Once they were discharged, loading up Mr. Keller into the car didn't take very long. They had to cut the pant leg off of his Dockers, which made Jennifer wonder if he had anything that would accommodate the long cast at home.
"Dad, do you mind if I drop you and Cameron off and then go shop for something comfortable for you to wear until the cast comes off? And I'll need to pick up your prescriptions at the drugstore. They gave you something for the pain and some Ambien in case you have trouble sleeping," Jennifer said, turning to her dad. "There are a few more things they didn't think of that I'll pick up at the medical supply place. Your insurance covers everything, so may as well."
"Yeah, sounds good. I'm sorry you have to go to all of this trouble for me."
"Hey," she smiled. "I'm actually getting extra vacation time for this. So I should be thanking you." Jennifer winked at her father, who was behind them with his body turned so that his leg was propped up across the seat.
Cameron soaked in the scenery. He missed the wide open spaces. Wisconsin was nothing like Kansas, but the sprawling farms reminded him of home. "You know, sweats may be good but those tear-away sports pants are great for stuff like this. We've had a couple guys have bad breaks in the infirmary. Dr. Lam keeps those in stock in all sizes."
Jennifer turned at the farm they'd just passed. "Good idea."
"See," he said. "I'm good for something. Even though I don't have a MD."
Her father made a sound like he was about to laugh but held it in.
Soon they arrived at the house. Cameron studied the home Jennifer had grown up in. It was older, but had a ton of character. It was two floors, making Cameron hope either her father's bedroom was on the first floor or that there was somewhere they could make a make-shift bedroom until he was able to climb stairs once again. Lace window curtains decorated one window, while the other was made of purple gingham material. He guessed one of the rooms had been Jennifer's.
The outside was inviting to guests. It was well-kept; fresh paint, a well-tended flower bed and garden greeted them as they pulled up.
"Dad, the house looks great. When did you paint it?"
"A few months back. I was able to do most of it but had to hire out to paint the second level. Bob's son did a good job," her father said.
Cameron opened the door and then went to get her father. "Jen, why don't you prop open the door for us and then prep somewhere comfortable for him to sit until you dad goes to bed?"
Agreeing, she flew up the stairs and began unlocking the door. Cameron turned to open her father's door. Grabbing the crutches, he leaned them against the door. "Okay, have you ever use these bad boys?"
Her father shook his head.
"Here's the thing. Let's go over a few tips no one thought to tell me when I had them a few years back. First off, when you go to walk, only put them about a foot ahead of you when you take a step. I was a little impatient when I had mine and put them way in front of my body. When I went to take the step, I almost fell flat on my face." He offered his arm to help her father out of the car. "Next, put your weight on your good leg. Once you get the crutches, bend your elbows and lean a little forward with your shoulders."
Watching him, he was satisfied the man wouldn't fall and stepped back. "Okay, take your time. Make your way over to the stairs and I'll meet you there." While Mr. Keller awkwardly walked to the stairs, Cameron shut both doors and quickly unloaded their suitcases. Dropping them at the steps, he turned.
"Okay, now tell me how I get up these stairs." Her father, a little winded from the exertion, turned to Cameron.
"You're not going to attempt these stairs, unless we want to be killed by your daughter." Cam motioned for her father to grab hold of the banister while he ran the crutches up to the door. "I'm carrying you. No arguments."
"I don't think so," her father puffed. "I can sit down backwards on this step and lift myself up the rest."
"And what are you going to do when you get to the top? Either way, I'm lifting you at one point. Let's make this easier on both of us and get this done before she comes back. From experience, I remember not enjoying an audience when my buddies had to carry me around when I was laid up."
Her father sighed. "You're as stubborn as her, aren't you?"
"Probably," Cameron smirked. Bending, he lifted her father up and made short time of getting him up the small flight of stairs. "Now that wasn't bad, was it?"
"You do stuff like this a lot?" Her father said, turned to grab the crutches.
"All the time with my dad," he answered. "He lost both legs as a test pilot back when I was growing up. And a few times with guys on missions. Well, lately, more than a few times."
Following her father, he kept a careful watch to make sure he didn't trip. Once they were through the door, Cameron was able to look around a little. Wood floors stretched across the home. A few worn but still in good condition rugs lay under the dining room table as well as the living area. Two couches lined the wall by the TV. The kitchen, he assumed, was through a swinging door behind the dining room.
The place was neat, but slightly cluttered enough to make Cameron feel comfortable. Settling her father on the couch, he propped the man's leg up onto the coffee table.
"Dad, you need anything? I want to get to the stores before they close at 9. I'm going to be cutting it short." Jennifer sailed into the room, handing her father a glass of ice water.
"No, I'll be fine."
"Drink," she commanded. "It helps with the healing process, trust me." Jennifer turned to Cameron. The man had been her rock for the past few hours. Wanting desperately to wrap herself into his arms and tell him how much this all meant to her, she directed her gaze to the door. Cameron caught on to her signal.
"I'll walk with you. I have to get some of our luggage still out of the rental."
Jennifer shut the door behind her. Reaching for his hand, she gripped it firmly and held on to his arm with the other hand. "Cam," she said as soon as they got down the stairs. "I can't thank you enough for what you've done. And what you're doing. I didn't realize how much this would all be for me." She hugged him fiercely.
He pressed her head to his lips and wrapped his arms around her. "Hey, I'm getting a lot out of this trip, too. I'll see you more. Get to bond with the girlfriend's father, for better or for worse, I guess. And I get to see where you grew up. You know," he said, pulling her tightly against him. "I still have a lot to learn about you. Maybe your dad and I will pull out the old yearbooks while you're gone."
She swatted at him. "Absolutely not. Don't you dare!"
"Hmm..." he pulled her behind the rental vehicle. "I could be persuaded with the right motivation."
Seeing his devilish look, she laughed. Stretching up on her toes, she grabbed a hold of the front of his shirt and lifted her head. Capturing his mouth in a soft kiss, she sighed. "Okay, I better go before they close."
Cameron watched her pull away and then turned to the house. Lugging their suitcases inside, he set them by the door.
"Where's Jennifer's room? Upstairs?" Cameron grabbed her luggage.
"Yeah, second room on the left."
He made his way up the stairs, looking at several pictures on the way. Grinning at the sight of Jennifer as a kid, he paused a few times to take a look at a freckled faced young girl obviously pictured as daddy's little girl. One picture showed the pair horseback riding; others were random pictures of Jennifer in school, he assumed, often posing with an award or medal around her neck. Finally, he reached her room and set down the bag she'd brought. Her room was mostly painted white, but had a deep, lavender colored border around the walls. Framed art of wildflowers and butterflies were hung up on two walls. A desk, mostly cleared off except for a few photos of Jennifer and some friends or family members, was in one corner of the room. He eyed the yearbooks lined up on one shelf, tempted to flip through them, but remembered his promise and decided to go back downstairs. There would be time for that later, anyways, he grinned.
The doorbell rang just as Cameron walked down the steps. Seeing her father struggling to try to get up, he motioned for him to sit down and answered the door. Not expecting an overly excited puppy to jump through into the house, he stepped back as a flash of brown fur flew and ran to Mr. Keller.
"Well, guess someone's excited that their master is home," an older woman laughed. "Hi, you must be a friend of Jennifer's. I'm Sheila, a neighbor from down the road. I've been watching Hershey."
Cameron laughed, shaking the woman's hand. "Cameron. Nice to meet you. Hershey, huh?" Inviting the woman in, he watched Mr. Keller's interaction with the puppy. A huge smile plastered the man's face as the dog wouldn't stop jumping and licking his face. "Nice looking dog. He's going to be a monster, isn't he?"
"Probably," she moved toward the couch. "And how you feeling, Don? Looks like it was quite a break."
Her father ducked his head. "It's fine. I'll be up in no time," he said. Cameron was quick to see a faint stain of red splatter across the man's cheeks. Isn't that interesting, he thought. The man obviously had a crush on his neighbor.
Sheila sat down, inspecting his leg. "Well, you just call me if anything comes up." Looking up at Cameron, she grinned. "I'm surprised he let Jenny even come home. Don fought us when the doctor and I tried to convince him to call the emergency number we had for her. We finally just did it behind his back."
Instantly liking this woman, Cameron sat down in a chair opposite of them. "Well, he didn't have a choice. As soon as our boss got a hold of her, we just made the arrangements to get her here."
Eying him, she winked. "Didn't know our girl had a boyfriend. When were you going to tell me, Don?"
Her father grunted unhappily. "Didn't know myself until he showed up with her," taking the bite out of his words with a slight smile. "First time I met him, he had just met her. A few weeks later, he's escorting her in a helicopter and private military plane to get here."
Sheila laughed. "Oh, you'll have to excuse him. Jenny never had a crowd of boys calling or showing up on his doorstep. He luckily avoided that part of a teenager's life. Looks like she's making up for lost time now. So do you work with her?"
He shook his head. "No, actually. She's going to be stationed where I work a few months out of the year, but her main assignment hasn't changed."
"You're military?" she asked, trying to get more information out of him.
He nodded. "Air Force."
Sheila shook her head. "Never in a million years would I have imagined her with a military man. A boring doctor, maybe... but you'll be good for her. You must have some high connections to get access to transportation like that. What rank do you hold?"
Uncomfortable with talking about himself, he shifted his position. "Lieutenant Colonel."
Impressed, she looked back at Jennifer's father. "Well, your girl certainly knows how to pick them." Patting his knee, sending the man reddening again, she moved to get up. Cameron stood up and followed her to the door. "You know my number, Don, if you need anything. How long are you two staying?"
"Until Jen's uncle gets here. We're due back Friday night."
"Well, I'd be more than happy to come over and sit with Don if you two want to get out one night." She smiled and opened the door. "He likes you," she whispered. "He's just not ready to give up his little girl. The old sap."
"Hey, this old sap can hear, you know." Her father grunted from the couch.
Laughing, she left, leaving the two men alone.
Hershey raced to the door, barking a farewell greeting at the woman. Turning, he ran to Cameron, who immediately sat down on the floor and began scratching the dog. In his own version of heaven, Hershey moaned and moved on his back, belly up, allowing Cam to scratch his belly.
"He has no pride," her father laughed. "I don't know what I was thinking when I bought him off of my buddy. He only had two left in the litter. Hershey came up to me, wagging his tail, and wouldn't leave me alone."
Patting the dog on its head, Cameron moved to get up. "I had a dog my entire life growing up. It's the one thing I miss. I'm gone too much to have my own. Maybe someday." He turned to Mr. Keller. "Okay, how about we get you settled for the night so that when you're ready to go to bed, we don't have to worry about anything. Where's your room?"
"Around the corner. My wife and I built an addition once we had Jennifer, thinking the two bedrooms upstairs would be for our kids. But when she died," he said sadly, "I just kept the extra room as a guest room."
Cameron nodded. "Well, that's good for you in this situation. There's no way you'll be able to do stairs for the next few months. Do you want to try a shower? I can get you set up."
While Cameron instructed him to undress and put a robe on, he went in search for a trash bag. He gave him some tips on how to handle daily rituals he would encounter with the cast. "After a few days, you'll get used to all of this and won't need much help." After putting the bag over the cast, he guided him to the shower. "Okay, you'll still need to keep that leg away from the stream, but at least you can have a half shower."
He waited outside the door until her father was done. He knew it was embarrassing for the man to accept his help, but he knew the man would rather it be him that his daughter. Once he was done and had his robe and a pair of comfortable shorts on, Cameron went back in to help uncover his cast and help him to the crutches.
"Cameron, if I haven't told you already," her father said, wobbling on his crutches out of the bathroom and into his bedroom. "I appreciate this. You were right. It would have been too much on her to do this all week."
"Don't even mention it." Cam said, setting the crutches next to the bed and pulling the covers back. Her father set the robe next to the bed and got in. "You want a shirt or something?"
"Yeah, top drawer over there."
Cameron tossed it to him and looked around. "Well, are you tired yet or do you want me to flip on the TV?"
Her father shook his head. "No. Mind sitting for awhile?"
Surprised, Cameron found a chair by the bed and sat down.
"So since you're going to be dating my girl," the man said, pulling the covers over his legs, "how about you tell me a few things about yourself. And why don't you call me Don. Mr. Keller makes me feel old."
Cameron laughed, relaxing. He leaned back in the chair. "Well, I'm Kansas born and bred," he stared. "I lived in a city called Auburn. Folks still live there." He smiled. "Great place to grow up for a kid, but once I got out of school, I wanted to travel. Since my dad was in the Air Force, I decided to join up. I became a pilot, fought in Dessert Storm," a dark look passed his face. "And eventually came back to the states, working with a variety of different attack aircrafts, until eventually I asked to be transferred to Colorado."
"What's in Colorado that pulled you there?" Her father asked.
This is tricky, Cam thought. "Well, I was injured in a pretty big battle. While I was in the hospital, a friend of mine now... his name is General O'Neil... he promised me any assignment. I don't think anyone would have guessed I would have pulled through it and regain the ability to walk, but once I did, I heard about the work he was involved in and wanted to join up."
"So this injury, it was pretty bad?"
"Yeah, I went down with my plan. Both legs took a beating."
They were both quiet for a minute.
"You know what's the hardest for me?" Her dad said, looking at the ceiling. "I was thrilled when she became a doctor. It was good work, nothing too risky involved. It was what she wanted to do her entire life. But then, she comes home and tells me the government wanted her to join a classified operation. That she would be gone for a few years, possibly, without any means of communicating with me. And that there would be risks involved." Mr. Keller sighed. "It about stopped my heart. But I knew, just from the way she was talking about it, that it was something she wanted to do. I can't tell you enough how hard it is, as a father, not knowing where your only child is, who's she with, what's she's doing. But the worst is not knowing if something bad happens to her, how long it will take for me to find out."
He turned to Cameron.
"Do you know what she does?"
Cameron met his eyes and nodded.
"First time I met you, I asked you if she was safe. You didn't know her then, didn't feel the way you do about her now, right?"
Cam shifted, nodding. He knew her father wanted answers, but he felt helpless in trying to give him any peace. Because the same things her father was worried about was exactly the growing feelings that he was having about her returning to Atlantis next month.
"Should I be as worried as I am?"
It was a tough question to answer. He thought about it before answering.
"At times, there are risks. But like I said before, she's surrounded by the best. One of the best pilots and military men in the Air Force is stationed where she works. I haven't worked with him directly, but have heard that he takes care of his team like his own family."
Her father digested his words. "Is there any chance in the future that whatever she's doing, God knows where, that it will be declassified?"
Cameron shook his head. "There are no plans for that." An idea was forming in his head. He wanted to give the man at least a glimpse of what his daughter was involved in. But he would have to make some calls first. Not wanting to get his hopes up, he stood up, hearing Jennifer return.
"I can promise you this," Cameron said. "I'll keep in contact with you. When I get back to Colorado and she leaves next month. When I hear from her, I'll pass along a message to you. Phone calls, emails, whatever works for you."
Her father nodded. "I'd appreciate that."
Later, when he father was settled, they built a fire in the family room and sat on the couch together. Snuggling into Cameron's arms, Jennifer wrapped her arm around his waist.
"Is this for real?" she asked him. "I mean, I don't have much experience in the relationship department, but I just didn't expect it to be like this."
He nuzzled her neck, brushing his lips across her check. "Hmmm... maybe you should tell me what you're feeling."
Distracted by his lips, she pulled her head back so she could look into his eyes. "I feel like I've never been so happy in my entire life," she began, lifting her face to kiss his lips. "You know the feeling of being a part of something special... like the Stargate program? Well, it feels like that, but even better. Even before this weekend, I just couldn't wait to see you during the day. Just to talk or hang out. And then this weekend..." she laid her head back into his shoulder. "Lying in your arms watching a movie and then the next day having a picnic by the mountains... it's just happening so fast. And now my dad being laid up and you coming here to help me. I just never imagined falling for someone so quickly and having them mean so much to me in just a short time."
Frowning, he held on to her. "It has to. There's only a few more weeks until you go back."
They both just stared at the fire.
"Are we crazy, Cam? To start this?"
He stroked her hair. "A wise woman once told me that love is worth it, no matter how little time you get to spend with that person."
Jennifer smiled. Feeling drowsy, shortly after she fell asleep in his arms.
Sorry about the lack of Jen/Cam time, but I wanted him and her father to have some man to man time. I have some ideas about where this is going next, so keep reading! Thanks for the reviews and messages! I appreciate them!