a stir of trouble

Inside the breakroom at the call center, Maddie and Sasha were seated at the table discussing about the insane call that the brunette experienced. It involved an ex-girlfriend spying on her ex-boyfriend through the cameras of his smart house, let alone the reason she had to dispatch first responders to his home.

Sasha found herself baffled once Maddie finished the story. "They do say love makes you do crazy things." She snorted.

"I wouldn't call that love, more like obsessive behavior." The brunette knitted her brows as small giggles escaped from her lips.

"Well, the only people who are obsessed with me is your brother and our daughter which is all I need."

Amused, Maddie tilted her head at her raven-haired friend. "No stories of crazy exes?"

"Mmm...nope. All good." Sasha shook her head, stabbing her fork into her salad bowl. She took a bite before speaking up. "As much as I feel bad for that guy, I couldn't bear to live in a smart house. And for his ex-girlfriend to have access is quite terrifying."

"You tell me, having a camera in your bathroom seems a little too much." Maddie agreed and then sipped her tea. "By the way, you and my brother are coming over to help babyproof the apartment, right?"

"Of course, but I should warn you that your brother might go overboard."

Maddie laughed, "He might've gone helicopter dad because it was his kid. This time it's not."

"You forget that he might argue that he's a year ahead in parenthood. I love him but he's a control freak when given power." Sasha truthfully told.

Rolling her eyes, Maddie smiled. "I think we'll be fine, Sasha."

"Okay, didn't say I warned you."

Sasha emerged from the kitchen once hearing the happy shrieks exploding in the living room. She stifled a laugh as those shrieks belonged to her one-year-old daughter. She leaned on the open doorway where Buck crawled around the couch while Monet tried to move in a haste after her father. Unfortunately for Monet, Buck had the advantage to oversee the couch to dodge his daughter. Whenever his head peeked out to scare her, the bar of her excitement would increase encouraged to catch her father.

"Feels like I have two babies instead of one here." Sasha mused as Buck decided to end the little cat and mouse game.

He let out a big exhale, sprawling on the floor. "Whew! That was a workout."

Sasha pushed herself off and settle on the couch. "Or it means that you're getting old, honey." She teased, gracing a tiny smirk.

"I am not old!" Buck lifted his head, contorting an offended look.

Laughter erupted from her lips, "Kidding, you are my perfect strong firefighter equipped for anything. Especially, being chased after our one-year-old on all fours." She playfully rolled her eyes at him as her tone was laced with sarcasm.

The couple watched their daughter hovering her father's face where she pressed her lips onto his left eye multiple times. Buck burst out a chuckle, squeezing his eye. "Thank you for the kisses, princess. But would love it if it wasn't on my eye."

"I think she's copying mommy when she kisses your birthmark." Sasha covered her mouth as Monet continued to attack Buck with more kisses.

"Booboo!" Monet shouted causing her parents to laugh.

"No, princess. It's a birthmark. Not booboo." Buck attempted to explain to their one-year-old.

"Booboo!"

Buck dropped his head back on the floor giving in defeat. Sasha tore her eyes away from the humorous interaction between the father and daughter when her phone pinged on the table. She grabbed her phone to see a new text message popped up on the screen.

"Who's that?" Her boyfriend questioned now sitting up with Monet situated on his lap.

Sasha finished typing out her response, "Matthew asking if I could stop by the gallery sometime." She placed her phone besides her on the couch after sending it.

He arched his brow, "Seems like he's been texting and calling a lot."

"Don't tell me you're jealous."

"I'm not. I'm just playing with you." Buck cheekily grinned before lowering his gaze at their daughter immersed with one of her toys. "Besides, how could I be jealous when I got my best girl over here."

"Buck, did you steal the screwdriver again?"

Sasha heard after closing the door to Chimney and Maddie's bedroom behind her at their apartment. Monet rested on her mother's hip playing with the locket worn around her neck. Sasha sauntered down the hallway catching Buck crossing the room to toss Chimney the screwdriver.

"Yeah, this is all yours. I am finally finished babyproofing this house. Here." He wandered towards the window. "Hey, I wonder if we should put some alarm sensors on these windows."

Chimney furrowed in confusion, "You know we live on the second floor, right?"

"And what if the baby tries to get out?"

Sasha rolled her eyes at her boyfriend's rebuttal while placing the diaper bag on the counter and walking to sit on the couch.

"Buck, I said that you could babyproof the apartment, not turn it into an unescapable fortress." Maddie declared to him.

"I just don't wanna underestimate the curious interiority of my nephew."

Sasha looked back at him and scoffed, "As if our daughter has shown any signs of that. Your daddy is crazy, huh?" She cooed to Monet who giggled in response as Buck kissed his teeth and shook his head.

"By the way, we don't know if it's a boy."

Chimney added, "The last ultrasound, the baby was in the wrong position to tell the sex. Maddie said it looked like the baby was mooning them." He emphasized, screwing in the nail to the wooden crib.

"Ah, well, hey, definitely yours then." Buck joked, slapping the man's back. He circled around the crib to confront him. "Well, if it is a boy, I had some name ideas. You know, there's Buck or, uh, Buckley. Kid could be an Evan."

"Really dug deep for those, huh?" Chimney mused.

Meanwhile in the kitchen, Maddie struggled with the cabinet to her frustration. "Seriously, Buck? It's an upper cabinet. How's the baby gonna reach that?" She hissed at him.

"I warned you. Your brother is a control freak." Sasha reminded as she let Monet down on the floor when she began to squirm. She watched her daughter advanced towards Buck who scooped her up in his arms.

Chimney snorted, "Could imagine that he turned the apartment into a prison cell."

"Don't get me started."

"Sorry for trying to make it safe for our daughter." Buck intervened the duo's exchange. He took Monet's hand that rested on his face and kissed it. "Anyways, there's something I need to tell you guys." He looked nervously between Chimney and Maddie.

Without hesitation, the couple turned to Sasha on the couch and said in unison. "Are you pregnant?"

Baffled, Buck casted his bewildering eyes upon his girlfriend. "Wait, are you?"

"No! I'm not pregnant." Sasha's face scrunched up, dismissing that inquiry quickly. "We won't be making that announcement for a very long time." She clarified in a firm tone. More importantly, the last priority to expand her family.

Maddie reverted to her younger brother. "So, what is it?" She handed Sasha a glass of water.

Buck subconsciously grazed his thumb over Monet's hand, taking a sharp inhale. "I started therapy. I'm seeing her professionally. Not personally."

"Okay. But why did you let us assume you were on Facetime with Sasha for most of the time."

"Yeah. Come on. We've all had our turn in the hot seat. It's the cost of doing our jobs. It's not a big deal." Chimney assured Buck that this was a safe space.

"She's not a department shrink. Uh, and it's not about the job. It's...It's about me."

Maddie brows knitted, beginning to feel worried. "What about you?"

Buck shrugged his shoulders, "I don't know, um, just...Just stuff. I mean, everyone has issues, right?"

"Seriously. Hey, maybe instead of college funds, new parents should start therapy funds." Chimney enthused breaking the slight awkward conversation.

"There you go. I know what I'm getting you guys for a baby gift."

"I thought that's what the baby latches were." Chimney retorted causing a faint laugh escape from Sasha's mouth before sharing her ordeal when Buck placed the latches in the kitchen cabinets. While Maddie continued to worry over her younger brother the rest of that little family visit.

Sasha and Buck were back at home in their bedroom. Buck laid back skimming through his phone next to his girlfriend breastfeeding Monet before putting her down for a nap. Sasha sunk back into the pillows and closed her eyes when her boyfriend spoke up.

"Should we cook or get takeout?"

"Probably takeout." Sasha murmured out.

The abrupt sound of knocking alerted the couple.

"Was somebody supposed to come over?" Buck couldn't recall any other plans for the day than helping with babyproofing Chimney and Maddie's place.

"Maybe Albert forgot his keys to the apartment." Sasha assumed, caressing Monet's face adoringly.

Stalking out of the bedroom, Buck answered the door where he discovered Maddie behind it. Her presence merely surprised him. "Uh, didn't I just leave your place?" He observed her storming inside his home.

"Yeah, I just, you know, wanted to come and talk about the therapy thing." Maddie said removing the mask from her face.

"Okay, but I was just at your house."

"Yes, I know, and I thought maybe you didn't feel comfortable talking about it in front of Chimney, so here I am. We're alone now, so, you know, tell me the truth."

"There's nothing to tell." Buck reassured his sister then tilted his head at her. "You know, it's all your fault."

"Wha...what?"

"You called me sad and lonely."

Maddie's face softened, "Evan, that was months ago. And I didn't mean it that way." Their past conversation about Red made her imply that Buck felt drawn because he saw himself in him. Gathering the neglection growing up might've been triggering with Red's life.

"Well, it's the kind of thing that sticks with you. Honestly, you, uh, you weren't wrong." He pushed himself up on the countertop. "I mean, even after I finally got to say my piece to Abby, you know, I thought I'd be better, but I still felt..." He gestured to his older sister to finish.

"Sad and lonely."

"Look, I know I got a great life. A job I love, people I love. A family of my own. A daughter. Just...I just never feel like I can trust it." He admitted, feeling the heavy weight in his chest. ""The world is an uncertain place, Evan. You have to protect yourself." Thanks, Mom and Dad."

"Have you talked to them about this?"

"No. You know how they are."

"Yeah." Maddie whispered.

"Hey, look, this is not a big deal. I'm fine. Just I wanna be finer. For Sasha and Monet."

She stared up at him, "How does Sasha feel about you feeling sad and lonely?"

Buck breathed out a chuckle, "Like an angel from above, she understands and supports me."

"You know that I'm here for you, right? Whatever you need?"

"Yeah. I just don't think this is something you know how to fix." He said, jumping off the countertop.

"Why not?"

"'Cause I always felt like you were sad too."

Something about his comment tugged Maddie's heart because it was true.

The next night at the apartment, Yasmin sitting at the couch swiveled her head upon the incoming footsteps shuffling into the room. Sasha sent her best friend an apologetic expression once breaching the living room. The duo was hanging out at her place for the first time in months while Buck gone to Eddie's likely playing video games with Christopher.

"Sorry about that."

Yasmin waved her off, "No worries, it was nice talking to your grandparents for a bit. Do they usually facetime you before putting Monet down for bed?" She served Sasha a glass of wine.

Sasha accepted the glass then leaned back in her seat. "Like once or twice a week at least. Then there's Athena and Bobby, of course." Due to the pandemic, her communication with her family has been limited to video calls either on the phone or laptop.

"That's so cute of them."

"She is the apple of their eye." Sasha dramatically expressed though her statement was true. As funny as it is, Sasha loved that her daughter will be surrounded by so much of love.

"Can't deny my goddaughter is the cutest baby ever. Don't tell my sister." Yasmin laughed into her glass before taking a sip.

Sasha zipped her mouth with her fingers jokingly. "Your secret is safe with me."

"What about Buckaroo's parents? Do they have a little scheduled facetime sessions with Monet?"

"I would be lying if I said yes."

Yasmin's eyebrows raised merely intrigued. "Did something happened with them?"

"Oh no, we don't really have a relationship, nor do they ask about Monet. I send pictures and they reply that's all." Sasha smacked her lips together.

"But you wished they were more involved."

Sasha exhausted a defeated sigh, "Considering Monet is their first grandchild, yes. The first time we met went well after they came around of the news. Yet, I shouldn't be surprised since Buck has mentioned his parents weren't present in their childhood as he wanted them to be."

"Perhaps, saving face for yours and Monet's sake."

"Well, his parents sounded genuine. According to Maddie, their mom liked me. But I did feel some underlying awkward tension when they were all in the hospital room." She remembered the partial passive aggressiveness between the family of four and forced tight smiles that Buck and Maddie enveloped.

"Oof. Maybe it's a good thing they live on the other side of the country."

"For Maddie and Evan's sake, yes."

Buck joined Chimney in the lounging area of the firehouse where a news anchor described the spread of wildfires that taken place in Texas. Chimney eyes loomed over at the blond as he anticipated to bring up a topic that's been itching him since finding his girlfriend crying on their couch one night.

He picked up the remote and shut off the tv. "I wanted to ask you about something." Chimney spoke up, receiving Buck's attention as he shifted in his seat to face him.

"Okay."

He hesitated for a moment, "This might be a little too personal and none of my business, so you can totally tell me to go to hell..."

"Chimney, spit it out."

"What's the deal with your parents?"

Buck squinted at him with uncertainty. "Uh, what do you mean?"

"Well, you never talk about them for starters, and I feel like I know way more about your sex life than I do about your parents."

The blond shrugged, "Well, that's cause my sex life is more interesting at least...it used to be."

"But seriously, um, Maddie barely talks about them either or to them for that matter." Chimney explained before glancing past his shoulder if anyone was in earshot of their conversation. When there wasn't, he proceeded to further entail Buck. "And the other night I found her all freaked out like something was wrong. She said she was scared of screwing up with our kid. The way your parents screwed up with the two of you guys."

"She said that?"

"Kind of. I mean, she wasn't specific, but she never is. She said that they're not bad people so I'm guessing they weren't abusive?" Chimney presumed.

Buck interjected to clarify. "No, no they weren't. Um, they were just absent you know. I mean, they were in the house. They were cooking meals, washing clothes. Usual stuff. Just it always felt they were a million miles away." The most honest answer that Buck could really say about the relationship with their parents. He reflected the time growing up in that house that appeared to be a portrayal of the perfect family seemed to have a void at the same time.

"Well, that must've been weird."

"Nah, I just figured they liked each other more than they liked us. Well, they-they weren't great with kids." He believed.

"Okay, so, I shouldn't be worried that you guys are hiding some deep dark Buckley family secret from me?"

"Yeah, just your average run-of-the-mill dysfunctional." Buck simply said, shifting in his chair before peering back at Chimney. "Hey, welcome to the family." He grinned.

The two firefighters erupted in chuckles and resumed watching tv.

"Ah, you're welcome."

Buck grinned like a Cheshire cat after dismissing the phone call.

"Now, what kind of trouble did you stir up?" Sasha's voice reeled her boyfriend's attention as she entered in the kitchen. She planted her hand on the countertop and raised her gaze waiting for his response.

"My friend HILDY may have sent Eddie a coffeemaker tonight." He told to which earned him a playful head shake from his girlfriend. Ever since the dispatch call at a man's smart house called HILDY, Eddie has been taking caution in his use of technology due to the targeted advertising.

Playing into his fear, Buck got Christopher in on a prank to send Eddie a coffeemaker that he's mentioned earlier in the week from "HILDY" who suggested several when they were at the house.

Sasha poked at his chest, suppressing a giggle. "You are a menace, Evan Buckley."

"And yet, you love me." Buck smirked down at her then dipped his head for a chaste kiss.

She whispered against his lips, "Unfortunately." Her fingers played with the hem of his shirt. "So, is that all the trouble you're causing tonight?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Because I need you." Sasha graced a mischievous smile while tugging his hand forward to follow back into their bedroom.

Buck licked his lips, trailing after her tracks with ease. "Lead the way." 

-A little cute filler chapter. Also, insight of Sasha's perspective about Buck's parents. Considering Buck and Maddie's parents have been at arm's length with their kids, I would doubt they would make so much effort with Sasha and Monet. Can't wait to dive into their visit. Another thing, Buck feeling sad and lonely is valid despite being happy in a relationship with Sasha. It's more about himself, and Sasha can understand because she's been his shoes with the loss of her parents as well. We've already touched on Sasha in the previous book, of course. Hope you like it! Tell me what you think! Don't forget to vote and comment! Stay tuned!-

WRITTEN: 3/14/23

PUBLISHED: 3/14/23