Slowly, I put on the CTU clothing that Jack has left for me. Grey sweatpants, and a blue T-shirt reading 'CTU' on the back. Not overly attractive, but a far cry above the hospital gown I wore a moment ago.

The fabric is rough against my skin, tender from the explosion, and I wince as I pull the T-shirt over my head, part of which is still wrapped in gauze. I start to walk out the door, but double back as I remember Jack's gun. I push it into the pocket of the pants, anticipating the time when I will be able to return it to him.

I walk out of the hospital room, and soon find myself on the familiar main floor of CTU. How it has changed over the years. So many faces have come and gone. There are few people that I now recognize, standing awkwardly in the middle of the floor.

Again my thoughts drift back to Michelle. So much has happened here. Was it not here that I first met her? Was it not here that we had agreed to start to date? Where I first accepted that she might die? Where I broke protocol to save her? Was I not arrested here? And yes, it was here that I saw her, many months after she had left me, and we agreed, once again, to be together.

I curse myself now, for all the time we wasted while we were apart. It was my fault; I blame myself. I realize now how precious life is, and how we should have been together all along. What I would do now, for another six months to be with Michelle. A day, even, would be quite enough for me to profess my love to her. That is a luxury that has been forever stolen from me.

I head towards Chloe, who I have spotted from across the room. Years have passed, and yet still her demeanor has not changed. As I approach, she is snapping snidely at Edgar. She sits at her computer, typing a complex code to open a file.

"Chloe" I say, in order to get her attention. Her head snaps up, and I can tell from the expression on her face that she has not been told about my arrival.

"Jack said you'd get me set up." I say as way of explanation.

"Hold on, okay? I'm really busy right now, Tony."

Any compassion I might have expected from Chloe is immediately forgotten as she returns to her computer. I almost retort angrily, as I normally would have, but I am too tired, and too sad. I have little energy as it is, and I don't want to waste any arguing with Chloe. Perhaps this is why she looks up again, and seems taken aback.

"Hey, Tony. I'm sorry about Michelle. You guys were really good for each other. If I seem to lack empathy, it's only because I'm really stressed."

I know that Chloe has a difficult time interacting with others, and generally being social. It is a trait that she exhibited constantly, to my frustration, during my time as her employer. Her words touch me, and I have to look down to avoid crying again.

"Me too." I mutter. "Look, I can help you, but I'm going to need a computer, and for you to update me."

She nods, still typing. I do not interrupt her, as I am not sure exactly what she is doing, and do not want to interfere. I wait, looking around CTU, searching for anything familiar. My eyes are inevitably drawn towards the office that was once mine. I will never sit in that chair again. Too much has happened, too many things that cannot be undone. In my place is an older man, the one I once believed to be Michelle's lover. Perhaps he was, but that does not matter now. Talking to him is a younger man, one I do not recognize. Obviously, he is a new recruit of CTU's.

Chloe's voice brings me back to reality, and I become aware that she has been talking to me.

"Tony? Tony, do you want me to set you up or not?"

"Yeah," I nod, "Sorry. Set me up. Yeah."

She looks at me, plainly believing that I am not up for the job. Chloe gets up, however, and leads me to a small computer terminal. There she briefs me on where we are as to decoding a chip that Jack recovered, as well as identifying the terrorists. Jack is going into the field pretty soon, she explains, and wants me to lead tactical. I agree, and decide to start doing some menial tasks until I can be of use to Jack. Maybe I will go and greet Kim for a moment before I start. Chloe turns to leave, but I call back to her.

"Chloe, I'm sorry about Spencer. Jack told me. Sounds like a real asshole."

Chloe blushes a bit, ashamed at her own mistake. I know what she is going through. It was a very long time before I could bring myself to love again after sleeping with Nina, and having her be a mole. Then Michelle came along…

I shake my head. No matter what my train of thought, it always comes back to one person: Michelle. I wonder how, and if, I will be able to survive the rest of my life without her, as I am barely able to function for only a few minutes without thinking about her. It is unbearable, and I do not know how anyone can go on after losing their spouse.

"Thanks, Tony." Chloe says, and for once it does not sound forced or pre-rehearsed. She is grateful, and I realize what a toll being used has taken on her.

"You'll be okay." I say, trying to be helpful. "I got over Nina, you can get over Spencer."

She nods, and returns to her work. That helps, I know. It distracts. I start to return to my own work, but then I remember Kim. It has been a long time since we last spoke, but I long to see a familiar face. Impulsively, I stand up and walk towards the conference room, where she will almost certainly be held. Using the keycard Chloe gave me, a level four security clearance, I enter the room.

It appears as though Jack has already come and gone, and Kim sits quietly in a chair in the corner, apparently pondering her father's sudden reappearance.

"Hello, Kim." I say softly, trying to appreciate her emotions at this point, "How are you?"

She looks up. She has not changed that much in the three plus years since I have seen her. She has changed her hair a bit; it is flippy, sort of, and parted to the side.

"Shocked." Is the only response that Kim uses to convey her emotions. "I mean, I thought that my dad was dead for a year and a half, then all of a sudden he pops up and tells me he's alive and well, and saving America again, I mean-"

She pauses, shaking her head. "It's a lot to take." She concludes. "But, um, how are you? I heard about Michelle and stuff. I'm really sorry."

"I'm holding up, somehow." I respond. Kim, yes even Kim, who has lost her mother, does not know, and hopefully will never know how I feel right now. I do not tell her of the pain, the anger, the sadness. Quickly, I change the subject.

"I haven't heard anything about you in a long time" I say, sitting down, "Are you still with Chase?"

Kim nods. "We got married last spring. He's at home right now, with our kid. A little baby girl."

I smile, for the first time since Michelle's death. Finally, good news. Though most of me cannot believe that Kim has given birth to a child, and that Jack is a grandfather, I am extremely happy for the young couple. Kim, if anyone, deserves this. Michelle, too, would have been so glad to hear this…

"That's great." I say. "What'd Jack say? Your father, I mean?" I knew immediately that Jack would have been delighted. So would I have been, but that would never happen now. Without Michelle, I would never have kids, let alone grandkids.

Kim looked uncomfortable. "I haven't exactly updated him yet. He was really in a hurry. He, uh, doesn't know. So if you could maybe not mention it to him…"

I nod, agreeing. Loathe as I am to keep something of this magnitude from Jack, whom it concerns closely, I will not betray Kim's confidence.