Little Red Helicopter


CrockettandTubbs

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Little Red HelicopterDedicated to CooperandBurnett, for having such an awesome collection of Miami Vice memorabilia, and making me wish I lived in their house.Also, special mention to the little red helicopter that sits on Crockett’s desk. I love you, little red helicopter.This is my take on how the helicopter came to be. I believe (from much research...i.e. watching all the episodes in Season One, I love this kind of research) that the helicopter first makes its appearance in “Little Princeâ€, which means it arrived after “Give A Little, Take A Little.†I also make reference to “Gladesâ€, and make one small, tiny, unimportant assumption--that Sonny has not stayed over at Tubbs’ place yet (something he makes reference to in the later episode, “Nobody Lives Foreverâ€).This probably did not happen. But...it’s how I see it, being the Miami Vice aficionado (new word!) that I am! Welcome to my first completed piece of MV fanfiction, by the way...I write loads for other fandoms, and have several started MV fics...let me know what you think of this one!

****“You wanna come on over to mine tonight? I got coupons for a discount on Chinese takeaway?†Ricardo Tubbs’ offer was too tempting for the exhausted and thus slightly grumpy Sonny Crockett who was slumped in his chair, staring into an empty plastic cup that had once housed coffee. He glanced up at his partner, who was stood by the desk, jacket in hand, wearing a sympathetic expression besides his cyan shirt and beige trousers. “I’d love to.â€â€œGood. You can drive.†Tubbs started toward the door, followed a step behind by Crockett, who was eager to escape the OCB and get some fresh air in his lungs. It also meant he could drive out some of the stress by pushing his beloved Ferrari as fast as it could possibly go.****“Yeah, take a left here.†They pulled off the expressway and the roads became more suburban and sedate. Tubbs was giving directions because, despite having worked together six months, Crockett had never actually been over to his partner’s pad. He had heard of it, heard all the trials of Tubbs attempting to acquire said apartment, and moving in, and discussing what furniture he should buy-but he had never actually visited.That was partly due to the fact that it wasn’t his undercover home-generally, if Cooper and Burnett were working, they stayed on the St Vitus Dance with Elvis and fishing rods. But the more Crockett thought about it, he had never actually understood why he had hadn’t been invited.“And the next right. You can pull up in the parking space.â€Sonny glanced up at the apartment building that they were now parked outside-it was a typical Miami building, with whitewashed walls and balconies, stretching up at least six floors high. “I could do with a day off.†Sonny announced as they entered the lobby of the apartment building and Rico headed toward the elevator, gesturing for Sonny to follow.“You and me both, man.†Rico answered softly, pressing the “5†button in the elevator and looking across at his partner. “Nearly Sunday.â€â€œRico, it’s Tuesday. It is nowhere near Sunday!â€â€œIt’s all surveillance tomorrow, white bread, so I’ll make sure you get some sleep!†Rico had dropped in his affectionate reference to Sonny, which made the other smile. “So, where is your palatial apartment of which you inhabit?†Sonny changed the subject in his poshest voice.“Less of the palatial, and more of the...sophisticated.†Rico pulled the key from his pocket and strode up the corridor, turning around a corner and stopping almost immediately at a door. He pushed the key into the lock, turned, and invited Sonny inside.Sonny looked around the apartment, all the wind taken out of his sales. The living room, kitchen and dining area were open plan, with a large glass window taking up much of one wall, creating a beautiful panoramic view of Miami’s beaches and the Atlantic Ocean beyond. The floors were laminate wood, and much of the furniture had a dark, polished theme. Two sofas with cream material and black legs were opposite a modest television (that was still larger than Sonny’s). There was a bookcase to the left, stacked high with books and memorabilia from times gone past. “Home sweet home.†Rico quoted softly, “Wanna beer?â€Sonny nodded distractedly, “This is...exactly as I imagined, pal.†And it was. It was suave and cool, exactly like his New York partner. “Sit down.†Rico gestured to the sofa, pulling off his jacket and striding across to the kitchenette, pulling open the fridge door and pulling out a can of beer for Sonny and a bottle of orange juice for himself. “I’m glad you like it.â€â€œMakes living on a boat seem...inadequate.†Sonny had made himself comfortable on the sofa, stretching out and resting his head against the cushion with a sigh. “I’m wasted.â€Rico handed him the beer and sat opposite him, easing his shoes off and propping his feet up on the table, “Chinese then. Same as always?â€â€œAbsolutely.†Sonny and Rico ate Chinese often-it was the only food group they agreed on, considering Rico was vegetarian and didn’t drink when he could avoid it. He continued to examine the apartment, eyes falling on a piece of artwork on the wall. “New York, New York...so good they named it twice...†His words made Rico look up and smile at the portrait. “No place like it.†He paused, “Some day, I’ll take ya. Some very special people live there.â€â€œOh yeah, you told me, that Detective...†Sonny waved his hand around in the air, searching for the name. “Veronica or something.â€â€œValerie.†Rico corrected, “Yeah, she’s one.â€â€œI look forward to going!†Sonny had seen the reflective expression in Rico’s eyes before. He smiled slightly, before leaning forward, “Gonna order that Chinese or does the guest do that himself in New York?â€Rolling his eyes, Rico picked up the phone from the table and dialed the number. Sonny stood and wandered over to the bookcase, examining the titles.They were, of course, typically Rico-ranging from some philosophy to ethics to religion, with some more scientific titles thrown in and his law books from college. He ran his fingers along the spines of the poetry anthologies and plays, “I don’t know who half these dudes are..â€Rico put the phone down and joined his friend at his shelves, “Wouldn’t expect you to. It’s called culture.â€Sonny winced theatrically, “Wow, Rico, talk about...†He trailed off, staring at something amongst the photo frames and other small trinkets on the middle shelf.Rico followed his eye-line, “What?â€Sonny reached out, “Can I...?†He waited until Rico had nodded before picking up a small plastic helicopter from the shelf. “He frowned at it, “Where did you get this?â€â€œCanada. 1982. I went there with Raphael. It was our last family holiday together before he was posted to the new division in New York.†Rico’s voice had turned reflective. He swallowed the lump in his throat and focused back on the present, “Before I became a vegetarian...it came with...â€â€œBig Macs. Yeah.†Sonny nodded slowly, “You used to feed them to carnivorous plants...â€Rico smiled, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Something wrong, partner?â€â€œNo.†Sonny raised his head. “No, course not, it’s just...I used to have one of these.â€â€œNo kidding?†Rico replied, “One exactly the same?â€â€œYeah, yeah, I got it when Caroline and I were in Vancouver. Would have been...probably the late half of 1982, ‘cause Billy was around and had just turned one. Damn, he loved this toy helicopter we got in McDonald’s there.†He pushed the blades of the helicopter around, face lost in the past. “He gave it to me when I got the gold badge, as a sort of...you know...congratulations thing. But I lost it.†He shook his head, “I didn’t lose it. My house boat was broken into, when I was undercover? It got broke when they went through my things...snapped right in two. I had to tell Billy the next day. He had forgotten all about the helicopter...Hell, he was only three, and had lots of toys. But it was the thing he had ever given me, and it used to...†He smiled despite himself, “It used to sit on my desk, and the one night I took it home with me...It was real important to me because...it just reminded me of him and Caroline and me. My family...†He broke off and put the helicopter down. “Sorry.â€Rico was watching him. “Have it.†He said after a moment. “Just...gathering dust here. I hardly ever touch it.â€Sonny shook his head, “I can’t have it. You said it reminded you of your brother.â€â€œI have other things-my St Christopher does that for me. Sonny, you can’t expect me to keep it after that sob story. It’s just a toy to me. To you it is something else. Have it, I insist.†Rico picked the helicopter up again and placed it into Sonny’s hands, “There you go, man, consider it a replacement for the one that Billy gave you.â€Sonny looked at him, “You sure?â€â€œPositive. I’d rather you had it.†He smiled at Sonny, who reflected the expression. “Wow, thanks. I’ll take good care of it.â€Their moment of partnership was broken by the sound of the doorbell and the arrival of the Chinese food.****Sonny Crockett moaned, satiated. “Why is it...†He asked, speaking over the television, “That junk food...always tastes so good?â€Ricardo Tubbs was lying on his sofa, hands behind his head, his finished vegetarian noodles on the table beside him. “Dunno.†He yawned and stretched, turning his face to Sonny. “You realise something?â€Sonny glanced at him, “What?â€â€œWe both had, at some point, a red helicopter from McDonald’s in Canada in 1982.†Tubbs shifted position, “Sure sounds like destiny to me, you and I, partner.â€Sonny scoffed, “Don’t quote that philosophy crap at me, pal, it’s far too late for that.†He turned over onto his side, “I might just sleep here.â€â€œDo you never think, though, that it was not just a coincidence?†Tubbs continued, almost as if he was thinking his thoughts aloud to himself, “Me and you being in the right place at the right time, all those months ago?â€
Sonny thought about this for a moment, switching the telly off with the remote. “Maybe.†He frowned, “I hadn’t really thought about it.â€There was comfortable silence for a moment.“Good night, partner.†Rico said finally. “I’ll leave you to sleep. You need anything, just call. The bathroom’s out there.â€Sonny nodded, too tired really to do anything more. He listened to Rico clear away the plates, resting his head on his arm and adjusting his sleeping position. “Rico.†He said when the noises had quietened.“Yeah?†Rico was somewhere behind him.“It was the luckiest coincidence of my life, buddy.†He knew that Rico would have smiled at that.Epilogue:The next morning, Crockett was feeling much more refreshed as he and Tubbs walked into the OCB, chatting about the television show they had watched last night. Both were ready for a day of work.“Sonny, Rico. May I see you in my office?†Lieutenant Castillo summoned them with two simple sentence, and Tubbs was already responding.“Wait a sec, Tubbs.†Crockett reached into his pocket and pulled the red helicopter out, looking at it and then placing it on the scales on his desk. “Ta da.†He said, grinning at the helicopter.“Much better.†Tubbs answered with a smile.“Come on then.†They fell into step beside each other to go and see their Lieutenant and get started on their newest case. ****I have some other ideas in the pipeline...so...I might post them if you guys are OK with that? I love writing, it's my number one thing to do! Thank you for reading...and I'll put a comments thread in case anyone is willing to comment (comments make a writer better, after all!)
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Dedicated to CooperandBurnett' date=' for having such an awesome collection of Miami Vice memorabilia, and making me wish I lived in their house.[/quote']Dedicated to me?? WOW! THAT IS AWESOME! THANK YOU! I'm not sure what to say, except that I'm VERY honored. Your very kind.Love the story, (we all do) and can't wait for others to follow!!:clap::dance2:-COOP
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COOP - Thank you so much! I'm really glad you liked it! You're very welcome about your dedication; your pictures are the closest I am ever gonna get!Tony D. - Thank you so much for your comments; they mean so much to me! I'm glad you think it's feasible!! My expression right now: :D

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Beautiful story CrockettandTubbs!!! :thumbsup:It was short but full of emotions and you portrayed Sonny and Rico the way we're used to see them in the show.I enjoyed it very much (and it wasn't even difficult for me to read! :)):clap:

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Great story' date=' Crockettand Tubbs! Really sounds like the way it would have happened. :cool::thumbsup:[/quote']I agree, that was my feeling when I was reading it! Keep writing, CrockettandTubbs and keep sharing your stories with us!!!
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