Thank you to everyone who sent in reviews. I luv you guys. I am so glad you are enjoying this. Of all those I have written, this is my favourite; and yes, I'm still writing it as I go, although I have quite a few chapters already written, hence the quick updates.
This chapter is where we meet Jack's Mom. The references to their looking after Jack previously is all my imagination and dealt with in another story which I may well post here later.
Junior
By Lingren
Disclaimer: I'm not making any money from this story. No copyright infringements intended. Just borrowing the characters for entertainment purposes only. All original characters belong to my imagination.
Previously:-
She gave him a tight smile as he pulled away from the gate, but he didn't respond, merely setting his face into neutral and then drove off, retreating down the mountain again. Sam's heart sank into the depths of misery. It would take a lot of serious thinking to discover exactly where their relationship was heading. After spending time with his son he may not want her around. The boy may resent her intrusion into his life after having just discovered his father and losing his mother like that. She felt she was adrift in a mine field and didn't know which way to turn.
Chapter 6
The doorbell rang and Jack moved the pan onto the back of the cooker and turned it off. Ordering Jon not to touch, he walked into the hall to see who was at the door.
Daniel beat him to it, opening it cautiously.
"Jack?" he called, poking his head round the door just as Jack entered the hall.
"Daniel."
"Yeah, Hi!"
Jack stopped and Jon jumped down from the chair to hide behind Jack's long Jean clad legs.
"Hello there," Daniel gave the boy a little wave as he shut the door behind him, one arm surreptitiously hiding behind his back.
"I'm taking some time off," Jack grumbled. "This had better not be work related."
"I know. I got your message," he said smoothly, ignoring the hint of a warning in Jack's tone. "I just dropped by to see how things were."
"So what are you hiding behind your back?" Jack asked suspiciously, flicking a fore-finger at Daniel's hidden arm.
"Well, actually," he paused to catch Junior's eye, "this!" He brought the teddy-like toy 'Berra' out from behind him and Jon ran to retrieve his beloved toy with a shout of glee.
Daniel watched with a big grin as the child hugged it fiercely.
Jack slapped his head with his palm. He'd forgotten all about the toy they'd left behind. No doubt the kid would have reminded him, probably in the middle of the night.
"Thanks Daniel. I'd forgotten. I was gonna go back and pick it up but things...well, ya know."
"Yeah. So, how's it going?" Daniel asked with a smile, seeing Jon happy now he had his 'Berra' back.
"Phew!" Jack blew out a huge sigh. "Okay. I think. We're about to eat, wanna join us?"
"What're you having?"
"Just some soup and crackers. Not much. He's eaten quite well today already, I don't wanna overload him just before bedtime."
This was a whole new angle on his friend that Daniel was seeing and he marvelled at how easily Jack had slipped back into the role of father once more. It sure was an eye opener to see the real Jack O'Neill and not the hard-assed soldier. Of course he'd seen that softer side once before. Jack's parents came to Colorado when Jack's life was in danger a few years ago to take him back to Minnesota to heal, but as soon as he'd returned from his healing vacation, he'd reverted to kind. It wouldn't hurt to enjoy the company of Jack and his son for a short while, if only to satisfy his curiosity.
"Sure. Why not!"
Jack reheated the soup and all three of them sat round the kitchen table to eat. Jonathon Junior played with his food, but Jack wasn't going to push him. It had been a busy day for the kid, full of excitement on top of his despair, and he was bound to be a little listless now he was tired. It wasn't all that late, but Jack decided that he would run the bath and put the boy to bed, then he and Daniel would be free to chat or watch a game on the TV.
"MOMMA!"
The shrill scream brought Jack tumbling from his bed in the early hours of the morning. He all but ran to the spare bedroom where Jon was meant to be sleeping.
He paused at the door, leaning breathlessly against the jamb. He saw the child sitting up in bed crying, huge tears ran down his face, and were captured plainly in the night-light he'd left on for his son's benefit. The boy's short breaths were hitched and he hiccupped in misery as he sobbed.
A couple of long strides and Jack was sitting on the edge of the bed taking the trembling child into his arms. The terrified boy clung to him as if his life depended on it. Pulling him onto his lap, Jack held him close as he gently rocked him back and forth, soothing him with soft murmurs, telling him it was okay, because Daddy was here now.
After several minutes, the sobs quietened, and Jack looked down into wide brown eyes. He smiled reassuringly and stroked his hand over Jon Junior's hair.
"Hey there," he said softly.
Jon's smile was wobbly but it was there.
"I had a nasty dream," he said with a quiver of his bottom lip.
"It's okay now. It's over. All gone."
"That nasty man made Mommy fall down, and she wouldn't wake up."
The bald statement told Jack more than he'd hoped the kid would remember.
"God, I'm sorry you had to see that kiddo. You should never have had to see that," Jack sighed, gently kissing the top of his son's head. "I can't make it go away, but I can make it better for you."
"You won't fall down and go to sleep like Mommy, will you?"
Jack pulled back to look his son in the eye.
"Hell, I sure hope not, but in all honesty I can't promise you that Jon. Nobody knows what's gonna happen to them in the future, but, I promise I'll do my best to look after you for as long as I'm able. How's that?" he asked, cupping the boy's cheek in his palm.
Jon shrugged and sniffed but seemed to accept it for now. Jack couldn't help but smile as the boy snuggled closer again and he sat rocking him patiently, waiting until he'd dozed off again.
It didn't take long and Jack laid him back in the bed, covering his fragile form up against the chill of the night. Leaning over the slumbering figure, Jack smiled and kissed the tousled head softly before straightening up.
He stood for a long moment at the door just looking back at the sleeping child, his jumbling thoughts crowding out the idea of returning to his bed to sleep. Instead he headed for the kitchen to make himself a cup of coffee. He had some serious thinking to do and in the morning, a phone call to his parents was the first priority.
"Daddy. Wake up! Please Daddy!"
The shrill urgency of the words at last penetrated his brain, and he jerked awake, swinging his legs from the couch as he sat up, rubbing his face.
"Jon?" he gasped as the boy flung himself into his lap and gave him a bear hug. He noticed the tears sliding down his face before he hid it against Jack's chest. "What's up? Did you have another bad dream?"
There was a shake of the head; so, no nightmare, but what had brought on the tears? Jack wondered.
"Hey! C'mon, tell me - what's the matter!"
Jon sniffed, wiping his face over Jack's crumpled T-shirt and looked up at Jack with dark eyes, haunted by sadness.
"You didn't wake up when I called you and I..."
"Hey! No! It's okay kid. I was just asleep. It's alright. I'm fine," he explained with a sudden realisation that Jon had thought he'd died just like his Mom had. "Hey," he soothed. "It's okay. I'm not leaving you!"
He waited for the sniffling to stop before he pulled the boy from his lap and stood up stiffly, muttering a few groans at his aching limbs. Serves him right for falling asleep on the settee instead of going back to bed, he grumbled to himself.
"So now we're up, how about some breakfast?"
Jon Junior grinned up at him.
"I'm hungry! My tummy's making noises at me."
Jack laughed.
"Mine too. Let's go see if you like pancakes okay?" he said, setting the boy on one of the kitchen chairs then he was dragging the ingredients from the fridge.
Junior perched himself on his knees on the chair and leaned over the table, watching as Jack whisked up the batter, then cooked the mixture. His stomach grumbled loudly, making Jack laugh.
"I'm going as quick as I can!" he snorted. "There, grab a plate!" he ordered.
Jon jumped down from his chair and took the plate from the counter-top and held it up to Jack who scooped the pile of pancakes onto it and then set it at the centre of the table. Then taking the maple syrup and a couple of pancakes from the heap he drizzled a little of the syrup over them setting the plate in front of the boy.
"There ya go. See how you like those. There's plenty more if you want them. Or I've got some cereal. There's toast, milk, and orange juice. Tuck in!"
He sat and watched as his son tentatively tasted the mixture; the tip of his tongue reaching out to dab at the syrup. His eyes widened in surprise and then he was munching on them hungrily.
Jack nursed his cup of coffee while sporting a big grin as he watched the pile of pancakes slowly diminish. He'd eaten a few, but the boy was still tucking in.
"I take it you like them, huh?"
Mouth too full to reply, Jon nodded vigorously.
They cleaned up the kitchen together and Jack brought out some of the toys they had bought yesterday and Jon made himself comfortable on the floor in the lounge and decided on some crayoning.
Jack left him to it while he picked up the phone and went out onto the deck where he could watch the boy but still have a private conversation with his parents. He wished he'd had the sense to pull on a sweater though, the stiff September breeze was chilly out there despite the early morning sunshine.
The phone picked up on the fourth ring.
"Hi Mom!"
"Jonathon!" came the surprised response. "How are you dear?"
"I'm fine Mom. You and Dad?"
"Oh, you know, mustn't grumble. Age gets to us all in the end," she sighed.
"Yeah, tell me about it," he agreed wholeheartedly with a laugh.
"Is Dad there?"
"He's gone over to see Patrick this morning. One of the boy's wrecked the car the other night and he wanted to make sure he was okay."
"That had to be Ronnie, right?"
"How did you know?"
"Lucky guess! When did he ever have a car for more than a few months without colliding with something or other? His car has more dents in it than a golf ball," Jack snorted, not at all surprised by his cousin's mishap.
"He hasn't improved with age at all."
There was a momentary pause while he built up the courage to tell them that he had a son, but she beat him to it.
"What is it dear?"
"What?" he gasped, knowing already that she picked up his nervousness right away, she was always so perceptive and knew him so well.
"Something's bothering you. I can tell."
"Ah, well, it's a long story Mom. One I can't tell you a lot about over the phone," he said hesitating a little. "It's too complicated."
"And? So... But…?" she persisted.
"I er...I have a son Mom."
There was silence on the end of the phone and he hoped to god that she hadn't fainted or worse, had a heart attack.
"Mom? Mom? Are you okay?"
"You know, for a minute there Jonathon I could have sworn you said you had a son?"
"I did Mom. I didn't know about him myself until a couple of days ago," he declared defensively.
There was an awkward silence before her voice came over somewhat hesitantly.
"Is Sam the mother?"
"What? No. And it's not like that Mom. Sam and I, well...like I said it wasn't. I didn't know about the boy until recently, and he's not a baby. Well not exactly." He knew precisely what his mother would think after that statement.
Another pregnant pause ensued before he felt compelled to make things a little clearer.
"It happened a long time ago Mom. Before Sam and I actually got together."
"I see. What happened to his mother?" she asked carefully, she didn't want to push him away by being prudish about it, not when he had kept his word to them and phoned them on a regular basis now.
"She died. And before you say anything, she never told me. Not a word!"
"Are you okay with him?"
"Yeah Mom, he's a great kid. Mind, I've only had him a couple a days so far."
"How old is he? What's his name?" Jack could hear she was happier now she knew something of the truth about him.
"He's four, coming up for five I guess, and she named him after me; poor kid."
More silence followed, but after a while of waiting, he apologised.
"Sorry," he sighed when he realised how that sounded.
"Are you gonna bring him up to meet us?"
"If you want me to," he replied casually. He didn't want to push it, but they were the kid's natural grandparents, even if he was half alien, but he couldn't tell them that.
"Jonathon, he's our grandson. Why wouldn't we want to meet him?"
Jack smiled. He should have known better.
And she knew better than to question him over the phone. She could wait until they arrived there.
"So when do you want us there?" he asked, happier now that she seemed to be taking to the idea quite well. He'd need her advice on what to do with him. It had been a long time since Charlie was a small child and a lot of things had changed over the years. She would know what to buy for the best what with all her grandchildren and all. He certainly didn't want to ask Sara, that would be like rubbing salt into the wound; adding insult to injury. He couldn't do that to her.
"When can you leave?"
"We'll get a flight for tomorrow okay? But it'll only be for a couple of days this time. Maybe Christmas we can come up for a week or so."
"What about your work Jonathon?"
"I'm gonna retire. I've been thinking about it for a while now, and now I have someone who needs me..."
"And Sam?" she interrupted, wanting to know where she came into his plans.
"I'm not sure she wants this Mom. I'd like for 'us' to be together but I don't know any more. She seems kinda cool about the whole thing. I'm gotta give her time to think about it."
"I'm sorry dear," she sighed, knowing what they had meant to each other, and how hard he would be taking her apparent withdrawal.
"It's okay Mom. I have Junior to think about right now." He hoped to god that Sam would come to realise that he still loved her and wanted to be with her too. He wasn't going to shut her out, just because he'd gained a son; how could she think that? He slid open the patio door.
"Wanna say 'Hi' to him?" Jack asked when the boy sidled up to him and hugged his leg.
He crouched down and held the phone to Jon's ear, the other arm holding him close.
"Say 'Hi' to your grandma! That's it," he said, as Jon held the phone up as Jack had shown him. "Just say 'Hello Grandma', into that, and listen here."
Jon Junior did as he was told and dutifully said 'Hello Grandma'.
The voice at the other end of the line made Jon pull the phone from his ear; his eyes wide open with wonder as was his mouth.
Jack laughed and took the phone back, hugging the boy close, but letting him listen in to the conversation.
"Jonathon? You there?"
"We're here Mom. Junior's just a little shy of the phone."
"Ahh...!" she began but was interrupted by Jon's voice which could be heard wafting down the line to her.
"What's a Grandma?" he asked in all innocence, and Jack recalled that Laira had no family other than Garan, and that 'grandparents' were referred to by another name on Edora. He smiled at his son and rubbed a hand through the boy's hair.
"Your Grandma is my Mom," he explained patiently.
"Oh? You have a Mommy too?"
Jack grinned and he could practically hear his Mom grinning as well; he could certainly imagine her smiling at the boy's innocence.
"Uh huh! And a Daddy too. What say we gonna go visit them tomorrow? Okay?"
"We will?"
"Yep. On an airplane. You remember from the TV?"
Jon Junior nodded enthusiastically again. He was learning so many new things. This Earth was so much more exciting than his old home had been.
"We'll see you soon Mom," he said resuming his conversation with her while Junior went back to his drawing. "Love to everyone. Say 'Hi' to Dad for me."
"Goodbye dear. Take care; both of you."
"We will. Love you Mom. Bye!"
He clicked the off button and delved in the drawer for the phone number of the travel company so that he could book a flight to Minneapolis.
TBC