Some People Change

Nicole and Jess came back to the local field office after having talked to the director of the pageants that Bailey was in.

"You've been gone for three hours," Antonio said. "What took you so long?"

"The director was in the middle of a pageant and wasn't available to speak to us until after it was over, so we had to sit through two hours of sixteen children being degraded," Jess's tone said she was disgusted without her having to.

"And it was all for nothing because she couldn't tell us anything. We did get a list of all the janitors for the auditorium, but I don't think it will lead anywhere. The director told us that during pageants the only people allowed in the Octoplex are the contestants, their families, her, and the lady that takes the tickets."

"What tickets?"

"The family and friends of the girls in the show are given tickets that they must show before coming in the building. It's very carefully monitored, so just anyone can't come in."

"Just in case I found eighteen offenders that fit our profile. Sixteen have been cleared and the other two are gone."

"Gone where?" Nicole asked.

"If we knew that then they'd be here," Jess retorted.

Antonio interjected to keep the peace. "We don't know where they are, but their pictures are in the media and we made it clear that they are only wanted for questioning. They are no where near close to being suspects."

Jess caught a look of the clock on the wall. "One of us has to get back if we're going to be in Maryland before eight. Who's staying and who's going?"

"We're all going," Nicole said. "Tomorrow morning we can talk to the nannies and parents again."

xxxxx

The jet took them back to the D.C. office. Antonio left. Nicole stayed back to talk to Jess about something that had been bothering her.

"Jess, I need to talk to you."

"If this is about anything other than business, Nicole, I don't want to hear it."

"It is about business. I would like you to do me a favor. I feel uncomfortable having Ethan in your house..as long as you're with Nathan. But I don't want to have to get another nanny, so would you mind if Teresa watches Joe and Ethan in my home?"

As angry as Jess was with Nicole she couldn't find any fault in that request. She didn't even want her own son in that house. "Not at all. When I get home I will tell Teresa to go to your house tomorrow morning."

xxxxx

Nicole was the only one who went straight home. Jess stopped by her attorney's to get the divorce papers her lawyer left for her in his office mailbox. And Antonio swung by his lawyer's to pick up something as well.

xxxxx

Nicole made her home look perfect for the wedding planner that she and Antonio were expecting.

The doorbell rang.

"That's her," Nicole said.

They answered the door holding hands.

"Hello, I'm Beth, the wedding planner."

"I'm Nicole, this is Antonio."

They adjourned to the living room. "My mother is going to be helping with this. I can't imagine what's keeping her."

"That's okay. Tonight we are just going to cover the basics. We won't get into the major decisions until next week." She gave them a guide of outfits to choose from. "This catalog contains almost every kind of wedding attire that exists. Everything from bride's dresses to the ring bearer's suit."

"All I have to do is look through this book?" Nicole asked pleasantly surprised at the simplicity.

"Welcome to wedding attire choosing in the twenty-first century. But it's not all that easy. What kind of wedding would you both like?"

"Something small and simple. We are only inviting our closest family and friends."

Antonio nodded in agreement.

Carla came by after Beth had left and looked through the catalog with her daughter.

After two long hours of listening to Nicole and her mom discuss the wedding Antonio slipped away unnoticed up to the master bedroom. He opened the drawer of the nightstand to get the prenuptial agreement he had picked up on his way home. He hoped there was a way he could show it to Nicole without upsetting her, but he knew there wasn't. He even practiced in front of a full length mirror.

When he gave up rehearsing talking to Nicole he called Elias. He still hadn't been able to get in touch with him. He got the machine. "It's me again. Call me back, Elias. I mean it."

"Mom's gone," Nicole stood in the door way until he hung up before she came in, "you can come out of hiding now."

"He's still not answering."

"I'm sure he's fine."

"Sit down." He reached out for her hand which she gave him and sat on the bed

"About the wedding-"

"Uh-oh. You're not backing out are you?" she said only slightly kidding.

"No…There's no easy way to say this, so I'll just say it. I got a prenup and I would appreciate it if you would sign it."

Nicole yanked her hand out of his and left the bedroom.

"Nicole, wait."

She turned around.

"This is only precautionary. Fifty percent of marriages end in divorce. Putting that together with our past it only makes sense to-"

"Just assume we're going to end up divorced? Why the hell are we getting married then?" She left and he didn't stop her.

xxxxx

Nathan and Jess's discussion was interrupted by the sound of Nicole's car peeling out of the driveway across the street.

"What the hell was that?" Nathan said.

"Forget that. What's it going to be?" She'd shown him the divorce papers and given him an ultimatum, give up the Mafia or give up his family.

"I can't make that kind of choice."

"I think you just did." She gave him the pen to sign, but he pushed her hand away and stood up indignant.

"I can't believe you would make me do this."

"And I can't believe you would put me in this position."

"What do you expect me to do? I'm supposed to give up my whole life—not to mention the money—and get some crappy job flipping burgers? We can't give our kids the kind of life we had on minimum wage, Jess."

"Okay, first of all, that money you make was never going to be used for anything on our children. I'd rather work two jobs than send my kids to school with blood money. Secondly, your family should be your whole life, not this, and thirdly, you went to college for four years. There are a million other things you are qualified to do."

"If that's what you want it's done."

"Just like that?"

"Just like that."

But Jess didn't seem satisfied.

"What, you don't believe me?"

"I'm sorry, but no. I think you need—we both need—time to think. To make our decisions based on a lot of thought given to them, not in the heat of the moment. You need to find out what is important to you, Nathan."

Nathan left that night. He would spend their separation in a hotel twenty minutes away. No one would ever know they were separated.

xxxxx

The next day Antonio started his new position at the airport. Nicole hadn't come back to their home until after two the night before, so she was running on no sleep that day. Jess did very little sleeping herself and was tired as well.

They got their coffee, briefed Kemyss, and got on the plane; all without saying a word to the other.

"I'll talk to the nannies and you can interview the parents, okay?"

"All right." Nicole wanted to say more than that. She wanted to say something that would be a start to her reconciling with Jess, but she couldn't think of what to say. She contemplated apologizing, but it would be insincere. She wasn't sorry for finding out the truth about Nathan.

xxxxx

Nicole sat down with Bailey's parents while Jess talked to the nannies in the other room.

"About how many hours a week do you care for Bailey?" Jess asked the nannies.

"Almost all day everyday…until after she goes to bed," Gwendolyn said.

"Then I arrive," Elizabeth said. "I have a room on the other side of the house. Sometimes Mr. and Mrs. Hughes are home, but they need me here in case they have to leave."

"Why would they leave in the middle of the night?"

Elizabeth shrugged.

"When they are home do they care for the girl?"

"Not really, no. If she has a nightmare or needs something I take care of it."

"The only time Ella spends time with Bailey is when we are prepping her for the pageants," Gwendolyn explained.

xxxxx

"Why even have a child if you never want to have anything to do with them?" Jess asked as they were on their way back to the field office.

"She's a trophy child. They want to show her off. They don't want to spend time with her otherwise."

"How did they seem?"

"Devestated. Honestly, I don't think they did it."

"Neither do I. Aside from the fact that both nannies seemed like they were hiding something, I had a vision while I was talking with them. I saw this woman running with Bailey. She was white with shoulder-length brown hair."

"A woman? Who is she?"

"Let's go find out."

xxxxx

When they got to the field office nearest to Bailey's home Antonio's replacement was there.

"Devin Ricardo. Nice to meet you." Nicole knew him, so he introduced himself to Jess.

"Likewise."

"What did you make of Jess's vision?"

"I looked into Ella and Jose's past. The only thing that stands out is that they have had an exorbinate amount of nannies."

"That explains why the nannies seem to be hiding something," Jess said.

"Not necessarily," Nicole replied, "they are a celebrity family. The nannies probably have to sign contracts to not speak to the media. If they do they will be sued. On top of that they can never leave the house without being followed and having pictures taken."

"So maybe they quit because they couldn't take the pressure."

"I'm going to get some of them in here to answer some questions." Nicole left the room.

"Is something wrong with her?" Devin asked Jess about Nicole's abrupt exit.

"We're not getting along well these days. We try to work on our own parts of the assignment and stay out of each others way. Do you have photos of Bailey's nannies?"

He gave her a file filled with driver's license pictures. While she leafed through them trying to find a nanny that matched the woman in her vision, Devin decided that was a good time to unburden himself to his new colleague.

"Agent Massey?"

"Yes."

He nervously cleared his throat. "So…uh I don't know if you know this or not, but Agent Scott asked me to follow your husband. I figured if we were going to work together you should know that I am the one who was responsible for all that stuff you probably found out about him."

"I knew. But thank you for telling me. I appreciate the honesty."

"Are we going to be able to work together peacefully?"

"Sure. I don't blame you. You were only following Agent Scott's orders."

"Oh. That's why you two are angry with each other."

"I am not in the mood to talk about that right now."

"Okay. Does anyone in there look familiar?"

"No." She closed the file and set it on the desk. "This doesn't make any sense to me. If the woman carrying Bailey wasn't a nanny who was she?

xxxxx

Nicole and Jess wrapped up their business in California and went home. Nicole got home after eight that evening. She knew it was time to talk to Antonio about the fight.

"Is Ethan in bed?" Nicole asked.

"Yes."

"How was your first day?"

"I can see myself working there until I retire. I'm going to have to get used to coming home before it gets dark out though."

"Antonio, I was thinking about yesterday and I'm sorry."

He was surprised to hear that from her. He expected she would want an apology from him. He expected there would be another fight when he wouldn't give it to her.

"…The night that you proposed and we had that talk you seemed so sure that we could do this. You made me believe that we could make this work. At times I have my doubts. But I always thought that was okay because you would always be sure. I know now that was selfish for me to put it all on you."

"I understand. I didn't think I'd say this tonight, but I'm sorry too. I didn't go about explaining my reasoning for the prenup to you well. I do believe in this marriage. When I think about all the things that have gone wrong with us in the past happening again I honestly feel we are strong enough to get through. You've always been unpredictable and sometimes you've blindsided me, but I think we're past that now. I think I know you well enough to know what's coming next. I don't see any hurdles we can't jump, but just in case I'm wrong…" he stopped there, not seeing any need to finish the thought.

"We should protect ourselves from a messy divorce."

"Right."

"Where is the agreement?"

"Right where I left it."

"I'll get a pen.

xxxxx

One week later Bailey was still missing. It wasn't the first time Nicole and Jess had to work on finding more than one missing person at a time, but it was the first time they had to work on another case while trying to find a missing child. Jess and Nicole had searched for and found seven other people while looking for Bailey Hughes. Bailey was still no where to be found and the agents were out of leads. Jess's vision came few and far between when it came to Bailey. However, they worked just fine finding other victims.

"How is Bailey's case coming?" Kemyss asked after he briefed them on their newest assignment.

"It's not. We've reached a dead end," Nicole was sad to report.

xxxxx

Nathan and Jess didn't talk much after he left. He called to see how Joe was doing, but he never came over. Jess didn't push him to make a decision. She wanted him to come to her on his own, and he did on the second Sunday of March.

"How have you been?" Jess asked him.

"I've had a lot of time to think about what's important to me. I quit the Mafia and the radio show."

"I didn't say you had to give up the radio show."

"I know, but all that stuff I said was crap. I didn't realize until yesterday how hard I've been trying to get my dad's approval all these years. I can't believe that a man who has never had a meaningful conversation with me my whole life has influenced so many of the big decisions I've made. It's pathetic."

"It's normal."

"I realized it's time I start doing what I want."

"What do you want?"

"I want to be a husband, your husband, and Joe's father. And I am willing to give up anything that stands in the way of fulfilling the promise I made to do that."

She was impressed. "If I had to write a script for you to say to make up for what you did and what you put me through I could not have made it as good as what just came out of your mouth, Nathan."

"Does that mean you forgive me?"

She hugged him, and the tears in her eyes gave him his answer.

Later that day Nathan moved back home with his family.

xxxxx

Jess came back to the bedroom after having gone to check on Joe who was crying.

"What was wrong with him?" Nathan asked.

"As near as I can tell, he's teething."

"Already?"

"Well he is six months old."

"He's really only supposed to be developing six weeks behind his age."

"All I know is he's been fussy the past few days. He has a doctor's appointment on Tuesday."

"I'll take him. It's not like I have anything else to do. There's no reason for Teresa to come over here as long as I'm not working. Give her some time off."

"Have you given any thought to what kind of work you're going to go in to?"

He smiled and showed her a note pad he'd been writing on. "I have so many ideas. There are so many legal careers out there that I actually want to do. I am going to have a career I can tell Joe about. This is great."

"I am so proud of you. What ideas do you have?"

"Well, first I thought I might go to law school. Isn't that ironic?"

"If that's what you want you should do it."

"I like this one better."

"Medical school. I like that. With two kids it'll be great having a doctor in the house."

"You won't have one until four years from now."

"You can do it."

"You think I should?"

"Yes."

"I'm going to medical school!" For the first time in his life he was happy about what he was doing and it showed.

xxxxx

Early April came that year, bringing with it all the chaos of its first three months. Nathan got into an Annapolis medical school. Jess wasn't going to risk being naive twice with the same person, so as much as she hated to doubt him she did have him followed for a while to be sure he really was where he said he was. And he was.

Nicole and Jess had been just partners for two months. Nicole never knew about the separation or Nathan's new career goals. The friendship was virtually gone and both of them were fine with that.

Nicole had bigger things to think about. Kelly found a good job and was finally moved to a better neighborhood. She would be flying in for the wedding and then she would be taking Ethan away. Nicole was on pins and needles thinking about her impending wedding day and losing her nephew.

Antonio was spending his Saturday reading the paper when Nicole came in the family room and sat by him. "We are finally done," she said to Antonio. "We have the church. We have the reception room. Everyone has their plane tickets. And your family will be here next week. Everything is all ready."

"You still have one more thing to take care of."

She looked confused. She thought she had everything in order. "What?"

"When are you going to fix things between you and you-know-who?"

"I have nothing to say to her. She made her choices."

"So you're willing to flush a three year friendship down the toilet because you don't like those choices? Isn't that what almost caused you to lose Kelly?"

"What am I supposed to do, pretend I think it is okay that she is staying married to him?"

"No. You're supposed to do what you did on her wedding day. Be there. Be her friend even if you think she's making a mistake."

"I will think about it."