Good old classic spaghetti and meatballs had done the trick yet again, Kevin mused, afraid to move a single muscle as he sat in the old reclining chair Jenny had inherited from her late grandfather, more or less as a token of tribute than actual serviceability.
Stuck at a 45-degree angle, with some of the fabric split from years of use, it had nonetheless become a popular spot for a nap or the occasional bedtime story.
And usually that would be the case for the evening program, along with a couple hours of mindless TV time to unwind from the workday, while helping out an increasingly uncomfortable Jenny who used every opportunity to remind him thereof.
But despite his best attempts, he hadn't been able to get that conversation between Beckett and Esposito out of his mind, the heart-wrenching accusations his best friend had placed at their feet, some of them hitting painfully close to home.
And while he couldn't change much about his new role of being a father and the distractions that had come with it, he could at least remind his partner that he too was family.
Surprisingly, Javi hadn't hesitated when he invited him for dinner after the hour-long conversation with Sheringer, the two of them not killing each other for one divine reason or another.
Spaghetti had been the meal of choice, easy to make, easy to double in volume for extra guests, and a fan favorite for SG. Little did he know about the amazing side effect all those carbs had on both his daughter and their dinner guest, the two of them sound asleep on the nearby couch, never even stirring when he got up to do the dishes earlier.
Jenny having gone to bed early for some much-needed rest had left him as the sole guardian of the household, which currently summed up to watching two of the most important people in his life sleep peacefully.
With Sarah Grace curled up against his side, Javi had a strong arm wrapped around the 2-year old's back, the other one resting over the top of the couch, his head dropped backward at an uncomfortable angle.
With every breath he took, it seemed to even out those deep lines on his forehead from all the drama of the last few weeks; the killings, the tension in the office, Sonia…
It was a cathartic sight that helped ease his mind that evening, not having expected such a peaceful scene but Kevin was grateful nonetheless.
Lost in his thoughts, it didn't take long for him to lose track of time as well, making him flinch violently when he heard something by the front door.
A set of footsteps halted right outside the apartment, followed by a brief jostle of the metal knob that made his blood freeze.
Next to him, Javi jerked awake, his sheepish glance turning into guilt for having fallen asleep. As their eyes met, he crarefully got off the couch, never waking SG, Kevin mirroring the move before they tiptoed toward the door.
When nothing else could be heard, he looked through the spyhole only to see a barren corridor ahead.
"Anything?", Esposito whispered, his hand automatically reaching for his service weapon that wasn't there.
"Nothing…but this could be a setup."
"Yeah…I know."
Brushing past his partner, Kevin walked over to the small nondescript safe tucked into the back corner of the coat closet, then punched in his 10-digit code and watched the metal door open with a quiet click.
"Here. I got one for you and one for me.", he explained matter-of-factly and reached inside, retrieving a Glock and a .375, the latter he handed to his partner.
"What've you got that thing for?!", Javi replied exasperatedly and inspected the silver revolver with the 6" barrel, before opening the cylinder, noticing it was completely filled with bullets, "Hunting elephants?"
"Fatherhood, bro. It makes you extra protective.", Kevin countered and headed for the bedroom, loathing to wake up Jenny but knowing he had no choice.
Surprisingly, she looked back up at him as he entered the room, her expression a worried frown.
"Javi and I just want to check something out.", he whispered, hoping she would understand as he turned back around.
With his heart hammering in his chest, Kevin reached for the apartment keys from the nearby side table and dropped them into his pant pocket, then opened the door, Esposito not far behind, instinctively aiming his gun to the right while he aimed left.
"Let's check the stairs.", he suggested and closed the door behind them, ensuring it was locked.
Javi moved past him, taking the lead, his broad shoulders blocking some of Kevin's view as he followed along.
The door to the stairs was still ajar, just a few inches away from the metal framework, the echoing of rapid footsteps reverberating throughout the open shaft from several floors below.
Without hesitation, Esposito gave chase, tackling three steps at a time as he rushed after their suspects, Kevin trying to follow along but struggling. In between stairwells, he glanced down, hoping to catch a glimpse of whoever had been at the door but failing.
He was a flight of stairs behind when Javi reached the outside door, taking a moment to look over at him, then darted onto the street in front of the building.
The door was still open when Kevin reached it and he followed along, seeing his partner sprint down the sidewalk, going after two subjects in dark clothes, running away from them at a rapid pace.
Ignoring his bad gut feeling about the entire situation, Kevin sped up as well, barely realizing he was still in cotton slippers, the cheap soles flopping relentlessly against the cold, hard concrete.
"POLICE. STAND DOWN!", Espo tried unsuccessfully as the duo took a sharp right turn down a side street, the larger of the two pushing over a garbage can to slow down their followers.
Falling even farther behind thanks to a slipper malfunction that made him leave it near a sewage drain; Kevin watched his partner leap over the rolling can and its contents before disappearing out of sight altogether.
Flinching against the sensation of his bare foot touching an assortment of cigarette butts, discarded gum and a plastic fork, Kevin fought on bravely, making it to the street corner in time to see Javi draw the .357 at a sedan speeding off, a cloud of blue smoke rising where the tires were spinning.
Unable to get in a good shot, he decided against pulling that trigger and shook his head in frustration.
"Damn.", Kevin muttered under his breath, ignoring the curious stares from passerby's as he limped over to his partner who remained in the middle of the road, feet shoulder-width apart, undoubtedly going through his own assortment of profanity.
"We almost had them.", he said, trying to sound reassuring as he reached forward to pat his partner's chest, feeling his entire body shake as he stood there panting.
"I didn't…get…the damn…plate. But we…", Espo began, before swallowing, "We got something though…"
Lowering the .357, he pointed his chin at a short metal pipe lying on the ground.