A Bigger Fire 🔥

Chap 18 "Christmas"

Hailee's POV
"I need a guitar and a countrymen mic," I told the backstage manager. He nodded. "Come on."
"Zara, do you know what song you're going to sing, sweetheart?" Lisa asked.
"Thank you," I smiled as he handed it to me. I strapped on the guitar and put the mic on. I walked out onstage. "Zara, follow my lead." I started playing the guitar. "It's alright."
"I hope you enjoy this song," Zara smiled as the band started jumping in to add instruments. "This is Pursue by Hillsong Worship."
"Another Christian song," Lisa nodded. "Alright. Congratulations Zara."
"I close my eyes to see My King in majesty," Zara sang. "Your grace compels my soul to love and drawing close. I lift my hands and sing. Surrender everything. In You I know I'm found. My God, to You I'll bow."
"Now until forever. Jesus, I surrender. Show me what I don't know more of You," Zara and I sang. "I'm desperate for Your presence. Longing to be with You. Lead me to a new place more of You."
I played the music interlude and Zara counted her way in. "Through the fire, I'll persevere. I won't submit to any fear," Zara smiled. "Where I'll go you've been before. And all my trust is in You Lord."
"Now until forever. Jesus, I surrender," Zara and I sang. "Show me what I don't know more of You. I'm desperate for Your presence. Longing to be with You." I smiled. "Lead me to a new place more of You."
I played the music interlude again. For some reason, I felt the music got louder but I shrugged it off. "Lead me to You. Forever, Lord, I will pursue. I will pursue," Zara sang her little heart out. "You've won my heart. Jesus, You're all that I want. All that I want."
"Now until forever. Jesus, I surrender," Zara and I sang. Another voice joined us that we didn't know. We just looked at each other. "Show me what I don't know more of You. I'm desperate for Your presence." I turned around and saw Taya and Joel, two members of the Hillsong Worship band. I smiled. "Longing to be with You. Lead me to a new place more of You."
We lowered the volume of how we were playing. "Now until forever. Jesus, I surrender. Show me what I don't know more of You," Zara sang a bit quieter. "I'm desperate for Your presence. Longing to be with You. Lead me to a new place more of You..."
The music faded out as Zara faded out her voice. "Wow," I smiled. Zara got a standing ovation. Zara and I hugged. "You did amazing, honey." I walked up to Taya and gave her a hug. "Hey. I didn't think you'd show up."
"You could've told me," Taya smiled. "You have a good night."
"Right," I nodded. "Zara." She walked over to me as the cameras cut off. "Okay. I have to get to the hospital with Zara. The father is in the hospital." Zara and I got into the car and I drove us to the hospital. We walked into Nick's room. "Hey Nick."
"Hey," Nick smiled.
"Daddy," Zara ran up to his bed.
"Zara," Nick smiled bigger. "I saw you perform on TV. You are an amazing singer."
"I won, Daddy," Zara nodded. "What are we going to do now?"
"Ask Mommy," Nick sighed.
"We're going to celebrate Christmas," I nodded. "It's in a few weeks but we're going to start decorating now."
"Not again," Nick sighed. Christmas Eve came rather quickly. We were having a Christmas Eve party. "Wow. You really went all out."
"Well, there's a reason why I have to ask everyone to be here tonight," Liv replied. "Hailee has passed her sergeant's exam and placed 35th of the many that applied." Everyone clapped. "And you guys are looking at your new boss. Hailee out ranked me during the lieutenant's exam."
"How was she able to take it?" Nick asked.
"They made an exception," Liv nodded. "I'll be working under her but I know you'll treat her with the same respect you treat me with." I smiled. "Nick, you can now be a full time dad with Zara. Hailee is making an income of both yours and her paycheck together. Along with her second income of being a celebrity."
"Also, Zara's singing career," I smiled. The doorbell rang. "I'll tell you guys about that in a second." I opened the door. "Drew, hey. And you're here with a gift. Come in."
"Bring it in guys!" Drew exclaimed. He walked in. Jayk and TC followed him in pushing a cart full of gifts. Blake walked in with five boxes. "Merry Christmas."
"Guys!" I exclaimed as they unloaded the gifts under the tree. "I said one gift. Not the whole store."
"Relax, you got only like five gifts," Drew replied. "Everyone got one or two. And Zara got the rest."
"Nick, can I kill him?" I asked.
"Well, I don't have the knee to do it and I also can't stop you," Nick looked at me. "Go on and do what you gotta do."
"Looks like Detective Amaro can't save you Drew," Blake smiled. "You're on your own."
"You're funny," I smiled. "Detective Nick Amaro isn't a detective anymore. With his busted knee, he had to quit his job as a detective." I looked at them. "And I'm not Detective Hailee Amaro anymore. I'm Lieutenant Hailee Amaro. I moved up in my ranks." I smiled. "I know Finn or Amanda has seniority over me but they didn't wanna move up the ranks so I did."
"Well, congratulations," Drew nodded. "But you did invite me to this party and I brought my boys."
"Okay," I sighed. "Anyways, I was wanting to ask Liv for some time off while Nick and I go touring with Zara. She's opening for a boy band." I smiled as I looked at Zara. "And that boy band just happened to show up on my doorstep tonight."
"You're the seven year old opening for us?" Drew asked.
"Why were we told Hillsong was?" Blake asked.
"She's opening our show will Hillsong songs," Drew replied. "So, you actually won American Diva."
"Yeah," Zara smiled.
"So, Sergeant Benson, will you be able to hold down the fort while I take my daughter on tour?" I asked. "Just let me know if you can't. I'll stay and Nick can take Zara."
"Hailee, my knee is busted," Nick replied. "I'll only slow them down."
"I'll be able to handle it," Liv nodded. "Your daughter needs you on tour. I got me, Amanda, Finn, and Carisi. Can I use your office?"
"Have fun," I nodded. "I'll be gone the week after New Years."
"Hailee, it's already one in the morning," Nick replied.
"Alright, time for presents," I smiled. "Who wants to go first?"
"I guess I'll go first," Finn nodded. He got up and walked over to the tree. "Okay." He picked up a gift. "This one I got for Zara."
"Thank you," Zara smiled as Finn handed her the present. "Could I open it?"
"Yeah," Finn nodded.
"Okay," Zara stated as she ripped opened the wrapping paper. "Uncle Finn, you shouldn't have."
"Finn, you got her an American Girl doll?" I asked. "Do you know how expensive that is?"
"Yeah, but it was worth it," Finn smiled.
"Thank you, Uncle Finn," Zara hugged him. "Thank you."
"You're welcome," Finn nodded. He grabbed another gift from the tree. "This one is for Nick and Hailee."
"Thanks Finn," Nick nodded as Finn handed him the gift. "What did you get us this time?"
"Open it and find out," Finn nodded.
"Let me see it," I smiled as I opened the gift. "Oh my god, Finn."
"Merry Christmas to you lovebirds," Finn smirked.
"Lingerie," Nick chuckled. "That's nice, Finn. Thanks."
"Yeah, thanks," I nodded as I put the gift to the side. We got through the gifts after two hours. Zara had fallen asleep. "You guys can spend the night here. Munch is working late on a case so don't shoot him when he walks through the door. Good night." I carried Zara up to her room and Nick went to our room. I laid Zara in her bed and covered her up with her blankets along with her favorite stuffed animal. I walked to my room and got in bed. "I'm so done with Christmas."
"Why?" Nick looked at me. "Because Finn got you lingerie?"
"No, Nick," I smiled. "Just never mind." I turned off the lights and turned on the lamp. "I miss life, Nick. I miss the old you. I miss the Nick that wasn't so grumpy. I miss the Nick that didn't have to worry about being careful all the time." I looked at Nick. "I miss the Nick that I feel in love with before he got shot in the knee. Nick, I know you and you know it too. You're just fueling that flame inside you and causing a bigger fire. You gotta fight it, Nick."
"How?" Nick asked. "I got a busted knee and I can't do anything about it. I can't have a normal life with Zara." I sighed. "I can't even run after her or chaise her anymore. I can't even pick her up. I miss her. Hailee, tell me how to fix this."
"Take it one day at a time," I nodded. "Just like we always have and as a family. Nick, that's our solution." I looked at him. "We'll work through this as a family."

A/N: That is the end of this story. I hope you enjoyed as much as I did writing it. Hope you continue to stick around. Happy reading! Xoxo ~Alexis