The next morning, although bright, was bleak. Sue tried her hardest to appreciate the cheery sun and the vitality of the day, but it was to no avail. Jack’s news weighed heavy on her heart, and no amount of ideal weather was going to lift that burden. Climbing out of bed, she slowly made her way to the kitchen.

Lucy was already awake, and the smell of chocolate permeated the air. She stood at the counter, mixing batter at high speed. She turned to Sue, and smiled weakly. “I thought we could have chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast. We don’t do it very often, and it seemed like as good a time as any.” Her words were cautious, and her voice softer than usual.

Sue distractedly sunk down into one of the chairs. “Thanks Luce, but I’m not really hungry.”

Lucy came closer, still stirring the pancake mixture. “If you don’t eat, you’re not going to have the energy to get through the day. I know you didn’t sleep very well last night, Sue. How do you expect to function without rest, or food?”

“Alright, fine. I’ll try to eat one.”

Lucy smiled a bit brighter, and turned back to her cooking, satisfied. She didn’t get very much sleep the night before, either, but she could tell it wore Sue down even more. Of course, she hadn’t expected any different.

It took another five minutes or so to finish the pancakes. Lucy set the chocolaty breakfast on the table, and waved her hand in front of Sue, who’d been staring off into space. Lucy smiled a bit. “Breakfast is ready.”

They each took a share, Sue taking one pancake, Lucy taking three. As Sue picked at her food, wishing she could find her appetite, Lucy finished her breakfast, and placed a gentle hand on her forearm. She looked up at her best friend. “You love him, don’t you?”

Sue dropped her fork, and it hit the china plate with a resounding clack. “Who, Jack? Luce, we all do, you know that. Jack’s like…. like a brother.” Sue pursed her lips, knowing how absurd her excuse sounded.

Lucy raised an eyebrow. “Sue, you and I both know Jack is like more than a brother to you.”

“Luce…”

“Do brothers make out with their sisters in a dark office building? Do they gaze at their sisters, when they think no one’s watching? What about voluntarily playing house for a week? Sue, eat dinner, and lunch together, sometimes even breakfast, multiple times a week. You’re constantly mistaken for a couple, and you both flirt shamelessly. Brothers and sisters don’t do that.”

Sue blushed and rested her chin in her palm. Then, her eyes narrowed. “We do not flirt shamelessly.”

“You may not think so, but I bet you wish you believed it.” Lucy smirked.

Sue sighed. “Well, maybe I do, but it’s much too late to do anything about it. Besides, he’s leaving in a month. There’s no point to acting on it. The best thing I can do right now is try to get over him.”

“You won’t be able to.”

Sue’s eyes welled with tears. “Luce, we can joke about it as much as we like, but the honest truth is you’re right. I love him, with all that I am. And you know what? Letting him go scares me to death, but loving him scares me even more. I have no choice but to forget him.”
*****

Sue you cannot forget about Jack!!!!

Please fix it, please???

Lizzy, you have me crying!! Sue, I know it seems totally hopeless now, but you can't forget Jack - that would be like forgetting yourself!!!

Joy

argh sue somethimes you make me wanna smake you on the head

Ack, LIZZY!!!

Well, that is a step in the right direction, sort of. Admiting loving Jack...that's a good thing. Now, if we could just erase the rest of the thoughts that followed that, that would be an even better thing!!!

Jill

No, Sue, you can't forget him!

I see you down there Lizzy! Are you posting more??? Are you???

Oh Sue please tell him how you feel

This is so sad, poor Sue and Jack...

Talk about angst!! OK Sue, time for you to step up the plate and be honest with Jack before it's too late! I can't imagine Jack leaving the FBI, but he does have a law degree and if the whole teams goes to bat for him and the upper brass realize that they might loose him as an agent maybe the will cave? Fantastic story Lizzy and I can't wait to read more!

As if Jack is forgettable!

kav

Sue was definitely in over her head. She was kidding herself to even think she could get over Jack—at least while he was so close. She leaned back in her office chair and closed her eyes. Maybe it’s better that he’s leaving. It’ll tear my heart in two, but at least he won’ t be here, constantly reminding me of what I want the most—and cannot have. Then, maybe I’ll be able to forget him as the man I love, and remember him as the friend that he is. Sue opened her eyes, and inwardly groaned when the first thing she saw was Jack. He was sitting at his desk, staring up at the ceiling. She could tell he was exhausted.

She also knew the team had noticed how run down, both physically and emotionally, both of them were… and Lucy was struggling, too. If this is how bad we are now, I can only imagine how the team will be when they find out… and how we will be without him.

Sue rose and crossed over to his desk. She waited for Jack to look at her, making sure she had his attention. Apprehension and pain were etched on his face, as clear as if the words, themselves, had been written. His eyes had never seemed that dark… his lips, so tightly drawn, his heart so obviously shown. “Jack,” she began softly. “Can we talk?”

He merely nodded, standing. He followed her into the empty hallway.

Sue took a deep breath. “Jack… the way I reacted yesterday was wrong. I wasn’t trusting you like I should have. I didn’t believe you had done all you could, and it’s like you told me about New York. I felt like I… we didn’t matter enough to you, and that it was too easy for you to just pack up and leave.”

“You know that’s not true, Sue. I care more than you realize.” Sue glanced up from his lips to his eyes; they seemed to be almost melting. She hated reading those words, wishing they meant what her heart longed for. She tore her gaze away and fixed it on the ground, before he could completely unnerve her.

“I know that, Jack. I can see that it hurts you, and I know I shouldn’t have been so quick to judge.” Sue breathed out heavily, knowing tears were on the way. She blinked, fighting them, cursing them.

He gently placed a finger below her chin, directing her to face him. “Sue, I am so sorry. I know I’m hurting you, and I wish there was some other way to deal with this.”

“I told Lucy last night. I assumed you’d want to announce it, but I had to tell somebody.”

Jack nodded. “I figured you would. It’s okay.”

“She said something to me that really made sense. She said that when I was offered that promotion in New York, it was only an offer. I had the option to say no, and go back to the way life was. You don’t have that choice. No matter what you decide, the consequence will be negative, and if you say no, it’ll just delay the inevitable, and make things harder for all of us.” She paused, trying to hold the tears at bay. “You tried to tell me that, and I wouldn’t listen. I was too focused on my hurt, and not enough on the truth.”

“Sometimes, it’s hard to see it when you’ve been blindsided like that. Sue, I wish I could turn back time and somehow avoid all this; I wish I could take away the pain, but I can’t. Sue, I wish you weren’t feeling like this, but I do want to thank you, for caring this much, even if it means being hurt. I know we’re friends, but sometimes… it’s hard to know how much you really do care until you’re faced with losing them. Sue, you’ve done so much for me, and for the team. You’ve become a part of our world, and you’ve always fought with us, and for us. I wouldn’t be who I am if it wasn’t for you. And honestly…” Jack smiled sadly. “I’m going to miss you like crazy, when I leave.”

“Really?”

Jack nodded, pulling her into a warm embrace.

Sue couldn’t hold back any longer; the tears fell. He held her tightly, allowing her to cry. He wiped a silent tear away from his own cheek, wishing that he had the right to do more than just comfort Sue Thomas. He wanted to be so much more to her than who he was, at that moment. If only she knew…

“Jack?” Her whisper drew him out of his thoughts, thoughts that would never become more than mere longings. “Thank you for telling me first. It means a lot.” He could hear the lump in her throat.

He brushed his lips along her cheek, a touch so slight only he knew it existed. “Of course,” he whispered into her hair, knowing that she wouldn’t hear it.

He held her tighter, being the stable rock she needed—and her, his.
*****

AWWWW come on jack your gonna make me cry tell sue how you really feel!!!

3 words that's all it takes

cath

I'm about ready to have a tantrum, Lizzy! How on earth are you going to set this all right?????? The title is about all I can cling to for hope right now. So keep writing and I'll just sit here and wait....

kav

I'm with Kav here- i am clinging on to the title while i cry....

Well, I guess the bright side is that they are comforting each other. That is a start.

Lizzy, you've done a wonderful job of making us all worried sick. I hope you're proud of yourself.

THIS IS NOT FUNNY THIS IS HEART WRENCHING COME ON LIZZY I KNOW YOU CAN FIX THIS......YOU ARE GOING TO FIX THIS RIGHT

Let's see....we have just over a week left of July so you can't torture us too long.
(Although I don't want to wish away my summer.)

Why would it be so bad for them to voice their feelings now???

Joy

He recognized Agent Hudson immediately. It was only by chance that he was on the third floor at that very moment, as he rarely ever made his way to that part of the building. But, he was there today, and he was stopped in his tracks.

He moved his way to the corner he had just rounded, slipping behind it, covertly watching the man and woman. He almost laughed, when he realized how odd he must look, at the moment… him, of all people, hiding behind a corner, spying on special agents. Thankfully, hallway traffic was light that day, so nobody was stopping to stare at him.

He watched the woman. Sue Thomas. He’d been hearing about her ever since she’d arrived at the bureau. He’d only met her once, and it was so long ago that he could hardly remember what she looked like. But, from his fuzzy memory and all the office talk he’d heard, he identified her almost as quickly as he had Hudson.

There was such an obvious restraint in both of their behaviors, he knew they were unaware of each other’s requited love. He could see why so many people were talking about these two; something about the way they interacted was almost mesmerizing. He’d never seen a bond like that before, and in the entire history of the FBI, he’d never heard of such a connection surviving. But somehow, he could see that this one could very well make it… if they were only aware of it.

He had never been much for making exceptions… but for these two, he just might. Agent Hudson had already agreed to the transfer, but he’d wait some time before making it official with the LA branch. Aside from being a compelling character study, the next month could change more about the FBI than anyone could have anticipated… beyond what any transfer could do.
*****

Hmmm, who was that hiding? I'm not sure whether to be scared or hopeful.

Very interesting.

Was that the Director spying on Jack and Sue?

oh that is good right, right......yea i know it's good they just have to tell each other they love each other and then everything would work itself out, right.....right

I think you're right, Flip!! That was my thought too!!!

Now, it sounds like the Director will work with these two if they get themselves in gear!!! Unfortunately, that's going to be the hard part!!!

Joy

Could it be a temporary transfer and Jack is not aware of that. I mean if Jack and Sue got together when they weren't in the same unit, could they break them up when he came back? Ok, Director, let's work on getting these two together and getting that outdated policy revoked for good! Absolutely loving the story

Sounds.... promising??

Is that a light at the end of the tunnel???

Jill

I believe you just gave us some HOPE! Yeah!!!

Being spied on by the higher ups!

I hope that was a sparkle of hope at the end there

I was really happy to see another story from you on the board, Lizzy, and I finally got a chance to sit down and read---quite the angsty start! I'm looking forward to seeing how you fix this one....

If it wasn't for the title and the fact that I know you're a hopeless J/S romantic, I might be worried.

Sounds like someone with the power to change things...

Yes, hope! Hope is a good thing!

Sorry for the slight today! I've been out of the house for the majority of the day... out of town, actually. Plus, my internet's sort of on the fritz. Anyways, I've still got something for ya! Enjoy!

*****
“Jack,” D called out from the bullpen doorway. “Garrett wants to see you, ASAP.”

Jack got up from his desk, and followed D out of the room. “New case?”

“Not sure. Sounded more like an assignment,” D elaborated.

Jack threw his head back and rolled his eyes. “If they tell me it’s somewhere else, I swear, I’m going to go crazy. Then nobody would need me, and I could just stay home, being my crazy self.”

D just looked at him strangely, totally unaware of what plagued Jack’s heart with pain.

They knocked on Garrett’s closed door, and at his beckon, they entered.

“Jack, good to see you again,” the Assistant Director said, from where he stood beside Ted Garrett.

Jack nodded, still trying to decide whether it really was good, or bad. “What’s up?”

“Have you broken the news to the team yet?” Garrett asked, rather gently, for a man of his presence.

“Only to Sue. Lucy knows, too,” Jack answered.

“Know what, Jack?” D questioned.

“I’m being transferred to California, at the beginning of next month.” Jack inwardly groaned. This was not the way he was planning on telling the team. Well… on the bright side, he had three down, three more to go.

D’s couldn’t quite keep the surprise out of his voice. “Wow.”

“Yep,” Jack commented, unenthusiastically.

“Jack’s expertise is needed out in California. Your team is so successful, and we are tremendously proud. You truly are the FBI’s finest,” the AD affirmed. “We need that success nation wide, especially on the west coast. Right now, their success rates are nowhere near yours, and for this nation to really be secure, we need all teams working at their best. We feel that bringing somebody out there to lead and advise those teams just might do the trick.”

“Might?” D echoed.

“Alright, we know it will.”

“So, this is temporary?” D continued.

“Right now, we’re assuming it’s long-term. To say he’ll be coming back is just too confident of a statement to make, at this point. We’ll see how it goes.”

Jack, who was quickly becoming sick of hearing the details of his departure, brought things back into focus. “So, about this assignment?”

“Jack, we want you to go out to California for a week, meet the team you’ll be heading up. You’ll be acting as additional supervisor when you move down there, so you’ll essentially be more of an advisor than the head honcho. I think it’d be good for you to spend some time there, first. Get to know the team, work with them a bit, see how it goes. We’re setting you up with an apartment out there, so you won’t have to worry about it next week, or when you actually move out there. I know we’re asking a lot of you, here, Jack, so we’ll try to make the transition as easy as possible. That’s why we want you to take a trip out there; you’ll get an idea of what you’ll be facing.”

Jack nodded. “I really don’t have a choice here, do I?”

“For this trip, you do. We think it would be best, but you don’t have to go. As we’ve discussed, though, you are locked into the actual transfer.”

Finally, Garrett spoke up. “We discussed it, and we think if you choose to go, it might be a good idea to take Sue with you. She really is an asset to us here, and perhaps if you introduce her to others, it’ll inspire them to find consultants like her… people whom society views as different, but we view as invaluable. To break convention, if you will.”

Jack nodded. “I’ll think about it.”

“Alright, but I’ll need your answer by the start of the workday, tomorrow. You’d be leaving that night.”
*****

He's leaving tomorrow night??!! So soon??!!

How is he going to explain a week's absence?
But, he can bring Sue...

good grief, that's quick

but at least sue could go with him

cath

Wow, that's fast

But if he takes Sue there could be some possible fuzzies on the horizon

I think this is a good sign. They see the value of Jack and Sue working together, and they might just decide that Sue needs to be with Jack more than just for a visit.

at least sue can go with him.....

i so don't like that man, what does he think he's doing

oh this is getting very very interesting....

I really want the entire team to stay together...

Great story looking forward to reading more

I'm hoping that Jack will take Sue with him and some bonding will be going on!!

I love the idea of Sue going with him---hopefully she will agree! Lizzy, you'll have endless opportunities for fuzzies if she does!!!

Okay, always try to look at the bright side of things: He can bring Sue!

Have I mentioned that I don't want the team to break up?
I guess if Jack's got to go for a week than bringing Sue is a good idea. But then they both come back to stay, ya hear?

kav

listen to Kav she is smart and has a good idea