Resolutions
Chapter Fifteen
Jess rolled over and turned off the alarm. Derek pulled her back to the center of the bed. She snuggled closer. It was going to be a long day. With doctor's appointments, pictures, meetings, and wedding plans Jess just wanted to pull the blanket over her head and forget about today.
"You want to save time and take a shower together?" Derek whispered in her ear.
"It sounds really good but have we actually showered in the shower the last two days?"
"Does it really matter?" He laughed and pulled her closer.
"Not really." She turned in his arms. There was a knock on the door. "It's seven o'clock in the morning. Who the hell could that be?"
"No clue."
"You know its Cody." Jess got up and grabbed her robe. "You start the shower I'll get rid of the pest." Derek headed for the bathroom and Jess opened the door. "How did I know it was you?"
"Because you love seeing me first thing in the morning." He smiled. Jess leaned against the door.
"You got me confused with someone else." He handed her two files.
"I'm off for two weeks Cody. I won't do your paper work."
"It's not my paper work. It's your pare…Lee and Hale's medical records." Jess looked confused. "I thought with the baby coming you might need to know about your medical history. I pulled a few strings and got them from the law offices."
"I don't know what to say."
"You don't have to say anything. I just want you to know what to expect. Mom and Dad knew the basics and got your records when they adopted you but I knew you didn't know anything about Lee and Hale's history." She reached to touch Cody's cheek. He pulled back. "The last time you did that you punched me." Jess smiled and hugged him.
"I love you Cody." He hugged her back.
"I love you to sis." Jess stepped back.
"We'll come to the station after the appointment."
"You're giving him his sled today?" Jess smiled.
"He's going to hate it." Cody smiled.
"Blame Garcia. It was her idea. I must say Matt outdid himself on that one though." Cody looked at his sister. "Take care. I'll see you after your appointment." Jess closed the door and headed to the shower.
"Was it Cody?" Derek said over the water.
"Yeah." Jess took off her robe and stepped into the shower. Derek turned and looked at her.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah. Cody just brought Lee and Hale's medical records so I would have them."
"Their medical records?"
"Yeah. I never had them before now. No real reason to, I guess. All my records came with me when I came to live here." Jess stood under the spray of the water. Derek kissed her and all thoughts of medical records and Lee and Hale were lost.
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"Jess Hawkes?" The nurse called her name. She and Derek stood up and followed her into a small room. "My names Bess, I'm Dr. Hamilton's nurse." Jess smiled. She hated small rooms. Put a friendly nurse and doctor in the mix it made her more uncomfortable. Taking a deep breath Jess prayed that the morning sickness that had been noticeably absent this morning wouldn't rear its ugly head.
"Sorry, my fiancé is a little nervous. She's not big on doctors." The nurse smiled.
"Don't worry, Dr. Hamilton is the best." She took a blood pressure cuff and did all the routine things for first time visits. "The doctor will be in soon." The older woman stood and left the room.
"Breathe Jess." Derek took her hand. It was cold and clammy. "Baby there's nothing to be worried about."
"Maybe I should have read those reports. Maybe I have some genetic disposition to some complicated birth defect."
"Jess, stop. Shep's seen your medical records and he never said anything was wrong. Now be nice to the lady doctor and maybe she'll give you a lollypop." Jess looked at him.
"You forget Morgan I carry a gun. Keep it up and you'll find out what kind of shot I am." The door opened and a woman who looked fifteen came into the room. Jess started to stand up but Derek pulled her down.
"Jess Hawkes. I have heard so much about you. I couldn't wait till I could meet you in person." Jess forced a smile.
"Here I am." Dr. Hamilton reached out her hand and Jess shook it.
"You must be the father to be."
"Derek Morgan." They shook hands.
"Great, we'll get things started. When you checked in you gave your parents medical records. Dr. Shepard had motioned you were adopted and that you may have some questions, I'll go over them before our next visit and see if there's anything we may be concerned about."
"Thank you." Jess took a deep breath.
"Well why don't we get you set up for and ultra sound. You have your conception on October twenty third."
"Yes." The doctor continued writing.
"That should put your due date around the seventeenth of July." The doctor stood up. "If you would like to get on the table we'll set up. How's your morning sickness been?"
"Today was the first time in a couple of weeks I haven't thrown up."
"Good, so things are looking up?"
"You could say that I guess." Derek helped Jess on the table.
"Dr. Shepard said you were shot about a month ago. And then caught in an avalanche that dislocated your shoulder?"
"Shep sure is the chatty one now isn't he."
"He just wanted to update me on things." The doctor pulled out the table to accommodate her legs. "So this morning you felt better?"
"Yeah, not too bad. I was able to eat some toast." The doctor worked on the machine in front of her.
"Have you been eating after the bouts in the morning?"
"Toast mostly. But I've been eating pretty good at dinner."
"No lunch?"
"Fruit if I have time. Yogurt." Dr. Hamilton looked at the chart in front of her.
"You've lost nearly ten pounds since you were admitted two weeks ago. We'll have to keep and eye on that. Maybe now that the morning sickness has gotten better." The young doctor smiled. "If you pull up your shirt we can get started." Jess pulled her shirt up to her breasts. "This will be cold." The doctor put jell on her belly. Then ran a wand over it.
"Is that her?" Derek asked as the doctor stopped.
"Her? You already have a hunch dad?"
"Pretty much. Gotta have a girl as beautiful as her mom." Jess smiled.
"Well it's too early to tell that but when your ready I'm sure we can let you know." Jess was quiet.
"Are you okay Jess?" Derek looked at her. She nodded. He took her hand. She was shaking. "That's our baby Jess." He kissed her cheek.
"Yeah." Jess swallowed hard. Dr. Hamilton made some notes and printed out some pictures.
"Everything looks good Jess. I'm a little concerned about your weight loss but with the morning sickness over I'm sure you can put on a pound by our next appointment. Do have any concerns?"
"I'm a pilot. Helicopters mostly. Is it okay to go up if I need to?"
"I don't see why not at least for the next few months. Play it by ear. Your work, other then the flying is there anything else you think you might not be able to do?"
"I'm taking the desk for the next seven months or so. But sometimes we need an extra pilot."
"Flying is okay for now. Repelling down cliffs and skiing down mountains not recommended. Shep told me you're a bit of a dare devil." Jess laughed.
"That was before I added wife and mother to my list."
"Well it's a long and distinguished list. Be proud of all you done." Dr. Hamilton stood. "Take your time getting out of here." She handed them three pictures. "I labeled the parts so you can brag to your friends. I will see you in a month." She put out her hand and they both shook it and she left.
"I like her." Derek helped Jess clean up and get off the table.
"Yeah. Better then I expected." Jess hugged Derek. The left the doctor's office on cloud nine. Neither one of them thought they would ever come down.
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The picture taking took longer then they expected. Getting fifteen people and three kids to sit still long enough to get one good picture wasn't as easy as they thought it would be. It was nearly noon before the Ranger's new and old gathered around the table. Matt stood at the head and handed out papers.
"The new year starts the new schedule. It's not perfect by any means but we've been slow for the last three weeks and after Christmas it's going to get slower till spring break." He sat down. "Some of you need some training hours and I would love for all of us to have them in on time for once. So if you can, on your days off pick up a book and read. Any medical training you need to bone up on Jess is on desk duty until further notice so ask her to find what you need or teach it to you."
"I promise I won't bite." Everyone laughed.
"Keep telling them that Jess. Maybe they will believe you." Cody stood up and handed out his papers. "The weather has sucked around here since before Halloween and if the reports are right it's only going to get worse. The plows aren't getting out like they should but that's only because the plow drivers are working around the clock and they need a break now and then. We will be making welfare checks up the mountain." Cody glared at Cutler. "I talked to my dad and he's going up today with Izzy and Robin to try and talk Gabe into coming down till after Christmas, but if he doesn't someone will go up there once a week and chop wood and bring him supplies."
"He makes a hell of a cup of coffee." Cutler said. Cody smiled.
"Glad you see things my way Jimmy." Cody sat down. Matt stood.
"With that said boys and girls I would like to welcome Derek Morgan to our ranks. Most of you have met him. He's got a lot to bring to the table here and I respect his input. I expect you all to make sure you show him around when you're on patrol and please don't loose him like you did Cooper because I'm not going to try to explain to my father why my sister's husband was dumped in the middle of nowhere to fend for himself. I still can't look Cooper's mom in the eye." They all laughed. "Okay let's take this meeting into the shed." They all got up. Jess waited till everyone was ahead of her before she started.
"You okay sis?" Cody stopped.
"Just a little dizzy."
"Did you eat this morning?"
"Toast." Cody led her into the kitchen and got her some orange juice.
"When this thing is done I'll make you something."
"Cody you don't have to do that. I'm fine." He led her out the kitchen door.
"You look like your going to pass out."
"I'm fine, really." They stopped at the small entrance of the barn.
"Nice of you two to join us." Matt looked at his siblings.
"Sorry." Jess looked pale.
"Okay. I'm seeing a lot of wet floors in the main building. If you've forgotten this area here is to take the snow off your sleds before you park them. It also is for mud from your bikes and four wheelers. I just got the ATV's that are replacing the ones Jess and Derek let get blown up last fall." Jess looked at Derek.
"I told you we would never live that down."
"Your right he doesn't let things go does he?"
"Okay you two, you also owe Cutler three hundred bucks to replace his door." Jess eyes got wide.
"Find Satan and take it out of his hide." Matt laughed.
"Jess is still in charge of maintenance till further notice so if you're having trouble with anything mechanical see her."
"Till I get to big to see under the hood." She looked at Jacobs whose eyes got wide. "Sorry I thought everyone knew. I'm pregnant." Tonya Jacobs hugged her.
"Guess I'm the last to know everything."
"Work once in a while and you'd know everything." Jayden Trainer told her.
"Okay…one last thing. Jess." Jess went over to a sled in the corner.
"We all have call names. Not all of them are appreciated the way they should be but my father and Matt have made it mandatory to have one. When I polled…" She looked at Matt, "Is that the word I'm looking for?" Matt smiled and shrugged. "Anyway Derek…I was stumped when Matt asked me about what you might like for your call name. I had a whole lot of them but nothing you could put on the front of a snowmobile for God and my father to see." The group laughed. Jess stepped back. "This is what I got." Matt and Cody took off the cover.
"Jess…" Derek looked at her and laughed. On the front of the sled was a big black thunder cloud and a big candy bar ripped in half. Under it were the words, Chocolate Thunder. "You are so not talking to Garcia ever again." He hugged her. "Ah…thank you …I think." They all laughed,
"Okay people those who are here to work get cracking and the rest of you get out of here." Matt went to Jess and Derek. "I can repaint it with anything you want. Jess and I just couldn't resist."
"You did this?"
"Jess asked me too." Derek smiled.
"It's great Matt. You don't have to change it." Jess pulled a picture out of her pocket.
"You want to see the first picture of your niece?" She handed him the picture.
"Jess this is great. I guess you can't deny it's real." He handed the picture back. "I'm happy for both of you." He hugged Jess and shook Derek's hand. "I have to get to work. We still on for tonight Derek?"
"Yeah."
"We'll meet you at the Lodge around six."
"Sounds good." Jess looked at Derek.
"Should I ask what you two are up to?"
"You can but I won't tell." He kissed her and pressed her against the door of the shed. "It's a secret."
"My brother's are getting you drunk aren't they?"
"Not if I can help it. I needed to go pick up a few things and one thing lead to another and they sucked me in Jess." She smiled.
"Just don't start talking about me with Cutler because it will only end badly. My brother's carry guns and you might get caught in the cross fire sweetheart." Jess ran her hand down his cheek. "Does this mean my mother didn't just invite me to her house for a last minute dress fitting?"
"You didn't hear it from me." He kissed her again and let his hands go down her back and cover her rear end.
"Okay people no PDA's on Ranger property." Cody came out to the shed. "You need to eat something young lady and stop molesting this man."
"Hey I don't give you crap when you grab your wife's ass while I'm trying to eat dinner so stay out of my business." Cody laughed.
"Okay, fair enough but go eat. I made you an omelet. Go eat it before Flynn does." Derek let Jess go.
"You have to stop taking care of me Cody." She looked at him.
"I have three more days till I hand that responsibility over to this guy. Humor me." She smiled.
"Okay. Please take care of him tonight." She turned and headed toward the station.
"You told her!"
"When was the last time you tried to lie to your sister?" Cody looked at him. He couldn't do it anymore then Derek could.
"Izzy will have to keep you out of trouble because I'm getting plastered."
"Like your wife will put up with you hung over on Christmas Eve anymore then Jess will me. Or your parents for that matter." Cody raised his eyebrows.
"You have a point. Can I at least get a buzz?"
"Fine. But if Jess asked it was all you." Cody nodded.
"You have my back I have yours doesn't apply with Jess does it?"
"Nope. She'll take us both down without a second thought." Derek laughed and headed the direction of the station.
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
Cody looked at the computer screen and closed his eyes and rubbed them. He was getting way too old for this crap. Storm fronts running into storm fronts were driving him insane.
"It's almost five Cody, why don't you call it a day." Matt was at the door of the weather room.
"I have a ton of paperwork to file before tomorrow."
"Nothings going to happen if you leave it till the week end."
"When you can't find the barometer reports don't come crying to me." He stood up. "If you were going to train anyone to read these things, who would it be?"
"Is this a trick question?"
"Unless you're going to hire another meteorologist I need to teach someone to read the reports. Jess is the only other person who can sort any of this crap out with some sort of certainty."
"Robin?"
"Okay. Tell her Monday she starts working with me. I don't want to have Jess worrying." Jess came into the office.
"Jess doesn't worry. She frets." She looked at her brothers. They both looked a little rough. "Oh, tough room." She sat down and handed Cody her ultra sound picture. "I forgot to show you this before I left this afternoon. Thank you for the omelet by the way."
"She kind of looks like you Jess." Cody smiled.
"She is beautiful isn't she?" Cody looked at his sister. She was really glowing. Cody had never seen Jess look more beautiful then that moment.
"She is." Matt looked at them.
"What if it's a boy?" He asked.
"Derek is convinced it's a girl." Cody handed back the picture. Jess looked at it for the millionth time. "I hope he's not disappointed."
"Nothing you do would disappoint that man Jess." Cody got up. "Come on I'll walk you to mom and dads." He grabbed his coat. "Meet you in an hour buddy?" He looked at Matt.
"Give me two. Take it slow I'm not explaining to mom why you're puking up her Figgie pudding." Cody laughed.
"I haven't done that since college and even then it was Jess not me." Jess smacked the back of his head.
"Was not." She grabbed her coat.
"I told you the next time you hit me woman it's game on." Jess ran out the back door and Cody followed, picking up a handful of snow along the way.
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Derek sat at the bar with Cody. The rest of the guys were playing pool. It was almost eight and Matt had yet to show up.
"I should call him." Cody looked at Derek.
"He'll get here when he gets here." He took a drink of his beer,
"You so not like the other guys my sister dated." Derek laughed.
"I'm not going there with you Cody."
"I'm just saying…"
"Yeah, okay. She's really great."
"Yeah she is, isn't she?" Cody smiled. "Every day that girl amazes me." Cody turned and set his beer on the bar. "The day she pulled my ass out of Afghanistan was the day I realized she wasn't a kid I could protect anymore."
"You thought differently before?"
"I knew she always had my back but that was above and beyond." Derek looked at his future brother in law.
"It takes a special woman to suit up and go half way across the world to a war torn country and pull your ass out."
"Damn straight my friend. And they were going to lock her ass up. I didn't know that till after we got back and she didn't visit me in the hospital. Matt wouldn't tell me. I thought she was mad at me for accepting the mission. Turns out she was in the brig." Cody laughed. "You haven't seen pissed till you've seen Jesse Hawkes after he finds out one of his kids is being detained at a Marine Corp base on charges of treason."
"Really. They arrested her?"
"Damn straight. She saw it coming though. Made Matt and Cutler jump out at the border. You're getting yourself a mighty fine woman there Morgan." Derek knew that, but it was really nice to here it from someone else.
"You're so cut off Cody." Matt came up to the bar. "A beer Chrissie." The blond smiled.
"You got it Matt." He sat next to his brother.
"Sorry about chatty Cathy here. Give him a beer and you can't shut him up."
"I resent that. I just was telling our brother Derek here what a kick ass woman he's marrying." Matt smiled.
"Not that you aren't the least bit bias or anything."
"And your not?" He looked at Cody.
"Yeah well, I guess I am." Derek laughed.
"I'm glad she has you guys. She wouldn't know how to love like she does if it wasn't for you and your parents." Cody looked at Matt. Matt downed his beer and turned and got another one from the blond bar tender. "Did I say something wrong?" Cody looked at Derek.
"No man, we know that Jess wouldn't be the same if she hadn't come to live with us." Cody downed his beer. "Now more then ever." Derek looked at the younger man.
"Talk to me Cody." Cody turned and Derek saw what Jess always saw when Cody was holding back his anger. The storm in his blue eyes was unmistakable.
"Just know that if Lee and Hale had lived the Jess who we know would have died a long, long time ago." He slammed his beer bottle down and headed to the pool table. Derek looked at Matt who hadn't turned away from the bar. He was staring at a point far off in the distance.
"You okay man?"
"Yeah." He looked at Derek. "I wish I would have seen what was going on when she wasn't with us. I don't even think our parents knew. Cody knows and it's eating him up inside. Sarah says he isn't sleeping and when he does he wakes up in a cold sweat saying he's sorry."
"Maybe he should sit down and talk to Jess. Work it out?" Matt shook his head.
"She's got way too much on her plate right now. Maybe when you come back from DC."
"Matt, if this thing with Cody gets worse and it affects him in other ways he may get hurt. Or worse. Jess couldn't live with herself if that happened. If he needs to talk to Jess, let him." Matt looked at his brother standing next to Cutler. He looked like hell but nobody who valued their life would tell him that tonight. Matt took a swig of his beer and contemplated his options.
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Jess was tired. It had been a long day. Her mother had thrown her an impromptu wedding shower. It was nice for family and friends to get together but exhausting none the less. She walked into the bar to get Derek and head up to bed. Jess got way more then she bargained for. Cody stood with a pool stick in his hand and Cutler backed against the dart board. A man with a knife stood between them. Jess pushed her jacket aside and put her hand on her gun.
"Okay Wayne back off and throw the knife on the pool table." She looked at the big man.
"He's cheating Jess." Jess rolled her eyes.
"How many times does he have to take your paycheck before you realize that Wayne? He's a son of a bitch from way back. Now set the knife down before Cody takes that cue and shows you a new way to rack your balls." Wayne moved closer to Cutler.
"I can't loose that money Jess."
"Wayne you can't win this one. Just put the knife down and we all walk away." Cody set the pool cue on the table and raised his hands. Taking two steps back he stood behind Jess. He was surrounded and he knew it. Five Rangers could hold their own against one red neck but Wayne was royally pissed. "Jimmy give the man his money back." Cutler nodded and reached into his pocket.
"I was just playing with you man." Jess's hand remained on her gun.
"Wayne you don't want to spend Christmas in jail. I know Lucy and the kids would be so disappointed." Jess took a step toward the big man. "Look at me Wayne. Cutler isn't worth loosing them. I'll deal with him, you take your money and you go home and spend a quiet Christmas with your family." Jess felt Cody standing behind her breathing deeply. She could smell the beer on his breath. If she didn't end this soon Cody would do it for her and he wouldn't hold back. "Put the knife on the table and take your money and walk away and it's all forgotten. I'll talk to Jessup and it will all go away." Jess saw Matt pull out something from his pocket and lay it on the table. It was more cash. They both knew Wayne had come into the bar to win a better Christmas for his kids. "Last chance. Cody's breathing down my neck itching for a fight. Let's not give into his childish behavior." The big man dropped his knife and Matt had it in his hand before it hit the table. "Take your money and go home." The man picked up the money off the table as Jess reached behind her and Cody slipped another bunch of folded bills in her hand. As the man slowly made his way passed Jess she slid the other money in the man's pocket.
"Merry Christmas Ranger Hawkes." He nodded at Matt, Derek and Cody. "Merry Christmas." He stumbled out of the bar. Jess threw a set of keys to Matt.
"Couldn't let him off that easily." Jess tuned to Cody. "I can't leave you alone for a minute can I?" He looked sheepishly at her.
"Cutler started it." She smiled.
"And I ended it. Go home." She pushed passed him and went to the elevator, Derek close behind. Cody followed them.
"Jess…" She turned around and glared at him.
"Are you happy Cody? Damn it I expect what happened in there from Cutler but not you. You're the grown up. Wayne does this every year. You couldn't have told Cutler to back off and let him win."
"Cutler is a big boy."
"So are you. One who knows better then to kick a man when he'd down." Matt came into the lobby. "Stay out of this Matthew." She glared at him. He raised his hands.
"I'm sorry okay. I wasn't thinking. I didn't stop him and I'm sorry." Jess shook her head.
"Sorry doesn't always cut it Cody." She turned back to the elevator.
"I know. Jess I know that I'm sorry will never be able fix what happened. I can barley live with the fact that I could of done something and I couldn't because I didn't know it was happening." Jess turned to see tears falling from her brother's cheeks. "I didn't know." She knew this stopped being about Wayne and Cutler. She looked at him.
"No one could have known. It wasn't your fault Cody."
"I should have seen it. I should have known." Jess walked to him.
"I wouldn't let you. Your heart would have broken if you would have known. I couldn't bare that Cody. I had to protect you. Like you protected me. I didn't have to read some stupid journal to know they never wanted me. But I felt wanted always. By you and Matt and mom and dad. I endured those nine months ever year to come home to you and the people who loved me with everything they had."
"You could have told me." She ran her hand down his cheek.
"No because you would have had to tell dad and mom."
"They could have helped you."
"Cody, honey no one could of helped me. Lee and Hale had more connections then dad could ever imagine. But you know that now don't you." He looked at her. "Jared's CIA. He had it written all over him."
"Jess…" She put her hand on his mouth.
"I'm here and who I am because of the two sets of parents who raised me. The McCormick's are responsible for that cold steel ass bitch that comes out when she needs to. The rest is all Hawkes. I control who and what I am and I choose to be a Hawkes, now and forever so lets bury this shit and get back to what really matters." She looked at Matt. "Burn the boxes in Cody's attic. No one else needs to know anymore then they already do." Matt nodded. "And you burn that file Jared gave you before dad finds it. I hate keeping secrets but this one is best buried till the end of time." She stood on her tip toes and kissed Cody's cheek. "Go home and sleep. You look like crap." She turned and hugged Matt and took Derek's hand and pressed the up button.
"Did I miss something?" Jess looked at Derek and smiled.
"Welcome to High Mountain drama. Updates on a need to know basis." She kissed him. "Scared yet?" He shook his head and lifted her up.
"Never." The doors opened and they headed upstairs to find a little less drama and whole lot more loving.