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Current Mood: melancholy

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June 18, 2011

Chris didn't know why she was here.

It was almost five and still hot out, the gentle breeze making the heat bearable. Her dress suit was some light wool-silk blend that had left her cold in the office but was a comfort while standing under the afternoon sun.

She'd come from work, a meeting at Division and she'd been sent to represent District while the Director was out of town. On her way to work, she had passed by the cemetery where Jack was "buried".

Chris had never visited his grave before and wasn't sure why she was doing so now, she wasn't any closer to Jack here than she was at CTU. Perhaps, less so.

With a sigh, she laid the bouquets down. Both small, simple and white, one at Teri's grave and one at Jack's.

I miss you.

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"No." She taps his leg again. "But it would make Coco flip out."

Coco who is patienly laying on the floor, watching the pizza as if she were guarding it.

Jack eyes Coco for a second. "Yeah, somehow I don't think it would take much. Coco isn't exactly the most even-tempered, calm dog."

As if on cue, Coco turns to look at Jack with a jerky turn of his head.

Chris rests her head against the couch cushion, looking at Jack with sleepy eyes. "She can understand you, y'know."

"What am I now, the dog whisperer?" he says with mock exasperation.

"You could make a living as a pet psychic," she says, yawning at the end.

"I think I'll stick with what I have," he says wryly, shoving the last of his third slice of pizza in his mouth. He watches her for a moment, chewing thoughfully. "You look like you'd better get to bed."

She closes her eyes, briefly, leaning her head against the couch cushion. Chris soon realizes that she doesn't really want to move. "Yeah, I think so."

Opening her eyes to look at him, she asks, "What about you?"

He looks at his watch. There's still a fair bit of time before his bus has to leave, but he doesn't want to get there too early, and he doesn't want to leave.

"I could go if you want to get some sleep," he says, looking back up at her.

"You could also stay. Take the couch," Chris says with a shrug. It's not like she would mind and she did feel a little guilty. After so long of not seeing him and not knowing when she'd see him again, he was here and she could barely keep her eyes open.

With a small smile, Chris adds, "You and Coco could split the rest of the pizza."

He had to admit, it'd be nicer spending the night on her couch than on a bus, and even though he'd start out later, he'd have less time in between connections the next day. Besides, he can't deny that he'd like to be able to spend just a little more time with her.

Then again, considering he'd be sleeping on her couch, he's not sure he's going to be able to sleep.

"Okay, though I might have to fight him for the rest of that pizza."

Chris smiles at this. "Well, the pizza is bigger than her so she can't eat all of it."

It's odd, leaving it at this. She was used to at least a kiss goodnight if he wasn't going to be sleeping next to her.

"Anyway," she says, standing. "I should get to bed before I fall asleep here."

He nods, feeling rather awkward. Even though he hasn't seen her in more than a year, his instinct is still to wrap his arms around her, kiss her like he used to when they were back in the bar and she was heading upstairs to bed before he did.

But then they're not together anymore. He doesn't even know if she's seeing someone else; it doesn't seem like it from the way she acted around him, but he wasn't going to take anything for granted.

"Yeah, you probably should. Where's the spare bedding?" he asks.

"I'll get it. Have to throw this out anyway." She walks off, tossing the empty bottle into the trash and setting the dish in the sink.

Chris pulls a pillow and blanket from the linen closet and brings them over to Jack. "Here you go. There's more blankets in there, if you need them."

He picks up the pizza box as she goes to the closet, shoving it in the fridge. There's more than enough room for it after all.

He's just taking a seat on the couch again when she comes in with the bedding, and he takes them with a soft, "Thanks. I...I'll see you in the morning."

She nods, giving a small smile. "Sure. Good night."

Chris turns, heading back towards her room. It feels awkward to leave it just at that, like there was something more she should be saying or doing. Nothing had changed but she still wondered if it was a mistake.

"Night," he calls after her, listening to her footsteps retreating down the hall.

He sets up the blankets and curls up, before fumbling with the TV remote, turning it on low and putting the captioning on. His ears prick up at every little noise from the other room; why he's not sure.

Maybe because part of him wants nothing more than to be in there with her, while another part thinks he shouldn't be here at all.

He flips around for a while before giving up and turning the TV off. He tosses and turns for a while, trying to get comfortable, but even when he's curled under the blankets, the apartment silent, he still has what seems like an eternity of staring into the darkness before he finally falls asleep.

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