••••

AS VICTORIA MAKES HER WAY INTO THE HOSPITAL, Eddie trailing behind her, her eyes glance around the room trying to find Buck. She didn't get much more information out of the man, only the name of the hospital they were at. So, she was internally pulling herself apart as Eddie all but sped them there. Victoria couldn't believe that this had happened, or why it happened. Again, Buck was pretty sparce with his text. Not that she blamed him, Maddie was missing after all. He must be freaking out.

Luckily, she sees a familiar man stood near the nurses desk. A sigh of relief leaves her lips as she starts to make her way over toward him. "Buck?" Victoria calls out, getting his attention. Buck turns at the sound of his name and just by his face, she could tell hes distraught. His cheeks were puffy and had dried tear stains on them, he was nervously rubbing his hands together and he looked like he hadnt slept.

As she quickly rushes to him, she pulls him into a hug without a second thought. Buck was a bit startled but instantly returned it, burying his head into her neck. The scent of her perfume filled his nostrils as he felt her hand rubbing up and down his back as he clung to her. Buck wanted to keep himself together but he couldn't, especially when even just her presence gave him the security he needed to just completely break down.

So he did. He just let it out, holding onto her as he cried, allowing his tears that he had started to hold back since he got to the hospital out. Victoria frowns, hating that he was in so much pain. She only hugs him tighter, one of her hands moving up into his hair to stroke it softly. Its what she liked having done when she was hurt. "Buck, I am so sorry." Victoria says into his ear. She could hear him trying to slow down his breathing, trying to stop his tears but it just came out as a strangled cry, practically gasping for air.

Victoria didn't let go. She just continued to hold him close, not even caring how many minutes went by. She just allowed him to take him time to get everything out before slowly but surely composing himself. And when he pulled away from her eventually, his eyes were red and puffy, the fresh tears lingering on his cheeks as he sniffled. Victoria just lifted up her hands to his cheeks, wiping away his tears but she doesn't pull them away.

"Are you okay?" She asks him, her voice full of concern. Victoria had never seen Buck like this before and she didn't fully know what to do but she knew she could be there for him. She just needed to know that he was all right first. Victoria figured he was the one who found Chimney and that must have not been easy to see him bleeding out.

Buck nods his head but he had to bite his cheek to stop anymore tears from leaving his eyes. It didn't help when Victoria was giving him the most comforting expression, her hands stroking down his cheeks and caressing his jaw. It was just so easy to allow himself to fall back into her arms and never let go.

"I-i can't believe i didn't see this coming." Buck blamed himself. He knew what Doug did to Maddie, he knew she was scared of him. And yet he didn't even think of this happening, of Doug finding her and taking her by force. He felt so stupid. He felt like he was responsible for it.

Victoria only shakes her head, seeing how his eyes had drifted from hers so she just lifts his jaw so his gaze was on hers once more. "No, hey." She denies as she raises her eyebrows. "You're not gonna blame yourself for this. It wasn't your fault, you hear me?" Victoria states, her fingers lingering on his cheeks a little while longer. Buck stares back at her, his eyes softening and she could tell he wanted to say something but he just nods his head.

"How's Chimney?" A new voice interrupts the moment they were having and this causes Victoria to pull herself away from Buck. She had completely forgotten that Eddie was even there. She was just so caught up in making sure that Buck was okay.

Victoria felt slightly embarrassed that Eddie had seen them like that. She didn't want him to think anything of it. She shouldn't be worried about that of all things right now but she couldn't help it. If Eddie said something, if he thought something of them and told someone else, then everyone else would know. Know what? Victoria wasn't even sure herself. But Hen had already teased her enough and this would just add to it.

"He's in the ICU, theres still too much bleeding to go into surgery.." Buck answers and Victoria felt her heart almost stop. She didn't know how extensive Chimneys injuries were, she just knew he was stabbed.

"How bad is it?" Victoria questions, fiddling with her fingers and she saw Buck's face drop ever so slightly.

"Not good." He denies. Victoria lets her gaze move to the floor. She couldn't lose Chimney. Frankly, she couldn't lose anyone else. She didn't know if she could handle yet another person in her life dying. She felt so much loss in her life, she wasn't sure how much she had left.

"Do the police know who did it?" Eddie asks, wanting to know if they had any leads on who would do such a thing. This causes Buck to scoff.

"I know but they won't listen to me." Buck mutters. Victoria furrows her eyebrows as she looks back at him. "It's her husband Doug, he did this." He tells her and Victoria looked slightly shocked. She didn't know Maddie was in such a situation. She felt bad that she didn't see any of the signs.

"She sent divorce papers." Maddie had given Chimney divorce papers when she asked him out on their first date. It was cute honestly. Until it turned into this. Victoria couldn't even imagine what she's gone through.

"And that led him straight to her." Victoria says with a sigh. She would have had to reveal herself to Doug if she wanted a divorce and that meant no more hiding. Buck glances over her shoulder, realizing Eddie had made his way over to Bobby and had left them alone.

"Why did you and Eddie arrive together?" Buck asks out of the blue but he couldn't help it. He was curious. Even though his mind was running at a million miles an hour, he still felt the slight pang in his heart when he noticed they were together.

"Huh?" She almost didn't hear him. But Victoria didnt think that mattered right now. Her and Eddie showing up really shouldn't be what concerned him at the moment. "Oh, it's nothing, he just wanted to talk." Victoria says with a shrug of her shoulders. Buck looked at her knowingly. He wondered if Eddie had actually told her.

"And did you?" Maybe it had gone well and that's why she didn't seem even the slightest bit out of it. But Buck honestly didn't think she would just get over it so quickly. She would at least be a little pissed at Eddie for withholding it from her. But she seemed fine.

"Buck, we really don't need to talk about me right now. We're gonna find Maddie, okay?" Victoria assures him, not thinking her personal life was really that important.

"They won't listen. They said they won't even use Chimneys phone." Buck states, bringing them back to the topic. Victoria rolls her eyes a bit.

"That's dumb." She admits.

"I know." Victoria could see the wheels turning in his head. She could already tell there was a dumb idea forming.

"What are you thinking?" She asks, tilting her head as she crosses her arms against her chest. Buck chews his bottom lip as he glances around before his eyes land back on her.

"If they won't use it, we could." Buck tells her and she raises an eyebrow, a bit surprised.

"We?"

"I-i mean, you don't have to help me--"

"Relax, Buck. I've got you." Victoria says with a gentle smile on her face. Buck cant help but smile back. "I can be the distraction." She tells him and this causes his face to contort into one of confusion.

"Distraction?" He asks her curiously and Victoria nods before starting to unbutton her shirt a little.

"Men get turned on by the wind, it's so easy to distract one." Victoria says with a  light snort, fixing her bra to make her chest look more prominent, the lace showing slightly. When she looks back up, she saw Buck was trying not to look, his eyes practically glued to the ceiling. Victoria smirks as she tilts her head. "Case in point." She teases him. Buck narrows his eyes as he looks down at her.

Victoria just makes her way over to the cop who was guarding Chimneys room.
"

Hi." She says, turning him away from the door so that Buck could sneak past him. "I was just wondering if you could help me with something?" Victoria questions as she gives him a flirty expression, pressing her hands together to look more innocent.

"With what?" He asks, his eyes running over her and she had to resist the urge to gag. Victoria just smirks as she tilts her head.

"So, I have this friend who like totally wants to become a cop but she doesn't know where to start."  Victoria answers him, batting her eyelashes and the man nods, taking a step closer to her. Honestly, shed think being in uniform, hed be a lot less easy to flirt with. "Is there like someone she can talk to or something.? Or even... maybe you can help her? It would be doing me a big favour." She asks him as she runs a hand up his arm.

Her eyes linger on it before lifting to his own. The cop smirks and it made her feel sick because it was the type of look that was basically saying, 'would you blow me if I asked you to?'. Victoria didn't think he was the type to even ask though, just do. "And if I do this favour, what do I get in return?" Fucking pig.  She was honestly glad that Buck wasn't in sight because he would surely blow this whole thing by confronting the officer.

"I'm sure we can think of something." Victoria flirts with a giggle and she saw the way the man's eyes darkened. His hand almost made it's way to her waist but she suddenly backed up when she saw Buck exiting Chimneys room. "Hold that thought, ill be right back." She tells him. Even thought she knew she wouldn't be.

She runs over to Buck, just wanting to get far away from the cop. "You get it?" Victoria asks him and he holds the phone out to her and she sees it's unlocked.

"Yeah, its--"

"You know, detective marks didn't believe me?" They both stop dead in their tracks. Victoria groans as she closes her eyes momentarily before they turn to face Athena who didnt look happy. "He said no one could be that stupid and I said you don't know Buck." Athena states with a scoff as she places her hand on her hip. "He rope you into it too, Vic? I thought you knew better." She says as she looks toward the woman.

"Well, not the first time I've broken the law." Victoria admits as she shrugs her shoulders. Buck looks at her surprised while Athena just cocks an eyebrow. "I mean-- well,  I totally haven't done anything illegal." She denies, rubbing the back of her neck. "Here." She had technically been arrested twice in Chicago but she wouldn't even count the first one because Voight was doing it out of spite.

"Victoria." Athena scolds and Victoria presses her lips together tightly.

"I'll stop talking now." She mutters as she lets her eyes fall to the floor. Victoria wanted to help Buck and she was annoyed they were caught. He was just trying to help his sister and everything was just getting all messed up. Granted, stealing was not the way to go but in their minds in this precise moment, it was logical.

A sigh leaves her lips as she tilts her head back, knowing they were about to get shouted at by Athena.

••••

BUCK WAS SAT IN THE CHAIR, Victoria next to him. He frowns as he glances over at the woman who was just fiddling with her fingers. He didn't mean to get her in trouble as well. "I'm sorry I dragged you into this." Buck apologizes. Vicroria moves her eyes to Buck, furrowing her eyebrows.

"Hey, I chose to help you." Victoria responds as she gives him a soft smile. "But if you want to repay me, buy me a coffee or something once we get Maddie back." She tells him and she could see the way his eyes lit up for a moment.

"Like a date?" Buck asks her curiously. Victoria snorts as she raises an eyebrow.

"You don't know me at all if you think coffee will be our first date." She teases him with a smirk. Buck smiled for maybe a millisecond before his gaze saddened.

"You really think we're gonna find her?" He questions. Victoria tilts her head as she brings her hand to his.

"Of course I do."

She pulls her hand away when Eddie walks over to them, sitting down in the chair beside Buck. "So.... that was a bold move." Eddie points out as he looks at them.

"Yeah, yeah, I know." Buck mutters.
"What were you thinking, Buck? I already got an earful from Athena." He says, his eyes teary as he just shook his head.

"Oh, no. I know what you were feeling, I got sisters too." Eddie points out. He would've probably did the same thing if he was in Bucks shoes.

"If anything happened to Rosie I'd literally murder everyone in this room and then myself." Victoria admits. Eddie just shakes his head as he looks toward her.

"Okay, I wouldn't do that."  Eddie denies and she rolls her eyes playfully.

"I was just trying to cheer him up. I wouldnt actually do it." Victoria says as she nudges Bucks shoulder, although Buck's face remains neutral.

"Still not sure how you thought you were getting away with it though." Eddie admits as he flickers his eyes between them.

"I wasn't worried about that." Buck grumbles, rubbing his face. "It's like, the police have all these rules, you know? Rules that are gonna get Maddie killed." He explains. Victoria agreed with him on that. Majority of the time, police didnt do anything until it was too late. "B-But I'm a civilian. Those rules, they don't apply to me, right?" Buck points out and Victoria couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

"You mean the law?" Victoria asks him and Buck stays quiet. She sighs as she sits back in the chair.

"Then why are you in hospital  jail?" Eddie points out, gesturing to the chair. Buck didn't seem to be in much of a laughter mood though.

"I told Maddie. I said that she didn't need to keep on running, that she could start over here, that she would be safe. That I would keep her safe."

"This isn't your fault." Eddie denies as he leans forward but Buck keeps his gaze down. "What if she had kept running? You think he wouldn't have found her? Only then, she'd be alone." He points out. Maddie would've been found either way, Doug didn't seem like the guy to just give up.

"She's alone now. With him." Buck states. Victoria frowns as she places her hand on his arm. She wished she could do something more to help him but she couldn't exactly make him feel better until they found Maddie.

"I spoke to detective marks, he's not happy with you." Athena says as she walks over the group. Buck nods his head.

"I-I just,--"

"Yeah, you broke chain of custody. You unlocked Chimneys phone without his permission. Marks can't use any of it." Athena tells him.

"I'm sorry. Okay? I was just trying to help." Buck admits. He wanted to find Maddie and he really didn't care what he had to do in order to do that. Victoria flickers her eyes between them before letting out a sigh.

"It was my idea." Victoria says causing Buck to snap his head over to her.

"No, Vic--"

"Yup, it was all me." She states, nodding her head firmly. Buck shakes his head, looking over at Athena.

"No, no, it wasn't. It was my idea." Buck corrects her, not wanting her to take the fall for anything. Victoria crosses her arms against her chest.

"He's kidding." Victoria says. Buck opens his mouth about to say something else bit Athena cuts him off.

"I don't care who's idiotic idea it was." She admits before a sigh leaves her lips. "Okay, let's go. The cars out front." Athena tells him and buck clenches his jaw.

"You're arresting me." Buck mutters as he lets out a scoff. Victoria shrugs as she stands up from her chair.

"Wouldn't be the first time." She admits causing everyone to look at her. Victoria meets their gazes. "Don't look at me like that, it wasn't my fault." Victoria denies and Athena just raises an eyebrow. "The first time. The second time, the cop I punched definitely deserved it." She states with a nod. Bobby shakes his head while Athena narrows her gaze.

"Hm." She hums before her eyes move to Buck. "Not yet. But the nights still young." Athena points out, turning around which makes Buck get up.

"Uh, where are we going?"

"To find your sister. If Doug is Jason, this phone is how we find him. But we gonna need a little help." Athena tells Buck who was slightly shocked.

"I thought you said we couldn't use the phone." Buck points out, looking at Athena with a confused expression on his face.

"No, I said Marks can't use it. This isn't my case. I'm just a concerned friend of the victim." Athena explains to him and Buck can't help the relief that flooded over him.

"Thank you." He replies and Athena just nods her head. Buck goes to follow her but Bobby stops them.

"Buck." Bobby says, catching his attention. "Here are the ground rules. You don't leave her sight, you don't lie, you don't withhold any information from her, you don't break the law, and you don't do anything that's gonna force her into early retirement. You got it?" He explains to the man. Buck bites the inside of his cheek.

"You got it, Cap." Buck responds before his eyes settle on Victoria. "Hey, Vic." He says and she just looks over at him. "Can you, uh... can you come with me?" He asks hesitantly. Victoria was reluctant. Not because she didn't want to help but because she had to think of Rosie, she couldn't just disappear all day. Bobby seemed to know what she was thinking.

"I've got Rosie." Bobby says as he looks at her. Victoria was grateful as she nods her head. "Go." He knew Buck needed her right now and it wasn't like Rosie needed supervision, just a ride from school. Victoria follows after Buck and Athena as they head out of the hospital.

••••

VICTORIA LET OUT A GROAN AS SHE RESTED HER HEAD ON THE SEAT. They had been looking for Maddie for hours and had gotten nowhere until they went to the dispatch center. Who knew they'd be more helpful than the actual police? Actually, Victoria wasn't surprised in the slightest. But she was getting tired of sitting in the car. Especially since Buck was in the passenger seat and Athena was driving.

"Why do I have to sit in the back?" Victoria asks, breaking the silence within the car. No one had really spoken much and it felt odd to be the one to actually speak up.

"It's been hours and you're just now complaining?" Athena asks her as she glanced back the woman. Victoria sits forward momentarily.

"But I do it with a smile." Victoria says, putting a smile on her face and Athena chuckles. "At least I can lay down back here."  She admits, taking off her seatbelt but she saw Athenas eyes through the mirror.

"Don't even think about it." She warns as she narrows her eyes and Victoria just grumbles. "You're a firefighter and yet you dont realize how dangerous that is?" Athena questions.

"I realize it but the benefit greatly outweighs the possible consequences." Victoria admits as she shrugs her shoulders. Athena just sighs, shaking her head before ringing detective Marks to give him the information that they had learned.

"Detective marks." They hear a voice through the car speaker.

"Andy, it's Athena. Listen, you're gonna get a call from Sue Blevins at 911 dispatch. She might have a lead on Doug's location." Athena explains to him and there was silence on the other end for a moment.

"Do I want to know how she obtained this very important information?" Marks asks her and Athena chuckles lightly.

"Let's just call it an anonymous tip and not look any gift horses in the mouth. We'll meet you there." Athena tells him and she heard a sigh.

"Copy that." The phone disconnects and Athena glances over to where Buck was just staring out of the window.

"You're awfully quiet over there, buckaroo." She points out and Buck hesitantly looks toward her, a frown on his face.

"When we get there... what do you think we're gonna find?" Buck asks her causing Victorias eyes to move to him. "I-i mean he threatened go kill her, you know, almost did kill Chimney. What if--"

"No." Athena cuts him off with a shake of her head. "My gut is telling me not to count your sister out just yet. Maddie didn't just rebuild her life, she rebuilt herself. Doug may have her but I don't think he has any idea who he's dealing with now." She explains to the man and Buck nodded his head.

"I don't know Maddie that well but I do believe she'll make it through this Buck. I mean, she can't have survived all this time for nothing." Victoria points out and Buck wanted to be optimistic like they were but he couldn't stop thinking of the worst case scenario.

"I just can't stop thinking of what he could be doing to her." Buck admits and Victoria nods her head slowly.

"You know what she's probably doing?" She asks him and he just looks back at her curiously. "Cutting his dick off." Victoria says with a smirk and Buck groans.

"I do not need that image."

"Why not? Wouldn't you want to cut Doug's dick off?" Victoria asks him, raising an eyebrow. She would if she gad the opportunity.

"I mean, he deserves it but it sends a shiver down my spine." Buck admits as he grimaces a bit and Victoria smirks a bit.

"Ah." She says as she moves forward a bit, resting her arms on the center console. "Don't piss off women, Buck. Otherwise one day you'll wake up and be dickless." Victoria warns in a teasing tone and Buck just shakes his head at her but he couldn't help but laugh.

"Victoria." Athena says, raising an eyebrow.

"What?" She asks as she shrugs her shoulders. "Hey, he's laughing isn't he?" Victoria points out and Athena smiles a bit.

"Do I need to be worried about a future call where you're mutilating multiple men?" Athena asks her in a joking manner and Victoria scrunches her nose up.

"Nah, that's in the past." She denies and Athena looks at her. Even buck seemed slightly taken a back. Victoria snorts. "God, I'm kidding. You should've seen your face though." Victoria teases her with a smirk and Athena just shakes her head before focusing on where she was driving.

••••

BUCK WAS KICKING HIS FOOT ON THE WOOD BENEATH HIS FOOT. They had made it to the cabins where Doug had abandoned the car he took Maddie in. But that didn't mean they were close to where they were. They had hours between them and Buck was worrying that maybe they were too late. He felt a nudge on his arm causing him to look down and see Victoria. "How you holding up?" She asks curiously, concern in her eyes.

"I just want to find her." Buck admits as he shakes his head. Victoria frowns as she nods, rubbing her hand up and down his arm.

"I know." She responds. She wanted to find Maddie as well, mainly because she wanted to heal the pain Buck was feeling. "Hey, Chimney survived the impossible twice and he's still here. Maddie will be okay." Victoria points out. If Chimney could survive, then there was a good chance for Maddie as well.

"Yeah." But Buck didn't seem to really believe it. Victoria saw the way his body deflated as he just looked down at the ground. And she didn't know what to do in that moment.

She wanted to give him some hope, even just the smallest ounce. Victoria wanted to make him smile or even just feel something other than the excruciating pain that was wracking through his body. And that's when something comes into her mind. Something that she was now so sure about, even though she hadn't been a few weeks ago. But a lot had happened between then and now and she was sure. She might have not been then, but she is now.

"Thursday." The words left her lips, more in a fast blurt than anything else. This just made Buck confused as his gaze was brought back to hers.

"What?"

"Thursday. We're off that day." Victoria wanted to hit herself for how awkward she was being. But she never did this. Well, not with anyone she truly liked. Buck blinks, nodding his head slowly.

"I'm aware." Buck responds, still not understanding what she was getting at. Victoria takes a breath, rubbing her hands at her shirt as they turn sweaty, her heart racing.

"Thursday is when you can take me on a date." Victoria tells him. Buck was surprised, barely able to even register what she said as he just stared at her. He didnt even know what to say really. Mainly because most of him was thinking that this was just a joke.

"Are you-- you said that it was too soon to date." Buck didn't want her to just take pity on him. But that wasn't what she was doing at all. Honestly, it was more for herself than it was for him.

"I know." Victoria wasn't sure she was even thinking right now but honestly, she was sick of being scared and self sabotaging her life."But you know what? We've both almost died, Chimney almost twice, Maddie got taken by her psycho ex, I mean shit is constantly happening and maybe I've been terrified to let you in because I don't want to lose you but that's also a stupid reason because I've almost lost you anyways and it would still hurt the fucking same." She explains to him as she shakes her head. Victoria had felt her heart break when Buck was in the hospital and literally any time he put himself in danger. Maybe that's why she freaked out on him so much.

"I mean, I've lost my dad, my friends, Anthony... and practically my love life because I was so sure that if I didn't date anyone, then I couldn't be hurt anymore." Victoria states as she shakes her head. But it didn't work that way. She couldn't avoid pain, especially in this line of work. "But I am hurt." She admits, her voice cracking ever so slightly. "Seeing you in pain makes me hurt. Chimney getting stabbed, Maddie being god knows where--" She stops herself, bringing her eyes down to the ground.

Buck just looks at her, not saying anything. Mainly because he didn't know what to say. He didn't know exactly where she was going with this but he knew it was something she needed to get off her chest. And it was. Victoria thought that avoiding love was avoiding the heartache she felt. But Chimney was attacked and it still hurt all the same. And if something happened to Buck, no matter what they were, friends or not, she would still feel the same amount of pain.

"Life in uncertain. And if I spend the rest of my life waiting for something bad to happen, then that's not really having a life. I've been hiding so much in order to potentially stop another heartbreak instead of living for myself and I... I wanna live." She says, feeling this massive weight lifting of her shoulders as she stared at the man. "I want my life back and I want.... I want to finally allow myself to feel again. To have someone. To potentially fall completely and irritrievably in love with them." Victoria says and she could see the way Buck was looking at her. She already knew how he felt but this was just the validation he needed.

"And yeah, maybe it won't ever be like what i had with Anthony but that doesn't matter. Because it's a new experience, it's a new start." She thought she had to find someone like Anthony, that would give her the same type of love. But that didn't happen. Because no love was the same. You could have numerous soulmates and just because you lose one, doesn't mean you don't deserve another.

"And that's what i need." She says, a breath leaving her lips since she was pretty sure she wasn't breathing the entire time she was speaking. Buck opens his mouth but she shakes her head, covering it with her hand. "Wait, don't talk yet, I'm not done." Victoria admits and he closes his mouth, blinking a few times. She pulls her hand away from him, nervously glancing around before settling her gaze back on him.

"So.." She trails off, taking a deep breath. "We're gonna find Maddie and she's gonna be okay, Chimneys gonna be okay and we're gonna go on a date and it's gonna be awesome." Victoria says with a nod, finally stopping her little rant. And as she stared at Buck, she saw that he was just trying to process everything she spewed at him.

Buck opens his mouth but closes it, just deciding to nod his head. He knew she would kill him if he said anything negative or about Maddie potentially not making it. So he just put his hands inside of his pockets. And truth be told, he had no words that would even compare to anything she just said. "Thursday." He says, feeling the slightest bit of joy form in his chest.

"Thursday." She says with a nod. It seemed to put Buck in a better mood and take his mind off of the hurt he was feeling for even just a split second. "Oh, but I uh... there's one thing." Victoria states and he furrows his eyebrows. "I wanna take things slow." She admits. She might be ready to take the step but she wasnt ready to just jump into it all. She needed to just dip her feet into the water first.

"I can do slow." Buck responds as he takes a step toward her. He was going to suggest anything else anyways, he wanted to go slow as well. Mainly because he didn't want to mess it up. Victoria smiles gently up at him.

"Hey." Athenas voice interrupts them and they step away from each other and glance toward her. "You two coming?" She asks, raising an eyebrow at them. They follow her as they meet up with Detective Marks.

"We found the kidnappers abandoned vehicle nearby so we're looking for a couple. They uh, may have come in earlier looking for a last minute rental." Detective Marks explains to the woman who owned the rentals.

"No, it's been quiet today. Nobody's come in." She denies as she shakes her head. Athena glances around.

"Are these all the properties that you manage?" Athena asks her curiously and the woman frowns before shaking her head.

"Uh, no, those are just the ones we highlight. There's, uh, a magazine inside it has all the listing's." She tells them. Buck sighs as he hoped there wasn't too many.

"How many do you manage?" Buck asks her and the woman seemed to hesitate, not wanting to be the bearer of more bad news.

"Three hundred."

"You're kidding." Victoria mutters before taking a deep breath. Buck was already freaking out and she didn't need to as well. "Wishful thinking. Maybe they're in the first one we check." She says as she looks toward Buck who seemed put off by her behaviour.

"I don't know if I like you being so optimistic." Buck admits as he looks at the woman who smirks at him.

"Too bad, you're stuck with it."

••••

THEY STAND IN THE CABIN THAT LOOKED LIKE IT HAD BEEN RANSACKED. Victoria knew it wasnt a good sign but wanted to keep the positive attitude. "Local sheriff got a report of gunshots. They followed up. Found this." Marks tells them as he gestures around the room. Buck was antsy as he moved back and forth on bus heels.

"Yeah, rental manager says all the lake cabins are vacant. Well,  somebody's been here and they left in a hurry.' Athena points out as she glances out the door.

"It's got to be them, right?" Buck asks her and Athena let's out a sigh.

"Question now is; which way did they go?' Athena states. It didn't matter if they were here or not because they weren't now. They were still a step behind.

"If she's out there and she's hurt..." Buck trails off but Victoria shakes her head.

"Hey, stop with that." She states firmly, pointing her finger at him. "I swear to God, ill hurt you." Victoria warns and Buck stares back at her.

"She will." Athena agrees as she nods her head.

"They're sending more officers and search and rescues on its way. Choppers, dogs. It's gonna be a full court press." Marks explains to him. They would find Maddie in no time. If they weren't already too late.

"I got blood out here!" They hear from one of the cops. Buck doesn't waste a second in running out of the cabin and toward the sound of the voice.

"Maddie!" He screams. Victoria groans as she chases after the man who was all but slipping as he ran through the snow.

"Buck!" She calls out after him. "Buck, wait!" Victoria grabs his arm before he could get much further. "You don't just go running off alone when there's a psycho out here." She points out with a shake of her head.

"She's close." Buck says, desperate to find his sister and she knew that, but she also knew they needed to be safe about it.

"Then let's find her, okay?" She states, grabbing his hand and he nods his head. They begin to make their way down the trail, trying to follow any sort of sign that may lead to where Maddie was. But it didn't take long to see the blood trail and a figure in the distance.

Once again, Buck began sprinting but this time Victoria didn't stop him, because she saw that it was a woman. "Maddie!" Buck calls out, feeling his heart racing at a million beats per minute.

"Buck?!" Maddies voice can be heard. Buck runs faster until he had her in his arms. They both fell to their knees in the snow but neither cared as they had found each other.

"I'm here. I'm here." Buck assures her as Victoria caught up with them, standing behind them and letting them just have this moment with each other.

"I didn't give up." Maddie cries in his arms as she squeezes her eyes shut. Victoria frowns, feeling her heart ache. "I-i didn't give up." She sniffles as her grips tightens on his jacket.

"You did so good." Buck whispers as he holds her close. Victoria hated to break it up, especially since he must be so relieved to have her back. But she could see the blood seeping from Maddies wounds and knew she needed a hospital.

"We should really check her out." Victoria says as she bends down beside them. Maddie pulls away from Buck reluctantly as she shakes her head.

"I-im fine." She responds. Victoria sighs as she did not look fine at all.

"Maddie, you have numerous injuries and I'm worried about--"

"I'm alive. That's all that matters." Maddie states as she looks back at her brother. "I'm here." Her eyes were full of tears. Victoria was glad she was okay but with these injuries, it was honestly hit or miss right now.

"Okay, do you want to stay alive?" Victoria asks her sternly. Buck couldn't help but laugh as he looks toward the woman.

"Where'd the optimism go?"

"We found her, she's safe. It's all gone now." Victoria says as she shrugs her shoulders. Buck raises an eyebrow at her.

"So, you're back to being broody?" He teased her and she just narrows her eyes.

"You seriously want me to cut your dick off?" She asks him and he chuckles, looking down at the snow. Buck then moves his gaze to Maddie.

"Let's get you to the ambulance." Buck tells her and Maddie nods her head.

"First good idea you've had all day." Victoria responds and he playfully glares at her. Maddie flickers her eyes between them, watching as Buck's gaze follows Victoria as she turned to head back toward the cabin. He seemed to notice Maddie looking at him so he just gave her a confused expression.

"What?" He asks curiously. Maddie puts a smile on her face as she shakes her head.

"Nothing." She denies. "I'm just glad you're here." Maddie says as she grabs his hand, squeezing it. Buck smiles back at her.

"I'm glad you're here too." Buck responds, pulling his sister closer and not really wanting to let her go. They just follow Victoria as she leads them to the ambulance, everything back to the way it was supposed to be and the world one step closer to peace with Doug gone.

••••