Ends of the Earth

“Yes. I’m fine. Give me the rifle.” The tip of the barrel brushed his chest.

“What?” Jason looked down, shaking his head and exhaling sharply as if surprised to see the weapon in his hands. “I thought you were in trouble. I didn’t mean to…” He released the rifle, and Ben held it back behind him for an agent to take.

“It’s okay.” Ben cupped Jason’s face in his hands. There were dried tear tracks through the dirt, and Ben ached. He never wanted Jason to hurt again. “Maggie’s alive. Brown was lying, and he’s dead. He’ll never hurt anyone again. Maggie’s safe, Jason. Do you hear me?”

Jason panted, his chest heaving. “Maggie?”

The short, redheaded woman Ben had been speaking to pushed in. “He’s clearly in shock. Jason, I’m Agent Reardon. We’re going to—”

Ben ignored her. “Maggie’s alive, and she needs her father.”

“Maggie’s alive,” Jason repeated. His voice strengthened, and he grasped Ben’s shoulder. “She’s alive?”

Ben’s throat tightened, tears and a joyful smile battling. “She’s alive. She’s okay, Jason.”

Jason shuddered, clinging to him. Relief at having Jason in his arms again sang through Ben’s veins. “You’re both safe.”

“Thank you. Oh God. Maggie’s okay.” Jason repeated it a few times, as if it would make it more true. “How?”

“I found her by the river. She’s at the hospital in Kalispell. They said she’ll be just fine.” He glanced at Reardon.

She nodded. “We just got a report that Maggie’s doing great. Very anxious to see her dad, so let’s get you moving. Chopper’s coming to the closest landing spot, by the Silver Bark campground.”

Ben kept his arm tightly around Jason’s shoulders as they followed through the trees and to a ranger jeep. They bounced along a curving dirt road, Agent Reardon in the front and Jason and Ben in the back. Ben’s co-worker Jim was behind the wheel, grinning from ear to ear.

Jason sagged into Ben’s side. “You saved her. Thank you.”

He shrugged. “She saved herself. That’s one tough kid you raised. She jumped in the river to get away.”

Choking on a sob, Jason exhaled. “My poor baby. Thank you for finding her. Thank you.” He reached across Ben for his hand, threading their fingers together, squeezing so hard their nails went white. “Is this real?”

Ben squeezed back. “Yes, I promise. You and Maggie are safe.” He drew Jason’s head down onto his shoulder, Jason’s uneven breath warm on his neck.

Maybe it was crazy, but Ben wanted to keep them safe forever.

“Daddy?”

Jason’s heart exploded, joy and relief flowing through him like electricity as he leaned over her hospital bed and gathered her close, careful of the IV in her arm. “I’m here.” He inhaled deeply, smelling medicinal soap and Maggie, the indefinable scent she’d had since she was a baby in his arms.

It was really her. She was really okay. She wore a blue Montana sweatshirt over a hospital gown, a plastic ID bracelet on her wrist.

“I missed you, Daddy. I’m so glad you’re here.” Her voice was hoarse, and when she coughed, her lungs rattled with congestion, but she was alive. His little girl was breathing and talking and alive.

“I missed you too, baby. I missed you so much. I love you, Maggie. I love you more than anything.” He leaned back and perched on the plastic guest chair. “You know that, right?”

“Duh. Of course.”

He laughed, and it felt so damn good. “Same old Maggie.” He glanced at Ben, who stood inside the doorway, his wide smile creasing stubbly cheeks.

“I love you too, Dad. Are you okay?”

He’d let Ben take him into the bathroom and wash his face and hands so he didn’t scare her by looking filthy and crazed. He’d closed his eyes and let Ben wipe his face with a warm cloth, Ben’s big hands gentle. “I’m fine. Better than fine. I’m amazing now that I’m here with you.”

“Me too.”

Jason stroked her hair and examined her face. She was pale, dark circles under her eyes, but he didn’t see any marks on her aside from a scratch on her cheek. He took a deep breath. “You told the doctors that man didn’t hurt you. Are you sure? You don’t have to be afraid. You can tell me anything, no matter what.”

“I know. He just yelled at me when I was too slow. Sometimes he was nice. It was really weird. But he didn’t do anything bad like what you’re thinking.”

Jason exhaled slowly, letting the relief fully sink in. “Okay, baby.”

She smiled over his shoulder. “Hi, Ben.”

“Hi, Maggie.” He came to stand beside Jason, solid and reassuring.

“Did Ben tell you he saved me, Dad?”

Ben said, “You saved yourself. I was just lucky enough to stumble across you.”

“When I woke up and you were there, I knew everything would be okay.” She gave him another smile.

A warm whirl of emotions filled Jason—gratitude, comfort, affection. He wanted to take Ben’s hand, but brushed back Maggie’s hair instead, unable to get out any words.