Chapter Text
Bobby hadn’t really put much thought into the fact that he had never actually seen a picture of Buck as a young kid or teenager. He supposes it’s because in his mind he can picture what a young Buck would have look liked so clearly. He would still have that same mischievous smile and his eyes would maybe have a sparkle that is only sometimes seen nowadays, as all the events and past accidents had dimmed its light a little. In Bobbys head a young Buck looked just a bit shorter and a tad bit more boyish than that young energetic probie Buck had once been.
Bobby didn’t know how much he longed to see pictures of the man he had come to see as his son growing up, till he saw them.
After Maddie had come to Athena about the nosy pretend neighbour, dinners at the Buckley-Hans had become a monthly thing, and if he was being honest it was nice to not be the one hosting and stressing all the time.
There house was always changing, from Jee’s toys to new decorations, there was always something just a bit different to the place every time Bobby came. This time a bunch of photos had been added to the dresser behind the dinning table. From what Bobby could see the majority consisted of baby pictures of Jee. As well as was a few of the team and pictures of Chimney with Kevin from when they where young.
What really toke Bobbys attention was the picture of a young blond boy smiling up at the camera with sparkling blue eyes that Bobby recognised instantly. It toke his breath away seeing Buck so young and care free.
Looking more closely at the display of the photos he noticed there were several that featured a young Buck and a few of the younger Buckley siblings together. There was one of Buck in a football kit holding a trophy and another of a much younger Buck on a bike. There was one of Maddie holding a tiny toddler Buck by a Christmas tree and another of them both at a fair.
He couldn’t help but smile back at the pictures. Little Buck was exactly like he had imagined. Wild curls of blond hair that looked untameable along with a beaming smile and sparkling baby blues.
“He’s about five in that picture” Maddie told him coming up to his side and pointing at the picture that first caught Bobbys eye, “That was his junior year, they won state” Maddie continued getting the attention of Athena.
“Awww, he was adorable” Athena cooed at the sight of the pictures of a younger Buck.
“Mum and Dad brought a load of old pictures with them when they last visited, I’ll have to show you more after dinner” Maddie explained as Chim brought out dinner and they all sat down.
Dinner was relaxed as usual. Buck was right about Maddie’s pot roast being amazing. It was nice to get to know Maddie more, sure they talked and knew each other they just had never spent much one on one time together, outside of the many hours they’d spent sitting by Bucks hospital bed that was.
Maddie kept her word, once dinner was finished and the table was cleared she brought out a box filled with pictures from her and Bucks childhood.
These pictures ranged from newborn Buck all the way up to his high school graduation. While Maddie, Chim and Athena laughed and gossiped about the pictures Bobby toke his time to memorise each detail. Like how when he was younger his birthmark was a brighter red than the faded pinky blush it was today.
Each photo held so much weight. They contain a kid that Bobby wishes he knew. It felt like he was watching his son grow up in front of his eyes into the man he knew today. He was so mesmerised by the stories the images captured that he didn’t notice the talking next to him had stoped.
“You okay there Bobby” Athena asked softly while gently resting her hand on his arm in a reassuring touch.
“Yeah I’m fine, he just looks so young but still Buckish” Bobby sighed running his finger over the picture he was currently holding as tho he could touch the boy smiling up at him, frozen in time. “Thank you for sharing these Maddie” Bobby said appreciatively as he handed her back the box.
“No problem, I know Buck doesn’t have many pictures of himself when he was young and well it’s nice to share. He was adorable after all”, Maddie laughed in an effort to light the mood.
Bobby couldn’t stop thinking of those pictures from then on. When ever he looked at Buck laughing in the station all he saw was that young kid beaming up at the camera with a smile so wide it made it his eyes scrunched up from the sincerity of it.
For weeks he longed to see those pictures again, just to make sure his imagination wasn’t tricking him when he remembered how care free and innocent Buck had looked. After a while he had managed to put it out of his mind and just focused on the fact that after everything Buck was still here. He was able to smile in real time and his laugh still managed to fill any room he was in. Bobby was so glad he wasn’t having to cling to pictures to get a glimpse of the ray of sunshine that Buck was.
After Bucks accident the team had been taking any opportunity to throw party’s and make better memories with each other that didn’t include rescuing people from fires or watching one another almost die. For Bobbys birthday they were having their usual cookout in the backyard but with a lot of extra decorations and sweet treats.
After the death of his family Bobby hated his birthday. It was just another remind that he had lived to see another year and they had not. But with time and a lot of help from Athena and his team he had come to enjoy them again. He liked seeing everyone relaxing and just being able to chill out. After Bucks lightening strike everyone had come to appreciate these moments a lot more.
The team had gotten together and got Bobby tickets for a Minnesota twins game. Athena had made a reservation at the restaurant they had their first date at. While Harry, May and Michael had all gotten him a small little keepsake present.
Bobby wasn’t expecting anything else, so when Maddie showed up to the cookout with a big box wrapped up and told him to open it when everyone was gone he was a bit perplexed.
Everyone was curious at what she could have gotten him. Chim just shrugged at him when Maddie handed the gift to him while Buck frowned questioningly at her to which she just smile and walked off to join Athena and Karen.
After everyone had left and the house was mostly cleared up Bobby sat down with Athena to open Maddie’s gift.
“What do you think she could have gotten me?” Bobby asked Athena warily.
“The only way we’re going to find out is if you open it. Go on” Athena encouraged, eyeing the box with anticipation.
Gently Bobby unwrapped the box and opened the lid to find a collocation of framed photographs. Nervously Bobby picked up the first picture and gasped in a breath when he realised what it was off. The whole box was filled with pictures of a young Buck.
Bobby didn’t know what to say, he just handed Athena the picture of Buck missing his front teeth and pulled out the next one.
Maddie had some how managed to pick 15 of his most favourite ones. They ranged from him as a newborn all the way to high school graduation. Each one he gazed over brought a slight tear to his eye and made a lamp in his throat stooping him form talking.
“I can’t believe she would give me these” Bobby whispered in disbelief not quite believing that Maddie would trust him with these precious memories of her baby brother.
“You’re that boys farther, maybe not by blood but that doesn’t matter cause you love him no matter what he does. That was something his parents never managed” Athena comforted, taking his hand and pulling him up while Bobby still clutched the picture of toddler Buck smiling up at the camera hugging his teddy bear, “Come on let’s find a place for these”.
It felt right to have pictures of Buck in their house. They placed them all over with several on the bookshelf in the living room next to pictures of May and Harry as well as a few of Brooke and Bobby Jr. Some more where placed on the shelves behind the dinning table and Bobbys most favourites where put in there bedroom, so that when he woke up in the morning he would be greeted by the smiling face of his boy.