Don't Forget You're a Badass

Epilogue

Bosko, apparently, had not been kidding about getting the kids awarded.

It was the night before the ceremony and Buck, Eddie, and Chris were at the dinner table eating the spaghetti that Buck had made for them. Chris had been pretty quiet that evening, and Eddie and Buck were starting to get a little concerned until he finally broke the silence.

"Daddy, when you got your medal, did you save everyone?" Chris asked looking up, no judgement found on his face, just determination.

Eddie took a deep breath, and Buck squeezed his knee in support. "No, I didn't, mijo."

Chris just nodded and went back to eating.

The two adults shared a look, "why did you ask, Chris." Buck said gently.

Chris seemed to ponder that for a while, "I wasn't sure if it was allowed." He said finally.

"If what was allowed?" Eddie asked, he wished they didn't have to have this conversation. As incredibly proud as he was of his son, Chris never should've been at the pier that day.

"If you were allowed to be a hero if you didn't save everyone." Chris said.

"Chris, buddy, there were thousands of people at the pier that day, no one could've saved them all." Buck said softly.

"I know, but I didn't mean everyone like that." He explained, "there was a man, during the second wave, we managed to pull him to the side of the truck, but some debris hit him before he could climb up, and we didn't see him again."

Eddie took a breath and tried for a reassuring tone, "He could still be alive, mijo, just because you didn't see him again doesn't mean he didn't keep swimming and find shelter somewhere else."

"That's what Miss Lena told us," Chris said sighing, "and I think Hassan and Eva believed her so don't tell them, but I saw his eyes roll up. He wasn't awake when he went in the water. He couldn't have swam."

Chris was crying now, letting out sniffles.

"Mijo, come here." Eddie said moving around the table to pull him into his arms, Buck beside him rubbing circles on his back.

They let him calm down a bit until he leaned back and wiped his eyes.

"No matter what happened to that man, you still helped a lot of people, buddy." Buck said placing a kiss on his forehead, "you're still a hero, I promise."

"Like you and daddy?" Chris asked looking up at him.

"Just like us." Buck confirmed nodding.

"Do you want to know what one of the first lessons they taught us when we trained to be firefighters was?" Buck asked and Chris nodded.

"It's that you can't save everyone, but that doesn't mean you aren't still doing good." Eddie said.

"I think it's one of the hardest lessons I've ever had to learn." Buck added, "but I promise it's true."

"Buck is right, you just have to focus on all the people you did save." Eddie said, "and if you ever feel like you didn't do good enough, then you talk someone about it."

"Your dads right," Buck said giving him a smile, "sometimes we all need someone to remind us that we did good."

"Ok," Chris agreed, "I'll do that."

...........................................................................

The next day Chris found himself sitting in the front row of an awards hall along with Buck, his Dad, Eva and Hassan and their parents, and Miss Lena and Miss Mara. His bisabuela, tía Pepa, and Carla were there too. The whole 118 had shown up along with Mrs. Grant, Mrs. Wilson, Denny Harry and May. The 136 was also there for them, and had thanked them all for saving Miss Lena. There were also a couple of people who Chris recognized as people they'd helped along the way to the VA. Mrs. Mckullen was there too, in a wheelchair but alive, along with Jayla and Alex and their families.