First Responders.

CHAPTER SEVENTY SEVEN , WHEN I NEEDED YOU MOST

a/n : just realizing there are 14 episodes this season and i'm currently writing for episode 11...this part went by soooo fast

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Emery's hands had been shaking for the past week. Her court date was only a few days away and she had been working with her lawyer nonstop to prepare. She's barely been at work, Bobby insisted that she focus her time doing this. Emery appreciated it, loading herself with work while prepping for trial would've been something to push away any emotions. But Emery knows that she has to feel. It's a normal thing to do.

She was human after all.

Another thing that human's needed? Social interaction. And Emery's barely had that without people besides her Lawyer. She had seen Buck this past week, she barely even catches glimpses of Wren at home. The only time Emery did see Wren was when she asked to accompany Emery at court. Emery appreciated the gesture and she was grateful for her, but Buck was going to be there for her. That was company enough.

But Buck wasn't there.

Emery wishes she could describe the feeling. But she's never felt anything like this before. She needed him here. And she reassured everyone that he would be here. So, in the end she had no one here.

She was going to have to face Joe alone.

Emery's mind began to spin and all she wanted to do was get out of this pantsuit. She can't be here—

"Emerson."

Emery snaps her eyes over to her Lawyer and she shakes her head. "I can't...I can't do this."

"Emery, we're outside of the doors."

Emery's shift to the dark wood and she inhales a shaky breath. "He's not here. Buck isn't here—I can't."

Emery tried to call him but he didn't answer. He always answered. What if something was wrong?

"Maybe he just forgot."

Emery squeezes her eyes shut. "That's even worse. I think." She tries to shake the nerves from her hands. Emery taps each of the pad of her fingers against her thumb. "I can't wait for him, can I?"

The lawyer's eyes soften. "I'm afraid not. I am so sorry."

Her chest tightens with fear and her eyes shift back to the door. She felt powerless in this situation. Emery's eyes shift to her arm where Joe cut his name into her. She thinks about how for the longest time, Joe had this power over her. She felt as if she would never get away from him. She was still in the barrel with Tom.

But she knew that wasn't true.

Emery was here. Alive and happy. She had to show Joe that she has healed. Emery was healed and Joe would never hurt her again.

So, the woman lifts her eyes back to her lawyer. "I'm ready."

The lawyer smiles with pride. He knows that they've been practicing for this moment. And he knows that Emery is ready. "Okay, let's go."

...

"Ma'am!"

Athena lifts her eyes from the folder and looks at the two detectives. The Sergeant softly laughs, "You know, you don't have to keep calling me 'ma'am'? I feel like we're past that."

Wren softly laughs, "Eh, I mean, you taught me everything I know." her face then gets hot. "You'll always be my training officer or...ma'am." she then begins to panic and holds her hands up. "If that's okay. If not then I don't have to call you 'ma'am' anymore. I can call you so many things, like Mrs. Grant--the 'Grantmiser?--no, that's weird--"

"You've been talking for too long." Ransone coughs into his fist.

"Yep, I got that." Wren clears her throat and looks at the ground. She inhales a breath, gaining her composure. She then looks at Athena, who was smiling. "You, uh, wanted to see us?"

"You know there's nothing in that case file aside from a photo and the initial statement from her mother?" Athena sets the file on the desk.

Wren pulls her brows together, she grabs the file and looks over it. Ransone looks over Wren's shoulder, "This is Nelson's case, right?"

"Would be if he were working it. Instead, he decided to wait and see." Athena says. "Maybe she'll just come back on her own. She's not the kind of missing girl that makes the evening news."

Wren's eyes soften and she looks through the little information that was contained in the file. "Well, I'm sure we can take over the case since Nelson isn't worried about it."

"Solid job, solid family. No history of drugs or alcohol." Ransone names off. Wren points at the words, "There's an ex."

"Yeah, with an alibi." Athena says. "I was gonna go by her place of business, talk to the folks there."

"Well, you want some company?" Ransone voices. "I'm sure Nelson won't mind."

"I'm sure Nelson won't notice." Athena adds. She stands up and both her and Ransone look at Wren. "Well?"

Wren blinks, "Well...?"

"Are you just gonna sit here or are you coming with us?"

Wren's eyes then light up. "Wait, you guys want me to come with you?"

"Well, it wouldn't be a case without my boot." Athena sends Wren a warm smile.

Wren pushes her lower lip out and her eyes begin to burn. Don't cry--Don't you dare cry. The brunette quickly clears her throat and shakes her head. "I would love to help you guys."

☆

Emery couldn't believe it.

She couldn't fucking believe it. Emery was on the stand with Joe standing at the table—representing himself.

He had announced with pride that he was going to represent himself.

"I know this case isn't fair and it's difficult to defend someone like me. So, I'll do it for you."

Emery wanted to fucking throw up. Joe was full of shit. Emery just hopes the judge could see that too.

"Nothing further, your honor."

The words hesitantly left her lawyer's lips. The dreaded words that meant Emery was going to now be a couple feet away from Joe once again. Her chest began to feel unbelievably tight and her emotions began to rise.

She was already on the verge of losing control and she hadn't even talked to Joe yet. Emery opens her eyes again and exhales. He can't hurt you.

Her lawyer took a sit at his table, his eyes never leaving Emery's. He gives her a small nod, telling her that she's got this.

Emery forces her stomach to clench and she places her hands in her laps--keeping herself strong. Because she was. She was so fucking strong.

"Miss Sharpe." Joe stands up and straightens his tie. I bet it's a fucking clip-on.

Emery clenched her back molars and finally forced her eyes onto Joe's.

"Can I ask you what happened here?" Joe raises his hand, revealing 2 missing fingers. Emery unclenches her jaw and a small smile forms across her lips.

"Looks like you lost two fingers."

Joe notices the smile tugged at her lips, so he reciprocates. "I'm glad you find it humorous." He tucks his hands into his slack pockets. "Can you tell me who took my two fingers."

Emery's smile lessens and her back straightens. "I did."

"Can you give me a play by play? How did you do it?"

"Objection, your honor! Relevance?"

Joe turns to the judge. "There's a point to this. I promise."

The judge hesitates but in the end, she nods her head. "Overruled."

Joe turns back to the woman and he slightly tilts his chin up. So fucking patronizing.

"Go on."

Emery's eyes wince from the pain of her nails digging into her palms. "I...bit them off."

Joe quirks a brow, "Yeah, you did." He turns to the jury. "As if I hadn't gone through enough with her shooting me in the back with a nail gun. She decides to bite my fingers off..."

"Haven't I been through enough?" Joe turns back to her with a twinkle in his eye. Emery's heart begins to beat faster. You're okay, you're okay...

"Emerson, why would you think that biting my fingers off was a good idea?—Hurting me like that? You know you didn't want to."

Emery squints her eyes, "I didn't?"

Joe gives her a sympathetic smile. "Of course you didn't. I know you—"

"You don't know me." Emery's tone was stone.

"I don't?"

"You don't."

Joe takes a step closer to the stand. "I know about your father."

Emery's eyes widen and they begin to burn. "What?"

"From what I know. He was a good man and I'm sorry for your loss—"

"Go to hell."

"Mr. Thornton, are you done questioning the witness? I don't see the relevance to these statements."

Joe lightly pats the wood of the stand and Emery's skin jumps. He turns his back and Emery pulls her sleeve down and wipes the stand. She needs him gone and this is the closest way she could do it. Emery continues to wipe the spot he touched. Get him out, get him out, get him out.

"I have one last question for my friend, your honor."

Emery stops cleaning the spot from his last words. "Your friend" her skin begins to crawl and her breath begins to shorten. She couldn't stand this for long. She had to get out. Let me out.

"Did you think I really thought I would get out of the death penalty?"

Emery pulls her brows together. "Is that a question—"

"I mean, come on, Em." Joe laughs, he walks closer to the stand. "You know me." He tilts his head and that soft look crosses his face. The same soft look that made Emery think he was safe to consider him a friend. "You know me."

Emery keeps her eyes glued to his, reading the cockiness. She could see the mischievous glint in his eyes and she knew he had something up his sleeve. Maybe he had already put his plan into motion—

Her body freezes and she could feel herself brace for impact.

"You don't care about dying." She speaks. "You just..." her stomach painfully turns and she feels something rise from her stomach. "...you just wanted to see me."

"One last time." Joe finishes.

"Okay, that's enough!" The judge speaks. "Take him back into holding."

The bailiff grabs Joe's wrists and places them behind his back. But he doesn't break eye contact from Emery. And Emery doesn't break eye contact from him.

The entire court could feel the boiling emotion's Emery thought she had gotten passed. She thought she healed. Her skin begins to burn with a feeling that made her vision go red.

"You know me. But it seems like I know you pretty fucking well—"

"Shut up." Emery's eyes burn.

"I knew you couldn't resist testifying. I'm sure you told Buck 'If he gets out and I could've done something to stop him—"

"Shut up."

"Officers! Get him out of here!"

"—I'd never forgive myself." Joe then laughs. "You're so selfless. So brave."

"You know I've always loved that about you."

Snap

Emery could genuinely hear a snap go off in her head. And all she wanted was Joe's head on a pike.

Fuck growth.

Emery lunges forward, her hands clasping his button up shirt. "You son of a bitch! You don't love me!" She jumps forward, tackling him and the bailiff to the ground. "You ruined my life!"

The judge hits the gavel over and over while screams and commotion start around the courtroom. But all Emery could hear was the muffled voice of Joe's cackle and the ringing embedded in her ears.

"You ruined Dylan's life—His parent's life—You killed him!" My Thomas.

It's like Emerson was yanked back into the desert, fighting for her life in that cabin. Trying to get away from Joe. No matter what she was still trying to get away from Joe.

Emery raises her fist and punches him again and again and again. But that doesn't stop Joe's laughter. And that just urged Emery on. Her fist had become numb, there were muffled shouts and arms trying to pull her off. But she screamed and cried—sobbed for them to let her go.

She then lifts him up by the collar of his shirt and slams him back against the floor. His head hitting the floor three times. Joe's laughter is cut off and Emery raises a fist again—

Suddenly a heavy force tackles her off of Joe and Emery's left screaming at Joe's limp body, trying to rip herself from the officer's grip.

Another officer lifts Joe's limp body off the floor and drags him out of the court. Emery feels cold metal slap around her wrists and her entire body was dragged across the floor as she continued to hysterically sob with her vision blurring.

☆

"Miss Sharpe, do you remember what happened?"

Emery keeps her eyes on her busted knuckles. The blood had stopped seeping from her skin, but the ache was still there. Emery hadn't stopped staring at her knuckles since she was put in the holding cell. "Yeah." She croaks. Emery could pretend she didn't remember a thing about what happened. But she wasn't going to lie. She was too tired. And besides, she enjoyed hurting him.

She knew that Joe could see the enjoyment across her face. Maybe that's why he was laughing so much. But she wasn't nothing like him.

At least, that's what Emerson hopes.

"I...hit Joe."

"Hit is an understatement." The lawyer quips.

Emery leans forward and covers her eyes. "Fuck..."

"It's okay—"

"How can you say that?" Emery snaps. "If anything, I helped higher his chances of going free."

The lawyer shakes his head and sits beside her. "No, you didn't. As soon as Joe admitted his true reasonings for making his appeal, the judge put him right back on death row."

Emery thought she'd feel relief. But it was the opposite. "He still got what he wanted in the end." Her voice was hoarse and quiet. "He got to see me. And he got to see me...break. Again."

"You reacted how anyone else would've." The lawyer tries his best to comfort her. But he doesn't know how to respond in this situation. Emery thought he was doing a good job.

"I didn't want to react like that." Emery stated. "I wanted to..." her voice cracks. "I wanted to be better than that."

Emery scoffs, "And now I'm paying the price."

"Actually...someone bailed you out."

Emery pulls her brows together. "What?" Her eyes snap over to the cell, hoping for Buck. He wasn't there at the trial, but that's okay because he bailed her out. He's here now.

"Last name Fletcher."

Emery looks at the lawyer. She was even more confused now. The lawyer stands up and taps against the cell. An officer walks over and pulls the cage open. Emery follows the lawyer out. She grabs her items that were in a bag and walks into the lobby. Emery's eyes quickly find the three Fletcher's and tears form in her eyes. The last thing Emerson wanted was for the Fletchers to bail her out of jail—especially for beating the shit out their son/father's murderer.

Emery absently shakes her head, "What...?" she weakly lets out with genuine confusion.

"You guys did not have to do this—"

Mrs. Fletcher wraps her arms around Emery. "I'm glad you're okay, sweetie."

Emery's body tenses from the hug. Mrs. Fletcher pulls way from the hug and cups Emery's face, causing the woman's eyes to burn more than before.

"Why did you guys bail me out?" Emery whispers. "I should rot for what I did."

"You did nothing wrong, Emerson." Mr. Fletcher reassures. "You did what any of us would've done."

Dylan folds his arms, "I'm kind of jealous, if I'm being completely honest."

"Besides, we saw the news." Dylan's eyes soften. "About Sue—we assumed that Buck would be busy, so we came to help you."

Emery looks at Dylan and her face contorts with confusion once again. "Sue Blevins?" She wipes her nose, composing herself. "What happened?"

The family all exchange a look which causes Emery's body to tense. "Oh, sweetheart." Mrs. Fletcher holds Emery's hands. "She was the victim of a hit-and-run last night."

Emery's face drops and she looks at each of the Fletcher's expression, reading the sympathy across their faces. "Oh my god--is she--is she alive?" her breathing was now quick.

"I heard she's alive but in critical condition."

Emery looks at the ground, thinking. "Oh god." her voice gets caught in her throat. Guilt begins to suffocate her. "I was so mad at him..."

"At who?"

Emery swallows and looks at the woman. "At Buck." she softly speaks. "He didn't show up and I was overwhelmed and with Joe, I..." she covers her face and lets out a groan. "Shit--" she rips her hands from her face and looks at Dylan with wide eyes. "Sorry!" She then looks at his grandparents. "Sorry."

"No, no." Dylan waves a hand. "No "Shit"."

"Dylan, sweetheart." Mrs. Fletcher looks at her grandson. Dylan softly murmurs an "I'm sorry".

"But he is right." Mr. Fletcher adds. "No need to be upset with yourself. You have every right to feel what you feel. You didn't know Buck was out there being a hero."

There was a bit of relief that inflated Emery's lungs. Buck didn't abandon her because he didn't want to be there, he helping someone else. Someone who needed it. He was helping someone they cared about and Emery couldn't help but be smile at that. Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher look at each other. "Emerson, would you like to look after Dylan for today?"

Emery blinks, "What?"

"Yeah, Henry and I were talking and we really need time for us." The woman smiles. "We haven't been on a date in so long."

Emery's eyes soften and she looks between the married couple. Despite them losing their son and taking in their grandson, they were still in love with each other and trying to make their love work. They were fighting for each other. Emery admired them.

The woman smiles, "Of course, Dylan and I can find something to do." she looks at the boy who gives her a tight-lipped smile. Emery looks at the couple, "Thank you so much for being here. It means a lot."

"Emerson Bailey Sharpe."

Emery tenses from her full name being said. It probably wasn't going to be anything bad, but when she was younger anytime her full name was said it usually meant she was in trouble. But then Mrs. Fletcher grabbed hold of Emery's hands and a calmness washes over her. A calmness only a mother could make her feel.

Emery never knew what that was like.

"You are family."

Emery's voice gets caught in her throat and her eyes blur with tears. "Our son thought so too."

Emery didn't let another second pass before she wraps her arms around Mrs. Fletcher with her tears spilling from her eyes.

☆

"You know her, right?"

Wren's eyes skim across the tv with the picture of Sue Blevins on the news feed and she lets out a small breath she didn't realize she was holding.

"The hostage thing at dispatch last year?" Ransone points at the tv screen.

Athena softly chuckles, "Oh, we go further back than that."

As the three were watching the news feed, a man walks over to them with a paper. "I checked the log. Tracie signed out of the employee lot at 6:07."

Wren pulls her brows together, "I thought you were open until 9?"

"For sales. Service department closes at 6." The man answers.
Girls are usually gone by 6:15."

"The girls?" Athena inquires.

"Meredith works the desk with Tracie." The man points over to the woman sitting alone at the reception desk.

After questioning Meredith, she admitted to going to a casino with Tracie the night she disappeared. They were given footage of Tracie at the casino and being taken by a man.

The car he used was the same make as the one on the news that hit Sue. So, the three decided to head back to the scene of Sue's hit-and-run.

And everyone else had the same exact thought.

"Don't even think about it, Buck."

Buck slightly turns his head and makes eye contact with Athena. Then his eyes travel to the backseat and his jaw clenches out of annoyance. It's always her. Wren points her finger out of the window with her mouth dropped open. She keeps her eyes on Buck, a wave of fury taking over.

Buck rolls his eyes, "Wren, listen—"

"What the fuck are you doing here?!" Wren quickly gets out of the squad car in her grey pantsuit.

Athena lets out a heavy breath, "Here we go."

"I'm sure we're here for the same reason, right?" Buck deadpans. "Unless you're just stupid."

Wren's eyes squint and a low growl comes from her throat. I'm sure she could get away with killing a well liked firefighter with witnesses, right?

Taylor takes a step toward the brunette with her hand extended to her. "Detective Marshall! It's so good to see you again."

Wren keeps her eyes on Buck, not sparing Taylor a glance. "You shouldn't be here, Buck."

"Did you really think I would sit around while that guy who almost killed Sue is out there?" Buck could feel his patience wearing thin.

Wren looks across Buck's face with disbelief but also a sense of confusion. She doesn't even know if she's mad at him right now. I mean, she should be. But all that worried was for her best friend. "You really don't remember, do you?"

Buck blinks, "What?"

Wren turns to Athena, who had a disappointed look across her face. "Have you seen Emerson?"

"No, I tried calling her to tell her about Sue, but she never answered." Buck says. His jaw goes slack, "Did something happen to her?" his heart begins to pick up in speed. Wren moves her hair out of her face. "You don't know why she didn't answer?"

"Wren, I swear to god--Where is Emerson?" Buck's tone is sharp. This is what pushes Wren over the edge. He wasn't going to act impatient with her--after his ass forgot.

"Her trial is today, Buck."

Buck pulls his brows together. "No, it's--"

"The 21st?" Wren shoves her phone into Buck's face. He looks at the date and his eyes widen, "No, no, no..."

"You forgot. The thing you told her you would be there for and you forgot." Wren's eyes shift to Taylor, who glances away. "Guess you had your hands full."

Buck shakes his head, his brain reeling. Trying to figure out how he could forgot about his Emi. Something she had asked him to be there for the night she first said "I love you". "We were just--"

"About to do our job." Wren's eyes motion to the dumpster. She looks at Buck. "I told her I would go with her. I told her I would support her. But she told me that you were going to be there, so everything would be okay. And I swear to god, Buck..." her mind goes to the worst. She thinks about Helena taking her life and she thinks about all the pain Emery has already been through. Wren wanted to run to Emery, but she knew that it couldn't be her. So, she looks back at the blonde. "Go to her now."

Without another second, Buck starts to run down the street. Wren lets out a quick breath and shifts her gaze of attack on Taylor. The redhead tenses, "Uh, Detective Marshall--"

"Taylor Kelly." Wren takes a step toward her. "I appreciate you putting that story out for Sue."

"I'm just doing my job." Taylor nervously chuckles and glances at the ground for a moment. Wren nods her head, "Yeah, I know." a smirk twitches onto her lips, but it was filled with condescending energy that Taylor could feel was aimed at her. "Because that's all you care about, right? Your job?"

Taylor chuckles, "That's not--"

"I wouldn't be surprised if you planned this whole thing." Wren quirks a brow. "Distract Buck to get him alone--"

"Oh, please, how was I supposed to know Emery was in court right now? I didn't mean for this to happen."

Wren shifts her eyes back and forth to Taylor's. "You knew, because you always know. You're Taylor Kelly Channel Five News."

Taylor's jaw clenches. "I just wanted information about the case, I wasn't trying to keep Buck away from being there for her--"

"How about you just stay away from him?" Wren snaps. "You stay away from him and Emerson."

"Are you threatening me, Detective?"

Wren chuckles, "You wish." she tilts her head. "I'm just giving you a warning. Buck is important to Emerson and they're happy. The last thing those two are worried about is you."

Taylor frowns, "I don't know--you seem a bit worried."

"I'm not Emery and I sure as hell am not Buck." Wren's tone was low. "I'll worry about you any day of the week if that means you stay away from them."

Wren pulls her face away from Taylor's and straightens her pantsuit. "Now. We would appreciate it if you gave us some space to work." she waves a hand. "No cameras, please."

Taylor lets out a soft scoff when Wren just brushes past her. Wren slips her latex gloves. Athena applauds the woman and Wren turns to her. "What?"

Athena smiles with pride. "You said everything I would've said and let me tell you...I am so proud."

Wren pouts her lower lip and her eyes slightly widen. Athena tenses, "Please, wipe your tears." She walks toward the building.

Wren sniffles, "I-I wasn't crying." she wipes her tears and follows Athena to the building.

☆

Buck was glad the supermarket wasn't far away from Emery's place. But that doesn't mean he slowed his running down any less. If anything he ran faster, hoping to punish himself on the way to her. His chest became painfully tight not only from running but from guilt. He wasn't there for Emery and who knows what she had to go through--what Joe said to her. How could he forget? How could he abandon her? God, she must hate me.

A part of Buck--the part of him that told him he wasn't good enough wanted Emery to hate him. He deserved it.

Buck approaches the building and sees two people sitting on the steps to the building. "Emerson."

Emery looks up from her ice cream, "Hey, Buck." her eyes were soft.

Buck looks at the young boy, "Dylan. It's good to see you."

Dylan raises his ice cream, as if to say "hi". Buck looks back at Emery, "Em, I am so s--"

"It's fine." Emery shakes her head and shifts her eyes to her ice cream.

Dylan winces, "I'll be inside." he looks at Emery. "I'm taking your ice cream upstairs too." he grabs her cone.

Emery's eyes blow wide and her heart drops into her stomach. "What?--"

"I want you to focus on his eyes not the cone when he's talking." Dylan emphasizes. He stands up and walks into the building. Emery pouts and looks at her hands.

Buck lets out a small breath and sits next to her on the steps. They sit in silence for a moment and Buck found himself hesitating. He was ashamed for not being there for her. He hated himself for it. But more than that, he was afraid of what Emery was thinking. He didn't want her thinking that he didn't care about her. That was far from the truth. "There's no excuse for not being there for you today." he looks at her. "I told you I was going to be there and I wanted to, but I just...forgot."

Emery chews on the inside of her cheek. "I figured." she lpicks at her slacks, realizing the hole in them. Emery forces her eyes onto Buck. "The Fletcher's told me about the news. The story about Sue being the victim of a hit-and-run."

"I assumed that's what you were focused on." Emery shrugs shoulder. "So, I understand you not being there. I just didn't think today would..." she looks down at her bruised knuckles. "...slip from your mind."

Buck's eyes follow her knuckles, realizing that there was dried blood across them. Her knuckles were split open and his body tenses. "Em--"

"I lost control today." Emery softly speaks, ashamed of herself. "I thought I was strong enough to not let him get to me, but...he won. Again." a weak breath comes from her mouth.

"No, he didn't." Buck says. "He's never won."

"He knew he wasn't going to be heard out, Evan." Emery's eyes well with tears. "He just wanted to see me one last time."

Buck's fists clench, "He said that to you?"

Emery nods her head. Buck's chest flares with anger. Then he sees the look of despair across her face and his gaze softens. "Emerson, I am so sorry."

"I told you, it's fine." Emery softly reassures him. Buck gently grabs her hand, careful not to hurt her knuckles. "It doesn't have to be fine."

Emery shakes her head and looks down at the ground. A small breath comes from Buck's nose. "If you want to be mad at me, you can."

She looks at Buck, now there's a twinge of annoyance in her face. "Stop it. Please." Emery tries to keep her voice steady. Buck looks across her face, "I should've been there."

Emery gives him a small smile, "You were helping find who hit Sue." she lightly squeezes his hand. "You were being Buck. Helping our friend." Emery raises her hand and cups his face. Buck leans into her hand and his body practically melts. "I can't be mad at that."

"Besides," Emery takes her hand off of Buck's face and looks forward. "I just feel bad for you." Emery sniffles. "There's no way Wren's going to ever like you."

Buck closes his eyes, a breath escaping his nose. As much as Wren annoyed him, she was Emery's best friend. And Buck had a knack for wanting people to like him. Of course, he wanted the love of his life's best friend to like him.

"She hates me."

"She's protective." Emery nudges his arm. "You can't blame her. Especially after Helena."

Buck looks down at his hands. "I sometimes forget she was also best friends with Helena." He admits.

A small smile twitches onto Emery's lips. "Yeah. They were friends longer than I even knew either of them." She looks at the stars and inhales a breath. "There are times I think about me pushing her away after Helena died and...I can't even imagine how alone she felt. Having to grieve all by herself."

Buck slowly nods his head. "I'll talk to her. Smooth the ground."

"Shouldn't I talk to her first then?" Emery looks at him.

Buck frowns, "I mean, if you really want to—"

"I think that would be best."

Buck laughs and so does Emery. She lays her head on his shoulder and he wraps an arm around her.

"You guys kiss and make up?"

Emery and Buck turn to the building to the boy standing there. Emery inhales, "Yeah, besides the kiss part." She then pulls her brows together when she notices his empty hands. "Hey, where's my ice cream?"

Dylan shrugs, "It melted."

"And?"

"You wanted to eat melted ice cream?" Dylan cranes his neck forward.

Emery shrugs, "It's ice cream either way." She stands up. "Where is it, punk?"

Buck's eyes widen, "Emerson, he's a kid. You can't—"

"You don't even want the ice cream. You're just a glutton." Dylan snaps back.

Buck looks between the child and woman. What the hell is going on?

Emery opens her mouth to snap back, she then stops. "How are you on self esteem? Weight?—"

"Fine, fine." Dylan waves his hand. "Keep the banter going, dingus."

"Every time you hang out with me, you ask for ice cream." Emery immediately shoots out. "Seems like you're the glutton."

"You indulge me." Dylan wags his fingers. "If my grandparents found out..." he sucks in a sharp breath.

Emery's mouth drops open, amusement flickering across her face. "The grandparents card, really?"

Dylan shrugs, "You told me I could use all the cards. Why not that one?"

Emery purses her lips and nods her head with pride. "I have been teaching you well." She ruffles his hair, causing him to groan.

"Uh..."

Emery and Dylan turn to Buck, who still had wide eyes. "What the hell was that?"

Emery shrugs, "He started it."

Dylan rolls his eyes. "You called me a punk."

"You threw my ice cream away." Emery looks at him.

Buck raises a hand, "Can I get some ice cream?"

Dylan looks at him with squinted eyes. "Depends...favorite flavor?"

Emery wrinkles her nose, "Oh god..."

Buck deadpans at his girlfriend.

"Mint chocolate chip."

Dylan's eyes widen, "Gross." Despite the word he used, a soft smile finds his lips. "That was my dad's favorite."

Emery's eyes sadden but there was still a smile on her lips. Buck nods his head, "I know. We would always go on late night ice cream runs."

"With no invite?" Emery turns to Buck.

Buck throws his hands up, "Em, you would've made fun of us."

Emery's mouth drops open, "Well, maybe. But I just hate being left out, so...you should've invited me anyway."

Dylan looks between the couple and he softly laughs. "Can I...ask you guys something?"

Emery and Buck turn to the kid. "Yeah, of course." Emery pulls her brows together.

Dylan's face was hot and his ears were red. It caused both adults to shift. "If I...ever need to go on a late night ice cream run...can I call you guys?"

Emery raises her brows while Buck's soften.

"Of course—"

"Buck too, seriously?"

Buck and Dylan look at the woman. She holds her hands up, "I mean, come on." Emery rolls her eyes. "It could just be me and you on the open road. Three's a crowd. Especially when traveling with Buck."

"Don't listen to her, Dylan." Buck stands up and wraps his arms around her. "She's told me that she loves me."

Dylan winces, "No going back with that one."

Emery rolls her eyes, "Whatever--it was a lie."

Buck dramatically gasps, "A lie? Emerson you lied?" he then grasps at his chest. "Emerson Bailey Sharpe--how could you?!"

A small smile twitches onto her lips no matter how hard she tries to hide it. "I'm going inside." she waves a hand. "Don't follow."

Dylan and Buck stand side by side while Emery enters the apartment complex. Dylan points at the building, "So, we're definitely following her inside, right?"

"Oh, yeah. For sure."

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author's note.

Guys--the Buck, Emery, and Dylan moment??? I love this little family.

And the next chapter is literally the treasure hunt episode, so I'm sure there's going to be more EmiBuck arguments going on...haha so funnnn

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