It Was My Decision

I woke up in a room that was not my own next to body that even if it was my room shouldn't be there. If it weren't for the face of a familiar someone smiling down at me I'm sure I would have been out of the bed and down the hall in 10 seconds flat. I smiled up at Don who starting running a finger down my cheek.

“How long have you been watching?” I asked
“Oh an hour maybe more” Don chuckled
“How attractive to watch” I rolled my eyes
“What do you mean?” Don asked
“Me with droll running out of my mouth probably snoring or even worse talking in my sleep” I said
“None of that you were curled into my side like a little cat” Don kissed my nose “So cute”
“So how did I end up here last night” I asked

Dad stood and looked at us both before sighing and throwing his hands up in defeat.

“Fine but Don if you so much as harm a hair on her head” Mac pointed
“I promise you Mac as a friend I would never do that” Don said
“Hay you two we going or...oh bad timing” Danny stopped surveying the situation
“It's okay Danny where done here” I said smiling

With in an hour we were in our usual seats at the bar on our second round of drinks, laughing and having fun.

“So you two huh never seen that coming I'm honestly we were all betting on you ending up with Sheldon” Danny said
“Sheldon? Well you aren't wrong we tried the whole dating thing didn't last long we found we're better off as friends” I said
“WHAT?” Don practically spat his beer out
“Seriously we went out for like a month I can't believe you guys didn't that figure out some Detective you are” I poked Don
“Oh he was busy looking at your ass when ever you walked away”
“Was not”
“Seriously Flack I seen you staring”
“Oh piss off Messer”
“Now boys play nice”
“Yes Mom” Both said at once
“So whose up for a round of pool?” Danny stood up
“Me and Flack winner plays Danny” I said
“Your on” Don walked off

6 round of pool and x amount of beers later and we were stumbling from the bar.

“Sucked in you two you have to work tomorrow”
“Screw you Messer” Don said
“Don you live closer can I stay with you please” I gave him puppy Dog eyes
“Sure babe lets get you home” Don wrapped an arm around my waist
“See ya later” Danny waved and walked off

I put one hand in Don's and walked to his apartment. By the time we got there Don had figured out which keep belonged to the front door he opened the door and dragged me to the bedroom. We stood there and kissed Don's arms around me and mine around him. Don moved away and began stripping he put away his clothes neatly before pulling on a pair of check PJ pants. I just stood watching.

“Are you going to stand there for the night?” Don smirked
“Where am I sleeping?” I asked
“Ah in my bed” Don pointed to it
“Oh right...what am I suppose to sleep in?” I asked
“Here” Don dug through his draw and handed me one of his shirts
“Oh it's spacious in here”
“Just put it on and climb into bed” Don laughed climbing into bed

I soon stripped and climbed into bed.

“Ah then you went on to snuggle into me and talk about how painful bras are before falling asleep” Don said
“Oh god well I suppose I've done worse” I shrugged
“I don't want to know” Don said “Anyway I was thinking maybe I could cook us a nice breakfast then we could swing by your apartment get you some fresh clothes before heading for work”
“As lovely as it sounds I'm sure Mac would kill us if we were late” I said
“I talked to Mac he said we could come in no later then 10” Don said
“Well in that case” I jumped on Don

I straddled Don's waist and began kissing him. He soon flipped us over his hand on my waist we were only kissing pressed up against us. There was a knock on the door that so rudely interrupted us Don got up to answer it, while I hid half behind him. Don looked through the peep hole before sighing and opening the door.

“Uh hay D... uh am I missing something” Sheldon looked past Don at me
“Oh Sheldon meet my boyfriend Don, Don this is my best friend Sheldon” I said both guys laughing at me
“Anyway Mac wants you two at the lab now we're short 2 people and we need the extra hands to canvas 50 potential crime scenes” Sheldon said
“Tell Dad to hold off for about an hour I want to look over the list maybe I can narrow it down” I said
“Okay dokey” Sheldon walked off
“Narrow it down?” Don said
“Well I would think that some of the places would be a little far from where the body was found plus I have to add in where the victim worked and lived”
“Well if it helps she was an at home mom” Don said
“Poor kids can't imagine what the husbands going through” I said
“She was single knocked up” Don said
“Poor kid”
“3 year old girl she's in protective custody just until we sort things out” Don said

I nodded and left to get dressed. Don and I were soon on our way to the lab, I went up stairs and called for Adam who came running.

“Adam my boy I need to put this places on the map in blue then had the victims home and the crime scene in red” Adam typed away “Okay now get rid of any places that are two far away from those locations”
“What are you trying to do?” Dad walked in
“Lower down the fifty to a managble number” I said “Adam get rid of all small orders such apartments that don't have a roof top garden”
“That leaves you with 30 possibles”
“Remove all elderly people”
“What if they have help?” Dad said
“Trust me the old man next door to me he loves his roof top garden the only time someone else touches it is when his away” I said
“And that brings the list to 20” Adam said
“Dad I think it would be best if we split the list and and check 10 each” I said
“When did you become head of the crime lab?” Dad asked
“Daddy darling I have to wonderfully smart parents and wonderfully smart friends not to mention my fathers good looks”
“Suck up” Adam said
“Watch you tongue Ross” I said
“Okay you and Don can take this group” Dad handed over a list
“But I wanted to go with Sheldon we make a good team” I pouted
“Fine you and Sheldon can team up” Dad said

I grabbed the list and bounced off to find Sheldon. I explain to him what was going on while signing out one of the cars. We headed of for the first place on our list while Dad and Don headed off for there first place too. On the way we all received a call from Adam.

“Guys the test came back on the soil who ever is using it has a dead animal or something buried in there garden” Adam said
“Excess Carbon?” I asked
“High amounts” Adam confirmed
“Okay so we are going to want to test the Carbon level thanks Adam” I said
“Just doing my job” Adam hung up

We set about going to each place knocking on the door, taking a soil sample and testing the surrounds for blood. A few times we ended up with false alarms when the people actually had a hundred potted plants that used the soil rather then a garden or when we would get a positive for blood on for the person to say there child had hit it or they themselves had hit it and giving us proof of it. We all grouped back at the crime lab with our lists.

“So anybody find anything” Mac asked
“Dad it's not that easy I'll have to run all soil samples where blood was found with out explanation” I said “Not to mention the blood samples”
“Well we have 4 possibles” Don said
“We have 3” I said
“I'll do blood while you do soil” Sheldon said
“Can I watch?” Don asked
“Sure” I said

Sheldon and I collected our samples and hurried to our individual labs. I had two machines running at once in a bid to cut down the time while Sheldon seemed to be doing the same. We were workind like mad. Meanwhile Don seemed to be deep in thought. At one stage he left only to return a few minutes later looking a little less confused.

“Are you consitipated or something?” I asked
“What?” Don snapped out of this thoughts
“You seem distracted” I said
“It's nothing just not quite use to watching youse running your tests its all a little confusing” Don smiled
“Do you want me to show you?” I asked
“Sure”
“First you take a small sample of the substance your testing place it in a test tube add the matching chemical in this case we're using a carbon detecting agent” I said “then you place it on this which shakes it all up then you move over here and place it in a slot then select the group your testing press start and off we go” I said
“Yeah none the wiser I think I'll sick to busting down doors” Don said
“You do that” I giggled
“That was cute” Don smirked
“WHAT” I shriek
“Seriously your giggle was cute” Don smiled
“Oh boy” I looked away from him

Things went quite. Don walked in and out a few more times. It took me around 6 hours but I finally got all the samples run. I was running the last one when Dad walked in.

“Anything” Dad asked
“Well unless Sheldon has matched the blood we still have 4 suspects” I sighed
“Can I have those possibles” Mac asked
“Yep” I handed them over Dad walked off

I stood up and had just walked out of the lab when a young girl came screaming down the hall. She ran straight into me and fell over. She began to cry so I picked her up.

“Hay are you alright sweetie” I asked “What's your name?”
“Lori” She said
“And how old are you Lori?” I asked walking back towards the stairs
“3” She held up 3 fingers
“How did you get up here?” I asked
“Through the big silver doors” She explained “I pushed a button and the room went up”
“Your parents are probably worried sick lets go find them” I smiled
“I only have a mommy she died” She looked down
“Oh well then who do you live with?” I asked
“I'm not suppose to say” She said
“Did some police men take you there?” I asked she nodded
“You haven't told me your name?” She said
“I'm Tanner” I said
“Tanner that's a funny name” She said

I walked into the precinct. A lady walked up to us and went to take Lori who gripped onto me tight.

“No I don't want to go I want to stay with Tanner” She screamed
“You can't” the lady said
“I don't see why not it's perfectly safe here” I held Lori tighter
“Tanner Lori's mother is our victim” Don said
“Your looking for the man who hurt Mommy” Lori said
“Yes I am” I said
“I saw him you know” she said
“Don stay here with this lady I need to find Mac” I ran off still holding Lori

It's didn't take me long to find Dad he was sitting in his office looking over the file.

“We have a witness” I said
“What are you talking about?” Mac looked up
“Tell him what you told me” I looked at Lori
“I saw the man who hurt mommy” she said looking at Mac
“Dad this could be it” I said
“I'll get a sketch artist” Dad picked up the phone
“Dad?” Lori looked at me
“That's Mac his my Dad” I said
“And where's your mom?” She asked I gave her a sad smile
“My Mom's dead too” I said
“The sketch artist is on his way” Mac said “Lori did you see what happened?”
“No I heard it” she said point to her ears
“Can you tell me what you heard?” Mac asked getting out a note book and pen
“The front door opened mommy told me to hide so I hide inside the cupboard a man starts talking he says if you give me what I you won't get hurt mommy was crying I opened the door a little and see the man but I shut it again and closed my eyes” She put her hands over her eyes “Then a lot of noise the front door closed then nothing I climbed out and mommy was gone”
“How long where you alone?” I asked
“I don't know I climbed back in the cupboard stay there and wait for Mommy but mommy didn't come then he opens door” Lori points at Mac “He took me out and gave me to the lady downstairs”
“The social worker” Mac said
“Hi you called for a sketch artist” a man walked in

Mac and I left Lori in his office with the sketch artist while we stood outside and watched.

“Dad she really don't want to go back into protective custody and we may have the man in a few hours” I said
“What are you saying Tanner?” Dad looked at me
“She's got no one left I want her to come home with me and Don” I said
“Have you talked to Don about this?” Mac asked
“No not yet but there is no way I'm letting her go with social services” I said
“I'm not going to stop you but a child is harder to look after then you think” Dad said
“I have everyone here to help me” I said
“Well look what they done to you I guess she would be better off here” Dad smiled
“Admit it your just as attached as I am” I said
“Tanner” Dad said firmly he sighing “Yes I am”
“Good now stay with her I'm going to talk with Don” I said

Dad just grunted and watch Lori. I practically ran back down the precinct and grabbed Don by the tie. I dragged him to a quite corner.

“We need to talk” I said straight out
“That doesn't sound good what about?” Don asked
“I want to adopted Lori” I said
“I love you but don't you think your being a little hasty” Don said
“She has no one Don and she really doesn't want to go back to child services” I said
“We'll take her home tonight and we'll see over the next few days weather we're ready or not”
“Thank you” I hugged him and ran off

I went back to Mac's office where he was sitting up at his desk, Lori on his knee. I smiled and walked in. Lori looked up at me and smiled.

“What are you two doing?” I asked
“Mac is showing me what you do” Lori said
“Well how about you continue that tomorrow” I said
“Tomorrow” Lori looked confused
“We're going home now” I smiled
“I'm going home with you” Lori's eyes lit up
“Only if you want to” I said
“Yes” Lori jumped of Mac's knee and ran over to me
“Well let's go then say good night grandpa” I waved at Mac
“Goodnight Grandpa” Lori ran over and kissed him on the cheek

Now just to adjusted to this new life I thought as we left for home.