Chapter Text
Eddie had dropped Christopher off at Bucks, nothing out of the ordinary for them. But it was different this time. He knew Buck's job was important to him, and how it was destroying him not being able to do it. But he also knew that Chris was just as important to him. If anyone was gonna get him out of that apartment right now, it would be Christopher.
He just hoped whatever Christopher suggested was far away from the raging tsunami flooding the pier.
The sun was setting now, and Eddie had just gotten done helping a couple, who were in the midst of a divorce, get down from the ferris wheel.
The team arrived at the triage center and checked in all the victims, and were now preparing to go back out into the water. He couldn’t help but overhear a couple of people talking about a man who was still rescuing tons of people, despite being injured and having a kid with him. He laughed to himself, that sounds like something Buck would've done.
Then Bobby called them all back over and they set out into the water again. Something told Eddie this was going to be a very long day.
Eddie wasn’t quite sure how it happened, or even when it happened. All he remembers is the water suddenly receding, very fast. He was yanked from the lifeboat the 118 and he were in, Bobby shouting his name and hands grappling at him. But the water proved to be more determined and much stronger than them.
Water splashing against his face is what woke him up. As his eyesight grew clear and the ringing in his ears stopped, he realized he was at the parking area right next to the pier, due to the massive pole with a “D-16” on it. Okay, so he was pretty much smack in the center of the parking lot. He also realized that he was on the roof of a building, attached to other buildings and surrounded by debris. This day just got so much longer.
Eddie slowly sat upright, and tried his radio. It crackled for a moment before Bobby's voice came through, though it was hardly audible. “Diaz— Come through-!”
A huge wave of relief came over him, at least he still had contact with his team. He went to grab his radio and felt a huge dent in it. He looked down at it, and it was practically split in half. It was a miracle the thing still worked!
“I'm good, Cap. Alive.” Eddie said, a little out of breath. His eyes narrowed as the sun hit them when he tried to look around the area for more landmarks. “I'm at the parking lot for the pier-“ He spotted something yellow in the corner of his eye.
He turned his head to get a better look at it, it was a car. It was lodged in between two buildings and the horn began going off- as if it saw him look over at it. It wasn't too far from him. He could just walk on the roof and get over to it.
The car was a 1978 Camaro, with two black stripes running down the top of it. Weird, that looks like Bucks car he got not too long ago-
Wait.
It is his car.
Eddie spotted the little dinosaur keychain dangling from the rear view mirror once it caught the sun's light. Christopher had given it to Buck shortly after he got the car, saying “he” would like it, referring to the car more than Buck.
Bobby was asking him for landmarks, but Eddie couldn’t hear him anymore. All he could hear was his inner voice repeatedly asking- why is it here, and his heart beating so loud that you could hear it over the waves crashing nearby. He stood up quickly, having to grab a hold of one of the railings as he got his bearings.
Eddie stumbled over to the doorway into the building and found the stairs. As he made his way down all he could think about was Buck and Chris getting caught up in all of this, and if they were okay. He nearly tripped as his thoughts flooded his brain like the pier was.
He pushed his way outside and hurried over to the car. He wasn't sure why he didn’t just tell Bobby that Buck and Christopher were there in the first place. Maybe he was just trying to make sure that this was Buck's car, and not some freaky duplicate. He’d much rather that be true over them actually being here, though.
As he approached his fears were only confirmed. This was definitely Buck's car. His hand landed on the hood, just above the headlight. He felt woozy with all the possibilities of what could’ve happened to them. What if they were completely lost? What if one of them got too injured to move? What if they weren't even there and he was worried for nothing? What if they were-
Suddenly, Eddie thought he was dreaming at this point, the car began to move. Not forwards, or backwards. No, the car started disassembling in front of him- but also reassembling?
Eddie watched as this car started transforming into some huge robot. He stumbled back as the smaller pieces on it fell into place, and the doors on its back bounced into place- almost like wings. The robot- alien? transformer? that didn’t matter- Bucks car is not just a car!
The transformer turned around to face him, and got on one knee swiftly to be on his level. They looked at each other for a moment, its blue robotic eyes that contrasted its yellow and gray color scheme. Suddenly it spoke- wait, he speaks?! Eddie was certain he was dreaming now.
“We need to find them,” He said, leaning a little closer.
Eddie just stared at him for a moment. He only realized when the bot snapped at him, like he knew Eddie was stuck in his mind and was trying to get him to focus. “Uh- yes. Yes we do— what the fuck..” He whispered that last part.
“No time for gawking, hurry up!” He said, quickly transforming back into that yellow camaro with the black stripes. Eddie didn’t move at first, honestly? He couldn’t. He learns his son and his best friend are caught in a tsunami, because his car- that's a robot- is there. Did he mention that the car is a robot too? “Let’s go Diaz!” The car said, opening and closing the driver's side door a couple of times.
“I'm going!” Eddie said, rushing to get into the car. He got into the driver's seat, getting ready to drive. But suddenly the car sped off by itself, it was driving entirely by itself. Eddie pinched his arm, how is this not a dream? And how does the car know his last name?!
“Okay, what the hell? What are you?” Eddie finally spoke after they drove around for a minute.
“I'm Cybertronian. Names Bumblebee, courtesy of your friend.”
Of course Buck would’ve named him Bumblebee.
As the night started to fall over them, Eddie only grew more concerned. They had been looking for a while, Eddie had gone to every triage center he could find, but there was nothing. But, he would stay out here all night if he had too.
Then he remembered his radio. He definitely needed to tell Bobby about Buck and Chris being somewhere in this chaos. But when he reached for his radio, he only felt one half of it. The thing must have broken fully when he was making his way downstairs, how did he not notice?
Yeah, this night was never going to end.