Disclaimer - Maria Frank and Scott Frank are created by me. John Munch belongs to Law and Order: SVU.
Scott watched with a heavy heart as John started packing his things. He was due to leave in the morning and wanted to pack his things instead of being rushed in the morning. Reaching into the laundry basket and extracting a pair of neatly folded slacks, John noticed the boy standing there and straightened up. "Hey, Scott. Everything okay, buddy?"
The five year old shook his head tearfully and ran into the room, wrapping his arms around Munch's leg. "I-I don't want you to go!" He sobbed into his pant leg and didn't stop when John lifted him up until his arms. Holding the boy tightly to his chest, he patiently and calmly soothed the child in an attempt to calm him down.
Hearing the sound of Maria rushing down the hallway to see what was going on, John asked when she entered, "What do I do?"
"Just keep telling him it's going to be okay and let him cry himself out." She walked over and placed her hands on Scott's back to rub it. "Why did he start crying?"
Blowing out a breath, he looked at her with sadness etched in his face. "He doesn't want me to go." He held the boy even closer and muttered sadly, "I don't want to go either, buddy."
"None of us do," She added, turning her head to look at how much he had packed. "When he's calmed down, I can help."
When John agreed, he headed out into the living room and left her alone for a few minutes. Sadly sighing and sitting on the edge of the bed, Frank reached into the suitcase and pulled out one of his shirts. Shit, I can't do this, she thought tearfully, holding the shirt close to her chest. "I can't do this."
"I'm sorry, Mar." John had returned after laying Scott down, startling her slightly. I'm so sorry."
"It's not your fault. We both knew this was going to happen and there's no way around it." She raised her head and allowed a few more tears to fall. "I just wish you didn't have to go."
Kneeling down and placing his hands on her knees, Munch calmly asked, "If you want, I can look for available rental apartments close to where I live?" When she didn't answer, he scooted closer and could tell she really wanted him to stay with her. "I know you told me you'd think about it and to take into consideration of what I'm asking since it's a huge decision for you and Scott, but-"
"Yes." She cut him off quietly, her eyes raising to look into his. "Yes, I want you to look, even if we end up moving into your place without pausing." The emotional pain gripping inside her chest made everything she said a week ago seem so meek. Maria wanted him to stay in her - and Scott's - life. "I didn't even realize how hard this is going to be for Scott, let alone myself."
Leaning forward and gently pressing his lips to hers, John whispered, "I love you and I love Scott." His hands went to her face, wiping away her tears. "I want you both to be happy and want what's best for you." He glanced down at the shirt she was gripping in her hands. "You can keep the shirt, by the way."
She cocked a brow and smiled through her tears. "Really?"
"Yes, I have more shirts in my closet and I know you want to keep me around until we hook up again." Munch sat down next to her and held her close. "Let's finish getting packed and we can have some quiet time together before Scott wakes up."
Maria nodded her head and held the shirt to her face, inhaling his scent. "Okay and thanks for letting me keep this." He smiled at her warmly and went back to sorting out clean clothes Frank had washed for him, turning his back to her for a moment. "You do realize I come with baggage, right?"
John turned while folding a shirt and furrowed his brows. "You're not meaning Scott, I know that."
"No, I'm not meaning him. I'm talking invisible baggage, John. The emotional and mental stuff." She stood and placed his shirt in her closet to keep it safe. "I know you have it, too, but my baggage is enormous. I don't want to alarm you in case something comes up later on in our relationship."
"Maria, I carry a lot of baggage, too." He handed her a pair of slacks to fold and they continued packing. "That isn't something that will come between us, if that's what you're wondering." Munch emptied the laundry basket and zipped the suitcase closed. "C'mon, I have something in mind for us."
Frank agreed and went check on Scott quickly before heading towards the bathroom was standing. "What are we doing?"
"You said how much you missed doing this, right?" He turned on the tub and plugged the bottom, allowing it to fill with hot water. "I figured we can do this one last time before I leave."
Smiling and closing the door, Maria allowed John to remove her clothes before she did the same to him. Getting into the tub first and settling down, Munch held out his hands for her to take as she stepped in, settling between his legs. She sighed against him when his arms wrapped around her waist and placed her hands over his. "Much better."
"Comfortable?" He asked softly, resting his chin on her shoulder. Maria nodded her head 'yes' and John whispered, "I'm glad." With a sly smile, he held onto her tightly and slide down in the tub until it was just the top of their shoulders showing.
Maria giggled and adjusted her legs so they were fully submerged with him, turning her head to smile at him. "You did that the first time we did this, too."
"Sure did and it made you laugh the same way." Munch closed his eyes and happily sighed to himself. "Mind if I share my dreams with you?"
"Of course."
He smiled warmly and whispered softly into her ear, "I see us living together with Scott and the dogs and you expecting our second child."
Frank softly laughed at the thought, asking, "Did we have a girl or a boy?"
"We're not sure since we're keeping it a secret until it's due, but we're excited and Scott can't wait to be a big brother." He reached a hand up and tucked a dark strand of hair behind her ear. "We are also married and still working in the police life since it's all we know."
"I like that," Maria whispered back, linking their fingers together under the water. "I really like that." Settling more against him and resting her forehead against his jaw, Frank closed her eyes and felt at ease about him leaving. "We can still make you're dreams real, John. It'll take time, but we can do it."
Smiling and chuckling in his throat, John relaxed with her in his arms and kissed her neck. "Even with you expecting?"
"I'm still in my thirties," She reminded him. "We can do it." Maria leaned into his lips when he kissed her neck again and chuckled. "We may end up doing this a lot when I'm expecting."
"I won't complain one bit."
M*M*M*M*M*M*M*M*M*M*M*M
Scott leaned against John as they watched 101 Dalmatians, his small hands resting over his dad's bigger one that was wrapped around his waist. Around the beginning of the movie, the youngster scooted onto Munch's lap and stayed comfortable there through the movie, laughing at funny bits.
Laying comfortably against John's shoulder, Maria's mind kept going back to what his dreams were for them as she watched how the adult dogs acted around the many puppies in the animated movie. She had always wanted to have a family to come home to after a long day from work instead of coming home to a hungry and tired five year old and being by herself. Unconsciously, Frank reached down between them and held Munch's hand, feeling his hand returning the grasp.
Glancing sideways and seeing their hands, Scott observed it for a moment before going back to the movie. His small shoulders relaxed and he leaned back against Munch's chest. "Momma? Do you like daddy?"
Maria's heart stopped in her chest for a moment and she glanced at John, who licked his lips as he was slightly nervous. The child innocently turned his head towards his mother and stared at her with his big dark eyes. "Yes, I like daddy, Scott."
"You like him a lot?"
John smiled and answered, "Yes. We like each other a lot."
Looking pleased with himself, Scott smiled at them both and went back to the movie, a content grin on his face.
M*M*M*M*M*M*M*M*M*M*M
Entwined around each other later that night, Maria grasped John's scrub top and lightly tugged at the buttons, debating on whether to take the chance to wake him by unbuttoning his shirt to place her hands on his bare chest or watch him peacefully sleep against her.
"What's the matter?" John soft voice startled Frank slightly, cracking a small smile when he peered out of one eye. "You look like your debating with something."
Clicking her tongue lightly, Maria whispered, "I guess. I was debating on whether parting your scrub top so I can feel you under my hands or just watching you sleep."
"You can do both," he offered, tilting his head slightly and adjusting his hold around her to give her more room to unbutton his shirt. When her fingers skimmed over his warm flesh, John warmly smiled and closed his eyes. "Feel better?"
"Yes, I do." Frank pressed her cheek against his chest and sighed contently, listening to his heart beating under her ear. "I feel a lot better."
Standing at the train station the next morning, John scanned over the board to make sure his train was coming on time before turning to face Maria and Scott. "Looks like it's coming on time."
Maria nodded her head and glanced down at Scott holding her hand with both of his. "I guess you should head down before it gets too crowded," she suggested softly, struggling to keep her composure.
"I guess I should." Munch agreed, placing his stuff down and taking a hold of her other hand, squeezing her fingers. "I'll call when the train arrives in New York, okay?"
"Okay," she nodded her head and pulled him into a tight hug, burying her face into his shoulder. "Think it'll be weird if I don't wash the shirt you let me keep?"
He laughed softly, pressing his lips to her temple. "That's fine." He softly kissed her, not forgetting Scott was right there. Breaking the kiss and looking down at Scott, he knelt down and they hugged. "I love you, son."
"I don't want you to go," he whimpered, big tears running down his five year old cheeks. "I want to go with you."
"We'll meet again, sport. I promise," he assured gently, cupping the boy's face in his hands. "We'll be together again." The youngster shook his head roughly and jumped into Maria's arms, continuing to bawl in her shoulder. "I'm sorry, Mar."
She shook her head, a sad smile on her lips. "It's okay." Frank watched him pick up his bags and reached an arm out to hug him once more. "Make room in your place, okay?"
"I will." He stared at Maria longingly, wishing they would have had just one more week together. Placing his hand on Scott's back, he grabbed the youngster's attention and said softly with a smile, "It's not goodbye, buddy. We'll see each other again very, very soon."
Scott nodded against Frank's shoulder and sniffled loudly a few times, his eyes brimming with more tears. "Can I bring my dogs?"
"Of course you can." He reassured, earning a small smile for the child. "I'll call when I'm back home and I can tell you all about the train ride."
"I'd like that." The five year old cracked a bigger smile and watched as John began heading in the direction of his train to New York.
