Jack knocked on the loft door and then called out to Jennifer. When she opened the door, he immediately apologized, "I'm sorry I ran out on you last night. Things were just… I hope you didn't think I was running out on us…"
Jennifer shook her head. "No. I've learned well these past weeks about running away. You're not trying to running away from me or from us. If you're like me, then you're trying to run away from yourself."
Jack slowly nodded. She did understand. "I meant what I said the other night. I'd like to go to counseling with you, if you like. Just name the time and I'll be there."
Still standing in the doorway, she smiled and put her arms around his neck. "You really are amazing to me. I'm really lucky to have you in my life."
Jack couldn't accept the compliment, "I'm not. I'm just a messed-up guy who really needs help and I'd prefer using the group rate."
Jennifer smiled. Her first real smile since walking into the wedding dress shop the day before. She grabbed Jack's hand and tried to pull him into the loft.
Jack didn't budge. He wasn't ready to come back into the loft. The ghosts and the memories were hovering too close. "Let's go out instead."
Jennifer understood and nodded. They needed to find neutral territory.
Jack looked down at her hand in his. "Good. I just want to be with you and stay like this," he lifted both their hands in explanation. Jack knew his demons had no power over him when Jennifer was close at hand. "Let's go away somewhere. Dan gave you several days off. Let's just get away from here. I don't want to be here at the loft or over at my place. I don't care where—cabin in the country or a hotel in Chicago. Just name it."
Jennifer's initial reaction was to be shy and not want to go away with Jack. She remembered the disastrous scene in the cabin where she'd been overwhelmed by all the pressure. She knew though that Jack hadn't known the truth then. She wanted to go away with him and she knew there was nothing to be shy about. Now, Jack knew all and accepted all. There was no one else that she would rather be with. She felt most like herself with Jack and knew being with him was the best way to restore normality to her life. "I agree. Let's go away together for a few days. There's no place I'd rather be that with you."
Jack smiled, "Your choice: country or city?"
Jennifer squeezed his hand tight. "Country. I only want to see you."
Jack glanced upstairs, "Can you go pack then? I have my car downstairs. I'm ready now."
Jennifer nodded and scurried upstairs, excited about their time away together.
Fifteen minutes later, she had her suitcase in his trunk and ready to set out. Jack had arranged for a different cabin than the one they had visited just a few weeks earlier. He wanted a place with no memories and, remembering his nightmare about Lawrence, one without any bad connotations.
They set off together in near silence until they reached the outskirts of Salem. "Jennifer, I'm sorry again about leaving the way I did yesterday and not phoning or anything. It was a lot to take in, but I am here for you. Please don't think that I'm not. I want you to count on me and trust me. Trust me that you can tell me anything."
Jennifer scooted next to him on the bench seat of the car. He glanced at her, but needed to keep his eyes on the road. He kept his left hand on the steering wheel and wrapped his right arm around her shoulder.
Jennifer liked feeling the closeness they had in that moment. She felt safe with him; she felt safe from the world and felt safe that he would never hurt her. "I do trust you. You don't need to apologize and certainly not apologize twice." Jennifer paused a moment before asking, "Do you want to talk about yesterday?"
Jack glanced at her; he really did need to keep his concentration on the road, "I would, but not at this moment. I'm still trying to process it all and trying to decide where I'm going to put all the hatred I have toward Lawrence. I wanted so much to go over to his place and throttle the guy." Jack bit his lip; that last statement was quite an understatement, but he didn't want to reveal any more of his private hell to her. She was enduring enough. "Regardless, I just want to thank you for trusting me enough to tell me how it was. That means the world to me. I know what it cost you." Jack paused, wary of asking her to speak about it again, knowing how difficult it was for her. "How about you? How are you feeling?"
Jennifer paused before answering and Jack started regretting that he'd asked. "Relieved," she said finally.
Jack was surprised at that. "Relieved?"
"Ever since it happened, I was scared to tell you. Worried about how you'd react. Worried that you wouldn't love me anymore or wouldn't want to be with me anymore." Jack started to object, so Jennifer went on quickly. "You never did anything to make me think that, but I thought it anyway. I felt guilty. I felt responsible."
Jack slowed down the car and pulled over to shoulder of the road. He put the car in park and turned to face her fully. "You're not responsible. Please believe me, understand that, know that. Once Lawrence made that decision, you couldn't have done anything to stop it. The responsibility is on him—not on you."
Jennifer picked up his hand and softly, absent-mindedly stroked it. "I'm realizing that. And you're helping me. I can't tell you how much it means to me that I've felt your unconditional love and support ever since you've learned the truth. It has helped me so much."
"I will always be here for you. If you decide that you can't go forward with your life…with me, because of…my past, then that will be okay. But it will be your choice."
"My choice is you. I want to marry you. That will never change!" Jennifer implored him with her eyes to see that truth within her. "Ever since…it happened, I felt like I couldn't breathe. I was holding my breath for all these months scared of how you…and everyone else would think of me when you learned the truth. Now that you know and you're still here for me and never blamed me, now I don't feel so ashamed. Lawrence afterwards always tried to make me feel ashamed and I was too ashamed to tell you or my Grandmother or anyone else. Now I can feel like I can…exhale…and breathe again. Now I feel like I can be honest to everyone else in my life. You did that for me. And I love you now more than ever."
Impulsively, Jennifer leaned up and kissed Jack softly, quickly on the cheek. Jack reached up with his right hand, his left hand still resting on the steering wheel, and caressed her cheek. Part of his palm brushed against her lips and she kissed it. Jack smiled; he'd endure anything and fight anything for this amazing woman. All I have and all I want is right here within my hands.
Jennifer reached up and took his hand and brought it down to her lap. "I've thought a lot the last several days about what you told me about Plato's Allegory of the Cave. I know it's a metaphor and can mean different things for different people. I was thinking about how ever since…the rape…that I've been living in shadows and in the darkness where Lawrence was lurking. Lawrence liked me there because I would be easier to control. You helped me too; you helped unlock Lawrence's chains. I haven't wanted to think about…the rape..or talk about it. I just wanted to pretend it didn't exist and that I could just resume my life and pretend that it never happened. But I couldn't do it. I couldn't get close to you. I couldn't jump into your arms and scream 'Yes' when you gave me that amazing proposal on the rooftop. You've unlocked Lawrence's chains and gave me the courage to take off my blinders, turn around, and really see the awful wreckage that he tried to create in my life. And seeing it, I'm finding the strength to not keep it a shameful secret and to fight back. I don't want him to get away with this."
Jack was struggling to believe Jennifer's words; he still just couldn't see himself as that type of man. He was the type who needed saving—not the type who could save others. "I did that? How?"
"Simple. By loving me. By standing by me. That's all it takes. That's all I need." Jennifer looked out at the road in front of them. "I don't want to talk about Lawrence anymore right now. It may be difficult or naïve, but I want him in the past." Jennifer reached up and tapped the rearview mirror and then gestured at the road ahead. "I want to go forward to our future. Let's go there now."
Jack smiled and switched the car back into Drive. He reached up and tapped her nose, "Your wish is my will," and they proceeded on to the cabin.
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Jack unlocked the cabin and dropped the suitcases at the threshold. It was nice and well-appointed but everything was contained within the one room. There was one bed, but that had a trundle bed underneath that Jack would sleep in.
Jennifer smiled when she saw it. It was quaint and cozy. It was a perfect escape and exactly what she wanted; she didn't do an accounting of the beds. At this moment, she didn't care about the sleeping arrangements because she trusted Jack completely.
"It's perfect!" Jennifer exuded, almost always the optimist. Jack liked seeing her this way. She was acting and reacting so different than she had in that other cabin when she had been so nervous, stilted, and non-communicative. Jack knew that what she said in the car was correct—she was now able to breathe. And it was making all the difference in the world for her.
Jennifer's eyes drifted towards the kitchen area. "Why don't I start on the salad while you make a fire?" Jennifer liked being here. Away from Salem, away from anything remotely resembling the bad memories of Lawrence. These few days respite were going to be so soothing to her soul. Somehow, despite everything, they were able to forge a path forward to their future lives. Love will find a way.
Jack nodded and headed over to the hearth. He looked at the supplies off to the right of the fireplace: the logs, the matches, the kindling. Memories of his dream last night came back unbidden—he had built a fire in that dream to torture Lawrence, to teach him a lesson, to indulge and satiate his darker self. He set to work to build the fire simply because he did not want to explain to Jennifer why it would be so difficult.
His hands trembled as he grabbed a fistful of kindling and dropped it onto the iron grate inside the fireplace. He lit the long match and lit the kindling from below. Seeing the twigs glow red and curl from the heat, seeing the occasional flame shoot up a few inches, he heard once more the dream screams of Lawrence. He quickly tossed a few logs onto the barely started kindling, hoped for the best, and turned away.
Jennifer was dicing the carrots, almost ready to toss them into the waiting salad bowl that already contained lettuce, radishes, and onions. Jennifer looked up and caught him staring, "Almost ready," she said brightly.
She was amazed at the easy domesticity that they were able to have. It just demonstrated to her once more that their love was worth more to each of them than anything else—careers, family, gigantic obstacles, and internal dramas would never separate them. She knew this situation and the memories that had been stirred up were tough for Jack, but he was proving, simply by not running away, that Jennifer mattered to him so much more.
Jack walked over and put his hand over her hand holding the chef's knife, stopping her from her dicing. "Can I ask you something?"
Jennifer looked up into his troubled blue eyes, "Anything."
Jack looked into her expectant green eyes and couldn't ask his intended difficult question. That could wait until after dinner or until tomorrow. He could keep things light—for now. He switched directions, "Do you know how much I love you and how much I want to marry you?"
Jennifer beamed. "Yes! I'm sure it's as much as I want to marry you." She wanted to go onto her tiptoes and kiss him. She wanted to kiss him. But she just couldn't. Not yet. There were still too many issues holding her back. Instead she wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him tightly.
After dinner, they moved to the soft rug close to the fire and Jennifer replenished the nearly spent logs on the fire with some new ones. She liked hearing the fire-cracker popping of the logs as they heated; she remembered from girl scouts that the cracking was tiny explosions of super heated pockets of water that turned to steam, thus expanding and needing to escape from the confines of the wood. She liked the randomness of watching the fire burn—which log would succumb first? how long would the fire last? which flame would suddenly grow high?
They settled down on the rug at the hearth with their hot mugs of herbal tea. Jack wrapped his arm around her shoulder. He was learning what affection was okay. His arms around her or holding her hand was okay anytime. If he was going to touch her face or kiss her cheek or forehead, then he needed to give her warning and wait for her assent. Kissing her lips, patting her butt, grabbing her from behind and pulling her towards him—well, obviously never. Or, actually, not yet.
After a few sips of their hot tea, he broached the question he wanted to ask her while she was preparing the salad. "Jennifer, can I ask you something?" he started again.
His tone called her attention and she looked up into his troubled eyes, "Anything," she replied, repeating her answer from before.
"It's about what you told me yesterday."
Jennifer stiffly nodded and her body tensed up. She didn't pull away from his embrace though, "What about yesterday?"
"It happened in Lawrence's room on the day of the wedding."
Jennifer slowly nodded.
"You were there because I had told you I'd meet you there and you trusted me."
"This isn't your fault. He'd captured you; there's no way you could've gotten to me. I think he captured you for this exact reason—because he didn't want you to…to get in his way."
"How can you so easily absolve me? I was supposed to protect you, not put you into danger!" Jack removed his arm from around her shoulder and brought both of her hands into his.
"How can you so easily convict yourself?" Jennifer asked back. "This isn't your fault. I'm not blaming you and I am the only one with the right to blame you if it was warranted—and it is not warranted.
Jack shook his head; he could not accept her magnanimity so easily, "I was chatting it up with Francois, captured maybe but not in any real danger, while you…, while he…"
Jennifer put her hands on his cheeks. "You did not fail me. Please hear that. Know that. And know how much I love you."
Jack pulled away and sat on the brick hearth, "How can you love me? I'm glad of it. I'm so grateful for it and I'd do anything to hold on to it. I know I shouldn't be asking this. I shouldn't be dumping my minuscule problems on you when you're dealing with such hellacious ones. I know this is just reason #869 why I'm such a selfish cad. But, seriously, how? With everything that I've done coupled with everything you've endured?"
Jennifer's eyes were full of compassion, ready to deny everything he was try to think about himself, "Jack, I love you—."
Jack interrupted her, "I know you love me, but should you?"
That question insulted her, "Damn right I should."
Her swearing surprised Jack. She never swore.
"You're not the same as Lawrence," she continued. "Not then and definitely not now. I know your default position is to think the worst about yourself. You thought that last spring which is why you fought so hard against us getting together. You thought that after you defended Steve and Kayla's life and your father died accidentally as a result. You preferred to see yourself as violent and broke up with me. Please don't put yourself and please don't put me through that hell again. Learn from your mistakes, dammit, and stop doubting about whether I should or should not love you or whether you are or are not good for me."
Jennifer swearing twice in one minute really called his attention. "Of course. Of course that choice is yours. All yours." Jack confirmed as he recalled Kayla's guidance she gave him the day after he learned the truth. "I'm not trying to push you away or corner you into breaking up with me. That's not what I want. But sometimes, things just get to be too much in my head."
Jennifer gathered his hands in hers, "Then talk to me."
Jack resisted and shook his head. She had too much to deal with on her own. She didn't need his problems too. That wasn't fair.
Jennifer tried to gently nudge him, "We're in this together. My problems are yours," she smiled sweetly as she paused, "And your problems are mine. Please don't try to rank them or scale them. Tell me what you're feeling."
"I feel angry." Jack admitted, he couldn't look at her after he made that confession.
Jennifer stroked his hand, "Of course you are. I'm angry too."
Jack shook his head; she didn't understand. "I do terrible things when I'm angry. I thought I was angry…before…all those years ago…but that anger was nothing like this. That anger was a mere shadow to the anger and hatred I'm feeling now. I'm scared of what I'm capable of doing. I'm scared that this anger and hatred will twist me into a person that you can't love anymore."
Jack looked up finally and into her eyes. "I shouldn't dump this on you. You shouldn't be worried about this too, but that is what was going on in my head last night. You wouldn't believe the things I fantasized about doing to…to him." Jack looked back down, unable to keep her gaze, "And if I do those things, I betray you, I betray Steve and Kayla, I betray Jo, and I betray all the promises I made to myself."
Jennifer's heart went out to him. His pain was her pain just as she knew that her pain was his. She remembered that on the day of the wedding, there was one bright shining moment in the midst of all the horror. Jack and Jennifer had taken their own personal wedding vows. It wasn't playacting for her; she meant every word—then and now.
Tiny tears were starting to form at the corner of her eyes from the memory. "Remember what I said to you that day before everything went so awful? When I think back on that day, I want to remember these words that I said to you: I Jennifer, take you, Jack, for better and mostly for worse. In spite of your egotism, pigheadedness, and inability to express any kind of meaningful emotion, to be my lawfully wedded equal partner who will love, honor, and obey me 'til death do us part."
Jack smiled broadly at the memory. She had remembered it exactly. Those words had sustained him on many dark occasions ever since. And he would do what she wanted; he would obey.
Jennifer reached up her hand and stroked his cheek. "I want you 'for better or worse.' Not just my worse, but your worse too. I talked to you about what I'm going through yesterday. Please talk to me now."
Jack still resisted. No good could come from this truth. "There's really nothing to say. I haven't done anything. I'm just worried about that dark path in my mind," Jack tapped his temple, "I'm worried that I will do something. Last night, I dreamed that I kidnapped him, tortured him, and then in the dream, when I pulled the hood off his face, that it was my own. That I am him or that I deserve what I want to do to him, I don't know. But none of it is good. I'm worried that someday soon you'll realize that I'm not the man that you think I am. That you'll realize that truth that I've been hiding from you and from myself—that the hideous evil person I was once is my true nature. I can feel it resurrecting."
Jennifer was growing more concerned, "You're wrong. Oh God Jack, please believe me that you're wrong. I know who you are. I know your spirit and your soul. I know you like I know myself and I'm telling you that you're wrong. You are good and kind and loving and heroic. You've saved me so many times."
Jack rose up and paced the room. "There's a story I remember hearing in Church. Yes, Harper made us go to Church when we lived in Washington—for appearances sake. The minister told a story in one of her sermons about a girl who was sitting on a rock in the woods and a snake came up and wanted to sit next to her. The girl was afraid of the snake and nearly ran away, but the snake told her to sit back down and promised not to bite her or hurt her. The girl agreed and sat back down. They sat together for a minute or two and then the snake reached out and bit her—injected his poisonous venom with his fangs. The girl looked stunned and gasped in one of her last breaths 'you promised you wouldn't hurt me!' and the snake replied 'yes, but you knew that I was truly a snake when you sat beside me.'"
Jack saw the horrified look on Jennifer's face as he completed the story. "I don't want to be that snake. I don't want to hurt you. I don't want to drive you away either. I'm just scared."
Jennifer rose up from the hearth and determinedly paced over to Jack and put her arms around him and hugged him tight. "I'm not scared. I'm not scared enough for both of us. I love you and I will always be on your side. Now, I want you to repeat your vows to me. Your vows from that day. Tell them to me now. I need to hear them."
Jack relented and recalled back to that day, remembering how beautiful she looked in that wedding dress and trying not to think of everything that came after. "And I, Jack take you, Jennifer in spite of your idealistic naiveté, your stubbornness, your pesky little ability to get under my skin, no matter what the cost, your ability to be my other though not necessarily better half. I would like to take you."
Jennifer put her hands on Jack's shoulders, went up on tiptoes, and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. The first one in a long time. It was to seal their wedding vows; she still didn't feel comfortable kissing him regularly or letting him kiss her. She knew that would come in time.
Jack swallowed hard; he swallowed his doubts—for now. If Jennifer had faith in him then he would let her hold onto that faith. Even though he didn't possess that faith himself.
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In the middle of the night, Jack felt her hand on his arm and heard a whispered 'Jack.' He woke up instantly alert. He didn't think Lawrence would follow them here, but that jerk was his immediate concern. "Are you okay?" The lights were dim, not extinguished, for her sake, but it was still difficult to determine if there was a problem.
"I'm fine." Jennifer was smiling and that put Jack at ease. "It's just that I'm cold. Could I climb in with you?"
Her request just melted Jack's heart, "Of course. If you prefer though, we can throw more wood on the fire or would you rather I keep you warm?" Jennifer shyly, sweetly nodded with a hint of smile. "Okay," Jack replied, "but your bed is probably a little more comfortable than this one. So why don't I just come up with you instead, okay?"
She nodded, offered her hand, and led him up into her bed. They settled into her bed; Jennifer had her back to him, spooning and nestled close up to him. They were both wearing silk pajamas and it felt both nerve-wracking and satisfying for her. She could feel every part of his body and his arms were securely wrapped around her. His left hand rested on her stomach and his right hand reached out under her pillow and she could hold his hand. Jennifer reveled in his scent, in feeling his breath on her neck, in knowing that they could stay this close all night and he would never take advantage. She tried to relax; Jennifer knew she was safe. Jennifer slowly inhaled and exhaled and allowed them to remain that way. Over the next ten minutes, her heart rate slowed and she was able to calm enough to sleep. They stayed like that all night.
This was her first night since Alamain attacked her that Jennifer slept without nightmares.
Jack wasn't quite so lucky. He loved feeling her softness, he loved knowing her willingness to be close to him. Her incredible words in the car still resonated within his mind and they almost, almost, cancelled out the dangerous dark thoughts permeating his head since he learned the full scope and brutality of how Lawrence had made her suffer.. He hated Lawrence; he hated himself, but for Jennifer's sake, he would not give in to that hatred. Jennifer was worth that much—oh, truly, she was worth so much more! Her confidence and faith in him meant so much and provided so much strength to fight his resurrected inner demons. As he slowly drifted off to sleep, cradling his precious Jennifer within his arms, Jack hoped he would be strong enough to defeat his dark side.
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Jack found himself on the deck of a sleek metal vessel. He looked around and saw he was surrounded by thousands of nighttime stars—almost like he was in the middle of a planetarium show. He looked down and saw he was wearing a strange outfit—a black tunic, black pants, and exotic boots. At his waist was a metal baton. From behind him, he heard loud breathing, inhale and exhale, inhale and exhale and the music of an ominous march. He turned around and saw a towering figure dressed from head to toe in black including a black mask, black helmet, black gloves, and a black cape. Although he couldn't see the man's face, somehow he knew instantly that this figure was his father—Darth Harper.
"Jack Skywalker," his father called him in a deep throaty voice. "So, you have come to accept that you are my son and you wish to join me."
"I accept that you were the man who raised me. That is all."
"Give in to your hatred, give in to your heritage and your journey to the dark side will be complete."
"I will not join you, father."
"I look forward to completing your education. Do you honestly believe you are similar to your friends, Han Steveo, Princess Kayla, or Jennifer? You cannot help them and they cannot help you. You may fight against me. You may fight against the dark side, but you must fulfill your destiny."
"I will not fight you, father. Stop this. End this now."
"Remember your anger. Feed that anger. I can feel your hatred. By now you must know that I, your father, cannot turn from the dark side. So will it be with you. Remember my other adopted son and your brother, Lord Lawrence. Become a dark lord like him. You two are so similar that if we joined forces, then together we will rule the Salem galaxy." At that introduction, out came Lord Lawrence, wearing a long cape with a hood that covered his hair. Lord Lawrence was imposing and intimidating and Jack Skywalker immediately knew that Lord Lawrence had already turned to the dark side.
"No. That can't be true! He can't be my brother. That's impossible!"
Jack Skywalker was struggling to maintain control, hide his feelings, and not to give in to anger. Not to give in to his darker self like he had in the past.
"Yes, your feelings are strong for your friends. I can feel how much you want to protect them. Especially…Jennifer."
At Jennifer's name, Jack Skywalker's blood started a slow boil. "Your overconfidence is your weakness," he said to his father.
"Your confidence in your friends is yours. The hate is swelling in you now. If you won't turn to the dark side, perhaps Jennifer will."
"No!" With that, Jack Skywalker pulled the baton at his waist. He instinctually knew how to operate it. He pushed the button and opened the light saber. At that, Lord Lawrence, released his light saber as well. Jack Skywalker launched at Lord Lawrence, determined to battle him for Jennifer's sake. His green light saber crossed with Lord Lawrence's red light saber. They slashed and spun around as Jack Skywalker and Lord Lawrence parried, engaged, and avoided each other in an extended duel. Jack Skywalker remembered his training well—'measure twice, cut once.'
Jack Skywalker gave into the anger and gave into the darker forces, as he struggled valiantly to protect his friends, Han Steveo, Princess Kayla, and Jennifer from these forces of evil. He hoped his aggressiveness would intimidate Lord Lawrence, but he knew that the dark lord had nothing worth fighting for and he battled only for the thrill of victory.
The battle went on and on; Jack Skywalker and Lord Lawrence were evenly matched. Jack Skywalker was better at maintaining his balance and side-stepping the attacks while Lord Lawrence was highly skilled at luring Jack's defenses. But eventually, Jack Skywalker was able to knock Lord Lawrence off balance when he left his legs exposed. Lord Lawrence fell to his knees. Jack Skywalker smiled; he finally had the dark lord 'on point'; Jack Skywalker continued pummeling Lord Lawrence as he barely managed to shield himself with his own light saber.
Then he heard his father laughing behind him. "Good. Good. Use your aggressive feelings boy. Let the hate flow through you," Darth Harper exuded. "With each passing moment, with each strike of your light saber, you become more and more my son. Strike Lord Lawrence once more and your journey to the dark side will be complete."
Lord Lawrence smiled up at Jack Skywalker. "There is no escape. It is unavoidable, it is your destiny. You, like Jennifer, are now mine." Lord Lawrence stayed poised on the floor, waiting for Jack Skywalker's next blow—the all important blow that would be the death knell for Jack Skywalker and the creation of a new dark lord.
Jack Skywalker, stood poised over Lord Lawrence, light saber lifted and ready. He was ready to bring down the light saber down in an instant. It would mean his victory in this moment, but also his ultimate defeat. It would be the end of Jack Skywalker in his path towards becoming a Jedi Knight.
Lord Lawrence, detecting Jack Skywalker's ambivalence, taunted him hoping to push him to strike, "You underestimate the power of the dark side. Jennifer was so ripe, so innocent and I will never forget her screaming. Just like the screams I heard in Jabba the Hutt's palace from those Jabba was torturing. Strike me down or I will find her again. She won't be able to escape from me ever again—not even with the fastest ship in the galaxy. She will know the true power of the dark side. I will be her master now."
Jack Skywalker dropped his lightsaber to his side. "No. I will not fight you. You failed." He turned to look at his father. "You failed too. I am determined to be a good person, like Han Steveo, like Princess Kayla, like Jennifer. I will never join you. Not. Ever. Again."
Lord Lawrence rose and faced him, mere inches separated them. "Then, young and foolish Skywalker, you and your Jennifer will die."
Jack woke up in the bed, breathing hard and sweating. He lied there in bed for several minutes trying to catch his breath and process everything from his dream. He looked down and saw that he was in the cabin with Jennifer and she was sleeping peacefully, making sweet sighs occasionally. He looked around the cabin and knew that he would never know peace until he had escaped from his father's house forever. When they returned to Salem, Jack knew that he would not sleep in Harper's house ever again.