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Buck had never expected to take custody of Theo, but he always wanted to be in his life. It’s not that he didn’t trust Kameron and Connor, but after the whole spare parts thing, he needed to make sure that Theo, his bio son, didn’t grow up the way that he did.
Unfortunately, accidents happen.
When he’d been called as an emergency contact for Theo, he never expected that he would have to take custody of the four-year-old little boy that he’d played uncle to all this time, but he never shied away from a challenge.
He, just, also didn’t know how to tell the 118 that he now had custody of a kid – his kid – and Connor’s, too. He would never want to erase Connor from his life, but he knows that it’s okay for him to love Theo as his kid, too.
Of course, it didn’t take very long for the 118 to become suspicious about the fact that Buck clearly had a secret – secret kid that is, and he knows that he needs to come clean. Especially since having a kid is hard, he always thought all the babysitting he did would be helpful to when he eventually had a kid of his own, but it wasn’t.
Which is why as shift is about to end, he finds Bobby. It’s time to share and there’s no one that he’d rather share this with first than Bobby.
Bobby had been the only one to not comment negatively on this choice, the choice to give his sperm away, so he deserves to know first. He’ll handle it better than the others, he’s sure.
And if he doesn’t approve for whatever reason, he won’t go spilling the beans.
He’s the perfect person to tell first.
“Hey, Bobby, uh, did you have plans for after shift?” Buck questions, trying not to sound too nervous.
“No, why? Is there something you want to talk about? Did you want to go out to breakfast?” Bobby asks, questions coming out rapidly with a tinge of concern in his voice.
He clearly suspects that Buck’s about to reveal his secret.
“I, uh, I was hoping that you could come by mine? I, uh, there’s something I want to share you,” Buck says, still nervous and trying not to make it obvious.
Bobby gives him a reassuring smile. “Got it, I’ll be there right behind you.”
“Great.”
***
It’s not often these days that Buck has a secret and manages to keep it, but Bobby knows that whatever he’s about to share with him must be pretty important if he’s managed to keep it a secret until now and he’s the first person on the team that Buck’s willing to share the secret with.
If he’s honest, though, he has no idea what it could possibly be? Another dog? A secret relationship? Is he coming out as something else?
Either way, he has to know that he’d be supported, whatever the surprise is.
He’s already surprised them by getting a house after Eddie took his house back, and Bobby’s been proud of the way he’s grown with it. He knows that Buck really wants a family and a home in the way that the others all have them, and he’s grown so much that he absolutely deserves it (not that he didn’t deserve it before, but he’s become quite responsible these days compared to his early days).
He smiles as he pulls up behind Buck’s parked jeep. He has a key, something Buck insisted on, but he still knocks.
The door swings open quickly because he’s clearly expected, and Buck can’t have been home long.
Except it’s not Buck on the other side of the door.
Well, not full-grown Buck. This little kid looks a little like a mini-Buck.
“Uh, hi,” Bobby says, blinking in surprise.
“Theo, what did I tell you? You gotta wait for me to help you answer the door,” Buck says, running to the door. He’s already wearing the apron to cook breakfast, and mini-Buck looks shyly at him.
“You told me it was going to be Pops, and he’s safe,” Theo says, shyly.
“And he is, but it might not have been him –” Buck tries, but mini-Buck or Theo interrupts.
Theo turns his big blue eyes on him. “Are you Pops?”
Bobby laughs and grins. It’s been a while since Buck called him that, but he supposes that he must’ve suggested that to him, so he offers, “I suppose I am, and you must be Theo.”
He bends down to Theo’s level and opens his arms for a hug, a bit uncertainly.
Theo doesn’t hesitate to hug him, it’s quick, though and as he lets go, he turns to Buck and says, “You’re right, he smells like breakfast!”
Buck is standing there, laughing and shaking his head as Theo takes Bobby’s hand and says, “Look, I’ve got firetrucks!”
“I can see that,” Bobby offers, grinning at him. “You wanna show them to me while … Buck makes breakfast?”
“Yeah!”
***
It takes a while for Theo to calm down and for Bobby to get the story from Buck about what happened and how he now has custody of Theo.
“This was your secret?” Bobby questions when Theo’s preoccupied drawing pictures of them in front of a firetruck. “Why didn’t you say anything?”
Buck shrugs. “No one was really supportive of my donation, and I wanted to prove that I could do this before getting outside opinions.”
“Oh, Buck, you know that we love you, right?”
“I do.”
Bobby gives him a smile. “Good, so then you know that even if we don’t exactly agree, we will always support you.” He glances at Theo, smiling and drawing, and says, “And we’d always be happy to help you with this and anything else.”
Buck gives him a relieved smile. “I do know that, Bobby. Really, I just – I wanted time to keep him to myself for a while and prove myself.”
“Well, I’d say that you certainly have. You’ve clearly stepped up and I’m proud of you.”
Buck smiles. “Thanks, Pops.”
“Anytime, kid.”