Chapter One


It was late afternoon, and the sun had started its slow slide down the sky, casting that perfect golden light over the backyard. The kind that made everything look a little softer, a little warmer. Laughter floated through the air—kids chasing each other, adults chatting over drinks—and somewhere near the grill, the steady sizzle of burgers said everything was on track.

Luke glanced over the patio with a quiet sort of pride. First cookout in the new place, and he'd gone all in. Burgers, hot dogs, a mountain of grilled veggies, and sides for days. It looked like way too much food for one team, but he wasn't taking chances. Not when this was the first time hosting everyone.

The kids were going wild in the yard. Derek's three—Malik, who was fifteen and way too cool to admit he was enjoying himself, and the twins, Amara and Maya, both four—were running through the sprinkler with Jack, who was ten and all elbows and fast feet. Luke's own kids, Isabella and Eli, were helping the younger ones through the water, making sure nobody got left behind. It was sweet in a way that tugged at something in Luke's chest. The kind of joy you couldn't plan for, even with a perfect guest list.

At the table, the team was relaxed—beer bottles clinked, easy conversation passed around like a second helping of potato salad. Derek and Aaron sat side by side, close in that quiet, familiar way that couples develop over time. Every now and then, they'd lean in and murmur something only the other could hear. Luke caught it, and he smiled.

He hadn't come into this blind—he knew the team had a long, tangled history—but seeing it all laid out under the open sky like this, it was something else entirely.

He cleared his throat, lifting his glass. "Hey—just for a second, if I can steal you all away from the food coma."

A few heads turned. Garcia leaned in with a smile. Someone—probably Tara—shushed the kids playfully.

"I just wanted to say a quick toast," Luke said, raising his glass a little higher. "To Derek and Aaron—four years. That's no small thing. We all know love can be messy, complicated... not exactly easy in our line of work. But you two? You make it look effortless."

There were a few murmurs of agreement, some smiles, and the soft clinking of glasses that followed.

"And here's to the family you've all built," Luke added, glancing at William beside him. "This job... it's not easy. But you guys? You make it feel like home, even though I'm brand-new as of today."

People smiled, nodded. Garcia dabbed at her eye, dramatic and genuine all at once. And William raised his glass too, catching Luke's eye with a knowing look.

"Here's to love," William echoed, voice warm, solid.

It should have felt perfect. But as the moment settled, Luke felt a strange tightness in his chest. Just a flicker—barely there—but real. Maybe it was the way the toast seemed to echo a little too long. Maybe it was the way no one said much afterward. Or maybe it was just how still Derek had gone, for just a second, before that easy smile returned to his face. Luke didn't bring it up. Not with William, not even to himself. Not out loud.

He just nodded along with the rest of the team, smiled when someone cracked a joke, and helped Garcia pile more chips onto her plate.

Later, while checking on the kids—now damp, grass-stained, and shrieking with laughter—Luke stood next to William for a moment, watching them. His hand brushed William's, a quiet touch.

"You okay?" William asked softly, not looking at him.

"Yeah," Luke said, and he meant it. Mostly.

But he was still watching. Always had been. It was second nature at this point.

He caught Derek and Aaron from across the yard, still seated, talking quietly to one another. The picture of a couple who knew each other's rhythms. It was beautiful, in a way. Comforting.

And yet, Luke couldn't quite shake the feeling that something in that rhythm was off.

Maybe it was nothing.

But Luke knew better than to ignore the feeling.

So he smiled. He raised his glass again when someone passed around another toast. He laughed when Rossi made some off-color joke about aging gracefully.

And all the while, quietly, he kept watching.

Because this day was about Derek and Aaron. About love. About family. About the kind of joy you could build from the ground up.

But Luke also knew that sometimes, the cracks didn't show until much later.

And when they did, someone had to be close enough to see them forming.

The night was beginning to feel like one of those rare moments where everything just fell into place. The sounds of the kids' laughter still echoed in the background, and the team had drifted into easy conversation. Derek and Aaron were seated together, a comfortable distance between them, but the way they looked at each other, the way their body language intertwined, said everything that needed to be said.


Just as the conversation lulled, Aaron reached over and grabbed Derek's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"Hey," Aaron started, his voice drawing the attention of the table. "I have something I want to say."

Derek turned to him, his eyes soft with affection. "You got something special for me, babe?"

Aaron chuckled, a low, fond sound. He stood up slowly, holding his glass. Derek followed suit, standing as well. The rest of the team did the same, glasses in hand, and the atmosphere seemed to shift, a quiet anticipation hanging in the air.

"I want to raise a glass to Derek," Aaron said, his gaze unwavering as he looked at his husband. "To Derek—my partner, my best friend, the father of our child, and the man who makes my world a better place every single day."

Derek's eyes softened, a smile tugging at his lips. There was no need for Aaron to say anything else. It was always the way Aaron said things that made them feel like so much more than words.

Aaron cleared his throat, his voice becoming a little more heartfelt, a little more serious. "Four years together, Derek. And every single one of those years has been worth celebrating." He raised his glass higher. "To you, Derek. The man who keeps me grounded and makes my heart fuller than I ever thought possible."

The team raised their glasses, echoing the sentiment, their voices melding in a chorus of well-wishes. Derek, caught off guard by the weight of Aaron's words, smiled. His throat tightened slightly, but he held it together. He looked at Aaron, his expression a mix of gratitude and love.

"Thank you, Aaron," Derek said, his voice rough with emotion. "I couldn't have asked for a better partner."

As the team clinked glasses and shared in the moment, Luke and William exchanged a quick, silent look. Luke felt a twist in his chest at the depth of Aaron's toast. There was something undeniably special about the way Derek and Aaron seemed to understand each other without needing to speak a word. It made him feel both connected to something beautiful and a little... distant.

He glanced over at William, who gave him a small, reassuring smile. William didn't need to say anything—he understood what Luke was feeling. They were both new to this dynamic, but the sight of Derek and Aaron, standing there together in front of their team, so effortlessly in love, reminded Luke of everything he hoped for and everything he had yet to experience with William.

"Cheers to them," Luke murmured under his breath, his voice barely audible to anyone but William.

William, with a soft smile, nodded in agreement. "To love, in all its forms," he said quietly, echoing Luke's sentiment.


The evening had wound down, the air cooling as the stars began to emerge overhead. The sound of kids' laughter had faded, replaced by the hum of crickets in the yard. The cookout was officially over, the team now scattered into different corners of the house, chatting in relaxed tones.

Luke and William had taken a few moments to help get the kids settled for bed, sharing a quiet, contented moment while tucking them in. Malik had insisted on reading a few extra pages of his favorite comic before falling asleep, and Isabella had needed a bedtime story that made her laugh. After making sure the younger ones were asleep, Luke and William found themselves on the porch, the house lit dimly behind them.

The soft clinking of glasses and the distant murmur of conversation from inside the house reached their ears, but for now, they were alone. Luke leaned back, stretching his arms out and letting out a contented sigh.

"Nice night," William said, leaning against the porch railing next to him.

"Yeah, it really was," Luke replied, his eyes scanning the yard, the faint glow of the grill still flickering in the distance. Then, a thought crossed his mind, and he glanced sideways at William. "You know who never asked to toast his husband?"

William raised an eyebrow, looking over at him. "Who?"

"Derek," Luke said, his voice casual but there was something calculating behind it. "Everyone raised their glasses for Aaron, but Derek—he never got one. Seems a little... off, don't you think?"

"Luke… tomorrow he's going to be your coworker. And Aaron's going to be your boss." William chuckled. "Don't let them in your head before you know what their relationship is like."

Luke shrugged. "Fair enough."

It wasn't just the toast.

Later, when Luke would find more and more evidence, he would regret not pushing back on this moment: it had been right there.

He could've solved everything right there.

End Chapter One - Complete