Day By Day (Code Red Original Fiction)
Oct. 30th, 2018 02:57 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
asphaltcowgrrlTitle: Day by Day
Fandom: Code Red Original Fiction
Pairing: Allyson Matson + Dustin Michaels
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 1,353
Summary: Ali’s struggling with the chain on Rory’s bike as well as other things.
Author’s Note: I don’t delve into this fandom much any longer, but I miss having Ali around. One day, I’ll go back and clean up all of her stories and post them here. Written for the Weekend Challenge back in *cough* August. My prompts were, ‘comfortable, sexy, cool’ and “What are you doing?” “I have no idea.”
“What are you doing, Ali?”
She looked up from where she was trying to get the chain back onto Rory’s bicycle and sighed. “I have no idea, Dusty.”
“This is what happens when you choose a dumbass for a husband,” he said, kneeling down and gently pushing her to the side.
“Right,” she laughed. “I forgot, I was supposed to choose you, right?”
“Nah,” he said, taking the screwdriver and popping the chain back on as easily as it had come off. “Just as long as you didn’t choose Tracey, we’re good.”
She gave an involuntary shudder. Bryan Tracey had been her on and off boyfriend for several years.
And then she’d met Blake.
Biggest goddamned mistake of her life. Or, it would have been had it not been for the two miniature psychopaths running circles around where she sat trying to fix the bike. Rory and Rayna brought light and life and chaos into her days and even though they left her exhausted at the end of it, she was grateful to have them.
“Do you ever wish things had been different,” Dusty asked, holding his hand out to help her up off the ground.
“You mean, like wishing my marriage had worked out?” She shrugged. “Sure. The kids could use a dad, but most of the time one of you guys is around to help. Shana and Jo put in more than their fair share of time, too. I’m lucky in that I don’t need that asshole to have a family.”
Dusty made a face. “That’s not exactly what I meant.”
“What are you getting at, Michaels?” She wiped her hands on an old towel she’d brought out for the occasion and handed it to Dusty.
He took it and carefully wiped off the bit of dirt and grease he’d gotten on his hands. “I mean, do you ever wish you’d told him to go to hell before he conned you into marrying him?”
She thought about that. He hadn’t really conned her into anything. Blake had been funny and cool in his own, dopey sort of way. Not to mention more comfortable in his own skin than any man she’d never met. God, and he was incredibly sexy, too, with all that curly dark hair and cheesy ass smile. But had marrying him been the right answer? She wasn’t sure. She’d done it because of Rayna, and Rory, too, although he wasn’t even hers. Not genetically anyway and yet, somehow he was with her and not either of his actual parents. Eh, the kid was better off as far as she was concerned.
“Ali?”
“Yeah, sorry, Dusty,” she said, dragging her thoughts back into the present. “I don’t know, but probably. Sometimes? I mean…” There was Paulo, but she couldn’t really bring him up considering his track record with the US government. If she wanted to go back and change things, that’s where she’d change them. She’d have never gotten involved with Thé in the first place. He was the thing that had changed the course of her life and…
He was looking at her again.
“Sorry,” she repeated. “But you’re dredging up some awfully old memories.”
Dusty cringed. “Do you hate me?”
“Not at all,” she said. “They’re not bad memories but dude, I made some choices.”
He laughed. “Haven’t we all?”
Ali looked at him. “Did you ever marry an international terrorist? And then get involved with his equally sketchy ex-best friend?”
“Um,” Dusty snorted. “Can’t say that I have.”
“Didn’t think so,” she grinned. “But that’s the thing – if I was going to change anything, it’d have to be way before Blake and go all the way back to when I was fifteen. So yeah, no, I’m good with the life I have. I can deal with two unruly children and the occasional clandestine visit from a wanted arms dealer.”
Dusty blinked. “Please don’t ever utter those last few words aloud. Ever.”
She pinched his cheek. “Promise, Dusty.” Ali looked down at the bike and sighed. “Thank you for fixing that. It’s not even that difficult to do, but I was struggling.”
“You can’t be supermom all the time,” he said, hugging her. “Sometimes, ya gotta let others help.”
“And speaking of which, why are you here,” she asked. “And without your partner in crime?”
Dusty grunted. “Young’s doing something – what he didn’t tell me and honestly? I’m afraid to ask with him sometimes.”
Ali couldn’t blame him for that. As much as she adored Andrew Young, he was a bit nutty sometimes. On the up side, he was usually the one who knew how to help her through whatever had her down at any given time, so she embraced his brand of crazy willingly. “So, you don’t need anything? This is just a social call?”
“I guess that depends,” he said, sheepish.
“On?” She raised an eyebrow and waited.
“You making dinner anytime soon? I’m broke and starving and my so-called best friend is out doing god only knows what.”
“You’ve gotta ask the kids,” she said, pointing to where Rory and Rayna were dancing in the driveway. They were growing like weeds and soon they wouldn’t care whether ‘Uncle Dusty’ stayed for dinner or not. But it was wonderful to see how happily they reacted when asked.
“Yo, munchkins,” he shouted, cupping his hands around his mouth. “You two want company for dinner?”
“Yes,” they both shouted, running towards him and throwing their little arms around his legs.
Dusty cupped a hand around the back of each of their heads and grinned at Ali. “I’m guessing that means I can stay?”
“You could have stayed no matter what they said,” she told him. “But it’s fun to make you work for your dinner.”
“Oh, I can work for my dinner, sister,” he joked. “Just not in front of these two.” He nodded in Rory’s direction. “This one is already too much like his father, I don’t want to encourage him any.”
Ali let out a belly laugh. “God, if that isn’t the truth, I don’t know what the hell is.” She shook her head and told the kids to head inside and wash up. “Do me a favor,” she said, reaching into her pocket for some money.
“Anything,” he said.
“Go to the store and get some ice cream. I promised them and forgot.”
“Can’t imagine how,” he said, tucking the ten into his pocket. “Mint chip as always?”
“Please.”
“Be back in ten,” he said.
She watched him pull out of her drive and thought about what he’d said. He was a good man, handsome and kind and honest, but she couldn’t have ever had a relationship with him. His buddy, Andrew, on the other hand, was a given. But that was a long time ago and they never spoke of it, even if everyone and their brother knew. Maybe things would have been easier, if not better, if she hadn’t chosen Blake, but she was doing okay and that was what mattered, right?
“Mama,” Rayna called from the doorway.
“Yeah, baby?”
“I thought Dusty was staying for dinner.”
“He is,” she said, shooing her daughter towards the garage so she could put Rory’s bike on the rack. “Dusty forgot something.”
“He’ll be back?”
Her wide, blue eyes, so much like her father’s, bored into her soul. “He’ll be back, I promise.”
Which is more than she’d ever been able to promise either of them when it came to their father. Maybe the next time Paulo offered, she’d let him find Blake and have a few words with him. “Nah,” she muttered to herself. “No point. Knowing Paulie, he already has.”
Which would explain why Blake refused to come within a hundred yards of her or the kids, but again, that was probably for the best. She was pulling the pot pie out of the oven when she heard Dusty’s Jeep pull into the drive, soon followed by the children’s cheerful greeting as he let himself into the house. Might not be exactly as she’d planned her life, but she had everything she needed.
Fandom: Code Red Original Fiction
Pairing: Allyson Matson + Dustin Michaels
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 1,353
Summary: Ali’s struggling with the chain on Rory’s bike as well as other things.
Author’s Note: I don’t delve into this fandom much any longer, but I miss having Ali around. One day, I’ll go back and clean up all of her stories and post them here. Written for the Weekend Challenge back in *cough* August. My prompts were, ‘comfortable, sexy, cool’ and “What are you doing?” “I have no idea.”
“What are you doing, Ali?”
She looked up from where she was trying to get the chain back onto Rory’s bicycle and sighed. “I have no idea, Dusty.”
“This is what happens when you choose a dumbass for a husband,” he said, kneeling down and gently pushing her to the side.
“Right,” she laughed. “I forgot, I was supposed to choose you, right?”
“Nah,” he said, taking the screwdriver and popping the chain back on as easily as it had come off. “Just as long as you didn’t choose Tracey, we’re good.”
She gave an involuntary shudder. Bryan Tracey had been her on and off boyfriend for several years.
And then she’d met Blake.
Biggest goddamned mistake of her life. Or, it would have been had it not been for the two miniature psychopaths running circles around where she sat trying to fix the bike. Rory and Rayna brought light and life and chaos into her days and even though they left her exhausted at the end of it, she was grateful to have them.
“Do you ever wish things had been different,” Dusty asked, holding his hand out to help her up off the ground.
“You mean, like wishing my marriage had worked out?” She shrugged. “Sure. The kids could use a dad, but most of the time one of you guys is around to help. Shana and Jo put in more than their fair share of time, too. I’m lucky in that I don’t need that asshole to have a family.”
Dusty made a face. “That’s not exactly what I meant.”
“What are you getting at, Michaels?” She wiped her hands on an old towel she’d brought out for the occasion and handed it to Dusty.
He took it and carefully wiped off the bit of dirt and grease he’d gotten on his hands. “I mean, do you ever wish you’d told him to go to hell before he conned you into marrying him?”
She thought about that. He hadn’t really conned her into anything. Blake had been funny and cool in his own, dopey sort of way. Not to mention more comfortable in his own skin than any man she’d never met. God, and he was incredibly sexy, too, with all that curly dark hair and cheesy ass smile. But had marrying him been the right answer? She wasn’t sure. She’d done it because of Rayna, and Rory, too, although he wasn’t even hers. Not genetically anyway and yet, somehow he was with her and not either of his actual parents. Eh, the kid was better off as far as she was concerned.
“Ali?”
“Yeah, sorry, Dusty,” she said, dragging her thoughts back into the present. “I don’t know, but probably. Sometimes? I mean…” There was Paulo, but she couldn’t really bring him up considering his track record with the US government. If she wanted to go back and change things, that’s where she’d change them. She’d have never gotten involved with Thé in the first place. He was the thing that had changed the course of her life and…
He was looking at her again.
“Sorry,” she repeated. “But you’re dredging up some awfully old memories.”
Dusty cringed. “Do you hate me?”
“Not at all,” she said. “They’re not bad memories but dude, I made some choices.”
He laughed. “Haven’t we all?”
Ali looked at him. “Did you ever marry an international terrorist? And then get involved with his equally sketchy ex-best friend?”
“Um,” Dusty snorted. “Can’t say that I have.”
“Didn’t think so,” she grinned. “But that’s the thing – if I was going to change anything, it’d have to be way before Blake and go all the way back to when I was fifteen. So yeah, no, I’m good with the life I have. I can deal with two unruly children and the occasional clandestine visit from a wanted arms dealer.”
Dusty blinked. “Please don’t ever utter those last few words aloud. Ever.”
She pinched his cheek. “Promise, Dusty.” Ali looked down at the bike and sighed. “Thank you for fixing that. It’s not even that difficult to do, but I was struggling.”
“You can’t be supermom all the time,” he said, hugging her. “Sometimes, ya gotta let others help.”
“And speaking of which, why are you here,” she asked. “And without your partner in crime?”
Dusty grunted. “Young’s doing something – what he didn’t tell me and honestly? I’m afraid to ask with him sometimes.”
Ali couldn’t blame him for that. As much as she adored Andrew Young, he was a bit nutty sometimes. On the up side, he was usually the one who knew how to help her through whatever had her down at any given time, so she embraced his brand of crazy willingly. “So, you don’t need anything? This is just a social call?”
“I guess that depends,” he said, sheepish.
“On?” She raised an eyebrow and waited.
“You making dinner anytime soon? I’m broke and starving and my so-called best friend is out doing god only knows what.”
“You’ve gotta ask the kids,” she said, pointing to where Rory and Rayna were dancing in the driveway. They were growing like weeds and soon they wouldn’t care whether ‘Uncle Dusty’ stayed for dinner or not. But it was wonderful to see how happily they reacted when asked.
“Yo, munchkins,” he shouted, cupping his hands around his mouth. “You two want company for dinner?”
“Yes,” they both shouted, running towards him and throwing their little arms around his legs.
Dusty cupped a hand around the back of each of their heads and grinned at Ali. “I’m guessing that means I can stay?”
“You could have stayed no matter what they said,” she told him. “But it’s fun to make you work for your dinner.”
“Oh, I can work for my dinner, sister,” he joked. “Just not in front of these two.” He nodded in Rory’s direction. “This one is already too much like his father, I don’t want to encourage him any.”
Ali let out a belly laugh. “God, if that isn’t the truth, I don’t know what the hell is.” She shook her head and told the kids to head inside and wash up. “Do me a favor,” she said, reaching into her pocket for some money.
“Anything,” he said.
“Go to the store and get some ice cream. I promised them and forgot.”
“Can’t imagine how,” he said, tucking the ten into his pocket. “Mint chip as always?”
“Please.”
“Be back in ten,” he said.
She watched him pull out of her drive and thought about what he’d said. He was a good man, handsome and kind and honest, but she couldn’t have ever had a relationship with him. His buddy, Andrew, on the other hand, was a given. But that was a long time ago and they never spoke of it, even if everyone and their brother knew. Maybe things would have been easier, if not better, if she hadn’t chosen Blake, but she was doing okay and that was what mattered, right?
“Mama,” Rayna called from the doorway.
“Yeah, baby?”
“I thought Dusty was staying for dinner.”
“He is,” she said, shooing her daughter towards the garage so she could put Rory’s bike on the rack. “Dusty forgot something.”
“He’ll be back?”
Her wide, blue eyes, so much like her father’s, bored into her soul. “He’ll be back, I promise.”
Which is more than she’d ever been able to promise either of them when it came to their father. Maybe the next time Paulo offered, she’d let him find Blake and have a few words with him. “Nah,” she muttered to herself. “No point. Knowing Paulie, he already has.”
Which would explain why Blake refused to come within a hundred yards of her or the kids, but again, that was probably for the best. She was pulling the pot pie out of the oven when she heard Dusty’s Jeep pull into the drive, soon followed by the children’s cheerful greeting as he let himself into the house. Might not be exactly as she’d planned her life, but she had everything she needed.
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