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Evan Nash had been working on a ranch in Montana when he received a call that his mom and siblings died in a fire. When he returned home, his dad was barely holding it together.
Evan threw out all the alcohol and pills his dad had hidden away and then he went to the fire chief.
“I think he needs a fresh start,” Evan said, “He’s not going to move forward if everyone keeps looking at him with either pity or concern.”
The chief nodded, “You’re right, Evan. There’s a firehouse in LA that’s been a bit of an island of misfit toys. They’ve been a revolving door of retiring brass and they’re looking for someone who would be a more permanent fit. Think he’d be up for a move?”
The hardest part about leaving was the graves they left behind. But they would come visit. It was just time to move on- he knew his mother would understand.
Evan verified with the landlord and the city multiple times that their new apartment was up to code- he didn’t want any repeats of that incident.
It was the night before his dad’s first day at his new station and they were having dinner together- unpacked boxes all around.
“What are you going to do while I’m at work?” He asked.
Evan shrugged, “I’m going to apply to different places. A friend from the ranch is actually working at a bar near the beach- he might be able to hook me up with a job there.”
“I’m sorry you had to put your plans on hold for me,” Bobby said.
“Hey, no,” Evan insisted, “Family always comes first.”
After high school, his parents revealed he had been adopted. It prompted him to take a trip of self discovery around the country. He didn’t really know why he felt the need to do that- it wasn’t like it would give him answers about his birth family. As soon as he heard what happened, he knew he didn’t need that trip to tell him who he was. He was Evan Nash and his father needed him.
Connor did manage to get Evan a job at the bar and after Bobby got home from his first shift at the new station, they laughed about all the strange calls he had had. The rooster with a knife was Evan’s favorite.
Bobby went back to work and Evan decided to spend the day with Connor before they both went into work.
“It’ll look great, I promise!”
Somehow Connor had talked him into bleaching his hair. It didn’t look bad per se, but it was definitely noticeable. He wasn’t sure how he felt about it, but it wouldn’t be long before his hair grew out and he could cut the bleached hair off.
He was no stranger to being flirted with- working at a bar meant it only happened more. Even with the questionable hair choice, he was still getting the attention of all the single and not so single women at the bar.
He had just finished making a tray of vodka cranberries for a bachelorette party when a new guy sat in one of the bar stools.
“What can I get you?” Evan asked him.
It was then that he actually looked at the man. He had sandy brown hair, striking blue eyes, a slightly large nose, and a cute little cleft in his chin. The man was gorgeous. Large, muscular arms and his shirt was pulled tight over a pair of large pecs.
Evan felt his mouth go dry. Was it getting hot in there? Maybe he should ask Connor to turn up the AC. If he was hot surely their customers were, too.
“Just a beer. Whatever you have on tap,” The guy said.
“Coming right up.”
They had two different beers on tap. One was the low brow stuff that most people got just because it was the recognizable brand. The other was a local craft beer. Looking at the guy, he decided he was in need of something that didn’t taste like crap.
The guy took one sip and then looked at Evan “This isn’t the kind of stuff you normally serve.”
Evan shrugged, “Thought you might like that better than the usual. Was I wrong?”
The guy smiled, “Not at all.”
It became kind of a thing after that. The guy introduced himself as Tommy and anytime Tommy came in, Evan would search for the fanciest beers they had in stock. And if Evan had any down time, they would spend time chatting. It was nice spending time with Tommy.
Every time he saw the man, he got a little flutter in his stomach. He didn’t recognize what it was at first, but slowly remembered the feelings of a childhood crush. He hadn’t expected to develop a crush on a man, but Tommy was just so hot and interesting that he couldn’t help but be drawn in.
“When’s your next night off?” Tommy asked one night.
“Um, tomorrow.”
“Any plans?”
“My dad and I were going to unpack the last of the boxes, but that shouldn’t take too long.”
“So you’d be free for dinner and a movie tomorrow night?”
Evan could feel his cheeks flushing and he was grateful for the low lighting of the bar, “Yeah, I’m free.”
And then Tommy leaned over the bar and gave him a soft kiss before handing him a piece of paper, “Text me where to pick you up.”
“Yeah. See you tomorrow.”
In a daze, Evan entered the number into his phone and texted Tommy his address.
The next day he was a buzz of excitement and he moved through the final boxes quickly.
“You’re in a good mood,” Bobby commented.
“Yeah, I, uh, have a date tonight.”
Bobby smiled, “That’s great! What’s her name?”
Evan hesitated for a moment before answering. He knew his dad wasn’t homophobic, but he had never dated a man before.
“Tommy,” Evan answered, “His name is Tommy.”
Bobby pulled him into a hug, “I’m proud of you, son.”
They ended the hug, but Bobby kept a hand on his shoulder, “But just remember- even though there’s no chance of getting pregnant- STDs are still a thing. So use protection.”
“Jesus, Dad! We’ve already had the safe sex talk!”
“We had the straight safe sex talk. Now we need the gay one,” Bobby said with a serious tone, but a teasing glint in his eyes, “Remember, safe, sane, and consensual.”
“It’s a first date!”
Bobby gave him a flat look. And Evan had to concede that point. Right after he learned he was adopted he’d acted out and slept around a lot . It was one of the reasons he decided to leave Saint Paul in the first place.
Thankfully he was saved from the conversation as Tommy texted him that he’d arrived.
“I’ll see you later, Dad!” Evan called as he grabbed his keys and ran out the door.
Tommy ended up taking him to an ax throwing place that also had a bar and kitchen.
“Isn’t it dangerous to give inebriated people weapons?” Evan asked.
Tommy laughed, “Terrible idea. I found out about this place because a few years ago we got a call here.”
They hadn’t talked about what Tommy did for a living, but that wording was familiar, “You’re a first responder?”
“A firefighter,” Tommy confirmed, “But I was a pilot in the army and I’m working on getting certified to transfer to air ops.”
“That’s so cool! My dad’s a firefighter. We actually have a long line of them in my family.”
“You ever think about exchanging slinging bottles to handling a hose?”
Evan gave Tommy a slow once over, “I think I could handle your hose.”
He ended up going home with Tommy that night. They didn’t venture into penetration, but they did everything else and it was already the best sex Evan had ever had.
When he woke up the next morning, he realized the bed next to him was cold. He found his boxers and a shirt that was a little loose on him on the floor and went to find Tommy.
The man was putting two plates and coffee mugs onto a tray when he saw Evan enter the kitchen.
“I was going to surprise you with breakfast in bed,” Tommy said.
Evan couldn’t stop the smile on his face even if he tried, “No one’s ever done that for me before.”
They ended up eating at the table since both of them were awake. It was nice. Comfortable. Domestic.
And then Tommy looked at the time, “Shit. If I don’t leave now I’m going to be late for work.”
“Hey, don’t worry about it,” Evan said, “I’ll grab my pants and then Uber home.”
“This is a 48 hour shift, but I’ll have three days off after.”
“I’ll text you my schedule at the bar and we can figure out our next date,” Evan responded.
Tommy gave him a quick kiss and then the two of them were up and rushing through their morning routine so Tommy could get to work on time.
Evan showered when he got home and then turned on the TV. He was working the late shift that night, so he had most of the day to laze around.
His phone vibrated with a text and he checked it right away- expecting it to be something from Tommy. Instead it was from his dad. They were stuck on back to back calls and weren’t going to have time to cook.
Evan sent a thumbs up and then drove to his dad’s new station. It was his first time there so he was a little hesitant poking around, “Hello?”
He knew they usually left at least one man behind on calls. An older gentleman- probably someone who was going to retire soon- leaned over the railing of the loft, “Can I help you?”
“I’m Captain Nash’s son, Evan,” he explained, “I’m here to help make lunch.”
Evan climbed the stairs and the man rolled his eyes, “I was just going to have everyone make their own sandwiches when they got back.”
“Why settle for that when I’ll make a homemade meal for everyone?” Evan asked, “It’s no trouble at all.”
The man grunted and went back to watching TV. He hadn’t even bothered to introduce himself.
He looked around the kitchen to see where all his equipment was and what ingredients he had. He decided to go with his dad’s famous lasagna. He had just gotten it in the oven when he heard the engine returning.
Instead of greeting everyone, he decided to get started on the garlic bread.
“Need help with anything, son?” Bobby asked when he got to the top of the stairs.
Evan shook his head, “It’ll be ready in about half an hour. You have time to get your paperwork done before it’s ready.”
Bobby patted Evan’s head and messed up his hair a little bit, “Alright everyone, listen up! This is my son, Evan. He heard we were having a rough start to the shift and was nice enough to make us lunch. Make him feel welcome.”
He retreated to his office and Evan continued with his task.
“The captain’s son, huh?” A short asian man asked as he approached the island, “My name is Chimney. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Chimney?” Evan asked, “There’s gotta be a story there.”
“There is. And you’ll never hear it.”
A black woman slapped Chimney upside the head, “Be nice. My name is Hen.”
“Nice to meet you,” Evan turned around to put the bread in the oven with the lasagna and when he returned both Hen and Chimney had weird looks on their faces.
“What’s wrong?” Evan asked, “Did I somehow manage to get food on my back? I know I can get a bit messy when I cook, but that would be a new low.”
Hen shook her head, “No… it’s just- where did you get that shirt?”
For the first time that day he looked at the shirt he was wearing and realized it was an LAFD t-shirt. He didn’t remember taking one of his dad’s shirts that morning, but then he remembered grabbing one off of Tommy’s floor. And then he saw a freshly showered Tommy walking up the steps of the loft.
Evan froze. He had no idea how to handle this situation. He’d never dated one of his dad’s firefighters before. Was there a protocol for this? Would Tommy even want people to know? Well, it was a little late for that last one.
“Evan!” Tommy was clearly shocked to see him, “What are you doing here?”
“Making lunch for my dad’s house.”
“Your dad’s-”
Evan nodded.
“And he’s wearing your shirt,” Hen pointed out quietly, “I don’t think anyone else has noticed, so you still have time to sneak down to the locker room and change if you want.”
Evan looked at Tommy, letting him take the lead. He didn’t care if people knew, but considering his dad was Tommy’s boss he may not want people knowing.
The two of them went down to the locker room and Tommy gave him a henley that could belong to anyone and Evan returned the shirt that said Kinard on the back.
“I’m- I’m not out,” Tommy explained.
“Oh!” This situation just got a whole lot more complicated, “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to out you. I didn’t even know this was your station.”
“I know,” Tommy sighed, “I’d been trying to work up the courage to tell Hen. She’s a lesbian and I was hoping she’d be my gay yoda.”
Evan snorted a laugh, “Yeah… I didn’t even know I liked guys until I met you, so…”
“So you aren’t out either?” Tommy asked.
“My dad knows,” Evan said, “I told him I was going on a date with a guy named Tommy. He’s really the only person in my life right now, so I guess that means I’m out.”
“Wow. You went from straight to out that fast?”
“It’s not a race.”
One of the timers beeped on Evan’s phone- letting him know it was time to take the bread out. The lasagna had about ten minutes left.
“I should get back upstairs.”
Tommy nodded, “Could you send Hen down?”
Evan looked around to make sure they were alone before kissing Tommy’s cheek, “Absolutely.”
When he reached the top of the stairs he caught Hen’s eye and gestured for her to go downstairs. She nodded and when she passed him she said, “Tell Chimney nothing. He cannot keep a secret to save his life.”
“But he already saw the shirt.”
“It was a misdelivery in your dad’s set,” She said, “That’s the story until Tommy says otherwise.”
Evan nodded. That was believable enough, right? And it was only one person who had to believe it.
He took out the bread and it was shortly followed by the lasagna. Chimney helped set the table and soon everyone was there except Bobby.
“I’ll go get him,” Evan offered.
He went downstairs and into his dad’s office, “Food’s ready.”
“Hey, you never came home last night,” Bobby said, “I take it the date went well?”
Evan blushed, “It went really well.”
“He’s treating you well?”
“The best.”
Bobby nodded, “If this keeps going I’m going to want to meet him.”
Evan nodded and then Bobby walked past him. Then Evan whispered, “You’ve already met him.”
He tried his best to act normal during lunch and he could try Tommy was trying the same, but they were both failing. Hen was being an excellent distraction and kept leading the conversation around them.
Eventually, Evan’s phone buzzed with an alarm, “Sorry to leave you all with the dishes, but I work the late shift tonight. I gotta get some sleep before work.”
“We all know what that’s like,” Chimney said.
“Don’t feel bad for leaving,” Bobby said, “Thank you for helping us out today. Get some rest. And if you didn’t get any sleep last night, think about actually coming home next time?”
He raised an eyebrow at his son and most people were chuckling at the fatherly rib, but Evan and Tommy were both red.
“Gotta go!”
He felt bad for leaving Tommy there, but he didn’t want to deal with that awkwardness and he really did have to go.
He slept for a bit, went to work, and then slept again. He woke up a little after noon with a text from Tommy.
From Tommy: Hen wants us to go on a double date with her and her wife.
Evan smiled at the message. This would be good for both of them- make some friends, get more comfortable with each other and in their own skin.
From Evan: Sounds great. Let me know where and when.
He attached his work schedule that he had forgotten to send earlier.
He had the earlier shift that night, which sucked in terms of tips, but it meant he was more awake for the brunch Tommy and Hen arranged the next morning.
He met them at a cute cafe not too far from the station.
“None of the guys come here because they say it’s too ‘cutesy’,” Hen explained.
The tables were spread out, which gave them some privacy. All in all it was a perfect place for this double date.
“Are you sure you guys are up for this?” Evan asked as he settled in next to Tommy in the booth, “You just finished a rough 48 hour shift.”
Tommy shook his head, “It started out rough, but it lightened up after you made us lunch. I think you’re our good luck charm.”
He kissed Evan’s birthmark and then a shorter woman with dreadlocks was walking in and giving Hen a kiss before turning excitedly to Tommy.
“I’m so happy for you!” She wrapped Tommy in an awkward hug and he did his best to reciprocate at the odd angle.
“Can I have my boyfriend back please?” Evan requested.
“Absolutely!” Karent had a big smile on her face as she sat next to Hen.
“Boyfriend?” Tommy asked.
Evan felt a little sheepish that it had just slipped out, “Sorry. I know it’s only been one date and we haven’t labeled anything-”
“I like boyfriend.”
“Oh, they are so cute,” Karen mock whispered to Hen.
“So, Evan, how much does your dad know?” Hen asked.
“He knows I went on a date with a guy named Tommy and didn’t come home that night.”
“Okay. Because he’s walking in right now.”
Evan and Tommy both whipped their heads around and saw Bobby entering the cafe. They turned back around and both hoped that Bobby would just… not see them. They weren’t that lucky, though.
“Hen! It’s good to see you,” Bobby said, “And this must be Karen.”
“It’s nice to meet you, sir,” Karen said.
“No need to call me sir- just Bobby is fine,” And then Bobby turned his attention to the other side of the table, “Tommy! It’s good to see you, too. And Evan! You’re showing my son around town?”
“Ye-yeah, they’ve all been really welcoming,” Evan said, “They’re helping make LA feel a little more like home.”
“Good. I was worried about your friends when Connor did that to your hair,” Bobby laughed.
“It’s not that bad!” Evan defended.
“It’s pretty bad,” Tommy chimed in.
Evan grumbled a bit, but ultimately agreed- the bleach blond was not for him.
“Well, I hope you guys have a fun day,” Bobby said, “I’ll see you at home, Evan.”
And with that, he was gone.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell him,” Tommy said.
“Hey, no. He’s your boss- it’s complicated,” Evan said, “Whenever you’re ready. I’m not going anywhere.”
“So cute,” Karen said again.
They all laughed and started talking about anything and everything. They got a few more double dates semi planned- just waiting for their schedules to line up for the various activities. Karen was a freaking rocket scientist and agreed to give Evan a tour sometime when Hen and Tommy were busy and he was definitely going to take her up on that.
Things were going well with Tommy. When they both had a night off, Evan would spend the night at his place. Bobby was happy to see his son happy, but didn’t like that he hadn’t met the man Evan was spending so much time with.
“What if he’s a murderer?” Bobby asked, “You won’t even give me a last name to run a background check.”
“You’ll approved of him, I promise,” Evan insisted, “It’s just… not time to introduce you yet.”
“There has to be something wrong if you keep putting this off,” Bobby pointed out, “One dinner. That’s all I’m asking for.”
“There’s nothing wrong with him,” Evan explained, “It’s just… his work life is a little complicated right now. But if all goes well that will clear up soon and he’ll be able to have dinner with you.”
Bobby hummed, clearly not convinced, but willing to put aside the argument for now.
The truth was, there was an opening at air ops and Tommy applied. He had all his certifications and there was no reason he wouldn’t get it. Once he was no longer Bobby’s subordinate, they’ll all have dinner together and come out as a couple. Evan couldn’t wait. He’d wanted to shout it from the rooftops since they started dating and soon he would be able to.
Evan went to work that night and it was the worst night yet. He stopped a man from roofying a woman’s drink and the guy dumped his drink on Evan’s head and took a swing at him. He was kicked out of the bar, but Evan wasn’t eager to go back.
After shift, he went to Tommy’s apartment. His boyfriend had already gone to sleep, but woke up when Evan called and drowsily let him in.
“I don’t want to keep working there,” Evan admitted as they cuddled in bed, “I want to do something that matters, but I don’t know what.”
“What about going to the academy?” Tommy asked, “Following in your father’s footsteps.”
Evan shook his head, “The Nash family is a long legacy family in Minnesota. I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t thought about it. But I want to forge my own path. I don’t want to be compared to my dad.”
“Fair enough. Police officer?” Tommy offered.
Evan’s face scrunched up at the idea, “I think once I got up to detective it would be a good fit, but I don’t think I’d like being a beat cop.”
“I think I have an idea.”
Evan wasn’t sure how he felt about Tommy’s idea, but he decided to give it a chance. His boyfriend had arranged a tour of dispatch for him so he could get a better idea of how it all worked. His tour was supposed to be led by Tommy’s ex-girlfriend, Abby, but thankfully she called in sick- he just knew that would be awkward.
Instead, his tour was led by the newest dispatcher- Maddie Buckley. She was friendly and knowledgeable and Evan found not only was he having a good time talking to her, but he could actually see himself working there.
“What made you want to start working here?” Evan asked.
Maddie was quiet for a while before she answered him, “I was a nurse in Boston- my husband was a surgeon at the same hospital. He was an abusive asshole. I eventually got out- ran away to the other side of the country. I missed helping people, but was scared that if I worked in a hospital he’d be able to just walk in and find me.”
“That’s horrible! I’m sorry you had to go through that.”
“Well, he’s dead now- long story,” Maddie said, “But it led me here and I love my job.”
She gave him a strange look and Evan was starting to feel a bit self conscious.
“Do I have something on my face?” Evan asked, “If I do, please just tell me so I can take care of it.”
“No it’s not… well, I mean you do- it’s your birthmark,” Maddie said, “I had a baby brother with one just like that. In the same spot, even.”
“You had a brother,” Evan focused in on that wording, “What happened to him?”
“I had two brothers, actually,” Maddie explained, “One had leukemia and passed away. The other was born to be a savior sibling, but when the cells didn’t graft and he died, my parents gave my other brother away for adoption.”
Evan’s blood ran cold. This couldn’t be- it would be too much of a coincidence.
“I was adopted,” Evan admitted.
Based on Maddie’s face, he could tell she didn’t really believe it either. What were the odds they would end up meeting like this?
She looked at him closer, trying to see if there was any family resemblance. He and Maddie were complete opposites- he was tall with blond hair and blue eyes and Maddie was short with brown hair and eyes. This couldn’t be his sister.
“You have our mother’s eyes,” Maddie eventually said, “Daniel was blond with blue eyes, too. You actually look a lot like I pictured he’d look like as an adult.”
When Maddie was done with her shift, she went over to the Nash apartment and they asked Bobby what he knew about Evan’s birth family.
“I don’t know much,” Bobby admitted, “It was a closed adoption. Your parents had a few stipulations- they wanted a couple to adopt you and it had to be in a different state. For whatever reason they wanted to make sure they didn’t run into you again.”
“We could run a DNA test to be sure,” Maddie suggested.
Evan agreed, but they all knew what the results would say. Somehow, someway, Evan and Maddie found each other.
While they waited for the results to come in, Evan started working at dispatch and he loved it. He was helping people, he had great coworkers, and there was no chance of incidents like what had happened at the bar.
The only downside was that his schedule was a little more all over the place like Tommy’s which made it hard to get together. Anytime they both had time off they were spending together, which Bobby didn’t really like because it meant the two of them weren’t really spending time together. But that should change soon when Tommy’s transfer went through.
Evan was packing a bag to go over to Tommy’s when his dad came home.
“Going to see that boyfriend of yours?” Bobby asked.
“Yeah. He’s getting off work soon and he has tomorrow off.”
“You know, with how much my schedule seems to line up with his, it’s hard to believe the complicated work excuse.”
“Soon, dad. Soon.”
He then actually looked at Bobby and saw he looked tense and tired- like he was carrying a heavy weight.
“Rough shift?” he asked.
Bobby shook his head, “The shift was fine, but one of my men had been hoping to transfer to air ops. Tommy- you’ve met him.”
Evan swallowed, “Um, yeah. What happened with the transfer?”
“The brass denied him,” Bobby said, “There was only one opening and they gave it to a rookie with connections. Tommy would have been a real asset there. He was an army pilot and with his years of experience in the air and with LAFD… I didn’t think anyone else would have been better. It would have been a real loss for the 118, but it would have been a perfect fit for him. I had to break the news today.”
“That really sucks,” Evan said.
“Yeah,” Bobby said, “I tried arguing with the chief on his behalf, but it was useless.”
“You did everything you could,” Evan said.
Bobby hummed, “Well, I won’t keep you from your boyfriend. Have a good time and stay safe.”
Evan tried to smile, but it was difficult after what he just heard, “Always.”
That night he held Tommy as he cried himself to sleep. They didn’t talk about it afterwards, but this was a tough blow for Tommy- both careerwise, and this threw his plans to come out out the window. A fresh start at a new station provided the perfect opportunity, but now that was gone. They would come up with a new plan eventually, but right now they were grieving the original plan.
A month later, Tommy decided it was time to put a dinner with Bobby on the calendar.
“Are you sure?” Evan asked.
“I want everyone to know how lucky I am,” Tommy said, “It’s time.”
Evan was on cloud nine at work. Soon, everyone would know that he was dating Tommy Kinard and he could not wait. He texted Bobby to let him know they would all get together on Bobby and Tommy’s next day off.
When Maddie arrived at work, she had an envelope in her hands, “It came today, are you ready?”
The two of them went into the break room and opened it.
“Well? What does it say?” Evan asked.
Maddie started to tear up, “We’re siblings.”
She handed the paper to Evan so he could read it himself. He pulled her into a big hug, “I’m glad we found each other.”
They quickly pulled themselves together and got to their stations before Josh would come looking for them. They knew it was going to be an intense shift as someone had been planting bombs throughout the city and everyone was on edge.
There were a few false alarms throughout the day, but then Evan got a call that shook his entire world.
“A fire engine just blew up!” The woman yelled into the phone.
“What is your location, Ma’am?” Evan asked.
She rattled off the cross streets. He looked at what unit’s tracking placed them there and he saw it was the 118- both his dad and Tommy were working that night. Hen, Chimney- all his friends and family could be hurt right now.
“Additional units are on their way. Can you see if anyone is hurt?”
“There’s someone pinned under the truck,” she said, “And there’s a young man- he has another bomb!”
The bomber actually showed up to the scene of this one? That didn’t fit with the usual MO- this must be his last target.
Evan switched from that call to the radios and rattled off the information he had. The woman hung up soon after, but all the news stations were reporting on the incident. Evan found himself glued to the TV. He had to know who was pinned.
It was through the news that he found out the bomber was targeting Bobby and that Tommy was the one pinned under the engine. No one was able to help him until the bomber was taken care of.
Evan felt his heart beating out of his chest as he saw his dad trying to talk to a very angry and unstable bomber. He could lose the two people who meant the most to him.
Maddie soon joined him. She sat with him as he watched and waited. She held him as the bomber was arrested and the citizens of LA banded together to get the engine off of Tommy’s leg. And then she drove him to the hospital.
He ran in and found Bobby, Hen, and Chimney in the waiting room. He pulled his dad in for a hug.
“I’m okay,” Bobby reassured his son.
“How’s Tommy?” Evan asked.
“He’s in surgery now,” Hen said, “He’ll survive, but we won’t know the extent of the damage until they're done.”
Evan settled in to wait until they got more news. He didn’t care how long it took- he was not leaving the hospital until he got word his boyfriend was okay.
“I know you’ve got a big heart, kid, but you don’t have to wait with us,” Bobby said, “Go home and get some sleep.”
Hen looked at Evan- knowing the truth- and Chimney gave him a weird look as well- he hadn’t fully bought the excuses about the shirt.
“I’m not leaving,” Evan said, “And we’re going to have to postpone that dinner.”
Bobby’s eyebrows pinched together, “What does that have to do with anything?”
“Because my boyfriend is in surgery right now,” Evan explained, “I don’t know when he’ll be able to make it.”
“Your- Tommy?!” Bobby asked, “This whole time you’ve been dating Tommy?”
“He was in the army during don’t ask don’t tell. And the old captain- Gerrard- we were going to tell you when he transferred, but-”
“But then the transfer was denied,” Bobby finished, “Tommy’s a good man. He’s good for you- you’re good for each other.”
Evan smiled, “Thanks. That means a lot.”
“I knew it!” Chimney said, “I knew you didn’t get that shirt at a thrift store! That made no sense!”
“Yeah. It was really new, then,” Evan said, “I’m sorry for lying to you.”
“No, I get it. Especially with your dad being Tommy’s boss.”
“Yeah… that did complicate things,” Evan admitted.
“So complicated work stuff,” Bobby surmised.
“Yeah, that was you.”
Bobby shook his head, “I should have figured out it was one of my men when he and I seemed to have all the same time off.”
They settled into a comfortable silence as they waited. Evan even dozed off a little. He was woken up when the doctor came out, “Family of Thomas Kinard?”
Evan and the 118 got up to get the update from the doctor.
“He’s out of surgery- you’ll be able to visit him two at a time,” The doctor started, “We did what we could. With a lot of PT he should be able to walk again.”
“Will he be able to work again?” Evan asked, “He loves this job so much.”
The doctor had a sad smile on her face, “We won’t know for sure until he goes through the physical therapy. He has a long recovery before his and it’s hard to tell how they will go at this stage. It’s not a no, yet, but it’s not a yes either.”
“You two go first,” Hen said to Bobby and Evan.
The doctor took the Nash’s to Tommy’s room. The man was still sleeping and there was a cast on Tommy’s leg. There were some scratches on his body, but overall there wasn’t much damage other than his leg.
“I’m guessing you’re staying here,” Bobby said.
“Only leaving if they kick me out,” Evan confirmed.
“I’ll be back in the morning with a change of clothes for you.”
Bobby squeezed Evan’s shoulder and then left so Hen or Chimney could stop in. The other two rotated in and told Evan they would be back in the morning.
The nurse came by and tried to kick him out, but somehow Evan convinced her to let him stay. She couldn’t get a cot in the room, but Evan was fine sleeping in the uncomfortable chair if it meant he could stay with Tommy. He fell asleep holding Tommy’s hand with his head resting on the bed.
He woke up to the feeling of fingers on his cheek. He blinked his eyes open- taking in the unfamiliar surroundings before his eyes settled on Tommy.
“How’re you feeling?” Evan asked.
“Better seeing you,” Tommy answered.
“I’m serious, Tommy.”
“Starting to get some pain in my leg. I think the meds are wearing off,” Tommy answered.
Evan hit the call button to let the medical team know Tommy was awake.
They came in and did their checks and adjusted the IV drip before leaving them alone again.
“I told my dad,” Evan said, “Couldn’t wait for the dinner, considering.”
Tommy nodded, “Good. I wouldn’t have wanted to wake up without you.”
Tommy’s eyes were drooping again- the pain medication making him sleepy.
“Get some rest,” Evan said, “I’ll be here when you wake up.”
While he was asleep, Bobby came by with clothes for Evan. Bobby sat with Tommy while he changed and when he returned, Tommy was awake and he and Bobby were talking.
“I love him, sir,” Tommy was saying, “I haven’t told him, yet. Wanted you to know we were dating before taking that step.”
Evan waited in the doorway- not wanting to interrupt the moment and curious about what they were saying.
“You’re good for each other,” Bobby told him like he had told Evan the night before, “It’s not going to be easy, but if anyone knows about the hardships that comes with loving a firefighter- it’s Evan. Honestly, I’m glad it’s you. I was worried he was hiding his boyfriend from me because he was a criminal or something.”
Tommy laughed at that, “Nothing like that. Just a man worried that the past would repeat itself. But you’re different- Evan’s different.”
“I’m glad you found each other.”
“Am I interrupting something?” Evan interjected.
“Just a shovel talk,” Bobby lied.
“You’re going to kick a man while he’s down?” Evan asked, “He’s in the hospital- have some sympathy.”
“This just means he can’t get away.”
They all laughed, but they were soon interrupted by a police officer, “Sorry to ruin the moment, but my name is sergeant Athena Grant and I need to get your statements.”
“I remember you,” Bobby said, “You’re Hen’s friend. You were the arresting officer in the arson case that started all this.”
“I was and a bomb was delivered to my house like everyone else involved,” Athena said, “These statements are more a formality than anything else- that boy is going away for a long time.”
Bobby and Evan left the room so she could talk to Tommy and then she and Bobby went to a nearby coffee shop to get his.
“I think she and your dad are on a date right now,” Tommy said.
Evan scoffed, “Yeah right. My dad hasn’t been ready to date since my mom died.”
“Well, it seems like he’s ready now.”
Evan wasn’t convinced, but he let Tommy believe what he wanted. He did text Hen just to see if she knew anything and that led to a bet inside the 118 about whether or not Athena and Bobby were dating.
Tommy was released from the hospital and Evan practically moved in to help the man in his recovery- not that he minded. They knew this was where they were heading anyway- the unfortunate circumstances just moved the timeline up.
With Tommy out for the foreseeable future, the 118 got a new probie- Eddie Diaz. Evan didn’t get much time to talk with the man because he wasn’t around the station as much as he usually was, but everything he heard from his dad and friends was nothing but good things.
One day when he wasn’t working, he got a call from Bobby asking for a favor.
“Eddie’s a single dad and his childcare plan fell through,” Bobby explained, “He’s at the station right now, but we only got approval for a few hours and we just found out his aunt won’t be able to pick him up.”
“Yeah, if Eddie’s okay with it I can take him to Tommy’s house,” Evan agreed, “I can help him with his homework and we have some video games.”
“Thank you, Evan. We’ll see you soon.”
He double checked with Tommy that he was okay with it and then he went to pick up the kid.
“You’re the captain’s son?” A man he hadn’t met before asked.
“Yeah, I’m Evan. And you must be Eddie.”
“It’s good to meet you,” Eddie said, “Thank you so much for helping out.”
“Not a problem- we’re all family here.”
Eddie introduced him to Christopher and then he was taking the kid home with him. They ended up having a great time- this kid really was the best and he seemed to really like Tommy and Evan.
After homework was done, Tommy set up a helicopter flight simulator and started teaching Christopher how to fly. Seeing his boyfriend with the kid made Evan think about their future. Did Tommy want kids? He was certainly good with them. He knew they had a ways to go before they took that step, but it warmed his heart seeing it.
It wasn’t too much later that there was a ring on the doorbell and Evan answered the door.
“You must be Pepa,” Evan said.
“And you’re Captain Nash’s son,” She said, “Thank you for helping out.”
“It’s no problem. Christopher’s the best kid.”
Christopher was upset that his time with Evan and Tommy was ending, but they promised they would talk to Eddie and figure out a time they could get together again.
“That’s gotta be hard for him,” Tommy said after they left, “The long, strange hours without reliable help.”
Evan hummed in agreement. It was a tough problem, but he didn’t have a solution other than adding himself to the babysitter rotation when he wasn’t on shift.
“My ex, Abby- her mom had Alzimers and had this home healthcare aid. I can try reaching out and see if she could help.”
“You want to contact Abby. Again.” Evan said, clearly not a fan of the idea.
“I wasn’t talking about contacting Abby,” Tommy said, “Carla and I became friends and I can talk to her directly.”
Evan smiled, “I like that plan a lot more.”
Later that week they invited Eddie over and introduced him to Carla. She helped him cut through the red tape and even offered to be Chris’ aid. It was perfect.
Tommy’s physical therapy was slow going, but Evan was there every step of the way. Some days were harder than others and Evan worried that Tommy was pushing himself too hard, but he trusted Tommy to know his own limits. Soon, he was taking his recertification test and getting back into the field.
Athena Grant agreed to host a welcome back party for Tommy. It turned out she and Bobby were dating, and Evan couldn’t be happier for his dad. Athena was an amazing woman and he had no idea how Bobby had gotten her to agree to go out with him.
Maddie was at the party as well and it was the first time since the hospital waiting room that she had seen everyone. This was a better place for introductions and she and Chimney seemed to be hitting it off.
Christopher had made the most adorable card for Tommy and seeing them interact reminded him he had yet to ask Tommy if he wanted kids in the future.
Tommy and Bobby were on the other side of the room talking logistics of him returning to work when it happened. Evan had been admiring his boyfriend and how he was getting along with his dad. Then Tommy’s expression changed and he coughed. Tommy looked at something in his hand and then he was falling.
Bobby caught him and lowered him to the floor as Hen and Chimney rushed to his side and Bobby was calling 911. In a rush, Evan found himself in the back of an ambulance with Tommy as they took him to the hospital.
He hated that they were back in that room. He thought they were past this. He thought Tommy had a clean bill of health. The fact that this happened terrified him. There had been no symptoms or warning signs beforehand. If they hadn’t been in a room filled with trained first responders- he didn’t even want to think about what could have happened.
“Evan,” Tommy said as he slowly woke up from sedation.
“I’m here, baby,” Evan said, “And I’m so mad at you.”
“You’re mad at me?”
“Yeah. You aren’t allowed to die on me before I get to tell you I love you.”
Tommy closed his eyes and smiled, “Love you, too.”
Tommy went back to sleep shortly after that. He had no idea if Tommy would remember that interaction or not.
There were clots formed around the screws in his knee that traveled up to his lungs. The screws were removed and Tommy was temporarily put on blood thinners and then he was cleared to go back to work.
Evan was terrified. What if something happened again when they were in the field? He still hadn’t properly told Tommy how he felt.
“I’ll be okay,” Tommy said to Evan as he was getting ready to leave for his first shift back, “I was given a clean bill of health. Everyone’s okay with me going back to work. Everyone knows I’m on blood thinners and your dad will take that into account in the field. And on the off chance anything happens- Hen and Chimney are right there to help. It’s the safest place I can be.”
“I know, it’s just-” He stopped himself, not sure if this was the right time.
“Just what?” Tommy asked- patient as always.
“I love you.”
Tommy smiled and pulled him in for a kiss.
“I love you, too,” Tommy said, “And I will do my damndest to get home to you safely every day.”
“You better.”
Tommy laughed and gave him one more kiss before he left. Evan stood there for a moment before he started getting his things ready to leave for his own shift.
He knew it would be hard dating a firefighter- he went through the same thing his entire life with his dad. He knew what to expect. But that didn’t make it any easier when those he loved most were in the line of fire.
At work he turned off his personal worries and helped others get through their own crises. He even sent the 118 on a few calls and it was good to see where they are and that everyone was doing alright throughout the day.
During his break he tried to call Tommy, but they were on a call, so he ended up leaving a voicemail.
“How hard is it?” Maddie asked him, “Knowing your man is out there putting his life on the line.”
“It’s not easy,” Evan admitted, “But I know he’s good at what he does and I trust the team to have his back.”
Maddie nodded, “Chimney and I have been on a few dates now and I worry sometimes.”
“That’s normal,” Evan said, “It’s not something that ever goes away. You just have to decide if they’re worth the worry.”
“I think he is,” Maddie said.
“Good. I think you two would be really good together.”
“Thanks,” Maddie smiled, “I haven’t been the best with relationships in the past. But I think Chimney is different.”
“He’s a good man,” Evan said- echoing his dad’s sentiment when he found out Evan and Tommy were dating.
“I think so, too. But it’s hard to trust my own judgment sometimes.”
Evan pulled her into a hug. He didn’t know the entire story of what happened with her ex. She could share what she wanted to when she was ready. All he knew was that it tainted her view of herself. It would take time to heal from that, but hopefully having her brother back in her life and now this new relationship with a good man would help her heal.
“I love you, Maddie,” Buck said.
“I love you, too,” she said, “I’m glad we found each other.”
Evan waited until Tommy was off the blood thinners to bring it up. He wanted that assurance that there was one less risk- then he felt settled enough to talk about it.
“Have you ever thought about kids?” He asked.
“Do you mean in general or…”
“Have you ever thought of being a father?” Evan clarified.
Tommy considered it for a moment before answering, “My dad was not a good man. And my mother wasn’t very present. I’ve always been afraid of repeating their mistakes. But recently- since meeting you- I’m starting to think that won’t happen. I think I could be a dad as long as I have the right partner doing it with me.”
“I’m not thinking right away or anything, but-”
“But someday, yeah. I think we could do it.”
Evan pulled Tommy into a kiss. He loved this man so much. And one day they would start a family together.