He needed to be needed 6/7
Chapter 6. There are two more after this one and they will be posted every two days until the end. It was going to be seven but I cut the last chapter into two pieces.
Kelleth
PS I don't own 24 or Jack and Chloe.
Jack sat her down on a chair beside the bed, “What's wrong?”
“Cramps like before, but worse. Jack, it hurts and it’s wet down there. It’s too early for the baby,” Chloe managed between gasps.
“I need to get dressed and then we will go to the hospital. I will be back in less than five minutes. Will you be okay for that long?” Jack did not move until she nodded.
Racing to his room, Jack could not help but feel panicked. A piece of his mind told him to calm down. He had defused a nuclear bomb that was seconds away from detonating; he could get Chloe to the hospital in time. Another said that Chloe had been there to help him but this time he was alone and her life was at stake - not countless millions, only Chloe.
Grabbing the clothes he had dropped on the floor, Jack dressed and mentally made a list of the things the needed to take with them: Chloe's maternity papers, health information, phone, keys, and wallet. Finding those things where they should be, Jack shoved them into the pockets of his jeans returned to Chloe.
She was right where he left her. He shook her gently; she looked up at him and tried to smile, “If this is what birth feels like Jack, I'm not having any more kids. No man will ever touch me again.”
In spite of his terror, Jack had to smile, “All women say that, until they hold their baby and then they want five more. Nothing will happen, I give you my word, Chloe. I will do everything in my power to save your baby.” He said as he headed out the door.
Chloe looked up at him. “Jack, there are a lot of things that you can control but this is out of your hands. I have faith that you will do everything you can to help me and the baby. You always do. It’s who you are, Jack.”
She seemed to drop into unconsciousness. He called her name until Chloe slowly opened her eyes, “I'm awake, Jack.”
As he drove, Jack could see that Chloe was in a lot of pain and there was no way for him to make it better. In his life there had been so much pain and he would have spare Chloe this if it was possible. Jack parked his truck in a loading zone and carried Chloe into the ER.
His shirt was stained with Chloe's blood and he was shouting for help. Two parts of his brain where at war with the other again. The calmer, more rational side said that this had happened before and everything had turned out fine that time, but the other half said that last time there had not been this much blood in such a short amount of time.
Trying to calm his breathing, Jack cuddled her closer as another cramp rocked her body. He whispered words that even he did not understand. Jack just needed Chloe to know that he was here and she was not alone.
An ER nurse took one look at Chloe and the amount of blood, and called for a gurney. After Jack laid her down, he offered the nurse the packet of papers from his pocket. The nurse took them and looked them over quickly. Grabbing the phone off the wall she called up to obstetrics and ordered them to prep for an emergency C-section.
When Jack laid her down, Chloe reached out for Jack's hand. He clasped her hand and touched it to his lips as she began to cry, “Jack, I can't do this.”
Brushing the hair back from her face, he placed a quick kiss on her lips. “Chloe, it will be over soon. We need to listen to the doctors. They know what's best for you and the baby. It is almost over.”
Once the IV was in, an orderly wheeled Chloe into the elevator. The ER nurse handed Jack back the papers and said, “Another nurse will meet your elevator. You’re right, everything will be okay, Mr. O'Brian.”
The doors closed and Chloe's grip became crushing, “Jack, Morris' name is on the papers as the father, not yours. They might not let you stay with me. Jack, I can't do this alone.”
He bent down so that he was closer to her. “Sh, sh, I will let them know that Morris is out of the picture if they ask, but I will be in that room at your side.” He paused and whispered conspiratorially, “Even if I have to get my gun. It’s out in the truck.”
Chloe laughed in spite of the pain and fear. Relaxing her grip, she remembered the time he held up a convenience store to give her time to get a satellite in position. Yes, Jack would do whatever he needed to do to get into that OR with her.
The rest of the elevator ride was quiet. Nothing more needed to be said, they were together and nothing could interfere with the family they had created.
The elevator opened at they were swept up into the chaos of the maternity ward. A nurse waited for them and led the way to the OR. Jack was asked to leave the room as they prepped Chloe for the surgery.
At first, Chloe would not release his hand, but Jack promised that he would be back as soon as they let him. He would be by her side the whole time she was asleep. When Chloe let go, another nurse came and took her hand, motioning for Jack to leave.
Chloe 's eyes remained on his until the door closed between them, breaking their eye contact. Jack paced the hallway in front of the OR waiting to be let back in. He needed something to take his mind off what was happening. Remembering his truck parked illegally, Jack pulled out his phone, “Bill, I need you to move my truck. It’s at the hospital in a loading zone on the east side by the ER.”
Bill's voice came over the phone, “I should be there in about ten minutes. What do you want me to do with it? Is Chloe all right? She still has a few weeks left, doesn't she?”
Jack closed his eyes, hoping that Bill would not ask any questions. “Just move it to a parking place. Chloe is fine. She is in the OR being prepped for an emergency C-section. It should be over in about an hour. I have to go now. Chloe wants me in there with her.”
Bill said, “I'm leaving now. Karen wants to talk to you.”
“Okay Bill have a good trip. See you soon.”
Karen's voice was heard next, “It’s about time you started living again, Jack. It’s way past time. Tell Chloe we love her and the three of you are in our prayers. Let us know if there is anything we can do. Our flight leaves at 11 tomorrow morning. We will see the three of you when we get back two days from now. Bye, Jack.”
Jack said goodbye as well and hung up the phone and shut it off. He turned and looked at the doors, willing them to open so he could go back to Chloe's side. A nurse came out and explained what would happen to Chloe and the baby after the surgery.
After that, Jack was allowed back inside. Once he walked through the doors, he was handed a paper cover to wear during the surgery.
Chloe looked so small with her abdomen tented and ready for the c-section. He took her hand and sat down on the seat left for him, “Chloe, they are ready to start. You won't see the baby until after you wake up and have been taken to your room. I will see her for only a few moments before they take her away to be checked over and bathed.” He brushed her hair back from her face.
“Jack, I want you to choose the name. I want her to leave this room with her name. I trust you to pick the right one.” With tears in his eyes, Jack nodded, unable to speak.
Chloe's eyes closed as the anesthetic began to work. Swallowing, Jack found his voice, “I love you, Chloe. I will be here when you wake up.” He had to say it, just in case. If he had learned anything these last few years; it was life was short and you needed tell the woman you loved how you feel when you got the chance.
“Me too,” came back slurred as she went to sleep.
The tent blocked his view, all he could see was the doctors and nurses moving around, but he had no idea what they were doing. The room was quiet except for the beeping of the monitors and the doctor's soft instructions. What seemed like hours but in reality was only minutes, the almost-silence was shattered by a baby's cry.
“It's a girl,” the doctor said, holding her up for Jack to see.
A nurse took the baby from the doctor and laid her down on Chloe's chest. A clamp was placed on the umbilical cord and Jack was offered a pair of scissors, “Do you want to cut the cord, Daddy?”
Jack looked down at the baby’s red and wrinkly face, “Yes, thank you.” Once the cord was cut, the baby was placed in Jack's arms to hold for the first time. He smiled at this wonderful miracle and called her by name, “Hello, Antonia Michelle Bauer. Welcome to the family, Toni.” Jack was not ashamed of the tears that flowed down his cheeks.
Jack took out his phone and asked a nurse to take a picture so he could show Chloe when she woke up. The woman took two - one of Jack and Toni and one of just the baby.
Toni looked up at Jack and let out a loud cry and began to wave her tiny fists around. A nurse was at his side. “Sir, we need to take… Toni, was it, to the nursery to be checked and bathed. She will be brought back to Chloe's room in the ward. They will be moving Chloe into a recovery room soon. Once the anesthetic wears off, she will be taken to her permanent room.”
An orderly came in to wheel the still unconscious Chloe out to the OR and down the hallway to another room. Jack walked alongside her, holding her hand. A few minutes later a nurse came in and introduced herself, “I am Mary. I will be Chloe's nurse - if you need anything, let me know. She should wake up in about five, ten minutes.”
Jack nodded and sat down beside Chloe to wait.
Watching the clock, Jack saw the minutes tick by slowly. He was going crazy waiting for Chloe to wake up. The nurse had been in and out two more times as he waited.
The silence was broken by a quiet groan and then Chloe stirred, “Jack?”
“Stay still, Chloe. They don't want you to move too much at first. I will set up the bed,” Jack said as he used the controls to raise up the head of the bed. He sat down beside her and pulled out his phone showed her the pictures,. “Here is Toni.”
“She's beautiful, Jack. I think Antonia Michelle is the perfect name for her. It was always my favorite of the names we chose. Did you really mean it?” Chloe bit her lip, “that you love me, Jack?” she asked, unsure. Maybe it had all been a dream.
Jack met her gaze, “Chloe O'Brian, I love you. I want to be at your side until the day I die. I want to help you raise Toni and anyone else who might join our family. It took me a long time to see it, but I love you, Chloe.” Jack bent over and kissed her.
Tears filled Chloe's eyes, “I love you too.”
The nurse was in and out checking Chloe's vitals and about half an hour later they were moved to Chloe's room on the ward. The nurse came in with a new gown for Chloe to change into and handed it to Jack. “I will stay with here with her while you change.” She said, nodding to Jack's clothes.
Accepting the gown, Jack looked down at himself and realized that he was still covered in Chloe's blood. Sighing he said, “We left your bag at the house at the house. It’s sitting by the back door.” Jack turned to the nurse, “Thank you, but I don't have anything to change into.” The nurse nodded and crossed over to Chloe to check her vitals. After noting them on the chart, the woman removed Chloe's IV and pronounced her ready to shower if she wanted to.
Jack turned back to Chloe. “I am going to call Kim. It is six o'clock - she should be getting ready for work. I want to catch her before she leaves and see if she will pick up the bag. Chase is out of town and Bill and Karen are leaving for Washington today and they won't have time.”
He picked the phone beside the bed up and dialed Kim's number. It rang until it went to voice mail, “Kim, this is Dad. Could you please call me back on my cell? I need your help and so does Chloe. She had the baby and we left her bag at home. I was wondering if you could bring it here for us and grab a change of clothes for me. I can't leave Chloe because she just had an emergency C-section. Please do it for Chloe if you can't do it for me. Call me back please.”
He hung up the phone and put his head in his hands. Chloe touched his hair. Lifting his head, Jack studied Chloe, who smiled at him, “You didn't have to do that,” she said as her hand cupped his cheek.
“Yes, I did.” He turned his head slightly and kissed her palm, “Are you ready to shower?”
Chloe nodded and Jack helped her stand and together they shuffled into the bathroom. She disappeared into the shower, tossed out all of her garments, and turned on the water. Jack began to feel uncomfortable and started to leave the room when Chloe's voice stopped him, “Jack, can you stay? I'm feeling a little dizzy.”
Hesitating for a moment, Jack answered, “I'll be right here,” and leaned against the vanity.
Five minutes later, he heard her voice waver, “Jack? I need you.” It was followed by a thud.
Jack pulled back the curtain to find Chloe struggling to stand after dropping to the chair in the shower. He shut off the shower, but not before getting wet. Grabbing the towel, he wrapped it around Chloe and helped her out of the shower.
After helping her dry off, Jack helped her dress in a fresh hospital gown. He tucked her into bed and called the nurse. The woman checked Chloe over and said there was nothing wrong, but he must call them if she passed out again. The pair nodded and Mary left, only to return a few seconds later with a pair of scrubs for Jack to wear until his clothing arrived.
Jack grabbed the other towel and dried off his hair and pulled off his shirt. Behind him he heard Chloe draw a harsh breath. Even though they had been living together for many months, this was the first time Chloe had seen him without his shirt. A few times she caught a glimpse of his scars here and there, but never all of them at once.
He was always cautious about letting her see his scars. He was afraid of her reaction to them. Jack hid them to protect her as well. He knew that if Chloe saw them she would feel guilty that she never found him. Jack also knew that he could not protect her from his scars forever, there would be a time when he would have to show her and it just came sooner than he thought.
Taking a deep breath of his own, Jack stood there frozen, unsure what to do. He had been so distracted by the baby and Chloe that he forgot about the scars. Would she be disgusted by them? She came up behind him running her fingers gently over them. She paused at one of the worst and softly pressed her lips to it.
Mentally he reprimanded himself - this was Chloe. She knew all his secrets. Why would his scars be anything but a part of him? Her hands traced the marks of his torture. “Jack, I'm sorry that I never found you. I tried, but there was never a mention of an American prisoner in any documentation between any levels of government in China.”
Turning around to face her, Jack put his hand on her shoulder and said, “I know you did everything you could to find me, but I wasn't in any prison. I was kept in a cargo container and transferred from one ship to another. I was never anywhere for more than a week. There was a time that I was even back in LA. They took me topside and showed me the city as we sailed away. I just stood there saying goodbye, hoping that you were all happy and that you had moved on with your lives - you, Kim and Audrey.”
He stopped again as Chloe kissed another one of his scars. Jack took a breath, “I was called package AA24...”
“24793,” Chloe finished, “I knew that had to be you. I told Audrey it must be you, but she thought that it was some piece of technology that China had stolen and they were reverse engineering. I even went down to the port and watched that ship for three days, knowing that it could be you on it and that I was so close to you if it was. I almost told Curtis, but Audrey told me not to because it was not you, so I listened to her.” Chloe's eyes were full of tears. “If I had trusted myself I could have spared you so much pain.” Tracing his scars, she whispered, “I'm so sorry Jack.”
Grabbing her face between his hands, Jack said, “There was nothing for you to be sorry about. You didn't know for sure it was me. I am just glad that we all came out of those days alive.” Then he bent down to kiss her.
Chloe wrapped her arms around him, relishing the fact that Jack Bauer loved her.
At the knock on the door they pulled apart. Jack picked up the scrubs and headed to the bathroom and said, “I'm going to change and you see who is at the door.”
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