Ripley and Hicks’ Wholesome Little Family
Headcannon - Ellen Ripley x Dwayne Hicks - SFW
AN: This is somewhat of an AU, essentially pausing the canon at the second film and not acknowledging the successive films. Just a personal preference... I’m a sucker for happy endings.
After the disastrous and traumatic mission to Hadley’s Hope, Ripley decides to return to Earth with her newly adopted daughter Newt and her cat Jonesy. (Let’s be honest, this poor woman has been through enough. She needs a permanent vacation.)
However, Hicks ends up leaving the Colonial Marines, getting himself honorably discharged a few months later.
He immediately goes to find Ripley, settled down on a peaceful, country farm, raising chickens and trying to heal from her own trauma while also supporting and helping Newt do the same.
It’s not immediately romantic, although the chemistry is definitely present. He mainly makes any excuse to hang around to help Ripley with whatever he can. They build a healthy friendship and Newt begins to see him as a father figure.
Hicks begins a habit of sleeping downstairs on the couch many nights so that Ripley doesn’t have to suffer alone when she has night terrors.
After several months of this, he’s like one of the family and the mutual romantic feelings between them are undeniable.
One night while helping Ripley wash the dishes after dinner, Hicks pauses and catches her off guard: “Ellen, I love this, here with you. Honestly, I want this for the rest of my life. I want you. Would you ever consider... maybe... marrying me?” To his surprise, her immediate answer is yes.
They go on to have the happy life of peace and healing that they both deserve and need. Their days are primarily raising chickens, gardening, spending quiet nights on their back porch in rocking chairs, and watching Newt grow into a happy, healthy girl.
Newt is so excited every time Bishop comes to visit in-between missions. Newt always asks him to do the knife trick, gleefully volunteering her own hand (you know she would, that kid is fearless). Ripley immediately is like NO. So Hicks volunteers his instead.
Ripley often double-checks on Newt after bedtime (always worrying and wanting to make sure she’s safe) only to see her dead asleep with Jonesy curled up at her feet.
Ripley and Hicks find a good therapist who specializes in PTSD that help them process their trauma and heal.
Ripley loves having lavender in her garden. Hicks pretends he’s not allergic to it, which he is because he loves anything that makes Ripley happy.
Jonesy often strolls through their garden, destroying all the catnip plants by rolling around in them and living his best life. They plant them every year anyway.
Ripley and Hicks fight occasionally but otherwise have great communication and a healthy relationship. If they do have an argument they make sure to do so out of earshot of Newt.
After being retired by Weyland-Yutani, Bishop comes to live with them and discovers a deep fascination with and love for gardening; often studying clippings and trying to splice together hybrids. (Omg, imagine Bishop in one of those straw gardening hats, with his smart gardening gloves and a belt for gardening tools.)
Hicks and Ripley are incredibly supportive of anything that Newt wants to do. Hicks loves being the troop mom for her girl scouts and encourages her to become an Eagle scout even though people keep telling her that that’s ‘only for boys’.
Ripley takes up sewing initially just to sew on Newt’s girl scout badges but ends up really liking it and finding she’s good at it.
Ripley makes her first dress and models it for Hicks as a surprise. Even though the seams are crooked and the pattern is hideous, he commends her craftsmanship, focusing on all the things she did well and insisting, “Really honey, you are what makes the dress beautiful.”
