The Ties That Bind
Title:
The Ties
That Bind
Author: Suz W.
Feedback: Absolutely!!
Spoilers: After Fail Safe, The Warrior, and The Menace (episode tag)
Rating: R, S/J Romance, Friendship, Action/Adventure, Mild Language, Mild
Violence and Sexual Situations.
Summary: With Jack and Daniel having some trust issues to
resolve, the team goes on a mission of their own making to find the ties that
bind.
Disclaimer: All publicity recognizable characters and places are
the property of MGM, World Gekko Corp and Double Secret Productions. This piece of fan fiction was created for
entertainment not monetary purposes and no infringement on copyrights or
trademarks was intended.
Copyright: The original characters, situations, and story are
the property of the author. Copyrighted
on January 30, 2005, by Suzanne R. Whitmarsh.
Author’s
Notes: This story follows “Catching
Up”. For this story, I’m mixing once again the fictional
world with that of the non-fictional one. Some of the places I use in this story are very real, and I hope
that through my storytelling, you will be able to find yourself there! The song lyrics at the end of this story are
by Stacie Orrico. Happy reading! And as always, I would love to hear your thoughts
on this or any of my stories.
Dedication: This story I would like to dedicate to Lynn. It was her first email on my very first
story that inspired me to keep writing, and her feedback and constant
encouragement and support continues with each one that I put out. Thank you, my dear friend, for helping me to
discover the writer inside!
The hallway outside of Sam’s lab was relatively quiet, surprising her considering it was the middle of the day. But since half the base was still cleaning up the millions of Replicator pieces that had been left by Reese, the robot they had found on the last planet they had visited, Sam didn’t give much mind to it, and rather found herself trying to take full advantage of it as she reached for a piece from one of the Replicators that had been destroyed.
It had been a few hours since the base had been given the all clear, and since that time, she had attended a short debriefing and helped with the clean-up process. Now all she wanted to do was escape into her own little scientific world, leaving the chaos of their current reality behind. Picking at the edges of the Replicator piece with a pair of needle-nose hemostats, she found herself holding her breath as she gripped onto one end. Even though she had studied pieces just like these in the past, they still put her on edge. She’d seen what incredible power they had at recombining, and even though the law of physics defined them as dead, she wasn’t about to completely relax around them. After all, the laws of physics were defied every day, and usually by them.
Putting the piece under her microscope, she began to study it for anything that might be different from the last Replicator piece she had looked at. Since these had been directly made from the creator of the Replicators, Sam found herself hoping that she would find some sort of key that could help in uncovering the secret to permanently destroying them. Focusing her thoughts on the task at hand, she failed to see the shadow cross her desk.
“Carter! Don’t you think we’ve played with those bugs enough for one day??” Sam jumped at the invasion of Jack’s voice into her world of quiet. Taking in a breath to steady her nerves, she looked up at Jack from behind her microscope, giving him an annoyed expression.
Jack shrugged his shoulders at her look. “What?!”
Sam closed her eyes and then opened them again, giving him a small, tight, smile. “Sir, maybe you could give me some kind of signal that you’re going to be coming into my lab so I don’t have an early heart attack. Maybe knocking would be a good idea.”
Jack got a defensive look on his face. “I did! But apparently you were too wrapped up in that piece of junk to hear me.” Taking a breath, he suddenly realized that his tone of voice was a bit harsh. Dropping his shoulders, he took a step forward, placing his hands on the cold, smooth surface of the counter in front of him. Leaning into it, he met her eyes with sincerity. “Look, I’m sorry, Carter. I’m not trying to take my frustrations out on you.”
Sam put the Replicator piece down and sat back, giving him her full attention. She could see that he was upset, and it frustrated her that she couldn’t move around the counter and hold him in her arms at that moment. But with the base cameras focused on them, she stayed where she was and instead emitted her feelings of care and concern from her eyes to his. “What’s wrong?”
Jack looked at her for a moment before running a hand through his hair. Shaking his head, he pushed back from the counter and leaned his body against the wall behind him. Taking a breath, he threw his hands up. “It’s Daniel, what else! I swear it’s his goal in life to permanently piss me off!”
Sam stood up and moved towards him, stopping at the corner of the counter nearest to Jack. “What happened in the Gate room?”
Jack shook his head. “I killed the robot! That’s what happened! Yet he had the nerve to tell me that my actions were wrong. I did what I had to in order to save not only the base, but his scrawny ass as well.”
Sam started to reach out her hand, but then thought better of it, and retracted it back to her side. “Sir, you did what you had to do. The Replicators would have taken over the base if you hadn’t disabled her.”
“Exactly!” Jack said, punching his hands into his pockets. “Daniel let’s his emotions flow too easily most of the time, and one day those feelings of his are going to get him into serious trouble.”
Sam thought for a moment, letting the quiet settle in around them. She was about to respond when Daniel suddenly appeared in the doorway. By the look on his face, Sam could see that he’d overheard their short conversation. His skin was slightly flushed and he held his arms crossed tightly over his chest. Leaning against the doorjamb, Daniel focused his eyes on Jack. His voice pierced the lab with a blunt harshness. “Well, Jack, at least I can express my emotions.”
Jack pushed off the wall and took a step forward in Daniel’s direction. “I express plenty of emotion, damnit!”
Daniel shook his head slightly and allowed one corner of his mouth to turn up in a sarcastic smile. “Oh, you’ve got the corner on anger and revenge, I’ll give you that. Tell me, Jack, when was the last time you expressed any emotion without your gun guiding you?”
Jack’s fury flared. “Alright, you son of a bitch, you listen to me…” As he moved forward again, Sam reached out and placed a hand on his left arm.
Her voice was low and her tone even but firm. “Sir, let it go. You don’t want to do this.”
Jack looked over at her briefly. His eyes were filled with anger, fueling the soft pink that now flushed his cheeks. He held his breath for a moment and then shook off her hand. He knew she meant well and was only trying to help, but with the recent events still fresh in his mind, and now Daniel’s accusations, it was all Jack could do to hold himself back from just pounding on Daniel’s face. Taking a few steps to the side, he looked over at Daniel. When he finally spoke, the tension in his voice was clear. “Look, Daniel, I did what I had to do. I don’t expect you to understand it.”
Daniel moved forward a few paces, looking from Sam to Jack. “You’re right, I don’t understand it. All you managed to do was burst into the room and shoot, no questions asked. You didn’t even try to find out if I had control of the situation or not!”
Jack spun towards him. “Control? Control!! Daniel, there were freaking Replicators crawling all over the base! Hell, Hammond and Carter were moments away from letting the self-destruct go off and kill us all!”
Daniel shouted back. “I was making progress!! I only needed a few more minutes and Reese would have stopped them on her own.”
Jack threw up his hands. “We didn’t have a few more minutes! What about that don’t you get!”
Daniel shot back at him. “We could have saved her, learned so much more from her. Hell, with enough time, she might have given us the answers we need to stop the rest of the Replicators from taking over this galaxy and every other one for that matter. But you didn’t think of that, did you?”
Jack clenched his hands into fists at his side. “Look, Daniel, I’m not trained to think with my emotions. In a dangerous situation, you have to think on your feet, assess the situation fast, and make the best decision you can with what little information you have.” He took a breath and looked over at Sam, who was regarding both men with great concern. He hated having to act this way, especially in front of her. He felt out of control, and he despised that more than anything. Moving his eyes back to Daniel, Jack made direct eye contact. “And I don’t have to stand here and justify myself to you. What I think and feel and how it affects my actions is no one’s concern but my own. Do you get that?”
As Jack moved past him in an attempt to leave, Daniel spoke up, catching Jack off guard since it was usually Jack who got in the last word. “Well, then I feel really sorry for any woman who gets personally involved with you. With that kind of attitude, she would feel about as low as a common hooker.”
Jack’s thoughts immediately went to Sam. His fury at Daniel’s disregard for her feelings or honor, even if he didn’t know about them, welled up in him like a building tornado. Whipping around, he caught a glimpse of Sam and the shock on her face at Daniel’s comment. “You bastard!”
Bringing his arm back, he fisted his hand and threw it forward, slamming it into Daniel’s jaw, sending him flying back into the counter. Daniel hit the edge and collapsed onto the ground, holding his jaw as he tried to adjust his glasses, now crooked on his face. Blood started to trickle down the right side of his mouth, and he struggled to his feet, moving out of the way before Jack was able to make contact again.
Sam’s voice shrieked in her lab. “Colonel, stop it! Please! There are other ways to work through this!” Sam was scared for both Jack and Daniel. Tensions were high and she knew they didn’t know what they were doing or really saying. But the last thing she wanted to see happen was to have both of her teammates locked up in a holding cell for insubordinate conduct.
As Jack started to move forward, ignoring Sam’s plea, she suddenly stepped in front of him, placing a hand firmly on his chest and looking up into his face. “Jack! You don’t want to do this. Not now!”
Jack heard his name then, a familiar sound coming from her lips. But it was the fear in her voice that got his attention. Looking down into her pleading eyes, he breathed in heavily the air around them, trying to get a handle on the situation. All he wanted to do was tear Daniel’s limbs off for disrespecting Sam, but he knew she was right. Daniel stared back at him with fear and anticipation, unsure of what to say or do next.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Jack nodded at Sam and then moved back a step, but not far enough to be out of range from her touch. He could feel the pressure of her hand on his chest and he needed that if he was going to keep his sanity. If anyone could bring him back to his senses, it was her.
For another few minutes, no one moved or barely even took a breath. The tension in the room was so thick it could be cut with a knife. But what finally did cut it was the quickly approaching footsteps of Janet, her familiar heels clicking hard on the cement floor as she hurried into the doorway of Sam’s lab, obviously out of breath from running. She assessed the situation quickly and then spoke up, her voice echoing around the room. “What is going on here?!” Her eyes then met Daniel’s face and saw the blood running down from his lip. Moving over to him, she grabbed a tissue from a nearby counter and held it over the cut. “Please tell me this was some big misunderstanding, because I would hate to think I’m treating injuries obtained from a fist fight between friends.”
When Jack didn’t answer immediately, but only continued to make hard eye contact with Daniel, Sam answered for him. “It was a misunderstanding, that’s all, Janet.”
Janet looked disbelievingly at her friend. “That’s not what I saw on the cameras. I can only hope I was the only one that happened to catch it. Now what is going on between the two of you?”
Jack looked over at Janet, who was still holding the tissue over Daniel’s cut. “It’s nothing you have to involve yourself in, Doc, believe me.”
Janet released her hold on Daniel moved to where she was facing both of them. “Well, you’d better involve me or I’m going to involve General Hammond. And somehow I don’t think he’s going to be as understanding.”
Jack looked over at Sam. He could see that she was going to leave it up to him to tell the tale. “Oh, for cryin’ out loud!” His voice was strained as he tried to keep the volume down so the rest of the base didn’t hear them. “I shot Daniel’s precious robot in order to save our asses. But apparently Saint Daniel here thinks that I did the base a major injustice!”
Daniel rolled his eyes as he stood next to Janet. “Oh, come on, Jack! I was getting through to her, but all you did was come in guns ablazing. She could have helped us, and possibly even given us answers about how to destroy the Replicators!”
Jack fisted his hands. “This is getting really old and not getting us anywhere! I’m done defending myself to you!” Jack turned briefly to Sam, connecting with her eyes before turning completely to the door. Sam could see how upset he was, and she wanted to do was defend him, but she could see justification for both stories.
Jack was about to the doorway when Janet called out. “Not so fast, Colonel. We haven’t resolved anything yet.”
Jack stopped and hung his head slightly. “And we’re not going to. Just let it be!”
Janet held her ground. “I can’t and I won’t. Now it seems that a lesson in teamwork is in order. And I have just the thing to make that happen.”
Jack threw up his hands and turned around. “And what is that, Doc? A pill that helps me to forget what an idiot Daniel can be?”
Janet found a slight smile tugging at her lips. She looked at Sam, who was curiously watching her. “No, a rafting trip. Whitewater, to be exact.”
Jack and Sam looked at each other before Jack responded. “I’m sorry, a rafting trip?” Jack was expecting some remedy from her, but not this.
Janet nodded and looked over at Daniel, who was watching her with surprise. She gave him a brief smile and then looked back at Jack and Sam. “Cassie and I were suppose to go rafting this weekend, but at the last minute, she got a much more enticing offer of skiing with her friends versus rafting with her mom. So, since it’s too late to cancel my rafting reservations, I think we should all go, as a group. I just have to call the company and add on a few more spots. It shouldn’t be a problem.”
Sam smiled. “Janet, that’s a great idea! And with this being April, the rapids should be in prime condition.” She looked over at Jack, who was chewing over the notion with great care.
After a moment, Daniel responded with enthusiasm. “Well, I’m in. I think battling some whitewater would be great weekend fun. I haven’t done that in a long time.”
Jack looked up at Daniel’s comment, regarding him sarcastically. “Oh, and you’ve rafted whitewater?”
Daniel gave Jack a triumphant look. “As a matter of fact, yes, I have, Jack. Haven’t you?”
Jack didn’t like the smirk on Daniel’s lips. He wanted to wipe it off by telling him he had. But he couldn’t. “No, I haven’t. You got a problem with that?”
Daniel shrugged his shoulders, his face holding the same confident look. “No, Jack. I guess I’m just surprised that you haven’t.”
Jack became defensive. “Well, if I can fly fighter jets into combat, I think I can handle an oar and a little water! So don’t get so cocky!”
Janet held up her hand. “Okay, I think that’s enough said for one day.” Looking down at her watch, she continued. “It’s 1600 hours now. Let’s meet back in the base parking lot at 0700 tomorrow morning. We’ll take one car and head out. Sound good?”
Sam nodded and then had a thought. “What about Teal’c? Shouldn’t we ask him?”
Daniel answered her. “Um, Teal’c went back to Chulak for the weekend. He hasn’t been home in a long time and wanted to see Ryack. He also mentioned something about training with Bra’tac. I think it’s another Jaffa thing.”
Janet gave Daniel a quick smile and then turned back to face the others. “Okay, that settles it. Are you game, Sam?”
Sam got a smile on her face, glancing over at Jack. “Yeah, it sounds like fun. I think I can manage a weekend away from my lab.”
Jack looked over at her. “Oh, you can, can you?!” Looking back at Janet, he continued. “Now why don’t I get a vote on if I want to do this or not?” Sam chuckled at the slight whining sound coming from Jack’s voice.
Janet gave him a matter-of-fact answer. “Because, Colonel, you and Daniel don’t get a vote. This trip is for the two of you and helping to work out your differences. Got it?”
Jack looked down at the ground and kicked at an invisible pebble. “So much for democracy.” But secretly, Jack wasn’t really objecting. He was looking forward to spending more quality time with Sam. They had so little it seemed. The only snag was Daniel, but Jack found himself hoping that Janet would keep him occupied.
Janet and Daniel left the lab, leaving Sam and Jack alone again. When they were gone, Jack turned to Sam, his eyes sparkling, surprising Sam. “So, are you ready for this?”
Sam wanted to kiss him right there. But since she couldn’t, she compromised with a dazzling smile. “Well, your mood has certainly improved, Sir.” Picking up a file folder, she put it away in her filing cabinet and turned around. “And yes, I think this weekend will be great for…teamwork.” Moving as close as she dared to him, she lowered her voice to a whisper. “And maybe other things.” With that, she moved to the door. Turning around, she connected with his eyes. “I’ll see you later.”
Watching her walk out of the door, knowing that he would see her later that night, thrilling chills of anticipation ran through his body. And he was looking forward to the weekend. He admitted to himself that at first the idea of spending two days with Daniel was not that appetizing. But now other thoughts, thoughts much more pleasant than Daniel’s whining ran through his head, and he couldn’t wait to get going.
By mid-morning the next day, the four of them were standing beside the banks of the Arkansas River, it’s crystal clear waters moving steadily along, rolling over rocks and floating logs, bubbling up foamy white froth as the water connected with the occasional vegetation that dipped underneath it’s surface. For centuries, the river had been carving the scenic landscape over the mountainous regions of the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, flowing past rock formations and cliffs that seemed to touch the sky. The red earth sparkled all around them in the morning sun as the Evergreen trees swayed gently in the breeze. It was a warm day for the middle of April, and the blue sky, dotted with white, puffy clouds, seemed to expand the horizon to twice its size.
Sam, Jack, Janet, and Daniel were at the beginning of Brown’s Canyon, listening to the instructions of the guide that would lead them over the rapids of both Brown’s Canyon and the Royal Gorge in an overnight trip. The river was singing loudly, forcing them to huddle close together in order to hear all the instructions on what to do when approaching a rapid, how to paddle, and what to do if the boat overturned or you were thrown out.
Jack furrowed his brow at this part. “Um, excuse me. Thrown out?”
Their guide, Dennis, gave Jack a smile and responded. “Yep. It can happen to the most experienced person. It all depends on the conditions of the river, everything from how swollen it is to movements of river debris, such as log drifts.”
Jack looked over at the river. “Log drifts?”
Dennis nodded. “Log drifts are common, especially this time of year, after a long winter when the thawing process begins. Basically, they are sort of like a nest of twigs, branches and logs that have been “sewn” together by the varying river currents. Usually, they stay lodged along the banks of the river, but every now and then, one may churn loose and cause a bit of trouble. If you are thrown overboard, and you find yourself being carried towards one, don’t fight the current. Simply swim towards it and pull yourself up onto it if you can. It’s the best thing to do in that situation.”
Jack looked over at Sam in astonishment. “Okay, sure, no problem.” Looking over at Janet, he continued. “Are you nuts? You really want to do this?”
Janet laughed. “You bet, sir….I mean, Jack. Trust me, you’ll love it. Just give it a chance.”
Jack shook his head. “Oh, yeah, sure I’ll love it. Just try and convince me of that the first time I fall in.”
Dennis let out a chuckle. “Don’t worry, Jack. You’ll do just fine. More than likely, nothing will happen.”
Jack gave a strained smile. “Yeah, that instills the confidence.” Taking a breath, he continued. “Well, let’s get going before Daniel here loses his nerve.”
Daniel looked over at Jack and glared at him. Decided not to respond, he instead busied himself by pulling his wetsuit on the rest of the way, finding the task not as easy as he thought it would be. But the water was freezing, and the only way to raft it safely was to wear the wetsuits and life preservers provided.
Five minutes later, they were walking the raft to the shore of the river. Putting it down, Dennis began loading the supplies they were taking for the overnight trip. Jack walked over to the river’s edge and stared out over the water as it moved steadily past him. The spot where they were putting in wasn’t so bad; Jack could even see a few places where the water seemed to come to a standstill, it’s smoother surface reflecting the nature surrounding it. Spotting one of the “log drifts”, embedded securely on the other bank, Jack studied it carefully, trying to imaging how anyone could just pull themselves up onto it should they need to.
Lost in thought, he failed to hear Sam’s approach from behind. “Hey. Penny for your thoughts?”
Jack turned to his right to find Sam standing beside him, fully dressed in her slick black wetsuit. Every inch of the rubbery material clung tightly to every curve of her body, making it hard for Jack to think, let alone breathe. Her blonde hair glowed brightly against the black of her suit, and her eyes reflected the color of the sky. Jack smiled at her warmly, losing himself for a moment as he looked at her. “Oh, you know, just looking at the river, trying to find the best place where I can push Daniel in…for fun of course.”
Sam gave him a cute smile. “Oh course.” Her eyes traversed the same course over Jack’s body as his eyes had just done to her. The wetsuit emphasized all of his muscles, making her mind and her insides feel like Jell-O for a moment. All she wanted to do was press her body against his and run her hands up and down the slick, black rubber of the wetsuit, and allow her imagination to run free.
But Jack’s voice suddenly invaded her thoughts. “I must say, Carter, we need to go on more missions that require the use of a wetsuit. You look…really good.” Sam could feel herself blushing as he once again looked her over from head to toe.
Sam returned the compliment. “As do you, Jack.” She took a small step closer to him, looking into his eyes. She wanted to reach out and devour his lips, but the reality of Daniel’s voice interrupted that thought.
“Hey, you two coming?” Daniel and Janet were standing next to the raft a short distance away, obviously ready to launch it.
Jack looked over at him and answered back. “Yes, Daniel, we’re coming. Hold your horses.” Nodding his head at Sam in the direction of the boat, he gave her a small smile before starting out for it, with Sam following by his side. He decided right then and there he was going to have to find some alone time with Sam. Otherwise, Jack wasn’t so sure he’d make it through the weekend without exploding.
When Sam and Jack reached the raft, everyone grabbed a side and pulled it into the water. The icy water swirled around the bottom of their legs, making everyone shiver due to the drastic temperature change. Dennis took his place on the back end of the raft, while Jack and Daniel sat opposite each other at the front, with Sam behind Jack, and Janet behind Daniel. They balanced themselves on the edge of the raft, securing their feet in the Velcro straps found on the floor of the raft. With paddles in hand, Dennis pushed them off into the current, signaling the start of their weekend adventure.
Five minutes later, Jack still found them easily floating down the river, paddles on their laps, his face turned up to the sun, soaking in the warmth of it’s rays. Sighing contently, he brought his head back down and looked over at Daniel. “This isn’t so bad. In fact, it’s actually quite nice.”
Sam smiled to herself. “It’s beautiful.” Looking around her, they were surrounded by mountains and rock formations, both colored by the red clay found in the earth in that area. Trees, rich in hues of varying greens, dotted the landscape, surrounded by wildflowers of all types, with their white and purple pedals dancing in the gentle breeze. A large falcon overhead called out to the world around them, floating in the mid-morning sky, obviously searching for a snack of some poor unsuspecting rodent.
Dennis smiled and nodded. “That it is beautiful. And you’re about to get your first taste of what a class III rapid is like on a day like today.” Everyone looked ahead of them. “That,” Dennis continued, pointing to a rougher patch of water about 1000 feet ahead of them, “is what we call ‘The Silver Bullet’.” Sitting up a little straighter, Dennis went on. “Now, just remember all the terms I taught you. If I say left paddle front, those of you on the left side of me paddle forward. If I say right paddle back, those on the right paddle backwards. It’s essential that you work together as a team and listen to what I tell you. Otherwise, you’ll be finding out just how cold that water really is. And just so you remember, this is one of the rapids that you’ll have to hunker down on. When I say hunker down, pull your paddles in and squat down inside of the raft.”
Everyone gripped their paddle, their hands clinging tightly to it in anticipation as their hearts raced along with the increasing speed of the current. As they approached the rapid, the peace of the morning became drowned out by the sound of water breaking over rocks, pouring into unseen crevices beneath the surface and swirling all around them. Jack looked ahead of him, alert and ready for the first command. During battles, his heart raced, but not like it was now. The adrenaline pumping through his system was unlike anything he’d ever experienced. It made him feel ten times stronger and gave him a slight head rush. When fighting the Goa’uld, he a least felt a small familiarity with what was happening around him. But this was foreign to him, an unknown danger, and as strange as it sounded, it felt great.
Dennis’ voice suddenly barked out, his voice holding strong over the rushing rapids. “Right paddle front, left paddle front! Push it! Paddle hard.” And then, a few seconds later, another command. “Right paddle back! Pull hard! Left paddle front….” Within seconds, they were on top of the rapids, the raft careening over the white frothy top of the water, maneuvering with each stroke. It bumped and rose, skimming past huge boulders that rose around them.
Dennis shouted out once more. “Left hold…right paddle front.” Jack and Sam pushed their paddles through the water with as much strength as they had. It seemed like they were going to run right into a rock, but as soon as Daniel and Janet stopped paddling, the raft turned, obeying the directional shift, and they breezed past the rock with a few inches to spare. Suddenly, Dennis’ voice called out. “Paddles in! Hunker down!!!”
Doing as they were instructed, the four of them pulled in their paddles and met in the center of the raft, their bodies heaving for air. Without warning the boat dropped what felt like 20 feet, but in reality, was only two feet. The raft pulled into its center, pushing Sam, Jack, Janet and Daniel even closer together. Then they slide down the center of the rapid, ice cold water pouring into the boat and splashing on their face, sending chills down their spines. And with one finally bump, they were through the crevice of the rapid and Dennis was once again shouting to them.
“Paddles out. Come on!” As they took their seats again on the edges of the raft, his voice boomed in their ears. “Okay! Right paddle back…left paddle front. Now, right paddle front. Paddle hard…otherwise we’ll be sucked back into that rapid!” With the river pounding in their ears, they did as they were instructed, never looking back for fear that the rapid they’d just survived would engulf them. After a few more minutes, the noise from the rapid slowly faded, replaced by a much calmer surface and a surrounding peace. Birds could once again be heard chirping happily in the trees, and a pair of white tailed deer watched them curiously from the shore.
Dennis smiled. “Okay, we’re through! Great job, people! Paddle raise!!” That was the part they’d all been waiting for…the celebration of making it through their first rapid. Everyone shouted out in joy and raised their paddle above their heads, touch it to the others.
Looking up at the gathering of paddles, water dripping off of them, glistening like diamonds as they fell back into the river, everyone felt a sense of accomplishment. A team, working together. Bringing the paddles back down, they all were smiling, taking in huge amounts of air in order to catch their breath. Jack looked back at Sam, his body feeling incredibly free and liberated. Giving her a dazzling smile, he could see that she felt the same way. Janet was laughing, and Sam and Jack watched as Daniel took her hand and gave it a squeeze, laughing with her.
Dennis spoke up. “So, how was that?”
Sam answered first. “Incredible! Thanks Dennis!”
Dennis smiled. “Aw, don’t thank me yet. We’ve got a lot to go, and some that are even more challenging than that one.”
Jack responded. “Well, bring ‘em on!” Everyone laughed at Jack’s enthusiasm, and they all held an equal anticipation for the next one. And so they continued to float down the river, meeting rapids head on as they traversed through Brown’s Canyon, stopping a few hours into it for some lunch and a bathroom break. Of course, being in nature, they were forced to find a rock to go behind in order to relieve their bladders. But considering all the mission trips that were like that, it wasn’t anything foreign, except maybe to Janet, who handled it very well.
Throughout the rest of the afternoon, they moved down the river, floating easily for sometimes a few miles, and then rafting a rapid, only to get a few moments breathing rest before hitting the next one. Their final rapid to run through before stopping for the day and set up camp was called “The Zoom Floom”, a class III rapid that was much longer than the others they’d encountered that day. It stair-stepped over the river, bring them down in gradual levels. They paddled through narrow passageways, paddling towards huge boulders in order to avoid crashing into other ones. And then at the last second, they’d turn and skim past the rock they’d been moving towards.
The raft bumped and jolted over the rapids, causing them to sometimes be lifted off of their seats on the raft’s edges. The only thing keeping them attached to the boat at those times were the feet restraints that they were locked into. Otherwise, they would have gotten a first hand feel of moving down the rapids without a raft. The amount of exertion and adrenaline pumping through their bodies was unlike anything they’d every known, and with each success through a wild whitewater rapid, they raised their paddles in celebration of life, teamwork, and the simple joy of being alive.
Later that night, after having stuffed themselves with a hearty meal, the five of them sat around a roaring campfire that Dennis had set up in the middle of their campsite. The had pitched their tents a short distance from the river, in a clearing that offered a full view of the night sky, but still offered them a canopy of trees only a short walk away. Owls out on their nightly hunt hooted from the treetops, alerting the forest to the presence of strangers in their quiet world.
Daniel and Janet sat next to each other, both looking very full and happy. Sam hadn’t seen Janet so relaxed since their trip to Hawaii, and she was happy to see that Janet was allowing herself to enjoy the company of Daniel. They didn’t get much time together, or at least as far as she knew, but it was obvious that they both had feelings for the other. Watching them as they quietly struck up a conversation between the two of them, Sam found herself hoping that life would afford them the same luck that had been given to her and Jack.
As his name crossed her mind, she looked over to her right side to find him sitting as close as he dared, watching her with eyes that seemed to dance in the firelight. Smiling at him, she gathered her legs to her chest and hugged them with her arms. “What?” Her voice was soft and floated in the breeze, connecting with his ears.
Jack’s allowed his lips to slowly curve into a sexy smile, not saying anything. He just took in the site that was before him. Her skin seemed flawless in the orange glow of the fire, and it reflected all around her, creating moving shadows that seemed almost provocative. Wrapped up in a wool blanket, and wearing the simple pair of denim jeans and sweatshirt, made her look as desirable as ever. For with her, it didn’t matter if she was in BDU’s or the sexiest dress ever, he would always find her incredibly beautiful.
Janet was carefully eyeing the silent communication moving between Sam and Jack, and she knew they wanted to be alone. Looking back at Daniel, who was quietly going over all the excitement from today, she suddenly reached up and placed a long, slender finger over his lips, silencing him. Dennis looked up from his book at them when the silence settled in. Smiling, he stood up and stretched. “Well, my friends, I’m bushed and am going to hit the sack. We’ve got a hard day tomorrow. The Royal Gorge isn’t as forgiving as Brown’s Canyon. Sleep tight.” As each of them uttered their goodnights, Dennis retreated to his tent, pitched a short distance away from the others in order to allot them their privacy. He was only their guide, and had learned that most people who come on these overnight trips are not looking for a fifth wheel.
Janet looked back at Daniel, who was watching her intently. “How about you and I go for a short walk before we say goodnight?”
Daniel gave her a smile. “I’d like that.” Getting up, he offered her a hand and pulled her up to her feet. There was something in her touch that always got his heart going, and this time was no exception. Looking over at Jack and Sam, who were both watching them, he cleared his throat nervously and spoke up. “Um, we’re going for a walk. We’ll see you both in the morning.”
Jack gave Daniel a sly smile. “Okay. You two have fun…and don’t lose your way.” Sam and Jack both watched them turn around and walk towards the canopy of trees that had been behind them. And even though it was dark, it wasn’t hard to miss that Daniel had never released her hand.
Jack stretched his arms when they were out of sight and stood up. Offering Sam his hand, he helped her to her feet and brushed his other hand over her left cheek, loving the silky smooth texture of her skin. “Alone at last.” Using the hand that had brushed her cheek, he now placed it firmly on the side of her head and drew her to him, his lips connecting with hers in a feathery-light kiss. Gripping her hand, he led her over to his tent and stopped just outside of it. Reaching inside, he picked up his still rolled sleeping bag and secured it under his arm.
When Sam gave him a curious look, he simply smiled at her softly. “Come on. I spotted a great place when we landed that I want to explore. Are you game?”
Sam, always ready for anything as long as it was with him, silently nodded, keeping her eyes firmly on his face. She let him lead her away from the camp in the opposite direction that Janet and Daniel had gone. Hiking up a short distance of rocks, they found themselves on an outcropping that not only overlooked the river and had a spectacular view of the sky, but was hidden from anyone in the campsite trying to find them.
Silently, Jack unrolled his sleeping bag, unzipping it all the way and laid it out on the smooth face of the rock. Turning around, he found Sam looking out into the darkness, her eyes falling on the river, which was glowing just enough from the light of the crescent moon to make it out. Moving up behind her, he placed his hands on her shoulders and began rubbing them gently. Allowing his thumbs to slowly start moving down her back, massaging the muscles, he brought his lips to the back of her neck and placed a gentle kiss there.
When she softly purred, he moved his hands to her waist and turned her around to face him and then wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly as his lips found hers. As the intensity of the kiss increased, tongues meeting each other in a fiery response, Jack deepened the kiss as his hands explored the rest of her body. With heat suddenly spinning all around them, Sam dropped the blanket that had been wrapped around her shoulders as her hands began to explore the firmness of his stomach.
Jack groaned softly as her lips moved from his mouth to his neck, exploring his Adam’s apple and the suppleness around it. When her lips suddenly found the sensitive place on his earlobe, he moved his hands under her sweatshirt and pulled it up over her head. Since her swimsuit was still drying, there was nothing else for him to have to take off except for her jeans. As Sam eagerly removed his sweater, he began working the button and then the zipper on her jeans.
No more than a minute later, they were unclothed and lying in each other’s arms, with Sam’s blanket as their only cover. As Jack hovered over her, he bent down and kissed her mouth, moving his lips slowly down her throat and to the place between her breasts. As he continued to explore every inch of her body, Sam moaned quietly in anticipation of every move that he made. When he reached the most anticipated part, her breath caught in her throat as she gripped onto his arms passionately.
Arching her back, she placed her hands on his head and drew him back up to her. Kissing his mouth, she rose up and changed positions. With Jack now on his back, she explored every muscled inch of his physique, tracing a path with her tongue and relishing in his delight at her every touch. When Jack could take no more, he gripped her by the shoulders and pulled her up to where he could enter her. When he did, they both took in a breath of surprised pleasure, shuttering as one. As Sam began to move her hips, she bent down and kissed him deeply, sending more passion down his spine with every move of her tongue and hips.
As they moved together, the passion continued to build, until it’s climactic edge finally caused the explosion they’d both been waiting for. Not wanting their cries to echo off the mountains, they kissed each other hard as they came, and together, they fell into the afterglow of making love.
Sam nuzzled her head under Jack’s chin, listening to the sound of his breaths and beating heart. As his arms came around her and held her tight, she closed her eyes, placing the memory of that moment into a place within herself where she would never forget it, and would be able to access it at will. She let out a content sigh, the warmth of his arms and body against her, along with the heat from the wool blanket on top of them. She felt Jack kiss the top of her head, and as she looked up at him, he gently brushed a strand of her hair away from her face.
“Jack,” she said, her voice soft and full, “I love you so much.” Staring into his eyes for a heart-pounding moment, she stretched her neck forward and met his lips, emphasizing what she had just said.
Jack smiled at her, his eyes searching her soul. “And I love you. Sam…you are my life now. I hope you know how much you mean to me, and how I can’t live without you.”
Sam could feel her emotions welling up in her throat, constricting it. “You won’t ever have to.” Lying back down next to him, her head in the crock of his arm, they both looked up at the night sky above them. It was littered with stars, sparkling more brightly than ever before. Being away from the city and its lights always helped to provide one spectacular view of the night sky. Cuddling close, they stared up at the crescent moon, now hanging at its highest point in the sky. A short distance from it, a familiar star glittered brightly, winking at them as they both watched it.
Jack breathed out. “Charlie.”
Sam looked over at him, watching him as he gazed at his son’s star. “He’s watching over you, you know…protecting you.”
Jack smiled. “Us…he’s watching over and protecting us.” He was silent for a moment before speaking again, his voice soft. “I miss him everyday, but it makes it so much easier to know that I can always find him in the night sky.” Looking over at Sam, he continued, his face solemn but his eyes full of love. “It means so much to me that I can share that with you.”
Sam placed her head back on his chest and closed her eyes. “I’m just so happy, Jack, that you feel willing to share something so close to your heart with me. Thank you for that.” Saying nothing else, they both allowed their eyes to close, exhaustion finally overtaking them. They both knew that they should climb back down and go to their respective tents. But in that moment, they didn’t care who thought what. All they cared about was that moment, and all that it meant to them.
A short distance away, as Sam and Jack fell asleep in each other’s arms, Janet and Daniel found themselves sitting by the river’s edge, quietly listening to the steady rhythm of the current. The quiet rippling of the water over the rocks and other unseen objects played out a melodic song that beat in time with their hearts. They had spent the last hour talking about everything, from their trip to life in general. The one thing they hadn’t touched on was what was happening, or not happening, between them.
With all the times they had shared thus far, from Hawaii to moments at the base and times with Cassie, nothing had progressed beyond the looks that they had given one another, and the occasional hand holding. Janet was becoming frustrated, not knowing how to feel. Clearing her throat, she turned and looked at Daniel. “Daniel…there’s something I need to understand.”
Daniel adjusted his glasses and looked over at her, freezing at the look she was giving him. Slowly lowering his arm, he nodded. “Okay…what’s that?”
Janet didn’t know how to phrase it. How do you tell someone that you think they know how they feel about you, but you’re still not sure? With her previous failed relationships, including her ex-husband, Janet wasn’t the best at feeling these things out. Her thoughts went to Sam and Jack, and how they had managed, somehow, to find each other. Yet everyday, she had to watch them endure the pain of keeping their love a secret because they were not allowed to be together right now.
Looking into Daniel’s face, his eyes waiting for a response, she felt like a foolish schoolgirl, about to tell her first crush how she felt. “Well…what I want to know is….do you…” Taking a breath, she suddenly decided to throw caution to the wind. “Oh, to hell with it!” Moving forward quickly, her lips connected with his, softly at first, and then with a little more passion. When she pulled back, she found herself looking into an astonished face. Daniel’s eyes were temporarily still closed and his mouth hung open, unsure of what to do.
Daniel opened his eyes and stared back at Janet as he sat up a little straighter. “Wow…um…wow.” He was stunned and didn’t know what to think or say. His mind was mush. He was always much better at dealing with ancient artifacts then with people.
Janet held her breath in anticipation. But she was unsure of how to take his hesitation. “Is that all you have to say? I know I’m not the greatest kisser…well, to be honest, I’m a bit rusty. It’s just that…well, I guess I thought….with all the times you spent with me, with Cassie…oh, just forget it!” Flustered, she stood up and started back towards the camp, wanting to forget that anything had even happened.
As she continued to mentally curse herself, she failed to hear Daniel’s approach until a hand was placed on her arm, halting her in her tracks and turning her around. Before she knew it, Daniel had her in his arms and without further hesitation, had his lips firmly placed on hers. Enveloped by the moment, nothing else existed as they continued their gentle yet urgent kisses from passion that had been stored up too long.
When Daniel finally let her up for air, the world was spinning, and all Janet could muster was “Wow!”.
Daniel smiled at her and smoothed her brown hair with his hand. “So…have we come to an understanding?”
Janet giggled and moved into his arms, laying her head on his chest and closed her eyes. “Oh, I think you can say that.” They had so much to catch up on, but as far as she was concerned, they had all night to do it.
The next morning started very early for all of them. As the sun rose over the mountaintops, casting its red and orange rays over the surrounding earth, Sam quietly returned to her tent in hopes of finding Janet still sleeping. She and Jack had woken up about 30 minutes ago, and despite the fact that they were incredible tired, sore, and in need of a good shower, they lingered in each other’s arm a while long, making love again before they had to return to reality.
But Sam was shocked to find Janet not in their tent. Peering out of the tent’s front flap, she spotted Jack doing the same thing. Their eyes met and just as they were about to make their way to each other in order to figure out what to do and where to start looking, Sam and Jack heard whispering voices approaching. Catching a glimpse of Daniel and Janet emerging from the canopy of the trees, walking hand in hand, Sam and Jack looked at each other and smiled.
Piling back into the tent and under her sleeping back, Sam closed her eyes and prepared to give her best friend a scolding for scaring her like that. As Janet entered the tent, trying to be quiet, Sam flipped over and sat up. “Aha! Caught you! Janet, do you know what time it is? Jack and I were about to go looking for you.”
Janet gave her a sleepy “I-don’t-care-smile” and shrugged her shoulders. Plopping down on her sleeping bag, she sat like a cat with a secret.
Sam eyed her carefully before it finally dawned on her. “Janet! Did you and Daniel…”
Janet held a finger up to her lips. “Shhh! Sam…keep your voice down.” Smiling at her friend, she quietly laughed. “No, we didn’t do that, but we did finally kiss.”
Sam reached over and embraced her friend in a hug. “Oh, Janet, I’m so happy for you…for both of you. It’s about time!”
Janet nodded. “Yeah, well, let’s just say I finally just picked up the courage and went for it. I’m glad I didn’t have to crawl back here in sham.” She proceeded to tell her how they spent the rest of the night kissing and holding each other, talking the night away and getting to know each other on a much more personal level.
Sam could see how happy Janet was, and that made her happy. When Janet questioned her on what her night had been like, Sam answered her with a whimsical look in her eyes, only telling her that she and Jack had managed to find incredible magic in the evening.
About to persist for more details, they were interrupted by Dennis’ voice, calling out to them that it was time to “rise and shine”. Groaning from lack of sleep, Sam promised to tell Janet more later on. They got up and put on their now dry swimming suits, followed by their wetsuits.
Thirty minutes later, after a quick but hearty breakfast, they all helped pack up the gear and load the raft, ready for another day of adventurous rapids. Dennis gave them a few quick reminders on paddling and told them about the Royal Gorge and what they could expect. Everything from Class III to Class V rapids were to be encountered. He also gave the names of all the rapids that they would go through along the way, everything from “Hollywood Hole” to the “Sledge Hammer” to the “Boateater”. Jack’s eyebrows rose up at the name of that one, questioning why in the world anyone would ever want to raft a rapid named that. But then he realized that he was going to be one of those idiots, so he decided not to vocalize the question.
Launching the raft a little while later, the cold water giving them an extra jolted wakeup call, they positioned themselves in the raft as they had the previous day and began floating down the river with the current. As they floated past the spot where Sam and Jack had made love, they both looked up at it and then to each other, giving the other a secret smile that only their hearts would understand.
By late morning, they’d made it through six rapids and only had five more to go. Breaking for lunch, they enjoyed another filling meal, resting their now very sore bodies, yet finding themselves ready for more. And that’s just what they got. Rafting through two more rapids, they were beginning to really feel the exertion of the trip. The “Boateater” was next, a class IV-V rapid, and the last truly challenging one on their run. After that, they would hopefully sail through a few class III rapids and be home free.
Throughout the trip, Jack and Daniel still hadn’t said much to each other, except for when it was necessary. But they did enjoy the paddle raises together, and for a moment, forgot why they were mad at each other.
As they approached the “Boateater”, Dennis reminded them that they would have to hunker down several times. Preparing for another complete workout, they entered the first series of rapids, following the orders of Dennis on how to get through them. No one questioned what he told them. According to all he had told them and the amount of years he had been on this river, he knew it like the back of his hand.
About halfway through the intense rapid, Dennis suddenly stopped short during one of his commands, his expert eyes quickly surveying the river in front of them. Sam, who was sitting closest to him, suddenly heard him curse. Looking back at him, she found that his face had become very serious. Yelling up at him, she tried to get his attention. “Dennis! What is it?”
Dennis quickly snapped out of his trance. “The river has changed here! There must have been some flash flooding since I was here last week! We’ve got a log drift right where we need to go!!” His mind a blur of thoughts, he quickly changed plans. “Okay, listen up! This is going to get a little bumpy, but we can do it! Right paddle front! Left paddle back!!!” As the raft began to turn in the direction the paddles were sending it, one of the ropes on the side of the raft caught the edge of the log drift, unseen because of the water running over it. The raft began a wild spin in the other direction, heading for the sunken crevice at a sideways angle.
Dennis yelled out. “Hunker down…NOW!” No sooner had they done that then the raft plunged into the swollen crevice, folding the raft practically in half. “Hold on tight!” Dennis’ voice could be barely heard over the noise of the rapids and Janet’s screams. Water was flooding the raft, causing all of its occupants to swallow some of it. Coughing and sputtering, they held on as tightly as they could as the boat continued its uncharted course.
As the raft exited the crevice, the force of the water sent it flying forward in an uncontrolled spin. And then, as suddenly as they were spinning, they collided into a boulder, sending the raft and everyone in it upside down. Hitting the icy water with full force, no one knew what to do at first. The water was spinning and churning wild currents around them as they tried to surface. Jack was the first one to surface, followed shortly by Dennis. Coughing uncontrollably, they looked around for the rest of their crew.
Spotting the raft, now upside down on the surface of the water, the boat had somehow managed to lodge itself between two rocks near the center of the river. Jack saw no signs of anyone. “Sam!! Janet! Daniel!” After a moment, Jack registered Daniel’s voice. He was a short distance ahead of them, clinging onto another log drift that had lodged itself to one side of the river. Becoming frantic at not seeing the women, they all began calling out for them.
Jack and Dennis were clinging to a large rock that had places to hold onto. Panicking as the seconds ticked by, Jack called out Sam’s name even louder, and was about to dive beneath the surface when he suddenly saw her surface, trying to get a grip on the edge of the boat. But something was wrong. She only managed to surface to her neck before going under again.
“SAM!!” Jack let go of the rock and began swimming sideways against the current, using as much adrenaline as he had to do it. Dennis was right behind him, swimming hard in the same direction. Suddenly, Sam surfaced again, this time grabbing onto the rope that was strung to the side of the raft.
Coughing wildly, she called out. “Help! Jack! Daniel! I’m stuck! My foot…” And then she submerged again.
Daniel, who was about to try the same swimming move, suddenly heard Janet calling out to him. Training his ears in the direction of the sound, he finally saw her downstream a little further, holding onto another, smaller log drift. Relieved to see her, he called out. “Janet! Hang on! I’m coming to get you!”
Janet, who had a birdseye view of the raft, yelled back. “Forget me! Help Sam! She needs your help!”
Jack, a few paces ahead of Dennis, reached the boat first, just as Sam emerged again. Grabbing onto the rope, he gripped her shoulders as best he could. “Sam! Hang on! I’m here!”
She tried to catch her breath between coughing fits. “My foot…it’s twisted in some of the rope on the inside of the raft. I can’t…get to it.”
Dennis joined them. “Hold onto her! I’ve got a knife. I’ll cut her free!” Not waiting for any arguments, he dove under the surface, holding on to anything he could find. Taking him a few minutes to find where her foot was caught as he fought against the steady current, he held onto her ankle and cut the rope a few inches down from it.
Sam felt the sudden release of her foot, catching her by surprise as her body was taken up by the current rushing beside her. “Jack!” His grip slipped from her shoulders as she was pulled from him.
Reaching out a hand, he managed to capture her hand in his, and held on for dear life as he clung with his other to the raft. “Sam! Hang on! Don’t let go!”
Sam could feel him attempting to pull her to him, but she knew he didn’t have enough strength to do it. Looking at him, she shouted out. “Let me go! I’ll find something to hold onto!”
Jack just shook his head. “No way! There’s not a chance in Hell that I’m doing that! Don’t you dare let go, do you hear me!” Jack was scared to death, and he knew, just as Sam did, that he didn’t have the energy to pull her to him. Dennis emerged on the other side, and was working to find a way to dislodge the raft in order to help them.
Suddenly, Daniel cried out. “Jack! Let her go! From this angle, I should be able to catch her! Trust me!!”
Jack looked over at Daniel, his heart beating fast. Sam was his whole life, and he couldn’t lose her. But could he trust Daniel to save her? Looking over at Sam, he could see that she did. Nodding at her, he called back to Daniel. “Alright, Daniel, but you had better damn well catch her! On three….one, two, three….” Releasing her hand at that moment was one of the hardest things he had done yet. But he knew it was the only way. Squeezing her hand, he suddenly released it and watched in terror as she was carried away from him.
Sam spun around and began trying to swim to Daniel, who had an arm outstretched. He was holding onto the farthest jutting piece of log he could find. As if the world was in slow motion, Sam approached him, but was then suddenly pulled back by another current. Making a final effort, she pulled with her arms as hard as she could and managed to hook her hand with Daniel’s, who then used all of his strength to pull her in a wide circle, partially with the current, until she managed to pull up onto the log drift with her other hand.
Jack suddenly realized that he had been holding his breath. Releasing it, he breathed a sigh of relief at seeing that she was now safe. Just then, Dennis called out to Jack from the other side of the raft. “Jack! The side you’re holding onto…pull up on it. I think I’ve dislodged the raft enough that we can flip it over and dislodge it the rest of the way.”
Jack called out. “Let’s do it!” Using their combined effort, Jack and Dennis managed to hoist the raft up enough on its side that it caught with the current and moved forward.
Dennis called out. “Hold on to the side! When the boat is through, pull yourself up!” Looking over at Daniel and Sam, he yelled over to them. “Be prepared to grab hold!”
Jack was the first to pull himself up since he was on the front end. Dennis followed a pulled out a spare set of paddles that had been strapped to the floor of the boat. “Here! Paddle towards them!” With their combined effort, Jack and Dennis managed to put enough effort into paddling that Sam and Daniel were able to let go and meet the raft as they drifted out with the current.
Pulling themselves up, they collapsed into the boat, trying to once again catch their breath. Sam looked out in front of them at Janet, who was still clinging to the log drift a short distance away. Jack thrust the paddle at Sam. “Here! Paddle towards her! Daniel! Hold onto me as I reach for her!”
Not arguing, they worked together as a team and managed to pull Janet aboard, who had released her hold on the log drift and held out a hand to them. With them all safely aboard, they waited out the ride until the next break in the rapids happened. As luck would have it, they had been pushed downstream enough that they only had one more rapid to move through, and they were right on top of it. With only two paddles to work with, Jack and Dennis paddled from the front, while the rest of them hunkered down inside the boat, holding on for dear life. The final rapid, the “Pipeline” was only a class III, but still challenging.
Breaking the final rapid, they were dumped into a much calmer river, the currents smoothing out into a wider mouth, and guiding them to the point on the river where their transportation awaited to take them back to where they had started. Close enough to the shore and in shallow water, they all climbed out, pulling the raft with them. When it was docked on the sand, they all just stood there for a moment, stunned with disbelief at what had just happened.
Janet made the first move, steering herself into Daniel’s waiting arms, clinging tightly to him for strength and body heat. Jack put a hand on Dennis’ shoulder. “You okay?”
Dennis nodded. “Yeah, thanks. I guess that the ol’ Royal Gorge had a bit of an attitude today.”
Jack stared at him. “Gee, ya think?!” Shaking his head, he looked over at Sam, who was a short distance from them, wrapping her arms tightly over her chest. Their eyes met, and suddenly everything that happened, and all the “what ifs” came to a head. Moving to each other, Jack embraced her. They were both shaking, their bodies in shock, freezing, and very tired. But they were alive, and that’s all that mattered.
Taking her face in his hands, Jack examined her carefully. “Are you okay?”
Sam wanted to cry. Her tears were based on fear, exhaustion, and love. Holding them back, she simply nodded. Moving back into the safety of his embrace, they clung to each other for a few minutes, trying to sooth their rapidly beating hearts.
Forty-five minutes later, they were piled into an SUV, the raft securely tied to the top, and what was left of their gear was stowed in the back. It had been an amazing adventure. As Jack and Sam sat behind Daniel and Janet, they held hands. Sam rested her weary head on his shoulder as Jack softly caressed her head with the hand that was draped over her shoulder. They didn’t care about what Daniel would think, though they didn’t have much to worry about, since he and Janet appeared to be in their own little world where nothing else existed.
Dennis sat in the passenger seat up front, quietly relaying what had happened to the guy who was driving them back. Looking out the window, Jack watched as they followed the river upstream. It had been a great weekend. Despite the chaotic end, Jack surprised himself by looking forward to the next whitewater adventure. The adrenaline had been incredible and they had worked as a team. The ties that bind are stronger than what life can sometimes give, and he and Daniel had managed to at least recognize that those ties were there, and managed to put away their differences for those they loved.
Holding Sam in his arms and watching the sun set on the horizon, a song suddenly came over the radio, and Jack listened to the words, realizing just how true they were….
When you need
someone.
Will I be that one
you need?
Will I do all my
best to protect you,
When the tears get
near your eyes,
Will I be the one
that’s by your side?
Will I be there
when you call me in the middle of the night?
Will I keep the
rain from falling down into your life?
I promise, I
promise
I promise I will.
Will I take tender
care of you?
Take your darkest
night
And make it bright
for you
Will I be there to
make you strong?
And to lean on
When this world
has turned so cold.
Will I be the one
that’s there to hold?
Will I be there
when you call me in the middle of the night?
Will I keep the
rain from falling down into your life?
I promise, I
promise,
I promise I will.
And I love you
more everyday
And nothing will
take that love away
When you need
someone
I promise I’ll be
there for you,
There for you.
Will I be there
when you call me in the middle of the night?
Will I keep the
rain from falling down into your life?
I promise, I
promise,
I promise I will.
As the song ended, Jack looked down at Sam, now asleep in his arms. Bending down, he kissed her forehead. “I promise, Sam,” Jack whispered, leaning his head back and closing his eyes, feeling safe to let the pleasures of sleep overtake him. He didn’t know what the future held, and he certainly couldn’t predict it. All he knew was that they were living in that moment, and from where he stood, he intended to be the one to protect her, to keep her safe, and to love her…for the rest of his life.