The crew comes back from a medical run. Eddie meets them as they pull in to help restock the trucks. Buck hops out and starts walking away.
Bobby stops him. "Buckley. Diaz needs your help restocking."
Buck doesn't respond. He just tosses his jacket to the side and walks back to the truck. He avoids eye contact with Bobby as he walks past him.
"Do we have a problem?" Bobby asks as he passes him.
Buck turns back around. "No problem here, sir," he snides.
"If you have something to say, say it. I will not tolerate this cold shoulder attitude."
"I just have nothing to say."
"Because you're mad at me?"
Buck stays quiet.
"You think this is all my fault," Bobby says.
"We shouldn't have left them in there. He died alone because you made us leave!"
"If we had stayed, what do you think would have happened? Do you think things would have turned out differently? Do you think we magically would have been able to save him before the building collapsed? Because I don't." Bobby stares him down. "I'm just as upset as you are, maybe more. But I did what I had to do to protect my crew. And until you're captain, you won't understand what it's like to make the decision to let one of your guys die in order to save the rest."
Buck shakes his head. Bobby keeps going.
"If you had climbed over the rubble pile and tried to save him, you would be dead right now. Jo would be a widow and you'd never get to meet your daughter."
"I promised him I would be right back and that we'd save him and he would go home to his family," Buck yells. "I broke my promise to him."
Bobby takes a step closer to him. "Buck, you have to understand, there was nothing we could have done. My heart breaks for Kate and the kids, and all of you, but what happened was an unfortunate reality of our job. We all knew when we signed our lives away that this could happen. Dan knew that and he still showed up to work every day and gave it his all."
"He gave it all," Buck corrects.
"Yes he did. And we will forever be indebted to him. But this is part of the job."
"So we're just supposed to get over it and move on?"
"No. Dan was our family, and we need to grieve him. But we can't beat ourselves up over the should have's. It'll eat us up and tear us apart. I love every single one of you, and if it was possible, I'd do whatever I could to save you if you were ever in trouble. But I couldn't save him. I'm beating myself up over it so you all don't have to."
"Bobby," Hen says, trying to stop him from blaming himself.
"I'll be in my office if you need me."
Bobby heads to his office. The crew all stand around quietly, not sure of what to say.
… ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
Eddie comes home from work and puts his keys down on the table and his bag next to it.
"Babe? I'm home."
Instead of seeing Audrey come down the hall, he sees Jo come from the bedroom.
"Jo? What are you doing here?"
"Audrey called and asked me to come over."
"Why? Is she okay?"
Jo shakes her head. "The baby."
His heart and his shoulders drop.
"You're sure?"
Jo nods. He takes a deep breath and runs his fingers through his hair.
"I'm gonna head out," Jo says as she picks up her purse. "She needs you."
"Thanks for being here."
"Of course. Call if you need anything."
Jo grabs her purse and keys and leaves. Eddie takes another deep breath before going back to the bedroom.
"Babe?"
As soon as she sees him, she breaks down. He goes to her and pulls her into a hug.
"We lost the baby," Audrey cries.
"It's okay."
They hold each other for a minute.
"I'm sorry."
Eddie pulls away from her to look her in the eyes. "No. This is not your fault. These things just happen, but you did nothing wrong."
"I lost our baby."
"Baby, no."
He holds her tighter.
"I love you so much."
Eddie rubs her back and holds her close as she continues crying.
… ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
Karen and Hen are sitting on the couch holding each other quietly.
"It never gets easier," Hen says.
"No, it doesn't."
"He was a great fire fighter. He had so much more to do. And his family..."
Hen gets choked up.
"Poor Kate and the kids," Karen says. "When we went to see her the other day she looked like she hadn't slept in days."
"She probably hasn't."
"I can't imagine being in her shoes."
"I hope you never are."
They hold each other tighter. Out of the corner of their eye, they see Denny and Nia standing at the doorway.
"What are you two doing up?" Hen asks.
"We couldn't sleep," Denny replies.
Karen holds out her hand. "Come here."
The kids run and jump on their mom's laps.
Nia looks up at Hen. "Momma? Did you almost die?"
"Oh honey, no," Hen holds Nia closer. "It got a little scary, but I was safe."
"Uncle Dan wasn't safe though," Denny says.
Hen and Karen don't know what to say.
Denny sits up. "I keep thinking about what we would do if you had died. I don't want to think about that."
Hen holds him close. "And you shouldn't. My job can be dangerous sometimes, but what happened with Dan doesn't happen often."
"But it happens."
"Yes, it does."
"So why do you do it then?"
"To keep people safe. If I didn't do this job, then who would? What if no one did this job? Who would save the people trapped in fires? Who would do CPR when someone is having a medical emergency?" Hen rubs Denny's back. "I do my job to make sure that other mommies and daddies get to go home safely to their families."
She holds the kids closer. "I know sometimes it might be scary to think about, and I can't promise that I'll always be okay. Sometimes things happen that are out of our control, but I promise you I am being so careful. Every decision I make during the day, I am thinking about you three, and coming home safe at the end of my shift."
Denny lays his head on Hen's shoulder. "I love you, momma."
"I love you all so so much."
She gathers her family in a hug. Karen smiles at her, sharing a kiss.
… ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...