Sorry if I'm moving slowly, but I am going somewhere I promise. I just don't think you can rush this kind of subject matter - thanks for reading anyway :-)

Jack was disoriented as he slowly drifted towards consciousness at the sound of a muffled voice near by, and he kept his eyes closed as he tried to remember where he was and why.

As the fog of sleep began to clear from his mind, he realised that he must have drifted off some time during his vigil over Tru. He hadn't meant for it to happen, having intended to stay only as long as it took to assure himself that there was no danger of her waking, yet here he was with his head beside hers on the pillow, and one arm wrapped protectively around her waist. Fortunately, he found himself still on top of the covers. Hopefully this wouldn't be too hard to explain to the voice, which was steadily becoming clearer.

"What the hell am I supposed to do Jensen!" Avery snapped into her cell phone.

"You're supposed to keep you're voice down," Jack muttered, carefully extricating himself from Tru's grip, "she's trying to sleep."

Avery let out a small 'eep' of surprise when she realised Jack was awake and quickly ended her call with a brusque "I'll call you back."

Stretching the sleep from his limbs, Jack looked down at Tru, almost fascinated as he saw her frown in her sleep, her hand reaching out to grasp at the still warm sheets where he had been lying, as if she had sensed his absence and was searching for him. Avery, for her part, watched in stunned confusion when Jack leaned over to brush a chaste kiss against her forehead, an unreadable expression on his face. She tried to school her features into a casual mask when he turned to her, but from his knowing smirk she guessed that she had failed. She didn't know Jack well enough to realise he was simply a master at hiding his own thoughts and feelings and thus able to spot forced indifference a mile away. With a nod of his head he indicated for her to precede him into the living room where she immediately rounded on him.

"What the hell is going on?" she hissed, remembering to keep her voice down. "First I get a call from a guy I barely know, save that he's not under any circumstances to be trusted, telling me that Tru needs me. Tru, who told me that she hates this guy and to stay away from him because he's dangerous. Then I rush to get here only to find that same untrustworthy guy looking pretty damn cosy with my best friend! I think you'll understand I'm more than a little worried and confused right now."

Jack folded his arms across his chest, his usual vaguely amused smirk firmly in place. "You done?"

Avery took a single, deep, calming breath. "I'm done. So explain."

"It's not my place to give you the details," he began honestly, his arms dropping wearily to his sides, "but suffice to say she's been through a lot today. She's gonna need her friends." He told her pointedly.

Avery didn't know why, but something about the way he glanced back at the sleeping object of their discussion, spoke of a quiet sadness that he couldn't include himself in that list. That in it's self was enough to convince her that he had had no nefarious intent in being in Tru's bedroom. However…

"Why are you here?" she asked, somewhat bluntly when he turned back to her.

"I found her and she asked for my help." He told her simply, belying the horror he had felt at the time, though his tone was deathly serious as he continued. "She's hurting. A lot."

"I guess she is." Avery replied sadly. Even from a distance the strain on her friend's face was visible, as if sleep were no escape from her troubles.

Seeing that she had no further intention of arguing with him, Jack walked quietly back to the bedroom to retrieve his now semi-dry jeans then headed into the bathroom to change and grab his jacket. He returned to the bedroom to find Avery having taken up his previous position settled against the pillows, stroking Tru's hair much as he had done earlier. He absently wondered what it was about the gesture that seemed to invoke comfort, but brushed the thought aside and gently sat on the edge of the bed to put his boots back on.

"Will she be okay?" Avery whispered, careful not to wake Tru. He knew more about whatever was going on than she did, so she figured if anyone had any idea it would be him.

"She's strong." Jack shrugged, not looking up from his task.

"That's not what I asked." She pointed out.

Jack looked towards the still figure in the bed, an oddly haunted aspect to his eyes. "I don't know." He sighed. "I hope so. Seeing her like this is just so…"

"Unusual?" Avery suggested.

"Painful." Jack finished. He tore his eyes from the bed and stood, moving quickly towards the door. He paused at the entrance to Tru's bedroom however, though he did not turn back as he spoke. "Tell her…tell her I'll be around…if she needs me. She only has to call."

"I will." Avery told him, smiling lightly, though the gesture was lost on him.

Jack nodded once, and then walked away without a backward glance. There was something he needed to do.

It was an hour later when Tru began to stir, or rather, when her frantic cries roused Avery from her own semi-slumber.

"No!" she cried, her voice raw and her arms flailing wildly "Don't go Jack. Don't leave me, please…"

Avery jumped at the sound of Tru's distressed cries and hesitantly reached out to touch her shoulder, shaking it lightly "Tru," she called "wake up."

"Nooooo!" Tru screamed, sitting bolt upright in bed, her eyes open and wild, her hair tussled from thrashing on the bed.

Avery backed away involuntarily, startled and a little frightened by her terrified scream. "Tru…" She tried once again to get her attention.

Tru blinked several times, reality focusing in her eyes and she swallowed heavily, turning her head to see her best friend, but her gaze did not rest for long. She continued to look around the room, her hazel orbs darting in the shadows, seeking, searching, needing…

"He had to leave Tru," Avery said quietly, knowing instinctively who she was looking for. "He said…he said to tell you he'd be around if you needed him. He said you only had to call."

Tru nodded before practically folding in on herself, her strength leaving her. Her shoulders slumped, her head dropped, and the life seemed to leave the room around her form. She took a long, ragged breath, blowing it out sharply, and then raised her hands to her face and began to cry.

Avery quickly shuffled over to Tru, pulling her into a tight, comforting hug. She brushed Tru's hair back, only to reveal the bruises on her wrists, now turning an angry shade of purple. She gasped at the sight, her medical training automatically kicking in as she scanned for other injuries. She didn't see any other obvious wounds, but it was possible there were some hidden by the blue button down shirt she wore. Jack certainly hadn't been lying when he'd said she had been through a lot.

She waited for Tru to calm down, her sobs trailing off into a soft hiccupping before speaking. "Tru…if you want to talk…" She wasn't going to push when it was clear that Tru was already having a hard time, but her heart ached to see such a good friend in pain. Tru had always been there for her, and she desperately wanted to return the favour.

"I'll let you know," Tru whispered when she was able to speak once more. She was sick of breaking down like this, hating that anyone could see her in such a vulnerable state when she had spent the last twelve years of her life being strong – for her family, for her friends, and for the myriad of strangers she tried to save. Unfortunately, the pain and the anguish always seemed to hit her with such force that she had little choice in her reactions. "Thanks Av," she continued with a sad smile for her best friend, "I think I'm gonna try and get some more sleep. I'm so tired."

"If you're sure…" Avery began, uncertain.

"I'm sure." Tru nodded, though she really wasn't. "I'll be fine."

"Okay." Avery stood from the bed, brushing imaginary wrinkles from her clothes. "I'll just be in the kitchen if you need me." Though she was willing to give Tru her space, she wasn't about to leave her in the apartment alone when she was still so distressed. With a small wave, Avery left the room.

Once she was out of sight, Tru collapsed back against the pillows, letting out a shuddering sigh as more silent tears slipped from beneath her closed lids. "Help me." She whispered, speaking to the air…to her long dead mother…to God…to anyone who would hear her plea. "Please help me."

Jack stared at the body laid out before him and waited, though for what he wasn't quite sure. Maybe he was hoping against hope, and the strange laws of whatever power gave he and Tru the ability to relive days, that he would ask for help…just so he could enjoy his death all the more.

He could scarcely remember the last time he had felt such rage directed at a single person, if ever there had been a time. The closest he could come up with was when his sister had died five years ago. True with time and perspective he had come to accept that she was no longer in pain, that she was better off wherever she was now, but at the time he had been blinded by fury that the one person he loved, who loved him in return, had been taken from him. Even then though, it had been anger at the world at large rather than anyone in particular.

He wondered if that was the explanation behind his treatment of Tru today – he had certainly been in the role of caregiver for his sister during her slow decline – but while he didn't dismiss the idea out of hand, he didn't place too much faith in it either. Whatever he felt for Tru, both now and during their most acrimonious of confrontations, there was nothing remotely brotherly about it.

"Hey!"

Jack started at the angry, almost accusatory shout and cursed under his breath when he realised who it was, berating himself for letting his guard slip to such an extent, as he'd had no idea Davis was anywhere near. That wasn't like him at all.

"What are you doing here?" Davis continued, hurrying over to where Jack stood by the cold figure of Mr Ashworth and placing himself firmly between the two as if to protect the corpse from the intruder in his morgue, though from what he needed protecting Jack had no idea. As long as the guy stayed dead he had nothing to worry about. If he got chatty…well then that was another matter. "Come to gloat about your win today?"

"Yes." Jack answered, smothering a grin at the baffled astonishment on his former boss's face. He clearly hadn't been expecting such candour.

"Well, Tru's not here." Davis spat out, his contempt for the man he had always looked upon as 'death' evident.

A cloud passed over Jack's face at Davis's words, but the shorter man was too enraged by his presence to notice. "I'm not gloating over Tru." He informed Davis quietly.

"Then who?" Davis inquired, curious in spite of himself, and more than a little confused.

"Him." Jack nodded towards Ashworth.

"And you say you're not death," Davis shook his head with a snort "that you take no pleasure in killing people."

"I preserve fate." Jack explained for the…well he'd lost count of how many times he'd had this conversation. "And no, I don't usually take pleasure in putting anyone's death back on track. I'm no murderer Davis." Abruptly, Jack turned and walked away, but as he reached the door to the crypt he called back over his shoulder. "But if I'd known then what I know now, I would have killed him quite happily."

Davis just stared after Jack's retreating back long after the door had closed behind him, wondering what had just happened…and why he was suddenly very worried.

"What am I doing?" Jack muttered to himself as he trudged the final few feet to Tru's apartment. He had no reason for being here – he'd left a message saying she could call, but since he'd heard nothing she was obviously doing fine without him. She was probably over whatever temporary insanity had possessed her to ask for his help and was glad to be rid of him.

He was halfway through talking himself into turning around and walking away when he heard the screams. His head shot up, dread lancing through him as he identified the sounds as coming from the same apartment he had spent the afternoon in and he raced the rest of the way, banging on the door.

An eternity seemed to pass before a shaken Avery answered, Tru's anguished shouts echoing from behind her, and she looked relieved to see Jack standing before her. "Tru's having a nightmare and I can't wake her up," she told him quickly. "She's thrashing around on the bed, crying something…"

Jack was moving before she could finish, pushing past the girl and practically flying through the apartment to the source of the noise, Avery trailing behind helplessly.

"Please, don't…stop!" Tru's cry pierced through him as he ran into the bedroom. He quickly scooped her up in his arms, holding her on his lap as he rocked back and forth, trying to wake her up and calm her.

"Tru, it's a dream, it's only a dream." he soothed, attempting to keep his own panic in check for her sake. "I've got you. I'm here. I'm not going anywhere."

Tru's eyes flew open at his words, at first staring blankly before coming to focus on him. "Jack?"

"I'm here." He told her kindly, looking down into her watery eyes. "You were having a bad dream."

"It was so real." she whimpered, tears in her voice.

"Oh Tru," he sighed, his own throat tightening. "I know you probably don't believe it, but I'd do anything to make this day rewind so you didn't have to go through this."

"Just be here," Tru told him as she laid her head on his shoulder, her whole body shaking and too exhausted to do anything but accept his words as truth for now. "Please, don't go."

"I won't." he replied, kissing the top of her head softly. "I won't."

A strangely comfortable silence descended upon the trio as a much-relieved Avery watched Jack continue to rock Tru, as if lulling a child back to sleep, but the first moments of peace in such a traumatic day were sadly not to last.

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE!"

Three heads turned at the irate voice from the doorway, Tru unconsciously pushing herself closer to Jack at the unexpected intrusion, while Avery looked between the new arrival and the pair on the bed, wondering not for the first time just what the deal was between these people. Jack's shoulders slumped, a headache already beginning to form at the row he saw about to unfold before him.

"Good to see you Harrison." He muttered solemnly.

TBC...