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The Joker and The Queen
He had stumbled across it when he went to take out the trash.
A small, pitiful, orange and white face looked up at him and used its last reserve of energy to offer a whimpered mewling. The body attached to the face was tinier than it should have been and appeared as broken as he was feeling inside, which made him realize right off that he needed to do something, or it wouldn’t last much longer. He heaved the bags of garbage from his hands into the dumpster before kneeling down before the pained creature, looking for the best way to transport it in its current state.
“Hen!” he called quickly, knowing that not only was she likely the only other person nearby, but the only one who would know how best to help with this delicate situation.
“I swear to God, Buck, if you need an instruction guide on how to take out the trash…” she said as she walked outside, only to come face to face with the scene before her.
Buck, kneeling over an injured animal beside their dumpster.
“I’ll get my kit,” she said, turning back to do as she said.
“Hey, little buddy,” Buck said softly to the animal. “We’re gonna help you, okay? W-we’re not gonna hurt you.”
The animal stared at him, as if staring into his soul.
Buck reached down and gently rubbed its forehead before feeling around its face. Nothing there felt broken or out of place, but then again, he wasn’t the best human paramedic, let alone vet tech. The animal didn’t move, and he wasn’t sure if that was because it wasn’t able to, or because it wasn’t afraid of him.
Hen came back with her kit and Eddie, who arched his eyebrows. “It’s… a cat,” he said.
“Yes, Eddie, it’s a cat,” Hen said, rolling her eyes at him for stating the obvious. “You know, no one asked you to come out here.”
He shrugged defensively. “You said it was an emergency.”
“This cat is badly hurt,” Buck said, looking away from the furball to his best friend’s confused look. “When is that not an emergency?”
“It’s… not a usual emergency.” Eddie paused as Hen opened her bag. “Is this you two trying to make up for the dog thing?”
Hen snapped her head to look at Eddie while Buck looked at him in confusion. “What?” she asked.
“You missed out on coding the dog, so you’re taking up on a cat,” he explained.
“Th-this is about taking care of an injured individual, Eddie,” Buck said, turning his attention back to the cat.
Eddie tilted his head in concession. “You might want to wear gloves, Boss.”
Hen passed a pair to Buck, who put them on while Hen did the same.
“A-are you just gonna stand there, or are you gonna do something?” Buck asked.
“I’ll get a blanket,” Eddie relented, turning and heading into the firehouse.
Hen shook her head as she began to assess the injured feline, who hissed when prodded in tender areas. “I can’t be sure how bad, but I’d say she was probably hit by a car,” she told Buck.
“Well, w-we’ve got to get her to the animal hospital,” Buck replied as Eddie reappeared with a blanket.
“She may not make it that far, Buck.”
“Well, we have to try, don’t we? I mean, w-we can’t just leave her like this.”
As if on cue, the cat mewled again, trying to push herself closer to Buck and nuzzle his hand.
Buck looked up at Hen.
“I didn’t say I wasn’t gonna try,” she countered. “Eddie…”
“Yeah,” he said, starting to disappear again. “Grabbing Buck’s keys.”
Hen pushed a small amount of fluid into the subcutaneous tissue of the animal’s shoulder, an area that wasn’t damaged appearing.
To her credit, the cat didn’t react, seeming to understand that the prick was meant for help and not harm. Instead, she continued to nuzzle her head against Buck’s hand, who eagerly stroked the soft fur of the feline’s jaw. She closed her eyes and offered an almost inaudible purr, one that was felt by both Hen and Buck as they held onto their patient.
Both looked at each other, silently vowing at that point that they would do what it took to save this cat.
Buck very gently lifted the cat while Hen placed the blanket down, allowing him to place her back down on the delicate softness. They didn’t have a carrier readily available, because they weren’t animal control, but they could wrap her in the blanket and take her to the animal hospital that way.
“Your car’s ready, and Cap knows what you two are up to,” Eddie said as he reappeared again. He looked down at the small face of orange and white that looked at him with trusting eyes, and he sighed. “Let me know how it goes, okay? If you need anything…”
Buck just nodded, swaddling the cat in his arms as Eddie passed Hen the keys and they made their way to the vet.
*~*~*~*
The firehouse hadn’t been the same since Bobby died.
And how could it?
Their leader, their captain… gone, in a matter of hours while they all stood around, helpless and unaware.
Chimney was the right person to take over, but things were touch and go every day. They were trying. God knew they were trying. But… this had been the house that Bobby built, and trying to live up to that legacy was difficult when he was no longer around to reach out to for advice.
The worst had been Buck.
Buck went home at night to no one. No wife, no kids. Hell, even Ravi had a girlfriend that he was now living with. But Buck? Buck was… stuck, going home to an empty apartment with a leaky faucet that he just couldn’t fix, a bunch of boxes he just couldn’t unpack, and a bed that he just couldn’t sleep in.
So, as others mourned with support at home, Buck mourned alone.
If he mourned at all.
Hen glanced over at the younger man through the streetlights as he cooed quietly to the cat in his arms. She knew that he was drowning, and hoped that if things didn’t turn out well with his new best friend here, it wouldn’t send him further down the road. She had assured him that she was always there for him, even when they weren’t working, but right now… right now, he wouldn’t reach out to anyone.
She hated seeing him hurt in any way. And she wished she could take that pain away from him, despite all of the pain she felt inside of herself right now, and protect him in a little bubble from the rest of the world. But here he was, getting attached to a seriously injured cat he’d met less than ten minutes ago, one that realistically might not make it, and she knew it was because at this point, he needed something, someone, to cling to.
“Buck,” she started softly.
“I know,” he replied solemnly, not looking at her. “B-but she’s a fighter, Hen. I can see it.”
Hen just nodded. She didn’t want to seem like she was writing off the animal entirely, who had somehow pulled herself out of the road and next to the dumpster behind their firehouse. But, she also wanted to make sure Buck was prepared, just in case this didn’t turn out the way they both prayed it would. And they did both pray for the cat to be okay, because there had been far too much death surrounding the 118 lately, and they could use a little life for once.
*~*~*~*
Broken bones were nothing to sneeze at.
The animal hospital hadn’t found a microchip, and the seven-month-old friend they’d found had a broken left leg, along with some internal contusions. She was also dehydrated and malnourished, and would need a lot of care to get back to where she’d be in top shape. It could happen, but it wouldn’t be cheap, and would require a lot of follow up.
Buck didn’t care. He had decided he’d bankrupt himself for this cat the moment he laid eyes on her next to the dumpster, begging him for help. Hen didn’t even question it, didn’t even try to caution him against it, just offered to chip in as well. He thanked her, and she smiled. “That’s what family does,” she told him.
“Do you have a name for this cat?” Dr. Hillar asked.
They didn’t.
For now, Station Cat 118 (named after where she was found) received treatment under Dr. Hillar’s care while Buck and Hen tried to discuss appropriate names, care schedules, payments, and visitations. Everyone at the firehouse seemed to have an idea for a name as well as advice for treatment, chipping in themselves to make sure the animal was well cared for. They made a donation pool that even B and C shifts went in on and before long, a poll went to vote on the back whiteboard over a name.
Bobby’s Lasagna won by a landslide, though they were pretty sure someone on B shift had put it up there as a joke.
So, on the day before release, Buck and Hen went in to discuss the care of Bobby’s Lasagna with Dr. Hillar, who tilted his head at the name.
“O-our captain…” Buck started before finding his voice choked off with tears.
“We lost our friend and captain, Bobby,” Hen explained, squeezing Buck’s forearm gently in a show of support. “His lasagna was the best.”
Dr. Hillar chuckled. “I’ve heard worse,” he admitted. “Bobby’s Lasagna is going to need a place to recover without too much stress or stairs.”
“I-I live alone,” Buck volunteered. “Just a regular apartment.”
“Perfect.”
*~*~*~*
Buck’s landlord disagreed.
Bobby’s Lasagna wasn’t accepted in his ‘no pets allowed’ apartment, and Buck was faced with moving once again, because the last thing he was gonna do was get rid of Bobby’s Lasagna. And it wasn’t like he was all that settled into this one… right?
But most pet-friendly apartments in the area required pet deposit and pet rent on top of every other expense, and Buck was having difficulty swinging this right now without the added monthly expenses. It wasn’t until Bobby’s Lasagna got an infection and required her to have around-the-clock care that Buck got an idea.
He’d had no other choice than to take Bobby’s Lasagna with him to shift so that he could keep caring for the medically fragile cat. Truthfully, she should have been in the animal hospital, but Buck couldn’t afford the stay. He could, however, use his paramedic skills to follow animal medical care instructions enough to provide some care at home. That was, until he had to go to work.
When Buck pulled up with a cat carrier and backpack in addition to his usual duffel bag, Chimney arched his eyebrows.
“I-I’m sorry, Chim,” he said. “Sh-she’s sick, and she needs care, and I can’t keep putting her in the hospital…”
Chimney shook his head. “We don’t have anyone allergic,” he simply said, shrugging and walking past Buck.
Buck stared after Chimney briefly before shaking his head and heading upstairs with the ill feline, plopping her carrier in the sitting area. He pulled out her favorite blanket, the one Eddie had grabbed the night she’d been rescued, and put it down before opening the carrier and letting her out. She immediately came out and made herself comfortable on the blanket while Buck ran downstairs to change out.
It wasn’t long before the rest of A shift noticed their newest team member, and reacted by lavishing her with pets, kind words, and treat attempts. And to her credit, Bobby’s Lasagna relished in all of the attention, despite her ill little body.
“What do they have you doing for her?” Hen asked.
Buck explained the meds and food, as well as tracking her fluids and supplementing as needed. He sighed as he read another text from his landlord, once again inquiring him about Bobby’s Lasagna’s move out date.
“What?”
“M-my landlord,” Buck admitted. “I-I’m not allowed pets, and he found out about Bobby’s Lasagna. So now, I either have to move out, o-or get rid of her.”
Hen sighed heavily. “What are you gonna do?”
“I-I’m trying to find somewhere, but you know how it is in LA. Everything is out of my price range as it is, a-and now with her…” he looked at the cat, who was purring like crazy as Ravi stroked her chin.
“It’s even worse,” Hen finished for him.
Buck nodded.
“Something will work out.”
He nodded. “I-I hope so.”
*~*~*~*
It hadn’t been planned.
Bobby’s Lasagna was supposed to go home with Buck, as usual, at the end of shift. And as usual, she was greeted by B shift as they filed in, many of whom had their own pets at home and enjoyed the opportunity to say hi to a furry friend at work, even if she did go home shortly after they arrived.
But then the call came in: a fire at a boarding house, dozens of people (including children) trapped, and both shifts didn’t hesitate to pack on the trucks and barrel out. The place had been fully involved before they’d even gotten whiff of the smoke from their approach, and there wasn’t much that any of them could do for anyone. They had pulled more people out to watch them succumb than any of them had wanted to think about.
The mood had been morose when they arrived back at the 118, trucks overflowing due to both shifts being present, the feelings of regret and failure weighing heavily in the air. Each person slid slowly out of the truck, heart in their stomach, peeling off their turnouts with the sickening feeling that only a first responder can have: one of failure despite your best efforts while knowing at any moment, those bells are going to drag you back into the next horrific nightmare.
Bobby’s Lasagna bounded down the stairs, any hint of pain or illness missing from the orange and white tabby as she moved to the first person she saw: Jacobs, from B shift. He immediately bent down and began petting the cat, who rubbed up against him and purred. She soon made her way to every single firefighter in the house, nuzzling them with her soft fur as if to say, ‘hi, I’m here, I know you did your best and I love you.’
Buck watched her make the rounds, knowing he should get them both home, but neither Chimney nor Captain Janson from B shift seemed to mind the feline’s presence, and he’d known from bringing her in that it had made Captain Kuri from C shift want to discuss a house dog. But, instead of a house dog…
“W-what if we have a house cat?” Buck asks aloud to both present shifts.
Linus, one of the B shift firefighters, looked at him as if he had spouted two heads. “Come again, Buckley?” he asked.
“You know, instead of having a dog for the firehouse, what if we had a cat? I mean, it would be perfect. Sh-she was found here, ya know? And she’s never gotten spooked when we come and go… Captain Kuri had talked about getting a house dog, but what if we just… had a house cat?”
“And you’d be willing to just… give up Bobby’s Lasagna to the firehouse?” Hen asked.
Buck sighed. “W-well, I mean… I’d still see her here all the time, and maybe if it doesn’t work out she can come home with me, but, I-I mean…” He gestured to her now curled up with Lydia from B shift, a newer firefighter who was definitely having a more difficult time with what they’d seen today. “I think she’d be good for it.”
Chimney and Janson looked at each other before shrugging. “Works for us,” Janson said, turning and walking away.
*~*~*~*
Dr. Hillar arched his eyebrows as Bobby’s Lasagna came out of the carrier for her follow-up, much more well-rounded than she had been the first time they’d ever met. “Well, she’s certainly being well taken care of,” he commented to Buck.
Buck smiled. “She has a whole firehouse that she belongs to now,” he explained.
Dr. Hillar chuckled. “Does she still stay with you when you go home?”
“No, she l-lives at the firehouse now. She might sneak out in my bag on occasions, but she usually stays there. She likes it, I think. Likes the stairs, the chaos. Th-there’s always something to do, someone or something to play with… it’s been good for her.”
The older man smiled. “Seems like it’s been good for both of you. I know you had some concerns about housing with her…”
Buck shook his head. “That’s all worked out. A fr-friend of mine hooked me up with a place that allows pets without deposits or rent, and the rent itself is r-reasonable, so she can come home any time. But… everyone seems to like her.”
“Good.”
“Even Kody, who says he hates cats.”
Dr. Hillar laughed. “There’s always one.” He stroked Bobby’s Lasagna’s soft fur. “Well, she seems to have healed up nicely, so she certainly can continue duties over at the 118 for a long time to come.”
Buck smiled, scratching Bobby’s Lasagna’s head. “Good,” he said. He nudged her back toward the carrier before leaving the vet for the firehouse with her in tow. The now eleven-month-old feline was anxious to return to the firehouse she’d claimed as her domain, and the hearts her mere presence had helped heal.
It wasn’t just his. The entirety of A shift seemed to take to the kitten, accelerated by the homage to their former leader and his cooking. And she certainly did like Buck’s cooking, more than any other shift’s cooking and any canned food they could give her. And while she seemed to love everyone, she could be found curled up with Buck most nights A shift was on duty, dozing in his arms with her head on his pillow whenever he was asleep.
She was exactly what their house needed to heal from losing Bobby: another loving, beating heart that would always watch over them, judge them, and smack them if they got out of line. She also added a light and joy that they all knew they’d needed but had had no clue how to get it until the day she showed up on their doorstep.
They would always miss Bobby. But, at least they had Bobby’s Lasagna.