#9-1-1 lone star x reader fanfic

[callsign-dexter]

Love and Homemade Treats

Request: Hey could you do fluff Owen Strand x wife fem!reader from 9-1-1 Lone Star where she visit the station and she brought something homemade for all of them with their child? Just fluff and comfort. Tag me later! Thanks:))

Pairings: Owen Strand x Wife!Reader

Warnings: fluff

Masterlist

A/N: Thank you @pear-1206 for requesting this!

“Mommy! Daddy!” A tiny voice sounds through the early morning immediately waking you and your husband, Owen Strand, up. That tiny voice would belong to your and your husband's 4-year-old son, Dakota Strand. You and Owen had met through Grace and Judd Ryder and the both of you hit off pretty well. The two of you dated for about 2 years and then got married and have been married for 4 years. Owen’s son, TK Strand, and you hit it off pretty well. You treated him like a son and he treated you like a mother and he even started to call you mom and you were delighted. When you told them both that you were expecting they both were ecstatic and they treated you like a queen and still do. When you met Carlos Reyes, TK’s boyfriend, you didn’t judge them one bit and opened them with open arms, you even considered him a son. 

“Babe, our son is calling to us.” You said already starting to wake up and he groaned. 

“Who is taking this one?” Owen asked and you chuckled as he sat up and so did you.

“He called for both of us.” You said 

“Well then we better get going.” He said as he was starting to push the covers back and you did the same. 

“Mommy! Daddy!” Dakota said 

“We’re coming, Bud!” Owen said as the both of you walked out of the room and down the hall and to his room. When you got there, he was sitting up and tear tracks were running down his cheeks and your heart broke. 

“Kota, what’s wrong?” You asked coming over to sit on his bed and he crawled into your lap.

“I had a bad dream.” He said as he snuggled into your chest and you stroked his dark hair that he had got from his father, it was scary at how similar he looked to his father with almost no trace of you. Sometimes you were jealous but your husband was so good looking you didn’t mind it. You looked up at Owen and his face was one of sadness and worry. 

“What was it about?” Owen asked as he came to kneel in front of the two of you. 

“You and TK went into a building and you didn’t come out.” He said and your heart broke further.

“Oh, Bud. Your brother and I will always come back to you.” Owen said and he looked at him with his father’s eyes.

“Really?” He asked

“Really, they’re always super safe. You know why?” You asked and he looked up at you.

“Why, Momma?” He asked

“Because they love us and don’t want to leave us behind.” You said and sniffled and you wiped his eyes with your thumb. 

“I wanna see TK and Carlos.” He said and you chuckled and smiled and Owen smiled.

“How about we see them for lunch before they go to work?” You asked

“Ok!” Dakota said happily.

“You have a few more hours before having to get up. Do you want to sleep here or with us?” Owen asked, running a hand through his son’s hair.

“You.” He said sleepily and you smiled.

“We can certainly make that happen.” You said “Up we go.”  You said and started to stand up with him. You repositioned him to make it more comfortable on him and you. Dakota laid his head on your shoulder and started to fall back to sleep as you and Owen started the walk back to your room. Owen smiled at the sight. You sat down on the bed and laid your now sleeping child down on the bed in the middle as Owen went to his side and sat down and started to lay down. You made sure Dakota was comfortable and then you laid down. Owen and you both turned on your side to look at each other.

“This is the 4th night he has had this nightmare.” Owen whispered and you nodded.

“I know. I think there is something more to it.” You said and then yawned.

“We’ll figure it out now get some sleep. We’ll sort it out in the morning.” Owen said and you nodded.

“Sounds like a good plan.” You said and then you were closing your eyes and snuggling into your son. Owen stayed awake for a few minutes longer taking in the scene and thinking about how lucky he was to have you both, and TK as family. With those thoughts running through his head, he slipped off into sleep.

The next time you were waking up was when your alarm started to go off and you groaned and you quickly shut it off. You quickly noticed the lack of heat and little body that was snuggled into you all night and then when your hand met an empty bedside where your husband slept you weren’t too concerned. You knew Dakota was with his father and it only confirmed it when you started to smell something delicious coming from the kitchen that had you getting up and making your way there. When you got there your husband was standing behind your son as they stood over the stove, Owen making sure that Dakota didn't burn himself even if he did then he would be able to treat it. You smiled at the scene and thanked yourself for grabbing your phone before snapping pictures. “Do you think Mommy will like them?” Dakota asked and Owen smiled.

“I think anything you make for Mommy she's gonna love because she loves you.” He said and attacked him with kisses making him giggle a sound you both loved. 

“This is the sight I love to see.” You said and they both turned around.

“Mommy!” Dakota shrieked “Down, Daddy.” He said and Owen helped him down and he ran to you. He jumped and thankfully you had fast reflexes and caught him. 

“Hi, Baby. Are you helping daddy with breakfast?” You asked 

“Uh huh.” He said nodding.

“Actually, it's almost ready. Carlos and TK should be over here any minute now.” Owen said 

“Oh, I thought they were coming for lunch?” You asked

“They were but had something come up with afternoon and wanted to do breakfast.” Owen said

“Well, that's wonderful! I'm gonna go and get us ready for the day while you get everything ready.” You said

“Sounds wonderful.” He said and that's what you set out to do. Once you both were changed and teeth brushed there was a knock on the door and Dakota looked at you wide eyes.

“You know who that is?” You asked 

“Carlos and TK!” He shouted and then he was rushing off to the door with you not far behind. 

“Hey, no running.” Owen scolded as he got food onto plates.

“Sorry, Daddy.” He said as he reached the door and was about to open it before you stopped him.

“Hey, no opening the doors without one of us.” You said and he nodded and you grabbed the door handle and opened it. 

“TK! CARLOS!” He shouted and rushed to them and TK picked him up.

“There's my little buddy.” He said and hugged him. “Hi, mom.” He said looking at you and you smiled.

“Hi, Baby.” You said and hugged him as Dakota was passed to Carlos. 

“Hi, Mrs. Strand.” Carlos said as he hugged you as Dakota was quickly transferred to TK as he asked to be back in TK's who was heading into the kitchen with his little brother.

“Hi, Carlos. Please call me Y/N.” You said, chuckling as you released him.

“If you want.” He said smiling.

“Come on, the food is ready.” You said and then he was walking into the kitchen as you shut the door. You joined them in the kitchen. Dakota was talking TK's and Carlos’ ear off but they could care the least bit. Breakfast was eaten with some fun mixed in and many many laughs were thrown out. Carlos and TK stayed until they needed to leave which everyone was sad about but Dakota was the most upset about it, he loved his older brother even if they weren’t full brothers.

Lunch came and went and the rest of the time was spent with Owen cuddling his youngest son and cuddling you. You had him do some stuff that he needed to do that couldn’t and wouldn’t be able to do such as using the ladder. Yes, you were capable of using a ladder but Owen didn’t like it just because he wanted to keep you safe. Although you do get on there and he doesn’t know about it but what he doesn’t know what hurt him. Currently you were helping him pack his bag more like you were putting the clothes that Dakota was taking out back in. Dakota always struggled with his dad leaving but he usually got over it after a few hours he was gone. After about the fifth time Owen was getting frustrated. “Kota, daddy has to go to work.” He said.

“No, Daddy you stay.” He said looking up with puppy dog eyes and suddenly you knew it was because of the nightmare. So, you got to his level and made him look you in the eyes.

“Dakota, look at me.” You said and he did so.

“Daddy isn’t going to leave you neither is TK. They’re extra careful to come home to us. They have to go and save people’s lives. Ok, Baby?” You asked and he nodded and Owen got down to his level too.

“That’s right Buddy. We’ll always come home to you and Mommy.” Owen said and Dakota nodded.

“Ok.” He said and you both kissed him and got back to packing. Soon the packing was done with the help of Dakota instead of him disrupting the packing. Soon it was time for Owen to leave and after a very tearful goodbye from Dakota, Owen was kissing you and heading out the door. Dakota was still crying.

“Hey, it's ok. How about we call Daddy before you go to bed and we go see him tomorrow and bring him and TK some really tasty treats, hmmm?” You asked, looking at him and brushing his bangs to the side and wiping his eyes.

“Ok, Mommy.” He said and you smiled and kissed his forehead.

“Now what do you want to take to him and TK?” You asked, still holding him and walking into the living room.

“Pie. No cheesecake. No cookies!” He said and you chuckled.

“How about all three or we make the pie or cheesecake for us and send the cookies to them?” You asked 

“I like that idea, Mommy.” He said and you smiled and kissed his cheek.

“Very well then let’s get to it.” You said and set him down while you got all the ingredients. You and Dakota started to put ingredients together and soon after about 3 hours of baking you had everything baked and cooling down ready to be packaged to take to the firehouse tomorrow. “Alright, what do you want to eat?” You asked him already knowing the answer.

“Chicken nuggets and fries!” He said excitedly and you chuckled.

“Of course, how could I forget?” You asked not expecting an answer but got a giggle back. You turned to the stove and got the air fryer going “Hey, why don’t you go wash up and then go watch something?” You asked and he looked at you.

“Ok, Momma.” He said and scurried off while you started getting the fries and chicken nuggets out and waited for the oven to preheat before putting everything in and setting it for the time required. Soon you were hearing the TV turning on and some kids show queuing up. Soon the food was done and you were putting the food on plates and grabbing the ketchup and drinks and heading into the living room.

“We don’t tell daddy about this.” You said “It’s our secret.” You said and he nodded, taking it very seriously. 

“Our secret.” He said and then started to eat snuggling up against you. Soon you both were done eating and now it was time for him to start winding down and head off to bed. It wouldn’t take that long considering his eyes were already drooping. Your phone started to vibrate in your pocket and you got it and saw it was a facetime from Owen and you smiled and answered it. 

“Hey, Honey.” Owen said keeping his voice quiet and you could see he was in his office.

“Hey, Baby.” You replied

“Kota still up?” He asked 

“Barley.” You said and showed him his son.

“Hi, Buddy.” Owen said and that stirred him a little.

“Hi, Daddy.” He said in a sleepy quiet voice.

“Did you have a good day with your mom?” He asked and you nodded.

“We made sweets.” He said and rubbed his eye.

“You did? What kind?” Owen asked and Dakota looked at you.

“Strawberry cheesecake, apple pie, and chocolate chip peanut butter cookies.” You said

“Oh, I’m so jealous.” Owen said “I wish I was there to eat it all.” He said and Dakota chuckled and then yawned. “You get some sleep. I’ll see you in a few days. I love you.” He said.

“Love you too, Daddy.” He said and then you turned the phone to face you.

“Goodnight, Babe. We’re planning to make a trip up there at some point. You ok with that?” You asked 

“Always. Goodnight, Honey. I love you.” He said

“I love you too.” You said and then you both were hanging up the phone. You looked down and found Dakota sound asleep. 

“Out like a light.” You said and got up and carefully picked him up and walked him to his room and tucked him in and bent down and kissed his head. “Goodnight, Baby. I love you.” You said and made sure his night light was on and walked out of his room cracking his door. You went back to the living room and cleaned up and turned on a show that you had been watching and watched it until your eyes were drooping and you were headed to bed.

The next morning you were waking up to your son crawling into the bed with you. “Mommy?” He asked.

“Yes, Kota?” You asked

“We go and see Daddy and TK today?” He asked and you smiled and pushed the hair out of his eyes.

“Of course, Baby. Let’s get dressed and brush our teeth then we can pack up the sweets and head that way.” You said and he nodded and he was scrambling to get off your bed and do what he was told. You chuckled and shook your head and did the same. Once you were changed into jeans and one of Owen’s hoodies you went and checked on him and found him dressed similarly, jeans and a hoodie. “You ready?” You asked and he nodded and the both of you went into the kitchen and packed the food up and put it in a bag. You headed for the door with your bag and grabbed your purse and keys. “Remember to hold my hand while we are crossing the street and in crowded places.” You said and he nodded.

“I remember, Momma.” He said and you smiled. He was so much like his dad. You arrived at the elevator and let him press the button and it instantly opened and you both stepped in and let him press the button that you told him too. You quickly arrived at the lobby and you held out his hand for his and he took it. You walked out of the building and to your car you put the food beside his car seat and then strapped him in. You got in and turned the car on and headed off to the station. The car ride was filled with laughter and signing. When you arrived the firetruck and ambulance were just rolling in.

“Hey, there’s daddy.” You said and he looked out the window excitedly. He was always amazed by the firetrucks and ambulances. You parked the car beside Owen’s truck and waited until everyone was pulled in and out before you got out. Once they were in the garage you got out and saw Judd walking over. “Hey, Judd.” You said and smiled and started for Dakota’s door.

“Hey, Y/N. Need any help?” He asked and you smiled at him.

“Actually yes. I have some sweets beside his car seat. Do you mind grabbing it?” You asked

“Yes ma’am.” He said and opened the door.

“Judd!” Dakota shrieked as you opened the door and started to unbuckle him.

“Hey, Bud! How are you?” He asked

“Good! We’re seeing daddy.” He said and you chuckled and smiled.

“You are? I know he will be happy to see you.” He said as you finished getting him out and picking him up as Judd grabbed the bag and walked around the car after shutting the door and you locked the car. 

“Yea!” He shouted and the two of you started to walk in and he spotted TK. “TK!” He shouted and wiggled and you put him down and he ran to his big brother who easily caught him. You stared at the sight for a second smiling and then you and Judd walked over to the table and began to put the desserts on the table. A pair of arms slinked around your waist. 

“Fancy seeing you here.” Owen said and you smiled.

“I told you that we would be coming to see you.” You said as you turned around in his arms and the others gathered around. 

“Daddy!” Dakota shouted and that made him turn around and come face to face with TK holding Dakota and he reached for him and he took him. 

“Hi, Buddy.” He said and he wrapped his little arms around his father’s neck.

“I heard desserts were brought.” Mateo said and you chuckled.

“That would be correct. We have strawberry cheesecake, apple pie, and chocolate chip peanut butter cookies.” You said 

“Marry me.” Matteo said and everyone laughed.

“Sorry, she’s already taken.” Owen said and everyone laughed again.

“Dig in!” You said and everyone did as you stood back with Owen and your son as you watched your other children fulfill themselves on the desserts.

“How did I get so lucky to have you two in my life?” Owen said and you chuckled and kissed his cheek.

“Thank Grace for that.” You said and he chuckled.

“Hey, Dakota, do you want some?” Marjan asked, looking over at him.

“Can I, Daddy?” Dakota asked

“If it is ok with your mom.” He said 

“It’s alright with me.” You said 

“Yay!” Dakota shouted and then Owen was walking over to the table. You smiled looking at the scene. TK walked over and stood next to you holding two plates with a slice of apple pie and handed one to you. 

“Thank you.” You said

“You’re welcome. So, what made you decide to come down?” He asked

“Well, a little someone wanted to see his daddy and big brother.” You said and TK smiled.

“He’s such a good kid.” He said and you smiled.

“He is and so are you.” You said bringing an arm to pull him in a side hug and he smiled and laid his head on your shoulder.

“Thanks, Mom.” He said and you kissed his head.

“You’re welcome.” You said and then he was getting called away leaving you to stare ahead smiling while you ate your pie. 

You don’t know how you got so lucky but you were glad you did. You got a good husband, two good sons and a lot of extended family, who act like kids sometimes but you wouldn’t trade them for anything or ask for anyone better. You were happy with your family.

Tag list:

@kmc1989

@els-marvelvsp

@atarmychick007

@nyx2021

@grandstrangerphantom

@angenu01-blog

@talesofreading

@callsign-revenge

[passionwillow]

POV: You’re dating Judd Ryder

[miloscozycorner]

nights 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞.

Carer!Owen Strand x Little!Reader

• Your job just got too much sometimes- and after a particularly tough call, you can’t help but slip into your tiny space. Luckily, Owen is there to help.

cw: age regression.

( 1273 Words )

authors note -> I headcanoned he has a couch in his office for connivence purposes.. yeah.

Everyone else was asleep in their bunks. The room was silent, except for the soft breaths of your team. The call had been so exhausting and just so draining that all everyone could think about was going straight to bed. Except you.

Thoughts raced through your mind, as they usually did when a call went south. Did you do too much? Too little? Fears and anxieties crept up on you slowly, and your stomach twisted. A familiar, fuzzy feeling floated over your head, and you held your pillow just a little bit tighter.

You couldn’t be small- not here. It wasn’t safe. No one knew. Not your friends, not your family, and certainly not the team. But no matter how hard you tried to shake the tiny headspace that was settling in, you couldn’t.

Footsteps echoed down the hallway and you jumped, your heart pounding in your chest. For a moment, you wondered who would possibly be awake at this hour until it hit you- Owen.

Of course he wasn’t asleep. He rarely slept in the bunks when the team did, usually opting to stay in his office.

You held your breath as he walked in, making his way to his bunk. At first, he seemed so distracted in finding whatever he was intent on finding that you didn’t think he would even take note of your crouched figure over in the darkness.

Until, you heard his voice whisper your name and his footsteps make his way over to your bunk. “Hey, is everything alright?” He asked slowly, watching as you held your pillow tight to your chest.

“‘M scared.” You murmured, hiding your face in the pillow. Owen hesitated, unsure of what to do. “And I- I feel tiny.” You added on in a quieter voice, looking up at him with hesitant and wide eyes.

“Tiny?” Owen repeated, his brows furrowing as he seemingly tried to figure out what that meant. He wasn’t entirely sure what exactly you were referring to but… he knew he felt a sense of protectiveness for you. Care, almost. But he couldn’t put his finger on it.

Hesitating, you repeated yourself, “Small. ‘M small.” You muttered, shifting in your place on the bed.

Owen opened his mouth, and then closed it. You seemed quite upset and he didn’t want to push it by asking any overwhelming questions. So instead, he just gave a short nod to show he was listening. “Right… okay, kiddo.”

Warmth fluttered in your chest as he gave you a small smile, though you knew he was a bit nervous.

“Well, you know bud, I have some paper in my office. I think maybe a box of crayons too. I know you’re feeling some hard feelings right now. But sometimes company and a fun activity can help the big feelings maybe seem… less big.” Owen said carefully.

It did sound like a good proposal- and you wanted to find a comfort with him. But part of you still felt scared that you were possibly bothering him. “I don’t wanna be a burden.” You whispered, staring down at the bedsheets.

He paused, before shaking his head. “No, no. That’s not true, tiny. I understand you must be… scared, right now. Feeling small but dealing with some big emotions.” Hesitating, he continued,

“But maybe it could be nice to have some company for a while, you think?” Owen offered carefully, studying your reactions.

Despite your anxiety, you found yourself nodding in agreement and standing up with him. Owen paused before he decided to give your shoulder a short pat. You couldn’t help but melt at the soft gesture- even though it was clear he was still trying to navigate it, the kindness of his actions was enough to make you overwhelmed.

You followed him down the hallways until you reached his office, moving to perch on a couch. He fumbled through his drawers, murmuring to himself until he reached out a couple blank sheets of copy paper and a box of crayons.

“I know it’s not a coloring book, or anything. Hopefully it’s still alright with you, tiny?” Owen asked carefully, handing you the box of crayons and the paper.

Observing the variety of crayon options you nodded, adjusting the paper on a coffee table as you started to color, letting the tension slowly ease from your muscles. You could feel your mind to start grow more fuzzy, but in a more comforting way than before.

Owen hesitated as he looked up from his paperwork momentarily, clearing his throat before he spoke up, “So, if you don’t mind me asking peanut, what was making you feel upset?”

Slowly, you moved your eyes to look up at him. You chew on your bottom lip nervously as you try to formulate a reply, the crayon pausing its movements. “I, uhm.. the call. Scared me.” You admitted lowly.

He gave a sympathetic look and, hesitantly, moved to sit next to you on the couch. He patted your shoulder carefully, “You know, it’s okay to get scared sometimes kiddo. I get scared sometimes too. It’s part of the job.”

You nodded at his words, continuing your coloring silently. You couldn’t help but feel a soothing sense of comfort at his words, and your heart fluttered when he gave you hair a soft ruffle.

“What are you drawing there, buddy? Looks pretty neat.” Owen complimented, giving you a small smile as he watched you draw.

“Fire truck.” You babbled, picking out a red crayon to color in the outline of a truck, showing Owen all the different colors you were using for your drawing. He hummed enthusiastically as you drew, nodding along with you.

He picked up an orange crayon, handing to you as you drew. “Wow, I didn’t know you were such a talented little pal. I guess I have the best tiny artist in town, don’t I peanut?” Owen teased, giving your hair a ruffle.

With a giggle, you looked up at him. “You’re so silly.” You mumbled, hiding your face.

Owen made a face of feign contemplation, tapping his chin. “I think maybe I have the silliest kiddo around too!” He finally exclaimed with a gasp, looking down at you as you giggled even more.

“You’re being too silly!” You laughed, hiding your face as you curled in on yourself on the couch and watched him tease you playfully.

Owen helped color drawing after drawing, promising to keep each one at his desk (and maybe even hang one on his bulletin board!) The night slowly passed into the daylight and you could slowly feel your eyes start to droop.

“Hey peanut, why don’t you get some sleep?” He finally offered softly as you struggled to move the crayon the paper, too occupied with yawning and rubbing your eyes.

You grumbled, trying to shake your head. “But what if we get a call?” You asked quietly, looking up at him.

Owen gave you a small smile, giving your head a comforting pat. “It’s alright, tiny. We’ll be okay. I think you should get some rest. You can sleep on the couch, if you want? I have a blanket and a pillow, kiddo.”

The offer was convincing enough and without too much coaxing needed, you found yourself curled up on his office couch with the blanket covering your body.

“Alright tiny, get some rest.” Owen mumbled, fixing the blanket over your torso. “I’ll check on you a bit later, mkay?”

You nodded and curled inward, your eyes growing heavy. Owen turned the overheard light off, and you drifted off to the sound of his soft footsteps pattering out of the office.

[blueathens]

(Please Don’t) Let Me Drown - Agape

                      ACT THREE, CHAPTER TWO

SONG: How To Save A Life by The Fray QUOTE: “Some firefighter you are, aren’t you meant to be doing the saving? We could die out here.”

TW: Drowning, Slight Mention of Suicide,

A/N: Not read through or checked!

Previous || Next

Masterlist//Agape Masterlist

Drowning: When victims eventually submerge, they hold their breath for as long as possible, typically 30 to 90 seconds. After that, they inhale some water, splutter, cough, and inhale more. Survivors say there is a feeling of tearing and burning sensation in the chest as water goes down into the airway. Then that sort of slips into a feeling of calmness and tranquillity. That calmness represents the beginnings of the loss of consciousness from oxygen deprivation, which eventually results in the heart stopping and brain’s death.

Kasey was drowning, and it wasn’t at all like the stories.

She remembers one of her old mates – Trey Malik – trying to explain what drowning felt like after he experienced it mere minutes ago, she recalls her army jacket around his shoulders providing him warmth after she dragged him out from the river, she recollects the memory of his shivering body and she remembers watching him instead of holding him, he didn’t want to be held, he insisted on being okay, he just needed a moment to catch his breath then they could continue their mission. He was the one who started the conversation, she knew she didn’t want to hear it, but he didn’t stop, he told her it was important for her to know, important for her to listen to the experience so she knows how to get herself out of it if the time came.

She remembers laughing at that, stating that she will never get herself in that position.

She wasn’t going to drown.

She is even reminded of making a passing joke of how he didn’t get out by himself, she did, she helped him. So if she ever got herself in a position where she was drowning, then the only way to be saved is by someone else.

Trey shrugged his shoulders and mutters a “you never know” before telling her everything he experienced not long ago.

Instead of hearing of a horror story, she was enlightened by a tale that almost came across as a love song towards drowning, Kasey even recognises a sense of comfort washing over his face, one that someone would have when reliving a childhood memory, but instead he was talking about drowning, talked about it as if it was an old friend that gave him such a loving hug, a hug that he has desired for so long, a hug he just needed.

Kasey thinks that was the first time she has ever felt such a bubble of sadness coming from Trey, she recalls feeling closer to him at that moment as she too carried such a heavy heart of sadness that any danger that came her way, she would greet it as if it was a friend, but hearing Trey like that made her hate the world more, because why on earth would our planet be so cruel to such a lovely, good person? He doesn’t deserve to hold such sadness, he didn’t deserve to be out here away from those he cares for, he didn’t deserve to find comfort within drowning.

He didn’t deserve that.

And that made Kasey hate the world more, and it made her want to hug him and take him to a different world, far from this one, a world where he can find peace within the cool air on a spring’s morning, it’s what he deserved at least.

But he didn’t want that, she knew that by the way he talked, by the way he looked, he didn’t want to be saved, perhaps he couldn’t be saved, or maybe he just wasn’t ready yet and when he was then the only one who could help him would be himself.

And that was difficult for Kasey to process, and she thinks she never will truly process it because to her, she can save people, she can help, but Trey was never the person she could, and that’s just a fact that she thinks she’ll never come to terms with.

Perhaps it was a childish thought of Kasey’s to think that she could save everyone, and that saving them would even make her feel better about herself because maybe it’s too late for her to save herself, but it’s not too late to save everyone else.

And it’s stupid, she knows this, she knows it because she’s always the one saving everyone yet there will never be someone to save her…she’s the second choice, maybe not even that, maybe not even the third choice. But Kasey has to save everyone, she just has to, but when she needs saving then no one has to save her, no one chooses to save her, and then she gets to the point where it’s too late to be saved, and she just simply gives up, but to everyone she seems selfish even though she never got anything in return.

She always carried this thought that she was replaceable, that if someone wanted to, they could throw her away like a dead flower, that once stood tall and blossomed under the sunlight, but now only fallen petals remained, and who would even want to keep a wilting flower when there was a sweeter one just outside?

She overthinks it a lot, she overthinks how replaceable she is, and how most of her friends would now walk past her and not give her a second look because to them, she was just a stranger, but to her, she was the stranger that carried all the memories.

She wondered if Trey ever felt the way she did, maybe just once, maybe the currents made him feel wanted, maybe he felt unreplaceable within it, perhaps, just for a moment, he did feel okay, and he was truly telling her how lovely it was. Kasey pondered on this idea, but to her, nothing, absolutely nothing, could make her think drowning could possibly be relaxing.

And if Trey did truly think this, then Kasey began to hate the world even more.

He told her drowning was more peaceful than he could ever imagine, he said maybe he thought that as anything could be more peaceful than fighting in a war, he enjoyed the tranquil silence and the feeling that he was floating on clouds. For a moment he thought he was being gently lifted to the gates of heaven, he thought it was his time to go, and he even thought that drowning wasn’t the worst possible way to go.

Trey found it peaceful, but Kasey was in so much pain.

She was panicking. She barely could see anything in front of her. The water felt like it was suffocating her, filling her lungs and her throat, and causing her to choke. She couldn’t tell if her eyes were open or not, the confusing and disoriented of shattered light through water that shouldn’t be here – that shouldn’t be washing through the city – it shouldn’t be here – if it was where it was supposed to be then Kasey would be able to breathe, to see, to know where she was. But she couldn’t.

Kasey couldn’t breathe. Kasey couldn’t see. And Kasey couldn’t tell which way was up and which way was down.

Her body grew tired of fighting the currents.

Trey told her it was comforting.

But Kasey could recall watching Trey panic before he stilled, and perhaps he didn’t remember that moment, doesn’t remember her fighting against the currents to reach him as she watches him thrash around, yelling, screaming her name. Maybe he didn’t remember that, maybe he didn’t want to remember it, perhaps he just wanted to remember the moment of calmness before you drown. Where you no longer kick or scream, and your lungs don’t have that agonising and burning pain where it feels like it will explode in any second. Where your mind goes blank and there’s just this gentle humming left in your ears – and it’s almost like the lullaby your mother would hum to get you to sleep, it almost becomes…nice.

Comforting.

It feels like a much-needed hug. That too is comforting.

Perhaps this is what death is like, Kasey wondered, perhaps after all of this chaos, death is just around the corner to hand you that certain comfort you have been lacking your entire life. But if this was dying, then why didn’t she see her life flash before her eyes? And why does she feel something other than the cold water that was swallowing her up?

Why could she feel a hand gripping her shirt tightly before pulling her up with them, and the moment her face breaks the surface she takes her first real breath since being under.

She coughed, choked, and spat out filthy, salty water. Her eyes brunt as she repeatedly blinked, once her vision cleared up slightly she noticed the familiar features that belonged to no other but her brother. He was gripping onto the side of a fire truck whilst also holding her as tight as he could – if anything he was holding onto Kasey more than he was gripping the side of the truck, because if he had to lose something it would be the surface of safety and not his sister – he won’t let her go.

Despite the burn within her eyes, she noticed her twin’s struggle, and with numb limbs she pushes herself forwards to also grip onto the side of the truck. TK’s other hand moved to hold the truck too as he pulls himself up, watching as Kasey did so too before collapsing the moment her body made contact with the top of the vehicle. She may not have been drowning under the currents anymore, but it sure did feel like she was drowning on top of this fire truck, she still felt trapped, still unable to do something as simple as breathing. And now instead of hearing a near comforting hum, she hears TK screaming her name before everything went dark.

Once Kasey asked Trey if there was anyone waiting for him at home, waiting on news of his return, or perhaps praying they’ll never get that letter along with a military officer and a Champlin at their doorsteps. He told her that he has a dog waiting on his return, and his father, and he hopes his older brother too, he said they had a complicated relationship, and that was all there was to it, he even said his grandmother would be waiting.

She asked what was the name of his dog, he responded with “Goldfish,” and Kasey remembers chuckling softly at that.

Trey asked if there was anyone waiting for her and Kasey wished she could say yes, but the sad fact was that she couldn’t, she didn’t have anyone.

She fell out with her family before coming here, her own mother never cared much for her, her twin brother, she believed resented her, her father was always doing his own thing, she doesn’t think he would be waiting, she wasn’t a good enough daughter for someone to wait at home for. And along with her twin brother, she knows her best friend hated her, he wouldn’t be waiting for, god he probably be wishing for her not to return. She’s exhausting, she knows this, and she even thinks that she doesn’t want to return home either, she’s too troubled, she can’t be saved, she didn’t have anyone, and she couldn’t hurt them anymore…

After a long silence, she told them him no – then she gave her small explanation after seeing his curious eyes, she didn’t say much, she never did, she never could, but still she tried.

Trey told her none of it was her fault, and she could never believe him, not then and not now.

Sometimes she could still feel the hug Trey gave her after that, Kasey hasn’t felt that vulnerable before, not for a long time at least, nor has she been held so lovingly, so comfortingly, in such a long time. Kasey thought she was going to break down in his arms, but she didn’t, but she knew she could’ve though.

Kasey wondered if that was what drowning felt for Trey, but instead of drowning within water, she was drowning within a hug.

It was peaceful.

It was comforting.

And it was nice.

Kasey began to slowly wake up, her head in TK’s lap as he combs his fingers through her hair. Her first thought was trying to remember where she was, but that all came back in flashes. She shook her head, squeezing her eyes, before opening them once more to see TK’s chin. She then wondered if anyone else she knew got caught up in this, and if they did, were they okay?

Maybe it was a good thing that she didn’t know that Buck and Christopher wasn’t so far away, them too stuck on a fire truck as they helped casualties on board. Cause if she knew then she would have forced her tired body to search for them, to help them, to make sure they were okay.

Kasey would have to make sure they were safe because they were her fam–

Kasey sat up, taking in her surroundings to only notice that there were a few more people on board, all frightened and cold and TK gave her a worrying look, a look that almost begged her to do something, to save them, to just have a plan. But for once, Kasey had nothing as she looked out and around the flooded city, seeing nothing but water and broken homes and objects.

“You helped them?” Kasey muttered as she continued to look out.

“Yeah,” TK whispers. “You were out for a bit so had to improvise.”

“Sorry,” she whispers back.

She feels his hand on her shoulder, squeezing gently as if he ushering her to look at him, and she does, she turns her head, looking over her shoulder with glassy, down, eyes.

“You have nothing to be sor–”

“Your brother said you’re around here. And that he’s a firefighter out in Texas. He mentioned that you were highly ranked in the military…suppose you have the best water training round here?” Kasey hums as her arm covers her face, blocking the sun as she looks at the man who spoke up.

“Did he now?” She purses her lips. “Suppose he mentioned I’m a firefighter too?” The man nods. “Cool.”

“So what do we do?” The man looks around at the other casualties.

“Nothing,” Kasey mumbles, “we can’t do anything – we’ll just have to wait for someone to come and rescue us.”

The man scoffed. “Some firefighter you are, aren’t you meant to be doing the saving? We could die out here.”

Kasey turns around, brows raised, studying the man, hand pressed against her hip, “Oh, I’m sorry Gary, I’ll just whip out the boat I’ve been carrying in my pocket all day and drive you all home in time for dinner.”

He scowled at her. “It’s Raphaël–”

“Some will be in much worst conditions than us, at least we’re safe, that’s what is important, no?” Kasey turns to look back out at the city filled with water. “I’ll try and find a way to get rescued quicker but can’t make no promises here.”

“Kas…” TK’s gentle voice came from behind, his hand squeezing her elbow gently, “you’re bleeding.” As if those words triggered some part in her brain, she feels a sudden sharpness coming from under her shirt, lifting it up she glances at the bruises littering her abdominal and an awful, long cut beginning from the top of her ribs down to her waist.

“I’m fine,” she insists, and she thoughts of this to be true, she’s had worst, and she continued as if it was nothing before, so to her this was fine, all of this was fine, she just wanted to go back to her home – well outside of her apartment, in her car, and just fall asleep…

…she just wanted some peace again.

Kasey lays down to peer over the truck, hands coming into contact with the open window, her fingers pressed against the inside framing and the metal framing of the inside to pull her further over so she can have a better look of the inside of the truck they were on. “You think the radio works?” She questions her brother who she knew was standing right by her, silently watching her body tense from the pain of moving around.

“Probably damaged from the water,” TK responds, ushering Kasey to stand as he hears her quietly groan from moving once again. “You’re going to tire yourself out, Kas, just stop for a moment, please.”

Kasey grimaces as she comes to a stand, “I just want to get us all out of here.”

“I know you do – but hurting yourself more in the process isn’t going to help anyone.”

Kasey thought she was seeing things at first when she saw TK’s right hand shake before he reached out to hold the top of her shoulder, she truly did thought her eyes were tricking her, but with the fear and worry twisted in his eyes, Kasey knew she wasn’t.

He wasn’t scared of her, she knew this, but for her? Yes.

He acted as if she was a fragile piece of artwork that’s been locked behind glass for centuries and now he’s the first to touch it, and he doesn’t even know if a simple brush of his fingers would have it crumbling, but Kasey wasn’t going to break, she knew this, she wasn’t damaged, she wasn’t going to crumble.

Kasey could hold herself longer now, she wasn’t nineteen anymore, she wasn’t nineteen who clung onto Trey Malik as if was the embodiment of air, the reason she could finally breathe again, she wasn’t nineteen no more who was desperate to be held.

Touch wasn’t a weakness for her no more, she gets held on many of occasions, Buck and Kit were the main sources of it, they were big huggers, always have been, physical touch has always been their thing and not fearing their touch proved to the young firefighter that she wasn’t desperate for it anymore, she was held enough to not whimper at the feeling of such comforting warmth no more.

But TK’s always been like this with her, of course they used to play wrestle when they were younger, pull one another’s hairs, the reason for some of the scars on their body after one pushed the other too hard off from the sofa causing the other to be in A&E. But still TK’s always had an element of softness with her, admitting once it’s because he doesn’t want to cause any harm to her, he tolerated a form of guilt growing up whenever he found her quietly ruffling through the medical basket (from the top of their fridge) late at night in their teen years, and he always ushered her to sit on the counter as he helped with the injuries she carried home with her that night, always being the one who has to listen to her holding back the cries of pain when his fingers brushes over a wound accidently, or whenever he began to stich her up as she insisted for no hospitals – she hates them – and that they can do it at home.

He was the one who usually saw her injured, and he was the one who stayed up until she came home just to help her, listening to her apologies for thinking she woke him again, when really she never did, he just awaits for her to make sure she returns home safely, even at his worst he still continued to make sure she came home. And then there was the guilt, the guilt that he gained growing up, watching her flinch at loud noises, especially from arguments, the way her body tensed whenever he tried to help with her injuries as that was the only way she could silently express her pain without waking anyone up, and he was the one who listened as she talked down on herself, thinking no one was there to hear, but he always did, he always would.

TK always wanted her to see him as something she could cling onto whenever she felt like the world was against her once again, but as they become older he knew he was barely that for her, in fact no one was that for her, but she was always that person for everyone else, especially for him.

And every day, TK wishes that Kasey one day finds someone who would happily sit in the dark with her, hand holding hers, as they distract her with random facts or how their day was, and only moves to turn on that switch to guide her out from the dark and welcoming her back into the light.

TK thinks she’s secretly back in the dark, actually he knows she was, and it’s sad to think that she still hasn’t find a comfort person yet – someone who will just help her when she’s down, to let her know she was enough, to just hold her.

TK was guilty when it came to Kasey, he wished they had a better life together, they deserved it, well he would like to think that they did, they were – are – good people, and that’s got to count for something, right? TK has questioned time from time if, in another parallel universe, they got the life they deserve, that they got to be the siblings they should have been, not the ones that were too damaged, not those ones, but the ones who were just happy, the ones who lived nearer together just so they could meet up easier.

Perhaps in that other life they be working together, living that dream they had when they were so young. Perhaps everything was okay in their lives, and they got to be the siblings they deserved to be in this life.

TK knew one day though he wouldn’t be so guilty, he knew those injuries he helped to cover up weren’t his fault, but at times whenever he accidently pressed too hard against a bruise or something then his stomach would twist, and he would be overcome with a sudden sickness all because he was reminded with the fact that he could never protect Kasey.

He thinks that’s what he was most guilty for, in the end it was never about the accidental touches of aiding her injuries, it was always the fact that he could never protect her, Kasey was always doing her own thing, she was always in some form of trouble, she was always someplace else, she was out of his reach, and TK couldn’t ever protect her like he wished he could, but she did for him, and she always will.

But they weren’t kids no more, they were now nearing the age of twenty-five and now, TK wonders, now it could be the time he could protect Kasey, bring her out from the darkness, and to just let go of this guilt, and then maybe, just maybe they could be each other’s safety net, they would feel brave enough to come to each other whenever they needed to, maybe, just maybe, he could play the role of an older brother – older by only fifteen minutes – and just simply protect her, even if it just as simple as protecting her from herself, in the sense that she doesn’t hurt herself more, that she doesn’t do her thing where she doesn’t think of herself, that for once she could just take a moment, take a breath, and think on the situation with him.

Her hands once again found home on her hips, face scrunching as a finger graze the wound and she ignores the look TK gave her.

“Let me check it out–”

“God, I’m so glad I didn’t take my car here.” Kasey mutters, looking up to the sky, as she changes the subject. “Or I would–”

“Lose your house?” Kasey head snaps towards his smug appearance, eyes narrowing at him, and her mouth itches to respond; but she doesn’t. “I’m not wrong am I?”

“I will throw you overboard.”

“No you won’t,” TK smirks, “you’re too nice to do that. Besides,” he then raises his shoulders before dropping them just as quick, “you’ll miss me.”

Kasey hums before her eyes glances over at everyone else for a quick moment before she steps closer to her brother to quietly talk with him. “We got to try and find some rescue for them soon though, the first wave of a tsunami is never the worst,” her eyes flickers back over to the group, maybe about seven other people, all adults, “even if that means we’re our own rescue team.”

“Kasey, that’s to risky and in your condition–”

“Forget about my injury, I’ll live, okay? We can use the hose and the things around us to try and find somewhere better, perhaps find a proper rescue team or even a hospital.” She ran a hand through her hair. “We don’t know how long rescue will be, we don’t know how much more damage is out there, and whilst we’re at it we can rescue more people.”

“You said that the only thing we can do is wait.”

She sighs, “I only said that as I didn’t have time to think of anything else.”

Now TK sighs as he looks around desperately, hand holding the back of his head, and he balances out their options within his mind. “TK, it’s better if we move than sit around, we’re only getting colder here.”

“I know, I know.” He turns his head to now look at the group, they’re all sitting around close to one another to try and warm the other arm, but most were still shivering. “How long you think we got?”

“Until the second wave?” Kasey questions, and he nods, “I don’t know, man.” She now faces the group, making small movement to get closer to them. “Is anyone injured at all?” Kasey grimaces slightly that she hasn’t even asked them how they were yet.

“No one’s injured, Kas,” TK answered. “I asked whilst you were out and–” He stops when he notices a sudden rush in the water. No, no, no, no, not now, please not now, TK silently begs.

He thinks he hears Kasey tell people to get down, his mind was no longer here, he just thinks about the second wave, and the second wave only. He thinks he hears screams, and he thinks he hears Kasey trying to calm them down, but he doesn’t know what she says, instead his hand grabs the hose, pulls on it tightly and his eyes focuses on it unwrapping, he turns, gestures it towards Kasey who pulls on it too, ushering everyone to grab ahold of it, that maybe if they were lucky enough they would still be attached to this fire truck at the end of it.

There’s were screams as the second wave hit, it was nothing like the waves that lapped the shore every minute of every day. It was a wall of filthy, cold, and powerful water. The water had no gentle softness to it, instead it had no thought, no motion, and no hesitation as it destroys everything in it’s path just to hit their targets. Within moments, TK was breathing the air, and just as he took a deep breath he feels frigid foamy fingers grabbing a hold of him.

It was their dear old friend, the ocean.

The water was once a great fear of TK’s when he was younger, he thinks it started when he was three where his uncle thought it was a good idea to take him onto a waterslide. They went down a long, twisting concealed one but as they came to the end his uncle didn’t let him go, instead he pulled him right under the chemical water with him. TK doesn’t remember it fully, he just remembers a glimpse of a waterslide and a flash of memory that showed him under the pool’s water, and every now and then, when he was younger, he could feel that sudden tightness within his chest.

TK tried to stay away from the depths of water from then on, always panicking whenever his family tried to bring him into the pool with them, but he wasn’t having any of it.

He remembers a wedding at the age of five, and the same uncle who created his fear of water was teaching his sister how to surf in the far distance whilst he was with his mother taking photos, he recalls that she told him not to wander off, but he does so anyways, he walks down the pier, wanting to see how much panic the ocean can truly offer him, he was fine with just staring at it first, he then decided maybe to sit down in the opening between the two broken fences, but instead his foot somehow slipped and he fell into the water, his mother jumps in to save him within seconds, cause little TK didn’t know how to swim, nor did he know how to breathe under the sea.

At five, he learnt how much fear the ocean has to offer.

Up to the age of ten, TK would stay on the beach building sandcastles with his family, but his eyes were always distracted by his sister and his uncle out on the waves; surfing. His ears always listened to the way his father complained every day and how he wished Gwen’s brother didn’t teach Kasey on how to surf, he didn’t understand the problem, it wasn’t like Kasey was afraid of water so why would it be a problem if she enjoyed the feeling of the water crashing over her every time she fell off her surfboard? She seemed to be laughing each time her face breaks the surface and then off she went back onto her surfboard to catch another wave.

TK longed to surf with his sister, but he never did, not even when he overcame his fear, Owen truly wasn’t having it, he couldn’t have both kids learning to surf, he couldn’t let it happen again.

So at the age of seven TK stopped learning how to surf among the safety of the sands, he never took another board out from the stands and tried to learn, to mimic everything Kasey did out in the sea, his fingers never brushed the sands the same since seeing how furious his father was after TK stated he would surf with Kasey one day, he never thought about learning to surf one day again.

At the age of ten, TK learnt how to swim, Kasey was adamant about it, she said it was time for him to overcome his fears and learn how to swim because what if you fall in again and no one was there to save you? What would you do then? It was a brutal honest truth that TK never wanted to know, but deep down he knew he had to learn, had to overcome. Because what if he did one day fall into a body of water and there was no one around to save him? He wouldn’t know how to get out of that situation, he would be panicking more as he had no experience in even swimming.

One of Kasey’s friends had a pool in their back garden, it was quite odd to ten-year-old TK considering they lived in New York City, but he never questioned it. So, every Tuesday, after school, they would learn how to swim for an hour in Kasey’s friend pool whilst her friend was with Gwen learning the piano.

Once he reached his teenager years TK wasn’t afraid of water no longer, and he thought of himself as a confident swimmer too. But still, whenever they found themselves at the beach, TK stayed on the beach, becoming familiar with the sands once again whilst he watches his sister out on the waves, he did still wish to be out there with her, but his fingers never touched a board, no, because maybe he wasn’t afraid of water anymore but seeing how scared, how angry their father was whenever he hears about Kasey talking about surfing, made him never want to feel what it was like when the waves were beneath you.

“Buck!”

That was the first thing both Strands heard as they tried to come back to their surroundings, both could still feel the re-enforced plastic in their hands and they heard some groans around them, perhaps they were alright, perhaps everyone was able to stay –

“Buck!”

Kasey pulls herself across the top of the fire truck, fingers pressing against the side as she grimaces at the pressure against her injuries, once her head hit the small bump that was on the top of the fire truck, gesturing that she reached the side of it, she hesitantly looked over the top to see who was yelling such a familiar name.

Her heart was heavy, wishing it wasn’t someone she knew, but the name, the voice, it was so–

“Buck?!”

Kasey blinks as she narrows her eyes at the blurry figure in the water, a yellow stripped top she thinks they’re wearing and they’re resting against the side of what she would say, a wooden plank and –

Oh god.

Oh, no, no, no.

“Christopher!” Kasey yells, voice strained from her previous yells for everyone to get down, strained from the amount of water she thinks she accidently inhaled and –

“Christopher!” She calls again and she was on her feet, diving into the water with no hesitation. It was Eddie’s boy – it was Christopher – it was her sweet Christopher, and he was yelling for her best mate and–

The water was still deep in the area they were in, not yet washed out back to sea like she was hoping it would, so she fought against the water that was still rushing through the destruction and she doesn’t stop until she reaches a trunk of a tree that was surprisingly still standing tall, with a heavy breath she awaits for a second as the plank of wood Chris was keeping himself up with passes by, and when it did she quickly grabbed him and pulled him tightly towards her.

Her arms were firmly around him as she takes a step back, her right hand was cupping the back of his head and her eyes were furrowed shut as she just lets him cling onto her, his fingers twisting into the back of her shirt, gripping it tightly, afraid to just disappear again.

“I got you; I got you, love.” She rushes out. “You’re gonna be okay kid, I’ve got you now, I’ve got you.”

Christopher blinks into the shoulder of the women he was so familiar with, and his fingers pressing into her back even more at the realisation it’s her – he’s going to be okay as she’s got him now and oh my word it’s –

“Kasey?”

Oh, and how her stomach fell at the sound of his weak, tired, and quiet voice, no, god, no, why did he of all people had to be caught out in this.

“Oh, baby,” she utters gently, she now stands in the gap behind the tree, the water wasn’t so strong or deep there, so she was able to rest and look at Chris properly as she stood there whilst she thought on how to get them back to the fire truck. “What are you – where’s your glasses?”

“I-I,” he stutters, stumbling over every other word as he speaks with her, “I lost them. I lost Buck. He was helping and-and I fell…I lost Buck and–”

She hushes him gently, brushing his hair back with her hand before her hand falls to lay softly against his cheek where her thumb brushes away the fallen tears. “Oh, honey,” she frowns as she tries to act calm with him, but she wasn’t, she couldn’t be, Buck was out there too, and she has no idea if he was okay, and he would be worried sick because Chris wasn’t with him any longer and he wouldn’t know that Chris was safe – that he was with her now. “We’ll find Buck and your glasses, let’s just get you back to the truck.”

The water was still by the time she calmed Chris down by the tree and it meant she could take them back to the truck much easier than it would have been earlier.

“You remember TK, right Chris?” Kasey questioned as TK waved with a soft smile at the boy, throwing Kasey a worried glance, it didn’t cross TK’s mind that children would have been caught in this mess, not until he saw Eddie’s kid right in front of him, shivering in Kasey’s arms as she holds him, hands rubbing up and down his as she placed light kiss on top of his head every now and then.

Chris nods.

He remembers TK, he was Kasey’s older brother, by fifteen minutes if he remembers correctly from hearing them playfully arguing about it. TK shared a bag of sweets with him when they sat in the waiting room together whilst waiting on news about Kasey, he remembers that TK shared the same taste when it came to pick n’ mix, his father was asleep next to him, arms folded, and Chris never told him about the amount of sweets he ate that day as he listens to Owen’s – TK and Kasey’s father – stories about being a firefighter out in Texas.

So, of course he remembers the nice man that’s Kasey’s brother.

TK kneels down, hand reaching forwards to ruffle the younger boy’s curls. “What you doing out here, bud?”

“I was with Buck,” he tells TK in a quiet voice, “we went to the carnival on the pier and–”

“Buck’s here?” TK mouths to Kasey who just nods as she lays another kiss on top of Chris’ head, but she was quick to move away, tilting her head back as she let out a low hum at Chris shuffling back into her stomach, her eyes scrunches up and Chris was quick to turn around to try and find out what the fuss is about.

“Kasey,” his finger presses against her chin, next to the cut his eyes has just caught sight of. “You’re bleeding.” Kasey wanted to chuckle at his worriedness about her, she was glad he didn’t catch sight on the pain she was in and that he thought it was just a cut that caused her that sudden distress that caught his attention.

“It’s nothing, kiddo,” she didn’t know there was a cut on her chin until he pointed it out, perhaps she got it when she pulled herself across the roof of the truck, perhaps it was just a graze that was only slightly bloody.

“You need a plaster.”

“I tell you what,” she begins as she adjusts him in her lap, moving him slightly away from the ache in her left leg and more onto her right leg, one of his arms where around her shoulder, fingers brushing the back of her neck, and his other hand was in his lap. “When we get to some land you can find me the best plaster for the graze.” Chris nods.

“Spider-Man ones?”

“I think that be well cool!” She grins and TK smiles as she watches the interaction in front of him. “TK?” Her brother hums. “We got to start moving, the water should be shallow enough for us to walk through now.”

“What if there’s another wave?”

“We’ll just have to hope for the best that’s this is it.”

TK nods, standing up from his crouching position to rub his hands against the wet material of his jeans before he leans forwards to pick Chris off from Kasey for a moment whilst she tells everyone that it be best if they move and try and find some help, after some glances shared between them Kasey states that they could stay on the truck if they wanted and when she finds help she’ll try and send them their way, but it be quite risky to stay on a truck that’s practically flooded.

She jumps down from the truck and into the water below, taking Chris out from TK’s arms as she brings him down into the water too, but instead of letting him go, she adjusts him into a more comfortable position for her to carry him.

TK, along with the other’s, jump down from the truck too and collectively follow the Strands and the kid on their mission to find some help.

“Perhaps we can go to the zoo together one day,” TK speaks up after walking in silence for a little too long for his liking.

“The zoo?” Kasey raises a brow at her brother who just responses with a huge grin.

“Yeah!” He’s got a sudden spring in his step. “Both of our families – you know the 126 and the 118, that cop,” TK clicks his finger as he tries to think of her name. “Athena! Athena can come and Chris obviously be coming with us and–”

“And your cop boyfriend?” Kasey smirks, forging a pain of hurt as TK slaps her shoulder, the one that was closest to him, but furthest from Christopher.

“Not my boyfriend,” TK mutters, the spring leaving his step, as he folds his arms across his chest, pouting ever so slightly.

Kasey only hums, corner of her mouth still tugged up.

“I like the zoo,” Chris jumps into the conversation.

“Oh, yeah?” TK holds his hands behind his back, his right hand wrapping round his left wrist whilst his attention is on the boy in Kasey’s arms. If he didn’t know her, he would have thought they were mother and son, that thought alone brought a kind look onto his face as he thought about one day the pair of them will find someone who loves them, and perhaps they’ll have kids with their significant others, however that be, and they would have those family days that they never got growing up, that one day they could actually be a family they deserved, start again now that Kasey was in LA and he’s started a new life in Texas – perhaps this is life giving them another chance, another go at life.

Another warm thought bubbles within TK, and that was the thought of the boy in Kasey’s arms becoming his family too, he hears the way Kasey talks about the Diaz’s, he sees how happy they have made her and how much they helped her too, and of course there was Buck, her LA best friend, but he was just like another brother to her, but Eddie – my god, Kasey deserves to have someone good like Eddie, she really does, and TK could only hope that the universe just gives her the best.

He's seen the way Eddie looks at her too, of course TK seen it, even a blind person could sense the way Eddie feels about Kasey, and usually TK would get slightly concerned whenever guys are interested in his sister due to her never having good past relationships, but Eddie, he would know she be safe with him, that she’ll be okay, that’s she’ll be happy, and god did she deserve that.

So, maybe one day, if the universe isn’t so mean, the Diaz’s will become very familiar to him and his own father, and perhaps they’ll have those BBQ nights whenever they’re down in Texas or LA. And everyone they see as family joins too, and the kids are at the end of the garden playing some imaginary game and the adults are laughing.

And they’re all just happy.

Maybe, just maybe, they get the things they deserve, because they’re all good people, and that gotta mean they deserve something good at least, right?

“What’s your favourite animal?” He questions and Chris thinks for a little while before answering –

“Lions? I like lions.”

“They’re pretty cool, aren’t they kiddo?” Kasey says as she takes in her surroundings once more, making sure she’s a step ahead of everyone just in case anything happens then she be the first to discover it.

Whilst Chris told them a little fact about lions, TK nudged Kasey’s arm before leaning closer to whisper: “why are we heading more towards the pier?”

Kasey felt her eyes widen, quickly turning her head to look at her brother. She didn’t think he’ll notice, in fact she didn’t think he’ll even know the area they were heading towards, but he did.

“We’re not going there directly–” She sighs, “I just need to see if there’s any sighting of Buck…” Kasey looks back at Chris with a fake, relaxed smile, “you said lions starts off spotty?” He nods. “I think that makes them even cooler. You know, Chris, I think you’re just like a lion – you’re really brave. The bravest person I know.”

“Really?”

“Yeah – I’m real glad your dad joined the 118, or I wouldn’t have met the coolest, bravest person out there.”

Christopher smiles brightly before burying his face into Kasey shoulder as he hugs her tightly, “I’m really glad too.”

Kasey was surprised by not stumbling across anyone else, she wonders if rescue has been close by and that everyone else has been rescued within the area, perhaps they just missed a rescue boat, but Kasey hasn’t heard no engine, or any noise expect their movements through the waters and the quiet chatter amongst the group.

She thought all was rescued till she heard a scream for help coming from a building to the right up ahead, someone was trapped under some of the damage from the buildings and trees and Kasey purses her lips as she looked around quickly, checking that the area they were in was fine for everyone to wait within for a few seconds whilst she goes to help the person.

Coming to a quick judgement, she hands Christopher over to TK and Christopher almost calls for her, begging her not to go, to not leave him, he lost Buck the same way too, he can’t lose Kasey too.

Kasey brushes back his hair as she stands in front of the pair. “Hey, kiddo, you’re gonna be okay. I’ll just need to help that person over there,” she jerks her thumb behind her shoulder to the person who was crying for help. “And then I’ll be right back.” And with that she rushed – as quickly as she could with the waist-high water – towards the one in danger.

“Hey! Hey! I’m here to help,” she offers out a hand, “I’m firefighter Strand of the 118, I just need you to tell me if anything hurts whilst I take this weight of you, okay?” She heard a chocked out okay from them before she began to push and pull a mixture of debris off from the stranded person.

The water was raising.

No – no, not again, please not again.

She was pushing it off quicker now, and the second her hand grabbed the person underneath and pulled them up to their feet, the third wave came, and Kasey could hope that this was the last one as she pushes the stranger to the wall and held the pair of them for coverage.

Kasey was no stranger to metaphoric drowning; she was so used to her heart anchoring her down. Weighing her down to the point that she could no longer move. She was so used to the cold feeling, the loneliness, the pain, it all felt normal for her now.

Kasey knew most would be familiar with the sense of metaphoric drowning, but most usually were able to break the surface, catch their breath, learn how to breathe again. Kasey thinks she’s been under for too long now, she doesn’t think she’ll ever meet the light that dances across the surface.

Kasey would like to think that TK was beginning to learn how to breathe again after New York, and Kasey is thankful for it as TK deserved to rest, he deserved his happiness, he was a good person, he didn’t deserve to drown.

On his way to Texas, Kasey recalls a private phone call between the pair, it was short as she was on her shift, but in the call, TK begs her to come to Texas, to fix their family, to mend it, to rebuild it, he tells her he would have never gotten better for himself, he only did for her, dad, and mum, and he tells her, with the quietest of voices that he needed her, he needed his sister, and he begs for her to come live with them in Texas, they can live out their dream on being firefighters together, but Kasey told him no, she couldn’t, she may have an alright relationship with their father and a strong relationship with TK, but she knew if she ever lived with them then it would just destroy her more, her chances of ever seeing the surface would vanish in a blink of an eye and she would just have to befriend the ocean floor.

She could live with TK, she knew she could, and hearing his broken voice over the phone made her want to drop everything and come and live with him, but her and their father didn’t see eye-to-eye all of the time, they were better than her and Gwen, but that wasn’t enough, that wasn’t enough, none of it was enough – despite wanting to be there for TK, she knew living with them wasn’t going to do her no good, so she declined.

She told him she’ll visit when she can and she’ll always be in LA if he needed, and she suppose she just has to continue watching him live his life through the photographs he sends, and the calls he makes, and she’ll just have to watch him from the distance like she always have.

Maybe in another life they could have gotten what they deserved as siblings.

But in this one they grew up together with different memories and experiences from their childhood. The pair were prodigy children but love for Kasey has always been contingent. Unlike TK, who was seen as the child who could do no wrong, Kasey was the burnout child, the troublemaker, and she was just too difficult for them.

In her childhood bedroom there were many sport trophies in which TK, Kit, and Vanessa watched her win (most of them), Owen tried to watch her win as many as he possibly could and Gwen…well, when she came it was clear she never wanted to be there.

Kasey wore the title of ‘disappointment’ with the most honour though. It was a common word that was thrown at her, the phase “you won’t be anything” followed closely behind. And despite her telling everyone she was fine, no one would truly understand the weight of her families words. TK heard the fights, but that didn’t mean he understood the way Kasey felt about their family, he didn’t have to live up to their family expectations, and he didn’t have to listen to the constant reminders from their mum of how much she has sacrificed to get him there, and that everyone is counting on him – no, TK never knew what that side of the family was like, that was what Kasey always saw and heard. He heard the proudness, but she heard the disappointments, the “you’re just not good enough.”

TK was never the one who threw up before every game in his sophomore year, no, that was Kasey. Kasey, the one who had to sit in the car listening to her mum scream at her if she lost, or worst, they just sat in silence. Whenever Gwen came to watch Kasey play, coincidentally Kasey’s team lost, it was as if she was their bad luck charm, or perhaps it was the way she made Kasey so nervous to the point she couldn’t concentrate properly because she wanted to show her mum that she was good, that she wasn’t such a screw up, that she was good at something.

But no, whenever she came to watch they lost and it was always Kasey’s fault, the one who was to be blamed, and the one who gets told she wasn’t worth the trophies in her room.

Kasey never had a childhood, but she made sure TK did, she sacrificed everything just to make sure he didn’t ever see the side of their family she saw, that he was happy, that he’ll never experience the feeling of drowning. And she would do it again. She would. She would go though all the pain all over again as long as it ends with TK being happy.

But he would never remember that it was her who had to make microwave meals in the first few years after the divorce because Gwen was always busy with Enzo. Once she overheard that Gwen couldn’t stand being in the same house as her daughter, so Kasey took it upon herself to stay in her room for as long as possible just for TK to have the chance to have family dinners again with Gwen and now her new boyfriend, Enzo, and then when they were all in bed Kasey would eat the leftovers or find something else to eat.

She couldn’t let TK live the way she did, even as a young child she knew this, TK deserved a childhood and Kasey was fine with eating at the dining table alone every night.

Gwen blames Kasey for her and Owen’s divorce, despite it being the weight of the 9/11 incident mixed with some other personal problems, no, Kasey was apparently a massive factor in their divorce and Kasey remembers her father telling her that she could come live with him if she wanted, she would’ve said yes if it wasn’t for TK, but there was TK and she couldn’t leave him, she couldn’t do that to him, so she decided to stay – for him.

TK will never know that it was his younger sister that raised him for most of his childhood as their dad was grieving and their mum…was well, Gwen. But to TK, Kasey knew he would always remember their mum being there, and she was, in a way, she was there for him at least whenever she wasn’t around.

But TK does remember, he does remember some it, like how she was the one who taught him how to swim, when it really should have been one of their parents, but no it was his twin sister, and my god was he thankful for her.

He always has been thankful for her, even if he could never recall the extent she went for him at times due to the way she protected and shield him for that side of their family. But despite all this, Kasey knew that TK would remember the times she failed him, that she was the one to blame for him to understand the feeling of metaphoric drowning, she was the one who believed to be blamed for him starting drugs, and she was the one who left him…and that’s the main thing he’s going to remember, he wont remember how she accepted the abandonment from her mother just so TK could still have a mum, and he will never remember how Kasey sacrificed her life to make sure TK was happy. No, he’ll never know because Kasey will never tell him, she doesn’t want him to feel guilty as there was no reason to. But Kasey would do it again, she was his sister, she was meant to protect him, she felt lighter when she saw her brother happy – he deserves it, he’s a good person.

But the thing Kasey knew she’ll never be able to handle was the fact that out of everything, TK will remember how she left the most, he’ll memorise every detail of that night, and be able to relive it all the time. He’ll remember how she left, and he’ll remember how, like every disappointed child, she hid in her own shadow and drowned.

But even though she left, even though she carried the belief that TK hated her, Kasey will never know how many times TK fell asleep in her bed after she left. Kasey would never know how much TK talked to himself in her room, pretending she was there, telling her ghost that he missed her and to come back home.

She will never know that despite how she left, despite the fights, despite the disagreements, all TK ever wanted was for his little sister to come back.

Kasey never knew that even though he never responded, he kept every letter she ever sent him in those years they spent not seeing each other, in a shoebox under his bed, and how he would pull that shoebox out and re-read every letter that he was ever given by her, he even put in the letters he got from her throughout the years, even birthday cards, and he would read them all every night that she spent out at war.

All TK ever wanted was his little sister.

Now, she was under the water again, fighting against the current, and her eyes felt heavy, but she continued to fight. So fought like a maniac as she struggled to regain control, thrashing until her limbs gave out and the light above the surface drifted away, leaving her numb in the darkness. But even then, even when her body felt like giving up, she fought even more.

Finally, her face broke the surface, even if it was just for a second, she made sure to look around, the stranger wasn’t there no longer, the group wasn’t there, and nor was TK or Christopher. Kasey knew she was about to lose air again, she knew she was going to go under again, and Kasey knew she should focus on trying to get some air back into her lungs, but she couldn’t.

She couldn’t because how can someone catch another breath when all the air has just left your lungs the moment you realise two of the people you care most about wasn’t there?

TK and Christopher was no longer with her.

But somehow she gasped for her last breath of air before the icy-cold water flooded in; her throat burned as if a thousand needles had been plunged into it. But her gasp wasn’t truly her last breath, it was really her last scream as she called their names, but the heavy blanket around her swallowed that up and dulled her senses before embracing her into another tight, warm, suffocating hug.

Kasey was growing tired, she wanted to become a victim to the hug and just fall further into it.

Perhaps this is the peace Trey told her about, that you’ll truly feel all the pain leave your body and nothingness will fill your body as you just fall into the embrace that Poseidon gives you. You feel warmth from his sandy, bubbly, fingers, and you’ll feel yourself nodding along to him questioning you if you were ready to leave.

But at that question, Kasey found herself shaking her head, eyes still squeezed shut, but she attempted to wake her body up, even if it’s just for a few minutes just so she could swim up to the surface again. Because maybe Trey found comfort within Poseidon hold, but she didn’t, she wasn’t ready to go, not yet, and even if she was, she just couldn’t leave, not when TK and Chris needed her.

So she fought her way back to the surface with two things on her mind. She thought of TK. And she thought of Christopher. And that alone was enough for her to continue to fight.

                                               ❥๑━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━๑❥

“Hey – Hey, I’m looking for a TK – Tyler Kennedy Strand, and Evan Buckley and Christopher Diaz.” Kasey’s strained voice begs the woman in scrubs that stood in front of her. The tips of Kasey’s fingers were bloody, and she lightly touches one of the woman’s arms, body flinching at the realisation of what she just done.

The lady looks Kasey over with the bottom of her lip tucked in between her teeth. Kasey didn’t look so good, not with the cuts over her face and the blood-soaked t-shirt she was wearing. She questioned if Kasey even realised how badly injured she was, but perhaps the shirt being dark has hidden the truth from her and she was just now running on pure adrenaline. But Kasey knew, she knew how badly hurt she was, but she wasn’t going to let herself get looked at until she knew those people were safe, that they were alright.

Kasey takes a nervous step back at the look of worry the woman gave her.

“Ma’am you need to see–”

“Are they here?” Kasey stuttered out, hand moving to clutch her side as she felt a sudden rush of pain run through her as she impatiently waited for the woman to skim through the pages of her clipboard.

She shakes her head. “You may wanna check over there at the black tent.”

Kasey’s eyes shifts to look over the woman’s shoulder, gulping nervously.

“But we need to check you–”

“Isn’t that the–”

“The morgue.” Kasey’s unfinished question echoes through her ears, through her mind, through her heart for a little too long. She feels a sudden shakiness in her hand, and her legs began to feel weak, and Kasey thinks her vision is going, but none of that mattered, not with the haunting hum that runs through her body; her soul.

Kasey felt like she was drowning again, felt like she was wrapped in the currents once again. Her breathing halted and her throat twisted and squeezed every word she thought of.

Her stomach turned at the thought.

She gags at the sight of it, at the word of it, and at the thought of it.

Morgue.

Just that word made her feel like she was under again, that the bile in her mouth was the salt water that tried to suffocate her, and death still lingered at the back of her mind as she passed the woman, ignoring her calls for someone to come and help the injured woman.

Kasey paused a few meters away from the black tent.

She failed them.

She’s the reason that they could possibly be–

Kasey couldn’t save them.

With her blood-stained hands, she clasps them together and presses against her stomach where she’s sure her heart has fallen into.

It’s impossible. They couldn’t be dead – not her brother, her best friend, and not her–

She wasn’t there, she should’ve been there, she shouldn’t have left them, she should stayed.

She should’ve stayed.

She should’ve stayed.

She takes a step forward. And another. And another. She thinks she’s thirteen and half steps away from the tent before her feet stop moving, She just stands there staring at it.

“Kasey?” A voice pulls her out, and tiredly she turns to the call, “Kasey!” It was no longer a questioning tone, it was more a tone of worry, and her eyes were fluttering shut but the feeling of cold hands on her cheeks awoke her and she was now welcomed by the eyes of someone she’s known from childhood – TK. TK is here, TK’s alive and – oh, she looks over her shoulder to see her team staring at her worriedly as they stand around a tired-looking Buck with cuts across his face and is his hand bleeding? But Buck is alive too and–

“Chris? Where is he? I lost you – I wasn’t good–” Eddie feels Chris push him away slightly from the hold he was in before turning around and stumbling his way towards Kasey who rushes forwards, kneeling on the ground just to hold him.

She ignored all the pain that came with the movements.

“I’m sorry – I’m so sorry – I shouldn’t have left you – I should have been there – I should have been – I’m not going again, I’ll–” She stops when she fells Christopher hold onto her even tighter, it wasn’t like the time before when she was holding him as they walked through the water, he didn’t hold her like was scared she would disappear, he held her in the way one would hold a loved one once they returned home safe. Chris tucks his face more into the crook of Kasey’s neck and mumbles out a tired but relieved, “you’re okay.” And maybe the hug was painful, but it was worth it, it was worth it cause she has her little Diaz in her arms again and her lips pressed against his cheek, giving it a feather light kiss like a way a mother would kiss their child in comfort after they had a nightmare. “I’m so sorry,” she murmurs, voice hitching around the lump in her throat. “I’m so sorry I couldn’t find you, kiddo.”

Kasey remains kneeling on the concreate as she tucks a cold and damp Christopher closer to her chest. She rests her forehead against his cheek as she just breaths in the smell of the salt water that lingers on the curls of his hair. “I’m sorry – I’m so sorry – I didn’t – I–” Her voice shakes in distraught, but she is interrupted by Christopher little voice.

“You’re okay now kid, we’ve got you.” He mimics a phase he often hears around, and Kasey indeed felt like she will be okay as she holds him in her arms.

She holds him a little longer before she ushers him to go hold Buck for a bit more as she notices Eddie standing near, face unreadable as he stares at the pair. TK was now perched on a rock as he finally caught his breath, asking Bobby if he could borrow his phone to ring his dad.

Christopher moves towards Buck and Kasey moves to stand, grimacing slightly as she did so.

“Eds–” But the look on Eddie’s face cuts her off as he shakes his head before he gently pulls her in closer by her right wrist. His eyes searches her up and down, lingering slightly longer on her stomach. “I’m fine,” she utters, and Eddie doesn’t believe it, but he just wants to feel her, touch her, just do something to rest his racing mind and make himself believe that she is real, that she is alive.

He thought he lost both her and his son tonight, and he just finished holding his son and now he’s got to hold Kasey whilst Buck now holds Christopher to assure his mind that they’re fine – that they will be okay eventually.

But Kasey didn’t return for nearly fifteen minutes after TK and Chris, and as the time ticked the more his mind tried to convince him that Kasey truly was dead.

But she wasn’t, she was standing in front of him and all he wants to do is hold her and never let het go. All he wants to do is take both her and Christopher home and watch some stupid show on the TV as he just holds his son and best friend…

And now Eddie’s hand slides up the back of Kasey’s neck, her damp, knotted hair falling over it as his thumbs strokes the base of her head softly.

Kasey was here, Kasey was fine, and she was real.

His family was okay and now the one who held his heart in her palms was right in front of him, and without a thought crossing his mind his forehead rests against hers and their eyes fall shut as they embraced this, and now she was being pulled into his chest and her arms were wrapping round him, and oh god was Kasey happy that something other than the ocean was gripping her, holding her – protecting her.

Kasey didn’t think much of it either as his lips brushed the top of her head.

Her rocks them side-to-side and he feels a smaller body wrapping round his waist before he ushers the two of them to kneel to the ground, then he pulls Christopher into their hug. And for a small moment, they seemed like a family who just been caught in a natural disaster, that he was the relief husband that his wife and son has returned back to him, and sometimes that’s what it felt like, and right now it did feel like it, despite the natural disaster, Eddie couldn’t help but think about it.

His fingers grip onto them for dear life and he’s now mumbling that their okay, that he’s got them now, and they will be okay.

Buck was back on the phone (Athena’s phone) with Maddie whilst Hen and Chimney ushered him and TK (TK now finally getting ahold of Owen) into a tent to get checked out, Buck questioned about Kasey and Christopher and they insist that they’ll be okay, that Eddie’s got them now, and they will be just fine.

Kasey was sobbing now, she tried to hold it back, but feeling the safety around her she began to sob, and she knew Christopher was crying too as she felt his body shake in her arm and Eddie was certain he had tears quietly running down his own cheeks, but he didn’t bring much notice to it as he took care of the two in his arms.

Eddie doesn’t think he’s ever felt this stress, not till he experienced the last seventeen minutes where he found a badly-looking Buck with his son’s glasses telling him that he lost Christopher, to Christopher returning in the arms of TK Strand, only to face TK’s panic as he begs Eddie to tell him that Kasey was here and that she was okay, to him saying he hasn’t seen her, to thinking she was dead, until now holding her and Christopher in his arms as he thanks the universe for returning them all back alive.

Bobby takes a step forwards with a doctor next to him along with the worried woman in scrubs who Kasey met first. He clears his throat, hating to break it all up, but it only just came to his attention of how hurt Kasey seemed, and she needs to urgently be looked at.

“Eddie,” his voice is quiet to not alarm anyone, “Eddie, we’ve got to check them out, please.”

Eddie nods as he slowly lets them go. He raises to his feet and picks Christopher up with one arm. Christopher’s shattered body wrapped round Eddie’s left side, his head resting against his shoulder whilst Eddie moved to stand on one of Kasey’s side whilst Bobby came to assist the other side, they both caught her as she stumbled to stand, the pain overtaking her once again, and her mind finally was catching up with the wounds across her body.

“Can you stand?” Eddie asked.

Kasey nodded shakily, trying to pull herself up onto her feet. Just as soon as she managed to get upright, her knees buckled.

Eddie and Bobby catches her before she fell back to the ground, helping Kasey to stand back up. “S-sorry,” she stutters “I-I-I–”

“It’s okay, we’ve got you.”

When they entered the medical tent, Eddie insisted to be the one to look after Kasey whilst Buck took Christopher after whining softly that he needs to hold the kid again, and Eddie allowed him too, knowing he’ll be safe as Buck holds him whilst Chimney moves to check Christopher over.

Kasey unconsciously rested her head against the top of his as he kneeled slightly in front of her to gain access to her abdominal area. Her shirt was pushed up whilst Eddie gently disinfected the area, the wounds weren’t as bad as he thought they be, the bleeding had came to a stop a while ago he believes, and it was a good sign to see that she wouldn’t be needing any stitches either.

Eddie’s finger dances across the cleaned, and freshly bandaged wounds, his finger pauses at a scar just above the beginning of the white bandage, and he ponders over it, but he says nothing of it when Bobby taps his shoulder, presenting a clean shirt that he must have found.

“We’ll have fresher clothes at mine for her to get into after she showers.” Bobby smiles softly and Eddie responds with his own small smile as he nods, but as he turns to face Kasey again his smile faltered slightly as reality struck him with the fact that Kasey wouldn’t be coming home with him and Christopher.

For most of time, Christopher stuck with either Buck or TK, only coming over when he see’s Kasey slightly more awake than before, drinking some water as she winces every now and then as Eddie daps a cloth around her face to clean the cuts there. He listens to his father quietly apologise to her, and he watches as Kasey shakes her head at it every time.

Chris brings himself closer to them, he was in different clothes now from the box Bobby searched through, and so was Buck and TK, all their old stuffs were stuffed in one pile by Athena as she spoke quietly with Bobby of how she is becoming a pro at washing due to the amount of blood and dirt she has taken out of clothes that belonged to him or their two older kids that go by the name of Buck and Kasey, and a few more clothes won’t be a hassle either, she’s just glad that they’re all okay.

His head falls onto his dad’s shoulder as he looks up at Kasey with a smile.

“Hey my little lion,” Kasey teased, hand reaching out to run through his curls as she eyes his scrunched up hand, “you doing okay, kiddo?” He nods before holding his hand out to her, presenting her with a collection of plasters with a small frown.

“They didn’t have any Spider-Man ones,” Kasey gently takes the plasters out from his hands as she looks at them. “Only Scooby Doo ones.”

Kasey gasps in small excitement, “well that’s good!” She says with a grin, but Eddie could see the tiredness behind it. “I love Scooby Doo!”

“Me too,” Christopher states with a bubble of laughter.

“Would you like to put the plasters on Kasey?” Eddie questioned as he took in the sight of the two, coming to a quick understanding that they must have talked about plasters when they found one another. Christopher nods and Eddie stands himself up better before bending down to pick his son up and places him down next to Kasey on the hospital bed.

Kasey turns her head to face Christopher, hand palm-up with the plasters laying in them for him to take, and he does so very gently as he rips the white pieces off from them before placing them gently over Kasey’s face to hide the cuts.

“Perhaps you’ll become Doctor Diaz in the future,” Kasey mutters as she studies his movements. “Think I’ll be least afraid of hospitals if I knew I’ve got the best and bravest doctor ever!”

As Bobby had same final words with the doctor, he brings himself towards the trio after confirming that Doctor Diaz has finished with placing Scooby Doo plasters on his patient’s face to tell them it be best if they all go home and clean themselves up and to rest.

(There was even a soft mention that Bear is at home waiting on her return).

The group that become bigger without Eddie and Kasey’s realisation ushered their last goodbyes, making sure everyone will be alright for the night, Karen kisses them all on the cheek, wishing them a better and restful evening, she gave Kasey a teasing squeeze on her cheeks before patting it softly, then when she came to Eddie she gives him a hug and a kiss on the cheek, but as she leaves she gives his bicep a soft squeeze as she throws him a comforting and knowing look and he watches as her eyes shift to Kasey who has now began to pull herself off the bed.

Eddie quickly comes to her aid, helping her to slide off the medical bed much easier and she thanks him, and then she tells the Diaz’s boys how they’re the best doctors she has ever had, and that she’s feeling much better now. Eddie knew she wasn’t, but he also knew that comment was more aimed at his son than to him. Kasey gives another long-lasting hug to Christopher, telling him that she will try and see him the next day and she lays a kiss to his cheek and says that if he or his dad needs anything then give her a ring and she will come.

Eddie shakes his head as he stands behind the pair, a smile tugging at his lips as he watches them, and Christopher even leans up to kiss the bandage across her nose as he wishes her a goodnight before making his way to Buck and TK who were both whining next to Vanessa and Kit (who Kasey didn’t even notice turning up) as they begged to hold Christopher again.

Kasey moves to stand with Eddie’s help and Kasey says nothing as she wraps her arms round his waist, tucking her face into his chest as she just closes her eyes. “You should go,” her voice was raspy now but Eddie found it kinda cute if he forgot the reasoning behind it. “You should go and get yourself and Chris home.”

Eddie knows he should but he also wishes Kasey was coming with them, wishing she was coming home with them to clean up and rest there, and they would turn on some shitty show as they lay on the couch to watch it, all nibbling on something easy to fill their stomachs and Chris would fall asleep first, his eyes falling shut then Eddie would feel a heavy weight on his left shoulder. He then would promise Kasey that he’ll be back as he takes Christopher to bed, tucking him in and leaving the night-light on in his bedroom before he makes his way back to Kasey, who was watching them before but now her eyes were closed and Eddie would smile softly at the sight of her, watching as she finally gains some sleep before he tucks his arms under her body and lifts her up and–

Kasey was now leaving the embrace and gives him a small smile before she makes her way to Athena who wraps her up tightly whilst whispering words of how good a nice warm shower will be for her and TK and that the heating will be on, and she is sure that hot chocolate will be made tonight too.

And then everyone was leaving, out of the medical tents and Chris was situated on Eddie’s hip once Buck and TK finally let him go, Kit and Chimney were up front, helping Buck walk with Maddie following closely behind, then there was Hen and Karen, and then Bobby (who was carrying the dirty clothes) and Vanessa with Athena and Kasey behind, her arm was wrapped motherly round her waist as she began to question Kasey that all of her weight better be on her (Athena) and she better not be taking any of it, but Kasey wasn’t listening much as her head turns to look over her shoulder at the two Diaz’s and all she does was smile at them.

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Eddie pushes himself off the sofa as he watches some shitty show on the television, Christopher was in bed now after having a quick bath and eating something before being tackled in hugs and comforting words from his father. Eddie wasn’t expecting anything else for the evening, especially not a knock at his door at this time of night or even from what has happened all day.

And he sure wasn’t expecting to see a clean but still tired Kasey (still covered in her bandages, but they were changed to plain brown ones after her shower, at Athena’s recommendation) at his door. He looks out at the road to see headlights on, and they gave him a quick blink and he was quick to recognise it being Bobby. He then watches the car drive off before his eyes move back to the women in front of him, who gives him a small, nervous, smile.

“Can I stay here for tonight, please,” her voice was still slightly scratchy, and she swing her arms at her sides as she gazes at Eddie and all he could do was nod as he holds back his smile from growing anymore at the realisation of why she was here.

No wonder Bobby drove off without Eddie giving an answer as he knew he would say yes to Kasey. Eddie even wondered if Bobby knew how much both Christopher and Eddie wished for her to come home with them.

“Yeah – yeah, of course,” he says and at his words Kasey falls forwards, falling into his open arms that were quick to catch her. Her forehead rests against his shoulder and she rounds her tired arms around his waist whilst he brings her into a tighter embrace.

In his hold, Kasey felt saved.

They stay standing in the doorway, still embracing one another, and Eddie wondered how long they be there for, but he didn’t really mind, not as long as he had her in his arms. It was silent between the pair; well it was until Kasey spoke up again with a question Eddie was truly not expecting tonight.

“Can I get Chris’ name tattooed on me?” Kasey pulls back slightly to look at Eddie’s face, but all she saw was his knitted brows and eyes that burnt with confusion. “I know it’s crazy – we have no relation – like he isn’t even mine or he, well, he isn’t mine anything. But he was so brave Eddie, and I want to carry some of his bravery around – it–it doesn’t make any sense, forget it.” She takes a quick pause. “But he means the world to me Eddie, really, you’ve got the best kid ever, you know? And I just want to honour him more, and just carry something of him around with me everywhere I go so when I do get scared, I’ll know that Chris would want me to be brave and …I just – I care a lot about your son, and you, my god, you two mean absolutely everything to me, I don’t think you understand how important the pair of you are to me and–”

She stops with the feeling of his lips touching the top of her head.

She blinks.

“I think,” he begins as he gazes at her, eyes full of softness, “I think Christopher would really like that,” the corner of his lip tugs up even more now, “I really like the idea too. It’s sweet.”

“Really?” Kasey scrunches her nose slightly, the plaster crumpling up as she does so. “You can say no if you want.”

Eddie shakes his head. “You can get his name tattooed, I don’t mind, but thank you for asking me though.”

Kasey blinks again cause why wouldn’t she ask for his permission? “Yeah – yeah, er, always…”

“When do you want to get it done?” He questions next as they still stood in his doorway.

“Tomorrow,” she instantly says. “I’m going to get TK’s name tattooed on me too, already asked for his permission,” she ranted slightly, “do you want to come with?” Then there was a moment of silence before she shakes her head. “Wait, no, you’ll be busy, it was stupid to ask, you will probably be working or with Chris and–”

His hand finds her, intertwining their fingers together as he offers her a soft squeeze. “I don’t have a shift tomorrow,” he states once he notices that his action has stopped her panicking rant, her eyes moves to look down at their joint up hands. “Chris will be at his Abuela’s, so I’ll come with you.”

And then he leans forwards, lays another kiss on her forehead, but his lips linger by her skin, and she swears she feels him smiling when she squeezes his hand in return.

               ❥๑━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━๑❥

A/N: Kit Prescott has been changed to Reiky De Valk A/N.2: Taglist found in reblog!

[trulybetty]

sunday in review | I

hello.

I took an unexpected hiatus from this before Christmas - my time, responsibilities and health have shifted in the last couple of months and with several spinning plates, something had to give. But I'm trying it out again - we'll see how it goes, let me know if you have any feedback!

writing habits.

plotted: - Javi P. x reader for Kel’s ‘Taylor Swift Drabble Challenge’ - Dieter x reader for Kate’s ‘Brandi Carlise Drabble Challenge’

worked on (i.e. jumped into and maybe added like three words, it's been a week): - Sequins!Joel x Reader - Tim x Cagney - Salt Water (I’m determined this will see the light of day at some point this year) - Angsty Dieter x Reader - x3 Lucien x Reader (this man has rotted my brain) - Texas Hold ‘Em anthology

on the blog this week.

handwritten asks which I’m slowly working my way through so the perfectionist in me isn’t awoken lol. If you’ve come across it I said I’d keep it up until Sunday, but if you want to drop an ask I’ll answer any extras that come through

march madness | 2024 I knew the full 63 was a lofty goal for me, my time to read fanfiction is now at odds with my time to write and that window has slowly gotten smaller. So I’ve been trying to squeeze in time to read where I can (list to be uploaded later)

what I read.

The One (Dieter) @schnarfer

Let Me Lay Down Beside You (Joel) @jomiddlemarch

Bookworm (Marcus P.) @write-down-your-dreams

easy like Sunday morning (Dieter) @gnpwdrnwhiskey

Delta Landscaping - Chapter 15 (various Pedro characters) @rhoorl

what I watched.

Road House - this movie knew the assignment

Lioness - so many ideas involving Frankie running through my head

9-1-1: Lone Star - watched for Liv Tyler, somehow staying for Rob Lowe, I don't know who I am

what made my dash happy.

There’s another Frankie Cat in the wild!

Heidi’s Joel AU moodboard

Mel’s Javi edit, who’s coming bar hopping?

celebrating.

Lolabee's 1 Year of Fic Celebration: 5th-7th April

fanfic throwback. this is where I go back into my read list and pick one at random to share - because all fic shouldn't be relegated to the archives after they've been shared.

Glass by @idolatrybarbie marcus pike and prompt no. fifteen— “is there anything we can do?” “we won’t be doing anything."

what was on repeat.

coming in under the wire was beyonce | cowboy carter 🙌

hope you're having a great Sunday! Let me know what you're up to in the comments 💕

[shadesofdeviant]

For the fanfic asks … all of them? 😁

HAHAHA Ginger! I mean...you said you'd ask for all of them XD So...I guess I'll answer them all XD.

🍄How do you come up with ideas for your stories?

A variety of ways, sometimes I get inspired to write an AU based on an episode of a show, or a novel etc. Or sometimes my brain just pops ideas into my head.

🍉Are you a pantser or a plotter?

I am very much a plotter. It's also why I don't often get much written because I need SO much to be planned before I can write.

🍒What genres/tropes do you find yourself using most often?

Fluff, 5+1, Domestic Slice of Life, AU's - I am an absolute sucker for AU's.

🥝Who are your literary influences, and have they shaped your own writing?

As much of a problematic person as they were, Anne Rice's first 3 vampire chronicles books were the books that got me thinking...oh I really wanna do this kind of thing. J R R Tolkien's descriptions very much shaped my own (i used to write horrifically long paragraphs). Neil Gaiman inspired my shorter style, quirky dialogue with inside jokes aimed at the reader.

🥕What's your favorite fic you've written, and why?

My favourite fic is a toss up between "Your Arms Are Like Corset Strings" (9-1-1, Buddie) and "Rainbow Coloured Monstrosity" (9-1-1: Lone Star, Tarlos).

The rest I'm gonna put under a cut haha or this post is gonna get SUPER long.

🥨How do you overcome writer's block?

When I work it out I'll tell you haha. I don't think I've ever managed beyond just pushing through and hate-smashing at the keyboard, or just waiting for the inspiration to come back by itself.

🍕What's your favorite comment you've received on a fic?

Honestly as cliche as it might sound, all comments I get are my favourites. I couldn't pick any specific ones, I enjoy comments so much.

🌭Do you have any writing rituals to help 'get in the zone'?

I use a lot of notebooks, I also get really sad and make powerpoint presentations of planning. Then I either listen to music, or put on some series that Ive seen enough times that it can be background noise.

🍔What's a headcanon that hasn't made it into a published fic yet?

I HC a few things for different people but they're not exactly huge things, but have a few examples. I headcanon that Alec Hardy is a huge fantasy novel fan. I headcanon that Eddie Diaz has chronic pain in his shoulders. I headcanon that Aziraphale hates the scent of pine.

🍭What's been your most challenging story to write, and why?

I'm writing a huge multi-part reincarnated soulmates AU, in which the soulmates meet each other throughout history and have different names etc. and it's...taking me soooo long. And honestly it's just because it so long and has so many historical points I need to research hahaha.

🍬What's a genre/trope you've never written, but might in future?

I'm...not sure tbh. Theres a lot of genre's/tropes I don't like or I'm not comfortable with so won't ever touch. But the ones I do like, I've attempted or I am in the process of attempting.

🍩What advice would you give to aspiring fic writers?

Just go for it. Find something you really, really want to see written and write it, because at the end of the day you write for yourself first and foremost. If you try to write to please everyone you'll stress yourself out too much.

🌶How dependent are you on feedback, good or bad?

Bad feedback is never warranted. I do not write for profit so therefore do not need amazon style reviews. Nor do I ask for constructive criticism. I appreciate if someone wants to tell me they like what I wrote though.

🥑What are you currently working on?

I am currently working on a bunch of things: Doctor Who x Good Omens crossover - The events of "The Giggle" with Crowley tagging along. Broadchurch Whump - 2 entries, poor Alec is getting tormented. Broadchurch x Good Omens x Rab C Nesbitt crossover - Alec, Crowley and Davina are identical triplets. Shenanigans ensue. Buddie birthday gift for someone dear to me. Buddie soulmates AU.

🍹How do you decide a story is ready to post?

I finish writing it haha. I let it come to a natural stopping point and then try not to over think it.

🍊What's a story that changed significantly from its initial idea to the final draft?

My reincarnated soulmates AU. I've changed so many historical points and condensed some and completely scrapped a whole half of it haha.

🥠What's your approach to world-building?

Powerpoints. Powerpoints and mind maps haha. If I'm going AU I will plan it like I'm Tolkien creating middle earth haha XD.

🍎How do you prioritize which stories to work on when you have multiple ideas?

I don't. My brain goes brrr and tries to plan all of them at once to the point I can't work on ANY of them haha.

🌮How do you balance the desire to write for yourself versus the desire to write for an audience?

I have been writing on and off since I was 13, and I used to write entirely for the audience and it stressed me out. Whilst I enjoy audience responses and like to receive comments confirming that they enjoyed what I wrote, if I don't like it, I won't post it, but if I enjoyed what I wrote I will love it regardless.

[bluebirdsboi]

Guide

Hey there, I’m Jay (he/they). Welcome to my fanfic blog! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My main motivation for making my blog is because I’ve noticed a lack of male reader and/or gender neutral reader works for many of the characters that I love, but also because writing is one of my favorite pastimes.

I won’t lie, I do tend to oscillate between characters and fandoms that I’m motivated to write for, but I will try my best to maintain or improve the quality of each piece that I write. 

Below I have linked my masterlist navigation in addition to the fandom and character list as well as listing my request guidelines, fandoms I’m most motivated to write for at the moment, characters that are on hold (characters I will write for in the future but I’m not at the moment), future fandoms that I will write for, and a list of my current WIPS for any requests you may have.

** I’ve opened a taglist, so if you want to be tagged in any future fics, feel free to send me either an ask or a DM **

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Links

Masterlist Navigation

Fandom/Character List | Last Updated: 7/11/24

Fanfic Recs. | Last Updated: 7/29/23

My second blog My AO3 My Wattpad

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Most Recent Work: Dawn | 18+ | 7/30/24

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Currently, requests are: Closed

Request Guidelines 

I will write...

- Male Character x Male/Gender Neutral Reader - Female Character x Female Reader by request only - Platonic relationships - Parent Character x Child Reader (purely familial)  - Sibling Character x Sibling Reader (purely familial) - Fluff, Angst, Hurt Comfort, and Smut (any character that is under 18 will be aged up to be over 18. Ex: Pro-Hero!Izuku or Pro-Player!Daichi) - Songfics and some AUs (just ask) - Series, Oneshots, Headcanons, and Alphabet Headcanons

I won’t write...

- Male Character x Female Reader - Female Character x Male Reader - Ships - Yandere fics - Pedophilia and Underage Smut - Incest of any kind - Forced sex - Pregnancy and/or period fics

* If you have any questions about something I didn’t list, don’t be afraid to ask. My DMs are always open in case I close my asks. *  

** As a side note, I’d appreciate any requests to have a general idea about what you want. It doesn’t have to be extremely specific, but just something to work with. ** 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fandoms I’m most motivated to write for: | Last Updated: 7/11/24

- 9-1-1/9-1-1 Lone Star - The Last of Us - MCU - Spider-verse

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fandoms I will write for in the future: | Last Updated: 7/11/24

- Game of Thrones - Kingsman - Narcos - Scenes From a Marriage - Snake Eyes - The Witcher

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Current WIPS: | Last Updated: 7/3/23

- Clint Barton x Male Reader - Iroh II x Male Reader  - Zuko x Male Reader - Tonraq x Male Reader (Will contain NSFW) - Mako x Male Reader  - Tonraq x Male Reader (Will contain NSFW) - Zuko x Male Reader - Iroh II x Male Reader - Mako x Male Reader - Keishin Ukai x Male Reader

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Characters currently on hold: | Last Updated: 7/11/24

- Clark Kent (Henry Cavill) (DC) - Gyomei Himejima (Demon Slayer/KNY) - Konro Sagamiya (Fire Force/ENS) - Atsumu Miya (Haikyuu!!) - Kita Shinsuke (Haikyuu!!) - Osamu Miya (Haikyuu!!) - Remus Lupin (David Thewlis) (Harry Potter) - Screwllum (HSR) - Estarossa/Mael (SDS/NNT) - Obi-Wan Kenobi (Star Wars)

[keira-kaz2y5]

Hi! Welcome to my blog, everyone is welcome!

I don’t write fics but I love to read them <3

My name is Keira, I’m female (she/her), bisexual

and I’m currently studying music at college. I’m British and have strong Welsh heritage 💪🏼🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿, but I was born and brought up in England.

I’m currently obsessed with: The Rookie, Marauders, 9-1-1 (& 911 Lone Star), Marvel, X-Men, Good Omens, Supernatural, Doctor Who (2005-2024), Sherlock, Criminal Minds, Merlin, Percy Jackson series, Hannibal, Marauders, Outer Banks, Agents of SHIELD and Moon Knight

I’m a musician in training so feel free to ask any questions!

My biggest ships: Buddie (9-1-1), WolfStar, Destiel, JohnLock, Merthur

Films I love: Atonement, Dead Poet’s Society, Little Women, Hamilton, Hacksaw Ridge, Nowhere Boy, Knives Out, Gifted, Tick Tick BOOM!

Top artists are Noah Kahan & Taylor Swift

But I really love Hozier, Dermot Kennedy, Billie Eilish, Reneé Rapp, Lizzy McAlpine, Gracie Abrams and Mumford & Sons

I listen to lots of genres but my main would be indie, folk/alternative, pop, soul and rock.

I especially love when every now and then I’ll find a fanfic like Loki x pianist!reader or rockstar!marauders fic and stuff. As a pianist myself I love this and would love to see it represented, so I am more than happy for u guys that are writers (or just curious) to ask me about this like the industry, or live sound (I’ve seen on tiktok lately people thinking every performer has a metronome in their monitors, this isn’t always correct, there’s a lot more to it) or even all the jobs you take on within the industry like session musicians, library musicians etc.. so I’ll quite happily answer questions or help people out if they plan on writing fics with musicians as main characters or au’s so please please please don’t hesitate to ask! I go all nerdy for this stuff I think it’s pretty cool

Thanks for finding my page and reading all of this, if you got to the bottom, thank you so much I love you <33

Have a great week babes xx

For anyone interested, I’m on a Pop Music course and I’m study the music industry in business classes, with theory (boring as hell) classes too and I have recording sessions, music history & context lessons and on Fridays we have perfomance workshop, where we pick a song to learn in the morning and practice with a band or solo or whatever is needed, then by the end of the day we have an hour of tech set up and then we perform it to the rest of the people on the course. It’s a lot of fun but hard work, we have tech students doing live sound and someone from tech doing the lighting and stuff. Feel free to ask me any questions about it!

My posts:

Buddie 911 s7 theory/reaction https://www.tumblr.com/keira-kaz2y5/743347204314497024/i-know-no-one-will-read-this-but-omfg-so-today-i

Harry Potter marauders fancast rant https://www.tumblr.com/keira-kaz2y5/723047186541232128/jkr-can-fight-me

Tumblr did a thing

Happy news

[miss-morgans-lover]

Ok y'all, now that I have a little more free time, I'm opening up fanfic asks.

Pretty much, I will write you a short fic, whether that be a one shot or small multi chapter.

Send an ask, and if I get inspiration for it, I will write it.

Fandoms include:

9-1-1/Lone Star

Power Rangers Dino Charge/MMPR/Zeo

Twilight

Harry Potter (Marauders + Golden Trio Eras)

Red White And Royal Blue

Young Royals

Heartstopper

The Next Step

Marvel

Shadowhunters

Miraculous

Love, Victor

Anything else you've seen on my blog

I specialise in hurt/comfort, but can write pretty much anything. I'm currently branching out into smut so that is also on the table, just nothing too kinky. Also, I generally write from a specific characters POV, so lmk if you have a preference or want me to write 3rd person

You can also request for me to continue any existing stories either on my AO3 or Wattpad (I have more on AO3 than the ones on my Tumblr intro post btw)

My No List:

Incest

Anything too kinky

Real People/Celebrities

X Reader/Yn fics

Child x Adult

Anything else that comes up at the time

I will get to them when I can, wait times may be longer than you prefer, but I will get to them if I get inspo. Please respect my boundaries and that no list

[daydreamingatnight209]

Sorry this one is short! I hope you like it anyways. Please let me know if you want to be added to my 9-1-1 Taglist!

Feedback is always welcome ✨💕

“I Gave You My Heart”

Evan Buckley x Female Reader

Warnings- Angst with a soft ending 💕

——————————————

I never thought that my paths would cross with Abby when I got with Buck.

She’s gone travelling he’d told me and eventually he’d stopped waiting. It didn’t seem like she’d be coming back.

So that night of the train crash was certainly one to remember, yet it was the events after it that hurt me the most.

Buck had become distant, pulling more shifts at the firehouse, splitting his time between there and Eddie’s as well as being gone before I wake up and coming home long after I’d fallen asleep.

I tried to confront him but I could find the right time, eventually I gave up and stormed into the fire station on my day off.

“Y/N what are you doing here?” Buck asks as soon as I turned the corner and spotted him in the small gym section. He puts the weights back on the rack and stands up in greeting.

I remain stoic.

“We need to talk”

I lead him to the locker room and close the door behind us, which was technically pointless considering the walls were clear.

“Okay what’s the problem?”

I looked at him in disbelief.

“Are you being serious with me right now? What’s the problem? What’s the problem? I’ll tell you what the problem is, you’ve been avoiding me for weeks! Ever since you saw Abby. I am not Abby, I’m not Taylor and I’m not Ali. I am me If you don’t love me anymore ... I need to know. I need to know Buck.”

I tried to contain my emotions but tears began to spill from my eyes. The more I would try to wipe them away the harder then came down my face.

“I gave you my heart Evan. Don’t break it” I whispered.

He knew it was serious. I never called him Evan.

I didn’t give him a chance to say anything before turning on my heel and exiting the station. I tried my best to avoid all the concerned faces that I passed.

————————————

Buck didn’t return home till late but I couldn’t sleep so I heard him enter the apartment. I didn’t leave the bed as I hear him moving around and up the stairs to our shared room.

I didn’t want confrontation so I shut my eyes and pretended to sleep. I felt him climb beside me in the bed and wrap his arms around me.

I kept my breathing steady.

“I’m sorry darling, I’m so sorry that I upset you. I didn’t realise that dealing with Abby was hurting you. I love you Y/N. I promise to hold your heart and protect it, to never break it and make you laugh rather then cry”

He continued to whisper sweet nothings into my ear as tears slipped away from me for the second time that day.

The words got stuck in my throat and I couldn’t speak.

I gripped his hands in response and curled into his warmth.

My paths my cross with Abby again and that is okay because Buck healed and I will heal. My heart is protected just as I will protect his.

————————-

Taglist -

@zozebo

[nurse-buckley]

Please send me prompts, my muse is cold and dead.

I’m not promising I’ll get round to everything but I’ll definitely save them for later if they spark something!

I’m not writing smut right now and nothing too depressing, but it’s worth a shot to send it in if you have ideas. I’ve also reblogged a few prompts lists which have some great ideas on.

Currently writing for 9-1-1, any pairing or x reader!

[callsign-dexter]

Worlds Collide Masterlist

Summary: Evan Buckley's twin sister and Maddie's little sister, you, didn't know what you would do with your life. You traveled but that didn't seem to satisfy you so joined the fire academy after seeing how your brother was helping people and you wanted to make a difference. After passing the academy, you were transferred to the 126 in Austin, TX. While working there you made friends quickly within the fire department and police department and even met the love of your life.

Pairings: Buckley!Twin Sister!Reader x OC!Alejandro 'Alex' Miguel Diaz

Warnings: angst, fluff, smut, pregnancy talk, normal 9-1-1 and 9-1-1 Lone Star content, throwing up

Masterlist

Part 1

[dancing-in-a-yellow-dress]

Trapped Little Angel (part 1)

Welcome to the first part of the first fanfic on this account.

Child!reader x the Avengers

Word count: 2900

Trigger warning: Imprisonment, nightmares, non graphic descriptions of violence and injuries, possible trigger for eating disorders

--

You were a 14-year-old orphan living alone in New York, since your family had died in the explosion that gave you your powers. Your powers were similar to Wanda’s (telekinesis and all that jazz). You got them when you were 7, but for whatever reason they hadn’t been active before that day.

It was a basic September day with all of its rain and fog and clouds. You were walking on the street when suddenly you blacked out and your powers exploded out of you destroying property and hurting people everywhere around you. The Avengers were called to action and they evacuated the block and when you’d cooled off a little they took you into custody and to the Avengers tower.

You had passed out and they didn`t really know what to do with you, so they laid you down on the couch and began a debate about the subject.

Tony believed firmly that you were dangerous to the team and the best thing for everyone would be to lock you up isolated and unstimulated to avoid new outbursts until a better option would be available. Steve backed Tony up to an extent, although he did believe the isolation to be unnecessary. Bruce didn’t really voice his opinion on confinement that much, instead focusing on the medical aspect of the situation.

Clint doesn’t really say much during the argument, before Tony raises the possibility of indefinite imprisonment in isolation. That is what finally gets to him, since you are just a kid and remind him of his own daughter. Wanda argues firmly against any form of forced imprisonment. In her opinion you needed medical attention, after which instead of locking you up the team should be focused on helping you control and develop your powers in a beneficial way.

Natasha is uncharacteristically quiet for the whole debate. Something about you had got to her and she found it hard to think of the situation objectively without a massive bias. Peter was on ‘your side’ for sure. To him you were a troubled kid who just happened to need some help. In a way he saw himself in you.

You start to regain consciousness about halfway through the argument. The Avengers are taken back at first, but when you are very confused and scared, Nat and Clint (who are the most ‘neutral’ participants) tell you what happened. When you have gotten the big picture you ask shakily: “How many people did I hurt? What’s the damage?” The others are hesitant to tell you, but Tony is highly pissed at you, so he takes his tablet and shows you some pics of the place where the accident happened. Wanda shoots him a death glare, but he continues and reads the statistics to you: “At this exact moment there are 9 people dead, 27 in critical condition and 56 with milder injuries. All because of your little stunt.” At this point you have pulled your knees to your chest and are struggling to breathe. Steve and Clint look at Tony like he has lost his mind and Nat tries to calm you down. You are repeating the same things over and over again: “I didn’t mean to- It’s all my fault… I don’t know how- What- I didn’t mean to…” Nat was approaching you, her hand reached out ready to stroke your back and pull you into a hug. She says: “We know. Everything will be alright, it’ll be alright. It wasn’t your fault, we’ll sort this out. It’s okay, you’re okay. We don’t blame you, but right now you need to calm down.” You flinch away from her, panic shining in your eyes: “No! Don’t touch me! I don’t want to hurt you. I can’t control it… I don’t understand- I didn’t mean to…” Suddenly you look desperately at Tony “You have to lock me up. I’m dangerous. I can’t be trusted. I have to be put away. Please”, you beg, surprising all of the other people in the room. Peter is about to say something, but Tony cuts him off.

You stand up and Clint shows you the way to a quite big cell. You step in and he shuts the door behind you. You sit on the floor in the corner and pull your knees to your chest. You just blankly stare at the wall. You noticed that there was a camera in corner of the room near the roof as you stepped inside, but you didn’t care. What did it matter. As you stayed on the floor the team was reheating the discussion whilst keeping an eye on the monitor that showed footage from your cell.

Wanda and Peter were shouting at Tony for locking you up in an isolation cell. Natasha and Clint were a bit calmer, but they were backing Wanda and Peter up. At some point Tony says: “You heard the kid. She wanted to be locked up. Even she thought it would be the best option”. And that sets Natasha off: “Yeah, after you had scared the poor thing on the verge of a panic attack. That wasn’t fair play. You drove her to that decision and you know it.” Then Peter fires: “Besides the whole ‘she decided herself’ excuse is bullshit. She’s a kid. SHE’S 14. I’m 17 and you don’t trust me to do anything yet, so how again is she any different?” That shuts Tony up.

In the end the team comes to the conclusion, that they will be monitoring you strictly and willing people will be allowed to go talk to you. All except Peter (just for the first few days) who is infuriated to no end by the decision.

The first person to come talk to you is Wanda. She comes and talks for a while, but you can’t make any sense of what she’s saying. After a while she leaves shutting the door behind her. Steve also comes to question you, and even though this time you understand what he is saying you can’t find the energy to answer him in you. Clint brings you something to eat and drink, but you don’t move a muscle to acknowledge the act. Time sort of looses its meaning to you as you sit on the floor and stare into nothing, alone with your thoughts, the same thoughts over and over and over again.

Nevertheless, you know some time has passed when Natasha comes through the door with another tray filled with food. She places it carefully on her untouched bed and sighs deeply before speaking: “You should really start eating on your own. It’s been two whole days and you haven’t taken a bite. I get that its hard, but you’ve got to try. Otherwise we’ll have no choice but to put a feeding tube down your throat and trust me kid, that does not feel good.” She gives you another look, then turns around and walks out. Slowly you straighten your legs on the floor.

You hadn’t really noticed how much your muscles were hurting for being in the same position for so long before someone pointed it out. You stretched your legs first and then stood up slowly. You went through your body, stretching every muscle one at a time and then sat down beside the bed to eat. You weren’t really hungry, but the threat of getting a feeding tube stuffed down your throat was enough to get you eating.

After you were done with the meal you went back to your corner and sat back down, leaving your legs laying on the floor instead of curling up to a tight bundle. After a few minutes there was a knock at the door and Wanda walked in. She picked the tray up and looked down at you, clearly assessing the situation before finally saying: ”Hey, I was wondering if you needed to use the bathroom.” You didn’t answer her but stood up and stepped timidly few steps forward so that she knew you’d be coming along. She guided you through the hallways and into a bathroom. “There is a towel on the counter and shampoo on a shelf in the shower. Take as long as you need. I’ll pick up some clean clothes for you and bring them here. Okay?” You didn’t say a word but nodded and opened the door to the bathroom. After half an hour you were back in your cell but feeling significantly cleaner and comfier.

Instead of sitting back in the corner on the floor you sat on your bed and crossed your legs. You didn’t know why, but you felt like it, so you started singing, first just humming quietly, then adding the words to the song. It was an old lullaby your mom had sang to you more than once. Some things just had a way of sticking with you.

`Hyvin hiljaa, hyvin hiljaa

nyt kuuluu keijujen äänet

Ne tanssivat taas koko yön laulaen

koko yön laulaen.

Hyvin hiljaa, hyvin hiljaa

taas syttyy tähtöset pienet

Ne oottavat taas läpi yön loistaen

läpi yön loistaen.

Hyvin hiljaa, hyvin hiljaa

nyt sammuu keijujen äänet

Ne liitävät taas ylös luo tähtien

ylös luo tähtien`

Then you sang it over again, this time in English

If your quiet, very quiet,

you can hear sound of the fairies

They’re dancing again through the night until day

through the night until day

Very quiet, almost silent

the stars are lighting the sky

they’re waiting again till the night fades away

till the night fades away

If you’re quiet, very quiet

you can hear sound the fairies

they race through the sky so they’ll be near the stars

so they’ll be near the stars

You sang the song a couple times over and finally you got to the last part you had made up on your own. You always ended it there, since you could never continue singing after that.

Hyvin hiljaa, hyvin hiljaa

ei kuulu keijujen äänet

Ne lähtivät taas minut yksin jättäen

minut yksin jättäen

Even if you’re very quiet

you won’t hear sound of the fairies

they flew up the sky leaving me alone behind

leaving me alone behind.

You broke down sobbing. Clint was sitting at the monitor, and he thought it’d be best not to disturb you, so you were left alone as you start humming another melody your mom taught you.

Joka ilta kun lamppu sammuu ja saapuu oikea yö Niin Nukku-Matti nousee ja ovehen hiljaa lyö On sillä uniset tossut ja niillä se sipsuttaa Se hiipii ovesta sisään ja hyppää kaapin taa

”I didn’t know she was finnish” Nastasha said to clint as she sat next to him with two cups of tea. “Finnish?” Clint asked as they listened to the beautiful melody coming from the lonely cell. Nat was quiet for a while before saying “Yeah. The language is absolutely bizarre.” They sat in silence for another while, until Clint said: “She sounds miserable” “Yeah, but who wouldn’t. I’m guessing she has no family, since no one has come asking for her.”

Ja pieni sateenvarjo on aivan kallellaan Ja sinistä unien kirjaa se kantaa kainalossaan Ja unien sinimaahan se lapset autolla vie Surrur, surrur ja sinne on sininen, uninen tie

Ja siellä on kultainen metsä, ja metsässä kultainen puu Ja unien sinilintu ja linnulla kultainen suu Ja se unien sinilintu se lapsia tuudittaa Se laulaa unisen laulun joka mielen uneen saa

Your mum never taught you that song in English. You had tried translating it, but it always turned out so peculiar you had eventually given up.

When you felt like you had cried enough you stopped with the finnish and started going through songs you had heard somewhere else, altering the lyrics as you went.

You hadn’t sung anything in weeks and now you just couldn’t stop. It felt good. You went over your favorites altering lyrics and making up new verses, not wanting the song to end. As you sang you thought about mum and home. In the outside world they were forbidden things, because they made it hard to focus on surviving. But here she had all the time in the world to think. After hours and hours she finally laid down on the mattress and drifted to sleep

Tony had just started his shift watching you through the monitor and you were having a nightmare. You were curled up in a ball and whimpered and muttered quietly, as tears ran down your face. You dug your nails into your back and started scratching leaving bloody red marks behind. Then you started screaming. The sound echoed through the halls, but Tony didn’t know what to do, so he ended up doing nothing, just staring at the screen paralyzed. It went on for a while, until you finally flinched so violently you woke up.

You were in a state of panic, but as you realized where you were it started to wear off. Little by little you started to feel the pain from the bloody scratch marks on your back and arms. You examined your injuries to the best of your abilities and then looked at the floor while talking sheepishly at the camera in the corner of the room: “If you don’t mind I’d like to have something to wrap these cuts with. I might also need some help with the ones in my back. Its not a big deal, but I don’t want them to get infected.”

The screaming had woken up Natasha and Steve who were now standing behind Tony, looking at the screen over his shoulders. Tony cleared his throat before turning around in his chair and facing the other two. They both had their arms crossed on their chest. Steve looked surprised as hell, but Natasha was quick to recover. She threw Tony an icy stare before saying: “Should we think the imprisonment over again, or is she still too dangerous for you to handle?” Tony raised his hands before saying: “Let’s think that over in the morning, when the whole team is up. Now, would you mind going to help her with the injuries?” Natasha threw Tony another dirty look, before grabbing the first aid kit and heading to your cell.

Nat came, and you laid on the bed on your stomach. She lifted your shirt, poured antiseptic solution on a cloth and warned you: “I’m sorry, but this is gonna hurt like a bitch.” She pressed the cloth gently on your back and you shrug. “It’s not that bad. You get used to pain as a homeless kid. Once I had to remove a bullet from my own shoulder.” There Nat saw an opportunity get little bit more information of you and continued the conversation: “Must be tough. I suppose you don’t have any family left?” “Yeah, mum and dad and Tom died… in an accident” you tensed up visibly. Nat continued unbothered but didn’t bring up the deaths again. “I heard you sing the other day. Didn’t know you were finnish.” “Oh, I’m not. My mom was.” “So, can you speak finnish or what?” “Nah, not anymore anyways. I used to, but I haven’t used it in a long time. Some things just stuck with me, like the songs, or silly pet names mum used to call us.” For some reason you felt really safe with Natasha. Her touch reminded you of home as she worked to clean your wounds and then wrap them with clean gauze. You knew it was silly, but it just felt so good to finally talk to someone, so you kept answering her as she continued asking questions. “Pet names, huh. What did she call you?” “She used to call me Lumikki. It’s the finnish for snow white. It’s cheesy as hell, I know but we lived in a little cottage in the woods, and I was obsessed with Disney.” Natasha smiled at you. “Do you remember anything else about your mum.” “She had the most beautiful voice I’ve ever heard. She sounded like an angel. Sometimes I hear her in the wind.” You pause for a minute “And she was a dancer. She used to be a ballerina, but then she had us and her career ended. She never quit dancing though. Once in a while she’d put on her slippers and go through some old routine, like she had never stopped. She even taught me some basics.” Natasha was quiet for a moment. Then she cleared her throat and continued: “Did you have any siblings?” “Yeah”, you were quiet for a moment, not rushing to continue “One brother. His name was Tuomas, but we all called him Tom. Three years older than me. He was my best friend.” A tear fell down your cheek. Natasha was almost done with wrapping your back so she asked one more question. “How about your dad” You shrugged. “He was a hunter. Spent most of his time with Tom out in the forest when I stayed in with mum.” Nat packed the medical supplies back to the first aid kit and pulled your shirt down so that it covered your back. Then she helped you sit up and said: “I can’t promise anything yet, but we’re having another meeting with the team about your… condition and I believe you might get out of here.” She saw the unsure look you gave her. “Don’t worry” she said as she took your hand “Everything will be alright. I promise”

--

Sorry, I have absolutely no idea what is going on with the spacing, tried to fix it but it wont budge... Anyway, hope you enjoyed the chapter!

[blueathens]

Dear Princess - Agape Series

         ACT TWO, SCENE TWO

Song: Can You Hold Me by NF Quote: Bobby wished he knew what was going on in her head, but just like everyone else, he knew he wasn't as strong as Kasey.

A/N: Not read through, or edited. A/N 2: This piece has been in my drafts for a while, so I think it was a little rushed, but it's more of a filler chapter in a way

Previous || Next

Masterlist//Main Masterlist//Agape Masterlist  

Dear Princess,

I miss you, but you scared me the last time we saw one another. You scared me. Your eyes scared me because I saw the pain I caused you. You became a ghost, you become something of my own imagination. Kasey, princess, you already were dead before I did anything to you that night, I was just helping to remove all that pain you carried.

But I also helped to just simply get rid of you because you may be too good for me, but that doesn't mean someone else can have you. You're still mine. Always will be mine.

I own you now princess.

You won't know it yet, but I'm apart of you now princess – every thought, every word, everything you do will be because of me – I've broken your little mind and I now control it.

And trust me, whatever I do, won't be pretty.

You'll never going to be able to get rid of me Kasey, I'm always going to be here, always going to be lurking in the shadows, always knowing everything you're doing. But I need you to know that everything I do, everything I've done, is out of love. Kasey I love you and I will never not love you

Love from the guy who will love you the most,

Jordan

Kasey didn't know how long she was sat in her car for, she didn't know even know how long she was staring at that letter for. But she realised she missed Christmas when a message came through her phone, making it ring and vibrate on the seat next to her.

She reaches over, seeing the time was 10am, and below the time was many notifications, but the one on the top was the one that pulled her out from her thoughts.

Owen: Just wanted to tell you that I've finished my last round of immunotherapy and that my blood work and pulmonary function tests looks good. My tumour has been reduced by 73% too. Hope you had an amazing Christmas and hope I see you again soon x

Kasey sniffles, throwing her phone back to the seat and threw her head back onto the pillow, eyes squeezing shut as her hands crumbled up the letter and threw that somewhere in her car. And with a little tired sob, her hands moved to press against her eyes as she tried to mentally prepare herself for work in half an hour.

❥๑━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━๑❥

"9-1-1, what's your emergency?"

"Sh-shark! Shark! A man's been attacked by a shark!"

"What beach are you on ma'am?"

"We're not on the beach! We're on the freeway!"

"LAFD. Make room!" Bobby yelled as him and his team walked through the makeshift path that the crowd of people have created.

"What the hell," both Buck and Kasey said, jaw's dropping at the sight of a shark gripping onto a man's arm. A few people were around the shark, trying to tug it off the man, but none of their efforts were doing anything for the man with the shark eating his arm.

"Tiger shark." A woman claimed with struggle. "We were transporting her for release into the wild. Truck jackknifed."

"Jaws!" Bobby yelled.

"Wrong type of shark, Cap." Kasey turned to look at him. "Jaws was a Great-White–" she trails off once she noticed the look of disbelief on her Captain's face. "Oh...right...right...get those Jaws...not –Jaws! Someone get this man some Jaws!" Kasey span on her heel to look at some of the 118 that stood behind her.

"I'm on it!" Eddie calls, running back to the fire truck to grab the piece of equipment the crew needed.

Kasey span around to look at the man who was in agony.

"Hey, at least you'll get a cool scar from this."

"Or no arm." Buck muttered as he made his way round to stand by Kasey's side, who gave him a quick glare.

"Or an arm with a cool scar."

"Are you sure you two are professionals?" The woman asked them through gritted teeth and the two younger firefighter looked down at the ground, lips pursed as they awaited their next instructions.

"How'd his arm get in there?" Chimney questioned, chewing on his gum as he hovered over the shark.

The man grunts and yells in pain. Kasey looks up from the ground and back at the incident at hand. "A really, really cool scar," she mumbles to herself.

"Diego was trying to get what water was left in our pump system. She can't breathe without it!" The man with the 'California Marine Life Centre' jacket told him, directing his eyesight to Diego – the man who had a shark attached to his arm – and Chimney who was just simply watching the sight.

"How much time does she have left?" Hen asked in concern.

"Minutes." The woman told her.

"Uh, do we wait that long or, just, you know..." Buck asked, raising the mechanic jaws up before being pushed back slightly by Bobby.

"No, no, don't kill her! She's come so far!" Diego grunted.

"All right, guys, we're gonna do this really carefully." Bobby told the crew. "All right, come on. Let's get in there."

"Can't we just put her to sleep for a little bit, then gently guide her grip off from Diego?" Kasey questioned Hen who began to shake her head.

"It's too risky." Was all Hen said, and Kasey took a step back to give the rest of her team room to use the Jaws. She felt helpless right now, but there wasn't much else she could do. If she even tried to stand nearer the group that kneeled by the shark, then she would just be in the way and could risk the whole plan.

So, she just stood a few steps back, her thumb and finger were pinching the bottom of her lip as she listened to Diego cries of agony gets mixed in with the sound of the Jaws. And ever so slowly, she watched the bloody arm that belonged to Diego get pulled out. It was covered in numerous bite marks, but Kasey knew that Diego would be happy that the shark and his arm would all be okay eventually.

And within a second of Bobby's next instruction, Kasey watched Chimney and a few others helped to lie Diego down on the stretcher. Kasey stared at the arm with wide eyes, and her fingers began to pinch her bottom lip more, and she wouldn't have cared or even noticed if it began to bleed, because the sight in front of her made her sick to the stomach – she heard incidents of stories of sharks, but she never knew she would see one of those stories right in front of her due to how rare they were – but here she was, watching a man who would rather live with one arm than let a shark die.

"Don't let her die," Diego begs. "Please."

Kasey turns around to face the fire truck, eyes narrowing at the sight where the hose was, and with a shake of her head she rushed off to grab the hose and dragged it all the way to where Bobby stood by the shark.

She wasn't going to let this shark die – Diego didn't want that – he didn't risk his entire arm for nothing.

And on a much softer setting that was similar to the pouring of a bucket, she sprayed the shark, keeping it hydrated with water whilst Bobby watched her. He watched her keep the shark alive, and he knew he had to help the shark in some other way too.

So with another order, a firefighter climbed in front of the steering wheel of the truck, whilst the other members of the team very gently bust speedily placed a harshness round the shark, and at the all clear, Kasey stopped her spraying and was replaced with the blue jacket man with his bucket. She hurriedly put the rope back before jumping into the truck, followed by Buck.

They drove off with the shark harnessed in front of them, and the crowd of people cheering them on the side.

And they drove towards the body of water they needed to be at, lowering the shark down quick into it, and everyone watched as the shark swam out of it harness and out to sea.

❥๑━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━๑❥

"Kasey?" Bobby calls as he notices the youngest firefighter sitting on the bed she would sleep in if she ever did a full day shift. Her knees were pulled towards her chest, chin resting on top of it as she just sat in the dark. "Kasey? You're not on a full shift tonight."

"It's better than sleeping in my car again," Kasey mutters, not making one look at Bobby.

"You've been living in your car?" Bobby questioned, slowly making his way towards the girl. "Were you kicked out of your old place? Because if it's a place you needed, you know you're always welcomed–"

"No." Kasey utters, clearing her throat as she shakes her head. Her fingers moved to play with the end of her trousers. "I just can't go back there. I tried to, but every time I do, I end up in the shower, trying to wash off the blood that's not even there. Trying to wash off the feeling of him. I can't remember when I last slept either, cause that night still haunts me, no matter how many times I try to push it out of my mind; the thoughts, the sound, him, Bear...the pain....the smell...the blood... it all so haunts me."

Kasey brings her knees in closer for Bobby to sit down.

"Where is Bear now?"

"With Buck...He thinks I just wants a deeper clean of my house...which I do, but no matter how much I clean it, it still feels like it did on that night."

"Kasey," Bobby reaches forward to rub her knee.

"I'm just so terrified, Bobby. I'm always terrified. I act like I'm fine, but...but I'm scared. He knows everything, a-and that is so fucking scary." She rubs her palm over her eye as she begins to sob, and Bobby reached forwards to bring her into his arms, as if it he was creating a shield to protect her from everything. "Could you just take this pain away? It hurts, so much...help me." Her voice was so weak, so vulnerable.

Bobby was terrified too as he doesn't recall a time he has ever seen Kasey like this – she has always seemed as tough as a wall of bricks, that nothing could hurt her, but here she was, remembering that she was human and began to broke down in a man who she saw as a father.

Kasey was clutching Bobby's shoulder so hard, nails gripping in, palms steadily pushing against the clavicle, and Bobby began to wonder if it was possible for a human to break bones with their bare hands, if it was humanly possible that if they pushed hard enough his bones would snap.

Bobby didn't care though, he didn't care how many bones she may break of his, he didn't mind at all as she was the girl that he thought of as a daughter and she was crying, more like sobbing. She wouldn't stop.

Bobby believed that if she was sat in a hole in the ground then she be overflowing it by now. Her crying was deadly to hear, one of those cries that rips a heart out of one's chest, she cried as if she was in pain, and she was. She's always been in pain, suffering in the silence and this is one of the times where the bottle of emotions spilled within her, unleashing all these emotions she's been hiding from everyone.

It scared Bobby, it scared him as he has never seen Kasey like this, and he had no clue how to help her. But it was the silence that followed that scared him the most, just them two sitting in that room for three hours straight in pure silence. Bobby wished he knew what was going on in her head, but just like everyone else, he knew he wasn't as strong as Kasey.

[notslaybabes]

I posted 125 times in 2022

11 posts created (9%)

114 posts reblogged (91%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@cipheress-to-k-pop

@the-darklings

@januaryembrs

@queenquazar

@vizslasaber

I tagged 94 of my posts in 2022

Only 25% of my posts had no tags

#the sandman - 22 posts

#morpheus x reader - 20 posts

#dream of the endless - 18 posts

#dream x reader - 18 posts

#sandman x reader - 17 posts

#the sandman netflix - 13 posts

#dick grayson - 12 posts

#the sandman x reader - 12 posts

#captain rex x reader - 11 posts

#young justice - 10 posts

Longest Tag: 103 characters

#it was valentine’s day and i’m lonely and i just want some love from the imagine scenarios people write

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Some art I’ve done of my Star Wars oc recently + her ref/info sheet that I made when I first revamped her. I’m currently writing a fanfic for her <3

You can find all of these pieces on my art account on instagram: _.eruption

See the full post

19 notes - Posted March 13, 2022

#4

I love this emo man (wip)

27 notes - Posted August 14, 2022

#3

a dick Grayson drawing that I did for the hell of it (follow my ig: @_.eruption)

72 notes - Posted May 7, 2022

#2

I finished it! I’m obsessed!

81 notes - Posted August 15, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

I need more angsty batfam/batsis fanfiction to cry to at 2am.

if you have any recs pls help me out

112 notes - Posted May 24, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[sky-scribbles]

Fanfic ask game for procrastinating on writing (very accurate, since I should really be working on either the Aeor Fic or my dissertation right now). Tagged by @essektheylyss and @saturdaysky - tysm, this is very fun! <3

1) How many works do you have on AO3?

28! I only really started posting regularly on AO3 after I got into writing for CR, so there’s a modest amount there right now.

2) What’s your total AO3 word count?

~126000; probably going to be a lot more by the time the Aeor Fic is finished!.

3) How many fandoms have you written for and what are they?

Only three on AO3 - Critrole, obviously, plus some from my Star Wars: The Old Republic days and a single lonely Dragon Age fic. I’ve written for some other fandoms in the past (Elder Scrolls, mainly).

4) What are your top five fics by kudos?

Show me where my skin begins: Shadowgast; a study of Essek’s touch starvation and the important of touch between him and Caleb as their relationship develops.

My reasons for defying reason: Oneshot looking at Essek’s friendships with each of the Nein in turn, and the Nein’s different love languages.

I shine only with the light you gave me: The wizards slow dance at a fancy Dynasty ball, and Essek negotiates Den dynamics.

I’ll use you as a focal point: Essek summons a familiar, and as he adjusts to life with her, she helps him speedrun his character arc.

How to struggle gracefully: The Mighty Nein and Essek have dinner with Deirta Thelyss, as told through Veth’s perspective. Feat. Veth unpacking some of her own issues and her relationship with Essek

5) Do you respond to comments, why or why not?

Not as much as I’d like to anymore; my current health issues mean I have trouble writing at all, let alone replying to comments... but when I’m functioning better, I do try to reply to as many as I can! I absolutely love seeing people’s insights and hearing their thoughts; you guys make every second of writer’s block worth it! <3

6) What’s the fic you’ve written with the angstiest ending?

Hmm, I really don’t know! I’m generally an angst with a happy ending person, so I tend to round things off hopefully. I’d say that The scars that silence carved on me maybe qualifies, because from Essek’s perspective, it ends somewhat ambiguously - but the reader obviously knows that he’s about to get tackle-hugged by a little blue tiefling the moment after the fic ends.

7) Do you write crossovers? If so what is the craziest one you’ve written?

Not really. My Inquisitor!Essek AU is about the closest I’ve got, but I’m not sure I’d ever write anything or it.

8) Have you ever received hate on a fic?

Not since I was about fourteen, thankfully! I’ve had the odd ‘I hate [x character/fandom] but I love this story’ comment here and there.

9) Do you write smut? If so what kind?

Not really. I’ve occasionally strayed into very vaguely nsfw stuff, but I don’t think I’d enjoy writing real smut, nor do I have any confidence that I’d do so halfway decently!

10) Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I know of!

11) Have you ever had a fic translated?

I did once, many years ago back when I was writing Elder Scrolls stuff.

12) Have you ever co-written a fic before?

No, but I’m definitely not opposed to the idea!

13) What’s your all time favourite ship?

My fic history says Shadowgast, for sure, and I can see them being a love of mine for a very long time.

14) What’s a WIP you want to finish but don’t think you ever will?

Nothing that’s posted, thankfully, but I’d truly love to finish the one that currently sits under the working title of ‘the Essek and soup fic’. I’m very fond of it, but just don’t seem to be able to make work beyond its first scene. (Maybe I’ll post that as a standalone someday.)

15) What are your writing strengths?

I like to think I’ve got a good sense for prose rhythm? When I’m proofreading, I can generally count on a voice in my head to be saying ‘this sentence needs to be x length’, or ‘this sentence needs another adjective in it to carry the right emotional weight’, and to tell me when something just feels right and flows nicely.

16) What are your writing weaknesses?

I think I have a bit of a tendency to want to include everything - every interesting thought and bit of character exploration that I come up with in the planning process. Also, plotting! The reason I’ve generally stuck to oneshots is because I find writing lengthier plots really, really hard; sooner or later I just get stumped, thinking ‘ok, but what happens now?’ There’s a reason planning the Aeor fic has taken several months!

17) What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic?

It’s not something I’d do myself, mostly because I really wouldn’t want to mess up another language in a fic - but I’ve seen it really suit certain stories before.

18) What was the first fandom you wrote for?

It is... really hard to remember that far back, but probably either Skyrim or Torchwood. I did not do so well, but I did it :’D

19) What’s your favourite fic you’ve written?

Show me where my skin begins has a special place in my heart for being such huge fun to write and for being a truly feelgood fic. Familiar (like my mirror years ago) will always be important to me just for being my first CR fic and my entry point, as it were, to the CR fandom.

... but I really do hve a soft spot for The scars that silence carved on me, a study of Essek’s growth between 99 and 124. It’ll never be one of my most popular fics - the Nein don’t even appear in it - but I just loved taking Essek through all of these little changes, bridging the gap between the negotations and his reunion with his friends. And there are some scenes and lines in here I’m really proud of.

I think just about everyone I’d love to tag for this has already been tagged, so consider this an open tag for anyone who’d like to do this!