Fix Me, Fix You: A Jesse Pinkman Story

Chapter Nine

When Jesse entered Coop and Linda's kitchen on Saturday morning, he was overwhelmed with the smell of bacon, sound of laughter, and feeling of family. Coop sat in his usual spot at the head of the table, reading the newspaper, while Linda pulled a pan of something hot from the oven. Jolie was pouring juice for Lucy and Lia, who sat across from each other in their usual spots.

The Quinn family had breakfast together on the weekends since it was the only time Coop and Jesse weren't out in the shop early and the girls weren't rushing off to school. But this was the first time Jesse was experiencing a full family breakfast.

Jolie was the first one to notice him when he walked in. She smiled at him sweetly as she always did, considering she couldn't help but smile any time she was near him. Especially when he donned adorably sleepy eyes.

"Good morning, Jesse!" Lia called. He loved how she always greeted him so happily.

Lucy whipped her head around to look at him, which he considered her way of greeting him.

"Morning, son," Coop said as he glanced over the top of his newspaper.

"Morning, everyone," Jesse replied with a smile.

"Oh, you're just in time!" Linda called as she placed a plate full of food onto the table. "Have a seat next to Lia, hon."

"Do you need help with anything?" He wondered, not feeling comfortable with letting them wait on him after all they've done for him already.

"We've got it, dear, just have a seat and relax," Linda assured him.

He did as she said, sitting next to Lia as Jolie poured orange juice into the glass in front of him.

"Thanks," he said to her.

She smiled again and continued pouring juice into everyone's glasses. Linda continued shuffling around in the kitchen, placing a plate full of eggs, a plate full of biscuits, and a plate full of bacon in the middle of the table for everyone to fix their own plates from.

Once everything was set up and laid out, Linda took her seat at the head of the table opposite from Coop, and Jolie sat next to Lucy, opposite of Jesse.

"Look, our table is complete now!" Lia exclaimed happily, looking at the full chairs. It was the chair next to hers that was usually empty. It was now occupied by Jesse.

"It is," Jolie agreed, smiling at her.

"Lia, honey, do you want to say grace for us?" Linda asked.

Lia nodded enthusiastically.

"Great, let's bow our heads," Linda instructed.

Jesse watched as everyone shut their eyes and bowed their heads, clasping their hands together. His family wasn't religious, they never went to church or said grace or even talked about God or religion, so the gesture caught him a little off guard. But he lowered his head and clutched his hands together, respecting their family tradition.

"Thank you, God, for this yummy breakfast made by my Grandma Lin," Lia started in her cutesy voice. "Thank you for our family and friends and our health."

Jolie smirked to herself, adoring how her niece was imitating the prayers that she heard the adults say before.

"Bless the food that we're about to eat," Lia continued. "And bless Grandma Lin, and bless Grandpa Coop, and bless Lucy, and bless Aunt Jo... And bless Jesse."

Jesse's eyes opened and he glanced over at Lia, who was continuing to recite her grace with her head down, her eyes shut, and her hands together. He could've cried - no, sobbed - at the little girl's genuine blessing. Even the young Quinn made him feel like part of the family. To Jesse, nothing's more sincere than the kindness of a child. He knew her words came straight from her heart.