Blindsided.

CHAPTER SEVENTY-FOUR, PANCAKES & PILEUPS

a/n : happy valentine's Day :)

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Emery was a night owl.

She could stay up all night and get up at the earliest hour. Buck was not the same way. He likes to go to sleep early and he always wakes up early. There would be times when they were staying at each other's places, Buck would turn off Emery's alarm so she could sleep in. Emery would tell him that she didn't like it when he did that, but in all honesty she was grateful for it. Buck knows how stubborn she is, and she would never admit how much the extra sleep has helped her; so he silently continued turning off her early alarm so she could get more sleep.

Emery had finished brushing her teeth when she walked out of her room. Her eyes immediately connected with Buck and her heart jumps. "Morning."

Buck slightly turns his head and meets Emery's figure walking towards him. She was wearing her pajama shorts with one of Buck's shirts hanging past her thighs. His heart begins to accelerate from the sight. "Morning."

Emery walks over to him. She leans her hand against the counter and lightly presses her lips against his bicep. "Smells good."

Buck clicks his tongue, "Thank you, I showered." He flips the pancake.

Emery raises her brows, "Actually, I was referring to the pancakes. But yeah, you smell good too."

Buck frowns, "Was hoping I smelled better than the pancakes."

Emery pushes her lower lip out. "Aw, nothing smells better than pancakes, baby." She rubs his arm.

Buck softly chuckles and Emery giggles. "Do you want blueberries?"

"I always want blueberries." Emery snorts. She reaches over and grabs one of the blueberries, plopping it in her mouth. "Have you ever thought about olives instead of blueberries?"

"Emi." Buck has to fully turn to her, his face stone cold. Emery lifts her shoulders into an innocent shrug. "What? Just some late morning thoughts."

Buck squints his eyes and Emery smiles. He goes back to cooking. "How'd you sleep anyway? You were up pretty late last night."

Emery hums, "Could it be I was up late because of you...?"

Buck smirks, "I meant after." he looks at her. "You were still wired when when I was dozing off."

"My sleep was good. Still wish you hadn't turned my alarm off." Emery rolls the blueberries in her hand.

"Your alarm was for 7 am and you went to sleep at 3. That's not healthy." Buck states.

Emery rolls her eyes and eats another blueberry. "You're just saying that, so you can take my title as "early bird"."

"Who calls you "early bird"?" Buck pulls his face back. Emery taps his shoulder. "That's for me to know and for you to dot, dot, dot."

"I'm guessing you were up late watching "The Vampire Diaries"?"

Emery giggles, "You wish. I was up researching."

"Yeah? Researching what?"

Emery purses her lips. "Bugs."

Buck stops and turns to his girlfriend. Emery looks at him with slight wide eyes. "Bugs?"

Emery hums and nods her head. Buck looks to the side, "But you hate bugs."

Emery swallows, "Well, yeah, but...I'm doing this exposure therapy thing." She waves a hand. Buck shakes his head, "You are such a liar." He turns the stove off.

"What? I am not." Emery holds her hands up. Buck looks across Emery's, face reading her. Emery looks to the side and lets out a breath. "Okay, I wasn't researching bugs."

Buck raises his brows, "Oh, really? I had no idea." He deadpans. "You gonna talk to me?"

Emery hums, "Yeah. Can I tell you later?" She tilts her head. "Please?"

Buck presses his lips together. "I guess." He shrugs and looks back at the stove. Emery exhales through her nose. "Thank you." She leans her back against the counter. "Are you okay?"

Buck meets Emery's gaze. "Yeah, I'm good." A small smile finds his lips. "Just worried about you."

Emery's eyes soften. "I'm okay, really." She slides her hand in his and gently squeezes it. Buck looks down at their hands interlocked. He wasn't going to push her in anyway. But there was a nagging in his body that caused him to worry. After their fight, Buck didn't know why but he felt a shift between them. They were great, but there was something missing in Emery. Buck just didn't know what.

The sound of a door pulls Emery and Buck away from each other. Emery turns to see her roommate walking out in a grey pantsuit with her hair in a ponytail. Wren raises her brows, "Well, good morning." She walks into the kitchen and grabs a plate.

"Morning." Emery smiles. She looks across Wren. "Are you going in today? I thought it was your day off."

Wren scoffs, "It was. But there's a case I thought I finished, but new evidence was brought in."

"I'm sorry." Emery frowns. "But at least whatever you find will help you officially solve this case."

"Yeah, I know." Wren looks at Buck. "Hello, lover boy."

"Hi, nuisance."

Wren dramatically gasps and Emery lightly smacks Buck's arm. The brunette chuckles, "I would like 3 pancakes, please."

Buck has to laugh. "And what makes you think I'm making you pancakes?"

Wren raises her brows. "As if I didn't earn it from hearing you guys go at it all last night." She cocks her head to the side.

Emery's back straightens and she swallows. "Well, I think that deserves some pancakes."

Buck reluctantly agrees. "3 pancakes coming up."

Wren clicks her tongue and pats Buck on the shoulder. "I know that's right."

Emery's phone rings, and she grabs it off the counter. The woman reads the number and frowns. She walks out of the kitchen and into her room. Buck's eyes follow Emery when she closes the door behind her.

Wren grabs a handful of blueberries, "Hey, how about you pay attention to my fucking pancakes?" She points at the one on the stove. "It's gonna burn!"

Buck pulls his worried eyes off of Emery's closed door and looks back at the pancakes. "Dude, it's still raw."

"Yeah, I know." Wren giggles. "Just wanted you to stop worrying." She places the blueberries into the pancakes.

Buck scoffs, "All I do is worry." He admits. "It's my superpower."

Wren gags, "Get a new power, holy shit that's terrible."

Buck shakes his head and flips the pancakes. Wren lets out a sigh, "All right, listen. If Em wanted to tell you what's going on she would tell you." She explains. "And I'm sure she will tell you. I mean, she's obsessed with you."

Buck shifts, "Yeah, she said she was going to tell me later."

"Okay, then what's the problem?"

"I don't know." Buck hums. "What if she tells me something that...changes our relationship?"

"You and Emerson have been through a lot." Wren states. "I'm sure whatever she tells you can't be worse than her finding out you slept with the girl who almost ruined her career."

Buck snaps his over to the girl and she innocently smirks. "Yup. I know about that. And I am never going to stop mentioning it."

Buck presses his lips together, "Great..."

Emery's door opens again and she was now dressed in  pair of her Levi denim jeans, with a light brown sweater, and white sneakers. She had an urgency as she slipped her jacket and purse on. Buck and Wren both follow her figure with worry.

"Is everything okay?" Wren asks.

"Uh, well, you know—" Emery holds her phone up. "Dylan's school called me."

"Is he okay?" Buck questions.

"The principal wants me to pick him up, so I'm guessing no?" Emery was honestly so unsure. She walks over to Buck. "I'm sorry, I can't stay for breakfast—"

"No, stop." Buck softly assures her. "Breakfast will be here when you come back. Go get Dylan."

Emery nods her head, she looks at Wren. "Have a good day at work."

Wren holds her plate up. Emery kisses Buck's cheek and quickly leaves the apartment. Silence settles in the kitchen beside the sizzling um of pancakes. Wren sighs, "Yeah, I think I'm gonna take my pancakes to go."

"Oh thank god." Buck exhales. Wren turns to him with an arched brow. "This is my place. You do realize that, right?"

"Not for long."

"What?" Wren snaps.

"What?" Buck blankly answers. "Who said that?"

Wren growls and takes a bite out of her pancake.

☆

Emery wasn't expecting to get a call from Dylan's school. What she was expecting was being able to eat blueberry pancakes with her boyfriend.

But once she realized what was happening and listened to the principal over the phone, she put her clothes on and ran out of the door.

"I'm here--I'm here!" Emery pushes the door open. "Don't send him away, I'm here!"

The man at the desk raises her brows, "Oh. You must be Dylan's guardian."

"Well, actually--"

"Yes!" Dylan calls out. He quickly turns to her, his eyes pleading for her to go along with it. Emery closes her mouth and exhales through her nose. Why was she always dragged into dumbass schemes?

"Why exactly did you call me today?" Emery sits in the seat beside Dylan.

"Well, Miss Fletcher."

Emery tenses, "No, it's Sharpe. Please." her voice was quiet. Emery glances at Dylan, who's eyes were glued to his hands. She shifts her eyes to his knuckles, noticing them split open.

"Dylan got into a fight today."

"Did he start it?" Emery asks.

"Yes, he threw the first punch."

Emery shifts. "I'm sorry, I meant did the other kid deserve it?"

Dylan and the principal look at the woman. Emery taps her fingers against her knees. "Has he been to the nurse yet? For his knuckles?"

"No. He's been here since he had to be pulled off the kid."

Emery hums and turns to Dylan. "We can go back home and I can clean that up for you." she stands up. "Come on."

Dylan slightly opens his mouth. He looks at the Principal and stands up.

"Uh, Miss Sharpe. We need to talk about Dylan's punishment." The principal stands up.

"Call me." Emery waves a hand. "My kid's hands are still bleeding because you decided not to help him. We're leaving."

Emery walks out of the office with Dylan right behind her. "Holy shit, Emerson!" The blonde boy laughs. "That was badass."

"Do you think he bought it?" Emery asks, letting out a large breath. "I was going to shit my pants in there."

"You did great." Dylan assures.

Emery sighs, "Good. Now tell me why you made me lie to a principal?!" She whispers harshly. "Do your grandparents not know?"

"I didn't want to hear another life lesson." Dylan sighs. "So, I called you."

"I don't get it..." Emery pushes the school doors open, allowing her and Dylan to walk through. "...shouldn't your principal know that your grandparents are your acting guardians? Hasn't he met them?"

"I mean, yeah. But I think he just assumed they died of old age." Dylan shrugs.

Emery stops and turns to him, forcing the boy to stop in his tracks.

"We stopped." Dylan pulls his brows together. "Why?"

"Your principal probably thinks your grandparents died and you didn't correct him?" Emery asks.

Dylan nods, "Yeah, exactly."

Emery's eyes widen, "You can't...do that, Dylan. You have to tell him when you get back to school."

"Yeah...I don't think I'll be at this school for very long." Dylan touches the back of his neck.

Emery suspiciously squints her eyes. "Why do you say that?"

"This is like my fifth offense." Dylan explains. "And there's only so many times I can use the "dead dad" excuse."

"Always. You should always be able to use the "dead dad" excuse." Emery explains. "I use that and "dead sister" excuse." She then snaps her finger. "And I use the "dead wife" excuse and the "my mother abandoned me" excuse."

Dylan points at her, "I use that one too!"

Emery nods, "Nice." She bumps her fist with his. "I'm kind of craving some ice cream, want some?"

"So, I fight someone and I get ice cream?"

Emery snorts, "Don't get it twisted. You'll still be receiving a long and winded speech from me. But mine involves us enjoying ice cream."

Dylan lets out a heavy sigh, "Knew it was too good to be true."

Emery laughs and gets into her car with Dylan getting into the passenger seat.

☆

"Is Dylan at your place right now?"

Emery nods her head, "Yeah. I have to figure out what I'm going to do." she sighs, her hand runs down her face. "I know what I'm going to do, but this has happened before." she turns to Buck.

He tilts his head trying to understand what she was getting at. Emery swipes her tongue across her lower lip. "What if his grandparents think this is some kind of scheme to keep Dylan?"

"Do you want to keep Dylan?" Buck asks.

Emery looks to the side, "This is the first time I've seen him since the lockdown." she slowly shakes her head. "It's been too long. What if I never see him again?"

"Hey, stop." Buck grabs her hands. "You'll see him again."

"How do you know?" Emery asks.

"Well, he called you to pick him up from the principal's office before his grandparents." Buck says. "Even though it's been a while, he still trusts you like you never lost anytime."

Emery lets out a small breath, she lightly squeezes Buck's hands. "You're right." she feels herself begin to relax. "Dylan trusts me. And if he needs me again, he'll let me know."

Buck could see a deeper thought in her eyes and he lifts a hand, his finger now under her chin. Emery found herself looking back into his bright blue eyes. Her heart flutters. "You thinking about something else?"

Emery quickly begins to tear up and a breath escapes her lips. "He looks so much like his father."

Buck's jaw goes slack and his own eyes begin to burn as Tom's smile flashes through his mind. He wraps his arms around Emery, pulling her into a warm hug.

...

"Hey, anyone got any suggestions for baby names?"

Emery holds her pointer up and opens her mouth.

"Not any of your names." Chimney adds.

Emery rolls her eyes, "Jokes on you, I'm not that pretentious." she folds her arms over her chest. "I was going to say Emmanuel."

Chimney deadpans, "That's close to your name."

Emery shifts, "Well, look—I can't tell you any names because I don't want you to steal my ideas."

"Uh, what? Y-You already have ideas for your baby's name?" Buck pushes himself off the rig and steps toward Emery. The woman turns to her now shaken boyfriend and she raises her brows. "Yeah." She answers nonchalantly. Buck swallows and Emery squints her eyes.

She looks at Chimney and Eddie, who immediately understood his look. But Emery didn't understand. "Are you guys doing that guy thing where you talk with your eyes?"

"N-No, it's just. I didn't know you thought about that before." Buck softly speaks. Emery raises her brows, "Oh, I get it. This baby thing freaked you out..." she nods her head. "Well don't worry, because these names have been in the making for a long time."

Emery manages a small smile and walks away from the boys. Buck watches Emery walk away, but he quickly looks at Eddie and Chimney. "Am I allowed to freak out about this?"

Eddie deadpans, "I don't think so, man." He clicks his tongue.

Buck looks at Chimney. Chimney slightly opens his mouth, "I'm gonna have to agree with Buck on this one. Emery basically admitted to thinking about your guys' future together."

Eddie looks between the two men and sighs. "Or she was referring to the names she and Helena picked out. For their kid?"

It's like something clicked in both of their head's at the same time. But Chimney reacted faster. He pats Buck's shoulder, "Sorry, man. I'm gonna have to agree with Eddie on this one."

Buck's left with his gut in knots.

☆

The team had arrived to the massive pileup on the freeway. But they had to stay away from the vehicles until they had all been de-energized and all the airbags had been deactivated.

But that didn't stop them from finding many injured and deceased civilians.

There was one car that the team had been working on getting into safely, it was the car that started the pileup.

Bobby and Athena had walked over to the car, ready to get a full run down. "Emerson, is this the offending vehicle?" Athena asks.

The woman turns to The Captain and Sergeant. "Yes, ma'am. Well, what's left of it. We're still working on getting into the car."

"You sure there's anyone in there left to save?" Athena asks.

"We haven't received any verbal responses." Emery answers. "Can't see past the side airbags

"But we picked up a heat signature."

"Definitely a live occupant in the front." Buck informs. "Smaller heat signature in the back."

"Dispatch says they got a call from the driver's son, Jacob."

The whole team stops and turns to Athena--suddenly far more alert than before.

"The kid's still in the car?" Chimney questions.

Bobby immediately throws out orders to his team. "Go! Go! Jaws."

While Buck ran to grab the jaws, the rest of the team ran back to the car and try to pry the doors open with crowbars. Buck quickly came back over to the vehicle with the jaws and forced the door open.

The door slightly opened—the mother came into Emery's sight. "I got a visual on the driver!"

Buck shifts and tries to force the jaws deeper between the space of the car and the door. He groans, "The roof is bent too far inwards. I can't pull her out."

"Okay, let's cut the whole top off." Emery orders.

"Let's get the saw! Let's go!" Bobby shouts.

Once the saw was in Buck's hand he cut the roof off the car. Everyone stands on each side of the car, "Okay, slow and steady! One. Two. Three!"

The firefighters lift the roof off the car. "Need more hands!"

"I've got eyes in the boy." Hen calls out.

A small gasp escapes Emery's lips when her eyes met the small boy's limp body laying across the backseat. Blood soaked his face and clothes. "Is he breathing?!"

Hen crouched into the car and checks on the kid. "He has a pulse."

They used the Halligan to open the doors. "It's a miracle she's in one piece." Buck looks at the woman unconscious in the driver's seat. "The car's hugging her like a glove."

"Okay, Chim."

"Okay. Young male victim. Possible vertebrae break." Chimney crouches down. "Em, get me a neck brace."

Emery grabs a neck brace from her medical bag.

"Pulse is steady. Multiple lacerations." Hen pronounces. "Airbag burn."

The woman begins to stir awake. "What h-happened?"

"You think her slurred speech is a symptom of her injuries?" Athena inquires.

Hen shakes her head, unsure. "Can't be too sure yet."

"Dispatch says she was acting odd before the crash, too." Athena states.

"Chim, Emery. How's that kid looking?" Bobby asks.

"Upper vertebrae seems intact, but his systolic blood pressure is skyrocketing—could be a TBI." Chimney informs Bobby. Emery's throat tightens as she keeps her eyes on the kid's face.

"All right, make it safe and get him out." Bobby instructs.

"Copy that. All right." Chimney looks at Emery. "Em, you okay?"

Emery swallows and gives him a sturdy nod. "I'm good. Let's just get him out of here." She hands Chimney the neck brace and he grabs it. Chimney puts the brace around the kid's neck.

"Dispatch, contact the Children's Hospital ER." Bobby speaks into his radio. "Have them prep for neurosurgery. We've got a patient, Jacob, approximately seven to eight years old coming in with a possible TBI."

"Jacob?" The mother in front weakly calls out.

Buck looks at the woman. "Uh, Jacob is still in the back seat we're working on getting him out."

"Ma'am, were you experiencing any pain disorientation that may have led to your confusion?" Hen questions the woman. She doesn't even have time to answer, when Athena spots something at the floor of the car. "I think I got something...that added to her confusion."

Emery lifts her gaze and her face drops. "She was drunk?" Her eyes shift to the whiskey bottle in Athena's hand.

"How many people have to die tonight because she was drunk and stupid?" Athena asks.

Emery's chest tightens and she looks back down at the boy. "I've got his seatbelt." She croaks. Emery leans forward and cuts his seatbelt, careful to keep it away from his face. She looks at Chimney and nods her head.

"On three."

"One, two, three."

Emery and Chimney pull the kid out of the car and slide him onto the backboard. They then lift him on a stretcher and secure him. "He's not conscious but he's alive."

"All right, let's move him." Chimney and Emery roll him into the ambulance.

Emery's eyes stay on the ambulance. "She drove drunk with her kid in the car." She turns to Chimney. "How can someone...?" Emery sucks in a quick breath and shakes her head. "God."

Emery walks away from the ambulance. Her breathing was quick and her brain started to fog up.

"Hey, Sharpe!"

Emery quickly turns to the firefighter and pulls her brows together.

"Could you give me a hand?"

Emery nods her head, "Uh, yeah." She sets her medical bag down. She jogs over to the man and pulls helps him pull the car door open. "Did you already disable the airbags?"

Renfrow turns to her, "I thought someone else already did."

"If you didn't see someone disable them, then you should always check yourself—"

The car explodes and a wave of fire hits both Emery and Renfrow back. Emery's back collides with a car and she slams into the pavement. Her ears begin to ring, causing her vision to blur. Tears prick her the corner of her eyes from the pain flaring in her back. She wheezes and lifts her face from the floor, gravel sticking into her skin.

"Emerson!"

Noise bursts through her eardrums and she flinches from the suddenness of it. Her eyes shift to the firefighter lying beside her. Emery's eyes widen, "Renfrow?!" She crawls over to him and her eyes examine his burned face.

"Emi!"

Emery lifts her gaze to Buck and Chimney kneeling beside her. "Are you—"

"I'm okay, but Renfrow's in pretty bad shape." Emery says.

"The driver..." Renfrow groans out. "D-Did you get the driver?"

"Hey, we're..." Emery's eyes shift to the flaming car. "We're working on it, okay?"

"You okay?"

Emery chuckles, "Yeah, I'm good." She gives him a soft smile. "Let's focus on you, okay?"

Emery turns to Buck, "You should check on driver."

Buck keeps his shaky eyes on Emery and hers soften. "Evan. I am okay. I promise."

Buck lets out a small breath and stands up. He runs over to the car and leans into the car. "Is the driver alive?"

"I'm checking his pulse!" Buck calls out. "He's got a pulse, but his skin is like paper! I need a burn blanket!"

Chimney and Emery help Renfrow onto a backboard then a stretcher. As soon as he's in the ambulance, Chimney shifts his eyes to Emery. "Now, let's take a look at you."

Emery shakes her head, "Chim, I'm fine. Really."

"Captain's orders." Chimney motions to Bobby. Emery turns to him and Bobby gives her a pointed look. She lets out a small scoff under her breath. Emery turns back to Chimney and he sends her a cheeky smile. She cracks a smile and motions to another empty aid car.

Chimney and Emery walk over to the vehicle and Emery sits on the edge of it. Emery pulls her turnout gear off, then she pulls her long sleeve shirt off—leaving her in a black tank top.

"Take a breath..." he presses his stethoscope to her back. Emery softly winces from the pressure and Chimney arches a brow. "That hurt?"

"Mmm hard to say." Emery hums.

After helping the victim out of the vehicle and into another aid car, Buck had made his way over to Emery. "How is she?" He asks.

"You could ask him how I am or you could just ask me." Emery sarcastically suggests, a smile on her lips.

"She's wincing." Chimney says.

Buck sucks in a breath and turns to her. Emery rolls her eyes, "Barely—" her voice gets caught in her throat and she groans from the pressure of Chimney's fingers in her back.

"Did this pain start because of the explosion?" Chimney asks.

"No." Emery says. "I'm sure it could be from me working out too much or stretching or—sex." She points at Buck.

"You were fine this morning, all right?" Buck says, his face becoming hot.

Chimney groans, "I don't need to hear this. But this is good information to know considering your injury."

Emery rolls her eyes and sucks in a breath. "My back hit the car." She motions. Buck crouches in front of her, "Looks like you fell on your face too." His gloved hand hovers over the cut on her cheek.

Emery clicks her tongue, "I'm serious, you guys. I'm fine." Her eyes looks back at the ambulance as it drives away. "Renfrow got the blunt of it." Her skin crawls just remembering the skin falling off his face. "If I had been where he was standing..." She winced again and looks between Buck and Chimney. "I'm just glad an injured back is all I received."

"So, what you're saying is...you are in pain." Chimney says.

Emery laughs, but that quickly reaches her back so she groans. Buck touches her knee and Emery instinctively places her hand over his. Chimney lets out a breath, "I think you'll be fine. But I want a keep a closer eye on you."

"Chimney, no..." Emery sighs. "I just hit my back a little too hard--I swear." 

"Em, it could be a strain." Buck says.

"Or--or," Emery holds her pointer up. "It could just be bruised."

"Then you should ice it." Buck keeps his stern eyes on her stubborn ones. Chimney looks between the couple.

"I will ice it when I get home." Emery replies. "Okay?"

Buck doesn't break his eye contact from her, and she doesn't break contact from his. He knows Emery. He knows that she wasn't going to rest while they still had a job to finish. Buck lets out a small breath, "Okay." he gives her a small smile and cups her face.

Chimney whistles and the couple turns to him. He raises his brows, "You guys solved that tension fast."

"That's...incredibly healthy."

Emery pulls her brows together. "Did you think we wouldn't be healthy?"

Chimney purses his lips, hesitating. Buck's eyes widen, "Chim, what the hell?"

"Okay, okay!" Chimney holds his hands up. "In my defense. You guys hated each other." he says. "I figured the arguing would be...more in this relationship."

Emery sighs, "I'm over arguing." she looks at Buck and softly smiles. "How about you?"

Buck matches her smile, his stomach fluttering. "Yeah. I am."

Chimney rolls his eyes, "All right, we get it. You're cute." he waves a hand wand walks away from them.

Emery snorts and bites her lower lip. Buck watches Chimney walk away, before he turns back to her. "Chimney really thinks we still hate each--"

Emery presses her lips against Buck's and his heart jumps. His hand tightens around her knee and kisses her back. Emery grips his turnout gear and her breathing quickens. She pulls away from him and presses her forehead against his. "He can think we hate each other all he wants..." Emery softly speaks. "Because I know what we have and..." she shifts her eyes back and forth between his. "I like what we have."

Buck's heart was pounding against his ribcage. "Me too." his thumb rubs across her knee. The blonde stands up with a small huff. "All right, let's go." he gently helps her onto her feet.

Emery softly groans and rolls her neck. "Thanks."

Buck lightly squeezes her hand. "Just completing my boyfriend duties."

Emery and Buck walk back towards the fire engine. "Oh, yeah? And what's on that list?" she looks at him. Buck turns to her and sends her a cheeky smile.

"Taking care of the princess, obviously."

Emery softly snorts and then she laughs. Her face grows hot, "God, you are the worst."

☆

"Which hospital is she going to?"

"First Presbyterian on Altmanount." Eddie answers.

"All right, I'll follow behind." Athena says. "Make sure the hospital knows she's gonna need her BAC as soon as she lands."

Eddie hesitates, "Athena..."

"I already got the warrant, Eddie." Athena replies. "It'll meet me at the hospital."

Eddie lets out a breath and turns to Emery. She presses her lips into a small line. Eddie mimics her expression, "How you doing?"

Emery exhales, "Got a bruised back. I hope it's just bruised."

Eddie nods his head, his eyes then absentmindedly trail over her. His eyes stop on a mark on her wrist, "And a burn, dude..."

Emery pulls her brows together, "What?"

Eddie gently grabs her arm and lifts it towards her face. Emery's eyes land on the burn and she raises her brows, "Oh, shit."

"Yeah, 'oh, shit'." Eddie huffs. "You didn't notice?"

Emery shrugs, "I was focused on Renfrow." She keeps her eyes on the burn. "I guess I've...had worse."

"Always thinking about others." Eddie shakes his head and couldn't stop his smile. "Come on, I'll wrap it for you."

Emery nods her head, "Yeah, thanks."

"Captain Nash, can you spare a paramedic for a woman in labor at Dispatch Metro?" Sue's voice is heard over the radio.

"Pretty sure there are some paramedics a lot closer to your location than we are." Bobby speaks.

"Yes, but none of them are the baby's father."

Eddie stops wrapping her wrist. Emery and Eddie look at each other, then at Chimney. Chimney laughs and looks at the team.

"Er've got it from here, Chim. Go meet your daughter." Bobby encourages.

Emery shoots onto her feet and a big smile find her face. "Yes!"

"You sure?" Chimney questions.

"I'm following that ambulance. You can ride with me." Athena says.

Emery holds her hands up, "Yes!"

Chimney laughs and follows after Athena. Emery claps her hands and jumps up and down. "I'm gonna be an aunt!"

Emery gasps and turns to the rest of the team. "I'm gonna be the best aunt!"

...

"Sue to the 118. Come in. This is Sue."

"Go for Captain—I mean, Firefighter Sharpe." She sheepishly smiles at Bobby, who chuckles.

"Firefighter Sharpe. We received a call from a driver who says he was in the pileup." Sue says. "Claiming he's still in his car."

Emery pulls her brows together, she then looks at Bobby and Buck—who also has the same look of confusion. "I believe we already extricated everybody involved. Are they sure they were in this crash?"

"The line went dead before we could get too many details." Sue answers. "Well try to reconnect with him now."

Emery, Buck, and Bobby wait for a moment. The radio clicks again after a few minutes. "Emery, the call came from an Albert Han."

Emery's eyes widen.

"Isn't that Chimney's brother?"

"Are you sure? I thought that call was dropped." Emery quickly asks.

The group ad all reconvened near one of the vehicles, waiting for May's answer.

"I called the number back, and it gave me his voice mail." May states.

"What did the message say?" Buck asks from his radio.

"He said his name and not to leave a message because, um..."

Dread enters Buck's body, "Cause that's what texts are for."

"Yeah."

Bobby looks at his team, "All right fr r, let's go! Every vehicle—every vehicle!"

They all run down the interstate, calling Albert's name and checking each car.

Albert was nowhere in sight.

"Captain! We've been up and down this road twice." Buck says. "He's—he's not here!"

"Dispatch, this is Captain Nash." Bobby speaks into his radio. "That very first 911 caller who reported seeing the vehicle. Which exit were they calling from?"

"It says exit 43 exit ramp."

Emery's eyes snap to the exit sign. "He wasn't in the pileup." Buck speaks.

"He was in front of it." Emery says.

"Everybody on me!" Bobby shouts. "Come on, we're on the move!"

Bobby runs forward and his team was right behind him. They run to the fire engine and all pile in. Emery speeds down the exit.

"This is it! Stop here."

Emery stops and the team gets out of the fire engine. "Albert?!" She calls out, looking around the freeway.

"Hey, right here! Tire tracks!" Buck calls out from the other side. He then runs down the side of the road—where smoke was coming from. "Albert!"

The rest of the team follows after Buck, seeing Albert's car flipped upside down. "Oh god." Emery grips her medical bag and runs down the hill. "Albert!?" She tosses her bag to the side and lays on her stomach, peaking into the car. Her eyes look across the blood soaking the top of the car roof and his face.

"I see him!"

Buck pops the car door open with the halligan. Emery's voice gets caught in her throat when she gets a closer look at the blood leaving Albert. "He's lost a lot of blood, Hen." Emery looks at the woman. She presses her finger against his neck. "His pulse is racing."

Hen hands Emery a C collar. Emery gently places around Albert's neck. "Stay with us, Al. Okay?"

"We're gonna get you out of here and you're gonna meet your niece." Emery softly speaks.

Emery pulls away out of the car, "He's good to extract."

"All right, Eddie, Buck. Get in there." Bobby directs.

Eddie and Buck were careful but quick to get Albert out of the car. They lay him on the backboard, then on the stretcher.

The ambulance was quick to arrive on the scene and as soon as Albert got in the aid car—Emery, Hen, and Eddie got to work on him.

For a moment, Albert started to code. But they got him steady and to the hospital, safely.

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author's note.

currently bored in my dorm rn and am immediately working on the next chapter. stand by for another chapter later tonight 🤭

words : 5811