The Aislin Chronicles

Part XXIII

A/n: Thanks for the reviews! I just want you all to know, that I've been a writing machine for the past four days, and I intend to take a wee break, especially with basketball starting on Monday. That shall occupy many hours of my day and I may not be able to write as often. So I'm sorry if it's a long time before the next update. Here's Part XXIII, enjoy!

A note to jandl- yes, it's a real song by R Kelly that was popular when I was in eighth grade/when Aislin's in seventh grade.

6-8-03

7:44 PM

As an attempt to forget today's, um, awkward confrontation, Jack asked if I'd like to help him cook dinner (aka yummy sauce). Since I had de-aloe-fied myself and wore my hair in a more appropriate manner I said I would. He shall not mention this to anyone. Not that I don't think he will, I mean, it's Jack Bristow. He's a man of many secrets. At least I think so.

So I helped him make pasta and chicken and this reallllly good sauce. Jack the Sauce King. He must have read the book for one million recipes of the most delicious sauces, I swear. He told me he would be working from home tomorrow and on Thursday, which means I'm pretty much home alone (with Donovan) every other day. Which is fine. Then I politely asked him if Miss Jessica L. Silko could come over tomorrow. He said he didn't have a problem with that. Swell. I'll call her again this evening.

Ugh, it's hurts my brain to write like that. School's freaking out. Oh, anyway, I called her earlier today. Just a short chat about nothing, really. She says one of her sister's friends ate all the rest of the Oreos. So she's in withdrawal. Unfortunately, Jack doesn't have any of those. Though I would find that extremely amusing. Extremely, extremely amusing.

I think I'm gonna go call Jess and then do. Something. Yeah. Bye.

6-9-03

12:24 PM

Hehehe. You'll never guess what just happened. So I was downstairs finishing up my sammich for lunch (yup, it's sammich not sandwich) and the phone rang. Jack didn't answer, at least he was in his office and just let it ring, so I took a chance and answered the phone.

Guess who?

Mom and Dad, the happy little honeymooners.

Whoda thunk?

Not I.

Anyway, here's how the conversation went down:

"Hello?"

"Hey, Aislin." It was Sydney. Just kidding. It was Mom.

"Hi!" I hesitated. "You actually got out of bed to call me? I'm impressed."

"Well, actually we got out of bed to go to the zoo."

I decided to play the sarcastic route. But really, when do I not? "Oh, I see how it is. The zoo is more important than your daughter."

"Don't be silly! We saw the giraffes and they reminded us of you. We thought we should call."

"So you're saying I look like a giraffe?"

I heard Sydney laughing, then some shifting noises, then what sounded like Dad taking the phone from her. "Hey, Ais!"

"Oh, hey Dad! Having a good time?"

"Absolutely. How are you holding up?"

"It's a struggle, but…" I whispered, "I'm keeping my mouth shut."

"Um, Jack's not around right now, is he?"

"No, he's in his office. But he's probably got the phones tapped and is listening to our conversation right now."

"Then we better not mention the baby." Gawww. Syd-n-Vaughn junior. "Shit. I probably shouldn't have said that."

"Probably not." I heard them kinda talking in the background. Then Dad groaned. "What?"

"Nothing. Sydney wants to see the elephants. I just want to get out of here as soon as possible so we can go back and– Oh, probably shouldn't have said that either."

"Probably not."

"I better go. Love you."

"Love you too. Give Mom a hug for me."

"Gladly."

"Ugh. I probably shouldn't have said that…"

He laughed. "Bye."

He had me paranoid for a minute there that Jack was going to pop out and grab me by the collar and threaten me unless I told him about the baby. But he didn't, thank God. I don't think he has his phones tapped. Well, I actually do, I just don't think he was listening.

Oh, that's the doorbell. Jess is here. Later.

7:15 PM

Hm. Jess just left. She stayed for dinner, which was quite amusing. Jack made spaghetti (and I told Jess that he'd have amazing sauce) and he had amazing sauce. Therefore, I was right. Anyway, Jack's been all nice lately? I don't know. Friendly almost. I wonder if he realized he didn't have any friends. Wait. That was mean. And who's to say he has no friends?

But he doesn't.

Maybe having your wife die, turn out to have betray you, come back to life, and be in prison does that to you. I wouldn't know.

So Jess came over, I told her my parents called, she was just as impressed as I was. I went upstairs and got the Monopoly board and we played in the living room. I was the little dog, she was the top hat. I was trying to figure out what piece Jack would be, because I'm weird like that. We think he'd be the funny looking canon thing. Then we started figuring out what other people would be, like Mom would be the thimble, Dad I think would be the car or the boat. Jess said her sisters would always argue over the top hat. Her next in line was thimble.

Hmmm, I wonder about Ian? For some reason I feel like he would be the little dude riding a horse. Just because he's funny like that. We'd both have animals then. Me the little doggy, Ian the horse… I'm silly.

Jack came in the room late in the afternoon just after I caught Jess in my death corner (I had all the yellows and the greens. With. Hotels. Mwahaha. Money, money, all mine!) I totally wiped out her magenta monopoly, it was sweet. Jack asked if she was staying for dinner, and I asked if that would be all right, and he said it would be. Like I said, Friendly Jack. Weird, huh?

Jess pretty much surrendered to my superior Monopoly skills and we cleaned up and went upstairs. Jess kept wanting me to call Ian, and I didn't want Jack to kill him so I wouldn't. Then again, with Jack being all nice, would he object? Hm, I wonder. Instead we just played on the computer until dinner.

I think I'm going to watch a movie (I brought a few DVDs to play on Syd's computer). Later.

6-10-03

11:01 AM

So Jack's not home today. Hm. I think… I'll call Ian. Just to chat. We won't hang out or anything, I just want to talk to him. All right? Okay. Sounds good, Aislin. Sorry, I just felt like I needed some reassurance. Thanks journal.

Hm, I think I'll wait until after lunch. He told me he was a very late sleeper in summer. I'm not much of a late sleeper, I'm usually up by ten at the latest. Mostly around nine. What to do until then…? I should take Donny for a walk. He looks like he needs some good one-on-one time.

11:28 AM

That didn't last as long as I'd hoped. Rats.

11:31 AM

Ah, screw it. I'm calling him.

11:45 AM

Ooooh how I love talking to him. He makes me feel all happy and giddy. So I called him (I have his number memorized, I know, I'm a bit… obsessed?) and I was so thrilled that he answered. It would have been awkward if it had been one of his parents, but they're probably at work. And I'm glad it wasn't his brother because I remember last time too clearly when he screamed into the phone. Not pleasant. Anyway:

"Hello?" Ah, his sweet voice pubescent voice. Just beginning to deepen. I make fun of him when it cracks.

"Hey, it's Aislin."

"What's up? I'm about to go play baseball at the middle school, wanna come? We can go do something afterwards."

Oh my God I so wanted to. "I don't think I can, I'm staying at my grandfather's house, and I'm not sure he'd really like it. He's kind of strict…"

"That sucks."

"Yeah, sometimes." Oh now I seriously hope he doesn't listen to the tapped phones.

"So how long are you staying there? You're parents are on their honeymoon, right? I can't imagine why they didn't bring you along."

I laughed. "Yeah, they get back on Friday night. We could probably hang out after that, if you want."

"Yeah, yeah. That would be cool. I'll call you."

"Okay." AH! HE'S GOING TO CALL! Okay, okay, breeeeeathe. Okay, I'll continue the play-by-play. I didn't really know what else to say, but I wanted to keep talking to him. I guess he didn't really know what else to say either because a silence drifted in on us.

Finally Ian was like, "Well, I probably should go. I'm kinda late. Hey, if you feel like sneaking out, you know where I'll be."

"Okay! Haha. See you later."

"See ya."

I am so tempted to go to the middle school right now, but how pissed off would Jack be if he called and I didn't answer? Or if he came home and I wasn't here? I don't know how I'd get there anyway. Jack's only got one car, so I couldn't steal one, not that I know how to drive anyway, and me being underage would be extremely illegal. Not to mention I'd probably steer into a tree or something and kill myself. Not worth the struggle. I suppose I could call Jess and make one of her sisters take me, but nah, Jack would kill me,

Felt good to talk to him anyway. Gosh, I just don't know what to do. Maybe I'll read. Yeah. That sounds good.

6-12-03

10:44 AM

I highly advise against bringing your journal to breakfast with you. You can spill milk on its precious cover before you've even begun to write, let alone eat. It's pretty leather has a damp spot now, just a little darker than the rest of the cover. Saddens me. And now I'm missing like an entire spoonful of milk. I hope my Cheerios will understand.

So I didn't write in here yesterday because it was rather boring, and you don't want to hear me ramble on about how bored I am, or how I'm too lazy to do this and this and this, or how I'm thinking about doing this and this but really end up doing this and again I have a conversation with myself that is going nowhere.

Jack and I watched a movie last night.

I'm not sure whether to laugh or go… Huh?

Yeah, so I was watching TV in the living room after dinner and the movie The Graduate came on, and I had never seen it but heard it was really good so I decided to watch. After a few minutes Jack came in and said, "This is an excellent film," and sat down and watched it with me.

I never really thought of Jack as the movie-going type, or I guess the movie watching type. But this is an older movie so maybe he saw it in his happier days. I wanted to ask him about what other movies he liked, but then I got really into the movie and forgot. It was indeed an excellent film. I should ask him about it later.

But, I don't know. I try not to say much when I talk to him, because I'm afraid I might let something slip. Syd-n-Vaughn junior for instance.

10:54 AM

Sorry, right after I wrote that I realized Jack was working from home today and I didn't want him wandering into the kitchen and reading the whole secret. Just… not a smart move.

7:23 PM

Bloody. Hell. I am an idiot. I'm a loser. I am a horrible, horrible secret keeper. Fortunately I spilled to the best secret keeper in the history of the world, so I don't think we'll have any problems. And technically, I didn't spill– it's not like it popped out of me like an Eggo from the toaster –it just happened.

Jack knows.

I mean, about Syd-n-Vaughn junior.

Don't ask me why he waited until now to ask, or why he didn't confront his own daughter, he just did. He's a man who works in mysterious ways. Sigh, that Jack Bristow. Crazy lil devil.

Perhaps I should explain?

Well, we're eating dinner, a nice juicy steak and some mashed taters, and I was again thinking about Jack and the movies thing. He certainly didn't go out to the theater, so I figured he might rent sometimes. I have yet to find any movies that he might have bought. But don't worry, I won't go searching, because I'll probably find a hidden gun or something. And then I was thinking, well, maybe he doesn't even rent them himself, 'cause wouldn't you feel slightly uncomfortable running into Jack at the rental place? I would. He probably has minions who do it for him.

Haha. Jack. Minions. Phone taps.

I was having a little giggle-fest in my head, nibbling my steak, drinking my milk. Suddenly I noticed Jack staring at me. Just staring. Did I have something on my face? Or was I just that horrifically disfigured? I swallowed. "Uh, Jack?"

He didn't respond. I stared back at him for awhile. He was winning the staring contest so I shrugged it off and went back to my dinner. But he was still staring at me and it was weirding the crap out of me. I had the most tempting urge to poke him and see if he'd fall out of the chair.

Right then Jack snapped out of it like nothing ever happened. "The new neighbors finally moved in today," he said.

Um, okay? Random… I remembered seeing a for sale sign last time I was here. Oh man, I just remembered! When Mom and Dad were going to France and they dropped me off, I saw the sign, and I wished it was for Jack's house, and that he was moving to Hawaii so that I wouldn't have to see him often, and if we did go to see him then hey, we'd be in Hawaii!

Right, anyway. I replied with an, "Oh," pretending I was somewhat interested and not just completely confused. I wondered if he accidentally slipped something into his milk. Then I briefly wondered if my own milk was contaminated as well…

"Yes. I assume you'll be looking for a house soon as well."

As I thought about it, maybe it did taste a little funny. And was it slightly off color? No, that was just the light. Oh no. Oh. No. My mouth was getting dry. "Probably," I added distractedly.

"And why's that."

Must. Not. Drink… "Well, the apartment is too small." Oh gosh, I was just so thirsty. In my head I was screaming, "Aislin, no! Don't drink the poisoned milk!" but then it was too late, and my hand was already clutching the cold glass. Unfortunately as it reached my lips, I realized that it was too late for my mouth too. Maybe I shouldn't have said that? Mmm, milk…

"Too small for what? A baby?"

I spat that milk all over the table, my dinner, myself, though luckily not Jack.

I think this goes without saying, but at that point, I'm pretty sure that if I lied about there not being a baby, he wouldn't believe me.

Oh, and after I spat out the milk, to make the situation possibly worse, I had a sharp intake of breath, inhaled the small amount of milk remaining in my mouth, choked slightly and had a coughing fit for ten seconds.

And of course, when I was finished, I looked up at Jack, feigning concern in his eyes, but what was he doing? Smirking. …Jerk.

Of course, I was speechless. "I… How did you… Crap." Okay, maybe I was more tongue-tied. "They didn't want to tell you yet."

"As I suspected." Now it was my turn to stare. I was just so confused. Did he really have his phones tapped? Did he listen to our conversation…? I honestly didn't want to know, but at the same time I was curious as hell. Finally I started wiping milk off myself with the napkin, and Jack started cleaning it up off the table. "I saw Sydney run into a bathroom at work as if she were about to vomit, on more than one occasion. And since you've confirmed my theory–"

"You can't tell them I told you! And if you do, I'll… I'll blackmail you!" I know Jack would have laughed if he were not this big CIA man who doesn't laugh. Come on, he was being threatened by a thirteen-year-old with what he believed was an empty threat. But was it truly empty? Oh no, it most certainly wasn't. "That's right, I have pictures. And if you don't want the world to see you performing the chicken dance then I suggest you keep your mouth shut."

He just kept sopping up the milk. Not worried at all about my silly little vendetta. And finally, he did laugh, like I wasn't being serious. …Jerk. "Let's make a deal. I don't tell Sydney and Vaughn that you told me, you don't show anyone those pictures."

That sounded fine to me, but I wanted to negotiate. "Will you act like this never happened? You'll act surprised when they finally tell you?"

"I solemnly swear."

"Deal." Then we shook on it. Both our hands were wet from the milk, it was kind of funny. Then we cleaned up the rest of the milk off the table, and I wiped it off my steak and mixed it into the potatoes since it didn't really matter at that point. I wanted to know what he thought about this whole baby thing, and becoming a granddaddy. Would he let Syd-n-Vaughn junior call him grandpa? Maybe I could warm him up to the idea.

I must admit, I feel slightly relieved to have it off my chest, even if I wasn't supposed to get it off there. Mom and Dad will never know, Jack most certainly won't tell them, and I'm not going to tell them, so we're pretty safe. I still can't believe how he like, tricked me into it. Oh well, I suppose we're even now. He wasn't supposed to tell me that Irina killed Dad's dad. I guess I tricked him into that too, though.

And by the way, I fully intend to respect my side of the deal. I'm keeping those pictures away from any and all eyes. Whether he's kidding or not, you don't mess with Jack Bristow.

A/n: Yay! I finished this chapter before I'm leaving! I'm out until Saturday afternoon, I have to go up north. I was worried I wouldn't have this done before I left but I do, and I'm happy, and you should all review! Leave me goodies to read when I get back (make them happy, I'm going to a funeral).