Fighting for Love Ch. 08-09

CHAPTER EIGHT

Jake knocked on the door to Danny's room before opening it and letting himself in. "What do you want Jake?" Jessica asked from the rocking chair. Jake studied Jessica silently for a moment, and almost found himself feeling sorry for her.

"I want you to leave. If Danny ever wakes up, he's going to need to be able to get back up to speed without distractions. You and Will are distractions," Jake said.

He stood over the crib and watched the baby wiggle in his sleep and couldn't help but to smile; the squirming baby looked so much like his father. Jessica looked up at Jake with tear stained eyes.

"I love Danny," Jessica reminded Jake. Jake rolled his eyes.

"That love, as you put it, nearly got Danny killed and we don't know if he'll wake up. It's been three weeks and he hasn't woken up yet, there's no reason for you to be here," Jake said harshly.

"I'm not leaving," Jessica told Jake.

Jake turned to face Jessica, grabbed her by the arms and shoved her into the wall before pressing a knife to her throat. Jessica's eyes widened as the wind was knocked out of her.

"Get out Jessica, and don't come back," Jake growled before pulling the knife away and leaving the room.

"Jake, have you seen Jessica?" Claire asked walking into the mess.

Jake shook his head.

"Not in a day or so," Jake answered. "Why?" Jake wanted to know.

"Danny's waking up," Claire told Jake. Jake dropped his fork and followed Claire to the infirmary.

"It's good to see your eyes open," Jake said with a grin. Danny blinked and looked around, fighting the respirator.

"Danny, the respirator is to help you breath. I can't take it out yet, your lungs are still recovering. You being awake is a good sign. I should be able to take the respirator out in a day or so," Claire said softly.

Danny gave Claire a look. "I will not take it out early," Claire said, reading Danny's mind. Danny made a sound of frustration as Cal walked into the infirmary. "Did you find Jess?" Claire asked. Cal shook his head.

"I'm sure she just went out for some air," Cal said, trying to keep from alarming Danny and slowing his recovery. Danny's eyes fluttered sleepily and Claire gave him a gentle smile.

"Go back to sleep Danny, it's going to take a while for you to recover fully. I'm sure Jess will be here when you wake up again," Claire said.

"Hey Danny, how are you feeling?" Jake asked, walking into the infirmary. Danny took a sip of the water before answering.

"I'd feel a lot better if anyone knew where Jessica and Will were." Jake shrugged.

"I haven't seen her man. If I had, I would have told her you were awake," Jake said.

"How can nobody have seen her? I've been awake for nearly a week," Danny growled, his voice still gravely from the respirator.

Jake shrugged again. "I couldn't tell you," he said. Jake looked at his watch. "I have to go, I'm on guard duty tonight," Jake added.

Danny nodded and watched his friend leave the room, certain that Jake wasn't telling the truth.

CHAPTER NINE

"Welcome to Denny's, my name is Jessica. What can I get for you ladies to drink this afternoon?" Jessica greeted the couple at the table. She took their drink orders and headed off to the kitchen to get it. "One iced tea with extra lemon and one diet soda with lemon. Are you ready to order?"

"I'd like the grand slam with bacon. My eggs over easy with wheat toast," one of the patrons said.

"And I'll take the grand slam with sausage, my eggs scramble also with wheat toast," said other person at the table.

Jessica jotted the orders down and smiled at her patrons. "I'll get that out to you in a jiffy," she told them, walking towards the kitchen.

When Jessica's shift ended, she was exhausted. Jessica climbed in her car and drove to her tiny apartment. "Hey Marie, how did Will behave tonight?" Jessica asked as she walked in side. Marie gave Jessica a smile.

"Will is absolutely an angel. So precious," Marie answered. The older woman studied Jessica's face carefully as Jessica dug money out of her purse.

"You'll be back tomorrow?" Jessica asked, dropping her bag onto the side table. Marie nodded.

"Taking care of Will is so easy that I feel bad about taking your money when you obviously need it," Marie told Jessica. Jessica smiled. "I'll be back at seven thirty," Marie promised before walking out the door.

Jessica walked into the small bedroom and checked on Will and smiled when she found him asleep. She walked back to the kitchen and reached into the freezer for the Stouffer's four cheese lasagna she had picked up the day before. With a yawn, Jessica tore the box open and popped the plastic tray into the microwave and turned it on. Jessica pulled the pitcher of water out of the refrigerator and poured some into a glass as she went through her mail while she waited for her dinner.

Jessica glanced at the timer and pushed cancel just before it went off so it wouldn't wake Will. Jessica pulled the now hot tray of food out of the microwave and slid it onto a large plate. She took her food and water into the living room and sat at the card table to eat. When she finished her meal, Jessica took the plate, the empty tray and the glass of water into the kitchen. Jessica tossed the tray and quickly washed her plate and fork. She poured a little more water into the glass and reached for her vitamins. Jessica grimaced as she swallowed the vitamin, hating the chalky taste.

Jessica carried the glass into the living room and set it on the small table next to the couch before walking over to a closet by the bathroom and grabbed a pillow, sheet and blanket before returning to the living room. Jessica made up her bed on the couch and sat down and reached for the pen and paper on the table.

"Danny,

I don't know if you're dead or alive, but I'm hoping you're alive. If you are, you're probably wondering where Will and I are. We're safe and we're okay. I didn't want to leave, you can ask Jake why I did. I promise to tell Will all about you when he gets older; you wouldn't believe how big he's gotten, or me for that matter. I love you Danny and I always will. I promise to send pictures of Will and the baby when she gets here to the base. Please don't hate me for leaving, but if you do, I understand. I love you always.

Jessica."

Jessica pulled the paper from the pad, folded it gently and stuck a picture of Will inside before stuffing it into an envelope and sealing it. Jessica set the stamped envelope onto the table next to her purse, flicked off the light and laid down and cried herself to sleep.

Jessica groaned as her alarm went off; five thirty came too early that morning, but she got up, folded up her bedding, put it back in the closet and grabbed a towel before going into the bathroom. Jessica took a quick shower and got dressed quickly as Will started fussing. Jessica walked into the bedroom and smiled. "Hey there big guy!" she crooned. Jessica lifted her son out of his crib and carried him into the bathroom where she gave him a quick bath before getting him dressed. Jessica sat him down in a high chair and fed him some oatmeal with raisins and gave him a piece of wheat toast with a small bit of grape jam. At seven thirty on the dot, Marie was knocking on Jessica's door. Jessica grabbed her purse and the letter to Danny off of the table, gave Will a kiss on the top of his forehead and hurried out of the apartment.

Jessica waited impatiently at the bus stop and grew more and more annoyed as time went by. Finally, nearly fifteen minutes late, the bus pulled up to the stop and Jessica got on board. The tardiness of the bus made Jessica nearly twenty minutes late for work. "I'm sorry I'm late Jerry, the bus was late this morning," Jessica said, out of breathe as she flew into the office. Jerry smiled at her.

"Don't worry about it, it's the first time in three months. Catch your breath and get to work," Jerry told her. Jessica nodded and walked to her desk, sat in her chair and slipped the headset on. Jessica grabbed the pieces of paper that sat in her in box and dialed the number first on the list.

"Is this Mark Klein?" Jessica asked into the mouthpiece. "This is Jessica with ERT. We haven't received your payment; it was due on the fifteenth of last month and it's nearly thirty five days late," Jessica began. She resisted the urge to sigh when her client began to speak in a nasty voice. "Mr. Klein, I understand things happen that makes money tight, believe me. I'm not here to harass you, I'm here to try and work out a payment arrangement so that your service isn't interrupted.

We certainly don't want to take food off of your table or prevent you from being able to put gas in your car, so if you need to set up multiple payments, we can work with you on that. I'm here to help you," Jessica interrupted his tirade. Jessica smiled as Mark Klein's tone of voice calmed down.

"Yes sir, I can set that up for you. Four payments of twenty dollars beginning on Friday the nineteenth. Please tell me what day you can pay the second payment." Jessica entered the information into her computer. "Very good sir. I have those payments set up for you, your confirmation number is XPT-387-228. "Thank you very much for your cooperation Mr. Klein, have a good day," Jessica said, disconnecting the call. Jessica grabbed the orange high lighter and drew a line through his name and took a swallow of water before dialing the next number. Just as Jessica disconnected the second call, Jerry walked up to her.

"Do you have any outgoing mail?" Jerry asked. Jessica nodded and slipped the envelope on the top of the pile. "Your boyfriend?" Jerry asked, seeing the name on the envelope. Jessica nodded again.

"It's complicated Jerry, I don't want to get into it," Jessica told him before he could ask. Jerry nodded and walked away.