And the final part of the story :)

[ladyofavalon77]

This is the final piece in the "Three Hearts Entwined" saga and it's from Aaron's point of view.  I feel kind of guilty enclosing it here since this IS a Martha/Charles journal but this completes the epic so it must be included.  This was also the most difficult to write since I really am at a loss on how I can portray the character of Aaron Pierce.  He's an enigma to me, best left to the talented actor who plays him...Glenn Morshower.  However, this was my attempt to show how all three characters are connected and I like this piece only because it rounds out the story nicely and shows the faithfulness of Aaron Pierce (one of the things I love about him dearly!).

YEARNING OF THE HEART

"I'll finish the patrol, Ryan. Go ahead and get some lunch," Aaron Pierce assured the other Secret Service Agent as he secured his weapon before heading outside. The fellow agent simply nodded and headed toward the main residence while Aaron continued walking in the opposite direction. It was a beautifully warm day and he was enjoying the exercise.

The path before him was familiar and well trodden so it never ceased to amaze him when his mind would return to another summer day so many years ago...under a different president...and a different first lady. He had really tried to move on with his life, telling himself that it was best for the both of them. Lord knew she had been through enough. But then he would return to the Retreat and everything he had tried so hard to forget would come rushing back to him in an instant...as if he had never left.

The current President was a good man and he was confident the country was in excellent hands as the recently elected Commander in Chief found his footing in the new political office. And the First Lady…well, she was no Martha Logan. A very polite woman of advanced years with a good measure of common sense and a bland personality to match. The perfect politician's wife. One who would not upset the applecart and didn't give the Secret Service any trouble. And yet…there were times when he wished Martha was here to cause a few welcome interruptions in his daily routine.

Shaking his head to try to refocus his thoughts, Aaron made his way into the stables on the edge of the estate. Of course they were empty. Horses had not been kept here for quite some time, the only thing left were some saddles and blankets. As he inspected the abandoned spaces for any possible intruders, he suddenly found himself coming to a halt at one particular stall.

This was where he had found her that day she had tried to hide from her Secret Service detail. She had begged him to protect her as she whispered in his ear about a conspiracy in her husband's administration. But he had stepped aside and allowed his fellow agents to lead her back to the residence. Protocol must be observed at all times. Why had he not trusted her then?

Nevertheless, the silent appeal in her beautiful eyes had stayed with him as he made his rounds and had seen Jack Bauer get out of a car in handcuffs. He then realized the truth of her claims and was struck with guilt for not believing her when Bauer confirmed her suspicions. As he took part in the confrontation with Walt Cummings and resumed his duty of protecting the President, his mind kept returning to his brief encounter with Martha at the stables.

He could not explain it but something was definitely there. A spark…an attraction…a connection. But, as a Secret Service veteran of twenty years, he knew that personal feelings must be put aside at all times. She was a married woman and under his protection. Without a second thought, he had purged the feelings from his conscience and moved on…or so he told himself.

Continuing his patrol of the grounds, Aaron walked toward the fenced in pastures and stopped a moment to rest his arms across the wooden stakes surrounding the grassy area. Gazing out into the distance, he noticed the empty helipad…the same place where he had helped Martha off the transport right after the attack on the motorcade.

He remembered how her fingers trembled as she gripped his hand for support but, as she found her footing, she had relaxed, secure in the knowledge that he would not let her fall. All the feelings he had thought were gone returned the moment the motorcade was attacked. As he found a strength he never knew he had to defend her and the Suvarovs, Aaron began to understand that his attraction to Martha was deeper than he realized. And the revelation both frightened and amazed him.

Still he was determined to keep things as professional as possible so he had carefully avoided her once they returned to the retreat, assigning another agent to her detail. No use stirring up something that would only lead to trouble later. He had a job to do and he would be damned if he was going to have a woman get in the way of his duty.

And then she had called him back to her room to thank him. All the barriers he had so carefully constructed came tumbling down as she reached for his hand. He told himself he should back away and maintain a professional distance. But he couldn't. With anyone else he would have followed procedures but not with her. Never with her as he felt his own hand close around her hand in a reassuring hold that neither ever wanted to let go.

So from that point on, he had made the decision to protect her no matter the cost to himself. When she asked about Secretary Heller’s arrival on the grounds, he had told her to meet him at a secluded spot on the Retreat. After Logan's men captured him and pressed for information, his only thought was for her safety as he worried what they might do if she found out too much.

When she came out of the dark to rescue him at the stables, he was filled with relief that she was alive but alarm that she was in danger as Agent Adams turned his gun on her. He should have known better. Martha could more than handle herself as she shot the man when the gun went flying. Aaron knew at that point she was capable of anything and he had finally found someone…a woman after his own heart.

Reaching into his side pocket, he pulled out a handkerchief well worn from all the times he had held it in his hands. Running his thumb over the dark cotton fabric, he smiled and remembered their parting farewells. He wanted nothing more but to take her in his arms and stay by her side for the rest of his life. But there were complications. She was still married and he was still a Secret Service agent charged with her protection.

So he had done the only thing he could…something she would understand because she had showed him just hours earlier that you did not need to embrace to communicate your feelings. Gently placing his hand on her arm, he had thanked for saving his life and more. And as she looked up into his eyes with such trust and tenderness, he knew at once that he was not alone and that her feelings perfectly mirrored his own.

His only regret was allowing her to stay behind to delay Logan's departure on the helicopter. They should have found another way to keep him from getting on board, anything but what had ultimately happened. He almost wanted to physically attack Jack Bauer and Mike Novick when he heard what she had to go through to keep her husband from leaving on time.

And then the confrontation at the airfield…he had overheard the recording while being debriefed at CTU and was horrified at the lengths the man would go to make sure she kept silent. How could he do such a thing to his wife? Why had no one been there to restrain this monster? Conflicting emotions of righteous anger at Logan's unthinkable behavior and overpowering guilt that he was not there to protect her rose to the surface as he fought to keep his feelings in check. It was then that he had almost reached for a phone to call her and comfort her after such an ordeal. But fear for her safety had kept him from making that call and now he wished he had.

Putting the handkerchief carefully back into his pocket, Aaron resumed his walk around the edge of the estate. And as he made his way back to the main residence, he could not help but reflect on what his life could have been like if he had chosen a different path. Instead of going home to an empty house and a solitary meal, he could have been sharing a warm fire or a light hearted conversation with someone he loved.

More times than he could count had he wanted to just pick up the phone and give her a call. But something always seemed to stop him. Was it the fear of rejection because her feelings for him may have changed? Or was it concern that his presence would be a painful reminder of the past? No, he told himself, that was not the reason at all. The truth was Martha needed time to heal and he would not pressure her into entering another relationship so soon after leaving her first. Aaron Pierce was a patient man and when the moment was right he would be there for her. Just as he always had...just as he always would.

 

Aaron or Charles...Charles or Aaron...I need a drink for this one...