Jesse watched as Adam and Tad argued about how best to take care of JR. Both men loved him and called him their son. But just like when JR was growing up they both had very different opinions on what was best for the boy.
He noticed that Brooke was trying to keep Adam calm but was looking paler then when they came up. It was too soon for her to be involved in one of Adam's arguments she should be resting not stopping the man from going to blows with Tad Martin.
Jesse stepped in between the two men. "You know instead of arguing about where JR's going to stay when they release him tomorrow maybe you two should work together on how best to jog his memory. That way when he's arrested he knows what the hell he's being arrested for."
"You can't arrest my son if he can't remember anything about the shooting." Adam like Tad and Dixie wanted to protect his son. Yes, what he had done was wrong but what kind of father doesn't at least try to fight for their boy. Plus he had to make up for not being there the last year as JR went out of control.
"Adam the evidence against JR is solid. Just because he doesn't remember pulling the trigger doesn't change the fact that he almost killed everyone in that room. Including your nephew and the woman you had just become engaged to." Jesse understood Adam's need to protect his son but despite the amnesia JR had committed a crime and it was his job to see that justice was served.
Adam looked down at Brooke. She had insisted they come down here so he could see his son but now she looked so exhausted after walking around the hospital. And now she had to stand here and listen as he tried to defend the man that put a bullet in her. Adam was torn in two. Part of him needed to save his son to keep him safe and the other part of him wanted to go in there and strangle his son for the pain he had caused.
Jesse looked at Tad, "I know you want to protect JR as long as possible but if he's going to get his memory back the Doctor's right he needs to be back in the mansion where everything happened. Why don't you go in there with Dixie and help him remember at least the last few years." He then turned to Adam, "Adam I understand your need to protect your son. If it was Frankie or Natalia I would probably be feeling the same way you are but you can't protect him this time. All you can do his help him be prepared to face the consequences of his actions."
Adam to a deep breath in as he resigned himself to the fact that this time he couldn't sweep JR's actions under the rug. He put his arm around Brooke's waist and led her back towards her room.
Before they reached her room she asked him to sit with her in the hallway. He felt so guilty sitting there with her knowing he was trying to keep JR out of trouble when she was physically hurt from his reckless actions.
He held her hand in his as he looked into her eyes, "Brooke I'm so sorry."
Brooke looked at him, "Adam you don't have to apologize to me."
"But I'm trying to help the man that shot and almost killed you. What kind of husband am I that I don't want to see anything bad happen to the person that could have taken you from me."
"You're a father Adam. No one blames you for trying to protect JR. We understand why you feel you need to. But Jesse's right Adam you can't protect him this time he went too far he's got to be held accountable for his actions. All you can do is be there for him and find him a lawyer that will get a few years taken of his prison sentence. You know as well as I do that Jackson Montgomery is not going to stand by and let JR walk on these charges."
Tad walked into JR's room and saw him talking with Dixie. JR was still having a hard time understanding how it was that his mother was alive again. He looked up as Tad walked in.
"Tad I'm so glad you here. Where's Babe? No one will tell me what's going on. You were at the Comeback when the tornado's hit. Tell me about my wife. And my son! Where's Little A?"
"AJ," was all Tad could say.
"AJ?" JR looked confused.
"Your son goes by AJ now. He has for awhile."
"When did that happen? We were still calling him Little A when we left San Diego to come back here last week." JR was growing more irritated every second.
Tad shook his head, "No JR. You weren't in San Diego last week. You were in Pine Valley."
"NO! We were in San Diego. We only came back here because the whole Bella mess at Fusion. Adam made us come back here." He as becoming angry at the lack of real answers and the circles he felt like they were leading him through.
"JR I'm sorry but that was three years ago. The tornado's rocked this town in 2008."
"I've been asleep for 3 years?"
"No son you haven't. You were in a car accident. You and AJ."
"What about Babe? Was she in the accident to? Is Little…AJ ok?" JR tried to comprehend what Tad was telling him.
"I'm sorry son Babe died in the tornado's. She and AJ were trapped at the Comeback. She died to save his life." The pain in JR's eyes matched the same pain he had all those years ago when he lost her.
"No…no…no….she didn't die. Where is my wife Tad. We were going to get married. We were finally going to be happy."
Jesse leaned against the wall listening as Dixie and Tad tried to get JR to understand everything that had happened over the last few years. There was part of him that felt for the man as he had to face the loss of his wife all over again. He would never wish that kind of pain on his worst enemy.
Even though Jesse sympathized with JR he couldn't, no wouldn't let the image of Angie lying on the floor blood covering the floor. The sounds of Greenlee's screams echoed in his mind. The pain in Bianca's eyes as she kept pressure on Marissa's bullet wound was burned into his mind. As bad as he felt for the man he knew that the man needed to pay for what he had done to the people of his town. Real or fake amnesia didn't excuse his behavior he needed to pay for what he had done and Jesse was going to make sure he didn't get off on some technicality.
Jesse stepped off the wall and walked down the halls to find Angie. The hour was growing late and they had spent so little time together. He was going to take her to the Yacht Club for their first dinner alone in weeks.
As day turned into night in Pine Valley Kendall watched as Zach tucked in their boys and Bianca's little girls. Jake and Amanda watched as baby Trevor slept. They held tight to one another relishing in the innocence of their little boy. Frankie laid his head on Randi's belly talking to their baby as they watched a movie. Krystal sat alone in her restaurant praying for her daughter and grandson.
A quiet lull rested over the hospital. Jackson watched as Greenlee fell asleep. Adam climbed into the bed with Brooke as the two let sleep overcome them. Marissa let out a sigh of relief as the doctors told her AJ's fever had broken.
Life in Pine Valley had returned to some semblance of normal. The people went to bed feeling as if things were finally right again. They had no idea of the events that would unfold in the coming days.