Semper Ad Meliora (Law & Order)

scire quod sciendum

Latin: "knowledge which is worth having"

In which a captain is attacked, and while taking a trip and acting as protective detail, Frank realizes that, for once, he knows more than a few other people. There's something very satisfactory about that fact.

Also known as "Jumped In" from Law & Order: SVU, because . . . well, it was a huge three-parter and gives me the chance to include Stone. This is actually part one of two, and if you think there's action here . . . you may not want to know what I have planned next time.

***

Frank had always envied friends-turned-couples who had almost no problems at all when they started dating. He had watched relationships fall apart within a matter of weeks, even days, when one or both couldn't handle the shift from platonic to romantic. The irony was that, after he had seen so many dumpster fires from those relationships, he had sworn he would never have that type of a relationship.

Joke's on me, he thought with a small chuckle, and the hand in the crook in his arm tightened at the sound. "Something funny?" Nolan raised an eyebrow.

"Just a random thought," Frank shook his head with a smile, adjusting his position to allow Nolan to step closer. "Nothing worth mentioning."

The prosecutor linked their arms tighter as they walked down the sidewalk, making Frank's smile widen. In the past week since they had decided to start officially dating (because Nolan and Sam were absolutely right, they basically had been dating in all but name for weeks), they had determined once they returned to their jobs, they would keep their relationship under wraps while they navigated how to balance their professional and their personal lives now that they were more intertwined than ever. It had been a slow day on Frank's end, mainly paperwork and prep for court hearings with Nolan and Sam, but there was a new rush of anticipation for the end of the day that hadn't been there before. Still, he and Nolan had established such a routine over the months that neither Jalen nor Kate batted an eye when he left for the evening. Judging by the smirk on Nolan's face when he reached the courthouse, neither had Jack nor Sam.

"I got a call from Sylvie before I headed out for the night," Nolan said as he adjusted his coat; Frank gently tugged, and Nolan walked so he was as close as possible to the detective without their arms around each other. Even then, their sides brushed with every step. "She's looking into when she can come back and check in on the paramedicine program here."

"Really?" Frank smiled. Maybe it was just something about the Prices, but he had a soft spot for his lover's confident, compassionate little sister. "Any chance she may bring company with her?"

Nolan grinned. "Who's asking? You, or your daughter?"

"Both," Frank admitted, sheepishly smiling as Nolan laughed. "I told Jalen, I don't know if I mentioned it to you . . . Lily is constantly texting back and forth with the Dardens, and I liked Casey and Severide when I met them."

"Yeah, I had a feeling you would get along with them," Nolan chuckled fondly. "But I'm glad Lily and the Dardens got along as well as they did. The boys really suffered in Portland . . . well, they suffered after they initially relocated from Chicago, but Portland is where everything essentially came tumbling down. They bonded quickly with Sylvie, and they knew a lot of the veterans at 51, which helped them start trusting the newer members . . . but with Lily, it was almost instantaneous. That was good for them."

Frank smirked. "I guess we Cosgroves just know how to get Prices on our good sides."

Nolan threw back his head and laughed. "They're Casey-Severides more than they are Prices, Frank."