The Greens of Jericho

Wonderful work as always, Skyrose!  Here are a few things I can't let go by without remarking on them:

"I have to get this out! It can't say here. Get out! Get out! Get out! It's not coming out, need more water. I have to get rid of it! I can't live with it here! Get out! Get out! Get out!"

Jake recognized it for what it was. Heather was channeling all that had happened to her into scrubbing the floor. He understood the reaction after all that she had been through and witnessing her desperation broke his heart. He just had to do something.

* * * * * * *

Poor Heather!  I really do feel for her.  I'm sure I'd be just as upset if someone was killed in front of me - even someone I truly hated.  I'm glad that Jake stepped up and took care of her.

"Listen . . .  you . . . you country bumpkin, consider this your last warning. You can't have him, he's mine! Tommy and I have an . . . an . . . understanding! Don't think you can just walk in here and steal everything that I've worked so hard to get. I won't let it happen, not now, not ever!"

I heard his first name was Thomas . . . but Tommy?!  Ewww . . . Ugh, my headache it's getting worse! I have to end this.' Heather slammed her hand on the desk and stood up to her full height.

 * * * * * * * * *

Ewww, is right!  And, as much as I don't at all see Heather as a "country bumpkin" the fact that Tara would call her one cracks me up.  I'm glad though that Heather got the upper hand in the end. :-)

"I thought I could count on you," Hawkins said flatly.
 
"You could," Jake replied, "until Chavez became a threat to Heather. I'm sorry, Hawkins, but this isn't going to work out."
 
Jake ran his hand through his hair and continued, "The bombs gave me my life back. I've got my family and someone I love to keep safe. I'm not risking them to save thousands--hell, even millions--of Americans. If I could save them without hurting Heather or my mom or my brother, I would, but it looks like I can't."
 
Jake turned and walked toward the door, leaving Hawkins staring at his back. He opened the door, paused for a moment and looked back at Hawkins, "I'll look out for Darcy and the kids for you..." 

* * * * * * * * *

This rings very true to me.  Jake just isn't the hardened operative that Hawkins is.  I'm glad that, in the end, Jake's argument seemed to get through, and Hawkins found a way to keep the mission on track.

"Valente," Jake hissed.

Heather saw the concern in Jake's face. "Don't worry..."

Jake looked at Heather incredulously, "Not only is your boss trying to seduce you, but he wants to have someone kill you too. Of course I'm gonna worry!"

"He is not trying to seduce me." Heather said through clenched teeth, enunciating each word. She was annoyed that Jake said Valente was interested in her in front of Chavez and Hawkins.

Jake realizing his mistake, turned to Heather. "Look, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said it. But don't tell me not to worry. Of course I will. As long as you're in Cheyenne, I'm gonna worry!"

* * * * * * * * * *

I always do like protective Jake! :-)  And I have to agree with him on this one.  I think Valente's type is pretty much anyone.  He's probably more interested in Heather than he is in Tara at this point.

"Heather is coming back with you for the wedding isn't she?"

"Yeah, she'll be there."

"Well, tell her she can stay with us. It will give me a chance to get to know her."

"I was planning on it, Mom."

* * * * * * * * * *

Ah!  But what will the sleeping arrangements be? ;-)

"You know, your Dad, told me about what happened before you left for Black Jack. He said if there was anyone who could handle you it was her. He said he admired her spunk for calling you out that day."

Jake snorted and said hoarsely, "I always wondered what he thought about that whole scene. "

"Well now you know. He also told me about your reaction when Heather left for New Bern. Even if you didn't know it yet, he said, your future lay with Heather. I didn't believe him when he said it, but looks like he might have been right." Gail said then sniffled.

"Well, he was right, Mom. Absolutely. I can't even . . .  Mom, are you going to be okay?"

* * * * * * * * * *

Awww!  I love that Johnston noticed and told Gail.  It's like he can still give his stamp of approval even though he's gone.

 I just have to say, these 2 parts are too funny!

* * * * * * * *

They both became so lost in each other that they didn't hear the knock at the door, followed by the creaking of the door opening. It wasn't until Chavez cleared his throat, embarrassed that he had walked in on them, that Heather and Jake realized they were no longer alone. They quickly pulled away from each other. Heather, blushing furiously, buried her head in Jake's chest. Jake looked at Chavez with eyebrows raised, silently questioning his presence.

"Uh....yeah...right . . . uh....sorry," Chavez stammered with a bemused expression on his face, before making a hasty retreat out of the room.

As soon as the door closed, Jake started laughing.

Heather raised her head and playfully swatted Jake's chest. "That is so not funny!"

"You'd be laughing too, if you saw the look on his face when he walked in!"

* * * * * * * *

And....

* * * * * * * *

 "That bedroom? From now on, that's Heather's and Jake's room. Trust me on that. You don't want to sleep there." Chavez said to Hawkins as soon as the door was shut.

I also really like this part and the discussion that followed.  I can absolutely see Jake taking his responsibilities very seriously.  I think he always has, which may be the reason he has panicked and run in the past, because he feels his responsibilities so keenly.  But I don't think he'll be running this time. :-)

* * * * * * * *

The comment that Chavez made about the possibility of Heather being pregnant, even though he knew it wasn't possible, had affected him in an unexpected way. It made him think of the future of what lay ahead for him, Heather, and their family. It made the burden he already felt for their safety and well-being weigh more heavily on him than it ever had before.

And, finally, I thought this exchange was too cute. Though, something tells me even Jake Green's daughters will be an adventure to parent no matter how much he might hope otherwise!

* * * * * * * *

Heather finally managed to compose herself. Wiping the tears from her eyes she looked away and told him shyly, "Well, I got this picture in my mind . . . . of what our son would look like."

"Yeah?" Jake asked. He'd never really thought about having kids, until now, with Heather, and he was surprised to realize he liked the idea. 

She turned her eyes back to Jake's, "Yeah. Imagine having a little Jake running around," before she started to giggle again.

 "God forbid," Jake laughed as he rolled his eyes. "We're only having girls, and they are all going to be just like you!"

"Maybe, maybe not," Heather said with a smile on her face.

What an interesting installment!  Things really seem to be gaining momentum (not that this story has ever been slow... it's been just right!)  and I can't wait to see what's coming.  Of course I have very good idea what's coming in a few hours. :-D

I really enjoyed how you wrote Heather's shopping trip and am very glad she ran into Olga, who seems to almost serve as a fairy godmother.  I do feel bad for Olga, though, stuck selling lingerie to the likes of Tara.  I cringe, too, at the thought of Tara "entertaining" Valente!

Heather's shopping trip kind of lulled me into a false sense of security, but that soon started to wear off thanks to the "off-ness" of Chavez's visit to the too-perfect farm, with the too-perfect family.  I fear for the Johnsons.  I do hope that Chavez checks on them again, or I worry they will be "disappeared".  I was also a little saddened over Jones' obviously bad opinion of the refugees/Feemies, but I suppose it is inevitable in the dog eat dog world they're living in.

The scene with Eric and Gray was great too.  Gray's chickens really do seem to be coming home to roost and he's certainly not getting even half of what he deserves.  He sells the farmers out for mere trinkets to people he doesn't trust within a mile of his salt mine!  Talk about a double standard.  I'm glad Eric's standing up to him.  And I loved this ending:

"You want me to help you out? You have got to be kidding me!"

"I don't know where else to turn. You're the only lawyer left in town!" Gray pleaded, his concern for his problem overriding the frustration the he felt for having to depend on a Green to solve his problem.

The corners of Eric's lips curled upward, but his smile did not reach his eyes.  The effect sent a cold chill down Gray's spine

"No way in hell. Lots of luck, you're going to need it," Eric said derisively before storming out of the office.

All I can say is "Go Eric!" If Gray's frustrated having to ask a Green for help I wonder how he'll feel if the Jennings and Rall steals his mine!  And I for one can't wait to see how this turns out.

Thanks for sharing!

Ah, lucky, lucky chapter thirteen. ;-)  I'm sure Heather and Jake agree with me, and I'm so glad you posted this treat for us, Skyrose, and on your one year, one day Greens of Jericho anniversary, too. :-)

This was an absolutely lovely "morning after" for our favorite couple.  I'm glad, too, that you went to the birth control discussion.  This is a topic that concerns/bothers me since we really didn't hear anything about it on the show.  But given the ways of the new world order it is a real issue, and one that our characters would need to consider along with others.  So that satisfied my practical side... and Jake's and Heather's choice to consciously (and together as a couple) accept whatever the future had in store for them satisfied my sentimental side.

Sam and his picture were a hoot!  I totally crack up at this line every time I read it:

"No, me and my mom. She plays a lot better than my dad." Sam pointed to the third figure, "See, that's my dad on the porch. He's watching us play. Didn't you recognize them?" he said with a frown.

The joys of children's drawings!  :-D

Can't wait to see what happens next.... and just how late Jake and Heather are to their appointment with Hawkins and Chavez!

Nicely done, Skyrose!

I think these conference calls between Cheyenne and Jericho are a great way to move the plot along.  I also really enjoyed how Jake and Heather torture poor Joe.  Too funny. 

It was a great idea to have Heather and Darcy both get the chance to use their computer skills to outfox The Powers That Be.  Jericho especially owes Heather a debt of graditude for concealing the existence of the salt mine.  Gray does too, but oh, I want to wring his neck!  J&R really lucked out, getting Gray to deal with as mayor instead of Johnston.  I hope Eric really puts the screws to Gray when he ultimately helps him out!

Another great installment, Sandra!

But there was no such thing as running anymore. The grass wasn't greener on the other side of the fence, though he supposed it might have contained Heather's giant irradiated ants. Despite the seriousness of the situation out there and within Jericho itself, Jake couldn't help but allow himself the smallest of smiles. No, the opportunities weren't any better out there than they were in Jericho, but Jericho had something that the outside world didn't have: his past and his hope for the future.

I like your opening, and the fact that Jake is actually taking a moment for self-reflection and (dare I say it) self-analysis. I do wonder what Jake's hope for the future is...

I'm glad, too that Jake was willing to let Heather drive her own truck! :-)

I'm not entirely sure what to make of Jake's and Eric's little chat, and I'm still mulling that over, but I must thank you for this:

"That's not true, but thanks for saying that," Eric replied shaking his head. He clasped his hands together. "Look, I'm not saying these things to you from some high horse, Jake. I know how hypocritical it sounds to give you relationship advice. I get that. But I also know how easy it is to fall into the trap of..." his voice trailed off. "Look, if you're going to be with Emily, be with her. If you're going to be with Heather, be with her. But don't do this back and forth of false hopes."

It does sound a little hypocritical coming from Eric, but since he acknowledges it, well, I can accept it as the voice of experience, and I wish Jake would too.

I have to say, I like your Mary as much as I am ever going to like Mary! I don't know if you consider her a friend of Emily's, but she is certainly a friend to both Heather and Jake, despite (I'm sure) the impulse just to knock their two heads together and see if that works.

I'm VERY glad she said this to Heather. Let's hope something sinks in!

Heather lowered her voice. "Mary, there's no competition. Jake is just a friend. He and Emily..."

"Have been torturing each other and themselves off and on for years. I know, I know," she replied with an exaggerated roll of her eyes.

Heather pursed her lips, not liking the direction the conversation had taken. "Look, Emily is my friend. I want to see her happy.  I want to see Jake happy."

"And you really think they'll be happy together? They haven't been yet." Heather frowned. "And what about your happiness, Heather? Being a martyr never got anyone anything."

I am admittedly suspicious of Buffalo Credit, so that'd probably why I see a very big problem coming up thanks to Hamilton's "gift". Is it possible that this is what derails their fledgling relationship? Heather's at least trying to convince herself that she's interested, and Hamilton certainly is. I could be totally off-base, but I see trouble brewing there!

"Please don't tell me. Not another argument," Heather interrupted. "Of course, this is coming from a girl who has no siblings, but I thought once you grew up, you were supposed to put aside petty bickering."

"That's just on TV and in self-help books," Eric said with a shake of his head. "Besides, Jake's still not grown up yet."

Ha! Thank you, Heather. Those Green boys and their sibling rivalry was really starting to annoy me.

And then.... The best part of the whole chapter.....

"Heather, Emily and I are not getting married."

:-D Thank you, Sandra.

Oh, Sandra! Thank you. :-) I think I can take lots more angst going forward with this bit of happy bonding fluff to fortify me. Oh, and Heather and Jake, too. ;-)

Besides, there was still some serious realization happening in this part. Heather's too smart to be always fooled by Emily, and while I feel bad for her that she's going to lose a friend, well, I don't know that the friendship is all that much to give up.

To start, this DEFINITELY bared repeating, so thank you for doing so....

"Heather, Emily and I are not getting married."

Thank you, Jake. I happen to agree.

But even as Heather said the words trying to defend her friend, nagging doubts were infiltrating her mind. In retrospect, Emily had gone out of her way to alternately stake her claim to Jake and tear him down in Heather's eyes. And to what end? The way Emily spoke, making it abundantly clear that she and Jake were together in every way, marriage was a foregone conclusion.

I hadn't even thought of it this way, but you are absolutely right. I can buy that Emily loves Jake, but it's not a healthy love, and she certainly doesn't seem to like him much at all. I'm glad Heather's starting to figure things out.

"My Little Ponies?" Jake asked choking back a sneer. "I always figured you as a Transformers kind of girl."

"Well, there was that phase. I had a huge crush on Optimus Prime, which I know is totally ridiculous because he was a cartoon, and I just told you way more than you ever needed to know, and I think now I'm going to talk about horses." Heather took a deep breath, suddenly very self-conscious of her ramblings.

LOL! I just loved this exchange. I absolutely enjoy a Jake and Heather who can be silly around one another. I also love Optimus Prime. :-) And cartoon crushes aren't that unusual. My best friend had a crush on Basil of Baker Street (The Great Mouse Detective) as a child, and even wrote Mary Sue fanfic about marrying Basil when she grew up (and presumably into a mouse). I assume that Heather didn't go that far!

"It wasn't that bad." Strange how being back in this place brought back memories of conversations she thought she'd long forgotten. Her friendship with E.J. Green had begun, just as she'd told Jake, when he'd assisted her when she sprained her ankle running along the road that fronted the ranch on one side of the property. She'd brought chocolate chip cookies to him first as a thank you and then as a habit when she discovered that her life was far less lonely with him in it. She'd not known her grandparents well, both because she had been raised so far away from them and because they died long ago. Yet E.J. became the closest thing to a grandparent that she had. He was an incredible storyteller and wealth of information. His stories about his experiences in WWII, his escapades with airplanes, and the adventures of his grandchildren kept Heather entertained and made her feel like she was part of a something beyond herself. He'd even told Heather bits and pieces about Jake one night as they sat on the porch.

"He's a handsome devil. Takes after his grandpa. He's got a good heart and a hard head. Wish he'd come back, meet you. Could use a nice girl to keep him grounded and I could use some great-grandchildren. But I suppose he won't be coming back. Not so long as he's mad at the world and not until he figures out the answer is right here, not out there somewhere."

Sigh. I just love the fact that your EJ is a Jake/Heather shipper. And no mention of Emily...

She played with the stem of the dandelion, rolling it between her fingers, and felt emboldened. "I'm glad I'm here with you." There. She said it. No more pretending Jake didn't matter when he did.

Yes!

Jake let out a breath he hadn't even realized he'd been holding. "I'm glad I'm here with you, too." Maybe she was too good for him, but he wasn't about to walk away. Not now. Not when he wanted to know everything about her, was hungry for knowledge. Not when she looked at him with those big blue eyes that made me feel warm inside.

And double yes! :-)

Okay, seriously, the whole 'I'll teach you how to ride' sequence was WONDERFUL. I wanted to quote the whole thing, to the end of the scene, but I will force myself to be satisfied with just the beginning....

A look of amusement filled his features. "I'm going to get on with you."

"Oh." Heather wasn't sure how he would manage to do that, but before she could think it through, he was there behind her, straddling the saddle.

Almost as soon as Jake mounted behind Heather, he was starting to rethink his teaching methods. He'd intended to maintain a respectful distance from her-and certainly when he'd initially thought it would be easier to show her how to ride a horse in this manner he'd not questioned the advisability of his actions. Now he did. Seeing the curve of her neck, fighting the temptation to wrap his fingers around the stray tendrils of hair that had fallen from her ponytail, wanting to touch her skin-the impulses were coming fast and hard.

Heather felt as though her heart would leap from her chest. ‘This is getting ridiculous,' she scolded herself. ‘You can't go to pieces every time he gets near you.'

But the feeling of his warm breath against her cheek, his body so close to hers that she had to stop herself from sinking back into his arms, and his inner thighs against her hips had her mind racing and her heart pounding. No amount of self-chastisement could combat her natural reaction to Jake Green. And then it hit her. She didn't want to fight against what she was feeling. Being near him felt good. No, that's not right. It was better than good; it was incredible.

....Oh, and the end. What IS he going to do with her?

He shook his head ruefully, stifling his own laughter. "What am I going to do with you?"

Sandra,

Some interesting developments here, not the least of which is the confrontation I see coming between Emily and Jake.  I think your Emily is very believable in her self-delusion that if she just keeps willing the world to be the way she wants it to be, it'll happen.  I almost found myself feeling sorry for her.  I think Gail it the nail on the head when she told Emily that she couldn't make anyone else responsible for whether or not she was happy.  I was also VERY glad that Gail let Emily know that her relationship with Jake could not be equated to Gail's relationship with Johnston. 

I just have to say I loved the end of this chapter the best.  You've captured Gail the way I always saw her, valuing her son for who he is, valuing Emily for who she is, but also capable of recognizing their faults.  I'm sure Gail doesn't hold Jake blameless in letting Emily work herself into the state she's in, and I would guess/hope that Jake may hear about this soon.

All the Jake and Heather mushiness was lovely, too.  I'm glad that Heather is starting to see acknowledge and accept her feelings for Jake, and I'm VERY glad Jake realizes he needs to settle things with Emily before he says anything to Heather.

Lastly, you finally have me intrigued by what's happening in New Bern, and by Ted's involvement (of all people!)  I can't wait to find out more about what he knows and how New Bern and (I assume) Constantino are planning to go after Heather.

As always, thanks for sharing!

Well, we have some progress!  This was a very interesting, very realistic installment.  As much as I wish the the course of true love ran a little smoother than in this story, I appreciate the fact that you keep this story ... grounded, I guess.  The ranch is an interlude and there is music to face.

Starting back at the beginning, I like the reminder that Heather was sick while she was away (and I still think maybe she had Hudson River Fever).  I also thought the discussion of the the Cheyenne government and how its starting to impose rules and ideas on its citizenry that those citizens might not be interested in.  I look forward to seeing how you're going to interweave this conspiracy and the investigation of into the overall story.

The whole discussion with Gail was golden, and my favorite part was this:

Quote:

“I think she wanted to, but she was worried what she would find.” Gail noted the scowl on his face as he returned from his foray down the hall. “Jake, if you’re going to be with Emily, you can’t spend time with Heather. You do know that, don’t you?” Jake shifted uncomfortably. “It’s only going to make the situation with Emily more difficult.” Gail paused. “And I think you’ll make things harder for yourself, too. The more time you spend with Heather, the more difficult it’ll be to let her go.”

“I’m not going to let Heather go. Not again.” The words tumbled out before Jake could stop them.

“You two have talked about this?” Gail asked, her eyes widening in surprise.

“No, not until I settle things with Em.” Jake would let the cards fall where they may. No guts, no glory. He wasn’t going to be one of those guys who lined up the next girlfriend before he’d broken up with the old one.

I'm glad that Jake is finally willing to admit that he wants Heather in his life, and that he knows he needs to end things with  Emily first before he tries to make things work with Heather. 

Can't wait to see what happens next!

Oh, Sandra.  You are certainly the brave one!  I can't imagine taking the long, strange trip through Miss Emily's thought processes that you signed yourself up for.  I am impressed.  Not the least because I for one could not take Emily's pity party, 'woe is me' routine all in one sitting, and all I had to do was read it, not write it.  Argh!  She is so delusional and so aggravating!  This was a magnificent piece of writing.  I can't say I enjoyed it, but my hat is certainly off to you.

I will admit that you have finally induced me to agree with Jonah.  He's the one reason I have, in the past, been able to feel sorry for Emily, but now I kind of feel sorry for him.  Sure, his worldview is a little warped, but hers is worse.  And I tabsolutely hink he had as much right to be at Chris' grave as she did.

As an aside, I have to ask WHY is Emily interested in being with Jake at all if he's still to blame for Chris getting killed?  And, does her adored (immature, irresponsible) baby brother bear any responsibility for his own fate, because it sure didn't sound like it to me.  Oh, and I did catch that Emily hated herself for wanting Jake....  Alll I have to say to that is: boo hoo! 

Sorry.  Got a little passionate there.  But, that's what I love about your writing.  It never fails to pull some sort of reaction from me.  So please, take the above rant(s) as a compliment.

Never have I been so glad to see Hamilton!  He calls a spade a spade.  Too bad he exercised some restraint and didn't call this particular spade a bitch.  The way Emily's attacking Heather behind her back just makes me want to scratch her eyes out.

Lastly, we have Heather's story.  Oh my.  I was riveted by it, and left with not much to say now, a week after I read it for the first time.  I am outraged (but not surprised) by the news that Heather was branded.  I'm gritting my teeth over the fact that Constantino might wiggle out of taking responsibility for his little town of horrors.  And I just want to hug Heather and tell her it's going to be okay.  I understand that it just proves her humanity and character that she thinks she's a monster for killing Bart Travers (at least part of the mystery of what happened to Heather is now solved) but still I just want her to know that it's okay, she killed a monster, and she's not one herself. 

You've set up quite the heartbreaking situation here.  All I can hope is that maybe Heather and Jake can get to the point where they can share their stories with one another, and both can realize that it is possible to move on.  I can hope anyway.

Thanks, as always, for sharing!

Sandra,

I was so glad to see the next installment of Dangerous!  Nice job.  You have no idea the sigh of relief I breathed when Jake and Heather bot admitted to wanting something more than friendship with one another. 

Of course, as I continued to read, and Jake (and Gail) pointed out that Emily isn't exactly going away and then you threw in the creepy Travers kids (is it a good or a bad thing to admit that I'm not single-minded or devoted enough to ever consider avenging someone's death?) I couldn't help but begin to concoct wild theories about how these plot lines will collide....  There are lots of intriguing if aggravating ways you could take this, I'm certain of that! :-D

Loved your Gail as always.  She misses nothing and has a great way of loving and accepting her family members while at the same time making her opinions known.  And I could certainly appreciate her joy over hot water.

My favorite exchange:

“True,” Heather agreed. “It could be a lot worse.” She paused for a moment. “Of course, that’s what people always say in movies right before it gets worse. Whoops.”

“Good thing this is real life then,” Gail commented.

Thanks for sharing!  I look forward to seeing what a new day brings to a Dangerous Jericho.

Ack, Sandra!  What a way to ratchet up the tension!  I was so relieved when Stanley showed up to spirit Heather away for some tractor repair services, saving her from 'Wilma's' evil clutches.
 
Actually, tension is the name of this chapter, I think.  New Bern and Jericho both are simmering with tension, from the rebellion that appears to be brewing in New Bern (aside from the crazy Travers kids, bent on revenge), to the conflict over Buffalo Credits, Jennings & Rall, and Dale's desire to remain an independent businessman, to Jake's realization that Emily isn't as out of his life and he'd hoped.  It's going to be quite the ride when this all comes to a head, I'm thinking.  I can't wait to see what you do with it!
 
Overall though, my favorite parts were the 2 flashbacks.  At first I was sad to realize that Jake and Heather didn't get their morning out at the ranch, but you more than made up for it with their breakfast conversation, both flirty and serious as they felt out their relationship, where it stands and where it's going.  (I had to chuckle later about Heather's qualms over imposing on the Greens -- I can't imagine that Jake won't put up a fight if she tries to move out, especially if she tries moving out the the Richmonds!)
 
But actually, I may have liked the flashback to the genesis of Heather's friendship with both Richmonds the best.  I loved the story of how Stanley's tractor came to look like a cow, and how Heather was able to rescue Bonnie (and Stanley too, really) in her time of need.  It seemed very Heather to me to pick up on Bonnie's quandary and then render assistance with no fuss or muss.
 
So, the question now is, how long 'til Miss Travers is able to make her move?  And will Heather be able to defend herself or is she too eaten up by unreasonable guilt?  How soon 'til an actual riot breaks out on Main Street?  And will Gray still be whining about Jake being out of uniform when the you-know-what hits the fan?
 
As always, thanks for the good read!

Ahhhh! Such a satisfying story! I love the long drawn out stories, but there's something to be said for the instant gratification of a story like this one, all wrapped up in nice little package (with room for either more to come, your imagination to take flight, or both.)

A partial list of things I loved:

• Heather's list of Hot and Cold periods in their relationship and Jake's list of Stops and Starts. This was a great device for telling the parts of the story we already knew as well as the parts we didn't.

• That Jake, while playing catch up, had at least made up his mind and wasn't giving up on Heather in some 'woe is me, I'm not good enough for her' funk. He knew what he wanted from life, he was pretty sure he could have it, and he didn't chicken out. Thank you!

• That Roger came back to Emily, at least for a little while. I don't actually hate Emily… she just annoys me to no end, and I'm glad that she and Roger were able to be together for just a little longer. Roger seemed infinitely better for Emily than Jake to me because he would challenge her. She didn't like it, but he did – and she put up with it. (And, yes I am absolutley biased in my belief that Heather is better for Jakethan Emily.)

• That the conflict was resolvable. These are two people who want to be together. Jake reached out, but the letter went astray. All Heather needed to know was that the letter existed. So simple. No melodrama.

Hot. When Jake showed up at her house, the look of urgency so apparent on his features, Heather knew she’d follow him anywhere. He took her to meet Robert Hawkins, which surprised her. It was to be one of many surprises that day. Jake explained exactly who was responsible for the Day of Change and asked for her help. He needed her. He trusted her.

Cold. Realizing she’d have to betray someone she cared about to help Jake dampened any exhilaration she may otherwise have felt at being needed by him. Exhilaration was replaced by the feeling of foolishness and the suspicion that he had used her feelings for him to ensure her help. Knowing this, she was willing to help, but anger and distrust replaced her view of Jake Green.

Thank you so much for addressing the scene/choice that I most abhor from the whole series. I absolutely despised Jake (on Heather's behalf) for using her feeling for him against her that way. Frankly, after that I thought she should tell him to go to hell and that he deserved to be miserable with Emily for the rest of his life. (Yes, I'm still just a little bit passionate about that scene!)

But after reading this whole story I can see how Heather could get past being used by Jake that way. I do hope that he apologized at some point though. :-) 

In that moment, he felt enveloped by her hope, her promise.

Jake kissed her gently, slowly, before pulling away from the kiss amid her silent protest. With a husky voice, he asked, “Now will you finally tell me what you’re planning to do with the rest of your life?”

With a twinkle in her eyes and laughter in her heart, Heather answered his question.

AH! Wonderful! I'm pretty sure I know Heather's answer. :-D This was absolutely perfect. I'm sure I lost a little productivity at work today thinking about this one, but I don't mind one bit! Thank you for sharing!

Author's Response:

Thank you, Marzee!  I'm so glad that you enjoyed it.  I was feeling the need for a little Jake/Heather fluff, and I needed a diversion from Dangerous, so this was what came out.  I really wanted the chance to fast forward through everything that had happened and have them be two people who, at the end of the day, despite a lot of separation and misunderstandings, truly love one another.  Heehee...and of course, I think we know what Heather's answer to Jake's question is.  Thank you again for your comments. :)

Oh Penny!

You've got me in such a muddle as I contemplate your story that I really have no idea what to think! "As a day progresses, these characters face both...."  But is it the same day, or different days? f I see evidence for both, and I can't stop trying to figure it out.  Very cleverly done. :-)

Just a few of the details I really like:

• Stanley's dilemma, dealing with both his continuing grief over Bonnie and his need to keep living, and how that comes out.  I love that Stanley is so happy about his coming child that he's out bragging to all the little old ladies in town.

• The founder's day play, and the fact that the organizers have added the war and all its aftermath to the play.  I have to agree that Johnston would be offended if he hadn't been included.

• The kids reporting for border patrol.  One of the things I love about your universe is that the recovery is slow and the world is not a perfect place.  Even a few years -- maybe years later? Sam was 7 or 8 when the bombs hit, and he's at least through the 8th grade.  This is one of my pieces of evidence for the idea that this is not all on the same day -- after the war they still have a border patrol, and the recruits are getting younger.  Their views of Jericho and what's happened in their world are interesting and unique.  Your "ghosts of Jericho" were interesting choices, and you'd think that Dale Turner was 70 years old, chasing kids off with a broom, the way you describe him!  I was thrown at first by the idea of "Mrs. Richmond" and am still cracking up over Mimi yelling at kids who track mud across her porch.

• Emily not wanting to mourn Jonah, and trying to convince herself that she has nothing to mourn.  Jonah and Emily have such a muddled relationship. It's not complex, really, just both love and hate, but it's real and her response to his death is real.  She doesn't want to care, and I'm sure she can't figure out why the hell she's feeling so out of sorts.  I also love that it's Kenchy who comes after her.  And that Emily takes in boarders! (This might be the one piece of info that I had the hardest time wrapping my brain around!)

This piece really intrigued me, and I'm enjoying mulling.  I've got all kinds of questions, but I enjoy that about your writing, so thank you!

And, thank you for sharing.