Chloe Gets Jack

by siofrafire

This is a continuation of Jack and Chloe's story. Saying goodbye and leaving Jack to live out whatever days he had left in a Russian prison wasn't an option Chloe could live with. Chloe lost her son, and it almost killed her, she couldn't lose Jack too. Warning this story contains mature themes. Please leave a review good or bad if you took the time to read this story.

"Jack... Jack!" Chloe woke up from the sound of her voice calling out to Jack. The room was pitch-black, and she was disoriented. It took her a few moments to remember where she was. Chloe calmed herself, forcing herself to take slow, steady breaths until her breathing returned to normal. She wiped the perspiration from her forehead and swung her legs over to the side of the bed. She clumsily reached for the lamp as her fingers searched for the switch to turn on the light. She had been staying at the hotel Las Cayes for almost a week, and this was the first night she could sleep long enough to have a dream. Although she wouldn't necessarily call it a dream, it felt more like a nightmare realizing that Jack was still gone.

Consecutive hours of sleep had eluded her for weeks; she was bone-weary, tired, and exhausted. It had been almost three months since Jack had given himself over to the Russians to secure her freedom and Chloe knew if by some divine miracle Jack was still alive, he was most certainly running out of time.

After the fiasco in London, it took weeks for Chloe to be released from debriefing on the events surrounding the retrieval of the Yate's Device. She was interviewed, although it felt more like being interrogated by representatives of the British, Chinese, and American governments. Eventually, she was granted complete immunity for leaking highly sensitive government documents while working for Free Cell in exchange for recovering all of Adrian's intel and decrypting the programs he used to breach multiple government defense firewalls. Still, her immunity was mainly granted because of her help to Jack in recovering the Yate's Device, which was now classified as a dangerous weapon of mass destruction.

James Heller, in one of the last acts of his Presidency, granted full pardons for both Jack and Chloe for all past crimes, not just because of the recovery of the Yate's Device but also for what they had done in the past to secure the safety of the American people and their government. Many politicians were unhappy with President Heller's decision, but James knew full well he would never have to face any political fallout due to his soon-to-be resignation. His Alzheimer's disease was progressing quickly, and it would soon eventually rob him of every memory, but he knew in his heart that Jack and Chloe were American heroes and deserved this last act of kindness. President Heller assumed that Jack was already dead, but even if he weren't, Jack would spend the rest of his days in a Russian prison. James Heller was saddened by that reality, especially after all that Jack had sacrificed for his country, but at the very least, with his pardon, Jack's name would be cleared, and his family could take some solace and comfort in that.

Chloe knew she could never piece any part of her life together as long as Jack was suffering in a Russian prison. It wasn't just any prison he was forced to serve in; it was the most dangerous and notorious prison in Russia. Jack was in the infamous Black Dolphin, where currently, 700 of the most severe criminals in Russia were housed. They had a long list of murderers, child molesters, terrorists, serial killers, some Cannibals, and so-called maniacs.

Jack was all Chloe had left in this world, and she couldn't leave him there to rot. She learned many things while working for Adrian and with Open Cell. She had years of access to the underground world, and now her connections would soon pay off, or so she hoped.

Even while the government was still debriefing Chloe for her role in the hacker syndicate Open Cell, she was forging a plan to save Jack.

For years while working at CTU, Chloe had helped Jack coordinate missions, both on and off-book. Risky missions involved securing high-valued assets and rendering inoperable high-valued targets, among many other things. Often assignments were labeled impossible, but somehow with Jack in the field and her helping at coms, the missions were successful. She didn't know without Jack if this rescue could ever be successful, but she knew she had to try.

Chloe also knew that trying to extract Jack from a Russian prison would be beyond dangerous, but the only thing she had left to lose besides Jack was her own life. After losing Prescott, her sweet baby boy, Morris, and her career, if she lost Jack too, she didn't care if she lived or died. There was nothing left of her former life but haunting memories of people and things she could never go back to, so Chloe knew she was all in.

Chloe couldn't live with the guilt of what working with Adrian had done; the role it played in forcing Jack to come out of hiding again to save her life was more than she could bear. If it weren't for her mistakes, Jack would still be safe.

Years ago, the Chinese tortured Jack for over twenty months; she had seen what it had done to him physically and emotionally. Living with the knowledge that Jack was again at the mercy of like-minded evil was the only thing that kept her from giving up on her own life. Something she had often contemplated after her Prescott was killed. She knew that she was Jack's only chance of ever getting out of Black Dolphin alive, and she would make it happen or die trying.

Chloe would need tons of black coffee and a hot, hot shower if she were ever going to be any use in accomplishing her objectives for the day. She forced herself off the bed and walked across the room to put the coffee pot on. While she waited for the black gold to brew, she turned the water on in the shower, and when the coffee was ready, Chloe poured a cup and finished it quickly. She poured herself a second cup to drink in the shower. She was beyond tired and needed the kickstart. The bathroom was full of steam; when she looked in the foggy mirror, she barely recognized her reflection. So much loss had taken its toll; she thought her wrinkles were more profound than they should have been for a woman her age. It didn't help that she barely slept or ate adequately anymore. She rubbed her hand across the fogging mirror to get one last glimpse of the stranger staring back at her. Chloe stepped into the shower and let the hot water penetrate her sore and achy muscles as she drank the remainder of her coffee.

Chloe's mind wandered as the hot water spilled off of her back. What was it about Jack that had often pulled her into his world repeatedly? She had followed him on his roads of the ends, justifying the means so many times, too many times to count. It had put a wedge between every relationship she had, both personally and professionally. Her defiance in obeying superiors to help Jack had stopped her from moving up the ladder of success in her career at CTU. Even now, she wondered why her allegiance and belief in Jack had been so strong before she knew his whole character. She had asked herself that question a million times and never seemed to come up with a clear answer. Maybe it was her fate, her destiny, to help Jack save the lives of so many people. Perhaps if she was being completely honest about it for the first time in her life regarding Jack, it was just as simple as she loved him, maybe even ever since the first time she saw him… She could never admit that to herself before. She was always too logical and mathematical in her approach to life. Where did that scenario fit into the way she viewed the world? The short answer is it didn't.

As far back as Chloe could remember, she often rubbed people the wrong way. Even as a small child, she could remember adults thinking she was too precocious. She was always too direct, too sarcastic, too intelligent, and too quick-witted for most people's liking. She never seemed to fit in anywhere. People always treated her a little differently because of it. They often underestimated her or, worse, didn't take her seriously because of her awkwardness, but the two people in her life who never did that were Morris and Jack. They always believed in her capabilities when others didn't.

Chloe never cared about social politics, and she would rather people leave her alone than have to pretend to like someone that annoyed her. High school was no different and would have been a hideous existence if she didn't always find a way to get back at the bullies in school. Chloe was grateful for the backbone her challenging childhood forged in her. It had served her well many times throughout her entire life.

Going to high school and being surrounded by a group of people who would never be her intellectual equal or even the slightest bit interesting to her in any way, shape or form had always seemed like such a big waste of her time. The one bright spot was finding ways to humiliate the boorish bullies on behalf of the weak and defeated.

Once, she hacked into the school's computer system and had it reflect that Scott Johnson had ditched twenty-eight days of school, even though he didn't. When his mother received the phone call about his truancies, she was so upset that she showed up at the school, pulled Scott out of class by his ear, and continued to wail on him in front of the school building, yelling at him loud enough to alert most of the school as to what was happening, prompting everyone to run from their seat to watch the beat down from their classroom windows.

Chloe didn't feel the least bit bad about either because she had repeatedly witnessed Scott beating up people much smaller and weaker than him. She was happy to dole out a little justice to the hateful creep in the name of fairness.

Maybe that was one of the things that drew her to Jack; he believed in justice too. Chloe's personal and professional life had never been the same since she met Jack. So many times, she had his back and supported him, even going so far as to disobey direct orders from her superiors, often to her peril. She had jeopardized her professional life whenever she agreed to help Jack when he demanded to go dark or off-book. Over the years, they had gone through so many crises, so many losses, and so many last-minute victories; maybe that's why she continued to sacrifice so much for Jack, because of their friendship. They were friends, weren't they? How else could she describe their relationship? She asked herself. She knew so many intimate and personal details about Jack, yet was a friend even the right word to tell what they were to each other? They had never gone to dinner together, caught a movie or a play together, and never even grabbed a quick bite to eat for lunch together. Had she ever seen Jack laugh? She couldn't tell you how he liked to spend his downtime. However, years ago, Jack had come out of hiding to save her life, putting his own life in danger to make sure she was safe, just as he had recently done again, and she knew he had never even thought twice about it.

Chloe may be unable to tell you his favorite meal, but she knew other things about Jack. She knew how many tours of duty he had done, the women he had loved and lost, his favorite choice of weapons, his strength of determination, and the depths of his loyalty. She knew in detail every scar he had on his body and how he had acquired them, not because he had ever shared with her how he got them, but because she was the one that logged his personnel files for CTU. Chloe knew by observing him that on several occasions, jack was embarrassed anytime someone that didn't know what happened to him caught a glimpse of them. She knew Jack loved deeply, fought valiantly, and would sacrifice life and limb to save or help his friends, his family, and his country. Even after his government had betrayed him and used him repeatedly. He would still lay down his life for them because he was a patriot. She knew Jack loved his daughter profoundly, even when it had to be from a distance because Kim blamed him for her mother's death and for having to fake his death to his friends and family. He never faulted her and completely understood why she felt the way she did. Chloe knew that Jack had been tortured in every sense of the word, but Chloe also knew that Kim's disappointment in Jack had cut him and hurt him the deepest. She was glad Kim had, in time, allowed Jack back into her life.

Before Jack was whisked away in a helicopter by the Russians, he squeezed Chloe's hand, told her she was his best friend and told her to look in on his family. Chloe knew Jack loved her even if he had never been in love with her; she didn't care if he never could love her the same way she loved him, she just wanted him back, and she would do whatever it took to make it happen.

When abruptly the water turned cold in the shower, it brought Chloe back to reality, and it was crucial to get started on the day. She didn't have any more time to waste; if he were still alive, she would get him back. Every minute counted, and she wouldn't waste any more time thinking about anything other than the mission.

Jack had no idea what day or time it was; he was in a small space. It had no windows, only a toilet and a small, thin mat on the concrete floor. He knew his time there hadn't been near the amount of time he had spent in a Chinese prison, but he was now older and much more broken of a man. He had way less fight than when he had been taken to China; it already felt like an eternity had passed there. He had lost Kim again, and what made it worse this time was that he would never see his beautiful granddaughter again or even get to meet his second grandchild. He wasn't fighting to get back to Audrey, there was no government worried about him anymore, and anyone who owed Jack any favors was long gone or no longer had any political power. His leg was in constant pain from being broken. He knew it hadn't been set correctly, and the healing would only leave him with a severe painful limp. He no longer registered the pain in his face because of how much his leg had bothered him. He would have done it long ago if he had access to any sheets or blankets and something to hang himself from. He was more than ready for his life to be over. Time left nothing but reflection, and too many memories and ghosts made it mentally unbearable.

Jack knew many people thought he was a monster because of what he had done, especially after Renee's death, but his one ray of light was knowing that Chloe didn't think so. Jack knew she didn't see him that way. Ever since he had met Chloe at CTU, she had always found a way to have his back. He would never have imagined that the strange, awkward young girl he met so many years ago would be the only consistent thread that remained in his life, one that never unraveled regardless of what was thrown at him.

He thought motherhood had changed Chloe for the better; it had mellowed her harsh edges, making her more approachable to the people she worked with, not that he had ever minded her personality. He just thought she was quirky. It saddened him to see what the death of Prescott had done to her. He knew Chloe deserved much better than such a terrible reality in this life, and it was just another one of his regrets that he wasn't able to be there for her when she lost her son and that he didn't even know about it until just a few months ago.

Chloe was one of the most intelligent women he had ever met, and he admired her loyalty. It was something he had learned to depend on. It wasn't easy for him to trust people. He found out firsthand the hard way the very depths of betrayal in people's hearts. He wished he would never have questioned Chloe's loyalty while recovering the Yate's Device. She said she understood why he would have doubts about her, but he knew he had deeply hurt her after years of being there for him any time he ever asked. Just more regret in a long list of the sea of regrets he constantly was drowning in.

Jack had put Chloe in so many precarious situations; he hoped she had forgiven him as she had done so many times before. Chloe's face was the last one of love and friendship he would ever see before he died in this miserable prison, and he etched her face deep in his mind's eye. He wished now that he had invested more time into her as a person and not just seen her as a loyal, valuable colleague who was a friend. He never took the time to get to know her. The cold truth was hard for him to face; he had hardly pictured her more than a voice always guiding him and directing him on the other side of coms, but she had a whole life that he didn't know anything about and one that shamelessly he never asked her about. Why didn't he know anything about her divorce from Morris or why she remarried him years later? Jack was familiar with the strange places the mind would wander to when there was so much idle time to pass. The guilt he had coursing through his veins was thick and cumbersome. He never apologized to Chloe even though he knew it was his fault for ruining her career at CTU. Chloe would have gone far; he knew she would have gone all the way to the top if it wasn't for him. Chloe knew so many things about him, so many of his faults; she had been one of the first to know about the heroin addiction he acquired when he had to penetrate the drug cartel. She knew about his affair with the drug lord's wife; she knew about him being with Nina when he was separated from Teri. Chloe knew about all the reasons people who were close to him ended up hurt or dead. The same reason the Russians kidnaped Chloe. Yet she never seemed to judge him for any of it. Jack rationalized to himself that he never personally invested in getting to know Chloe more because if he didn't get too close to her, no one would have a reason to hurt her or come after her. Still, in the end, they found a way to use her against him.

Jack tried to sleep; it was his only reprieve from his hell on earth. Chloe had jeans and a black World of Warcraft shirt on. Her hair was long and strawberry blond again. Jack wondered why she was walking through the door with her arms full of wood. She dropped the wood by his side. "Firewood for the fire." Jack looked down at the fireplace; why hadn't he noticed it before? Chloe walked to the fridge, grabbed two beers, and opened both by hitting the cap on the side of the countertop. Tom Petty was playing softly in the background. Chloe brought him the dark amber beer. Nothing made any sense to Jack. "Are you going to start the fire or what?" Jack knelt by the fireplace to start the fire; he had a lighter in his hand. He wondered where it had come from. Jack got the fire going and was sipping on his beer, being warmed by the heat of the flames. "Do you want parm on your spaghetti?" Jack was just about to answer Chloe when he turned over in his sleep, and the pain in his leg woke him up. It was a dream. Usually, he had nothing but nightmares in his sleep, but this was a fantastic dream he was having. It was nice visiting with Chloe and sitting by the fire; it was always so damn cold in his miserable cell. He wanted desperately to go back to sleep so he could continue such a pleasant dream, but it was too late; the pain was overwhelming again, and he wouldn't be able to sleep until his eyes closed from pure exhaustion.

Chloe was almost done; just a few more days of cycling through Adrian's program, and she would have enough money for the mission. Thousands upon thousands of people would soon have their bank accounts hit. Chloe didn't feel good about it, but she took some small comfort in knowing no one would have more than five dollars removed from their account. The money would then be funneled into accounts that would then be channeled into other accounts, making it extremely difficult to find out who was behind the hits. Chloe knew eventually it would catch up to her, but the maze of firewalls would keep them busy for quite some time.

Chloe would soon be able to gather her team and make the necessary provisions to complete the next step in preparing for Jack's rescue. The team she hired would not come cheap by any stretch of the imagination. They were all elite ex-military Special Forces. These operatives were well-versed in personal combat and covert operations; they were trained and equipped to use unconventional tactics and techniques to deploy whatever skills were necessary to get the job done. Each now used their specialized talents to be bought for various reasons, usually without conscious or morality, as long as enough money was paid to supply what others couldn't.

Chloe hoped that by next week she would be flying back with Jack. From the little intel, Chloe was able to gather from hacking the Black Dolphin prison records, she learned that Jack had been severely injured. She was glad she had chosen the Dominican Republic for Jack to heal and recover. With the medical team's help, the warm sun, and the beautiful beaches, it would be an ideal place to decompress from whatever the Russians had put him through.

The Black Dolphin Prison was located in Sol-llessk Russia in the Orenburg Region near the Southern border of Kazakhstan. Chloe was planning a rescue mission from one of the most brutal prisons in all of Russia, and it wasn't going to be a walk in the park. The prison had over 900 guards and staff for only 700 people. When prisoners arrive at Black Dolphin, they are blindfolded, and anytime they are moved from a location, they are handcuffed in a bent position so that the prisoners cannot gauge the prison's layout. The inmates housed at Black Dolphin were also monitored with 24-hour surveillance. A guard physically checked on each prisoner every 15 minutes, so unless Chloe were willing to gas the entire prison facility, she would have to find a different way to get Jack out. Going in hot with that many guards would never be anything but a suicide mission. Chloe would have to find a different strategy to make this happen.

After much deliberation, research, and running different scenarios through a specialized computer program, she realized there was only one way to extricate Jack.

Denis Ivanov was the Warden at Black Dolphin. His wife died of cancer two years prior, and his daughter Yelena was his whole life; she was only 13 years old. Chloe wasn't happy with what needed to be done, but kidnapping Yelena was the only way she could confidently force the warden's hand into moving Jack for transport. Chloe didn't want the warden to be punished for making him help them, so she already planned to provide him with forged documentation requesting the official transfer of Jack Bauer so that when all was said and done, it would look like the warden was acting on good faith following the orders of the powers that be. Chloe didn't want to ruin Yelena's life by taking away the only parent she had left, but she wouldn't tell Ivanov all of her plans until Jack was safe. Chloe didn't want Denis Ivanov to perceive her kindness as a weakness, thus thinking she wouldn't harm his daughter and jeopardize their chances of a successful rescue. Chloe had no choice but to make Ivanov believe she would do whatever it took to make him comply, including hurting or even killing his daughter if he disagreed.

Chloe knew one of the reasons that Jack was so successful where other people would fail was because he was always willing to do whatever it took and go as far as he had to to get the job done. Chloe questioned her resolve on what she was ready to do; how far was she willing to go with Yelena? She hoped Ivanov would be easily motivated by his daughter's safety, but if he wasn't, could Chloe order the harm of a child? She knew she wasn't willing to kill her, but would she let a child be slapped around? Would she let a leg be shot? How could she contemplate doing such a thing? Thinking about Jack spending the rest of his life in that hell hole made Chloe keenly aware of just how far she would go, and yes, she was willing to use Yelena to do it. Chloe knew Jack would be furious about using an innocent to save his life. Sometimes Jack had collateral damage on his missions but always for the safety of the many. He would not value his own life the way he did others, and he would disapprove of what she was doing. Jack may never forgive her for being such a monster, but she decided she could live with that as long as he was out of Black Dolphin.

Chloe began setting the perimeters of the mission, outlining each objective step by step. She had already requisitioned a Cessna Citation Longitude from a CIA storage facility; the facility was used to house evidence and assets seized from CIA busts from all over the world. The particular jet she requisitioned could easily hold up to 12 people and two pilots. Once Chloe was done hacking into the CIA holding facility, she arranged for pick up and clearance for her pilots to land in the Dominican Republic, where her base of operations was now located.

Making the necessary arrangements for the final extraction would be difficult. Chloe had to hack into the Russian government's correctional records to precisely execute legitimate-looking "transfer" documentation for Jack ordering his move from Black Dolphin to the Butyrka Prison in Moscow, Central District; this was the paperwork that would hopefully keep Yelena and her father Ivanov together if Jack's rescue was successful.

Chloe then arranged for their jet to land in Kazakhstan through proper authorities and flight channels; she used her medical team's credentials and the organization Doctors without Borders to falsify the appropriate documentation they would need for their landing. Having the medical team accompany them would give them a legitimate reason to get through the border checkpoint. Her operatives would have justification to be with them hired as private security, providing safety for the medical team to and from their locations. Finally, providing transportation for them when they arrived would be the last hurdle Chloe needed to overcome to make the mission a go.

Chloe knew, as did every team member, that if anything went wrong and they were caught, there would be no rescue for them. The risk was huge, but then again, that's why Chloe hired them. They were in this for money, and she knew they had just as much reason to want a successful mission as she did.

Chloe had worked on all the details over and over again until she was confident that not one thing more could be added or changed to make the mission as safe as possible. They would leave in two days to extract Jack from Black Dolphin.

Once they were in the air, reaching their destination would take approximately 14 and ½ hours. When they arrived, they would quickly cross the border just a few miles away from their landing site. Four men would stay behind to guard the plane for their egress. Once they arrived in Sol-lessk, they would wait for Denis Ivanov to arrive at Black Dolphin. He worked from noon until eight in the evening. Once they had the cover of darkness, they would move in and take Yelena. The men would drug her just long enough to keep her quiet until reaching an abandoned building not far from her home. Chloe had previously scouted the place they would use. She used intel from a single hire that went to Russia before her team to find the perfect location.

That evening when Ivanov arrived at his home, as was his routine, he called out to his daughter, but she did not answer this time. He called her again, "Yelena, I'm home, Angel." Again there was no answer, and when he walked into the kitchen, he was greeted by Chloe O'Brian. "Hello, Mr. Ivanov."

"Who are you?" he asked loudly. "Where is my daughter Yelena?"

"Mr. Ivanov, you will remain calm and quiet your voice if you ever want to see your daughter alive again. Do you understand me? Mr. Ivanov, tell me that you understand me!" He shook his head yes. "Good, now we can move on."

"Please, who are you? What do you want? What have you done with Yelena? Please, tell me where she is?"

"Sit down, Mr. Ivanov."

"No! I won't sit down."

Chloe held her silencer in clear view now. "Mr. Ivanov, you will sit down, you will lower your voice, and I will tell you everything you need to know."

"Please, please let me see my daughter."

I can arrange that for you." Chloe moved the screen of her laptop around so Ivanov could see his daughter clearly and that she was bound and gagged and sitting in a chair between two men. "Oh, Dear God, why are you doing this? What do you want from me?"

"I will answer all of your questions and explain exactly what I want from you, and if you ever want to see your daughter alive again, you will listen very carefully, and you will do exactly what I tell you to do. If you do this, I promise you, Mr. Ivanov, then and only then will Yelena be back safe in your arms by tomorrow evening."

"Please, Please don't hurt her; I will do as you say."

"Of course, you will because you love your daughter and because if you don't do exactly as I say, the next time you see her will be in a body bag." Chloe hated herself for having to be so cruel. "Tomorrow, when you return to work, you will act as if nothing is wrong, and you will execute the necessary procedures to safely transfer Jack Bauer's custody from your prison to my men.

"No, I cannot do this; this is impossible."

"Oh, I don't think so, Mr. Ivanov. Your daughter is a beautiful girl. You know what sex trafficking is, yes?"

"Oh God no! Please, no! I'll do what you ask!"

"I know you will because I promise you if anything goes wrong tomorrow, first I will give Yelena over to the two men that are holding her now, and then I will give her to anyone that will pay good money to have such a pretty young girl for whatever pleasure they want." Mr. Ivanov had tears coming down his face, and Chloe felt sick to her stomach. She thought she might even throw up any second. She knew this moment was coming for days now, and she had tried to mentally prepare herself for how horrible it was going to be, but it was even worse than she expected. Chloe had thought very long and hard about this situation long before she had ever stepped one foot into Russia. She felt this threat was the only way she would not have to demonstrate to Ivanov that she was willing to hurt Yelena to get what she wanted. At least this way, Yelena would not be harmed or hear what was being discussed. Chloe knew how much Ivanov cared for his daughter, and he would never put her in jeopardy of ever having to live thru such an ordeal. Chloe knew he would do whatever it took to keep his daughter from being raped.

"Mr. Ivanov, I know it is going to be a very long night for you, but if you do anything to alert a neighbor or the authorities, I promise you it will be an even longer night for Yelena with my men, but I give you my word that Yelena will be safe in your home very soon as long as you cooperate and produce Jack Bauer tomorrow. Are we clear?"

"Yes, we are clear. Can I please talk to my daughter?"

"I will call her so that you can reassure her she will be safe, but I warn you, do not try to get any information about where she is staying, or I will take my men off of their leashes."

"I understand." Chloe placed the call, and one of the men undid Yelena's gag, and he held the phone up to her ear.

"Yelena? Yelena, are you okay angel?"

"Yelena's voice cracked, trying to push past the tears so she could talk. "Yes, Papa, I'm okay."

"Did they hurt you, angel?"

"No, Papa. Please, Papa, come get me. I'm so scared." Yelena was fully crying now.

"I know, angel, but it's going to be okay; this will all be over very soon. Yelena, these people are making me do something for them, but you will be home safe as soon as I am done."

"Papa, I want to come home now."

"I know, try and be a brave little angel, and we will be together again soon. I love you."

"I love you too, Papa!" Mr. Ivanov watched the live feed as the phone was disconnected and the gag was put back on his daughter's tear-stained face.

"You people are monsters."

"Yes, we are, Mr. Ivanov, so please don't forget that." Chloe was disgusted and imagined what she would be going through if someone had done to her precious son Prescott what she had just done to Yelena and her father, and she knew she would have to live with the disgusting stain of it on her soul for the rest of her life.

The next day Jack was being moved from his cell. He could barely hobble due to his leg, and he wondered what form of punishment they would use on him today. He wished they would just kill him, but he knew they wouldn't give him the satisfaction of a quick death after what he had done to the Russians in their embassy after Renee had been murdered. He was blindfolded and handcuffed, bent over at the waist as was the custom for all prisoners here whenever they were being moved. The guards almost had to pick him up due to his injury. He thought they were turning in a different direction than usual. He was taken to a place further than he had ever gone before. He wondered what new hell awaited him behind the door of his new destination. He recognized the voice that was speaking; it was the warden. "Jack, you are being transferred."

"Transferred? Where to? Why?"

"These are not things for me to know. You will find out, I'm sure, whenever you arrive."

Jack knew that being transferred would be the only opportunity he would ever have to escape, but he had little strength left and was seriously stifled by his leg injury; he also had no idea where in Russia he was.

When Chloe's men arrived to pick up Jack, they handed the warden the "official" paperwork sanctioning the transfer of Jack Bauer along with a note that read, "When Jack has arrived at his destination safely, we will release your daughter unharmed. The paperwork provided to you will help you remain free from being imprisoned yourself for helping to let Jack Bauer leave your prison. They will not be able to fault you for following official orders. However, if you do one thing out of the ordinary today before your shift ends, your daughter will be dead before you can even make it home. Please destroy this note as soon as you have read it, or it may jeopardize your case for deniability.

Jack was still blindfolded and still had handcuffs on. As soon as he was lifted into the van and the doors shut behind him, one of the men took off his blindfold. Jack's eyes were trying to adjust to the light while quickly formulating a plan of escape or, at the very least, creating a situation where the guards had to kill him before he arrived at an even worse hell that most assuredly awaited him. Once they exited the prison and were well down the road, one of the men reached over and unlocked Jack from his handcuffs and was about to explain to him what they were doing there. However, before he could get a word out, Jack head-butted him, and the man fell backward; he then elbowed the other guard in the ribs. Jack tried desperately to hobble his way to the back of the van doors so he could hopefully jump to his death. The guard that had been head-butted grabbed a taser and shocked Jack. "Enough already, Jack, settle your ass down!" Jack fell to the floor, and when he could finally speak, he said, "You're American?"

"Yes, Jack, we are indeed American. We could have told you if you had just given us a damn second."

"Told me what?"

"Jack, we are here to help you; we got you out of Black Dolphin not to take you to some other hole but to take you home."

"On whose authority? Did President Heller order this rescue?"

"Oh yeah, you had no way of knowing. Mr. Heller is no longer President."

"I don't understand. If not him, then who?"

"Chloe O'Brian."

"Chloe? Chloe arranged this? How I don't understand?"

"It wasn't easy, but she's responsible for planning, funding, and executing this mission. She must be an excellent friend because this was one expensive operation."

"Where is she now?"

"She's waiting for your safe return at an abandoned building just a few clicks south of here."

"How are we supposed to get out of here? We don't seem to be in any hurry; won't they be looking for us?"

"Your girl Chloe has it all under control. She will let the warden's daughter go as soon as you arrive."

"His daughter?"

"Yeah, he has a 13-year-old daughter; it was how Chloe got the warden to cooperate."

"Chloe wouldn't do that; she wouldn't use a child like that."

"Well, she could, and she did, and that's how we got you out. It's the only reason you still aren't rotting at Black Dolphin. As soon as we meet up with Chloe, we'll head out to the plane we have waiting just across the border to take us to the DR."

Chloe was on pins and needles; she desperately wanted Jack in plain view and to leave before any authorities could figure out what had happened to Jack. When Jack arrived, Chloe ran to him. For a moment, no words could escape her mouth. There was only silence. Jack was in far worse shape than she imagined; she wished she could have gotten to him sooner. She hugged him gently, and Jack returned the hug, only he held on to Chloe a little longer and a little more tightly. "I'm so sorry, Jack, it took me so long to get you out." She whispered desperately in his ear. "Chloe, you came when you could; I never expected you to come at all. I can hardly believe that you were able to make this happen. The men were filling me in a little on the way here; you used the warden's daughter?"

"Yes, I did, Jack, and you can be mad all you want, but she wasn't hurt, and eventually, she will get over it! You can't possibly make me feel worse than I do, but I would do it again a million times over because you're out, Jack, and that's the only thing that matters right now."

Jack could hear the cracking in Chloe's voice, and he knew she was on the brink of tears. "Listen, Jack, you can be angry and disappointed with me and my methods later, but we must go now."

"Chloe, I…"

"Not now, Jack, okay, just not now." Jack was about to tell her that he was grateful and that she had misunderstood. He wanted to tell her he wasn't upset with her, but it would have to wait.

Chloe let Yelena go; Yelena was about a ten-minute walk from her home. Chloe instructed the young girl to say nothing about what happened to anyone, or her father would be killed. Chloe also told her to wait for him at home and that he would arrive after work just as he always had.

Denis Ivanov was desperate to get home to his daughter, but he knew that he could not deviate from his regular schedule in any way; he prayed that his daughter was safe just as the woman had promised him. He couldn't call for fear that his conversation would be recorded at the prison. Eventually, when it was time for him to go home, he rushed as quickly as possible without being obvious to anyone. When Ivanov found that his young daughter Yelena was safe, he was grateful Chloe kept her word and covered his back in the process. He hated her for what she had done to him and his daughter, but he was grateful that she had covered his tracks in aiding Jack's escape so that he wouldn't be separated from his daughter.

Chloe, Jack, and the rest of the team made their way to the plane, and as soon as they were airborne, Chloe could finally breathe. Jack and Chloe were sitting on opposite sides of the airplane; Chloe didn't think she could face Jack's disappointment in her while her emotions were all over the place. Jack desperately wanted to set the record straight, but he was a private man and decided to wait until they were alone.

Chloe could see how much pain Jack was in; she instructed the doctor to do what he could for him now to control his pain. When the doctor looked him over, he gave him some pills to make him more comfortable. Chloe brought Jack some food and water; he humbly thanked them before returning to their seats. Jack didn't feel like eating, so he closed his eyes and slept the entire flight home.

Jack woke up to the plane descending; once they landed in the Dominican Republic, they all drove back to the hotel, Chloe's base of operation. When they arrived, Chloe got to work on transferring the remainder of the monies owed to her men. The job was complete, and for now, Jack and she were safe, and she was relieved that everything went according to plan.

"Jack, a medical team at the clinic is standing by waiting to evaluate you properly. I hired the best of the best for you. Your surgeon, anesthesiologist, and nurse are highly qualified. They are willing to keep everything on the down-low for the money they are receiving, so hopefully, we can keep you off the Russian radar.

Now that Jack and Chloe were finally alone, Jack could freely speak to her. "Chloe, I don't know how in the hell you pulled this off. It's incredible what you did, I know that a simple thank you isn't nearly enough to convey my gratitude, but it's all I have, so thank you."

Chloe was glad she didn't hear the accusatory tone she thought she had heard in Jack's voice when he questioned her earlier about using the warden's daughter. "I'm dying to hear all the details Chloe, but I would love to have a shower first; it's been quite a long time since I've had one, and maybe we can put off seeing the medical team until tomorrow? I could use the rest if you have a couple more pain pills that should get me through until tomorrow."

"Of course, Jack, I'll let them know. I have everything you need including a razor if you want one. A mirror is hanging in the shower, and all the toiletries you need are on the counter by the sink, including shaving cream and clean towels." Chloe walked to the dresser drawers and pulled out some clothes, "I'll put these on the counter for you too." She walked into the bathroom and turned the hot water on for Jack. "It takes a minute for the water to heat up, so I got it started for you."

Jack was still shocked and quite amazed that Chloe pulled off the rescue mission. Every time he saw her, he thought maybe he was dreaming, and everything that had happened would be the realization of a cruel nightmare when he woke up from another fantastic dream. He would again be forced back into living his horrible reality. If that was the case, he hoped he wouldn't wake up until after he had a hot shower. "Thanks, Chloe; as always, you've thought of everything."

"Sure, Jack, no problem." Jack, with Chloe's help, made his way to the bathroom. When he finally got a chance to look in the mirror, he couldn't believe his appearance was monstrous. His beard was long and straggly, the entire side of his left face was purple and bruised, and his eye socket was broken a few weeks prior, but the bruising had remained. His nose was broken, he had missing teeth, and he was much grayer now than he had been just a few months ago. He was thin and frail-looking, and I realized then that he looked like a battered old man who had been run over by a Mack truck. Jack stepped away from the mirror in disbelief and headed for the shower; only then did he realize he would need help to get in because of his leg. He needed Chloe to help him get over the tub. He was embarrassed by his body's condition; he wasn't used to relying on people for anything, especially something as simple as a shower, but he knew the reality was that he had no choice. He wasn't fond of the idea, but if he were going to get the hot shower he desperately needed, he would have to swallow his pride. Anything would be better than spending another minute covered in weeks worth of grime and dried blood.

"Chloe, "He called out to her from the bathroom.

"Yeah, Jack?"

"I hate to bother you again, but I need your help in the shower; it's a little difficult because of this leg of mine." Chloe was silent for just a moment; she was a tad embarrassed about the thought of helping Jack into the shower.

"Chloe, you there?"

"Yeah, Jack, I'm here."

Chloe forced herself to walk through the bathroom door as if nudity was an everyday thing. Chloe tried to be casual; she didn't want Jack to know how completely uncomfortable she sometimes was, as if she never grew up and stayed that ridiculously ill-at-ease teenager she once was. Chloe tried not to stare at his frail frame. Jack was usually so robust. She had seen the maze of scars and striped patterns on his chest and back before, and it never ceased to amaze her how much Jack had lived through; his time in Black Dolphin had added even more.

Jack saw the pain in Chloe's eyes when she tried to hide how the sight of him affected her; she had never made him feel ashamed or embarrassed before, but there was no denying the pity she was feeling for him, and he hated the way that felt. He quickly closed the curtain, and Chloe told him to call her when he was done, and she would be back to help him out.

Chloe sat on the bed and cried while Jack was in the shower. It was her involvement in Free Cell, getting captured by the CIA, and ultimately being taken by the Russians that had put Jack at Black Dolphin. She would never be able to forgive herself for what he had been through these last few months. Chloe didn't hear the water being turned off. Jack called out her name, "Chloe…." He waited a bit and called her name again, only a little louder this time. Chloe heard him the second time and looked up at the clock. She couldn't believe it had already been almost 40 minutes since Jack started his shower. She had been lost in her thoughts. She wiped the tears from her face and quickly went to the bathroom door. "I'm here, Jack." She opened the door and handed Jack his towel through the curtain. Jack quickly dried himself off and wrapped himself in it. He pulled back the curtain and leaned into Chloe's body for support to get over the tub. He was in agony, but the steaming hot shower had been worth it. He would have stayed under the water for eternity if the hot water had lasted. Chloe, in her awkwardness, blurted out, "I bet you needed that!" As soon as the words came out, she wished she could dive into a hole somewhere. She didn't mean for it to come out that way at all! Jack kind of chuckled, "Well, yeah, I guess I did." Chloe wanted to explain herself further; sometimes, she felt like such a bumbling idiot, but that would have made things even more awkward, so she left it alone. She stammered, "Do you need any help getting dressed?"

"No, I think I got it. I'll have to sit on the bed in the room, though, I'm just going to brush my teeth first, well…what I have left of them, and then I'll be out."

"Yeah, okay, no problem." Chloe sneaked away from the bathroom for the second time today.

Jack came out with a slight smile on his face. "I guess I needed that too!"

Chloe awkwardly laughed, "Yeah, I guess so." Jack sat on the bed and finished getting dressed. He was still in excruciating pain, a state of being he had become all too familiar with; despite the pain, he felt like a new man. The shave and shower had done him wonders. "I want to talk to you, Chloe, about how you made all this happen."

"Jack, there will be plenty of time to catch up on all the details, but you should be checked out by the doctor first. What little intel I had on you, I knew you were bad off, Jack, but it's worse than I imagined. I'm so sorry, Jack." Chloe again had tears in her eyes.

"Chloe, please don't cry; it's not your fault, not any of it."

"Come on, Jack, don't!"

"Don't what?" Chloe's voice sounded angry now. "If it weren't for me, you never would have gone to prison; you would never have been tortured; they would have never found you, Jack, if you didn't come out of hiding for me."

"Chloe, we don't know that, but none of this has anything to do with you. They were after me years ago because of what I did, and you had nothing to do with that."

"Jack, please stop. I just can't handle you being nice to me right now…I just can't."

Jack didn't know how to comfort her; he could see how upset she was. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying, and he knew she had been crying when he came out of the shower; she looked like she hadn't slept in weeks. She came for him when he had no hope of ever leaving his cell; she had his back just like she had countless times before. Her familiarity was comforting to him, yet he had no way of knowing how to reach her, be a comfort to her, or make her see that he didn't blame her at all because none of it was her fault. "Listen, Chloe; we can talk later; we're both tired; let's just get some sleep and pick up where we left off tomorrow."

"You're sure you don't want to see the doctor?"

"Not until tomorrow."

"Yeah, okay, Jack sounds good to me; I'll let them know." Chloe reached into her computer bag, got Jack some more pain pills, and handed them to him with a glass of water.

"Still taking care of me, Chlo…still taking care of me." About twenty minutes later, Jack was sound asleep. As soon as Chloe knew Jack was out, she put her music on softly; she could never sleep without it. They slept for hours that night and continued sleeping well into the next day. Mid-morning that day, Chloe's phone was ringing. Surfing with an Alien was playing quietly in the background; Chloe was trying to wake and answer the phone before it woke up Jack; she clumsily searched for the phone until her finger felt the familiar object underneath them. "Hello." Chloe had no idea it was already 10:00 in the morning until her eyes focused on the bright phone light, and she saw what time it was. "Chloe, this is Dr. Peterson. Is everything okay? We were expecting Jack here at 9:00 this morning."

"Dr. Peterson, I'm so sorry for not calling. Honestly, we overslept; I must have forgotten to set my alarm. Please, forgive me. We can be there in about an hour, again, Doctor; I apologize for making you wait."

"Thank you, Chloe; see you soon."

Jack was awake now; he had no idea what time it was. It was pitch black in the room except for the light on Chloe's phone. "I take it we are late?"

"Yeah, I totally overslept. I'm sorry, Jack, I usually don't do that."

"No worries, Chloe, we both needed the sleep." Chloe walked over to the blackout curtains to let the light in. The harsh sunlight was blinding to both of them until their eyes could focus, but once they got used to it, the view of the beach was terrific. Chloe opened the sliding glass door to let some fresh air in. "Chloe, you don't know how beautiful that sight is to me. I thought I was going to die in that prison. I never thought I would feel an ocean breeze ever again. "Chloe felt a stab of guilt every time the prison was mentioned, but she was glad that Jack could feel an ocean breeze again. "I'm going to put on a pot of coffee; once we get some breakfast and I get a few cups of coffee, we can head out to the clinic."

"Sounds like a plan."

Chloe ordered room service and made sure it was something Jack could easily eat with so many missing teeth. They both got dressed, and by the time the food arrived, Chloe was making a second pot of coffee. "Wow, Chloe, you like your java!" She laughed, "Coffee is life, Jack; it's the nectar of the gods."

"There was a great coffee shop just around the corner from CTU; I should have taken you there for coffee when I had the chance; you would've loved it."

"You must be talking about Christy's. They had the most incredible dark roast there, not to mention their fluffier than clouds omelets, and Christy's homemade loaves of bread are the stuff dreams are made of!" Jack smiled, "Yeah, that's the place, alright. You're making my mouth water just talking about it. I can't believe we never went there together; it was one of my favorite places to get a bite to eat."

"Yeah, Jack, that would have been nice to be invited," Chloe said sarcastically and walked past Jack, slightly nudging him with an elbow to his side. Jack knew he had that coming. He should have been a better friend, he thought to himself. From now on, he would be a better friend and make it up to her; of that much he was sure.

When they were ready to go, Chloe pulled a wheelchair out of the closet. "Hop in, Jack."

"Damn, Chloe, is there anything you didn't think of?"

"You know me, Jack; I'm a planner."

As Chloe and Jack were pulling up to the clinic, Chloe assured Jack, "I know it looks awful on the outside, but I promise there is a sterile room with all the equipment the doctor may need, including enough of your blood type for any problems that may arise. I paid for the clinic to allow us to come here so that we could keep you off the radar. I made it well worth their while, and they happily accommodated us. "I wasn't worried, Chlo."

That was the second time he had called her Chlo; he had never shortened her name in all the years she had known him. She liked the sound of it; it was comfortable and intimate. She wondered why he was calling her that. Sometimes she could be such a silly schoolgirl. She had a bad habit of overthinking things that meant absolutely nothing to anyone else; she knew she was doing that now and needed to stop.

Chloe waited not so patiently while the doctor further evaluated Jack and took x-rays of his damaged leg. While Jack was being assessed, one of the things Chloe did was find and contact a dental surgeon in Florida. She offered him an obscene amount of money to fly out A.S.A.P. to the D.R. She only wanted the very best qualified for Jack. The dental surgeon would arrive at the DR the next day. She wanted him to coordinate with the doctor as soon as possible so that Jack would only have to be put under anesthesia once and Jack could get permanent posts put in for his missing teeth. Chloe also facilitated a meeting between the dentists flying in with the only other dentist in the DR that had the lab capabilities to manufacture what he would need. He was paid to give the dental surgeon access to whatever materials he required.

When the doctor was done with Jack, he called Chloe into the back room. "We need to do this operation right away; I would have liked to wait until Jack was stronger, but it's imperative to do the surgery as soon as possible; I'm confident that Jack will regain full mobility if we act quickly enough. His eye socket was broken, but he no longer has double vision. That's a great indication that the swelling was causing that and not muscle damage. His nail beds are in bad shape, most of them have been completely ripped away, but all we can do now is apply a topical antibiotic and keep a bandage on them. Soak them off when you change them, so you don't do any further damage. It's hard to say if any nail beds will grow back normally; only time will tell. "Well…deformed hand, with deformed fingers, seems like they should go hand in hand." Jack smiled at Chloe.
"Not funny, Jack,"

"Come on, Chloe, that was slightly funny…." She shook her head no and gave Jack a mom look.

The Doctor continued with the list of medical concerns. "Jack needs to put weight on. All the other contusions and gashes should heal adequately, but some will leave significant scarring. Jack was no stranger to substantial scaring and had quit caring about that long ago; at least most of the time, he was able to convince himself he didn't care…

Chloe explained to the doctor that the dental surgeon would coordinate with him and, when they got all the details worked out, to call her and let her know when Jack needed to come in for his surgery.

They had spent almost four hours at the clinic, and Jack was exhausted. Chloe could see she needed to get him back to the hotel so that he could eat and rest. When they got to their room, Chloe ordered a late lunch and again made sure it was something that Jack would be able to eat comfortably.

Jack wanted to talk to Chloe about everything, but he asked if she would please wake him up once the food came because he could barely keep his eyes open and wanted to take a quick nap. Within minutes Jack was asleep on the bed. Chloe sat on the bed across from him, just watching him sleep. She felt kind of like a creeper, but she couldn't help herself; he was out of the prison, she pulled it off, and it was such a relief to know that he was going to be okay. Eventually, she leaned against the headboard listening to her music and drifted off to sleep. Chloe woke up to the sound of someone knocking at the door; she grabbed her gun and made her way to the door. "Who is it?"

"Room service Mam." Chloe looked through the peephole and then took the chain off the door to let the man in. She hid the gun behind her back and told him to please put the food on the table. She reached into her jeans pocket, pulled out money for a tip, and sent the server on his way.

Jack shouldn't have been surprised, he knew Chloe had weapons training when she worked at CTU, but she seemed so much more in command now, less hesitant than he remembered her being with a gun. She seemed completely at ease. Life with Free Cell had changed her. Jack felt a bit naked without his weapon and thought he would ask Chloe if she could get one for him. However, before he even got the opportunity to get the words out, Chloe pulled out a duffel bag from underneath the bed. "I got you both a Sig Sauer P228 pistol and a Heckler and Koch USP compact chambered for a 9mm cartridge.

"Wow, Chloe, I don't know what to say except, is there anything you don't know about me?" Chloe wanted to say, "Yes, Jack, there are plenty of things I don't know about you. What's your favorite pizza topping? Do you watch football? How do you take your popcorn? Extra butter? Light on the salt, perhaps? Do you read for pleasure? How many lovers have you had? What's your favorite movie? What kind of music do you listen to? Do you like dogs? What age were you when you had sex for the first time? What's your favorite drink? However, all she could say was, "I know a lot about you, Jack, but there are a lot of things I don't know too." Jack felt the sting of never bringing Chloe into any part of his life other than CTU; he wanted that to change now.

They didn't realize how hungry they were until they started eating. Chloe was particularly quiet. "Chloe, are you okay?" Jack asked with concern.

"Yeah, I'm fine, Jack. I will just feel better when your surgery is over."

"With everything you've done and the people you've hired, I do not doubt it will go well; you always handle everything." Chloe smiled. "Thanks, Jack; I hope so." When they finished their meal Chloe realized she wanted something sweet to eat; she NEEDED something sweet to eat. She had been so busy that she couldn't sneak in her candy today and was beginning to have sugar withdrawals. "I'm going to the vending machine to get some candy. Do you want anything?"

Jack stared at Chloe for a moment; less than two days ago, he was praying for death in a Russian prison, and now Chloe was asking him if he wanted a candy bar. He couldn't wrap his brain around it."Jack? You want something?"

"Yeah, I do; grab me a Three Musketeers, please."

"You got it."

Chloe came back to the room with a pile of candy bars. Chloe saw the look on Jack's face. "Hey! Don't judge me; I have a speedy metabolism that requires a copious amount of chocolaty goodness. Also, a few candy bars can keep me from becoming hangry in a crisis. Trust me, Jack; you do not want to see this woman hangry. In that state, I could even scare you." She said with a smile.

Jack was surprised by how funny Chloe was, but she constantly surprised him with some new revelation about herself. "No, judgment Chloe; apparently, candy agrees with you because you look fantastic for someone who stockpiles chocolate bars like they are preparing for a zombie apocalypse." He laughed, "And thanks for the warning. I'll ensure to stay clear of you at the first signs of hangry."

"You're a wise man Jack…a wise man."

Jack had a few bites of his candy bar and set the rest on the table; Chloe was almost done with candy bar number two. Jack made a mental note for future reference, a Snickers, MilkyWay, and a Recess Peanut Butter Cup. Chloe asked, "Are you going to finish that?" Jack smiled and threw her the half-eaten candy bar.

"Chloe, I know you have been busy, and I needed to catch my breath, but I need to talk to you now that we have some time."

"I know, Jack." They sat on the beds across from each other.

"Chloe, first I want to tell you how sorry I am about Prescott and Morris; we never really got a chance to talk in London when you told me about what happened to them. I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you."

"If I'm being perfectly honest, Jack, I'm sorry you weren't there for me too; I could have used a friend, but I had nobody. I was so lost, Jack, and I couldn't find my way out of the maze I was in. I blamed the government; I blamed the very institutions that betrayed you and me so many times before. It's how I ended up working with Adrian at Free Cell. I was so angry, and nothing made sense to me anymore. I had nothing and no one to lose; since the day Prescott was born, he was my reason for everything, and when he died, I died too, Jack." Chloe had tears in her eyes. Jack moved next to her, held her in his arms, and just let her cry. He hugged her tightly; he had no words that could help her. Chloe melted in his arms; she quickly realized it was nice having the safety of someone to confide in that didn't turn her pain into anger as Adrian had done.

When Chloe pulled herself together, she quit crying and wiped her eyes, she was sure she looked like a drowned raccoon, but somehow she didn't care at the moment. "Jack, there's something I have to tell you." She hesitated only because she wanted to stop time and have him stay with her forever; she was already feeling sad about when he would be well enough to leave. Chloe knew it was time he had the truth of his situation, and she knew Jack deserved a life of happiness with Kim and his grandbabies. "What is it, Chloe? What's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong, Jack; it's excellent news. President Heller gave you and me a full Presidential Pardon for all past crimes before he resigned, so once you're healed, Jack, you're free to go back home and see Kim, Teri, and little Jack."

"I knew Kim had another baby, but I didn't know it was a little boy, and I didn't know she named him Jack." Chloe could tell that made Jack happy because it proved that Kim still loved him even after all they had gone through. Chloe could see the sparkle in Jack's eye that his grandson was named after him. "Chloe, this is such good news; I can't believe we've been pardoned."

"Yeah, that's great news, Jack. I'm happy for you. I've been keeping tabs on Kim and her family as you asked me to before you left. I hired three ex-MOSSAD agents to watch over her and her family. She knows they are there, and they keep their distance so as not to interfere with her or the children's life. She is covered 24/7. And don't worry, Jack, I've vetted them thoroughly. They all had exemplary records, and you know that MOSSAD is some of the best agents in the world. They are paid very well to look after them."

"Thank you, Chloe, for everything, but I still don't understand how you could afford to make all this happen without the backing of the government. This operation would have cost millions upon millions of dollars; I don't understand how were you able to get the finances to pull this off?"

"Adrian had a program that no one was aware of; it was a new one he hadn't used yet. We designed it to attack people's bank accounts, but we didn't want to hurt the "average Joe," so it would only take five dollars from every account it hit and nothing more. The money pours in from bank accounts worldwide, funneling it into hundreds of different accounts globally. Then from there, it's fed into a few different accounts. All of them are layered with multiple layers of maximum security firewalls that even the best of the best would have trouble breaking through. Still, eventually, with enough time, someone will, and so you see, Jack, I can never go back. They haven't been able to find me yet, but it's only a matter of time." Chloe could see the disappointment on Jack's face. It crushed her heart, but he was an honorable man, so she understood why he would disapprove of her fleecing innocent people. "Jack, I'm sorry I've disappointed you again; I just didn't have any other way to help you, and not helping you wasn't an option for me."

"Chloe, I'm not disappointed in you. You don't understand, I'm just so sorry that my problems became your problems yet again, and I've done nothing but ruin your life time and time again. Only this time, I've put you in danger of losing your freedom."

Chloe held both of Jack's hands while telling him, "Jack, I lost my freedom a long time ago, I've been in prison every single day since Prescott died, and if what I did keeps you free so that you can love your family and be with them then it was worth it, even if I'm caught there are no regrets. Jack, what life did I have to go back to? No family, no friends, no career, and even with a pardon, no one would ever trust me enough to hire me after what I did working with Free Cell. So please don't feel bad, Jack, whether I'm inside or outside a cell, it doesn't matter, this was my choice, and I would do it again if it meant you could be with your family if I were instrumental in your getting a part of your life back after all the pain I've caused you then it was well worth it. So when you are done getting better, you need to leave and never look back. You have to distance yourself from me so you don't get caught up in whatever mess may unfold from all of this."

"Chloe, you've never caused me any pain. Me being in that Russian prison had nothing to do with you and everything to do with what I did after they killed Renee. The only thing you have ever done was be a friend to me and watch my back, and I'm not leaving you behind. You're not alone, Chloe, not anymore. I'm here now, and I'm not going to leave you."

"Look, Jack, this isn't up for negotiation; I'm not going to sit here and argue with you. You will go when you are well enough to leave because we didn't rescue you from one prison so you could go to another. Now…I'm going to take a shower, you have your weapon, and the chain is on the door; if anyone comes through it, kill them! I'll leave the bathroom door slightly open, so I can hear you call me if you need me." Chloe got up, left without saying another word, and went to shower. Her heart was breaking, she wanted to tell Jack to stay, never to go back, and she knew he would out of loyalty and duty and honor if she asked him to, but she could never do that to him, even if it meant he would stay with her forever.

Jack watched Chloe slip into the bathroom. Chloe had sacrificed everything for him, and he knew it wasn't the first time. Only this time, the stakes she lost in the process were too high and were irreversible. He had shattered the life of another person he cared for. James Heller once told him that he was cursed and that he ruined everything he touched. He didn't believe him then, but now he understood James Heller was right.

Jack looked up from the floor and saw Chloe's reflection in the bathroom mirror. She didn't realize that she could be seen from his angle. She was crying again; he wished he could say something to ease her pain. She slipped off her clothes, and he instinctively looked away to divert his eyes, but they wandered back up as if they had a will of their own. She had porcelain white skin and full hips, her waist was still tiny even after having a baby, and he could see she had stretch marks, evidence of carrying the life of a baby on her small framed body. He thought they made her quite beautiful; it was a reminder of her unique ability as a woman to produce life. He remembered Teri had been so self-conscious of hers, and he never understood why because she had brought the most beautiful gift he could ever have hoped for from her body, his Kimberly. Chloe had dyed her hair back to her reddish strawberry blond. He preferred it over the harsh black she had changed it to when he last saw her in London. He watched her as she was evaluating her face; he could see she was disappointed by her reflection as she wiped the tears away from her cheeks and played with the fine lines that now etched her eyes, lifting them and pulling them out to reveal a decade younger version of herself. She pulled and patted the dark circles under her eyes as well. She was irritated by the proof of her lack of sleep, and Jack knew it had been because of him, and now there was the threat of her freedom coming to an end; he wished he could take her worry away. She finally moved away from the mirror and into the shower.

Jack felt a tinge of guilt. He knew he shouldn't have invaded her privacy like that, although he wasn't sorry because it afforded him a small glimpse into a vulnerable side of Chloe that he had never been privy to. She always had her guard up; she was just like him when it came to that. Walls were just a part of who they were. Jack was beginning to have feelings for Chloe; he didn't think they were real when he was in prison. He rationalized that she was the last face of friendship and love he would ever see, and that's why he felt a growing love for her. However, they were beginning to feel as real as anything he had ever felt before, and he could no longer blame having those feelings for her because he was locked away in a Russian prison cell. So much time spent in that small concrete cell made him confront the realization of many things, one of them being that the feelings he had for Renee wasn't real love; he cared for her deeply, but it was more of a need to help a fellow broken soul, and at the time Jack needed to be needed too. He understood Renee; he had been where she was. He knew how to help her, and he wanted to feel something, to feel anything again. Looking back, he realized he felt obligated to her for pulling her into such a dark hole, he felt responsible for her being suicidal, but he wasn't in love with her. Yes, he avenged her death, sick and tired of evil, ruthless, callous men destroying and killing people, people that he cared for. He took out all his anger on the Russians for Renee, but it was also for Teri, for Michelle, for Tony, for Audrey, for his daughter, for what everyone had been through and the people they had lost at CTU. Yes, he was avenging Renee against the wickedness in these men, but it was for the malevolence that was in every man that had ever stolen someone from him.

He had once loved Audrey years and years ago, and he could never move on even though she had. His guilt about having to leave her and say goodbye when she got back from China was so intense, but now that she was gone and her death had left a little room in his heart to love someone else again, and the more time he spent with Chloe, the more genuine his feelings were becoming for her.

A few days passed, and it was finally time for Jack's surgery. "Jack, wake up, wake up, Jack." Chloe was gently tapping him on his shoulder. "You fell asleep, Jack, but you can't eat past eleven because of your surgery tomorrow, and you can't afford to skip a meal, so I'm making you eat." It took a second for Jack to sit up all the way. "How long have I been asleep?"

"Well, it is ten now, so quite a while, but you needed it. I ordered you some soup, a salad, and some soft bread rolls."

"Sounds great. Can you help me to the chair?" Chloe helped Jack hobble to the chair at the table.

"I still can't believe I slept so late,"

"Well, between your injuries and pain pills, no wonder…."

"Yeah, true; I see you ordered foods I can eat with missing teeth again; I've noticed everything you have ordered is something I can easily eat. You do think of every detail, Chlo." She blushed every time he called her that. "I'm sorry, Chloe, that you have to see me like this and are stuck playing nursemaid; I'm sure it's the last thing you wanted to do."

"It's nice being needed by someone Jack, so I don't mind at all."

"I hate it, Chloe; hobbling around and being so dependent on someone. It's just not me; I hate everything about it."

"Quit feeling sorry for yourself, Jack; you're going to get your surgery, your teeth are going to be fixed, your eye will heal with time, and you'll go back to being as gorgeous as you always were." Oh, damn it! She thought to herself. Really Chloe? Why do you always have to blurt out the first thing that comes to mind? It's called a filter! She thought to herself. Chloe wished she had a backspace button so she could have a do-over. Jack laughed out loud, "Wow, Chloe, you think I was gorgeous?"

Chloe liked the sound of his laugh; she never really remembered hearing it before. "Don't go getting a big head Jack, and don't pretend like you didn't already know that about yourself either."

"You're crazy, Chloe; I've never thought that about myself."

"If you say so, Jack." Jack and Chloe finished their meal over small talk, and Chloe was immensely enjoying it.

"Chloe, I hate to ask, but I'm desperate for another favor; I know it's late, but is there any way you can wheel me outside? I want to smell the ocean air and feel that ocean breeze on my face."

"I think I can handle that." Chloe took Jack outside so he could see the ocean under the moonlight. "You know, Chloe, I never thought I would hear the ocean's waves crashing on the shore or see another moonlit night. You don't know how incredible it is to smell the sea…." It was the first time that Chloe had ever seen Jack enjoying himself; the very nature of their work together at CTU never allowed for such moments. Chloe was also trying to take in the scenery; who knows when her last view of an ocean might be. Her freedom was hanging by a thread, she thought to herself.

"Beautiful!"

"Yeah, it is." Chloe turned just in time to see Jack staring at her, not the ocean when he said that. When she caught him looking at her, he smiled. She quickly turned away and kept her eyes glued to the waves. She didn't know what to think. Had Jack just called her beautiful? "We better call it a night, Jack; you need your rest, and you have a very long day ahead of you tomorrow. "Sure thing, Chloe."

The following day had come and gone, and Jack was now resting comfortably in the hotel room; his doctor and nurse were monitoring him, and there were no complications with his surgeries. After a few days, the doctor wanted to see him again at the clinic and to take another x-ray to ensure the pins were set correctly and that everything was healing properly. His dental implants looked nice and would take about three to four months to heal completely, but the dentist said there should be no problems with them.

Chloe made sure Jack was well taken care of; her prescription was milkshakes twice a day and butter on everything. Chloe was always insistent on making sure Jack ate all that he could stand. A side of oatmeal in the morning with whatever breakfast he ate and a side of mashed potatoes with every dinner. Jack had never eaten so much food in his entire life. Chloe was pleased with her efforts, she had been determined to make sure he gained the weight he had lost in Black Dolphin, and it was working. His face was starting to fill out again, his clothes didn't seem to hang so loosely on his frame, and she even had him working out with hand weights to help him regain some of his strength.

Jack was walking with crutches and getting stronger every day; he had even made it to the beach a few times to soak up some sun and enjoy the scenery. Today was another beach day. Chloe could sometimes imagine life was good, and the cloud of fear hanging over her wasn't real. She could almost pretend that the Russians weren't looking for Jack by now and that the government wasn't looking for whoever had fleeced millions of dollars from unsuspecting people.

Chloe had her eyes closed; she was lying on a towel with her elbows in the sand. Her face was starting to get pink; she could never stay in the sun too long without an umbrella covering; it just took minutes for her alabaster skin to turn from pink to red. She repositioned herself under the umbrella's shade and asked Jack, "Am I red yet?"

"No, just a little pink."

"Good, I hate to burn, but the sun felt so good I couldn't help but soak some of it up."

Chloe seemed like such a young girl when Jack first met her; as he watched her eat her second candy bar of the day, he noticed the fine lines around her eyes had only added to her beauty. In his opinion, she was more beautiful now that life and the passing of time had added character to her face. Life had also added confidence, a confidence that she hadn't known when she was younger. There was a sadness, too, that drew him to her because he understood it. Even though she was smiling and talking at the moment, he could feel the weight of what losing Prescott had done to her. The heartache behind her hazel eyes could not easily be hidden, at least not from him.

"Jack, the doctor will be back to look in on you one last time at the clinic before he releases you out of his care. Any follow-up can be done in the states. After his visit, you are free to go back home."

"You're trying to get rid of me already?"

Chloe looked down at the sand and then found the courage to look into Jack's steel-blue eyes. Softly she said, "No, jack, I'm not trying to get rid of you. I'm going to miss you very much, but it's time for you to get back to your family." She quickly looked away, fearing she would start crying in front of him again. She hated weakness, especially in herself, and she turned away before she would make a complete fool of herself. She had cried far too many times in front of him lately and hated it.

Jack gently grabbed her face so that she was forced to look at him. "You're my family too, Chloe." He leaned in and kissed her softly. Chloe gracelessly jumped back from his kiss. She was so surprised. Did Jack feel for her the way she felt for him? What the hell? She asked herself, why did I pull away from him? Why do I have to be so bloody awkward?

"I'm so sorry, Chloe; I shouldn't have done that."

She wanted words to come out of her mouth, but they wouldn't come no matter how hard she tried to will them to; there was only deafening silence. Jack said, "Can you help me up?" Chloe was on autopilot, she grabbed his crutches and handed them to him, and without another word, to each other, they walked back to the hotel room. Jack knew he blew it, he let his feelings get in the way, and now Chloe had shut down. Jack sat on the bed, disgusted with himself. "Look, Chloe, I don't know what happened back there; I shouldn't have done that. I'm embarrassed and don't know what to say except that I'm sorry. Can we forget that happened and move on?"

Chloe blurted out, "No, Jack! No, I don't want to forget it happened." Jack was confused. She obviously didn't feel the same way about him that he did her. She walked over to him, and without another word like a self-conscious schoolgirl, she leaned in to kiss him, only this time, when she touched his lips, she melted into his kiss. Jack was taken aback by her heat; her passion was all-consuming. She practically ripped his shirt off. Her hands traced over every scar on his chest, but he felt no shame. She began kissing each one of them. She pulled him closer to her while kissing his throat and his shoulders. Jack took her shirt off, and she crawled behind him. She traced her finger over every old wound on his back and kissed them softly and then more feverishly. She wrapped her legs around his waist and kissed her way down his neck and back. She was spinning Jack out of control. He pulled her around, so she was in front of him and slipped the rest of her clothes off; she helped take his off too. Years of love, worry, pain, and heartache poured out of them. Jack couldn't believe this was happening; this was him and Chloe. She carefully guided herself on top of him, not wanting to put her whole weight on him and hurt his leg. He grabbed the back of her porcelain white shoulders while she expertly moved to an instinctual rhythm. When he thought he could no longer control himself, he rolled her over and dominated her with his whole being; she eagerly accepted him again and again. Both of them, sweaty and heated from their exchange, cried out in ecstasy in unison.

Chloe had been married before and slept with a couple of different people in her life, so she wasn't a prude, but she never felt so free as she just did with Jack. Chloe felt safe with Jack and let all her inhibitions go. She couldn't believe what had just happened between them. This was Jack, the man she had loved for years, the one she was positive could never feel the same way about her, but here they were, lying in each other's arms, tangled up in a sheet. Jack grabbed the back of her head and kissed her passionately. "That was incredible!"

"It was, wasn't it…" Jack heard a lilt in her voice. It had been a long time since he felt this way. Of course, there had been a few women while he was underground and off-grid in Europe, but purely for physical reasons, this was something totally unexpected, and to have this phenomenal chemistry with Chloe was absolutely mind-blowing.

"Jack?"

"Yeah, Chloe."

"We are still going to be friends after this, right?" Jack hugged her tightly while she rested her head on his chest. "Of course we are. Why would you even ask that?"

"Well, anytime I've ever had sex with a friend, it has always ruined the relationship, and I just couldn't bear to lose you as a friend Jack; I never want that to happen, you know?"

"It won't, Chloe."

"You're sure about that?" Jack laughed, "Yeah, Chloe, I'm sure."

"Okay, she said with a grin, "I'll shut up now."

Chloe reached across Jack to get a sip of water from the glass next to him on the nightstand. Jack was ready to have her again. He pulled her hands over her head and kissed her face, then her throat, then he made his way down her chest and down to her waist and hips; when Jack reached her stomach as women often instinctively do, she pulled his head away from that area of concentration, she was keenly aware of her stretch marks and uncomfortable with any attention focused on her there. Jack sensed her uneasiness, but just as she had done with his scars, he traced his fingers over each one of them and kissed them over and over again. He wouldn't let her be ashamed of evidence of Prescott's life on her body. Her eyes welled up with tears; she knew Jack to be courageous and strong; sometimes, he could even be violent against men responsible for atrocities. He was complicated, oftentimes compassionate, and caring, but to now know the depths of his gentleness and to experience the empathy he had towards her was something that she could never have even imagined. It made her weep even more for the day she would have to say goodbye. He wiped the salty tears away from her cheeks and kissed her eyes, her nose, her lips, and her neck. She responded to every kiss with equal passion. She responded to his touch and started to convulse with passionate abandonment. It's what he had been waiting for, and together they had reached the crescendo of their passion, riding wave after wave of ecstasy again and again until both lay quietly in each other's arms. After some time had passed and they were both almost asleep, Chloe whispered tiredly, "Jack?"

"Yeah, Chloe."

"I've wanted to do that for a really long time." Jack squeezed her even tighter, and they both fell asleep.

After they both woke up in the morning, Jack got out of bed and made a pot of coffee for them. When the coffee was ready, they sat next to each other, sipping on their cups, quietly digesting what took place between them.

"Are you okay with what happened last night, Chloe? He hoped she hadn't regretted it.

"Yeah, Jack, like I said, I've wanted to be with you for a long time now."

"I had no idea, you never told me how you felt, and you never gave me any clue that you were ever interested in me like that."

"Oh come on, Jack, it shouldn't have been that hard to figure out, but even so, there was never going to be a right time. First, when would have been a good time to tell you? You were always with someone else, or still had feelings for someone else, or getting over someone else…."

"Okay, okay, you've made your point."

"And secondly, Jack, I'm not your type; you would never have seen me the way you saw the other women in your life."

"Umm…I have a type? And if you're not my type, what was that, that just happened between us? Because I kind of have to state for the record you were really feeling like my type last night."

"Ha-ha, very funny, Jack, but really what changed for you? Is this because you feel like you owe me?"

"Well, I am the kind of man that tries to repay my debts," Chloe punched him on his shoulder. "Owe!"

"Seriously, Jack, why now?"

"I don't know; when Audrey died, it made a little room even to consider the possibility of being with someone else again. Before, even after Audrey was married, I felt like I was betraying her, so I never really got close to anyone else. She had sacrificed so much for me, and after what happened to her, I just always felt like I couldn't move on, like it would be some kind of betrayal. Even when I was with Renee, I kind of felt like I was cheating on her; I know it doesn't make any sense; hell, it doesn't make any sense to me either; I know I don't feel that way now. I guess this thing between you and me started the day we said goodbye. You were the last face I saw before I got on that helicopter, my best friend, the person who had always had my back and stuck by me no matter what. There wasn't a day I didn't think about you and all you had done with me and for me throughout the years while I was in prison."

Chloe still couldn't believe they were here together like this. As she listened to what Jack was saying, the sadness crept in because she knew she would have to say goodbye soon. "Jack, I know this can't last forever, but maybe you could stay a few days after the doctor sees you."

"I'm not leaving you, Chloe."

"Jack, not this again; I'm not going to allow you to ruin your life by staying here with me. You are free, Jack, but please, let's not talk about that anymore. Let's just enjoy the time we have left together." Jack wasn't going to argue with Chloe, she could be so hard-headed, but he knew he wouldn't let Chloe go no matter what she thought was best for him. Jack had disappeared before and knew he could do it again, only this time it would be with Chloe by his side.

The weight of their lives was a struggle for both Jack and Chloe, but they decided to put all that on a shelf and enjoy one another. They didn't want to think about the past or the future; now was all they cared about. They took a vacation from the problems that seemed insurmountable, and they stayed buried in the hotel room, oblivious to the world around them. They couldn't get enough of each other; they had spent these last few days feasting on one another and devouring every delight their bodies had to offer. Each encounter healed a little more of their hearts. They barely came up for food or air.

Their room was littered with candy wrappers, coffee cups, and plates from ordering room service. It had been three days since housekeeping had been allowed to clean up after them, and the towels were beginning to pile up, so today, they decided to take in the local flavor and let the maid come in to clean their disaster of a room. Chloe felt bad for whoever was getting their room, so she left the maid a considerable tip. Chloe had felt dead for so long; although she would never get over the death of Prescott, life was slowly returning to her.

Jack and Chloe stopped at a little shop near the beach and got some coffee and sweetbreads. They both felt almost normal, like they had regained access to the land of the living where people talked, laughed, smiled, made love, and enjoyed simple pleasures such as a warm sun and ocean breezes. It was a little heaven on earth, and neither one wanted it to end. Jack and Chloe knew better than most what kind of evil filled this world. It had been their job to protect people from it, and both knew that it was just a matter of time before the realities of their world caught up to them. They were both hoping that they could hold on to the magic that had been theirs for a while longer for the last few days.

Chloe's phone rang while they were finishing up their sweet bread. "Hello." The woman was whispering on the other end of the phone. Chloe's heart sank; she could barely understand her, but she knew exactly who she was and her reason for calling. Weeks ago, Chloe left a burner phone with one of the nurses at the clinic. She instructed her to call if anyone came around looking for Jack. Chloe paid her very well to be discreet. In hushed panicked tones, she told Chloe that the Russians were there, "They are hitting the doctor asking him questions about Jack, he told him he never heard of him, but they don't believe him. They are hurting him." The woman screamed, and the phone went silent.

"Jack, they're here; the Russians are here. I don't know how they found us, but they did." Jack and Chloe quickly got in their car and drove to the hotel to pick up Chloe's supplies, but when they arrived, a team of Russians were already there; they were too late. "Jack, we let our guard down; my laptop is in the room, and the people at the clinic."

"Chloe, there's nothing we can do for them now; hopefully, they left when they couldn't find me. Whatever has been done, has been done."

"Jack, I shouldn't have involved them."

"Chloe, they knew it would be dangerous when they took your money; it's not your fault. We have to get out of here now; there's no way I'll let them catch me alive; I'm not going back; I can't."

"It's okay, Jack, that's not going to happen. I have a protocol in place. We need to get to the marina."

"My family Chloe, they're in danger now."

"No, Jack, I didn't tell you everything; as soon as you were rescued, Kim and her family left town. She was given new identities for all of them. We talked about it and made arrangements for them before I ever left to get you, and she agreed to it all; if there was a chance to save you, she wanted me to take it, and she agreed to go so she could keep her family safe."

"Chloe, you had no right to keep that from me; I can't believe Kim's life is being disrupted again because of me!"

"Jack, we both knew you would feel that way, and Kim wanted you to concentrate on getting better, not worrying about your family, your worry wasn't going to help them out of this, and it wasn't going to help you in any way either. I'm sorry, I truly am. I was eventually going to tell you; I just wanted you to have a little peace, Jack."

"Damn it, Chloe, you wanted me to have a little peace? I never thought you would lie to me, Chloe, not you!" Chloe knew Jack would be angry when he found out, but she had no idea he would see it as a betrayal. "Chloe, you should have left me in that prison; I can't stand what I've done to her; I've managed to mess up Kim's life once again."

"Gawd, Jack! Do you think her life would have been any less messed up knowing you were being tortured and eventually killed in a prison cell in Russia? She would have never seen you again, and somehow you think that was a better alternative for her?"

"Yes, I do!"

"Well, I'm sorry, Jack, you're wrong. There wasn't any other alternative, and there's nothing that can be done about it now, so you're going to have to get over being pissed at me long enough to get out of this so that it wasn't all for nothing that her sacrifice meant something. Kim loves you, Jack, and she would have done it a hundred times over to save you!" Chloe continued to drive to the marina that had a boat docked with enough supplies to last them a few weeks.

"So what's the plan, Chloe?"

"I have a boat; it has supplies, a small cache of weapons, everything we need to get out of here and make it to the states."

"Sounds like you thought of everything." Only this time, when Jack said it, she didn't like the tone with which he said it. He was angry with her, and Chloe couldn't leave it alone.

"Jack, I couldn't leave you to rot in that prison, I couldn't leave you to die there, and if you hate me forever for that, I'm just going to have to live with it, but I wouldn't have done it any differently."

Jack yelled out, "Well, I would have! I would have Chloe... I would never have put Kim's family in danger." Chloe snapped back, "Well, you didn't! I did!"

When they arrived at the marina, three Russian operatives were already patrolling the docks. Jack and Chloe were vulnerable to attack and capture, but there was no way they would be able to board the vessel without getting rid of them first. "Jack, you can't walk without crutches, let alone run, so you need to stay here; they'll see you coming from a mile away." Chloe had to handle this on her own; she parked the car just down the street from the Marina. "Chloe, what are you doing? You're going to get yourself killed."

"Jack, open the glove compartment and give me the gun."

"Chloe…"

"Just give me the damn gun, Jack!" She pulled some shoes, a dress, and a wig from a bag behind the passenger seat. She quickly slipped the short, black, snug body con dress on and just as hurriedly put the red stiletto hills with matching red lipstick on that she grabbed from her purse. Lastly, she put on the dark black wig and sunglasses and opened the car door.

"Chloe, stop!" Chloe kept on moving. "Chloe, stop, please!"

"Listen, Jack, if I don't come back, just know I'm not mad at you for yelling at me, and I forgive you." She shut the door and started to make her way to the marina. When Chloe arrived at the docks, she acted as if she were looking for a man she met at a bar which was going to show her his big beautiful boat. She walked up to the first Spetsnaz agent. "Sir, do you work here?" She put her best exaggerated Southern Draw on that she could muster. He shook his head no. "Well, I'm just as lost as a girl could be. I was supposed to meet a man I met at a bar yesterday, he invited me to see his yacht and I'm looking for slip knot number 142. Do you know where I could find that?"

"No, now leave me alone; I don't work here and don't know where it is."

Chloe walked even closer to him and put her hand on his chest. "You seem a little stressed out, handsome; maybe you would like to grab a margarita with me?"

"Maybe some other time, beautiful; I'm busy now."

"Well, okay then, I'll just have to take you up on that another time then." Once she knew his guard was down, she slid her hand down his chest, grabbed the gun he had at his waist, and shot him without hesitation; she used his body as a shield when the other agent shot at her, and she took him out too. She was taking fire from the last man on the dock and dove behind a large concrete block; she waited for him to empty his gun, they were carrying Makarov pistols, and they could be fitted for ten or twelve rounds; she counted off the shots. She fired back a couple of times to keep him shooting 8,9,10,11… which meant he had one more, 12. As soon as his magazine was empty, she went for the kill shot and took him down with her second try. Jack couldn't believe he had just witnessed Chloe handle that situation, as well as any field operative he had ever worked with could have.

Chloe ran back to the car and quickly drove it close to the dock so Jack wouldn't have far to walk. People started gathering around, Jack and Chloe had to leave quickly before the authorities showed up. Soon the Russians would have their locations when their men didn't respond. Jack and Chloe had only minutes to make their escape.

Chloe knew the only hope for Jack to remain free would be to get him back on American soil. She may get caught there, but at least it would be an American jail, not a Russian one. It would take almost a day to travel by boat from Les Cayes to Kingston, Jamaica, and from there, they could fly from Kingston to Fort Lauderdale. Chloe and Jack both decided they would be sitting ducks if they stayed in the ocean too long, so they would take the soonest flight they could once they reached their Jamaican destination.

Chloe had everything they needed, including passports, money, and bug-out bags on the boat for both of them. Neither spoke very much for the first few hours while leaving the D.R. tensions were high between them, but after some time on the water, they both cooled off. Jack was the first to break the ice.

"Chloe, where did you learn to handle yourself like that?"

"Well, Jack, I did watch you from coms for years; none of it, by the way, was wasted on me. Also, Adrian took our combat readiness seriously in case we were put in a jam. He made me get comfortable in tactical situations."

"It looked like you were more than just comfortable; it looked like you had done something like that before and not just in training." Chloe didn't answer that question, and Jack didn't push it.

"When we arrive in Florida, we will have to deal with U.S. customs, but everything should be fine. You aren't wanted by any Federal or State agencies and you shouldn't have any problems."

"And what about you?

"I should be good too, for now; we'll find out when we get there if they're on to me; I have no way of knowing because I left my damn computer in the hotel room. I'm going to give you Kim's address and phone number now. I don't have to tell you to memorize them and then get rid of them."

Jack laughed, "No, Chloe, I think I remember how this works; I've been around that block once or twice."

"Of course, you have, Jack; I'm sorry. Here is an address to a storage facility in Ft. Lauderdale; it's supplied with everything you need. It has weapons, clothes, and burner phones, and it even has the kind of messenger bag you like to use. Here are the keys to the car parked there."

"You act like we aren't going together."

"We aren't, Jack."

"That ridiculous, yes, we are."

"No, Jack, I don't think so. There are many things I can handle, but getting you caught up in the backlash about to find me isn't one of them. I did what I had to do, and I'm okay with my consequences, but I'm not okay with you being imprisoned again because they think you had something to do with everything I've done."

"Chloe look, I was upset before about Kim and her family having to pick up and relocate; I'm sorry for what I said. I know you did all this for me, and I'm grateful you aren't in this alone; you're coming with me, and that's all there is to it."

"No, Jack, my mind is made up. Everything I did is on me, and I'm not bringing the heat on you for this mess. As I said, you have a family to go home to; Jack and Kim gave up a lot to have you back. We can't risk you being unable to be with her after everything; you aren't going to talk me into changing my mind." Jack knew she was resolute, but if he couldn't talk her into changing her mind, maybe he could convince her another way.

Jack grabbed the back of Chloe's hair and tilted her head back to expose her throat. He kissed her lips and then her neck, biting her gently over and over. He had quickly learned what she responded to over the little time they had spent together in the DR. He kissed her passionately once more. This time Chloe gave in to his kiss; she couldn't help herself when it came to Jack. She had always given in to his demands. What was this strange hold he held over her? She had just enough willpower to break free from his embrace; she pushed him away. "Please, Jack, stop… I… I can't be responsible for any more of your unhappiness or bringing any more disasters into your life." Jack refused to listen to her; he refused to let her go; he turned her around, lifted her black dress just above her hips, and slid her underwear down her legs, exposing what he wanted access to. He found what he wanted with ease, maneuvering his way through her defenses. Jack whispered in Chloe's ear. "You belong with me, Chloe." With those five simple words, she was his. She couldn't speak; her mind was spinning, and he was like a drug. They made love under the stars, and she knew then that she would never be able to say no to jack. Their lovemaking had been passionate and aggressive, but when they were done, Jack gently kissed Chloe's lips, and his delicate soft kisses made their way to her cheeks and eyes. "You're with me, right Chloe? No more talk of leaving?"

"Oaky Jack." She hoped they both wouldn't regret that decision.

Once Chloe and Jack arrived in Florida, they made their way through customs without any problems. They took a taxi to the storage facility Chloe told Jack about and picked up the car and some much-needed supplies. Almost eight hours later, they arrived in Georgia, exhausted.

They pulled into the hotel parking lot, and Chloe picked up dinner while Jack got them checked in. Chloe ran across the street to a little hole in the wall that advertised barbeque. She knew those were the best places to eat. When she returned, she realized she didn't know what room Jack was in, so she asked the front desk for the room number.

Chloe knocked on the door; it took a moment for Jack to get there because he was still using crutches. "Hot Barbeque, and it smells delicious." She said with a smile.

"Wow, how many people are we feeding?" Jack could never get over how much Chloe could eat and stay so thin. By the time their meal was over, Chloe had eaten two pulled pork sandwiches, 12 ounces of barbeque brisket, all her sides, and had finished what Jack didn't eat. Jack shook his head in amazement and awe, "My gosh, Chloe, you do have a fast metabolism; I've never seen anything like it."

"Stop, it wasn't that bad." She laughed out loud. "Once, I had a boyfriend dump me because he said I was costing him too much money, and he couldn't afford to feed me on our dates anymore." Chloe's laugh made Jack feel like the world could be good again.

Chloe knew this would be the last night she spent with Jack. She was doing everything in her power to pretend that everything was okay. She kept talking, joking, and laughing; she didn't want Jack to see behind the fragile façade. Chloe wanted Jack to have good memories of her. She knew disappearing was the right thing to do, and she couldn't get lost in Jack again, or she would never find the strength to say goodbye.

Jack turned on the television to watch some news. They both had been unaware of what was happening in the world around them. "Do you miss it, Jack?"

"Miss what?"

"You know, being needed by your country, by CTU, by being involved in the things that used to make headline news?"

"Sometimes, I guess…it was where I belonged. I always felt like that line of work chose me, kind of like I was born to do it, but honestly, I've had more than enough of it; I just want to live a normal quiet life and enjoy you and the rest of my family for whatever time I have left in this world."

Chloe wondered if that was true, and her heart was breaking, knowing she wouldn't be with him by the end of the night. He was the only bit of happiness she had experienced since Prescott had died, and now that was going to be over soon. Chloe had to get out of the room before Jack could see how troubled she was; she couldn't hide from Jack how she was feeling much longer. "I'm going to take a shower, Jack."

"Before you do, can you come here for a second?" Chloe walked over to Jack; he pulled her down next to him and kissed her, "Take a shower after."

"No, Jack, I need to freshen up."

"Nonsense, you smell delicious." Jack moved her hair to expose the skin of her neck and kissed her throat. Chloe closed her eyes and gave in to her need for Jack. When they were finished, Chloe excused herself to the shower. Jack could feel something was wrong, but it was apparent that Chloe wasn't ready to talk about whatever was troubling her.

A few minutes later, Jack slipped into the shower with Chloe. He pressed his body against her back and wrapped his arms around her. "Do you mind if I join you?"

Chloe slowly turned around and buried her face into his chest. "No, I don't mind." She said softly. Jack lifted her chin to meet her eyes, "Chloe, what is it? What's wrong?" She stared into his eyes, wishing she could tell him, hoping she could explain everything and somehow he could make it all go away, but instead, she lied and said, "Nothing, Jack, nothing's wrong."

"Chlo, are you sure? I feel like there is. You know you can talk to me about anything, about whatever it is that's got you so upset."

"I know, Jack; I would tell you if something was wrong. I'm just a little tired." She had become an expert liar, a skill that had grown exponentially over the years, and ironically it was because of Jack that she had to learn how to lie, to begin with, always covering for him with their superiors and having to lie to his family and friends about faking his death. She didn't like how easy it came to her now, almost second nature, and she especially didn't like lying to Jack, but she had no choice.

It was astonishing to her how many things had been revealed to her about who Jack was in the short amount of time they had spent together in the D.R. It was a far cry from the years they had spent working side by side at CTU. In just a few short weeks, she had learned more about Jack's life than she had in over a decade of working with him. Jack liked country music and could carry a tune; who knew? She thought to herself. Chloe was gaining insight into the man that had remained an enigma to her for so long. It was extraordinary to her that she had become privy to the actual man learning about the personal side of Jack, not just Jack the operative; what a contrast to the years gone by. She felt like everything was surreal; this dreamlike existence hovered somewhere between the Twilight Zone and a little bit of heaven.

Jack and Chloe finished showering and got ready for bed. Chloe knew she wanted to make love to Jack one last time before she left. Jack's affections had awakened her to life once again after feeling nothing for years but anger and betrayal. She was thankful to feel something of love again, passion again, even if it was temporary. Chloe knew from the beginning that nothing was real and that what was happening between her and Jack wouldn't last, but she had allowed herself to pretend and make-believe, even if it was just for a little while.

Chloe understood that she could never be what Teri or Audrey was to Jack, she could never compete with the elegant, sophisticated woman that Audrey was, and she could never hold a place in Jack's heart as Teri did. It would only be a matter of time before Jack figured that out for himself. Chloe was convinced that Jack had feelings for her only because they were spurred on by loneliness from being in prison and exasperated by gratefulness for being rescued. Chloe knew it, but she didn't care, she just wanted to be with him until she couldn't be with him any longer, and now that time had come.

Jack began to kiss Chloe. He couldn't get enough of her. He knew something was off; something was holding Chloe back. He could sense she was emotionally disengaged, even if she acted as if everything was okay. "Chloe, did I do something wrong or say something to upset you?"

"No, not at all, Jack." She laid her head on his chest.

"You seem kind of far away. Am I boring you already?" He teased.

"I'm sorry, Jack, I'm here, and I'll prove it to you." She said with a smile. She covered up her feelings by diving into a kiss. She let it all go; she wanted there to be nothing between them this one last time. The clock was running out of time, and she just wanted to enjoy every second she had left with Jack. Their night together was incredible, as every other night had been with him. She would miss him terribly, but she was glad they connected, and as much as it would hurt to be without him, she would never be sorry for any of it.

At about three in the morning, Jack finally fell into a deep sleep. She was tangled in his arms; she carefully and quietly tried to slip out of bed. Jack began to stir, but she was able to free herself before waking him up. She knew he would be exhausted after the night of passion they had just shared, and she was grateful he stayed asleep.

Chloe brought a pen and paper into the bathroom and began to write Jack a goodbye note. It simply stated, "No regrets Jack, I will always love you! Goodbye, now be the father and grandfather you were meant to be. Please don't look for me, I know how to disappear too, it would be a waste of precious time better spent with your family. She folded the note and left it on the sink.

Chloe quickly got dressed and gathered her things into a duffel bag. She set it by the front door. "Chloe, what are you doing?" It was dark, so she didn't think he had seen the bag. "Oh, you know me, Jack, I'm going to go snag a candy bar. Do you want one?"

"None for me."

"Okay, I'll be right back."

Jack turned over, and Chloe waited until she heard his breathing return to its slow, steady pattern. Chloe wanted to kiss him one last time but knew he would probably wake up, so instead, she picked up the duffel bag and walked out the door.

Jack didn't wake up until almost 7:30 the following day. He looked at the clock and smiled. He had slept in exhausted from his night with Chloe. He still couldn't believe how good it was between them. He didn't smell any coffee brewing yet; usually, Chloe had a pot of coffee going first thing in the morning, so he thought he would start it for her. "The woman sure did love her coffee." He thought to himself. Jack needed to use the restroom; the bathroom door was slightly ajar. He knocked, "Chloe?" There was no answer. He thought she must have gone to get breakfast. When he was done, he noticed the folded paper on the sink. He unfolded the note, thinking Chloe must have let him know she was getting them something to eat. He read it and couldn't believe it; he reread it, still not wanting to believe what Chloe had written.

"Damn it, Chloe, what have you done?"

Jack got dressed as fast as he could. The night shift manager was just about to clock out, and Jack asked, "Did you see a woman leave somewhere between 3:00 in the morning and now? She might have called a taxi?"

"No, she didn't take a taxi. You're talking about the woman you were with, the one with reddish-blond hair?"

"Yeah, that's her; you saw her?"

"She was hitchhiking at around three fifteen this morning, maybe three twenty. I was taking the office trash out to the dumpster and thought, do people still do that? It's so dangerous nowadays, especially for a pretty little lady like her."

"Do you know what direction she was heading?"

"North, it was a red Chevy 150 that picked her up; I couldn't tell you anything more that's all I noticed."

"Thanks."

Jack knew she could be anywhere by now. It wasn't going to be easy to find her. He had lost his wife Teri, he lost Renee, he had lost Audrey, and he wasn't going to lose Chloe too. She rescued him from prison, but he knew she had saved him from much more than that. He would get her back no matter how long it took. "Damn it, Chloe…."