(SORRY...BUT NO FLUFF HERE)
I was going to make this more than just this part, but upon reading it several times, I don’t think it’s necessary. So I present a Jack and Irina romance. If you read Ghosts this will follow along. If you haven’t, it’s a good idea. Of course just before that story was The Legacy. And before that one Cross Over and before that…Double Cross…The same story thread runs from these stories.
Anyway, these characters belong to JJ Abrams.
I hope you like the story and feedback is always appreciated.
B)
REKINDLED FIRE
The sun just slipped its note below my door
And I can’t hide beneath my sheets
I’ve read the words before so now I know
The time has come again for me.
And I’m feelin’ the same way all over again
Feelin’ the same way all over again
Singin’ the same lines all over again
No matter how much I pretend.
Lee Alexander – From the Norah Jones’ album, Come Away With Me
The black Lincoln sedan pulled up to the gate at the other side of the last terminal. A tall man exited the rear, followed closely by a woman who was nearly as tall as he. He was holding her hand. Behind them two more sedans rolled to a stop and two men from each got out, and standing still, watched the couple carefully. The driver got out of the Lincoln, watching them walk toward an unattended gate.
“Here, you don’t need these anymore.” Jack glanced back at the men standing by the two cars. He took a key out of his pocket and pulled the hand he held up, He inserted the key into a lock and moments later, the handcuffs were removed from his and Irina’s wrists.
She was dressed in black slacks, blouse, vest and boots. Over them she had a long black coat hanging from her shoulders. She smiled. “It’s all right. You know being a high security risk has its moments. Holding hands though is better without them.” She took his hand in hers.
He looked at her. “Irina, I—I can’t just…”
“Jack,” she said softly, studying his face, “I am sorry for many things. We still have a lot to talk about.”
The driver of the Lincoln walked up to them both. “Oh, Mom, I wish things were different.”
Irina turned to their daughter. “Jack, would you give us a moment alone?”
“Of course,” he moved back toward the other two cars.
“Sydney”, Irina took her daughter by both shoulders. “what’s wrong?”
“Two years – it hasn’t been long enough.”
Irina sighed as she hugged her daughter. “I know, but I can’t argue that your government hasn’t been extremely fair, given the circumstances. You and I have never had a mother daughter talk. I missed all those years.” Tears filled her eyes and she bit her lower lip. “Sydney, just hold on to this – I love you very much. I love you more than you know.” She kissed her on both cheeks. “And…“ she glanced at Jack, “I love your father. I wish we could be together, but that’s not going to happen unless he comes to Moscow. I hope you’ll come too someday.”
“I’ll try, really I will.” Sydney hesitated, “you know I’m going to leave the CIA? I thought you’d like to hear that.”
Irina’s face beamed with a large smile. “Sydney, there isn’t anything else I would want to hear. I think even your father would approve. Have you resigned yet?”
“No, I plan to do it next week. Vaughn has asked me to marry him.”
“When?”
“I’m not sure. We’ll tell you.”
“I’m sorry I won’t be there to see it happen.” Irina hugged her daughter again. “I would love to see you get married.” She had a feeling that things would not go well in this matter, but didn’t want to spoil Sydney’s moment of happiness. Sloane was lurking in the background. He had not surfaced yet.
Sydney glanced at her father. She hadn’t told him yet. She was remembering what Danny had told her over two years ago. He’d asked her father for permission to marry her and Jack’s response had been typically Jack then. Now, she wondered, what he would say to Michael? “Don’t say anything to Dad, please? Vaughn wants to talk to him.”
“No.” She glanced at Jack, who was talking on his cell phone. “I hope he wants to come to see me. We still have some issues we need to work out.” Irina looked at Jack who was coming over to them.
“Irina, they just notified us your plane is taxiing over to the gate. It should be here in a minute or so.”
Irina nodded, giving Sydney another look, eyes twinkling. The gate was opened by one of the other men. Two were from the Russian Embassy, the other two from the State Department. They had been assigned to make sure all went well with the release of this high security risk prisoner. Irina Derevko had spent the past two and a half years in the joint custody of the CIA and FBI, living in an isolation cell in Los Angeles. Now, a persona non grata in the U. S., she was being deported back to Russia.
“Goodbye, Jack.” She kissed him lightly on the cheek.
Not looking back, Irina walked through the gate to stand on the tarmac. It would be an Aeroflot airliner that would pick her up. The five men and young woman watched her as a mechanic rolled the stairs up to the door of the airliner and she quickly disappeared inside. The plane turned to take its place in line and ten minutes later, it was airborne
The two sedans left, with Sydney and Jack standing side-by-side watching the airliner leave. Sydney had tears in her eyes. She wiped them away then looked at her father.
“Well, I’ve a plane to catch”, she said.
“Me too!” His deep voice answered matter-of-factly.
“I thought you were stationed in Langley now.”
He smiled, “Yes, but I don’t need to report for a week.”
She was puzzled. “Then where are you going?”
“Moscow.”
Sydney grinned, kissing him lightly on the mouth, “Dad, take care. I know she loves you. I’ll talk to you when you get back.”
Shermetyevo International Airport was busy, even at dawn. The Aeroflot plane landed and taxied to its gate. The passengers moved slowly through the plane, carrying whatever luggage they had brought aboard. The last person to leave was the last person to board and she had no luggage. She was taller than most, six feet, slim and dressed entirely in black. Irina Derevko walked toward the gate, her passport and papers in her hand.
“Irina!”
She turned at the sound of the familiar voice, “Grigor?”
“Da. I bring your car to east exit.”
She nodded and turned, standing in line, waiting for the next customs agent. When at last it was her turn, Irina handed him her passport and papers. He looked at them carefully, then at her. “Colonel Derevko.” He stamped the papers and passport, handing them back to her. “Welcome home.”
“Thank you.” She walked toward the east gate leading out to the street. Some of the people were waiting for luggage they had checked, others looking for friends and family. She sighed. Her father was probably at the dacha, not knowing she had returned. He had flown back to Russia after the trial ended. She had to wait while she was processed for release from the prison. She stood waiting for Grigor, who was bringing the car.
“Irina!”
Her head snapped around. Her eyes and mouth registering pleasure as well as astonishment at the sound of a voice she had not expected to hear for a while. “Jack?” Her voice registered joy.
He grinned at her. “I thought I would take you up on the invitation while I had some time off.”
A flood of Russian endearments burst from her lips. Then she took his face between her two hands and kissed him hard. He in turn wrapped his arms around her and returned her kiss, his tongue probing her mouth. They broke apart a little guiltily, looking slightly embarrassed as people walked by them with grins on their faces. Irina was breathing hard and Jack’s heart was beating faster. His eyes held hers.
“Come with me.” She took his hand.
“You have a car here, now?”
“Yes, Grigor.” As if in answer to the question, her black Mercedes rolled up. Grigor got out, surprise and pleasure on his face when he saw Jack. “Mr. Jack, I am happy to see you.” He opened the rear door for them.
There was not much traffic so Grigor completed good time driving into Moscow. The city was barely awake when he pulled up in front of the apartment house Irina owned. They got out. She told him not to return until tomorrow at ten o’clock. He grinned and saluted the pair.
They watched him drive off, then turned and quickly ran up the steps together. Irina punched in the code that opened the door. They stepped inside and kissed again. Moments later, they were at her apartment door. She punched in the code. Jack heard the lock click. He pushed open the door and Irina stepped inside with him, locking the door behind them.
“Jack”, she whispered, “take off my clothes.” She tossed the coat on a nearby chair.
He started back for the bedroom, all the while unbuttoning her vest, her shirt, and finally her pants as they went through the door. He kept her standing by the bed as he pulled off the vest, then her blouse. He kissed her neck, then her mouth. He reached around and unhooked her bra pulling it off. She was naked from the waist up. God, he thought, she was like a young bride. He leaned back and dropped his head to kiss her breasts and each nipple. It was a ritual they had shared many years ago, and more recently, when they were in Hawaii.
“Jack, please…” she gasped.
He hooked his thumbs at the belt line of her pants and gently pulled down both slacks and bikini. He kissed her lean abdomen on both sides. She was squirming with anticipation and pleasure. Jack completed her stand there as he slowly took off his shirt, tie, pants, boxers – everything. His eyes never left hers. He was as ready as she was.
“Irina, I—“
“Take me,” she said…
Jack leaned her back onto the bed, smiling.
The sex had been every bit as great as it had been the last time. They had always been so good for each other. They had completed love again at noon and then slept until late afternoon. Irina got out of bed, pulled on a robe and tossed him one.
He was surprised. It fit him. “Someone else my size?”
She gave a short laugh. “No, my darling, it is your size because I bought it for you.”
He was surprise, “For me? When?”
“The last time I was in Moscow.” She grinned at him, and turned. “Come to the kitchen. I want some tea.”
She busied herself with the tea making. Looking in the refrigerator, she found food. Grigor had anticipated her arrival. There were eggs, milk and cheese, some black bread, and a few vegetables. They were always hard to find this time of the year.
“How about something to eat!”
He smiled with pleasure. “Sure. I haven’t eaten for a while. Last meal was terrible on the plane.”
She laughed. Getting the frying pan out and a bowl, she began gathering the ingredients together for an omelet. She cut the bread and put it in the toaster she had purchased in Paris. Almost everything in the kitchen had come from the western part of Europe. She glanced at him. He was looking pensive.
“What’s wrong, Jack?”
He sighed. “I was thinking of all the years we wasted.”
She kneeled before him, taking his hands in hers. “Jack, we can’t go back. If we do, we’re going to be sorry. I’ve also been thinking about this for some time. I had a lot of time while in prison.” Tears formed in her eyes. “Please, we can’t undo what has happened.”
“I know, but I need to know answers to some questions.”
“Such as?”
“When we were in Kashmir, you said you were a prisoner, not a member of the prison’s staff. How can that be?”
She stood up, broke some eggs into the bowl and while beating them, said, “I returned to Russia. After my debriefing”, she looked at him carefully, “I was handcuffed to my handler, Ivan Valenko, and we both were sent to this place, in Kashmir. No one knew about it except the officials in the Third Directorate. I was suspected of treason, of being a traitor.”
“But why?”
“They thought I had been doubled by the CIA.” She added a little milk to the bowl. She took the cheese and began grating it. “I did not have a pleasant stay. I was pregnant with Aleksey.”
“Yes, I know.”
She turned to the stove. “I also killed Bill Vaughn there.”
“He was the last one?”
“He was the only one.” She stood a moment, back to him, her heart aching with the memory. “Jack”, she turned around. “How could you think I had savagely murdered 11 agents and still lived with you and Sydney? I admit to the espionage and perhaps it led to their deaths, but I swear, I did not pull the triggers. The only CIA agent I killed was Bill Vaughn.” She turned back to the skillet, checked the eggs and added the cheese. “He begged me to kill him.” Turning again, she met his gaze. “I did it because he was in terrible pain and because they said they would let me go. I was seven months’ pregnant.”
Jack stood up and held her in his arms. He couldn’t begin to imagine what it had been like for her. He certainly knew what he had gone through. ”Sorry, Irina.”
Again, she turned to the stove and the pan. “Did you know I was raped in prison?”
Stunned he looked at her, “No!”
She shook the pan a little to loosen the eggs and cheese, then put the omelet on a plate, took the toast out and added it to the plate. She opened the refrigerator and pulled out a jar of jam, placing it on the table in front of him. She put the plate on the table between the two of them. She poured herself another cup of tea and a cup of coffee for him. He had said nothing, waiting.
Irina sat down, picked up her fork and picked at one end of the omelet. “Go ahead, eat.”
He put his right hand on her left one. “What happened?”
“One of the guards on my first night. He’s dead.” She said matter-of-factly. “It was Grigor who stopped it from happening again.” She looked up at him. “Papa rewarded him by making him his personal driver. Then turned him over to me after Aleksey was born. He’s been with me ever since.” She stood up and went to the stove, replenishing her tea. “I’ve never told you this, but – just a minute.” She put the cup and saucer down and left the room. She was back a minute later, holding a piece of paper in her hand. She gave it to him. “This is Aleksey’s birth certificate or what corresponds to the American paper certifying his name, parents etc.”
Jack looked down and scanned the certificate. “Aleksey William S. Bristow.”
“William?” He was surprised.
“For Bill Vaughn.” She took the paper back. “When he found out I was pregnant, he gave me most of his food.” She held his gaze. “He knew he was not going to leave the prison alive. I am forever grateful he was there. Aleksey might never have been born.”
“Did you ever tell Michael?”
She shrugged, “What good would that do? He’s had his father’s death and my participation in it in his mind for over twenty years. Do you think he would believe me?
It’s you I want to tell. Aleksey’s your son.”
Jack stood and pulled her to him, holding her tight. He was having a hard time putting Irina’s information into his own perspective. He had had years of thinking about her betrayal and why, initially, she had married him. To find out about his son, after knowing him slightly as Sark, had been a shock. He still had problems with the young man’s seemingly cold-hearted ways. He thought then of how cold-hearted he had become while raising Sydney. Irina had raised Aleksey the best she could.
He kissed her lightly. “Irina, you’re right, we can’t go back. Thank you for telling me about Bill.” He had reached inside her robe and was stroking her breast.
She closed her eyes, feeling the sensation his stroking was causing. He always knew how to arouse her. “Jack.” She whispered.
“Ummm, I’m busy.” He said.
His hands were all over her. Suddenly he stopped. He scooped her up and carried her into the bedroom. He put her down and threw his robe onto the chair near by. Sliding into the bed beside her, he saw in those dark eyes, only desire for him. Would this week together be a beginning? He had thought Hawaii was that until the government interfered, took her from him. Would anything interfere again? Better not think about it. Take it one day, one night at a time. Enjoy these moments he thought as he took her to love again.
