The Greens of Jericho

Here is my alternative universe of Jericho.    I know that Heather is gone for a while and that her and Jake aren't together.....yet.   In my alternative universe they are and it is still new love so there is a bit of mush.     The show is dealing with all the everyday violent struggle of survival.   I have chosen to write about the everyday world that has to some extent still be going on.    Welcome to my world!


DISCLAIMER: I do not own the television show Jericho or any part of it. The characters are not mine in any way. I am just borrowing them for a bit. I am not affiliated with CBS, the television show Jericho or the writers of Jericho.

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A spring breeze blew in thru the open windows.    Heather stood in the kitchen preparing a chicken pie.   She could hear her children playing on the porch.   She looked into the living room and saw the baby sound asleep in the playpen.    The baby inside her was wide awake and kicking her bladder.   With Jacob, four kids under the age of five and one on the way, life was busy at the ranch, but it was good.   Jake came up behind her and put his arms around her and kissed her neck.   "Um...you smell good," he said.   She sighed contentedly........

Jake watched Heather smile and sigh in her sleep and wondered what she was dreaming.   It seemed to be a happy dream.    He spooned up behind her and kissed her shoulder.    He put his arm over her and pulled her tightly to him.

Heather smiled again and snuggled into him, "Shhh....you'll wake the baby.    I just got her down for her nap."

Jake pulled back startled and said, "Baby?"

Heather jumped and woke up, "What? Huh?", she said confused.

Jake smiled a confused smile, "You told me to be quiet or I was going to wake the baby.    What in the world were you talking about?"

Heather looked at Jake confused, "What are you talking about?   What baby?"

"You were asleep.   I put my arm around you and kissed your shoulder.   You said "Shhh...you'll wake the baby."    What in the world were you talking about?"

"Oh, I was dreaming," she said with a sleepy smile, "Sorry.   Didn't mean to scare you."

"You were dreaming we had a baby?", Jake asked, smiling.

"Lots of babies.   It seems we're very fertile.   There was Jacob of course and then 4 yr old Jonathan,  3 year old Joey, 2 year old Jack,  1 year old Abby and I was pregnant.    We lived out at the ranch.    It was a nice dream."

"Hmm.   Do you think we'll figure out what causes that?," Jake laughed, "That's a lot of kids.   We'll go nuts," he laughed.    He ran his fingers lightly over her stomach (which he had discovered she loved) and kissed her deeply, "If we're going to have bunches of babies we need to get started."

Heather looked over at the clock, "It's 9:30 on Sunday morning.    I don't think your parents or Jacob are going to let us skip church so we can make babies," she said laughing.

He bent down, kissed her neck, looked up at her and smiled, "It doesn't take long."

She laughed, "You are incorrigible."

There was a quiet knock.     Jake groaned and rolled over onto his back.   The bedroom door inched open.    Jacob peeked around the corner of the door.

"Good morning," Heather said, smiling.   She patted the bed between her and Jake, "Come on up.   We're awake."

Jacob ran over and jumped on the bed, "Grandpa says its time to start getting ready for church."

Heather looked over at Jake and smiled, "See, I told you."

Jake sighed and put his arm over his eyes, "How bout we all get under the covers and go to sleep?"

"Dad, everybody will be there, you can't go to sleep and miss church," Jacob said, looking at Jake and shaking his head.    He couldn't believe his dad would want to miss seeing everyone.

 "Jacob," Johnston said, from the other room, "where are you?    I need some help with this fire."  

Jacob raced out of the room.    Any opportunity to get to play with fire was always an occasion to run.

Heather pushed the covers back and poked Jake in the ribs, "Come on, get up.   We don't want to be late.   There is enough gossip about us in the old hen circle.   We don't want to give them more to cluck about."

Jake moved his arm enough to crack open one eye, "I was up.  Now I just want to sleep.   Go without me."

Heather smacked the top of his head, "You are bad," she said laughing.   She leaned down and whispered in his ear ,"We can take a nap later."

Jake, eyes still closed, smiled, "Um, that sounds nice."

He grabbed her and pulled her down on top of him, took her face in his hands and gave her a kiss that spoke volumes, "I like the idea of making lots of babies."

Heather smiled and pulled back, "Stalling won't work.... you still have to get up."   She walked over to the dresser and started getting dressed.

Jacob stuck his head in the door and yelled, "Come on, Dad!"

Jake groaned and sat up, "OK...I'm gettin' up."

*************************************************************

They decided to walk to church.   It was cold but not brutal and they needed to save gas as much as possible.   Church services had been cut back to once a month to conserve fuel.

Johnston, Gail and Jacob were about half a block in front of Jake and Heather.   Gail sensed they needed some privacy and was trying to quietly give it to them.

"Are you sure you're ready for this?", Jake asked Heather as they walked towards the church.   "You know those old hens.   Sometimes they can get nasty.   I don't want you getting your feelings hurt."

Heather took his hand, "Jake, I'm not ashamed of being with you.   You're a good man.   If the old guard of Jericho can't see that then to Hell with them.   Being with you and Jacob and your family is the happiest, most fulfilled feeling I've had in years.    I'm not nervous and you shouldn't be either.    We're going to walk in there with our heads held high."

(She wasn't about to tell Jake, because she knew it would upset him, but this was a pep talk for her as much as him.   She was as nervous as she head ever been.   She had grown up feeling judged by these women.)

(Jake knew she was nervous.   He could feel it coming off her in waves but he wasn't going to say anything.   He didn't want to make it worse.)

Jake quickly pecked her on the lips, "For luck."

They laced their fingers together and quickened their steps to catch up with Jake's parents and Jacob.

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People were standing around in front of the church catching up on the latest town news.    With the gas shortage, the people who lived outside of town only came in once a month for whatever supplies there were and for church.   Here and there Jake saw new faces in the crowd.    

A group of kids ran up and Jacob ran off with them.  

Jake leaned down and whispered to Heather, "I've been so busy I don't know who Jake's been playing with.   Who are those kids?"

Heather smiled, "Brody Prowse (Jake raised his eyebrows).   Yes, Emily's baby brother.   And then there's Chris Cafferty, Mitchell's son, Woody and Emily Newsome, Jimmy's kids.   Oh, and Lucas Anderson, Gray's grandson."

Jake saw Stanley, Mimi and Bonnie on the far side of the crowd.   He leaned down, "Are you sure you're ready to face the dragons?"

Heather took a deep breath, stood up straight and squared her shoulders, "Positive."  

Jake put his hand possessively on her lower back and started to lead her thru the crowd.   Several people stopped them and lots looked at them with quiet surprise.   Jake could hear lots of whispering behind them.   He smiled to himself and thought, "At least the old ladies have something to talk about now besides the bombs."   Heather was getting more and more tense as they walked.   He rubbed her back with his thumb and whispered under his breath, "Relax.   Don't let them get to you.  Relax."

In addition to the whispers about him and Heather,  he heard snatches of conversation that was very disturbing:
"Gray Anderson's secret police"
"Home investigations with middle of the night searches"
"Interrogation"
"Questioning kids without parents"
"New people searched and investigated"

They finally got over to Stanley and he grinned at them and said, "You two certainly know how to make an entrance."

"I thought after the party on Valentine's Day everyone would know," Heather said.

"Apparently not.   But they sure know now.   This is better than me and "that IRS woman"," Stanley laughed, "You were spotted "kissing and holding hands on Main Street" by at least three of the senior members of our fine congregation.   I would say you win the disapproval prize."   Jake and Heather laughed along with Stanley.

Jake put his hand to his mouth and pretended to gasp, "Oh, the horror," he said laughing.  "Wait, wait, I'm gonna really give them something to cluck about."

"You're not going to moon them again are you," Stanley asked, grinning.

Heather giggled behind her hand, "Now there's a mental image."

Jake grabbed her in a tight embrace and thoroughly kissed her in front of the whole congregation.

"There, that should do it," he said, smiling wickedly.

Heather smacked him on the chest, "You are such a juvenile delinquent."

Johnston walked up behind them, trying not to smile, "Alright, Children, if you're finished, why don't we go inside.   I believe Reverend Dabbs is about to ring the bell."

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After church they spent a lazy afternoon doing not much of anything.   Just trying to stay warm and get thru another day.

Jake couldn't get the snatches of conversation out of his head.    Gray Anderson and his secret investigations were worrying him.   So far he had been exempt from this.   But he wasn't counting on that lasting forever.  

Jake had told everyone that his reason for the trip had been so Jacob could meet his grandparents and he could get his inheritance and go back to San Diego.    That wasn't 100% true.    Jake had never planned on returning to San Diego.   Ever.   Ravenwood was looking for him.    Before he left he had been informed by the State Department that Ravenwood knew everything about him and his son.    He needed his money to hide.     Jake had always thought that something like this could happen.   He was prepared to leave the country in a moment's notice.   He had passports and identification for himself and Jacob for themselves and 3 different names.    He had to hide those papers.    


He had been wrestling with the decision of whether to tell his mother and Heather.   He thought they needed to know.... just in case something happened him.     Would they be able to play dumb if the time came?    He picked up his laptop case and went into the kitchen where he knew his mother and Heather were.

Gail looked up when she heard Jake walk in, "Hi, Honey.   Whatcha got there?"

Heather knew that Jake carrying that case was not a good thing.

Jake sat down on the other side of the table for them and opened the case.    He took out a large manilla envelope.    He pulled out eight passports, birth certificates and social security cards and a stack of money.  

He looked up at the two most important women in his life, "We need to talk."

"What's wrong, Jake?", Gail said with a worried voice.

"Nothing's wrong right now but I need to tell you some things just in case.     You both know a brief version of my last five years.    I need to tell you little more," Jake said quietly.

Heather and Gail looked at each other.   Gail took Heather's hand and they both looked at Jake with fear in their eyes.

"OK, you both know who I worked for.    Before I left San Diego, a friend of mine had been in contact with a group called Ravenwood.      He was going to Iraq to do a quick job and he tried to convince me to go with him.    Thing is, is he told them all about me before he talked to me.    I told him no.   My people at the State Department wanted me to go and try to take down some bad people.    I told them no.     I told Freddy what was going on with Ravenwood.   He tried to get out and they killed him.     They still wanted me.    September 18 I received a letter and picture by special messenger.   It was a picture of Jacob practicing with his soccer team.   He was circled in red marker with his name, birth date and the school he went to written out beside it.     The letter said "Jake Green III would really like for you to complete your assignment.   Be at this address Friday, September 21 at 10 am."   Nothing more.   I got ready and the next morning we left with the story we were coming here for a visit.    My plan was to get my kid, get my money and get our butts out of the country.    The only question in my mind was who exactly we were going to become and where we were going to go.     All that changed on September 19.   Who knows, that group may still be out there.    The company still exists.   We know that for a fact but whether or not they know anything about me here and now, I don't know."

Gail and Heather looked scared.    Gail reached out and picked a stack of papers up and started looking at them.    The birth certificates were from all over the United States.    The stack she picked up were for a child.   They read Carter Greer, age 6,  Patrick O' Conner, age 9 and William Davis, age 8.    The passports didn't look like hers.   Her passport was blue.   These were red.   She knew that meant something but she couldn't put her finger on it.

"Who are these children?   Why are the passports red?  Why are you showing us these?", Gail demanded.

"These papers are Jacob's other names in case we ever had to pick up and leave," Jake said.   He picked up the other stack and thumbed thru them, "This stack is mine.    No one would ever be able to look at a passenger list and see the names Jake Green or Jacob Green.    This trip we were Scott and Will Davis.    The passports are red because they were issued by the State Department.    The reason I'm telling you this is because these have to go away.    With Gray's people investigating everyone, I don't want to risk them coming across these.    I need to hide them where they can't be found, but I can still get to them if I need them.    If anything ever happens to me I want you to be able to get to them.   If the world ever gets normal again and something happens to me, I want you to leave the country and hide.   Do you have any idea where these can be hidden?"

Gail looked at Jake, "I don't have any idea, Jake.   But you have scared me to death, just so you know."

Heather looked at Jake, "How about the storm shelter out at the barn?   That block behind the food shelves where you had the wine would be perfect.   Put everything in a plastic bag and hide it in there."

Jake smiled at her, "That's perfect.   Great idea."

"Does Jacob know anything about any of this?    How do you explain this to a child?", Gail asked.

"No.   He doesn't know any of it.   That's another reason I want this stuff out of the house.    If he found these I would have to explain and I don't have a clue what I would tell him."

Jacob came running into the kitchen pulling on his coat.   There were three boys following him, "Can I go out with Brody and Woody and Chris?"

"Where are you going?" Jake said.

"We're going over to Sam's and then skateboarding.   Can I go?"

"Sure, why not.   I have to go out to the ranch for a little while.   Be home by dark."

"Ok," Jacob said running towards the front door.

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There was a sharp, insistent knock at the front door.

Gail looked up with a worried look.   That kind of knock meant business.     Gail and Heather looked from their puzzle worried.   Heather quickly answered the door.   It was Robert Hawkins looking very intense.   He pushed past her, looking around the living room.

"Is Jake here?", he asked.

"No, him and Johnston are out at the ranch.   What's wrong?", Gail asked, walking into the foyer.

"My wife just took his son over to the clinic."

Gail put her hand to her throat and turned pale, "What happened?  Is he alright?", she asked in a scared voice.

"I'm sorry.   I didn't mean to scare you.   I think he's going to be OK but he is going to have some stitches and a cast," Hawkins said.

"Oh my God," Gail said, "What's broken?   Why stitches?   What happened?",  Gail asked, worriedly.  

"There is a large empty pool over near my house," Hawkins said.

"The community pool close to the park?", Heather asked.

"Yes.   Kids have been using it for skateboarding.   There have been a few injuries---scraps and broken wrists mostly.    Jacob, Sam and their friends were there today.    Jacob had an accident.  It looks like he has a concussion, several cuts on face--one pretty bad and his arm is broken.   Let's go.   I'll take you there," Hawkins said, ushering Gail towards the door.

Gail looked back at Heather with a look of panic.   "Find Jake," she said pulling on her coat.

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Gail ran into the treatment room at the clinic.   Robert Hawkins was right behind her.    It looked like they hadn't been there long.   April and Dr. Kenchy Duwhalia were busy working on Jacob.    He was extremely pale.   Jacob's head was still bleeding from a deep cut at the hairline over his right temple.    There were several small cuts that had stopped bleeding.    The right side of his face was scrapped from temple to chin.    His shirt had been cut off.    His right arm was bent in a way that arms are never supposed to bend.     His collar was red and swollen as well.     Jacob's eyes were closed with tears slowly rolling down into his hair.   He was breathing very shallow.    She started to cry.    

"Mom," April said, "we don't have time for that.   I know it looks bad.    You used to be a nurse, you know that scalp wounds bleed a lot.    It looks a lot worse than it is.    I need for you to stay calm.   Is Jake coming?"

"I sent Heather out to the ranch to get him."

Gail put her hand on Jacob's leg and squeezed.     She wondered how long it would take Jake to get here.

*************************************************************

Jake ran into the waiting room.   Robert Hawkins sat looking at an old issue of "Newsweek".

"Where is he?   Is he alright?   What happened?", Jake asked in a rush.  

Hawkins stood up, walked over to him and took him by the arm, "Calm down, Jake.   You're going to scare him if you go running in there like a wild man.    He's going to be alright.    He has a bad concussion and some cuts on his face.    The doctors are sewing them up now.    He also has a broken arm and collar bone.     He was skateboarding over at an empty pool near my house and had an accident.   There was gravel and dirt around the bottom of the pool so he is pretty scrapped up."

Jake walked over to the door of the treatment room and looked in.    There was blood everywhere.   His arm was obviously broken.    "A skateboard accident?   That happened from a skateboard accident?"

April came out of the treatment room wiping her hands dry and looking very tired.       She looked at Jake and smiled a small, tight smile.   Gail got up from her stool beside Jacob and walked over to where they were.

"Is he alright?," Jake asked worriedly.

"Kenchy is sewing up the cuts on this face.   He used to work in plastics.    I'm letting him do the cuts so there will be minimal scaring.     The scalp wound was bad.    It took a bit to get the bleeding stopped.   He lost a lot of blood but he'll be OK," April said tiredly.    "He has a concussion.   He was really confused when he got here.   His arm is broken in two places.   His collar bone is also broken.   We've still got to set the arm.    That's going to be the worst for part for Jacob.     We've given him morphine for pain.    That's all we have left.   Someone broke into the pharmacy and stole everything else.    The morphine was in a lock box here in the ER.    Is Jacob allergic to anything?  I want to start some antibiotics."  

Jake sank into a chair.   He dropped his head into his hands.    Gail sat down beside him and put her arm around him.     Jake looked up at April.   He was obviously scared.    "I want to see him.   I want him to know I'm here."

"OK.   Go on in.   He is pretty sleepy with the morphine on board but I think it will make him feel better if he knows you're here.     Jake, allergies?"

"No allergies.   He hasn't ever had a problem with anything.    He has asthma.   That's the only health problem."    Jake slowly went to the door and looked thru the window.   He took a deep breath and went in.     Bad was an understatement.    Jacob's hair was matted with blood.   It was all around his head.   His face looked like road rash.    Kenchy looked up at him and nodded briefly.   He had just finished sewing the last cut.    Jake walked to the left side of the bed.  He bent down and stroked Jacob's cheek.  

"Hey, Bud.   Looks like you're having a rough day," Jake said quietly.

"Dad?," Jacob whispered.    He opened his eyes and looked at Jake.    Jake could tell he was having a hard time focusing.   His chest starting to hitch and tears started rolling down the sides of his face.

"Hey, hey.   Don't cry.   It's gonna be OK.   I promise.   Everything will be OK.    What happened?", Jake said quietly, trying to calm Jacob down.

"Mr. Hawkins said I wiped out," Jacob said with a quivering voice.  "Dad, I don't feel good."

"I know.   I've had a broken arm before too.   It hurts.   Try not to think about it.   Think about something else," Jake felt stupid telling him that but he didn't know what else to say.    Jacob dozed off after a few minutes.   Jake quietly left the room.

He walked out into the waiting room and ran his fingers thru his hair.   Hawkins came up to him.

"Is he alright?"

"Yeah, he's gonna be OK.    Thanks for bringing my mom here and staying with her.   I really appreciate it.   It's getting late.   Why don't you go home," Jake said, patting him on the shoulder.

"OK, I will.   If you need anything let me know," Hawkins said, pulling on his coat and walking out the door.  

Johnston came in supporting Heather.    She was limping.    Jake looked up with wide eyes.  

"What happened to you?", he asked.

"After you went roaring away we finished with the horses.   On the way out to the truck she slipped and it looks like she sprained her ankle," Johnston said.

Jake picked her up and took over to the chairs.    He took her shoe and sock off.    It was red and swollen.   It definitely looked sprained.

Jake shook his head, "This is unbelievable.   Jake in one room.   Heather in the other.      Maybe we can get the gurneys in the same room.   That way I won't have to split my time."

Heather at him, "How is he?"

"He's going to be OK but he is definitely not going to have a good next few days.    His face is all scraped and cut up, his collarbone is broken and his arm is broken," Jake said while examining Heather's foot.   "April said they've got to set the arm and then they'll cast it.    Let me go tell someone they have another patient."

"No, Jake, let them finish with Jacob.   I can wait," Heather said.

"No, you can't.  You need to have that looked at."

April stuck her head out the door of the treatment room, "Jake we're getting ready to do the arm."  She saw Heather sitting there.   "What happened to you?", she said.

"I think her ankle's sprained," Jake said.

"Jake are you trying to get your whole family free medical care?", April asked jokingly.   "OK, I want Jake and Dad in here.   This is going to hurt and we might need you to hold him down.   There is nothing to deaden this arm with.   We've given him morphine but he will feel this.    Mom, will you get Heather settled in the other room.   I'll send a nurse out to help," April said, "Heather, it might be a little while."

"I'm OK," Heather said.

April stepped back into the treatment room.   Jake and Johnston looked at each other and reluctantly followed her.    

Gail helped Heather get settled on a gurney in the other treatment room.  

"Well," Gail said, " what a day.   The joy of raising boys.   We had broken bones and stitches with Jake and Eric but never together.   Jacob has outdone both his father and  his uncle in one short afternoon.   Hopefully, we won't have to go thru this again for a long time."

A nurse walked in the room.    "My name is Rebecca.   I'm going to do some vital signs.   I'm sorry but I think you will have to wait a while.  They will probably be in with the little boy for a while."

"Hi Rebecca," Gail said.   She smiled over at Heather, "We're not in any hurry.  Just take care of my grandson.    I don't think I've seen you around here before.   Are you new?"

"Yes, Ma'am," Rebecca said, putting a blood pressure cuff around Heather's arm, "I'm from Rogue River.   After everything happened my family came here to live with my uncle.   My husband and I didn't want to live in the camp there.   It wasn't a good place for 3 little girls to live in."

"Three little girls?  You're busy," Heather said, smiling.

They heard screams coming from the other room.    Heather and Gail looked at each other with tears in their eyes.   They didn't notice the tears that came to Rebecca's eyes.   The nurse hurried out of the room.

Heather looked at Gail, "Go check on him, please."

Gail walked out to the hallway and saw Johnston leaning against the wall outside the treatment room.   He was looking a bit nauseated.   "What's wrong Johnston?  Is everything OK?"

"It's done.    They're putting the cast on now.    I don't ever want to have to do that again.     April gave him another shot for pain.   He's asleep now."

"Where's Jake?"

"He's outside smoking."

*************************************************************

Jake sat outside smoking a cigarette.    That had been awful.    He never wanted to have to do that again.     He heard the door behind him open.

"Hello, Jake."

"Hello, Becca," Jake said, not looking back at her, "I saw you trying to avoid me.   What are you doing here?   You know you aren't supposed to be anywhere near him."

"We live here now.    We're staying with my uncle.    He's my son too.   I want to see him.   I want to know him,"  she said sitting down on the bench across from Jake.

"No," Jake said, lighting another cigarette.   He still hadn't looked at Becca, "You had your chance.    You chose to drive off and leave us standing in the parking lot at McDonalds.    When the court contacted you, you willingly signed away all your parental rights.   You even sent a letter with them saying you had no desire to have and maintain any contact with him.    "You had a new husband and family and that's all you cared about", I believe is what was in the letter.     When the judge heard what you did to him and then read both letters, she not only severed all your rights, she did a restraining order.  (Becca gasped out loud) Yes, I kept the one you left with me when you drove off that night from McDonalds.   You aren't supposed to be within 100 feet of him.    You know all this.   I have notarized copies of all the court papers.   I can prove it all.    Why did you come to Jericho?"

"Jake, I didn't know you were here when we moved in with my uncle.    My husband doesn't know I have a son.   I never told him.     I thought I had put him away in the back of my heart but seeing him tonight made me realize I have still have a son."

"No, you don't.   You gave your son away.   I have a son.   Stay away from him," Jake said, getting up and going back into the waiting room.

Neither Jake nor Rebecca saw Gail in the shadows.    She had heard the whole thing.

*************************************************************

April was examining Heather's foot when Jake walked in the treatment.   She looked at him, "Well, Jake, Heather has done a little more than just sprain her ankle.   She has rebroken her leg AND sprain her ankle.   We're going to have a mini hospital at the house for a while.    I'm going to put her back in a walking cast.   By the time I track that down and find her some crutches, the cast on Jacob's arm should be dry and you can go home.       He has a cast from his hand to his armpit and he is going to have to be in an immobilizer too because of his broken collar bone.   He is probably going to be pretty knocked out tonight but you need to wake him up every hour or so and make sure he knows his name and where he is.   He has a pretty good concussion."

An hour later, Jake carried Heather and then Jacob out to the car and took his family home.

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