Chapter 4
2021
The fluorescent lights of the fire chief's office hummed overhead, casting a sterile glow on the polished conference table. Buck sat fidgeting in his chair, the tail end of a tedious meeting dragging on. His mind, however, was miles away, replaying the morning's cheerful goodbye with Carina and Christopher, their excitement for the pier palpable.
He glanced at his phone, the screen illuminating his increasingly anxious expression. He’d sent a flurry of texts a little while ago, each unanswered message twisting the knot of worry in his stomach tighter.
Buck 🥺
hey Cari!!! 👋🏻
downtime is a little later today..unfortunately stuck in a meeting with the chief 😅
1:21
Buck 🥺
uh i tripped eddie earlier today on accident 💀 if he says anything about it being on purpose, you have my side.
hows everything going with you and Christopher?
1:24
Buck 🥺
Carina?
Carina? is everything okay?
1:25
Buck 🥺
Carina Liliana Buckley?!
Are you okay?
Call me please!!
1:26
Eddie noticed the panic on Buck’s face as Buck was looking at his phone. “Buck? is everything okay?” Eddie asked quietly, leaning slightly closer.
Buck’s breath hitched, the question snapping him out of his internal turmoil.“Uh-I-Um I-I don’t know?!” The words tumbled out, a jumbled mess of fear and uncertainty.
Eddie’s brow furrowed, his gaze unwavering. “You don’t panic this much unless it’s over Carina or Christopher, are they okay?”
“Sh-She’s -She’s not answering my messages, it’s spring break!” Buck practically whispered. “They were supposed to be at the pier…”
“Buck, her phone could be dead, there’s many possibilities to why she’s not answering,” Eddie replied, trying to reassure Buck. He reached for his own phone.
Eddie
Christopher? is everything okay with you and Carina?
1:28
He held his breath.
Christopher 🎮
Carina’s hurt dad!
1:30
Buck’s blood ran cold as he read Christopher’s text.
Eddie
What happened, mijo? Are you okay? Where are you both?
1:31
Christopher responded, and chaos erupted.
The wail of sirens grew louder, cutting through the cheerful din of the pier, a stark contrast to the earlier sounds of laughter and excitement Carina and Christopher had enjoyed. Soon, the bright red of Engine 118, followed closely by the flashing lights of the ambulance, could be seen weaving through the pedestrian traffic.
Buck was the first one out of the engine, his face a mask of sheer terror as his eyes frantically scanned the crowd, finally locking onto Carina and Christopher huddled together near the stopped "West Coaster" ride. Eddie was a split second behind him, his expression mirroring Buck's panic.
"Carina! Christopher! What happened?" Buck's voice was raw with fear as he reached them.
"The ride stopped, Buck," Christopher explained quickly, his voice trembling slightly. "And a little kid almost fell out. Carina... Carina saved him, but her legs got squished." He pointed to Carina's visibly pale face and the awkward angle of her legs beneath her.
Eddie knelt beside Carina immediately, his training kicking in. "Carina, can you tell me what happened?" His voice was calm but laced with concern.
Carina winced as she tried to shift. "The safety bar on the seat in front of us wasn't locked right, and the little boy started to slip out when the ride was swinging high. I reached over and grabbed him, pulled him back, but my legs... they got caught between the seats when the ride lurched." Her voice was strained, and beads of sweat dotted her forehead.
Hen and Chimney arrived, their medical bags in hand, and immediately began their assessment. "Significant swelling and bruising," Hen murmured, carefully palpating Carina's legs. "We need to get her on oxygen and assess for fractures."
Buck stood frozen for a moment, the reality of Carina's injury hitting him like a physical blow. He finally found his voice, thick with emotion. "Oh, Cari... I'm so sorry."
"I'm okay, Dad," Carina whispered, trying to reassure him, though her eyes betrayed the pain she was in. "I saved him."
Bobby arrived, his presence a calming force amidst the chaos. "Alright, let's get a clear space here. Hen, Chimney, what do we need?"
As the paramedics worked to stabilize Carina, Christopher stayed close, his small hand holding hers, his eyes filled with worry. The joy of their spring break outing had been shattered in a terrifying instant, replaced by the stark reality of injury and the immediate response of their family.
The ambulance ride to the hospital was a blur of flashing lights and the rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor. Carina focused on Christopher's hand in hers, his small fingers a source of surprising strength. Buck sat beside her, his face etched with worry, his hand hovering over hers but not quite touching, a visible struggle between his protective instincts and his desire to give her space. Eddie rode in the front, his gaze fixed on the road, but Carina knew he was just as concerned.
At the hospital, the flurry of activity continued – nurses, doctors, X-rays. The diagnosis came: a fractured tibia and fibula in her left leg, and a hairline fracture in her right. Surgery was scheduled for the next morning.
Later, as the initial shock wore off and the pain medication began to take effect, Carina found herself alone with Buck in her room. Christopher had gone with Eddie to get something to eat, promising to return soon. The silence stretched between them, thick with unspoken emotions.
"Dad?" Carina finally asked, her voice soft.
Buck looked up, his eyes red-rimmed. "Hey, Cari. How are you feeling?"
"Sore," she admitted, managing a weak smile. "But... okay. I'll be okay."
Another silence descended. Carina shifted slightly in the bed, then asked the question that had been nagging at her. "Dad... when your leg... when it happened... is this how it felt?"
Buck's face clouded over, the memory of his own injury a palpable presence in the room. He reached for her hand then, his grip firm but gentle. "Yeah, Cari," he said quietly. "Yeah, it is. It's scary, and it hurts like hell. But you're strong. You'll get through this, just like you got through saving that little boy."
Carina squeezed his hand, drawing strength from his words. "It made me think, Dad," she continued. "About you, about Eddie, about all of you. About what you do. It's...it's more than just running into burning buildings, isn't it?"
Buck nodded, a flicker of pride in his eyes. "It's about helping people, Cari. It's about being there when they need you most. It's about being a family."
"I want to do that too," Carina declared, a newfound resolve in her voice. "I want to help people. But... maybe not by running into burning buildings."
Buck chuckled softly. "There are other ways to help, Cari. Plenty of other ways."
"I was thinking... Aunt Maddie," Carina said, a spark of excitement in her eyes. "At the 911 dispatch center. I think... I think I want to volunteer there."
Buck's eyebrows rose in surprise, then a slow smile spread across his face. "That's...that's a great idea, Cari. I think you'd be amazing at it."