Bart Simpson kicked up the dirt as he sat on the bleachers, waiting for his turn to bat. It was one of his biggest games of the season and he had been waiting two weeks for it to come. He had been practicing hard with Milhouse and Nelson, and for a while played catch in the backyard with his father; until Homer told him he had other plans in mind for that day. Homer was not planning on going to the game, he already had plans with Moe, Lenny, Carl, and Barney, he never explained what, but it broke Bart's heart and he had not spoken to his father in a week now.
He could not believe his own father would miss something as important as this, he was supposed to care about his son and root for him when his son needed him the most. But now it did not matter, his friends, his mother, and his sisters would root for him and he would make sure he would make a few hits to help his team win, so far the score was three to three in the fourth inning. Too bad his father didn't care enough to watch.
Bart's thoughts were quickly erased when he heard the crack of the bat as Nelson scored a single hit that sent him to first base. The crowd went wild as the other team tried to stop him from reaching the plate, but they were not fast enough and Nelson was now on first base, Bart was next and he was determined to help Nelson move to another.
Quickly Bart grabbed a bat and walked toward the plate, his friends wished him luck and he could hear his mother and his sister Lisa cheer him on. He had already struck out once but everyone knew that he was only warming up; his second try was always the best. He stepped up to the plate and took his stance while he waited for the pitcher to throw the ball toward him. It wasn't long when it happened and Bart was unprepared as the ball flew by him and landed in the catcher's mitt.
"Strike!" The umpire called loudly while his friends gave him encouragement, knowing he had two more swings to go and that he could do it.
Another pitch came and this time Bart was prepared, he swung at the ball, but he was not fast enough and the ball went straight into the catcher's glove with a loud pop.
"Strike two!" The umpire yelled.
Bart knew that this was it, he had to try one more time or his third chance would not be until near the end of the game. He wanted to score and help his team, but he couldn't stop thinking about his father and how he had deserted him for his friends. Could his feelings be ruining his chances of helping his team out? It sure felt like it. Bart gripped his bat tightly as he waited for the pitch, but before it happened, he heard a familiar voice calling to him.
"Come on son, you can do it!"
Was that his father? Bart had no time to look as the ball came flying toward him. With as much energy as he could muster, he swung and felt the ball connect with the bat. He had made a hit! The ball flew towards left field and over the left fielders head a few feet away. Bart stared for a moment, astonished at what he had done, until he remembered he had to run, not just to first base but to second base, thanks to Nelson who ran all the way to home even though the left fielder threw the ball toward home plate. Nelson slid into home just before the ball reached the catcher's mitt and scored. Everyone began to cheer for both him and Nelson.
Bart stood on second base feeling invigorated at the fact that he had helped his team score, and wondering if he had really heard his father cheering for him. He looked up at the stands, and there sitting with his sisters and mother, was his father waving happily back at him. His father had seen him play and Bart felt a great happiness come over him. He let out a heavy sigh, not from running so hard, but from his father finally doing something right for him. His father was there for him during one of his greatest moments. He could not help but feel proud of himself now.
Bart's team won, three to six and he did not meet up with his family until a little bit later in the parking lot after a quick meeting with his team. As soon as Bart could, he ran toward his father who was waiting by the car and gave him a giant hug for actually wanting to come out and watch him play.
"I thought you had plans with friends Dad?" Bart asked once he looked up at his father with tears in his eyes.
"I did son, but then I realized how much the game meant to you, looks like I got here just in time," Homer replied. Bart only smiled back.
Life's not the breaths you take, the breathing in and out
That gets you through the day, ain't what it's all about.
You just might miss the point, trying to win the race
Life's not the breaths you take, but the moments that take your breath away.
Fifteen years had gone by, Bart had moved far away from home where he made up his own life with a wife and a child due at any moment.
He stood by his wife's side nervously as she continued to push as hard as she could to deliver what he had been waiting for in a long time. He had met the woman of his dreams in college and they married when they both graduated three years ago. It took them long to conceive a child, but now it was finally happening. But like all first time fathers, he was scared and he could only hold onto his wife's hand as she struggled to bring a child for him into the world. He did not care if it was a girl or a boy, as long as it was healthy he would be happy and proud.
It was only him, and his wife and several doctors surrounding her. He was so far from home that he knew his parents would not show up until later when the child was safely in their arms. He was alone and had to face this by himself with nurses and doctors who were nothing but strangers. He knew they would help but he was still so worried about how things were going. He could only watch and wait.
"I made it son," a familiar voice called that caused him to stop panicking for just a moment.
He turned around, and there stood his father, along with his mother behind him. His sister Maggie, who was now a teenager, was also with them. She did look a bit worried about the idea of seeing a live birth and she stayed close behind Marge peeking every now and again to see if the new life had been delivered. Bart stared at them, eyes widened at the fact that his parents and sister had come to see him.
"Dad! I told you you didn't have to come," Bart said as he ran forward to hug his family.
Homer smiled. "Yeah I know you did, but I had to be there to help you, I can tell you are not familiar with this so it's best to have someone who is, and I will stand by you every step of the way."
"Thanks Dad," Bart said with a sigh.
Life's not the breaths you take, the breathing in and out
That gets you through the day, ain't what it's all about.
You just might miss the point, trying to win the race
Life's not the breaths you take, but the moments that take your breath away.
It's a girl!" A nurse cried.
Bart stared at the little miracle that was in the arm of the doctor, a tiny thing that was crying heavily over the fact that it had left a warm, safe place. But that did not stop Bart from going near it; he took the baby from the doctor's arms and held her tightly. The child cried for a few seconds longer, until she looked up at her father and slowly, her crying began to stop. Instead she began to coo softly as Bart held her tiny hands with his finger. She was as beautiful as he thought she would be and it was the happiest moment in his life.
He looked up at Homer, who was wiping a tear away from his eyes, it was his first grandchild and it made him feel all warm and happy inside. Bart looked back down at the little girl, then back at his wife who was very eager to hold her. Bart made his way over and put his little girl in his wife's arms.
"She's beautiful," Bart said proudly.
We finally did it," his wife replied with a tired sigh. Bart leaned over and hugged her and the baby, he never felt so proud in all his life. It was an accomplishment even better than that ball game when he was ten, and once again, his father was there to see it.
Just like it took my breath when she was born
Just like it took my breath away when Dad took his last that morn.
But all the great moments he had with his father would sadly end twenty-three years later, Bart was now an older man with two children, one getting ready to go to college while the other was starting her own life. He was in a happy marriage, a stable job, but now he had to deal with something that he knew would come one day. He was going to the hospital to say goodbye to his father.
Homer had been sick for the past month now; his heart could no longer take all the fatty foods that he had been eating. An emergency bypass surgery had been performed that morning and Bart had flown out to see him. As soon as he landed though, the prognosis was not good. With tears welling in his eyes, he drove as fast as he could to the hospital knowing that each second was vital to seeing his father one last time.
He soon reached the hospital and ran to the ICU; he was lead by a nurse into a separate room where his mother, Maggie and Lisa were waiting with Homer. Bart entered the room and at first thought he was too late, until he heard the heart monitors letting out slow beeps to say he was still alive. His mother, whose hair was now no longer blue, but gray like her own mothers had been, was sitting next to his father, tears falling down her face. Lisa and Maggie were standing nearby saying nothing, when they saw Bart they both smiled worriedly.
He slowly approached the hospital bed toward his father, as he got close he saw the IV, the heart monitors and the nasal cannula. His eyes were closed and he had no idea if he was unconscious or just resting his eyes until his son arrived. He saw Marge give Homer's hand a squeeze, slowly his father opened his eyes and looked up at his son. He looked so much older than he had been, almost the spitting image of his own father with all the wrinkles and bags under his eyes. As Homer stared up at his son, he let out a weak smile causing his wrinkles to stretch out a bit.
"Hey son, you made it," he whispered
"I did Dad," Bart replied.
"I wanted to tell you how proud I am of you, even though I was rarely there for you and I was such a jerk, I… I'm really sorry I wasn't the Dad I should have been," Homer said with a heavy sigh.
"It's okay Dad, you were there during the times I needed you the most and those were the times that mattered. They were the most important moments of my life and even though you tried to skip on me those few times, I'm glad you showed up and encouraged me. Because that's what a Dad should do," Bart said.
Homer gave his son a weak smile, Bart was right a father should look after his children and encourage them, there was no arguing that. "And thank you for being here for me; I know you had things to do."
"I wanted to say goodbye properly, and the guys at the office are fine without me right now," Bart replied with a sigh while trying to keep the tears from falling.
"I'm glad you could then," Homer whispered before closing his eyes.
Bart knew Homer had used up all his strength waiting for him, they had said their goodbyes properly now, and now all they had to do was wait. Wait for the moment where not only it would take his breath away but his life as well. A life filled with wonderful moments, moments with his only son, moments with his daughters, and the moments with the wife he had loved until his dying days. Nothing could ever replace that, and the memories were always there to remember and never be forgotten.
Life's not the breaths you take, the breathing in and out
That gets you through the day, ain't what it's all about.
You just might miss the point if you don't slow down the pace
Life's not the breaths you take, but the moments that take your breath away.
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO
A/N: Yes I know you all have been expecting a new chapter for The Way We Never Should Have Been, but I really wanted to write this. I first heard "The Breath You Take" By George Strait (Go to You Tube if you have not heard it to get a better understanding of the story) a few months ago and as I began to listen to it, I realized it would make a great Bart and Homer story. I really wanted to write it after these past two weeks, which have been a bit stressful for me. From having to deal with school issues, to witnessing the passing of a giraffe at work, it's just been an emotional time for me. So I had to write this just because my mind was kind of in the right place for it, so I hope you all liked it and thought it was okay.
Now I really have no idea how soon my next update of The Way We Never Should Have Been will be, it might be after classes are over in two weeks. Hopefully this will be the last two weeks of college that I will have to face; I just need to get B's in both my classes. So please pray, cross your fingers, or whatever you guys do for yourselves to do well that I pass these classes. I am really on edge about this and its driving me nuts.
In the meantime, since it's that time of year, I am going to suggest my Christmas story once again, so if you all get bored go ahead and read Homer Simpsons Christmas Vacation. And do you all think I should change the name of The Way We Never Should Have Been to The Way We Shouldn't Be? Please let me know when you review, to me it just sounds better. Any way thanks in advance guys, I will see you all soon.