Peraltiago Oneshots

•6• Red Flags

After over two years of trying for a baby and the pain of a miscarriage, alongside a countless amount of negative tests, Jake and Amy began to look at other options to grow their family. As great as the option of surrogacy was, it never truly appealed to the either of them, and they knew they wouldn't be able to handle another round of failed IVF,  so they found themselves looking at adoption.

Registration for adoption had been reasonably straight forward, their profiles were both being looked into with more detail, but after filling out the basics they were sent a list of requirements they would need before becoming qualified for adoption. Amy was quick to make binders upon binders to make sure that nothing slipped their minds and slowly but surely they were completing each stage on their lists.

Although they continued to look for a house on the outskirts of Brooklyn, in the mean time the couple made sure that their apartment was prepared for their assessment. Child protectors had been put on the corners of tables and over the dials for the stove, all sharp objects had been moved up to higher levels and new locks were installed on windows.

As well as their apartment being as exactly as required, Amy had sub sections to the largest binder, categorising the age groups and genders, so that they would be able to get all of the specifics as soon as they were matched with a child. Jake took great delight in helping pick out the furniture for each section and on some occasions would want a whole page designated for sneakers. The two of them were beyond prepared for the whole process and each night would sit on the couch, talking of their child who would soon be home with them.

"Who knows, maybe they're looking at the moon as well this evening." Amy said one night, as they two of them looked out of their apartment window.

One moment they were able to imagine an almost teenager joining them and the next a new born baby, either way they couldn't wait for their home to have one more occupant.

"It won't be long now Ames. As soon as out background checks are finished we will sail though the home assessments and we'll be a family of three."

However, a week soon turned into two and two weeks into a month.

Their social worker, Linda, had promised that this stage wouldn't take long, but after four months since handing in the initial applications and a month of no contact from Linda, the both of them were becoming concerned. She had told them that being detectives would speed up the process as background checks would be easier. But other couples who they had met through adoption courses had their child by now and they were still waiting.

Late on a Thursday, Amy was working an evening shift and so Jake was lying across the couch watching die hard when the phone rang. When he recognised the number, being Linda's, a mix of emotions passed through him before he could pick it up, frustration that she had waited so long, but also relief that they were still in the adoption process.

"Jake Peralta?" She asked though the phone.

"Yes, hi, how are you?"

"I'm good thank you, is Amy with you?"

The question made Jake hopeful, wanting for her to give them good news and that they only had to pass their home assessment now.

"No, she's working an evening shift, is everything alright?"

"I don't know how to tell you this Jake, I'm so sorry."

"Wait, what do you mean?" He asked, dread coursing through every vain of his body.

"The time you spent fired from the NYPD and then your time spent in jail, they have come up as red flags in our system. You're time in the safe house isn't an issue, but these two are stopping us from being able to move onto the next stage. The NYPD is withholding classified information and therefore we cannot prove that these two events were at no fault of your own."

Jake felt as though he had been punched in the stomach and he found himself unable to form a response, guilt washing over him. Whilst he knew that he had done nothing wrong, he began to blame himself that his childhood dreams have caused these issues.

"You were fired for a total of 6 months and then your jail time was a further 7 months, is there any way we can get details on them to clear your conscience." Linda questioned after Jake provided no response.

"I was working for the FBI, when I was fired from the NYPD that was. They made sure I was fired so that I could be trusted by the Mafia and I went undercover, the cases have been closed for security reasons, but apparently it wasn't on my record. As for the jail time, my sentence was supposedly 15 years and I got released at 7 months because I wasn't guilty, surely that is enough to show I was wrongly convicted?"

"Thank you Jake, I'll be in contact with you again shortly. In the meantime, talk to Amy and see if the two of you can find any more confirmation of what actually happened during those times."

Unable to even say goodbye, Jake just hummed and hung up the phone, a chocked sob that he had been holding back escaping his lips. He stood, hunched over the table trying to catch his breath for a while. When he had calmed himself, with no hesitation he phoned Amy.

"Ames?"

"Hey babe, are you okay?"

"I need you to come home, please." He said in an almost whisper.

"Jake? What's going on?"

"I'm so sorry Ames."

"Jake, I need you to tell me what's wrong. What's happened?"

"It's all my fault."

"Listen to me, tell me what's wrong, I'm on my way home now."

"I'm okay I promise, I just need you."

This statement left Amy beyond confused as she got into her car and drove along the quiet Brooklyn streets. Her shift was half an hour from finishing and there was little activity in the precinct at 8pm, so when she received her husbands call she didn't hesitate before leaving.

"Jake?" She called out as she opened their apartment door and slid her shoes off. "Babe, where are you?"

"I'm here Ames." Jake answered from their bed.

"Oh my god you're okay." She gushed running over to jump on the bed and wrapping her arms around his torso. "Don't scare me like that, wait you're not hurt are you?"

"I'm not hurt, it's just..." He trailed off.

"Just what?"

"Linda called."

"Oh my gosh that's great! Has she given you a date for out home inspection?" Amy beamed, lifting herself onto her elbows so that she could be eye level to Jake.

"We're not getting one yet."

"What? Why? Jake, please you have to give me more than just one sentenced answers."

"My time in the Mafia and time spent in jail have apparently come up as 'red flags' on our reviews. The NYPD have closed both of those cases for security purposes so the adoption agency can't get the files they need to clear my conscience."

Silence fell upon the two of them as Amy was unsure what to respond with, until Jake let out a small sob.

"God, I am so sorry Ames. I know how bad you want a family and now it's my fault that we might not be able to. You can leave me if you want, you can start over." Jake rambled, remembering when she basically said that children were a dealbreaker for her on their one year anniversary.

"Shut up Jake." Amy cut him off, which received her a shocked look and a hum. "I am not going to leave you, not now, not ever. What we are going to do, is make a new binder and gather all of the information they need to clear your name for those times. You were doing good with the FBI when you were involved in the Mafia and your jail time was only because you were wrongly convicted. I'm not letting that stop us from having the family we want."

Jake couldn't help the smile that grow on his face as his wife basically promised him a life time, all over again and although he knew deep down she would never do such a thing, a sense of relief washed over him that she wasn't leave him.

"I love you so much Ames."

"I love you too."