Note: Thank you to everyone who has read, Followed, or added this story to Favorites. A very special thank you to those who take the time to review. I always look forward to seeing what you have to say! For your feedback on the last chapter, many thanks to hbndgirl, Erin Jordan, Ella Tremaine, EvergreenDreamweaver, ChrisCorso, candylou, Max 2013, Paulina Ann, sm2003495, Caranath, BMSH, and Drumboy100. Oh- and a big Happy 454th Birthday to William Shakespeare today!

Relative Fortune

Chapter 21

"Are you sure you're not mad at me?" Vanessa asked Callie again as she kissed Laurie on the top of her head.

"No, I'm not mad, Van," Callie responded, feeding Evan his bottle. "Actually, I'm happy. You did the right thing. I needed Frank to be with me at the meeting, and Joe knew exactly what to say to me and to my husband to get us focused. I'm just glad to be here now with you and the babies," she responded. Smiling at Evan, she scrunched her nose. "Isn't Aunt Callie happy to be with you?" she asked him in a sing-song voice, and he started laughing as the bottle's nipple came out of his mouth.

Callie continued to tickle him as he laughed. "He's such a gorgeous little guy," she said to Vanessa, still looking at her nephew. "I still can't tell who he looks like."

Vanessa sat across from Callie at her kitchen table and bounced Laurie on her knee. "I don't know," Vanessa answered, smiling. "I guess we'll have to see. JJ looks exactly like Frank, but he has your nose and eye shape," Vanessa went on idly. "And little Miss Laurie here is a peanut. She'll probably be petite like you. You took to motherhood so easily," Vanessa added, quietly.

Callie looked at her. "What do you mean? You're a great mom, Van."

Vanessa paused for a moment. "Cal, I love being a mom. I do. But I'm tired all the time and I want to sleep and sometimes it gets so hard, you know?" she confessed. "I want to feel sexy again and wear lingerie instead of, like, yoga pants. I don't know how I'll handle two. I'm kind of scared I'll be overwhelmed."

Callie nooded sympathetically. "Honey, it IS hard. It's the hardest thing in the world, because being a parent is the one thing you can't mess up." She reached for Vanessa's hand quickly as she secured Evan in her other arm. "But you have help. Raising a child is a team effort, and we are so, so fortunate to have husbands who are involved. So many men aren't. It's sad, but it's the truth."

"I guess," Vanessa agreed. "How do you do it? You make it look so effortless."

"Van, sometimes I am so tired I almost fall asleep standing up. I drink way too much coffee. And I rely on my parents and Laura a lot," Callie began. "Truthfully," she went on, feeling a slight blush come to her skin, "I… I had a tremendous amount of medical problems when…. I was younger," she said, leaving it at that. "I was told I couldn't have kids, and it was crushing to me. So, when I DID get pregnant with JJ, I tried to treasure every minute. And, as you know, Laurie was a HUGE surprise." She smiled softly. "I had horrible pregnancies and another one would literally kill me, but I miss feeling a life inside of me." She blinked back tears. "And even though I have no idea how I would or could handle more than two… I ache for it."

"I'm sorry, Cal," Vanessa told her, compassionately.

"No, don't be," she told her. "But you and Joe need to do what's right for you. NO ONE thinks being a mom is easy, trust me. If they do, they're doing it wrong. I'm no exception." She chuckled quietly. "And Evan is easy- peasy. So is Laurie. This little guy," she said, nodding to JJ, "is a wild man. He's all Joe's personality! No idea where that came from. But don't worry. I'll be here to help you, and so will your mom and Laura and your friends. We all love you."

"Thanks, Callie," Vanessa replied, letting go of her hand.

Callie looked into Vanessa's blue-gray eyes. JJ was trying to color at the table but was staying right by her side, as he always did. "This feels right, you know?" Callie said softy. "God, Van. I feel so lucky to have my babies. And you and Joe are the siblings I never had. How lucky are we that our kids will grow up together and that we all have each other? I just… I just pray that Johnny's daughter will be okay, Van. She has to be."

Vanessa nodded. "I know, Cal. Have faith. It's so unbelievable that Johnny had a daughter in the first place. I still can't believe it. I can tell how much you miss him," Vanessa finished.

"Every day," Callie answered. "My heart hurts without him," she went on, softly. "The idea that he might live on through a child is consuming me. I need to find her; to help her. It's the very least I can do for him."

"I understand," Vanessa replied. "I do. But you said that Nancy offered to help? That she was actually pretty on top of it?" Vanessa laughed softly. "I still can't believe that you contacted her. I legitimately am still in shock."

"If she can help, of course I would contact her, and...Frank and I needed to put it in the past," she finished, uncertain. "I think we can do that now." Callie smiled ruefully. "I mean, I would have been a little happier if she wasn't so damned gorgeous," she admitted.

Vanessa shook her head."YOU are gorgeous," she replied, adamantly.

Callie laughed. "And YOU are blinded by best girlfriend loyalty," she joked back. "But thanks anyway."

"I'm serious!" Vanessa adamantly replied. "And your husband can't take his hands off you, so I don't think you have anything to worry about."

"I'm not worried," Callie answered, honestly. "But she is MORE than pretty. I'm okay with it- I have no choice. And as far as husbands who can't take their hands off people, need I mention Joe?"

Vanessa placed a hand on her stomach as she cradled the now sleepy Laurie against her. "It's so important to have a smoking hot…"

"JJ!" Callie interjected, cutting Vanessa off. He looked up, having paid no attention to their conversation, and Callie said to him, "what a great picture, honey!"

"It for daddy," JJ said simply, as Vanessa tried not to laugh, realizing the subject she was about to have brought up. He went back to coloring intently.

Callie shot her a look.

"Sorry," Vanessa mouthed, as Callie rolled her eyes.

"You two are so much alike," Callie told her.

"I know," Vanessa agreed. "What's weird is that you and Frank are, too… with some things. In other areas, you're way more like Joe. And, believe it or not, Frank and I have quite a few things in common."

"I know you do,"Callie responded. "And I'm glad that you've become a lot closer."

"Me, too," Vanessa acknowledged. "I just want us all to be okay," she told Callie, who looked at her quizzically. "I want you to find John's daughter and to be able to raise her, if that's what you and Frank decide you want to do. I want your contact with Nancy Drew to be positive and not to cause a strain in your relationship with Frank. I want a healthy pregnancy and … and a resolution to my dad's past, and I'm scared, to be honest with you. I'm scared it's bad. And I know it wouldn't be my fault- I GET that, finally, thanks to Joe- but still… I want my daddy to have been a good man." She blinked back tears.

Callie stood with Evan, walked to Vanessa, and wrapped her free arm around her from behind. "He certainly gave good genes to his daughter, who is the most loyal, amazing woman I know." She kissed Vanessa's cheek. "I love you, girl, and I'm here for you."

Vanessa hugged Callie's one arm for a moment. "Come on," she said at last. "I'm a mommy first, but I'm also kick- ass computer vixen second. Let's see if we can't help out Nancy with this research and get baby Hope back here." She stood with Laurie.

"Really?" Callie asked."You can hack files?" she asked.

Vanessa laughed. "I prefer to think of it as data analysis," she said with a smile.

'Okay, kiss-ass computer vixen," Callie answered, eyes twinkling. "Let's do it." She looked down at her phone, which had just started buzzing. "And Nancy said that she has some info and asked if she could meet me later tonight."

"Okay," Vanessa replied neutrally. "Tell her yes. Let's see if we can work together and get that baby home… for Johnny."

"For Johnny," Callie echoed, and she smiled. Finally, maybe luck would be on their side.

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"The cops should be here in about 15 minutes," Joe said to his brother. "Want to wait?"

Frank smiled and raised a brow at him. "Hang on. YOU are suggesting that we wait and I'm the one who's ready to go ahead? What's wrong with the world?"

"Maybe there's hope for you yet," Joe replied back, hand on the door.

"Perhaps," Frank answered, smiling. "Anyway, we've been here before. You have cuffs. The police are informed about it. I'm sure we'll be fine."

"Not as if I'll tell you to wait," Joe replied, getting out of the car. "Listen, bro, I've meant to bring this up, but you have to let me drive more often. I have no problem being chauffeured once in awhile, but, I mean, I drive over 40 miles per hour."

"Fine," Frank agreed. "When you're willing to take your own car and rack up the miles on that, I'm okay with it. Or, I could drive you in the minivan. I'm sure you'd love that."

"Ha ha," Joe responded dryly. "Why don't you just let me drive your car?" he countered.

"You're joking," Frank answered, shaking his head as they knocked on the Griffin's front door.

As soon as Frank knocked, though, the door squeaked open, and he was on instant alert. He reached for his gun, simultaneously noting that Joe had done the same.

"Maura?" Joe called out. "You in there?"

Silence.

"I'm going in," Joe said to Frank, who nodded and pointed at the side of the house to indicate where he'd be going, and they separated.

"Maura? Mr. Griffin?" Joe yelled. "Come to the front of the house by the door if you're here."

When no one came, Joe began a methodical search of the house, which produced nothing. It seemed to be empty. Then, he remembered suddenly that the Grffins had a gun cabinet and he hurried to it, noting at once that it appeared to be missing several weapons.

"Frank, be careful," Joe said into the walkie talkie he and Frank always wore on cases. "Weapons are missing from the cabinet. House is clear."

"10-4," Frank replied. "I'm out back. Car is in the driveway. They've got to be here."

Joe cautiously made his way outside, sighing when he noticed for the first time the expansive property across from and adjacent to the house. He hadn't paid attention before, but he sure as hell was paying attention now. It was too quiet… too empty. He didn't like the fact that he wasn't exactly sure where Frank was, either. "Out back" was a huge area.

Before he had time to contemplate it further, he heard a shotgun blast and jumped as the dirt in front of him went flying into the air. He whirled around and saw a rifle aimed at him by Griffin's stepdad. The second shot he unleashed let Joe know he wasn't playing.

Joe had a split second to make the decision. He could fire back at the guy or he could rush him, and he opted for the latter option, since the rifle was now being aimed at his chest. He dodged quickly to throw the focus off him and to make it more difficult to get an accurate shot off, and threw himself at his assailant in the best football tackle he could manage. They crashed down as the rifle went off, barely missing him again.

Time seemed to lose meaning as he and Griffin engaged in an old-fashioned fistfight. For a man near fifty, Griffin was remarkably strong and agile, but Joe knew that he was in much better shape, and his age was working in his favor. Just as he was about to overpower Griffin, Griffin managed to get one arm loose, and the next thing Joe knew, his eyes were on fire.

He started choking and gasping for air as his eyes teared over and burned badly. It took only a second for him to realize that he'd been pepper sprayed. As badly as it hurt, what was worse was how disorienting everything was. He couldn't defend himself against the blow to the face he felt, and, worse, he knew he had to get to the rifle before Griffin did.

He was gasping for breath, trying to blindly wrestle Griffin to keep him away from the gun. In the distance, he heard sirens.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Frank heard the commotion before he saw it; heard the sound of gunshots and yelling. He practically flew across the property to see Griffin reaching for a rife to aim it at Joe, who, for some reason, was flailing and half- covering his face. He took out his gun as he ran, hoping to get a clear shot at Griffin, but no such luck. He could fire at this range; he'd always been an excellent shot. But they were both moving and struggling and chances were good he could hit his brother instead of Griffin, and he sure as hell wasn't going to risk that.

He could get there. It was maybe 80 yards away. But he saw Griffin had reached for the gun and finally was able to aim it. And then, in either the best or worst stroke of luck of his life, Griffin got distracted when the family truck, driven by Maura, burst out of the backyard and started speeding towards her husband, presumably to pick him up and drive away.

The problem was, she was headed right for Joe at the same time.

Frank was fast, but he couldn't outrun a car. Seeing Joe stumbling backwards, though, he knew damned well that he was going to have to try.

It all happened so fast. He ran and fired at Griffin, hitting his mark… somewhere. He could see that much at least. And then he dropped the glock and, with only moments to spare, reached Joe, and shoved his brother harder than he had ever done in his life, pushing him out of the way of the careening vehicle.

Joe was safe.

That was the last conscious thought he had as the swerving truck sideswiped him and he felt absolutely crushing pain as he flew into the windshield, then through the air, and, finally, crashed to the ground, motionless.