Chapter 3 - Jessica

Fusco wiped his mouth and stood up from the table. "Finch can you give Joss a ride back to the precinct?"

Joss was furious, "Oh hell no, I'm going with you."

Finch reached across the table and gently laid his hand over Joss's, his eyes pleading, "I don't think that's a good idea, Joss."

Joss turned on Finch. "If this were any other case, would you stop me from going?" she hissed.

"No, but this is not just any case."

"Finch we have to treat it like one. We can't afford to tiptoe around my feelings. If we do, if we change the way we work together, someone could get killed and it will probably be John. I won't let that happen." And with that, Joss squared her shoulders and strode out of the diner.

Fusco looked at Finch but all Finch could do was shrug. Fusco looked like he had swallowed a bug, "This is not going to end well at all," he snapped and he followed Joss out of the diner to the car. Finch watched Fusco walk out of the diner sadly. He was afraid the detective was right; this was not going to end well.

Carter and Fusco drove out of the city in silence, and the quiet in the car got heavier and heavier. Finally Fusco couldn't take it anymore. "Joss…" he began tentatively.

"Don't," she snapped.

Lionel gently reached over and took her hand. Joss finally looked over at him and squeezed his hand back.

They reached the parking lot of the Long Island clinic and got out of the car. "She's expecting me, so I'll go in and get her," Fusco said. "Wait here and keep an eye out. We still don't know why this chick is in danger."

Joss nodded and Fusco entered the clinic. He flashed his badge at the receptionist, "I'm here to see Jessica Davis."

The receptionist barely glanced at his badge. He was obviously expected. "Yes Detective, she has been expecting you. What's going on? She is very confused right now and frankly so are we."

"We don't have the whole story, ma'am. We're still piecing it together. Please tell her to hurry."

Jessica appeared in the waiting room a few minutes later clutching her purse and plainly shell shocked. Fusco looked her over; she resembled the Jessica in the picture, a few years older, but still tall, blonde and beautiful. Fusco loyally decided that Joss was better looking; Jessica was too skinny for his tastes.

"Are you Detective Fusco? " She asked. Fusco handed her his ID. She looked at it handed it back. "Can you tell me what's happening? Is my life really in danger? Is my John really coming for me?"

"He's on his way, sister; I'll let him explain everything when you see him. Right now we need to get you to safety," Fusco found himself being quite brusque with this woman. He really didn't like it when she referred to Reese as "her John," John belonged with Joss as far as Lionel was concerned.

Fusco grabbed Jessica's elbow and steered her out the door towards the car where Joss was standing. As soon as they walked out the door a gunshot rang out, hitting the door jamb mere inches from Jessica's shoulder. Fusco shoved Jessica to the ground and drew his weapon, scanning the area for the shooter.

Joss leaped into the car and drove it over to Lionel and Jessica, squealing to a stop when the car was between them and the direction the shots had come from. Fusco shoved Jessica in the back seat and dove into the car. Joss drove out of the parking lot at high speed. The back window of the car shattered from one final shot. Jessica shrieked and then slapped her hand over her mouth staring up at Fusco from the back seat with wide, frightened eyes.

"Is anyone hit?" Joss yelled.

Fuso quickly checked Jessica over. The woman was terrified but unhurt, "Naw, we're both good. But now we know the threat is real."

The man smiled to himself. That gave Jessica a good scare. She should know better than to consort with strange men. He had warned her about that many, many times. He hadn't wanted to hurt her, not yet; he just wanted her to learn a lesson. He was everywhere, he was watching. From the look on her face, it had worked wonderfully.

Now that he had taught her a lesson, it was time to return home and wait for the right time to set his plan in motion. Soon she would be his.

Joss drove to Finch's estate as fast as conditions allowed; being careful to make sure they were not followed. Finch and Bear were waiting for them when they pulled up to the front door of the large house and Harold's face paled when he saw that the back window of the car was shattered.

"I take it you ran into some trouble?" He asked, staring at the shattered remnants of the window.

"Yeah you could say that," Fusco growled.

"I'll get the window replaced this afternoon."

Fusco looked grateful, "Thanks, I'm running out of explanations to give the brass for the condition of our cars."

Finch finally turned to Jessica. It was surreal for him to be finally facing the woman whose "death" had set in motion some of the events that had brought their little family together. Had it not been for this woman, he might not have found John and John would not have found Joss and Lionel. Ironically her presence here now threatened the family that her phony death had helped to create. Finch could not help wishing she was anywhere else but here. But she was here now, and she was in danger and they would help her.

He extended his hand with what he hoped was a reassuring smile, "Hello, you must be Jessica Arndt. I'm Harold Finch and this is my house. You will be safe here, I promise. "

Jessica was plainly shaken and looked at Harold with wide, terrified eyes, "Thank you. Can you tell me why I'm here?" She edged nervously away from Bear as the big dog sniffed her curiously.

Finch, seeing that Jessica was not comfortable around Bear, commanded the dog sit and then turned back to their guest. "We have information that your life is in danger but we're still investigating. Please, let's go inside before we're seen."

Finch led them into the house and down the hallway to the kitchen, where he pulled all the blinds shut.

Once Jessica was settled at the counter with a glass of water, Finch stepped outside to call John.

"Jessica is here at the house, but I'm afraid there was some trouble. As Lionel and Jocelyn were escorting her from the clinic, someone took several shots at them."

"Wait, Joss is there? What's Joss doing there? Is she alright?"

"Everyone is fine. Jocelyn is determined to work this case. She is afraid if we change the way we normally wor,k someone, namely you, will get hurt."

John sighed; he should have known that Joss would let the case take priority over her feelings. "I'll be there as soon as I can." And he rang off.