The following morning Gina and Jack lay together in bed tangled between the sheets. Jack was quietly staring up at the ceiling, almost reflectively whilst Gina quietly studied him.
"You know," he said suddenly, his voice soft, almost a whisper, "this baby," he glanced down at the bump and then back up at the ceiling, "it wont be my first child."
He shifted on the bed so he was laid on his side facing her. "I have a daughter who's in her earlier twenties."
Gina looked surprised but she didn't really know what to say. "Does she know where you are?"
"No," he said quietly, "she thinks I'm dead. It was the best thing for her, both governments knew she would be my weak spot, that if I caved I'd go see her. It's safer for her to not know."
"Do you miss her?" she asked tentatively, her index finger slowly running up and down his bare arm.
"Yes. Very much."
"So," Gina said, a hint of humour in her voice although he knew she was serious, "what about her mother. You don't have some wife mourning for you, do you?"
He smiled sadly and shook his head. "Kim's mother, my wife Terri, she died a long time ago."
Gina felt uncomfortable, she didn't know what to say or how to approach any of this. "I'm sorry," she said, feeling stupid because she knew the words wouldn't mean anything.
"Me too."
"You know," Gina said carefully, "I had a child once too. Almost." She didn't know why she was telling him this, she didn't want him to think she was stealing his thunder, just wanted him to know that she had accepted this, this life she knew nothing about. To illustrate her acceptance she thought it only fair that she displayed a few of her own skeletons.
"Almost?" Jack asked, leaning on one elbow against the pillow.
"Yeah. I got pregnant in my late teens. Some jerk who claimed he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me until I got caught pregnant and he split. I had the baby still, I wanted to, I didn't think it right that some poor soul should suffer because of my mistake. My mother wasn't pleased but she helped. Most of my friends got bored and stopped calling and I had no other family so it wasn't a great time. I told myself it would be worth it though, because I would have a child who I could love, so I wouldn't need anything else. I went into labour a few weeks earlier and apparently the little guy wasn't ready, he was still born."
Jack smiled at her sadly and wiped away a tear with the back of his hand. "That's terrible," he said, "I can't imagine what it was like."
"Well I got over it in the end. Moved out of town and on with my life. Just like you I guess," she added, trying to cheer him.
"I guess," Jack said, not sure if he agreed with her.
"Were survivors Jack," she said, surprised that it didn't feel strange to be calling him by this new name, "we'll move on again and this time if will work out."
"I hope so," Jack said, smiling softly as she rolled out of bed and started to dress. Jack sat up and stretched before deciding that it was probably a good idea to get ready. Then he could go find a phone and make some calls, see which threats were present and how they could deal with them. He smiled to himself as he pulled on some jeans and then socks, he liked that Gina knew, his future was more definite. Now the path they took was narrowed and the choices weren't resting on his shoulders alone.
He rummaged through a drawer and pulled out a grey sweater. As he turned to pull it on he noticed Gina was watching him carefully. Her eyes were fixed on his bare chest and Jack swallowed hard knowing what her next question would be.
"Those scars," she said, almost running her fingers over them but not making contact with the skin, "I'm guessing they aren't from a car crash."
Jack looked down, again feeling guilty for all of the lies. "No, they aren't. A couple are gun shot wounds and the others are interrogation marks."
"You mean torture," she said bluntly, adding nothing further to her statement.
Jack nodded his head not knowing what else to say.
"Shit," she whispered under her breath, taking a deep breath before continuing, "well we need to start making some plans right?"
Jack nodded his head and then pulled the jumper on to hide his face. He couldn't' understand how she was being so calm about the truth, almost dismissive, unconcerned. He knew this reaction fit with her personality, she didn't hold grudges and she normally shrugged her shoulders and thought "fuk it" when things went wrong. She didn't dwell on the past, something he was grateful for. A part of him felt stupid for not confiding in her earlier, but somehow knowing she had fallen in love with him and not some dangerous myth instead made him more confident with the way the events had played out.
"I need to make a call," Jack said, thinking aloud, "its probably better that you stay here.
Gina smiled mischievously, "no way Jack, I'm coming along. Besides - how do I know you wont disappear on me too!" She was joking but the comment still hurt Jack, and she realised her error immediately. "I'm sorry, that wasn't very funny was it? Take me along and I'll cut out any stupid remarks my brain conjures up."
She held her hand out to Jack and he gently grabbed it and tightened her grip. "Deal."
The man watched from a sheltered alleyway near the small home as Jack and some unknown woman headed down the street. Judging by the way the girl clung to his arm and the smile on each of there faces they were involved. He clenched his hands into round fists as he tried to control the anger and frustration.
He stayed hidden and waited for another thirty minutes before causally walking across the road and up to the house. He pulled the envelope from Tony from inside his dark jacket and posted it through the rusted letter box. Once the item passed through the door he turned away and headed back to his spot, head down and arms stuck into his casual jacket as he did so. He didn't want anybody to recognise him while he was here.
Back in the safety of the alleyway the man got back into position and waited. Jack would come home at some point, and until then he entertained his mind with angry memories of the man and his betrayal.