Pedro Pascal Character Imagines

Blue Ribbon Babe (Sequel to "The First Meeting")

Summary: Frankie takes his girlfriend Talia to the State Fair.

"Can I take it off now?" Talia asked Frankie. He had picked her up and put a blindfold around her head.

Frankie put his truck in park and said, "You can take it off now."

Talia ripped it off and her eyes went wide. "The State Fair! How did you know I wanted to come?"

Frankie gave her a look. "You haven't stopped talking about it all week."

Talia blushed. "Have I?"

"C'mon, silly girl." Frankie got out of the truck and ran over to the passenger side.

"I can get out myself," Talia told him.

"Will you just let me help you?" He put his large hands on her waist and lifted her out of the truck and set her on the muddy ground.

"Now I know why you told me to wear my boots."

Frankie and Talia walked to the entrance, where Frankie paid for their wristbands that would let them ride anything they wanted until closing.

"Well, what do you want to do first?" Frankie asked her.

"I wanna go see the livestock."

"Really?"

"I'll have you know I love all animals, Francisco Morales."

Frankie led her to the barns and he watched with a smile on his face as she fawned over the pigs and goats. She stuck her hands through the bars and scratched them, even though there were "no petting" signs everywhere. But Frankie couldn't deny her anything.

When Talia was done, she sanitized her hands and they walked down the main aisle of the fair. They passed many game booths and Frankie tried to convince her to let him try to win her something.

"As much as I have faith in you soldier, those games are rigged and those plushes are worth about $5. Besides, Santi is a better shot than you anyway."

Frankie's mouth dropped open. "Ouch, babe. What do you want to ride first?"

Talia grabbed Frankie's hand and pulled him towards a ride called the "Stampede."

"I am not getting on that thing," Frankie told her.

"It's just like a Ferris wheel."

"Yeah, a fucked-up Ferris wheel."

"Is my Special Op Soldier scared?"

"I already don't trust these rides."

"C'mon 'Cisco. How many people have died on one of these rides?"

"Do you really want me to answer that question?"

The two were at a stand-off.

"Fine. I'll go by myself. But you know they're gonna put some stranger next to me."

"No! I'll...I'll ride it with you."

Talia smiled and threw her arms around Frankie's neck and kissed him. "You're the best boyfriend ever!"

Frankie ended up not minding it and actually had fun.

Talia even convinced him to get on the swings with her.

The whole time, he was trying not to imagine them flying to their deaths. When they got off, Frankie was pale.

"Hey, hey, what's wrong? Are you having a...?"

Frankie shook his head. "No. No. I think I just need a moment. Let's get something to eat."

"Can we get a funnel cake?" Talia asked.

Frankie laughed. "I don't think you need any sugar to make you more hyper."

Talia pouted. "Frankie!"

Frankie playfully rolled his eyes. "Fine."

They walked over to a food truck and Frankie ordered a funnel cake and a hot dog.

"Oh, and some fresh squeezed frozen lemonade!" Talia added.

Frankie shook his head. "You are not going to be sleeping tonight."

"I'll pass out on the way home, I guarantee it."

Frankie reluctantly paid for everything and once they got their food, they sat down at a table under the canopy. There was a nice breeze blowing throughout the fairgrounds.

"Next year we should make this a group thing," Talia told him.

Frankie laughed. "You think that's a good idea?"

"Okay, I really just wanna see Benny and Will trying to outdo each other on the arcade games."

"That's what I thought."

They finished their food and threw away their trash.

"You wanna go on the Ferris wheel?" Frankie asked.

"No."

Frankie's face fell.

"You know how I feel about cheesy things. We're gonna stop at the top and you're gonna kiss me like you see in the movies."

"But...but I just...I just thought..."

Talia wrapped her arms around his neck. "Frankie, you don't need a Ferris wheel as an excuse to kiss me."

Frankie smiled and leaned down to kiss her anyway.

She tasted both sweet and tart, just like her personality.

"C'mon, my Blue Ribbon Babe. Let's get out of here and get some real food," Frankie told her.

True to her word, Talia fell asleep in his truck on the ride home.