| TAYLOR: Jessie looked at me in panic. "Oh NO! Please...please...tell me he's only unconscious.." she breathed. Jake was already checking him. "He is. He's still breathing Jess." he said and grinned at me over her head, as she sat down on the floor, wrapped her arms around her knees and put her head down, finally catching her breath. I moved behind her and kneaded her shoulders. "Are you sure there's nothing wrong in there? No contractions?" I aksed her, extrememly concerned about both her and the baby after what happened with Eric, which wasn't that long ago. She shook her head. "I made sure not to let my guard down this time Tay. What happened with Eric was carelessness on my part...I won't make that mistake again.." she said, not looking up. "I'm just beat." she sighed. "Where's Jessie, Tay? Is she okay? I told her to run and get out of there and she wouldn't I yelled at her to get out..is she alright?" she asked. "I'm okay Jess.." Jessica's little voice came from the other side of the room. "Are you?" "I'm fine sweetie..come here.." she said and held out her arms for my little sister. Jessie flew into them and tears threatened to spill from my eyes again as my wife hugged and rocked my sister as if she was her own child. "I didn't mean to yell at you honey..I'm sorry. I just wanted to keep you safe..are you sure you're alright baby?" she asked her. Jessica looked up at her and flashed her a bright smile. "Yeah. I'm good Jess. I love you." "I love you, too, sweetie. Do me a favor, okay?" "Sure Jess, what?" "Get in my desk and get that change, I need some water, bad." she grinned. "Kay.." Jessica hopped up and ran for the office, as the rest of the bunch made their way into the room. "Jess...my woman!" Zac came striding in trying to lighten the room with his goofiness. "He put his hand out to help her to her feet. "Hey Jess..you kick ASS man..I saw the whole damn thing while my scrawny brother was trying to break down that door...there's this one chick...she's been following me around and shit...wanna take care of it for me?" he grinned at her. "Zac. SHUT UP.." she grinned back, "OR do you want me to take care of you?" she nodded toward Jake, dragging Alex's limp body into his office. "Whoa baby..no thanks!" he laughed. Watts just stood aside shaking her head. "Seriously though Jess.." Zac suddenly changed mood, and he looked directly at me. "I can't believe my dork ass brother has not suggested that you see Dr. West. I think you should, just to be safe." he said and I looked gratefully at him, I was going to suggest it, but not right that second. "He's right Jess." Watts added, taking a firm grip on Zac's hand and looking up at him. "I FEEL fine." Jess said and Watts and Lacey both opened their mouths to say something, but Jess held up her hand. "No contractions and I feel okay, just tired. BUT.." she stressed the word, "I will be sore as hell tomorrow and I will see him then. Soon as you guys are on the bus. I'll call as soon as I get home and Jake can take me. Right Jakey?" she asked as Jake joined us. "Yeah, I'll take you. Where?" he asked. "Doctor." she said and he nodded. "Good idea. Why don't you guys get the kids out of here and I'll meet you at your house in a while? I'll take care of the assmunch when he comes to and then I'll be right there." he said. Ike, Lacey, Zac and Watts rounded up my younger siblings and went downstairs. "You don't want us to stay?" Jess asked. "The sight of you will just wind him up again, Jess. And for some strange reason, Tay..you'd think it would be me.." he scratched his head and then Jess shuddered. |
| JESSIE: "Jess?" Tay laid his hand on my shoulder, as I tried to shake the creepy feeling out of my head. "Alex told me he always knew that I wasn't his.." I said softly, looking at Jake for his reaction. "Really?" He looked shocked. "Yeah.." I answered, trancelike, as I readied myself to tell them the whole ugly conversation. "He said if he had known I'd turn out like this, he'd have been nicer to me.." I shuddered again. "He wasn't looking at me like any father should look at his daughter either. I wanted to hurl. He made some lame comment about me dumping Tay and taking off with him, and YOUR money, Jake...he called me by our mother's name once...the whole thing was just creepy, sickening. Like I'd EVER even CONSIDER leaving Tay.." I shook my head, hard. "Can you just get rid of him Jake?" I asked. "I could. Maybe. But I wasn't kidding about child absue charges Jess. You could.." "NO MORE COURT CASES...pleeeease Jakey. I can barely handle the thought of the one ahead and that's a long way off yet," I said. "Tell him he can disappear and I won't press those charges. But if I have to lay eyes on him again, he will find himself sitting in the cell with Eric." Taylor's arms tightened protectively arounnd me and I let myself sink back against him. "Okay Jess." Jake answered, "Then that's how we'll handle it. I'll have to tell Dan about it though.." I nodded, knowing that if this went public it would mess up my case against Eric. Taylor sighed heavily. "Go on back to your mom's Tay..I'll take care of this, call Dan and I'll be right over, alright?" he said. "Thanks Jake.." "Thank you, Jakey." Tay and I said simultaneously and then grinned at each other. "Uh-huh. Hey Tay.." he called after us as we turned to leave. Tay looked back at Jakey. "Way to keep her outta the gym today.." he grinned. "Uh-huh. Way to be on time for a change.." he grinned back and they both shook their heads. "See ya man.." they told each other and I stared at my husband as we walked down the stairs together. "YOU KNEW?" I asked as we reached the bottom. "Of course I knew, Jess. You said you didn't wanna see him, so Jake was going to meet with him here. I was supposed to keep you away, so you wouldn't have to, but I suppose I just should have told you. It slipped my mind once we were packing and busy. I'm sorry about that, Jess. I really am." he said. "It's alright Tay. I'm okay." I answered and took his hand as we walked out to the truck, hopped in and followed the others back to his parent's house. |