A/N: I know, I'm not giving up on Stay With Me, but I had this idea after learning that Jack's sister Brie would be joining Season 3 and she is a lawyer. I could see this happening on the show, and so I decided to write a one shot. I hope you enjoy! Let me know what you think in the comments!
Mel jolts awake, nearly jumping out of bed with the shock of her nightmare.
"Mel?" Jack asks, concerned, rubbing his hand soothingly on her back.
She blinks a few times before registering his presence.
"Is it the same nightmare again?" he asks, and she nods. "Everything is ok. I'm right here. We're safe."
"I know," Mel sighs, rubbing her face with her hands. "It's been months since you were shot. Rationally, I know you're ok, but I wish I could get my subconscious to agree with me."
"Come here," Jack says, and she snuggles into him. "I'm heading over to the new house tomorrow. Do you want to come with me? I'm going to be setting up the furniture."
"Ok, sure," Mel agrees, still very sleepy. Soon she falls asleep in the safety of Jack's arms.
Charmaine waddles into the new house, seven months pregnant. She can only stand for short periods of time, and Jack has agreed to help her get the house set up. They have come up with an arrangement that will keep the twins in the new house, with both her and Jack alternating schedules to make sure one of them is with the twins at all times. Charmaine will keep her apartment and Jack his room over the bar for when the other parent has custody. With Jack being shot, and the recovery, getting the house set up has taken longer than they both originally planned.
"I'm going to head out and grab something to eat," Charmaine tells Jack, "Do you want anything? There's a place right around the corner that is supposed to have great food."
"No thanks," he replies, bending to fix a wobbly leg on a table.
While Charmaine is gone, Mel arrives, bringing a sandwich from Preacher and cold lemonade. She sets her bags down on the kitchen counter and starts unpacking some of the boxes labeled 'kitchen'. Jack walks up behind her, sweeping her hair over her shoulder as he begins pressing kisses to the exposed skin of her neck.
"Jack," she squirms, "You're going to make me drop these plates." She tilts her neck to the side, giving him more access, and he grins, wrapping his arms around her waist.
"Has anyone ever told you how great you look in jeans?" he murmurs, sliding his hands down to grip her hips. He spins her around and kisses her passionately, moaning into her mouth just as Charmaine enters the house. She narrows her eyes at them.
"What are you doing here?" she asks Mel.
"Jack said you guys needed help unpacking," Mel replies, looking between Charmaine and Jack. "I'll just be in the bedroom."
"Listen," Jack says to Charmaine once Mel leaves, "You can have the master bedroom with the adjoining bathroom, and we'll take the one at the end of the hall, ok?"
"We?" Charmaine asks. "You mean Mel is going to be staying here with you, with our children?"
"Well, yes," Jack clarifies. "Of course she is. Mel and I are together, Char. You know this."
"That doesn't mean I want her anywhere near our kids. You and I are their parents, not her," Charmaine snaps.
"I know that," Jack replies, "But Mel is in my life, and I'm not going to keep her separate from my kids. I figured she would be like a stepmother to them."
"I never authorized that. I'm their mother!" Charmaine exclaims.
"No one said you weren't!" Jack counters. "I don't know why you're acting like this. You knew Mel was in my life. You seemed ok with it!"
Charmaine paces around the living room before turning around to face him. "I didn't get a say in this. I didn't get to choose to be pregnant by a man who fell in love with someone else and left me alone to raise his kids. So, I'm choosing not to let her be involved in their lives. They're my babies, Jack. Mine! And if you two are a package deal, then maybe you don't get to have a say, either." And with that, she storms out of the house.
At the sound of the door slamming, Mel reappears. "What was that all about?" she asks.
"I told her that you were going to be involved with the twins, and she didn't take it well," he explains. "She said if you're involved, then I can't be."
Mel moves to embrace him, "I'm sorry, Jack. What are you going to do?"
"I'm not going to choose between you and my children, that's for sure," he says, thinking for a moment. "But I know someone who might be able to help us. My youngest sister Brie is a lawyer. Let me give her a call."
Brie agrees to help them and says she'll be on the next plane to visit Virgin River. By the next day they are all sitting at the cabin around the table, discussing their options.
"Well, this is quiet a mess you've gotten yourself into, bro," Brie says, smiling affectionately at her big brother. "But at least you've done something right," she adds, patting Mel's shoulder as she rises to get herself a glass of water. She sips it thoughtfully. "So, how did you find out that you were the twins' father?" she asks Jack.
"In a letter, after we broke up," Jack explains. "And then she told me in person."
"And you never questioned it?" Brie wonders.
"Meaning?" Jack asks.
"Meaning are you sure you're definitely the father?" Brie clarifies. Both women turn their eyes to Jack.
"Charmaine said she loved me. She wanted a commitment. And we'd be intimate, obviously. So why would I assume I wasn't the father?" he replies.
"See, here's the thing," Brie replies, "Custody cases usually rule in favor of the mother. You and Charmaine were never married, and so you don't really have any legal claim to the twins, unless we can prove your paternity."
"And how do we do that?" Jack asks.
"With a DNA test," Brie replies.
"At this point, you can determine paternity through an amniocentesis or CVS test. Basically, the doctor will go in and collect a sample of the amniotic fluid, and then it will get sent to a lab and compared with your DNA," Mel explains.
"Is it dangerous?" Jack wonders.
"Less dangerous in the later stages of pregnancy," Mel says. "But Jack, if you wait, she could move to Oregon like she threatened to do before, and then all of this will become even more complicated. If we prove you're the father, then you could have some legal rights when the twins are involved. You'll want to be their legal guardians, and make sure your name is on their birth certificates."
"She's right," Brie nods.
"So, what's next then?" Jack questions.
"Next, I'll draw up paperwork to order the paternity test. Essentially, you're going to have to sue Charmaine for paternal rights. If the judge rules in your favor, then the test will be completed. You'll be lucky to have the results before they are born. I'll do my best to expedite things, and with Doc's connections at the hospital you might be able to rush things along, testing wise."
"Can I talk to her before you officially file?" Jack asks. "Maybe I can get her to agree without actually having to sue her."
"Sure," Brie replies, "But do it as soon as possible. You don't want to delay proceedings just because you're a good guy, Jack. You need to do what is best for the twins. And having you for a dad is what is best for them."
She stands, excusing herself to the bathroom, and Mel goes to stand in front of Jack. She reaches for his hand. "I'm so sorry," she tells him. "This is all because of me." She looks down at the floor, unable to meet his gaze.
He reaches out, tilting her head up to face him. "Yes, this is because of you," he says, pressing his hand to his heart. "Because of you I am the happiest I've ever been in my life. And we will figure this out, together. I love you, Mel."
"I love you," she whispers, pressing her lips to his.
"Aww," Brie says, emerging from the bathroom. "You two are so adorable! Mel, you've turned my hard ass brother into a complete sap."
Mel grins, "I think he was always a sap, I just bring it out in him," she jokes, and Jack rolls his eyes.
"Great," he replies, "Another person is here to make fun of me, now."
"Well, you make it so easy!" both Mel and Brie say simultaneously, before dissolving into a fit of laughter.
Later that day, Jack knocks on Charmaine's door. She opens it, but before she can slam it in his face, he blocks it with his foot. "Please, can we just talk?" he pleads.
Charmaine nods, moving aside so that he can enter. She sits on the sofa, looking expectantly at Jack.
"Listen," he explains, "I know that I don't have any rights, as a father. My sister, Brie, is a lawyer, and she said that in order for me to have any legal claim to the twins, I need to prove my paternity. She's willing to draw up papers to order a DNA test so that I can fight for shared custody." When Charmaine doesn't say anything, he continues, "I am sorry that you were hurt in all of this. I am in love with Mel. I don't ever want to be without her. And so that will make her part of the twins' lives too. I wanted to come and talk to you before I start legal proceedings, as a courtesy."
"How thoughtful of you," Charmaine says sarcastically. "So, are you and Mel going to get married?"
Jack pauses before answering, "I'd like to, but she and I haven't discussed it yet."
"I see," Charmaine replies. "And what kind of DNA test are we talking about here?"
"They will do an amniocentesis, or something called a CVS test," Jack explains. Charmaine picks up her phone and begins searching.
"Jack, these tests involve needles. And there is a possible risk to the babies," she replies.
"I'm just doing what I think is best," he replies. He stands up. "I'll give you until tomorrow morning to think about this, and then I'm filing. If you agree to do the tests beforehand, I won't need to take legal action." With that, he leaves Charmaine alone to think.
That evening, Jack and Mel are at the cabin having dinner when there is a knock at the door. Mel opens it to reveal Charmaine. "I went by the bar looking for Jack," she explains, "And Preacher told me he was here."
"Come on in," Mel says, gesturing inside, and Charmaine enters, looking around the place, noticing Jack's presence in the cabin. "I'll just go take a walk outside," Mel says, looking pointedly at Jack before grabbing her coat and her cell phone and leaving the cabin.
Charmaine paces around a bit, her gaze darting around the cabin before she settles on the sofa, Jack taking the adjacent chair.
"So, I thought about what you said," she begins. "And I don't want to do anything that might risk the twins' health."
"Char," Jack begins, but she holds up her hand to silence him.
"Please, just let me get this out," she pleads before taking a deep breath. "I felt you slipping away when you met Mel," she says, "And I love you. You were always so careful when we were together. So, I met this guy. I was only with him once, but we didn't use anything. I told him about the pregnancy, but he didn't want anything to do with the babies or with me. And I love you, and I knew you would do the right thing. I don't have anyone else, Jack. I was desperate."
Jack stands, running his hands over his face. "They're not mine?" he breathes.
"No," she says. "We could still do a test once they're born, but no. I don't think so. I'm sorry, Jack."
Jack paces the cabin, letting the news sink in before he turns around to face her. "Are you going to be ok?" he asks.
Charmaine laughs. "See, this is why I did it. Because you always do the right thing. You're such a great guy, Jack. The twins would have been lucky to have you as a dad."
"Will you go to Oregon?" he asks, and she nods.
"I really am sorry, Jack," she says again, and turns to leave. For a while, Jack sits in silence, his head in his hands, until he hears Mel return.
"Jack?" she asks, concerned.
"I'm not their father," he says, telling her what Charmaine told him. Mel listens, reaching out to hold his hand.
"Are you ok?" she asks.
"Honestly?" he says. "I'm relieved. Is that terrible? I was terrified of being a father. I don't think I'm ready. I don't know if I'm cut out for it."
"What are you going to do with the house?" Mel asks.
"We could live there together," he asks, and she smiles.
"We don't have to decide that right now," she says, hugging him.
The next few weeks pass quickly, and Mel and Jack settle into romantic bliss, now free of Charmaine. She's never seen Jack more relaxed or happy, and she tries to focus on that even though she hasn't been feeling well. After a week of feeling tired and slightly nauseous, she secretly makes an appointment with a doctor in Clear River, not wanting to worry Jack.
"You're pregnant," the doctor tells her. "Around 12 weeks, I'd estimate, based on your ultrasound," she turns the screen so that Mel can confirm. Mel's jaw drops in absolute shock as she takes in the grainy image of her child. Hers and Jack's child.
A perfect song plays, the screen fades to black, credits roll, and it is the end of Season 3.