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Tommy knew that all eyes were on him right now, but he really didn't care. The only thing that mattered right now was the man in his arms. He held him impossibly close as their bodies swayed to the music. After all these years, Evan was still the most stunning man he'd ever seen. He gazed at him, the wrinkles on his face a physical representation of the years they'd spent together and everything they'd shared. Thirty spent years with the love of his life. Years spent as husbands, fathers, and grandfathers.
Buck rested his head on Tommy's shoulder as the music changed. Tommy and Buck exchanged a look...it was their song. "Looks like we made it. Look how far we've come my baby..." Shania crooned.
Look How Far We've Come
"I can't pretend anymore, Tommy," Buck said, slamming the cupboard door. Tommy blanched at the sound and the words. He knew this was too good to be true.
"Ok," Tommy replied sadly. "I'll leave."
"Are you insane?" Buck asked, turning to face him. "I mean I can't do this friends with benefits thing anymore. It's not enough. I want you. I love you."
Tommy's eyes widened in surprise. "You love me?"
Buck nodded, tears welling in his eyes. "It's you Tommy. It's only you."
"Oh baby, Tommy said wrapping Buck into his arms. "I love you so much. My Evan"
Tears still rolling down both of their cheeks, Buck led Tommy into the bedroom where they took their time worshipping each other's bodies and reveling in their shared feelings.
****
The party was full of people talking and laughing, but Maddie paused to listen to the music.
"Look at them," Maddie whispered to Chimney, grasping his wrinkled hand. "They're the real deal."
Chimney laughed. "Yeah, I've heard a little too much about their real deal over the years."
"I hear that," Eddie said, putting his arm out for a fist bump. Maddie shook her head and thought back to the earlier years of Buck and Tommy's relationship.
We Might've Took the Long Way
Clipboard Buck had always been something of a menace, but Wedding Planning Buck was on a whole other level.
"I just want everything to be perfect, Tommy, and it has to feel like us, and it won't feel like us if the details are off!" Buck said frantically.
"And if we have scarlet bow ties instead of crimson it will throw everything off?" Tommy asked gently.
"I know it seems silly," Buck said, putting an arm around his fiancé, "but it's important to me."
"Then it's important to me too, sweetheart," Tommy said, kissing his forehead.
The days flew by and soon it was their last shifts before the wedding. Buck could barely focus, so Chim made him stay behind. He couldn't stop smiling—he was going to marry the love of his life in two days. The rest of the station was out on a call when his phone began to ring.
"Hello, is this Evan Buckley?" a professional sounding voice asked.
"Yes, yes it is," he said.
"I'm calling from First Presbyterian Hospital and I have you down as the emergency contact for a Mr. Thomas Kinard. Does that sound right?"
Buck's heart sank. "Tommy," he whispered.
"Mr. Buckley?" the woman on the phone asked.
Buck took a deep breath, steadying himself. "Yes, Tommy's my fiancé. What's going on?"
"Mr. Kinard had an accident at work."
"W-what kind of accident?" Buck asked, his voice tight with fear and his mind racing through worst-case scenarios.
"Well, it seems that he was cleaning a fire engine and slipped off of it, and his leg is broken in several places."
Buck sighed in relief, his shoulders sagging. That was the kind of accident he could handle. "Ok, let me tell my Captain what's going on and I'll be on my way. What's the room number?"
"Room 804... I'll let Thomas know you'll be here soon," she said before hanging up the phone.
Buck sent Chim a text and then hopped in his Jeep and headed to the hospital. When he arrived at Tommy's room, he knocked gently.
"Hey, heard you took quite the fall," Buck said.
Tommy groaned. "And I wasn't even doing anything cool or brave," he said, shaking his head.
Buck laughed at that and kissed his fiancé's forehead.
"Mr. Buckley, I presume?" a brusque woman in a white coat said as she entered the room.
"Yes, that's me," Buck said, standing up.
"I'm Dr. Fitzsimmons. I'll cut to the chase—Mr. Kinard's leg is broken in three places and he will require orthopedic surgery."
"When?" Tommy asked at the same time Buck said, "What's the recovery time on that?"
"For full recovery you're looking at six months. And I'd like to schedule the surgery for as soon as possible. We can do it in the morning if you're ok with that," Dr. Fitzsimmons said.
"How long would he need to be in the hospital?" Buck asked.
"About three days," she said.
"We're supposed to get married in two days," Tommy said quietly.
"Oh, well that does complicate things," the doctor said, her expression softening slightly.
"Is there anything we can do?" Buck asked hopefully.
"Well, it's not ideal, but we can cast the leg and he can go to your wedding in a wheelchair," Dr. Fitzsimmons said.
Buck looked at Tommy. "What do you think?" he asked.
"I think I want to marry you in two days," Tommy said with a determined smile.
Buck's face lit up. "You will need to postpone your honeymoon though," the doctor added.
"Well, thank God for travel insurance," Buck said with a laugh.
We Knew We'd Get There Someday
The plan had been to walk down the aisle together, but with Tommy in a wheelchair it wasn't practical, so Tommy waited at the altar for Buck to walk down the aisle with Maddie on his arm. This wasn't the wedding that he'd imagined and it certainly wasn't perfect, but it was everything he'd ever wanted.
Maddie adjusted his crimson bow tie and smiled at him. "You look so handsome, little brother," she said. "I wasn't sure I'd ever get to see you settled down."
Buck smiled at his sister. He was so grateful for her love and support even if sometimes he worried that she still saw him as an impulsive kid.
"He's my everything, Maddie. I've never been happier," Buck said.
"I am so happy for you. Now let's get you married," she said with a warm smile.
They began to walk down the long aisle towards the man who would soon be Buck's husband. Buck's future. When they reached the front, Maddie kissed his cheek and gave his hand a little squeeze before finding her seat. Buck looked at Tommy and couldn't help but smile, stifling a little giggle. Tommy was wearing black dress shorts with his suit jacket and tie, in order to accommodate his cast.
Tommy winked at him and Buck already felt his eyes getting a little misty. Chim looked from one man to the other and began speaking.
"For those of you who don't know, my name is Howard Han. I'm Buck's brother-in-law and a longtime friend of Tommy's, and I'm honored that they have asked me to perform their ceremony today. Love is complicated. Love is hard work. Love is surprising," he began. "All of these things describe Tommy and Buck's relationship up to this point. They have grown and learned about one another, and I think everyone here today is proud and honored to be celebrating their love. The wedding may look a little different than the couple's cough Buck's cough original vision." Buck glared at his brother-in-law playfully, pleasantly surprised with how seriously he was taking his role as officiant. "But their determination to make this commitment to one another is just another testament to the strength of their relationship."
The two men smiled at each other. "I love you," Buck mouthed. "Right back at ya," Tommy returned.
"This marriage is not to be entered into lightly, but honestly and deliberately. Who stands with these men in their desire to become husbands?"
Their family stood up: Maddie, Jee and Nash, the Wilsons, Eddie and Chris, Ravi, Athena, Harry, and May, and all said in unison, "We do."
"Never forget the love that surrounds you," Chimney reiterated.
"Tommy and Buck have chosen to write their own vows. Tommy, you may begin."
Tommy grabbed Buck's hand from his seated position. "Evan, I never imagined that I would be standing...well sitting," the crowd laughed, "in front of someone pledging to spend my life with them until I met you. You changed everything. You showed me the man I was capable of being. You jumped into our relationship with both feet, which honestly scared the hell out of me, and that led to me convincing myself that I didn't deserve you. I'm still not sure that I do, but we've worked hard together to mend each other's broken hearts. To chip away at the walls that we both had up for self-preservation and to allow ourselves to be seen fully. You've seen the most raw, vulnerable parts of me and you're still here. And I am so thankful every day that I took a chance on you. And that you didn't punch me in the face the first time I kissed you." Buck snorted with laughter and their audience chuckled warmly.
"Evan, I promise to spend every day of my life cherishing what we've created so far and the future that's to come. I promise to indulge your whims but also to ground you when you need it. Evan Buckley, you are my heart and my world. From now until the end of time."
Tears freely fell down Buck's cheeks. "Well, how am I supposed to follow that?" Buck said jokingly, gazing adoringly at his groom.
"You've got this, baby," Tommy whispered.
Buck took a deep breath. "Tommy, I didn't know how lost I was until you came into my life. You were so different from anyone I'd ever known before, and I started to feel things that I'd never allowed myself to feel before. I couldn't put a name to how in awe of you I was, and frankly how attracted I was to every part of you, including how insanely sexy you are."
"Hey, let's keep it PG," Chim interjected with a grin.
"I'm sorry, but am I wrong?" Buck asked the guests, who laughed and murmured their agreement. "Tommy, you flipped my entire world upside down and I suddenly had new dreams for my future. I knew early on that you were it for me. Even when you ran away, I knew in my heart of hearts that you were my other half."
Tommy sniffled at that. "I know you don't believe in soulmates, but you're the closest thing to that I've ever known. You're the calm to my storm. When the world doesn't make sense, you do, we do. I am still in awe of you, Tommy. Not because of your strength or your confidence, but because of your loyalty and your kind heart. You have always showed up for me. I love you, Thomas Kinard, every piece and part of you, and I will spend the rest of my life showing you how important you are to me."
By this point both men were a sobbing mess.
"Well, that was beautiful," Chimney said, clearing his throat and trying to discreetly wipe his eyes. "May I have the rings?" Eddie stepped forward and handed each man their rings. "Tommy, repeat after me," Chimney began. "Evan, with this ring I join my life to yours, in good times and bad, bound in love." Tommy repeated the words with a trembling voice, and then Buck did the same.
"By the power vested in me by the internet, I now pronounce you married. You may kiss your husband." Buck did a little happy dance as he bent down to kiss Tommy, his husband.
****
"Can you believe it's been 30 years?" Buck asked with wonder.
"And you've never been more handsome," Tommy said warmly.
Buck chuckled softly. "Does this feel like it did the first time?"
"Well, I'm not in a wheelchair so I can actually dance with you properly, and I'm in pants instead of shorts, so I think both of those things might be an improvement," Tommy said with a grin.
"I think I'd have to agree," Buck said fondly, kissing his husband gently.
It was then that their oldest daughter approached them, her curly hair barely contained in a jeweled hair clip and with a baby strapped to her chest. "Hey, Dads? Your grandkids are getting restless about cake," she said with an amused smile.
Buck and Tommy exchanged a look, then turned back to their daughter in perfect unison.
"Just let us finish this dance," they said together.
Their daughter's expression softened, her eyes growing misty. "Take all the time you need," she said quietly, stepping back to give them their moment.
Look at What We Would Be Missing
Buck lay on the couch with his head in Tommy's lap as Tommy ran his fingers through his husband's curls.
"This is the third time, Tommy," Buck said, his voice breaking with despair.
"I know, sweetheart. But we can't lose hope. It will happen for us," Tommy said softly, his voice full of conviction.
"But when?" Buck asked desperately. "One surrogate with three failed IVF cycles, one adoptive mom deciding to keep the baby, and one where the dad came back in the picture. I don't think my heart can take this anymore."
"I know, sweetheart. So maybe we take a break," Tommy suggested gently.
"A break?" Buck asked, looking up at him with confusion.
"I just think it's putting so much stress on you that maybe we focus on us for a little while. Go on vacation, remodel the second floor bathroom, just take the pressure off," Tommy explained carefully.
Buck wasn't sure how he felt about that. "But we're not giving up, right?" he asked anxiously.
"Never," Tommy said firmly, his hand stilling in Buck's hair. "We're just taking time to heal and regroup."
Buck nodded slowly, though doubt still clouded his eyes. "What if this is it for us? What if we're not meant to be parents?"
"Hey," Tommy said, gently tilting Buck's chin up to meet his gaze. "Don't go there. We've always known this journey might be difficult. And honestly, if I could give you a baby tomorrow, I would."
"I just...I see Chimney and Maddie with Jee, and Eddie with Chris, and I wonder what's wrong with us," Buck whispered.
"Nothing is wrong with us," Tommy said firmly. "Sometimes things just take longer. Nothing that has happened has had anything to do with us."
Buck let out a shaky breath. "Okay. A break. But just for a little while?"
"Just for a little while," Tommy promised, pressing a soft kiss to Buck's forehead.
Buck had a shift a few days later and threw himself into work. If he wasn't going to be a dad, he was going to be a damn good firefighter. He sighed as everyone on A shift looked at him with sympathetic eyes. He didn't want their pity. Buck was in the middle of inventory when the klaxon rang for what seemed to be a fairly straightforward medical call.
"Chim, do you need me on this one or can I stay behind to finish this?" Buck asked hopefully.
"Yeah, that's fine," Chimney said quickly as he hopped into the engine.
About fifteen minutes passed when Buck heard a strange sound. A chime he didn't remember ever hearing before. He looked around for the source of the sound before hearing a high-pitched cry. That's when it clicked. The safe haven box. He ran over and opened it, and inside was a tiny baby wrapped in a pink blanket. Buck carefully pulled the baby out. They were so tiny. Buck began to unwrap the baby when he saw that part of the umbilical cord was still attached. They couldn't be more than a few days old. Buck immediately grabbed the baby box and changed a very wet diaper.
"That's much better. Right, baby girl?" Buck cooed softly. Buck did a quick medical check, but other than being tiny, she seemed to be in perfect health.
Buck couldn't help it, he sent a picture of him holding the baby to his husband. Tommy quickly replied with a string of question marks. Buck had barely typed out a reply when his phone was ringing.
"Whose baby is that, Evan?" Tommy asked immediately.
"Safe Haven," Buck explained. "I'm man behind and someone dropped her off. I suppose I need to call CPS, but I haven't brought myself to yet. Plus I'm still waiting for the rest of the crew to get back."
Buck could hear the smile in Tommy's voice when he replied. "She's beautiful."
And she really was. Thick blonde hair, a button nose, and expressive eyes. Buck was smitten.
At that point the door opened and the vehicles started to pull in to the ambulance bay, so Tommy and Buck quickly said their goodbyes. Hen noticed the baby in Buck's arms first.
"Something you want to tell us, Buckaroo?" she asked with a teasing lilt to her voice.
"Safe Haven," Buck replied simply, and Hen nodded, gently taking the baby girl for a more thorough health check.
"Everything looks good," she said after a few minutes. "I'd estimate that she's less than four days old." The baby started to fuss. "And she probably needs a bottle," Hen continued. "I'll get one prepared and you call CPS," Hen said as she passed the infant to Chimney.
Buck nodded and dialed the number with slightly shaking hands. The social worker arrived within the hour and told them that the baby would be placed in a temporary foster home and would then be eligible for adoption. Buck's eyes widened at that and he glanced at his crew members, who smiled and nodded encouragingly.
"My husband and I are approved to foster and have been trying to adopt. Is there any way..." he trailed off hopefully.
The social worker smiled warmly, but Buck tried not to get his hopes up. "That would actually be an ideal situation," she said. "Why don't you call your husband and make sure he's on board, and I'll verify that all your paperwork is in order."
Hen squeezed Buck's hand excitedly. "What are you waiting for? Call Tommy!"
Tommy was cautious but just as excited as Buck. He started rambling about all the stuff they would need, and Buck immediately suggested that he call Maddie. After the social worker verified their paperwork, things happened quickly. A few hours later they were getting the baby settled in the nursery they had set up, and just before her first birthday, Angela Joy Kinard was officially their daughter.
****
The song came to a close and the two men held onto each other tightly, both of their eyes welling with tears.
"We did it, sweetheart. We created a life together, and it's been more beautiful than I ever could have imagined," Tommy said, his voice thick with emotion.
"You're still the one, Tom. Always and forever," Buck whispered. "You own my heart, and I am so thankful for everything you've given me."
Tommy pulled his husband in for a kiss, tilting his head back just like he had done that very first time more than thirty years ago. When they broke apart, both were smiling through their tears.
"Cake?" Tommy asked with a grin.
Buck laughed, the sound full of joy and love. "Absolutely. But promise you've still got one more dance in you?"
"Every dance," Tommy promised. "Until the end of time."
They walked hand in hand toward their family and friends, their daughters waiting with their own partners, grandchildren gathered around the cake table. The life they'd built together...messy, beautiful, and absolutely perfect.