Oopsie Baby (Chapter One)
Summary: This is Part One of my series A Herrmann/Halstead Production. It is an AU where Christopher Herrmann's mom had an affair with Pat Halstead resulting in a baby. The series follows this OC character (Rebecca "Bex" Herrmann) as she grows up and gets to know her brothers and the various Chicago teams.
Rating: Teen Audiences and Up
Relationships: Christopher Herrmann & Original Female Character, Jay Halstead & Original Female Character, Will Halstead & Original Female Character, Jay Halstead & Will Halstead
Warnings: Cheating (not between any main characters), Car Accident, Minor Character Death, Pat Halstead being a Jerk
A/N: I'll post the link to the ao3 page at the bottom. I wasn't sure if people would want every chapter posted here, but I can do that if it's easier and there's interest. Please enjoy my mostly fluffy with a bit of angst story. :D
Chapter One:
Chris hadn’t planned on spending the summer before his sophomore year helping his mom get ready for a new baby, but here he was building a crib while she hemmed and hawed over five shades of yellow that all looked the same.
Not that he was pointing that out. Not for a second time anyway.
Nope, he was keeping his head down and getting this crib put together. Not thinking about everything his friends were getting up to without him. Not thinking about the fact that he was going to be fifteen years older than the little rugrat. Not thinking about how much of this prep work his dad was missing out on because he’s on the road so much.
Definitely not thinking about that because that would start him thinking about how often his dad had been away this year and how if his mom was six months along right now then the timing really didn’t make sense considering his dad’s travel schedule…
And now he was thinking about how his dad was probably definitely not the father.
He could tell his dad was working on the same math. There’d been all kinds of whispered fights down in the kitchen every time he was home over the past few months. More than a few ending with his dad stomping out the door to the bar and then sleeping it of off on the couch.
Part of him understood. His dad was away a LOT. His mom had to be lonely. But cheating...
And now there was a baby who was going to be born into a mess that was none of their fault.
So yeah. Chris wasn’t thinking about any of that.
He finished tightening the last screw and set the crib right side up on the floor. His mom turned around, samples in hand and beamed at him. “Thanks, sweetie,” she said.
Chris smiled back and peered over at the samples. “You know,” he said. “I think that one would look real nice.”
“Yeah?” His mom squinted at it and held it up to the wall before glancing back at him. “You think so?” Her face looked so hopeful and Chris had a sudden urge to punch both his father and whoever this mystery baby daddy was. At least one of them should be here, helping his mom, supporting her. But they weren’t. All she had right now was him.
So, he smiled again and said, “Yeah, Ma, I really do.”
Things came to a head two months later when the whispered fights became an all-out yelling match and instead of heading out to the bar, an already half-drunk Gary Herrmann headed down the street and punched Pat Halstead in the face.
Chris managed to drag him back home before things escalated, but not before most of the street was hanging off of their front porches and starting to do the math he’d previously be stuck on.
He dumped his father on the couch and grabbed the bag of frozen peas from his silently weeping mother. Dumping the peas in his dad’s lap, he sank down into the arm chair and buried his face in his hands.
Christ on a cracker.
At least that was one question answered.
Chris glanced up at the kitchen where the gentle clink of the kettle being placed on the stove sounded from. He wanted to storm in there and ask his mom what the heck she’d been thinking. Of all the guys on the street? Pat Halstead? Hopefully this baby retained mostly her genes otherwise they were about to have a raging a-hole on their hands.
His dad groaned from his spot on the couch.
“Hey.” Chris reached over to shake his knee and get his attention. “Pops, you with me?”
A grunt was the only response.
“Hey, listen,” he leaned in close, whispering urgently, wanting to get his message across before his mom came in with the tea no one would drink. “I hope this got it out of your system because you need to get it together,” he said. “Mom needs you. The baby needs you. If you’re going to keep this up, then just stay away because you’re making it worse.”
“Wh’ you t’ tell me,” his dad started and Chris cut him off with a squeeze of the knee.
“I’m the one who’s been the man of the house while you’re off working or drinking,” he snapped. “I’m the one who’s been getting everything ready for this kid.”
“Not my kid,” his dad muttered.
“Screw that. Decide. Right now.” Chris crouched beside his dad, shaking his shoulder until he got a small measure of eye contact. “Either yes, this is your kid. Yes and you cut this crap and you stay and you help mom and you keep this family together and you love that baby. Or no. It’s not your kid. And you leave. And you don’t come back.”
His hands trembled as he held on to his dad’s shoulders and his stomach felt like it was gonna make a break for it, but he held on and wouldn’t let his dad look away.
He was this kid’s big brother and apparently the only member of this family who had it together even a little bit. So he was going to be there for them and do whatever it took.
Even if that meant kicking his dad to the curb. He wasn’t about to let that little baby grow up in a house where it felt anything but loved. It hadn’t hit him how strongly he felt about it until that very moment, but if he really thought about it, he knew it had been building for awhile.
Chris waited his dad out until the man slumped down into the couch. “Yes,” he mumbled.
“Yes, what?” Chris asked. This was too important not to make sure.
“Yes, it’s my kid,” he said, voice a little strong, a little clearer this time.
“Okay.”
“Okay.”
They nodded at each other and for the first time in months, Chris felt like he could breathe a bit easier. He would have figured out how to make it work. Life with just him and his mom and the baby. If it came down to it.
But this was better.
His mom came in with the tea and Chris left them alone to talk.
And it was better, after that. No more fights. His dad was home more and one day, proudly showed up with a gleaming wooden rocking chair for the nursery. And he talked to Chris’s mom’s belly. Telling the baby all about his day and what kind of things they’d get up to once they were all together.
It was weird. There was no doubt about that. But still better.
Finally, on October 31st at 8:36 pm, Rebecca Marie Herrmann was born.
Chris couldn’t stop staring at her – while she slept, while she waved her little fists, while he held her in his arms. She was so tiny and perfect. Definitely mostly his mom’s genes. Barely a drop of Halstead in her. Thank god.
Every once in awhile while he was staring at his tiny, perfect little baby sister, he wondered about them. Her other family. The Halsteads had two little boys. She had two other brothers just down the street. Was it fair that none of them would ever know about the other?
But that’s wasn't his choice. No matter what conflicting thoughts cropped up for him, his parents had made their choice. Rebecca – or Bex as he was calling her, much to his mom’s displeasure – Bex was a Herrmann, all the way.
His parents were actually solid these days. More so than before Bex was born. It was like having her be real finally and in their home made all of the difference. His dad doted on her like he’d built her from scratch. Which…was nice. Chris hadn’t been sure his dad could go the distance on this, but seeing him actually keep his act together? He felt like things might be okay.
About freaking time.
Now he could focus on getting through school and convincing Cindy to go on a date with him.
Which he did. Four months later.
Not sure how he managed it, especially when he realized once he got home that he’d had baby spit on the right shoulder of his shirt the entire time he’d been talking to her. Nice of his buddies to not bother pointing that out to him. And Cindy. She was clearly taking pity on him by agreeing to the date. Girl like that? Funny, smart, beautiful – way out of his league.
But she said yes and Herrmanns didn’t believe in takebacks so he was going to show up at her place this Saturday and sit on her porch until she came out and went to the movies with him as promised.
One date became two and then three and before long, he had a girlfriend. A ridiculously awesome girlfriend.
“We’re keeping her, aren’t we, Bex?” he cooed at his baby sister as he bounced her in the air. She laughed and slapped at his face. “Okay, okay, I won’t get ahead of myself. You’re right.” He tucked Bex into his arm and tickled her belly. “But we’re definitely keeping her.”
Cindy, amazing girl that she was, hadn’t even blinked at his years younger baby sister. Never asked a single awkward question. Just took it in stride and made fast friends with Bex. His parents had managed to turn a few of their dates into babysitting jobs. But he and Cindy never argued. A few hours alone in the house while Bex snoozed in her play pen?
Yeah, sure thing, parents. (Cindy always pumped the breaks before things went too far, but still. It was a pretty sweet deal.)
And on it went. Bex got bigger and he made sure “Cwis” was her favourite person.
He and Cindy graduated high school and she went on to college for interior design and he started out aiming for a business degree. His dad had made enough noise about following in his footsteps that he thought he should give it a try.
He hated it. After bitching to Cindy about it for the billionth time, she told him to quit.
“Quit?” he echoed. “But I already paid and Dad—”
“Will eventually understand that you should be doing something you love just as much as he loves his job,” Cindy said. “Chris, sweetie. You’re miserable.”
Bex crawled into his lap and patted at his cheeks. “Don’ be sad.”
“See?” Cindy laughed. “You’re outvoted.”
Chris smiled down at Bex who was now pinching his chin. “I guess I could get at least some of my money back for next semester,” he said. “But then what?”
Cindy leveled a look at him. “You’re telling me you don’t already have another idea lined up in that brain of yours, Christopher?” She reached for his free hand. “I know you,” she said. “It’s not just not liking the courses that’s bothering you. There’s something else pulling at you, right?”
This gal. Always somehow able to see directly into his heart. He looked down at Bex and waggled his eyebrows at her. “Good thing we kept her, eh, Bex? She’s a smartie.” Bex giggled and pulled Cindy closer to their little cuddle fest.
He flopped his head back against the couch and blew out a sigh. “There is something I’ve been thinking about for awhile,” he admitted. Cindy patiently waited him out. “It’s, uh, the Academy,” he said. “I want to be a firefighter.”
Cindy paled a little at that. He’d kept it to himself because he was afraid of how she’d react. Forget his dad. Cindy was the person whose opinion he cared about. This might be the thing that scared her off. Make her realize she could do better than some dumb kid who wanted to run into burning buildings for a living.
But like always, his girl managed to surprise him.
“Well,” she said, gripping his hand tight. “Then I guess you’re going to be a firefighter.”
A slow smile spread across his face. “I guess I am.”
“Yay!” Bex cheered, bopping him in the cheek with her fist.
The next day, he went to school and withdrew before heading directly over to the Academy. The following months of training were grueling, but he loved every minute of it. Once he finished, he was bounced around a few houses as a floater before finding a permanent home at firehouse 51.
Cindy’s program finished up in two years and he was feeling solid in his place at 51 so he proposed. Lots of people said they were too young, but Cindy didn’t. She was sure and so was he. So was Bex – not that they were taking votes, but it was nice to see how well Cindy fit in with his favourite Herrmann.
He realized later that Bex was mostly excited about being a flower girl which she’d heard about from some kid in her kindergarten class. The kid ran down the aisle, chucking her petals at everyone. Poor Mouch got some in his mouth.
They got a tiny little apartment with a pull-out couch so Bex could sleepover. It took up most of the living room, but it was worth it. She loved getting to hang out at their “cool ‘partment.”
A year went by and Chris didn’t think life could get much better. Spring was in the air and he and Cindy were circling around maybe possibly talking about having a kid of their own. Wrangling a wild six year old was giving them plenty of experience.
They were spending the night back at his parents place so his folks could go out for their anniversary. The big 2-5. Bex had school the next day so it was easier for them to hang out there and put her to sleep in her own bed. After dinner, he had her out in the yard playing some kind of convoluted tag game she’d made up. And seemed to be still making up? The rules kept changing. Usually in her favour.
Shouts down the street caught his attention. The two Halstead boys were out in their driving shooting hoops and talking trash at each other.
Christ. The Halsteads. He’d nearly forgotten about them. Nearly forgotten about Bex’s other family. He felt a little hand grab at his leg and looked down to see his baby sis leaning against him as she stared down the street at the two boys. Chris wondered if she’d ever talked to them. Felt any kind of connection to them.
“That’s Will and Jay,” she said. “Mama says not to talk to them.” Oh. That answered that. Kind of. Bex said it very matter of fact, but her eyes never left them. He doubted his mom was going to be able to enforce that rule for very long. Not without any explanation.
“Hey, you two,” Cindy called from the front porch. “Time to come in. Bex, you need a bath before bed.”
“Come on, you,” Chris said, hauling Bex up over his shoulder as she squealed. “We gotta scrub you up. Mom and Dad wouldn’t even recognize you right now, you little dirt monster.”
After a bubble-filled bath (“Seriously, Chris?” Cindy side-eyed him and he shrugged. Sue him for being a push-over for his baby sis.) and not one, but three bedtime stories, they finally got Bex to bed and collapsed on the living room couch. They watched some random home makeover shows and waited for his parents to return.
And waited.
And waited.
Until 1 am when the flashing lights of a police car showed up and a pair of police officers came to the door to change all three of their lives forever.
Click here for Chapter Two.
Click here for Chapter Three.
And here's the link to read it on ao3 if you want:
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