Disclaimer: I own nothing. All characters and stories belong to NBC and Dick Wolf.
A/N: New Chapter. Claire meets Jamie Ross and Rebecca McCoy. One of them raises hell. Guess which one. Please review. Thanks. Love, Lawabidingchild.
A woman with a short hairstyle walked through the office, talking animatedly with Jack about what seemed like a case. Intrigued, Claire walked over and just as she was about to approach the talking pair, Jack terminated the conversation. He seemed pleasantly surprised at the fact that Claire was taking an interest in his new assistant. "Claire!" he exclaimed, beckoning her over. "This is Jamie Ross, my new assistant."
"Oh, you're Jamie Ross. It's nice to meet you." Claire outstretched her hand and Jamie took it. The shake lasted about thirty seconds.
"This is my fiancée, Claire Kincaid."
"Oh, it's really nice to meet you, Miss Kincaid."
"Call me Claire. I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot of you and I don't think that we should subject ourselves to formalities."
"Spoken like a lawyer," Jamie laughed. "Jack, I'm due in arraignment in twenty minutes so I'd better be going. It was nice meeting you, Claire."
"Alright. I'll see you back in my office." Jamie waved, and the two of them repeated the action.
"She's pretty," Claire observed.
Jack spun his head around to face her. "Really? I didn't notice."
"A new female assistant with good looks and you don't notice."
"I never notice these things, Claire." He thought for a moment. "Are you jealous?" he asked with a laugh.
"No, I'm just saying-."
"That I've had a relationship with every female assistant I've ever had, and you're worried that I'll begin a secret affair with Jamie while I'm engaged to you."
"It's possible…"
"Claire," he sighed, taking both her sh "Okay." Claire hung up the phone and did what Jack suggested, adding the mess of an attempt at cooking to the garbage pile. oulders and forcing her to face him. "I love you. I've never cheated on any woman in my life. Why would you be the first, particularly when I've just asked you to marry me?"
"I don't know…I just thought-."
"Claire," he sighed, pulling her in his arms. "Just stop thinking for one day, will ya?"
Claire sighed and breathed in his scent. He was warm and his chest was comfortable. She just enjoyed the moment. "Love you too," she whispered back.
Claire was trying hard to prepare for another meeting. She'd never been a good cook- particularly because she burns everything she puts in the oven. She'd wanted to make a good impression on their next female guest…because she was Rebecca McCoy, Jack's daughter. Since Claire was going to be her step-mother, she might as well get to know her a little bit and attempt to bond with her.
Claire didn't know what to say to the girl. She had no idea how a nineteen-year-old would react to a step-mother that was approaching thirty-five. She understood the age difference between her and Jack was a little off, but she aimed to show Rebecca that she loved Rebecca's father and that Rebecca's father meant more to her than anything in the world. A fifteen year age difference couldn't have counted for less.
Claire just put something in the oven. She hoped the oven was cool enough for no burning to begin. She then started on another dish. Just as she was about to finish the second dish (which wasn't looking at all like the recipe said it should), she smelled something burning in the oven. "Shit!" she screamed in anger. She rushed over to the oven and pulled out burned pork chops. "Goddamn it!" she yelled. She slapped the burnt pork on the stove top and kicked the oven door. She decided against putting the second dish on the burners to cook. She might fill the entire apartment with the smell of burnt food.
She walked over to the landline and placed a call in on Jack's new cell phone. Those things were never reliable and they always broke connection at the worst times. Claire thought her luck was going in the opposite direction, though.
Once she dialed his number, it rang three times. "McCoy," he finally answered.
"Hi Jack," she whispered a little guiltily.
"Claire?" he questioned. "What's wrong? You sound a little upset."
"Could you pick up a couple pizzas? Whatever your daughter likes."
"Oh, God. Did you try to cook?"
"Futilely," she said with a grimace Jack couldn't see.
"Great. The apartment now smells like burnt food."
"I wanted to make a good impression on your daughter."
"You could have let me cook."
Claire thought for a moment. She was a woman, and her fiancé was better in the kitchen than she was. She was disappointed in herself. "I know. I'm sorry. I just thought that maybe something bad wouldn't have happened."
"Remember the last time you tried to cook for me?"
"Yeah. Not only was the kitchen a mess and full of smoke, but I was hysterical." Claire paused. "Maybe I should have learned my lesson."
"It's okay. I'm just about to pick her up from Hudson. I'll be home in forty-five minutes. Spray some air freshener, open the windows, take a shower, and change your clothes. It'll be fine."
"Thanks Jack. I love you."
"Love you too, Claire. I'll be home soon."
Jack was eavesdropping from the kitchen as he began to bring out plates and pizza to the table. He knew Claire was going to command respect. Once he called Rebecca and Claire to dinner, he pulled Rebecca aside. "I forgot to mention that she was as stubborn as a horse's ass."
"I don't understand Dad," Rebecca inquired as she and Jack entered the apartment with two veggie pizzas. "Why are you marrying this woman if she can't do the simplest thing you ask her?"
"Because I love her," Jack told her. "Look, this woman is young…in her late twenties. I don't want any shock or misbehavior from you. She's trying really hard to leave a good impression on you."
"Dad," Rebecca groaned.
"I'm serious, Becca. I don't want you doing anything or saying anything that might upset her."
"Fine," she said, and then she sniffed the air. "This place smells like a smoker's den. What the hell happened?"
"I told her to spray it with air freshener."
"She did," came the voice of Claire Kincaid. She had changed her dress and re-did her hair and make-up. "Unfortunately, we don't have anything strong enough to mask the smell of burnt pork chops. Sorry about the smell."
"It's okay," said Jack, walking up to kiss her on the forehead. "I'm going to set dinner up while the two of you talk."
Jack left the two women alone in the same room. An awkward silence fell upon the room. "How are you in your late twenties?" Rebecca finally asked.
"Excuse me?" Claire tried to clarify.
"You look like you're in your twenties, you can't do housework worth a damn, and you're marrying my father, a man who has fifty years of life experience under his belt. How is he supposed to have a happy life with a woman who doesn't know what she's doing?"
Claire stood there, shocked. She had no idea why Rebecca hated her so much. She didn't even know Claire. "Sit down, Rebecca," Claire ordered.
"Oh, now I have to take orders from you?"
"Sit down, now! So help me if I have to treat you like a defendant."
Rebecca was totally caught off guard. She sat down and shut her mouth before Claire could do anything more. Claire took the seat beside Rebecca. "Now you listen to me, Rebecca McCoy. I have tried very hard to leave a good impression on you. I tried to make the house spotless for you. I tried to cook a meal for you. I'm trying really hard to earn your respect short of trying to get you to like me, which you don't have to do. I'm just asking for a little courtesy as opposed to complete hatred. I'm just asking for a little respect." Rebecca had a stunned look on her face. "I'm trying really hard, Rebecca. I'm sorry if I'm not the greatest housewife in the world, but I'm good at my job. I just want to show you that I'm worthy to be your father's wife and your step-mother. Hell, your father deserves better than me. I was just lucky he chose me. I love him. I really love him. And I'll do anything to earn that love from him and that respect from you. That's how hard I'm trying to earn this place. And I'll do anything to keep myself there."
"That might have been worth mentioning, Dad."