Ren - Shades of Grey Ch. 13 Extended

"Shall I drive us down to the beach and we can go for that walk now? It would be the perfect time for a stroll along the beach." Adam said as he offered her his hand.

Janey regarded him uncertainly for a moment before placing her hand in his. She felt his warm fingers wrap around her hand before he headed towards the back door. She felt surprisingly shy as they walked through the house to where most of her family were relaxing in the lounge room. Jim and Marina both looked up at the sound of footsteps and Marina smiled at the slightly embarrassed but happy look on Janey's face as she walked in holding hands with Adam.

"I'm going to take your daughter for a drive to the beach and a stroll along the sand, with your permission of course." Adam said as he met Jim's level gaze.

"As long as you have her home for supper," Jim said levelly. "After all you have been doing a lot more than that with my daughter without asking my permission." Jim thought as Adam led Janey to the front door.

Janey ducked her head with an embarrassed smile as her family watched them with amusement. She was starting to feel the excitement of having a real date with a guy.

Outside Adam opened the car door for Janey, and then shut it when she was seated in the car. When he was in the car he started the engine before glancing across at Janey with a smile. "Ready for our date?"

When they returned an hour and a half later Janey wore a smile on her face and sand on her feet.

Adam had a pleased look on his face as he had cornered Janey against the car before heading home and had managed to keep it to several light kisses when he had trapped her between his body and the car.

Adam pulled her to a halt outside the front door and looked down into her face for a few seconds.

"Don't I get a kiss at the end of our date?" he asked softly.

Janey blushed and moved closer before lifting her face to his. His lips felt warm and firm against hers and tasted slightly of salt as they kissed. Janey sighed softly against his lips and opened her mouth in a silent invitation; Adam lifted his head reluctantly and looked down at her softly parted lips.

"I think that's as far as we should go considering this is our first date," Adam said quietly. "I plan..."

The front door opened quickly and Robby stepped out onto the front veranda with a grin, "Hope I'm not interrupting anything, but I got some good news,"

Adam and Janey broke apart as if they had been caught doing something they shouldn't have. Janey sent an embarrassed glanced Adam's way then went to walk past Robby to go into the house.

"Hey wait there! This concerns you. While you two were out I got a phone call from the prison where they are holding the ones who are to go to court the day after tomorrow. Seems how things went today has got them worried and their lawyers have contacted the detectives wanting to plea bargain," Robby said with a grin.

Janey sent a worried look towards Adam as she turned to face the two men, "What does that mean?" she asked uncertainly.

"They don't want to face the Judge because he handed out harsh sentences today," Adam said with a wide smile. "And you won't have to go to court if they do unless you want to make a victims statement and you can even do that and send it to the Judge as an affidavit."

Janey looked at Adam uncertainly for a few seconds before turning away and hurrying into the house. Suddenly she didn't want to be there with the two men on the front porch.

"You really know how to ruin the mood don't you." Adam said grimly.

"Why? Were you two necking out here like a couple of teenagers?" Robby asked with a laugh.

"Well if you haven't noticed, your sister is a teenager. I was just trying to give her the type of first date I would have like to be able to take her on. Unfortunately our relationship skipped the first stages and went straight to full on," Adam said tightly.

"I don't think that has escaped anyone's attention. Especially Dad or James'." Robby said dryly before heading back inside.

Adam stood at the front door for a few seconds before entering the house. He planned on slowing the relationship between him and Janey down and working on covering what they had missed. He had seen how much Janey had enjoyed their time on the beach. She had let him hold her hand as they had walked along the water line and later at the car she had seemed to understand he was taking things much slower.

Up in her room Janey sat down on the edge of her bed and folded her arms protectively across her stomach.

"What do I really want?" Janey wondered miserably. It was exciting and fun to go out with Adam but when it came to the more intimate side of the relationship ...

Janey turned her head and looked towards her door miserably as she thought about Ren, but that part of her life was behind her. She carried a child in her body, beneath her heart and that child was her future.

* * * * * * * * * *

I would leave the story here, those guilty paying for their crimes while Janey is free to be courted by Adam and enjoy all the innocent pleasures of a relationship before it becomes sexual. But I imagine I can hear the fans of Ren protesting the way this story ends with Janey and Adam together while those who helped her doing time in jail.

I can see the question hanging in the air unanswered; who is the father? I will answer the question but at the same time leave more for you the reader to ponder.

* * * * * * * * * *

LATE DECEMBER SEVEN MONTHS ON

Janey tucked the corner of the cloth nappy into the overnight bag and pulled the zipper closed. A small sound drew her attention and she turned her head to look at her son where he lay in the centre of her bed kicking his legs occasionally and waving his chubby little arms in the air while he focused his attention on his hands.

"Hey handsome, amusing yourself are you?" Janey asked as she moved around the bed so she could sit beside her son and look down at him. She never ceased to be amazed by this small scrap of humanity that had came into her life in early September six weeks early. He had been early but had been amazingly strong and had soon been well enough to leave the hospital and come home with her.

"Ready to go for a long drive Nicolas?" Janey asked her small son.

As if in answer Nicolas gurgled happily as he tried to fit one fist into his mouth.

"Oh, hungry are you?" Janey asked with a smile as she scooped her son into her arms and cuddled him against her. Immediately he turned his face towards her and made little snuffling noises. She smiled ruefully as she pushed the hem of her shirt up and unfastened one side of her bra so her son could nurse.

Janey had gotten her slim figure back almost immediately after the birth of her son, much to her delight. She certainly wasn't vain but with the counselling she had been going to regularly she now felt she had finally been able to reclaim her old life. She only had one obstacle left and that was facing the man whose child she had given birth to.

She planned to do that tomorrow; she was driving to the town where the jail was located this evening and staying overnight in a hotel and then tomorrow morning she would go out to the visitors centre and introduce her son to his biological father.

A sound at her doorway had her turning her head and she smiled as her mother looked in at them.

"All packed I see," Marina said with a smile.

"Yes, just filling up Nicolas so he has enough to do him until we reach the hotel." Janey said as she lifted her sleepy son to her shoulder to rub his back and burp him.

Marina walked into the room and took her Grandson so Janey could finish getting ready. She smiled as she felt his small head rest against her shoulder and knew that he was already fast asleep.

"Adam still upset with you over this weekend?" Marina asked softly.

"Yes, but he'll survive." Janey said confidently.

"Ready to go yet?" James asked as he walked into sight from the hallway.

"Yes, everything checked and double checked. Nicolas full and asleep for the time being." Janey said reaching for the two bags that held two changes of clothes for her and a lot of clothes for Nicolas, just in case.

James came into the room and took the bags from his sister then headed for the front door.

Janey quickly gathered the two blankets she had chosen for Nicolas and picked up her purse.

"You have the photo album?" Marina asked.

"Yes, safely packed away with my clothes for tomorrow." Janey replied as she began to follow James knowing that her mother would bring the baby.

Outside at James car her brother was putting the bags in the boot as they came outside. Jim stood by his son watching with a concerned frown, he turned to watch as his wife and youngest daughter walked toward the car.

"You know you don't have to do this Janey," Jim said gravely.

Janey smiled at her father and stood on tiptoe to kiss his cheek, "I have to for me. Exorcise the last of my demons," Janey told him gently.

Jim nodded wordlessly and gave her a tight hug before stepping away.

Janey took Nicolas from her mother and carefully placed him in his baby capsule, tightening the restraints before closing the car door.

"Don't worry, I'll look after her," James said as he climbed behind the wheel.

Janey sat in the car seat and fastened the seatbelt. She waved to her parents as the car moved away.

James turned on music to listen to and glanced in the rear-view mirror to check it was not disturbing his nephew.

"How are things working out between you and Adam? I am sure this trip doesn't sit well with him," James said a few minutes later as they turned onto the motorway.

"It doesn't," Janey admitted, "But I'm doing it anyway. Adam will realise he can't expect to get his own way all the time."

"So things are going well between you two?" James asked.

"We have our ups and downs, but we work them out." Janey said with a glance at her brother.

"I still don't think he is the right guy for you," James muttered. "I don't see how Dad, Mum and Robby can't see it."

* * * * *

The morning air was still cool and crisp as Janey got out of the vehicle and retrieved her son from his car capsule. On the other side of the vehicle James locked his door and walked to the boot to retrieve the baby bag before coming around to join his sister.

"Nervous?" he asked with a wry grin.

"Yes, why wouldn't I be?" Janey asked through gritted teeth.

"Sure you want to go through with this?" James asked.

"Sure." Janey said, turned on her heel and headed for the front door of the visitors centre.

"Who are you here to see?" The guard on the front desk asked as Janey walked up to the desk.

Janey pulled the letter from the lawyer from her purse and placed it on the desk in front of the guard. She watched as he read it, raised his eyebrows but made no comment as he filled in the visitors' book and turned it around for her and James to sign.

"I'll have to check the diaper bag before you can take it in, and there is a locker for your purse." The guard said as he handed Janey a key.

Janey went with James while the guard was checking Nicolas' bag and secured her purse in the locker before returning to the front desk.

"All fine, you can take the bag and go outside into the enclosed area and wait for the prisoner. He's on his way up, only be a few minutes." The guard said and turned his attention to the person behind them.

Janey carried Nicolas out into the enclosed playground area and chose a bench in the shade to sit on; it was no use sitting in the sun when it would only become hot very soon. James sat beside her and stretched out his legs and looked around with idle curiosity.

Hearing a familiar voice inside the building Janey got to her feet and handed Nicolas to James. "Wait here a moment," Janey said. A slight tremor made her voice unsteady; she turned away and had made it almost half way to the door before a familiar figure paused on the step then stepped outside.

"Hi," Janey said quietly.

Brad turned his head towards her slowly; Janey was the last person he had expected to come visit. "Hey Janey," he said in his slightly gruff voice, "what are you doing here?"

"I came here to see you. We have something important to discuss. Plus, I wanted you to see your son, at least once." Janey said evenly.

Brad's eyes narrowed and darkened, "Did I hear right?"

He remembered the little jolt he had felt when he had first learnt Janey was pregnant and placed his hand on the gentle swelling of her stomach.

"The baby is mine?" He asked and swallowed a hard lump that formed in his throat, "Where?"

"Over here," Janey said and led the way back to James.

James watched the large guy walking towards him with a tight expression on his face. As his eyes lit on the small form James held, something in them transformed and a smile grew instantly.

"Can I hold him?" Brad asked Janey without taking his eyes off his son.

James got to his feet and passed his waking nephew to Brad. He watched as the other man expertly settled the child in his arms, one large hand cradling the small head.

"Hey Nicolas, this is your Daddy." Janey said as she stepped up beside Brad and looked down into her son's face.

Brad moved to the bench so he could sit down. His legs felt shaky and he didn't want to chance any accident with the baby in his arms.

Janey looked from Brad's face to the tiny face that mirrored it. She hadn't had to wait for the results of the paternity test to come back to know who had fathered her child.

"Do you want to be a part of Nicolas' life?" Janey asked quietly.

Brad looked up at Janey, tears making his eyes liquid. "You'd let me be part of his life?"

"You were never anything but good to me Brad. You tried to be a friend," Janey said gently.

"He obviously was a bit more than a friend," James said dryly.

Janey glanced his way with a dry look and James grinned and ruffled her hair.

"Only stating the obvious. I'm James by the way. Janey's brother and Nick's uncle," James said holding his hand out towards Brad.

Brad carefully moved Nicolas onto one arm and shook James hand. "Bradley Stanton," he introduced himself.

"Well I'm going to get myself a cool drink from the machine inside and leave you two have a few words in private." James said before heading inside. "If you need me sis, just yell,"

Janey watched James disappear inside before turning her attention back to Brad; he was studying their son as he lay looking up at this new person. "Brad."

"Yeah?" Brad said looking up at her for an instant.

"I got a photo album with pictures I'll give to the guard later to be passed on to you. If you got a good friend you want to be Godfather, that's okay by me." Janey said softly.

Brad nodded, too choked up to speak. He lifted his small son to his shoulder and hugged him gently. "We'll have a lot of catching up to do in a few months kiddo," he said softly to his son.

Brad looked at Janey once more, "By good friend do you mean Ren?" he asked quietly.

Janey gave a nod, unable to speak for a few seconds.

"I don't have anything against either him or you, despite what the Judge said at the trial about yous. I was there Brad I remember what happened, I know who tried to help me. People turn a blind eye to practically the same and worse in everyday society." Janey said levelly.

Brad nodded and looked down at his son as Nicolas gurgled happily.

"He seems ... well advanced," Brad said not sure what to say, how to phrase his question.

"I went into premature labour and the medical staff decided it best I deliver the baby because of my blood pressure playing up." Janey explained.

"I honestly don't know how Ren will take my being the father of this boy, I know he hoped, prayed that some how ... the night in the van when he comforted you ..." Brad fell silent and Janey looked away as she blinked back tears, that had been a secret hope she had held as well.

"I don't regret Nicolas is your son Brad, you're a good man. A man any boy could be proud to call Dad." Janey said softly.