"Carter." Jack looked up from staring at the elevator floor when he heard Allison speak his name. Carter smiled at her and so began his day, "Hello Allison. What's the emergency?" Allison began to walk and Carter was at her side listening to her explaining to him the latest crisis that was happening with the scientists of Eureka. "Ok well see you then I'm of to level 2 to see what I can do." Carter turned to go back the way he came so he could take the elevator back down when Allison calling his name caused him to pause, turn, and look at her. "Yes Allison?" Allison approached him and began to talk to him in hushed whispers, "About yesterday and what Zoë said I wanted to …." Carter held his hand up to stop Allison, "Allison it was imprudent on her part and I've spoken to her about it. It won't happen again." "Thank you Carter but about what she said…"
Carter put up his hand again and left it between them as he spoke what he thought were the second hardest sentences in his life, "I've said goodbye to that idea, notion, thoughts or whatever you want to call them. I do wish to say this though…" and at that moment he couldn't help himself, if it was going to be the last time he wanted a good memory to go with it. Carter placed his palm by her left cheek and he caressed her soft warm skin with his thumb, "…goodbye Allison." Jack dropped his hand and turned around to head to the elevator. He stepped in and did not turn to look at her but let the elevator doors close before he turned to press the level 2 button. Hard but necessary was the goodbye to Allison. He needed to make a clean break from the possibility of ever being something between them and for once he was going to agree with Zoë, love is not supposed to be hard if its gut wrenching, sob filled and emotionally devastating then perhaps that is not the person for you, "There is someone out there for you daddy, you'll see." So Jack Carter started his day with renewed hope he would remember the beauty that was Allison but there was happiness for him maybe not today, tomorrow or the day after but someday and for now he had more pressing matters to tend to.
Allison placed her left palm on her left cheek where moments ago Jack had said goodbye to her. She couldn't understand why it was hurting, she felt the tears begging to be let go from her eyes but she wasn't going to. She had Nathan, tall dark and handsome absolutely a brilliant scientist who loved her deeply, why would she let that go for Carter. Allison was pulled out of her reverie with the ringing of her phone. "Go ahead." It was Nathan calling to make lunch arrangements with her outside the facility, "Sure how about I meet you by your car and we can decide from there." She had a life and she didn't need complications like Jack making her rethink her decisions.
And so the days in Eureka began to pass. Allison would contact Carter or Jack would come looking for her when they needed to meet for important matters. They never stayed alone in the same room and not once did either bring up their personal lives. Good co-workers they became and everyone seemed happy for them. Allison allowed Stark to move back in with her and her son and Jack, Jack lived his life as a happy father for Zoë – at least until the town decided to hold a ball for Valentine's day.
"So you are honestly going to let me go with Roger Epstein." Zoë couldn't believe her luck, her father was not only agreeing to let her go to the community ball but, let her go with Roger Epstein her boyfriend of the last two weeks, "Yes, but with one condition-that I approve of your dress." Zoë jumped from her spot on the sofa to hug her father and tell him she had no problem with that. Besides she had chosen a sensible outfit or at least that what she called it. Besides Joe had helped her pick it out and like Joe said, "Just because you got it doesn't mean you have to flaunt it. Besides who do you think calls more attention in a room a breathtaking woman in a dress or a woman in a non-existent dress." Zoë didn't know if she was growing up or not but she knew she wanted to look breathtaking not slutty for this dance. Roger was important to her and she wanted to impress him and his family so that they would stop giving him such a hard time just because of her past.
Carter had given Joe the night off so that she could enjoy the dance. He assured her he would make an appearance now and then to check up on things and on Zoë but just because it was a party night didn't mean the sheriff's office had to completely shut down.