Hours, Minutes, Days

Five Years

...Five years since he had been afraid. Five years since his pursuers had been put in jail. Five years since he returned to her. Five years since his life began.

Four years since their wedding at the courthouse. Jessy and Dan were there along with his sisters. It had been a beautiful day full of tears and kisses and professions of unending love. They honeymooned at the beach and spent the week with their toes in the sand and a fruity drink in their hand. That is when they left the room.

Three years since they had established a life for themselves, signing the papers for a house in the woods of northern California, far away from where they had once been, far away from their old lives that were plagued with fear and spent hiding in the shadows.

Two years since they decided that they need a dog. Two years since MC convinced him that they needed two and they needed to adopt them from a shelter. Two years since Milo and Lily entered their world and they began to feel love in a new way.

One year since they decided that they wanted kids to round out their home. One year since MC stopped birth control. One year since the sweet talk turned to discussions of baby names and nursery colors. One year since the start of dreams about a future filled with laughter and tears and dirty diaper.

Six months since she told him that he was going to be a father. Six months since they cried tears of joy and held each other all night. Six months since Jessy started planning a baby shower. Six months since he bought tickets for their babymoon and all of the things need to babyproof the house.

Four months since they heard the heartbeat and the dream became real. Four months since he started reading to MC's belly, hoping the baby would get used to his voice. Four months until he felt the need to protect their baby. Four months since he realized what a daunting task that would be.

Three months since they found out that it would be a girl. Three months since he imagined daddy-daughter dates and planned secret fishing trips. Three months since he bought her a ballerina outfit, her first teddy bear, and. b.b. gun in that order.

Two months since he watched MC sleep, his hand on her belly and he felt the baby kick. Two months since he started dreaming of her first steps and all of her other firsts.

One month since he swore that he was the luckiest man on Earth. Lucky to have his freedom, this life, her, lucky that he was going to be a dad, lucky that they had put away his pursuers and could all have their forever together.

One day since the phone rang and threatened all of the plans that he had made, that they had made. One day since the fear returned, one day since he realized that he had to run. One day since he realized that he may never meet his child, that she may never know him or his deep love for her. One day that he realized that he would gladly sacrifice himself for their safety.

It was the FBI warning him that his pursuer, George Lathemoore, had escaped from jail and was out for revenge. They couldn't promise the kind of protection that he would need.

He watched her sleep. She was peaceful and happy with no idea what tomorrow would look like. She was still the most beautiful creature that he had ever laid eyes on. There would never, had never, been another woman as incredible as her. There would never be another that could speak to his heart and there would certainly never be another with whom he could fulfill all of his dreams.

She healed his broken heart. She was all that he wanted or needed. She was his world and he was going to break her heart as well as his own.

He had to leave to keep them safe. He had to get as far away from them as possible, so they could never get near her or the baby. He vowed to keep them safe at all costs. His life was worth nothing without theirs and his death, if it was required, would be worth it if it ensured their safety.

She was all there was, and their baby who he adored already, would do just fine with a mother like MC. He needed them to be fine. He would do whatever it took to make them fine and safe.

So, with tears in his eyes, he leaned down and kissed her belly, whispering a few words to the baby. "Remember me until we meet again," he whispered as the tears began to flow freely. He ran his hands through MC's hair and brushed soft kisses on her cheek promising her that she would be the last thing he thought about before his eyes closed and that he would return to her as soon as possible. Telling her that his body already ached at the loss of her.

Ten minutes until he had to leave his life, the life that he loved, the life he may never have again. He tried to soak up this moment so he could remember the way she looked with rosy cheeks and in the glow of pregnancy. He wanted to remember the way she smelled of orange blossoms and sable. He hoped that he would remember the smoothness of her skin and the way her voice deepened when they spoke of the things of the heart.

One minute in which he paused and said a silent prayer that she would forgive him and that someday she would be back in his arms.

With that, he turned, grabbed his bag, loaded with only a change of clothes, his computer, a burner phone, an ultrasound photo of the baby and their wedding photo, and a couple of hundred dollars in cash, and snuck out the door in the middle of the night, without a note or a message for the love of his life.

Now, he shuffled through the streets trying to catch the attention of his pursuer, hoping that he would follow him and move far away from her. Tears were burning his eyes and there was a strange stinging sensation in his heart, but he was doing what he must. He had to be able to live with that. He would deal with the consequences later.

If only he had known that it wasn't through him that George had planned on exacting his revenge. If only he had stopped to think about the cruelty of his pursuer. What better way was there to hurt a man than to destroy the love of his life? What better way to bring Jake to his knees than to threaten and torture his love?

Then, as Jake quietly snuck out of the apartment, too overcome by his own misery and panic to survey the surroundings, George slithered into MC's house, calmed the dogs with treats, and climbed in bed next to her, waiting for her eyes to open and panic to set in.