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.

Don lit the candles on the table, arranged the roses in the vase, touched things up on the table. He looked around his dining room; it was perfect. He had music playing softly, her favorite dinner waiting at the table, and champaign in a bucket of ice. Don found himself nervous, but it was a good nervous. He was so excited about asking Casey to marry him. He'd fallen hard for the young woman. It suddenly hit him exactly how young she was. He had a good 15 years on her.

"What if she wants children? What if she wants a man closer to her own age in 30 years when I'm was old and she's still beautiful. What if she says no? WHAT IF SHE SAYS YES?!" he thought to himself as he paced. Before he could think more on the subject, there was a knock at the front door. He froze.

"Don? May I come in?" she called from the other side of the door. Don smapped back into reality and opened the door. She was absolutely gorgeous; she was wearing a long red dress, strappy shoes, and the perfume that made his head swim. "Wow," she whispered, looking around his home.

"I wanted to give you a nice quiet evening, Casey." She dropped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. "You look phenominal," he whispered into her ear.

"You look pretty hot yourself."

"Cooked dinner," Don offered, leading her into the dining room.

"Are you alright, Don? You seem...shy...all of a sudden."

"You just...look really beautiful tonight. Guess its a little intimidating." He pulled a chair out for her. "Madam," he said, playfully.

"Merci." As he pushed her chair in, Don leaned down and smelled her hair. The aroma was intoxicating. "So, how was your day?"

"Not too bad," he said smiling as he sat.

"Missed you at lunch today," she said, taking a bite of the dinner he'd prepared.

"I had some things to take care of. Maybe we can have lunch tomorrow..."

"Maybe," she teased. "This is wonderful."

"Glad your approve."

"Don, what the hell is going on? You are acting like a scared teenager. I've never seen you so fidgity."

"I've just got a lot on my mind, Casey, love."

"Anything you'd like to share with the group?" she asked him.

"Nothing at the moment."

"I'm a lawyer, I know when people are hiding. What is going on, Don? I want the truth," Casey begged, struggling to hold her voice steady. "Are you breaking things off?" Casey was unable to hold back tears.

"Oh, no, Casey. I'm not breaking up with you." Don moved around the table, pulled her into a hg, and soothed. "I'm not leaving, Casy. I love you."

"You do?"

"I love you, so much."

"I love you, too." He took her napkin and wiped her eyes. "I just have this feeling you're holding something back. Don, please tell me what's going on."

"I'm not holding back anything."

"You are a terrible liar," she said, pulling away. Casey shrugged her coat on. "If you can't be honest with me, then we hav noth-"

"Marry me?" he choked out. "That's what I'm holding back, Casey. I was going to ask you to marry me during desert, and I wanted it to be just perfect." Casey turned to look into his eyes. "I want to spend my life with you, and I just wanted to make it perfect for you. I love you, and I want you to marry me. Please don't walk out-"

"Don," she said, putting a finger to his lips. "All you had to do was ask, and it would have been perfect."

"Does that mean yes?"

"Yes," she whispered closing the distance between them and kissing him. "Now, why don't we skip dinner, and go straight to desert?"

"Its still setting-"

"I wasn't talking about food, Donny."

Elliot looked at the text message on his phone and smiled. He could officially tell his wife now, that Cragen had proposed. Olivia was feeding their son in the next room. He was getting so big. Allie was, as well. She wasn't his baby girl any more. She was walking, talking, and out of diapers mostly. He missed the quiet time he had with her as an infant. Allie was his little friend, who would join him for walks in the park on his lunch break. He chose her as his daughter, and she was growing up so quickly.

"Daddy?" she said, looking up.

"Hey peanut."

"Read?" she asked, holding her favorite book. Elliot smiled and pulled her into his lap. He opened the book.

"What makes a Raindbow?" he asked. "We read this every day?"

"No," she said, pushing to book away. Allie snuggled down into his chest. "Sing, daddy," she said, popping her thumb into her mouth.

"Its the same old story. Yes, its nothing new. Just a gift from heaven, just a dream come true. In a flash of glory, in a ray of light, welcome to the world that will hold you tight. And I Always knew that you were always there. And I always want to be the one to care. If your heart is broken, if you're feeling blue, welcome to the world that is here for you. Welcome to the world that's shiney and new, welcome to a life time of dreams coming true. Weclome to the joy of living each day, love is all around you and here to stay.

"I am here beside you. I am here to stay. I will keep you safe and never go away. As you look around you, when you're fast asleep. All I have to give you is yours to keep. Welcome to the world that's shiney and new, welcome to a life time of dreams coming true. Weclome to the joy of living each day, love is all around you and here to stay," he sang. Allie loved heaing him sing their song. Elliot had sung it to her every night before she went to bed when he wasn't working. Someone had given Olivia the CD when she was pregnant, and that song in particular had always stuck with them. Allie was asleep as he finished the song, so he laid her down in her bed. and turned on the night light. She'd finally graduated to a 'big girl bed,' and was on the bottom bunk of Lizzie's bunk bed. Dickie and Eli would be able to share a room soon, whe Dickie was home, and Maureen and Kathleen never slept there any more. Maureen was getting serious with Luke, and Elliot expected them to get engaged any day now.

Olivia laid Eli in his crib and looked for Elliot. She found him laying on their bed, waiting for her.

"I got an interested text a little while ago."

"What was it?" she asked as she pulled her shoes off.

"All it said was 'She said yes,' and it was from Don." Olivia's head shot around.

"Casey texted me and said, 'He asked!' Elliot-"

"Don showed me the ring this afternoon. They're getting married, Liv!" She smiled slyly. "He swore me to secrecy! I wanted to tell you all evening!" Liv hit him with a pillow. "I swear."

"Its okay. She knew something was up."

"Its only been a week. Aren't they rushing this?"

"Nope."

"Oh. Okay then."

"Elliot, they are lonely, and they are in-love with each other. They'll move at whatever pace they feel is right for them as a couple." Elliot laughed at her. "What the hell's your problem?"

"You sound like Huang."

"Oh shut up," she said, pushing him down onto the bed."

"Casey?" Don whispered, pulling his new fiance closer as she dozed. "Can we talk a little?"

"Mmmm...sleeping..."

"Its important, sweetie." Casey turned to face him, and snuggled into his chest. "Before we get married, there are a few things we need to discuss."

"Like what?"

"Like kids."

"I'd like to have a baby, but I don't know." He ran his fingers up her spine lovingly. "Do you want kids?"

"Always have wanted kids, but I'm a little old to start playing house now."

"Don, you're 55 years old. You would make a wonderful father," she insisted. "But if you don't want kids, than we don't have to have kids. I'd rather spend my days with you in peace and quiet anyway. Besides, you have Olivia."

"Your step-daughter-to-be."

"That's a little creepy."

"And Elliot is your step-son-in-law-to-be."

"Is that even a phrase?" Don laughed and kissed her neck playfully. "Do you want kids?"

"I think with you, yeah. Olivia's not my daughter, it was jsut a name on a paper for her. Its just..."

"Kind of like family by choice thing?"

"Well put."

"Well, my love, I choose you, whatever comes along with that," she said, cuddling into his chest.

"Casey, I want us to have a baby. The more I thik about it, the more I want that." Casey smiled up at him. "When I was waiting for you to come over, I was going over the 'what if' scenarios. 'What if she says yes?' and 'What if she wants kids?' and now I can't stop thinking about it."

"Why don't we worry about a wedding first. Get over the craziness of the proposal, and we'll talk again?" He kissed her deeply.

"I was so out of it earlier, I didn't get a chance to give you this." Don climbed out of bed and found his slacks. He pulled the ring from the pocket and opened the box. "Classic and elegant, like my bride-to-be." He slipped the sparkling ring onto her finger and kissed her hand.

"Oh my God, Donny, its beautiful!!" He blushed every time she called him Donny. He hated the name, but it was adorible coming from her lips. It made him feel so young. He hated the name. "How did you know my ring size?" she asked.

"Guessed it. I figured we could always have it sized if it wasn't a good fit. I knew you had slender hands, and how they fit into mine, explained it to the sales lady, and we managed to get a good fit," he said. He'd put so much thought into this, that it moved Casey. Don was very much in-love with her.

"You are a wonderful man, Donald Cragen."

"What the hell do you mean 'No!' Its just a freakin show!!"

"You need to act your age!"

"Am I acting like a baby?" she asked, faking innocents

"No, you're acting like a smart-ass adult. Read my lips. You! Are! Nine! Nine-year-olds don't say 'hell,' they don't drink coffee or smoke. They don't sit on the couch and channel surf looking for a soap opera.," John said, voice getting more high pitched each word. "You are too young for South Park!"

"Its not like I haven't seen it before, Papa."

"I said you can't watch it, so you aren't going to watch it. Its...dirty." Hannah rolled her eyes.

"What the hell am I supposed to do then?"

"You have dolls and toys. Read a book! We can go to the park-"

"Its 10:00 at night."

"Good. Go to bed."

"You can forget that," she said, picking up her coffee cup and retreating to the kitchen. "I'm going to watch Friends. Its okay, right?"

"Yes, Friends is okay. No South Park, and No more Beavis and Butthole-"

"Butt Head."

"Whatever," he said, taking her coffee. "Wouldn't you rather a hot chocolate?"

"No, I'm stressed out, and I would like my coffee back," she said, firmly. "Is Daria still allowed?"

"Yes, but only because its funny as hell."

"Good."

"Wonderful."

"Coffee?" John set the cup back in front of her and turned on the TV that sat on the counter. He pulled up a chair and his own coffee and watched the sitcome with the child. She laughed at jokes that should have been way over her head. John knew she was far more advanced than her teachers told him. They said she was completely average...but she couldn't read when they tested her. "You know," she said as the show ended. "I'm getting pretty good at reading."

"Yeah, you're at the level of a nin-year-old in 4 month. You're brilliant, Hannah."

"I was wondering if we could get some new books."

"What kind?" he asked, timidly.

"Star Trek novels."

"Star Trek?"

"I...like...Star Trek...a lot."

"Really?"

"Oh My God, Captain Janeway kicks ass. She is soooo freakin' cool!"

"Slow down!"

"Please, Papa? Can we go to the library tomorrow? I think my reading is good enough for Peter David novels!" Her demeanor had flipped again.

"Go change. Let's go now."

"At 10:00 at night?"

"Well, there are all night video stores, and book stores. We'll buy a few books, a few DVD's, Stop at Starbucks and pull an all-nighter?" Hannah pounced into his arms. "There's a catch-you clean up your language. No more Hells, Damns, Dammits, Shits and especially the one we talked about this morning. Not until you're 18."

"Can I say ass?"

"Only when neccessary."

"Can I agree to work on it? I'm no where near perfection, and it may slip occasionally."

"Deal. Go get dressed, Hannah-Bear."

Hannah was completely drained by morning. They'd sat through 8 episodes of The Next Generation. John set up an account at a video store and rented season 1 of The Next Generation, and made sure they had Deep Space Nine and Voyager. They planned on watching one episode each night after that first all-night marathon. It should last them a while, and was worth it to John to have something with Hannah that he was new to. She had only seen Voyager, so they started with the oldest; The Next Generation. John, after 8 episodes was already getting into the series.

He moved the child into her bed, and pulled the blankets to her chin. This was the only time she really seemed child-like to John. Since her therapy had dropped to three days a week, she'd been talking more and more to John about what happened to her through out her life. There were a few happy memories, and more would surface every day; they were from before her mother died. It had been 4 months now since he pulled her from the house, and 3 months since she came to live with him. Over the months, she had let the mask of a sweet little girl drop; Hannah was Mini-Munch, through and through. She was sarcastic, intellegent, witty, and sometimes, had no idea when to just stop talking. She was his little clone. Elliot had taken to refering to her as "Mini-you," when talking to John. It was amusing, but only the first 50,000 times.

"Sleep well, Hannah," he said, leaving the room.

John wandered through his house picking up things, cleaning up a little here and there as the sun rose. Eventually, he laid on the couch and dozed until he heard Hannah in the kitchen. He listened for a while. It sounded as though she was making breakfast, and smelled like she was burning the toast. He heard her mutter a few of the words they'd agreed she wouldn't use, and then something dropping into the trash can. He smiled at the noise and peeked over at the clock. It was 12:30 in the afternoon. John closed his eyes as he heard Hannah coming.

"Papa," came a soft voice. "Made breakfast."

"Thanks, Hannaha-wow! You made a lot of breakfast!" Hannah made scrambled eggs with cheese, toast, and pours a glass of juice for John. "I had no idea you could cook."

"My mom taught me." John took in a few bites of egg.

"These are fantastic."

"Thanks."

"So, know what next month is?"

"September."

"And you know what that means."

"School officially starts, no more summer program." John rolled his eyes.

"And your birthday, Hannah-banana." Her little grin made John laugh. "You're going to be...what 35?"

"Wit isn't your best suit," she informed him.

"Jesus, are you a kid or a 40-year-old midget?" She started to answer, but John inturrupted her. "Don't."

"You asked..."

"Whatever, Monkey."

"Monkey? And what would that make you? A baboon?" John laughed.

"So, do you have any friends at school you'd like to invite for a party?" She looked up at him with her sad brown eyes. "Yes, you can have a party. Any kind."

"Can we just have dinner someplace?" she whispered. "Don't make me have a party, John. Please!"

"Anything you want. Why are you sad all of a sudden."

"I hate my birthday," she said, eyes tearing up. "He threw me a party every year with all his friends. They took turns with me," she sobbed. John held her and let her cry it out, rocking her gently. "Please don't make me have a party; I like your friends-"

"Hannah, a birthday party is not what they did to you. A birthday party is like what you've seen on TV; cake, candles, gifts, and laughter from everyone, including you. No one hurts you, or touches you. I mean, there's an occasional hug, but its people who love you the way I do." She looked up at him. "Parties are fun for everyone."

"I don't know." John grabbed a video tape and put it in his old VCR.

"This is Allie's birthday," he said, showing her the video. Perhaps showing her people they both knew, she would understand that she was safe. "This was her first, and Elliot is adopting her and Liv is adopting his kids. See?" Hannah watched. The next clip showed Elliot's next birthday. It was louder, and there weren't any kids. They were drinking, laughing, swearing, and everyone was smiling. "No one got hurt." Then was Olivia's and John's birthday. They were close enough, just a few weeks apart, that they threw a double birthday party two years ago. "Olivia is pregnant with Eli there, and we're-Oh!" he said, laughing when Fin smashed cake in John's face. "I still can't believe he did that," John told Hannah, who was starting to relax.

"Is this Allie's second birthday?"

"Yeah. Olivia fell asleep on the couch there."

"You guys all look like a family," she said.

"Yeah. We are. You're part of that family, too. We celebrate Halloween, Thanksgiving, Hannukah and Christmas-"

"Christmas? I'm Jewish-"

"They aren't. They celebrate with me, and I celebrate with them."

"Crazy."

"Its just what a family does."

"No one here is out-right blood family, are they?"

"Elliot and Liv have Eli, and that's about it."

"Then what makes us family, Papa?" John looked at her and kissed her forehead.

"Love," he said, simply.

A/N 2: The song Elliot sings is called 'Welcome to the World' by Nicolette Larson.

Sorry its not longer; been busy. I'll work on the next chapter as soon as I can. I have 6 days off coming up next week starting Wednesday, but on Friday night, I have family flying in until Monday night.