Author's Note: It's been awhile! I've been working on this one-shot for a good while, and it finally cooperated.
In this chapter, we jump around twenty years into the future for a major life event. I hope you enjoy!
If you haven't read my fic Sweet Home Chicago or the previous one-shot in this series, this may not make a lot of sense :)
If you have any ideas/requests, please leave a review or send me a PM.
[][][][][][][][][][]
Maybe I've Done Something Right
Hank stared at his reflection in the mirror as he attempted to fix his tie. He'd tied one a hundred times, but for some reason he couldn't seem to get this tie to cooperate. He didn't need this, not today, not for such a big occasion.
How was this actually happening? How had his baby girl reached this stage of life? He wasn't ready for this.
Just then, his wife blew into the room, interrupting his thoughts. "Babe, we're going to be late. What's taking you so long?"
Hank sighed, turning around. When his eyes took Jenna in, his breath caught in his chest. Even in her late-sixties, a glimpse of her never failed to stop him in his tracks. Even after spending over twenty years with her, he was still captivated by her.
"Hank, stop staring and use your words," Jenna said, a knowing smirk on her face, and he shrugged sheepishly, realizing she'd caught his silent appraisal of her.
"Sorry Jen," he said with a grin. "But you come in here looking that gorgeous, and my mind immediately goes blank to anything but you."
Jenna rolled her eyes. "We have to go now. Em will freak out if we're not there on time."
"Tie this?" Hank asked, gesturing toward his tie.
Jenna expertly tied it, and minutes later, they were on their way. Hank intertwined their fingers as their hands rested side by side on the console of the car.
"I don't know if I'm ready for this," Hank confided quietly.
"But she's ready, Hank," Jenna said. "She's wanted this for a long time, and she's worked hard for it."
Hank sighed, shaking his head. "I know, Jen. I'm so proud of her, but she...she's going to be on her own. She doesn't need us anymore."
"Honey, she's always going to need us," Jenna insisted. "But it's time for her to be on her own. There were several years she didn't live with us, and you knew her move home this last year was only temporary."
"I know," Hank said sadly. "But I just...I got used to having her here again. I'm not ready to let her go."
"We'll survive, Hank." Jenna tugged his hand, moving it to rest on her thigh. "Besides, won't it be nice to have the house to ourselves again?"
Hank raised his eyebrow at her suggestive tone, digging his fingers slightly into her thigh. "Jenna Voight. What exactly are you implying right now?"
Jenna returned her gaze to the front windshield as they reached their destination. "You know exactly what I'm talking about. Now, behave yourself today."
Hand in hand, they walked into the auditorium. They quickly located the Halstead family of five, who all rose for hugs from their parents and grandparents.
"Hey kiddo," Hank whispered in Erin's ear.
Erin smiled at his greeting, enjoying that even now in her fifties, he still called her by the nickname he'd given her at fifteen. "Hey. How are you feeling about all this?"
Hank shrugged. "Not happy she's leaving us again, but of course I'm proud of her."
"It's not like she's moving across the country. She and Parker found a great, affordable apartment, and they'll keep each other in line."
"She's my best friend, Pops. I'll make sure she's taken care of," Parker said, overhearing their conversation."
Hank smiled at his grandson's promise. He knew the moment Erin announced her pregnancy, even before they knew they were expecting a boy, that Erin's child and Emerson would be close, but none of them were prepared for the tight bond between the two. It was a tight, brother-sister connection, and even though Emerson was the older of the two, Parker made it his mission early on to look out for Emerson, and watching the two of them grow up together had been such a joy for the whole family.
Hank's gaze drifted down to the identical teenage brunettes sitting in front of Erin and Jay. A few years after Parker's birth, Erin and Jay shocked everyone with the announcement they were expecting twins, and a few months later, two tiny baby girls completed their family. Nadia and Allie were seventeen now, and their namesakes, Nadia and Alvin, two of the hardest losses both Erin and Hank had ever experienced, would be so proud of the young women they'd grown up to be, and Hank was too.
Hank's thoughts were interrupted when the announcer began the ceremony. He quickly scanned the crowd, attempting to find his daughter. Moments later, his eyes found hers, the beautiful ones she inherited from her mom filled with pride in her major accomplishment.
Law school graduate.
Hank was still surprised that title was moments away from being bestowed upon his daughter. When she'd informed him and Jenna of her plans, Hank had tried to discourage her, knowing the difficulties of the job and knowing his own personal distaste for attorneys from his days of going head to head with them. But Emerson was determined, and now she was graduating near the top of her class, with an offer to join the DA's office in two weeks. Hank was proud, so proud of her hard work.
The last year, she'd asked to move back in with her parents, craving the calmness and quietness of the home she grew up in rather than the apartment she shared with three of her law school girlfriends. Hank and Jenna had immediately agreed, and watching Emerson's dedication to her studies made him prouder than he'd ever been. As hard as it would be to let her go out into the real world, deep down he knew it was time, and this transition would harder for him than it would be for her.
Emerson was ready, even if he wasn't.
When the ceremony was over, Emerson sought out her family, jumping first into her father's arms. Hank closed his eyes, holding her tight, whispering in her ear how proud he was of her. After several minutes, Emerson pulled away, insisting she needed to greet the rest of the family who had come to support her.
Hank watched Emerson with Jenna, his baby girl a true miniature version of her mother, sharing not only the same eyes, but the same smile, the same laugh, and the same spirit. He was so grateful for these two incredible women who'd fallen into his path, completely changing his life. Although he wished they'd come into his life far sooner, he'd continue to cherish every single day God gave him with them.
Erin put her arm around him as they walked out of the auditorium. "She's happy."
Hank agreed. "Very. She's excited about her job and about...whatever the future holds."
"You raised a great girl, Hank. She'll be ok, because you and Jenna prepared her well for this."
"Jenna is responsible for how great she turned out."
Erin elbowed him. "You helped." Her gaze turned back to the kids talking and laughing ahead of them. "You're lucky to have had this time with her, with all of them. I'm jealous."
Hank smiled at Erin's words. "It's been better than I could've ever imagined."
He and Jenna had been lucky to help raise the Halstead children. Erin's fears of putting their newborn son in the care of strangers was quickly erased when, after a long conversation with Hank, Jenna offered to keep him when Erin returned to work. When the twins came along, Parker and Emerson were both in school, so Jenna and Hank welcomed the littlest Halsteads into their home as well. Weekends and days off were spent in the Voights' home, and Hank never once regretting retiring when he did, knowing those days with his family were days he could never get back.
A couple of hours later, their home was filled with friends who had become family over the years. Several of Jenna's kids had flown in from California for the celebration, and current and past members of Intelligence joined the family for a party celebrating Emerson's accomplishment.
Toward the end of the night, Hank slipped out to the front porch, needed a moment away from the crowd. He eased himself down on one of the front steps, his knees cracking, showing his age. His thoughts drifted back to the day he met Jenna, in her bakery, blood trickling down her face. She was gorgeous that day, and she grew even more beautiful in his eyes with each passing day. He remembered their first date, the night she spent by his side in the hospital, and the days he spent with her after her kidnapping. He quickly brushed over their breakup, instead directing his thoughts to their wedding, the birth of their daughter, the one who was truly leaving the nest for good in just a few days.
"Thought I might find you out here."
Hank looked up, and Emerson was standing behind him. He gestured toward the step next to him, and she took a seat beside him. Instinctively his arm circled her shoulders, and Emerson leaned against her father's side. Hank smiled as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head.
"It's been a good day," Hank said quietly.
Emerson nodded. "It has been. I'm exhausted, but it feels good. I can't believe it's all over, everything I've worked hard for is over."
"It's not over, Em. It's just the end of one chapter and the start of a new one."
Emerson raised her head, and Hank was surprised to see tearful eyes looking up at him. "Do you really think I can do this?" she whispered.
Hank pulled her tighter against him. "Of course you can. You've worked so hard for this. You're so smart, and driven, and dedicated, and I know you're going to be incredible in this new job. Your mom and I are so proud of you. I know we've said that over and over, but I hope you realize how truly proud we are."
"I know," Emerson said, wiping her tears. "I'm lucky to have you and Mom cheering me on."
Hank thought back to the day she was born, the moment she was placed in his arms. It was one of the most incredible moments of his life, and he was forever grateful she was in their lives.
"You know, when you were born, I was so scared," he said quietly.
"You? Scared?" Emerson asked in disbelief.
Hank chuckled. "Oh yeah. I wasn't a good father to Justin. I tried to be better once Erin came along, but her situation was so different that most of my time with her was spent trying to help her overcome her past. When you came along, for one, it had been so long since I'd had a baby around that I wasn't sure I'd remember what to do, and then I was also afraid of letting you and your mom down."
"You could never let us down, Dad," Emerson said.
Hank shook his head. "You won't understand, not until you have kids of your own someday, but it's something you never stop worrying about. But seeing you walk across that stage today…it made me think that maybe I've done something right with you."
Emerson leaned in close to her father, laying her head against his shoulder. "You've been the best, Dad. I know you gave up your career to be able to stay home with me. I know you've missed it, but I'm thankful to have had you around for…for everything."
"I wouldn't trade these years with you and your mom for anything. They've been the best years of my life." He placed another kiss on top of her head. "I'm going to miss having you here every day, but I promise you, I'll be proud to be in the courtroom watching your first case."
Emerson giggled. "If I allow you to come to see my first case, you can't intimidate the defense counsel."
Hank shrugged his shoulders. "I can't help it if they fear me, Em."
Emerson laughed, wrapping her arms tight around her father. "I love you Dad."
"I love you too. More than you'll ever know."
A few minutes later, Emerson rose from her spot next to Hank, feeling as though she should return to the party. Before Hank could lift himself from the steps, Jenna was by his side.
"Thought I might find you out here," she said.
"Funny, those were the exact words Emerson said when she came out here," Hank said, reaching for her hand and tugging until she was seated next to him.
"I know you're not big on parties, but you've been a good sport tonight," Jenna said, looping her arm through his and laying her head on his shoulder. "She's had a great time."
Hank nodded. "Em deserves this. She's worked so hard." He sighed, carefully easing himself off of the step. "Guess we better rejoin the party before someone else comes looking for me."
Jenna reached for the hand Hank extended to her, and stood up in front of him before slipping her arms around his waist. Hank's hands made their way up to cradle her face as he gently kissed her.
"She's going to be ok?" he asked.
"She's going to be ok," Jenna assured him. "And you will be too."
Hank chuckled as he kissed her again. "I love you Jen."
"I love you," Jenna said. "So much."
They walked hand in hand to rejoin the party. Hank couldn't hold back a smile as he watched his daughter make her way around the room, graciously thanking all of her guests for their attendance and their support. He was once again filled with so much pride and gratitude, not just for the unexpected blessing she was when she entered their lives, but for the incredible young woman she'd become.
Maybe he really had done something right.
