"I'm serious, Ponch I really don't need anything this year," Jon Baker said for the hundredth time it seemed.
"Maybe you'll think of something while you're out?" Ponch wasn't accepting Jon's answer.
Jon sighed. "I'll call you back." With that he hung up, he had run out to Sacramento for a few hours today to place flowers on his recently deceased wife's grave. Hayley Baker had the prettiest blue eyes he'd ever seen and a smile so contagious it lit up a whole room.
They'd married shortly after Jon moved from Wyoming. He was 21 at the time, just starting at the CHP, she was 20 just starting at the hospital. It had only been a few months before they found out about their first child. A daughter now 8 that they had named Brianna. Only a year after Brianna came her brother, Jon Jr. They usually just called him Jonny.
It had only been a few months ago when Hayley had been transferred to Sacramento for a few weeks. They had been short staffed at one of the hospitals.
Jon could still remember sitting on his back porch watching the kids play in the yard, when Ponch rushed in telling Jon they needed to go to Sacramento.
Why? Jon had wondered. All Ponch had to say was Hayley, Ashlyn and accident, before Jon was up and out the door. Dropping the kids off to Grossie's apartment since it was on the way and he was first to answer his phone and agree to look after them.
The way down to the hospital had been quiet. Ponch's fiancée, Ashlyn had been there working with Hayley among many other nurses and doctors when a bomb went off in the doctors lounge. Injuring a few doctors nearby who had been thrown into walls, and killing those inside the room. This including Hayley and Ashlyn.
At a cemetery in Sacramento, a special section had been made in memory of those who died in the explosion. The man who planted the bomb had been caught only hours after the explosion.
It had only been a few months. Hardly enough time to even think about celebrating. Why did his birthday have to happen now?
Tears rolled down his cheeks. "It isn't fair. She should still be here." He pulled up to the cemetery. His mind playing through all their wonderful memories together. He wished he could just hold her one last time. Tell her how much he loved her. He couldn't believe everything ended so fast.
oOoOo
Ponch rushed to the kitchen when he heard the oven timer go off.
"Ooh cupcakes!" Brianna grinned, watching him pull the baked goods out of the oven.
Ponch smiled at her, then looked back at the cupcakes. "I know he said he didn't want anything... but what do you think about giving your dad a party?" Hayley would want him to celebrate his birthday.
Brianna grinned, nodding her head quickly.
"While these cool off, I'm going to go make a phone call. Can you go find your brother and bring him inside so we can do lunch?"
"Yes, Ponch.' Brianna walked past to head outside.
Jon had only planned to be gone a few hours, he knew Ponch was off, so he figured he wouldn't mind babysitting. Though his only hesitation on that was knowing Ponch could never say no to the kids if they wanted sweets. Jon had done his best to keep that out of the house. His attempts failed whenever Ponch was around.
Brianna and Jonny had been having a hard time with their mom being gone. Jonny would always ask Jon at night when she'd be back, he still wasn't so sure he understood that she was dead. Brianna simply didn't want to believe it. She would tell Jon that Hayley would be home anytime now, and then he would see she was right and her mom never died.
Jon had seen her lifeless body. He had been to the scene where she had died. Ponch had been there too, they both knew they'd lost Ashlyn and Hayley. Sometimes they wished they could believe the same thing Brianna did.
But how could they deny something they saw?
Jon could hardly sleep at night. His mind thinking of what he could have done differently to prevent her death. "I shouldn't have let her go to Sacramento," he had said time after time, but he knew he couldn't have stopped her. She wanted to help...and she died for it.
Ashlyn had been the same story. Ponch couldn't stop thinking about her. Every second of everyday, just hoping that maybe it had been a bad dream and she'd be home soon. But he knew it wasn't. He'd never see her again...and their wedding had only been a few days away...
Ponch shook his head, trying to get his focus back to what he was doing.
As Ponch stood in the other room on the phone, Brianna and Jonny came inside.
"Cupcakes?" Jonny asked, sniffing the air.
"Cupcakes." Brianna grinned.
Jonny glanced at her, then to the counter. There's no note saying we can't have them. He thought, as he walked closer.
"Jonny, what are you doing?" Brianna asked in a harsh whisper. She knew she wanted to do the same...but what would Jon say? Would Ponch tell him though?
"Sissy, they're so good!" Jonny said, his mouth full of cupcake. His fingers and face covered in chocolate.
Brianna looked around before walking to the counter. She carefully pulled out a cupcake, taking a bite quick. "Mmm!"
It hadn't been long before... "I thought I had a dozen cupcakes."
'oops" Jonny said quietly.
"Yeah. Oops," Brianna agreed, trying to wipe away the evidence on her face, instead she smeared the chocolate.
Ponch almost scolded them, but changed his mind. They don't get this much anyway. I can let it slide...right? "Go wash your faces, I need to make more cupcakes. Some friends from the station will be here soon to help set up for your dad's party."
Brianna led Jonny upstairs to the bathroom sink to wash their faces. "Those cupcakes were good," Jonny commented when they had gotten upstairs.
"I didn't know Ponch could bake," Brianna replied with a giggle.
"He said he's gonna make more." Jonny's eyes lit up when those words finally clicked with him. "Wanna get another?"
"Jonny..." Brianna started, about to be the good older sister and say no. But how could she? She wanted one too. "Okay."
A/N: This story was requested by a friend of mine (she's not on fan fiction so I'm not going to share the name since she has no username.) In honor of Larry Wilcox's birthday which was Saturday. So she wanted me to write a birthday story for Jon. This whole idea is hers and I'm just working with it. Enjoy!