If there is one thing fans have been anxious to see since the return of 24, it’s the reunion of Jack (Kiefer Sutherland) and Audrey (Kim Raver)! It’s been seven years since they laid eyes on each other, and Monday the long wait is finally over! We all know it’s coming, since Jack was arrested last week, but how will Audrey react to seeing him for the first time? I don’t want to spoil it for you, so I won’t divulge exactly how the reunion goes down. But I can say this…get the tissues out!
For those of you who may not recall exactly how Jack and Audrey’s romance began, a little recap…
We are introduced to Audrey Raines in season four. Jack has left CTU (Counter Terrorist Unit), now works for the Secretary of Defense James Heller (William Devane) and is secretly seeing his daughter, who also works with her father. This is the first real relationship Jack’s had since the death of his wife Teri (Leslie Hope) several years earlier. Not only has Jack been married before, but so has Audrey and actually, she’s been separated from her husband Paul Raines (James Frain) for several months, planning to get a divorce.
When Audrey is kidnapped with her father, although estranged, Paul immediately heads to Los Angeles to find out what’s going on. After Jack heroically rescues our damsel in distress, Audrey finally tells Paul she’s met someone and wants a divorce. Of course it doesn’t take him long to figure out that Jack is the one she’s in love with.
Setting aside his feelings, Paul is pulled into the plot when he has to accompany Jack to the Rockland Building, where terrorist Habib Marwan (Arnold Vosloo) is accessing the Dobson Override to take control of nuclear plants. He then helps Jack retrieve documentation from Marwan’s computer. However, those trying to cover up their involvement corner Jack and Paul at a sporting goods store. Just as CTU backup arrives, Paul is critically injured after jumping in front of a bullet for Jack during the shoot out! Jack returns to CTU Medical and Paul is set for surgery. Audrey is clearly distraught upon learning of her soon-to-be-ex’s injuries, and although is angry with Jack, she calms down as he assures Paul will pull through.
However, things go from bad to worse when an important witness at the Chinese Consulate is shot during a covert operation. Jack rushes back to CTU Medical and demands the doctor stop his operation on Paul to revive the witness! The doctor initially refuses and to Audrey’s horror, Jack pulls a gun on the doctor, then helplessly watches as not only his witness crashes, but so does Paul! Audrey is devastated, unable to process what happened. It all seems moot when she hears Jack is killed trying to escape transfer to the Chinese government. Why is he being transferred? The Chinese demands Jack be turned over to them to answer for the invasion at the consulate. President Palmer (Dennis Haybert), CTU Agents Tony Almeida (Carlos Bernard), Michelle Dessler (Reiko Aylesworth) and techie Chloe O’Brian (Mary Lynn Rajskub) stage Jack’s death and he walks off into exile. Audrey is not in on the ruse and truly believes her love has died!
Wait! The story doesn’t end there! In season five Jack is lured out of hiding when President Palmer is assassinated, and his friends Tony Almeda, Michelle Dessler and Chloe O’Brian are targeted. Why? Because they helped Jack fake his death! Audrey is shocked to learn her lost love is really alive and in a touching moment they reunite at CTU. The season ends with the two anxious to spend time together after another harrowing, but successful day thwarting a terrorist attack. However it’s not meant to be. The Chinese have other plans and in the final scene, they kidnap Jack who is held captive, tortured for 18 months.
The last time Jack sees Audrey is in season six. After learning from Heller that Audrey went to China looking for him and was captured, then tortured, Jack is heartbroken. She’s almost completely catatonic, has no memory of Jack and in a dramatic moment,
Heller scoops up his daughter and leaves CTU, ordering that Jack stay away from Audrey forever!
Fast forward to season nine. We’ve seen Audrey has recovered thanks to her Chief of Staff husband, Mark Boudreau (Tate Donovan), but how strong is their marriage? Can it survive or will Audrey and Jack get back together? It’s clear there are a few cracks within the marriage that have been simmering and are just about to come to a boil. Most fans want to villainize Boudreau, looking for a chance to kick him to the curb so Jack can swoop in and finally get a little piece of his life back. While we’ve seen the Chief of Staff do a few sketchy things (like forging the President’s signature), the verdict is still out on exactly where he’s going to fit in this puzzle.
One thing I do know for sure, is that Jack and Audrey still love each other. They were pulled apart by circumstances not within their control and neither have had any type of closure. What will it mean in the long run? We’ll have to wait and see!
Don’t miss a minute of ‘Bauer Power Hour’, Monday May 26 at 9:00 pm on FOX! ’24: Live Another Day’
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Well.. you’re assuming that EVERYONE wants her back.. I find her annoying and their relationship ridiculous.
http://www.eonline.com/news/544967/the-24-live-another-day-sneak-peek-7-years-in-the-making-watch-jack-and-audrey-s-tear-filled-reunion-now I have full comment on this here.
Correction: It’s been about 10 years since they saw each other in Day 6. And since Audrey was barely mentally there during that time, its been about 12 years since Day 5 where they truly last saw each other in all their shared alert mental awareness.