Last time: Theresa tells Ethan about her childhood, an emotional time that led to an intimate moment...

Chapter 13

"Hello?"

"Paloma? This is Sam."

"Hi Chief."

"Paloma? Are Ethan and Theresa there?"

"Actually Chief, no they aren't. They left a little while ago. Why is something wrong?"

Sam sighed impatiently. "Well, not wrong exactly, but I need to get a hold of Ethan. Jess has something to tell him about Miguel's case."

"What? Jess has something that could help Miguel?" Paloma was so excited her voice was starting to carry and everyone in the living room rushed into the kitchen.

"What? What does Jess have that could help me?" Miguel practically snatched the phone out of Paloma's hand. "Sam? What is it? Can Jess prove Fox is setting me up?"

"I don't want to say anything. Ethan talked to me about doing everything by book. I think what we need to do is head down to the station OK? I'll bring the kids and have Ethan meet us there, and then Jess will tell him everything."

"OK Sam. We'll be right there." Miguel turned to the group that was waiting with baited breath and hung up the phone. "He said to meet him at the station. Jess might have something to help my case. He's going to have Ethan meet us there and have her give him her statement formally."

"Well what the hell are we waiting for? Let's get down to the station!" Luis ran from the room with Martin, Paloma, and Miguel right behind.

Pilar sat at her kitchen table and prayed. "Please God. Let this clear my son's name!"

"Hmmmm." Theresa curled up contentedly in her husband's arms.

"Are you feeling better?" Ethan picked up one of her hands and kissed her fingers before wrapping his own between them. Lying with Theresa in the window seat, he was particularly glad Mrs. Patterson had the day off.

Theresa smiled a sleepy smile. "You always make me feel better."

Ethan chuckled. "I'd have to say you generally have the same effect on me." It was Theresa's turn to laugh.

"I'm sorry about your dad Theresa…" Ethan began before she cut him off.

"Please. Let's not ruin this by talking about my dad. I just want to forget today happened. At least for today." Theresa knew Ethan too well to think that they wouldn't discuss this again…in detail.

"OK." Ethan kissed her softly and pulled her closer in his arms, and they just enjoyed being with each other in the silence of the house. Which lasted only for a few minutes before the phone rang.

"Let the machine get it." Theresa murmured, and since he was feeling ready for a nap, Ethan was more than happy to comply.

"Ethan? It's Dad. I've been trying yours and Theresa's cell phones, I even tried to reach you at Pilar's. I hope you get this soon. I'm taking the kids with me to the station, and I need you to come as soon as you get this. Jessica has something to tell you about Miguel's case. Um…well, I guess that's it. Call me at the station when you're on your way. Bye."

The sleepy couple was fully awake now. "Your sister has something that will help Miguel?" Theresa reached for her clothes as Ethan rolled away from her and reached for the phone and his pants.

"Dad? It's me." He paused to listen, and Theresa figured Sam was giving him a small piece of his mind. "Yeah I'm sorry. I turned my phone off. What's this about Jess finding out something to help Miguel? Um hmm. Um hm. OK. I'm on my way right now."

"What did he say?" Theresa had been so intent on listening to Ethan's side of the conversation she had pulled her shirt on backwards, but neither of them stopped to notice.

"He didn't want to say too much. He said he'd let Jess tell me herself. Probably smart." Ethan sighed as he looked at his wife. "I'm sorry our afternoon got cut short."

"Don't worry about it. Go see what Jess has to say." Theresa was practically pushing Ethan out the door.

"I'll be back as soon as I can." Ethan kissed Theresa and trotted out to the car.

As she watched him pull away, Theresa did the same thing as her mother—she prayed as if her own life depended on it.

Jessica was waiting at the station when Sam walked through the door with his three grandchildren, who promptly ran to hug their aunt.

"Hey guys!" Jessica loved all her nieces and nephews to distraction and her only complaint was that she didn't see them enough. "Is Ethan going to be here soon?"

"Yeah. He called just before we left the house. By the way, thanks for getting here so fast."

"I'm just glad you caught me before I left the hospital. Lily don't play with that sweetie. Here." Jessica took the glass paperweight from her niece and gave her a hair clip she found in her purse.

The Lopez-Fitzgearld's arrived then, and Miguel immediately began to question Jessica.

"Sam said you found out something that could prove Fox is setting me up. What is it?"

"Miguel I know you're anxious, but we need to wait till Ethan gets here. Less room for people to claim we cooked this story up." Sam said.

"Papa" Luis said then. "You remember Sam.

"Martin. Good to see you again. This is my daughter Jessica. I don't think she was born the last time you were here." Sam was being careful with his words. He wanted to welcome Martin without making Luis, Miguel, and Paloma uncomfortable. And he also didn't want to alert his grandchildren that anything was out of the ordinary.

"It's good to be back. And it's nice to meet you Jessica." Martin was downplaying the interchange as well. His heart picked up its pace though when he turned to the children that were looking at him curiously. He couldn't believe he was this close to grandchildren for the first time. Looking at them, he tried not to cry. They looked a lot like their mother (especially Jane—Martin was sure that was her name) except for their startling blue eyes, which were definitely their father's.

Knowing there really wasn't a help for it, Luis cleared his throat. "Papa, these are Ethan and Theresa's kids. This is Ethan—but we call him Bud. This is Jane, and this little peanut is Lily."

"Hello." Martin didn't want to frighten the kids since they obviously didn't know him, and he had no idea how Ethan and Theresa had planned to handle this, so he didn't say anything more. No one had counted on just how much Bud was catching on until he spoke up.

"Uncle Luis just called you 'Papa." He said slowly.

"Yes, he did." Martin replied.

"Are you his dad?"

Martin nodded. "Yes I am."

"That means you're my mom's dad too?" It was more of a statement than a question.

"Yes. Your mom is my daughter." was the quiet answer.

Bud had one more question even though he knew the answer already. "So you're our grandpa?"

Suddenly Jane frowned and Martin's breath caught in his throat. Even through the blue eyes he could see a seven year old Theresa staring back at him.

"You're our grandpa?" she asked.

Swallowing his tears, Martin nodded again.

"Yes Jane. Bud. I'm your grandpa."