I do not own EUReKA. Kay sera, sera.

The Depths of Love

Chapter 2: Come Hell or High Water

Jack was exhausted and it didn't help matters that he was finding it difficult to get comfortable. He had been sleeping fitfully all night long and it had nothing to do with where he'd chosen to lay his head. He punched his pillow again in an attempt to make it more pliable, knowing that it wasn't the problem at all. This was the first night in years that he'd slept in the jail cell at the Sheriff's station and the first night in months he'd slept without Allison by his side. The previous two evenings he stayed at Henry's but after getting the third degree Grace about Allison, he decided he would be better off alone. After his falling-out with Allison, he told her he would prefer to stay away for a while but the time apart had done nothing to help dissuade or ease his fears. Oh, he went through the motions without complaint, but it was proving to be an exercise in futility.

Attempting to stick to his daily routine, he got up earlier than usual so that he could run home, shower, then eat breakfast with the kids, who thankfully were none the wiser of his nightly disappearance. He went to work, making sure he kept himself occupied with different tasks, effectively ignoring the odd looks he'd get from Andy time to time. The biggest blessing of all was that there had been no emergencies at either GD or in town. Since he had no reason to travel to the facility, he'd barely seen Allison in the past three days other than breakfast and dinner. While at home, their evening meal finished, he'd usually go for a bike ride or a run. Upon his return, he watched television or made phone calls, any excuse he could use to distract himself from the real issue at hand.

For her part, Allison wasn't fairing much better either. Those three nights without him had been unbearable to say the least. She hadn't realized how much she missed his presence until he was gone. She didn't include the times before they began their relationship or the occasions when they'd done things separately. Allison always valued her independence and found herself overwhelmed at the fact she now seemed lost without him. She had never before experienced a loss such as this and it proved to be trying. Yes, both her first spouse David and Nathan had met with untimely deaths and the grief she'd felt was indeed profound, but with Jack, it was different. If anyone asked her to put it into words or definitive terms, she wasn't sure she could. It was an emotion, a sense of completeness and serenity when she was near him. She had been in love before and knew the feeling well, but what she had with Jack seemed to be without parallel.

She believed it was the main reason she resisted his subtle advances for so long. There had been an immediate attraction between the two of them and even though she tried to deny it, it was a sensation she was unable to handle. She remembered the first day they met. She felt that unmistakeable flutter of butterflies in her stomach and the days that followed proved to only increase those emotions. It didn't help that he was staying at the Inn. She hated that she was even a tad bit jealous when she thought that he and Beverly had slept together. How could a man she had know all of a few days have done this to her? He certainly was unlike any man she'd dated before and that instantly made her cautious. Truth be told, she was glad they happened the way they did. Jack was not only her fiancé, he was her best friend and she missed him dearly. So, each night, she would crawl over to his side of the bed, wrap her arms around his pillow so that she could inhale his scent, and weep endlessly until she fell asleep. She so desperately wanted to see him, be with him, talk to him, but she didn't know what to say. Her reasoning for withholding the details of their engagement from her family had nothing to do with him solely and contrary to his belief. But how could she explain it to him when it didn't make much sense to her? Each time she thought about he choice, it appeared rational, but she feared he might never understand.

As she lay there this particular night, a sense of urgency overcame her as she jolted from her position in bed and peered over at the clock. Even though she just as easily could have asked S.A.R.A.H, they liked to keep some of the normal household amenities around. According to the clock, it had just turned one and even though she'd laid down several hours ago, sleep had not yet found her and she knew exactly why. The difficulty she and Jack were having weighed heavily on her mind and she couldn't let this go on any further. As painful as it would be, she knew what she had to do.

And across town, it appeared that Allison wasn't the only one who was finding it hard to slumber.

Jack stirred out of a restless sleep, startled by an unusual noise. He knew he was alone in his office but he could swear he felt another presence in the room with him. His gun belt lying on the floor below the cot, he searched underneath until he felt the cold steel, tightening it within his grip. Whoever was inside with him had turned on none of the lights and tiptoed cautiously across the hardwood floor apparently in an attempt to sneak up on him. Unfortunately for the intruder, he was already on guard.

He sprung from his relaxed position, gun at the ready and bellowed in his most powerful voice.

"Freeze!"

The intruder let out an immediate yet frightened gasp. Once he heard it, there was no mistaking who the ominous shadow belonged to.

"Allie?"

His pistol lowered, he crossed over and turned on the light switch.

"What are you doing sneaking around here in the middle of the night? Are you crazy? I could have shot you!"

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sneak up on you like that but I didn't want to startle you either."

Jack checked his watch, his eyes still blurry, he wasn't sure he'd read the time correctly.

"Allie. It's two o'clock in the morning. What are you doing here so late?"

Panic setting in, he asked what he feared most.

"Oh my God. Is it the kids? Are they all right?"

"The kids are fine...but we're not."

"I know."

His expression sullen, Jack eased himself back into the cell and onto the mattress.

Allison meandered closer, unsure if she should sit or not. When he nodded his head in approval, she took up the spot next to him. When she reached out to touch him, unlike their last physical encounter, he did not tense or pull away. Her hand enclosed in his, she felt a rush of endorphins cascade throughout. She had so longed for his touch and if this was all she could have for the moment, she would cherish each second.

Staring deep into his eyes, she hesitantly began. "Jack, I owe you an explanation and as difficult as it will be for me to tell you, I have to get it out. Just promise me that you'll give me the chance to explain and you'll really listen."

"I promise."

Allison let out a long sigh. This was going to be harder than she thought.

"Jack, I want you to know...no, I need you to know that I love you more than any man I ever have or ever will. You are everything to me and the thought of you not being by my side fills me with dread. I've lied not only to you, but my family and myself. You have to know it's not because of who you are or what you do. The blame lays entirely with me.

Allison could feel the tears welling up in her eyes, but true to his word, Jack didn't interrupt as she struggled to continue on.

"What I'm about to confess is scary for me. It's almost as if once I allow the words to leave my mouth, I'm admitting that it's an actuality and will come to fruition."

Reaching out, she placed her palm against his cheek.

"Jack, when I first met you, I knew you were different. Not in the sense that you were unlike the scientists or inventors that lived and worked here in Eureka, but truly different. You had this quality unlike any other. I felt a connection, a familiarity as if we'd met before. Even though you weren't like anyone I've had a relationship with before, I was smitten."

Just the thought of how deeply she felt for him brought a smile to her face. She peered at him with eyes of pure devotion which seemed to break some of his resolve as a smirk pulled at the corners of his mouth.

"We were opposites, and even though my mind fought the notion, my heart knew we were so right for each other. I admit, I was afraid to take that step. I knew you were interested but I played coy. I pushed you away. By the time I really got to know you, I didn't think it would be right for us to begin something romantically. I had grown to rely on you, not just for what you do for this town or these people, but for me personally. You have been ever faithful to me in heart and when we began dating, it was better than I could have imagined. Even with everything we've been though with Nathan, Tess, the alternate timeline and now this, I've never wanted to be with anyone but you. When you got down on one knee to propose to me and I said yes, I meant it. I do want to marry you Jack. I wanted to marry you then and I want to marry you now. I want to be your wife. I want to be by your side until the end of time, and that's when it hit me."

Allison inched even closer. She wanted to make sure he felt the full affect of her words.

"Jack, I'm scared."

Jack tilted his head in that way he did when he was obviously confused.

"When we were in the fake Eureka and you were with Jo, it broke my heart."

"Allie, that wasn't real."

"I know that, but it doesn't change the fact that it hurt then and it still hurts now."

Jack cradled her face in his hands.

"Now you listen to me. Nothing has ever happened between me and Jo and nothing ever will. I love you."

"I know that I have nothing to worry about with Jo and I realize my feelings were misplaced. It wasn't the idea of you and her so much as it was the thought that you were gone. You told me then how much you grieved my loss and how Jo brought you back from the brink. I knew that feeling because I'd been there twice before. When I lost David, I was still relatively young so it did take me some time to navigate through the grieving process. I thought we'd be together forever and to lose him while Kevin was still a baby was frightening, but I moved on. When Nathan came into my life, I looked at it as a fresh start. Again I'd chosen a man who was similar to me. We had the same interests, the same goals. It was good for some time, then it all fell apart. You know what I've been through with Nathan but deep down in my heart, I also knew I was in love with you. I chose Nathan because he was familiar and I did have feelings for him. I know it sounds cruel, but it's true. When I lost him it was hard enough, but to be pregnant? I found myself in the same situation. Partnerless with a baby to take care of."

She paused to take a deep breath.

"Initially I was worried about how our dynamic would change. Jack, you're my best friend and I was worried that stepping into a relationship with you would end that. But we progressed and though we had some missteps along the way but we navigated through. Even moving in together was taking a big chance, not only for us, but for the kids. Jack, when I thought I'd lost you to Jo, those same feelings came rushing back. No, the scenario wasn't exactly the same, but the sense of loss was. It only made it worse because you were still there for me to see, but you were no longer a part of my life. I know it's selfish, but I couldn't rationalize how you could move on. Now that we're here in our reality, I can see the old cycle happening again."

She could see from his facial expression that he was puzzled by her statement.

"I don't understand. What do you mean happening again?"

"Honey, you risk your life for us time and time again. What if something happened to you? You put yourself in harms way without hesitation. Jack...I didn't tell my family because I didn't want to ruin what we have. I know it's seems irrational, but what if I'm not meant to be happy. This would be my third marriage and if something happened to you, I don't think I could survive it."

"Allie, I know there's nothing I can say that will erase those fears. We never know what tomorrow may bring, especially living here. I would be happy to just live together, sharing our lives, but I want to make a commitment to you, our kids, the world. If my job is a problem, I'll quit if you want me to."

"No, I would never ask that of you. I'd never ask you to change for me. It's who you are and part of the reason I fell so madly in love with you. Your passion, integrity and dedication is a part of you, just as much as your heart is."

"Then you know that if we get married or I left this job, something could still happen to me. I know you've survived the pain before, but do you really want to use that as an excuse to not move forward?"

"No, I don't."

"So, how do we move on from here?"

"By being open and honest with each other, no matter how painful it may be."

"You really hurt me Allie."

"I know and I'm so, so sorry."

Her emotions overtook her as she began to sob.

"Jack, if you'll still have me, I want to marry you. I love you more than life itself and I don't want to spend another moment without you."

Allison waited quietly, her fear rising when he failed to respond. Oh God she thought. What had she done? Had she lost him, his trust, his love? She didn't want him to see here completely break down and when she motioned to stand, he pulled her back down.

He spoke no words, his only answer, a kiss.

Oh how she had missed his passion filled kisses. His firm, yet soft lips. His mouth which always tasted like peppermint from the Lifesavers he sometimes kept between his teeth and cheek. His tongue as it explored her mouth, forcing a battle which neither really intended to win. Between each breath as his lips brushed against hers, he muttered over and over again..."I love you, I love you, I love you."

Allison allowed her body to relax as he motioned her backward onto the mattress. Unlike their love making a few days ago, this time she sensed him there emotionally as well as physically. Each touch of his hand, each kiss upon her skin, every whisper in her ear displayed the shameless desire he had for her. Allison let him take full control as he grasped the hem of her sweatshirt and slowly slid it up her frame, his hands lovingly caressing each curve, bend and mound. Thankfully, in her rush to leave the house, she had failed to put on any underwear and when he touched her bare skin, she couldn't help but to whimper wantonly. Her body felt as if it were on fire. When he finally pulled the shirt over her head and captured a pert breast within his mouth, a pleasured moan escaped her lips. When he reached down to push her sweatpants from her hips she stirred restlessly as a shiver traveled through her nether regions. When he gradually placed a finger inside of her, she knew he could feel the moisture, his lips smiling against hers.

As he stood to remove his own clothes, Allison took the opportunity to kick off her sneakers. She didn't even care that they were in the jail cell, it wouldn't matter where they were. She wanted him, no, needed him. His own sleep clothes peeled off, he crawled a top her and wasted no time as he entered. Apparently his need was as strong as hers and unlike the other night, this time, he was tender.

Allison clasped her arms tightly around his broad shoulders as he moved inside. Matching his pace, she ground steadily against him. She had no clue how long they lay there with each other and frankly she couldn't care less. If someone were to burst in on them right now, she didn't think she would stop until she heard the satisfied roar emitted from throat. As they rocked in unison, she could tell he was close. She could feel his heartbeat quicken as his body pressed against hers. The heat on her neck from his labored breathing. His arms as they held her tight in his embrace. Her slender hands gripped his taut bottom as the neatly trimmed fingernails dug covetously into his flesh. It all conspired in creating a passion filled experience.

Then he pleaded to her.

"Cum with me baby."

And that was all it took. Just the right words to send her over the edge as they climaxed in unison, ending in a crescendo of pleasured moans. Allison had never felt so alive as she had in this moment, and then she saw it. The smile that always put her at ease, filled her heart with joy and displayed the love he had for her. Thats when she knew for sure, everything would be all right.

Fin

A/N: So sorry for the delay, but as you know, life gets in the way. I will be updating Blame It On The Hormones, The Laws of Attraction and writing new one shots. Thank you all for your patience and support.