A/N Another piece of "Little Moments Like That" Also, I have more companion fics in the works, yesss there will be more Smacked, but I think the next one will be Adam/OC(Mel).
Disclaimer:I own nothing!
The rain drummed down on the windshield as Don drove home. It finally brought some relief from the heat that enveloped the city. He groaned as he remembered the fact that the air conditioning was broken at the apartment. He slowly pulled into the garage under the apartment building. As he opened the door a wave a thick warm air overcame him. Much to his surprise, the apartment was empty. He pulled off his jacket and undid his shirt, desperate to get cooler. He noticed a note on the counter.
"Come to the park when you get home" The paper stated. Don found the note somewhat confusing, considering the current weather, but at this point he'd do anything to leave the apartment. He stripped down to his undershirt and changed into a pair of basketball shorts and then left. He walked around the corner to the small park they usually took Maeli to on nice afternoons when they needed some fresh air. As he walked, the rain plastered his hair to his head and his thin wife beater began to stick to him. Just inside the entrance, don spotted Jess holding their daughter. Maeli, who was only in a diaper, giggled relentlessly as the raindrops hit her face and hands. The proud father couldn't help but smile.
"Hey you" Jess smiled.
"Hey honey" He greeted her, reaching out to take Maeli. He lifted her above his head. She kicked wildly. "Does Mommy have you out in the rain?" He asked, she just continued to giggle. He pulled her back to his chest and kissed her forehead. With one hand he tickled her lightly.
"How was your shift?" Jess wondered, having not seen him since she left the station after her shift earlier.
"Good, thing went rather smoothly today, how was yours?" He replied, wrapping an arm around her waist. She moved into his side and set a hand in the middle of his chest. She was quiet for a minute, watching her child enjoy the poor weather.
"It was good" she whispered, her breath tickling his skin. He couldn't believe how beautiful she looked in the rain. Her hair hung in wet ringlets, her make up was nearly washed away, leaving only dark lines around her eyes behind. He kissed her slowly. "Why are we out in the rain?" He decided to ask.
"It's entirely too hot in that apartment, the rain in cooling us down, isn't it Maeli?" She explained, turning her attention to the little girl and gently poking her nose. Maeli smiled and tried to grab her mom's hand.
"I see" Don laughed. "I called about the A/C, they said they'd send somebody out" He added.
The day had been long, hot and tiring, again. Don was hoping to get home and cool down. When he opened the door and was hit by a wall of muggy heat he realized he was sadly mistaken. The air conditioning was still not fixed. The fans he bought were helping some, but not enough. He discarded his gun and badge. He didn't waste anytime in removing his shirt, leaving him in his wife beater and slacks. Upon further investigation of the apartment, he found his wife stretched out on the couch in nothing but the brown bikini he vividly remembered from their honeymoon. All the lights were out and soft music filled the room.
"Well, this is a side of you I don't see very often, relaxing on the couch listening to slow country songs" He said in a hushed tone. Jess breathed a light laugh as she scooted over so he could lie down next to her. They just laid there silently listening to Paul Brandt fill the room with the lyrics to "I Still Do". "Good song" Don commented. Jess turned to look at him and sent him a soft smile.
"Donnie, you've got to get the air fixed" she sighed, pressing the heels of her hands against her eyelids.
"I know baby, I've called twice, they are going to send someone out later this week" He replied.
"I don't think I've dressed Maeli all week except to take her to the sitter's. I find it easier to keep her in just a diaper in this heat, if I dress her, she pulls at her clothes." She admitted.
"I don't think she sleeping well either, not in this heat, you can tell she's not comfortable" Don added.
"We're not comfortable either. I think we need to get out of this apartment for awhile" Jess suggested.
" We're supposed to have the new cable installed later this week" He remembered.
"Hopefully by then the air will be back on" She grinned, rolling over the kiss him. He moved so he slid underneath her and gripped her hips holding her tightly against him. She grunted in disapproval as his belt rubbed up against the bare skin of her abdomen. She stuck a hand between their bodies and undid the offending object and sent it to the floor. She then tugged at his wife beater sliding her hands up under it. They continued their little game of kisses and tender touches until they were both covered in a coat of perspiration and skin stuck to skin. Don smiled against his wife's lips.
"Maybe I won't get the air fixed, if I come home to moments like this" He panted. She rolled her eyes at him and climbed off the couch.
"I'm going to call my parents, see if we can stay at their place for a few days" She called over her shoulder as she walked into the kitchen. Don laughed and got to his feet. He grabbed his discarded shirt, belt and wife beater from the floor and went to change. He pulled on a pair of shirt and didn't even bother to put a shirt on. On his way back to the living room, he stopped off to check on Maeli. Looking into the crib, he found a set of blue eyes staring up at him.
"Hey there, Mommy thinks you're taking a nap. " He chuckled. Maeli stuck a finger in her mouth and smiled. Don rested his arms on the edge of the crib and dangled a hand in front of his daughter. She took hold of his ring finger, grasping at his wedding band. He smiled. Finally he pulled the child from her crib. "Don't play with that, it's Daddy's wedding ring, it says he belongs to Mommy" He stated exiting the room.
"Don, did you go wake her up?!" Jess accused.
"No, she was awake when I found her" He replied defensively.
"Whatever, go pack, we're going to my parents for a few days" She laughed. He spun on his heels and went to follow orders. "Make sure you pack for Maeli too" She added.
Jess unlocked the door and carried Maeli into her childhood home.
"Mom, Dad, we're here!" She yelled through the old house.
"Hey Princess" Nick called from the front room. Jess detoured to see her youngest brother.
"Seriously Nick, are you always here?" She asked.
"Pretty much" he shrugged. "Is that my newest niece you have there?" He inquired getting up from the ratty couch. He took the baby from his sister. "You are so big! You're what six months old now?" Nick cooed. Maeli giggled and pulled at the hair hanging in her uncle's face.
"Oh hey darling, where's Don?" Jess's mother finally appeared.
"He's on his way, he was going to stop by the Super's place to make sure he really put in the report for our A/C and flash his badge if need be." Jess explained.
Don was surprised to find his daughter still awake when he arrived at his in-laws place. Maeli shriek and giggled at the sight of him.
"Hey pumpkin" He greeted, pulling her into his arms.
"Did you get everything taken care of?" Jess wondered.
"Sure did, now what is the little one still doing up?" He answered.
"she wouldn't go to sleep" She replied simply.
"That sounds like a job for Daddy" Don mentioned, turning his attention back to his baby. He could tell the poor thing was exhausted and was curious as to why she wouldn't give in a sleep. He took off on his mission to lull her to sleep.
"He is so good with her" Jess's mother commented.
"He really is and she has him wrapped around her finger" Jess said with a contented sigh.
"You're really happy aren't ya, sis?" Nick jumped in.
"yes, really, things are pretty close to perfect in my life right now" She gushed.
"Good for you, baby girl" Her father smiled.
Meanwhile Don tried for the third time to set a nearly asleep Maeli in the playpen they had set up at her temporary bed. Again she while and cried until he picked her back up.
"Sweetie, you need to sleep" He nearly begged. Maeli just looked at her dad with tired baby blues. "Fine, I'll stay" He surrendered, sitting down on the rug. He maneuvered carefully so he was lying down with his daughter on his chest.
"So princess what has you moving back in with the 'rents for the week?" Nick asked curiously.
"Our A/C is broken and it taking forever to get it fixed and we were very uncomfortable" His younger sister answered.
"I'm sure poor little Maeli Arabella was just miserable" Jess's mom sighed.
"We do what we can, I mean we went to the park in the rain the other day, she just loved it" Jess laughed.
"Jessica! You took your six month old daughter to the park in the rain!?" Her mother exclaimed.
"Yes, we needed to cool down, and it's summer, it's not like I took my six month old out in the snow in just a diaper" She countered.
"Ok point taken" Her mother backed down.
"Where is my husband?"Jess wondered, having not seen him since he went to put Maeli to bed. She stood from the stool at the island in the kitchen and went to check on him. She found him on the floor in her old bed room, dead asleep with their daughter sleeping soundly on his chest.
Don pulled into his in-laws driveway after another long shift, he noticed Jess's car next to his. She managed to wrap her case early. As he entered the house he heard a loud amount of chatter coming from the kitchen. He settled himself against the door frame. A smile graced his features as he watched his wife laugh with her brothers and his daughter giggle relentlessly between her grandparents. Maybe having a broken air conditioner wasn't such a bad thing.