Differences

One

"Kelly, I-I, fuck." The person on the other side takes a shaky breath, but pushes through the tightness in their chest to finish leaving the voicemail. "I'm sorry for calling. I just, I don't know if I can do this anymore, Kelly. I don't think I can," Muffled sobs escape them before they even have a chance to stop them. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry." They apologize again, before hanging up.

He pulls his headphones off, seeing the seatbelt sign off and people starting to rise out of their seats. The sound of everyone on the plane replaced the sound of Evan's voicemail that had been playing on repeat in Kelly's mind since he got it. By the tenth time he had heard it, he could memorize it. He knew when his voice would break, when he would pause, and when the crying started.

Standing up, he's never been more grateful to have the window seat in the back of the plane as he waits for everyone to leave the plane. Grabbing his duffel bag from the carry on compartment, he smiles at the stewardess before stepping off the plane. The smile slips off his face as soon as he's in the midst of the busy airport that is LAX. Glancing towards baggage claim, he grimaces not wanting to imagine that particular nightmare.

Kelly adjusts the duffel bag so it's slung over his shoulders as he follows the airport signs. He stops at a sign for a rental car, thinking it over. But as he thinks about Evan and how he's been avoiding him since he left Kelly that voicemail he turns away from the sign and heads to where he can see taxi's waiting.

He frowns when he notices one of the taxi drivers seems to be sleeping. Tapping the passenger side glass, the guy jerks awake, rolling down the window a few seconds later. "Where do you want to go?"

"Do you know where fire station 118 is?"

He grunts, gesturing for Kelly to climb into the back. "Hard to not know."

On the drive over, Kelly's focus is on his phone. He first texts Matt, telling him he made it alright before calling Evan. Hoping that the man will answer after pretty much a month of radio silence. The only message he had received since the voicemail had been the monthly text he always got that showed him what shifts Evan was working. He sighs when it goes to voicemail. He considers trying to call again but knowing he won't get an answer he opens his email, forcing himself to go through all of it.

"Here you are." The man says, drawing Kelly's attention away from his phone, after nearly thirty minutes. Pocketing the device, he grabs his wallet, wincing at the total he owes. Pulling out three twenties he hands them to the driver. "Keep the change and have a nice day, man."

"You too!" He hears the driver call, as he shuts the taxi door.

Kelly eyes the fire station in front of him and maybe he's biased but 51 looks a lot nicer and more welcoming than the 118. He stares at the truck, engine, and ambulance, which are all parked. Walking inside, he frowns seeing only one person, who has a clipboard in hand and is looking over something. Hearing a roar of laughter, his eyes drift upwards towards the second story which makes his nose wrinkle.

Approaching the man, he clears his throat, getting his attention. Kelly smiles, "Hi, I'm looking for an Evan Buckley?"

The man looks surprised, "oh, for a second I thought I was getting a transfer of some kind." He gestures towards the bag.

Kelly nods, shifting the duffel bag. "Sorry about that." When the man doesn't say anything for a few seconds, he prompts, "Evan?"

"Right, sorry." He walks over to the stairs and Kelly trails behind him. "Buckley, you got a visitor!" He yells.

He winces at that and then frowns realizing that whoever this is didn't even ask for his name or why exactly he was asking for Evan or how he even knew he was here.

Before he can dwell on it any further, multiple people are bounding down the stairs, only one being familiar.

"I've got a visitor, Cap?" Evan asks and hearing his voice makes Kelly breathe a little easier.

The man nods towards Kelly. "Just showed up here for you."

Kelly can see when exactly Evan realizes it's him and that he's actually there. It takes fifteen seconds for him to rush over to Kelly and he barely manages to drop his bag before hugging the man he flew 2,000 miles for.

"God, you scared me." Kelly mumbles, holding him in a bruising tight grip.

Evan responds by squeezing tighter. "I'm sorry." He then pulls away, disbelief clear on his face. "What are you doing here Kel?"

His eyes drift towards the four people who are watching them like hawks. "It's been a couple of years, figured it was time."

It's a lie, both of them know it and he doesn't miss the relief in Evan's eyes that shows at the lie.

"Let me change and I'll drive us home." Evan says.

He nods, knowing that while his shift ended at eight, Evan always stayed until nine to help out in any way he could. "I'll be here."

As Evan leaves to change and when he spots where, another concern comes to mind over where Evan is working before his attention is on the four people gathered around the bottom of the staircase, all of them looking at him with narrowed eyes.

"How do you know Buck?" Asks the only female.

"Evan," he doesn't miss the flinch they give when hearing his birth name. "and I go back a few years." He also doesn't miss how all of their eyes somehow manage to narrow more at the vague answer.

When they don't say anything else, he looks around. From what he can see of the fire station and his list of complaints and concerns with the LAFD and how they run things grow. He slips his phone out of his pocket, sending a quick text to Casey and Boden asking if they can send him anything on the LAFD regulations. Nothing about this was sitting right with him. He hesitates but sends a separate text to Grissom, asking about the fire commissioner for the LAFD.

Just as he slides his phone back in his pocket, Evan appears by his side, his own duffel bag in hand before picking up Kelly's. He barely glances at his co-workers, before starting to usher Kelly out of the firehouse. "I'll see you guys Monday!" He calls over his shoulder.

The four stare after the complete stranger with Buck and their eyebrows raise when the guy says something to Buck and he happily hands over his car keys. "Does anyone recognize that guy?" Hen asks, breaking the silence as they watch Buck's car drive away.

"Nope. Which is why I'm going to text Maddie, maybe she'll know." Chimney says, already pulling out his phone to do just that.

Hen looks over at Eddie, wondering if he might know anything, only to his eyebrows drawn together and a frown twisting his features. "You alright, Eddie?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." The answer is quiet and she doesn't say anything else, but it's clear that even Bobby and Chimney think it's bullshit.