Summary: Jake makes a promise to his father.
"What the fuck, Jake?! I told you not to wander off into the woods and it was the first thing ya did! If I hadn't arrived in time, ya could have-!" Striker couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence. The very thought that he nearly lost Jake shook him to the core.
"DADDY!" Jake instantly sprung off from the ground and clung to his father's neck, bawling and wailing his lungs out. He was trembling.
Sighing, Striker scooped the little one into a protective embrace as he got to his feet. "Shhh, it's alright. Yer safe now, my boy." he cooed, stroking Jake's back. "Let's go home."
The ride back to the house was quiet. Jake remained tucked into his dad's arm, face hidden into the crook of his neck. He had somewhat calmed down, but a few sobs still escaped him every now and then. Striker's free hand clenched Bombproof's reins tightly as he watched the path ahead.
He made a quick stop at the ranch to inform his bosses that Jake was alright. Joe and Lynn were surprisingly understanding of the whole matter. The latter even gave them some biscuits for Jake as they insisted that he take the rest of the day off.
Once they got home, Striker proceeded to clean up the cuts, bruises, and patches of dirt Jake had gotten from the experience with warm water and soap. Afterward, he tucked the impling into his pajamas.
"Daddy, I'm scared. Can I sleep with you tonight?"
Striker sighed. "Alright." he picked Jake up and went to his room to lay down. Jake snuggled into his embrace, burying his face into his chest. "Why did ya disobey me, Jake?" he said after a while. "Ya nearly got eaten by that thing. When I tell ya to not do somethin', it's for a reason."
Jake sniffled. "I just… I was tryin' to be as brave as you."
"Jake, don't mix things up. There's a big difference between bein' brave and doin' somethin' stupid, my boy. Bein' brave doesn't mean that you should go 'round lookin' for trouble."
"But you're not afraid of anythin'…" Striker shifted his son in his embrace so their eyes could meet.
"I was afraid today, son. I thought I'd lose ya." he smiled a bit, wiping some tears from Jake's eyes. "Courage isn't about not bein' afraid. It's 'about not lettin' yer fear prevent ya from gettin' things done."
Jake hugged his father. "I'm sorry, daddy."
"What matters is that yer okay, my boy." Striker whispered, rubbing Jake's back comfortingly. "But I want ya to do somethin' for me. Promise me that you'll never pull a stunt like this again." Jake let out a yawn as he snuggled into the warm, protective arms of his father.
"I promise, daddy…"