TITLE: As Luck Would Have it (pt 10 of 10)
AUTHOR: dustytiger aka Trista Groulx
RATING: M to be safe (or whatever is the equivalent to R)
DISCLAIMER: I don't own these characters, and I am certainly not making any money from borrowing them. They belong to NBC their creator and the actors and actresses who portray them.
SUMMARY: what would have happened in the early days had Kim made a different choice?
AUTHOR'S NOTES: still some mush, this is the last installment, I am aware that this chapter may have been slightly unnesscary but i hate when stories end at odd numbers
Francis was laying in the bed as his wife doted on him. He hated when she did that after he was hurt. It made him feel more guilty. He was the one who was hurt and she was acting like the world's sweetest nurse. He hadn't yet been able to tell her why he had gotten hurt. The girl in the building had looked so much like their daughter, who was now sitting in the corner playing with her hands. She did not like being in hospitals, they always made her nervous.
"Come over here and lie down with Daddy," he told her softly.
She popped up from the chair, and went right to the bed. She hopped in, careful not to touch any of the machines and wires that were attached to him, and curled right up into him. He never wanted her to outgrow this stage, but she was nine now and it was only a matter of time before she became a teenager. He lived for these moments with his family. The boys were at a camping trip and there was, and it would be difficult to reach them. Besides he and Ruth had decided that the accident wasn't severe enough to ruin their weekend over.
He looked down at his daughter's face, and smiled. She had fallen asleep. It was one of the best feelings in the world. He loved having a daughter it was so different from having sons. She just loved to cuddle her Daddy and hadn't grown out of it the moment she started school.
He then looked at his wife and knew he had some explaining to do. He hadn't been looking forward to this part. No matter how supportive she was she always wanted explanations and sometimes she wouldn't like what he had to say. He figured this would be one of those times.
"The girl, in the fire," Francis said. "She could have been her twin." He touched his daughter's fine red hair; it was just like her mother's.
"Is that why you did what you did?" she asked, as always not angry.
Francis was always amazed at how calm his wife could stay in a situation. She had never gotten mad at the guys on the squad, and she never showed any fear or anger. He knew that was one of the reasons they had been able to stay together, and would be one of those couples who actually lasted it was so rare these days.
"Yeah, I guess in my mind it was her, and I couldn't let her stay in there. I knew she was gone, but I just wanted to get her out. It was like she was ours and you were out there waiting to have her in your arms, even if she wasn't alive."
She nodded. "It wasn't her, and I wasn't there. If something like that did happen I would want to have all the members of my family alive and if someone didn't make it I would have a lot of talking to do with God."
"Ruthie I'd have to do everything I could if it were our family."
"I know, but it wasn't. I don't want to talk about this right now. I want you to focus on getting better. You got out, that's what counts. Your squad must really care about you. I heard they all got you out together. It would be a lot harder for me to accept you doing this if you didn't have a good group of men out there."
He nodded. "I am very lucky. I had some good paramedics working on me too."
She nodded. "You did, and one determined one. That Zambrano girl is the first rookie who you haven't managed to scare into following the order to turn the rig around."
"She wasn't driving."
"Even rookies who weren't driving have made that mistake. Bobby seemed rather smitten with her the way her ran off after her." Ruth knew Bobby well he had been at the receiving end of the first time she had actually been mad about something happened in her husband's job.
Ruth would never forget the young man. She had felt so guilty after that incident. She had never lost her temper like that before. Not only on the innocent paramedic who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time; but also at her husband. She had even threatened to leave him if he ever tried that stunt again.
"He should be, they're having a baby," Francis chuckled a little, not because of the medication this time, but at himself for having missed all the signs he should have seen.
"And you allow them to work together?" she asked, surprised.
"They click on the streets, like they can read each other's minds. So long as their personal lives don't interfere with that I'll keep them together."
"What will Doc think about that?"
He shrugged. "In the end I have the final say it is my house. If downtown wants to have a fit about it then I'll take their wrath. Until I have to those two are staying together."
"That's your choice. Now what is that little grin all about?"
He shrugged. "I'm just laughing at myself for not figuring it out sooner."
"I'm glad you didn't become a police officer like your father you would have always come home so disappointed. You've always been two steps behind when it comes to your so called detective work."
He nodded. "I know. But Kim was acting just like you did when we found out Mason was on the way, and I didn't even realize that that was the cause of all of the problems that day until she jumped out of the rig and was sick in a garbage can."
She laughed. "You are a great firefighter honey, but you sleuthing skills leave a lot to be desired." Her attention then went to the door. "You have some vistors, and I need some coffee, I'll bring you some vegetable juice."
"But, Dreamgirl," he tried to argue.
"It's that or nothing," she passed Bobby and Kim on her way out. "Congratulations, both of you. I can't wait to hear what sex it will be." She then went down the hallway.
"Boss we have something to tell you," said Bobby, even though he clearly already knew.
"I already know," the Lieutenant assured them. "Congratulations. It's the best feeling in the world. There's something about the two of you that reminds me of what I have with my wife."
"Sir, are you still doped up?"
"Not really, but I want you two to stop worrying. You two have something on the streets that can't be taught. You two will be working together a long as I'm in charge."
"You could lose your job over this," Kim said, worried.
"I might get some heat from downtown, but this old firefighter is used to that. Now I want you both to go home, and I'll see you when I get back."
The stood there for a long moment. "That IS an order," he said firmly.
Francis watched them scurry off, and then let his attention fall to his daughter. He just hoped that those two got as lucky as he had with their family. He had a feeling they would. There was just something about them that seemed meant to be. As luck would have it he knew that feeling very well.
THE END
End notes: so that is the end, there isn't anymore it was just a thought that came into my head, I like to think they lived happily ever after :) ps this one's for you jen for planting the seed in my head