Kent never knew why he kept it a secret only that it was. The young DC had never exactly planned not to tell anyone but it happened just as the ripper case started and after that there had never seemed to be time. It had all happened 4 years ago. An accident that had caused the biggest change Emerson had ever had in his life.
Even though it was all so sudden and unexpected, Kent couldn't deny that it was probably one of the best things that had ever happened to him. The only thing Emerson could remember about the night that started it all off was himself getting absolutely drunk and waking up the next morning with one of his flat mates lying next to him. Naked.
The next 9 months had been a blur of activity, with the Ripper case right in the middle of it. Kent could still remember the night after DS Miles had been stabbed getting the call. Sarah had gone into labour.
They hadn't talked about what they might do with the baby that was coming the only thing they knew was that they were having one. Emerson had never really thought about having kids, let alone with someone who was nothing more than a friend. He wanted to regret that night but when he held his daughter in his arms for the first time Emerson's world seemed to tilt.
Sarah died that night. The birth had been difficult on her and the Doctor's hadn't been able to save her. Emerson grieved for the loss of his friend but holding their baby in his hands, he felt whole. He was going to give her up for adoption but after only a few days holding his daughter Kent knew he was lost. There was no way he could give up the little girl.
He named her Sarah, after her Mother, and moved out of the flat he shared. Emerson bought a flat and converted one of the rooms into a nursery. From that day everything changed for Kent. The first problem came when a copycat of the Krays emerged.
Until then Kent had managed to look after Sarah with a nanny and occasionally one of his family members. When he was striped, things changed. Kent didn't know how he would have managed if not for his parents, who looked after Sarah, who was only a year old, while he healed up.
After that, things went back to normal. Kent knew he was probably stretching himself too thin as he was barley getting any sleep, looking after his daughter and working. Sarah was 2 years old and was going through a phase of refusing to sleep in her own bed. It was probably part of the reason he had been so insistent that Morgan had been helping a murderer.
LINE BREAK
Sitting at his desk, staring blankly at the computer screen, Emerson started when paper was placed in front of him. "You okay?" Riley asked him.
"Yeah, fine. Just tired." Kent reassured her. Sarah was 3 years old now but that didn't stop her waking him up during the night. The night previously, Sarah had had a bad dream, meaning Kent had had nearly no sleep all night.
"Aren't we all, this paper work is killing me." Mansell answered, turning round to face Kent. After the bus had crashed and killed the suspects had caused the Whitechapel team to be given a lot of insignificant cases. The problem with domestics and muggings where that they generated too much paper work.
"Hopefully we'll get something more interesting soon." Riley returned, taking one of the files from Kent's desk.
Mansell turned back to his desk then, leaving Emerson to resume staring at the computer. Kent knew that eventually he would have to tell Mansell about Sarah as he was dating his sister, which would mean he would need to tell the rest of the team. He just didn't know how to tell them.
Riley would probably be the easiest to tell, she was a Mother and the only problem Kent might get from her would be her asking why he never told them about Sarah. The Skip would probably be the same, although Kent sometimes did feel intimidated by the older DS. Mansell would probably make some sort of joke about the whole thing and Chandler. Well, Kent didn't know how the DI would react. Sighing, Kent looked back at the file that he had neatly placed on his desk.
LINE BREAK
"There's been a murder." Chandler stated, walking out of his office. It was obvious to Kent that the DI had been desperate for a new case as he had taken to counting pins in his office when he thought no one was looking. Emerson reckoned the OCD got worse when the DI was bored or stressed.
The murder had taken place in a flat on one of the estates. Their dead man was named Alex Wright, a single Father and unemployed. Riley was talking to the kid, who had been in the fault when the murderer had broken in. Kent and Mansell were knocking on doors, while Miles and Chandler were talking with Llewellyn.
No one had seen or heard anything. "What about the kid?" Chandler asked, turning to Riley.
"He doesn't remember anything, apparently his Father got him to hide in his room and told him not to come out."
"So we have nothing. Nothing at all." Chandler asked, rubbing his forehead. The DI wanted to find out who had killed this man, if only because his son was now parentless. "Right, I want a list of family member, friends, and enemies. Who would want this man dead? Mansell, take the CTV footage. I want to know who did this."
Emerson looked at his watch as he sat down at his desk. 5:30. He didn't want to be the one to say the shift had ended but he needed to get home. "Anything wrong, Kent?" Chandler asked, as he passed the youngest DC's desk.
"Sorry sir, I just need to be home." Seeing the young kid, only a year older than Sarah, had made Kent worry. It was an illogical worry really but that kid had just lost his Dad and Emerson had felt a sudden urge to hold his daughter in his arms.
Chandler looked ready to say something but, thankfully, Miles waded in. "It is shift end." Chandler nodded once, heading into his office and closing the door, with more force than was needed.
Kent could feel a hot flush working its way up his cheeks as he grabbed his jacket but no one said anything as he left the office. First out for a change.
LINE BREAK
"Daddy!" Sarah yelled, running for a hug from Kent. Emerson lifted his daughter into his arms, giving her a large hug.
"Hey, kiddo." He whispered into her ear. Danielle, Sarah's babysitter, nodded a hi as she grabbed her jacket. "See you tomorrow."
"Yeah. Bye Sarah." Danielle gave Sarah a kiss on the cheek, smiling shyly at Kent.
"Bye." Kent said, locking the door after her. Danielle was only 18 but Kent trusted her with Sarah.
Sarah had long dark, curly hair. She was obviously Kent daughter and he couldn't help but feel a certain sadness about the lack of features she had inherited from her Mother. Shaking his head, Kent went into the small kitchen, putting dinner on and listening to Cbeebies playing in the background.
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