Title: Making a foundation
Name: Julia Fitzgerald
Email: rubyjewels_13@yahoo.ca
Disclosure: The only people I own are Julia Fitzgerald, Jason Matthew and Michael Matthews (the child). I had to make up a few names for the firefighters but that's because we really don't learn their names in the show. Please forgive me, I'm just having some fun here. I also don't know the name of the school that Joey Doherty attends so I made that up.
Chapter Two: The Union of Family
The next morning, Julia was up at 8 a.m. Before she hit the shower, Julia got changed into a pair of sweatpants and a sport bra covered up by a New York Nicks Basketball jersey. Julia picked up her Discman, a roll of medical tape and taped the disc man to her lower back. She started up the Discman and hung the headphones around her neck.
She headed outside and on her front steps started to stretch. She was just heading off, when the door across the street opened and out stepped Jimmy and a small boy. Julia crossed the street and stopped at the bottom of the steps of Jimmy's place.
"Hey Jimmy," Julia said.
"Hey Julia" he replied as he came down the stairs "What are you doing?"
"I'm heading off for a run, what about you?" Julia asked.
"Kim's coming by to pick up the kid … it's her week with him now," Jimmy answered, "Julia this is Joey, our son."
Julia bent down so that she was eye-level with the young boy.
"Hi, Joey. My name is Julia."
"Hi" the boy replied in a small voice.
"I bet that you are 7 years old?" Julia asked.
"Yeah" the boy replied.
"I have a son the same age," she said.
"Does he live with you?"
"No, he lives with his father, but he's coming to stay with me at the end of the month, maybe you could come over and play," Julia said.
"Wouldn't it be cool, Joey, to have a friend right across the street?" Jimmy asked Joey.
"Yeah" Joey said.
Just then a car pulled up and honked. The little boy instantly perked up and said "Mommy".
"Well I should get going," Julia said.
"If you want to wait a minute, I'll go with you," Jimmy said, "I haven't had my run yet today either and I was going to head out as soon as Kim had Joey."
"Okay" Julia replied.
"Great" Jimmy said. He then turned around and took Joey to the car. After a couple of brief words, Joey was in the car and Kim drove off. Jimmy turned around and came back to where Julia stood.
"Let me just lock the door" Jimmy said as he walked past and into his place. He returned a few minutes later and they headed off.
When Julia walked into the firehouse that afternoon, she was pumping to go. She ran up the stairs to where her locker was.
"Hey Jules" "Hey Julia" said Kim and Alex and the same time.
"Hey Guys" Julia replied and went over to her locker.
Julia was just pulling on her uniform when a knocking sound came from the direction of the stairs.
"Come on up, we're descent" Kim said.
A young man appeared.
"Kim, Alex" he said by way of greeting.
"Hey Carlos" They replied and then Alex continued "Carlos Nieto meet Julia Fitzgerald. Julia this is Carlos. He's a paramedic but he's on leave right now. That's why I'm working his shifts"
"Nice to meet you" Carlos said nodding in Julia's direction, "I had to come in and get some of my stuff. Didn't realise I would need them. Decided to wash my uniforms as well."
"When are you coming back to work?" Alex asked.
"End of next week. Everything should be sorted out by then" Carlos replied "And even if it isn't, I don't have anymore leave on the books so I'll be back. And then you can go back to being the fire-fighter"
"Gee thanks Carlos" Alex replied.
"No prob" he replied and started shifting things around in his locker.
"Are we working Friday night?" Julia asked.
"No, we start working afternoons on Friday," Kim replied and then asked "Why?"
"Wondering if you guys want to come over for dinner. Give Alex and I a chance to catch up and give you and me a chance to get to know each other," Julia replied.
"What's for dinner?" Alex asked.
"I won't pretend I don't know what you asking about," Julia said, "Just for you Alex I'll make mom's spaghetti."
"Then you've got yourself a deal" Alex said and then turned to Kim and asked, "What about you?"
"Yeah, sure why not" Kim said. "I'll have to get a babysitter but it should be fine"
"Great" Julia said. She then grabbed her water bottle and closed the locker door. She then headed down the stairs to the rigs.
It was midnight when she got off. Thankfully it had been a quiet night and the EMS and Fire fighters spent most of the evening in the house. The Fire fighters had turned on a basketball game, and most of the house sat watching, cheering the knicks to a win. When midnight came, Julia went and changed and put her uniform back into the locker.
Julia headed out, saying goodnight to people as she went. As she left the house she saw Ty Davis waiting outside. She went over to him
"Davis, right?" Julia asked.
"Ty Davis," He said, "Nice to meet you. Didn't get a chance to say hello yesterday at dinner."
"Julia Fitzgerald, Nice to meet you too."
Just then Alex came out of the firehouse and came over to them.
"Ready to go?" Alex asked Davis.
"Yep," he replied.
"See you later Jules," Alex said as she grabbed Davis' hand and they started to walk away.
Julia turned around and walked to her car. She was shocked to find that Alex had, for lack of a better word, boyfriend. Alex had never said anything to her about it. She was just at her car when she heard some call her name.
Julia turned around to see Jimmy running towards her.
"I was wondering if I could get a lift home from you," Jimmy said when he reached Julia's jeep.
"If you were out of my way I would say no, but since you live across the street, hop in" Julia said as she through her bag into the back seat.
"Thanks Julia" he said.
"Jimmy if we are going to be friends, you might as well call me Jules," Julia said, "All my friends do."
"You going running tomorrow?" he asked
"Yep" Julia replied as she pulled out of the parking space and drove away, "Tell me something?"
"Anything?" Jimmy replied.
"That could get you into trouble, and maybe I'll take you up on that, but this is about someone else," Julia said, "How long has Al been dating Davis?"
"Al?"
"Alex, sorry Al is my nickname for her" Julia said.
"About 8 months, why?" Jimmy asked.
"She never told me. And I'm her best friend," Julia said.
"I think they still don't know how they feel, so they haven't said anything officially. If it weren't for the fact that they walk away from the house each night holding hands, we would probably know nothing about the relationship, except for when the get injured and they are always sitting at each other's bedside and won't leave" Jimmy said, "I don't even think they've told each other's parents."
"How is Alex doing? I mean since they've found her father?" Julia asked.
"Alright I guess. Last month when she was hit by the car and in the hospital she went through a rough time. Thought about quitting because she could stand to cause her mother anymore pain. At least that was what Kim told me."
"I actually talked her into continuing to work. She refused the idea of going back to full duty, so I told her to do paramedic rounds until she thought she could go back to being a firefighter. I wish I could have been here for her," Julia said, as she pulled onto her street.
"I'm sure she understands that you had other things preoccupying your mind, and that she probably knew all she had to was call and you would be here," Jimmy said.
"Speaking of other things on my mind," said Julia as they approached her house. Jimmy turned to look, and saw that there was a car parked in the parking spot reserved for her place.
Julia slowed her jeep to a stop just behind the parking spot.
"Whose car is that?" Jimmy asked.
"My ex's" she replied and honked the horn.
The door of the car opened and out stepped the man in person. He looked at Jimmy and then back at Julia. He walked to the driver side door and leaned against the car.
"Where have you been?" he asked.
"Get the hell out of my parking spot" Julia replied.
"Come on sweetheart is that any way to greet your husband," Jason Matthews said looking at Jimmy.
"Get out of my parking spot," Julia said. "Or I'll call the tow truck."
"Where do you suggest I park?" he asked.
"I don't know, Jase, but the spot you are parked in is reserved for the person living in the house that the spot is in front of. You're illegally parked, unless you can show that you reside at this address. And you can't," Julia said.
"I think I could," said Jason.
Julia realised that he probably could. She turned and looked at Jimmy. His expression neutral and Julia decided it was because he couldn't decide how to play the situation. Julia smiled at him, before turning back to her ex husband.
"If you move the car, Jase, I will promise to listen to what you have to say," Julia said.
"You promise?" he replied.
"I keep my promises Jase, now please move your car" said Julia.
Jason moved back to his car and started it up. He moved out of the parking spot and parked down the street about five houses where another car had just pulled away. Julia pulled her jeep into her parking spot and turned off her engine.
"Are you alright?" Jimmy asked.
"I'm fine, I could use not having my ex-husband here, but thanks for asking" Julia replied.
"Do you want me to hang around?"
"No, you go home. At least that way one of us will be getting to sleep. I was going to have the rest of the beer I opened last night and crawl into bed. But now it looks like I'll be lucky to get any sleep tonight," Julia answered, as she climbed out of her car. Jimmy followed and together they put up the top.
"Are we running tomorrow morning at 8 o'clock?" Jimmy asked.
"I don't know … knock on the door if I'm not already out here," Julia said.
"Okay" said Jimmy as he turned around and walked across the street to his place.
Once the door to Jimmy's place had close with Jimmy inside, Julia looked down towards where Jason's car was parked. She watched him lift something out of the passenger seat.
Julia turned around and walked up her stairs and unlocked her door.
"I still can't believe your parents own this place" Jason said.
"Yeah well, they spent my life here. I think it's a way for them to continue making money while they were retiring" Julia said.
"Where can I put him?"
"I don't have his room set up yet because I'm not suppose to have him until the end of the month" said Julia.
"Sweetheart …"
"My room is at the top of the stairs. Put him in there" Julia said and walked towards the kitchen. She needed a beer.
Jason was back in less than 2 minutes and he announced that he needed to get some bags from the car. It was another 10 minutes before Jason entered the living room where Julia was sitting in the dark.
"I'm not suppose to have him until the end of the month, Jase" Julia said.
"Don't worry Julia. I'm not trying to pull anything." Jason replied.
"I never though you would. It's just you've never brought him by early or let him spend extra time with me" Julia pointed out.
"I was wrong to do that. Something happened recently and I realized how terrible I had been to you. Michael needs you just as much and maybe more than he needs me. Not to mention that I had selfish reasons for taking custody away from you," Jason said.
"We were such good friends in University. And now look at us," Julia said.
"Anyway I've decided to give you full custody but I am asking for visitation. And I fully intend to give you more than enough monetary support for Michael," Jason said.
"Why Jase?"
"I'm not sure myself sweetheart, but I do know that I want to be friends with you" Jason said.
Out of his back pocket Jason pulled out a envelope. He tossed it onto the living room table and said "that's the custody agreement I had drawn up for you by my lawyer. If something isn't what you want, go ahead and change it. I'll sign anything" Jason said, "I only ask that you allow me to visit with Michael."
"I would never not allow you to see your son, Jase" Julia said.
Julia still hadn't more from her position.
"I've told the babysitter to call in the morning to see if you want her to continue taking care of Michael. She's flexible with hours to work and she's from this neighbourhood so she knows her way around. And as for school, Michael is enrolled in St. Michael's so you don't have to worry about anything" Jason said.
Julia sat there staring out the window. When Jason didn't get a response, he turned around to leave.
"Jase" Julia said.
"Yeah"
"Thank You"
Jason turned around and walked over to where Julia was sitting. He bent down and placed a kiss on Julia's forehead.
"Your welcome" he said and walked away. Just as he was about to leave the room and head out, Jason stopped and said "I love you Sweetheart, that hasn't changed. Even through out all our problems. Tell Michael I will call him tomorrow."
And then he left.
It was sometime later that Julia got up from her seat and went about her nightly routine of locking up the house.
When she flicked the switch to the outside light, she was unconsciously telling her neighbour that she was fine.
Julia went upstairs to her bedroom and looked at the figure sleeping in her bed. Tears slowly rolled down her cheeks. Her baby was home.
Julia lay down on her bed, unchanged, and looked at her child. And sometime before the sun rose Julia fell asleep.