We Stand Alone

Chapter 4

With night quickly falling, Emily Sullivan sat quietly, nursing Mary's latest concoction at Bailey's Tavern, thinking about the events of her life and how she had changed her over the past five years.

Growing up, her home life had been less than idyllic. Having Jonah as her father, she had grown up fast….too fast. It had always been hard for her to make friends. When people found out who her father was, judgments about the type of person she was were automatically made. There were only a handful of people that she would consider to be a good friend. Lately, it seemed, those people seemed to disappear from her life.

Emily's thoughts turned to her brother, Chris. Even though he had been four years younger than her, had always managed to look out for his sister. They had been a source of comfort to each other from her earliest memories. Jonah would fly into and out of their lives when it would suit him. His "business" opportunities seemingly always in the way. Chris had been the only stability she had ever known and he was gone now.

The anger and resentment she felt for Jake regarding Chris's death consumed her life for years, then slowly, things began to change for her. She had made friends with Heather, met Roger, and had begun to move on with her life. She had been the happiest she had been in a long time. Things that she let run her before, like Jonah, were pushed to the side to make space for the good things. It was then that she realized that she could not go on hold what had happened to Chris against Jake. The time had come to apologize to Jake and to forgive herself for blaming him all these years.

Her thoughts shifted to the day New Bern attacked Jericho. She had been avoiding Jake since then. He had kissed her that day. She knew the only reason he did it was because he had needed comfort from the loss of his father. The kiss they had stirred emotions within her she thought she had left behind. Since then she had been trying to figure out if a relationship with Jake would work. It had been weeks of listing pros and cons and she was no closer to reaching a decision.

Emily's first thoughts after Stanley entered the tavern with the news regarding Heather's return were about the wonderful friendship they shared. Heather had been one of the few people in her life that had given her a chance…….a chance to prove that there was more to her than being Jonah's daughter. Heather was one of the few people in this world that she had let in to her life since she lost her brother. She was happy to have the chance to let her know just how much her friendship had meant to her.

It was then that Emily recalled Jake's reaction when he had tried to tell her that Heather was dead. She could tell that Jake felt more for Heather than just guilt for letting her go to New Bern. She would be lying to herself if she thought otherwise. She realized right then that fate had made the decision for her. There would be no future for her and Jake. She needed to let go of any thoughts of a reconciliation with him.
After asking Stanley if he knew where Jake might be, Emily made her way out of Bailey's and walked towards Town Hall where she noticed Jake making his way down the steps. She raised her hand to catch his attention.

Emily flashed Jake a smile. "I just saw Stanley at Bailey's, is it true? Heather is alive?", knowing that she wouldn't truly believe it until it came out of Jake's mouth.

Jake nodded, "She sent Colonel Hammond here to save Jericho. She saved us, Emily." Jake knew what her next question would be and answered her before she could ask. "She was pretty tired so I left her back at her apartment to get some rest."

"Is she all right?" Emily asked, genuinely concerned for her friend. She noticed that Jake's eyes darkened at this question. "Jake, is she all right?" She questioned again, more urgently.

"I don't know what happened to her out there Em, but I can't imagine it was anything good. She seems……a little off. I think she just needs some time to readjust."

Jake couldn't think of a way to sugarcoat the situation and there was no sense in hiding it from Emily. If he noticed that Heather was not herself, certainly Emily would as well.

"I should go see her.." Emily started and was interrupted by Jake who raised his hand to her shoulder.

"Tomorrow might be better, Em. She's had a long trip home."

Emily nodded and deciphered this last statement to mean that he would be seeing Heather soon. This was here chance. It was now or never.

"Jake, listen, there's something I need to talk to you about." she blurted out quickly, before she lost her nerve.

Jake's eyes grew wider with the realization that she wanted to talk about "them". The kiss that they shared in his time of grief was now fresh on his mind. He had needed her comfort then and hoped that she did not mistake it for anything other than what it was.

"You're not the only one who has changed a lot in the past five years, you know." The memories of the times they shared raced through her mind. "I know that what happened with Chris was not your fault. I needed someone to blame. I'm sorry that someone was you."

Jake was stunned, not knowing what to say or where she would go next with their long, overdue talk, he just stared at her like a deer caught in headlights. Emily was apologizing…….to him. Things really had changed.

"I owe you an apology too, Em." Jake had waited a long time for this moment and he chose his words carefully wanting to get it right. "I regret leaving here the way I did. I should have stuck around to work things out. Things may have been different if I would have stayed………. I was a stupid kid who didn't know any better…..I'm sorry." There they were. The things that he had wanted to express to her for so long were finally out in the open.

The awkwardness that they had both felt since Jake arrived back in Jericho started to fade. Emily saw Jake as the man he had become and Jake no longer saw Emily as the hurt young woman he had left behind.

Gently, Emily broached the next topic on her agenda. "Jake, Heather has feelings for you. You know that don't you?" Not wanting to be interrupted, she continued, "I saw your eyes light up, when I asked about her earlier." She hesitated slightly and gave a small smile…"I know that look……I've seen it before.

Emily chose her next words carefully, wanting Jake to know that they were sincere. "Heather has been a very good friend to me Jake. I don't want to see her get hurt."

Jake knew Emily's last statement was made with nothing more than Heather's best interest at heart and he took it for what it was worth. He had no intention of hurting Heather, but he also knew from past experience that his good intentions didn't always work out.

"You headed back to Bailey's?" Jake asked, tilting his head towards the tavern.

"Yeah, thought I would for a while. On your way to see Heather?", knowing already what the answer would be.

Jake smirked. Emily could still read him like she used to. "I Told her I would be back to check up on her. Would you do me a favor and let everyone know there will be a town meeting tomorrow at 3:00PM. Colonel Hammond's left a mediator here to deal with New Bern and Gray wants to show-boat about Constantino's trial." At the mention of Constantino, Jake's thoughts settled back on Heather and the task that he would now need to complete.

"Will do," Emily nodded and made an effort to catch Jake's eye, "Tell Heather I'll be by tomorrow, ……and Jake…..I'm happy for you."

With that said, Emily turned and headed back to Bailey's knowing that she was now a little closer to the person she was just before the bombs had gone off. The person that she knew had been happy. Heather's return had reminded her of who she was before all this craziness had happened and she was thankful for that.

Jake watched Emily walk towards Bailey's and shook his head in disbelief over what had just transpired between them. She still; was one hell of a woman.

Jake turned and started his walk to Heather's apartment. For the first time that evening he noticed the bitterness in in the air. He instinctively knew that this was a sign of things to come. Dread filled his mind at the thought of having to tell Heather they would need her help with Constantino's trial. Jake tried to push the thoughts of how much danger Heather was now in out of his mind. With the town meeting tomorrow, there would be no more time to give her. Heather would have to tell him about New Bern…and it would have to be tonight.