Title: Safety Measures
Summary: Sometimes, people help too much.
Author's Note: Not prompted, but a counterpoint to a future one-shot (It Was For Us).
She came in, keys jangling from her grip, balancing a bag of groceries on one hip. She bobbed her head at a familiar guitar riff that greeted her, smiling slightly as she closed the door.
She found Graham sitting in the middle of the living room floor, shoes off, hair tousled, and surrounded by scattered plastic and tiny screws.
"Is that Cage the Elephant I hear? We're getting closer," she teased, setting the bag and her purse on the coffee table.
He smiled somewhat distractedly before setting down the paper covered in tiny print to the side. He leaned over, grabbing her across the waist. He pressed his face into her stomach, placing a small kiss there. "I was given clear instructions and a playlist from Henry. You'll be proud: Jack White is next."
She smirked and pushed him back. "Okay, hubby, what is all this?"
He scowled at the tiny pieces, a dark look settling over him. "Baby proofing."
Her eyebrows quirked up, and she huffed a short laugh. Then harder. Then harder. "Seriously, Graham?"
He sighed and leaned his head into his hands. "Instructions that make no sense, parts that don't fit … this is ridiculous," he said, muffled by his covered face.
She knelt beside him, bumping his shoulder. "I'm just barely in my second trimester. She's the size of a lemon. And we don't even need this stuff until the kid's crawling. Way too early, babe."
"I know that," he grumbled, but leaned his head into her neck, placing a soft kiss there.
She closed her eyes, but had to grin. It was funny, seeing him so flustered over something so silly. "Then why are you …," she trailed off, looking over at the box. She shook her head as her thoughts finally centered. "Which one?"
"Who else? Gia, at least, would have sent over a professional to install it," he said with a sigh.
"She's just trying to be helpful," Emma said, but couldn't keep a straight face. Ritu had been getting a bit overprotective as of late. Being that she lived just down the hall, she was also the closest of their friends to see everything that went on with their little family. After Emma had gotten over the hyperemesis, Ritu's hovering had expanded to the rest of them.
"You know how much I appreciate Ritu. If I could have taken more time off—"
"You would have," she finished. The furrows on his brow smoothed as he sighed. "But we needed the income with me pretty much out of commission."
She knew he still felt guilty about it, but one thing about this life was the sheer amount of people who were willing to help. They didn't have to depend on only themselves; they had a whole support system with them. Still, she saw how it killed him every time he left the apartment in those months, as she tried desperately to hold back her symptoms until the door shut.
"And having Ritu then was a godsend. But it'd be nice if she'd tone it down a bit," he sighed. He peeked up at her from where his head rested. "Henry came to me yesterday with her latest gift. She bought him pepper spray."
Emma groaned. "Seriously? Yeah, I'll talk with her."
"It's a wonder you guys survived this long without me."
Emma looked up with a roll of her eyes. Graham's head shot up as well, a bright smile covering his face. "Maggie! I didn't know you were coming in!"
"Em, I gave you a whole five minutes. You didn't bother telling him I was here?" she asked, folding her arms in front of her.
She shook her head. Then, she made a sweeping gesture to the scattered parts. "You put all this stuff together last time. Remember any of it?" she asked.
Maggie raised an eyebrow with a look of disbelief. "I did it once: you're gonna make me go through that torture again?"
Emma scowled. "Serves you right for crashing on my couch for three years."
Maggie placed her hands on her hips. "Hey, I didn't leech. I bought groceries. Even helped you cook that once."
"Are you sure that's your argument?" Emma asked incredulously. "Bringing up that incident?"
"Hey, I still fixed the place up with these torture devices. I have nightmares about locked toilets to this day, I'll have you know."
Graham gave a sheepish smile. "I'll help?" he offered.
Her dark eyes narrowed. "You know what? I'll take big brother's help before daddy's, here. Detectives are too clinical for this sort of job," she groused, falling to the carpet and immediately digging through the parts. "Where is the little weed?"
"Yearbook club. Selena joined, so he's been going extra hours," Emma explained, her eyes twinkling mischievously at the mention of her son's crush.
"She a good kid?" Maggie asked, holding up a section to look at in the light.
"Yeah, she's a good kid: smart, active, sweet. Henry hasn't even pursued anything, so can't say how it will go, anyway," she replied. She leaned against Graham and held a hand over her stomach. It's still a bit strange to see Henry so enamored, but in a good way. However, there was another part of her that was very, very glad that she would have to wait a long time before the new one got to the point of crushes.
"What brings you to town, anyway, Maggie?" Graham asked, settling his arms around Emma as he watched the slender woman piece together a kitchen latch.
"Hawley got promoted, and I decided to come to support her. Em said I could crash for a meal," she explained with a shrug.
"Big of you," Graham commented.
Maggie sighed. "Yeah, well. Just 'cause it didn't work doesn't mean I stopped caring."
"C'mon," Emma broke in, rising to her feet. "We'll make dinner while Mags does the grunt work. She's got to earn her keep somehow."
"So supportive!" Maggie yelled back.
"Couch is free," Graham said once Emma reached the refrigerator.
"You read my mind," she replied, glancing back at her friend. "Not like she booked a hotel or anything."
"A couch in return for free installation and Ritu backing off for a few days? Worth it," Graham chuckled, resting his chin on her shoulder as he looked at the food with her.
"Agreed. By the way, you don't have to go out. Emilia already agreed to drop off Henry on the way to Michael's PT."
He bobbed his head, the scratch of his stubble unintentionally sending pleasant shivers down her spine. "Sounds good."
Emma glanced backwards before meeting his eye. "Can we get Maggie tickets to Irving's thing tomorrow?"
He shrugged. "Shouldn't be too hard to get an extra. Lazo's already bringing half her family. Simmons and Andie will be there, so I'm sure they'll get into enough trouble for six people."
She laughed. "Yeah, well, Mags will likely add to that, especially if she takes our drink tickets," Emma paused, then leaned back to kiss his jaw. "Never thought I'd have a situation that would require four tickets to a police officer's retirement party."
Graham smiled slowly, rolling his hands over her stomach. "Never thought I'd enjoy being around people in general this much," he murmured back. He kissed her soundly.
"You too going to stand around being nauseating all day, or are you going to cook for the unpaid laborer over here?" Maggie shouted.
"Unpaid? You're getting room and board, missy!" Emma countered.
"Cheap labor, then," she amended with a grin. "Sure I can stay?"
"I guess I could support it," Graham teased.
"Oh, he's going to lay the guilt on me. I knew he was trouble," Maggie mocked. "Shoulda first suspected when he agreed to marry you."
Emma rolled her eyes. "Hilarious. And here I was thinking of feeding you."
"I'll be good, I swear!"
"Lies," Emma insisted, but yanked the ground beef off the lower shelf. "But I'll let it slide. This time."
Graham was already filling a pot with water, and slid over a mixing bowl to her side of the counter. In sync, they worked through the prep until the door chimed.
When Emma got there, Emilia excitedly pushed Henry forward. Henry was blushing furiously. "What?" Emma asked as Henry bolted inside.
Emilia grinned. "Henry offered to help Selena with her programming homework. Little stud got her Skype number."
Emma's eyes widened. "What?"
Emilia only nodded, the sly grin still in place. "Just thought you'd like that lovely piece of information before I run to PT."
"Yeah, thanks," Emma said, bewildered. She shut the door, and raised a single brow. "Selena's number, huh?"
"I'm just helping with her homework," Henry insisted, but was unable to keep the redness from covering his face.
Graham grinned and put him in a loose headlock. "We might have to limit your internet time, then," he teased.
"Dad," Henry groaned. "It's not that big a deal."
"Hey, kid, come help me with this. Then you can tell me all about this girl," Maggie coaxed from the living room.
"Maggie! You're here! Save me!" he cried, rushing to the older woman and into her arms in a tight hug.
"Sure, sure, go to the woman that ratted you out for keeping that squirrel in your closet," Emma grumbled good-naturedly.
"Squirrel?" Graham asked.
Emma sighed. "I'll tell you later."
"Help me with this, kid. We're going to make sure your sibling doesn't drink shaving cream," Maggie pressed, handing him a screwdriver while she scooped up a couple more parts. Together, they disappeared into the bathroom.
"I'm never going to be able to access the bathroom again, am I?" Graham sighed, cracking his neck tiredly.
Emma smirked as she began to brown the meat. "It'll take a few tries. What's going to be bad is getting up in the middle of the night."
"I think I feel sorry for Sam and the boys," Graham muttered half-sarcastically. "Do you think this will finally settle Ritu down, though?"
Emma winced. "Nah," she said. She looked up with a grin. "She'll find some other things to keep us extra safe."
"But you'll talk to her?" Graham said.
She nodded. "I'll talk to her."
When dinner was finally ready, they all gathered around the table, busying themselves in conversation. As she looked out over her family as they started eating, she felt a sudden burst of warmth. She reached under the table to entwine Graham's free hand in hers. Immediately, his fingers laced with hers and he pressed against her side.
"Seriously? You too are disgustingly cute," Maggie cut in, a smile betraying her actual feelings on the matter.
"Right? This is why I need you around more often," Henry added with a laugh.
"C'mon, we save some gross cuteness for you, too," Graham said, leaning over to kiss him on his forehead.
He sighed heavily and slumped against Maggie. "True Love stuff," he said in exasperation, even though his eyes were soft.
Maggie chuckled, bumping her shoulder against the kid's. "Guess so. Pass the bread."
Henry's nose wrinkled as he did. "It's too normal. It's weird."
"Too normal? Our neighbor gave you pepper spray on a whim," Emma cut in before taking a bite of food.
Henry shrugged. "True." Then he smiled. "Don't worry; Dad confiscated it."
"I guess we should just be glad that one of your cop buddies didn't try to give him something with a little more power," Maggie deadpanned.
Henry grinned. "They're too smart to do that. Mom and Dad'd kill them."
"Damn straight," Emma mumbled.
"Wouldn't want the twerp to get a firearm, huh?" Maggie asked.
"Not when he knows how to use a bow," Graham joked.
Maggie nodded enthusiastically. "Safety first."
Emma snorted, pulling another helping onto her plate. "I hope safety doesn't always come with the prereq of archery skill."
Graham chuckled, his fingers twisting into the lace on her wrist. "Whatever helps."
She pointed at him, narrowing her eyes. "Just don't tell Ritu that." Finally, she grinned, kissing him quickly. If this was the worst she had to worry about, it wasn't half bad.