CHAPTER 12: Life Time of Heartbreaks
"I couldn't intrude on you." Jack began to say but was cut off before he could continue.
"You would not be intruding Jack. You saved Liz, and this is the least I can do. What are neighbors for anyway." Did he not want to stay with them? That could be possible she knew nothing of this man, maybe he didn't want to be around her he possibly couldn't' like her especially after the events with Dave.
"I don't want to put Liz or you in danger." Jack said almost in a whisper.
"Well you can't very well stay on your own, and I'm a distract attorney and I can get extra security if need be." She knew all she had to do was call the station and they would have a car going by often, she needed to do it anyways she was taking on another big gang case and they already had wanted her dead for causing problems with their once cozy system. Since she had started working in the gang unit the conviction rate had gone up, mostly thanks to her hard work.
He knew he couldn't stay on his own. Both of his hands were bandage and he knew were probably not going to be of much use for awhile, and if the people came back again he would not be able to defend himself. She had a point about the extra security, it was just locals after him and not terrorist, so maybe the locals could handle protection. He was to tired to argue with her anymore, "If it won't be to much of a hassle I would love to." His voice was soft.
Had he just given in because he felt bad about not wanting to go with her, or had he really wanted to come. Damn it Lisa, she thought to herself, do you always have to be such a fucking nag, yes that is your job. "Good." She smiled despite the argument ensuing in her head, neither side was going to win anytime soon.
"Can I leave now?" Jack asked looking at the nurse he knew he could leave, but he could tell Lisa was not going to let him until the doctor gave him permission. God how did he get himself in these positions all the time.
"We would like to keep you for observation." The nurse answered seeing the patients face change to one of dread.
"What about Colonel Thomas Anderson?" No one had given him any real details on what had happened.
"I will go check sir." The nurse said happy that this patient wasn't going to fight her. She knew he had been there before and had caused a fuss about leaving.
"Thank you Lisa." Jack noticed her eyes staring back at him, they were so beautiful and so full of kindness and something else he couldn't place, but looking into them he could almost forget everything; forget to breath, the time, what he was, his name, everything just seemed to slip away. He shook his head to break himself out of it, what is going on Bauer, he thought to himself. He didn't come here looking to find anyone, or care for anyone he had enough of that and failed. He needed time to just be, and he had to help the Colonel. He couldn't care for someone again, never again.
"For what?" She asked noticing him shake his head slightly. What was that about? For a second he looked completely lost or alive maybe. His eyes normally were dead, a blue that just seemed cold and unfeeling, except for those moments he was lost or alive, they were a sky blue almost and just burned with something. Either way his eyes were the best eyes she had ever seen.
"For helping." He said a small smile on his face, it was forced, but it was enough to get one from her.
"I'm glad I could."
The nurse came back in before much more could be said. "Colonel Anderson is currently in the ICU. He was badly injured. His wife is with him now. If you would like tomorrow after you have rested one of the orderlies can take you down to see him." The nurse was a big black lady and something in Jack's mind told him not to mess with her because she didn't seem like the type of women who would just let him get his way.
"Thank you. How bad?" Jack asked feeling guilty, he had screwed up let his guard down. He was getting lazy in his work, and this was his fault.
"I don't know for sure sir." The nurse said knowing if she told him the truth he would only worry. "Now you need to rest some. This lovely lady can come back and visit tomorrow."
Lisa smiled she had wondered about leaving, and the nurse had helped on that. "Get some rest I'll come back tomorrow after work. When do you think he will be able to get out?"
"Probably tomorrow evening if everything goes right tonight." It was early, but the nurse could tell this patient would want out soon as he could, and she had no problems letting him out of the hospital.
"Thank you. See you tomorrow Jack." Lisa left but not before smiling and looking back to see Jack watching her leave.
For once sleep came easily to him and he was asleep shortly after Lisa had left. His dreams were not haunted by the faces of the people he had wronged, but by Lisa's face. When he awoke the next morning he found he was hungry and needed to move around his body stiff from the bed, his muscles aching for some sort of use.
The nurse came in and smiled at him, it was the same lady from the day before. "Good morning Mr. Bauer." She smiled at him.
"Please call me Jack." He hated being called Mr.
"Jack we have food out there for you I will bring it in as I am sure you are hungry." The nurse returned with the food and took the lid off for him. She fed him as his hands were wrapped and of no use really.
Jack felt like an idiot having to be fed, but he knew his hands wouldn't do it for him either, and the nurse made it less uncomfortable by joking around with him while she did it.
When he finished eating she had the orderly come in the room and help Jack into a wheel chair, as promised he was taken to Colonel Andersons room.
Jack was wheeled in and placed closed to the colonels bed. He saw the damage on the colonels face, the colonels body covered by a sheet, but not hiding the cast on his arm. "I'm sorry." Jack said softly to the sleeping figure on the bed. He had screwed up again, and someone else was paying for it.
Jack didn't notice Mia who was asleep in the corner. She hadn't left the bedside the night before. She had to be there, hoping Thomas would wake up soon. She heard someone speaking and opened her tired eyes. When she saw Jack in the wheel chair she sat up. "Jack don't be sorry." She said softly noticing the slight surprise in Jack's features.
"I'm sorry I didn't notice you where here." Jack said turning his head.
"I wouldn't leave this old goat." She smiled at Jack, she could see the guilt in his eyes. "And don't you dare be sorry for one minute. This was not your fault from what I know of the situation it is not your fault. And Thomas wouldn't blame you for one second and you know that. He will be fine. He is just trying to get attention now." She was being strong for Jack, inside she was worried she might lose her love, her husband, and be left alone. She couldn't imagine losing Thomas. She had always wondered how Jack made it through life after losing Teri, but than Jack always seemed to make it never in good condition, but he was a survivor.
Jack smiled it only made him feel guiltier inside, here he was relatively ok and Thomas was in a coma and Mia was trying to comfort him. He should be comforting her, but she was a very strong woman, she had to be to marry Thomas.
Mia moved closer to where Jack was. "You look worse than when I last saw you and I never thought that possible." The last time she had seen him was after Teri died. He had been in horrible shape than, and her heart ached for him even than. She had noticed he always had this quality about him that just made your heart ache for him. He hid so much pain, but sometimes it was just so clear in his features. Even though it was deeply hidden his cold eyes could not hide it.
Jack just laughed at the statement. He had been a master at taking abuse and giving it, had to be in his line of work.
"May I ask you a personal question." Mia knew it would be fine, but she felt in his state she should give him a warning, she had a way of making him tell her what was going on in his head.
"Go ahead you would anyway." Jack knew whatever he said she would continue to ask anyways.
" What do you think of Lisa?"
Damn she went right for the bull's-eye. "She's very nice. Her daughter is very intelligent and a natural born leader by the looks of things." He smiled inside that should put her off, just enough to answer the question, but not give away what he had been toying over since he woke up from the night filled with dreams.
"So she's nice." Mia wasn't biting, she would have made a great interrogator Jack thought to himself. "She sure seems to care about you. She came in with the ambulance and stayed for awhile."
"Yeah she came to my room."
"Did she." Mia's eyebrows raised at this. She knew Lisa from the events she attended, and just from around town. Lisa seemed to like Jack, both of them had a life full of heartbreaks and guilt. "Where are you staying now?" Mia asked letting that part of the conversation drop she would go after it later.
"Lisa asked me to live with her. Insisted really." Jack said not looking Mia in the eyes this would only cause more questions he knew.
"Good I know she'll keep you in line." Mia said with a smile on her face. There was a comfortable silence that filled the room now. Both conscious occupants stared at Thomas each wondering if Thomas would wake up.
Jack broke the silences after awhile, "I'm going to find the people responsible for this, and keep my promise to Thomas."
"What promise is that Jack?" S he didn't know the events of the situation. She knew Thomas had asked Jack to come to Peoria, but that was all.
"Nothing big" Shit Thomas hadn't told her anything. "I'm going to find the people and they will pay for it."
"I know you will Jack." Mia knew better than trying to talk Jack out of it, he would go about it his own way, and no one short of God would be able to stop him.