Thanks to Aricraze and Arcadia for talking to me as I was quickly going insane ("*pulls hair out and bangs head on keyboard* Does this look like dealing to you??" *g*), and to Ari for finally suggesting that since I couldn't decide what story to work on, I pull names on a hat. Well, now that I finished this one, I guess I have to pull between Cupid's Bullet and Killing Kingsport, eh? I promise you two those stories will be done ASAP, so long as I don't get ANOTHER idea, which, now that I think about it, is highly likely.
Anyway, enjoy!
"Alex?" Tyler asked as he swung into Alex's office. "Why is Hank off the squad again?"
Alex looked straight at Tyler. "That's a very personal matter. You know I can't tell you about stuff like that."
"But Hank's not only my squad leader, he's my best friend," Tyler told Alex. "It just feels weird without him on the squad."
"If he's your best friend, then ask him. Hank's reason for leaving the squad is something that is very personal, and I'm not allowed to talk about it."
Tyler sighed, and stormed out of the office. That's what he WOULD do, as soon as his shift was over. He would talk to Hank, find out what was going on, and bring Hank back to the squad.
***
"No," Hank said firmly. "I can't go back to the squad."
"Why not?" Tyler asked.
Hank brushed him aside as he ran up a customer's purchase. That was how Tyler had known Hank had no intention on coming back to the squad on his own. When Alex had said that Hank had left the squad, Tyler didn't believe it; he believed Hank would come back, just like last time. But when Tyler had gone into Academy to buy some new shoes and seen Hank working as a cashier...
When the customer was gone, Hank faced Tyler once again. "Look, man. On the squad, my hours are freaky, and I don't get paid. Right now, something like that doesn't fit into my life."
"Why not? It did before."
Hank said something quietly under his breath.
"What?" Tyler asked.
"Jasmine wasn't pregnant before," Hank told Tyler quietly
"WHAT?"
"Jasmine is pregnant. She says I'm the only possible father, and I believe her," Hank said truthfully. "She doesn't want an abortion, and she doesn't want to put it up for adoption, so I plan to support her."
"Aw, man."
"Yeah, that's what I thought when I found out. But I made the decision to sleep with Jas, and now I have to deal with her being pregnant. I'm not going to be one of those assholes who finds out his girl is pregnant and never talks to her again."
***
Summer had ended, and so had the time of keeping Jasmine's pregnancy a secret. With Jasmine elected as head cheerleader late in May (before resigning from the cheerleading squad when she found out she was pregnant) and Hank star quarterback of the varsity team (before he dropped that so he could spend more time working), their entire social life was already under enough scrutiny.
"Hey, Jas," Hank greeted as she joined him at their table in the lunch room. Both had been all but alienated by most of the people from their respective teams. They were still friends with Val and Tyler, but the EMT couple still sat with their teams. Hank and Jas had been "broken up" when Jasmine told Hank about her pregnancy, but they had been spending a lot of time together since that fateful day, and were now much better friends than they ever had been when they were going out. They were determined to give their child a loving mother and a father who, though not living together, were on good terms.
"Hey Hank. Ultrasound today."
"Wouldn't miss it," Hank told her. "I'm off from work this afternoon."
Jasmine pulled a book, proudly proclaiming 1001 Names For Your Baby, out of her bookbag as she ate. "Should we continue our quest for a name?"
Hank laughed. "That's a thing to be thankful for. After today, at least we can cut our list of names in half."
Jasmine smiled along. "Hopefully," she told him. "It already feels like I must be carrying twins."
***
Hank stood at the glass, hands in the pockets of his dark Levi's, watching his two hour old daughter. "Hey," He heard a voice say. Hank turned his head to see his former squad walking towards him. "We just dropped off a patient, and didn't have a call, so we thought we'd just run up here," Jamie, who had surprised everyone by recently gaining EMT-I, explained.
Val, the most motherly (for obvious reasons) of the trio, looked at the small babies. "Which one's yours?" She asked.
Hank pointed to his dark skinned sleeping daughter, lying close to the glass. "That's her. Jensie Raven."
Val smiled. "She's so cute."
"Thanks."
Tyler clapped his best friend on the back. "Congratulations, man. You're now the father of a baby daughter."
Hank closed his eyes as the possible life of his daughter flashed before his eyes. Sure, a few bad things came to mind, but mostly he thought of the good. He wouldn't be a deadbeat dad, he promised himself. Little Jen was his daughter now, for better or worse, and there was nothing he could do to change it.
Three beepers beeped simultaneously, and the squad left. Hank put his hand to the glass. "I love you," he whispered, as he silently promised Jensie he would make sure she always knew it.