Munchie Mine Ch 8

Friday night, John watched the squad start to shut down for the weekend. He was looking forward to the weekend himself. He had it off and he was hoping to spend at least a part of it with Charlene. Part of it would be at the picnic at Cragens, but that wasn't exactly the kind of time he had in mind. He saw Don come out of his office earlier than usual. He was smiling.

"Do you have a hot date, Captain?" Fin said suggestively.

"Yeah, with a 16 year old. And anyone makes any smart comments, it's with my foster daughter. We're going to a father/daughter dance." Don said with a glare around the room.

"You too?" Elliott asked. "Elizabeth, and I will be going to one tonight as well."

"Maybe I'll see you there. What time do you need to be there?"

"Six."

"Same here. Looks like we're going the same place."

"Elizabeths teacher says that all of them have to be there and she's not a happy camper about it."

"BB's excited. She's never been to this kind of thing before."

"You're only father she's known, aren't you?" John asked.

"I'm afraid so. That doesn't sound good for her, I'm hoping this evening will be memorable for her."

"It will." John assured him.

"Do you have any big plans for your weekend off except the picnic, John?" Olivia asked.

"Something for Sunday, but nothing specific." he shrugged. "You?"

"I'm going to go to the country and just take in the scenery. I'm going to point my car and go where it takes me. Do whatever I want for a whole day just do whatever strikes my fancy." she smiled.

"Sounds like a good idea." Fin said.

"How about you, partner?" John asked him.

"I'm going on a date Saturday night then spend the rest of the weekend...well, you get the idea." Fin said with a sheepish grin.

"I don't want to hear any more." Cragen said raising his hands "I'm outta here. I'll see you all tomorrow. Good night."

John watched him leave and he picked up his phone. He dialled a number from memory. "Hi, it's me."

"Hello, you." Charlene said sounding like she was smiling.

"What're you doing?"

"Taking care of the monkeys while Karen gets BB ready for her big "date". Did you hear about it?"

"I heard. He just left. What time do you get off tonight?"

"I don't. We have so much to do to get ready for tomorrow I'm just staying here the night. What about you?"

"I'll be off in a few minutes. Do you want me to come out and help?"

"No, it's alot of cooking and organizing. We can do it. And if you come out, I'll want to spend it with you. I need all my energy to help bring this off."

"I understand. It's okay."

"I'll tell you what, though. I'll make it worth your while when I do see you again, just you and I."

"Are you going to cook for me?"

"How did you know?" she teased. "Can you let me use your kitchen? My oven is out and I do all my cooking here."

"Anything you need. Do you need me to pick up any food from the store?"

"How about if we get it together?"

"Sounds good. Are you doing okay?"

"I'm tired, but otherwise fine. Karen's the one going nuts. She's cleaned everything but the overhead light fixtures and the kids are avoiding her like the plague. She keeps making them do things."

"I used to help my father clean like that. I can help."

"I'd like that. Okay, if you want dishpan hands come on out. There's plenty of things to do."

"I'll be out in a little while."

"I'll be glad to see you. Thanks, John."

John hung up. "You going to go help someone clean?" Fin asked.

"Yes." John said forbiddingly.

"Need some help, man?"

"Thanks, Fin, but I can do this myself. Have a good evening."

John left the squad room and headed home. He changed into some old jeans and a sweatshirt, grabbed his keys and was back on the road less than an hour later. He smiled as he approached the Cragens place. It had ceased to be Karens place to everyone at the office. He pulled in and parked. Cragens car was gone. Charlene came out the door. She was dressed very similarly to John except he liked the look of her clothes more than his. "Hi." she smiled at him. She did look tired.

"Hello. I'm here to help." he said.

"In a minute." Charlene said walking into his arms.

He liked her style. She put her arms around his neck and he had no choice but to kiss her, not that he wanted to do anything else. She tasted like strawberries. "What have you been eating?" he teased.

"We're having Strawberry shortcake tonight after dinner. Someone had to taste to see if there was enough sugar in the berries."

"She has a weakness for strawberries. Duly noted." he teased.

"I have a weakness for tall, dark, handsome men. And you fit that bill to a tee. You really didn't have to come out here tonight but I'm glad you're here."

"It's not going to cause you a problem, is it?"

"No. Karen won't care. She's a good person. She invited you out to watch the kids, didn't she?"

"Okay, put me to work."

"Come inside and you can see the list. We're getting it whittled down, but it's still kind of big. Do you feel muscular or nimble fingered?"

"Which one do you need?" he wiggled his eyebrows at her.

She laughed. "I need you in whatever form. Come inside."

He followed her inside. Karen was in the kitchen making big pots of things on the stove. The kids sat around the table with school books and there were vegetables that looked freshly washed and ready to cut up. There was a big list on the table with most of the list blacked out. "Hi, John." Karen said without surprise.

John assumed Charlene had said something to her. "I'm here to volunteer to help." he said cheerfully.

"Excellent. Have you had dinner yet?"

"No."

"There's a huge pot of chili here for anyone who wants some and there's condiments in the frig. Is that why you waited to eat?" Karen asked Charlene.

"I had hoped he'd want to eat here. How did you know he was coming?"

"Just a guess." Karen said glancing at the kids.

"She'll tell you later." Laslo said wisely. "John, do you know anything about Algebra?"

"I think I can remember." John admitted.

"First he gets to eat while you try to figure it out yourself then he's allowed to help you, but he is not to do it for you, got me?"

"Okay." Laslo said but he was looking smug.

Karen turned and gave him a level look. Laslo ducked his head and lost his smug look. Satisfied, Karen turned back to her cooking. She was following a recipe and busy with that. Charlene gestured for John to follow her and they moved over to the crock pot that was steaming on the counter. Charlene gave him a bowl and dished some food into her own bowl. He moved up beside her and dished himself up some. It didn't smell as spicy as he was used to.

The sat down at the table and dug in. Laslo was chewing on the pencil eraser in frustration and Katie was struggling with handwriting practice. She had a big eraser on the table in front of her. It looked like it had been well used. "So how long has it been since you did Algebra?" Laslo asked conversationally.

"It's been awhile, but I remember how." John said.

"What kind of grades did you get?" Laslo asked.

"Let him eat." Karen said without turning around.

"He's fine." John said.

"He's trying to get out of doing it himself." Charlene said.

"So what needs to be done yet?" John changed the subject.

Charlene reached over and turned the tablet around so he could read the list. It was listed by pm and am. On the list for am was the erection of canopies, putting out extension cords, rigging up a sound system and getting out the yard games. The evening list included getting everything ready to go out in the morning, tables set up in the yard, washing down the sidewalks with the hose, setting out the lawn chairs, setting all the available big bowls on the table ready to be filled with food and making sure everyone had had a shower that night.

"After we do your homework, I'll let you help me put those tables up." John said to Laslo.

"Cool."

They finished the food, John helped Laslo with his Algebra and Laslo helped him put the tables up. Karen called the kids in for showers and left Charlene and John outside to finish the outside things. Charlene took the hose down and was hosing down the sidewalks when John got the outdoor games out. After he was done, he came up behind her and slipped his arms around her waist from behind. "Need any help?" he asked.

"Nope, just keep doing what you're doing." she said with a smile.

"So what did she say when you told her I was coming over tonight?"

"I never told her."

"Why?"

"Because I wanted to see you. Because I'm selfish. Are you sorry you came out?"

"No. That is quite a list, I'm glad I could help. Do we need to go right inside?"

"No. She called the kids in early so we could be alone out here."

"I owe her a thank you." John said.

Charlene put the hose down and turned into his arms. He kissed her deeply. "You are going to make me forget everything." Charlene said with a smile.

"That was my intention." he said with an answering grin.

"You keep your mind on family business, John Munch. The kids are still awake and I still have a lot of work to do. Maybe if you're a good boy later, I'll walk you to your car." she patted his cheek.

"Honey, I'm being a good boy." he teased.

"That term is a mood killer for me, John. I'm sorry."

"I didn't know that. I won't use that again." John said immediately. "So what's next, Charlene mine?" he asked to lighten the mood.

"Lawn chairs and then we're done out here."

"Lead on. But go slowly. I'm not ready to give you up just yet."

"I'm not either. I'm just anxious for tomorrow to be here so we can see each other tomorrow night without everyone else around.

"You're my kind of woman. Can I ask why that term bothers you so much?"

"It was what he used to call me when he wanted something. Sex or money or to go do something he knew he shouldn't do. It's wrong to transfer that to you, I'm sorry."

"Words can cause bad memories. Smells, sounds, tastes even can cause very bad memories. See, my job is to erase those memories for you so you don't ever have to think about them again. And I have to tell you, I take my job very seriously."

"I know you do. They are already fading to the past." Charlene put her arm through his and squeezed.

There was a ton of lawnchairs in the barn. Charlene decided they'd just hose them down in the barn and put them out in the morning. Working together it didn't take long. Before they finished the last one, John grabbed the hose from her and scooped her up in his arms and sat down on a solid chair. "John!" Charlene said.

"Shhh. You'll wake the horses." he said kissing her gently.

"I don't think they care." she said between kisses.

"Good, because I don't like spectators."

They didn't need any words for quite awhile. The headlights flashing in the driveway brought them back to the present. "I guess they're home. I should have been inside helping." Charlene said with a guilty expression on her face.

"I'm sorry. That was thoughtless of me. I'll take the blame for this."

"No, it's my problem. I did wrong. It's my responsibility to help Karen, not be out in the barn making out."

Charlene was in a guilt ridden funk now and she hurriedly grabbed the hose and nearly got John with it when she sprayed off the last two chairs. "Hey, slow down. We'll apologize to her and I'll take the blame. It's okay." John said catching her by the hands.

To his surprise, Charlene had tears in her eyes. "You don't understand. I let her down. I've never done that before. She's been better than a mother to me and I let her down. I shouldn't have done that."

"You didn't let her down. She knew you were out here with me and we were close at hand. She'd have called if she'd needed you."

"But that's not who I am. I can't teach responsibility if I don't show responsibility. I need to do this.for myself. I have to respect myself. I won't do this again." she said sharply.

"I got you. You make me lose my head. I'll behave myself from now on."

"Let's not go overboard." she said absently.

She took his hand and practically towed him to the house. Karen was in the kitchen yet talking to Don and BB. The two were smiling and BB was positively glowing. She had on an elegant dress and a light makeup job. She looked pretty. Karen nodded at them when they came in. Don nodded at John, but that was all that passed between them.

"It was great. Thank you for the best night of my life." BB said happily.

"You are entirely welcome. You deserve it." Don said.

"Why don't you go get out of your dress and hang it up. You don't need to go to bed yet, but make sure you wash your face before you go to bed."

"Okay. Good night. Thank you, Don." BB chirped.

"You're welcome, honey. I'm going to go get changed as well." Don said. "I'll be right back." he dropped a kiss on Karen as he went by.

She smiled at him and looked at Charlene. "Is everything done out there now?"

"The chairs had to be washed so they're done but they're drying in the barn. I'm sorry, Karen. I shouldn't have left you to do all that stuff by yourself. It wasn't right."

"Don't worry. I knew where you were, I didn't want you to rush in here. I'd have called you if I needed you. The kids were fine, everything is under control and Don is home now. Do you want to go somewhere and have a late night cup of coffee? Go ahead."

"No, we need to be here early in the morning. I'll walk John out and be right back in." Charlene said.

"It was my fault, Karen." John said hurriedly. "I should know better. I distracted her."

"I'm not mad and I'm not assigning blame. Charlene, I know you well enough to know that if I had needed the help you would not have gone out there to begin with. Stop beating yourself up over it. I enjoyed the quiet time alone. Relax and spend some time with John. I'm going to see Don."

"Okay." Charlene said hesitantly.

Karen went into her quarters and Charlene turned to John. "Do you see why I'm loyal to her?"

"Yes. I'm glad you have that kind of support in your life." he said, meaning every word. "So you want to walk me out to my car? I'll be back in the morning." he asked.

"Yes. Or you could just stay the night here."

John looked sharply at her. "My captain is right in there..." he started.

"As good as that sounds, John, I'd never do that, not here. We have a comfortable cot that we put into Karens office when we have a houseful. You're welcome to use that. Oh, you probably didn't bring anything else to wear, did you?"

"That isn't the problem. I want to be here with you in...inappropriate ways around the kids and Cragen. I'm better off going home and coming back."

"Is that all you think about?" she teased walking with him to the door.

"Not all."

"Then we're just going to have to work on your point of view." Charlene said.

"If you want me to sleep tonight you need to cut that out." he warned.

"Who said I wanted you to sleep?" Charlene teased.

John snagged her arm and whirled her around into his arms and kissed her passionately, fully, letting her feel the full brunt of his reaction to her. Using his tongue and the skill he'd gained from many encounters he showed her just exactly how she made him feel. He kissed her until she was breathless and clinging to him, moaning with need. He eased back and kissed her a couple times lightly teasingly. "That is what you do to me, but you are more than just that to me. I'm not going to make love to you again until we have more in common than that. Good night, Charlene."

He walked away from her and got into his car and left. It was hard, he was a fully grown, red-blooded man with all that entailed, but he was also not a rutting pig and he wouldn't behave like one. He cranked the window down all the way so the night air would at least take his mind off the feeling he'd just made a terrible mistake. He was a modern, mature man and damn it he'd act like it. He resisted the urge to stick his head out the window and howl at the moon.

TBC