I'm kicking off a new set of one-shots, challenges, and extended scenes. The stories here may or may not be related, but I didn't want to create a new story every time I wrote a one-off.
Please note, if a story in this collection is meant to be an extended scene, I'll add an episode tag. Some stories will be beta'd, others are not (I'll note which ones are which).
One-Shot #1. Posted 6/20/2021
Title: Father's Day
Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there. I wanted to write a happy tribute to uplift on this special occasion, but Jack refused to cooperate. I promise, not all the stories in this collection will be full of angst.
Jack sat on the dock overlooking his pond in Minnesota. Usually, being here produced happy memories and contentment, but not today. Today, being on this dock conjured pain that ate away at his soul.
Charlie. He would have been eighteen by now, and this would have been Jack's first Father's Day with an adult son. Instead, the day was yet another reminder of his utter failure as a father. He'd failed at the most basic job a father had—keeping his kid safe.
A wave of terror ran through him. He'd failed before, was he doomed to fail again?
"Jack?" Sam called to him, opening the sliding glass door and joining him. She didn't ask him if he was okay because she knew he wasn't. Instead, she just joined him, staring out over the water and silently interlacing their fingers. She didn't pry, simply offered him unconditional love and support. For that alone, he thanked the universe every single day for forgiving him, even if he'd never forgive himself.
The strong wail of an infant broke the silence several minutes later, pulling Jack away from his memories.
"I'll get her," he told Sam before she entered the house. She met his gaze with watery eyes, understanding now more than ever, the paralyzing fear a parent carried at the mere possibility of losing a child.
Walking to the crib, Jack scooped up his one month old daughter and rocked her gently from side to side. Soothing her with whispered words, her cries soon turned into happy gurgles, then contented coos.
He was a dad once more; another gift of a chance at fatherhood. This time, he swore silently as his daughter drifted back to sleep against his chest, he would not fail.