Chapter 14

As the EMT's rolled Jennifer's stretcher towards the ambulance, Frank came by with something Jonathan had never seen before. "I'll be right back, Darling," he whispered into Jennifer's ear before he kissed her cheek. "I need to check on Ryleigh."

"All right," she mumbled as they lifted her into the back of the bus.

Jonathan walked to Captain Forrest, who was working with Frank to hook the machine to a wench. "Excuse me, Captain."

"Yes, Mr. Hart?"

"What is that thing?"

The Captain looked at him and grinned. "This? This is our new toy. They call it the "Jaws of Life."

"The Jaws of Life?" he repeated.

"Yes, Sir." He turned to Frank, "Go ahead. Let's get it up there." Then he turned back to Jonathan. "It's a marvelous new tool. It's most helpful for things like car accidents, where it can pry a bent car frame apart."

Jonathan stood looking at the man, contemplating what precisely that meant for Ryleigh. Unable to wrap his mind around an answer, he asked, "And you need it here?"

"Yes, sir. With all the steel beams in this building, your daughter is in there pretty tight. We've gotta get in and open enough of a hole to pull her free."

Once again, Jonathan could feel his knees weaken. "So, my daughter is…"

"Trapped by a steel beam, yes sir. But this new tool is stable, steady, and strong. We'll have her out in no time."

Two days later
With flowers in one hand and a small bag with balloons tied to it, in the other, Jonathan reached up and knocked on the door. "It's open," was the reply.

"Hi, Darling," he proclaimed as he pushed the door open. Jennifer sat on the edge of the bed, still strapped to the IV, her right arm in a sling.

"I hope you came to spring me from this joint," she fussed. "They want me to walk, but I haven't stood yet."

He set the bag on the floor and the flowers on her little table. "Ah, sorry, no. They want to keep you a couple more days for observations. You took a beating out there. Cracked ribs, dislocated shoulder, dehydration..."

"But… Darling, you know I don't like hospitals. And we've been here forever already."

"Two days is not forever. Look, I know you don't like it, Jennifer. However, I think it's for your best to be fully checked out and…"

She grinned and locked eyes with him as she interrupted, "I like it when you check me out."

Jonathan stopped mid-sentence. Then he placed his hands on the bed on either side of her, his face close to hers. He let a smile cross his lips for his wife. "I'm glad to see some things are still intact." He leaned in and kissed her mouth.

"Mmmmm," she hummed. "I missed you last night."

Standing up, he began to unpack some things from the bag, "Me too, but they kicked me out after you fell asleep."

"Tisk. The nerve of some people." She watched as he scurried around the room for a couple of moments. "Darling…" Jennifer called out. "I don't plan on moving in here."

"Good. Because I plan on you coming home with me." He flashed her his infectious grin, the one he knew she couldn't resist. "Very soon."

She huffed, "So what's with the unpacking?"

"I thought," he said as he handed her a pair of sweats and tossing slippers at her feet, "you might want something to keep you warmer while you walk today. And I thought you might want to go with me to see Ryleigh?"

"Really? Yes! Oh…" she looked at the tubes still attached to her arm and looked back into his blue eyes. "Do you mind helping me?"

The grin flashed again, "I thought you'd never ask." Jonathan knelt in front of his wife. "You know, you have very sexy legs." He leaned in and lined her thigh with kisses as he pulled the sweats from the bed. He ran his hand from her knee to her foot before sliding her toes into the pants. Moving to her left leg, he gave it the same treatment.

A low moan escaped Jennifer's lips as her breath hitched at the touch of his lips on her thigh again. "Jonathan…" He ignored her as he worked her feet into the slippers. Jonathan let his hand brush against her skin as he pulled the clothing up past her knees. Then he gently wrapped his arms around her, stood her up while supporting most of her weight, and pulled the material up to her waistline. "I don't think I've ever been so turned on getting dressed."

He leaned into her and kissed her mouth. "I can't wait to get you home and well enough to undo what I just did."

"Mmmmm. Me, either."

Jonathan grinned. "Come on, let's find our daughter."

Jennifer grinned back, kissed him, and grabbed the pole from which her IV was hanging. "Let' go."

"Hang on," Jonathan answered her and moved back to pick up the bag. "I brought a few things for Ryleigh, too."

"Good thinking."

They made their way to the other end of the hall. Jennifer's cracked ribs kept her from walking very quickly, but it felt good to be up and moving.

As they walked, Jonathan began to speak, "I meant to tell you, Detective Duncan stopped by last night, but you were already asleep."

"Oh? I'm sorry I missed him."

Jonathan smiled, "I'm sure he'll be back. He did tell me they have learned a little more about Jordan's plans." Jennifer turned to face him but didn't speak. "Apparently, it was very serendipitous that there was an earthquake." Jennifer raised an eyebrow but did not stop him. "Jordan still had explosives he was waiting to bring in the room. So between you two not being in the middle of the room and him not having all of it moved it, you both were very fortunate." Jonathan stopped and watched his wife for a moment. "How did that happen anyway?"

"What, Darling?"

"You two not being in the middle of the room, but Jordan was."

Jennifer looked at him for a moment. "You know what? I have no idea. I don't remember any of it."

"What do you remember?"

"I remember being scared because I couldn't find Ryleigh at the spa," she continued to think. "I remember Jordan having her and making me drive the car. And I remember waking up pinned to a wall. But everything else is pretty hazy."

Jonathan held open the door so that Jennifer could maneuver through. The sight of her little girl asleep in the bed nearly took Jennifer's strength away. Jonathan stepped up beside her, his arm around her waist, and she leaned into him.

They stood watching Ryleigh sleep, clinging to each other. The reality of the past several days pulsing their minds like a rushing river of emotions.

"Do you remember when Ryleigh was younger?" Jonathan quietly whispered into her ear. "When she would call for Claire?"

Jennifer started to laugh softly and shifted against his chest, her head on his shoulder, and her hands were grasping the arm he had across her chest. "Of course. I can still hear her calling "Claira, Claira" throughout the house. Gosh, was she eight or nine when she finally called her Claire?"

"Ummm, ten, I think."

Taking a slow, deep breath, Jennifer softly added, "Thank you."

Jonathan turned to study her profile, "For what?"

"For finding us."

Using the hand across her chest, Jonathan gently spun her around to face him. He studied her eyes for a moment. Even after all these years, he could lose himself in the whiskey tones looking back at him. "I will always come for you. You and Ryleigh. You are my first. You are my last." You, Jennifer, you and Ryleigh are everything to me."

She reached out and touched his chin before letting her hand fall to his chest, "Now who's in desperate need of romance?"

"I am." Jonathan lowered his voice, laid his forehead against hers before he spoke again, "I was afraid I would never be able to romance you again." He held her body to his own. "I was not and am not prepared for that."

Jennifer reached up with her left hand and ran her fingers down his cheek and lightly across his lips before she leaned in and kissed him.

"Um… don't… you have… your own room," complained a voice from the bed.