𝐈 𝐁𝐞𝐭 𝐎𝐧 𝐋𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐃𝐨𝐠𝐬 - 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐠𝐨 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐞

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐅𝐢𝐯𝐞

Another day.

Kat woke up early to her alarm with a groan, sighing as she pressed 'stop' and sat up, rubbing her eyes before getting up wot wake Ash, she knew that because he had been suspended he would have to come in to work with her, usually she'd ask her cousin, Ben to babysit but he was also working today.

It was his first day back at the firehouse since Andy was killed. Which meant Ryder would be at school and Kat's neighbor, a kind man with a teenage son who was pretty much like a brother to Ash, was also at work — which meant Ash would be coming to the firehouse with her today. Katrina walked into Ash's room, turning on the lights and kneeling next to him as she gently shook the sleeping boy awake.

"Rise and shine, bear," she whispered with a soft smile, Ash stirred, groaning as he sat up with a tired look on his face.

"Morning, Mama," he yawned, rubbing his eyes and Katrina smiled.

"Morning, baby bear," she whispered, "I'll make some breakfast to-go while you get yourself ready, okay? Don't forget to pack some things to entertain yourself, okay?"

Ash nodded, yawning again as Katrina left the room and went downstairs to make breakfast, being greeted by the family dog, a dalmatian named Ripley. She ruffled the dog's ears, and began making some toast and putting them in a tupperware as well as pouring some orange juice into a bottle and setting them on the table just in time for Ash to come down the stairs in shorts and a t-shirt with his sweater in hand and his bag around his shoulders.

"You ready, bear?," Kat asked as she handed Ash the to-go breakfast as they headed for the door.

"Yeah," Ash responded as they stopped at the door.

"Bag?," Kat asked.

"It's on my back," Ash replied.

"The things you chose to keep yourself entertained are packed?"

"Yes."

"Sweater?"

"I'm holding it." Ash held up the sweater to show her and Kat nodded.

"Your inhaler and epipen?"

Ash opened his mouth to presumably confirm that he had them both but his eyes widened and he darted back upstairs to his room and came back down with both of them in his hands, out of breath as he gasped, using his inhaler and taking some breaths before his lungs and throat calmed down.

"Now I have everything," Ash breathed. Kat couldn't help but chuckle at her son's antics and she ruffled his hair with a soft smile, opening the door and they both left the house.

↡↡↡↡

At the firehouse, Ash walked into the lounge area and sat down at the table, pulling his sketchbook out and he started a new drawing of a lemon shark.

After a few minutes he heard shuffling coming from the supply closet and he looked up, his face creasing a bit as he wondered what could be happening. After a few more seconds of waiting a woman walked out with Kelly of all people, neither of them seemed to notice the little Darden boy staring at them.

However, when Kelly did notice the kid he did a double take, seeming shocked that Ash was there and Ash could see the worry and slight embarrassment on his face.

"Ash, buddy, aren't you supposed to be at school?," Kelly asked as he cleared his throat, the woman looked at Ash with a scowl.

"I got suspended, remember?," Ash replied, going back to his drawing.