Resolutions

Chapter Eight

"Put the gun down McKnight." Cody stood at the door. "You're never going to get out of here if you shoot anyone else." Jess looked as green as she did on the ride in. Cody kept his eyes on Hugh. "Let my sister go and we'll talk about this."

"You stole my family now I'm going to mess with yours Ranger." He cocked the gun. Jess closed her eyes.

"Come on Hugh. You know what you did. Don't make it worse. Mike was an accident. We can all see that but if you shoot Jess. It's over."

"You took Ava from me. Then Sarah."

"Ava knows who her father is Hugh. She has a picture next to her bed. The one of you and her on the day she was born. We haven't cut you out of her life. I promise you that."

"Does she call you daddy?" Cody swallowed hard.

"Yeah, she does. But she knows you're her father. That you loved her and took care of her until you couldn't anymore." He kept looking into the man's eyes. "When she's old enough we'll bring her to see you. Right now isn't the right time." Cody kept his eyes locked on Huge. He knew Jess would do what she had to. "Come on. Put the gun down and we can make this all go away."

"You don't have that much power Hawkes.'

"Oh I do Hugh. You wouldn't believe the strings I can pull if I have to. We get this over with now before the big guns are called in I can make it go away." Jess was reaching into her boot slowly as Cody talked. "Just put the gun down."

"I'm not falling for your crap Hawkes." He pressed the gun into Jess's temple.

"You shoot her and you're a dead man. They won't even wait for the ink to dry on your verdict." Jess pulled her stun gun out of her boot and rammed it Hugh's crotch. The gun slid forward and Jess ducked. Cody knocked it out of his hand and tacked him. "Jess stay back." Hugh was a good fifty pounds heavier then Cody and stronger in a lot of ways. Jess crawled into the corner.

"Your sister's a bitch." The man growled. Hitting Cody over and over. Jess sat in the corner waiting for her stun gun to recharge.

"That's why you don't mess with her you son of a bitch." Cody rolled over and threw Hugh off of him and mad an effort to reach for the gun three feel away. Jess got up but Hugh lunged for her grabbing her boot and pulling her down. Instinctively Jess wrapped her arms around her waist as she fell. Cody shifted and somehow Hugh got the gun and there was a struggle. The gun went off and both men fell to the ground.

"Cody!" Jess crawled over to him. Hugh's body was on top of Cody. "Cody!" Jess pushed Hugh off as guards came poring in. Blood was seeping from her bothers leg.

"Damn…Jess." He opened his eyes. "I can't leave you alone for a friggin' minute." She hugged him as the guards took Hugh away. "You okay?"

"You're the one bleeding?"

"Not my blood I don't think." Matt and Sarah came in. Jess slid back and wrapped her arms around herself. Sarah went to Cody and Matt bent down to check on her.

"Jess, are you okay?" She looked at Matt.

"Yeah. I forgot to give them my new toy." She showed Matt her stun gun. Think they'll write me up?" Matt took her in his arms.

"Let them try it."

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Another hospital room another Ranger down for the count. Cody was okay to go home but his bruised ribs were going to keep him out of service for at least a week. Jess got herself checked and then went out into the parking lot and called Derek.

"Answer please, God let him answer."

"Morgan's phone, Spencer Reid here."

"Hi Spence. Is Derek around?"

"Yeah, he stepped out for a minute. Are you okay?"

"Yeah…I really just need to talk to Derek."

"He's coming. Here he is."

"Hey baby."

"I love you."

"I love you too. What happened?"

"Something has to happen for me to tell you I love you."

"I can hear it in your voice Jess."

"Hugh McKnight's never getting out of prison."

"What happened?"

"His lawyer snuck in a gun. Hugh shot the state's attorney and beat the crap out of Cody." Jess swallowed hard.

"Are you okay?"

"Just a few bumps and bruises."

"I wish I could be there."

"I know. I wish I could be any where but here." She slid down and sat on the ground. "I'm done Derek. I just can't do this any more. Watching Cody get the crap beat out of him, McKnight and the gun. I just can't deal with it."

"Listen to me. You're too strong to let this get you down Jess. Where's Matt?"

"Talking to Cody's doctor."

"Okay just listen. You've dealt with worse. This is just a bump in the road baby. Cody and Matt need you right now. Need you to step up like you always do. Show them you're the strong one."

"You're good."

"I've been told." He laughed. "You going to make it?"

"Knowing you're only a week and a half away, yeah I think I can."

"Go find your brother's they'll tell you the same thing baby. I love you."

"I love you." Jess hung up. Matt was standing in front of her.

"I swear Jess did we break a mirror and someone not tell us?" He slid down next to her. "Good thing is the bastards going to get a needle in his arm for this one."

"Mike's wife. Did you see her?"

"Yeah. She's not to broken up about it. They were in the middle of a messy divorce."

"It all happened so fast Matt. The gun came out of the brief case. Mike was dead before I could turn around."

"You did good Jess. Don't ever doubt yourself."

"I'm getting written up for Sparky aren't I?'

"I think your little bit of voltage won't even make the report. If a gun made it though Sparky is the least of their worries." He looked down at the ground. "Do you want to take the rest of the year off?" Jess smiled.

"That would be nice. No Matt I can't do that to any of you and I can't do that to myself. It may have freaked my ass out today but I still live for this shit Matt. I would be lost if I had to do anything else."

"Jess you've never backed down and you've never given up. You have some serious changes coming your way. I know Cody warned everyone not to mention the hormone thing but take it into consideration."

"I know. I have to control them and this damn morning sickness." She smiled. "Have I been that difficult?"

"Not really. Just some ups and downs, nothing we can't handle. Cody and Sarah should be ready to go. How about you?"

"Yeah. I want to go home and fall into bed for about a week." She looked at him. "I know I don't have a bed. Maybe mom and dad will put me up."

"Jess we can wait till this weekend to get the cabin ready. Jen won't be here till the twenty first. You need your home. My home is your home Jess."

"I know. Being a grown up isn't looking as good as it used to be." Matt got up and reached for his sister's hand and pulled her up too.

"It's about time you figured that out."

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The ride back home was quiet. Jess found if she closed her eyes the car sickness wasn't so bad. She knew the boys were worried about her. She could feel Cody staring at the back of her head and Matt steeling glances every chance he got. Jess knew she had to grow up. She had to stop depending on her brother's to protect her when things got rough.

"Jess." She opened her eyes.

"Yeah." Matt was parked in front of a diner.

"Do you feel like getting something to eat?"

"Maybe something light." Jess got out of the car. Sarah helped Cody out of the back. They walked into the diner and sat in at a table in the back. Cody looked at his sister.

"Would you stop it? I'm fine. Really Cody. You both need to stop worrying about me." The waitress put down menu's and water then left.

"Like that's ever going to happen." Cody leaned back in his chair. "Jess please don't take this the wrong way but you can't take care of yourself." She rolled her eyes and glared at him.

"How the hell am I supposed to take that? I took care of myself for a lot of years without anyone's help." Matt knew this wasn't going to end well.

"Okay will you two stop? I've really had it up to here with the two of you fighting. Now shut up and order your damn lunch." Jess, Cody and Sarah looked at him then looked at their menus and didn't say a word till they had to place their order.