Your Guardian Angel
May. 1st, 2007 10:31 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
failegaidinabbylfor introducing me to the band, sparky_girl82for introducing me to the song, and to rory, holly and glory for reading and commenting (and making me laugh about killer plot bunnies in their batcave and stealth hares). Everyone was crying. Some were doing it silently, but Jack could hear strangled sobs scattered around the room as well. To his left sat Bill and Karen, clutching at each other's hands. Karen's face was splotchy and devoid of makeup, while Bill tried to remain stoic even as the tears streamed down his face. To his right he saw Nadia and
Jack watched as
"She'd yell at all of us, you know, if she were here. She hated when people made a big fuss over her." He paused, his bottom lip trembling as he tried to stem the sadness that threatened to overtake him. "This was her favorite song," he choked out.
Jack listened closely as
"When I see your smile
Tears fun down my face I can't replace
And now that I'm strong I have figured out
How this world turns cold and it breaks through my soul
And I know deep inside me I can be the one."
It was then that Jack looked at the coffin sitting in front of him. His chest constricted and tears filled his eyes as he found himself staring at Chloe. She looked serene as she laid there, as Jack's world crashed all around him. The words that
"I will never let you fall
I'll stand up with you forever
I'll be there for you through it all
Even if saving you sends me to heaven
It's okay. It's okay. It's okay.
Seasons are changing
And waves are crashing
And stars are falling all for us
Days grow longer and nights grow shorter
I can show you I'll be the one
I will never let you fall
I'll stand up with you forever
I'll be there for you through it all
Even if saving you sends me to heaven
'Cause you're my, you're my, my, my true love, my whole heart
Please don't throw that away
'Cause I'm here for you
Please don't walk away and
Please tell me you'll stay
Use me as you will
Pull my strings just for a thrill
And I know I'll be okay
Though my skies are turning gray
I will never let you fall
I'll stand up with you forever
I'll be there for you through it all
Even if saving you sends me to heaven."
The last note faded away, but the other noises of the room didn't return. Jack looked around him, needing to find someone who could tell him how this had happened. But as his gaze rested on those in the room, he saw that they were no longer moving. Their faces looked as though they'd been chiseled in stone as they were mourning – he could still see the paths of Nadia's tears down her cheeks, and one tear was frozen in place.
Jack stood up, moving towards the coffin. He paused to examine
"Chloe," he said, his voice breaking.
He reached out his hand, needing to touch her. But his fingers stopped abruptly mere centimeters from her skin as a voice swept through the room.
"She died for you," it whispered.
***
The street was terribly crowded, but Jack wasn't getting jostled around. There seemed to be a clear space around him that everyone else avoided. He tried to focus on some of the people walking nearby, but they went by in blurs of color, and Jack found himself getting dizzy. He desperately searched for something steady to look at, and his eyes fell on
"I will never let you fall
I'll stand up with you forever
I'll be there for you through it all
Even if saving you sends me to heaven."
Jack frowned as the words of the song reached his ears. Hadn't he heard that somewhere before?
"Jack!"
He turned to see Chloe running toward him, a beautiful smile lighting up her face. He returned her smile, despite the nagging feeling that something was wrong. When she reached him, Chloe catapulted herself into his arms. Jack held her tightly, wishing he could hold her forever. He started slightly as scenes flashed before his eyes. He saw Chloe running toward him, fear in her eyes. She launched herself into his arms and he closed his eyes as he held her close. There was a gun in his hand and a helicopter behind him, and he felt relief wash over him as realized that he had gotten to her in time…
Chloe pulled back when she felt him stiffen, worry in her eyes as she looked at him. Stroking his cheek with her hand, she asked, "Are you alright?"
Jack nodded, the vision gone. He gave her a gentle smile. "Yeah. I am."
She beamed at him before leaning in to kiss him. He immediately responded, his tongue sliding into her mouth. She groaned in pleasure, wrapping her arms around him and using her fingers to tease the hairs at the nape of his neck.
Reluctantly Chloe dragged her lips away from his, but she kept their bodies close. "Well, you're eager," she commented.
Jack laughed. "I feel like I haven't touched you in years," he whispered.
Echoing his laugh, Chloe leaned in to kiss him again. As her face neared his, her expression changed suddenly. Her mouth froze in a little 'o' and her eyes glazed over in pain. Jack looked down in fear and saw the tip of a knife protruding from her stomach as
"Use me as you will
Pull my strings just for a thrill
And I know I'll be okay
Though my skies are turning gray."
Chloe's hands loosened their grip and fell from his neck. He watched in horror as she crumpled to the ground. As tears flooded his eyes, Jack realized that another figure was standing behind Chloe. He looked up to see Nina Myers standing there, holding a bloody knife. She smiled cruelly at him.
"You're cursed, Jack," she whispered. "Everyone you touch winds up dead."
***
The explosion knocked him off his feet. He stared in shocked pain at the fireball that used to be a warehouse. He had been talking to Chloe on his cell phone, urging her to forget the encrypted files and to get out of there. They had gotten intel that the terrorist cell had learned of CTU's intentions to retrieve the files and that they were going to blow the place. But Chloe was insistent on getting what they came for, arguing with Jack over the phone even as she went about her job.
Now he was left staring at the burning rubble that had buried her. He never should have let her go in there. But none of the men on his team knew enough about computers, and
He tried to move, but his body and mind had shut down. All he could hear were Chloe's screams as fire had burst through the building. Tears coursed down his face, but he couldn't' feel them. The other team members began to slowly pick themselves up off the ground as Jack let his face settle in the dirt, the echoes of Chloe's screams piercing his heart over and over.
"Jack?"
He heard her voice, but he refused to lift his eyes. Her voice would torture him for the rest of his life.
"Jack?"
This time his head snapped up when he heard the exclamations of hi team members. Far to the side of the burning building, Jack saw a shadowy figure slowly struggling to stand.
"Chloe?" he croaked out. Pushing himself up, Jack stumbled forward. "Chloe?" he screamed, racing towards her.
"Jack?"
They collided into each other. Their hands slid over the body of the other, each making sure that they were really there. Jack rained kisses all over Chloe's face and neck while she desperately clung to him.
"Oh God, Chloe. I thought you were dead," he wept as he cradled her face in his hands.
Without another word, Chloe grabbed his face and kissed him, pouring every ounce of herself into it. Jack's arms came around her waist as he pulled her closer, wanting to touch every inch of her. Their kisses became desperate, frantic as they sunk into each other and forgot the world…
Jack frowned in confusion as he found that he was watching himself. A few yards ahead, he could see himself kissing Chloe, desperately holding her as though she could disappear at any moment. But he looked down and realized that he was still lying on the ground, the warehouse burning nearby.
The image of him and Chloe flickered and he shook his head in an attempt to clear it. Each time the image flickered, though, another appeared beside it. Squinting, he saw that the other was of someone lying face down in the dirt, not moving. Doyle was squatting beside them, checking for a pulse.
Jack turned his head as he realized that he could hear music. One of the CTU vehicles had it's driver door open, and he could hear a song floating through the night air.
"It's okay. It's okay. It's okay.
Seasons are changing
And waves are crashing
And stars are falling all for us
Days grow longer and nights grow shorter
I can show you I'll be the one."
He returned his attention to the dueling images before him, but now the one of he and Chloe together was fading quickly. The sight of Doyle squatting over a body grew more solid, and soon it was the only one he could see. Doyle raised his head to look him, tears shining in his eyes.
"Chloe's dead, Jack. You killed her," he whispered.
***
His hands were held behind his back and a swift kick from behind brought him down to his knees. Jack watched in horror as two more men dragged her in. She was bloody and bruised, and her clothes were ripped in places. He knew that she was scared, but she worked hard to keep her face stoic, not letting them see how they affected her. When she saw him kneeling there, her lower lip trembled, threatening to let loose a torrent of emotion. But her eyes locked on his and she kept her head held high.
Philip Bauer walked into the room, standing between Jack and Chloe. He looked from one to the other, a conceited smirk dancing across his face. “Well, now. Look at what we have here.” He looked at Jack. “My pathetic son,” He turned to look at Chloe. “And his guardian angel.”
“You bastard,” Jack growled, earning him a swift kick in the ribs from one of the men standing next to him.
Philip Bauer just looked at his son in utter contempt. “Kill him,” he said dismissively, turning his back on his child.
“Noooo!” The scream ripped itself out of Chloe’s throat, stopping everyone in the room and making them stare at her.
Philip turned back. “You object?”
Tears now slid down her face as she stared at Jack. She smiled at him briefly and then turned to face his father.
“Take me instead.”
“Why would I want you, when I kill him?”
Chloe took a deep breath and stood up straight, looking him right in the eye. “I won’t fight you this time.”
Philip’s eyes twinkled. “You won’t? You give me your word?”
“I promise.”
He looked over at Jack, who was watching the whole exchange with a look of utter confusion on his face. Smiling grimly, Philip walked over to Chloe, shooing away the men who were holding her. She tried not to shiver in disgust as he caressed her face, and it took everything in her power to not lash out when she felt his other hand on her breast. Jack struggled against the men holding him, but there were too many. Tears escaped his eyes as he realized the deal that Chloe was making to save him.
“No!” he yelled. “No, Chloe – don’t do this!”
“You’ll let him go? You’ll leave him alone?” she asked, her eyes still on Philip.
“You have my word.”
Chloe scowled. “Good. Because if I find out anything happened to him, I will personally rip your balls off.”
Philip let out a hollow laugh. Looking at his men he said, “Let him go. She’s bought his freedom,” He turned to Jack. “But if you try anything, Jack, I will kill her. Plain and simple.”
They let go of his arms and Jack found himself just standing there, unable to do anything. He looked at Chloe with such pain that her heart broke. Pushing away from Philip, she ran up to him and grabbed his face in her hands, kissing him soundly. She pulled back, resting her forehead against his, the tears falling rapidly from her eyes.
“Don’t do this,” Jack wept brokenly.
She smiled at him sadly and sang in a whisper:
"I will never let you fall
I'll stand up with you forever
I'll be there for you through it all
Even if saving you sends me to heaven
She kissed him again before whispering, “I love you.”
And then Philip Bauer was pulling her back, letting his hands roam over her body as he wanted. “Go Jack. Unless you want her to die for nothing.”
The men behind him pushed him roughly and all but dragged him from the warehouse. He looked back at Chloe one last time, and she mouthed to him silently, “I love you.”
***
“Jack? Jack! You need to wake up!”
He had been thrashing for the past twenty minutes, and Chloe was starting to really worry. She was contemplating calling
She straddled him, using the leverage to shake him harder, calling his name louder. She nearly fell off the bed as he came shooting up, his breathing labored and his eyes wild. He looked around the room desperately, trying to figure out where he was. When his eyes rested on Chloe sitting on top of him, he thought he his heart would burst from sheer relief. She smiled shyly, grateful that he was finally awake.
“Hey,” she whispered.
Without a word, Jack grabbed her face and kissed her, plunging his tongue into her mouth. Chloe’s eyes widened in disbelief, and she started to struggle against him. He moved one arm to wrap around her waist, using it to pull her farther up his lap and closer to his chest, and Chloe sank into the kiss.
Their tongues danced wildly as she brought her arms up around his neck, grinding her hips into his. Jack groaned in pleasure, holding her tighter and letting one hand drift up her back, under her shirt. Chloe yelped in surprise as Jack rolled her over onto her back, letting his hands wander as his mouth continued the assault on hers. She nearly died from the feeling of his hands everywhere – they crept up her legs and under her boxer shorts, they played with her quickly hardening nipples, and left a trail of fire wherever they touched. She let her own hand slide down his chest to his groin, resting there when she felt him hard against her. It wasn’t until his mouth moved down to her aching breasts that Chloe’s mind started working again.
“Wait, Jack,” she protested breathlessly. “Stop.”
He brought his face back up to hers, and she was shocked at the desperation and pain in them. “Please,” he pleaded. “Don’t make me stop.”
She caressed his cheek gently and smiled at him. “We need to talk at least a little first, Jack. If you’re sure you still want to after…I won’t stop you.”
Jack nodded, rolling off of her and laying on his side so that he could face her. He kept one hand on her hip, though, completely unwilling to break contact with her.
“What were you dreaming about?” she asked.
“I can’t,” he whispered, his voice breaking again.
“Jack,” she said firmly, but gently. “You have to. I need to know.”
He closed his eyes. “You.”
Chloe sighed. “I got that much. You were moaning my name and saying “no” over and over again.” She paused. “What was I doing to you?” she asked in a small voice.
Jack’s eyes snapped open and his hand flew to cradle her face. “Nothing. Oh God, Chloe, you weren’t do anything wrong. You just kept…dying. Every time I thought I had found you and we were going to be okay…you died. Or you…” his voice dropped until it was barely audible. “Or you sacrificed yourself for me.” He looked at her imploringly. “Please don’t make me go into detail.”
Seeing the pain in his eyes and hearing it in his voice was like a knife in her heart. Chloe ran her fingers through his short hair, sliding herself closer to him. “You don’t have to, Jack. But I also don’t want you to do something you’ll regret just because you’re relieved that I’m alive.”
“You think that’s why I kissed you?”
“Isn’t it?”
“No,” he said firmly. “Chloe, in all the dreams, I realized over and over again how much I love you. But every time we had a chance to be together, I lost you. When I woke up and saw you sitting there, I knew that I couldn’t do it anymore. I couldn’t pretend that I wasn’t head over heels in love with you. Because if I lost you, and you didn’t know…After everything, Chloe, the very least you deserve is to know that I love you with every ounce of my being.”
Jack was kept from saying anything more by Chloe’s lips on his. She quickly rolled on top him, straddling his hips again. This time she slid her tongue into his mouth, eliciting a lusty groan from him in the process. Grinding her hips down against him, she desperately ripped his shirt off, kissing her way down his chest as soon as his skin was exposed to her.
Jack’s eyes nearly rolled in the back of his head at the feel of her lips on his bare flesh. She was driving him crazy, rolling her hips against his while they were still constricted by their clothing. As her hands began tugging at his pants and sliding under the waist band, he grabbed them and made her stop.
“Wait,” he breathed, shocked that he had the strength to stop her.
“What?” she asked.
The fear in her eyes cut him to the quick, and he smoothed the hair out her eyes, rushing to reassure her. “What about you?” he asked.
“What about me?” she replied, confusion clearly written on her face.
“I need to hear it Chloe. I need to know.”
Finally understand, Chloe once again took his face in her hands and rested her forehead against hers. “I love you,” she whispered, tears falling freely.
The expression on her face was so like the one in his dream that Jack nearly broke. He reached for her again, and this time they moved slowly against each other, taking their time as they made sure that the other knew just how they felt. They sank bank onto the bed, completely enraptured and oblivious to the world.
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no subject
Date: 2007-05-02 03:15 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-05-02 01:42 pm (UTC)I'm really happy you liked it - thanks again for introducing me to the song!
no subject
Date: 2007-05-02 03:21 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-05-02 01:41 pm (UTC)Thank you for picking an awesome prompt. These prompts save my life (writing-wise). Otherwise I might have run out of ideas already.
Glad you liked it!
no subject
Date: 2007-05-02 03:43 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-05-07 01:46 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-05-02 03:44 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-05-02 01:39 pm (UTC)Glad you liked it!
no subject
Date: 2007-05-02 04:34 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-05-02 01:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-05-02 04:45 am (UTC)oh and BTW that song is awesome!
Great job!
no subject
Date: 2007-05-02 01:38 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-05-02 05:37 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-05-02 01:38 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-05-02 10:43 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-05-02 01:36 pm (UTC)Works for me :)
Glad you liked it!
no subject
Date: 2007-05-02 11:45 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-05-02 01:35 pm (UTC)I'm glad you liked it :)
no subject
Date: 2007-05-02 04:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-05-02 05:33 pm (UTC)And I told you Bill would make a guest appearance - albeit a very tiny one!
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Date: 2007-05-03 08:25 am (UTC)I have just had to download this song, it's *so* them :( <3
no subject
Date: 2007-05-03 11:02 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-05-03 01:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-05-02 09:26 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-05-03 11:04 am (UTC)I'm glad you liked it :)
no subject
Date: 2007-05-03 03:19 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-05-03 03:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-05-05 10:17 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-05-07 01:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-05-09 02:45 pm (UTC)