After hearing the shots, Viv was having a hard time convincing Jack to stay where he was. Typically, he was trying to get up and get involved. But with Vivienne standing over him, ordering him to lie down, he thought better of it. It was killing him, not knowing what had happened. It wasn't long before Sam and Martin come back to his room.

"What the hell was that?" he asks, trying to sit up.

"Marku's dead," Sam tells him bluntly.

"He managed to overpower the officer assigned to guard him and was trying to escape," Martin explains.

"He nearly made it too, only I recognised him," Sam tells him.

"Are you guys OK?" Jack asks his agents.

"Yeah, we're fine. We're gonna have some explaining to do though," Martin reminds him.

"Aren't we all!" Jack replies.

Eventually, after all of their statements are taken, Martin decides it's time to go home and get a change of clothes and some rest. Viv leaves with Martin. Samantha elects to stay with Jack. Jack is soon moved to a private room, where he will spend the next couple of days. Not long after settling in, Danny arrives, having recently being discharged.

"Hey, I hear you guys have been shooting up the E.R.," he digs at Samantha.

"We had a little trouble, alright," Sam responds.

"Looks like they really worked you over," Jack comments, only seeing Danny's injuries for the first time.

"It looks worse than it is," Danny tells him. "So, you've had an eventful day."

"Don't remind me. This is a week I'd rather forget," Jack says, feeling somewhat sorry for himself.

"Me too," Sam muses.

They sit and talk for a while and then decide to give Jack some space. He bids them farewell and under the influence of a concoction of painkillers and sedatives, sleeps soundly for the night.

Next morning, Jack has an unexpected visitor,

"Victor! I didn't expect to see you," Jack says, surprised at the Deputy Director's appearance.

"You look better than the last time I saw you," he recalls, having seen Jack fresh out of surgery and seriously ill earlier in the week.

Jack and Victor's relationship was tense at the best of times. It was probably because they were so alike that they found it hard to get along. Neither liked the others methods or attitudes, but both were dedicated law men.

"So, have they given you the job of breaking the bad news," Jack asks.

"I've no bad news. Good news in fact. They stopped Pederov at JFK, trying to board a flight to Paris. He's in custody and singing like a canary," Victors tells him

."That is good news. And what about me, am I'm fired, or under arrest?" Jack replies.

"Oh, that. We've formed the opinion that you were under severe stress and very strong medication and that you can't be held accountable for your questionable actions. You will be required to under go counselling before returning to duty," Victor informs him.

"Really? I don't know what to say," Jack responds with surprise.

"You're one lucky son-of-a bitch, Malone. But you had better keep your nose clean because I will personally be watching your professional conduct from now on," Victor warns.

"Sure. Thanks," is all that Jack can manage, still stunned at the relative lack of repercussions for his actions. He wasn't expecting to have a job after what he'd done.

"So, when are you getting out of here?" Victor asks, looking around the hospital room.

"In a few days. But I was thinking of taking some vacation time before going back to work," Jack announces.

"I think that's probably the best idea you've had all week," Victor smiles. "Any plans?"

"I have two beautiful girls that I don't get to spend half enough time with. I'm going to start there," Jack tells him. "After that, who knows?"

THE END