This is written by Ghostie.


Flames were licking at the blacked night sky through broken windows. Thick black smoke blanketed the skies around them, blocking out the moon. Dispatch had reported from the caller that the factory that had caught fire had housed an illegal college party, and in their drunken stupor they had caught a stack of palettes alight. Before any of the students could react, the old abandoned factory had gone up in flames quite easily and quickly. The 136 and 118 had both been dispatched when the shifting winds had caused a second, much newer and in-use factory next door to catch fire.

The second factory fire was quick to spread before it could be doused in water. College students had been running out doors, screaming, as fire trucks and ambulances pulled up. Because the 136 had beaten the 118 by mere seconds, Captain Cooper took charge. He sent men into the first warehouse to extract survivors, and then directed others to the second after learning from a few of the college students already out of the danger that a few had fled into the second building when the first went up. Everyone left were put on hoses to try and kill the roaring flames.

Buck was paired with Jim Voyta from his own house, along with Adam Halley and Lena Bosko from the 136. They were sent into the second factory in search of survivors. Just as the two teams were separating to go their own ways in searching, Buck felt a hand wrap around his wrist and give a gentle squeeze before it disappeared. Buck smiled as he followed Voyta down a darkened hallway. Within minutes they were able to find two girls hiding in a back office and were able to direct them back outside. As they were exiting the building, another two teams were headed inside: Alicia Castillo and Nick Sanchez from the 118, and Todd Ranger and Michael Jenkins from the 136.

The warning came a second too late.

Buck was helping a survivor brought out by him and Voyta to the medical tent set up, directing her towards Hen Wilson when the already scorching heat at his back intensified and there was a long whistling through the wind before the building behind him exploded. Buck was lifted off the ground and thrown forward, right into the side of the 136's engine before landing on his side with a groan. Coughing, Buck rolled onto his back and sat up, looking around. People in turnout gear were slowly moving around, picking themselves up to check on the college students also scattered on the ground. Stretchers were sideways as they had been blown over.

The ringing in his ears lessened just as he heard whimpering to the right of him. Taking a look, he found the girl he had been helping. Buck quickly scrambled to his feet and over to her, falling back to his knees to assess her injuries as it looked like she was bleeding from her arm, an injury that wasn't there when she was found in the factory. Just as he was about to ask if she was hurt anywhere else his radio crackled to life with his captain - Captain Bobby Nash - wanting a head count. Buck heard a few of his teammates radio back, both over the radio and by close proximity, and he grabbed his own radio.

"Buckley responding."

Just as the 118 finished, they had two unresponsive - Castillo and Sanchez. Then he listened as Captain Cooper called for the same with the 136. Buck listened as people responded, waiting for the one he wanted. When he didn't hear it, his head whipped up and he looked around just as Hen appeared next to him to help the girl up and back to the medical tent. Buck followed, his head swiveling to catch sight of a certain person, listening for the radio to crackle.

Then the ground started to shake and Buck turned towards the factory that had just exploded, what was left standing was crumbling down to the ground. Knowing the man he was looking for, Buck took off for the destroyed building, weaving his way through turnout gear and college students. He was almost through the throng of people when an arm snaked around his waist and pulled him flush back against a chest. He sank into the hold for a second, turning his head to the side, ready to say something when he realised it was his captain.

"No!" Buck's eyes widened and he began fighting against the hold.

"Buck, stop!" Bobby's other arm wrapped over Buck's shoulder, his hand tucking under his turnout coat and gripping at Buck's shirt below his armpit.

"Bobby, let me go!" Buck screamed. "I have to go find him!"

"Stop," Bobby growled in his ear. "It's not safe and you'll get yourself killed."

"I don't care!"

Buck was able to loosen Bobby's hold on him but before he could take another step there was a body in front of him. Voyta was the same height and build as Buck, just as strong. Buck didn't care as he tried to shove past the man. Voyta grabbed one forearm while Bobby grabbed the other, both working to restrain the younger man as he struggled and screamed, his eyes never leaving the crumbling building in front of him. When he saw the silhouette of a person through the smoke he froze, eyes still wide.

Buck woke with a gasp, shooting up in bed as his heart pounded in his chest. His eyes were wide and looking around the darkened room. Waking from a nightmare was nothing new for the twenty five year old. They happened often enough, he was never surprised when it happened now. With his heart still hammering away, Buck ran a hand down his face and threw the blanket away from his body. His skin felt slick and sticky from sweat, the air hitting his bare legs not doing anything to cool his heated skin even as goosebumps raised along his legs.

Swinging his legs slowly over the side of the bed, Buck scooted his body to the edge, placing his feet down on the plush rug on the floor around the bed, curling his toes into the fuzziness. His hands gripped the edge of the bed as he slightly leaned forward, closing his eyes as he took even breaths to slow his heart rate. It didn't take long for him to do so, as he was so used to it at this point. He opened his eyes and tilted his head enough to look at the clock. He sighed when he saw it was just after five in the morning. It was too late for him to go back to sleep, but it was too early for him to be getting ready for work.

Legs shifted on either side of his hips, settling against his own in the gap between his hips and hands on the bed. Arms snaked around his waist, resting together over his stomach. He felt a light kiss to his shoulder blade before a chin was hooked over his shoulder, lips pressing into the side of his neck just behind his ear. With a sigh, Buck leaned into the chest now pressed into his back. He smiled as he felt a kiss on his neck.

"Another nightmare?"

Buck hummed, closing his eyes.

"Same one?"

"Yeah," Buck nodded. "Always that same."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Buck opened his eyes again, staring into the bathroom through the open door. Light was slowly starting to peek through slits in the blinds on the window behind him, washing the room in an orange glow. Buck brought his left hand up and wrapped his hand over the hand pressed into his stomach, entwining their fingers, metal rings lightly clinking together.

"You already know what it's about."

There was a throaty hum and another kiss behind his ear.

"It's always the same scene. The fire, the smoke, the explosion, Bobby holding me back from running in for you when the house collapsed." Buck shivered and the arms around him tightened slightly.

"You've been talking to your therapist about them, right?"

"I have too," Buck sighed. "Bobby made it mandatory in order to continue working."

"When is your next appointment?"

"Wednesday."

"Should I come with you?"

Buck smiled, squeezing the hand in his and whispered, "You know you can't."

There was a sigh, a ghost of the breath across the side of his neck. Buck hated and loved these moments. It was so silent in the apartment, just the low hum from the refrigerator in the main room, apartment doors slamming as neighbors left for work. He was on the fourth floor, unable to really hear anything on the street below with the windows shut up.

"Yeah," The hands on his stomach curved around the swell, lips pressing into the skin of his exposed shoulder where his t-shirt had shifted. "How's our girl?"

Buck chuckled, "How do you know it's a girl? We could be having a boy."

"I know these things," The voice whispered against his ear as the hand pressed into his stomach, Buck feeling a slight fluttering from within. "I wish I could be here for you and our girl."

Buck felt tears in his eyes as he sniffled. "Me too."

There was a moment of silence as another kiss was felt against his neck before the feeling of being held disappeared. With a hiccuped sigh, Buck carefully stood and shuffled his way into the bathroom. It was still too early to be awake but he needed a shower as he still felt sticky with sweat, his skin tingling with phantom touches. By the time he was done in the shower, and had his teeth brushed, his alarm to wake was going off on his phone.