The Family We Choose

Chapter 57

You don't go beyond the glass.

It's one of the first rules of being a first responder that Buck actually followed. And sure he broke that rule once or twice before but this was different. He was frozen in place, his body wasn't allowing him to move past the glass. He wanted to, he wanted to follow them right into the E.R but here he was. Feet planted on the concrete, blood sticking to his cheeks.

It's not until the truck is moving out of the way for the next one that he finally moves. First his fingers then his arms until his feet are dragging him to the front entrance.

"They're taking him into surgery."

"Next of kin will be called once they have news."

"There's a waiting room. A vending machine. A bathroom."

He hears it all but chooses to ignore it. There was something more important that he had to do today. It was Thursday which meant it was a half day for Emelia but a full day for Chris.

She drives herself home on Thursdays unless someone can pick her up. Today she was going to the library with her friends to study. Eddie told him that last night.

Before he can register anything else he feels the cool breeze from outside and realizes he's outside. He can hear the bustle of reporters to his right. See's Taylor and tries to run.

He has nothing left to give to her. No statement, no comment.

"Buck!" He hears her and turns before he can catch the terrified look in her eye.

"No comment Taylor."

"That's not why I'm here. Really." It takes him a second before he tries to believe her. "I'm not working this one."

It tracks, there's no camera behind her or microphone in her hand, so he hears her out.

"I just heard a firefighter was shot. You didn't answer my calls." His phone has been vibrating in his pocket since he stepped foot in that hospital but that was a weight he wasn't willing to hold. "I got worried."

"Sorry, I wasn't checking my phone." He finally brings it out of his pocket. Looking down at his shaking hands at the large object in his hands.

3 texts from Emelia.

2 calls from Bobby.

4 from Maddie.

1 from Hen.

1 from Chim.

"Is that blood?"

"It's not mine, it's Eddie's."

"Eddies the one that got shot?"

"He was standing right in front of me. And then..." he stops himself before he is fully brought back to the pavement. "I need to talk to Christopher and Emelia. She's out of school in like an hour."

"Yeah."

"I don't. I don't have my car. I need to call a ride."

"Why don't I drive you? We can stop by your place..."

"No. No I got..." he doesn't have time. He doesn't know what library she'll be at and Chris shouldn't be alone at school right now. She needed him, so did Chris and he needed to be there for them.

"You can't go see his children looking like this." She grabs his shaking hands. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Buck didn't know the answer, so he didn't.

–

The drive to Emelias school was silent. No radio or music playing. Just plain old silence. Buck couldn't bring himself to say a word, mind racing a mile a minute. Too many things running rapidly that he struggled to focus on the one thing that matters most.