The Closet Plan

            Chloe tried to ignore the fact that Curtis was hovering over her station. She hated it when people stood at her desk, obviously wanting something. But they just stood there, watching her. When it was clear that Curtis wasn’t going to leave, she looked up and sighed.

            “What?”

            “Hey Chloe.”

            “What do you want, Curtis?” she asked, refocusing on her computer.

            “I need to talk to you.”

            “Obviously. What do you want?”

            Curtis looked around furtively before answering in a lowered voice. “Not here. Can you meet me in the north utility closet downstairs in fifteen minutes?”

            Chloe looked up again, a scowl on her face. “The utility closet? What is this, some secret spy movie from the 50s?”

            Curtis lowered his voice to a whisper. “Chloe, please. It’s about Jack.”

            The scowl faded. “Fine,” she whispered back.

 

***

 

            Bill Buchanan stood up as Jack Bauer entered his office. Walking around his desk, he shook the younger man’s hand before opening the conversation.

            “Jack, thanks for coming up.”

            “Of course, Bill.” Jack sat down. “What’s up?”

            Bill sat on the edge of his desk and took a deep breath. “It’s Chloe, Jack.”

            Jack’s head snapped up. “What about her?” he asked, a slight edge and hint of worry in his voice.

            “It’s just that she’s had it rough lately, Jack. Even before today. When you got taken by the Chinese, she blamed herself. She withdrew from everybody – even more so than usual. And then you come back today and she thought you were going to be killed by Fayed. When you escaped, she had some sense of relief, but then Morris was taken and tortured.”

            “Bill…”

            “I’m not finished yet, Jack. Because it’s after that that the real problems started.”

            “What are you talking about?”

            “Morris came back a defeated man, Jack. Not that I expected him to jump right back into the swing of things. But he started drinking again. And when Chloe called him on it, he turned it around on her. Told her that there was something wrong with her for being so obsessed with how he was doing.” Bill paused, not really wanting to go on, but knowing that Jack needed to hear this. “It’s only gotten worse from there, Jack. Several of us have overheard him berating her. Saying nasty things to her about what kind of person she is and her relationship with you. He actually told her that she should feel lucky that he puts up with her because no one else could possibly love her. It’s wearing her down, Jack.”

            Jack was looking down at the floor, wringing his hands. He wasn’t sure which he wanted to do first: kill Morris or go find Chloe. When he looked up again, there were tears in his eyes. Bill sat down next to him and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

            “She needs a friend right now, Jack. She needs you.”

            Jack nodded. “Where is she?”

            “Nadia told me that she went down to the north utility closet downstairs – and that she wasn’t holding it together too well.”

            Jack stood up immediately.
            “Thanks, Bill.”

 

***

 

            When Jack got to the utility closet, he found Chloe pacing back and forth across the small space. She was scowling at the floor, and she didn’t notice him when he walked in.

            “Hey,” he said.

            Chloe stopped suddenly and turned to face him, confusion evident in her eyes. “What are you doing here? I mean, hi. What are you doing here?”

            “Came to check on you.”

            “Well go away.”

            “Why? Waiting for someone else?”

            “Yeah, actually, I am.”

            Jack’s smile faded. “Oh.” He paused. “Who?”

            “None of your business.”

            “Morris?” Jack asked with malice evident in his voice.

            “No. And what does it matter to you?” Chloe stopped as a thought struck her. “Wait a minute. How did you even know I was down here?”

            Jack stuffed his hands in his pockets and looked down at the ground, refusing to look at Chloe. “Nadia told Bill she saw you coming down here. And that you looked like you could use a friend.”

            “Nadia? She’s been in Tech 1 for the past forty-five minutes. I just got down here.”

            As Jack opened his mouth to reply, the door behind him suddenly slammed shut. Both he and Chloe jumped at it, trying to stop it, but they heard the click of locks sliding into place.

 

***

 

            They had both tried banging on the door and yelling at the top of their lungs. But no one came and the door stayed locked. Jack and Chloe sat next to each other with their backs to it, their hands aching from hitting the metal door.

            “I’m calling Curtis,” Jack growled.

 

***

 

            “Manning.”

            “Curtis, it’s Jack.”

            “What’s up?”

            “Chloe and I are locked in a utility closet downstairs. I need you to come let us out.”

            Curtis lowered his voice. “Have you kissed her yet?”

            “What!?”

            “Have. You. Kissed. Her. Very simple question, Jack.”

            “No, of course I haven’t…”

            “Then sorry, Jack,” Curtis interrupted. “Looks like you’re stuck.” And with that, he hung up.

 

***

 

            “What did Curtis say?” Chloe asked after watching Jack seethe for a minute.

            “He said no.”

            “No? What do you mean he said no?”

            “He said no. He won’t come let us out.”

            “That’s stupid.”

            “I know.”

            “Did he say why?”

            “No.”

            “You’re lying.”

            “Yes I am.”

            Chloe huffed and crossed her arms, taking a minute to look at their temporary prison. She didn’t like what she saw. It was a utility closet. There were pipes and wires and limited space. In fact, she and Jack were taking up the majority of it by sitting down. And they had to sit shoulder to shoulder in order to fit. Chloe huffed again.

            “Oh come on, Chloe…being stuck with me’s not that bad.”

            Chloe just continued staring straight ahead.

            After another moment’s silence, Jack asked quietly, “Who were you going to meet?”

            “Why do you care?”

            “Please Chloe.”

            Chloe turned to look at him, but Jack was staring at his hands as though he were afraid of her answer. She sighed.

            “Curtis.”

            Jack’s head snapped up.

            “Curtis?”

            “Yes. Curtis.”

            “Oh,” Jack whispered.

            “What?”

            “I just didn’t see that one coming.”

            “See what one coming? Jack, what the hell are you talking about?”

            “You and Curtis. Never would have seen that coming.”

            “Me and –" Chloe stopped as she realized what he was saying. "Eww!" she exclaimed as she smacked him on the arm. "Me and Curtis? Are you insane?"

            "Then what were you two meeting down here for?"

            "Curtis said that he needed to talk to me about you."

            "What about me?"

            "How should I know? He never showed up. I got you instead."

            "Gee thanks."

            "I didn't mean it that way, Jack."

            They again sat in silence, neither knowing exactly what to say. The room was getting hot, and they were both sweating. Chloe was grateful that her skirt allowed her legs to breathe, but she couldn't sit like she wanted to because of it. As the minutes dragged by, she became uncomfortably aware of how close Jack was. She could smell his aftershave – whatever they had given him when he was released into Bill's custody. Even after being taken prisoner, saving Assad and dismantling a nuke, Jack Bauer still smelled good.

            Jack's phone suddenly rang, causing both of them to jump.

            "Bauer."

            "Jack, it's Bill."

            "Bill, you've got to get us out of here."

            "I'm afraid I can't do that, Jack. Not until you two deal with this."

            "Deal with what?"

            "You know what I'm talking about Jack. This can't go on any longer. Chloe is miserable with Morris because she loves you. And you're miserable with Audrey because you love Chloe. Now make it work." Bill hung up.

            "Damn it!" Jack yelled as she snapped his phone shut.

            "I take it Bill won't let us out either?" Chloe asked.

            Jack shook his head.

 

***

 

            Jack wanted to scream. They'd been in the closet for an hour, and neither Bill nor Curtis were answering their cell phones anymore. Chloe wasn't talking much, and the time dragged as the two just sat there next to each other. He was painfully conscious of Chloe's shoulder against his, how close their bodies were, and he also had Bill's words ringing in his head.

            "Jack?" Chloe asked quietly.

            "Yeah?"

            "You know why they're keeping us in here, don't you?"

            "Yeah."

            "Don't you think it might be better for you to tell me? Then maybe we could get out of here faster."

            But the truth was, Jack Bauer wasn't sure he wanted to leave the closet. It was nice to just sit with Chloe. They never got time to do the friend thing – or any "thing" really, except for saving the world. He enjoyed being so close to her. And he was scared to death to tell her what Bill had said.

            "Jack?" she prodded.

            Jack sighed and rested his head against the cool metal of the door behind him. "Bill and Curtis planned this."

            "I figured as much. But why?"

            Jack closed his eyes and bit at his lip in nervousness. "You want Bill's exact words or just the summary?"

            "Exact words. No misunderstandings that way."

            "Bill said…" Jack took a deep breath. " Bill said that you're miserable with Morris because you love me. And that I'm miserable with Audrey because I love you. And then he ordered that we work it out."

            "Oh."

            Jack chuckled. "That's it? Just…"oh"?"

            "Well it's kind of a lot to take in, Jack. Not exactly what I expected. Although, maybe I should have since they locked us in a hot utility closet together." She paused in thought. "What did Curtis ask you on the phone?"

            "When?"

            "Earlier. I only heard you tell him no, of course you hadn't. Hadn't what?"

            "Kissed you."

            "Oh."

            "Do you love Morris?"

            "No. Do you love Audrey?"

            "No."

            "Do you want to kiss me, Jack?"

            Jack snapped his head up and looked at Chloe. She was staring back at him with her open and honest face, patiently waiting for his answer.

            "Yes," he whispered.

            "Then what the hell are you waiting for?" she whispered back.

            Jack leaned in, lightly touching his lips to hers, making sure that this was what she really wanted. Chloe took his face in her hands and pushed her lips more firmly against his, sighing as she got what she had wanted for so long. She slid her tongue along his lips, and he opened his mouth to her.

            As Jack reveled in the feel of her, he realized that this was not a comfortable position. He wanted her as close as possible, but the closet wasn't big for them to lay down. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her up until she was straddling him.

            "Much better," she breathed as she wrapped her arms around his neck and began to kiss him even more urgently.

            Jack's phone rang and he flipped it open, reluctantly dragging his lips away from Chloe's. She instead focused on his neck and the soft skin behind his left ear. Jack saw Curtis' number on the screen.

            "Go away," he growled before shutting the phone again and turning his attention back to Chloe and the amazing things she was doing with her mouth.

 

***

 

Five minutes later…

 

            Chloe was struggling with Jack's belt buckle when the door behind him gave way and they both tumbled out of the closet, Chloe on top. They looked up to find Bill, Curtis, Milo and Nadia standing over them with amused grins on their faces.

            "Do you mind?" Chloe snapped.

            "Chloe, you can't have sex in the utility room," Milo told her.

            "Well we were about to find out when you came barging in," she retorted.

            "Jack, Chloe – go home," Bill ordered.

            "Bed'll be more comfortable anyway," Chloe muttered as she got up and reached down to help Jack. They stood before their friends, Jack nervously trying to fix his clothing and Chloe staring them down defiantly.

            "Jack, are you ready? I want to go home and continue this conversation."

            Jack nearly choked at her bluntness. When he recovered, he smiled and took her hand. "Yeah." Turning to Bill and Curtis he mouthed a "thank you" to them before leading Chloe out.

            "I can't believe you guys actually planned that," Milo said.

            "Desperate times call for desperate measures," Bill explained.