Chapter 25

The following hours passed by like a whirlwind. I couldn't get enough bonding time with Josephine. I was in constant fear that Jonas would snatch her away from me again. After talking to Josephine, I learned that she had been out of school for a while. All this time, she had stayed with Jonas' parents. I remember Jonas' mom being a teacher and Josephine said that she was homeschooled.

Jonas came busting down the stairs and was about to leave. Getting up I walk over to him with Josephine near me.

"Hey Jonas, are you going to get Josephine enrolled in school?"

"Um, no. I got called in, couldn't get out of it, and honestly, things are getting a bit dull around here. Besides that, you could use some air and some sun." Jonas smiled and then leaned down to kiss me. Guess he forgot about the whole bed rest thing or he just didn't care. I was betting on the latter.

Before I knew it, he had left. Turning to Josephine I smile, pretending everything is fine. "So, ready to be enrolled in Colorado Springs Elementary?"

"Yeah! Let's go!" Josephine jumped up and down excited. ;Getting in my car, I had to adjust the seat and the steering wheel. It's been awhile since I've driven and my stomach has significantly grown.

"Alright, buckle up!" I tell Josephine. Pulling out of the driveway I try and recall the way to the middle school. A few wrong turns later, we end up at our target location. Grabbing my purse I lock the car and we walk to the guidance office.

"Hi, I need to enroll my daughter into 5th grade." I tell the secretary. Looking at her name plate it reads, Mrs. Johnson.

"Oh sure, just fill out these papers. You can sit over on the couch." Mrs. Johnson told me, just a little too cheerily for my likings. Doing so, I begin to look over the information asked for and fill it out.

This shouldn't be too hard, definitely not like blowing up a sun. It asks the normal things like name and birth which is simple. Reaching the bottom of the document, I realize that I don't have Josephine's birth certificate or her immunization record. Embarrassed that I overlooked the need for such forms I get up and Josephine and I leave.

"Thanks Mrs. Johnson, I'll have to turn these forms in tomorrow." I told the secretary before leaving. I was just praying that Jonas had her birth certificate on hand. Arriving back at the house, I make some lunch for Josephine.

"Hey mom, can I go play outside with the kids we saw across the street?" Josephine asks. I don't really want to let her out of my sight again but I know I can't just lock her in a cage for the rest of her life as good as that sounds.

"Sure, just don't go anywhere else. Have fun." I tell her and she runs up to hug me. When I hear the door close behind her, I lay down for the first time in 5 hours. Janet would kill me, but only this time it would be warranted. Sighing, I can't help but wonder what Jack is doing know, wonder if he's in danger.

Making sure Josephine was still outside playing with the other kids, I reach for my cell phone that still had a direct line to the mountain. It started dialing and I bit my lip nervously.

"Hi, this is Ma-Samantha Hanson, I wanted to speak to my husband Captain Hanson." I asked, internally cringing when I acknowledged Jonas as my husband. The SP told me that Jonas was off world, and I thanked him and hung up. This was perfect, I hadn't really wanted to talk to Jonas at all, in fact I was banking on his absence.

Looking in my contacts, I dial Jacks' office number. It rings twice and a gruff voice calls out, "Col. O'Neill, whatdaya want."

"Only you of course." I breathe into the receiver seductively. I hear Jack's voice hitch with recognition and it brings an undeniable smile to my face.

"Samantha. You just made this the best week I've had ever. I miss you so much."

"Well, maybe you won't have to much longer. Jonas brought my daughter back to me." I told him. He paused with thought.

"Wow that's great Sam! Tell me about her, I bet she's almost as beautiful as her mother." He joked. An intense desire to see him washed over me.

"She's perfect Jack. She reminds me every moment why I'm putting myself through this emotional hell for all this time. Her name is Josephine, she's 9. I tried to get her enrolled in the school today but Ithink Jonas has her birth certificate somewhere."

"You don't have here birth certificate? Not to be the bearer of bad news…er….ideas, but are you sure she's who Jonas claims? I mean, this is Jonas we're talking about and I don't think I need to remind you of how inhumane he's been to you all these years." Jack spoke cautiously. I couldn't be upset with what he was suggesting, because I knew it was a possibility. But I couldn't believe that, it would be the last straw on the camel's back.

"I know, I know. I have to believe Jonas wouldn't do something so cruel to me. I'm sure he'll hand me the certificate with a red ribbon when he returns. Besides, it where would he find a girl that looks so much like the two of us?" I heard the door start to open and rushed to hang up the phone.

"Josephine just came back, I love you Jack." I whispered before hanging up.

((AN: I don't know about you but the last paragraph was VERY telling. I was having trouble with this story b/c I didn't have a path but…I've found it again so woohoo! Review please?))