Jack Ramsey rubbed his cold hands together after he locked the front door of the bar. It was just a little after eleven and he was glad that everyone had cleared out, even if it was tradition, he was ready to go home, curl up in bed and pretty much forget that today had even ever happened, or more honestly pretend tomorrow wasn't real.
Church bells were ringing as he started his short walk to his car.
"Jack!" her voice calling out to him forced him to spin around and drop his keys.
He looked at her, amazed she was here, in front of him. "Sarah?"
Sarah Webber nodded as she took a step forward, "Hey Jack."
He picked up his keys, "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with Chris?"
She shook her head, "I take it you're brother hasn't talked to you at all recently."
"Not like I would answer his calls." He found the keyless remote for his car and sent it beeping that it was unlocked. "I need to go."
"Jack, will you wait and here me out?"
"It's Christmas Eve Sarah, go see your sister I bet she would love to know your in town." He opened the car door to get in but Sarah slammed it shut before he could.
"Jack Ramsey, shut up and listen to me." She reached for his hand but he pulled it away. "I know I hurt you, but it really wasn't what you think it was. I promise."
Jack leaned against his car, "Sarah, we were together for three years, and what did you do the night we were going to get married? Christmas Eve of all nights, you left town with my brother Chris!"
Sarah rubbed her forehead, she never really thought she would have to explain any of this to Jackāat least not in person. She'd had it all written down in a note that Chris was suppose to give him after she died. But she'd gotten a nice little medical miracle at the eleventh hour and now she was standing in front of the man she loved with all her heart, but who hated her for leaving him. "Jack, I thought I was going to die."
"You're a doctor Sarah, you know medicine is always advancing." He spat back as he looked in her eyes. God did he still love her.
"I didn't want to marry you, only to have you have to mourn me a few days later."
"In case you haven't noticed Sarah it's a year later and you're still alive."
Sarah looked down at her hands, she still has his engagement ring on. She refused to take it off, even when she left with Chris to the clinic in Switzerland. "Jack, I'm only here today because of a very intense round of medicine that I never would've gotten if Chris hadn't gotten me into that clinic."
"And Chris gets to be the hero." Jack tossed his keys in the air and looked at the woman he loved, "Did the two of you become lovers."
"No Jack. I could never do that to you."
Jack sighed, "What do you want from me Sarah?"
"Give me a chance to make this up to you. Give me a chance for us to try again."
"I can't Sarah, I just can't." He opened his car door and got in, "A year ago, I was a mess Sarah. I thought the woman who gave me hope again ran off to be with my brother. I did everything I could think of to get you out of my mind, and my heart."
Sarah looked towards the bar, "Doesn't look like you did everything."
Jack looked at the bar sign and sighed, he didn't have the heart to change the name, "So what, Sarah can be a fictional woman, she doesn't have to be the greatest love of my life."
"If I'm the greatest love of your life, can you really push me away?"
Jack sighed, thinking back to earlier in the evening and how Jamal had shown up to spend time with Alison as if nothing had happened. If they could give it a try after everything maybe, he was man enough, adult enough to give Sarah another chance. He reached out to her, examining her blond hair and smiled, "My heart doesn't want to get shattered again Sarah."
She covered his hand with hers, "I never wanted to shatter it Jack. And I know that I did, but Jack I realized I'd made a mistake when I pushed you away."
Jack knew this could be one of the stupidest moves ever, but he pulled Sarah down onto his lap and kissed her.
Sarah kissed him back, "Jack I love you."
He looked into her green eyes, "I love you to Sarah."
She kissed him for a moment and then started to giggle, "I don't think the car is the best place for this."
"At least not the drivers seat." He smiled, "Let's go back to my house. We can build a fire, watch the snow fall."
"And watch as Christmas arrives."
Jack nodded, "Exactly."
