Chloe blinked, stunned by what she had just heard. "What do you mean, made him do it?" she questioned.

Bill took a breath. "Jack was part of an interagency operation, focused on keeping track of Yassir Al Amin, an Iranian terrorist with ties to some of the sleeper cells we know of in the United States. I assigned him the case last year, and up until eight months ago everything was going great."

"What happened eight months ago?" She wondered aloud.

"Our agents were turning up dead. We advised Jack to leave L.A until the investigation into their deaths was complete, hence the move outside the city. Turns out our Atlanta bereau had a dirty agent who had sold Amin the names of the people working the investigation, and he nad his men were hunting them down. We were able to get some information from the mole, and found out that Jack was next to be targeted." He paused, rubbing his temples wearily. "You have to understand…The only way to protect Jack…and you…was to make it look like someone had gotten to him first."

Chloe leaned back in the chair, taking stock of everything she had just been told. "So Jack knew about the threat, and didn't tell me."

"He couldn't. We were under orders from division to keep it strictly to ourselves. No one else at CTU had the slightest idea." Bill explained, knowing he wasn't helping mend her feelings for Jack. "He wanted to tell you, Chloe, he did. He hated having to keep it from you. He even suggested that we move you to a safe house until Amin was caught, but we couldn't make it look like we were protecting you or it would jeopardize the entire operation. He was genuinely worried about your safety. We discussed steps we could take to protect you if the threat became too great, and when we got intel stating that Amin's men were in the area, I had to give the order for Jack to 'die'." He sighed. "I honestly think it was the hardest thing he ever had to do."

Chloe's mind was numb. Everything was falling into place now. Jack's long nights at CTU, the move, his insistence that she go out with friends on her days off instead of staying at home alone, and now his death. Everything had been for her. To protect her, like he hadn't been able to protect the others he loved. The thought of it made her sick. She felt dizzy and her stomach was churning, nauseated not only from the truth of what had happened but also from breakfast. She stood up shakily, bracing herself on Bill's desk as she headed for the door. "Are you alright?" Bill asked, concerned at her sudden ill appearance. "Fine…" Chloe moaned, shutting her eyes against the now spinning room. Something was definitely wrong.

"Do you need some water?"

She shook her head sluggishly, knowing she would never make it out of his office now. "Bill…" She managed, feeling her consciousness slipping away. Rushing across the desk, Bill barely caught her before she collapsed in his arms.

0000