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It's been a week from hell. Lilith isn't sleeping, my husband and my best friend are both MIA, literally, and my anxiety-induced insomnia has hit a whole new level of unbearable. It's only been a week since Jay missed check in and I haven't received any other update. They let it slip that Mouse is missing as well, which minimizes some of my fears after all he has backup, right? But it also amplifies all my fears. Both my husband and best friend are missing, I could unfortunately lose them both in one fell swoop and Lilith could lose her daddy and Uncle Mouse before she even celebrates her first birthday.
They weren't even supposed to be called back, they were almost done with their latest stint in the Rangers. They had days left to their enlistment when they got called out for this top-secret last-minute mission and that was four months ago. I haven't been able to hear from them during this mission either, which sucks more than I ever thought possible.
The only person who is aware of my husband and best friend, both their existence and the fact that they are missing, is Alexis. While I might not be a religious man, I thank the lord every day for bringing Alexis into our lives. She has willingly bent over backward to help me while I'm on my own with Lilith, and I would have lost my sanity much sooner without her help.
I am broken out of my thoughts by my phone ringing, it has been a rather Q-word shift so it was almost jarring. It's Alexis, she has a family emergency and needs to leave Lilith with me. When she tells me that she is already outside of the firehouse I dash downstairs to greet her and to get my daughter.
“Hey Evan, I'm really sorry that I have to do this,” Alexis says as she passes off the diaper bag and Lilith, who is still in her car seat, to him.
“It's ok Alexis, family emergencies happen. Lord knows you have helped me above and beyond what's necessary many times in the last four months. I promise I will figure it out. Drive safe, call me if you need anything.” he says with a wave as he heads to the bay doors.
When he walks into the bay door he can't help but notice just how nosey the “but we are family” trio is, standing at the railing of the loft all dying to ask a million-in-one questions. He ignores them in favor of peeking to see if Lilith is still sleeping as he slowly and carefully creeps up the loft stairs. When he gets to the dinner table he sits her car seat on the table and the diaper bag beside it as Bobby is the first one to ask about the elephant in the room.
“Buck, what are you doing with an infant?”
“The infant in question is my daughter, Lilith. My nanny had a personal emergency, her other parent is out of the country with her uncle and both of them are unreachable at this time. I am the only other person she has right now so if you could make me man left behind for the rest of our shift I would greatly appreciate it.” Buck says with a no-nonsense tone clearly bracing for many unwanted questions.
“What do you mean by her other parents and her uncle being out of the country and unreachable?” Eddie asks carefully, he has met Lilith but the others didn't need to know that unless Buck chose to tell them that, he just thought Buck was a single dad all this time. Oops.
“They are in the army, army Rangers to be specific, they left for a top-secret last-minute mission four months ago.” He pauses to take a deep shaky breath, trying to fight back the sobs that are desperately clawing their way out of his chest. “Th– they have b–been MIA for a w–week.” he spits out between soul-crushing sobs. It's the first time he has had to say it out loud, Alexis was there when he received the call so he didn't have to find the words. Finding the words makes the fear that much more crippling because suddenly it's very real.
“Shit, I am so sorry,” Eddie says as he hugs Buck's trembling frame. When Chim goes to ask a question Eddie glares at him until he backs down and realizes that now may not be the time. Thankfully Bobby and Hen knew better than to pry right now.
Eventually, Buck's breathing evens out; the sobbing had stopped just a little bit before that. Lilith takes that as her cue to start babbling. Buck moves to get her out of her car seat.
“Hey sweet girl, did Papa wake you? I'm sorry if I did.” he coos as he checks her diaper. “Would you like to see your Uncle Eddie?” He asks as he picks her up. Then turns to Eddie “Congrats your niece is a six-month-old girl, named Lilith Rose Buckley-Halstead.” He says with his voice full of sass, putting on a performance for the rest of the crew. “Would you like to hold her?”
“Of course, Uncle Eddie would like to hold the sweetest girl.” Eddie cooed at her.
“Wait, so you known him for six months and he gets uncle status, when you have known us for nearly two years and we don't even get introduced?” Chim asks with a hint of hostility in his voice.
“Well, Eddie has been there helping me since day one and I help him when I can. Just last week I had to bug him to go pick up some infant pain reliever because her teeth were causing all sorts of problems.” He says with a shrug then continues. “My private life is my business, I can't help but notice that you three want to know everything about everyone else without providing any private information yourself. I am here to do my job and support my daughter, I have a family and dozens of true friends. You're not going to kumbaya your way into my life with the guise of ‘but we are family’. I'm also not staying in LA permanently, we will be going back to Chicago soon enough, after all, that is where most of our family is.” he shares while trying not to smirk too hard at the dumbfounded looks on the nosey trio.
“I hope you know the Diaz Clan will be joining you guys in Chicago.” Eddie declares as he puts a hand on Buck's shoulder.
“I wouldn't have it another way, Boden, Casey, and Severide have already told me that they have room for both of us on squad. There will be a little more training to do but many people at 51 are happy to help with the kids amongst anything else we may need.” Buck says with a small smile.
“What are–” and Eddie is promptly cut off by an echoing voice calling out “Evan Halstead”.
Evan knows that voice, it's almost startling to finally hear it. He wastes no time and takes off sprinting down the stairs, Eddie isn't too far behind him, figuring there are few people who would get that reaction from his friend, and if it is the missing Rangers they are gonna want to see their daughter/niece.
Evan stops just short of tackling Jay but still wraps him up in the tightest hug possible. “You’re here, you’re really here!” Evan exclaims as he pulls back just enough to look at Jay’s face.
“I am here baby, I am so sorry I worried you.” He says as he caresses Evan’s cheek before stealing a reunion-worthy kiss as he pours all his love and devotion into it. Screw it, if they want to be an audience they can be, I have missed my husband dammit.
When they finally break away from the electrifying kiss Jay takes a look around and realizes that Lilith is also at the firehouse. “Why is Lilith here?” he asks as Evan greets Mouse with a quick hug. “Alexis had a family emergency and had to leave her here with me, it’s just a nice bonus that you guys finally got home so I don’t have to plan and panic.” He explains with a relieved chuckle.
“Eddie get over here man, all my people need to meet and I am sure Jay and Mouse would both love to steal Lilith from you.” Evan then proceeds to introduce all his people. Basking in the sense of overwhelming relief he feels to see his rangers home, safe and unscathed. In the coming days, they will discuss moving back to Chicago, and whether they should buy a house big enough for the entire crowd- Jay, Evan, Lilith, plus Mouse, Eddie, and Chris. They will make career plans and leave the nosey trio behind, for good. But tonight? They are going to spend it celebrating a safe return and that Jay and Mouse are officially retired from the army.