Disclaimer:I own nothing except the character of Declan.
This is my first fic, so please be gentle
A young blonde woman, who appeared to be in her early twenties, sat in a chair in a New York DMV, patiently waiting for her turn. She nervously adjusted and readjusted the dark rimmed glasses that framed her large cobalt eyes. She sighed as she thought back to when she was five years old, when her parents first sent her away to a boarding school in New Jersey.
Flashback
A five year old girl stood on a platform in Grand Central Station, clad in a school uniform clinging to her fathers hand. She looked around with teary eyes and saw a lot of other children wearing the same uniform saying their goodbyes to their parents. With tears threatening to spill out of her big blue eyes she tugged on her fathers hand and spoke. "Daddy, why do I have to go so far away?" The man sighed and looked down at her, his own blue eyes threatening to release the emotions building inside of him. "Well baby doll, the Bronx aint no place for a beauty such as yourself to grow up. St. Augustine's is a great school. You'll love it! The teachers and all of the kids are friendly. You're such a smart little girl. Them public schools your brothers go to aint good enough for you. You'll be home for holidays and during the summer. You're going to make so many new friends you'll forget about missing us." He answered forcing a smile. He lead her to the doors of the train and knelt down to give his daughter one last hug before she set off for the boarding school. "I love you munchkin. I'll see you soon. Behave." He choked out as he hugged her tight. He released her from the hug and stood up, handing her off to the teachers aid who was helping the students board. "Bye Daddy. I love you." She called to him as he stepped away and watched from the platform as she was seated. She watched him grow smaller and smaller as the train pulled away from the station, until eventually she could no longer see him. It wouldn't be until ten years later, when she was fifteen years old, that she would find out the real reason she was being sent away.
Back to present
The young woman was pulled from reminiscing and back into reality by the voice of a DMV employee. "Miss, can I help you?" she looked up at the woman standing over her. "Yes. I need to change my license over from a New Jersey license to a New York license." She answered politely. "Alright." The DMV woman responded. "Please come this way and I'll take care of you." The blonde rose from her seat and followed the woman into an office. "Have a seat. OK. I need your birth certificate, your license from New Jersey, another photo ID, and proof of residency here in New York." The woman chirped cheerfully as she took a seat behind a large wood desk. The blonde took a seat across from the other woman, and handed her all of the documents she had asked for. The DMV woman looked them over really quickly, reading her first name off so she could start a conversation so that the long and boring task of applying for a license didn't go so painfully. "Declan. That's a really cool name." The DMV woman stated. Declan smiled. "It's an Irish boy's name." She laughed. "I was named after a fifth century bishop. I didn't catch your first name." "Allegra." She answered with a smile. "That means happy, or cheerful in Italian." Declan informed her. "Do you speak Italian?" Allegra questioned. "I do. My family is Italian. Why I have an Irish name, I couldn't tell you." Declan laughed as she spoke. "So Declan, what brings you to New York?" Allegra asked. Declan smiled and pulled a letter out of an envelope. "The FDNY calls. I'm a paramedic. I applied last year, and I was just accepted. I was born in the Bronx, in fact, my parents and brothers still live there." Declan spoke. "You're from the Bronx? You don't have a New York Accent." Allegra looked at her with disbelief. "My parents sent me to boarding school in Jersey when I was five. I didn't come back home much. Look at my birth certificate. I was born in New York. I swear!" Declan smiled deviously at Allegra. "I believe you. So how is it in Jersey? I personally wouldn't want to live there." Allegra countered. "Actually I'd rather live there then here. The only reason I applied to the FDNY is because New York pays their medics more then Jersey does. I was working two jobs to pay for everything." Declan shook her head as she spoke to the other woman. "New York is expensive too. I have two roommates because I couldn't afford my apartment by myself." Allegra spoke as she typed Declan's information into her computer. "Alright Declan. I need you to stand in front of that drop cloth over there so I can take your picture." Declan stood up and did as she was instructed. "Ok SMILE!" Allegra laughed as she snapped the picture. "Ok you can sit back down. I'll be right back with your license." Allegra stood and left the room, leaving Declan to reminisce again. But this time to when she was fifteen. The last time she was home.
Flashback
Declan stood nervously in Grand Central Station once again. This time she was looking for her father who was picking her up from the train station. She was home for Christmas break, and was excited to give everyone their gifts. She couldn't wait to see her parents and her brothers again. "DECLAN!" A voice called out over the crowd. She turned to see her father waiving his arms excitedly at her from where he stood on a bench. She smiled and picked up her duffle bag and headed over to the bench. Her father jumped down and hugged Declan, spinning her around in a circle. "Lanie I've missed you so much! You're mother has been baking all of your favorite pastries, and she's making lasagna for dinner tonight." He smiled as he spoke, leaning down to pick up the duffle bag Declan dropped when her father embraced her. He led her outside to the car, and put her bag in the trunk as she got into the passenger seat. The ride to the house was filled with anticipation. As soon as her father pulled up in front of the two story home, Declan bolted from the car and up the stairs and into the front door. "I'm home!!" She exclaimed. Her mother and one of her brothers walked out from the kitchen to great her. Her mother immediately began to smother her with kisses. "Oh baby I missed you so much!" she exclaimed. "Carla let her breath! Where's your brother?" he directed his question to his youngest son, who wasn't actually all that young at twenty-six. "I dunno pop. He was supposed to be here an hour ago. I live in the city and I managed to make it before him." He answered shaking his head. He then turned his attention to his baby sister. "Lanie, how ya doin? Jersey looks like its treating you good." He smiled. "It's alright." Declan responded. The front door opened with a bang, as the oldest sibling walked through the door. "This is what was so important? I'm outta hear." He said with disgust. Declan looked at her parents with hurt and confusion in her eyes and then turned her attention to her oldest brother. "What did I do to you? I've been away, so I couldn't have done anything." She asked confused. He sneered at her and then his parents and brother. His sneer then turned into a frightening smile. "Yous never told her did you?" he laughed. "She still doesn't know! Hahaha! This is great." He turned his attention to Declan and said "Ask them to show you your birth certificate." Declan looked from her mother to her father and then back to her mother. "May I see it?" she asked politely. "Declan, we have to tell you something." Her father began. "Anthony no!" Her mother tried to interrupt. "Carla. Its time. Go get her birth certificate." He gently responded. Reluctantly Carla turned and walked upstairs. Anthony took Declan by the hand and led her to the sofa, where he sat her down next to him and his youngest son. Her older brother stood with his arms over his chest wearing a pleased smirk. "You're an ass hole you know that." His younger brother threw at him. "Its better then being a little mamas boy bitch all my life." He snapped as he turned and walked out the front door, slamming it behind him. "Declan." Their father continued. "We love you more then life it's self. And we didn't tell you this before because we didn't think you would understand. You see. Your mother, Carla, isn't really your mother. Fifteen years ago I had an affair with a woman named Francesca Petitto. Your moth- um Carla and I were having problems, so I took up a hobby. Drinking. Francesca was a bartender at a bar I frequented, so we got to know each other on a personal level. One day it went too far and I went back to her apartment, and one thing lead to another. Three months later, she told me she was pregnant, and that I was the only one she had been with." Anthony stopped to reach for the tissue box that sat on the coffee table, he removed a tissue and wiped at the tears that spilled down Declan's cheeks, and then at his own. He cleared his throat and continued the story as Carla returned holding an envelope. "I decided it was time to come clean to Carla about the affair. She took it well, and told me that I wasn't going to duck out on the woman. I had to stand up, take care of my child and do what was right. And I did just that. I took her to doctor's appointments; Carla would bring her home cooked meals. And nine months later, when she gave birth to a healthy baby girl, I was in the delivery room. Declan, that baby girl was you." Anthony finished with tears streaming down his face. "I..I don't believe you." Declan choked out as her brother took her hand in his. "Carla, show her." Anthony commanded. Reluctantly Carla handed Declan the envelope. Declan cautiously opened it, she slowly removed her birth certificate and unfolded it. The tears kept coming as she read it and placed it back in the envelope. "Can someone take me back to the train station please? I want to go back to school." Declan spoke softly. "I'll take you." Carla choked out with emotion. The ride to the train station was silent and the anticipation replaced with tension. "Declan. I love you. I don't care if it's not my blood running through your veins. I love you." Carla stated. Declan turned and looked at her. "I love you too Carla." Declan managed to say through her tears. "Lanie, I want you to call me mom. Please. I'm not Carla to you. I'm mom." Carla pleaded. Declan just nodded. Carla parked the car and the two walked into the train station together. They looked up at the board listing the train schedule. The train Declan needed didn't leave for another half hour. So she and Carla sat on a bench on the platform. Declan still holding the envelope with her birth certificate turned to Carla and asked "Where is my birth mother?" Carla took a deep breath and locked her brown eyes onto Declan's blue ones. "After you were born, your birth mother became very depressed. She turned to drugs to help her through. She was in and out of rehabs. The last time I heard from her she was going back into rehab somewhere in Jersey." Declan just nodded her head. A voice over the loudspeaker alerted the two to the fact that Declan's train was boarding. They both stood up and embraced each other tightly. "I love you Declan." Carla whispered in her ear. "Please call me as much as you used to?" Declan sniffled. "Of course." She responded. "I love you to mom." And with that, she turned and boarded the train. Just as she did when she was five, she watched as Carla grew smaller and smaller until she could no longer see her. When she was out of sight, Declan turned her attention back to the envelope containing her birth certificate. Once again she removed the document reading her name……Declan….Declan
Back to present
"Declan? Declan? Hello? Anyone home?" Allegra waved a hand in front of Declan's face. "Huh? Oh I'm sorry. I got lost in my own thoughts." Declan smiled. Allegra smiled back at her and handed her the credit card like license. "You're all set. It was a pleasure meeting you. Good luck with the FDNY." Allegra smiled as she shook Declan's hand. Declan took the license, and gathered all of her belongings as she exited the office. Once she was outside of the door she looked at her license, reading the named that adorned it. The same one she looked at for the first time six years ago. Declan Petitto Messer.