crushed

Josephine stepped out of the elevator that night where she felt sick to her stomach to come back home for the first time. She gripped onto her keys tightly while walking down the hallway to the front door. Her head leaned against it once she planted her feet in front it. Her fingers drummed onto the leg before sharply inhaling and inserting her key to unlock the door.

The second she stepped inside, there were rose petals paving a way onto the floor. She roughly sighed then followed to the dining room where two set of plates, a bouquet of her favorite flowers, champagne, and a small gift bag on the table. As she crept towards the table, footsteps approached to the room.

"I thought I should surprise you with a homemade meal for our belated Valentine's, instead of taking you out to the most expensive restaurant money could buy for your love." Bryan walked up to his fiancé with a bright grin. His hand instantly reached to caress her face. "What do you think?"

She briefly glanced at the table then back to her fiancé. "It's perfect." She forced out a smile.

The couple sat on either ends of the table during this quiet dinner. Josephine barely made a dent in her food while Bryan shifted in his seat. He attempted to make conversation, however, Josephine utter mid responses. He began to worry, assuming that she might've been nervous about their talk since he just arrived from New York earlier today.

He watched Josephine dropping her utensils and going for a sip of her champagne. She looked up, staring into his brown orbs. "Bryan, I'm only going to ask you one time and please respect me enough not to lie about it. Are you cheating on me?"

48 hours earlier

"Thanks for grabbing the cake, Athena." Josephine offered her gratitude to the older woman for bringing in the celebratory cake to welcome Chimney back from recovery. Everyone part of the 118 firehouse gathered for the special occasion. They were elated to see the man waltzing back on his two feet after the brutal accident.

After helping the woman settle down the extravagant cake, meaning a replicate of Chimney's accident with the rebar stabbed through his head, both women stepped back staring. "No problem, you really meant to take precaution with this cake on the phone." Athena enlightened, narrowing at the brunette as she folded her arms.

Josephine surrendered, uttering a slight giggle. "I wasn't the one who thought this idea. I just called in a vendor to do it. Besides, it was a miracle- a great one to overcome this life threatening situation." She gestured to the crafted cake version of the rebar.

"Damn, that's one hell of a cake." Hen interjected as she paved the way towards the duo and laughed. "Chimney is going to love it."

Bobby and Buck soon joined the women looking at the cake. "Good job on getting the cake, Josie. Who did you call to get this done in time?" Her captain questioned while checking the details.

"The same vendor that's working on my wedding cake."

"Can't wait to see how your wedding cake will turn out." Hen nudged in amusement as Josephine formed a tight lipped smile and nodded before meeting Buck's wary eyes.

Soon the rest of the 118 firehouse appeared to surround Chimney at the table plastering welcoming smiles. Bobby went to grab for the cake on the counter and round the table to place in front of Chimney. "Welcome back, Chim." Bobby said, sporting a hearty grin.

One look at the cake, the corners of Chimney's mouth tugged upward. "Awww, you guys." He scanned around his colleagues who put in effort to not only to commemorate his return yet importance to the firehouse with great hospitality.

"How does it feel to be back?" Buck inquired.

"Uh, beats the alternative." Chimney retorted in a sarcastic tone where he received a ripple of small laughter around the table. "Seriously though everybody, one thing I've realized while I was gone is that I really need you people...like I need a hole in the head!" He exclaimed.

As the laughter died down from the man's corny joke, Bobby spoke up. "This place hasn't been the same without you." He shared in a firm tone. "You're the heart of this firehouse and we're glad to have you back."

In spite of their differences prior to the accident, one thing about the 118 is reminding how valuable their position is here. More so, a member of this family who strive effortlessly in a 24 hour cycle to save the lives in the city of angels.

"Thanks, Bobby."

Athena added from across the room, "Hey, you had a lot of people praying for you. Not just this department."

Chimney elicited a bashful grin, "Well, I think somebody was listening even doctors kept using the word "miracle." I guess if you can have a piece of rebar that's sticking through your skull, that's the way to do it."

"Not even a headache?" Buck furrowed.

A sigh escaped from the guest of honor's mouth, lightly planting a hand onto his shoulder. "Just you, Buck." His remark had the room laughing once again with Hen and Josephine singing out in unison "shade" at the offended blond across from them.

"That's not funny." He frowned.

Letting the laughter die down for the second time, the captain of the 118 firehouse clasped his hands together to speak. "All right. Let's light you up, so you can make a wish." He took out his box of matches that he presumed were full wasn't inside. "Alright, who's got a match?" He poked around at the rest of the 118 members who utter nothing. "Really? Firehouse and nobody got a match?"

Josephine shrugged her shoulders, "Hey, my job was to get the cake." Earning a couple of chuckles from her colleagues before Bobby went to head down for another box.

"So, everyone! This is Abby Clark, she is L.A.'s fiercest 911 operator and she brought cookies!" Buck echoed to the room of his fellow colleagues to the older red haired woman next to him. Everyone broke away from immersing into their conversations and cheered on at the mention of the platter of cookies. Abby sent a shy wave to the rest of the 118 before being guided under Buck's wing down the room.

Josephine scooped a piece of her sliced cake where she and the rest of the party didn't bother to wait for Bobby to come back with a match into her mouth. Her eyes remained intact on the grinning blond bringing Abby to the counter as Athena met the duo to cake more slices of cake. For some reason, seeing Buck inviting Abby- the woman he's mentioned about throughout their shifts recently, itched this new feeling inside of the brunette. It was hard for her to interpret while in the midst of thinking about Bryan and the outcome of their conversation soon to happen.

Well, everything that has happened since that night has encountered weird feelings. Perhaps, Josephine proclaim they're weird in masking the actual awareness of those feelings except she wasn't truthful to herself yet. Again, she already has enough on her plate to think about.

She tore her gaze at the sound of Hen clearing her throat. "What?" She knitted at the woman's amused expression.

"Is there something that I should know about?" Hen's eyes fell onto the blond at the counter then back to the brunette besides her.

"No? Nothing." Josephine declared as she followed her gaze. However, Hen squinted at her not entirely convinced. "Wait, are you implying that...no, Hen!" She looked at her in disbelief to assume the idea or take note to not be that obvious around her peers.

Hen stared at the brunette a bit longer then placed a hand on her shoulder. "Good, so I don't have to remind you that you have a fiancé?" She sternly reminded before humming out. "Mhm...let's go greet Buck's little lady."

Josephine trailed after Hen leaving her side and to the counter to introduce herself to Abby. She took a moment to take a breath and began making her way over there. As she appeared by Hen's side, Athena set her eyes to steady on the brunette as she felt off by her behavior recently. "Josie and I work with your boy here." Hen nodded her head to the brunette. "Glad to know you really exist. He talks about you all the time." She sent Abby a quick smile then stepped away to hand off slices of cake.

"And, I'm Josie." She offered her hand with a warm smile to the woman.

Abby let out a relieving sigh, grasping onto her hand. "Ah yes, I wanted to thank you for helping out by calling in your grandfather to spread the word. I feel forever in debt to you." She fondly expressed to capitalize the impact of the brunette's assistance in search of her mother last week.

"It's no problem. Happy to hear that your mom has been and back at home. How's she doing?"

"Great, thank you for asking. Again, very grateful for you. Buck has talked about you, and I've been dying to meet you." Abby's eyes loomed towards the blond remaining quiet on the side yet gazing at the brunette.

Josephine utters a dramatic gasp, placing a hand upon her heart. "Oh wow, Evan. Lovely to hear you have my name in your mouth. Let alone, Abby seems to like me more than you." She teasingly said to the man.

He rolled his eyes between the teasing and calling by his first name. "Whatever, Josephine." 

She shot him a glare and punched his arm.

"This is why I call them my other children." Hen informed to Abby and Athena at the duo's small banter. Abby couldn't help to let out a laugh as Hen decided to change the subject. "So, where's he taking you? Valentine's day tomorrow." She mused.

Both Abby and Buck struck a frantic look. She shook her head, "We don't have a plan."

"I-I have to work." He stammered out.

Hen formed a perplexed look, "You shift ends at 2, so does mine. I'm going home to my wife." She mentioned then pivoted to pass more slices of cake with Josephine.

Abby nervously laughs out, shrugging. "Uh, we're just being casual. No big deal. It's just a day."

Athena snorted in disagreement, "Yeah, the only day where he's obligated to show you a good time."

"Mhm...what are you doing for Valentine's Day." Abby swerved the conversation from herself and Buck.

She scoffed in response, "Me? Hell, I picked up an extra shift. I'm doing whatever I can to get my mind off of romance for the night."

When Josephine returned, Abby flickered to her with curiosity. "What about you, Josie? I've heard that you have a fiancé?"

Josephine's lips parted to slip out a small giggle, "I'm actually picking up an extra shift as well. Bryan is stuck in New York to deal with the investors for his company. I assume he'll send me something and we'll celebrate when he returns." She pursed her lips and noticed from the corner of her eye of another wary stare from Buck.

"Got an extra spoon to share some of that ice cream?" Josephine had sauntered towards a pouty Chimney accompanied by Bobby at the couch eating a pint of ice cream after handing out slices of cake.

Bobby passed a silver spoon to her as soon she settled besides Chimney. "How's Buck's girl?" Chimney pondered while refraining a bitter tone.

"She's nice." Josephine simply said, scooping for ice cream.

"Oh Josie, are you sure you want to work another shift tomorrow?" Bobby asked.

Chimney formed a puzzled look at the brunette woman. "I thought you would have plans with Bryan?"

She sent a slight frown, shaking her head. "He's in New York for business. Thought I should just take someone's shift that has their significant other home rather than sinking in my couch and watching romcoms with takeout."

"Well, you won't alone tomorrow. You got Chim and I." Bobby enlightened to the woman. Before Chimney and Josephine could wallow into the rest of the pint of the ice cream, the alarm rang within the firehouse to their dismay.

Vanessa broke away from her trance hovering the magazine with her hand hugging the cup of tea at the kitchen counter when Josephine emerged into the room carrying two empty plates. "I tend to forget the energy a three-year-old can have in the morning." She mused as she set the dirty dishes into the sink. "He's been fed and being entertained by Paw Patrol for now." Josephine mentally salutes to the animated dogs serving their purpose by distracting the little minds of children in the mornings.

"If anything, he believes that's what you do out there." Vanessa smirked. "But thank you for coming over. I don't think I would've been able to handle this morning alone with Diego." She brushed her hair back as she appeared tiresome.

"Anything to kill time before my shift later on." Josephine rinsed the plate in the sink before lifting her gaze. "Besides, it's my job as his tía to let you breathe for a moment. I don't understand why you're not resting in bed like I told you to."

Vanessa waved her offer, drinking her cup of tea. "I'm fine, Josie. It's not like I'm sick or anything."

"You look a little under the weather to me. Seriously Vanessa, go nap for a little bit." Her younger sister insisted. "I'm sure you'll feel better before your date with Calvin. What are your plans for tonight anyways?"

A laugh escaped from Vanessa's lips, "You should already know by now that Calvin likes to keep me clueless." Speaking about her husband who manages to blow her away with spontaneous surprises from Valentine's Day, birthdays, anniversaries. Calvin continues to declare his devotion to his wife since the beginning of their relationship, so genuine and heartwarming to witness.

Sometimes Josephine finds herself a bit envious in spite of gagging at the cliché romantic moments.

"Of course," Josephine dramatically sighed out, drying her hands with a dish towel. "Maybe this time you'll end up with kid #2." She teased as her nephew Diego was a prime example of a Valentine's Day date.

As if it wasn't cliché enough to conceive a child on the supposed love centric holiday.

"Very funny." Vanessa let out a humorless laugh, sending a glare. "Calvin and I decided to wait until Diego is five to try for another baby."

"So, who's watching Diego tonight?" Josephine leaned on the counter for a strawberry displayed on the plate.

"Mom." Her sister answered. "Speaking of mom, you should discuss about the wedding because I'm tired of playing middleman for you two. Plus, it's not my wedding."

Josephine groaned, "Come on, Vanessa. You already know how it'll play out and why I can't have one civil conversation with her." She narrowed while prickling another strawberry. "One minute it'll seem smooth then the next arguing about my job. Which is why you play the middleman, so she doesn't feel left out in the wedding planning."

"What about the day we went dress shopping and picking out your dress?"

"I'm sure mom set her feelings aside to not make me upset."

The eldest Santiago sibling briefly nodded, proceeding to push the needle of encouragement. "Well, that's a good step. Maybe, if you try and sort everything out-"

"Vanessa, don't you think I've tried?" Josephine narrowed after cutting her sister off. "She has made it clear that she will never accept my job as a firefighter. The woman stopped talking to me until it came to the news of my engagement. Every time we have a conversation, she brings up that my life as a firefighter isn't for me. She proposes to work in the family business every time. As if our relationship wasn't straining before." She roughly argued, raking her fingers into her brown locks reminiscing those distressing conversations.

"At least she approves my marriage with Bryan, seems like I'm doing good enough for her. I just can't deal with one-on-one time with mom and examining the wounds of our relationship." There would be so much to unpack that Josephine doesn't have the time to battle one ordeal to another compiled in her life. "Glad that one of us has good relationship with her to communicate in this family."

Seeing the clear pleading expression spread on her sister's face, Vanessa surrendered. "True. I'll continue to play middleman."

"Thank you." Josephine shared a thankful smile before her phone started ringing in her pocket. One glance at the caller, she waved her phone to Vanessa. "I should take this."

She stepped out into the hallway, "Alexis, hey."

Alexis Tanner is someone that Josephine crossed paths in their first year of college. It was an accidental friendship yet one to be grateful for the universe to let it happen. The blond stumbled on the drunk sulking brunette alone outside. Like confiding with other drunk girls in the bathroom at the club- Josephine found herself telling her whole life story with Alexis.

Josephine had been forced to come to this party because of Bryan and her perky roommate Whitney, who is actually Lucas' wife. She lost or ditched them to be alone as she planned. Except the part where she impulsive chugged an immense amount of alcohol. Fortunately, Alexis being a little stable of the two took her back to the dorm and attended to her side for the rest of the night.

From there, the rest was history as that night became the foundation of a genuine friendship.

"Just finished a surgery, decided to check up with the spare time that I have. How are you?" Alexis asked on the line.

The brunette let out an airy laugh. "Thriving, I guess. Working 24-hour shifts and saving lives per usual. What about you, miss New York?" She teasingly remarked, Alexis had moved to the East Coast about two years after offered a positioned as a registered nurse there. Especially to be there when her mother was sick at the time.

"Could say the same. Any Valentine's Day plans with Bryan tonight?" Alexis enthused. She had always poked at Josephine throughout college about Bryan prior to the now engaged couple's relationship.

"Unfortunately, not. He's in your city for business trip that got extended. So, I'm working another shift tonight."

"If you need me to find him and send his ass back to you, I'll do it." Alexis opted, hilarious as it sounds- she wasn't kidding.

Josephine waved her friend off, "It's fine. He's coming back in two days anyways."

Josephine jogged down the steps in search of her captain later that night. She peered around and walked inside the locker room where Bobby and Buck stood. "Hey Bobby, you got a call from the chief." She quipped, gaining the attention from both men.

Bobby thanked her before patting Buck's shoulder and wishing him luck on his date. Once he left, silence carried between the two. Josephine found herself marveling at the blond man dressed out of his uniform and into a fitting suit.

Deciding to break the silence, Buck spoke up. "Hi."

"Hi." Josephine whispered out, folding her arms upon her chest.

He cleared his throat, "Um, how do I look?" He anxiously grinned at the brunette, hoping for a positive response as the internal nerves were hitting.

Josephine blew through her lips as she furthered inside the locker room. "I'm sure Bobby has already answered that for you, but you look handsome." She braced a small smile.

"Thanks, I feel like I might screw up."

"First date jitters?"

Buck exhausted a sigh, "Well, I'm a sex addict-"

"Self-diagnosed sex addict." Josephine corrected, rolling her eyes at his self-diagnosis. "Look, you're a promising guy- one that Abby is willing to go out with. So, just be yourself and talk to learn more about her. The good qualities that you'll find insightful and vice versa." She simply advised him.

"And, what good qualities do I have?" Buck questioned.

Josephine groaned out, "Do I really have to spell it out for you?" Seeing the desperation spread on his face, she proceeded to answer his question for his satisfaction. "For one, you're a good listener. You have a good heart from your job to caring about others close to you. You're always there for anyone that needs you. Then there's that stupid grin of yours which can be quite charming. Very simple yet few important qualities that I believe Abby likes about you." She rambled on while slowly pacing in the room.

When she finished, her eyes lifted to meet the smirk creeping on Buck's face. "So, you like my smile?"

She bit down her lip and shook her head, "You're unbelievable." She walked up to him, fixing his tie.

Buck swallowed thickly at the closeness, although fought off his grin at the brunette fixating on his tie. "How are you and Bryan? Did you two-"

Josephine paused as her hands gripped onto flaps of his suit to straighten out. "We've talked a little bit but will when he comes home." She assured by looking up at him.

Despite the uncertainty and concern, Buck shortly nodded. "Hey, you're going to be okay. I'm here for you." He reminded.

"Luckily, I'll be working this shift to help get my mind off for a bit." She spared a half smile.

Bryan swallowed the thick lump of guilt down his throat before raising a remorseful gaze at Josephine. It is seen in her glossy eyes that she knew the answer. His lips parted while his hand gripped onto the glass.

"Yes."

-I had this planned out into one chapter but along the way changed it up for my liking. So, the next part will carry into the following chapter. Hope you like it! Tell me what you think! Don't forget to vote and comment! Stay tuned!-

WRITTEN: 5/21/21

PUBLISHED: 5/24/21