The Road Trip Series
by Cher

Flag Day - June 14, 2003

"So just where are we going and why?" Alexis asked as they drove along the lonely country road. She looked out the window and thought, not even the cows want to come all the way out here. Or maybe something big and nasty already ate them.

"It's your day off from that unholy masquerade of yours and I want to spend some time with you - as Alexis," Cameron replied, smiling. "And no I'm not telling you. You need to learn the concept of deferral of gratification."

She glared at him and retorted, "My gratification is consistently deferred so I think that lesson has been learned with a grade of A+."

"Oh, I'd say you've been 'gratified' a few times the last couple months. As a matter of fact, I'd grade last night's gratification as a …"

"Shut up and drive to whatever godforsaken piece of earth we are going."

"Alexis, temper, temper… it's a surprise."

"I hate surprises," she pouted as they pulled off onto yet another small bumpy two-lane road. If she hadn't had her seat belt fastened her head would have hit the roof of the car.

"I know… that is why I enjoy dispensing them," he chuckled smugly as he tried but failed to capture a radio station.

She rolled her eyes. "Are you kidding? Radio in the wilderness? Ha! Cell phones? Ha! Civilization as we know it ended about 35 miles back." She looked around. "And apparently about 50 years ago."

"Alexis, it's upstate New York not the Land That Time Forgot. I assure you no dinosaurs or savage cavemen are lurking about."

She drummed her fingers on the dashboard. "You do realize, Dr. Adventure, if we break down out here we are dinner for the dingoes. They will never find us until our bones have been picked clean."

"Dingoes are in Australia," he retorted trying to remember just exactly where that turn off was.

"So sue me I was married to an Aussie. Prairie dogs," she snarked as the road narrowed even more. Just where the hell were they going, she wondered.

"Last time I looked upstate New York was not a prairie."

"Fine, Dr. Discovery Channel - wolves. And bears. And don't think you can pooh-pooh that because I KNOW we have those in New York. I read about it."

"Alexis, I won't try and pooh-pooh you. I just think you are getting your knickers in a twist over nothing. Just relax and enjoy the country air. Maybe it will clear all this Dobson nonsense from your head and you can start living a real life again."

"Keep your mind off my knickers and on the road, buddy."

He smiled wickedly. The car turned onto yet another road, this one a narrow wedge between low hanging trees. The branches scratched at the roof of the car like bony, steel claws as they made their way down the tiny dirt path.

Alexis cleared her throat and grabbed his arm. "Uh… Cameron… did we take a wrong turn and you are just too manly to say you made a mistake?" The road had narrowed to the point where they were hemmed in on both sides by bushes. "Because I won't heckle you about it, I swear, if you manage to return me to the real world alive."

Cameron raised an eyebrow as he looked at her. "The real world, Alexis, is vastly overrated. You can be much happier in the woods just living day to day."

"You sound like one of those crazy militia guys or the Unabomber. Should I worry about that?"

"No, just saying that sometimes simpler is infinitely better and more satisfying."

"By simpler do you mean nuts and berries, outhouses and no electricity?"

"Well, not exactly but that would be in the spirit of the philosophy."

She held her head regally as she looked at him. "Hold it right there, pal. I'm royalty and we demand caviar, fine wine and indoor plumbing."

Cameron was amused, he loved it when she went all snooty on him. "Sorry but you're going to have to rein in your prissy princess persnicketiness for one day."

Alexis swallowed nervously. "A full entire day? The kind that has like 24 hours in it?"

Cameron nodded. 'Yes - but I assure you are gonna love it."

Alexis shot him one very eloquent eye roll and stayed silent.

The trees suddenly parted in front of them and they shot through the opening and the car came to a stop on open ground next to a small lake complete with waterfall. Alexis's jaw dropped as she feasted her eyes on the natural beauty arrayed before her. Tall sturdy pine trees stood sentinel around the lakefront and wildflowers dotted the landscape bestowing a hint of color against the horizon. The waterfall cascaded down the side of a hill that stretched back into the forest up into the mountain. She watched a wild rabbit munching some grass as her eyes came to rest upon two deer grazing farther down the lakefront.

It was breathtaking in its simple beauty and it brought tears to her eyes.

They got out of the car, stood and just listened to the quiet symphony nature played for them.

Alexis whispered, loathe to disturb the sense of enduring peace. "I've never seen anything so beautiful or tranquil."

Cameron smiled and exhaled. He'd hoped she would like this place. He found it years ago when he got turned around during a hunting trip. It was like stepping into a magical world where time stood still and you could just exist in total harmony with nature and yourself. He never imagined sharing it with anyone - until he met Alexis Davis. And if anyone needed to find harmony she did and this place is as close to heaven as one can find on earth. Alexis was always searching to find a place to rest her heart. He wanted her to find that resting place here and know it was safe to trust her heart to him.

"I was hoping you would like it. I stumbled upon it a long time ago and come here whenever I need to get away from the civilization you hold in such high esteem. In this glade, sleeping under the stars, you feel close to the heaven."

She smiled wistfully. "Sleeping under the stars - how rustically romantic."

Then a thought popped into her head and she stared at him with uncertain eyes. "Please tell me that you have another cabin secreted away just miles away. A comfy cabin with a nice warm bed and running water."

He shook his head as he tried not to laugh at the terror on her face.

"Nope, sorry. Nothing around but wide open spaces. No warm bed but I can promise you a warm handsome sleeping bag companion."

"Sleeping bag… you want me to sleep in the dirt?"

"Alexis it isn't that bad - you might actually enjoy it."

"And what if it rains?"

"Well there is a cave…"

"Probably with a bear eager to hang out a 'humans all-you-can-eat welcome' sign in the window."

He pulled her into his arms and looked down into her face as she looked around helplessly at their personal camping area. He'd change her mind especially after he showed her why they came to this place.

"Look here, it's too early to think about the sleeping arrangements anyway," he smiled wickedly, "unless, of course, you want to get an early start in that sleeping bag."

She stared at him and shook her head. "Men have such simple minds and urges."

"I, madam, am not simple minded nor are my urges of the simple variety. You should know by now the vast array of my urges at your fingertips." He took her hand and raised it to his lips, kissing each finger in turn.

She sighed and leaned against him. "Yes, I realize you are a veritable treasure trove of ecstasy and erotic fulfillment but it kind of loses its luster when doing it in the dirt."

"But don't you just love when the forest creatures watch - what a turn on."

She punched him in the arm and walked away to stand beside the lake. After contemplating the still water for a few minutes, she turned to him.

"Ok, I know I'm going to be sorry I asked this question but it needs to be asked. Just what will we be doing for the next 24 hours?" After asking the question, she felt like sticking her fingers in her ears, the better not to hear the answer.

He arched an eyebrow. "You mean besides wild, steamy and passionate lovemaking amid the wonders of nature?"

She snorted. "Awfully sure of yourself, aren't you? You know what they say about not counting your chickens…"

Cameron made a dismissive motion with his hand. "Chickens? I stopped counting those months ago. Now I count a certain someone's breathy screams from attaining … how shall I phrase it delicately… multiple pleasure plateaus."

She turned pink and retorted. "Well, I found out quite quickly that you are not the strong, SILENT type when certain… how shall I phrase this delicately… stimulative activity is present."

He shrugged. "Ok, so we're both screamers. Just makes us a good match, right?"

She shrugged her delicate shoulders back at him. "If you say so. It's neither here nor there to me."

He grabbed her and pulled her into a deep kiss, his hands cradling her face as his thumbs massaged her cheeks. They broke apart and she said, "You never answered my question - what are we doing for the next 24 hours?"

He grinned as he took her hand and walked to the car. He popped the trunk and she looked inside and then up at him with a frown.

"I don't understand… what are they?"

"Backpacks."

Alexis frowned. "You want me to carry that on my back - that is huge."

"Sorry that's mine, here's yours." He lifted the pack in his arms and held it out to her.

She looked the pack and back up at him again. "What's in that? It's bulging."

"Rations, binoculars, sleeping bag, bug spray, bear repellent, snake charming flute - the usual."

"And you want me to wear that…where? I thought we were staying here in the Garden of Eden."

"We're going there." He was pointing to the mountain.

She looked shocked and turned pale. "You've got to be kidding! I don't hike - heck I even hate to power walk. And climbing mountains? Only mountains I climb are escalators in department stores. So, no thank you very much, I'll just wait for you down here."

He had to get her on board or his idea was dead in the water. "Don't think of it as hiking or mountain climbing, Alexis. Just think of it as taking a walk in the woods. No pressure, no deadlines just a walk. The only reason we're taking the backpacks is in case it rains, we'll find shelter up on the mountain."

She could tell this was important to him for some reason and she wanted to go along with it but had to put up just a little more fight.

She looked down at her low-heeled Jimmy Choos and pointed. "See, I don't have the correct shoes. You wouldn't want me to sprain my ankle."

He chuckled as he pulled a shoebox out of the trunk and opened it. Inside was a pair of Timberlake hiking shoes in her size.

"See, I leave nothing to chance," he gazed deeply into her eyes, "ever."

She was caught like a fish on a hook or a climber on a bungee cord. She had no choice but to follow him up the mountain to whatever was waiting up there.

She hoped it wasn't wolves.

They started out slowly and walked a trail that branched off in the direction of the mountain. As they walked the terrain changed and began to rise imperceptibly at first then sharply higher. Alexis was struggling with her backpack but refused to complain since Cameron would only tease her about her princess ways. She managed to shift the pack to the left and at least that stopped her from toppling backward. The trees grew together densely and the ground became rocky as they moved higher up the mountainside. Hours passed and they'd climbed very high, stopping now and then to rest, and finally reached a large outcropping below the summit. Alexis was breathing erratically and prayed that a large brown bag could be found somewhere in the lead weight she was carrying.

Cameron removed the pack and she collapsed onto the ground wheezing. He put his arms around her.

"What's wrong? Can't you breathe? Oh my God, what was I thinking?" he looked into her eyes with worry.

She pulled away and pointed to the backpack. "Paper bag… need to… breathe."

She was hyperventilating and needed a bag. He rummaged quickly through his pack and thanked God he'd packed peanut butter and jam sandwiches in brown paper sacks. He grabbed one, removed the sandwich and handed it to Alexis. She breathed into the bag as he massaged her back.

"Breathe in, breathe out. Slowly…"

She looked at him over the bag and could see the fear in his eyes, the fear that he could lose her. She didn't want him to be afraid but it made her feel warm inside to see how much she meant to him. She brought her breathing under control, removed the bag and gave him a weak smile.

"Sorry, it happens when I'm stressed. A paper bag and… voila! See no harm done…"

"It's all my fault. I should have thought about what could happen…"

"And what? You had no idea I'm prone to hyperventilation. But now you do and forever more a brown paper bag will be your companion. And if you make it a jam-flavored one, I will be your love slave for life."

He took his finger and wiped the traces of boysenberry jam from the corner of her mouth and her chin. He licked the jam from his finger as he gazed into her eyes and then gently touched his finger to her lips and smoothed the petal softness with its tip.

He sighed as he said, "As much as I want to talk 'sleeping arrangements' right this minute, we need to reach the summit so we can get down the mountain before dark."

Alexis exhaled with disappointment. "You're the leader of this mission. What is so important about reaching the summit? What's up there - leprechaun's gold?"

He smiled enigmatically. "You'll see."

She huffed, "Well, it better be worth it."

They moved further up the face of the mountain on the slippery path. As they approached the summit, the ground started to level off and soon they were at the very top of the mountain.

Alexis looked around and shrugged. "Nothing here except some large stones, some trees and dirt. I don't see anything that would make me want to climb back."

Cameron smiled. "Not yet but you will."

She looked perplexed as he removed his pack. "This is sounding very mysterious, Doc, so out with it."

He studied her beautiful face, the cocoa eyes that bored a hole into his soul and allowed her warmth to trickle into his life and make him believe it was not too late to trust his heart to love again. The face that bore such sorrow with infinite grace, the loss of her daughter a devastation that would knock her down but never out. She is a survivor and a fighter and she loved with the same passion as she fought. She was endless love and limitless hope and he wanted to give her back a little of what she'd given him.

Cameron squatted to rummage through his backpack as he spoke. "Alexis, do you know what today is?"

She wrinkled her nose. "July 14."

"And what else?"

"Saturday?"

"Yes, but it is also Flag Day, the day that celebrates the anniversary of the Flag Resolution of 1777 when the Stars and Stripes were officially adopted as the national flag."

Alexis was confused, what did Flag Day have to do with where they were. "And you feel the overwhelming need to celebrate it by climbing a mountain?"

He laughed. "No, this is just the setting. To climb a mountain is a test, a test of athletic ability but also a test of endurance and will. The people who reached the summit of Mt. Everest didn't do it just to reach the top and plant their flag. It was a test of their personal courage and strength of will and that set them apart from others that tried."

"I understand that but I'm still confused as to what this all has to do with our being here."

He looked into her confused eyes and smiled. "Ever since I found you in the snow, you have been climbing your own particular version of a mountain. Every day when Kristina was in NICU, during the trial and when every consequence of what you did was forced upon you, you continued to climb, undaunted by what people believed or chose to accept. You took on all comers to be in your daughter's life and to try to regain your rightful place, a place taken away by much lesser people. The ways you choose aren't always smart or easy but your devotion to your daughter deserves nothing less - even if on occasion I happen to disagree with your choices. Your particular war against the mountain is still being fought and I know you won't give up until you reach the summit and have Kristina back in your arms where she belongs. So on this day when we celebrate one flag, I give to you another that will sit high above the earth below and wait patiently for you to make your final ascent and bring it home again."

Slowly, he unfurled a crème-colored flag and held it up before him as Alexis gasped and placed her hand on her mouth.

The flag held an imprinted photograph of a smiling Kristina dressed in a pink and white ruffled dress, an image so real one could almost hear her distinctive giggle dancing on the wind. Alexis walked over and gently traced the outline of her daughter's face as tears flowed from her eyes. She looked up at Cameron and had no words. He had done something so extraordinary and thoughtful, she had no idea how to repay him. She could only love him and hope that would be enough.

The expression on her face was worth the world to him. It was filled with true hope for the first time in a long time not just hopeful dreams for her daughter. And it was filled with something else for him, a gentle love that reached out to engulf him in the warmth of her heart and a promise for the future.

Cameron took out a retractable pole from his backpack and opened it to its full 7-foot height. He attached the flag to the pole with grommets and proceeded to pound the pole into the ground between two pine trees.

They stood back and watched it flutter in the breeze, a beacon for both of them and he vowed that they would climb to the summit together when Kristina came back to them and bring this flag home.

Alexis put her arm through his and whispered, "I don't know what to say. You make me believe that I can climb that mountain and conquer it."

He grasped her hand and held it to his heart. "You will and I will be right there beside you cheering you on and helping you when you stumble."

She looked down and smiled shyly, knowing what she wanted to say but still afraid to say the words aloud. He'd captured her heart and she loved him but until Kristina was back in her arms for good her actions would have to speak on behalf of the words that remain unspoken - except in her heart.

Cameron looked at the sky and said, "We better start down."

She nodded and walked over to the flag, placed her fingertips to her lips and deposited a kiss on the image of her child. It would have to do for now.

They descended in the gathering dusk but the terrain was rough and they had to go slowly. Night was falling and they reached the midway point when the last hint of light was about to be swallowed by the dark night.

"We'll have to make camp up here. There is a cave about a quarter mile down. We'll just about make it if we move quickly."

They walked briskly and found the cave. He lit his flashlight and walked in checking for, as Alexis said, lions and tigers and bears.

"All clear, nothing in here except the spiders."

Alexis shuddered, " Very funny."

Cameron lit the small portable lantern and they could see that the cave was clean, by cave standards, and dry. They set out their sleeping bags even though Alexis knew she was never going to sleep. They dined elegantly on peanut butter and boysenberry jam sandwiches and the bottle of Chardonnay that Cameron had secreted in his backpack.

He looked over as she yawned, "Exercise will make you sleepy. It's been a long day, why don't we try to get some sleep."

A bit disappointed, she nodded as she slipped into her sleeping bag and closed her eyes. She heard rustling, then cursing, then a muffled 'Owwwwww!'

She looked over at Cameron who was locked in mortal combat with his sleeping bag. She unzipped her bag and leaned over him.

"You seem to be having a problem."

He was nursing his thumb. "Caught my thumb in the damn zipper."

She took a look, nodded and kissed his boo-boo. "Let me take a look."

She saw that his shirt was caught in the teeth of the zipper and she gently worked it free.

She looked at him with a superior smirk. "There you go. I guess some things just need a woman's touch."

She started to zip up the bag when he placed his hand over hers and winked saucily at her.

He pulled her down on top of him murmuring, "Just what I was thinking."

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