Characters:
Madeleine Hightower
Will Hightower
Mimi Hightower
Teresa Lisbon
Grace Van Pelt
Craig O'Laughlin (dead, thank god)
Set in season 3 finale, Strawberries and Cream. What if Mimi was the one to help Lisbon after she'd been shot? Completely AU.
Helping Hand.
"Mimi, get back in the room!" Madeleine Hightower yelled at her eldest child, Mimi Hightower. Mimi stood there, looking shocked, but she wasn't looking at the corpse of Craig O'Laughlin. No, the eleven year old girl was too busy staring at the prone form of Teresa Lisbon, a bullet wound to her shoulder. Hightower ran up the stairs to where Mimi stood, pushing her daughter gently into the bedroom where Will still sat on the bed, blissfully unaware of the scene downstairs. Will looked up at his mom, a smile on his face.
"Can I watch Finding Nemo next, mommy?" He asked sweetly. Hightower turned to Will, not noticing Mimi slipping out of the room behind her.
"Sure, Will. How about 101 Dalmations after Finding Nemo?" Hightower asked, rummaging through a suitcase for the two DVDs. Will grinned.
"Okay mommy. Will you watch Finding Nemo with me please?"
"Baby, I have to get back downstairs."
"Please, mommy?"
"Fine, baby, but just for a couple of minutes. I really have to get back to Teresa."
...
Mimi Hightower walked carefully down the stairs, careful not to make a noise that would alert her mom to what she was doing. As soon as she made it to the main living room, she saw Teresa on the phone, one of her arms cradled between her knees. Mimi walked up to her just as Teresa placed the phone on the floor.
"Mimi, you shouldn't be here, sweetie." Lisbon subtly moved, trying to keep Mimi from seeing Craig's body. "You need to go back upstairs with your mom and your brother."
"No, you're hurt." Mimi grabbed a towel from a pile in the corner, pressing it to Lisbon's shoulder, biting her lip as Lisbon winced in pain. "Sorry, Teresa."
"It's fine, Mimi, honestly. Now, thank you, but go back upstairs now, sweetie. You don't want to see all this. You're only eleven."
Mimi shrugged. "I don't care about him, Teresa. I heard what he said, saw what he did. He was a bad man. But someone needs to look after you, Teresa. Mom's trying to keep Will distracted, and Grace is crying somewhere. They've left you. I'm not. Now then, we need to keep pressure on the wound, Teresa."
Lisbon stared at Mimi in shock, mouth agape. "Fine, but Mimi, make me one promise."
"What is it?" Mimi asked as she wrapped the now red towel round Teresa's shoulder tightly, biting her lip once more as Teresa winced in pain once more.
With her good arm, Lisbon pushed first herself, then Mimi, round until she was facing the body, and Mimi's back was to him. "Keep your back on his body, Mimi. That's what I want you to promise. Promise you won't look at him, Mimi, or I'm sending you back upstairs, right now."
"Okay, I promise." Mimi replied, pressing another towel to Lisbon's shoulder. "Can you turn around then?"
"Sure." Lisbon turned round, only to feel Mimi's hands on her head.
Mimi pulled the extra hair band she carried from her pocket, pulling Teresa's hair back into a bun. It wasn't especially neat, but it was enough to keep it away from all the blood. Lisbon then turned back again to face Mimi.
"Thank you, Mimi."
"No problem, Teresa. Did Grace call for an ambulance?"
"Yeah, I told her to."
"Okay. Teresa, does this mean you're disabled again?" Mimi asked with a cheeky grin. Lisbon rolled her eyes at the girl.
"No, and I wasn't disabled before, Mimi, and you know it."
"I know. Teresa?"
"Yes, Mimi?"
"Mom told me she has a hearing in two weeks' time. Could me and Will stay with you on that day if you're out of hospital then?"
"Sure, Mimi. You two are always welcome, you know that."
Mimi reached forward, hugging Lisbon's good arm. "Thank you, Teresa."
They heard the sirens in the distance, and Mimi got up, careful to keep her back to the corpse, as she was keeping the promise she made. Mimi reached the door, and opened it to an ambulance and two paramedics with a stretcher.
"Hi, honey." The first paramedic started. Mimi smirked.
"One dead, one injured. Bullet wound to the shoulder. I've been keeping pressure on it. This way, please."
...
Two weeks later
...
"Teresa!" Mimi yelled as Lisbon opened the door to greet Mimi, Will, and Hightower. Lisbon hugged Mimi back as the girl wrapped her hands round Lisbon's waist.
"Teresa!" It was Will's turn to yell and hug Lisbon. Hightower smiled. She would've loved it if their dad could've looked after them, but knowing Lisbon would eased her mind a lot. She smiled at Lisbon.
"I'll be back this afternoon. Teresa, can I speak to you a moment?"
"Sure. Mimi, Will, there's biscuits on the table and a movie on tv."
Mimi and Will raced into the house, leaving Lisbon and Hightower on the doorstep.
"What's up, Madeleine?"
"If- If something happens to me, Teresa, would you take the kids?"
"Nothing is going to happen to you." Lisbon told the woman fiercely. Madeleine shook her head.
"I know, but if something happens, would you?"
"Of course I would. Mimi and Will are great kids. But nothing will happen to you, Madeleine."
Hightower nodded. "Thanks, Teresa. That means a lot."
"Don't worry about it." Lisbon smiled. "Now, you have a hearing to get to, and I have two kids to entertain."
Hightower grinned. "Sure, I'll go now, I'll be back later for them."
"Okay, bye."
Lisbon shut the door only to see Mimi stood close to the door, watching her. Suddenly, Mimi flew at Lisbon, hugging the woman tightly.
"I'm glad you're okay, Teresa."
"I have you to thank, Mimi. You saved my arm, and my life."
"It's fine, don't worry about it."
"Still, thank you Mimi." Lisbon told the girl. "It was brilliant. You'll grow up to do great things. In fact, you don't need to grow up. You've already done great things."
Mimi blushed. "It's okay. Lets get back to Will."
"Okay."
"Oh, Teresa?
"Yes, Mimi?"
"I'm glad you care."
"Same here, Mimi. Same here."
The End.