June 2008
Sam paced. He was nervous, and for what felt like the first time in his life, frightened.
About half an hour ago, he had rushed his pregnant teenage wife into the emergency room. The nurses had whisked her soon after and ordered him to remain in the waiting room. He had reluctantly agreed, standing there as if in a trance. Lost.
Finally growling in exasperation, he looked around and zeroed in on the information desk, which he hoped actually provided what it was advertising.
"Julianna Braddock. I need to know where she is."
The young woman on the other end looked up, having heard the hard menacing tone. Her eyes slightly widened in fear at the anger infused dark blue eyes staring back at her. It took her a couple seconds to process his words but when they did she quickly nodded and typed the name into the server.
"Room 410. Are you-"
As soon as the room number left her mouth, Sam stalked to the elevator and punched the button with a bit more force than necessary. Getting off on the fourth floor, he quickly searched for room 410 and breathed a sigh of relief when he found it.
He was about to open the door when said door opened and two women stepped out - Jules's doctor, Dr. Coleen, and...
"Dr. Zara." Sam greeted suspiciously. This woman had done Jules's first sonogram but wasn't her appointed doctor any longer. Sam had requested it that way after he had given her the terms of their deal.
The older woman in question tensed but met the young man's blue eyes head on. "Samuel."
Dr. Coleen looked between the two curiously and finally broke the thick silence. "I'm guessing you have already met Julianna's husband Sam?"
Dr. Zara raised a shocked eyebrow at that information but wisely remained quiet, only giving a quick nod in response.
Sam spoke up. "Can I see Jules now? What happened?"
The two older women shared a look, and, coming to an understanding, Dr. Zara nodded and walked away.
Dr. Coleen cleared her throat. "As I'm sure you are well aware of, Jules is only a girl." Sam narrowed his eyes at her accusatory tone, but nodded nonetheless.
"Well, her body, considering her size and weight, wasn't and isn't ready to take the physical stress that comes with creating a child. Especially since I understand she's still in school." She flicked through a couple pages on her clipboard and looked at Sam with cold eyes. "Has she been eating? Sleeping?"
Sam felt the anger in his veins boiling. Jules needed him right now and this doctor was playing 20 questions.
"She eats the lunch I pack for her sometimes."
"Sometimes?"
Sam passed a hand through his golden locks. "She's still having her morning sickness so she prefers not to eat so much."
The woman nodded, keeping her eyes glued to the paper as she jotted that down. "What about sleeping?"
"A lot."
The woman again jotted that down. She then looked up at him with what Sam deducted was contempt aimed at him. "Any sex this past month?"
It was on the tip of his tongue to tell her that it was none of her business but decided against it. "Yes."
She nodded crisply and jotted something else down. "Has she been taking her prenatal vitamins?"
"Yes."
The doctor sighed and fixed the glasses perched on her nose. "Due to the lack of food coupled with the physical or emotional stress from school, Jules's body was feeling overloaded so in as sense it shut down. I checked on the baby and we're very lucky that everything's okay. I'm going to have to keep her overnight to monitor her vitals. I inserted an IV tube and prescribed an additional prenatal vitamin." The woman reached up and removed her glasses, lowering her voice a fraction.
"My concern are her risks for a premature birth or, god forbid, a still born baby. I will brief you both on additional precautions after she wakes up." She nodded towards Jules's room. "She's asleep but you can stay here. A nurse will be in every hour to check her vitals. Any emergencies, just press the red button and I'll be here."
Sam nodded. "Thank you."
She nodded tensely and looked back towards the room and back at him with those cold eyes, obviously bothered by the fact that an 18 year old pregnant teen was married to a 21 year old man. "Very well."
She turned on her heel and left.
Sam didn't care what she or anyone thought. His only concern was the young girl lying in a hospital bed before his eyes, looking so small and frail engulfed by all those white sheets.
He closed the door behind him and started, his eyes filling with tears. "Jules, hey sweetheart, I got here as soon as I could..."
He gently approached her and sat in the chair by her bedside, holding on to her hand like a lifeline. "I'm sorry Baby. What I said..." He sniffled. "I love you Jules. More than you can ever know."
He felt tears stream freely down his cheeks. It was the first time he cried since his only sister's death. He laid his head on their intertwined hands and allowed the tears to keep flowing.
He felt overwhelmed by the fear of losing her, imagining not having his angel, his reason for living, at his side. It was unfathomable. But when he saw her sway and fall in his arms, the possibility had become real and it scared him more than he ever thought possible.
"Sam?"
He looked up quickly and wiped at his eyes. His heart soared. "Hey sweetheart."
"Hey." Jules yawned and blinked her eyes. Sam put his other hand on her cheek and caressed it lovingly. She frowned. "Were you crying?"
"Don't worry about me. How are you feeling?"
"Tired." She answered honestly, her voice weak and soft. Her brows furrowed in confusion. "What happened?"
He sucked in a breath. "Apparently your body shut down because you haven't been eating well and stressing too much."
Jules's eyes saddened and she looked down. "I'm sorry."
He lifted her face with his finger. "Hey it's okay. It's not your fault. We just need to make sure you eat healthy and relax some."
"Is the baby okay?"
Sam nodded and smiled. "Yeah." He slipped the hand that was on her cheek under her hospital gown and placed it on her belly, rubbing it gently.
But he wasn't gonna tell her about the risks. Couldn't bring himself to.
She smiled then frowned again. "I'm sorry for earlier. I was just being hormonal." She pouted. "Being pregnant is no fun."
He chuckled and leaned over to press a kiss to her lips. "I bet. But getting you pregnant was fun."
She blushed and laughed. "You are incorrigible."
He grinned. "Maybe."
There was a knock at the door and both turned around to see Dr. Zara walk in.
"Dr. Zara, hi!" Jules smiled at the older woman.
Dr. Zara smiled, ignoring Sam's piercing blue eyes but focusing on the warm brown eyes of the beautiful girl on the hospital bed. "Hello Jules. Can I talk to you?" She glanced at Sam. "In private?"
Jules nodded and looked at Sam, who clenched his jaw and nodded reluctantly. Jules noticed this and raised an eyebrow, but he just got up, fixed the blankets snugly around her and left the room saying he would go get her something to eat.
Dr. Zara closed the door and locked it, moving to sit in the chair Sam had just vacated.
"What's wrong?" Jules yawned, eyeing her carefully.
The woman smiled warmly. "I should be asking you that."
Jules raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What do you mean?"
She sighed deeply and plowed forward. "Has he threatened you or forced you to have sex with him?"
Dr. Zara misinterpreted her shocked face and added. "You can tell me if he's hurting you. I can help you put a stop to what you're going through."
Jules eyes were blazing with anger and she took ragged anger infused breaths. "I don't know who you think you are but you have no right speaking of my husband that way. Sam is an honorable man and he's never hurt me. He loves me more than anyone in my life and if you think that's wrong then I suggest you leave this instant!"
By the end Jules had raised her voice but kept it scarily calm. The doctor's eyes widened and she thought one thing - Stockholm. She reached out a hand to capture Jules's, but the girl pulled away roughly, pulling out the IV in the process.
Jules hissed in pain and began getting agitated, causing the beeping in the room to get louder.
Dr. Zara scrambled to her feet as nurses rushed in, attempting to calm the teen without using a sedative.
Dr. Zara stepped out of the room and bumped into a hard chest, which looking up, corresponded to hard blue eyes.
"What did you do?"
Dr. Zara stared back fiercely. "I tried to help her."
Sam's eyes narrowed as the woman walked off and disappeared down a hallway.
He rushed into Jules's room as the nurses vacated it. He angrily asked what happened and they explained that she must have become agitated by something and regretfully informed him that they had to sedate the pregnant teen, assuring him that it was a special vial that would not harm the baby.
Sam nodded, defeated. He just wanted Jules to be okay.
He sat down by her bedside and took Jules's limp hand in his. Even if the whole world was against them being together, it would always be them against the world.
Or if need be. He against them all.
FPFPFPFPFPFPFPFP
A week later...
"Jules, are you sure?"
Jules grinned as she rubbed her belly in front of the mirror, dressed in the simple black dress she would wear under the gown. "Yes!" She saw the uncertainty in his eyes and huffed adorably. "Sam, it's graduation night! How can I miss it?"
He sighed and wrapped his arms around her small body. "After the scare you gave me last week, I just don't want to leave you alone."
Jules turned in his arms and kissed him lightly, annoyed but understanding of his overprotectiveness. "Sam, I'm okay. Plus, you're going to be there. Maybe not with me, but there."
He kissed her deeply and left her breathless. "Alright, you win."
She smiled cheekily. "I always win, Soldier."
He chuckled and released her to go put on her navy blue and silver graduation gown. He watched her with a proud smile. His girl was going to graduate.
She finished fixing her gown and picked up the matching cap, placing it on. She walked to the mirror and rubbed her belly. "Look, BB, mommy's graduating tonight!"
Sam smiled, his eyes filling with happiness at the beautiful scene. Jules had taken to calling the baby BB (Baby Braddock) ever since last week, after the doctor had explained the risks and Jules had firmly stated that neither would happen. That her baby was going to take after its father - a strong fighter, a survivor.
Sam got up from the bed and stood behind her. "You are the most beautiful girl in the world, ya know that?"
The sincerity and honesty in his voice surprised Jules every time and she blushed every time. "Thank you."
He kissed her cheek. "Have you taken your prenatal vitamins?"
Jules nodded. "Yup! We're ready to go!"
She turned to face Sam, who was dressed in a light blue shirt tucked into blue dress pants, both tailored to fit his body perfectly. Her heart began to beat wildly and she blushed a deep shade of red. Her husband always looked so handsome and just plain hot! "Wow. You always look so wow."
Sam laughed and pulled her to him. "Thanks. Ready to go?"
She nodded and they left their home, hand in hand.
The graduation ceremony went smoothly. Sam was forced to watch the love of his life from afar but he understood. Today was officially her last day of high school and tomorrow was a new day, officially no more hiding. From anyone.
So he smiled and applauded as Jules took her certificate and cheered with the rest of her graduating class. He took pictures and put the memories in his heart.
Memories he would take with him to hostile territory when he got deployed. Memories that would keep him alive in a place trapped by death.
FPFPFPFPFPFPFPFP
Present Time
Sam walks away from SRU HQ and doesn't dare look back. He doesn't trust he can and then resist the urge to run back upstairs, put his precious family in the car, and drive away as fast and far away as possible.
So he opens the door to the passenger seat and slips in, jerking slightly as the jeep peels out of the parking lot roughly.
The men ride in silence, neither sure what to say to the other. As soon as the car is parked in the Braddock household driveway, both jump out and in silent agreement, go retrieve their own motorcycles.
Sam takes his out of the garage and locks up behind him, raising an eyebrow when he sees Matt pull his out of some dark thick bushes from the side of the house.
"I'm gonna make sure to tell Jules to trim those."
Matt chuckles. "Yeah, go on and get rid of my parking spot."
Both grin at the friendly banter they had both missed terribly.
Matt walks over to Sam, who is slipping on his gloves and helmet. "Here are the coordinates." He smiles. "In case you can't keep up and get lost."
Sam submits the coordinates into his encrypted phone and studies the map. He commits it to memory and sticks the paper into a pocket of his leather jacket. "What is it?"
Matt slips on his own gloves and fastens his helmet. "Just an abandoned warehouse I camped out in these last few days. All the ammo and gadgets we'll need are there."
"Sounds like a plan."
"Of course it does, it's my plan. Unlike you're half assed on the spur of the moment ones."
Sam laughs. "Hey, but they always worked didn't they?"
"Eventually." Matt grins.
They both climb their motorcycles and roar into the dead of night, engaging in a friendly competition of who could get there faster.
The structure is about 10 miles out of the city, in a small clearing among the woods, hiden and concealed from prying eyes or ears.
"Whoo!" Matt cheers as he wildly comes to a stop in front of the warehouse. "I won! You owe me some drinks buddy!"
Sam rolls his eyes as he also comes to a stop. "By a second Matt. One second."
"Don't be a sore loser Braddock." Matt smirks as he unlatches the chains and locks to the warehouse door.
Sam chuckles. "Whatever I'll buy you all the drinks you want just cause." Cause I'm glad you're actually alive, Sam thinks to himself.
"Deal."
As Matt unlocks, Sam quickly creates a mental blueprint of the outside of the warehouse. Although the night is pitch black, his trained eyes absorb every detail. A rusty, metallic structure of two floors. Two large boarded up windows on each floor. Fading gray paint and unhinged roof.
The door finally creaks open and both men enter cautiously, guns and dim flashlights drawn, and clear the area.
Once they are both satisfied that it's still deserted, Matt motions for Sam to follow him.
They climb the creaking metal stairs and Matt points with his flashlight to a sleeping bag in one corner. He bends on his knee and opens it, revealing all kinds of weapons and gadgets, including a laptop.
"Impressive." Sam grins, picking up a rifle and checking out the compartments.
"Most of it is military grade - high tech." Matt retrieves the flash drive from his pocket and inserts it into the laptop. "Alright now we should know who's gonna pay."
Sam takes a knee behind his friend and studies the list of names on the screen. There are 8 in total, his father being one of the top leaders. The list reads as follows:
General Zachary Braddock
General Anthony Hastings
Sgt. Michael Williams
Sgt. Nathan Collins
Col. Victor McAllister
Col. Benjamin Davis
Major Xavier Hanston
Major Joshua Clinton
Each name, however, is also a link that once clicked on, provides extensive background information on each subject. Matt and Sam spend over two hours reading over each detail, committing as much information as possible to memory and jotting down what's most important.
As soon as research is finished, both men pack up and clean out for fingerprints or any clue as to their stay in the building. They do this all efficiently and quietly, leaving the warehouse as if they had never entered it.
As they ride out of the city at the peak of dawn, both heavily armed, Sam can't stop thinking about one thing.
Jules had mentioned Spike completed all this research in order find out about the man that abandoned her as a child. Meaning...
With a sinking feeling, Sam realizes one of these men is Jules's father.
A/N: Wow the action is ready to begin! What do you all think? All your reviews, PMs, etcs motivated me to a faster update and YAY, I updated! I hope you all keep enjoying the story and wondering what in the world is gonna happen next:)
Pt. 1: Turns out Jules is having pregnancy complications because she's a teen. And there's some friction btwn Sam and the doctors because of it. Is Dr. Zara gonna tell and what are gonna be the long term repercussions?
Pt. 2: I hope you all liked that I brought Sam's buddy Matt into the story! I love writing these badass scenes with Sam! And now you all have the list too:) Next next chapter will have more of these guys - bringing down the first crooked official!
Next chapter will be the team's reactions and Jules's confessions AND a surprise visit which will have a huge impact in everyone's lives. As seen in Ch. 9, I'm incorporating Team One more - especially Spike! Hope you stay WI th me for the ride and I can't wait know what you are all thinking! Please leave me a review! :) Thanks for reading!