Jack sat forward on the couch, tapping his fingers restlessly against the phone table. He couldn't hear the water running in the bathroom, so he knew Tru hadn't even started the shower yet; therefore there should be plenty of time for him to make a quick call before she was done. The question was whom should he speak to?

Tru had been adamant the whole time he was cleaning her various cuts and grazes that she didn't want either her brother or Davis anywhere near this and he was willing to respect her wishes on that score. However, his hanging around all night was hardly a world-class idea, especially when he didn't have the first clue what he was doing here at all. He was supposed to hate the girl, not play nursemaid to her. Surely she'd be better off with someone she could actually talk to.

Casting aside any doubts and telling himself that he really didn't care if Tru were mad at him (more so than usual), he picked up the phone and hit redial, hoping since he didn't know the number for any of her friends that it would be someone useful who answered.

"Hello?" A harried female voice greeted him.

"Is this one of Tru's friends?" he asked, absently wondering if that had sounded as creepy to her as it did to him.

"Who's this?" The woman asked, now sounding rather suspicious and wary.

Yep, he thought, definitely creepy. "Jack Harper." He replied, "I doubt you know me but-"

"Evil incarnate Jack?" She inquired so brightly that Jack just had to chuckle "the one I met at Christmas."

"You've obviously been talking to Harrison." He noted ruefully "Yeah, that's me, and I'm guessing this is Avery." He remembered well the flirting that had gone on between Tru's brother and the blonde med student at that party.

"Got it in one." Avery admitted. "So now we're all re-introduced do you want to tell me what this is about? Has something happened to Tru?"

Jack sighed for the fiftieth time that afternoon at the reminder of why he had called her. "Something like that," he explained, wary of saying too much. It was up to Tru who she told, "Is there anyway you could come over to Tru's place? I really think she could use a friend right now."

There must have been something convincing in his tone since Avery sounded truly worried and apologetic when she spoke again. "I'm on the other side of the city right now," she explained "I doubt I'll be able to get there until tonight."

"Just come as soon as you can." Jack told her "I can't stay, but I don't want to leave her alone."

"Where is she now?" Avery asked.

"She's in the shower," Jack began, only to cut himself off when a glance at the clock told him that it had been over half an hour since she had gone into the bathroom and closed the door behind her, yet there was still no sound of water running. While not entirely unusual he supposed, he couldn't help but feel somewhat uneasy. "I've got to go." He told Avery, abruptly hanging up and tossing the phone aside.

He made it to the bathroom in three long strides, hesitantly raising his hand to tap on the door. "Tru?"

When no reply was forthcoming he took a deep breath and, finding the door unlocked, slowly pushed it open. She didn't turn at his presence but continued to stare at her pale reflection in the mirror, he eyes filled with a deep sadness. Jack felt a small part of his heart break as he looked at her, so lifeless and empty, a mere shell of the hellcat who had never ceased to amaze him with her passion and ingenuity. Seeing her like this was just…wrong.

It was clear that if he left her to her own devices she would stand and stare until she fell from exhaustion. With a silent curse at what he was about to do, he stepped forward and turned her to face him. "Don't get any ideas alright?" he told her before reaching for the tie of her robe. She fidgeted slightly but made no move to stop him, so he took that as a sign she understood he meant no harm.

He swallowed a groan as she stood naked before him, quickly manoeuvring her into the shower before his immense control began to slip. He was only human after all, and the harsh bruises on her skin did little to detract from the fact that she was incredibly beautiful; he'd never been able to deny that. He watched as she slumped bonelessly against the wall, beginning to cry with more gut wrenching sobs. Jack stared helplessly for several very long moments before closing his eyes tightly and swearing to himself.

"You're paying the dry cleaning bill for these jeans." He joked weakly as he shrugged off this leather jacket, followed by his button down over shirt and his t-shirt. Mentally counting to ten to calm his nerves as he pulled off his boots, he then stood and climbed into the shower behind her clad in just his jeans.

As gently as he could given the limited space, he pulled her to her feet and let her collapse against his chest, stroking her hair and murmuring comforting nothings as she cried out the pain and anger at what had been done to her. When she finally calmed, she raised her head and gave him a tentative smile. It wasn't much, just the barest quirk of her lips, but it was the first he had seen from her since he had arrived and as such he was encouraged that she could come back from this eventually.

"Feel any better?" He asked softly.

"Not really," she answered wistfully, her voice raw from crying "but I don't feel so…" she trailed off; unsure how to explain just how she was feeling, there was no way of describing it unless you'd been there.

Jack just nodded his understanding. "I'll let you finish up in here."

"Oh…right." Tru mumbled, suddenly noticing the position she and Jack were in. She could feel her cheeks burning as Jack disentangled himself, but if he detected her embarrassment he at least had the good grace not to comment on it. In fact, so concerned was she about her own awkwardness, Tru failed to notice that he couldn't quite meet her eyes when he turned back to her.

"I don't suppose you've got some sweatpants or something I could borrow while my jeans dry?" he gestured towards the sodden denim now clinging uncomfortably to his skin.

"I think Jensen might have left some somewhere," she answered, trying to sound as casual as possible while drawing the screen door closed, "try the bottom drawer in the bedroom."

"Thanks." Jack called on his way out of the bathroom leaving Tru to her thoughts; however, she did notice that he left the door ajar this time.

Tru quickly washed her skin and hair, resisting the temptation to scrub until she bled only because she figured Jack would become suspicious if she took too long. As she let the water sluice over her to rinse the soap away, she thought about Jack's strange behaviour, mostly since it allowed her to not think about other, more painful matters.

When she had asked for his help to dress her injuries, she'd expected him to be rough and condescending, but he'd been surprisingly gentle and considerate. And his tenderness when she had broken down only minutes ago had been nothing short of stunning. Had seeing her in need spontaneously created this kind, compassionate man, or had he simply been hiding beneath the harsh, sneering exterior he presented to the world, simply waiting for a reason to emerge?

Now that everything seemed darker and more sinister, only one thing seemed certain; she liked this Jack Harper much more than the one who patronised her and made life a misery. It was only a shame that he would likely disappear as suddenly as he had appeared. It was surely impossible to be 'death' and a good man.

Jack purposely took his time searching for the aforementioned sweatpants, mostly as the busy work gave him a chance to think without his being distracted by her nearness. Something strange was happening to him, he was sure of it. Before today he never would have imagined being so gentle with Tru, that she would even let him in fact, but seeing her like this was bringing out the caring side of himself he thought dead and buried years ago. He was undecided about whether that was a good thing or not, and he was equally unsure about what it meant. For him, for her, for their respective jobs…

Finding a pair of black sweatpants buried beneath numerous vests and shorts – this was obviously her pyjama drawer – a quick once over told him they would fit and he quickly changed. He absently wondered why she would still have clothes belonging to Jensen hanging around when to the best of his knowledge they had broken up shortly after valentines day, but he figured now wasn't the time to ask. He was looking around for somewhere to leave his jeans to dry in lieu of a dryer when the creak of the bathroom door alerted him to the fact that Tru was done in the shower.

He did a double take when he saw her.

She had decided to forgo the robe she had been wearing earlier, and was now dressed in the button down shirt he had shed earlier. It skimmed mid thigh and looked infinitely better on her than it did on him. Under different circumstances that would quite probably have equated to several male fantasies rolled into one. Noticing his look, she plucked at the blue fabric and gave him a worried half smile. "It looked comfortable. You don't mind do you?"

Struck mute by the sight of her and trying his damnedest to hold back any reaction that might be misinterpreted…or correctly interpreted, he just shook his head. He took back the proffered T-shirt in her hand without comment, pulling it on over his still damp torso.

All the time he was avoiding her gaze, Tru bit her lip with a frown. She wasn't used to him being this quiet and reserved. This was Jack after all – he always had some snarky comment or observation to share; yet now he just looked nervous, like he didn't know what to say to her anymore. The thought upset her more than she would have expected; she had lost count of the times she had willed him to shut up. Was this a portent of things to come she wondered. If Jack, her own personal nemesis was uneasy around her because of what had happened, how would Harry and Davis react? Would her friends look at her as if she were no longer Tru, but some strange alien entity who had replaced her? Would they think this was her fault?

"Tru?"

Tru blinked as Jack's voice blessedly derailed her less than pleasant train of thought and shook her head to dispel the endless questions. "I think I'm gonna try and get some sleep." Anything to save herself the pain of thinking.

"Right." Jack muttered, taking that as his cue to leave and walking towards the bathroom. "I'll just grab my jacket and…"

"Jack?" Tru interrupted. He turned back to look at her where she stood by the bed, his eyebrow raised in question. "I don't want to be alone."

"I called Avery." He admitted, continuing off her look. "I didn't tell her anything, just said I figured you could use a friend. She'll be here in a few hours."

"Please Jack" she whispered, "I don't care if we're supposed to be mortal enemies or whatever, I just…" her shoulders slumped in defeat, her final wall of defence falling before his eyes "please don't leave me."

Jack didn't say another word, he just gestured for her to get into the bed. When she was securely tucked in, he sat himself against the pillows beside her, only mildly surprised when she settled herself against him. Instinctively, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, holding her close.

Tru sighed, her breathing evening out as she slipped into sleep and Jack unconsciously tightened his arm around her as he replayed the events of this afternoon over in his mind. On the whole, he was infinitely glad that he'd arrived when he did, he didn't like to think what might have happened had he not.

The feelings he had stubbornly repressed forced themselves to the surface of his thoughts, demanding to be reckoned with. He couldn't pinpoint when his hate for his opposite had turned into the something else, only that somewhere along the line his respect and admiration for her strength, her courage, her wit, her undying loyalty to her friends and her calling had grown until he had to shove his emotions into some deep buried corner of his heart. His brow furrowed as a hole seemed to tear in him when he tried to imagine life without the fierce girl at his side.

TBC…