Ferry Boats and Scrub Caps

A Thing for Ferry Boats

A/N: Thank you all! This has been an amazing Journey from start to finish, as I explored Derek's character. I wrote this so I could get to know him... this man who captured millions of hearts. And it's been grand to share it with you! So many insights, so much love!

Thank You!

Enjoy!

"Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" Bailey's sister and Sofia chanted as they chased him around the deck.

"No!" He yelled back, annoyed. God, wouldn't they just leave him alone? They were so annoying!

He clomped around in his red rubber boots and blue raincoat Gramma bought him for his birthday. Today he was eight and very proud of it. Except for the part where Zola wanted him to kiss Harriet.

Girls were gross. Why would he want to kiss girls? Ew.

He looked back and saw that Zola and Sofia were now in conversation with Gramma, and breathed a relieved sigh. Slowly, he tromped to the other end of the deck, looking out at the water.

He loved ferry boats.

His dad took him on the ferryboats all the time. And mom came too, most of the time. They didn't really go anywhere, just rode them back and forth. Sometimes they'd get candy or have a snack. When it was rainy, he'd read books while mom and dad looked out the window. Or he'd be out like he was now, clomping in the rain, imagining things.

He liked to imagine he was captain of the ship, steering it to fight pirates. At night, when he gazed at the stars, he imagined flying toward them in a rocketship.

Or sometimes...

"Tag!" Ellis bumped into him.

"Hey!" he yelled, chasing after her.

At least she was too young to care about whether he kissed girls or not.

But as she flew past him, ignoring Gramma's heed to be careful, he spotted his mom and dad at the bow of the Ferryboat.

He tromped over, but they didn't see him. They were looking out at the Seattle skyline ahead of them, holding hands.

His dad's small duffel rested on the bench. Bailey remembered he worked last night. He was on-call. Something stuck out of the side pocket of the duffel, and Bailey pulled it out.

His dad's ferry boat scrub cap.

Sometimes... he thought about being a doctor too. Like them. Bailey put the cap on his own head and turned to his parents. "Dad," he called.

Ew. They were kissing. His father's arms wrapped around his mother's waist while her arms were around his neck as they kissed. Bailey made a face. His parents did this all the time. And when they did it, they completely ignored him. Bailey huffed, "Dad!"

They broke their lip-lock, looking flustered but also annoyed. "What?" asked his dad, bothered by the interruption.

Bailey took the cap off his head, turned it around in his hands, feeling the soft worn fabric. "Where did you get this?" he asked.

His father's eyes twinkled. His squeezed mom's hand before sitting down. Bailey handed him the cap. "That's a long story..." he said with a smile.

"Tell me," he asked, tracing the picture of the ferryboat.

"Mm," His father leaned back and crossed his legs. "I have a thing for ferry boats you know," he said. "You know, Seattle is surrounded by water on three sides?

Mom giggled.

"Okay..." Dad continued, clearing his throat, though his eyes shone. "Where do I start? Hmm..."

~Fin~

Thanks Everyone, Especially _Ktje_!