thirty five
"the end"

—

AND LIFE AS THEY KNEW it began once Evan Buckley and Evelynn Kennedy realized they were perfect for each other, perfect together. They made each other the happiest either of them had been, in a very long time.

   "Evan Buckley, this is the fanciest restaurant in town."

   Lynn gazed over her shoulder from staring at the wonderful and stunning restaurant sign, towards her boyfriend standing a few feet behind her. He took a step forward and snaked his arm around Lynn's waist, tugging her body even closer to his.

   It was their one year anniversary, and Buck had insisted on doing the absolute best for the love of his life. First thing in the morning, Buck had surprised Lynn in their shared bed with humongous pancakes and grilled bacon. Secondly, they gave each other their gifts; where Lynn had gotten Buck new sweats, a new watch, and a new pair of work boots. And Buck had gotten Lynn a sexy matching pair of bright red lingerie; his favorite color on the woman, along with a beautiful charm necklace, where inside the locket was a picture of everyone she could ever care about.

From Buck to Lizzy, Hen to Chimeny, Bobby to Eddie. It was Lynn's welcome back party to work after she was injured in the earthquake last year, and it was truly one of the best days of her life.

"That's because you, Evelynn Kennedy, deserve only the best," Buck explained to his love, leaning down a bit to plant a kiss softly on her forehead. Even after being with Buck for a year, she would still blush under his touch, she hoped she would never stop getting those butterflies.

But they still, just like every other couple, would get on each other's nerves as if the opposite was the most annoying, terrifying, and complex person they had ever met.

"Wow! Once again, Evan Buckley is the most jealous man!"

Lynn huffed out in annoyance as she swung her arms up in the air aimlessly, onto to have them fall back to her thighs. She glared harshly at Buck standing away from her, leaning both palms on the wooden table as he sucked in a deep breath.

"Do you even see the way guys look at you? Especially when you dress like that?" Buck shouted, pointing towards the black shirt that Lynn was currently wearing; it was a bit short, to be honest, but it was still her decision whether or not she wanted to go out with it.

She had only gone out clubbing with her girl friends; Hen, Maddie, the newest girl at work named Meghan, and a few that they invited along. It wasn't like she had purposely went out like this to gain males attention, it just so happened that every man started to drool as soon as they landed eyes on Lynn. Buck had heard about this, and was furious she even went out in the first place, saying anyone with a boyfriend shouldn't be out clubbing.

"Oh, so you're saying I'm dressing like a slut? Is that what you're getting at?" Lynn growled through gritted teeth, and she rose both her palms to push Buck's shoulder angrily, making him stumble a foot or so backwards. "I'm surprised, I mean, didn't you used to love fucking girls who dress like this?"

"You need to get over yourself, Evelynn," Buck snapped, his upper lip curling in anger as he tried to adjust his now fumbled shirt. "I'm not saying you're dressing like a slut, I'm just saying you shouldn't go out dressed like that because someone might get the idea—"

"—You're so full of shit," Lynn murmured sourly, and she just let out a puff of breath as she folded her arms over her chest.

And with that, Lynn grumbled more words under her breath as she aimed towards her bedroom in the apartment. She left Buck in the kitchen, who had a hand through his now growing out blonde locks. Lynn slammed the bedroom door shut, and Buck took it he would be asleep on the couch tonight.

Even through all their differences, Lynn and Buck would always try their best to work things out, and they always did. They were happiest, together.

   "Buck, what are we doing here?"

   Lynn cautiously stepped over the now flat land, but a few years ago, this would've been the hue skyscraper hotel that crumbled under the weight of that 7.1 earthquake. It was demolished after everything, and no one had yet to buy the land and remake something out of it. So, now, it was just an empty patch of cement where the occasional pops of gras growing through the cracks.

   "I wanted to take you here, here, out of every place...to do this."

   Lynn stopped moving in her steps, and she glanced over her shoulder with curiousity covering her face, however, that was short lasted as she gasped loudly at the sight. She sobered her mouth with both palms, and could feel the way her eyes were glossing over.

   Evan Buckley was on one knee in front of her, where his hands were held out in front of him with a dark black jewelry case; inside, a gorgeous looking thin band with a small diamond in the center. Lynn switched from the stunning piece of jewelry upwards to Buck, still covering her mouth in shock.

   "I chose here over some stupid fancy restaurant or some cheesy park because, Evelynn Kennedy, this was the place where I realized just how much I loved you," Buck began, where at first his voice was a bit shaky but he soon grew his confidence. "Because, Evelynn Kennedy, this was the place where I thought I was going to lose you, I thought I was going to lose the girl I cared so much for, my best friend, my soulmate. Because, Evelynn Kennedy, this was the place where I realized I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you, where I get to see your beautiful smile every morning, and hear your contagious laugh, and see the tears pool up when we watch a sad movie."

   Lynn now had a tear or two slipping down her cheeks as she stared with nothing but utter love towards Buck.

   "So, Evelynn Kennedy, will you do me the honor of being my wife?"

   Lynn didn't even hesitate, not for a single moment. Because everything that Buck had just said, she felt the exact same way.

   "Of course!" Lynn erupted, jumping forward with blurry vision as she wrapped her arms over Buck's shoulders. "Of course I'll marry you."

   They were honest with each other, that was the key to their relationship. To any relationship, really.

"Maddie, I-I don't know if I can do this..."

Lynn sniffled a bit as she rose her wrist to wipe her nose, and she glanced up with glossy eyes towards the brunette woman. She had such a sympathetic expression covering her face, and she gently placed a warm hand on Lynn's thigh.

Currently, the two were in Lynn's bathroom where Buck and Chimney had taken a 'boys night out'. Lynn was happy, though, because she needed Maddy's support through the whole event.

And what event, you ask?

Well, Lynn had been throwing up on and off throughout the past two weeks or so, and there were certain smells that would just tip her off in the wrong direction, like the tuna fish sandwich Hen had for lunch the other day or the rice and bean dish Eddie brought in for dinner for everyone. She wasn't necessarily concerned diver that stuff, figuring she could have just caught a stomach bug, but after she realized she was overdue for her period for nearly a week, she knew there was a chance.

There was a chance that Evelynn Kennedy was pregnant, pregnant with none other than her longtime boyfriend, Evan Buckley.

"Evelynn, you can do this. I know you can, you're one of the strongest people I know," Maddie stated warmly, giving her a reassuring squeeze on her thigh. "I'll be just outside the door, and you can call me in whenever."

Lynn slowly nodded, and with that, Maddie left the girl on her own in the bathroom where the two pregnancy tests were resting on the sink counter. After conducting the business needed for both of the tests, Lynn shakily placed both of them back on the counter while she started the countdown on her phone.

Lynn was now twenty nine, where Buck had now reached thirty-one; and they had been dating three years and married for almost six months. It wasn't as if having a child was terrible timing, in fact, Lynn always knew that she would want a kid, and Buck had also said something similar. But it was the fact that this was a complete and utter surprised because it wasn't like they were purposely trying to get pregnant.

When Maddie had given birth to her and Chimney's daughter, little Emily Buckley-Han, she always mentioned that motherhood was the absolute best thing that happened to her, not to mention both Hen and Eddie always said that having kid was an amazing thing.

The more she thought about it, the more...calm, Lynn became. Sure, finding out of the blue that she could be pregnant is terrifying, but it could be a blessing in disguise.

Startling her thoughts, Lynn's phone had started to ring out along with buzz on the counter, and she quickly switched off the timer as she sucked in a deep breath. She slowly peeled open her eyes as she hooked her fingers around the plastic, and a smile crept onto her face as she recognized it.

She was pregnant.

Life went by faster than ever before; now that Buck and Lynn were parents. Lynn gave birth to a beautiful baby girl named Lyra Buckley on April 1st, 2022 at 3:42 am. And of course, since Lyra was born on that special day, they just knew they would have their hands full.

   "Lyra Elizabeth Buckley! You have to share!"

   Lynn rolled her eyes dramatically as she spotted her oldest daughter, now reaching nearly five years old, where she had just stolen a play soccer from Emily, who cried out in annoyance. She glanced over to Maddie sitting beside Chimney a few yards away at a table, who only let out a laugh as Emily stormed after Lyra with the ball.

   Buck and Lynn had now moved into a house, it was a beautiful choice, truly. Nothing too big where they would lose their minds in the halls, and nothing too small where their children wouldn't have their room to grow.

   Did you reread that? Children? As in plural? Don't worry, you did read it right.

   After Lyra was born, Lynn and Buck went on to have two more children afterwards. Their second child, who had now reached three years old, was named Levi, who had earned Buck's softest blonde hair. And the third, the youngest, had turned out to be another girl; Luna, who was cooing softly in Lynn's arms, throwing her arms up a bit in the air.

   Lynn had quit working at LAFD once Luna was born, knowing that she wouldn't want her children having the same image of a cruel mother like Lynn had, so she sacrificed her work for her family.

   And it was one of the best things to happen to her.

   Not to sound like a basic housewife, but this was the life Lynn always secretly wanted. A lovely family, an amazing husband, and the greatest friends she could've asked for.

   That didn't mean Lynn had stopped with her career; instead, she shifted her focus back towards arson—the best thing was that she could work from home, and keep an eye on her little ones. She was just recently promoted to commander of her office, as well, where Buck had just received the title of an officer a few months back.

Lynn almost flinched when she felt a hand suddenly creep onto her shoulder, but instantly relaxed once she recognized Buck taking a sit down next to her on the wooden porch.

"How's little Luna? Oh, how's my little girl?" Buck cooed, watching his as he raised his slender finger towards Luna's tiny fingers, where they instantly wrapped around his. "She's got your eyes, can you believe that? How lucky she is."

Lynn smiled towards Buck as she took him in for a moment. His once bright blonde hair now had a few select grey hairs growing through, not that it was heavily noticeable. Of course, just like any growing person, Buck had now formed a few wrinkles under his eyes, along with his forehead. He still had his towering frame, though he did mention once he was terrified that he would shrink as he got older.

"I love you, Evan Buckley," Lynn blurted out, grinning like she had won the biggest prize at a carnival.

"And I love you, Evelynn Kennedy," Buck responded, just as giddy and happy, and he leaned forward to place a quick peck on Lynn's faint pink lips. "Sometimes it feels as if I'm living in a dream."

"Hm?" Lynn hummed, carefully turning her body while still holding Luna in her arms. "How so?"

"Because I have the most beautiful wife and children in the world, a job that I genuinely enjoy, and a great group of friends," Buck explained, wrapping an arm over Lynn's shoulder as he pulled her body closer to his warm one. "I am the luckiest man in the world, you know that?"

"And I'm the luckiest woman in the world, you know?"

The wife and husband laughed together as they spotted Levi struggling to keep up with the two older kids, Lyra and Emily, and Lynn let the widest of smiles take over her face.

They were happy.