Chapter Text
Two firefighters had come into a cabin to check for stranded passengers. Only one of them managed to get out.
An influx of rushing water had slammed the door shut from right behind the blonde firefighter.
The increasing water pressure prevented his companion from reopening the door. Despite being a watertight door, water seeped through the rim and into the room that the firefighter stood in.
“BUCK!” Eddie banged on the door from outside and tugged as hard as he possibly could on the metal sheet.
Buck’s back was to the door. He looked down at his boots which were now in less than an inch of water. “E-Eddie?” He had a sinking feeling that he knew exactly what just happened, but didn’t want to face that reality.
Eddie desperately pulled on the door with all the strength he had, but with no luck. His eyes darted around the hallway as he tried to find a tool that could help. “BUCK! Are you okay in there?”
The other firefighter began to become very aware of his surroundings along with the overwhelming anxiety that came along with it. “Uh..” He finally turned to the hatch as it spat water into the space.
Buck stared as if he were being hypnotized by the wave. As he looked at it, all he could remember was the tsunami crashing on him and Christopher at the pier.
“BUCK!”
He could hear Christopher yelling for him again. The child clinging for dear life to a metal pole as the ocean flooded over him.
“BUCK!”
Then, came back the crushing guilt and fear that Chris was dead. He lost his best friend’s son— no, he KILLED his best friend’s son— the first time he was left responsible.
“BUCK!”
“CHRIS!”
A few moments of silence, and then, “What? Buck, it’s Eddie.”
“Oh, right, I knew that.” Buck’s face turned bright red. He was grateful that Eddie couldn’t see his face at that moment, but at the same exact time all Buck wanted to do was see Eddie’s face.
“Can you push the door open from your side?”
Buck cautiously waded through the water, which was now up to his ankles, and pushed on the door. He planted his feet as firmly as he could on the floor and shoved the door.
Simultaneously, Eddie was pulling on the handle from the outside, his feet nearly on the wall.
Despite their determined efforts, nothing was budging the door.
Water was beginning to take over the hallway outside as well, meaning it was only a matter of time before the two would lose commutation outside of their radios and the water would fill the room up in next to no time.
“Eddie, I’m gonna check the bathroom to see if there’s something that can help me get this open.”
“Okay, but stay safe! Please.” Eddie’s voice softened to barely a whisper on the last word. With all the losses he’s faced in his life, he was not ready to lose Buck. Especially to lose his best friend to something that has nearly killed Eddie before. He was sick to his stomach reliving the moments in the well.
Buck managed to get the bathroom door open relatively easily. It was almost annoying how accessible it was compared to the front door.
He switched on his headlamp to get a better look at the room and the first thing he spotted was a woman lying face up on the ground, unconscious. There was a trail of blood leading from the sink to her forehead.
“Ma’am, can you hear me?” Buck made a fist and rubbed her chest, performing a sternal rub. “Can you tell me your name, the date, and your age?”
The woman groaned and slowly opened her eyes, “I hear you. My name is Sergeant Athena Grant-Nash, 727-L-30–”
(a/n : how the hell he didn’t see her ? i don’t know . let’s say it’s super dark Okay ? thank you )
Buck angled his head to shed more light on her face. “ATHENA?!”