Playing with fire (Amelia Shepherd) ABANDONED

thirty three

Mallie sipped on her coffee as she, Vic, Dean and Travis sat in the beanery.

"Hey," Jack walked into the room. "I was thinking tomorrow after shift, Captain Bishop has given the all-clear for us to go to a protest," he said.

"Us?" Vic asked.

"I'd like to go, if you'll have me," Jack said.

"Uh..." Vic looked at Dean.

"Cool," Dean said.

"Yeah," Vic laughed.

"Um, but if anybody comes at us with weapons, it is your job to put your body between us and them," Dean said.

"Got it," Jack nodded.

"Yeah, he's not kidding," Mallie and Vic chorused.

"I'm not kidding," Dean said.

"I kinda figured, yeah," Jack said.

"Okay," Dean grinned.

Mallie swung Vic's hand as she, Dean, Ben and Jack followed Andy and Sullivan towards the doors of the station to leave the next morning.

"Nineteen," Maya walked over to them. "Hopefully this goes without saying, but although you have the right to peacefully protest and my wholehearted support, I trust that you will not engage in any activity or action that will bring discredit to you, Nineteen, or the SFD," Maya said.

They all looked at her before grinning.

"Let's go!" Mallie said, dragging Vic out.

They hurried down the street, Mallie looking around eagerly for Amelia. They hadn't been able to speak to Meredith, but Amelia had said Zola saw a segment on the news about the protests and wanted to come, so they'd consulted with Maggie, Bailey and Richard, who had agreed that they should all go and help make a change.

Mallie spotted Amelia on a street corner with Carina, Ben's sister Roz, and Ben's sons, Tuck and Joey. Amelia had Zola, Bailey and Ellis at her side, and the twins in the double stroller with the rain cover over them to protect them from any germs that may be floating around.

Mallie ran over and wrapped the kids into a hug, then pulled her mask down to kiss Amelia.

"Thank you for coming," Mallie said.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world. The kids made signs," Amelia said.

The kids produced three signs behind their backs. Ellis' was a poster with BLM and the fist painted on it, while Bailey's had a photo of George Floyd stuck on his with BLM, and Zola had TIME FOR CHANGE on hers.

Mallie grinned and kissed their foreheads.

"Let's go and make a change, huh, babies?" she said.

"Let's go," Zola grinned.

"Come on, Ellsbells," Mallie said.

She lifted Ellis up to sit on her shoulders, Amelia handing Ellis her sign. She held it up into the air and Mallie smiled up at her niece as Ellis smiled down at her.

"I love you," Ellis said, leaning down to kiss Mallie's forehead. Mallie laughed, squeezing Ellis' hips where she held them.

"I love you, more, princesa," she said.

She looked at the others.

"Let's go?" she said.

"Let's go," Amelia smiled.

They stepped off the sidewalk and joined the stream of people protesting. Their Station family was around them as they walked, all of them joining in the chanting.