Keeping Katie Ch 24

Things heated up at the precinct and Don had to spend long hours there for the next week. He was so tired that when he got home all he had the energy to do was eat and crawl into bed. Karen would wait up for him and make sure he got a hot meal and the kids left him presents on the table. Sometimes just a picture or a piece of homework they'd gotten a good grade on at school or just a smile on a piece of paper.

Don tried to stay awake long enough to have a conversation with Karen, but found himself drifting off in the middle of what she was saying. In the morning he was up and off again early. He barely knew there were kids in the house. Whatever the reason, the city seemed to be in a general uproar. Most of the officers were stressed out and working long shifts. It was turning some of them seriously cranky.

Fins theory was that it was a full moon, hidden by the clouds as it had been raining for several days, John was of the theory it was something in the water by some government agency testing a new chemical agent since the violence seemed to be crawling across the city in a wave. Fin said it was just his paranoid delusion and it degenerated into a name calling match after that. Don sternly told them to knock it off or he'd give them both a club and put them in a holding cell. They could settle it that way.

Then there was a delivery at the office. It was a stack of boxes, two tied together with bows and ribbons, delivered to every officer in the place by name. The delivery driver gave Don the bill of lading to sign and envelope before giving him his boxes and walked out the door. Don carefully set his down on his desk and got out his latex gloves before opening the letter.

"These are for all of you from the people who care about you. Enjoy, we miss you. Love, Karen, Charlene and the kids." In her handwriting.

He grinned and opened the bigger box. It was a sealed bowl of her chicken stew. Still hot with biscuits steaming next to it. "It's a package from home." He grinned at his officers.

They still were cautious about opening the packages but they held nothing more dangerous than chocolate chip cookies. Elliott got some of Kathy's lasagna recipe made by Elizabeth, Olivia got some fettucini and sausages from the recipe Dons wife had made him one time, Fin got a big bowl of steaming hot chili and some Tabasco sauce with some crackers. Each of the other three temporary detectives got a nice bowl of vegetable beef soup and warm baked bread.

Don noticed the other box and carefully opened it. It was a mini photograph of his family all out playing in the yard. Charlene must have taken it because everyone was in there except her. They were all laughing in the summer sunshine. It was at the picnic. He set it on his desk.

Elliott opened his as well. "Look at this. The three legged race." He showed it to Olivia with a grin. "What did you get?"

She opened hers. "Oh, my."

"Let's see." Elliott said.

"I don't think so." She said blushing and put the picture back in the box.

"Come on, Liv. Let me see. I was there remember? I saw everything that happened."

"I wonder what Fin and Munch got." She diverted the conversation.

Elliott squinted at her determinedly. She ignored him. "What did you guys get?"

Fin laughed at his picture. "I got my face full of watermelon juice. When Katie pushed the piece into my face." He showed them the picture. It had been funny at the time, it was funnier now.

John opened his and took out the picture. He stared at it bemused for a minute then put it back in the box and went back to eating the beef roast with mashed potatoes and gravy Charlene had fixed him.

"What picture did you get, John?" Olivia asked with anticipation.

He shrugged. "Just a picture." He said mysteriously.

"Show us, man." Fin suggested with a smile.

"I don't think so." John said and kept eating.

Finally after threatening to swarm him and take it he took it out and showed it to them. Charlene smiled out of the picture wearing a white cowboy hat with a feather on it. It was kind of a let down after all the teasing, but it meant something to John. He put it carefully back away in his drawer. Then it was Olivias turn. Don came out for this one.

He grinned at the schoolboy enthusiasm they teased her with. She finally gave up and dragged it out. It was her, in the shorts she'd worn to the picnic, in the toe race. Her long slender legs were nice to see but it was the determined look on her face that made the picture so cute. That she wore an identical expression to Katie next to her was even more funny. Elliott smiled at the picture, but Don doubted he was looking at the picture of her determined face.

The brief interlude was over when the phone began to ring. Don was surprised. He really hadn't noticed that it wasn't ringing until it started up again. Most of the pictures stayed out on the desks. The brief respite helped them weather the rest of the day. Casey Novak came in and took a deep breath. "Something smells heavenly in here."

"We had an unexpected delivery in here." Olivia said with a smile.

"It smells good."

"I couldn't eat all of mine. Do you want it?" Elliott asked.

"I shouldn't." Casey said, but it was clear she was hungry.

"Do you need to speak to me?" Don asked her.

"I do, it's about….."

"Let's go in here. I need to finish my food too." He said. That wasn't strictly true, but he would nibble at his so she would. "So what's up?"

"I got a call from Dettrich. She asked me about you and your past record here. What's that all about, Don?"

"Katie. What did you tell her?"

"The truth. I can't do that any more than that."

"Thank you for that." Don said sincerely.

Casey set down her fork. "This is going to be difficult. I think Mr. Jones is trying to make your record here an issue, to say that what you see here is morally detrimental to Katie. That your lifestyle with Karen is also immoral."

"I'm rectifying that. Karen and I are going to be married next weekend. I would like you to be at the ceremony."

"I might be a bad choice as a witness."

"If you want to be a witness that's fine, but we're only asking close friends. I've known you for several years and you were at our picnic as a friend. That's why I'm asking you. And Karen would want you there as well."

"It's short notice."

"It's going to be at our place in the back yard. You're welcome to come out."

"I'll see if I can make it. What time?"

"Two."

"Thank you, and thank you for the food. I was hungrier than I thought. How are Karen and Katie holding up?"

"Katie is doing fine, with Karen it's harder to tell. She's got it inside and isn't letting it out much, but that makes it worse. We'll get through this. I just hope it doesn't create an irreparable hole in our lives."

"I hope so too. Well, I need to get back to work. I have a brief to prepare."

Don nodded and threw away the rest of his food. Karen would never know he'd not finished it. He went back to his office and back to work. They finished out the day and dispursed to their own homes. It was late when Don got home. The house was quiet, one small light was lit over the stove for him to see with. He sat down at the kitchen table and just put his head on his arms. He was so tired. He probably should have stayed in the city tonight, but he wanted to be home. He didn't hear the door at all, he didn't hear footsteps, all he felt was soft warm hands on his head and arms cradling him to a warm body and Karens scent, unique to her. He turned into her and buried his face against her warmth.

He couldn't be strong right now, he couldn't be supportive, he couldn't be the captain right now. He needed to be the one who sought comfort. Karens soft lips touched his head, her arms hid him from the world and she smelled of their bed, and sleep and home. He wanted to cry, to crawl up next to her and never come back out. He put his arms around her waist and held on for dear life. She stroked his head and his back. There was no pulling back, no hurrying his release. He let go when he was able on his own.

"I'm sorry. I got you all wet and you're cold."

"I'm looking for someone to help me get warm. Are you ready to go to bed?"

"I'm not sure I could sleep yet."

"Then let's talk. I want to hear your voice."

"I don't think I could make love to you tonight. It wouldn't be..."

"I can talk to you without jumping your bones. Come to bed, darling Don. Leave the world out here where it belongs."

So he followed her into their quarters. She pulled off her clothes and crawled under the covers. In the room only lit by moonlight from outside he took off his clothes and slid under the covers she held back for him and lay down. She snuggled up to him and he began to talk. Just a bit at first, casual things that were common knowledge but the things he felt found their way to his lips and he said things he didn't intend to say, told her things she shouldn't have to hear and let go of the iron control he held for so long. He was sure she'd fallen asleep but she asked him questions. He found himself crying like a baby.

Karen scooted up so she could cradle him to her breasts and hold him. He turned into her and cried for all the things he couldn't prevent. She crooned to him and let him cry. At last he was spent, the final tears were shed and he was exhausted. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought that home to you."

"I want to be here for you. I'm glad you could share with me."

"I shouldn't have. Alot of that was classified."

"I didn't hear anything. You never uttered any name or any place. I didn't understand a thing except that you were in pain. That was all I cared about. That was all that meant to me."

He sighed and snuggled against her. "I love you."

"I love you too, my Don. Sleep now."

He closed his eyes and fell asleep. He didn't feel her gently slide her arm from under his head and tuck the blankets around him. He slept on oblivious to what the future entailed.

TBC