The rain from earlier had stopped, the only reminiscence was the water droplets from the roof gutters. A rainbow had emerged and now rays of sunlight crawled through the windows of the modest villa, casting a warm orange tungsten glow across the bedroom. Jack stirred, his arm instinctively tightening around Audrey's sleeping form. For a moment, he allowed himself to bask in the simple joy of waking up next to her, something he'd thought he'd never experience again.

Audrey's eyes fluttered open, a soft smile spreading across her face as she met Jack's gaze. She looked absolutely adorable, a sight that made his heart swell. "Good morning," she murmured, her voice still husky with sleep.

"Morning," Jack replied, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. He hesitated for a moment before speaking again. "Audrey, I need to talk to Carl this morning. There's something I want to discuss with him."

Audrey nodded, stifling a yawn before she leaned over to capture his lips for a kiss. "Okay. I'm going to take a shower and get dressed. Maybe we can grab some breakfast after you're done?"

"Sounds good," Jack agreed, watching as Audrey slipped out of bed and padded towards the bathroom. He allowed himself a moment to appreciate the sight of her before forcing himself to focus.

Twenty minutes later, Jack found Carl outside, tending to the school's small vegetable garden. The older man looked up as Jack approached, a knowing smile on his weathered face.

"Morning, Jack," Carl greeted him, wiping his hands on his worn jeans. "How are you and Audrey settling in?"

Jack couldn't help but smile that tugged at his lips. "Good. Really good, actually. But that's what I wanted to talk to you about, Carl."

Carl nodded, gesturing for Jack to continue.

"I was thinking... maybe Audrey and I should take a trip. Get away for a couple of weeks, just the two of us," Jack explained, his voice hesitant. "After everything we've been through, I think we need some time to reconnect, to figure out where we go from here."

Carl's smile widened. "I think that's a great idea, Jack. In fact, I was going to suggest something similar myself. Why don't you take her to Kruger National Park? It's about a day's drive from here, and it's beautiful this time of year."

Jack considered the suggestion, nodding slowly. "Kruger Park... yeah, that could work. But what about the school? The kids? I don't want to leave you short-handed, especially not now."

Carl waved off his concerns. "We'll manage just fine. Things are still stable around here. You've done so much for us, Jack. You deserve some happiness. Take the time, enjoy it with Audrey. The school will still be here when you get back. You've got a second chance, don't waste it, Jack"

Jack felt a wave of gratitude wash over him and he would indeed make the most of that second chance. Oh yes he would indeed. Little did Carl know that Jack was already was planning on making this trip the happiest two weeks of Audrey's life. "Thanks, Carl. I really appreciate it."

"Don't mention it," Carl replied, clapping Jack on the shoulder. "Now go on, get back to that beautiful woman of yours. And Jack? Try to relax a little, will you? You're not in the field anymore."

Jack chuckled, shaking his head as he turned back towards the villa. If only it were that easy to leave the past behind.

As he approached the bedroom, he heard Audrey moving about inside. Taking a deep breath, he pushed open the door and froze, momentarily stunned by the sight before him.

Audrey stood by the window, the morning sunlight streaming in around her. Her blonde hair fell in soft waves to her shoulders in waves, just as it had during those days at the DOD that felt like a lifetime ago. She wore a simple white blouse and jeans but to Jack she had never looked more beautiful.

"You're so beautiful," he breathed, the words escaping before he could stop them.

Audrey turned, a light blush coloring her cheeks. She giggled, the sound sending a warm flutter through Jack's chest. "You're not so bad yourself," she replied, her eyes twinkling with amusement and affection.

Jack crossed the room in a few quick strides, pulling Audrey into his arms. "I talked to Carl," he said, his voice low and intimate. "He suggested we take a trip. Two weeks at Kruger National Park. What do you think?"

Audrey's eyes widened, excitement lighting up her features. "Oh, Jack, yes!" she exclaimed. "When do we leave?"

Jack couldn't help but laugh at her joy. "We can leave today if you want," he offered her.

With a delightful squeal, Audrey threw herself at Jack, capturing his lips in a passionate kiss. For a few blissful moments, the world around them faded away, leaving only the two of them, wrapped in each other's arms but the shrill ring of Audrey's cellphone shattered their moment.

Audrey pulled back, her expression clouding as she glanced at the screen. She read the name and sighed. This wasn't something she was looking forward too. "It's my father," she said, her voice tight.

Jack nodded, his mind already spinning. "Try to keep it under 60 seconds," he advised her.

"I know," Audrey replied, her smile returning but this time with a slight tinge of sadness. "Chloe explained it to me." Taking a deep breath, she answered the call, putting it on speaker.

"Dad?" Audrey's voice was carefully neutral.

"Audrey!" James Heller's voice crackled through the speaker, a mixture of relief and fury; it was so typical of him. "Where the hell are you? I want you to come home right now, Audrey!"

"I'm afraid that's not going to happen, Dad," Audrey replied, her tone firm but reverential.

"Audrey, I'm not asking! I am demanding that you come home right now!" Heller continued, his voice rising. "You lied to me all this time, you told me you were over Jack, and now you're with him again!"

Audrey's eyes met Jack's, a flash of guilt crossing her features but she replaced that flash with a small smile. "You found my room, didn't you?" she asked, though it wasn't really a question.

"Damn right I did!" Heller exploded. "Audrey, I want Mark on this call too. Mark!"

There was a brief shuffling sound, and then Mark Boudreau's voice joined the conversation. "Audrey, please," he pleaded hoping that she would hear reason. "Come home. We can work this out."

Audrey's jaw tightened. "Mark, stay out of this! This is between me and my father!" She replied curtly before she caught her breath before she directed her cold tone at her father. "Dad, If you hadn't pushed Jack away after we got home from China, I wouldn't have had to go so far to be with him!"

"Audrey, listen to me," Heller's voice cut in, sharp with authority. "You need to come home now. Mark can give you a future, a future that Jack can never give you. Mark was going to propose, Audrey, he was going to ask you to marry him! Audrey, you could be so happy with Mark! You could be Mark's wife, Audrey!"

A harsh laugh escaped Audrey's lips. "If I ever marry again, Dad, I want you to know from the bottom of my heart that I will only marry one man," she declared, her eyes locked with Jack's, "and it is most certainly not Mark Boudreau."

There was a moment of stunned silence on the other end of the line, Heller and Mark were taken hostage from the undertone of Audrey's threat, no of Audrey's promise. Then Heller's voice returned, low and dangerous. "Audrey, you listen to me. I placed a restraining order on Jack when you returned from China and I want you to know that the restraining order is still active! Because Jack's with you, he's violating the restraining order! I'll have him arrested-"

"You really think an illegitimate piece of paper is going to stop us from being together?" Audrey interrupted, her voice rising. "Especially when we're in a foreign country and I am no longer sick? Dad, please, stop trying to make idle threats that we both know are now out of your jurisdiction!"

Heller went silent. Audrey's comment felt like a slap to the face. Yet he regained his composure with a vengeance. Two could play this game. He may no longer be the Secretary of Defense but he was counting down his days as a private citizen because he knew he had a niche.

"Allison Taylor is going to win the election, Audrey, and when she gets elected, she will guarantee me a high ranking place in her administration," Heller countered, his voice tight with barely contained rage. "If she nominates me for Secretary of State, I will make it my life's work to extradite you back to the US and have Jack arrested immediately, I will have my men drag you from his arms if I have too!"

"Do that," Audrey shot back, her voice just as tight with rage as her father's, "and you will destroy whatever relationship we have left... that is if you even manage to find us and catch us!"

There was a pause, and when Heller spoke again, his voice had softened slightly but beneath this new sympathetic guise the cold steel in his voice remained. "Audrey, please. Come home. We can talk about this."

"I am home," Audrey replied, her voice firm but gentler now.

"Audrey," Mark's voice broke in, pleading. "Please, come back. We can work this out."

"I'm sorry, Mark," Audrey said with genuine regret. "But I am home. This is where I belong."

"Jack is cursed, Audrey," Heller said, a note of bitter desperation creeping into his voice.

"Everyone he touches ends up dead and you're going to pay the price just like his wife did!"

Audrey's eyes blazed as she looked at Jack, her voice ringing with conviction as she delivered her response. "Jack is not cursed and I am not some damsel in distress!" she declared. A stunned silence lingered on the other side of the line. "You may have been able to stop us before after he rescued me but you can't stop us now! You know why? Because we are meant to be together!"

With that, Audrey ended the call, right before the timer on Jack's watch hit 60 seconds.

For a moment, the room was silent, the weight of what had just happened hanged heavy in the air. Then Audrey turned to Jack, tears glistening in her eyes but a smile had emerged. It was a smile of fierce determination on her face, a smile of unadulterated devotion and pure love.

"No matter what," she said, her voice thick with emotion, "I love you, Jack, and I am never, ever leaving you again. I don't care how many challenges we face going forward. I want you to know that."

Jack pulled her into his arms, holding her tight as if he could shield her from the storm they both knew was coming. "I love you too," he murmured into her hair. After a long moment of silence, Jack spoke once more, Audrey was his angel. "Thank you, Audrey, for giving me my life back."

"And thank you for giving me my life back, Jack." Audrey mumbled against his chest.

As they stood there, wrapped in each other's arms, the realization of what they had just done, the bridges they had burned, settled over them. But along with it came a sense of freedom, of possibility. They had chosen each other, consequences be damned. And for now, that was enough.

"So," Audrey said after a while, her voice muffled against Jack's chest. "Kruger National Park?"

Jack couldn't help but chuckle, the tension of the moment breaking. "Yeah. You still want to go?"

Audrey pulled back, meeting his gaze with a smile that was half mischief and determination. "More than ever. Let's get out of here, Jack. Let's start our new life."

As they began to pack, throwing clothes and necessities into bags with a sense of urgency, Jack couldn't shake the feeling that this was just the beginning. Jack knew Heller wouldn't give up easily and there were still so many unknowns, so many potential threats lurking in the shadows.

Yet as he watched Audrey move about the room, her face alight with excitement and love, Jack made a silent vow. Whatever came their way, whatever challenges they faced down the road, he would protect her, he would be with her, and he would love her. Jack would love her like there was no tomorrow. He would fight for this second chance they'd been given with everything he had.

The African sun climbed higher in the sky as Jack and Audrey finished their preparations. As they loaded their bags into the SUV that Audrey had rent, Jack caught the sight of his friend watching from the school's porch.

"You two be careful out there," Carl called, a knowing smile on his weathered face.

Jack nodded, a small smile tugging at his lips. "We will, Carl, Thank you. For everything."

As they pulled away from the school, the dusty road stretching out before them like a mirage, Jack felt a sense of anticipation mixed with caution. They were heading into the unknown, leaving behind the sanctuary of the innocent haven of Carl's school for the wild beauty of Kruger Park.

Beside him, Audrey reached her hand over, intertwining her fingers with his. "We're going to be okay, Jack," she said softly as if she was reading his thoughts when she flashed him her smile. "More than okay."

Jack squeezed her hand, allowing himself to believe that she was right. As the African landscape rolled by, a world away from the life they'd left behind, Jack dared to hope for a future with Audrey.

The soft glow of the desk lamp cast long shadows across the opulent office of the former Secretary of Defense. Outside, Washington D.C. slumbered, but within these walls, a storm was brewing. James Heller sat behind his massive desk, his face a mask of frustration and barely contained rage. Across from him, Mark Boudreau stood rigid, his eyes fixed on the phone lying between them.

The call had ended abruptly, leaving an oppressive silence in its wake. Heller's hand, still hovering over the receiver, clenched into a tight fist. Audrey was defiant, dead fast defiant.

"How long?" Heller's voice was low, dangerous.

Mark glanced at his watch, his expression grim. "Fifty eight seconds, sir. If we had just two more seconds, we could have pinpointed her location, no matter how covert the location."

"Dammit!" Heller slammed his fist on the desk, causing the phone to jump. He stood abruptly, pacing behind his desk like a caged lion. "She knew! She knew we'd try to trace the call!"

Mark nodded, his posture relaxing slightly since it seemed that Heller's anger wasn't directed at him anymore. "She's smart, sir, really smart." Mark said, adding onto the conversation.

Heller's laugh was bitter. "Of course she is because she learned everything about the Stingray Project from Jack!" He spat the name like a curse. "The man who's responsible for all of this! "

"Sir," Mark began, his tone cautious, "with all due respect, she made her own choice to-"

"To what?" Heller interrupted, rounding on Mark. "To throw away her life? To put herself in danger? To align herself with a man who's left nothing but destruction in his wake?" Heller shook his head, his voice dropping to a near-whisper. "No, Mark… This ends now, she will come home."

Mark watched as Heller moved to the window, staring out at the Washington Monument gleaming like an ancient testament in the distance. When Heller spoke again, his voice was filled with a cold determination that sent a chill down Mark's spine… his conviction would send chills down all but one's spine.

"I don't care how far we have to go. I don't care if my own daughter hates me for the rest of her life. Jack Bauer is a cursed man, a man that kills anything he touches, and my daughter will die if she stays with him."

Mark stepped closer. "Sir, there might be a way to handle this situation without directly implicating yourself. We might be able to get out of this mess without ruining everything we built with Audrey."

Heller turned, his eyes narrowing. "I'm listening."

Mark took a deep breath, carefully choosing his words. "We could escalate things. Make moves that would separate Audrey from Bauer without it looking like that it came directly from you."

"How?" Heller's voice was sharp, eager. "I want Audrey extradited home, even if she's unwilling to leave Jack and I want Jack arrested for violating that restraining order I placed on him when Audrey returned from China."

Mark nodded, a plan forming in his mind. "I've heard whispers that Senator Meyer has been behind closed ears considering opening a subcommittee to investigate CTU's questionable interrogation practices."

Heller's eyebrows rose. "Go on."

"What if we, through a proxy of course, were to leak to the press every questionable action Bauer has taken over the years?" Mark's voice gained confidence as he spoke. "We could kill two birds with one stone. We shut down CTU, pin the blame on Bauer, subpoena him to testify before Congress. If he refuses to return home, we have grounds for extradition."

A slow smile spread across Heller's face. "And Audrey will finally see Jack Bauer for the monster he truly is." Mark nodded, allowing himself a small smile of satisfaction. "Exactly, sir."

Heller relaxed into his chair.

"This could work, Mark. It's brilliant."

"Thank you, sir." Mark's chest swelled with pride at the praise.

Heller leaned back; his eyes distant as he considered the plan. Even though he was 99% confident that this would work, a lingering sense of doubt of 1% remained. There was a small chance that Audrey would realize they were behind it. And if she did, it would be mutual destruction. "We'll need to be careful. If Audrey suspects our involvement..."

"Leave that to me, sir," Mark assured him. "I have contacts in the press who can be... persuaded by a list of closes favors to run with the story without revealing their source."

Heller nodded before he stared at Mark. His cold blue eyes giving him a piercing stare. "And what about you, Mark? Are you prepared for the fallout? Audrey may never forgive us for this."

Mark's jaw tightened, a flicker of pain crossing his features before he schooled his expression back to neutrality. "I care about Audrey, sir. Enough to do what's necessary to protect her, even if she doesn't understand it."

"Good man," Heller said softly. He reached for a crystal decanter on his desk, pouring two fingers of amber liquid into a glass. "We'll start tomorrow. I want every dirty secret, every questionable decision Bauer's ever made. Leave no stone unturned, leave no loose ends."

Mark nodded, already mentally compiling a list of friends to contact. "Of course, sir. I'll get right on it."

As Mark turned to leave, Heller's voice stopped him. "Mark?"

Mark turned back; he was now frozen still like a statue in his tracks. "Yes, sir?"

Heller's eyes were hard, his voice cold. "Whatever it takes. Whatever we have to do. We bring my daughter home and make sure Jack Bauer never comes near her again. Is that understood?"

Mark nodded, a chill running down his spine at the intensity in Heller's voice. "Perfectly, sir."

As the door closed behind Mark, Heller turned back to the window, sipping his drink. In the reflection of the glass, he could see the photo on his desk – Audrey, smiling and carefree, before Jack Bauer had entered their lives. He would get that Audrey back, no matter the cost.

The warm summer night enveloped Washington DC in a bokeh of city lights and the faint scent of barbecue. Chloe O'Brian sat in the passenger seat of their black sedan; her face illuminated by the passing streetlights as Morris navigated through the post-movie traffic. The digital clock on the dashboard blinked 10:30 PM, but the streets were still alive with the energy of a city that never truly slept.

"I'm telling you right now, love," Morris said, his voice filled with enthusiasm, "that film deserves Best Picture. No question about it." Chloe turned to her husband, her expression a mix of amusement and exasperation.

"Morris, you know they'll never nominate it because it's considered a superhero film."

Morris scoffed, his hands tightening on the steering wheel. "That's not a "superhero" film, love. It's a crime drama that happens to have a billionaire dressed as a bat and a madman dressed up as a clown."

"I know," Chloe replied, her tone softening. "Nothing about that movie was made for kids. Nothing."

A mischievous grin spread across Morris's face. "You know, I'm thinking of painting my face red and white and black. Maybe dye my hair green. What do you think? Do you think people would take meseriously?"

Chloe rolled her eyes, but a small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth, amused. "Shut it," she said, playfully. "But yes… Heath Ledger was incredible… Talk about a post mortem performance."

They drove in comfortable silence for a few moments, the events of the film still playing through their minds. Before their conversation continued, her phone rang, cutting through the quiet of the car. Chloe fished it out of her bag, frowning at the unknown, unfamiliar number on the screen.

"Hello?" she answered.

"Chloe, it's Bill Buchanan."

Chloe sat up in her seat, surprise evident in her voice. "Mr. Buchanan? What's going on?"

Morris glanced over, his eyebrows rising. Chloe shook her head slightly, focusing on Bill's voice. "I need to see you and Morris first thing tomorrow morning," Bill said, his tone urgent. "It's important."

"Why? What's happening?" Chloe asked, her mind already racing through possibilities.

There was a pause on the other end of the line. When Bill spoke again, his voice was lower, more guarded. "I can't speak of it over an insecure line, but I have evidence that suggests a major conspiracy is occurring inside Washington. If we don't act soon, it could destabilize our entire country's national security."

Chloe felt a chill run down her spine. "Where are you?"

Bill gave her an address – a warehouse in the suburbs. "Can you be there at dawn?"

Chloe looked at Morris, who was watching her with a sense of growing concern. She covered the mouthpiece of the phone and quickly relayed Bill's request. Morris nodded without hesitation.

"We'll be there," Chloe told Bill.

"Good," Bill said, relieved. "And Chloe? Be careful. We don't know who we can trust right now."

The line went dead, leaving Chloe staring at her phone, her mind whirling with questions.

"What's going on, love?" Morris asked, changed lanes before they got off for intended exit.

Chloe shook her head, her expression solemnly grim. "I'm not sure, but Bill thinks there's a conspiracy growing in Washington, he said that it's posing a threat to our national security."

Morris let out a low whistle. "Bloody hell. Just when you think you're out..."

"They pull you back in," Chloe finished, her voice resigned, despondent, and sarcastic.

Across the city, in a nondescript warehouse that had seen better days, Bill Buchanan paced the concrete floor. The space was sparse, illuminated by harsh fluorescent lights that cast long shadows in the corners. A vast series of computer monitors hummed on a makeshift desk, displaying various news feeds and data streams – it would do for what it was worth.

Karen Hayes watched her husband from her seat at the desk, watching the newest polling on Fox, concern etched on her face. "Did you reach them?" she asked as Bill ended the call.

Bill nodded, running a hand through his silver hair. "They will be here at tomorrow at dawn."

"Do you think they'll join us?" Karen's voice held a note of uncertainty. "This isn't exactly a small ask, Bill. We're talking about uncovering a conspiracy that goes to the highest levels of government."

Bill stopped his pacing, turning to face his wife. "They'll join us, Karen," he said with conviction. "Especially considering that CTU is about to get shut down… we need to be ready for everything."

Karen's eyebrows widen. "CTU? Shut down? How do you know? There's been no chatter."

Bill moved to the desk, tapping a few keys on one of the computers. A series of internal memos and classified documents appeared on the screen. "I still have a few contacts," he said. "There's a push from particular elements in Washington to dismantle CTU entirely."

Karen leaned in, her eyes scanning the documents. "Blaine Mayer," she murmured, recognizing one of the names. "He's always been an anti… but this... this goes beyond normal political maneuvering."

Bill nodded; his expression still grim. "It's all connected, Karen. The push to shut down CTU, the conspiracy we've uncovered... it's growing and spreading through Washington like a virus."

Karen sat back hard. "Do you think this is connected to the Sentox Nerve Gas Conspiracy?"

"It could be but it's unlikely. Every conspirator of the Sentox Conspiracy is either dead or incarcerated. For all intents and purposes, this could be worse," Bill replied, his voice low. "We're talking about a complete destabilization of our national security apparatus. If CTU goes down, we lose our best defense against domestic threats."

A heavy silence fell between them as the implications sank in. Finally, Karen spoke, her voice hesitant. "Bill... what about Jack and Audrey? Shouldn't we bring them in on this?"

Bill's shoulders tensed visibly at the mention of their old friends who had finally found each other again against all odds. He shook his head slowly. "Not yet. I don't want to bring them into this until it's absolutely necessary. Jack deserves peace in his life, and so does Audrey."

"I know," Karen said gently, her hand reaching for Bill's arm, gently squeezing it. Of course she understood. "But eventually, we're going to need to recruit them. You know that, right?"

Bill nodded, his expression a mix of resignation and determination. "I know. There's only one person that can get to the bottom of this conspiracy, and it's Jack. But we have to make do without him for now. Until we're ready, until we have no other choice, until we're certain that we can't proceed without him."

The African sun rose lazily over the horizon, painting the sky in hues of gold and crimson. Jack Bauer stood on the balcony of their luxury villa, nestled in the heart of Kruger National Park, watching as the savanna came to life. Behind him, he could hear Audrey stirring, the soft rustle of sheets as she stretched awake.

"Jack?" Her voice was still husky with sleep. "What time is it?"

He turned, a smile tugging at his lips as he took in the sight of her, hair tousled, eyes still heavy with sleep. "Just after sunrise," he said softly. "Our guide will be here in an hour."

Audrey groaned playfully, flopping her pretty face into one the pillows, which muffled her voice. "Sweetheart, please remind me again why we're getting up at the crack of dawn on our vacation,"

Jack chuckled, moving to sit on the edge of the bed. He reached out, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Because, Ms. Raines, I promised you the adventure of a lifetime. And that starts with a sunrise safari drive."

Audrey caught his hand, pressing a kiss to his palm. "Well, when you put it like that..." She sat up, the sheet pooling around her waist. "I suppose I can be persuaded to leave this ridiculously comfortable bed."

As they prepared for the day, Jack couldn't help but feel a sense of nervous anticipation. The weight of the ring box in his pocket seemed to grow heavier with each passing moment. He had planned this trip meticulously, wanting everything to be perfect. Yet now, faced with the reality of the moment, he found himself second-guessing every detail of his plan to propose to the love of his life.

Audrey, for her part, seemed blissfully unaware of his inner turmoil. She chatted animatedly as they dressed, her excitement for the day ahead evident in every word.

"I still can't believe we're really here," she said, slipping on a light jacket. "Two weeks in Kruger National Park. Jack, it's like a dream. A dream that I've wished to come true for so long."

Jack pulled her close, pressing a kiss to her temple. "You deserve it," he murmured into her blonde hair, holding her close as she enjoyed being held in his arms. "After everything... we both do."

Audrey leaned into him, her arms wrapping around his waist. "I love you," she said softly.

Jack's heart swelled. "I love you too," he replied, his voice rough with emotion. "With all my heart."

A knock at the door interrupted the moment. Their guide, a cheerful man named Themba, greeted them with a wide smile. "Good morning!" he said brightly. "Are you ready for your adventure?" As they climbed into the open-air Land Rover, the cool morning air nipped at their cheeks. Audrey snuggled close to Jack; her eyes wide with wonder as they set off into the awakening savanna.

Themba proved to be an excellent guide, his knowledge of the park and its inhabitants seemingly endless. As the sun climbed higher in the sky, they encountered a breathtaking array of wildlife. Herds of impala grazed peacefully, their ears twitching at every sound. A family of warthogs trotted across their path, the babies scurrying to keep up with their parents.

"Look!" Audrey whispered, pointing to a nearby acacia tree. A leopard lounged on a low branch, its spotted coat blending seamlessly with the dappled shadows. Jack watched Audrey more than the wildlife, captivated by the joy and wonder on her face. It struck him, not for the first time, how resilient she was. After everything they'd been through, she could still find such pure happiness in the world around her.

As midday approached, Themba drove them to a scenic overlook for a picnic lunch. The view was spectacular, the savanna stretching out before them, dotted with acacia trees and distant herds of animals.

"This is incredible," Audrey breathed, leaning against Jack as they looked at the landscape.

Jack wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close. "It is," he agreed softly. Then, taking a deep breath, he turned to face her. "Audrey, there's something I want to ask you."

Audrey's eyes widened slightly, a mix of surprise and anticipation flickering across her face.

"Yes, Jack?"

Heart pounding, Jack reached into his pocket and pulled out the small velvet box. He sank to one knee, looking up at Audrey with all the love and devotion he felt reflected in his eyes.

"Audrey Raines," he began, his voice steady despite the nerves fluttering in his stomach, "you've been by my side through the darkest moments of my life. You've seen me at my worst, and somehow, miraculously, you've still chosen to love me. You've brought the light back into my world when I thought all hope was lost." Jack opened a box, revealing a simple but elegant diamond ring. "I can't promise you an easy life, Audrey, god knows, our past has proven that… but I can promise you this… I will love you, I will protect you, and I will cherish you for as long as I live. Audrey, will you marry me?"

Audrey's hands flew to her mouth, tears welling in her eyes. For a moment, she seemed unable to speak. Then, with a joyful laugh that seemed to brighten the entire savanna, she nodded vigorously.

"Yes!" she exclaimed; her voice choked with emotion. "Yes, yes, yes, yes!"

Jack slipped the ring onto her finger with slightly trembling hands, then stood, pulling her into a passionate kiss. Audrey threw her arms around his neck, laughing and crying all at once.

When they finally parted, both a little breathless, Audrey playfully swatted his chest, clearly amused, her typical self. "I can't believe you," she said, her eyes sparkling. "I was going to give you a month, and if you didn't ask, I was planning on taking matters into my own hands."

Jack chuckled, pressing his forehead against hers. "That sounds very you," he murmured.

Audrey grinned, holding up her hand to admire the ring. "The wedding will be interesting," she mused. "We might need to get a local wherever we go to officiate it and an officiant to certify it."

"We can figure all that out later," Jack said, pulling her close, pressing a kiss to her blonde hair, taking in the scent of her perfume. "Right now, I just want to enjoy this moment with you."

Audrey nodded, nestling into him. "It's perfect," she whispered. "Everything's perfect."

They stood there, wrapped in each other's arms, nothing else mattered. Indeed Jack and Audrey had achieved the perfect moment. The African Savanna only added to it. Jack felt a sense of peace he hadn't experienced in years. The weight of their past and the uncertainty of their future all seemed to fade away at least in this moment, at least in this promise of a future together.