Jake Peralta - Daddy Issues

The police car

Childhood AU
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A four-year-old Jake sat on the edge of the sidewalk rolling his plastic police car back and forth on the pavement. He played out a bank robbery on the sidewalk while his mom was moving the boxes into their new house. He had already picked out his room, the biggest, and now his mom was piling their boxes into the house. He looked up from his toys to see a real-life police car pull up in the driveway next to him. Jake peeked around the corner of his mom's green SUV to see her taking a new load of boxes inside. He stood up, wiping the dirt from his palms onto his shorts, before running next door.

Jake ran to the house next door and smiled at the officer who stepped out. "Well hello, young man," The man greeted, noticing the small smiling boy that ran in front of him.

"Hi," Jake waved shyly. He remembered his mom told him not to talk to strangers but his mom had also told him he had horrible impulse control.

"My name is detective Raymond Holt," Holt introduced as he held out his hand for a handshake which Jake mistook for a high five. Not noticing the man's confusion Jake introduced himself. "I'm Jake. Are you a real police officer?" He asked excitedly, looking at the car behind him. He has never got to meet a real police officer, he's only seen them on his tv.

"Why yes I am," Holt said, causing Jake's smile to get impossibly bigger.

"Have you saved people? Like John McClaine?" Jake had only watched Diehard once, while his mom was asleep, but he thought it was such a cool movie.

Although Holt didn't know who Jake was referring to, he loved seeing how the boy's eyes brightened when he mentioned that so he decided to play along. "Yes, I have saved people a couple of times."

Kevin walked out of the house greeting his husband with a kiss on the cheek before he realized Jake was standing under them.

"Kevin, this is our new neighbor Jacob. Jacob, this is my husband Kevin" Holt introduced the two to each other.

"Cool," Jake said excitedly because people aren't born homophobic, they're raised that way. "Are you a police too?"

Kevin chuckled, "No, I'm a professor at Columbia University," he explained, though noted how Jake wasn't that interested in his job as much as Holts, but he found that understandable for his age.

"My tooth is loose!" Exclaimed Jake excitedly (and out of nowhere) as he reached his hands into his mouth excitedly, wiggling his front tooth as much as he could.

Holt leaned down to get a better look at it. "It is. Is that your first loose tooth?" Jake nodded excitedly before his mom rushed over to him.

"Jake, I told you, you can't just run off," Karen said to her son before noticing the two older men in front of him. "Hello there, I'm sorry if my son had bothered you," She then leaned down to her son, "What have I told you about not talking to strangers?"

"But you said I could trust police," Jake explained as he pointed towards the police car that was still sitting in the driveway.

"And your son didn't bother us at all. Detective Raymond Holt," He introduced with a firm handshake.

"Professor Kevin Cozner," He said, copying his husband's lead.

"I'm Karen and you've met my son Jacob," She said, placing her hands on his shoulders to keep him in place.

"Mommy, when I grow up I'm going to be a police officer," He explained excitedly.

"Yeah," She said, her voice laced with fake amusement. To be fair, last week he wanted to be an astronaut, and the week before that a cowboy. She was just kind of glad he didn't want to be a space-cowboy.

"Well, it will be a pleasure to work with you one day Jacob," Raymond said to the young boy who was now jumping up and down excitedly.

"Well it was nice to meet you guys, but Jake," She directed her attention away from the couple and towards her son, "I need to drop you off at Gina's in a minute."

"Yay!" He squealed, "Bye-bye," Jake waved .
Holt and Kevin both said bye as well until Jake was back at his porch.