There Can Only Be One

Should We Be Worried

That night Sam dropped everything and rushed to the house. He read over the court papers that were mailed to Jessica. They were both shook. There was nothing they could do until the morning. They planned to call their lawyer and get this mess fixed. Jessica and Sam didn't sleep that night. They paced around the house. The letter kept going through their head. They set all differences aside so they could get past this, this would be the biggest battle of their life, they felt it coming.

Nothing was going to be said to Kennedy until it needed to be said. Kennedy woke up to Sam sleeping on the couch and Jessica sitting in the chair looking outside.

"Mommy? Is that daddy?" Kennedy says

Jessica jerked out of her daydream and looked at Kennedy. Jessica nodded.

"What do you want for breakfast?"

"I was going to get some cereal. I think Cam is crying." Kennedy says looking up the balcony.

Jessica let out a yawn and stood up slowly. She walked up the stairs into Camden's room.

"Hey little guy, good morning." Jessica says reaching over the crib and picking him up.

Jessica opened up the curtains and lightly bounced him walking around the room.

Jessica softly cried as Camden rested peacefully in her arms.

Jessica breast feed Camden than paced around the room more. Sam softly knocked on the nursery door and looked at Jessica.

She looked at him desperately with swollen eyes. "I am so sorry Sam." Jessica let out all of her sadness and cried even louder.

Sam rushed over to her and held her in his arms. He rubbed her back.

"Don't cry, we are going to figure this out. I set a time with the lawyer today, maybe there won't even be a case Jess."

"This is all my fault."

Sam let out a sigh and looked at Jessica.

"Don't blame yourself. This isn't your fault. There is no way we could have avoided this."

"If I just didn't let her see Kennedy!"

"Just stop. This isn't your fault."

Jessica turned away and held Camden looking at him peacefully sleeping. She set him down in the crib than looked out the window.

"I just can't lose her." She says.

**

They had the babysitter come over to watch Camden for the day while Jessica and Sam visit with the lawyer. On the way to the meeting they dropped off Kennedy at school.

"Jessica and Sam Shepard? Mr. Conroy is ready for you." The secretary says sliding the glass window.

Jessica and Sam slowly sit up. Sam grabs all of the legal documents and takes Jessica's hand.

"Mr. and Mrs. Shepard, it's been so long since I have seen you!" The lawyer says standing up.

This man was the same lawyer Jessica and Sam had when they first adopted Kennedy.

"It's about Kennedy..." Sam says sitting down after Jessica.

"What's going on?" He holds out his hand and Sam passes him the court order.

"They are fighting for custody? I don't know how to courts could even consider this." He says with a puzzled look.

"We don't either. We thought we had a closed adoption." Jessica says

"We do. That's what will make it even harder for them to win. That means they have a lot coming."

"Should we be worried?" Sam says

"Yes and no. Of course you will be worried because there is always a chance, but than again it will be hard for them to win. It will be a bumpy road."

Jessica let out a sigh.

"Fill me in a little bit, on how things have been."

"Well, we just had a baby boy, Camden. Kennedy just turned 10, we moved back to New York, Jessica is done filming for a while. A lots been happening." Sam says

"We are separated at the moment." Jessica says quickly.

Sam looks at Jessica than back at Mr. Conroy.

"Separated? As in living in two different houses?" He starts writing things down.

"Yes." Jessica coughs

"That's a problem. Is this permanent?"

They were both quite. "No."

"Good, that would make it all harder. Not that it's any of my Business, but I suggest you two try to work things out and live under the same roof. They can easily take this against you in court that it isn't good to put Kennedy through two separate households. And that their household is more stable. We have to be prepared for anything."

They both nod and look at each other.

For another hour or two Sam and Jessica tell the lawyer everything. Anything that they can use in court to help. The background story of how they first got Kennedy, how Meryl has only been present for less than a year, how Don could be 'violent' after the fight him and Adam got into, and how Kennedy loves her home and sometimes doesn't want to go with Meryl. Anything to help they said. Their lawyer thinks they have a good case, they only thing they need to work on is being under the same roof and putting their differences aside.

Jessica was still petrified as to what could happen, they lawyer said to keep out all contact with Meryl.

"I will have my secretary set up an appointment for Thursday and we will bring Kennedy in. I would like to ask her questions."

"We really don't want to bring Kennedy into this."

"I understand, but if the judge hears her say that she wants to live with you, it will really help and convince him."

"It just makes me sick that they think they can come in after 10 years and take her. They know nothing about her." Sam says

Mr. Conroy goes back to his desk and writes in his notepad.

"That's great. I think I know how we can win this case."