Original: Midnight (Rick) G
Title: Midnight [ INDEX]
Author: Erin (erinm_4600)
Characters, Pairing: Rick, Mel and Daniel
Rating: G
Summary: Rick reflects in the dark.
Warning: Any drooling brought on by a certain fireman being awesome is expected... Some time in late-March, 2011. *Written for Round 32 of prompt_in_a_box. Prompt #6: "I'd die for you, you know I would." (Liar, Emilie Autumn) *for luxuria_oceanus. BECAUSE.
Disclaimer: For the first time, I can say that EVERYTHING about this one is MINE, ALL MINE. Mwahaha!! Inspirations all come from characteraday, with thanks.
Rick Harper had never really considered any career other than firefighting. Even though he'd studied education in college, he had always wanted to be a fireman. His mother thought he was crazy - he could get hurt - and his father simply shook his head. Rick's brothers had both gone the business route; one in Oregon and one in California.
Even Rick wasn't sure how he'd managed to find himself in Chicago, from Washington State, but, here he was. He lived a few blocks from the station he'd been assigned to, he had a great apartment and his life was pretty much set... except that he didn't have a girl in his life.
This particular topic seemed to disturb his mother, more than it did Rick. His brothers had both married and had children. Rick, however, was still the bachelor. But, because he was the baby, he was simply 'growing up' and he’d get to it. Of course, the longer it took him to 'grow up', the more Emily Harper worried.
He'd gone on a few dates, mostly at the urging of his partner and best friend, John Bower, but, generally, Rick just wasn't interested in the girls Chicago had to offer. They were nice enough, but, really, Rick was married to Station 22.
However, one afternoon, Rick found himself sharing the apartment's elevator with his neighbor from across the hall. Mel Walker had lived in the building for a few months, but they'd never actually met. However, after that chance meeting in the elevator, they were rarely apart. Nearly a year after that meeting, Rick and Mel began dating. A year after that, Rick proposed and, soon, they were married.
Now, almost a year later, Rick had an actual house; he'd left Station 22 and was an elementary school gym teacher for the Chicago School District; and, most importantly, Rick was a father. Baby Daniel had only been home for a few days, and Rick couldn't stop watching him.
It was nearly midnight, that particular evening, and Rick was standing in the nursery, leaning on the crib and watching Daniel as he slept. He watched as Daniel's chest rose and fell and smiled every time Daniel's small, fisted hand moved.
"Hey," he heard in a whisper. Glancing over his shoulder, Rick smiled as Mel leaned against the door frame. "He's not goin' anywhere." Rick smiled again and pushed up as Mel walked over and wrapped her arms around him. She glanced down at the sleeping boy and fought a yawn as Rick kissed the top of her head.
"I know," Rick said softly. As he held his wife, they both watched Daniel and Rick realized that, if he hadn't followed his dream, and had gone straight to teaching in Washington, he'd have never met his wife, and they would never have known this perfect little man. Rick pressed another kiss to his wife's head and closed his eyes.
He was wrong, before. His life hadn't been complete. Now, though, it was.
Author: Erin (erinm_4600)
Characters, Pairing: Rick, Mel and Daniel
Rating: G
Summary: Rick reflects in the dark.
Warning: Any drooling brought on by a certain fireman being awesome is expected... Some time in late-March, 2011. *Written for Round 32 of prompt_in_a_box. Prompt #6: "I'd die for you, you know I would." (Liar, Emilie Autumn) *for luxuria_oceanus. BECAUSE.
Disclaimer: For the first time, I can say that EVERYTHING about this one is MINE, ALL MINE. Mwahaha!! Inspirations all come from characteraday, with thanks.
Rick Harper had never really considered any career other than firefighting. Even though he'd studied education in college, he had always wanted to be a fireman. His mother thought he was crazy - he could get hurt - and his father simply shook his head. Rick's brothers had both gone the business route; one in Oregon and one in California.
Even Rick wasn't sure how he'd managed to find himself in Chicago, from Washington State, but, here he was. He lived a few blocks from the station he'd been assigned to, he had a great apartment and his life was pretty much set... except that he didn't have a girl in his life.
This particular topic seemed to disturb his mother, more than it did Rick. His brothers had both married and had children. Rick, however, was still the bachelor. But, because he was the baby, he was simply 'growing up' and he’d get to it. Of course, the longer it took him to 'grow up', the more Emily Harper worried.
He'd gone on a few dates, mostly at the urging of his partner and best friend, John Bower, but, generally, Rick just wasn't interested in the girls Chicago had to offer. They were nice enough, but, really, Rick was married to Station 22.
However, one afternoon, Rick found himself sharing the apartment's elevator with his neighbor from across the hall. Mel Walker had lived in the building for a few months, but they'd never actually met. However, after that chance meeting in the elevator, they were rarely apart. Nearly a year after that meeting, Rick and Mel began dating. A year after that, Rick proposed and, soon, they were married.
Now, almost a year later, Rick had an actual house; he'd left Station 22 and was an elementary school gym teacher for the Chicago School District; and, most importantly, Rick was a father. Baby Daniel had only been home for a few days, and Rick couldn't stop watching him.
It was nearly midnight, that particular evening, and Rick was standing in the nursery, leaning on the crib and watching Daniel as he slept. He watched as Daniel's chest rose and fell and smiled every time Daniel's small, fisted hand moved.
"Hey," he heard in a whisper. Glancing over his shoulder, Rick smiled as Mel leaned against the door frame. "He's not goin' anywhere." Rick smiled again and pushed up as Mel walked over and wrapped her arms around him. She glanced down at the sleeping boy and fought a yawn as Rick kissed the top of her head.
"I know," Rick said softly. As he held his wife, they both watched Daniel and Rick realized that, if he hadn't followed his dream, and had gone straight to teaching in Washington, he'd have never met his wife, and they would never have known this perfect little man. Rick pressed another kiss to his wife's head and closed his eyes.
He was wrong, before. His life hadn't been complete. Now, though, it was.