Mysteries and Memories: Small Miracles Series [6/8] (Colby/OFC-Callie, baby, PG-13)
Title: Mysteries and Memories (Small Miracles Series, Part 6/8)
Pairing/Characters: Colby and the baby; thoughts of OFC-Callie
Rating: PG-13 (implied adult situations)
Word Count: 1,592
Summary: Some days were harder than others, and today there was just too much. The baby left without parents. Crime. Death. Callie.
Spoilers: Mention of themes from 3.04 The Mole, 3.24 The Janus List, and 4.01 Trust Metric.
Notes/Warnings: Continuing the baby!fic Small Miracles Series. I will post Part 7 later today since I didn’t get this posted yesterday.
Disclaimer: If you recognize it, regrettably - it's not mine.
Without legitimate family members, without a will, without legal bindings to prevent finding Baby Boy Grier a home, DCFS began the proceedings to find him suitable parents. The process began near the end of the day, and Colby knew there would be little if any progress made in the search for a new home for Bubba - as he’d affectionately started calling the child. Naturally, when the end of the day came - DCFS planned to take the child to the nursery at the local hospital until a home could be found... a fact which Colby adamantly protested. True, he was growing too fond of the infant and the more time he spent with him, the harder it would be to say goodbye when the time came. But, the thought of the baby boy spending the night surrounded by strangers nearly broke Colby’s already softened heart. With some convincing, he asked the DCFS agent to let him keep the kid for another night or two - winning the argument by reasoning that a night at Colby’s house was better than being alone in a crib in a crowded nursery, saving the nurses an extra effort. The agent was reluctant, but he had seen the care the child received from one Special Agent Granger and couldn’t deny that another night or two with Colby was in the child’s best interest.
That night, Colby again sat with his feet up and a beer... toying with the label as he absently listened to the days scores on ESPN. Meanwhile, the infant beside him slept and shifted where he lay - curled up on his tummy against the cushion with another pillow separating him from the edge of the couch.
“What a day,” Colby said to no one as his fingertips, rough from war and long hours at the gun range, worked loose the label he’d been picking at for the better part of ten minutes. One hand crumpled the label - tossing it into the waste basket behind him (a shot he’d made a hundred times) before the other hand brought the bottle to his lips and he took a long, slow drink. He closed his eyes as the cool liquid slid down his throat, warming him through as he swallowed. His body relaxed then, slumping into the couch while he kept his eyes closed - trying desperately to let go of the remnants of his day.
Some days were harder than others, and today there was just too much. The baby left without parents. Crime. Death. Callie.
His eyes came open with the last. He was sure he’d seen her today… not once, but twice - facing his demons head on before she turned to walk away.
“I’m sorry. You must have me confused with someone else,” he heard her say for the thousandth time since that morning.
A frustrated sigh escaped him as he ran his left hand over his hair, sinking lower into the couch and trying, unsuccessfully, to shake the memory from his mind. No one else on earth could make him react the way he did to her very presence - heart racing, barely breathing, all else around him disappearing into the distance. She’d been that way since that first moment he’d seen her so many years ago... the hallway of Winchester High School - standing at her locker, nervously biting at her lip as she put her backpack inside. Her long legs stretched down to the floor, covered by a perfect fitting pair of blue jeans - and even at fourteen, Colby knew that was quite a feat for a teenager. She’d been wearing a lilac t-shirt that covered her already supple torso while simultaneously giving her rosy skin an ethereal glow. Her beautiful red curls fell half way down her back even though she’d wrangled them into a ponytail, and Colby was sure she was the most beautiful being he’d ever seen. He’d been walking with his childhood friends... his teammates on the football field, and when he saw her - every thing stopped. The world stood still for a brief moment while his eyes took her in and his heart pounded for wanting to stand next to her - to take her hand, to encourage her to not be nervous... to tell her to stop teasing him by biting her lip, to have her smile at him.
He knew he was in trouble when the world around returned and with pangs of jealousy, he watched others passing her in the hallway - staring at her, looking her up and down much the same way he was sure he had done. She was the new girl. In a town of less than 500 people, outsiders were recognized instantly - but that rationale couldn’t quell the green eyed monster of jealousy. The only thought Colby had was that she was the girl for him and no one else. He knew in that moment... in all the world, there was nothing he wanted... or would ever want... more than he wanted to be by her side - always.
“I’m sorry. You must have me confused with someone else,” again she spoke and Colby fought the anger welling up inside him. Why would she deny him?
He heard quiet coos beside him and looked to his current roommate, still peacefully sleeping next to him on the couch. Colby shook his head, wondering if the baby’s dreams were sweet as he reached out and covered the infant with one hand. Gently, he rubbed the tiny curve of the baby’s back - smiling satisfactorily when he was rewarded with a contented sigh and a tiny smile even in sleep. Some things were simple. The tiny being needed comfort - a tender touch from a trusted hand. Why did every thing else have to be so complicated?
He took a deep breath, once more closing his eyes as he continued to run his hand over the baby’s back... trying to clear his mind and focus on his thought: Why would she deny him?
He was a logical man, so what reasons would she have for denying who she was to him? The first seemed the most obvious - five years had passed since he’d seen her and four years had gone by since her last letter. What could she have said? What would he have said if she admitted who she was? A crying infant on his shoulder, the middle of the FBI office... the situation was hardly ideal for a reunion. There were too many questions unanswered, too many years and miles between them that needed to be explained. Maybe it had just been easier, for both of them, if she pretended she didn’t know who he was when he breathed her name. That left him with another question, though. If she recognized him, why had she not tried to contact him? Why could he still not find her?
Abandoning that rationale for a moment, he forced himself to admit that maybe she hadn’t recognized him. War changes a man. Five years changes a man. In Afghanistan, he’d seen things, done things... things that haunted him, but it had been for a greater good. In LA, he’d lied to his team, he’d been a spy, been sent to prison, been tortured with drugs - the needles still sticking him in nightmares. He’d died. He’d been given a second chance. Truthfully, he wasn’t sure he would have recognized the man he was then standing before the man he was now.
But there had been a moment... a fraction of a second where her eyes met his and he knew - she remembered him. She remembered everything between them, seeing as he did - long nights together, early mornings, the old barn, snow kissing their skin as they tumbled back into a drift, walks on the beach, tangled sheets, tangled bodies, laughing, touching, loving, whispered confessions, promises made. Yet, in the blink of an eye, she had turned away from him... denying him. Why? He asked again.
Another deep breath and a third possibility opened before him. What if... maybe, just maybe he was right about his theory? What if she had been drafted into the life of a spy? What if she were on an assignment here, in LA? Having anyone recognize her would complicate things - possibly putting her life in danger.
To spite himself, a proud smile tugged at his lips as he heard himself saying “She would have made a great spy.” A great spy would deny her own happiness... would deny the happiness of the ones she loved, to ensure the success of her mission. He knew. He had done the same. This possibility left him with one hope: now that she knew where he was, now that she had seen him after all these years, maybe... just maybe, when her mission was over she would find him. She would return to him and together they would make the years between them disappear. He would have his Cal. He would be her Colbs. Together, they could be whole again.
The hope lightened his heart, allowing him to smile through a yawn as his exhaustion from a long night and a longer day settled in. The baby beside him seemed perfectly content in sleep and his even breathing only furthered Colby’s own need for rest. With gentle hands, Colby carried the baby boy into his room… securing him with pillows into a spot on the bed while Colby readied himself for what he hoped would be a peaceful night of dreamless sleep, disturbed only by the infrequent needs of little Bubba beside him.
<< Haunted, Part 5 Love and Loss, Part 7 >>
Pairing/Characters: Colby and the baby; thoughts of OFC-Callie
Rating: PG-13 (implied adult situations)
Word Count: 1,592
Summary: Some days were harder than others, and today there was just too much. The baby left without parents. Crime. Death. Callie.
Spoilers: Mention of themes from 3.04 The Mole, 3.24 The Janus List, and 4.01 Trust Metric.
Notes/Warnings: Continuing the baby!fic Small Miracles Series. I will post Part 7 later today since I didn’t get this posted yesterday.
Disclaimer: If you recognize it, regrettably - it's not mine.
Without legitimate family members, without a will, without legal bindings to prevent finding Baby Boy Grier a home, DCFS began the proceedings to find him suitable parents. The process began near the end of the day, and Colby knew there would be little if any progress made in the search for a new home for Bubba - as he’d affectionately started calling the child. Naturally, when the end of the day came - DCFS planned to take the child to the nursery at the local hospital until a home could be found... a fact which Colby adamantly protested. True, he was growing too fond of the infant and the more time he spent with him, the harder it would be to say goodbye when the time came. But, the thought of the baby boy spending the night surrounded by strangers nearly broke Colby’s already softened heart. With some convincing, he asked the DCFS agent to let him keep the kid for another night or two - winning the argument by reasoning that a night at Colby’s house was better than being alone in a crib in a crowded nursery, saving the nurses an extra effort. The agent was reluctant, but he had seen the care the child received from one Special Agent Granger and couldn’t deny that another night or two with Colby was in the child’s best interest.
That night, Colby again sat with his feet up and a beer... toying with the label as he absently listened to the days scores on ESPN. Meanwhile, the infant beside him slept and shifted where he lay - curled up on his tummy against the cushion with another pillow separating him from the edge of the couch.
“What a day,” Colby said to no one as his fingertips, rough from war and long hours at the gun range, worked loose the label he’d been picking at for the better part of ten minutes. One hand crumpled the label - tossing it into the waste basket behind him (a shot he’d made a hundred times) before the other hand brought the bottle to his lips and he took a long, slow drink. He closed his eyes as the cool liquid slid down his throat, warming him through as he swallowed. His body relaxed then, slumping into the couch while he kept his eyes closed - trying desperately to let go of the remnants of his day.
Some days were harder than others, and today there was just too much. The baby left without parents. Crime. Death. Callie.
His eyes came open with the last. He was sure he’d seen her today… not once, but twice - facing his demons head on before she turned to walk away.
“I’m sorry. You must have me confused with someone else,” he heard her say for the thousandth time since that morning.
A frustrated sigh escaped him as he ran his left hand over his hair, sinking lower into the couch and trying, unsuccessfully, to shake the memory from his mind. No one else on earth could make him react the way he did to her very presence - heart racing, barely breathing, all else around him disappearing into the distance. She’d been that way since that first moment he’d seen her so many years ago... the hallway of Winchester High School - standing at her locker, nervously biting at her lip as she put her backpack inside. Her long legs stretched down to the floor, covered by a perfect fitting pair of blue jeans - and even at fourteen, Colby knew that was quite a feat for a teenager. She’d been wearing a lilac t-shirt that covered her already supple torso while simultaneously giving her rosy skin an ethereal glow. Her beautiful red curls fell half way down her back even though she’d wrangled them into a ponytail, and Colby was sure she was the most beautiful being he’d ever seen. He’d been walking with his childhood friends... his teammates on the football field, and when he saw her - every thing stopped. The world stood still for a brief moment while his eyes took her in and his heart pounded for wanting to stand next to her - to take her hand, to encourage her to not be nervous... to tell her to stop teasing him by biting her lip, to have her smile at him.
He knew he was in trouble when the world around returned and with pangs of jealousy, he watched others passing her in the hallway - staring at her, looking her up and down much the same way he was sure he had done. She was the new girl. In a town of less than 500 people, outsiders were recognized instantly - but that rationale couldn’t quell the green eyed monster of jealousy. The only thought Colby had was that she was the girl for him and no one else. He knew in that moment... in all the world, there was nothing he wanted... or would ever want... more than he wanted to be by her side - always.
“I’m sorry. You must have me confused with someone else,” again she spoke and Colby fought the anger welling up inside him. Why would she deny him?
He heard quiet coos beside him and looked to his current roommate, still peacefully sleeping next to him on the couch. Colby shook his head, wondering if the baby’s dreams were sweet as he reached out and covered the infant with one hand. Gently, he rubbed the tiny curve of the baby’s back - smiling satisfactorily when he was rewarded with a contented sigh and a tiny smile even in sleep. Some things were simple. The tiny being needed comfort - a tender touch from a trusted hand. Why did every thing else have to be so complicated?
He took a deep breath, once more closing his eyes as he continued to run his hand over the baby’s back... trying to clear his mind and focus on his thought: Why would she deny him?
He was a logical man, so what reasons would she have for denying who she was to him? The first seemed the most obvious - five years had passed since he’d seen her and four years had gone by since her last letter. What could she have said? What would he have said if she admitted who she was? A crying infant on his shoulder, the middle of the FBI office... the situation was hardly ideal for a reunion. There were too many questions unanswered, too many years and miles between them that needed to be explained. Maybe it had just been easier, for both of them, if she pretended she didn’t know who he was when he breathed her name. That left him with another question, though. If she recognized him, why had she not tried to contact him? Why could he still not find her?
Abandoning that rationale for a moment, he forced himself to admit that maybe she hadn’t recognized him. War changes a man. Five years changes a man. In Afghanistan, he’d seen things, done things... things that haunted him, but it had been for a greater good. In LA, he’d lied to his team, he’d been a spy, been sent to prison, been tortured with drugs - the needles still sticking him in nightmares. He’d died. He’d been given a second chance. Truthfully, he wasn’t sure he would have recognized the man he was then standing before the man he was now.
But there had been a moment... a fraction of a second where her eyes met his and he knew - she remembered him. She remembered everything between them, seeing as he did - long nights together, early mornings, the old barn, snow kissing their skin as they tumbled back into a drift, walks on the beach, tangled sheets, tangled bodies, laughing, touching, loving, whispered confessions, promises made. Yet, in the blink of an eye, she had turned away from him... denying him. Why? He asked again.
Another deep breath and a third possibility opened before him. What if... maybe, just maybe he was right about his theory? What if she had been drafted into the life of a spy? What if she were on an assignment here, in LA? Having anyone recognize her would complicate things - possibly putting her life in danger.
To spite himself, a proud smile tugged at his lips as he heard himself saying “She would have made a great spy.” A great spy would deny her own happiness... would deny the happiness of the ones she loved, to ensure the success of her mission. He knew. He had done the same. This possibility left him with one hope: now that she knew where he was, now that she had seen him after all these years, maybe... just maybe, when her mission was over she would find him. She would return to him and together they would make the years between them disappear. He would have his Cal. He would be her Colbs. Together, they could be whole again.
The hope lightened his heart, allowing him to smile through a yawn as his exhaustion from a long night and a longer day settled in. The baby beside him seemed perfectly content in sleep and his even breathing only furthered Colby’s own need for rest. With gentle hands, Colby carried the baby boy into his room… securing him with pillows into a spot on the bed while Colby readied himself for what he hoped would be a peaceful night of dreamless sleep, disturbed only by the infrequent needs of little Bubba beside him.
<< Haunted, Part 5 Love and Loss, Part 7 >>