Nick and Burton Vignette

Author: JanetD

Email: jdillon@mail.win.org

Rating: PG (language)

Summary: Burton and Nick share some truths over dinner.

Author's Notes: This story takes place after “Mothers of the Disappeared”, the 
ep in which Burton’s longtime friend, Judge Stanton, dies. However, I actually 
wrote the story prior to seeing the episode (I was inspired simply by the 
preview and the ep spoilers). Once the episode aired, it turned out that my 
story didn’t really “work” with the events portrayed in the show. However, if 
you’re willing to suspend TG-reality just a bit, I think you will still enjoy 
the story. =)
Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. The characters in this story are borrowed 
from the TV show "The Guardian". No money is being made from this story. Any 
resemblance of a character in this story to any real person living or dead is 
purely coincidental. Likewise, any resemblance between an organization depicted 
in this story and any such actual organization is purely coincidental.


March 2002

About a week had passed since the death of Burton Fallin’s good friend, Judge 
Rick Stanton. The loss had hit Burton hard, and he’d not quite been himself 
since. Earlier in the day, Burton had invited his son Nick to have dinner with 
him, and now the two men were seated at a booth in the back of the Steak and 
Ale. They had finished their meal, and the waitress had just removed their 
plates, promising to return promptly with their coffee.

“Well, that hit the spot,” Burton declared, as he placed one arm along the back 
of the booth, and settled more comfortably into his seat.

“Yeah, it was very good,” Nick agreed.

“Yeah.”

Burton took out a cigarette, and lit it, enjoying a couple long drags. Nick took 
a sip of his water.

In just a moment the waitress reappeared, and filled both their coffee cups. 
“Will there be anything else?” she asked. Both men shook their heads, and 
murmured polite ‘No thank you’s.

Burton blew on his coffee, then took a sip. He looked at Nick for a moment (Nick 
was sampling his own coffee, and didn’t notice), and then drew a folded document 
out of his inside breast pocket. “Here,” he said to Nick, holding it out.

Nick looked up, put his coffee cup down, and reached for the paper. “What is 
it?” he asked.

“It’s a list of my personal assets.”

Nick unfolded the document. It consisted of three pages of typed information. He 
glanced at it, then back at his father inquiringly. Burton said. “You know that 
Herb Tucker is my lawyer. He has a copy of my will, and there’s a duplicate copy 
in the bottom right-hand drawer of my desk in the study. You’re my only heir, 
Nicholas, so everything will come to you...except for the money I’m leaving to 
the American Cancer Society, and to the, the scholarship fund at Pitt.”

Nick said with evident concern, “Why are you giving me this”--he held up the 
paper--“and telling me all this now? You’re not sick, or, or--”

Burton interrupted him before he could finish, “No, no, I’m not dying, or 
anything, son.” He laughed. “You’re not getting rid of me yet.” He took another 
puff on his cigarette, then he became more sober. “It’s just, well, after Rick 
Stanton died, his wife Martha told me that she and the family hadn’t, uhm, 
hadn’t known much about Rick’s affairs.... The, you know, the ‘money 
matters’--their various investments...their debts. And Rick hadn’t left a will. 
Martha was kind of at-sea about the whole thing.” Burton sighed, and ran a hand 
across the top of his head. “When the time comes...I, uh, I don’t want you to be 
in that position, Nicholas.”

Nick nodded, and glanced at the sheets of paper again. “Okay,” he said.

Burton nodded, and tapped his cigarette ash into the ashtray. His right hand 
went to his moustache, and he began to fidget with it nervously. He focused his 
gaze on the space over Nick’s left shoulder, as he said, “You know, son, I’ve, 
uh, I’ve done a lot of thinking since Rick died.... A lot of thinking...about, 
about what I’ve done with my life...the choices I’ve made.” He glanced at Nick, 
and his hand grazed his hair again. “I know there have been times--Hell!--lots 
of times that I put my business ahead of my family. I know that.... But in these 
last few days, Nicholas, I’ve come to realize that, that the most important 
thing to me now...the most important thing, is...is you, son...your well being, 
and your happiness.” He cleared his throat, and looked Nick in the eye. “I, 
uhm...well...I just thought you should know that.” 

As he concluded his remarks, Burton began to study his son for signs of his 
reaction. It was true that Nick’s eyes had grown wet at his father’s words, but 
he had averted his gaze to prevent Burton from seeing this. The very private 
part of Nick had not wanted his dad to realize how truly moved he was by this 
declaration. He had been taken aback--never would have expected--to hear a 
statement like this coming freely from his father’s lips. 

Nick kept his head down for a few moments while he regathered his composure. 
When he raised his head back up to meet his father’s eyes, his expression was 
troubled. “Dad,” he began quietly. “There’s something...there’s something I 
think you should know too.” The stress was evident in his voice. He looked away, 
and continued with difficulty, “That week I was at Kirk & McGee...when you 
thought I was using again.” He glanced quickly at Burton, and then away again. 
“You, uh, you were right.... I’m sorry.” He looked directly at his father, the 
determination plain on his face as he added, “But I’ve been clean since then, 
and it’s, it’s not going to happen again. I-I-I promise you that.”

Burton’s expression had remained impassive during Nick’s confession. The only 
betrayal of reaction was the widening of his eyes when Nick had said, “you were 
right.” In the weeks since Nick had been back at Fallin & Associates, Burton 
knew he had conveniently let himself ‘forget’ about his suspicions of Nick’s 
renewed drug use. Now memories of those suspicions, and the emotions connected 
with them, came rushing back. He had thought Nick was using. Had thought, at the 
time, that that was the only explanation for his son’s erratic behavior. But 
there was also a part of him that had wanted to believe Nick’s denials. So, 
after Nicholas was back on an even keel, Burton had put all the other behind 
him. All of it: Nick’s ‘desertion’ to Kirk & McGee, his losing a substantial 
client for both firms, the suspicions about the drugs. As far as Burton was 
concerned, it was as if none of it had ever happened. 

Now Nicholas had just confirmed the fears his father had laid to rest. Quick 
anger shot through Burton. “God!,” he thought to himself, “you were back on that 
shit, after all. That was damn stupid, son, damn stupid! What if you’d gotten 
caught? Christ!” His face reflected none of his internal turmoil, however. If 
there was one thing Burton Fallin had learned in his long years of practicing 
law, it was how to keep a good poker face.

Burton’s ire (and disgust) was quickly followed by a sense of profound relief 
that 1) Nicholas hadn’t gotten caught, and 2) that he wasn’t using anymore. He 
believed his son was telling him the truth about that. Well, he supposed there 
was no use getting angry with Nick about it now. After all, he had volunteered 
the information. He hadn’t had to do that. Burton supposed that was a sign of 
maturity, even if the behavior that necessitated the confession was anything 
but. 

At last Burton looked at Nick. Exhibiting no hint of blame, he nodded, and said, 
simply, “Thanks for telling me, son.”

Nick had been waiting apprehensively for his father’s reaction. Now he couldn’t 
prevent an outward sigh of relief, knowing his dad wasn’t going to castigate him 
for his screw-up. He nodded in acknowledgement of his father’s statement, 
compressing his lips together briefly, and then rewarding his dad with a small 
smile. Burton returned the smile. Father and son shared a long look. Then, first 
Burton, then Nick, returned his attention to his coffee cup.

The End