"What am I supposed to do with you, huh?" Boone asked.
"I can't lose you," Jack said and Boone could tell that he'd been crying.
He looked down at him and couldn't work out whether to be mad at him or comfort him. "You're not gonna lose me you big goon."
"I can't," Jack repeated.
"Jack, shut up, it's one stupid fight, we'll get over it," Boone told him.
"I'm really sorry," Jack said, angling his face up to look at Boone and displaying his teary eyes. "I screwed up, I screwed everything up."
"You don't deal well with failure, do you?" Boone pointed out.
"I can't do it again," Jack said, burying his face in the side of Boone's neck.
"Do what again?" Boone asked.
"I ruined my whole marriage, it was all my fault," Jack said.
Boone found himself rolling his eyes. "Jack..."
"I always blame it on the baby but I know it's me," Jack went on. "After what happened I should have been there for her but I wasn't, I couldn't be. I needed to fix it but I just didn't have it in me. I let it die. I don't wanna be that person again."
Boone shook his head a little. "You're the most together guy I know but when you fall apart you really fall apart."
"I'm gonna make it up to you," Jack told him.
"Jack, just go to sleep," Boone said.
"I know I've been a jerk lately," Jack stated. "I'm gonna sort it out, things are gonna be better."
"Jack, you're tired, you're emotional, you need some sleep," Boone told him. "If you're still feeling like this in the morning we can talk about it."
"You're gonna be there?" Jack asked.
"I'm gonna be right here," Boone assured him.
"I love you," Jack said. "I need you."
"Go to sleep," Boone ordered.
Jack sighed against his neck and shifted slightly, getting comfortable but still clinging onto Boone's side, as if to make sure he didn't get away.
oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO
After breakfast, Noah went to sit on the sofa and watch cartoons. Boone looked at him curled up against the arm of the sofa and sucking his thumb, a habit Boone had worked hard to get him out of.
"He hasn't said two words to me all day," Jack said.
"You haven't said two words to him," Boone countered.
"Yeah, you're right," Jack allowed. "I don't think he really wants me to talk to him though."
"I think he probably does," Boone said, walking into the room and sitting in the armchair, leaving the couch open for Jack.
Jack sighed and walked over to sit next to Noah who looked up at him. "Hey, sport. You okay?"
Noah nodded.
Jack smiled at him and put his hand on his head, stroking his hair. "I'm really sorry I yelled at you yesterday, I shouldn't have done that," he said. He looked at Noah who just looked back at him. "Can I have a hug?"
Boone smiled as Noah leapt into Jack's lap with no hesitation and cuddled up to him. Jack smiled too and wrapped his arms around Noah.
"We friends again?" Jack asked.
"Friends," Noah said, nodding. He held out his little finger to Jack. "Pinky swear."
Jack gave him a bemused look. "What?"
"Pinky swear, Jack," Boone said. "Don't tell me you've never heard of a pinky swear." Jack just looked at him. Boone rolled his eyes. "You have to link pinkys, Jack."
Jack looked back to Noah and linked his pinky with Noah's rather awkwardly, earning him a little grin from Noah. Jack smiled back and pulled him into a hug again, kissing the top of his head.
"I love you, you know that, right?" Jack said. "I didn't mean to get mad at you before."
Noah settled in his lap, still cuddled up to him, and turned his attention back to the cartoons on the TV. Jack looked at his watch.
"I'm really gonna have to go, kid," he said. "And you have to go soon. Have you brushed your teeth?"
"I done them already," Noah said.
"You all ready?" Jack asked. Noah nodded. "Okay then. Well, I gotta go but I'll see you tonight, okay?"
"Okay," Noah said.
"All right, give me a kiss," Jack said. Noah pulled himself up and kissed Jack. "Thank you," Jack smiled.
Noah clambered off him and Jack stood up, looking at Boone. Boone gave him a little smile and stood up.
"I'll see you out," he said.
They left Noah with his cartoons and went out to the hall.
"Well, he seems to have forgiven me," Jack said.
"Of course he forgave you," Boone said.
"You forgive me?" Jack asked.
Boone sighed. "You can be a real ass sometimes."
"Yeah, I know," Jack replied.
"But I can't live without you just like you can't live without me so I guess we're stuck with each other," Boone shrugged.
"I think there was a compliment in there somewhere," Jack said.
"There's no one I'd rather be stuck with," Boone told him.
Jack smiled at him. "So can I get a hug from you?"
"You can get a kiss too if you're really lucky," Boone smiled.
"Oh yeah?" Jack asked, taking a step towards him. "So what do I have to do to get lucky?"
"Keep your promises," Boone told him, pulling him into a hug.
"You mean about how I'm gonna change things?" Jack asked, holding Boone tight.
"Yeah," Boone said. "I can deal with your shit ninety-nine percent of the time but you crossed a line and I don't want you to cross it again. We're cool now but I'm guessing there's some reason behind what happened last night and you need to sort that out before it happens again because if it does..."
"I know," Jack said.
"Anything I can help you with?" Boone asked, pulling away slightly so he could look at Jack.
"I think I need to make some changes at work," Jack said. "I think I need to learn how to delegate and trust people."
Boone nodded. "And while you're at it, you could try being nice to them."
Jack gave him a look. "I could try." Boone smiled. "And I guess I have to loosen up a little with Noah. I don't even know if I was mad at him or you or me last night."
"Next time you should try getting in the fort. It's fun," Boone told him.
Jack smiled at him. "I'll bear that in mind," he said. "So, does any of that earn me a kiss?"
Boone pretended to think about it. "Hmm, okay then."
They leaned into each other and their lips met, loving but persistent and Boone could just feel all the issues hidden inside it. The insecurities and fears and love and need and a little residual anger from last night, on Boone's part anyway. But it wasn't like he'd never made a mistake so he wasn't about to hold it over Jack's head. He knew he was sorry and he knew he wanted to make it up and also make sure it never happened again. Jack had always been terrified of repeating his first marriage and Boone couldn't help but feel for him but he did wish it didn't have to get so bad before Jack booked up his ideas and realised maybe he needed to start paying more attention to the things around him.
Boone pulled away gently. "You have to go."
Jack nodded. "Yeah." He gave Boone a brief kiss on the lips and then pulled away fully. He put his jacket on and grabbed his keys, turning back to Boone. "Thanks for giving me another chance."
Boone's breath caught a little. When it was phrased like that, Boone couldn't help but feel like a sucker. He knew that wasn't true and he knew that what Jack did, though undeniably out of line, was also undeniably forgivable. But when Jack stated it like Boone had the option of not forgiving him it made it all seem far greater than it was.
"Just get of here," Boone told him.
Jack gave him a smile and a kiss on the cheek. "I'll see you later."
Boone gave him a brief smile and watched as he headed out of the door. He stared at the door for a couple of seconds before heading back into the living room and attempting to drag Noah away from the TV.