Chapter 11:

Return of the Prodigal Father

"Hey, so I know that took longer than an hour, but I promise to…" Jess rambled as she entered her apartment, but she stopped mid sentence when she saw Don and Emma sitting on one side of the kitchen island and Jake sitting on the other. Her heart started to race and she placed her hand on the counter to steady herself. "Jessie," Jake greeted.

Jess stood there frozen to the spot and at a loss for words: something that rarely happened to the sassy detective.

"He just showed up," Don explained as he approached her. "I tried calling, but you were unreachable. I know this is a shock and awkward, so if you want me to leave, I will understand."

"No stay," Jess interjected. "I need you to stay." Don nodded. Jess took a deep breath and made her legs work to approach her daughter and ex. "Hey, baby," Jess said kissing Emma on the back of the head. "How are you feeling?"

"Physically or mentally?" Emma snickered.

Jess wrapped her arms around Emma, "What are you doing here, Jake?"

"Came to see my girls," he grinned.

"I'm not your girl anymore," Jess reminded him.

"That's true, but I did come to see Emma," Jake replied, "after all she is my daughter."

"I haven't been your daughter in years," Emma snapped.

"Emma," Jake pleaded.

"I can't. Mom, deal with it." She jumped off the stool, "I'm going to go wait at Alli's; get rid of him."

Jess nodded in agreement; she was actually going to suggest that. Emma grabbed Alli's spare key from the hook and headed across the hall. Jess felt Don come to stand protectively behind her. "Try it again." Jess demanded, "What is the real reason you're here 'cause it's not for Emma?"

"Look, I know I haven't been there for her," Jake stated causing Jess to scoff, "That's the understatement of a lifetime."

"But I've changed," Jake continued ignoring Jess's comment. "And I want to make things right with Emma."

"I don't believe you," Jess shook her head. "And I'm not letting you near her, so you can go back to being the dead beat we all know you are."

"Well, see I'm her dad: that gives me rights," Jake responded. "I don't want to do it that way, but I will."

"What rights?" Jess laughed at the hilarious idea. "You haven't been in her life long enough to create rights. You showed up when she was six for a month, so the last time you've had any substantial part of Emma's life; she was little over one."

"I'm her dad and according to my lawyer that gives me right to her," Jake replied.

"You're not a dad," Jess replied. "You're a sperm donor from a crappy lay."

"Jessie, I want to be civil about this," Jake said. "My wife, Elizabeth, and I have moved back to the city. We have a house and a room for Emma. I don't want to take her from you; I'm only asking for visitations. Start slow, let Emma get to know Liz and me."

"No…and stop calling me Jessie."

"Jessie, come on," Jake said.

"No!" Jess yelled. "You're not getting near her. You don't change. You say you have and I let you back into Emma's life, but then you do the Jake thing and take off; then I'm left with a crushed kid. It is not happening this time."

"Then I'll take you to court and get my rights established," Jake warned.

"No you won't." Jess reminded him, "'Cause you've never paid child support."

"So…?" Jake asked.

"If you go through the system to try and establish these imaginary rights, I will bring it up; I will make the point that you owe me ten years worth of back child support. Think about how much money that is," Jess warned.

"I'm not scared," Jake smiled. "I should be paying child support for Emma. And don't threaten me, Jessie. Because I'll make it a point to bring up your lifestyle."

"Excuse me," Jess replied.

"You're a cop who's never home. You work sixty hours a week… sometimes more. Emma is being bounced from your dad's to your brother's to this Alli's. And I come here tonight to find her sick and being taken care of by some guy," Jake added. "Just let me have visitations."

"Get the fuck out!" Jess said.

"Fine," Jake replied standing. "Get a lawyer, Jessie, 'cause mine will be in touch." Without saying another word, Jake left the apartment.

"I…I'm…" Jess stuttered. She was too mad and upset to even get words out.

"Calm down," Don said gently taking her shaking hands into his. "Take a breather."

"Calm down! He just basically called me an unfit mother and threatened to take Emma away from me. How can I calm down?" Jess cried.

"Emma is in the next apartment, sick and upset. She needs her mom to be calm and rational," Don replied. "Think you can do that?"

Jess swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded. "I'm going to go get her," Don said letting Jess go and walking to the door.

"Don," Jess whispered. He turned, "I don't know why he's here, but I know it's not for Emma. I'm not being unreasonable." She shook her head and bit her lip to get control of her emotions before voicing her greatest fear, "No judge would really grant him rights, would they?"

"I don't know," Don said walking back towards her and pulling her into a hug. "We will get through this," he whispered. "Tomorrow we get a lawyer."

"Jess," Stella said walking up to Angell who was sitting at her desk. When Jess didn't turn or respond she tried again, "Jess, Jessica!"

Jess shook off her thoughts and turned, "Stella. Hey, what's up?"

"I should ask you that," Stella said taking a seat on top of her desk. "You've been distracted all day."

"I've been doing my job," Jess defended.

"I didn't mean it that way," Stella said. "Just…is everything okay?"

Jess nodded.

"Because if it wasn't you know you could talk to me," Stella continued.

"I know," Jess replied. "I'm fine, but thank you."

"Alright, well I'm around," Stella replied standing up and walking away.

As soon as Stella was out of sight, Jess reopened the window on her computer she had minimized when Stella approached. She started to read through the background check she had just run on Jake, hoping to find something, anything, that would make him disappear again. "Angell," O'Bryan greeted exiting his office.

"Sir," Jess said closing the window before he could see what she was doing.

"Gibbons back in custody?" he asked. Jess nodded. "Good, I'm going to put you on the Cabbie Killer case with Flack. I need more on this case."

"Alright," Jess agreed. She knew that the Cabbie Killer had been terrorizing the city for weeks now and the pressure from the upper-ups had been coming down on all their heads, so it was only a matter of time before more people were put on the case.

Jess and Don pulled up to the Chaos Club. "Do they really think this guy knows something about the Cabbie Killer?" Jess asked.

"They do; I don't," Don answered. "It's just some drunk shooting off his mouth."

"Every lead needs to be checked out," Jess replied.

"How's Emma?" Don asked as they got out of the car and walked into the club

"Itching, but she's fine with Renee and Christopher for tonight," Jess replied. "She doesn't want to talk about Jake, but I know it's upsetting her."

Jess and Don found the guy they were looking for. They escorted him to the car and started back to the precinct. "I got a name for you," Don told her. "Aaron Scott: supposed to be the best."

"Thanks," Jess said. "But I don't think I'm going to need him. Jake isn't going to stick around long enough, I know him."

"He seemed determined," Don disagreed. Jess shrugged. "Just call him," Don suggested.

Jess nodded. "What is that smell?" she asked as Don pulled the car up to the curb.

"Him," Don gestured to Roland in the backseat.

"Ugh!" Jess said, "That's just nasty."

Don and Jess got out of the car, Don walked around the car, "You're telling me; I can smell his breathe from here." Don laughed, "Makes prom night in the backseat of my father's Caddie with Bianca seem like it never happen."

"Back of your father's Caddie" Jess repeated raising her eyebrow.

"Come on, Roland, time to make the donuts," Don smirked opening the door and looking at Jess. "It was either that or my Pontiac Sunbird. Let's go, pal," he said looking back in time for Roland to jump out pushing him out of the way. Jess jumped in, Roland tried to hit her but Jess was able to block him and pushed him back into the car.

Don got his footing and went to grab Roland. Jess saw the lights from the car coming straight for them. "Flack," she called moving and pulling him out of the way of the upcoming car flipping them both over the hood of the car causing Don to land on her.

Jess stood in the locker room and pulled up her shirt to examine the bruises that had appeared from the close call earlier. "You should have let Sid or Hawkes check you out," Don said coming up behind her.

"I'm fine," Jess said. "Just want to get home. You coming?"

"In a little bit," Don replied. "I want to stop by the hospital first, check in on Mac. He's there with Reed."

"I understand," Jess said.

"I won't be late," Don said. "After all, those bruises are my fault."

"Yeah, you're going on a diet," Jess smiled.

They headed upstairs to the main part of the precinct joking and chatting. That, however, ended the moment they reached the entrance area and Jess spotted Jake talking to the secretary. "You're in luck. Detective Angell is right behind you," she said pointing towards Jess.

"Hey, Jessie," Jake smiled.

"Outside," Jess retorted. "Now."

Jess walked ahead until they were far enough away from the precinct and then she spun around. "I just came by to see if you've changed your mind," Jake's smile cutting off the strong words she had for him.

"No," Jess replied. "I haven't and don't come back here. This is where I work and I don't need you showing up."

"I want to see my daughter," Jake returned.

"Why did you come back?" Jess demanded.

Jess sat down with Emma asleep on her lap; she had her arms wrapped tightly around her daughter.

"You want me to carry her to bed?" Don asked walking out of the bathroom where he had been taking a shower.

Jess shook her head. "We're good," she said. Don sat down and put his arms around her.

"I'm going to call that lawyer," Jess added. "I don't think he's going away."