Chapter 8: Forgiveness

When Jack awoke the next morning, he found himself in a house already bustling with the activities of the day. He wandered towards the kitchen where he discovered a wonderful smelling breakfast awaiting him, courtesy of the Colson's cook. He filled his plate and headed out to the terrace to enjoy the fresh morning air.

Sam and Cassie were already sitting at the table outside, smiling and laughing in the early morning sunshine. Jack quietly made his way to the table and sat down in one of the empty seats next to Cassie.

"Good morning," Sam greeted him with a smile.

"I gather Cassie knows everything then…" Jack noted as he smirked at the young woman.

"Yeah…I found out about everything earlier, Uncle Jack. I'm so sorry I didn't tell you or Daniel, but I was sworn to secrecy."

Jack's tone was playful, yet still carried a hint of accusation. "You're quite the actress, young lady. You sure acted like someone who had lost a surrogate mother and sister at the funeral."

Cassie covered Jack's hand with her own and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "I wasn't acting… I was upset because I knew how much you were hurting. I also knew that Sam and Emma would be leaving soon. Just wait until I have to tell them goodbye…I'll be an emotional wreak."

"We'll see about that…" Jack noted cryptically.

Jack suddenly realized that both women were watching something in the distance. He turned his attention in the same direction and smiled widely when he saw his little daughter bounding up the path towards the house. She had obviously been down at the pond to see the fish.

"Hi sweetheart. Did you enjoy feeding the fish?" Sam called out.

"Yes, Mommy. They seemed to be awful hungry this morning." Emma sent a suspicious look in her mother's direction. "You didn't forget to feed them yesterday, did you Mommy?"

"Now Emma, you know I wouldn't forget. I learned my lesson the last time."

"What happened last time?" Cassie asked jokingly.

Sam smirked and explained, "Well…Mommy forgot to feed the fish for a couple of days while Emma was in preschool and one of them ended up dying. She wouldn't speak to me for two whole days. So, no…I haven't forgotten ever since."

"He was my favorite one…he was white with a big red spot on his tail," Emma stated, as if that explained everything.

Throughout the conversation, Emma kept looking at Jack in curiosity, expecting someone to introduce the stranger. When no one did, she just accepted his presence unquestioningly.

"I'm gonna go swing," Emma suddenly announced and started towards a large swing set in the middle of the manicured lawn. Halfway there she turned around, realizing suddenly that no one was following her. She looked back at the group of adults lounging at the table demandingly. "I need someone to push me."

"No you do not, Emma," Sam replied firmly. "You know how to swing all by yourself. Now… if you want someone to come push you, you can ask politely."

The little girl looked appropriately chastised. She stuck out her lower lip in a cute little pout and asked, "Would somebody please come and push me?"

Jack couldn't believe how precocious and charming Emma was. She had Carter's intelligence, mixed with own curiosity and mischievousness.

He stood up and volunteered, "I would be more than happy to push you, ma'am." He graced her with a courteous bow and Emma giggled in response. 'One more thing she got from Carter,' he thought in reaction to her laughter.

As Emma sat down on the swing, she inquired, "What's your name?"

"Jack…and yours is Emma."

"Yep. Emma Charlotte O'Neill."

"O'Neill?" Jack looked surprised at this revelation.

"It's my real Daddy's last name…but that's a secret," Emma explained knowledgably. "I go by Daddy Alec's name at school. And I'm named Charlotte after my big brother, Charlie. He died a long time ago."

Jack was barely able to keep himself from breaking down into tears at this news. "I know. If your name is such a secret, why are you telling me?"

Emma just shrugged. "Why don't you sit down and swing with me?" she offered.

"You don't want me to push you?"

She shook her head and replied, "Maybe later."

Jack sat down in the tiny swing beside her and watched as she swung back and forth, pumping her legs expertly.

After a minute or so, she slowed down and stopped the swing, obviously wanting to talk with Jack some more. "Will you teach me how to use my yo-yo?" she asked inquisitively.

Jack chuckled at the question that to him seemed completely out of the blue but seemed to make perfect sense to the little girl who asked it. "Where did that come from? I thought we were going to swing."

"Mommy gave me a yo-yo a long time ago…but she doesn't know how to use it. She told me it was my Daddy's and that someday he would teach me how to use it."

Jack's eyes widened as he heard the words she uttered. "What are you really asking me here, Emma?" It seemed his daughter was wise beyond her years.

"Will you teach me how to use my yo-yo, Daddy?"

Jack stared at the child in shock. "You know that I'm your father?"

Emma giggled. "Silly…of course I do. Mommy has a picture of you in her locket, right next to the one of me."

"What exactly has your Mom told you about me?"

"She said that you lived far away and that you couldn't be with us right now…but you would someday…and then you would teach me how to use my yo-yo!" she exclaimed joyously.

"Is that all she told you?"

"No…Mommy said that you loved me this much…" she spread her arms as wide as she could to illustrate, "…and more," she added. She looked up at Jack curiously. "So will you?"

"Will I what?"

Emma huffed in frustration. "Teach me the yo-yo!"

Jack smiled at his daughter's one-track mind and let out a loud laugh. "I'll do more than that, sweetheart. Not only will I teach you all the tricks I know with a yo-yo…but I'll teach you how to fish, and sail, and ice skate, and anything that your heart desires."

"Cool…" Emma's face erupted into a bright smile that made her cheeks dimple, before once again taking off on the swing and gliding through the air.

Jack watched his daughter fly through the air for a few minutes until Cassie walked out to join him. "You want me to take over, Uncle Jack? I think Sam wants to talk to you."

"Sure, Cass. Em…" he called out to the girl in the air, "I'm going to go talk to your Mom."

"Will you watch?" she yelled back.

"You betcha."

Jack sauntered back over to the terrace and sat down next to Sam. "She's a great kid… you and Alec did a good job."

"She is," Sam agreed. "But she needs to get to know her father."

Jack shook his head in disbelief. "You told her all about me…I wasn't expecting that."

"I did."

"Why?"

"Because she deserved to know what a wonderful person her father is and how much he loves her… even if he didn't know about her existence," Sam answered in all honesty. "It was never meant to be a permanent arrangement, Jack. I was always planning on telling you once it was safe."

"What if it was never safe?" he asked questioningly. "Would you have continued to keep the knowledge from me?"

"I don't know…" Sam face clearly revealed that she had not even considered that scenario. "I never even expected it to last this long. I'd like to think that I would have figured something out that would've kept both you and her safe."

Jack shrugged. "Well…no need to dwell. It's going to be over soon and I can get to know her better… catch up on lost time."

Sam looked at him hopefully. "So…have you decided to come with us?"

Jack shook his head, not wanting to give Sam false hope. "I don't know… You've given me a lot to think about. Besides… I might have another idea. It all depends…"

"On what?"

Jack did not answer her. Instead, he touched the locket hanging around Sam's neck with his index finger. "You still have it…"

Sam reached to clasp the small silver circle in her hand. "Always. I've worn it everyday since the day you gave it to me. It's to keep the two people I love the most in the world close to my heart."

Jack's expression softened as he stared into Sam's familiar blue eyes. "Love? Do you still love me, Sam?"

"I never stopped…and I never will, Jack."

Jack suddenly pulled back his hand, as if it had been burnt, and coughed nervously. "I don't really know what to say…"

Sam smiled at him sadly. "You don't have to say anything, Jack. After all I've done to you, I wouldn't blame you if you hated me forever. I just hope that you will be able to forgive me someday."

Jack shook his head discouragingly. "Perhaps someday… but I can't even think about that right now."

Sam's face sunk in disappointment while she managed to nod slightly in understanding.

Jack took her hand in his, entwining their fingers. "Someday, Sam…"

TBC