Sorry this took longer than I expected. I had a huge project that required a couple late nights at work and then a dang computer virus. Anyway here you go.
The morning after Ricco's visit to the Donovan house started with a bang. Literally. Jo and Zane were setting breakfast for the kids on the table when a crash followed by screaming came from the play room. Zane made it there first since Jo was no longer as light on her feet as she used to be. Tanner was throwing books off the newly toppled bookshelf while Emma cried in the corner. Jo entered with Neil trailing behind, his trusty blanket in hand.
"I hate you!" Tanner said as he threw a book at his sister.
Zane caught it. "What is going on here?" He demanded in his best 'dad voice'.
"Tanner's being means Daddy." Emma sniffed. "He said that it's not fairs cause he has to leave and I get to stay. Cause he was 'dopted and I wasn't."
Looking back and forth between his oldest children Zane was confused. Had they heard the conversation with Ricco last night?
"What are you talking about sweetie?" Jo asked kneeling down beside Emma.
Tanner answered "We heard you last night on the porch with those people. He said he was gonna take me away. And you didn't tell him no. He said we were leaving and moving to Vermont." Tanner crossed his arms, tears forming in his eyes. "You said we were a family Daddy. You lied. You're gonna just let him take me."
"Oh Tanner…" Zane said his voice catching in his throat. Of course they had no intention of handing their son over. But thinking back on the conversation, Tanner was right. They hadn't said no. They just asked Ricco and hid fiance to leave. Poor kid must have been up all night worried that he was going to be forced to leave the only home he'd ever known. Zane kneeled down to meet the eyes of his oldest son. "Listen to me. Mom and I have no intention of giving you away. We are a family and we love you. You are staying right here with us. No one is giving you away. Do you understand?"
Tanner nodded and wiped away a tear that had slid down his face. "But who was that man Daddy?"
It was Jo who supplied the answer. "That was my oldest brother Ricco. And yes he is your birth father. Remember we talked about who he was?" They had never hidden the fact that Tanner was adopted. Or who his birth parents were. "But we are your mommy and daddy and that is never going to change."
"Never?" Tanner asked voice squeaking.
"Never." Zane ruffled his hair. "We promise." He wrapped his son in a hug. "Now you need to apologize to your sister and then you need to clean up the mess you made."
"Yes Daddy." Tanner said letting go of his dad and walked over to his mom and Emma. "I'm sorry I was mean sissy. Forgive me?"
Emma smiled a little more timidly then normal, but nodded.
Zane had set the bookshelf back up. "Ok Em, Neil breakfast. Tanner you can join us when you have this cleaned up. Nanny Laura will be over soon and I think she's going to take you guys over to SARAH today. So you guys can play with Jenna and Tommy. So let's get a move on."
He helped Jo to her feet while the younger two headed out to the kitchen. Tanner cleaned up the books quickly. Looking sheepish he slipped past his parents and out of the room. When he was out of ear shot Jo collapsed into Zane's arms.
"My poor baby," She said trying not to cry. "How could he think that we would just hand him back over? I mean yeah we would have after Ricco's deployment but now. No way. He's ours. Ricco can't just take him now." Tears were falling down her face now. The combination of a heart broken son and twice the normal pregnancy hormones reduced her to a sniveling mess in no time.
"Shhh, everything is going to be ok. Adoptions are really hard to overturn and we just need to keep letting Tanner know how much we love him." Zane stroked her hair and let her cry.
"We shouldn't leave him alone today. Laura may not be able to handle it if Ricco tries something." Jo said pulling back a fraction.
Zane shook his head. "SARAH is one of the safest places in town and you already have one of your men on protection duty. But if you want to accompany them or we can call Jack or Andy…"
"No you're right. The bunker is the safest place for them… and Ricco wouldn't make it past the city limit if he tries anything." Jo wiped a few errant tears from her face. "I'm just being overly emotional. Sorry."
His thumb stroked her cheek, "There is nothing to be sorry for. We'll call the lawyer later and hopefully that will put your mind at ease."
Hours later and after a discussion with their lawyer Jo felt immensely better about the situation. Zane had been right adoptions were incredibly hard to over turn. Ricco couldn't just change his mind and undo his parental rights termination. He would have to prove that Jo and Zane had somehow coerced him into giving away his rights or that they had gained custody of Tanner by fraud. Neither of which were true, although Ricco's lawyer would probably try to convince a judge that he had never intended to give Tanner up for adoption. Still the burden of proof rested with her brother not them.
So later that day as she once again sat in Café Diem it felt as if the weight of the world had been lifted off her shoulders. In a few minutes Zane would be heading to SARAH to pick up the kids and then it was going to be another family dinner and game night. Just as it always had been and just as it always would be.
The door to the café tinkled as it opened. A very angry Ricco entered. "Where is he Jo? This is getting ridiculous." He slammed a hand down on the counter.
"My son is safely being looked after with his brother and sister." Jo stood and grabbed the takeout boxes Vincent had just set down in front of her. "Now if you will excuse me. I have to get dinner to my family."
"Cut the crap and give me my son." Ricco blocked her path. Surreptitiously behind the counter Vincent called the Sheriff for back up.
"Why now? Why after four years of ignoring the fact that Tanner existed are you suddenly interested in taking him away from the only stable environment he has ever known?" Jo asked sitting back down trying not to draw a further crowd.
"Because he's mine and you can't just keep him. I have right too." Ricco sat down on a stool and faced her. His entire body tense, ready to pounce if Jo made a move towards the door.
Sighing Jo shook her head. "No you don't. You signed away your rights over a year ago remember." She refused to raise her voice. "So again why after telling me that you weren't cut out to be a parent, do you now want to take Tanner?"
"Maybe I found out about your husbands felonious past and don't want a man like that raising my son." Ricco leaned in "You should have told me about his past Jo."
The corners of her mouth twitched. "When was the last time you actually read one of my emails? I spent the better part of two years complaining about Zane in email form." Mentally she breathed a sigh of relief. Thankful Zane had gone through every email she had ever sent Ricco due to his paranoia that his past would disqualify the adoption. "So as far as I'm concerned you knew all about his past before you dropped Tanner off. And since he received a full pardon, nothing in his past can be used against him."
"Just because he's been pardoned doesn't mean I can't use it against him in court. He's a felon Jo." Ricco's voice was once again rising.
"His record has been sealed and classified. It won't hold up." How dare he bring this up now? "The only thing that the courts will find that you can use is that my husband is an acclaimed scientist. A Nobel Laureate in fact. And that his is a devoted family man who has raised your son since he was a baby."
"He still has a pattern of reckless behavior, getting kicked out of all of those schools…"
"He was a kid. Did you check the case file from the adoption?" Jo felt smug when Ricco looked confused. The guy hadn't even read the case file? "You really should read it."
"Why all it's going to have is the papers of both Kim and I giving up our parental rights." Ricco shrugged. "And I can just have Kim say I forced her to sign them or that Nick forced me. Either way I'll get him back."
Closing her eyes Jo took a deep breath. At least she wasn't the only one Ricco hadn't talked to but she hadn't thought she'd have to break bad news to him. "Read the file. You'll find personal reference letters for Zane from several of the most prominent scientists alive today. As well as a four star General, influential people at the head of the DOD, senators, congressmen and a former president"
Her brother looked impressed "A president?"
"Zane saved his bacon once… You will also find copies of every single email I sent to you since I've had Tanner. There are letters from both Nicky and Tony attesting to your disinterest in Tanner. Statements from members of your unit attesting to the fact that Nicky didn't coerce you to sign away your rights…"
Ricco cut her off "You guys really covered your bases."
"We hired the best adoption attorney in the state. You will have an incredibly hard time overthrowing the ruling. And we will fight you if you try and take him away. So save yourself the time and effort."
"Jo I'm your brother…"
"And Tanner is my son and I will do everything I can to protect him."
"Then I will have Kim say that I forced her to sign away her rights. Adoption null and void." Again Ricco looked smug.
Jo laid a hand on her brother's arm. "Ricco, Kim died in a car crash, almost six months ago."
"What?" He looked stunned. "How come no one told me?"
"You don't take our phone calls or read our emails. In order to get you attention we have to track you across the globe or literally run into you." She hadn't wanted to tell him like this.
"I'll find another way to get Tanner back then."
"Why now? Why are you so adamant to get him back now?" Jo was getting frustrated again.
Ricco took a deep breath and revealed the last of his secrets. "About a year ago I was diagnosed with cancer. I'm fine now. But I can't have children of my own anymore. I started seeing Rachel, as a therapist, after the diagnosis. She thought it would be good for me, for both of us, to have my son back. She wants lots of kids but I can't give her any."
"I'm sorry that you went through that. If you would have called maybe we could have been there for you." Despite everything Jo really did still love her brother. "We are still family Ricco."
"Then you understand why I need you to give him back." He looked hopeful. "Can I see him now?"
"No." Jo stood again. "I need you to understand that my first priority is the welfare of my kids and you are already disrupting Tanner's stability. So for now you have to stay away."
"Fine then you will hear from my lawyer."
"Fine, if that's what it takes. See you in court." Jo walked towards the door. Ricco made to follow her but at that moment Carter walked in and stopped him.
"What's the problem Sheriff?" Ricco asked his eyes following Jo as she walked down the street.
"Just you, bothering the my citizens." Carter gave him a cheesy fake grin. "Would you like me to show you the way out of town?"
"No thanks. I think I can find it myself." Ricco side stepped the Sheriff and walked to his car. This was getting him nowhere. He needed to get out of town and come up with a plan. driving down the road out of town it didn't escape his notice that headlight followed him to the city limits.