I don't own Crossing Lines! My native language is Dutch and I'm dyslectic so sorry for any mistakes.

As the new season starts, without our favorites, I decided to write one shots. So we don't have to miss them too much. There won't be too much spoilers in it for season 3.

A huge thank to cdub77, who once again kept bugging me for more and more, and my sister for checking the story.

Family: where life begins and love never ends

Sebastian took a deep breath as he placed his bag on his desk. He was longing for his own place, yet he had returned to the office once again. Files were piled up on his desk and he knew reports were waiting for him to be written. The work never seemed to end. Suppressing a yawn he turned on the computers. Programs started running, which gave Sebastian a moment to lean back. He was about to drift off when a *pling* made him look at the screen. In the right corner a notification had popped up. The name made him smile and he opened Skype. Tommy McConnel - online. It had been a while since he spoke to his friend. Things had changed when he left the team and Sebastian missed his buddy on the team. You simply couldn't replace Tommy McConnel. He and Tommy tried to call each other each week. In the beginning it had been easy doing, but as time went on it had become harder and harder. Either Tommy was busy or Sebastian was. Usually Sebastian, being on a case abroad or something like that.

He pressed on the video call and waited for Tommy to answer. It didn't take long before Tommy's face filled the screen. There was a big smile on his face. 'Sebastian! How have you been?'

'Busy, as usual,' Sebastian answered. 'It was a long day...long weeks. This case was a tough one. We just came back to the Netherlands after being in Spain for two weeks. There didn't seem to come an end to this one...but it did and now the paperwork is left...'

'And the team? How are things going?'

'Well, the same as before. Never became the team like it used to be in our days. Arabela is thinking about leaving as well and the new guys seem to stick together. Still the old against the new. Strand tries to keep everyone in check and Constante still tries to go behind her back...so nothing changed much.' Sebastian took a deep breath. It was different and nothing like it had been in the beginning. At the moment they were a team, but just a team at work. There were no more drinks after work or discussing much more than the plans for the weekend. This team was work and when the workday was over, they were nothing together.

'Didn't you see Erik last weekend?' Tommy asked.

'I did!' Sebastian replied and the thought of his son put a smile on his face. 'He's getting really big now...and smart. Unbelievably smart... It's hard to keep up with him from time to time. He loves building robots and reads entire books about them...' Tommy started to laugh.

'Kathrin must love that: even more technology in the house.'

'Oh she doesn't even try to keep up anymore,' Sebastian laughed. 'But how have you been doing? Everything going alright at your end?' Tommy smiled and he turned his head.

'Eva, can you come in?' Then he turned back to the screen. 'Soon you can see for yourself.' From the right side of the screen Eva's face appeared over Tommy's shoulder. Tommy pushed himself some more out of the frame and Sebastian could see Eva fully. He could see her big six-months-pregnant belly and the little blond toddler in her arms. She smiled at him and gave him a little wave. The toddler seemed to realize that something was going on at the computer screen.

'Seb Seb!' the little boy exclaimed enthusiastically and he reached for the screen, struggling against his mother's arms. Tommy quickly relieved Eva of the struggling boy and pulled a chair out for her.

'Hello Aiden,' Sebastian greeted the boy once the McConnel family was seated. 'And hey Eva, you're looking great.'

'Don't lie, Sebastian,' Eva told him with a smile and she rubbed her belly. 'I look six months pregnant and we all know how that looks. Nothing too glorious about a big belly, swollen ankles and peeing all the time.'

'You're still the most beautiful,' Tommy said softly to her and he kissed her.

'Yuck!' Aiden said and he covered his eyes with his chubby little hands.

'Yes, Aiden, yuck,' Sebastian laughed and he covered his eyes playfully along with the little boy.

'Oh don't you start,' Tommy said. 'We don't want another cha-ching situation.' Sebastian smiled. Last time he had visited them, he had taught Aiden to say 'cha-ching' and the little boy had used it for months, for everything. It had driven Eva and Tommy crazy.

'Cha-ching!' Aiden shouted and he started to giggle.

'Okay, it's clearly time for someone to get to bed,' Eva said and she reached for Aiden. 'Before uncle Seb Seb teaches him more bad stuff. Say 'Bye bye' to uncle Seb Seb, Aiden.' Aiden waved his little hand and Sebastian mimicked the gesture. He watched Eva carrying Aiden out of the room and he turned to Tommy.

'You have a great family, Tommy.'

'I know...I'm a lucky man.'

Tommy closed the door to the study and headed to their bedroom. When he glanced into the room, he saw Eva and Aiden sitting on their big bed. Eva was reading one of the Italian bedtime stories to Aiden. He recognized the story as one of their son's favorites. The words sounded so familiar that he could recite them along with Eva.

'Daidí!' Aiden exclaimed and he pushed himself up. He waggled over towards the edge, reaching for his father. Tommy engulfed him in his arms before the boy got to close to the edge.

'Hello handsome boy,' Tommy said and he kissed him on the cheek. Aiden started to giggle, before struggling and trying to get back in the bed.

'Libro, daidí,' he said, pointing at Eva. Tommy smiled at their son mixing up his languages.

'You want me to sit with you while mamma reads?' Tommy asked and Aiden nodded. 'Well, let's get into that bed then.' Tommy jumped onto the bed and moved up to the headboard. Aiden got out of his arms and snuggled against his mother's side. Eva put her arm around the boy and made sure he could see the pictures of the book before continuing to read to him. Tommy lay on his side listening to Eva's calm voice and loved to see how their little boy was completely engulfed in the story. Eva looked at him and smiled. Then she kissed Aiden on the top of his head.

'Continuare, mamma!' Aiden said, not wanting any kisses but the rest of the story.

'Patience, son,' Tommy laughed and he stroked Aiden's back. Eva stroked their son's cheek while she continued the story about brave knights in a dangerous world and Tommy continued watching his wife and son. Story time was the family's favorite time. When they lay in the big bed, reading stories to Aiden, they were happy.

One more look, Eva told herself and she glanced into the darkened room. The light from the corridor hit his beautiful face precisely and she could see him sleeping peacefully. Exhausted from the day filled with playing and reading. Their little boy had an easy life. One more look and Eva was sure Aiden was doing okay. She closed the door and walked towards the living room, while rubbing her belly. Their unborn baby had decided it was time for attention and was kicking firmly. Tommy was already in the living room, gathering all the toys and stuffed animals that were spread through the entire room.

'I think our son has too much toys,' Tommy noted when he saw Eva standing in the doorway, watching him. 'Is he down?'

'Far far away in Dreamland,' Eva answered. 'Probably riding horses and saving princesses.' Tommy threw the last stuffed animal in a basket and sat down on the couch. He reached out for her and pulled her towards the couch. Eva sat down as well and Tommy put his hands on her belly, as he loved to do when they had put Aiden to down for the night.

'Wow she's active,' he smiled. Eva put her hand over his and rubbed it. Tommy was convinced this baby was going to be a girl. They would have one of each. Therefore he refused to say 'it'. It was always 'she'. The fact that he had been right with Aiden made him only more sure of his case. He knew these things.

'Keep your hand right there,' Eva told him when the kicking ceased. 'Baby wants to feel her daidí and mamma wants a kick-free evening.' She leaned into Tommy's chest and he kissed her on the cheek.

'Mamma will get a kick-free evening when baby is born,' he smiled. 'Not a moment later. She's not slowing down anytime soon.' Eva took a deep breath, enjoying the calmness in her uterus with Tommy's hand in the right spot. She thought back at that evening, when Sebastian had video called them. Their friend had looked very tired and she remembered being tired as well. Even when it had been years since she had been with the ICC team. It was strange to believe it had already been three years since they had left the team. It felt as such a different life.

'Do you ever miss the job?' she asked Tommy and she felt him sigh.

'I miss the team,' he answered. 'But not the job. And it isn't the same now. With the Major gone, Hickman in New York, Strand playing boss and Constante playing boss as well...no I don't miss the job. Besides, if we had stayed, we wouldn't have this.' He gestured around him and patted her belly. 'We wouldn't have gotten married , there wouldn't be a little boy sleeping meters away, and there wouldn't be a baby on her way. We wouldn't have been a family. And this family is the best thing that ever happened to me.' Eva looked at him, a smile on her face, and she kissed him.

'Gráim thú,´ she whispered at him.

'Ti amo,' he whispered and he kissed her back.

The End

I hope you enjoyed the first of many one-shots!

If you have suggestions or prompts, you can send them in if you want. I can't promise anything or that it will be posted right away, but I will definitely take a look at them and see if inspiration hits ^^