Bobby Begins Again.

chapter thirty , Family Time

a/n : back to our regularly scheduled program

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"Jesus Christ."

"Don't say the lord's name in vein, sweetie." Amara walks past her youngest daughter. She lightly touches Amaya's curly hair before grabbing her mug.

"Mom, did you see the news?" Amaya grabs at the remote and turns it on. "Guys, look at this."

Emery pries her eyes away from the medical bills and looks at the television screen. The news was reporting another firefighter kidnapping a couple states away from them. Emery raises her brows, "The Firesnatcher strikes again..." she purses her lips. "They named dude 'The Firesnatcher'?"

Amaya turns to Emery. "You've gotta promise me to be safe."

"Right, be careful from 'The Firesnatcher'?" Emery snorts, she pushes her glasses up and looks back down at the papers.

"I'm serious." Amaya's voice was stern.

Emery looks back at her sister's worried expression. She slumps her shoulders, giving in and sighs. "Yeah, okay, I promise I'll be safe." She gives Amaya a soft smile. Amaya's shoulders sag with relief.

Emery looks back at the papers.

"Emerson, you really don't have to do this..." Elijah sits next to her with a heavy breath. Emery turns to her dad and slides him the plate of food. "Eat." She urges him.

"You're one to talk." Elijah quips, causing Emery to laugh softly.

"Besides, I don't mind." She murmurs. "I'm here for the weekend, so the least I could do is help out."

"What about your job?" Amara asks, sipping her mug.

Emery inhales a breath, "My captain cleared me to take the weekend off."

"The same Captain that's been fired?" Amara laughs into her cup.

"Amara, please..." Elijah sighs, his eyes falling shut.

Amara's jaw clenches and exhales through her nose. "All I'm saying is why trust a man who isn't being. Truthful on his records?"

"Bobby had a good reason, all right?" Emery retorts. "Now, can I please just..." she motions back to the papers.

Amara huffs and walks around the table. Emery closes her eyes and exhales through her nose. Her relationship with her sister and father were great. But her relationship with her mother...not so much. It's always been that way, even when she was younger.

"Bobby's a good man, mom. You may not see that. And that's because you don't know him." Emery voices, she pounds numbers into the calculator.

"I'm late for work." Amara brushes Emery off. "I'll see you all later." She kisses Elijah. She then walks over to Amaya, cups her face, and kisses her forehead. Amara makes her way over to Emery and hesitates. And it didn't go unnoticed by the eldest daughter.

Amara wraps an arm around Emery and pulls her into her side. "I love you, Emery."

"I love you too, mom." Emery voices, her eyes never leaving the papers.

"Oh, Amaya. Do you need a ride to Tori's?" Amara turns to the youngest. Amaya slightly opens her mouth, "Oh, well, actually...Emery's taking me. She asked me last night."

"Oh. Of course she did." Amara looks at the ground.

"Is that okay with you?" Amaya asks.

Amara slightly opens her mouth. "Oh, yes. I'm fine with it—of course!" She waves a hand. "I need to get going. I love you all and will see you later."

Emery raises her brows and sighs. "She's obviously not fine with it." She then chuckles. "I really don't mind either way. She could've taken you."

"It's not my fault you just prefer my driving." Emedy gives her sister a cheesy smile.

"Actually...I prefer dad's driving. You and mom both have road rage."

Emery snorts, "I don't have road rage. I just happen to critique people on their driving skills a lot louder than the average person."

"So...road rage?"

Emery clicks her tongue and nods. "Yeah, yeah. Road rage."

☆

Past

"$20 goes in. $100 pays out."

"What's the over-under?" Chimney asks.

"I got six weeks." Hen says.

"Give me four...on credit." One of the firefighters speaks.

Hen scoffs.

"I gotta run to the ATM."

Hen laughs, "Boy, I'm gonna eat your lunch, and you better pay up. Cause I know the bookie and she's a madwoman."

"Sal, you in?"

"I give him one week—tops." Sal states. "Guys from like, Nebraska."

"Minnesota, actually." Emery walks over to them, her clipboard in hand. "And you guys seriously shouldn't be betting how long he's gonna be sticking around, I mean...what if he's head for a while and—Boom! You guys are on his shit list?" She wags her pen. "I'd hate to say I told you so..."

"You never hate to say I told you so." Sal voices.

Emery points her pen at the man, "Fair point, Sal."

"Listen," Hen throws an arm around Emery's shoulders causing her to grunt. "We've had, like, six captains in two years. We're like the Island of Misfit Toys for retiring brass. Might be nice for someone to stick around for a while."

"You're holding a pool, right now, Hen." Emery turns to her friend. "Do you really want him to stick around?"

"It never hurts to make some extra cash." Hen winks.

"Look, all I'm saying, the barn burns down or the road needs salting. Sure, guys a rock star." Sal says. "Fire at the fair, news at 11:00. But L.A.'s gonna look like Mars to this Podunk. And we're fresh out of training wheels—"

The fire engine begins to blare, causing all the firefighters ti jump. Emery snaps her eyes over to the engine; a scream leaving her lips. A man hops out of the engine and her eyes widen. "Oh, dear god, he heard everything." She whispers. "I'm gonna pee."

"But you didn't say anything bad about him." Chimney looks at her.

Emery swallows as the man walks over to them. "I know that, it's just how the others talk reflect how we are as a station—together." She sighs. "We're screwed."

"You're also out of half the supplies that should be stocked on this truck."

Sal winces and so does everyone else while Emery gasps. Emery always trusted the firefighters enough to finish the chores she assigned them. But now, she was gonna be on their asses.

"You said you stocked those!" Emery points her pen in Sal's face.

"So..." Bobby rummages through his pockets. "Give me the odds on lasting longer than one or all of you." He puts the money in the box Hen was holding. Bobby walks away from the group of firefighters.

"Briefing in five!"

Emery keeps her starstruck eyes on Bobby and a smile finds her lips. "He's so cool!"

"Yeah, right!" Sal laughs.

Emery turns on her heel and looks at Sal. "He had no trouble reprimanding you guys and telling you off. So I'm gonna go with, he's the coolest man to ever walk this earth."

"Stingy meets Stingy." The man besides Sal murmurs.

"If stingy means my work ethic keeps us organized, then in stingy as hell." Emery turns and walks away.

"Hey, Sal. Lay off our girl, okay?" Chimney looks at them. "She needs a distraction and that clipboard her distraction."

"She wants us to treat her like Emerson. Not some broken toy." Sal scoffs. "I'm respecting her wishes."

"If you don't know by now when Emery's lying. Then you don't really know her at all." Hen sighs. "Look, this clipboard gives her a sense of control. Control that was taken from her when..." she trails off her sentence. The group of firefighters got quiet, thinking about the call that involved Emery's wife. It was one of those calls that would always stick with you for all of the terrible reasons.

Hen forced herself out of the gut wrenching thoughts. "We have to help her get through this and if that means supporting her crazy admiration for this new and possibly permanent Captain. Then that's what we're going to do, right?"

Emery's entire attitude to life made a full 180 after Helena died. But that didn't mean the 118 cared for her any less.

"We'll help her. Any way that we can." Sal nods his head.

"She may be a walking migraine. But she's family."

Chimney laughs at the comment, but quickly stops when he sees Hen glaring at him.

☆

Present

"Is this okay?"

Elijah softly chuckles and nods. "It's fine, Emerson."

Emery stops fluffing his pillow and pulls her hands back. She fidgets with her fingers and tilts her head. "Okay, well..." she looks around. Emery grabs at the remote control. "Did you want to watch something? We can watch something."

"I'm actually kind of tired."

Emery blinks, "Uh, yeah, of course." She shakes her head. "I'm sorry, if I'm bugging you."

"No, Emery. You're just being helpful and trying to keep yourself busy." Elijah touches her hand and pats it. "Which you shouldn't be doing. You should relax. You have to be in the car all day tomorrow basically."

Emery bites the inside of her cheek. She looks at the empty spot on the couch besides her father. "Can I sit with you? If not, I can go upstairs, I don't mind."

"Emerson, have a seat."

Emery lets out a small breath and nods. She sits down with perfect posture. Her hands were in her lap and her jaw was clenched. "Emery, can you please relax? You're making me tense."

"O-Okay..." Emery exhales a slow breath through her nose and awkwardly slumps her shoulders while sinking into the couch. She then turns her head to her father and he looked at her. Simultaneously, they both erupt into laughter.

"As you can see I don't know how to relax." Emery scratches the inner corner of her eye.

"You've always had that problem." Elijah wipes at his nose. "I think it's the way your mother and I raised you. Not very well, if I'm being honest."

Emery frowns, "At least you can admit it, right?" She shrugs her shoulders and looks down at her fingernails. "But mom..."

"Your mother is...she's different." Elijah starts. "The way she was raised—she means well."

Emery slowly nods her head. "She's your wife. You have to defend her." She bites her lower lip. "But I'm also your daughter, dad."

Elijah looks at Emery and his eyes soften. Emery opens her mouth and sighs. "I don't think...mom likes me."

"Emerson...that's not true."

Emery softly scoffs, "Right." She looks away from him. "You know what? Forget it, okay? I'm gonna go for a run or something..." she stands up from the couch.

Elijah inhales a breath, "Em, wait."

Emery stops and scratches the side of her neck. She turns to her dad and tilts her head. She doesn't say anything, she just waits. Because anything she would say is going to be brushed off. So, why try? Why try and ask for help? I'm not going to get it.

"Have you ever...told her this?"

Emery straightens her back. "N-No."

"You should." Elijah nods. "Because...maybe you guys might have a lot more in common than you realize."

Emery pulls her brows together. Did that mean what she thought it meant? Before Emery could ask her father to clarify, the door opens.

"Honey's I'm home!" Amaya marches in. She looks at the two sitting down and she wrinkles her nose at her sister. "What are you doing?"

Emery holds her arms up, "I'm relaxing."

"Well...stop that. It's making me uncomfortable." Amaya shudders and walls over to her dad. She kisses him on the head and plops down on the couch. "So, what are we talking about?"

"Oh, right. We were talking about this new book we read." Emery says.

Amaya raises her brows, "Oh, seriously?"

"Yeah, it's called 'none of your business'." Emery snaps her fingers and points at her little sister. "And the author is 'this is grown folk's business'."

"Oh, is that seriously how you're playing this?" Amaya shoots her brows up.

Emery nods her head, "Uh huh."

"Well, I'll have you know—I am now a high school graduate on my way to Princeton. So, hah! I am a grown folk and as for the mind my business thing..." Amaya folds her arms. "Well played."

Flashback

"Today was a gnarly day."

Emery lets out a huff, "Yeah, how's that for a first day, huh, Captain?" She turns to the quiet Captain.

Bobby lifts his head and looks at the group of firefighters. "Yeah, today was...different."

"Welcome to L.A." Hen presses her lips into a smile. She looks at Emery. "You ready?"

Emery inhales a breath and grabs her bag. "Yeah, I'm ready." She slips her bag onto her shoulders. "Where's Chim—"

"I'm here! I'm here!"

Emery and Hen turn to Chimney. He makes it over to the two and places his hands on his hips, trying to catch his breath. Emery holds up her watch and Chimney nods, "I know, I know." He nods. "But, I had to take a shower."

The three walk out of the fire station together.

"That shower was like 30 minutes long." Hen states. She then points at him. "You're wasting water."

"How am I wasting water? I was using that water to get every crevice and every hole!"

Hen and Emery groan. "Oh, god—are you kidding me?!" The woman in glasses dry heaves.

"Pretty in detailed, Chimney." Emery clicks her tongue. "But I'm glad that I know you clean yourself thoroughly."

"Thank you, Em."

"You can clean yourself thoroughly without wasting so much water, though." Hen shrugs.

Emery nods her head, "Agreed."

"I can never win, when you guys are together." Chimney shakes his head.

Emery softly giggles. And she grips the straps of her black backpack.

"So, Em..."

Emery raises her brows and turns her head to her friends. "Yeah...?"

"How are you doing?"

They all get to the car and stop. Chimney and Hen wait for Emery to give them anything about her mental health. It never went unnoticed to her. Emery knew that the station was talking about her, wondering what went through her mind when she would stare off into the abyss. Emery never talked about herself. She was always so quiet now.

Emery looks at the ground and let's out a breath. "I'm hanging in there, guys."

"If you need anything—"

"I'll let you guys know." Emery nods. She looks between them and a timid smile forms on her lips. "The rides to work together help."

"I knew they would." Chimney says.

Hen's mouth opens, "What? You thought the idea was weird!" She nudges Chimney. He slightly opens his mouth. "What?!—I did not!" He turns to Emery and she arches a brow. Chimney's shoulders drop and he nods. "Okay, I thought it was a little weird."

Emery chuckles, "But you're here now." She sucks in a sharp breath. "That's all I care about."

"I'm grateful to the both of you." Her eyes move from Chimney's to Hen's. The two firefighters smile, "Awwww group hug—"

"Nope. Nope. Nope." Emery rounds the car and gets into the backseat.

Hen and Chimney look at each other. "It'll happen one day."

...

"He really liked how I polished the pipes?!"

Hen laughs softly, "Yeah. He did."

"What were his exact words?" Emery leans forward.

Hen rolls her eyes, a smile on her lips. "He said the pipe cleaning didn't meet his expectations, it exceeded them."

Emery bunches her shoulders and squeals. "I think I'm gonna have a heart attack."

Chimney and Tommy walk over to the two girls. "You guys ready to head out?"

Emery slightly opens her mouth. "I actually have to get home." She looks at her watch. "Yeah, I was planning on cleaning my place."

"Cleaning it like as in...?"

Emery swallows the heavy lump in her throat. "Looking through Helena's things—yeah."

The three firefighters look at each other. "Well, we can help you. You don't have to do it alone—"

"No, stop. It's something I have to do...by myself." Emery waves her hands. "It's been...5 months now."

5 months and 12 days...

Emery blinks and presses her lips into a small line. Hen looks across Emery's vacant face. She had eye bags that were darker than normal, her clothes were still steamed to perfection; but she still looked tired. It makes sense, Emery still slept on the couch instead of the bed she shared with Helena.

"Em, you know we'll help you, right? With anything." Chimney says, searching her eyes.

Emery looks at the three firefighters and she starts to grow uncomfortable from the attention. Her face grows hot. "Yeah, I know." She gives them a small smile. "Thanks, you guys. If the Captain decides to join tell him I'm sorry I couldn't join."

Emery then gives everyone a small wave before leaving the station.

Present

Emery entered the house and was greeted with a panicked voice. It caused her heart to drop because she instantly recognized that voice as her sister's. Emery sets her bag down and walks through the house. Her heeled boots are rushed as they click against the hard hood floor.

"Maya? Kid are you—"

She opens the door and sees Amaya sitting on the bed with her hands over her face. Emery looks over at Tori and raises her brows. "Uh, hey...what's going on in here? Everything okay?"

Amaya takes her hands off her face, tears cascading down her face. She looks over at Tori and sniffles. "Fine. We're just...talking."

Emery slightly opens her mouth. Just from the way Amaya said it, sounded like it was the talk. "Oh..." she looks back at Tori, who's eyes were red rimmed. Emery looks at the stroller and softly exhales. "Did you want me to—"

"Could you, please?" Tori manages a small chuckle. She takes Emmett from the stroller and hands him to Emery. The girl softly smiles and holds Emmett in her arms. "Hey, Emmett, let's go play in the front room, okay? Yeah? Let's go!" Emery goes to leave, but before she does; her eyes shift between the couple.

Emery was left with Emmett for almost 30 minutes. They were both sitting on a fuzzy blanket that was splayed on the ground. Emery watched as Emmett laid on his back with his foot in his mouth. A smile spreads across her lips and she huffs.

"I'm sure they're just having a difficult conversation that every couple has." Emery speaks. She lightly touches Emmett's foot and shakes it. He lets out a squeal before giggling. Emery softly laughs as well. A pain then starts in her chest and she picks Emmett up. She holds him out and they stare at each other. Emery keeps her shaky brown eyes on Emmett's hazel forest green ones.

A small but quivering breath leaves her lips and tears fill her eyes. When she held Emmett she thought about everything that she has lost. Everything she wouldn't be able to experience. It hurt to think about and yet it's the thing she couldn't stop thinking about. Emmett reaches a hand up and lightly touches Emery's face. A small laugh mixed in with a cry escapes her lips.

"Oh, you really want to see the waterworks, don't ya?"

The door to Amaya's room opens and Tori comes out with Emmett's stroller and new tears wetting her face. Emery stands up with a Emmett in her arms. "Hey, Tor..."

Tori looks at Emery and softly lets out a breath. She wipes her tears and manages a weak smile. "Hey, Em." Her eyes look at her son and her eyes soften. Emery hands Tori Emmett and the girl begins to cry harder than before with her son in her arms. The firefighter watches as Tori puts her son in his stroller. Tori looks at Emery and sniffles, "Uh, look after her for her, okay?" She then scoffs. "Who am I kidding—I know you're gonna do that. You're like the best sister ever."

Emery then softly smiles. "I'll look after her." She gives Tori a small nod.

Tori then inhales a breath, "Thank you...for being a good big sister to me as well."

Emery's shoulders sag and lets out a breath. "Oh, Tori..." she wraps her arms around the girl. "Thanks for being the little sister, I never asked for," She then pulls away from the hug and looks into Tori's eyes. "but I'm grateful for."

Tori softly chuckles, "Thanks."

Emery steps away from Tori, she looks at Emmett and waves at him. "Nice seeing you, bud." Her eyes then shift to Tori's. "Take care of yourself, Tori."

Even though Emery didn't know what specific words were exchanged between the Tori and Amaya, she knew what had happened. And she knew that Tori and Emmett weren't going to be around for a while.

After Tori and Emmett leave, Emery makes her way through the house and towards Amaya's room. She softly knocks on the door before opening it. Her eyes shift to Amaya, who was curled in a ball on her bed; sobbing. Emery's chest tightens and tears form in her eyes.

"Oh, Maya."

Amaya lifts her head up and looks at Emery, tears still in her eyes. "Tori and I broke up." Her voice cracks.

Emery presses her lips into a small line. She walks over to the bed and lays behind her sister. Emery places a hand on Amaya's arm and begins to rub it. "I'm so sorry, kiddo."

"Her ex...Emmett's father wanted another chance." Amaya sniffles. "And Tori wanted another chance to make her family work."

Emery's heart breaks listening to Amaya talk about it. Amaya then inhales a shaky breath. "And I'm happy that they're getting that chance to work things out...I am seriously. But I just—I loved her so much." She cries harder than before.

Emery purses her lips, "Love is...complicated. People talk about how amazing it is, but they never talk about how confusing it is or how much it hurts." She bites her lower lip, thinking. "But, I guess love can kind of be worth it."

Amaya's cries grow quieter as Emery continues to talk. "I mean, all the memories you make with that person. The way that person helps you grow into a better version of yourself. That's pretty fucking awesome, right?" Emery slightly lifts her head up and looks down at Amaya. "Tell me something about Tori that she helped you understand or come to terms with."

Amaya sniffles, she turns to Emery meets her eyes. "Sh-she...she helped me call you after blaming your for dad." She admits. "She helped me come to terms that he's...dying."

Emery raises her brows, "And if she hadn't helped you with that. You and I probably wouldn't be here right now—talking." She moves some of Amaya's crinkly hair from her face. "Yeah?"

Amaya nods her head, "Yeah."

"You're gonna be sad, Maya. That's a given." Emery sighs. "But don't just...dwell on the pain. Think about all the good memories you made with her. Because like you said, you love her."

Amaya's eyes fill with tears, but they weren't tears of heartbreak. They were tears of gratitude. She lifts herself and wraps her arms around Emery. "Thank you." Her voice quietly squeaks.

Emery touches the back of Amaya's head. "Anytime, Maya."

The older sister then clicks her tongue. "Hey, at least there's one good thing about this."

"Oh, yeah? What's that?"

"Your relationship with Tori didn't end because she had a major crush on me."

Amaya let's out a small chuckle. Then that chuckle grows into a laugh. "Oh, god! I still think about that shit."

"Yeah...it's fucking bizarre."

"So bizarre."

☆

It was later in the night and Emery couldn't sleep. Normally when she can't sleep, she'll make herself some coffee (it makes sense in her mind, okay?). She had to get up early anyway in order to get back for work in time. She made her way down the stairs, rubbing her eyes. Before Emery walked into the kitchen, she heard clinking.

She stops and peaks her head around the corner, seeing her mom washing the dishes.

"Maybe you guys might have a lot more in common than you realize."

Emery thinks about her dad's words from earlier. She continues to watch her mom do the dishes in silence. And For a moment, Emery hesitated. She still had a chance to walk away, I mean, her mom hadn't noticed her yet. Emery takes a step back and goes to make her way up the stairs. Then she stops and thinks. Elijah's wish was to have his family happy together. Her father hadn't said it out loud, but she knew that's what he wanted. Emery didn't know how long her father had, but she wanted to give him everything he could ask for. Even if he didn't want to admit it.

Emery walks over to her mom and stands beside her. Amara stays silent and continues to wash the dishes, but there was tension in her body as soon as Emery walked in. Emery keeps her mouth closed and holds her hand out. Amara looks over at Emery and pulls her brows together, but she slowly hands her the washed dish. Emery dries it clean with her rag.

Silence fills the air and Emery bites the inside of her cheek. "Do you think I hate you?"

"What?"

"Me and dad were talking earlier and he said you and I might have a lot in common than we realize..." Emery looks at her. "Do you think I hate you?"

Amara looks back at the dishes. "It's...crossed my mind."

Emery inhales a breath. "Well, I don't...hate you."

"I don't hate you either, Em." Amara speaks, her voice was slightly shaky. "I've just...I've barely been hanging on ever since your father's diagnosis."

Emery grabs the plate from her mom and dries it. She keeps her eyes on the plate, knowing her mom would be too uncomfortable with the attention. "And that's perfectly normal." She shrugs. "But...it seems like you're still blaming me for him not getting the chemo."

Emery's mom stops washing the dishes and rubs the back of her hand against her forehead. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that." She whispers. "A part of me did...blame you, but your father is a stubborn man and he would've chosen no chemo even if we all decided against him."

"You were just respecting his wishes, despite knowing what would happen." Amara looks at the side of her daughter's face. A sad smile forms on her lips. "And that...makes you stronger than any of us."

Emery swallows the lump in her throat and she wipes at her tears with her arm. She looks at her mom and gives her a small smile. Emery didn't believe that she was strong. But it was nice to hear, especially from her mother.

"Thank you, mom." Emery whispers, her voice cracking. She wraps her arms around her mother's neck, pulling her into a much needed embrace.

"Oh, snap—a hug?" Amaya comes down the stairs. "Let me get in on this action—I sure as hell need it." She then wraps her arms around her mom and sister. Emery softly laughs and so does Amara.

"Dad would love this." Amaya speaks.

"Stop talking about me like I'm dead." Elijah says. "That's not for another couple of years."

"Oh my god, I was wondering when these jokes were gonna start." Amaya rolls her eyes.

"I told him to try and wait. But he's getting too eager." Amara shakes her head.

"I thought it was pretty funny." Emery frowns. "In the...laughing with you kind of way."

Elijah makes his way over to his three girls and wraps his arms around them. The Sharpe family stays silent for a moment, just enjoying the time together.

"When was the last time we had a family hug?" Amaya asks.

"Never."

Amaya frowns, "Oh...well, we should have them more often."

Emery pulls her brows together, she couldn't believe that she actually felt the same way Amaya did. Then a smile forms on her lips. "I agree."

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author's note.

Awwwww the Sharpe's are becoming one big happy family...for now 🤭

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