He shifted positions in the bed and stared at the ceiling. It was no use, he wasn't sleeping tonight. He carefully slipped out of bed, trying not to disturb Boone, like that was even possible, and pulled on some sweat pants.
Jack walked down the corridor of Sabrina's house and tried to remember which room was which. Okay, so it wasn't the biggest house in the world but, really, how many reception rooms did one person need? And it was just one person. Which is why, Jack guessed, Sabrina had insisted that he and Boone come and stay with her when they left the hospital. She even convinced Shannon and Sayid to use it as a stepping stone while they looked for a house with a nursery that Shannon approved of. Mind you, it's not like any of them had much of a choice. After two and a half years of missing, presumed dead, none of them had anywhere to go back to, their former properties long since sold on.
Jack moved down the hall and opened one of the doors to find Sabrina sat stretched out on one of the sofas, quietly nursing a drink.
"Oh, sorry," Jack said. "I didn't realise anyone was still up."
"Me neither," said Sabrina. "Can't sleep?"
"I'm having a few adjustment problems, I think," Jack explained. "Something to do with the time zones and not being in a cave."
Sabrina smiled. "Well, you may as well join me."
Jack came fully into the room and took a seat on the other sofa. "Can't sleep either?" he asked her.
"No. I think I'm having a few adjustment problems of my own," Sabrina replied. "Can I interest you in a drink?"
"Sure, thanks," Jack said.
Sabrina poured him out a drink and passed it over. He took a sip and remained in silence for a minute. "You know, this is a really nice house," Jack said as he looked around the room.
"You don't have to make small talk with me, Jack," Sabrina told him.
Jack acknowledged her comment with a small nod and then looked down at his drink, unsure how to continue the conversation.
"I've never seen him like this over anyone before," Sabrina stated.
Jack looked up at her.
"There's been girls, some he's been serious about, some not so much, but he was never with them the way he is around you," Sabrina said.
Jack smiled.
"Of course, now I learn there's been boys as well, none of whom I ever had the pleasure of meeting..." she continued. "But he did explain to me why I never met any of them. He said that if he was gay he would of told me but because he was bi there was a fifty/fifty chance he would end up with a woman so there was a fifty/fifty chance that he'd never have to tell me. He said he was only ever going to go through all that if he knew the guy was a keeper. If he was the one."
Jack's smile grew and he looked back down at his drink, almost embarrassed. He'd heard all this before of course, from Boone himself, but it warmed Jack a little to know that he'd told his mother he was special to him too. It's one thing telling the guy you're sleeping with that he means the world to you but it's quite another to relay this information to your mother.
"Thanks," Jack said.
Sabrina shrugged. "I didn't say anything about you. I'm just passing on what my son said."
Jack looked up and gave her a wry smile. He then locked eyes with her, a little more serious. "Well, he means the world to me too. Feel free to pass that on," Jack said.
"Oh, I think he already knows," Sabrina assured him. She then shifted in her seat as if changing tactics. "So, do you have a start date for the hospital yet?"
"Erm, yeah, next week. I can't wait to get back into some kind of routine. Maybe I'll be able to sleep then," Jack said.
"Things will settle down for you," Sabrina assured him.
"You know, you're not at all how I pictured you," Jack said and then suddenly regretted it.
"Did Boone make me out to be an ogre or something?" Sabrina asked.
"No, no, nothing like that," Jack rushed out. "He just suggested that maybe you could be a little, I don't know, reserved?" Jack ventured.
He was relieved to see Sabrina smile. "A lot's changed since then. Having your son die, it alters a few things. And getting him back again, well, that just turns everything on it's head."
"Yeah, I should imagine that's quite something," Jack said.
"You guys having a party without me?"
Jack and Sabrina both turned to the door to see a rather sleepy Boone standing there. Jack smiled at the image, hair stuck up, eyes half closed against the light, leaning on the door frame in an attempt to hold his own weight, something that he knew Boone tried not to do if he could help it, especially when Jack was close by. He was aware of the fact that Boone could be a little co-dependent, which used to terrify the hell out of him, but now there was something oh so cute about it and he just wanted to wrap Boone up in his arms and never let go.
"I was just heading off to bed actually," Sabrina said as she put down her glass and stood up. "I'll see you both in the morning."
"Uh-huh," Boone managed, clearly dying to lay down.
"Goodnight, Sabrina," Jack said and got a smile in response as she exited the room.
Once she had gone, Boone moved over to the couch where Jack was. He rearranged Jack's folded legs so they stretched across the sofa and then laid down next to him, snuggling down. "Couldn't sleep again?" he asked.
"Nope," Jack replied, wrapping his arms around Boone.
"So, tell me, Dr. Shepherd," Boone began. "If you had a patient who came in complaining of endless sleepless nights, what would you prescribe?"
"I'd tell them that I was a spinal surgeon and that's a question they should really take up with their clinic doctor," Jack replied.
Boone looked up at Jack, not impressed. "I'm not too tired to kick your ass."
"Yes you are," Jack stated.
"Just answer the question," Boone insisted.
"I'd prescribe sleeping pills," he begrudgingly answered, knowing exactly where this was going.
"So, what happened to all that 'physician heal thyself' crap?" Boone asked.
"Look, I don't need them, okay?" Jack replied.
"Oh, really? So you're asleep now I take it?"
Jack gave him a look. "I don't wanna get into all that stuff. If I start taking sleeping pills now then I'll just have to come off them later and I'll have the same problems then as I'm having now. I'd rather just get it over with first time around," Jack explained.
"Fine," Boone said, clearly a little annoyed. But Jack guessed it was more the fact that he was wrong than the fact his advice was being ignored.
They lay in silence for a minute before Jack looked down at Boone, eyes closed, mouth slightly open, any second now he was gonna start drooling on Jack's shirt.
"You're going back to sleep, aren't you?" Jack asked.
Boone didn't bother to open his eyes. "Well what do you expect, Jack? It's like 3 am."
"You didn't have to get up," Jack stated.
"I don't like it when you're not there," Boone replied simply.
"Well, look, I'm not sleepy, so you should just go and I'll join you in a little while," Jack suggested.
Boone looked up at Jack and gave him a look that Jack guessed was supposed to be seductive but his eyes were too sleepy to convey it fully. "I know something that would make you sleepy," he offered.
"You're too sleepy to make me sleepy right now," Jack pointed out.
Boone shrugged a little. "You could make yourself sleepy and think of me while you're doing it," he suggested.
Jack gave him a look. "How about we go back to bed and I settle for a cuddle?" he offered.
"I'm not sure what you get out of that deal," Boone mused.
"I get you. Now move before I change my mind and go with the whiskey instead," Jack said.
That earned him a sleepy but clearly thankful smile and the two of them headed back to the bedroom, Boone leaning on Jack all the way.
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