FIRE & BLOOD • EVAN 'BUCK' BUCKLEY / 9-1-1

3.

(A week since Mary passed)

"You delivered a baby today Stella. That's fucking insane!" Gigi squeals as we walk out from a very long shift and head to Manny's, our favorite local bar to hang out after an exhausting day at work.

"How many interns have done that within their first five months?" Gigi continues to praise me but I shrug it off. I should be proud of myself but my mind can't stop thinking about alcohol. I will congratulate myself once I get a couple drinks in. Tomorrow is my day off and I plan on sleeping in after getting a bit tipsy tonight. My first few months at Griffith have been a mixture of awesome, terrible, exhilarating, horrifying and life changing.

Gigi does not shut up the entire way to Manny's. A few other interns are already at the bar and they greet me and Gigi as we walk in.

Tyler, Mazzey, Savannah and Amanda are all sitting in the very back of the bar by the pool tables. Gigi rolls her eyes at me as we spot Savannah. We haven't gotten along since the first day at Griffith. She's a complete bitch and we recently found out she's sleeping with one of the attendings. None of us were surprised but yet Tyler, Mazzey and Amanda manage to hang around her. I myself want to punch her 12 times a day. And that's on a good day.

"Hello ladies" Amanda hugs me and Gigi. I walk right past Savannah and hug Mazzey and Tyler. Gigi does the same. It's no secret we don't like her and we don't kiss her ass or pretend to be her friend. I think she loves to spoil our time and purposely comes to hang out at the same place we are at the same time to piss us off and no one else in the group has the balls to tell her no. Except for me and Gigi but we don't tonight, the day has left us drained. Being surgical interns really leaves you wanting to sleep for an entire week and have a breakdown everyday. But in the end it's worth it.

"Nice to see you two here" the bitch speaks. I ignore her. Gigi on the other hand never holds back.

"Can't say the same about you" she says in her most sarcastic tone followed by a fake smile.

"Let's not do this tonight please" Tyler cuts in before Savannah could spit back at Gigi. I don't think she's stupid enough to start something with Gigi because I'll step in and drag her out this bar if she even tries it.

"I'm going to get a drink" I talk into Gigi's ear. She nods her head and I grab my purse making my way up to the bar. I spot my favorite bartender Alex. The biggest smile appears on his face when he sees me.

"I haven't seen you in like two weeks I was worried you might have left or died... or something." Alex immediately starts on my drink. He knows I'm a sucker for a frozen strawberry margarita. Especially after a rough shift.

"I'd never leave without telling you or die on you like that!" I take a small sip as he hands over my frozen delight. Alex leans over the counter putting his face in his hands as he watches me practically swallow my margarita.

"How was your shift?" He asks. I let out a small "aaa" after taking my last sip. Alex is already working on my second one before I could even ask.

"It was long. I had a patient swear she had cancer because of symptoms she looked up on the internet that matched. She insisted on getting tested, took up much of my time today."

"Did she have cancer?"

"No. She just wanted attention because no one in her family has been listening to her."

"Poor girl"
"Yeah. Oh and I delivered a baby"
"No way!" Alex's mouth falls open. He slides over my second drink. I nod and take a sip, smiling behind the glass.

"Infuckingcredible. A baby... how did that feel as you brought a whole new life into this world?" His eyes are wide with curiosity.

"Amazing" I answer. It was more than amazing.

"You're going to be such an amazing doctor Stella. I knew it from the moment I met you"

"Shut up you did not"

"I did too!"

A brunette calls Alex over. She is beyond drunk and is slurring her words and she orders Alex for another shot of tequila. Alex gives me an annoyed look. "I can't stand this woman. She has been here every night. She is bossy, needy and I wish she'd go home!" Before I could say anything the brunette is basically screaming at this point.

"HellOOooOoo!" She slams her palm down.

Everyone is looking at her now. Alex's face is red now as he walks over to attend the needy drunk lady. I stay put as I work my way through my second margarita and I hope this brunette doesn't take up too much of Alex's time because I'm going to need my third one.

"Siesta key" the empty seat next to me is now seated by the buff firefighter from earlier. I let out a small groan as I throw my head back, asking the universe why is my one night stand here in Los Angeles? Out of all places he happened to be from California.

"Can I help you?" I turn to face that stupid beautiful face that I sucked on that one hot night back in Florida. These margaritas are starting to kick in. I try to shove those images from my brain. His huge biceps are making it harder for me. And his shoulders, they're so broad and I can't imagine his body underneath that tight shirt. He looks bigger than he did in Siesta Key. Someone has been hitting the gym and it shows.

"Ouch. Why so hostile?" He smirks.

"I'm exhausted and I thought I didn't have to see you again but here you are. In Los Angeles... living here..." I pout when I realize my drink is gone. I turn to look in the direction of the needy brunette. She's talking Alex's ear off. Can she give me my bartender back?

"Maybe if you hadn't creeped out that room that night so fast we could've got to know each other better" he shrugs. "You fascinated me and I wanted to learn more about you" he continues. I laugh.

"Yeah. Like you really had plans on doing that."
"I did"
"Okay" I say sarcastically.

"So. You work at Griffith Park?"
"Obviously."

He chuckles. "Playing hard to get?"
"No im just not interested"
"Didn't seem so that night" the cockiness is starting appear and I now see what the nurses were talking about. After that night he rushed in through those doors the nurses would not stop buzzing about the one and only Buck! The hot firefighter who happens to be a douche player.

"It was one time." I make it clear to him and I hope he understands it. But his eyes are glued on me.

"I don't mean to bother you but I thought maybe now we could get to know each other that we happen to live in the same area. It can't be a coincidence that we happen to meet again, especially all the way across the country might I add..."

"We hooked up once and happen to be living in the same city. So what?"

"Seems to me there's a reason we're crossing paths again."

Is he nuts? It was literally one hook up. How is it we both end up here in Los Angeles? I don't know but he's thinking too deep into it. I've just started my medical journey, I can't have some guy catching feelings from a one night stand. I'm not someone he wants to fall for. He can continue being the cocky playboy and I'll continue becoming the best surgeon this world has seen.

"Listen. We had a great time. It was fun but it's not happening again."

"I think we got off on the wrong foot here. I was a bit upset that one night but it's never easy when we"

"I know" I interrupt. I understand the feeling of not being able to save everyone. He rubs the back of his neck.

"Maybe we can start fresh. I'm Evan Buckley, but everyone calls me Buck" he says. I hesitate. I can't help but roll my eyes. I swear one day they're going to get stuck. I don't think it'll be a big deal to tell him my name. It doesn't mean we have to socialize outside of this bar tonight and maybe he'll leave me alone. Maybe. The margaritas are making me feel friendly tonight as I open my mouth and reveal who I am to this beautiful firefighter named Evan Buckley.

"I'm Stella."