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Buck had heard the name in between frowns and whispers from the crew, dark looks shared between them as a tension began to overtake them. He never asked about the man who came before him. At least, not until he met the man himself.
The day had started like any other. Buck had woken in his too small closet of a room in his too packed frat house that he rented with 6 other guys. He had eaten his wheat toast and avocado, drinking the protein shake Connor made for him, nodding goodbye to the other as he ran out when he noticed he was, once again, running behind.
The guy was standing by his locker when he walked in, just sitting on the bench and staring at his name. The tape was peeling over the second half of the nameplate on the metal, the ‘K’ in the middle of “BucKley” standing out against the dark material, glinting in the early morning light.
“Uh, hi,” Buck cleared his throat as he approached, watching as the man turned to him. His words caught in his throat as he made eye contact with blue eyes, a stubbled smirk catching him off guard.
“Hey there.” The man said, eyes roaming up and down his frame. It sent a shiver down his spine, something warm fluttering in his stomach.
“Can I- can I help you?” He stuttered, hand reaching up to rub at the back of his neck.
“I’m looking for the owner of this locker.” The man told him, nodding towards the nameplate, standing in a swift move to run his fingers over it.
“Uh, that’s, that’s, uh, me.” Buck told him, shuffling his feet as the man spun around, blue eyes widening.
“Buckley.” The man’s lips curled around Buck’s surname, spitting it out like it was a curse.
“Uh, Evan. Buck. Buckley.” Buck stuttered. “That’s me.”
The man stared at him for another moment, pushing past him angrily, muttering, “Unbelievable.”.
Buck watched as he limped away, foot in a walking cast as he went, feeling a sinking pit in his stomach.
…
Tommy laid on the ground. He sweated under the weight of the truck, weeping into his own arms at the pain. He knew he was missing time. He could remember sitting up front as Chimney drove them to the accident, could remember Sal grabbing his shoulder from behind and giving him a comforting squeeze. Then he was on the ground, in pain, unable to move. He tried to push himself up again, but the pain made it impossible to move more than a couple inches.
“That’s unfortunate.” A dark figure chuckled, gazing down at Tommy. Tommy squinted up at him through blurred vision. Tommy couldn’t place the young man as he laid his head back down on the ground.
“Hang in there, ya mook.” Sal muttered, rubbing a soothing hand down his spine. His leg was trapped, crushed and mangled. Beside him, Sal huddled against him, Chimney and Hen unconscious on the other side of the truck. Bobby held his hands out to the young man who had targeted them, trying to placate him. It wasn’t working, and everything was getting dark.
“Sssal,” Tommy slurred, reaching for his friend’s hands.
“I’m here.” Sal promised, face blurring at another onslaught of tears. “I’m here, Tommy.”
The time passed in darkness as cold seeped into his body. Tommy felt more than saw when Sal stood up, barely able to open his eyes as he watched Sal dart forward, tackling the man.
Vision fading as he watched the man pull a gun, watched as he swung around before Sal made contact with him, pulling the trigger as Sal and he collided. Even in his state, he heard Sal’s shout of pain, was able to see the puddle growing around his best friend’s body, dead weight holding the teen down.
…
“Who’s Tommy?” Buck finally gathered the courage to ask when he heard the name passed between Hen and Chimney at a late dinner.
Instantly, the atmosphere shifted. It was like all the air was sucked out of the room and it dropped 20 degrees. Chimney brutally stabbed at his dinner, spinning spaghetti around his fork. Hen frowned sadly, looking at Buck with big brown eyes.
“You took his spot. Him and Sal were the team before you.” Hen gently explained.
“Sal?” Buck asked, “The guy in the memorial?”
Hen swallowed, closing her eyes for a moment before looking at him with tears brimming, “Yes, the guy in the memorial. He died saving all of our lives.”
“During the bombings.” Chimney chimed in, “He sacrificed himself to save the rest of us. Tommy got messed up. Not just his leg. Something in his head broke when Sal died.”
“It was hard for him. He and Sal…They were inseparable. They went through the academy together. Survived Gerrard together. There were times I thought they were partners in more ways than one.” Hen continued, gaze far away.
“Where’s he now?” Buck asked hesitantly, watching as Hen and Chimney traded looks.
“He was supposed to come back.” Hen said.
“But, the blood clots…” Chimney finished, “the department said he couldn’t work on the blood thinners.”
“I think I met him the other day.” Buck told him, “He was uh, tall, and he had a cleft chin. Real handsome” Buck told them.
“Sounds like him.” Hen told him, “How’d it go?”
“I don’t think he liked me.” Buck frowned, picking at his meal.
“Give him time.” Chimney offered, “He’ll learn that you’re an idiot and love you like the rest of us do.”
…
The firehouse was quiet. Bobby had taken them offline, but Buck wasn’t sure how long it was going to last.
“An hour,” Was Hen’s guess.
“3 hours.” Chimney said, shrugging his shoulders as he tossed a piece of popcorn in his minutes.
“27 minutes.” A third voice said. Buck swiveled around in his seat to find the man climbing the stairs. Tommy Kinard.
“Why 27?” Buck asked curiously as Chimney and Hen traded looks.
“It’s how long we were held captive.” Tommy told him, crossing the loft like an animal stalking its prey, taking the seat next to Buck at the island. “27 minutes until Sal tackled the kid and got himself killed. I was trapped for over an hour but the chief wouldn’t sanction that much time offline. There will be a minute of silence for Sal’s death in 25 minutes.”
“Tommy!” Hen found words first, “I didn’t expect you to come.”
Tommy frowned at her, tilting his head, “Why not? Sal was my best friend. I lost my job during the bombing. I lost everything.”
“Your job’s not lost, you just have to wait until you’re done with the blood thinners.” Chimney protested, standing up, “You’ll be back before you know it!”
Tommy glared at him, “Back to what? A new partner and a job who would kick me to the curb? I’m just a liability, Chimney.”
He spat his words out, eyes narrowed in anger. Buck had never seen something more beautiful. He blushed to himself when Tommy caught his eye, smirking cruelly.
“You’re an asset, Kinard.” Bobby’s voice carried across the loft, the man exiting his office to see what was going on, “I’ll be happy to reinstate you, after you’re off of the blood thinners.”
“See, that’s what I don’t get Cap’.” Tommy stood, pushing his chair in hard enough to startle Buck, “If you tell them I’m ready, I’d be back by now-”
“-Tommy,” Bobby tried to say, cut off again as Tommy stalked towards him.
“If you tell them- those dumbassess then I-”
“Tommy, you’re not ready.” Bobby snapped, throwing his towel down in frustration. He had been in the middle of making them lunch when they went offline.
“You’re not ready!” Tommy snapped back, slamming large hands down on the table, “You’re not ready and you’re making me suffer for it”
“Sal would have-” Bobby tried.
“Sal’s fucking dead.” Tommy spat out, turning on his heel to march away, “Maybe it would be better if I was too since you already treat me like it.”
“That could have gone better.” Chimney sighed, resting his head in his hands. Buck watched as Hen’s eyes welled with tears, making a split second decision.
Tommy was in the apron, walking towards the parking lot when Buck caught up to him. He was slightly out of breath from sprinting from the opposite end of the firehouse to catch the man.
“Tommy, wait-” He called, stopping to catch his breath when the other man turned, arching a brow at him.
“Evan, you don’t have anything to do with this,” Tommy told him, shrugging away when Buck reached a hand out.
“No, but Bobby is like my dad. He’s really taken me under his wing since I got here. I’m sure there’s a reason he’s keeping you from the job.” Buck told him.
“He’s scared.” Tommy begrudgingly admitted, “Never lost a man in the line of duty before.”
“It sounds like Sal was more than that to you.” Buck offered, blue eyes meeting blue.
Tommy sighed, “Why don’t I tell you about him over a beer?”