"𝖨'𝗆 𝗌𝗈 𝗀𝗅𝖺𝖽 𝖨 𝖿𝗈𝗎𝗇𝖽 𝗒𝗈𝗎."
The Searchers 3x03
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Savanna had once loved the ocean but today had changed her view on it completely. "All right, grab an extra harness, rope, pulleys, figure eight plates. I'll coordinate evac and transport some down here." Bobby directed Eddie who nodded and began to harness up.
"Sounds like a plan, Cap." Savanna watched as Eddie began to climb to the top of the ferris wheel.
"Help! Someone help me, I can't move!" Savanna's head snapped towards the top left cart; the female voice sounded fairly young.
"Cap." Savanna spoke.
"Go." Bobby told her and Savana began to climb.
Reaching the one on the top left cart, savanna climbed in her eyes landing on a young blonde teen. "Hey, hi my name Savanan what's yours?" Savanna began taking the young girl's vitals,
"Sabrina - m-my name is Sabrina ." The blonde girl gasped out.
"Okay Sabrina where's the most pain?" Savanna asked quickly.
"It hurts to breathe and i-i can't move my arm." Sabrina cried out in pain as the ride began to shift.
"Okay Sabrina this is what's happening, the Hubbs on this ride are loose meaning it's going to come down any second. I'm gonna put this harness on you and lower you but it's going to hurt like hell." Savanna told her calmly, pushing some of her hair out of her face.
"Okay." Sabrina nodded. Savanna poked her head out of the side of the cart.
"Cap, I got one coming down! Broken arm, possibly broken ribs." Savana called down to Bobby who nodded.
"Alright sweetheart, I'm gonna help you stand." Savanna lifted the girl as she let out a pained cry.
"I know, I know." Savanna soothed as she wrapped the harness around her.
"You're coming with me right?" Sabrina looked at Savanna like a small child and suddenly Savanna could see herself in the young girl's eyes.
"I'll be right behind you until then, My captain will take very good care of you." Savanna reassured the teen who nodded.
"She's ready, Cap!" Savanna called as Sabrina began to lower, still crying in pain. Savanna was knocked back by a harsh movement.
"Incoming, debris!" Savanna heard Bobby yell.
"Shit." Savanna mumbled ignoring the fact she cut her hand. Savanna watched two bodies fall into the water or more like jump. Climbing over the side of the ride she watched Eddie and the female firefighter being pulled into the lifeboat.
"Savanna! Get down now!" Bobby yelled over the sound of receding water. Savanna jumped letting herself fall before quickly pushing herself above water; she felt both sides of her life vest being pulled falling back into the life raft catching her breath, "I've always wanted to jump out of a ferris wheel." Savanna spoke between breaths.
"Athena's going to kill you." Bobby repeated the same words she spoke earlier.
"She never has to know." Savanna quoted him.
Savana turned to the new face "Savanna Gray." She introduced herself.
"Lena Bosko." Lena spoke shortly.
•••
The lifeboat was only able to go as far as the pier sign now that the water was receding. "Our team is still stuck on the other side. Our trucks can't get through just yet. Earth movers are still clearing the roads." Bobby informed them as Eddie finished wrapping Savanna's hand before she slugged the med bag over her shoulder and began walking next to Eddie who was in between her and Lena, Bobby leading them.
"118's hoofing it for a while." Eddie spoke as he waded through their calf deep water.
"It looks that way. Hen and Chimney are readying some turnout backpacks
until we're mobile again." Bobby informed them as they stopped walking and Bobby looked at Lena.
"Bosko, your crew from your house are all alive and accounted for except for Captain Cooper. He's still MIA. I'm sorry." Bobby informed her and Savanna watched her face fall she knew it couldn't be easy if it had been Bobby who was lost she would set the world on fire to find him.
"Well, if it's all the same to you, Captain, I'm gonna stick around and look for him." Savanna noticed how Lena wouldn't put weight on her right side.
"Why are you holding yourself like that?" Savanna asked out loud.
"It's nothing, bruised rib." She shook the question like it was nothing.
"Let me take a look at it." Eddie offered.
"I said it's nothing." She told him.
"Clearly, it's not." Eddie shot back.
"Are you gonna drop this?" Bosko sneered.
"Hey, Bosko, let him have a look. He's not going to stop till he does; he's like a dog with a bone." Savanna spoke smirking at Eddie who shook his head with a smile.
"I'm not asking." Bobby spoke, putting his captain's voice on making Savanna snicker.
Eddie kneeled down pushing on her rib earning a hiss, "Yeah, that's not a bruise. It's broken." Eddie informed them.
"Must be hurting like a bitch." Savanna started remembering vividly the pain of the explosion.
"Yeah, well, breathing isn't super fun." She shot back.
"I'm calling it. You're off the field." Bobby shook his head.
"Sir, I said I'm fine." Lena countered but Bobby only waved to one of the street cleaning trucks.
"USAR Command is setting up the VA hospital on Sawtelle. I want you to stick with her just in case her desire to track down her captain causes her to lose her way. we're gonna meet up with the 118. Rendezvous with us when you can." Bobby spoke looking at Eddie who nodded.
"Copy that, Cap." Eddie nodded in confirmation before looking at Savanna "Be careful." He spoke looking her dead in the eyes.
"I always am." Savanna smiled at him Savanna began to walk away before turning back, "Let me know if you get a hold of Buck or Chris?" Savanna asked, looking at Eddie who nodded softly at her.
The sun went down quickly as Savanna and Bobby walked silently, "You okay kid?" Savanna slowly looked at Bobby before nodding.
"Yeah, it's just a lot." Savanna huffed as her shoulder deflated a little as Bobby threw his arm around her shoulder pulling her into a side hug.
•••
Savanna and Bobby soon meet up with Chimney and Hen who give them their turnout gear. "Sword of Damocles at 12:00, Cap." Chimney pointed out the live wire light post.
"I see it. John, can you get some caution tape up around that streetlamp before somebody gets nailed by it?"
Savanna looked up at the tall building in front of them, "Okay, until we know what's what, masks go on and they stay on." Bobby demanded as Savanna pulled her mask on as she followed her team into the ocean plaza apartments.
"Schematics put the stairs over..." all of their carbon dioxide meters beeped, "CO." hen stated.
"A hell of a lot of it, 212 PPMs." Savanna spoke grimacing.
"Okay, Hen, Geary, check building maintenance, central heating units. Find the source and shut it down. Everybody else is on me." Bobby directed.
"Dispatch to the tenth floor." Bobby reported their status.
Walking into the 10th floor Savanna looked at the meter "PPMs at over 300, Cap. Probably being vented in all..." Savanna was cut off by a shout.
"I'm not falling for it... who's the mess about?" The man slurred as Bobby placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Sir, we are here to help. Try to calm yourself. You're suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning." Bobby tried to calm the man in front of them.
"Need very much...nomenclature." The man tailed off before turning to the side and barfing.
"Did he just say nomenclature?" Chim asked.
"All right, get him outside." Bobby passed the man off to James and Leo who led the man outside.
"Residents must have taken higher ground as the water rose." Bobby stated as they walked further down the hall.
"Unfortunately, the gas did too. Concentration is highest here at the top." Chimney spoke, shaking his head.
"Let's hope we're not too late to the party." Bobby opened the door revealing a little more than a dozen people passed out.
Savanna approached a woman on the floor, "Got a pulse here, it's steady, but her face has discoloration." Savanna spoke looking at Bobby.
"All right, we gotta get some fresh air in here ASAP." Bobby quickly walked over the window taking a sledge hammer and breaking it.
"Building's backup generator got damaged by the seawater. We managed to put it out of its misery." Hen told them as she entered the room.
"Okay, start bringing them down, get 'em on O2."
Savanna stood outside checking on everyone "This is Ladder 118, Captain Nash requesting medical transport at Ocean Plaza Apartment Complex, nine-nine Ocean, north entrance for–"
"17 minimum, Cap." Savanna informed him.
"At least 17 patients, acute CO poisoning, ASAP." Bobby relayed the information to dispatch.
"Copy request, Ladder 118. All ambulances currently engaged. Stand by." Dispatch called back.
Bobby sighed, shaking his head, "Standing by."
"Ma'am, ma'am, ma'am. You shouldn't get up." Savanna stopped a young ginger woman who stumbled.
"I'm fine. I'm fine. I just need..." she almost fell as Savanna's grip tightened on her.
"Hey, okay. Hold on, I got you." Savanna spoke, keeping her women from falling over.
"I need to call my mom. I need to call... Did you take my phone?" She slurred looking over her shoulder as Savanna.
"What's your name?" Savanna asked her gently.
"Jonana." she slurred dazed.
"Joanna?" Savanna clarified.
"Yeah, that's it." She panted.
"Okay, Joanna, I'm Savanna. You can call your mom once you get settled at the hospital, okay?" Savanna reassured her.
"Okay." Joanna nodded.
"Right now, you should sit down." Savanna advised.
"I just wanna sit over-!" Joanna stepped off the curb into the water before hissing.
"Okay, all right. Okay, are you okay? What's hurting?" Savanna pulled her back.
"My ankle. I cut it yesterday at the gym. The water's making it sting." Savanna eyed the color of the water before her eyes fell onto the overturned oil truck then to the live wire not even a few feet away.
"Bobby?" Savanna called urgently, passing the girl off to another firefighter.
"Yeah." Bobby turned around to Savanna.
"Bobby, we gotta find a way to move all these people." Savanna warned keeping her voice low.
"Already on it, just gonna take some time for the ambulances to get here." Bobby told her as Savanna shook her head frantically.
"We don't have time. That gas truck down the street, it's leaking gasoline into the water." Bobby looked at the water, his face contouring into worry, "We're standing on top of a bomb." Savanna informed him.
•••
Savanna, Hen and Bobby stayed with the victims while Chimney and John went to find something big enough to transport all of the people and themselves.
"Okay, what's our current status?" Bobby approached his two paramedics.
"About a third of them are semi or unconscious." Hen began.
"Picked up arrhythmia in four, others are coming around. There's a lot of complaints about headaches and dizziness." Savanna finished filling him in.
"Casualties?" Bobby questioned.
"Two so far." Savanna answered quietly.
"Any word on our ride?" Hen questioned looking around for any sign of them.
"No, it's been 20 minutes since I sent Chimney and John on a bus hunt. I think it's time we start
walking some of these people out of this area." Bobby informed them.
"And what about the seven or so that aren't ambulatory?" Savanna questioned him.
"I'll stay here with 'em." Bobby determined , making Savanna shake her head, "That's for me to do." Savanna countered their attention being drawn behind them to the live lamppost that just fell into the gasoline water.
"Why don't you get these people up, get them ready to move?" Bobby said to them calmly trying not to insight panic.
Savanna watched in complete relief as John and Chimney showed up in mail trucks. "Neither rain nor snow nor heat nor tsunamis stops these couriers from their appointed rounds." Chimney spoke proudly, climbing out and opening the double door.
"Tell me you didn't steal these mail trucks just so you could say that." Hen asked him, judgment and slight amusement in her voice.
"Hey, these were the only things that weren't swamped, parked in the PO garages, safe and dry." Chimney defended as they quickly helped people into the truck. Hen and Savanan were setting up IV drips before they began moving.
"We gotta go!" Bobby yelled.
"One minute!" Hen called out.
"We don't have a minute." Bobby called Hen and chimney climbed into the cab of the mail van, Savanna stayed in the back with the victims while Bobby climbed into the back of the other one. Savanna closed the door just as the truck exploded.
"Hey, Cap, Sav you all okay back there?" Chimney's voice came over her walkie.
"Yeah, we got kissed a bit, but we're fine." Cap called back.
"We're good too." Savanna told them. Savanna grabbed the pole above her as the van came to a screeching halt. Quickly getting out Savanna looked at the crowd of exhausted and injured people stumbling towards them.
Helping them into the truck, the Savanna began assessing the people in her truck while they began moving. Approaching a woman holding a child, "Ma'am are you okay?" Savann asked, only earning a small confused look.
"¿Están bien usted y su hijo?" Savanna asked (are you and your son okay?)
"estamos bien, él no es mi hijo, está buscando su Buck." She answered. (we are fine, he is not my son, he is looking for his Buck.)
Savanna's heart stopped at the sentence pulling the hood away from the child's face, her heart stopped at the sight of chris. "Christopher? Are you okay? What happened? Does anything hurt?" Savanna pulled Chris out of the women's arms.
"I lost Buck and my glasses." Chris stated softly tears running down his face.
Savanna's heart stopped as her stomach churned, "It's okay, it's okay we'll find them." Savanna soothed holding Chris tight to her running her fingers through his damp hair.
•••
Eddie couldn't breath, he couldn't move, he looked at Buck who continued to stammer out about what happened to Chris. He couldn't do this, his world was spinning and his eyes couldn't focus on one singular thing as his vision blurred with tears, bile rose in his throat and he felt like his knees were about to give out.
Eddie heart stopped when his eyes landed on a disheveled Savanna holding his son for life, "Savanna! Christopher!" Eddie yelled as he took off for both of them pushing past buck. Eddie wrapped both of them into his arms, shaking breaths leaving him.
"Buck- he said he was with Buck." Savanna stammered out adrenaline filled her ready to go find Buck.
"Hey, there's blood on you, are you okay?" Eddie grabbed her face making her look at him.
"Fine, I'm fine, we need to find Buck." Savanna told him softly, still pressed against his chest even though she tried pulling away.
"Hey. Hey! He's right there he's okay." Eddie kept his grip on her tight, her gaze traveled to a bruised, beaten and bloody Buck who's legs gave out Bobby, Hen and Chimney caught him before he could fall to the ground.
Breaking away from Eddie, Savanna rushed towards Buck who sat weakly on a cot, pulling him into a hug Buck held onto Savanna shaking, "I- I tried to... I tried to hold on." Buck began to explain.
"Shh.. it's okay. He's okay, you're both okay. You saved him, Buck." Savanna soothed the trembling man.
•••
Savanna sat Chris on a cot checking him out. "Thank you." Eddie spoke from his standing position over her shoulder.
Savanna glanced at him, giving him a small smile, "Buck did all the heavy lifting, I just brought him home." Savanna spoke softly as she finished her exam.
"And you corazoncito are going to be okay." Savanna smiled at Chris ruffling his hair. (Sweetheart)
"Will you stay with us tonight?" Chris looked at Savanna who froze for a moment looking at Eddie who was smiling.
"Of course corazoncito, I just need to do one more thing before we leave." Savanna told him softly kissing his head before leaving the bed he was at. (Sweetheart)
"Hi, Um I'm looking for a girl whose name is Sabrina she came in with the rescue boat from the ferris wheel, she's about fifteen." Savanna stopped one of the nurses with a clipboard.
"Anyone brought in from the ferris wheel is over under that tent." The nurse pointed two tents down.
"Thank you." Savanna thanked him before walking off.
It didn't take long for Savanna to spot the teen girl, approaching her bed Savanna smiled "Hey." Savanna greeted grabbing a stool and taking a seat next to the bed.
Sabrian smiled at the firefighter, "Hi." She greeted me back.
"Where are your parents, you're not alone." Savanna looked around the area before looking at the girl on the bed.
"Oh they're on their way." Sabrina told her, giving her a smile Savana didn't completely believe.
"Well I'll wait with you till they arrive." Savanna told her, smiling.
"No, you don't have to, it's really not necessary they'll be here any minute." Sabrian told her, shaking her head. Savanna looked at the girl not wanting to leave but also making the promise to go home with the Diaz's who no doubt needed sleep.
Stopping a nurse walking past, "Sorry, excuse me, do you have a pen and paper you can borrow by chance?' Savanna looked at the nurse who scowled handing her a pen and paper.
Savanna grinned knowing how stingy nurses where with pens quickly scribbling her number on the piece of paper she gave the pen back with a smile before turning back to Sabrina, "This is my number call me if you need anything, and i mean anything no matter what time it is i'll answer." Savanna assured her by handing her the piece of paper which Sabrina took.
"Thank you, Savanna." Sabrina mumbled, Savanna offered one last smile patting the girl's leg and she walked away back to the Diaz boys.
•••
Savanna sat on the coach of the Diaz house Chris's head was laid in her lap fast asleep his feet in Eddie's. It was quiet as both adults enjoyed the peace, "I thought I lost him." Eddie spoke, breaking the silence, his voice breaking alongside it.
Savanna looked at Eddie giving him a sad smile. "I almost passed out when I found out it was him." Savanna admitted, "I thought he and Buck had already gone home and when I saw him I swear I had a heart attack." Savanna continued.
"Buck was there and he had blood all over him.." Eddie's eyes grew distant as he recalled the events, "the look in his eye... I could tell he thought, I thought he was gone." Eddie broke down sobbing at the thought of losing his Son. Christopher was everything to Eddie since the day he was born Eddie knew he would never love someone the way he loved Chris.
Savanna grabbed Eddie's hand squeezing it, unable to comfort him more because of the sleeping child on their laps. "You didn't, he's right here with us." Savanna comforted him, smiling as their eyes met.
Eddie's brown eyes meet Savanna's blue one both of their smiles slowly fading as they got lost in eachothers eyes warmth spread through Savanna as Eddie began to lean in slowly, the strong smell of her coconut Shampoo evaded Eddie's nose as their lips brushed together softly, stopping for a moment Eddie gave Savanna control of where this went. Not able to take the fuzzy feeling growing inside of her, Savanna's lips meet Eddie's, the warmth in their bodies intensifying as they connect. Eddie's hands came to rest on both sides of her neck as he deepened the kiss, Eddie's tongue swiped against the crease of Savanna's mouth asking for an entrance which he was about to get until shifting below them broke them apart.
"Dad ... .Savi" Both adults quickly broke away from each other checking blazing.
"We're here buddy.. We're here." Eddie patted Chris's back soothing him back to sleep.
Eddie and Savanna slowly made eye contact before smiling like children at each other. "We," Savanna cleared her throat completely flustered,"we should probably get some rest." Savanna told Eddie softly, earning a soft nod, so the Diaz-Gray trio made their way into Eddie's bedroom settling Chris between them, as he refused to let go of either of them, before falling asleep each of them plagued with their own nightmares of what could have happened today.
There are a lot of ways to be lost at sea. It's not the same as being abandoned or stranded. Those things happen beyond our control. Sometimes, we just take a wrong turn too close to the tide. The waters rise and sweep us away. We fight the currents for a way back to dry land and solid ground, to each other... And when we catch our breaths, we search the shore for all the we lost and everything we loved, for our families... For our dreams and our futures...Our friends and loved ones...And for the ones who couldn't swim. Sometimes, being lost is not knowing how to get from where we are to where we wanna be, where we need to be.
Savanna stood behind Chris, Nova's leash in hand connected to the end was Nova who sat happily receiving pets as Eddie knocked on Bucks door. It had been two days since the Tsunami. The city was still a disaster and mourning but like always life must continue and the two firefighters must return to work. Buck opened the door, obviously annoyed. The scratches on his face looked ten times better than they did two days ago. "Hey, Buck." Chris gave Buck a hug which Buck returned hesitantly.
"Good morning, Buck." Eddie greeted.
"Hey Bucky." Savanna also greeted, leading Nova into the apartment and letting her off leash.
"Hey--hey, buddy." Buck stuttered looking at Eddie confused.
"Okay. There's a morning snack and midday snack, two coloring books and a bunch of Legos." Eddie sat Chris's backpack on the dining table, "Between us, he's never built anything that kinda looks like anything. He just likes sticking things together." Eddie whispered to Buck as Chris and Nova went to make themselves comfortable on Buck's couch.
"Nova's food is in this bag along with some toys, but honestly Chris keeps her entertained." Savanna sat a tote bag next to Chris's.
"This is breakfast." She then spoke setting down a brown paper bag which held two breakfast burritos and hash browns for Buck.
Eddie pulled out his wallet, "There's 20 bucks for pizza, and if I were you,I'd eat a couple extra slices. You look like you're wasting away to nothing." Eddie spoke, tucking the money into Chris' bag, Savanna laughed knowing he definitely got that line from his abuela.
"Guys–" Buck warned glaring at them.
"I will say, honestly, you being laid up is working out for me. I mean, you're no abuela, and you're half a Carla, definitely no Savanna, but you'll do in a pinch." Eddie smiled at Buck obviously not being very serious.
"You want me to watch Christopher?" Buck walked up to Eddie in disbelief.
"It's easy. He's not very fast." Savanna covered her mouth trying to stop the laugh from escaping her mouth.
"Out of line." Savanna coughed out biting her tongue.
"After everything that happened?" Buck's voice wavered.
"A natural disaster happened, Buck." Savanna reassured the blonde man infront of her.
"I lost him, Eddie."
"No, You saved him. That's how he remembers it. And now, it's his turn to do the same for you." Eddie spoke looking Buck in the eyes.
"I was supposed to look out for him." Buck spoke, shaking his head.
"And what, you think you failed? I failed that kid more times than I care to count, and I'm his father. But I love him enough to never stop trying, and I know you do too. Buck...there's nobody in this world I trust with my son more than you and Savanna." Buck and Savanna both stood there in shock at the confession as Eddie went to say goodbye to Chris. Breaking out of her shock, Savanna said bye to chris.
"Maybe try going to the zoo this time, something inland." Savanna suggested leading her and Edddie to the door, earning a small laugh from both of them.
Eddie stopped midway when closing the door, "Oh and thank you for not giving up." Eddie nodded at Buck as he closed the door.
•••
Eddie and Savanna climbed into Savanna jeep, "So we should talk." Eddie spoke looking over to Savanna who was about to put the car in reverse.
"Is this a conversation we should be stationary for?" Savanna questioned her hand hovering over the gear shift.
"Yeah, probably." Eddie sighed out. Savanna pulled her hands into her lap turning towards Eddie, her back resting on the driver's seat door. Shrinking into herself Savanna stayed quiet, she hated confrontation or any serious conversation. The Problem stemming from any problem her family ever had was just ignored and skipped over like nothing.
"The other night after the Tsunami..." Eddie began and Savanna began to prepare herself for the it was a mistake sentence, "I'm sorry if it felt sudden but, seeing you with Chris and the thought of losing him and you put me into my head and then I kissed you because i can't lose you too and I'm sorry if it felt forced." Eddie rushed out and a wave of relief swept through Savanna, a smile falling on her face.
"It wasn't forced Edmundo, if it was forced you would have known.... I wanted too." Savanna admitted quietly looking down at her hands.
A giant grin fell on Eddie's face as he watched The Savanna Gray blush like a schoolgirl, "So you like me." Eddie spoke cockily.
"I will literally leave you here to walk." Savanna deadpanned but only received an amused laugh.
"Go on a date with me?" Eddie looked her dead in the eye waiting for her responde Savanna gave him a fake pondering look, "Will there be Dessert after?" She questioned.
"Wouldn't be a date otherwise." Eddie answered smoothly, making Savannah smirk.
"Okay." Savann agreed, earning a smile from Eddie.
A few choice words can sometimes be the life raft that gets you home. To be seen... to be found... isn't that what we're all searching for?