I own Tara, Sam, Eric, and Donna....Jack sadly is not mine :(

Thank you to all those who are still reading this. Please continue to read and review.

Author's note: At one point in this chapter there is a flashback....it appears in italics.

Chapter 31: Love

Jack and I head straight for our bedroom. When we get into the room Jack sits on the bed and pulls me into his lap.

"You really ok?"

"Jack….I'm fine."

He buries his head into my chest and I stroke his hair. We sit like that for a while. I can tell that Jack is very tense and honestly so am I.

"What would you say to a bath?"

Jack looks up at me slightly confused.

"We are both tense….a bath can sometimes be calming."

"So since we are both tense….we should take a bath together?"

Jack gives me a devilish grin. I simply roll my eyes and lead Jack into the bathroom.

I love it when I am right! The warm water feels amazing and I can tell Jack thinks so too. I am sitting against Jack's chest and I can feel his breathing become less erratic.

"So are you ever going to tell me what happened with Donna?"

Jack's chest tightens. I grab both of his hands and wrap them around me.

"I should have known something was up when Sam said Eric wasn't coming. Did you notice the look on Sam's face when I first asked him?"

I nod my head.

"He looked worried or scared….I brushed it off at the time….but now…."

"That is why they say hind sight is 20/20."

"Yeah….I guess…."

"What does this have to do with Donna?"

"Hold your horses I am getting there….After I introduced you to everyone I lost track of you. I was talking to Danny….the guy who moved to Boston from Ireland when we were 10….anyway we were talking and I felt someone's arms wrap around my waist. At first I thought it was you, but when I went to grab 'your' hand I noticed there was no ring. And then when I turned around I saw Donna. Her and I….we….she was…."

"She was your girlfriend….Sam told me."

"Yeah we dated on and off for years. We would fight, then break up, but we always seemed to get back together…."

"You loved her."

Jack releases his arms from around me, sits up and turns my upper body to look at him. His eyes are boring into mine.

"I saw the pictures Jack. It was obvious."

"I love you….whatever I felt for her does not even come close to what I feel for you. You are going to be my wife….I love you."

"I know. It is really ok. I had boyfriends before you and some of them I really thought I loved. But now I know I was wrong. You know my mom once told me that everyone has a 'first love' and some people stay with that person forever, but some don't. Some need that 'first love' to help them find their true love. And that is you Jack. You are my true love."

Now my eyes are boring into his. I know he understands me when his lips gently caress mine. After the kiss we re-adjust into our previous position.

"So anyway….I was surprised to see her. We didn't leave off on great terms."

"You don't need to tell me what happened with her back then if you don't want too."

"I broke up with her."

Thank god!

"I couldn't do it anymore. It was like some demented see-saw. It finally became clear to me that we were no good and never would be. However, she had not reached that conclusion. The fight was pretty bad….we both said things that intentionally hurt the other. About two days later I left for a hockey tournament and when I got back no one knew where she was. A couple of months later she sent me a letter. She said she was better off without me and that she hoped I got cut from the Olympic team. I just laughed it off. I met you two weeks later. I really haven't thought about her since then."

"Why did you go outside with her?"

"She said she wanted to talk to me….to apologize for the letter and what she said to me. I wanted to apologize for some of what I had said too. It was too loud in the house, so she suggested we go outside. It seemed logical at the time….so I went with her. When we first got outside she was apologizing. She said that she had watched the Olympics and that she was so proud of me. She said that I looked happy and that made her happy. I told her I was sorry for what I had said to her and that I wish I could take some of it back. That is when it got interesting. She started to get really close to me….touching me….she started saying how great we had been together….how in love we were….how she still loved me. Before I could say anything she kissed me. At first I was shocked, but then I tried to pull away. Just as I got her off of me I heard Eric…."

"OC! OC! Where is Tara?"

"Inside the house….why are you here? Sam said you had some sort of family thing."

"OC….listen to me. Sam is different. He is not the guy you remember. He is always angry. He is so jealous of everything you have accomplished. He didn't even watch the gold medal game. He would turn off the TV. or change the channel every time the team was on. When he heard you were getting married he snapped."

"Why? We are friends….we have been since we were 5."

"Because he loves her….he loves Donna….and she loves you. Even after you guys broke up….he tried to get together with her, but all she would talk about was you. It drove him insane. Then the other night….after the bar….he told me that all he wanted was for Donna to be happy and to give her everything she wanted….and she wanted you. He said that he loved her enough to let her go. He made it all sound so noble. He had a plan. He would get Donna and you alone at the party and then he would take Tara upstairs. You have to find Tara. He wants to make it look like she cheated on you."

"Oh God!"

"I ran through the house. I know where Sam's room is. I heard you screaming as I was about the come through the door."

"Do you think Donna was in on it?"

"She looked guilty….but I don't know."

"What about Eric?"

"From what I could gather Sam wanted him to be involved but Eric did not want anything to do with it. That is why he wasn't at the party. I guess when he thought about it he decided he had to stop it. I don't know why he did what he did, but I'm glad. I got to you on time….that is all that matters."

I wrap Jack's arms closer around me and close my eyes. We sit in silence for a while….in all honesty I think we both dosed off for a bit. We probably would have stayed in the tub all night, but, the water was starting to get cold and I shivered.

"You cold?"

"A little."

Jack pushes me off his chest and gets out of the tub. Her goes to the towel rack and pulls out the biggest one. He turns towards me and opens the rowel. I get up and step into the towel. He wraps it tight around me and starts to rub my arms.

"Better?"

"Much….but what about you?"

"I was hoping that this towel was big enough to share."

"Nope."

I start to laugh and then open my arms (and the towel) to allow Jack in. We stare up at each other for a while and then Jack brings his hand to my face.

"I got to you in time."

"Yeah."

"I don't know what I would have done if I hadn't."

"You did….so you don't have to worry."

"If anything ever happened to you…."

"Stop….I am fine."

He shakes his head and then kisses me. Before I know it we are in the bed. Jack is being so gentle….not that he is ever ruff….but this time is different. His every touch seems to be making sure that I am ok. It is almost like he is checking every inch of me…..like he is trying to erase Sam and replace him with his love….does that make any sense? I can hear my mom's words 'true love'….when I was little I did not really understand what she meant….but now….and in reality for the last few months….I completely get it. This….Jack and I….we are it. There is no one else for me and there is no one else him. That thought alone makes me happier than I ever thought possible.