Sanctuary

My Baby's Got To Pay the Rent

Chris has all but forgotten about his strange encounter with the strange man when Eddie takes him downtown to watch the 4th of July parade.

They both watch as marching bands, flag teams, and several other organizations march down the streets, even with paper mache heads of George Washington and Abe Lincoln.

On another side of the crowd, Buck’s swept away by all the excitement, smiling and laughing as he looks to catch up with Eddie and Chris.

What he doesn’t see is Jeremy also making his way through the crowd unseen, as more parade floats go by, getting more agitated when he doesn’t see Buck.

He even manages to step out in the street to see the crowds better, looking them all up and down in search of the one man he’s refusing to leave without.

As he takes a drink of his scotch, he’s sure he’s getting some odd looks for standing in the middle of a parade, but he couldn’t care less right now.

In fact, once he sees a flash of what he thinks is Buck, he’s walking right towards them. Even when it turns out to not be him, he doesn’t stop looking.

Later, the whole 118 team is at the barbeque organized by Bobby and Athena, along with several people who don’t have anywhere else to go, at the 118 fire station.

As a live band plays, Buck, Eddie and Chris dance together, just happy to be together.

Refusing to give up, Jeremy had followed along with the other outsiders, not saying a word to anyone, searching for the only man he’d come to this hippie wasteland for.

He’s almost ready to give up, when he suddenly stops cold.

There he is. Some guiri bastard, and that crippled kid, dancing with his husband.

With the music pounding in his ears, he walks right towards them.

Or, he would’ve, had he not seen that bastard kiss his husband.

Now he has to step back, calm down a little, before he does something really stupid.

Once he does, he walks away, but not before he catches Shannon’s eye, who had been watching him since he first showed up.

All the while, Buck, Eddie and Chris keep dancing, completely oblivious.

“Fireworks are starting at 9, and we should be back shortly after.” Eddie calls back, as he and Buck walk out the front door.

But Denny, who Hen had dropped off earlier, is already trying to follow, “Can I come too?”

Eddie’s surprised, “You want to?”

Denny nods excitedly, “Yeah.”

Eddie quickly agrees, “Okay. Go get your shoes.”

While Denny does so, Eddie tells Buck, “If Chris’ stomach still hurts, try chamomile tea. Usually does the trick. I always keep it stocked for him for exactly this reason.”

Buck nods, “I think I got it.”

When Eddie tries asking, “Are you sure?”, Buck’s quick to say, “Yes! Now go!”

As Eddie walks to the car, Buck walks back to the house, calling out, “Have fun! Be safe!”

As Eddie and Denny make it to the pier, unbeknownst to them, Jeremy is watching from a fair distance away, hiding in the bushes, gun pointed at both of them, practically begging them to give him an excuse to pull the trigger.

Back at Eddie’s, Buck’s just settling down with Chris in bed, asking,

“Starting to feel better?”

Eddie and Denny ride off towards where they’re setting off the fireworks, cheering and whooping as they watch them all go off one by one.

Once Chris is asleep, Buck steps out onto the front lawn to get a closer look at the explosions of color above him, and he’s so preoccupied, he doesn’t hear anyone come up behind him until he hears,

“Buck.”

Buck turns without thinking, and immediately, he says,

“Shannon, listen, I want to apologize for what I said...”

“He’s here.” Shannon interrupts.

The words only succeed in confusing him, so he has to ask, “Who is?”

Shannon only gives him a knowing look, “I think you know.”

A particularly loud firework explodes closer to where Buck’s standing, and in that one instant, he realizes Shannon’s right.

Buck immediately wakes, not sure where he is for a split second, but a quick pat around has him remembering. Chris. Sick. Staying with.

That helps shake some of the confusion he felt upon waking, but as he carefully stands up, he still can’t shake the sinking feeling in his gut as he walks towards the front door.

“You shaved your hair.”