A/N This story is based on the song "Little Red Balloon" by Kristina Cornell….

What if Nick hadn't made it in Grave Danger…. This is told from the point of view of Nick's daughter…..

My name is Nichole Marie Stokes. I was named after my dad. He loved my mom with a passion that she never knew before him. At least that is what she tells me. I am getting married next July and wish he could be there. I am getting ahead of myself a bit.

Flashback

The people that daddy and mommy work with are at the house. Everyone is crying and hugging mommy. I am scared, but mommy looks sad, so I stay out in the hallway. I hear hushed voices and see all the adults look scared too. I slip back into my bedroom and sit on my bed.

Mommy came into my room and said that daddy is in Heaven and we are going to see Grandma and Grandpa Stokes. They live very far away so I have only seen them a few times. I have to be strong for mommy. I smile and hug her and she cries as she holds me tight.

A few weeks pass and Mommy and I are at the toy store. She tells me I can pick out anything I want. I smile and walk over to the balloons. I pick out a red one. Red was daddy's favorite color. I also get some markers and some string. I look at mommy and tell her that I am ready to go. She looks confused, but doesn't say anything. She holds my hand and we go home.

I walk into my bedroom and take the balloon and write a message to daddy on it. I write "I love you daddy!" I give it a kiss and smile as I open the window to my room and let the balloon go. It floats up into the sky and I smile. I tell daddy that I wish he could have been there for my birthday. I just turned seven and the day wasn't the same without him. I talk to him all the time. Mostly I tell him about my day at school and sometimes I tell him about how much mommy misses him. She cries a lot, mostly at night. I know that she is lonely and misses him. Even though she tries to be strong for us kids, I know that she misses you daddy. I smiles as I see a bird fly and land in a tree in the yard. Daddy loved birds. I think it is daddy letting me know that he is thinking about me. I smile and close the window and walk out into the living room. I hear mommy in her room crying. I walk in and lay on the bed with her and my brother and sister. We are all sad and miss daddy so much.

Flashback Ends

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