Title: Stones in the Road
Series: Give a Little Bit
Author: Megan Faye
Rated: PG
Disclaimer: I don't own anything here.
A/N: Sequal Give a Little Bit This song just reminds me of a picture of Mariska Hargitay, and inspired this story.
The waiting room was so quiet for the amount of people in the room. Hannah snuggled under Fin's arm. He was Papa's closest friend, and would protect her the same way Papa did. There were so many people there. Don was holding Casey's hand and they were talking quietly. Maureen, Olivia and Elliot were juggling Allie and Eli, talking in hushed voices. Melinda was talking with the doctor. Hannah had Fin.
"Hannah," Fin said softly. "You want to go get something to eat, Little Bit?" She shook her head. "You're running a fever."
"Papa was getting medacine for my ears when they shot him."
"I know, but you know what? He's going to be just fine. He's been shot before."
"Where?"
"In the butt." Hannah laughed lightly. "Hannah, he was shot in the neck this time, and he'd going to need stitches once they remove the bullet. I already talked to him. He's not hurt too bad."
"You sure?"
"I promise. Your Papa is too damn stubborn to die." A doctor came into the waiting room, smiling.
"Family of John Munch?" The whole groups stood. "Actually, just his daughter, Hannah Bear?"
"I'm Hannah," the girl said.
"I just finished fixing up your dad-"
"Papa," Fin corrected. The doctor nodded.
"I just finished fixing up your Papa. He would like to see you, if you want." Hannah nodded. "Come with me, honey." Hannah froze.
"Doc," Fin said, pulling him aside. "We don't call her Honey, baby, or any other pet names. John's working on adopting her. The place they pulled her out of was...abusive. John is her Papa, not Dad, and Don't call her anything but Hannah Bear, Hannah Banana, and so far, only Women and John have called her sweetie without scaring the piss out of her. Just talk to her like an adult, and she won't freak out on you."
"Noted. My apologies." He knelt down. "Hannah, would you like one of these people to come with you?" She nodded.
"I want you, Captain." She reached a hand out to the man. Don gave Casey a little look, and took the girls hand.
"We'll be back," he said as they followed the doctor in.
"Casey," Olivia said, catching the woman's attention. "You're staring."
"Sorry."
"So, how long have you been sleeping with Don?"
"Just last night...and this morning...and again-"
"Okay, I get the picture. You both look really happy," Liv said, nudging her friend. Casey blushed. "Are you in-love?"
"I don't know. Once we moved beyond the professional masks we've always had up, it was just so...fast. I don't know him outside of work and the bedroom."
"And the kitchen."
"Olivia!" Elliot whined. He shuddered again. She handed Eli to Elliot and lead Casey out of the waiting area.
"Olivia, I don't want to fall in-love and just end up getting screwed over."
"I know Don pretty well. He's not the type to play boy-toy to...Jesus...anyone. He hasn't dated since his wife died." Casey nodded. "And you want something serious."
"Yeah...I think I do want something serious."
"Talk to him about it." Casey smiled and blushed lightly.
"Papa?" Hannah whispered.
"Hannah-Banana!" John smiled and lifted the girl onto his bed. "Your old man is just fine. See? Hardly a scratch. I have a scar on my neck, and a big bandage, but it is fine. Just missed the important vein right there. You can go to school Monday and scare all your little friends. Tell 'em how your Papa, the bad ass cop was shot, and-" Hannah hugged him tightly, crying. "Hannah, I'm sorry. I was only trying to kid...make you laugh. I'm sorry, Sweetie," he soothed.
"I thought you were dead, Papa!" she wailed. "And you're trying to crack a damn joke?"
"Its okay, I'm okay, I promise."
"No more jokes, and no more getting shot," she whispered. "You're all I have, Papa." Don took a seat in the far end of the room while John settled the girl's nerves.
"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy hen skies are gray. You'll never know Hannah, how much I love you. Please don't take my sunshine away." He sang softly. After three or four rounds, Hannah stopped crying, and closed her eyes.
"Want me to take her?"
"No," he whispered. "You wore that yesterday. Sleep in the office?"
"No," Don said, evading the question.
"Don Cragen, you dog. Who is she?" Don rolled his eyes and shot John a dirty look. "Its Melinda!"
"It is not Melinda-"
"Papa, he was holding Casey's hand," Hannah mumbled, turning to get more comfortable.
"Casey? Are you sure, Hannah?" She nodded and snuggled into his chest. Don blushed up top his ears. "Don, you and Casey? That's wonderful!"
"I better get out there and let the troops know you're alive." John nodded as Don left.
"Papa," Hannah said, dark eyes looking up at John. "Don't leave me again."
"I won't, Hannah," he said, kissing her forehead.
"He's going to be fine." Don slipped his jacket around his shoulders. "I'd better go."
"Need a ride?" Casey offered. "I'd like to talk to you."
"Sure. Liv, Give me a call if anything changes."
"Of course."
Don walked with Casey in silnece. Fear was rising in his throat, but he remained collected. She was more to him than a one night stand, and he had hopes that Casey felt the same. But no good news followed 'I'd like to talk to you.' No good news ever did.
"Don," she said as the two of them walked through the parking lot. "I'm not big on one nighters."
"Neither am I."
"Good, because I'd like to get to know you, on a personal level. Basically, we only know each other in the office and in the bedroom." Don smiled and opened her car door for her. "The bedroom, the kitchen, the livingroom."
"The shower," he said, climbing in the other side. Casey started her car as he kissed her shoulder.
"Anyway, before we end up there agian..."
"Can I take you to lunch?"
"Its already pretty late..." she said.
"After spending the day at the hospital-"
"Why not dinner?" she offered. "Its almost 6. We'll get pizza, soda, a few movies, and we'll curl up on the couch and laugh-"
"I'm begging you to tell me you like funny movies," he pleaded, big smile.
"I love funny movies. Let's get a few. My personal favorite movies are MASH and Same Time, Next Year." Don stared at her. "What?"
"I own both of those." Casey shot him a disbelieving look. "MASH starring Donald Sutherland, and Same Time, Next Year, starring Alan Alda. I enjoy both movies, while they aren't my favorite, they are in my collection." Casey sighed contentedly. "Next you're going to tell me you know who Neil Diamond is."
"I can play Hello Again on the piano."
"You can not."
"Oh, yes I can! It was my mother's favorite! Hang on," she said, switching her CD player to a different disk. "Greatest hits, Volume 2."
"Oh, Lord, we were a made for each other."
"Its a little scarey."
"Just a little. You were right there for years, and we could have spent these last 5 years together."
"If Elliot and Olivia had gotten together any other time, Allie wouldn't be here, Eli wouldn't be here, and Kathy wouldn't be one of Olivia's friends." Don weighed that in his mind. She was right. "Don?"
"Hmm?"
"I'm just glad things did happen, you know?" she said gently. Don took her hand and kissed the underside of her wrist.
Hannah peeked into John's room. He was snoring softly, so Hannah sat on the floor, back to ther wall and watched him sleep. He'd been home a full week, but she was still afraid of him dying. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes, satisfied he would survive the night. When she opened her eyes, she was looking into his soft brown ones.
"Hannah, we talked about this. You need to sleep in your own room," he said gently.
"Papa, who is Alex?"
"She was a friend of mine."
"You say her name a lot in your sleep. You love her?" John sighed and pulled his robe tight around over his pajamas.
"I love her as much as I do Olivia, Casey, and everyone else at work. C'mon. I'll make breakfast." Hannah wandered out ahead of John and into her own room. "Don't you want breakfast, Hannah?"
"Not hungry."
"Hannah-bear, what's wrong?"
"Why?"
"Because I want to know so I can-"
"No, why me? Why did you take me and not my sisters?" John sat down on the foot of her bed. "Why were they adopted quickly?"
"You were adopted quickly. We're signing the papers in a few weeks. Faster than your sister."
"What do you want from me?" she asked softly.
"I want to see you happy. I want to see you grow up, go to college, and have the life that you deserve."
"That's a crock of crap." John felt a sting in his heart.
"I didn't deserve that, Hannah."
"So, let the other shoe drop already and tell me what I have to do to for you. What's the catch?"
"There's no catch. I'm fixing breakfast. Eat if you want." John stomped out of her room. After the months with her, she'd turned on him. Hannah expected to get from him what she'd gotten from the rest of the men in her life. After all the time he'd spent with her, Hannah didn't trust him. That broke John's heart. He cooked breakfast for her anyway, in case she decided to eat, but she stayed in her room until nearly noon, and the eggs were cold and hard.
"I'm going to grab a pop tart," she said, sneaking through the living room.
"I'm not going to stop you."
"Why the hell are you mad?" she asked.
"Some times you just don't sound like a 9-year-old," he said bitterly.
"News flash, I've never been around a 9-year-old. I don't know how they sound."
"Don't blame me for your parents' shortcomings-"
"My father's short-comings. My Mom was an angel."
"News flash; she left you with a man who sold your body to grown men. Not too angelic, my friend."
"How the hell would you know? She protected me until the day she died," Hannah snarled at the man. "Something you said you'd do and then you went out and got shot because of me." John softened.
"Do you think it was your fault I was shot?"
"If I hadn't gotten sick, you'd have been at home making a big mess with poptarts and coffee like we always do on Saturday mornings. What the hell am I supposed to think?" Hannah dropped onto the couch and John sat next to her. They lazily plopped their feet up.
"Hannah, I have been shot before. In my job, everyone has guns. I do, Elliot does, Liv does, Fin, and yes, even Cassidy does."
"Cassidy has a gun? Is that supposed to make me feel better?" John chuckled.
"It wasn't your fault. I was doing my job as your Papa, getting your medicine, when a man pulled a gun on the girl in the pharmacy. She was young and scared, and I did my job as a cop, and tried to save her."
"Is she okay?"
"Yeah," John said. "She listened to what I told her to do. When I had a chance, I stepped in and tried to get his gun. It went off, and he's in jail. I'm okay, aside from a battle scar. The girl is okay, and the gunman didn't het hurt either. It was his fault, not yours, Hannah Banana. If you hadn't been sick, I wouldn't have been there to help. He could have killed the girl. So, in a way, if anything, you're part of the reason she's alive."
"That's a crock, Papa." John sighed. "But thanks for the effort."
"Want some lunch?"
"I could eat," she said, leaning over onto him. "Papa, I'm scared."
"Of what?"
"Everyone." John draped an arm around her shoulders.
"I am, too, sometimes."
"Why are you scared?"
"I see people hurting each other, killing each other, every day. I see people like you father every single day. I meet little girls like you every day in my office, who've been beaten and broken. There's nothing I can do for them when they get to my desk, except find justice. I never get to actually help these people."
"Maybe you needed me as much as I needed you."
"Come again?"
"You needed to help me move on, so you could, too." John smiled at the girl.
"You're a wise child." She just stared a moment and then rested her head back on his chest.
"I like this robe," she said, feeling the soft fleece. "Its soft."
"I like it, too. Keeps me warm."
"Pops?"
"Yes?"
"I'm dying of hunger here. Let's go hunting," she said, pulling him into the kitchen.
"So," Olivia said, panting as she jogged through the park. "A week in, how's things?"
"Pretty good," Casey said. "Next bench, we rest."
"Aw, come on! I'm doing better pushing two kids-"
"Please, need water." Olivia laughed and slowed. "Don is amazing-"
"I don't want the sex-capades."
"Not planning on going there with little ears here. He's amazingly funny. He makes me laugh like no one else ever has."
"That's great!"
"Things are just so comfortable! We like the same movies, music...did you know he has a piano?"
"Nope," Olivia said, fishing the water from the basket of the jogging stroller. She pulled the breaks on and fell into the bench next to Casey and handed her a water. "I didn't know he played."
"He doesn't. Marge wanted to learn at some point, so he bought it. She never touched it once. He keeps it tuned and last night, he let me play. Don said he'd always wanted a house filled with joyous sounds; laughter, children, and music. He's got laughter, and with you and Elliot, children, grandchildren, and a great grandshild."
"And with you, music?" Casey nodded. "If you marry him, you'll be my step-mother."
"I'll be a 40-year-old great grandmother. Jesus."
"Look, I call him Dad, but you know that its just a name on a birth certificate; there is no blood relation. It was something he gave me so I could feel whole."
"He's a kind man," Casey said, eyes dancing with mischeif.
"So, are you in-love with him?"
"Yeah," she said cautiously. "I am."
"Good."
"Elliot, come in here a sec." Elliot followed Don into the office. He hadn't looked him in the eyes in over a week. Don was confused as to why his best detective, and(for all intents and purposes) son-in-law could'n't talk to him, hell, look at him. "You okay?"
"Per-" Elliot cleared his throat. "Perfectly fine."
"Yeah. You're a bad liar."
"You're dating my wife's best friend."
"And what business is it of yours?"
"I almost walked in on you guys with Olivia and my youngest of Mini-Stablers. Sorry...liiiittttle uncomfortable."
"I had to watch you make out with Olivia-" Elliot scoffed loudly. "I saw you make out, and HEARD you have sex in the cribs! I saw you two in the Crib. Little did you know I was in the locker room one day when Allie was an infant, and I was forced to listen to the woman who I am legally related to, tell you where she likes your goddamn hands. Moaning, panting, it was nasty. I didn't sleep for a week!" Elliot's face had gone red. "That was the second most uncomfortable moment in my whole life."
"And the first was...?"
"Olivia undercover as a hooker asking me if I was lonely, and called me sweet heart," Don said, shuddering.
"I thought she looked pretty hot."
"Picture Maureen in that dress."
"Oh. My. Dear. Lord. I think I understand where you are coming from. Picture your father having sex with your dear friend who is younger than you."
"So we have a clear understnading then."
"Oh yes."
"Good. I'm proposing tonight-"
"Holy Shit! Really?"
"See for yourself." Don handed him a ring box.
"Wow," Elliot said. It was a ring similar to Olivia's; simple, and classic. "Very elegant. You realize its only been a week...right?"
"Yeah, well, I love her."
"Good luck, man."
"Thanks. Don't tell Olivia; she'll-"
"Totally spoil it." Don laughed and nodded.
A/N:Thats all for now. Chapter 6 is in the works! Sorry its so short; insomnia has left, so now I actually sleep!