The Key
By: Tru Harper
Rating: T
Disclaimer: Jack Harper, Tru Davies and Tru Calling period belong to FOX, Jon Harmon Feldman, Oh That Gus, etc. The girl featured in this story is mine, however, as she is an original character. Please don't sue.
Summary: Next on Jack's list: a disabled teen. But things are different this time around. Is she the key to changing Jack's fate?
"Living dead girl at three o'clock."
Jack Harper hung up his cell phone and looked off into the distance. His eyes were focused on a young brunette in a wheelchair, sitting under a tree by herself. She was obviously feeling very alone and depressed, and to Jack, vulnerable.
Once he was sure the coast was clear, he straightened his brown suede jacket and strode across the street to where she was. Upon reaching the girl, Jack stood over her – perhaps longer than he should have – admiring her features from above.
'Shame she has to die today,' he thought.
It took her a while to notice he was there, but when she finally looked up, Jack was taken back. What he saw was so familiar. It was a look of such pain and distraught; a look he saw on a daily basis, and it wasn't due to his job. It was due to looking in the mirror.
"This seat taken?" Jack asked, composing himself.
Her eyes fell again. "Guess not," she answered.
The two sat in silence when Jack started looking around for a conversation starter. It was obvious this girl wasn't in the talking mood. It was like pulling at straws. This one was gonna be tough.
"It's a nice day out. What are you doing sitting here all alone? Shouldn't a girl your age being out shopping at the mall with her friends and trying on outfits?"
"What friends?" Her voice was soft and surprisingly, Jack felt regret for asking. He knew how she felt. No wonder she wanted to die. But still, it was part of the job. And truth be told, in cases like this he really hated his profession. God help him if Tru ever found out.
"Oh come on, a nice girl like you? You gotta have at least one friend."
"I wish that were the case, but it's not. People see the wheelchair and they go in the other direction."
"I'm not."
The young woman looked up at Jack with a small smile and as quick as it came, it went. "But you're different."
Jack raised an eyebrow, perplexed. "How so?"
"I don't know," she replied. "You just have that aura about you. Like you're a people person."
"You could say that."
"So, what do you do then?"
"You could say I'm in the business of saving lives."
For the first time since he joined her, she looked up at Jack and really noticed him. He was very handsome, with fair skin and ice blue eyes that were almost hypnotizing in nature. He also had brown, spiky hair and five o'clock shadow starting to form upon his cheeks.
She shifted uncomfortably in her chair, realizing that she had been staring at him. She didn't, however, realize that a smile had crossed his face after she had done so.
"Saving lives? Like a doctor?"
"More like a counselor. You know, putting people on the right path." He made sure to put an emphasis on that last word.
"Oh great," she said, voice filled with sarcasm. "Let me guess. My mom sent you, didn't she? To make sure you put me on the right path, too? Well, forget it. I don't want your help."
It was at that point that she released the brakes on her chair and started wheeling away. Jack made no move to stop her. Instead, he just watched as she made her way over the grass and suddenly came to an abrupt halt. For a second, Jack thought that she had changed her mind, but then realized that she was stuck. Apparently a stick in the grass was preventing her from moving forward. She repeatedly tried to get over it, but with no success.
"Damn it!" she exclaimed, tears forming in her eyes. Jack saw her cover her face with her hands in frustration, and that's when he finally got up and walked over. He grabbed the handles of her chair and leaned her off the ground into a wheelie position so that she could look up at him.
"Are you sure about that?" he asked with a wink.
She sniffled and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, then nodded. Jack pushed her over the stick with ease before gently putting her back in an upright position. He saw she was looking down again, and he knelled in front of her in the grass.
"I thought you said you didn't want my help."
"I did, but that doesn't mean I don't need it."
The two smiled at each other for a while, when Jack stood up. "Well, in that case, you're gonna need my help again if you want to go around and get some ice cream."
"I think I would like that."
With that, Jack grabbed hold of her chair again, pushing her across the park. It was good to offer a different kind of help for a change. He was beginning to see why Tru was so hell bent on offering it to those who asked her to save them. After letting Megan Roberts fall to her death off the observation deck a year or two ago, he had been pondering whether it was too late to save himself as well. Maybe this girl was the key.