Archive of Our Own ^beta

“Remind me again why out of all the places in the world, you chose Los Angeles for our trip?” Alex side-eyed Henry with a squint. They were walking hand in hand down the promenade at the Santa Monica Pier with Amy and the rest of their detail close behind, blending in. 

People were staring, obviously, but neither man seemed to care much. They deserved this time away from all other stress and it was a bonus that people weren’t sprinting towards them for photos. Everyone had been pretty respectful so far. 

“Because, Alex,” Henry said pointedly, a permanent grin on his face. “I’ve never been here before and if I’m going to use this new found semi-freedom, I plan to visit all the disgustingly touristy places in America. How’s that for an answer?” 

Alex bit back a grin, pushing his tongue hard against the inside of his cheek. “Okay Your Royal Basic-ness, whatever you want.” 

“We can go, if you’re bored.” Henry replied, his own smile slightly slipping and Alex jumped in to fix it.

“Are you kidding? And miss out whooping your ass in one of these games? No way. I’m aiming for a giant teddy bear.” 

“Uh, bold of you to assume you’ll win.” Henry scoffed. 

“I was raised on this shit!” Alex laughed, lightly shoving his boyfriend away from him. “I bet you only played, like, chess growing up.” 

“I’ll have you know, our father snuck us out to the arcade multiple times!” Henry countered. 

“Arcades are different to this!” 

“Is that a challenge, Diaz?” Henry raised a brow, stopping in front of one of those water gun games where you have to shoot all the aliens to win a prize. 

“It is, actually.” Alex smirked, leaning closer to his ear. “Fox.” 

Henry’s cheeks went bright red and he smacked Alex’s chest. “I know what you’re doing. You cannot distract me now, I must focus. Hand me… a Dollar? How much is this thing?” 

“One Dollar, yes,” Alex laughed, pulling out his wallet and handing Henry a five Dollar bill, hoping he could get some change out of this for future games. 

Henry promptly snatched the bill and slid it over to the guy behind the counter, who looked more than starstruck, but somehow fumbled around enough and got the game going. Alex looked over his shoulder, making eye contact with Amy and offering her an amused expression. 

“My money’s on him winning,” she murmured over his shoulder and Alex shook his head. 

“You know I’m like the reigning champion of this.”

“Until June beat you when you were fourteen and you cried the whole way home.” 

“Amy!” Alex hissed, looking beyond betrayed, but she and Henry both barked out a cackle. “This is so not fair. If Shaan were here, he’d be on my team.” 

“We’ll see,” Amy shrugged, and the pair turned to watch the Prince of England absolutely pummel the game with impressive precision.

“Okay, so you learnt how to hunt,” Alex scoffed, taking a Dollar and sliding it over to the guy. “No fair that you used that to shoot some aliens.”

“Alex dear, you were raised in Texas.” Henry crossed his arms, looking terribly pleased with himself. 

“Whatever,” Alex rolled his eyes and began the game. 

Henry won the bear. 

“This is ridiculous,” Alex huffed, but there was a smile growing the second his eyes landed on Henry taking the bear into his arms, beaming with joy. “Ridiculously adorable.” 

“Oh so you don’t mind that I totally smoked you?” Henry asked, carrying the bear on his hip like a child.

“God, June was right. You really are sounding more and more like me every day.” Alex scrunched his nose, taking hold of Henry’s hand again. 

“Give me five more months and we can swap places,” Henry teased.

“You could learn an American accent in a few weeks.”

“Oh, no, I need the five months to teach you some proper royal etiquette first.” Henry chuckled when Alex knocked their shoulders together. 

Before Alex could reply, his phone buzzed and he pulled it out, letting Henry guide him as they walked. He let out a sigh at the text.

“We should probably see him while we’re here, you know.” Henry murmured, looking over at Alex’s phone. “He clearly knows you’re here.” 

“After everything his parents said to my mom? No way.” Alex shook his head. 

“Love,” Henry sighed, pulling his boyfriend off to the side and cupping his face. “He is not his parents. He’s still your family. You two were like, best friends growing up, right? June said you were inseparable. Even Nora couldn’t compete sometimes. Don’t you miss him?” 

Alex nodded slowly, his brows furrowed in deep thought. “I do,” he mumbled, staring at his shoes. “But it feels like this… this betrayal, you know? I mean Helena said some nasty things to my mom after she ran for Presidency the first time round. Then the second time was worse with her husband, saying that my mom didn’t give a crap about her kids and it was cruel of her to put herself before us.”

“But you know that’s a lie, Alex. And so does he. You know that. Especially after everything he’s been through with his parents too.” Henry persisted. “Even if it’s just for lunch before we leave. You can’t keep running forever.” 

“Well,” Alex let out a sigh, looking up at Henry. “I didn’t pack my running shoes so… I guess no more running.” 

“You are insufferable,” Henry replied, pushing Alex’s face away with his palm, earning a lick to it. They began walking again and he wiped Alex’s spit onto his jeans. “Does this mean you’ll text him back?” 

“Later,” Alex promised, sliding his phone back into his pocket. “Right now, we’re on a really cheesy date.” 

The couple shared a bright grin before moving onto their next game. It was the most perfect, cheesy date they’d been on so far during their trip to LA. They went on the ferris wheel and kissed at the top, they got cotton candy and took selfies with a clown. Which in hindsight, might not have been part of the pier’s experience, but it was fun nevertheless. They tried out every game and neither man held back on their competitiveness and whoever won had to play against Amy, who beat them every single time. They ate copious amounts of candy and Henry got to try out shitty hot dogs that he claimed should be a delicacy at the Palace from now on, but Alex was set on the fact that Phillip might have a stroke after one bite. People came up to them to take photos, but kept it respectful after that and both men had never been so grateful. They watched a girl fly her drone until security insisted that she had to remove it. Alex tried to sway the guy, but he couldn’t budge. Kids cried and threw ice cream, making Henry second guess his want for children. It was all round the most American outing Alex had had in a while and it was everything and more. 

“This is nice,” Alex sighed happily, settling onto a bench with Henry to watch the waves for a while before they planned to head back and possibly catch a movie and then dinner. It was nice to be so normal together. Neither of them ever thought they’d get here, but it was finally happening. 

“So much for it being ‘basic’, huh?” Henry teased, draping an arm around Alex’s shoulder and pulling him in close.

“Sometimes basic is good,” Alex replied. His hand moved to Henry’s thigh, mindlessly rubbing up and down. “I’m not ready for this trip to end. Then it’s back to reality for us. You’ve got that charity tennis tournament and then the gala and I’ve got to help my dad in Texas. It all just feels like we barely had any time together.”

“Hey,” Henry kissed the side of his head. “We’ll be back in each other’s space in two weeks and then it’s Paris for Pez’s fundraiser.”

“Yeah and then back to campus for me,” Alex huffed, sinking further down the bench. “Is it too late to drop out of college?”

“You cannot let Elle Woods down, Alex, we’ve discussed this!” Henry laughed, making Alex bark with laughter too. He sat up as he did so, eyes on the ocean, and that’s promptly when Alex’s laugh died out, smile slipping. “What is it?” Henry asked. 

Alex watched the water for a long moment. Something was different. He stood up mutely and walked closer to the barrier, peering down at the sand underneath the pier. 

“Love, are you alright?” Henry asked again, coming up behind him.

“Henry, we need to run.” Alex grabbed his hand, looking away from the sand, only to find a wave growing further out just passed a boat that had been hovering around the pier. He wasn’t sure if this was real or not. Was it? Could something like this happen to them? 

“Why? Alex what’s—” Henry was cut off by a siren and now everyone had turned to look at the wave that seemed to double in size in a matter of seconds. And then it clicked. 

“Get away from the pier! Get away! Run!” Alex yelled instinctively to the crowd, gesturing wildly for everyone to move, ignoring Henry’s look of confusion. He heard someone further down yell the same thing and that’s when chaos erupted. 

Amy grabbed onto Henry’s hand, who was still gripping onto Alex, and the three of them sprinted down the pier whilst Amy yelled into her radio. Alex turned to look back, watching as the wave edged closer and closer, before finally hitting the start of the pier and progressing further. 

“Here!” Alex dragged the pair towards an empty stall, knowing they wouldn’t get any further before the water hit them. They had better chances inside a solid structure.The roar of the approaching wave was deafening, a monstrous sound that drowned out their panicked breaths and frantic heartbeats. He pushed Henry down first, shielding him with his own body. Amy managed to duck down just as the water hit. The initial impact was like a freight train slamming into them. The stall shuddered, wood creaking ominously under the strain. Alex’s grip tightened instinctively as the icy water surged around them, a churning maelstrom that threatened to tear them apart.

The water broke through their barrier, smashing into the stall with relentless force. It lifted them, carried them, sent them flying up the pier towards the streets. Debris – splintered wood, twisted metal, and flotsam – swirled in the chaos, adding to the danger. Alex gasped for air, his body being violently thrashed around by the waves and the debris, but not once did he let go of Henry.

Alex gasped for air, his body being violently thrashed around by the waves and the debris, but not once did he let go of Henry. He felt him slipping, so he grabbed on tighter and sucked in a deep breath the moment he could before he went under, trying to fight the current and push Henry up. Henry seemed to refocus when Alex yanked him closer. His eyes, wide with terror, found Alex’s for a brief, grounding moment. Then, drawing on those years of posh swimming lessons, he began to kick and stroke with desperate precision. He broke the surface, sucking in jagged breaths, coughing and sputtering as he fought to stay afloat.

Alex’s world was a blur of water, noise, and movement. He caught glimpses of the destruction around them – cars being swept away, pieces of the pier crumbling, people shouting and struggling in the chaos. He forced his way up again, breaking the surface beside Henry. The air tasted of salt and panic, but it was air, and for now, that was enough.

“Alex!” He yelled before Alex got sucked under again, the water pushing them further and further into Hollywood. 

“Amy!” Alex yelled when he broke through again, trying to look around, but he was on his back and there were so many fucking people, he couldn’t pinpoint her. “AMY!” 

“Amy!” Henry joined in, screaming now too, and then they both went under again. 

They didn’t see the sky for another minute. They were thrown against what felt like a car, or a bus, and then against something sharp that scraped Alex’s torso. Henry felt something fall on his leg, but he was soon swept away from it, though the agony lingered. 

Alex was the first to come up for air. He looked around wildly for Henry. They’d lost their grip on each other a few seconds ago. “Henry!” 

“I’m here!” Henry yelled back, just a few meters away. He was pushed closer with the tide and Alex grabbed onto the roof rack of a pickup truck and held his free hand out for Henry. 

“I got you, baby,” Alex grunted when he caught Henry, keeping them both in place. “Can you swing onto the back of the truck?” 

“Yeah,” Henry’s voice was strained too, trying to swim against the current with his legs. He used his own free hand to reach for the side of the truck and he hauled himself up onto it. He held out his hand. “You next!” 

“Help!” A woman yelled out from further ahead. She had blood gushing down her forehead and she could barely keep herself afloat. 

“I– fuck. I’m coming!” Alex called back to the woman. “Just hang on, okay!” 

“Alex—” Henry hissed, ready to protect Alex above all, but Alex offered him an apologetic look.

“Don’t move, okay? Stay right here. I’ll be back. I love you.” And then he was off. He forced his muscles to work overtime to get to the woman. “Ma’am, I need you to reach just a little further okay? Grab onto me and I’ll get you the rest of the way.” Alex spoke to her as soon as he’d gotten a firm grip on the closest street sign that had miraculously survived the wave. 

“O-Okay,” the woman nodded and sucked in a sharp breath before launching herself over to Alex and right into his arms. 

“Do you have anyone with you?” Alex asked, surveying the area. 

“No,” she replied. 

“Okay. We’re going to swim back over there to that truck, okay? Whatever you do, do not let go.” When she agreed, Alex swam back towards the truck where Henry was waiting with an arm out to help the woman get on  the back. 

“Now you,” Henry shook his hand in front of Alex, who was holding the side of the truck, too busy looking around for anyone else. That’s when he saw a little girl and before Henry could pull him back, Alex was gone again. 

He returned with the girl and much to Henry’s relief, Alex got in the truck this time round. 

“Here, let me take a look,” Alex moved past Henry, who’d just barely opened his mouth to start lecturing his boyfriend on safety protocols during a natural disaster. He moved over to where the woman and the little girl were perched on the side of the truck and examined the woman’s head wound, tilting her chin up. “Bleeding seems to have stopped, which is good. Can you follow my finger? Good…” 

He moved to the little girl, who was sobbing fresh bouts of tears. “Hey sweetie, can I take a look at that leg?” He pointed to her left which was gushing blood. All while he asked, he ripped the bottom of his shirt clean off. The girl gave a nod. “That’s a sick shirt you’re wearing. I love Cars. Who’s your favorite?” 

“Mater,” the girl sniffed, watching Alex wrap the shirt tightly around her wound. “Too tight.”

“My favorite is Mater too! But listen sweetie, this needs to be tight, okay? It’ll keep your leg protected like this.” He tied the end of the fabric and tightened it a little more before letting go. “Who’d you come with? Were you at the pier?”

“No, I was walking with my mom. She– She needed the bathroom and then she was gone!” The girl started sobbing again and Alex was about to comfort her, but the girl buried her face into the woman’s chest. He didn’t take it to heart. She needed her mom and who was he to blame her for trusting the only other woman here? 

“I’m Melissa,” the woman offered with a sad smile, gently caressing the little girl’s head.

“Alex,” he smiled back. “This is my boyfriend, Henry.” Alex looked over at Henry and the remainder of color drained from his cheeks. “Oh my God, Henry—” He crossed the small truck bed in seconds, cupping Henry’s face gently in his hands. There were slashes all across his cheeks and neck. Nothing too deep, but not shallow either. 

Henry didn’t seem to care about the cuts, because he pulled Alex into such a fierce hug, holding him as close as he could. Alex held him back just as hard and clutched the back of his head. 

“You absolute idiot,” Henry muttered, jostling them a bit. “What were you thinking? Hm? You could’ve been swept away! You could’ve—”

“But I wasn’t,” Alex cut him off, holding his face again, keeping his fingers away from the cuts. “Okay, love? I wasn’t, and I’m here. I’m here.” 

Henry kissed him now, hard and desperate. Alex wasn’t sure if it was the blood, the water, or Henry’s tears that wet his face all over again, but it didn’t matter, because they were still together. They needed to focus on that for now and just pray that Amy was out there fighting too. 

When they pulled away, Alex pointed for Henry to sit down. 

“Military?” Melissa looked at Alex. He could tell she was trying to figure out where she knew them both from. 

“Uh no,” Alex chuckled, sitting down too. “First responder certified, actually. Did my probationary year as a firefighter in Texas a couple years back.” 

“Uh why did I not know this?” Henry looked at Alex, bewildered. 

“Well you hated me back then,” Alex pointed out, trying to keep it light. “But I couldn’t continue anyway, so I dropped it.”

“Why’d you stop?” Melissa asked. 

“My mother became President,” Alex nodded slowly, his nose scrunching as realization dawned on the woman.

“Oh my god, you’re the First Son and you,” she looked to Henry. “You’re Prince Henry. That’s where I know you two from!” She let out a laugh, and they did too. At least she didn’t panic and apologize. It’s not like they’d blame her for forgetting something so trivial when she’d nearly just died. 

“You’re a Prince?” The little girl had turned around now, eyeing Henry curiously, who put on a smile.

“I am. The Prince of England.” 

“And the Prince of my heart,” Alex declared, pressing his hand to his chest, making the little girl giggle. Bingo. 

“Uh, Alex,” Henry’s tone had grown serious now. Alex’s gaze followed Henry’s to his arm, only to find a long gash down the front from his wrist bone nearly to his elbow. 

“Uh, it’s fine.” Alex cleared his throat. “This is fine. Take off your button up.” Henry did as he was told, leaving himself in his vest underneath. Alex pushed through the sharp shooting pain that had hit the moment he’d seen the wound and tore off the sleeve using his teeth. The little girl had turned around again. 

“Henry, I need you to help me wrap this. Use the first sleeve to cover the entire wound. Use your belt to tighten around that larger opening over there,” he pointed to the middle of the gash. “Tie it tight, okay? This is called a tourniquet. It helps.” 

“Uhm, yeah. Yeah okay,” Henry fumbled with the first sleeve, moving to kneel on the bed of the truck in front of Alex. he got a better look at the gash and his eyes widened. 

“Henry,” Alex said sternly, using his good hand to shake his shoulder. “Henry, focus. It’s just some blood.”

“Alex, I can see your— Alex I can see your fucking bone,” Henry whispered, tears pooling again. 

“It doesn't matter,” Alex replied, shaking Henry again. “I can still move my fingers. That means I might have some nerve damage, but nothing severe. Henry, this needs to be covered. If it doesn’t get covered soon, I could bleed out. My nerves could be further damaged. We don’t want that, right?”

“Right,” Henry swallowed and furrowed his brows. “Right.” He spoke more determinedly this time and got to work. He wrapped the wound using two sleeves instead of one to cover the full expanse before he tugged off his belt and tied it in the middle where there was significant bleeding. Alex let out a cry of agony when Henry tightened it, but he was mostly relieved Henry got the job done quickly. 

“Thank you baby,” Alex breathed out a heavy sigh and Henry dropped back onto the bed of the truck, blinking hard. His hands were covered in blood now. The cuts on his cheeks had stopped bleeding at least, but there was dirt and grime all over his face and all Alex could think about was finding fresh water to clean those cuts, nevermind himself.

You can take the man out of the firehouse but… 

“So what do we do now?” Melissa broke the silence. The girl had stopped crying now and she was situated between the woman’s legs. 

Alex stood up, forcing himself not to wobble. He looked around and only found water and debris. He tried to see if any rescue units had been sent out on boats yet, but he couldn’t hear any motors. He sat back down.

“We wait for help to find us.” 

“What about Amy?” Henry asked, his voice hoarse now. His hands were shaking, so he buried them in his lap, clasping them together. 

Alex felt a lump form in his throat at the thought of Amy not making it out of this. She’d become his family, his sister. The reality of not having her in his life anymore made him feel sick. “She’s fine,” he replied, almost trying to convince himself more than anyone else. “She- She’s a fighter. She’s trained for this. We did our certifications together. We’ll find her.” 

Henry nodded mutely, staring out now at the floating debris. A body floated past and Henry couldn’t bring himself to look away. The person was face down, but it was still jarring. At one point, Henry wanted to serve in the army for his country. It’s what Royals were expected to do, but his mother had told him he didn’t have to, that he could pursue other ways to help England. So instead he’d gone off and worked with every and any charity he could get his hands on, Beatrice too. He’d never seen a dead body before until now. 

He could only assume Alex had seen a handful. 

His assumption was confirmed when he looked at Alex, who watched the body float past too, a dull look behind his eyes. This was a whole other side to Alex that he’d never seen before, as if Alex had locked this part of him away and tried to never let it out. 

“Have you ever…” Henry broke the silence for a moment, snapping Alex out of his thoughts. “Have you ever been in a natural disaster before?”

“Yeah,” Alex sniffed, looking away from the body. “A tornado and some wildfires. Amy’s the same. Except… we were the help, not the ones asking for it.” 

“Tell me about your fire house,” Henry shuffled closer, taking hold of Alex’s good hand, looking up at him. He might as well pass the time by getting Alex to talk about something positive. 

“Uh, we were with the 126.” Alex started, a pained look on his expression. “It was only a year, but it was one of the best and worst years of my life. I don’t talk to any of them anymore, except one guy and his husband, but they’re really good people.” 

Henry nodded, understanding that there was some underlying sense that Alex wasn’t too keen on speaking about the past. Especially not now. “I presume you don’t have your phone?” 

Alex patted his pockets and then shook his head. “It’s not like he’d answer.” 

“You know he’s probably looking for us, right? He knows we were at the pier. Hell Alex, everyone did. People are coming.” 

“Not fast enough,” Alex replied, pointing to the water slowly filling the truck bed. “We need to find higher ground before we’re swept away again. 

“You can’t swim with your arm like that. Who knows what debris you’ll knock into.” Henry shook his head. “Like you said. We should just stick it out until someone comes.” 

The truck swayed a little and both men looked over at the street again. The water seemed to be moving quicker now. Alex stood up, hauling Henry up too. “Looks like a second wave has hit.”

“What do we do?” Melissa asked, clutching tighter onto the girl. 

“You two should be fine up there,” Alex replied. The water will push the truck probably, but not far. You’re high enough. Us, however, we need to—” 

Before Alex could finish, he was swept off his feet. For a moment everything was a blur, and then his head hit something. Was it the truck? He wasn’t so sure. Something, someone, was grabbing onto his shirt. Henry? Melissa? Were they underwater too? 

And then he was moving. 

The rush of the second wave pulled him along uselessly further down the street. Away from the truck. Away from Henry? No. There was still a grip on him. God, he hoped it was Henry. 

He needed to get his head out of the water. He needed to shield his arm, so he tucked it against his chest and tried to push himself upright. If he was thrown around anymore, he could hit his head a second time and then it was game over. 

He felt the grip slacken and that was enough panic to send his adrenaline into overdrive. He fumbled in the water for the person’s arm. God, please be Henry. Please. He pulled them closer and pushed his head through the surface. 

He looked around wildly. People were screaming, signs were falling and so were tree branches. He saw the shock of blonde hair on Henry’s head and pulled him close enough to shield him from a branch that fell right where Henry was seconds ago. 

The water was still dragging them along and all Alex could do for the time being, was to ride it out until he found somewhere high enough for them to wait it out again. How many waves usually hit in a tsunami? It depended, really. 

So he listed the possibilities. 

Tsunamis typically consist of multiple waves, often referred to as a wave train. The number of waves can range from just a few to over a dozen. It is not uncommon for there to be 5 to 10 significant waves, but this number can vary as mentioned.

The waves do not all arrive at the same time. The first wave is not necessarily the largest, and often subsequent waves can be more powerful and higher. The time between successive waves can range from a few minutes to over an hour. So far, the wave distance was around half an hour. 

The height and power of each wave can differ significantly. The initial wave might not be the largest; subsequent waves can sometimes be much more destructive. It was hard for him to tell if the second wave was worse than the first, considering the damage the first had done and he couldn’t really witness the second from its origin place at the beach. Though it didn’t feel as strong which could mean that a few smaller waves would hit before things calmed down. 

The entire tsunami event can last several hours, with waves continuing to arrive during this period. This makes it crucial to remain cautious and alert even after the first wave has hit. They had two and a half hours left. But that didn’t mean the fight would end there. 

The number and size of the waves can also be influenced by the geography of the ocean floor and coastal topography. Areas closer to the tsunami source can experience different wave patterns compared to those farther away.

There was one thing Alex couldn’t quite understand though. 

A tsunami originating from Los Angeles would be highly unusual — Santa Monica to be specific —, as tsunamis are typically generated by large underwater disturbances like earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, or landslides, rather than originating from a specific coastal location. 

So his only assumption is that they were royally fucked. Pun not intended.

“Alex!” Henry sputtered, pulling Alex out of his daze. “Alex!”

“I’ve got you,” Alex grunted, tightening his grip. “We need to find somewhere high up!” 

They both looked around amidst the chaos and further down the street, Alex spotted a familiar red and white roofing. A ladder. 

“There!” He jutted his chin out towards the fire truck. “If we can get on top of the truck, we’ll be fine. Those things are built for this. We’ll be an easy spot too.”

So they pushed on, swimming through broken wood and glass, casting their eyes away as they passed bodies. Henry had let out a choked sound when he saw a little boy and Alex had gripped his chin so hard, he was sure it would bruise, but he had to get him to look away somehow. 

They made it to the firetruck and found it empty. Alex found that odd, seeing as he was sure that’s the first place people would go. But the water seemed lower here and Alex thought this over. 

They could keep swimming. They could risk the possibility of another wave, getting cut up by some dirty glass shards, and find dry land, or they could wait it out. And then he thought of Amy. 

“We should keep going,” Alex spoke.

“Alex, have you gone mad?” Henry looked at him in shock. “You just said this would be the best place to wait it out! What the hell are you thinking?”

“Amy isn’t here, Henry!” Alex snapped, nostrils flaring. “Okay?! She’s not here. No one alive is here except us! The water is shallower too. If we keep going, we can get to land before the third wave. The distance between them is roughly a half hour. We have fifteen minutes until the next one. The sooner we find the triage tents, the sooner we can find Amy.” 

Henry looked at him in defeat. He was so tired. It was a miracle Alex was holding them both up with the injuries he’d sustained. “Okay,” he relented. “You’re the professional. Let’s keep going.” 

Alex nodded once before reaching out to kiss Henry. It was quick, but it held the weight of the world in it. And then they were swimming again. 

They looked around at the destroyed coffee shops, clothing stores, and bookstores. Henry spotted the cafe they’d had breakfast at the day before, now damaged beyond repair. It didn’t even look like the same planet. It was terrifying how fast life could change. 

Henry could tell it hurt Alex to swim past people waiting on top of cars or trucks the more they swam. It hurt him not to go help them. Helping people was engraved in his DNA, Henry always knew that, but he didn’t know the full extent until now. 

Alex’s vision had gone spotty now, but he kept pushing. He had to keep pushing. He had to keep Henry alive and he had to find Amy. He had no other choice. This was fight or die and Alex was no quitter. 

That was promptly when everything went dark. 

“Alex!” A faraway voice screamed, jostling him. “Come on, Alex! Wake up!” And then the person’s lips were on his, pushing air into his lungs. He felt experienced hands knot on his chest, pushing down three inches exactly. “Come on, Diaz! You are not dying today!”

No, he wasn’t. He couldn’t. 

He opened his eyes with a gasp, water pooling in his mouth that he coughed out and onto the road. The road. He was on dry land. 

“Henry!” Alex grabbed the man’s blurry face, who gripped his wrists. His cuts were bleeding again. 

“No, no, Alex,” the man spoke. “I-I’m not Henry.”

Alex sat up like lightning, blinking harshly. A protective hand landed on his chest. Had he been saved? Where was Henry? His vision focused and his heart sank. 

“Buck?” 

“Hey, Alex…” Buck looked pained. He had cuts all across his cheeks too, his arm was coated in blood, glasses around his neck. He didn’t have his uniform on. 

“Wh-Where’s Henry? Did you save him too? Where is he, Buck? Are you okay?” Alex looked around, flailing on the ground. People were crowded around, all injured and weary, but they were staring at him like they’d just witnessed his world shatter into a million pieces. 

“I don’t know,” Buck shook his head, gripping onto Alex’s shoulders to keep him sitting, but Alex shoved him away and forced himself upright. “I didn’t see him anywhere near you when you washed up here, Alex, I swear. I don’t know.” 

“No…” Alex whispered, looking at the streets around them. It was dark now. Where had all the water gone? How much time had passed? The water must’ve receded, so where the fuck was Henry. “No… no no no. Henry!” Alex rushed forward down the street and Buck followed close behind. “HENRY!” He screamed with the last dregs of energy he had, swaying on his feet.

“Alex, Alex, stop!” Buck caught him when Alex tilted backwards and kept him standing. “You're in no shape—”

“I don’t care!” Alex cried, moving away from Buck’s grasp. “HENRY! HENRY, CAN YOU HEAR ME BABY?! PLEASE!” 

“He’s not here, Alex!” Buck tried again, getting in front of him this time. “I checked. I promise you, I checked. You know I wouldn’t leave him behind.”

“Liar!” Alex yelled, shoving Buck’s chest. “You and- and Eddie hate us! I know it!” 

“We don’t hate you, Alex. Either of you. Stop it. Stop, stop—” Buck tried to stop Alex again, this time taking a firm hold on Alex, wrapping his arms around the man’s body, taking the hits Alex threw at him until the First Son crumpled in his arms and they made it to the floor on their knees. “We’ll find him,” Buck spoke into his ear, clutching onto Alex as he sobbed. “Breathe, Alex, we’ll find him.” 

Alex took a few seconds before he pulled away. His whole world was crumbling around him, but he couldn’t crumble with it. Not yet, at least. He had two people he still had to find. He’d die trying if he had to.

That’s when his eyes fell on the glasses around Buck’s neck.

“Buck,” he breathed out, panic rising in his chest all over again. “Where’s Christopher?” When he made eye contact, Buck’s expression twisted. 

“I don’t know…” 

“Oh God,” Alex fought down bile, dropping back on his haunches. “O-Okay. We just need to… we need to find triage. Do you know where it is?” 

“Yeah,” Buck swallowed. “They set one up close by. Can you walk?” 

“Yeah,” Alex wiped a dirty hand over his face and allowed Buck to help him up. There was no time for them to look over each other’s injuries. Alex leaned on Buck a little, holding onto his arm for support. “You’re on blood thinners,” he murmured, staring blankly ahead as they walked. He ignored the stares, ignored the yelling from people trying to find their loved ones. 

The only people that mattered to him now were Henry, Amy, and Chris. He didn’t want to think about anything else. As selfish as that might seem for a first responder. 

“Got crushed by a fire truck,” Buck replied, his voice dripping with exhaustion.

“Only you, Buck.” Alex replied. 

“You got buried alive once, you can’t say shit.” 

“How’d you hear about that?” Alex frowned.

“TK told me,” a ghost of a smile formed on Buck’s lips and laughter bubbled out of Alex’s throat. Hey, if they didn’t laugh, they’d cry, right? 

“Where were you and Chris when the first wave hit?” Alex asked when they turned down a street. His vision was still spotty, but he was grateful Buck had taken some of his weight. 

“At the pier. What about you and Henry?”

“At the pier,” Alex sighed. “I was actively avoiding your boyfriend. Figured that the last place he’d want to be was the pier.” 

“Ah,” Buck chuckled. “He’s on shift, actually. Has no idea I took Chris to the pier… and now Chris is—”

“Alive,” Alex finished for him. “Chris is alive, okay?” 

“What if he’s not?” Buck’s voice cracked and the tears came again. Flashing lights could be seen just ahead and Alex made out the triage center. “Alex, what am I going to tell Eddie if Chris is d–”

“Stop,” Alex insisted. “We’re going to check the clipboards, we’re going to go out there and find them if we have to, okay? Whatever it fucking takes, Buck. Eddie is not getting that news today. Neither is Shannon.” Buck stopped walking at that and Alex turned to tug him along. “Buck, stop it. We need to go find them—”

“Shannon is dead, Alex.” Buck blurted out and now it was Alex’s turn to freeze. 

“What do you mean she’s dead?” 

“She died in May… Did Eddie not tell you? She was hit by a car…”

“Oh,” Alex swallowed back tears, offering Buck a nod. Despite the situation, Alex had always seen Shannon as family. She was a good friend too. “Right.” 

“Alex—”

“Now’s not the time,” Alex cut him off, starting to walk again. “We need to focus on the people still alive. Come on.” He pushed forward until a firefighter came up to him. 

“Mr. Claremont-Diaz!” A man in a dark suit rushed forward. It was one of the Secret Service members. “Thank God you’re okay! We’ve had men posted at every hospital in case—”

“Where’s Henry?” Alex shoved off the firefighter trying to check him over.

“Sir, we need to look you over. Your arm—”

“I am denying medical assistance, get off of me.” Alex pushed the firefighter away again. 

“But sir—”

“Where is Henry?” He looked to the Secret Service member, who offered a grave look, shaking his head, and Alex pushed past him too, looking for anyone with a clipboard. He spotted a woman and marched over. 

“Firefighter Diaz,” the woman blinked in surprise at the sight of him. “People have been looking for you. Your mom—”

“Don’t care, Lucy. Has Henry Fox been written on the list?” Should he have said Prince? Would that make her work faster? She’d probably seen the news about them anyway. 

Lucy Denado, a firefighter he’d spent his training with, let out a sigh and flicked through the pages. “No… He’s not here. Diaz, you should check the black tent…”

“To hell with that,” Alex shook his head, eyes fixed on the body bags in the tent. “He’s not in there. I know it. What about Amy Gupta?” 

Lucy opened and closed her mouth, deciding the best route to take with this. “You know what, let’s just get you checked out and I’ll have someone sent to look. The 118 are out there now, they can help. Secret Service is out there with radios too. I’ll alert them and—”

“No, Lucy, I’m finding him myself.” Alex declined, moving away from her grasp. He’d barely thought about his arm and how numb it was growing. He didn’t care if he could never use the arm again. He cared if he lost Henry. Amy. Chris. 

Eddie. 

His eyes landed on his cousin and his heart sank. Eddie was helping a patient wrap a wound and Alex took a step back. 

“Lucy, I was never here, okay? He cannot know I was here. Don’t put me on the list yet.”

“But Alex—”

“Swear it, Lucy.” Alex glared at her and a beat of silence passed through them.

“You have thirty minutes, Diaz. And then I’m strapping you to a cot whether you like it or not.” 

Alex bolted before she could change her mind. Lucy had grabbed onto the Secret Service guard when he tried to chase after Alex to bring him back. Alex vowed he’d make sure she didn’t lose her job for that. 

Alex’s legs carried him down a street and he kept going. His plan was to run through the streets to Mercy hospital. Maybe Henry could’ve gone there. Or Amy.

His breathing was labored, his ears ringing, but nothing else mattered right now. He could hear helicopters overhead and wondered who was in there. Were they looking for him? For Henry? He wondered what the news was saying.

“Alex!” Someone yelled from his left and Alex grounded to a halt at the familiar voice. He squinted in the dark amongst the destruction and his heart soared.

“Christopher?! Chris!” He crossed the street in half a second and then he was on his knees, pulling Chris into him. “Oh God, Chris you’re okay buddy. Thank God.” He looked up at the woman who had him and he grabbed her hand. “Thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you.” 

“Are you Buck?” The lady asked.

“No, that’s his dad. I’m Chris’s uncle. Buck is at the triage center a few blocks back.” 

“Buck’s okay?” Chris asked, a bright grin spreading on his face and Alex was just about ready to burst into tears. 

“Yeah buddy, he’s fine, just worried about you. Want me to take you to him?” Alex asked, picking Chris up when he nodded vigorously. He should leave Chris with the woman, point them in the right direction to go so he could find Henry, but something in his gut was telling him he had to do this. For Buck. for Eddie. 

“Is-Is Henry here?” Chris asked as they walked and Alex felt his chest tighten again at the reminder.

“I hope so,” he answered honestly, adjusting his hold on Chris. His arm hurt like hell and it was a down right miracle he was still walking. He’d seen a case like this once, back in Austin. After the tornado, a family home had buried a man’s two children. He was up and talking, perfectly fine. When they rescued the kids, that’s when the man allowed himself to relax and he’d sustained serious internal injuries. He’d died on site in front of his kids. 

It unsettled Alex to think about again, to remind himself of his own injuries, so he blocked them out and kept leading the lady back to triage. 

More people had arrived and Alex looked around, desperately trying to find Buck or Eddie, or even Lucy. He moved between crowds and kept his head down, turning the other way when he spotted a government official. News reporters were here now and he could hear his name and Henry’s being dropped a few times. 

No doubt his mother was already in Los Angeles. He wondered who was coming from the Palace. He doubted the King would. Definitely Shaan, Zahra, Bea and Pez, possibly Philip. He wasn’t even sure what country Catherine was in, so he wasn’t hopeful about her. Nora, June, and his father were probably here too, searching for him at all the hospitals, or even on their way here after being spotted. 

It didn’t matter, really. None of it mattered without Henry and Amy. 

“Is that Alex Claremont-Diaz?” Alex heard someone call out when he approached triage again and he had half a mind to put Christopher down and tell him to go find his dad on his own, but that’s when he saw them.

Buck’s expression was broken. He was explaining to Eddie, who seemed to lose all color in his cheeks as Buck kept talking. They were both assuming the worst.

“Hey, Diaz!” Alex yelled out, walking faster towards the men, but neither could hear him over the commotion. 

“Dad!” Christopher yelled with all his might, and that was enough to get Eddie’s attention. Buck’s too. Both men’s eyes widened at the sight of Christopher clambering down from Alex’s grasp and running towards Eddie, who met him halfway. 

“Christopher!” Eddie exclaimed, clutching to him so tight, kissing the side of his head. “Thank God you’re okay.” 

Alex stood there for a moment, watching as Buck fell into his team’s arms, relief flooding through him, his adrenaline dissipating now that he didn’t have to keep fighting. 

“Mr. Claremont-Diaz?” The 118 Captain looked at Alex quizzically, wanting to confirm his theories.

“N-No,” Alex shook his head, backing away. If he was identified by a captain, he’d be stuck here. He’d be whisked to the best hospital without Henry or Amy and he’d never cope again. 

“Alex?” Eddie looked up from the ground and Alex’s heart sank. He stood up now as another firefighter looked Christopher over. “Where’s Henry?”

Alex bit back a quivering lip, tears threatening to break loose, and all he could do was shake his head. “I don’t know… I don’t know, Eddie, I– he was with me and then I passed out and-and Buck found me, and then I found Chris and not Henry or Amy—”

“Amy?” The Captain, Bobby Nash, asked.

“Amy Gupta. My security detail, but she’s more than that, okay? She- she’s family, Eddie. I lost them both. What kind of firefighter loses the people they love?” The tears were flowing freely now and the 118 had gone deathly still. He and Eddie hadn’t really spoken since their last family spat, but none of that mattered right now. Hell, it might never matter again to Alex. 

Eddie’s jaw was clenched when he held the back of Alex’s head. “I know what that’s like, Alex. I lost you, I lost June, and I lost- I lost Shannon. But we’re Diaz’s, and we don’t give up, you hear me? They’re still out there and we’re going to find them.” 

“You won’t have to look far,” Lucy remarked, out of breath. She ground to a stop just in front of the pair and Alex snapped his head to the left, spotting Amy limping over with the aid of a firefighter from the 146. 

“Hey, kid,” Amy huffed out, a small smile on her face. Alex stood there in shock for a split second. She was covered in dirt and blood. Her hand was being wrapped by the firefighter and long gone was her suit jacket, leaving her in her torn up white shirt with a thick bandage underneath. Lacerations were slashed across her opposite arm and her hair was a mess, but she was there. She was alive. She was alone. 

“A-Amy–” Alex sputtered out and closed the gap between them. He held her close, but not too tight, and she held him back, digging her fingers into his curls. 

“I’m here, kid, I’m here. I’m here.” She reassured him as his sobs came. 

Alex held himself up, keeping his eyes open as they hugged in case Henry was somewhere here. He wasn’t. “Amy, I couldn’t– I couldn’t save him. What am I going to tell people? I lost- I lost him, Amy. I lost him!” 

“You don’t know that,” Amy spoke in that familiar stern tone she always took with him and June when they needed guidance. Zahra had a similar one. “I’ve been speaking with the Secret Service, they’re all out there, Alex. They’re looking. No one is giving up, okay? He’s out there somewhere.”

Alex pulled away then, so the firefighter could get back to bandaging her hand. “That doesn’t mean he’s alive, Amy…”

“Stop thinking like that,” Eddie hissed off to the side, gripping Alex’s shoulder. His eyes trailed down when Alex winced and he saw the makeshift tourniquet. “Let’s get that looked at, okay?”

“Not until I find Henry,” Alex yanked his arm away, cradling it with his other. 

Eddie looked over to a woman with a 118 helmet, as if silently asking for help, and she offered a thin lipped smile. The other 118 firefighter was looking Buck over, treating and cleaning his wounds, so she had her hands free.

“Alex, right?” The woman asked, slowly approaching. “I’m Hen. Eddie’s told us a lot about you. Christopher too. He never stops talking about you and Henry. You were a firefighter, right?” 

Alex nodded. “Trained with the 126 out of Austin. I remember you… I think.” 

“The wildfires,” Hen nodded slowly, recognition crossing her features. “Why don’t you tell me what’s going on with your arm? So when Henry is found, we can get you to where you need to go for treatment.”

Alex pressed his tongue to the inside of his cheek. He knew what she was doing, keeping him talking like this instead of running back into the streets or harassing firefighters to radio every hospital nearby. He’d almost thought about stealing a firetruck. Surely they couldn’t arrest him for wanting to find a Prince, right? 

Alex looked down at Henry’s torn shirt now stained with blood and sighed. “I have a deep laceration on the posterior of my arm. I can see the humerus, so this cut has penetrated through the epidermis, dermis, and deep fascia, slicing into the muscle tissue. I can still move my arm and fingers, albeit with some numbness, so that tells me that the radial nerve is likely intact but may be contused or partially compressed.”

“And you’re studying law?” Hen asked, clearly impressed. Eddie cleared his throat when Alex frowned. “Oh, Buck talks a lot… Move your fingers for me.” Alex did as he was told and lifted and lowered his arm a few times. “There's minimal motor deficit, which is a good sign, but we need to watch for any delayed nerve impairment. Has the numbness increased?”

“Yeah. I’ve been fighting for my life with it all day, so.” Alex shrugged and looked around. “Listen, you all seem wonderful, but I’m wasting my time standing here. I have to go find my fiancé. Amy, I’ll be back soon. Don’t go anywhere. I’ll find someone to contact my mom for you.”

“Fiancé?” Eddie asked, blinking rapidly. 

Alex clenched his fist. He really needed to learn to stop running his mouth. “Yeah, my fiancé.” 

“Look, Alex, let me come with you at least.” Captain Nash offered, hands raised slightly. “You need another medical professional with you and I can help pull a few strings.” He was evidently trying to be as accommodating as possible and Alex wondered if it was because he was the First Son, because Henry was a Prince, or if he had experience with wildcard firefighters. Looking at this bunch, he had a feeling it might be all three. 

Alex had no other choice but to agree. Lucy offered him a small nod and Alex gestured for Bobby to lead the way. 

“Wait!” Eddie called out, jogging over to hand Alex his turnout jacket. “Might help to have this.” 

Alex took the jacket gingerly, studying the ‘Diaz’ on the back before he slipped it on and gave a nod. “Thanks, Eddie.”

“Bring him home,” Eddie replied with a nod and then Alex and Bobby were walking again. 

“I checked the lists already,” Alex spoke, looking around. “I didn’t check the black tent. That’s the last place I’m looking.”

“I think it should be the first,” Bobby offered honestly. “If his name isn’t there, then you have less to worry about.”

Alex looked over at the tent and gave a slow nod. “Fine. I’ll wait here. His name won’t be on that list.” 

Bobby walked over to the firefighter and checked through the names. Each time he flipped a page, Alex’s heart did a jolt. What if Henry’s name was on there? What then? After the lists were flipped through, Bobby walked into the tent towards the unidentified bodies and Alex waited with bated breath as he and the other firefighter unzipped each one, looking their faces over in case Henry was one of them. 

Alex craned his neck when he saw a shock of short blonde hair pop out of one of the bags and he felt his world come crashing down for a brief second. He took steps forward, halting when Bobby shook his head and the bag was zipped up again.

Alex turned around and sucked in a shaky breath before blowing it out. Not Henry. That’s good. None of them were Henry, so why the hell did Alex have such a bad feeling? 

“He’s not there,” Bobby spoke as he approached. “You were right. So my next bet is radioing dispatch. Have them check the other hospital lists in case he made it to one of those.”

“Okay, yeah, do that.” Alex gestured again and Bobby reached for his radio.

“Dispatch, this is Captain Nash. I’m going to need a name check from each hospital.”

“Copy that, Captain Nash. Who are we looking for?” Dispatch replied in seconds.

“Prince Henry Fox Mountchristen-Windsor,” Bobby replied, repeating what Alex had said. “I have the First Son of the United States, Firefighter Alex Claremont-Diaz, standing here with me. Said he lost consciousness around 10th on Broadway. That’s where he last saw the Prince.” 

“Uh,” the dispatcher seemed slightly taken aback by all the titles, but she was quick. “Copy that, Captain Nash. I’ll get back to you in a minute.” 

“Thanks, dispatch.” Bobby replied. 

“I’m not a firefighter anymore,” Alex commented, earning a smile from Bobby.

“You will always be a firefighter, Alex. doesn’t matter how long you’ve been out of service. Hen mentioned you’re studying law?” 

“Yeah,” Alex cleared his throat. “After that it’s U.S. Politics.”

“And after that?”

“Congress and then, hopefully, Presidency after my mother.” 

Bobby eyed him for a long moment, a frown forming. “Is that really what you want to do?” 

“I like helping people,” Alex replied. 

“Do you like helping people behind a desk?” It was clear that Bobby did not like helping behind desks. 

“I can save more people by changing the country they live in compared to first responding.” 

“You make it sound like a competition,” Bobby chuckled. 

“It’s a race against time, Bobby. Who will you go out and save in your firetruck if there’s no one left to save?” Alex asked and Bobby’s smile faltered. “Sorry,” Alex winced. “I’m just on edge.” 

Bobby opened his mouth to reply, but his radio crackled. 

“Captain Nash, His Royal— Prince Henry’s name is not on any list. He’s still out there. I’ve alerted patrolling officer’s to keep a lookout. Apparently there’s Secret Service members out looking too. I’ll keep you informed if he arrives at any of the hospitals.” 

“Thanks dispatch,” Bobby let out a sigh and turned to Alex. “You up for a drive?” 

Five minutes later, Alex and Bobby were in his Captain’s truck driving through the streets of LA. Bobby drove over debris and swerved around larger pieces while Alex sat himself on the open window of the truck so he could get a good look around the area. 

More firefighters and police officers were leading people to their cars or ambulances or treating them in the streets. Bodies with red tags were being moved into one confined space, getting ready to be taken to the tent morgues nearby and Alex had asked Bobby multiple times to slow down so they could look in case Henry was one of them. 

Alex wasn’t sure what he’d do if he found Henry’s body like this. He wasn’t sure what he’d tell Henry’s family or the media. He knew going to LA was a mistake. They should’ve just gone to Paris early like they’d originally planned, but Alex wanted to be spontaneous with Henry and now Henry could be dead. 

“So, how’d you two meet?” Bobby asked when Alex sat down properly in his seat when they got to an empty street. 

Alex found himself smiling despite it all. “Uh, at the 2016 Olympics. But I mean, we knew about each other way before that. He was in all those kids magazines and my mom was still pushing for her spot in politics. But uh… yeah we met at the Olympics.”

“And?” Bobby pressed, his own smile growing. Alex looked at Bobby and saw someone who was clearly a father to everyone at the 118. Alex envied them. Sure he had his father who’d give him the world if he asked, but there was something about Bobby. It made Alex want to cry. 

“And I hated him,” Alex chuckled. “I said hi and he wasn’t the nicest to me. His father had just died and he was being paraded around, but I had no idea how he was really feeling. So I hated him and he grew to hate me too. We knocked heads for a while until his brother’s wedding.”

“Prince Phillip,” Bobby nodded in acknowledgement. “I remember that breaking the news. Eddie and Buck had laughed all week about it.”

“Sounds like them,” Alex huffed fondly. 

“And after that?”

“We were forced to act like friends… and then I realized I’d been in love with him the entire time, I just hadn’t discovered that part of myself.” 

Bobby hummed, his smile growing. “Sounds like Buck and Eddie.”

“What do you mean?” Alex frowned. 

“When Eddie first joined the 118, Buck hated him. He had this macho stance going on. Buck’s always been very protective of those he cares about and Eddie was an outsider. They were forced to work together to diffuse a live bomb in a man’s leg and were inseparable after that. Buck realized he liked men first, but Eddie was the one who realized he loved Buck first.”

“Huh,” Alex fidgeted with his lower lip, gaze still locked on their surroundings. He shifted his arm and his heart dropped. It was resting against the door, but he could barely feel it now. He pushed the panic down. Henry first. “Eddie never told me about any of that. He didn’t tell me about Shannon either.”

“Were you close with Shannon?” Bobby asked, not beating around the bush. Alex liked that about him. 

“Yeah, we were. When Eddie was enlisted, I visited her and Chris a lot. My mom, sister and I helped where we could. Often it was mostly June that was with Shannon but then June started working and then it was Shannon and I. When I wasn’t at the academy, I was taking care of Chris so Shannon could sleep. She always told us she felt like a burden, but to us, her and Chris were a gift. They kept us grounded to reality amongst all the political chaos and my parent’s divorce. She was like our sister, really. I just don’t—” Alex’s voice cracked and he sucked in a sharp breath. “I just don’t know how she’s been dead for so long and no one fucking told me.” 

Bobby rested a hand on Alex’s shoulder and offered a squeeze. “If we spent our lives wondering why people did certain things, we’d drive ourselves crazy with all the questions. It wasn’t right that they kept this from you, Alex, but you need to remember that they did it out of good intentions, even if you think they didn’t.” 

Alex sniffed, offering a nod to Bobby. Something ahead caught his attention before he could answer. “Bobby, watch out!” Alex pointed at the person waving them over from the middle of the street. 

Bobby slammed his foot on the brake and the truck rocked forward, stopping a few feet away from a man who was covered in blood. The man’s face was barely visible behind all the grime and blood and for a hopeful moment, Alex thought it could be Henry, but he knew it wasn’t. 

“I can send a rescue team for them and we can keep going,” Bobby looked at Alex, who was now at war with what to do. This was what they were here for, to save people. To save Henry. But Alex couldn’t just drive past these people. 

“Dispatch said they’d tell us if they hear anything. Let’s help this guy out.” Alex pushed his door open with his good hand and flicked out his numb one, sending jolts of pain through him. At least he could still feel that. 

“Sígueme, por favor!” The man gestured wildly and Bobby and Alex followed him. “Hay una mujer embarazada, está herida!”

“He says there’s a pregnant woman,” Alex translated for Bobby and they turned the corner, only to find a woman bleeding right from a cut on her stomach. Alex rushed over and kneeled down in front of the woman. “Cuánto tiempo lleva así?” He looked up at the man. 

“Not sure,” the man answered, looking panicked. “I just got here.” 

“Ma’am, I’m Alex, this is my Captain, Bobby. We're going to keep you lying on your left side. This position helps improve blood flow to the baby by relieving pressure on the vena cava, a major blood vessel.” Alex didn’t even think about what he was saying, it all just came so naturally to him. Perhaps he really was always a firefighter. “What’s your name?”

Alex and Bobby worked together to slowly turn her onto her side and she groaned out. “Hannah.”

“Good to meet you, Hannah,” Bobby spoke, pulling out a cloth from his back pocket and pressing it to her stomach to stop the bleeding. “Do you know if you hit your head?” 

“Y-Yeah I think so,” she replied.

“Diaz, monitor her heart rate for me, we have to go old school here.” 

“Copy that, Cap.” Alex replied and pressed two fingers to her neck, counting her heart rate. Bobby used his phone flashlight to check her pupils.

“Pupils are reactive. Hannah, we have our truck with us. I’m going to fetch it and we’re going to get you to our triage centre for medical attention. Here,” he pulled off his turnout jacket and draped it over her. “Chances are, you’re in shock. This should keep you warm until we get there. I’ll be right back, Diaz.”

Alex nodded and pulled his fingers away. Her heart rate was slightly elevated, but nothing too serious and her airways sounded clear. He kept up light chatter with her about the baby while they waited for Bobby to return with the truck and when he did, he pointed to the man who was waiting. 

“Sir, you’re riding with us.” Bobby came closer and knelt down again. “Okay, Hannah, we’re going to move you into the back of the truck now, but you need to keep as still as possible. It won’t be pleasant, but the faster we get you out of here, the better, okay?” 

“Mhm,” she winced when Alex slid a hand under her back, palm flat. He moved for his other arm, but he knew he wouldn’t be able to hold her neck up with how fast he was losing feeling. 

“Cap,” Alex murmured. “I can only hold with one hand…”

Bobby tried to mask his worried expression by offering a quick nod. “You hold her just like that and ask him to help out with her legs. I’ll keep her neck stable.” 

Alex turned to the man and passed the instructions along and soon enough, they were lifting Hannah slowly, taking it step by step to the truck. They slid her onto the backseat with precision and they all squished inside. The man said he was fine to sit in the back, so Alex took the passenger seat.

He flexed his fingers, but just barely. 

“You seriously need to get that seen to, Alex.” 

“After I find Henry.”

Bobby let out a sigh, shaking his head a little. “You really are a Diaz…” 

Alex had no idea what that meant, but he could only imagine Eddie had given Bobby enough stress for a lifetime. Buck too no doubt. 

“Bobby, pull over.” Alex sat up straighter when he saw someone on the side of the road, clutching onto their elbow. “Sir?” Alex called out, rushing across the street towards the man. “Sir are you okay? We can take you to get help.” 

“There was a man,” the guy swallowed, looking around. “He… he helped me. Did this,” he held up his elbow and Alex felt his head spin at the sight of the torn up shirt tied around his elbow. It had blue and white stripes. It matched the one Alex had around his arm. 

“When was this?” 

“Five minutes ago.”

“Where is he?”

“I don’t know,” the guy shook his head, standing as Alex helped him and walked over to Bobby’s truck. “Said he had to find someone. Went that way,” He pointed down the street and before he could say anything else, Alex broke out into a sprint. 

“HENRY!” Alex screamed, looking down every street he passed as his feet carried him at a speed he never knew he could reach. Where was this speed when he partook in that charity race? “HENRY!” 

He knocked shoulders with a firefighter as he rounded a corner and apologized on his way past. He pushed harder, feeling his bones in his body jolt with each heavy step he took. Alex spotted movement down a street and he skidded to a halt before backtracking and bolted down the street. 

“HENRY!” He tried again, turning yet another corner. How far could he have gotten in five minutes? Had someone picked him up? 

“Excuse me,” Alex rushed over to a police officer who was helping two others. “Have you seen a blonde man, cuts all over his face, a torn up blue and white shirt. Goes by Henry?” 

“I’m sorry, no, I haven’t.” The cop replied and started listing places he could look, but Alex was running again. Henry was alive. That was enough to keep him pushing. Henry was alive! 

He just hoped that he wasn’t wrong. Anyone could be wearing a similar shirt to his, but Alex decided to remain positive about this. 

He turned another corner and tripped over something heavy. 

“Fuck!” He hissed, rolling his body as it hit the tar. He’d managed to lift his damaged arm up in time before it hit the ground and he pushed himself up after a pause to take a look at what he’d tripped over. When he squinted, he realized it was a who.  

“Oh fuck,” Alex scrambled over to the person and rolled them onto their back, ready to check their vitals. The person groaned as he did so and when Alex took a look at who it was, he let out a choking sound.

“Henry?!” Alex gasped, grabbing the man’s face in his hands. “Oh God, Henry!” 

“Eddie?” Henry mumbled, barely coherent. His eyes opened briefly before drooping shut again. 

“No, baby, it’s Alex. It’s me,” Alex blinked back burning tears and checked Henry’s pulse. It was dangerously slow. He had to act fast. He really wished he’d snatched someone’s radio on the way out. 

“You look…” Henry winced when he shifted. “Like a firefighter… Like Ed-Eddie.” His eyes closed and Alex gently shook him awake.

“Keep talking, Henry. Don’t you dare fall asleep.” Alex looked around to see if anyone could help him, but they were utterly alone. “Talk.” 

“I tried,” Henry swallowed hard. “To save people… To find you.”

“And you did both, baby. You did both.” Alex lifted Henry’s white vest and found a deep cut across his lower abdomen. He’d been bleeding out and Henry helped someone else instead. “Now it’s my turn to help you, okay?”

“Okay,” Henry sighed, eyes drooping again. “S’proud of you, Alex.” 

“I’m proud of you too,” Alex sniffed, pulling off Eddie’s turnout and sliding it under Henry’s back, working quickly to tie the sleeves together over Henry’s laceration. “This is going to hurt, okay? Just stay still for me baby.” He sucked in a breath before tightening the sleeves together over the wound and doing a double knot. 

Henry writhed in his grasp, jaw clenching. To Alex, that was a good sign. At least it woke him up a little.

“You’re doing so good, Henry. So good. We’re going to get you some help now, okay?” 

“But your arm–”

“Doesn’t matter,” Alex replied, slipping both hands under Henry’s body and he closed his eyes before hoisting Henry up into his arms. Both men let out cries of agony, but Alex kept moving. This was easily the most pain he’s ever been in, but he’d feel this and more if it meant saving Henry. 

“Alex, leave me here, go get help and come back.” Henry muttered. 

“No,” Alex grunted, adjusting his grip on Henry and then, he broke out into a jog. “You just keep talking, Henry.”

“Like you,” Henry replied, clearly trying to tease Alex, but he sounded so tired that Alex couldn’t seem to find any humor at all. 

“Like me,” Alex replied and pushed faster. He was about a five minute run away from the triage center. He wasn’t sure if they’d make it. If Henry would make it. “Fucking talk, Henry.” 

“Some holiday, huh?” Henry slurred, letting his head hang over Alex’s arm. “No beaches for a while.” 

“I’m with you there,” Alex huffed, blinking back his blurred vision. 

“Looks like you could use some help,” a police officer called out to Alex’s left and Alex stopped jogging.

“You have a car?” 

“Right here,” the woman pointed a few feet ahead. “Get him in and I’ll take you to triage.”

“Thank you,” Alex replied, on the verge of tears yet again. The officer opened the backseat door and Alex held Henry in first before he climbed in after. “Here, lie down like this.” He moved Henry onto his side and pressed his good hand against the turnout jacket where the wound was.

The officer climbed into the driver’s seat and drove off without hesitation. She looked into the rearview mirror at the pair. “You just hang in there you two. I’ve got you now.” 

“Thank you,” Alex let out another heavy breath, still blinking away the blur. “Almost there, baby. Almost there.” He looked down at Henry, who’d gone still. “Henry?” He jostled the man, but got no response. 

“No no no,” Alex fumbled around in the backseat, pressing his ear to Henry’s nose. He wasn’t breathing. “No- no fuck, fuck, fuck!” 

One. Two. Three. 

Alex lay Henry down flat across the seats and climbed on top of him. The officer sped up, talking into her radio already to prep someone there at triage for Henry’s arrival. He knotted his fingers together and used his last bit of strength to begin chest compressions. 

“Come on baby, come on!” He grunted, pressing down three inches exactly. He felt a crack and pushed back the panic. He knew it was normal to crack a rib, but this was Henry. His Henry. 

Ten. Eleven. Twelve. Thirteen.

“You don’t get to die today, you Royal bastard!” Alex cried out, tears streaming down his face, dripping onto Henry’s chest. “Come on, Henry! Wake up!” 

“Almost there,” the officer called out, speeding up more. 

Seventeen. Eighteen. Nineteen. Twenty. 

“WAKE UP, HENRY!” Alex screamed, and he felt the car jolt a little. He kept up with the chest compressions even when the officer stopped her car and the door behind him was opened. 

“Alex, we need you to move so we can get to him,” Lucy pulled on his shoulder and Alex scrambled out, only to haul Henry with him, placing him onto the gurney. 

Twenty six. Twenty Seven. Twenty Eight. 

“Where he goes, I go.” Alex responded. “He’s got a deep laceration in his lower abdomen.”

“I got it,” Lucy nodded, pulling off the turnout jacket and skillfully replacing it with a Combat Application Tourniquet. Alex barely blinked before it was on. 

Thirty three. Thirty four. Thirty five. Thirty six.

Howard — was that his name? — from the 118 was there too, putting an O2 mask on Henry, pumping in oxygen. “Hen, I need the AED!” 

“Charged!” Hen replied and Howard ripped Henry’s vest open. She placed the AED paddles to Henry;’s chest, sending shockwaves through his body. They waited for a beat. Nothing. 

“Resuming chest compressions,” Howard spoke, and the gurney began to move closer to the tents where more equipment was.

“How long has he been out?” Hen asked Alex, who was following like a robot. 

“Nearly a minute,” Alex replied. They reached one of the tents and Hen recharged the AED paddles again, shocking Henry a second time. 

“Alex!” Eddie called out, jogging over. “You found him, that's— oh God.” 

“Is that Henry!” Christopher squealed with excitement, picking up the pace to catch up.

“Hey Chris, let’s go get Henry some water, what do you say?” Bobby swooped in, guiding Chris in the other direction. The last thing he needed was to watch another person he loved die. 

Fifty five. Fifty six. Fifty seven. Fifty eight. 

Everything was moving too slow. Howard kept up with the compressions after Hen shocked Henry a second time. Amy had approached too, patched up and looking just about ready to have a breakdown of her own. Buck was there too, watching dismally as Henry was being connected to a portable ECG Monitor, his lifeline still flat. 

“Can I take a look?” He could hear someone else behind him, but it didn’t matter. None of it fucking mattered without Henry. Someone took his arm, but he barely felt it, his eyes glued to Henry’s lifeless body. 

“Give him a second,” he could hear Eddie talking to whoever had taken his arm and the person let go. 

Eighty. Eighty one. Eighty two. Eighty three. 

“Call it, Chim.” Alex heard Bobby say, but ‘Chim’ — Howard? — shook his head and kept going with the chest compressions. He looked so determined, Alex would think he was longtime pals with Henry if he didn’t know any better. 

“Move,” Alex pushed Howard away and took his place with the chest compressions. He couldn’t even recall how he’d gotten over there. Had he walked? He must’ve. 

“You are not fucking dying today, Henry Fox.” Alex grunted, finding a good position to the side of the gurney. “We spent more fucking time hating each other than loving each other and you don’t get to die today! You can’t die today. Not under my care.” 

“Alex—” Hen reached out for him, but he shrugged her grasp away and kept going.

A hundred and twelve. A hundred and thirteen. A hundred and fourteen. 

“You are the most stubborn person I’ve ever come across, Henry. Don’t stop now.” Alex kept rambling. He wasn’t sure how much of it was being said out loud or if any of it was actual English or even Spanish, but it didn’t matter. “You still have to be a Prince. Someone who changes the world. You still have to be a husband. A father. An uncle. You have so much left to do, Henry. You don’t get to give up now. You don’t. You fucking don’t.”  

When Alex blinked, he found himself on top of Henry. When had he climbed onto the gurney? He could barely see now, his own breathing was labored and he wasn’t sure how much longer he could keep this up before he collapsed too. 

Perhaps dying just like this would be poetic enough for them. Always together. 

A hundred and thirty five. A hundred and thirty six. A hundred and thirty seven. 

“I love you, Henry.” Alex had no strength left, nothing more to give. His chest compressions had weakened. 

But then someone's hands were over his. 

He looked down to find Eddie looking up at him, their hands moving together against Henry’s chest. “Us Diaz’s don’t quit.” 

“No… we don’t.” Alex replied, swaying slightly, but he let Eddie takeover with their hands. Was he still wet from the tsunami, or was he sweating? Alex couldn’t tell. 

A hundred and forty two. A hundred and forty three. A hundred and forty four. 

By now, the 118 were all crowded around with Lucy and Amy beside them. None of them dared to move or to pry the Diaz boys away from Henry. Bobby wanted to call it, but he knew they wouldn’t quit until they’d reached their last second before someone really couldn’t be brought back. 

Buck had been dead for three minutes and seventeen seconds before he’d come back. Henry still had time. Or so they all hoped. 

“Move your hands,” Hen cut the boys off, holding up the paddles again. “Us Wilson’s aren’t quitters either. Move.”

Eddie pulled their hands away and let Hen shock Henry one last time. Alex knew that was the last. This was their final shot. 

Eddie put their hands back and resumed compressions and Alex started muttering a prayer in Spanish. He’d never been all that religious, but he’d beg to any god that would take pity on him now. 

A hundred and fifty five. A hundred and fifty six. 

Goodbye, Henry Fox, Alex thought. You were bigger than the universe.  

A hundred and fifty seven. A hundred and fifty eight.

Alex hoped Arthur would find Alex somehow in whatever afterlife they’d made it to and keep him company until Alex got there. 

This was it.

A hundred and fifty nine. A hundred and sixty. 

“Call it,” Alex fell back on his haunches. 

Bobby cleared his throat, tears free flowing. “Time of death—”

“I… hope you’re not talking about me.”

It took Alex a split second to figure out who’d just spoken before he realized Henry was breathing beneath him, the monitor beeping. 

“H-Henry?” Alex croaked out and the barest smile spread onto the Prince’s lips.

“You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

Alex couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled out of him before he doubled forward and pulled Henry into a hug. Henry draped a weak arm over Alex’s back that slipped off, but Hen placed it back up for him. 

The group had let out laughs of relief, clapping and Eddie dropped to the floor, breaking down in sobs of relief. Buck had been there to catch him. 

“You beautiful idiot, I thought we lost you.” Alex cried into Henry’s shoulder.

“I’d crawl back from hell if it meant being with you again, Alex. You can’t get rid of me that easily,” Henry murmured, pressing a weak kiss to Alex’s lips when they pulled away. 

“I love you.”

“And I love you,” Henry replied, words slurring. “But I need you to get off me so we can get proper medical attention, you fucking psycho superhuman.” 

Bobby helped Alex climb off the gurney and he caught him when Alex stumbled. Okay, the adrenaline was wearing off. He allowed himself to drop his body weight against Bobby, who didn’t seem to mind, and got Lucy to help move him to the empty cot beside the gurney. 

“You really are psycho,” Lucy smiled fondly, already jumping to work on Alex’s arm to get it cleaned. 

“He’s a Diaz, it’s in his blood.” Someone teased and Alex looked over Lucy’s shoulder to find the woman smiling down at him.

“Madame President,” Alex smiled through his tears. “What brings you to sunny California?” 

Everyone seemed to freeze at the sight of the President, but they forced themselves to keep working on Henry. 

“My son and his boyfriend decided to go to the beach on the worst day imaginable,” Ellen replied, rocking back on her heels. Alex could tell she was holding back her tears. “And then they had to go off and be heroes.” 

“Sounds like two total badasses,” Alex replied, wincing when he felt the alcohol swab wipe over his wound. “Definitely a Claremont thing to do.” 

Ellen scrunched her face up, pushing the tears away and took a step closer, but Alex held his good hand up to stop her. “Unless you want to see my bones, I suggest you stay there.” 

“I gave birth to you. Does it look like I give a fuck about your bones?” Ellen huffed, crossing the gap and kneeling on the ground so she could hug her son. She took one look at Alex’s arm and gagged. “I’m going to check on Henry.” 

“Thought so,” Alex only let his tears flow again when she wasn’t looking. 

“Okay Diaz, you’re going to need surgery to suture the muscle tissue and reattach any severed tendons, obviously. I’m going to get Hen to bandage this up and I’ll contact Mercy hospital to prep a surgeon for you. I’ll make sure they prep for Henry too so we don’t have to separate you guys.”

Lucy got up and Alex grabbed her wrist. “Thanks, Lucy. For everything.”

“That’s what friends are for,” she smiled and then she was gone. 

Hen bandaged up Alex’s arm while Henry was getting cleaned up and Alex spotted the officer that drove them over walking closer. 

“Good to see you two are both awake,” she smiled and Alex read her badge.

“Thank you for everything, Sergeant Grant. If it weren’t for you, neither of us would be here.” 

“She has a tendency to save the day,” Bobby smiled, snaking an arm around the Sergeant and Alex raised a brow.

“Athena Grant Nash,” she introduced herself and then it all clicked for Alex. 

“I should’ve known you were married, Bobby. You’re too good not ot be.” He chuckled and when Amy sat next to him, he took hold of her hand with his good one. They were all going to be just fine. 

“So how long?” Eddie looked at Alex. He seemed to have pulled himself together now and he was holding Buck’s hand.

“How long what?” Howard — Chim? Alex seriously needed to figure this out — asked. 

“Two minutes and forty five seconds,” Alex replied without hesitation and everyone paused, looking over at him, then Henry, and then Buck. Even Ellen looked somewhat shocked. 

“Is that..?” Henry trailed off. 

“How long you were dead for,” Buck broke his silence, his voice hoarse. “Yeah.” 

Bobby looked at Alex, who was replaying their conversation back in his head. He and Henry really were like Buck and Eddie. Mirror images. 

“Alright, Mercy is prepped and ready for you both. Will you be okay to ride in the same RA?” Lucy broke the conversation, unaware of what had just happened. 

“Chimney and I can take them,” Hen replied. Chimney?? Alex blinked. 

“Great, we've got this covered here. Pick up any help needed at Mercy and we’ll meet you there in a few hours.” Bobby agreed and turned to his firefighters, specifically to Buck and Eddie. “I know this has been tough, but they’re alive, Alex’s mom is here with them, we can visit after their surgeries, okay?” 

“I like that,” Ellen cut in, a smile forming. “‘Alex’s mom’ I mean.” She shared a smile with Bobby and something shifted in Alex’s heart. 

Ellen and Amy got into Ellen’s van with some Secret Service members in other cars and said they’d follow them to Mercy. The 118 helped them into the back of the RA and Eddie pulled Alex into a brief hug, who was suckling on a glucose sachet to keep him conscious. 

“We’ll see you soon.”

“Go be a hero,” Alex smiled and allowed Chimney to help him into the back before the doors were shut. 

Alex took hold of Henry’s hand and they smiled at each other. Somehow, after seeing Henry lifeless like that, Alex found an entirely new level of love for him. It was already intense and overflowing, but this… this was twice that, if not more. It was overwhelming and Alex wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I feel like I’m interrupting here,” Chimney scrunched his nose. 

“Why do they call you Chimney?” Alex blurted out and he heard Hen cackle from the driver’s seat.

“Buckle up, Diaz 2.0.,” Chimney sighed. “It’s a long story.”

***

The first thing Alex felt post-surgery, was someone holding his hand and he smiled. He could feel the bright hospital lights burning down on him and he could hear the chatter throughout the halls. Before he opened his eyes, he shifted around. 

His body was stiff, no doubt covered in bruises. He wasn’t even sure if he’d gotten any other cuts or broken bones. He hadn’t had much time to think about any of it until now, and he was suddenly very aware of every muscle in his body. 

“June,” he grunted, face scrunching. “Turn the light off.” 

There was a pause. “How’d you know it was me?” 

“You’re my sister, I know you.” Alex replied, feeling her hand slip away from his grasp. “And you wear too many rings.” 

The lights flicked off and Alex slowly opened his eyes. His vision wasn’t blurry this time, and he couldn’t feel a headache, but he knew he was concussed. The way June moved in front of him seemed dazed. 

“You look like shit,” she smiled down at him, tears pooling in her eyes. 

“So do you,” he replied, shifting over so she could perch on the side of his bed. “Where’s everyone?” 

“Mom took Zahra and Nora to see Amy. Phillip, Shaan, and Bea are with Henry. He’s awake. They’re going to move him in here to minimize security spread.” June sucked in a slow breath before exhaling. “Eddie’s firehouse is in the waiting room. They didn’t want to intrude, but Buck is just about driving everyone up the walls.”

Alex let out a snort. “Sounds like him. Is Amy moving in here too?”

June shook her head “She’s getting discharged now. She’s going to go to the hotel tonight. You and Henry are here for tonight and maybe tomorrow.” 

“Are we still at Mercy?” 

“Yeah. Mom has a few friends that work here. Well, dad does. So mom suggested we keep you two here with people she at least knows.” 

“Hmm,” Alex nodded slowly and peered out the window into the hallway. He frowned. “Is Christopher okay? Where is he?” 

“With Eddie,” June teared up again, dropping her head. Alex didn’t move for a moment, he just watched his sister wipe her tears, trying to compose herself. “God, Alex, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about Shannon… Eddie wanted to but then that whole fight happened and he didn’t want to blurt it out and make things worse—”

“Hey, hey,” Alex tried to push himself up, only succeeding with some of June’s help. He reached out to wipe her tears. “If we spend our lives wondering why people did certain things, we’d drive ourselves crazy with all the questions… I know you didn’t tell me out of good intentions, as skewed as they were. It’s okay.” 

June stared at her brother for a long time, wiping his tears for him too. “Since when did you become so wise?” 

A smile formed on Alex’s features. “A really wise man told me that. A captain, actually.” 

“Eddie’s captain?” June asked and Alex nodded. 

“Aleeex!” Christopher peeked his head in and Alex’s face lit up like a Christmas tree. 

“Christopheeeer!” He held his good arm out and pulled Chris into a hug when June moved away to give them space. “There’s my little fighter!” 

“Dad says you were a hero!” Chris laughed excitedly, clinging onto Alex’s bed sheets. Alex lightly brushed his thumb over a cut on Chris’ cheek and he felt his chest tighten. This kid has been through hell and back and he’s still got the biggest smile on his face.

“You’re the real hero, Chris.” Alex spoke with tears falling again, gently pushing Chris’ hair back. “You’re my hero, you know that?”

“I am?” Chris beamed. 

“You are,” Alex confirmed, pulling Chris back in for a hug when June muttered something about going to get the doctor so they could check Alex’s vitals. 

“Chris?” Eddie’s voice came from the hallway before he poked his head into the room and sighed. “Chris, I told you to wait for me.” 

“It’s okay, he’s family.” Alex smiled over at Eddie, who looked worse for wear. He was still in his gear, dirt smudged on his face and dark eye bags forming. “So are you, by the way.” 

Eddie took a step into the room, sucking in a breath. “Good… good to know.” He cleared his throat. “You feeling okay?” 

“Definitely not like I just survived a tsunami,” Alex joked, just to make Chris giggle. He was successful. “Did you guys just finish up?” 

“Yeah,” Eddie let out a breath. “I need to find Zahra… to say thank you.” 

“Why?” 

“She let me go with her to the hotel!” Christ exclaimed, bouncing on the bed. “She showed me all the cool video games and bought me snacks! I had my own security guard!” 

“Did she now?” Alex looked at Chris in amusement. “She’s cool, right?” 

“The coolest,” Chris agreed. 

“Hey Chris, you think you can find her and tell her your dad’s looking for her? She should be just down the hall.” Alex asked, helping Chris slide off the bed.

“I’m on it!” Chris stated, brushing past his father and moving down the hall on his next adventure, leaving the Diaz men alone. 

“Look, Alex, about Shannon—”

“Are you okay, Eddie?” 

“What?” Eddie blinked. 

Alex sighed, sitting up again. God, he really was stiff. “You lost your wife. Are you okay?” 

Eddie’s brows creased. “She wasn’t my wife. Not in the end anyway… She uh, she wanted a divorce. Found out right before she died. Plus, there was Buck.”

“Doesn’t matter, Eds.” Alex shook his head. “You still loved Shannon. You had a child together, a life. It might not have been perfect, but you shared it together. Are you okay?”  

“I have to be,” Eddie’s voice came out broken and Alex pulled the covers back. Thank the gods above he was in pants. Well, thank June, probably. She must’ve known he wouldn’t sit still for long.

“No, no, don’t get up—”

“Shut up,” Alex cut Eddie off, pushing himself upright. He swayed a little and Eddie was there in a flash to hold him up, making the drip line jostle. Alex placed his good hand on Eddie’s shoulder. Tears trickled down his cousin’s cheeks and Eddie shook his head. 

“I have to be okay. I have to.” 

“No, you don’t.” Alex replied. “You have all these people here making sure that you and Chris are taken care of. You don’t… Eddie, just because you’re a father doesn’t mean you can’t allow yourself to be vulnerable. Do you know how many times I’ve fucked up with Chris?”

“You could never. You’re a hero to him.” Eddie disagreed and Alex let out a bitter laugh.

“Eddie, when you were serving, and June and I were helping Shannon with Chris, there were countless times where I fucked up, where I’d cry in front of Chris or ask him for a hug because I needed it. He was so small, but his heart has always been big. He was just happy I trusted him enough to be vulnerable. He feels things more than other kids do. Understand that if you tell your son you need a hug, or you miss his mother, he’ll just be relieved you trust him enough to tell him. Not bringing Shannon up, or that you miss her, will only make him think you never cared. It’ll make him feel isolated. Don’t do that to him, Eddie. Don’t. You hear me?” 

Eddie’s lower lip quivered, but he gave a nod and that was enough for Alex. He pulled him into a hug, clutching the back of Eddie’s head, who held him back, but not too tight. They stayed like this for a moment and Alex could feel tears wetting the side of his neck, so he held Eddie tighter. 

“You smell like the ocean,” Alex grumbled after a while, making Eddie laugh, who pulled away after that.

“Not all of us got the luxury to clean up.”

“Hey, some random nurse probably cleaned me up,” Alex chuckled, easing back down onto his bed with Eddie’s help. 

“Don’t tell Henry that,” Eddie teased, wiping his eyes and slipping his hands into his pockets. The nurse stepped in with June and Ellen, and Eddie offered them both small smiles. “I’m gonna go find Chris and Zahra.” 

Ellen squeezed his shoulder on his way out. “You Diaz boys…” she sighed, but offered nothing more. But Alex knew what she meant.

“Hello to you too, ma.” Alex leaned back on the bed, allowing the nurse to check over his vitals. 

“You look like shit,” she replied, moving to sit beside him, taking his good hand.

“You Claremont women,” Alex tsked, shaking his head. 

A doctor came in shortly after and greeted everyone in the room. “Okay so, Alex, I hear you’re a firefighter so I’ll jump right in. We successfully sutured the torn muscle fibers. We used absorbable sutures, so they will dissolve on their own as your muscle heals. The tendons that were severed were carefully reattached using non-absorbable sutures to ensure a strong, lasting repair. The nerve damage was addressed as well. We realigned and sutured the affected nerves. Nerve regeneration is a slow process, so it will take time for the full function and sensation to return. Pain and swelling is to be expected, so you’ll get meds for that. Keep the arm elevated and minimize its use. In two weeks you’ll have a follow-up appointment to check on the wound and remove any non-dissolvable sutures if necessary. We can have this all moved over to your preferred hospital in D.C.”

Ellen nodded, but the thought of leaving LA so soon, unsettled Alex. He had unfinished business here. “We can keep it here. I’ll still be in LA.”

“Wonderful,” the doctor smiled and Ellen looked at her son like he’d gone mad, but remained silent for now. “Then if the recovery is going well, we’ll move you onto light exercises. Now, because nerve healing takes a while, you may still feel tingling in your arm for up to six months. Could be more, could be less, but it is to be expected. Full recovery can take several months, depending on your adherence to the rehabilitation program. After that, you can take your FCE and gradually return to duty after your fitness test.”

“I’m sorry, FCE?” June cut in, her hand half raised.

“Functional Capacity Evaluation,” the doctor answered. “It’s a common test for first responders to take after being injured before they report back to work.” 

“But he’s not a firefighter anymore. He won’t be taking the FCE.” Ellen spoke next.

“Oh,” the doctor blinked, looking at Alex. “I just heard you saved a lot of people today. Dispatch called you in as a firefighter I only assumed—”

“I’m still a firefighter,” Alex replied with a small smile. “Thank you, doctor.”

“Right,” he smiled and flipped through the pages on his clipboard. “I’ll leave you to rest. His Royal Highness will be moved into this room momentarily. Madame President,” he half bowed and then he turned around. 

“Thank you,” Ellen smiled, watching him and the nurse leave, before turning to her son, brow raised. “You’re not thinking about returning to duty, are you?” 

Alex opened his mouth, trying to find the words, but instead he shrugged. “I-I don’t know. Maybe? When I was out there today… I felt so in control every time I helped someone. Like I knew I was meant to be there to help.” 

“But what about law school?” June jumped in. “Alex, I thought you wanted that. Politics, presidency…”

“Yeah and then Henry died and everything changed.” Alex pressed his lips into a thin line. 

“And you brought him back,” Ellen reminded Alex.

“Exactly, ma. I saved him. Do you see now? I saved him and I want to keep saving people.” Alex huffed. “I think this is where I’m supposed to be. Just for the time being at least.”

“Well,” Ellen sighed, taking her son’s hand again. “I suppose I could call NYU and make sure they save you a spot when you’re ready to go back. If you ever want to, that is.” She held out her other hand for June. “I raised my babies to chase their dreams. And if this is what you want, baby, then this is what you get. Just don’t push yourself too hard.” 

“I won’t,” Alex broke out into a grin and pulled both women into a group hug. “Thank you, ma.”

“Anything for you, honey.” She replied, rubbing his back before kissing the side of June’s head. 

“Henry Fox, get back here right now!” Shaan’s voice carried through the hallway and when Alex looked up, he saw a wheelchair zip past the room, only for it to backtrack and stop by the door. Buck was behind the wheelchair pushing it, and he and Henry were grinning like idiots.

“Pick up for Alex?” Henry beamed and Alex barked out a laugh. Yeah, this was right where they were meant to be. 

“You my Uber?” He asked, standing up on his own now, feeling a little stronger than earlier. “You look a little frail to be on the job.”

“I could say the same about you,” Henry smiled, craning his neck up as Alex approached the wheelchair, who bent down and kissed Henry. “Hi baby.” 

“Hi handsome,” Alex murmured against his lips. 

“Okay, hey, not in front of me!” Buck whined playfully and Alex looked up with a cheeky grin. 

“You want one too?” He teased, placing a kiss to Buck’s cheek, who wiped it away like a child. “Thought so.” 

“Wrong Diaz!” Buck huffed, looking over his shoulder. “Shaan’s coming.”

“Where are you two running to anyway?” Alex gripped onto the metal pole of the drip for assistance. 

“Shaan wouldn’t stop lecturing me about safety protocol,” Henry whined too, dropping his head back in defeat. Alex could tell he was on a lot more morphine than he was. Alex was just surprised Buck was standing. He’d gotten cleaned up and was in sweats now. His cuts across his face matched Henry’s, but the deeper ones were covered with bandages. His arm was bandaged up too. 

“Henry!” Shaan sounded appalled to say the least. “You should be in bed! The nurses said they’d move you here in a few minutes. Could you be any more impatient?” 

“Shaan,” Ellen dragged his name out a little, a grin plastered on her face. “Why don’t we let the boys move around a bit? Doctor said it was fine. The hospital is secure. You look like you could use a coffee.”

“Or something stronger,” June snorted, earning a light backhand to her shoulder from her mother. 

“I suppose a few minutes can’t hurt,” Shaan jutted his chin out. “Coffee sounds good too…” 

“Thought so,” Elle smiled and guided Shaan towards the cafeteria. 

“There you guys are!” Bea and Nora were hand in hand, rushing down the hall. “We couldn’t find Henry so we assumed he’d come to find you.”

Nora was the first to hug Alex. “You’re a stupid, stupid, reckless manchild.” She chided, but kissed his cheek anyway. “I’m just glad you’re okay.” 

“I’m okay,” he promised her before hugging Bea in greeting, who fussed over his loose bandage. Shortly after, Phillip approached too after speaking to Henry’s doctor and he stopped in front of Alex.

“I think I owe you my life,” Phillip said as his hello before hugging Alex tight. “Thank you for saving him. You have no idea what it means to me.” 

Alex’s hand hovered for a moment before he wrapped it around Phillip. He was the eldest when Arthur died. He must’ve spent more time in hospitals than Bea and Henry did. It was no wonder he was so worked up like this. Always taking care of his siblings in the ways he could. 

“I think I have an idea,” Alex murmured, offering one last squeeze before they pulled away. “Where’s Pez?” 

“Caught the first flight he could,” Nora replied, checking her phone. “He should get here tonight.” 

“There are so many of you,” Buck blinked, looking dazed. When everyone looked at him in confusion, he laughed nervously. “Uh, I’m Buck. Eddie’s boyfriend.”

“Oh you’re Buck!” Nora gasped, her arms immediately flying out to hug him. “God, you’re so handsome! June wouldn’t stop swooning after she met you.”

“Uh thanks,” Buck laughed, holding her back. He had to bend down to reach her. “Nora, right? You’re stunning. I-I mean your photos don’t do you justice.” 

“Oh, you flatter me,” she swatted her hand playfully when they pulled apart. 

“Can I get anyone some coffee? Food?” June spoke up. When she was antsy, she went full parent mode just like their father did all the time. 

“God I’d kill for some coffee,” Alex spoke up first. He hoped there was still enough left. The hospital was overflowing with people and visitors. He didn’t want to think about how many casualties there were. 

“Me too please Junebug,” Henry smiled up at her.

“I’ll help you,” Bea offered.

“I’ll help too,” Phillip chimed in. Alex really hoped things would change with him after this. 

“Great, so I’ll just get coffee all round and some snacks to share.” June clapped her hands and ushered Nora, Bea, and Phillip away, leaving the rest to stand there.  

The rest being Henry, Alex and Buck. 

“Hey, is Bobby here?” Alex looked at Buck.

“He never left,” Buck patted Alex’s back and led him over to the waiting room. Alex pushed Henry’s wheelchair this time. 

When they rounded the corner, Alex spotted Zahra with Chris and Eddie. Amy was speaking to Hen and Chimney. There was Athena with Bobby and someone in a dispatcher outfit and he wondered if that was the same lady who’d helped him and Bobby. She looked oddly familiar… He’d had to have met her before. Another woman was holding Hen’s hand and there was a young boy with them. 

Everyone looked up at the sight of the trio and Eddie was the first to break out in a bright grin.

“Well aren’t you three a sight for sore eyes,” Bobby teased, squeezing Athena’s shoulder. 

“Y’know, I’ve never understood that term.” Buck frowned, making the entire group burst out laughing. 

“Of course you don’t Buck,” Hen shook her head. 

“How are you two feeling?” Chimney asked. “Surgeries go okay?”

“They said I can get out of here in two days,” Henry answered first. “Two cracked ribs, internal bleeding, fourteen stitches and a concussion later, and I’m alive. Thanks to all of you. Oh! I’m Henry, by the way.”

That made the group laugh again. “Well it’s nice to officially meet you Henry,” Athena spoke for the group. “You’ve got yourself a keeper.” 

Henry looked over his shoulder at Alex and took his hand. “I know I do.” 

“What about you, Alex?” Bobby asked. 

“Nerve damage could take three months to properly heal. Other than that, just a concussion. I should be ready to take my FCE in September.” 

“Your FCE, huh?” Hen’s smile grew, a knowing expression on her face. 

“Well he’s already a step ahead,” Bobby chimed in. “What did you say last night to that pregnant woman? ‘Hi I’m Alex—’ ”

“ ‘This is my captain, Bobby,’ ” Alex finished, his cheeks growing red. “Yeah that… that just kinda came out, I’m sorry.” 

“Don’t be sorry,” Bobby replied quickly. “It holds some truth in it… if you want it to.” 

“Yeah?” Alex’s eyes widened. “You’d want me in the 118?”

“Only if you’ve got a nickname,” Bobby nodded. “Can’t be calling you both Diaz.” 

“Uh, it's ACD, actually.” Alex suppressed a grin, rocking back on his heels. 

“Well then, ACD, when you’re ready, welcome to the 118.” Bobby reached his hand out and Alex looked down at Henry first to see if this was okay with him.

“Alex, if you don’t shake his hand, I bloody will.” 

Alex laughed and shook Bobby’s hand, sealing the deal. “Thanks, Cap.” 

“Now we have two of you to give us grief, delightful.” Chimney teased, standing up from his seat to hug Alex. “Welcome to the family, Alex.” 

“Thank you, Chim.” 

“Oh this is my girlfriend,” Chimney gestured to the dispatcher and everything clicked. 

“Wait, Maddie?” Alex gasped and hauled her into a hug. Thankfully Chimney was close by to catch Alex’s drip that almost went flying. 

“I was wondering if you’d remember me,” she laughed, rubbing his back. “Good to see you, Alex.” They’d met once before over Facetime a year ago. She looked happier now. 

“So you’re dating Chimney?” 

“Did he tell you the story?” Maddie raised a brow and Henry snorted.

“Oh we got the full thing on the ride over here.” 

“Hey,” Chimney held up his hands in defense. “I had to keep them both awake somehow.” 

“That story is enough to keep anybody awake for days,” Hen answered. 

“I’m Karen,” Hen’s wife shook Alex’s hand when he turned to her. “This is our son, Denny.” 

“Lovely to meet you both,” Alex gave Denny a fist bump. “Looks like we’ll be spending lots of time together.” 

A stern clear of the throat had Alex whipping around only to see Zahra standing there with her hands on her hips. “I really wish you did something stupid enough to earn a lecture or even a powerpoint, but…” she sighed dramatically and closed the gap between them. “Don’t you ever scare me like that again.” 

Alex rested his chin on her head during the embrace. “Well I promise not to video call you whenever I run into burning buildings now.”

“I still have three months to talk you out of it,” she half joked, pulling away. “Heard you went all rogue to find Henry… I expect nothing less.”

“Good,” Alex nodded, slinging his good arm over her shoulders. 

“Well I for one promise not to throw myself into danger unless I can't help it,” Henry chimed in, wincing when he shifted in his wheelchair. As he did so, Buck, Hen, Chimney, and Bobby all half leapt closer to help him if need be. It made Alex’s heart soar. 

“We come bearing coffee and snacks!” June exclaimed and her and the others started handing it all out, placing some of the snacks on the table.

“Michael is on the way with May and Harry, my kids,” Athena looked around. “Said they found a pizza place that had opened today further out the city. I told them to bring extra.”

“My saviors,” Eddie sighed happily, sipping on his coffee. “I can’t remember the last time I ate.” 

“I stopped being hungry a while ago,” Buck scrunched his nose, earning concerned looks all round. “I’m kidding!” He lied, sinking into the spot next to Eddie. 

“Hey Chris,” Henry called him over so Eddie could have some time with Buck. “Come sit here. I’ve missed you!”

“I’ve missed you too, Henry,” Chris beamed. Making his way over, Bobby helped him carefully onto Henry’s lap. Alex wished he still had his phone so he could take a photo, but when he looked at June, he saw she was way ahead of him, snapping a photo. 

Shortly after, Amy and Ellen joined too, followed by Michael, Harry and May. They got Alex a chair and made sure the Secret Service members all had coffee and snacks too. 

Alex looked around the room at all these faces, new and old, and found his heart warming at the sight of all of them merging. These were the people that would grow to be his family if they weren’t already, Phillip included, and it made Alex happier than ever.

Oscar and Pez got there a half hour later and Pez was glued to Henry’s side. No one blamed him either. Henry had died and their worlds could’ve been very different if Alex had given up. But that’s not who he is. It’s not in his DNA to just give up. 

Looking around now at everyone laughing and sharing stories, at the couples holding hands or just being in each other's space, and the kids keeping everyone laughing by making jokes, Alex knew this was exactly where they belonged.

Alex rested his head on Henry’s shoulder across the wheelchair and kissed his knuckles. 

“I’m proud of you,” he murmured. “I heard you saved a lot of people before I found you.”

Henry hummed. “I learnt from the best… I’m proud of you too, Alex.” 

“Are you okay with this? With me staying here?” 

Henry reached over with his opposite hand to lift Alex’s chin. “Of course I am, love. This is where you’re meant to be. Where we’re meant to be. I was actually thinking about taking the EMT course…” 

“Wait seriously?” Alex sat up now. 

“Yeah,” Henry broke out into a smile. “Alex, helping those people out there today… it’s like…”

“Second nature?” Alex asked and Henry agreed. “Then I think you should. Maybe Bobby will put you in the 118 too.”

“What’s this?” Bobby asked after hearing his name. 

“I’m going to take the EMT course,” Henry started. “And If you have space…”

“There’s always enough room for one more,” Hen finished quickly for Bobby, who raised his brow at her, but a smile was there.

“Like Hen said, there’s always room for one more.” Bobby nodded. “I suspect it’ll be easy to convince the Chief. Can’t say no to the First Son or a Prince, right?”

“Or me,” Ellen raised her hand. “I may be scary as the President, but I’m scarier as a mother.” 

“I believe it,” Chimney replied, eyes slightly bigger than usual. 

“But Henry, what about Grandpa?” Bea asked, treading carefully. 

“I’m sure he won’t mind knowing his grandson is actively helping those in need. If he said no… it wouldn’t look that good for him, no?” Phillip replied and Bea smiled at that. Okay, they really were getting somewhere with Phillip. 

As everyone broke out into chatter about the future plans, finding an apartment for Henry and Alex, settling stuff back home and figuring out physical therapy, Henry looked over at Alex and leaned in closer. The pair connected their lips in a gentle kiss, allowing the world around them to slip away for just a moment.

“We should look at some wedding venues here,” Henry kept his voice low. 

They’d survived the worst day of their lives so far and had come out stronger because of it. 

This was it.

The start of their future. 

Two minutes and forty five seconds.