#mirada coburn

[singledarkshade]

Entwined Hearts

Summary: Rip Hunter's perfect life is suddenly shattered when his wife is killed in a car accident leaving him to raise his son. Gideon has been sick for several years in need of a heart transplant, she's given a few hours left to live when a heart suddenly becomes available. Just over a year later, Rip is trying to start his life once more when he meets Gideon. They grow closer but their pasts are more entwined than either knows. Author’s Note: This is sort of based on the basic premise of the movie Return To Me. I have zero medical knowledge so please ignore all errors in that area. It is finished so will be up quickly. Enjoy.                                 ********************************************* Part One

Laughter echoed out the door when Rip opened it, making him smile to be home.

“Daddy!!!”

The joyful cry from his three-year-old son made Rip grin even wider and he reached out to scoop the little boy up into his arms.

“Hi, little man,” Rip kissed the boy’s cheek, “Have you had a good day?”

Jonas gave an affirmative nod, “Missed you.”

“I missed you too,” Rip told him.

“Only him?” came the amused question as his beautiful wife walked towards him.

Leaning over Rip kissed her, “Of course not.”

Miranda plucked their son out of his arms, “Well, dinner will be ready in a few minutes. Come on, Jonas. We’ll let your daddy put his things away while we set the table.”

Giving him a cheeky grin Miranda disappeared back into the dining room, Rip shook his head still unable to believe how lucky he was to have the most amazing woman in the world in his life and a son they both adored.

Hanging his jacket up, Rip took his bag into the office and put it away neatly next to one of the few boxes left to unpack. They’d moved in a few months ago to their dream home, after Rip got the job at Star City University as a lecturer. It allowed Miranda to quit her job at the restaurant, that meant they barely saw each other, and take a part-time job at the art gallery she loved. It also allowed her to go back to painting in the small attic studio Rip had set up as a surprise.

“Are you joining us tonight, Hunter?” Miranda’s amused voice came from the dining room, “Because your son is about to eat his plate.”

Smiling to himself Rip called back, “I’m coming.”

  Jonas was finally asleep. He had demanded just one more story several times of his parents who were sitting on either side of his bed. They tried not to but there were times they indulged their little boy’s wishes. Besides it was Friday night, so they didn’t have to get up for work tomorrow morning that letting him stay up a little later didn’t matter too much.

Rip closed the door to Jonas’ room quietly and sighed in relief when there was no sign the little boy had woken up. Rip loved his son, but Jonas could run rings around the two of them.

“So,” Miranda wrapped her arms around his neck, “Are you ready to try to make another little angel?”

Sliding his arms around her waist, Rip laughed, “Little angel? You referred to him as the demon spawn yesterday.”

“But you saw him sleeping there,” Miranda replied, her voice filled with adoration, “We could do that again. Maybe a little girl this time. A little princess for you to spoil.”

At her smile Rip kissed her, “Sounds nice.”

“It does, doesn’t it,” Miranda murmured, touching a few kisses to his neck.

Moaning softly at her continuing gentle touches, Rip moaned, “Are you sure?”

“Yes, I am,” Miranda dragged him into their bedroom.

  Rip was woken by the sound of the bedroom door banging open, he opened his eyes to see his little boy wander in. Jonas was clad in his favourite pyjamas, blue with space ships covering them, dragging his bear along by its ear.

Gary Bear had been Miranda’s when she was a child and was passed to Jonas who went nowhere without him. There had been a major temper tantrum during the house move when Gary Bear was lost for the longest five minutes of their lives. Reaching out Rip caught his son and pulled him up, planting a kiss on his pudgy cheek before resting him on the bed between his parents. Jonas squirmed until he was settled under the covers leaning against the pillow with Gary in his arms. Rip lay with his arm across the two people who mattered most in the world to him. He couldn’t believe how lucky he was to have them.

He remembered meeting Miranda for the first time, they were fifteen and had been made lab partners. Rip had been sure that she wouldn’t even look in his direction outside the class, never mind go out with him. But she did. In fact she asked him and Rip couldn’t imagine his life without her or Jonas in it.

They’d started trying for a second baby a few weeks before, now that they were in the position to have another child. Jonas had been a bit of an accident. Rip was hoping for a girl who looked like her mother because he couldn’t think of anything better.

Miranda opened her eyes and smiled at him as Jonas lay between them talking to his bear. Rip slid his hand into hers, enjoying the perfect morning with his family.

                                  *********************************************

  “What are you doing?”

The annoyed voice made Gideon look over to the door where her best friend stood, arms folded across her chest with a frown on her face.

“I’m working,” Gideon noted, “What does it look like, Lily?”

“The doctor’s said you’re meant to be resting?” Lily moved to the side of Gideon’s bed, “Not stressing yourself out.”

Gideon rolled her eyes, “I’m writing a computer game for kids, it’s not like I’m trying to climb a mountain. Hey,” she cried as Lily shut the laptop lid.

“You’re meant to be resting,” Lily stated again disapprovingly, “Caitlin was very specific when they released you this morning.”

Gideon sighed, “I have been in hospital all week and I am still in a bed, Lily. I am so bored, I just want to pretend to be normal for a while.”

“I know,” Lily took her hand, “And I hate this too but…” she took a breath, “You will get a new heart. I know this, don’t give up hope.”

Sadly Gideon nodded, “I won’t. Since you refuse to let me work, I’m going to get some sleep.”

Squeezing her hand, Lily leaned over and kissed Gideon’s forehead, “I’ll let Mom know. Night.”

Gideon slid to lie down, annoyed when her arm and hand was caught on her IV line. It had been a cold, a stupid cold virus that Gideon thought she’d shake off in a few days. Then she fainted at work, woke up in the emergency room and the next thing she knew the doctors were telling her that her heart was damaged beyond repair. Gideon was now on the transplant list and spent her time either in hospital or in the room her best friend’s parents had set up for her.

The life she intended to have on hold as she hoped for a miracle.

  “Good morning,” Clarissa Stein smiled when she opened the door the next morning and brought in a tray with Gideon’s breakfast on it, “How are you today?”

Letting out a long sigh Gideon shrugged, “I’m okay.”

“Okay,” Clarissa set the tray down, “I made you an omelette, with some orange juice. There’s water for your medicine as well.”

“Thank you, Clarissa,” Gideon said because as bored as she was, Gideon was grateful that she had been taken in by the Steins.

Gideon and Lily had met at university becoming the best of friends, they’d rented an apartment together for the last few years of their course. Gideon had been on her own since her parents had died not long after her sixteenth birthday so when she met her new friend’s parents, she was surprised but happy that they basically adopted her as their own within minutes. A few years after they finished University Gideon moved to Central City to take a job with Palmer Tech, to Lily’s excitement. When she’d fallen ill Clarissa and Martin insisted that she stay with them until she was better. Gideon wasn’t sure that would ever happen, but she appreciated their kindness. However, all the equipment needed was bought by her. She had the money. Inherited from her parents and Gideon made a lot of smart investments.

While she waited for a heart, Gideon had been relieved when her doctor’s boyfriend’s friend needed a programmer for his small start-up company. It wasn’t hard work or paid more than buttons, but Gideon cared about neither. It gave her something to focus on when the exhaustion and despair filled her.

“Oh,” Clarissa said, “Your friend Cisco dropped off a flash drive for you. He wants you to look over it when you get a chance.”

“Thank you, Clarissa,” Gideon smiled slightly.

Giving her another smile Clarissa started out the room, “Let me know if you need anything.”

Forcing a smile onto her face Gideon nodded.

Maybe one day she would be able to go back to living her life.

                                  *********************************************

  “Jonas, come here,” Rip chased his laughing son around the living room, “It’s time to go.”

The little boy giggled enjoying his game.

“If you don’t come then you won’t get to see all our friends at the party,” Rip reminded him.

Jonas stalled before he turned and ran to his father who lifted the boy into his arms.

“Why do we have to go to this?” Miranda asked with a pout on her face.

“Because Quentin is our friend,” Rip noted as he put Jonas’ jacket in him.

Miranda rolled her eyes, “You almost get arrested once and you can’t get rid of the cop.”

Rip chuckled, “He didn’t arrest you.”

“How would you know?” she tossed over her shoulder as she checked the small bag for Jonas, “You weren’t there.”

“Quentin told me the story,” Rip reminded her adding before she could say anything, “And I believe him rather than you in this.”

Miranda rolled her eyes and took Jonas into her arms, “Make sure you remember the wine.”

Watching her head out to the car to strap Jonas in, Rip smiled amused. It had been only a month after they’d moved to Star City, Miranda was out with a few of her new work mates when a man had tried to grope one of the women. Miranda stopped him, so he tried to hit her and discovered a few seconds later that the small brunette was a black belt.

Quentin Lance, Detective in the Star City PD was at the bar meeting a friend and had intervened. The guy didn’t want to press charges, not wanting to let anyone know he’d been knocked down by a woman almost a foot smaller than he was. Since the owner wanted her out, Quentin offered Miranda a lift home, discovering that they lived on the same block. Now, several years later, they were still good friends with him and his wife Dinah.

The party was for Quentin’s birthday, so he had decided to have a barbecue. The back garden of the house was already full of people when they arrived, Rip could feel Jonas squirming to get down so he could start running around.

“Hey, there’s my favourite boy,” the blonde appeared.

“Say,” Jonas cried, clapping his hands, “Say.”

Sara Lance reached out, Rip let the little boy jump into her arms and Sara hugged him close.

“Let’s go and say hello to everyone,” Sara kissed the boy before she gave Rip and Miranda a smile, disappearing into the crowd with their son.

Miranda hugged Rip’s arm, “I do love seeing our friends.”

“And I thought you didn’t want to come,” Rip reminded her amused.

Giving a soft chuckle, Miranda murmured to him, “We could always find an empty room and have another go at making a baby.”

Rolling his eyes Rip laughed, “We’re at our friends’ birthday party.”

“Wimp,” she shot at him, before smiling as Dinah Lance came over to greet them.

  Jonas was chasing the Lance’s next-door neighbour’s puppy had just got, while they sat around the garden finishing their drinks and the food. Rip kept his arm around his wife keeping half an eye on their son while he ran around.

“So, summer vacation,” Quentin noted as he handed them another drink, “What are you doing now your classes have ended?”

Rip smiled, “We’re heading home next week and staying with my mother for a month. Jonas will be spoiled rotten.”

“That’s what grandmothers are for,” Dinah noted, smiling at her daughters who nodded in agreement.

Miranda laughed, “Although Mary makes sure she tells us how hard it is that she doesn’t get to see her grandson because we moved so far away from her.”

“But that is your fault,” Rip reminded her amused, “Since you persuaded me to move here.”

Miranda chuckled again, “I gave her a grandson. That saved me.”

“Is Jonas going to get a brother or sister one of these days?” Dinah asked, grinning when they glanced at one another quickly, “And?”

Shaking her head, Miranda replied, “We’re thinking about it. Rip is getting more responsibility next year at work and the gallery is giving me more hours after the summer. Adding a baby right now…”

“It’s a lot,” Rip finished for her, “But we’d like another one.”

“You could just get a dog,” Sara suggested motioning to where Jonas was playing, “He wouldn’t know the difference.”

Laurel laughed, “Well, that’s not true exactly. A dog would be less annoying than a younger sibling.”

Sara threw a roll at her sister as the rest of the group laughed.

  Jonas giggled as Sara tickled him while helping him put his jacket on.

“Say bye to Sara,” Rip said to his son.

Jonas gave her a sweet smile, “Bye, bye Say.”

Sara took the little face in her hands and pressed several kisses to his cheeks, “Bye, my boy. I’ll see you soon.”

“Okay,” Rip pulled his son away from her, “We’ll see you on Monday morning.”

“I’ll be there by nine,” she promised.

Rip smiled, “Thanks for agreeing to watch him while we pack.”

“It’s not a problem. You know I’m happy to watch Jonas whenever you need,” Sara said, opening the car door for him, Rip efficiently got Jonas into his car seat and strapped in before the little boy could try to escape. Turning he saw Miranda hugging Dinah.

“We’ll see you when you get back,” Dinah told them, “Enjoy your trip and say hello to Mary from us.”

Miranda nodded before she climbed into the driver’s seat while Rip slid into the seat beside Jonas, “We will.”

With a bright smile she started the car, the radio springing to life and a song filling the car. As they pulled away, Jonas waved to everyone. The couple sang along with the music as Miranda drove while Rip made Gary Bear dance for their son who laughed and clapped.

The sound of screeching brakes filled the car before there was a loud bang, a tinkling of glass, the car was suddenly on its’ side and Rip fell into blackness.