Chapter Text
One Year Later
The backyard of the sage green house on Elm Street had been transformed.
A year ago, it had been a patch of overgrown weeds and a peeling fence. Today, it was a secret garden. String lights crisscrossed overhead, creating a canopy of soft, golden stars against the twilight sky.
Tables covered in white linen were scattered across the grass, centered with arrangements of wildflowers and driftwood, a nod to the past that no longer stung, but simply was.
In the center of the chaos, a black and white ball of fur was currently attempting to eat a tuxedo shoe.
"Anchor! Drop it!" Christopher’s voice cracked mid shout, a hallmark of his teenager ways.
The dog, a Pomsky with one blue eye and one brown eye, and enough energy to power the city grid, looked at Christopher, wagged his tail defiantly, and ran off with the shoe.
"He’s going to be the death of me," Eddie said, watching from the patio door. He was adjusting his cufflinks, looking devastatingly handsome in a midnight blue tuxedo. "I can't believe we let him talk us into getting a dog."
"You love him," Buck’s voice came from down the hallway. "I caught you letting him sleep on your pillow last night."
"Anchor has separation anxiety," Eddie defended weakly.
He turned to look down the hall, but the door to the master bedroom was firmly shut.
"No peeking, Eddie," Maddie’s voice called out. "Bad luck."
Eddie smiled, turning back to the yard. He took a deep breath. The air smelled of jasmine, grilled steak, and expensive perfume. It smelled like a future he had almost lost.
It had been a long road. A road of physical therapy that made Buck scream and sweat. A year of Nim learning to interpret the sounds of the world through her pink plastic ears. A year of Christopher navigating middle school, with a mom who was a local celebrity and a dad who was just always so happy to have his family together, always.
Buck was back at the 118. She had recertified six months ago, passing the physical with a time that put the rookies to shame. Her book, Tides and Time, had spent twenty weeks on the New York Times Bestseller list.
And today, finally, they were doing what they agreed, that day in Evi's hospital bed.
"Dad?"
Eddie looked down. Christopher was standing there, minus one shoe (which Anchor had abandoned near the rose bushes). He looked tall, handsome, and so much older than the boy who had waited on the ambulance, in the middle of a tsunami.
"Hey, Best Man," Eddie said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Nervous?"
"Nah," Christopher shrugged, though he was fiddling with his tie. "I just... I'm happy. For you. For us."
"Me too, mijo," Eddie whispered. "Me too."
The music started. It wasn't a traditional wedding march. It was an acoustic version of "Stand by Me."
The guests were seated. The entirety of the 118 sat in the front rows. Hen and Karen were holding hands, wiping tears before the bride even appeared.
Chimney was holding a camera, ready to snap some photos. Ravi was sitting with Sasha Banks and her wife, Linda, who had become good friends.
On the other side of the aisle sat the Diaz clan. Ramon and Helena, Abuela looking like royalty in silk, Tia Pepa beaming, and Eddie’s sisters, Adriana and Sophia, who had helped plan the whole thing.
Eddie stood at the altar, a wooden arch built by Bobby with Christopher by his side.
The back door opened.
First came the chaos.
Nim, marched out. She was wearing a dress that could only be described as a cloud of white tulle with a pink sash. She had a basket of petals, which she was dumping in clumps rather than sprinkling.
Behind her came Jee Yun, looking equally angelic and mischievous. They held hands for a moment, giggled, and then ran the rest of the way to the altar, abandoning the flowers entirely.
The crowd laughed. Eddie grinned.
Then, Maddie walked out. She wore a dusty blue dress, looking radiant. She caught Eddie’s eye and winked, taking her place opposite him.
The music swelled.
Bobby Nash and Athena Grant stepped into the doorway.
And between them was Evi Buckley.
Eddie stopped breathing.
She wasn't wearing a traditional ballgown. It was a sleek, silk white long dress, with spaghetti straps, that showed off her curves perfectly, Her hair, grown out long and healthy again, was loose in waves over her shoulders. She looked strong. She looked healthy. She looked radiant.
Bobby was on her right, Athena on her left. They were her pillars. Her parents.
As they walked down the grassy aisle, Buck locked eyes with Eddie. The rest of the world fell away. The scars were there, faint white lines on her arms but they were just part of the map that led her here.
They reached the altar.
Bobby kissed Buck’s cheek. "I love you, kid."
Athena kissed the other cheek. "Be happy, sweet girl."
They placed Buck’s hands in Eddie’s.
"Hi," Buck whispered.
"Hi," Eddie whispered back.
The officiant was, naturally, Fire Chief Alonzo because Buck had insisted, saying you held my funeral, it only seems fair, and who says no to the 'Miracle Firefighter'?
"We are gathered here," Alonzo boomed, "not just to join two people, but to celebrate a family that fought heaven, earth, and the Ocean to be standing here today."
When it came time for vows, Eddie went first. He pulled a piece of folded paper from his pocket.
"Evi," he started, his voice thick. "For 1,155 days, I woke up every morning and reached for you. I lived in a house that felt like a museum of what we could have had. I was a lighthouse keeper with no ship to guide home."
He took a breath, looking at Nim, who was currently sitting on the grass playing with Anchor’s tail.
"You are the most stubborn, reckless, brilliant person I have ever known. You fought the tide for us. You built a life out of nothing to bring our daughter home. You saved our son, and I promise you, Evi, that I will never stop looking for you. I will never stop waiting for you. And I will spend the rest of my life making sure you never have to be alone again."
Buck sniffled, wiping a tear. She didn't have paper. She just looked at him.
"Eddie" she said. "On the island, I had a stone. I carved a line for every day I was away from you. There were so many lines, Eddie. I thought I would run out of stone before I ran out of time."
She reached out and touched the lapel of his jacket.
"You were my anchor. When the hunger was bad, when the storms came, I heard your voice. You told me to keep going. You told me to come home. And now... now I look at my life and all I see is Christopher, Nim, and you, you three give me a reason to breathe."
She smiled, a blinding, brilliant thing. "I choose you. I choose this family. I choose the noise, and the mess, and the dog that eats shoes. I am yours, Eddie. In the water, and on the land. Forever."
"Do you have the rings?" Alonzo asked.
Christopher stepped forward. He handed Eddie a ring, a platinum band to match the gold one Buck wore. He handed Buck a thicker gold band for Eddie.
"With this ring," Eddie slid it onto her finger, right next to the engagement ring. "I thee wed."
"With this ring," Buck slid the band onto his finger. "I thee wed."
"By the power vested in me," Alonzo grinned. "I pronounce you Husband and Wife. You may kiss the bride."
Eddie didn't hesitate. He pulled her in, dipping her slightly, and kissed her with a passion that made the 118 cheer and cover the kids' eyes (mostly jokingly).
"Finally!" Hen shouted.
The reception was less of a formal dinner and more of a block party.
The music was loud. The food catered by a taco truck because Buck claimed she craved tacos most on the island.
Buck stood by the bar, watching the scene.
"Mrs. Diaz," a voice said beside her.
She turned. It was Sasha Banks, holding a champagne flute. Beside her was her wife, Linda, a quiet, kind woman who worked in tech.
"Sasha," Buck smiled. "Thank you for coming."
"I wouldn't miss it," Sasha said. "Plus, I have news. And I know we said no business, but..."
"Tell me," Buck laughed.
"The pre orders for The Long Way Home just surpassed the first book," Sasha grinned.
The Long Way Home was Buck’s second book. It wasn't about the island. It was about the aftermath. It was about the PTSD, the parenting, the reintegration. It was about finding normal again.
"Really?" Buck asked.
"Really. And... the studio called. They greenlit the casting."
Buck’s eyes widened. "Don't tell me."
"Sydney Sweeney is in talks," Sasha winked.
Buck threw her head back and laughed. "Eddie is going to lose his mind."
"Yes, he will," Linda said. "Congratulations, Evi. On everything."
Buck looked out at the dance floor. Eddie was dancing with his mother. Christopher was showing Abuela something on his phone. Nim was being passed between Hen, Karen, and Ravi like a hot potato of cuteness.
"Yeah," Buck said softly. "Everything."
"Ladies and gentlemen," the DJ announced, his voice echoing slightly over the lawn. "If I could have your attention. It is time for the newlyweds to share their first dance."
The crowd parted, creating a circle of soft grass beneath the string lights. Eddie walked over to Buck, extending his hand. His eyes were shining, reflecting the golden glow of the lanterns.
"May I?" he asked.
Buck took his hand, letting him pull her into the center of the yard. "Always."
The music began. It wasn't a waltz or a classic standard. It was a piano intro, haunting and familiar, that made the entire 118 freeze in their tracks.
A drop in the ocean
A change in the weather
I was praying that you and me might end up together
Hen gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. She looked at Chimney, whose eyes were already teary.
They know the song. They remembered standing in a cemetery, staring at a granite stone carved with those very words: A change in the weather.
It had been an sadness then. A plea to a universe that had seemed cruel and indifferent.
But as Eddie pulled Buck flush against him, wrapping his arms around her waist, and as Buck rested her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes, the meaning shifted. The song wasn't about loss anymore. It was about the impossible odds of finding each other again.
I was praying that you and me might end up together
It's like wishing for rain as I stand in the desert
But I'm holding you closer than most
'Cause you are my heaven
Buck looked up at Eddie. She saw the recognition in his eyes. He knew. They were rewriting the ending.
They were taking the words off the gravestone and writing them into their vows.
"We're taking it back," Eddie whispered, his forehead resting against hers. "It's not a goodbye anymore. It's a hello."
"It's a promise," Buck corrected, swaying with him.
Around them, the tears were flowing freely. Maddie was sobbing into Chimney’s shoulder. Bobby had his arm around Athena, watching them with a look of profound peace. Even Helena Diaz was wiping her eyes.
They watched the couple swaying in the twilight, the firefighter who came back from the dead and the man who kept the light on for her. The song swelled, filling the backyard with the sound of a prayer answered.
Heaven doesn't seem far away anymore no, no
Heaven doesn't seem far away
As the final notes faded into the night air, Eddie dipped her, and for a moment, they weren't just two people dancing in a backyard. They were the drop in the ocean that had refused to sink.
Later, Buck found herself sitting at a table with Hen and Chimney.
"So," Hen said, smile on her face. "How has it been back, Really?"
"It's... hard," Buck admitted. "My body remembers the job, but my stamina is different. And the noise... sirens are louder than I remember."
"You're doing great, though," Chimney said. "The rookie, Miller? He told me you carried him down three flights of stairs during that apartment fire a month ago."
"He sprained his ankle," Buck shrugged. "I wasn't leaving him."
"That's the Buck we know," Hen smiled. "How's the head? Dr. Copeland?"
"Good," Buck said. "We went down to once a month. The nightmares are rare now. Anchor helps. If I wake up panicking, he licks my face until I'm annoyed instead of scared."
"Good dog," Hen nodded.
"Speaking of dogs," Chimney pointed. Anchor was currently asleep under the table, using Bobby’s foot as a pillow.
"He's part of the family," Buck said laughing.
By 11:00 PM, the last guests had trickled out.
Ramon and Helena had taken an Uber back to their hotel, promising to come by for brunch. The 118 had cleaned up the worst of the mess (because they were the best family in the world) and headed home.
Athena and Bobby had taken the children.
"One night," Athena had insisted, packing Nim’s overnight bag. "You two need a wedding night. We’ll bring them back after lunch tomorrow. Do not call us unless the house is on fire."
So, the house was quiet.
Buck and Eddie sat on the sofa in the living room.
Buck had kicked off her heels and was curled up in the corner, her feet tucked under Eddie’s thigh. Eddie had discarded his jacket and tie, his shirt unbuttoned at the collar.
The only light came from the string lights still twinkling in the backyard.
"We did it," Eddie said, his voice husky with exhaustion and happiness. "We're married."
"We're married," Buck repeated, looking at the ring on her finger. It sparkled in the dim light. "I'm Mrs Evi Diaz."
"I like the sound of that," Eddie grinned, reaching out to stroke her ankle. "You looked... incredible today, Evi. Walking down that aisle... it was the best moment of my life."
"Better than the day I returned?"
"Different," Eddie said seriously. "The return was relief. Today... today was joy."
Buck smiled. She felt a fluttering in her stomach, not nerves, but excitement. And a secret she had been holding onto for three days.
"I have a gift for you," she said.
"Buck, we said no gifts. The wedding was the gift."
"I know," she stood up. "But this one couldn't wait. Be right back."
She walked down the hallway to the bedroom. She went to her nightstand and retrieved the white box with the silver bow she had hidden in the back of her drawer.
Her heart hammered. She checked the mirror. She looked tired, and happier than she had ever been.
She walked back to the living room.
Eddie watched her come back. He sat up straighter when he saw the box.
"What is this?"
Buck sat down next to him, close enough that their thighs touched. She handed him the box.
"Open it." She said with a nervous smile.
Eddie looked at her, curious. He undid the bow. He lifted the lid.
Inside, nestled in white tissue paper, were two onesies.
One had a fire truck on the front.
The other one read, 'Daddy's little one'.
Sitting on top of the onesies was a plastic stick. A digital pregnancy test.
The screen read: PREGNANT 3+ WEEKS.
Eddie went still.
He stared at the box. He blinked. He picked up the stick, as if checking to see if it was a trick of the light.
"Evi?" his voice cracked.
Buck bit her lip, watching him. "We're gonna need a bigger car."
Eddie looked up. His eyes were swimming with sudden tears. His mouth opened and closed.
"We... you're..."
"We're having another baby," Buck whispered, reaching out to cup his cheek. "I found out three days ago. I wanted to tell you, but I wanted to wait until tonight."
Eddie let out a sound, a laugh that turned into a sob. He looked at the test, then at her.
"A baby," he whispered. "Here?"
"Here," Buck nodded, tears filling her own eyes. "In a hospital. With doctors. And ice chips. And you."
"I get to be there," Eddie choked out, the realization hitting him like a freight train.
He had missed Nim’s birth. He had missed the first steps, the first words, the first years. He had carried that guilt, that loss, even through the joy of finding them.
"You get to be there," Buck confirmed. "You get to hold my hand. You get to cut the cord. You get to be the first person to hold them."
"Oh my god," Eddie dropped the box on the coffee table and pulled her into him. It wasn't a gentle hug; it was a desperate, overwhelming embrace. He buried his face in her neck, his shoulders shaking.
"I love you," he wept. "I love you so much."
"I love you too," Buck cried, holding him tight. "We are having another baby."
He pulled back, his hands framing her face, his thumbs wiping away her tears. He looked at her stomach, flat beneath the white dress. He placed a hand there, reverent and terrified and awestruck.
"Hi," he whispered to the new life. "I'm your daddy. And I am never, ever going to miss a second of you."
Buck covered his hand with hers.
Outside, the wind rustled the leaves of the oak tree. The string lights flickered. Anchor let out a soft 'woof' in his sleep.
They sat there on the couch, the three of them. Buck, Eddie, and the secret promise of the future, and let the night settle around them.
The ocean was a memory. The island was just a story in a book now.
Here, in this house, there was only life.
Messy, loud, beautiful, expanding life.
Eddie leaned in and kissed her, tasting of salt tears.
"Best wedding gift ever," he murmured against her lips.
They curled up together, limbs tangled, hearts beating in sync. The tides had turned, the storm had passed, and the lighthouse had guided them all the way home.
The End.