Chapter Three: Born on the Fourth of July
AN: Yes, we are aware that's a movie.
Nate approached the house, feeling slightly apprehensive about the next few hours.
He wasn't totally sure how Charlie would react to what he had planned for her birthday.
His mother met them on the porch and ushered them inside. "Breakfast is served."
They ate quickly and then Nate took Charlie's hand, leading her into an American style sitting room. Sitting down he grabbed the small box he'd stored behind the couch. "I debated for a long time what to get you before deciding on this."
Charlie looked down at the box her and foreboding written clearly on her face. "I hate surprises."
Nate grinned. "You'll like this one. Open it up."
Looking up at Nate, she asked, "What is it?"
His grin got even wider. "I'm not telling you so you might as well open it up and find out."
Her hand hesitated on the box once more before pulling the ribbon off. Nestled inside the crepe paper was a framed photograph. Three Kawalskys stared back at her. "How...?"
Her fingers reverently brushed the surface of her father's face. "This is my father, Gramps and me all in one picture and we're all in uniform." Unshed tears glittered in her eyes before she blinked them away. "Just how did you get copies of these pictures and put this together?"
Nate shrugged. "I made a few calls to Jack and your Gramps. Then I worked my computer magic and viola!"
Slowly she traced all the faces of the photograph before taking Nate's hand. "Thank you Nate, this is a wonderful gift." She hesitated for a moment before she kissed him.
Nate was so surprised at first he didn't react but recovering quickly he allowed Charlie to control the kiss.
After a few minutes, they broke apart and Nate cupped her cheek. "I have more. It's a family tradition, when we're here, we visit Arlington National. I thought you'd like to visit your father's grave and leave this." From under the framed photograph he passed her a second laminated copy, protected against the weather. "To show you love him. I've also arranged for some flowers; I chose them with my mother's help. The white asphodel means my regrets follow you to the grave and yellow roses also mean apology. If you don't like them you can change the order, there's still time."
For the second time that day, Nate noticed Charlie's eyes sparkle with tears. "No that is perfect... thank you."
"Well then it's your turn in the shower, you'd better hurry or you might loose you place. We leave in an hour."
Jasmine's cry woke Jack and he reached up to steady her while she flailed on his chest. The two of them had a difficult night previously, it was well after 0300 when he finally got the munchkin to sleep.
He jumped as another pair of arms picked up the burden resting on his chest before he could react.
"Shhhh little flower, mommy's here." came the voice from his side and the baby was soon happily slurping on a bottle.
Jack cracked open his eye wondering if this was all a dream. "Sam? When did you get here?"
"Dawn or thereabouts. You were sleeping so peacefully; I didn't want to wake you."
Reaching out Jack buried his hand in her hair and pulled her forehead close to his. "I wouldn't have complained, but you're a wonderful sight to wake up to."
"So are you." Then she closed the distance and sealed the morning with a kiss. "What do you want to do today?"
Jack smiled. "How about we feed that little girl and then spend the day indoors. Tonight I originally wanted to go meet Jon and Cassie for the fireworks, we can still do that or something else if you like."
"Nope, that sounds perfect. Now just give me a few minutes, she's already looking sleepy again and then I'll be back."
Unable to take his eyes off his wife's legs until she disappeared out the door, Jack sighed. Yep today was going to be a marvelous day, in so many ways. With a smile of his face he hurried to the bathroom to get rid of his morning breath.
Charlie stood before Charles Kawalsky's ("sr.") gravestone. She'd never actually been here since the funeral. She'd always meant to come again but the opportunity never arose. "Dad, I'm so very sorry for everything. I wish I could do things differently that I could have defied mother and contacted you. I hope you'll be proud of who I'm becoming." Reaching out she touched the stone as she knelt down placing the picture and the flowers at the base. "I'm going to follow your path so I can understand better who you were. I've made the first steps and I know you'll be there beside me. I love you, dad."
She stayed there a few more moments before getting to her feet and saluted. "Goodbye, I'll see you around. It won't be so long this time."
Backing away a few steps she didn't take her eyes off her father's name. Then she drew a breath and turned away, walking over to where Nate stood the shade of the tall oak.
"How did it go?" Nate's hands were stuffed into his pockets as he rocked back on his heels.
"Good, this was the first time I've been here since I buried him. As you know things were complicated between us. Thank you for giving me this chance."
"No problem. Would you like to meet a few McRaes and Sharks? There's more than a few of them buried here." Nate wrapped her arm around her shoulders and Charlie didn't flinch or move away as they headed to the World War areas of the cemetery.
The smile was easy to find this time. "I'd like that."
Cassie didn't look back as she walked away from Jon no matter how hard he silently pleaded for her to do so. He didn't move until long after she'd disappeared from view. Jon knew he'd hurt Cassie, but part of him just couldn't let this go.
No matter what Cassie and the others thought the SGC needed him. Drawing a deep breath, he settled down to wait for Jack's buddy Phil to come and pick him up and the glider. The guy would get a good laugh when he saw Jon had been abandoned.
Knowing he couldn't let Cassie walk all the way home, he called the SGC and asked for Reynolds. "Hey A, can I ask a favor? Cassie and I had a disagreement and she'd headed down the mountain on foot. I don't have a vehicle to go after her, so I was wondering if you could send someone to take her home, like Wells, she knows him."
"He's not on duty today, but I'll go, I'm off duty right now. I'll pick her up and take her home to your house."
"Thanks a lot." Jon stared out over the landscape wondering if he'd tainted this place. It had always been their retreat from the world and now...
"Jon, you okay; you sound a bit funny." Reynolds voice came through the phone line making Jon jump, he'd forgotten the other man was on the line.
"I'm fine, just some hard choices to make and I'm not sure what to do. I thought I did, but now I'm not sure."
"Well if you need some advice I'm here to listen, Jack's not gonna be around for a while. Sam just got back this morning so it's good you called me and not him. He'd be pretty grumpy if you interrupted that reunion; after all he didn't know for two days if she was alive with that space battle and..." Reynolds stopped.
"Anyway, I'm at my truck. I'll call you once I find her." Jon heard a car door slam. "Bye."
"I'll be here; I'm not going anywhere."
Closing the phone, Jon sat down as far from the picnic as he could wondering if there was a way to fix this. Somehow he'd make this up to Cassie, she had to understand this wasn't just about them. So many other's hinged on his help too.
Cassie thanked Reynolds and climbed down from the truck. She stared up a Jon's house, this was the last place she wanted to be, but there was no where else to go at least for the moment because Sam was home. Reynolds had let her know when he'd picked her up a few angry kilometres down the road.
Dropping her keys on the hall table she paused to look at the pictures of SG-1 in its many forms. There was the original team, then a few with Daniel missing and Jonas Quinn in his place. A few with Daniel back from the dead and then it was Jack who was gone with Sam in charge. Then Cam and Vala joined the team last year and even Vala disappeared.
Cassie understood Jon's feelings she had them too. She wanted to race out there and help save the universe but there was a time and place for everything. Jon needed to learn that this war wasn't his time.
Heading down the hall she entered her room and locked the door. Checking the clock on her bedside table she picked up the phone and called Haruka. She needed some advice and the General needed a heads up on Jon's stupidity.
Haruka walked into the door to a ringing phone. She waved the other's to go get changed while she picked it up. "Hello?"
Cassie's words all came out in a rush and mixed up. "Slow down Cassie Jon wants to do what?"
Anger, icy anger at Jon seeped through her. That little upstart! Drawing a deep breath Haruka calmed herself and forced herself to speak coherently. "Cassie, it will be all right. When I get back to the Academy on Tuesday I will speak to Jon first thing." Cassie broke in and Haruka could tell she was crying. "No, don't bring it up with him, just leave it. Wait until I've talked to him and we'll get this all sorted out. He's running on Jack's emotions at the moment, not his own. All of his friends were almost killed and he wants to make sure he can be there to save them the next time. Jack has the same issues. It's one of the hardest things to move up to sit in that big chair and watch men go off to possibly die under your orders. Jack had to learn how to do it and now it's Jon's turn. He's just going to learn it much younger than most soldiers."
She talked to Cassie for a while longer before hanging up. As she turned, Allen stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her. He'd changed out of his dress whites and now wore a pair of swimming trunks. "Shall we go for a swim before dinner? The other two are heading to a beach party and I thought we'd make use of the reservation I made at your favorite restaurant on the beach. We'll close the place down and watch the fireworks from the beach."
Turning in his arms, Haruka kissed him. "I'd like that a lot. Let me get changed and I'll meet you on the beach."
There are two more chapters up on my site and if you would like to check them out Google my penname and you will find me. I love to hear from you whether you liked it or loved it. :0P
Also I have published two original pieces of work on Kindle you can find a link to them on my website as well.
if I get enough review I will be pushed to add the chapter early, like Friday, instead of later next week. I have one so far this week but I think I could handle a few more.