Ch 18: Killjoy

Disclaimer: Dun own PR!

PS. Sorry for the loooong update, bad weather here! All the same, hope you enjoy this episode, I'll unveil everything in the next chapter, which is coming verysoon. The title is "Double Jeopardy." So do look out for it! See ya, thanks for the reviews too, although there isn't many this days. Have you forgotten about me already? Haha, hope not.

Jack jogged back to the building he was currently residing. He whistled in an off rhythmic tune on his way to his room after a fruitful trip to the alley that noon.

It's been a long time since he had felt satisfaction of himself.

"Hey, Landors." Someone called.

"Hey." Jack called back.

When he reached the reception, the clerk behind the table called out to Jack. "Colonel, you have got a parcel."

Jack strode to the desk and flashed his megawatt smile to the receptionist.

"Thanks." He whispered huskily and winked at her before leaving, both hands on his parcel. He actually felt rather surprise to receive anything, other than Z who occasionally sent letters.

Jack went straight to the bath and left the parcel on his bed. Couple of minutes later, he walked out, droplets of water still dripping from his hair.

He sat on the bed and started ripping the parcel—shiny red wrapper apart. Red meaning what? Ought to be someone from S.P.D, Jack surmised.

There was a small velvet box. Jack opened the lid and beheld was a magnificent ruby set in a heavy gold ring—the ring, his insignia in S.P.D.

Jack was astounded. "What on earth? But how?"

Jack stared at the pink diamond ring on his finger—the betrothal gift they both exchanged that magical day both of them shared before he left for the army.

Jack's towel was forgotten as he stared at both rings, memories flooding his head.

No wait, who sent it? How did they know to send it here? Jack stared at the velvet box. In it laid a photograph—a picture of Sydney and the sunset background.

There was a signature at the bottom right hand corner—Sydney's signature and a phrase on top in her immaculate handwriting. I remember.

For a moment, Jack wondered what that means. I remember. Remember what?

The next second, recognition shot through him. Oh my god, Sydney, she remembered. She finally recalled the past. Jack started jumping up and down the mattress like a six-year-old.

Jack started to pick up the phone, wanting to dial back—no, rather not. He wanted to give her a surprise. He phoned his superior to tell him that he would back with his bride, to hell with Qudamah, his wife is his top of the list priority now.

He couldn't help stifling giggles like a teenager in love. It was the best news he had received ever for a month and a half now.

Jack began rummaging his wardrobe, digging for clothes, suit and dumped them into his luggage bag.

He kept repeating nonsensically to himself, Syd's remember me. She remembers us. Where's the damn ticket? Jack stalked around his room, searching, throwing things around. Before long, his room was in a crazy mess, but who cares? He was leaving already.

XXX

When Sydney woke up from a nap in one of those afternoon naps, her gaze locked with the lipstick scrawled words on her mirror. 'You wretch!'

Great, she had thought. It was one of those jokes again. First she had received a bloody-stabbed doll and now this. No, she wasn't going to do anything yet. It ought to be someone playing pranks with her.

Before leaving the room, Sydney had taken a picture of it with her morpher before wiping those marks away. So, somehow someone had managed to enter her room when Omega was outside—"Sam?" she threw open the door and called out.

"Sam, are you there?"

An orb of orange light bobbed in. "Looking for me, Syd? Miss me already, huh?"

"Funny. Where were you just now?" she stood an arm on her hips.

Omega sounded embarrassed. "Ah, how did you know I left my post?"

"Cruger don't anyhow promote me for nothing. Never mind, I'm going out to get ready for the C squads, then B squad tryouts. The whole of A squad are still pondering over who are the more suitable candidates for…" She turned back, "Are you coming or not?"

"Yes, of course."

Sydney shook her head and muttered, "Sky's right. Maybe the law of science just changed. Light isn't the fastest at all."

XXX

It was already past evening when Sydney took Baby out for a walk though she didn't think that robots need the walk.

Sydney gazed across the moors, at the sea grassed blowing in the wind, the apple trees dark against the slate sky, the tall white lighthouse a beacon even in this thin November daylight. She heard the rhythmic wash of the breaking waves.

Baby scuffled ahead of her. "Baby, careful don't go near the water or you'll rust." Funny she had to say that to a puppy.

The next moment, Sydney looked up, startled, and what she saw made her take in a deep breath. Watching Baby race across the field, she began to smile, and the smile grew wider.

The silhouette of Jack grew bigger as she sprinted across the fields as well.

"Jack!" Sydney flew into his warm, welcoming arms. "How I miss you so." Tears began to fall.

Jack started to kiss her. "Shhhh honey, I'm back, aren't I." Jack wiped the tears off her cheeks and frowned. "Why are you crying? Aren't you glad to see me?" Jack asked in an unsure tone. He was afraid to wake up and realize it was all but a dream. He needed assurances and almost tried to pinch himself.

"No, they are tears of joy. Jack, Jack, Jack. I miss you."

Jack bent forward and sealed her voice with a second kiss—the bad memories and good memories. Both of them paused for gasps. Sydney's eyes twinkling in the night that fell o-so quickly and Jack's burning gaze.

Jack kissed her again, more insistently than before. If their first kiss had been a surprise, and their second one had been filled with passion, then this one was a zero-to-sixty blood-rush neither of them had felt in years, and they both knew in ten more seconds they'd be unable to stop.

"Whoa, Jack," Sydney breathed, clutching his arms.

"Syd…" he said, smiling widely, swaying with her, pulling her body against his. They needn't have to speak. Their hearts and kiss spell out everything that needed be told.

Staring and shaking his head obnoxiously, Omega transformed into an orb and flew elsewhere. He wasn't needed here already since Colonel. Landors is back. All right, mission accomplished, Omega grinned.

The night was very dark; stars were everywhere, all the way down to the horizon, the sky enclosing Jack and Sydney like a great inverted bowl. Neither had noticed the figure well concealed from behind one of the huge apple trees as they were too busy embracing one another.

TBC-Pls R&R!