First week home
Jennifer's first few days at the SGC went well, thanks to Colonel Mitchell and a handful of other personnel. She'd met her team who'd be working with her on various projects from the data collected and sent from Pegasus.
She'd signed the rental agreement to the condo suggested by Mitchell. Jennifer found herself liking him immediately. If she was honest with herself, Jennifer was momentarily distracted by the attraction she felt for him at first sight. The man had the most amazing green eyes. But more importantly, she experienced a connection with him instantly… as if she knew she could rely on this man as much as Sheppard.
Thinking back to the day after she'd met him, he'd come to her lab. She'd wanted to meet with her team for a few hours in the morning to go over a rough outline of a schedule based around her work schedule. She didn't notice him at first, but when one of the scientists assigned to her team had cleared his throat and motioned to the door, she excused herself to meet him.
"Dr. Keller," Mitchell began. "Sorry to interrupt. I wanted to let you know my buddy offered to have the papers drawn up today, if you want. Of course, you'll want to see the place first, right?"
She felt a tightening in her chest.
"Hey," he said, sensing something was wrong. "You don't have to decide today. Take the weekend."
Jennifer looked down to find his hand gently against her arm in a comforting gesture. Knowing she was being silly, she glanced appreciatively up at him.
"Sorry, Colonel. I'm trying to adjust to everything that's happened in the past 72 hours..." she began to admit, feeling embarrassed. "I'm not usually like this."
Shaking his head, he pulled her into her office off to the side of the lab. "Come on," he said as he guided her into a chair. "First, I think you're doing remarkably well. You've had quite a shock with the news about your father, switched jobs... within two galaxies, might I add... combine that with the worries of moving, meeting your new staff, and going to see your father this weekend. How about letting us help you?"
Jennifer nodded. "Colonel, you all have been doing a lot for me. I'm doing okay."
Cameron stood his ground, insistent on helping her. "You can wait on deciding on the place. He's in no rush. Or," he paused, gauging her reaction. "If you want, I can have the papers faxed over to sign and Teal'C and I will handle moving you in this weekend while you're gone. Sheppard mentioned your belongings were stored in a unit not far away from the SGC."
"Colonel, that's not necessary. I can deal with the move after I get home for the weekend. Once I see my father, I won't be as overwhelmed."
Cameron turned a deaf ear. "Too bad. Teal'C already agreed if you give us the okay."
Looking up at him, she smiled. "Are you always this pushy?"
He shrugged. "Depends on the occasion."
Cameron leaned back, studying her face. She looked tired, stressed, but there was still a look of pride in her to be stubborn about handling everything herself.
"I read your file. You're an only child. You worked your butt off in school to the point you skipped grades and were fast-tracked through college. You literally went from your residency to working for the government until you were recruited here. From reports I've seen, you did a great job as the CMO of Atlantis." He leveled a look at her. "You have nothing to prove, Keller. Everyone knows how capable you are, but how about letting us give you a hand?"
Jennifer gave up protesting.
"Okay, you win. Go ahead and set up the paperwork with your friend. And I'll give you the key to my storage unit before leaving in the morning," Jennifer replied.
"See?" he grinned, standing up. "That wasn't so hard."
"I'm going to find a way to thank you and Teal'C for your help. Maybe dinner once I get settled?" She flushed a bit. "I'm actually a decent cook. I may be a little rusty, of course."
Cameron brightened. "A home cooked meal? Really?" When Jennifer laughed, he joined in. "I never cook for just myself. So it's usually take out or SGC food."
She made a face. "Well, I'll look forward to cooking you both something special." She led the way out of the office and turned before he left. "Thanks again, Mitchell. I really appreciate everything."
"Just focus on enjoying your time with your father and we'll see to everything else," Cameron said as he left. "I'll see you when you get back."
The travel arrangements set up by the SGC couldn't have been more convenient for Jennifer. In seconds, she was transported from her office, up to the Daedlaus and back down to her father's home. She'd known he'd be gone upon her arrival. Despite medical privacy laws, Samantha had obtained his medical schedule. She spent a few minutes walking around the home and studying the changes he'd made in her absence.
Next to nothing had changed, except for a picture of him and a woman she'd never seen before sitting on the mantle.
A girlfriend? She thought to herself. Her heart gave a little start at the notion of her father dating a woman. Jennifer never remembered him in a relationship, let alone going on dates, with women after her mother had passed away when she was a child.
She picked up the frame and studied the woman. She was slightly shorter than her father, with short, brown hair and a warm smile that reached her eyes. In the photo, her father was looking at the woman rather than the camera and smiling like she hadn't seen him smile in years.
A truck pulling into the driveway distracted her. Jennifer placed the frame back where she found it and went to stand in the doorway. Recognizing the vehicle as her father's, she took a deep breath in anticipation. She watched him climb the stairs, slightly slower than normal, and the pause to unlock the front door. He frowned in confusion when the door opened, obviously questioning if he'd locked it.
"Sweetheart?" He startled as he looked and saw her standing there, dropping his hat in the doorway. "You're home?"
The look on her father's face when he saw her made every change that happened in her life in the past 72 hours worth while.
Nodding, Jennifer's eyes drank in the sight of him. He looked a little tired, but still appeared physically as strong as she'd last seen him. Joseph Keller had been a dairy farmer his entire life and had a body that proved his hard profession.
"Dad," she whispered and threw herself into his arms. Despite his illness, he lifted her off the ground and hugged her tightly. When she finally opened her eyes, Jennifer saw the same woman from the picture climbing the stairs to the house behind them.
"Maybe I should fill these prescriptions now rather than in the morn-" the woman stopped when she saw the scene before her. As Jennifer's father turned around, he appeared flustered.
"Margaret," he said, stepping to the side to reveal Jennifer. "My baby's home. This is Jennifer."
The woman smiled warmly. "I can see that. You only have about a thousand photos of her around here." Margaret stepped forward and held out her hand. "Jennifer, it's wonderful to finally meet you. Your dad here is so proud of you."
Jennifer tried to catch up, feeling a little out of sorts that her father hadn't mentioned he was dating someone. But for some reason, she instantly took a liking to this woman. She reached out her hand as well, with one arm still around her father. "I'm happy to meet you as well, Margaret."
Smiling from daughter to father, Margaret must've picked up the awkwardness of her being there during a private moment. "I better get going. Joe, I'm going to run and get these filled. I'll drop them off later so that you both get a chance to catch up."
To both of their surprise, Jennifer stepped forward. "No, wait," she said. "I'd love for you to stay. We can order a pizza in a few hours."
Joseph glanced at his daughter and back to Margaret. "How about this? If you wouldn't mind dropping by the drugstore for me, you can bring the pills back later. We'll order a pizza then. Say, in a few hours?"
Margaret nodded. "If you're sure I'm not intruding. You haven't seen Jennifer in almost a year and a half."
"No, I insist," Jennifer assured the older woman. "I'm actually here through Sunday night," she said, deciding not to drop the news that she'd actually be there every weekend until the illness took her father. "I'd really like it if you came back, Margaret."
The woman smiled. "You're just like your father described you." Looking at Joseph, she squeezed his arm. "See you in a bit."
They silently watched Margaret climb into her car and pull away.
"You're been holding out on me, dad," Jennifer murmured as she watched Margaret's car slowly disappear from sight. She wrapped her arms around her waist, struggling to keep it together. She wanted to cry and refused to look back at him until she had her emotions under control.
The tears were threatening to overflow as she stood alone with her father since she'd learned of his cancer,.
Knowing his daughter was putting off the inevitable, he pulled her into his arms. "Jennifer, come here." And then the dam broke. Jennifer thought she could be strong and hold it in, but now in her father's arms, it was too much to control.
"I'm so sorry, dad," she sobbed. "I got here as fast as I could. And I'm sticking around. They gave me a temporary transfer. I'm able to come home every weekend. For three days."
He pulled her away. "What? I thought you were out of the country?"
"I am. Well, I was. But my superiors found out about the situation and offered me a two year leave of absence-"
"No, Jen," her father shook his head and sat down, obviously upset. "I'm not going to let you give up whatever has been making you so happy these past years. I know you're a part of something big. Bigger than anything you've done before."
"Dad, I'm not going anywhere," Jennifer said, sitting down next to him at the table. "The paperwork is already filed. Besides, most of the work I'll be doing directly ties in with the job I left. I'm going to be stationed in Colorado, like I was before I left a few years ago. And because of time off I've earned, they're insisting I only work four days a week. That leaves the weekends for me to come home."
Her dad sat in silence for several moments. "But how can you afford to fly back and forth like that? On military salary? Certainly you're not flying?"
Knowing she was treading on a sensitive area, she brushed him off. "I work for the Air Force, Dad. Getting here is the easiest part. And it's part of the deal."
He looked down at his hands, obviously no longer going to attempt to talk her out of her decision.
She reached over and grabbed him.
"Dad, I want to be here for you. To spend time with you."
"I know, hon," he resigned. "Look. I'm at peace with what's happening to me. I've led a good life. And many people don't have as much time or even advance warning when they're time is up."
Tears formed in her eyes again. "Dad, if I haven't told you how amazing you are..." she choked up. "You have always been able to look at the bright side of everything... mom's death. And when I left you not knowing where I'm stationed."
"Well," he said gruffly. "I wasn't always that way. Your mother had quiet an influence on me." He took her hands and gently rubbed her knuckles. "Can I ask a favor? This weekend... the first one you're back for? Can we not talk about what's going on with me? Can we just have this one weekend together and pretend that nothing has changed?"
Jen felt relief in her chest. "That sounds perfect, Dad." Smiling, she scooted up closer to him. "So, who is Margaret and where did she come from?"
Her father threw back his head and laughed. "I knew that question was coming..."
They sat there for hours, talking and laughing, pushing aside her father's disease for the moment.
Later on when Margaret returned, Jennifer found herself liking Margaret as she shared stories of recent trips and adventures the couple had taken since they'd met. She saw the love radiating out of the older woman's eyes and felt a surge of thankfulness that Margaret would be by her father's side when Jennifer wasn't around through the week.
The weekend flew by, without any talks of cancer or treatments. Jennifer was grateful for the chance to spend it with her father and Margaret, but knew that her father's time was numbered. Reality of the situation would sink in soon.
Thanks for the read and for the reviews. Next chapter up tomorrow!