Brave Enough

Six

James smiles at her phone when a text notification pops up. "Buck" it reads. She picks it up and unlocks it.

Buck: Good morning beautiful. Only one more week until I come over.
Aless: Good morning to you yourself handsome. I miss you! I was thinking maybe tonight we could skype? Cleo had something she wanted to ask you.
Buck: I'd love to. I get off at six so maybe at seven?
Aless: It's a date :)

She puts her phone down and checks on Cleo who for once was sleeping in. James makes some breakfast and leaves it on the table with a note that Cleo would understand to eat the food while James took a shower. The warm water falls from the shower head hitting her back momentarily washing away her worries.

    As James brushes her hair and replaces the colored contacts there is a soft knock on the door. "J... Aless? Do we get to call Buck tonight?" Cleo asks. James smiles.

     "Yes Cleo. We are going to call him before bed time okay?" She squeals in delight skipping back to the kitchen. James smiles while finishing her routine.

•••••

"911 what is your emergency?" James says.

"Help. Please there's a man with a gun. He's taken a little girl. He's pointing the gun at her," a woman whispers. "He's yelling at the tellers. He wants money a lot of it." A gun shot rings in the air.

     "Okay ma'am what just happened? What is your location?" James tries to stay calm.

     "He shot into the ceiling. We are at the National One bank on Lors Street. There is another man. He's got a mask though. Please he's starting to get angry," James types quickly trying to assure the police officers and fire department made it to the scene in time.

"Okay help is on the way. Just stay calm and the police will help you," she says.

"Jenna he's coming this way hide your phone," a man says in the background. James listens as the phone is put on the ground and slides across the floor. "Nice now he can't see it and the cops can still hear," the man says.

"Shut up John he's going to kill us if you don't," Jenna says.

A phone rings in the back ground. "Hello," a man says. "I want all of the money in the bank and for my wife to give me what I deserve. The visitations to my daughter the judge ruled for. This bitch is keeping me from her. And I want out of here without being carried out in a body bag. I have not killed a single person, and not one person has been harmed in this building." He says.

"Are you kidding me? All of this for your fucking kid? I thought we were going to kill someone and make some damned money!" A man presumably the second man that Jenna had spoken about. "Hell no. Someone's getting hurt," the second male says. A gun shot rings off and the sound of plastic hitting the floor echos in the bank. "Next time you tell me the truth."

Jenna gasps and the man gulps in fear. James sits on the line reporting every new moment. A thud and the sound of someone choking fills the silent bank. Doors open up and someone yells "LAPD everyone out. Calm and orderly you are safe now." The phone eventually clicks off and James is left waiting for the next call.

     James looks at the clock thirty minutes until she finally leaves to pick up Cleo from school. Maddie slides her chair up to her. "Cleo's birthday is coming up right?" James nods. "What does she want to do?"

     "We're going to go to the pool. We were planning on inviting everyone and some kids from her school. It's going to be tomorrow afternoon. But we had a plan for tonight. I know it's super last minute but she wanted to ask someone special for her and Athena wanted us to wait until the night before for some people due to over excitement. Athena already asked most of the station and I've only messaged the parents because they have four year olds and last minute things with them gets kind of crazy. I thought Chim had already told you. But I was going to do formal asks with her once she got her answer," Maddie's eyebrow goes up.

     "Is this someone special Buck?" I nod.

     "She loves him. I think it's because he's great with her and she hasn't had a father figure in her life. He's been the first man to..." James shakes her head. "I don't even know what we are. We've only know each other about two weeks. But I already know I'm meant to be with him Maddie. I've had boyfriends before. But with him. I can imagine myself marrying him, pregnant with his kids, Hell I could imagine growing old with him." James says her voice fading out. Maddie smiles big.

      "Aren't you just the cutest thing ever?" Maddie says jokingly.

•••••

     "So we're video chatting tonight. I feel like it's been forever since I've been near her and it's only been a week. We text everyday talk every other. We've video chatted once. Bobby this is a mess. Why am I so affected by this girl? I've only known her about two weeks," Buck says. "I held her one time and it was like the most dangerous drug to use." Bobby smirks at Buck.

     "I know it's hard right now. Trust me I do. But you have to know you are doing the right thing. You are doing the best thing for her. At the end you will get to hold her again Buck. When you do don't let her go. Do what ever you can to keep her just don't smother her okay?" Bobby advises him. Hen just laughs.

      "How did you go from Mr. Private and serious with a lack of love life to Mr. Sappy with relationship advice? Buck it is good advice. Look at what Eva put Denny, Karen, and I through. All because she thought she loved me. Look at Doug and Colin. Be the opposite. Be the light that she needs. Because that girl will never leave if you treat her the way she deserves to be treated," Hen says.

      "I always thought the phrase 'if you love something set it free. If it comes back it's yours. If not, it was never meant to be.' Was total crap. But Buck it's not. It happened with Shannon and I. If it were to happen with James just know. She'll come back. Because you two are meant to be," all of the advice was making Buck dizzy.

      "Let's talk about something else. Anything else. Like who's coming over for the game tomorrow?" Dead silence in the truck. "Okay. Well I'm going to order wings and buy beer if you guys change your minds." The rest of the way is silent. The call goes smoothly and Buck thinks of what could possibly happen tonight."