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Sometimes, it paid to look the way he did. Today was not the day.
Buck knew that sometimes he needed to step in whenever a victim or civilian was getting a bit angry or pushy. After all, he was probably the one that looked the most physical out of the entire crew, especially when he wasn’t in his turnouts. Stepping in to protect his crew had become second nature when anyone stepped over that line.
The problem was, while he looked the part, Buck didn’t act it. There was a real good reason he dropped from the SEALs, especially after his contract ran out. While he had the physical prowess, he didn’t like the idea of hurting anyone. He could spar, but usually only with people he knew personally. He knew how to get out of a fight, but if he could talk his way out first, awkward or authoritative as necessary, he’d do it.
That trick wasn’t going to work tonight.
As soon as they pulled up to this multi-car accident, Buck and Eddie shared a look. There were a lot of onlookers. After all, it was four o’clock traffic, right off of UCLA’s campus, and right when the bulk of federal employees were being left go for the evening. The traffic was already bottlenecking. Twentysomethings had already gathered at several of the street corners with cell phones out, probably streaming to making quick TikToks for clout. Elsewhere, he could see a group of people in professional attire starring the pileup that was blocking the onramp to the 405 with disdain.
From the moment his feet touched the ground from the truck, Buck clocked the angriest of onlookers. There were two, both pacing and on their phones, gesturing wildly, most likely about the delay they’d be dealing with for at least the next half hour. He made it a point to discreetly point them out to Bobby, who nodded before sending him off to the most damaged of cars that needed him to help force a door open.
It only took five minutes and two doors for someone to yank him on his shoulder. He was lucky that he had just pulled back with his Hallagan to readjust and he didn’t injure himself or the person in the car he was trying to rescue. With a very careful mental sigh, he turned, ready for an argument with one of the angry men, only to find someone different. Someone still annoyed, but not something he could have bet money on seeing any time soon.
It was his father.
“Dad?” The fact the word broke coming out of his throat was not going to be commented on, thank you very much.
“Evan, you need to get your mother out of that car,” Phillip snapped, gesturing at a car off towards the side that had already been tagged by one of the other stations responding. It wasn’t a priority, not like the car he was supposed to be helping out with, what with an injured woman and child that needed medical attention.
Buck barely registered Eddie quickly grasping his arm, a quick blink-and-you’d-miss-it gesture telling him that he had the car, deal with his family before Bobby and Athena saw and raised all Holy. Which would happen if they saw who was still demanding Buck’s attention as they didn’t believe in skipping around saving people just because they knew victims. Save any and everyone possible safely, so that as many people could leave the incident scene alive. And especially when they saw exactly who was dragging Buck away, because there was no lost love between the Buckley parents and the 118 A-shift.
“Dad, I-”
“Your mother is still in that car, the door will not open, she needs to be out. That other firefighter is an idiot, get her out now or so help me…” The threat trailed off as Buck tuned out his father, a skill he’d learned in his childhood. He spotted just who had tagged the car and caught his eye.
Tommy Kinard caught Buck’s eye and joined him over at his parents’ rental. “Thought we were saving green tags for last, Buckley,” he said, his joking tone falling flat as he tried to talk over Philip’s continued demands for his wife’s recuse. “Wait, that car? It’s fine. Like two scratches. I popped them myself.”
By that point they were standing next to the car and Buck could see what Tommy was walking about. His parents’ car had taken the smallest amount of damage - a large scratch down one side, something that would be handled with one call to the rental company and a copy of the police report. But both doors were already propped open and his mother was sitting comfortably waiting for him.
“Finally. Evan, you need to get us some sort of ride to Maddie’s apartment. We will be late for dinner,” she ordered.
So, I’ve basically been downgraded from son to servant. Well at least I know my place in their world. Why exactly did I forgive them again?
“I’m working, Mom. So are Maddie and Chi-Howard. There’s no one at their apartment. Once you give your statement-” Buck wasn’t the least bit surprised he was cut off.
“Now, Evan.” Philip shook his shoulder again, leveling him a glare that would have terrified him as a child. He wasn’t a child anymore.
“Buckley, Kinard, what’s going on with that car? We need you both-” Bobby’s voice came from behind them, cutting himself off when he saw exactly who had distracted the firefighters.
Buck wasn’t a religious man, but he said a prayer anyway. Bobby didn’t like it when anyone put a hand on his firefighters. But this? And especially who? Phillip and Margaret Buckley were going to need all of the luck to survive in the next few minutes.
“Mr. Buckley. My firefighters are needed to assist the victims of the accident behind us. If you still need assistance once the victims are freed, you can speak to Firefighter Buckley then. But not before.” The captain turned to Buck and Tommy, not at all surprised to see them halfway back to the heart of the accident, slipping seamlessly back into the job to help get out the last few trapped people. Buck had been able to slip from his father’s punishing grip when Bobby had strode over, giving him a headstart across the road.
“Who do you think you are?” Margaret Buckley easily stepped from the car, glaring at Bobby. “That is our son, you have no right-”
“Firefighter Buckley is doing his job. He will be available only after the last victim has been rescued, as I’ve said.” Bobby’s glare was getting frostier by the second. “You may talk to him after he has completed his job and not a moment before. And never,” he added, turning his gaze to fully rest on the Buckley patriarch. “Never lay another hand on him. Especially while he is working.”
Bobby spun his heel and stalked back over to the accident scene, noting that all but the last victim had been extracted, and that rescue was already in progress. It only took a few minutes for the last patient to be handed over to the 217’s paramedic team.
As soon as the hand off happened, Buck made his way back to the 118’s engine to grab some water, with Bobby joining him. Buck handed over a bottle without comment.
“Did you know they were in town?” Bobby asked, after letting Buck down an entire bottle of water.
Buck leaned back against the sun-warmed metal of the engine. “No,” he said with a quick shake of his head. “That would require them to actually talk to me.” After opening another bottle and taking a deep gulp, he continued, “Chimney didn’t say anything to me about them being in town. I don’t think he knows, if he even saw them.”
Bobby nodded. “How do you want to handle this?”
Buck raised an eyebrow. “I’ll call them a taxi or something.” Under his breath he added, “Right back to the airport,” which had Bobby choking on his water.
“Buck.” If Buck didn’t already know that Bobby didn’t exactly like his parents, he would have been worried that he was being reprimanded.
“What? They’re not around to hear it,” Buck snarked back. The minutes spent away from them had done wonders to break him away from the brief reminder of his less than stellar childhood. He opened his mouth to continue the banter with his captain when he happened to spot both of his parents making a beeline towards Eddie. “Well, that won’t end well. I’m gonna go…” he trailed off, making his way over to save his friend from his parents.
Ten minutes, one very aborted argument, a few muttered curses in Spanish from two different people and a phone call to a local taxi service later, the Buckleys were on their way to whatever hotel they had actually booked for the long weekend. During the conversation, it had come out that coming upon Buck had been pure happenstance as he had figured. They were in town to surprise Maddie and to spoil Jee, whether Maddie had wanted it or not.
Of course, the conversation wasn’t without drama, as Phillip had lost his temper when Buck wouldn’t give out Maddie’s new address. The man had grabbed Buck’s arm again, in full view of Eddie (hence the muttered curses) and Athena, who only was kept from arresting the man by Buck basically shoving them in a car and giving them a general direction.
He just didn’t tell them that it was the wrong general direction.
When Eddie and Athena had figured that one out, it was debatable who texted Maddie and Chim faster. Buck didn’t mind. He was doing his duty as brother and uncle to protect his family from his family.