knight and shining armor
"At least their marriage got saved by that cute rom com gesture."
"Until she got arrested for breaking a few laws," Josephine scoffed, touching up her makeup at the vanity in her bathroom.
Her phone was propped on the vanity for her to facetime Carlos as she got ready for a night outing. With Alexis working the night shift at the hospital, Maddie asked if she could go out for drinks. She didn't want to oppose considering the brunette barely has any friends in the city and became fond of her in a short amount of time.
Better than the other Buckley, she thought.
"So, where are you heading off tonight?"
Josephine averted from her reflection to Carlos on the phone screen. "Drinks with Maddie. What about you? The usual rendezvous with a man from a bar." She tugged a sly smirk.
"Not with a colleague at least." He retorted and then paused to see his cousin's reaction. She threw a dark glare when he let out a breathy laugh. "How's work with the blond man that shall not be named?"
She fought the urge to roll her eyes to feed into his reaction. Instead, she blotted her lips before closing the cap of her dark lipstick. "You can say his name, Carlos. He's not a sensitive topic." She clarified. "Anyways, I can't deny that it's still weird, of course. But we're all good."
Part of that statement was a lie.
Since compromising the idea of setting boundaries with Buck, Josephine felt a little lonelier than usual. Even at the firehouse, seeing less of the latter's banter had caught skeptical looks from their co-workers. Neither Josephine nor Buck couldn't be more obvious about avoiding to interacting with one another.
The thing is, they couldn't make out what to say confronting each other unless working on a call.
"Traffic seems endless here," Maddie frowned, already regretting taking the freeway to the bar with the crowd of cars slowly moving.
Josephine snorted from the passenger's seat. "That's L.A. for you. You'll get to use to it. Besides, it's not like we're going to be late to the bar or anything."
She spoke too soon when Maddie squeaked out, "What if I told you we're meeting Chimney and possibly my brother there? I know you two aren't talking as much, but he's been living with Chimney after leaving Abby's. Chimney is kind of tired seeing my brother cooped up in his apartment-" She rambled on, eyes intact on the road.
"You don't need to explain any further. It's fine." Josephine cut in, exhaling coolly. "Instead, you're buying me drinks for scheming this little set up." She narrowed her friend.
Maddie hummed, shortly nodding in agreement. "Deal. Although, I don't know what you're talking about." She hid a tiny smirk.
Finally arriving the karaoke bar, both women were met by loud music and chatter amongst the crowd walking through the entrance doors. Maddie glanced at the message thread with Chimney while searching for him.
Meanwhile, Josephine began to feel queasy merely uncertain how the night would unfold especially being lumped with Buck. There's no doubt Maddie and Chimney will be lost in other's trance to notice the tension between the latter. She already texted Alexis feeling anxious about tonight. As Alexis tries to calm those nerves, she started to conjure an emergency backup plan.
One of the many things Josephine learned about the blond woman over the years is the capability to orchestrate a plan on the spot. Somehow Alexis manages to spring up one even in her absence.
Josephine spotted the two men at a table. She tapped Maddie's shoulder and pointed them out. Maddie bounced on her heels to greet them while she lingered back and drew in a breath. "Hi! Sorry we're late. I don't know why I get on the freeway. I always regret it."
"Because you are an eternal optimist, that's why." Chimney's eyes lit at the brunette next to him before looking over at the other behind her. "Hey, Josie! You can take a seat next to Buck. We already order your drinks." He grinned.
She nodded, "Thanks, Chim."
When her eyes met Buck's bewildered ones, she sent him a small smile. "Hey."
"Hi," He exhaled out, scooting away to make room though his eyes never left on her.
The two reverted to the talkative couple in front of them as if they were the only two people in the room.
Later that night, Island in the Stream began playing in the bar. Maddie and Chimney seized the opportunity to take up the stage for karaoke. The dynamic between the two might be new to Buck, wonderstruck by his older sister and coworker visibly infatuated with one other.
"Do you still not see it for Chim and your sister?"
The blond man averted his stare from the couple on stage to Josephine sipping her glass of chardonnay. The table had been quiet being the two left alone. Both sunk into the awkwardness though comforted by the silence.
"Seeing how my sister suddenly became chummy with Chim. I've been proved wrong." He chuckled out a bit. "You were right."
Josephine elicited a small smirk upon her lips behind the glass. "Of course."
They basked in the silence once again when Buck spoke up. "Um, Eddie told me everything." He saw the brunette arched her eyebrow. She knew both men exchanged apologies and are back to normal at the firehouse. "H-He mentioned about your dad's anniversary. I wished you told me."
"We weren't exactly on talking terms, Buck. Don't beat yourself over it." She sighed, shifting in discomfort with the conversation. "If anything, we should move on from everything like I clarified."
His face faltered, sighing out. "Josie-"
"I'm going to go use the restroom." She stood from her seat and departed from the table.
Josephine pushed through the bathroom door, rejoining the crowd in the bar. Maddie and Chimney remained on stage performing. Walking back to the table, she dreaded sitting next to Buck and be met with more silence throughout the night. As someone trying to move forward, it's quite difficult when you work together and around each other outside of work.
Halfway back, she noticed their table empty. Her eyes peered around until motioning the barista behind the counter. "Hey, you don't happen to know where my friend went. Do you?"
"He's talking to the woman that bought him a drink." The male barista pointed across the bar.
She took a glimpse of Buck immersed in a conversation with Taylor, the news reporter they previously saved. Staring at the latter, her lips slightly frowned. Eventually, she composed herself and skipped back to the table to snatch for her bag.
Returning to an empty table wasn't a night Josephine planned to remain. She sought this opportunity for an escape back home and not waste the rest of her night.
"Hey, you're Josie, right?"
A voice halted the brunette from pushing her way to the exit to glance up at a pair of brown orbs in front of her. It was a tall brunette-haired man with a patchy beard, sporting a nervous grin.
"I'm not sure if I should say yes." She trailed off with uncertainty carried in her tone.
"Y-Your friends with Alexis Tanner? She works at Melrose hospital. Wow. Couldn't sound more creepier." He stammered out, scratching the back of his head while Josephine continued eyeing at him. He quickly pulled out his phone, "I work with her there. She told me that you needed some saving tonight."
She grimaced skimming at the text message thread, specifically the picture Alexis shared to help "search" for her. "Uh, yes, I'm Josie." She crossed her arms on her chest, hanging her head low for a moment.
"Well, I'm Mark." He extended his hand to which Josephine accepted. "If you don't mind, would you like your knight and shining armor whisk you away? Unless you don't need anymore."
A giggle escaped from her lips, thoroughly enthused by his humor. "There's another bar down the street. Why don't you take me there?"
Mark nodded in response and then offered his arm for Josephine to take.
Once again, Alexis proved to be a saving grace.
"So, what does Alexis owe you for this?"
Josephine and Mark sat at the counter of the bar. She eyed the man while sipping a glass of chardonnay.
"Nothing." He simply said, picking up his scotch.
"Nothing?" She repeated in disbelief. "Come on, you're here with me. A desperate woman who yearned for her best friend's help to get out an awkward night. And the help she receives is the handsome coworker from the hospital, who probably had better plans than this."
Mark washed his hand over his mouth, fighting off his sheepish grin. "Actually, Alexis has been persistent about setting us up."
"Alexis loves to seek an opportunity." Josephine remarked. She would believe since the sneaky blond pushed her to get back in the dating scene.
"If it's the opportunity to be having drinks with a beautiful woman then I'll take it. As for plans, all I had was takeout and pushing my nose into my work."
She leaned back in her seat, "Even working a long shift?"
He clicked his tongue, mimicking her movement in his seat. "I'm a fifth-year resident. I've been working hard towards my fellowship, especially in the field of neurosurgery."
"Oh, so you like to pick people's brains."
Mark bit back from chuckling and sipped his drink once more. "Doing the impossible much like you being a badass firefighter."
His comment caused Josephine to become flushed although entertained by him. The two continued to marvel in each other's company being the least dreadful night.
"You met a guy?" Eddie asked, pulling a stretcher out of the ambulance next to Josephine.
They arrived at a Gas-N-Sip in San Fernando where one of the suspects in the robbery got injured and needed medical attention. On the way to the location, Josephine entailed the brunette-haired man how her night turned unexpectedly. Mark was her blessing in disguise, she thought.
She learned about Mark's backstory that night. His life in San Francisco to entering the program at the hospital in Los Angeles. He talked about his passion for neurology, withholding much curiosity about the works of the brain as a child. The way he dove into the topic intrigued Josephine. Mark failed to refrain from rambling on, wondering if the woman would become bored talking about his work. It was the opposite.
Aside working in a career field of saving lives, Mark comes from a legacy of family working in the medical field as well.
Josephine adjusted the strap of the medical bag on her shoulder, one hand assisting Eddie pushing the stretcher towards the store. "His name is Mark, yes. He's a surgeon at the hospital Alexis works at. She sent him as my supposed knight and shining armor."
"So, is he a potential suitor, princesa?" He winked, enveloping a smug grin.
She rolled her eyes, answering. "After drinks and dropping me off, he asked me out on a date this week."
Understanding their work schedule can be tricky to align their schedules, more specifically, Mark finishing off his last year of residency. The two managed to set a date at the end of the week.
Josephine has been on several dates though neither clicked in comparison her night with Mark.
"Good for you. So, you don't have any lingering feelings for Buck?" Eddie whispered, maneuvering his eyes towards the blond ranting to their Captain.
She followed his gaze, pressing her lips together and shrugged. "We're moving forward." She recalled seeing him with Taylor briefly at the bar.
"They're gonna take you to the hospital, Earl." Ruth, the manager mentioned to her employee Earl. Her hand placed over the ice pack on his shoulder.
"I'm fine, really." He assured.
Bobby interjected from the side, "Sir, we heard you took quite a tumble. We'd feel a lot better if you got checked out." He encouraged.
"You've already been a hero once today, Earl. Don't push your luck." Ruth agreed.
Earl, stunned by her compliment looked over at her. "You thought I was being heroic?"
"Well...yeah." She trailed off, removing the ice pack from his shoulder. "A bit stupid, but heroic." She tried to divert her eyes away.
"I was only thinking of you, Ruth." His reply caused the woman to return his gaze quite astounded.
Josephine glanced down at Eddie, sharing an amusement by this exchange. Neither of them expected unraveling feelings between colleagues would come to surface on this dispatch call.
"Next time, let'em keep the till. Kind of like having you around."
Back at the 118 firehouse, Josephine sat at the countertop reading a book while one hand dipped a sliced apple in a spoonful of peanut butter. Buck jogged his way to the top floor to grab a refreshing bottle of water. He halted in the kitchen after spotting the brunette.
He clasped his hands together, hesitating to speak up. "Hey."
"Hi," She looked up from finishing a paragraph in her book.
Immediate silence settled between the duo across the kitchen. Buck lowered his gaze at the half-eaten apple slice in Josephine's hand next to a bowl of peanut butter. "That's an interesting snack combo." He pointed out.
Josephine's eyes flickered to her snack and then returned to Buck's. "It's pretty good. Is that all you wanted to say?" She quirked her brow at him.
He shook his head, letting out a breathy laugh. "Uh, no. I wanted to apologize about the other night." Feeling a little guilty for leaving her hanging to talk to Taylor which led to an abrupt hook up in the bar's bathroom.
She found it amusing, giggling out in response. "There's no hard feelings, Buck. I shut you out, so, I should be the one apologizing. I wasn't great company either." She truthfully said.
Buck scrunched his face in confusion after grabbing a water bottle. "I disagree. Even though we've been distant you've always been good company to me. The last few months has proved it." He reminded, tugging a small grin.
His comment couldn't help but put a smile onto Josephine's lips.
"I have a question. Everyone has been telling me I've been single for months which is partly true." He huffed. "I feel so blind by their empathetic looks rambling on about Abby. But why haven't you said it like everyone else?"
The brunette drew in a breath. "As someone who confessed their feelings to you while high from edibles, I cared about your feelings. I understand how troubling it can be to persist in clinging onto a relationship slowly fading in front of you. It's difficult to face reality especially relationships." She paused, sighing out. "You just needed time to acknowledge that."
Buck's lips parted before nodding along. "Thanks...for not shoving an 'I told you so' in my face."
"Okay, which one?"
Josephine raised two dresses on hangers in front of Alexis sitting at the end of her bed. Alexis tilted her head, eyeing the latter while the brunette stared at her impatiently.
She clicked her tongue, shrugging nonchalantly. "They're both hot."
Alexis' response caused Josephine groaned and shoulders drop. "Obviously, that's why I bought them. But I need to know which one is the perfect fit." She threw one dress onto the bed carelessly and removed a dark red dress from the hanger.
"You don't have to look perfect, Josie. One, you're hot and two, Mark is already swooned by you." Alexis stated and then muttered out. "Which you should be thanking me for this set up."
The brunette playfully rolled her eyes, "Thank you, Alexis." She began exchanging out of her clothes and slip into the dress. "Sure, Mark and I had a good time that night. But in case you forgot I was a bit drunk, and this date could go either way."
"Again, Mark likes you a lot. The guy hasn't stopped talking about you all week." Alexis shared, if only her best friend knew how nervous the surgeon was about this upcoming date as she was. "All you have to do is flaunt your beautiful self and laugh at his nerdy jokes."
Josephine pouted through the reflection at the blond. "He does make nerdy jokes." They both fell into a fit of laughter. "He's still cute and very smart though." She adjusted her dress before slumping her shoulders.
"Which is why I thought you two would be the perfect match. He needed to put himself out there and you needed to pick yourself up after Buck."
Furrowing her brows, Josephine returned to the room after picking out her heels. "Weren't you pushing the idea of me and Buck?"
"Yes, but since it didn't work out in your favor. We move on to the next."
Sliding into the pair of heels, the brunette stood up and confronted the blond. "So, what do you think? I know I look good, but you think I look good, right?"
Alexis stood on her feet and cupped her best friend's face. "You look super-hot where I'd want to take you out instead. Now can you change back and grab something to eat?" She curved her lips into a mischievous smile when she earned another eye roll.
As Josephine spun around towards her closet, Alexis slapped her butt startling the woman.
On the last dispatch call for their shift, the 118 met an unfortunate tragedy of a couple named Mitchell and Thomas. Like many incidents, this one occurred in a blink of an eye neither would see coming. The happy couple that has experienced a life filled of love and adventures ended abruptly.
At the front gate of Mitchell and Thomas' home, Thomas settled in the back of the ambulance with Buck consoling him. His eyes couldn't help pondering at the sight of his late husband removed after squished between the gate and car.
Josephine assisted Hen and Chimney strapping in Mitchell onto the board after Eddie reversed the vehicle.
"When we got married...we thought, what the hell, we have so little life left, we might as well live." The new widow began to reminisce. He sighed, softly laughing. "That was Mitchell, always...daring the clock. And me, I always followed along. All those foolish things we did. We only ever wanted to...to go together. That's love."
Buck shared a solemn look after listening to Thomas' heartfelt speech. "I'm sorry. I really am. I guess I can only hope to find something that good." He confided.
Navigating the dating realm as Buck 2.0 deemed to be more difficult than he thought. His mind kept wrestling what wasn't clicking for him. For example, the thought of dating Taylor was far from ideal as neither were on the same page. And then meeting up with Ali after receiving a phone call. He enjoyed the date with Ali except didn't feel any connection.
He presumed this slump feeling would disperse once breaking it off with Abby. The only person that would divert him from this feeling was Josephine.
"You don't find it, son. You make it." Thomas cited.
That evening, Josephine scrambled in her bedroom for her date with Mark. After applying makeup and curling her brown locks cascading past her shoulders. She slipped herself into the red dress once again.
"I would totally take myself out on a date." She mumbled to herself; her hands smoothed out her dress in front of the mirror.
Alexis was working the night shift at the hospital. So, Josephine wouldn't receive the proper send off from her best friend for this date. However, she's glad that she was at the hospital when Mark picks her up.
With some time to spare before the surgeon's arrival, Josephine cleaned up a little bit.
At the sound of the doorbell and couple of knocks at her door, alerted the woman. She double checked her appearance in the mirror then proceeded to answer the door quickly.
She coolly breathed out to simmer the bubbling nerves. "You got this."
Her hand twisted the doorknob to unveil an unexpected visitor of the night.
"Buck?"
-Wrote in a little Carlos cameo. As you can see the gif, that is Mark! Also, I'm not familiar with the medical field, so, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong. I had this idea to bring in another character which is Mark. Not sure what plans I have for him in the future chapters, still juggling ideas. Would like to hear your guesses of what will unfold though! Hope you like it! Tell me what you think! Don't forget to comment and vote! Stay tuned!-
WRITTEN: 1/16/22
PUBLISHED: 1/16/22