Chapter Text
Chapter 1
Alone in her loft, as she had been since the court proceedings, Buck sighed deeply, surprised at how much she missed the people she still saw regularly. The lively banter with Chim and Hen felt like a distant memory, a hollow echo of laughter. There were no shared breakfasts with Bobby, no cozy game nights at Eddie's place anymore. But what hurt the most was the absence of Christopher. His father had made it painfully clear that she was no longer welcome in their lives. Eddie was now dating Ana, Christopher’s former teacher, and the night she and Eddie had shared felt like a fleeting dream from another world—a world she longed to return to.
Night after night, alone in the darkness of her room, Buck replayed memories of Eddie, saw his face, felt his gentle touch linger like a whisper against her skin. But come morning, her shift would start with an Eddie she barely recognized, an Eddie who ignored her, just like the rest of the team, no matter how often she apologized. Now, standing by the bed they had once shared, bitter tears stung her eyes. The sight of this room in the harsh daylight felt like a betrayal, illuminating all the shadows of her past. At night, she could imagine sweet memories returning, but the daylight shattered those illusions like glass.
Suddenly, a wave of dizziness hit her at the top of the stairs. Panic flared within her as she tried to turn back, but her balance slipped away. Seconds later, she tumbled down the steps, feeling the world spin out of control.
With a painful thud, she landed on the floor. A sharp pain shot through her shoulder, and as the world blurred around her, the last thing she saw was the faint light from the ceiling lamp flickering like a distant star, a fragile beacon of hope.
When she regained consciousness, Buck found herself still sprawled on the cold floor. The pain in her shoulder was unbearable, a relentless throbbing that echoed in her skull. She struggled to get to her feet, whispering to herself, “I need to get to the hospital.” Half-dazed yet determined, she realized there was no one she could call for help. Her sister Maddie might have been an option, but Buck didn’t want to disturb her. Since Doug died, her sister seemed years younger and hopeful again, like a flower blooming after a long winter. Buck couldn’t bear the thought of ruining that for her; she didn’t dare tell Maddie how isolated she truly felt. Finally, Maddie had found happiness with Chimney, and Buck was genuinely happy for her.
Steeling herself, she made her way to the door and climbed into her car, the engine rumbling to life as she fought back tears.
The journey to the hospital was a torment. Every pothole felt like a new assault on her shoulder, each bump tearing her apart anew. But she held on, gripping the steering wheel until her knuckles turned white. As the city passed by in a blur, she thought about her future—about how everything was about to change. Would she be able to handle it? The weight of uncertainty sat heavily in her chest.
Once there, she staggered out and pressed her hand tightly against her shoulder, trying to ease the pain somewhat. At the reception, a nurse with blonde braids and a friendly smile approached. “Hello, are you alright?” she asked, her brow furrowing with concern.
“I fell down the stairs and have severe pain in my shoulder,” Buck replied, her voice shaky. Now that she was finally in the hospital, the adrenaline that had been pumping through her veins since the fall began to fade, leaving her utterly exhausted. But as a first responder, she knew how crucial it was to provide complete information to the nurses and doctors. “I was going down the stairs when I felt dizzy. I fell and think I lost consciousness, but I don’t know for how long. I’ve been on blood thinners for a few weeks because I had a pulmonary embolism.”
The nurse, introducing herself as Melanie, immediately grew serious. She called a colleague for help, and together, they gently supported Buck on her uninjured side. “We’ll take you straight to an examination room,” Melanie said reassuringly, her grip firm yet comforting. A few minutes later, Buck was lying on a cot, waiting for the doctor. Given her history and loss of consciousness, she was treated with priority to rule out any neurological issues, such as a brain hemorrhage or concussion. Melanie wanted to inform Buck's emergency contact, but she just barely prevented that. She didn’t want Bobby to have another reason to insist that she couldn’t work. But the bigger reason was that Buck was scared. Scared of his reaction. She didn’t know if she could survive if he ignored her again, even in this situation.
A tall man with dark hair entered. “I’m Dr. Martinez, and I’ll be taking care of you,” he said calmly, his voice soothing. “Can you explain the incident in more detail?” As Buck described the fall, she could see the focus in his eyes as he took notes. “We’ll need to run some tests to determine the cause of the dizziness. I’ll order a CT scan and a blood test. Can you tell me if there’s a possibility you might be pregnant?”
Surprised, Buck paused, her heart racing. “I… I don’t know. My period has been absent for a while.” Uncertainty bubbled within her. If it were true, the child would be Eddie’s. This thought brought a small smile to her face, but it quickly faded, swallowed by reality. Eddie’s baby, Eddie who didn’t talk to her and wanted nothing to do with Buck. Eddie, who was dating Ana. She took a deep breath; she shouldn’t be thinking about this now. Her period had never been very regular, and the probability that she was pregnant was infinitesimal. After all, Eddie and she had only had sex once.
Dr. Martinez took notes, his expression calm yet serious. “We’ll do a urine test to be safe. Melanie will bring you a cup shortly. But now let me take a look at your shoulder.” His hands gently palpated her before he stepped back. “That does indeed look like a dislocated shoulder. We’ll need to put it back in place. You’ll get something for the pain, and then we’ll pop the joint back in. Since you might be pregnant, we can only give you paracetamol.” Dazed, she nodded and swallowed the tablets that were handed to her, her heart pounding in her chest. “We’ll give the medication a moment to take effect before we start working. Try to relax – it’ll be over soon, then the pain will subside, and we’ll take care of the rest.”
Buck lay back on the examination table with the help of a nurse, her hand gripping the thin sheet tightly as a dull pain pulsed through her shoulder. Dr. Martinez stood beside her, his gaze steady and serious.
“Ms. Buckely, I will be putting your shoulder back in place shortly,” he said calmly, “it will be uncomfortable, but it’s important that you relax as much as you can.”
She nodded, although she knew that was easier said than done. The pain that radiated through her arm seemed to make her heart race faster. She took a deep breath and tried to calm her nerves, but the thought of what was to come only made her body tenser.
After Dr. Martinez had reset Buck's shoulder, she lay on the cot for a moment longer, breathing slowly and trying to ignore the aftershocks of the pain. The initial sharp pain was now a dull throb that radiated through her arm, but at least it was bearable.
“Good job,” said Dr. Martinez with an encouraging smile, gently patting the bed beside her. “But we’re not quite done yet. We still need to run a few tests to clarify everything.”
“Before we proceed with the blood draw, I want to send you to radiology first, Buck. Just to be safe – with your fall, you might have sustained a minor head injury. A CT scan will give us clear answers.”
Buck nodded, half exhausted and half relieved that the worst should be behind her. The blonde nurse returned to her side, holding a folder with Buck's documents.
Melanie led Buck down the hall to the radiology area. The sterile, white walls and the calm atmosphere of the corridor had a soothing effect as they silently passed a window toward the CT room. Buck felt as if she were moving on autopilot as she followed the nurse. Her head felt like it was filled with cotton, and one thought was circling in it. A baby. Buck didn’t know if she even wanted a child. Until now, she had never thought about such things. Her own childhood was not something she liked to remember. The only nice memories from that time were of Maddie, and then her sister had left her alone, leaving her in the big house with their parents. The parents she rarely saw. Except for dinner. She might as well have been living with two strangers.
Upon arriving in the CT room, she met another doctor, who briefly introduced himself and led Buck into the large, cool room with the CT machine.
“Alright, Buck,” he explained as he helped her lie down on the cot. “For the CT scan, you must not move. You will hear a soft humming sound shortly, but that’s completely normal. We only need a few minutes, and then you can come right back out.”
Buck closed her eyes and took a deep breath as the cot slowly slid into the machine. The gentle humming filled the room, and she tried to think of something other than her possible baby – something that could distract her from the suffocating visions of herself as a single mother in the CT machine. She briefly closed her eyes and tried not to think about anything.
A few minutes later, the cot slid back out, and the doctor approached her with a smile. “Well done, Buck. I’ll evaluate the images immediately and inform Dr. Martinez. You can go back to the emergency room; the nurse will take you directly there.”
Back with Dr. Martinez, Buck could feel the relief wash over her as the doctor smiled at her. “The CT scans look good, no signs of a head injury. That’s good news,” he said, reaching for the clipboard. “Now we can proceed with the blood draw.”
The nurse, who now seemed familiar to Buck, stepped back to her side with the folder containing her file. She nodded reassuringly and explained the next step before she gently started working on Buck's arm. “I’m sorry we’re taking so much of your time today,” she said with a smile, preparing a needle for the blood draw. “But Dr. Martinez wants to make sure you’re truly okay, especially in case you really are pregnant.”
With a grateful nod, Buck let the procedure happen silently. The prick of the needle was hardly noticeable – unlike the thoughts that were now swirling inside her.
“And don’t worry, Dr. Martinez will explain all the results to you shortly.”
“It’s fine,” Buck replied, trying to relax. She took a deep breath as the needle slipped into her arm, letting the procedure happen silently. Her thoughts were still elsewhere – with the child that might be growing inside her, with Eddie and the confusing feelings that the situation brought. She closed her eyes and tried to release the tension while the nurse took the blood sample and carefully filled it into a small tube labeled with her name.
“All done,” the nurse finally announced, pulling out the needle and gently pressing a cotton ball to the small wound. “I’ll take this straight to the lab. Dr. Martinez will be with you in a few minutes.”
Shortly after, Dr. Martinez entered the room again, the familiar clipboard in hand and a warm, reassuring smile on his face. “We’ll now look at your shoulder ultrasound. I want to ensure there are no additional injuries we haven’t detected yet. The good news is that the repositioning of your shoulder went well.”
Buck nodded, grateful for his calm, confident demeanor, which made her feel like she was in good hands. She lay back on the cot, and the nurse approached her side with the ultrasound machine. A cooling gel was applied to her painful shoulder, and she flinched slightly as the transducer glided over her skin.
“Now please hold still, Buck; I want to examine the structures closely,” said Dr. Martinez as he focused intently on the monitor.
Buck tried to keep her eyes on the ceiling above her and endure the silence in the room. After a few tense minutes, Dr. Martinez set the device aside and turned back to her.
“Everything looks good, Buck,” he finally said with a smile. “No tears, no fractures – the shoulder is stable, and we expect it to heal well. However, I will give you a sling for your shoulder for the next few weeks to support the healing process.”
Buck breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Doc,” she murmured, but she felt the tension slowly dissipating. Finally, the medical part was behind her, and she could relax for a moment.
Dr. Martinez gently tapped Buck's file as he skimmed through the blood test results again. “Well, Buck,” he finally said, “now that we know you’re pregnant, I want you to stop by the gynecology department. The colleagues there will perform some additional tests to ensure that you and the baby are doing well.”
Buck's heart raced, and a shiver of uncertainty ran through her. She was still processing the news, but she nodded and forced a weak smile. “Okay,” she murmured, “thank you, Dr. Martinez.”
Another nurse with kind eyes and dark brown hair entered the room and smiled reassuringly at Buck. “I’ll accompany you to the gynecology department,” she said, gently pushing the wheelchair closer to Buck's bed. “It’s all alright; we do this every day. You’re in good hands.”
Buck slid into the wheelchair and silently followed the nurse through the corridors. Everything suddenly felt so real – the long, quiet halls of the hospital, the clicking of shoes on the floor, the muffled voices of the staff. Soon, a door opened to another examination room that felt cozier. Soft, warm light and images of peaceful beach scenes decorated the walls.
Shortly after, a doctor entered, introducing herself as Dr. Keller. She had a calming presence and a friendly, open smile. “Hello, Buck,” she began in a gentle voice, “I have your results, and I just want to conduct a few routine examinations. This is completely normal and serves to ensure that both of you are well taken care of.”
Buck nodded, trying to suppress her nervousness. She lay down on the examination table, and Dr. Keller began asking her questions as she prepared various instruments. “Have you noticed any specific symptoms in the past few weeks?”
“I… I didn’t even know,” Buck admitted quietly as she stared at the monitor beside her, which would soon show the first image of her child. “I hadn’t felt nauseous or dizzy – well, until I fell.”
Dr. Keller nodded understandingly and then pulled the ultrasound cart closer. “That’s not so unusual,” she said gently. “Many women don’t notice the signs until later. Now, let’s see how the little one is doing.”
She applied the cold gel to Buck's abdomen and carefully moved the transducer over it. Suddenly, a tiny dot appeared on the monitor, and Dr. Keller smiled.
“Do you see that? There’s your baby. I would say you’re about eight weeks along,” she said softly, pointing at the screen. “It’s still very small, but everything looks good. The heartbeat is stable, and it’s developing normally.”
Buck stared at the screen, unable to look away. She had seen a lot in her life, but this… was different. An overwhelming feeling of protection and love washed over her, and she blinked against the tears that were gathering in her eyes.
“Wait, what?” Dr. Keller adjusted the transducer slightly, and Buck's heart raced. “There’s another one…” Dr. Keller continued, her voice filled with warmth. “You’re pregnant with twins.”
Buck gasped, her hand instinctively covering her mouth. “Oh my God…” The reality sank in, and tears streamed down her cheeks. “I can’t believe this.”
Dr. Keller smiled, her eyes sparkling with compassion. “It’s quite a surprise, isn’t it? Both babies are healthy, and you’re going to be an amazing mother.”
The weight of the news settled in Buck's heart, and she felt a mix of joy and fear. Two lives growing inside her. “How am I supposed to manage all of this?” she thought, overwhelmed yet elated. The enormity of motherhood loomed before her, a duality of excitement and apprehension.
Dr. Keller gently handed her a tissue and smiled. “Moments like this are something truly special. When you’re ready, we can discuss a few things about your future care.”
Buck nodded, her heart full of new emotions. She was no longer just firefighter Buck. She was now someone responsible for two new lives – lives she hardly knew yet but already meant so much to her.
Later, after her treatment, Buck sat in her car and stared at her phone screen. Her hand trembled as she typed a message to Eddie. It had been a while since they’d spoken, and the nervousness of telling him something so important made her heart race. “Eddie, we need to talk. It’s important.” The minutes dragged painfully until, finally, a reply came.
“Why? We have nothing to talk about.”
Buck felt her heartbeat quicken. It was now or never. She typed back, “It’s about the night a few weeks ago. I just came from the doctor – I’m pregnant with twins.”
A short silence passed before Eddie replied again. “I don’t have time for games, Buck!”
“It’s the truth, Eddie. You know I would never lie to you. I’m pregnant with twins.” The seconds stretched into an eternity as she waited for his response. Finally, it came: “Get rid of it. I don’t want anything to do with this. I already have a kid, and if I start a family, it’ll be with Ana.”
Shock and pain shot through Buck. “You can’t mean that. I know you’re with Ana, but you slept with me. It takes two for a pregnancy. I know you won’t leave Ana, but you’re going to be a father.”
Eddie’s reply hit her like a blow: “Do whatever you want, but this child has nothing to do with me. Who knows who else you’ve slept with?”
Paralysis took over, her thoughts whirling, and the pressure in her chest grew stronger. It was as if she was speaking to a stranger and not her once-best friend. She simply couldn’t believe he was saying this. How could he ask her to terminate their babies? The anger mixed with hurt; it felt like betrayal. She would talk to him tomorrow. With a trembling finger, she traced over the ultrasound picture, her resolve hardening.
She was going to be a mother, and for the sake of her twins, she would fight for their future—no matter what. As she sat in the stillness of her car, Buck realized that this was the beginning of a new chapter in her life. She would embrace it, face the challenges head-on, and make sure her twins had a chance at a happy life, regardless of the obstacles ahead.