After Jack's little time out on the kitchen floor, they cleaned up the spilled milk and finished the rest of their lunches. It was a quiet affair, but Chloe thought that was to be expected. Whatever Jack had running through his head looked like it had taken a lot out of him.

Later, they watched Casino Royale, a seemingly odd choice for entertainment considering what they did professionally, but it was James Bond. And, in Chloe's opinion, Daniel Craig really rocked as the super spy. Hot, blue eyed blond who could take a beating like no other…yeah, that didn't remind her of anyone. And she most certainly hadn't nearly broken down in hysterics in a theater when Morris had taken her to see the movie and that interrogation scene came on. Not that she was generally squeamish about such things, but her mind had immediately reminded her that Jack was still somewhere in a Chinese prison and…well, maybe she did throw up a little bit.

It wasn't until they were nearly at that scene that she cringed, realizing it might not go over well with Jack, but he didn't seem particularly perturbed. He simply flinched, pressed his thighs together in sympathetic pain and said, "Yeah, that hurts."

Before she could censor herself, Chloe sputtered, "I imagine so, and I don't even have those bits."

When she realized what she had said, she flushed and glanced sideways at Jack, who was staring at her, brows raised in obvious amusement. Offering a weak shrug, she smiled when he started to snicker. "Well, I don't," she mumbled, but laughed a bit herself.

"I know," he replied, then reddened a bit himself and returned his focus to the movie.

The rest of the afternoon passed peacefully as did the co-operative effort of preparing pasta and meat sauce for dinner. In deference to Jack's palate, Chloe kept the sauce bland as possible, frying onions with the meat then dumping a couple cans of tomato soup over the pile of meat. Just before taking it off the burner, she melted some cheese in for flavor.

Jack seemed to like it, so she didn't feel bad for the blandness. Over the meal, the discussed plans for the next day. Chloe thought that if she kept Jack's mind busy, he wouldn't slip back into his head. Between the two of them, they decided to check in with CTU and then Jack would call Kim.

Bed time was a simple affair again, just showers, then Jack followed Chloe into her room and curled up around her again. It was about Jack's comfort and sense of safety and Chloe could admit she liked knowing he was there.

So, for the second night in a row, she drifted off to sleep with Jack wrapped around her.


That night, Jack couldn't escape the dreams.

Two pairs of hands held his arms, forcing him to the centre of the room where they threw him to the ground. His hands, shackled behind his back, were unable to break his fall, so he fell straight down, whacking his head. Something hard and heavy made contact with his side… A bone fractured, he knew the feeling well. A second blow caught him across the back of the knees and a bright burst of pain filled his mind… He struggled to get up, but he was disorientated and the movements were weak. He was hit again, in the stomach, on the back of the head. Again. And again. And again.

When finally the beating ended he lay unmoving, blood dripping into his eyes from a gash that crossed his forehead. A man stepped into his field of vision, small, vicious smile on his face.

He never spoke, just circled menacingly, then gestured to two minions. They pulled Jack to his feet, wrenching his arms up, nearly popping the shoulders from their sockets as they hooked the shackles to a chain suspended from the ceiling. The position was painful.

Naked, chained to the ceiling. blood flowing in streams from deep cuts down his arms. His feet could just reach the floor. It hurt to breathe, at least one rib was definitely broken. Dizzy from the blow to his head, he knew one eye was swelling shut…the blood dripping into it didn't help.

Still, he tried to stare down the man circling him, even when he brandished a red hot metal rod, taunting Jack before pressing it into the flesh over his right scapula. Jack could feel the skin crack and blacken, the impossible heat eating through his flesh, seemingly burning into his bones.

His eyes were rolling back in their sockets and his back was arched. He trashed, felt one shoulder pop out of place, but the stab of pain wasn't nearly sharp enough to distract him. He wanted to scream….

He woke with a jerk, but was eased back into reality by his surroundings. Soft pillows under his cheek, warm blankets pulled up over his shoulders His face was buried against a mass of soft, sweet smelling hair and he was wrapped around a familiar, warm, feminine body.

The house was silent, but for the gentle whir of a small fan. Moonlight streamed in through the open curtains, the heavy kind that when closed could block out the mid day sun. He was glad she'd left them open. Warmth and light were appealing after spending such a long time surrounded by cold and darkness.

In his arms, Chloe shifted, settling back more fully against him. Jack gave her a gentle squeeze. Despite the horrible dreams and lingering aches and pains that permeated his entire body, it had been a long time since he'd felt the sense of peace he did in that moment.

Before China, he'd been on the run, literally. Before that, he'd been in D.C., pretending to be happy working for the D.O.D., in a relationship with a woman who he had loved, but who insisted they keep their affair secret. And of course, going back further, there was his heroine addiction which came after a self destructive bout that followed his wife's murder….

Right before her death, he ad Teri had been happy. It seemed like that was several lifetimes ago. Maybe it was, in a way.

Chloe's breathing, soft and steady, was soothing and she made a content little noise when he laid a hand on her belly. She still hadn't told him who the father was, but from what she said, he assumed she did not want the man around. His limited knowledge of Chloe's social life was years out of date and consisted solely of her ex-husband Morris, not a terrible guy but not her equal, and Spencer Wolf, a dumb ass weasel who unwittingly aided a corrupt regime that nearly unleashed bio-weapons on the US.

No, Jack mused, neither he nor Chloe had the best track record when it came to relationships. Though, his was markedly worse, as hers did not include any murdering, sociopath traitors like Nina.

As she studied the pale skin of Chloe's shoulder, he smiled as he took note of the small, inked infinity symbol. Somehow, he'd never pictured her as the type to have body art. He, with his numerous tattoos, was a bit of an oddity in a federal agency, even the law enforcement branches.

In his opinion, the choice of the symbol suited her. To him, Chloe was a constant, his loyal ally, his friend and partner. The one person he knew he could trust implicitly and without question and who returned the sentiment with equal fervor.

Like now. Jack didn't even think his own daughter would have taken him in so quickly…or at all. Chloe hadn't even given it a second thought and she had made it clear that he was welcome to stay indefinitely and frankly, he had no real desire to leave. No plans, no…well, nothing.

Chloe wanted him around, just him, wasn't asking anything from him. It was different, nice. It gave him a sense of hope and even made him want to do more than just keep existing. When he got his head together again, he thought he could return the favor, help with the baby or whatever.

The late hour must have been making him a little loopy, he decided, as he usually wasn't so sentimental. Closing his eyes, he leaned his brow into the curve of her neck and his fingers curled reflexively against her stomach.

"GotosleepJack," Chloe murmured, stirring but never waking fully. Seconds later she settled back down and he soon followed, lulled to sleep by the steady sound of her breathing and the beat of her heart.


TBC………

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