So everyone, this is my first ever fanfic! Any type of feedback would be so greatly appreciated! This is simply a fluffy one-shot about a story line that I thought could've been so greatly expanded. Set in the future. I don't own any of the characters ou'd recognise, only the little children are mine. All rights are to Dick Wolf (I'm not sure what I'm writing, just copying what other authors write at the start of their stories).
The sounds of children weren't rare at Firehouse 51. Many of the men and women had children, grandchildren, nieces or nephews. When the trucks pulled up on that particular day however they were all puzzled, no one recognised that giggle.
It wasn't Alexandria, she was a spitting image of Gabriella but guffawed like Casey. Terrance was quiet and reserved, more interested in studying bugs than anything else. Eva had a high pitched, ear splitting titter that made the entire crew joke she was Chilli's daughter, too closely related to just be her niece. Nadia was too little the outbreak they heard, although there was a pool running on whether Kelly or Erin would bring out the first chuckle.
Whoever it was, they were grateful. Working as a first responder was hard, every single one of them knew it, and every single member of the house responded differently to the heart wrenching calls. The only coping method they all benefitted from was that of playing the youngest members of their family. Death, disease, injury, abuse, loss and pain was what they dealt with every day, and sometimes even the good calls couldn't outweigh the bad. Chicago was suffering through a deadly winter, and every call kept them on their toes.
Mouch climbed off the rig, seriously considering whether he'd be able to stick it out for another year. He loved his job, loved it more than anything in the world, especially after he lost Trudy. He knew he was getting older however, he knew just as well as Casey did, but as always was too proud to admit it. It was taking over his mind, he just had too many thoughts on whether to stay at 51 or retire for good. That's what he was thinking about as he climbed off the rig that day, unlike the rest of the crew puzzling over the unknown child.
By the time he ambled inside everyone else already knew who their surprise visitor was, and was staring expectantly at him. Confused Mouch looked around, he preferred to stay out of the spotlight. It wasn't until he turned for the coffee pot that he even processed who was standing right by him.
"Lizzy?" was all he could manage to croak out. His jaw slackened, running his eyes all over her and finally staring at the bundle in her arms. "Wha-. What're you doing here? I though you said you were moving to New York City with Emmett?"
Gabby had shooed the crew away from Mouch, letting he and his daughter reunite in peace, and for that Lizzy was grateful. Mouch may have been her father, but she hadn't seen him in over three years and even those meeting were brief. To turn up to his work, battered with a child in tow wasn't exactly the impression she always wanted his colleagues to have. To her, they were his family. He'd never wanted her, never knew about her. Lizzy didn't even know why she was here, she didn't know how he'd even react. All she knew was that if one more person abandon her, then she was abandoning her life.
She could feel him staring at him, at little Lenny who was scrambling to explore his new surroundings. He was taking in her eyes, her crooked nose, and her scarred and still slightly bloodied bottom lip. Mouch stood motionless, and that stung. Without a word Lizzy turned on her foot and moved for the door, believing that he too were going to turn his back on her. And that's when she felt it. The feeling of safety and security, a feeling she hadn't felt since Emmett left. Mouch embracing her, holding her as if he himself could fix everything that she'd been through.
Rubbing her back and whispering assurances in her ear, Mouch could feel the tension in her back and could sense her anxiety in the way she clung to her son. And it was he who fully relaxed his mother, reaching over and tugging Mouchs' hair.
The unholy shriek of pain that erupted from Mouch brought the rest of the firehouse running from their hiding spots, and made Lizzy laugh. And it was that laugh that sealed her fate as a member of Firehouse 51, and a member of their family.