Chapter One

"John?" Roy said one morning, after checking around to make sure it was just the two of them in the locker room. Johnny looked up from the bench, Roy had used his name.

"Yeah?" he casually replied, tying his shoes. Curious about what Roy was going to say.

"Remember how I talked about building a deck?" Roy asked, almost tentatively. Johnny nodded, picking up Roy's cautious tone. "Well," Roy continued, "I've, we've, Jo and I, saved up enough to actually build it." he finished rather awkwardly.

Johnny smiled, "That's great Roy." He knew Roy was always self conscious of his financial standings, and he blamed Roy's mother-in-law for it. Standing, he closed his locker. "Want me to come out and draw a plan? I know a guy who can get ya' half priced lumber."

Roy smiled. "Really? I was looking at a new grill, but couldn't fit it in the budget." Roy said grinning.

"Yeah, I'll give 'im a call. Any color?" Johnny asked, excited at the prospect of a new project.

"Don't call him yet, let me talk to Jo. Call you later?" Roy half asked half told.

"Sure thing, I'll be waiting." He waved at Roy and walked out the station to his rover.

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

"Hey, Johnny?" Roy said into the phone instead of hello. "She wants red."

"Well alright!" Johnny exclaimed, "I'll come over and take some measurements, draw out a plan, then give the guy I know a call. Stuff should be ready by the weekend."

"Really?" Roy asked, trying, and failing, at keeping the excitement out of his voice.

"Yep." Johnny stopped, "Ya know, I'm pretty sure red's not an option. Would a lighter color be alright? We can stain or paint it." he quickly suggested, offering alternatives for his friend.

"Fine by me, I'll get the stain." Roy said, the extra step not dissipating his excitement.

"Alright!" Johnny exclaimed, "I'll go make the call now. Hey Roy," Johnny added quickly, trying to catch Roy before he hung up, "Mind if I call Mike to give us a hand?" Roy answered in the negative, "Great, his dad's a carpenter, he'll come in handy." there was a pause, "He's a handyman." Roy rolled his eyes. Despite John's 'aversion' to dad jokes, John thought them hilarious

"Ha ha ha." Roy said sarcastically. "I'll get everything set over here."

"Sounds good Roy, this'll be fun." Johnny said with enthusiasm.

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Johnny backed into Roy and Joann's driveway several days later. The truck he was borrowing from his friend was loaded with lumber and tools. He thought about honking the horn to announce his arrival, but opted not too. Jovially, he hopped out of the driver's seat and sauntered to the front door, really looking forward to today, he loved building things. He knocked on the door, choosing not to use his own keys to give the family some privacy, it was still early.

"It's open!" came the muffled voice of Joann from inside. He opened the door, words of greeting on his mouth. He didn't utter them but blinked. It was chaos inside.

Jenny was bent over the sink, crying and whining, Joann furiously washing her hands and scolding her. Chris was hollering "Mom!" repeatedly from upstairs. "I can't find my glove!" Joann rolled her eyes and looked at Johnny in exasperation. Chris' baseball glove was sitting on the kitchen table.

"I've got it." he said, failing at hiding his smile. He picked up the glove and walked up the stairs to Chris' bedroom. Tossing the glove from hand to hand he said "Hey Champ."

"Hi Uncle Johnny." Chris didn't look up for a greeting, too busy tearing through his chest.

"You uh, looking for this?" Johnny asked, holding the glove up.

Chris stopped and finally looked up, "Where was it?" he questioned his Uncle, completely nonplussed Johnny had appeared as if he lived there.

"You left it on the table." Johnny answered, smiling.

"Thanks!" Chris said, grabbing the glove and sliding it on his hand, promptly clapping his hands together making a thunking sound. "Tommy's mom is picking me up and I don't wanna forget anything." Chris said before running out of his room and down the stairs. Johnny casually followed him, highly amused at the events taking place in his partner's house.

"What have I told you about wearing cleats inside!" he heard Joann yell from downstairs before the backdoor closed with a thunk.

Johnny chuckled, it was chaotic, he loved it. This was what he supposed a normal household should be like. Back downstairs, he stood in the suddenly empty kitchen. Shrugging, he went into the garage. As he hadn't seen Roy yet, he wasn't surprised to find Roy's car missing. "Would explain the chaos." he thought, rolling up his sleeves. An idea struck him, "Good place for a workshop." Opening the passenger door of the truck, he slid his work gloves on and began carting tools he borrowed inside, using Roy's empty spot. "He'll just have to park on the curb." he said to Joann's station wagon, a smile on his face. A car he didn't know pulled up in front of the cape cod, a boy Chris' age bouncing around in the back seat, "Put a seatbelt on kid." he muttered. Guessing it was 'Tommy', he went inside and shouted "Tommy's here!" The house had grown eerily quiet compared to earlier. The quiet broke when Chris came stampeding down the stairs, still wearing his cleats. "Chris, no cleats." Johnny scolded, echoing Joann. "Have you told your mom you're leaving?" he asked, not wanting to get on the bad side of Roy's wife.

Chris huffed, "But she's in the backyard."

"Well go around back and tell her." Chris huffed again, showcasing his displeasure, but ran out the back doors down to the patio. Johnny rolled his eyes and went back to the garage. He waved at the car patiently waiting at the end of the driveway. "Chris'll be right out, he went to go tell Joann!" he said helpfully when he noticed the window was rolling down, the woman nodded and rolled the window back up. He grabbed a piece of the table saw and carried it into the garage and out of the sun.

Chris came racing around the front yard, "See ya later Uncle Johnny." he said in a rush. At the car, he threw open the door and hopped in.

"Wear your SEATBELT!" Johnny yelled after him. From Chris' body language, he could tell eight-year-old was rolling his eyes, but made a show of buckling his seatbelt. Johnny waved and returned to unloading the truck. Roy's convertible passed the sedan before trying to turn into the driveway, then backing up and parking on the street.

"You stole my parking spot." Roy said with a smile when he made it to his garage, a box of donuts in his hands. "I brought breakfast."

"It's a good place to set up shop, outta the sun and has power." Johnny explained, pulling his gloves off and shoving them in his back pocket. He took the box from Roy and helped himself to a donut. "Fanks." he said, his mouth full. Swallowing he added, "You missed all the chaos this morning."

"Welcome to the DeSoto household." Roy said with a smirk. Back in the kitchen, Johnny placed the box on the table. Finishing his donut, he licked his fingers and put his gloves back on. "Where's Joann?" Roy asked, looking around at the empty kitchen, expecting the chaos Johnny reported.

"Outside?" Johnny suggested questioningly as he headed for the garage again.

Roy nodded, "Right," and headed for the doors to the back. "Keep going, I'll be right there."

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Johnny set up a crude table with sawhorses, and rested the blueprints he carefully drew out the other day. He looked over them, triple checking them for mistakes.

"Hey Johnny." Mike said, walking up to the open garage, dropping a worn and heavily used tool bag. "Those the plans?" he asked, leaning over Johnny's shoulder to look.

"Yep." Johnny replied, smoothing out a wrinkle, "Drew 'em myself." he added.

"Look's good." Mike praised after a moment of studying them. He and Johnny had worked together before and he wasn't surprised to see the well drawn plans coming from the paramedic. "What's next?" he asked.

"I guess moving supplies to the backyard, but first." Johnny said, holding up a finger, "Roy got donuts." Mike smiled and nodded appreciatively as Johnny made for the door to inside. After walking into the kitchen, a look of confusion crossed John's face. "Huh." he said. Mike raised an eyebrow, waiting for Johnny to explain. He didn't, instead he shrugged and reached for a second donut. The kitchen remained quiet and vacant, the polar opposite of earlier. After a few bites, it was clear to Mike that Johnny's curiosity was not abated. "Huh." Johnny said again, looking around.

"What?" Mike finally asked, curious as to what Johnny was 'huh-ing'.

"Kitchen's still empty." Johnny said simply. Mike rolled his eyes at the obvious statement, but followed Johnny into the den, noting his tense body language. No one was there. Next, Johnny stuck his head out the back door, the sight that greeted him made him chuckle. Mike, now that Johnny's tension had dissipated, was curious. Outside, Roy was holding the hose, spraying down the lawn furniture while Joann scrubbed it with a brush, suds up to her arms. Jenny was happily playing in the sandbox. The lawn furniture that Roy and Joann were furiously working to clean, had red fingerprints and streaks. The color mysteriously similar to what Joann wanted for the deck.

"Jenny decided our furniture needed an upgrade." Joann said drily, noting Johnny's head sticking out the door. Mike smirked from behind Johnny, imagining his own toddler doing the same thing.

"Is that what you were washing off her hands?" Johnny asked. When Joann nodded, he laughed. "D'you want a hand?" he offered between chuckles.

"Nah." Roy said, rolling his eyes at the situation. "When Stokes gets here, you can get started." Mike stuck his head out the door further and waved. "Oh, hey Mike. Like Jenny's artwork?" Roy asked, getting an eye roll from Joann.

"It's beautiful." Mike deadpanned from the stoop.

"She's an aspiring artist don'tcha know." Johnny said, still smirking.

"Ha, right." Joann said, "I wanted red, but not on the chairs." she complained with a sigh.

"Once we build the deck, Jenny can help us paint the thing." Johnny suggested, knowing it would get a reaction.

"She won't be touching it again." Joann said with some irritation. "Stain stains."