The door wasn't locked, that's why she could open it. She did it slowly thinking they could still be together but she saw him dispirited, alone, sat on the couch holding his head in his hands.
"Jack ?" she said softly not to frighten him.
He suddenly raised his head and saw she was standing at the door.
"Come in. Sorry I didn't hear you."
"You don't seem to be alright. That didn't go well ?" Audrey asked as she was walking towards him.
"Not really." They stayed silent a moment.
"What's wrong, Jack ?"
"Nothing..." But after a moment he continued. "It's just that she talked to me about something and I realize that I..."
"What ? Jack, you know that if you have a problem you can tell me."
"I need..." He stopped being embarrassed that it was to her he was going to say that. She gave him a look as if to say that he could trust her for not judging him whatever he was going to say. He understood her so he continued.
"That can sound damned stupid but I... I need to go on Teri's grave."
"Why would that sound stupid ? I can understand that. Why don't you go now ?"
"It's almost dark."
"So what ? Is there a time for that ?"
They took Audrey's car, she was driving. The ride was silent as Jack was still thinking about Kim but he was also anguished at the idea of going on Teri's grave. As Kim had told him he hadn't gone there for a year and half. When they arrived Jack saw that Audrey wasn't getting out of the car. He gave her an astonished look as to say something like "What are you waiting for, get out". Apparently they didn't need to speak in order to understand each other because without a word from Jack, she said to him :
"I stay there for now. You should go alone."
He simply nodded before stepping out of the car. He slowly started to walk of a groping step to the grave. Though he hadn't been there for more than a year, he obviously remembered exactly where it was. As he was approaching the little gray tombstone, he couldn't prevent tears from rushing back up from where he had tried to hide them for so long. When he was in front of it, he knelt down and put a hand on the cold stone. He brushed it from top to bottom. At each centimeter covered, another memory with her came rushing through his mind. Tears were flowing on his cheeks, he closed his eyes and whispered between some silences :
"I'm so sorry. I know it's because of me you're there. I've never stopped loving you."
Audrey, who was standing near the car, was looking at him with affection. She didn't want to disturb him; she knew what he was going through.
She had been there.
"Please, help me for our daughter. I don't know what to do anymore." And he repeated a couple of time "I'm sorry." He burst into sobs and stayed looking at it a long time.
Audrey eventually approached and put her hand on his shoulder as a sign of compassion. He slowly stood up without losing sight of the gravestone. And wiping his tears he said softly "We can go."
The return to the hotel hadn't been as silent as the outward journey. They made themselves clear, talked freely and everything began to be obvious for both of them. They arrived at the hotel where Jack hoped to stay for a moment. He had no home of his own anymore. They were smiling and cheerful now, hand in hand but he had to let hers go if he wanted to unlock the door. He entered first but she didn't take a long time to follow him.
"Here we go," he murmured.
And as he was closing the door behind her, he took her arm, made her come close to him and push her softly against the door holding her by her waist. It was dark and there was only the light of the moon which lit up some places of the room.
He kissed her with the same passion, palm against palm. He started to unbutton her shirt again.
Now they could continue what they had started a few hours earlier. No one was behind the door, no one would disturb them this time. They were finally together, alone, just the two of them. After a year of being apart. He took her shirt off slowly in order not to hurt her where she had been injured. Her arm was still bandaged. He made it slide on her arms. When it was done, she started to unbutton his shirt in her turn. It fell on floor as they were going toward the couch still kissing. She pushed him softly on it and sat on his knees. He slowly opened her bra and as he was caressing her shoulders and her arms, he took it off. Then, he kissed her in her neck, holding her by the hip.
She looked for his button of jeans, and when she found it, she started to open it.
They both had their heart beating faster and faster. They remember their last night before their separation because of Jack's disappearance. They had also spent it in a hotel room. After all the events of the eve, they could now spend time together and have a good time, almost like a young couple.
He got up and carried her through the bedroom while she was snuggling up to him, her head in the hollow of his neck and having her legs around his waist. He laid her tenderly on the bed. Now she was under him and she couldn't go. But she didn't want to. He put affectionately her hair behind her ears looking at her with a smile. She smiled at him in return. Then, he kissed her as lovingly as he was able to. Soon, they started to kiss each other more and more passionately.
The light of the sun made him open his eyes. He tried to remember where he was and what happened. It was clear, especially when he saw her asleep near him. She was beautiful. He could stay looking at her all day. Her hair, scruff and shoulder, her skin so soft... he stayed there during a moment. Then, he couldn't prevent himself to kiss her shoulder. She opened her eyes, slowly because the light was a little blinding.
"Hey," he whispered.
"Hi you," she answered with a smile.
"Sorry, I awoke you. I didn't mean to."
"It doesn't matter, I had to wake up anyway. So you're all forgiven."
"Oh ! Very kind of you," and they started to laugh like two kids.
They kept silent a moment.
"What ?" she asked in a laugh. "Why do you look at me like that ?"
"I dreamt about that every day, every second, for a year and half. And now here we are, now it's true." He came close and kissed her. They stayed forehead against forehead.
"I love you so much," he murmured raising his head.
"I love you too, Jack. Now we have a second chance. And I'm not gonna waste it."
The alarm clock was displaying 8:45 a.m. She looked at it, and exclaimed :
"When do you have to be debriefed about... ?"
"During the morning. That doesn't mean 7:00 o'clock !" he said interrupting her and smiling at her.
"Yeah, you're right."
"I don't know exactly when. All I know it is that we still have time to be together. Don't be such in a hurry as soon as you are awake ! Gosh, I didn't remember you were so nervous. What about you? What are you gonna do today ? Have you already seen you father since he is at the hospital ?"
"No. Apparently we were not allowed to see him. But they told me that we could today. You will come with me ?"
"Well... you decide. When will you visit him ?"
"Certainly about this afternoon. Please." she said that with such a look...
"Alright. How could I say "no" to a such beautiful and wonderful woman ?"
"Don't make too much of it either, Jack."
"I'm just telling the truth."
A cellphone rang but Jack was too busy kissing her neck to pick up.
"Jack, it's yours."
"Damn... even the morning we can't be..."
"Jack, pick up."
He sighed, took his cellphone and picked up.
"Bauer."
Audrey started to laugh and got up to dress-up.
"M. Bauer ? We would like to see you at CTU for the debriefing."
"Yeah, alright. I can be there in... 30 minutes."
"Perfect. Thank you."
"Yeah," he hung up and asked Audrey : "Why did you laugh ?"
"Can't you pick up a phone like everyone else?" She imitated him : "Bauer" and started again with laughing. "Just say "Allô" and people will
understand."
"You are well the girl of your father ! He already told me that once. Sorry, old habits die hard."
"So, I assume they want to debrief you. It's not at 7:00 o'clock but not at 11:00 o'clock either. They have another vision of the morning than you."
"It's not funny," he said smiling at her because he knew that she just tried to tantalize him.
He got up, took his jeans which was lying around on the floor and got dressed.
"Do you eat something before you go ?" she asked.
"I don't have time and I'm used to not eating a lot."
"Okay and when do you come back ?"
"In... Well I won't say anything. Every time I've said 'I'll be right back' or 'I'll be back in an hour'... something happened. I don't know exactly but you know how long a debrief can last. That can take several hours. I'll call you as soon as I get out."
"Alright."
He walked to the kitchen where she was making her breakfast.
"I love you," he whispered and kissed her before walking to door.
"Me too," she answered with a smile. "Don't stay too long over there."
"I won't, I promise," and he walked out of the room, going to CTU again. But this time he hoped it was the last time. He realized as he was coming-down that he wanted to change his life and he no longer wanted to live what he had gone through. He just wanted to be a normal person from this point.
Audrey, stayed in a room, had an idea but hesitated to do it. However she knew that Jack didn't want to show his pain because of his daughter and that he tried to hide it. She took her car a while later and rode to the address that she received from a contact.