It felt like forever before Jack replied to Nat.
"Why didnt you tell me that you were pregnant?" Jack asked. He remembered Nat had left him. She had told him that he had made a comentment(sp?) to Teri, and should keep with it, no matter the feelings they had. She had gone to New York then. He wanted to go after her that day she left his house, but then thought about what she had said. She was right, of course, as always.
"I didn't know til I was in New York. And I thought you and Teri would be back together by then anyways." Nat answered. She had dialed his number many times in her apartment after finding this out, trying to tell him, but she hung up the phone each time before Jack could have the chance to answer.
"I loved you though..." Jack thought about it, his feelings for Nat had never changed, even now he still loved her. She was still the most beautiful, compassionate woman he had ever meet. He never had these kinds of feelings for Teri. Yes, he did love her to an extent, but that was more of a growned to love kind of thing, because of one night of wild sex, which ended up getting Teri pregnant. He loved Teri in a high school way, but with Nat. Nat was something else. He truely thought they were soulmates, if there ever was such a thing.
"So did I jack, but you had Teri and Kim to think about then" Nat said. "But then I heard about that day you saved the former President Palmer, before he was president. I tried calling you after that, to see how you were then." Nat continued.
"You didnt answer my calls, or return my messenges." She added.
"I didn't get any of your messenges..." Jack said trying to recall that time. He then thought he never checked his messenges after Teri had died. He was too bent on his own chronic depression then.
"A year after Matthew was born I moved back to LA, to try meet up with you again. Conciencadently I moved in right across the street from your father. I didnt realize that til I tried to find him, looking for you. He had told me you were off on some mission, and didnt know when you'd be back. I introduced him to his grandson, but told him not to tell you until I had a chance to speak with you" Nat explained.
"I hadnt seen my father since I went to him about that under cover mission...to tell him to look after Kim for me, if he could..." Jack added finally.
"Everything went by so fast and before I knew it you were off in DC. Your father told me about your addiction, and thats why you werent around, and you moved to DC after CTU fired you" Nat started again.
"Dam, he gossips to much..." Jack sighed heavily.
"Yea..." Nat nodded her head softly. She then dared to stand up and venture over to him, taking a risk by drapping her arm over his shoulders.
"I am so glad to see you alive. Deep down I always knew you were alive. I knew it." Nat answered.
"I missed you..." Jack then looked at her, kissing her on the lips without even realizing what he was doing til he was in the process. He was going to pull back, but it felt so right. Nat didnt seem to be pulling back out of inappropriateness either, they continued to kiss each other. Finally, soulmates reunited after years.
"What if he hates me?" Jack asked looking at Nat with concern.
"He doesnt hate you, Jack, he thinks your superman or something..." She replied. Jack gave her a quizical look.
"Yea, He asked me last year about you. Difficult question to answer really, I must say. But I got it sorted out, and gave him an old picture I had of us to him. Its cute really, its framed sitting on the nightstand of the room. He wanted to meet you so badly, it was heartbreaking really. Especially at the funeral..." Nat explained. It truely was heartbreaking to watch her son clam up basically, and hide in his room for hours. Kristi was the one that finally got him talking again, but Nat would often catch Matthew with his door slightly open, him sitting on his bed, holding the picture.
"Hes really mature for his age..." Nat sighed. Jack sighed heavily. He didnt know what hurt more, not knowing about Matt, or hearing what he just heard.
"Well let us introduce you two to each other formally now" Nat smiled weakly, standing up.
"What if he doesnt recognize me from the picture?" Jack looked up at her from his seat.
"Stop worrying, Jack" Nat waved him off then went off down the hall to Kristi's room, where the 2 were.
"Matt, Honey, come here, I want you to meet someone" Nat said standing in the doorframe. Kristi and him were playing the board game Sorry!.
"Yes Momma" Matthew answered back, standing up. He looked to his mother and then back to Kristi.
"Ill be right back...dont do anything to the board..." He gave her a suspicious look. That resembled his father's 'dont fuck with me' look, so much so, it almost sent a chill down Kristi's back, but she had grown use to this look coming from the 4 year old, at first it sent a chill down her spine though, remembering the few times Jack had done that to her. She gave him an innocently playful look.
"Have you ever known me to cheat, Matt?" Kristi asked as if she was innocent of all crimes.
"Yes!" He answered.
"I promise i wont touch anything" Kristi laughed.
"I will find out if you have" He looked at her like he was serious about it. He then turned around to Nat and sauntered over to her. Nat smiled at Matthew's alertness. Kristi has never cheated him, but he always acted like she had. It was funny to watch. Nat patted him on the head, letting her hand run threw the short dirty blonde hair on his head. Matt was alot shorter then his friends, he was like the runt of the group. They sort of picked on him for it, but it never seemed to affect him that much, at least Nat couldn't tell. Nat guided him out into the living room.
Jack looked at the small boy as Nat had guided him to infront of Jack. He remained sitting as he looked the boy over, he did see alot of himself in the boy, it was erie almost. How could Nat handle that even, hed never know. He noticed that Matthew was observing him the same way he was matthew.
"Matthew, this is your Father" Nat had knelt down to his level and looked to him. Matt looked to Nat, furrowing his eyebrows in confusion.
"But...Momma...You said...He died..." He said it slowly in a very confused tone.
"I know what I said Honey..." Nat sighed. Matthew looked to Jack again, then back to Nat.
"He doesnt even look like Dad..." Matthew had noticed all the deformations and healing wounds Jack had.
"Matthew..." Nat said in a warning tone, seeing Jacks' expression was as if he was wounded, looking down at the ground, almost as if he were to cry.
"But Momma..." Matthew said definatly, truely believing he was right.
"Matthew" Jack spoke up then, putting his hand on Matt's chin, gently moving to have Matt look Jack straight in the eyes.
"What the people told your mother was a lie, I am your father" he said in the calmest of tones. There was a silence.
"Daddy?" He squeaked, starting to cry. Jack let a few tears fall as well, as he nodded, letting his hand drop from matt's chin. Matt threw himself into Jack, wrapping his arms around Jack's neck. Jack smiled, and let the tears flow from his eyes freely then as he wrapped his arms around his son.
After that whole thing was over things got back to relative normality. Richard had walked in on Nat, Jack, Matt, and kristi watching tv. He was weary at first, thinking about what his son would say to him about him knowing about Matt before Jack did. But to Richard's suprise, Jack said nothing, acted as if it had never happened, which put Richard at ease. Nat and Jack had planned out how this was going to work out, since he couldnt really leave the house. They explained it to Matt, not all of it, but enough to keep Matt quiet about Jack. Matt would spend his days with Jack, and Nat would pick him up at night. Richard would go out during the days, doing whatever, knowing that Jack would propably want some alone time with his son, make up for lost time. And Kristi started school again the next day, and would be gone most of the day as well, leaving Jack and Matt alone. Just the way Jack wanted it. He was happy to say the least about this plan.
The next day, Nat dropped Matt off at Richard's house, as he just left himself.
"Daddy!" Matt flung into Jack's knees wrapping his arms around Jack's waist. Jack stumbled back slightly, he wasnt fully back to what he was before, and was still healing. Jack smiled and patted Matt's head as he moved inside more with Matt.
"Dont I get a kiss goodbye Matt?" Nat asked, kneeling down. Matt pulled away from Jack, almost reluctantly and moved over to his mother, kissing her and wrapping his arms around her neck.
"Be a good boy for your dad alright?" She said to him.
"Yes Momma" He said pulling back and moving back over to Jack.
"Ill be back around 6ish okay?" Nat said to Jack.
"Alright" Jack nodded, smiling at her, as she left.
He closed the door behind Matt, who had wandered off into the living room. Jack followed him, and found him in the living room sitting on the couch.
"So what do you wanna do?" Jack asked moving over to him and sitting down. He watched Matt, he looked as if he wanted to say something but wasnt.
"Whats up buddy?" Jack asked. Matt looked to Jack's hands, then to his face. Being on the very edge of asking what he wanted to ask.
"You can tell or ask me anything, Matt" Jack said, knowing full well he wanted to say something.
"Uhh...Why do you only have...6 fingers? I have 10 fingers, arent you suppose to have 10 fingers?" He asked. Jack was silenced, stunned, shocked. He lowered his head, looking down at his hands. 'why did he have to ask that' Jack thought to himself, thinking on how he shall answer this.
Matt moved his hands slowly, placing them on one of Jacks' hands. Matt's hands were small, it took both of his hands to hold Jack's one frail, gaunt looking one. Matt gripped it gently, suprisingly gently for a 4 year old. Jack was amazed that Matt could tell they propably hurt, he was incredibly insightive(sp?), intelligent, and mature for his age. Matt moved the hand towards him, at the will of Jack, and ran his hands around Jack's hands. He figured by the long silence that Jack was thinking on how to put it to him, and figured it was not going to be the real 'truth'.
"Did the bad guys hurt you?" Matt hit the core of the real answer without even thinking about it. He watched the super hero cartoons thinking his father did the same thing. Jack looked at him in shock.
"Yea..." That was all Jack could say. Matt was right in so few words, and hopefully that would satisfy his answer. Matt continued to examine his hand for a few minutes then looked up to Jack, letting go of his hand.
"The bullies hurt me too" He confessed. Jack looked at him in confusion.
"What do you mean, Matt?" He asked.
"The bullies at the day care I went too. They were mean. They pushed me around because I am short" He was honest with Jack. Jack frowned.
"Have you told anyone about this?" Jack asked.
Matt shook his head. "only you" He answered. Jack sighed heavily.
"Matt, You gotta tell people when these bullies are being mean to you. What they are doing to you is wrong. Understand?" Jack instructed. Matt nodded.
"Good" Jack placed his hand on Matt's head, patting it slightly, smiling.
"Lets watch some tv" Jack changed the subject, grabbing the remote off the table and flipping the tv on.
"Yeaaahhh" Matt yelped with joy.
That night...
Kristi walked threw the door and slipped off her shoes with her feet alone. She was an expert at that. She glanced at the clock from the corner of her eye, it was 10pm. She had just gotten home from the movies with her friends. The house was dark, silent. She didnt hear Richard anywhere, and assumed he was out, but She knew Jack had to be there somewhere, propably asleep, so she tip-toed the best she could to her room, flicking the light on and dropping her backpack off. She then went towards the bathroom, but stopped to see Jack's door was opened slightly, and she also soft sobbing coming from it.
She took a deep breathe, and slowly edged towards it, opening the door more, peeking in. Light from her bedroom shone threw the hallway into Jack's room slightly, she didnt see anything within the confines of the light showing in the room, the rest was dark, but she heard Jack.
"Uncle Jack?" She called out softly, reaching for the lightswitch. The sobbing sound stopped, and went to sniffling, like he was trying to stop crying but couldnt. Kristi flipped the switch on and found Jack on his bed, trying desperatly to conceal the fact that he had been crying.
"Are you okay?" She asked moving towards him. He looked over to her, his eyes had dark lines under them as if he hadnt been sleeping in several weeks, and his eyes were red and tired looking.
"Yea..." He tried to put a smile on his face for her, to make her go away, but it didnt work.
"Dont lie to me Uncle, I can read you like an open book" Kristi got right threw it, hobbling over to his bed, and sitting on an unoccupied spot.
"Your too much like your mother, you know that?" Jack smirked, he sniffled some more, as if he were to start crying again. He rubbed his watering eyes more.
"Whats the matter?" Kristi asked.
"I wont be able to be normal again..." He said looking away from her, trying his hardest not to break down again.
"Thats even if President Palmer gets my name cleared..." That was when he started to cry again, putting his hand over his nose and mouth.
"Uncle, you can be normal again" Kristi answered back softly.
"Like this? Kristi, have you actually looked at me? I have 6 fingers!" Jack went off on her.
"Uncle Jack, Have you seen me? I have a fucking cane! A 13 year old having a cane. Do you think it was easy for me to return to school!" Kristi shot back, letting silent tears run down her own face. That was the first time Jack ever heard her swear, but didnt want to say anything. He was silenced.
"If I can do it Uncle. You can to. I can help you. Grandpa can too, as well as Nat. Things will get back to normal" Kristi was too good for her own good, Jack decided. She did make him feel better though. She would make a good psycharist, the thought ran threw her head.
"Come here" He sniffled, placing his arm around her and pulling her close for a hug.
"Thank you" He whispered, placing his chin on the top of her head.