Work Text:
Buck had known, when he rejoined the firehouse after discussing everything with Bobby like the adults they were, that there was a possibility they could have to respond to a call there if they were close by. He just…He didn’t expect it to be so soon. It hadn’t even been a full year since the tsunami but the Pier was built back pretty quickly. It opened back up just last week and it was a miracle they had only just now been called to a call there.
When Buck stepped onto the pier, his breath hitched and he froze. For just a moment, everything around him stopped and he could see the wave coming. It was coming, coming, coming. He grabbed for Eddie’s hand, wrist, arm, anything to ground himself from the building panic he felt in his chest. When it had opened back up, Buck admitted to Eddie that he didn’t think he could ever go back to it. Almost a year ago, the Pier had given him a lot of things.
Chris had accidentally called him Papa right before the wave hit. It had been a moment quickly forgotten when it was followed by, where did all the water go? It proved to him that he could still be a good firefighter even after the ladder truck. He had saved so many people, including his best friend’s son. He had kept him safe, Chris curled in his arms, anytime he wasn’t actively getting people out of the water. It had proven to him that his leg wouldn’t automatically give out when he put his full weight on it.
It had given him Eddie. Eddie, who was already his best friend who Buck had a crush on. Eddie, who kissed him when he woke up in the hospital because he had apparently passed out from blood loss from a few cuts along his arms that he hadn’t noticed. That he didn’t let himself notice until he could make sure Chris was safe. Eddie, who admitted that he loved Buck too.
He was pulled out of his thoughts by Eddie looking back at him when his wrist was grabbed. “You alright, cariño?” The man asked, turning to fully face him. It was a medical call so they weren’t needed just yet. Buck nodded slowly and let his hand trail down to Eddie’s, giving it a quick squeeze before pulling his hand away. He took a few more steps, pushing down the fear that circled his brain every time he thought about the Pier, heading towards the rest of the team and their patient.
“Okay. What do you two need help with?” He asked, squatting down beside Chimney and Hen. His eyes landed on the patient and his stomach twisted. They were on a call that was very similar to the one that the 136 had been on that—
No. He couldn’t think about that. Otherwise, he was going to have a panic attack. In front of all these people.
His leg twinged in pain at the reminder of the day it was overused. “Can you get me some of the instant cold packs from the bag? Eddie, can you help Hen get our friend Dennis here out of his costume?” Chimney replied, looking between Buck and then Eddie as he squatted down beside Buck. Eddie gave a nod, looking at Hen. “I’ll roll him over on his side. You unzip?” He asked, tilting his head. Hen nodded and Eddie rolled Dennis over onto his side so Hen could unzip the costume.
Buck turned to the medical bag, mumbling cold packs, cold packs, to himself as he searched for them. He found them rather quickly and was about to turn back when he heard, ‘Isn’t that the guy who pulled you out of the water, Miley?’ Buck’s heart clenched and he shook his hand, turning back to Chimney to give him the cold packs. He broke them as he did so all Chimney had to do was shake them to spread the cold throughout the pack.
Once Dennis was out of the costume, Chimney started to place the cold packs on the man's groin, armpits, and neck to cool him down. “He should be ready to travel in a few minutes. If not, we’ll get some of the saline from the ambulance.” He said, standing up. The other three nodded, standing up as well. Bobby was working on keeping people back so they could work but apparently someone had slipped by because when Buck turned back to zip the med bag back up, one of the workers was behind him.
“Uh…Hi?” He asked, tilting his head. He glanced over at Eddie who seemed to be watching them closely out of the corner of his own vision. The worker grinned. “Hi! I just wanted to see if you were who I thought you were. And you are! You pulled me out of the water during the tsunami. Onto that fire truck.” She explained, still grinning at him. Buck felt like cold water had been dumped on him again. His chest tightened and his pupils dilated slightly. “I just wanted to say thank you.” She said, seemingly unaware of the panic surging through him at that very moment.
“Buck? Hey, hey.” He heard a voice say, but they sounded far off. His eyes darted around and all he could see was water. His eyes landed on a sign. Chris was holding onto it, screaming for him. “Chris! Chris! Stay right there, okay? Stay there!” He yelled, letting go of what he was holding onto and starting to swim across, against the current. “Fuck.” He murmured when something hit him under water, throwing him off balance.
He grabbed onto a thing of string lights with one hand, Chris still screaming for him. “Chris! Look at me!” He yelled over the noise of water. When the little boy looked over at him with a tear stained face, he swallowed hard. “I need you to let go, alright? I’m going to catch you. But I need you to let go. Can you do that for me, Superman?” He called out. “I’m sc—scared, Bucky!” Chris said, another round of tears falling down his face.
Buck’s heart clenched and bit his lip. “I know, Chris. But I’m going to catch you. I promise. I’m not going to let anything happen to you.” He promised. He only hoped it was a promise he’d be able to keep. He couldn’t bear the thought of having to explain to Eddie that he lost his son. Or tell him worse. He saw Chris nod and he let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. He watched Chris let go and his heart beat sped up. “I’ve got you, Superman!” He said as he caught Chris when the water carried him to him.
He looked around and his eyes landed on a fire truck. Station 136. He hoped that everyone was okay. It seemed abandoned though. So he wasn’t sure he had that much hope. “Okay Chris. I need you to hold onto me. Tight. Don’t let go no matter what, alright?” He said, looking down at the boy he held in his arm, his other hand still gripping the string light. “Okay, Bucky.” Chris whispered, his grip on the shirt fabric of Buck’s shoulders tightening.
Buck took a deep breath and let go, letting the water push them towards the truck. He used his free hand to grab onto one of the handles on the side, using the arm that held Chris to push the boy up on top of the fire truck. “Bucky! Wat—Watch out!” Chris yelled, pointing towards something. Buck’s eyes followed where he was pointing and his eyes widened slightly. A pile of debris was floating to them. He pushed himself under without a second thought, keeping his eyes open even as the salt water burned them.
He was never more thankful for the fact that he had been a SEAL. It made things like this easier. He was trained for this. He could hold his breath for almost eight minutes if he focused enough. He watched the debris pass over and he pulled himself back up out the water, letting out a breath and blinking the water out of his eyes. He pulled himself up onto the top of the firetruck, laying on his back for a second. His eyes landed on Chris and he smiled softly. “We’re gonna be fine, Superman.” He said, raising his hand and holding out his pinkie to the boy.
Chris grinned, wrapping his own, smaller pinkie around Buck’s. “I know, Papa.” Chris replied, making Buck smile softly. Papa. He could get used to that. If Eddie didn’t mind Chris calling him that of course. The moment was quickly shattered by someone screaming for help. Buck shot back up, moving into a crouching position. He turned to Chris quickly. “Stay here. Don’t move, Chris. Don’t move.” He said before diving back into the water and to the side of the truck to grab a—
He was dragged out of his flashback by something cold on his neck. His eyes shot open and he became very aware of the fact he was sitting on the ground, curling into a ball, with his hands in his hair. “Chris? Chris!” He called out, tears beginning to form on his face. A hand rested on his cheek, tilting his head up. His eyes landed on Eddie and the tension inside him faded slightly. “Eds?” He asked quietly, his voice shaking. “Where’s Chris?”
Eddie smiled softly at him, one hand still on his cheek and the other holding the cold compact to his neck. “He’s at home, cariño. He’s safe. You’re safe, mi vida.” He replied, his thumb stroking Buck’s cheek bone. Buck swallowed hard, looking at him still. “You promise?” He asked, his hands moving to Eddie’s shirt. He clung to him, tears falling freely down his face. “I promise, cariño.” He murmured, pressing a kiss to Buck’s forehead.
“I want off the Pier.” Buck murmured, still clinging to Eddie like he was his life support and if he let go, he’d die. Which was something running through his head. If he let go, he had a feeling he’d be thrown right back into the tsunami. He’d be at the wrath of the waters. The wrath of God or Poseidon or Mother Nature. Whatever you believed in. He’d be left to drown in the memories of water rushing over him. He had been waterboarded before but the trauma from that was nowhere near the trauma that came from the tsunami. He hadn’t been able to shower without the overwhelming dread and tightness in chest. Like the spray of water was going to drown him.
After the first panic attack in the shower, he started only showering at the station where other people were around or at Eddie’s. Because Eddie witnessed one of his panic attacks at the station right before they started dating. For months, Eddie sat in the bathroom with him while he showered, talking to him to distract him from the water pelting down on him. It wasn’t until he had to dive into a pool to save a kid on a call that his fear of water slowly subsided. He hadn’t thought. He had just jumped. He was the best swimmer on A-Shift after all. He had to be with all his training.
“Okay. Let’s get you off the Pier and back to the truck, cariño.” Eddie said softly. He turned his head to look at Bobby, silently begging him to let him take Buck back to the truck. Bobby nodded, having seen the panic attack very clearly. He knew that Buck had his apprehensions about going to the Pier. He had once suggested that Buck stay as man behind if they had a call to the Pier. To just sit in the truck or something. But that didn’t go over well. ‘What if something happens? What if it happens again, Bobby?’ Bobby’s heart broke when Buck said that. He hadn’t heard Buck so distraught before. Not even after the ladder truck bombing or when he found out that Bobby was the one keeping him from returning to work.
“Get him out of here, Eddie. I’ll help Hen and Chim.” He assured the man. Eddie shot him a grateful look and slowly pulled Buck to his feet. He started to lead him away, ignoring all the glints of peoples phones recording. Bobby looked around at the crowd. He swallowed hard, clenching his hand into a fist. “Listen up!” He yelled out, hands cupped around his mouth to project his voice. “If any of these videos make it online, you will be contacted by the LAFD media team who will make you take it down.” He kept his voice steady and serious.
Bobby didn’t want Buck seeing that panic attack. It had been horrible, in his opinion. The whole time Buck was screaming for Chris. He was apologizing to Eddie for Chris getting caught up in the current. It made his heart ache something fierce. He hated the idea that Buck blamed himself for a natural disaster. He hated the idea that Buck thought Eddie would hate him for Chris being involved in the tsunami when Buck himself was also caught in it and saved so many people including Chris and himself. All while keeping Chris safe and alive. All with a bad leg and on blood thinners.
Bobby heard a few okay’s and saw a few nods while phones were put away. He nodded and went to help Chimney and Hen get the patient on a stretcher. With that done, he followed Hen and Chimney towards the exit where the ambulance and truck waited for them. He stopped when he saw the worker that had caused Buck’s panic attack. She looked shaken and she had tears streaming down her face. “It wasn’t your fault. I don’t blame you and I know Buck doesn’t.” He assured her, patting her shoulder. She only nodded and turned to her friend who pulled her into her arms. The friend mouthed a ‘thank you’ to him and he nodded.
He turned and started his walk back to the truck. When he got there, he saw Eddie sitting with Buck, the blonde still clinging to Eddie and he looked almost asleep. “He okay now, Eddie?” He asked gently, not wanting to disturb Buck from the much needed rest. Eddie nodded, smiling softly. “Yeah. When we get back to the Station, I’ll probably take him to the bunkroom so he’s more comfortable. Let him get some rest.” He replied to the captain. Bobby nodded, smiling at him. “I’ll take us offline for an hour or two when we get there. It’s been a long shift so far with all the calls throughout the night. We need a bit of rest anyways.” He said.
Eddie nodded, his hand coming up to run through Buck’s hair. “Thanks, Cap.” He murmured, not looking away from Buck’s sleeping form. Buck had unfurled his hands slightly from Eddie’s shirt in his sleep but hadn’t fully let go yet. Bobby smiled softly, looking at the two of them. “No, thank you, Eddie. You’re good for him. Just like he’s good for you.” He replied. Eddie just smiled softly, his eyes still on Buck. “Yeah.” He said quietly, his hand continuing to run through the blonde’s hair.
“He and Chris mean the world to me.”