Underneath the Armor

Walls Falling

The sun was barely peeking over the horizon when she returned home, but her heart felt lighter. The night had been challenging—there were lives to save, smoke to cut through, moments where every second mattered—but the weight of feeling alone wasn't pressing down on her shoulders as it used to.

She walked quietly into the house, careful not to disturb anyone. But as she slipped off her boots, she heard a soft voice behind her.

"Mom?"

Turning, she saw Max standing there, hair tousled and eyes squinting in the dim light. Ava trailed behind him, rubbing sleep from her eyes, both kids wrapped up in their blankets like little burritos.

"Hey, sweethearts," she whispered, opening her arms as they ran over to her, squeezing her tightly. She knelt down, hugging them close, feeling their warmth against her.

"Were you helping people again?" Ava asked, looking up at her with wide eyes.

"Yeah, I was," she replied softly. "We helped a family last night—a mom and her two kids, just like you guys."

Max looked up at her with admiration that made her heart swell. "You're a hero, Mom."

The words washed over her, simple and sincere. She smiled, kissing the tops of their heads. "I do my best. But you two are my real heroes. You're always so brave when I have to go to work."

They grinned, hugging her again before tugging her to the couch.

"Come sit with us," Max insisted, his small hand wrapping around hers as he led her into the living room. "We've been waiting to show you something."

Ava scrambled onto the couch, pulling a handmade card from her blanket and handing it over. "We made this for you!"

She opened it to see a crayon drawing of herself in her paramedic uniform, surrounded by hearts, flowers, and tiny stick figures of her, Max, Ava, and their grandma.

Her heart swelled, and she blinked back tears. "This is beautiful," she said, pulling them both in for another hug. "I'm going to put this somewhere special."

The morning passed slowly and peacefully, with her kids on either side of her on the couch, dozing off as they watched cartoons. She let herself sink into the cushions, feeling their warmth and breathing in the quiet peace of the house. For a while, she drifted in and out of sleep, listening to their soft breaths, until the sound of her phone vibrating on the table gently pulled her from her daze.

The message was from Buck:

Buck: Just checking in. Make sure you got home okay?

She smiled softly, surprised at the care behind his words. The team had a bond, sure, but there was something different in the way Buck reached out.

She typed back a quick reply.

You: Got home safe. Just with the kids right now. Thanks for checking.

He replied almost instantly.

Buck: Good. And hey... if you ever need anything, you know we're all here, right?

She paused, looking at the message, feeling the warmth of his words sink in. A few months ago, she might have brushed it off, convinced herself she was fine on her own. But now, knowing that she had a whole team ready to back her up, it felt like she was no longer fighting alone.

You: I know. Thanks, Buck. I'll keep that in mind.

Later that afternoon, she took the kids to the park, letting them run and play while she watched from a nearby bench, sipping her coffee and letting the events of the past few days settle. Her phone buzzed again—this time, a group message from Hen: