••••

ROSIE WALKS INTO VICTORIA'S HOSPITAL ROOM, stopping in her tracks when she notices that Victoria was out of the hospital gown and was zipping up the bag Hen had brought for her. Furrowing her eyebrows she glances around the room. "What are you doing?" Rosie asks her curiously. Victoria glanced behind her momentarily before letting out a small sigh and grabbing the bag off of the bed.

"I am going home." Victoria admits, not wanting to spend another day in this god forsaken room.

"Vic, you know you have to stay here for observation." Rosie retorts. It wasn't like she had a small fall or she broke her leg, she was electrocuted and suffered multiple cardiac arrests.

"I've been here for weeks, Rosie. I'm tired and I wanna sleep in my own bed." She states as she tilts her head back lightly. At this point the pain from her burns had become second nature for her and she was just desperately awaiting her own blankets in her own home.

"Your burns still need treatment and they need to monitor your heart--"

"I can do that myself. Plus I have a whole bunch of first responders around me in case something goes wrong." Victoria points out as she moves over to grab her shoes.

"Did you even ask the doctor if you're allowed to leave?" Rosie asks, raising an eyebrow. She didn't get a response though. Rosie rolls her eyes as she turns and exits the room, luckily seeing Buck and Eddie walking down the hall. "Can one of you talk some sense into her?" She questions as she places her hands on her hips.

"About what?" Eddie asks curiously.

"She's trying to leave." Rosie admits with a sigh. Buck and Eddie both make their way into the room while Rosie just shakes her head and walks in the other direction to go find the doctor.

"Vic, I know you want to go home but that isn't in your best interest right now." Buck denies as he notices her putting her shoes on.

"I think I know what's in my best interest." Victoria admits with a roll of her eyes.

"You're still healing." Eddie says. He knows being couped up in a hospital can be draining and boring, but in this case, it was much safer for her.

"I can heal at home."

"Why don't you come stay with one of us then." Buck suggests. At least then they would be close by incase she needed anything. Victoria scoffs as she seemed annoyed by the idea.

"And have you treating me like I'm broken glass? No thanks." She mutters. Eddie looked a bit confused by her comment.

"Vic, no one's treating you like that." He denies but clearly he wasnt paying as much attention as she was.

"Everyone is!" Her voice was loud which she didnt mean but she was just frustrated with everything. "You think I don't see it, but I do. Hen and Chimney are constantly doing check ups on me, you two are here every second that you're not at the firehouse, Rosie keeps running to you when she thinks I breathe funny and Bobby will barely even come near me." She explains to them as a tear escapes her eyes.

She loved them, she did. But she felt suffocated. And it didn't help that Bobby was avoiding her now. She didn't understand what she had done. Ever since Athena had been hurt, he had stopped visiting her, only popping in when the whole group was here or when Athena drug him with her. Victoria was confused and hurt by the fact that he wouldn't even so much as look at her.

"I may be confined to a hospital bed but I'm not blind." Victoria denies and Buck hadn't meant for her to feel that way. They were all just wanting her to be okay and to make a full recovery.

"We all just care about you and want you to be healthy, baby." Buck admits, bringing his hand to hers but his heart breaks when she flinches away from him.

"Please don't call me that." Her voice was nearly inaudible as it cracks lightly. Buck seemed defeated by this while Eddie seemed to be the only one keeping a steady head.

"Our offer is still on the table, you know that." Victoria hadnt given them a clear answer but with the way she was being a bit hesitant around them, she was most likely just trying to come to a decision. "Whenever you're ready to let us in again." Eddie assures her. Victoria closes her eyes momentarily before bringing her hands up to cover her face.

"He still won't return my calls." Victoria denies and they were both quiet. They knew who she was talking about. Majority of the days they visited, she was leaving voicemails for Kelly, trying to contact him. "Gabby says he's still not back at 51. W-what if something happened or-- or what if he did something? All because of what happened, all because of me." She cries and Buck was quick to shut that down.

"Hey, no. Do not blame yourself for this. You had no idea this would happen and you were grieving, Vic. You were not in a good place yourself."

"I just wanna go home." Victoria leans forward, her hair falling over her face. Buck frowns as he looks toward Eddie, having a silent conversation with the man.

"Okay." Eddie agrees, nodding his head a bit as he softly rests his hand on her knee. "Okay, we'll take you home." He tells her as she just leans against him, squeezing her eyes shut as she softly sniffles in the silence that forms between them.

••••

"SO, YOU HAVE ALL OUR NUMBERS IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY, MADDIE PICKED UP SOME GROCERIES FOR YOU, ROSIE IS STAYING HOME WITH YOU SO IF YOU NEED ANYTHING--"

"Hen, I'll be fine. You don't need to stress about it." Victoria denies with a slight laugh, crossing her arms against her chest. Hen didn't seem to really listen to her though.

"Your dressing needs to be changed twice a day-- if you need help you can call either me or Chimney. Make sure to keep your fluid intake up and if that monitor so much as beeps, go to the hospital." Hen explains to her and Victoria absentmindely nods her head as she just rested against the island. "Are you listening to me?" She asks, placing her hands on her hips.

"Yes, mom." She teases back and Hen rolls her eyes playfully. "Now, can I relax in peace without all of you hovering around me?" Victoria asks, moving her gaze to the group gathered by the door. Hen simply turns toward Rosie.

"Take care of her. If it so much as beeps--"

"Take her to the hospital." Rosie finishes, nodding her head and guiding her toward the door. Buck stays back a bit, looking toward Victoria.

"Are you sure you don't want me to stay with you?" Buck asks her gently.

"Oh, I'm not a good caretaker now?" Rosie asks, raising an eyebrow and Buck just glanced at her, giving her an annoyed look.

"I'll be fine, Buck." Victoria assures him, grabbing his hand and giving it a squeeze. Buck nods before heading out the door with the others. Once they were all gone, Rosie just leans against the chair.

"So, are you two back together now?" Rosie asks her curiously and Victoria just moves toward the grocery bags.

"What? No."

"Sure seems like it."

"He's just looking out for me."

"Mhm, that's why you two are being all touchy."

"We still love each other, Rosie. That never changed." Victoria denies. Rosie just crosses her arms against her chest, not getting the logic behind that.

"So why aren't you back together?"

"I was just electrocuted or did you forget that?" She asks, raising an eyebrow and Rosie scoffs as she rolls her eyes a bit.

"Oh please, that was weeks ago and he's been by your side ever since." Rosie points out. There was definitely loads of time to kiss and makeup. "You're telling me there's been no exchanging of lovey dovey words or kisses of any kind?" She accuses, squinting her eyes at her sister.

"Can we just unpack this, please?" Victoria asks, gesturing to the bags as she desperately wanting to not talk about this.

"Changing the topic is an instant yes." Rosie points out, moving over to the bags, beginning to take somethings out.

"What about you and Jake? How are things going with that?" Victoria asks, moving things off of her own love life.

"Fine." Rosie mumbles as she puts the bread away. Victoria stops what she's doing, giving a pointed look.

"Rosie." She says in a stern tone. Rosie sighs as she just runs a hand over her face.

"We broke up."

"What? When did this happen?" Victoria asks, shocked that she was just hearing about this.

"A few weeks ago." Rosie says simply as she sits down on one of the stools.

"And you're just telling me this now?" She accuses, placing a hand on her hip.

"You got electrocuted, remember?" Rosie says, raising an eyebrow. Victoria sighs as she sits down next to her sister.

"Rosie, you could've told me." She admits. Victoria didn't want her to be going through shit alone just because of what happened.

"It wasn't that big of a deal." Rosie denies and Victoria frowns. She wondered why she wasn't making this a big deal.

"Did he do something? If he did something, I swear--"

"No, it was mutual. We just figured we were better off as friends." Rosie admits with a small sigh. The truth was she didn't want to break up but Jake had explained that he didn't want to hold her back while he was figuring out his feelings.

"Oh, okay." Victoria says with a small frown. She hated how Rosie dealt with her first break up alone but at least she was saying something now.

"Tamara and May are together now, did you hear?" She asks curiously and Victoria scoffs as her eyes widen. She knew they were flirting and May would gush anytime someone brought Tamara up but she had no idea that had confessed it to each other.

"No, what the hell? Why does nobody tell me things?" Victoria asks in a grumble, crossing her arms against her chest and Rosie laughs a bit. "So, you're a senior next year." She points out. It's crazy how they were already at this point in her life.

"Yeah." Rosie let's out a big sigh as she rests her head back.

"Still becoming a lawyer?" Victoria questions, knowing that was what Rosie had set her sights on for a while now.

"Maybe." She says with a shrug of her shoulders and Victoria furrows her eyebrows.

"Maybe? You change your mind?"

"Just weighing my options." Rosie admits and Victoria nods her head slowly.

"Why don't you weigh them while making me a sandwich." Victoria suggests with a smile on her face. Rosie rolls her eyes playfully as she gets up from the couch.

"Right away, milady." She says in a posh voice, doing a little bow and Victoria just throws the pillow at her causing them both to fall into a fit of laughter.

••••

THE TEAM WERE WASHING THE FIRETRUCK, it had been a pretty slow day and Bobby decided to get some chores done around the firehouse. Which was clearly everyone's favourite task. Hen sighs as she feels her phone buzzing in her pocket and when she takes it out, she can't help but roll her eyes. "Okay, I think Rosie is overutilizing her power now." Hen admits as she shakes her head. Eddie looks amused as he raises an eyebrow.

"What did she send you now?" Eddie asks curiously and Hens jaw clenches as she reads it out loud.

"Vic ate a slice of toast, vic walked to the bathroom, vic let out a heavy sigh." Hen just puts her phone away as she became quite annoyed while the others laugh.

"She's technically doing what you asked of her." Buck points out and Hen didn't seem all too impressed as she looks toward him.

"Very funny."

"I've been meaning to ask buckaroo, what's going on between you two?" Chimney questions as his eyes go to Buck who seemed a bit taken aback and confused.

"What do you mean?" Buck responds, sharing a small look with Eddie before bringing his gaze back to Chimney.

"Did you guys get back together?" Hen asks, also having the same question since her and Chimney had talked about it.

"No, we haven't."

"Really? Could've sworn I seen you two holding hands." Chimney admits, shrugging his shoulders.

"I was comforting her." Buck corrects and Eddie smirks to himself, being presented with an opportunity and honestly, he couldnt pass it up.

"So kissing is now a method of comfort?" Eddie asks and Buck was flabbergasted as his eyes snap over to him. Chimney and Hen both share shocked expressions as they hear the reveal.

"What?" Hen's voice was loud.

"You two kissed?" Chimney asks as he raises his eyebrows at Buck.

"Thanks for that, Ed's." Buck grumbles, sending the man a dirty look. Eddie just gives him a thumbs up, chuckling underneath his breath.

"No problem, Buck." He responds.

"When did you kiss?" Hen asks, wondering why she hadnt known about this.

"It was a fews weeks ago, it was nothing." Buck denies and Chimney let's out a scoff.

"Right, we're still acting like your weren't going to propose to her?" Chimney asks him, raising an eyebrow. Buck glares over at the man before narrowing his eyes.

"Maddies been acting weird, how's your relationship going?" He retorts and Chimney's face turns pale, his eyes widening like saucers.

"It's fine, we're fine. Why did she say something?" Chimney asks quickly and Buck wasn't actually expecting an answer but it just made it all the more suspicious.

"No.... was she meant to?" Buck questions slowly and Chimney forces out a laugh.

"Nope, nothing, nada." He denies, shaking his head. "Do you think foods done? I think it is." Chimney was quick to make his escape while the others just share a glance with each other.

"He's hiding something." Hen tells them and that was obvious for everyone.

"Definitely." Buck says with a scoff as he shakes his head. Hen follows after Chimney and when Eddie does the same, Buck is quick to stop him. "Kissing is a form of comfort?" He asks, raising an eyebrow as he narrows his gaze a bit. All Eddie does is smirk as he tilts his head slightly.

"Hey, I'm just saying what I saw." Eddie responds, raising his hands up in defence before sending a wink toward Buck and turning back to head toward the stairs. Buck bites the inside of his cheek but he couldn't help but chuckle as he shakes his head and starts to walk behind him.

••••

BUCK CLOSES THE DOOR QUIETLY BEHIND HIM. It was pretty dark in the apartment other than a few lamps on and he could see the figure of Victoria laying on the couch. He walks across the floor, the floorboards creaking slightly. As he bends down in front of her, he simply lifts his hand and softly brushes her hair out of her face. It didnt seem like she was in much of a deep slumber as her eyes fluttered open quite easily.

She seemed a bit startled until her eyes landed on Buck, relaxing soon after. "Hey, sleeping beauty." Buck says with a small smile on his face. Victoria was a bit confused on why he was here but she smiled back nonetheless.

"Hey." She responds, rubbing her eyes a bit. "What are you doing here?" Victoria asks, although she didn't mind as she moved ever so closer to him.

"Brought you something." Buck admits before bringing the bag from behind his back in front of him to show her. Victoria gasps as she felt her mouth just watering at the sight.

"You didn't." She says as she takes it from him, opening it up to see what was inside even though she already knew what it was. It was the soup dumplings from one of her favourite restaurants. She didnt even know he remembered it. "These are on the other side of town, Buck. You didn't have to do that." Victoria denies, a small frown forming.

"I wanted to." Buck says with a shrug of his shoulders. "Plus Eddie drove so i didn't waste gas." He says with a chuckle. Eddie dropped him off since he had to go pick up Christopher but said he would swing back soon.

"How sweet." Victoria says with a playful roll of her eyes before taking a deep breath. "They smell so good." She admits, closing her eyes.

"Want me to warm them up for you?" Buck asks her curiously.

"Yes, please." Victoria says with a soft smile. He takes the bag from her and starts making his way to the kitchen. Victoria bites her bottom lip as she slowly moves to follow after him.

"Buck, why are you here?" She asks curiously as she leans against the island. Buck puts the container in the microwave before turning to face her.

"Can't I come see you?" He retorts and she simply fiddles with her fingers as she looks down at the ground.

"You can, but clearly it's something more." Victoria points out. Buck makes his way over to her, leaning beside her as his eyes gaze down at her.

"Maybe it's that simple. Not everything in life is complicated." Buck tells her. Victoria stares at him, nervously moving back and forth on her feet. Her eyes drop slightly, staring at his lips for a millisecond before returning to his eyes. Buck does the same thing before leaning in and kissing her softly.

Victoria felt herself falling all over again. It's like everytime Buck kissed her, she was brought to some magical place that made her swoon even more. That made her just completely lose her train of thought, the only thing on her mind being his lips on hers. But she suddenly moves back, her hand against his chest as she turns her head slightly to the side. Buck opens his eyes, a bit confused.

"We shouldn't." Victoria denies as she presses her lips together tightly. Buck sighs a bit, tilting his head.

"Vic, you know Eddie adores you. You know I...." Buck lifts his hand to her cheek, stroking it. "You know I love you." His voice was gentle and she all but melted at it. But she forced herself to move back a bit.

"It's not that I don't know that, Buck." Victoria admits with a small sigh. Buck furrows his eyebrows but he sees the look in her eyes. The shame, the hurt, he just wanted to take that all from her so that she could finally allow herself to heal.

"You think you don't deserve it?" He asks her softly and she just nods her head slowly, her eyes moving to her hands. "That won't stop either of us from wanting to make you happy." Buck denies. He wanted to be with her, he wanted to be with Eddie. They both just wanted to see her smile again.

"You and Eddie deserve each other." Victoria tells him and Buck couldn't help but look away from her for a moment. He just grabs her hands, moving her an inch closer to him.

"Look me in the eyes and tell me you want me to walk away from this, from us." Buck says, gazing down at her. Victoria forces herself to meet his eyes as he hovered over her. "Say the word and I'm gone." She wanted to let him go. To allow him to find happiness with Eddie. But as much as she wanted to force that out of her mouth, her mind wouldn't let her. Because she knew that wasn't true. She wanted what they had. She wanted what they made together and she wanted to love Eddie and Buck both gave her.

Buck didn't say anything else, simply waiting for an answer as his eyes bore into her own. Victoria felt them getting closer and closer ever so slowly. She wanted to give in so badly. To accept the comfort that they were willing to give her. She just needed her heart to just let it happen.

"Something smells good." Rosie's voice brings them apart as they all but jump away from each other. Victoria brings her hand up to her hair as Buck rubs the back of his neck. Rosie glances between them, having noticed the close proximity. "Oh, sorry." She apologizes and Victoria could see the smirk on her sisters face. "Am I interrupting something?" Rosie asks them, already knowing the answer.

"Uh, no--nope, you're all good." Victoria denies, clearing her throat as she moves even further away from Buck.

"I should go." Buck suggests as he points to the door behind him. Rosie just tilts her head as she watches the man. He stops by the door as he opens it. "Just think about it." He says, glancing back toward Victoria for a second before leaving.

"Think about what?" Rosie asks as she raises an eyebrow at her sister, a mischievous glint in her eyes. Victoria just gives her a blunt expression, already knowing of the teasing that was about to ensue.

"Get the bowls, will you?"

••••

VICTORIA WAS AWAKEN BY THE SOUND OF HER PHONE BUZZING. That stupid buzz had annoyed her for the past few days. She adored her friends but she was so close to turning it off if they continued with this. Turning over in her bed, she reaches for it tiredly. "I swear to God Hen, if you're calling me at three in the morning." She mumbles as she squints her eyes slightly to see the number. But to her surprise, it wasn't Hen. It was someone who she had been trying to reach for the past few weeks.

Her eyes widen as she sits up a bit, quickly pressing answer and bringing the phone to her ear. "Kelly?" She asks, her breath hitching in her throat. The other line was silent but she was praying that he would say something. That it was really him. "Hey, are you there?" Victoria questions, rubbing her hand along her thigh as she impatiently waited for a response.

"Hey, Vic." His voice comes through the phone and she feels a weight being lifted off of her shoulders. He was alive and he was actually speaking to her.

"Kelly, oh my god. I've been worried sick." Victoria tells him, bringing her hand up to rub her face. "Where have you been? Why haven't you been answering anyone's calls?" She questions, wanting to know what he was thinking by running off and not telling anybody. Granted, that's what she did but at least Bobby and Hen knew that she was safe.

"I've just been away, that's all." It was a vague answer but Victoria didn't expect anything more honestly.

"Where are you now?" Victoria asks him.

"Back in Chicago."

"Chicago, that's good." She says with a small sigh, nodding her head. "I'm glad you're okay." Victoria states.

"I didn't mean to worry you." Kelly denies. Victoria closes her eyes momentarily.

"Kelly, why did you just run off like that? Gabby has been calling me non stop, the whole house thought you were dead."

"I just needed to clear my head." He admits. Victoria knew why, it wasn't a mystery and she hates that she was the reason for all of this.

"Kelly, you know I don't blame you for what happened. You know that, right?" Victoria asks him, needing to hear a yes from him otherwise she would constantly say it until he believed her.

"I kissed you, Vic. I messed up everything."

"We were both drunk and grieving. And you didn't mess up anything. It was all me." Victoria corrects him. They had both been guilty and if anything, she was the most guilty one between them. What she did was inexcusable and he had nothing to do with that.

"You overdosed Vic." Kelly points out. His voice cracks slightly and she hated that he blamed himself for her actions.

"I was using before you even showed up and the reason ... it was my own self doubt, Kelly." She admits. It was silent for a moment.

"I'm so sorry." He apologizes as she could only shake her head even though Kelly couldn't see her.

"Don't apologize." Victoria denies. "Everything is fine, okay? I'm okay. I'm back home, I'm safe." She assures him, not wanting him to worry anymore.

"You're in the hospital?" Kelly asks, knowing that from the numerous voicemails that he had finally listened to.

"I'm out now. Just had an accident on a call." Victoria would explain it all to him later, right now, she just needed him to know that she was okay.

"I should've answered sooner, I shouldve--"

"Stop blaming yourself. Seriously, I will fly to Chicago and personally beat some sense into you." Victoria states, some playful banter in her tone but she was mainly serious.

"I'm sure Buck would love to do that." Kelly says and most of the time it would be in a joking manner, but Victoria knew Kelly believed he deserved that.

"Buck doesn't hate you, Kelly." Victoria says with a sigh. "He understands now." Sure, there would probably be some awkwardness for a while but Buck knew that it was just a drunken mishap that lasted all but two seconds.

"I'd probably still allow one good hit in." Kelly admits and Victoria couldnt help but laugh at that.

"I'm sure he'd take you up on that." She states as she brushes her hair back momentarily.  "I'm glad to hear your voice." Victoria tells him. She was glad he called her, it saved her the hastle of doing it multiple times a day.

"Yeah, you too."

"Now, call Gabby. I'm serious. And get back to work." She threatens, not needing the whole firehouse continuing to call her asking if she knew where Kelly was yet.

"I will." Kelly assures her. "I'm just glad you're doing okay now." He admits and Victoria smiles gently.

"I am." As well as she could be at the moment at least. She still hadnt fully come to terms with the fact that she may never be a firefighter again. "I love you, Kel, you know that." Victoria says, needing him to know that nothing had changed between them.

"I love you too." With that, the call was ended. Victoria simply stares ahead at the wall for a moment before bringing her phone down from her ear.

Hearing his voice again, knowing he was okay, that was enough for her. Because after everything she's lost in her life, she can say that she still has him, that she still has her best friend. Even if the world had tried to break them apart. Even when they had both done things to hurt the other without meaning too, they knew that they still had each other.

Because they had to. Because that's what family did.

Maybe Eddie was right, you can't control everything in life. You can't just allow the universe to swallow you whole just because you don't believe you deserve what it's giving you. She's been given a second chance. She didn't know why. She didn't know what she did to get it, but she had it. And she was not going to waste it.

Not when she had a chance of truly being happy again.

Looking down at her phone, her finger hovers over eddies contact for a moment before she opens the messaging. Typing in one singular word that would seemingly change everything.

Yes.

••••

AUTHORS NOTE;

I don't know if I should do a time skip to season 4 or not.... what do you guys think? Also I'm running out of gifs for vic so... I'll have to be creative. 

Sorry for the long wait!!