Juliette Ryder ran. She ran away from her family in Texas. She ran away from her troubled past. She ran away for a purpose. To protect her son. In LA, she built a new life for herself and her baby. The 118 became her new family. Will a new firefight...
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The aftermath of the earthquake was devastating to say the least. Roads, businesses, and homes were destroyed, leaving many families stranded or living in hotel rooms until they could find new accommodations. While most of the members of the 118 avoided much of the destruction, one person did not. The apartment complex Jules and Grayson were living in completely collapsed with a count of only 2 casualties. After picking up Grayson from school right after the earthquake, Buck was going to drop her off first as she lived closer. When they pulled up to the complex, the five-story building had been reduced to nothing but rubble and debris. Already having gone through so many emotions that night, Jules could only force out a muffled sob as she collapsed to her knees, burying her face in her hands. A chunk of her world literally crushed into nothingness.
"Stay in the car boys," Eddie said while he and Buck jumped out of the Jeep.
"This is heartbreaking Eddie. I can't even imagine what Jules must be feeling right now." Buck somberly whispered.
"I know. What a nightmare. We must be there for her and Grayson, they will need as much support as possible." Eddie replied as he made his way towards Jules.
Kneeling, he wrapped his arms around her shoulder and pulled her into him. "Jules, we're here for you and Gray. I promise that we, me and Buck plus the 118 will help you get through this." He whispered as he ran his hand over the back of her head in a gentle petting motion. Her body shook as she cried into Eddie's shoulder, her fist gripping like a vice in his shirt. Buck kneeled behind her and sandwiched her in between the two men. They allowed her to cry as long as she needed to; they knew she was done crying when she started to hiccup.
"Thank you, guys. I don't know what I would do without you. Everything Gray and I had, our home, our memories, it's all gone." She sniffled, eyes, nose and cheeks splotchy and red.
Eddie gently rubbed her back, "Material things can be replaced, Jules. What matters most is that you two are safe. We'll help you find a new place to call home."
"I appreciate that, really. It's just...it's overwhelming. I never thought I'd be starting from scratch all over again."
"Hey now, it's ok to feel overwhelmed. This is huge. Take all the time you need to process everything." Buck consoled rubbing her upper arms.
"Just remember, you're not alone. You have us and the 118 who care about you. We will not let you go at this by yourself." Eddie reminded.
A small smile graced her face for the second time that night. "I don't know what I did to deserve you guys. Thank you."
"We're family and family sticks together, even though you like to smack me with a wooden spoon," Buck joked earning a giggle from the woman.
As the three friends kneeled together, their bond grew stronger. Eddie and Buck vowed to be Jules' pillars of support, helping her navigate the challenging road ahead. They knew that with the unwavering support of themselves and the 118, Jules would find the strength to rebuild her small family's life. And support did come in droves from more than just her team. The community, LAPD, her family in Texas, Buck's sister Maddie and even Eddie's family came together to support her and Grayson, whether it was via monetary donations or material donations, she never expected to feel this much love and support from people outside of those she was close with.
