Reading Time: 126 Minutes
Title: New Beginnings
Author: Duochanfan
Fandom: 9-1-1
Genre: Crime Drama, Drama, Family, Hurt/Comfort, Romance
Relationship(s): Evan ‘Buck’ Buckley/Eddie Diaz, Anthena Grant/Bobby Nash
Content Rating: NC-17
Warnings: Hate Crime, Homophobia, Violence – Graphic, Domestic Abuse – Adult, Domestic Abuse – Children, Bigotry, Character Bashing, Dark Themes, Kidnapping, Attempted Murder, Violence – Canon Level, Stalking, Death Threats
Author Note: Thanks to HarleyJQuin, ScarslikeVelvet, Bythia and the others that helped to shape this fic.
Beta: HarleyJQuin, ScarslikeVelvet
Alpha: HarleyJQuin, ScarslikeVelvet
Word Count: 145422
Summary: With Ana and Eddie breaking up and soon Taylor and Buck doing the same. Decisions need to be made on if the two men would try the relationship that they had been dancing around. Though they aren’t the only ones that are facing a hard decisions as a surprise stops Athena and Bobby in their tracks. New Beginnings are on the horizon, but will anyone be able to get their Happy Ever After?
Artist: AngelicInsanity
Chapter Thirty
“Looking forward to going home?” Taylor asked, smiling as they got in the Uber.
“Yeah, Eddie got Jee-Yun this morning and the three of them have been planning for our return,” Buck smiled, “That includes you as well.”
“Thanks,” she smiled back, looking out the window as they settled down. The driver headed off, the two talking quietly in the back. “Dad and I said that we would call each other every week. I… I want to try and build a relationship with him. I still don’t know if he is innocent or not,” she said, leaning back and looking over at Buck.
“I would say it doesn’t matter, but it does. In the end, it’s up to you what you do. No matter what the rest of your family says about it,” Buck reminded her.
“Yeah,” she nodded, looking out the window, “Doesn’t stop hurting that they still hate me for wanting that, for not picking a side when I was younger.”
“Well, you no longer need to listen to them, talk to them, or anything. You’re a grown woman, who knows her own mind and takes charge, you always tell me the same. No doubt your therapist has said the same,” Buck pointed out to her.
“Yeah, I talked about my parents with them last time. I might schedule another appointment soon, and talk to them about talking to my Dad again. That Mom’s family has decided that I’m not worth knowing,” she sighed slightly, “Then again, I’m not that close with them at all, not anymore.”
“Always an idea, I have to admit that I stopped for a while until you prodded me when you found out. I’ve gone back, I didn’t know how much I was still holding on about the shooting,” Buck murmured, looking out the window, “That I felt like I had failed even more, and not… not being able to save him hurt. It hurt a damn lot, and Eddie still doesn’t talk about it at all.”
“He needs to talk to someone, it’s going to burst on him one day, everything that he’s gone through, Afghanistan, the shooting, the well. His parents as well,” Taylor said, shaking her head, “He’s a ticking time bomb if he doesn’t.”
“I know, Eddie is… stubborn about therapy. Like my own parents, they think it is a sign of weakness if people need to see one. They had so much to say when they found out that Christopher was seeing one after the Tsunami and his mother’s death. They were harsh towards Eddie about it, telling him that he was dragging Christopher down and that if Christopher was with them he would be fine. Everything they did was just bringing Eddie down as a Dad,” Buck whispered, “I don’t think Eddie knows that I overheard their last call.”
“I really don’t like your parents, or his,” Taylor muttered.
“I don’t think many do,” Buck snorted, but smiled a little as they went quiet again. Neither of them said anything more until they pulled up outside Eddie’s home. The two Diaz and one Buckley-Han standing there and waiting for them. Christopher holding up a Welcome Home sign for the two of them.
“Well, this is a greeting,” Taylor was the one to speak first as Buck got their overnight bags from the trunk.
“Welcome home!” Christopher called out, grinning widely as he went to go down the stairs handing the sign to his dad, who awkwardly took hold of it, with a waving Jee-Yun in his arms.
“Hey,” Taylor grinned, ruffling his hair as he gave her a hug before moving on to Buck.
“Welcome home, are you staying the night?” Eddie asked her, giving her a reassuring smile, he didn’t mind her staying as much as she had been.
“Nah, I’ll go home soon, I need some alone time I think. Things went… okay. My Mom’s family may never speak to me again. My father’s side is doing the same. My Dad and Uncle Greg are speaking to me, understanding why I didn’t want to say anything either way,” she shrugged, before yawning, “Ugh, I am so damn tired, and I need to pee, so move aside or I’m gonna pee right here,” she said as she was quickly let past.
Buck walked over, “Hey,” he said, receiving a kiss and a smack on the face from Jee-Yun. “Okay, I’m sorry for not kissing you hello too,” he said, kissing her cheek and then blowing a raspberry on it.
Jee-Yun giggled happily as she reached out for him. Buck dropped the bags and took her, “Hey, Jee,” he smiled as he held her, “Have you been good for Uncle Eddie?” he asked her as Eddie gestured for him to go inside.
Eddie smiled as Christopher walked to him, “You good?” he asked.
“Yeah, I like having Jee-Yun, it’s fun, even when she’s crying a lot,” Christopher added, “I’m glad that Taylor was smiling as she came back. She was sad when she left,” he added, going past his dad and taking the sign.
Eddie shook his head, grabbed the two bags, and took them inside. He could hear Christopher talking to Buck, as the man listened and held Jee-Yun on the couch. Taylor was coming out of the bathroom, not looking happy. “You okay?” he frowned.
“I think I ate something that really didn’t agree with me. I’ve been feeling sick on and off since last night. I thought I needed to pee, but turned out no, and then my stomach just revolted on me,” she complained tiredly.
“Why don’t you go and lie down for a little while in my room? I’ll see about making you something that will be easy on your stomach. I know, you want to go home, but if you’re not feeling well, it’ll be okay to stay here the night you know,” he reminded her, “Buck adores you and Chris has all but adopted you. When he does that, you know that you’re not going to be going anywhere. Just look at Buck,” he grinned, glancing towards the living room.
“I know, Chris has already told me I’m family,” she smiled a little as she followed him to the kitchen, “Got anything I can drink?” she asked.
“How about some ginger tea?” he asked, “I have some from when Maddie was last here, she enjoys it,” he answered her as he went to start making it.
“Thanks, sounds good,” she nodded, “I’m going to go and sleep, maybe it’s one of those bugs, or just because I went through a lot of stress about Dad.”
“I’ll bring it in,” Eddie said, “Go on,” he added.
“Thanks,” she smiled, heading towards Eddie’s bedroom, trying to stop herself from yawning.
Eddie watched her go, frowning a little. He sighed and made coffee for himself and Buck, and tea for Taylor. Christopher already had some juice as did Jee-Yun.
Buck looked up as Eddie walked in with two coffees, “You’ve been a while? And where is Taylor?” he asked, not spotting the woman following Eddie.
“She looked a little ill, told her to go and lie down for a bit,” Eddie answered him, putting the coffee down and sitting beside Buck. Christopher was on the other side, and Jee-Yun happily played with Buck’s hand while cradled in the man’s arms.
“She didn’t feel well last night either. Felt sick, but she made herself go and see her dad. Then during the night she woke up a few times, and had to go and find something for her to take,” Buck said quietly, “She didn’t sleep well last night.”
Eddie nodded, “I’ll let her sleep until dinner,” he said.
“Yeah,” Buck agreed, “And how were things with this little Madam?” he asked as he tickled Jee-Yun’s tummy a few times.
“She was good. The Lees were thankful that I could watch her instead of them. Their friends were only in town for a few days,” Eddie smiled.
“I didn’t know if you wanted to look after her or not, I-” Buck began, biting his lip.
Eddie sighed, shaking his head, “You know I’m fine with her, she’s adorable, and I enjoy having her here. It’s not like I don’t help with her,” he pointed out, he had been so confused as to why Buck hadn’t just asked him if it was fine. He knew that Buck might feel like it would be asking too much.
“Yeah,” Buck smiled.
“Is Taylor okay?” Christopher asked, frowning at them.
“She’s just eaten something that made her feel sick,” Buck explained to him, “So she isn’t feeling too good today.”
“Okay, I’ll make her a ‘get well soon’ card,” he said, getting up and heading towards his bedroom, “I’ll be quiet,” he promised, ginning as he went out of sight.
“He’s such a good kid,” Buck murmured, leaning against Eddie.
Eddie put an arm around him, “Yeah he is, are you still going to be visiting Maddie tomorrow?” he asked him.
“Yeah, taking this little one to see her Mom,” he grinned, “I’m also going to see Chim the day after our shift as well. He’s going to be released in another two weeks, just before Christmas. He’s asking if I can continue looking after Jee even when he is. He wants to be the best Dad for her, but he doesn’t think he can do it just yet.”
“What about Maddie, what has she said about it all?” Eddie asked him, wiggling his fingers at the nine-month-old. “I’m going to baby-proof it so she can have some crawling time,” he said, getting up and going around the living room. Jee-Yun was crawling and was also starting to pull herself up and standing on wobbly feet.
Buck nodded, as the gates went up and things were picked up and put out of the way. Eddie put out some of Jee-Yun’s toys and sat back down. Buck leaned forward and put Jee-Yun on the ground. Smiling as she waved at him, babbling a few times before she rolled over and crawled over to some of her toys. “I hate that Maddie and Chimney are missing so many things.”
“Best to miss things now, then later, when the kid starts remembering,” Eddie said quietly, “I know that Chris doesn’t remember being so young either. But when he did start remembering, he missed me. His Christmas wish one year was for me to come home,” he murmured, remembering that Christopher had told him that along with the fact that he had just wished to see his mom as well. “Let them take the time they need,” he repeated.
“Yeah,” Buck agreed, “Still doesn’t help that I know Maddie and Chimney are both feeling guilty as hell for not being there for her now.”
“I know, and I know where they are coming from, but again, better now than later,” he said, “Let them get better, we’re okay with looking after Jee for them until they are ready.”
Buck nodded, and the two of them watched over Jee-Yun as she happily played for a while. Buck got up a little while later to start dinner, and Eddie carried on, getting down on the floor and playing with her as Christopher came back.
“Dad,” Christopher said as he joined them on the floor, “I don’t want Jee to leave,” he murmured.
“I know, but she has to go back to her parents soon. Her Mom and Dad miss her, but they need to be better first,” he told him, smiling softly.
Christopher nodded, “I miss Mom,” he said, leaning against Eddie.
“I do as well,” Eddie admitted, wrapping an arm around him, “We always will miss her.”
Christopher nodded again, “I wish she was here, so she could see Jee and tease Buck, she’d like Buck a lot,” he said wisely.
“Yeah, she would have done,” Eddie smiled, “How about when we have a free day, we go and see Mom and tell her everything?” he asked him.
“Can we?” Christopher asked eagerly, they hadn’t gone often to see Shannon’s resting place. Christopher often felt guilty for missing her, especially after some of the things Helena and Ramon had said about her and her leaving him.
“Of course, how about just me and you go, and we leave Buck here with Jee?” he added, smiling sadly at the eagerness his son showed to see her.
“Okay, then we can come home and Bucky can have lunch ready for us,” he grinned, “We can tell Mom about Bucky, and that he’s gonna live with us one day.”
Eddie nodded, seeing Buck standing in the doorway nodding at him, agreeing that he should take Christopher to see his mother soon. Eddie wondered if he should do it more often, not listen to his parents, but listen more to his son and his wants and needs.
Chapter Thirty-One
Buck’s visit to Maddie had gone well, she had spent the entire visit playing with Jee-Yun on the floor, Buck sitting there as well and smiling as he recorded the two together. Buck didn’t want to miss anything of the two being together. He had some video from when he had last seen Chimney a few weeks ago as well, doing the same. Jee-Yun was growing up quickly and milestones were happening every day it felt like. Now Buck was in the visitor’s room with Chimney, the two were already on the floor, and Buck had brought some toys for Jee-Yun to play with.
“I’ve learned a lot about myself here,” Chimney said, “I started lying about anything and everything, trying to make myself someone I wasn’t,” he began, grinning as Jee-Yun crawled over to him yelling for the toy he kept moving away from her. “My dad never paid attention to me after he moved back to Korea. Hell, I stopped wanting anything to do with the culture I was brought up in because of him. I’ve forgotten so much,” he murmured.
“But you still have time to relearn things? The Lees will help with that, won’t they?” Buck asked, frowning.
Chimney looked up, “Yeah, John already said he would. I… didn’t listen to them when Jee was born, just thinking that Maddie wanted to honor my mother. Of course, I leapt at it, but to find out that I really shouldn’t have named her that. Like I was trying to pass on the memories of my mother to my child. I want her to be her own person. Not going to change it now, but a part of me wants to. I’m not wearing the Dad is an A-H, blinkers anymore,” he said, sitting up straight as Jee-Yun crawled into his lap for some cuddles.
“Really?” Buck asked, interested in what Chimney was learning from John and Anne.
“Yeah, they told me at the time that I shouldn’t. I just went ahead thinking that it would annoy my Father. Instead, I was being… disrespectful in a way, to my Mother’s memories,” he sighed, “I’m making my peace with that, slowly. It’s more of a… Western thing to name a child after someone. Though, I was thinking about her first birthday, which will be in a few months. Been talking to Anne and John about it, there is a tradition in Korea, and I want to honor it with Jee. I’m hoping that me and Maddie will be in a place to organize it together. If we’re not, John and Anne said that they would, and I would like your help as well. It’s called a Doljanchi, and you and Albert are her uncles, I want you to be part of things.”
Buck watched him as he was speaking, keeping what the tradition was called in his head and promising himself to research it later. “I’ll be here, no matter what,” he promised him.
Chimney looked up again and smiled a little, “Thank you, I know at the moment, I really don’t deserve the kindness that you’ve been showing.
“Chim, you were ill,” he said, dismissing what happened.
“Ill I might have been, but I still shouldn’t have hit you, just like I shouldn’t have locked Maddie and Jee in the house as I did. All I can do is apologize,” he said.
“And you have, I understand Chim, your mind was playing tricks on you, and you thought no one was safe. Doug… he became a friend to you, someone you talked to and confided in. To find out that he used you, wouldn’t have just hurt you. It was a betrayal of the trust you thought you had in him. It’s the lowest of the low in my eyes. You never… you never really talked about it after the stabbing,” he said, frowning as he watched the man.
“I couldn’t. It felt like I had no right to talk about what was done to me after what he had done to Maddie,” Chimney admitted, shaking his head, “So I did what I always did, and pushed it down, pretending that it didn’t matter.”
“But you’re talking about it now?” Buck asked him, frowning a little.
Chimney nodded, “Yeah, I am, but it took a while for it to be dragged out of me. I talked about the truck bombing, the stabbing, Tatiana, Kevin, everything, going through it all as the medication I’m to take to help level things out. I’m… being released in two weeks. I’m going to be living with John and Anne, to make sure I keep up with everything. Albert is taking my apartment for now, though it will be free for Maddie should she want to go back there when she is able to,” he told him, rocking Jee-Yun a little as she babbled and waved the bunny she was holding.
“Right,” he said, giving him a little smile, “She’s going to be able to leave for day visits over the Christmas period. We’re already making sure that the Loft is ready for her, I plan to stay at Eddie’s.”
“Right,” he smiled, “Now, little Jee,” he said as he looked down at his daughter, “Have you been good for your Uncle Buck?” he asked her.
Jee-Yun babbled at him, waving her bunny and hitting him in the face.
“Right, yeah, hit Daddy in the face,” Chimney laughed, shaking his head, he looked up to see Buck filming him, “Do you always film us?” he asked, “You did that last time.”
“I do, I want to make sure you still have memories of the two of you together. You’re doing something to get better, Chim, and I know you miss her a lot, and she misses you. I also let her watch them occasionally, she enjoys doing so. I have some of Maddie as well, so she knows both of you and your voices. She’ll not forget at all,” he smiled.
“Thanks,” Chimney nodded, going back to Jee-Yun, “Well, you are a good girl, aren’t you.”
“Dadadadadada,” she babbled, “Dada!” she yelled out.
Chimney was frozen as he sat there, looking at his daughter, “Did she????” His eyes were wide as he quickly glanced at Buck before looking back at Jee-Yun.
“I think she did,” Buck grinned at him, “And I caught it.”
“Dada!” Jee-Yun squealed as she bounced up and down a few times before giggling.
Buck laughed as Chimney talked to his daughter. Buck would have to send the video to Maddie’s email, so she could see it. Hopefully the next time, Jee-Yun would also be saying Mama, as Buck was working with her on both.
XxXxX
Taylor grinned as she and Christopher walked into Eddie’s home. She had offered to watch him after school while Buck and Eddie worked the last several hours of their shift. They wouldn’t get home until after Christopher had gone to bed. “Right,” she said, “I am going to make us some spaghetti and meatballs like my Grandma made when I was little. I even made some before I picked you up, so they were ready. Are you alright with that?” she asked him.
“Yeah,” Christopher grinned, “Thank you for watching me again, Taylor. Carla was sick last time and she still is. I even made her a card, that Dad said he would drop off at hers on the way home tonight,” he said, following her into the living room.
“First, get homework out of the way. I have some research to do as well,” she told him, “I have a news report that I’m going to do tomorrow, so I need to prepare for it,” she smiled as he got out his homework, and the two settled at the coffee table. Thankfully it wasn’t anything bad that she was reporting on, it was more of a fluff piece as she called it.
“Okay,” he nodded, bringing out his math, “You’re better at math than Dad and Buck,” he told her, “You explain it better.”
Taylor laughed, neither of the men was bad at math, they just didn’t enjoy it. She had found it to be a favorite subject when she had been at school. “I don’t mind if you need help, just ask,” she reminded him, opening her laptop and beginning to research what she needed to know. They had been at it for almost an hour before Taylor got up. She blinked a few times as she had a head rush, “Wow, got up too fast that time,” she said.
“You okay?” he looked up at her.
“Yeah,” she smiled, “Some juice before I start dinner?” she asked him.
“Please,” he replied, smiling and going back to his homework. Taylor left the room, and Christopher was about to carry on working on his problem when he heard a thud from the kitchen and something crashing to the floor. Getting up, he hurried to the kitchen, “Taylor!” he called out, not seeing her, as he rounded the door, his eyes went wide as he saw her passed out on the floor. There was some glass around her and a little blood. Going back to the living room he grabbed the house phone and dialed 9-1-1.
“9-1-1, What’s your emergency?” came the calm voice on the other end.
“My name’s Christopher Diaz,” he began, quickly giving his address, he went to the front door and unlocked it, ready for the first responders to arrive “The person looking after me, Taylor, she’s collapsed on the floor of the kitchen,” he told them going back to the kitchen. “There’s glass around her and she is bleeding.” Christopher was extra careful as he moved around Taylor and grabbed something so he could move the glass away from her and kneel beside her. “She’s breathing,” he added.
“Okay, Christopher, where is she bleeding from?” the dispatchers asked, “I’m sending a unit to you now, okay,” he added.
“Okay, my Dad and Buck are firefighters at the 118. Let them know what is going on. I’m going to go with Taylor, and she’s bleeding from her arm. I can’t see anything else. I don’t want to move her either, in case she is really hurt,” Christopher worried, as he grabbed another cloth and pressed it onto her injury, just as his Dad had taught him. It wasn’t gushing blood, but it was still bleeding.
“Put some pressure on the injury, make sure there isn’t any glass,” he warned.
“I know, my Dad taught me a lot,” Christopher replied, “I checked, and I couldn’t see anything.”
“Okay, you’re going to have to unlock the door so that the first responders can enter the home,” he then instructed.
“I did that too,” Christopher said, a little happy that he had learned what he needed to do. He had questioned Buck and his Dad a lot, especially after his Bisabuela had fallen and broken her hip.
“You’re good at this, right I’ve gotten in touch with the 118 and told the Captain there what has happened. He said that he’d release Buck and Eddie, so they can come and get you,” he told him.
Christopher looked up as he heard the sirens, “I can hear them,” he said, as the sound got close.
Soon enough they entered the home and Christopher called out to them. One got Christopher away and the other took care of Taylor as she started to wake up. Christopher stood to the side as Taylor was taken to the waiting ambulance, insisting on going with her, as he grabbed a key and made sure the house was locked up.
Christopher made sure to stay near Taylor as he waited for Buck and his Dad to arrive. Taylor was now awake, as she was seen to, and stitches were given to the gash on her arm, where she had been cut by the glass that had smashed on the floor. It was almost an hour later when Buck and Eddie walked into the room Taylor had been given.
Chapter Thirty-Two
“Hey,” Taylor smiled as she sat up on the bed, “I’m okay, they are doing a few tests to see if they can find out why I collapsed. I’m more worried that I scared Chris,” she said as she looked at Christopher, he hadn’t left her side at all, glaring at anyone that dared to suggest that he wait anywhere else.
“I did what you said to do, Dad,” Christopher said, as Eddie went over, ruffling his hair, “Just like you taught me.”
“He’s good,” Taylor said, shaking her head, “He was calm from what I was told, knew the answers to what they questioned and everything. He was… he was a star,” she smiled, reaching around and hugging him, “Thank you, Chris.”
“Hello,” came a new voice as someone knocked on the edge of the door and walked in. “I’m Doctor Longford, I’m in charge of Miss Kelly’s case,” she said as she walked in, “We have some results back, but I need to talk to Miss Kelly alone about them first. You can wait outside if you wish.”
“No, whatever it is, they can hear,” Taylor said, giving the doctor a smile, “They… they’re my family.”
“Are you sure? This is… rather private news,” she added, glancing at the three others in the room.
“Yes,” Taylor repeated herself, nodding.
“Alright,” Doctor Longford sighed, “Well you fainted due to low blood pressure, which can happen in your condition.”
“My condition?” she frowned. What condition, as far as she knew she was healthy, except for a small bug that had been plaguing her.
“Pregnancy, I would like to set up a scan to try and find out how far along you are,” she began.
“Pregnant,” Taylor blinked, “I… Can I really be pregnant, I’ve not been with anyone since the beginning of September,” she added, glancing at Buck.
“It is certainly possible, you’ll be around 14-18 weeks if that is the case,” she added, “Have you noticed any weight gain? Nausea? Craving? Needing to go to the toilet a lot? Tiredness?” she asked about the most common symptoms that could indicate pregnancy.
“I’ve gained a couple of pounds, but I’ve been eating better, and a little more. Buck, there is a great cook and Eddie’s no slouch either. I’ve spent my time with them all, I do work a lot, so I thought that was because I’ve been given news stories and not just the fluff pieces, which was leaving me tired from all the research I do for them. And I’ve found a few new things that I like. And as for feeling sick,” she frowned.
“You’ve been feeling on and off for a few months. I’ve noticed that,” Eddie said, “I’ve had the ginger tea that Maddie left at mine on hand several times. Especially recently.”
“Well,” Doctor Longford said, “I’ve got you booked in for a scan in twenty minutes. Someone will come and get you,” she told them, “As soon as we know where you are, we can make a plan and talk with your Gynecologist on record,” she added.
“Thank… thank you,” Taylor said, still a little shocked at the news.
“Miss Kelly, gentlemen,” she said as she then left the room.
“Oh, wow,” Taylor said as she lay a hand on her stomach, “I can’t believe…” she trailed off as she then looked at Buck and Eddie.
“Yeah,” Buck sighed, shaking his head.
“I think you and I need to go and get something to drink for everyone,” Eddie said to Christopher, “These two need to have a little talk without us here,” he added when he saw that Christopher was going to protest.
“Okay, Buck, you take care of Taylor, okay?” he told him, as he got off the bed with a bit of a sigh.
“I will,” Buck smiled at him, and watched the two leave, “So, baby?” he said.
“Yeah,” Taylor snorted, “I… we all know it’s yours,” she added.
“We do, and I… I don’t know what to do, what do you want to do?” he asked her, sitting down on the chair in the room.
“I don’t really know,” she leaned back on the bed and sighed, “This… isn’t what I planned at all,” she murmured, closing her eyes.
“I don’t think it’s what anyone would plan, especially since we broke up,” Buck said, glancing at her, looking unsure for a moment.
“No, I do not want to get back together at all, so don’t even think it, Evan Buckley'” she hissed, opening her eyes and narrowing them as she looked at him, “We just wouldn’t be happy, you love Eddie and while I do love you, I don’t love you like that, you and Eddie are my best friends,” she finished.
“Okay,” he nodded, “just making sure,” he told her.
“I don’t know what I want to do at the moment,” she said, “I… I’m not mother material, I’m really not.”
“We’re all here for you as well, so you don’t have to worry about that, at all. Eddie and I will be here, and Chris is going to be happy to have a baby sibling,” he added. “He talks about us adopting a lot when we’re tucking him into bed.”
“Yeah, I’ve heard,” Taylor smiled, “I need to think, and I think I have to do that alone. I know that this is our child as well.”
“But it’s your body that is going to go through all the changes and everything,” Buck finished for her, “So, whatever you decide, I’m here for you.”
Taylor gave a sharp nod as someone knocked on the door.
“Miss Kelly, I’ve come to take you down for your ultrasound,” the young man said.
“I’ll be here when you’re done,” Buck said as Taylor was taken away. Eddie and Christopher came back before Taylor did.
Christopher sat on the chair near the bed, while Buck and Eddie went to the other side of the room.
“This is a bit of a shock,” Eddie said, rubbing Buck’s back as he could see the man was upset and a little overwhelmed by the news.
“I told her that she could do what she wanted, that I would support her, and I will, I will, but….” he sighed.
“You want her to go through with it,” Eddie nodded, “Yeah, I felt the same when Shannon told me she was pregnant as well. She didn’t know what she wanted to do either, I had to leave it to her to decide what she wanted to do. I’m happy with the decision she made, but like I told her, I’d be there to support her no matter what. Though I did let her down when I signed up for another tour of duty.”
“We’ll be there for Taylor, no matter what,” Buck said.
Eddie nodded in agreement. “We will,” he agreed, glancing over at Christopher. “I told him that Taylor might not be able to keep the baby, so he asked if we would be taking them,” he sighed, “He’d really like a sibling, but…” he trailed off, wincing, he didn’t know how to tell his son about abortion.
“Well, we’re about to find out how far along she is, that will factor in as well,” Buck said, leaning against Eddie, an arm going around him and holding him close.
“I’m going to take Christopher home. Call me when you’re ready to come as well. I think you and Taylor have a lot to talk about in the end. Chris and I will be waiting at home for you both. She should be released tonight, and I’ll make sure the bed is set up for her. If she wants to go home, I’ll drive her home from ours,” Eddie said, trying to think of any possibility of what might happen next.
“Yeah, we have,” Buck agreed, “Though she has already pointed out that there is no chance that we’re going to be getting back together at all” he snorted, “I have to say for a brief second I thought about it, but she’s right. We wouldn’t be happy together, I do love her, just not in love with her. I love you,” Buck whispered as he pressed closer to Eddie.
“I love you,” Eddie murmured back, a soft smile on his face as he sighed, “Right, I’ll take Christopher home, keep me informed of what is going on, and I’ll make sure to get a few more things in for her, I’ll ask Abuela as well for a bit of help.”
“Okay, thanks,” Buck said, kissing him softly before letting him go.
“Hey, Mijo, we need to head home so we can make sure the place is ready for Taylor to come home,” Eddie said as he walked over to him.
Christopher looked up and sighed, “Fine, but Buck, please make sure Taylor knows that I love her and that I hope she really is okay and that the baby is as well,” he said and got up, going with his dad after saying another goodbye.
Buck smiled and watched them go, he sat down in the chair and settled in to wait for Taylor to come back. it didn’t take long for her to return and settle back on the bed. “You okay?” he asked her.
Taylor nodded a few times, “Yeah, yeah I’m okay.”
“Eddie has taken Christopher home, said that we should talk more and that he’ll get things ready for when you are released if you want to stay with us. I don’t really go to the loft most days now,” he told her.
“I know, I don’t think you’ve been there at all in the last three weeks,” she snorted, smiling a little now. “They did the scan, didn’t really say that much either,” she sighed, “They said that they are going to have someone to come in and explain things.”
“Right,” Buck nodded, “How are you feeling?”
“Shocked, I just… I can’t believe this,” she snorted, “The birth control I’m on, and we were always safe.”
“We had that one time when it broke, not long before we broke up,” he reminded her.
“Yeah,” she sighed, shaking her head, “I don’t… I don’t want to abort, but I don’t know if I can do the full-time Mom thing. I don’t think I can do it.”
“You know that Eddie and I are here, you’re not going to be alone at all. Really, I promise you Taylor, like Christopher said, you’re family,” he reassured her, knowing that it was one thing to say but another to actually believe it.
“Do you think you and Eddie are even ready to have a child in the family, a newborn?” she asked him, “Are you ready for that?”
“I think we will be, we have some time before they are born,” he reminded her.
“Yeah,” she said, looking up as someone knocked on the door and entered the room, “Doctor Hillion,” she greeted him.
“Miss Kelly, and you must be the father?” he asked, looking at the young man.
“I am,” Buck answered, “Evan Buckley.”
“Right, Miss Kelly, Mr Buckley. The scan has shown that we are estimating you to be around fourteen weeks, considering the size and when you were last together,” he said, looking at his notes, “One thing we did find was that there are two babies. You’re having twins, Miss Taylor. I wasn’t able to determine the gender at all. So that could be your next scan. I want you to book an appointment as soon as you can, to go over what you need and to do a good health check. With multiples as well, you’re looking at delivering earlier than 40 weeks.”
“Fourteen weeks and twins,” Buck said, blinking a few times as he glanced over at Taylor to see her just as surprised.
“That’s…” she trailed off, “Right,” she sighed, closing her eyes, she had a lot to think about, she knew she was going to keep the babies, she just hoped that Buck and Eddie were going to be ready to be full-time parents, because she didn’t think she was.
“I’ll be releasing you to go home tonight, but please take it a little easy today, and book that appointment,” Doctor Hillion reminded her before handing over some pamphlets to them both and walking out of the room.
Taylor and Buck barely said another word as they both took in the news that they had received. Buck had to talk to Eddie, he wanted the children to stay with him since Taylor wanted that as well. It would all depend on how things went.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Taylor was finally home in her own apartment, though she had a standing invitation to go back to Eddie’s and stay there if she wanted. At the moment, she needed a few days to herself, to think about her options. Buck and Eddie had talked a lot, she could tell as they had sat her down and said that they would look after the babies full time, that she would of course still be their mother, and they would stay with her when she wanted them to. The two had even said that they would be talking to Carla about helping out when they were born. They would have eight weeks after the birth for paternity leave, and they would be taking every minute of it.
Taylor pulled out her phone as she sat in the window seat, looking out at the small park that was across the road. She could see mothers and fathers out there with their children. It was hard to see most of the time, something that she missed with her dad. Sighing she rang the number that she had been staring at on and off since she had returned home.
“Hello?” came the slightly unsure tone.
“Dad,” she said, a little smile on her face.
“Taylor, I didn’t expect you to call so soon,” he said, sounding genuinely happy to hear from her.
“I got… a little bit of news that I don’t know how to come to terms with. I really don’t know what I should do,” she said, beginning to cry, she wiped at her eyes, not wanting to let them fall.
“Tell me what’s happened, my little Blue Jay,” he said.
“I’m pregnant, it’s Bucks. I told you we were together for a while, we broke up. We aren’t going to get back together, I made sure to knock that out of his head before he could even suggest it,” she said, crying silently, “I just… I want to keep the baby, I’m going to keep them, really. But I don’t think I’m ready to be a Mom, I just-”
“It’s okay, little Blue,” he told her, his gentle voice reassuring as he added, “Neither myself nor your Mother was ready when she was pregnant with your sister. We were both newly married and scared out of our minds when we found out. We were scared, and not ready at all, no matter whether we went shopping together for things, painted a nursery, or did everything we were supposed to. We did, and it still didn’t prepare us for the moment she was born. For the moment you were born either,” he laughed lightly, “You and your sister were loved so very much, each time we found out, we were scared, but determined to do our best for the both of you.”
“I know, you loved us so much, you tried to give us everything, even when times got a little tough when I was really little, Alison told me about it,” Taylor said, “I just… I don’t think I could do it all the time, be a Mom. I’m with Buck and Eddie a lot, and I see them with Christopher, and I know I can’t do that, I can’t be there and on all the time. I think I would resent my child, and I don’t want that. I don’t want to hate them, I want to love them,” she murmured, shaking her head a few times, “I just… Dad, I’m thinking about when they are born, that I give up full custody to Eddie and Buck, and be there and co-parent, and take them for the weekend or something like that. I can do that. I’ve looked after Christopher several times over the last few months, and I’m… I’m learning my limits I think when it comes to children. Hell, I’ve looked after little Jee as well, that’s Buck’s niece,” she said, as she began to babble.
Patrick hummed, “Well,” he said, “You know yourself better than anyone,” he reminded her, “If you don’t think you can, Buck and Eddie are willing to step up and be there. Then trust in them, the young man you introduced me to seems like he really is in your corner, and from what you said, his boyfriend is as well. Their son sounds adorable from what you told me. I’m always here if you need me.”
“Thanks, Dad,” she smiled, talking to him a little more about other things, before hanging up and getting dinner ready for herself, somewhat missing Eddie and Buck’s cooking and chatter. During dinner, she sent a quick message to her sister, telling her the news.
XxXxX
Eddie looked at Buck, sitting on the couch, Christopher was in bed, happily talking about having some baby siblings. Carla had gotten an earful when she had arrived to take him to school that morning. Taylor had also left that morning, having stayed the night at theirs after being discharged from the hospital. He walked over, beer in hand as he gave him one, “Still feeling overwhelmed?” he asked him.
“A little. Taylor wants us to have full-time custody, she’ll do the occasional day or two in a row, but she doesn’t think that she can do the full-time Mom thing, in her words,” he told him, “Are you really sure about… about us having them, living with them both all the time?” he asked, looking up at Eddie.
Eddie sat down beside him, pulling the man to lean against him, “I am very sure. Buck, the thought of raising children with you makes me feel so happy. I was thinking we might try and adopt some time down the line. I know we’ve been together for three months only, but it does feel a lot longer for me. Though, I don’t think it’s going to work well living here,” he said, “It’s a little small.”
Buck laughed, but there was a slight edge to it, “Yeah, and I still have my loft, it’s just sitting there,” he mumbled.
“Well, sell that, I’ll sell the house as well, we should have enough together to find us a good place, with enough bedrooms and with some leftovers to adapt what’s needed for Christopher, “Eddie suggested quietly.
“Yeah, I’ve already been looking to sell it, not been there in a month,” he said, yawning, “And I don’t think I go back often as it is, I only go back when I need something or to clean and get bills. I have some inheritance left from my grandparents as well, so that will go towards things,” he added, opening his eyes fully, “Are you really on board with all this?”
“I’m in this all the way, and I don’t think I could do anything now since Christopher has heard the news. You said that Taylor is keeping them, then we step up, we support her and things will… work out,” Eddie said, smiling.
“Okay, work tomorrow,” he mumbled, “I don’t even want to go,” he added, leaning in even more.
“That’s a first,” Eddie laughed, “It’ll be fine. Nothing is going to happen to Taylor and you know she’ll call you if she needs you.”
Buck nodded, “Mindless TV?” he asked, frowning as his phone buzzed.
“Sure, I’ll pick, don’t want to watch another nature documentary before bed, weird dreams,” he muttered, grabbing the remote and trying to find something.
Buck snorted, “Sure,” he grinned and then read the message he had received, “Odd,” he muttered, reading through it again.
“Who is it? Taylor?” Eddie asked.
“No, Ali, she wants to meet up, clear the air a little. She did leave a little fast back then,” he said, giving a shrug, “It’s not like I haven’t done the same thing with Abby when seeing her again for the first time.”
“Maybe,” Eddie said, a little furrow between his brows, he knew Ali and Buck had a good thing going for the few months that they were together. It was her that had helped him settle on the loft as a place to live.
“We’ll see, at the moment, we have other things on our plate than me meeting an ex that I’ve not thought about in years,” he shrugged, waiting for Eddie to settle down and to find out what he had put on. “Oh, Lucifer,” he said, “Good choice.”
“Though you would like,” Eddie snorted, “Tall, dark, handsome, a bit of stubble going on, I know your type.”
Buck elbowed him in the gut as the man laughed, “Why do I put up with you?” he muttered.
“Because you decided that you couldn’t live without me,” Eddie said, pulling his face around so he could kiss him.
“Well,” Buck smirked, kissing him, “I really don’t like the thought of it,” he murmured against his lips.
“Mom!” came a yell from Christopher’s bedroom, “Mom!”
Buck and Eddie broke apart as they rushed to his room, “Christopher,” Eddie called out, seeing his son sitting up in bed, tears streaming down his face.
“Dad, Dad, you have to save Mom, I couldn’t, she’s…” Christopher said as he started to sob.
Eddie gathered him into his arms and held him, rocking him as he knew that Christopher had just remembered that she was gone. “Oh, Chris,” he murmured, still rocking him as he now rubbed his back.
“She’s gone, Dad, I’m scared,” he murmured, “I’m scared that something can happen to you, Buck, or Taylor and I don’t want to lose anyone else, I can’t, Dad, it hurts so much,” he cried, clinging onto Eddie and beginning to peek around for Buck.
Buck went over to the bed, and sat beside them, wrapping an arm around the two. “It does hurt so much when you lose someone you love,” he began quietly, “It happens to each of us.”
“I know, but I wish it didn’t. I’m scared that something will happen, Buck,” Christopher said, grabbing a hand and holding it tightly, as though holding it would stop him from going anywhere.
“Oh, Bud, I wish that nothing would as well,” Buck murmured, leaning in close, “All we can do is love those around us and make sure they know how much we do.”
Eddie was biting his lip as they slowly calmed Christopher enough that he was falling to sleep in his father’s arms. Laying him back down, “Night, Mijo,” he told him.
“Night, Dad, night,” he yawned, “Papa.”
Buck froze for a second, seeing the smirk on Eddie’s face. Leaving the room he turned to him, “You knew he wanted to call me that, I take it?”
“Yeah, he asked me a while ago, been talking about it when we were alone, finally did. Though he might not remember in the morning,” Eddie said, leading him back to the living room. Lucifer was still playing, but it was quickly turned off, neither was in the mood for watching it after that.
“Right,” he nodded, settling on the couch.
“Do you think… should I stop being a firefighter?” Eddie asked him, “I don’t want Chris to be scared that something is going to happen to me, or us.”
Buck sighed, “Believe it or not, you have more chance of dying working construction than you do as a firefighter,” he told him, “You have more danger crossing the road than you do at times. We can die at any time, and chances are it won’t be the job that will kill us. Talk to Christopher, see what he wants to do.”
“Yeah, next day off, we’ll sit him down and talk. Maybe talk with Taylor as well, she might have some insight. She lost her mother at a young age as well,” Eddie nodded, sighing as he closed his eyes, smiling a little as he felt Buck lean against him.
“She will, and we’ll talk with her first about things before we tackle Christopher,” he said, getting a nod.
The two didn’t stay up much longer, both had work the next day and needed to be up and out of the house early so they could drop Christopher off at school first.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Buck smiled as he was handed Jee-Yun, Chimney was at home with the Lees and they had her for the morning. Since Buck and Taylor had gone to her appointment that morning. Thankfully, everything was fine, and the twins were developing well. Though they still couldn’t see the gender just yet, it was still a little early to be able to see them properly. Normally it was 17 weeks that they would look at Gender. Athena was quickly approaching that as well. She had her appointment booked the week before Taylor’s.
“Thanks for bringing her over for a few hours. It was nice to see her and play with her without being there,” Chimney grinned, tickling Jee-Yun as she was in her Uncle’s arms.
“She’s starting to pull herself up now, I think she might be going to take her first steps soon. Jee falls on her bottom a lot when she stands, but early days,” Buck told him, “I’ve sent you all the videos and pictures that I’ve taken of her over the last few months to your email, so you can go through them all at your own pace instead of just what the doctors and therapists will let you see.” The hospital that Chimney had been in was strict about everything that their patients had access to. Including the internet. Any emails and such that were sent were often read first by the staff to make sure that it was okay for someone to read through. They didn’t want anything that could trigger another break getting through, which Buck could understand.
“Yeah?” Chimney said, “Well, aren’t you a smart little girl,” he told his daughter.
“Dada, dada, dada!” she babbled, grinning at him and waving.
“Love you,” he said, kissing her on the cheek, “You be good for Uncle Buck and Uncle Eddie,” he told her.
“She always is, unless she and Christopher decide to paint together again,” Buck said, shaking his head, “I sent you the video of that, enjoy my pain,” he told him.
Chimney laughed, “I will,” he grinned as he stood on the doorstep and waved. He’d had a few visitors over the last couple of days since he had been released. Hen would be visiting later, and he was looking forward to seeing her.
Buck strapped Jee-Yun in, “Well, sugarplum,” he told her, grinning, “Daddy was very happy today and he looks so much better,” he told her, “Soon enough you won’t just be spending a few hours with him, but all day and night,” he said, hoping that it would soon be the case.
“Dada, Mama,” she yelled out waving her hands as the last of the straps were tightened up and a blanket put over her.
“Okay, let’s head home,” he told her, getting into the truck and waving at Chimney one last time before they headed home.
XxXxX
Taylor was sitting at the table with a drink in front of her and a plate of snacks that she had taken to eating over the last couple of days. “Thanks,” she said as Eddie sat across from her. Buck had left a little while ago to go and collect Jee-Yun from the Lees and Chimney. “So, what is it that you all wanted to talk to me about?”
“You know… you know how Christopher lost his mother a couple of years ago?” he asked.
“Yeah, I do, he talks about her sometimes,” she answered, “He loves her a lot and he feels like he can’t talk about her around a lot of your family,” she said.
Eddie sighed, “Yeah, they weren’t happy when they learned that she had just left me one day when I was still recovering from being shot,” he told her, “They’ve never really forgiven her, and my parents… well the three of them butted heads more than talked civilly. I wish I had been a better husband and partner to her, I should have done something. I think a lot of what happened between us wasn’t helped by the way that they behaved towards her.”
“Might be the case, but what’s done is done, and there is no use going back and wondering and playing the what-if game,” she warned him, “Really, there is nothing that you can do to change it. I often wondered if I had been there, could I have stopped my Mother from dying, could I have done something to find out who had done it,” she added.
“Yeah, well, Cristopher has been waking up with nightmares for the last few nights. Mostly about Shannon, sometimes about something happening to one of us, and I mean, me, you, and Buck,” he told her, “He’s scared. I’m going to talk with him, but I’ve been thinking about leaving the 118, I don’t want to, but… I don’t know, my mind is all over the damn place.”
“Have you thought about therapy?” Taylor asked him bluntly, “I know, a lot of people believe the stigma about it, but really, it helped me a lot. To be honest, it’s still helping me. Buck goes as well, maybe it’s something that you should look into for yourself and Christopher. Since I’ve met both of you and got to know you, I can tell that you both suppress a lot of what is going on in your head. At the moment it’s coming out in Christopher’s fears, mainly through nightmares, by the sounds of it. He needs to talk to someone, and I think he would do better seeing you do the same. Time to lead by example.”
Eddie rubbed his face a few times as he groaned, “I had hoped he wouldn’t do that. I know I do, I’ve always done it, and I know where it comes from. I was always told that a man can’t cry, we can’t express ourselves, we have to bottle it up. The only emotion my Papi approved of when I was growing up was anger, and really, I’d rather keep that out of my home. I don’t want that in my life again,” he snorted, thinking back to when he had joined the underground fight club. It had been one of the worst mistakes he had ever made, and he knew that if his parents had caught wind of it, he would have lost Christopher quicker than he could have blinked.
“Well, you know what you should do, get yourself sorted, Eddie, you’re about to be a dad again,” Taylor reminded him.
“Yeah,” Eddie nodded, “Buck’s been saying the same since we started dating. I know I push everything down, I’ve been doing it for decades, and it’s going to be hard to unpack everything. But you’re right, I need to be better for my kids, for Christopher, to show him that it’s alright to be scared, happy and sad, and everything in between,” he sighed heavily, “Just have to find someone. I can’t go to Frank, he just… doesn’t get things for me.”
“It will be hard for you, but do you think it will be worth it?” she asked him, giving him a pointed look.
“Fine, I admit,” Eddie huffed, “It would help, and as for leaving the 118-”
“Don’t, I can guarantee that Christopher will not be happy if you do that,” she told him, shaking her head.
“I’ll start looking,” he agreed, “See if Buck’s Dr. Copland will be able to help. She might know a few that we can go to,” he sighed.
“Good,” she nodded, pouting as she reached for another snack and found the plate empty.
“I’ll get you some more,” he laughed as he heard the disappointed noise coming from her. He got up and headed to the kitchen.
XxXxX
Buck walked through the loft of the 118 as Bobby was cooking, though it didn’t look like it was anything to do with the lunch that was already in the oven backing. “What are you making?” he asked, walking over.
“Just a few things that Athena is enjoying at the moment, she has an appointment tomorrow, and she’s nervous. We want to know what we’re having but we’re also scared that they’ll find something,” he sighed, “At the moment, she loves the Ginger Snaps I’ve been making, well she swears that they’ve helped her more with nausea than anything else she has used before. Though that’s quickly fading now. Still craves them though.”
“It’s always scary,” Buck said as he started to think about Taylor, “I’ll have to see about getting the recipe from you,” he said, biting his lip and hoping he hadn’t given anything away.
“You okay, you’ve been a little off over the last two shifts?” he asked him, a little frown as he glanced over.
Buck sighed, “A few things are going on, Chris is scared of something happening to me and Eddie. We’ve started therapy with him, Eddie’s already told you that he’s started as well since we’re hoping to hear anything about this as soon as possible.”
“He mentioned something was going on with Christopher,” Bobby nodded, “And that he was doing something to help himself to show Christopher that it was all going to be okay.”
“Yeah,” Buck snorted, “It’s not been easy,” he said, “But we’re hoping things are going to settle down now.”
“At least things will,” Bobby smiled at him, making up a tray to be put in as soon as lunch was done.
Buck nodded, “What… Do you think I’ll be a good dad?” he asked.
“Buck, you already are. Christopher adores you, and I can’t see that ever-changing,” he said, rolling his eyes, “Now,” he said as he put the ginger snaps into the oven and stepped back.
“I just… I don’t want to disappoint him,” he said, beginning to circle to his own parents. He pouted at the thought of them, he had lost them, and he knew there was no chance of ever getting them back. They had made it clear to him in their one and only therapy session together that they had checked out of his life. They were only in Maddie’s because of Jee-Yun, and they had quickly made it known what they thought about Buck taking care of her while Maddie was recovering. They had been making noise about coming to get her since they didn’t believe he was a good parent at all. “I don’t want to be like my own parents, Bobby, and I’m scared I will.”
“Your parents were lost in a forest of grief, and couldn’t find their way out of it, or rather they couldn’t be bothered,” he snorted.
“Forest?” Buck blinked.
“Sorry, went hiking with Harry yesterday, don’t know where he gets that energy from, and I’m not even sure if I’m going to be able to keep up with my own kid, Buck. I’ve got doubts myself, I had to carry him as he sprained an ankle when he fell, I’m not as young as I used to be,” he told him, sighing.
Buck nodded, “Yeah, but still, you’re trained and he doesn’t weigh that much, we carry more than him with our gear sometimes,” he reminded him before saying, “Chris is, he’s scared at the thought of losing yet another parent but he knows that he can’t do anything to stop anything from happening.”
“Don’t go borrowing trouble,” Bobby told him.
“I know,” he rolled his eyes, “I know that, but it doesn’t stop a scared kid from having nightmares about losing one of us.”
“True, but time, patience and just being there will,” he told him, smiling.
“And therapy, lots of therapy,” Buck nodded, making Bobby laugh as the timer went off.
“Well, go and call everyone for lunch,” Bobby instructed as he started to take it out, “Go, quick.”
“Aye, aye, Captain,” he said, giving him a mock salute before heading to the railing and calling out to the crew, “Oi, you lot, lunch is ready, so shift it!”
“Rude!” Hen yelled back as she closed the ambulance doors after doing the restocking.
“Honestly, some people,” Eddie said, sending his boyfriend a smirk.
Buck just grinned, unrepentant as he went over to help Bobby and set the table. A-shift were soon in the loft, taking their usual seats as the food was brought over to the main table.
“Smells great, Cap,” Eddie said, mouth already watering at the smell of the pasta bake, his stomach growling, and he laughed as Buck sent him a look. Lunch was served, and luckily, as soon as the last bite was eaten the alarm went off.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Athena held Bobby’s hand tightly as she lay back on the bed, her stomach was exposed, and the baby bump that was there was now getting a little more pronounced. Captain Maynard had been talking about her taking a step back from patrols and just working the desk, which wasn’t what Athena wanted. Not yet. She flinched a little when the cold gel settled on her stomach.
“Okay,” the doctor said as he moved the wand around a little, “Ah, there we go,” he smiled glancing over, “And here we see your child,” he said, “Looks a good length,” he said, tapping a few things and capturing the image as he measures him. “Yeah, this little one looks like they are doing well,” he told them.
“You can’t see anything wrong with them?” Athena fretted, squeezing Bobby’s hand a little bit tighter.
“No, though I will be going over the images again to make sure. We have your bloods already, so we’ll be checking that as well. At the moment, everything is looking fine. Now, this little one is facing us and I can tell you the gender if you want to know?” he asked them.
Bobby and Athena shared a look before they both nodded, “Please,” she said, nodding.
“Okay, well, you are having a little boy,” he said,” congratulations to you both,” he added, “I’m going to take a few images for you to take home with you,” he said as he started to print a couple out.
“Thank you, the family will be wanting to see,” Athena chuckled, “Oh, damn,” she cursed, “I haven’t told my mother.”
Bobby paused and then laughed, “Well, she’s coming for Christmas, so may as well tell her then, your dad too,” he told her.
“This is going to be a nightmare,” she shook her head.
“Nothing to do but tell them,” he told her.
“I know, but my mother… Well, she isn’t going to be happy. She loves her grandbabies, doesn’t get me wrong, but she’s going to go on and on about how I’m too old for this,” she sighed.
“Beatrice has… opinions, and she is fine to have them, but this is what the both of us have decided to do, and I for one am happy,” he said, kissing the back of her hand.
“So am I,” she agreed, “Well, my mother is just going to have to live with it,” she nodded, determined to not listen to her mother thinking she was too old, she might be over fifty, but she was still fit and in shape. If she could keep up with the criminals of LA, she could keep up with a child… she hoped.
The gel was wiped off and the doctor talked to them about a few more things before they were finally let go. Athena and Bobby walked side by side as they left the hospital, each a little lost in thought about what they were going to do with a newborn in the house.
XxXxX
Hen and the others were waiting the next day, and all of them knew that Bobby and Athena had gone for a scan. That they would be able to find out the gender. Hen had been having everyone place their bets on what it will be. Someone had said it would be triplets, and everyone shot him down.
“Well?” Hen said as soon as Bobby walked into the building.
“Can’t I even change?” he asked her, raising an eyebrow.
“We just want to know, Bobby,” Buck added with a smile on his face, “Are we getting a little boy or a little girl?” he asked, looking hopeful.
Bobby sighed, “Let me guess there’s a bet?” he asked as he headed to the locker room to change.
“There might be,” Hen said, grinning, “Now spill the damn T,” she told him.
“No,” he said, smirking as he left them all spluttering and calling out to him.
Eddie looked up from where he was sitting in the locker room, “No dice on what you’re having?” he asked, hearing the uproar.
“Not a chance that I’ll tell any of you without Athena here, and since she is going to be here for lunch, you can all wait,” he told him.
Eddie laughed and left as soon as he finished getting ready, “See you out there, Cap, Buck’s already made breakfast, just keeping it warm at the moment,” he told him.
“Makes a change,” Bobby smiled, happy to not have that duty for once.
“Did you get anything out of him?” Hen asked him.
Eddie shook his head, “No, and you won’t until Athena gets here.”
“Right,” Hen huffed, rolling her eyes.
Buck nodded and went back up to the loft, “Right, get everyone upstairs, and someone better set the table!” he called out, giving the rest of A-Shift a look.
“On it,” one of them called out and rushed upstairs to do so.
Bobby walked up as everyone was seated and Buck was serving out the food, “Thanks for taking over today,” he said, smiling as he sat down. Minutes later they were eating and doing so as fast as they could. The alarm sounded and they all ate what they could, even taking a bit with them as they headed out on a call.
XxXxX
Athena was waiting for them, lunch already cooked as she moved around the loft with ease. “Hello to you all, lunch is ready to be served,” she smiled. She had the whole day off instead of just a few hours that morning as Bobby had.
“So are we finally going to know?” Hen asked, giving her friend a pointed look.
Athena smirked, “No, eat, let’s at least have lunch first,” she told them, waiting for Bobby to join her in bringing things over.
“Smells lovely,” Bobby said, kissing her cheek and helping her carry over some of the dishes.
“Hmm,” she hummed, a happy smile on her face as they began to settle down for lunch, they had only been back once during the morning after Bobby arrived on shift.
“This is good, Athena,” Buck said, looking up and over at her as they ate.
“It’s just something simple, a nice meal, with the basics, and nothing that will start me feeling sick,” she said, as she pulled out a bag of gummy bears and sprinkled a few on her food.
The others around the table frowned, but most shrugged and carried on eating. “So, are we going to find out?” Ravi asked quietly, as he looked down the table at Athena.
“Let me guess, you’ve all got a bet riding on this?” Athena said, looking around the table and getting several nods. “What’s the betting so far?”
“Someone said triplets, but we all booed to that,” Hen said, pulling out her little red book, “some have said twins and gave what they thought, and then the rest split between boys and girls. Though only three have said boy,” she added, putting the book away, “So?”
“Well, Twins are out, as are triplets,” Athena said, glancing over at Bobby, “So we have three winners then,” she added.
“Three?”
“We’re having a boy,” Bobby said, reaching over to Athena and taking her hand.
“Congratulations,” Buck grinned at them both.
“Well,” Hen sighed, “Buck, Eddie, and Ravi are the ones that won, they all said it would be a boy, I really thought you were going to have a girl,” she grinned, getting up and heading down to the locker room. “I’ll get you your winnings.”
Buck and Eddie shared a grin and Ravi seemed to melt into his chair for a moment.
“And what are you planning on doing with those winnings?” Athena asked the three.
“All three of us have a plan, and you’re keeping your nose out,” Eddie told her, smirking as she glared.
“Eddie,” Athena said, giving him a stern look.
“Sorry ‘Thena,” Buck said, shaking his head, “We have plans, and they are nice ones, so you’ll have to wait,” he told her with a smile.
“Keep your plans, but it better be good,” she said, giving the three of them one last glare.
“You will like it, we all hope,” Buck said, he had been the one to talk with Eddie and Ravi that if they won they should buy something for the baby, each had agreed with the suggestion and all had been looking at something that they could get for them.
“When will they be putting you on maternity leave?” Hen asked as she walked back over and handed the three their winnings.
“Not sure yet, Elaine is wondering if I should go on early maternity leave,” Athena said, not happy with the prospect of not working.
“Might be prudent,” Hen said, giving her a look, “Pregnancy as a cop on the streets,” she added with a snort.
“I’m fine where I am,” Athena told her, “I’m not going to be borrowing any trouble, things are going well at the moment. Yes, I know that can’t change on a dime, but I’m going to carry on as normal as much as I can,” she finished, giving her friend and then her husband a look.
“I already said I don’t mind what you do as long as you are careful, and I know you are being so,” Bobby said, holding up his hands.
“Good,” she nodded, “Now, eat up before that alarm goes and you miss out,” she told them all, looking down at her food and not finding any gummy bears, so she sprinkled some more on the top.
“Yes, Ma’am,” Eddie nodded and carried on eating, a grin on his face. He had seen worse cravings when he had video-called Shannon while she had been pregnant with Christopher. She would go to the roadworks around El Paso asking for a bit of hot tar and would occasionally nibble on that. Seeing her do so on screen was… odd, but he quickly got used to it even when he had returned stateside to marry her just before Christopher was born.
The meal was eaten and Hen and Ravi were on washing-up duty as the others dispersed through the firehouse to do their chores for the shift. Athena sought out Buck, she had noticed that he was a little more bouncy than usual. His attention going towards other things, only Eddie was able to get him to resettle and concentrate on what was going on around them.
“Buck,” she said, greeting him, as she found him in the store cupboard going through their inventory levels.
“Hey, ‘Thena,” he smiled, “You alright?” he asked, checking her over with a glance.
“I’m fine,” she answered him, “What’s going on with you? I noticed that you were a little spacy at lunch,” she told him.
“Just something going on at home. Jee-Yun and Christopher are both fine and we’re good with having Jee still. Maddie will be released after the holidays, but she’s started to have her overnight at the facility now. Chimney is going okay, therapy is really helping him, and he’s working up to having Jee for the night. I know that Jee can’t wait for that to happen. She calls out for her parents a lot,” he smiled, thinking of the last few videos of her that he had taken.
“I’m glad to hear that they’re doing better, but I was on about you?” she prodded a little more.
Buck bit his lip, “‘Thena,” he began, “I would tell you, but it’s something that we’re still talking about at the moment, give us some more time?” he asked her.
Athena observed him for a few moments and then nodded, “Alright, tell me when you can, you know that I will be here ready to listen. If you’re in any type of trouble, I want to know.”
“I know,” he smiled, “But… I don’t think it’ll be bad news,” he told her, “Just a little shocking,” he added.
“Okay,” she nodded, frowning, “I’ll leave you to your work, but know I’m here,” she reminded him one last time before leaving him. Buck smiled as he watched her go before going back to work.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Taylor walked into the cafe and looked around. She spotted her sister sitting at one of the tables in the back. Sighing she walked towards her. She was well dressed as always. Her usually dyed blond hair was now back to its natural brown. A short almost pixie-cut hairstyle. She always did favor shorter hairstyles, even when growing up.
“Tay,” she said as she spotted her.
“Alison,” she greeted back.
“It’s Ali, legally changed and everything,” she said, a little smirk on her face, “It’s good to see you.”
“Yeah, it’s been a while, last time you were in LA was what… almost two years ago now?” Taylor said, trying to think and keep up with the moving around her sister did for her work.
“It was, I stayed a while after the earthquake, a rather gorgeous firefighter kept me around,” she said, giving a little shrug. “He’s also what brings me back,” she added, smirking.
“Oh?” Taylor frowned, “Aunt Jenny said something about that when I saw her.”
“I keep in touch,” Ali shrugged, “But, yes, I want to try again with him. We had a really good thing going. I even helped him choose a place to live, one where I could see us both living at the time. I got a little scared when he got hurt on the job. Needed time to get my head on straight about it all.”
“Yeah, that happens, it’s hard to know that they risk themselves. I was dating a firefighter myself for a while. He’s still a good friend,” she smiled.
“Well, we both have a type then, and it’s shared,” Ali laughed, “How are you, Tay?” she asked, looking her sister over and seeing that she was a little pale.
“I’m okay, I found out that I’m pregnant,” she said, “My former boyfriend is the father, the firefighter. But he’s already dating someone else.”
“Oh,” Ali said, a little frown on her face, “Well, you know I would look after them if you can’t. I don’t mind at all,” she said, smiling slightly.
“No it’s fine, we’ve already come to an arrangement on things. He and his partner are going to be the main parents, and I’m the weekender,” she chuckled dryly, “They are so good together, and they already have a child from his partner’s first marriage.”
“Hm,” Ali said, “Well, I’m here and an option,” she told her, “I know that you didn’t really want children, and well, I wouldn’t mind a couple of kids,” she smiled.
“Sorry, Ali, but they are going to their father and his partner,” she replied, shaking her head.
“Well, I’m family,” she stated, “Now, I heard that you saw him?”
“Of course, Aunt Jenny would tell you that you were always on her side of things. Even when she had been siding with Dad,” Taylor rolled her eyes as she took in the coffee that was before her. She knew that her sister had brought it for her, but she wasn’t drinking any caffeine at the moment, no matter the temptation.
Ali looked at her and saw that she wasn’t drinking, “So what tea would you like?” she asked, “I’ll get it.”
“A ginger tea if possible,” Taylor answered, as her sister got up and headed to the counter.
Returning she said, “I take it that the pregnancy is causing some sickness then?”
“Yeah, it’s fine most of the time, but sometimes, like today, it is just a bitch,” she snorted.
The barista soon came over with a cup of ginger tea. “Here,” she said.
“Thank you,” Taylor smiled at her before she left.
“So, why did you see him? I heard from Aunt Jenny about what you had said at the hearing,” she then changed the subject again.
Taylor sighed, “I had to go, and I still don’t believe that Mom killed herself, but I just… I don’t think Dad did it either,” she told her, “I’m going to look into things though, hopefully, I’ll be able to find something that the cops missed. I’m just… it’s been a long time.”
Ali stared at her, “He did it, that’s all you need to know about it. No matter what he says, he did it. He’s always going to try and say he is innocent,,” she stated, there was a blank look on her face.
“Ali,” she said, looking at her older sister, “No, I really don’t believe he did. He still talks about her with the love he showed her all the time when we were kids,” she tried to tell her.
Ali was shaking her head, “Look, you didn’t know everything going on in that house.”
“And you were rarely there, so really, it’s you that didn’t know what was going on,” Taylor reminded her, “you were so busy with those friends of yours and doing whatever it was that you wanted. I was in the house all the time. I saw them. When you were there, all you did was argue with them. Then storm off when they didn’t let you have your way,” she finished, snapping somewhat at her sister. She was never there, and when they moved to be with Aunt Jenny after their Dad had been arrested, she had been out even more. Taylor had barely seen her sister in the three years before Ali had turned eighteen.
“I had to get out of there, they never wanted me to do anything, Mom was always telling me what I should be doing all the time. She didn’t know my life or what was going on in it. She just had a view on what I should do,” Ali spat, “Look, life wasn’t easy for me like it was for you. You were the baby of the family and it showed. They loved you and barely tolerated me.”
“They did love you, you just didn’t like being told what to do,” Taylor said, “Do you know how many times Mom cried because you were home late and she was worried? How many times did Dad leave the house to go search for you as it was past midnight and you were only fourteen?” she asked her, “You have no idea what they went through because you decided that you knew better when you were a teenager and left them all the time. Mom and Dad were so scared that the next time they got a knock on the door it was going to be the cops telling them that you’d been killed.”
“They were just being dramatic,” she rolled her eyes, sipping at her latte.
“No, they weren’t. Or do you not remember the night you were attacked, and you and your friends were hurt? That night almost broke Mom, she just wanted to know where you were, and who you were with so that if something happened they could contact you. Since you always blocked their number on your mobile or ignored them,” Taylor snorted, shaking her head, “You didn’t care about them at all.”
“Of course, I did,” Ali snapped at her younger sister. “I just…”
“You just wanted what you wanted and didn’t care if it hurt anyone else,” Taylor finished for her, “You were always like that, even when I was little. Aunt Jenny always lets you do what you want. Poor Taylor and Alison, lost their Mom because their Father killed her, we should give them leeway. You took advantage of that, out all night, parties, everything you could think of, and then at eighteen, you fucked off for good and barely showed your face. I got left behind, my sister didn’t care and my Aunt hated the fact that I didn’t know what I believed when it came to Mom and Dad.”
“Whatever,” Ali said dismissively, “you weren’t me.”
“No, I wasn’t, I didn’t cause them pain with my words or actions, I didn’t hurt them. I was nine years old, Ali, nine, and I could see what you were doing to them. You never did, because as always, it’s all about you,” she rolled her eyes again and sighed, “Look, I love you, but I have to get my life together. And I’m going to prove that Dad didn’t kill Mom, I can’t help that I believe in him.”
“You’re making a mistake and it’s only going to hurt you,” Ali warned her, “You know that.”
“Maybe I will, but at least I’ll finally know, one way or another,” she said, giving a shrug as she drank some more of her tea, “I need to know Ali.”
“He killed her, he did it,” Ali said, sounding sure of herself.
Taylor stared at her sister, “How are you so sure?”
“Because…” she shrugged, “I just… We both know that Mom wouldn’t have killed herself. The only other person around would have been Dad, that’s it. It had to be him.”
“We don’t know that, there could have been someone else,” she pointed out, shaking her head, “And I’ll prove that it wasn’t Dad,” she repeated, starting to believe that he was innocent of conviction against him.
Ali sighed, “You’re only going to get hurt from this, I won’t be a part of it.”
“That’s fine,” she said, drinking the last of her tea, “I’ll prove it, now I have somewhere else I need to be.”
“Hey, I want to talk more about your pregnancy,” Ali said before Taylor could stand up.
“It’s not going to happen. I’m not letting you have my children. I’m still going to be their Mother, and the Father is going to be the main parent,” she said, standing up, “I’ve made my mind up already. I did so the moment I found out. I know that he’s going to be a great Dad and so is his partner,” she finished, “I’ll see you around, Ali,” she said, leaving.
Ali said there watching her and glaring, “Silly, as always,” she muttered under her breath as she got up to leave herself.
XxXxX
Buck walked into the loft of the 118 and looked at his phone with a frown. “Ali is messaging again,” he sighed as he glanced over at Eddie, the man was half asleep on the couch. “Sorry,” he winced, seeing the glare aimed at him for a moment.
“Don’t worry,” Eddie said with a sigh as he sat up, “What is she asking this time?”
“She really wants to meet before the holidays,” Buck said, showing Eddie the message, “I’ve already told her that I have things to do before the holidays, and during, that I’ll meet her in the New Year.”
“I don’t remember her being so persistent when you were dating,” Eddie commented, frowning slightly as he moved a bit closer.
“She was,” Buck snorted, “She was the one that really pushed for me to get the loft. I was content with waiting and finding something I really wanted to buy. Instead, I ended up with a loft that I couldn’t really live in properly for months as I recovered,” he sighed, shaking his head, “I don’t even know why she suddenly wants to talk. We broke up and that’s it. Why meet again.”
“She mentioned that she wanted to clear the air a little. Maybe she finally realized that she let something special go,” Eddie suggested, not really seeing anything else on why Ali would want to talk to Buck again. It had been well over a year, almost two in fact, since Ali had been around.
“I don’t know. I know we didn’t end things well. I… I felt like she panicked when she saw how much pain I was in. When I got home, well, you know how upset and snappy I was. Being injured, not knowing if I was going to be able to go back to work,” he sighed, “I think she just… I think she might need some closure” he said, glancing over at Eddie.
“Then, tell her again, you’ll meet her in the New Year. That you can’t see her just yet, you have things going on. If she keeps pushing, then say that you won’t meet,” Eddie said, leaning against him, “Now, shut up, send the message, and be my pillow for a while, I’m tired.”
Buck snorted as he sent the message, lifting an arm so Eddie could curl up close. He let the man sleep while he started looking up a few things online.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Eddie and Buck brought down the decorations for the Christmas tree into the living room. It was a little late, with only a week to go before Christmas day, but they had been busy, with the news of Taylor’s pregnancy and worried over Christopher’s nightmares. Then there was also the fact that the two had started to look for somewhere to live together. Buck was spending most of his time at the Diaz house, barely staying at his loft, and only then, he would often end up heading to the Diaz house in the early hours to go to work with Eddie, or to take Christopher to school with him before spending the rest of the day with Eddie.
“Okay,” Eddie said, glancing around, “We have everything,” he said, “The outside is already done,” he nodded. The two had been able to do that a few days before on their last day off, after being reminded by Taylor. Thankfully they were only hanging the outside lights, Eddie didn’t really do much else.
“Yep,” Buck grinned, looking over at Christopher and Jee-Yun, the two of them on the couch, with Christopher playing and keeping Jee-Yun occupied while Eddie and Buck had gotten the decorations.
“Okay,” Eddie said, as he went over and took Jee-Yun, putting her into the playpen, to make sure she didn’t get underfoot and into something she shouldn’t.
“Are we ready now, Dad?” Christopher asked, getting up and looking at the boxes, starting to see what was in each one.
“Yeah,” Eddie nodded, “Tree is up,” he said, as Buck had already got that set up before they headed to get the decorations.
“Right, first things first,” Buck said, “Lights?” he asked, looking at the two.
Christopher nodded, “Yeah, you put on and I’ll direct,” he said as Eddie went into one of the boxes and pulled out the lights.
“Ah,” Eddie said, as he saw the tangled mess, “I put them away properly, even made sure that they wouldn’t tangle, yet…” he sighed as he put it down and Buck joined him on the floor as the two untangled the mess that the lights had become since last Christmas.
“It always happens, Dad,” Christopher laughed, as he watched them.
“Done,” Eddie huffed almost an hour later, rolling his eyes, “Really need to find something that will keep them untangled this year,” he said.
“I’ll have a look online,” Buck said as the two got up and started to put them on the tree. Christopher directed them as they decorated.
“Right, the decorations!” Christopher yelled out as he opened one of the boxes and began to pull them out, handing them over and telling Buck or Eddie where they had to go. The tree was a little higher off the ground this year since Jee-Yun was starting to pull herself up. She hadn’t taken any steps yet, but they were waiting for it. She was crawling around and was often quick to disappear as soon as they put her down.
There was a knock at the door and Buck headed to answer it, “Hey, Tay,” he greeted, “Just in time for us to finish decorating the tree.”
“Damn, I was hoping to get here before I found these,” she said as she held out a small box. “They belonged to my parents,” she said softly, “I took them when things were packed up and sold. Dad and Mom got them their first Christmas together. Aunt Jenny was going to throw them away, but I kept them and hid them away. I’ve… I’ve never used them, but I know that my parents really did love each other, and each of these had a meaning behind them. Their hopes for the future,” she smiled a little as she walked into the house.
Christopher looked at them, “What did they all mean?” he asked, having heard what she said.
“Well, this one was for a forever love,” she said as she got the one which had two people sharing a kiss under the mistletoe in the orb. “These are for the children they wanted, pulling out three with a little angel inside each of them. Pulling out two more she smiled, “These were for a blessed home, with warmth and love,” one was a little house, snow all around it, and the other was of carolers around a fire. “I remember my Mom sitting me down and telling me about them one Christmas. Dad took each of them and put them on the tree along with the ones that my sister and I had made when we were little.”
“I have some of the ones Christopher made,” Eddie said as he pointed toward another box. “There are two in there that Shannon made as well, they’ll be going up as well,” he added as Christopher shuffled over to the box and opened it.
“I remember,” Christopher said as he picked up one, “We were making them together, she said to make a wish as we put the glitter on,” he smiled, “My wish came true, though I had asked Santa as well,” he added, holding it out for Eddie to take and put on the tree.
“That’s a really nice memory to have,” Taylor told him, “Memories of those we love are very precious,” she added.
“Like memories of your Mom?” Christopher asked her, looking up at her. There was a hint of unsurity in his eyes.
Taylor smiled, nodding a few times, “Yes. They are so precious, just like the memories of your Mom are.”
Buck smiled and nodded, “Right,” he said, taking some of the other decorations and asking, “Where should I put these?”
Christopher turned back to the tree and began directing again. Taylor helped him as she happily ordered the two men around. Eddie occasionally telling Christopher a few things about Shannon that he could remember from the one Christmas they had been able to spend together when Christopher had been two.
XxXxX
Eddie smiled as he watched Christopher and Jee-Yun play on the floor with their new toys. Chimney sat with them as the Lees and Buck were on the couch. Taylor had curled up on the chair with the book she had gotten for Christmas. The day had started very early, with not only an excited Christopher but Taylor cheering him on as he jumped onto the two men to wake them up. Breakfast had been lively, Jee-Yun laughing and babbling as Christopher explained to her about the day.
“Hey,” Buck said as he held out a hand for Eddie to take as the man walked into the room fully. He stood up and they headed to a corner of the room.
“Are you looking forward to seeing Maddie?” he asked quietly.
“Yeah,” he smiled, “It’s nice to know that she can do day visits now. Last week she came over and spent some time with Jee-Yun. They are talking about having her overnight at the facility over the next month before she is released, to get her used to having her again.”
“She’s doing really well with her treatment, and Chimney seems to be doing well too,” Eddie added. This was the first time he was seeing Chimney since he had broken into their home looking for Maddie. “He looks… calmer, happier.”
“He’s doing really well,” Buck grinned, “He wants to see about having Jee overnight soon as well. Though he said that he wants to stay with the Lees for a little longer. He’s not trusting himself just yet. He also doesn’t know if he’s going to come back to the LAFD at all, he’s in two minds at the moment. He loves his work as a paramedic and firefighter, but he doesn’t know if he will be able to cope with the stress that it can bring at the moment.” Buck had talked with Chimney a lot while he had taken Jee-Yun to see her Dad, talking about a lot of things, including work and Maddie.
“I’m happy he’s doing better,” Eddie said, looking at Chimney as he lay on the floor with the kids. His daughter climbed all over him yelling, Dada, while Christopher was laughing and building something with the Lego set that the man had gotten him.
“Same,” he nodded, “Come on, let’s get some more snacks out,” he grinned, dragging Eddie back towards the kitchen.
Hours later the scene had changed and it was now Maddie on the floor, the Lees and Chimney had left a half hour before Maddie had arrived. She would be staying for a few hours before heading back to the facility. Jee-Yun was babbling to her Mama as she showed her the toys she had gotten and the wrapping paper she had kept for herself, even after Chimney and the others had tried to take it from her to put in the rubbish
“Really?” Maddie said, “And Dada played too?” she asked.
“Mama,” Jee-Yun was nodding as she added a few undecipherable sounds that Maddie responded to.
Taylor looked at the two men on the couch and nodded at them. “Hey Maddie,” she said, getting the woman’s attention.
“Yeah?” she asked, looking away from Jee-Yun for a moment.
“We have some news to share with you,” Buck told her.
“It’s awesome news, Aunt Maddie!” Christopher grinned, sitting up and leaning against the couch a little, “It’s soo cool,” he added.
“Oh?” Maddie frowned looking between the four of them.
“I’m pregnant,” Taylor said, “I’m around fifteen weeks along at the moment,” she added.
Maddie was still for a moment, eyes going wide, “Pregnant?” she asked, getting a nod from them all.
“Yeah, Buck and I aren’t together and we don’t plan on getting back together. I’m going to be transferring main custody to Buck and Eddie, I’ll be there for them as well. I just… don’t think I’m cut out for the full-time mother gig,” she added, rubbing her stomach a little, she was beginning to show, though, with the way she had been sitting, she had been able to hide even that.
“Congratulations,” Maddie smiled, looking at them, “I bet you’re going to be a great big brother, aren’t you?” she asked Christopher.
“I can wait and Taylor is having twins,” Christopher grinned, “It’s going to be so much fun. I love playing with Jee, she likes it when I do funny voices like Buck when I tell stories to her,” he told her.
“T… Twins?” she asked, looking at Taylor.
Taylor nodded, “Yeah, a bit of a shock was that,” she snorted, “But I’m not unhappy about it.”
“So what’s the plan?” Maddie asked, turning to face them properly.
“Well, Buck and I are going to be looking for a house, larger than this one, so we can fit all of us,” Eddie answered her.
“If they find a place, I’ll be staying with them for a few months after the birth to breastfeed a little, then leaving to my own place again,” Taylor added, smiling over the plans that they had made so far.
“May as well just move in,” Eddie snorted, “You’re here more than there,” he added, smiling at her to know that he wasn’t fully joking and that she was welcome to do so.
Taylor stuck out her tongue, “No,” she told him, laughing, “I like my own place, but thank you for the offer,” she added, smiling at them and shaking her head.
“Have to say, that is one thing that I missed when Jee was first born, was having time to myself, just those few minutes and hours to recharge,” Maddie said, biting her lip. “What about the loft?” she asked, “I know that you bought that?”
“Yeah, I’m going to sell it, I don’t need it. I’m not really living there at the moment either. I think I’ve only slept there twice in the last month,” Buck answered, “So getting rid of it, I really should have waited to find something that was more me,” he sighed, still not happy that he had jumped into buying a place he hadn’t really wanted.
“Put it up on the market and move in,” Eddie suggested, “you’re already here enough, it won’t be much of a change.”
Buck smiled and nodded, “Okay, next four days off, we’ll do that.”
Eddie and Buck shared a kiss as Christopher pulled a face. Taylor and Maddie shared a laugh as Taylor asked her a few things about pregnancy and what to expect. Christopher made a few gross faces at that as well as he sighed and looked at Jee-Yun and said, “Parents are so gross most of the time, us kids are going to have to stick together. You’ll help me with my baby brother or sister, won’t you?” he asked, getting a babbling answer from her and bopping him on the head with her tiger plush.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Athena sighed as Bobby walked over, they were celebrating the New Year with everyone. This year, she wouldn’t be holding a glass of wine, but juice. “You okay?” Bobby asked her as he settled beside her on the chair.
“Yeah, just looking at everyone and seeing how things have changed since last year,” she told him, “Buck and Eddie are finally together,” she snorted as she saw the two whispering together, smiling at each other.
“It only took them a couple of years,” Bobby said, shaking his head as he took her free hand, “I never really imagined where we are either,” he told her, glancing at her stomach. She was beginning to show, and both of them were looking a little suspiciously at Taylor who had come along to the gathering. Maddie and Chimney were both there as well. Each of them talking to the other as they played with Jee-Yun. It was the first time each of them had seen each other since the night that Chimney had been taken away.
It had taken a lot to get Chimney to agree to come for the night, to celebrate the New Year. Maddie had been the one to message him using Buck’s phone, that he should come to the party. They had both apologized to each other, Chimney for what he had done and Maddie for putting so much pressure on him in keeping a very toxic secret about the fact that she had PPD. It had been a nice little reunion between the two, though each of them had stated that they wouldn’t be trying to get back together, too much had happened and neither of them felt like they were in the right place for a relationship. That they needed to concentrate on their daughter.
“I don’t think most of us thought we would be here like we are,” Bobby admitted after a few moments of silence and looking around the garden.
“I know,” she smiled, “But I’m happy all the same. Even if I feel like I’m too old to be changing diapers,” she snorted, “I thought the next time I would be doing that was when May or Harry had children.”
“I know the feeling,” Bobby laughed, kissing her softly, “I’m happy, really happy that I get to have this with you, even though part of me is worried out of my mind about something happening,” he admitted.
Athena nodded, “I’m scared too, but our doctor has said that everything is going well at the moment. Let’s not go borrowing trouble,” she reminded him.
“Yeah,” he nodded, smiling as he looked out at everyone.
“It’s time!” Buck said as the countdown to midnight began.
Everyone joined in as they counted down. The kids all yelled ‘Happy New Year’ as it hit zero. Buck and Eddie shared a kiss, and all the couples did the same. Chimney and Maddie shared a smile as they kissed Jee-Yun on her cheeks, causing her to squeal happily as she was between her parents.
Taylor looked at Buck and Eddie as they advanced on her. “No,” she said, glaring at the two of them.
She didn’t suspect Christopher sneaking up and kissing her cheek, “Happy New Year, Snakes,” he grinned as she turned to face him.
“Really, Acey,” Taylor said, shaking her head and pulling him close, and kissing his cheek as well, “Happy New Year,” she smiled.
“Are you going to tell everyone now?” Christopher asked his family.
“Yeah, I think we should,” Taylor was the one to answer him, “I’m sixteen weeks, I’m showing, and I’ve been getting looks from Athena all night. Thankfully, I’ve been able to hide the bump from everyone else,” she added, though Maddie knew of course.
Buck looked at her and then nodded, “Okay,” he smiled, as he turned to face everyone. “Erm,” he called out, “Can I have everyone’s attention for a moment?” he asked.
“Of course,” Athena said as everyone turned to wait and find out what the young man wanted.
“Well,” Buck said, glancing at Taylor.
“I’m pregnant,” she said, smiling at them all, “And before you ask, yes, it’s Bucks and no we’re not getting back together. We’re happier the way we are. Though Buck and Eddie will be having main custody,” she added before anyone could ask.
“We’re really happy,” Buck said, as he glanced at Eddie and Taylor.
“I get to be a big brother, at last,” Christopher added, “And Taylor is great too,” he grinned.
“That’s because the two of you are up to something,” Buck said as he glanced at them both before turning back to the gathering.
“Congratulations,” Maddie said, even though she knew, “I’m happy for you all.”
“Congratulations,” Athena said as she got up and walked over, “How are you doing?” she asked Taylor after hugging Buck and Eddie.
“I’m doing okay, I wasn’t expecting this,” Taylor answered, “Though there is one more thing,” she added, as everyone quickly looked at her.
“We’re having twins,” Buck smiled, “We’re going to have our hands full.”
“That’s where I’ll come in and save the day because someone has to, Dad and Papa are going to be so lost,” Christopher grinned.
“Of course,” Taylor said, “you’re going to be their big brother and they are going to need your help when they are born, we both know your Dads are idiots at times.”
“I’ll say,” Christopher said, grinning as he added, “Papa and Dad keep getting all caught up in kissing too much,” he said, looking at the two, who were now a little red.
“Chris!” Eddie said, shaking his head, “Private.”
“Nope, you do it in front of me, therefore not private,” he grinned, “The world will know the shame I have to live with.”
Hen laughed, “Well, maybe you shouldn’t do it so much. I’m still waiting for the day that you kiss at the station, you already cuddle with each other at the station.”
“And sleep in the same bunk, though how you both fit I don’t know,” Bobby added.
Buck and Eddie shared a look, “We’re supposed to be saying, Yay Taylor’s pregnant and the three of them are having a kid,” Buck pouted.
“Not pick on the two of us,” Eddie finished.
“Can’t help it,” Hen said, smiling, “You two are still in the honeymoon phase, and you really do curl up next to each other as much as possible. I don’t think you’ll even grow out of that phase if we’re all being honest.”
“It just shows how much the two of you really love each other. It was high time you got your heads out of your butts,” Bobby added, getting a laugh from Christopher.
“Though, Taylor, congratulations,” Hen said, “I’m happy for the three of you, and yes, you as well Chris,” she added, seeing the ten-year-old grinning as he stayed by his Dad’s side.
“I hope you three are prepared, having a newborn around is hard,” Chimney said, a small smile on his face as he walked over, Jee-Yun was wide awake in his arms, “I love Jee with all my heart, but some nights, I wish she was somewhere else so I could sleep.”
“Same,” Maddie agreed.
“I think all of us who have had babies have had that feeling at least a dozen times. That wish to be able to just sleep like the dead,” Athena snorted, “I know I’ll be wishing for a quiet night again,” she added, resting a hand on her small bump.
Taylor smiled, “I’m looking forward to the day I go to the Diaz house and see them all looking like zombies.”
“Any cravings yet?” Athena asked as she found the two of them a quiet place to sit while people carried on teasing Buck and Eddie, with Christopher joining in. Denny and the other children were watching and laughing.
“A few, but nothing too outlandish I don’t think,” she answered, “I have to say, I didn’t think I would ever be a Mother. I’m not really the type,” she added.
“I do like to add gummy bears to everything,” Athena told her, “So, yeah, not the worst things I’ve heard,” she smiled, “Now, I’ve noticed that you’ve been on your phone and reading something nearly all night long here. So what’s going on, I can see the frown.”
“You’re too observant,” Taylor snorted, “Buck warned me about that.”
“Just as you are,” she reminded her, “Now, what’s going on?” she asked again, “If I can help, I will.”
Taylor sighed, “Buck did say that it might be an idea to talk to you. That you might be able to help me a little.”
“Okay, I’m listening,” she sat back.
“My Father was convicted of murdering my Mother when I was ten. Dad denies it and has done it each and every single time. He was released on parole a few weeks ago. I’ve talked to him about this, and he still maintains the same story. He wasn’t arrested or even charged until nine months after her death. At first, they had ruled him out because of an alibi, but then they decided that the person he was with, one of my uncles, was lying and that he was covering for my Dad. No charges were brought against my Uncle though,” Taylor began to explain, “I’ve talked with my Dad, and I believe him when he says that he didn’t kill her. The cops never looked at anyone else, someone had told them that they should focus on my Father three months after my Mother’s death had been ruled a suicide. They had just started to look into her death again and had decided that it wasn’t a suicide. I don’t think my Mom killed herself either. In my heart I know it wasn’t my Dad,” she sighed, “It’s confusing. I’ve been going over the public records of the case and the trial transcript. I was only young at the time, just turned nine when she was killed, and when he was arrested and ten when the trial started and he was convicted. My Aunt, who I lived with afterward, was my Mom’s sister, and of course, she didn’t think Mom killed herself. She was sidling up to my Dad until he was arrested, and I do mean the day he was arrested, she was doing that. I don’t know what to think half the time. I believe that my Mom couldn’t have killed herself, but I don’t believe my Dad was the one that did it.”
“It’s a tough one, what evidence did they gather?” Athena asked, a slight frown forming.
“Nothing concrete, it was all hearsay mainly. Just what people said about my Dad and my Mom. My Mom was happy, and at first, no one said a word against my dad, then boom, one day that all changed and he was the worst Father and husband ever. I never saw anything to indicate that. I was a sneaky brat, even then, so I think I would have heard something. Ali, my sister, believes that it was Dad as well. Said that they were always arguing, not that she would know, she wasn’t in the house most of the time. I was, even when I should have been elsewhere,” she added, shaking her head, “I used to sneak back into the house when I should be at school. There are some things a child should not hear when it comes to their parents.”
“I take it they were still very close and loving?” she questioned, a little smirk playing on her lips.
Taylor nodded, “That’s what I mean, that was what was in private and in public, they were really in love with each other still.”
“I’ll help where I can. Could I see the transcripts and things that you’ve been able to gather as well?” she asked her.
“Sure,” she smiled, nodding a few times, “I’d be glad of the extra eyes, and the eyes of a cop at that.”
“Are you two going to gossip, or join in the party?” Karen said as she walked over.
“Yes, we’ll join in, I’m hungry,” Athena said as Taylor nodded in agreement as they got up to get some more food. The night carried on for another hour or so before people started to head home.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Maddie grinned as she held Jee-Yun, she had finally been released in the second week of January and was happy to be home. Though she at first had no idea where she was going to be living since she didn’t know if she wanted to stay with Buck and Eddie, their house was small, after all. In the end, Chimney told her to stay at his place, he wasn’t using it as he was going to be staying at the Lees for a little while longer. So Maddie would have time to find herself a place she wanted to stay at.
“Well, Jee,” she said as she looked around, the place hadn’t really changed. It was cleaner and ready for someone to live in it. Albert had found a place of his own just before Christmas, so had made sure the place was ready for Maddie or Chimney to stay in it. “I’m home for good now,” she told her daughter.
Buck smiled as he watched his sister walk around the house. He had been the one to pick her up, she wasn’t going to be having Jee-Yun overnight on her first night home. But Buck wanted her to have her daughter there when she arrived. He would be staying late with her, helping her to settle before it was Jee-Yun’s bedtime. Maddie had Jee-Yun overnight twice while she was at the facility. She would be having her two nights a week as she got resettled and looked for a more permanent home for herself. Chimney was going to start having Jee-Yun overnight as well during the next week, Buck was happy that the two of them were getting to a place where their daughter could be with them more often.
“Thanks,” Maddie said, turning to face her brother as she walked back into the living room.
“Welcome, you know that,” Buck smiled, “Now, shall we have a drink? I made sure the place was fully stocked before you got here. Albert made sure the place was tidy and everything as well,” he added, heading to the kitchen.
“That would be lovely,” she smiled and followed him, “Your Uncle Buck is awesome, isn’t he? And so is Uncle Albert,” she said, tickling her daughter’s tummy as she held her.
“Uck!” Jee-Yun squealed as she looked for Buck.
“Hey, Jee,” Buck said, waving at her, “You want your juice.”
“Uck! Mamamamamaam,” she yelled out, laughing as Buck made up some juice as he put the coffee maker on.
“Here we go, Jee,” he said, handing her a bottle of weak juice. “Coffee?” he asked.
“Caramel shot please,” Maddie said, “I was limited in the amount of coffee I could have there,” she added, pulling a face, “And it wasn’t the best coffee either.”
“I don’t blame you then,” he said as he made the two of them some coffee and took it into the living room.
“How have things been?” Maddie asked as they sat down. Jee-Yun settled against her mother to enjoy her juice.
“Things are going well, I’ve put the loft up for sale and Eddie will be doing the same with the house as soon as we’ve been accepted for a place,” Buck said, “We’re looking at something larger, especially as we have twins,” he shook his head, “Taylor said that her dad is a triplet, he has a brother and sister,” he said, “So she is shocked about it, but not that shocked.”
“I still can’t believe that you’re going to be a Dad,” she smiled, “I would say talk to Mom and Dad, but…” she sighed.
“Maddie, I know you have a totally different relationship with them than what I do, but I don’t-” he stopped for a moment, trying to formulate the words he needed, “They haven’t been my parents in a very long time, if ever. They’ve never really cared about me, only put on a show, even when I was hurt. It was all a show for you, during those times. I understood that the moment you left, that they really didn’t care.”
Maddie was sad as she looked at him and nodded, “I understand, I’ve not really talked to them at all since Jee-Yun was born. I told them and they visited for a few days when she was very little, but-” she sighed, “I don’t think they care if I’m honest with myself.”
Buck smiled, “We have the others, they are… they’re so good for us. Bobby and Athena are like parents, they have been since I first met Bobby and Athena. Well okay, it did take a little while for her to warm up to me. She took me under her wing as well. I feel more for them than I have ever done for our parents, Mads,” he finished, sipping at his coffee as he leaned back on the couch.
Maddie snorted, “Athena did the same with me, she talked about you as well.”
“She’s great, I can’t believe she’s pregnant,” he grinned, “Though, thinking of them like that, ew.”
“Parents, right,” Maddie laughed, getting a nod, “Speaking of parents, Howie and I are doing therapy together, we want to make sure that we’re on the same page when it comes to Jee,” she said quietly.
“It’s a good idea, I’ve shoved Eddie and Christopher into therapy recently, though Taylor had to help me with Eddie. That man was so damn reluctant,” he told her, “I’m still going. Though I did stop for a bit,” he added, “I was all over the place after Eddie was shot. Taylor was the one that made me go back after she saw me have a few nightmares.”
“Good to hear, therapy for all,” she laughed, shaking her head a few times.
“Yeah,” Buck snorted, almost spilling his drink. Talk turned to other things as Buck stayed for a few more hours before heading home with Jee-Yun. Leaving Maddie to her first night in the house alone.
XxXxX
Buck settled beside Eddie on the couch, they had the house to themselves for the night. Jee-Yun was spending the night with Maddie and Christopher was at a sleepover for the night. “I don’t know if I like the house being so quiet and empty,” Buck confessed as he leaned against Eddie, a bowl of popcorn on his lap for them to share as Eddie started the movie they were going to watch.
“I know,” Eddie snorted, “Even Taylor decided to stay away, though she said that her sister was still in town and they were going to meet again. If she didn’t cancel like she had last time.”
“She said her sister and her don’t see eye to eye when it comes to their parents and what could have happened,” he murmured, “Her Dad is nice though, I can’t really see him as a killer either. Tay, well, she didn’t know, but she sounds sure now that her Dad didn’t do it now.”
Eddie nodded, “Well, you pointed her in Athena’s direction, maybe between the two of them they’ll be able to get to the truth of the matter,” he said, getting a nod in return as they went quiet and started to watch the film, only speaking a little during it.
“That wasn’t bad, I think Chris will enjoy it,” Buck said as the film finished and the credits began to roll. He sat up straight and stretched. “It’s not even that late, what the hell do we normally do with our time, Eds?” he asked, glancing around, it wasn’t even eight yet.
“Well, usually we’re trying to get Jee-Yun to go to sleep at seven, Christopher to go to bed at half eight, and then finding out he’s under the covers reading with a torch at ten,” Eddie said as he began to list the things that they usually do during the earlier part of the evening.
Buck laughed, “Our life already revolves around children,” he smiled, “You know what though,” he said as he looked back at Eddie.
“What?” he asked, looking back, a soft fond smile on his face.
Smiling he answered, “I wouldn’t change it. I can’t wait for the twins to be born. Christopher is so excited, and I know that Taylor says she’s not mother material at all and that she won’t be able to be a mom at all. I think she is just worried after what happened to her own parents, that’s plaguing her mind a little. I think she’ll be okay, she does adore Chris and Jee, she even looks after them and Chris says she’s awesome.”
“I still can’t believe how well those two get along. Chris and Taylor have their own days out now. I have no clue as to what they do, but they come back happy and excited,” Eddie said, smiling and shaking his head as he got up, “Drink?”
“Beer please,” he answered.
Eddie headed into the kitchen and came out with two beers, “Reminds me that we need to look more for a place. I know that Taylor is only 18 weeks, but the last half of the pregnancy is going to go quickly and we want to make sure everything is ready.”
Buck groaned, “Yeah I know, the loft is for sale, and I’ve been looking through the listings and trying to narrow down the area that we could go to for work and Chris’ school.”
“I’ve been looking a little, but we should set aside a day to really look and then another to book some viewings. I’ve found a couple that fit what we need and in areas that would be fine for us,” Eddie said, sitting back down.
“So have I,” Buck admitted, pulling out his phone, “Here,” he said, handing it over.
“Oh, I did see that one,” he murmured as he looked over the two, “That one I found as well,” he added, looking at the second one. “Here, this is the one I found,” he said as he did a quick search and handed the phone back.
“Not a bad neighborhood,” he nodded, “Enough bedrooms, and two en suites as well,” he said quietly, “One could be easily done up for Christopher as well,” he added.
“Exactly,” Eddie said, “Which is what we need, I want him as independent as possible.”
“Yeah,” Buck agreed, “we have a day off tomorrow, so how about we look at them then before we pick Christopher up?” he asked.
“Sure, what time are we having Jee back?” he replied, as they settled in for another movie.
“Maddie wants to take her to the park tomorrow for a bit, and then drop her off here around lunchtime. She said she’d like to have lunch with the two of us and Christopher,” Buck answered, leaning back into Eddie’s arms as he put away his phone.
“So, both kids will be back at lunchtime, that should give us a bit of time to look and make some appointments,” he said, “Christopher is at school, and you said that Chimney is having Jee on Tuesday?” he asked, getting a nod, “So we could book some for then?” he suggested.
“Sounds like a plan if things don’t mess up,” Buck snorted, he knew that sometimes things happened, and often they had to think on their feet. He knew that Taylor was working on Monday and Tuesday, and she was also going to be talking to her boss soon about her pregnancy. She wouldn’t be able to carry on hiding it, she was starting to really show.
“It should be fine, even if one of the kids remains, Carla is able to look after him again, and on Monday she’s also at the school with him,” he reminded Buck. Carla would be at the school for the later part of the day and afterward as well for his physical therapy appointment that he had most Mondays.
“Okay, we have a plan in place,” he smiled, “Now, movie, which one?” he asked, looking through the movies that were available to stream.
“Something with action?” he answered, a little grin on his face.
“As always,” Buck snorted, “comedy action, True Lies,” he suggested, seeing it was available.
“Sure,” he nodded, curling an arm around Buck and pulling him against his chest.
Nodding, Buck put the film on and the two settled down to watch another movie. Both of them talked about what they wanted in a home.
Chapter Forty
Athena opened the front door and greeted Taylor, “How are you?” she asked as she let the younger woman into her home.
“I’m doing well, they have been kicking, and I’ve got another scan in a few days, we’re hoping to finally see what we’re having,” she smiled, “So far, the two have been curled around each other so tightly that they can’t see anything much,” she snorted as they made their way to the living area and sat down, drinks were already sitting there waiting for them along with several snacks.
“Good to hear, this might be the third for me, but it feels a little different than when I was pregnant with May or Harry,” Athena admitted, “It might be because I’m a lot older now,” she sighed as she sat down.
“Maybe,” Taylor said, “I feel odd, I have to say,” she told her, “I never really thought I would be a Mother, that maybe I could be in time with Buck, but… I knew our relationship wouldn’t carry on. So… I think this is the best way for me to be a Mother and to make sure that the children will be fine.”
“I can understand, I didn’t think I would be much of one when May was born, but I wouldn’t change it for the world,” she smiled, “Now, I read through everything that you sent me about your Father’s case. The notes all say at the start that the relationship between your parents was very loving, in private and in public. So,” Athena said, as she pulled out the notes that she had been making. “I talked to one of the cops that were in charge of the investigations, he’s retired now, but he sent me his personal notes that he had made during the case. He wasn’t sure when his partner brought up the fact that someone had told him that your parents had been arguing a lot.”
“Yeah, they were, but that was about Ali, she was always going out, hanging around with these other teens that, well, they got in trouble a lot. Most of the time she was brought back by the cops. It didn’t matter what for, she was always out doing whatever and then being brought back,” Taylor sighed, “Mom and Dad didn’t know what to do, Mom was trying to be the peacekeeper most of the time, Dad was the one that wanted to send her off to one of his brothers, he has five, two are his triplets and two older, and one younger,” she added, “It was mainly to get Ali away from the friends that she had made, to make sure that she wouldn’t end up dead in a ditch. Dad was so scared of that happening, Mom was worried about it too. Mom was arguing a lot more with Ali as well, they were butting heads, a lot. She wanted Ali home, to keep her safe, especially when she had been attacked. But it really didn’t matter since not long after Mom had been killed.”
“Right,” Athena frowned, “And what about your sister Ali, does she have an alibi?”
“Yeah, she was with friends, stoned out their heads,” Taylor rolled her eyes. “It took us three days to get in touch with her to tell her about Mom, she wasn’t listening to any of us. I don’t think she really cared that Mom had died, she just carried on doing what she wanted. It took us an age to even find her the day of the funeral,” she frowned, “she was always like that, not caring unless it was about her and what she wanted. She’s still the same as well,” she sighed, giving a shrug.
Athena nodded, “Getting high,” she said, getting a nod, “She did that a lot back then?”
“Yeah, from around the age of fourteen, she was hanging with these older people all the time. No care what they were doing as long as she was able to join in. I never knew what happened to the sister I had grown up with. One minute things were fine, and then suddenly she didn’t want to know the family. Dad and Mom never said what it could have been either,” she answered, she picked up the tea that Athena had made for them and sipped at it, “Oh, this is the same as what Buck gets.”
“Yeah, he was the one who gave me some, said that Maddie adored it during her pregnancy,” she told her, smiling as she drank some of her own, “Now, what about the people that she was hanging around with, do you remember anything about them?” she asked.
“You think it might have been one of them?” Taylor asked, eyes going wide, “I never really thought of them like that,” she murmured, “But they did come to the house a few times. Mom shouted at them to leave, forbidding Ali to bring them by at all. Not that it really stopped them, Mom was tiny, and they were all a lot bigger, hell Ali was bigger than Mom by the time she was thirteen,” she snorted a little, “So yeah, they could have easily overpowered Mom.”
“The report says that she hung herself,” Athena said, as she looked through her notes, “That she hung until death, but that there were bruises on her arms that looked like she had either had a struggle or had fallen against something. The coroner at the time couldn’t decide which.”
“Yeah, it was one of the reasons that they were looking into things again,” she said, “I was wondering why they started focusing on Dad though. He had an alibi himself,” she pointed out.
“It was the brother that gave it to him, one of the triplets?” she asked, getting a nod in answer, “They said that he couldn’t have been with your father.”
“Yeah, but Uncle Gregory, he and Dad were always together a lot when he was free. They were very close and still are. Uncle Gregory has been by my Dad’s place a lot since he was freed,” Taylor told her, nodding, “I talk to Dad on the phone a lot. He’s trying to see if he can get permission to move down here, for when the babies come. I would like him here, I really don’t want Ali, she’s a little baby crazy at the moment.”
“I see,” she nodded, “And because of how close, the cops believed that the alibi was a false one and your Uncle was covering for your Father?”
“Yeah,” she replied, “Erm… Uncle Gregory said that they were at the bar for a bit during the day, helping a friend, the friend did confirm, and then the two were at Uncle Gregory’s place. No one saw Dad for a while after leaving the bar with Uncle Gregory.”
“You remember a lot of this?” Athena inquired, a little frown on her face.
“I made sure of it, I wrote everything down from the moment I found out Mom was dead. I wanted to remember because I didn’t think she would have killed herself. I do think someone killed her, but I really don’t believe it’s Dad. I pushed a lot of memories away for a while, and it was because of the notes I made that helped me remember things more recently. Dad was… devastated, I remember him crying a lot when Mom was killed,” she said, it felt like she had said that hundreds of times over the years. Remembering how her father had been after her mother’s death, it was hard, “I have my notebook that I used back then. I had to hide it from my aunt, she hated the fact that I didn’t want to believe either way what happened to Mom,” she said, grabbing the bag she had brought with her and pulling out the old, almost falling apart notebook. She had read through it so many times over the years, hoping that she would be able to find a glimpse of something in there that would point her in the right direction.
“Thank you,” Athena said as she took the offered notebook. “I know it’s not what you would want to do, I understand that these things are rather private,” she added as she began to read through it.
“It is, my thoughts on what happened, and feelings are in there. Along with what I observed. It was one of the things that had me torn between becoming a cop and a detective or a reporter. Both in their own way tried to find out the truth. Though I can be a little more thorough in certain ways as a reporter. People are more often able to give me the truth as well since they like to get their fifteen minutes of fame. Even lying sometimes to get in front of the camera so that I can put all the pieces together and show the truth from all that,” she pointed out.
“There is some truth in that,” Athena snorted as she carried on reading. Taylor drank her tea as she read. Letting her mind go over those that her sister had hung around with while they were young. Even when they had moved, Ali had been around them still, since they didn’t live that far from her Aunt Jenny.
“You talk about your sister and her always being absent,” Athena said, “And then the ones that she hung around with, being around the house more.”
“Dad didn’t want to argue with her over things at the time. He didn’t start until about three months after Mom’s death. Then we found out the cops were investigating her death again and then after I think it was nine months after Mom’s death they arrested him. Ali was… really argumentative at the time since Dad didn’t want her friends near the house. They had said some things about Mom a few times while they were there.”
“Yes, I read about how they were ambivalent about your mother’s death,” Athena said nodding as she read the last of it, “This one, the male that Ali was hanging around with all the time. Connor,” she said, “what about him?”
“Connor,” Taylor closed her eyes to picture the man, “He wasn’t a teenager like the rest of them, he was about twenty-three, I really didn’t like him, and neither did our parents. He was too old to be hanging around teenagers between fourteen and sixteen, but he did. I was wary of him, he made me uncomfortable,” she answered.
“I’ll see what I can find on him when I go in. I’ll talk with Elaine about what I’m doing as well, just in case. Sometimes a fresh set of eyes are what can really break a case open. With how you talk, I’m beginning to believe that your father was targeted as the killer because someone suggested it to the cops,” Athena said, nodding absentmindedly as she went over what she had been reading through.
“That’s what I think. No one was looking and then suddenly they were,” she shook her head, “It gets me, everyone was so sorry about what happened, everyone talked about Dad being so in love with Mom and everything like that,” she sighed, “Then it changes, seemingly overnight. It was like rumors started to go around about how they were arguing, and they never did that in public or in front of anyone that wasn’t me or Ali.”
“So they shouldn’t have known about something like that then?” Athena asked her.
“No,” she admitted, “Which is why I’m really looking into it now, I need to find out where they started. Because that might lead me to who wanted her dead and my dad framed for it.”
Athena nodded, “Connor is a likely one,” she admitted, “From the notes you made about him, he was very odd when it came to after your mother’s death, and ignored everything that your dad and your mom said about him coming around the house.”
“Yeah,” she nodded, “I could talk about this all day, and the problems that I’ve seen when it comes to the investigation.”
“I can tell,” Athena said, “So let’s put it aside for a moment, and talk about something else, I have a few lines of inquiry that I can do, and it seems like you might have the same.”
“Yeah,” Taylor nodded, “And I need to pee,” she huffed as she got up.
Athena laughed as she left for the bathroom in a hurry, and then stopped, “Damn, so do I,” and hurried to the bathroom attached to her bedroom.
Chapter Forty-One
Taylor was waiting for Ali to turn up at her apartment this time. The woman had asked her sister if they could meet, and with Taylor not wanting to go out in public at the moment, news of her pregnancy was beginning to spread. Thankfully she wasn’t that famous so it would cause a problem. It was still enough of one that she didn’t want people to come up to her. Some members of the public did when they recognized her. She was feeling rather anti-social at the moment. The door was knocked and Taylor went over.
“Wow, you’re looking… pregnant,” Ali said in the way of a proper greeting as she was let into the home.
Taylor rolled her eyes, “Of course I am, I’m pregnant with twins,” she told her sister.
“Twins?” Ali asked, “I don’t think you told me that.”
“I swore I had,” she huffed, “Oh well, doesn’t matter, yes it’s twins, twins, and triplets do run in dad’s family after all,” she reminded her.
“Yeah I know,” Ali rolled her eyes, “Now, I wanted to talk to you about that.”
“I’m not giving them to you, so stop asking,” Taylor said, “If you are just going to go on about that, then leave again.”
“Testy,” Ali muttered.
“Of course I am,” she said, “I’m pregnant and my sister wants to take my children from me,” she added, “Now, tea?”
“Tea… What about Coffee?” she answered back, following her sister into the home even more.
“Erm, I don’t have any in the house as I’m trying to avoid it. It’s making me cranky as hell to smell it and then feel a bit sick. That only started a few days ago,” Taylor answered as she began to make them some of the peppermint tea she was enjoying at the moment.
“Fine,” she muttered, not that happy with the choice of drink, she enjoyed her coffee more.
“So, how are things going?” she asked her older sister.
“Things are well, I’m settling back into LA for a bit, don’t know how long I’m going to be here. You know that work has been crazy for a while. What with his death during the earthquake? I ended up in New York for a bit then down in Houston. I’m back here, and trying to make things work with an old flame,” she said, giving a shrug.
“How is that working out for you, and when are you going to be telling me more about him?” Taylor asked, bringing the tea over and sitting at the counter with her.
“When I get him to agree to date me again. He’s been reluctant to meet with me. We didn’t break up on the best of terms. I did leave him not long after he got injured and he was only just out of the hospital when I told him I couldn’t carry on being with a firefighter. I was scared,” Ali shrugged, looking at the tea with a grimace, “I don’t know how you can drink this stuff.”
“Easy, having no choice and it being the only thing that doesn’t make me want to throw up in the morning. Ginger tea also does the same thing. I just like the smell of this one a bit more” Taylor gave a shrug, already blowing on the very hot liquid and hoping it was cool enough for just a small sip. It wasn’t and she winced as it burnt her lip and tongue a little.
“You should know better than to do that,” Ali snorted, shaking her head as she let her tea remain on the counter, not even attempting or pretending to take a sip of it.
“I’m looking more into Dad’s case,” Taylor finally said a few moments later, “I’m looking at the people that you used to hang around with. Like Connor,” she finished, looking mostly at her tea before finally looking up at her sister.
“I thought I told you to leave this alone, it’s not going to bring Mom back you know,” Ali said, “It’s over with, Dad went to prison, we lived with Aunt Jenny, and we moved on with our lives. I really don’t know why you keep bringing this up.”
“Because I want to know what happened. People say it was Dad, and I really don’t think it was. I know you don’t really care about who did what. But I do,” Taylor snapped, shaking her head as she looked disappointed that her sister couldn’t or wouldn’t support her in this. “I thought you would rather know what happened as well.”
“I don’t care, I never have. You know I wasn’t getting along with them when Mom died. I was out,” she said.
“I know you were, but that shouldn’t mean you don’t care,” she replied, “Look, I’m just trying to find the truth of what happened. We both know Mom would never have killed herself, and Dad was so in love with Mom that he would never have raised a hand to her.”
“Well, he did,” Ali told her, looking over at her, “Look, you didn’t know a lot of what was going on in that house.”
“I know more than you,” Taylor retorted, “You weren’t there. Hell, it took us three days to find you after Mom died.”
“Yeah, so?” she shrugged, “I was with Connor, that’s how I know he had nothing to do with it.”
“I still want to know more about Connor,” Taylor queried, “I just want to make sure he had nothing to do with it.”
“He didn’t,” she answered, staring at her.
“I want to make sure,” Taylor said, “What can you remember about him?”
“I’m not going to sit here and have you go through my friends from back then because you are grasping at straws. If this is how you are going to be, I wouldn’t want you to have those children,” she added, getting up and beginning to head out.
“You really don’t give a shit about our parents. As long as Ali is fine, then everyone else can go fuck themselves,” Taylor snapped at her, “This is what you’ve always done. You want your way, then fine, leave, don’t come crying to me about shit,” she said, turning away from her sister.
“I was there for you-” Ali began.
“No, you weren’t!” Taylor yelled, “You were never there for me, you always told me to forget what happened and just moved on, you weren’t the one to find her, and you weren’t the one that had to call 911, I was!”
“You… you found her?” Ali asked, frowning.
“Yes, but then again, you were as high as a fucking kite back then to even listen to what was going on around you. You were a kid, a teenager that would go out and do shit all the time according to Dad. I saw that you were thirteen the first time. Dad was worried out of his head when we couldn’t find you after I found Mom. We were worried something had happened and you had been in the home as well and saw her being murdered, or killing herself.”
“I-”
“Leave, I want to know the truth of what I walked into that day,” Taylor said, “And I know Dad didn’t do it. It took me this long to figure that out. I’m ashamed to have let Aunt Jenny beat me down until I just listened to her and shut up about what I felt and saw.”
“I’m sorry,” Ali said, “I’m sorry that you were the one that found her.”
“It doesn’t really matter now. No one else cared about that but Dad,” she said, drinking some of the tea and sighing, closing her eyes and letting the scent of it wash over her. “I just need to know,” she told her.
Ali stood there for a few more moments, “It wasn’t Connor,” she said, “He wouldn’t have done that, he didn’t like Mom, but then none of my friends did back then,” she added.
“Of course, they didn’t,” Taylor rolled her eyes as she opened them, “They were told to stay away from you and the house.”
“Yeah, Mom and Dad didn’t like them,” she sighed, “Look, you can go over this until you’re blue in the face. I want nothing to do with it at all. I know that you love Mom, I do… I do love her and Dad, but I can’t bring this up again.”
Taylor watched as she left, “Of course, you can’t. You’ve never been able to face what was going on. I doubt you even remember,” she said bitterly. Drinking the rest of her tea she got up and went to the living room and settled in for doing some research into those she could remember hanging around Ali. If she wouldn’t help, then Taylor would have to do it herself.
XxXxX
Ali walked through the patrons of the cafe, she had left her sister a lot earlier than she had planned, but she was able to finally talk Buck into meeting with her. She couldn’t wait to see him. She had been able to see him on TV a few times, the news covering rescues and such that she was able to glimpse at. Including things about the tsunami that happened several months after she had left him. Ali couldn’t believe that he had been in that, that he had rescued so many people.
“Buck,” she greeted him as she was quick to order herself a coffee and go and join him at the table he was seated at. He was looking through something on his phone, and a notebook was beside him.
“I can’t stay long,” Buck told her, “but you’re looking well, Ali,” he added, as he glanced at her.
“I’m doing well,” she smiled, sitting down properly, “How have you been?” she asked him, smiling sweetly.
Buck smiled back, “I’m doing really well. Things were a little in the air for a bit, but I started back at work after a while. Dated, and now with someone that I know will be my forever person.”
“Oh,” Ali said, “Are you sure about that? I was kind of hoping that we might be able to give it another try?” she added, “I know I left in a rather bad way back then. I’ve had a lot of time to think it through and over what happened.”
“Yeah I’m sure it’s forever, we’re looking for a home at the moment,” he said holding up his phone and showing her the listings that he was starting to look through, “It’s what I’m currently doing. Seeing what’s available. We need to find a place near some good schools, and near the station as well.”
“I was really hoping that we would be able to try again, I know I messed up, so please, will you at least think about it?” she added once more, becoming a little pushy.
“Ali, I’m in a really happy relationship at the moment, we’ve been together for a few months already and we know we’re going to get married. We’ve also got children in the home,” he added, gesturing to the stroller where Jee-Yun was sleeping.
“Oh,” she said, blinking at the baby, “Yours?” she asked.
“No my niece,” he said, “But she’s living with me and Eddie at the moment while my sister and Chim sort themselves out. Things have happened,” he added, but not giving her any details, it wasn’t her business after all.
“Buck,” she began again, “I would at least like to be friends with you then.”
“I don’t know. I don’t really have that much time at the moment. We’re trying to find a place to live, and then sort things out for Maddie to have Jee more, and then Chimney as well. Everything is going on,” he said, making up a load of excuses. Eddie had said she might try and get back with him, but Buck had laughed it off. Now, he wasn’t sure if he should have accepted meeting her at all.
“I can understand that, I’m in the area, so no matter what you can call out to me. I hope we can see each other again. I’d like to know more about what’s going on in your life,” Ali said, getting up, “Sorry, I remembered I have something to do.”
“Oh, that’s fine, I’m meeting Eddie in about an hour, we’re going to be looking at one of the places that met our shortlist,” Buck nodded as Ali was quick to leave. Buck was frowning as he watched her go, not sure if he would see her again. He shrugged and went back to what he was doing, messaging Eddie that he was free.
Chapter Forty-Two
Taylor walked into her boss’s office and stared at the man, “What do you think you are doing?” she asked him.
“That is no way to talk to me,” he stated, not looking up from what he was doing.
“You’re trying to get Mitch to take over one of the stories that I’ve been looking into myself. No, you’re not, I will not be handing over the research and the time that I have already put into this. I will take it higher up,” she warned him, “you’ve been doing this for the last month, and I don’t understand why.”
“Simple, you’re pregnant, and you are visibly pregnant, trying to do a hard-hitting story in such a condition will lessen the impact of it,” he said looking up at her, “I’m sorry, but the news comes first.”
“Yes it does, and that means shit when it comes to me being pregnant,” she told him, “And you know it,” she growled.
“It does when it affects our rating, I won’t have us going down, just because you-“he began, staring at her.
“I’m pregnant, not dying,” she told him, “I know what I’m doing. You didn’t even want to touch this story, said it was too much,” she reminded him.
“I may not have, but since we have it, we’ve got the research and all the work you’ve done. I want it to make sure that it will hit hard, and it won’t do if there is a pregnant woman standing there delivering the news,” he stated, shaking his head, “Just face it, Taylor, being pregnant isn’t going to be easy on your career at the moment. You’re more of a liability when it comes to certain stories. You need to stick to fluff pieces.”
“I’m not going to be doing that. I’m an investigative reporter, not some fluff piece brat,” she stated, “I’m not going to be doing such a thing. I’ve done my time as a fluff piece reporter,” Taylor stated, it was the reason why she had been given more and more newsworthy stories in the end.
“I’m sorry, but the political fallout and scandal that you’re working on, isn’t going to be impactful at all with someone on it that’s pregnant and visibly pregnant at that,” Luka told her again, “Look, I know you’re a good reporter, Taylor, but this isn’t a job for you.”
“Then let’s go and see what Anita has to say about it. She was the one that gave me the go-ahead on it as well. When you refused to even think about it, because one of the politicians in this is someone that you know personally,” she said, a little smirk on her face, she had found that little bit interesting, to say the least. She had understood then why Luka had been reluctant to let the piece be shown.
“Fine, and she’ll say the same thing. We want a good impactful story and it isn’t going to happen with you,” he said, getting up.
Taylor knew that he was going to be disappointed in what Anita said, she was able to keep the story because anyone else would have given in to what Luka wanted from it, which was for it to not affect his friend so much. Mitch was close with Luka and she knew that was why he would do what Luka wanted and not what the story was telling. He would soften things and outright take some elements out just to try and help Luka.
“Luka, Taylor,” Anita said as she finished her work and looked up at the two that had entered her office, “What can I do for the both of you?” she asked.
“I’m trying to point out to Taylor that it’s not going to be a good idea for her to do the story on Kensington and the scandal surrounding him and two others,” Luka said straight off, “She’s pregnant, and seeing that on screen while trying to report on something so serious isn’t going to be a good idea. It’s going to send a softer image to the public when we need someone more hard-hitting.”
Taylor rolled her eyes, “I’ve already done most of the work, just a few last edits and one more piece to camera to go and everything will be done and ready for airing,” she said, “I’ve got the reports, proof of what’s going on and interviews were done with people involved.”
“I see,” Antia said, “And you believe that Taylor isn’t suited?” she asked Luka.
“Of course, she isn’t. In her current condition, she needs to start doing the fluff piece again. This is what she is really made for. The hard-hitting things, just aren’t her. I don’t think it ever has been,” Luka answered.
“Considering she has reported on many subjects over the past year. She’s worked her way up from doing fluff pieces, and really, it’s not Taylor. She has a lot more to offer than that, and just because she is pregnant doesn’t mean she should be put back down to them. I know that you want Mitch on this story, you’ve made that known to me on several occasions. It’s not going to happen. Taylor is going to continue the story, it is her story, one that she has done all the work for and knows the ins and outs of. This means that what she has gathered can also be put towards the police investigation that is going on,” Anita said, “We’ve both been liaising with one of the cops in charge of it. The fraud is going to come to light, no matter what. At the moment, we have the upper hand in the story. If you want it to be done by someone else, it’s not going to happen, we have the chance to get this out as it goes down.”
“There is something else that I need to attend to in two days’ time,” Taylor said, a little cryptically, but Anita knew what she was on about. The rest was going to go down in two days, and Taylor had been invited along to film it since she had been one of the major contributors to the evidence that will be used to prosecute them in the end.
“I know, and you have to leave to carry on with your story,” Anita said, “I believe Luka and I need to have a private chat about this story and his treatment of you,” she added as she looked at Luka.
Luka growled a little but remained as Taylor left the office and headed back to her own little cubicle so she could carry on getting things ready.
XxXxX
Taylor was smiling as she went to meet her sister. They had started speaking again the day before and Ali wanted to meet her. She didn’t sound that happy on the phone, so she agreed to meet. Though she had just finished filming the arrest of the two politicians and a third person that was involved. The story was ready to air, and it would be that very night, other news crews were starting to scramble to get something, but Taylor had everything ready. Luka wasn’t happy with her, but then again, he hadn’t since she had started working for him. There was something about her that he just didn’t like, and it showed a lot in the type of stories that he tried to fob off on her. Anita was getting sick of playing mediator and was getting ready to transfer Luka to another crew and have someone new come in that would actually run their lot properly.
“Taylor,” Ali said as she greeted her sister, there was a weary smile on her face as she sat down. Tea was already bought for her.
“Hey,” she smiled in greeting as she looked at her, “you look tired. What’s going on?” she asked.
Ali sighed, “I was meeting with my old boyfriend, and it didn’t go as I planned. He’s with someone and it hurts that he was able to move on after me like that,” she said, “I thought what we had was special back then. I even helped him find a place that was just his and not something he was having to stay at because he had nowhere else to go,” she told her.
“Well, sometimes, people do move on. I know it hurts to see sometimes,” Taylor said, thinking about Buck, “But if you love them you’ll let them go and want nothing more than to see them happy. I’m happy that my ex has found someone that loves him as much, if not more than I do. I’m still in their lives, as their friend. They are the ones that are going to be doing the main raising of our children, and I really don’t mind that at all. I know how they are with children. They have a son already, from his partner’s previous marriage. I think I told you that,” she added, frowning a little.
“I don’t think you did as well,” Ali shook her head, “It’s not the same though, Taylor. We didn’t break up as a normal couple did. I left because I was scared. I thought he would have waited, let me come to terms with the fact that he has one of the most dangerous jobs out there. You didn’t see him after he was hurt, Tay, he was so down and so adamant about going back. He was in a cast and that was all he could think about, not even a day out of the hospital. I have no doubt he was thinking about it as well while he was in the hospital too,” she sighed heavily, wrapping her hands around the mug in front of her.
“There’s not much that you can do to get back together if that is the case. Especially if he is now happy. Ali, breaking up with someone like that, doesn’t mean that they will wait for you to be okay with their job. What if someone was never okay with it, they would be alone, but someone else would have moved on. I know that you were dating recently. I have no idea what broke that one up, by all accounts from Aunt Jenny you were really happy with that one,” she pointed out, reaching out for her tea and sipping at it.
“He left, found out that I… I couldn’t have children,” she finally said, sighing heavily, “I found out some years ago when I was about twenty that the chances of me being able to get pregnant were almost zero. IVF didn’t work, so he left. He wants children. Didn’t even want to adopt a child with me. We were even engaged,” she rolled her eyes. “When he left, I decided that I wanted to try again with a previous partner, as I know he would be open to adoption,” she smiled, “It’s also why I wanted to have your children since you… you were going to be given them away anyway.”
“It’s not happening, and adopting alone is a thing you can do,” Taylor pointed out, “you don’t need a partner for that.”
“But if you let me have your children, then I won’t have to wait what could be years,” Ali tried to guilt her into letting her take the babies instead of them being given to some unknown.
“Ali,” Taylor said in that warning tone, “Stop talking about it,” she said, shaking her head.
“Fine,” she pulled a face, “Anyway, I just wanted to talk to you about him for a bit. I want to try and make him see that he is missing out on not being with me. I really like him, Tay, he’s hot like burning hot. So sweet and kind as well, I know he will make a great husband and father. That’s what I want, and I want him to want me back,” she said.
Taylor shook her head, “For some reason, I don’t think it’s going to be a good idea. You can’t always get what you want,” she reminded her, “It never happens.”
“I know it will work. He saved me once, maybe I just need to remind him of what we once had and he’ll be back,” she smirked a little as a plan began forming in her mind.
Taylor sighed as she drank her tea and changed the subject, she was never going to agree to what her sister wanted.
Chapter Forty-Three
Buck grinned as he signed the last of the paperwork, “Thank you,” he said to the woman across from him.
“No, thank you,” she smiled, “I’m looking forward to having a place of my own,” she added, shaking Buck’s hand as he stood up. The loft apartment had finally been sold. It hadn’t taken as long as he had thought it would.
Buck was almost skipping when he left the lawyer’s offices and headed to the parking lot. Eddie was going to be waiting for him there. “Hey,” he called out.
Eddie looked up from his phone, he was leaning against his truck. He smiled, “Everything went okay?” he asked.
“Yeah,” he answered, “The last of the paperwork has been signed, and everything. It’s done,” he said, “Didn’t take as long as I thought it would to sell the place. I did like it, but after the bombing, well, I don’t think I really saw it as home after that. I had to live in the living room for months as I recovered,” he sighed and got into the truck.
“I know, we did offer to bring your bed down several times. And I know that I asked you to come and stay with us a couple of times as well,” Eddie reminded him, getting in himself.
Buck smiled, “I know, I just… I felt like a burden at the time. Like no one would want me around for long. Ali… she left because I wanted to go back to being a firefighter if I could. She was… against it, didn’t like that I would put myself in danger for anyone else.”
“Some people are just not meant to be the partners of someone like us,” Eddie said carefully, “it takes someone pretty special to stand by us. Karen, and Maddie, both of them were to be there for us when we were hurt. Even Athena is a boss when things happen,” he smirked and then laughed as Buck did.
“Yeah, she is a boss alright, great at organizing the help and the food when something happens to one of us,” he laughed, “Even Taylor is willing to stick with us. I think… I think if she hadn’t pushed us together she would have stayed. I think she still is even now,” he added, smiling softly as he thought of the woman.
“She is someone special,” he said and then pulled a face as he pulled out of the parking lot and onto one of the main roads. “I can’t believe I said that,” he muttered to himself, causing Buck to laugh again.
“I’m telling her you said that,” he grinned at him, “She won’t believe it.”
“She will,” Eddie muttered, but smiled after a moment, “She wasn’t a nice person when we first met her.”
“No, she wasn’t and she even admits that. She apologized to everyone for things as well. Even talked with Bobby too, she’s made up for things. She’s there for us as well, when Carla was away for a while, she was the one that looked after Jee and Christopher,” he pointed out.
“I know, she claims to not really like children or get along with them, but Jee and Chris seem to be the exception to all that,” he added.
Buck nodded, “Yeah, she adores Christopher, and they like going out for a day together. Have you heard the nicknames they’ve given each other?” he asked him, smiling as he thought of them.
“I have, it’s… cute,” he snorted, shaking his head, “Well,” he said, “We have a viewing soon, want to head there and wait, we can grab something to eat on the way?” he suggested.
“Yeah, that sounds good to me,” Buck agreed, smiling as they headed to one of their favorite delis. After getting the food they headed to one of the three houses that they were going to view that day. They had the day off and Jee-Yun would be with her father overnight that day. So they had dropped her off with Chimney that morning. He was going to be meeting with Maddie so they could spend the day together with Jee-Yun at the park before dinner.
They went through the first house and shook their heads, there was just too much work to do to make it up to the standard that they needed. The second one was a little better. The third was almost perfect. They walked into the large living room, with enough room to have furniture and for it to be spaced out enough that Christopher would easily be able to get around things, with and without his crutches. Two of the bedrooms had ensuite bathrooms, one attached to the slightly smaller bedroom than the master bedroom, which they could easily see Christopher living in. The master bedroom was a little further away, another bedroom, between them and Christopher, with two more on the other side. It was large enough to give the twins their own rooms when they got older. There were five bedrooms in total, so one could be changed to a guest room so that Carla would have somewhere to stay, and one of the other rooms could be for Taylor when she stayed with them after the twins were born.
Buck walked into the kitchen of the house and grinned, it was large and spacious. The place was done up nicely and Buck could easily imagine cooking in there with Eddie, and even with Bobby. he looked over at Eddie who was looking around with a smile on his face, “I think we might have found something,” he said quietly.
“Yeah, I’ve been looking at the price and it’s lower than I thought it would for something like this,” Eddie said, “There’s got to be a catch,” he added.
“Maybe, but, we can ask about that, get some surveys done, and make sure it’s sound. No doubt Michael might know of people that we could get in touch with for that,” he added.
“True,” Eddie said, “shall we talk with Candy? After we look around a little more,” he asked.
Buck nodded, and they went to look around some more, making sure that the things were there that they wanted. After a little longer, they headed to find Candy in the living room waiting for them.
“So?” she asked, “how does this one meet your criteria?” There was a smile on her face, as though she knew she had hit all the wants that the couple had.
“It’s great, but we’re wondering why the price is so low?” Eddie asked, “For a place like this, I was expecting it to be worth a lot more.”
“Normally you would be right,” she said, “The previous owner passed away, and the grandson takes care of it. He lives out of state and doesn’t wish to return at all. Not even to take the things that belonged to his grandfather. He is selling it for a low price as he just wants it gone. It’s only just gone on the market, probate on the estate lasted a while, but now that it’s finally done, he wants rid of the property before he has to pay more on it.”
“So we wouldn’t just be taking the house, but would have to get rid of what’s in here that we don’t want, or even send it on?” Eddie asked, looking at her.
“He doesn’t care what you do. He is his grandfather’s only living relative. So everything went to him, even though from what he said they didn’t get along at all,” she told them, “He just wants to get rid of the place that he never went to.”
“Okay,” Eddie said, “We want to make an offer, if possible,” he finally said, clutching at Buck’s hand. They would put the offer in and if it was accepted, then they would put their current home up for sale as well, so they could go about putting as much down on the house as they could.
“Okay, let’s get started then,” Candy smiled as she pulled out the paperwork they needed and they went through it.
XxXxX
Buck was humming as he cooked dinner for everyone. Taylor was over again, her news piece had been on the day before and it had been a shocker to watch. “You sound really happy,” Taylor said as she walked into the kitchen, bringing with her some empty mugs.
“Yeah, I am,” he smiled, “We made an offer on a house. We’re going to be showing you and Christopher what we know about the place as soon as dinner is over.”
“That’s great news, I know you sold the loft, which I’m glad about. I wasn’t that keen on the place,” she said, “it was… nice, don’t get me wrong, but a little too open for my taste.”
“Yeah, well a previous girlfriend helped me to choose it. I was sofa surfing at the time, she was the one that helped me look for a place. It was her that really wanted it, and at the time, I thought we could be going somewhere,” he paused and shrugged, “It didn’t. She didn’t handle being with a firefighter well.”
Taylor frowned at that, “Didn’t handle it well?” she asked.
Buck nodded, “Yeah, well, the truck bombing, when I was pinned, my leg was badly injured. It took me almost six months of work to get back to firefighting fit. When I got home she said she couldn’t handle it. Being a firefighter’s girlfriend, she wasn’t strong enough to know that I ran into danger like that. She knew that about me right from the start though, since that was how we met. I helped to rescue her during an earthquake.”
“Ah, I see,” she nodded, “What was she like?”
“Things were great, at first. She liked to get her own way a lot, but I was happy with her. I thought I was, have to admit that being with you and now Eddie has kind of spoiled me for relationships I believe,” he grinned at her, “You… you were easy to care for and love you know.”
Taylor smiled softly, “And so are you,” she told him, “I adore you, you know, you’re so kind and honest with things. It helped me grow as a person as well. That I love about you. You helped people see the best in themselves. I think I would have become a right bitch without your help to temper me a little.” She was beginning to tear up.
“Hey, I didn’t mean to make you cry,” he said, as he put down the spatula and headed over to her, and hugged her tightly.
“Just the hormones,” she said as she looked up at him, but hugged him back anyway. “I always get teary a lot. Damn, you should have seen me during the arrest. I was doing my best not to burst into tears because we got the bastard,” she laughed, wiping at her eyes.
“Well, you did good on that one, had no idea that was going on, the fraud and the money that had been taken, well damn, you know,” Buck said as he finally let her go, “you okay?” he asked her.
“Yeah, of course, I’m,” she reassured him, “I just… I loved what we had, but I know that you and Eddie are forever and I love seeing you so happy. Yes, we were happy, but you’re happier with him,” she said, smiling, “Now I’m going back in there and demanding a foot rub, no one told me they would ache so damn bad,” she muttered.
“Eddie gives the best foot rubs,” Buck agreed, “Go on, he will no doubt accommodate you on that.”
“He promised he would if I would bake that Lemon Drizzle cake he really liked,” Taylor smirked as she then headed into the living room again.
Buck smiled after her and went back to cooking. They would soon be eating and Taylor would be staying the night. Jee-Yun would end up needing a bath after wearing most of her food, and Buck and Eddie would be laughing too much to notice the pictures that Taylor was taking and Christopher picking out bits of spaghetti from his hair after Jee-Yun thought it would be a good idea to throw it at him.
Chapter Forty-Four
Buck looked at his phone as it buzzed a third time in the last few seconds. A slew of messages was already on his phone and he didn’t even want to look at them.
“Are you going to answer them?” Hen asked as she walked over, sitting down with a book in her hand.
“Don’t want to,” Buck muttered petulantly. Things had been quiet for a day, but then yesterday his phone had started to be inundated with messages. All of them were from Ali.
“What’s going on?” she asked, frowning, she had never known Buck not to answer a message or a call on his phone. Even when he was in the middle of something. His reason was that he didn’t know if someone he loved needed help or just someone to talk to. It was nice to know that he would be there for her and others, but she had to wonder if he needed a break from that.
“Do you remember during the truck bombing that I was dating Ali?” he asked her, glancing over.
Hen nodded, she remembered more of that awful time than she would like to. Seeing Buck so defeated was etched in her mind, as it was with the rest of A-Shift who were there that day. “I remember her, she helped you to find the loft, didn’t she?”
“Yeah, she’s the one. Well, she recently got back in touch. Well, before Christmas she got in touch. She wanted to talk. I put it off until a couple of weeks ago. She wanted to try and get back together. That she was sorry for leaving as she did,” Buck was shaking his head as he spoke, “I just… she doesn’t want to take no for an answer.”
“Why won’t she?” Hen frowned, from what he could remember of Ali she was a nice young woman that knew her own mind and what she wanted in life.
“She wants me,” Buck told her, “I’m not being conceited or anything like that, I’m being truthful. She’s constantly trying to make a pass. I liked her as a friend. At the time I thought we could have something special with some work. Now though…”
“You don’t think that you can continue to be a friend with someone that isn’t respecting your relationship with Eddie or even the boundaries that you put down,” she summarized for him.
“Yes,” he nodded a few times, “Look,” he said as he grabbed his phone and began to show her the messages that he was now receiving. Each of them begged him to give them a chance again, a try at least to see if they could still make a good couple.
“Damn,” Hen said, shaking her head, “Well, I know what you should do,” she told him.
“What?” Buck asked, glancing up.
“You’re going to have to block her, delete her number, and block her from contacting you in any other way. Send one last message to her if you need to say that you don’t wish to talk anymore,” Hen advised him, hoping that it would help Buck.
Buck nodded slowly, biting his lip, “But what if she needs help?”
“Buck, she is not your problem. You may have dated, but it was a couple of months, not that long in the grand scheme of things. You’ve dated Eddie for longer, hell, I think you were around Taylor for longer as well,” she snorted as she thought of the woman that had somehow gotten very close with everyone in the 118.
“Okay,” he nodded, as he drafted a message and let Hen see it before he sent it. He wanted to make sure it sounded right.
“That’s good,” she smiled, handing the phone back. “Just remember to stick to it. Don’t let her back in.”
“Yeah,” Buck nodded, sending the message and blocking her. He hadn’t said that he would be blocking her. Maybe he should have, but he didn’t want to admit that he was going to do that. She could easily find him if she knew that. He still worked at the same station, while he had sold the loft, he was only at Eddie’s until they got the house they had made a bid on.
“Now, we have chores to do-” she began only to sigh when the alarm sounded and they headed out once more.
XxXxX
Buck yawned as he pulled into the store that was near his home. Eddie had asked for him to get a few things on the way home. They had gone in separate vehicles that day since Eddie had to go to an appointment that morning. They had finished a shift and they needed a few things since they hadn’t been able to do a large shop in the last few days. “Right, bread, milk, a few things for dinner tonight,” he muttered to himself as he walked inside and grabbed a cart. He wanted to get a few more things than what was on the list.
Buck started to go around, he was just grabbing some vegetables for a stir fry when he felt a hand on his arm. Looking up he bit back a sigh as he saw Ali standing there. “What are you doing here?” he asked her.
“I was here and I saw you. I thought it would be nice to at least say hello,” she said with a flirtatious smile on her face.
Buck just stared at her, “And the message I sent you last night?” he asked her.
“I know you didn’t mean it. We can still talk,” she smiled, trying to be cute and failing as Buck was too annoyed to even think of anything else.
“I sent that message because I wanted to be left alone for a while. I have things that I need to do. I can’t be around you when you flirt with me all the time. You don’t seem to get it that I’m in a relationship and I’m happy. What we had is long over. It has been for a while,” he reminded her, shaking his head.
Ali pouted at him, “But, Buck,” she said sweetly, “I know that you think you have a good relationship with this man at the moment.”
“No-” Buck began, shaking his head.
“You just really need to give us a chance again,” she interrupted him, still hanging onto his arm now. She was stopping him from going anywhere.
“No, I’m not,” he told her once again, “I never remembered you being this pushy about things. Look, I don’t want to date you, I’m happy with who I’m with at the moment, but there are things going on that I need to do as well. I have dinner to cook tonight,” he added as he tried to pull his arm away from her.
“Buck,” she said, almost whining as she held him even more tightly. Buck had no doubt that he’ll end up with a bruise on his arm if she continued.
“Oh my,” an elderly lady said as she smiled at the two of them, “Don’t you both look like a cute couple,” she said, shaking her head, “Really, it’s nice to see a couple not afraid of showing affection to each other in public.”
“Oh, thank you,” Ali said, smiling brightly at her, “W-”
“I’m sorry, Ma’am,” Buck said gently, “But I’m not together with this woman. I’m in a committed relationship with someone and we actually have children. This one just wants to try and get me to date her again. She ran off when she realized that my job as a firefighter could be dangerous,” he added, feeling a little bit annoyed as Ali tugged on his arm, trying to get him to shut up.
“Are you really?” the lady asked, frowning at the two of them.
“I am,” Buck said, “I can show you a picture of myself, my partner and our eldest son, the two youngest ones are still growing at the moment. A very good friend of ours is pregnant with a second and third child,” he grinned, not able to stop himself from bragging about that fact. Though really, Taylor would be the mother no matter what was going on.
“Let me see,” the lady said, a little excited, “I miss my own family, they all live so far away now.”
“It’s not nice when they do. I know that my partner misses his sisters a lot as they don’t live that close to us,” he said as he was finally able to break free from the death grip that Ali had on his arm. And showed the woman the pictures on his phone.
“Oh my, what a handsome young man,” she laughed, “I can see how smitten you are with him as you talk,” she told him, “And the love in his eyes for you. Yes, I can understand why no one else would hold a candle for you,” she told him, patting his arm. “I think I’ve seen you here before haven’t I?” she asked, as she got a good look at Buck.
“It’s near where we live,” he answered her, “so yes, you may have seen me shop here a few times in the past,” he finished, smiling.
“Ah, well, I wish you and your partner a happy life,” she smiled before leaving the two of them and walking off to carry on her shopping.
“You really couldn’t wait to try and ruin an old lady’s dream,” Ali snapped from behind him.
Buck closed his eyes and took a breath before he turned around, “I live around here, Ali, I’m not going to have someone that I know has shopped here before thinking that I’m with you when it will be very obvious that I am with someone else the next time we decide to do a shop together,” he told her, “Now, I don’t know what game you’re playing at, Ali, but we aren’t dating, we’re never going to be dating, ever again. You made things clear that you didn’t want to date me because I’m a firefighter, that’s not going to change.”
Ali stood up straight and stared at him, a cold look in her eyes that Buck had never seen before. “You have no idea what you are going to be missing out on,” she told him, “I love you, Buck, and I did back then. I was scared, but I’m back, how could you… how could you move on without waiting for me?!” she exclaimed, now looking heartbroken.
“How long was I supposed to wait?” he asked her, “until now, even longer maybe? I’m not going to wait around for something that might never have happened. I moved on, and you should do the same. At the moment, Ali, I’m not sure I even like you with the way that you have acted over the last month since I met up with you.”
“You are going to be missing out on so much, we could be raising our children together. I have two children that I’m going to need help with, are you really going to abandon me and them?” she tried to blackmail him into agreeing with her.
“I have children that are going to need me. I have three of them, two on the way. They are my blood,” he said, though Christopher wasn’t but may as well have been with the way that he loves him as his own. “Now, I need to carry on shopping for dinner, I have a family to feed,” he said as he turned and began to walk away.
“You will regret this Buck, I mean it,” Ali called after him before turning and heading out of the shop.
Buck sighed in relief that she was gone. He pulled out his phone again and sent a message to Eddie about what had happened. He was going to be careful on the way home. He didn’t think Ali knew where Eddie had lived, only himself. She had never even gone to a Grant-Nash BBQ either, not one single gathering had she been able to attend because of her work, and even when she was with him, she never wanted to. Putting his phone away, he carried on with the shopping before taking a longer route home.
I had to pause between 4 and 5 bc reasons-but 5 was excellent as well. Awesome fic!
OH SHIT SHES CRAZY
Oh dear, she’s going to be trouble and could be dangerous, especially as it looks as if she may know more about her mother’s death than she said.