Jonathan stood in front of her looked exhausted, he must have come directly from the airport instead usually when he traveled, he was dressed impeccably and his hair perfectly combed but his hair looked flat and dull like he'd dashed from LA to the airport and didn't bother to change his clothes.
Jennifer was stunned, she never expected to see him, at least not for another month when he came to London to pick up the baby, she would meet him at his hotel and his assistant usually brought her back, they rarely spoke just a few instructions and they were gone but here and now, he was standing in front her
"What are you doing here," She repeated, Emma in her arms who was reaching out for her daddy
"Will you let me in, we need to talk" Jonathan asked wanting to get out of the hallway
"How did you find me," she was suddenly furious, she'd been so careful because she didn't want one of his minions to find her and convince her to go back to the Hell formerly known as Willow Pond
"Here's a hint when you file for divorce and custody don't put your address on the official documents, now are you going to stand just there or are you going to let me in?" His voice was gruff and he was not the gentle soul he once was.
She stepped back, allowing him to take Emma out of her arms, kiss her head and bounce her around for a bit.
They walked into the living where Bailey squealed at the sight of Jonathan, although she had no relationship with him, her eyes lit up at the sight of him
"Wow, she got big huh?" Jonathan said bending over and kissing her on the head
Jennifer wanted to be moved by the gesture but she was too angry, too much water had passed over the bridge for her to be moved
Jonathan put Emma in her playpen and turned back to Jennifer who was like stone, He sat down on the chair in front of her and began to speak
"You need to come home now"
"This is my home now, I'm not going back to LA," She crossed her arms
"Jennifer, It's about Bailey,"
"What about her?" Jennifer became panicked
"I got this at the office last week, I've tried to call you and e-mail you but you haven't responded," He reached into his suit pocket and handed her a note
REGARDING BAILEY LEIGH COOPER
Mr. and Mrs. Hart,
Last Year Our Granddaughter Bailey Leigh was abandoned by her mother, Winnie and left in your custody and for nearly a year we've wondered what became of both of our girls, we searched day and night for both but were unable to find them.
Much to our dismay to find out that Our Winnie was killed in a car accident, and in the midst of our grief we intensified our search for Bailey and finally through unnamed sources, we located Mr. Hart, who tells us that you've taken our granddaughter to England, we request that you bring her back to us immediately and we are filing for immediate custody hearing.
Please, We know that this will be hard but imagine our pain at losing our only granddaughter
Sincerely
Finn and Rachel Cooper
"I don't believe this," Jennifer whispered
"I'm sorry Jennifer," He said quietly
"Sorry? Why are you sorry? You could care less about her so why are you sorry?" She was angry and wiped away frustrated tears
"I'm sorry that you are going to have to give her back, it's going to be so awful," He looked so sad for her, a mother forced to give up her child
"I'm not giving up Bailey, forget that," Jennifer said crossing her arms
"You have to! Their her legal guardians,"
"No I don't, It's not my problem their daughter threw away her baby, I've been responsible for this child for the past year and I will not just hand her over," Jennifer was adamant
"Then you need a good lawyer, I've already spoken to the legal department and their putting together a dream team to help you,"
"Thank you," She was impressed that he had taken initiative
"But that means you'll have to come back to Los Angeles, it's not smart to stay across the pond in case this goes south,"
"Fine, I'll wrap up things here and we'll leave in a few days," Jennifer hated the idea of leaving this new world but if it meant keeping Bailey, then it was necessary.
"I'll expect you back at Willow Pond then?" Jonathan asked standing up
"If I go back to the house, we'll be staying In the guest house," She couldn't imagine staying in the guest rooms in the main house.
"That's fine," He wanted to tell her that this whole thing was bull and that he wanted to her to stay in the Main House but knew she was just as stubborn as he was. "Can I take Emma for the night?"
"Yes, just let me pack a bag for her" Jennifer went into Emma's room and quickly threw some clothes and extra diapers in a bag, She couldn't deny his right to see his daughter no matter how much he frustrated her
She walked back into the living room where Jonathan was tickling Bailey under her arms, although he was being affectionate toward her, it wasn't good enough
"Here, I packed a few books and some toys in case you have to work on some files and she needs to be entertained, also I think she might be coming down with an ear infection, if she starts rubbing her ears you need to get meds in her, the bottle and the dosage is written on it," She handed him the bag and kissed Emma's reddish brown hair
"Got it, Ready Emmy?" He asked her
It was awkward silence before he left
"Bay, what are we going to do?" She turned to her daughter, who was bounce happily unaware, She really looked at Bailey amazed at the tiny infant she was when they found her and now she was chubby, with a big smile and lots of dark black hair, her brown eyes so sweet, she was just so delicious and It broke Jennifer's heart to know that this was going to be a battle but she would fight to the hills.
Bailey was just as much as her child as if she had given birth to her
She pulled Bailey out of her walker and sat down on the couch, "Oh my baby is so big!" She memorized every line very inch of Bailey's face and broke down in tears.
After feeding Bailey, playing with some toys and putting her to bed, Jennifer started packing up her apartment, she could send for her things later but she wanted to have the necessities in case it was awhile before she could get back, while she packed, she thought of how she was going to tell Eli she was going back to LA, he was going to be so disappointed and she had to admit, after the last time, she would be too.
She had to make a clean break before he got too involved and she disappeared, she called her neighbor downstairs to stay with Bailey and left taking her time.
Jennifer knew that Eli was at the office and it was only a few blocks, she used that time to think about what she would say to him, how she could up and leave, she had never told him that Bailey was found , he only knew that she was a divorcee with two little girls, it didn't matter that that they were six months apart, he had assumed that she'd gotten pregnant right after Emma and that Bailey was born three months early.
She almost wished he was right so she wouldn't have to face the whole situation
She stood outside his office, wringing her hands wondering what she would say to him, she took a deep breath and walked in, Eli was on the phone and as soon as he saw how sad she looked, he quickly ended the call
"Jennifer, what's wrong?" He jumped up and wrapped his arms around her, she hugged his broad chest and inhaled his cologne
"Please don't be angry with me," She whispered
"Never, what's wrong?" He kissed her head
"I have to go back to California permanently the day after tomorrow," She whispered
"Why?"
"Family..stuff," She didn't want him to get involved, it was too crazy to explain
"Alright I can respect that but why permanently?" He rubbed her back
"Because a piece of my past is still there and I think I made a mistake in leaving it so fast," She said hugging him faster, "I'm so sorry"
"For what?"
"You went out on a limb to bring me out here and I'm running out on you I'm so sorry,"
"Jen, it's alright don't worry about that as long as you and the girls are good then it's fine,"
Normally when someone called her Jen or Jenny, it bugged the hell out of her but for some reason it seemed fine coming out of his mouth
"Is there anything I can do for you," He whispered
"Make love to me," She asked
He let her go to lock his office door and shut the curtains, she bit her lip nervously and he took her hand to the large couch, she laid down and they began kissing slowly, before it was so fast and rushed but now they were taking their time, she kissed him and rubbed her hands all over his body and he unbuttoned her shirt and kissing her neck .
It was something so amazing that she couldn't help herself, making love to him right here and right now felt so good.
Every kiss, lick and touch felt like electricity and when they began really making love, it was suddenly intense and beautiful, every swift thrust felt better than the next..
She hadn't felt like this since Jonathan
When they finished together, they laid down together and just held each other for what seemed like hours, she let herself cry and he didn't ask why, just wiped away her tears. They promised to email and visit whenever the time would allow but they knew they'd never see each other again.
She walked back to her flat, lost in thought that she was letting go of someone she could possible fall for and that broke her heart but if going back to Los Angeles meant she'd keep her daughter then it would be a fair trade.
She was almost to her apartment when she noticed Jonathan leaning against his town car waiting for her
"Hi.." She said quietly
"Hi, where have you been?" Jonathan asked
"I had to say goodbye to someone, what's going on?"
"We have a hearing set for the day after tomorrow and we need to leave now, "Jonathan said folding his arms
"That's not enough time! I have to pack, get prepared and we need to gather information, Jonathan I need more time," Jennifer started panicking when he grabbed her into a hug
"Don't worry, everything will be alright, I promise I will take care of everything, all you have to is get the girls ready."
She took a deep breath and relaxed, He would take care of her like always.
Jennifer went back into her apartment, packed a couple bags and went downstairs to pick up Bailey, who'd fallen asleep
"Mrs. Ball, thank you so much for all your help," Jennifer said hugging the older woman
"Where are you going, Baby?" The woman couldn't help but notice the tears streaming down her face
"I'm going ..Home," She said wiping her eyes and after kissing on the cheek, she picked up Bailey and left
"Ready?" Jonathan asked outside the apartment
"Yes, I'm ready" She took a deep breath before putting Bailey into her car seat next to Emma
The long plane ride back to Los Angeles was exhausting with two little ones who didn't stop crying from the tarmac in London until LAX airport, they wouldn't eat only to watch movies on Jonathan's computer and even that didn't hold their attention, Jonathan kept asking her how she managed them on her own when she left California, she confessed that she had given them some Benadryl and they had slept almost the entire trip, He laughed and said she was brilliant.
When they finally pulled through the gates, it was as if time had stood still, that she had never left. Jonathan got out first and ran around to the other side of the door to help her.
He'd changed she could see that
Maybe there could be hope for them, but she wasn't sure
He helped get the girls out and When She started to walk to the door, Jonathan stopped her
"Wait before you go to the guest house, we have to have a quick meeting with Dash Crest,"
"Who?" Jennifer was so tired, she could barely see
"Our lawyer."
"I thought Sam Seaborne was our lawyer,"
"Sam's on vacation and can't get out in time, so he suggested Dash," Jonathan said opening the door to the main hallway
Nothing had changed since she'd left, It was as if time stood still then again he probably figured she'd come back and not want to trash the place
"Can't we have this meeting when it's not three am?" She rubbed her neck
"No it has to be now, come on it'll take 15 minutes and you can sleep all day tomorrow," Jonathan said putting the girls in the playpen
"I haven't slept all day since..well..since that drunken night in Cabo," She smiled at the memory, "Besides with these two they'll be up at 6am"
"I'll take care of them, Don't worry," He sat down on the couch
"Both of them? That's a lot of work for one person, I can barely do," She was impressed he was willing to take on both girls.
Something had definitely changed him but she was too exhausted to find out
Dash Crest was a prominent lawyer who had also grown up at Mission Street, He'd played fast and loose until his own Max came into his life and straightened him out putting him through Harvard Both Business and Law schools, now he had multiple degrees from all over the world, technically he should have been preparing a trial in Korea but when his old friend Charlie called, he got a postponement and was able to come to LA right away.
When he walked in, he was a short man with thick greyish black hair and a track suit
"Charlie!" He greeted Jonathan
"Wheeze!" Jonathan said hugging him
"Wheeze?" Jennifer asked too tired to really even care
"Childhood nickname, I had asthma as a kid and therefore wheezed on a regular basis," He smile sitting on the chair in front of them
"Ah.." Jennifer was fighting to keep her eyes open
"Now Jennifer, Jonathan's told me all about the baby and we can use that but we need more facts, her daily schedules, behavior all sorts of things like that, Now we're trying to locate the birth father but having no luck and I am working on a search warrant for Winnie Cooper's room to find some sort of cause as to why she abandoned her baby in the first place, Now Jennifer, I need to know…Jennifer?" Dash stopped speaking when he realized she was completely passed out
"I think we're going to have to reschedule for tomorrow, "Jonathan said picking her up and carrying upstairs "Good Night Darling, I'm glad to have you home, all my girls home," and kissed her head
"Mm Good Night, Eli," She muttered and rolled over
He briefly wondered who Eli was but instead of waking her up to demand who that was, he let her sleep.
She woke up hours later, wondering why she was still in her clothes and why she was in her old bedroom, she sat up and looked around
Dressing Table in the corner, Chest of Drawers against the wall, Large Portrait of the two of them kissing against the wall, she remembered when she put it up and Jonathan asked jokingly if it wasn't the least bit pretentious?
She looked at the window seat, she remembered sitting there when she was pregnant, imagining her little girl playing on the swings and Jonathan teaching her to swim in the pool. She also remembered sitting there sobbing about whether or not to leave her husband because he chose not to be a part of her life anymore, because she'd made a decision that he didn't agree with and that suddenly it was like she wasn't the most important person in his life anymore.
Her heart broke all over again, it had never really healed to begin with, no matter who she was with.
She went to the bathroom, and smiled at the fact he hadn't moved her hair brush from its usual spot and the nightgown she was wearing the day she packed was still hung up.
She was beginning to wonder if he had just locked up this room and staying one of the guest rooms.
Jennifer wondered downstairs to the yard where Jonathan was playing in the sandbox with the girls, who were more content on throwing it around than actually building anything.
"Hi Guys!" She said cheerfully!
"Mamama!" Emma squealed while Bailey clapped her hands at Jonathan who was using a sifter to make it rain sand.
"Hi," Jonathan said, "Did you sleep well,"
"Very good thank you," She felt so stupid, she was acting cordial to a man who'd been her husband for the better part of her life, "What did I at last night's meeting?"
"Basically we're on a fact finding mission and that whatever happens from this point, we need to be prepared for anything"
"Like if we have to give her back?" Jennifer tried not to cry at the thought but she couldn't help tearing up
"Yes" Jonathan said getting out of the sandbox and sitting beside her watching the girls play together
"I can't, Jonathan it's too hard," She buried her head in his chest
"I know, it's going to be one of the hardest thing we'll ever have to do," He kissed her head
"We?...Are we an us?" Jennifer asked
"I don't know," He honestly didn't, they had so much to work out and so many questions that needed to be answered but their concentration needed to be on Bailey and what was best for her.
That night, it was like they were a real family, Jonathan cooked dinner and they took turns feeding the girls , letting them play and help Emma walk and suddenly after baths and a bedtime story and suddenly they were alone with each other
"I'm so nervous for tomorrow," Jennifer confessed
"I am too, "He confessed too, he sat down beside her and held her hand "Can I ask you a question?"
"Sure" She leaned back
"Whose Eli?"
"What?" She froze at the mention of his name
"Whose Eli?" Jonathan repeated
"No one,"
"Yes he's someone obviously,"
"He was someone in London I knew," She was trying leave as little detail as possible
"Knew how?" He crinkled his forehead
"I just knew him, that's all," She shrugged
"Were you sleeping with him?"
"That's none of your business!" She stood up. "We're divorced I don't have to answer to you!"
"Yes you do when it involves my daughter!" He stood up also
"Tell you what, Act like a father for more than 8 hours and then come talk to me!" She wasn't really surprised when he reached out and slapped her but she was taken back
"I'm so sorry," Jonathan reached for her but she pulled away
"I can't even believe you did that and I know it's not going to happen again, because the moment this is over I'm going back to London and you are never going to see your daughter again!" She turned and ran up to the bedroom slamming the door and sobbing.
He thought about running after her but he was so ashamed of what he'd done, he sat down with one of the pictures of them on the piano and cried which he hadn't done since he'd come home that day to find her gone.
He fell asleep on the couch while she tossed and turned, wondering how things got so out of control and when they started to actually hate each other and when the love had disappeared.
The next morning was spent in silence, They had to be at the courthouse at 9am and since the girls were up at 5am, Jennifer was ready to leave before 7
"Are you going to have breakfast?" Jonathan broke the silence standing in the kitchen
"I can't eat, my stomach's in knots," She was hurt and her eyes showed that but now was not the time to get into a pissing match
He had put on his best suit and was sipping coffee by the counter, having feed Bailey and Emma had fallen back to sleep.
Jennifer had put Bailey in her best outfit, a taffeta dress with tiny tights and mary jane shoes , with a ribbon over her head but her biggest fear was that Bailey would spit up and ruin the beautiful dress
"Is Liza coming?" referring to Jonathan's assistant
"Yes She'll be here any moment along with the car,"
"Fine, I'll get mine and Bailey's coats so we're ready to go" She picked up Bailey and went to sit in the Living Room, picking up a few toys to keep Bailey distracted during the hearing
After Liza arrived and a few quick instructions, they were off to the courthouse.
Sensing how scared Jennifer was, He took her hand and was surprised to find her gripping his hand
The scene outside of the courthouse was jammed with reporters and when Jonathan tried to help Jennifer out of the car with Bailey, she slipped and they both fell down
"HEY! BACK OFF!" Dash yelled pushing his way through the crowd and helping Jennifer up "Are you both alright?"
"Yes, I think we're fine," Jennifer said clutching Bailey
They managed to get into the courthouse in one piece and into an elevator
"Dash, What's going on? Why are there are so many journalists?" Jonathan asked holding onto Jennifer's free hand
"This is bigger than we were prepared for and we have a slight problem," Dash said frantically going through his blackberry
"What's the problem?" Jennifer asked
"There's no time to explain, just please be patient with me and I promise not to let things out of control," They stepped off the elevator and into a hallway in front of the court room where a tiny girl with glasses was waiting
"Jonathan, Jennifer this is my assistant Gina, she's going to hold onto Bailey for us during the hearing,"
Jennifer was reluctant to let go of the baby but she knew she had to, she kissed Bailey's head and promised she'd be back soon
They walked into the court room and sat at the front table, while Dash pulled out his files and got organized, Rachel and Finn Cooper entered with their lawyer, Harrison Stack
She was an older woman with a prominent nose and an aura of snobbery while He was a round belly man wearing a cowboy hat
"Oh God," She whispered to Jonathan "It's Ann Bancroft and JR Ewing, where's Aaron spelling when you need him"
Jonathan tried not to laugh because she was so right
The bailiff, seeing that everyone arrived called them to order
"Finn and Rachel Crawford versus Jonathan and Jennifer Hart in the matter of custody for one Bailey Leigh Cooper, Judge Arthur Rittenhouse presiding" and suddenly the judge came in, sat down and banged his gavel
"Are all the parties here, where is the minor child"
"With my assistant, Judge" Dash announced
"Alright Let's keep this brief, what is the main focal point here?"
"Establishing permanent custody," Dash said,
"Mr. Stack?"
"My clients are here to get back their granddaughter who's been kept from them for the last year and we'd like to add additional charges against the Harts, specifically Mrs. Hart." Mr. Stack announced amid gasps
"And what charges are those, Mr. Stack?" The Judge peered down
"Unlawful kidnapping and child endangerment"
"What? Your Honor, my clients are prominent citizens, they had no reason to kidnap this child!" Dash jumped up from his seat
"Your Honor, Mrs. Hart took the minor child across the world without informing anyone and refused to establish contact with the child's legal guardians,"
"They had no idea who her legal guardians were! They found this child outside of their home on their doorstep and every attempt was made to find out the identity of her parents but were hopeless in their search."
"And Yet felt the need to take this child out of her natural environment to a place that wasn't familiar" The Coopers Lawyer continued
"Mrs. Hart has a prominent career as a journalist and when an opportunity arised, she took both children, Bailey and her own biological child," Dash was speaking frantically "I don't see the problem,"
"I do. Mr. Crest and Although I think the kidnapping charge is a reach, I am ordering Mrs. Hart into custody and the minor child will be entered into temporary custody of her grandparents until the facts are presented at Trial. Bailiff, Please take Mrs. Hart into custody.. Do we have any thoughts on bail amount
"One Million and we ask that Mrs. Hart surrender her passport,"
"Your Honor my client is a much beloved member of the community, to ask her to surrender her passport is an insult,"
"Regardless, Mrs. Hart please surrender your passport and Bail will be set at one million cash or bond," The Judge banged his gavel ending the hearing
The Bailiff came over to Jennifer to put the cuffs on her
"Jonathan!" She was crying and reaching for him but she was being pulled back
"I promise I'll get the money together as soon as I can!" Jonathan shouted back