Chapter 8

6:25 pm

Jack and Tru stood at the base of the building, watching the street for the teenager to come running past. Jack glanced at his watch.

"She should have been here by now…" He muttered.

"Just give it time." Tru said, laying a comforting hand on his shoulder. Jack turned to look at her. She gave him a small smile and he felt oddly comforted. Ever since Christmas he had been having weird feelings about her. He had wanted her downfall; just as her father did. But since Christmas, he had been finding it harder and harder to stop her from saving the people that were supposed to die. He suspected Tru could tell he wasn't trying so hard, but he wasn't going to ask her. He stared in her eyes for a moment and he wondered how she could be so sure.

So sure about changing fate without consequences, about her calling, her family, and the father who had once had him convinced she needed to be stopped. The more he learned, the more he began to doubt. He wasn't surprised when Richard wasn't concerned about his death; he was more surprised he hadn't tried to hide his lack of concern.

"Jack?"

"Yeah?"

"You're girl just passed us." Tru stated, pointing towards the stairwell. Jack let out a curse and turned to run, pushing all thoughts about Tru and her Father out of his mind. He could think about that later; right now, he had other business to take care of.

Tru ran after Jack, struggling to keep up with his pace. He ran up the steps, 2 at a time and was quickly out of her sight. Tru ran after him, surprised he was so serious about saving this one girl. Tru reached the top of the stairs and pushed the door to the roof open with a bang. She stood just outside the door, watching Jack talk the girl down.

"You don't have to do this," Jack said, pleading with the girl standing on the edge of the building. She was suicidal. She was going to kill herself.

"Yes I do. You don't understand. They want me to be perfect. The model daughter, friend, student, and I'm not. I'm just me." The girl said, and Tru could see the tears in her eyes.

"You're standing there on that edge, thinking to yourself, no one cares about me. The world would be better off without me, right? Well, I care. I don't want to see your insides splattered on the pavement below us. Think about your friends, your family; what is your death going to do to them?" Jack asked, trying to get the girl to think logically for one second.

She shook her head violently and Tru thought she was going to loose her balance and fall. Jack and Tru both stepped closer, cautiously

"They don't care about me."

"I care. You're too pretty to be a corpse." Jack told her.

"I'm not pretty." The girl muttered, but glanced nervously down at the ground and back at him.

"It's a long way down, isn't it? Over 20 stories. I don't know how long of a fall that is, but I know it's a hell of a long time to fall." Jack stated, looking over the edge and back at her. Tru watched as he held out his hand.

"Let me help you down. Come on, I'm sure it's not as bad as it seems." He said, trying to get this girl off the edge of the building. She looked nervously between my hand and the edge of the building. The girl nodded after a moment and held her hand out, and took Jack's. Tru watched, surprise when the girl stepped slowly down, and Jack grabbed her waist to keep her from falling.

"Thank you." She said. Jack smiled back at her.

"You're welcome," Jack said, and turned towards Tru. Tru gave him a nod of acknowledgement.

"Can I know your name?" She asked him.

"I'm Jack. Jack Harper." He said, and she smiled and gave him a hug.

"Thanks Jack…Jack Harper." She said, a small smile on her face. Jack gave her a small pat on the back and she walked away from him, looking more confident than before. Jack let out a sigh.

"That didn't happen yesterday." He muttered. Tru smiled.

"Good save Harper." She said, genuinely meaning it. "One crisis averted." She added, looking pointedly at Jack.

"You never give up." Jack stated, in awe that she would want to save him.

"Nope."

"Why are you trying to save me?" Jack asked, walking over to the edge of the building, and gazing out at the city. "You hate me with a fiery passion. You should have been glad I was gone."

"I can't say I wasn't terribly upset." Tru said, and walked over to him. "I don't know Jack. I was glad this fight was over. I never wanted you dead…well, I did…I still hate what you did to Luc." She said, looking out as he did.

"You made that choice Tru." Jack stated, looking over at her.

"Me? You made sure Luc was there!"

"To save Harrison!" Jack argued. "Who would you rather have had dead? Your short-term boyfriend? Or your brother? Those where your choices Tru, and you made it clear Harrison was off limits." Jack paused. "Besides, I kinda like your brother." They were silent and the sun began to set on the horizon, painting the sky with a pink and purple sunset.

"Wow." Tru breathed, watching the sky. "That's the most beautiful sunset I've seen in awhile."

"Almost romantic." Jack commented, glancing over at Tru.

Before either of them could say anymore, Jack's phone rang. Jack sighed and looked at the read out. He let out a curse and answered it.

"Hello?"

"Where are you. You're late for the meeting." A very familiar voice said on the other end.

"I'm kind of busy."

"Well un-busy yourself."

"That's going to be harder than you think." Jack stated, glancing at Tru.

"You will not miss this meeting. We have much to discuss Jack. I am not happy with you."

"Apparently, Sir, that's not going to matter much longer." Jack muttered and Tru looked at Jack questioningly.

"I don't care what you do, but you get here."

"I understand." There was a click signaling to Jack the conversation was over Jack turned off his phone and stuck it back in his jacket pocket.

"Who was that?"

"My boss." Jack stated, and glanced nervously away from Tru and back again. "I have to get to a business meeting. I can't have you come in with me…will you be content waiting outside?" Jack asked.

"What if you were killed at this business meeting?"

"It's not that kind of business." Jack stated, leaving the roof. Tru followed him, her instincts giving her a bad feeling of what was to come.