Author's Notes: When I first started this story, I had planned on it being just a quick one shot. That one shot turned out to be over 25,000 words. I guess it's a good thing I decided to break it up into chapters. This is the last chapter of this story. It's been fun to write. Sam and Jules's love for each other is a beautiful thing. I could have left the story with the last chapter at the end of their perfect day, but I decided it needed one more chapter to cover the aftermath of the rest of their day. You can pretty much put the events of my story "Hand on Your Back" between Chapter 5 and this one. I hope you've enjoyed this story as much as I have. This first part was inspired by a conversation I had with a friend about what the reception could have been like if they'd been able to have it.
Disclaimer: The show Flashpoint and its characters were created by Mark Ellis and Stephanie Morgenstern and belong to them and the networks who air the episodes. Since the show has ended, our only way of getting new Flashpoint is through fan fiction. This story is my attempt to help fill the void, and the only profit I make is the warm fuzzy feeling reviews give me. Anything that does not come directly from the show is my own creation and should not be used without my permission.
So Many Words
Chapter 6
Sam Braddock stepped into the ladies' locker room without making a sound. Jules was standing with her back to the door, trying to close the zipper of her wedding dress. He could see some of her bare back and the strap to her bra. He wanted to see more, but it would have to wait. Instead, he moved in closer, covered her hands with his and finished zipping her up. She didn't stiffen or yell out; instead he was pretty sure he saw her shiver a little in delight. Pulling her body flush to his, he leaned forward and kissed her cheek. "What do you say we head out of here, Mrs. Braddock? I have it on good authority there's a party being held in our honor."
Jules twisted in his arms so that she was facing him. Her hands traveled up to rest flat against his chest. A lazy but slightly teasing smile touched her lips. "Somehow I don't think Sarge is going to accept you just coming in here whenever you want just because we're married. Don't forget I'm not the only female on the team anymore."
Sam kissed her once more. "I know, but I also saw Leah leave a few minutes ago. It's not like I'm planning on making this a habit. I don't think Sarge is going to bust my chops about it today though. Besides, I missed you."
Jules rolled her eyes. "We just saw each other ten minutes ago at the debriefing. I think today has made you a little goofy, Mr. Braddock."
Sam noticed she hadn't made a move to get out of his embrace. He grinned down at her. Mr. Braddock, Mrs. Braddock. They'd really done it. They'd actually gotten married. For the rest of their lives they would be husband and wife. It was the greatest feeling in the world, to be topped only in six more months when they would be Dad and Mom to their newly born baby. He dared anyone to try to convince him life could be any more perfect. "Maybe a little. You know, I'm really glad the city decided to keep its own peace today. I would have hated to have a hot call ruin my good mood."
"Like anyone or anything could dare ruin this perfect day. Just sayin'. So I guess we should probably head over to the marina. Make sure everything is all set before our guests arrive. That is, unless you want to give me some hints about where you're taking me for our honeymoon."
Sam grinned. She'd been fishing for hints for weeks now. He knew it was driving her crazy not to know their destination. He was determined that she wouldn't find out until they arrived. "Not a chance. All I say is that you are going to love it."
Rising up on her tiptoes, Jules kissed him. "As long as we're together, I know I will. Okay, so let's get out of here."
The newlyweds made their way out of the locker room. This time Jules didn't make him wait as she checked for prying eyes. Let someone complain. As they passed the dispatch desk, Ben gave them a wave and congratulated them on the wedding. The ride to the marina didn't take long. It was almost as if Sam blinked his eyes and they were there.
The party began with a whirlwind as everyone gathered around the couple to congratulate them, not only on the wedding but their news about the baby as well. Sam kept Jules close to his side, not wanting to be separated from her for even a moment. As a waiter passed by, Sam snagged a glass of champagne for himself and a glass of sparkling cider for Jules. He turned slightly so that he could look into her eyes. He held his glass up for a toast. "To the most beautiful bride in the whole world."
Jules clinked her glass to his. "To the man I love with all my heart." They each took a sip of their drinks and then kissed each other.
Someone cleared his throat, but neither Sam or Jules was ready to break the kiss. When the person tried a second time to get their attention, Sam moved his hand from Jules's waist, intending to give a gesture to indicate what he thought about the attempt to interrupt them. Before he could though, Jules captured his hand in hers and returned it to her waist. Sam grinned through the kiss, wondering if she knew who was trying to bother them or was just protecting him from insulting any of their friends or family. Finally they ended the kiss. Sam looked in annoyance in the direction the throat clearing had come from. Jules's father was shaking his head.
"I hate to interrupt," Except he didn't really sound sorry. "But I was hoping I could have a dance with my daughter before you two get caught up with the cutting the cake and everything."
Although the last thing he wanted to do was let Jules leave his side, Sam knew he couldn't refuse his father-in-law's request. So he watched as his wife and father-in-law made their way to the makeshift dance floor. He was so intent on watching Jules that he didn't even realize someone was standing beside him until she spoke.
"I couldn't understand why you alone seemed to hate me when I joined Team One."
He glanced over to where Donna was standing. He started to protest that he hadn't hated her when he noticed there was a teasing grin on her face. She continued. "I was glad to realize that it wasn't that you hated me but the fact that I was taking Jules's spot. I hope you know, I never intended to do that. I don't think I could have if I'd wanted to."
Sam smiled at her. "No, you just made your own spot. Did I ever apologize for being a bit of an ass to you back then."
Donna shook her head. "No, but one wasn't necessary. I'm really happy for the two of you. You belong together. I hope you are both as happy as Hank and I are."
"Do you ever regret that you didn't get this?" Sam waved his hand to indicate the party. "I mean, with everything that happened on your wedding day, you didn't really get to finish out all the festivities."
Donna looked over to where Hank was standing in line at the buffet table, fixing them both a plate. "I didn't get the reception or the honeymoon we'd planned but I got something better. I didn't lose my husband the same day I married him. I'm grateful for that."
Sam's heart rate quickened and a sudden stab of fear pierced his heart. He looked around frantically for Jules as if afraid something might have happened to her. "I don't think I could survive if something happened to her. I don't know that I'd want to."
"I almost gave up everything because I thought I had lost Hank." Donna admitted. She never really talked about those moments when she'd held the gun on Bill Kedrick after he'd shot Hank. "If I'd given in to that urge - if Ed and the rest of your team - hadn't stopped me, I might have missed out on a lot of happiness with my husband."
Sam reluctantly took his eyes off Jules in order to fully look at his former teammate. There was something he had to ask her and for some reason thought she was the only one who could answer the question, though he wasn't sure why. "Do you ever think about it? What would happen if something happened to you on the job? How Hank would feel or do if he lost you because of the job you do?"
Donna shook her head. "No, I don't. I can't. I can't live my life worried that something could happen. That's no way for anyone to live regardless of the job he or she has. I just have to live each day to the fullest. Love Hank as much as I can for as long as I can. In the end, if something were to happen, I would hope that it was enough. Go to her, Sam. Love her as completely as you can for as long as you can. None of us are promised the next minute of our lives. Don't live with fear but don't let either of you live with regrets either."
Without waiting to see what he would say, Donna left him to go join Hank. Sam watched them for a moment, an incredible sadness washing over him. Then with his shoulders set in determination, he moved to the dance floor and tapped Jack on the shoulder. "Do you mind."
Jack Callaghan shook his head. "She's all yours."
Without wasting a second, Sam had his arms around Jules again, pulling her close. The music she'd been dancing to have been slightly upbeat without being too rock-ish. But as soon as Jules was in his arms, it was as if the DJ hired to provide music for the night recognized that this was their first dance as a married couple. As a result, the song automatically switched to a slow romantic ballad. The change suited Sam just fine; any excuse to hold Jules as close to him as he could worked for him.
As they swayed in sync to the music, Sam gazed lovingly down at his bride at the same time Jules looked up at him. Their eyes locked on one another, and in that minute, everything else seemed to fade away. Just like during the wedding ceremony, the world had condensed to just the two of them. Slowly as if they were being drawn by forces outside their control, their lips once more found each other. This kiss wasn't like the ones at the church; this one was hungrier, more desperate, as if it weren't for this particular connection, one would disappear from the other.
Only the need for breathing finally forced the couple apart, but only their lips broke connection. Almost panting from the need for oxygen, Jules rested her head against Sam's chest. She could hear his heart beating rapidly beneath her ear. His grip on her waist was tight as if he was afraid to release her.
"Sam, what's wrong? As much as I would like to think my kiss causes this kind of physical reaction in you, I know from experience that it doesn't. I've never seen you like this."
If anything, Sam tightened his grip. "I can't help it, Jules. Suddenly I feel like everything we have is tenuous. Like I could lose you in a heartbeat, or you could lose me. Like Hank lost Donna or like we could still lose Sarge."
Jules didn't pull away but she did look up at him, confusion evident in her features. She shook her head. "What do you mean, Sam? Donna and Sarge are both fine. They are here with the rest of our friends. Look."
They stopped dancing and just stood there. Sam looked over to the buffet where he'd last seen Donna and Hank. Hank was still there but there was no sign of Donna. Instead he had been brought to his knees and was sobbing bitterly. He looked around almost frantically for Sarge but the head of Team One was nowhere to be found. One by one as he looked around each of their friends and family slowly disappeared until it really was only him and Jules standing on the deck of the ship. He squeezed her tightly, afraid that if he didn't hold on as securely as he could, she too would disappear.
"Sam, it's okay." She tried to reassure him.
"No, it's not. I can't lose you. I won't lose you or the baby. I couldn't stand it."
She reached up to cup the side of his face lovingly. "Sam, that's not going to happen. We will not lose each other today."
He looked down at her, wanting to believe her words. She was no longer wearing her wedding dress but was in her uniform. Her hair was no longer softly framing her face but was back in the ponytail she typically wore at work. She was dusty and her face was full of pain, both physical and emotional. Silent tears made tracks in the dirt that coated her cheeks.
He reached out to brush the tears away. "Jules, Sweetheart, don't cry. Everything is just fine. Nothing's wrong."
"I wish that were true, Sam. I really do."
- FP - FP - FP -
Sam's eyes opened and he stared up at the ceiling, breathing hard. It had all been a dream, a mostly wonderful dream of what should have been the end of his wedding day. A reception at the party boat with all their friends, slipping away early with Jules so he could sneak her off to his secret honeymoon destination, the two of them making love for the first time as husband and wife, then repeating the experience over and over again all night long until they were both too exhausted to do anything but drift off to sleep. That's how his wedding night should have gone. Instead a serial bomber's attack on the city had changed all of that.
Instead of a reception, they had spent the evening in the surgical waiting room at the hospital as Sarge underwent surgery. Instead of slipping away early for a romantic honeymoon, Sam and Jules had left the hospital with the rest of their teammates, not because they were sure Sarge was going to make a full recovery but because the surgeon had insisted their presence wasn't going to help. A combination of the stress and exhaustion of the day with the painkillers Jules had been given due to the leg injury she'd sustained during the course of the day had knocked his new bride out like a light before they could even think about consummating their marriage.
Bride. Despite the way the day had gone and the lingering remnants of his dream, Sam couldn't help but smile at the thought that Jules was finally more than just the woman he loved; she was now his wife. He'd told Ed earlier that it felt great to hear her called that; he wasn't sure what classification came after great but that's what he had to feel now. Marcus Faber might have turned the most wonderful day in his life sour, but he could get through it knowing he wasn't having to face anything alone.
Getting a little bit of his breath back, he twisted on the bed to turn toward Jules. She'd fallen asleep almost immediately after he'd gotten her settled in bed but that sleep hadn't last long. He'd lost track of the number of times he'd woken because he heard her restlessly tossing and turning as nightmares plagued her own sleep.
It didn't surprise him that after such a nightmare of a day, horrendous dreams were haunting their sleep. No doubt those kinds of nightmares would continue to surface night after night for days, weeks, maybe even months to come. Understanding why they would have nightmares didn't mean he wished there was some way he could banish them from both his and Jules's sleep. This was especially true now as the light of the moon filtering in the bedroom illuminated the fresh tears on Jules's face.
Sam debated on whether he should wake her or not. He hated to disturb her sleep, knowing she needed the rest after the stress from the day before. He hated the idea that dreams were causing her distress even more. When a hint of a whimper parted her lips, his decision was made for him. He reached out and with the pad of his thumb, wiped away the tears that lingered on his face. The move was so slight that a heavy sleeper probably wouldn't have noticed, but Jules was no heavy sleeper.
She stirred almost immediately, her eyes opening wide. He didn't say anything, knowing that Jules needed a moment to process that she was awake and not locked into whatever she'd been dreaming about. She blinked a couple of times and then twisted on the bed to face him.
"Sarge? We should check on him, make sure he's okay."
Sam slid an arm under her and drew her closer to him. "I could call the hospital, but they aren't going to give me any information because I'm not family. You know that. If there'd been a change, the hospital would have called Dean who would have called Ed. You heard Ed before we left the hospital; he'd pass on any updates to the rest of the team as soon as he received any. I really think in this case, as frustrating as it is, no news is good news."
Jules nodded. She knew that; she just needed the reassurance of hearing if from someone else. She reached up to lovingly caress Sam's cheek. "You know how much I love you, right?"
Sam nodded, turning his head to kiss the palm of her hand. "As much as I love you."
She smiled at him. "As much as I wish yesterday hadn't happened - well, other than the morning part- the wedding was perfect - I'm glad I at least had you to go through it with."
"I'm sorry I scared you yesterday." Sam's own dream was still lingering in his mind.
Jules gave him that look that was somewhat a cross between a frown and a smile. "Yeah, well, I'm sure I didn't do your heart too good when I insisted on crawling through that rubble to get to the daycare."
The cry of pain she'd made the moment the rebar had pierced her leg had made his heart skip a beat. Not only was his wife crawling through an unstable structure but their baby was also along for the ride. It had taken everything in him not to figure out a way to squeeze his larger frame into the too small opening to get to her. He hadn't fully relaxed until she emerged from that hole after all the kids. If she hadn't immediately grabbed him in a hug, he would have grabbed her instead.
"How is your leg feeling? I heard you whimpering in your sleep just now. Was it nightmare or pain?"
"Both a little." Jules admitted. Sam was surprised by the admission. Jules usually didn't admit to being in pain easily. He frowned.
"Do you want to take a pain pill? It's been long enough since the last one that you are due for one."
Jules shook her head and snuggled closer to him. "There's something I want more."
"What's that?" Whatever she wanted, whatever she needed, he'd give it to her, no matter what it was.
"Tell me what you had planned for our honeymoon. Even if we can't go, it would be nice to know what you had planned."
Sam grinned at her, running his hand up and down her bare spine. "I guess it couldn't hurt. I booked a room at a bed and breakfast in Milton. I figured we could spend some of our time at Halton. Not quite extreme hiking, remote trails, and no outhouses we talked about but I figured it was close enough for now. And I promise you, once things settle down here and before you are too far along in the pregnancy to enjoy the experience, we'll get up there for a weekend. How does that sound?"
Instead of answering with words, she titled her head up and kissed him. Her hand skimmed his bare body until it reached it's destination, making her intention perfectly clear. Sam closed his eyes as desire filled him. When she broke off the kiss, Sam opened his eyes and looked at her intently. "Are you sure? I don't want to hurt you."
She nodded, her own eyes smoky with desire. "You aren't going to hurt my leg and it's going to be sore no matter what we do. I need to make love to my husband. I need him to make love to me. Not just to drive away the bad that's happened but because I don't want to waste another minute not showing you how much I love you and you doing the same for me."
Sam didn't need any more convincing.
- FP - FP - FP -
The vibration of his cell phone on the nightstand next to the bed awoke Sam a few hours later. Early morning light filtered through the window where there had once been moonlight. He glanced down at Jules who was now sleeping peacefully, a slight smile on her face. He smiled down at her before turning his attention to his phone.
It was too early for it to be just anybody so his stomach twisted just a little. He expected it to be Ed and he could only hope the news wasn't bad. Picking up the phone, he was glad that he'd put it on vibrate only, knowing the sound of the phone shaking on the nightstand would wake him without disturbing Jules. The name on the display wasn't Ed but Jules's father. He answered the phone as he slipped out of bed, not wanting to wake Jules.
"Hello?"
"Sam, I'm sorry to call so early."
Sam stepped to the bathroom, pulling on a pair of sweats as he went. "That's okay, Sir. Is everything okay?"
The sound he heard his father-in-law make sounded like a snort. "You tell me. The city went to hell in a hand basket yesterday and my baby girl was right in the thick of it. When I finally get to speak to her and know for sure she's alive, she sounded about as far away from okay as I've heard her in a long time. I know you assured me that she was okay, and I know you'd fight the devil himself to keep her that way. Neither of those assurances helped me sleep last night though. Now, I've got a flight scheduled for a few hours from now. I know I should make the flight but the daddy in me wants to change my flight."
Sam felt a little ashamed. After Jack Callaghan had called him the night before after his brief phone conversation with Jules, Sam had known the older man was concerned. He'd done everything he could to assure his father-in-law that while Jules had been injured, it wasn't serious and it was just the stress of the day that had made her sound so desperate. Even at that though, his concern had been more with tracking down his wife to comfort her than doing the same to Jack. So he hadn't given a second thought to calling Jack back later.
"I'm sorry. We should have called you back last night when things settled down…"
"It's okay. I'm sure that didn't really happen until late. I also know the two of you probably didn't get much sleep, and I really hate that I probably woke you up. If my flight wasn't scheduled so early, I wouldn't be calling now."
Sam didn't really know how to answer Jack's earlier question. He knew Jules would say that her father should go home. She wouldn't want him worrying about her or changing his plans. On the other hand, he wasn't going to be the one to tell Jack to go. "Why don't you come by the house? Jules is asleep. She didn't sleep well and now that she's finally sleeping peacefully, I don't want to wake her up. You and I can talk though; I'll tell you everything that happened and then you can make up your mind."
"Thanks, Sam. I'll be there soon."
Sam ended the call and looked in the mirror. His own lack of sleep was telling in his face. He turned on the sink faucet and splashed the water on his face. Then he dried it off with a towel sitting on the counter. He hadn't expected to get a lot of sleep on his wedding night but not for the reasons that had prevented him last night. He'd also expected to have the day after his wedding night to recoup.
There had been no rush to the lovemaking he and Jules had shared during the early morning hours. It was as if the events of the day before had convinced them they couldn't afford to take things for granted. It wasn't so much that their lovemaking was desperate but that they poured every ounce of emotion and feeling into it. There was no hurry to their movements and even as their desire burned uncontrollably, they savored each and every moment of it until neither had any energy left. Jules had fallen asleep almost immediately, looking more relaxed and settled than she had in hours. It had taken Sam longer to drift off even though he was just as exhausted as his bride. Sleep had taken a back seat to the need to just lay there with Jules in his arms watching her sleep. He'd seen the last vestiges of night start to give way to dawn before he'd given in to his own exhaustion.
He dressed quickly, switching out the sweatpants he'd just donned for a pair of comfortable jeans and a t-shirt. Leaving the bathroom, he ignored the mess that Jules had made the night before when they'd returned from the hospital and she practically tore apart the bedroom. He'd watched as she thrown object after object, giving in to the anger the day's events - Marcus's actions - had built up in her. He'd known she'd needed the release and hadn't moved to stop her until she'd started hitting the wall instead of throwing things. Now, he lingered at the edge of the bed, watching Jules sleep. He was glad that, this time, it didn't look like her sleep was as troubled as before. He would have loved to undress again and once more curl up with her and forget the rest of the world existed. But he knew Jack would be arriving soon and he didn't want the ringing doorbell to disturb Jules.
Just as he reached the living room, he caught sight of a cab pulling in to the driveway. He knew he hadn't lingered that long getting dressed and coming downstairs so he wondered if Jack had already been on his way over when he called. Sam had the door open before Jack could even make his way up the walkway. His father-in-law didn't look like he'd slept much more than Sam himself had.
The two men shook hands and then Sam closed the front door. He led the way to the kitchen, realizing they both needed coffee, not just a one shot made with the Keurig but a complete pot of steaming hot black coffee. Once they both had two steaming mugs in front of them and were sitting at the table, Jack looked over at Sam.
"I had the TV on all day in the hotel room. I was glued to it. The local stations were all reporting what was going on, or at least as much as they could report. Sam, I was a cop; I know the limits we have to put on the media - the thin line we have to walk between getting the information out that we need the public to know and not giving out too much. Information that's too personal or too dangerous for the public to know. No releasing names until next of kin can be notified, no giving away details of the active investigation. I know all that. It didn't help though yesterday. I think the boys were threatening to hog tie me and unplug the television. I can't say I would have blamed them. I'm pretty sure I was screaming at the TV a few times; especially after they reported that it was believed that officers had been killed in one explosion. I know how yours and Jules's job is; when the city is threatened, the two of you are right in the thick of things."
Sam knew he was probably talking about the explosion at the university lab that had taken Donna and Jimmy, but he couldn't help but think about how close he himself had come to being blown up. "Honestly, I have no idea what the press was saying. During the call, we didn't have time to even see the news. Last night as we waited at the hospital, none of us thought to notice if the TV was even on. I'm sorry we worried you."
Jack waved off the apology. "I knew you couldn't drop what you were doing just to ease an old man's fears. I also figured the fact that my phone wasn't ringing was a good sign that Jules was okay. Didn't make me worry any less though. When Jules did call, I couldn't help but feel relieved. Until I heard her voice. In case you haven't picked up on it yet, my daughter is one of the most stubbornly independent people I've ever met."
Sam laughed at the description but had to admit it was pretty accurate. He shook his head. "No, I actually hadn't noticed."
Jack rolled his eyes at the obvious lie. No wonder his daughter loved this man so much. "Jules has never been one to ask for help; even when she was a toddler. It would drive me to distraction at times when I knew I could help her get something done so much faster and easier, but she adamantly refused to let me. Most of the time, she persevered and managed to eventually get what she wanted done. There were a few times though that she ended up finding herself in over her head and she'd have to ask me to bail her out. Last night was one of those times. She called about the reception but I could hear it in her voice that it went deeper than just not being able to have the party."
Sam left the table and refilled his mug. Then he reached into the freezer and grabbed a couple of the microwavable breakfast sandwiches they kept for those mornings they didn't have time for anything more substantial. He heated them up and then returned to the table, offering one to Jack. "I don't think it was as much about her being worried about us not being able to have the reception but that everything seemed so out of control at the moment that she needed to figure out a way to gain control over something. That and maybe the little girl in her needed to hear the reassuring voice of her father."
"How is she now?" As soon as Jules had hung up on his, Jack had turned around and called Sam. He'd been ready to let his new son-in-law have it for leaving Jules's side when she sounded that upset. As soon as he heard Sam's voice however, he knew the younger man wasn't in much better shape than his daughter. Sam had explained about the injury to her leg and that Greg Parker had been shot and was in critical condition.
"I won't lie; it's been a tough night. The rebar caught her leg pretty good but in typical Jules fashion, she didn't let it slow her down too much. I doubt she would have even let the doctor look at it last night if we hadn't all ganged up on her to make sure she did."
"Sounds like my daughter. She ever tell you about how she got that scar on her forehead?"
Sam shook his head. "Not really. Just that it was a childhood accident."
"I didn't think so. Worst moment in my life. I was in the barn and Ridge came running in; he was screaming about how he thought Jules was dead or dying. I followed him out to the far end of the property. Jules was lying in a tangled heap near the barbwire fence. Blood covered her face and she was lying so still. I was scared to move her but I knew I needed to get her help. I gathered her up in my arms and raced toward the house. By the time we got her to the ER, she'd regained consciousness and was insisting she it wasn't anything more than a scratch."
Sam winced. "What had happened?"
"All these years and I still don't know. I threatened the boys within an inch of their lives to tell me what happened but they all insisted that they hadn't seen it. I think they did but were protecting their sister from getting into trouble over something. Jules doesn't remember what was happening. The couple of hours leading up to the accident are a complete blank for her. The doctor insisted on keeping her overnight for observation; he'd put in close to a hundred stitches, and he wanted to watch her especially since she lost her memory of the event. Then once we took her home, it was all we could do to keep her from over doing things."
Having spent enough time around Jules after she'd been shot, Sam could easily imagine how hard it had been. "I'm not that worried about the leg wound. She'll recover soon enough; like you said, she doesn't let anything keep her down. I think the emotional wounds will take longer, especially if Sarge doesn't recover."
Jack picked up on the catch in Sam's voice and knew his emotional wounds were just as great. But he knew how important Greg Parker was to Jules. Had heard her talk about how the man had looked after her and mentored her over the years. Truth be known, he'd sometimes felt a little jealous of how close the two were. A fact that he always felt a little guilty about considering he really wanted someone here to watch out for her the way he would. "How is he?"
Sam shrugged. "He came through surgery but he's still in pretty bad shape. It's kind of wait and see at the moment. He's strong and I'm trusting he's going to recover."
"Doesn't make it any easier, though." Jack finished for him. The older man shook his head. "How do you do it Sam? Yesterday had to be a hellacious day for the both of you. How do you shake off all the death and destruction that you witnessed and go back and do it all again?"
Sam didn't know the whole story behind Jack leaving behind police work to buy a ranch, but he knew it had stemmed from an incident involving a sniper in a clock tower. "The guy who planted those bombs wanted people to be afraid, too afraid to do anything. Yeah, the death and destruction yesterday was horrible and it's going to hurt for awhile, but if we hadn't stopped him - if we hadn't been there - the death and destruction would have been much greater. Four bombs exploded yesterday but it was supposed to be ten. Our team defused five of the six that didn't explode. That's how I - how both Jules and I - can go back and do it all again. Instead of dwelling on the ones we couldn't save, we're grateful for the ones we did. Jules, she single-handedly crawled through the debris from the first explosion and managed to rescue a little boy that was pinned. None of the rest of us would have been able to get to him in time, but Jules wasn't going to let anything, including catching rebar in her leg, stop her." The pride in his voice for his bride was unmistakable.
Jack nodded. "That doesn't keep the faces of those you couldn't save from haunting you."
"No it doesn't."
Both men turned toward the door. Jules was standing in the doorway dressed in a pair of yoga pants and an oversized t-shirt. She was balanced on the crutches the doctor in the ER the night before had insisted on. Upon seeing her standing there, Sam stood, intending to greet her with a hug and a kiss. Before he could move away from the table, he realized that Jack had already beaten him to her. The worried father tenderly took Jules in his arms and hugged her tightly. Then he kissed her forehead.
"How are you doing, Pumpkin? Sam didn't tell me it was bad enough for you to be on crutches."
Jules shrugged. "The doc insisted it would help keep me from falling and hurting the baby. I think it's a little overboard but as Sam reminded me last night, the doc's the one with the medical degree. What are you doing here?"
Jack moved out of the way so she could make her way to the kitchen table, but kept his hand on the small of her back as she crutched her way over. Then he sat down opposite her. "I was worried about you. I wanted to check on you before I made a decision about today."
Jules smiled her thanks as Sam set a mug of coffee in front of her. Then he leaned down and kissed her. Her hand snaked around the back of his head, prolonging the kiss. She'd been a little disappointed to wake up alone in the bed. The disappointment had given way to worry with the thought that maybe Ed had called with news about Sarge. After throwing on clothes and slowly making her way down the stairs, she heard her father's voice and realized Sam had left her alone in bed because they had company.
Ordinarily Sam would have been more than happy to continue kissing his wife all morning long. Furthermore, he would have loved to scoop her up in his arms and carry her right back up the stairs to their bedroom where they could pick up right where they'd left off during the early morning hours. However, he was mindful of the fact that his father-in-law was sitting on the other side of the kitchen table. So putting his desires in check- at least temporarily- Sam broke off the kiss.
"You want a bacon and cheese croissant?" Sam asked.
Jules nodded and then looked back at her father. "What decision do you have to make today, Daddy?" The only thing that kept her from draining her mug in one long swallow was the desire not to burn off all her taste buds first thing in the morning. If it hadn't been for yet another nightmare, she probably would have slept a lot longer. Once she was awake, the pain in her leg and her absent husband had pretty much assured that going back to sleep wasn't an option.
Jack gave her a look that said he couldn't believe she was seriously asking the question. "Whether I'm going home today as planned or if I'm staying. Ridge has to get back today, of course, because of work. So do your other brothers. I don't have to be in such a hurry though. I thought I might stay another day or two."
Jules reached across the table and squeezed her father's hand. "Daddy, you don't have to do that. I know you've got things to do back home as well. The ranch doesn't take care of itself; and don't even try to tell me that Ridge can handle things because I seem to remember you complaining loud and long about what a horrible job he did when your back went out last year. I also had to spend hours on the phone listening to Ridge complain about how you fussed about every little thing he did. I don't think I can go through that again."
Sam set the plate with her breakfast sandwich on the table in front of her. Then he squeezed her shoulder. "Jules, I think your dad is worried about you. He wants to stay to make sure you really are okay."
Jules opened her mouth to respond; Sam was pretty sure she was about to insist that she really was okay and that there was no need for her father to stay. Sam gave her a look that silently warned her to think of her words carefully. She gave him a slight wink before turning back to her father. "Daddy, I love that you want to take care of me, protect me. I don't even want to think about how pitiful I must have sounded on the phone last night. I'd blame the pain medication but I hadn't had any at that point, so I'll just blame the pain. If I'd been thinking more rationally I would have waited to call you when I didn't sound so desperate. I'm better now, really. Yes, there are scenes from yesterday that are going to bother me for a really long time. I'm resilient though; you taught me how to be."
Jack looked a little disappointed. "So, you're saying you don't need your old man hanging around."
Jules pushed herself up from the table and made her way to the other side of the table, and settled on her father's lap. "Daddy, I will always need you. I love you. I'll feel bad if you stick around through. I doubt Sam and I will be around much to visit with you anyway. With Sarge in the hospital, I know I'm going to want to spend as much time there as I can. I have a feeling both Sam and I are going to get a call soon saying our vacation days have been cancelled due to everything that happened. The teams are short and every person is going to be needed to keep the city safe."
Jack frowned. "You're injured…"
"Yeah, and even if I limited to what I can do in the field, I'll still be needed. Days like yesterday can bring out the best in a city; people pull together to help. It can also bring out the worst in others. Opportunists that use a tragedy for their own gain. I want to help where I can. I need to help where I can. You know that's how I best heal."
Jack nodded. "Yeah, I know. Doesn't seem fair; the two of you should be off on your honeymoon right now."
Jules glanced over at Sam. "We'll have our honeymoon. We don't have to go anywhere or do anything special. It's enough that Sam and I are together and nothing is going to change that."
"There are some things a daddy doesn't need to know or think about. Okay, Pumpkin, I'll go home, but don't think I'm not going to be calling and checking on you. Now I don't have just you to worry about; you're carrying my grandchild as well. But I guess I can worry a lot less knowing you have Sam to watch out for you. I trust he's not going to let anything happen to you or that baby."
Jules was still looking at Sam and could see the effect her father's words had on him. She knew Sam hadn't been completely sure her father approved of him before the wedding and with everything that had happened, she hadn't had a chance to tell him about the conversation she'd had with her father the night before the wedding. Jack's trust in him was the confirmation he needed that his new father-in-law approved of him. "He'd wrap me in bubble wrap if he could."
Jack laughed and shook his head. He looked over at Sam sympathetically; he wondered if the younger man knew exactly what he'd signed up for when he married Jules. "Don't bother. It doesn't work. Just makes her feel even more invincible. Okay, I'll call Ridge and tell him to bring my bags with him when he checks out of the hotel and have the cab swing by to pick me up on the way to the airport."
Jules kissed her father's cheek and returned to her place at the table. Sam offered to take both Jack and Ridge to the airport instead of them taking a cab, but Jack refused the offer. "No, thank you, Son. Sounds like you and my daughter are going to be pretty busy for the next few days. The two of you need every minute of alone time you can get. Take care of each other. What the two of you have is special. Never take it for granted."
Love her as completely as you can for as long as you can. Donna's advice to him from his dream came back to Sam. He looked at his wife, sitting at the table nursing her mug of coffee. She looked absolutely perfectly beautiful despite the fact that her hair was still a little sleep tousled, she wasn't wearing make-up, and the dark circles under her eyes still told the horrors of the day before. He swallowed hard. "That's something you never have to worry about."