Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to Eleventh Hour, if I did the show would still be on air. This is a labour of love, so please don't sue.

Notes: This is set early in the season when Jacob and Rachel were still getting to know each other – probably pre-H2O. I also took some liberties with information, like Maggie's name and whether or not she was a doctor working around Jacob.

'Is this thing on? Cause I'm not starting until it's on.'

'It's recording, go ahead.'

'You're sure?'

'Steve, just say something already.'

'Uh,' Steve loosened his tie and stared directly into the camera. 'I guess I should say, uh, congratulations on your wedding Doctor Hood and, uh –'

'And Maggie,' a young woman appeared in the camera's view and slipped her arm around Steve.

'Oh yeah and Doctor Simmons, of course, it takes two to tango, right?'

'This is very cool,' the young woman was saying. 'And very romantic, right honey?'

'Uh, yeah, very . . . listen Doctor Hood, uh, while I have your attention I'd like to revisit my marks on last week's exam. . .'

The screen faded to static for a minute before an older couple appeared on the screen.

'Hello, Jacob, I'd just like to welcome you to the family.' The man was saying.

'You've made our daughter so happy,' his wife added, 'I couldn't wish for a better son-in-law.'

Doctor Jacob Hood sat in his darkened apartment, the only light coming from his television screen. An abandoned Chinese take-away sat cooling on the coffee table in front on him. The television screen seemed to blur for a second as he took a large gulp of whiskey. Maggie always laughed at this bit. She would say that Steve was changing the subject because his girlfriend was hinting at wanting a deeper relationship. Jacob frowned; he couldn't even remember now who Steve was. Maggie always snuggled into Jacob's side when her parents were on the screen, half proud and half embarrassed by their words.

'They make me sound like a desperate spinster just waiting for Mr Right to come along.' She used to say.

'I'm glad you waited.' Jacob said out loud, before swallowing the last of his drink.

Alexandra came on the screen.

'Brother mine, I'm glad to see Maggie's finally made an honest man of you. When can I expect a little niece or nephew?'

Jacob cleared his throat roughly and grabbed the remote. He fast forwarded the DVD pausing only long enough to watch Maggie walk down the aisle with her father. She was so beautiful that day, everyday actually right up to the bitter end.

'I need another drink,' he said, getting up off the sofa and leaving the DVD running through their wedding vows.

He could hear the quiet murmurs of their voices as he poured himself half a glass of Penderyns Single Malt. Had it only been eight years ago that they had said 'I do'? Some days it felt like a lifetime, others only hours. If only they had known how little time together they would actually have, how much more would they have lived? How much harder would they have loved?

'You left me alone, Maggie.'

Returning to the sofa Jacob sat back down, staring through the television screen as the happy couple celebrated their union with a kiss.

The shrill ringing of the telephone brought Jacob's attention back to the present. He hit the mute button on the remote as he picked up the phone. He had to take two attempts at clearing his throat before he could say hello.

'Hood?'

'Rachel?'

'Are you all right?'

'I was asleep, what's wrong?'

'Nothing, just checking up on you.'

'You don't have to do that.' Jacob sat up straighter and ran a hand through his unruly curls.

'Well I thought what with today being . . . well you know, that you might like to talk.'

'What about today?'

There was a brief silence on the other end of the line. 'I know it's your wedding anniversary, Hood.'

Jacob picked up his glass before putting it back down again. 'How do you know that?'

'I know everything about you, Hood.' Rachel's voice gently teased him over the phone.

Jacob's lips twitched. 'Oh I certainly hope not.' Then it dawned on him, 'You read it in my file.'

'One of the perks of the job.'

'Well it's true that today would have been our wedding anniversary but that doesn't mean I've been wallowing, Rachel.'

Jacob watched a happier, younger version of himself waltzing with Maggie. Watched as Alexandra and her soon to be ex joined them on the dance floor leading to a rush of happy laughing couples filling the spaces around them.

'So what have you been doing?' Rachel asked.

'Watching television.'

'I thought you were sleeping, Hood?'

Damn, caught out in the lie, normally he was much smarter than this. 'I was doing both.'

Rachel laughed in his ear, 'And they say men can't multitask.'

Jacob flicked on a table lamp. 'Don't believe everything you hear.'

'So how are you, Hood?'

'Tired, looking forward to a few days off. You wouldn't believe the mail I have to sort through and I need to do some laundry –'

'No, how are you really, Hood?'

Of course Rachel wouldn't be put off that easily and she wouldn't accept any flippant answer that he might consider giving her.

Jacob paused the DVD on an image of Maggie smiling and laughing at something he had just said. 'I miss her, Rachel. I don't know how many times I've turned around expecting to find here there and each time I feel it again, she's gone.'

'They say time makes it better.'

'Time makes it bearable, I don't know if it will ever get better.' Jacob glanced at his glass; he was not normally so open about these things. 'Rachel, I think I'm drunk.'

'Well that makes you more exciting that the guy I normally mind.'

Jacob grabbed at the graceful exit that Rachel dangled in front of him. 'Bit dull is he?'

'Oh he's a scientist, and you know scientists.'

'Yes, I am familiar with the type.'

'Bit of a genius, always off saving the world but I think he should smile more.'

'Devilishly handsome?'

Rachel laughed. 'Well . . .'

Jacob turned off the DVD and picked up a carton of fried rice. 'You didn't say no.'

'I didn't say yes, either.'

Sniffing at the food, Jacob scooped up a mouthful. 'Well you should see the FBI agent I've been lumped with.'

'Careful,' Rachel warned, 'said FBI agent might be armed.'

'I didn't think I'd like her at first but she's growing on me.

'She'd better be.'

'She's smaller than I thought she would be, but she makes up for that with attitude. She's feisty.'

'Feisty?'

'That's a good thing.'

'Hood, I call you a genius and you call me feisty?! You make me sound like a Chihuahua.'

'Chihuahuas can be dangerous,' Jacob said around another mouthful of food. 'I was bitten by one when I was a child.'

'Hood, are you eating?'

'Uh-hmm,' Jacob swallowed, 'Chinese.'

Rachel sighed, 'Oh now I want Chinese.'

'Well I'd offer you some but . . .'

'Hood, I'm not coming over to your apartment for Chinese.'

'But it's good.' Jacob tucked the phone under his chin as he leant over and rummaged through another carton, 'and I have satay chicken, too.'

'Hood there is this new invention called 'takeaway', they even deliver to your door.'

'You're no fun.'

'Yet, still I seem to be growing on you.'

'I could compare you to warts, but I'm afraid you might hurt me.'

'Good call.'

Jacob ate a few more mouthfuls in the companionable silence, content to just listen to Rachel breathe. 'Thank you, Rachel.'

'All part of the service, Hood.'

'You know one of these days I'm going to wear you down and you'll call me Jacob.'

'We'll see.'

'Well I'd better let you go, I'm sure you have a lot of paperwork to do.'

Rachel laughed, 'Why do you think I called. I'm trying to put it off.'

'Well we can't have that, good night Special Agent Rachel Young.'

'Good night Doctor Jacob Hood.'

'Now that wasn't so hard, was it?'

Rachel was still laughing as she hung up the phone.

Jacob picked up his glass and takeaway cartons and walked into the kitchen. He put the cartons in the middle of an almost empty fridge, it was hard to shop for fresh food when you never knew from one day to the next which part of the country you might be in. Maggie had always kept the fridge full of vegetables and fruit and more dairy products than Jacob had known existed. Picking up the glass he brought it to his lips and stopped. He stared at the amber liquid for a minute before pouring the last mouthfuls down the sink.

'Goodbye Maggie.'

Maybe time would make the pain better. Time and good friends.