I do not own EUReKA.

Friends and Lovers

Chapter 4: Unrequited Love

Allison leaned back against the striped absorbent fabric of the chaise lounge that sat under a portico in her parents backyard; her mind still unable to rest. And though she tried her hardest, her interest in the most recent scientific offerings on the cosmos by Neil deGrasse Tyson, waned.

She was presently entering her third week of a self imposed sabbatical, and still was no closer to making a decision on how to deal with the debacle she'd left behind. Her parents; bless their souls had been very accommodating and understanding even though they didn't know the complete story. Needless to say, their apathy surprised her. While she always loved coming home to visit and was welcomed with open arms each time, this had been the longest she'd stayed under their roof since she'd graduated from college.

Both her parents had been very fond of Nathan; somewhat less than her first husband, but they managed to remain cordial throughout he and Allison's first divorce and subsequent reconciliation. Allison never divulged the details of why their marriage failed, and her parents were not the type ask. It wasn't as if they were emotionally void of feelings, they just weren't the overly affectionate type. They believed in being honest, even to the point of being painfully direct. And even about the simple things most parents would lie about. Take the holidays for example.

There was no Santa Claus or Easter Bunny. No Eggnog or eggs to search for amongst the lush green grass. They were unapologetically realistic about all aspects of life. Growing up, they allowed Allison and her brother to speak their minds and voice their opinions. They never stooped to treating them like children, even when they were. But with that being said, they loved them and their only grandchild Kevin, dearly. He was the light of their lives.

What had thrown Allison for a loop during these past few weeks was the wide berth they'd given her. Her father didn't believe in being idle and as a child, she and Marcus were always involved in some extracurricular activity. Whether it was violin or piano lessons, ballet or gymnastics; in addition to their academic studies, they maintained very busy lives. So finding that she had been allowed to lounge about as if she were on some tropical vacation was strange indeed.

She surmised it was all due to Nathan's untimely death. David, her first husband, had died of pancreatic cancer. The diagnosis had been a shock to them all as he'd never had a sick day in his life. But with him, they'd had time to grieve and say their goodbyes. So, when her mother planned an afternoon together with Kevin at a sensory movie for autistic children , she knew something was up. So when her father reclined in the chaise beside her, she knew he needed to get off his chest.

"Allison…"

Allison couldn't help but notice the furrowed look of his brow, "Yes, Dad."

"Your mother and I are worried about you."

"Dad, I'm fine. I…"

He held up his hand, effectively halting her obviously poor attempt at feigning emotion stability.

"You know we're thrilled to have you and Kevin here, but here isn't where the two of you belong. I can't imagine how you are able to move on after such another devastating event. If I ever lost your mother… "

Allison peered at him, his sentence left unfinished as she saw the pain in his eyes at the mere thought of her mothers death.

"Allison, you know you're always welcome home, but you can't hide from your problems. We've taught you better than that."

So, that night, Allison packed her and Kevin's belongings and prepared for the trip home that next day. Afraid, she didn't know what would be waiting for her, but one thing was for sure, she couldn't hide any longer.

It has been a long three weeks and Jack had gone through a myriad of emotions during Allison's absence. He was confused, worried, angry, and yet somehow inherently, he understood.

But what if she never forgave him for taking advantage when her defensives were down? What if she turned away from their friendship? He had never experienced love like this. So when he heard through the grapevine; well more like Vincent to be exact, that Allison has skipped town, he took it personally.

Should he wait for her to call; if she did call? Should he confront her and just show up to her house upon her return? The waiting was unbearable. So Jack promised himself he would be patient and consider her explanation, but that didn't happen.

Allison had barely been home three hours before she was summoned to GD. As it inevitably happened a crisis presented itself.

Arriving at the facility, Jack was as surprised to see as the rest of the staff. Jack made a beeline for her once he spotted her through the glass partition of her office.

As usual, Jack barged in without introduction. Thankful she was alone, he started right in.

"Where have you been?" He didn't mean to come off so territorial, but he had been concerned.

More than likely in an effort to avoid the inevitable confrontation, Allison answered without even looking up from the report she held in her hand.

"I had some vacation built up so I decided to use it or lose it."

Jack huffed at the ridiculousness of her statement. He knew exactly why she'd really run away.

"Your departure was a bit abrupt, don't you think?"

"Yes, I know. It wasn't planned, but I needed to get away."

"How convenient that right after we spend the night together, you decide to leave town."

"Carter, that's not it. I'm just burned out and wanted some time for myself. Besides, I didn't think I had to report my comings and goings to you."

Jack shuddered at the harsh comeback. "Wow! So this is how it's gonna be?"

Eyes previously downcast, she jerked her head in his direction, "I have no clue what you're talking about."

"Don't know what I'm talk…" Jack crossed behind her desk and spun her chair so that it faced him. An act unlike anything he'd done before, but he'd reached the boiling point.

"You leave town for weeks and don't even bother to say anything to me? Regardless of what occurred between us, I thought we were friends first. I deserve an explanation."

"Carter, we're in the middle of a crisis. I don't have time to wax poetic about the events that transpired between us."

The curtness of her reply was difficult for Jack to digest. He had been optimistic of her return despite the feeling in his gut telling him otherwise. But it was clear now that she was not going to make their reunion easy.

"Carter, I really don't know what you expect from me. What happened between us was a mistake and I think we both know that."

"A mistake?" Jack was heartbroken. "Uhm…" Unable to come up with the words to express exactly how he felt and what he wished for, he conceded to Allison's admission.

"…I'd better get back to doing my job."

"Yeah, you do that."

Jack knew there'd be no reasoning with her. He was selfishly hoping that this all had to do with her unresolved feelings for him and not Nathan. Sure, it took time to move on, but if she was really honest, she'd admit it to herself. It was evident from the very beginning. The only reason Nathan had won out was that he was proactive where he'd been passive. Ever the gentlemen, he didn't want to appear overeager. In the end his inaction had proven to be his downfall.

Besides, there was a larger matter at hand at the moment; the safety of the town. Wasn't that always what it boiled down to anyway?

So, he swallowed his pride and tucked his tail between his legs. Their talk would have to wait for another day.