Title: An Officer And A Gentlemen
Author: Alexz Recoro
Summary: NOT based on the movie. Kay Bennett is a girl who has given up on love, except the love of her child. But when she moves to Texas, a friendship with a handsome naval officer may just blossom into true love for her and a father for her child.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters..
Feedback: Please read and review. NO FLAMES!
AN: For this story, I changed a few things.
1.) Kay ran from Harmony and Miguel before giving birth and has kept running every since.
2.) Kay gave birth to a son instead of a girl, named Charlie Samuel Bennett.
3.) Since Kay left before giving birth, everything that has happened after that never happened.
4.) Kay was eighteen when she became pregnant and gave birth to Charlie.
5.) I have no idea what the name of Sam's father was, but for this story I'm going to say it was Charles. So Charlie was named for his great-grandfather and his grandfather.
This will eventually be a JAG crossover. I just don't know if it will be this story or the sequel to this. But there will be a JAG crossover, I promise.
CHAPTER ONE
Charlie Samuel Bennett pulled restlessly at his mothers hand. Kay smiled down at him and released his hand.
"Stay in here where I can see you, okay?" She asked, petting his downy golden brown hair. Charlie beamed up at her and nodded.
"Okay Mama." He promised. He walked away from her and plopped down in a patch of sunlight coming through the huge picture window and pulled a dinosaur toy from his backpack. Kay and Mrs. West, the landlady who was showing her the apartment, both smiled at him.
"He's adorable." Mrs. West told Kay softly. "Looks just like you."
"Thank you." Kay replied, beaming.
"His father. . ."Mrs. West asked tentatively.
"Isn't in the picture." Kay responded, more sharply than she intended.
"I'm sorry." Mrs. West instantly apologized. "I didn't mean to upset you."
"It's alright." Kay replied with a smile. "You didn't upset me, I just don't want to talk about Charlie's father around him. It tends to upset him."
"I'm sorry." Mrs. West said again. "Well, I'll leave you two to get unpacked. If you need anything, remember my husband and I live just downstairs."
"Of course. Thank you." Kay said with a smile. Impulsively, Mrs. West reached out and hugged Kay, who returned the embrace warmly. Then Mrs. West was gone, leaving the small family alone in their new apartment.
Stepping around Charlie gently, Kay walked to the picture window and stared out at the view, but seeing the past. More than three years ago, Kay had run from Harmony in the middle of a snowstorm, taking only the unborn baby inside her, a duffel bag full of clothes and all of her life savings, just over $5,000, and never looked back. She had ended up in a one room hole of an apartment three months later with a slightly premature but perfectly healthy baby boy she had named Charles Samuel Bennett. When Charlie had first been put in her arms, Kay had been overjoyed to see that he looked nothing like Miguel. In fact, Charlie looked like his mother and his grandfather. He had Kay's dark, golden brown hair, bright blue eyes, flawless ivory skin, high cheekbones and stubborn jaw. He and Kay even had the same small, slightly upturned nose. He had her mischievous gleam in his eyes, and her crooked grin. He may have been a little quieter than most three year olds, but he was smart and loved getting into trouble like other boys his age. Kay loved him with all her heart.
Charlie had been born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in a one room hole above the strip club where Kay worked as a waitress. The girls who danced had been some of Kay's best friends, helping her pay her medical bills, and taking care of Charlie while Kay worked. The lady who ran the place, Ms. Rhonda, had also taken a shine to Kay, and had promoted her to bartender only four days after her nineteenth birthday. Even Mike, the huge bouncer, had taken a liking to Kay, keeping an eye on her and making sure that nobody bothered her. Somehow, Ms. Rhonda found out about Kay's budding interest in photography and encouraged it. Kay even took shots of the girls to use as publicity. Ms. Rhonda had loved them and payed Kay more than what she thought she deserved and had recommended Kay to all of her business associates. Soon, Kay was in high demand to shoot publicity photos, and had even kept a few of her better shots for her portfolio.
Kay had been happier there then she ever remembered being. Charlie had been a happy and healthy five month old baby boy when he showed up. He was someone who had been hired by her father to find her. How he did, she would never know. He had just shown up at the bar one night, told her who he was, and why he was there. He told her to get Charlie and her things and get in his car outside and he would take her home. Instead, Kay had jumped back out of his reach and screamed for Mike. Mike had been there in an instant and started fighting with the guy, who was still trying to grab Kay. Ms. Rhonda had jumped in front of Kay and told her to run. She had grabbed Charlie, and one of the dancers, a girl named Ryan, had taken Kay and Charlie to her house. Kay and Charlie hid out there while Ms. Rhonda and Mike cleaned out her apartment and brought her things to her. All the girls had held an impromptu goodbye party that night, giving Kay things she would need for Charlie like diapers and formula and blankets and clothes, and giving her enough money to run once again, and start a new life and a new career as a photographer somewhere else. Then Mike had driven her to the bus stop the next day and stayed with her until she got on the bus. As she had waved, she had seen Mike shed a single tear. Touched, Kay had quickly snapped a picture of the big man with one tear on his cheek, then waved to Mike until she could no longer see him.
What had followed was a blur of cities. Lexington, Kentucky, Kansas City, Missouri, Indianapolis, Indiana, Detroit, Michigan, Des Moines, Iowa and even Honolulu, Hawaii before finally coming here, to Dallas, Texas. Every time they moved, Kay's reputation as an excellent photographer grew, and the places where they lived got bigger. This was there last move Kay hoped. She had been hired by one of the biggest magazines in the world to come and work in their Dallas office as a freelance photographer. As a freelancer, she got the same pay and benefits as a staff photographer, but was more free to choose her assignments and her hours, which meant she could spend more time with her son. The office building where she worked also had a free daycare for all employees, which was excellent news for Charlie.
Their new apartment was on the top floor of the apartment building, and was really bigger than was really necessary for just her and Charlie with four bedroom and two bathrooms, but it was perfect. A bedroom for her, a bedroom for Charlie, and then the other two could be turned into a playroom for Charlie and a darkroom for her. And the view from the picture window in the living room was fantastic.
"Wanna go see your room Charlie?" Kay asked, turning from the view. Charlie looked up with an ear to ear grin and scrambled to his feet.
"Yeah!" He cheered, running to her. Kay scooped him up and walked down the hall. "This is going to be Mommy's darkroom. You remember the rules for Mommy's darkroom?" She asked. Charlie nodded seriously.
"Yes. If the door's closed I have to knock and wait for you to say it's okay." Charlie recited.
"Good boy." Kay said with a smile, ruffling his hair. Charlie beamed at her.
"This is Mommy's room." Kay opened the door and let Charlie look inside.
"Ohh. Big Mama." Charlie said appreciatively. Then he turned apprehensive. "Is my room close?"
Kay tightened her arms around Charlie and kissed his forehead. Charlie sometimes had vivid and terrifying nightmares, and Kay would always come running when he did.
"Your right next door." Kay assured her son, opening the next door and showing Charlie his new room.
"Wow!" Charlie yelled, wiggling. Kay put him down with a laugh, and Charlie ran into his new room. "Wow! It's so big Mama!" Charlie laughed and spun around in the middle of the room. "Wow!"
"We can put your bed right here." Kay said, choosing a spot at random.
"With my Spider-Man poster over it?" Charlie asked excitedly.
"Of course." Kay told him with a smile.
"And my Nightmare Before Christmas poster can go over there!" Charlie pointed and Kay had to laugh.
"I don't know why you like that old movie so much." She teased. Charlie grinned at her, his bright blue eyes twinkling.
"It's a good movie Mama." He protested, his crooked smile on his face. Kay laughed and ran over to tickle him. She had no idea why Charlie loved Nightmare Before Christmas, but he did. Kay was already shopping Hot Topic to do his room in Nightmare Before Christmas. It cost quite a bit, but she could afford it now and Charlie would be delighted. Charlie shot past her across the hall.
"What's this room?" He asked, struggling to open the door next to Kay's darkroom. Kay laughed and opened the door to reveal the smallest room in the house.
"This is going to be your playroom Charlie." Kay told him.
"Cool!" Charlie yelled, running in. He stood in the middle of the room and spun around, giggling uncontrollably as he collapsed on the fluffy dark green carpet. Kay laughed as she crossed the room and scooped him into her arms. Charlie continued to giggle as he hugged her tightly.
"I love you Mama."
"I love you too Charlie."