crash & burn - e. buckley

014

(in case anyone read the last chapter before i unpublished it: i was originally gonna do 02x02 in two chapters but realised after i already published the first part that i wanted it to all be one chapter, so i unpublished it and added to it. it was only up for a few minutes before i took it down so everyone should be fine but just in case anyone was quick you might wanna go back and check it okay thanks!)

02x03

The grim reaper had knocked on Jamie Hayes' door more than one time before, and each time she had welcomed him with open arms. She'd willingly crawled inside of his cloak, entangled herself with his bones, and hoped to build a home within them.

Each time he had let her go.

This time, she wasn't so sure he would. The only thing standing between her and planting rotting roses in the garden of the dead was the rope she was holding onto.

How easy it would be to just let go.

She'd be gone as soon as she hit the ground. She'd be reunited with her daughter. She could spend an eternity braiding her gold curls, reading her bedtime stories, falling asleep beside her in her small bed because it comforted them both.

It would be so easy.

But her best friend was screaming her name. The man she so hopelessly loves was screaming her name, and Eddie was trying his hardest to pull her up.

They're trying to save her.

Had he already saved the other girl? Or did she fall? She hadn't noticed. She'd been frozen.

Her soul, halfway to the afterlife already, didn't snap back into her body until she was back in the building again and Buck was dragging her out to the hallway and engulfing her in his arms.

"Buck?" she asked uncertainly while pinching his cheeks to see if he was really there.

"Yeah, I'm here," he told her softly. She instantly melted into his arms and let out a loud sob. She was safe. She was in her safe space.

"You saved me," she whispered to him.

"I'm pretty sure that was Eddie, but thanks. You scared the hell out of me."

"Sorry," she sniffled.

"We need to keep moving, guys," Eddie told them. The other woman was standing beside him, they obviously saved her. Good.

Jamie pulled away from Buck and was just about to respond to Eddie when she heard a muffled shouting from further down the hall.

"There's someone else up here," she told them and started moving towards the sound.

"Wha-Jame-Jamie!" Buck protested but still followed her nonetheless. He hadn't heard anything, and part of him thought that Jamie was imagining it, but he would go wherever she went. 

"Hello! LAFD!" She shouted as loud as she could.

"In here! Please!"  She heard from one of the rooms closest to her now.

She threw herself against the door to get it open. She could've used the saw but she was pumped with adrenaline from almost dying.

"Hello?" she called out as she entered the room. Buck and Eddie followed behind her.

"Oh thank fuck. I'm back here, I-I think I'm hurt." No. She knew that voice. She didn't want him here. He had to be safe.

"Collin?" she choked out as she finally saw him. It felt like a punch in the gut to see him lying there bloody on a hotel room floor in the middle of an earthquake. She didn't want to see him like this. She wanted him to be smiling. Always smiling. Safe.