Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The picture comes in at 11:45 PM and Tommy thanks God that they're not on a call right now. He leans back on the couch at the station and opens the text. When he sees it, he is really glad Lucy isn't around to give him a hard time because he melts at the sight of his husband and their one-year-old daughter.

Evan has squished his face in next to Alex's, cheek to cheek. Evan's smile is bright and only Tommy would be able to see the tiredness in his husband's eyes. They're both exhausted these days, but loving every second of it. Alex has a finger in her mouth, a gummy smile on her little face, her few teeth visible and Tommy wishes he were home with them, his little family. He and Evan have worked out a complicated, convoluted schedule for being home with her in between their shifts. With the help of their friends and family, it's worked out so far, but it's times like these that he misses them so much that his heart hurts, especially now, when Alex has been fighting a cold for the last couple of days.

Uh oh. He types. Cold keeping her up?

It only takes a second for Evan to text back Sure is. We're both so tired but apparently, sleep is for the weak, Dad.

Dad. He's a dad. He has a husband and he's a dad. He still can't believe it sometimes. But right now he mostly feels guilty, because Evan's home alone with their sick baby, and Tommy is stuck at work for at least a couple more hours. Looking around to make sure no one is nearby again, he clicks the 'video' button and waits for Evan to accept the call.

When he does, Tommy's breath actually catches. Even exhausted and sick, his husband and daughter are the most beautiful beings he's ever seen.

"Hi, baby," Evan says with a soft smile. "Miss us?"

"Always," Tommy answers sincerely. "Are you guys okay? Maybe I can beg off for these last couple of hours."

"We're okay," Evan assures him. "I promise. Eddie actually just left. I haven't been by myself these last 10 hours. You know our friends would never dare to do such a thing."

Tommy laughs. "If you're sure."

"I am." Evan lifts Alex's little hand and waves it. "Hi, Dad! We love you!"

Tommy shakes his head and wills his eyes not to tear up. "I love you guys too. Get some rest okay? Do you need anything? I can stop at the 24-hour place by the house?"

"Just you," Evan says, smile sweet and sincere. "Be safe."

"I will."
***
Tommy manages to get home on time, luckily. When he walks in the door, the glow of the TV illuminates the dark house. He toes off his shoes and hangs his bag up before making his way to the living room to see Evan sitting on the couch, legs propped on the coffee table, Alex asleep on his chest.

"Hey, handsome," Evan whispers. "Welcome home."

Tommy leans down to press a kiss to Evan's mouth before kissing the top of Alex's head. She doesn't feel warm anymore, thank goodness.

"Fever finally broke about an hour ago," Evan confirms. "She is still a little congested, but it's a lot better than it was this morning."

"Good," Tommy says, sitting next to them. "Have you slept?"

"No," he admits. "Eddie watched her for me and demanded I nap, but...I just couldn't. I didn't want to leave her."

"I know, sweetheart," Tommy says. He reaches for the baby and Evan gives her up with a soft kiss to her forehead. Alex barely stirs, as though she recognizes her other dad has her, so she's safe, as she rests her face in the crook of Tommy's neck.

"Go take a shower," he insists. "Get ready for bed. You need sleep."

"You just want some cuddles for yourself," Evan says fondly.

"Of course I do." He does, desperately. First: baby, then: husband.

Evan laughs. "Yes, boss." But he doesn't get off the couch right away. Instead, he whispers, "Tommy?"

"Yeah?"

He runs a finger down Alex's back. "I love our life."

Tommy smiles at him. "Me too, Evan. Me too."

Chapter Text

When Tommy walks into the house late after a shift, it's quiet and Evan is stretched out on the couch, reading glasses on his nose, a well-worn copy of Devil in the White City, one of his favorite books, on his lap.

Evan hasn't noticed him yet so Tommy just looks and marvels. They've been together now for 6 years and Tommy can't believe it sometimes, that he gets to have this. He watches Evan push the glasses up his nose and his grin widens. Those are a new acquisition, one which Evan had despaired of after he'd turned 37, but Tommy thinks he looks adorable.

He must make a sound, or maybe Evan just senses him, because he looks up and smiles when he sees Tommy standing there.

"Hi," he says softly, mindful of the girls, who should be sleeping in Alex's room.

"Hi, sweetheart," Tommy says, walking over and bending down for a kiss. "How's the sleepover going?"

"Good. We ordered a couple of pizzas and made chocolate chip cookies. We had fun. I put them down an hour ago, but I have heard some illicit giggles, so I have my doubts sleep is actually happening."

Tommy grins. "Illicit giggles, huh?"

"The hallmark of having a little girl who's having a sleepover with her older cousin," Evan says with a little laugh. "They're having fun together."

"I'll go check before I hop in the shower."

"Okay. Shift go okay?"

"Uneventful," Tommy answers, taking his own hand and pushing Evan's glasses up his nose before he has a chance. He has a sudden rush of glee when Evan actually blushes. Even after these years together, he can still make him do that every once in a while and Tommy loves it.

Evan pulls him down for another kiss. "Go check on the girls. I'll heat up some pizza for you when you get out of the shower."

"Thank you, baby."

Tommy makes his way to Alex's room and shakes his head fondly when he does, in fact, hear giggles coming from the darkened room, though he sees a faint light coming from the cracked door.

"Girls," he says warningly, pushing the door further open. "You're supposed to be asleep."

"Daddy!" Four-year-old Alex squeals, rushing off her bed and towards him like a little blonde rocket. Tommy catches her under the arms and sets her on his hip. "I missed you!"

"I missed you, too, my munchkin," Tommy says, smacking a kiss onto her cheek. "Hi, Jee..." but he stops, because something seems different about her and he can't quite place it until she says,

"Isn't it cute, Uncle Tommy?" She has a wide grin on her face and that's when Tommy sees that she's cute a large chunk of hair off in the front, like she was trying to give herself bangs.

"Um, yeah, sweetheart. Evan! You might want to get in here!"

Evan's there in a flash, like any father of a small child would when your spouse yells for you, sounding slightly panicked.

"What...what's wrong?"

"Look at your niece," Tommy says gently and Evan notices it faster than Tommy did because he groans.

"Jee!"

She giggles. "What, Uncle Buck, you don't like it?"

Evan sighs, pinches the bridge of his nose. "Sure sweetie, but your parents are going to kill us."

"Well, I wasn't going to tell them it was your idea," Jee says sassily and Evan narrows his eyes at her. Tommy surreptitiously looks over their daughter, who is watching with rapt attention and is relieved to see she has come out with her hair intact.

"Where are the scissors, Jee?" Tommy asks, holding a hand out. She takes them from the top of Alex's bed and hands them over.

"I'm sorry, Uncle Buck and Uncle Tommy," Jee says quietly.

Evan softens as he takes the scissors from Tommy. "We'll talk about it with your mom and dad, okay? If you'd wanted a haircut, any of us would have taken you."

Jee sighs. "I just wanted to see what it would look like."

"I know." Evan sits next to her and pulls her into a hug. "Come on, girls. Get into bed. Time for sleep, understand?"

"Yes, dad," Alex says as Jee answers, "Yes, Uncle Buck," and Evan sighs. Tommy can see he's fighting valiantly to keep from smiling.

They settle the girls in side-by-side with fresh goodnight kisses and Tommy follows Evan back out into the living room. They plop down on the couch and that's when Evan loses it.

Tommy watches him fondly as he bends over in quiet laughter.

"Oh," Evan says quietly, wiping a tear off the corner of his eye.

"She's a Buckley, all right."

"Yeah? You or Maddie?"

"Oh, both," Evan says with a shake of his head. "Maddie cut her own hair all the time."

"Sounds right," Tommy says with a laugh. "You were very good with her though. Very fatherly."

Evan tilts his head in that way that tells Tommy he's going to be a little flirt. "Yeah? I've been practicing."

Tommy leans forward for a kiss. "You're really good at it," he says again, sincerely, because he is. That had been a big thing for Evan when they'd decided to have kids; Evan was sure he'd be awful at it but his parental instincts have always been on point, parenting his own daughter over the last four years have just honed them.

Evan's face turns bashful. "Really?"

"Really."

Evan snuggles against him for a few minutes, then Tommy's stomach rumbles and Evan snorts a laugh. "Come on. I'll heat up that pizza for you and then join you in the shower."

"Sounds perfect to me."

Chapter Text

"There you go, baby," Tommy says, pushing the plate of apple slices and peanut butter over to Alex at the dining room table.

"Thanks, daddy," she says cheerfully. He turns his back to get her a glass of juice when she lets out a little shriek.

"Daddy!"

"What?!" Tommy already has his phone in hand, ready to call 9-1-1. Then he remembers he's a first responder and doesn't know if that actually helps him feel any better.

"The tooth finally came out!" She says, showing him the apple slice, which, sure enough, has one of her tiny front teeth embedded in it.

"Nice," he commends, taking the slice from her. He knows he's going to have to tell his husband, who will get teary-eyed that their daughter is continuing to grow up. "Looks like someone's getting a visit from the tooth fairy tonight."

"Ooh, think she'll put a cool fifty under my pillow?"

"Fifty-Alexandra Kinard, have you lost your mind? Tooth fairies don't carry that much, come on now," he says, going around the dining room table and scooping her up, flipping her upside down and back up again, lamenting that, at 6, she's almost getting too big for that.

She giggles, wiggling in his arms as she wraps hers around his neck. "Worth a try."

"I'll try to negotiate," Tommy says, setting her down. "Finish your snack. I'm gonna text your dad, tell him your news."

"Ooh, remind him that he promised to watch that documentary about ant colonies for school with me tonight!"

"I will," Tommy says, but he knows Evan would never forget.

He was right about Evan's reaction. The text he sends is full of sad-face emojis.

Noooo, she's not old enough. 🥺🥺😭😭

She's six, baby. We knew this was coming, it's been loose for ages.

What should the tooth fairy give her? Twenty bucks? A pony?

Okay, first of all, I'd like to see you put a pony under her pillow. Second, she asked for $50.

On it.

NO, Evan! I'm thinking $2.

Fine. That sounds perfectly reasonable.

Evan Kinard, Tommy types as fast as he can. There better not be a pony in her bedroom in the morning.

...

I make no promises. Gotta go, love you, bye!

EVAN!

Chapter Text

Tommy stares down at the little person in his arms, runs a light finger down her cheek, and marvels at this little person they made with the help of their surrogate.

Evan comes into the room with a bottle and stops, blinking slowly.

“Hey,” Tommy prompts. “You okay?”

Evan shakes his head. “Yeah, I just…you two are so gorgeous,” he says softly. “I had a husband, which wow, okay? And now I have this daughter that I get to raise with said husband. It’s a little…”

“Crazy?” Tommy supplies with a grin and Evan smiles back.

“A little bit,” Evan admits. “But in a good way. If you told 26-year-old me that I’d be 35, married and a parent, I would have you committed.”

Tommy laughs just as there’s a knock on the door.

“Oh, they’re here,” Evan says. He hands the bottle to Tommy. “It’s too bad she wouldn’t eat earlier. No one will be able to hold her until she’s finished.”

“It’s okay.” Tommy looks down at her little face sucking on the nipple of the bottle. “They’ll be happy to wait.”

Evan’s grin is soft as he watches them and there’s another knock on the door.

“Right! I’ll go let everyone in,” Evan says. He leans down and kisses Tommy gently, then Alex’s forehead.

They’d decided to wait until they got home with her before introducing her to everyone. The only people who have met her so far are Maddie and Eddie and though they’d felt bad making everyone else wait, they’d wanted to make sure their surrogate, Ashley, was comfortable and Alex was out of the hospital before introducing her to the rest of the 118 family, as well as Lucy Donato, who has been a fixture in helping Tommy feel better about the prospect of raising a girl when his nerves got to be too much.

The first one in the living room is Maddie, who holds her hands to her chest and coos. “Hi little niece,” she says and Tommy grins as she bends down to give the baby a kiss on the cheek. “It’s Auntie Maddie. You’re just as gorgeous as you were a few days ago.”

“Isn’t she?” Evan says, trailing behind the rest of the group as they make their way into the living room. Like he always does when the whole group is together, Tommy is glad they bought a bigger house before they got married, if only to fit everyone inside it.

“She’s really beautiful,” Lucy says, coming and wrapping her arm around Tommy’s shoulders, squeezing him in a gentle side hug.

“My goodness,” Bobby says, holding Athena’s hand. “You guys are very lucky. I’m proud of you.”

Tommy looks at Evan, who looks like he might cry.

“Thank you, Bobby,” Evan says and glances at the bottle Alex is still working on. “She’s almost done eating. Does anyone want to burp her?”

“I will!” Hen and Karen both say at the same time. Everyone laughs and Hen and Karen do a quick round of rock, paper, scissors, with Hen winning.

“Yes!” she cheers and Karen nudges her with an elbow good-naturedly.

“Have you guys gotten much sleep?” Chimney asks knowingly and Tommy snorts.

“What do you think?”

Chimney grins. “Sounds right for a Buckley-Kinard baby.”

“I know right?” Evan says. They’d done a mix of both of their sperm for the surrogacy so they don’t know for sure who the biological father is, not that either of them cares. That was the whole point anyway, though Tommy can’t help but think he sees Evan in her, around the eyes. He wonders if Evan thinks the same.

Alex finishes her bottle and Tommy kisses her head and passes her off to Hen, giving her a little burp cloth to put over her shoulder.

“Oh hello, sweet girl,” Hen coos as she begins burping her. Karen runs her fingers over the sparse hair on Alex’s head and smiles when she lets out a little burp.

“Ah, burping should not be so cute,” she says with a laugh.

“Everything about her is cute,” Evan says dreamily.

“Even two am diaper changes?” Eddie asks, amused.

“Yes, even those,” Evan insists and Tommy grins at him. As Alex finishes her burping, she’s gently passed around their family, and Evan settles next to Tommy on the couch, a hand on Tommy’s thigh. They listen to everyone coo over her and Tommy looks at his husband, marvels at this man he’s still building a life with over and over again.

Evan notices him staring and looks at him, eyes glinting with amusement and affection. “What?”

“I just really love you, Evan Kinard. Thank you for doing this with me,” he answers. He cups his face and kisses him softly and no one notices the PDA because everyone is still enamored with Alex, as they should be honestly.

“I love you too,” Evan says. “Thank you. I still can’t believe it’s real.”

“Me neither,” Tommy admits. “Want to spend the rest of our lives staring at how real it is in the face?”

Evan’s grin is incandescent. “Oh yeah. Everything with you, you know that."

Tommy does know that. He's about to kiss his husband again when a familiar cry rings out and Evan gets up to take her from Lucy.

"I didn't do it!" Lucy says, a little panicked, and Tommy can't help but laugh at his normally calm, capable friend being afraid of a tiny baby.

"She's a newborn," Maddie says knowingly. "It happens."

Tommy watches Evan cradle their little girl in his arms, swaying back and forth and cooing at her.

Eddie plops down beside him on the couch. "Your face looks ridiculous right now."

Tommy snorts. "I'm sure it does. Can you blame me?"

"Not at all." Eddie looks toward Evan and Alex, the latter having calmed down to gentle baby noises.

"All right, Buck," Eddie says, standing up again. "My turn. Hand her over."

Evan does, and then he turns to the group. "Hey, Tommy and I want to thank you for everything. You guys have kept us sane during this whole process and we really appreciate it."

"Of course, Buck," Bobby says. "We're all here when you need us."

Evan smiles, walks over, and takes the hand Tommy's holding out for him. "We know."