I don't own these characters just a fan wanting to tell a story. Hope you enjoy!


Maria sat with Sam at the kitchen table going over a few Chemistry equations while Sean sat in the kitchen making supper and texting Jack.

Jack: Have you told Dad I'm coming home this weekend?"

Sean: No, not yet, he's been busy with a case.

Jack: Did he get the one with the naked women?

Sean: Yeah,I think. Where did you hear about the case?

Jack: I am keep tabs on the news back home wondering which case is Dad's.

Jack: Is Maria still staying with you guys?

Sean: Yes, I found out why she is staying it has something to do with an abusive ex-boyfriend.

Jack: Oh, that's not good.

Sean: Also, I think it has something to do with Dad's case, I think their suspect is her ex.

Jack: As much as I would love to keep talking about this, I have to get back to studying for this final. Love you.

Sean: Love you too.

Sean sighed and placed his phone down. He missed his brother, but he was excited to see him this weekend.

Sean heard the door open, Danny hurried into the house.

"Hey dad," Sean greeted.

"Hey" Danny answered. "Where is Baez?" He asked, his heart pounding he needed answers to what was going on. .

"She's in the dining room with Sam," Sean responded.

"Good" Danny said shortly.

Maria looked up from the table and was surprised by Danny's facial expression, it was a mixture of anger, frustration, and confusion.

"What's wrong?" Maria demanded.

"We need to talk!" Danny stated firmly.

"Sam, go see if Sean needs help with supper." Maria said swiftly.

Sam didn't need to be told told twice, she hurried into the kitchen.

"What's wrong?" Sam inquired.

Sean shook his head and shrugged, "I have no idea, I've never seen Dad this way."

"Danny what's wrong?" Maria asked again.

"It makes sense." Danny said softly.

"What do you mean?" Maria questioned, confused.

"Why you never pressed charges on the assault." Danny clarified, catching Maria's eye and holding it fast.

"And why's that?" Maria inquired.

"I went to see Sophia Lopez today," Danny said quietly.

Maria tensed, her heart was hammering in her chest, 'did he know'. "Yeah, she's Angelo's sister, I would expect you have talked with her. Why did that enlighten you?"

"She said last time she talked with you, you were pregnant with Angelo's kid." Danny explained, "What happened?"

"What do you mean?" Maria asked defensively, why was he grilling her like this.

"Well, you don't have a kid in your life as far as I know, what am I missing?" Danny questioned taking the seat beside Maria, "Is there something deeper going on that I need to know about."

"Danny it doesn't matter." Maria protested rising, attempting to retreat to her room.

"Yes, it does!" Danny disagreed, rising to follow her.

"No, it doesn't!" Maria cried whirling around. Her eyes were full of tears, and there was a pain in her face that Danny had never seen before.

"Maria" Danny started.

"No, it doesn't matter to the case, and I don't want to talk about it! It's not crucial to the case!" Maria declared, "Tell Sam that I can't help her anymore tonight." Maria added turning to leave again.

"Tell me," Danny grabbing her arm.

"I already said no!" Maria exclaimed, exasperated.

"Not as the detective on the case, but as your partner and your friend." Danny stated."You will feel better getting it off your chest."

"Danny," Maria objected, "it's really best if-"

Danny interrupted her, "The things we want to keep in the most are usually things we need to talk about the most." His voice was so kind and understanding, it made Maria want to tell him everything, so he could tell her it was all going to be okay. The tears that had been threatening to fall began thier attack slipping down her cheeks. She gripped Danny's arms for support as the heartbreak over took her.

"Shhh," Danny comforted, helping her sit on the steps and putting his arm around her.

Maria buried her head in his chest sobbing.

"I was nineteen." Maria started, after her sobs quieted, "When I found out I was pregnant I couldn't be more excited." Maria hiccuped, causing Danny to tighten his grip on her shoulder. "I told Angelo, he looked excited and he told me he was going to go out for drinks as a celebration. When he came home he was completely drunk and for some stupid reason he thought that I may have cheated on him. We fought and it turned physical pretty quickly, he had hit me before but never when he was that drunk. I begged him to stop because I knew he might hurt the baby." Maria paused, she had never told this story, she had buried it deep inside her and tried to forget. "Our neighbors called the cops when they heard me screaming, they took me to the hospital and told me that the baby was fine but I needed to be on bedrest. Everyone encouraged me to press charges against Angelo but I lied and told them it wasn't Angelo's fault. Our baby was fine and I wanted our baby to have its dad in it's life. A few days after I was discharged" Maria wiped the tears from her face, "I miscarried, the doctors told me is was my body's delayed reaction to the beating I took." Maria sighed, "After that I cut all ties with Angelo and his family. That's why I blame myself, I shouldn't have let my selfishness get in the way of justice."

Danny held Maria close on the stairs, he had never known this about his partner, to be honest he had learned more in the past week than he had known in the past several years.

"You weren't being selfish you were just doing what you thought was right." Danny assured, "What you did, came from a place of love. You wanted your child to have an opportunity to have its life."


Sean and Sam did their best to not hear the conversation in the next room, but it was very difficult and they sat awkwardly. They couldn't help but hear Maria tell her story because the stairs where near the kitchen, Sean saw Sam wipe a few tears from her face and mutter,"That son of a bitch," and "That bastard deserves to burn in Hell" under her breath at certain moments as Maria told the story. Sean had never thought Maria had gone through something so terrible and he found that now he didn't pity her, but respected her, for how picked herself up and kept going. Both felt guilty for having overheard, and wishing they could forget that they heard it.


Hope you guys liked that chapter. Hope to have more out soon!