Chapter Text
Chapter 1
September 2009
Eddie and Shannon
"Diaz, walk me to class?" Shannon asks leaning back against is locker.
"Tch, when are you going to quit it with the Diaz, Shan?" Eddie holds out an arm for her to grab on to.
She smiles and links her arm through his. "You let your boys call you Diaz, why am I not allowed to?"
"The 'boys' are my teammates and it's not even baseball season, so-"
"-So I should be able to call you that." Shannon smiles, but her face turns serious for a second. "If it really is bothering you, I'll stop, I just-"
"Like to be a little annoying?" Eddie asks smirking at her.
"Maybe just a little bit." She kisses him on the cheek. "Thanks for walking me to class, babe. Is babe better?"
Eddie shakes his head. "Have fun in calc Shan."
October 2009
Eddie and Shannon
Shannon's arms come up and rest on Eddie's shoulders. His arms around her waist. Gently swaying back and forth to the music. "Can you believe that we lost against the Stallions? They have the worst football team in the county."
Eddie snorts. "You were the one who insisted we watch the homecoming game. I gave you several alternative options."
She bumps his chin with her head lightly. "Listen, I had to support my girls! Lisa finally nailed her back handspring. Which was honestly more impressive than whatever Rich was doing on the field."
The song changes from slow to fast. I Got a Feeling blasting through the speakers. Eddie spins Shannon around. "Oh I need to go and dance with my girls."
Eddie watches as she meets up with Lisa and her friends singing loudly at the top of her lungs "Tonight's gonna be a good good night." Shannon shoots him a smirk and blows him a kiss.
Eddie couldn't help but smile back as he felt a clap on his shoulder. He turns and smiles at Glenn. "Listen Diaz, we cannot let our senior year season be nearly as bad as football's going."
"Oh absolutely not."
November 2009
Buck
Maddie didn't give Evan another option. Not after he crashed his motorcycle and she turned him away. Maybe if Evan is able to explain things to his parents, they'll understand.
"You do dangerous things without giving them a second thought. You think you're indestructible, but you're not!" Margaret shrieks. "People die. Children die!"
Evan is sitting on the couch. Both of his parents standing on the opposite side of the coffee table. Glaring down at him. Not that it's much different than how they usually look at him. If they look at him at all.
"Margaret..." Philip warns.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Evan asks. He's still here, breathing, in front of them alive. Here they are looking at him, seeing him. Talking to him.
"It means the world is an uncertain place, Evan, and you have to protect yourself."
"What were you even doing in that part of town? Why weren't you in class?"
"Dropped out of college."
"What about the money we gave you?" Phillip asks much more calmly than his wife who is shaking. He wraps an arm around her.
"Don't worry Dad. That was money well spent." Evan stands suddenly. "I don't have to listen to this. I'm an adult." He thought that this would be different. Like how it was when they pretended to care when he was younger. It's easy to recognize now that they never actually cared.
"If you walk out that door Evan Buckley-"
He doesn't hear the rest of whatever ultimatum is about to come out of his mother's mouth.
He runs outside, done with whatever else they have to say. He sees his sister parked out front. She'll know what to do. Maddie cares. She's willing to listen. They're going to runaway together. Make a new life, just the two of them. Or at least he thinks. Until she's giving him the Jeep and a letter.
Dear Evan, I'm sorry to tell you this way, but I can't leave with you. For one crazy minute, I really thought I could do it. But then reality set in and I realized that my life is here. But yours isn't. It's still ahead of you, and I want you to find it. Find the thing that makes you happy. The people that make you feel loved. This is your time now, Evan. Go find your place in the world and never look back.
Who needs family anyway?
December 2009
Eddie and Shannon
Shannon locks eyes with Eddie across several of the pews and sends him a small smirk. He shakes his head and goes back to paying attention to the Midnight Mass service.
Adriana shoots him a look, showing that she knows exactly who he was looking at. She goes to open her mouth, but he shakes his head at her. Her mouth snaps shut, but he can already tell that she's not going to let this go.
After the service Abuela comes over and links arms with him. "So, Eddito, a little bird told me your girlfriend is here?"
"What, girlfriend? I don't have a girlfriend!" Neither he nor Shannon even broached the idea of sharing their relationship with their families.
"Come now, I flew all the way from LA. Who knows if I will have a chance to meet her another time. Introduce us." Isabel Diaz is a woman who is used to getting what she wants and today won't be any different.
Eddie looks around and finds Shannon standing a ways away from her family as her mom and aunt are making small talk with another family. "Okay Abuela. But please don't tell mom and papi. I haven't told them yet."
"Of course, Eddito. I can be very discreet." She claps her hand over his elbow that is guiding her. She lowers her voice and whispers "She is very pretty."
Eddie's face starts turning red, just as Shannon turns to seem them approaching her. Her brow furrows for a moment, questioning as though why he's approaching her with a family member. His left shoulder goes up in a half shrug, so as not to disturb Isabel. Shannon smooths out her features and her dress as Isabel says, "Hello dear, I am Edmundo's grandmother."
Shannon smiles and takes the hand Isabel offers. "It's nice to meet you. Eddie and I are classmates. We have AP Gov together."
Isabel's eyes take on a small sparkle. "Ah yes, that is why I requested an introduction. Definitely not because you've caught my dear grandson's eye."
"Abuela." Eddie replies sharply. Shooting an apologetic look to Shannon, who is looking like a deer in headlights.
"I just wanted to say, that he's sounded happier on the phone recently and it's nice to meet the reason why." Isabel offers a smile and a look of approval.
"Oh, well, Eddie is great." Shannon tucks a piece of hair behind her ear and offers up a shy smile, unsure what to do with the compliments or the fact an adult approves of their relationship.
"Well, Shannon, it was nice to meet you. I hope to see more of you sometime."
"Ah, thank you Mrs. Diaz. Eddie, I'll see you next week back at school?"
"Of course!" Eddie says as Abuela begins to lead Eddie to different people she 'needs' to greet.
Eddie doesn't know what to think. How did Abuela know that they were together? He thinks and finally comes to the conclusion that Adriana must have given him away. He doesn't know how or when, but he'll get her back for this.
January 2010
Buck
Dear Maddie,
I bet you're surprised to hear from me. I'm done being mad at you.
Mostly. Been bouncing up and down the East Coast for a few months now picking up some odd jobs. Haven't found my place yet, but I've met some cool people. Though no one as cool as you. I miss you.
P.S. I'm sending these to the hospital 'cause I don't trust Doug not to toss them in the trash. Have you left him yet?
Dear Maddie,
I think I'm more sad that you didn't come with me. Ironic because I'm currently in the Happiest Place on Earth, but I'm sure you could tell that from the card.
Do you remember when I was 7 and I asked why we couldn't go on any fun vacations like the rest of the kids in my class seemed to?
You seemed to take that as a challenge and we started our Buckley tradition of Movie Mayhem, where we'd build a blanket fort and you'd use your allowance to buy us junk food.
Thanks for all of that.
February 2010
Eddie and Shannon
Eddie picks Shannon up from her house in his dad's blue pick up truck. His mom, at her ladies only book club, and his dad had to fly out to his job this time. When his dad's truck is home, he's allowed to use it to help out with errands or to bring his sisters to school.
He's not supposed to use it to pick up girls. Especially not girls he's dating. But Eddie has a plan. It's been unseasonably warm in El Paso, which usually stays above 40 degrees, but today the high is 70. A perfect day for the picnic basket that Shannon is bringing out.
The picnic was his idea, but Shannon said she wasn't looking to get food poisoning, remembering the last time Eddie cooked. He had planned to just get sandwiches from the deli and call it a day, but Shannon likes to cook.
"Hey, Eds." Shannon smiles, she's wearing a dark purple sundress with a cropped white hoodie over it.
"Hey, Shan." Eddie gives her a kiss on the cheek as she hops in the truck.
"You look nice." Shannon winks at him, appreciating the burgundy sweater he's wearing.
"You look beautiful as always." Eddie's fingers begin to drum on the steering wheel as they drive out to the lake where they first met. It's the off season, so it should be devoid of most people and they should be able to park themselves up and relax.
The sun is setting as they curl up on the blankets that Eddie laid out in the truck bed. Shannon pulls out some tamales. "I know they'll never be as good as your Abuela's, but I wanted to make something memorable. It is our six month anniversary after all."
"You're amazing." Eddie smiles at her wide and open. He thinks about that hot sticky night in August at the lake bonfire to signify the start of school. They were playing truth or dare and well, Shannon picked dare and was dared to sit in the lap of her crush if they were playing. She blushed, but stood up and boldly sat on Eddie's lap.
It was Eddie's next turn where he was dared to kiss her, after that they decided to leave the game and go talk. That talk ended up with them dating.
Shannon keeps up the conversation for the most part. Asking Eddie questions or input in different scenarios, but mostly he's content to just listen to her. She's just so beautiful.
"I think you might be my best friend." Eddie says at a lull in the conversation.
"I'm your girlfriend." Shannon laughs.
"Well, yeah, but even before that. You've never asked me to be someone I'm not, you've just been there, to listen to me, to talk to me. You don't expect me to be the perfect son or short stop or straight A student. You make it so I can just be Eddie. I hope I make it so that you can just be Shannon."
Shannon is at a loss for words. She looks at him looking at her and she does. She does feel like she can be just Shannon. She doesn't need to worry about her mom, she doesn't need to feel the loss of her dad walking out on them, she doesn't need to be the track star. She can just be.
Shannon lunges forward and wraps her arms around him tightly. "You do make me feel like that." Eddie squeezes her back.
They lay like that, the sun setting around them. "Come on. Want to help me go grocery shopping? That's my cover for taking the car."
Shannon laughs. "Sure thing Eds."
March 2010
Buck
Dear Maddie,
I finished school!
Bartending school. I'm the coolest mixologist in Virginia Beach. I met this girl who likes to surf and I started learning. I really like the ocean. Maybe it's 'cause I never got to see it as a kid.
When I'm out there, it just feels like there's nothing but possibility. There's no stopping me now.
Dear Maddie,
I think my favorite thing about tending bar is trying to figure out what people like to drink. I also think that it's crazy you can be an underage bar tender.
I think I'm really good at figuring out what people are looking for. After they tell me a little about themselves I can make something and 9/10 they love it.
I'm still working on the other 10%.
April 2010
Eddie and Shannon
Eddie knew going to a party was a bad idea. The loud music and the smell of so many teenagers not wearing deodorant, or worse still, the boys that are masking that fact with an entire bottle of Axe body spray mixed with girls who drenched themselves in Lovespell.
Shannon though, looks stunning in her tight dress, fingerless gloves, and docs. He even let her pick out his outfit. Jeans that he's pretty sure he grew out of considering the effort it was to get them on and a black button down shirt with the top 3 buttons undone. He even let her put some smudged eye liner on his waterline. The theme was dress as anyone else. Here they weren't Eddie and Shannon. They were something new and different.
Pitbull pumping through the speakers as they grind together in Dana Ward's living room. Shannon spins around and plants a kiss right on Eddie's lips. Both of them are more than a little tipsy, someone made a sweet and dangerous jungle juice to keep the party flowing.
"I can't believe we're graduating next month." Eddie says, moving Shannon towards a wall.
Shannon pulls away and takes Eddie's hands to create distance between the two of them. "Can we not talk about that right now?"
Eddie immediately stops feeling the warm fuzziness of a pleasant buzz and instead ice starts to move in his veins. "What's the matter Shan?"
"I didn't want to tell you until after tonight. I wanted us to have a nice time."
"Tell me what?" Eddie pulls Shannon into the kitchen where there's less people and the bass isn't as overwhelming. He reaches out and tucks a piece of hair behind her ear. Softer he says, "tell me what?"
"Aunt Mary got a job in LA. She thinks we should go with her."
"But I thought we were going to go to the university? You know stay local? For at least the first few years. I thought you accepted, same as me?"
"I did Eds. I did." Shannon places a hand on Eddie's face. "And I am, but this summer. I need to help them move to LA, so I'll be gone some of June and most of July. But then, in August, I'll be back and I'll have a dorm room." She gives him a suggestive eyebrow wiggle. "And we can call, and text, and Skype."
Eddie rests his forehead on Shannon's shoulder for a moment. He's not sure how to explain all of the emotions he's feeling, so he decides to process his emotions at a later time. He pulls off her shoulder and holds his hand out for her to grab. "That sounds like something to deal with when we're back to ourselves tomorrow. Today, let's just dance."
Shannon smiles. "Let's dance!"
May 2010
Eddie and Shannon
"I'm so proud of you." Shannon grabs Eddie's side and squishes him toward her.
"What do you mean? We lost." Eddie sighs. He's not going to make a big deal out of losing. He can handle it. They were just outplayed.
"You lost at state finals. You have a baseball scholarship. We're going to be in college together next year and you're gonna play on the team. And all the other guys will be jealous of your hot girlfriend." Shannon hips checks him a little, trying to get a smile.
"That last part is true. Anyway, it's a college team, I'll be lucky to make second string. At least definitely not in year one." He sighs, it's hard to imagine that this is his last time playing with some of the guys he's played with since his t-ball days. "Not long now. A few weeks until graduation. A month until-" he stops before he can finish it with you're gone.
"And then 3 months until we start college. Me, a marketing major." Shannon says trying to look on the brighter side.
"Me, still undeclared." Eddie mutters.
"For now, you have so much ahead of you Eddie." Shannon squeezes his hand in hers. "And we're still here. Still together. And even when we're apart, we'll still be talking."
Eddie smiles slightly. "Yeah. You're right. I just need to keep looking on the bright side of things."
June 2010
Buck
Hey Mads,
Tourist season is really picking up here at the beach. We're getting busier and busier.
I'm still seeing this girl. It's nothing serious, or well she's really into keeping things casual, so I'm cool to keep it lowkey. You know me. The lowest of keys.
I do really love the ocean though. Sometimes I wake up really early to watch the sun rise over the horizon. There's really nothing like it. I wish you could see it.
----
"Evan!" Violet called. She hopped up on to a barstool.
"Vi! Good to see you! Your usual?" Evan asked. Already getting out the ingredients for a Malibu Bay Breeze.
"You know it! Do you catch any waves earlier?" Violet asked, tucking her dark hair behind her ear. "I caught some, there was a decent swell."
"Me too!" Evan said placing the drink in front of her. His voice went a little lower. "Are we still on for later?"
Violet let out a giggle. "Sure are, hot stuff!"
July 2010
Eddie and Shannon
To Eds 💛: LA is nice. I like it so far. I miss you though. I miss the lake. I miss Lisa and Shania. I miss the stars.
From Eds 💛: I miss you too. I've started working part time at Mr. Johnson's hardware store, I want to try and save up to maybe rent my own place. Maybe not this year, but down the line I was thinking it might be nice to find some off campus housing. Right now though I'm saving up for a car. My Abuela is chipping in some money, not a lot, but if I work all summer, we can be riding around in an old car together from like 2002.
From Shan: I'd love to be driven from place to place in a car from 2002 or any car really. I'm excited that when I get back we'll have a place to hang out. No parents. Just whoever my roommate is, but hopefully we'll all get along okay.
To Shan: You're easy to get along with. Who wouldn't want to be friends with you.
To Eds 💛: Aww you're so sweet.
August 2010
Buck
Dear Maddie,
I stopped bartending. And surfing. That thing with the girl seriously did not work out. I'm doing construction now, working with these guys who frame houses all over. Guess it's kinda fun. Just me and the Jeep going wherever the work takes us.
Dear Maddie,
It's nice being transient. The open road feels so vast, and like I can go anywhere. These guys are nice.
Jim the lead contractor has sorta taken me under his wing a bit. He thinks with a bit of training I could possibly have a go at specialty work. Of course that might mean more school .
September 2010
Eddie and Shannon
Shannon lays her head on Eddie's shoulder. "How's Bio going?"
Eddie groans. "Weren't we having a good day? I thought we were having a nice afternoon lunch date."
Shannon laughs. "Okay, question answered, that good huh?"
"It's just a lot of terms and memorization. Add in the Gen Chem of it all..."
"Why are you torturing yourself with all this science?"
Eddie blushes slightly. "Sophia told me she didn't think I could hack it in premed classes. I wanted to prove her wrong." He knows the reason started out as ridiculous sibling rivalry, but the idea of making a career helping people is appealing.
"So, you're torturing yourself because of a sibling rivalry?"
"Yes." Eddie says petulantly. "Besides, this is only if professional baseball player doesn't work out."
Shannon blinks, she knows that Eddie is good, but she didn't know how good. "Is that really an option you're considering?"
"Coach is pretty optimistic that it could be in my future." Even though baseball doesn't start until the spring, coach makes everyone train together year round. Eddie likes the familiar routine of being part of team. It's nice to have a built in friend group. "Of course, it's still a lot of work, and a decent amount of luck. But he thinks I could at least be looking at a decent start in the minors."
"Wow. I told you, you were good, and yet you doubted me, Edmundo Diaz, now starting for the Huston Astros." Shannon teases.
"Laugh it up. Anyway, I'm thinking of maybe, maybe, looking at bio for undergrad. Keep my options open if I don't get drafted." Thinking about the future long term makes Eddie's head hurt. There's so much to consider, he wants to pick something so that he can provide for any future family. He hopes that family might be with Shannon someday. He does know that he's not in any rush to have a family. Definitely not until he has a clearer idea of the future. But his dad always instilled that it's his job to make sure his family is well supported. A career in baseball or maybe something like pharmacy could be that for him.
"We have plenty of time to worry about what our futures might hold. I'm just glad that for this chapter, you continue to be here with me." Shannon kisses Eddie, as his hand comes up to play with her hair. "Thanks for loving me Eds."
"No, thank you for loving me." He places a kiss on her forehead as they just lie together under what was quickly becoming their tree on campus.
October 2010
Buck
Dear Maddie,
Jim offered to let me stay with him and his family in Tennessee this winter. It's kinda an off season for construction. He said that it's the perfect time for me to look at getting my initial electrical certificate.
Now it's not like that I'm going to be an official electrician after that because you need a whole apprenticeship, but it's a start!
November 2010
Eddie and Shannon
"So, Leah's going back to Austin for Thanksgiving." Shannon says on their walk around campus.
"Okay." Eddie says, not quite sure what this has to do with him.
"And as you know, I'm not going home for Thanksgiving, meaning I'll have the dorm all to myself."
Eddie immediately understands what she's getting at now. A blush rising high on his face. "I see."
"And I know that we've had a lot of barriers around taking our relationship further, and one of those has mainly been privacy."
"It has." Eddie had been very insistent that he didn't want their first time to be a rushed quickie in the back of his, at least new to him, truck.
"I figure you could maybe claim that finals are coming up. And that it's hard to study with every Diaz visiting from within at least 100 miles, so you're going to go to the campus library for the day." Shannon voice is doing a bit of a sing song to get her idea across to Eddie.
Eddie thinks it's a good plan, one that might actually work. However, at the same time, there's a voice that sounds suspiciously like the priest who taught him at Sunday school, saying that God wants everyone to wait until marriage. There's another voice that sounds like Rich in the locker room talking about how much fun sex is.
Shannon could see the conflicted look on Eddie's face as he tries to rationalize what to do. She reaches up and grabs his face with both of her hands and looks him dead in the eyes. "Hey, listen, we could just, I don't know, set the mood, make out a little bit, and well, if something more happens it happens, and if it doesn't then it doesn't. We don't need to focus on what other people want. Those people aren't part of our relationship. They don't know what's best for us. Only we know that."
"You're right." Phrased as a we can see what might happen, feels a lot less daunting than a date and time to have sex for the first time. "I can probably swing some 'study time' on Saturday over break."
"It'll also, just be nice to have some time to be together." She says kissing him gently.
"Yeah." Eddie smiles.
December 2010
Buck
Dear Maddie,
It's electric-ian bougie ougie ougie school! I mean it's a 7 month program and I'm 1 month in! I'm excited that Jim is really taking me under his wing. He's been letting me stay in his furnished basement for real cheap.
He has 3 kids, too. A daughter who is due to get home from college soon, she's my age, so it's her second year. Then 2 boys, 16 and 10. August, the 16 year old, and I have been talking football strategy and Freddie likes all of my fun facts.
Dear Maddie,
Merry Christmas!! I hope you have a happy New Year. New Year? New leave Doug? A brother can dream.
Clarissa is so cool! She's studying to be a vet! She wants to work with rehabilitating animals. We've been getting to know each other more which is nice! She goes back to school though in January and I go back right after New Years. I think you'd like her .
January 2011
Eddie and Shannon
"You know I love you right?" Shannon asks as Eddie presses the coffee cup into her hand.
"I know." Eddie smiles and gives her a kiss on the cheek and slides back under the covers with her.
Shannon knocks her shoulder into Eddie's. "Last night was wild. Remind me to never go to a party at that frat ever again."
"Agreed." Eddie says passing her an egg sandwich. He takes a bite out of his own sandwich. "I'm also glad that Leah was away visiting her own boyfriend this weekend."
Shannon giggles. "It definitely made for a good time last night. After the kappa party."
"I can't believe second semester is going to start on Monday."
"I can't believe you've doubled down by taking gen chem 2 and bio 2. It looks like you're being pretty serious about this premed thing?"
"Well, it didn't kill me last term. I even did pretty good all things considered. I just hope that I can keep it up with baseball season starting up in earnest this term."
"You're gonna do great at balancing both. You'll have me as a study partner." Shannon brushes her nose against Eddie's cheek.
Eddie turns his head to kiss her properly. "I don't know if that will be a help or a hindrance. You might be too distracting."
"Oh, I feel that you might find me to very persuasive, I have my ways."
February 2011
Buck
Dear Maddie,
Clarissa and I have been texting. It's been nice to have someone my age to talk to. Most of the guys on the construction team are at least 10 years older than me, and Jim's sons are cool, but they're both so young.
I'm liking electrician school. It's crazy that I'm half way through getting my initial certification!
March 2011
Eddie and Shannon
"We are the champions!" Eddie is still singing along to his teammates as he walks out of the locker room to meet Shannon. "I know it was just a preseason game, but we won and I was the starting short stop. You were right Shan!"
"That's great Eds. I knew that you could do it."
Eddie pauses and looks at Shannon, she has a smile plastered on her face, but the usual sparkle that accompanies it is missing. He pulls her more into the light and tilts her head up to face him. "Hey, what's up? Have you been crying?"
Shannon lets out a wet chuckle. "Of all the times for you to be observant Diaz. You had to pick right now?"
"Hey, I try to be as observant as I can, and I know you. I love you. So what's up?"
"Eddie." Shannon opens and closes her mouth once, then twice before finally spitting out, "I'm pregnant."
Eddie's face runs the whole gambit of emotions from shock, to awe, to surprise, and it finally lands somewhere between determination and resignation. "We're going to be parents."
"Yes." Shannon touches her stomach. "I'm having this baby, but," a look of despair takes over her face. "That doesn't necessarily mean we have to be parents."
"Adoption?"
"It's an option."
"What if I don't want it to be an option?"
The relief that takes over her face. "Can we do this Eddie?"
"I want to try." Eddie says earnestly. "I really think I want to try."