A/N: Sequel to "It Only Takes A Moment, To Change Your Life". There's a reason why most of this story is in italics. You'll figure it out.
Disclaimer: I only own Jonah and Jenna.
Jennifer had been planning this day, for a year now. The Hart's backyard was perfectly decorated. Five rows of long rectangle tables were draped with white table cloths. There were three tables per row. Bouquets of various colored balloons were taped down by their strings, in the center of the tables. Ten white chairs were placed on either side of all the tables. Children of all ages and their parents, filled the chairs, enjoying slices of rich chocolate cake and cookie dough ice cream, while being entertained by a silly clown. There was laughter, all throughout the backyard. A lone table sat in the back, with beautifully wrapped gifts, just waiting to be opened. Streamers of blue and green, were strung throughout the trees. Booths, where the guests could play games and win prizes or have their faces painted, were set up, throughout the backyard. And a large banner with baby wild animals painted on it, was attached to the house. The banner read… Happy Birthday, Jonah Noel Hart!
"Oh, Jonathan, just look at how happy, everyone is," Jennifer joyfully exclaimed as she and her husband looked over the guests. In her arms, was a beautiful baby boy, wearing a pair of blue jeans with a baby blue sweater and a pair of white Velcro shoes. The baby looked just like Jonathan… same brunette hair, blue eyes and other facial features.
"They do look very happy," Jonathan agreed. "but I don't think Jonah will remember any of this."
Jennifer turned the baby to face her and said, "Well, then we'll just have to tell him all about it, when he gets older. Isn't that right, my little prince?" A small giggle escaped from Jonah as he waved his little arms and grabbed a lock of Jennifer's hair.
"Are you trying to mess up mommy's hair," Jennifer playfully asked, causing more laughter from Jonah.
Jonathan smiled as he watched his wife, interact with their son.
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
Jonathan and Jennifer were fast asleep, when they were suddenly woken up, by their five year old son, Jonah, who had turned on the light and began jumping on their bed, shouting, "Wake up, wake up! It's time for school!" both Jennifer and Jonathan sat up and looked at the clock, seeing that it was only 4:00 in the morning.
"Jonathan, please tell me, school does not start, this early in the morning," Jennifer groggily said, while Jonah was now on the floor and attempting to pull the covers off his parents, and saying "Come on, we don't wanna be late!"
"It doesn't," Jonathan assured his wife, who had already fallen back to sleep. He then yawned and turned his attention back to their son. "Jonah, we still got four more hours until… Wait, are you wearing your Halloween costume from last year?"
"Yes, I am," Jonah boldly said. "I wanna be a bear, on my first day of school."
Jonathan chuckled and said, "Buddy, I admire your bravery for wanting to be unique, but you can't go to school, dressed as a bear."
"Why not?"
"Well, because it wouldn't be fair for you to go to school dressed as a bear, while all the other children have to wear their regular clothes. And you might not make any friends because of it," Jonathan explained. "All your schoolmates might think the teachers are playing favorites by allowing you to wear your costume."
"What's wrong with being the favorite," A confused look had now appeared on Jonah's face. "I'm yours and mommy's favorite, and everyone's okay with that, right?"
"Yes, but that's because we're your parents," said Jonathan. "If you're the favorite at school, everyone's gonna pick on you and not want to be your friend. You don't want that, do you?"
"Nope."
Jonathan smiled as he lifted his son into his arms. "Come on, buddy. Let's get you back to bed," he said. "We can't have you going to school, all tired."
"Daddy, what does unique mean," Jonah asked as Jonathan tucked him, back into his own bed.
"It means that your different," said Jonathan. "And there's nothing wrong with being different."
"Maybe if all the kids got to wear costumes to school, no one would be jealous," Jonah yawned. "And we'd all be unique."
"I like the way you think," Jonathan kissed his son's forehead. "Now get some sleep. 8:00 will be here, in no time."
A few hours later, with his book bag on his back and lunch box in his hand, and dressed in regular clothes… a pair of khaki pants along with a nice blue shirt and a pair of white shoes, Jonah was about to walk into his kindergarten class and begin his first day of school. But not before hugging his parents.
"Don't cry, mommy," Jonah said to an emotional Jennifer. "This isn't the last time, we'll see each other. I'm coming back home, today."
Jennifer had done her best, to keep her emotions under control, all morning. And she was doing quite well, up until the moment when her little boy was about to take his first steps, into his kindergarten classroom. It was then, that she could no longer control them. Breaking down in tears, as Jonah wrapped his little arms around her.
"He's right, darling," Jonathan comforted his wife as he placed an arm around her. "We're gonna see him, at the end of the day, I promise."
Jennifer wiped away the tears from her eyes. "I know. I just miss him, already. I don't kn..."
"But I'm still here, mommy," Jonah interrupted her. "How are you gonna miss me, when I'm stranding right here?"
Jennifer smiled. "I know you are, sweetheart. What I meant was, even though, your still standing here, it feels like you're already gone," she explained. "And I don't know what I'm supposed to do at home, while you're here."
Jonah shrugged his shoulders and said, "You'll think of something." He hugged both his parents, one last time that morning and walked into his classroom, ready to learn and make new friends.
"Jonathan, do you really think he's gonna be alright," Jennifer asked as she and Jonathan stood there for a moment, watching their son interact with all the other children.
Jonathan smiled and said, "I don't think he's gonna be alright. I know he's gonna be alright."
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
Wearing a white suit and his hair neatly combed, and carrying a soft pink teddy bear, in one hand and a dozen pink roses in the other, eight year old Jonah walked into the hospital room. Jonathan was right behind him. Jonah smiled at what he saw.
"Mommy, is that my little sister," he rushed over to the hospital bed, where Jennifer was sitting up, with a newborn baby, wrapped up in a pink blanket and wearing a pink cap on her head.
Jennifer smiled. "She sure is! She's been waiting to meet you," she held the baby up, so Jonah could get a better look at her. "Jonah, meet Jenna Christian Hart… Your new baby sister."
"Awe, you're so cute and little," Jonah said to his baby sister. "I got you a present. You probably don't understand what I'm talking about, but I hope you like it," he held up the pink teddy bear.
"I'm sure she'll love it," said Jonathan.
"And these are for you, mommy," Jonah handed the pink roses to Jennifer.
"Oh, these are beautiful," Jennifer proudly said as she admired the bouquet. "Thank you, Jonah."
"You're welcome, mommy. I got you pink roses because I wanted them to match Jenna's teddy bear."
"That's very thoughtful of you. And you look very handsome, but you know, you didn't have to wear a suit, just to meet your sister."
"I tried telling him, he could wear his regular clothes, but he insisted he wear a suit," Jonathan smiled as he explained Jonah's choice of outfit, to Jennifer.
"I wanted to make a great first impression, when I met my little sister," Jonah explained.
"And that's very thoughtful of you," said Jennifer. "Do you want to hold her?"
Jonah's eyes widened at the thought. "Yeah," he held out his hands and waited for the baby to be placed in them.
Jonathan chuckled at his son's eagerness. "How about we sit down first," he lead Jonah to a rocking chair. "Babies tend to get squirmy."
When Jonah was finally settled into the rocking chair, Jonathan carefully scooped his baby girl, out of his wife's arms and placed her into Jonah's. "Be sure to hold her head. She can't hold it up, on her own, just yet," he instructed Jonah.
"Okay, daddy," Jonah said, as he smiled at Jenna. "Hi, Jenna, I'm your big brother. And do you know what that means…" he paused for a moment, as if expecting an answer from the baby. "It means that whenever mommy and daddy can't protect you, then I have to. I'll always keep you safe. I promise," he leaned forward and planted a kiss, on Jenna's forehead.
From the bed, Jennifer smiled and a tear escaped her eye, as she watched her son interact with her daughter. This was one of the happiest moments of her life. It would be a moment, she would treasure, forever.
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
The elderly auburn haired, hazel eyed woman gazed lovingly into the blue eyes of the elderly white haired man, as they held each other close and danced to the sounds of instrumental music. The woman wore a beautiful floor length, silver, backless dress, with a halter neckline. On her feet, were a pair of silver open toed high heels. And an expensive silver star necklace and matching earrings, to go along with the outfit. The man looked just as handsome, wearing a pair of baby blue pants, a matching blazer, with a white buttoned up shirt and a baby blue bowtie. On his feet, were a pair of nice white dress shoes.
"Happy 50th anniversary, Jonathan, my darling," the woman said with a smile.
The man returned a smile and said, "Happy 50th anniversary, to you too, Jennifer, the greatest treasure, I'll ever have."
Jennifer laid her head on Jonathan's shoulder and closed her eyes, as the two of them continued to dance. At that moment, it was as if they were the only two people in the world.
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
Freeway whimpered, as he lay next to the large marble tombstone. "I miss her, too, Freeway," Jonathan sat next to the dog and comforted him, by gently petting him. "I wish she were still here. It just isn't the same without her."
It had been two weeks since that tragic night of the car accident. During the time, she was in a coma, Jonathan remained at Jennifer's bedside, hoping and praying she would open her eyes and come back to him. But sadly, in the end, she never did. As much as he wanted to, Jonathan knew that keeping her hooked up to a bunch of machines, for the rest of her life, wasn't something Jennifer would want. It wasn't fair to trap her. He knew he had to let her go. As the doctors switched off the machines, Jonathan remained by her side, holding her hand and with tears in his eyes, said to her, "When you get to heaven, save me a spot. I love you," before giving her one final kiss.
Jonathan raised a glass of champagne to the tombstone. "Jennifer, my love… Here's to what could have been," he said of the life that he had daydreamed about. He drank the champagne, stood up and place a red rose on the gravesite of his beloved wife. "I love you, Jennifer." He turned to leave, but realized Freeway had not moved. "Come on, Freeway. Time to go home," but Freeway still would not budge. "We'll come back and visit her again, tomorrow. I promise," finally, the young dog got too his feet and left with Jonathan.
And Jonathan did keep his promise. For as long as both he and Freeway lived, they would visit Jennifer's grave, everyday and leave a red rose. They never missed a day.
The End.
I know most of you all wanted a fairy tale ending, but not all stories end on a joyful note. Sometimes, the people you root for, don't win. I did consider writing a story, where Jennifer survived, but I could only get as far as one paragraph. My mind was completely blank with that story, so I just threw it out and decided to write this one. Anyway… Thank you all for reading this.