Searching for Love Ch. 06

CHAPTER SIX

"How are you doing?" Jake asked from Caitlin's bed, watching her comb out her hair; still damp from her swim and shower.

"I feel better. I feel like a set of weights have been lifted off of my chest," Caitlin admitted. Jake smiled.

"I'm glad to hear that," Jake said as Caitlin finally sat on the bed. He began massaging her shoulders making Caitlin moan. "What's with all of the knots?" Jake murmured.

"It's been a long day," Caitlin said. Jake nodded.

"If I can do anything to make this easier on you ..." Caitlin smiled and kissed Jake gently.

"You'll be the first to know. I think I'm going to go to sleep now, I'm exhausted," Caitlin assured him. Jake nodded.

"Do you want me to go?" Jake asked. Caitlin shook her head.

"NO! Please stay and hold me!" she pleaded. Jake grinned and pulled Caitlin too him as he settled back against the pillow and pulled the covers over them.

-The next day-

Jake and Caitlin made their way into the diner in town and joined Evelyn and Craig at the booth.

"Morning Mom, hey Craig," Caitlin said softly, unsure of what else to say. Craig looked at Caitlin, a look of self disgust on his face.

"You must hate me for ruining your life," Craig said bitterly. Caitlin nearly choked on her water.

"Craig, you didn't ruin my life. Michael scarred my life, and you are a by-product of that scarring. I never hated you or resented you. And to be honest, if it wasn't for what Michael did, I never would have met Jake," Caitlin said firmly but gently. The smell of eggs wafted over from the table behind theirs and Caitlin suppressed a groan. "Jake, let me out," she managed to say. Jake slid out of the booth and watched as Caitlin moved quickly to the bathroom.

"Is Caitlin okay?" Craig asked.

Jake nodded. "She's fine, it's been a long week," Jake answered. Evelyn's eyes narrowed slightly.

"The smell of eggs don't make people feel ill because of a long week," she told Jake, giving him a scrutinizing look. Jake flushed and looked up as Caitlin returned to the booth and slid in next to him.

"What are your intentions towards my daughter?" Evelyn asked, taking a sip of her own water.

"Mom!" Caitlin exclaimed as Jake found her hand.

"It's a perfectly reasonable question. I wasn't born yesterday Caitlin, and I do recognize the signs," Evelyn said as the waitress came over. Caitlin breathed a sigh of relief when Craig ordered French Toast.

When Jake and Caitlin returned to the base, Cal was waiting at the gate for them. "What's going on?" Caitlin asked.

"Marisol's brother is causing trouble, only instead of being in Latin America, he's heading over to the Middle East to stir up trouble.

Since Jake worked the first mission, I need him to go with Paul and Jeff," Cal answered. Jake and Caitlin exchanged glances. Neither one of them made it out of that jungle without injury and it nearly cost Caitlin her sanity.

"What if I say no?" Jake asked. Cal sighed.

"I won't blame you after what he did to you, however, if you refuse, I'll have to send Danny and Claire has told me that Jessica's condition is serious and that if she has added stress, she could lose the baby," Cal answered. Jake and Caitlin looked at each other again.

"When do we leave?" Jake asked, resigned.

"If you're going, I'm going!" Caitlin exclaimed. Jake shook his head.

"You can't go Catie, you're pregnant," Jake said, trying to be reasonable.

"I will not let you face this psycho alone!" Caitlin said.

"Caitlin, I'll be fine. Paul and Jeff will watch my back. I need to know that you and the baby will be safe," Jake said softly. Caitlin sighed but nodded.

"You'd better come back," she whispered. Jake smiled.

"I will," he promised, giving Caitlin a kiss before following Cal to the locker room.

~Later that day~

"Having a bad day?" Jessica asked as Caitlin walked into the kitchen.

She smiled slightly when she heard Caitlin grumble. "I heard about the mission. Jake will be fine. He's smart, and he knows what he's doing," Jessica assured her friend.

Caitlin sighed. "If you need a way to work out your frustrations, dump the dough from that bowl out onto the pastry board and start kneading it for me," Jessica instructed. Caitlin washed her hands and did as she was instructed.

-Days later-

"Caitlin, your phone is ringing," Jessica said softly. Caitlin picked up her cell phone.

"Hello?"

"Cait, it's mom. There is a woman here, she has a gun. She says she's going to kill Craig," Evelyn said, her voice shaky.

"What are you talking about?" Caitlin asked, a feeling of dread taking over her.

"Hello puta! Has Jake missed me?" Caitlin gasped.

"Marisol!" she hissed.

"Muy bien, you remember me. How's Jake?" Marisol asked again.

"That is none of your business!" Caitlin exclaimed.

Marisol laughed. "I will give you two days, forty-eight hours to come rescue your mother and your brother, or is he your son? Either way, he's very cute," Marisol began. "You will take their place as my hostage. When you get here, my brother will be talking to Jake and he'll be coming here. When Jake agrees to be with me, I will let you go and I will not bother you again," Marisol added.

Caitlin opened her mouth to say something else, but Marisol hung up the phone. Before Caitlin could put her cell phone away, she received a text message telling her where she could go to rescue her family.

-Meanwhile-

"First the jungle, now the fucking desert! Does Juan have a death wish?" Jake growled. Paul chuckled and shook his head. Jeff consulted the map and compass.

"We're almost there, maybe another fifty feet," Jeff told Jake. Jake nodded.

"God I'm so tired of all of this walking," Paul groaned. Jake nodded in agreement.

"It is hot," Jake muttered.

"We need to find shade," Jeff stated. Jake nodded again and scanned the area with his long range binoculars.

"About five hundred feet to our left there is an oasis ... we'll spend an hour there cooling off and resting. Then we go back looking for Juan," Jake ordered. Jeff and Paul nodded and headed in the direction of the oasis.