**This chapter is based on Blacklist**
Chapter 6: Steps in the Right Direction
Jess pulled the sheet up over her naked body as Don wrapped his arm tightly around her and she lay her head on his chest. They had found their rhythm.
The sun was shining through the window signaling morning had arrived "You have to get up" Jess said
"Why?" Don asked, knowing the answer.
"Work" Jess laughed
Don smelled her in. "Maybe I'll be late"
"Yea right" Jess giggled as she placed butterfly kisses along his chest.
Don sighed he didn't want to get up but he had to. Jess moved, allowing Don to slide out from underneath the covers. He left the room to get a shower and get ready for work. Jess got up too, she put on a pair of yankees pj shorts and a tank top. She pulled her hair into a ponytail. She glanced at her scar on her shoulder, she was starting to get used to it.
Don walked out of her bedroom, after his shower dressed and ready for work. Jess sat at the kitchen island with her coffee, she had his coffee already poured in his mug. She was reading the news on her ipad.
He sat on the chair across from her "so what's your plan for today?" he asked
"Appointments" Jess replied "maybe the gym"
"Any plans for tonight?" He asked
Jess put her ipad down "why? Aren't you coming over?" she asked, a little confused.
Don took a sip of his coffee. He had a reason behind his questions. She was avoiding people, Don was afraid she was isolating herself. He loved spending time with her but Jess was a social person and now she was hiding from the world. "I'll come over of course. Just thought it would be nice for you to go out, maybe a girls night, when was the last time you were out with Abby and Olivia or Lindsay and Stella?"
"Honestly, it's been awhile but Abby and Linds both just had babies, they are busy. I'm not avoiding them" Jess said. But she was.
Don eyed her, "well maybe a little" Jess admitted "just don't want to answer a bunch of questions about how I am feeling, when I will go back to work, don't overdo it, blah blah"
"I get that" Don said "but I'm afraid you are isolating yourself, since I've known you, you've been social. I think it would be really good for you to go out. Do something for you that's not appointment"
"Maybe I'll get my hair done" Jess said
"Yes" Don said a little too excitedly
Jess laughed "I just meant that's something for you" Don replied and added "You are beautiful"
"Yea, yea" Jess said "I'll text Lindsay and Stella too"
"Good," He said, finishing up his coffee.
"SO what will you do tonight if I go out with the girls?" Jess asked
"I have friends" Don said
"So you'll hang with Messer" Jess giggled
"Probably" Don laughed "if you are at the precinct later, we can have lunch"
"That sounds great" Jess said "I got to see Ruby"
"Perfect," Don said, he got up from his chair and walked around to her side, he leaned in for a kiss, "one more thing."
"What?" Jess asked
"Call your dad and brothers." He smiled "And Sherry's birthday is Sunday. I'm going take the day off so we can go"
Jess rolled her eyes. "DId you get added to the Angell event calendar or something?
"What can I say, your dad loves me" Don smirked
"Not if you keep buying me things like this" She joked pointing to her shorts.
Don laughed too and put his mug in the dishwasher and gave Jess one more good-bye kiss "Love you, see you later"
"Love you too," Jess said.
Don left for work. Jess sighed she was counting down the days until she could be going with him to work. Soon she thought.
With that thought she went to get ready for the day.
Jess walked down the hall of Trinity General, she had just finished her physical therapy appointment. She was looking for her brother, Ryan. She knew he was working today.
She spotted him at the nurses station "Hey," she said walking up to him. Last time they saw each other they had an argument which wasn't like them, she was closest with Ryan.
"Hey kid" Ryan said
"You got a minute?" Jess asked
"Yea, I'm on break" Ryan said
Ryan and Jess walked down to the hospital cafeteria and got a coffee before taking a seat.
They chatted for a bit and were very polite to each other.
"I'm sorry" Jess said finally "about being so annoyed with you last time. I know you just care about me"
Ryan took out his notepad and started writing "what are you doing?" Jess asked
Ryan smirked at her "just documenting the date that Jessica Angell admitted she was wrong"
"You are such a dork," Jess rolled her eyes.
Ryan laughed again "I'm sorry too, you can take care of yourself. Shouldn't have…"
"Been a dick" Jess laughed
"Ok been a dick" Ryan said
They started chatting again. "So we are going to Sherry's birthday on sunday. Don is driving, do you and Lauren want a ride?"
"I do but Lauren and I broke up" Ryan said
Jess wasn't surprised, Ryan was your typical bachelor and player. Jess learned long ago not to pry into Ryan's personal life. "You okay?" she asked not looking for any details
Ryan nodded yes. "I broke up with her. She wanted the ring, the kids, the minivan, that's not for me"
Jess felt a twinge in her stomach. "You did the right thing, not leading her on." Jess said and added "I'm going to Chris' for supper on Thursday, please come with me"
"I'll check my work schedule and get back to you." Ryan said "and Chris is not that bad. But if you wear that ranger hat, I can guarantee it's gonna be awkward. What has Don done to you?"
Jess laughed and took the last sip of her coffee. "Devils still rule. But the rangers aren't so bad."
She looked at her watch, it was 11:00 and she had her appointment with Ruby at 11:30 "I got to go, I have another appointment at 11:30. Let me know about Thursday"
"I will" Ryan said "Hey, Jessie"
"Yea" Jess replied
"You ok?" Ryan asked "you look flush"
"I'm fine" Jess said
"Love you, kid" he said
"You too," Jess smiled, waving good-bye.
"Jess, Jess! Jess! Hey!
Hey, Babe, hey, hey, can you look at me?"
Hey I'm here"
Don's mind wandered back to the diner. Jess was once again lying on the floor, bleeding.
"Where's the ambulance?" Don remembered calling
"Don" Mac called
"Okay! you are going to be alright" Don heard his voice call
"Don" Mac called again, getting Don's attention.
Don was doing better but every time he came to a crime scene, his mind went back to that day. He could not get that image out of his head as much as he tried.
"Hey Mac" Don said coming back to reality "I didn't hear you pull up"
"You okay?" Mac asked
"yeah, I'm fine" He answered
"Jess?" Mac asked
"Good. Itching to get back" Don said "we are over here." He added pointing Mac over to their scene. "Our vic's name is Aaron Dexter. Trash collector making rounds spotted the body and called it in, Looks like a robbery gone south" Don went on reading from his memo book.
"What makes you think, robbery?" Mac asked
"Just a least they left us the body" Flack replied as they walked up to the scene. The car was completely strep and the body of Aaron lay on the ground with nothing but his underwear left.
"Okay,Mac" Hawkes said "single small caliber GSW to the chest area. Stippling around the entry makes it a close shot. Defensive wounds on the arms lividity hasn't set in."
"Which would make the TOD approximately six hours ago." Mac inferred
"Which means whoever jacked this guy had to have worked fast. And had a crew to handle the ghetto pit shop." Don stated "These jokers even took the dash. We had to use the VIN stamp on the frame rail to get an belongs to Olympus rents. According to their main office Aaron Dexter picked up the car last night around JFK."
"SO he's not local" Mac said
"No. According to his reservation he is the CEO of GMI health Network, which is a medicare company out of Philly." Don explained
"Hm. CIty of Brotherly Love." Hawkes said
"SO, let's see who in New York didn't offer Mr. Dexter any love." Mac said pointing to the security camera on the building next door.
"I'll look into getting the footage," Don said, making a note.
Mac nodded and walked over to the body to investigate. Hawkes walked around to where Don was standing, writing. "Jess doing ok?" He asked, "Liv has been worried bout her, she hasn't been getting back to Liv's text"
Hawkes had been dating Olivia for over a year now. He met her because of Jess as they have been friends since high school.
"Think she just needed some time and space," Don said, not really wanting to say too much. "She's coming around"
Hakwes nodded in understanding.
Jess sat in Ruby's office waiting to be called in. She did feel a bit off. She brushed it off to just the summer heat and being busy. "I'll take a nap later" She told herself.
"Jess" Ruby called "Come on in"
Jess followed Ruby into her office and sat on the sofa. "How are you doing?" Ruby asked
"Good" Jess replied "things are going well."
"How's the nightmares?" Ruby asked
"Less frequent and less vivid" Jess answered
"But you are still having them?" Ruby asked
Jess shrugged "I am and probably will for a while. PTSD doesn't go away overnight. But I see improvement in myself and consider that a win" she went on
"I've never said you had PTSD" Ruby said
Jess eyed her "I was shot and almost died. You don't walk away from something like that without some sort of trauma. I'm self aware enough and did enough psychological courses to know I have PTSD. I'm okay with that as long as I can do my job and be me, I'll live with it because I am still here and can"
Ruby crossed her arms "do you think you can do your job?" she asked
"Mentally, yes" Jess said "hopefully soon physically"
"Why do you think you are mentally ready?" Ruby asked
"My life is returning to normal. I've come off the pain meds, like I said the nightmares are less," Jess replied
"Have you seen any of your friends or family?" Ruby asked "besides Flack of course."
"Flack has been my rock, he has been there for me but I know I've been depending on him too much. We are both independent people and I feel since the shooting I have turned the relationship into a codependent one, something that I'm not used to." Jess said
"There's nothing wrong with letting Flack be there for you." Ruby said
"I know that but I've been avoiding family and friends. However, I am going out with Stella and Linsday tonight. I have plans with my friend, Liv, next week. I'm going to my stepmom's birthday Sunday and my brother's Thursday. Plus, I'm going visit my friend, Abby and godson, Dawson. I feel like I'm returning to my social self. Don is still a big part of that of course."
"Sounds like you have everything under control" Ruby said "just one more thing for today, have you held a gun since the shooting?"
"No," Jess said "but guns are not a problem for me."
"Follow me," Ruby said. Jess did as she was told though she thought the request was strange. Jess followed Ruby down the stairs to the shooting range.
"Seriously?" Jess asked.
"Here" Ruby said, passing Jess a glock from one of the cases. But she didn't put any bullets in it.
"It's not even loaded, what do you want me to do?" Jess asked
"Hold it, how does it feel?" Ruby asked
Jess took the gun in her hand and turned it over "it feels like metal. Because it is metal. Look, I'm not scared of guns. A gun didn't shoot me, Simon Cade did. The desert eagle that's up in evidence is just metal like this one. Cade is dead and I am still here" Jess went over to the case loaded the gun. She passed Ruby the ear protection and put some on herself. Jess walked over to the shooting window and loaded the target. She lifted her gun and fired at the target, hitting the middle every time. She probably shouldn't have done that, she wasn't cleared for that sort of physical activity, But she needed to prove a point.
"Impressive, let's go back to my office for a second" Ruby said
Jess sat down on Ruby's couch once more. "Look, I was just proving a point,.."
Ruby finished what she was doing and passed the paper to Jess. "It's your signed psychological evaluation. You passed"
Jess walked around the corner from the precinct towards the cafe where she was meeting Don. She had a smile on her face so wide and nothing could wipe it off.
She had passed her psych evaluation, she was one step closer to getting back to work.
"Jess," Don called, catching up with her.
"Hey," Jess said stopping and letting Don catch up "I was just coming to met you"
"I have to cancel" Don said
"Work?" Jess asked
"Yea, Stella just got prints and we got the warrant. Heading out now" He said "open and shut case"
Jess nodded "Kay, I'll head home I'm a bit tired and I got plans with the girls tonight"
Don leaded in and placed a kiss on her lips "You ok? You feel warm"
"Just the heat and adrenaline" Jess replied "I passed my psych evaluation."
Jess got home, popped two advils and crashed on her bed. She fell asleep instantly.
She slept and slept.
Her eyes slowly drifted open. Her head was killing her and she was drenched in sweat. She crawled out of bed and had to make a mad dash to the bathroom, she just made it to the toilet as she vomited. Jess leaned back on the cool tub. She had a fever.
That meant she had to go back to the hospital.
Dr. Morris had warned her, a fever could mean an infection.
Jess pulled herself off the bathroom floor and managed to get out to the kitchen where her cell phone was. She hit the speed dial for Don, voice mail
Jess tried Don three more times each time voicemail. The warrant would have come through hours ago so he should have been back to the station unless the open and shut case wasn't so open and shut. She had been there, things can change and if he was in integration he would have his phone on silent.
"Ok, Ryan" she thought. Jess hit Ryan's number voicemail. "Seriously?" she sighed. The one time she couldn't reach anyone. Usually they were calling her every five minutes.
She tried Don again. Still no answer.
She stopped to think for a moment. Finally she knew who to call. She strolled through her phone until she saw the name she was looking for.
"Hi, I need a favor," Jess said as Chris answered the phone.