A/N: I am actually republishing this story. There have been edits made. The text that has been italicized is a flashback, and the text that has been bolded is from the show. I am merely borrowing characters besides though that are not recognized.
They filled the Black Penny with officers celebrating today's victory. A little girl was home, but a group of officers were shaken.
"How do you handle it?" Luke asks as he turns to look at Oliver. "How do you let your girls out of your sight after a case like this?"
"You can't let your fear shape their world," Oliver says as he sips his beer. "It's a balancing act of protecting them but letting them make mistakes. It's easier right now because Fay is not mobile yet."
"Soon," Luke says as he reflects on his daughter rolling over. "Anytime now, she should start crawling."
"Exactly, but she's always with one of you," Oliver says as he looks at him. "In a few years when she starts school. You aren't always there when she goes out to the park; that is when you truly get anxious. You as a cop know that around every corner could be a pedophile or murderer. You want her to experience as normal of a childhood as possible."
"I don't know how you handle it," Sam says as he sits down next to them. He signals Liam for another round for the group. "If it were up to me, Izzie, Jenny, and Maddy would never leave the house without a guard. Yes, I will include Fay in that."
"Zoe would kill us and you know it," Oliver says as he finishes his first bottle. "As I told Luke, it is all a balancing act."
"I'm still surprised that Donny let Trouble out of his sight," Sam says as they all take a shot.
"You mean the Pecks," Luke corrects as he sips his beer. "Most of the time, Kay stayed with her aunt and uncle."
"Okay, I'll rephrase how Gail and Trouble were ever let out of sight," Sam responds as he drinks his beer. "I mean no way between Donny, Bill, Eileen and the senior Pecks they were allowed out."
"Easy," Oliver says as he looks at the two men. "It's a balancing act. Yes, your first instinct as a parent is to protect your children. It's also allowing them to achieve their dreams. You can't protect them from everything, as you want them to become productive members of society."
"Still," Sam says as he looks at them.
"Change of subject," Luke says as he looks at them. "Halloween, any plans?"
"Zoe and I take the kids to the HQ Halloween party. Then we are trick or treating around the block of my choosing," Oliver says.
"The Black Penny's Halloween party," Sam says as he sips his beer. "What is Fay going to be this year?"
"Kay has decided on a family theme," Luke says as he looks at the guys.
"Do we want to know?" they ask as they look at him.
"Toss-up between the Flintstones, Grease, circus or bees," Luke says as he looks at them. "Is it wrong that I am hoping I have to work?"
"Grease wouldn't be too bad," Oliver says as he looks at him. "At least it's not like clowns or cops and robbers."
"He has a point," Sam says as he sips his beer. "Or something like under the sea or a new kid movie."
"True," he says as he looks at his phone. "Though you never know."
"She'll go with Grease," Sam says as he looks at them. "I can remember a few times her dad cursing because she and Gail watched the movie all weekend long."
"Oh boy," Oliver says. "Yup, definitely going as Grease, most likely."
"Did you see this?" Gail says as she rushes over. She turns her phone to the guys to see Fay sitting in a black onesie with a pink bow headband and a Pink Ladies' jacket.
"Oh man," Sam says as he looks at the photo. "You are in so much trouble."
"Who's in trouble?" Jerry asks as he and Noelle join the group.
"Luke," Oliver says as Gail shows them the picture. "Kat picked their Halloween costumes."
"Oh, that is so cute," Noelle gushes as she looks at the photo. "Yup, Callaghan, you are definitely going to have your hands full. You and Sammy better start practicing the word no, now."
Luke and Sam merely shake their heads before saying, "I can say no effortlessly."
"Sure," Oliver says as he looks at them. "Remember, you both said that."
"I am wondering who Kit Kat is going as," Gail says as she types a message.
"Likely, Rizzo," Luke says as he checks his phone. "Yup, and I get to be a T-Bird."
"No," Gail says as she turns to face him. "You get to be Kenickie. Why do rookies have to work Halloween?"
"Uh, because you need the training," Sam says as he looks at her. "The only people that get Halloween off are anyone with kids. So you are not the only one working."
"Which means we expect a lot of pictures or a visit," Noelle says as she looks at the two fathers. "We would prefer a visit, but we are not all going to be in the division."
"I have to pull a half-day," Luke says as he looks at his phone. "So I'll have Fay and Kay pick me up at the office."
Noelle, Gail and Sam break out into a grin at that idea.
