Work Text:
“IC to Firefighter Buckley, please respond.”
Buck blinked awake. His radio was making muffled noises. The emergency beacon attached to his jacket was already wailing and flashing. How long had he been out?
What happened?
“IC to Buckley.”
He scrabbled for his mic. The movement, even as small as it was with his arm trapped under his body, sent shocks of pain from head to toe.
“Buckley here. Still alive.”
He rested his head against whatever it was in front of him. The light from his beacon wasn't enough to let him see his surroundings.
“It's good to hear your voice, Buckley.”
It wasn't Bobby on the radio. Buck frowned, trying to piece things together.
He wasn't with A-shift. Delgado’s wife was in labour, he'd offered to take her shift so she could be at the hospital for the birth. And Reynolds of B-shift hadn't been IC, the 133's B captain had been.
“What happened?” he asked. He couldn't remember anything beyond arriving at the call.
“Partial structure collapse, upper three floors went on the charlie-delta corner and took the two below with them. You're the last to check in.” The IC paused for a second. “Your beacon is giving a strong reading, we should find you easily. Any injuries we need to worry about?”
Buck took a deep breath, which he instantly regretted. That hurt. His whole body hurt. “I feel like I got a building dropped on me. Too many things hurt.”
“Anything specifically worrying?”
Buck closed his eyes. “My ribs, spiking pain when I breathe.”
“Understood. We'll be as quick as we can.”
Buck's radio fell silent. The only thing he could hear was the settling of the rubble around him, and the faint sounds of equipment somewhere above.
He dug around with his pinned arm for the flap of the reinforced pocket where he kept his phone. He got two fingers around the edge of it, and dragged it slowly out. He managed to, somehow, get it up to near his face.
“Hey, Siri, call Eddie on speaker.”
Eddie picked up after just two rings.
“Hey, Buck, how's your extra shift going? Has Delgado Jr arrived yet?”
“Hey. I'm going to be a bit late home tonight.” Buck tried to keep his voice steady. He didn't want to worry Eddie too much. “Don't wait up for me.”
The ringing of a knife being set down a little too hard came through the phone. “What's going on?”
“Nothing much. I'm just…IC said it was a partial structural collapse, one corner of a six floor block.” Buck sighed. “I can't remember it. I don't know which floor I was on.”
Eddie was silent. Buck could hear his mind whirling even with the distance between them. “I'm coming over there.”
“No, don't. I'll get someone to text you when we know which hospital I'm being taken to.” Buck let out a shaky breath. “I'd say I'll text you myself, but the medics are going to need to sedate me to get me out of here.”
Eddie groaned, a sound that blended disbelief with frustration. “How badly hurt are you?”
“I'm not sure. I don't think I have spinal damage, I can feel my legs. And my ribs. And my arm. I'm trying not to move. It hurts worse when I move.”
“Don’t move then.”
Dust rained down on Buck. The sounds of digging were closer now.
“I think they're close. I should hang up.”
“No, don't. Stay with me until they get there. Please.” Eddie sounded worried. Buck hated that. “How are you positioned?”
Buck rolled his eyes. Even that hurt. “Face down, arm beneath me. Think it's broken. I'm not pinned though, so that's a bonus. I just don't want to move.”
“Plus you know you shouldn't move.” Eddie said, ever the voice of reason. “Can you see the rescue team yet?”
Buck made a negative sound. “Think they're close to breaking through. Lot of dust falling on me. Something bounced off my helmet just now.”
“You down there, Buckley? Call out!” said a voice from above. Buck took a deep breath, wincing as the stabbing pain in his chest intensified, and then let out a wordless scream. There was a chuckle above him. “That works. Just this one slab left, then the medics will be with you. Hold on just a few seconds longer.”
“That sounded like Reynolds,” Eddie remarked. “He's not IC then?”
“No. We were third on scene. 133 B captain has command.” Buck whimpered as his leg muscles spasmed in protest. “Sorry for screaming at you.”
“I am literally never going to complain about you signalling to rescuers that you're alive in any way you choose,” Eddie said fondly. “Just hold on a little longer.”
“I am.”
The slab above Buck creaked and then moved aside, letting the light from multiple flashlights flood into the space he was in. Overlapping voices babbled around him, and he whimpered as strong hands started to check him over.
“No spinal deformation. Deep laceration to the left leg.” Someone gently pulled Buck’s arm out from under his body, making him scream and curse that person’s mother. “Yeah, yeah, Buck. Congratulations, it’s a broken radius and ulna, and if you keep moving that broken rib is going to move and puncture the lung. Oh, you were on a call. Nash or Diaz, we’re taking him to Cedars once we get him out. Meet you there, and no doubt the rest of A-shift as well.”
Buck felt a pinch at his neck, and everything went black.