Comfort

   Alrighty, new fic. I realize I'm supposed to be working on Part II of "Somewhere Warm," but you guys are just going to have to wait until tomorrow for that. 

Title: Comfort
Rating: PG13 I guess. It's got my usual - some swearing and kissing. 
Author's Note: This is AU. Set at the end of Season 5. Jack does not go to China. And I'm pretty sure you can assume that Audrey doesn't even exist. Which is kinda nice. Basically, I wrote this because I just watched the end of Season 5 and I didn't like the idea of Morris comforting Chloe after Edgar's death. So I wrote my own scene. 
Disclaimer: I'm just a poor college graduate. I own nothing.




            Chloe tried not to cry as she looked at the photo. She remembered the day when it had been taken. It had been quiet at CTU, and Sarah had been playing with her new digital camera. Edgar had joined Chloe at her station, and they were just talking, the way friends do. Despite the fact that she hated having her picture taken, Chloe had posed and smiled at Edgar's insistence. He said he wanted a picture of them. He had never shown it to Chloe and she had completely forgotten about it until now. Her heart broke as she realized that she'd never see him again.

            When Jack walked into CTU, he saw Chloe standing there, holding the picture. He saw the tears in her eyes and the way her hands were shaking slightly. There was movement to his left and he turned to see Morris slowly start to make his way over to Chloe. Jack clenched his fists. He'd only met Morris once or twice, but he hated the man. He had treated Chloe like shit during their marriage and even after, continually trying to weasel his way back into her life. He could tell by the look in his eyes that he was going to try and comfort Chloe. He would say all the right things and trick her into letting him close again. Jack just couldn't let that happen.

            Taking long strides, Jack hurried over to Chloe, getting to her before Morris could. He saw the other man's face scrunch in confusion, and he was suddenly worried that Morris would try to elbow his way in to the conversation and manage to get Chloe alone.

            Curtis was at a nearby station, talking on the phone with Bill.

            "Curtis, what's going on down there?" Bill asked.

            "I think Jack just walked over to Chloe to keep Morris from getting to her. And I think Morris might try to talk to her anyway. And Jack doesn't look too happy about that."

            "So you're saying we could have a situation on our hands in the next few seconds."

            "Well, I don’t know if I'd call it a situation," Curtis replied.

            "Is Jack still armed?"

            "Yeah."

            "Then it's a situation. Go tell Morris that I'd like to see him, please."

            "Should I give him a reason?"

            "No. Just tell him I want to see him right now."

            "You got it."

            Curtis hung up and hurried over to intercept Morris. He got to him just as he was opening his mouth to get Chloe's attention. Curtis rested a somewhat restraining hand on his arm to stop him.

            "Morris."

            "What do you want? I'm kind of busy here."

            "Bill needs to see you in his office."

            "About what?"

            "He didn't say. But he wants to see you right now."

            "Can't I just –"

            "No. Bill wants you up there NOW, Morris."

            Morris sighed and stared at Chloe longingly. But her eyes were still focused on the photograph, oblivious to everything around her. Finally he turned and stomped up to Bill's office.

            When he was gone, Jack looked over at Curtis in gratitude. "Thank you," he said quietly.

            The sound of Jack's voice made Chloe snap out of her reverie. She looked up, finally realizing that she wasn't alone. Folding the photograph again, she glanced at the two men before her.

            "What do you want?" she snapped.

            Curtis gave her a small smile before turning around and walking away. Before Jack could speak, she had rounded on him. "What?"

            Jack gently pried the photograph out of her grasp and replaced it with his own hand. He put the picture on the desk next to them and then reached up to stroke her dark brown hair. The anger was seeping out of her face now, replaced by confusion and a determination to not cry.

            "Come on," he whispered, placing a soft kiss on her forehead. "Let's take you home."

 

***

 

            They rode home in silence, Jack driving Chloe's car. When they reached her apartment, Jack got out and went to the passenger side, opening the door for her and offering his hand to help her down. As he closed the car door, he wrapped an arm around her waist and walked her to her building.

            Once inside her apartment, Chloe stood in her kitchen awkwardly, wondering why Jack hadn't left yet. All she wanted to do was curl up in her bed and ignore the world, but it looked like she was going to have to deal with him first.

            "Do you want something to drink?" she asked suddenly.

            Jack chuckled. "No." He took her by the hand and led her over to the couch. He sat and pulled her down to the spot next to him.

            "What are you doing?" she asked.

            Jack reached up and gently stroked her cheek with his fingertips. Chloe closed her eyes at his touch, still trying desperately to keep her tears in. Seeing this, Jack opened his hand and let it rest fully upon her face. He let his thumb rub back and forth along her cheekbone. Tears began to fall from her eyes. She bit her lip, still fighting the urge to weep. Jack leaned in closer and whispered in her ear.

            "Chloe, it's okay. I know Edgar was your friend. I know how much he meant to you. I know how hard it was for you to watch him die. But you're not at work anymore, Chloe. You don't have to be strong here. Just go ahead and let it out."

            His words had the desired effect. Chloe's shoulders began to shake as she finally let the sobs take over. Jack wrapped his arms around her and pulled her up onto his lap. Her sobs grew louder and she clung to the front of his shirt in desperation. Jack shifted so that he could lean back until he was lying on the couch, Chloe nestled atop him. He felt tears begin to course down his cheeks as well, both in sympathy for Chloe's loss, and in memory of the friends taken from him that day as well – Tony, Michelle, David Palmer.

            Chloe felt his hot tears as they fell into her hair. As she continued to weep, she stretched her arms around him as well, and they cried themselves to sleep.

 

***

 

            Hours later, Chloe slowly opened her eyes and looked around. The sun was streaming through her windows and she realized that they must have slept the entire night away.

            At the thought of Jack she looked down at him and smiled. He was still asleep, his arms tight in their grip around her waist. Even in sleep he was protective. She slowly reached out her hand and touched his face. He stirred slightly and opened one of his eyes.

            "Hey," he whispered.

            "Good morning."

            Jack frowned and looked around. "Morning?"

            Chloe laughed. "Yeah. Looks like we were both a little tired."

            Jack rested his head on the couch again. "Yeah," he said simply.

            They laid there in silence, enjoying the warmth and closeness of each other. Jack's hands were rubbing her back in small, comforting circles and Chloe let her hand rest on his face, her thumb stroking back and forth.

            As the minutes slowly passed, Chloe's hand traveled down Jack's face, until her thumb was moving against his lips. Jack watched her as she gazed at his mouth, silently willing her to take the next step. She bit her lip in nervous thought, wondering if she was taking things too far. But he hadn't stopped her yet, so she leaned down and replaced her thumb with her lips.

            The kiss was simple and short. Chloe pulled back, searching his eyes for a response. Jack just looked back up at her, a smile tugging at his lips. Chloe waited for him to say something – anything – but he just kept staring at her.            

            As she was about to break the silence, she gasped at the feel of his hands on her bare skin. He had slipped them underneath her shirt and had resumed his rubbing small circles on her back. His hands were warm and Chloe nearly melted into him.

            Jack took the opportunity to reach up and capture her lips with his own. This time the kiss was confident and hungry. His hands reached higher and higher up her back as he slid his tongue into her mouth and elicited a satisfied moan from her. Chloe put her hands on either side of Jack's hips, working the shirt up just enough so that she could slip her hands underneath it. He echoed her moan as he felt her hands reaching up his sides.

            Finally he pulled back just enough to rest his forehead against hers. Chloe's eyes were still shut and she was wondering why they weren't kissing anymore. She opened her eyes, suddenly afraid that he had rethought the situation, that he had decided what they were doing was a mistake.

            Jack saw the gears in Chloe's mind running full-throttle, and he knew he had to put a stop to that as quickly as possible. He gave her another quick kiss and then pulled her off of the couch as he stood up. Taking her hand in his, he led her to the bedroom, walking backwards so that he could see her, assure her with a smile that this was okay – that this was good.

            Seeing the look on Jack's face, Chloe suddenly stopped worrying. She trusted him with everything else – she knew that he wasn't going to break her heart. She returned his smile and followed him into the room, firmly shutting the door behind them.