The Family We Choose

Chapter 10

Eddie gets the phone call right as Shannon is putting dinner on the table. It's Bobby, letting him know that Chim is in the hospital with a stab wound and Maddie is missing. And Buck needs him.

"I gotta go," Eddie says as an apology and it only earns him a table full of question looks. "Chim's in the hospital and Maddie's missing. Buck, he uh, he..."

Eddie's scared to finish his sentence and luckily Emelia is about to cut him off.

"I want to go with you,'' Emelia stands, pocketing her phone and Eddie doesn't fight her on this, too hyper focused on getting to the hospital. There isn't any time either. Buck has probably already done at least 5 stupid things while they had this conversation.

The rest of the 118 are in the waiting room and tension is high. Athena is there and she's giving him a look of exhaustion before walking over to the pair.

"Maybe you can talk some sense into him." She's almost pleading, her head jolting over to another hallway and he doesn't have to be asked twice before Eddie disappears down the hall to sit next to Buck.

Emelia patiently hangs back. Watching for a second before turning to Bobby and Athena

"Is he going to be okay?" she asks Bobby.

"He's going into surgery soon and we won't really know anything until then." he responds with a half smile and she knows that means that Maddie wouldn't be too far off.

"And Maddie?"

Bobby can only shake his head.

"Don't you worry, we're going to find her." Athena places a gentle hand on her shoulder, the three turning again to see how Buck and Eddie are doing. He's venting at this point and Eddie is listening. Offering silently to be his sounding board.

Athena was right to send in Eddie.

"I spoke with Detective Marks and he's not happy with you." Athena says as she walks over to the pair, followed close behind by Bobby and Emelia.

"I-I-I just." Buck falls over his words.

"Yeah, broke the chain of custody. You unlocked Chimney's phone without his permission. Marks can't use any of it."

"I'm sorry. Okay? I was trying to help." Emelia had to stop herself from smiling at Buck's actions. Only he would steal his phone and worm his way into Chims room to try and unlock it.

"Okay, let's go. Car's out front."

"You're arresting me." Emelia looks at Athena with a weird look, it wasn't like her to offer up false hope.

"Not yet. But the night's still young."

"Stay safe." Emelia says as Buck stands, jogging to catch up to Athena.

"Uh where are we going?" was the last she heard of the conversation before Buck was out and following Athena like a lost puppy.

The door closes and she feels like she can actually breathe.

"Is he going to be okay?" She takes a seat next to Eddie. There were a lot of people in danger and it was only 7pm. Chim, Maddie, now Buck and Athena.

"I don't know but we'll be there for him either way." It was a promise, one that both were prepared to keep. The officers nodded their heads towards the actual waiting room.

Wordlessly they stood, Eddie wrapping an arm around her shoulders as they walked to the waiting room. Piling into the small space next to Hen

Everyone stayed the night, taking refuge in the waiting room. Some slept, some paced the length of the room, others messed around on their phones. Emelia was part of the first group, leaning her head against Eddie's shoulder until the commotion of the tiny room was loud enough to wake her.