So first off this chapter is a little bit longer than I intended it to be, in fact I think it's probably my longest chapter to date. It kinda got away from me there at the end I didn't plan on including any of that but it happened because people started to ask my opinion and I started to think about it more and more. I was going to turn it into a chapter of it's own down the road but I don't know what happened. So here you are longer than I thought it would be hope you don't mind. As always I own nothing, enjoy.
That summer went by incredibly normally by Abe's standards. He didn't have to pull anyone out of a river more than twice His father wasn't brooding about death, but actually outside enjoying the warm weather with his fiancée and friends. Abe was able to see Fawn with out Henry looking over his shoulder all in all everything was very nice.
As if to prove a point everyone gathered together on the fourth of July, ending along the East River not to pick up a recently deceased immortal but to watch a fire work show. Not only were Henry, Jo, and Abe there but Hanson joined with his family, Fawn joined with hers, and both Lucas and Jacob brought dates.
Henry had picked up where he left off with Hanson's kids, telling stories and playing catch, eventually getting Jo to join in their game. Which quickly changed from catch to an attempt at touch football when Fawn's grandchildren joined in as well.
"He's going to feel that in the morning." Abe smirked watching his father get taken down by a couple of the smaller children. "I don't know if he's played football before."
"Well I'd be careful Abe, looks like you might end up a big brother." Hanson handed the older man a beer.
"Then they couldn't ask for a better father." Abe nodded, "And as long as he has Jo things will be different."
"So you've known him longest, has he always been so …" Hanson searched for a good word.
"Eccentric." Abe smirked, "I can only tell you what I know from the past sixty-five or so years." Abe sighed, "When he was with mom he was completely different, closer to what he is when he's with Jo, but he was also a lot more paranoid. He didn't start studying death until mom left. He spent a couple years in a very dark place that I didn't think I could pull him out of, I remember him telling me over and over how much he wanted to die and how angry he was with the world that he couldn't. I knew when I wasn't around he'd try and try again. After those first five years he turned into the person you met. Isolated himself from everyone but me, went to work, came home, and then went down to his lab. Then he met Jo and he's starting to become the lighter hearted person he was when I was growing up."
"Damn." Was all Hanson could come up with. "I suppose I should be happy I'm not him."
"Yea." Abe watched his father continue to attempt touch football. "But Jo's good for him, he won't have to go through what happened with mom again. And he'll have all of you long after I'm gone."
"Detective," Henry pulled himself free of the kids, "I am going to have to call for a substitution. I am afraid American football is never going to be my sport."
"I gotcha Doc." Hanson handed off his unopened beer.
"Mike, take advantage of this." Henry stopped him; "They aren't always going to be so excited to come see fireworks with their father."
"Hey I'm here aren't I?" Abe reminded.
"Yes but there were several years when you weren't. Of course I'm not saying your mother and I didn't enjoy a nice picnic and firework show to ourselves but your presence was missed." Henry returned.
"Don't worry Doc, I'm not taking anything for granted." Mike gave the immortal a pat on the back before inserting himself into the football game by lifting his youngest son up from around the waist.
"So what were you two talking about." Henry turned to his son.
"Oh nothing exciting, just complaining about how you never played football with me." Abe teased.
"I played plenty of sports with you, you were never interested in football." Henry defended, knowing perfectly well that the conversation had nothing to do with touch football, he let it go. "So what am I supposed to do with this?" He gestured to the unopened bottle of beer.
"Drink it." Abe rolled his eyes at the frown forming on his old mans face, "Or put it back in the cooler and grab a bottle of water." Henry went to open the beer.
"Not so fast." Jo pulled herself from the kid's game. "Look in my backpack." She grinned as Henry pulled out a bottle of cognac and gave Jo a stern look of disapproval, before smiling himself.
"You shouldn't have brought this." Henry reminded, "But it's greatly appreciated."
"As long as you don't mind drinking from a plastic cup." Jo handed off a solo cup.
"I'm sure I'll survive." Henry assured carefully pouring the drink before returning the bottle to the bottom of the backpack.
"That better not have been what I thought it was." Lieutenant Reese approached from behind with a man they had to assume was her husband. "My detectives better not have open bottles in a public place."
"In that case I assure it wasn't what you thought you saw." Henry set the cup on top of the nearest cooler.
"Lieu we weren't expecting to see you." Jo stood a little straighter.
"My husband and I came to see the fireworks same as everyone else. Our daughters are supposed to be joining us before the display whenever they're done with their friends." Reese supplied, "I have to say Henry those grass stains don't match the scarf."
"Yes and I learned that I'm not cut out for American football." Henry subconsciously wiped at some of the stains on his pants.
"I think any one in the precinct could've told you that." Reese couldn't help but smirk.
"Well in his defense he held his own against a team of ten to five year olds." Abe couldn't help himself.
"Lieutenant, I don't think you've met my roommate Abraham." Henry quickly introduced Abe.
"And neither of you have met my husband Charles." Reese followed suit, which led to a quick bout of hand shaking.
"Doc, please tell me this isn't some of your fancy pants drink." Hanson exited the football game and had to move the cup to get a beer from the cooler. "Lieutenant." Hanson instinctively moved the beer behind his back.
"It's your day off, and last time I checked you're all old enough to consume alcohol." Reese commented, "Enjoy your afternoon, I think we're going to go see if we can track down our girls. And I expect all of you at work tomorrow on time, hangover or otherwise." Reese called over her shoulder, "That goes for the members of the OCME Lucas." The all turned to find the young man and his date with a couple of Jell-O shots they had snuck in. Hearing his name he did as Hanson had done and stashed the offending Jell-O shot behind his back.
"This is a family event." Henry scolded Lucas.
"Yea, Yea I know, but come on Doc I really like this girl I gotta impress her somehow." Lucas glanced at the young woman behind him.
"Trust me getting drunk is not all that impressive." Henry returned.
"You've got a little experience there Doc?" Hanson cut in, "It can't be easy to get drunk on fruffy drinks."
"I'm only human detective, and I wasn't always so picky about what I drank." Henry rolled his eyes.
"Mike rein the boys in it's starting to get dark." Karen called from where she was talking with a small group of women.
"Excuse me." Mike sighed, getting his boys to sit still for even a half hour firework show was going to be a challenge.
"If you'll excuse me I'm going to go see if I can pull my date away from her children." Abe pulled himself up from his chair.
"Well my dear it appears we should take our seats as well." Henry pulled out a folding chair for Jo before setting one up for himself.
"Henry I have to ask, I mean seeing you with those kids, do you want children?" Jo spoke up after a minute of just the two of them sitting there.
"I want what you want." Henry decided on a diplomatic answer, he missed have a young child around the house but he worried about the son he had, he knew he didn't want to out live another child.
"That's not an answer." Jo argued.
"Sometimes I miss having a young child." Henry confessed, "But I don't ever want you to have to deal with the pain of even knowing you will outlive your child."
"Well, I don't think you have to worry about that." Jo looked at the grass, "Ever since I was killed, I haven't had a, well I, well that time of the month hasn't come."
"So you're…"
"No I went to the doctor a week or so ago after talking to a suspect I didn't tell anyone and he says I'm not. Henry I was killed months ago, I don't think I can have kids." Jo confessed holding her gaze with the ground waiting for a reaction.
"Why didn't you tell me all this sooner, you kept up the appearance of a period?" Henry frowned.
"I didn't want to worry you." Jo sighed, finally looking up.
"Hey come here." Henry pulled her from her chair, "If we decide we want kids down the road there's always adoption." Henry held her against him, "I hate that you thought you had to pretend, Abigail and I couldn't have kids of our own and we always assumed it was because of my condition, so I'm not surprised and I'm not disappointed. When and if we want kids there are always options. Adoption worked for me once before."
"Damn right it did." Abe walked up only hearing that last sentence. "Everything okay?"
"Yea everything's just fine." Jo separated from Henry but not by much.
"Just discussing our future." Henry dismissed his son's concern, "Fawn would you like a drink, I think we have some soda, water, beer, lemonade, and Jo snuck me some cognac but I'm willing to share."
"I think I'll just have a water." Fawn smiled the way women always did when Henry decided to charm them.
"Well then here you are." Henry handed off a bottle, "I believe the fireworks are getting ready to start, so Jo if you find your seat is uncomfortable I think I have room here in mine." Henry offered his lap.
"Nice try Romeo." Jo smirked, "But mine's just fine."
