A/N: OK, so I haven't had time to type, but I've had time to write…when I'm pretended to note take in my business class… shifts eyes. Anyway, I'm sorry this has taken forever to get from my pen/pencil and notebook, to the word document and to ff.n, but I do what I can. I hope you all enjoy this chapter. I still don't know if I like it, but it needs to be done and I have no idea how else to do it. Hope you enjoy! As always, I look forward to your reviews!

Chapter 30

"Bri! No running in the street!" Jude yelled and I watched as our five-year-old daughter froze at the end of the driveway before turning around and giving her mom and I the most innocent smile she could muster before running in the opposite direction. I could feel a smile beginning to tug at the corners of my mouth and managed to contain the laughter I wanted to release.

"Don't encourage her." Jude scolded me and I bit my lip to keep from laughing. Jude and I were currently sitting on the porch swing, watching Bri as she ran around the front yard, pretending she was a horse…Black Beauty, I think…if I remember right.

"I didn't say anything!" I argued and Jude raised an eyebrow at me.

"It's not what you say, it's what you do," She told me, teasingly and I sighed. It wasn't a battle worth fighting, not that she set it up to be.

"Sorry," I said, making sure my voice sounded sincere and she nodded her acknowledgement and we were silent for a moment as Bri let out an ear-splitting whinny (which sounded more like a scream than a horse) and resumed "galloping" around the yard. I looked over at Jude and couldn't help but laugh. She grinned, and shook her head.

"So…"

"So?"

"So, are you going to tell me what's up?" Jude asked, changing the subject and I found myself scrambling my brain to figure out what she was talking out.

"What?"

"You've been…jumpy…lately." She stated. "I just…is everything ok?" She asked me and I sighed. I knew what she was talking about; I just had hoped she didn't notice.

"It's nothing, really, but…" I trailed off as a car pulled up before our house. Jude frowned and her head turning and looking to see where Bri was and I found myself trying to place where I had seen that car before. I watched as the door opened and the driver got out and my blood ran cold. I heard Jude suck in a breath next to me and I was frozen. Briana even stopped her galloping to stare at Jessica as she rushed across the yard to us…me.

"What the…" Jude took a deep breath. "What are you doing here?" She demanded, her voice laced with anger. Jessica just glanced nervously at Jude and then her eyes settled on me.

"Jason, I"

"You're not welcome here, Jessica." I told her sternly, and she winced, probably by the harshness of my tone, but I couldn't care less how she felt. I didn't want her here. I didn't want her calling me. I didn't want to see her. I wanted nothing to do with her and she didn't seem to get that.

"I wanted to talk to you." She whined.

"How you kidnapped my husband and led his whole family and friends to believe he was dead? How you convinced him he was yours through some sick, twisted delusion of yours? Please, do explain." Jude hissed.

Jessica just stared at Jude a long moment, an appalled expression on her face and I tried to scramble something together to get her gone and Jude to not murder her. That was the last thing we needed…a murder.

"Is that what she's been telling you?" Jessica whispered, tears coming to her eyes. "Jas.."

"Don't call me that."

"She's filling your head with lies." Jessica said, her eyes whelling up with tears and I didn't know whether I should feel sorry for her or afraid. Jude scoffed beside me and I looked over at her, taking in the firey glare, clenched jaw and fists and found myself relieved not to be on the receiving end of that fury. She reminded me of one of those tigers locked up in the zoo, pacing back and forth, waiting for the moment it could strike.

"I told you not to come here." I told her and she rolled her eyes.

"You won't answer my calls, how else can I" Jessica stopped as Bri ran over and smushed herself between Jude and Jessica. Jude grabbed Briana's arm and pulled her close.

"Mommy, who's the pwetty lady?" Bri attempted to whisper. Jude seemed at a loss what to tell her.

"She's"

"A friend." Jessica interrupted, smiling sweetly at Bri and Bri nodded.

"I'm Bri," Briana said proudly. "and I'm" she paused as she counted her fingers before holding up five digits "this many!" She said, beaming happily, oblivious to the tension around her.

"Wow!" Jessica said and Bri nodded enthusiastically.

"Bri, time to go inside." Jude said, pulling Briana back.

"But Mommy, I wanna talk to the nice lady." Briana whined and Jude closed her eyes and I winced.

"It's almost bed time," Jude insisted, tugging on Bri's hand and shooting me a look, telling me to get rid of Jessica before leading our daughter inside and closing the front door behind them, a little too hard but not quiet a slam. I winced again.

"Jas, please"

"Jessica, I told you to leave me alone. I told you not to contact me."

"I came to see you, I didn't call you." She pointed out and I raised a hand to my temples and pinched the bridge of my nose, feeling the beginnings of a headache.

"Just…go." I told her tiredly. "I don't want to see you."

"Please, let me explain…"

"Jessica, we have different ideas about what happened. I just want to get on with my life." She looked down at her feet, and I knew she was crying, and I found I couldn't care less.

"Jason, please, I…I can't get on with mine without you."

"You don't leave, I'm going to go inside and call the police." I told her and she looked up at me, her eyes red and puffy, tears falling freely down her face. She nodded and turned, walking down the side walk and to her car. I watched her get in and drive off before I went back inside.

"Tommy," Jude said, sounding tired as she walked down the stairs.

"Jude, I had no idea"

"I don't want to fight, but Tommy, I want to make this clear, I don't want her around here. Especially when Bri's around."

"Jude, I didn't know she'd do that." I told her and she nodded and sighed. She walked over to me and I pulled her to me. "I don't want to see her again, you know." I told her and she nodded.

"I know, it's just…" Jude shook her head. "I see her and I swear I want to kill her. I want to rip her apart and…" She took a shuddering breath. "But I can't, and not because killing is bad, but because I remember how I felt when I thought you were dead, and I wouldn't wish that for her family." Jude said, wrapping her arms tighter around me. "I wouldn't wish that on even her." I tightened my grip around her and she looked up at me. "But Tommy, something needs to be done about her. If she's calling you and bugging you all the time"

"I know, I'm going to have her officially listed as a stalker and see about getting a restraining order. I don't want her around here either." I told her and Jude nodded, laying her head back on my shoulder.

"Is that what's been bothering you all week?" She asked and I nodded.

"Yeah, I just…I didn't want you to worry about her. I didn't think she'd go this far." I told her and Jude sighed raised her head again.

"You know you can talk to me, right?" Jude asked and I nodded. "I hate it when you hide things from me." She told me honestly and I sighed.

"I'm sorry," I told her. "I really am, I just…you've had so much else to worry about, I didn't want to add to your plate." She nodded and sighed. "Jude, you…" I took a deep breath. "You know that I"

"Mommy? Daddy?" I winced as Jude turned and I looked up at our daughter standing on top of the stairs. Jude had already gotten her in her pajamas. "Did the pretty lady go?" Bri asked and Jude clenched her jaw.

"Yeah, Bri, she left." I told her and Briana looked disappointed.

"I wanted her to read me a story." Bri said, sounding as disappointed as she looked. Jude glanced over at me and I winced again.

"Sorry Bri, but she left." I told her, walking up the stairs to her. "But ya know what?"

"What?"

"How about mommy and me read you a story?" I asked and Bri looked contemplative – or at least, as contemplative as a five year old could look – for a long moment before shaking her head. "No!"

"Nu-uh. Sing." She said, smiling happily and I glanced back at Jude, feeling a little panicked. I hadn't sung since that day in the studio when I was playing around with the guitar; let alone singing to my daughter. I didn't even know if I knew any songs she'd want to hear.

"You drive a hard bargain," Jude said, coming up the stairs behind me. Bri crossed her arms and nodded her head. "I don't know…" Jude said, winking at me and Bri pouted.

"Pweeeeese!"

"What do you think Tommy?"

"I…uh"

"Pweeeeseee!" Bri begged, holding her arms up like she was praying and I couldn't help but smile.

"OK." I said and She squealed happily. I couldn't help but laugh at her as she grabbed mine and Jude's hands and practically dragged us to her room. Briana hopped up on her bed and got herself comfortable before pointed at the guitar in the corner of the room. I glanced over at Jude as she picked it up and pulled over a chair and sat down in it, strumming a few notes before stopping. Briana grinned at us as practically burst waiting for us to sing. Jude looked at me and smiled before she started strumming a little tune, a song I knew because Briana watched the movie almost everyday: "A Whole New World" from Aladdin, our drama with Jessica becoming just a background problem as we sang the song together.