First Star I See Tonight
(Inspired by Koster's 1947 film - "The Bishop's Wife" starring Niven, Grant and Young, borrowing many lines from the mentioned film.)
Disclaimer: Don't own anything in the realm of Wolf, just the random 'weavings' of 'what-ifs' and maybes - beginning with the obvious: The 'early years' timeline has definitely been reworked to assume any lack of knowledge between the executive district attorneys as well as implying a longer, deeper knowledge between the elected district attorneys.
He knocked tentatively on the door of the other man's office.
"I understand you could use some assistance," he said in a slow, soothing drawl as he stepped in, noting the surroundings of the small closet-sized workspace.
The other man looked up, haggard, skeptical and annoyed. "I don't recall saying such a thing."
He gave a slight bow, and tried again. "Perhaps, sir, I misunderstood, then. You see, what you have cluttering your desk, I have a bit of knowledge in dealing with," he said with a hint of a smile. "Just point to a pile and I'll whittle away."
"Still think Adam's out of his mind," he muttered to himself. The other man, about his age, the visitor thought, begrudgingly pointed to the stack on the corner. "If you've any questions," he said then returned to the work before him. Glancing at his watch, he realized he was late for a meeting.
Benjamin Stone bit the inside of his cheek, bemused as Jack McCoy rushed out for a meeting at the courthouse.
"'If I have any questions' he says," he repeated softly to himself once he was left alone, looking over the papers. Benjamin took care of them in short order.
Satisfied, he took note of the few articles of clothing McCoy left behind. Eyes settling on the scarf, Ben grabbed it and wrapped it around his neck. A nod of satisfaction as he caught a glimpse of the look in the window, he turned to leave the office.
"Leaving already, Benjamin?" the secretary asked.
"Just going to grab a bite to eat," he said. "I find it very productive to have a full stomach if one needs a focused mind. I'll return soon enough."
Just as he turned to enter the elevator, the secretary stopped him.
"Mr. Benjamin? You're wearing his scarf!"
"I know," he said casually. "Pity he didn't think to put it on before leaving the building, no?" With that, he smiled at her as the doors closed.
---
He already knew where he'd find her just by listening to the chitchat around him when people thought he wasn't paying attention.
Taking a seat on the bench, he watched as mother and daughter played on the teeter-totter together.
Ben smiled, wondering if McCoy knew just how lucky he was to have such a loving family. True, Ben knew the signs without hearing the goings on in the rumor mill. However, he couldn't help but think there was still hope for this young family.
Shelley McCoy stopped when she caught sight of him. He tilted his head in her direction as a matter of greeting.
"G'morning, Mrs. McCoy. My name's Benjamin. I started working with your husband today."
Shelley chuckled. "I know how well he takes to having to work with new people, believe me. I try to warn folks with what I learned working with him as his first assistant. Somehow, I knew Alfred wouldn't let Jack win his stubborn request of working solo."
Ben shrugged. "Well, let's just say that Mr. Wentworth wasn't the only one with powers of persuasion."
"What, my husband hasn't chained you to the desk with guilt a la Scrooge?" she said to him when she approached him. Shelley refastened her daughter's coat. "Why don't you go play with the other kids over there, Becky?"
The youngster pouted. "They won't let me, Mommy! They say I'm too small."
Ben gave a sound of surprise. "They do, do they? Well, let's go show them, shall we?"
He called out to the group of kids playing by the bars, finding the one who was 'in charge.'
"Pardon me, young man, but is there any particular reason, apart from size, that you've chosen to ignore this young girl from joining you in your games?"
The taller boy scoffed. "Games? Mister, dodgeball is war! She can't throw to hit a wall."
"Ah," Ben said knowingly, "is that so?"
Becky motioned for Ben to kneel down beside her as the kids went off to resume their 'war.' She cupped a hand to his ear and did her best to whisper. "It's true. I can't throw so good - yet."
Ben whispered in the same fashion. "Well, 'yet' has become 'now,' Miss Becky." He reached over and grabbed a stray ball and then handed it to her. "Bring your arm all the way back and then just throw it with all of your might," he told her.
With a 'little extra help' from Ben, Becky scored a direct hit against the boy who decided to exclude her. Almost immediately, the other kids ran over to pull her into their team.
Shelley shook her head as she chuckled to herself. "Well, so much for all those 'talks' about not beating up on other kids," she said.
"Oh, there's no major harm in a child's game like that," Ben said as he rested his head on a propped arm on the back of the bench. "Sure, she'll fall, she'll get a scrape or two and maybe a bruise, but she's having fun. Let her, Shelley."
Shelley leaned back as well, her eyes never leaving her daughter. "We're not trying to shelter Rebecca. It's just… There's nothing wrong with maintaining youth and innocence as long as possible, is there?"
Ben kept his eyes on Shelley. "It's been my understanding that there are two constants in life: youth and beauty. You, dear Michelle, possess both."
Shelley chuckled again. "At the rate things are going, I'm sure I'll grow old before my time. Goodness knows my husband will."
"The only people who grow old are those who were born old to begin with," he countered. "You and Jack weren't born old."
Shelley turned to look at him this time. "Are you sure you work with my husband? And if so, what are you doing here when the work's-?"
"I like to have a bit of fun before tackling work," Ben said. "Consider it a proactive move to balance things every once in a while. After all, I'm sure you know the old saying about 'all work and no play-.'"
"Yes, yes," Shelley said. "It's got my husband's name all over it."
Ben watched as the kids lifted Becky to their shoulders, obviously celebrating a victory of some sort.
"Would you care to join me for lunch?" he asked. "There's a restaurant I've been meaning to try. Perhaps you've heard of it - 'Ecco!' on Chambers?"
Shelley smiled. "Jack and I haven't been there since we've known about Becky's arrival. Given what it would cost for the two of us to dine, that money's usually a month's worth of groceries for a family of three."
"Consider it might treat, please. Where is it written that one shouldn't indulge every now and then? Besides, it might open up a few more dreams for young Rebecca over there."
Shelley studied him a moment. "I'll accept your offer, Benjamin."
---
The three of them dined in one of the booths that lined the east wall of the restaurant.
"You speak such fluent Italian, Mr. Stone," Shelley said once he placed orders for them.
Ben smiled. "I've done some work in Rome," he said. "But, I know too much about me. What about you? Aside from traveling from prosecutor's assistant to defense attorney, have you had a chance to travel, see any enchanted places?"
Rather than answer him, Shelley watched as her daughter took in all of the elegant details while carefully holding the cup of milk in her hands.
"This is like a castle, Mommy," she whispered. "Daddy should be here."
"Yes, he should," Shelley said, giving her daughter a side hug. "However, we should thank Mr. Stone for bringing us here for this treat."
"I don't like that name," Becky said carefully setting her cup down. "It sounds hard like a rock."
Ben smiled. "I happen to agree, Rebecca. You can call me Ben or Benjamin."
Becky nodded.
"What do you say we go ice skating after this?" Ben suggested. "I noticed there's a park-."
"We really should be getting home," Shelley said.
"What if it's only for a little while? Perhaps Becky can show me some skating tricks. What do you say, Becky?"
"Mommy skates gooder than me, so she can teach you. Let's go skating, Mommy, please? Daddy's always too tired."
Shelley leaned close to Ben, who leaned forward in kind. "Truth be told, he doesn't know how to ice skate, but we've never told her that," she whispered.
Ben gave a solemn nod. "Fathers are great at hiding faults and failings," he whispered back. "Believe me, I know."
----
By the time they arrived at the apartment building, it was almost eight o'clock.
Jack McCoy looked up from his newspaper, his face devoid of emotion until his wife and child entered - followed by him.
"Where have you two been?" he asked as Becky ran towards him to give him a hug.
Shelley laughed. "Oh, we've been out enjoying a marvelous day, Jack. Benjamin took us out to lunch-."
"And the place is a castle, Daddy!" Becky said, wrapping her small arms about his neck. "And we had lots and lots of fun and-."
"And," Shelley said extracting her child from her husband's arms, "it's time for you to get ready for bed, young lady."
Becky pouted, prepared to protest then thought better of it. "Benjamin? Are we going to do more fun things tomorrow?"
"Maybe, Rebecca," he said kneeling down in front of her. "Right now, why don't you get ready for bed? I think your father and I are going to have a talk."
Becky held up a hand then tried to whisper, much to the amusement of the adults. "Don't let him talk so long that he forgets to tell me a bedtime story, okay?"
"I won't," Ben promised.
As soon as mother and daughter vanished behind the closed bedroom door, Jack turned his attention to the other man.
"What exactly do you think you're doing?' he asked. "What sort of assistance does this fall under?"
"Whatever do you mean, sir?" Ben asked sincerely. "I was aware of your plight and-."
"And you extend that to spending time with my wife and my daughter?"
Ben shrugged. "There isn't a crime against restoring faith in human nature, Mr. McCoy. And sometimes, angels are asked to rush in where fools fear to tread."
Jack crossed his arms over his chest. "You can leave your thoughts of faith outside on the doorstep. In the meantime, since Adam's adamant in honoring Alfred's request that you help me out…"
"I'm sorry if I offended you in any way, sir." Ben picked up an angel from the shelf. "How is it, then, a man such as yourself, who is determined to keep this…front against faith would possess an angel such as this?"
Jack reached for the angel in question only for Ben to turn just so, still holding the item gently.
"That belonged to my great-grandmother. It's…Why am I explaining any of this to you?"
Ben shrugged again. "A very fair question indeed, sir. Perhaps it's a story Rebecca would most like to hear, tonight maybe?"
The men exchanged looks - Jack's of renewed annoyance, Ben's of casual calmness.
---
Jack sat down at the edge of his daughter's bed, supporting the doll's back as his daughter held it in her hands.
"This angel doesn't sing 'Jingle Bells,' does it," Becky said. "It doesn't sing at all, huh."
Jack smiled. "Well, this angel does have a special story all her own."
He began telling his daughter the same story his mother had told him years ago, a story memorized by the elder children who treasured the heirloom, one of a quintet - one for each child. Becky hung on to every word, father and daughter unaware of the couple standing on the other side of the doorway.
Shelley smiled. "'First star I see tonight, I wish I may, I wish I might…'" she whispered.
Ben leaned against the frame, taking in the trio growing distant yet slowing taking steps of recovery.
"This is like heaven," Shelley said softly. "Not that we're trying to neglect our child, but moments like these, as rare as they are….they're just like heaven."
"You've found the perfect word," Benjamin replied. Without saying no more, he let himself out.
-----
The next day, Ben arrived at the office early, taking care of a bulk of the more difficult cases along with the more trivial matters.
By the time Jack arrived, the desk had very few files for the attorney to take care of.
"Thank you, for yesterday," Jack said once he closed the door. "I mean, I know I was a bit harsh with you and-."
"You had every right to be," Ben said. "After all, I'd be upset, too, if a seemingly strange person were to be surrogate to one's own family."
Jack narrowed his eyes. "One would have assumed, from where you are standing, that I was referring to the work, I'd have thought."
"You and I both know the dangers of assumptions, Mr. McCoy, and we both know there's more to this than meets the eye. But, enough about that." Ben rose from the chair he occupied. "Do you have any plans for this evening?"
Jack shook his head. "Nothing that can't be postponed until later, why?"
Ben gathered up his jacket, hat, gloves and Jack's scarf - the latter unnoticed by the other man, still. "How do you feel about taking in a concert at St. Thomas Church this evening? I understand the boys' choir is angelic."
Jack thought about it a moment. "You've got a deal," he said.
----
At concert's end, the four of them walked towards one of the winter displays in one of the nearby parks.
The child narrowed her eyes as she looked at the man beside her family. "You've Daddy's scarf on," Becky said.
Shelley took a second look, confused then embarrassed. "How did-?"
Ben spoke up casually, in part to cover for Jack, in part to cover for Shelley. "Well, Jack was kind enough to loan it to me for a while since I was without a scarf of my own, so…" He removed the cloth and returned it to the other man, both men aware of an unspoken truth.
Before Shelley could ask any more questions, Becky let out a squeal the moment she saw St. Nicholas. She began pulling on her mother's hand to tell her how important was they hurry to see the gift-giver.
Jack and Ben continued their casual stroll as mother and daughter raced ahead.
"I remember my years in the choir," Jack said. "Some nights, the gathers were small at practice time."
"I remember those times, too," Ben said. "When the bishop's look went from 'choir' to 'duet, trio or quartet' and the practice was realigned as a result."
Jack nodded. "Well, given the competition between church or the basketball court, or work…"
"Amazing and sad how some people put priority items as secondary things sometimes, isn't it?" Ben watched Jack's expression as he said this, wondering if the Irishman would pick up the double-meaning within.
Jack's silence was answer enough as they sought out Shelley and Becky.
Ben placed a hand on Jack's forearm, waited for him to look him in the eye and then said, "For the record, sir, there are very few, rare people who know how to make heaven on earth. Michelle Kates McCoy is certainly one of those people."
"I know," Jack said softly. "Goodness knows how often she's been my 'quiet waters' who restores my soul."
Ben nodded in understanding as Jack looked up into the night sky.
"'First star I see tonight,'" he muttered to himself. Giving a brief smile to his companion, the Irishman departed to join his family.
Benjamin Stone waited back, enjoying the scene as it was meant to be, while it lasted, with a wink and a smile aimed to the heavens. "And a Merry Christmas, too," he said, then vanished into the snowy night.