Bright and early the next morning, Don was at the gates of the house. They were open and he pulled into a space that always seemed empty next to Karens truck. He got out and Karen opened the house door for him. "Good morning, Don."

"Good morning." he said back matching her smile for smile. He walked toward her, noticing she was back in her jeans, T-Shirt and overshirt except this time she had on stout tennis shoes.

"Just in time. Have you had breakfast?"

"I usually don't eat breakfast."

"It's the most important meal of the day and we're big breakfast eaters around here. How about a cup of coffee, at least?"

"I'd love one." He got up to her and looked around before kissing her quickly.

"That's why I made sure the door was closed." Karen told him with a smile.

'A woman with a plan. I like that."

"Strategy. These kids will never let me hear the end of it if they catch me doing anything even remotely immoral after all the lectures I've given them. And I don't want to hear it."

"I'll keep that in mind." he snuck another kiss before following her into the house.

She smiled at him and opened the inside door. There were eight people in the kitchen besides Karen and Don. Barry was there looking just as sulky as the night before. Katie was sitting at the table eating from a bowl of cereal. She beamed at Don when she saw him. Everyone but Katie and Barry looked at Don. Karen walked over to the cabinet and got a cup of coffee, filled it and handed it to him. "Listen up, everyone, it's time for the morning assignments." The kids all groaned. Don grinned. They sounded so much like their adult counterparts. "Before we begin, I'd like you to meet Captain Don Cragen. He's going to be volunteering here when he can. Katie already knows him."

"You're Captain Heart, aren't you?" one of the girls asked.

"The one who asked that was BB. She has a quick mind, if only her mouth could keep up."

"Yes, I'm a police captain." Don said.

"He's not here in that capacity but that's who he is. Now, Barry you already know your assignment for today. That mess right there and then the chicken coop. BB you are taking the younger kids with pruning shears out to the back pasture and start cleaning up what you can. It's so far overgrown it's shading out the grazing. Just cut down what you can and Terry will come back out after lunch with the bigger kids and use the chainsaws to cut down the bigger stuff. You can all drag the extra branches over to the pit and get it started drying.

Molly, you and Katie can work in the garden with Charlene today because of your shoulder. Torrance, clean out the barns and get the loft cleaned out ready for the new hay, it'll be arriving next week."

"All by myself?" Torrance squeaked.

"Nope. Barry is going to help you after he's done in here." This caused a resentful look from Barry, that Karen met head on. Barry dropped his gaze immediately.

"What're you going to be doing?" BB asked with a sly look.

"I'm going to give Don the 25 cent tour and look for more things for you to do when you're done with what you have to do today."

"Keep her distracted, man." Torrance advised.

"Sorry, guys, I have a list a mile long. Torrance has been here for nearly five years. Have you ever known me not to have a list of things to do?"

"Aw, Karen." Torrance said.

"Does anyone have any questions?"

"What about those thorn trees?" BB asked.

"Take some gloves. If they're too heavy, just leave them and we'll drag them all over later. Tomorrow I want to go in there with the tractor and brush hog and mow that down. It's supposed to be warm today. Take plenty of water, sunscreen, and hats. Take breaks but not so many that you don't get anythng done."

There was a chorus of disappointed groans and Karen turned to Don. "Do you ride horses?"

"Never been on one."

"You just took all the wind out of her sales, man. Karen lives for someone to ride with." Torrance informed him.

"Quiet, you." Karen laughed at the kid. "We'll take the gator. Are you ready?" she asked Don.

"I'm ready." he said.

"Oh, sure. Take the good one." BB said.

"You don't have to take the other one. You can walk." Karen told her good naturedly.

"I'll get along alright." BB said quickly.

"Let's go before she tries to take away our boots, too."

The whole group of kids except for Barry traipsed out into the back yard and out to a large storage building. Karen pulled open the sliding doors and Don got his first look inside. The whole building was neatly sorted and organized. Chainsaws were handle side out along one wall, Sharp objects were hung above small hands reach and gloves were neatly stored in cubicles with names written on the front. There were four quad runners but two were covered with dust. One was an obvious choice with it's distinctive green and yellow paint job and the other was red and non descriptive. The two in the back were obviously not running.

The group was noisy and boisterous, but he understood their energy level. Karen was helping them make sure they had coolers full of water from a refrigerator stocked with dozens of bottles of them. "Don, can you help them get down the chainsaws. All the ones with yellow tags will work for this job." Karen asked.

"Except # 5. We started having trouble with it last week." Laslo said for the first time.

"You should have said something. I could have put it in the load to go out. Well take it out and put it in the repairs. It'll have to go next month. You'll have to be on the cleanup crew. Retag it."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Do you know anything about engines?" Torrance asked Don.

"I can tinker around with some things. I don't have many things to tinker with."

"We have a whole pile of things...That's great. Can I help?" Torrance stopped in mid comment and changed his tactic.

"Sure. I'd enjoy the company. We could probably get those back there running."

"Did you hear that, Karen? All four of them running." Torrance grinned.

"I heard, Torrance. Just as soon as you finish what you have to do, you can get started on it. If Don can teach you what he knows you would be a wonderful asset to any place you work. In the meantime..."

"I know, I know. Work first."



"And keep an eye on the time. Don't be late for lunch. BB, your crew especially." "We'll be there. Come on, guys."

In groups, the kids left and Don and Karen stared at each other. "I feel like I've been swept by the tide." Don laughed.

"They tend to make me feel like that too. Hop in and I'll give you a tour. There're things I need to show you so you'll know the whats and wherefores and whys."

"It sounds serious."



"It can be. It can get intense fast. We have fence all around the house, you saw that. We also have an invisible fence that is there for our guard dogs. We have six, actually eight, German Shepherds that have kennels around the back of the house off to the side there. Six of them are on patrol when we are under threats. They are former police dogs and I'll introduce you to them so they'll remember you're a good guy and they can be released from the house if we need to There's an electronic locking system for their pens with a back up generator. Two of the dogs are from outside breeding, but they have police training anyway. We use them also when necessary, but they both have litters right now. I'll wait until they wean to show them to you. The puppies are cute. We've had people try to break people out of here, people try to steal things and people who've threatened new arrivals here. We take security very seriously. I have weapons stashed around the place for backups, I'll show you where they are as well. We have a burglar alarm system that links to the local stationhouse with panic buttons all over the place. The whole place is wired. I show all the kids the panic buttons, but they don't know exactly how wired the place is.

We have a large supply of food and drink in the basement with outside access for weather and security, and the cell phones are kept on charge every night. As required by state regulations we have fire exit strategies posted and emergency lights inside as well as extra heat sources and firewood for the fireplace in case of a power outtage."

"It's a regular fortress." he joked.

"It can be. I hope to God it never has to be, but we're prepared if need be. Have you had much experience with police dogs? Handling wise?"

"Some, but it's been awhile."

"I have a list of some words posted outside the kennels that we avoid using while around these particular dogs. The kids have to memorize them before they're allowed to work with the dogs. The dogs are kept in a pen together and the new kids have to work with an older kid for at least a month before they're allowed out here on their own. Everything is a safety issue for us."

"I see that. What exactly do you want me to do here?" Don asked.

Karen pulled the gator over and smiled at him with a flirtatious smile. "Right now a kiss would be great."

"I think I can manage that." he said with a smile.

It was more than one kiss and it was a nice break in the day. Karen smiled at him after a minute. "I have to learn to control myself. You aren't here just so I can do that. But, I can't deny that it's a great idea."

"I'll see if I can't make time for that now and again." Don sat back with a satisfied smile.

Karen sped off again. The dogs were eating when they arrived and the water had been filled. Two were the traditional color associated with shepherds, one was solid black and one was silvery, the other two were solid brown. They sat on the floor of their cages looking expectantly at Karen and eyeing Don intently. "Hey, guys." Karen greeted them. The dogs got to their feet coming close to the doors to the kennel, but they didn't jump against them. "This is King and Duke, that's Cronk and Zoot, and then Mick and Turk." Two more dogs came out of the far end of the runs. These were obviously the nursing mothers. "And those two are Queen and Donna, short for Madonna."

"The kids named them?"

"They did. I let them submit names and then we vote. I get final choice though. I'm not naming one of the Moondoggie or something equally as hard to use as a command."

Don laughed. "I don't imagine they think of that when they think of names. How do you get these dogs?"

"I have a few friends who are in the canine units of the police department. If they hear of a dog that needs a home and is not suited for family life, they contact me and I bring them here. I have a network of people who are looking for dogs that they take for various reasons, but I make sure they're good people who'll take care of the dogs before they go out of here. It makes it easier for the officers to let go of them. Knowing their partners are going to be taken care of and be useful."

"Are they allowed to know where the dogs go?"

"If they want. That's one of the terms under which they take the dogs. If the former partner wants to come see them it's allowed. I don't have many that do it more than once, because it's too painful, but it has to be their decision."

"What do you charge for that service?"

"I don't. I want to do it. I'm not able to help the departments that want me to buy the dogs, but if they want to donate them, I'll do that. I don't resell them so I don't make a profit on them. Let's introduce you to them. Just stand still and let them sniff you."

Karen opened one kennel at a time and controlled the dogs with her voice. They crowded close sniffing him and she watched them closely. "Be nice." she told them. In a few minutes they left him and crowded close to her. She squatted down and hugged them and loved on them for a few minutes, talking to them in a friendly voice. They knocked her down with their exuberance and she laughed when they went for her face with huge lapping tongues. "Okay, okay, I love you guys too. Back off." she smiled and got up again, dusting off her clothes. "Inside, you guys."

She repeated this with the other two kennels and received similar treatments. Don envied her carefree attitude. He came over to stand by her when they got to the final pens with the two nursing bitches. "These I'll take out one at a time. They're more protective and I want to make sure they're okay with you. Are you ready?"

"I'm ready."

"Just relax. Queen, here girl."

The first female came out when called and Karen got ahold of her collar and brought her out manually. She made her sit and then approach Don. The hair on the back of her neck was ruffled. "Part of it is your smell, part of it is the other dogs on you. Queen, nice. It's okay." Queen sniffed him all over and then nudged his hand with her nose. "She wants you to pet her. She likes you." Karen said smiling.

Don tentatively stroked the dogs head and she bumped into his leg wagging her tail. He stroked her more confidently and she wiggled with pleasure. "She's a beautiful animal." he said.

"She was a show dog. When she's not nursing she has a gorgeous coat. Come on, Queen. I hear your babies."

Queen went back into the kennel and back into the building. Donna came out when Karen called. She was much more cautious about approaching Don and only sniffed him from farther back. "She's younger and hasn't been here that long. And this is her first litter. We won't push her. Nice, Donna."

Donna left Don and came over for Karens caresses, keeping one eye on Don. She was happy to go back into her kennel and her babies. "So that's our security system. Beautiful aren't they?"

"Yes. And nerve wracking."

"At first, but now they'll remember you and be able to distinguish between you and an intruder. Ready to see more?"

"Anytime you're ready."

Karen took them all over the property. She showed him all the fences and gave him clues as to how things were set up and anything he had to watch out for. They found the parties working in the pasture and the garden and Karen showed him where the rest of the animals were kept and went to visit Barry in the barn where he was unhappily working on the stalls. He gave Karen a dirty look, one she returned implacably and showed Don the horses that were also her special projects. He watched her with bemusement as she touched the horses and interacted with them as though they were kids.

"The woman is completely bonkers over her fertilizer producers." Barry said from by Dons elbow.

Don glanced over at him. He'd expected cynicism. What he didn't expect is the look of longing that Barry was giving Karens loving touch with the animals. He was envious of the attention. Barry glanced up at Don, saw he was being watched and he quickly shuttered the look on his face. "Completely nutty, the lot of them." he added and went back to work.

Don was happy that she was in love with the horses. She patted them and came back out to join him. "This whole barn will have to be filled with hay for the winter. I have a deal with a supplier. He hays off the back of this place for half the hay and we get half delivered here on his wagon. We get it unloaded and he gets the wagon back the next day. It works well for everyone, but we have to be ready to take the hay as soon as he tells us he's ready and that is any time now."

"You have connections all over the place."

"I have to. I don't have money, but I have labor. I have land and some people don't. I use what I have for what I need. I keep extremely accurate records and I even pay my taxes on the stuff. I don't want any trouble."

"That makes you an unusual person." he teased.



"Naw, I don't have the stomach for things like that. I'm a chicken. "Not you. I think you're alot of things, but I'd never call you chicken."

"I knew I liked you for some reason." Karen laughed to him.

"My charm?"

She gave him a sideways smile. "That too."

An air horn sounded twice. Karens head popped up at the first one, and stayed there until is was apparent that there were no more than two. She relaxed slightly. "I'm needed at the house."

"That's the signal, huh?"

"One is for a possible situation, keep an ear open for more signals. Two is for a call or a visitor at the house and I should come back. Three is come running ready for trouble."

"You should be running the government spy network."

"Not me. 'I'm from the government and I'm here to help' just doesn't fall naturally from my tongue."

Don laughed. "I don't believe you'll ever be a normal person."

"Why thank you, kind sir. I don't want to be normal. I like to live my life my own way. And if it just happens to fall under the radar that's fine with me."

They got back into the gator and headed back for the house. Karen pulled in and shut off the engine. They went around the side of the house and saw a squad car sitting in the driveway. Karen bounded inside and walked into the kitchen with a energetic stride. Two officers stood in the kitchen talking to Barry while Charlene watched. "Can I help you, officers?" she asked casually, but firmly.

"You are?" the younger of the two asked her.

"Karen Wesson, I run this facility. Is there a problem?"

"We have a report of a break in last night at the hardware store and someone said Barry here has done it before. We came to ask him about it."

"You really needed to see me first. Barry is a minor."

"I sent for you as soon as they arrived." Charlene said nervously.

"I know you did. So has he answered all your questions?" Karen asked the two officers not so subtly moving Barry back to the table.

"He did, Karen. We just need to verify his alibi." the young officer said.

"He was here all night. I have the records to prove it." Karen said firmly. "Do you want to see them?"

"We'll take your word for it, Karen."

"Hello, Deputy Strong. I didn't see you there."

The younger deputy was giving Don the evil eye. "And you are?" he asked sharply.

"Don Cragen." he said forbiddingly.

"He's helping out around here every once in a while." Karen said calmly.

"So you're saying Barry was home all night? You'd say this is court?" the youngest officer demanded of me.

"Yes. And for your information, when I told you he was here the first time I wasn't lying. I don't lie for my kids. If I didn't know I would tell you that too."

"You're his foster mother..."

"Bradley, we have the information we need. Let's go. Sorry to bother you, Karen."

"No problem, Deputy Strong. I'll see you out."

"Do you have an alibi for last night?" Bradley asked Don.

"I was in my precinct office, Officer. Manhattan Special Victims."

"Can your commanding officer verify that?"

"I don't need his verification. I am the captain and you are welcome to call the Police Commissioner and verify that while I call your chief and have a chat about the proper procedure for interogating minors." Don said with his best commanding officer voice.

Bradley flushed angrily at the dressing down. "My apologies, Captain Cragen."

"Let's go." Strong told him sharply. "My apologies, Captain Cragen, Karen. He's new and a bit headstrong. I'll speak to him about it."

"He won't make any friends or give his commander any accolades with that attitude." Don said "but we were all young once."

"I appreciate that. Good day."

Strong followed his partner out the door. "I didn't want to say anything unless you wanted to." Karen said.

"I'm not ashamed to be seen here." Don said.

"I didn't know. I wanted to sock him when he asked you for an alibi. Imagine that."

"But you knew. He didn't."

"He's a young arrogant prick. Barry, you know better than to answer questions without me here."

"He started to ask me questions. What was I going to do? If I didn't cooperate they'd take me in for questioning he said."

"He must've been talking to your neighbor." Don said. "She probably tipped him off to who lives here. He seemed to already have his mind made up."

"Yeah, I'm afraid so."

"I try to get my officers to go in with an open mind. It's not always possible. Sometimes you have to show them before they believe."

"You sound like the voice of reason."

"I've been on the disbelieving side so long I can see his side. So what kind of proof do you have?"

"I'll get it." Charlene said.

"Barry, why don't you run out and see if we have any tomatoes left?" Karen said.

"I know...oh, okay."

Charlene brought Karen a clipboard and disappeared with Barry. Karen showed Don the clipboard. "Here's how I know."

He came over to stand beside her. He was acutely aware of how close she was to him and he tried to control his impulse to get closer. Wow, he needed a cold shower. He leaned a bit closer just to look at the board and almost forgot to look.

"It-uh, it shows that every night at lights out everybody is present, and again at 11:00, we check again at 2:00 and again at 7:00 am breakfast. Every bed is checked and initialled. I had the rounds last night. I saw them, each and every one of them. Including Barry."

"And you do this every night?"

"I do or Charlene. We alternate so one of us gets a good nights sleep."

"Good system. This is hard to do."

"What's that?"

"You're going to think I'm a dirty old man."

"I promise I won't." she said with a smile.

"All I can think about is how much I want to kiss you again."

"Hmm. Dirty old man? Can I be a dirty old woman then too?"

"Do you want me to kiss you?"

"Yep, but the problem is I don't want you to stop there and I have a bunch of brush to clear today. Want to help?"

"Not nearly as much as I want to kiss you."

"Well, what are you waiting for?"

So he kissed her. Long and deep and she kissed him back. He knew it was too soon, he knew it was the wrong place and time, but he didn't care. Her lips were warm and inviting and he wanted to be there. He wanted to spend hours doing that. She pulled back just before Charlene came back in after making lots of noise.

She turned away and went to the frig. Don came over to stand by her. "You are a dangerous man, Don Cragen." she said.

"I'm sorry. I just find you irresistible. I promise to behave myself better in the future."

"And take all the fun out of it? Not on your life. I like you just the way you are."

"We have to cut this out."

"Or do something about it." Karen said, quietly.

His pulse leaped and he moved away from her. He had to put distance between them if he wanted to maintain any amount of decorum. He moved out to the yard and took several deep breaths. After a few minutes, Karen came out. "I'm sorry." she said. "That wasn't fair of me."

"No, it's okay. I just can't do that around here. And I want to. I can't believe I'm acting like this. I'm a man who's always in control, I'm a captain for Gods Sake and I'm acting like a horny teenager."

"Don, listen to me. It isn't something we have to act on. I am in control of what I'm doing. So are you. What is so wrong about what we want to do? We're not cheating on anyone, we're not doing anything to hurt anyone. As long as we're discreet I think we're okay. Unless you don't think so."

"I've known you such a short time. How can it be okay?"

"Are you sorry you came here? Do you want to leave? I'll understand. Go ahead and go, now before the rest of the group gets used to having you around and then they lose you. I don't want you to be uncomfortable."

"Take it easy, I don't want to go. I want to stay. I want to be here. Don't you understand? I want to be here too much. This scares me. I can't remember the last time I wanted something this much. That's what bothers me."

"Ah, yes. I understand."

"You do? Care to explain it to me?"

"I will if you'll stop pacing."

Don stopped, sheepishly. He hadn't realized he was doing it. "Sorry, bad habit."

"Honesty here, okay? How long has it been since you've had sex?"

"I'm not sure." he said, but he knew it had been quite a while.

Karen nodded once. "For me it's been about four years, give or take. When's the last time you found someone who made you feel like you were special, important, someone you could talk to without judgment or holding back who you really are?"

"I... I really don't... It's been even longer than that."

"I'll tell you right now, I've never had that feeling. Not until I met you. Yes, I want to make your toes curl, and yes, it would be nice to be held and talked to on an adult level, but I'm not only a warm body. I'm a person who wants to have an emotional connection. I'm not saying marriage or happily ever after, but I connect with you like I've never connected with anyone else. I'm ready to let it ride and go wherever it takes me. Maybe you can look at it that way. I'm going back in because I smell dinner and I hear the kids. Feel free to stay or go as you need to. Either way do it because you want to not because I'm pressuring you to be here."

Karen turned on her heel and went back inside. Don stood outside for a few minutes, thinking. He wanted what she had just described, he wanted to feel like a man just like every other man, not the man always in charge and set apart. He could hear laughing inside and Karens voice floating out the window, she was teasing Laslo about something. He wanted to see that teasing, he wanted to be the one she teased, to tease her back. To be a part of the family she had created inside.

He turned on his heel and went inside for his lunch. Karens smile made him glad he decided to stay.

TBC