#dead bobby

So that’s how Chimney was going to die, she supposed: Bored, Sick, and without hope. Great.

Normally, she’d be at least trying to lighten his burdens, be someone to lean on, but it’s not like she had the energy to sit up, let alone support someone else. Also, he was trapped behind another layer of plexiglass.

Fuck. Her best friend.

She just had to put her faith in Buck and Athena. She had to.

If anyone could pull off a screwball ace in the hole, it’s them. Honestly, the LAPD should consider themselves lucky to have Athena. She’s a bona fide force of nature, and once she has someone to help, she sinks her teeth in and won’t let go, even when she doesn’t follow the letter of the law (or suffer the ego of fools, even if they’re technically allies).

Buck’s the same, in a way, although he uses more brute force in his methods. Always trying to save that baby stuck in the wall. Or his family stuck in the glass prison.

God. It will be okay.

It has to be.

Fuck. Her best friend.

It’s choking up her re-plumbed lungs to even think about, and she lets out a wheeze of frustration.

Bobby turns from a pensive stance across the room, softens at her face.

“Hey, Hen.”

“Hey.. Bobby.” Her voice is hoarse, a little wet. She knows that means she should conserve her words, but fuck! It’s her best friend in there. “I–”

“I know, Hen. I–” there’s a matching rasp in his voice, and she can’t stand to hear it there. “Come on, it’ll be okay. We’ll figure something out, Hen. You’ll all be okay. I promise.”

She knows he’s saying placating things now, and skepticism flickers across her face.

“Hey,” his gloved hand touches hers, hanging limply at her side. “It won’t be easy. But you’ll work through it, Hen. You are so strong. You all are.”

She grips him. “You– You are, too. We’ll see them again, Buck and Athena. I trust them.”

At his wife’s name, Bobby tensed. His smile pinched, even as he kept her hand in his. “Yeah. They’ll be okay, too.”

“As if the Army” – a wheeze – “could stop Athena.” Bobby chuckled a little and looked away, and she couldn’t see his face anymore.

“I’m so glad you two found each other. Really, Bobby. You’ve brought so much light into our lives. I know she’d do anything for you.”

He stilled, nodded once. The words seemed to hit him heavier than she’d intended, but she wasn’t sure what she could say to change that.

After a moment, he turned to Ravi, who had been on the floor, arms wrapped around himself, not really present in the conversation. “Hey Ravi?”

“Yeah, Cap?”

“Can you take a moment and assess what they’ve stocked this room with? I want to know what supplies we have if we face another medical emergency. Find something to take notes with if you can. And consult with Chimney if needed.”

Ravi seemed to shake off the unnatural quiet settled onto him. Sometimes, it’s good to have a task when you’re trapped with nothing. To feel useful. And it could end up being useful. Firefighters, after all, could do much more with the right tools.

Seeing Ravi busied in the far corner, Bobby turned back to Hen. The calm he’d put on seemed a little more cracked, but no less serious. In fact, maybe even more serious.

“Hen.”

“Yes, Cap?”

“I’m going to ask you a question, and I need to know your professional, medical opinion, okay? I’m going to need you to be careful and cautious with how you respond, and with what you say after this. I’m going to need you– I’m going to need you to think about the team, alright?”

“Bobby, you’re scaring me. What– what happened?”

“Please. Promise me, Hen. I know it’s a lot to ask when you’re laid up in here, and your best friend is– in danger. But I need you to trust me.”

“I– I do, Cap. Of course I do.”

“Okay.” He inhales. Exhales. “In your medical opinion, is there any way to ration a cure for a deadly virus?”

“Is there–! Bobby!”

“Come on, Hen. Professional. Calm. I need–” He coughs into his mask and Hen’s blood turns to ice, spiking up and down her arms.

Bobby looks defeated when he finishes the fit. “I need Captain Hen here.”

Hen stops. Puts on her most professional hat. “I– it really– it depends. I’d need to– I’d need to see the research notes.”

“And if you didn’t have any access to the notes or the researcher. Would you recommend it, in a triage situation?”

“I…” She felt her heart break. “I wouldn’t. The risk of the virus mutating, especially an unstable one like this, is too high.”

Bobby lets her words fall between them. They both knew what this meant.

“I– I appreciate it, Captain Hen. It’s important to assess a situation with all the facts, you know? And prioritize next. Do you hear what I’m saying?”

She knows this is going to destroy the 118. Buck. And Athena, my god. This is going to hurt.

“Yes, I hear you. Bobby, I hear you. And I’m– I’m so happy that you came here, to Los Angeles. I’m so happy you built this family with us and with Athena. I’m so happy you kept going. I’m proud of you.”

“And I’m proud of you, Hen. I’m proud of all of you. I know it’s going to be hard, but you’ll make it through, okay?” Another cough. “You’ll have each other.”

“We will, even if we won’t. Have all of us.”

“You will.”

“Oh,” there was a little twinkle in his eye now, “and when the time’s right, you have to tell Buck: the secret ingredient is numbing spice, just a whisper of a hint of it. He’ll know what you mean.”

She chuckled a little airily. “I’ll let him know, Bobby.”

“Thank you."

“Done with the inventory, Cap. you want a quick round-up?” Ravi had appeared back at the table again, pilfered clipboard in hand.

“Yes. Yeah, I do. We need to know what we’ve got to work with so we can prepare, right?”