Hey there! I'm back! I have to say, the break was much needed! I think I've got my writing bug back, and I already have several stories finished and ready to go! If you're still here, thanks for sticking around! If this is the first of my stories you've read, you've got a lot to catch up on and some new characters to meet lol. Alright, I'll stop talking so you can read this. I hope you enjoy it!

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Maddie and Chimney walk down the hall carrying a plate of pancakes each. They open the door to the boy's bedroom and light a candle on each stack of pancakes.

Maddie bends down between the beds. "Wesley, Theo. Wake up."

The boys wake up and roll over to see their parents and the birthday celebration they've brought with them.

"Happy birthday!" The happy parents yell.

The boys hop out of bed and join their parents.

Chimney holds a stack of pancakes in front of Theo. "Make a wish and blow out your candles."

Both boys take a deep breath and blow out the candle.

"I think we should go to the kitchen and eat our birthday pancakes," Maddie says, "and there might be some presents to open. Then maybe we could go to the park and play before your birthday party."

"Yay!" The boys cheer.

"Let's go!"

The boys run out of the room to the kitchen. Maddie and Chimney follow behind them.

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Jo is sitting at the table eating breakfast while Buck is running around the house trying to get ready for work.

"Babe?" Buck calls from the bedroom. "Where are all my shirts? They're not in my drawer."

"Check the dryer."

A moment passes before Buck comes in, putting his shirt on as he comes through the door. "All my shirts were in there. Is it laundry day?"

"Your day off is always laundry day. Or your "should have been" day off," Jo says, a little annoyance coming through.

"Are you still mad that I switched days with Chimney?"

Jo doesn't look up from her plate. "I'm not mad."

Buck raises his eyebrow and gives her a look. He knows she's lying. He walks across the kitchen and leans over so he's at eye level with her. "I did it for the boys."

"I know. You're a good uncle."

"I promise I won't miss the anatomy scan. I'll even be early."

Jo scoffs. "Don't get ahead of yourself."

They share a kiss.

"Maybe I'll get there before you." He kisses her again. "I better get to work. I'll see you at 9:30 sharp."

"I love you. Be careful."

"I always am."

Buck picks up his duffel bag and heads to the garage.

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Jorge is working at a train yard getting ready to repair the dock. He hops on the back of the train and it starts moving down the line with him and a few other men on the back. As they approach the dock, Jorge starts to move towards the edge of the train. As he moves, his foot slips and he falls off the train. He tries landing on his feet, but he loses his balance and falls underneath the train and is run over.

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Jo is sitting in the waiting room waiting for her appointment, and for Buck. She checks the clock- 9:45. She pulls out her phone and calls him. No answer. Before she can text him, a nurse pokes her head into the waiting room.

"Jolene Buckley?"

Jo gets up and follows her back to the exam room.

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The 118 runs to where Jorge is laying on the train tracks. His legs are laying a couple feet away, and not attached to his body. Hen and Eddie immediately start tending to him and getting his vitals. Jorge his very calm and collected. He's clearly in shock.

"We're going to start some pain meds so you'll be a little more comfortable," Eddie says, working quickly.

"I don't feel anything," Jorge says. "Is it bad? Are my legs still there?"

"Oh, they're there," Buck starts. "Just not-"

Bobby elbows him, shutting him up.

Eddie puts the IV in and starts giving him morphine as Hen feels around for more injuries.

"Your pelvis is crushed, along with the leg injuries. My biggest fear is internal bleeding. We need to get you to the hospital as fast as possible."

Eddie applies the tourniquets to ends of Jorge's legs to stop the bleeding. He, Hen, and the other two paramedics help get him up on the stretcher. His legs are placed into a cooler, then he is taken to the second ambulance and taken to the hospital.

Eddie takes off his gloves. "What a way to start the morning."

Buck looks at his watch and sees the time. "Shoot! I'm late for Jo's ultrasound. I promised her I'd be there. You've gotta give me a ride to the doctor's office."

Bobby rolls his eyes. "Get in."

Buck runs to the truck as Bobby casually walks with everyone else.

"Come on!"

Everyone gets in the truck and takes off to the doctor's office.

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Jo is walking out of the office just as Buck pulls up in the truck. He gets out and runs to her.

"Babe, I am so sorry. There was a thing and a guy lost his legs-"

"You promised you'd be there," Jo says as she digs her keys out of her purse.

"I know, I'm sorry."

"We waited 30 minutes for you and you didn't come. I tried calling but you didn't answer."

"I left my phone at the station." Buck tries to keep up as she walks quickly through the parking lot. "Will they let us go back and do it again?"

Jo stops and looks at him. "That's not how this works, Evan. You miss the ultrasound, you miss it. And you missed it."

"I really am sorry. I got caught up at work and lost track of time."

"If you had been off like you were supposed to then this wouldn't have happened."

"It was important to Chimney that he have the day off for the boys' birthday."

"And it was important to me that you be at the ultrasound," Jo says, throwing her hands up. "It's a girl by the way, if you care."

Buck is taken a back as Jo hands him the ultrasound pictures.

"We're having a girl?"

"Mhm."

Buck smiles and runs his hand through his hair as he studies the pictures intently. "I can see if Cap will let me have a few hours off so-"

Jo cuts him off. "Actually, I'm just going to go home. Alone."

"Jo."

"Really, go back to work. I know how important it is to you."

Buck starts to reach for her. "Babe."

Jo starts to get in the car. "I'll see you at the birthday party."

Before Buck can say anything else she gets in the car and shuts the door. Without looking at him, she backs out of the parking space and leaves. Buck watches her go then solemnly walks back to the truck. Everyone looks away, pretending they weren't listening to every word of the couple's conversation.

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James Randall is in his son's bedroom looking at a newspaper clipping. The headline reads, "Local Boy Killed in House Fire." Underneath the headline is a photo of his 6-year-old son, Gage. He was killed in a fire two months prior. His tears fall on the paper.

"I'm so sorry Gage. I promise, they will pay for letting you die. I promise."

Randall puts the paper down, pulls a gun out of his waistband and heads out the door.

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