Chapter Two: This Crazy Life We Lead
So Liz, Ava, and Brae's first three weeks flew by. They settled in relatively well.
As expected, a few of their fellow officers weren't very kind. Rather it was an offhanded comment about their father or brother getting them where they were; or a joke about how good Liz and Ava might be in bed. Some made Brae growl. His sisters generally chose to pay no attention to the ignorant assholes around them. Overall, it was nothing that the thick-skinned Valenti Clan couldn't handle.
Don and Danny quickly became welcome additions to life in the Valenti household. Ashley, Brae and Zan were never happier to have other guys around. It made missing their brothers a bit easier. Don and Zan bonded instantly. And the others knew it was because Don had a lot of the same personality traits that Max had possessed. Don took no shit and was quick to call anyone on theirs. It seemed that he was quickly filling a hole in Zan's life that had been there since the day Max died.
And Danny it seemed, was just as smart mouthed as Kyle. He fit in perfectly with the boys. The five of them could often be found together in the game room making ridiculous wagers on anything from the weather to the next basketball game.
It made the girls crack up hysterically every time.
Sheldon had joined them a few times as well. Especially when the guys would get together for a game of basketball. He never failed to make any of the girls smile; he was always quick to dish out compliments much to his friends' dismay.
Lindsay was accepted into the fold just as quickly. She was extremely amicable that first day. So of course, Liz had invited her over for dinner. And it went from there.
She fit in amazingly well with the Valenti girls. For so long, Ava, Liz and Nateri were only used to having each other or family. Having another girlfriend to talk to was refreshing. She often joined them on their shopping trips and girl's nights. Plus, Lindsay knew how it felt to be the newbie. Right off the bat, she had warned Liz and Brae that Mac would find every way possible to put them to the test, if only for a little while.
Mac had been nice enough. They quickly realized that he was to an extent a very private person. Ava had remarked about the pain that he held inside. Outwardly, he carried on day to day as if nothing was wrong, just like Liz. Ava told her brothers, she knew without a shadow of a doubt that he kept it mostly to himself, just like their sister. For some reason, she felt that both he and Liz would benefit from each other's company. Might help Lizzie to have someone else to commiserate with that wasn't related to her. Ashley told her she was crazy and Brae said that she couldn't fix all the troubles of the world no matter how hard she tried. They wanted her to leave it be.
Stella, like Mac was nice to them. But Brae couldn't help but feel that she scrutinized them more so than others. Like she was waiting for one of the almighty Valentis to screw up. Liz insisted that she was just being cautious and she couldn't blame her. After all, their reputations did precede them. Psychic Ava swore that Stella didn't let people in easily because of past experiences. To which Ashley told her that she must've gotten her Psychology degree from a Cracker Jack box.
A comment which earned him three cuffs on the head from his sisters and his cousin.
The Valenti girls always stuck together.
----
Like the previous four Fridays, the usual suspects could be found gathered at the table scarfing down another one of Zan's culinary inspired breakfasts.
The group was enjoying a rousing discussion about cars versus SUVs when six cell phones rang at all once.
Moans and groans erupted as they got up to leave.
----
Turned out there was a quadruple homicide at Central Park West.
A very high profile quadruple homicide. Fashion Designer to the stars Elena Grimaldi, her husband Christopher, and their teenage daughters Lane and Lisa.
Braeden and Lindsay were tasked with photographing the scene. Liz and Danny had been assigned to the bodies. Ava and Don were talking to the neighbor who had stumbled upon the grizzly scene.
Stella stood to the side with Mac and watched the six carefully. "I still don't get it Mac," she confided to her longtime friend.
Mac turned to look at her. For the first time in fourteen years, he couldn't quite read her expression. "Get what?"
Her head shook almost imperceptibly. "Three of them? Seriously?"
He shot her a half surprised, half curious look. "What's the problem Stell?"
"Their ages for one."
Now it was he who shook his head at her. "That can't be it because Braeden's been on the force for fifteen years and Liz and Ava for nearly eight. That aside, Brae's only two years younger than you. What's the real issue?"
She sighed deeply. "It's just that they're..."
"Valentis?" He supplied with a smirk.
She nodded. "I have to admit that makes me apprehensive."
"Stell, their brother did not buy their way into the NYPD. You know that I hand pick my team. There's a reason that Sinclair was willing to take them even in the midst of budget cuts. Their service records speak for themselves. But if you'd read them, you'd know that. Give them a chance. I guarantee that they'll impress you soon enough."
"All right," Stella told him some what skeptically. She hoped that he was right. Maybe I should take a look at their records. She thought to herself. Not once since they'd started at the Crime Lab, had she thought to check into their backgrounds. Mac had to be right. The whole of the NYPD, including the Crime Lab, had felt the wrath of the budget cuts. So why was it that Chief Sinclair readily took on three more Detectives?
The pair stood back and watched. Mac had already decided that he wanted to let Liz, Danny, Brae and Lindsay take the reins on this case. It was high time that the Valentis got the chance to show New York just why it was they shined in Colorado. He knew that they wouldn't let him down. It was time to put the newbies to the test.
--
"Signs of a struggle," Liz said as she examined the teenage girls' hands. "They both fought back and fought back hard. I've got skin and blood here."
"They're tha only ones," Danny said as he examined the parents' bodies. "I got nothin on eitha of tha parents. Only a single GSW ta tha back of tha head."
Braeden chimed in from by the door. "No signs a forced entry. Whoeva did this was let in. These people knew their killa."
"Killas," Ava corrected as she stood above Danny.
"Why ya say that Av?" Don asked as he quirked an eyebrow at his partner.
"Think bout it. Both a tha 'rents gotta GSW ta tha back of tha head. If one was shot before tha otha, tha one who wasn't woulda fought."
Don didn't have time to respond before he was cut him off.
"They were getting ready for dinner," Lindsay said as she surveyed the kitchen table. It was loaded with a large chicken, mashed potatoes, salad, and broccoli. The settings were out but not a bit of the food had been served yet.
Ava stood in the living room surveying the scene looking somewhat confused.
"Aves?" Liz said as she looked up at her sister. She felt the unease coming off of Ava in waves.
"Somethin's not right, Lizzie," she replied softly. There was something that was very off but she couldn't quite place what it was.
"Four people are dead Av," Don told her with a sardonic smirk. "What else could be wrong 'sides that?"
She shot daggers at Don with her eyes. "I dunno Flack. But there's somethin else. I'm tellin ya."
Braeden couldn't resist the urge. "Spidey Senses tinglin Aves?" As much as he teased, he knew that his sister's intuition was always right on the ball.
Ava shook her head at her brother. "Laugh it up Jackass. Somethin's off." She then turned to Lindsay. "Ay Linds, how many settings at tha table?"
Lindsay looked down at the table briefly. "Seven."
"So who tha otha three people that, that table was set for?" She quirked her eyebrow at both her partner and her brother as if to say 'I told you so.'
Liz stood up to glance at the table. "Kids. Those three plates are smaller than the others." There was alarm in her voice.
"The neighbor said that tha three youngest had gone away with Mr. Grimaldi's parents last week an wouldn't be home for three more days," Don said to reassure Liz and Ava whose eyes were bugging out and expressions were fraught with worry.
Liz shook her head emphatically. "Well they must have come home early. Otherwise, they wouldn't have set those places. Think about it Don."
Liz was right. It didn't make sense. Both girls turned to him with pleading eyes. "I'll issue an Amber alert," he replied already half way out the door. Stella turned to follow him.
"Ay Don," Brae half yelled to his friend.
"What Brae?"
"Jus outta curiosity, how old are these kids?"
The answer made Liz and Ava's blood run cold and Brae turned six shades whiter. "Two, three an' six." It wasn't lost on him that the Grimaldi kids were the same ages as Isla, Mariella and Nathan.
Time was now of the essence.
--
Three hours later, the entire city was frantically searching for the three missing children. But it still didn't make sense. Not one of the Grimaldi's neighbors said that they'd seen the children leaving the home. A few had seen two men dash out the door, but no kids. The house had been searched twice over since then and still nothing had turned up.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, an idea came to Brae. "Ay Lizzie, Aves?"
Both girls turned to regard their brother curiously.
"Ya 'memba tha time when we played hide an seek at Nana Shep's house?"
They nodded.
"'Memba how we couldn't find Rissa an Jeff for hours?"
Again they nodded.
"'Memba why?"
Ava shook her head no while Liz looked contemplative. Her eyes lit up. She knew exactly where Brae was going with his line of questioning. It was ingenious really. Figures that the one with no children of his own thought of it first.
Stella, Mac, Danny and Lindsay eyed the exchange with interest. They were curious to see where Braeden was going with his train of thought.
Liz smirked knowingly at her older brother. "We couldn't find them because Johnny and Derek had told them not to talk or move a muscle."
The CSIs looked puzzled. So she went into further detail as she regarded the four.
"Our brother Jeff and sister Carissa were three and four at the time. We were spending the summer at my Grandma's estate in the Hamptons. All of us including my cousins, John, Derek and Nancy decided to play hide and seek. We divided up into two teams made up of pairs of us. The team with the least people caught would get to make the other team do their chores for a week. The house was huge so we figured why not. Jeffy and Rissa were going through this phase where they took everything they were told literally. To scare them into staying quiet, Derek and Johnny told them that if they made any noise, monsters would come get them. So they sat in that closet and didn't make a peep for nearly six hours. We only found them cause Rissa finally had to go to the bathroom. I swear they must have had every cop in Suffolk County looking for them. Nana went nuts and wouldn't let them out of her sight for the rest of the summer."
Danny threw his hands out in an 'I don't get it' gesture. "An tha point of that lil tale was?"
"Point bein Messer," Brae said as he eyed his friend, "is that maybe tha kids were told ta hide and they did 'actly what they was told."
"Search the house again," Mac told the group in his 'authoritative Mac' voice. Part of him was praying that Brae was right. "Top to bottom, every single spot that they could hide. Stell, Brae, you're with me. We'll start in the basement."
--
Ten minutes later, Brae was standing in front of a trap door that he had found by moving a piece of sheet rock that had been laid against the wall. It was at such an angle that three little bodies could have slipped in behind it. He opened the door and shined his flashlight inside.
"Mac, Stella, I got em." He said as he visually examined the frightened children. Little Jason Grimaldi sat huddled in between his baby sisters, Nina and Chrissy. Jason appeared to be cradling his left arm. Nina and Chrissy looked in reasonably (and that was using the term very loosely) good shape. The girls were half hiding behind their brother.
His eyes softened as he spoke to them. "Ay guys, I'm Brae. I'ma police offica. We been lookin for tha three a ya all day. Ya got lotsa people worried bout ya. Can ya guys come out for me?" He pulled out his badge to show them that he wasn't lying.
Jason shook his head vehemently and pulled his sisters closer to him. There was no way he was letting them go.
It didn't go unnoticed that Jason winced painfully as he clutched his sisters tightly. The boy was clearly injured more than they realized.
Stella bent down to give it a shot. "Hi sweetie. My name's Stella. We're not gonna hurt you. Will you come out so we can make sure you're okay?" She held out her hand to them.
Jason was not impressed with Stella either. Again the little boy indicated that they weren't going anywhere.
Braeden turned to Mac, another idea brewing in his head. "Ay Mac, can ya do me a favor an get my sistas?"
The older Detective went upstairs without question. He was pretty sure he knew what Brae was doing.
Not even a minute later, Liz and Ava came bounding down the steps at light speed. They skidded to a halt beside their brother.
"Ay Jay," Brae said to the boy, "'S Ava an Lizzie, they're my little sistas jus like Nina an Chrissy are yours."
They had to bite back a laugh as Jason Grimaldi's eyes darted back and forth between the trio. He almost looked incredulous. His eyes seemed to say, 'you're kidding right?'
Liz smiled, knowing what was running through the boy's head. They'd gotten it all their lives. "I know." She told him as she shook her head and scrunched up her features to make a funny face. "We don't look alike do we?"
With the tiniest smile, Jason shook his head again.
She had to hand it to him, Jason Grimaldi at six years old, was very smart. Time for a new plan of attack. "You can read, can't you Jay?"
Green eyes sparkled as he nodded. Obviously that was an achievement he was very proud of.
She reached into her shirt and pulled out her dog tags. Her brother and sister quickly followed suit. "See that," she told him as she pointed, "it says my last name's Valenti. Just like Ava and Brae's do."
Carefully, he slid forward so he could touch them. He let go of hers to look at Braden's and then did the same with Ava's. Once satisfied that she was telling the truth, he sat back again.
"So Buddy," Brae said with a smile, "can we get ya an ya sistas ta come out now?"
He nodded. Nina went willingly to Ava and Chrissy to Liz. As for Jason, he was quickly and gently scooped up into Brae's arms.
Unbeknownst to the trio, Mac shot Stella a look that most certainly seemed to say 'I told you so.'
She smacked his arm in response. When he was right, he was right. But she knew this would one of those times that he'd gloat about it every chance he got.
--
Upstairs, things quickly went from bad to worse. One of the EMTs tried to take - practically snatch - Jason from Braeden's arms. In the process the boy began crying which turned to wailing as soon as he spotted the blood on the floor. Knowing where it came from, he started struggling and screaming.
This in turn, sent his little sisters into hysterical fits.
At that point, Liz and Ava gave the EMTs, who by this time were practically growling at the kids, death stares and refused to surrender either little girl. If looks could kill, those boys would have been dead for sure.
It took a few minutes, but they managed to get the kids calmed down some what. Jason was sobbing softly on Braeden while his sisters buried their faces on Liz and Ava's shoulders.
Mac caught the whole exchange. "I suggest that the three of you go with the three of them to the hospital. DCFS is backed up and they won't be able to send someone for a while. Keep them company and get whatever you can."
Wordlessly, the Valenti kids nodded as they made their way out the door with the Grimaldi kids.
--
Two Hours Later:
Mac stood outside the kids' hospital room, watching them carefully. Jason, Nina and Chrissy were piled onto one bed together happily watching television. One wouldn't know simply by watching them, that their mother, father, and older sisters were only murdered hours before.
Feeling eyes on her, Liz glanced up and motioned for her brother and sister to follow. The trio moved into the hallway.
"How are they?" Mac asked as he inclined his head in the children's direction. Liz did her best to reign in her emotions as she ran down their injuries. But he could see it in her eyes that she was deeply affected. Affected only the way a mother would be.
"Jason has a broken arm and needed ten stitches above his left eye. Nina has a sprained ankle and a split lip. She needed three stitches. Chrissy has some bruising on her wrists and waist."
Most of the time, things that happened in this city didn't surprise Mac much, but this one had him shaking his head in dismay. Who the hell would go after a two, three and six year old like that?
Braeden, Ava and Liz already had the answers.
"Apparently, their Grandfather had gotten sick so the vacation got cut short. They came home yesterday."
Okay, so that explained the kids being there. But who was it?
Braeden took over for his sister. "Mr. G's tha kids' step-fatha. He legally adopted them all when he married Mrs. G. Their real Dad had been visitin them more an more lately. Jay said that he came back inta tha picture about six months ago. Lisa an Lane wanted nothin ta do with him. They told tha kids that their fatha was up ta somethin."
Ava piped up at this point. "So he shows up tonight wantin ta take only Jason, Nina an Chrissy. Mrs. G wouldn' let em cause they was bout to have dinna. He blew a fit an they shot Mr. an Mrs. G. Him an his brotha tried ta grab tha kids an drag em out tha door. Lisa an Lane heard tha commotion an came runnin in tha room. They sent tha kids ta hide. Lisa told em not ta come out at all. Jason said they heard a lotta screamin an then two more shots."
Liz shook her head and fought back tears. "Jason also said that he heard them come down the stairs looking for them. But as soon as they heard sirens, they got spooked and ran."
Now all they needed was to pick the guys up.
Again, leave it to the Valenti clan to beat Mac to the punch.
"Flack an a couple a unis picked em up a hour ago. They was screamin somethin bout insurance. They was stupid enough ta believe that if they had tha kids, they'd get tha big bucks." Brae said as he shook his head sadly. "So those three kids were orphaned ova money."
"Anyone come for them yet?"
Liz nodded. "Yeah. Mrs. Grimaldi's parents are on their way to come get them. In the meantime Mrs. Thames from DCFS is gonna stay with them."
He nodded. The three were quickly proving that they were very good at what they did. Most children who had been through such a traumatic event, would clam up. But somehow, the Valentis managed to get the Grimaldi kids to talk. "Good work,"
The trio smiled at each other. Not bad. Not bad at all.
"Can I ask about the dog tags?"
Truth was, they were one of Jack's requirements, even for non Air Force personnel. So they all wore them, even the kids. Each set had a locator chip in it. They were a fail safe in case the trackers that were implanted in their arms, for any reason didn't work. That and Gods forbid anything happened, they could be identified.
Not even batting an eye, Brae began reciting the agreed upon cover story. "They were a Christmas gift from our cousins, olda sista an brotha-in-law. They's all in tha Air Force. We've had them for close to twenty years now."
Mac quirked an eyebrow up. "Air Force, huh?"
Liz smirked. "It's the second family business. Some of us are on the force and some of us are in it." She chuckled.
Brae and Ava laughed. Liz could be so goofy at times.
The group didn't even realize that Stella was behind them until she spoke up. "So is there anyone else in your family that's on the force?"
"Our Dad. Our brother Kyle. And our brother Ashley was one of us for eight years."
Stella smiled but shot the three an apologetic look. She hadn't really been giving them a fair chance over the past few weeks. Mac was right, she was being judgmental. Today alone, Braeden, Liz, and Ava had proven they were more than capable of doing their jobs.
Ava had been the first to realize that Jason, Nina and Chrissy were missing. Braeden had found them. And all three had gotten the traumatized children to talk.
"You three really did do a great job today," she told them.
The sisters blushed as Ava elbowed Liz. Braeden looked down at the floor. All three had smiles on their faces.
The moment was interrupted by Liz's cell phone.
"Carter." Her voice softened instantly as she realized who was on the line.
'Hi Mama. Are you comin home?' Mariella's little voice gave away her impatience.
Mac and Stella observed Liz with curiosity. She had a wide smile on her face.
Liz could only chuckle. "Hi baby. No Mama's not coming home yet. But I'll be home in a little while."
She could hear Isla yelling in the background. 'What bout my Mama?'
'Mama, are Unca Brae and Aunt Ava comin home too?'
"Yes Baby. Uncle Brae and Aunt Ava are coming home too. Okay? Listen, I love you and I'll see you in a little while. Can you put Uncle Zan on?"
'I wuv ya too Mama.' Rustling could be heard as Ella bounded into the kitchen to find her Uncle.
Liz turned to her sister and put her hand over the mouthpiece on the phone. "Seems our girls are getting impatient."
Ava could only laugh in response.
"Just like their mothas," Brae said with a smirk.
A comment which promptly earned him a smack on each side of his head. He rubbed it with a scowl on his face.
Mac and Stella watched the exchange with amused grins. The Valenti family was certainly entertaining. And the Valenti woman were quick to keep the Valenti men in line. Brae getting cuffed on the back of the head showed that.
'Ello?'
"Hey Z. How have they been?"
'Perfect angels like always. Ya know ya girls wouldn' act up fa they Uncle Z.'
Liz gave Ava an incredulous look. "Perfect angels, huh? So what'd you do, drop Ella and Isla off somewhere and go home with two other little girls?"
Her comment made both her brother and sister crack up. It's not that Mariella and Isla were bad per se. They were just very good at getting exactly what they wanted when they wanted it. Especially if they were together. And Zan was a sucker for his nieces.
She could hear the smile in his voice as he replied. 'Listen Precious, I can' help it that tha girls behave themselves fa me.'
"And what did you buy them to earn that?"
There was a moment of silence before he responded. 'Nothin.'
Well if that wasn't a telltale sign that he was lying, she didn't know what was. "Yeah right. Where'd you go with them Zan? Toys 'R Us?"
The sigh he let out told her everything she needed to know. 'Maybe?'
She groaned as she mouthed to her sister 'he went shopping'; Ava, in turn, rolled her eyes. When did he not go shopping? Zan couldn't resist the urge to spoil his nieces and nephews.
Liz was shaking her head as she spoke into the phone. "What'd you get them?"
'Well, let's jus say that tha Princesses will be travelin in style from now on.'
With a heavy sigh, she chastised him. "Zan, tell me that you didn't buy them those Disney Princess Jeeps they've been begging for." She ran her hand down the left side of her face, her expression somewhere between annoyance and frustration.
But Zan's tone didn't change at all. Clearly, he was standing his ground on the subject. 'Kay I won'. I'll jus tell ya that I got em somethin just like it.'
Meanwhile, Brae shook his head as he whispered to Mac and Stella. "Dammit, I was gonna buy them an he beat me ta tha punch." His expression was one of mock dismay.
Stella stifled a chuckle and Mac grinned.
Ava glanced at her brother incredulously. "Seriously, c'mon Brae. Because of ya guys, Isla an Ella think they get everythin they ask for."
He made a pfft sound as he replied. "Yeah like ya don't give ya daughta everythin she wants."
"No I don'," she told him in an irritated voice. "Did Ma give us everythin we wanted? Did Daddy? I refuse ta raise a spoiled child. She needs ta 'preciate everythin she has." Her arms crossed as she did her best to stare him down.
Unsuccessfully by the way. How does one who is barely 5'2 and a buck five, stare down someone who is 6'4 and 265 pounds of pure muscle? It was funny to watch none the less.
Brae's eyebrows shot up. Who tha hell ya kiddin Aves? "First off, Pops gave ya, Lizzie, Ria, Rissa, Tessie an Gia, everythin yas asked fa. Second, not a one a yas acts like a spoiled brat. Thirdly, there ain' no way in hell that she won' 'preciate what she got. Ya ain' neva gonna let her. So chill yaself."
It was interesting to both Mac and Stella to watch their family dynamic first hand. They'd had little opportunity to watch the three of them together since they'd started with the NYPD. Two things were clear: they loved each other very much and they came from a big family.
Meanwhile, Liz and Zan's conversation continued. 'So anyways, we havin guests fa dinna?'
"Nice change of subject Z. But to answer your question yeah. Danny, Don and Linds will be there. Were you or were you not at the breakfast table this morning?"
Zan obviously chose to ignore her snide comment. He simply replied, 'what bout tha othas? Why don't ya ask em?'
"I will. I make no guarantees though. What time's dinner anyway?"
'I have my meetin at five so figure seven, seven thirty.'
She was really proud of Zan to say the least. They all were.
He'd been having a real tough time lately. Ever since he'd run into his ex wife Katie in Central Park. No one expected the bitch to be here in New York of all places. Instead of going back to the bottle like she knew he was tempted to, he started going to AA meetings again. No matter what, he vowed that he'd never take a drink again. Alcohol had nearly destroyed his life and has taken his daughter from him.
Actually his ex wife was to blame for that.
Zan had married Kathleen Christiansen as soon as she turned eighteen. He had been ridiculously in love with her from the moment he'd lain eyes on her. He even went so far as to asked Katie's father's permission to propose. It was a small ceremony with only their family and closest friends there that day - a day full of love and laughs. They lived in a tiny little apartment on the outskirts of town until Zan had finished the police academy. He graduated, first in his class, with a spot already waiting for him in the Albuquerque P.D.. So they'd moved into a beautiful three bedroom house halfway between Roswell and Albuquerque. Life couldn't have been better. And then Katie found out she was pregnant. Zan's life, it seemed, was complete. All he'd wanted from the minute he and Katie had said their I dos was a child of his own.
Vanessa had been two months old and Katie had been trashed beyond belief. Her blood alcohol was nearly three times the legal limit. It apparently came out later that, that was her way of dealing with postpartum depression, when no one was around. She drove straight into a telephone pole. The force of the crash had snapped little Nessa Evans' neck.
Naturally, Zan wasn't the same after that.
He became withdrawn. Barely spoke. Barely ate. He was a shell of the once happily married father.
Katie was sent to jail. Much to everyone's dismay, she was sentenced to only fifteen years.
Fifteen years for taking away a little baby's life before it had even begun. Fifteen years for stripping a father of his daughter. Fifteen years for ruining her husband's life and almost breaking him beyond the point of redemption.
Zan quit the Albuquerque P.D., leaving behind a promising career. He dropped out of school, giving up on his love of cooking. And in a sick twist of irony, Zan began to hit the bottle. Hard.
He left behind the house that him and Katie had moved into just after they'd married and took up residence in his parents' basement. He slept all day and drank all night. It killed their entire family (including the Valentis and the Evans') that he'd taken such a downward spiral. One night, everyone was at their wits end with Zan. They decided to stage an intervention. For hours, all his loved ones took turns begging and pleading with him to turn himself around.
In the end, it had been Isabel and Lonnie that were the deciding factors. Having his sisters clinging to him, tearfully begging him to stop drinking had done him in. The then ten and eleven year olds were terrified of losing their brother the same way they'd lost their niece.
By the end of that night, he'd agreed to check into an inpatient facility up in the Catskill Mountains. He gave up the alcohol for good and never looked back.
He'd been sober for seventeen years now. Actually, to be exact, he'd been sober for six thousand, two hundred and forty-eight days.
He'd eventually gone back to school, getting a degree in the Culinary Arts. But, as Ashley's right hand man, the only cooking he got to do these days was at home.
Not that he minded. Being the Vice President of Valenti Industries was quite an accomplishment for Zander Evans. Even though he loved to cook, he was no slouch when it came to his business sense.
And his family couldn't be prouder.
--
It took some convincing, but Liz managed to talk Mac and Stella into coming to dinner at the Valenti household. Mac, Lindsay, Sheldon and Stella all rode together.
When Braeden let them in, they were met with quite an amusing sight.
Two of the NYPD's hard assed Detectives were sitting on the floor around the coffee table. Ava sat between them with Danny on her left and Don on her right. "Ay guys, this' my daughta Isla. We's playin go fish."
The little girl gave a wave. She was far too engrossed in her game to really pay much attention to their guests. She'd get to them later.
Everyone chuckled as she held her cards up in front of her face. They watched as her eyes darted from the cards to Danny and back again. She repeated the action twice more before telling him to "go fwish."
Danny fought hard to bite back a laugh. "I dunno Lil Flannery," he told the girl. "I think ya holdin' out on me."
She frowned in response. "I not lil Fwannewy. I's Iwa. An I not buffin. Make ya move Messa."
Don choked on his beer and Ava laughed so hard she had tears in her eyes. Danny merely smirked. "Ya crazy Kiddo."
"Yeah, she's your kid Ava," Sheldon said as he, Lindsay, Mac and Stella took seats on the couches that framed one side of the room.
The front door opened, and in walked Zan, Jaime and Mariella.
Jaime took the groceries from his uncle and proceeded to bring them into the kitchen. Zan, with a crooked grin, introduced himself to Mac and Stella.
"Nice ta meet ya," he told them as he shook their hands. Mariella, not one to be forgotten, tugged on her uncle's pants. He scooped her up in his arms. "This little imp's Mariella, Liz's daughter."
Stella smiled widely. "Like we couldn't figure that out. She looks just like Liz. Don't ya cutie?"
"Hiya." she said with a bright smile. She motioned for Zan to put her down and quickly clamored up into Stella's lap. "You very pretty," the little girl told her.
"And so are you," Stella told her. It was the truth. Liz's daughter was absolutely breathtaking right down to her cerulean eyes that were unlike anything Stella had ever seen before.
Jaime coughed from behind Zan. He wasn't one to steal the spotlight from his baby sister but he didn't want to be forgotten either.
Zan chuckled, knowing exactly what Jaime was doing. "An' this lil punk is Liz's son Jaime."
With a smirk that was reminiscent of his father's, Jaime waved. He was used to the shocked looks on people's faces when he was introduced by now. The looks on Mac and Stella's face were no exception. In all honesty, his Mom really didn't have to put up with that. After all, she wasn't his biological mother. But, she'd never treated him any different than his little sister, who was her blood. He honestly believed that his Mom was the most amazing woman in the world, aside from Nana Valenti that is. She had always loved him with everything in her. And yet, at eleven years old, James Kyle Valenti the Third, was wise beyond his years. He was smart enough to realize that he was extremely lucky to have a mother that loved him so much.
Danny interrupted Jaime's musings. "Ay, J my man, how was practice?"
He quickly squeezed himself in between his aunt and Danny. The pair could talk baseball for hours. When Danny had told him that he had played at one point, he became Jaime's new best friend. "Awesome. You know we won the last two games right?"
Mac watched the interaction closely. It was pretty obvious from their demeanor that Danny, Don, Lindsay and even Sheldon were pretty close to the Valenti clan. How had he missed that? But then again, this was the first time either he or Stella had been let into the family's inner sanctum. Outside of their family and friends, it was clear that they were private people. He also understood that tight relationships tended to form between partners. He and Stella had been no exception. Since that first case they had worked together, Stella had been his best friend.
Danny nodded. The enthusiasm in Jaime's voice was almost palpable. "Ya Ma told me. I'm sorry I missed em." He said as he ruffled Jaime's hair.
Over the past two years, Jaime had gotten used to his family not always being able to catch his games. He knew that his mother, Aunt Ava, and Uncle Brae worked crazy hours so knew he knew that Danny's weren't much better. Despite that, at least one member of his family was always there. Last time, it had been Aunt Ava, Don, Uncle Ashley, Nathan, Ella, and Isla. They'd been the loudest people in the stands. "That's okay Danny."
"Ya gotta game on Saturday right?"
"Yeah. Double header."
Danny smirked. "Just so happens I'm off. I'll be there."
Jaime's eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. "Really?"
Danny couldn't help but laugh as he nodded. "Yeah. Wouldn' miss it."
He could see the wheels turning in the young man's eyes. "That's so cool. Wait a minute. Does that mean Mom's coming too?" He knew that his mother and Danny tended to have, for the most part, the same days off.
He nodded, failing to hold back his smile. "Well that was tha plan."
"That's awesome. I love it when Mom's there."
The melee was interrupted as the front door opened again. This time, admitting Liz, Ashley and Nateri.
The girls said their hellos to everyone while Ashley stood back. Liz made introductions. "Mac, Stella, this is my brother Ashley and my cousin Nateri Valenti. Ash, Teri this is Mac Taylor and Stella Bonasera."
Mutely, Ashley nodded his head. He wasn't one for words until he knew someone a little bit better. The morning that Don and Danny were introduced the Valenti family chaos had been a rare exception. Outside of his family and friends, Ashley Valenti had always been a private person, just as in his previous life. But, he did catch himself eying the beautiful woman Liz had just introduced him to. He noticed that Mariella was planted in her lap. His niece was an excellent judge of character. So Ms. Beautiful had to be good people. Her aura however, told him that she was conflicted. That at some point, she had experienced a fair amount of pain. Well we all have our secrets, don't we?
He then said his hellos to Sheldon, Lindsay, Danny and Don.
Nateri gave a small wave. "Nice to meet you," she told them in an accent that sounded akin to Irish.
Unlike the bulk of her family, Nateri and her older sister Aurora had grown up on Ankara, a colony on the edge of the Antarian system. So they had the 'native accent' as Jack liked to call it.
Unbeknownst to the rest of the group, Mac eyed Nateri. Well, more like studied her. She had crystal clear cerulean eyes that stood out from anything he'd ever seen before. Her long strawberry blonde hair was pulled back in a pony tail with a few loose curls framing her face. Her skin had an almost porcelain complexion to it. There were four small sets of silver hoops through her ears. As she turned, the light caught the tiny stud that she had in her nose. And when she spoke, he noted that she had her tongue pierced. Like the rest of the Valenti family, she had tattoos. There was the same black crown with purple butterflies that Liz and Ava had on the backs of their necks. The inside of her left wrist had a small heart with C.J. inside of it. She wore a black pair of jeans and a baby doll tank top. Both clung to her figure like a second skin.
He couldn't deny that she was beautiful if he tried. But, his inner voice told him to not even consider possibilities. He guessed Nateri was between fifteen and twenty years younger than him. No woman since Claire, had garnered such a reaction out of him right off the bat. He knew he was in trouble now.
Nateri wasn't stupid, she felt a pair of eyes on her. Unlike the rest of her family however, she was good at reading people without making it obvious. Both Mac and Stella seemed nice enough but it was overshadowed by how guarded they kept themselves. She knew a little bit about the pair from what her cousins as well as Danny, Don, Sheldon and Lindsay had shared.
Stella, she observed, was absolutely enchanted with Mariella. She was willing to bet that she got looks wherever she went. Stella was very pretty: model looks as well as being tall and statuesque. Her aura though, seemed a different story. She was guarded. There were quite a few walls built up; no doubt the result of past trauma in her life. But there was also a cloud of fierce loyalty in her aura as well. She was most likely a woman, that while didn't make close friends easily, kept them for life. Nateri didn't know why, but something told her that this woman would come to be a good friend; if not to her specifically, than at least her family.
And speaking of the examining eyes, Nateri observed Mac. He was an attractive man. In his mid to late forties she guessed. She found his ice blue eyes captivating. And there was something about him that was very reminiscent of her brother-in-law. Danny had mentioned that Mac had been in the Marines until 1993. She supposed that there was a certain air that all military men had about themselves. His aura spoke to many things. He had a distinct sense of right and wrong, there were no gray areas to him.
Drawing on her ability to read people, she watched him very closely. It was a gift that very few among her people possessed. A highly coveted gift at that. Being a Reader, made her an important part of the Royal Family. She was only the fourth, besides her sister in the last eight generations of the Grimaldi line to have it. Both she and Aurora had been quite a help to Jack and Daniel during negotiations over the years.
From the way he sat, to the look on his face. Every little thing gave further insight to him. Mac Taylor wasn't easily surprised. Yet, she could see the wonder in his eyes. Biting back a smirk, she guessed that her family was not at all what he'd been expecting. Most people didn't quite know what to make of them. The Valenti brood confused most people.
Especially her and Aurora. After finding out that Brae, Ashley, Ava, Tess, and Michael existed, the girls rejoiced. As far as they knew, the Royal Family had all been killed off. Rora had long since settled down with Jack. The pair fell so hard and so fast for each other. Even after almost ten years of marriage and four kids, Jack and Aurora O'Neill were still ridiculously in love.
In a strange coincidence, when Nateri and Aurora came to live on Earth, they had chosen Valenti as their last name. They had picked it in honor of the young Lieutenant that had saved their lives on Ankara during the culling. Both Jim and Amy Valenti had welcomed the sisters into the fold rather quickly; treating them as family. Jim had even introduced them to friends of his as his nieces. No one had ever questioned it and it stuck.
But enough about her. She went back to her examination of Mac. He was a fairly private person who had experienced painful loss in his life. Don had mentioned his wife had been killed in the attacks on 9-11. It was a pain that while he had learned to live with over the years, had not truly left him. His soul spoke of loneliness and longing.
Eventually, she'd learn that her gift was right on the mark. She didn't know it now, but her and Mac would come to know each other very well.
The Gods worked in mysterious ways after all.
--
With the kids tucked safely in their beds, the group planted themselves in the living room again.
Stella stood by the fireplace, admiring all the family photos that littered the wall and the mantle. She had always wanted real family like that. Brothers, sisters, a loving home. With a sad smile, her eyes landed on one of Liz, Ava, Braeden and an older man all smiling in full dress uniform.
Ashley stood behind her, noticing which picture she was stuck on. "I think that's Ma's favorite picture of Lizzie, Aves and Brae. That was taken just after tha commendations they'd received for an undercover op. Pops was so proud. Said it was one a tha proudest moments a his life."
"Commendations?" Lindsay piped up from the couch.
Unlike Danny, Don, Stella, Lindsay and Sheldon, Mac knew the story behind that picture. It was in their personnel files and was one of the reasons he had taken on the Valentis. All three had very impressive credentials.
Ashley took a photo album off of the mantle and brought it to the table.
Lindsay sat forward and began to flip through the pages. There was a bunch of newspaper articles and more pictures of the trio with their family and other police officers.
"We spent a year undercover," Brae told the group. "We was part of a task force set up by tha Denver P.D., tha Colorado Springs P.D., tha Colorado State Police, tha Feds, an tha DEA. Alonso Marinetti ran a drug an firearms traffickin ring. He loved ta recruit crooked cops or tha wayward children of cops."
"An who betta than three of tha Colorado Springs Police Commissioner's kids?" Ava chimed in from beside her brother.
Stella's interest was really peaked. That was a little tid bit Mac had mostly likely conveniently forgotten to mention. "Police Commissioner?" She shouldn't have been surprised really. There had to have been something extraordinary about the three that Sinclair had taken them so readily even in the midst of budget cuts.
The man in question bit back a smirk at the shock on his best friend's face. Mac had yet to clue Stella in on what was so special about the Valenti three. She had gotten only a taste this afternoon. Now she, along with the rest of the group, were about to get the explanation for what had put Liz, Ava and Brae on the radar of nearly every form of law enforcement office in the United States.
Ashley nodded. "Pops' been tha Police Commissioner for tha last eleven years. He rose up tha ranks in the CSPD mad quick. 'S tha family business. Before that, he was a Sheriff. Pops' Pop was a Sheriff an his Pop before that too. Our brotha Kyle's tha fourth generation a Valenti ta be Sheriff a Roswell, New Mexico."
Liz almost giggled at the look of shock on Stella's face. Guess she hasn't read our personnel files. "In our family, there's two choices. Join the force or join the Air Force."
"'S not true Precious. Ya Ma an Gia didn't go that way," Zan interjected.
Liz rolled her eyes. "Alright Z, I'll give ya that."
"What does your mother do?" Mac asked curiously. Not even he knew that one. Their files made no mentions of their family or anything of the sort. That's how he wasn't aware that Liz had an eleven year old son. Something that still shocked him a bit. He wouldn't, in a million years, have pegged Liz as a teenage mother. But obviously, it wasn't something that hindered her career in any shape or form.
The eyes of every Valenti in the room focused on Liz as cuing her to answer.
She let out a deep, frustrated sigh. 'Thanks Z. Remind me to thank you later.'
Zan smirked knowing full well she'd get him when he least expected it. Liz hated it when she had to discuss the restaurant. 'Look forward ta it Precious.'
Liz huffed out her answer. "Mom manages the restaurant."
Ava coughed out the word, "restaurants."
Liz made a face and clucked her pierced tongue at her sister. "Fine restaurants. Mama and Papa started quite a successful business and Mom kept it afloat after they died. What started out as one diner, turned into over thirty-five locations worldwide, including one here in the Big Apple."
It was quite clear that not even Danny, Don or Lindsay was privy to the information. Everyone who wasn't an Evans or a Valenti looked more than a little confused.
"Well?" Danny said with raised eyebrows in Liz's direction. Since being partnered with her, he'd gotten close with Liz and her siblings. There was just something about her that had attracted him like a moth to a flame. Never in his life, had any woman (including Lindsay) captivated him so much.
Again, Liz sighed. "Before I say anything, I want to remind all of you that the money really doesn't matter to me."
"That's gotta be obvious Lizzie. Ya's a Detective in tha NYPD when ya brotha runs a multi-billion dolla corporation. Just tell em an get it ova with," Brae quipped at his sister.
She couldn't help but chuckle. "Again, I'll concede to your point."
"Oh fa tha love a tha Gods, Lizzie," Ashley huffed. "Out with it already." He snorted. Liz was trying to delay the inevitable. And he couldn't stand it. As far as he saw, she should be proud that she was an heir to the Parker's fortune. It was a company that her mother and step-father had built from the ground up. And Amy Valenti had continued it in their memory. It was a legacy that Liz, Carissa and Jeff could always be proud of.
With a glare that if looks could kill, would've leveled Ashley where he stood, she bit out, "Parkers." And was met with six stunned pairs of eyes. Never had any of them pegged her for being an heiress.
"Ya's like restaurant royalty," Danny declared with a smirk.
Don and Lindsay stared at her in awe.
Sheldon's mouth was agape. "I don't get it Liz. You're a Valenti and a Parker. Why be a Detective? Why not do something with either of the businesses? Hell, why even work at all?"
Liz blushed and looked away from the group. "Like I said, it's not about the money. The technology stuff is Ashley and Zan's bit. The restaurant thing is my Mom's. I love what I do. There's no rhyme or reason, but I just do. It's hard to explain."
"It's your niche," Mac told her with a smile. "You're good at what you do."
She blushed and smiled in return. "Thanks Mac."
Don eyed the photos from beside Lindsay and changed the subject. It was pretty clear that the topic was making Liz uncomfortable. "Correct me if I'm wrong but, ya two," he said as he glanced up at Ava and Liz, "don't look any olda than twenty tops in those pictures."
"Nineteen actually," Liz replied. "We were fresh out of the Academy. Brae already had eight years on the force. He was in narcotics at the time. So he played the crooked cop part, while we were the fresh faced rookies recruited by our older brother. They bought the act hook line and sinker. But those eleven months and ten days were the hardest of my life. That whole time, I barely spoke to my father, mother, brothers, sisters and even Jaime. But it had to look real. So we made it look like Ava and I gave up on the cop thing after Brae got caught being 'unethical.' That's where the tattoos and piercings came into play. Marinetti said it gave 'his people' street cred. The three of us quickly became favorites. Had access to his entire estate and his inner circle. Rose up the ranks fast. Had a few close calls though. Almost got caught talking to my father once so I turned it into an argument. We even went so far as to stage a custody battle between me and my parents over Jaime. I managed to spend one weekend a month with my son at my grandmother's estate in West Hampton and that was it." Tears pooled in Liz's eyes at the memory of her son questioning why he couldn't see her.
Stella was slightly puzzled. But she recalled hearing about it years ago. It was the largest drug bust in the entire histories of Colorado, Utah, Nevada and New Mexico. The media had dubbed it the 'Bust of the Century.' "So why do it then?"
"One of the guns Marinetti dealt was used to murder two of Jaime's classmates. Chris Altimez and Mason Leone were only five and six years old. My son cried for days and kept asking if they'd caught the bad men that hurt Chris and Mason. When the DEA approached us, I couldn't say no. I had to find the bad men for my Jaime. I had to do what I could to make sure him and his friends were safe."
Ava nodded at her sister's sentiment. "My husband had a fit but I did it. I did it so that our little brotha an sista stayed safe. They were two an eleven at tha time. Guns an drugs were becomin a big problem an tha cops were havin a real hard time tryin ta do anythin bout it. Turns out, it went much deeper than any of us realized. When we finally made a move, ova two hundred people were arrested an property, cash, weapons, an drugs seized totaled upwards of twenty two million dollars."
"Best part," Brae said with a smirk, "was that we neva had ta testify."
"How's that?"
"Marinetti's daughter, Alessandra cracked as soon as they took her in. She knew all a her father's secrets. He had been groomin her ta take ova for him. She copped a plea. They took tha death penalty off tha table in exchange for what she knew."
"Weren't you afraid they'd get you?"
Ava shook her head. "Marinetti was stupid enough ta leave a paper trail of who did what an ta who. He an his right hand man had personally taken out six DEA agents. It took a long time but he let us inta his inner circle. Once there, they gave us all tha proof we needed. They landed themselves with a one way express ticket ta tha electric chair. Marinetti was tha last. He was put ta death last year. Whoeva wasn't offed afta sentencin was put in a Federal prison fa life. That was only bout fifty people who were pretty low on tha totem pole."
"That's impressive."
Liz smiled. "It was nuts after that. We got offers from everyone including the DEA, ATF, FBI, and DHS."
"And you didn't take them?" Stella asked with an arched eyebrow.
Ava shook her head emphatically. "Nah that's not why we do this."
"Then why?" Don asked curiously.
"Up until I was six, me, Brae, Mikey, Zan, Lonnie an Ash lived in an orphanage in Staten Island. Ash, Zan and Mikey was always gettin inta trouble. Somehow, it was always tha same cop that brought em home. Officer Gutierrez from tha 123. Unlike everyone else, Officer G didn't see us as lost causes. He an his wife started takin us out on tha weekends. We'd go all kinds a places: Coney Island, tha Statue a Liberty, Six Flags. Little by little, tha boys stopped gettin in trouble. They gave us one spot of brightness in tha crap hole we called life. Then one Saturday, Mrs. G came by herself. Turns out Mr. G was killed by some punk who was robbin a bodega. He had always told us that if we focused, we could have tha world. After that I swore I'd do em proud."
Brae nodded affirming his sister's sentiment. Even Ashley and Zan nodded their heads. The man had been the first one in their lives to see them as something other than punks. They owed it to him to make something of themselves.
"Okay," Danny said as he glanced at his partner. "So that explains Ava an Brae. What bout ya Liz?"
She took a deep breath before answering. Rehashing the past wasn't easy for her. Especially considering she was there. And none of her siblings knew exactly what happened that day. Hell, she still hadn't even told her Mom or Dad. "My mother and step-father were murdered on Highway 285 just outside of my hometown, Roswell, New Mexico when I was five. The town only had one CSI, Deputy Blackman. He promised me that day at the hospital that he wouldn't stop until my parents' killer was caught. He had some suspects but only circumstantial evidence. But he never gave up. I was seventeen when I received a call from him and by then living in Colorado. Blackman had kept his promise. He never forgot. The folder for my parents' case stayed on his desk for twelve years. After all that time, he managed to link their murders to two others just like them. It was part of a gang initiation. They ran Papa off the road and then shot him and Mama execution style. Blackman's the reason I do it. Giving the families closure."
Never would any of the New York group guessed that the Valenti family had so much to tell. It was clear that they didn't discuss it much. Their expressions said that they obviously trusted their new friends enough to share their stories. So, six people vowed never to betray that trust.
To Mac, it explained perfectly why the family was so closely knit. In most cases, tragedy tended to drive people apart. In the case of the Valentis however, it only seemed to make them closer. Time after time, they banded together to take care of each other. It was also kind of amazing how such a blended family could be so tight. Raising that many kids couldn't have been easy and yet Mr. And Mrs. Valenti had taken on the challenge willingly. One day, he thought to himself, I would really like to meet their parents. The Valentis had done an amazing job with their children. They were all level headed, and quite talented. He felt honored in a way to be let into their world.
Stella had picked up on one important fact about the Valenti kids. Like herself, they came from some not so great circumstances. But unlike her, someone had taken them from that life and given them a new start. Not that she was angry about her childhood. It wasn't like the nuns beat the crap out of her or anything. But many times over her life, she found herself wishing for parents and even siblings. Yet, she doubted that she'd be as strong as she was now if circumstances had been different.
Sure, she had suspected that at the very least, Liz had been adopted or a half sibling. Ashley, Braeden and Ava all had fairly close skin tones, eye colors, and hair colors. Liz, unlike her brothers and sister, had darker hair and a darker complexion than that of her siblings. In fact, the only thing they shared at all was the fact that Liz had blue eyes like Ashley and Ava. "So you're all adopted?"
Brae turned the photo album to a page with a family picture. "Not all a us. Kyle's," he said as he pointed to his younger brother, " Pops' son from his first marriage. Ma had Ria round tha same time. They got married an adopted Tess. Then Lizzie, Carrie an Jeff's parents was killed so they adopted them. Somehow, Pops found out that Tess had anotha sista an three brothas here in New York."
It was at this point that Ashley took over the story. "I was sixteen, Brae was twelve, Mikey was ten an Aves was six when Pops found us. At first, I wanted nothin ta do with him an Ma. But they was persistent an made it very clear that they wanted us. They brought Tessie, Kyle, Ria, Rissa, Lizzie and Jeff up here. Seein them with tha kids showed me tha family we could have. So we left life out here for the sticks. I don't think Ma an Pops will ever know just how grateful I am that for that."
"An if it wasn't for Aunt A an Uncle J, my sista an I woulda neva had a chance in life." Zan chimed in with a wide smile.
"How so?"
"Aunt A saw me an Lonnie an figured out that Uncle J's best friend Phillip Evans had adopted our brotha an sista, Max an Izzy. Tha Evans' came up here an got us. I'm sure it was tha will of tha Gods. There's no way it was just coincidence that some of us ended up in Roswell an some of us ended up in Staten Island. The Evans' gave us tha best of everythin. We all grew up togetha. Ma, Pops, Aunt A an Uncle J gave us tha world. They showed us that we could make somethin of ourselves. We was one huge extended family. It was no surprise when Max married Ria an Izzy married Kyle. Our families have always been like Frick an Frack."
The residents of Roswell referred to the Valenti and Evans families as Frick and Frack for as long as anyone could remember. Where there was a Valenti, there was usually an Evans and vice versa.
The group spent the rest of the night trading stories and laughs well into the early hours of the next morning.
Tighter bonds were forged that night as Mac and Stella were welcomed into the fold.
The Gods above smiled brighter that night.