A/N: This chapter was written for Roots4Miami. Thanks for all your reviews, and I tried my best to write what I thought you wanted. Thanks for reading.

TBITC Chp. 18

Jack, Ken and Mike waited in the leaving room for their girlfriends/dates to get ready. Though he'd never admit it, Jack was glad he'd decided to ask Alexx to come with, and not because she provided good cover.

After his wife and son were killed, he'd had a couple of real relationships, but neither had worked out. The women either couldn't understand his career and wanted him to choose between it or them; or they couldn't understand him. Though Jack was never one to wear his grief on his sleeve, he still missed his wife and son, and the life he would've had with them. He doubted he'd have stayed in the Spec Ops world as long as he had if there'd been a living, breathing reason for him to leave it.

He pushed these thoughts aside when Alexx, Natalia and Valera walked in. Jack felt his breath catch in his throat when he looked at Alexx, among other things. She was wearing a spaghetti strap dress that was a little darker than his suit and stopped at the knee. Jack didn't notice her shoes, but being male he was interested in her 'other' assets. He was surprised that the doctor seemed comfortable in the outfit, as he'd never seen her wear anything other than the standard office attire.

"Shall we go, ladies?" Kenny asked, taking Valera's hand. "You look lovely, madam, if I do say so myself." He said to her.

She smiled. "Thank you, sir."

The others went outside, leaving only Alexx and Jack. "You know, you don't have to do this. I'm good a blending in." He said, aware that she didn't want to leave Sam.

She smiled at his concern. Despite all his bluster about being a big bad detached Special Forces veteran, he was like his father in that he cared about people. "Thanks, but Sam was actually excited about our 'date'." She said.

Jack looked surprised. "He thinks we're…" he scrunched his face, as if groping for the right word.

Alexx smiled at Jack's trepidation. "No, honey, I made it clear that I'm just helping you with a case. But he asked if you would tell him goodnight before well left."

It was Jack's turn to smile. "Sure, I suppose I could do that."

They both went to the bedroom that Alexx and Sam had shared and found the child in bed. Jack sat down on the bed, Alexx walked around and sat on Sam's other side. "Hey, buddy. Will you be ok if Alexx goes with me?" Jack asked, and Alexx detected the sincerity in his voice. She was surprised that he genuinely cared with the boy thought.

Sam gave him a gapped toothed grin and nodded. "Yeah, I'll be ok, Jack. But onwy if you pwomise ta be caweful."

Jack ruffled the boy's hair and smiled at him. "I promise."

Sam nodded, and turned to Alexx. "You too, Alwexx."

Alexx was about to respond, when Meagan walked in. They all turned to face her. She sat on the edge of the bed, and looked at Sam. "Sam, do you mind if I stay with you while Alexx and Jack go out?" she asked. She was careful not to refer to it as a date, because she didn't want to give the boy any ideas that might complicate matters for Alexx and Jack.

Sam considered this for a minute before saying. "Yes. Tank you, miss Meagan."

"You're welcome, honey." She said, and moved so Jack and Alexx could exit.

"Bye, baby. Be good." Alexx said.

Sam grinned at her and said, "I'm always good, Alwexx. It's Jack you gotta worry about."

The three adults laughed good naturedly and Alexx and Jack took their leave. They found Mike, Natalia, Ken and Valera waiting for them, with Pavel Delko standing by. "What's up?" Jack asked, looking at Pavel.

"I thought these might help you blend in a little better." The Russian said, gesturing to three high luxury sedans, a blue BMW 745, grey Mercedes-Benz SLK Roadster, and an green Audi A5.

Jack eyes bugged and Alexx swore she saw him drooling. "Arms business must be good this year." He said.

Pavel nodded. "Yes, very good." He handed each of them a set of keys blindly.

"You're not an adrenaline junkie, are you?" Alexx asked, as Jack opened the front passenger door of the BMW.

"Come on, Alexx, surely you know the answer to that question by now." Jack said, as he climbed in the driver's seat, started the car and followed the A5 Mike was driving.

"I was afraid you'd say that." She said, smiling.

Jack proved her right, when he pressed the accelerator halfway to the floor. "You know they think I like you."

She scowled. "You mean like as in date?"

"Duh."

Alexx sighed. "And that's why you asked me to come with you tonight."

"A part of it. Mostly I just wanted to get to know you, is all."

She looked at him, surprised by his frankness. "Why?"

"Because I spent ten years running away from the thing I needed most."

She looked at him sadly, because she knew exactly what she was talking about. "A family?"

He was silent for several minutes, before he nodded in response. "Yes. At some point when you did what I did for as long as I did, you begin to need some tangible reason to fight, to survive."

Alexx considered this. Then she put her hand on his and squeezed it gently. "Well, now you've got one, Jack. Two actually."

He glanced at her. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that, while I'm not suggesting we get married tomorrow, I'm open to exploring the possibility of a more than platonic relationship with you, baby. And Sam needs a mother and father."

"So you're going to adopt him?"

"Yeah."

"When did you decide?"

She shrugged. "I guess when I first saw him and he looked so helpless, and he needed someone who cared about him, and what happened to him. I love him like he was my own."

Jack considered this and nodded like he understood. "I felt the same way. When he told us what Clavo did to him…" Jack sighed.

"You wanted to kill them?"

"Yes."

She looked at him. "And you're still going to?"

He turned and looked at her as they arrived at Sphere. "Count on it."

000