Hen followed Karen through the front door and softly closed it behind herself. Karen was carrying a sleeping Denny in her arms and headed upstairs to get him changed into pajamas and put in bed. Hen stayed standing at the door and watched as her wife and son ascended the stairs. She took a deep breath as she stared after them; still shaking from what had happened earlier; how close she had come to losing her son. Her precious Denny. Her son was only nine years old and his life had almost been ended by a crazy woman with a gun.
But he wasn't. Denny was still alive. She took a deep breath as she leaned back against the door; pressing her hands flat against the wood. Her son was still alive because of the purest heart she ever knew: Evan Buckley.
She was still having troubles processing what had transpired in the last few hours. It had started as a normal shift for their crew. They all showed up, got ready to do their jobs, talked about their families and what they planned on doing over the weekend. She never suspected anything bad could happen; not in the safety of the firehouse! But it had and because of it her son was almost killed and they could still lose Buck. And that hurt a lot like she was losing a brother; if she hadn't already lost him. Not from the bullet that was ripped through his body in his move to protect her son. No, by her own hands. By all the hands of those he called friends; called family.
Hen knew they were treating him unfairly. She knew it wasn't right to hold this grudge they all seemed to be clinging too when it came to Buck trying to come back to them. Hen had been more furious at Bobby in the beginning; learning he had been the one to keep Buck from coming back. She didn't understand; did he not believe Buck would be responsible enough? - and yeah, okay, he was reckless but he wasn't stupid - or did he not trust her enough? Or Chimney, or Eddie? Did their captain not trust his team to rally together and keep an eye on their youngest member when he was in the field?
Hen had understood Buck's motives in filing the lawsuit. Maybe she wouldn't have done the same had she been in his shoes; would have looked at other options. Gone to the rest of the team and asked for help most likely; but she understood. But then the arbitration happened and she let her anger take over when that lawyer had brought up her ex-girlfriend and her infidelity. Hen couldn't believe Buck would tell those things to that slimy lawyer and use it against them. None of that had to do with their job! Her anger had only grown when she learned what the lawyer had brought up about Bobby (his drinking); Chimney (his own medical emergencies); and Eddie (his late wife).
But then she learned Buck had turned down a settlement - she didn't know how much it was and didn't care because he had turned it down and that made her see he really wasn't just after money - and then he dropped the suit. Hen knew it came with a return to work with the 118. Hen hadn't been sure about him returning; not because she didn't think he couldn't do the job - she had no doubts about that - she was just worried how everyone would react to him returning after literally suing them. But then he was back and part of Hen was happy; she had welcomed him back, given him a cupcake, told him things would get better. She had been wrong and blind.
She told herself she wasn't going to follow footsteps when she noticed the glares and snide remarks to their youngest; and she hadn't; but she hadn't helped either. She kept her distance. She wasn't fully trusting of the kid anymore. In the field yes - not that Bobby was letting him out of the house - but personally she was weary about what she said around him now. And that is what had made things worse. She had realised in the last couple of days just how quiet the boy seemed around them; noticed he never came up into the loft - the only times she saw him there was as they were returning from a call and he was suddenly running back downstairs and away from them.
It had been two weeks since she had heard his voice. It had been three weeks - since his return - since she's seen him joke; seen him laugh; seen him smile. Three weeks since she had hugged him; touched his arm; let him lay his head on her shoulder after a tough call and take a nap. She wasn't blind now. She noticed he was thinning; his shirts slightly baggier on his muscular frame; the dark circles under his eyes making him look like a raccoon; his paler skin. She didn't think he was sleeping or eating much at all by the looks of it. Add the blood thinners and Hen knew he was wasting away right in front of them all and nobody seemed to take notice... or care. They had failed him.
"Babe?"
Hen's eyes snapped open; the moment she looked at Karen now standing in front of her the dam broke. Karen pulled her wife into her arms and held on as Hen cried into her shoulder. Karen's own tears were streaming down her face as they clung to each other right there at the door. Karen's heart had stopped when she had gotten the call from Athena earlier. At first she had thought it had to do with Hen and of course she was scared but then Athena had told her there had been an incident at the fire house; that Denny was physically okay, but if she could get back there as soon as possible. Karen hadn't wasted time after telling her mom and sister; they had told her to tell them later what the problem had been.
When she had reached the firehouse she was not expecting it to be filled with police officers; or for the loft to be sectioned off with tape or police posted at both sets of stairs. Karen had found Denny with Athena and Bobby in the locker room. Bobby was collecting work bags from lockers - one she noticed was Hen's. The moment she had stepped inside Denny had seen her and burst into tears; clinging to her and wailing hysterically about what had happened; Karen had been unable to understand what her son was saying. It had taken a few minutes for her to get him to calm down enough so she could get answers from Athena.
Learning Buck had been shot protecting Denny from a crazy woman was not what she was expecting at all. Fear still gripped her heart as she held her unharmed son in her arms and prayed Buck survived after Athena told her he had stopped breathing - they had gotten him back within minutes - before they were able to move him. Karen had followed Bobby and Athena - and apparently the whole 118 crew because at least for the next 24-hours their firehouse was shut down for the investigation and cleanup - Karen was afraid to ask just how bad it really was.
When they had all reached the hospital and gone into the E.R. Denny had cried himself to sleep so she had to carry him; though she didn't mind. Only still knowing half the story she liked having her son in her arms; feeling his weight against her. He wasn't a young child anymore; probably shouldn't be carried but she didn't care at this point. She had not been ready to see her wife covered in so much blood and had been glad Denny was asleep in her arms at the time. She didn't know what he had already seen back at the station; she was not ready for him to see any more then he needed at such a young age.
The group had spend the next four hours waiting on news for the young firefighter and learning who the woman was and what she wanted with Buck. Karen had only heard a little about the lawsuit through Hen; knew it had been a hard time for everyone around. She didn't blame Buck in filing; she thought he had a right too; but at the same time she had to support her wife while everything was happening.
Once she was able; Karen ushered Hen upstairs and to their bedroom. They both got ready for bed and settled in; though Karen knew it was going to be a long night for their little family. Within an hour Denny was awake and screaming for them. By the time the sun was peaking through the blinds in the window Denny had woken three times. After the third time Karen had finally carried him into their bedroom with them; settling him between them on the bed to finish getting some sort of sleep before morning.
