Chapter 20: Redemptio
"Give me one good reason why not?" Lindsay stated coming into her living room with a big bowl of popcorn to join Jess who was sitting on the couch. Danny and Don had to work late, so Lindsay had invited Jess over for a girl's night. They hadn't had one in so long and because dinner and dancing was no long an option, they could still have fun.
"Because I don't want a baby shower," Jess replied.
"It's a tradition," Lindsay said. "You get pregnant: you get a baby shower. Simple concept and you are pregnant."
"I aware I'm pregnant," Jess laughed. "But there is no law that says you have to have one."
"Because you don't want one is not a reason," Lindsay stated. "Plus Stella is going to be royally P.I.S.S.E.D," she spelled it out.
"You can say it, ya know," Jess replied.
"No I can't," Lindsay stated nodding her head over to where Lucy sat on her blanket playing with her new little people doll house. "She's a sponge, repeats everything. Last week, she started going around saying 'boom.'"
Jess laughed.
Lucy looked up. "Boom," Lucy said proving Lindsay's point.
"See," Lindsay stated. "But back to the baby shower thing…let us throw you one."
"No," Jess whined.
"What do you have against baby showers?" Lindsay asked.
"It's too cutesy," Jess explained.
"Well, too bad," Lindsay replied. "Suck it up because you're getting one. Stella and I have it planned. It was supposed to be a surprise, but you are a pain."
Jess rolled her eyes. "If you insist on doing this, then keep it simple," she stated, "small, maybe dinner like we did for you. I can handle that."
"Christine had different plans," Lindsay replied looking guilty.
"How did you get in touch with my step-mom?" Jess asked.
"Don," Lindsay stated and earned a groaned from Jess. Jess loved Christine, but the Martha Stewart in Christine would blow the baby shower out of portion.
"Oh, well," Jess said giving in. "I'm only doing this once so might as well do it right."
Lindsay laughed before picking up the remote and flicking on the evening news. "I want to see the forecast before we start the movie," she explained. "See if the sun is back from vacation yet."
Jess was about to comment when a breaking news box flashed. "A riot has broken out at Pennsylvania State Correctional Center…" the reporter stated.
Jess and Lindsay didn't hear the rest of the announcement. "Isn't that the prison that Hawkes was heading to when I pick you up?" Jess asked.
Lindsay nodded, "I'll call Janet to watch Lucy."
Lindsay hurried into the conference room of the lab with Jess waddling right behind her. "We just heard on the news about the riot that broke out," Lindsay stated. "Did Hawkes get out?"
Stella shook her head, "He's still in there. Mac is on the phone with SWAT; he's trying to get them to move in, but it doesn't look good. They want to wait."
"What do we know?" Jess asked.
"One confirmed dead," Stella replied. "A guard."
"Rest of the personnel is uncounted for," Flack said pulling out a chair at the table for Jess. He knew better then to ask her to go home; but, if she were going to stay, she would do it on his terms.
"So we can assume they are hostages," Jess declared walking over and taking the seat. She needed to be here and she would follow Don's rules.
"Everyone including Hawkes," Stella replied.
"Pennsylvania State Correctional Center: isn't that where Shane Casey was transferred?" Adam asked.
Don and Jess gave each other a look of concern while Danny and Lindsay gave each other the same look. Stella notice the guilty look on her friends' faces. "Guys?" Stella said, "Why do you four look so guilty?"
Danny sighed but realized he needed to come clean, "A few weeks ago, I was getting therapy on my back. I went back to the locker room to change; all my stuff was gone. Everything including my badge. Flack and I questioned a suspect a few days later in a pawnshop; I looked in the display case I saw my grandfather's dog tags, so I took them back here. I figured I could figure out who the scum bag is that robbed me. I got a print came back to Shane Casey."
"What?" Stella asked. "You ever find your badge?"
"No, just my dog tags," Danny admitted. "I know it's not good."
"He got his hands on it," Stella coming to the only conclusion that could explain Casey's prints on Danny's dog tags.
"How is that even possible? Casey has been locked up for the past three years." Adam stated.
"That's what we've been trying to figure out since the dog tags were found," Lindsay replied.
"It makes no sense," Jess added.
"Keep me in the loop," Mac said into the phone walking into the conference room where the team was assembled ending the conversation that they were having.
"What do we know?" Flack asked.
"SWAT is on the scene," Mac explained. "They have a first stage tactical plan in the works. Shut down the power then open a line of communication."
"That can take hours," Jess said.
"What about getting Hawkes out?" Lindsay asked.
"Right now, that's low on their priority list," Mac acknowledged.
"Try Hawkes again," Stella suggested. "On his cell."
Mac nodded dialing the number; he put it on speaker. Three rings, four rings, five rings.
"Mac," Hawkes' voice came through the speaker.
"You okay?" Mac asked.
"I've been better," Hawkes attempted to joke.
"Everyone is here for you, Sheldon," Stella added.
"Where are you now?" Lindsay asked.
"In one of the cell blocks. Some kind of storage room," Hawkes answered.
"Can you get to an exit?" Jess asked.
"Nah, no way. They got guards in cells. Inmates are running things," Hawkes explained.
"One of them is Shane Casey," Flack told him.
"Yeah, I already saw him," Hawkes replied. The room went dark. "We just last power."
"That's coming from outside," Mac clarified. "It's part of the tactical plan."
"Mac already spoke to the negotiation team they know you are in there," Stella stated.
"They are standing down until they can assess the situation," Jess said.
"Hang tight," Adam said.
"I don't know how long I can be here without someone finding out I'm here," Hawkes replied.
"Is there anyone you can trust?" Flack asked.
"No," Hawkes informed them.
"Alright, keep your head down, conserve your battery and we'll be in touch," Mac instructed before hanging up. "We're going to need blueprints of that prison. Everything you can get your hands on. Electrical systems, service corridors, every single access point."
"You really think we can do this?" Stella asked.
"Do what?" Jess asked.
"Yeah, what are you thinking?" Lindsay questioned.
"We're going have to break Hawkes out of prison," Mac declared.
Jess stood in front of the vending machine. After the conversation with Hawkes, everyone set off to work but her. She didn't want to scare anyone; but, since earlier in the afternoon, her lower back had been aching. She was experiencing sharp pains in her lower abdomen and in her upper thighs. It was early, she knew, but only by three weeks. Doctor Clark had already informed them of the possibility of early labor and Jess was sure she was in labor.
"Jess," Lindsay called coming out of the AV room. "I got the plans Mac wanted. You coming?"
"Linds," Jess called.
Lindsay walked over towards her picking up in Jess's voice as something was wrong, "You okay?"
"Contractions: they feel like a party in your uterus?" Jess said feeling the pain again.
"One way to describe it. Why?" Lindsay asked.
"Cause the party is coming every ten minutes." Jess replied.
"Hey," Don said walking into the hospital room where Jess lay. They had arrived at the hospital four hours ago and he had exited so that Dr. Clark could examine her. "I got you ice chips."
"Thank you," Jess replied. "It's going to be awhile yet. I'm only four centimeters dilated. So if you wanted to head back to the lab to help with the escape plan for Hawkes…you can."
"I'm not going anywhere," Don said. "These kids have a mind of their own. I'll keep in touch with Mac. And I called Christine and Jillian, they are on the way."
"Good," Jess said as she felt another contraction.
"Do they hurt?" Don asked. Jess gave him a look. "Right dumb question." He took hold of Jess's hand, "Squeeze as hard as you like."
"Sweet," Jess grinned.
The room fell quiet, each lost in their own thoughts. "We're ready for this, right?" Jess asked breaking the silence.
"Yeah, we're good. The room is done. We have the names picked out. We've done the classes. We're ready for this," Don reassured.
"That's the easy stuff," Jess said voicing her fears. "What if our daughter is like me? I'm stubborn and I was not a fun teenager. Ask my poor dad. And what about our son? What if…"
"Jess," Don interrupted, "these fears are irrational. And have you looked in the mirror lately? Our daughter and son would be lucky to be like you. Because you are an amazing person, I love you."
"Okay, so I'm a little irrational," Jess said. "I love you too. Do me a favor?"
"I'll call Mac," Don said knowing what she was going to ask.
"Danny and Mac led Hawkes to Casey's cell. Hawkes believes he is up to something and he wanted to know what," Don told Jess walking back into the room awhile later. "Lindsay said they had found an exit for Hawkes. Mac was getting ready to call as I hung up."
"Good," Jess said. "He needs to get out of there."
"Did you know Hawkes had a sister?" Don asked. Jess shook her head. "Lindsay told me just then. That's why Tifford requested Hawkes for his execution; Tifford wanted Hawkes to know he killed his sister, Maya." Don said.
"Don, Jess." Dr. Clark interrupted. "How are you feeling?"
"Like I really want this to be over," Jess smiled.
"Well let's see how soon that will be," Dr. Clark replied. "Don?"
"I'm leaving," Don declared kissing her on the forehead. "I saw Christine and Jillian come down the hall a minute ago. I wanted to give you an update before I went to meet them."
Jess nodded as Don left the room. "Christine, Jill," Don called. "Jess is up here."
"So?" Christine demanded excitedly.
"Nothing yet," Don replied. "Doc is in with her now."
"Let's hope she could keep those twins in for a little while longer," Jill smiled. "Cliff is in Providence to take Noah on a fishing trip. He's on the way back now."
"Don," Dr. Clark called walking out of the room. "Can I talk to you for a second?"
"I'll check back in a few," He took Christine and Jillian before walking back towards the doctor, "Are Jess and the babies okay?" Don asked. He knew from Clark's voice that something was wrong.
"Let's go inside and talk," Dr. Clark replied.
Dr. Clark open the door and walked back into Jess' room with a now worried Don following her. Don marched straight over to Jess and took her hand, "Everything is alright," Dr. Clark explained, "But a complication has arisen. Jess is still only eight centimeters along. Madeline is fine and in position to come first. However, I've detected that Matthew is in distress. The umbilical cord has most likely wrapped around his neck. It isn't wrapped tightly enough to cut off the oxygen supply to him for now. But I'm afraid if we wait for Jess to dilate to ten centimeters and for Madeline to come, the umbilical cord could tighten."
"Okay, so what do we have to do?" Don asked swallowing his fear back down and rubbed his hands through his hair.
"Emergency C-section," Dr. Clerk answered. "I know you two wanted a natural birth…"
"Do what you need to do to get Matthew here safely," Jess spoke finding her voice. She was so scared.
Don nodded in agreement, "Okay, Don I want you to go with Nurse Walker, she will get you a surgical gown and mask to wear in the room and Jess, relax."
Jess gave a little laugh at the idea of relaxing, "I know it's scary," Dr. Clark went on, "But they will be fine. I'm going to insert an epidural into your spine and you will be put under anesthetic, you will be awake but you will be numb from the chest down. You will feel pressure but no pain. Any other questions?"
Both shook their heads no but Don could still tell how scare Jess was. He was too but he was her support system so he would be strong for the four of them, "Matthew will be fine. Dr. Clark knows what she is doing." Don smiled, "I love you."
"I love you too," Jess replied. Don let her hand go and gave her a kiss on the forehead before following the nurse out of the room to prepare for surgery.
Don sat in the recovery room watching Jess sleep peacefully. The Anesthetic had made her feel fuzzy and sleepy so she was sleeping it off. Christine and Jillian went to get a coffee and wait for Cliff to arrive. "Don," Lindsay said. Don turned to see Lindsay, Danny, Mac, Stella, Adam, and Hawkes walking through the door.
"How is she?" Stella asked.
"Tired," Don replied. "You okay?" he asked Hawkes.
"Yeah, thanks to these guys. One slight problem through, Casey escaped. I tried to stop him, but he had help from the outside. Had a friend kidnap a trooper's family forcing him to help Casey. He brought a New York police uniform and with Danny's badge; he was able to walk out the front door. When I came out I was dressed in prison clothes SWAT thought I was a prisoner. By the time things got sorted out, Casey was long gone," Hawkes explained.
Jess began to stir and opened her eyes, "Hey," Don said, "how are you feeling?"
"Matthew?" Jess asked still feeling fuzzy, "Madeline?"
"Is perfect," Don answered, "I just came back from the nursery, they are amazing Jess.
Jess looked around at the faces in the room everyone looked relief after the long day they had, she let her eyes move back to Don and for a split second standing directly behind him was someone she didn't think she would every see again. There clear as day stood Holly. She looked the exact same as she did the last time Jess saw her in the diner almost a year ago. Holly smiled. Jess blinked not believing her eyes and when she looked again Holly was gone. Damn wacky gas, Jess thought.
"You okay?" Don asked, "You look like you've seen a ghost."
"I would like to see our babies," Jess replied.
A/N: SO as you can see Matthew and Madeline won the poll with 8 out of the 12 votes. I know seeing ghosts is werid but remember Jess is fuzzy from the Anesthetic so it's up to you if she really saw Holly or if it was part of Jess' imagination. And I don't know much about the medical stuff, I just googled it so if something sounds ridulous, I'm sorry. I'm going to take this moment to plug another of my stories. I added a story called Girls want to have fun, it was M so it doesnt show up normally. Well I changed the name to moments and am going make kinda of a story out of it. I'll admit now there is no plot to it, just fluff and smut.