Open Case File [COMPLETED]

A Step Forward

Donovan handed Kennedy over to Carter who set her daughter down on the floor and took hold of her hands. As Donovan disappeared into their room, Carter and Kennedy followed at a more leisurely pace, the toddler not one to rush about. By the time they made it into the room, Donovan had traded his suit for a pair of jeans and a hoodie. He smiled when he saw them waddling in.

"How's your back?" Donovan asked, eyeing Carter's bent over form.

"Well, I'll never be able to stand straight again but if I win the bet it will all be worth it."

"Somehow I believe you on that."

Donovan took charge as Kennedy's second in command, guiding her back through the apartment and across the hallway. After a knock, the door was opened by Link with Harrison slung over one shoulder like a sack of potatoes, laughing hysterically. Link grinned.

"Come to see what victory looks like?" he asked.

"No, we're here to look on the faces of the weak."

"Funny, come in."

As the trio entered, Maddy appeared from a hallway. "You know I don't know how this is going to affect their relationship in the future."

"They will have a healthy dose of competition in their blood," Carter said.

"Your daughter was always going to have that, this just feels like an overdose."

"As long as she wins then there is no harm in it."

Maddy shook her head and plopped onto the floor and Link lowered his son into her outstretched arms.

"Alright, we need to record this so Mason has proof," Link said.

"Wait," Donovan said, "when did Harrison start walking?"

"This morning," Link said, settling in beside Maddy. "When did Kennedy start walking?"

"This morning, at 7:46," Carter said. "Do you have an exact time?"

Link and Maddy exchanged looks.

"That's what I thought. Kennedy wins, Mason owes me fifty bucks."

"We need proof of this accomplishment," Link said.

Donovan let go of Kennedy's hands and she moved forward, one step following another. As if spurred on, Harrison righted himself and wobbled towards her, the two kids seem to try and reach each other. They were a foot away when they both staggered and fell on their butts. Their laughter was bright as if they were sharing their own joke.

Their parents looked on as they finished the distance between each other crawling. Harrison sat back while Kennedy used his seated position to help herself stand up. In turn, Harrison tugged on her shirt as if telling her to sit back down.

"What do you think this says about their future?" Maddy asked, lacing her fingers through Link's.

"That if he ever decides to become President we already know who will take up the position of Secret Service agent," Carter said.

They all laughed, thinking of how history would repeat itself. They stayed there admiring their children and talking, content to make predictions about their futures. They were still all sitting there when a knock came on the door. When Donovan opened it, Danny bounded in.

"Donny texted us, I want to see Kenny walk!" he shouted, excitement coming off him in waves.

At the sound of her uncle, Kennedy raised her head and let out a string of garbled nonsense. Danny reached down and hoisted his niece into his thirteen-year-old arms.