If You Play With Fire

We're sorry

"He's alive. Give him a few more hours to wake up. The burns are only superficial. He will only get a small scar. He is still ventilated lightly. The ankle is broken, but not bad, and the head injury wasn't that bad either. If everything goes well, he can go home by the end of next week," Choi looked around the group, "Liam needs a lot of rest. No more than two people, please."

Gabby hugged her husband for joy. It was great news.

They entered the hospital room slowly. Gabby clutched Matt's hand tightly and looked at her stepson. His wound on the head, which looked worse than it actually was, was sewn. He wore a bandage on the entire left side of his arm from shoulder to wrist. Choi told them that the burn would heal, but small scars can remain. Liam wore nasal cannula, which gave him breath.

Matt and Gabby looked at him worriedly. They just didn't know what to say. Liam had been right all along and they didn't believe him.

Matt sat on the edge of the bed. He wanted to take his son in his arms. Instead, he only reached for Liam's hand. He was very sorry for everything. He didn't behave correctly as a father. He should have believed his son.

Gabby put her hand on Matt's shoulder, "He will be alright."

"I know," Matt said.

For hours they sat on the bed watching the boy. Every now and then his hand or an eyelid twitched.

"Don't you believe me?" Liam whispered, opened his eyes.

"Liam! How're you? You know I'm very sorry," Matt said, looking over at his wife, "We're so sorry!" he improved. He took a deep breath, "My behavior towards you was wrong and we should have believed you!"

"But you haven't," Liam snapped.

"Antonio arrested the arsonist," said Gabby, who was sitting on the edge of the bed on the other side, "and believe me, we'll do everything we can so he gets his punishment."

"You can invite him for a shift at 51," Liam hissed.

Matt sighed, clutching his wife's hand. Why Liam let them feel the cold shoulder now? He didn't know what Cruz or Otis were doing to him. On the other hand, Kelly gave him the hint to talk to his crew and he didn't. And Liam made signs that he wouldn't like it there anymore, but he didn't care. Actually, he would have imagined their encounter quite differently. Instead, his son was in a bad mood.

"Liam, we all made mistakes. And believe me, we all deeply regret what happened! You can't imagine what fear we were when we saw the burning 51! We knew exactly that you were sleeping!" a tear rolled down her cheek. She didn't even want to recall that terrible hour.

"So I have to put myself in danger that you may believe me?" Liam asked in surprise.

"Why didn't you talk to us about the whole thing?" Matt asked.

"I tried to talk to you, but you did not listen to me anymore!" Liam yelled. At the same moment Choi entered the room.

"Your quarrels don't concern me, but I hear you in the hallway. In addition, Liam needs rest. So either you calm down or I have to ask you to leave," Choi said.

"Yeah, please! They should go," Liam hissed.

"Liam," stunned, Matt looked at his boy, "I was very worried about you! I thought you were dying! And the only thing you are thinking about is to start a new argument?"

"Try to please behave yourselves!" Choi said and disappeared.

Matt sighed, "You're angry. And I can really understand it. I haven't been there for you in the past few weeks and haven't listened to you. But put yourself in my position... I was put under pressure from all sides because my son was a suspected arsonist. With the stay on the 51 and the cell phone ban I didn't want to punish you, I wanted to protect you."

"You believed the psychiatrist," Liam said.

"Honestly? I didn't know what to believe anymore," Matt said.

"You know Liam. We can't change the past, we can only tell you how sorry we were for what happened," said Gabby, "we're blaming ourselves. I think all the time what if Matt hadn't found you..." Gabby burst into tears. She felt Liam reach for her hand.

"Dad found me," he whispered, looking over at his father, "I'm so glad you're here!"

"Promise me one thing, Liam. You will never chase an arsonist again!" Matt said.

"I promise you, Captain," Liam grinned.

"That's my boy!" Matt smiled, "You know that I love you very much?"

Liam nodded, "I love you two too."