Name-G.I. Joe fic

Chapter 3 (long overdue)

"Now boarding flight 7021 to Cincinatti. This is the final call."

Adam hesitated. Should he even be going on this trip? Was Reagan that unimportant? No. He had to leave. It was the only way he'd keep his job. To keep food on the table. But she wasn't even his to care for, not really. She was the product of two people that left her alone at the young age of four. She had been left in a cornfield as it poured one dark night, bleeding from the right side of her face. Nobody claimed her, and his wife begged Adam to adopt her before she passed away. Of course he loved Reagan, but it was a love he knew didn't belong to him. It belonged to a man who didn't even want his own child...

"Sir..? Did you want a blanket or a pillow before takeoff?" The stewardess's voice brought him back to reality. He was already seated, already set to leave.

"Oh!, um, yes - please. Thank you, ma'am," he replied. The woman smiled and handed him his things, but his thoughts never allowed him to sleep on that flight.

"Jake, are you guys sleeping in the den or in the entertainment room?"

"Um, I'm not sure..." Jake looked to Reagan.

"Why are you looking at me? You know what I'm gonna say, anyways. God, kid..."

"Well, you're the guest, so I thought I'd try to be nice and ask before assuming, geez!" Jake replied in his defense. "The den, Mamá..."

"Why do you insist on trying to be Mexican, dude?" Reagan rolled her eyes humorously.

"Marissa, you guys are sleeping in the entertainment room!" Mrs. Faireborn shouted down the stairwell to her younger child. The huffing and whining soon followed as Marissa and her friends relocated their belongings from one end of the basement to the other.

"So... I heard through the grapevine that someone got invited to join NHS last week..." Mrs. Faireborn smirked at Reagan.

"Jake, you told them!? You swore you weren't gonna tell them!" Reagan instantly wanted to kick Jake in the shin.

"I'm sorry! I let it slip a little, and by then she forced me to repeat myself! It was either that or lose my phone privileges, okay? I'm sorry, but I wasn't willing to lose it just because of your NHS crap."

"Jerk..."

Mrs. Faireborn laughed a little. "Reagan, you are something. You don't take crap from anyone. I like that about you. I always have."

"I learn from the best, ma'am..."

"Well, thank you. And congrats on making NHS. That's a very honorable achievement; not everyone has those kind of smarts."

"Now if only our son actually used the thing between his ears, he'd be in it, too. Congratulations, Reagan. You'll go far in this world with that brain of yours," Mr. Faireborn added with a smirk as he turned into the kitchen.

"Thank you, sir," Reagan replied with a smile.

There was always something about the Faireborns that made them feel like family. They always treated her like their own kid, and both families got along very well together, but there was always something more. Like she was meant to be friends with Jacob Dashiell Faireborn. Whatever it was, she liked it. She always felt like she fit right in with them. It felt... Normal.

Adam looked out the window. There were so many lights down below in dark.

"Hello, this is your captain speaking. If I could just have everyone's attention for a moment, we're just about to land in Cincinnati. The local time is 7:30 p.m. The weather this week is mostly sunny, warm, and just a day of rain. We hope you enjoy your stay in this great city, and thank you for flying with us today."

"God, I love this city..." The man beside Adam said with a content smile on his face. "You from here?"

"Me? No, I'm from Missouri. I'm on a business trip for about a week..." He looked at the picture of him and Reagan he kept in his wallet. He really started to miss that kid.

"That your daughter?"

Adam hesitated. "...Yeah. That's my little girl. She's back home with a family friend while I'm gone."

"Man, she's got some real blue eyes..."

"Just like her mom's... You got kids?"

"Oh, yeah. Two boys," the man said as he began pulling out his wallet. "Miles and Mitchell. They're into karate right now, but they're gonna play basketball this year."

"Big sports guy?"

"Yes, sir. You?"

"Well, I was always a hunter, but that was just me. My daughter's always had a love for three things: music, school, and karate. She, she earned her black when she was 8. Still does it, just not as often."

The two men conversed until the plane had reached asphalt.

"Well, it was nice talking to you, sir. Hope you enjoy everything Cin-city has to offer you."

"Thanks; I hope so, too. Bye, now!"

"Should I call him?"

"Why?"

"Just to make sure he made it there on time, you dip. In case you didn't know, he's the only person I have to pay for my saxophone lessons."

"Well, well, well! I see how you feel about your dad now! All about the moola, huh? Not love, understanding, or friendship, but money! God, kid, you're so spoiled..." Jake smirked. He loved getting under Reagan's skin.

"So are you, Captain Flopper. Your mom spoils you so much..." Reagan hesitated to say it. Was it worth it? Hell yes it was.

"You mama's boy..."

"Hey! That hurts! You got me right in the ego, too..." Jake proceeded to pout. "Turd..."

"Whatever... I'm gonna call him." She hesitated. "No, I'll just wait. He'll call me when he lands or gets to his hotel..."

"Why are you worrying so much?"

"I... I don't know, Jake. It's not like he hasn't left for a business trip before. I'm just... I'm just so worried."

"He'll be fine, Reags. He always is."

"I know..." She sighed. "I need some pizza. And some video games..."

"I'm up for that - let's do it."

A/N: Guys, I think we all know this, but for the record, I don't write regularly, and I probably never will. But with that said, I want you guys to know that I will keep updating this book. I lost my muse (amongst other things), and I'm always on the move... But if you just wait for me, I'll always have something new to add here... Those of you who have been waiting for God knows how long, I thank you for waiting. All I ask is that you keep waiting - I'll make it worth the while. I promise. :) Leave me some comments on this chapter - I tried to expand on Adam a little more on this one.