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Chimney’s alive.
He’s alive and Buck finally knows exactly where he is, because he’s right there, in this parking lot, in front of Buck. He’s getting buffeted by the slowing rotors of the LAFD helicopter parked behind; he’s in a ratty undershirt and torn suit pants with cuts and bruises and dirt smattered liberally across all of his exposed skin. But he’s here, and he only has eyes for Maddie as Tommy and Hen pass him into her waiting arms.
“I’m okay, I’m okay,” Chim’s saying, and their little knot of emergency responders and family and friends — everyone who went out to search, who went to dispatch to take calls, who stayed here at the venue to wait and now piled out into the parking lot to greet returning searchers and then the unexpected helicopter — erupts with relief.
Maddie’s so bright she’s a supernova, clutching Chim close while he collapses against her like a man who needs the world’s longest nap.
“He really is okay,” Hen is saying, and Buck finally sags with relief, too. If Hen says it, Chimney really is good. “You wanna tell her about the deal we brokered, Chim?”
Chim leans back just enough that he can see Maddie. She’s watching him luminously, eyes filled with tears, but smiling ear to ear. “I’m here through some short, short vows and the first dance,” Chimney recites, and he’s smiling just at Maddie. “Then I turn into a pumpkin and get dragged to the hospital for observation.”
“He was very persuasive,” Hen says, long-suffering and fond and so warm, and Maddie laughs wetly; Chim does too.
“Okay,” Maddie says, slowly. Buck sees her looking at Hen; sees Hen nod to her, reassuring, confirming her assessment. “Then— let’s get this show on the road!” A bunch of people cheer.
As Buck smiles, eyes stinging, and watches them hold each other, his sister looks up and makes direct eye contact with him, and then with Tommy, who stepped away after dropping off Chim but has been standing by ready to step back in again if Chim wobbled.
Tommy. In his blue flightsuit, in the middle of the wedding venue parking lot. Who was supposed to be here but not like this. Who saved Chimney and brought him back to Buck’s sister.
Tommy’s standing in front of Buck so Buck can’t see his face, but he knows his sister well enough to know she realizes who she’s looking at. There’s a light of recognition in her eyes.
‘Thank you,’ Maddie mouths distinctly to Tommy, her eyes overbright and her chin tucked against Chim’s shoulder, and. It’s a lot. The relief, the bone-deep gratitude, the growing joy of understanding that things really are gonna be just fine.
While Maddie, Hen, and others start helping pull Chimney forward to bring him inside (what? Buck’s not needed there; Chim’s clearly covered!), Buck steps up beside Tommy. It’s a long couple of seconds before Tommy looks over at him, his eyes first set on Chim and Maddie as they go, but when he does, he looks at Buck warmly enough that Buck can feel it down to his toes.
Tommy’s mouth quirks. “Sorry I’m late,” he says, and it’s — it’s so smooth; simultaneously so genuinely pleased and so hilariously casual and deadpan, and Buck is done.
Buck grabs the front of Tommy’s flightsuit and kisses him hard on the mouth, uncoordinated with the giddy joy of it. He feels Tommy’s sharp surprised inhale against him, he tastes his mouth, and then that’s it; it’s short.
“You’re right on time,” Buck tells him, leaning into him, and Tommy barks a disbelieving laugh. “Thank you.”
The two of them are standing at the edge of the loose grouping of guests that’s in the process of dispersing so people can help Maddie and Chim and also just go back inside. Somewhere distant, Buck is vaguely aware that someone probably witnessed that, and he doesn’t care. He really, genuinely doesn’t care; it barely even occurs to him to think about it.
Buck stays close. “Are you guys really staying?”
“Not for long,” Tommy warns. “Howie tried but Hen drove a hard bargain.”
“Are you gonna get in trouble?”
Tommy tilts his head. “Where was this concern the last time I stole an $8 million LAFD helicopter for the 118?”
“I’m learning,” Buck flirts back, and Tommy laughs.
“I can tell.” Tommy’s smiling; his eyes flick toward the venue, then back again. Tommy might be a little nervous too, as confident as he is, Buck thinks, and Buck feels ridiculously pleased by it. “I have some time. Can’t exactly show up at the hospital without the patient I’m transporting, and he’s here, so…”
“So … you’re here,” Buck finishes, and Tommy grins broadly at him. “And you owe me a dance.” When Buck takes Tommy’s hand, Tommy smiles so hard his whole face scrunches up, and he follows Buck’s lead like it’s the easiest thing he’s done all day.