A/N Here it is. The final chapter of Wounded. I am glad so many of you enjoyed it. I'll be finishing Lonely up soon as well.
He watched her from the balcony of their hotel room. She was running along the beach with the boy. He couldn't help but smile as he brought his coffee cup to his lips. Her auburn hair blew in the breeze, having regained its shine and thickness and her skin was once again healthy and sun kissed. She came up behind the boy who was several paces ahead of her and scooped him up in her arms, giving him a kiss as she put him down to let him wade in the water. He was happy to see her so relaxed. He knew she had still been afraid of the kind of mother she would be and that fear still returned to the surface now and again. But it was really completely unwarranted. She was loving, patient and kind and Christopher was thriving with them. But they both felt a sense of sadness that such a terrible thing had to happen for their long abandoned dream to come true. Sometimes it seemed unfair to them but all that seemed to fade when their son cuddled with them and they heard the words they both thought for so long they would never hear: Mommy and Daddy. It had taken some time for them to truly work through some of their issues and at first Jonathan sensed fear in her whenever even the most minor of disagreements would come up. The thought that she felt afraid it would all fall apart again cut him to the heart and he tried every way he could to reassure her the past was just that, past. She picked up Christopher and turning to come in she saw him on the balcony and smiled brightly and waved. She whispered to Christopher and he lifted his arm and waved at his daddy. Jonathan smiled and waved back then turned to go in.
When they came in Jonathan had ordered room service and breakfast was waiting. She had Christopher in her arms and Jonathan crossed the room to greet with her a kiss, "Hmm, the second best way to start my day." She replied
"Oh and what is the first?" He asked grinning
"The way we ended last night." She replied in a husky voice
Jonathan chuckled softly, "Not in front of the b-o-y."
"That's me!" Christopher piped up
"Oh boy, no we can't even spell in front of him." Jonathan joked, "You are getting too smart for your old man." He ruffled his hair
"I need to get us both cleaned up." She said
"That can wait. I've got breakfast for us." He told her gesturing to the table
She looked and smiled, "Looks wonderful." She replied, "Look, sweetie, Daddy has breakfast ready for us."
"I'll help feed him." He took Christopher as they sat at the table, "Go ahead and eat."
She put the napkin in her lap, "Thank you." She replied taking a drink of orange juice
"You know, I was thinking since this is our last night here we should do something special." He suggested feeding Christopher, who sat on his lap, a bite of eggs
"Hmm." She replied taking a bite of her omelet, "What did you have in mind?"
"How about we have a romantic dinner, just the two of us. Max can watch the big guy, here."
"Uncle Max fun!" Christopher exclaimed
Jonathan chuckled, "He doesn't miss a trick."
Jennifer shook her head, "No, he doesn't." She agreed, "And I think that's a wonderful idea."
After a romantic dinner they decided to take a walk on the beach. There weren't many people around and it was calm and peaceful, the moonlight illuminating their way. Neither had said much since they left the restaurant.
He took her hand and finally broke the silence, "This is still one of my favorite places in the world." He said
"It is beautiful here." She agreed, "I'd almost forgotten how much. It's been a long time…" She trailed off thinking the last time she'd been here was with him so many years before
He stopped and took her other hand in his, "Jennifer," he began, "I know, for whatever reason, something still has a hold on you. Please talk to me."
She look down and squeezed his hands, "I don't know." She replied, "I can't shake this feeling I'll wake up and it will all be gone… you, Christopher…everything we've worked so hard to rebuild this past year."
"Darling, we're not going anywhere." He took his hand and lifted her face to meet his, her uncertain eyes meeting his, "I love you and I promise you that will never change."
She smiled slightly, "I love you, too. I never stopped, you know." She said, "All those years apart, I still wanted you."
"And you have me, forever." He leaned in and kissed her, "You are so beautiful. It's like time stood still for you."
She laughed a little, "Not quite but you're as dashing as ever. Even with that touch of gray around your temples." She ran her hand through his hair
"Thanks for reminding me." He quipped and they continued walking
"I'm reminded every day when I drop Christopher off at preschool. Some of those other mothers have to be fifteen years younger than me."
"But not half as sexy." He said in a husky voice
"Oh yeah?" She replied smiling as she put her arm through his, "You think when Christopher graduates from high school and I'm brought in a wheelchair he might not be a bit embarrassed?"
He laughed heartily, "Well, I'm five years older than you so I'll be in one too."
She was silent for a moment, "You know, I worry about something happening to one of us while he's still young."
He stopped again and put his arms around her, "Hey, nothing is going to happen to us."
"Jonathan, when you've been faced with your own mortality you can't help but think about it."
He held her close, rubbing her back, and she rested her head on his shoulder, "Listen to me. We have a lot of years left. In some ways I feel like our lives are just beginning."
She nodded and wiped away a tear then pulled back, looking at him, "Let's go back to the hotel, huh?"
He smiled, "Alright."
They arrived back at the hotel to find Max dozing on the couch. They both suppressed a laugh as Jonathan nudged him awake.
"Max." He said gently shaking him
Max awakened, slightly startled, "Hey, what time is it?"
"Almost eleven." Jennifer said, "Is Christopher alright?"
"He's been out since you left." Max told them
"Darling, let's go check on him." She suggested
"Alright." Jonathan said, "Night, Max."
"Good night." Max said and headed for the adjoining door to his room
Jonathan and Jennifer went into the small bedroom and found their three year old son sleeping peacefully. Jennifer sat down gently on the side of the bed and brushed the hair back from his face.
"He's amazing isn't he?" She asked
Jonathan stood behind her with his hands on her shoulders, "He certainly is."
"Looking at him like this all I want to do is shield him from the world." She said looking at his sweet face
Jonathan kissed the top of her head, "I know."
She sighed softly, "Well, I guess we better get to bed ourselves."
"Yeah." He agreed
She adjusted the covers and got up from the bed. Jonathan bent down and kissed Christopher on the forehead, "Goodnight, Champ."
They walked back to the door and turning out the light they both gave one last look back at their son and then looked at each other. In that moment they knew what they had been given. Not only a second chance to love each other but the gift of knowing the kind of love only a child can give. Untouched by the world in its innocence. Arms around each other they left the bedroom and the troubles weighing on their mind on a beach to be washed out to sea by the tide.