Title: Hero

Author: Geonn

Email: neil_j_miser@yahoo.com

Rating: G

Disclaimer: These folks don't belong to me. I stole them from MGM's toybox without asking their mommies for permission. I promise to return them more or less unscathed.

Archive: Yes, just let me know where it'll be.

Spoilers: None

Dedication: To all the real-life Mrs. Davenports.

Summary: What I want to be...


Janet peeked out the door of her apartment, watching the slender black woman from Apartment 7-G work her lock. As the door opened, Janet finally stepped into the hallway and took a few tentative steps towards her neighbor. The woman looked up, bags under her eyes, uniform rumpled and her hair hanging loose from her white tri-point hat. She smiled through her weariness and said, "Hey, Janet."

The small-for-her-age seven-year-old hurried to the other apartment, taking the shoulder bag from her neighbor and resting it on her slim hip. "Hi, Mrs. Davenport."

The nurse pushed her door open and Janet went inside, taking the bag directly to the corner by the television and setting it down carefully so as not to disturb the sensitive contents. Nurse Davenport, first name Katherine, walked to her armchair and draped herself across it.

Janet went into the kitchen and returned with a tall can of beer, fresh from the ice chest. The nurse smiled weakly and took the beer, popping the top and setting it on the table next to her without sampling it. "How was school today?" the older woman asked.

"Good," Janet said, untying Nurse Davenport's shoes and slipping them off.

"You finish that project yet?"

Janet nodded and sat back on her haunches, staring up at the nurse. "Yeah. I decided."

The project had been to write a report on what you wanted to be when you grew up. Janet had experimented with superhero, famous actress, ballerina and international spy, acting each one out for her weary neighbor when Katherine wasn't too tired.

Katherine smiled. "That's good, baby. What'd you pick?"

"I wanna be a hero."

Katherine nodded. "Followin' your daddy's footsteps in the Air Force?"

"No," Janet said, brow furrowed. "I wanna be a hero. I wanna be a doctor, like you."

Katherine blinked, considered correcting the young girl, but saw no harm in it. "Good for you, little baby," Katherine said softly, smiling proudly. "You go be a doctor. Save those lives."

Janet beamed.

---

Janet walked into her office to see one of her patients, still in his gown, sitting in the chair opposite hers. He was talking on the phone, nodding and occasionally assuring whoever he was speaking to that he'd be fine. When Janet walked in, he started to stand but she waved him down and mouthed that it was okay.

He had a cast on one leg; broken, she recalled. Standard injury. She walked around to her side of the desk and sat, engrossed in her notes. "Mom... Mom, I swear to you, I'm fine."

Janet grinned and looked up at the man. He looked uncomfortable talking to his mother - how uncool and unmanly of him - but Janet just winked at him and went back to her report.

As the mother spoke, Janet checked the patient's file to get his name. She didn't want to call him by the wrong rank when he finally hung up. "Davenport," she muttered to herself.

It took her a moment before she turned back to the file. "Davenport... from Texas..." She looked up at the man and softly said, "Allen Davenport?"

He looked up at her. "Yes, ma'am?"

Janet reached for the phone. "May I speak to your mother?"

"Ma'am?" he asked, thoroughly confused.

Janet smiled reassuringly. "Trust me, I'm not going to play principal." He handed the phone over and Janet fumbled with what to say. Finally, she said, "Is this Katherine Davenport from Terry, Texas?"

"Yes," a confused voice replied. "Who is this?"

Janet's eyes widened and she leaned back in her chair, hand raising to her lips in disbelief. Finally, she said, "This is Janet Fraiser, Mrs. Davenport. Guess what? I went out and became a hero."


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