A/N - 21st December, also known as the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere (in most years), is Kiefer Sutherland's birthday. I wrote a similar fanfic some years ago for Sarah Clarke (Nina), so I thought I would make one for Jack Bauer too. Jack's mother is never named in the series as far as I know, so I named her after Shirley Douglas (Sutherland's mother) who sadly passed away earlier this year. Jack's birthday is the same as that of Sutherland's real life daughter.
Santa Monica Hospital - Friday, February 18th, 1966
A little blond-haired boy was waiting nervously in the busy corridor, his aunt sat next to him. In a room not too far from them, his mother Shirley Bauer was in labour, preparing to bring her second son into the world. Her doting husband, Phillip Bauer, was at her side with his hand holding hers tightly.
My parents never really told me much about my birth, or even my early days. Mom died young and father was never around, more interested in his business than in his sons. I know my birth happened in the morning, a chilly one and especially so for California, and I know that despite my parent's distance, they were delighted to have me.
Phillip, a man who towered above most, held his newest child in his arms and smiled. Little Jack, with his fine, white blond hair, the newest part of his young family. He and Shirley had named both of their sons after family friends who were no longer with them. Still, he couldn't help but take his mind off of his son to focus on his work - he was certainly happy to have Jack, but BXJ Technologies was as much his child as his newborn son was. He looked forward to the day, some years off yet, when his two sons would work alongside him.
Although Phillip was my father, he never really seemed to be my dad. That role was filled by Sam, our butler, as much as he could, and whilst I appreciated and loved him for it, I never really got over how cold my biological father had been. Neither of us knew it at the time of my birth, of course, but I was always going to go my own way no matter what Phillip wanted.
A big grin on his face, Graem rushed into the room to meet his new younger brother. He had wanted a sibling for so long and now here was Jack. He couldn't wait for the baby to be old enough to play with.
I remember Sam telling me how delighted Graem had been to have a brother, but at the same time I don't remember my brother ever really showing that as we grew up. It seemed the novelty wore away quick, and we only grew further and further apart. By the time we were adults, I guess it was inevitable that only he would come close to meeting the expectations of our father. That hurt a little at first, but soon enough I had a family to love and take care of. I made a promise to myself that no matter what, I would do anything I could to be a good father - no, a good dad - to my children, whether I had one or ten of them.