In Flames // 9-1-1 Fox (seasons 1-4)

sixty-seven - season 4

January

Mariana laughed as Diego breezed past her with some other kids from Isabel's neighborhood. She and Eddie were seated on the steps of the Diaz matriarch and keeping a watchful eye on the block party. Pepa was helping Christopher with the sparklers on the other side of the street away from Isabel's prized rose bushes.

"So, you survived meeting Abuela and Pepa," Eddie mused as he took a drink of his beer. Mari grinned and bumped his shoulder with her own.

"I think they like me," she hummed.

"Like you? Abuela doesn't just offer anyone lessons on how to grow roses like she does."

"I think it's 'cause I brought the pozole."

He leaned over and pressed a kiss to her shoulder and she sighed into his touch. He stroked his thumb over her hip and she leaned into his side, a smile playing on her lips. The crack of fireworks didn't even faze him. In fact, he barely noticed them as he gazed at her. The light reflected against her brown eyes and illuminated her smile, casting an almost angelic glow around her. He was so used to seeing her hair pulled back that just seeing her dark hair hanging around her shoulder in messy waves made him want to tangle his hand in it and draw her in for the sweetest kiss.

"We should probably start heading home soon," she said. "There's going to be a lot of drunk idiots on the roads the closer we get to midnight."

Eddie pulled himself away from his girlfriend and stood up from the porch, offering her a hand. Mari took it and hopped up before she stuck her pinkies in her mouth and whistled sharply. Diego turned and immediately started running in the direction of his aunt.

"Time to go, mis pequeñitos," she called. Pepa and Isabel hugged them both tightly before hugging and kissing the boys goodbye. With the promise of meeting up soon to discuss recipes and rose bushes, the Diaz-Ramirez family was on their way back home.

"The ball has dropped in New York so that means it's technically 2020 in America," Eddie announced as Mariana pulled into the driveway. She engaged the parking break and leaned over to steal a kiss from him.

"Happy New Year's, Mr. Diaz," she murmured.

"I think it's bedtime for the kids, Ms Ramirez."

Eddie carried a sleeping Christopher into the house as Mariana directed a bleary-eyed Diego towards his room. They weren't too strict on the usual bedtime routine since it was an hour past their usual bedtime. Diego was out like a light before Mariana had a chance to close his bedroom door and creep back to her bedroom.

Eddie was still tucking Christopher in so she was the first in their room. She took that as a win, turning the lights off. Eddie quietly crept in and flipped on the lights, his look of confusion immediately changing when he saw her sitting on their bed with an innocent look on her face.

"Please tell me you're wearing red under that," he said hoarsely.

"I don't know, why don't you find out?" she asked.

He scooped her up and easily deposited her on her back, his hands sliding under her shirt and helping her out of it. Eddie let out a curse and drew her in for a kiss.

"It's a matching set," she hummed, nipping at his ear.

"If this is how 2020 is starting, it's going to be a hell of a year."

February

"What do you think they're talking about?" Buck asked as he tried to inconspicuously look over the railing at the four people standing on the apparatus floor.