Title: The Shot
Summary: What's a dad to do when he has to take his five year old in for preschool shots?
Rating: T
Author: KC-Chick
Disclaimer: Any character you recognize, not mine. Any you do, mine.
O.o
"Craig, you're taking her."
"Can't you take her?" He pleads. "You're so much better at this."
"Pfft, don't try to flatter me just because you can't handle it."
"I can so handle it."
Ellie Nash raises an eyebrow. "Oh you can?"
"Yes! I'm perfectly capable of taking our daughter to get her vaccines for preschool."
"Uh huh. Then why are you protesting so much?"
"Because isn't this a mother's thing?"
"Don't even start with the whole sexist complex you have. The male species is perfectly capable of taking their five year old daughter to get shots."
"Daddy, what's a shot?" five year old Julia Manning inquires, pulling at her father's pant leg.
"Well it's a type of--"
"Not that type," Ellie interrupts with a stern look at Craig. He muffles a laugh. "He means to say it's when you go to the doctor so he can give you some stuff to be invincible."
"Ooh! Can I wear a cape Mommy? Can I please?" Little Julia starts bouncing around the kitchen, her curly light brown hair hits against her shoulders.
Ellie laughs. "Sure honey. I'm sure the doctor will be very excited by that."
"Yay!" The little girl runs into her room and begins frantically looking for her green cape, leaving Craig and Ellie in the kitchen.
"A cape?" Craig raises an eyebrow.
"Yes, Craig. A cape. I was trying to help you out." The confusion on Craig's face continues. "If she has a cape to focus on, she'll scream less."
"Whatever. A shot is a shot," he stares at his wife skeptically.
"Craig, I know her. She'll be fine."
"Daddy, daddy look!" Julia runs in screaming to the kitchen and spins around the room playfully. "Zoom, ZOOM! I'm a super hero!" She giggles through her words.
Craig scoops his daughter into his arms. "Now you're a flying super hero!"
Ellie rolls her eyes. "Kids," she mutters, and then laughs.
"Ooh you're Mommy's the big bad guy! Go get her Jules!"
"Rawr Mommy!"
Julia starts tickling her mother and giggling.
"Okay! I surrender! Super hero Julia wins!" Ellie yells playfully and hugs her daughter. "Now, c'mon babe, you and daddy are going to be late if you don't leave soon."
"Ellie…" Craig whines.
"Mommy, why does Daddy have his 'don't make me do it' face on?" Julia asks bluntly. You've gotta love five year olds.
"Because your Daddy is a bit scared of--"
"Not scared, Jules," Craig clarifies.
"Don't worry Daddy," the little girl reassures. "I'll protect you!"
"See, Craig? Jules will protect you."
He makes a face at his red haired wife and takes a deep breath. "Okay. We're off." He kisses Ellie as Julia stands there giggling. "Ready Jules?"
"Uh huh," she nods and takes her father's hand and out the door they go.
O.O
Craig's brow breaks into a sweat. He hates waiting rooms.
Brightly colored posters fill the room informing occupants of the muscular and skeletal systems and that you should always wash your hands after using the restroom. They make things extra uncomfortable.
Julia was running around the small room filled with toys making noises such as 'zoom' and 'whoosh' every once and a while.
Craig chuckles at the life he sees in his daughter daily and concludes that she's gotten it from both him and her mother. Both set such an example for little Julia and he feels blessed that his little girl gives out some of his own mother in her personality.
A technician in scrubs comes to the doorway leading to the back.
"Julia Manning?" he calls, reading his chart.
"Jules," Craig calls into the play room as he stands up to meet the man.
Little Julia skips playfully to her father's side, her cape flowing behind her. The technician chuckles.
"Ready little one?"
Julia scrunches her face? "Little? Ha. I'm a super hero mister!"
"Well c'mon then super girl, let's get you all ready."
"Sorry about the cape," Craig mutters so it's inaudible to his daughter.
"Don't worry, as long as it makes her feel better," the unnamed technician dude reassures Craig.
They walk to a room and Julia jumps up onto the padded mat thing as the tech dude checks her heartbeat with a stethoscope and such.
"Your heart sounds great super girl. No wonder you're so strong."
"You have no idea," Craig says.
"Yeah I even flew today!" Julia exclaims proudly. "Now, where's that stuff to make me stronger?" She looks around the room, as though she could just spot it with her eyes.
Tech man raises an eyebrow.
"Yeah, the stuff the doctor is gonna give her to make her invincible you see."
"Yeah, the shot!" the little girl giggles.
The technician nods with knowledge. "Oh right. We're prepping it special for you right now. It'll be here soon. I'll leave you to get ready okay?" He turns to Craig. "Dr. Cullen will be in soon." He left the room.
"Ready Jules?" Craig inquires to his daughter, whose hands and balled into fists, her eyes closed.
"Mmm…"
"What's that?"
She opens one eye. "Daddy, shh!!! I'm channeling all my strength! Gosh."
Craig shakes his head, laughing. "So much like your mother," he mutters so himself.
"Knock, knock."
Craig turns his attention to the door to see that a blonde man with extremely pale skin and blonde hair has walked in. His eyes are topaz colored and his smile is dazzling.
"Hello, I'm Dr. Cullen," he greets. "You must be super girl, they tell me."
Julia opens her eyes. "Yup! Do you have the shot?" she asks excitedly. "I'm ready." Then Julia sits very still, her cape still behind her.
The doctor chuckles, and his laugh comes out musical.
"You must be her father," Dr. Cullen says to Craig.
"Oh, right. I'm uh…"
"Mr. Manning?" Dr. Cullen offers.
"Right, yeah," Craig nods, unable to quite pinpoint the cause for his loss of words.
Dr. Cullen smiles again and distracts Julia while he pulls out the needle.
Craig gulps. It's so long and pointy and he looks away.
And before he knows it, Dr. Cullen pulling out a long needle out of his daughter's arm. Julia didn't even scream.
"All done," he smiles at Julia, and she blinks.
"That's IT?" Julia exclaims.
Dr. Cullen nods. "Way to go, super girl."
"Wow, now I'm SUPER, super girl!" she grins happily.
Craig stares. "How. Did you do that?" he stutters at the doctor.
The doctor flashes his smile again. "Technique, I suppose," he shrugs offhandedly.
Julia stares at Dr. Cullen again. "Um, thank you for the… stuff mister!"
"No problem. Keep fighting crime for us, okay?"
Julia nods. "Yes sir."
Craig and Julia walk out of the office.
"Daddy! That was fun! When can I get another shot?!"
Craig gulps. "Not for a long while I hope…"
"Daddy, you weren't scared or anything, right?" she prods at her father.
"What, no of course not! Didn't anyone tell you I'm super man?"
"Uh huh… wait till I tell Mommy…"
o.O
Fin.