TBITC Chp. 19

Jack felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He knew it would take time for Alexx, and Sam, to see him as more than a hardened killer. But he knew that if he and Alexx were meant to be together, it would happen. But even if they weren't, Jack vowed that he would do everything in his power to ensure that Alexx received full legal custody of Sam and became his mother.

As he got out of the car and handed the key to valet, his cell phone rang. He reached in his jacket, pulled it out and answered without checking the number. "Caine."

"Jack, I forgot to tell you. If you run into trouble, there are some 'items' in the trunk which you might find useful." Pavel said, and hung up without waiting for a response.

"Thanks." Jack said, pressing the end button. He walked around the rear of the car to where Alexx was standing, waiting with a worried expression on her face. "Everything ok?"

He smiled reassuringly as they entered the club. "Everything's fine. Trust me."

Alexx felt a shiver go down her back at these words. The last time Jack had asked her to trust him, someone had been shot.

"What's your poison?" he asked.

"Vodka martini, please." She said.

"Un momento, senora." He said, smiling and going to the bar.

Valera and Natalia walked up a minute later. "So?" Natalia asked, giving her friend a conspiratorial grin.

"So what?" Alexx asked.

"Did he ask you or didn't he?"

"We're just friends, baby. He doesn't want to get hurt again and neither do I, and we don't want to get Sam's hopes up."

Both women nodded in understanding. Alexx had almost left the M.E.'s office after her husband and children died, but Horatio talked her out of it. And as for Jack, they all knew that he still carried a torch for his deceased wife. Jack returned with his and Alexx's drinks, and they found a table for the six of them. While they waited for the other's, Alexx decided to ask a question that had been on her mind since this case had started. "So, why'd you do it?"

"Do what?" Jack asked.

"Leave the army. From what I've seen you were pretty good at what you did."

Jack considered the question, and took two small sips of his drink, a Jack Daniels on the rocks, before answering. Finally, he said, "I guess because I wanted to do something good, for once."

Before Alexx could respond, the others arrived and she let the conversation turn to other subject.

000

"So, this hadji is whaling on this donkey which we need to carry our gear, by the way, and I guess the god's were in a joking mood that day, because the next thing I know, the beast rear explodes and the hadji was covered in excrement, and saying some not so nice things about said beast of burden. And Bill and I are standing there, trying not to laugh out heads off so the guy can save face but…" Jack couldn't finish because he started laughing at the memory. The two former seals found it hilarious, but their dates looked grossed out. What Jack didn't tell them was that his friend dying was one of the reason's he'd left the army.

"What did he do?" Maxine asked.

"I think if we hadn't been there, that donkey would be dead by now." Jack said with a laugh and glanced at the door.

Jack, Kenny and Mike took turns watching the entrance while pretending to just be three guys out with their girlfriends. "Gentlemen, may I present the man of the hour." Jack said. Ken and Mike turned, and saw Clavo coming in with what appeared to be an entourage of ten people, give or take. Jack saw Alexx reach into her purse, and he grabbed his hand, shaking his head. "Not a good idea, doc. His time will come, but not here, not like this, and most definitely not from you."

Alexx looked at him coldly. "Who are you to decide who lives, who dies, and who carries it out?"

Jack looked at her with compassion. "You don't need that kind of thing on your conscience, Alexx. Trust me."

Alexx thought by the look on Jack's face that he knew what he was talking about. And judging from his past, he probably did.

000

They watched Clavo and his entourage for another hour before leaving. Jack had been strangely quiet after Clavo's arrival, and Alexx was concerned. On the one hand, Jack the man attracted her. She knew that he could be caring, gentle, affectionate and the kind of person she could see herself with. But Jack the soldier frightened. He was hard, violent, ill-tempered and not someone you wanted to mess with.

"You're going to kill him, aren't you?" she asked, suddenly, and the question surprised her. She didn't know where the question had come from.

Jack never took his eyes off the road. "If you thought I was going to do anything else, then I gave you too much credit."

Alexx scowled at him. But instead of responding, she asked another question. "What did you mean when you said I didn't want Clavo's death on my conscience?"

Jack worked the gear shift and Alexx felt the car accelerate. She glanced at the speedometer and her eyes widened in shock when she saw that the car was doing 120 miles per hours. She was about to ask Jack to slow down when he said, "You remember that story I told in the bar?"

She nodded. "The one about the donkey?" she asked, smiling. It had been pretty funny. Gross, but funny.

"Yeah. Anyway, the guy I was with, his name was Bill Westin. Sgt., William 'Wild Bill' Westin, to be specific."

"Was he with Delta Force?"

"Yes, he was my mentor. When Jen and Matt were killed, I nearly died right along with them. Bill and his wife Maria, they looked out for Jen and I after I joined the unit. She made sure Jen and Matt were ok when Bill and I were deployed." Jack swallowed, and Alexx could tell he was fighting back tears.

"Anyway, um, after it happened, they looked after me. Made sure I ate right, slept, bathed, that sort of thing. I was a wreck, you understand?"

Alexx nodded, because she did. She had been there herself. "Sounds like they were great people."

Jack nodded. "They were. That first week, I went home one day. And I remember standing in the living room and I saw all our pictures. Jenny was a photography nut." He smiled at the memory.

"And suddenly, I couldn't take it anymore. I just…" He stopped, then started again. "I drew my sidearm, put it in my mouth and the next second my door was off its hinges and someone was wiping the floor with me. So, naturally I defended myself, but the guy was good. Once I got the upper hand, I realized it was Bill. He told if I even thought about doing that again, he'd whip my butt." Jack said, with a laugh.

"So what happened?"

Jack pulled over. "He got me drunk. And we laughed, then we cried. Then he took me home and he and Maria, bless them, nursed me back to health, mentally, emotionally and physically. After that, I looked out for Bill every time we went on a mission and he looked out for me, more so than before. He was killed in Mexico City on our last mission. That's why I left the unit." By the time he finished, he was crying, unashamed. He looked at Alexx and saw she was crying as well. She leaned over and hugged him. Then to both their surprises, she kissed him. He hesitated, then kissed her back.

000

Translations: un momenta, senora; one moment, ma'am.