(A/N): Here is another oneshot, set ten years after 24x10. Jack receives a letter from the past, containing news he never expected. I own nothing as always, BBC I have no money so hire me instead of suing me please and thank you.

Someone Like You

"Night daddy, love you."

Jack Hodgson smiled brightly. No matter how many times he heard it, those words still brought a smile to his face. Reaching out, he gently stroked back the dark curls covering his daughter's face. He'd held that little girl in his arms for the first time six and a half years ago, and he still couldn't believe she was real. He was really a dad. "Night Lucy. Sleep tight. I love you too princess."

He pressed a light kiss to the top of her hair and tucked her in, making sure the nightlight was lit before turning out the main bedroom light and slowly backing out of the room, leaving the door ajar as always. He sighed, resting his head against the wall beside the door. He'd been putting it off too long already, the paper burning a hole in his pocket. He hadn't wanted to read it, but curiosity was getting the better of him and he knew he'd end up reading it. But he definitely wouldn't do whilst Lucy was still awake, which was why it was still in his pocket nearly twelve hours after he'd first picked it up.

He sensed his wife's presence behind him, close but not touching. She knew how wound up he was. "You should read it." She told him softly, barely above a whisper should they wake their child accidentally.

Jack turned, letting her see the conflict covering his features. "It's been ten years. Do I really want to reopen all that? What if it's…?" He trailed off, unable to let himself finish the sentence.

"I can't answer that for you. But if you want my advice… read it, honey." She leant up to kiss him gently, stroking his cheek. "You won't rest until you have. I know you, Mr Hodgson."

"I definitely got lucky in meeting you, Mrs Hodgson." Jack chased her lips for another kiss, resting his forehead against hers. "What would I do without you?"

"Have no one to make your breakfast in the morning." She pulled away, nodding to the pocket he'd been storing the letter in. "Read it, Jack."

"Will you…?"

"I'll be in the kitchen."

"Thanks. I love you."

"I love you too."

Jack waited for his wife to head down the stairs before turning in the opposite direction, heading to their bedroom. Light and airy, a fair mixture of both of them. Soothing and calming. Closing the door behind him, he sat down on the bed and pulled the letter from his pocket. The envelope was creased from its time hiding in his clothing, but his name was clearly legible on the front, in looping handwriting he feared would be seared into his brain forever. He swallowed heavily, trying to push down the lump in his throat. His wife was right; he did need to read it. He just didn't want to, didn't want to see the words written down. What if they were as painful as he feared they were?

The seal tore fairly easily, the letter unfolding before he really knew what he was doing, and suddenly he was staring down at the same familiar handwriting covering an a4 sheet of paper, reading it before his brain had fully processed that he was doing so. He did take note of the date, proclaiming it to be from ten years ago.

Dear Jack,

I'm sorry. That seems like a good place to start this at least. I'm so sorry. I never meant for any of this to happen. I know me leaving is probably the last thing you need right now, but you'll thank me in the end. You deserve the world, I'm just not the one to give it to you.

It seems like only yesterday I was throwing arnica cream at you and wondering just why Leo chose to hire you. We've been through so much together. I really really thought that nothing could ever tear us apart. Until Mexico. Did I ever tell you how sorry I was that I tricked you? Well, whether I did or not, I am sorry. I just needed you to save everyone else. For me. Anyway, when we came back, we were different. Fractured. My heart broke. I'd spent fifteen hours coming to terms with the fact I was in love with you only to find that you wanted nothing to do with me. Still, I digress. We became close again, so close all those feelings pushed back to the surface and I couldn't hide them anymore.

I'm sorry I didn't tell you about Matt. I broke up with him just before karaoke with you, by the way. I meant to tell you, but things got away from me and then next thing I knew, Simone was telling me how much you wanted me to set you up on a blind date with someone. And I got scared. It's no excuse, I know, but I'd just bared my heart to you (in song at least) and you wanted to see a different woman. At that point I thought it was easier if you didn't know about Matt and I.

Ollie. Ollie was… a blip, nothing really. Definitely not anything worth writing home about. I was drunk and scared and none of this excuses the fact I know I shouldn't have done it. As soon as your dad called me that night, I was back and he was the last thing on my mind. I didn't realise you could hear him on that voicemail. It was you Jack, it's always been you. And I knew exactly what I was doing when we kissed in the back of that taxi. Because it's you Jack, it's always been you.

I hope you find someone. Someone to laugh at your jokes and hold you when you're sad. Someone you can put a ring on her finger and marry her, live happily ever after. Someone who will never break your heart the way I did. Don't deny it Jack, I know I broke you. I never meant to. Still, I only want the best for you, you deserve that. So yes, I hope you find a woman that loves you half as much as I love you, that you're happy together and have children. Don't give me that look Jack, you'd make a brilliant dad and you know it. Just look at how you were with Cara.

I'm sorry you've found out I've left like this. No, the Dean didn't fire me. She actually wanted me to continue on in my post once I'd disclosed everything to her. I chose to leave. I knew you couldn't move on if you had to see me there every day, had to nurse that hurt I caused you. Just… please know that I do love you, Jack. So much. And that's why I'm leaving. I love you enough to want you to be happy. So please, be happy Jack. And hopefully, I'll have the courage to send this letter, so I don't just disappear on you without a word.

I do love you,

Nikki

Jack stared down at the letter, his vision blurry and marred by his tears softly rolling down his face. All this time, so long. And Nikki had felt this way when she'd left. He hadn't known. All he'd seen was her empty desk after the post-mortem, when he'd gone for a walk to calm himself down. He hadn't known his comments to her had affected her so much, that she'd left to try and give him a chance at happiness. The tears increased as he realised he was happy. His wife and daughter meant everything to him. Ten years ago, if someone would have told him he'd be happily married and the highlight of his day would be sitting with his little Lucy and hearing her tell him everything she'd done at school that day, he'd have thought they were crazy. Completely insane. But Nikki had seen it, she'd seen it all. She'd seen his potential as a father, wanted him to be happy even at her own expense.

Swallowing down his tears, he wiped hurriedly at his face, discarding the letter on his bed. His wife really did know him, and she knew he'd need her after reading that letter. Quickly, he left their bedroom and padded quietly down the stairs, careful not to wake his daughter. The last thing he needed was to be explaining why he was crying over a ten year old letter to his six year old.

Entering the kitchen, he made his way quickly over to his wife, who was standing near the counter tidying up from their evening meal, wrapping his arms round her from behind and hugging her close to his body. Burying his face in her hair, he took a deep, calming breath. Her hands moved to cover his on her stomach, squeezing them gently. "Honey?"

Jack shuddered slightly, nuzzling his nose against her ear. "Why didn't you tell me that's how you felt Nikki?" His arms tightened round her. "I never knew that was why you left."

Nikki snuggled further into his embrace as he pressed a tiny kiss to her neck through her hair. Ten years together, five of which they'd been married for, and he still couldn't believe she was his, his wife, the love of his life. The mother of his precocious child. "I left because I thought you'd be happier without me, Jack. I didn't think you'd notice my things missing so quickly and track me down before I'd even left my house."

Jack span her round to face him, tilting her face up to his for a gentle, loving kiss. "I'd follow you to the ends of the earth darling, and you know it." He pulled her into his arms again, holding her tightly. He'd never known that was how she felt, that she'd been so intent on giving him happiness that she was prepared to give up on her own. How thankful he was that he'd spotted the picture frames gone from her desk when he'd returned from a walk after his comments about never feeling so cold and not knowing what he was doing half the time. He'd rushed to confront her at her home, finding her in the process of putting a suitcase in the boot of her car in tears. "I'm so glad I stopped you leaving that day, but I never really knew all the reasons why, did I?"

"No." Nikki whispered, holding him tightly to her. "I meant to tell you, but we were so happy and I forgot to tell you about the letter I'd written. I didn't think you'd find it when we were sorting out our room this morning because I'd forgotten it existed."

"Tell me you don't still feel like that." Jack all but begged. He'd never be able to stand it if she still felt that way, after all this time.

She shook her head instantly, pulling back just enough to look him in the eye, all the love they shared shining through. "Of course not. Jack, I love you and Lucy to bits. I meant every vow we said to each other on our wedding day. That letter… it was how I felt at the time, but then you stopped me leaving. By lifting me up and away from my car if I remember rightly. I certainly don't feel that way now, and you'd better not find anyone else to marry and have kids with Jack Hodgson."

"You said you wanted me to find someone who loved me half as much as you do." Jack nudged her nose with his own. "Why would I settle for that when I can have you instead?"

"Hmm, you make a good point." Nikki smirked up at him, moving to wrap her arms round his neck and pushing her body fully into his. "Care to prove it to me, Mr Hodgson?"

"With pleasure, Mrs Hodgson."