A/N: Thanks to all who've read and reviewed thus far.

Chp. 10

Jack fell into the driver's seat of his car and pulled the door shut just as the shock was beginning to wear off and the men he'd just shot were now vocalizing their pain. He forced himself not to look at the doctor and her charge, and instead did what he'd done after innumerable incursions with whoever his enemy may be. He dropped the spent magazine out of his weapon, reached for another one and slapped it into the butt of his pistol, then pressed the slide release, chambering another round. Then he flipped up the safety at the rear of the slide and holstered the weapon. All this was done in under five seconds, as Jack had done it so many times that the action was now a reflex. Next he started the car and put it in gear, driving away from the carnage he had just caused.

Five minutes passed before he hit a red light and was forced to stop. As his foot pressed down on the brake, Jack turned and looked at Alexx and Sam. Sam's eyes were wide with fear. Alexx looked at him with a mixture of the same fear, but the expression on her face was also one of horror, like he'd changed into some monster before her eyes.

And in that second, Jack knew he'd gone too far. It wasn't that he cared about Clavo or what the man might do to him. He didn't care about IAB, or what they might do to him. But he did care about what Sam and Alexx thought about him. He couldn't explain it, even if he'd been asked to. This case was stirring feelings within him that, while not foreign to him, were decidedly not what he was used to.

Finally, after five long, agonizing minutes the light turned green. Jack concentrated on driving and waited for Alexx or Sam to speak. Five more minutes passed before Alexx asked, "So what possessed you to shoot three federal agents?" Her tone communicated that she thought the former Special Forces Captain had lost his mind.

Jack sighed, not in annoyance, but to give him time to form a response. "They weren't feds. They were government, yes, but they were Clavo's people."

Alexx's eyes widened at this revelation and Jack noticed Sam tensing out of the corner of his eye. "All the more reason not to antagonize them then!" Alexx snapped.

At this outburst, Jack had to laugh. It was obvious to him that the medical examiner didn't know a thing about him. "I don't suppose dad told you anything about me?"

Alexx sighed, regaining her composure. Sam was back in his car seat and was watching the other cars, ignoring the adult's conversation. "He did mention you were in the military, that you were special ops of some sort, and that the two of you were estranged. I don't see what that has to do with you shooting three people without provocation?"

Jack yawned and rubbed his face to wake himself. At thirty-six, he could still keep up due to his exceptional training, but past eighteen hours had been long, even if he had slept some.

"Special Forces training teaches you to never back down. Give 110% at all times. Complete your mission at all cost. Protecting you and Sam is my mission." They reached another stoplight and Jack looked at her. "Alexx, those guys wanted Sam, and they were going to take him. I just wanted them to know I wasn't going to give him up without a fight."

Before Jack could say more his cell phone rang and he answered it. "Yeah, Ken?"

"Bad news, homie." Ken said, "Calleigh just called. Somebody called the cops about those three guys you shot. Your dad's team is on scene."

"Have I been identified?" Jack asked.

"Not yet. Cal said she'd keep me posted."

"Ok, thanks." Jack said, hanging up.

"What happened?" Alexx asked, worry in her voice.

"Somebody called the cops about the guys I just shot. Dad's team is on scene."

000

Horatio watched his team work the scene. It appeared to be a simple shooting, but something nagged at him. He noticed a shell casing on the ground, knelt down and picked it up. "Please tell me that's a .45 casing to go with others I found." Calleigh said, walking over to him.

Horatio looked at her. "It is, as a matter of fact. How many did you find?"

"Eight. Looks like our shooter stood…five or six feet from the other three and shot them in the legs." Calleigh said, giving her boss a look that said, 'and we both know who carries a .45, don't we?'

Horatio nodded. "Ok, let me know what else you find." He said. Horatio stood, contemplating his next move, before turning and walking back to his hummer.

000

Jack, Kenny, Mike, Sam and Alexx arrived at her house and Alexx carried Sam inside, silently making it clear she wanted to be alone with Sam. Jack didn't say anything, but instead started unloading the trunk. Kenny and Mike took their bags from the trunk of Ken's car, walked over and grabbed everything else that Alexx had purchased. "So, are you gonna tell her?" Ken asked.

"Tell her what?" Jack said, playing dumb, because he knew exactly what his friend was talking about.

"So, I just walk in and tell her, 'oh by the way Alexx, the reason I'm the way I am is because my wife and son were murdered by the noches ten years ago and I see you and Sam as a second chance that I'll do anything, anything, to protect?' Do you think that would work?"

Mike sighed and took up where his friend left off. "She's not like us, Jack. None of them are. Just…just try and remember that. That's all we're saying."

Jack considered what his friend's were telling him and nodded. "Ok, I'll remember that."

The trio collected their gear and walked in the house. The front door opened on to a hallway that split the kitchen and living room. There was a hallway just before you reached the kitchen. Alexx was in the kitchen making coffee and looking out the window and Sam was in the living room, watching a video. "You mind if we put our gear in the guestroom?" Jack asked.

Alexx nodded, but didn't turn around. "Down the hall, first door on your right. You can put Sam's stuff in my room. It's the second door on your right. Thanks." She said, and Jack nodded to the others. He kept his bag and went to the kitchen. The coffee was just finishing.

"Can I get a cup of that?"

Alexx nodded and fixed him a cup. "How do you take it?"

"Black," He said, accepting the cup and taking a sip. He nodded approvingly. "You make good java."

She smiled. "Thanks." They were silent for a minute before Jack spoke again.

"I suppose you wanna know why I shot those guys back there." He said, and when she didn't say anything, he continued. "It's not just because I was Special Forces. You said you knew that dad and I were estranged. But do you know why?" Jack looked at her when he said this. Alexx shook her head.

Jack chuckled. "Mala Noche put a hit out on my dad, about a week before we came to town."

"We?" Alexx asked.

"My wife, Jenny and my son Matt. Matt was three years old." Jack said. He stopped. Alexx waited, but there were tears in her eyes. Because she understood his pain. Jack sighed. "Anyway, the Noche's staged a drive by at a restaurant where we were eating. They killed my wife and son." Jack finished.

The two remained silent for a longtime, before Alexx asked. "Were you with Delta Force at the time?"

Jack knew what she was asking. Did he go after the bastard's that killed his family? "Yeah, I was. But we never found the guys who did it. Dad didn't either, but he tried."

They lapsed into silence again, before Alexx broke it. "I'm sorry, Jack."

He looked at her. "Me too. For whatever happened to you."

Alexx gave him a 'how did you know that look?' and he smiled. "Trust me, Alexx. When you've been there, you recognize the signs. And trust me when I say nothing will happen to you or Sam." Jack said, and Alexx knew that he would do whatever it took to protect them.

Even if it took his life.