(A/N: thx patrickpopp for ideas!)
Peter's pov
This was insane. Absolutely crazy. Everything I had done in my situation had been justified. People had done worse for less, cops and thugs both. This is just Gen and her vendetta. Over something she had caused, years and years ago. Decades. I spoke
" I want my union rep present. And I'm going to petition for a dismissal, or at the very least, a new IAB agent for my case. You have a clear conflict of interest, Agent Mitchell. Just the fact that you have known me your whole life poses a question of whether or not you can remain impartial. The irony is, the rest of your unit would accuse you of tipping the scales in my favor when I know you are wishing to do the exact opposite. Jam me up for protecting my family using necessary and non-excessive force. The ME reports showed that the cartel member died not because of my actions, but an undiagnosed, undisclosed preexisting underlying condition. Open and closed case."
Happening to overhear my statement as he was passing by, her boss spoke
"I had not realized there was a conflict of interest against you, Officer Reagan-Kavinsky. My apologies. I will be personally handling your case from now on. Do you still wish to have a union rep present?"
Now that Gen could no longer sabotage me and had long left the room, I saw no reason to have one. I shook my head
"No, thank you. How much of my statement did you happen to hear, Sir? To know how much to repeat myself."
He took out a pad of paper and a pen to take notes
"I heard enough to realize Mitchell would just lie to jam you up, but if you could start from the top, that would be very much appreciated. Along with my notes, this interview is also being recorded as of now, ok?"
I heard the recording start and spoke
"10-4. Ok, from the top. I was, and still am going to testify against the cartel led by the now deceased Vio Lento. I was going to the courthouse two days ago to do just that, and I was well aware of his witness intimidation tactics, mostly targeting the families of the ones giving their testimonies against him. Typical gang and cartel behavior. My wife and I have friends in Costa Rica, but we knew Lento would find out too easily, so I sent them somewhere else instead, trying to outsmart him. Turns out he anticipated that, and somehow managed to get my wife and kids. I was told that by the Police Commissioner himself, up in 1PP. From that moment on, I will admit without guilt that I saw red. I went back to the courthouse to see if I could get him to cough up the location, however I had no intent to kill him. Not in this world."
He paused me
"You said 'not in this world', could you please elaborate?"
I shrugged
"He took my wife and kids, at that point I did not know if he or his men had harmed them. At that point I had images swimming around of getting even in some non-pacifist way. But I was not about to kill for the fun of it, or in the real world, intentionally, like he did. I just put some pressure on him, non-deadly force, simply asking where my family was. I did not step one line out of the patrol guide."
He looked down at the ME's report
"The ruling was indeed death by underlying, unknown preexisting condition. Lento would have dropped dead no matter what you did or did not do. This was justified, not premeditated, accidental homicide. You are hereby reinstated and cleared for duty, especially with witnesses, 7 in all, corroborated your story unanimously, as did nearby cameras. Your partner also corroborated testimony pertaining to your state of mind that day, and usual even temper and behavior. The seven witnesses do not know you, and that served you well today, as there is no way that would have swayed their testimony. You are free to go."
Relief washed over me, my lungs finding breath again
"Thank you, thank you."
He smiled cordially
"It was not my actions that cleared you, but yours. Have a good day."
I went back to the precinct after alerting my family of the positive outcome.
Joe's pov
A few weeks after IAB had Peter in their clutches, I woke up to Laurie tossing her cookies. I quickly made my way to our bathroom after making sure the kids had not woken up. Holding her hair and rubbing her back, I asked, voice not above a whisper
"You ok? Was it something you ate?"
She shook her head, somehow managing a small smile after what she had just gone through
"Remember how we celebrated that night after your first shift with Em as your new partner?"
A blush and a smirk simultaneously gracing my face, I spoke
"Extremely well. You think...?"
Before I could even finish my sentence, she puked again, but managed to point to three positive pregnancy tests on the counter. Positive, positive, positive. I chuckled happily, arms around my bride. Kissing her temple, I whispered
"I love you. How are you? Physically, besides the puking, and mentally and emotionally?"
She snuggled up to me
"So excited that I don't even care about the morning sickness. Or, as it has been my experience, all day sickness. I can't wait! I've missed babies in the house so so much. Just tired too. Hold while I sleep? Maybe a bucket next to the bed instead of sleeping on the bathroom floor."
I nodded
"Anything for you. I'm so happy."
As I got her arranged in bed, she curled up in my arms and we drifted off to a peaceful sleep. The next few months would see us finding out we were expecting twins, a boy and a girl. Our mouths hung open in joyful surprise
"Unbelievable!"
We shared a happy kiss and I planted two more on her stomach, causing our babies to move around, as they often did with my voice, hand or kisses. My Laurie laughed
"Guess that settles the debate over if we're having a boy or a girl..."
I chuckled
"You're right. Now, names. I have ideas for first names, and I want your honest opinion."
She gave me her full attention, and I spoke
"Both our families have a healthy dose of Irish, and every Irish family has to have a Patrick. The Riley-Reagans and the O'Rourkes's don't yet. How about Patrick for our little boy? And for our little girl, Elizabeth after your Mom and my great-grandma Betty?"
Tears of joy in her eyes, she smiled
"I love those names, and the meaning they hold to us and our families. The middle names I had in mind have more of a meaning and connection to you, so feel free to veto if they're too much. Logan, to honor LA, and Emily after Em? Your best friends other than me, of course, and who shaped you so much and are still such a great part of your life."
Now it was MY turn to get teary-eyed, kissing my wife
"I absolutely love those names. Thank you so much. I love you, Angel."
She smiled at me, the same grin that left me weak to the knees
"I love you too, my Lucky Charm."
We chuckled, as she had been calling me since day one. And if someone made the allegation that it had something to do with a FDNY-NYPD Chubby Bunny competition in which marshmallows and lucky charms marshmallows were used and I absolutely SMOKED her in, then I choked and she had to give me both the Heimlich and CPR and that's how we started dating, well... I'll tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
Our families were overjoyed with the news, with Pop commemorating a Patrick finally joining the family, and Aunt Erin laughing at someone taking the spot she had almost occupied, and would have had she been a boy. Thankfully, Ellie and Pat were born healthy, and were now resting, as was their beautiful mama. And as for the rest of the not-so-tiny bunch? Our relatives and friends were camped out in the waiting room.