Just a little something! Enjoy!

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"Excellent works, Agent Owens," Director Townsend said. "If this operation goes well it could be the time we are able to bring down the Cutlass cartel for good." Townsend leaned forward on his desk, his brow inching together. "I want this operation to be clean, everything by the book. It might mean it takes longer but we need to nail this cartel. Understand?"

Carter nodded, lengthening the timeline in her mind to over five months.

"Of course, sir," she said.

"Good, I'll have you debrief the rest of the team tomorrow."

Townsend stood and Carter mimicked the action. "Good work, Owens."

"Thank you, sir."

Carter left the office, despite the hope she felt over what could be the biggest takedown in her career, there was a nagging sensation that she couldn't shake. As she walked down the hall to the elevators most of the offices around her were dark, some still held agents on the edge of a discovery and ignoring the clock to find it.

Through leaving and making her way home, Carter planned out the next steps of the operation, the agents she would request along with the other ones that had already been working alongside her.

When the elevator dinged and the doors opened onto her floor, she felt prepared for the next day and the five intense months that lay ahead. But as she walked to her apartment, something brought her up short and the confidence she felt wavered.

It was the sound of a bright laugh followed by a deep throaty chuckle. A smile was already playing on her lips as she opened the door.

Inside the apartment, Carter found Donovan still in his sweatpants laying on his back on the floor, Kennedy in his arms.

As he lifted his daughter up, her soft, black hair fluttered and another laugh was stolen from her. Toys were strewn across the floor and a pile of dishes were staked in the sink, but Carter could see nothing but Donovan and her daughter.

Quietly laying down her bag and shrugging off her jacket, she crossed over to them and settled down beside Donovan. He smiled at her presence, his eyes still on Kennedy. When their daughter's blue eyes found Carter's, a gleeful smile cut into her baby cheeks.

Instantly, she squirmed in Donovan's hold, reaching for her mother. Carter reached out and took her daughter, laying her on her stomach. Kennedy stretched out on a pudgy arm and played with Carter's mouth. Carter made a soft grrr noise and pretended to eat the tiny fingers. Kennedy shrieked with laughter.

"How was your day off?" Carter asked, still focused on Kennedy.

Donovan brushed a hand over Kennedy's head, ruffling her wispy hair.

"It was good, as you can see neither of us got out of our pajamas. We stayed in bed until she decided food was more important than me and we got up. She had a long nap and so did I. We played hostage take over and she handled the situation like a pro. She later used attack techniques to fling her peas at me. It was very effective." Carter laughed and Kennedy smiled as if knowing her bad behavior was being talked about. "She'll make a great agent one day."

"She will. It sounds like it was a good day then?" Carter smiled but there was a hint of sadness to it.

Donovan propped himself up on his elbow, staring down at Carter, a worried line forming between his eyebrows.

"What is it?"

Before she could voice all that was rattling around her mind, a knock came. Donovan gave Carter a look that said he still wanted to know and got up to answer. Link stood on the other side holding a black haired boy that had hazel eyes and his fingers stuck in his mouth. He was the spitting image of his father.

"I gave Maddy the night off," he said. "I didn't know if you wanted to all have dinner together?"

Donovan took a step back and waved him in. Wiping away the emotions from her face, Carter sat up and set Kennedy on the floor. When she did, Link lowered Harrison down. The toddler made a waddling crawl over to where Kennedy sat, shaking a plastic toy soldier. Harrison pressed one hand on Kennedy's knee and reached for the toy. In return, she crawled away with her treasure.

"What are you in the mood for?" Donovan asked, pulling out his phone.

"Anything edible," Link said.

After kicking off his shoes, he sank down onto the floor, lifting Harrison up and plopping him into his lap. The boy wiggled around until he was leaning against his father, a thumb stuck in his mouth.

"How's work going?" he asked Carter.

She turned her attention away from watching Kennedy explore to Link. Behind him, she saw Donovan watching her, trying to decipher where her emotions were at. Knowing it wasn't the time to talk about it, she smiled at Link.

"Really good. Got a lead on a case and it might be the thing to close it up. How is the firm doing?"

As Link talked, half to Carter and half to the son in his lap, Kennedy crawled to her father and gripped the bottom of his sweatpants. Donovan reached down and scooped her up, finishing up ordering food with her balanced in one arm. Content, Kennedy dropped her head onto his shoulder.

The pair together was a sight Carter knew she would never get tired of staring at.

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The apartment was dim, only a low lamp casting a yellow glow over the place. The stars were barely noticeable past the lights of the surrounding apartment buildings. Half the toys had been packed away and with the help of Link, the dishes had found their way into the dishwasher which now gave off a soft whirring noise. Carter followed Donovan into Kennedy's room and leaned against the railing of the crib watching as he gently laid a sleeping Kennedy down.

For a while neither of them talked, staring at their perfect daughter, memorizing the roundness of her cheek, the unruly hair that stuck up in the back and the chubby thumb that she stuck in her mouth. For the moment, they were blissfully happy, knowing nothing would be as precious as this moment right there.

Eventually, they knew their presence might make her wake and they slipped out of the room, easing the door closed. Tired, Carter went back to the family room, bending down to pick up the stray toys. Behind her, Donovan cleared his throat and she turned. He was leaning against the door frame, one eyebrow raised in question. Carter squeezed the stuffed toy, feeling the places where the insides had begun to stick out, Kennedy's version of play more demanding than most.

"Come here," Donovan said, stepping towards her.

Carter didn't know what he saw on her face but knew there was no hiding what she was feeling.

Taking his hand, she allowed herself to be led to the couch and pulled into his arms. She settled into the comfort of his hold, listening to the reassuring sound of his heartbeat.

"What happened at work?" he asked, kissing the side of her head.

"We got a lead on the Cutlass Cartel."

Donovan pulled away from her, beaming.

"That's fantastic, you could finally bring them down."

Carter nodded. The lack of enthusiasm sobered Donovan.

"What's the problem?"

"The problem is that the case now took a new turn and could have me tied up for more than five months taking them down and finishing up loose ends. Late nights. Travel."

Donovan nodded, understanding without her having to say it. But she said it anyway, needing to voice what was weighing on her.

"How can I...we be in a job that takes us away from our daughter for so long?" Sighing, she ran her hand through her hair, feeling older than she ever had. "This job is really important, this case is bigger than we've ever had before. But we know how hard it was for me growing up with my father always leaving and always putting himself in danger. How can I turn around and do the same thing to my daughter?"

Donovan cupped her face, his thumbs brushing her cheeks.

"I know how hard that was on you. And I would never want to do that to Kennedy, but we also have options. Options your father never had because your mother wasn't there."

Feeling strength just by his calm tone, Carter placed her hands over his.

"Those options are?"

A hesitant smile tugged at the corner of Donovan's mouth. "I leave work and stay home with Kennedy."

Surprised, Carter broke from his hold. Donovan dropped his hands, meeting her shock with a steady gaze.

"You would be fine leaving the FBI?"

Donovan let out a soft chuckle. "Carter, I have been working since I was sixteen, I would be more than happy to not work for a while. Especially if it means I get to raise my daughter." He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, his hand resting back on her face. "And if you wanted to do the same then we will switch roles. You can come home and I'll go back to work. She doesn't have to be without us. We have enough in savings to be fine and I can also consult for James. We can make it work."

Carter was silent, wrapping her head around a solution she had never even imagined. On top of it being a viable option, it also meant that she could do the same later on. She imagined walking Kennedy through her early teens, being there during the times her mother hadn't been. Donovan smiled, seeing the moment when Carter accepted.

"You sure you can take on that bundle of mischief on your own?" Carter teased.

Donovan kissed her, smiling into it.

"I couldn't be more proud than to stay home and protect our daughter."

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Ummmm...boo? 👻
(Yeah, I got no threats left in me. I'm threatless. I don't actually think that's a word but I am what I am!)

So!! A little explanation for you. I'm guessing most of you have already read the first chapter to the sequel, if you haven't well this won't make sense. But in the sequel Carter and Donovan have been apart from Kennedy for a while and it's crushing her inside.

Now we've all been with Carter for a long time, we know how hard it was for her to watch her father leave knowing he might never come back. So we (And when I say we I mean me) had to ask ourselves how could Carter do that to her daughter? The truth is, that it was never her intention. She wanted a career but loves her daughter.

This scene breaks down how Carter could have a career and love Kennedy, cause she would ultimately know that she would never leave Kennedy without a parent there for her. So really this chapter was me exploring the thought process Carter went through to be okay will still having a career.

Why are they both gone in the sequel? 😏 Well, that is a secret you will have to discover when I write it! And calm down! It's not even close to being written, I'm still working out the plot. But know that I plan to write it, I just want it to be written well and that takes time.

So! What do you think?

Donovan makes a pretty cute dad, am I right?

If you want to share a vote, comment, follow then I will happily accept it! ❤️