I can't exactly say when I slept through the last time or had a reasonable conversation with a person that is older than three years, at least at home.

Don't get me wrong. I enjoy every minute I can spend with my son at home and so does Maura. We made out jokes when it came to our mothers being overprotective, but it turned out that neither she nor I are any different.

I can remember exactly how nervous and insecure Maura has been when we started with the IVF procedure and how she mentioned again and again that she was afraid to become just like Constance. During this time I assured her all over again that there would be no chance that she would become like her adoptive mother because there was still my very own Ma as well as our friends who would support her in every way they could. I knew that our family would give her all the strength she'd need.

Of course, I'm not the tough woman I pretend to be on the outside, I also had my doubts and kept asking myself if it would be really such a good idea to bring a new life into this world while I have such a big target on my back like I always have.

Of course you sometimes wonder if it really was such a good idea to bring a child into the world, but these thoughts are just as quickly as they had come gone again when you hear the laughter of a child in your own house or how the child shrieks because they are chased through the house because it's actually time for a bath.

Most of the time Maura is the Huntress while I pretend to do paperwork from home.

Sorry, but I don't want to be the party pooper and someone has to be the bogeyman.

I know I'm an asshole, but that's what I call division of labor.

This attitude has already cost me some nights full of sex and has also brought me one or the other eye roll of my mother.

Well, you have to make sacrifices once in a while.

I turn my head to the right as soon as I notice someone sitting down next to me on the couch and don't waste a second to wrap my arm around my wife's shoulders.

Maura smiles exhausted at me and skids closer to me, putting her head on my shoulder.

From the moment we learned that the artificial insemination had worked and Maura actually was pregnant, we wracked our brains how to reconcile parenthood and our professions.

I may be an asshole, but not selfish. That's why I suggested to Maura that we share the parental leave so she wouldn't think that I'd pass everything on her while I continue pursuing my career while she sits at home, taking care of Enzo.

Of course, Maura agreed and insisted that she would stay at home for a while, in the beginning, to recover from the strain of childbirth. And who am I to refuse her wishes?

Be that as it may, we have found a really good way to spend time with our son over the last three years while staying employed. Of course, the fact that Korsak had retired almost one and a half years ago and that he suggested that I take over as the head of the homicide department played into my hands.

Yes, I have been in charge of this department for one and a half years now and can work at home every second week and so does Maura.

Of course, our families are a great support, too. Sometimes, despite everything, we both have to go to the precinct or to court to testify. Sometimes we also have to take care of formalities at the precinct.

Then either my mother, Hope or Caitlin step in, sometimes even Constance. Not to mention Korsak and Tommy.

Maura tugs her feet underneath her and kisses my cheek which makes me close the file that is laying in my lap.

I look long at her and frown a little. "Long day?"

She closes her eyes and nods. This week she's the one who is working in the office and I can imagine that a lot of files are piling up on her desk. "Yes."

I'm not used to it that my wife is answering monosyllabically and my frown deepens. "Lots of autopsies?"

She's shaking her head. "No."

"A lot of paperwork?"

This time she nods. "Yes."

I'm chuckling and hand her my beer. "There you go."

She takes a sip and sighs heavily. "Thank you," she says and looks at me. "How did Enzo behave today?"

I take the battle from her hand and take a deep breath. "Pretty good. After you left for work we watched a little TV, had fish fingers and mashed potatoes for lunch before we played in the backyard and then we met Tommy and TJ in the park." I stop and raise my brows. "Somehow my brother came up with the crazy idea of going to an animal shelter."

Maura groans and rolls her eyes.

I hold up a hand with a small smile. "No need to worry, Maura. I explained to Enzo that he's still too young to take care of a dog, or a cat, or a bird and told him that he has to wait a little longer."

"How did Enzo take it?"

"After a little negotiation, we agreed on next year."

"Jane!"

I chuckle and shrug my shoulders. "Don't worry, by next year he'll have forgotten our little deal."

Maura scrutinizes me insistently and frowns. "Are you sure about this?"

I blink a couple of times and tilt my head to the side. "Um -" I know exactly what my wife means, our son has the same memory as she does which means that he forgets almost nothing.

Maura is the one who's chuckling now and takes the closed file off my lap. "How long did it take to put Enzo to bed after your silly promise?"

I clear my throat and take a swig from my beer. "Did I already tell you that he and I had to negotiate things, that includes bedtime."

Her smile grows bigger and my heart is skipping a beat. She opens the file in her had and frowns a little. "And what are you working on tonight?"

I take a deep breath and furrow my brows. "I'm checking some personnel files. I know exactly what you want to say, Maura, but Frankie has to accept that he and Nina can't work on their own forever. He's a detective who's working on the streets and Nina's working in Bric, he needs someone to back him up in the field."

Maura gets up from the couch, walks into the kitchen and pours herself a glass of red wine. "Your brother's not going to like you considering to assign him a new partner."

"He'll have to put up with it."

"Is that what you told yourself after Frost's death?"

I follow her into the kitchen and frown deeply as I open the fridge and take a new beer out of the device. I don't know why she has to twist the knife in this old wound. "This is different, Maura. Korsak retired and didn't die. And he also gave me enough time before Nina joined our team. I gave Frankie a year and a half and he needs someone to be in the field with him."

"Why don't you ask Nina if she'll help him in the field?"

I take a deep breath and shrug. "Don't you think I've already done that? Nina made it clear to me that she will support Frankie at all times from BRIC but not on the streets."

"To this day, she hasn't overcome the death of her fiancée in Chicago."

I stand behind her, place my beer next to her glass on the counter and wrap my arms around her waist. "I can understand her, Maura," I whisper and close my eyes, inhaling her scent. "I could never get over it if something would happen to Enzo or you. You can't just forget someone you love with all your heart and no one should. One should not forget but continue with their life and thereby preserve the memories of those we have lost. I also can understand Nina that she doesn't want to go back into the field because she's really good at what she's doing in BRIC and it'd be much harder to replace her in that department."

She turns her head and smiles. "You are so thoughtful."

"I try my best," I reply and pull her closer against me.

Maura chuckles. "Have you already chosen someone particular?"

I am a little surprised that she has taken the file with her that in the kitchen but place my hand on it. "I am quite impressed by this one."

Maura nods slowly and opens the personnel file, reading in it.

I frown and kiss her neck. "What do you think?"

She almost slams the file shut again and turns in my arms, and I frown deeply. She smirks and wraps her arms around my neck. "I think that we should worry about that tomorrow."

I raise my brows and lower my head with a smirk. "And I think that's a really good idea," I say before I press my lips to hers.

She snickers and says when she pulls away a little, "Let me kiss Enzo good night. Meet me in the bedroom."

I smirk and release her from my grip. "Better hurry, wife. You also have to take care of me at some point."

Maura laughs before she leaves the kitchen and I run a hand over my face, smiling.

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So here we are, the sequel of Quit Playing Games With My Heart.

This is just the start of the story, the next chapter will be the 'real' start of this story.

I hope that you guys will like this journey as much as you liked the previous one.

And of course, you are always welcome to share your thoughts with me.

Enjoy,

T73.