A/N
A little JISA story.
I wrote it after re watching the episode âA long shotââŚI always wandered why Lisa wasnât in this episode and if Jack would ever tell her about Claire.
As always a huge thankyou to @the-real-tc for always offering me positive feedback and being my sounding board.
Jack couldnât help but think about Claireâs visit, about what had happened all those years agoâŚhe had made a decision right from the very beginning that each month he would pay a small amount of money to claireâs mother PaulaâŚthis went on for yearsâŚbut never did Jack ever imagine that Claire would think he was her father.
Jack had always felt a sense of responsibility for what had happenedâŚhe did what he thought was the most honourable thing he could do to help his old rodeo friends family.
It was so long ago, and although it was never far from his thoughts it was something Jack had never EVER spoken aboutâŚ
But things were different now, Amy knew and this made him re think the secret from his past.
The morning sun shon throught the kitchen window covering the room with a warm orange glowâŚ
Lisa had slept in. She hadnât meant too but Lou and the girls had gone away for a short break whilst Georgie & Katie were on school holidaysâŚHeartland was so quiet you could almost hear the grass growingâŚ
As she followed her nose to the rich smell of the fresh coffee brewing, Lisa paused as she caught a glimse of Jack on the porch, coffee in handâŚhis gaze somewhere far awayâŚ
Lisa had returned from a short trip to France 2 days previous, Lou and the girls had left for NY 3 days earlierâŚ.
She had sensed that something was playing on Jacks mind. Overall he was his normal selfâŚbut there was something ( lisa couldnât quite put her finger on it) that was pre occupying himâŚbut in his own time Lisa knew that Jack would share whatever it was that was bothering himâŚ
She had come to learn many things about Jack Bartlett over these past years, non more than allowing him time, never to push him but offer him the space he needed to worry, whilst always being there whenever it was that he needed herâŚ..
Jack was an intensely private man, but Lisa knew that he would open upâŚ.whenever he was ready.
âMorning honeyâ lisa leant down in front of Jack as she came to join him on the verandahâŚshe kissed him gently and sat herself down as close as she could, able to feel the warmth of his body and breath in his familiar scentâŚ..Jack turned and kissed Lisaâs foreheadâŚ
âMorning LiseâŚ.howd you sleep?â
He turned slightly and smiled at his wifeâŚ
Jack knew he needed to tell Lisa about Claire, about what happened to her father Gil that fateful day so many years agoâŚhe knew that if anyone would understand why he had done what he had for all those years it would be Lisa.
'We had a visitor while you were in France Liseâ Jackâs voice was quiet and had a somewhat flat tone to itâŚ.
'An old friend of mineâs daughterâŚ.hadnât seen her since she was Katieâs ageâŚbut I knew who she was moment I laid eyes on herââŚ..still his tone was flat, stright to the pointâŚ.
Lisa shifted on the porch pew, turning her body towards JackâŚ.he sat head down, eyes closedâŚ.
'Does this visitor have anything to do with why your thoughts have been a million miles away since I got home?â , her voice too was quiet and had warmth and love in itâŚ.
'You know me that well Lise?â A smile snuck out from the corner of his mouthâŚ.
'I had a feeling you could read me like a bookâ he sighedâŚ.
Lisa looked at her husband for a long moment before she spoke, a millions thoughts ran through her mindâŚ.she gazed at Jack lovingly, the lines in his face that told so many stories, his grey hair, unshaven face, rough hard working calloused hands and soft eyes green eyesâŚ.
'Whatever it is Jack, whatever went on, you can tell meâŚyou know thatââŚ.
Jack smiledâŚ.there was something about Lisaâs voice that always made him feel at easeâŚshe had a nack of making whatever it was he was worring about almost seem to disappear.
Jack took a deep breathâŚ..he turned to Lisa and softy kissed herâŚ.
A long time ago Lise, back when I was on the rodeo circut there was this bullâŚhe was a SOB that none of us could rideâŚ.and there was this rodeo and I drew his name, I was supposed to ride that bull and I didnâtâŚI declinedâŚhe had a dangerous track record LiseâŚbut then my mate Gil drew that SOBâ âŚJack paused for a moment..
'and then there was an accident LiseâŚ.a
fatal accidentâŚ.it should have been meââŚJack could feel the backs of his eyes burningâŚ.he looked awayâŚ
He felt lisaâs soft hands cup his face and turn his gaze towards hers.
'It was supposed to be me LiseââŚ
'I was the one who should have been riding that SOB that day!ââŚ
Jack felt all the emotions from the past suddenly start to take over, but he kept goingâŚ.
'She thought I was her fatherâŚ.I sent money every month to her mother, but only because I felt so guiltyââŚ
Jack suddenly lifted his eyes to meet LisaâsâŚ
'Iâm not liseâŚIâm not her fatherââŚ
'I just did what I thought was the right thing, the honourable thing to do âŚ.no one knewâŚnot even Lyndyâ his voice now was no more than a whisperâŚ.
Lisa knew at this moment that what Jack had told her was something that he had been holding onto for a very long time.
She knew that this was extremely difficult for him to talk about and that he had done the only thing he knew how to doâŚ.what he thought was right thing to do.
'I know JackâŚ.I know you did what you thought was bestâŚand it was the right thing to doâ Lisa lifted Jackâs chin so she could see right into his old tired eyesâŚ
'To be honest Jack it was a pretty amazing thing for you to do for all those yearsââŚand in an voice so full of relief and with tears welling in her eyes Lisa leant forward and whisperedâŚ'You will never know how greatful I am Jack, that you didnât ride that bullââŚshe looked up at him and smiled before kissing him tenderly.
As the two of them sat together on the porch Jack continued with the story, he told Lisa how he had kept this from everyoneâŚand how he had promised Claireâs mother Paula that in the good times and in the tough times he would support them no matter whatâŚ
'There were times when Lyndy was so angry that we had no moneyâŚbut I had made a promise Lise, and you know me⌠I am a man of my wordââŚ
'And all this time Lise, Claire had no ideaâŚshe didnt even know who her father wasââŚ
'I dont know why her mother never told her?âŚ
Gil was a good man. Sure he travelled the Rodeo Circut and was away from his familyâŚI mean we all wereâŚbut he loved Paula and Claire.
She told me she found her mothers diary and saw my name in it and she just assumed it was meâŚ.she thought I was her dadââŚ
All this time Lisa just sat and listenedâŚshe had never known Jack to talk for so longâŚshe wanted to hug him tight and reassure him that what he had done all those years ago was the right thing, that she knew he was the honourable man had always tried to beâŚ.but she let him goâŚit was important for Jack to get this off his chest, and in a strange way it made her feel closer to him.
After Jack had finished the two of them sat in silenceâŚalmost 4 decades had past since the accident and the relief that Jack felt being able to share with Lisa what had happened all those years ago was something he never imagined possibleâŚ
'Thanks LiseââŚ.Jack finally spoke after a lenghthy silenceâŚ
'You dont need to thank me JackââŚshe looked accross at him and smiled, eyes sparkling in the sunshineâŚ.
'Jack I know I wasnât there when this all happened, but I am here now, and I love youââŚ.her right hand gently rested over jacks shoulderâŚ
'I know the type of man you are, the type of man you have always tried to beâŚthats one of the main reasons I fell in love with you. You did the right thing Jack, Amy knows that and so do IââŚ..
Lisa rested her head on his back, she could here his heart beating strongly beneath his plaid shirtâŚ.
'And nowâ she continuedâŚ
'Now Claire knows who her real father was, what really happened and most importantly that her father loved herââŚ.
Jack turned to face LisaâŚ
The way in which she made him feel was something he could never quite find enough words to describeâŚno one ever in his life had made Jack feel like Lisa didâŚshe loved him unconditionallyâŚshe was his offsider, his rock, his lover & his best friend.
'I dont know what I would do without you Lise, I should have told you about this a long time agoâŚand Iâm sorry. I canât tell you how much better I feel now having shared this with youâŚ
I dont know how on earth I managed to get this luckyââŚ.a broad smile came from underneath Jacks mustacheâŚ
'I think Iâm the lucky one Jackâ Lisaâs face lit up
with her trademark beautiful smileâŚ.
'A man who will take care of his friends family, provide for another mans child whilst taking care of his ownâŚJack Bartlett you are the most decent man I have ever met and you will never know just how proud I am to be your wifeâ âŚ..
As the afternoon turned into evening Jack and Lisa worked away at their chores as the sun began to set over the Heartland ranch and the cool night air set in.
They both ate almost in silence, sneaking glances at one another, a soft smile, a cheeky wink of the eyeâŚ
'Liseâ Jack broke the comfortable silence they shared as together they sunk into the large leather couch in front of the open fireâŚ.
'I know I have said it before, but thankyouâ Jack looked over at Lisa who was resting her head on his shoulder, legs tucked in beside herâŚ.he continued..
'Thankyou for always accepting the pastâŚmy past. I know at times its been difficult for you, but I love you Lise and thats something that wont ever changeââŚ.he leant accross and kissed the side of her foreheadâŚ.'Loved ya the first day a met yaâŚlove ya now & Iâll keep lovin ya even when your as old as meâ âŚhe couldnât help but chuckle as he felt lisa move in her seat and give him a sharp dig in under his right sideâŚ..'Iâll NEVER be as old as you Jack Bartlettâ Lisa quipped as she turned and kissed him passionalty in between a giggle and a protest against Jacks attempts to tickle herâŚtogether their laughter was the only noise that filled the walls of an otherwise rarely peaceful HeartlandâŚ.
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