Title: Apologies

   Author: Anne

   Category: Jack/Jo

   Summary: It's time Jack started apologising to some people.

   Jo sat at her desk and silently filled out all the forms. Jack sat silently at his desk, filling 
   out reports. PJ had his door shut and Ben and Tess glanced at each other.

   'Oh for heaven's sake you two!' Tess cried. 'I haven't heard you speak to each other in over 
   a week!'

   'Not my fault,' Jack said, bending down again.

   'Oh of course not,' Jo muttered to herself. 'Heaven forbid Jack be to blame for anything in 
   his condition.'

   Tess and Ben sent each other worried looks. Had they started something they shouldn't have?

   Jack whirled around and stared at her. 'Is there something you want to say to me?'

   Jo stared at him, anger radiating out of her brown eyes. 'Yeah, Jack. Here's what I want to 
   tell you. I'm sick and tired of you taking your problems out on everyone else. Yeah, it's hard 
   being in a wheelchair, but have you thought it might be hard for us to see you in it? We've 
   been tiptoeing around the past few weeks, careful of what we say, what we do, in case we upset 
   you. Everything we try to do to help, you angrily push away. Anything we want to do to get 
   you back to the old Jack, we get our heads snapped off!'

   'The old Jack is gone!' Jack fired back.

   'No he isn't,' Jo told him. 'The old Jack isn't the guy riding horses or running around. The 
   old Jack was what was in your head and heart you fool.' She grabbed her hat and headed to the 
   locker. 'Shifts over,' she informed Tess, as she went by.

   Tess and Ben stood their dumbfounded. Tom came out.

   'What the hell was going on there?'

   'Just a small domestic boss,' Jack said, heading around to the coffee machine.

   'Gallagher, Stewart, my office,' Tom said crossly.

   Tess and Ben shrugged and followed him in, Ben closing the door behind him.

   'What was all that?' he asked them.

   'Jack and Jo were just airing some feelings, I guess,' Tess commented.

   'Well, let's hope these feelings are soon fully aired. Thank God, they're both off shift now 
   and that no customers came in during that tirade. I could hear it in here!'

   Ben and Tess nodded, and when they exited, they noticed Jack had left too.

   'Boss, is shift finished?' Ben asked, curious to know what would happen at the pub.

   'Yes, go on,' he told them.

   Ben looked at Tess, and she shrugged. They went to get their gear.

Jo sat in the parlour, her head throbbing. She couldn't believe the argument she'd had with 
   Jack. She knew he'd deserved it though. But she still felt awful. 

   Jack wheeled into the room. 'Hey.'

   Jo turned her head towards him. 'Jack, I really don't think that we should talk tonight.'

   'Why not?' he asked her, moving a little closer.

   'I just don't think it's a good idea, that's all,' Jo replied, starting to get fed up with 
   this situation. 

   Jack nodded. 'Well, I'm going to anyway.'

   'Jack! Don't you know when enough damage has been done?!' Jo fired at him.

   'No. Why don't you tell me?' Jack asked. After her tirade, he knew how much he'd hurt her, 
   but he wanted her to tell him.

   Jo turned her head away.

   'Please Jo,' Jack pleaded.

   She turned and looked at him. 'Alright. You've been impossible lately! You're upsetting everyone! 
   We try and help or treat you normally and you push us away!' She was starting to get upset. 
   'You've hurt Ben, PJ, the Boss and Tess...and...you've hurt me.'

   And then Jack saw something he'd never expected to see or wanted to cause. Jo Parrish was 
   crying.

   Ben and Tess heard the sniffling sounds and looked at each other agape. They heard movement 
   and Jack's wheelchair coming towards the door. They moved quickly. Jack came out, looking extremely 
   guilty.

   'Constable, what are you doing out here?' Tess asked.

   'Beg yours?' Jack asked.

   'Mate, you don't leave a woman crying. Especially if you care about her,' Ben told him.

   'And if you leave her in there alone, I will personally fix it,' Tess told him. 'And you won't 
   like the way I do.'

   Jack nodded, still in a daze. He wheeled back into the room.

   Ben turned to Tess. 'I wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of you!'

   Tess smiled at him. 'No you don't Ben Stewart. How about a drink?'

   Ben raised an eyebrow. 'Sure thing Serg.'
Jack looked at Jo, who had her head turned away from him.

   'Just leave me alone, Jack,' she told him.

   'I can't,' he told her, moving over towards her. He wheeled the chair as close to the couch 
   as he could, and hoisted himself onto it.

   Jo turned to look at him now. 'Jack, please. Don't.'

   He reached his hand out and cupped her cheek with it. He moved his lips to her and kissed 
   her gently. Jack pulled back and watched as Jo's eyelids slowly fluttered open. He smiled.

   'Is that one of the reasons you were so hurt? Because I still haven't told you I love you?'

   Jo's eyes went from being hazy with love to opening very wide. 

   Jack grinned and kissed her again. This one lasted a lot longer and became a lot deeper before 
   they pulled apart.

   Jo moved her hand and wrapped it around Jack's. 'You hurt everyone, Stretch.'

   'But I know I hurt you the most.'

   'Probably,' Jo admitted.

   'I'm sorry,' Jack told her.

   Jo smiled. 'You're starting to be forgiven, but you have to apologise to everyone else. Not 
   just me. And not just because I'm easier to push over.'

   Jack gave her a mock shocked look. 'Jo Parrish? A push over? Heaven forbid!'

   Jo swiped at him. Jack caught her hand and pulled her in for another long kiss.

   'Maybe I should go do that apologising now?' Jack asked.

   'Probably,' Jo nodded.

   'Coming?' he asked, getting himself back into his chair. Then he got an idea. 'Hey Jo, let's 
   give everyone a shock.'

   'I beg your pardon?' Jo asked, raising an eyebrow.

   Jack grinned. 'Jump on,' he told her, patting his lap.

   Jo widened her eyes. 'What?'

   'Trust me,' he said.

   Jo looked at him dubiously, but shrugged her shoulders and nestled herself in his lap. He 
   kissed her gently. 

   'Ready for a ride?'

   Jo looked sternly at him. 'Do not drop me,' she warned him.

   Jack grinned as they wheeled out of the parlour. Chris raised her eyebrow at the duo, but 
   when she realise what must be going on she smiled. Tess nudged Ben who raised an eyebrow. Tom 
   pretended not to see it. PJ grinned.

   'Jacko! Joanna! What on earth have you be doing in there?'

   Jo blushed and hid her face in Jack's neck. Jack grinned.

   'What's going on here?' Ben asked, holding out a seat for Jo.

   'I have something to say to you all,' he told them.

   They looked at him expectantly and Jo squeezed his hand.

   'I've already said it to Jo, so I'll say it to the rest of you now. I apologise for the way 
   I've been acting. I've been unfair and unjust and it's wrong of me. I understand that you've 
   all only been trying to help and make life easier for me. So I apologise for giving you all 
   a hard time. And thanks for trying to help.' Jack took a breath and Jo looked at him, smilling.

   The group sat there, more than a bit stunned.

   Chris was the first to break the silence. 'Drinks on the house!'

   FINIS

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