Entry tags:

fanfic, gi joe

Fanfic -- GI Joe -- An American Family
Title: An American Family
Fandom: GI Joe
Characters: Low-Light, Paige Adams, Daina, plus OCs
Word Count: approx. 2013 words
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Sequel to "Fear Factor" and "Big Brother" -- Low-Light's a father. AUUUGH!!

An American Family

Divide Memorial Hospital
Crosby, ND
July 6, 2005

Low-Light walked into the hospital, hands clenched into fists, his stomach rolling over. Behind him, Paige and Daina flanked him, all three of them moving like a very determined wedge toward the admitting desk.

"Can I help you?" the receptionist on duty looked as if she'd rather call security than help this dangerous looking crew.

"Karen, I'm here to see Karen Sasser," Low-Light said. "Where is she?"

"I'm sure I don't know off the top of my head," the receptionist said, taking a step back. "Spell the last name please?"

"Sasser, S-a-s-s-e-r." Low-Light felt his already shaky grip on his patience slipping. "She was admitted this morning. Where is she?"

"One moment, sir." The receptionist was all but snarling back at him.

"McBride, breathe in and step back." Paige grabbed the back of his shirt and pulled him gently but firmly away from the receptionist desk. "Ma'am," she said as she stepped up. "His girlfriend is having -- or more than likely has already had -- a baby. We got the call this morning and it's taken us until now to get here from Ohio. It's hisfirst."

The receptionist's mood shifted; what had been the beginning of a scowl turned slowly into a sympathetic smile.

"I should have guessed," she said, tapping a few keys on her keyboard. "He's a lot calmer than some are, that's for sure. Okay, yes, she's in room 307. Follow this hall on down, then turn right and follow it until you get to the elevators. Once you're on three, turn left and it'll be just a few doors down."

"Thank you, ma'am," Paige said. "Thank the nice lady, McBride."

"Thank you ma'am," muttered Low-Light, turning to head down the hall.

# # #

The closer he got to Karen's room, the harder it was to move himself forward. This was it. Nine months worth of worrying and planning and more-sleepless-than-usual nights had boiled down to this. This was it. The baby, their baby, his baby was finally here.

"I wanna throw up," he said, stepping off the elevator.

"You threw up four times already," Paige said. "You puke now, only thing gonna come out is organs."

"You will be fine," Daina said. "My brother felt the same way when his son was born. And his daughter."

"Cooper!" A girlish voice echoed down the hall. Karen's daughter, Sherry, was jumping up and down outside her mother's door. "Mom! He's here!"

"No getting out of it now, Cooper," Paige said, slowing her steps and patting Low-Light on the back. "Go on, you can come get us when you're ready, okay? I want a Coke anyway."

"Congratulations," Daina said, kissing Low-Light's cheek. "To you and to her. Now go before the girl injures herself jumping."

# # #

Sherry nearly jerked his arm out of the socket as she pulled him into her mother's room.

"Oh my God, it was so cool! I was over at Dawn's 'cause we were gonna go swimming down at the river, but Grandma called and said to get over to the hospital and that's when I called you and..."

"Sherry, why don't you go get yourself a Coke?" Karen sounded tired, but still amused at her daughter's excitement. "I want to talk to Cooper alone for a bit, okay?"

"But Mom!"

Low-Light dug his wallet out of his back pocket and pulled out three singles. "It's on me," he said. "Adams and Daina are out there; you can fill them in, okay?"

"Okay," Sherry said, giving Low-Light a quick, excited hug. "But I'll be back."

"I'll make sure to lock the door," Low-Light said as she walked out the door.

Once Sherry was gone, Low-Light took the time to study Karen. She looked tired, damn near exhausted but she didn't look worried. "Everything okay?" he asked. "You look good."

"Thanks," Karen said, smiling. "It helps that I had a few hours to rest up. Did you guys have a good trip?"

"I'm sorry. I'da been here sooner, but getting here -- I mean, we got a flight to Bismarck an' getting a car was -- I shoulda been here. I missed it."

"If you really want, I can scream and curse and call you everything but a child of God," Karen said.

Low-Light winced. "Was it that bad?"

"No, I mean, it was a lot more fun putting him in than it was getting him out, but second time around was a lot easier. Sherry, I swear, she grabbed a rib and tried to stay inside."

"'Him'?" Low-Light's stomach flip-flopped. "It's a boy?"

Karen nodded, smiling. 'I've finally got one of each," she said. "He's fine too, Coop. Ten fingers, ten toes, bright blue eyes and curly brown hair." She gestured toward a bassinette beside her bed. "He's right here, if you want to hold him."

# # #

Seven pounds, nineteen inches. Low-Light had held rifles that weighed more than his son. Hell, he'd held bombs that were heavier. This? Just a baby.

So why am I sweating like there's a timer counting down to zero?

He knew the answer, much as he didn't like to admit it. Was he going to screw this up? Would there come a day when he took his son out to a junkyard at midnight to 'make a man' out of him?

Everything he knew about himself said 'no, quit being stupid' but -- well, that was the problem right there: that tiny, sneaky, conniving little voice at the back of his head that whispered 'but' and 'what if' in the middle of the night.

He wasn't his father; he knew that. Knew it down to the bone. Dad was a drinker; he wasn't -- in part because Dad was. Dad had been stuck in a bad situation that had gotten worse; married too young, a farm that lost money like a leaky bucket lost water. He wasn't; he could retire tomorrow and all four of them could be comfortable while he found something else to do.

Things change. Nothing lasts forever, you know that. The little voice was louder now, made brave by Low-Light's own insecurity as he studied his son's sleeping face.

"Well? What do you think?" Karen asked, propping herself up. "Does he look like you or me?"

"He looks like Tor Johnson," Low-Light said. "All babies look like Tor Johnson."

"Funny man," Karen said. "Do you still want to give him the name we agreed on?"

"Yeah, 'course. It's half the reason I brought the Gruesome Twosome along with me. Besides, no son of mine is getting Gatsby as a middle name. Ever."

# # #

"Safe to come in?" Paige asked, sticking her head into the room.

"Sure," Karen said, waving them in.

"Okay, we want to see the baby."

Low-Light walked over to Paige and Daina, holding the baby so they could see him and properly "Aww" over him.

"Thank God, Karen, he looks like you!"

"He has Cooper's eyes," Daina said, then grinned mischievously. "But perhaps he will grow out of this and look less like a psycho."

"Yeah, yeah," Low-Light grumbled. "Laugh it up an' we won't be able to tell you his name."

"Not a Junior!" Paige said. "I agree; Gatsby is no middle name for a kid."

"How'd you --"

"Voices carry, McBride. Especially when you're eavesdropping in the hallway."

"We were thinking Daniel Adam," Karen said.

Now it was Paige and Daina's turn to look flip-floppy. "Wh-what?" stammered Paige.

"Why are you naming him after us?" Daina asked.

"Well, we were hoping that you two would be his godmothers," Karen said. "Cooper says you're two of his best friends and that he trusts you to bring him back from just about anything so -- will you accept?"

Daina nodded, saying something in rapid-fire Czech while Paige glared at Low-Light with eyes threatening to spill over with tears.

"You're lucky you're holding my godson," Paige growled. "Otherwise, I'd sock you one."

# # #

Karen hung up her room phone. "That was Sherry," she said. "She and the gals got home okay. They stopped for a pizza and Paige said there might be some left for you when we get there."

"What about you?" Low-Light sat by the window, holding Daniel as Karen went back to packing.

"Oh, I'm guaranteed slices; it's just you who might have to starve."

"Great. Flight home's gonna be all kinda fun, I can tell." Low-Light looked down at Daniel who yawned and stretched without truly waking up. "Wish I didn't have to go back so soon."

Karen paused in her packing. "Me too, but for what it's worth, I understand. You don't exactly have a job that you can just drop willy-nilly."

"Yeah, well, I just wish I had more than seventy-two hours, 'cause God knows when I'll be able to get back again."

"Cooper, Ohio's not that far away." Karen walked over and put her hand on his shoulder. "I can always come see you. Or we can split the difference and meet halfway somewhere -- Minneapolis or Kansas City. We can make this work -- we've been making it work. So trust me, okay?"

Low-Light stared at Karen. "When did you get so damned reasonable?"

"Well, since you decided to be the one freaking out..."

"I have not been freaking out! I've --," Low-Light sighed and looked up at her. "Okay, okay, a little -- okay, a lot an' you can quit grinning at me like that. I was just, look, seeing Daniel brings it all home, y'know? It's really real, now."

"I know, Cooper, but it's all going to be okay." Karen paused at the sound of someone stepping into the doorway. 'Hey, Perry."

Low-Light looked up, tightening his grip on Daniel enough to make the baby squeak and start to fuss. "Dad."

"Son." His father stood in the doorway. The way his shoulders slumped made him look shorter than he was, despite being Low-Light's height. His blonde hair was greying and starting to thin. “Heard from your mother that Karen had the baby. Would have been here sooner, but I just now got into town. Congratulations.”

“Thanks, Perry,” Karen said, giving Low-Light's shoulder a reassuring squeeze as she moved back over to finish packing. “It’s a boy; Daniel Adam McBride.”

His father let out a long breath, then nodded. “Good name,” he said. “Sensible, solid. I like it. Your mother was saying she was hoping you’d make him a junior; glad you didn’t.”

“Yeah,” Low-Light said. “Well, I love Mom but Gatsby’s a name for a cat, y’know?”

“Coulda been worse, son, coulda been Percival.” Perry said, pausing for effect. “Percival Gawain.”

Low-Light smirked. “You gotta point,” he said, looking down at Daniel. “You want to hold your grandson, Dad?”

His father took a half step forward, then hesitated. “You want me to?”

“Yeah." To his surprise, Low-Light meant it. He walked over and handed Daniel to his father, then stepped back and snorted. "You look like a natural, Dad."

"Should; done this a few times," his father said, easily cradling Daniel in his arms. "He's a good-looking boy."

"Thanks, Perry," Karen said, zipping her duffel bag shut.

"Yeah, thanks Dad," Low-Light said. "We were getting ready to check Karen out. You, uh, you eaten yet? 'Cause if you hadn't, maybe you could come back to Karen's place with us, y'know, if you want an' we can grab something to eat."

"Wouldn't want to intrude," said his father, sounding as if he wouldn't mind being persuaded to intrude.

"C'mon, Perry," Karen said. "Coop and Daniel are going to be outnumbered, they could use the moral support."

Low-Light snorted. “She ain’t kidding, Dad. C’mon, if you’re there I might stand a chance.”

“Well, you put it that way, how can I say no?” his father said. “Let me head home and clean up, I’ll meet you over there, alright?”

“Sounds like a plan,” Karen said. “We’ll see you there. Cooper, can you get my bag? I’ll carry Daniel, okay?”

“Bossin’ me around already,” Low-Light mock-grumbled as he traded Daniel for Karen’s duffle. “See you at the house, Dad.”