Fic: measured out in coffee spoons
During my Essay Hell, I actually wrote some fan fiction. For the first time in about three years. Bizarre. Okay, it's only short and it's Law & Order: UK but it was so wonderful to find characters just talking in my head and the ficlet appearing fully formed.
Title: measured out in coffee spoons
Author: missfoxie
Characters/Pairings: Natalie Chandler, Ronnie Brooks
Rating: G
Word Count: 573
Disclaimer: I don’t own the franchise or these characters. I just have fun giving them the personal lives the show doesn’t depict.
Summary: It's what friends do. Friends do the little things.
measured out in coffee spoons
There were fewer jokes today, and that pastry had gone untouched. Ronnie just wasn't himself. Natalie remembered it was his eldest daughter's birthday.
It was a slow day and so at lunch, she decided that a friend would take him out for a coffee. She threw his raincoat at him and off they went to the coffee shop down the road.
They were just ordering when she tapped Ronnie on the shoulder and pointed over to the far corner of the room. A smile quirked at her lips.
"Charm offensive, ten o’clock."
He looked around and saw Matt flirting with a pretty brunette. He laughed. "You know what, I don't think he ever stops. Another day, another girl. Flashin' them the blue eyes and those pearly whites."
Natalie paid for the coffees - getting Ronnie's too because that's what friends did and besides, he'd bought her Chinese food last week - and they headed for a corner table.
"One of my boys is going to be a heartbreaker one day," she said as they sat down, "You can just tell."
"Yeah, but luckily he's got a mum who isn't gonna let him get away with it," grinned Ronnie.
She laughed. "I don't think he'll see it as lucky, but you bet I won't."
After a few minutes of companionable silence, she noticed him just staring into his drink, lost in thoughts that didn't seem very happy.
Natalie put her cup down. "I'd order you another pain au chocolat but I noticed you've still got one on your desk that you haven't touched."
He looked up from his coffee. Natalie raised her eyebrows, letting her expression pose the question she knew she didn’t have to ask aloud. Ronnie stopped absent-mindedly stirring his drink and leant back in his chair.
"Jessica's birthday?" she asked.
Ronnie sighed. "Yeah. I sent a card and some money, and I tried to phone but she wasn't in. Or she wasn't answering." He took his glasses off and rubbed his forehead.
Natalie knew how much Ronnie loved his daughters and how sorry he was for "messing things up" as he always put it. Their behaviour always saddened her and made her feel even more love for her own boys.
"I'm sure she just wasn't in. Don't worry about it."
"I know. I just..."
"Can't help it? I know you can't. I wouldn't be able to either. It's a parent thing, worrying is what we do best. You're her father, and she loves you. She was probably just out."
"Yeah," answered Ronnie, "You're probably right. As usual."
He gave her a half-smile, his eyes no longer sad but filled with their usual warmth.
"Come on," she said, gathering up her bag and coat, "Time to go collect Casanova over there and go back to work."
They got up and walked over to Matt's table. Ronnie whistled. Matt's head jerked up.
Natalie smirked at his bewildered expression. "Back to work, Matt."
As they walked out, Ronnie clapped Matt on the back and said "Don't you ever stop, Matty? I thought you had a date with that blonde girl from your building?"
"What, you jealous?"
"What, of you having to fork out money on more dinners a deux? Not on your life, Matty-boy. Not on your life."
Later, as she was leaving her office at the end of the day, Natalie noticed the now empty plate on Ronnie's desk. She smiled, and headed for home.
Title: measured out in coffee spoons
Author: missfoxie
Characters/Pairings: Natalie Chandler, Ronnie Brooks
Rating: G
Word Count: 573
Disclaimer: I don’t own the franchise or these characters. I just have fun giving them the personal lives the show doesn’t depict.
Summary: It's what friends do. Friends do the little things.
measured out in coffee spoons
There were fewer jokes today, and that pastry had gone untouched. Ronnie just wasn't himself. Natalie remembered it was his eldest daughter's birthday.
It was a slow day and so at lunch, she decided that a friend would take him out for a coffee. She threw his raincoat at him and off they went to the coffee shop down the road.
They were just ordering when she tapped Ronnie on the shoulder and pointed over to the far corner of the room. A smile quirked at her lips.
"Charm offensive, ten o’clock."
He looked around and saw Matt flirting with a pretty brunette. He laughed. "You know what, I don't think he ever stops. Another day, another girl. Flashin' them the blue eyes and those pearly whites."
Natalie paid for the coffees - getting Ronnie's too because that's what friends did and besides, he'd bought her Chinese food last week - and they headed for a corner table.
"One of my boys is going to be a heartbreaker one day," she said as they sat down, "You can just tell."
"Yeah, but luckily he's got a mum who isn't gonna let him get away with it," grinned Ronnie.
She laughed. "I don't think he'll see it as lucky, but you bet I won't."
After a few minutes of companionable silence, she noticed him just staring into his drink, lost in thoughts that didn't seem very happy.
Natalie put her cup down. "I'd order you another pain au chocolat but I noticed you've still got one on your desk that you haven't touched."
He looked up from his coffee. Natalie raised her eyebrows, letting her expression pose the question she knew she didn’t have to ask aloud. Ronnie stopped absent-mindedly stirring his drink and leant back in his chair.
"Jessica's birthday?" she asked.
Ronnie sighed. "Yeah. I sent a card and some money, and I tried to phone but she wasn't in. Or she wasn't answering." He took his glasses off and rubbed his forehead.
Natalie knew how much Ronnie loved his daughters and how sorry he was for "messing things up" as he always put it. Their behaviour always saddened her and made her feel even more love for her own boys.
"I'm sure she just wasn't in. Don't worry about it."
"I know. I just..."
"Can't help it? I know you can't. I wouldn't be able to either. It's a parent thing, worrying is what we do best. You're her father, and she loves you. She was probably just out."
"Yeah," answered Ronnie, "You're probably right. As usual."
He gave her a half-smile, his eyes no longer sad but filled with their usual warmth.
"Come on," she said, gathering up her bag and coat, "Time to go collect Casanova over there and go back to work."
They got up and walked over to Matt's table. Ronnie whistled. Matt's head jerked up.
Natalie smirked at his bewildered expression. "Back to work, Matt."
As they walked out, Ronnie clapped Matt on the back and said "Don't you ever stop, Matty? I thought you had a date with that blonde girl from your building?"
"What, you jealous?"
"What, of you having to fork out money on more dinners a deux? Not on your life, Matty-boy. Not on your life."
Later, as she was leaving her office at the end of the day, Natalie noticed the now empty plate on Ronnie's desk. She smiled, and headed for home.