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

thirty-eight

Knock knock knock.

Knock knock knock.

"LAFD! Open up!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming. Don't break my door down," Mariana hollered as she finished lacing up her sneakers. The brunette rushed over to her door and unlocked it before it swung open. Eddie leaned against her door frame with a smug grin on his face. She rolled her eyes but leaned in to capture a kiss from him.

"Christopher's in the car because he wanted to finish his card for Buck. I figured you might need an extra hand," he explained as he followed her into her small studio apartment. She had volunteered to pick up the cakes knowing full well that Eddie would insist on driving her instead of her driving her "piece of junk" as he so affectionately called it.

"Can you grab one of the cakes?" she asked as she grabbed her purse off the coffee table and swung it onto her shoulder.

"You look different," he commented as he passed her to reach the kitchen. She was wearing mom jeans with a sweater tucked into her waistband. Her dark hair that was usually pulled back in a braid to keep it out of her face now hung around her bright eyes and round cheeks. Her bright brown eyes glanced up with a questioning look burning in their depths.

"Should I take offense to that, Edmundo?"

His thumbs hooked into her belt loops and he tugged her into his chest. "Nah, cariño. You look good. Happy."

She let out a soft hum and leaned up on her tiptoes to press a chaste kiss to his lips. "I tolerate you."

He tugged on one of her dark waves and grinned. "Tolerate you too. Let's go before Chris learns how to use the radio."

Mari laughed and pulled out of his hold to grab one of the cakes. He followed suit and easily caught her keys with one hand while balancing the second cake with the other. They had a routine down for every time he picked her up. Either he would come in or he would bring Christopher up with him and Eddie always locked up before they left. It was a reassurement to him that she was safe when he wasn't there.

She understood it. Her version of keeping her loved ones safe was extensive first aid packs. There was one in his truck, one in his house, two in Buck's, one in Maddie's, and two in Bobby and Athena's place. Hen and Chimney already had their own packs. Mari kept them restocked and up to date at all times.

Eddie's thing was safety. He needed to know Christopher and Mari and Abuela and Pepa were safe. She let him install a security system in her apartment and update the locks. He still let her have boundaries, of course, and never pushed her.

Mariana was quick to hurry downstairs and Eddie was at first concerned they were going to be late but he realized why as soon as she saw his old truck. Christopher grinned at the sight of the brunette and she practically didn't give Eddie a chance to unlock the door before she was placing the cake box on the passenger seat floorboard and rounding to the back to pull Chris into a hug.

"I've missed my favorite guy!" she exclaimed.

As Eddie drove to Bobby and Athena's, Christopher babbled about school and life as Mariana listened along intently, nodding and asking questions. Eddie couldn't believe how lucky he was. Not only did he have an amazing kid and a great job, but he also got to call this beautiful, caring woman as his. She glanced over at him with a grin plastered on her face and her dark hair blowing around her face.

"You've got a look on your face. What are you thinking about?" she asked.

"Thinking about how lucky I am," he replied. "And that I'm really glad and grateful that both you and Buck walked away from that truck with your lives."