The Good and the Bad

Mon Amour

Chapter One

*~*~*~*

A large smile filled Olivia "Scout" Keltner's lips as she bounced her legs up and down slightly, gently jostling the three-month-old resting in her lap. The little boy stared up at his mother with his dark eyes wide open, random gurgles escaping his lips every now and then. Every little noise that escaped the infant's lips only caused the mother's smile to widen in amusement.

Only when she heard the sound of someone knocking on her front door did she look up from her son's face. From where she was sitting on the couch she craned her neck to get a look out the window that overlooked her street. Parked in her driveway was a familiar Cadillac Seville.

"It's open!" She called out, her legs never once faltering their rhythm.

"You know, it's not smart for you to leave your front door unlocked. We do live in Chicago." Antonio Dawson commented as he let himself in, quickly followed by his own children-- Eva and Diego.

"Now why would I worry about that when I have lovely officers and detectives like yourself protecting the streets?" Scout teased before turning her attention to the pair of Dawson children. "Your dad makes an awesome bodyguard, right?"

"I guess," Eva gave a small shrug of her shoulders as she took a seat next to the Keltner woman on the couch. "Can I hold, Mac?"

"Of course you can. Just be careful with his head," Scout warned her as she transferred the baby into the girl's arms. Once he was settled she allowed herself to get up from the couch and moved towards the stairs. "DJ, come down here! Tonio and the kids are here!"

The four-year-old's squeal could be heard clear as day by everyone in the living despite the boy having been playing up in his bedroom. The sound of rapid footsteps quickly followed as he hurried down the stairs as quickly as possible. His chocolate orbs darted around the room as he gave a large toothy smile. "Eva! Diego!"

"Careful, bubba. Eva's got Mackie," Scout warned her son as she watched him make a beeline for the couch. She easily scooped the toddler up in her arms, placing him in her lap as she reclaimed her seat beside the Dawson girl. With the boy comfortable in her lap she allowed her gaze to shift back towards her friend. "So what brings you three over? I figured you'd all hurry back home to Laura after work and school."

"We were on our way, but these two were missing their favorite officer," Antonio shrugged as he settled into the recliner while Diego sat beside his sister.

"Paramedic now," Scout corrected her friend. "Have been for almost three years. Might wanna talk to a doctor about your memory, old man."

"Hey, I've only got five years on you." Antonio reminded her. "And you're always gonna be a cop, we all know it. Even Boden's just counting the days until you come to your senses and join Jules and I back at the precinct."

"I wouldn't hold your breath," Scout rolled her eyes. Over the last few years she had grown more than used to this sort of conversation-- Antonio having never really understood why she had made the decision to turn in her badge and sidearm for a position at Firehouse 51. Especially not when it was a well-known fact that she had been close to being promoted to Vice alongside him and his partner, Jules. "Believe it or not, I prefer working with another Dawson."

"You wound me," he rested a hand over his heart despite the chuckle that escaped his lips. "Come on, I've known you since you were eight. We all know who your favorite Dawson really is."

"I've got two," a grin filled her lips as she wrapped an arm around the pair of kids sitting alongside her on the couch. "And neither are you."

"Told you I was her favorite." Diego grinned at his father while he let Maclean play with his fingers.