The shock of Clarisse's rejection had quickly worn off and left Will frustrated. He stalked through the house leaving John to rush after him and Carter to rush after John.

"Where are you going?" Joss asked tugging his arm to stop him.

"I need to talk to him."
"And say what?"
"This isn't over Joss. He can fix this."

"John you have to remember. Gary Marshall? Clarisse's fiancé! We've taken enough risks just bringing Will here. Gary's supposed to marry her."

"Marshall had happily ever after with a woman who put up with him and his mess for twenty years. A woman who knew what and who he was and still stuck by him. He blew it when he decided to walk away from her. Now it's about Clarisse and Will."

Joss was completely unsure of what to say. What was wrong with him? The familiarity of this case and John's eagerness to help left Joss with a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. He locked his eyes with hers briefly, smiling slightly. He stroked her cheek. "Wait here for me."

Then he was gone. Leaving a stunned Carter behind.

…

"Where are you going?" John asked once outside the house. Will kept his steady pace as if he were trying to put as much distance between himself and the house that held the love of his life.

"Where am I going? I would think that was obvious. Come on man she told me to go. You heard and saw it all. She doesn't want me. She wants the idiot who walked out on his wife and family. That's what she wants. It's what she's choosing and she knows deep down she's not happy."
"If you're going to run off that easily you didn't have half the courage I thought you did."

Will stopped on the sidewalk having walked two houses down. "What's it to you? I still love her alright? But I don't blame her for not wanting me. I did her wrong. Let her go when I should have chased after her. You don't know. Not everything I did for the government was right. And she knew that, yet she still loved me. She waited and pushed me to be a better person. Even though she was there and I had no doubt she loved me for me, faults and all, I still let her believe I was dead. It's my fault."

"No if you walk away now it will be your fault. She is having doubts. You saw the way she reacted when she saw you."

"Yeah. She closed herself off and kicked me out."
"Before that. She was relieved to see you. She wants you. She's just angry and shocked right now. Anyone can see that. She still loves you. I'm not saying she doesn't love Marshall, but you have a chance. Fight for it. Man up and chase after her. Do all you can to get her. So that if she does reject you at least you'll know you did all you could."

Will stared at him confused. "Why does it matter to you? Why are you doing this? I saw the way your friends reacted when you agreed to take me to her. This isn't what you normally do. So, why?"

"Take it from someone who knows," John said growing more serious. "She thought you were dead and after all this time you're both still alive and she's not married yet. That's not just a coincidence. When God gives you a second chance take advantage of it. So many people," he said his words heavy with conviction his voice growing raspier with emotion, "don't get second chances with the one they love. When you get one, you seize every opportunity." He smirked. "So go get her."

…

Joss closed her eyes. That sinking feeling, those growing, fears now overflowing as she listened to John's conversation with Will. She couldn't help herself. She had to know why John was so stuck on helping him. She heard his words and now she found her eyes filled with tears and her heart heavy. How come she hadn't seen it before? The second chances, two lovers reunited, one engaged, one thought to be dead. Helping Will was John's way of encouraging a man to not repeat the mistake John had made a long time ago with a woman he loved. And lost. A woman he still wasn't over. Jessica.

How could she have thought John would ever be able to completely let go of his lost love? If she had lived, no doubt John would be taking the advice he was now giving Will and would be fighting for Jessica. Or by now he would be with her. Living a normal life. She had to face it. Jessica had a place in John's heart that would never be up for grabs. John's love for her had been exalted through her death and always would be. The question now was what was Joss going to do about it?

Joss swallowed searching her heart. Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

A tear slipped out of her eye as she answered her own question. She wasn't going to do anything. She was going to stick by John anyhow because she couldn't leave him. She was too far gone over him. Whatever she could be to him she would be. Because she needed him. It wasn't his fault his lover had died. But she was not the love of his life. And she was going to have to live with that. Inwardly she berated herself for choosing to devote herself to a man who she knew was not going to devote himself fully to her. The woman inside her condemned her for settling for being a man's second best. But it wasn't just any man. It was John Reese. And yes for him she would be second best. Because even if he never loved her the way he loved Jessica, he still needed her. So as long as she lived, he would have her to lean on. In whatever way he would need her.