Chapter 1: Abner

The Atlantic Ocean, 1938

Indiana Jones lifted his head and he couldn't believe who he saw. An aged Abner Ravenwood, who was supposed to have been buried in the Himalayas somewhere, was making his way over. Marion's going to blow a gasket. Abner reached into Indy's pack and pulled out the Cross of Coronado.

'Small world, Dr. Jones,' Abner remarked.

'Too small for the two of us, Abe!' Indy spat.

'This is the third time I've had to reclaim my property from you,' Abner announced.

'Third time?' Indy demanded. 'Abe, you're not seriously suggesting that Marion is your property?'

'My little girl is my property,' Abner proclaimed. He held up the Cross. 'Why are you so insistent on taking what's mine? Hm?'

'That belongs in a museum!' Indy barked.

'So do you,' Abner sneered. He nodded to his men. 'Throw him over.'

Abner turned away and they started dragging Indy to the side of the boat. Indy wasn't going to let that sit. Marion had been hurt by Abner's 'death' and all this time it was just a fake?

No!

Indy pushed up against the side of the boat, pulling free and flipping over the men. He slammed them face-first into the deck. Then he shot over as Abner started to climb up and threw his fist into his face. Snatching the Cross, he slammed Abner against the nearest wall.

'Your little girl grew up, Abe!' he snapped. 'She's my wife now!'

He slammed his fist into Abner's face again and dropped him, running for the edge of the boat. He dived into the water just as the first shots were fired.

Princeton, USA

Indiana Jones picked his way through the toys that littered the front lawn. He smiled when he saw his son sitting up on the front porch with Ox. Ox smiled when he saw him.

'Henry, welcome home,' he said.

'Thanks, Ox.' Indy smiled tiredly. 'Where's Marion?'

'Inside.' Ox smiled. 'Would you like me to go and get her?'

'Yeah.'

Indy sat next to his son as Ox went in. Henry reached out for Indy and Indy picked him up, settling him into his lap.

'You've been busy while I was gone, haven't you, little man?' he asked, softly. 'Tell you what, when you learn to walk, do me a favour and don't do what I did. Your mommy will be very upset if you climbed on the roof.'

Henry giggled. A moment later, the door opened again as Marion and Ox came back out. Marion crouched down next to him and kissed Indy, her hands resting on his arm. He groaned softly at the much-missed feeling of her lips on his.

When Marion pulled away, she pressed a finger to where his lower lip had been split. He closed his eyes and waited for it.

'How did this happen?' Marion asked.

'Honey, why do you ask questions you already know the answer to?' he retorted.

'Okay.' She accepted that. 'Did you at least get it?'

Indy pulled the Cross out of his pack. He watched Ox's eyes widen in appreciation. He could see why Indy had been looking for it so long to get it into a museum.

'Ohhhh!' Henry gasped, reaching for it.

~IJ~

Harold had put little Henry to bed for his parents. That was when it happened. The crash and Marion's ear-splitting scream weren't enough to bother the baby. Harold rushed down to see what all the fuss was about. He came into the kitchen to see all the crockery was shattered on the floor and Marion was kneeling on the ground, using every foul cuss Harold had ever heard. Henry Jones Junior was kneeling by her side with his arms around her, rocking her soothingly and stroking her hair.

'Shh, baby,' Henry gentled her. 'Shh. I hit him a bunch of times. Let him know I married you.'

'Good!' she fumed. 'Bastard deserved it!'

Harold stood back as Henry calmed his wife, whispering in her ear and to kissing her wherever he could reach. Finally, she looked up and pecked him on the lips. She reluctantly extracted herself from his arms.

'I better go see that I didn't wake Henry up,' she said.

'Hm.' Henry let her go.

Harold waited until she was gone before he went in. Henry was just grabbing the broom and starting to clean away the mess Marion had made. He looked up as Harold came in.

'What happened, Henry?' Harold asked.

'Abner's still alive,' Henry answered. 'I got the Cross from him. He faked his own death, Ox.'

'What the devil for?' Harold demanded, unable to believe Abner would do something like that.

'I didn't ask,' Henry said. 'I was too busy fighting to ask why he faked his own death and hurt Marion like that.'