"Rune settling in alright?" Hen looked at Griffin as she made a mess of the kitchen.
"Yeah. She's really good with Eva and Mattie. Oh and she's been helping them with their homework. I am a little worried though, she insists on cooking dinner and doing the laundry." Griffin glanced at Hen as she found what she was looking for.
"It'll take time for her to adjust, but you and the mini twins are the best people for that. What about Buckaroo? Still upset he can't come back to work?" Hen dipped her finger into the icing.
"Hey!" Griffin slapped Hen's hand away.
"It tastes great." Hen chuckled at Griffin.
"Uh, Buck's been struggling with the idea he might not get to come back to work for a while. And I am starting to run out of ideas on how to distract him." Griffin sighed in defeat as she started icing the cake.
"Any more calls from You Know Who?" Hen licked her lips at the sight of the almost finished cake.
"I blocked his number so no. I don't think he even knows I'm in LA, so that's good." Griffin smiled as she finished the cake.
"Cake time!" Hen rubbed her hands together getting Bobby's, Eddie's, and Chimneys attention.
"Finally." Eddie walked over but the alarm went off making Griffin laugh.
"Kid's car is moving like a runaway freight train. They got a plan to slow him down before he crashes." Bobby walked down to the engine as they got ready.
"So we're on cleanup duty?" Chimney looked at Bobby.
"Not exactly." Bobby shook his head as he climbed into the truck.
"Please don't tell me we're the target he needs to hit." Griffin put her headset on.
"Seriously?" Eddie looked at Bobby in shock when he didn't say anything back.
"Grif said not to tell her." Bobby gave a shrug.
"They're clearing a stretch of Woodley Avenue. We'll meet them there." Bobby spoke to dispatch.
"How fast is he going?" Hen turned to look at Bobby.
"105. Once he gets to Woodley Avenue, we'll hit the breaks, hope he slows down a little, that's where we come in." Bobby glanced back at them with a nod.
"That's a vintage car." Chimney frowned at the news.
"Worried about damaging a classic, Chim?" Eddie gave him an amused look.
"No, worried about damaging a kid. Airbags weren't standard until the 80's." Chimney gave Eddie a disapproving look.
"A car that old, we're lucky it has a shoulder harness." Hen looked between the two of them.
"Can we put Life Is A Highway on?" Griffin leaned forward to ask Bobby.
"Really Grif? You have a song for every call we get?" Eddie chuckled at her antics.
"Duh. I don't fight my internal thoughts." Griffin hit him playfully.
"I would put it on, but we're almost there." Bobby smiled at Griffin.
"I guess that's fair enough...maybe." Griffin sat back in her seat properly.
"What kind of crazy person came up with this plan, anyway?" Hen shook her head.
"My wife." Bobby made Griffin scoff a laugh.
"Grif." Chimney looked at her waiting for her to catch on.
"Hey, wait! You got married and didn't even tell me?" Griffin looked at Bobby offended.
"It was a last minute thing. Athena, the kids and myself." Bobby raised his hands in surrender.
"Okay, fine. Babe, are you and Karen up for plotting a murder?" Griffin turned to Hen.
"Always." Hen gave a nod as Bobby rolled his eyes at them.
"Can I join in?" Chimney nudged Griffin as Eddie laughed at them.
"Okay. But just so you know, if it comes to it, we're throwing you under the bus." Hen joked with Chimney.
"Wouldn't surprise me." Chimney shook his head.
"Brace for impact." Bobby advised the four of them.
They all held on as the car crashed into the back of the truck and they came to a stop. They got the kid out with minimum injuries considering what had happened.
"Kids today." Athena gave Bobby a shrug before going to head back to her car.
"Hold on a damn minute. Both of you get here right now." Griffin looked at Bobby and Athena.
"Is this about us being married? It is, isn't it?" Athena walked over to Griffin.
"Yeah, duh. I can't believe you didn't invite me or Hen. This was supposed to be a sisterhood." Griffin shook her head at Athena.
"You do realise, I'm old enough to be your mother?" Athena gave Griffin an amused look.
"Age is just a number Queenie. I am really hurt you didn't invite me and if you weren't my Captain and you weren't a sergeant, I'd slap both of you." Griffin squinted her eyes at them before heading over to the others.
* Griffin's Apartment *
"Maddie? Is Buck okay?" Griffin opened the door with a frown to see Maddie.
"Uh, no, wait yes. Buck is fine." Maddie stumbled over her words.
"Okay..." Griffin waited for Maddie to say something else.
"I..I am so sorry, Griffin. For everything. Before, during and after Doug. You were a kid and you didn't deserve that. I know you must hate me.." Maddie watched Griffin with tears in her eyes.
"Hate you? Mads, I could never hate you. You're my sister. I just didn't want you to hate me more than you already did." Griffin reassured Maddie.
"I never hated you. I just...you were so strong and independent. I felt weak...and I didn't know how to help you, I didn't want you to think I was weak. And after the truck crushing Buck, and Buck telling me the truth about what happened...I wouldn't be able to live with myself if something happened to you and I never apologised or told you I love you." Maddie tried to hold back her tears but it wasn't working.
"I love you, Maddie. Always have, always will." Griffin smiled at Maddie.
"Mum!" Eva called from in the kitchen.
Maddie's tears stopped after hearing Eva call for Griffin.
"Come on." Griffin gestured for Maddie to come inside.
"We made dinner!" Mattie smiled at Griffin.
"Auntie Maddie!" Eva jumped from the chair into Maddie's arms taking her by surprise.
"Maddie, these are my kids, your nieces and nephew. Eva, Mattie and Rune." Griffin looked at the three kids.
"Did you just call me your kid?" Rune looked at Griffin, unsure if she heard right.
"Oh." Griffin realised what she'd done.
"You've never done that before." Rune had a smile growing on her face.
"Sure I have." Griffin watched Rune.
"Nuh uh." Rune shook her head at Griffin.
"Well, of course you're my kid. I mean, what do you think?" Griffin watched as Rune started crying quietly and Griffin pulled her into a hug.
* At The Grant Residence *
"Hey! Sorry we're a little late." Griffin walked into the house with Rune, Eva and Mattie.
"No problems. Your brother hasn't even arrived yet." Michael chuckled, hugging Griffin.
"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Griffin smiled as Michael hugged Eva and Mattie next.
"You must be Rune. Get in here." Michael pulled Rune into a hug.
"You guys all hug a lot." Rune couldn't stop smiling.
"Hey baby girl." Karen walked over to hug Griffin.
"Wifey!" Griffin's face lit up as Mattie and Eva dragged Rune to meet May, Harry and Christopher.
"You know, if you ever cheated on me with Grif, I'd be totally okay with that." Karen looked at Hen.
"Yeah, same goes." Hen nodded in reassurance.
"You guys are adorable." Michael couldn't help but laugh at them.
"I was starting to think you weren't coming and we wouldn't see you tonight." Eddie walked over with a smile.
"Aww." Griffin hugged him as Hen, Karen and Michael smiled at the two.
"Come up with a name for Eddie yet?" Hen looked at Griffin.
"Oh, I've been thinking about that too. Seeing as how you have nicknames for everyone and they have nicknames for you. I've found the perfect one for you." Eddie smiled at Griffin, proud of himself.
"Oh?" Griffin gave him an expecting look.
"That's for you to know and for me to find out, mi amor." Eddie gave her a teasing smile.
"You do realise, she knows Spanish?" Michael chuckled at Eddie and Eddie sighed in defeat.
"Nice try, handsome." Griffin smirked at Eddie amused.
"Get together." Chimney walked past them.
Athena went to get the door as Chimney announced Maddie and Buck were almost there.
"Surprise!"
Buck jumped out of his skin, making Griffin covered her mouth in laughter and Buck hugged Athena.
"Go on." Buck nudged Griffin forward.
"Congratulations, big brother." Griffin hugged Buck.
"Thanks, little sis." Buck smiled at her as Bobby came over to hug him.
"You relieved to have Buck back?" Athena stood beside Griffin outside.
"I don't know." Griffin had a troubled expression.
"This is the first time I've ever heard you unsure of something." Athena frowned at her concerned.
"What if it's too soon? He's been pushing himself really hard and I don't want him to get hurt again straight away. Touch wood." Griffin placed her hand on a bit of wood.
"He looks good. I don't think there's anything to worry about." Athena reassured Griffin looking at Buck talking to Bobby.
"Yeah, physically. On the outside. Touch wood." Griffin nodded along.
"Buck is going to be.." Athena turned toward Buck as he started coughing up blood.
* Griffin's Apartment *
"Is Uncle Buck going to be okay?" Eva watched Griffin as she went to turn the twins' bedroom light off.
"Uncle Buck is going to be just fine. He just needs plenty of rest and our undying love and support." Griffin reassured Eva.
"Okay. Night Mama." Eva smiled in relief as she layed down.
"Night babies." Griffin gave a small smile as she turned the light off and closed the door.
"Hey, Rune, you okay?" Griffin knocked on Rune's bedroom door which was slightly open.
"Yeah. It's not my first time seeing blood. But he will be okay, right?" Rune glanced over as she got into her bed.
"Yes. Chimney called from the hospital, he's going to be fine." Griffin gave Rune a smile.
* On Scene The Next Day *
"Oh, thank God. I wasn't sure that they were going to send anyone." A woman was waiting for them in the lobby.
"You the one that called?" Bobby walked beside Hen into the building.
"It's my Dad, Jack. We came to have lunch with him, he was acting weird and then Dave, that's my brother, he noticed something on his stomach. We tried to get a closer look but he kicked us out and locked the door." The woman led them down a hallway as Bobby and Hen exchanged a look.
"Finally, our Fathers having a medical emergency behind a locked door that nobody in this place can seem to open." Dave watched them as they walked over.
"Lock's not the problem, there's something on the other side, keeping it from opening." Bobby attempted to open the door.
"Your sister said that you saw something on your Father's stomach?" Hen looked at Dave.
"Uh..these marks like, wounds or maybe sores. It was hard to tell." Dave turned to look at Hen, unsure of how to describe what he saw.
"Jack, this is LAFD, would you please let us in?" Bobby knocked on the door.
* Outside With Eddie, Chimney and Griffin *
"So, what do you reckon? Some sort of flesh wound or STD?" Griffin looked between Eddie and Chimney.
"You know, I love your guessing games, but I have absolutely no idea." Chimney shook his head.
"An STD?" Eddie gave her a look of disbelief.
"I don't know. I'm not a doctor or a psychic. I was just prompting you guys for answers." Griffin held her hands up in defence.
"Yeah, Eddie, obviously." Chimney chuckled at Eddie in amusement as he climbed onto the ladder and Griffin followed behind him quietly.
"My money's on you." Chimney jumped down from the ladder in through the window.
"Oh for Pete's sake." Jack turned to look at them, not having any idea they'd been on their way up to the window.
"Mm-mm. No. That is not a rash." Hen shook her head as Chimney inspected Jack's stomach wounds.
"Maybe MRSA? Have you been to a hospital recently?" Chimney looked up at Jack.
"Wait, wait, wait...that's the flesh eating thing right? Uh...I've gotta wash my hands." Dave looked around in a panic.
"It's not a MRSA." Jack gave them a dismissive look.
"Oh, yeah? You sound pretty sure about that. When did the symptoms start?" Hen watched Jack.
"A few weeks back. I figured it'd go away on its own. Like crabs." Jack shrugged at them and Chimney looked over at the others.
Eddie gestured for Chimney to go ahead as Bobby shook his head and Hen gave him a look of protest.
"Y'all are wimps." Griffin shook her head at them them amused.
"You want to look?" Hen gave her a look.
"I'm not a medical professional. Wouldn't be any use." Griffin raised her hands in surrender.
"All right, I'll look, to protect Grif's innocent eyes." Chimney sighed at them in defeat.
"Knock yourself out." Jack reassured Chimney.
"Ugh what is that?" Dave turned his head away in disgust.
"I don't know. Maybe donovanosis." Chimney looked at Hen for ideas.
"Well, there's something you don't see everyday." Hen shook her head
"Thank you." Jack smiled at her proudly.
"No, sir. It looks like you have a flesh eating STD. Don't thank me." Hen looked at Jack.
"What kind of an 82 year old get an STD?" Dave followed behind them as they made their way out of the room.
"How do you reckon?" Griffin looked at Bobby and he tried to hide his amusement.
"It actually happens more than you think. Chlamydia, syphilis, on the rise in people over 65." Eddie smiled back at Dave.
"When I went off to college, you gave me a can of mace and a box of condoms. Told me to always protect myself. So, what the hell, Dad?" The woman gave Jack an annoyed look.
"What..what do you mean you got condoms? I just got the mace." Dave frowned at his sister.
"I didn't think anybody would have you." Jack glanced back at Dave.
"Oh, well, someone's clearly been having you. Who is she?" Dave glared at Jack in irritation.
"She is none of your damn business." Jack was still smiling as if proud of himself.
"Weird conversation for Father and kids." Griffin looked at Hen who nodded along in agreement.
"Okay, sir. You aren't required to tell us, but you are required to tell them at the hospital, because she has to start a course of antibiotics immediately." Bobby looked at Jack.
"Um..everyone, my Father Jack, here. Has a flesh eating STD. So, whomever he's been sleeping with, should come with the hospital with us for immediate treatment. Hm?" Dave watched the crowd of elderly.
"Okay, ma'am, best come with us." Bobby looked at the woman who stood up.
"Uh, Cap?" Griffin watched as more women started standing up.
"What if you slept with one of the women that he slept with?" A man got to his feet.
"You should probably get that checked out too." Eddie tried to hold back his smile and laughter as did Chimney and soon everyone was standing.
"What kind of a place is this?" Dave looked at them all in shock.
"I can't even with you. You're supposed to be a role model." The woman walked down the stairs in disgust.
"He is to some people." Chimney turned to Eddie.
"Gross." Griffin grimaced at Chimney.
"Kids today." Eddie smiled in pure amusement before taking Jack downstairs.
Bobby, Hen and Griffin followed close behind with disgusted but slightly amused looks on their faces.
* Bucks Apartment *
"Oi, idiot. Open the door." Griffin knocked on Bucks apartment door.
"Harsh." Buck opened the door looking at her.
"I'm sorry. You were just taking a while to open it and I was worried something happened." Griffin apologised as she walked into his apartment.
"Grif, you know I'm fine, right?" Buck frowned at her words.
"I know that. But you're my big brother, a part of me is going to constantly worry about you. Just like a part of me is constantly worrying about Eva, Mattie, Rune, Maddie, Bobby, Hen, Chimney, Eddie, Christopher, Denny, Karen, Harry, May, Athena, and Michael. You can't change that." Griffin shrugged at Buck.
"I know, I know. Do you still believe I'll get back to being a firefighter?" Buck sat down on his couch.
"Of course. It just might take time. And sometimes it's good to have a break. Being on the job every day makes it harder to do other things. Like catch up on movies." Griffin reassured Buck.
"Well, okay, then, fine. Give me a list of movies I should watch." Buck grabbed a piece of paper and a pen.
"Okay, ready? The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings, Spy Kids, The Truman Show, all the Barbie movies, Anne of Green Gables, Men In Black, The Hunger Games, Jumanji, Scream, Hacksaw Ridge. I'll send you some more later." Griffin smiled at Buck as he tried to keep up.
* At The Firehouse A Couple Days Later *
"Maddie said Buck hasn't left the apartment in a week." Bobby looked at Eddie and Chimney.
"Yeah, she's tried to get him to go out a couple times, but it's always, why would I need to leave? Everyone delivers." Chimney made Hen laugh a little.
"He won't even take my calls." Bobby was obviously hurt by the fact.
"He's just sulking, Cap. He'll get over it." Eddie reassured Bobby.
Something hit Eddie in the head making him rub it sorely as he turned to see who threw what.
"Don't talk about him like he's a child." Griffin gave Eddie a slight glare as she headed down stairs.
"Both Buckley's are sulking." Chimney chuckled at Eddie.
"Hey! I like to give Buck crap as much as any of you, but this was a body blow, guys. The guys allowed some time to mourn." Hen defended Buck.
"Question is, how much time? I mean, his daily routine from walking from the bed to the couch and back again, that's not gonna help his situation." Chimney looked at Hen.
"Look, I know it's sucks for Buck and Grif, but that's life, right? Whenever stuff didn't work out for me, my Dad always told me to brush it off, keep moving forward. Wasn't easy, but he wasn't wrong." Eddie shrugged his shoulders at them.
"Forward to what? I mean, we all had lives... Jobs before we entered the department and we had things outside of it...what do the twins have?" Hen proceeded to defend them.
"Twins have us. Even though Buck may not believe that right now." Bobby looked between the three of them now.
"You know, Buck isn't here right? I know he loves talking about himself but you don't have to do it for him because he's not here." Griffin returned to the kitchen.
"Still a touchy subject?" Chimney looked at her.
"Look, Buck is the only person I have been able to depend on, and I am the only person he's been able to depend on our entire lives. And now it's hard to get a chance to see him, between work and the kids, there's just not enough time in the day." Griffin turned to Chimney.
* On Scene *
Eddie, Hen and Griffin followed behind Athena and Bobby as they started running after noticing a car parked almost out of sight.
"I tried the door, it's locked." Athena waved them over with tools.
Bobby and Eddie opened up the trunk forcefully, as Hen and Griffin got the gurney ready.
"You okay?" Bobby looked at Griffin as Athena talked to Maddie on the phone and Hen and Eddie got Jill to the ambulance.
"Every time we're on a call with an unborn baby or newborn baby, all I can think about is how lucky I am to have two healthy kids." Griffin looked at Bobby.
"Some calls can be tough when they hit close to home, but if you ever feel like you can't handle it, let me know. And it's not because you're weak it's because you care." Bobby reassured Griffin.
* The Next Morning At Bucks Apartment *
"Get up." Eddie pulled the covers off of Buck.
"Why, man? Come on." Buck covered his head tiredly.
"Because it's morning and you have things to do." Eddie smiled as Griffin helped him pull the blankets completely off Bucks bed.
"No, I really don't." Buck gave them both a look.
"You need to get out of this house and take a walk around the block. And get some fresh air." Eddie wouldn't leave Buck alone.
"Why? What's the point?" Buck got up knowing it was no use.
"I want to slap you so bad, right now." Griffin shook her head at him.
"Go ahead. I'll slap you right back." Buck gave her a joking smile.
"And to answer your question, the point is your life isn't over just because you're not a firefighter." Eddie watched Buck walk down the stairs.
"Says the firefighter." Buck didn't even look at Eddie.
"You know that blood clot could have killed you. But didn't." Eddie slowly walked down the stairs as Griffin made Bucks bed.
"You have your whole life ahead of you. So why don't you just take it as a win? Stop feeling sorry for yourself." Eddie watched Buck as he went to go back upstairs.
"Hey, Buck!" Christopher smiled from the couch making Buck stop.
"Hey, buddy. Uh..what..what are you doing here?" Buck clapped his hands together confused as Griffin started cleaning Bucks bench up.
"He's hanging out with his Buck today! Cause I have to go to work today." Eddie hugged Christopher tightly.
"Where's Carla?" Buck frowned at Eddie.
"She went to Morongo." Christopher beamed at them.
"The kids would have come but the twins are at a friend's beach party and Rune went with them." Griffin glanced over.
"Mm. So take him out. Have some fun. Maybe you'll learn something. He never feels sorry for himself. Love you, buddy." Eddie waved to Christopher.
"Love you." Christopher smiled at Eddie.
"Wait, Eddie, Grif. If I take Christopher out for the day, the two of you have to go out on a date." Buck watched them and Christopher laughed.
Eddie glanced behind him at Griffin as she wiped the bench done looking at Eddie.
"Fine. We will go on a date after shift." Eddie assured Buck after having a silent agreement with Buck.
"It'll just be as friends, but if it gets Buck out then it's worth it, right?" Eddie closed the door behind them.
"Definitely." Griffin nodded in confirmation.
* At The Firehouse *
"So Buck agreed to take Christopher out?" Hen watched the two enter the firehouse.
"On the condition that we go on a date." Griffin shrugged at Hen.
"Didn't know your brother could be smart." Hen joked with Griffin.
"We're only going to hang out as friends so Buck gets out of the house. We both agreed." Griffin gave Hen a look as Eddie nodded along.
"Either you're both stupid or taking the piss." Hen looked between the two.
"Good to know, babe." Griffin watched Hen confused.