A single father firefighter falls for his younger, free-spirit nanny, who is also his boss's daughter.
Season 2 of Station 22
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When firefighter Riggs learns he has a daughter he never knew existed from a forgettable one-night stand years ago, he...
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I like to think I'm a calm person.
I'm levelheaded. I keep my cool in emergency situations. I'm the guy you want on your team when disaster strikes.
But all of that goes out the window where Hallie is concerned. Maybe I'm just new to this whole dad thing or maybe it's just the exhaustion making me emotional, but my heart is in my throat as I watch her navigate the playground across the street from our apartment complex.
This park has become somewhat of a comfort to us both over the last several weeks. Hallie forgets about all the noise and can just be a kid, and I get to watch her real personality shine through. Since making the move, she's been pretty reserved, but here, it's like she's on top of the world. She's happy and confident and there isn't an inch of this park that she can't conquer.
She's so brave. Not just because she's climbed to the tiptop of the jungle gym, but because of the way she's taken all of this in stride. In the last couple of months, she lost her mother and moved halfway across the country to live with a father she's only just met.
That's a lot for anyone to deal with, let alone a four-year-old.
All things considered, she's pretty settled here with me, and that's why the thought of a custody battle tears me up inside. It hasn't been easy by any means, but Hallie and I are figuring it out together—right where we belong.
After some digging, I found out that Raymond and Louise Fuller are Tara's parents. I figured as much, but at least now I've got the confirmation. They want full custody of her, but there's no way I'm going to let that happen.
I'll find a lawyer. I'll fight tooth and nail. I'll do whatever I have to do to keep her here with me. She's been through enough as it is, and I've got to protect her.
"Look at me, daddy!" She grins, waving wildly from the playground.
"That's great, honey!" I grimace. "But maybe you should hold on with both hands."
"Come push me on the swings!" She doesn't wait for an answer as she scales down the side of the equipment. I cringe, but fight the urge to help her. Sure enough, she makes it to the bottom easy and races over toward the swings.
I follow her, helping her onto the seat and then giving her a big push.
"Higher daddy!" she squeals, a contagious smile on her face as she pumps her legs back and forth.
"Just a little longer, okay? We need to go back home and get something for dinner."
And I have to figure out how the hell I'm going to find a babysitter for tomorrow.
After the disaster interview-cut-short with Lila, applications for my nanny posting have run dry. I've had the last two days off, but I'm due back at the station at 8AM sharp, and I can't flake again.
I wonder if I could just bring her. There is always someone at the front desk in case she needs anything and she could just hang out in the TV room when I have to be gone. It's not the best idea, but it's also not the worst.
