Chapter 8:

Fight Night at the Angells'

"Emma!" Jess called from the kitchen to her daughter who was held up in her room taking her slow sweet time getting ready on the one morning when they were crunched for time.

"Relax," Don said popping a piece of bacon into his mouth, "you still have fifteen minutes before you absolutely have to leave."

"And she has to eat," Jess replied. "Emma Joy Angell, out here now!" she called.

Don raised his eyebrow; Jess was usually so calm with Emma. "Yes, I'm stressed," she answered the silent inquiry.

"I can tell," Emma stated walking out of her bedroom and into the kitchen.

"Don't mind your mother," Don snickered. "She's gone insane because I'm meeting your grandfather tonight."

Emma laughed. "Okay, you two have your fun," Jess rolled her eyes. "But I'm not looking forward to this dinner tonight."

"Relax," Don said. "Just like I'm a good date, I make a very good impression with parents."

"Uh-huh," Jess said. "It's not just my dad you're meeting tonight. Christopher and Derek are going to be there too."

"Stop worrying, I'm very good with brothers too," Don replied getting up from the kitchen island where he was eating his breakfast. He walked over to Jess who was leaning against the counter and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "I got to go. I have to drop by and talk to Craig about my testimony before work. I'll see you later. And calm down: dinner will be fine."

"Uh-huh. I know my dad better then you do. I guarantee you it will not be fine." Jess warned.

"It will be fine," Don reassured grabbing his jacket. "Try and calm her down," he told Emma before turning and exiting the apartment.

"He's right," Emma said. "You have got to chill."

"I have an idea," Jess stated.

"No," Emma answered.

"You haven't even heard my brilliant idea," Jess argued.

"I'm not going to dinner with you. I'm your daughter not your buffer," Emma replied. "I'm staying with Alli."

"Well, what if I told you Alli couldn't baby sit and I asked Mrs. Myers to watch you tonight?" Jess retorted.

"I would say you're a liar," Emma smirked.

"Did you just call your mother a liar? The person who carried you for nine months and brought you into this world," Jess sneered.

"Yes," Emma stated.

"Okay, I was lying this time: but come on," Jess whined.

Emma rolled her eyes. "No," she stated. "Now, I'm going to brush my teeth and then you are going to take me school. Unless you want to defy compulsory attendance laws?" Jess sighed. "Dinner will be fine," Emma reassured getting up from the table.

"Em," Jess called noticing for the first time that Emma was wearing a skirt; something very strange for Emma, "what's with the skirt and the straightened hair?"

"Ahh…just trying a new look," Emma replied walking into the bathroom and closing the door; she did not want any more questions.

"Uh-huh," Jess said to herself as she was pretty sure the new look was for a boy.


Jess walked out of the bedroom where the body was when she saw Lindsay and Danny enter the apartment. "What do we got?" Danny asked.

"Right now we have a Jane Doe," Jess said. "Owner of the apartment, Julius McCoy," she pointed to the man talking to an officer, "had been on vocation for the past two weeks and came home this morning to find this girl in his bed." She led them into the room, "Oh and he swears he doesn't know her."

"I could tell you believe him," Lindsay said sarcastically.

Jess shrugged: to her the story was a little to convenient, "I ran his alibi; he was in Europe until this morning. I'm just waiting for Hawkes here to tell me time of death."

"Sorry, Angell," Hawkes stated, "if McCoy just got back then he's not our killer. Rigor puts Jane's TOD at 72 hours ago."

"I still have a few questions for him," Jess said. "A girl you don't know just doesn't show up in your bed." Hawkes and Danny tried to suppress their grins but it didn't work. "No comments, please," Jess stated as she followed Lindsay out of the room.

Lindsay sat her kit down. "Hey, Angell," she called Jess over. "Are you sure you are not mad that I told everyone? Lindsay asked, "I seriously didn't realize no one knew."

"For the hundredth time: I'm not mad." Jess laughed, "I would have told everyone about Emma's existence eventually. Plus, I'm still Marilyn so nothing has changed."

Lindsay nodded and took the camera and started to take pictures of the scene, "Brad is going to take Mr. McCoy down to the station for me; I'm going to canvass," Jess told her. "Let me know what you find."

"Diddo," Lindsay replied.


"How was your case?" Don asked as he made a right at High Bridge Rd. They were almost to Jersey.

"Our vic is still a Jane Doe and McCoy has an air tight alibi for TOD. There isn't much to go on," Jess sighed.

"Without an ID, it gets tricky," Don agreed.

"Donnie about this morning, I want you to know I have no problem with you meeting my dad or my brothers. It's just…how do I explain this?" she ranted. "My dad and I are close now, but our relationship hasn't always been warm and fuzzy. He has a lot of great qualities and I love him. But…" she snickered. "My father is overbearing, judgmental, and just a tad on the overprotective side. And Chris and Derek are the same way. Chris and I get along because Renee plays devil's advocate. And Chris has always stood by me which is more than I can say for Derek. But Derek and I should not be left alone together armed."

"Dad's and big brothers' can be overprotective of the daughters/sisters in their lives. I can understand that," Don said. "I'm protective over Samantha and I know my dad is."

"And I bet Samantha hates it," Jess replied.

Don grinned, "A little."

"Anyway, a topic to avoid is work and all work related areas," Jess warned.

Don gave her a look. "One of the reasons why dad and I have issues is that I'm a cop," she explained. "When I told my dad I was pregnant at 18, I thought that was it: I would never see him look that disappointed in me ever again. That was until I told him I got accepted to the Academy. Actually, I think he looked more disappointed. Four boys and none followed in his footsteps and they were supposed to. His little girl was never supposed to. Here we go, make a left here on Trenton. We're the last house on the street."

Don followed Jess's directions and pulled into the driveway of an older style house that had the typical box shape for the city; it was at least two and half stories high, the outside had red brick with white trim. "Are you ready for this?" Don asked.

"Not really." Jess said staring up at her old house.


Jess and Don sat at the dining room table with Cliff, Chris, his wife Renee, Derek, and his wife Amanda. The dinner so far had not been to traumatizing but Jess could feel something was coming. "So Don, how do you and Jessie meet?" Cliff asked.

Don almost choked on his roast beef as he was not sure how to answer that question since work apparently was a topic he wasn't allowed to talk about. "We met at work," Jess answered for him.

"Oh, so you're a cop too," Derek stated.

"Yes, I am," Don replied.

"Actually he's a detective," Jess smiled.

"But you two work at different precincts," Cliff assumed.

"No, we work out of the same one," Jess said scared to find out where her dad was going with this, but she knew he had an alternative motive.

"But you two don't work in the same department?" Chris asked.

"What do you mean?" Jess asked connecting the dots.

"Your brother means: you are only a third grade homicide detective and he's a first grade homicide detective," Cliff replied. "Which means that you're not only dating a co-worker, you're dating one that out ranks you. Do you know how that's going to look for you? For your career? You're a female detective."

"Unfreakingbelievable," Jess mumbled, she would have said more but Don had dived in to defend her.

"Look, Mr. Angell, I would never do anything to hurt Jess's career. She's an amazing detective and every guy we work with knows that. And we've already informed our lieutenant that we're dating. O'Bryan is fine with it as long as its keep out of the office and we stay objective in the field. And that's not a problem for me because I know Jess can take care of herself," Don smiled.

Jess smiled. "Wait a second," she said as a brain wave hit. "How did you know Don was a first grade homicide detective? We didn't tell you."

"Well," Chris said.

"Jesus Chris, You ran a background check on him," Jess retorted. "Didn't you?"

"Yes, I did," Chris said. "I'll admit it."

"Jess," Renee said, "Calm down."

"No, no, Nee, there is no way you can defend him this time," Jess said. "I suppose this was your idea," she looked directly at her father.

"You might be mad," Cliff said. "But I'm not sorry; I wanted to know who was around my daughter and granddaughter."

"Jess, it's not a big deal," Don said he wasn't impressed that Cliff had invaded his privacy like that, but he was not going to be the reason Jess and her dad fought.

"It's a very big deal," Jess stated. "Besides the fact you all invaded my boyfriend's privacy, you also showed that neither one of you trust my judgment. Emma is my life and I would never bring a man into our home if I thought he would hurt her."

"No disrespect to you," Cliff said to Don. "But Jessica, you're letting him spend the night and Emma is there. So no I don't trust your judgment. You're letting her get attached to someone you barely know."

"No disrespect to you," Don replied angrily. "I care a lot about your daughter and granddaughter and I would never hurt either of them. Emma is an amazing kid, just like her mother."

"Yea, I know they are," Cliff replied.

Derek who had been quiet for most of the evening had to open his mouth and make things worse, "I ran into Jake last week while I was in Chicago, we had a nice chat. Apparently, he's married now."

"We're out of here," Jess said getting up from her chair; she had quite enough for one evening.

"Jessica," Cliff called.

"A week," Jess warned. "It's going to take me that long to cool down. That's to cool down; it's going to take a long time to forgive either of you,"

Jess turned on her heels and headed out of the room with Don right behind her as she reached the porch she could hear Renee yell, "A background check! That was too far. Don't even talk to me, Christopher and you bringing up Jake…what the hell was that?"


Jess paced back and forth Don's living room; she was so mad she needed to calm down before going home. It was still early. Emma and Alli wouldn't be expecting them yet anyhow. "Here," Don said coming into the living room with a beer in each hand.

"I can't believe them," Jess said. "I can't believe they would do that. Run a background check! I was expecting things to be bad but I didn't expect that. How dare they do that to you? And did you hear my dad; you're only a third grade detective. Only! I made detective at twenty-five. How many people can say that? And I did it as a single mother. And I made homicide at twenty-seven. He didn't make detective until he was twenty-seven. So I'm up one on him!"

"Okay, take the beer," Don said calmly taking her hand and pulling them both on the couch so she was on his lap. "You need to calm down."

"How can you be so calm? Why aren't you outranged?" Jess mumbled.

"Because and bear with me," Don said. "I can see where they're coming from."

"I'm sorry it almost sounds like you are defending them," Jess said.

"I'm a big brother and I've done it," Don replied. Jess looked at him for him to explain. "I've run background checks on a few guys that Sam had been seeing. So I can't judge too hard."

"She's your sister and I have no right to tell you what to do: but don't do it anymore; just trust her. Take it from a baby sister, if you keep it up, if you keep being overprotective, she'll walk away," Jess said, "because I don't know if I can forgive either of them whether it was done out of love or not; I'm sick of it and I'm pissed."

"And it's your family, so it's none of my business, but they did do it because they love you and Emma," Don pointed out.

"Well, maybe I'll forgive Chris; I have a feeling he's in the doghouse for awhile," Jess smiled. "But my dad, it's more than just the background check. That comment about how things look in the office and I'm a female cop; that's code for you're disgracing the Angell name. Trust me, I know. I've heard it before and Derek his jab about Jake. I'm going to stay mad for awhile." They fell silent and sipped their beers until Jess spoke again "Thank you," she said.

"For?" Don asked.

"Going, putting up with the craziness, listening to me rant, and most importantly standing up for me back there," Jess said. "It was nice to have someone on my side."

"You know I meant everyone word," Don said. "I love you and Emma."

Jess stared at him for a second: that was the first time he had said those words. "Really after all this you love me. You do realize I share genes with these people?" Jess joked.

"I still love you," Don replied. "And I don't expect you to…"

"I love you too," Jess said cutting him off.


Jess opened the door to her place; she was emotionally drained. "Hey," Emma said looking up from her science book. "You guys are back early."

"Uh-huh," Jess said walking past her and crashing onto the couch.

Emma raised her eyebrows, "Let me guess…dinner was not fine."

"You could say that," Don replied.

Alli walked out of the bathroom. "Oh wow, you're early," she said. She took one look at Jess and knew. "Bad night?" Jess just looked up. "Alright, I'm gone. Details later," Alli said knowing Jess wouldn't discuss it in front of Emma, Jess would never want to influence Emma's opinions on the grandfather and uncles she loved so much. She got her stuff said goodbye to Emma and headed back over to her place.

Don sat down next to Jess and Emma closed her book and walked over and stood in front of them "I got my homework done and I'm going to bed now," Emma said.

"I'll come tuck you in; give me a second," Jess said.

Emma smiled and got as far as her door when Jess called out, "Em."

"Yeah," Emma said turning around.

"I think you like a boy and I think that's why you left here in a skirt," Jess stated. Emma made a face. "I want you to tell me, but I promise you this: I won't pry, I won't read the diary that's under your mattress, and I won't run background checks on people in your life. I trust you. And whatever you want to be you can."

"Okay," Emma said slowly thinking her mom had lost her mind. "Dinner must have been really interesting." Emma shook her head as she walked into the bedroom and started to get ready for bed.

"I'm going to tuck her in then I'm going to bed," Jess said. "You coming to bed too?"

"Yep, I'll lock up," Don said as his cell went off. "Or not." He pulled out his cell, talked for a second before hanging up.

"You got to go," Jess said.

"Yeah, Benton was on but the flu hit him," Don said. "I'm next up." He gave her a peek on the cheek, "See you tomorrow."

"Night," Jess said watching him leave. She locked up and walked into Emma's bedroom and crawled into bed next to her.

"Mom," Emma said.

"I'm going to stay here for a bit," Jess said cuddling into her daughter.

"Mom," Emma tried again.

"Mmm," Jess said falling asleep.

"His name is Tyler," Emma whispered.