Hey everybody! I've always thought Munch and Casey would be perfect for each other and I couldn't get this scene out of my head so I'm making it into a one (or two) shot depending on the response I get! Let me know! How many reviews I get decides whether I add a final part :)

As John Munch drove home from work he made a split second decision, not knowing if he'd wake up in the morning to regret it; although at least the continual questions and what-ifs plaguing his mind would stop.

He'd screwed things up…badly. And he'd hurt someone he cared deeply about in the process. That's what ate at him the most and had kept him from doing this sooner.

God only knows what her reaction would be now, weeks after their last conversation when he'd watched her walk away. He could have called out to her, reached out to pull her back. But he had let her walk away like a coward and a damn fool – now it might be too late to ask for her forgiveness. But the ever-proud Munch would get down on his knees and beg, would sit here in his car all night if he had to.

He pulled over on the street in a little subdivision beside a small red brick home, a small but carefully tended garden coming to life with the emergence of spring. Taking a deep breath he pulled off his glove and knocked on the door.

After a few moments of gut wrenching silence and stillness from inside the house, he heard the lock turn and the door opened, framing the owner's silhouette in a halo-like glow from the lights inside.

"Casey…"

"John…what are you doing here?" Casey had crossed her arms, holding them around herself as if she might break apart. The sight of her looking so small and vulnerable in the doorway tore at Munch so that he couldn't speak for a moment. And when he did, his voice came out husky and pleading.

"May I come in for a sec?"

Casey shrugged, turning away from the door and walked into the living room plopping herself down on the sofa.

Her reddish-blonde hair was loosely braided, she had no make-up on and she was dressed in an old pair of navy blue sweatpants with her favorite faded red Harvard sweater – but John still thought she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen even as she glared at him from the couch.

He sighed, still standing in the middle of the room. "Nothing I say can make things right – I was an ass, I know that. There are no excuses for the way I acted" he started self consciously.

"But you have to know that I love you Casey. And maybe it's too late for that – but it's the only thing I can offer to you. I'm the only thing I can give you – and I guess I felt that that wasn't enough for you. You deserve so much better Casey".

"I didn't want anything or anyone else, John. I wanted you – I trusted you, with all of me" Casey's voice caught as she spoke, blue eyes glistening with angry tears.

Munch continued, coming closer now his hands held out in supplication as he sat on the footstool next to the couch. "The truth is that I was scared, hell I still am scared. I have never loved anyone like I loved you. My ex-wives were all young, attractive and to tell you the truth for the most part were women I didn't give a damn about. But you're different, Case. You're beautiful and intelligent and kind and giving. I'm old and bitter and cynical and frankly I feel like I don't deserve a shot at love, especially when it had the potential of hurting you. But I did and I'm sorry" his voice broke "I'm so sorry Casey, you'll never know how much".

Casey's eyes widened. "You know don't you? Oh my God and here I thought you were apologizing because of me…How did you find out?"

"Casey, what in the hell are you talking about? What's wrong?" he moved off the footstool and knelt at her feet so that he was level with her head as she buried it in her hands.

"Are you sick? Oh God Casey, tell me. Tell me please, are you sick? Hurt?"

"Please John" Casey was fully crying now. "Please don't lie to me, I couldn't stand it if you were" her shoulders shuddered again and she hugged her knees to her chest.

"The only time I have ever lied to you is when I told you that I didn't love you when I broke it off with you last month. I swear to you I'm not lying or playing games. Casey, tell me. What is it?"

Casey looked up, her eyes swollen and red as she scrutinized his face, "you swear you don't know?"

"Know what? Casey, you're killing me here". John's heart pounded a painful tattoo, he couldn't ever remember feeling so scared as he did now as he knelt before the woman he loved, and had maybe lost.

"I couldn't bear to lose you, Casey. Just tell me what's the matter and I swear I'll get you whatever help or money or doctors you need, but I can't lose you – not again".

Casey unfolded herself, putting her feet back on the floor and uncrossing her arms, looking deep in thought.

Munch was frantic as his mind raced through a thousand different scenarios of what she was going to tell him, but none of those scenarios he pictured even came close to what was about to come out of Casey's mouth.

Casey looked down at John, closing her eyes in preparation for when her heart broke again after she told him.

She took a deep breath, exhaling shakily as she placed a hand on her belly.

"I'm having a baby, John" she spoke in a half whisper, drawing strength from the new firmness she had begun to feel in her lower belly that she knew signified her child's presence inside her.

"What? Casey, you're pregnant?" John stumbled over his words, his heart so full that it fairly flowed out of his mouth in bumbling words.

"You're carrying a baby? My baby?"

"Yes, you stupid wonderful man – yours!" Casey cried, laughing through her tears.

Munch pulled her into his arms, the wetness on his own cheeks mingling with hers as he kissed her, deeply, religiously, possessively.

He drew back again, his hand hovering several inches over her still flat abdomen. He looked up at her, "how are you feeling? Is everything okay? What did the doctor say?"

Casey felt a warm glow seep up her whole body from her toes. Her years as a prosecutor had taught her to be able to tell when someone was lying or not. And no one could fake the reaction John was having, least of all the ever-indifferent man she'd fallen so head over heels in love with.

She reached her hand out to cover his and lead it downwards. Pushing up the hem of her sweater she guided John's hand to rest on her stomach, over the place where deep inside their baby lay silently growing.

John felt Casey bring his hand down. He'd never felt anything so precious as the firm silken warmth of her skin.

She shivered in pleasure as John's calloused fingers first traced and then cradled her belly tenderly.

Casey nodded in response to his other questions, "I'm about 11 weeks along, I have my second doctor's appointment next week where I get to see the baby and hear the heartbeat…I'm feeling okay so far. Tired, and the morning sickness is a drag but that's normal so overall I'm feeling okay. I think part of what was making me so sick was having you be gone" she admitted quietly.

"I'm not going anywhere, Case. I'm going to take care of you" he continued before she had a chance to protest.

"I know you could do this without me, who knows- maybe it would be better if you did. But I want to do it with you; I want to be there so badly. Let me take care of you Casey, I won't let you go through this alone".

"I don't want to do this alone" Casey shook her head, her hair coming out of its loose braid and she kissed him again. "I need you John, I need you so much and so does our baby".

A wide grin split his face, "we're going to have a baby" he whispered conspiratorially.

"Mmhmm" Casey agreed as she snuggled into his chest and he wrapped his arms around her. "Let's just hope he or she has MY ears" she smiled as her eyes closed.

John smiled wryly as he shifted slightly so he could whisper in her ear.

"Casey, I wasn't being entirely honest. I lied about something else".

Casey's heart sunk into a stone that settled in the pit of her stomach as she lifted her head slowly; not believing what she was hearing.

"I hated that casserole you made".

Casey fell back against him, hitting him in the shoulder.

"Oww" he said, laughing.

"Don't you ever scare me like that again John Munch!"

"Not with your right hook" he agreed. "But for the safety of our unborn child maybe we'll order takeout for the duration of your pregnancy. Sound good to you?"

"Sounds perfect"…

How many reviews I get decides whether I add a final part :)