Hey !

I’ve been gone for some time, real life got in the way :o) Sorry about that.

Good news is that I worked hard yesterday and the story is completely written!

Big thanks to Sammy, my beta, who worked so fast.

Just for the record I still don’t own them…otherwise I would already be in vacation on a tropical island (sigh)

Take care!

Chapter 14

The first thing Jack noticed once inside the cabin was a child’s wailing.

He was tempted to follow his instincts and go to the child but decided against it. He needed to talk to Andy first.

He went straight to the couch and installed himself comfortably while Andy grabbed two bottles of beer in the kitchen.

“Tiredness and beer… hmmm not a good mix. What the hell, I need it” thought Jack.

Andy was silent. He didn’t seem to know what to do now that Jack was here with him.

“Look Andy, I know it must seem weird but I really have no idea of what you were talking about earlier. Why don’t you start by the beginning and tell me everything?”

Andy took a deep breath and started to speak.

Flashback

The weather had been awful the whole day. It had been raining since dawn and it hadn’t stopped. Now, the wind was blowing. This was going to be a hell of a night outside the walls of the cabin.

Andy and Elisabeth had just finished their meal. It had been a light one, as every other evening: a bowl of soup, a salad and an apple.

The evening news was over and they were ready to go to bed.

A loud banging at their front door startled them. Actually, it was more than a banging. It felt more like someone was trying to break down the door.

Andy urged his wife to the bedroom where he kept his gun while he went to the door.

He wasn’t a violent man. He didn’t really like the idea of having a gun. However, they were living in a secluded place and you never know what could happen.

Nobody ever came to see them at such a late hour and he wondered what he would find behind the door.

When he was sure his wife was out of view he opened the door to whoever was disturbing the quiet of his house.

As soon as the door was open the man on the other side bursted in.

“Close the door” he yelled “It’s raining like hell”

Andy reflexively obeyed the stranger. When he turned towards him again he saw him extracting cautiously a small bundle from his rain soaked coat.

Time seemed to stop as the bundle moved and slowly started to cry. Andy watched in awe as the stranger extracted the baby from its layer of clothes. The baby was obviously young, very young. Actually Andy could have sworn it was a newborn.

Elisabeth had been alerted by the noises and decided to come into the room, gun in hand. She dropped it on the kitchen counter at the sight of the child.

The stranger turned to her.

“I think he is hungry. Do you have anything he could eat?”

Elisabeth merely nodded and took the newborn in her arms. She left the two men in the room.

During the exchange Andy had been studying the other man. He seemed familiar even though Andy was sure he had never seen him. He had always been a good judge of character and decided this mean was no threat to his house. He headed to a small cabinet where he took two glasses and a bottle of scotch.

“Come on son, I think we both need something to warm us up and I believe you have a story to tell”

The younger man sat into the nearest chair.

“You’re right Andy, but we have to make it quick. I can’t stay”

Andy turned to him, surprised. So the other man knew him. Or at least he knew his name.

He poured the liquid into the glasses and gave one to the other man.

“All right!. Let’s start from the beginning. Who are you? »

«”I’m Jon O’Neill » he said calmly.

“O’Neill as in…” Andy wasn’t able to finish his sentence.

“As in Jack O’Neill... I’m his nephew”

Andy believed him straight away. There was a startling resemblance between the two men. It was where the familiarity was coming from.

Jon stopped his musings.

“Look, I know you must have a lot of questions but I’m running out of time here. This child is in danger if he stays with me. Jack trusts you unconditionally which is why I’m here. I know it’s a lot to ask but would you agree to take care of him for a while?”

Andy was speechless. Jon had been straight to the point, as much as Jack would have been. The request was odd to say the least. Of course he had known Jack for years, but this man was asking him to take care for a baby with a complete trust. This was unbelievable.

“ Hnnn… I’m not sure we can. I mean, you don’t know us. Besides, whose baby is this? Doesn’t his mother have a say in this?”

Jon was growing impatient.

“I’ve got no time to argue with you. I can’t keep keep the child with me. His mother can’t either. I know you’re good people. Take good care of him. Whatever happens don’t let anybody know where he comes from. Just say he’s your grandson. Don’t let anyone come near him. I will tell Jack where he is and he will come and get him. Don’t let anyone but Jack take him away from you, please”

Jon had gone from impatient to agitated and finally slightly desperate. Andy didn’t know what to do. He was torn between wanting to help him and needing to understand why he had been solicited at this late hour for such a strange and unexpected request.

Elisabeth’s voice startled him.

“We will do it. I just have one question for you though”

Jon’s face relaxed in obvious relief.

“Shoot!”

“What’s his name?”

“His name is Jacob O’Neill. Thank you so much for your help”

Elisabeth nodded.

Then everything happened in quick succession.

Jon grabbed his coat and headed towards Elisabeth. He looked intently at the child. It looked like he was trying to engrave his face into his memory. He finally kissed him on the forehead and muttered a low “I love you Jake”.

Jon just nodded to the two adults and left without any other word.

Back to present

“We never saw him again. We’ve been taking care of Jacob. He’s a good child, really.

What I don’t understand his why you didn’t come any sooner to get him. It’s a baby for God’s sake. He needs his family.”

Jack was stunned. He had found the child, Sam’s child. He felt the urge to see him, to hold him.

Of course it wasn’t his baby.

Jon was Jacob’s father.

But Jon and Jack were almost the same person. They shared so many memories, most of them very painful. They had the same blood and the same DNA running through their veins.

Jacob might not be his son but he would love him all the same.

He couldn’t believe the kid was there. At the same time it made sense. Jon being Jack he had shared the same trust toward Andy. Actually, Jack should have thought about it.

Jack realised he had been silent too long and decided to explain what he could to Andy.

“Most of the story is … hmm … classified. Jacob is the son of Jon and of my 2IC. They have been abducted. I still don’t know where Jon is but Sam is in my cabin right now. We’ve been looking for Jacob for weeks. I can’t explain much to you but I am so grateful Jon left him to in your care”

Andy hadn’t expected Jack to say or explain anything to him. The whole story had been crazy from the beginning.

He smiled and asked his friend.

“So, do you want to meet Jacob?”