Burning Flames ¦ Evan Buckley

Chapter 55 - Covid

Later that night after another steamy session in the shower, El and Buck found themselves cuddling on the rooftop balcony with the firepit roaring. "You okay?" Buck asked, kissing her head softly, pulling her in closer.

"Yeah...I'm just thinking, that's all.." She spoke softly.

"Anything you want to talk about?" He asked curiously.

"I realised after the Abby thing...you were really honest with me and I've not really been honest with you" She sighed.

Buck shifted in his seat, his heart racing a little thinking there was some guy he didn't know about at first. "You...you don't have too.." He spoke, even though he wanted to know a little more.

"It's about my parents" She gulped.

"You don't talk to them right?" Buck questioned, looking down at her.

"On the account that they're dead, yeah" El spoke, her eyes glossing over.

"Wait what?" Buck sat up now, looking down at her, "Why did you never say anything?" He furrowed his brows.

"I just don't want to be the person that everyone tiptoes around because her parents died. It's why I was so pissed at you with the lawsuit, they found out I admitted myself to a psychiatric ward as I broke on the job. I had to tell Bobby, so he already knows, but now so do you..." El spoke, taking his hand, giving him a sweet look.

"No one would have judged you El..." He spoke in a soft tone. "Ho-how did it happen?"

"It was my 17th birthday. They got caught in an under currant...my dad was impaled and my mother drowned. The coast guard neglected me and both of them...that's why they died and that's why I broke down, it's why I don't celebrate my birthday or christmas...just feels wrong" El admitted, a tear brimming at her eyes.

"I'm...I'm so sorry" He spoke and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her in for a tight hug.

El soon enough began to sob into his shoulder, letting herself finally feel free, a weight had been lifted from her chest. Some may find it weird that she kept it a secret for so long but it was always such an awkward topic of conversation to bring up and any time she did, it brought her back to that dreaded day she tried so hard to push away. She merely told Buck as there would likely come a time where they would want to meet each other's parents and she didn't want their relationship to be built on lies.

"I miss them so much" She cried into his shoulder, "It was my fault they were out in the sea...it's my fault they're dead.." She sobbed.

"Hey, hey...no, it's not" Buck shushed her, holding her tightly, his hand stroking through her hair, "You couldn't have known..."

Buck remained comforting El as he cried into his shoulder. Everything was making sense now. Going back to her first few weeks here, the comments she used to make, why she seemed to hate him so much, it all linked back to the death of her parents. He had to admit that it made him feel even more guilty than he had before but at the same time, he wasn't to know. Although he didn't have a good relationship with his parents, hearing El made him realise just a little bit on how lucky he was to have them and Maddie around.

-

Buck and El ended up having a few days off together and in that time they made the final adjustments to the house, tuning the finer details and of course, making sure she had the perfect coffee station. They were sitting in the living room watching TV when all of a sudden there was a warning, the news having taken over their show. They both gave each other a confused look as they sat up properly.