Only two more chapters and an epilogue! Enjoy!!! ;D

2008

Jack sat in his truck for a good half-hour before getting out. He stepped out and quietly walked up to the door. Her door. Joe's door. Their door. He waited a few moments before finally knocking.

He waited until she opened the door. She stared at him, silently. He could see she was in shock.

"Hey Carter. Can I come in?"

He didn't wait for a response. He brushed past her and she followed him into the living room.

"Joe here?"

"No."

"Good. "

"What are you doing here, sir?"

"Ah!" he corrected. "I retired, remember?"

"Oh. I guess I forgot. Um... why are you at my house at," she glanced at the wall clock, "three in the morning?"

"I needed to talk to you."

"Okay... talk. What was so important that you came all the way here in the middle of the night to tell me?"

"Actually, I came to ask you something."

"It's late and I'm tired. Quit stalling. What is it?"

"Come away with me. Run away from all of this."

"Jack, we're not sixteen. What are you talking about?"

"You don't want this life. You can deny it all you want, but you never wanted any of this," he told her, his hands gesturing largely.

"I do, I love Joe."

"No, you don't."

"Yes I do! I married him, didn't I?"

"That doesn't mean you love him."

"Jack, I -"

He cut her off by kissing her. It had been so long since that day by the oak tree... two long years. He could feel her tense up when she remembered, forcing him to remember. Joe.

She broke away from the kiss and took three steps backward.

"Run away with me. Come to the cabin. No one will find us there."

"Minnesota? I... my whole life is here. My job... Joe. Everything is here."

"I'm not. I'm not here," he pointed out quietly.

"Jack... please. Just... go. I can't come with you. I... I have to stay here. With Joe. I love him," she stressed the last three words, trying to convince him. It didn't work.

"You don't love him. I know you Sam. I can see it. You don't love him."

"Please, please Jack. Go."

They stood there for what seemed like forever. Jack silently begged her to come while Sam begged him to go. Finally, he broke eye contact and walked out the door.

He knew why she'd turned him down and, as soon as his anger had passed, he could see what a stupid idea it had been. They weren't teenagers. They had jobs, responsibilities, families. Well, at least, Sam did. Jack didn't have any of that. He spent his days fishing and sleeping and drinking, just trying to forget.

He wished she had said yes, but he knew she couldn't. Joe was in her life - he was her life. Jack hadn't been in her life for a long time, he realized. And he wasn't sure he would ever be in her life again.

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