The Seven Swords of Diya: An Indiana Jones Fan Fiction - Part 2

Chapter 318: Cave, Kamchatka Wilderness, Soviet Union, 1960

Cave

Kamchatka Wilderness

Soviet Union

1960

"How can you love me, Dad? This is horrible! I'm a danger to everyone else -"

Indy lifted her chin. "Em... I'm your dad. I can't NOT love you." He glanced at Shorty. "Same to you son. Shorty, I can't NOT love you. You're my kids."

"You should be mad at me, Dad," Emily sobbed. "I'm out of control. I've seen people slapped for acting like this -"

"Em - I can't be angry at the little girl I pulled out of a tomb. And that's where you go when this happens. As much as you'd like to be that brave, capable young lady that you - your inner little girl knows that she almost died in a place like this, while you're adult young lady is ready to take on the world."

Emily raised her head. "You're not mad...?"

Indy smiled at his daughter. "Why would I be mad, Em?"

"Because... The other adventurers would be! They would gripe about how annoying females are and say I shouldn't come along -"

"They aren't lucky enough to be a dad," Indy replied, reaching for Emily's hat. "How are you feeling now?"

"Still mad at me." She thunked her head against Indy's chest.

Indy grinned. She still had that habit of hitting him in his injured sternum from a trip under a moving truck. "Aw, Littlest Artifact, this takes awhile to learn. But here's the secret to: 'it wasn't fun, but I won.'" He eased her away from him so he could see her face and make certain she was understanding. "Em, if there was a little girl here, like your niece, Laurel, would you let her be scared?"

Emily swallowed. "No."

"Would you yell at her for being scared?"

"No," Emily ducked away from his gaze.

Indy's voice dropped into tenderness. "Then what are you doing to yourself, Littlest Artifact?"

Emily swallowed. "Yelling at the tiny me?"

Indy cracked a grin and dropped her fedora back on her head. "And what should you be doing?"

Emily adjusted her hat. "Protecting her and not being angry that she's scared?"

Indy nodded, taking Emily's chin. "That's my girl! I'm so proud of you for getting this far in this cave system, Em." He tipped her hat up and kissed her on her scarred and muddy cheekbone. Then he pulled her hat brim back down, knowing the angle she liked it at hid her face. "Ready to go when you are, Littlest Artifact."

She clutched Indy for a moment longer. He waited, holding her, keeping his breathing steady, feeling her trembling subside. "It's all right, Em. Take your time."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. I'm sure. Wait til you're ready." He held her trembling hands. Then he glanced up at Shorty. "Son - I'm so sorry I didn't have the knowledge and experience to do this with you."

"What changed?" Shorty asked.

"I got a hug from a little girl who I didn't know I had," Indy replied. "Kazannah, my eldest daughter. Marion named our firstborn Treasure in the Hindi language. We shortened it to Annie - Em's older sister. Annie is Laurel's mom. I've got a grandson, too."

"How did that change you?" Shorty wondered.

Indy grinned in awe, trying to explain it through the memories. "Having a daughter makes you have a whole new level of protection in your heart, Shorty. If you and Lizavet have kids - I hope you'll understand. That and... something changed when I watched the Nazis open the Ark of the Covenant. Somehow... whatever... whoever... was in that sacred box... changed something in me, and I haven't been able to figure it out yet. And then when I drank from the Holy Grail, and then saw Dad healed by it - something else changed too. And I haven't figured it out yet. Probably haven't wanted to."

"Dad?" Emily asked. "You never told me any of that."

"Didn't have the words for it. Still don't, Em." He smiled. "Feel better?"

"I... I think so..." Emily unfurled herself from Indy's chest and stood, her fedora hat on her head prepared for adventure. She studied the darkness around them, her hands resting on her hips like Marion. "Shorty - did Dad ever teach you Big Rock Chase?"