Thank you to all of you who sent in reviews. I know I keep saying it, but I do appreciate them a lot. A little bit of tension in this chapter, so hope you enjoy it.
Junior
By Lingren
Previously:-
Soon the car was loaded, the house secured and then they all piled into the car. John drove to start with, and once they were on the highway heading north, Jack breathed a sigh of relief, especially when it was apparent that nobody was following them. The journey was a lengthy one and before long Jon Junior grew tired of watching the sun set over endless green fields, trees and lakes that flew past the window now they were in open country and drifted off to sleep.
Chapter 10
Jack parked the car, having swapped driving with his father who was tired and switched off the lights. The bright moonlight glimmered and shattered into a myriad of sparkles off the ripples on the lake. Jack dragged himself from behind the wheel and over to the door of the cabin. Unlocking the stout wooden door, he entered and set the lamps to light the room before returning to the car to fetch his sleeping son.
Before long he had the boy undressed and into the big bed in the spare room without waking him. It never ceased to amaze him that he could bundle the boy into his pyjamas without him rousing once. He took a minute to gaze down at him as he covered him with the comforter, then leaned over and kissed the tousled head. Stifling a yawn, he left the room but kept the door ajar and the low light on.
"You want some coffee Mom?"
"That's alright dear. I'll get it. You help your father bring in the gear."
Yasureyabetcha!"
Melissa smiled at the familiar phrase and watched her son as he walked towards the car, taking the heavy case from John with no effort. They'd stopped at the 24hour supermarket in Grand Rapids before turning off the 169 to head west for a few miles to where the cabin was situated.
She'd always loved it up here. It was so peaceful. She remembered coming here as a young girl with her parents and grandparents. The place didn't really change much. The trees were taller, but the lake remained the same as far as she could tell in the dark. Jack had obviously cared for the place, she noticed, looking around. He'd put in a few mod cons here and there to make it more comfortable but it felt the same. Jack had inherited it from his grandfather. He was the only one of their offspring to really appreciate the wonders of the outdoors and often spent summer vacation up here with her father all alone, just fishing and boating and hiking round the area.
"Is that coffee ready yet Mom?" Jack asked, breaking into her reverie.
"I'm just about to pour it out dear."
"Good. Where's that pie we bought? I'm starved," Jack asked, feeling more than hungry and ready for some food. He could eat pie, or cake, at any time of the day or night. Maybe he could persuade his mom to bake some while they were here. There was nothing like home made apple pie made with apples from his own trees. Maybe he'd go pick some tomorrow.
The first light of dawn was approaching by the time they all climbed into bed, and Jack slipped quietly under the covers next to his sleeping son, leaving the main bedroom to his parents. They were all tired, being up most of the night with the long drive up from the city.
He thought over their flight and sighed with relief that they had managed to escape before the stranger called again and the fact that they didn't appear to have been followed at all made him give in to the weariness he'd felt and he slipped into a deep sleep.
OoOoOoOoO
Jack awoke to someone bouncing on the bed whilst yelling his name and then shrieking with laughter and excitement. He groaned and opened one eye slightly to see his son, fully dressed and exuberantly trying to wake him up.
He feigned sleep until Jon Junior got too close and Jack made a grab for him, hoisting him into the air over his head, growling with imaginary irritation. Jon wriggled and giggled in his grasp until Jack lowered him to his chest then held him there for a hug.
"And a good morning to you too tiger!"
Jon laughed readily and returned the embrace with enthusiasm, saying that breakfast was ready and that Grandma said he was lazy.
Jack cried out indignantly and rolled the boy off his chest then eased himself into a sitting position bringing his feet to the floor. The polished wood was cold beneath his toes, but Jack ignored it; it was something he was used to by now. Being on the north side of the cabin it was much cooler now that October was almost upon them.
Jon scurried away as Jack disappeared into the bathroom for a quick shower. Twenty minutes later he was sitting at the kitchen table, eating a hearty breakfast of pancakes and toast, washed down with two cups of his mother's wonderful coffee.
Jack waited for Jon to settle by the fireside. It was a cold blustery day and there was a threat of a storm in the air. Rain spattered sporadically against the window pane in the stiff breeze. John had laid the open fire and by the time Jon had awoken, the room was warm and cosy. Melissa had washed and dressed him in his new clothes with a sweatshirt over his T-shirt. He was now happily playing some imaginary game with 'Berra' and the toy dog he had yet to name.
"My team should be arriving later today. They set out almost as soon as I rang them yesterday," Jack said, pushing himself away from the table angling his chair for a better view from which to watch his son.
"Is Sam coming?" Melissa asked eagerly.
"She is," Jack sighed, knowing full well what his mother was driving at but ignoring the unspoken question. "and so are Daniel and Murray. Murray will be drivin' my truck here, so at least I'll have some transport."
"What time should we expect them to arrive?"
"Sometime later this afternoon or evening. Daniel said he'd give me a ring when they got to Bemidji."
"So, what are you going to do with yourselves today while you wait?"
Jack shrugged, he hadn't really thought about it. Maybe if the weather broke, he and Junior could take a walk into the woods, perhaps show him some of the wild-life round the area.
"Haven't got a clue," Jack said with a shrug, eyeing the black clouds through the small window. Perhaps this rain was in for the day. "Go for a walk if this stops."
"I thought I'd set to and get some baking done, especially if Murray is coming up here. We'll soon find ourselves out of food otherwise."
"Cake?" Jack asked hopefully.
Melissa laughed.
"You're incorrigible Jonathon. Yes, I was going to make a whole batch of cakes and pies. I know what you're like. If it stops raining, you can gather some of those apples for me too."
"Thanks Mom. Hmmm. Home made apple pie," Jack grinned, he could almost smell them baking now. He pushed himself off the chair and joined Jon Junior in the lounge area, moving 'Berra' from his chair before he accidentally sat on him. Jon ran to get one of his books that they had brought with them and thrust it into Jack's hands.
"Read to me Daddy! Please."
Jack smiled and patted his knee for Junior to climb up and they both settled down for the story.
Melissa couldn't help but smile wistfully at the sight of her son and grandson, now comfortably ensconced in front of the open fire and wrapped up in each others company whilst they read the book together. It was a picture of perfect contentment, but for the fact that she had known Jack was secretly worried about the stranger, it would have made her happy just to witness this rare family moment. She sighed at the sad recollection of Jack sitting in the same chair with Charlie on his lap reading another story with him just so many years ago. She released another soft sad sigh at their loss and cleared away the table to start on her busy day's schedule.
John went to lie down for a rest after lunch; he was feeling everyone of those years that made up his three-quarters of a century plus a few, but who was counting? With all the driving he had done the night before with very little sleep afterwards, he needed his rest.
Jack could see his Mom was worried about him. Neither of his parents were getting any younger, and they weren't exactly young when they started out on parenthood. He knew that one of these days he would have to face the loss of one of them, but hopefully not in the near future, though his father was beginning to show every one of his advanced years. He felt guilty and just hoped he hadn't contributed in shortening his father's life with their sudden upheaval; forcing him to flee their home like he had insisted. The thought filled him with guilt to the point that he'd stopped reading, much to Jon's chagrin.
Melissa could see the worry on Jack's face and went over to lay a hand on his arm, giving it a light squeeze as she watched her husband of fifty-five years disappear into the bedroom.
"He'll be fine Jonathon. It's nothing unusual for him to take a nap in the afternoon these days," she assured him, but Jack could see she was still worried herself. "Look, the clouds are breaking up and it's stopped raining, why don't you take Jonathon Junior out for a walk. The fresh air will do you both good."
"You sure? You'll be okay?"
"Jonathon! I can manage," she laughed gently. "Go! Your father will be okay in a while and I'm going to be busy finishing this baking."
Jack lifted a freshly baked cookie from the tray and handed it to Jon who had been looking longingly at them. Then he took one for himself. Melissa pretended to be annoyed and shooed them from the kitchen.
"Go!" she huffed; her hands on hips in mock anger.
Jack winked at his son and hurried him from the room, to change into outdoor gear for their walk.
A few minutes later, clad in boots and jackets, caps, and gloves for the boy, Jack called out a 'see ya later' and they were off.
Junior was excited, and with his new waterproof boots, he splashed in all the puddles he could find as they skirted the lake through the trees on the well trodden track that led northwards away from the cabin.
The lake itself was calm and serene now the wind had finally dropped, leaving its surface like a glass mirror. A calm dampness pervaded the atmosphere everywhere around them. The distinct smell of wet leaves rotting on the ground filled their nostrils as they walked deeper among the forested trees, their Fall colours vibrant against the dark needles of the pines in the weak sunshine breaking through what was left of the clouds.
The air was filled with the calls of wild birds that floated across the unruffled surface of the water. Ducks, geese, loons, herons, Jack pointed them all out to his son. They saw a deer pause for a moment, wary of the visitors, before it skittered nervously away again, and they heard the rutting call from a stag somewhere deep in the forest. A wild rabbit hopped from their path, and then they stood in perfect stillness to watch a pair of chipmunks' acrobatic display in a tree not three metres ahead, and in the distance, the hammering of a woodpecker echoed until Jack's cell phone disturbed the air with its ringing.
"Jack?" came Daniel's voice over the air when Jack answered it.
"Daniel! Where are you?" Jack asked, hoping that they weren't stuck somewhere miles from their destination.
"We're just approaching Bemidji. Traffic's not too bad, most of it's heading the other way thank goodness. We're not being followed, at least I don't think so."
"Okay. Take a right onto 71 for a few miles. Ya can't miss it! Carter should know the road from there."
"Okay. Be there in about an hour I guess."
"Yeah. You do that."
Jack thrust the phone back into his pocket and reluctantly turned back towards the cabin. The sun was getting lower in the sky now, the darker evenings drawing in. New noises assaulted their ears with the coming night, croaking frogs and the hooting of an owl echoed through the still air from the darkness of the forest.
They made it back before it was too dark to see and Melissa welcomed them with a hot drink and a small cake that was still warm from the oven, which Junior relished with delight.
If it wasn't for the fact that he was worried about the stranger, and about Sam's reluctance to be with him, Jack could almost imagine he was in heaven. It was a far cry from the hectic life of a General below Cheyenne mountain. If George accepted his retirement papers, then Jack would be quite happy living this life for the rest of his days.
John had joined them as they waited for Sam, Daniel and Teal'c to arrive. Melissa had started on the dinner and hoped they wouldn't be delayed. Jack and Jon Junior had changed and were now warming themselves by the roaring fire in the grate.
Jack's cell phone rang again, and he grabbed it quickly, hoping it was the team he'd ordered to cover the house back in the city.
"O'Neill!" he barked.
"General, sir. There's been no activity around the house at all sir. Nobody's been near the place all day!"
"Okay. Keep watching. I want to know the minute anyone shows up!"
"Yes sir."
Jack snapped the phone shut and frowned. Was he wrong? Had he jumped to conclusions that were a mile wide of the truth? He wasn't sure any more.
His deliberations were cut short when he heard a vehicle pull up outside. He hurried to the door in time to see his team climbing stiffly from the truck. He greeted them still wearing the frown.
"Daniel. Teal'c. Carter."
"Jack."
"O'Neill."
"Sir."
The last greeting stung slightly as Sam moved past him with barely a glance in his direction. She entered the cabin and greeted Jon Junior first, then gave Melissa a hug, and a nod and a wide smile to John.
His Mom, gave her an enthusiastic welcome and shot her son a look of frustrated annoyance. He could have at least welcomed her by her given name. Jack looked away, feeling jaded and a little disappointed by Sam's attitude on arrival. He was hoping that after having some time to think over their situation that she would have been happy to see him at least, but she'd almost ignored him.
He made an enthusiastic show of helping carry their bags to the spare room, Sam was going to have to put up with the sofa-bed in the lounge that made a fairly comfy sleeping place when pulled out fully. Daniel and Teal'c were going to have to share the only other bedroom, luckily for them there were two beds in there.
Melissa served the evening meal and everyone tucked in heartily, especially Teal'c.
The conversation flowed easily, though Jack was unusually quiet and most of his attention was on his son, and was careful not to be left alone with Sam; he didn't want to have a confrontation with her tonight.
Melissa felt she was the only one to sense the tension like a taut bow string between her Jonathon and Sam; and she vowed to do everything within her power to break it, and get them together again. She liked Sam a lot and thought they were good for each other.
Sam helped Melissa with the dishes after dinner and Daniel stacked them away though he wasn't sure where anything went as it was his first time up at the cabin, despite the fact that Jack had often invited him. Sam was the only one that was intimately familiar with the place, having spent a wonderful week here years ago and the odd weekend here and there since. Thinking about the times that she and Jack had spent here, brought a sad smile to her lips and made Melissa ask her what was wrong, but Sam just shook her head; she didn't want to talk about it.
TBC