Chapter 13

Ten Years later.

Hank hurried through the doors of the hospital. Traffic had been a nightmare and he had had to get there with out the aid of a light and siren. Walking as fast as he could he slipped into the elevator just as the doors were closing and then turning sideways he exited before the doors completely opened again on his desired floor.

Down the hall he hurried, his wife had already paged him with the room number, and in the door he nearly flew.

There was Kristen lying in the hospital bed, totally exhausted with her mother and her husband at her side.

"Hi Grandpa," Kristen called to her father when she saw him. She had the biggest smile ever on her face and as Hank tentatively stepped up to the bed she thrust a small bundle into his arms. Little Emily Rose, less than one hour old.

Hanks eyes welled up with tears as he cradled his first granddaughter close and placed his pinky finger in her tiny little fist to be squoose.

Emily snuggled up to her husband and looked at the new grandchild while resting her head on his shoulder.

"Now you'll have some one else to dance with Daddy," Kristen said, her own tears of joy forming. "Maybe we could try Peter Pan again and she can be our little tinker bell. You've got so many people working out with you now that the guys won't have to play several parts each."

"Do you think I could still handle the part of Captain Hook?" Hank asked with a watery smile. It had been so fun when they did the ballet before, Jennifer Desoto had played the part of tinker bell then and Kristen had played the part of Wendy. Marco, Roy and Johnny had played the part of the lost boys and the pirates while Mike managed the part of the dog as well as the alligator and Chet Kelly made a hilarious Peter Pan, tights, mustache and all.

"I'm afraid we'll have to change the part to Chief Hook next time." Kristen continued to smile warmly at her father.

"I didn't know you were still dancing," Hank's son-in-law commented and Emily and Kristen giggled hysterically as Hank just turned red and snickered before all three of them held their fingers to their lips in a combined "Sh shhhhhhhh."

"They call in 'Career Development workshop' these days." Kristen whispered loudly followed by another giggle.

"You mean that thing you do with all the firemen every week?" The son-in-law looked surprised, "You're really just-"

"Shhhhh," Kristen teased again. "It's top secret, everybody knows, but it's top secret."

"No one dares talk about it because they're afraid the Chief here will assign them to engine washing duty." Emily added still giggling herself.

Hank didn't have nearly enough time to cradle his newest grandchild when the nurse chased them all out and took the baby to the nursery but then he had several years ahead he hoped. As they slowly walked back to the elevator Hank felt himself lifting up on the balls of his feet and stepping to a rhythm

Once the doors to the elevator were closed and he was sure no one could hear the question he had for his father-in-law, Kristen's husband asked a hesitant question, "If Kristen hadn't have begged you to take Ballet lessons, would you have even considered it?"

Hank snickered and had a faraway look in his eyes. "Never in a million years." He answered, "But I'm sure glad she did because I wouldn't trade the memories I have and the things I've been able to do with my daughter for anything in the world."

"I'll tell you what," Hank shoulder bumped his son-in-law, "why don't you join us and we'll get you up to speed so that you can start building some of those memories with your daughter."