Chapter Text
Jack walked up the stairs to his studio apartment. It was too small, but he didn't spend much time there. Since Zoe had gone to college and Stark's reappearnace ended his relationship with Allison he preferred to work. That was the motivation for returning to the U.S. Marshalls as soon as he could. His old supervisor was happy to have him back.
He made sure to keep his leaving quiet. Allison had barely even talked to him since her fiancé was alive again. Jo was busy with Zane. He took a weekend to pack his belongings, hired a company to pick them up on a thursday night and turned his badge in at the end of his shift Friday. That was two years ago. Zoe had finally gotten over him hiding it from her. SARAH still called to check on him.
On this night he was looking forward to just going to sleep. It had been 72 hours since he slept more than an hour at a time, but now Greg Harger was safely behind bars in a maximum security prison. Jack had five days till he had to report again.
~~~
Jack woke up to the sound of knocking. He ignored it the first time. The clock told him he had only been asleep for 4 hours. Five minutes passed and whoever it was knocked again. This time heavier.
Jack pulled on pj pants and answered the door shirtless.
"Stark? Are you seriously here right now?" He answered sleepily, rubbing his eyes.
"Serious enough to dig through every government agency to find you, track down where you lived and if you would be home." The man pushed past Jack and stopped. "Why didn't you tell me you were leaving?"
Jack shut the door and relocked it. "Why does it matter to you? Allison is all yours. Jenna is all yours. Hell, even Eureka is yours again." The expression of pain and disbelief on the Marshall's face made Nathan want to look away.
Stark was apparently shocked at the callous tone Jack used. "I didn't mean -"
"Whatever you want to rub in my face or new insult you came up can wait till I get more sleep. Feel free to crash on the couch or go get a room. If you leave lock the door behind you."
Jack shuffled back to his bed, uncaring what Nathan would do.
~~~
Nathan watched Jack sleep. He knew the man had been on a long string when he showed up. He also knew had more than one day off. He meant it when he said he hadn't meant to chase Jack away. His behavior spoke differently. He only had himself to blame.
Nathan had a lot of time to think when he was in between phases after the time loop finally stopped. Allison turned to Jack almost immediately and dropped him almost as fast when he was alive again. He finally saw her for who she was. When she all but moved him in before he was even allowed to go home he was happy at first, but Jenna missed Jack and it showed. Allison expected him to just fill the role he had never had. Even now two years later Jenna wasn't all that close to him. Allison told him to keep trying, but he knew he wasn't cut out to be a father. Jack took to it naturally. It finally led to Nathan moving into the bunker and taking the kids on weekends.
Eureka wasn't the same without Jack. There were accidents at Global still, experiments still affected the town, but people were different. Deputy Andy became sheriff after Jo was moved to head of security at G.D. Another three A.I.s were programmed to be deputies. Technical Issues could be solved faster, but no matter how hard they tried they lacked the human connection.
SARAH came out of her depressive state once Nathan moved in. He knew she still called Jack though.
The biggest change was Henry leaving. After losing Kim and Jack he wasn't the same anymore.
Nathan knew the rumors, the words whispered when they thought he couldn't hear.
As far as they knew and cared, beloved friend and Sheriff, Jack Carter left because Nathan Stark wouldn't let him be happy. Allison never corrected the theory.
It wasn't true, now anyways. He could see how important Jack had been in the town full of geniuses. Key people took advantage of him and it led to everyone being unhappy.
Allison included now that Nathan had broke up with her again. He wasn't happy and he missed Jack.
One night while drunk he and SARAH had talked about their relationship as she saw it. All answers were based on data, Nathan could understand that. She replayed what memories she had and a few she pulled from Global of the two of them together.
Nathan finally began to see why he felt so jealous when he first came back. It was Jack the whole time. His pride had been too precious to drop at the time. Now he was just hoping Jack would hear him out. Even more that he would return to Eureka.
He turned from the sleeping man, thoughts shifting to exploring the small kitchen. They would have to eat out as there was little food stocked besides canned options.
~~~
Jack woke up at 1:30 pm the next day. He felt 100% better till he remembered Stark.
"Are you still here?" He called out from his bed.
"Yes, Jack. Are you hungry?" The answer came quickly.
Jack groaned, "No." He lied, trying to think of a reason to report early.
"Well I am. Get dressed, I'll buy lunch and we can talk."
"About what?"
"How you are needed in Eureka, that SARAH misses you, and that I was wrong."
The last statement had him sitting up fast. Too fast because he felt dizzy.
"Jenna still calls you Daddy." Nathan admitted on a sigh. "We were in Café Diem and she saw a picture of you. Allie made Vincent take all photos of you down after than. He won't admit it, but he hasn't made her coffee correct since." Nathan tried to lighten the mood.
Jack got up once he felt steady enough to and walked to the doorway between his room and the living room where Stark was sitting on the couch. Leaning against the frame he met the scientist's eyes.
~~~
Jack looked like he was going to say something, but thought better. Silence filled the room till Jack finally did speak. "I'm going to shower, if you are still here when I get out we can have lunch and talk. No promises."
Nathan nodded and attempted to hide his smile. After last night he wasn't hoping for much.
~~~
Jack finished chewing a bite of cheese burger and felt Nathan's eyes on him. "Its not that I don't believe you Stark. Allison is a lot like my ex wife. That was probably half the reason I wanted her. I was used to her treatment of me."
"But?"
"Now when I go to work 98% of the time the bad guy doesn't cause more issues. I actually get to arrest people, not chase wayward experiments around town."
"What about Jenna and Kevin?"
"They will move on. Allison will make the next guy she dates play daddy and you will fight for weekends."
"Play from Abby's book?"
"Yeah. I'm sorry to say you have a long road ahead of you." Jack replied with compassion and understanding.
"Jack, what would make you come back?" Nathan asked quietly.
"I don't know if you could offer me anything Nathan."
~~~
He hated that it was true. Too much had happened too quickly for him to deal with Eureka.
The rest of lunch conversation was kept light. Despite his efforts Jack couldn't ignore the sadness that settled in the other man's eyes.
Nathan left a few hours later after a call from Fargo about a lab exploding and a scientist needing redacted.
~~~
It seemed the universe wasn't on Jack's side for only a month later he was tracking a fugitive in Northern California and ended up in Eureka after a tip.
He stayed in a inn outside of town and drove in the next day. Ignoring the stares, whispers, and multiple people wanting to stop and talk. It would be nice to take a break, but it wouldn't help him find the fugitive.
Neither Allison or Nathan called him and he didnt call them. He hadn't heard from Nathan since he left that day. Allison since before he left.
Unfortunately the fugitive had a known alibi and it was entered into the government data base as a janitor for none other than Global Dynamics. Jack mentally prepared himself to go there the next day and tried to sleep.