Burning Flames ¦ Evan Buckley

Chapter 49 - Old Trauma

"A little birdy told me, you jumped across a building and then fell, what was it 5 stories onto an air mattress?" El smirked as she lent against the door frame of the changing room.

"6 actually, but who's counting?" He smirked, before walking over to her, placing his hands on her hips.

"You are apparently" She grinned, "Can't believe I missed out"

"You really did" He smirked and leant down, placing a soft kiss on her lips. "How did everything go?"

"It went great, I can move in pretty soon, they're just finalising a few things" She spoke after kissing him back, "Why don't we go celebrate you being an absolute idiot when I'm not around?"

"Everyone else is busy" He sighed.

"Is my company that bad?" El gasped, placing her hand over chest in an offended manner.

"Awful" He smirked and pulled her back in for a kiss.

"Come on" She grinned at him, taking his hand and leading him out. "Is it bad I found it hot?" She questioned as they left the firehouse, his soft chuckle echoing the now empty hall.

-

"Do you ever just feel like everyone in your life is moving on and...erm...leaving you behind?" Buck asked after a few too many drinks at the bar.

"I...I know the feeling" El spoke, thinking about her parents. "What's made you say that? I'm not going anywhere..I don't think, unless you're breaking up with me?" She raised a brow, confused, a little worried too.

"Just erm...you know, everyone has kids or wives or...buying houses" He spoke.

"Me buying a house doesn't mean I'm leaving Buck" El laughed a little.

"But..you'll be leaving my apartment...and..I guess it'll feel lonely without you.." Buck admitted.

El gave a little smile before reaching over the table and taking his hand gently, "My home...is your home, if you want it to be, now I'm not saying you can move into my house but...you can have one of the rooms, if Mikey doesn't crawl back in. He's like a bad stench, he just lingers" El laughed, attempting to cheer Buck up.

Buck did laugh as he sniffed away his tears that tried to escape, "Yeah he is a bit" Buck agreed, "Thank you..El.."

"You don't need to thank me Buck...I'm not going to leave you or hurt you the way that Abby did" El shook her head, having a feeling that Abby was still toying with his emotions. He never got the closure he needed, or deserved. They never really broke up in the grand scheme of things, she just left him. She hated her for it.

"W-W-why are you bringing up Abby?" Buck asked, taking his hand away from her grasp.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean too...I just..." El stuttered.

"You don't think I'm over her?" Buck questioned.

"If you're not that's okay" El responded, attempting to reach for his hand again however he stood to his feet.

"I..erm.." Buck took a breath "I gotta go.." He spoke and rushed out of the bar, feeling as though he had been cornered. If he was honest with himself, he did still think about Abby from time to time but that's because he watched the women he loved walk away with no explanation. Deep down there was a part of him that still thought about her, that still had an effect on him but he did truely only care for El, but Abby was his first love.

El sighed and downed the rest of her drink before getting in a cab and headed to her old apartment, feeling as though she fucked up. Once arriving at the once tainted apartment she headed upstairs and inside. "Mikey" She called out, "You home?"