Fic - Rock on the Swing 1/1 [Criminal Minds]
Title: Rock on the Swing
Prompt: 3. Sky
Fandom: Criminal Minds
Characters/Pairing: Jack/Aaron
Rating: PG
Spoilers: None
Disclaimer: Not mine; just playing with them a little.
Rock on the Swing
The swing moved rhythmically, back and forward, back and forward, as Jack tilted his head up and basked under the fading heat of the sun. He loved this park. He loved this swing. This used to be the place his mom would always bring him to play.
He stood on the seat of the swing and rocked harder, watching as the bright azure sky faded to orange, then pink, until the darkness, dotted with twinkling stars, settled all around him, leaving the park silent and still except for the slight squeak of the chain as he rocked on the swing.
Jack didn’t want to go home, where his dad had already forgotten his mom. He wanted to go up into the sky, because that was where Aunt Jessie said his mommy was and all he wanted, more than anything, was to be with his mom again. He missed her very, very much. Especially how she would always brush the hair out of his brow and kiss his forehead before tucking him in.
So he rocked again and again on the swing, picking up speed and going higher and higher at each forward motion. The wind swished over his face and it felt a little like a caress on his cheeks, as if someone was trying to dry his tears and if Jack focused hard enough, he could almost pretend it was his mom.
He was so high now, almost there. Jack could even see her up there, one hand outstretched, waiting for him. In the next upwards movement, Jack let go of the chains and reached to the sky, trying to grab his mother’s hand. It felt like flying for a second, but only for a second, and then he was falling. He could feel the telltale pull on his belly that always came when he falling after a jump.
But he never reached the ground. A pair of arms wrapped tightly around his middle, holding him in mid air, preventing him from hitting the hard ground below him. Jack knew exactly who it was.
His feet touched the ground as his father put him down and slowly turned him around. Jack braced himself for the punishment. He had run off to the park without telling JJ. He had stayed after dark, when he was supposed to be home, watching cartoons or playing with his action figures before supper.
But the scolding never came. Instead, dad knelt down in front of him and carefully brushed the tears from his face with one of his rough thumbs.
“I miss her too, buddy.”
“No you don’t!” Jack spat angrily and he didn’t even know he was angry at his dad. “You don’t love her! You never did!”
Dad sighed heavily. Like he was really tired and his shoulders dropped, as if he was holding a really heavy weight on them and when Jack looked in his eyes, he saw tears threatening to fall. He gaped, because he never once had seen his dad cry. His father was a really strong hero and heroes didn’t cry, at least Jack had never seen the ones on the television crying.
“I loved her Jack, I loved her very much, with all my heart and I will always love her, but I love JJ too. She is good to me and more importantly, she’s good to you, that’s why I’m marrying her.”
Jack watched his father for a long moment, thinking about his words. He frowned a little in obvious confusion and doubt.
“You can love two people at the same time?” He asked quietly and his father smiled.
“I didn’t know it either, but yeah, you can and I do. I love your mother and I love JJ.”
Jack scrunched up his nose in the way he always did when he was thinking really hard about something.
“So it’s okay if I love JJ too like I love mommy?” His daddy smiled wide then, wider than Jack had ever seen.
“Yes, buddy, it’s very okay.”
“Mommy won’t get upset?” He asked still doubtful and his dad shook his head.
“No, she won’t buddy. I think she’ll be very happy.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yes.”
“Okay.” Jack hugged his dad then, really tight. “Sorry for running away, dad.”
“It’s okay, buddy.” He replied, lifting Jack up into his arms. “Let’s just go home, alright?”
“Okay.”
xxx
Prompt: 3. Sky
Fandom: Criminal Minds
Characters/Pairing: Jack/Aaron
Rating: PG
Spoilers: None
Disclaimer: Not mine; just playing with them a little.
Rock on the Swing
The swing moved rhythmically, back and forward, back and forward, as Jack tilted his head up and basked under the fading heat of the sun. He loved this park. He loved this swing. This used to be the place his mom would always bring him to play.
He stood on the seat of the swing and rocked harder, watching as the bright azure sky faded to orange, then pink, until the darkness, dotted with twinkling stars, settled all around him, leaving the park silent and still except for the slight squeak of the chain as he rocked on the swing.
Jack didn’t want to go home, where his dad had already forgotten his mom. He wanted to go up into the sky, because that was where Aunt Jessie said his mommy was and all he wanted, more than anything, was to be with his mom again. He missed her very, very much. Especially how she would always brush the hair out of his brow and kiss his forehead before tucking him in.
So he rocked again and again on the swing, picking up speed and going higher and higher at each forward motion. The wind swished over his face and it felt a little like a caress on his cheeks, as if someone was trying to dry his tears and if Jack focused hard enough, he could almost pretend it was his mom.
He was so high now, almost there. Jack could even see her up there, one hand outstretched, waiting for him. In the next upwards movement, Jack let go of the chains and reached to the sky, trying to grab his mother’s hand. It felt like flying for a second, but only for a second, and then he was falling. He could feel the telltale pull on his belly that always came when he falling after a jump.
But he never reached the ground. A pair of arms wrapped tightly around his middle, holding him in mid air, preventing him from hitting the hard ground below him. Jack knew exactly who it was.
His feet touched the ground as his father put him down and slowly turned him around. Jack braced himself for the punishment. He had run off to the park without telling JJ. He had stayed after dark, when he was supposed to be home, watching cartoons or playing with his action figures before supper.
But the scolding never came. Instead, dad knelt down in front of him and carefully brushed the tears from his face with one of his rough thumbs.
“I miss her too, buddy.”
“No you don’t!” Jack spat angrily and he didn’t even know he was angry at his dad. “You don’t love her! You never did!”
Dad sighed heavily. Like he was really tired and his shoulders dropped, as if he was holding a really heavy weight on them and when Jack looked in his eyes, he saw tears threatening to fall. He gaped, because he never once had seen his dad cry. His father was a really strong hero and heroes didn’t cry, at least Jack had never seen the ones on the television crying.
“I loved her Jack, I loved her very much, with all my heart and I will always love her, but I love JJ too. She is good to me and more importantly, she’s good to you, that’s why I’m marrying her.”
Jack watched his father for a long moment, thinking about his words. He frowned a little in obvious confusion and doubt.
“You can love two people at the same time?” He asked quietly and his father smiled.
“I didn’t know it either, but yeah, you can and I do. I love your mother and I love JJ.”
Jack scrunched up his nose in the way he always did when he was thinking really hard about something.
“So it’s okay if I love JJ too like I love mommy?” His daddy smiled wide then, wider than Jack had ever seen.
“Yes, buddy, it’s very okay.”
“Mommy won’t get upset?” He asked still doubtful and his dad shook his head.
“No, she won’t buddy. I think she’ll be very happy.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yes.”
“Okay.” Jack hugged his dad then, really tight. “Sorry for running away, dad.”
“It’s okay, buddy.” He replied, lifting Jack up into his arms. “Let’s just go home, alright?”
“Okay.”
xxx