Chapter Nineteen

"What do you mean she was out roaming the desert?" Ed asked, suspicious of the way he worded it, yet excited beyond measure that she was alive and okay. "You know what? I don't care, bring her home."

"Will do," Jack promised as he disconnected the call. Tossing his cell phone into the console of the car, he looked at Jasmine, "Remember what I told you."

The little girl had remained a state of shock since she heard the sounds of gunshots. Nodding mutely, she kept her eyes sealed to the windows, the passing scenery making her dizzy.

Ed threw his phone onto the couch and bolted outside, "Samantha Jane!"

Sam looked abruptly at Ed and quickly stood up, "Ed, what is it?"

"They found her."

The woman stopped and looked at him, whispering softly, "What did you say?"

Grinning as he wrapped his arms around her, he pulled her close to him, "They found her, baby, they are bringing her home now."

Sam began to tremble in his arms as the tears fell freely down her face, "Oh god, Ed," she sobbed into his neck.

Walking outside, Delinda and Luis spotted Sam and Ed. Instinctively, Luis wrapped an arm around the blonde haired woman, "What's going on?"

"Jack just called," Ed answered, looking at them, "he's bringing Jasmine home, he found her."

Closing her eyes, Delinda felt a tear of joy fall down her face, "Thank god," she whispered.

Swallowing a lump that was forming in his throat, Luis pulled Delinda close to him and held her, "Thank god," he whispered softly in agreement, planting a kiss on the woman's forehead. "I told you," he smiled, pulling back, looking at her, "I told you that she'd come home."

Delinda nodded as she let out a shaky laugh, "Yeah," she said softly, "you told me."

Grinning as he held her tighter to him, they didn't notice Ed walking up behind them. Softly laying a hand on his daughter's shoulder, Delinda turned around and looked at her father before hugging him tightly. "Daddy, I'm so happy."

Smiling, he kissed her cheek, "I am too, hopefully, we'll all be able to put this behind us and get on with our lives."

She nodded and sighed deeply and then looked at Sam. Carefully making her way over to the woman, she said, "Sam,"

Sam Marquez looked at the woman and gave her a soft smile and hugged her, "I love you, Dee, I always have."

Delinda closed her eyes as she began to cry again, hugging her friend, "I'm so sorry for everything that I said to you. I was so wrong."

"I'm sure I've said worse to you at some point," she laughed.

"Yeah," she laughed with her. The two women pulled apart at the sound of tires pulling into the graveled driveway.

"Oh god," Sam said happily, "she's here."

Quickly running towards Jack's car, she had the door opened before the man had the car stopped. Within seconds, Sam pulled her daughter out of the car and held her close, sobbing hard. "Oh sweetie," she whispered softly as she kissed the little girl's face repeatedly, "I love you so much, you know that right? Daddy and I love you so much, Jas."

Jasmine nodded mutely and looked at Ed, "Daddy," she said quietly.

Ed smiled as he went over and put his hands around the girl's face and brought her head over to him. Kissing her on the forehead, he looked at her and smiled, "Hi, sweetheart." Smiling at the little girl for a few more minutes, Ed walked over to a smiling Jack and extended his hand.

"Thank you."

Jack shrugged and smiled, shaking Ed's hand, "I only did what I knew was right, Eddie."

Nodding, Deline regarded the man for a moment before pulling him to a hug. "I appreciate it, Jack, you've saved this family, for that we won't ever be able to repay you."

Her eyes growing wide, Jasmine buried her face in her mother's shoulder. Grateful that her daughter is home, Sam started to head inside, only to be stopped by Luis, "Sam, she needs to come downtown, I gotta take a statement."

"Oh Luis," she sighed, "Can't we do that in a few days? Please? I just want to get her cleaned up, fed and in bed."

"Honey," Ed said, walking over to her, "She should at least go to the hospital, just to be checked out, she might need some fluids or something."

Sighing once more in defeat, she nodded, "Alright." Glancing down at her daughter, who was clinging to her, she said, "Sweetie, Daddy and I are going to take you to the hospital where the doctors are going to make you all better, okay?"

Jasmine nodded silently as Sam carried her to Ed's Hummer. Getting her strapped in, she climbed into the backseat with her as Ed went to the front seat. Glancing over the top of the car door at Delinda and Luis, he said, "Meet us over, would you?"

Delinda nodded, "Wild horses couldn't keep us away, Dad, you should know that."

Chuckling quietly, Deline stepped up into his car as Luis led Delinda to his own.

As he stood watching everybody file out, Jack Keller shook his head, "You were lucky this time, Eddie," he whispered softly, "but next time, you might not be so lucky." That said, Keller walked to his car and got in. Starting the ignition, he waved at Delinda and Luis who passed him and headed the opposite direction.

Speeding down the road, Keller made all the turns and headed towards McCarran International Airport. Once he got there, he walked in and made his way to the Pan Am counter and smiled at the woman behind it. "I need a ticket to Aquadilla, Puerto Rico, please."

The woman smiled at him as she hit some keys on the keyboard of her computer, "One ticket?"

Keller nodded as he took his wallet out, "Yeah."

Smiling at him once more, she said, "And the name on the ticket?"

Jack paused as he looked through his wallet and took out the ID he had made with his picture and a new name. Smiling at the woman, he handed it to her along with a credit card, "Edward Deline."

The woman accepted the ID and credit card and looked at the ID and then at Jack. Smiling at him, she punched the social security number into the computer and said, "Mr. Deline, it looks like you have the option today to either use your frequent flyer miles or take a thirty per cent discount."

Jack grinned, "I'll use the miles."

"Yes, Sir." A few minutes later, she printed out the ticket and handed it to him along with the credit card and ID card. Smiling at him, she said, "Enjoy your trip."

"I intend to," Jack grinned deviously as he made his way over to a set of chairs and sat down, awaiting for his flight to be called.