Nite & Day: Chapter 1 (A Eureka Fanfic)
Fandom: EUReKA
Title: Nite and Day ( Chapter 1)
Author: snarkyandsparky
Catagory: suspense, humour, slash, romance
Pairing: Jack/Nathan
Rating: PG (this chapter)
Word Count: 4,332
Disclaimer: I don't own them, but I like to play with them once in a while...
Author's Note: Thanks to brighids_fire , blueskypenguin and cokemonkey for all their amazing help in writing this fic. It should be noted that this story takes place within the first 6 months of Jack and Nathan's time in Eureka.
Summary: Nathan Stark needs protection when death threats come his way.
Chapter 1: At Night
His voice was like perfectly aged whisky, smooth and potent. Rich, throaty and touched with the barest whisper of seduction, it might have been fashioned only for the intent to give its owner his own way in every situation.
It was a natural attribute. He’d talked himself into his first job- a local, low budget lab in the bowels of UW- with no experience, no resume and a brand new high school diploma. He was perfectly aware that it was his voice that landed him that position, not his brain. That and his willingness to work as a squint for next to nothing, make bad coffee, and double as a receptionist. Twenty years later, his voice was hardly Nathan Stark’s only qualification, but it still often turned the tide.
He’d never found time to pursue the degree in quantum computational physics he still coveted, but he could double -and had on numerous occasions-as chemical engineer, researcher, mathematician, programmer, and biomechanics inventor. He had an encyclopaedic memory for computational algebra and theoretical physics, and a respect for both. Science had been his home for over two decades and he loved it.
His calm, flirtatious, and inviting personality to those closest to him was often at odds with the intense, organised, and ambitious, man who rarely slept more than four hours and usually ate on the run. The public Nathan Stark was a respected higher intelligence, able to crowd control with a glance, a person who mingled with the most intelligent and powerful minds of the present era. He was fiercely focused on getting a grasp on the most influential innovations of his time, staying ahead of all competition-and hadn’t had a date in three years worth of Saturday nights.
And didn’t want one.
Setting his data pad aside, Nathan rechecked his log. It was after 3AM and he was one of the few persons still within the Global Dynamics main building. He set his last program to run, which meant that for the next 5 minutes his lab would be silent. There was only Nathan and the lights and gauges on the control panel and computer screens. This was how he liked it best.
After wrangling the Directorship of Global Dynamics from that useless mind with a penchant for power, Warren, he’d spent his nights continuing his research, as his daytime workload made any other option impossible. He preferred the night though, for his own work anyway. He had managed to carve out a name for himself over the last ten years at some of the world’s leading scientific research institutions. He wasn’t about to let that go to waste.
He liked being alone and he liked hearing himself think and mentally record as he worked. With an eye on the clock, Nathan adjusted his headset, he had another minute to go for the program to finish running. He would head home soon and get some sleep, only to return in just a few hours. He leaned back in his swivel chair. This would probably be one of his last quiet moments for the day.
He did not appear to be a restful man. There was always too much energy coursing through his body. His ocean green eyes were almost closed as he allowed his mind to slow down. His lashes were long, an inheritance from his father. To compliment his lashes and toned skin, his features were strong and angular.
One more glance at the clock made him turn back the chair to face his screen fully, his fingers already flying over the keyboard.
“Go home Stark, if someone was going to blow something up they would have done it already out of common courtesy.” A voice from behind him sounded.
Even as Nathan’s eyes remained intensely focused on his screen and his fingers flew over the keyboard, the corners of his lips raised involuntarily. It could only be Jack Carter and while he preferred the silence and it was his love for science that kept him here every night into the early morning, this was usually his favourite part of the day.
“Sheriff.”
One perfectly rumbled word was all it took to force Jack Carter to silently beg his body not to react, while awkwardly shoving his hands into his pockets in a failed attempt to look unaffected.
A part of Nathan knew exactly the effect that his voice had on the town Sheriff, but another part of him still liked playing this game of theirs every night, as Carter made his routine rounds across the Global Dynamics compound.
Nathan finished what he was doing and turned slowly in his chair to face the doorway, knowing what he would find, Jack leaned against the wall with his arms crossed, watching him with a cautious but friendly smile.
***
Jack Carter uncrossed his arms and leaned off the wall at Stark’s glance. He gestured to the two cups of coffee he had brought with him. “How’s it going?”
Nathan leaned back in his chair and eyed him thoughtfully, “Not bad.” He gratefully accepted the steaming mug he was offered, “Is it still raining?”
“Stopped about an hour ago.”
Nathan nodded and relaxed a little. He’d been worrying about Allison, his ex-wife, getting home. “I guess the roads are still a mess?”
“Not too bad. You, uh, want something to go with that coffee?”
Nathan flicked him a rare smile, his mind not too busy to miss the slight hesitation in the voice. “No thanks.” He gestured vaguely towards the table, “Help yourself to Allison’s attempt to make me eat,” another smile, “Stale doughnuts, right up your alley, Sheriff.” He swivelled back in his chair, hit a button on the keypad and refocused on his computer screen.
As Nathan read, Jack watched him. He knew it was hopeless, even stupid, but he was wildly in love with him and had been since the first moment they had laid eyes on each other. He made the other men that Jack had experimented with look like gangling, awkward shadows of what a real man should be. He was strong, brilliant (if not cocky), successful and whether Jack would ever admit it or not, sexy as the devil himself. And he barely knew Jack was alive. When Stark noticed him at all, usually around this time of the night, it was with a distracted interest or amused gesture, like with the doughnuts.
For over five months Jack had been screwing up his courage to ask him on a real date. And fantasising about what it would be like to have all of that focused attention on him, and only him, for an entire evening.
Stark was of course completely unaware. And even if he knew where Jack’s mind had led him, Jack was certain the other man would be more amused than flattered. Jack was the town Sheriff and had the lowest IQ in town; even the town mutt Lo-Jack was smarter than him. He was five years his junior chronologically. And felt decades younger in intelligence. He amused Stark - that much he knew. He had a knack for not over complicating a problem, he was unobtrusive and efficient, he got the job done in a crazy town where everyone else was (on paper) smarter than him, and he wasn’t afraid of the long hours or hard work.
Over the past few months Stark had come to depend on the coffee Jack brought him before he left the GD compound every night, and to enjoy knowing he wouldn’t be completely alone as he drank it.
Knowing he had lost Stark’s attention for the night, Jack unwillingly glanced at the clock. “I’ll, uh, see you around...” adding, “...-and you should go home at some point...”
“Hmm? Night, Carter.” Stark didn’t even look up to pass along the sentiment but as the door closed behind him, Nathan raised his head to glance at the retreating form through the glass walls. Another smile curved his lips.
***
The rain had stopped, but its scent lingered in the chill January air. As he drove, Jack kept the window down an inch and the radio on its lowest volume. The combination of cold wind and music steadied him. Jack wasn’t surprised to find Zoe waiting up for him. He made his way slowly down the stairway and noted with both annoyance and relief that all the lights in the smart house, S.A.R.A.H., were on.
It was annoying because it meant that Zoe was awake and worrying, but also, it was a relief -because he had been worried about her making her way home in the heavy rains that had pounded Eureka for most of the evening. Zoe met him at the door.
“Hey Zo, don’t you have an eight o’clock class tomorrow?” Stalling, Jack peeled off his jacket and hung it in the closet. He caught the scent of hot chocolate and furniture polish. It made him sigh. Zoe, like her mother, resorted to chocolate and cleaning when she was tense. “What are you doing up at this hour?”
“I heard from SARAH’s link, the hadron-collider experiment...”
“Oh, come on,” Turning, Jack wrapped his arm around his daughter. In her plain t-shirt and blue jeans, Zoe still seemed five years old to him. There was no one Jack loved more. “Just another fruitcase scientist in Eureka.”
“It didn’t sound harmless dad!” Though several inches shorter, Zoe held Jack still. There was a resemblance between them, around the mouth. Both their mouths were thin, passionate and stubborn. But Zoe’s features were softer with femininity and youth, curved rather than angular. Her eyes were a flashing hazel; they were drenched now with concern. “Is everyone okay? I hope you locked that idiot up.”
“Lock him up?” Because this option had simply not occurred to him, Jack was able to laugh. “The DoD would have had my head if I had locked Stark up, no matter what stunt he pulled. Remember last month and his proton thingy?”
Zoe jammed her hands into her pockets, irresistibly reminding Jack of himself not half an hour earlier. “This isn’t a joke dad. This is the second time in a month Stark let some scientist almost kill you with one of those crazy experiments!” She rolled her eyes, “This entire town is crazy.”
“Okay, it’s not a joke. But Zo, we both know how little control I have over the Director. The other guys I can lock up.”
With an impatient sigh, Zoe turned away, “It scared me.”
“Me too. But everyone’s okay.”
Zoe’s laugh was quick, and only a little sarcastic, “You’re never scared, it drove Mom nuts.”
I’m always scared, Jack thought, but he smiled. “I was this time. But Stark’s fine...uh, everyone is fine. I just checked up on them.” Fleetingly he wondered how much flak he would get for that little lapse, but Zoe didn’t call him on it, which reassured him that his secret was safe. “Go to bed.” He said passing his hand over his daughters light soft hair. “You’re never going to show up those world’s smartest pain in the ass Tesla kids if you stay up pacing all night.”
Zoe was in the process of eye rolling. “No one cares if Stark survived dad, he’s the biggest crazy of all. And I’ll go if you go.”
Knowing it would be hours before his mind and body settled down, Jack draped an arm over his daughters’ shoulders.
“It’s a deal.”
***
When Allison informed Jack the next day that someone had recently started sending death threats to Stark, he wasn’t the least bit surprised. He was sure that there were a lot of bitter geeks out there that wanted a piece of the guy for being fired for any multitude of reasons. What did surprise him was that Stark had agreed to his help.
He should have known better.
********
“Nathan?”
Heart thudding, the scientist lowered slowly back into his chair, cursing at his own nerves. “Allison.”
“Sorry, I must have scared you.”
“Of course not.” Making an effort, he smiled at his ex-wife and Global Dynamics liaison to the Department of Defence. She was in her early thirties, and she was drop-dead gorgeous. Her hair was long, carefully styled, adding more youth to her smooth delicate face. As always she was dressed to perfection. “What are you doing here at this hour, Allie?”
“It’s time we did more than talk about these calls.”
Nathan resisted the urge to roll his eyes. “We had a meeting just a couple of days ago. I told you...”
“You told me,” she agreed. “You have a habit of telling me, and everybody else.”
“I’m not taking a vacation, Allie.” He spun around in his chair to face her. “I’ve got nowhere to go.”
“Everybody’s got somewhere to go, Nathan. What about the cabin?” She held up her hand before he could speak. “I’m not going to argue about this anymore. I know it’s a difficult concept for you to grasp, but in this situation I am the boss.”
This time Nathan did roll his eyes. “What are you going to do? Is the DoD going to fire me?”
Allison didn’t know that he held his breath on the challenge. Though Allison had worked with and had been married to him for years, she hadn’t scratched deep enough beneath the surface to understand how precarious his self-esteem was when it came to his job. It was all he cared about these days. If she had threatened it at that moment, he would have folded. But all she knew was that since Nathan had become Director of Global Dynamics their productivity level had begun to soar through the roof, he could talk anyone into anything, was more intelligent than most of the scientists they employed in their own fields, and he got the job done with the DoD.
“That wouldn’t do either of us any good, Nathan.”
Even as he let out the pent-up breath, she laid a hand on his shoulder. “Look, I’m worried about you. All of us are.”
It touched him, and as always, surprised him. “It’s a stupid prank caller that gets past our firewalls. That’s it.” He scooted his chair back closer to his desk, preparing to get back to work.
“I’m not going to stand by while one of my people is harassed. I’ve called Jack.”
Nathan managed to not lose his temper. Keeping his eyes focused on his screen he kept his voice level. “Allison, I told you...”
“You told me.” She smiled, even while knowing he was close to yelling at her. “Let’s not go down that road again. It’s not personal Nathan. You’re an asset to the institution...and I’d like to think we were still friends. “
Nathan glanced at the timer on his screen. “You have two minutes and ten seconds to convince me.”
“Nathan what this guy is doing is illegal and not to mention worrying considering the fact that he can get access to your lines. Global is supposed to be secure and we can’t even track him. I should never have let you talk me into letting it go this long.”
“If we ignore him, he’ll go away.”
“Your way isn’t working.” She dropped her hand onto his shoulder again, patiently kneading the tensed muscles there. “So we are going to try mine. You talk and cooperate with Jack, or you take an unscheduled vacation.”
Defeated, he looked up with a wry smile. Allison was still the only person he knew that could make him do something he didn’t want to do. “Do you push the DoD around like this?”
“All the time.” She smiled, and then leaned down to press a kiss on his brow.
“Excuse me.”
Nathan and Allison both jerked back in what could easily be mistaken for guilt. Two people in the doorway of the lab entrance studied them, one with what Nathan realised was something more than professional detachment. It was Carter and his Deputy, Jo Lupo. Both were dressed down.
Deputy Lupo wore a black sweater over denim, with a flow of dark hair cascading down her small shoulders. She had a small compact body that Stark was all too aware, was deadly and not to be annoyed. He had a special respect for Josephina Lupo and was always too amused by her penchant for large weapons.
Carter was beside her, offering that easy smile. A white short sleeved shirt in khakis and boots. Nathan didn’t smile but he found himself staring, studying his face longer than he should have. There were hollows beneath his cheekbones, and there was the faintest of clefts in his chin. His skin was tauter over his cheekbones than usual, and his mouth was smiling but firm. His eyes, intent enough on Nathan’s face to make him want to squirm, were a clear bottle blue.
“Dr. Blake.” Jo spoke first. Nathan thought there was a flicker of amusement in her eyes as she stepped forward. “I hope we gave you enough time.”
Nathan sent Allison a killing look. “You’d told me you called. You didn’t say they were waiting outside.”
“Well now you know.” She kept a hand on his shoulder, but this time it was more restraining than comforting. “You remember Deputy Lupo.” Allison gestured them in. “Thank you two for waiting.”
Jack let his eyes linger on Nathan’s even as he answered. “We’re used to it, Allison. But we could use a bit more information.”
“As you know, Dr. Stark has been getting some disturbing calls and letters here at Global.”
“Cranks.” Nathan spoke up, annoyed at being talked around. “Dr. Blake shouldn’t have bothered you with it.”
“We’re paid to be bothered.” Lupo settled herself on the edge of Stark’s desk. “How come we’re not in your office, Dr. Stark?”
Jack’s eyes met Nathan’s, knowing the answer even before he gave it. “At night I work in here, is that a problem Deputy Lupo? “
“Nathan.” Tired and wishing she was home with her son, Allison scowled at him. “Let’s cooperate.” Ignoring him, she turned to the two again. “The calls started during last week. No one paid it much attention, but they continued. Then two letters came in this week, the latest one tonight.”
“Do you have recordings of the calls? And the original letters?” Jack had already pulled out his notebook.
“I started getting Fargo to send me copies of the logs after the second call.” At Nathan’s surprised look, Allison merely shrugged. “A precaution. I have them on my desk for you, Jack.”
Jack nodded to Jo. “Go ahead. I’ll take Dr. Stark’s statement.”
“Cooperate,” Allison said to Nathan, and led Deputy Lupo out.
In the ensuing silence the two men looked at each other for a moment too long, then Nathan swivelled his chair back to his computer and resumed typing.
Jack studied him in silence; the dark curls at the back of the scientists head were unruly and uncombed. His mind got lost for a moment before he realised that Stark had already turned back around and locked his ocean green eyes to Jack’s. “You wanted a statement.”
“Yeah.” Jack shook off his momentarily pause, cursing himself for his lapse. Without thinking about it Jack reached out to the desk, where a large amount of cylinders and data pads were sitting.
“Hands off.”
Jack grinned. He had the distinct feeling that Nathan might not be speaking only about his work stuff.
“Let’s make it quick, Sheriff. I don’t like company when I’m trying to work.” He added with a nonchalant, but lingering glance at the man’s attire. “Not what I expected.”
“Sorry?”
“Nevermind.” After hours Carter was certainly easier on the eyes.
“Sorry to disappoint you.” Jack couldn’t quite read the frown in the scientists’ eyes.
“Didn’t say I was disappointed, Sheriff. Do you always jump the gun this quickly?”
Jack took a long careful look at him. If it was one thing he was good at was reading people, but for the life of him he never knew if this one was flirting with or insulting him at any point in the day.
“Do you want a statement or not, Sheriff?”
“That’s what I’m here for.” He took a pad out of his pocket, ignoring the look of surprise Stark gave his lack of technology. “Shoot.”
In clipped dispassionate terms, Nathan ran through every call and described every letter, the times, the phrasing, and the delivery. He continued to work as he spoke, typing and checking against his data log, selecting and reselecting codes before turning to his materials and shifting them around in the order they would be needed later in the night.
Jack’s brow rose as he wrote. He would check the recordings himself, of course, but he had a feeling that Stark was giving him it word for word. In his job he respected a good memory.
“You’ve been here for six months?” Jack looked up for confirmation.
“Yes.”
“This might be a stupid question but did you make any big enemies, any that stand out?”
Nathan stopped what he was doing to quirk an eyebrow at him but didn’t answer.
Jack suppressed a smile, there were a lot of people in this town that hated Stark. That was no secret.
He tried to make light of this next one, “Dump any lovers?”
This time it was Stark suppressing the grin, but somehow managed to behave himself. “No.”
“Have any?”
Amusement flashed in his eyes again, “You’re the Sheriff, you find out.”
“I would if it were personal.” Jacks eyes lifted again in a look that was so direct, so completely personal, that Nathan unwillingly found himself pulled in. “Right now I’m just doing my job. Jealousy and rejection are powerful motivators.”
Bluntness might be Stark’s strong suit, but he wasn’t about to tell him that his only sexual habit these days was abstinence. “I’m not involved with anyone at the moment,” he replied evenly.
“Good.” Without glancing up, he made another note. “That was a personal observation.”
“Look, Sheriff...”
“Calm down Stark.” He said mildly. “It was an observation, not a proposition.” His light, intent eyes took his measure, “I’m on duty. I need a list of people you’ve had contact with on a personal level. We’ll keep it to the past six months for now. You can leave out Eureka’s door to door salesmen.”
For some reason Nathan could feel his temper rise. “I’m not involved.” His hands clenched as he rose, ‘I haven’t been involved. I’ve had no desire to be involved.”
“No one ever said desire couldn’t be one-sided.” At that moment in time Jack was damn sure he was.
Nathan was suddenly excruciatingly tired. Dragging a hand through his hair, he struggled for patience. “Anyone should be able to see that this guy is just some bitter ex-employee with a talent at breaking through firewalls and security. He doesn’t even know me or I’d have recognised the voice. He’s resentful and needs to blame someone. That’s all I am to him. In this business it happens all the time. I haven’t done anything.”
“I didn’t say you had.” Jack said softly, watching him carefully again.
There was no teasing note in his voice now. The sudden gentleness in it had Nathan’s head spinning around. There was no reason for this sort of reaction to Carter. Overworked, he told himself. Over-stressed. Over-everything. With his back to the other man, Nathan struggled to throw off the sudden emotion.
Jack could read the tension in his shoulders. He would have liked to go to him, speak some word of comfort or reassurance, to stroke a hand down his hair. He’d probably bite it off at the wrist.
“I want you to think about the past few months, see if you can come up with anything, however small and unimportant that might have led to this. “ His tone had changed again. It was brisk now, and dispassionate.
“You’d recognise the voice if you heard it again.”
“Yes.”
“Anything familiar about it?”
“No, nothing.”
“Do you think it was disguised?”
Nathan moved his shoulders restlessly, but when he turned back to him he had himself more under control. “It’s muttered and low, angry.”
Jack nodded and glanced over, “Any objections to me sitting in tomorrow?”
Nathan took another long look at him. “Barrels of them.”
Jack inclined his head to the door. “I’ll just go to your boss.”
Disgusted, Nathan reached again for his data pad. Jack closed his firm hard-palmed hand over his. He stared down at the tangled fingers, shocked to realise that his pulse had speeded up at the contact.
“Let me do my job, Nathan.” His voice was low, soft but firm. “It’d be easier if you let me and Jo take over.”
“No one takes over my life.” He jerked his hand away.
“Just this small part of it, then.” Before he could stop him, Jack reached out and touched his shoulder. “Go home and get some sleep. You look beat.”
Nathan pushed his chair back, out of reach. “I’m fine.”
Though he grumbled, the scientist did finally log off, secure the lab, and close up his office. His lack of enthusiasm didn’t discourage Jack from walking him to his car, reminding him to lock his door, and waiting until he’d driven away. Disturbed by the way the Sheriff had looked at him-and the way he himself had reacted-he watched the other man in the rear-view mirror until he was out of sight.
Moments later, Jo joined Jack in the parking lot. She had the digital recordings of the calls in her hand, along with Allison’s statement.
“Well, Carter, what’s the verdict?”
Jack looked back at her for a moment, his eyes dropping when he recognised the amusement in her eyes; Jo knew all too well his quasi-obsession with the Director. “He’s the job, Jo. That’s it.”
“Mmmm-hm.”
Chapter 2: In Day