CH. 2: Single Parent Woes

Maria had been in a hurry since she got up that morning. She could have strangled Danny for not telling her the night before about breakfast with the Commissioner. Then again, she couldn't really blame him, their minds were elsewhere after all. After taking a very quick shower, she started to get dressed, being exceptionally grateful that she decided to bring both sets of dress blues that she owned, considering she had dropped cheesecake on the set she had worn the day before. She didn't have a whole lot of time, so she gave up on trying to look as good as she did before. Being content with her appearance, Maria hurried out the door. She considered stopping by her partners room, to see if he was ready and wanted to walk down with her, but she settled against it, thinking he might have already gone down, considering he didn't have to worry about doing makeup, and didn't need to spend nearly as much time on his hair.

She was surprised, when she reached the dining hall, and didn't see her partner. She did however see her boss, and she reluctantly approached the table he was sitting at.

"Detective Baez," Frank stood when she approached the table.

"Commissioner," Maria nodded. "My partner said we were supposed to meet you for breakfast."

"I did, I don't know where he is though," Frank glanced at his watch.

"Would you like me to go get him?" Maria was nervous, being there without her partner.

"No," Frank shook his head. "I'm sure he just got held up. Go ahead and have a seat," Frank gestured at the seat across from him.

Maria didn't say a word, aside from asking for a cup of coffee when the waiter approached her.

"Did you sleep well?" Frank asked making small talk while they waited. He really didn't want her to be nervous around him. He meant the invitation to breakfast to be a casual one with his son and his partner, and that was all.

Maria almost choked on the coffee she was drinking, but she was doing her best to keep her eyes from saying what she was thinking. Because the truth was, she didn't sleep much at all. Then again, what little sleep she did get was pleasurable. So, she figured a yes, would be the only answer she could give.

"Very well thank you," Maria found herself grateful for the disclosure the coffee cup gave in hiding her smile.

Just as Frank suspected, it was only a few minutes before Danny walked up. And Maria found herself conflicted, on whether she should kill him for being late, and leaving her alone with their boss, or to get up and kiss him, for getting there when he did.

"Sorry I'm late Commissioner," Danny apologized just as soon as he reached the table.

"Did you get lost on your way down here?" Frank was trying to appear a bit lighter in character. To show that this was meant to be an informal breakfast.

"No Sir," Danny took his seat in between his father and partner. "I got a call from my kid, saying that if I noticed something wrong when I got home, that he had nothing to do with it, and he shouldn't be the one to get grounded."

"I bet that makes you wonder," Maria felt for him, knowing how hard he was trying at being a single parent.

"You have no idea," Danny shook his head, his eyes wide. "But I'm going to kill Jamie if something happened to my house."

"I'm sure your brother wouldn't let anything happen to your house," Frank tried picking up for the son that wasn't there to do it for himself.

"I hope your right," Danny took a sip from a much-needed cup of coffee before replying. "Because I've got a bad feeling about this."

XXXXXXXX

Jamie, Jack and Sean had been busy working on the sound system all morning long. Jamie wasn't certain that it was 100% back to normal, but at this point he wasn't sure what else he could do, aside from buy a new one, and that was something Jamie wouldn't even consider. He loved his nephew and would do anything for him, but if all he'd get was a grounding sentence from his father, he figured Sean could very well live with that. It wasn't like he had money to splurge with anyways, he had rent due the following week, and his car needed work. Exhausted after the stressful morning, Jamie settled himself down at the table, with a cold beer and a slice of leftover pizza. He had just gotten up to get another slice of pizza, when he saw Sean reach for his beer.

"Drop it Sean," Jamie stopped him, just before he placed it to his lips.

"I just wanted to try it," Sean tried.

"Not with me your not," Jamie took it away from him. "Your father would kill me. And I'm sure whatever he'd do to you, wouldn't be very pleasant either."

"I'm already going to be in trouble if the sound system doesn't work," Sean knew very well, that was something that wouldn't put a smile to his father's face.

"Yeah, but the sound system will just get you grounded. Being underage, and drinking a beer in his house, would get you killed." Jamie interpreted the outcome.

"I just wish he'd get home already, so I could get the yelling over with," Sean sighed, dropping his head on the table.

"Not me," Jack shook his head. "He'll be asking me if I did my homework."

"You didn't do your homework?" Jamie looked at him questioningly.

"I never do my weekend homework till Sunday night," Jack admitted.

"Whatever," Jamie really didn't want to get involved in all that. He was only there for the one night. And the only thing his brother told him before he left was to keep the house from getting burned down and keep the kids alive. And those two things, were the only things Jamie was willing to take on, he'd leave everything else that came to the boys to their father.

XXXXXXXX

It was a little after lunch by the time the conference ended, and Danny and Maria were able to head home. The ride home was quiet. Both detective's thoughts centered solely upon what happened between them the night before. Part of Danny felt guilty, as if he was betraying his beloved Linda. Even though he knew that wasn't humanly possible. He knew he didn't cheat on her, but he couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt fill his chest as he thought about his family. He was wondering what his sons would think if they knew, even though he had absolutely no intention of letting on. It was none of their business after all. He was the parent and didn't have to answer to them. Something he found himself being immensely grateful for. He could only imagine how they would react.

Maria on the other hand, couldn't believe they actually did it. she had never in her life noticed an attraction between the two, not until just recently that is. If that wasn't enough, what possessed them to act on it. They were both very strong-willed people, and they could have resisted. But why didn't they? This thought echoed in her mind so many times, that Maria didn't know what to think anymore. They both knew that forming a relationship was completely out of the question. Not only was it out of the question, but it was impossible. They were partners, he was recently widowed and had two kids that needed him, his father was their boss. The list went on and on. She didn't even realize she was home, until the car stopped, when he pulled up in front of her apartment building.

"You know we are going to have to talk about what happened?" Maria finally found the words that needed to be said since they left the hotel.

"I know," Danny nodded.

"Tomorrow?" Maria questioned.

"Can't," Danny shook his head. "I have mass and family dinner."

"You might want to go to confession first," Maria gave him a small smile, before getting out of the car.

"We can talk Monday," Danny said before pulling away.

XXXXXXXX

Danny, who was tired after not getting much sleep the night before, had but only one plan for the evening. And that was to relax on the couch and watch a movie with his new, surround sound, sound system. After settling on a movie, Danny pressed the button on the remote to the sound system. There was an exceptional loud squealing sound, loud enough to wake the dead, or pull you out of your relaxed state, which was where Danny used to be, until the sound made him jump up off the couch to unplug the cord from the wall. Willing to do anything, as long as it would make the blood curdling sound stop.

Jack and Sean who had been sitting in Jacks room, scanning the internet, trying to determine which x-box one game to order next, heard the commotion and looked at one another.

"You are so dead," Jack closed the laptop, knowing exactly what happened downstairs, as well as what was about to happen.

"Jack and Sean Reagan! Get down here!" Danny yelled. Jacks phone call from that morning, making more and more sense the more he thought about it.

"What the hell happened to my sound system while I was gone?!" All Danny knew was, was that it worked before he left, and they had to have done something to it.

"I had nothing to do with it," Jack was quick to surrender, throwing his brother under the bus in the process.

"Sean is this true?" Danny turned his sole attention to his youngest.

Danny, by the process of elimination, knew he had but only one son left that had to be the guilty party.

"Yes," Sean sighed. Knowing there wasn't much he could do to get out of it.

"How did it happen?" What Danny was really trying to get at, was whether he did it on accident or deliberately.

"I was wanting to see if I could try and get the sound to come out of one speaker," Sean started to explain.

"You knew it would," Danny looked at him questioningly. "Me, you and your brother did that the night we set it up."

"Then I cranked it up as high as it would go, and it busted," Sean knew that would be the part that would get him into trouble.

"Sean," Danny said annoyed. "You know I warned you not to do that."

"I know," Sean was already expecting a lecture.

"Do you know how much that thing cost?" Danny knew he didn't have the money to just up and buy a new one. At least not with the bills he had to pay, as well as his sons school tuitions.

"No," Sean said honestly.

"Go on upstairs and get ready for bed. Your grounded," Danny hated to punish him, knowing he hardly ever had to do so. But considering he completely ignored his warning, he figured he didn't have a choice but to make a point.

"But you said you would watch a game or movie with us when you got back," Sean was really trying to refrain from whining. But he was looking forward to spending a little time with him.

"I know," Danny was slowly beginning to remember telling them that before he left. And he was seriously beginning to wish he hadn't. It wasn't that he didn't wanted to spend time with them, it was just that he was planning to watch one of his R rated war movies, and he knew that had Linda still been alive, she would kill him, had he allowed their 12-year-old to watch. Then again, she probably wouldn't have approved of their 15-year-old watching either, something the two of them wouldn't have seen eye to eye on. Jack was older, and exceptionally smart for his age. He knew a movie could never display the realities of what war was really like, he could speak from experience on that. But he would like for his son to understand, what some people sacrificed for their freedom. He would have chosen to watch the movie anyways. But he really didn't want to have to send Sean upstairs, even if he wasn't exactly happy with him at the moment. Especially considering he just got home and the boy was looking forward to spending time with him.

"Am I grounded from that too?" Sean was almost too afraid to ask. Thinking that he may decide to send him upstairs anyways, simply because he was in trouble, and had every reason to do so.

"No Sean, you're not grounded from spending time with me. Go make the popcorn." Danny settled back on the couch.

"What are we going to watch?" Jack looked at Danny.

"I had plans to watch something," Danny started. "But I can't with Sean."

"Make him go to bed," Jack shrugged. "He is grounded."

"Jack," Danny warned. "If he goes, you go."

"We can always watch it some other time," Jack was quick to say, making himself comfortable.

"Good choice," Danny pointed at him.

Sean returned a few minutes later with a bowl of popcorn, a beer and a couple cans of soda. After handing Danny his beer, Jack the popcorn, Sean grabbed the remote to the television.

"So, what are we going to watch?"

"We can't watch what we want to," Jack spoke up. "Because your 12."

Sean was about to say something, but Danny cut him off.

"Jack," Danny warned again, his voice a bit stern.

"I can watch what you want to watch," Sean hated when his brother threw his age in his face, just because he was older.

"No, you can't, Dad already said," Jack argued.

"Dad," Sean looked to his father for answers.

"Sorry Sean, but not this time," Danny turned him down, before settling on something that didn't have as bad of language but was still packed with plenty of action.

They were but a few minutes into the movie, when Jack spoke up again.

"You know this would sound a lot better if the sound system was working."

"I already said I was sorry, what else do you want me to do?" Sean was getting tired of hearing about it, after all, it did earn him a week of being grounded.

"Buy a new one," Jack shrugged.

"How? I don't exactly have a job." Sean reminded him.

"Drop out of school, you're not exactly the smart one." Jack teased him.

"If you two want to talk, you can go upstairs. But neither one of you is dropping out of school." Danny turned the volume up on the television.

Jack and Sean quitted and turned their attention back to the movie. Danny was doing his best to pay attention to the movie, but he found that to be, easier said than done. At least with Maria on his mind.

XXXXXXXX

It was late by the time he went to bed, simply because he knew that if he went to bed early he wouldn't be able to sleep, no matter how tired he was. His brain was on overload, with his thoughts centered solely on that of Maria. He was lying in bed, and he couldn't help but think about how much he wished Maria was there. He hadn't been with anyone since Linda. And part of him felt as if he was betraying her memory. He knew that wasn't possible, and he knew that Linda would want him to be happy. He knew she wouldn't like the way he went about it, but she would be pleased her children had a motherly figure in their life. And one she knew would care for them, and treat them right, when their father wasn't around. Wait a minute, what was he thinking, he knew they couldn't get married. Sure, he was attracted to her, but that didn't mean there was love there. They had a relationship, but that was strictly work related. Things were different now though, how he didn't know, but that one-night stand did something to the both of them, and it was something they couldn't deny. All he knew was, was that he was drawn to her, and in a manner, he had never been before. Things were different with Linda, then the way he felt when he was with Maria. He and Linda didn't have a lot in common, aside from both coming from good catholic families and attending parochial school together. What they did have however was love, a love that was so strong, that it couldn't have been easily broken. A love that brought two wonderful boys, that he loved more than life itself, simply because they were a part of he and her and were a statuette to that love and the life they once shared. He knew he would always love Linda, and she would always hold a special place in his heart.

But Maria, Maria was different, and he felt different when he was with her. He and Maria shared the same interests involving the job, and they were both fearless when placed in a difficult situation. Yet while remaining fearless, they shared an initial concern for one another, and always watched out for one another. At first glance, one would think it was just them being partners, but it was becoming evident to the both of them, that there was more to those feelings, feelings that were developing into something deeper. They weren't sure what they were developing into, neither of them would exactly say love just yet. But they were almost certain it was very close to it. He had to fight it though, and he knew very well, that she thought the same. There one-night stand was a mistake, and nothing more. But if it was a mistake, why did he keep thinking about it? It wasn't like they could act on it. They already did that. But what he really meant, was that they couldn't act on it further. It wasn't right, she was his partner and he knew better. He also didn't want to be the type of father that told his sons he was working. But in reality, he was banging his partner. No, Danny made a decision. No matter how much he wanted to, he wouldn't do it. They would keep their relationship professional even if it killed them. And he would tell her just that Monday morning, after they started their tour. If he had that courage that is.

The following morning, and as usual, Danny was up early. Not nearly as early as usual, since he wasn't busy working a tour. But it was still early, considering he needed to get the boys up for breakfast, and then mass. He was just stirring up a pan of scrambled eggs, when Jack came down.

"The eggs are almost done, if you want to get you something to drink," Danny took a sip from his coffee cup, before looking over at his eldest.

"Okay," Jack reached into the fridge. "Are you cooking for family dinner?"

"Erin is, why?" Danny looked back at him.

"I was just wondering if I needed to eat twice the amount of eggs than normal, since dinner won't be edible," Jack poured himself a glass of milk.

"Very funny," Danny shoved a plate at him. "Where's your brother?"

"He's still in bed," Jack took a seat at the table. "I told him to get up, but you're probably going to have to go get him."

"Sean!" Danny called for him, before serving himself a plate of scrambled eggs.

He waited for several minutes, but after he finished his plate, and noticed Sean had yet to join them, he made his way up the stairs. After walking into his son's room, he noticed he was still in bed, and showed no signs of getting up.

"Sean," Danny nudged him. "Time to get up, we've got to get to mass. You know your grandpa will be steamed if were late."

Sean moaned, but he eventually rolled over. "I think I'm sick."

"You think you're sick?" Danny took a seat on the edge of the bed.

"My throats been hurting all night, and I have a headache." Sean sat up before rubbing his eyes.

"Stay in bed," Danny stood. "I'll get the thermometer."

With Sean running a low-grade fever, Danny knew he couldn't take him to mass or family dinner, just in case he had something contagious, and decided that he had better stay home with him.

"Jack," Danny said reaching the kitchen. "Your brothers sick, so I'm going to stay home with him."

"Do you want me to stay home as well?" Jack looked up from where he was placing his dirty dishes in the sink.

"No," Danny shook his head. "You go ahead to mass and family dinner, Erin said she would pick you up."

"Okay," Jack hurried up the stairs, so he could get ready.

XXXXXXXX

Maria was bored, she tried to enjoy her day off and catch up on one of her shows, but she gave up after the first ten minutes, when she realized she wasn't paying a bit of attention to it, and her mind was elsewhere. All she could do was think about Danny, and it didn't help that the photo she had of the two of them kept staring her in the face. She didn't get much sleep after she got home, and what little sleep she did get wasn't peaceful. She had been dreaming about the night before she spent with Danny, and she was sad when she woke up and realized he wasn't there. What Maria really wanted to do, was for the two of them to get back together again. She didn't know why, she wanted to so badly, she never had before, at least not before Friday night. Then again, after thinking about it, she figured she knew why. It was because she enjoyed herself so much that night after all.

She started to fold a load of clean laundry, hoping that would help. Unfortunately, it didn't, at least not when she realized it was a load of towels and all she could think about was the shower they took together. She wanted to call him, but she refrained, knowing that Sundays were meant to be set aside for family time, and as much as she wanted to, she knew she couldn't call him and ask him to come over, so they could have a few moments of pleasure. Another part of her wished she would get called in for a case, so she could throw herself into her work, at least until she remembered that he would get called in as well. And they would have to spend time alone in the car. What was she thinking? She knew they couldn't do such a thing. They had already done the sneaking around thing, making them appear like teenagers. And she knew that doing it in a car would resemble the same thing. Also, the only time they ever rode together, was when it was work related and they were on the job. And that was definitely out of the question. Then again, the whole thing was out of the question. They could never, ever do it again. He was a widower with two kids, and his kids had to be his number one priority, he was their only parent, and she understood that. He was also the Commissioners son, which opened a whole new set of reasons why it would never work between the two.

Danny wasn't bored, he had been so busy with tying to make something edible for him and Sean to eat, then he had to wash the dishes. If that wasn't enough, he still had a pile of laundry he needed to get to. He was just about to get started on washing the boys school uniforms, when Sean called for him, and he started back up the stairs for the hundredth time.

"What do you need Sean?" Danny sounded tired.

"My throat hurts," Sean complained.

"I know Sean, you've told me." Danny reminded him, almost certain he had heard the same phrase fifty times.

"Can't you do something?" Sean, who was so used to his mother caring for him when he was sick. Was finding it hard to be a good patient, when it came to his father providing the care. His mother always seemed to know what he needed before he did. And whereas he knew his father was doing his best, he still couldn't help but notice the differences when his father felt his forehead, compared to his mother's gentle hand.

"Your going to the doctor tomorrow," Danny said, before Sean interrupted.

"What can we do till then?" Sean found himself whining. No matter how much he refrained from doing so, he knew that even though his brother wasn't there. If he heard he was whining, he would tease him about acting like a baby.

"I'll make you some hot tea, and you can gargle with salt water," Danny remembered some of the things Linda used to have them do when they were ill.

"But I hate salt water," Sean complained again.

"You're the one that keeps complaining about it," Danny said exasperated.

"Your not as nice as mom was when I was sick," Sean muttered.

"That's because I'm not a nurse, I'm a detective. I chase people down for a living, not take care of them when there sick." Danny started to make his way out of the boy's bedroom, and down to the kitchen, where he could get the salt water.

"Can I go downstairs and play my game?" Sean stopped him.

Danny started to say yes, at least until he remembered he was grounded.

"Your grounded remember," Danny started to pick up the dirty clothes, his son had spread around the floor.

"But I'm sick," Sean obviously thought his sickness should overrule his bad behavior from earlier.

Danny knew the boy was sick, knowing he didn't normally complain or whine as much as he was doing now. And he couldn't very well expect a twelve-year-old to be content laying in bed with nothing to do but read or play on his laptop all day.

"Fine," he gave in. "But you have to stay grounded an extra day, and you have to do the gargling without complaint."

"But Dad," it really wasn't the grounding that made him complain. It was the fact that he was going to have to put straight salt and water in his mouth.

"Fine, stay up here." Danny normally wouldn't have been so hard on him. But he still wasn't happy about him not listening. And his irritable behavior didn't help matters. He was getting tired of being hard on him, but he was left without a choice considering he was the only parent. And he knew that if he let him get away with things, he would get an earful from his father, or even his grandfather for that matter.

"I'll do it," Sean mumbled, before throwing the blankets back on his bed, and looking for his pajama pants.

"Nice boxers," Danny teased him, gesturing at the boy's black boxers with red hearts covering them.

"Mom bought them for me," Sean gave him a small smile.

"You really miss her, don't you?" Danny placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Do you miss your mother?" Sean already knew the answer to his question.

"Every day," Danny mumbled, as the two made their way down the stairs.

XXXXXXXX

Danny had been meaning to call Maria all morning. But he found himself so busy, that he completely lost track of time. He had been thinking about her since he got up that morning, and he thought of calling her that very second. But the only thing that would show, was that he wanted to pursue a relationship, something he knew they couldn't do.

He had just taken a seat on the sofa to take a break, while his son played his game, when his cell buzzed.

"Did you go to confession?" Was the first thing Maria asked, when he answered the phone.

"I didn't even make it to mass," Danny stood, and made his way up the stairs, so he could have a little privacy, and away from listening ears.

"Too tired after Friday night?" Maria teased him.

"Not exactly," Danny wasn't sure how to explain the woes of a single parent that he was currently facing. Considering she came from a different world than he did. He had been married for over twenty years, had two children, and had a house payment. If that wasn't enough, his life had recently changed again, when he was left as the sole provider, and only caregiver to his children.

"How about we get together?" Marie's voice was so enticing, that Danny had to remind himself countless times that he had Sean with him.

"I can't," Danny felt bad for turning her down. Not wanting her to think that all wanted her for, was for sex, or that all he wanted was to do it one time, before tossing her aside.

"You can't avoid me Danny, we work together," Maria really didn't think Danny was the type of man who just missed a woman's company so bad, he was willing to take it from one person at a time, and then never speak to them again. But she couldn't help but push it.

"I'm not trying to avoid you Maria. And I wish I could ask you to come by," Danny said in all honesty. "But I have a sick kid, and I'm going to have to take the day off tomorrow, so I can take him to the doctor."

"I know you do," Maria sighed. Knowing that they could never let on to anyone. And going by there, where his sons were, would only make them wonder. A situation, she really didn't want to put him in. "Is being a single dad keeping you busy?"

"Very busy," Danny sounded tired. "And I'm telling you this, this single parent thing isn't easy. I've never had to take a day off to take my kid to the doctor. That was always Linda's job."

"Hang in there partner," Maria tried to sound reassuring. "He won't be sick forever."

"Yeah, I think he got sick just, so he could get out of being grounded," Danny mentioned, thinking about it.

"Danny, he didn't ask to get sick." Maria picked up for the boy.

"Yeah the same as he didn't ask me to ground him either," Danny argued.

"You really liked that sound system, didn't you?" Maria couldn't help but laugh at her partners behavior.

"Do you know how long I wanted that thing?" Danny started to whine, in a very similar manner, to that of his son.

"Obviously a while," Maria teased him.

"Dad!" Sean called, interrupting his father's phone conversation.

"Listen Maria, I have to go, my kid needs me."

"Do you want to try and talk some more tonight?" Maria knew that they hadn't even made a dent in the conversation, that they needed to have. A conversation that needed to be centered solely on what happened between the two of them that night.

"Can't," Danny was beginning to feel even guiltier than he did before, the more and more he turned her down. "I have Sean I have to take care of, and Jack will be needing help with his homework just as soon as he gets home."

"Your doing homework?" Maria sounded surprised.

"I know," Danny had to admit that it was a funny thought. Considering he hardly ever did his own homework when he was a kid. "But you find yourself doing a lot of things you never thought you'd do, when you become a parent, let alone a single one."

"What do you do when you can't figure it out?" Maria knew her partner was smart at a lot of things, but even he claimed to hate English.

"I have a brother and a niece that were both good in school." Danny revealed his ace in the hole.

"Dad!" Sean called again.

"I'm coming Sean!" Danny called down the stairs, before returning to the phone. "Sorry, my kids driving me crazy."

"Don't worry about it," Maria was doing her best to keep from laughing at her partners tone of exasperation, that was showing in his voice.

"You can come by my place tomorrow and we can talk," Danny knew they needed to discuss what spawned the sudden need to go to bed with one another, considering the thought had never entered their mind before then. "I have to take Sean to the doctor in the morning. But if you come by just as soon as we get home, Sean will be in the shower, and Jack will be at school." Danny knew it wasn't the idealist of time, but it was the best he could do under the circumstances.

"I'll be there," Maria knew she had to work, but considering her partner wouldn't be there, she knew desk duty would be an inevitable for her.

XXXXXXXX

Darkness did nothing to help an exhausted Danny Reagan find sleep. Not only did he have to stay up late to help Jack with his geography, but once he finally did asleep, he was awoken by Sean complaining about not being able to sleep, due to the pounding in his head. After tending to Sean, and getting him back to bed, Danny too returned to bed. Unfortunately for him, his sleep was restless, as he found himself dreading the upcoming talk he was going to have to have with Maria.

The following morning, and after a trip to the doctor's office, it was determined, that Sean had strep throat. Maria arrived right on time, and as much as Danny didn't want to open the door, he had to admit he was looking forward to seeing her.

"You want some coffee?" Danny offered her the cup he had just poured himself.

"Thanks," Maria said happily. "This desk duty is a killer."

"I'll be back tomorrow," Danny promised.

"What about Sean?" Maria wondered.

"He's going to stay with my grandpa," Danny sounded as if he was more than ready to go back to work.

"So, are we going to talk about what happened between us, or are we just going to ignore it?" Maria knew they didn't have a lot of time alone, considering her partners youngest son was in the house, and she would eventually have to go back to work.

"I wouldn't mind ignoring it," Danny admitted.

"Danny," Maria sighed.

"I know," Danny took a seat next to her on the sofa. "But its not like talking about it is going to change anything. We obviously are attracted to one another."

"Danny, we need to talk about it now, because we certainly didn't talk about it that night. All we did was have a one-night stand, which was wrong. and we both know it."

"I agree," Danny nodded.

"What makes it worse is, it's not like we were dating, and had feelings for one another." Maria's guilt was trumping that of her partners.

"Oh, I think it's evident, we have some sort of attraction to one another," Danny knew that after spending so much time together in the past. Never once did it enter their mind to be intimate. At least not until something so strong grew inside of them, that they had no idea what else to do or how to act.

"I know," Maria hated to admit it, but she knew he was right. "We should have talked about it first though."

"This whole thing is strange," Danny nodded.

"But we both agree that we will ignore the urge and attraction. And go on about our business, as if nothing ever happened?" Maria was beginning to realize just how strong the urge was, considering she was finding herself tempted to grab him by the face and kiss him.

"Dad," Sean interrupted them, when he came down the stairs.

Maria didn't say anything, but she was more than grateful for the kid's interruption. Knowing that if he wouldn't have been there, they could have had a repeat from the other night, something they were both trying to fight and ignore at the moment.

"Oh," Sean stopped, when he realized his father wasn't alone. "Hi Detective Baez."

"Hello Sean," Maria smiled at him.

"What do you need Sean?" Danny was in a hurry to get the boy to go back upstairs, so they could continue talking in private.

"I feel terrible," Sean plopped down in one of the single seats in the living room, and across from his father and his partner.

"I know, but you wanted to come home and didn't want to wait for your medicine to get done at the pharmacy," Danny reminded him.

"When are you going to get it?" Sean ran a hand through his hair irritably.

"After I pick your brother up from school," Danny glanced at the time on his phone.

"What can I do till then?" Sean was looking for anything that would help ease the pain in his throat.

"I'll get the salt," Danny got up from where he was sitting in the living room.

"Not the salt again," Sean whined.

"That and you can spray chloraseptic in your throat," Danny thought of another form of medicine Linda always kept in the medicine cabinet. "

"But that tastes nasty," Sean complained. "And I never seem to be able to spray it in the right spot."

"It does help Sean," Maria didn't want to get involved in a father/son discussion. But she thought that if it would help the boy feel better, as well as her partner get some peace, she might as well speak up.

"If spraying it in the right spot is your only problem, I can help with that," Danny was willing to do anything, if it would just get him out of the room.

"Yeah, but that won't help with the taste," Sean said again, crossing his arms in front of his chest in complaint.

"Sean," Danny was getting aggravated. "I'm going to go set the medicine. You don't move." He pointed at him.

"Partner, you have my sole permission, to handcuff my son to the chair if he starts to move," Danny added, before hurrying up the stairs.

"He isn't as nice as my mom was when I was sick," Sean shook his head, looking at his father's partner.

"I'm sure he's doing his best," Maria wasn't exactly used to talking with kids, at least not outside of the job, and that's wasn't very often. But she got along with her partner, and this was his child, so she figured she was bound to get along with him in some manner.

"Oh, I know he's doing his best, he does his best in everything he does," Sean agreed. "He just doesn't have that gentle spirit about him."

"He's tired too," Maria nodded. "He said he hasn't slept much."

"Yeah and Jack and I haven't helped much," Sean admitted, just as Danny rejoined them.

"Alright, lets get this over with," Danny removed the cap off the bottle.

"You know my throat is feeling much better now," Sean lied. Just trying to avoid the disgusting taste filling his mouth.

"Sean," Danny knew the boy was lying. "You really don't want to go against me on this. I have back up, and you'd be going up against two detectives."

"Isn't excessive force illegal?" Sean started to shy away from the two of them.

"Who said anything about excessive force?" Danny shrugged. "This would be reasonable force with a parent's permission."

"I'm going to call Grandpa," Sean figured Frank would be the only able to save him and talk Danny down.

"Stop acting like a little kid," Danny's frustrations were beginning to show. "And just so you know, your grandfather wouldn't be any help. You should have seen the way he took care of me when I was sick. It's a wonder I survived it all."

"I'm not acting like a little kid," Sean hated when anyone accused him of acting childish.

"Sean," Danny's voice was low but stern. "I have company. So, take your medicine and go upstairs, I'll be up there later."

Sean regretfully complied, but he did notice how much the spray seemed to help numb his throat, even if it was disgusting.

With Sean upstairs, Danny turned his attention back to Maria. "Sorry, he's irritable when he's sick," Danny apologized.

"Don't apologize," Maria laughed, enjoying the banter she was able to experience between father and son. "He's just a kid."

"Never have children Maria," Danny was literally exasperated as he returned to the seat he occupied just moments before Sean interrupted them. "Because if you do, you will have to take care of them when they are sick and that's sometimes worse than chasing a perp down a dark alley."

"That bad?" Maria cringed, knowing how dangerous it was to chase a perp down a dark alley alone.

"Pretty close," Danny gave her a fake smile.

"So, we both agree that we are going to ignore the urge and attraction?" Maria repeated the question, she never got the answer to. "And go about our business, as if nothing ever happened?"

"I don't know what else we would do," Danny shrugged. "Because I definitely don't want to face my family with the truth."

"It isn't going to be easy," Maria shook her head. "But I think its best for all of us."

"Me too," Danny sighed. "So, partners," Danny reached his hand out to her.

"Partners and friends," Maria shook his hand.

"So," Danny looked around the room, a smile on his face. "How's the job?"

"I can go pick up Sean's medicine," Maria could tell he was having trouble with coming up with something to say.

"Don't worry about it, I still have to go pick up Jack." Danny didn't want to bother her with something that was his job, as the boys parent.

"I can get Jack too," she volunteered.

"Don't you need to get back to work?" Danny knew how long their lunch break lasted, and she was pushing it, as it is.

"My partner banged in sick, so I'm on desk duty, and I hate it." Maria was willing to do anything, as long as it would keep her from having to sit at her desk all day and answer phones.

"In that case, you might as well stay for dinner?" Sure, Danny knew that inviting her over wasn't the best idea, considering the way things were between them. But since she was being helpful, he figured he owed her something.

"Are you cooking?" Maria remembered him saying before, how he wasn't the best of cooks.

"Yes," Danny nodded.

"I take my life in my hands when I work the job, why not do it with your cooking," Maria teased him, before heading out the door to do what she volunteered.

XXXXXXXX

"Detective Baez?" Jack said, just as soon as he saw his father's partner. "Is my dad okay?" Jack knew that his father wasn't supposed to go to work that day. Yet he also knew that his fathers plans tended to change as well. Then again, if something would have gone wrong, why did his fathers partner come, rather than his aunt or uncle.

"He's fine," Maria assured him. "He's at home with your brother. I volunteered to pick up you, and your brothers medicine."

"Oh," Jack settled down, once he was assured everything was okay. He would never admit it, at least not out loud. But he worried about his father getting injured on the job, or worse. Especially after his mother died. It all happened so suddenly, one minute she was there and the next she was gone. And he worried the same thing would happen to the only parent he had left.

"So how was school?" Maria asked, making small talk.

"It was good," Jack nodded. "How's Sean?"

"Giving your dad a hard time," Maria laughed.

"That's Sean," Jack smiled.

"So, your Dad invited me over for dinner. What should I know about his cooking?"

"Have a back up plan," Jack was quick to say. "I have all the take out, pizza deliveries, and hamburger places on speed dial on my phone."

"Maybe if we get there in time, I can help out," Maria volunteered. Even if she would enjoy witnessing he partner struggle at the stove and seeing him with an apron on.

"It would be nice to have something homecooked on a weeknight," Jack admitted.

Jack and Maria walked through the front door some time later, and what they found Danny doing was enough to make both of them take their phones out and call for takeout. Danny had his mother's old cookbook spread out on the kitchen counter. He had a package of chicken sitting in the sink, vegetables spread all over the counter, a knife in his left hand, and a kitchen towel, wrapped around his right hand, that was bleeding.

"Ugh Dad," Jack set his backpack down. "Your bleeding."

"Its just a scratch," Danny ignored him.

"Hey partner," Maria walked into the kitchen. "Why don't you go give Sean his medicine and let me cook."

"I can do it," Danny turned her down.

"Yeah Dad," Jack agreed with Maria. "Why don't you let Detective Baez cook?"

"Why don't you go do your homework," Danny pointed the knife at him.

"I don't have any," Jack took a step back.

"Dad!" Sean called from the top of the stairs, as if on cue.

"Sean needs you," Jack and Maria said simultaneously.

"Fine," Danny set the knife down. "You can cook," he looked at Maria. "And you can help her," he looked at Jack, before picking up his son's medicine, and heading up the stairs.

"Are you sure you know how to cook?" Jack looked at Maria questioningly.

"I have lived alone most of my life," Maria answered his question.

"Well just in case, I'll get the fire extinguisher," Jack started for the pantry.

By the time, Danny and Sean returned, Maria had the chicken in the oven, and the vegetables cooking on the stove.

"Something smells good." Even though Sean was sick, he was still hungry.

"Detective Baez is cooking," Jack spoke up.

"Thank you," Sean looked over at her. "I'd prefer to die from sickness, rather than his cooking."

"I heard that," Danny cleared his throat.

"Maybe Pop could give you lessons," Sean thought about it.

"Do you want to go back to your room?" Danny was too tired to argue with him.

"No," Sean quieted, at least for a minute.

"Jack, did you get your brothers homework, like I asked you to?" Danny remembered.

"I forgot," Jack said carefully, knowing his father reminded him multiple times, before he got out of the car.

"Jack," Danny sighed.

"That's okay, I don't mind," Sean grinned.

"I know you don't mind, but I'd like you to have something do when you go stay with Pop tomorrow," Danny admitted.

"I have something to do," Sean nodded. "I can watch tv."

"Something other than tv," Danny knew Sean wasn't much of a book worm, at least not compared to his brother.

"Oh, come on Dad, like you really wanted to do something other than watch tv when you were sick," Sean pestered him.

"This isn't about me," Danny tried to quiet him down.

"I bet Grandpa, could answer this question," Jack took his phone out of his pocket.

"Give me that," Danny jerked the boys phone away. "What is this two against one?"

Maria didn't say much, all she did was watch the interaction between father and sons. She had never seen him as much of a family man, and she could count on one hand how many times she had seen him with his sons. He was different when he was at home, then when he was on the job. He smiled more, laughed with the boys. He was the type of man, women only dreamed of. Hard working, loving and faithful. Part of her wished she could have that with him, but she knew she couldn't. They were partners, his father was their boss, and if that wasn't enough, he had his children, that were such a part of him. She had only witnessed an hour or so with father and sons, but that time, only made her more determined that she wouldn't do anything to separate the three of them, no matter how much she wanted him, and a family like the Reagans.

Hope you all enjoyed the update, I have so much planned for this story, and can't wait for chapter 3... Thanks for all the follows, favorites and reviews... JusticeStandsTRUE