Everyone rallies around Judd and Grace, the visitors drop by, the house celebrates, Matt gets a word of advice, and Owen would rather be anywhere than in the same room with his son and Nick. Really. Anywhere.

Enjoy "Saving Grace!"

***

"It was six minutes, T!" The raw pain in Judd's voice made the woman wince and duck her head, watching from under her hair as Judd leaned on the windowsill, glaring out of the blinds. "She was pinned underwater for six minutes before Swiftwater Rescue got to us!"

Tommy swallowed, saying the only thing she could in that minute. "I know."

Judd sniffed. "You can get brain damage in four."

"You can," Tommy acknowledged, quick to find positives. "You can . . . but there have been people that have been under for seven, even eight, minutes without permanent brain damage. The water was cold. That worked in her favor."

Judd shook his head, sighing. "I couldn't get her out of there, man," he whispered, voice breaking. "I wasn't strong enough. I couldn't save her, I couldn't lift her – "

"Juddy," Tommy began, taking a step forward.

"I got spooked!" Judd blurted. "I saw the lights coming, and I shouldn't have swerved the truck into a river – "

"Judd!" Tommy snapped, cutting his panicked, self-deprecating ramble off. "Do you really think either one of you would be coming out of this better after a head-on collision?"

Judd blinked tears out of his eyes. "Is she coming out of it?" he rasped.

Tommy opened her mouth to answer, but nothing emerged. There was no way she could give him the answer he wanted to hear at that moment. Judd's expression broke, and he shoved his IV line away from him, looking seconds away from ripping the needle out of his arm and finding Grace himself. "Listen to me," she hurried forward, grabbing him by the shoulders. "Listen . . . look at me." She cupped his cheeks, and Judd finally looked her in the eye. "OK, we have to be positive about this, right?" She waited for Judd to nod before continuing. "Alright," she took a deep breath, fighting to keep her tears at bay. "She's alive. She's a fighter." She grinned. "She laid you out!"

Judd cracked a smile, miming a hit. "With one punch."

"One punch," Tommy chuckled and nodded. "Don't you dare underestimate our girl."

Judd shook his head, steel in his eyes. "I never have."

***

Not again.

That thought resonated in Matt's head as Kelly slammed on the brakes, parking outside West Park Memorial. He hadn't shut the engine off before Sylvie threw the back door open, stumbling out of the car and taking off for the entrance in a sprint. "Sylvie!" Kelly shouted, then let out a muffled curse as he and Matt scrambled to follow her.

Not again.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a familiar car squeal into the lot, stopping just in front of the hospital. TK burst out of the passenger seat, slamming the door shut behind him. "What happened?" he demanded, green eyes wide as he ran to join them, Carlos peeling away to park.

"We don't know," Sylvie shook her head, biting her lip.

Not again.

TK shoved open the doors to the hospital, and Matt couldn't find it in him to protest the action. Eddie whirled around from where he paced in front of the main desk, eyes locking on them. "Hey!" he jogged up to them, sending a quick text from his phone before putting it in his pocket. "You – "

"What happened?" TK and Sylvie spoke at the same time.

Kelly would have laughed had he not seen the grim look on Eddie's face. "Do you know?" he asked.

Not again.

"No," Eddie shook his head, leading them to the elevator. "All we know is that Cap called us, asked us where we could drop Christopher off, then get here as quick as we could. We left Chris with the rest of the Vegas and got here as fast as possible."

"Oh, God," Sylvie closed her eyes, TK's rimmed red.

Not again.

"Buck went up there and I waited – " Eddie began.

The doors to the hospital banged open, and they turned around to see Nancy trip into the hospital, Maddie's hand tight around her elbow stopping her from faceplanting, Carlos trying to stop the doors from hitting the wall. "Waited for everyone else?" Kelly asked dryly.

"Yeah," Eddie nodded tiredly.

"What happened?" Nancy reached them first, eyes wild.

Eddie sighed, rubbing his forehead. "This is everyone," he grumbled, holding the elevator door open for them. "I don't know anything other than Cap saying 'get here yesterday.'"

Nancy wilted, slumping against Maddie as the dispatcher ushered her in. "Sorry," she whispered. "It's just . . . "

"I get it," Eddie nodded, punching the appropriate floor button. "You've been here once before."

"It's not the same," Sylvie whispered, arms wrapped around herself protectively.

The first responders from Pilot Knob weren't the only ones who flinched at her words.

Not again.

The elevator chimed, and Eddie led the small group out onto the floor. Buck looked up from where he sat against the wall, and he rocketed to his feet, swallowing hard. "Oh, good, you made it."

"Like there was anywhere else we were going to be," Maddie shook her head, threading her arm through Nancy's to keep the paramedic upright.

"Well?" Nancy all but demanded, eyes wide.

Matt understood her urgency. Out of everyone present, Nancy had been the only one to lose her partner in the line of duty. He couldn't imagine what she was feeling for another firefighter to be so critically injured.

Not again.

"Cap texted me just a few minutes ago," Buck looked around. "Judd woke up. Few cuts and bruises, and he'll need time off to recuperate, but he'll make a full recovery."

TK sighed in relief, but Sylvie bit her lip. "And Grace?" she asked timidly.

That made everyone else pale. Judd was trained to be in situations like the one he was in . . . but the petite, beloved 9-1-1 dispatcher? Buck swallowed hard, not meeting anyone's eyes. "That's, uh . . . not so good news."

Matt's heart dropped into his stomach, and only Kelly's hand on the small of his back kept him from falling backwards.

God, no, not again.

***

Grace looked serene, lying still in her bed, hair billowing out on the pillow. Judd would have thought she was just sleeping if it wasn't for the tube in her mouth and the steadily beeping monitor that tracked her vitals.

"She looks like an angel when she sleeps," Denice, Grace's mother, whispered from the chair next to her bed.

"Yes," her father, Benjamin, agreed, rubbing his wife's shoulder.

"Since she was a baby," Denice sniffed, squeezing Grace's hand.

"Y'all really did give her the perfect name," Judd murmured, leaning on his IV stand for support as he stared down at Grace, wishing she would open her eyes.

Denice smiled. "The second this girl came into the world, you could just feel the Spirit radiating off of her."

"Yes, Lord," Benjamin nodded in confirmation.

Denice sighed. "Always so sweet, never thinking about herself. Always others."

Judd closed his eyes, knowing Grace's parents knew that had been exactly how he and Grace had started . . . with a prayer line, Judd reaching out for anything to save him. And there had been Grace, on the other end, ready to save him. "Yeah," he whispered. "That'd be my wife."

There was a gentle knock on the door, and Tommy peeked inside. "Food's almost here," she whispered. Judd nodded, taking one last look at Grace before shuffling to Tommy. His best friend wrapped an arm around him, supporting him as they slowly headed to the lobby of the floor.

The floor was absolutely packed. Judd stopped in his tracks, seeing the entirety of the 126 crammed into the seats, Maddie holding Nancy's hands, Sylvie sprawled across Matt and Kelly, Carlos's arm around TK's shoulders. Owen was the only one who stood, looking intently down at his phone. When he looked up and saw Judd, his face split with a grin. "There he is!"

It was like a firecracker went off. Everyone scrambled to their feet, but TK was the first to rush up to Judd, green eyes scanning him. "Oh, thank God."

"You look good," Marjan admitted.

"How're you feeling?" Sylvie tilted her head, looking like she was itching for a stethoscope or something.

"Uh," Judd swallowed, still reeling from the show of support. "I feel like . . . like my truck that got hit by a river." He snorted. "Or maybe like I got taken for a ride then slammed into the pavement."

Matt winced, rubbing the back of his head. "I'm never gonna hear the end of that any time soon, am I?"

He grunted in pain when two fists, one from each friend, punched him in the sides. "No, you are not," Kelly seethed.

Matt sighed, looking at Judd. "You have no idea how good it is to see you up and moving."

"I can only imagine, Cap," Judd nodded solemnly. Sylvie had never gone into details, but he knew about all the firefighters Matt had under his command who had either died in the line of duty or had to leave the department. "It's good to be up."

"Yeah," Nancy gave a wobbly smile, Maddie rubbing her back. "It's good to see you."

Judd nodded, looking around. "T mentioned food?"

"Well, I said it should almost be here," Tommy directed a look at Owen.

He huffed, holding up his phone. "And the people I asked to pick it up should be here already – "

As if on cue, the door to the stairs opened, and all of them turned to see two kids with dark hair and skin poke their heads into the waiting area. "Delivery for the 126?" Harry asked cheerily.

"Actually, these are the drinks," May held up the carriers she had in both hands. "Apparently it's a caffeine kind of party?"

"May?" Buck's eyes widened as Eddie reeled and Maddie's jaw dropped. "Harry?"

"Oh, it's more than them, Buckaroo," Athena snorted, kicking the door open the rest of the way, allowing her children to scurry forward. "We decide to come and visit, and we're glorified delivery folks!"

"Oh, relax, Athena," Bobby rolled his eyes fondly. "We don't have nearly a big enough kitchen at the hotel to use."

"Hang on – " The dark-haired man who appeared behind Bobby made TK brighten and Owen balk. "You got a kitchen in your hotel room?"

"No," Athena grumbled. "He's joking."

"Nope!" Owen abruptly shook his head, holding up his hands as TK cackled, causing Carlos and Mateo to look at him worriedly. "I did not sign up for this! This was not in the plan!"

"Plan?" Eddie repeated numbly.

"What?" Nick pouted as he placed his drinks carrier on the counter. "You aren't happy to see me, Cap?"

"You were not in the plan," Owen repeated, running a hand over his face. "Someone please tell me whatever coffee you got me is the largest size available. I'm gonna need it."

"Terror!" TK whooped, barreling across the lobby.

Nick laughed gleefully, meeting TK in a bear hug. "Trouble!"

Buck finally pulled himself together enough to sputter "Traitors!"

Owen groaned, turning and gently banging his head on the nearest surface . . . which just so happened to be a bewildered Judd's shoulder. "Kill me now."

"Uh . . . " Carlos looked torn between jealousy and amusement.

Sylvie, however, just laughed. "Hi, Nick!"

"Hi, Sylvie!" Nick gave her a wave. "Sorry, I haven't seen TK here in . . . God, how long's it been since I left SVU?"

"Noah's attending elementary school," TK deadpanned.

Nick balked. "Oh, God."

"For those in the room who are very confused," Buck shook his head, rubbing his forehead. "This is Sergeant Nick Amaro, currently in San Francisco but used to be in New York under Captain Benson." Several faces cleared of confusion. "And you know Bobby, but not his wife Athena, LAPD patrol sergeant, and her kids May and Harry. May's working with Josh at the dispatch center. Guys, meet – "

"Ah, don't start the other introductions yet," Bobby shook his head.

Buck paused, about to hug Nick. "Why not?"

"Right!" The door to the stairs swung open again, and Sylvie squeaked as Kim sauntered in, holding up two large takeout bags with a grin on her face. "Who wants Italian?"

"Hey!" Hailey was next through the door, carrying bags of her own. "I thought I was going first!"

"Who the hell wants Greek?"

"We said we were getting everything!"

"And she isn't wrong!" Jay added as he nimbly avoided a few nurses, balancing several pizza boxes excellently. "I swear, we closed every place in the city trying to find everything."

"Oh, my God!" Sylvie sprinted forward.

"Oop – " Jay twisted and shoved the pizza boxes at the nearest person, which happened to be Hank as he stepped through the door. Hank quickly grabbed the boxes, and Jay held out his arms to catch Sylvie when she slammed into him. "Incoming!" he laughed, swinging Sylvie around as she hugged him tightly. "Hello!"

Kim scoffed, setting her bags down. "Unbelievable. We fly all the way out here, and he's the one she focuses on."

"Well," Hailey tilted her head, eyeing Jay as he finally stopped spinning. "Can you blame her?"

Kim paused, considering. "No, I can't."

"Jay!" a ginger head poked through the door, scowling. "Stop hogging baby sister! I wanna hug her!"

"Then get your ass in here, Will!" Jay rolled his eyes.

Sylvie's responding squeal was so high-pitched, even Mateo winced. "Let me guess," Nancy said slowly. "Halsteads?"

"Yeah," Matt confirmed, watching fondly as Sylvie wrapped around Will. "The Halsteads. Kim brought Italian, Hailey brought Greek . . . and apparently Sergeant Voight got designated the pizza rescuer."

"Well, if it means Jay gets to hug Sylvie," Hank shrugged, setting the pizza on the counter.

"He has to let her go eventually!" Natalie snorted as she and Connor brought up the rear, both with their own bags of carry-out, Connor stopping to pick up Will's bag. "Then we're ambushing her."

"Got it!" Hailey gave a thumbs-up.

"And that's Natalie and Connor," Kelly added, grinning and moving forward. "We didn't expect this!"

"Congratulations, Severide," Jay snorted. "You gave us the exact definition of 'surprise.'"

"Surprise!" Kim grinned.

"Best surprise ever!" Sylvie cheered, dancing away from Will. "Group hug!"

Tommy smiled widely, watching Hailey, Kim, and Natalie pile onto the blonde paramedic. "Oh, that's so good to see."

"And you!" Athena whirled on Eddie, pointing at him as the man froze, eyes wide. "Why didn't we hear about the minefield or your adventures with arsonists?"

Eddie gulped, giving Owen a fearful look. The fire captain held up his hands defensively. "Buck was the one who organized that group chat."

"Oh, my God, really?" Sylvie groaned. "How many group chats are there?"

"Dedicated to protecting the danger magnet paramedics?" Carlos snorted. "One. All in the chat raise your hand?"

Nancy stared, dumbfounded, as Carlos, Matt, Kelly, the Strands, Buck, Bobby, Athena, and the Chicago arrivals except for Hank raised their hands. "You're kidding."

Maddie burst into laughter, doubling over. "They're not," Hank shook his head with a smirk. "Apparently, it's a mess."

"Let's put it this way," Connor sighed. "Buck suggested wrapping them in bubble wrap. TK was looking up prices, and apparently Casey and Severide already have it."

Sylvie gave the two men a wounded look. "Come on!"

"Well, pardon us!" Matt gestured wildly.

"Anyway!" Bobby cleared his throat loudly, silencing most of the commotion. "After hearing everything that's been going on, we decided to fly out and check in on everyone. We got to the airport and heard what was going on . . . and since everyone was headed here, we figured if you're camping out for a while . . . " He gestured to the array of drinks and food. "Might as well keep everyone well supplied."

"Jay gets the credit for that chat," Will added, patting his brother's shoulder. "None us expected Amaro, either."

"Any chance to give Captain Strand a reason to be scared," Nick smiled innocently.

TK matched his grin perfectly, and Owen groaned. "Mission accomplished. Carlos, I am so sorry."

Carlos gulped. "How concerned should I be, sir?"

"Do you hear my boyfriend, Nick?" TK turned wide eyes to his friend. "He thinks he should be concerned!"

"That's ridiculous," Nick rolled his eyes. "We're only trouble on days that end in Y." He paused. "Oh, wait – "

"Good Lord, Buckaroo," Athena looked at Buck in horror. "You did find your match."

"See why I love him?" Buck grinned.

He grimaced when Eddie jabbed him in the ribs. "Excuse me!"

"Different type of love, Eds," Buck grunted, wincing. "God, I really never want to see you in a fight."

May almost dropped her drinks. "Wait," Harry looked between Buck and Eddie in excitement. "Are you two – ?"

"Yes!" May whooped at the top of her lungs, drawing startled looks from the rest of the hospital occupants. "Lena owes me thirty bucks!"

"May Grant!" Athena stared at her.

"Of course Lena was in on the bet about us getting together," Eddie groused. "Of course she was."

"Well, I had to do it with someone in the 118 who wasn't Bobby," May rolled her eyes. "Keep up, Eddie."

Eddie pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm gonna kill her."

"Need an alibi?" Nick asked without hesitation.

"Hey!" Jay narrowed his eyes. "That's my job."

"No, pretty sure that's my boys' job," Kelly shook his head.

"OK!" Bobby cleared his throat, stopping the argument in its tracks. "Buck, Eddie, congratulations. Seriously, I'm taking you to dinner before this is all over."

Buck blushed. "Thanks, Cap."

"But maybe we should eat all this before it gets cold?" Bobby waved at the food.

"Yeah, I'm all for that," Connor agreed, diving into the bags to begin opening containers.

"Ooo, what did you get?" Sylvie asked, bouncing to look through Kim's bag.

"Oh, come on!" Hailey whined. "Sylvie!"

"Sorry, Hailey," Sylvie shook her head. "I like Italian."

"Thank you!" Kim shot Hailey a victorious look.

"Er," Marjan blinked, feeling as if she was getting whiplash from everyone from Chicago. One glance at Matt and Kelly, though, proved that they were used to this. "What's the deal here?"

"She's Greek," Kim pointed.

"She's Italian," Hailey pointed in return.

"I think there's a Greek vs. Roman thing," Jay shrugged.

Hank watched both women glare at his 2IC, and he chuckled, patting Jay on the back. "You might want to run, Halstead."

"Yeah, that may be a good idea," he winced.

"Did you get everything?" TK's eyes bugged open wide as he watched everyone unpack.

"Well, we know their favorites," Natalie pointed at Matt, Kelly, and Sylvie.

"And we know theirs," Athena pointed at Buck and Eddie.

"We kinda had to guess on everyone else," Nick shrugged. "So . . . yeah, we basically got everything."

"That's all right," Judd shook his head, watching as May and Harry passed out plates and utensils. "I'm . . . you know, I'm in the mood for everything. So . . . wow."

"Judd goes first," Tommy declared, glaring at anyone who might argue.

"Yeah, the patient goes first," Will backed the paramedic.

Judd chuckled, shaking his head at the support from a man he didn't know. Then again, Sylvie had the best friends, so he wasn't going to complain. "Thank you," he examined the choices, then brightened when he saw the lasagna. "I'll tell you what," he picked up a fork and knife. "I'm gonna get . . . " He took a shuddering breath. "This is Gracie's favorite," he pointed, and Kim bit her lip, looking around hesitantly at the trio of doctors from Chicago, all of whom were silent as they watched. "So I'm gonna cut a little piece for Grace. So that, uh . . . when she, when she wakes up, just . . . she's probably gonna have a big appetite, so I'll just keep it here, just . . . " His hands shook so much, he couldn't transfer the slice onto the plate, and he sighed, giving up and sniffing. "Thank you, guys," he finally said, looking up and around. "Everyone, for being here, you know? For the both of us. Thank you very much."

Owen squeezed his shoulder. "Alright, captain's order," he announced. "Squad? Attack!"

"Group hug!" TK declared, pouncing on Judd.

Judd burst into laughter as Buck and Sylvie carefully slammed into him as well, and he did his best to wrap his arms around the trio, feeling Owen hug him from behind. "We doing a group one?" he asked.

"Come on!" Mateo whooped, bouncing over to join the hug.

Jay smiled, watching fondly as the rest of the 126 smothered Judd in hugs and reassurances, and Maddie sighed happily. "I love this family."

"You and Buckaroo found yourselves a good one," Athena agreed, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

"Yeah," Matt smiled, a wistful look in his eyes. "Sylvie did, too."

"Dangerous one," Kelly amended. "But a good one."

Hank raised an eyebrow. "Do I need to pull out the list Jay compiled of everything she got into with the two of you?"

"There's a list?" Bobby balked.

Nick, on the other hand, grinned widely. "I want that list."

"Will probably has it," Connor sighed. "You know, considering I'm pretty certain he's the official Firehouse 51 ED Doctor at this point."

"I will wear that badge with pride," Will grinned.

"Yeah, just like I wear my official Firehouse 51 Intelligence Unit Liaison badge," Jay nodded in agreement.

Hailey closed her eyes. "We love idiots, Natalie."

"At least they're our idiots," Natalie patted her shoulder.

"Hey, Reyes!" an unfamiliar voice called.

The group turned to see Carlos blink in surprise, nodding at two uniformed police officers. "Hey, Banks, Carter," he nodded, looking between the cops. "What are you guys doing here?"

Banks sighed. "Had to interview some drunk who plowed his SUV into a convenience store this morning," he answered. "Looked like the same guy may have ran some folks off the Lamar Bridge last night."

Dread pooled in the pit of Matt's stomach, and he heard Maddie attempt to smother a gasp behind him. He turned to see the 126 had turned to look at the officers with varying emotions, and Matt shuffled to Tommy's side, seeing the woman petrified where she stood. "What was the bridge Judd and Grace were on when they went into the river?" he asked quietly.

Tommy gulped. "The Lamar Bridge."

"Wait," Carlos's eyes widened. "He's here?"

"Yeah," Banks nodded. "Banged up his leg. Other than that, nothing else. Not a scratch." He shrugged in a manner that said "what are you going to do about it?" as he and his partner walked off. "Drunks, right?" Matt winced, and he saw Bobby close his eyes and turn away, May and Harry moving close to his sides. "Alright," Banks waved. "See you around."

They watched the cops leave, and Carlos turned to the rest of them, eyes wide. "Oh, no," Kim's muted whisper spoke for everyone.

Hank turned to look at Judd, who was watching the cops leave with a familiar look in his eyes. "Hey," Owen nudged Judd, giving him a pointed look. "You good?"

Judd blinked, then quickly nodded. "Yeah, I'm good," he said. "I'm good, yeah, yeah, yeah. It's in the Lord's hands now. He knows what he's doing. Yes, sir."

Owen narrowed his eyes, but he nodded. "Then let's eat before someone starves."

As the rest of the group started milling around, grabbing what they wanted, Hank walked over to Jay, who was doing the same thing as his sergeant: watching Judd with an eagle eye. "You've heard from Sylvie most about the 126, right?" he asked.

"Yeah, Sarge," Jay nodded.

"Hmm," Hank nodded, eyeing Judd. "So what are the chances the moment we turn our backs, he goes to find the son of a bitch who put his wife in a coma?"

Jay raised an eyebrow. "You really need me to answer that?"

Hank snorted, shaking his head. No, he didn't need Jay to answer. He knew exactly what those chances were.

***

Sylvie's phone started buzzing in her pocket just after she threw her trash away. She looked at the Caller ID, then blinked when she saw who the FaceTime caller was. "Hey, I'll be right back!" she called, pointing to the stairwell. Owen gave her a thumbs-up, and she hurried into the stairwell, closing the door behind her and opening the call as she sat on the top step.

She was surprised to see it wasn't just Peter on the other end of the call. Sonny was peering over his shoulder, too. Both looked concerned. "Hey, Sylvie," Peter said, Sonny waving. "Rollins got a message from Amaro saying one of your firefighters is in the hospital?"

"And apparently you and Eddie were in a hostage situation?" Sonny added with a scowl.

Sylvie blushed. "Eddie and I are fine," she said. "Judd and Grace were driven off a bridge into a river at night. Judd's up and moving. Grace . . . she's still in a medically induced coma."

"Oh, no," Sonny sighed, closing his eyes.

"Who caused them to do that?" Peter demanded, eyes wide. "We've met Judd and Grace, they wouldn't do that unless they had to."

"Drunk driver," Sylvie answered. "He is . . . actually admitted to this hospital."

"The bastard's door is guarded, right?" Sonny asked warily. "You know . . . so Judd isn't tempted to kill him?"

"I'll check on that," Sylvie scratched the back of her head. "Judd would walk through fire with no turnout gear to show Grace he loves her. It wouldn't surprise me if he tried something."

"Me, neither," Sonny agreed.

"Can we go back to the hostage situation?" Peter asked.

Sylvie pinched the bridge of her nose. "I'm surprised no one else is interrogating me over this."

"Oh, I'm sure the rest of the team would, too," Sonny nodded. "If they weren't out doing interviews while I'm holding down the fort."

"I dropped by with lunch," Peter shrugged. "Then Amaro texted, and since we're here and not doing much . . . "

He raised an eyebrow pointedly, and Sylvie sighed. "Eddie and I were called out with a few minutes left on shift. Two arsonists burned down their apartment building earlier in shift, and one sustained burns and internal injuries, but they couldn't risk going to a hospital. The guy's girlfriend faked a pregnancy call, which Eddie and I were called to, and we ended up having to use the Vegas' restaurant as a makeshift hospital. The rest of the team found us before we were hurt. Honestly, we're fine. And it finally got Buck and Eddie together, so really, it all worked out in the end."

Both men stared at her. "You're happy you got taken hostage because it got Buck and Eddie together," Peter said slowly.

"I'm not happy about getting taken hostage," Sylvie shook her head. "I am happy my partner finally got his man."

Sonny sighed. "Yeah . . . I see the resemblance to TK."

"No kidding," Peter grumbled. "I don't know who's been the worse influence: TK, or Casey and Severide."

Sylvie snorted. "I knew Casey and Severide first, Peter."

"Yeah, but all you did with them was chase arsonists," Peter pointed out.

"I still think she and Captain Strand have the record for most dangerous situations," Sonny thought aloud.

"No, Eddie and I tied myself and Owen with the minefield call," Sylvie shook her head.

Peter blinked slowly. "I'm sorry. Minefield?"

Sylvie smiled sheepishly. "Yeah . . . Eddie and I may have leapfrogged across a minefield to save a pair of boys."

Peter stared blankly at Sylvie, and Sonny burst into laughter. "Oh, I wish I could take a picture of your face! Cap would love that."

"Sylvie Brett, you will be the death of me," Peter said, shaking his head. "It won't be Liv, like I originally believed."

"I think we can all safely say the best bets are Sylvie, Buck, or the Strands," Sonny patted his shoulder, then turned when the faint sound of a phone could be heard. "And on that note, duty calls!" He turned back to the phone. "Tell TK I'll see if I can get me and 'Manda on the phone with him some time soon. Preferably with Amaro in the same room."

Sylvie snickered. "Are you trying to kill Owen?"

"Eh," Sonny shrugged as he stood. "It's our favorite pastime."

Peter shook his head fondly as Sonny moved out of the frame. "I should be going, too. In all honesty . . . please try and avoid giving me a heart attack from here on out. I'd like to have as much time with Liv and Noah as I can."

"I'll do my best," Sylvie smiled softly. "You never know with this job."

"I know," Peter sighed. "It's what I tell myself with Liv's job, too." He gave her a wave. "Give our best to Judd . . . and Grace, when she wakes up."

Sylvie smiled at his words. Of course Peter believed Grace would wake up. "I will. Love you."

"Love you, too," Peter smiled before ending the call.

Sylvie sighed, standing and slipping her phone back into her pocket before exiting the stairwell. She almost ran smack into a nervous-looking Maddie and Nancy. "Yeah?" she asked, closing the door. "What is it?"

"We can't find Judd," Nancy let out in a rush.

Sylvie blinked, spinning to look around the room. Sure enough, Judd was nowhere to be seen . . . and he wasn't the only one. She smirked when she noticed who else wasn't around, and she shook her head. "It'll be OK," she said. "Someone's keeping an eye on him."

Nancy frowned suspiciously, but Maddie squeezed her hand. If Sylvie said someone had an eye on Judd, she would trust someone had an eye on him.

***

"You owe me forty bucks, Sarge."

Judd froze with his hand on the door handle, and he heard a hoarse chuckle behind him. "Forty bucks well earned, Jay."

Judd turned to see Jay leaning against the opposite wall, arms and ankles crossed, a knowing look on his face. Hank had his hands in his pockets, looking more amused than anything. Judd sighed, hanging his head. "Busted," he grumbled.

"Better us than the hospital staff," Hank shrugged. "We figured you'd want a word with the guy who did this to Grace."

"Not to me?" Judd raised an eyebrow.

Jay smirked. "I'd be wanting this conversation if someone did this to Hailey or Kim."

Judd conceded the point with a sigh. "Here to stop me?"

"Stop you?" Jay snorted. "I'm supervising."

"I didn't see nothing," Hank swiftly turned on his heel, looking down the hallway.

Judd blinked, looking at Jay in surprise. "Like I said," Jay shrugged. "I'd want to have a friendly chat with whoever hurt my girls." He waved to the door. "I'll just stop you before there is a casualty on our hands."

Judd swallowed. "You don't have to do this."

"No, I don't," Jay agreed. "But we do what we can for family, right? You and Grace are Sylvie's family. That makes you our family, too."

Judd stared from one police officer to the other, and Hank looked over his shoulder. "I'll let you know if someone comes by," the sergeant said.

Judd took a deep breath, then opened the door into the room. Jay held it open for him, and the occupant started, looking at them in surprise. "Hey, guys," he frowned. "I think you're in the wrong room?"

"I think I got the wrong building," Judd countered, approaching the bed as Jay shut the door and leaned against it, hands placed on his hips just right to flash the badge he wore. "I bet neither one of us expected to find ourselves in the hospital today, right?" Judd narrowed his eyes. "But then, we both got your dumb ass to thank for that."

The man paled, realizing who Judd was. "All right," he gulped, reaching towards the side table. "You shouldn't be in here – "

Judd's own hand reached out and snatched his wrist, twisting just enough to make the man groan. "If you touch the phone, if you cry out, I'm-a snap your wrist," he warned. "Got it?"

"OK," the man whimpered, nodding rapidly. "Yes."

Judd nodded, easing his grip slightly. "What's your name?"

"It's, uh," the man looked past him to Jay. The detective merely tilted his head, giving him an unreadable look. The man looked back at Judd, realizing he wasn't going to get any help. "It's Caleb. It's Caleb Wilson."

"Caleb?" Judd nodded. "I heard you plowed through a convenience store this morning. What were you gonna pick up?"

Caleb blinked rapidly. "What?" he asked in surprise. "What . . . what do you mean?"

Judd scoffed. "You know, at the store?" he prompted, squeezing Caleb's wrist. "They got things to buy? What'd you hope to buy? What, baby wipes or a soda?" Jay bit his lip to maintain a straight face, watching Caleb's face twist in pain. "Lotto tickets?"

"I was gonna get," Caleb stammered. "I was just gonna get, like, a churro. And a hot chocolate."

Judd considered. "You got a sweet tooth?"

"Yeah," Caleb nodded.

"Me, too," Judd admitted, patting his shoulder. "Let me ask you, though, Caleb . . . how is it that a man could run two people off a road, and then just leave them to drown . . . and then wake up and think to himself, 'I think I'd like a churro?'"

Caleb's face had drained of all color by the end of Judd's question. "Listen, man," he babbled. "I don't even, like, remember yesterday. You know, like, the truck or the river or – or nothing! I'm sorry, I have a problem! I have a problem!"

"You have a problem," Judd repeated, voice dangerously low.

"Yeah!" Caleb nodded eagerly, looking relieved as if he thought Judd understood. "Yes, I have a problem!"

"You do have a problem," Judd agreed, bending the man's wrist enough to make him squeak. "My wife Grace is the best person I've known. Her life's work is saving lives. Her life's work is saving people."

"Yeah," Caleb nodded, showing he was listening.

"If she saved one life per shift," Judd continued, "and that's conservative . . . then by my estimation, she's saved two thousand, two hundred fifty lives."

Jay whistled, impressed. "Talk about Saving Grace."

"Oh, it would be two thousand, two hundred fifty one lives if you include me, Detective," Judd added, leaning forward and glaring at Caleb. "Which is a life she's saved numerable times. So . . . " He shoved Caleb back into the bed, and Jay took a single step forward, ready to step in if necessary. "If a piece of trash like you get to snuff her out and live, what does that mean?" Judd growled. "What does that mean?"

The door to the room swiftly opened before Judd could wrap his hands around Caleb's throat, and Jay turned to see Owen step inside. "Judd!" the captain called. "That's enough!"

"Judd!" He turned to see Benjamin behind Owen, the man's eyes lit up with joy. Judd paused because that kind of emotion only meant one thing. "Gracie's awake, son," he breathed, laughing in delight. "She's awake, Judd! And the first person she asked for was you. She needs you, son."

Jay turned to give Judd a wide grin, and Judd nodded, pointing at Caleb. "Grace just saved your life, too," he warned. "She just saved your life, too."

Caleb nodded frantically, watching Judd move as quickly as he could to follow Benjamin out the door, past Owen and Hank, who stepped to hold the door open. Owen followed after them, giving Caleb one last dirty look before Jay closed the door behind them. "You weren't . . . you know, actually gonna let Judd do anything, were you?" he asked Jay warily.

Jay grinned. "I wrangle Intelligence for a living. That would've been nothing."

Hank barked in laughter. "And this is why you're my 2IC."

***

Judd almost tripped over his IV multiple times to open the door to Grace's room, his heart threatening to beat out of his chest. His mind ran miles a minute, thinking of multiple shapes Grace would be in. Could she have fallen back asleep? How much would she be able to speak?

All of his concerns were laid to rest when he opened the door and found Grace's bed raised so she could sit upright, Denice holding both her hands. Grace turned her head when the door opened, and she gave Judd a tired but full smile when she saw him. Judd's knees went weak at the radiance of it. Saving Grace, indeed, he thought, remembering what Jay had called her. "Hey, girl," he choked, barely able to speak.

Grace beamed, reaching out with her hand. "Hello, my love."

"Hey," he sighed in relief, looking upon her. With no tube down her throat and her curls in almost impeccable shape, Grace appeared, at least to him, to be in perfect condition. "You gave us a scare there for a minute."

Grace shook her head. "You know I wasn't going anywhere, Judd," she chastised. "Wherever you are, that's where I'm-a be. That's the deal, right?"

Judd cracked a grin. "That's the deal," he agreed.

"Yeah," Grace smiled.

There was a knock on the door, and Judd turned to see Grace's doctor walk into the room. "Mrs. Ryder, I think you might be the most popular patient I've ever had," she declared. "Your well-wishers are becoming a fire hazard out in the hall."

Judd smirked. "If there's a fire, they're who you want here." He paused, thinking. "Or a robbery. Or a murder. Or any type of code." At Grace's inquiring look, he smiled down at her. "We got a few out-of-staters here who originally came to apparently deliver bubble wrap for a few paramedics. They stayed for us."

Grace's eyes lit up, and she giggled. The doctor took the news in stride, focusing on her patient. "How are you feeling?"

"A little foggy," Grace admitted. "But just . . . mostly tired."

"That's understandable," the doctor nodded. "You've been through quite a bit."

Grace bit her lip, uncertainty on her face for the first time. "Doc . . . I can't feel my legs."

Judd's heart clenched, and he looked at the doctor with wide eyes, but the doctor shook her head. "That's entirely normal," he assured Grace. "But the feeling will come back. In a few days, we'll start talking about physical therapy."

"OK, but that's it, right?" Judd asked worriedly. "Mend a couple bones? She's good, that's it?"

"Yes," the doctor nodded. "They both seem to be in perfect health."

Judd started to nod, then paused, rewinding the doctor's words. "You said they?" he repeated slowly.

"I did," the doctor smiled, seeing the confusion on both their faces. "Mrs. Ryder . . . you're pregnant."

Grace's jaw dropped, then she sobbed, looking up at Judd with bright eyes. Judd covered his mouth in shock, feeling like he really should have a chair behind him if he collapsed. To know not only was Grace OK, but to hear they were going to have a baby . . . oh, the Lord was good to him and his wife! "Can I kiss my wife?" he blurted.

The doctor laughed. "She's your wife!"

"Yes, she is," Judd agreed, leaning down. "Yes, she is!" He kissed Grace enthusiastically, then kissed her forehead as she buried her nose in his neck. "I love you, girl. I love you."

"I love you, Judd," she whispered, her tears falling on his skin.

To Judd, it was the best feeling in the world.

***

"Pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death," Mateo mumbled, rosary clutched in his hand. "Amen."

Amen, Matt thought, his forehead still leaning on clenched fists. His gut still tumbled and twisted as the large group anxiously awaited any news. Owen had returned with the news that Grace was awake, but other than that, he was as in the dark as any of them. Judd's father, Stuart, had joined them at the hospital, occasionally glancing down the hall, hoping for a glimpse of his son. Buck was unable to sit still, pacing the length of the lobby, May chewing her nails from where she sat next to Athena. Sylvie was huddled between Hailey and Kim, somehow tucked into a ball in her chair, arms around her legs.

Footsteps finally approached, and Owen was the first on his feet, watching Judd push his IV down the hall. "Hey, y'all," Judd gave them a tired smile.

"Hey," Stuart shuffled to meet him, the rest of the visitors huddling around. "How's my favorite little girl doing?"

Judd let out a watery laugh. "She's doing good, Daddy," he answered. "She's doing real good."

Stuart frowned. "Then how come you're crying?" he asked suspiciously. Judd gestured Stuart forward and leaned down to whisper, and Matt watched Stuart's eyes bug open. "Oh, hell, son!" the man laughed.

Judd grinned at those gathered. "Because he's gonna be a granddaddy!" he announced.

"What?" Buck's jaw dropped.

"Oh, my God!" Matt covered his mouth, turning to look at a wide-eyed Kelly. That . . . that was far more than what he had been hoping to hear!

"Yes!" Sylvie cheered, jumping up and down. "Yes, yes, yes!"

"So, happy birthday!" Judd clapped Stuart on the back.

"Congratulations!" Tommy grinned, engulfing Judd in a hug.

"Come on, 126!" Owen beckoned. "Group hug, the encore!"

Judd staggered under the combined weight of the entire 126, the entire house deafening in their congratulations. "Oh, why didn't any of us bring champagne for good news?" Connor sighed through his grin.

"Because they're underage," Bobby pointed to his stepchildren.

That made the two erupt in protests, and Matt shook his head, nimbly stepping around the celebrating 126 to clap a hand on Judd's shoulder. "Congratulations," he said sincerely. "That's more than I was hoping to hear."

"Thank you, Cap," Judd nodded, surprising Matt by bringing him into a hug. "And thank you for sticking around. I, uh . . . I know from Brett that you've gone through a lot of firefighters and loved ones. Glad I get to tell you we're sticking around."

Matt smiled widely. "You just made my week by telling me that."

Judd laughed. "That's a first."

Matt nodded, turning to watch the celebrations. Maddie and Nancy were locked in a hug, and TK was bouncing all around Buck, Eddie, Carlos, and Nick, all five men looking relieved. Hank appeared to be passing a few bills off to Jay, and Tommy appeared to be giving Will, Natalie, and Connor the rundown of Grace's condition. Paul, Marjan, and Mateo were talking over each other in their excitement . . . and Sylvie had spun around from hugging Owen to jumping on Kelly, the lieutenant laughing and effortlessly catching the blonde, both of them smiling widely. Seeing the two of them together and that happy . . .

An elbow in his side made Matt start, and he cleared his throat, turning to see Judd looking at him intently. "Sorry, what?" he asked.

Judd raised an eyebrow. "I'm-a say something to you Tommy once said to me," he said, leaning on his IV. Matt frowned, nodding, and Judd smirked. "Any particular reason you look like you just got hit by a lightning bolt?" Matt swore his heart skipped a few beats, and he sputtered, trying to come up with an answer. "Or do I need to start pointing and guessing? That's how Tommy introduced me to Grace, y'know? I saw her, and it was like I was struck by lightning. And that, as they say, is that."

Matt swallowed, already knowing Judd wasn't going to leave this alone. "Can I raincheck that answer?" he asked meekly.

Judd stared intently at him, then huffed. "Only if you hear me out on this, Captain." Matt nodded, and Judd tilted his head in the direction of Kelly and Sylvie. "Good people like Severide and Brett? They're good people. They don't deserve to wait and fiddle with their hands for someone to get their head on straight. So, whichever's got your head in a tailspin . . . figure it out for their sakes."

***

"You broke an entire chair taking that woman down?" Harry stared at Eddie with something akin to hero worship.

"My dad is awesome!" Christopher declared proudly.

Eddie bit his lip hard, trying to avoid having a dopey grin spread across his face. "Well – "

"Sylvie says you're awesome, and I say you're awesome," Buck reminded him. "So you're awesome. Accept it."

Eddie sighed, taking a sip of his wine. "Fine. I'm awesome."

"Well, I'm just happy you and Sylvie got out of there unscathed," Athena told Eddie as Bobby returned to the table with a refilled water pitcher.

"And the Vegas' restaurant?" Bobby asked.

"Charles looked over everything," Eddie answered. "He said everything looks fine . . . you know. Except for that chair."

"How awful," Nick smirked.

Eddie scowled, sorely tempted to throw a dinner roll at the sergeant's head. "They were actually pretty nice chairs."

"I'm also glad Judd and Grace are gonna be OK," May smiled.

"Oh, same," Buck nodded in agreement.

"It would've been awful for Nancy," Maddie whispered, poking her fork into the bits of chicken in her salad. "Aside from EMS, Judd was the only survivor of the original 126. If Nancy lost him . . . "

She trailed off, and Buck nodded solemnly. "I don't think she would've known how to handle losing Judd so soon after losing Tim."

"But everyone is alive," Bobby said firmly. "And that's something to be thankful about."

"Hear, hear," Nick agreed, raising his glass.

Eddie smiled, raising his glass and clinking it against the others'. "Thanks for coming out, you guys."

"Anything for family, hon," Athena smiled. "We're glad we finally made it out."

***

"See, this is the only reason Sylvie keeps us around," Will griped, adjusting his grip on the edge of the dresser. "Muscle!"

"It's good-looking muscle, though," Natalie grinned cheekily from where she was placing a box of clothes on the bed.

Will rolled his eyes. "My girlfriend, everyone."

"Our girlfriend, thank you very much," Connor reminded him, peering to check how close they were to the wall. "Right. One, two, three!"

Will and Connor set the dresser down on the ground, and Sylvie poked her head into the doorway. "Thanks, boys!"

"You're welcome, Sylvie," Connor smiled. "How's it going in the kitchen?"

"Kim's counting the minutes until we break out the wine glasses!" Hailey called from down the hall.

Sylvie rolled her eyes. "At least I've got folks to help out."

"You make that sound like we've never helped you!" Kelly scoffed from where he was keeping the door from shutting on Matt's head, the fire captain under the kitchen sink.

"Yeah, what is this?" Matt poked his head out of the cupboards. "Third time moving in less than a year?"

"I wasn't always gonna be at Owen's," Sylvie shrugged, walking into the living room to see Hailey directing Hank and Jay into evening out the sofa. "I knew that when I flew in. Owen's been so generous in letting me and Buck stay as long as we needed. Buck was first to leave, and as soon as I saw this loft on the market, I knew I wanted it."

"See?" Kim grinned from where she sat on one of the bar stools. "HGTV star, right there. She missed her calling."

Kelly smirked. "That explain why she tortured me and Matt with House Hunters."

Matt's laughter was almost drowned out by Sylvie's indignant screech. "You willingly watched it with me!"

"Yeah," Matt slid out from under the sink, smirking at Sylvie. "And you watched the Blackhawks with us, too."

Sylvie's cheeks flushed, and Connor turned to Will incredulously. "They're not dating?" he whispered.

Will nodded solemnly. "I know."

"Well, everything checks out under there," Matt reported, holding up his hand. Kelly took it without hesitation, hauling Matt to his feet. "You've got yourself a pretty perfect place, Sylvie."

"I know," she grinned smugly. "And yes, Kim, now we can try the wine glasses."

The woman whooped, and Hank shook his head with a rueful grin. "It's like she doesn't have it at home."

"We keep it out of reach of Makayla," Hailey shrugged.

Several pairs of eyes turned to her in surprise, but Kim nodded. "Best to keep it out of her way."

Sylvie blinked once, then turned to look at Matt and Kelly in surprise. Neither man looked surprised at the statement, and she finally cleared her throat. "Help me with the wine, then?" Kim nodded, walking around the counter to join Sylvie as she found a fresh bottle of rosé, and the blonde cleared her throat, looking over her shoulder to see the rest of the group engaging in conversation, Will with his arm slung casually over Connor's shoulders, Natalie nestled between the two. Jay and Hailey were close enough to brush sides, and satisfied that everyone was distracted, Sylvie turned back to Kim. "You remind me of Buck and Eddie."

Kim blinked. "Pardon?"

Sylvie lowered her voice. "It sounds like you're coparenting Makayla with Jay and Hailey." Judging by Kim's deer in headlights expression, Sylvie hit it closer than she realized. "Oh, my God – "

"Don't say anything to them!" Kim shook her head desperately, eyes wide.

"Are you kidding?" Sylvie hissed. "I've heard Jay talk about how much he enjoys Makayla, and she clearly had Hailey wrapped around her finger before I left Chicago. Surely they know!"

Kim bit her lip, then blurted, "I'm adopting Makayla."

Sylvie blinked, then grinned. "Kim Burgess!"

"I know!" Kim giggled at the delighted squeal Sylvie made. "I know, my petition is in the process of being accepted. Makayla's social worker says I have a really good shot at getting it accepted."

"Oh, good," Sylvie smiled at her friend. "She seems really happy with you."

"Yeah," Kim sighed. "I hope she is. I mean, she looks like she is, but . . . I can't read her mind, y'know?"

Sylvie snorted. "Wouldn't that make raising children so much easier?"

Kim rolled her eyes fondly. "Wouldn't it?" She fiddled with the glass Sylvie slid to her, then took a deep breath. "I was told I would need to pick a legal guardian for Makayla, should anything ever happen to me."

Sylvie paused. "Sounds to me like you've got two pretty good candidates."

Kim bit her lip. "I want to ask them both," she admitted. "But I have no idea if they'd be willing to accept that kind of responsibility."

"You're kidding, right?" Sylvie stared at her. "Clearly, they love that girl! Why would they say no?"

"They'd be saying yes to raising another woman's daughter if something happens to me," Kim deadpanned. "They're together, Sylvie. I'm third wheeling here, and I have no idea how to fit in with that, especially with a kid."

Sylvie paused in pouring the next drink, then raised an eyebrow. "You could ask Natalie. She has a kid." Kim balked, and Sylvie's eyes widened. "Oh, did I just hit it – ?"

"You can't tell them," Kim grabbed Sylvie's arm, eyes wide in panic. "I just went through this with Adam, and they're together!"

"Kim, breathe," Sylvie put her hand on top of Kim's, watching the other woman. "Hey, I wouldn't out you like that, I promise. If you want me to act like this conversation never happened, I will."

Kim gulped. "I just . . . I watch them with Makayla . . . " She faltered, and she took a deep breath, looking down. "She matters the most right now."

Sylvie nodded. She could understand that. "Then it's up to you," she said. "Jay, or Hailey . . . or, maybe you can see if you could put both down as custodial guardians. Just make sure you ask first." She grinned. "Or, you know, you could put them down and give them no choice."

Kim snorted. "A little heads up might be smart."

"Yeah, just a little," Sylvie giggled, then called over her shoulders. "Drinks are up!"

"Oh, good," Natalie sighed in relief, hurrying over to grab the ones for her and her boyfriends.

Kim snatched hers, Hailey's, and Jay's, and she scurried away as Hank joined Sylvie. "Everything good?" he asked, looking at Kim in concern.

"All good," Sylvie promised.

"Good," Hank nodded, giving her a scrutinizing look. "And you?" he asked. "I've heard the image Jay has portrayed, but I still wanna hear it from you. You're good here in Austin?"

Sylvie smiled, nodding. "I'm good here," she told him. "I promise."

"Good," Hank nodded. "Because if you say the word . . . the Rangers won't find any trail."

Sylvie giggled. "They might draw the right conclusions, though."

Hank shrugged. "Then we'll see how the Rangers fare against your boys."

Sylvie choked on her wine, and Kelly frowned. "Sylv?" he asked.

"Fine!" she coughed into her arm as Hank clapped her on the back. "I'm alright!"

God, how obvious was she that even Hank Voight was calling her out like this?

***

"Well, it's good to see you and Grace in one piece," Olivia smiled in relief from where the SVU team was gathered for the video call.

"Or two pieces," Fin said helpfully. "You know, since you're each your own person."

Judd laughed as Olivia gave Fin a nasty look. "Thank you. That means a lot."

"We woulda checked in sooner, but this case has been kicking our asses," Amanda nodded, leaning into Sonny's side.

"Yeah, Stone had his work cut out for him," Sonny agreed.

"I assume he got the bastard, though?" Nick raised an eyebrow.

Peter snorted. "Of course I did."

"Never doubted he would," Olivia beamed up at him.

Nick mimed a gag, and Sylvie frowned when she saw TK practically mirror the gesture. "That is a little terrifying."

"You never had them under your watch for four years," Olivia said dryly.

Athena balked. "That sounds terrifying."

"It is," Owen shuddered. "I'm telling you, Carisi learned the best pranks from them."

"Do we even want to know?" Mateo asked in concern.

"I kinda do," Charles admitted, Evie and Isabella looking at the men curiously.

Owen sighed. "Think of this: shaving cream slathered all over the windshields. And the windows. And the rearview mirrors. Inside and outside the car."

Nancy's jaw dropped. "You two did that in New York?" May looked at them, impressed.

"Let's go with New York," TK nodded, Nick's shoulders shaking as he tried to contain laughter.

Eddie, however, frowned. "Cap . . . I didn't see your car outside the house."

"No, you didn't," Owen agreed.

Grace's eyes widened. "They did that today?!"

"Yes, they did," Owen groused, glaring as TK and Nick roared in laughter. "In the morning. It was still dark."

"His face!" Nick chortled; the only thing keeping TK from falling over was how he leaned on Nick, he was laughing that hard. "Oh, my God!"

"Dude!" Buck stared at Nick in a mixture of awe and horror.

"Ay dios mío," Carlos gulped.

Peter, with a very pale face, slowly turned to Olivia. "Never let them be in New York at the same time. I am begging you, Liv."

"Stone, you'd have better luck convincing Owen to quit the fire department," Fin quipped.

"Not happening," Owen snorted.

"See?"

"I'm glad we fly out this evening," Hank eyed his watch. "I don't want them in the same room alone with the Halsteads."

"Agreed," Matt sighed.

"Hey!" Jay protested.

Something chirped on the other end, and Olivia checked her watch. "Well, I'm glad we managed to catch you," she said. "We have a meeting with Chief Garland in ten minutes." She smiled at Judd and Grace. "I'm glad you're out of the hospital. No more driving off bridges if you can, got it?"

"Yes, ma'am," Judd agreed, wrapping his arms around Grace's neck. "Thank you for calling."

"Any time," she smiled.

"We'll likely be in touch again soon," Fin added.

"Don't be strangers!" Amanda grinned.

The entire group waved, then Owen ended the call. "We got more people looking out for us than I realized," Grace smiled up at Judd.

"Yes, ma'am, you do," Athena agreed with a smile.

"Thanks, y'all," Judd looked around the crowded living room. "I mean . . . I know everyone came here for Eddie and Sylvie to begin with, but . . . you don't know what it means that you gathered around for us, too."

"Family of Sylvie's is family of ours," Hank declared.

"Yes, sir," Connor raised his glass in agreement.

"And same with us," Bobby agreed. "After everything you've given Buck, Maddie, and Eddie? Family looks out for each other."

"Well, then," Grace raised her glass. "To family."

"To family," Owen agreed.

"Cheers!" Tommy grinned.

Sylvie smiled, clinking glasses with everyone around her, then turned to Matt and Kelly as everyone broke back into their small groups. "You're heading back with them tonight, too, aren't you?" she guessed.

"We are," Kelly nodded sadly. "Unfortunately, we don't have an infinite amount of leave. We need to save some of it."

"You know, unless you never want us to come back," Matt shrugged, looking pained at the thought.

Sylvie fought to contain the wounded noise that threatened to erupt. "Thank you," she whispered, sniffing and wiping a tear away from her eyes. "For coming out to help with Tim's memorial, for everything after Eddie and I got kidnapped, for staying after Judd and Grace's accident . . . "

Matt reached out and cupped her cheek, wiping away the rest of the tears spilling down her face. "Someone who means the world to me and Kelly once said Chicago shows up for each other," he told her, and Sylvie smiled at the familiar words. "That doesn't change even though you aren't in Chicago now. We'll show up for you whenever you need us."

Sylvie giggled. "Pinky promise?"

"Well, we can't Buckley pinky promise," Kelly snickered. "But if you seriously want us to, I think we can suffer it once."

Sylvie shook her head, still giggling as she moved between the two to hug them. "Best friends ever," she declared.

Kelly smiled tightly, accepting her hug and resting his chin on the top of her head, seeing Matt nuzzle into her neck. "Always will be," he promised.

***

I figured this was the best place for the seed to be planted in Matt's head that maybe it isn't just Sylvie he's in love with. And count on Judd to be the one to plant that seed. I love our favorite cowboy. He and Grace deserved this happiness so much.

This chapter was a little rushed, yeah, but there were more flashbacks than present-day scenes, so there was a lot of original content to include, which pushed me back a little. Good news, though, is that next time, we're back on track! We'll be heading right into "A Little Help From My Friends," and we might start getting into "A Couple Hundred Degrees" as well.

Also, I came to the executive decision that while Sylvie has a bunch of adoptive family members, she lost her birth mother and doesn't get to see her half-sister that often. Therefore, since we know nothing about her father, I've come to the conclusion the golden rule of fanfiction can come into play: "me + fanfiction = me throwing canon out the window."

So whoever Sylvie's father is in canon, it's not the same in this story, and Sylvie is going to be finding she has an older half-sibling by the end of the story. A few hints for you as to who it is: there's a reason Peter and Sonny made that call. They have something in common with Sylvie's half-sibling. And second (which might give it away) . . . the half-sibling is from a show in the three big universes already established (or two, since all the Wolf shows are in the same universe).

Take your guesses! In the meantime, if you like this universe and didn't see the author's note in the previous part, I published a book called "Who Is In Control?" The summary: "Danger Zone, but make it major arcana." If it strikes your fancy, check it out!

graphic by marvelity