The drive back from the cabin was unhurried and silent save for the music of Andre Boccelli which seemed to encircle the two lovers in the cab of the big green F250. Sam was nestled under Jack's arm with a hand absent-mindedly stroking his right thigh as he drove. It seemed so natural to hear him softly singing in Italian along with the tenor yet it had been a surprise of epic proportions. Jack serenaded her with such nonchalance that it made Sam feel guilty for thinking him not capable of such romance.
They had three days of lovemaking, sleeping together, and fishing without bait for no pesky fish and surprisingly few words. There had been tears, laughter and sighs, and a few scream of total pleasure, yet no discussion of what would happen next. It was going to have to just play out but for now they just wanted to be an "Us" before they had to face reality.
They both felt the tension beginning to build in tiny increments as they crossed state lines, each mile bringing them closer and closer to the Mountain.
Jack knew the destination he had in mind, a place for them to stop, think, drink, and stare into each other's eyes. It would be a special separate moment in time that could inspire dozen's of Country Western songs and the last they could call just theirs. The gravel crunched under the wheels as he pulled up in front of the door of "Al's Bar." Something made him come back this way, a tiny dinky voice somewhere in the back of his mind; it just seemed right.
A few scattered regulars were at the end of the bar with the best view of the television that blared an old science fiction movie or show of some kind. Sam and Jack were only given a quick cursory glance before eyes were drawn back to the TV and drinks. There was a lone customer who sat at the bar; his chiseled face resting in one upturned palm staring into the mirror behind the bar. He was dressed casually in a white shirt and tan Dockers. A beer sat in front of him half-empty.
The bartender smiled; he recognized the tall man and it warmed his heart to see the beautiful woman on his arm. She was this man's Helen of Troy, the one who kicked him in the heart, the one who now was so deeply in love with the silver haired man that it radiated from her like a spring zephyr, pure and softly strong.
This time there was a Guinness and Glenfiditch set down in front of the man.
"And for the lady, Jack?" The bartender asked both hands on the well-polished oak bar a broad smile on his lips under a full thick mustache.
"She'll have a diet cola, she likes the taste." Jack smiled his arm now around the thin waist of the woman. "And how'd you know my name?"
"Lucky guess, you look like a Jack. And this lovely lady with the diet soda in a bar looks like, well, a long lovely name that is shortened to something that is cute, but not as beautiful as its owner." The bartender gave Sam his best flirtation but winked at Jack.
"Samantha." Sam blushed and sipped the soda.
"I bet they call you Sam." The bartender brought another shot over to Jack. There was an amused snort from the man sitting at the bar who finished his beer in a gulp. Al was already there with another for him before he returned to Jack and Sam.
Sam shyly excused herself and headed to the back of the bar for the facilities; it had been a long drive. This gave the bartender a moment with Jack.
"By the way since you are practically a regular here, Jack, you can call me Al. Is she the one...who?"
"Ya sure ya betcha, she's the one." Jack didn't realize it but he was beaming though there was a tint of melancholia to his pronouncement.
"You're from Minnesota originally, aren't you? Al continued, "My friend down there is from Indiana. It's good to see you not drinking alone, Jack." The final statement was said with a sincerity that transcended that of a bartender as if Al had known Jack all his life.
"Got a nice place to get some big thick steaks around here?" Jack asked but was unable to shake the odd feeling of concern and compassion from the portly bartender. Al had mutated from smiling simpleton to something that could not be identified, except Jack felt at ease in his presence.
"Down the street two blocks, Calavicci's; good steaks and great Italian," was the answer.
Sam returned and walked by the lone patron at the bar. He looked at her with soulful hazel eyes in a handsome face. Sam thought she recognized him but couldn't place the face. It would come to her eventually.
Jack threw two Twenties on the bar and an arm around Sam's waist as they exited.
"Nice couple, glad they finally got together. Jack's been through a lot waiting for Sam." The bartender commented watching the truck pull out of the parking lot. "She's a recent widow though; her husband was a cop and saved a bank full of hostages. Odd how some things just take time. See those two were meant for each other, destined from the first minute they laid eyes on each other."
"Yeah, I know Al." The man said setting down his beer. His voice was sad, tired and resigned to his fate.
Al looked at the man who had too much weight upon his shoulders, so many wrongs to right. The one lock of white hair seemed even more pronounced against the soft brown. And there were a few more lines, the hidden price of his heroics. The sadness was self-imposed knowing he had too many things to complete before he could or would finally go home.
"You did good, Sam." Al smiled, and made eye contact just as the man was engulfed in blue light.
......... And Dr. Sam Beckett leaped again.......
finis...
Kd3 aka Kriss Dremak word count 1023 8/2/2004 9:09 PM Comments to kdthree@core.com ..........................
Story Notes: Comments: Dinky , Fullin28, Elizabeth, Original Cyn you asked So this is for ya'll
~~~~~~~~ insert obligatory disclaimer here. Yada Yada ... no money, not mine, just theirs, for fun... ad nuseum...... whatever.... for crying out loud!
© KD3 aka Kriss Dremak 2004~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~ insert obligatory disclaimer here. Yada Yada ... no money, not mine, just theirs, for fun... ad nuseum...... whatever.... for crying out loud!
© KD3 aka Kriss Dremak 2004~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognisable characters, settings, etc, are the property of their respective owners. Any original characters and plots are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended. ... [ read more ]