Jack and Kim moved quickly, looking for a car they could hotwire and drive to the next meeting place. They stayed low, using the vehicles as cover should Mandy be nearby. As Jack tried the handle of a red Mazda, his gaze drifted across the parking lot and came to rest on something happening out front.

            His blood ran cold as he watched Nina march Milo and Chloe out of the building and toward an SUV nearby. He struggled to breathe, the knowledge that for the second time that day Chloe's life was in danger because of him weighing heavily on him. All thoughts of escape fled as he struggled to think of a way to save her.

            Kim noticed his sudden preoccupation and her gaze followed his. She swallowed hard when she saw their friends being taken away.

            "Dad?"

            "I knew it."

            "Knew what?"

            "That I shouldn't have left her. Not with Milo. Not with anybody," he added quietly.

            She put her hand on his arm, making him focus on her.

            "Then we need to go get her back."

            He shook his head. "I need to get you out of here."
            "You can't let Nina have her, Dad. She's already taken Mom – you can't lose another woman you love to her."

            His eyes narrowed at her words. "You know?"

            Kim laughed. "Please. It's obvious. Well, to everyone but her."

            He hung his head. "I can't risk it."

            She grabbed his chin and forced his eyes back up to hers. "No, what you can't do is let that bitch get away with this. Let's follow her. Then you can end this. Once and for all."

            Jack marveled at the strength his daughter possessed, and her confidence snapped him out of his despair. He looked at the car they were standing next to and nodded quickly, tugging at the door and breathing a sigh of relief when it opened.

            "Let's go then."

 

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            He drove quickly, but made sure that he stayed far enough back that Nina wouldn't realize she had a tail. Constant worry flooded him as he followed her, his mind imagining what she would do to Chloe when they got to wherever they were going. Kim was right – he couldn't lose anyone else to that woman, especially not his best friend.

            Kim watched her father out of the corner of her eye. She could tell that this new development was weighing heavily on him, that it was threatening to pull him under. But she could also see his determination. He wasn't going to let Nina win this time – he would finish this no matter what.

            Her thoughts shifted as a car passed them on the right. Her eyes skimmed over the driver absently, her mind still focusing on the problem at hand. But her mouth dropped open as her gaze rested on someone in the backseat.

            "Dad?"

            "Yeah?"

            "I think we have another problem."

            She pointed and Jack turned to look at the car next to them. Staring back at them was Nadia, pleading with her eyes for them to see her, not wanting to draw Mandy's attention. Jack was momentarily stunned at the coincidence – and then he found himself wondering where Tony was.

            Before his thoughts could go much further, Mandy turned her head and stared at him in surprise. She quickly got her expression under control though, and promptly slammed her car into theirs. Jack gripped the wheel in an effort to keep control, but Mandy simply continued to ram them. Cursing, he decided that he'd had enough and turned the wheel sharply, pushing the other car back across the road.

            The two cars sped down the road, crashing into each other and then pulling apart again while they prepared for another hit. Jack clenched his jaw at the pain racing through his body – his left side was going to be one big bruise in a few hours. He knew they couldn’t keep this up much longer. Traffic had been sparse so far, but they couldn't count on that. And the cars weren't faring well - he had to put an end to this now.

            He slowed down slightly, letting Mandy gain a little bit of a lead. She turned to look at him with suspicious eyes, but for the moment she couldn't figure out what he was doing. Then Jack swung the car out to the right before turning the wheel sharply left and plowing his front end into the very back of the side of the other car. The vehicle went into a violent spin, its front end slamming into Kim's side before careening off the road and into a line of parked cars on the side of the street.

            Jack pulled over, immediately turning to Kim.

            "Are you alright?"

            She nodded, still in a daze from what had just happened.

            Jack got out of the car and pulled his gun, moving slowly toward the other vehicle. The back door opened and Tony clambered out, rubbing his head. Nadia followed him – neither looked seriously injured.

            "Are you two alright?"

            Tony nodded, and then winced.

            "She knocked me out. I woke up while you were slamming us across the road."

            "She started it."

            Kim moved closer as Nadia spoke up.

            "So what do we do now?"

            "Do you guys have any idea where Mandy was taking you?"
            "I was unconscious," Tony pointed out sadly.

            "She said something about mansions by the beach," Nadia told them. "I didn't really understand what she was talking about."

            Jack thought for a moment. "I think I know where it is. There's a place by the beach where there are a bunch of warehouses. Their known ironically as the Seaside Mansions – a lot of druggies hole up there."

            "Alright," Nadia nodded. "So what's the plan?"

            Jack looked at his friend. "Tony, I need you to get Nadia and Kim someplace safe."

            "What?"

            "I can't put Kim in any more danger, and Nadia isn't even a target. There's no reason for her to put her life on the line."

            "How about you stop talking about us as though we're not here?" Kim demanded, stepping in. "I'm not leaving you."

            "And neither am I," Nadia asserted. "You need help, Jack. I don't care who's after you guys. I can't just walk away. Chloe and Milo are my friends, and so are you two." She looked at Kim. "I don't actually know you very well, but you're Jack's daughter and that's all I need to know."

            Kim nodded her agreement.

            "I'm not letting you do this alone," Tony added. "You'll just get into more trouble. You're going to need someone to watch your back."

            Jack hung his head at the onslaught of argument. After a minute he looked up again, his eyes hard with determination.

            "Fine. Tony, you come with me. Nadia, I want you to take Kim away from here."

            "No!" Kim argued.

            Jack turned to face her. "Kim, I couldn't stand it if something happened to you because of me. Go with Nadia. Please."

            She opened her mouth to protest again, but Nadia caught her eye, nodding her head just a little to let her know that it was okay. Kim huffed and crossed her arms.

            "You'd better not get hurt," she warned. "Either of you."

            Jack breathed a sigh of relief when she relented. Leaning in, he gave her a kiss on the cheek.

            "We'll try our best," he murmured. "You two go back to CTU. See what you can find, okay?"

            Kim nodded and hugged her father as Nadia moved closer to Tony, brushing her hand against his.

            "Kim's right. You two better be careful. I want you both back in one piece."

            Tony stared at her for a moment, a smile teasing at his lips. He reached out and squeezed her hand gently.

            "Don't worry."

            They pulled back when Jack turned to talk to them again.

            "You two take the Mazda. Tony and I will find another car."

            "What about Mandy?" Kim asked.

            Jack stared at the crumpled car that was still on the side of the road. A crowd had gathered and there were sirens in the distance, but he couldn't leave Mandy as a loose end. Striding toward the car, he cocked his gun, deciding that a bullet in the head would put a stop to her coming after them.

            As he walked across the street, the car burst into flame. Jack was thrown back against the pavement as a fireball erupted and shot into the sky. He stared in shock at it, suddenly realizing that he must have punctured the gas tank while they were crashing into each other.

            Tony came over to help him up.

            "At least we don't have to shoot her in front of a bunch of witnesses," he murmured. "But we should get out of here. Before the police show up."

            Jack nodded, still in a daze from the explosion, his eyes fixated on the flames. Finally he shook his head and turned to the two women.

            "Call me when you get to CTU," he told them. "We'll see you soon."

            Nadia and Kim watched as the two men casually walked up to another car, opened the door and hotwired it before they drove off.

 

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            Nadia turned to look at the other woman.

            "You don't really want to go back to CTU, do you?"

            Kim shook her head. "I was hoping you had an alternate plan."

            "I say we follow them."

            Kim pondered that for a moment. "They'll probably need help. I doubt Nina's alone. It could even be a trap."

            Nadia nodded. "Exactly. So we're agreed?"

            Kim thought a moment longer and then nodded her assent. They walked over to their badly beaten car and got in, breathing a collective sigh of relief when it started back up. Ignoring the looks of the crowd, they drove off, following Jack and Tony.

           

           

           

            "You get more junk mail than anyone I know," Tony commented as he sifted through the stack of paper on the kitchen table.

            "I know. You would think that being dead and then taken by the Chinese would get me off their radar," Jack replied.

            They were quiet for a minute as Jack continued to make dinner and Tony rifled through the mail, checking to see if anything was worth keeping. It seemed Jack just piled it on the table every day and then forgot about it. There was at least two months worth there.

            "Dinner's almost ready," Jack said, his attention on the stove in front of him.

            When Tony didn't respond, he turned around to look at his friend. The other man stood stock still at the table, his back to him and an open letter in his hands. Jack walked around so he could see his face, and he was shocked to see how pale he was.

            "Tony?"

            "I think we have a problem," he said, handing him the letter.

            Jack took it and started to read. As the words began to sink in, his stomach tied in knots and he found it difficult to breathe.

 

 

            Agent Bauer,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            "What the hell is this?" Jack demanded when he had read it through twice.

            "They're riddles. Somebody is coming after you."

            "Who?"

            "I don't know. But they want to hurt you, and it looks like they're going after where your heart lies instead of just killing you."

            Jack sighed in frustration. "But I don't get it. I don't do riddles. These make no sense!"

            Tony took the letter from him gently. "Actually, they do. Just give me a couple minutes. I can figure them out."

            "How?"

            "I used to do a lot of puzzles and cryptology stuff. Now be quiet."

            He sat down at the table, trying to ignore Jack's pacing as he scoured the letter again. His finger ran along the lines and his lips moved as he worked his way through the riddles as fast as he could.

            "The first one's easy," he finally declared. "Chloe."

            "Chloe?"

            "She's your net, Jack. She's always there, always ready to do whatever you need. She'll be an analyst, hacker, field agent…whatever you ask of her. But she never changes. She's always a loyal friend."

            "They're going after Chloe?"

            "Not just Chloe. There's two more riddles, and I'm pretty sure they're not about her."

            "Then who?"

            "Hang on. My blood for yours and yours for mine. That pretty much describes a partner. They sacrifice their lives for each other. I draw fire. Maybe that's not real fire, but bullets. A partner draws fire to keep the other safe and does this by shooting his own gun."

            "You. You're my partner."

            "I haven't been for years."

            "Curtis is dead and Chase is on the other side of the country with a brand new family. You three were the only partners I was ever close to, and you're my best friend. That one's about you."

            "In danger again. Lucky me," Tony muttered.

            "What about the last one?" Jack asked anxiously.

            They read over it again and again, both wracking their brains in an attempt to decipher who the riddle was about. Jack started pacing again, muttering under his breath. Finally, he turned back to Tony.

            "This is ridiculous! It sounds like a demon or something. I own your heart, your soul, your mind and then I run to another and possess them as well? It's like a parasite."

            Tony scratched his head. "What owns your heart? A spouse. You don't have one of those. A child…Kim."

            Jack stared at him. "Does the rest of the riddle fit?"

            "I am part of you and of someone else. She's you and Teri. I am never one thing but always another. That pretty much describes any child. And the last part – that reminded you of a parasite or demon? A daughter rules her dad's heart, soul and mind. And then she gets married and rules another man. It fits. It's Kim."

            "We need to go get them. Now."

            But Tony remained seated, staring at the envelope that the letter had come in.

            "Tony? Come on! We've got to move!"

            "Jack…this letter came two days ago."

            He froze. "What are you saying?"

            "That we have no idea how much time we have."

            Jack closed his eyes and nodded. "Okay. Well, you're here with me. So I know you're safe. Chloe lives nearby. Kim is a few towns over."

            "Is there anybody that can get to Kim faster than we can?"

            He was silent for a long time, his eyes glued to the floor as he tried to think.

            "There's only one person I can think of who lives there."

            "Who?"

            Jack looked up. "Milo."

            "Can we trust him?"

            "I think so. The important thing is that we get Kim out, right?"

            Tony nodded. "Call him. Tell him to get her and meet us at the safe house in Silverlake."

            "I'll call him on the way to Chloe's. Let's go."

 

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            Jack's heart stopped when they pulled up in front of Chloe's house – or what used to be Chloe's house. There was nothing left. Debris lay everywhere, charred, some of it still on fire. Firefighters were already there, digging through the wreckage, but it was clear that if anyone had been inside, they hadn't survived.

            Tony was out of the car immediately, but he stopped when he realized that Jack wasn't with him. Turning, he saw that his friend was still sitting behind the steering wheel, obviously in shock. He raced around to the driver's door and yanked it open.

            "Let's go, Jack."

            "We're too late."

            "You don't know that. You don't know that she was home."

            "I've lost her."

            Tony knelt down and grabbed Jack's chin, forcing him to look at him. "You would know, Jack. If Chloe were dead, you would know it. You would feel it in every nerve and tissue. Stop and feel for a second. Is she dead?"

            He took a few deep breaths, calming himself and letting his body relax just a little. Finally he lifted his eyes to Tony's again.

            "No. She's alive."

            "Good. That means we have to find her. So get your ass out of the car and help me look."

            He got up that time, and the two of them moved onto Chloe's property. Policemen tried to stop them, but backed off once they saw their badges. They moved slowly, picking their way through the debris, looking for any sign that Chloe was there or maybe that she hadn't been there when the bomb went off.

            Straightening from some wood he was examining, Jack stared into what would have been her backyard before the explosion. His eyes swept over it, pausing when he saw a dog pawing at something on the ground. Even from a distance, he could see that the dog's fur was singed and it was limping slightly. The animal whined, scratching against a large piece of wood that lay on the ground at an odd angle. He continued staring until everything finally clicked in his head.

            Jack surged forward, running across the property after yelling over his shoulder to get Tony's attention. As he neared it, the dog backed up slightly, still whining and staring at the wood. Jack reached forward and took hold of the debris, trying to move it, but it was too large for him. Tony joined him, and together they managed to lift it and throw it to the side.

            His heart stopped again as he found himself staring at an unmoving Chloe. Her face was covered in suit and the edges of her clothes were burned, but she looked as though she had missed the worst of it. Bending down, fear choking him, he reached out a hand and felt for a pulse. After a moment, he breathed a deep sigh of relief.

            "She's alive."

 

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            Kim sighed as her doorbell rang. She stood up from the box she was emptying and took a moment to survey the room. She had only moved in a couple weeks ago, and she was still unpacking her stuff. But slowly it was starting to look like a real home and she was really quite proud of herself. She was single, but she was making it on her own. She had her own house, she had a great job, and she was speaking to her father again. All in all, things were finally looking up.

            The person at the door grew impatient, and started pounding on the door with their fist. Kim bit back a rude comment and moved down her hallway, wondering who could be so anxious to see her. Her dad would have called first, and there really wasn't anyone else who would come visit her.

            She found herself staring with her mouth open when she opened the door and was faced with Milo Pressman. She hadn't seen him in years – not since the day her mother died. They had met before that of course. He worked at CTU sometimes, and whenever she was there to visit her father, she ended up talking to him because he was the closest to her in age. But she could think of no reason why he would be standing on her doorstep right now.

            "Milo?"

            "Hey, Kim. I need to come in."

            "Why?"

            "I'll explain once we're inside."

            "Why are you here?"

            "Kim, please. This is important. Just let me in."

            "How do you even know where I live?"

            He sighed, realizing that she required some explanation. "Jack sent me."

            Frowning as even deeper confusion set in, she stepped aside and let him in. Closing the door behind him, she led him into the living room, which was still full of boxes. Milo looked around curiously.

            "You just move in?"

            "Yeah. Couple weeks ago."

            He nodded. "Nice. I live a few blocks over. It's a good neighborhood."

            "That's what I heard. Milo, why are you here?"

            "Right. Your dad called me a little while ago. Said you were in danger and I need to get you out of town. We're supposed to meet him and Tony and Chloe at a CTU safe house."

            "Why didn't he come himself?"

            "He was afraid he wouldn't get here in time. I was a lot closer. And he had to go get Chloe. She's in danger too."

            "Anyone else?"

            "Tony."

            "Oh."

            "So we need to go. Now. My car-" He paused as his gaze drifted out the window. He could see his car from there, parked in the driveway. But further down the street, he could also see a blue Lancer. It had been there when he got onto the road, and now a woman was stepping out of it, one he was sure he had seen before in his work at CTU…

            He pulled her to the ground just in time, as bullets came flying through the large picture window. They crawled across the floor toward the kitchen, trying to move quickly without making themselves into targets. When they reached the safety of the other room, they stood, jumping when they heard someone kick down the front door.

            "Is there a back door?" Milo whispered, his gun out.

            "Yeah, but we'd have to jump. They're going to build a deck, but for now it just opens up onto thin air."

            "Shit! Okay, here's what we do. We're gonna move into the room with that door in it, and I want you to open it and then close it loudly. I want her to think we went out that way. If it works, we can sneak out the front."

            "And if it doesn't?"

            "Then we'll be finding out how rusty my aim is."

            Kim led him slowly through the kitchen, pausing when she had to cross the entrance into the hallway. She had no idea if the assassin was still there or if she had moved into one of the adjoining rooms or even up the stairs. If she got to the dining room before they did, they weren't going to be able to protect themselves.

            She peeked around the corner, breathing a little easier when she saw that the hall was empty. Motioning to Milo, she led him across the rest of the kitchen, moving into the dining room. When she saw that that room was empty as well, she picked up the pace, heading straight for the back door.

            She felt Milo grab her before her brain registered the pop. He pushed her to the ground, crying out in pain as the bullet grazed his side and lodged itself in the door. Sitting up, he fired back, forcing the assassin back into the kitchen. Kim opened the door and slammed it while Milo fired again, covering them as they moved out of the dining room through the other door. They walked quietly toward the hall again, listening closely to discern where the woman had gone.

            When they heard the back door open again, Milo grabbed Kim's hand and they slipped out the front door with as little noise as possible. Kim instantly ran for his car parked in the driveway, but Milo pulled her up short.

            "What are you doing?"

            "I want her car."

            "What?"

            "The bitch shot me. I want her car."

            Ignoring her protests, he pulled her down the street, keeping his gun at the ready. When they reached the car, Milo went for the driver's door, but Kim reached it first.

            "You're injured and you're the only one of us that really knows how to shoot. I'll drive."

            He nodded, running around to the passenger's side. As he sat down, he opened his mouth to explain how to hotwire the car, but ended up staring in astonishment as he watched her do it without any help. When the car roared to life, she gave him a small smile.

            "A friend taught me."

            "Thank God for that."

            As they sped down the road, neither noticed Milo's car pulling out of the driveway and following them.

 

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            She sat in the backseat of the SUV, staring out at the apartment building. It had been years since she had seen Tony, and part of her wished that she could show herself to him before finishing this. But her job was simple and the pay was good, and she knew that making herself known to him would only complicate things.

            Turning her attention back inside the car, she reached for the RPG-7 rocket launcher sitting on the seat next to her. She took careful aim, double checking that the other backseat window was already open so that it didn't shatter. With only the slightest second of hesitation, she pulled the trigger and watched as the rocket flew toward its target.

            As people on the street screamed and ran and pointed at the billowing smoke coming from the burning apartment building, Nina got out of the backseat and moved to the front, putting on her sunglasses and driving out of the city.

           

 

 

           

           

            But it was becoming harder and harder to ignore the way her stomach fluttered whenever he touched her. Just a glance from him would have her biting her lip in an attempt to quash her smile. It was getting more difficult to go back to her apartment, and she found herself showing up at his place almost every night.

            Instead of going home one night, Jack stopped at her station, watching her with an intense gaze.

            "What?"

            "Are you almost done?"

            "Yeah. Why?"

            He shrugged. "I thought we could go get dinner."

            Her eyes widened and he though he saw a twinge of fear.

            "Dinner?"

            "Yeah."
            "You always cook."

            "Might be nice to go out."

            "Like a date?"

            "Maybe."

            She bit her bottom lip.

"I thought this was just sex."

            He tried to keep his face impassive.

"Do you want it to be?"

            She could hear the fear in his voice.

"No."

            He smiled. "So you'll have dinner with me?"

            Chloe stood up and gave him a quick kiss.

            "Yes."


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            Chloe just barely bit back her curse as she opened her front door and found herself staring at Spencer. His hands were in his pockets and he was giving her a hesitant smile that immediately faded as he was assaulted by her deep scowl. Shuffling his feet nervously, he cleared his throat.

            "Hey Chloe."

            "What the hell do you want?"

            "I, uh…" He saw her eyes narrow at him suspiciously, and he hurried to his point. "My car broke down a little ways back. You're the first person that actually answered their door."

            "What, your car just happened to break down on my street?"

            "Sadly, yes. You don't really think I was looking for you, do you? You're not exactly a part of my life that I'd like to remember." He would have missed the flash of hurt in her eyes if he hadn't been looking for it. "Look…can we just…can I please just use your phone to call AAA?"

            "Don't you have a cell?" she asked, making no move to let him in.

            He held up his phone and smiled ruefully. "Battery died."

            She continued to frown at him, but he could tell that she was mulling over his request. He could see the battle raging in her eyes, and he realized that she wasn't going to slam the door in his face.

            "Fine," she muttered, rolling her eyes and moving to the side so that he could come in.

            Shutting the door after him, she led him through the living room and into the kitchen. She pointed to the phone without looking at him, and then moved over to the opposite wall and turned o face him, her arms crossed. Spencer stared back.

            "You're just going to stand there?"

            "Yes."

            "Don’t you trust me?"

            "Not in the least."

            Shaking his head, he moved to lift the receiver from it's cradle. Before he could dial, a ringing came from upstairs. Chloe stood her ground for a moment before sighing and stomping out of the kitchen. As soon as she was out of sight, Spencer smiled and hung up the phone.

 

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By the time she came back downstairs, Spencer was waiting for her in the living room. He was holding one of her pictures that belonged on the mantel, and he put it back quickly when he saw her enter the room.

            "Well?" Chloe asked without preamble.

            "They're on the way." He paused, waiting for a reaction but getting none. "I should probably head back to my car."

            "Yes. Please."

            She moved toward the door, reaching out to turn the knob. Without a sound he was there, gripping her wrist and pushing the door close. Chloe tried to free herself from his grasp, but he twisted her arm and she cried out in pain.

            "You know, O'Brian," he said quietly. "Your attitude hasn't changed at all, but your appearance…" His eyes raked up and down her body "has definitely improved. What do you say you and I get together sometime? Just for fun?"

            Chloe spat in his face and finally managed to wrench her arm away.

            "Get out."

            Chuckling, he let his eyes run the length of her again. "You weren't really worth the trouble anyway," he murmured as he opened the door and walked out.

 

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            When the door had shut behind him, Chloe struggled to fight back her tears. She had never expected to see Spencer again, and his behavior had really thrown her off. He was just as cocky as ever, but there seemed to be…a certain malice underlying his words and actions. Her wrist still hurt from where he had grabbed her, and she was pretty sure that she was going to have a bruise by morning.

            Torn between wanting a shower and being starving, she finally decided that she would eat before scrubbing her skin until she couldn't feel his hand or eyes anymore. Heading into the kitchen, she walked over to the fridge, opening it and searching for something that resembled a meal.

            Her head was halfway in when a sound caught her attention. Closing the door, she moved to the kitchen window, looking out at her back yard. It took her a minute to find the source of the noise, as her eyes rested a large German Shepherd. She had seen the dog before in the neighborhood, and she wasn't a fan. Especially not now when it was terrorizing her cat. She flew out the back door, striding across the lawn and yelling at the animal to get away. It just stared at her cat, growling until the feline hissed one last time and bounded off across one of the neighbor's yards. When she reached the dog, she carefully took him by the collar and started to drag him off her property.

            The blast was so sudden, that Chloe had barely even registered the sound before she felt an intense heat on her back and she found herself flying through the air towards her shed.

            Death was freeing, Chloe decided. The red and orange leaves rustled around her as a light breeze whispered through the trees. A man was talking somewhere to her right, but his words had become indistinguishable from the other sounds, and Chloe found that she no longer cared what he was saying. She was barely even aware of the people around her anymore, their presence fading into the background.

            The sun wasn't very strong, but she was hot. But even if the circumstances had permitted it, Chloe knew that she could not make her body move, to break away from what was going on around her. There was some pain – her chest felt constricted and she was having trouble breathing. She focused on her heartbeat, trying to keep it strong, trying to keep herself from panicking. There was nothing she could do now – it was no longer in her control. Maybe it never had been.

            And then they were leaving. The people around her began to move away, holding quiet conversations as they gave her a wide berth. She made them uncomfortable, and it was easier to just ignore her. She noticed that one person stayed by her side though, completely unwilling to leave her alone, to abandon her like everyone else. Even without looking, she knew the pained expression that lay heavily on his face as he watched her, a questioning look in his eyes. She could feel the worry and anxiety rolling off of him in waves, and it comforted her to know that he was there, that he felt for her, that he cared enough to take on whatever pain she was feeling right then.

            She reached over and slid her hand into his, gripping it tightly as she stood up, pulling him with her. He tucked a stray hair behind her ear before placing a soft kiss on her lips.

            "You ready?" he asked.

            She nodded. "Let's go."

            Without another glance, she and Jack walked away from her father's grave.

            Jack stretched as his body slowly came awake. He felt relaxed and refreshed, and he turned over to reach for the person next to him.

            But the other side of the bed was empty. Jack opened his eyes and looked around the room, stopping when his gaze fell on Chloe. She was zipping up her jeans, her bra already back on, and she seemed to be scouring the floor for something. Frowning, she eventually stooped down and picked up a piece of clothing.

            "Dammit!"

            "Something wrong?" Jack asked, a grin on his face.

            At the sound of his voice, Chloe nearly jumped out of her skin. But her scowl was back immediately and she rounded on him.

            "You ripped my shirt!"

            His smile broadened. "I was eager."

            "But now I have nothing to wear!"

            "Why do you need a shirt?"

            She sighed. "Because, Jack. I cannot drive all the way to my apartment half-naked."

            His smile faded. "You're leaving?"

            "Yes."

            "You don't have to," he said quietly.

            She gave him a small smile. "Thanks…but I should really get going."

            He nodded, moving his gaze to sweep the floor. Leaning off the bed, he picked up the dress shirt he had been wearing the night before and tossed it to her gently.

            "Here. You can wear that."

            She avoided his eyes as she put it on and did up the buttons.

            "Thanks," she mumbled. "I'll…see you later."

            When she had shut the door, Jack turned over and stared out the window numbly.

 

***

 

            Of all the household chores, Chloe hated folding laundry the most. She just found it boring and time consuming. As she continued to fold her underwear and t-shirts, she let her mind drift. Chase had called earlier, inviting her to have dinner with him and Kim later that night. But she had declined, telling him that she already had plans with Nadia. It was a lie, but…she just didn't feel like seeing people. Her mood had been especially low the past couple of days, and she knew that she didn't have the energy to pretend for anyone.

            As she folded the shirt in her hands, Chloe realized that it didn't smell like all the other clothes. Looking down, she stared at Jack's shirt, having forgotten that she had thrown it into the load. Tears immediately sprang to her eyes as she lifted it to her nose, breathing him in. His scent still lingered underneath the detergent, and she found herself remembering what it felt like to be held by him, to lie next to him in his bed.

            Jerking it away from her nose suddenly, she scolded herself for being so foolish. Staring at the rest of the laundry in frustration, she decided that she would finish it later. Right now, she needed to return Jack's shirt to him and get it out of her apartment.

 

***

 

            His feet were bare. She wasn't sure why that was the first thing that she noticed, but it struck her as odd, and kind of cute. Her eyes traveled up his body, taking in his ripped jeans and t-shirt, before finally settling on his face and frowning at the amused smile he wore.

            "You checking me out, O'Brian?"

            "No."

            His smile faltered and his eyes moved to the shirt in her hands. "Is that why you're here?"

            She looked at the shirt as though she had forgotten that she was holding it. "Umm. Yeah. I wanted to return it. It's been washed and everything."

            He took the shirt from her outstretched hand, staring at it for a moment. Chloe thought that he was debating something, and she saw the deep breath that he took before he lifted his gaze to hers again.

            "Why don't you come in?" he asked quietly. "I just ordered a pizza. We could…watch TV. Hang out."

            Her mouth betrayed her before she even had a chance to think.

            "Okay."

 

***

 

            They sat next to each other on his couch, quietly eating their pizza and drinking a couple of beers. The TV was on, but neither was really focused on the movie. Chloe tried to come up with an acceptable reason to leave, whereas Jack wracked his brain for excuses to keep her there. Finally the movie was over, and they realized that they had barely spoken a word to each other. Chloe moved to get up, but Jack's voice stopped her.

            "Chloe…about the other night…"
            "Don't worry about," she interrupted. "It was a mistake. We can just forget about it."

            Her words hit him squarely in the chest, and he drew in a shaky breath. He looked around the room wildly, half of his brain telling him to just shut up and let her go. But the other half needed to be sure.

            "Are you sure?" he asked quietly. "Are you sure that we made a mistake?"

            His question caught her off-guard, and Chloe found herself floundering for an answer. "I…well…I mean…don't you?"

            He turned to face her, moving his body closer until he was right next to her. One hand reached out, trembling, to let his fingers graze her cheek. His eyes bored into hers as he moved his face even closer. "Only if I lose you because of it."

            Before she had a chance to respond, his lips were lightly dancing over hers, teasing her. Sighing, she moved forward the tiniest bit, until their lips came together completely. She held the hand that rested against her cheek, moaning as his tongue slid into her mouth, tangling with her own.

            Eventually they had to pull back, air being a necessity. Chloe stared at Jack in surprise – this wasn't at all how she expected this to go. Seeing the nervous look on his face, she smiled at him gently.

            "Definitely not a mistake," she breathed, leaning in to kiss him again.

           

            His legs refused to hold him up any longer, and Jack sank into the nearest chair. Nurses and doctors moved around him, all oblivious to the fact that his entire world had just shattered at his feet. He was vaguely aware of a woman standing nearby, watching him, but he couldn't draw in enough breath to ask her what she wanted it. His eyes stayed glued to the floor, his hands shaking and his head pounding. Memories danced through his mind, teasingly, and he struggled to grasp them. But the woman was speaking now, and her voice pushed the memories farther away.

            "Mr. Bauer?"

            He lifted his eyes to her, trying to focus, and she recoiled slightly from the pain she saw there.

            "My name is Melinda Busch. I'm with Child Protective Services."

            Jack looked at her in confusion, vaguely wondering if the woman was lost. He struggled for some kind of appropriate response, but he couldn't remember what you were supposed to say when someone was lost.

            "Sir, do you remember what the doctor told you? About Mr. and Mrs. O'Brian?"

            The mention of Chloe's name sent pain rippling through his chest. He tried to breathe, but he couldn't seem to pull in enough oxygen. "Dead," he croaked.

            Her eyes softened as she saw just how badly he was affected by all of this. "Yes. But do you remember what else? Do you remember him talking about the baby?"

            The words echoed around in his head, and slowly he did remember the doctor saying…something. But it was lost, and he was too tired to dig around for it. Melinda saw this and repeated the doctor's words for him.

            "Mrs. O'Brian was pregnant…the baby survived the crash and the doctor's got her out of the womb soon enough that there was no brain damage."

            "The baby…the baby's alive?" He looked around wildly. "Who…who's going to take care of it?"

            She smiled at him gently. "That's why I'm talking to you, Mr. Bauer. Mr. and Mrs. O'Brian wrote in their wills specifically that if anything happened to them, they wanted you to take custody of their child."

            Jack's eyes widened as the implications of her words began to sink in. "But…but…Morris hated me. He never would have wanted…"

            "Sir, I already had the department's lawyer's look over the document. Everything is legitimate. There is no one else to take this baby. Mr. O'Brian's brother has already said he'll stand by the wills."

            He was no longer having trouble breathing, but he couldn't pin a single thought in his head down long enough to actually look at it. He had swung from abject grief to…wherever he was now…so quickly, that the rest of him was still trying to catch up.

            "Sir?"

            His head snapped up as another woman came up to them. She was holding a bundle of blankets in her arms.

            "Sir? Would you like to hold her?"

            He nodded dumbly, automatically stretching out his arms to take the baby. He stared down at her perfect face as she slept, blissfully unaware of everything that had been taken from her that day.

            "We need a name for the birth certificate, sir."

            He looked at the nurse for a moment, not comprehending. "They…Chloe hadn't picked out a name yet?"

            "Not that we know of."

            His eyes once again traveled to the little girl in his arms. "Elizabeth," he rasped.

            "Excuse me sir?"

            "Elizabeth Jean…Jean was her mother's name. And Elizabeth…Elizabeth was Chloe's middle name," he choked out.

            "O'Brian or Bauer?"

            His head snapped up. "O'Brian," he said fiercely.

            The nurse nodded and walked away, leaving Jack with Elizabeth and Melinda. The older woman watched him as he stared at his new ward.

            "There will be papers to sign," she said gently. "But they can wait. We'll call you in a couple days."

            Jack nodded and she moved away. When they were by themselves, he slowly sank back into the chair.

            "Elizabeth," he whispered.

 

            Chloe cursed as she came to a stop. Corn stalks rustled around her, the wind whispering through them. She shivered slightly, turning around in a circle as she tried to determine in which direction their suspect had run. But everywhere she looked, all she could see was more and more corn. For a brief moment, she contemplated running again, but at the very thought, the stitch in her side flare anew, and she decided that running aimlessly through a cornfield was a very silly thing to do.

            Still breathing heavily, Chloe reached for the cell phone she had clipped to the waistband of her jeans. Her heart sank as she realized that it wasn't there. Frantically, she checked all around her, retracing her steps for a little while, but only succeeding in getting herself more lost. She opened her mouth to call out for help, but then shut it promptly – she didn't want the suspect to know her location and the fact that she was alone.

            Panic started to rise in her chest as she floundered for what she should do next. She had no idea where she was, and no idea in which direction their car lay. Alone, she did the only thing she could think of. When she had been little, her mother always told her that if she ever got lost, she should just stay where she was. Fighting back tears, Chloe pulled out her gun and sat down.

 

***

 

            Jack sighed as realized that their search was futile. The suspects were probably long gone, and there was no way to find them in this maze. Forcing himself to stop, he leaned his hands on his knees as he caught his breath. When his chest didn't hurt as much, he straightened back up and reached for his phone, dialing Chloe's number.

            She didn't answer. An ache was slowly growing in his chest, and it had nothing to do with being winded. Moving forward slowly, he hit the redial button again and again, the pain in his chest spreading.

 

***

 

            Ten minutes later, he found her phone. His only problem was, it wasn't with Chloe. He knew that it had been clipped to her jeans, and he suddenly couldn't rid himself of the image of her being dragged through the field, dislodging the phone. Shaking his head, he studied the ground around him, looking for any traces of her. He noticed that an ear of corn had been dislodged, and the stalk it had been on was broken. Sending up a small prayer, he moved in that direction.

 

***

 

            The sun was setting, and Chloe was shaking. Tears were falling down her cheeks as she struggled to keep her anxiety down. But her body refused to comply as her mind raced through images of what would happen to her out here. She didn't know what kind of animals lived in the Midwest, but she was sure that they wouldn't be too friendly to a lost human in the dark.

            A sound up ahead caused her head to jerk up, and her right hand to raise automatically, aiming the gun forward. She bit her lip to keep from crying out as a figure walked out of the corn stalks and moved toward her.

            "Chloe?"

            "Jack?" She cringed at how her voice broke as she lowered the gun.

            He walked to her quickly, helping her up and dragging her against his chest. She managed to keep from sobbing, but she wrapped her arms around his waist and clung to him, using his presence to steady her breathing.

            "I was so worried," Jack whispered, tightening his hold on her. "I thought maybe one of them had taken you…"

            "I'm okay," Chloe assured him, pulling back slightly so that she could look at him.

            He studied her face, bringing up one hand to brush away the tears that were still on her cheeks.

            "Really?"

            She shrugged. "I don't like being lost."

            He smiled at her in the growing twilight. "Let's get you out of here then."

            "Do you know which way is out?"

            Jack pulled something out of his pocket. "I have a compass."

            "It's getting dark."

            "It glows."

            "Are you sure it works?"

            He laughed. "Chloe, I promise that I will get you home. And then I'm going to cook you a nice dinner to thank you for coming out in the field with me even though you hate it."

            "And then what?"

            Nearly choking at her question, Jack searched for an answer. "And then, Chloe…I'm going to have a beer and work up the courage to kiss you."

            "You need a beer to do that?" she asked, thankful that the spreading darkness covered the shock on her face at his response.

            "Helps loosen the nerves," he said quietly.

            "You're nervous about kissing me?"

            "A little…maybe a little more than a little." He took a deep breath. "Chloe-"

            She cut him off by pressing her lips against his, her hands on either side of his face. Jack's eyes widened in surprise, but he quickly recovered and leaned into her. All too soon, she had pulled back again.

            "You don't have to be nervous about that," she muttered.

            Jack smiled. "Good."

            Reaching over, he took her hand in his, the compass held out in front of him. "You ready to get out of here?"

            "You have no ide