Note: Inspired by the upcoming holiday, of course XD Gosh, I love the fourth of July!! :) Anyway, enjoy this and enjoy the holiday, those of you who are my fellow Americans ;)

The ball bounced off the green tiled wall in the hospital hallway before Jake caught it in his gloved hand. We were sitting in the hospital hallway this Fourth of July. Definitely not how I imagined I'd be spending the holiday.

"If things were normal, I'd be with my family, celebrating," I said, glumly.

Jake smiled sadly and threw the ball back to me. I caught it and ran my fingers over the smooth spherical surface.

"I know. I would be with Lex and Jana listening to them fight like an old married couple over the potato salad." Jake said.

A laugh escaped my throat as I threw the ball back to him.

"And I would be getting grilled by my grandfather why I'm not married yet." I snickered, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear.

"Ah...gotta love family holidays, right?" he smirked as the ball went sailing through the air yet again.

"Yeah." I smiled back sadly.

Suddenly, Jake looked at me and I almost could see the wheels turning in his head.

"What?" I asked suspiciously.

He smiled.

"I think I may have an idea." he grinned, getting up from the cold floor.

He reached out his hand to me and I took it. He pulled me up as I smiled back at him.

"Come on. We have work to do."

I just laughed as he pulled me down the hallway.

2 hours later...

The smell of barbecue and potato salad filled the open air on the rooftop as nurses and patients alike set tables. I grinned as I watched it all unfold before me. Everyone had pitched in to make this work. Honestly, I was skeptical at first. Who celebrated the fourth of July in a hospital? But Jake really came through.

It was all his idea, of course. And I couldn't be more proud of him.

"Okay, it's done, guys! Are the tables ready yet?" Jake called out as he stepped out onto the rooftop, steaming plate of barbecue in hand.

He walked over one of the tables and set it down in the middle as everyone cheered. Doctor Cannerts walked over to Jake, a drink clutched in each hand.

"Thanks for this, Officer Riley. I think we all needed a bit of a break from...everything that's been going on." he said, handing one of the glasses to him.

Jake smiled and nodded at the doctor.

"It was no problem. I wanted to make today special." he said, his eyes landing on me.

I bit my lip and butterflies swarmed in my stomach as my eyes met his piercing blue ones.

"To Officer Riley!" Doctor Cannerts said, lifting his glass in a toast.

Everyone repeated that and lifted their drinks up as well. I put my lips to my glass and let the cold liquid slide down my throat. When I looked up again, Jake still stood there, watching me. I grinned and walked over to him, wrapping my arms around his torso.

"Thank you for this. You didn't have to go to all this trouble just for me, though, Jake," I said as he placed his hand on either side of my face.

"Yes, I did. You're that special to me. Besides it was boring just sitting there with you." he joked, grinning.

"Hey!" I said, slapping his arm.

His deep laugh rang out in the hot summer air and it was like music to my ears. I leaned up and placed a soft quick kiss on his plump lips. When I broke away, Jake smirked at me.

"Happy Fourth of July, princess."