I don't own. Wish I did. That'd be nice.

My first Eureka fic (but if you'll check out my profile, you'll notice its nowhere near my first fic).

This is a tag to 3x01 Bad to the Drone. I truly hated the way it ended, and I had to do something. Unfortunately...

Admitting

"Dad?" Zoë called, walking down the stairs.

The moment they had gotten home from Café Diem, Jack had gone straight up the stairs, ignoring everything SARAH had said to him; ignoring every comforting thought Zoë had wanted to say.

She thought it would be best to give him some space, so she headed up to her own room.

Hours passed without a peep from her father.

It wasn't until the middle of the night that he removed himself from his room. He had tried to do so quietly, as to not wake Zoë, but she had always been a light sleeper. She quickly slid on a pair of slippers then followed him down.

"Dad?" she called again, entering the living room.

Jack Carter was sitting on the couch. There was a game playing, but Zoë knew he wasn't watching so much as staring.

"I don't wanna talk Zo," he said.

"Dad-" she began.

"Zoë, please."

She reluctantly piped down, grabbing a soda from the fridge.

"I can't believe you are giving in so easily," SARAH's non-gender-specific voice said.

"Shut up SAHAH," both Carters said.

SAHAH muttered something incomprehensible but obeyed.

"It's okay to be upset," Zoë said, joining her father on the couch, handing him a beer.

He didn't respond. He popped the cap off the beer and continued staring through the television.

"You can't just keep it all bottled up though," she continued, not caring whether or not he was listening. "The woman you love just agreed to marry the guy you hate."

"It doesn't matter," he said, shaking his head. He was still holding the beer, but he had yet to drink any of it.

"Yeah it does. Up until today… or rather, yesterday, you still had a chance."

"No I didn't."

"You're really thick, you know that? Of course you had a chance. Or, you thought you did, and that's what mattered."

"I knew I never had a chance Zoë."

"She could have just as easily said no," she said. He really was being quite pessimistic.

"It doesn't matter what she said. The moment he asked, I knew any chance I might have had was gone."

"Of course it mattered… unless… Oh."

Jack did not respond.

"You never said."

Still nothing.

"I mean, I always knew… I guess I just never expected… wow."

"I do not understand," SARAH interjected.

"It was never Allison," Zoë said, more to her father than to the house. "It was always him, wasn't it? From day one."

She didn't need an answer. She already knew. She set down her drink, then took his and set it down as well before pulling him into a tight hug.

"I'm sorry, dad. I'm so sorry."

There will be more. I promise you that. It will be a new story titled Planning. Keep a lookout.

Reviews make me smile.

Ella