After 6 hours of waiting and worries, Kim and Audrey drove to LAX. The plane landed with one hour delay. They waited at the terminal.
Some agents came through the gate but still there was no sign of Jack and Chase.
Agent to Bill whispering: Sir, I have bad news. We lost five of our men and some are injured. Jack Bauer was shot in the chest last night but he will make it. Edmunds is with him.
Bill: Audrey, Kim. Bad news… Please stay calm: Jack has been shot but he is alive. Chase is with him, they'll arrive in 5 minutes.
Audrey breaks down: Oh no! That can't be true! He can't die!
Bill held her, tried to calm her down.
Bill: Audrey, please calm down. Jack is alive, he won't die. He has been shot more then once. Kim take Audrey with you and wait for Jack and Chase at the left exit. I have to report that to division.
Audrey still cried. Kim wasn't so scared; she knew that her father would survive.
Minutes later the medic team brought Jack in the hall. Chase was at his side, two doctors already next to him. As soon as Audrey and Kim saw them they ran towards Jack and Chase.
Audrey: Honey can you hear me?
Jack laid on some kind of bed with his eyes closed.
Jack: Audrey, is that you?
He opened his eyes.
Audrey: Yes it's me. How are you feeling?
Kim: Are you in pain? What happened? Bill couldn't give us the details.
Jack: My chest hurts pretty much.
Chase: He has lost a lot of blood during the flight this night.
Jack: Audrey don't worry! It looks worse as it is.
Doctor: Agent Bauer you have a serious bullet wound, don't take it too easy. Looks like the bullet nearly hit your heart but thank god that isn't the case.
You have to get into surgery as fast as we can. We take you to CTU clinic; we can't put you in a public hospital.
Jack: Okay, ah… Chase tell them the story!
The doctors drove him away.
Jack: Stop! Stop! Please wait a second!
Audrey come here. Jack yelled.
Audrey walked to Jack.
Audrey: What is it? You have to go into surgery!
Jack: I just want you to know that I love you and that I will be soon at home and I will be all right! Don't forget that!
Audrey: I know, I will wait at CTU till you're out of surgery.
Chase: Kim come here!
He hugged and kissed her.
Chase: I'm sorry that I haven't taken care better of Jack but it went so fast.
Kim: I know. Tell us what happened before it will be on the news.
Chase: We were rescuing our man at some strange place. It was some kind of under earth prison. Jack ran point, as we had our man suddenly 20 guards were surrounding us, there was no way out. They shoot at us, we didn't expect them, and the Intel said that there would be just 2 guards but obviously there were 20 well trained soldiers. They opened a big gunfire. After half an hour we had no more ammunition, Jack had a plan but before he could react he got shot. Thank god he was not unconscious so he grabbed the gun after a physical fight and killed those fucking guards. Although he was shot he saved us.
Damn, I would be dead now. Jack is awesome! He was shot in the chest but took out the soldiers with one gun. We also lost a lot of colleagues….
Kim: Sounds like my father! He nearly died but saved the other agents!
Audrey: Well I hope the surgery will go well after that.
After Chase told Audrey and Kim what had happened in Iraq, they drove back to CTU to wait for Jack coming out of surgery. All of them were really nervous about Jacks condition. The rescue of the American government man from Iraq was already on the news. Somehow the reporters also were well informed about the mission and they also knew that an American agent was injured and many others dead. CTU figured out that there must have been a leak in the NSA staff. But it was not so important anymore. Bill had his hands full, he had to inform the relatives of the agents who were killed in the mission.
Diane and Derek watched the news in the morning and at the moment they heard about the classified mission on TV they thought about Jacks words when he said that they would get to know about the mission on the news. Both of them hoped that Jack would be alive; they decided to call Audrey and ask her if everything was all right.
One hour later Audrey was still waiting for the doctor. She was heartbroken and tired. It was not easy for her being pregnant and have so many worries. Kim went home with Chase, it was too much for her to wait and wait. Audrey understood it, Kim loved Chase and she was glad that he was okay. Finally Dr. House came out of the operating room.
Doctor: Miss Raines?
Audrey: Yes, I'm here. Please call me Audrey.
Doctor: I want to give you a report on Jacks condition. First of all the surgery went well. He has lost a lot of blood but he will be okay in a few weeks. We've sedated him so he will have no pain when he wakes up. It was really good that agent Edmunds took care of him during the flight. I think he will wake up in a few minutes.
Audrey: That's good news. Can I be with him when he wakes up?
Doctor: Of course, that's no problem. He is in room 110. One more thing…
Audrey: What is it?
Doctor: I've read his file, I know what Jack has done for his country and I know what the Chinese did to him. He is a hero and you can be proud to be his fiancée. There are not many people like him. He is a fighter, with your help he will get through everything.
Audrey: Thank you so much. I'm glad that Jack is in such good hands. But now I'm gonna see him.
Doctor: I heard that you are pregnant? Is everything okay? I mean it must have been a big shock for you that Jack was shot.
Audrey: I feel a little tired but I can't complain.
Doctor: If anything is wrong please let me know!
Audrey shook the hand of Dr. House and left. She quietly entered Jacks room. He laid there in a bed, machines around him. He was so peaceful. He had a bandage around his bare chest. Audrey walked to him and sat down next to the bed holding his hand. It remembered her of the time when Jack was rescued from the ship which was heading to China. She sank into memories when she saw Jack the first time after she thought that he was dead. God she loves him, she never wants to leave his side.
