Work Text:
Eddie has been having a tough time here lately with everything that was going on the last two months were pure hell for him. First there was the tsunami, where he did not know, he almost lost his son and his best friend. Then there was that god damn lawsuit that nearly destroyed not only their friendship but their family. And then to his troubles with the illegal street fighting that nearly cost him his job and a man’s life. He pushed Buck away so that he didn’t have to deal with everything, what hurt the most was the lies that he had to tell his son about why Buck couldn’t come around. But the worst was how he felt knowing that he was the reason that Buck was lying in the hospital bed.
Buck has been back to work now for almost five weeks, himself included really haven’t forgiven him. Bobby makes him do all the cleaning chores as well as keeping at the station instead of the field. Hen, she will smile at him, she welcomed him back with a cupcake and that is about it she hasn’t really talked to him either. Chim on the other hand will say hi to him and only talk to him if it’s got something to do with Maddie.
Eddie is in the gym; they had just gotten back from a call he still had a bit of energy he needed to get rid of. He looked out to see Buck cleaning all the mud off the truck, making it look good. Eddie had blown up at Buck yesterday when he tried to ask him a question.
“Hey Eddie, can I talk to you a minute?” Buck asked as he shifted oh his feet.
“Is it about work?” Eddie asked.
“No, I just…” Buck started as Eddie got in his face.
“I don’t want to hear it.” Eddie said.
“Please I just…” Buck started again.
“I wasn’t good enough to talk to before, so no we’re done leave me alone.” Eddie said as he walked away and headed upstairs.
Eddie watched as Buck picked up the two buckets and headed to the back door to empty them so he could finish on the other side. That’s when things took a turn for the worse, two men walked in.
“Can I help you two?” Eddie said as the two guys looked around.
“Yeah, were looking for Evan Buckley.” He said, “This is where he works right?”
“Yeah, and you are?” Eddie asked.
“Here to serve him.” He said holding up an envelope.
“He’s out back.” Eddie said.
“Thanks man.” He said as they left and just as he was about to go up the steps when the alarm went off. They all got in their Turnout gear and got on the truck and headed to a dumpster fire. It was small and contained but they still had to empty it to make sure that everything was truly out. It had taken about an hour, the truck pulled back in as everyone hopped out. The station was awfully quiet, when Buck should have been there waiting for them to come back.
“Buckley, where are you.” Bobby yelled it was quiet.
“Probably sleeping on the job.” Eddie said as Johnson took all the trash from the ambulance and truck to the dumpster out back.
“Hen, checkup stairs, Chim locker room, Eddie bunk room.” Bobby said as they all continued to look for Buck. After about ten minutes they all came back to the truck all shaking their heads.
“Not in the locker room.” Chim said.
“Or upstairs.” Hen replied.
“Or in the bunk room.” Eddie said.
“Where the fuck is he.” Bobby yelled, “If he skipped out his ass is fired.”
“CHIM, HEN HELP.” Johnson yelled, “IT’S BUCK, HE’S BEEN BEATEN!”
Hen and Chim grabbed their medical bags as Eddie and Bobby took off to the back there, they found Buck laying out back soaking wet and beaten, Eddie leaned down and felt for a pulse.
“He’s got a pulse, but it’s weak.” Eddie said as he was starting to lose his mind, just what the hell happened here.
“Chim go get the gurney.” Bobby said as he pulled out his phone and called his wife.
“Hey Bobby, what’s up?” Athena asked.
“I need you to get to the station, we just got back from a call and found Buck beaten and unconscious.” Bobby said.
“Why, was he at the station instead of on the call.” Athena asked as there was silence, Bobby was feeling a lot of guilt for leaving him behind. “I am on my way.”
“Thank you.” Bobby said as he watched as Eddie was in tears holding Buck’s hand.
“Escucha mi amor, tienes que estar bien, te necesito, Christopher necesita su Buck. te amo.” Eddie whispered as they got him ready for transport.
“Eddie go with him; I am right behind you guys. I am waiting on Athena.” Bobby said as he watches as the three of them take off with Buck. No sooner had the ambulance pulled out than Athena pulled in once she got out of the car, she took notice of her husband with his head in his hands crying. Athena walked over to him and sat on the step next to him as she wrapped her arms around him holding him close.
“It’s all my fault.” Bobby said.
“What are you talking about? You all were on a call, why wasn’t he with you?” Athena asked as Bobby looked up to look at his wife, she wasn’t going to like what he was about to say.
“I have been giving him grunt work, not letting him out on calls leaving him the man behind because of the blood thinners as well as...” Bobby said.
“What, he apologized to you all, dropped the lawsuit and turned down millions of dollars for you all and you treat him like that. Office now I want to see the video.” Athena said as Bobby got up and walked to his office as he signed into his computer. It took a few minutes for him to bring the Video feed up but there were two guys coming around back and talking to Buck. Then things went to hell as they started to beat up on him looking at the time stamp, it happened only minutes after they left for the dumpster fire. Athena did her thing she sent the video to the station so they could get the ids on the two guys. Bobby took pictures of the two guys he wanted to show his team when he got to the hospital. “Come on I’ll give you a ride to the hospital.”
“What if I am not welcome.” Bobby said.
“From the sounds of it and the looks of it, all of you are to blame, treating that poor boy like he wasn’t family.” Athena said.
“That’s not it, I was trying to protect him keeping him here where he’s safe.” Bobby said.
“And look where that got you, I know firsthand how you wanted to protect him, when all he wanted was to get back into his family’s good graces. I know he went about it all wrong, but he gave it all up and turned it down, again millions of dollars just to get his family back.” Athena said as they pulled up to the hospital walking in, they found Maddie as she was sitting by herself. Bobby noticed that everyone was on the other side of the room, Maddie refused to look at him as he went to sit with his team. Athena walked over to Maddie and sat next to her as she put her hand on her shoulder.
“I am so sorry, for those idiots. How is Buck?” Athena asked.
“Not sure they haven’t been out yet.” Maddie said as they heard the choked sob coming from the other side of the room. There was Eddie having a tough time breathing holding his chest he was having a panic attack. Hen, Chim, and Bobby were trying to calm him down, but it wasn’t working.
“Eddie breath, in and out, in and out. Come on man.” Chim said as the nurse in Maddie kicked in, she got up and went over and laid her hand on his shoulder as she smiled, she took his hand and placed it on her heart.
“Relax, deep breath in and then out feel my heartbeat, think of Chris, his smile, his laugh and how that makes you feel” Maddie said as Eddie’s breathing started to return to normal after about five minutes.
“Thank you.” Eddie said as he looked up to her and the tears started. “I’m so sorry.”
“It’s not me you need to say sorry to. My brother loves you.” Maddie said.
“I know, me too.” Eddie said as the door opened.
“Family of Evan Buckley?” He asked as Maddie stood up and pulled Eddie with her.
“How is my brother?” Maddie asked as the doctor looked to her then to Eddie. “This is his partner.”
“Ok, come with me.” He said as Maddie kept a tight hold on Eddie’s hand.
“Your brother is going to be fine, there are no broken bones, a couple of cuts, a few bruised ribs, and a mild concussion.” He said.
“He’s on blood thinners.” Maddie said as the doctor looked at the chart and nodded.
“Nope here it says that Dr. Irving took him off them as of last week, he no longer needed them.” He spoke.
“He didn’t tell anyone.” Eddie said.
“Can we see him?” Maddie asked.
“Yes, right now just you two.” He said as Maddie let go of Eddie’s hand and went to her baby brother. She picked up his hand and kissed his cheek while running fingers through his hair.
“Evan, you need to wake up, I need my annoying little brother. I am going to go and let the others know what’s going on. I’ll be back.” Maddie said as she kissed his cheek again, turning, she looked at Eddie and smiled. “Tell him.”
Eddie walked in and took his hand into his and all he could think of was how this was his fault, if he had just told those two guys, he wasn’t here instead of telling them where to find him.
Buck felt the rough callous hand holding his hand as the thumb rubbed across the back of his hand. He knew that hand it was one he was used to holding before things went to hell. Buck opened his eyes and there he saw Eddie with his head down and he could see the shaking on his shoulder. He then remembered something that he heard Eddie say as he was drifting in and out of consciousness.
“Did… you mean it?” He asked as Eddie looked up to see those beautiful blue eyes looking back at him.
“I meant every word, Mi Amor. I thought if I pushed you away it would hurt less when you left us. Evan, I love you and I don’t care how long it takes, I can’t take it anymore, you have wormed your way into Christopher’s and my life. I need you; I have come to realize that I can’t live my life without you. Please, please forgive me for all the stupid shit that I have said and done.” Eddie cried as he put his head down, Buck lifted Eddie’s chin.
“I love you too, always have and always will, you are all I ever want and need, just you and Chris.” Buck said as Eddie lifted his head and leaned over and planted his lips to his boyfriend’s.
“Why didn’t you tell us about being off the thinners?” Eddie asked as Buck looked away. “Baby please?”
“I tried to tell Bobby, but he just yelled at me to get back to work and well every time I tried to tell you…” Buck stopped.
“I ignored you or yelled at you. Never again I promise you. Will you come home with me I am off the next two days and with your concussion, I can keep an eye on you?” Eddie asked as Buck moved and pulled Eddie up into the bed with him.
“I’d go anywhere with you.” Buck said as Eddie was laying on the bed and Buck laid his head on Eddie’s chest. The two of them fell asleep holding on to one another for the first time in months, picking up where they left off before the whole Lawsuit.
Maddie, Bobby, and Athena had walked back to tell Eddie that they had found the two guys who did this, and they were arrested. But when they came to the room that held Buck none of them had the heart to wake either of them up as they were both cuddled on the small bed holding one another.
“About time.” Maddie said.
“Yes, it is.” Athena said as they both looked at Bobby who just smiled. “You, ok?” Maddie asked.
“I am just glad to see that the two of them worked everything out, now I can finally send those papers to HR.” Bobby said as the two women looked at him.
“Honey what do you mean?” Athena asked.
“The two of them were in a relationship when everything happened, they had filled out the paperwork and then Buck coughed up the blood and shit happened, and I never sent the papers in.” Bobby said.
“Yeah, looks like you have to now.” Maddie said as she pulled the door shut leaving the two of them alone. Maddie was never to glad to see that her baby brother was finally happy with the man that he’s fallen for, and the two of them have an extremely cute family the three of them Chris is an amazing little boy who Buck loves like he was his own.