09 | ❝ HOLIDAYS, BIRTHDAYS AND... THE GRINCH? ❞

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CHAPTER NINE

❝ HOLIDAYS, BIRTHDAYS AND... THE GRINCH? ❞

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[ season 2, episode 10 + own storyline ]

A/N

Hey, just to let you know that this chapter contains some Spanish - the translation will be listed at the bottom below the entire chapter and marked accordingly ;)

Happy reading ^^

LISSIE POV

SHE COULD HONESTLY SAY THAT QUIET DAYS HAD HAPPENED BETWEEN HER AND HER FATHER. They talked, but it was only a matter of time before one of them — especially Lissie — exploded and blurted out everything that had happened. They deliberately avoided any topic that might remind them of what had happened, and so Halloween, all of November, finally passed, and December arrived, with only a few days left until Christmas. Lissie wasn't looking forward to the upcoming, joyful — for most — time. She was tired of all the Christmas decorations, the songs, the smiling faces everywhere, and the costumes on the streets of Los Angeles. Christmas in California didn't even feel like it without snow, so how could people enjoy it? She probably sounded like the Grinch, but she had too many reasons to hate December. If she could, she'd also somehow get out of helping May prepare for the Christmas ball, but she and Rosie had already promised her, and all they had left was to keep their word. Lissie, however, wasn't entirely happy about this. While she adored May, the sight of all the decorations in the Grant house and their festive spirit practically drove her crazy. She decided to brush it aside when she saw the teenager slowly starting to panic.

"I tried to calm her down, but maybe she'll listen to you more," Athena said as she let her and Rosie into the house. "You're closer in age to her, especially you, Lissie. I hope this will convince her."

"I don't think so, but we can always try. It's her first ball, so it's natural for her to be nervous."

"I remember my first ball differently back in my day."

"It's just the Christmas ball. What will it be like when she has to get ready for the prom?"

"Don't even scare me."

Lissie and Rosie shared a short laugh, then headed for May's room. Buckley knocked, and when they were given permission, they entered and closed the door behind them.

"You have no idea how glad I am that you're here," May greeted. "I feel like I'm about to go crazy."

"Easy. Take a deep breath." Lissie grabbed her shoulders and showed her what to do. May repeated it. Rosie watched with a small smile, because even though it was a small gesture, it reminded her of the times she and Lissie had worked together in the fire department. "Now, breathe out." Lissie exhaled, and so did May. "Inhale and exhale. Inhale. And exhale. Inhale. And exhale. And now..."

The girl didn't finish, but immediately began tickling her sides. Rosie, preventing May from freeing herself, attacked her in the same way from the other side.

"Okay, okay, stop!" May called after a few minutes, raising her hands. "I can't take it anymore. Girls, please!"

"Stop panicking?"

"Stop! Just stop!"

Lissie decided to believe her. Rosie helped her up, as they'd landed on the floor, and then sat her down on the bed.

"What time does your prom start?" Rosie asked curiously, looking around at all the hair and makeup supplies the teenager had prepared.

"At six. Darius and the others will arrive at four so Dad has time to take pictures and then he can drive us to school."

"Well, we still have some time to relax. Have you eaten anything? You can't go to the party on an empty stomach."

"Mom shoved Harry's toast in my mouth. But I swear I can't eat anything more from the stress."

"The Yule Ball isn't the end of the world," Lissie assured her. "You're stressed, that's normal. Wanting to look your best is also completely normal. But don't worry about it too much. I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time anyway."

"Do you think so?"

"Of course," Rosie replied. "May, enjoy it as much as you can. Create memories you can look back on with a smile in a few years."

"And if it's hopeless?"

"Then you'll look back on it and think you'll never have to again." Lissie winked at her. "At least you don't have to worry about the preparations, because your personal assistants have just arrived."

"Thank you so much," May hugged each of them in turn. "I feel calmer with you around."

The girls quickly got to work. A few days ago, May had sent them a few hairstyle suggestions she liked. Lissie was glad Rosie was there, as she wasn't sure she could handle such elaborate hairstyles. Buckley herself doubted her skills, so in consultation with May, they opted for something simpler. Lissie needed three attempts, with Rosie as a model, but in the end, she managed to recreate the hairstyle May so desperately wanted. It might not have looked as perfect as straight from the salon, but it was certain to last, as she'd used almost the entire can of hairspray. At one point, they all started choking on it, which only made them laugh.

After the hair, it was time for makeup, which May decided to do at home as well. Here, Lissie gave Rosie the opportunity to show off, as she was much better at it than she was. Buckley was the one who knew all the shades, combining colors, and properly defining the face, and above all, she knew how to create perfect eyeliner. The end result, as always, was impeccable; when Rosie was finished, May looked as if she'd stepped out of the finest beauty salon. It was a few minutes before 4 p.m. when they finished, and young Grant stood in her blue dress and delicately heeled shoes.

"You look gorgeous!" Rosie announced, taking a picture of the teenager. "Darius will be speechless when he sees you. You'll be a princess, or prom queen, or whatever they're calling it these days."

"I'm sure there will be other, better-dressed girls."

"Oh no, no, no!" Lissie quickly interjected, adjusting the chain around May's neck. "We don't think that way."

"Shall we take a selfie? If Dad gets his hands on the camera, I won't get those pictures for a few days."

The girls leaned closer, and Rosie held up her phone and snapped pictures for a moment, constantly changing their expressions and poses.

"I'll send a few to Chim," Buckley said, tapping the screen. "I'm sure Marrie can't wait to see what you look like. When she heard you were wearing a blue dress, she asked for one for Christmas."

"Really? That's so adorable!" I'll leave her my bouquet, what do you think?

May twisted her brightly colored bracelet on her hand and looked at Rosie with a smile. Their conversation was interrupted by the muffled sound of the doorbell.

"Oh, I believe that's your date tonight," Lissie announced. "Go show yourself to him."

The teenager put her hand to her chest and squealed softly.

"I'm excited! Thank you again!"

And she left, leaving them alone in the hallway that led to the living room. Lissie and Rosie watched May as she greeted her boyfriend, which was truly adorable and innocent.

"Did I act like that when we met?" Lissie asked, glancing at her friend.

"No," Rosie shook her head, but a sly smile played on her lips. "You were even worse."

Lissie couldn't believe what she was hearing, but when she wanted to protest, her friend had already rushed to the others.

"That's not true!" Nash called after her, and Rosie only laughed.

In the living room, it turned out that everyone the teenager had been waiting for was already there, including Bobby, who was currently talking to Athena. Michael had forced Harry to take a picture of them together, and it had to be said, but May and Darius looked simply adorable.

Athena quickly joined in the photos, and Lissie glanced briefly at her father, who was standing across the room. She didn't know what he was thinking, but when their eyes met for a brief moment, she could swear he was remembering that one time he'd seen her in a dress, getting ready for prom. If he even remembered it, and if, looking at May, he hadn't imagined what it would be like if Brook had been young Grant. Rosie quickly moved to her side and nudged her shoulder.

"You're lost in thought. Want to tell me what?"

"It's just..." Lissie shrugged.

"You're a terrible liar, you know that?"

"Or maybe you just know me so well."

"Lately, I've been feeling like things aren't going so well," Rosie muttered quietly. Lissie looked at her, opening her mouth to deny it, but she couldn't. "But don't worry," Buckley touched her arm. "Whatever's going on, you'll tell me when you're ready."

Melissa felt a pang of guilt, but also even more stress as she thought about the fact that one day she'd finally have to tell her friend what had happened. It wasn't fair to keep it from her, especially since she could always count on her, but thinking about it was incredibly difficult, let alone having to tell anyone again.

Meanwhile, Bobby took the camera from Michael and snapped a few photos of the whole family. Lissie was glad that May had parents who had taken care of all this especially for her. It was certain that even if the prom wasn't what she'd imagined, these memories would stay with her forever. Later, Michael invited Bobby, Lissie, and Rosie to take photos, saying they were family too.

"It's a family photo..."

"I don't want to bother you..." Lissie and Bobby spoke simultaneously, and Athena just smiled, noticing once again how much they both looked alike.

"Come on," May said, grabbing Bobby's hand first and leading him to the others, then returning to retrieve the girls. "It's just one photo."

The three of them gave in. Lissie positioned herself behind Harry, Bobby right next to her, putting his arm around her and Athena, and Rosie standing on the other side. It was a pleasant moment, one in which she managed to forget for a moment that this wasn't her family at all, nor her evening, nor the sister she was helping get ready.

When Michael picked up May and Darius for the school dance, Lissie immediately wanted to tuck in, but Athena asked her and Rosie to stay a while longer. She wasn't entirely sure why, as the entire group had become overcrowded, Harry was playing in his room, and it ended up being just the four of them and Bobby. She didn't feel comfortable with this arrangement, knowing she'd be forced to have a long conversation with her own father. In the time since the incident on the roof, she'd managed to avoid it, as well as suppress all her emotions, but with Athena, who had a near-sixth sense and could tell straight away that something wasn't right, she wasn't so sure. Rosie was her mental support and was supposed to be on her side, but that didn't change the fact that she preferred to get out of there before anyone else spoke. Lately, she'd almost perfected escaping difficult situations.

"Thank you for being with me today. It means a lot to me," Sergeant Grant said, and Bobby grabbed her hand.

"We finally gave our word," Rosie smiled at the sight of the two lovers. At least it seemed like everything was alright between them. "We couldn't let her down."

"It was quite a pleasant experience. I'm glad we could help."

"Oh, yes. If it weren't for you, I'd have a panicking teenager at home."

"Lissie always had a way of calming everyone down. It's a hidden magical ability of hers," Bobby praised, glancing at her with a smile. Lissie didn't return the gesture, quickly looking away from him. Her father frowned, surprised by this behavior, but continued. "This whole evening reminded me of how you used to get ready for your own prom."

Lissie froze, and Rosie, standing next to her, sensed it immediately. Buckley knew exactly what had happened on Nash's prom night, as that was when they'd first met.

"Really?" Athena seemed surprised, then looked at Lissie. "I thought you told May you never went to a school dance..."

"What? No." Bobby shook his head. "Of course I did. I remember that red dress and how excited she was."

Lissie felt that this was it. The moment she couldn't hold it in anymore.

"Black." She straightened and finally looked at her father, ignoring Rosie's gentle touch, which was probably meant to calm her. "The dress I chose back then was black. You'd know that if you remembered anything from that night..."

The silence that suddenly fell in the room was almost unnatural. Bobby's smile vanished, and he didn't know how to react to his daughter's words.

"...but you can't remember that night because you were drunk and high."

"Lissie..."

"No!" "She interrupted him before he could say anything more. "You don't remember half of what happened when I was in high school, so don't pretend otherwise! Yes, I was excited to go to prom. I was supposed to have a great time with Ian, but because of you—the way you acted towards us—that wasn't possible. If it weren't for Ian, I would have been wandering around St. Paul alone, just because my mom forcibly kicked me out that day because she wanted me to relax after another attack you had. She thought the stupid prom would distract me, but she was wrong."

Lissie took a few deep breaths. She had a lot to tell her father, a lot of unhealed wounds because of him, and disappointments when she couldn't count on him. But now, it was like everything had blurred together, and she didn't know where to focus.

"Lissie, this isn't the place for this conversation..."

"There's no good place, because we're both pretending nothing happened, when it's the exact opposite! If it weren't for Athena..." Lissie pointed at the sergeant, who was watching them, clueless. In those weeks, it was the first time she'd seen young Nash so agitated, but she had a feeling that after what happened on the roof, it might eventually come to this. "...then we wouldn't be partying over the school dance, but we'd be mourning you because you'd jumped off that roof!"

"I wouldn't do that... Mellie, I wouldn't leave you."

"Are you so sure about that?" She snorted. "Because when I tried to convince you, to remind you that you still had a daughter who was alive, you wouldn't listen! Do you know how I felt? It was like I was back at school!" When I tried to reason with you, because neither Marcy nor the kids deserved the way you treated us, and like always, you never listened to me! I was only eighteen! I should have enjoyed every moment of that messed-up teenage years, but I couldn't, because I was taking care of you. I took care of the kids and helped Marcy as much as I could, because you didn't give a damn! And it's because of you that they're dead!

Lissie took a few quick breaths. She felt her hands start to shake. Athena's house wasn't the best place for such an outburst. Although she didn't know if there was any place she couldn't feel the way she did now—a terrified little girl, looking at her father and not being able to recognize him. Because that's how she felt when she first saw him drunk and on drugs... She wasn't a little girl then, she was a teenager, and yet she felt like everything she knew and knew was a lie.

"Do you want to drink and get high again?" she asked bluntly, her voice trembling. "If so, I need to know, because I don't want to go through this again."

Bobby didn't answer immediately. As he opened his mouth, he didn't know what to say without outraging Lissie even more. He knew he should be honest with her, just like he had been with Athena, telling her he felt sorry for himself, but he couldn't do it because he knew it would break his daughter's heart. So he remained silent, and it seemed that was enough for Lissie.

"I have my answer," she muttered, shaking her head. Then she turned and quickly walked towards the exit.

"Lissie, wait!" Bobby called after her. He was getting up from his seat to rush toward her, but Athena grabbed his hand.

"Don't follow her," she advised, and he looked at her in shock. "Let her think and calm down. If you marry her now, you'll only fight harder, and I know neither of you wants that."

"Athena's right, Bobby. Now isn't the time. Until she calms down, I'll take care of her," Rosie said, even though she wanted to tell Bobby everything she thought about him now. But she was also surprised, because even though she'd heard about what had happened on the roof during that fateful October shift, it hadn't been in detail, and now she understood more clearly why her friend was acting even more strangely than before. She intended to support her, as she always had since they'd known each other, but she had a strange feeling that Lissie wouldn't let her get close to her so easily.

ROSIE POV

THE MORNING CAME FAR MORE QUICKLY THAN EITHER OF THE FRIENDS HAD ASSUMED. Despite the events of the previous evening, Lissie tried not to show how much the situation between her and her father had affected her, but the young Buckley knew better that everything was boiling inside her. She tried to persuade her to let her emotions out, as she knew how it had helped her herself on more than one occasion. Nash refused, saying that any minute now Marrie could drop in with Chim, who the girl was staying with, so she didn't want her to see what state her godmother was really in.

Rosie sighed heavily. She knew her friend was right. She also knew her daughter well enough to surmise what the eight-year-old's reaction might have been - she would have stood up for her favourite aunt, and as a result, she might have started to tease Bobby, and she didn't want that. Despite the fact that Lissie's father was their friend, yes he was still her and Chim's boss, so it could end unpleasantly for the two of them if she went one step too far.

Both girls heard the sound of a video chat. Rosie walked over to the fired-up laptop, on which a call box from Ian appeared. Buckley answered without hesitation.

"Hey!" Garcia exclaimed happily, waving to her friends, as Lissie herself had joined the conversation in the meantime. "Mis hermosas hermanas*... I missed you all. Where's my little oro**?"

Both girls laughed. One hello from Garcia was enough, and they both regained a good portion of their lost humor.

"We were helping May get ready for the prom, so she had a whole day with her dad," Rosie said. "But she's having fun as always."

"A day with her dad and Uncle Buck," Lissie corrected her. "Remember, he snuck up on your boyfriend's couch after he moved out of his ex's apartment." Rosie tensed slightly, which luckily neither of them noticed. After she and Chim got back together, they hadn't told anyone about their current relationship. She had a feeling that soon, neither of them would have a choice, and the truth would come out. Ian and Suzanna looked at them both with confused expressions.

"Her boyfriend's?" Bobby's younger sister and Miss Nash's aunt, asked. "ROSALINE BUCKLEY?! DO WE NOT KNOW SOMETHING?!"

Rosie thought she would sink into the ground with embarrassment — she loved Melissa with all her heart, but what she had just done made her seriously doubt whether telling her about that one night between her and Han had been a good plan.

"She's got something mixed up," she said, embarrassed by her roommate's attitude. Lissie laughed. "It's true that things have started to change, but we haven't gotten back together, if that's what you mean."

"It's only a matter of time," the younger friend said. "If they don't get back together by Christmas, then Marrie, Buck, and Maddie and I have a plan for them."

"Who else are you plotting with, huh?" Rosie asked. Her voice held even more embarrassment than before, stemming from the current situation. "Since when has our sister been helping you?"

Sometime after the situation with the fudge and the crew under the influence of the drugs, she noticed her best friend scheming with her goddaughter and Evan. She hadn't suspected this conspiracy had lasted until now.

"It's our little secret," Nash replied. "We have to bring out the really big guns, or you'll meet again in the next life. If that ever happens, at the rate you two are."

Buckley hadn't even intended to comment on this, but instead glanced at the screen to ask her friends from Chicago one thing when she saw that they were... eating popcorn?!

"Don't interrupt," Ian said, grabbing a handful of popcorn. "Your banter is better than Netflix shows."

Suzanna burst out laughing, and Buckley and the younger Nash exchanged glances – they were trying to keep the situation serious, but it didn't last long, because two minutes later they joined in the laughter initiated by Melissa's aunt.

When things finally calmed down, Rosie decided to take the opportunity to ask her friends about a certain issue that was troubling her, and also Lissie.

"We hope we can have a laugh together at mine and Lissie's birthday party next week," she said with a smile. "Because you're coming, right? What am I saying... You probably already have your tickets and are just counting down until we see each other at the airport. Right?

The aspect of a shared birthday made their friendship seem even more special – they were both born on the same day, six years apart, but they hated the date equally, though for different reasons. Despite everything, thanks to each other's presence and support, they were starting to at least tolerate it.

The looks on Ian and Suzanna's faces... didn't fill them with any optimism on that score.

"The captain put me on the Christmas Eve shift," Garcia sighed. "I tried to get out of it because he knew we were supposed to be going to your place, because I personally handed him the leave request. One of the guys insisted on switching, so I had no say in the matter."

"And what's your excuse?" Lissie looked at her aunt. "Unless you happen to be dropping by..."

"I'm sorry, my darlings..." the woman said, her expression contrite. "But we'll definitely be here for New Year's Eve. Marrie won't let us off the hook if we don't show up for her party at the fire station."

True, Rosie and Chim had managed to persuade Bobby to let Marigold celebrate her birthday at the station. The girl didn't want a party in the living room or any other public place, like her friends. She was definitely more excited about the fire department — the whole crew laughed at how close the apple had fallen to the tree. Hen, Eddie, and Buck had even managed to place bets that young Buckley-Han would eventually become a paramedic, like her parents. This embarrassed Rosie and Chim, but they said nothing and let them continue betting on what career their daughter would choose. They hoped, however, that she would choose something significantly different from their own work. Lissie glanced at the computer screen, and Rosa did the same. They both felt a certain disappointment, considering that, ever since they met, they had always celebrated this day together. Even when Rosie and Marrie moved to Los Angeles, they still flew to Chicago just to be with the other three.

The situation changed quite suddenly when Marrie burst into the apartment, accompanied by her father. As long as Rosie had known Chimney, she hadn't seen him in such a state as he was in that moment... Their daughter didn't look any better, though by the expressions they both made, they were practically identical – no one could have accused them of not being parent and child, even ignoring the fact that Marrie wasn't particularly Asian.

"Hey, calm down," young Buckley surreptitiously touched Fireman Han's hand, trying to calm him down, as she always did. "Tell me what happened. What did my brother do?"

"He's awful, Mom!" Marrie called. "He's been playing music at full volume since this morning, and he doesn't understand that I like to sleep past seven in the morning when there's no school."

"Plus, he's a real mess," Chim reminded her.

Suzanna laughed.

"We knew one like that... But she's grown," she replied, and Rosie knew she was referring to her, from when they first met.

"In my defense, when I met you, I had a baby to take care of..." she said, embarrassed, which amused the older woman, who was not much older than her.

It wasn't until the older Nash spoke that Marrie's expression changed dramatically — the anger suddenly vanished, replaced by joy. Without hesitation, she rushed to the computer. Chimney, embarrassed by his behavior, waved politely at them both.

"Aunt Susie!" the eight-year-old girl exclaimed enthusiastically, running to the computer. "Uncle Ian! When will you finally visit us?"

"Soon, sweetheart," young Garcia assured her. "Just a little while longer, and we'll spoil you until your parents can't get enough of us. Oh, right... Chim, when are you and our dear Rosie finally going to get together? Time's ticking, man..."

Hearing this, they both rolled their eyes, wanting to avoid the topic, even for a little while. The rest of the group just laughed at their behavior.

While the others were busy chatting among themselves, Buckley looked at her boyfriend with amusement. He just smiled, gesturing to her that they needed to be more careful.

THE CLOSER WE GOT TO CHRISTMAS, THE WEIRDER THE CALLS BECAME. At least that's what it seemed to young Buckley - they started with a man who wanted to mount an inflatable snowman on his roof, but at the same time fell off it through the same decoration on one shift, while on the next they were looking for a boy who had accidentally fallen into one of the parcels in the sorting office and needed to be found before it was too late - here invaluable help was given by Maddie and Lissie, who took turns calling the boy's phone so that the rescuers could find him more easily.

However, nothing could top this year's toy collection at the fire station... The situation may not have been a call from the head office, but it definitely fell into the category of strange.

The three of them were standing, along with Chim and Buck, dispensing drinks and food when they saw a visibly annoyed woman approach the table where Eddie was accepting donations from residents. They must have had a longer story behind them, because she mentioned that maybe, thanks to the conversation at the fire station, they wouldn't end up in bed as usual. This sentence made all three firefighters look at them a little longer than they should have, although it was none of their business. They were clearly surprised by this turn of events, and since Diaz had seen how they reacted, he took her to the locker room so they wouldn't talk in plain sight in front of everyone.

"Okay..." Rosie began, not knowing how to respond. "Sure, women like Eddie, but I never expected we'd witness a scene like this."

Buck completely ignored what his sister had to say. He kept staring at his phone. Only the fact that Chim had taken it away from him had gotten Rosie's younger brother's attention.

"Hey, give it back!" he shouted. "I ordered Christmas presents. The only people I haven't bought anything for are Rosie and Lissie, but I want something special for her since it's her first Christmas with us."

"You're looking for something special for my friend, but not for your own sister? That hurt, little brother, you know? Anyway, you can cross her off the list. Lissie hates Christmas because she was born on Christmas Eve, just like me. Unless you magically bring Suzanna and Ian from Chicago for her, but I doubt you have superpowers."

"You share a birthday?" he asked, surprised. "You two really are like twin sisters, but now I see it even more..."

The young woman rolled her eyes, which made Chimney, who was still standing beside them, laugh.

"Guys..." she said, returning to her work.

She didn't want to be reprimanded by Bobby, especially since he'd had a fight with Lissie the last time they'd seen each other... He hadn't been having the best time of his life.

ROSIE WAS LEAVING THE FIRE STATION, BUT SHE NOTICED BOBBY SITTING ON A BENCH IN THE MEN'S LOCKER ROOM. The sight surprised her, as she was sure he'd long since left work. It worried her—he might be their boss, but he was also their friend, so she cared about his concerns. Even if she was angry with him for his actions with Lissie.

"I thought you'd already left," she said to him, standing in the doorway. "What's going on, Bobby?"

"I didn't think you'd want to talk about private matters after what you witnessed during Lissie's outburst at Athena's."

So she guessed correctly that might have been the issue... But she could see from his expression that it wasn't just about that situation.

"I might want to punch you in the face, but I won't because you're family," she said. "And I'm not hurting my family in the slightest." "And your fights with Buck?"

He looked at her questioningly. Rosie just laughed.

"That's Buck. Sometimes he deserves it... A lot of the time, actually."

Bobby shook his head in disbelief. Rosie sat down next to him on the bench.

"Isn't Chim waiting for you?" he asked her. "Do you really want to talk about my problems?"

"He went to pick up Marrie from Maddie's, so I have about twenty minutes." She checked her watch. "Buck and Seth decided to buy her a Christmas tree and decorations, and I have a feeling it could end badly for both of them, so I'd rather she didn't see what could happen there, so... How can I help? Besides Lissie, of course. Rosie Buckley's emergency psychological clinic had just opened."

The man let out a short laugh, then sighed.

"I don't know where to go. I usually go to Athena's. I cook something, or we order food. But if I go there now..." She'll be expecting an answer."

Buckley looked at her superior, listening intently. The conversation with Sergeant Grant had piqued her interest.

"She asked me to move in with her," he replied, seeing the surprise on his subordinate's face. "She took me so completely by surprise that I'm speechless. I don't know what to do... I know how much it cost her to open up again, and I don't want to hurt her. It would break my heart if I did."

"I know that because if I didn't, I really wouldn't be talking to you the way I am now. Lissie and Athena are seriously important to me, because they helped me become the person I am now... Anyone who hurts them will have to deal with me. I'm not kidding," Rosa said. "I've known Athena for a really long time, and I'm sure she didn't want to put you in an awkward position. But tell me, honestly. Do you love her?"

"Yes," he replied without a moment's hesitation. "I thought it was obvious."

"So you want to spend the rest of your life with her," the captain confirmed. "What's stopping you?"

He sighed heavily. They both knew the answer to that question—he was afraid of Lissie's reaction, and he had no way to ask her because they were in a fight. His daughter wasn't listening to him, something Rosie had witnessed several times in recent weeks when she tried to avoid him.

"When I met Lissie and Ian..." Buckley began. "Neither of us could open up to the others because we were so devastated by our experiences. Only later did they tell me about you. Aside from your substance abuse problem, Lissie never said a bad word about you. Neither did Marcy."

Bobby blinked a few times, then looked at her in surprise.

"Marcy? You knew my wife?"

He was clearly shaken. Rosie nodded.

"We saw each other a few times before Marrie was born because Lissie asked her to teach me how to take care of a baby because it completely terrified me," she said, but waved her hand away from him. "But now we're talking about you and Lissie."

"Sorry, you just surprised me." "Years passed, and then we received the news of the fire and the death of your loved ones... Liss was completely devastated emotionally and mentally. There was even a moment when, fresh from the tragedy, she wouldn't leave her room, so Ian and I would slip her favorite pizza under the door. Luckily, she ate it, because then she'd slide the box back out. Sometimes she let us in and we'd sit with her in silence, so she'd feel like she wasn't alone in all this. Even Marrie did everything she could to lift her spirits."

"That's Marigold," Bobby snorted with laughter. "It's clear from the start how much Lissie means to her and how close they are..." Rosie confirmed, then moved on.

"Lissie didn't say a word until the evening before the funeral," she announced, and Bobby noticed that the memories brought tears to her eyes. When Lissie suffered, Rosie felt she suffered with her. They laughed that it was because they shared a birthday, but the truth was, it was because they had become so close. "But your conversation at the cemetery... It was the last straw. Even though she tried to put on a good face when she was little, I saw and heard her crying in her room at night when she thought no one was paying attention. But I heard, and still do when I think about that time. Don't blame her for finally breaking down and snapping." "I... I really wanted to protect her from herself back then..." Nash replied contritely. "You know that, right?"

Rosie hugged the captain to comfort him, or at least she tried.

"I know that, Bobby... You should have a heart-to-heart talk with her. It will definitely help. Despite your anger and grief, there's no one more important in our Christmas girl's entire life than you."

Bobby smiled broadly, grateful that Rosie had given him the time.

Suddenly, the locker room door flew open, and a miniature version of herself jumped onto young Buckley's lap.

"Hi," Marrie smiled broadly at her mother and Bobby. "What's going on? Why are you taking so long to leave the firehouse?"

Rosa didn't get a chance to answer her because Chimney, panting from chasing after the eight-year-old, appeared in the doorway.

"When did she learn to run like that..." "He asked, which made the others laugh. "What's going on, Rosey? You're not answering, and we've been waiting in the car for fifteen minutes. I was afraid something had happened..." Bobby looked at them both rather suspiciously, which they both noticed.

"There's something in the air," Nash said. "You're not telling us something, are you, Marrie?"

"Mom and Dad are dating," the girl said. "They think I don't see, but they're not."

Rosie and Chim looked at their daughter in surprise, then at their captain. They knew how smart their daughter was, but they were still surprised at how lightly she spoke about it.

"You're too observant for your age. It's scary, you know, being young?" Chimney concluded, and the girl laughed. The Asian man looked at Bobby. "We're together, but if the others find out, we'll be worse off than we already are." That's why we didn't announce it on the forum, because we want to take advantage of this secret.

"I'll keep quiet," Nash said. "You're safe. I'm glad you've finally moved this whole thing forward. You really deserve to be happy."

The three of them smiled.

"You too," Rosie said. "Regarding our conversation. Talk to both of them. Since Athena made you such an offer, maybe it's time to formalize your relationship?"

The captain looked at them surprised. He clearly hadn't considered that option.

"Rosa's right," Chim said. "You and Athena are a really good couple. Strike while the iron is hot... And what kind of offer is that?"

Nash and young Buckley laughed, and everyone started to head home.

"I'll think about it," Bobby said. "Seriously... Thanks, Rosie. You too, Chim."

"Always at your service," they said in unison, then walked toward Han's car. Shortly before they went their separate ways, Rosaline saw in their boss's eyes that he already had a plan. She was confident that whatever he came up with, it would all work out.

LISSIE POV

PERSONALLY, SHE MAY NOT HAVE LIKE CHRISTMAS, BUT FOR MARRIE, IT WAS THE BEST HOLIDAY IN THE WORLD. So she tried to hide her displeasure, and when Rosie asked her to go with them to see Santa Claus, she had to agree. For a moment, she thought about saying that the fat guy in the red jacket and white fake beard wasn't Santa Claus at all and that he never existed, but she held it back. Lissie might have acted like December was the worst time of year, but she couldn't take that happiness away from her favorite and only goddaughter.

When Marrie emerged from her room, she looked truly adorable. She wore a red dress with white snowflakes, her hair curled, and a headband with reindeer antlers.

"Someone here has become Santa's elf." Lissie smiled at the little girl, as she spun around happily. Her mother clapped happily, and Marrie bowed gently to her small audience.

"So, how do you like it?"

"You look perfect, Little Flower."

Lissie stroked the girl's curls, but she quickly brushed her hand aside.

"Auntie, no" shook her head. "You'll ruin my entire hairstyle."

"That's right, and I've been working on it for a damn long time" added Rosie quickly, and young Nash just raised her hands in a defensive gesture. "If all of you are ready, we're going. There's no point in wasting time."

"Yes!" Marrie threw her hands up. "To meet Santa Claus!"

"To meet Santa Claus, hooray!" Lissie repeated with all her reluctance.

"You could show at least minimal joy" laughed Rosie. "Maybe I should actually call you Grinch or Scrooge from now on."

Lissie rolled her eyes.

"I just want these holidays to end and they have not even started."

Rosie just gave her a friendly smile, realizing perfectly well what exactly caused her friend's attitude to be so bad.

When they arrived, to their surprise they met Eddie, his son Christopher and Buck who had the same plan. Lissie knew about the situation from the firehouse thanks to her best source in the form of Rosie. She didn't go into what relationship Diaz had with his ex-or-still-current wife. Human relationships were complicated, and at least she could breathe a sigh of relief that she had no one above her head.

Marrie and Chris were quite shy about each other at first because they had only just met, but later agreed that they wanted to go stand in line for Santa Claus themselves. Lissie thanked everything that existed for it, because the further she was from all kinds of holiday traditions, the better it was for her. The four of them sat by the fountain, watching the two kids who were waiting for their turn. Eddie was taking a picture of his son, and Marrie didn't even have to wait for someone to call her – she just immediately turned to them with a wide smile and waved happily.

"I love that kid," Buck said enthusiastically, waving to his niece. - And we're related. It's amazing.

"Marrie is only half Buckley," said his sister. "Don't imagine too much."

"You know how to ruin someone's mood, sis. I thought you were talking about Lissie being the Grinch."

"Really?" Lissie shook her head. "You told everyone?"

"Just everyone who asked," Rosie smiled innocently. "You can't be mad at me, remember, because I know how to blackmail you. I've known you too long not to know your dark secrets."

"You know it works both ways?"

"Talk about it," Buck interrupted, looking at young Nash. "I want to know all my big sister's dirty secrets."

"What? No!" Lissie wiggled her index finger and punched him in the arm. "Only I can use her secrets against her. You won't learn anything from me."

Buck inhaled dramatically and placed a hand on his chest, where his heart was.

"You're hurting me, woman!"

Everyone laugh.

"Chris is doing great too," Lissie said to Eddie, and she could see he was filled with pride for his son. "He has an incredible amount of joy inside him. You're a good father, Eddie."

"Thanks." Diaz nodded and looked at the Buckley siblings. "So... Do you have something to say?"

"Like what?" Buck pretended not to know what he was talking about, but even Lissie suspected it was about the incident with Diaz's wife.

"It's none of our business, Eddie," Rosie replied.

"It just sort of came out," he began to explain, and Lissie realized he probably needed to get it out more than he let on. "I didn't plan on it. I only contacted Shannon to get him into school. And we kind of ended up in bed."

"Technically, you're not doing anything wrong. You're still married, right?" Eddie looked at Lissie in shock, but if he was surprised that she knew what had happened, he didn't comment.

"I'm seeing the mother of my child behind his back."

"Kids sense things," Rosie commented. "You two should talk calmly and decide what to do next. Chris's well-being is the most important thing right now, and he'll love you both just the same whether you're together or not."

The conversation quickly turned to Christmas preparations and how each of them would handle them. Lissie almost immediately stopped listening to them, because what plans she had were definitely not to share with others and explain why she wasn't feeling the holiday spirit.

Finally, Marrie and Chris returned to them, smiling and happy, and above all, incredibly hungry. To avoid a fuss, the parents decided to take children to the Christmas carousel, and Lissie and Buck offered to go buy some food.

"You know... Sometimes I am jealous of you, because you have seen Marrie as a little girl" Buck said as they walked through the food aisle. So far, all they'd managed to find was some sweet gingerbread cookies, but it wasn't exactly a complete meal. The kids might have been happy, but their parents not that much.

"But now you practically have her every day," she smiled at him. "And she adores you."

"You think so?"

"Marrie often talks about what she did with Uncle Buck."

Lissie walked over to one of the stands that sold more than just candy and glanced at the menu, spotting hamburgers, fries, and other fast food items that would have to suffice for now.

"And she keeps telling me about her favorite Aunt Lissie."

Nash blushed slightly, then shook her head as she remembered Marrie's own words when the two of them were driving to the fire station that fateful day with the cakes. She'd said something to the effect that she wanted not only her parents to be happy together, but her aunt and uncle as well.

"I can tell you about Marrie and what she was like during firsts years." She looked at Buck again. "Starting when she was three and asked for a frog cake for her birthday." She laughed, remembering how much effort she'd put into fulfilling her goddaughter's dream. "You'd think she'd want a cake with princesses or a unicorn, but no, Marrie wanted a frog. We couldn't really afford one back then, so I decided to bake it myself."

"She must have been over the moon, because I know exactly how great you are at baking."

"She was," she snorted briefly, "but not for the reason you think. The frog-shaped cake resembled a frog only in color, because I ended up with some kind of misshapen cake. Despite that, Marrie thought it was the best cake she'd ever eaten and received. And yes, it tasted delicious, but it looked awful."

Buck laughed with amusement.

"Sounds like the kind of dessert that gives you nightmares."

Buckley joked, and Lissie became indignant and punched him in the arm, though she was still smiling.

"Excuse me! Marrie was delighted. And that was the most important thing."

"You're really great with her," Buck said seriously, leaning in slightly. "Natural."

Lissie only now realized the height difference between them. Although she wasn't exactly short herself, even at five feet seven inches, she felt like a dwarf next to Buckley. To be as tall as he was, she'd probably have to wear eight-inch heels that would have made her break her legs before she could even walk a few steps.

Despite this, Buck wasn't pushy, and she didn't feel like he was taking all her personal space.

"I simply have no instinct for self-preservation. One word and a look from that kid is enough, and she has me, and I'll agree to anything she wants. Unfortunately, often against Rosie and Chima's orders."

"Or maybe it's your heart of gold, which hasn't been appreciated by anyone as it should be."

He smiled at her in that charming way she'd seen him use several times before. Usually when they were out with the rest of 118 unit and some girl approached him to take a picture of her with friends. Buck, being in his usual sweet nature, simply couldn't say no, and he was more or less consciously flirting with these girls, even though he swore he was still in a relationship with Abby. She froze for a brief moment, not wanting to be another target of his flirtation, or anything else, really. Not now, not when she couldn't handle her own emotions, let alone trust another person. Suddenly her hands were shaking, but she quickly managed to shove them into the pockets of her leather jacket, hoping Buck hadn't seen anything.

"We'd better pick something to eat and get back to the others," she said nervously, trying to ignore what had just happened. "I'm sure they're wondering where we've disappeared."

Buck frowned and gently grabbed her arm, but she jerked away from him with unusually quickness. He released her and stepped back, clearly realizing he'd overstepped some boundary.

"Hey, are you okay?" He asked worriedly. She saw pure concern in his eyes, a glint she couldn't explain, but it made her know Buck couldn't do anything to her. But her body kicked into self-defense mode, something she'd been working on for a long time but still couldn't control.

"Yes," she nodded, but she was sure he didn't believe her for a moment. "We'd just better get back to them."

Lissie quickly ordered what she thought everyone would eat, and while they waited for their orders, neither of them said a word. She felt a pang of guilt, but she couldn't explain it to him because it meant she had to confess to Rosie what had happened, and she still wasn't ready. She liked him, and if she'd met him two years earlier, she probably would have fallen for his flirtation and willingness to spend time with her. But now she couldn't, and it was all because she was terrified of how it all might end.

ON CHRISTMAS EVE, SHE HAD A PLAN. To change into her sweatpants, wish Rosie a happy birthday, and give her a mini present along with a makeshift cake, then lock herself in her room and rewatch Game of Thrones. She hoped the blood, political conspiracies, dragons, and handsome Starks would distract her from the day. She felt a little guilty about leaving Rosie alone with her celebrations, but she honestly couldn't muster even the slightest spark of joy. Even her father hadn't spoken to her with silly wishes as he always did... Great. It seemed their family had completely fallen apart, and there was nothing left to save.

Her plan backfired when Marrie burst into her room, dressed in her best Christmas dress, and then Chim, who told her to get ready because they were leaving in half an hour. He didn't mention where or why, only that there was no point in refusing, because if she did, they'd take her by force.

"You've got to be kidding," she muttered discontentedly, pulling the hood of her sweatshirt tighter. "I'm not going anywhere. I'll just sleep."

"You really are the Christmas Grinch," Chim leaned back against the wall and folded his arms across his chest.

"What's up with you guys calling me that all the time? Rosie doesn't like her birthday either, and no one calls her that."

"Rosie doesn't lock herself in a room and complain about the world. Seriously, Lissie, that's completely out of character for you. I understand why you don't like the holidays, and no one's forcing you to enjoy them all at once. You just don't have to spend the day alone, because from a medical point, it'll only make you even more depressed."

She wanted to curse that Chim existed and that he always managed to say something that was perfectly on point. Lissie wanted to argue with him out of principle and admit he was wrong, but she couldn't. He was right when he said she didn't have to spend the day alone, and it was always better to play board games with the girls and have dinner together than isolate herself from everyone.

"Fine," she muttered, defeated. She closed her laptop screen, and when she looked at her friend, she saw him grinning broadly. "But know that from this moment on, I don't like you anymore."

"Grinch alert! Time to run!" Chim called, then vanished from her room with a laugh.

Lissie shook her head and, despite her reluctance, decided to get dressed. At first, she was at a loss because she didn't know what to choose, but based on the fact that Marrie was wearing a Christmas dress, she opted for a burgundy suit and white shirt. It wasn't anything particularly christmas, but it had a certain festive feel, and besides, she felt good in it, which was still a success. When she left the room, everyone was already waiting for her. Marrie said she looked beautiful, but that she was missing a Christmas trinket, and gave her dangling reindeer earrings, which she was forced to wear. She felt like the last time she'd dressed up so festively was when she was a child, when she was still unaware of what it meant, her mother flying with angels, and her belief in Santa Claus was deeply ingrained in her. Despite appearances, she hadn't always been a Grinch.

The four of them piled into Chimney's car. He turned on the radio, and Lissie resisted the urge to roll her eyes as all she heard were Christmas hits and the host chatting with someone about Christmas traditions in California. She quickly recognized the route he'd taken, and when he stopped in front of the Grants' house, it was clear he'd brought them there for a reason.

When he opened the door and let them in first, she found it a bit suspicious, and then all she heard was a loud chorus of "happy birthday." Everyone she knew was in the Grants' living room – the entire 118th team, led by her father, Karen with Danny, Michael with May and Harry, Maddie, Seth, and even Josh, but it was someone else entirely who caught her attention. Through the crowd, she spotted her aunt's familiar long red hair, and beside her stood Ian, his dark hair perfectly styled and that snow-white smile that made many men have a heart attack.

"Garcia!" she called out happily for the first time in days. She quickly overtook Rosie and Chim and then ran down a few steps, only to fall into the arms of her longtime friend. Ian grabbed her by the waist and spun her around, only then setting her down. "Me has mentido! Dijiste que no podrías venir.*** "

"And would I miss your shock when you see me? No way, hermosa****."

"Oh, how I missed you." Lissie snuggled up to the brunette, and he just leaned his head over her and rested his cheek on her hair.

"Me too, but now I'm here, if only for a moment."

Ian smiled, and she returned the gesture, finally feeling that everything was slowly falling into place.

"I can't believe you didn't tell us," Rosie joined them, along with Suzanna. "That was so mean of you."

"Did you really think we'd miss your birthday? And Marrie's?" Suzanna raised an eyebrow. "If you were at the end of the world, we'd still come. We're family, after all."

"A little twisted and broken," Ian added, brushing a strand of hair from Lissie's face. "But unique."

Garcia kissed her forehead, and in the process, he grabbed Rosie's hands and pulled her close, ending with all three of them in a shared embrace.

THE PARTY DEVELOPED QUICKLY. Thanks to the preparations of Athena, her father, and Maddie and Buck – who, it turned out, were the original idea – no one was hungry or thirsty. The children gathered under the Christmas tree, searching for presents with their names on them, while the adults split into smaller groups. Lissie saw how Suzanna quickly engaged in conversation with Athena and Michael. Young Nash even wondered if it wasn't more about finding out about her brother's current girlfriend, but Suzanna looked like she was having a great time. Or maybe it was just another glass of wine she was currently sipping that lifted her spirits. Rosie spent the evening with Chim, Seth, and her siblings, and when she felt their eyes on her, she immediately looked at her and smiled, which Lissie returned. Next, she spotted Ian and – surprisingly – Josh, who seemed particularly absorbed in each other's presence. Lissie noticed that familiar glint in her friend's eye and had a feeling something more could come from this one conversation. Ian clearly liked Josh, and she wouldn't be surprised if they became a little closer.

Despite everything, she was glad she'd let Chim drag her out of her room. He was right, because at least now she could talk and spend time with the people she loved and cared about. At least for a short while, she could push away the negative thoughts.

"I have something for you." Lissie looked to the side and saw her father. He held a plate in his hands, a slice of her favorite cheesecake on it.

Lissie sighed silently, expecting it would come to this point sooner or later. She could run away from the consequences of her outburst, but she couldn't do it forever.

"Thank you," she muttered, and took the dessert from him. She stuck her fork into the cake and then ate a piece. "You made it. I can recognize that taste."

"I wanted to make something special for you today," he said uncertainly. "Can we... talk?"

Lissie nodded, but before Bobby could say anything, she spoke up:

"I'm sorry for what I said last time. I didn't mean it."

"You have nothing to apologize for. And you were right... I was stupid for not realizing how my addiction was affecting you, and probably still is. You witnessed it from the very beginning and understood far more than your siblings... I ignored every attempt you made to help until I got the worst of it. I wasn't the father you deserved."

Lissie shook her head – whether because she disagreed with him or because she was trying to fight back the impending tears, she wasn't sure. She turned sideways to him so she could look at him properly and placed the plate of cake on the table next to her.

"I had no right to say what I said anyway," she replied. Even though she'd read the fire report and knew the immediate cause was that damned heater he'd forgotten to turn off, she knew it bothered him even more. "You tried your best... Nobody's perfect. You've made a lot of mistakes, but you don't have to add me to that list. After all, I always had someone I could rely on... Ian, Suzanna, Marcy, and later Rosie..."

"You should have had me too..."

"You were sick... And yes, Dad, alcoholism is a disease. Just like any other addiction. We can't turn back time," she took a short breath, "and we can't get back what we've lost. And there will be days when I'll remember what happened, how you pushed me away after the funeral, and I'll probably be mad at you all over again for doing that. Or we'll argue because you know perfectly well I'm no longer the good girl who went to Catholic school... I've grown up, Dad, and I know that despite all this, everyone deserves a second chance." She smiled at him gently. Bobby looked at her as if realizing for the first time that his little daughter had actually grown up and for most of this time, she hadn't even had him to lean on. "Let's not waste what we still have. I've lost two mothers, I don't want to lose you too."

"I promise you won't," he assured her, though perhaps he shouldn't have, considering the job he held. Still, such a short promise had a profound effect on her heart. She'd always wondered if he'd come home every day after his shift, but for now, that was enough. "I'm sorry, Mellie. I'll never let you down again."

Lissie didn't respond, just snuggled closer to him and felt a weight lifted from her shoulders. She'd been acting like a Grinch these past few days, and she could blame it on the fact that she simply didn't like Christmas, but the truth was that the fight with her father was what was bothering her the most.

Bobby placed one hand on her back and the other on her head, holding her in his embrace as if their lives depended on it. Lissie rested her cheek against his chest, and it felt as if all the chaos around them had simply vanished. She was that little girl again, finding the greatest security and love in her parent's arms.

"I want to give you something else," he announced after a short moment. She reluctantly pulled away, then noticed him holding a small box with a jewelry company logo. When he opened it, she saw a delicate gold bracelet with four green clover leaves inside. "For your birthday. Happy birthday, sweetheart. Evelyn and Marcy would be proud of you."

"Thank you. It's beautiful." She looked at him with a smile. "It'll be my lucky charm. Will you help me put it on?"

Bobby complied without hesitation.

THE CONVERSATION WITH HER FATHER FILLED HER WITH RENEWED JOY. Not only because they had reconciled and decided to forge a new path between them. The second thing was the news that her father wanted to propose to Athena that evening, after everyone had left the party. He didn't go into details, but from what she understood, they had an argument just before the holidays, which would put their relationship to the test. He, however, had decided to make a completely unexpected decision, but Lissie was happy for him and wished him luck, expecting him to let her know immediately what Athena's response would be.

The house was starting to get noisier and crowded, and she needed some fresh air. She grabbed a cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows that she and May had prepared for all the kids and sat down at a table in the garden. The sun had long set, and in the distance, she could hear that this house wasn't the only one hosting a holiday party. Lissie leaned her elbows on the wooden table and looked up at the sky. She admired the visible stars and even tried to make out the constellations when she heard quiet footsteps behind her. She turned quickly, a little startled, only to see Buck standing on the porch.

"Hi, Birthday Girl," he smiled uncertainly. Ever since their conversation at the Christmas market, she'd been trying to pretend nothing had happened, and the youngest Buckley was clearly trying to adopt a similar attitude, though he hadn't given up on the innocent flirtation. "Did you know that sitting alone on your birthday is a crime in at least half the States?"

"I had no idea you knew the law so well."

"Everyone has their secrets, Sunshine." Lissie didn't understand why he'd called her that, much less why just one word – although it came from him – made a warmth flow through her body like nothing she'd ever felt before.

"Why 'Sunshine'?" She asked, though she didn't know what answer she should expect from him.

"That's simple," he replied with that same charming smile. "Apart from the holiday season, when you act like the Grinch – exceptionally charming, by the way – every day... I don't know how to put it. Wherever you are, you radiate a friendly and positive atmosphere. Like sunshine. Everyone will confirm that."

She was surprised by his words, more than she expected. Because Buck was describing the old version of her. The one she'd been in Chicago before she learned of her family's death. After that, it only got worse, and she didn't feel at all like he described. She'd long since lost all the joy in her life and was stubbornly clinging to what was left of her, just to try to regain her self-esteem.

"May I?" Buck stepped closer and gestured to the empty seat across from her. She agreed, and he sat down at the table. However, he still held one hand behind his back, which seemed a little suspicious to her. "Rosie told me you didn't like getting presents on your birthday, but I decided to disobey my sister. And I hope you won't hold it against me, but I bought you something." Finally, he extended his hidden hand, which revealed he'd been holding a gift bag the entire time. "Look inside."

The girl complied, and as soon as she peeked inside, she almost immediately burst into laughter, so much so that tears of amusement formed in the corners of her eyes. She couldn't remember the last time she'd laughed so carefree, but if she'd known earlier that all it took was a green stuffed animal shaped like the Grinch with sunglasses on, she would have asked for one immediately.

"Happy birthday, Grinch."

"Isn't that the Sunshine?" She asked cheekily. She pulled the stuffed animal out of the bag and placed it on the table between them. "Thank you, Buck. It's a lovely gift."

Buckley let out a mock sigh of relief.

"I honestly thought you'd rip my head off for that."

"You're too good a firefighter for my father to afford to lose a member of his team."

"Now it's all clear," he joked, and they shared a laugh. Evan reached out a cautious hand to the table, guiding it toward her, but did nothing more, allowing Lissie to make the final decision on what she wanted to do. "You know..." he began, a little nervously. "I've been trying for days to figure out how to tell you something without sounding weird. And most of all, to make you feel uncomfortable..." He swallowed hard, and she could tell that whatever he wanted to tell her, he was very keen to tell her. "If I screw this up, you can tell me straight out to shut up."

She nodded, because even though she was afraid of what he had to say, she wanted to hear it.

"I like you," he finally confessed, completely sincerely, and her heart skipped a beat. "Not just because you're bloody gorgeous and no other girl can compare to you... But most of all, because over this time, I've started to get to know you. How smart you are – definitely smarter than me." Lissie shook her head, disagreeing with his words, but she didn't interrupt him. "It's how good your heart is, or how you act when you think no one else is watching."

Lissie sighed silently and tensed at his confession. She didn't know what to say to him, but she had to. She couldn't just cut the subject off again, as if nothing had happened. Not after words like that from him.

"Buck..."

"I don't expect anything," he interrupted confidently, and she dared to move her hand closer to his. All she had to do was lift her fingers until their skin met and she could touch him. Buckley looked at their hands, then back at her, this time much more gently than before. "I feel like you're dealing with something that probably no one else knows about, and I respect that. I'm not trying to rush you into anything or put any pressure on you... I just wanted you to know how I see it. I wanted to be honest..." He smiled briefly. "You don't owe me anything. I just... I know my reputation in the 118 when it comes to girls, and I don't want you to think I feel the same way about you."

"What about Taylor?"

"It turns out that healing a broken heart in a bar isn't exactly a good idea."

"I'm sorry... I feel a little guilty because I talked you into it."

"I'm a grown man, Liss. I made that decision myself, and I regret it now. Which wouldn't be new, because I regret a lot of my decisions."

Lissie didn't answer. She felt that no matter what she said, she couldn't fully explain to him not only how she felt now, but also how grateful she was for what he'd told her. Her trust in people might have been eroded lately, but now she felt it with all her being that Evan was being completely honest with her. She wanted to convey to him, somehow, how much she appreciated this conversation, their entire relationship. She'd long known that gestures often conveyed far more than words. So she moved her hand closer to his until their fingers finally met, and she gently pressed them against his. When she looked up to smile softly, he was already watching her, his eyes twinkling.

_______________________________________________

VOCABULARY:

* Mis hermosas hermanas... - My beautiful sisters...

** oro - gold

*** Me has mentido! Dijiste que no podrías venir. - You lied to me! You said you couldn't come.

**** hermosa - beautiful