A/N – Thanks again to anyone and everyone who is reading my story. I'm glad you guys are enjoying it. And thanks to all my lovely reviewers. You guys are too funny. (I'm talking to you to Montana Angell :)) So here is chapter eleven. HAPPY READING!!
Disclaimer – I don't own CSI NY, just Vanessa so I guess I'll be alright.
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Two weeks later—
Don paced nervously around his apartment, glancing at the clock every so often. 3:56 pm. He let out another sigh. Today was the day that he had his first interview with a representative from child services. Before he could begin the adoption process he had to prove that he was a suitable parent or as Danny put it, not a "crazy psycho".
Don smiled when he remembered his friends' reaction to the news.
"Are you serious?" Danny asked in disbelief.
"Yeah man, I am." he told him as they stood in the break room of the lab.
"I'm so happy for you" Lindsay told him, giving him a hug.
"Who are you happy for?" Hawkes asked, as he walked into the room.
"Flack's going to adopt Vanessa." Lindsay told him.
Hawkes looked towards Don with a surprised, yet pleasant look on his face.
"Congrats man." he told him, giving him a pat in the back.
"Thanks." he told Hawkes before looking over at Danny who was still shocked. "You alright Danno?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just let me know when your ready to buy your minivan Dad." Danny told him with a smile, causing the whole room to laugh.
The memory caused Don to laugh out loud. Despite his joking, Danny along with the rest of the team had been very supportive of his decision, something that he had hoped for. Even Mac had been happy for him.
"So I here you're in the process of gaining a little girl." Mac told as the two sat in his office, finishing up a case.
"Yeah, that's the plan anyway." Flack replied.
"I'm proud of you Flack, you both are very lucky."
"Thanks Mac, it means a lot."
And it did. Though he and Mac could butt heads sometimes, he highly respected the older man's opinion. He was glad that Mac was supportive of decision.
A knock at the door broke him from his thoughts.
This is it he thought as he opened the door.
Standing on the other side, stood a slender African-American woman who was probably in her late twenties. She wore a neat black skirt and a blue blouse. Her hair was pulled back into a tight bun.
"Don Flack?" she asked.
"Yes mam, that's me."
"Hi, I'm Lily Barnes, we spoke on the phone earlier." she told him, stretching out her arm.
Don shook the woman's hand. "Nice to meet you."
"Uh, do you mind if I come in?"
Don silently cursed himself for making her stand outside of his apartment so long. "Oh, sorry. Sure come on in." he said as he opened the door wide enough to let her in.
Ms. Barnes walked in the apartment, glancing around the foyer.
"You have a very nice apartment Mr. Flack."
"Please, call me Don." he told her, while leading her over to the couch.
"Will do." she told him as she took a seat on the couch. Don sat across from her in a chair that was also in his living room.
"So Don, tell me. How exactly did you meet Vanessa?"
Don began to tell the story of Vanessa's case to the woman. After he finished, Ms. Barnes was in awe.
"Wow, that's what I call fate." she said with a smile before continuing. "So, have you always been interested in adopting?"
"To be honest, no. Before I met Vanessa, I hadn't planned on having kids anytime soon, you know. But after we met, I knew I couldn't let her go back to living down at St. Johns."
Ms. Barnes nodded in understanding. "So Don, as a detective, would you say that you work somewhat unsteady hours?"
This was the question that Don had been dreading. He knew for a fact that his job would be a problem. Even with a regular day shift, he often found himself working from early in the morning to late at night. Some days, he was barely at home for two hours before he would go back out again.
"At times the hours can be unbalanced," he started. "But if I was able to adopt Vanessa, that would definitely change. I have already talked to my supervisor and he is willing to allow me to work more flexible hours."
"I see," she said writing down notes on her memo pad. "But in the case of a late shift, where would Vanessa stay?"
Despite his insecurities, Don held is own against Ms. Barnes's tough questions.
"Well, both of my parents are retired and eager to help whenever necessary. They don't live far from here at all so they are always available to help out."
Don let out a sigh of relief when he saw that Ms. Barnes was satisfied with his answer. He knew that the interview would be easier now that that part was over.
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Angell sat at her desk trying to focus on her paperwork, but was very unsuccessful. She was anxious to see how the interview with the social serviced woman went. She glanced down at her watch to see that it was 5:19 pm.
He should be done by now she thought as she began to tap her pen on her desk.
Just then her cell phone rang. Angell picked it before it could ring a second time.
"Don?"
Don laughed in the phone at her hurried greeting. "Some one's impatient."
Ignoring his teasing, she continued. "So, how'd it go?"
"I think it went pretty good. She seemed impressed with what I had to say." he told her. He could almost hear her smiling in the phone.
"Well, you are pretty impressive."
"I know," he joked,
Angell let a small chuckle. "So, are you headed to see Vanessa?"
"Yeah, I'm just about there." he replied. Ever since telling he made the decision to adopt her, Don has gone to visit Vanessa almost everyday.
"Alright. So I guess I'll talk to you later." she said.
"Of course you will." Don said before hanging up.
Right when the conversation ended, Don pulled into the parking lot of the orphanage. Once he walked in he was able to sign in quickly, mostly because his visits had become apart of his new routine.
"She's outside." one of the nuns told him, instantly recognizing his face.
Don thanked her and made his way outside. He immediately spotted Vanessa who was busy chasing a boy around the backyard. Not wanting to interrupt, Don took a seat on the back steps. Apparently, the boy took her soccer ball, but wasn't able to get very far because Vanessa caught up to him in a matter of seconds.
That's my girl Don thought to himself as he watched his daughter demand her ball back.
Daughter. The word alone made Don smile. Never in a million years did he think that he would have a daughter at this point in his life. The idea amazed him. This would be his daughter. His child. He would be her father, her dad. The thought made him smile even more.
"What's got you so giddy?"
Don looked up to Vanessa standing in front of him on the steps.
"Hey, there squirt." he told her, accepting the hug she offered.
Vanessa took a seat next to him on the steps. "Squirt?"
"Well, your short." he joked, rubbing a hand over her head.
"I'll grow." she told him before continuing. "So how'd the whole interview thingy go?"
"Pretty good, I think. Hopefully I'll be approved in the next week or so and then you might be able to come home with me."
Vanessa nodded. "Look, I never got a chance to thank you for doing this."
Don looked directly into the girl's bright green eyes. "You don't have to thank me Vanessa. I should be thanking you, okay."
"Well, if that's the case, can I get an allowance?" she asked, causing Don to laugh out loud.
