Chloe stared at the phone in her hand. She had been sitting at her desk at home for the last ten minutes, just looking at her phone. To scared to call, too scared not to. Tony's words rang in her ears, Sometimes it really does hurt less to just walk away. She had less than five minutes to make up her mind. Or, she reckoned, another week. Jack knew what CTU schedules were like, he knew there would be times she couldn't call, and if she missed a time, he knew there be a call the next week. It had happened before. It would probably happen again.

But not tonight. Chloe could call, she was at home. It would be just another lie in the string that Chloe was rapidly approaching. Not calling Jack now would be… an act of cowardice. It wouldn't be walking away, it would be running away. Hiding.

Isn't that what I'm doing anyway? Chloe shook her head, trying to shake out the opposing voices. I'm hiding the truth about Kim from Jack, I'm hiding the truth about Jack from Kim, and in the end, I'm going to lie to myself and tell myself I don't care.

This sucks.

The phone stayed in Chloe's hand, though. As much as she wanted to put it back in the cradle, to deal with this problem later, she knew she couldn't. Jack was alone. Tony and Michelle were right; she really was all he had, now that he was dead. And he trusted her.

This really sucks.

Chloe checked her VOIP to make sure it was routed and encrypted correctly. She wouldn't take any risks she didn't have to. As she dialed the phone, she prayed he wouldn't answer. That he'd be in a crowd, or away from the new phone she'd sent him after she realized the Chinese were watching.

The Chinese. God that had scared her. Tony and Michelle had been right; there were things she wouldn't tell them. Like the fact she had been holding the phone in her hand to call Jack when she realized her system had been compromised. Another minute and the Chinese would have known. Another minute and they would have had all the information they needed to find Jack, and take him away for good.

As soon as she had re-secured her system, she called Jack to set-up new contact protocols. She remembered the pause on the other end of the line before he asked her if it would be better if she didn't call him anymore. Chloe hadn't even hesitated, Don't be silly, she said, we'll just be more careful. I'm not leaving you out there alone; you'll get bored and start a riot or something. And with a gentle laugh over the phone, the matter was settled.

OK, Chloe. You're the boss. He said. I'll trust you to take care of it.

I'll trust you… Chloe could hear his voice as clearly as if he were standing next to her. He trusted her to protect him. He trusted her to do whatever she needed to do to keep him safe. And that was the rub, wasn't it? Deep down, Chloe knew he would understand. He would understand that she had lied to him in order to protect him. And he would probably thank her for it. Of course, Chloe had to admit there would probably be a fair amount of yelling at her first.

The phone rang again on the other end. Another ring and protocol dictated that she hang up and wait until the next calling time.

"Hello?"

Here goes... "Hi, it's me... You OK to talk?"

"Yeah."

"Um…Still in Santa Fe?"

"No, I headed north two weeks ago, I'm in Chicago."

"Chicago?"

There was a tired laugh on the line, "Yeah, figured I'd see what Tony was always going on about. Frankly, I'm not too impressed. But it's close to the Canadian border. Just in case." There was a pause. "Are you OK? You sound a little more… distracted than usual."

"It's been a long day. I'm fine. Where in Chicago are you?"

"Here and there, I don't have a place yet. I'm working for a construction company that's not too particular about keeping employment records, been bunking with whatever co-worker can stand me for the moment."

"Should I make sure no one looks too closely at that company? INS, Chicago PD?"

"No. We had a deal, no interventions, no misdirections, Chloe. Too risky. I'll be fine."

"Right, sorry. Forgot."

Jack paused again, "Chloe, are you sure you're OK?"

"No. Yes. I-" She could tell him now, Chloe thought. She could end this.

I could get him killed.

"Chloe? Is something wrong?"

He trusts me. He needs me to protect him.

"Chloe!"

Even from the truth.

"I'm fine. Like I said, long day. Had lunch with Chase today, guess I'm a little distracted."

The line fell silent. Chloe could hear Jack struggling, trying to find the words to the questions he desperately needed to ask.

"Did he..? How-"

"He's fine." There, she said it. First lie down.

"And…"

"It's been hard. But she's holding on." Second lie. "It's just taking time, but I think she'll be fine." Third lie.

"Thank God. Chloe, promise me you'll keep an eye on her. Please?" The request was almost a plea. She could hear his desperate need to know that his daughter was safe and his acute pain to not be the one protecting her. And Chloe knew that keeping the truth from him was the best thing she could do for him.

"I promise." The truth.

"Anything else I need to know?"

Everything I know and nothing I can tell you.

"Tony and Michelle say, "Hi," I'm sure they'd like to hear from you, should I give-"

"No, Chloe. I can't." Chloe could hear the homesickness in his voice. "I can't. But can you tell them-"

"Sure, fine. No problem."

All of a sudden, Chloe had to get off the phone. She couldn't do it anymore, she couldn't breathe, "Jack, I have to go, I have to-"

"I understand, Chloe. I'm sorry I've kept you." There was no hesitation in his voice, nothing to indicate he didn't beleive every word she said. "Chloe, I know this is a burden for you..."

No, please I can't take this, "Jack, it is fine, really. You need me. I'm here. Listen, I… I really need to go now." Chloe fought to keep the tears from sounding in her voice.

"Thank you." Sincerity, no suspicion. "Please, about Kim…"

"I'll watch her. She won't even know." Chloe choked, digging the hole she was in deeper. How long can I keep this up?

"Same time next month?"

As long as I need to. "Yes."

There was a soft click and the line went dead. Chloe held the phone for another minute, fighting her tears, before she put it back in the cradle with a shaking hand. She stood and began to cross the floor toward the kitchen area, determined to get a drink of something stronger than the soda at her desk. But with each step, her breath became more ragged, and the tears came closer to the surface. Before she was halfway across the living room, her legs gave way and she collapsed on the floor.

As she struggled to pull her emotions back in check, a bitter realization came over her. These weren't tears of guilt or despair. They were tears of pain… and relief. They were the tears she had shed for her friend Andrew after his capture and rescue. Pain at what he had suffered, and the long recovery he would have. Relief that it was over, he was safe.

She was safe. She had lied to Jack, and he hadn't noticed. Nor would he ever, she realized. He would never call Tony and Michelle to double-check what she told him, and he was never coming home.

She had lied. She was safe.

I'm damned.