Disclaimer: Still not mine, sadly. Someday? Maybe. Now? No. Last chapter, by the way. Enjoy!
CHAPTER ELEVEN
DOINK-DOINK
Fin, Munch, Caroline, Olivia, Elliot, and Cragen all sat in the courtroom, anxiously awaiting how long the judge would give Turner.
"…count one to run consecutively to count two…" the judge was saying. Munch's heart lifted slightly. Turner was never getting out alive, not with two sentences of twenty-five to life, one right after the other. "We are adjourned."
"Good work, Casey," said Cragen as Novak approached them.
"Anytime," said Novak, brushing her hair out of her face. "Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to the batting cages to pretend each baseball I hit is one of Turner's testicles."
"So?" said Caroline, looking around at everyone else, her braids framing her eager face. "Do I pass? Am I one of you now?"
"Um, Caroline, this isn't exactly a sorority. You transfer in, you're one of us," said Elliot.
"You know what I mean. I just helped you win a case. So…"
"Of course," said Cragen. "You were excellent."
Mrs. Turner approached, flanked by Elena Monceau and Alan.
"Hello," said Olivia. "How are you holding up?"
"Elena found us a safe shelter to stay at until we can set up house somewhere else," said Mrs. Turner. "So we're saying our goodbyes now."
"Thank you for helping us," said Alan.
"That's our job," said Olivia. "You call us once you're in a new home."
"I'm very grateful," said Mrs. Turner. "For everything you've done for us."
It was a touching and sad moment. Elena put her arm around Mrs. Turner and led her away. Alan gave a sort of half-wave and followed them. Caroline sighed as they left. She ran a hand through her hair and a bobby pin fell out. She leaned down to get it, and Munch couldn't help but take a quick look.
Without turning around, Caroline uttered something all too familiar to Munch: "Stop looking at my ass."
All the other detectives looked at each other, half-amused, half-amazed. Caroline glanced around.
"What?"
"Nothing," said Munch. "Lunch?"
"Your treat," said Elliot.
"Oh, come on…"
And off they all went, happy for their victory, mourning the loss of two good people, and content knowing that the new addition to the Special Victims family was perfectly capable of handling Detective John Munch.
