A/N: Just a short little piece about the Fourth... actually one of the shortest pieces I've written in a long time. It hasn't been beta'd or anything, so all mistakes are mine. I just got to thinking earlier today, and this is what came out as I've been stuck at work watching The Boston Pops on TV. Please let me know what you think about it... after all, reviews = love! Happy Independence Day!

Disclaimer: Yep, don't own. If I did, I wouldn't have to work on a national holiday.

Fireworks

Red and blue sparks shot into the night sky, mirrored in the murky waters of the Hudson beneath it. A loud boom reverberated off the skyscrapers of the Manhattan skyline. The "oohs" and "ahhs" of the onlookers wafted through the air as another rocket exploded above them, golden sparkles falling gently toward the earth.

Mac sat in the bed of his truck in Central Park, eyes glued toward the sky, arms folded over his chest as he watched the sparks mushroom into the blackened sky. The air was warm and humid, but a cool breeze blew off the Sound. Much like he supposed it was all those years ago, when the news of the Declaration of Independence first reached Manhattan.

"Hell of a show."

The familiar voice interrupted his thoughts, and he looked down to see Stella standing at the tailgate, two Cokes in her hands, her dark curls blowing in the cool breeze. Another firework whined overhead just before it exploded, bathing the city in red and white light. "I hear it's one of the best."

"That's what they say. But you know what they say about rumors too." She grinned at him. "Help me up?"

He complied immediately, offering a hand to help her clamber into the truck. She sighed as she sat down next to him, her shoulder brushing against his. "Here," she said, handing him one of the chilled bottles of soda.

With a smile, he took it and slowly twisted the cap off. Another one went off above them. "I've always loved Independence Day," he commented, taking a deep swig of his Coke.

"Me too," she replied, staring up at the sky.

"It's kinda funny, don't you think?"

"How?" she asked, looking over at him.

"How we celebrate one of the biggest acts of treason in the history of the world."

She chuckled at that and gently patted his hand. "Only you would find that funny, Mac."

Mac laughed with her and, feeling a little impulsive since it was so dark and no one they knew was around, took her hand in his, tenderly cradling it. Surprisingly she didn't pull away. Instead, she leaned a little closer to him, their shoulders touching. He could smell the sweet scent of her shampoo, and suddenly it felt like hundreds of fireworks were exploding in his heart.

"You know, the Fourth really didn't mean much to me until I joined the Marines," he said quietly, barely audible over the pops of the fireworks.

Stella pulled back a little, looking at him. "Why's that?"

He sighed and took another long draft of his soda. "When I first joined the Marines, the Fourth was in the middle of basic training. We were at Camp LeJeune, and they lined us all up to watch the fireworks over the Atlantic Ocean." He paused for a brief moment, and the only sound heard was the loud boom of the rockets shooting through the sky. "I'll never forget what they said to us."

She squeezed his hand tighter, reassuring him to keep going. "What was it, Mac?"

"They said that our freedom and liberty was founded on people like us. Ordinary people who knew that freedom came with a dear, dear price." He sighed, still looking at the sky.

"Whenever I see those fireworks, I'm reminded of the men that I fought with in Beirut, with the bombs going off everywhere and everything exploding around us. I remember being scared to death, thinking that I would never be able to see my family again, or my homeland again. And then I thought about the thousands of other men thinking the same thing: The men fighting their way through Normandy after D-Day, the Marines on Iwo Jima, the Union soldiers defending that ridge outside of Gettysburg and the Confederate soldiers making that charge across a mile of open ground, the men defending Fort McHenry during the War of 1812. And I remember thinking that it was all worth it. Everything was completely worth it. Because I realized that day that there's no higher honor than to fight and die for your country."

They lapsed into silence once again, colored lights still illuminating the night sky, the thunderous booms shaking the earth. Finally Stella twisted her hand in his and laid her head on his shoulder, interlacing their fingers, and for a second, he thought his heart stopped. "Thank you, Mac," she whispered. "For serving us. I don't think I ever told you how grateful I am for it."

He smiled softly, and, not fully knowing whether it was the fireworks in the air or the sparks flying between them, he pressed a kiss into her curls. "I don't think I ever told you how grateful I am for you."

She lifted her head and smiled. And as thousands of fireworks burst in the sky above Manhattan, the only fireworks he cared to see were reflected in her eyes.