What she knows Pt 8
Chloe:
Walking down the dirt road on the edge of Stillwater, Chloe watches the sun begin to rise over the horizon. Re-adjusting her bag, she ducks down a familiar path that she knew led to an old airfield.
Blowing her hair out of her eyes, she walks around the back of the hanger and slips into the side door. Switching on the light she barely gives a glance to the small 2 seat crop dusters resting in the hanger. Knowing exactly where she’s going she weaves in between the planes and stops at the edge of the hanger. In the corner she sees a scraggly older man heaving parts from a box onto a work bench.
Clearing her throat to get his attention, she calls his name as he turns around. “Charlie.”
Grinning as he wipes his hands on an already oily rag, he steps up to her and takes her into his arms.
“Chloe!”
“Hey there Charlie” she gives him a weak smile that she knows barely reaches her eyes.
“My goodness girl, you look like a wreck”
Surprising herself at her burst of laughter, she hugs him tighter. “It’s good to see you Charlie.”
Putting her down, he takes his hat off, and points her to a chair. Grabbing a bottle of water out of the mini fridge, he places it on the table in front of her.
“So…” He begins. “I’m guessing you need a plane ride.”
Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, she nods and mutters a “Yes”
“Where we goin’?”
“Not far. Just need a ride out past Luzern, near the state game lands.”
She watches him tilt his head with a confused expression. “Ain’t nothing’ out there”
Smiling, she simply says, “There’s enough.”
Watching him as he preps the plane, Chloe glances at the clock on the wall. By now Tony and Gibbs should have Jack. Closing her eyes and saying a soft prayer, she amends that to hope they have Jack.
Hearing an engine start, she runs to the plane and hops in. Pulling the door shut hard, she looks at Charlie and nods her head. “Let’s get moving”
Jack:
Looking out the window into the night, he holds his hand over his ribs protectively. With Eliot driving, he watches as the lights of the city fade in the distance. Glancing at the man behind the wheel, he takes in the changes he sees over the last few years. His hair is a bit longer, but softness has settled into his features. Eliot must be happy. With a quick glance into the backseat, he briefly watches the tall blonde curled up sleeping. Parker must be good for him. Suddenly he feels guilty. All these people have stepped out of their lives in order to save his. And why? For what? Nothing. They did it out of friendship and he feels a pang of sadness. Soon, very soon, he’ll be saying goodbye to them, most likely for good.
“Knock it off Bauer”
Jumping slightly in his seat as his thoughts are interrupted, he turns back to Eliot.
“What?”
“Thinking” Eliot growls.
Hesitating, Jack tries to think of something to say, some way to extend his gratitude. “I was just thinking Parker must be good for you.”
Huffing, Eliot’s eyes flick quickly to him and then back to the road.
“You’ve got a few more laugh lines” Jack amuses.
“You don’t look so young and peppy yourself there Captain.” The words coming out in a growl, but Jack can clearly see the amused twinkle in his eyes.
“How long?”
“How long… what?”
“How long until we get there?”
“About 2 hours. So settle in.”
Letting his eyes close, Jack relaxes into the seat and lets the soft vibration of the tires on the road move through his body. He feels tightness in his chest and absently rubs it with the palm of his hand. Just a few hours ago he was on his own. When he last looked up in the sky at the faint reflection of the sun shining off the satellite he knew was there, he had resigned himself to his fate. He knew then that he was alone. He knew that he had to get away and he had to leave everything and everyone that was a part of his life behind. Shaking his head, he thinks he should have known what she knew. She would never let him go alone.
Looking back at his friend, he feels a deep sadness build back in his chest. They’re doing this for him. She is. Chloe has set in motion a way out they once hoped they would never need. One he hoped they would never need. The pain blossoming in his chest begins to sharpen as he realizes, this is it. Not only is Jack Bauer disappearing, but he’s dragged along with him the lives of four of his friends. His eyes taking in the determined and clenched jaw of Eliot, he realizes for the first time, out of all of them, Jack is the one least prepared. When Eliot looks over at him, Jack slides his eyes away. Slightly ashamed he knows what he sees in those eyes. Not condemnation, not sadness, not regrets or anger. He sees the same thing he saw in Jethro and Tony’s eyes… a strength and determination that shows him, this was their choice. And he damned well better let them finish their mission. That mission being… Jack.
Tony:
Stretching his long legs in the passenger seat of the SUV, he waits as Gibbs starts the engine, but stares out of the windshield deep in thought. His eyes narrowing, he clicks his tongue against the roof of his mouth, he catches his eyes when they flick over to him, “No.”
“Yes.” Tony’s voice is firm and sure as his eyes meet Jethro’s steely glaze. “You know where she’s going.”
With a sigh, Gibbs shakes his head and pulls out onto the road. “It’s at least 2 hours”
A quick nod of his head Tony grins “Not the way you drive.” Watching as the older man hides a smirk in the darkness; he leans back into the seat and closes his eyes confident that when he awakes, they’ll be on the outer edge of Pennsylvania, and that much closer to Chloe. His mind a jumble of thoughts he can feel the familiar tightness in his chest as he hears “She’s going to be pissed…”
Never opening his eyes, Tony lets loose the full power of the famous Dinozzo grin “Oh yeah she will.” Settling back into his seat he lets an image of a very pissed off Chloe cross his imagination. “She knows we’re coming.”
Exhaling loudly, Gibbs runs a hand through his short silver hair. Muttering, “You two are going to be the death of me”
With a light chuckle Tony reaches over and squeezes his shoulder. “Like you’d have it any other way.”
“We’re stopping for coffee”
Looking at his watch, Tony nods. “The bank will be open by the time we get there. I think it’s time for a big bang”
With a snort Gibbs looks over at Tony. “What are you planning on blowing up this time?”
His grin never faltering, Tony lets his eyes close again as he settles back into the seat.
“Us.”
Walking down the dirt road on the edge of Stillwater, Chloe watches the sun begin to rise over the horizon. Re-adjusting her bag, she ducks down a familiar path that she knew led to an old airfield.
Blowing her hair out of her eyes, she walks around the back of the hanger and slips into the side door. Switching on the light she barely gives a glance to the small 2 seat crop dusters resting in the hanger. Knowing exactly where she’s going she weaves in between the planes and stops at the edge of the hanger. In the corner she sees a scraggly older man heaving parts from a box onto a work bench.
Clearing her throat to get his attention, she calls his name as he turns around. “Charlie.”
Grinning as he wipes his hands on an already oily rag, he steps up to her and takes her into his arms.
“Chloe!”
“Hey there Charlie” she gives him a weak smile that she knows barely reaches her eyes.
“My goodness girl, you look like a wreck”
Surprising herself at her burst of laughter, she hugs him tighter. “It’s good to see you Charlie.”
Putting her down, he takes his hat off, and points her to a chair. Grabbing a bottle of water out of the mini fridge, he places it on the table in front of her.
“So…” He begins. “I’m guessing you need a plane ride.”
Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, she nods and mutters a “Yes”
“Where we goin’?”
“Not far. Just need a ride out past Luzern, near the state game lands.”
She watches him tilt his head with a confused expression. “Ain’t nothing’ out there”
Smiling, she simply says, “There’s enough.”
Watching him as he preps the plane, Chloe glances at the clock on the wall. By now Tony and Gibbs should have Jack. Closing her eyes and saying a soft prayer, she amends that to hope they have Jack.
Hearing an engine start, she runs to the plane and hops in. Pulling the door shut hard, she looks at Charlie and nods her head. “Let’s get moving”
Jack:
Looking out the window into the night, he holds his hand over his ribs protectively. With Eliot driving, he watches as the lights of the city fade in the distance. Glancing at the man behind the wheel, he takes in the changes he sees over the last few years. His hair is a bit longer, but softness has settled into his features. Eliot must be happy. With a quick glance into the backseat, he briefly watches the tall blonde curled up sleeping. Parker must be good for him. Suddenly he feels guilty. All these people have stepped out of their lives in order to save his. And why? For what? Nothing. They did it out of friendship and he feels a pang of sadness. Soon, very soon, he’ll be saying goodbye to them, most likely for good.
“Knock it off Bauer”
Jumping slightly in his seat as his thoughts are interrupted, he turns back to Eliot.
“What?”
“Thinking” Eliot growls.
Hesitating, Jack tries to think of something to say, some way to extend his gratitude. “I was just thinking Parker must be good for you.”
Huffing, Eliot’s eyes flick quickly to him and then back to the road.
“You’ve got a few more laugh lines” Jack amuses.
“You don’t look so young and peppy yourself there Captain.” The words coming out in a growl, but Jack can clearly see the amused twinkle in his eyes.
“How long?”
“How long… what?”
“How long until we get there?”
“About 2 hours. So settle in.”
Letting his eyes close, Jack relaxes into the seat and lets the soft vibration of the tires on the road move through his body. He feels tightness in his chest and absently rubs it with the palm of his hand. Just a few hours ago he was on his own. When he last looked up in the sky at the faint reflection of the sun shining off the satellite he knew was there, he had resigned himself to his fate. He knew then that he was alone. He knew that he had to get away and he had to leave everything and everyone that was a part of his life behind. Shaking his head, he thinks he should have known what she knew. She would never let him go alone.
Looking back at his friend, he feels a deep sadness build back in his chest. They’re doing this for him. She is. Chloe has set in motion a way out they once hoped they would never need. One he hoped they would never need. The pain blossoming in his chest begins to sharpen as he realizes, this is it. Not only is Jack Bauer disappearing, but he’s dragged along with him the lives of four of his friends. His eyes taking in the determined and clenched jaw of Eliot, he realizes for the first time, out of all of them, Jack is the one least prepared. When Eliot looks over at him, Jack slides his eyes away. Slightly ashamed he knows what he sees in those eyes. Not condemnation, not sadness, not regrets or anger. He sees the same thing he saw in Jethro and Tony’s eyes… a strength and determination that shows him, this was their choice. And he damned well better let them finish their mission. That mission being… Jack.
Tony:
Stretching his long legs in the passenger seat of the SUV, he waits as Gibbs starts the engine, but stares out of the windshield deep in thought. His eyes narrowing, he clicks his tongue against the roof of his mouth, he catches his eyes when they flick over to him, “No.”
“Yes.” Tony’s voice is firm and sure as his eyes meet Jethro’s steely glaze. “You know where she’s going.”
With a sigh, Gibbs shakes his head and pulls out onto the road. “It’s at least 2 hours”
A quick nod of his head Tony grins “Not the way you drive.” Watching as the older man hides a smirk in the darkness; he leans back into the seat and closes his eyes confident that when he awakes, they’ll be on the outer edge of Pennsylvania, and that much closer to Chloe. His mind a jumble of thoughts he can feel the familiar tightness in his chest as he hears “She’s going to be pissed…”
Never opening his eyes, Tony lets loose the full power of the famous Dinozzo grin “Oh yeah she will.” Settling back into his seat he lets an image of a very pissed off Chloe cross his imagination. “She knows we’re coming.”
Exhaling loudly, Gibbs runs a hand through his short silver hair. Muttering, “You two are going to be the death of me”
With a light chuckle Tony reaches over and squeezes his shoulder. “Like you’d have it any other way.”
“We’re stopping for coffee”
Looking at his watch, Tony nods. “The bank will be open by the time we get there. I think it’s time for a big bang”
With a snort Gibbs looks over at Tony. “What are you planning on blowing up this time?”
His grin never faltering, Tony lets his eyes close again as he settles back into the seat.
“Us.”