressed against her collarbone.
"Did Khasinau know about the Prophecy? Did he tell you or did you tell him? Is that why he hid her from the KGB?
"Jack stop." Irina closed her hands over his wrists in an attempt to push him away, but she couldn't. He was in a quiet rage and if she fought against him, his grip would only tighten. "Jack Stop," she repeated, beginning to feel light headed as her supply of fresh oxygen was diminishing.
"Is that why he kept her from you?" Jack's face was close to hers as he hissed in her ear.
She could see the tiny beads of sweat starting to form on his forehead and his breath was shrouded in alcohol. He wasn't intentionally trying to hurt her and she did the only thing she could think to get control without hurting him or causing herself injury.
Tilting her head upwards, she kissed him hard. He was unresponsive at first as he froze his entire body rigid and then it relaxed. Her plan worked. Jack slipped his hands to the base of her neck and kissed her back. Neither were gentle. Both were equal participants of their assault on each other. Fingers tugged, teeth clashed and lips were bitten as they devoured each other. Jack popped the top two buttons of Irina's blouse in his eagerness to get to the skin beneath.
Irina moaned into his mouth as his hands prodded and caressed her sensitive skin through the fabric of her bra. She nipped at his lower lip as he pressed her down on the couch. Her fingers tangled in his hair and she urged his head closer as he spread open her blouse and proceeded to place wet kisses along her neck and collarbone. She arched her back pressing herself into his mouth as he teased and taunted her nipples with his lips and tongue through the black lace.
Jack wedged a knee between her legs to support himself. His mind was spinning. Her scent was intoxicating; he could lose himself in everything that she was. Her lips were red and swollen, bruised from his attack. He moved his hands to unhook her bra and Irina swiftly unbuckled his belt. Irina slipped her hands inside his pants and cupped his erection through his boxers. Jack groaned and bit into Irina's shoulder. Irina smiled and fondled him more. His reaction wasn't what she expected.
Jack angrily pushed her away, swore and stood up. "I said no games Irina." He zipped up his pants and straightened his clothes mentally cursing himself for allowing her to divert his concentration. Jack glared at her and Irina sat up pulling her blouse closed.
"I couldn't breathe Jack," Irina stood and buttoned her blouse. "What did you expect me to do?" Irina reached for the bottle of scotch and took another swig. "Enough screwing around, where is Katarina?"
Jack looked her straight in the eye. He couldn't lie to her, not about this. "Virginia?"
"Virginia? What the hell is in Virgin-"Irina stopped short as the realization hit her. "You sonh! How could you do this?"
"Irina-"
"You were supposed to keep her out of this life! Damn you Jack Bristow!" Her eyes were fire. Fire and ice.
Jack turned away and faced the large bay window. "Do you think I wanted her to go?" he said quietly, rather reserved. "I did not, and do not want her involved with the CIA. Whether or not you believe me, it is the truth. She is every bit my daughter as she is yours and I only want what is best for her."
"Why didn't you stop her?" Irina asked, her fury not having lessened even a bit. Her hands were fisted at her sides and it took every ounce of her control not to grab Jack's scotch glass from the coffee table and smash it into the wall in frustration. She'd spent the last twelve years doing everything she could to keep her daughter away from the life her parents led and the danger just being their daughter and Rambaldi's Countess brought. Her efforts had been for nothing. Katarina was in more danger than ever before and now she'd joined the CIA.
"I found out too late," Jack turned back to face her. "I didn't know until after she had signed the papers. They offered her a deal, recruitment or protective custody. She wouldn't leave Sydney."
"She's a minor, how could she-"
"I screwed up Irina!" Jack nearly shouted at her, but he kept his voice low and in control. "I screwed up! She was my responsibility, but as much as either of us would want to believe that she was forced into this, that she was innocent to the events leading up to it—she wasn't. She wanted in. She wanted into this life." Jack retrieved Kat's letter from the kitchen counter and handed it to Irina. "Read it."
Jack grabbed his glass of scotch and left the room.
Irina waited until he'd left the room before she sat down on the sofa and turned to the first page.
Kat's description of Irina was expected and not shocking but the realization of her daughter's feelings hit hard.
Katy had made it very clear in St. Petersburg where the two stood, but seeing it there in black and white in her daughters own script made it all the more real.
She'd seen Katarina only twice since the bloody scene in New York twelve years before. Each time, the hurt and betrayal in her daughter's eyes made her question every decision and choice she'd made. She had regrets. Some of her choices may not have been the best, but despite the outcome, she never regretted having her daughter. Leaving Jack and Sydney, had been devastating and she'd paid a very high price. She'd had to forget them, what they meant to her, in order to survive. Katarina had brought light back into her life. Her daughter had rekindled a part of Irina's heart and soul that she'd long thought dead. Her daughter had given her hope.
Irina folded the letter and placed it back in the envelope. She stood, took a few deep breaths and blinked away an unshed tear from her eye. She would not cry in front of him.
Jack sat on the pullout sofa in Kat's room. He closed the portfolio he was examining when Irina entered the room. He wasn't about to start the conversation and so he watched as Irina wandered the room examining her daughters few belongings. Irina picked up a photograph off the bookcase and sat down next to Jack gripping the frame tightly in her fingers.
"She looks happy," Irina whispered running the tips of her fingers over the image. It had been taken a few months before. Vaughn, Sydney, Weiss and Kat sat in skates in a heap in the middle of the ice rink after a game of hockey. Vaughn had his arms around Sydney and Sydney and Weiss had their arms around Kat.
"Seems that way doesn't it," Jack said.
"She's not." Irina stated casually. "I could tell that, from her letter."
"It's difficult to tell," Jack was quiet and reserved as he took the photograph from her. He placed it back in its spot and then returned to Irina. "With Katy, it's difficult to decipher what is real and what is a facade. She's very skilled at deception, which given who we are, is of no surprise." A slight smile twinged on his lips and he remained very still as he spoke. "There are times, moments when you know for sure that she is happy. A smile, even a brief one, that lights up her face. Her eyes sparkle, her laugh-infectious; it's those moments, when you know that her smile is the truth, you can see it in her eyes and she is healing. The present is beginning to overcome the past that haunts her. Other times, she pretends and the differences are easily missed. There are few who know. Sydney, myself, Dr. Barnette-"
"Agent Weiss," Irina finished.
Jack nodded. "She doesn't fear his reaction, as she does Sydney's or mine. Often she's afraid to get too close; afraid she'll loose us. He's never had a reason to let her down. She trusts him implicitly. He sees the truth in her, the side that she won't show others."
"He's very loyal to her," Irina remarked.
"So I've seen," Jack smirked remembering the scene he'd witnessed when Weiss had pulled a gun on Irina on the plane to Moscow. "I don't think either of them can explain why. Their relationship concerned me. At first I thought there was something more between them, a romantic relationship perhaps, but I was wrong."
Irina passed the letter back to Jack. "I wish things were different," she said softly. "You and Katy, have a chance. I gave up that chance twelve years ago."
"Irina-"
"She loves you Jack," Irina continued. "It may be difficult for her to show it, but you are her father, and she loves you. You're what she's yearned for her entire life. I only regret that you were apart for so long."
"She's healing," Jack offered. "It's slow but, bit by bit, she is healing. She's opening up, learning to trust. Some day, she may be whole again."
Irina looked down as Jack took her hand. "I do love her; I'm not trying to hurt her," she said truthfully. "In St. Petersburg, when she had that gun, I really did not think that she could do it, that she could pull the trigger." Her eyes glanced down at the letter. "Her words are the truth. Now I know different."
"Irina, I don't think-"
"You didn't see her eyes Jack. You didn't see the hatred in them. Unadulterated hatred. I am the reason she lost her innocence and I would do anything to give that back to her."
Jack kept quiet for the moment. Her words were true. "Some day, she will understand."
Irina shrugged and tapped the large leather case portfolio Jack was holding. "Can I see?"
His eyes met hers and he nodded hesitantly. Jack opened the case and allowed Irina to see the top picture.
Irina didn't say anything. Her hand trembled as she dared to touch the drawing. "It's beautiful," she whispered.
Jack eyed her. Her eyes were clear, but he had no doubt she was fighting to keep them that way. When he opened the case, he didn't know what he would find, but his daughter was right. He knew which one it was the moment he set eyes on it.
"I had no idea she was so talented," Irina bent her head to examine the drawing closer. "The strokes of the pencil and the shading are so intricate. The likeness is amazing." She and Jack both stared in silent amazement at the drawing. Both mesmerized by the beauty they saw. Kat had drawn a black and white pencil drawing of Sydney, Jack and herself, together as a family. It was only their faces, and they didn't have to be doing anything in order to understand the drawing. She lifted the drawing out of the portfolio and placed it behind her on the bed, eager to see the other drawings. Her daughter certainly did have talent, and it most definitely did not come from her side of the family.
Irina opened Kat's sketchbook and turned to the first page. She was surprised to find a drawing of a young child. As she flipped the pages, her surprise turned to confusion and she flipped the pages more rapidly. The entire book was filled with various drawings both in pencil and color of a young boy.
Jack quickly took the book from Irina and slipped it back into the leather case.
"Jack, is that-"
"Don't ask." Jack stood and placed the portfolio back in the closet.
"But Jack-"
"No."
Irina was not about to be put off. She grabbed his arm, her nails searing into his flesh. "Sydney told me that Katarina had a baby when she was 13. She said the baby died."
"Irina-"
"In St. Petersburg, Katy called him Joshua. I find it difficult to believe that she would name a dead baby, and the drawings-"
"Don't." Jack turned to face her and his eyes darkened in anger.
"Don't what?" Irina stood and looked him in the eye. "The entire book is filled with drawings of the same child, a little boy. So don't what Jack? Don't ask if her child is alive or dead?"
"Irina-"
"Answer me!"
A/n Sorry it took so long guys! I hope you all like it and I'd love some feedback so let me know if you're reading!
Redemption Chapter 50
"Hello Jack."
Jack felt the cool metal of the gun pressed against the base of his neck. "Brought your toys," he commented staying fully relaxed.
"Drop it."
Jack obeyed and tossed his gun behind him. Slowly he turned around. "Aren't you going to drop yours?"
"Where is she?"
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Don't play games with me Jack." Irina pressed the barrell of the gun against his chest. "Now where the hell is my daughter?"
"Put your gun away Irina, you won't need it."
Reluctantly Irina lowered her weapon, knowing that she wouldn't get any answers otherwise. Her eyes narrowed as she watched Jack stroll down the hallway into the kitchen, intent on now having that second glass of scotch.
Jack poured himself another glass of scotch and silently promised Kat that he would stop drinking. Tomorrow.
"Nice place," Irina commented. She took the glass bottle from him and took a long swig. "Security seems a little lax however."
Jack ignored her knowing that she knew full well that the apartment's security system was top of the line and tweaked to his specifications by Marshall. He would have to have a chat with Marshall and determine how Irina was able to get past it.
Jack grabbed his glass and walked into the living room. He stopped in front of the small fish tank and tapped the glass with his index finger. The fish made no movement and he tapped the glass again.
"I don't think that is going to recessitate the creature." Irina bent to examine the tank and Jack glanced at her in annoyance.
"Remember Mr. Bubbles?" she asked.
"How could I forget," he sighed remembering the goldfish Sydney had received for her fifth birthday. Shortly after her birthday, Sydney and Laura had gone to Florida for a few weeks leaving Jack in charge of the house and Sydney's new goldfish Mr. Bubbles. Jack had been preoccupied with work and forgotten about the new addition to their family until Sydney called and asked how Mr. Bubbles was. Jack immediately went to check and found her pet floating at the bottom of bowl.
"How long did you spend looking for an identical one?" Irina teased.
Jack shot her a glare. "Nearly a week." All his searching for an identical replacement had been for nothing. When Sydney arrived home, she rushed to her room to see her new pet and then promptly burst into tears declaring that the fish in the bowl was not Mr. Bubbles. Jack had visited at least fifteen different pet stores in his search to find an identical goldfish. The fish he'd put in the bowl a week earlier was identical or so he'd thought. When Sydney had found the replacement, its belly was nearly double the size. Laura confirmed that Mr. Bubbles was really a very pregnant Mrs. Bubbles and Jack was forced to tell Sydney the truth.
"Now Jack, Katy is quite a bit older than Sydney was, I don't think pulling a switch is going to work."
"The thought never crossed my mind."
Irina raised an eyebrow challenging his statement. She took a seat on the leather couch and tucked her legs under her. "Perhaps you can clear something up for me Jack."
Jack took a seat across from her knowing exactly where she was headed. He quickly analyzed the situation deciding what information if any he would give.
"Two weeks ago following our meeting in St. Petersburg, Katarina returned to the US in your custody. The next day she was tracked to LAX accompanied by an Agent Alexander Cole, where I assume she boarded a plane. That is where her trail ends. She hasn't been heard or seen from since and no flight manifestations have any record of her or any alias fitting her description. She isn't with Sydney and she certainly isn't here so tell me Jack, where is my daughter?"
Jack finished his glass of scotch in one swallow and set it on the side table. "Our daughter," he corrected not even bothering to hide the disdain in his voice, "is fine."
"Don't fuck with me Jack." Irina's voice was ice. "I'm in no mood for your games."
"Isn't that what you do best? Play games?" In one swift motion he stood and pinned her to the couch. "Tell me Irina," his voice was hoarse as he whispered in her ear, his body leaning heavily over hers. "Did you know about The Countess Prophecy? Is that why you went to St. Petersburg? You wanted it, but you couldn't find it." His hands closed around her shoulders and then slipped closer to her neck. Her breathing shallowed as his fingertips pressed against her collarbone.
"Did Khasinau know about the Prophecy? Did he tell you or did you tell him? Is that why he hid her from the KGB?
"Jack stop." Irina closed her hands over his wrists in an attempt to push him away, but she couldn't. He was in a quiet rage and if she fought against him, his grip would only tighten. "Jack Stop," she repeated, beginning to feel light headed as her supply of fresh oxygen was diminishing.
"Is that why he kept her from you?" Jack's face was close to hers as he hissed in her ear.
She could see the tiny beads of sweat starting to form on his forehead and his breath was shrouded in alcohol. He wasn't intentionally trying to hurt her and she did the only thing she could think to get control without hurting him or causing herself injury.
Tilting her head upwards, she kissed him hard. He was unresponsive at first as he froze his entire body rigid and then it relaxed. Her plan worked. Jack slipped his hands to the base of her neck and kissed her back. Neither were gentle. Both were equal participants of their assault on each other. Fingers tugged, teeth clashed and lips were bitten as they devoured each other. Jack popped the top two buttons of Irina's blouse in his eagerness to get to the skin beneath.
Irina moaned into his mouth as his hands prodded and caressed her sensitive skin through the fabric of her bra. She nipped at his lower lip as he pressed her down on the couch. Her fingers tangled in his hair and she urged his head closer as he spread open her blouse and proceeded to place wet kisses along her neck and collarbone. She arched her back pressing herself into his mouth as he teased and taunted her nipples with his lips and tongue through the black lace.
Jack wedged a knee between her legs to support himself. His mind was spinning. Her scent was intoxicating; he could lose himself in everything that she was. Her lips were red and swollen, bruised from his attack. He moved his hands to unhook her bra and Irina swiftly unbuckled his belt. Irina slipped her hands inside his pants and cupped his erection through his boxers. Jack groaned and bit into Irina's shoulder. Irina smiled and fondled him more. His reaction wasn't what she expected.
Jack angrily pushed her away, swore and stood up. "I said no games Irina." He zipped up his pants and straightened his clothes mentally cursing himself for allowing her to divert his concentration. Jack glared at her and Irina sat up pulling her blouse closed.
"I couldn't breathe Jack," Irina stood and buttoned her blouse. "What did you expect me to do?" Irina reached for the bottle of scotch and took another swig. "Enough screwing around, where is Katarina?"
Jack looked her straight in the eye. He couldn't lie to her, not about this. "Virginia?"
"Virginia? What the hell is in Virgin-"Irina stopped short as the realization hit her. "You sonh! How could you do this?"
"Irina-"
"You were supposed to keep her out of this life! Damn you Jack Bristow!" Her eyes were fire. Fire and ice.
Jack turned away and faced the large bay window. "Do you think I wanted her to go?" he said quietly, rather reserved. "I did not, and do not want her involved with the CIA. Whether or not you believe me, it is the truth. She is every bit my daughter as she is yours and I only want what is best for her."
"Why didn't you stop her?" Irina asked, her fury not having lessened even a bit. Her hands were fisted at her sides and it took every ounce of her control not to grab Jack's scotch glass from the coffee table and smash it into the wall in frustration. She'd spent the last twelve years doing everything she could to keep her daughter away from the life her parents led and the danger just being their daughter and Rambaldi's Countess brought. Her efforts had been for nothing. Katarina was in more danger than ever before and now she'd joined the CIA.
"I found out too late," Jack turned back to face her. "I didn't know until after she had signed the papers. They offered her a deal, recruitment or protective custody. She wouldn't leave Sydney."
"She's a minor, how could she-"
"I screwed up Irina!" Jack nearly shouted at her, but he kept his voice low and in control. "I screwed up! She was my responsibility, but as much as either of us would want to believe that she was forced into this, that she was innocent to the events leading up to it—she wasn't. She wanted in. She wanted into this life." Jack retrieved Kat's letter from the kitchen counter and handed it to Irina. "Read it."
Jack grabbed his glass of scotch and left the room.
Irina waited until he'd left the room before she sat down on the sofa and turned to the first page.
Kat's description of Irina was expected and not shocking but the realization of her daughter's feelings hit hard.
Katy had made it very clear in St. Petersburg where the two stood, but seeing it there in black and white in her daughters own script made it all the more real.
She'd seen Katarina only twice since the bloody scene in New York twelve years before. Each time, the hurt and betrayal in her daughter's eyes made her question every decision and choice she'd made. She had regrets. Some of her choices may not have been the best, but despite the outcome, she never regretted having her daughter. Leaving Jack and Sydney, had been devastating and she'd paid a very high price. She'd had to forget them, what they meant to her, in order to survive. Katarina had brought light back into her life. Her daughter had rekindled a part of Irina's heart and soul that she'd long thought dead. Her daughter had given her hope.
Irina folded the letter and placed it back in the envelope. She stood, took a few deep breaths and blinked away an unshed tear from her eye. She would not cry in front of him.
Jack sat on the pullout sofa in Kat's room. He closed the portfolio he was examining when Irina entered the room. He wasn't about to start the conversation and so he watched as Irina wandered the room examining her daughters few belongings. Irina picked up a photograph off the bookcase and sat down next to Jack gripping the frame tightly in her fingers.
"She looks happy," Irina whispered running the tips of her fingers over the image. It had been taken a few months before. Vaughn, Sydney, Weiss and Kat sat in skates in a heap in the middle of the ice rink after a game of hockey. Vaughn had his arms around Sydney and Sydney and Weiss had their arms around Kat.
"Seems that way doesn't it," Jack said.
"She's not." Irina stated casually. "I could tell that, from her letter."
"It's difficult to tell," Jack was quiet and reserved as he took the photograph from her. He placed it back in its spot and then returned to Irina. "With Katy, it's difficult to decipher what is real and what is a facade. She's very skilled at deception, which given who we are, is of no surprise." A slight smile twinged on his lips and he remained very still as he spoke. "There are times, moments when you know for sure that she is happy. A smile, even a brief one, that lights up her face. Her eyes sparkle, her laugh-infectious; it's those moments, when you know that her smile is the truth, you can see it in her eyes and she is healing. The present is beginning to overcome the past that haunts her. Other times, she pretends and the differences are easily missed. There are few who know. Sydney, myself, Dr. Barnette-"
"Agent Weiss," Irina finished.
Jack nodded. "She doesn't fear his reaction, as she does Sydney's or mine. Often she's afraid to get too close; afraid she'll loose us. He's never had a reason to let her down. She trusts him implicitly. He sees the truth in her, the side that she won't show others."
"He's very loyal to her," Irina remarked.
"So I've seen," Jack smirked remembering the scene he'd witnessed when Weiss had pulled a gun on Irina on the plane to Moscow. "I don't think either of them can explain why. Their relationship concerned me. At first I thought there was something more between them, a romantic relationship perhaps, but I was wrong."
Irina passed the letter back to Jack. "I wish things were different," she said softly. "You and Katy, have a chance. I gave up that chance twelve years ago."
"Irina-"
"She loves you Jack," Irina continued. "It may be difficult for her to show it, but you are her father, and she loves you. You're what she's yearned for her entire life. I only regret that you were apart for so long."
"She's healing," Jack offered. "It's slow but, bit by bit, she is healing. She's opening up, learning to trust. Some day, she may be whole again."
Irina looked down as Jack took her hand. "I do love her; I'm not trying to hurt her," she said truthfully. "In St. Petersburg, when she had that gun, I really did not think that she could do it, that she could pull the trigger." Her eyes glanced down at the letter. "Her words are the truth. Now I know different."
"Irina, I don't think-"
"You didn't see her eyes Jack. You didn't see the hatred in them. Unadulterated hatred. I am the reason she lost her innocence and I would do anything to give that back to her."
Jack kept quiet for the moment. Her words were true. "Some day, she will understand."
Irina shrugged and tapped the large leather case portfolio Jack was holding. "Can I see?"
His eyes met hers and he nodded hesitantly. Jack opened the case and allowed Irina to see the top picture.
Irina didn't say anything. Her hand trembled as she dared to touch the drawing. "It's beautiful," she whispered.
Jack eyed her. Her eyes were clear, but he had no doubt she was fighting to keep them that way. When he opened the case, he didn't know what he would find, but his daughter was right. He knew which one it was the moment he set eyes on it.
"I had no idea she was so talented," Irina bent her head to examine the drawing closer. "The strokes of the pencil and the shading are so intricate. The likeness is amazing." She and Jack both stared in silent amazement at the drawing. Both mesmerized by the beauty they saw. Kat had drawn a black and white pencil drawing of Sydney, Jack and herself, together as a family. It was only their faces, and they didn't have to be doing anything in order to understand the drawing. She lifted the drawing out of the portfolio and placed it behind her on the bed, eager to see the other drawings. Her daughter certainly did have talent, and it most definitely did not come from her side of the family.
Irina opened Kat's sketchbook and turned to the first page. She was surprised to find a drawing of a young child. As she flipped the pages, her surprise turned to confusion and she flipped the pages more rapidly. The entire book was filled with various drawings both in pencil and color of a young boy.
Jack quickly took the book from Irina and slipped it back into the leather case.
"Jack, is that-"
"Don't ask." Jack stood and placed the portfolio back in the closet.
"But Jack-"
"No."
Irina was not about to be put off. She grabbed his arm, her nails searing into his flesh. "Sydney told me that Katarina had a baby when she was 13. She said the baby died."
"Irina-"
"In St. Petersburg, Katy called him Joshua. I find it difficult to believe that she would name a dead baby, and the drawings-"
"Don't." Jack turned to face her and his eyes darkened in anger.
"Don't what?" Irina stood and looked him in the eye. "The entire book is filled with drawings of the same child, a little boy. So don't what Jack? Don't ask if her child is alive or dead?"
"Irina-"
"Answer me!"