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It was supposed to be routine.
A stalled sedan in the middle lane. Minor rear end collision. No fire. No smoke. No chaos. Just traffic backed up and a couple of shaken drivers.
The kind of call they could do half-asleep.
Buck hops out of the engine first. Turn-outs open as always.
“Watch the traffic” Chim calls after him.
Buck lifts a hand in acknowledgment, already moving closer to the sedan.
Eddie followed behind as always. .
The front bumper is crumpled, hood bent just enough to look worse than it actually is. The driver is out of the car, pacing, talking too fast, adrenaline still high.
“Sir, are you okay? Can one of our team check you over real quick?” Buck says calmly.
“I didn’t even see him, he just stopped-.” the man is saying, pacing, hands running through his hair.
“You’re okay,” Buck tells him, voice steady, grounding. “Just take a breath. We’ll take care of it.”
Behind them the traffic is crawling. Slow and controlled.
Until it isn’t.
Eddie hears it before he sees it. The engine revved too loud. Too fast. And too close.
“Buck!”
Eddie turns and everything happens at once.
A car swerves, clipping the back of the stalled sedan. The force of it shoves the vehicle forward. Straight into Buck.
It’s not dramatic. Not like a movie. It’s quick. The sound of Buck hitting the pavement hard. His body folding in a way Eddie knows is bad.
He waits for something. Any sign of Buck moving. He’s too still.
Instead of waiting for his brain to catch up, Eddie moves. Another rushed “Buck!” leaving his mouth.
He’s there in seconds, dropping to his knees. His hands are already searching, checking that Buck is okay.
Buck is conscious. But barely.
“Hey, hey,” Eddie says. “Stay with me, stay awake.”
“Talk to me, Buck.”
All Eddie wants is for Buck to respond with more than a groan or wince. Buck’s eyes flicker open, unfocused at first then focussing on Eddie.
“Yeah,” he manages, voice strained. “Still here.”
There’s something wrong in the way he’s holding himself, too tight and too still. Eddie’s hand presses lightly to his side. Buck sucks in a sharp breath, flinching away.
“Okay,” Eddie says quickly. “Don’t move, stay still.”
Behind them everything is in motion.
Chim calling it in. Hen grabbing her med kit. Ravi and Harry redirecting traffic.
But Eddie doesn’t move. He stays with Buck.
“I’ve got you.” He says, quieter now.
Buck’s gaze flicks to him again. There’s pain behind his eyes. But there’s also trust. Trust that Eddie won’t leave.
The ambulance ride is a blur Eddie isn’t part of.
He can’t leave the scene and has to stay behind. It doesn’t feel right, not when Buck is the one being taken to the hospital.
The scene feels familiar in the worst ways. For a second he’s back there. Different road. Different crash. Same feeling. Almost.
“Eddie.” Hen’s voice cutting through.
He looks at her, trying to bring himself back to the present.
“He’s stable,” she says. “They’ll take care of him.”
His phone buzzes in his pocket. It’s Theo’s daycare.
Eddie exhales slowly before answering. “Hi, it’s-”
“Mr Diaz?” a feminine voice asks. “Theo’s been asking for Buck. He was supposed to pick him up 30 minutes ago, we tried calling but it keeps going to voicemail. You’re the next contact. He’s getting upset, we weren’t sure..”
“I’m on my way,” Eddie says immediately.
🚗
The drive to the centre is quiet. Eddie gripping the steering wheel, jaw set and too many thoughts looping through his mind. He keeps seeing Buck. Hearing his own voice. Stay with me.
Theo is waiting near the door when Eddie arrives. He spots him instantly and runs over.
“Where’s Buck?”
No greeting. No pause. Only fear in his voice. Eddie crouches down to meet him at his level.
“He’s at the hospital, he got a little hurt at work but he’s okay.” Eddie says carefully. Knowing the anxiety Theo experiences when Buck leaves for work everyday.
Theo freezes. “Car?” he asks. The word is small. Fragile. Showcasing this little boy’s reality. A car took his parents away. Heck, a car took Shannon away. And a car almost took Buck away.
Eddie simply nods. “He’s okay, Spiderman.” he doesn’t hesitate.
Theo’s shoulders drop, but then tense again. His breathing picks up, uneven and shaky.
“Mommy and Daddy weren’t okay.” He whispers.
Eddie’s chest tightening. Remembering the months after Shannon, when Christopher would remember his mom wasn’t coming back.
Theo’s hands come up to his ears, like he’s trying to block something out.
“It was loud,” his voice breaking. “Our car went- crash.”
“Mommy and Daddy didn’t-.” He stops. Can’t finish his sentence. And he doesn’t have to.
Eddie lowers himself fully to the floor in front of him. “You’re here, you’re safe” he says softly.
Theo shakes his head. “No-no, they didn’t-”
“I know,” Eddie says. “I know it feels like that. This is different.”
Theo doesn’t look convinced.
It takes time, slow and careful words from Eddie. Quiet reassurance. Eventually Theo’s breathing evens out enough to stop shaking.
Eddie opens his arms slightly, offering a safe space for Theo. He hesitates at first, then leans in. His small frame is covered by Eddie’s.
“I’ve got you,” he murmurs. The same words he had said to Buck earlier that day.
🚗
Christopher is already waiting at home. He already knows. Eddie sent him a quick text after he had Theo buckled in the car.
“He’s okay,” Eddie says.
Christopher nods. Then his eyes flick to Theo, and back to Eddie.
Later that night, Chris sits beside Theo on the couch. Leaving some space between them.
“My mom died in a car crash,” he says, breaking through the soft sounds of whatever cartoon was on the television.
Eddie pauses in the doorway, whilst Theo looks at him with wide eyes.
Chris shrugs slightly. “It was scary,” he says. “And sometimes I still get scared. But it doesn’t happen every time.”
Theo listens to his big brother. And it helps. Knowing he isn’t by himself in this.
🚗
Buck wakes up in the hospital. They had kept him overnight for observations. He instinctively looks to the chair next to him, hoping to see Eddie.
Eddie wasn’t there. In his place was Maddie.
“Hey,” Buck rasps.
Maddie looks up immediately, relief flooding her face.
“Hey,” she says gently. “Easy, don’t try to sit up yet.”
Buck blinks, trying to clear the fog. Everything feels heavy. His ribs protest at the slightest movement, a dull ache reminding him why he’s here.
“Oh, yeah,” he mutters, sinking back into the pillow. His throat is dry. “Water?”
“Got you.” Maddie reaches for the cup, steadying it as he takes a careful sip.
For a moment, it’s quiet. Buck glances back at the empty chair beside her. Something in his chest tightens.
“Where is everyone?”
Maddie watches him for a second too long before answering. “Chim swapped with me once I got Jee and Nash to sleep, Hen stayed for most of the afternoon before going home to Karen and the kids.”
“And Eddie?” Buck asks, it comes out softer than he means it to.
“He wasn’t able to come, as soon as you left in the ambulance he had to go pick up…Theo.”
Theo. Buck was supposed to pick him up after his shift. They were supposed to go get ice-cream to celebrate 3 months of Theo being with him.
The memory hits in pieces. The call, the car, the impact. Eddie’s voice, too loud and too close.
Stay with me.
Buck swallows.
“Is he okay?” he asks, though he’s not entirely sure who he means.
Maddie seems to understand anyway. “They’re all okay.”
🚗
Buck signs the last form with an unsteady hand.
“Take it easy,” the nurse says, like it’s something he’s ever been good at. “No heavy lifting. And someone’s picking you up?”
“Yeah,” Buck answers automatically. “Yeah, they’re-”
Here.
The word sits there before he finishes it, the elevator doors opening at the end of the hall. Eddie walks in holding Theo’s hand.
Christopher is just ahead of him, already scanning the room, spotting Buck immediately.
“Buck!”
“You look like crap,” Chris says, blunt as ever.
Buck huffs a quiet laugh, wincing slightly. “Missed you too, kid.”
Behind them, Eddie slows. Theo stays slightly behind Eddie, watching carefully. Buck’s chest tightens at the sight of him.
“Hey,” Buck says softly.
Theo doesn’t answer right away. His eyes trailing over Buck’s frame, taking in the hospital bracelet, the way he’s standing. His movements mirrored those of Eddie.
Eddie is also checking, noting the way Buck is holding one arm a little too close to his side. Protecting his ribs.
“Are you okay?” Theo asks finally.
The question is small. The opposite of Theo.
Buck nods. “Yeah. I’m okay.”
Theo isn’t convinced. “You got hurt.” He says.
“Like my mommy and daddy.”
The room still. Eddie looked between the pair. Buck doesn’t look away from Theo.
“I’m okay, I promise.” Buck says, pulling out his St. Theodore medal. “I had this to make sure I always come home to you.”
Theo is still watching him as he looks to Eddie to confirm.
Eddie crouches down beside Theo. “Hey, remember what we talked about?”
Theo nods, but his eyes stay on Buck.
“Sometimes it feels like it’s going to happen again,” Eddie continues. “But it doesn’t mean it will.”
Hearing Eddie’s words, Theo steps forward slowly. Buck stays still, letting Theo dictate what happens. Theo stops just in front of him, close enough now that Buck can see the uncertainty in his eyes, the fear he’s trying to hold in.
“Can I-” Theo starts then stops. Buck understands immediately.
He leans down to give Theo a hug, reassuring him he’s okay, and that he’s there.
“I’ve got you,” Buck murmurs.
“Alright,” Eddie says after a moment, voice steadier than it feels. “Let’s get you home.”
Home. The word settles into Buck’s chest, warm and solid.
🚗
Christopher takes Theo to his room, spouting something about a cool Lego set he wants to show him. Giving Buck and Eddie the space they need to have a chat.
Buck sits on the couch. He hasn’t ventured further into the house, partly because everything hurts.
Eddie comes back into the living room quietly. He doesn’t say anything at first, just watching Buck.
Buck glances up at him. “They good?”
Eddie nods, settling himself down next to Buck. “Yeah, Chris will keep Theo busy so we can talk.”
“Eddie,” he says quietly.
“I heard it before I saw it.”
Buck stills slightly.
Eddie doesn’t look up.
“The engine,” he continues. “Too fast. I knew something was wrong, but I was-” He exhales sharply. “I was a second too late.”
“That’s not-” Buck starts.
Eddie shakes his head.
“I should’ve gotten you out of the way.”
“Eddie.”
That gets his attention. Eddie looks up. Buck’s gaze is steady, even if everything else about him feels a little unsteady.
“You didn’t have time,” Buck says. “Neither of us did.”
Eddie’s jaw tightens. “I saw it coming.”
“And I didn’t,” Buck counters gently. “That’s not on you.”
“I don’t remember hitting the ground,” Buck says after a moment.
Eddie’s hands tighten. “I do.”
Eddie stares at the floor like it’s easier than meeting his eyes.
“You just… dropped,” Eddie says. “And you didn’t move.”
Buck’s chest tightens. Not from the injury. From the weight of Eddie’s words. They’ve been in this situation before. When Eddie was shot by the sniper. When Buck was struck by lightning.
“Theo knew it was a car crash.” Eddie says. “He asked before I even said anything, and he just went right back there.”
Then Buck shifts, sitting up just a little straighter despite the discomfort. Knowing how Theo has been reacting. Getting him settled in the morning or at night before a shift was hard. Theo, clinging, scared Buck wasn’t going to come back.
“I want to do more for him.”
Eddie frowns slightly. “More?”
“He’s already in therapy,” Buck says. “Which is good. But this brought everything back up for him. And we can’t just… wait for it to settle again.”
Eddie nods slowly. “I know.”
“I’m thinking maybe we should talk to his therapist,” Buck continues. “See if there’s something more specific we can do. Or even family sessions. So he’s not carrying it on his own.”
Eddie studies him.There’s something in his expression, surprise, maybe. Or something softer.
“You’re including me in that,” Eddie says.
Buck shrugs lightly, then regrets it immediately, wincing.
“Yeah,” he says anyway. “I mean… we’re a family. Right?”
Eddie’s mouth twitches upwards slightly at that.
“Yeah,” he agrees. “We are.”