Title: Mango
Rating: PG-13 (some violence, angst, a couple f-bombs)
Characters: Charlie Crews, Dani Reese, Kevin Tidwell, Ted Earley, a few OCs
Pairing: Crews/Reese
Summary: Crews and Reese, five years post-series. Life is changing.
Spoilers/Time Period: Set five years after One. (July 2014)
Disclaimer: Most of the characters (sans the Ayers) aren't mine, but the situation is.
Author's Note: Happy (almost) summer! The hiatus is over, D is adjusting to his cast, and Mango gets a gender pronoun! An extra long chapter to make up for the wait.
Chapter Eight: Moving Forward
"Today's the day," Charlie grins over breakfast.
"For what?" Little D asks, mouth full of cereal.
Dani reaches to nudge his good arm and remind him to not talk with his mouth full, but catches herself. She's not quite sure where she picked up all these mom-isms.
"Don't talk with your mouth full," Noor admonishes gently. Right. That would be where.
D swallows and says, "Sorry" in Farsi.
"For what?" he asks again.
"We're gonna find out if Mango is a boy or a girl," Charlie tells him. "We would've known last time, but Mango was showing us his or her backside, so we couldn't tell."
Little D giggles.
"When is your appointment?" Noor asks.
It's a rare day when Dani's and Charlie's off-days fall together, and D's science camp ends at noon.
"Eleven," Dani tells her mother. "Wanna pick D up and meet us for lunch?"
"Yeah!" D answers for his maaman bozorg.
"And then I think we should go bowling," Charlie suggests.
Dani looks up sharply from her toast, first questioningly at Charlie, then over to D, concerned. Bowling had been a frequent pastime for the Crews and the Ayers before (a fact about which Charlie was sworn to secrecy at work) but they hadn't been in the nearly three months since the accident.
But D just shrugs his left arm in response, nodding and smiling.
"What about your arm, D?" she questions.
"I can bowl left handed. That'll be cool! We're gonna need bumpers, though."
"Good, that's the only way Aunt Dani can hit any pins," Charlie teases, earning a light kick and an eye roll for his trouble. "Oh, hey, D. Wanna go to the game next weekend? Just you and me. Boys' night out?"
"Really?"
Charlie nods.
"Yeah! Oh, but what if Mango's a boy? Then Aunt Dani'll have to come so all the boys are out."
"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it," Dani assures him, scruffing his unruly curls. "Let's get you dressed and off to camp."
"I can dress myself," D half-pouts, precariously balancing his cereal bowl in one hand as Dani grabs his orange juice glass.
"I know. I'm just gonna help and speed things along."
D huffs. "Okay."
As they disappear up the stairs, Charlie turns to his mother-in-law. "We should video-tape Little Danny trying to dress himself with that cast on. Is that home movie show still on?"
Noor gives him a Reese woman eye roll.
"He does very well with it on," she steers the conversation in a different direction. "School will be harder, though. All that writing."
"He'll manage, I think."
D's high laughter echoes through the big house, and Charlie can just make out the sound of Dani's laugh joining him.
He grins and asks, "So, Maaman-bee, boy or a girl?"
Noor shrugs. "Healthy and happy."
"Can't disagree there." Charlie's phone starts buzzing, and when he checks the caller-id, he answers immediately, saying, "Ted! I forgot. No, no. I'll come down." He hangs up the phone and turns to his mother-in-law. "Forgot a finance meeting with Ted. Send Dani down to their house once Little D's on his way?"
"Of course, Charlie. See you at the bowling alley."
Charlie nods and grabs an orange as he hurries out the door.
"I trust Ted's opinion completely. If he says those funds are the best way to set D and Mango up, I believe him."
"So do I," Dani assures him as she climbs on to the exam table. She slips a little in her bare feet, and he moves his hand to steady her. She smiles her thanks. "I just think it might be a little early, that's all."
"You know Ted; he likes to be prepared."
"Yeah, well, as long as he's the one worrying about it and not me."
Charlie smiles and switches topics. "You really don't care if it's a boy or a girl?"
Dani shakes her head. "No."
"Really? Not at all? I mean, obviously, it doesn't matter either way."
"No, it doesn't," she rolls her eyes.
"But still, I'd really like a girl. Someone to spoil, you know. Buy pretty things for. Since you won't let me."
"Ha. Look, Charlie, it doesn't matter, because no matter what, you're gonna be a great dad, so the kid's already way ahead of either of us."
"Why Dani Reese, did you just say something nice about me?"
His tone is light and teasing, but his eyes convey his gratitude at her faith in him. She follows along and rolls her eyes, but she reaches for and squeezes his hand, keeping it held in hers while they wait for the doctor.
Her mind is all over the place, part of it still filled with numbers from the morning's meeting with Ted, part of it still nervous as hell about this whole motherhood thing, another part worrying over D and his adjustment and bowling. As such, she just smiles politely and answers direct questions while Charlie makes conversation with Sophie Harper, their doctor. Finally, she gets to lie back. Charlie is fairly bouncing in anticipation as the doctor starts the ultrasound. Dani ignores the cold gel on her belly and looks to the screen. She can't help but smile genuinely when the sound of the heartbeat fills the room and Mango's face begins to take shape. Dammit, Crews, the whole Mango thing has rubbed off on her.
"Alright, let's see here. The baby seems much more sociable today," Dr. Harper jokes. "You want to know the gender, right?"
Charlie nods enthusiastically.
"Well," the doctor smiles as she leans over to point to a section of the picture, "Congratulations, Detective, you got your wish. It's a girl."
Dani doesn't even object when Charlie immediately kisses her, his smile evident against her lips.
Dr. Harper finishes up her exam, giving both Mango and Dani a clean bill of health. Charlie just keeps smiling and holding fast to Dani's hand. Though it happens much more often these days, she still loves seeing the way his face lights up and the worries fade away when he's truly happy. She knows that this, marriage and babies and stability, was everything a young Crews had ever looked for in life. And though it's taken quite a circuitous path to finally get here, and though she has her own misgivings about her fitness for motherhood, she loves that she can be a part of making Charlie happy.
"Alright, that's Rachel," Charlie is still beaming a half hour later in the car. Their appointment ran late, so despite Charlie's objections, they're having bowling alley lunch. "She says congratulations, and she's very excited to have another girl around. Olivia and Ted are meeting us for bowling. Who else is on the list to tell about baby Mango?"
Dani looks warily at him out of the corner of her eye as she keeps most of her attention on the road. Five-and-a-half months pregnant and she still won't even let him drive the car.
"Your dad," she suggests, bracing herself for the response.
"No."
"Charlie, I know your issues with your dad, and I respect that, but he at least deserves to know he's going to have a granddaughter."
"He doesn't deserve to meet her. Not when my mom can't."
"If that's what you want, I'll back you up on that. But shouldn't he at least know she's out there? If we knew where the hell my dad is, if he's alive, I would want him to know."
He breaks from his brooding long enough to give her a surprised look. She doesn't often talk about Jack, especially with him. He supposes their impending parenthood has made both of them reflect on their own parents.
"I'll think about it," he acquiesces.
Dani nods and gracefully shifts the topic of conversation. "Call Stark, so he can make sure all the bets are paid off by the time I get in tomorrow."
Charlie puts on a smile, and it's not too fake, as he begins excitedly dialing Stark's number.
"Bobby! Guess what? You won!"
"It's a girl? Really?" Little D asks.
"Yup," Charlie confirms.
"So cool!"
"What would've you said if it was a boy?" Dani teases, smoothing his unruly hair out of his face.
D does his one-armed shrug. "I always wanted a sister."
"Yeah, since yesterday," Dani accuses, crossing her arms in front of her. "Last week it was a little brother, the week before a sister, then the week before…"
"Okay, okay," D rolls his eyes.
"C'mon, D, let's get our shoes," Charlie suggests as a warm-eyed Noor moves to embrace her only daughter, murmuring her congratulations in Farsi.
When they join the boys at the lane, D is busy inventing bowling nicknames for everyone.
"Don't forget Ted and Olivia," Charlie reminds him.
"Someone called for us?" Olivia questions as she and Ted join them at the lane.
"Hi, Olivia. Hi, Grandpa Ted. What do you want your nicknames to be?"
"Before we get to that, D, you wanna tell them the news?" Charlie asks.
"Oh yeah! You wanna know if Mango's a girl or a boy?"
Olivia smiles at D. "Of course, Daniel."
"Guess first!"
"It's fifty-fifty shot," Ted notes.
"Oh, I don't know. It's very hard…" Olivia draws it out.
"A girl!" impatient Daniel exclaims. "Mango's a girl."
"Charlie, that's great," Ted smiles. "Daughters are the best."
"Yeah, he's very excited," Dani grins with a little roll of her eyes.
"Aunt Dani, you wanna be on my team or Uncle Charlie's team?" D has already moved on as Ted and Olivia pass their congratulations and start to put on their shoes.
"Why aren't you on Uncle Charlie's team?"
"Because he's not very good."
"Hey! Why are you always doubting my athletic ability?" Charlie objects.
D giggles.
"Bowling is not athletic," Dani objects.
"It's a professional sport," Ted counters without much gusto.
"Either way," Charlie soldiers on. "Now it's personal, kid. You're going down."
"Then I'm on D's team, because you made fun of my ability to bowl this morning."
"Alright, fine. Ted? Noor? Care to teach these two a lesson?"
"Are we really trash-talking about bowling?" Olivia asks skeptically.
"Yes, that's how it's done," Dani tells her. "Not fun without some competition."
"Right," D echoes his beloved godmama. "Mommy and I always beat Aunt Dani and Uncle Charlie."
Dani pauses, holding back the flood of memories. It's good that he can talk about her. She has to encourage this.
"That's right. That's why I want to be on your team, not Uncle Charlie's. Maaman-bee's pretty good, though, so we have to be careful. You ready, Olivia?"
Olivia shrugs and decides to play along. "Alright. Ted, you're going down."
"There we go!" Charlie teases. "Now, everyone go to D for your nickname and let's get this game started. Get ready, Reese, we're gonna wipe the floor with you."
"Don't get cocky, Crews."
He creeps into the bedroom, though he's sure he's not fooling her at all; it's just good to make an effort. To his great surprise, however, she's fast asleep and remains so even as he begins to strip off his jeans, hoodie, and Dodgers cap. He brushes his teeth quickly and quietly, and then slips into bed beside her, wondering at the fact she's still fairly asleep. Mango must still be taking more out of her than she lets on. He slides his arms around her and presses a kiss into the crook of her neck.
"You boys were out late," she mumbles groggily.
Charlie grins; maybe not as asleep as he thought.
"Pick up chicks at the ballpark?" she asks, turning over to face him.
"Extra innings," he says, both explanation and apology, kissing her briefly.
"We win?" she yawns.
"Yep. D was pumped, but he crashed in the car. I carried him up to his room."
"Good. Let him sleep in tomorrow," she says softly, eyes drifting shut then popping open again, repeatedly. "Don't." Yawn. "Wake him up to play just 'cause you're bored."
"Yes, ma'am. You're so hot when you order me around."
"That's all the time, Crews."
"Exactly."
She opens her eyes just enough to rolls them at him.
He grins. "Wanna make out?"
She groans and flings a hand at him, rolling back over.
"Go to sleep, Crews."
"Not tonight, then?" he teases, settling his arms around her and his head into the pillows.
Her voice softens as one of her hands joins his on her belly and the solid presence of their baby girl.
"Yeah, Charlie. Not tonight. G'night."
"'Night. Love you."
"Love you, too," she yawns, squeezing his hand.
Back at work, the news has made the rounds, and everyone is excited, except Dani, who is still stuck on desk duty.
Crews, however, is still downright giddy. He and Hart are pretty far in a murder investigation, and they are presenting their evidence to Tidwell before going to the DA for an arrest warrant for their prime suspect.
"Heard it's a girl," Tidwell makes small talk as Hart prepares the evidence board.
"It is!" Charlie says brightly, leaning over to move one of the digital pictures over a few inches. They've had these new electronic murder boards for a few years now, but he still misses the old ones, just as he misses having Reese at his side through every step of the case. Though, if the tradeoff is work or the rest of life, the decision is, and was, very easy.
"Your life is gonna be hell in fifteen years," Tidwell chuckles a little.
Crews sighs in agreement, already imagining a little girl every inch as pretty as her mama, and just as headstrong as the two of them put together. "But it's gonna be great before and after that. Plus, one of each."
"One of each," Tidwell echoes longingly.
"Think she'll be it, Crews?" Hart asks.
"Oh, I don't know. It's up to Reese. We talked about two, you know, before D; we were both lonely onlys. But now, I don't know."
"Alright, catch me up, Hart," Tidwell changes tacks. "Let's catch those bad guys."
"Bad girl, actually," Crews clarifies, gesturing for Hart to take it from there.
"Right, witness put Sarah Johnson leaving the building at 4:34am…"
Crib shopping. Charlie Crews cannot believe he is crib shopping with Dani Reese. Or that she just uttered the words: "Daniel Winthrop Ayers, if you don't stop trying to get your head stuck in a crib, I will leave you there when it finally does."
D grins impishly with his now-signature one-armed shrug. "Yes, ma'am."
"I don't know; I think it's a good system. If he actually can fit his head in, we know we have a problem, and we definitely won't buy that crib."
"That's a good point, but these are well-designed cribs; all he's doing is bruising his forehead."
Charlie mimics 'The Shrug'. "Sometimes a boy's gotta do what a boy's gotta do."
"Thank you for being a girl," Dani directs to her rounded stomach.
Charlie grins. "Since the father's contribution determines gender, you're welcome. Ooh. I like this one. It'll go well with the lavender room. And it comes with a whole set for the room."
"You're spoiling her already."
"That's what Daddies are for!"
"Little D, come stick your head in this one," Dani calls for the wandering-within-earshot boy.
"Really?"
"Yeah. Gotta make sure it's safe for your little sister."
"Awesome," D smiles, setting about his big brotherly duty.
"Hey, tonight's movie night. Stay in or go out?" Charlie asks his family.
"In. We've seen every kid appropriate movie that's out right now," Dani reminds him.
"Good point. We'll head right home then."
"After we stop at the ice cream shop," Dani clarifies.
"Ice cream?" D asks excitedly, bringing his head up quickly into the top rail of the crib. "Oww."
"Serves you right. You okay?" she asks, rubbing the offending area for him.
"Yeah."
"Good. Ice cream, huh?" Charlie teases.
"Yes. Mango is hungry."
"So's D."
Charlie laughs. "Okay. What's your opinion on the crib?"
"Can't get stuck," D assures them.
"Alright. Let's buy this and go, then."
"Detective Crews."
"Captain! Moving on up. How's the plan going?"
"Moving on up," Jane Seever echoes with a smile, resting against Charlie's desk. "Should be up for a promotion to commander in the next year or so."
"Hey, Seever. I want you to meet Caleb Hart, my partner. Hart, this is Jane Seever, one of my old partners."
"Jeez, Crews, how many hot ex-partners do you have?"
The young man pales as he realizes he said that aloud.
"Hart, what have we said about putting your foot in your mouth?"
"I'm sorry, Captain," Hart says, mortified.
"It's alright. Bobby is a looker."
Crews laughs. Still blushing, Hart grins a little.
"Caleb, why don't you go check on CSU?" Charlie suggests.
"Yeah, uh – Sure thing, Crews. Captain."
The kid fairly sprints out of the pen.
Charlie grins. "Got a little trouble with having a filter between his brain and his mouth. Or, not having one, really."
Seever raises a brow. "How's that working out for him as a detective?"
Charlie shrugs. "It's been an interesting eight months."
Seever laughs a little. "What ever happened to Martinez?"
"Went back to Vice."
"Couldn't take the death?"
Charlie shakes his head. "Got promoted."
"That's three for four now. Crews, you're good for ex-partners' promotions." She glances back towards Hart's desk. "Well, maybe not all of them."
"He's a good kid."
"Speaking of partners, I heard some gossip."
"About?" Charlie plays innocent.
"Nice try. I hear congratulations are in order."
Crews's grin splits extra wide.
"They are indeed. A girl."
"A girl. That's really nice, Crews. How's Reese doing?"
"Go ask her yourself. But wear your vest, because she's been on desk duty for over a month now. Bobby's worried she'll start taking hostages."
"I think I'll pass. Tell her I say hi."
"Oh, you wanna see pictures?"
"Sure, Crews."
Crews grabs Mango's ultrasound and a snapshot of D.
"These, Captain Seever, are my kids."
Jane looks up from the pictures to Charlie's beaming smile and can't help but be grateful that they've all made it this far.
"They're beautiful, Charlie. How is Daniel doing?"
"He has good days and bad days. The good ones seem to be winning so far. And his collarbone is healing nicely. He's still got a month left in the cast, though, and he's bummed about all the swim parties he's been missing."
"It's LA and you have a pool in your backyard. He'll have plenty of pool time."
"That's true. You wanna come over for dinner next week and see everyone? Dani's much less likely to pull a gun on you at home."
Jane laughs. "Well, with an offer like that one… I'd love to. Talk to Dani and call me to set up a time."
"Will do. You got official business down here at our lowly station?"
"I do. I'll see you next week then?"
"Count on it."
tbc