Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“I’m so sorry Karadec, but I can’t be home right now.”

Morgan blusters into his apartment after rapping on his door to the tune of ‘shave and a haircut’ until he opened it. He sighs, not genuinely upset but mildly irritated at having his dinner interrupted. He closes and locks the door, Morgan already pacing around his dining table and dropping her purse on it, thankfully away from his meal.

“Hello to you too Morgan. What brings you here, I thought you were going to take the kids out tonight?” He steps around her pacing and sits back into his chair, picking up his knife and fork to continue eating. Whatever was going on could be talked through while he ate his steak, asparagus, and sweet potatoes before they got cold.

“Oh, y’know, the usual. Daughter goes out with friends, has a good time, comes back with brownies she made with said friends, then mom eats said brownies and realizes, oh hey, they made the brownies with weed butter!”

He drops his fork, potatoes still on the tines, and looks at her pacing between his table and kitchen counter.

“What.” There are three children in her house, three kids that could have OD’d on pot brownies, and while her being here meant they weren’t in the ER clearly something was wrong besides the obvious. “Are your kids okay?”

While children aren’t always his favorite, Morgan’s were all right. Chloe was still a baby and not in control of anything that came out of her, but pretty damn cute and he sometimes thought it would be nice to have one of his own one day. Elliot was just like his mom in a lot of ways, and appeared to like talking with Karadec even when he wasn’t hyper-focused on the ins and outs of crime solving. Ava, well, she was a typical teen girl from what he could tell but seeing her with her brother and sister reminded him that she did have a sweet side even if her mouth did run away from her from time to time. He wouldn’t wish ill on any of them, in fact he could see himself beating the shit out of anyone that treated them poorly if Morgan didn’t first.

She appeared to be deep in thought, brows furrowed as she paced, but something about her features seemed a bit… off.

“Morgan, are the kids okay?”

She stopped, seemed to shake herself out of her own head, and nodded.

“Yeah, yeah, they’re okay. Ava might be grounded for the next year, but they’re okay.”

“So why are you here? Did you want me to arrest someone?”

He probably could get the friends parent for child endangerment, the kids for underaged substance use, but then he’d also have to arrest Ava if he went after all of them. Not ideal, but sometimes a scared straight approach worked wonders.

“No no, it seems like an honest accident,” She waved her hand, the other leaning against his counter, then brushed at the strands in her face. “You see, this is the problem…”

Three hours earlier -

Ava came in laughing, Ryder behind her chuckling as well and smiling that bright teen heartthrob smile that probably started her girl crushing on him. Morgan liked Ryder, but as any mother of a teen knew this could be a tricky time and she had her worries. The only reason she’d let them spend most of the day together was due to the presence of other friends and being at a house with adult supervision.

“Thanks for letting Ava hang out with us today Ms. Gillory.” Ryder waved at her from the door, promised to text Ava later, and left.

Her girl dropped a plastic container on the coffee table and immediately popped it open.

“Hey, hey, we’re going out in an hour, save it for later!” Morgan swooped into the living room, plucking the brownie from her daughter’s hands and tucking it away before closing the lid and carrying it away.

“Moooooom! It’s just one brownie!” Ava protested, immediately jumping up from the couch to follow her into the kitchen.

“But I’m taking you guys out and I want you to stuff your faces with delicious Greek delicacies. Not brownies and then complain when you get home that you didn’t get enough and want to go back.”

Ava rolled her eyes and groaned then stomped off to her room. He bedroom door closing punctuated how unfair the situation was to her, and Morgan rolled her own eyes at the teen angst of it all. She looked at the container in her hands, then at Chloe smiling away in her high chair and contentedly waving plastic keys in the air.

“Well, since I’m the mom I can have one before dinner. You won’t tell, will you?” She winked at her youngest, pulled a face, then popped the plastic and leaned on her counter to munch away at one of the brownies. She figured they must have used the really good mix, it was just the right blend of gooey and firm and the chocolate chips were a nice touch. It was so good she had another, then quickly wiped away the crumbs and stashed the rest in an upper cupboard.

She got Chloe out of the highchair and put her in the bouncy chair in the living room, just in time for Elliot to sprint out of his room and tell her about a new documentary he wanted to watch with her. They both plopped on the couch and she put it on, and they both fell into the world of Wyatt Earp, cowboys, and the Old West. She kept an ear on Ava, probably texting to Ryder about her horrible mom, and an eye on Chloe who was content to play with her toys and occasionally watch the TV with an open mouthed wonder. Elliot inserted what he knew about Wyatt Earp while they watched, having recently gotten onto a cowboy kick since they were covering the western expansion in history class. Morgan just enjoyed the time with her kids, everything peaceful on her day off, no drama, and looked forward to taking them out for a meal that wasn’t fast food and she could pay for it without having to worry about how it would impact their finances.

Time passed, and she suddenly realized the TV was a little blurry around the edges. She blinked, blinked again, then squinted.

“Hey Elliot, does the resolution look off to you?”

“No, looks fine. Why, you thinking about getting a new TV?” He perked up from his relaxed position, and as he looked at her and she looked at him, she suddenly realized what was going on.

“Oh no,” She jerked up and had to reach out to steady herself from the gentle sway of the couch under her. The couch that wasn’t really moving, but oh it felt like it was.

She got to her feet, staggered a little until she found her sea legs, then hurried to the kitchen. She pulled out the plastic container her daughter brought home, feeling like she had to stretch a little further than before, and cracked the lid to sniff. All she could smell was chocolate, but she knew this feeling, and this was the only place it could have come from.

“Watch your sister for a minute okay hun? I need to make a call.”

Elliot just waved at her and she pulled her phone out of her purse on the table and slipped out the back door. She went through her contacts, found the number for Ava’s friend’s mom, and hit ‘call.’ She paced, realized she still held the container, and cursed.

“Hello?”

“Hi, this is Morgan Gillory, Ava’s mom?” She rounded the house, opened the side gate, and headed for the trash can.

“Oh hi! It was so nice to meet Ava today, it was great -“

“Yeah, yeah, listen, do you keep weed in the house?” She propped the phone on her shoulder and opened the trash lid, chucking the brownies in there and pulling a bag of trash over it for good measure. “Because Ava brought home pot brownies.”

A gasp, then silence on the other end as Morgan closed the lid and went to the backyard to pace some more.

“I -“ A clatter, like something had been dropped, then loud footsteps, “Hold on, just one sec.”

A bang, someone yelling hey! and then a conversation Morgan heard all too well since the other person had not muted their end.

“Did you bring weed into this house?!”

“Mom, no, of course not, after last time -“

“I have another parent on the phone and she says her kid just brought home pot brownies! You better give me the truth right this second or so help me -“

“Alright, alright! It was just some infused butter, but I hid it!”

“We are going to have a long conversation tonight Aaron Martin Hills, with you, me, Kyle, and your father. Don’t go anywhere!”

A door slam, then heavy breathing from the other end.

“I am so sorry, my oldest has been getting into pot recently, we’ll make sure it never happens again.”

“You’re damn straight it won’t, Ava won’t be coming over again.” Morgan ran a hand through her hair, feeling a little better after hearing that fight but still feeling adrenaline from what could have been. “I have two younger kids at home, what if I hadn’t figured it out and they had eaten them?”

A sharp inhale, “Oh my god, is everyone okay?”

“Yes, but Ava could have been high as balls before I figured it out if I wasn’t so careful. Get your kid in line before I have to talk to my coworkers at the LAPD.”

“I’m so -“ Morgan hung up, feeling sick to her stomach now and not wanting to hear whatever apologies the other parent had. Intellectually she knew this kind of thing happened, but right now she was on the cusp of getting high as balls herself and her babies had been endangered. There was no sympathy to be had right now.

Present - 

“- so I called Ludo, asked him to take the kids out, and came here.”

He blinked, grateful that a real crisis had been averted, and a little proud that Morgan hadn’t reached through the phone and tore that lady a new one. She wasn’t one to pull her punches normally.

“So, you don’t want to be high around your kids?”

“Hell no! I can’t be high!” She waved her arms around, loose cardigan sweeping around her, and planted her hands on the table to lean forward. “My brain and weed don’t mix! Sometimes it calms everything down, slows the overthinking, but most of the time I just freak out! Like now!”

This close he could see her pupils were already dilated, swallowing the bright blue he had become used to. High as balls indeed.

“And I can’t freak out around Ludo, he’s got to watch the kids! I didn’t know where else to go!”

Karadec straightened and realized he’d have to be even more of a stabling force than was the norm at work.

“Hey, that’s okay.” He stood, said a sad farewell to his dinner, and rounded the table. “I get it, that was smart.” He ignored her rolled eyes, but not how she wavered on her feet and he reached out to hold her elbow. “You didn’t drive, right?”

“God no, I took a rideshare.” She leaned into his hand, maybe a little more than she meant to, and he found himself having to put his arm around her shoulders as she tilted like a top losing it’s upright velocity.

“Good, let’s get you to the couch,” He led her to the living space, around the armchair and table, and helped her down. “Does food help?”

“Kinda? I mean, it’s supposed to help slow the absorption rate of the cannabinoids and lower the psychoactive effects of THC but sometimes I just get sick and puke it back up which can also help but in this case -“ She interrupted herself to take a breath, “- I think I just need to be somewhere where I won’t be worried about my kids seeing me and come down.”

He gave her a minute to just be, thinking over his own college days and a younger Adam helping a roommate come down from their own highs. She was right, food did usually help, so did vomiting, but she knew herself better than he did. If a calm space is what she needed then he could provide it. He was good at taking the weight of concern off of other people’s shoulders, it had been something his exes really liked about him until they told him it was overbearing and he needed to stop being a control freak. He was glad he could be the port for Morgan’s storm, he liked being able to help people and solve problems. It was why he became a cop, worked so hard to be a detective, and a damn good one as his closure rate from before Morgan indicated.

“Ludo has the kids taken care of. You’re safe here, so there’s nothing to worry about. Even if you do puke, I’ll help you out Morgan. You’re safe.”

She slid down the couch a little, blowing out a breath, and closed her eyes.

“Thanks Karadec. You’re a real one.”

That sounded like a compliment, and he smiled to himself, getting up and heading to his linen closet. He pulled out a spare blanket, one of the extra soft ones for special occasions. He absently rubbed at the texture, not really sure when he’d last used it as ‘special occasions’ hadn’t occurred it a while. It was a pale sage color, soothing, and he really hoped that if vomit was in the future it would miss the blanket.

“Here, just relax on the couch, sleep if you can.” Feeling a little weird, and a little happy for some reason, he unfolded the blanket and covered her legs, folding the excess at her lap. She hmmm’d and clutched at the edges, rubbing her own fingers over the texture and smiling. “I’ll get you some water, try to sip a little. At least it’ll help with the cotton mouth,” He joked, going to the kitchen and pulling a glass from the shelf. He filled it from the Brita container he kept in the fridge and sat on the coffee table in front of his partner. Pausing for a moment, he reached out and gently took one of her hands, nudging the glass into her fingers. He waited for her to grasp it herself before letting go, the callouses on his hand catching on the softness of hers.

She lifted the glass to her mouth, took a couple of tries to get the rim to her lips, and took two gulps before setting it back on her lap. He reached out and pulled it from her grip, setting it to the side on a coaster on the table. He leaned forward, planting his elbows on his thighs, then laced his fingers and rest his chin on them. Morgan, Morgan, Morgan.

As if she knew, she hmmm’d again and pulled the blanket up to her shoulders and over her arms. He rubbed at his beard, absently wondering what was going through that highway of a brain she had, then got up and went back to his dinner. He stayed as quiet as possible, hoping to lull her into sleep so the worst of it could pass her by.

“Why are you sitting here, eating in silence? Doesn’t it bother you?”

Used to her non-sequitur’s he finished his last bite and got up to take his dishes to the kitchen.

“It doesn’t. I like the peace after work, especially since we got this new consultant that goes off every thirty seconds.”

Morgan laughed, softer than her usual high tinkling, and he grinned to himself as he turned on the faucet and began to wash.

“You had the day off too, is this what you did? Sit in the quiet and stare at a wall? Practice your meditation? Get your zen back after dealing with your chatty consultant?”

“No Morgan. While meditation is a good practice that is not what I did on my day off.” He rinsed the dish and utensils, then pulled the dish cloth off his oven handle to dry them. “If you want to know, I went to the gym, cleaned, ran some errands, had lunch, then did some paperwork. Not in silence, if you must know.”

“Mmm, and what was the soundtrack for this delightfully dull day? Oooh, delightfully dull day, delightfully dull day, delightfully dull day, delightfulldullday.” He looked over his shoulder and watched Morgan giggle to herself over the alliteration, still huddled under his blanket with her eyes closed.

He huffed and began to put away his now dry dish and utensils. “Do you want the highlights or the whole day?”

“Lay it all on me DJ Karadec!”

He left the kitchen and sat in the armchair, leaning on the arm and gazing at her. She appeared to have snuggled right  down, blanket pulled close and body tilted to the side, head resting on the back. He hoped her outfit, loose graphic tee under a tan lightweight cardigan and blue cigarette pants, were comfortable enough for the night.

“James Brown for the gym, The Supreme’s while cleaning, 103.5 on the radio, top hits at the cafe while I ate lunch, and jazz while I did paperwork. Then a podcast while I cooked dinner, I paused it when you arrived.” He got up and retrieved his phone and her purse from the dining table, hoping they wouldn’t need either but figuring it a good idea to keep them close. “And now, your dulcet tones to round out my day.”

“James Brown huh? That’s your pump music? Sometimes you really do surprise me Karadec.” He opened his mouth to ask why but she continued, “I mean, sure he was the King of Soul and created funk, but man, what an asshole. I mean, wife-beater, alcoholic, drug addict, and serial cheater.” She inhaled through her teeth, “Not a good look, but hey, the man could write some tunes.”

He sighed and shook his head, “Yeah, not exactly a good role model. Not that it stops anyone. Unfortunately a lot of musicians live dangerously,” Karadec gestured in the air, even though she didn’t see it, waving as if to show off a whole host of people who followed that path, “Guns N Roses, Tupac, Biggie, Fleetwood Mac, it seems like creativity and crazy go hand-in-hand for too many.”

Morgan sat up and her eyes popped open, searching for and finding his. He watched a flush take over her complexion and he worried she was gonna puke.

“Karadec, I don’t want to be like that. I did some stupid things,” Her voice picked up pace, almost manic, “I was young, but then Ava came along and I knew I couldn’t take those kind of risks with my child. Oh god, I don’t want to bring that into her life, into Elliot and Chloe’s, I don’t want to be that person. I know I get carried away sometimes, act a little silly, but I don’t want to hurt my kids, I don’t want to let my brain get so carried away that I lose focus on what’s important.”

He watched her breathing hitch, pick up speed, and he knew panic was on it’s way. People under the influence of marijuana, especially heavily dosed, could slip into a panic attack in seconds and he didn’t want that for her.

“Hey, hey,” He moved back to the coffee table, grabbed at her hands that were twisting the blanket into knots, and stilled them with his own. “That’s not going to happen Morgan. It’s not. You’ve got three great kids, who love you and know they can rely on you. And you’re too smart to go down that road. Look at all the things you do to take care of yourself, take care of them, and ask yourself where in all of that you find the actions of a drug addict. This,” He tucked his fingers into her palms, squeezing, “This is just an accident, a blip on the radar. You didn’t go looking for it, you didn’t want it, and the first thing you did was make sure your kids were safe and cared for. What kind of person does that make you?”

He held her gaze, blue eyes hazy but staring into his own, and he couldn’t help but admire them. They were such a pretty shade, like a clear California sky, and he disliked seeing them in this condition.

“But what if I hadn’t caught it? What if Ava ate those brownies, or Elliot?” The eyes he so admired started to sheen over with tears, and as he watched one of them spilled over, running down her cheek.

“But it didn’t, and you can’t think like that. The only mistake was on the parent not keeping an eye on her kid that she knew was messing around with pot. You let her know and you took care of your kids. They’re safe. What kind of person does that make you?”

Her breaths shook out of her in uneven pants, and more tears dripped out. He squeezed the delicate hands in his, practically engulfing them.

“I’m waiting, Morgan.”

She shuddered out another exhale, and he realized they were so much closer than he was used to. He felt those exhales on his own face, and for once didn’t concern himself with any germs that may be passed between them or the encroachment on his space.

“Good? I’m a good person?”

Her answer was small, like a kid looking for comfort from a parent. It hurt him that this confident, brash, shining woman was so unsure of herself and terrified that she would ruin her children’s lives. Part of it was the drugs, but he knew that these fears weren’t built from nothing. They probably sat in the back of her mind, waiting for a weak moment to slip into her conscious for her to overthink.

“That’s right,” He realized he was speaking softly, like to a victim, and in a way she was. But she wasn’t just a victim, she was his partner, and he thought she was even his friend sometimes. “You’re a good person. A great mom. You would do anything for Ava, Elliot, and Chloe. And today you took the proverbial bullet for them and they’re safe. They’re at home with Ludo, and you’re here to keep them away from the ugly side effects. There’s nothing wrong with what you did, nothing. Because you’re a good person. You hear me?”

He wiggled one of his hands free and, with nothing else at hand, slid his arm against his side to lower the sleeve of his button up and grasp the ends. He used it to carefully wipe away the tears that had slowed, but still fell, absently noting he wiped some foundation away as well and would need to soak it so it wouldn’t stain. Karadec then found himself cupping that sad, drugged face in his hand, rubbing her soft and slightly damp cheek with his thumb. She was fragile and soft in more ways than one, and he was so careful with his rough hand on her skin.

Eventually, she nodded, and he squeezed the hand he still held and let go of her face to gently press her shoulder back into the couch.

“That’s right. Now try to relax, we have to work tomorrow and I don’t want to be missing my partner because of someone else’s neglect.”

She resisted, not pushing back but not letting him move her either.

“Put on some music Karadec, please? It’s still loud up here,” Her free hand gestured towards her head, eyes pleading.

“Sure thing. You like jazz?”

Morgan relented, letting him press her back into the couch. “Depends on what you got. Bebop might be a bit too much, or anything with scatting.” Reluctantly, he let go of her hand, subconsciously stroking her fingers before letting go to cover her back up.

“I think I’ve got it covered, honey.”

As he turned Karadec winced and mentally started to beat himself up. Honey? Where the hell did that come from?He got too comfortable taking care of people, taking care of her, and how it made him feel. He couldn’t feel like that, act like that, with her, his coworker, no matter how much she pulled and pushed at him in turn. No matter how soft or afraid she could make him feel, or how much she noticed things and made him feel seen in all the good and bad ways.

For once she remained silent as he went to the credenza he kept his music collection and equipment on. He flipped through his jazz collection, selected a vinyl, and put it on the turntable. After placing the needle on it his speakers played John Coltrane and Duke Ellington, piano and saxophone and the rest of the band spiraling out, and he adjusted the volume slightly before rejoining his partner.

He hesitated, then passed the armchair to join her on the couch with a respectful amount of space between them. Not satisfied with the distance, he placed his arm along the back of the couch just out of reach of her blond hair and tried to follow his own advice and relax. He watched the sun create shadows across his walls as it lowered, trying not to focus too hard on the occasionally restless woman beside him. She would shuffle her legs together, pull at the blanket to get it tighter around her body, and at one point kicked her flats off under his coffee table. He had to resist the urge to pick them up and place them on the shoe rack by his door, not wanting to disturb the peacefulness she appeared to have found. At one point he supposed he could leave her and putter around in his office or start getting ready for bed, but he didn’t want to leave her alone in her vulnerable state despite the safety of the apartment.

Idly, he thought to himself that this was one thing he really missed about having a relationship. Just sitting quietly with someone, knowing they were there and he could reach out, having the choice to not be alone with his own thoughts even though some days all he wanted was exactly that. It was a comfort he’d missed for a long time, one of the reasons he’d signed up for a dating app. It was hard to meet people in the line of duty, and going out to bars no matter how nice was a roll of the dice as well. All of it was; meeting people, getting fresh blood in the office, every day he went out to investigate a case, hell, even getting in the car and driving. Anything could happen at any time, like Morgan’s kids unknowingly eating pot brownies.

He recognized the morbid turn his thoughts had taken and took a deep inhale, held it, then slowly exhaled. He tried to imagine those thoughts blowing out as well, and deliberately turned his head to check on Morgan. He realized she was humming absently along with the music, not very loud, but just enough for him to know she was still coherent and awake.

“How you doing?” He quietly asked.

Her humming stopped and she smiled, turning to face him but with her eyes still shut.

“Not too bad. Right out of a panic attack into a pretty mellow high. Thanks Karadec, you know just how to treat a girl.” Her arm dug out from under the blanket and reached over. Finding his leg, she patted him on the thigh, rather high up, and he tensed. But she merely patted him a few more times before letting her hand rest there.

He wasn’t sure if he should leave it or move it back under the blanket, safely away from a spot generally reserved for someone much closer than they were. As her warmth seeped into his muscles, they relaxed and he decided to let it stay there, guiltily enjoying it. He knew she wasn’t in her right mind, but really, it wasn’t hurting either of them and she wasn’t the type to be shy anyways. It wasn’t a come on, so he fully relaxed again and let the music take him back into his thoughts.

He startled, blinking his eyes open and realizing he’d drifted off at some point. The apartment was dark except for the light he’d left on over the stove from cooking. The turntable must have automatically shut off at some point - a nice feature on the new turntables so if it was left on it didn’t just play static until someone noticed.

Feeling a little out of sorts, Karadec rubbed his face and took stock. He’d sunk down into the cushions, legs stretched out, and his arm had fallen from the now much higher back onto the softness of his blanket. But his blanket had been on Morgan…?

He blinked again, and again, then looked down. As he had relaxed, so had Morgan, to the point where she’d slid over even further and her head lay on his stomach, face curled towards him and the blanket firmly pulled around her. The realization led to him feeling the warmth of her on him, and he shakily exhaled, understanding that now a line had really been crossed because he felt that warmth and understood that not only did she feel safe around him, the reverse was also true. 

That epiphany slid from his brain down his spine, flooding him with endorphins and likely other chemicals that Morgan could name as well as any scientist and it cracked something open in him. He didn’t consider himself a hard man, but he knew that he wasn’t always easy to work with or even be around at times. But Morgan, this woman he had initially held a complex array of irritation, disdain, and sometimes fear of, had turned it all around and made him care for her. Even though he did still occasionally feel irritated at her sometimes careless behavior he noticed that she had also learned from him and wasn’t so careless anymore, at least not knowingly. She even brought him apple fritters, her jokes weren’t sharp and pointed towards him, and she trusted him around her kids. That should have said it all if he took the time to really notice and think about it.

Maybe he was still half asleep, or maybe he just didn’t let himself hold back, and that is why he raised the hand that had rubbed his face and slowly rest it on her soft hair. Her bangs had fallen into her face again, so he carefully brushed them back and stroked down the side of her skull. Maybe she felt it, or maybe she was having a good dream since she sighed and nuzzled closer to his vulnerable underbelly. With a deep inhale she settled into her sleep again, and Karadec knew this was it. He was done for. He would never be able to look at her the same but would have to try, not let anyone know that this softness sat inside of him for just her and the family she fought for every single day.

“Morgan,” He uttered, barely a sigh. “What have you done this time?”

He should get up. He should ease her off him and onto the couch, put a pillow under head, and go to his own room and get some shuteye. They had to work tomorrow, she had to go home to check on her family and change for the day if she felt up to it. He should do all these things and set an early alarm so he could be ready and get her up in time for all the responsibilities that awaited them in the morning.

He should, and he would. But in a few minutes.

Chapter Text

“Where was his backup?!”

Morgan winced, feeling kind of bad for the uniformed officers getting chewed out by Lieutenant Soto. But also, where was his backup? Karadec was supposed to have people watching him when he went in the building, but somehow he ended up getting nailed in the head with a statue and stabbed in the side. She had tried to get in the ambulance with him but Daphne told her she needed to stay behind to give her statement of events that led to her and Karadec finding the perp. She understood, but didn’t want to leave her partner alone in a hospital.

“I want you to give my detectives your statements and there better be a damn good reason in there explaining why my detective was alone!”

Soto glared and it worked wonders on the five uniformed men with rifles or shotguns over their shoulders. A couple of them had the good sense to show some guilt on their faces, the others kept up their stoic demeanor but had turned slightly to the side as if to let the brow-beating pass them by. They were taller than the lieutenant yet she faced them down like children that had been caught with their hands in the cookie jar. 

“Dismissed.”

Morgan shifted from foot to foot, anxious to be done, but waited for her boss to shift her attention to her.

“I know you want to check on your partner, so we’ll make this brief. You can write up your report tonight and email it to me, I have to wait for Karadec to be cleared before he can do his part anyways.”

“Thanks, so, it went like this. Karadec and I were in the victims apartment -“

Forty-Five Minutes Earlier - 

“What are we doing here Morgan? The techs already combed the place and found nothing.” Karadec knew if anyone could find something that was missed it was his partner, but sometimes he felt so lost in her wake that it itched at him. He was a good detective in his own right, and would probably get to the same conclusions she did, but watching her do it so much faster than him was a blessing and a curse.

“Remember that key that we couldn’t figure out what it belonged to? We thought it was for a lockbox or a safe, but couldn’t find anything in his apartment or storage unit. I was digging around on Google and found this guy on Etsy that manufactures desks.” She strode away from him into the victim’s office, snapping a glove on, and then waved her arms out like Vana White, “Ta-da!”

“Great, so he spent money on a fancy desk. It doesn’t have locks on the drawers and we already went through it. No lockbox, no safe.” He crossed his arms, waiting for the miraculous reveal that he figured was right around the corner.

“True!” She held up a finger, “But that’s because they didn’t know how to look for it! You see, this guy builds desks with secret compartments, and he makes them complicated enough that unless you really know what you’re looking for it’s about impossible to find.” 

She rounded the desk and he followed, watching her kneel and reminding himself that this was a case and not the time to admire the fit of her skirt. She ran her hands over the drawer pulls, stopped on one and looked closer.

“Bingo!” She pushed and twisted, and he heard a click from somewhere inside the furniture. Intrigued, he stepped closer and watched her pull out the drawer to reveal a second drawer inside. “See, this drawer is connected to the top and releases when you use the magic touch. And look,” She pulled the drawer out further, and he saw what she had.

“A key hole,” He confirmed, “Let’s get back to the station and get his keys.”

She looked up at him over her shoulder and beamed. “Three steps ahead of you partner.” She pulled an evidence bag out of her pocket, holding the victims keys. “Do you want to do the honors or should I?”

Karadec shook his head and grinned, “Ladies first.”

Morgan opened the bag and unlocked the drawer, finding copies of the blackmail material that had been alluded to by the victims girlfriend. She shuffled through them, finding copies of bank records and printed screen shots of texts and call logs.

“Karadec, these are all about Martin Cross, his friend from college. Isn’t he -“

“Yeah, he is.” He pulled his phone out and quickly flipped through his contacts, pressing ‘Call’ before putting it to his ear. “This is Karadec, I’m going to need back up at the following address - Morgan, leave those here, we’ll come back for them. Follow me.”

Morgan dropped the paperwork, a picture of Martin Cross standing next to a box labelled with a popular paper towel brand filled with automatic weapons. Her eyes widened, the dots connected and filling her head with all kinds of horrible scenarios as she rushed to follow her partner out of the apartment. He locked the apartment behind them and hurried down the hall, relaying the pertinent information to get a team of officers to help them catch their suspect. Even though he slammed out of the lobby door he took a second to hold it for her as she caught up and trailed him to the car. Instead of jumping in like she expected, he went to the trunk and opened it, pulling out a vest and handing it to her.

“Put it on. Remember, stay in the car until we clear the building. Daphne and Oz are on their way too, just stay in the car.”

“I know, I know,” Morgan put the vest over her head and fastened the velcro straps tight to her sides. “Stay in the car, wait for the all clear.”

“Damn straight, if this guy is selling guns we have no idea what is up there and I don’t want you caught in any crossfire.” He finished strapping himself and shut the trunk, gesturing for her to get in the car. As soon as they were in he started it and flipped on the lights and sirens, peeling out of the parking lot.

Morgan hurriedly finished buckling and grabbed the oh shit handle, feeling her adrenaline kick up another notch.

“No getting shot in there partner, I don’t want to have to break in a new detective. Or worse, have Melon moved up to your place,” She joked, genuinely worried about what could happen. They hadn’t dealt with a gun-runner before and it made her more nervous for him than she probably had a right to be.

“Not a chance, Gillory. Can’t get rid of me that easily.”

Morgan sure did hope so. Ever since he’d let her into his place and kept her calm in the midst of an unexpected marijuana dosing she couldn’t help but see all his good qualities in a new light. He’d even stopped by Elliot’s birthday party last month and was a hit with his friends, keeping them entertained for nearly an hour talking about police work and even working her into some of his stories. She knew his smidgen of OCD went a little crazy around children and brought him a new pack of baby wipes to clean whatever he felt he needed to while he was there. And it was needed; between the snacks, cake, and silly string fight he must have felt like he was in a circle of hell specifically for people like him. She was happy to help him clean up after the fight, picking silly string off the back of his shirt and out of his hair. Hair that she had wanted to run her fingers through, feel the texture and spring of his curls that he kept so short and neat. 

None of that had a place here, going twenty over the limit with lights and sirens.

He took the turn into the strip mall with prejudice, tires protesting, and she had to press against the door so she wasn’t completely forced into it by centripetal motion. The area was run down but not nearly as dangerous as it could have been, and there were still plenty of shoppers visiting the stores. They didn’t know where Cross kept his inventory so for all they knew it could be a shooting gallery as soon as the officers showed up.

Morgan was grateful to see black and whites pulling in behind them, that Karadec would be safer in numbers.

“Stay.” He told her, shutting off the engine and getting out. Already a crowd was forming, rubbernecking around the huddle of police vehicles.

“Sure sure, I can also sit, roll over, and play dead.” Morgan grimaced, glad he wasn’t there to hear the flat joke. 

She watched through the windshield as he quickly briefed the fellow officers that had arrived, and gestured at the building. Then they fanned out, some running around the corner to cover the back but the rest following behind Karadec as he led the way in.

Present - 

Soto watched her, eyes soft, and sighed, “It sounds like you both did everything you could. Why don’t you catch up with him at the hospital, though you might be waiting a while.”

“Thanks, Ludo is picking up the kids from school so I have plenty of time. Nothing like my bedside manner to get him back on his feet.”

The other woman laughed, “I’m sure you’ll perk him right up and out of the exam room.”

Morgan went to his car, popping the trunk so she could replace the bulletproof vest. As she put it back in place, her worry started to come back full throttle, lights and sirens blaring in her head as her brain went over every medical documentary she’d ever seen for information on head and knife injuries. She couldn’t help it - she had to know all the possibilities when she finally got to see Karadec, prepare the worst outcome so she could put on a smile  no matter what his prognosis ended up being.

She paused, staring at the precisely organized gear. This was just one facet of her partner; over-prepared for any situation with every item in it’s place for easy retrieval. His desk and apartment were the same, and she felt gratitude for how their relationship had changed from his begrudging acceptance of her presence to welcoming her into his own world even when she overstepped. Just thinking about him not being there ratcheted those lights and sirens to another level and she resolutely slammed the trunk shut and rounded the vehicle to get in the driver seat.

“Knock it off Gillory, he’s a tough cookie and a stupid two-bit arms dealer isn’t going to take him out.”

That said, it took her a couple of blocks to realize she hadn’t turned off the flashing lights. And another block to realize she was tearing up and had to get it together for her partner. As a parent she learned real fast that her emotions affected their own and to get through a crisis, however mild, she had to keep her cool. Karadec wasn’t a child, but being injured had the tendency to bring out the worst in people in her experience. And she’d never seen him seriously hurt before. Blitzed on tranquilizer’s, yes. Anything worse than a papercut, no.

Parking at the hospital was a nightmare, no surprise there. However, her nifty LAPD badge got her quick service at the front desk, so she made it to the appropriate floor within minutes. That’s where she hit her first block.

“I’m sorry ma’am, but only family can be given details about his condition. We’ll let you know when he’s able to receive visitors, now please take a seat.”

“He’s my partner, not like life partner but police partner, there’s no family to call!” Oh, that hurt to say. She remembered when she finally knew that he had no one left alive to call family. Even if she didn’t have three kids and a Ludo, her own mom was still alive and kicking in Sacramento, living it up in her retirement community.

“We’ve already notified his emergency contact, so unless that’s you, there’s nothing I can tell you right now. Take. A. Seat.”

With a wordless sound of frustration Morgan threw her hands up and stomped over to an open chair. All of them had that ugly pattern with no name famous in waiting rooms and motels. The TV in the corner played the news, and she thumped her head onto the wall behind her a couple of times. Why was it always the news?

Thirty minutes turned into an hour, then two, and on the third hour she had moved to one of those seats for overweight people so she could fold her legs under her and lean on her folded jacket on the armrest while she watched YouTube. Her brain was an avalanche on the precipice of devastation and the only thing holding it back was a man building glitter bombs for porch pirates and car thieves.

“Family for Adam Karadec?”

She bolted upright, “That’s me! That’s me, just a sec!” Gathering up her purse and jacket, shoving her phone in the purse, she headed for the nurse only to turn around and grab her boots. “Sorry, sorry, being cute takes a minute!”

After putting the tan ankle boots on, she hurried over to the nurse waiting near the desk for her.

“How is he? Can I see him?” Morgan didn’t bother explaining the whole partner thing again, was it her fault if the nurse assumed otherwise?

“He’s just fine, the stab wound missed any vital organs and was shallow, he only required some stitches and we gave him a dose of antibiotics that he’ll need to continue for the next ten days. His head wound is a little concerning, he has a mild concussion and we recommend he stay for observation overnight.”

She followed the nurse, taking in all the information and relating it to what she knew of medical care.

“Has his memory been affected? How about movement, can he get around with the injury?”

“The knife punctured his left side, and as I said it’s shallow but he should have minimal activity while it heals along with the concussion. That can cause some vision issues and instability while standing. His recall seems fine but if there’s any confusion he should be brought it sooner rather than later. No physical exertion, time off work, and lots of bed rest.” They stopped at a door and the nurse gestured, “You can see him now but not for long, he’s on some light medication due to the concussion and his local anesthetic will wear off soon. He’ll need to rest.”

“Thank you, thanks so much,” Morgan glanced on the badge attached to her scrubs, “Nurse Donna. I’m sure he appreciates all the care.”

“Of course, I’ll be back to check in.”

Almost like it was choreographed they both turned away, the nurse back to her duties and Morgan to see her partner. The door was closed, so she knocked gently before entering.

The room had the lights dimmed, probably for his comfort as concussions could lead to light sensitivity. The curtain by his bed was half-pulled, only revealing his legs covered in a sheet and blanket. A low grunt was the only acknowledgement she received, and she steeled herself, taking a slow breath in and exhaling after a four count. She brushed at her hair, self-conscious in this unfamiliar situation between them.

“Knock knock stranger,” She quietly announced, stepping carefully around the curtain.

Detective Karadec lay half-propped up on a hospital bed, only one IV in his arm and no oxygen tubes, a blood pressure monitor on his finger causing the machine next to him to pulse along with its readings. His eyes were closed, and even in the dim light he looked a little pale, but not weak. Never weak. Just worn around the edges, highlighted by the bandage high on his forehead likely covering the spot he’d been hit.They even had him in a pale blue gown, loose around his chest and shoulders, showing more of his skin than she’d ever seen. His head turned and he opened his eyes, just two slits in his face that took their time to focus on her standing at the end of his bed.

“Morgan,” His voice was gruff, deeper than normal, and he took a deep breath as he shifted a little higher in the bed and winced.

“Take it easy there detective, I heard you had a rough day.” She stepped a little closer, wanting to push him back down, but for once not wanting to invade his space.

“Mmmmm,” He hummed in reply, reaching for a cup on the sliding table at his side. She rushed forward then, grabbing the half-full cup of water before he could and easing it into his grip. He took a few sips then moved to put it back but she was right there again, taking it from him and replacing it on the table.

“You gonna hover there all day or take a seat?”

The water had smoothed his voice out a bit, at least the words seemed to come easier, but it was still deep in timbre. She put her purse and jacket on the table and slid it out of her way so she could pull the chair close to his bed. These at least had cushion and were not terrible for longer than five minutes.

“How ya feelin’ big guy?”

His head followed her voice, and he lazily blinked at her before replying, “Like I need the license plate of the truck that hit me.”

“Well you’re in luck, we’ve got it at impound and the driver was arrested for DUI.”

He hummed again and closed his eyes. They sat in silence for a while, and Morgan found herself leaning forward slightly with her hand on his blanket next to his side. She could smell the bleach that was permanently embedded in all hospital linens and hoped he wouldn’t be stuck here for long.

“I’m glad you’re okay Karadec, I’m supposed to be the one getting us into messes not you,” She found herself blabbing. “It’s a slippery slope. Next thing you know you’ll be handling evidence without gloves and running out without notifying the team.”

He snorted, eyes drifting open again and the corners of his mouth twitching upwards.

“Not a chance Gillory, I’ll leave all the mistakes to you.”

Those damn tears were back. Getting to see him helped calm her fears but it didn’t feel right to see him like this, stretched out and low on energy. Her fingers searched, and found his own. She had to hold his hand at that point, needed to, to wrap him up in her hand and hold it to let him know she wasn’t going anywhere, she’d sit here as long as he needed. So she held his hand and enjoyed the feeling of it’s strength in her grasp, skin and veins compressed under her grip.

He deserved more than just her sitting here. He was a good guy, great even, and over the almost year they’d worked together she’d figured out that the closest people to him were those he worked with. And yeah, the team would show up when they could, but he deserved a someone that was always in his corner, ride or die, no matter what. A person to be there for the injuries, birthday’s, promotions!

Over the last month she’d also realized she was wanting to be that someone. Which was both amazing and not since she worked with him, that was a lot of oh shit piled in one purse. Even she knew dating coworkers could get really ugly really fast, especially when she did the do a couple times in her twenties. Of course, she was also a young mom at the time which likely had something to do with it.

But who didn’t want a smart, sexy, reliable guy in their life? Even the mild case of OCD was quite charming most of the time, especially since he took her teasing with grace instead of as a personal dig. He’d taken in all of her with grace. Eventually.

Morgan held his hand, finding herself adjusting her grip to stroke the back of it. Trace the veins that crossed over his bones, feel the skin that was soft despite all the washing. She let him have his peace while her hand traced those veins up to his forearm, finely dusted in hair, toned from his workouts. Like they had a mind of their own they began to stroke with the grain of that hair, thumb first then the rest of her fingers, soothing herself with the tactile knowledge of his aliveness.

The nurse came back both too soon and too late, a small cup of over the counter medication, and quietly informing Morgan that she needed to leave now so he could rest. She did have to get home, but she didn’t want to leave him here, and took her time releasing him and gathering her things.

When he finished swallowing the pills he looked over at her, features open in a way she couldn’t define.

“Thanks for coming,”

“Wild horses couldn’t stop me. I’ll see you tomorrow.” She turned to leave, then turned back, “Make sure they give you the good pudding, jello is for losers.”

He chuckled, and with one last smile Morgan left.

The next afternoon she arrived at the hospital in her own car and with a plan hatched over the phone with Lieutenant Soto and the blessing of Oz and Daphne. She’d been warned of the resistance Karadec was likely to give her, but that was nothing to her. She could wait out tantrums like a pro, no matter how much screaming and crying was involved, and Karadec was about to meet the unstoppable force of a mama bear in motion.

She went up to his floor and bypassed the nurse’s desk to his room. Already she could hear him grumbling about having to put on the clothes he wore yesterday and it perked her right up.

“Good afternoon sunshine, your chariot awaits.”

He sat on his bed, the nurse tying his shoes. His equilibrium must still be off if she was helping him with that task.

“Afternoon Gillory.” He looked up, then grimaced. “Please tell me you’re not driving me home.”

“You’re right, I’m not.” He exhaled, “I’m taking you to my house.”

“What?!” He winced, rubbed at his temple and felt at the gauze over his head. “What are you talking about?”

“It is highly recommended that you not be left alone for the next two days. And I think these guys,” she waved at the nurse that had just finished his shoes and was standing, “Know what’s best. So you’ll be spending the next couple of days at Chez Gillory, getting waited on hand and foot. You’re welcome.”

He gaped at her, mouth moving like he wanted to say something but didn’t have the words.

“No need to thank me, let’s get you signed out and on the way.”

With perfect timing, an aide came in with a wheelchair.

“Morgan - !”

“C’mon hot wheels, time’s wasting, they gotta clean this place up for the next patient.”

Just like at work, steam-rolling him had the desired effect. He was assisted into the wheelchair with minimal fuss and wheeled to the desk so he could sign his paperwork and receive his discharge papers. It was a bit reminiscent of the post-tranquilizer shooting, Karadec going along with the flow because he couldn’t string enough words together to protest. She’d already left the car in a loading spot near the front, so the aide wheeled him to the passenger side and stood alert while Karadec slowly got up and slid in. She closed the door, thanked the man, and skipped around to the driver seat.

It took him a solid five minutes to pull it together enough to get out a coherent argument.

“Morgan, I know you’re only trying to help, but I feel fine. I just want to go home, shower, and go to sleep. I don’t need help for any of it.”

“Oh, so you’re alright to stand in the shower for fifteen minutes, not slip and hit your already concussed skull? How about covering your stitches, since you can’t get them wet? What about your meals, you just gonna rely on delivery, all that walking to and from your room and your front door?”

He groaned, leaning back on the head rest. “Thank you, yes, I can manage all of that. I am a functioning adult and have been doing these things by myself for a long time.”

“Well, I got news for you buddy, you didn’t look so hot just walking from the bed to the wheelchair and couldn’t tie your shoes. What are you going to do if you get too dizzy or sick? What if you fall and don’t have your phone, or can’t use it because you’re out cold on the floor?” She tapped her nails absently on the steering wheel, “I can think of about a million ways being alone in your apartment is a bad idea. Daphne and Oz have to work, and Lieutenant Soto thinks it would be a little weird to have one of her detective’s shacking up at her place. And she has to work too. On the other hand, I can be given a couple days to make sure you don’t brain yourself cleaning your counters or whatever.”

Out of the corner of her eye, she see’s him flinch and thinks he might be taking this a little hard. So she softens her tone.

“The kids are going to visit with Ludo’s parents so the house will be quiet. I’ve already cleaned so there’s no sticky stuff lurking anywhere, and Oz picked up some of your things so you’ve got a bag in my trunk. Please let me help you.”

She hears him sigh as she takes a turn, and lets him mull it over. He’s smart, he’ll come to the right conclusion, or realize that she won’t be stopped. Either way, win-win.

“I’ll try not to be an inconvenience. I just need to get clean and rest,” He finally says, fiddling with the paperwork on his lap.

“Well, you’re in luck. At Chez Gillory we have full service meals, clean sheets, and nothing but relaxation planned for your stay.”

He turns away to look out the window, and she catches his grin in the faint reflection. The rest of the drive is quiet, she doesn’t want to turn on the radio since she tends to crank it up when driving and singing along.

Morgan parks in front of her house, tells her partner to wait, and gets in the trunk. His duffle is black, nondescript, but high quality material and stitching - probably not picked up from Target on sale like most of her luggage. She slings it over her shoulder, adjusting her purse strap out from under it, and heads to the passenger side. Karadec has already opened the door is squinting in the ever-present Cali sunshine, shuffling his feet on the road. He’s able to stand on his own using the car door to balance, wincing, and stands for a few moments with his eyes half-shut. She waits, close by but not wanting to crowd, and eventually he closes the door and keeps one hand on the roof to step onto the curb. She steps in, tucking her arm into his elbow to steady him, and that is how they slowly walk up to her house.

She unlocks the door and leads him in, closing it behind her and setting his bag on the ground.

“Okay, shower, food, or bed?” She asks.

“Shower, definitely,” He mutters, blinking in the sudden light change.

“Why does that not surprise me? So,” She gently guides him through her living room and down the hallway, “Lucky for you I have this nifty shower chair. Surprise surprise, giving birth takes a lot out of a person and it was recommended I use one for a while. Don’t worry, it’s been cleaned many times, and I even washed it again specially for you.” She turned him towards the bathroom, let him balance on the counter and then lean on it. “I’ll get your bag, Oz should have packed your manly soap but if he didn’t you’re welcome to anything in here. Oh, except for anything in the purple basket, Ava gets real snippy when people use her stuff.”

She left the bathroom, enjoying his snort and mutters of teenage girls and silently agreeing with him. After retrieving his bag, she drops it on the bathroom counter and is amused to find him sitting on the closed toilet, staring forlornly at his shoes.

“You don’t even have to ask, I got you partner.”

Morgan gets down on her knees, the bath rugs fuzzy on her knees, and quickly unties and pulls off his shoes. She sets them by the counter and looks up at Karadec, plucking at his shirt buttons and doing a good job of not looking at her.

“Need any help with the shirt?”

“No! No, I got it, thanks. Just takes a minute, stitches,” He mumbles to his chest, slowly undoing buttons.

“I almost forgot, let me get the plastic wrap and medical tape.”

Getting to her feet, she smirks at seeing her partner’s ears flush. He has nothing to worry about, but the blush is adorable. She steps into the living room to kick her shoes off near the rack then heads to the kitchen. Plastic wrap is found, then she searches in the first aid kit kept in the pantry before remembering Elliot had used it for some project since they ran out of regular tape. Rolling her eyes at her own spawn, she goes to his room and pokes around his desk, looking for the bright green tape. She has to shuffle the clutter around a bit, okay, a lot, but finds it under a pile of odds and ends that he’s been building with.

In the bathroom she was met with a partially undressed Karadec. Socks off, pants on, button-up off but white undershirt still on. 

“I didn’t take you for shy, Karadec. C’mon, off with the shirt, I’ll cover up those stitches and you can wash off all the hospital germs and possibility of antibiotic resistant MRSA and pneumonia.”

“Wow Morgan, you really know how to comfort someone,” He deadpans, sighing as he slowly inches his shirt up and then takes it off one arm at a time. “This isn’t exactly professional -“

“Hey, I get it,” Morgan sets the items on the counter and reaches out to help with the shirt as he winces, “This is just one friend helping another, no biggie. I won’t tell if you don’t.” She dumps the shirt in the corner already occupied by the other dirty items and reaches over to grab the things she brought.

Busying herself with the plastic wrap, she couldn’t help but glance at him out of the corner of her eye. Her hair distorted the image, but it couldn’t hide the obvious - Karadec was a stud. Broad shouldered, just the right amount of chest hair across his pectorals, toned muscles but not in the model way of three percent body fat and dehydration. She turned her attention back to the wrap, tore a strip, grabbed the tape, and kneeled in front of him again.

“Alright, show me the sewing job,” She stretched out the cling wrap and held it in front of her, hoping it hid her peeking at his stomach and the delightful trail of hair disappearing into the waistband of his pants. She felt a little guilty with her ogling as he slowly raised his arm and turned, showing off a reddened patch of skin on his side bisected with three inches of stitching. “Sorry if this hurts, I’ll be as careful and quick as possible.”

Following through, she placed it over his wound and gently pressed the edges so they would stick. She took the medical tape and ripped off four strips with her teeth, sticking them to her own arm for easy reach. After that it took her a few swift motions to tape down the sides of the plastic, firmly rubbing over the tape so it would leave no gaps for water to get in.

“That should do. Don’t remove it until you dry off, otherwise there was no point to this.” Standing, she reached over and turned the faucet in the bathtub on. “Takes a few minutes for the water to heat up. Clean towels are right there on the shelf,” She gestured behind her at the shelf piled with towels and plastic bins of toys. “Chloe won’t mind if you need a rubber ducky or boat. I think there’s even a water gun in there.”

Morgan grinned and patted his shoulder, enjoying getting to feel the soft skin over his firm shoulders for a brief moment.

“I’m more of a plastic rings guy,” He muttered, checking her work.

“They’re in there! Shout if you need anything, and I swear if you fall,” She shook her finger at him, “I’m running in here no matter what.”

Karadec sighed and looked up at her, “I got it, sit in the shower chair and be a good little invalid.”

“That’s the spirit!”

Closing the door behind her, Morgan shook her head and practically bounced to the kitchen. He hadn’t said he was hungry, but hospital food would put anyone off their feed so she was determined to make him a delicious meal just in case. She turned on the radio, then down on the volume so she could hear Karadec if he ate it, and got to creating.

By the time she had the tomato soup hot and the grilled cheese crisping nicely, the shower turned off. She turned the radio down to a murmur and got her rarely used bed tray out of the oven drawer. The meal was plated and she added some saltines and a soda to the tray to round out the dish. Stepping back, she nodded with satisfaction and went to the living room to lean against the couch and wait for her houseguest to emerge. She listened to him moving around the bathroom, and realized she’d left his clothes and shoes on the floor.

“Just leave your dirty clothes in there, I’ll put them in the wash later!”

After a minute listening to him, she decided to just take the tray into her room and double-check that she really had put everything away. Good thing she checked too, Morgan found a thong sticking out from under her bed and quickly hid it under the rest of her laundry in the hamper. She fluffed her pillows up against the headboard, checked the floor again, then cleared her nightstand for the bed tray. As she passed the bathroom door, it opened to reveal a dewy Karadec dressed in worn black sweats and a shirt with the California State University logo.

“Ooohh, go Eagles!” She cheered, “Bedroom is down the hall on the right, can’t miss it, only one without stuffed animals, models, or the aroma of teen angst.”

He took a few steps down the hall then jerked to a stop, turning with wide eyes.

“Morgan, I can’t sleep in your bed!”

“It’s fine, bedding’s clean and you’ll fit on it better than the crib.”

His mouth worked, once again at a loss for words, then choked out, “Where are you sleeping?”

She re-emerged from the kitchen with the tray of food, “I’m taking Ava’s room, unless it’s another sleepless night in which case you can find me on the couch bingeing Tiger King again.”

He shook his head, apparently deciding it wasn’t worth the fight, and followed her instructions. She trailed along behind him, then watched as he slowly sat on the bed and eased into the pillows. She put the tray on his lap and with a cheery enjoy! went to the bathroom to clean up. It didn’t surprise her that he was a neat houseguest; he’d replaced all of his things in the duffle bag with his dirty clothes folded on top, shoes right next to it, and his dirty towel folded on the counter. She smiled and took the dirty items, dumping the towel on top of the dryer for later and checking the tags on his clothes for any special instructions.

Laundry taken care of, she moved his shoes to the rack by the door and took his duffle to her bedroom. Karadec was dipping the second half of his sandwich, which she’d cut into triangles, into the soup.

“Everything okay?”

“Mmmm,” He hummed, finishing up his bite, “It’s good, thank you.”

“Well, I figured you could use a little comfort food after getting stuck with mushy peas and mystery meat. And I know all about sprucing up grilled cheese and soup.” She blew on her nails and wiped them off on her shirt, grinning his way.

He rolled his eyes and finished off the sandwich, then moved to dipping individual saltines in his soup before eating them. While he finished she grabbed something to sleep in for later and tucked it under her arm.

Hearing a gusty sigh from behind her, she turned and found Karadec staring at his now empty tray and fiddling with the can of soda.

“I’m sorry for not taking this well,” He blurted, looking at her from under his lashes, “I’m not always the best patient. I really do appreciate this Morgan. Maybe not the way it was presented, but…” He trailed off, shrugged his shoulders, then continued, “Anyway, this was really nice of you.”

“No worries,” She waved a hand as if to get rid of any problems, “You get some rest, I’ll be around if you need anything. Speaking of, need anything now?”

He pulled his phone out of his pocket and set it on the nightstand, then began to sit up.

“Oh no, you lay back,” She pressed on his shoulder, settling him back into the pillows, “I got it. Wait, what am I getting?”

“I just need the book in my bag.”

She leaned over, rifling through the neatly folded items and pulled out a paperback copy of The Cloudbuster Nine. Placing it on the nightstand next to his phone, she took the tray off his lap, clothes still tucked under her elbow, and took it to the kitchen. He’d dropped his discharge papers on the counter, and she glanced at them, then read through them. Lightbulb going off, she grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and then the Tylenol from the windowsill. Entering the bedroom she caught him easing under the covers. Upon seeing her he looked a little sheepish, like he wasn’t supposed to be making himself comfortable in her bed.

“Almost forgot,” She shook the bottle, “Papers say you can take some more at eight, and as needed after. Have a good night, big guy.”

She set them both on the rapidly filling nightstand and left, closing the door and leaving a crack just in case.

Morgan cleaned up her cooking mess, then filled her time with Netflix, Hot Pockets, and paying her bills on the computer off the kitchen. She changed into the shorts and light shirt around nine, hung his laundry to dry, called the kids and heard all about their day with the Radovic clan, then snuggled under the blanket over the back of the couch. She only stirred when she heard Karadec come down the hallway, use the bathroom, then join her in the living room. He took one look at the low chairs on the either side of the couch and chose to sit beside her instead.

“I thought I was the one with sleeping problems.”

He grunted, settling back into the cushions and folding his hands over his stomach. He was close enough she could feel his body heat, warm from her bedding, and the knowledge caused a responding curl of satisfaction within her. She could still smell his soap, not the Old Spice that Ludo sometimes went overboard with, but something with cinnamon, clove, and… She took a deep inhale through her nose, lemongrass? Niiiiice. 

“I have a hard time sleeping in strange places. Only reason I could sleep in the hospital was the drugs.”

She hmmmm’d and nodded.

“I guess all your lady friends come to your place then.”

She smirked and watch the blush immediately hit his ears and across his cheeks.

“Gillory,” He snapped, rubbing at his face like it would make his blush dissipate.

“Oh come on, we’re adults, we’re friends, we all know what goes on between two consenting people. Wait, they did consent right? This isn't like a Ted Bundy sitch?”

Karadec groaned.

“I can make you some tea. Warm up some milk. Sing you a lullaby…” She gently elbowed his arm, and couldn’t stop her giggles as she watched him scrub at his face again. “Okay, okay, I’ll stop!”

“Promise me one thing - next time I need someplace to stay, send me to Melon’s.”

Morgan laughed, and somehow she found herself with a hand on his neck and softly rubbing. The muscles under her fingers were tight, so she firmed her touch to loosen them as she watched the Luftwaffe bomb Britain. Slowly, she felt him relax, then lean back into her hand. At a glance she took in his half open eyes, softly parted mouth, and had another lightbulb moment.

“C’mon,” She whispered, “I got an idea, but let’s get you in bed first.”

No argument forthcoming, she steadied him as he got to his feet and escorted him back to her room. The covers were already tossed to the side, and she urged him to lay on his front. Tucking a pillow under his head Karadec sunk back into her mattress and she pulled the covers up to waist, hesitating for a couple moments to admire the fall of his worn sweats over his behind. Great ass too? Man, I’m glad I’m usually so focused at work. She kneeled at his side and dug her knuckles on either side of his spine.

Best and worst decision ever. Morgan had to suppress a shiver as he let out the most delicious, deep groan that hit her right in the gut. Her mouth dry, she began the massage in earnest. Firmly on either side of his spine, then she worked up and down, and slowly fanned out to either side. Fingers working in tandem, she started naming the musculature she felt through his shirt to distract herself from the sounds vibrating out of his chest and slowly heating her up. Splenius cervicis, trapezius, levator scapulae, rhomboid minor, rhomboid major, erector - oh shit. No, no, latissimus dorsi, serratus posterior inferior, and back up…

She avoided getting too close to his sides, not wanting to accidentally cause pain, and gradually became irritated at having to constantly adjust his shirt. Without asking, she slid it up to sit at the top of his back and continued. Impediment removed, she began to enjoy it even more. Warm skin under her hands, a couple of faded scars highlighting the perfection of it. It also allowed the scent of whatever he washed with to slowly waft upwards as her ministrations further warmed his skin. His groans petered off into quiet sighs, and she slowed to gently rub over his back, adjusting to sit next to his hip.

“You asleep Karadec?” She whispered.

“Mmmm-hmmm,” He shifted his body closer to hers, hip pressed to hip now, and nuzzled further into her pillow, “S’great honey. Don’t stop.”

“What a sweet-talker you are,” She complimented, the pet name pinging in her brain like she had a memory just out of reach.

After a few more minutes she lay down on her side next to him, staring at the half of his face not buried in her pillow and one hand still stroking up and down his bare back. Morgan tucked her unoccupied arm under her head and admired his lax features. She didn’t think she’d ever seen him so soft and relaxed before, even under the influence of pain meds yesterday. His plump lips slightly parted, gently breathing as she lulled him deeper into sleep. She paused her motions and waited to see if he would stir. When he didn’t move, she gave into temptation and carefully ran her hand over his hair, burying her fingers in those curls she’d begun to think about in absent moments.  She thought he put product in it before work, but right now it was soft and clean, slightly frizzy without whatever he added to smooth them. Rubbing a strand between her fingers, she smiled, then lightly dragged her painted nails around the bruise and small cut on his forehead. Diverting to his sideburns, she stroked his beard, enjoying the scratch on the pads of her fingers. She could count the silver strands showing up if she wanted to, had all night probably, but decided she should wrap up this touchy-feely sesh before it got too creepy.

We’ve got a discussion ahead of us Adam. When your eggs are a little less scrambled. Morgan sat up and pulled his shirt back down, then pulled the covers up to his shoulders. She thought for a moment, decided it couldn’t really hurt, and leaned over to press a soft kiss right by his bruise

Chapter Text

Adam Karadec was a confident man, dammit, and he would knock on this door and have an adult conversation with Morgan or else. She was expecting him, and if he didn’t show up she would lose all respect for him and he wouldn’t be able to look himself in the mirror for being such a stupid nervous idiot.

Okay, that was a tiny exaggeration. He didn’t know why he was so nervous, he’d done this before, but the last time was with A’ja and she’d taken the reigns through most of that train wreck. Except for the ‘wreck’ part, that was pretty much him, though to be fair she did want to move a bit faster than he had been comfortable with. That whole timetable thing of hers had wrong-footed him and he behaved a little poorly.

He shook his head to scatter the doubts, reminding himself that Morgan was her own woman, completely different from A’ja. If he wanted anything more from her and have some self-respect he needed to get the ball rolling after she put it firmly in his court.

His hand ran down his tie, pulled at the ends of his jacket sleeves, and he shook his hands out before making a fist and knocking.

Twenty-Four Hours Earlier - 

“Oz, you didn’t!” Daphne exclaimed, sucker pulled out of her mouth to point at him.

“Heck yeah I did!” He pulled his phone out of his pocket, poked at it for a minute, then turned it to show Daphne the screen. “RDJ was at the garage, got a flat or something, and I knew it was my moment. So I walked up to him, told him I was a fan and thanked him for all his work, and shook his hand!”

Karadec winced at the squeal Daphne released, not because his concussion was coming back, but the pitch surely almost reached levels only dogs could hear. It was cool that Oz had met one of his favorite superhero actors, even in a place like LA. You could throw a rock and hit someone that had been in movies or worked on them. The real miracle was cornering an A-lister and them taking five seconds to be kind, or take a photo with you.

He also had other things on his mind, like the night Morgan lulled him to sleep by rubbing his naked back in her own bed. When he got home there were more than a few nights he assumed the same position and imagined she was there, running her delicate hands over him, which would either help him drift off or lead to him stroking himself. He didn’t feel great about the last bit, well he did in the moment, but after he felt guilty for fantasizing about her when all she’d done was help him go to sleep. Then he would remember the next day, when she made french toast and ate breakfast in bed with him in the skimpy shorts she’d slept in, showing off her very long legs and bare feet with toenails painted to match her fingers. Beaming at him, him, all day and balancing keeping him entertained with letting him rest when his energy flagged and a headache would come on.

There was a moment when he sat on her couch, reading his book while she watched yet another documentary, that she reached out and ran a nail from his jaw to his Adam’s apple, scraping through his beard and sending a shiver down his spine.

“No Shave November come early this year?”

He’d swallowed, feeling an extra tingle of sensation as his Adam’s apple bobbed under her lingering touch.

“Oz forgot to pack my razor. It’d be weird to use one of yours.”

“Mmmm, or maybe he just didn’t want you to cut your throat if you got dizzy. I think he saved your life.”

If the touch hadn’t been a come-on, then he needed to find out what wires were crossed fast.

“Hey you, feeling alright?”

Karadec looked up from his bag, realizing he’d been staring at the items inside for too long while he’d remembered those two days.

He cleared his throat, “Yeah, I’m good. Long first day back on duty.”

Morgan’s concerned look dissipated, though she still watched him carefully like she expected a headache to come on and drop him back into his chair.

“I’m glad you’re back. Felt a little weird working with just Daph and Oz out there the past couple weeks.” She rolled her eyes, “And then there’s the day I want to forget, working with Melon.”

He chuckled and turned back to his desk to finish packing it up for the night. “You gotta tell me about that sometime. I’ve worked cases with him too, he’s not much for teamwork.”

“You can say that again. No, really, say it again, because I’m amazed he can get his ego in the door.”

Shaking his head, Karadec zipped up his bag and put the strap over his shoulder. Double-checking nothing had been left behind, he grabbed his to-go mug and headed for the bullpen door.

“Night guys,” He raised his mug towards Oz and Daphne, still discussing the movie star run in, and they waved back, too engrossed in their conversation.

It took him a little too long to realize that Morgan was pacing him. Unsure what to say, he hit the down button on the elevator, getting in when the doors opened and hitting the button for the first floor.

“I wanted to wait until you healed to bring this up. Seemed to me like things got a little, let’s say intense, when you stayed over.” He stiffened, immediately concerned that she was about to get upset and give him a scathing kiss off ending with a visit to HR. “I know that was my fault, I might have been coming on a little strong what with the whole ‘you only live twice moment’ you had. Freaked me out a bit, even though I know it could happen to any of us with this job. That said,” She turned to face him, hand gently wrapping around his wrist, and he had the courtesy to look in her eyes, “I don’t want anything to ever be unsaid between us. So if you have anything to say to me, you should say it, soon.”

For a minute there, Karadec felt his heart stop. In the good way. He knew what she was saying without saying - nut up and tell me if you like me.

The elevator pinged, doors opening, and her fingers slid off his wrist. He followed her out, held the front door open for her, then finally spat out a reply.

“I’ll see you tomorrow night.”

She paused, looked over her shoulder, and smiled. “I look forward to it.” She wiggled her fingers, the same ones that had just touched him, in farewell and walked off to her car.

Present - 

Taking slow, even breaths, Karadec heard the TV get turned down or off, and waited for the door to open.

Didn’t take long. Morgan was still in her work clothes, only barefoot and minus the chunky belt. The lamps behind her softened the edges, giving an almost ethereal effect to her form despite the bright teal blouse and zebra striped flowy skirt. She looked him up and down, then nodded him in and stepped to the side.

As was his habit he wiped his feet on the faded welcome mat and entered, hearing her close and lock the door behind him. Okay, here we go.

“Is this gonna be a work talk or a personal talk?” She asked, moving to his side.

Swallowing his nerves, he replied, “Personal.”

“‘Kay, jacket and tie off,” She waved a finger at his torso, “Let’s get comfy and talk.”

A more poetic person might say that his jacket and tie were like his armor. Karadec simply liked to present himself as a professional, which as she so bluntly pointed out wasn’t necessary right now. He slipped his jacket off his arms, folding it over his elbow, then undid his tie and lay it over the jacket. Before he could ask where he could put them she took the clothes and lay them over the the low wall in her entryway and gestured towards the couch.

“Want anything to drink?”

His throat was a little dry from nerves, but he shook his head and muttered a no thank you.

Morgan shrugged, aborted her path to the kitchen and plopped on the couch to next to him. She crossed her legs and picked up a wine glass from the coffee table, sipping the red liquid and resting her arms on her thighs. She looked at him, and when he continued to sit there with nothing to say raised a brow.

“Don’t worry, the kids are in their rooms. Ava will probably fall asleep texting her boyfriend and Elliot has been warned on pain of losing his tablet privileges that he is to self-occupy until bedtime. Chloe hasn’t figured out how to escape her crib yet. So,” She leaned forward, replacing the glass on the table, “It’s just us.”

He hadn’t even thought about the kids, but her explanation helped settle him. So he breathed, gathered his thoughts, and spoke.

“I know things have… evolved between us. The only question here is, do you want that to continue?” Tentatively, not wanting to overstep, he reached out and placed his hand on her bare knee. “I won’t push for anything you don’t want to give, and if friendship is all you feel then I will cherish it and nothing else needs to be said.” He wanted to stroke the warmth of her skin, smooth under his palm, but wanted to be respectful until he knew what she had to say.

Morgan leaned slightly to catch his gaze, and he met her eyes with no little trepidation. The moment stretched, he let himself fall into the blue framed by her long lashes, and breathed through it. In, out, settling into waiting without expectation of anything but a response.

He flinched when she covered his hand with hers.

“Good job big guy, you did it.” Smiling softly, she stroked his wrist where her fingers had landed. “Such a gentleman about it too, I always knew there was a reason I liked you. Not just because you’re smart, and beautiful,” He felt his ears heat up, and mentally berated himself for blushing just because she called him beautiful. “You’re kind to the victims, to my kids, to me even though I really don’t deserve it sometimes.” He opened his mouth to interject but she shushed him. “Not done here, my turn! I do want things to keep evolving, because I can see you being a bigger part of my life and being okay with all my quirks and by my side even when my brain has got me running in circles.”

He waited a beat, then asked, “My turn?” She nodded, fingers not stilling on his wrist, still giving him that pretty smile. “I can see that too, all of it. And I want it Morgan, I fall asleep thinking about it and have to remind myself at work that we’re not there yet. I want all of it, all of you.”

Her mouth is trembling, and he’s worried he said something wrong, but her smile hasn’t disappeared.

“All of me does include three kids and a Ludo. And all the chaos and stickiness that follows.”

Ah, he gets it. A lot of men probably aren’t too jazzed about three children. Hell, maybe once upon a time he was that same man but not anymore. They’re not her baggage, they’re her family, and she deserves someone willing to care for them as well.

“Sounds like I need to invest in hand sanitizer stock.” He joked, trying to lighten her fears.

“You mean you haven’t already?” She reaches out the hand not occupied with his own, smoothing the denim button-up over his chest, the one she said brought out his eyes, then popping his collar button free. “I didn’t know you owned sweats until you stayed over. The shock nearly killed me.”

His body relaxed, the nerves slowly draining to be replaced with the warmth of this quiet recognition and acceptance between them.

“They’re not exactly in the dress code. And I don’t have the legs to pull off skirts like yours.”

She grinned, blinking away the moisture that he’d watched gather in her eyes, and he hoped he had weeks and months and years to see her features express happiness over sorrow.

“I dunno, if your legs are anything like your torso, I think you could do it. Might start a riot in the bullpen though.”

Karadec chuckled, using his free hand to grasp hers where it lingered at his chest and throat, curling around and pressing it tighter to him. He wanted her heat to burn through him, mark him forever so he wouldn’t have a chance to forget this bright force welcoming him into her life and why he wanted to stay there.

“Hey, Adam? I’m going to kiss you now. Blink twice if you’re being held against your will.”

He stared determinedly at her, refusing to blink even once, as Morgan reduced the space between them and leaned in. He met her halfway, gripping her knee and hand, and pressed his mouth to hers.

Fireworks were for romance novels. This, this was real, lips pressing and melding in sweet union as he gently moved with her. He felt the slight tackiness from whatever lip gloss or color she’d put on, pulled back to lick it from his own lips so he could taste it and her, then went back in for more. He felt her clutch at his shirt, pull him even closer, then she was on his lap as his tongue delved in to taste from the source. Hands on her hips, his fingers dug in, massaging at scratchy fabric then searching for soft flesh to press and stroke as their tongues met and danced. Everything was moist and hot; she dug her nails into the back of his neck, having abandoned his shirt, then scratched up into his hair and Adam groaned into Morgan’s mouth as she ran them through his short curls. Her nails and mouth pulled it from so deep within him, he was pretty sure it came from where their pelvises were pressed together.

He lost what felt like hours to kissing her, his hands finally getting under her blouse and rubbing at her skin. He could get lost in her skin, her mouth, stroking up to her bra strap and back, sucking the breath from her as they joined and retreated, joined and retreated. She smelled like vanilla and oranges, not from some cheap extract used for baking but fresh, like the beans that needed to be pressed and oranges picked from a tree. Vibrant, alive, and he had to taste more, feel more. Already missing her mouth as he moved on, he suckled along her jaw to where the smell lived at her throat, laving his tongue across the cords of her neck and delicately sucking. Her pants were loud in his ear, whimpers joining them as he moved lower to feast on the join of shoulder and throat. 

Adam had to take in even more. Carefully, he pressed his teeth into that spot and bit down, not enough to leave a mark, no, he didn’t want to hurt her, but the indents of him would redden and remain for a few minutes. Her moan was beyond satisfying, hitting him directly in his straining erection that pressed into the crux of her thighs. If he was a more controlled man he wouldn’t have bucked into her at the sound, but he wasn’t, and he did. Gripping maybe a little too hard he pulled her hips down onto himself and held while he licked at where his teeth dug into her.

“God, Adam, bedroom,” She exhaled across his hair where she gripped him back just as tightly and pulled at his hair, sending more delicious zings down his spine. 

He released her, pressing open mouthed kisses to the mark he’d left, and tried to find at least one brain cell. He needed it to speak, to let her know how much he wanted her but didn’t want to press too far too fast. She seemed to understand, not pressing him for anything, but stroking from the crown of his head down his neck, fingers sliding inside the back of his shirts to scrape over the skin there. Adam wanted them to bite in, make him bleed for her, mark him permanently because he wanted everything and anything she would give him.

“Bedroom,” He repeated into her bared shoulder, absently kissing it again. Morgan rocked in his lap, restless, hopefully feeling just as desperate as he did. But he had to know, “Is it too fast? I can - I can go, if you need me too.”

“If you leave this house any earlier than tomorrow morning,” She gasped as he bucked up again, chasing the heat in her core, “Tomorrow afternoon, I will quit in front of everyone and tell them you have a small dick.”

Choking down his laughter, he sat up to kiss her again, and again, starting to fall back into a haze of everything that was Morgan.

They both jerked as they heard a toilet flush, loudly popping the little world they’d created with only each other. He looked up, seeing her watch the hallway, waiting to see if a kid would appear. He moved to put her back on the couch, but she held on and shook her head, eyes never leaving the hallway.

“Night Mom!” Elliot yelled, and his door closed a second later.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Adam pressed his forehead into her chest. Even with the close call his erection appeared to have not gotten the memo, still pulsing eagerly in his slacks.

“Jesus,” He sighed, breath gusting over her blouse and making it ruffle in response.

“Nope, just me and you. No room for that guy here, or in my bed. Which is where we need to be like, five seconds ago.”

“Please tell me it has a lock.” Feeling restless himself he raked his short nails down her sides, just to feel her shiver in his arms.

Morgan gasped, planting herself firmly on his lap as if they could get any closer. The pressure was exquisite, and his surprised inhale caught in his throat.

“Best lock ever. We just have to keep it down.”

Scooting forward on the couch, he released her torso to grasp under her thighs locked around his hips. Planting his feet, blessing himself for never skipping leg day, he stood and only wobbled slightly as he balanced with her in his arms. He hitched her a little higher so he could get a better grip, felt her thighs clench high on his stomach and ankles lock on his butt.

“Music,” Adam muttered, moving around her couch and heading towards her bedroom, “Netflix, your pick.” His shoulder bumped into the doorframe, but he didn’t care. Morgan was fine, she was in his arms, closing the door behind him then muttering lock so he could back up and let her fumble for it. The click let him know the deed was done so he moved to the bed and set her on it.

More accurately, he set her down and was pulled on top of her as she refused to let go. It was not his most graceful moment, catching himself on his forearms and pressing her into the mattress. She used that moment of surprise to start on the buttons of his shirt, nimbly tugging them free. He didn’t want to stop her, but their legs half hanging off the bed would not be comfortable or productive for what they were aiming for. He reached behind him to unhook her legs, which she protested with wordless growls but settled when he whispered gonna get us on the bed. Running his hands up those bare, smooth legs, he grabbed onto her thighs just under her butt, dug his toes into the floor, and heaved her further up.

A little disgruntled with the inelegance of it, he focused on her surprise at how he was able to muscle her around. Morgan was a tall woman, slender and solid, and it wouldn’t be an easy task for most to move her weight as he had in the last few minutes.

“Holy shit, do that again.” She told him, propping up on her elbows, “That is so hot, the whole,” Morgan waved her hand at him and then away.

Adam grinned at her with no little pride, glad his physical fitness had the unexpected bonus of turning her on.

“Be better if you put something on. Then we won’t have to hold back.” He stated, nodding at the TV and working at his buttons, just a few left, and pulled the ends out of his pants to slip it off and toss it behind him. His white undershirt came next, thrown in the same direction, the sudden lack of clothes causing his nipples to pucker in the A/C.

She stared at him, taking in the now bared skin that she had only glimpsed a few weeks ago, clearly enjoying getting to admire him fully in the soft glow of her lamp. Her thighs absently rubbed together, she licked her lips, and crooked a finger at him.

“Morgan,” Adam drawled, “TV.”

She inhaled through her teeth then turned over, reaching for a remote on her nightstand. While she was occupied he took the time to handle the always unsexy business of removing his shoes. He couldn’t comfortably bend over or kneel so he had to sit on her bed, hip nudging her feet. The room brightened with the glow of the TV, colors changing rapidly as she navigated to something then turned the volume up to slightly louder than normal for one person watching a show in their bedroom. He pulled off his socks and noted she’d turned on a cooking show, then groaned as her hands slid over his shoulders and down his pectorals, petting through his chest hair and tweaking his nipples.

“Good enough?” She whispered, mouth brushing against his ear, blond hair sliding over his shoulder.

“Fantastic,” He replied, dropping his socks and reaching for his belt.

“Nope.” She popped her ‘p’, sending another hot burst of air onto his ear and causing him to wonder when they had become so sensitive. Her hands moved, nails dragging shivery sensations across his chest and down his arms as she tangled her fingers in his. “This is my present to unwrap.”

He closed his eyes and exhaled in a burst. Adam’s skin felt like it wanted to melt off him even though he knew her house was cool enough that he shouldn’t be on the verge of sweating. She did this to him, turned him all around and made him burn for her as she tugged his hands free and wordlessly urged him to join her on the bed.

They moved together, Morgan sliding back to give him space to crawl over her prone form as she welcomed him with spread legs and clutching arms.

Deciding he had been much too long away from her mouth, he sunk his weight onto her just enough to pin and kissed her again and again. Their mouths were urgent in their desire, nipping and sucking at each other wetly. She held him tightly, undulating against his half-naked body and hooking a leg around his to keep him there. She had him groaning and thoughtless above her, lost in the sensations of her mouth on his and hands roaming over his back to pet and scratch. When she snuck them under his loosened pants to grip his ass he bucked, hard, into her core and rubbed himself there in mimicry of what they were about to do.

“Fuck, clothes,” He panted into her mouth, shifting his weight onto one arm so he could unbutton her blouse somewhat successfully and part it with one large hand. He was unsurprised to find her bra matched it - if the woman matched her colorful eyeliner to her nails, why wouldn’t she do the same with her underwear?

He slid down, mouthing at her cleavage and licking from one breast to the other to distract her from his hand sliding under her to undo her bra. It was pretty, but it had to go. It had been a while since he last did this, but thankfully the required motion was almost like riding a bike and he was able to complete the mission. Pushing himself up on one hand, he helped her remove the shirt and bra and toss them aside.

Adam held himself up with both arms so he could stare at her bared form. Sleek arms, toned from carrying children and all the cleaning jobs she’d done, up to slender shoulders and down to breasts slightly more than a handful. They were gorgeous to him, full and tipped with dark pink nipples that he had to taste, so he did. Adam traced their shape with his tongue, sucking kisses around their fullness, feeling Morgan grip his hair in one hand to push and pull at him like she wasn’t sure where exactly she wanted him to go next. Her moans rang in his ears and he finally took one of those nipples in his mouth to gently suckle, nibble, then lave across. High pitched whimpers began to spill from her and he let go to wordlessly shush her and start all over on the other breast as she bucked and pulled at him.

“Clothes!” She gasped, nails digging into his side where she held on with her other hand.

Adam hmmm’d around his mouthful and gave it one last kiss. He ran a hand from her shoulder to her stomach, skipping around her flushed breast to thumb at her navel. It was hard to see, but he could feel small imperfections in the texture of her skin around her navel, and he followed them almost to her hip.

“Stretch marks,” She whispered, stilling, “Three kids y’know? All natural too, not that that’s really something you want to hear right now.”

He didn’t have any words for her, so he slid down and pressed his mouth to those marks, giving them as much attention as her breasts. Maybe they weren’t sexy to other guys, but he wasn’t other guys and Adam admired strength in all its forms. A kiss, a nibble at her cute belly button, running the flat of his tongue along the length of one zig-zagging line. She giggled as he ran his nose over the hip he ended at, bared by their exertions. When he was blocked by her skirt, he remembered he had a task and set to finding the zip, eventually discovering it was hidden by a fold of fabric. He pinched the tiny zip pull and eased it down, not wanting to accidentally tear it and have her rip him a new one instead of letting him inside. He’d seen how pissed she got when a uniform accidentally spilled coffee on one of her favorite pants, it hadn’t been pretty.

Adam sat up on his knees to move her legs, holding her ankles in one hand and raising them up so he could slide the skirt off and throw it somewhere, then take one in each hand and spread them again so he could admire what was revealed. Damn if he hadn’t guessed right; her thong matched her outfit too.

He stroked up her legs, finding a spot right by her knee that she had missed while shaving and smirked. It was nice to know that she wasn’t as perfect as she liked to appear. He didn’t linger on it, moved on to firmly press into her thighs as he moved up, massaging into the tense and twitching muscles. But he couldn’t resist teasing himself, or her, so he slid his fingers under the thin straps low on her hips and slid the scrap of fabric down, realized he couldn’t take them off, and had a fuck it moment where he wound the fabric in his fingers and ripped.

“You didn’t,” Morgan gasped, sitting up and staring at where he pulled the ruined underwear off one leg and threw it over his shoulder.

“I did.”

“Do you know how expensive good underwear is Adam? And what a pain in the ass it is to match colors when you’re not buying a set?”

“I’ll buy you a new one.”

“I will hold you to that Adam Kara - oh! Oooohhhh,”

She trailed off into moans, his mouth firmly planted on her pussy and licking at her wetness like a man coming out of the desert. Her legs locked around his shoulders, thighs pressed to his ears, and she strained up into the sensations. Attentive to what caused her to twitch and gasp, he traced around her nether lips then pointed his tongue to go as deep inside as he could before licking her walls and moving to her clit. Suckling on it gently caused her to spasm, running his tongue around and then over brought forth a string of curses that she muffled, and carefully nibbling those smooth lips had her squeezing her thighs and raking her nails down the crown of his head. Adam decided he would happily suffocate right here so long as she kept up those sounds and he could eat up her juices.

A change in her pitch, going higher, and he lifted his head as far as he could to look up her body. She’d thrown her arm over her face, trying to quieten her music in the crook of her arm. He absently wished she could be as loud as she wanted, as he wanted, but was also glad she had remembered that her children were just across the hallway. The view was great though; he dipped his head to lick at her again and watched her breasts jiggle as she twitched and her breath hitched.

“Please,” Came her breathless pleading, then utter filth spewed forth as he returned to her pussy.

Licking, sucking, plundering his tongue as far as he could inside of her, he urged her closer and closer to her peak. Morgan was a livewire, electric under his mouth and hands as he ate her out and ran his own trimmed nails from her thighs to her hips and back again. Then changing tactics and reaching around to rub her ass cheeks just to feel the flesh mold to his hands. Absently, he remembered his own erection as he realized he was humping her bed and felt no shame since she was too lost in her pleasure to see his own mindless rutting. He doubled down, sucking her clit a little harder, taking one labia into his mouth to replace her juice with his own saliva, and then tucked his arm under him so he could run his fingers in the mess they’d made and slide two into her hot core.

All it took was some firm rubs against the front of her walls and careful scissoring. It blew Morgan apart; her body locked up, she was silent for two interminable seconds then let out the deepest groan yet. Goosebumps broke out over his body as she trembled, rocking into him to prolong the orgasm, and he stopped moving his fingers within her to let her take what she needed while leaving his mouth pressed to her clit to provide whatever pressure she craved.

Eventually, she slowed, then stopped, and her legs fell to the side. Adam gently licked around his fingers, cleaning up her leaked spend, enjoying the shivers of aftershocks that pulsed through her body.

“Holy shit,” Morgan breathed, and he looked up to find her arm had fallen to the side and the other had released his head to lay across her stomach. “We’re doing that again. Later.”

“I’ll pencil you in,” Adam replied against her pussy, pressing a last kiss to her sex and easing up her body. “Can I pull my fingers out?”

“Just a sec,” He felt her flutter against said fingers, a lighter motion from the intense clutching of her orgasm, then relax. “Okay.”

Slowly he pulled them free, finding pleasure in her hitched breaths as she released him. Waste not want not, he thought, bringing them to his mouth and licking them clean. If a person were to think about it, it didn’t make sense for a guy that carried around hand sanitizer to enjoy licking his partners fluids. But often life didn’t make sense, and Adam enjoyed giving his romantic partners pleasures in just about any form and reveled in the textures and flavors, especially those of the most intimate source. To him, Morgan’s musky, salt-tinged juice was a treat he didn’t want to miss.

“Best foreplay ever,” Morgan told him, watching with half-lidded eyes as he industriously cleaned her off his fingers. “Your turn.”

She reached out, grasping his belt with slightly trembling fingers and worked it free to unbutton and unzip him. She tugged at the waistband of his pants and briefs and he realized that if things were not going to be uncomfortably pinched and moved he’d have to remove them himself. Easing over the leg at his side, he lay on his back and pulled his pants and underwear over his very angry dick, having to peel his underwear off the wet head, and slid them off, kicking them to the floor. Morgan turned to face him, tossing a leg over his and sliding close to rest her head on his shoulder and pet at his chest, brushing through the hair and running her nails in senseless designs over his skin. Adam adjusted his arm around her back to hold her, hand naturally resting at her hip to stroke and enjoy the closeness between them.

He turned, and like she knew what he wanted she tilted her head up and they kissed, tender after her release. He had to reach down with his other hand and cup his erection, press it against his belly as it did not enjoy being ignored for so long and throbbed needily in the cool air. Not that he felt cool - he was almost feverish, lower back sticking to the covers with sweat and more dripping from his temples and the back of his neck.

Morgan’s hand trailed down his chest and stomach, pausing to scratch through the trail from his navel down to his groin, not having to go much farther to bump into the head of his dick and fold over his hand. She squeezed and he gasped into her mouth, releasing himself so she could take over. Morgan gripped him, not too tightly, and tugged down, sliding his foreskin and revealing the sensitive head to her thumb. It circled, spreading the precum that had been leaking and gathering for a while, spreading it over his frenulum and flicking over that spot causing him to bite at her lower lip and his erection to jerk in her hand.

“C’mon,” She whispered, easing her touch and sliding that devilish hand further down to trace her nails over his balls. His previous lovers had either ignored them or been too rough, so this completely new sensation had him twitching with confused delight and panting.

Morgan stroked him and did that tickling thing with her nails again, and Adam lost his head to the feelings she elicited from his body. His other arm reached over to run his fingers through her hair, blond strands contrasted sharply with his skin tone, and he tried very hard not to pull as he spasmed when she hit a sensitive spot or gave a particularly vigorous stroke from root to tip.

Already over-primed, he had to pull himself away from her and grip her hand in his over his dick to stop her.

“Too close, just a minute,” He gasped, breathing ragged and body on fire.

“Just say when,” She replied, “Especially since my arm is about to fall asleep.”

“Shit,” Adam sat up, pulling her with him and nudging her hand off his erection. “Sorry, caught up in the moment.”

“It’s no big, is it really good sex if something doesn’t end up in an awkward position?” She posited, shaking the arm she’d been laying on out.

“No idea,” He closed his eyes and tried to just breathe and come back from the edge.

“You want to be on top or shall I?”

He chuckled and groaned; Morgan was such a turn on and so damn hot he felt like he would burst into flames from being so close.

“Condom first, then whatever you want.”

“Uhhh…” He opened his eyes, finding hers wide open and blinking rapidly.

“Please tell me you have condoms Morgan,” He pleaded, “I didn’t exactly expect this and come prepared.”

“Well,” Her voice raised in pitch, looking around her room, “I didn’t either? I mean, there’s always the morning after -“

“No, no, we will be responsible.”

“Well…” She trailed off, then scrambled up the bed on hands and knees, elbowing him in the back on the way.

Morgan dug through the drawer of one nightstand, dumping hair ties, lip balm, a bottle of lotion, and papers. She made a sound of disgust, then moved over to the other one. Despite the situation, Adam admired her ass shaking in arms reach, the firm globes swaying from side to side as she rifled through her things.

“A-ha!” With her victorious cry she held up a little square and rejoined him. Flipping it over Morgan squinted in the soft light, then grinned a Cheshire cat grin, “And it’s not expired! We’re all set big guy.”

Adam shook his head and huffed a laugh, telling her, “Next time we will be prepared, we just got lucky.”

“Oh, you’re about to get lucky all right,” She pressed the condom into his chest, waiting for him to take it and then trailing those fingers down his chest to rub at his nipple. It peaked at the attention, and while he wasn’t generally sensitive there Morgan apparently had sensual powers he’d never been exposed to.

He grabbed that tempting hand, brought it to his mouth to kiss and nip, then guided her to laying down so he could get back to kissing that smart mouth she wielded to great effect. He spread her legs with his knees and balanced on his arms, cradling her head in one hand and stroking her shoulder with the other. Morgan wrapped back around him like a particularly clingy octopus, running a foot up the back of his leg, pawing at his ass, digging her nails into his shoulder and loosing noises that would make a professional hooker blush. Adam trailed his mouth down her jaw, remembering how much she liked the attentions he’d given her neck and doing it all over again. Unfortunately, whatever perfume she wore had faded, but he could still catch whiffs of it as he nibbled and sucked. Then he had to revisit her breasts, they were so close after all, so he scooted lower and paid his dues there as well. Nipples were worked into hardness and he might have left a bruise or two on those mounds in his excitement.

Morgan smacked his shoulder, panting, and looked over at where he had dropped the condom. Taking the hint, he sat back on his heels and grabbed it, opening the package and stroking the rubber over his erection. Then taking the time to smooth it down as his own touch felt so good with her laying below him for his eyes to feast on.

“Hey, leave some of that for me,” She complained, nudging his hip with her knee.

“Don’t worry, this is all yours,” Adam growled, running his hands from her hip to her shoulders as he rejoined her. “Whatever you want.”

Carefully, he set his covered erection over her mound then moved his hips to rub himself over her scorching core. Doing his best to lubricate the latex with her own fluids, he took his time, and they caressed each other wherever hands could reach as they kissed again and again, not able to get enough of touching each other. He felt himself throb in the condom, and reached down to guide his tip to her, double-checking that they were both wet, and eased himself in her.

His breath caught in his throat, Morgan whined and clenched down on him, and he had to take his time and work in and out in increments to stretch her around him. Adam’s eyes clenched shut, focusing on the sensation of her surrounding him, opening for him, and his breath gusted across her throat as he tucked his face there.

Soon there was nothing else for him to give her, and they trembled in each others arms for wordless moments. Feeling like everything had slowed and warped to just them, Adam canted his hips and pulled out to just the tip, then smoothly entered her again. She sighed in his ear, tightened her thighs on his hips, and he had to reach down and hook around the back of her knee to get her to release so he could thrust. Rocking in and back out, Adam was finally able to go back to her mouth and swallow her sounds, licking and biting at her mouth as ardently as she did his. Sometimes they stopped, lips barely touching, just sharing breath and staring into each others eyes as he moved, and sometimes she pulled him closer to mouth at his neck with less teeth and more tongue.

Swept away, Adam rolled and bucked into her, the build he’d staved off earlier returning more intensely. Molten heat  flowed down his spine to gather in his groin, tightening his balls to the base of his erection to the point where they would rub against that space right below her lips and jolt even more pleasure through him. She seemed to enjoy it as well, rubbing back up into him and trying to clench him close with her pussy and her leg, despite his grip on her knee. Adam knew he was getting close, so close, and slid his left hand down between them so he could bring her off a second time.

Morgan’s hand joined his quickly, guiding his touch with how she liked it, then wrapped around his back when she was satisfied he could handle it. He was grateful, pressing a kiss to her cheek and trailing up to her temple which had dampened with sweat. This was saltier than her juices, and he eagerly lapped at the trails and kissed around her ear to find whatever sweat lingered there.

Adding a sharp jerk at the end of his thrust, it only took a few more thrusts with the assistance of his manual stimulation on her clit to bring her to orgasm again. Adam wheezed as she clenched hard around him, her walls pulsing, and it took a couple short thrusts for him to join her in completion, soft ah ah ah’s announcing his own orgasm. Morgan milked him as he tried to get even deeper, wanting all of him to be inside and covered in her warmth and scent.

Abruptly the sparks behind his eyes and intense pleasure waned, leaving him adrift for a moment. Except he had a gorgeous woman in his arms to lay with, so he carefully reversed their positions so Morgan lay across his chest. Her breasts pressed against him, ribs heaving under his hands as she caught her breath, and he soothingly trailed his own palm up and down her damp spine.

The sound from the TV trickled back into his consciousness, and he smiled at himself. He was about a hundred percent sure that had been the best sexual encounter of his life, he’d never been able to completely ignore external sounds before.

Morgan put her arms on his chest and placed her chin on them.

“Ten out of ten, would bang again.”

Hair stuck to her forehead, skin still flushed, she gave him a broad smile.

Adam groaned, pinching her ass and causing her to quickly muffle a squeal in her arms.

“You’re the worst.”

“Hey, that’s no way to talk to a lady after coitus.”

“I’ll make it up to you. I have to buy you some underwear anyway.”

“That’s right!” Morgan’s finger tapped his nose, and his eyes crossed as he automatically looked at it, “Lingerie and lunch, and you’ll be forgiven.”

“Deal,” He murmured, “Let’s clean up first.”

The Next Morning - 

Elliot woke up at eight-thirty, the usual time for weekends. Stomach rumbling, he wandered out of his room and to the bathroom, using it and then having to backtrack to wash his hands. Statistics over the amount of germs spread by not washing your hands flickered in his brain, so he got one more pump of soap than usual and sang ‘Happy Birthday’ twice before drying his hands.

He tripped on the rug in the hallway, catching himself on the wall, and went to the kitchen. Mom was already up, cooking something, but what really woke him was seeing Mom’s coworker sitting at the table, trying to feed Chloe in between sips of his steaming mug.

“Heeyyyy buddy, how’d you sleep?”

“Fine. What’s Detective Karadec doing here?” He asked, not used to any guy except Dad sometimes showing up in the morning.

“We had to do some paperwork last night and he was too tired to drive home.” She waved her spatula towards the table, “Take a seat, eggs are almost done.”

Elliot wandered over to the table, giggling as Chloe hit the spoon and knocked orange gloop onto her highchair tray. He saw the detective grimace, using a washcloth one the table to wipe some spots that had gotten on the kitchen table. Then Elliot got distracted by Mom putting a plate of scrambled eggs, toast, and bacon in front of him. He grabbed the ketchup she’d put on the table and added it to his eggs and toast, digging in immediately.

“The couch is really nice, right?” He said, half-chewed eggs falling out of his mouth.

“Elliot, chew then talk.” Mom told him, handing him a paper towel. Across from him, the detective wrinkled his nose and sighed.

“The couch?”

“Yeah!” Elliot paused, bacon in hand, “Where else would you sleep?”

Mom and the detective looked at each other, frozen, as she held a full plate in front of their house guest.

“Yeah! The couch! How was it last night?” Mom asked, plate clattering on the table as she went to the fridge.

“Uhh, great, really soft.” He watched the other man arrange his utensils around his plate, then go back to feeding Chloe.

“I hope Mom’s TV didn’t keep you up, sometimes she forgets and turns it up too loud.”

Elliot was fascinated when the man flinched, dropping the spoon he was about to dip in the bowl of baby food. He immediately disappeared under the table to grab it, and Mom quickly exchanged the dirty one for clean.

“Why are you so chatty this morning, I thought I got the bacon just the way you liked it?”

Elliot hadn’t noticed, and he took a large bite of his bacon. He nodded vigorously, glasses slipping down his nose, and smiled at his Mom. She’d placed her hand on her coworker’s shoulder, and he was a little surprised to notice that the detective only wore a white tee. Usually he was dressed up in suits, nicer than the ones his dad sometimes wore to work.

“What did you get into last night?” Mom asked, sitting next to the other man and taking the spoon from his hands to continue feeding his sister.

Distracted, Elliot hurriedly finished his bacon and started telling her about the history project he decided to get an early start on. He didn’t notice one of his mom’s hands stayed under the table, one of the detective’s suspiciously absent as well.

Chapter Text

Sunday -

“What’s he doing here?”

“Woah, manners!” Morgan exclaimed, glaring at her teenage daughter and wondering when she would finally confiscate that phone permanently glued to her hand.

Adam glanced at her, raising a brow. She shook her head in reply and he nodded, turning back to Elliot who hadn’t even paused his discourse on the California quail.

“But this is like the third or fourth weekend he’s been here! Woah, wait, Mom? Really?” Ava’s eyes looked like they were about to pop out of her head, which would be sad because then she couldn’t read texts from Ryder.

“Alright, we’re just gonna have a quick mother daughter conversation, okay? Okay.” Morgan got up from the couch and spun Ava around, pushing her back down the hall to her room.

She kicked the door closed behind them and watched the most dramatic of her children fall back on the bed, arms akimbo.

“You can’t be dating him! What are you thinking?” Ava shouted, smacking a hand on her comforter.

“Hey now, back the judgement truck up.” Morgan snapped, “If you want to discuss this then by all means. But if you’re going to be snotty and have an attitude you can just stay in here until that changes.”

Her daughter heaved another sigh, then smacked her head against the bed. Leaning against the desk, Morgan waited for Ava to gather her thoughts and speak sentences that weren’t vaguely insulting.

“I just, I don’t get it. You haven’t dated since Ludo.”

“Actually, I have.” Ava sat up, arms posted behind her. “I just never brought them around because they weren’t good enough for you guys. They weren’t keepers.” Morgan crossed her arms, glancing out the window through the half-pulled curtains. “They were nice enough, but they wouldn’t have fit in with us.”

“So what you’re saying…” Ava sat up all the way, playing with the rings on her fingers, “You’re saying Detective Karadec is a keeper?”

“Yeah baby, I am.”

Sensing that her daughter’s initial freak-out had evaporated, Morgan joined her on the bed.

“I’m not saying you have to love him or anything, but just be open to getting to know him. Well, know him better.” She leaned over, gently knocking shoulders with her kid, “You’ve never had a problem with him before, so what has to change?”

“Well, for starters, he’s not just your coworker now, he’s your boyfriend. Do you even call guys your boyfriend when you’re as old as you are?”

“Oh, hey, wow, way to hit me where it hurts,” Morgan joked, throwing her arm around Ava’s slim shoulders. “Let’s just say he’s a very close friend and save the boyfriend stuff for between us, alright?”

“Oh,” Ava smirked up at her mom, “That means you haven’t told anyone yet.”

“God, why are you so my kid.” Morgan groaned, “Yes, it also means I haven’t told anyone else yet. So Detective Karadec and I would really appreciate it if you kept your mouth, and your fingers, quiet on this until we say so. Capisce?”

“Yeah, sure. But if you get married I’m not calling him dad.”

She shook the arm around Ava’s shoulders, wiggling them both, then let go and stood.

“I didn’t even make you call Ludo ‘dad,’ you did that on your own until I told you about Roman.”

Ava rolled her eyes, “Fine, can I have breakfast now?”

“Oh gee, it’s already eleven, I’m afraid we’re no longer serving breakfast,” Morgan said, opening the door and heading back to the living room.

She returned to her spot next to Adam, dressed down in a dark green polo and jeans, still getting his ear talked off by her middle child. Somehow they’d moved onto deforestation and urban sprawl, though as she thought about it she found the thread that linked the two.

“Elliot, breathe,” She interrupted, “Better yet, take five, I’m sure there’s some great show about deforestation on Nat Geo.”

“But we don’t have National Geographic?”

“We can stop at the library today, go, pick some things out,” She waved him off and he immediately jumped up and ran to his room.

“Thank you,” Adam whispered, “It just feels wrong to tell him to shut up.”

“It’s okay,” She patted his knee and kissed his cheek, “Thanks for being so nice. It takes a while to learn how to divert him. Eventually he’ll calm down and have less verbal diarrhea with you.”

“Or he’ll be like that forever and you’ll have to carry ear plugs,” Ava commented, walking in with a half-eaten PopTart in her hand. “I just walk away when he gets like that.”

Morgan saw the moment he realized Ava must have seen her kiss him, eyes widening slightly as he glanced between mother and daughter.

“It’s okay, we talked about it, she knows. And she promises to behave or else she won’t have to worry about the internet anymore, because she will only be able to access it from the school computers.” She raised an eyebrow at her kid, serious about the threat.

Ava rolled her eyes, plopping down in an armchair.

“I’m glad you know Ava, it’s been a little weird trying to keep it from you guys. We just wanted to make sure things would work out before we told all of you.” Adam put his hand on her thigh, and she immediately placed hers on top and held it.

“Whatever, just keep all the old person kissing to yourselves and we’ll be fine.”

“Alright, that’s it, I’m cancelling your line and selling your phone!”

Wednesday -

Karadec observed Elliot mindlessly spinning in the desk chair Morgan rarely used, going one direction then abruptly switching to spin the other. He was clearly bored waiting for his mom to finish her conversation with the lieutenant. Chloe was still passed out in the baby carrier sitting on Morgan’s also rarely used desk, while Ava sat at the table in the break area preoccupied with her phone.

He hadn’t been around many kids, unless they were part of a case. Soto had brought hers around a few times but they were mostly grown at that point, teens in high school and already thinking themselves adults. Ava was just about like that herself, give her another year, year and a half, and she’d be an old soul.

Time around Morgan changed that situation; he’d seen more of her kids than any others. And he really needed to work on getting to know them better if their relationship was going to work out. She wouldn’t stay with anyone that didn’t make her kids a priority too.

He glanced at Soto’s closed door, unsure of how long they would be busy. Didn’t matter, he could take however much time he had and work on getting closer to Elliot at least. Good kid, overly chatty but he could work with that. Hell, he’d thought Morgan talked too much but had managed to work with her and eventually find it endearing. Nothing like some exposure therapy to change a person’s mind and create a bond. Hopefully.

“Hey, Elliot, you bored?” He called over, closing the file in front of him.

The kid shrugged but paused his spinning.

“Come on over and entertain me then, I’m bored. The words on this paperwork are starting to run together.”

He perked up, pushing the chair around the desks to sit next to Karadec.

“Have you had your eyes checked recently? You could be farsighted y’know. Or have asthenopia or presbyopia, which an opthalmologist can diagnose pretty easily.”

Smirking, Karadec replied, “I don’t know what any of that is but I’m pretty sure I’m good. Saw the eye doc after my concussion just in case.”

“Oh, well that’s good.”

Elliot didn’t say anything else, swiveling side to side and looking at Adam’s  desk and around the bullpen. The tables had turned, usually he couldn’t get the kid to be quiet but now he couldn’t get anything from him. Adam searched for something to say, absently twirling a pen in his left hand, then decided to start with something easy and open-ended.

“How’s school going?”

The boy shrugged, still looking around.

“That bad huh?”

He pushed his glasses up, then looked at Adam, a frown on his face.

“I got picked last in P.E. again. The other kids said I suck and they didn’t even want me to play but they had to pick me.”

Leaning back in his chair, Adam frowned as well. “That wasn’t very nice of them. Why do they think you,” He hesitated, not enjoying this adjective, “Suck?”

“Cause I do!” Elliot near wailed, falling back in the chair, “I can’t catch any kind of ball, sometimes I trip over my feet, and after like, five minutes I’m out of breath! I’m terrible.”

Nodding, Adam leaned in, “Well, you know you can fix all that right? You just need some practice. Has your dad ever played catch with you, or have you played with some kids at the park?”

“Well, I didn’t really like it when Dad tried to teach me. And,” The boy paused, shuffling his feet and staring down at them, “I usually play with Ava at the park. Not so much anymore, she’s older and usually too busy talking to her boyfriend.”

Ah, here was his in!

“Well, if you’d like to get better I can help. I wasn’t too bad at sports when I was in school, and I do have to chase down bad guys for a living. You don’t have to like sports to want to be more athletic. But, it’s up to you.”

He waited for a response, watching Elliot nervously look around. Adam feels for him, he’s not always been popular himself. There were even times when working on the force had been downright unpleasant when others took his drive to do great work as personal attacks against their own work ethic and disliked him for it. Even going so far as to point out any little mistake he made.

“I guess…” More feet shuffling, then touching his glasses, “I guess it wouldn’t hurt? Do you really think I could learn to catch a ball? Like, football or baseball, basketball?”

“I do. All those other kids had to learn just like you do. All they have is a bit of a head start.” A little tentatively, he reached out and squeezed Elliot’s shoulder, “And we can even do a little bit of running, not much, just something to get you used to it so you don’t feel so out of breath. Hey, you might even like it.” He squeezed one more time and let go, hoping he sounded encouraging instead of overbearing.

“Really?” Suddenly perked up, Elliot looked him in the eye with, was that a look of wonder? “You’d help me with all of that?”

“I wouldn’t offer if I didn’t mean it. We can start this weekend if you want. There are two conditions though, and I want you to remember them because they are very important.” Adam firmed up his tone, remembering his own father teaching him new things once upon a time. He waited for the kid’s nod of understanding, attention on him. “Okay, the first one is you give what I teach you a real effort. It’s okay to not be good at something when you’re learning, but if you don’t give it a chance and really try then you’ll never get better. Eventually, you’ll even hate doing it, got it?”

Elliot nodded, eyes wide and entirely focused.

“Good, and here’s number two, just as important as number one. Two, try to have fun.” The kid looked confused, so Adam continued, “If you’re having fun, it’s easier to learn. For example, with the quail last weekend. You got really excited about it and researched it on your own time right?” A nod from Elliot. “There you go. You wouldn’t have looked into it more if you weren’t having fun.” Adam spread his hands in front of them, in a there you go gesture. He let it sink in for a minute, then asked, “Do you think you can agree to all that?”

Elliot bites his lip, apparently thinking hard on what Adam just asked of him. But at least the nerves appeared to have settled as he wasn’t moving around like he had ants in his pants.

“Yeah, I can do all of that. Yes, I agree.” He got this look of determination that made Adam feel a little proud of the kid. “When do we start?”

“Well, that depends on what your mom has planned, but we’ll shoot for Saturday and see what happens, all right?” He’d promised Morgan he would take her out to dinner that day, and he had some errands, but he’d make sure to come through for Elliot.

“Okay, deal!”

Holding out his hand, the boy looked at Adam, and Adam smiled as he took that small hand in his own and shook it.

“What are my guys up to now? Not contemplating world domination are you? Wait,” Morgan raised her hands, squinted at them, then pointed at Elliot and then Adam, “You’re Brain and you’re Pinky, right?”

Elliot looked back at Adam, confused.

“Do you know what she’s talking about?”

He heaved a sigh, squirting some hand sanitizer from the bottle on his desk, “Yeah, I do, and it wasn’t a compliment.”

Friday -

“I know, I know, just give me like, two seconds and I’ll be ready!”

Morgan frantically piled items into her purse then ran over to Chloe, locking her into the baby carrier. The baby gurgled, kicking her feet and letting out a horrendous fart.

“Oh no, c’mon sweetie, Mommy doesn’t have time for this.” She pleaded, unbuckling her and lifting her up to check her diaper. “Oh thank God, false alarm!”

“Morgan, we gotta go, the scene is still hot and I don’t want Daphne and Oz working it alone.”

“I know, I know, just two more seconds!” She hurriedly re-buckled her child and grabbed the carrier, set it down to put her jacket on, then picked it back up, “Ready!”

She locked the door behind them and power-walked to the parked Dodge, opening the back door to slide in with Chloe sitting in the middle so she could hold the carrier. Karadec got into the front seat, buckling and checking his mirrors so he could pull out.

“And why do we have a guest today?” He asked, checking the laptop for directions to the scene.

“Because Ludo has a student this morning that couldn’t be fit in anywhere else. He’ll pick her up when the lesson’s over.”

Karadec groaned, then sighed in acceptance, “You’re lucky Soto is so easy-going. Other lieutenants would have you written up and bumped to another department.”

“Well, you can’t bump a consultant unless you’re firing them. Oh, yeah, I see your point.”

They discussed what little they knew of the case on the ride over, then got out to look at the scene with their own eyes when they arrived. Morgan passed Chloe off to Oz, just getting out of the car from his own drive, and ducked under the yellow tape to do her thing.

About ten minutes later she recognized the wails of her child, and sighed in mild frustration. Babies always picked the worst time to announce their upset, and she stood from her kneeling position to go see what the problem was.

“Don’t, I’ll check on her. You just,” Karadec waved at the deceased in front of her, “Handle that. I’ll send Oz over.”

Morgan blinked at his back, surprised. Sure, he’d been stepping up when it came to getting to know her children, but this was something else. He’d helped out with Chloe before, but never volunteered to handle her in the midst of a tantrum.

“Well that’s something,” Daphne commented from the other side of the corpse, “I have never seen that man volunteer to do anything involving a baby.”

“Maybe he got up on the right side of the bed today?” Morgan commented, diverting her attention from Karadec taking the carrier from Oz.

She did her thing, closely scrutinizing the body for anything and everything. Then she stood, analyzing the scene and asking the techs still processing evidence and taking pictures anything that came to mind. Gathering her own evidence and storing it away for later when she could talk it out with her team. Her favorite person to spitball off of was otherwise occupied, and while she trusted Oz and Daphne this scene had a lot more questions than answers for her to mull over. She needed the time to start putting some of the puzzle pieces together anyways.

Feeling like she’d observed all she could, Morgan slipped her latex gloves off and handed them to a tech, walking back to the other side of the police tape.

With ninety percent of her brain on the case, it took her a moment to realize what she was seeing. She blinked, just to make sure she wasn’t stroking out, then grinned.

Karadec held her little baby in his arms, not in the carrier, snuggled close to his chest. As she watched, he paced a few steps one way, then turned and paced back to where he’d parked. She saw his mouth moving, head bent down towards Chloe’s, and wished she knew how to read lips. She’d pay everything in her bank account to know what he was saying to her daughter right then.

She took her time approaching them, letting her new beau have his private time with her daughter. Morgan had trusted him with her kid’s before, knew he would be kind to them, but seeing this was a wonder. Adam Karadec, the man that sanitized after shaking hands with others? The man that kept baby wipes on hand any time he was within ten feet of her kids? From where she was standing, she must have done something right to have this man willing to be with her and welcome her children into his life.

“Having a good discussion?” Morgan interrupted, hating that she did it but not wanting to surprise him.

Karadec looked up, startled, then relaxed when he saw it was just Morgan.

“Yes, just thanking her for keeping her diaper clean while I hold her.”

She laughed, then reached out to take Chloe, “I’m sure she was very understanding of your dislike of dirty diapers. Go on, I’ve seen everything.”

He nodded, took one last look at the baby, then handed her over. As he walked off he straightened his tie and jacket, then slipped on some latex gloves from his pocket.

Hate to see you go, love to watch you leave.

Morgan giggled to herself and gently bounced her daughter in her arms, watching Karadec step under the tape and join Daphne and Oz. He frowned at them as they briefly conversed before he took his own time to look over the body and the area, speak to the techs, converse with the team, and then return to her.

“Daph and Oz will visit the next of kin, we’ll look at the paper trails while we wait for Ludo to pick Chloe up.”

She nodded, still smiling to herself, and eased her baby back into the carrier for another drive.

“What are you so happy about?” Karadec asked, waiting for her to pick up the carrier. She just smiled at him and walked to the car, a little surprised and warmed when he opened the back door for her. “C’mon Gillory, have you solved the case already?”

Morgan laughed, sliding the carrier in then following. Karadec closed the door behind her then rounded the car to get in the driver’s seat.

“Y’know, I think I have. I just need a few more pieces of evidence to get the whole picture.”

Karadec nodded, buckling in and adjusting the rearview mirror before starting the vehicle. He clearly thought she was talking about the dead guy, but honestly she was thinking about Adam Karadec and his new role in her life.

Monday - 

Adam stepped into the cafe, looking around to see if the man they were supposed to meet was already there. Morgan stepped in a second later, hip-bumping him, and looking around for herself. He didn’t spot Ludo anywhere, and neither did Morgan apparently as she greeted the hostess and asked for a booth for three. He followed the two women to a spot near the middle of the building, thanked the hostess for the menu, and tentatively touched the table surface. Finding it sufficiently clean, he set his menu down and perused it as Morgan settled in beside him and went through her purse.

“I know we agreed to discuss this with Ludo, but is there a reason why we’re using our lunch break to do so?” He asked, absently trying to decide between the cobb salad and grilled chicken with steamed vegetables.

“Because it was convenient for everyone, obviously. And we only have an hour so if things get awkward we have a reason to bolt.”

He nodded, finding the reasoning sound, but still feeling a bit miffed that she surprised him with it today.

“A little notice would have been nice is all,” He mildly complained, deciding on the cobb salad. It wouldn’t sit too heavy on him if they suddenly caught a case.

“I told you this morning, that’s almost four hours of notice.” She shoved items back in her purse and pulled out her phone. “Oh, he should be here in a few!” She tapped at the screen, probably replying to Ludo and telling him they were already there.

Their waitress came by and introduced herself, they gave her their drink orders and Morgan ordered for Ludo. Adam figured it made sense she knew what the other man would want, having been together for so long, and he felt a little jealous that these two knew each other so well.

Before he could linger on it, Ludo entered the cafe, baby carrier in one hand. Morgan stood and waved at him, and Ludo waved back and headed over. Adam clocked the moment he was noticed, the other man stutter-stepping with a look of confusion. It cleared quickly, and he took a seat across from them with Chloe happily waving her knitted hat around.

“Heyyy,” He said, still looking confused but otherwise comfortable.

“Thanks for coming!” Morgan said, smiling at the other man and then reaching over to tickle her baby under the chin. “We just wanted to run a few things by you and thought lunch would be perfect.” She sat back down, edging a little closer to Adam as she adjusted herself.

“You did?” Ludo questioned, glancing at the menu then at them both, “Wait, the department isn’t firing me, right? Cause I don’t technically work for them even though they’re paying me.”

She laughed and Adam sighed, “No, you’re not being fired. Your manny status is safe.” He kept it at that, deciding to let Morgan take the lead since she’d arranged this whole get-together.

“Oh, thank goodness. The only thing better than being a dad is getting paid for it.” He chuckled in relief, picking the menu up and browsing with more concentration.

When the waitress came back with their drinks they were ready to order. They handed over the the menus after, and Morgan got the conversation started by asking how the kids were that morning. Ludo told a cute story about Ava getting embarrassed when he began to interrogate Ryder about his intentions towards his little girl. Ava had gotten overly flustered and hurried her boyfriend off before her step-dad could really get into it, yanking Ryder behind her as she stormed towards the school, Elliot giggling behind her.

Adam mostly nodded along, chuckling as he imagined Ava’s look of horror during the interaction.

“So anyway, what did you need to run by me?” Ludo asked, wiping the drool off Chloe’s chin with her light weight blanket.

“Remember how we agreed to introduce new significant others to each other if we thought they would become a part of the kids’ lives?” Morgan stated, then sipped at her iced tea.

“Yeah, of course. But what does - oh!” The other man blinked, realizing what was being said, and stared at Adam for a minute before staring at his ex. “Oh.”

And that’s when the waitress returned with their meals, setting down plates in the midst of the awkward silence and asking if there was anything else they needed. Everyone replied that they were fine, and she smiled at them all before turning to assist some other customers.

“That’s all you gotta say?” Morgan asked, stuffing a pickle back into her Cuban sandwich.

“Congratulations?” Ludo replied, squirting ketchup on his plate and salting his fries, “I mean, I’m glad you two have, uh, come to an understanding? Won’t this get you into trouble though?”

Stabbing at his lettuce and toppings, Adam replied, “Not so long as we notify HR. Technically, as a consultant Morgan only has to follow certain rules and restrictions. Fraternization policies are specifically for officers and detectives working in the same department, or of different rank, or both.” He ate his bite and met Ludo’s look with an even stare.

“That’s, that’s good. Sorry,” He sighed, shaking his head, “I always expected Morgan to move on but it’s a little weird for me to find out it’s you. No offense.”

“None taken,” Adam replied, taking another bite.

“What’s so weird about it?” Morgan asked around a bite of her sandwich.

“You’re just very different people from what I can tell. But you are kind of your own special category.” Ludo chuckled.

“Damn skippy, don’t any of you forget it!”

The conversation paused so they could eat some more and let Ludo process the change. The sounds of the other customers a steady background to their meal along with Chloe’s occasional baby-talk and spit-bubbles.

“Have you told the kids yet?” Ludo asked, brushing off his fingers over his plate to put Chloe’s dropped hat back on her head.

“No, but Ava figured it out already. She’s pretty oblivious until you actually want to keep something from her.” Morgan rolled her eyes and grinned, winking at Adam. He felt his earns burn at the remembered close call after the teen’s exclamation right in front of Elliot, and the occasional sly comment. Thank God that kid could be oblivious when it really counted.

“Okay, so are you thinking family meeting?” Ludo posited.

“Family meeting?” Adam asked, not having heard about that before.

Morgan interjected, “Yeah, it’s what we do when we have big news or need everyone on the same page about something. Presents a united adult front and all that. Though I guess we’re about even now, three adults and three kids instead of two to three.”

“Does it count when one of them can’t talk?” Adam pointed at Chloe, staring off to the side with her mouth wide open.

“It counts,” Morgan and Ludo stated at the same time, then, “Jinx!”

Entertained in spite of himself, Adam smiled and stirred the dregs of his salad. He could see why they’d been together for as long as they had, and wondered what finally caused them to separate. He hadn’t asked, Morgan hadn’t offered, and he figured eventually it would come out. But for now it wasn’t something he needed to know, nor was he particularly worried about it.

“How are you handling the kids, Detective?”

Pulled from his musings, Adam looked up to find Ludo’s attention on him.

“Please, if I’m not at work just call me Adam,” He said, wanting to get on good footing with her ex, “I think I’m doing okay. Haven’t had much practice so it’s a bit of a learning curve, but they’re great kids.”

“That sounds like code for ‘I’m in over my head and trying to make the best of it’.” Ludo laughed, “Don’t worry too much, the only hard one will be Ava. Fifteen going on thirty, boyfriend, and acts like her life is so tough.” He shook his head, the affection for his step-daughter clear despite the words themselves. “She’s great though, I swear. Just be careful with them, they’re precious to Morgan and I.”

As if in agreement, Chloe burped and Ludo turned to make sure nothing had come up with it.

“I’m not going to tell you not to worry, but I can promise to do my best.” Adam reached out under the table and lay his hand on Morgan’s thigh, the words for her and Ludo. “I will make mistakes, but I plan to stick around and correct them when they happen.” He gently squeezed her leg, and glanced at Morgan. She was smiling down at what was left of her chips, and he saw and felt her hand come over his own and grip it tightly.

“Good. Cause if you don’t you know Morgan will eviscerate you and have the evidence point to someone she hates.”

“I have no doubt,” Adam replied, turning his hand up to hold hers.

Thursday -

Lieutenant Soto had that stern look on her face that meant she was either about to chew someone out or calmly point out how horribly they screwed up and then show them the door. Karadec had known her long enough that the third option of just trying to scare them before expressing her positive opinion was incredibly unlikely. But he hoped for it.

“Why did I have to find out about this from Human Resources instead of from my own detective and consultant?” She asked, tapping her fingers on her crossed arms.

“Well,” Morgan’s voice pitched up, probably as upset as he was that they hadn’t beaten the paperwork to the punch, “We did catch that dead football guy a few days ago and were all caught up in the crime-solving thing. We wanted to tell you after we filed the paperwork but, y’know, dead famous football guy.”

Karadec groaned, “He won a Heisman in his sophomore year, Morgan, of course he was famous.”

“Yeah, I know what that means but it still isn’t exactly newsworthy to me.”

“It was newsworthy to everyone, that’s why it was on the news!”

“ESPN does not count in my house, you know this.”

Soto cleared her throat and they both guiltily returned their attention to her. She continued to stare them down, then moved over to her office chair and slowly took a seat. Yeah, she may not get into the interrogation room all that often any more but she still had the skills.

“Morgan, we’re coming up on a year of you consulting with the LAPD, to great effect I might add. Adam,” Her eyes cut to him and he sat up a little straighter, “I’d hate for a soured relationship to influence any future opportunities that may come your way.” A few more moments of staring at them ensued, then she continued, “I don’t think I need to warn you what any kind of untoward behavior or perceived favoritism could do for either of you. Keep it professional in this house or I will make sure you do. Dismissed.”

Karadec quietly exhaled, getting up, and let Morgan pass ahead of him to leave.

“Just a minute, one more thing.”

Karadec’s shoulders stiffened, and he saw Morgan falter ahead of him then turn to face the lieutenant. He gave her a small smile of encouragement, then cleared his face and turned as well.

“Friday night, I expect to see both of you at our usual spot. I want to be the first to toast you both and wish you luck.”

Karadec couldn’t help his sigh of relief, echoed by Morgan behind him.

“Thanks Lieutenant, I -“

Morgan was interrupted by a quick knock on the office door and Melon sticking his head in.

“Hey, sorry to interrupt, oh, Karadec and the consultant!” He stepped into the office and pushed the door mostly closed behind him. “Just wanted to invite you to my party on Friday, Lieutenant. Plenty of food, drinks, and my mom won’t be coming after last years disaster.”

Morgan glanced at Karadec, and he widened his eyes and shook his head. Later? she mouthed and he nodded.

“You’re invited too Karadec. And Gillory, you can come I suppose, but only if you dress a little more appropriately, and there’s a strict no kid policy. Anyways, catch you Friday Lieutenant!”

Melon exited, and they all looked at each other.

“So,” Soto leaned back in her chair, “Friday good for you both?”

Saturday -

Her alarm went off and it took a couple of swats to finally hit the ‘off’ button. Mumbling about crazy cops and drunken Oz she slid back into the warm body behind her, laying her arm over the one relaxed against her waist under the covers. She interlaced her fingers with the hand cradling her and sighed in contentment, determined to enjoy this quiet moment before she had to get up and start the day.

It was a little warm with Adam throwing off body heat under the covers, but the whole being naked thing kept her from overheating. She was a little sore from last night, finding that a slightly inebriated Adam was also a more passionate lover. She’d definitely met his intensity though, and hoped that she hadn’t scratched him up too bad. Morgan made a mental note to look over his back and thighs when they finally got up.

As if he knew she was thinking of him, Adam groaned and pulled her tight to him, wedging his erection into her ass and throwing a leg over hers.

“Do we have ten minutes?” He asked, voice raspy in her ear. He kissed behind it, then licked, and it caused a shiver to dance up her spine and make him moan in response to her rubbing against him.

“Don’t know, but I think we’ll have to give it a day. You worked me over pretty good last night.”

He hissed, and she felt him sit up on his hip and urge her onto her back. Morgan blinked her eyes open, immediately finding his own dark brown under eyebrows furrowed in concern.

“I’m sorry honey, do you need anything?”

Morgan smiled at him, raising a hand and cupping his bearded jaw. She gently scratched at the short growth, which had also contributed some irritation to her thighs the night before.

“I’m alright, totally worth it. Nothing a little baby powder and an ice pack won’t cure.”

“An ice pack? That really works?” He asked, leaning into her scratching motions and tilting his head in a way that reminded her of a dog.

“Totally. Or if you don’t have one handy leaving your underwear in the freezer then putting them on.”

“Now you’re just messing with me,” He muttered, turning to kiss her hand and then leaning over to languidly kiss her mouth.

Morgan loved this. It had been so long since she’d had a man in her life that she could rely on and rock her world in bed. He’d been so attentive to her needs in the bedroom and out, and she realized she wasn’t worried about whatever big fight would eventually cross their paths. She could rely on him to stay, fight it out with her, then make up and continue on. She was pretty sure she even -

Adam backed off, kissing both her cheeks and burying his face in her neck and hair.

“I love you Morgan Gillory.” She stiffened in shock, “It’s okay if you aren’t there yet, but I know I am. And I know I may have just screwed this up but I couldn’t go another day without saying it. You deserve it, honey. You deserve everything I can give you and more.”

Still a little in shock, Morgan stroked his head, running her fingers soothingly through his hair. Not just for him, but for her, too. She used to throw those words out like they held no weight, but she’d grown to know better. His declaration made her heart hurt, but the good kind, like it was stretching to feel his love and make room for him there.

“I… I don’t know if I can say it back yet.” She whispered, “But Adam,” Gently, she put her hands under his jaw and urged him to look at her, “Know that I’m in this with you a hundred percent. And as soon as I know, you will too.”

They stared at each other, the sunlight through her half-closed blinds bronzing his skin and the shadows darkening his eyes. His open expression told her he understood, and he kissed her softly then lay on his side to pull her into his chest. Morgan snuggled in close, rubbing her nose on the skin of his chest and feeling the hair lightly tickle her.

Chloe started to cry, causing her to sigh.

“So much for ten minutes, huh?”

He kissed her forehead, smoothing his hand over her hair.

“I’ll get her. Take a second, we can find ten minutes later.”

She watched him get out of bed, finding his boxer briefs on the floor and standing to put them on, then grabbing a pair of sweat pants from his duffle bag by her closet. She couldn’t tell if she had injured him with the minimal lighting from her window.

“You still planning on going out with Elliot today?”

“Yeah, we’re gonna go to the park and try throwing a baseball. He had a bit of a hard time with the football, kind of big for his hands I think. I didn’t have time to get a smaller one so I thought we’d see how he does with a mitt.” Next he put on a loose shirt, clearly well-loved since she couldn’t imagine him otherwise keeping a piece of clothing with a tear in the armpit.

Morgan smiled to herself; she couldn’t think of anyone else she would want to teach her kid how to do sports. Or to pull her baby out of the crib in the morning, fighting their loathing of germs and gross smells, to change a diaper and then feed wet mush to.

“Sounds amazing. I hope we won’t need an ice pack for him too.”

“Nah, he’s not as bad as the other kids made him out to be, just a little uncoordinated. Some practice and he’ll be fine.”

Adam turned back to her, balancing on the bed to give her another kiss on the mouth, this one heated with tongue and teeth. Once done, he backed up to give her a smoldering look, then got up and quietly left the room.

Pretty sure the grin on her face was nothing short of shit-eating, Morgan lay back on the bed and reveled in the warm happiness that rolled over her, embracing the emotion and physical sensations.

She heard a wordless exclamation of disgust, and giggled. Yep, Chloe was making an impression, and if he was staying through that then he would stay through anything.