This is the final chapter. Reviews are always welcome. I had a different ending in mind, but Phase One changed all that.
There is one section toward the end that is R rated.
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Irina softly touched the
material of her wedding dress. She was glad Jack had kept it, but would have
understood had he not. It was an exquisite piece of workmanship, the lace,
silk, and pearls all blending together to create a work of art. The little
antique shop had placed an exorbitant price tag on it, but it had been well
worth the expense. The look on Jack's face alone when she stepped out in to the
aisle told her it had been worth every penny. And now, watching Sydney fall in
love with it just as she had over thirty years ago, made all the scrimping
worth it.
"Mom, when I get
married," Sydney paused and swallowed. "Would you mind if I wore your
dress?"
"Sydney, it's your
dress now. I put it away hoping that I would have a daughter who would one day
wear it in her own wedding." She looked at her daughter and laughed.
"Just be warned that this dress has the power to make even the most
intelligent man babble!" They laughed together, one in fond remembrance
and the other in happy expectation.
Jack walked in to the
room and gave them both a nervous glance. Sydney popped up and gave her father
a hug.
"What was that
for?" Jack asked in pleased surprised.
"Just because I'm
really happy right now. I can't wait until tomorrow when you show up at the
dinner party with Mom." She grinned. "That ought to knock the wind
out of Sloanes' sails."
"It will have to
wait, Sydney." Jack sounded regretful. "That call was from Sloane.
He's canceled the dinner. Alliance business. I guess we'll know more on
Monday."
Irina put her hand in
Jack's and pulled him beside her on the couch. "About that Jack. We need
to think of a plausible explanation for the CIA not surrounding our house and
arresting me."
"I've already
thought of that. You will tell him that you have been in CIA custody and that
you manufactured evidence that cleared you of all your crimes. The CIA located
me and you decided I would be an asset. You then convinced me that you really
loved me and I fell for your tactics again. It's close enough to the truth that
it should work."
Irina closed her eyes
and took a deep breath. "No. I don't like that plan at all."
"Irina..."
"No, Jack."
She pushed her hair behind her ears. "Your plan makes you look a fool and
no one who knows you will believe it."
"Why, not?"
Jack's voice was hard. "They believed it once. They'll believe it
again."
Irina reached for
Jack's hand and squeezed it. "No one who knows you ever thought you a
fool. The KGB was easily tricked because they believed their profile. Sloane
knows you. He won't fall for such a ploy. Besides, he knows how desperately I
love you."
She heard Jack's sharp
intake of breath. "Jack, we can still use your plan, but with one
difference. We need to change the reason why I came back. I will tell Sloane I
manufactured evidence proving me innocent to get back to you and Sydney. I have
no other interest. It's closer to the truth and he will believe it. We will let
Sloane think it is his idea that I come to work for SD-6."
Irina felt Jack's thumb
rubbing against her hand as he considered this. Her body started to tingle. He
looked at her and nodded his agreement. "Good," she said smiling at
him.
He leaned over to kiss
her. She reached her hand to his back, pulling him to her.
"Ahem." They
broke apart, startled. Sydney. She had forgotten her daughter for a moment and
she was sure Jack had, too.
"I think this is
where I leave. There are some things a daughter should not witness."
"Sydney, honey,
it's late. Why don't you stay tonight?"
"No, Mom. You and
Dad have a lot to, er, discuss. I'll see you tomorrow, OK?"
Irina leaned against
Jack as they watched their daughter leave. When they knew Sydney was safely on
her way, Jack lifted his hand to her face and slowly traced a finger along her
lower lip. The finger moved along the side of her face to her ear, slightly
tickling the inside of the lobe.
"Jack..."
"Shhh..."
"No, Jack, we need
to talk."
"This first. We
can talk later."
She felt his body
against hers. He pulled her in closer and she understood why he couldn't wait.
Irina tugged out of his grasp and pulled him toward the stairs and into the
bedroom. Twenty-one years had passed since they last made love and she wanted
this night to be in their room, in their bed.
Jack didn't waste any
time once they arrived. Her top went first, then her bra. He stood for a
moment, cupping her breasts in his hands, thumbs gently rubbing her nipples.
She reached for his belt buckle and the snap of his jeans. Quickly she slid off
his pants and boxers, then eagerly reaching for his erection. She felt him
shiver at her touch. With the ease of familiarity, he removed her jeans.
Their passion ignited,
body writhing against body. He entered her, groaning as he slid deeply inside.
They moved together, slowly at first, then quickly accelerated to rapid, then
frantic thrusts. He touched her in the secret places he knew would excite her.
She grasped his back, nails digging into his skin. She felt her body tighten
with waves of pleasure as Jack sought his own release. Sated, she held him
close, pressing small kisses against his neck and shoulder. His hand brushed
against her hair. She relaxed into his body, taking deep breaths as her heart
rate slowed. She placed her hand against his chest and felt his heartbeat
quicken at her touch.
When she looked in to
his eyes, she saw the fear and uncertainty he was trying to hide. She cursed
herself, knowing she should have insisted they talk first, but her need had
been as overwhelming as his.
"Jack."
"Mmmm."
"We need to talk.
Now!"
He sighed and held her
tighter against him. "I don't suppose I could persuade you to wait until
morning?"
"No. I want
everything to be open between us, Jack. No barriers, no lies." She brushed
her hand against his cheek, so real to her touch now. For two decades she had
felt him in her dreams, waking only to find an empty pillow at her side.
Jack sat up, body against
the headboard and pillows, she shifted and moved against him, entwining her
hand in his. He smiled down at her. "If we are going to talk, be careful
where you touch." She laughed, then sobered. Irina wanted nothing more
than to have him make love to her all night long, but she knew that there were
things left unsaid between them. Jack was still afraid that she might be making
a fool of him once again. She hoped that once they opened themselves up to each
other, totally and completely, the ghosts of their past could finally be laid
to rest.
"I was eighteen
when the KGB recruited me. It was a great honor to be chosen and my family was
very proud. My first assignment was to pose undercover in America. I was to get
close to a CIA agent and learn as much as I could from him. This much, you
already know. They told me if I was successful, I would return within a year
and receive a promotion and even better assignments." She felt him jerk in
surprise and paused, allowing him to adjust to this new information. "I
was given several possibilities. They provided me fairly thorough dossiers on
each agent. I easily made contact with three of the four agents. Two were very
promising. I left meeting you for last. According to your file, you didn't date
much and spent a great deal of your time studying. There was nothing there to
excite much interest."
"I'm not sure I'm
going to enjoy all this talking," Jack interrupted. She squeezed his hand
encouragingly.
"I was required by
the KGB to meet you, so I set up an introduction with your roommate. He was
outgoing and I decided I could always switch to him if I had to."
"If I had any ego
left, I think you just killed it."
"Be quiet and let
me finish, Jack," she scolded him. "Mac took me to your dorm and
there you were sitting at a desk studying, just as I expected. Then you looked
up. I didn't know what I was feeling at the time, Jack, but something happened
to me. I went back to my apartment and I couldn't get your face out of my mind.
When the other two agents called, I fobbed them off. I started looking for you
on campus. When I found out we shared a class, I talked the teacher in to
switching the seating chart so I could be next to you.
I didn't realize what
had hit me until the day you helped me with my thesis on Elizabeth Browning.
Suddenly, all her words of love were meant for you and me. When you asked me to
marry you that night, I was overjoyed, but I was also scared. I had found my
soul mate, but at a price. By staying, our life would be based on a lie. The
thought of leaving you was even more unbearable." She gripped his hand
again, harder this time. "So many times I wanted to just tell you."
She felt him move.
"Why didn't
you?" Jack asked quietly. "I loved you. Surely you knew that?"
"Yes, I knew you
loved me, but would it be enough to overcome the lies? And if it was, what
then? You couldn't stay silent. If you didn't say anything, you could be tried
as an accomplice. You could turn me in as a traitor, but would you? We could
possibly have gone into the Witness Protection Plan, but what about your
career? You would lose everything you had worked so hard to gain. Then when
Sydney came, I couldn't stand the thought of her living a life constantly on
the run. I fed the KGB just enough information to keep them satisfied and hoped
they would leave me alone."
She shivered as the
next events raced through her mind. "When the KGB set up the accident, you
and Sydney were supposed to be in the car with me. They planned to kill you
both to ensure my loyalty. They were angry with me when they found the two of
you had stayed home. I told them Sydney hadn't been feeling well and you
decided to stay back and take care of her. Whether they believed me or not, I
didn't care, so long as you were safe. I vowed I would someday find my way back
to you both, no matter how long or what it took." She gave a short laugh.
"I never dreamt it would take twenty years."
She leaned up and
kissed him, tears of happiness finally finding release. "I love you Jack.
I don't ever want you to doubt that again."
Jack reached up and
brushed at her tears.
"Irina," Jack
said softly. "I love you so much, it hurts. When you left, a part of me
died with you. Then you came back and I was so angry with you. I wanted to hurt
you the way you had hurt me and I almost succeeded in getting you killed."
He looked into her eyes. "I'm sorry."
He untangled their
hands and reached his arm behind her, pulling her close. "I won't lie to
you and tell you there haven't been any other women. For a while, I went crazy.
But it was simply sex and that's not what I wanted. When I finally came to my
senses, I stopped what I was doing. I dated a few times after that, but never
felt inclined to let it go any further. After a while, I didn't bother trying
anymore. What I wanted, I couldn't have. Then Sydney got the idea that you were
still alive. I did a little digging and found out her hunch was correct. You
can imagine the battle I fought inside. I hated you and, yet, I loved you. I
wanted to kill you and I wanted to hold you, to touch you, to feel you next to
me." He paused in an effort to choose his next words carefully. "Now
that I have you beside me, I know you are Irina, but a part of me wants you to
be Laura, too."
She knew that
confession had been difficult and she was thankful he'd found the courage to
put his feelings in to words. "It's ok, Jack. I'll understand if sometimes
you slip and call me Laura. I have very fond memories of Laura," she said,
eyes twinkling suggestively. "I don't care what you call me, so long as we
are together."
Irina settled back into
her husbands' arms, reveling once more in his lovemaking. This time they were
free from the encumbrances of the past and in this newfound liberty, she found
her own epiphany.
The End