World's Apart

Jack II

She stared at him. The world around her had slowed and as he spoke to her the words were foggy in her mind. His lips were moving but no sound escaped them. 

He was here. Jack was here.

The rain was still falling hard and Jack pushed a heavy hand through his dark blonde hair. He whipped his hand, shaking off the droplets of rain. His eyes met hers and held her gaze. She regarded the man before her. His blue eyes once bright were now hooded and dark, crinkles tainted the corners of his eyes, signs of trying times and war had taken their toll on him. A thick covering of stubble covered his lower face, the gingery brown beard made him appear older than his years but he was still ruggedly handsome. The rain washed over them and he made to speak again but stopped himself.

Ali stepped past him and pushed open the front door to her home. She motioned him inside and he stepped up the step and past her, heading straight for the kitchen at the back of the cottage. Ali turned back to Emily standing out in the rain.

"I'll come in if you need me but I think you should talk alone," Emily spoke through the relentless rain.

Ali nodded "Thank you Emily," 

Emily stepped up and hugged her tightly "This is wonderful Ali, he's come back to you," she whispered into her ear before kissing her lightly. Ali's eyes met with Emily's; a tear rolled down her cheek but she turned quickly and hurried down the path and away from the cottage. Ali watched her friend disappear down the lane. She stayed there a long while before she looked over her shoulder and wandered back inside the cottage. She closed the heavy wooden door behind her and followed Jack into the kitchen.

He was sitting down, his hands clasped and resting on the table in front of him. He was nestled on the edge of his seat, his knee bouncing nervously as he waited for her. She paused at the doorway and Jack immediately stood to his feet.

"Ali," he breathed.

She leaned against the door frame for a moment before stepping forward and motioning towards the chair "Tea?"

"Umm," Jack stumbled "Yes, yes please," he gingerly took a seat and with a gentle hand he brushed some of the wetness from his hair.

Ali moved towards the sink and in silence she filled the black kettle with water. The icy water hitting the basin tainted the silence and Jack watched the woman before him. There was an awkwardness to her presence; the way she moved, the way her eyes darted to his every so often. He could feel the tension and he shuddered involuntarily. 

"So," she cleared her throat before setting the kettle onto the stove "You're alive,"

Her eyes meet his then.

"Yes," he nods slowly "That or there about,"

Ali chews her lip and turns her face from him as she fights to hold back the tears threatening to fall.

There was a sadness in her eyes, Jack could see it now. The way they held a constant gleam to them as if at any moment tears could spill from them. Her once proud frame now sagged and her rounded shoulders carried the weight of more burdens than he could ever have imagined. Her long blonde hair hung in damp loose waves, its colour darker than usual. 

"I'm glad you're alive," she all but whispers.

Jack makes to speak again but the whistling of the kettle on the stove startles him. He spins round instantaneously, immediately defensive. Ali jumps back alarmed by his sudden movement.

"It's just the tea," she says softly as she lifts the kettle from the stove.

Jack nods slowly and sits back at the table once more, his hands now trembling as he offers his teacup towards Ali. 

She smiles at him sympathetically and takes the cup from his hand, fills it and then sets it down on the table for him.

"Thank you," he whispers.

He makes to pick up the pot of milk on the table but his trembling hands cause the jug to shake and spill droplets of milk onto the table cloth. The splodge of milk seeps in and spreads along the fabric.

"Here," Ali takes the jug from him and adds a splash of milk to his tea "Still one sugar?" 

Jack nods and Ali lumps a cube of sugar into his cup before giving the tea a quick stir.

"Thanks," he smiles sheepishly.

Ali takes a seat opposite him and sips from her own cup. "What happened to your hands?" 

Jack chuckles and stretches his hands out in front of him, the slight tremor shakes his hands and he balls them into fists and extends them again. "Been like that for a while now, don't know if it'll ever go away really," 

Ali nods and sips from her tea again.

"So you look...well," Jack tries.

Ali heavily cracks her cup down against the table and rolls her eyes "Please," she scoffs. "What are we doing Jack? Why are we doing this? Why are you here?"

Jack blinks and sits back slightly "I...I made you a promise didn't I? I promised you I'd always come back to you," his voice catches in his throat at the end.

Ali stares at him then. She doesn't speak, she just regards the man before her. God he really is beautiful, even now, battered and broken from war he is still the same Jack underneath it all. The way his mouth turns up at the corner ever so slightly when he smiles his crooked smile, or the way his hair falls lazily across his forehead no matter how often he pushes it back. Her heart quickens and she turns away as fresh tears pool in her eyes. 

"My dearest Ali," Jack reaches across the table and rests his hand over hers. "What is it?" 

Ali chews at her lip as she squeezes back the tears. From the underside of his hand she can feel the rough calluses on his palm. The feeling comforts her but she daren't speak. 

The feeling of guilt crushes her like an insurmountable weight. James, her doting and loving husband was dead. He deserved a woman who could love him wholly and truly, not Ali. Not a woman who's heart had always been in two places.

Two places.

Ali scoffed at herself then for she knew the truth. And now, as the truth sat before her she crumbled. Tears spilled from her eyes and a choked up sob emanated from her as she lay her head in her hands. 

At that moment he was beside her; his strong arm wrapped around her and pulling her towards him. She nestled against his chest, felt the warmth of his breath hit her cheek as he soothed her tears. Her ear was pressed against his heart and she cried against him softly.

"Please Ali, speak to me- "

"I still love you Jack," Ali pulls back from his embrace and her eyes meet his. "I've never stopped loving you," 

Jack searches her eyes, his heart beating faster and faster.

"I can't go on lying to myself anymore," she says evenly "I'm in love with you Jack Col-"

At that moment Jack rests his hand on the back of her neck and pulls her towards him. Their lips meet and he kisses her slowly and deeply. Ali closes her eyes and she bites down lightly on his lip as he pulls her closer to him. Jack moans into the kiss and he smiles slightly at the familiar taste of mint humbugs on her breath. He pulls back then, resting his forehead against hers.

"I love you Ali Dawes," he whispers.

"Really, really?" her chest tightens at his words and she lowers her head then.

Jack touches a finger to her chin and tips her head back towards him "Really, really," he beams before reconnecting their lips once more.

A/N: Double update for all you lovelies because you are all the best and I couldn't hold off Jack and Ali finally reuniting any longer!! Let me know your thoughts and as always, thank you!!                    R.