AU - Backdraft

Dita smiled, "A little...but the food is helping, especially the pancakes." She gave him a knowing smile as she continued to eat.

"I thought they might," he smiled back.

He finished his food and cleared the table.

"Have you ever been checked for the aorta defect?" he almost hadn't wanted to ask.

Dita took a minute to think, "I think the last time I was checked was right after high school."

"But you were in the clear,right?" He smiled hopeful.
If something happened to her he would be devistated. He resloved to talk to Gemma about it.

Dita smiled, "I'm here, right?" She looked back at Trini and brushed the little girl's bangs out of her eyes. "I wish Thom was here to see her..."

To see her so sad tugged at his heart, "I'm sure he can see her."

He grabbed his cell and made his way to the living room, "I'm going to go make a phone call to the firehouse really quickly," he called back to his wife.

When he was sure the door to the office was shut, he dialed Gemma's number.

"Hey, Mom," he greeted her.


ooc: be Gemma?

Gemma had been working on a menu for an upcoming wedding she was catering when her phone rang. She smiled some at her son-in-law's voice. "Hey sweetheart, you all okay? Do you need me to watch Trini?"

He absently doodled on a piece of paper as was his habit when he was nervous,"Actually, I had some questions about Thom. "

Gemma frowned some, putting down her pen, "Sure, sweetie, what do you need to know?"

He sighed, "What was wrong with his heart? I didn't even know there was a defect possible in the family."

Gemma leaned back in chair, "The family flaw...I was Dee's age when I had to have open heart surgery...a couple years before she and Thom were born. Thom and I both had an defective valve...a leak. Thom was the a few days old when they found it. He wasn't supposed to make it through the surgery...but he did."

He sighed, "Could it still happen to her?" He hoped to god she said no.

Gemma sighed, "Carlos, I wish I could confirm that she will escape it...but I thought I would too."

his heart constricted in his chest, "I wish she had told me. Of course she probably didn't want me to worry or see her as a ticking time bomb," he sighed heavily, "Thanks, Gem."

He hung up the phone and made his way back out to the living room. Sitting heavily beside his wife, he let his head snuggle against hers.

"Whatchya watchin?"

Dita held Trini in her arms, smiling back at Juice, "Dumbo."

They went back to watching the show until Trini's favorite part came on: when Dumbo is with his mother and she is singing "Baby Mine".

Trini loved the song and knew the stories about Dita singing it to her every night when she was still in her womb; those nights that Juice was on duty and it was just Dita. She even sang it long after her birth. It was a memory Trini would always cherish.

"Mama! It's our song! Please sing! Please!"

Dita smiled some and sang along in her soft alto; gently rocking Trini some.

Juice smiled and rested an arm across Trini. It was moments like this that made everything worth while.


When he had first found out that Dita was pregnant he had been terrified. How in the hell could he be a good father when he'd never had one? Now, though, he knew she and any other child he had was the best thing he could do with his life. He kissed her head.

Dita looked down to find Trini sleeping in her arms. She kissed her head gently as she watched her sleep.

This is what Juice lived for; his family. He pulled them close to him. Grateful he got out of that hole. The sun poured through the front window, warming his skin. He was pretty sure there was never a more perfect moment in the world. He never wanted it to end.


"I love you, more than you could ever know," his eyes smoldered.

Dita smiled sleepily, "Love you too."

Seven Months Later.

Juice came in the door after a long day at work. It seemed like it was one fire after another. Coming up behind his wife, he ran both hands over he large, round belly. They were both tired, but he was content with his life.

"Lets buy a house," he spoke into her ear.

Dita smirked and closed her eyes, leaning back against him, "Okay...let me get my shoes on and and get the checkbook...we got to get milk while we're out..."

He very visibly rolled his eyes, "You are not Opie. We have to buy a house the normal way."

Dita smiled softly, turning to face him, "Really? Well, I was checking the classifieds online...they had some beautiful ones in Brooklyn."

"Yea? Lets pick a few and make some appointments," he kissed her lips.

Dita nodded, "Okay, I'll set up some appointments. How was work?"