Just One Question (Colby/OFC-Callie, Gary Walker, PG-13)
Title: Just One Question... (Takes place several years after Everything Changes...)
Pairing/Characters: Colby/OFC-Callie, Lt. Gary Walker
Rating: PG-13 (language)
Word Count: 2096
Summary: I have an important question I need to ask you. And just like that, the two men who loved Callie more than anything in the world were left to settle the business between them.
Spoilers: none. Pre-series, an AU of sorts.
Notes/Warnings: This is an alternate universe where Callie and Colby are high school sweethearts, started when julietm wrote Winter Carnival. This piece takes place after high school, and after college - just before Colby is sent off for the Army. This is a prequel to Just Another Day by julietm and is probably one of the few things I've written that I truly enjoy. The conversation between Colby and Gary just makes me smile. Thanks as always to my wonderful beta, julietm who started all this in the first place. ;p
Additional Author's Note: Just a reminder that Callie's father is none other than the man we know as Lt. Gary Walker. In this universe, he is happily married to Callie's mom and since years have passed, he has now been promoted to lieutenant. Important facts that might make this fic a bit more humorous to you. :)
Disclaimer: If you recognize it, regrettably - it's not mine.
Colby sat quietly in his truck, looking from the steering wheel to the house outside his window - a house he’d come to know quite well the past six years. As his eyes focused on the front porch, he suddenly remembered the very first time he’d come to this house. That was the night of the homecoming dance his junior year. He’d knocked on the door, expecting to see the smiling face of his high school sweetheart and instead, he’d been greeted by a bear of a man - the one and only Sergeant Gary Walker. Colby couldn’t help but chuckle, remembering that night and knowing he was just as nervous then as he was right now.
With a deep breath, letting it out slowly, Colby finally opened the door and slid out of his truck. He knew the Walkers’ weren’t expecting him. The truth was, he’d just arrived home from basic training on one week of leave before he was sent to Aberdeen Proving Grounds. He’d not even been home to see his parents yet. There was actually something more important he needed to do first.
He smoothed out the jacket of his Army Class A’s as he made his way toward the house and smiled remembering the many lazy weekends he’d spent here, just sitting on the porch swing - holding his Callie’s hand. He’d studied and did homework with her here. He’d chased her around the yard and absorbed the sound of her laughter here. He’d rested next to her here, stroking her hair and reading softly to her that week of school she missed their senior year because of an awful flu. He’d waited for her here every weekend that she came home from college on the east coast. He’d kissed her here, whispered how much he loved her here, and made love to her in her room when her parents were out of town. Inside and around this house were some of his happiest memories, and today he hoped to make one more.
As he approached, another memory flashed before his mind. He’d been standing on the porch next to Gary Walker and both of them watched as Callie drove away, simply taking her mom to the store to pick up something special for dinner. Callie had been smiling at him over her shoulder and had been so brave as to blow him a kiss - one that Gary promptly caught and stomped on the ground before giving Colby that same fatherly scowl he’d given him since that first meeting. Colby remembered smiling over at Gary, mustering up all the courage he could manage as he said, “Sergeant Walker, some day - not in the immediate future, but some day when Callie and I know what the hell we’re doing with our lives, I’m going to come to you and I’m going to ask you if it would be ok for me to marry her. Some day. I just wanted you to know that.”
Gary, of course, had scoffed and crossed his arms - tightening the scowl across his face before his Southern drawl answered evenly, “And I just want you to know, I’ll be saying no. Just so we’re clear.”
Colby could only shake his head, now four years later as he stepped onto that same porch. Some day… was today, and he straightened his shoulders even as he toyed with the ring that was in his pocket.
He raised that same hand to knock on the door, but the smiling face of Amelia Walker peered out around it before he could even reach.
“Gracious child, I was wondering if you were ever going to come in,” she beamed, opening the door wide and opening her arms wider to invite him in.
Colby smiled with her familiar gesture, accepting her hug and finding much needed comfort in the warmth of her motherly embrace. He took a moment to be thankful that she had always been on his side, before he once again straightened and let her look up at him.
She watched him curiously, her hands still holding to his arms, before she asked, “What on earth are you doing here? Your mamma is gonna paint your backporch red, grown man and all, for not getting yourself home.”
Colby continued to smile warmly at her, trying now to fight the blush he felt creeping over his skin as he answered, “Actually, Mrs. Walker, I needed to speak to the Lieutenant first. I have a question I need to ask him.”
He then watched her whole face brighten as she took one look at the smile on his face and the light in his eyes, fully understanding what that question was.
“Yes, I suppose you do,” she sighed happily, gesturing for him to come in. “About damned time too,” she whispered as he passed. He gave her a bashful nod, remembering a conversation he’d had with her years ago. He’d been sitting with her on the back porch of this very house, waiting for Callie to arrive home for the summer after her first year of college. That same day, Amelia had given him her blessing and he’d made sure to never do anything to make her take it back.
He offered her his arm then and let her lead the way into the backyard where they found Gary hovering busily over his work bench. Before him stood what looked like the beginnings of a very big doll house - one he was making in time for the upcoming visit from his son and granddaughter. Colby noticed first that Gary held a hammer in his hand as he reached to tack on the next piece of the roof.
Colby hesitated in his steps as he leaned in to Amelia next to him. “Maybe I should come back when he’s unarmed,” he breathed and there was laughter in his voice.
“Don’t worry, darlin’. He won’t kill you while I’m around. He wouldn’t want any witnesses,” she teased, giving him a nudge before she turned her most brilliant smile in her husband’s direction. “Gary, put that down and look who it is that’s come to see us,” she chirped.
Hearing his wife’s sweet tone, Gary looked up. As soon as he saw Colby standing next to her, however, he returned his focus back to the house with an unmistakable “Mmph” coming through his pursed lips.
Colby fought back the chuckle in his throat, expecting exactly this reaction after six years of it.
“Shouldn’t you be home, boy? I imagine there are other people waiting who’d prefer to see your ugly mug.”
Colby didn’t hesitate as he replied. “Actually, sir, I had to come here first. I have an important question I need to ask you.”
He watched as Gary’s eyes immediately shot up - looking first to Colby standing there in his Class A’s and then to his own wife. Amelia met the gaze, smiling knowingly from one man to the other before she gave Colby’s arm an encouraging squeeze. She then wordlessly slipped back to the house to leave the two men who loved Callie more than anything in the world to settle the business between them.
There was a long awkward silence after she left as Gary once more focused on the doll house in front of him. For a while he acted like he didn’t even know Colby was there, not until he moved to add another piece of the roof to the house. Instead, he set the hammer down on the table and made quick steps toward Colby. He stopped several feet in front of him, crossing his arms with that trademark fatherly scowl creasing his forehead. “Let’s get this over with, Granger. Go on… ask your question,” he grunted, the dread he’d reserved for this moment the past six years darkening his eyes.
Colby straightened again and thought of the ring in his pocket. Callie’s smile suddenly flashed before his eyes and he saw her, wearing his ring and dancing with him in a gown of white. The image gave him courage even as he looked forward into the stern face of the man in front of him.
“I knew the first moment I saw Callie that she was the only one for me,” he began, the memory of that first glance warming the features of his face. “For the life of me, I’ll never know why… but by some miracle, she gave her heart to me and I’ve tried to spend every day since then making her as happy as she makes me. The past six years have been the best of my life and… I’d like the rest of my life to be even better - but that doesn’t happen without Callie. I want to marry her, sir. I want to marry her more than anything in the world and I have since that first moment. I want to spend the rest of my life making sure she’s as happy as she could ever be with a guy like me.”
He paused just a moment, letting his words hang in the air between them before he spoke, “For Callie’s sake, I don’t need your permission because she’ll do whatever she wants… but I would really like your blessing - your blessing to marry your daughter.”
Colby watched as Gary’s jaw clenched, standing there with his arms crossed in stone cold silence as he looked forward.
Without warning, Gary took two steps closer but Colby stood where he was - unflinching.
“Do you know what the hardest part about this moment is for me, Granger?”
“No sir.”
Gary took another step closer, only a foot separating him from Colby as he answered, “The hardest part about this moment is knowing in all the world and all the people in it, my little girl had to find the one god damned man on earth who was born to love her and now… I can’t in good conscience say no when he says he wants to marry her.”
Colby’s heart was suddenly pounding in his ears, almost to the point where he wasn’t sure he’d heard correctly. Not only had the hard nosed police officer agreed that Colby should marry Callie, he also admitted knowing that Colby was the only man on earth made just for her. Colby had known since the first day he saw her, and now, he was going to be able to spend the rest of his life proving it to her and making sure she never regretted loving him.
“There is one condition though, Colby.” The lieutenant’s words snapped Colby back to reality even as Gary took another step closer - noses almost touching. “I know you enlisted because of five generations and all that, and I know they are going to ship you off to some god forsaken part of nowhere. I’m… I’m proud of you for taking that on, son.”
Colby started to say thank you but before he could Gary continued, “But I’m not going to have my baby girl widowed before she’s even married. So where ever they send you, whatever you have to do and I do mean whatever… you bring your ass back home and you bring it home in one piece, do you understand me?”
For the first time in all the years Colby had known Gary Walker, he saw something different in the lieutenant’s eyes. This look was not the fatherly scowl Colby had come to know and love… the scowl of a man who refused to believe any body was good enough for his only daughter. Instead, this was the same look Colby’s own father had given him when he’d told his parents he enlisted. This was a look of love and concern from a father to a son. Gary Walker, in his not so quiet way, had just welcomed Colby to the family.
“Yes sir,” Colby finally answered, giving away nothing but knowing as Gary’s eyes met his once more - the two had an unspoken understanding.
“All right then,” the lieutenant barked, stepping back. “Grab a hammer and help me finish this doll house for my grandbaby. Damn thing is settin’ me crazy. Thank god Callie loved to play with soldiers when she was little.”
Realizing what he’d said, he cast a long look at Colby and shook his head. “I guess some things never change.”
Colby couldn’t help but laugh with Gary as he shrugged out of his jacket. He knew he needed to get home, but having just received his future father-in-laws blessing and acceptance, there was no where else he would rather be.
Pairing/Characters: Colby/OFC-Callie, Lt. Gary Walker
Rating: PG-13 (language)
Word Count: 2096
Summary: I have an important question I need to ask you. And just like that, the two men who loved Callie more than anything in the world were left to settle the business between them.
Spoilers: none. Pre-series, an AU of sorts.
Notes/Warnings: This is an alternate universe where Callie and Colby are high school sweethearts, started when julietm wrote Winter Carnival. This piece takes place after high school, and after college - just before Colby is sent off for the Army. This is a prequel to Just Another Day by julietm and is probably one of the few things I've written that I truly enjoy. The conversation between Colby and Gary just makes me smile. Thanks as always to my wonderful beta, julietm who started all this in the first place. ;p
Additional Author's Note: Just a reminder that Callie's father is none other than the man we know as Lt. Gary Walker. In this universe, he is happily married to Callie's mom and since years have passed, he has now been promoted to lieutenant. Important facts that might make this fic a bit more humorous to you. :)
Disclaimer: If you recognize it, regrettably - it's not mine.
Colby sat quietly in his truck, looking from the steering wheel to the house outside his window - a house he’d come to know quite well the past six years. As his eyes focused on the front porch, he suddenly remembered the very first time he’d come to this house. That was the night of the homecoming dance his junior year. He’d knocked on the door, expecting to see the smiling face of his high school sweetheart and instead, he’d been greeted by a bear of a man - the one and only Sergeant Gary Walker. Colby couldn’t help but chuckle, remembering that night and knowing he was just as nervous then as he was right now.
With a deep breath, letting it out slowly, Colby finally opened the door and slid out of his truck. He knew the Walkers’ weren’t expecting him. The truth was, he’d just arrived home from basic training on one week of leave before he was sent to Aberdeen Proving Grounds. He’d not even been home to see his parents yet. There was actually something more important he needed to do first.
He smoothed out the jacket of his Army Class A’s as he made his way toward the house and smiled remembering the many lazy weekends he’d spent here, just sitting on the porch swing - holding his Callie’s hand. He’d studied and did homework with her here. He’d chased her around the yard and absorbed the sound of her laughter here. He’d rested next to her here, stroking her hair and reading softly to her that week of school she missed their senior year because of an awful flu. He’d waited for her here every weekend that she came home from college on the east coast. He’d kissed her here, whispered how much he loved her here, and made love to her in her room when her parents were out of town. Inside and around this house were some of his happiest memories, and today he hoped to make one more.
As he approached, another memory flashed before his mind. He’d been standing on the porch next to Gary Walker and both of them watched as Callie drove away, simply taking her mom to the store to pick up something special for dinner. Callie had been smiling at him over her shoulder and had been so brave as to blow him a kiss - one that Gary promptly caught and stomped on the ground before giving Colby that same fatherly scowl he’d given him since that first meeting. Colby remembered smiling over at Gary, mustering up all the courage he could manage as he said, “Sergeant Walker, some day - not in the immediate future, but some day when Callie and I know what the hell we’re doing with our lives, I’m going to come to you and I’m going to ask you if it would be ok for me to marry her. Some day. I just wanted you to know that.”
Gary, of course, had scoffed and crossed his arms - tightening the scowl across his face before his Southern drawl answered evenly, “And I just want you to know, I’ll be saying no. Just so we’re clear.”
Colby could only shake his head, now four years later as he stepped onto that same porch. Some day… was today, and he straightened his shoulders even as he toyed with the ring that was in his pocket.
He raised that same hand to knock on the door, but the smiling face of Amelia Walker peered out around it before he could even reach.
“Gracious child, I was wondering if you were ever going to come in,” she beamed, opening the door wide and opening her arms wider to invite him in.
Colby smiled with her familiar gesture, accepting her hug and finding much needed comfort in the warmth of her motherly embrace. He took a moment to be thankful that she had always been on his side, before he once again straightened and let her look up at him.
She watched him curiously, her hands still holding to his arms, before she asked, “What on earth are you doing here? Your mamma is gonna paint your backporch red, grown man and all, for not getting yourself home.”
Colby continued to smile warmly at her, trying now to fight the blush he felt creeping over his skin as he answered, “Actually, Mrs. Walker, I needed to speak to the Lieutenant first. I have a question I need to ask him.”
He then watched her whole face brighten as she took one look at the smile on his face and the light in his eyes, fully understanding what that question was.
“Yes, I suppose you do,” she sighed happily, gesturing for him to come in. “About damned time too,” she whispered as he passed. He gave her a bashful nod, remembering a conversation he’d had with her years ago. He’d been sitting with her on the back porch of this very house, waiting for Callie to arrive home for the summer after her first year of college. That same day, Amelia had given him her blessing and he’d made sure to never do anything to make her take it back.
He offered her his arm then and let her lead the way into the backyard where they found Gary hovering busily over his work bench. Before him stood what looked like the beginnings of a very big doll house - one he was making in time for the upcoming visit from his son and granddaughter. Colby noticed first that Gary held a hammer in his hand as he reached to tack on the next piece of the roof.
Colby hesitated in his steps as he leaned in to Amelia next to him. “Maybe I should come back when he’s unarmed,” he breathed and there was laughter in his voice.
“Don’t worry, darlin’. He won’t kill you while I’m around. He wouldn’t want any witnesses,” she teased, giving him a nudge before she turned her most brilliant smile in her husband’s direction. “Gary, put that down and look who it is that’s come to see us,” she chirped.
Hearing his wife’s sweet tone, Gary looked up. As soon as he saw Colby standing next to her, however, he returned his focus back to the house with an unmistakable “Mmph” coming through his pursed lips.
Colby fought back the chuckle in his throat, expecting exactly this reaction after six years of it.
“Shouldn’t you be home, boy? I imagine there are other people waiting who’d prefer to see your ugly mug.”
Colby didn’t hesitate as he replied. “Actually, sir, I had to come here first. I have an important question I need to ask you.”
He watched as Gary’s eyes immediately shot up - looking first to Colby standing there in his Class A’s and then to his own wife. Amelia met the gaze, smiling knowingly from one man to the other before she gave Colby’s arm an encouraging squeeze. She then wordlessly slipped back to the house to leave the two men who loved Callie more than anything in the world to settle the business between them.
There was a long awkward silence after she left as Gary once more focused on the doll house in front of him. For a while he acted like he didn’t even know Colby was there, not until he moved to add another piece of the roof to the house. Instead, he set the hammer down on the table and made quick steps toward Colby. He stopped several feet in front of him, crossing his arms with that trademark fatherly scowl creasing his forehead. “Let’s get this over with, Granger. Go on… ask your question,” he grunted, the dread he’d reserved for this moment the past six years darkening his eyes.
Colby straightened again and thought of the ring in his pocket. Callie’s smile suddenly flashed before his eyes and he saw her, wearing his ring and dancing with him in a gown of white. The image gave him courage even as he looked forward into the stern face of the man in front of him.
“I knew the first moment I saw Callie that she was the only one for me,” he began, the memory of that first glance warming the features of his face. “For the life of me, I’ll never know why… but by some miracle, she gave her heart to me and I’ve tried to spend every day since then making her as happy as she makes me. The past six years have been the best of my life and… I’d like the rest of my life to be even better - but that doesn’t happen without Callie. I want to marry her, sir. I want to marry her more than anything in the world and I have since that first moment. I want to spend the rest of my life making sure she’s as happy as she could ever be with a guy like me.”
He paused just a moment, letting his words hang in the air between them before he spoke, “For Callie’s sake, I don’t need your permission because she’ll do whatever she wants… but I would really like your blessing - your blessing to marry your daughter.”
Colby watched as Gary’s jaw clenched, standing there with his arms crossed in stone cold silence as he looked forward.
Without warning, Gary took two steps closer but Colby stood where he was - unflinching.
“Do you know what the hardest part about this moment is for me, Granger?”
“No sir.”
Gary took another step closer, only a foot separating him from Colby as he answered, “The hardest part about this moment is knowing in all the world and all the people in it, my little girl had to find the one god damned man on earth who was born to love her and now… I can’t in good conscience say no when he says he wants to marry her.”
Colby’s heart was suddenly pounding in his ears, almost to the point where he wasn’t sure he’d heard correctly. Not only had the hard nosed police officer agreed that Colby should marry Callie, he also admitted knowing that Colby was the only man on earth made just for her. Colby had known since the first day he saw her, and now, he was going to be able to spend the rest of his life proving it to her and making sure she never regretted loving him.
“There is one condition though, Colby.” The lieutenant’s words snapped Colby back to reality even as Gary took another step closer - noses almost touching. “I know you enlisted because of five generations and all that, and I know they are going to ship you off to some god forsaken part of nowhere. I’m… I’m proud of you for taking that on, son.”
Colby started to say thank you but before he could Gary continued, “But I’m not going to have my baby girl widowed before she’s even married. So where ever they send you, whatever you have to do and I do mean whatever… you bring your ass back home and you bring it home in one piece, do you understand me?”
For the first time in all the years Colby had known Gary Walker, he saw something different in the lieutenant’s eyes. This look was not the fatherly scowl Colby had come to know and love… the scowl of a man who refused to believe any body was good enough for his only daughter. Instead, this was the same look Colby’s own father had given him when he’d told his parents he enlisted. This was a look of love and concern from a father to a son. Gary Walker, in his not so quiet way, had just welcomed Colby to the family.
“Yes sir,” Colby finally answered, giving away nothing but knowing as Gary’s eyes met his once more - the two had an unspoken understanding.
“All right then,” the lieutenant barked, stepping back. “Grab a hammer and help me finish this doll house for my grandbaby. Damn thing is settin’ me crazy. Thank god Callie loved to play with soldiers when she was little.”
Realizing what he’d said, he cast a long look at Colby and shook his head. “I guess some things never change.”
Colby couldn’t help but laugh with Gary as he shrugged out of his jacket. He knew he needed to get home, but having just received his future father-in-laws blessing and acceptance, there was no where else he would rather be.