Jack: Irina Derevko would eagerly destroy all of our lives. (2: 5 The Indicator)

Jack entered the Rotunda, as he had on countless other days, and felt a weariness he was not used to. He looked around at his coworkers, and couldn't help but feel old. Some of these agents looked barely old enough to drink.

He felt a hand on his arm, and turned to find Sydney looking at him, her expression curious. She opened her mouth as if to speak, but then closed it, smiled, and squeezed his arm.

"Kendall's waiting for you." There was a hint of expectation in her voice, and Jack shook his head.

"I'll be there in a minute."

Instead of going to Kendall's office, he went down to the glass cage that had housed Irina during her time here. He remembered the first time he'd walked this passage, knowing she was at the end of it, and not knowing what he should be thinking or feeling. When he'd seen her again, she looked so much like Laura that it physically hurt to be in her presence.

He stood in front of the glass cage, saw her standing in front of him, and reached out to touch the glass without realizing what he was doing. He blinked, and she was gone.

Taking a deep breath, he stepped inside and stood completely still in the centre of the room. He closed his eyes.

He imagined a trace of her perfume lingering in the air, but knew it was just a trick of his mind. This room held nothing of her. Glancing around, he wondered at how she had endured her time here.

He left the room and didn't look back.

Kendall was waiting in his office, and rose from behind his desk when Jack entered. He held out his hand, and dropped it awkwardly to his side when Jack didn't return the gesture. "Well, it's good to see you back. How are you?"

Jack handed Kendall the folder he'd prepared the night before.

"Is this news on Derevko?" Kendall reached the folder. His smile faded as he flipped through its contents, and he raised a confused glance to Jack.

"It's my resignation. There's a confidentiality agreement; non-disclosure with regards to my time here and at SD-6—"

"You're quitting? Don't you want to find the woman who destroyed your life?"

Jack sighed; he'd only just begun to understand. It was clear Kendall still didn't. "Irina Derevko didn't destroy my life. I did. She had a part to play, but the way I dealt with it was my own choice. I chose badly."

"She's a terrorist."

"Do what you need to do. I won't be a part of this. I'm too old to play the hero, Kendall." He turned to leave.

"What are you going to do? The CIA is your life. You're not the kind of man who plays golf on Saturdays and grows old quietly."

Jack stopped, but didn't turn around to speak. "I don't know yet. Maybe I'll start a criminal empire of my own."

He didn't stay long enough for Kendall to think of a reply.

He passed Sydney on his way out, smiled, and told her to come over for dinner.

When he arrived home and checked the mailbox, there was another postcard inside.

Laura gently scraped the blade over Jack's jaw. "Do you believe in 'til death do us part?"

"Are you getting ideas? Maybe I should take over." Jack's tone was teasing, and he didn't move to take the razor from her.

She smiled. "Answer the question, Mr. Bristow. Don't forget, I'm the one with the blade."

"And have I commented on how talented you are with it?"

She shook her head, feigning exasperation. "Jack."

"Okay. Yes, I do."

Laura bit her lip. "What if I did something that made you stop loving me?"

"Like if you burnt the toast?"

She dropped the razor into the basin and put her hands on her hips. "Be serious for a minute, please."

Jack cupped her face in his hands and pulled her closer for a kiss. "Laura, there is nothing you could do that would make me stop loving you."

"But—"

He kissed her again. "Let me ask a question. Would something I did make you stop loving me?"

Her denial was instant. She shook her head. "No, don't say that. Of course not."

"Well, there you go, then." Another kiss. "Forever and always, Laura."

"Forever and always," she echoed. "Promise me forever, Jack."

"Sweetheart—" At the expression on her face, he pulled her into his arms. "I promise."

There was a loud knock at the bathroom door. "Mommy!"

Laura stepped away. "You're going to have to finish shaving on your own. Sydney and I are going shopping for a Halloween costume."

"Mommy!"

"Coming, sweetheart."

Jack held out a towel. "You got some shaving cream on your cheek."

"Thanks." She smiled. "I love you."

He wondered why she looked sad, but didn't question her.

Two weeks later, when she still looked sad, he was planning a weekend away just for the two of them. He had just got off the phone with Emily – who was more than happy to babysit Sydney while they were away – when there was a knock at the front door. A policeman stood there, blue and red lights flashing behind him in the rain.

As he listened to the man explain what had happened, he crumpled the brochure for the intended weekend away in his fist and thought, I should have made her promise forever too.

Epilogue to follow.