Absolute Firefighter ~ Chapter 12

I just wanted to say thanks again for all of the reviews, I really appreciate it and I'm glad you enjoy this story :)

Before anyone knew it June was knocking at the Johnson's door. Three excruciatingly long months had dragged by. As the sun was shining brightly outside accomodating the warm weather, life was looking brighter on the inside as well.

"Morning." Bridgette smiled to Wendie, as she headed down the hallway to her father's room carrying a balloon and a bag.

"Morning! You're here early." Wendie replied looking to her watch which read 8:30.

"Yeah," Bridgette smiled, "Gotta start the torture early." she teased.

Wendie laughed, as Bridgette continued in the direction of his room. Upon entering she wasn't suprised to see her father sound asleep. She smiled placing the bag on the table, and tying the balloon around the arm of one of the chairs. Creeping up on the bed, she kissed him on the cheek before whispering, "Happy Birthday Dad."

"It's not my birthday." he mumbled teasingly, "Big mouth you could have at least let me sleep on my birthday."

Bridgette giggled, "What's the fun in that?! I wasn't loud anyway!"

"I heard you from down the hall." He replied opening his eyes, and giving his daughter a smile.

"Whatever." Bridgette smiled back.

"So where's my presents?" he smirked.

She gasped as if she was offended, "I'm here! I'm your favorite daughter, what other present could you want?!"

"Favorite daughter now huh?" he joked, "We'll have to see about that."

Bridgette's jaw dropped, "Gimme a break."

Lieu let out a laugh, grinning ear to ear. Bridgette loved that he was smiling, and he didn't have to wear the plastic mask anymore. The scars on his face were hardly present anymore as well. There were no more tubes, IV lines, nothing. Sticking her tounge out at him she said, "Mom's bringing your presents later."

"What are they?" he asked curiously.

"You'll see." Bridgette grinned.



He looked to the bag that was sitting on the table, "So what's in the bag?"

Bridgette raised her eyebrows, "Hmmm, movies maybe."

"Oh yeah? Which ones?" he inquired.

She smiled and opened the bag, "Looks like Spiderman, since I bought it so we could watch it, and we haven't yet. The Three Stooges and Speed."

"I guess I don't have a choice?" he asked.

She shook her head and grinned, "No not really."

"Spiderman it is." he replied.

She smiled then walked over to the TV and popped the movie in the VCR before making herself comfortable on the bed next to him. A little while into the movie Wendie came in a brought Lieu breakfast.

"Help me eat it, this stuff sucks and if I don't eat it all I'll get bitched at." he smirked to his daughter.

"Oh you're full of it!." Bridgette replied, as she looked back up to the screen, "Tobey Maguire so so cute."

Lieu raised his eyebrow, and sarcastically said, "Yeah he's a stud."

"Dad!" Bridgette exclaimed, trying not to laugh.

Lieu shrugged, taking a bite into his scrambled eggs then making a face, "They're trying to posion me now."

"Right, first they were trying to kill you with physical therapy, now they've moved up to poisioning you. The quick and painless approach now huh?" Bridgette asked.

"Stop being such a smart ass." Lieu said.

"Learned it from you." Bridgette replied, looking up at the TV.

"I'm not that bad." he remarked.

She laughed, "Nah, you're worse."

Shortly after they had finished watching Spiderman, Wendie came and got Lieu then brought him down to physical therapy. Meanwhile Bridgette wandered off in search of food, and returned with a bagel. She flopped back down on the bed, and made herself comfortable then found something to watch on TV while she ate. In the middle of Jerry Springer, DK, Brianne, Walsh and Jimmy walked in.

"Hey sunshine." Walsh teased.

"What's up? You guys are early." Bridgette smiled.

"Well excuse us," DK replied, "We said 12:30."

Bridgette looked at her watch and laughed, "It's 12:00."

"Walsh drives like a maniac Bridge, you should know by now to subtract a half hour from whatever time they say they'll be somewhere." Brianne smiled sitting next to her.

Bridgette let out a giggle before she spoke, "He's at physical therapy, should be back any minute now."

"You being nice to him? I mean it's his birthday and all." Walsh smirked.

"She's driving me insane!" Lieu exclaimed from behind them, as he slowly walked in the door.

"Hey! There's the guy we're looking for." DK teased.

"Yeah yeah." Lieu said, as Bridgette and Brianne got up off of his bed so he could sit down.

"Ok, I see a party where's the cake?" Wendie teased, before she left.

Bridgette let out a giggle, as Jimmy walked over next to Lieu. He licked his finger and then touched Lieu's garmented arm, before making a sizzling sound with his mouth and shouting, "Hot stuff!"

"Ass." Lieu joked, pulling his arm away from them. He looked at his daughter, "Guess what?"

"Hmm, I dunno what?" she asked.

He looked down to his right leg, which still had a cast on it from the knee down, and then looked back up to her, "I get this thing off tommorrow."

Bridgette's eyes widened, "Yeah? Awesome."

He nodded, "I can't wait, I hate this damn thing."

"Why? I'd love it, imagine how hard you can kick her and Ruth when they piss you off." Walsh joked.

Bridgette gave Walsh a fake glare, after years of torment from the firefighters she learned to ignore it, but it was still fun to play along, "I might go intentionally break my arm, so I can hit you over the head with my cast!"

DK made a sour face, "Ouch. That might hurt."

"You better watch yourself little lady." Walsh teased.

"Uh huh." Bridgette said, putting up fake boxing gloved fists.

"Ok, children." Brianne said, "We're here cuz it's your dad's birthday, we don't wanna give him a heart attack from laughing after you knock Walsh on his ass."

Bridgette laughed, "Ohhhh! You got told!"

Walsh looked at Brianne, "And you can walk home too!"

DK looked to Lieu, "You don't miss it do you?"

Lieu shook his head, "Nope not at all."

DK laughed, then pulled a card out from his pocket, "Happy Birthday old man."

"Old Man?!" Lieu exclaimed.

"He's not THAT old." Bridgette smiled.

"What? Like 60 or so?" Walsh teased.

"Uh, 49." Bridgette said, correcting him.

"Shhh! Don't tell them that!" Lieu snickered, as Bridgette helped him open the card. Both of their eyes widened as 3 tickets fell out. Bridgette snatched them, and held them up for both of them to see.

"Yankees/Orioles?!" Bridgette exclaimed, reading them.

"Last game of the season, the whole house is going." DK explained.

"And everyone's bringing somebody." Brianne smiled.

"Thanks guys." Lieu said sincerely, while Bridgette sat with her jaw open, still staring at the tickets that were in her hands.

"No prob boss." Walsh replied.

"No I mean it, thanks alot, for everything...." Lieu started.

"You start getting sentimental on us your ass is gonna be here a lot longer." Jimmy commented cutting him off.

Lieu then shut up, and looked to his daughter, who was still staring at the tickets, "Bridge they're not gonna melt if you stop staring at them for a second."

"What?" she asked, as she looked up completely oblivious to what was going on.

"Someone was zoning." Walsh teased.

"Hush." Bridgette said, putting the tickets back in the card and tucking it into the envelope.

Walsh opened up the bag he had in his hand, and pulled out a pair of oven mits and tossed them to Lieu. He managed to catch them and then start laughing.

"Walsh you're an ass." Bridgette remarked.

"You just noticed?" Brianne asked.

"No I mean I knew it along time ago, but he reminds me daily." Bridgette replied.

After two hours of talking and carrying on, DK, Walsh, Jimmy and Brianne had to excuse themselves before the guys were late for their shift.

"I'm gonna walk them out ok?" Bridgette smiled to her dad. He nodded and she left the room following them down the hallway.

"He's doing alot better." Walsh said.

"Yeah I know." Bridgette said, in a sigh of relief.

"Did they say how much longer he's gonna be here?" Brianne asked.

"Another month or so." Bridgette replied, "He started occupational therapy yesterday, and that's gonna be awhile."

DK nodded, "Yeah it is."

"Thanks for the tickets and all. I didn't think I was gonna get to go to a game this year." Bridgette smiled.

DK winked at her, "We'll stop by tomorrow ok?"

"You got it." Bridgette replied. She watched them walk to the elevator then she turned and headed back to her father's room.

"What are you gonna torture me with now?" Lieu joked.

Bridgette smiled, as she knealed on the bed and put the oven mits on, "It's the evil alien oven mits! They're going to eat your brains!" she joked, making them wiggle around while she made a chomping noise.

She started gently poking at his stomach with them, knowing full well he was ticklish. He laughed loudly, and pretended to fight off the oven mits. It was completely stupid, and if someone would have walked into the room at that moment, they would have thought that Lieu and Bridgette were insane. It didn't matter of course, they were having fun. He was sitting back into the bed pretending to shield away the evil oven mits, when Bridgette lost her balance and fell towards him.

"Woah, kiddo." He said, catching her in a hug in his arms before her chin hit his shoulder.

She immediately jumped back in a panic, "Oh my God I'm so sorry!!"

Lieu gave her a suprised look, but didn't say anything. Meanwhile she jumped off the bed and ripped the oven mits off, then stood there in tears. She held her hands over her mouth fearing how badly she may have hurt him. He looked up at her, realizing what had just happened, although she may not have, "Get over here." he said firmly.

"Huh?" she asked, almost afraid.

"Come here." he said, motioning for her to sit back down on the bed.

She carefully did so, and looked at him wondering why he was grinning, "What?" she asked.

He was now smiling, "Close your eyes."

She looked at him confused, "alright." she said closing her eyes. The next thing she felt was her upper body being wrapped up in familiar arms. Opening her eyes she let out a gasp, and then a laugh realizing that her dad was giving her a hug. She carefully rested the side of her face on his shoulder, and wrapped her arms around him so that her hands met at his back. "It doesn't hurt?"

He turned his head and kissed her twice above her ear, then replied, "Nope." while he continued trying his best to hug her tightly.

She closed her eyes, "Can you even feel it at all?"

The truth was, he couldn't feel it, in his arms or his chest and shoulders. He didn't say anything at first, until he figured out how to word his answer. Smiling to himself he whispered into her ear, "I feel it in my heart."

Bridgette hugged him tighter, feeling tears start streaming down her cheeks. She had gone months without even being able to hardly hold her dads hand. It was like suffering from a withdraw, not being able to hug her dad. She sniffled hard, which caused him to laugh, "Hey! No crying on my birthday!"

Pulling away, she giggled and wiped her eyes, "Damn Walsh and his oven mits. I knew it was trouble as soon as I saw them!"

Lieu smiled with her, "Ok come on no more crying. What movie now, Speed or the Stooges?"

"Stooges, I need to laugh." She replied, standing up and grabbing the tape out of her bag. After putting it into the VCR she made herself comfortable again next to her dad, and they spent the rest of the afternoon laughing at the antics of Larry, Curly and Moe. Wendie interupted in the middle of it to take him down to occupational therapy, returning an hour later.

"What did you have to do?" Bridgette asked.

"Stretched and moved my fingers and my hand." he replied, seemingly frustrated.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

He gave her the "you wouldn't understand" look but then stopped himself and replied, "I can't pick anything up, it's hard."

"I know, I mean it's gonna take a little while but you'll be able to." Bridgette reasurred giving him a confident smiled, "That's the purpose of the therapy, so you can do that again."

"I know." he replied, as he got himself comfortable in the bed, "Alright I want some more stooges." he smiled.

"Yes sir." she joked, getting up and putting the movie back on. She then sat down on the bed with him again, and continued the movie where they had left off.

~*~

"Wake up sleepy heads." Ruth smiled an hour later. She had just arrived at the hospital, and walked in to see her husband and daughter both sound asleep, while the TV continued to flash Curly getting wacked by Moe.

Lieu opened his eyes, and smiled to his wife, "Hey."

"Happy Birthday." she smiled back, leaning overtop of their still sleeping daughter to give him a kiss, "How do you feel?"

"Alright," he replied.

"How long have you guys been sleeping?" she asked.

"Beats the hell outta me." he replied, running his hand through Bridgette's curls while Ruth sat down on the chair.

"She's been so tired," Ruth said, "So what have you guys been up to all day?"

"Watched movies, the guys came by. We got baseball tickets." he replied.

Ruth grinned, "Yeah I thought you would like that."

"You knew?!" He asked.

Ruth winked, "I know everything remember?"

He smirked, "And then Walsh brought me over mits."

"That had to be interesting." Ruth smiled.

"Yeah," He smiled.

"So you want your present now or do you wanna wait for her royal highness to wake up?" Ruth asked.

He shrugged, "Doesn't matter."

Ruth couldn't handle the suspense, "She's already seen it so I'll let you have it now," She pulled a small box out of her purse and handed it to him. He then gave her a sarcastic face. "Sorry." she smiled taking it back and opening it up, then carefully dumping the contents in his hand.

His eyes widened, as he looked what was sprawled in the palm of his hand.

"Your necklace was wrecked, and they had to cut your ring off of your finger when you got here. So I figured that you'd need new ones." Ruth explained.

He smiled as he examined the jewelry in his hand, a gold chain with a cross and a St. Florian medal along with his wedding band, "They cut it off?!"

Ruth smirked, "Yeah they had too. But it's fine now."

His face had actually turned a slight shade of pink, out of excitement over his gift. He looked up smiling from ear to ear, "Thank you."

"You're welcome." She replied leaning in and giving him another kiss. This kiss was a little longer than the first one, and Bridgette was waking up at the same time.

"Ew! Stop!" she exclaimed.

Ruth pulled away and smiled down at her daughter, "Oh! Just go back to sleep."

"Ack! Forget sleep I wanna go to another country!" She giggled.

Ruth made a funny face at Bridgette, before sitting back down on the chair while Bridgette sat up and stretched.

"Hey Bridge you wanna put this on for me?" Lieu asked.

"Sure!" she smiled taking it from him and unclasping it, then putting it around his neck and reclasping it, "Looks good." She grabbed her purse off the table that was next to the bed, and pulled out her compact so he could see.

He nodded, "Man that guy in the mirror is good looking."

Bridgette giggled, closing the compact and shoved it back into her purse, "Don't flatter yourself." When she placed her purse back on the table her mom handed her 2 wrapped packages. Bridgette smiled, "Yeah I guess he should get these."

"Just maybe." Ruth replied, as Bridgette turned to face her dad again.

"Which one do you want first?" she smiled, placing both presents on the bed in front of them.

He examined both wrapped objects, "Which one is cooler?"

"I don't know! Just pick one!" She smiled.

"This one." He said, pointing to the lumpy one.

"Alrighty." Bridgette said picking it up and starting to unwrap it a little bit then handing it to him, "Wanna try?"

He took it from her and got some of the paper off, but then handed it back to her so she could finish opening it. He laughed looking at the small green care bear with a shamrock on it's stomach, that was now staring at him.

"Didn't you used to have these things when you were 5?" he smiled.

"Of course. But he's got a shamrock so I figured you'd like him." Bridgette answered.

"I like him, he's cute. Tell DK that and I will ground you for a month." Lieu smirked.

"Yeah, I figured that much out already." Bridgette smiled back, as she grabbed the other present and started to unwrap it for him, "Close your eyes." she instructed. He did so and then she placed the unwrapped present in his hands, "Open them."

He opened his eyes to see a medium silver picture frame in his hands filled up with pictures of himself and Bridgette. He let out a huge smile, remembering when each of the pictures were taken. "It's great." He said continuing to smile, "Thank you."

Bridgette lit up brightly, "You're welcome."

He let out a small chuckle, and pointed to one of the pictures, "You remember that?"

She took a close look at the one he was pointing at. It was a picture of both of them sitting on the front bumper of the fire engine, "That was last year, Brianne took it. That was the day that DK pushed Walsh down the steps."

He rocked his head back and laughed, "Yeah it was." The rest of the pictures were of them around the house, or at the firehouse, and some on vacation at the beach.

"Why did he push Walsh down the steps?" Ruth asked.

"They were horsing around upstairs, and DK shoved him not realizing they were next to the steps, and well Walsh kinda flew." Bridgette explained.

Lieu laughed, "Oh man, we were downstairs talking to Brianne and Jimmy, then we heard this loud crash, and here comes Walsh tumbling down the steps."

"Yeah he had to get like 5 stitches in his head." Bridgette pointed out.

Ruth made a face, "Yuck."

"I've never heard so many cuss words in one sentence before in my life though." Bridgette remarked.

"I'm sure." Ruth said.

"I'm gonna ask him about that." Bridgette smiled, picking up the care bear and frame then putting them on the table next to the bed.

Ruth and Bridgette spent the next three hours talking to Lieu about everything they could come up with. The Yankees, Bridgette's car, Ruth's job which she had just recently returned to, Bridgette's friends, how Beth Taylor was doing, everything. Around 9:30, Ruth yawned and asked, "You plan on leaving anytime soon Bridge?"

"And leave you two here alone? No way, I'll end up with a sister or something." Bridgette replied.

Lieu couldn't help laughing, while Ruth sat there pretending to be unamused. Her husband and daughter shared the same exact sense of humor, so usually she was the one sitting there without a smile.

"What?" Bridgette smiled, "Come on mom. We still have another movie to watch so not for awhile."

Ruth looked at the clock, and back to her daughter, "Well sorry, some of us have to work tomorrow."

Bridgette shook her head, "Rough life kid."

Ruth rolled her eyes then stood up, and picked up her purse, "I'll see you tomorrow then?"

"Yes dear." Bridgette joked.

Ruth leaned over and kissed her husband and then her daughter, "Not too late ok?"

"Yup." Bridgette smiled as her mom exited the room. She laid back down and yawned, "Ready for Keanu Reeves?"

He let out a smile, "Come on isn't there anything better you can be doing on a Friday night?"

Bridgette pretended to think for a minute, "Uh, no."

"Where's Kelsey and your buddies at?" he asked.

"Kelsey's working, Lexi is out with her boyfriend, and some of the guys actually went to the game tonight." She answered, "Why you trying to get rid of me?"

"Get rid of you? What are you kidding? If I wanted to I would have years ago." He joked.

"Ah! You're so mean to me!" she laughed, jumping off the bed. She grabbed the movie and put it in the VCR before reclaiming her spot on the bed next to him.

He smiled at her as the movie started to play, "So how hot is Keanu Reeves?" he asked sarcastically.

"Incredibly." She replied googly eyed.

He pretended to be gagging which caused her to burst out in a roar of laughter.

"Don't worry dad you're still way more handsome then they are." She smiled.

"Damn right." he replied, pretending to be full of himself.

She shook her head, "Give the guy a compliment he thinks he's God."

He let out a chuckle before getting himself comfortable to watch the movie.

~*~

"You're birthday is over in 5 minutes." Bridgette said, looking up at the clock shortly after the movie had finished.

"Does that mean you'll leave me alone?" He joked.

She made a face at him, "Funny."

"I thought so." he replied, "What are you doing tomorrow?"

"Sleeping as much as possible." she answered.

He nodded, "Sounds like a plan."

"Definately." she yawned, "Ya know if you didn't do this to me last year on my birthday I wouldn't be doing this to you right now."

"I get home a half hour before midnight, I think I'm allowed to wake you up and say Happy Birthday to you, if it's still your birthday." he smiled.

She laughed, "I'm just telling you, that this is part of your payback."

"And just think what I'll do to you on your birthday this year." he said.

"I'm skipping town on my birthday this year." She replied.

"You wish." he smiled

"2 minutes." she said, "What are you doing tomorrow?"

"Gee I wonder." he answered.

She smiled, "You've got a month or so. That's it, then it's over and you're back home."

"I know." he replied, "I know."

"Don't forget." she smiled, "Then I won't have to walk the dogs by myself anymore."

"Is Chief still fat?" he smiled.

She rolled her eyes, "Like that dog will ever lose weight?"

"That's true," he replied, "Ah, 1 minute."

She looked at the clock, "Yup. Then it's someone else's birthday."

"Anyone you know?" he asked.

"No," she answered, "Maybe it's someone famous."

"Maybe." he yawned.

"Feel any older?" she asked.

"I feel older every day." he replied.

"Whatever!" she smiled.

"Time's up." he said looking at the clock that read 12:00.

Bridgette sighed, "Well how was your birthday?"

He sighed, "Considering the circumstances....."

She looked down guiltly, feeling stupid for even asking a question like that.

"It was great." he smiled to her.

She looked up, "It was?"

"Yeah, it was." he replied.