Archive of Our Own

Buck, Eddie, and Theo had been living together for some time.

Buck had one day off so he could spend the whole day with Theo. Eddie and the rest of the 118 team were at work.

It was a warm summer morning.

Buck slowly woke up and reached to the other side of the bed. It was already empty. Eddie had left early for his shift at Station 118.

Buck smiled softly, got out of bed, made it neatly, and opened the curtains.

On his way to the bathroom, he looked into Theo's room. Theo was sleeping in the middle of the big bed. His hair was messy, and the blanket had slipped down to his feet.

Buck smiled. Theo looked so cute that he wanted to lie down next to him and hug him. But he did not want to wake him up, so he quietly went to the kitchen.

He put a small pot on the stove and made Theo's favorite porridge. He also made some fruit tea and poured himself a cup of fresh coffee. He knew that soon he would hear little footsteps in the hallway.

A moment later, he felt small arms around his leg.

"Good morning, sweetheart," Buck said with a smile.

Theo smiled sleepily and hugged his leg even tighter. His eyes were still half closed.

Buck bent down, gently stroked his messy hair, and kissed the top of his head.

"Would you like some breakfast? I made your favorite porridge."

Theo nodded sleepily.

Buck put a bowl of porridge on the table and a cup of tea next to it. Then he held out his arms.

"Come here."

Theo let Buck pick him up. Buck sat him on a chair at the table. Theo yawned a few times and rubbed his eyes.

Buck smiled.

"Here is your spoon. Eat slowly, okay?"

"Okay," Theo said quietly and started eating.

While Theo was eating, Buck packed a small backpack. He put in a bottle of water, some spare clothes, Theo's favorite teddy bear, and a few snacks.

"Theo," Buck said after a while, "what do you think about going to the park after we visit Eddie? Or do you want to go straight home?"

Theo looked up from his bowl. His eyes lit up.

"Yeah! The park!"

Buck laughed.

"Okay. It's a deal."

A few minutes later, Theo finished the last spoonful and carefully pushed the bowl away.

"Daddy, I'm done."

"Good job. Now go wash your face and your hands. Then we'll leave."

When everything was ready, Buck took the backpack to the car and waited by the front door.

Theo came running with wet hands.

"I'm ready!"

Buck smiled, picked him up, and carried him outside.

"Let's go see Eddie."

He put Theo into his car seat, buckled him in carefully, and started driving.

A few minutes later, they stopped in front of Station 118.

Buck walked around the car, opened the back door, and lifted Theo out of the car seat.

Theo immediately rested his head on Buck's shoulder and wrapped his arms around his neck. Buck gently rubbed his back.

"You're still a little sleepy, aren't you?"

Theo nodded quietly.

Together they slowly walked toward the station doors.

As soon as Buck walked into the garage of Station 118 with Theo in his arms, Hen was the first to see them.

She smiled right away and waved at them.

"Well, look who is here!"

Buck smiled back.

"Hi, Hen."

"Hi, Buck."

Then Hen looked at Theo.

"Hi, Theo."

Theo hid his face against Buck's shoulder and looked at her shyly. Since he had lost his parents, he was often nervous around people he did not know well.

Buck noticed it immediately. He held Theo a little closer, gently rubbed his back, and kissed the top of his head.

"It's okay, sweetheart," he whispered. "You don't have to be scared. I'm here with you."

Theo nodded quietly and held Buck's neck even tighter.

"Do you know where Eddie is?" Buck asked Hen.

"Of course. I'll get him."

Hen turned toward the station.

"Eddie! You have visitors!"

Buck slowly walked closer to the door with Theo still in his arms. Theo yawned again and rested his head on Buck's shoulder.

A few seconds later, Eddie came through the door.

As soon as he saw them, he smiled brightly.

"You really came."

He walked straight to them without stopping.

"Hi."

"Hi," Buck said with a smile.

Eddie gently kissed Buck and then looked at Theo.

"Hi, little guy."

Theo finally smiled a little. He reached his arms toward Eddie, and Eddie happily took him into his arms.

"Come here."

Theo hugged Eddie's neck tightly and rested against him.

"Did you miss me too?" Eddie asked softly.

Theo nodded.

Just then, the other firefighters came into the garage. They were laughing and talking after their first call of the day.

Theo looked at them, and his smile slowly disappeared. He moved even closer to Eddie.

Eddie noticed right away.

"It's okay, sweetheart," he whispered as he gently rubbed Theo's back. "They're our friends. No one is going to hurt you."

Theo did not say anything. He just held Eddie's T-shirt tightly.

The firefighters walked over with friendly smiles.

"Hi!" they said.

Buck smiled and greeted them back.

After a short while, everyone walked inside toward the locker room.

Buck kept watching Theo. He could see that the little boy was still nervous. Theo looked around carefully and stayed as close to Eddie as possible.

When they reached the locker room, Buck smiled and held out his arms.

"Come here for a minute, sweetheart."

Theo did not hesitate. Eddie carefully handed him to Buck, and Theo immediately cuddled against Buck's chest.

Buck hugged him tightly and gently rubbed his back.

"You're safe," he whispered. "Both of us are here with you."

Theo slowly nodded. He took a deep breath and rested his head on Buck's shoulder. In the arms of his two dads, he knew he was safe and had nothing to fear.

Buck noticed that Theo was getting sleepier and sleepier. His eyes were slowly closing, and every few moments his head fell onto Buck's shoulder.

"I think someone still needs a little more sleep," Buck said with a soft smile.

Theo gave a small nod and snuggled closer into his arms.

Buck started gently rocking him as he slowly walked around the station. He was not in a hurry. He simply walked back and forth, spoke to Theo in a quiet voice, and sometimes gently rubbed his back or stroked his hair.

"That's it, sweetheart... just rest," he whispered.

Eddie walked beside them for a while, smiling as he watched them. Seeing Buck comfort Theo with so much love always warmed his heart.

After a few minutes, Theo's breathing became slower. The little fingers holding Buck's T-shirt slowly relaxed.

"He's asleep," Eddie whispered.

Buck smiled and nodded.

"Let's put him to bed."

Together they walked upstairs to Eddie's room. Buck carefully laid Theo on the bed. Eddie fixed the pillow, and together they gently covered him with a blanket.

Buck bent down and kissed his forehead.

"Sleep well, sweetheart."

Eddie did the same and quietly added,

"We'll be right next door."

For a moment, they both watched Theo sleeping peacefully. Then they quietly walked out into the hallway.

Hen and Chimney were already waiting there.

Buck leaned against the wall and looked down for a moment.

"I'm worried about him," he said almost in a whisper. "Since he lost his parents, he's been afraid of people he doesn't know. He's always so careful... I just want him to know that he's safe and that he'll always have all the love we can give him."

Hen put a hand on his shoulder.

"Buck, look at the way he looks at you. You and Eddie are his home."

Chimney nodded.

"You don't have to do everything at once. Theo just needs time. And you're giving him that."

Eddie gently took Buck's hand and intertwined their fingers.

"And you'll never have to do it alone."

Buck smiled. He thought for a moment, and then an idea came to him.

"What if we all went on a one-week road trip to the mountains?"

Hen smiled.

"That doesn't sound bad at all."

"Theo could see a new place," Buck continued. "We would all stay together, without any rush... and he would have time to get used to everyone. I think it could really help him."

"I'm in," Eddie said without hesitation.

"Me too," Hen agreed.

"Count me in," Chimney said with a laugh.

Buck looked relieved.

Just then, they heard the quiet sound of the blanket moving upstairs.

All four of them turned toward the door.

Theo moved a little in his sleep, mumbled something quietly, and frowned for a second.

Buck took a step toward the door, but Eddie gently stopped him.

"Wait."

A moment later, Theo snuggled back under the blanket, let out a quiet breath, and his breathing became calm again.

"He's okay," Hen said with a smile. "He just turned over."

Buck let out a quiet sigh.

"I guess I'm a little overprotective."

"No," Eddie answered softly. "You just love him very much."

Buck looked at him and smiled.

Then all four of them went back downstairs to the station kitchen. Chimney started making coffee, Hen sat down at the table, and Buck and Eddie sat next to each other.

The station was filled with a warm and peaceful morning feeling.

Suddenly, they heard the quiet sound of a child crying from upstairs.

Buck immediately looked up.

"Theo..."

Without saying another word, he quickly stood up and ran toward the stairs.

Buck ran upstairs almost immediately. He carefully opened the bedroom door and stopped.

Theo was sitting on the bed with tears in his eyes. His cheeks were wet, and he looked around the room in fear. As soon as he saw Buck standing in the doorway, he reached both arms out to him.

"Daddy..."

Buck was by his side in a second.

"I'm here, sweetheart."

He sat down on the bed and gently picked Theo up. Theo immediately cuddled into him, wrapped his arms tightly around Buck's neck, and hid his face against his shoulder.

Buck gently rocked him.

"What happened?" he asked softly.

Theo only shook his head and started crying even harder.

After a moment, Buck understood.

"You had a bad dream, didn't you?"

Theo gave a small nod.

"It's okay... it's over now," Buck whispered and gently kissed his forehead.

Then he kissed his cheek.

And then he kissed his messy hair.

"You're with me now. And Daddy Eddie is downstairs too. Nothing bad is going to happen to you."

Theo slowly began to calm down. His loud crying turned into quiet sniffles.

Buck hugged him a little tighter and carried him downstairs.

As soon as they walked into the common room, everyone looked at them.

Eddie stood up right away.

"What happened?"

Theo cuddled even closer to Buck. One hand held tightly onto Buck's T-shirt, his face was hidden against Buck's neck, and through his tears he looked at Eddie.

Buck gently rubbed his back.

"I think he had a bad dream."

Eddie let out a quiet sigh of relief and walked over.

"I'm so sorry, sweetheart."

Buck gave Theo another gentle kiss on the forehead.

"It's okay now."

Theo didn't say anything. He was slowly calming down. His little fingers started playing with a small loose thread on the edge of Buck's T-shirt. He rolled it gently between his fingers and sniffled quietly from time to time.

Buck smiled.

He knew Theo always did this when he needed to feel safe.

So Buck slowly walked around the station with him in his arms. He gently rocked him and softly rubbed his back.

"It's okay, sweetheart," he whispered. "We're all here with you."

Theo cuddled closer again. His eyes were half closed now, and his breathing slowly became calm.

When the others saw that Theo was feeling better, they went back to their conversation. Hen and Chimney sat down at the table again, but Eddie stayed where he was, watching Buck with a gentle smile as he patiently carried their son around the station.

"He's lucky to have both of you," Hen said quietly.

Eddie smiled and nodded.

"And we're lucky to have him."

 

The rest of the day at the station was surprisingly quiet. The alarm did not go off even once, and the firefighters were able to enjoy a peaceful shift.

Theo was completely calm again. It seemed that his bad dream from the morning was slowly fading away. For a while he sat on Buck's lap, then he drew pictures at the table. Sometimes he walked over to Eddie, who always found a few minutes for him between his work. Everyone on the team was kind and patient with Theo, and he slowly started to feel more comfortable.

Buck watched him with a smile. This was exactly what he had hoped for.

When Eddie's shift ended, they said goodbye to everyone.

"So, we're leaving in two days," Hen reminded them with a smile.

"I can't wait," Buck replied.

"Me too," Eddie said.

Theo gave everyone a sleepy little wave and hid behind Buck's leg.

Then the three of them got into the car and drove home. After the long day, Theo was very tired. He fell asleep in his car seat and slept peacefully all the way home.

When they arrived, Eddie carefully opened the back door.

"Let him sleep," Buck whispered.

Eddie nodded. He quietly unbuckled Theo and carefully picked him up. Theo did not wake up. He only cuddled closer and rested his head on Eddie's shoulder.

"He's completely exhausted," Buck said with a soft smile.

"He really is," Eddie replied.

In Theo's room, Eddie carefully laid him on the bed. He gently changed him into his soft pajamas, covered him with a blanket, and stroked his hair.

"Good night, sweetheart."

Buck bent down and kissed Theo on the forehead.

"Sweet dreams."

They watched him sleep peacefully for another moment. Then they quietly turned off the bedside lamp and closed the door.

After that, they changed into comfortable clothes and sat down together on the couch in the living room. Buck rested his head on Eddie's shoulder, and Eddie wrapped an arm around his waist.

"So... we're leaving in two days," Buck said with a smile.

"I can't wait."

"I really think this trip will help him," Buck continued. "We'll be outside together, he'll see new places, and he'll have time to get to know everyone without feeling any pressure."

Eddie slowly nodded.

"I agree. And it will be a nice week for us too."

Buck laughed.

"We just have to decide what to pack. Theo will definitely want his teddy bear, his blanket... and maybe all of his toy cars."

Eddie smiled.

"And don't forget your camera. I want lots of pictures."

"I promise."

For a while, they sat together in comfortable silence.

"You know," Eddie said quietly, "I watched you all day today. The way you took care of Theo... the way you comforted him..."

Buck looked at him.

"I just want him to know that he'll never be alone again."

Eddie took Buck's hand and gently squeezed it.

"And he knows that. He has two dads who will love him every single day."

Buck smiled, rested his head on Eddie's shoulder, and the two of them sat together in silence for a little while. The house was peaceful in the quiet evening, and the only sound coming from Theo's room was the soft, calm breathing of their son.

Two days passed surprisingly quickly.

Early in the morning, the doorbell rang just as a car stopped in front of the house. Christopher had just returned from summer camp.

As soon as he walked inside, he smiled brightly.

"I'm home!"

Eddie walked over and gave him a big hug.

"Welcome home, Chris."

"Hi, Dad."

Buck smiled and hugged him too.

"How was camp?"

"It was great! I have so much to tell you."

Theo was standing a few steps behind Buck, watching Christopher with curiosity.

Christopher noticed him and smiled.

"Hi, Theo."

Theo gave him a shy little wave and hid behind Buck.

Before they could talk any longer, more cars started arriving outside.

"That must be everyone else," Eddie said.

A moment later, Hen, Chimney, and Maddie came inside. The house quickly filled with laughter and happy voices.

Theo instinctively moved closer to Buck and held his hand.

"It's okay, sweetheart," Buck whispered as he gently stroked Theo's hair.

Hen knelt down so she was at the same height as Theo.

"Hi, Theo."

Theo looked at her for a second, then quickly ran back to Buck. He hid behind Buck's legs and wrapped his arms around his waist.

Buck smiled and gently rubbed his back.

"He's still a little shy."

Hen nodded with understanding.

"That's okay. He can take all the time he needs."

From that moment on, Theo stayed close to Buck wherever he went. When Buck walked into the kitchen, Theo followed him. When Buck carried a bag to the front door, Theo held onto his T-shirt and walked beside him.

Buck looked at him a few times and quietly hoped that during the trip Theo would slowly become comfortable with everyone else too.

"We're not going to rush him," Buck said quietly to Eddie.

"No," Eddie agreed. "It will happen when he's ready."

Meanwhile, everyone carried their things to the large rental van. The luggage area slowly filled with suitcases, backpacks, blankets, and bags of food.

Buck checked that both child car seats were safely fastened. Then he packed a small bag for Theo with snacks, a bottle of water, coloring books, crayons, and his favorite teddy bear.

"Well... I think we have everything," Buck said with a smile.

"I hope so," Chimney laughed.

One by one, everyone got into the van.

Christopher sat next to Theo.

"Hi," he said with a smile. "Do you want to play a game with me?"

Theo looked at Buck first.

Buck gave him an encouraging smile.

"You can if you want."

Christopher took out his tablet.

"I have a game with animals."

After a moment, Theo became a little braver.

"Can I try?"

"Of course."

Christopher handed him the tablet, and after only a few minutes they were both laughing at the simple game. For the first time that morning, Theo looked relaxed, and Buck noticed it right away.

He smiled happily.

Maybe this was the beginning of a new friendship.

Buck got into the driver's seat, Eddie sat in the front passenger seat, and they made sure everyone was wearing their seat belts.

Then Buck got out one last time, locked the house, and looked around.

"Everyone ready?"

"Ready!"

Buck smiled, got back into the van, and started the engine.

The van slowly pulled away.

A long journey was waiting for them. They would spend the first few days in the mountains, enjoying walks, fresh air, cozy evenings, and time together.

After that, the whole group would travel to the seaside, where they would spend the rest of the week relaxing on the beach.

Buck glanced at the rearview mirror.

Theo was sitting next to Christopher, holding the tablet with complete focus. A small but genuine smile was on his face.

Buck felt relieved.

This was exactly what he had hoped for—that this trip would not only be a vacation, but also the beginning of new friendships and wonderful family memories.

After three hours on the road, everyone was happy to take a break. Buck left the highway and stopped at a large gas station. He parked next to the store.

"Okay, let's stretch our legs," he said with a smile.

One by one, everyone got out of the van.
Theo waited patiently in his car seat until Buck came to him.

"Come on, sweetheart."

Buck unbuckled him and carefully lifted him onto the ground.

"Thank you."

Christopher had already walked toward the store with Hen. Theo quickly ran after them.

"Chris, wait!"

Buck smiled.

Before following them, he gave Eddie a quick kiss.

"I'll go catch up with the others."

Eddie smiled back.

"Okay. I'll fill up the tank and then park the van in the parking lot."

Buck nodded and walked into the store. Inside, he found Theo looking at the snack shelves. As soon as Theo saw Buck, he ran over with a small cereal bar in his hand.

"Daddy... can I have this?"

Buck looked at it and thought for a moment.

"Hmm... we'll make an exception today."

Theo's face lit up.

"Thank you!"

Buck smiled and looked at Christopher.

"You can pick something too."

"Really?"

"Of course."

Christopher chose his favorite juice and a small pack of cookies.
Buck added two fresh sandwiches, drinks, and a few snacks for the trip to the basket.
Then he took Theo's hand.

"Let's go pay."

When they went outside, Eddie had already finished filling up the van and had parked it under the shade of some trees.
Nearby, there was a large wooden picnic table with benches, big enough for everyone.

They all sat down together.
Buck sat Theo on his right side and handed one of the sandwiches to Eddie.

"Here you go."

"Thanks."

Then Buck opened his own sandwich, broke off a small piece, and gave it to Theo.

"Do you want to try some?"

Theo smiled and nodded before taking a bite.

The atmosphere was warm and relaxed. Maddie, Hen, and Chimney were chatting together, Eddie was laughing at Christopher's stories from camp, and Buck happily watched the two boys.
After a while, Theo handed the rest of his sandwich back to Buck.

"I can't eat any more."

Buck laughed.

"Then I'll finish it."

Theo nodded happily.

After lunch, Christopher turned to Theo.

"Do you want to go to the playground?"

Theo looked at Buck.

"Can I?"

"Of course," Buck said with a smile. "Just stay where we can see you."

"We will!"

The two boys ran to the small playground next to the gas station. Christopher showed Theo the climbing frame and the swings. Little by little, Theo became less shy. For the first time since the trip had started, he laughed from the bottom of his heart.

Buck listened to his laughter and smiled.

"It's so nice to see him this happy," he said quietly.

Eddie squeezed his hand.

"This is exactly what he needed."

After a while, Buck stood up.

"Boys! It's time to go!"

"We're coming!" Christopher called back.

The two boys started running toward the van.

Christopher was a little ahead. Theo tried to catch up, but he didn't notice a man who had just walked out of the store.

He accidentally bumped into him, tripped, and fell onto his knees.
For a moment, he just sat on the ground, surprised. He didn't understand what had happened.
Buck was beside him within seconds.

"Theo!"

First, he looked at the man.

"I'm so sorry. He was running and wasn't watching where he was going."

"It's okay," the man said with a smile.

Buck sighed with relief. Then he knelt down and carefully picked Theo up.

"Sweetheart..."

Only then did Theo start crying. He held onto Buck tightly and buried his face in his shoulder.

Buck gently rubbed his back.

"Shh... it's okay. I'm here."

Eddie and the others quickly came over.

"Is he okay?" Eddie asked worriedly.

Buck checked Theo's knees and hands.

"I think he was just frightened."

Theo was still crying quietly, so Buck gently rocked him in his arms.

"It's okay now, sweetheart," he whispered, kissing his hair. "Everything's going to be okay."

 

Theo was still sniffling and holding tightly onto Buck's T-shirt. Buck took a bottle of water and some paper towels out of the backpack.

"Let me see your hands."

Theo slowly held them out. Buck carefully washed the dust off his hands. Then he gently cleaned his knees with some water.

"It's okay now. You're with me, and nothing bad happened."

Theo rested his head on Buck's shoulder, and after a few moments he finally calmed down.

"Shall we go back to the others?"

Theo nodded.
After the break, they continued their journey. It was a long drive, so they stopped a few more times to stretch their legs.
As it started to get dark, Eddie pulled into the last rest stop before they reached the mountains. He parked the van and turned off the engine.

"Let's take one last break," he said.

Christopher was asleep with his head against the window, and Theo was asleep in his car seat.

"We're going to the restroom," Maddie said.

Hen, Chimney, and Maddie got out of the van and walked toward the building. Eddie gently woke Christopher.

"Come on, Chris."

"Already?" Christopher mumbled sleepily.

"Yeah. We'll be back on the road in a few minutes."

Christopher got out of the van with Eddie. Buck stayed with Theo. He turned toward him and gently touched his cheek.

"Theo..."

Theo only mumbled and curled up even more in his car seat.

"Sweetheart, wake up."

"I don't want to..."

Buck smiled.

"That's okay, but you should eat a little."

Theo slowly opened his eyes.

"I'm tired..."

"I know."

Buck reached for the backpack between the seats. He took out a lunch box that he had packed before they left home.

"Remember? I made your little sandwiches."

Theo rubbed his eyes. Buck opened the lunch box.

"Come on."

He picked up a small piece of sandwich and held it out to Theo. Theo took it and slowly ate it.

"Is it good?"

Theo nodded.

"Yeah."

After another bite, his eyes started closing again. Buck laughed.

"You'd rather eat while you're asleep."

Theo smiled tiredly.

"Maybe..."

Buck fed him a few more bites because he was so sleepy that he didn't even want to hold the food himself. Then Buck handed him a bottle of water.

"Have a drink."

Theo took a few sips and gave the bottle back. The van was quiet. Theo looked at Buck for a moment without saying anything. Then he spoke softly.

"Daddy?"

"Yes?"

"I love you very much."

Buck smiled.

"I love you too."

Theo shook his head.

"No... very, very much."

Buck gently stroked his cheek.

"I love you very, very much too. Do you know that you're the most important person in my life?"

Theo smiled and held out his arms.
Buck carefully unbuckled him from his car seat and held him for a little while. Theo immediately cuddled against his chest.

"I love you, Daddy."

"I love you too, sweetheart."

A few minutes later, Eddie and Christopher came back to the van, followed by Hen, Maddie, and Chimney.

"So, are we ready to keep going?" Eddie asked with a smile.

Buck nodded.

"Yeah. Theo has eaten, so we're ready."

Buck buckled Theo back into his car seat, and a few minutes later they were all on the road again, heading toward the mountains.

 

After twelve hours on the road, they finally arrived at the mountain resort.
It was already late in the evening. Outside, it was dark, and only the lights along the paths lit up the resort. It was much bigger than anyone had expected. There were several wooden buildings, a restaurant, a playground, and a beautiful view of the surrounding mountains.

"We're finally here," Eddie said with a tired smile.

Buck parked in front of the main building and turned off the engine.

"That was a long drive."

One by one, everyone got out of the van. Hen, Maddie, and Chimney took their suitcases and slowly walked toward the reception desk. Buck opened the back door.
Theo was fast asleep in his car seat. He didn't even move.
Buck carefully unbuckled him and picked him up. Theo stirred a little but didn't open his eyes. He instinctively cuddled closer to Buck and rested his head on his shoulder.

"He's sleeping so deeply," Buck said with a smile.

Eddie took his hoodie from the van and gently placed it over Theo so he wouldn't get cold outside.

"That's better."

Buck nodded, and together they walked to the reception.
It was warm and cozy inside. While Buck continued holding the sleeping Theo, Eddie checked them in. The receptionist gave them their room key cards and showed them where their rooms were.

"So the four of us are staying together?" Christopher asked.

"That's right," Eddie said with a smile. "You, me, Buck, and Theo."

Christopher nodded happily.
The others got rooms right next to them, so everyone was staying on the same floor.
They took the elevator upstairs and walked down the long hallway.

"Good night," Hen said with a smile.

"Sleep well," Maddie added.

"Tomorrow our vacation really begins," Chimney said with a laugh.

"Good night, everyone," Buck replied.

After saying good night, everyone went to their own rooms.
As soon as Buck and Eddie opened the door, Christopher carried his suitcase over to one of the beds.

"I'm going straight to bed."

"I don't blame you," Eddie laughed.

Buck carefully laid Theo on the bed. The little boy was sleeping so deeply that he barely noticed what was happening around him.
Together, Buck and Eddie took off his shoes and the clothes he had worn during the trip. Then they changed him into his pajamas. Theo mumbled something quietly in his sleep and curled up under the blanket again.
Buck pulled the blanket up to his neck and gently brushed the hair away from his forehead.

"Good night, sweetheart."

He gently kissed him on the forehead.
Eddie turned off the bedside lamp.

"Sweet dreams."

Christopher was already lying in his own bed, and within a few minutes, he was asleep too.
Buck and Eddie took turns using the bathroom. They both had a quick shower, changed into their pajamas, and tried to be as quiet as possible.
When Buck came back, Eddie was already lying in bed, waiting for him.
Buck lay down beside him and let out a tired sigh.

"That was a long day."

"But we made it," Eddie said with a smile.

He reached over, gently stroked Buck's cheek, and kissed him softly. Buck smiled and kissed him back.

"Good night."

"Good night."

Eddie turned off the last lamp.
The room became quiet. The only sounds were the peaceful breathing of Christopher and Theo.
A few minutes later, Buck and Eddie were asleep too, ready for the first day of their family vacation in the mountains.

 

The next morning, Buck woke up first. He stayed in bed for a moment, watching Eddie, who was still asleep beside him.
He smiled and carefully moved a little closer. After a moment, Eddie opened his eyes.

"Good morning," he mumbled sleepily.

"Good morning."

Eddie smiled, wrapped an arm around Buck's waist, and pulled him closer.

"Five more minutes."

Buck laughed.

"You say that every morning."

"Because it's true."

For a while, they just lay there together, holding each other and enjoying the quiet morning. Eddie kissed Buck on the forehead and then gave him a quick kiss on the lips.

"I've been looking forward to this vacation."

"Me too."

A few minutes later, they both got out of bed. Theo was just waking up, and Christopher was already sitting on his bed.

"Good morning," Buck said with a smile.

Theo rubbed his eyes and immediately held out his arms.

"Hug."

Buck picked him up without hesitation.

"Come on. Let's get dressed."

He helped Theo get dressed, brushed his messy hair, and then they all went to breakfast.

The restaurant was full of people. The large buffet had everything—bread, fruit, eggs, pancakes, cereal, and yogurt.

Christopher and Eddie chose their breakfast almost right away.

"I'm having scrambled eggs," Christopher said.

"Me too," Eddie replied.

Buck took one plate for himself and another one for Theo.

But instead of choosing food, Theo slowly walked around the buffet, looking at everything.

"I don't know..."

Buck knelt down beside him.

"You don't have to hurry."

Theo looked at the fruit. Then at the bread. Then at the pancakes.

"I don't know what I want."

Buck smiled.

"How about some fruit, a small yogurt, and one pancake? If you're still hungry later, we can always get more."

Theo nodded.

"Okay."

A few minutes later, everyone was sitting together at one big table. Hen, Maddie, and Chimney joined them, and they talked about their plans for the day while they ate.

"How about the pool after breakfast?" Maddie suggested.

"I'm in," Chimney said with a smile.

Christopher nodded excitedly.

"Me too!"

After breakfast, everyone went back to their rooms.
Buck helped Theo change into his swimsuit, put a bathrobe on him, and packed some towels. But he noticed that Theo wasn't as cheerful as usual.

"Sweetheart?"

Theo looked at him.

"What is it?"

"You seem a little tired."

Theo shrugged.

"A little."

"Would you rather stay in the room?"

Theo quickly shook his head.

"No. I want to come with you."

"Okay."

Together, they walked to the pool. The others were already waiting for them. But as soon as Theo saw the large pool full of people, he stopped. He looked around and immediately moved closer to Buck. He grabbed Buck's hand tightly. Buck knelt beside him.

"Are you scared?"

Theo gave a quiet nod. Buck gently stroked his hair.

"That's okay. We don't have to rush."

He carefully put Theo's arm floaties on, took off his bathrobe, and inflated his small swim ring. Then he noticed the look on Theo's face.

"I guess you've never been in a big swimming pool before, have you?"

Theo shook his head.

"No..."

Meanwhile, Christopher and Eddie slowly walked into the water. Chimney ran and jumped into the pool with a laugh.

"The water is great!"

Buck picked Theo up.

"We'll just go to the steps. You don't have to get into the water right away."

Theo nodded. Buck slowly walked down the steps. But as soon as he tried to put Theo's feet into the water, Theo quickly pulled them back.

"No!"

He wrapped his arms tightly around Buck's neck. Buck stopped.

"Okay. We won't make you."

Eddie noticed what was happening and swam over.

"Can I help?"

Buck nodded.

"I think he's afraid of the water."

Eddie smiled at Theo.

"Look."

He scooped up a little water in his hand and slowly let it run back into the pool.

"See? It doesn't do anything."

Theo watched him carefully. Buck took one more step until he was almost completely in the water.

"Look at me," he said calmly. "I'm standing here, and everything is okay."

But Theo reached out to Eddie.

"Daddy..."

Eddie carefully took him into his arms.

"I'm here."

Theo hugged him tightly and buried his face in his shoulder.

"You don't have to swim right away," Eddie said gently. "Let's just try putting your feet in the water."

Buck stood beside them with a warm smile.

"And if you want to get out at any time, we'll get out."

Theo thought about it for a moment. Then he carefully looked down.
First, he touched the water with the tip of one foot.
Then with the other. Nothing happened. He looked at Buck. Buck gave him an encouraging smile.

"That's great."

Theo took a deep breath.

With Buck's and Eddie's help, he slowly relaxed enough to leave his feet in the water. After a while, he became brave enough to step into the pool, while both of his dads held him safely.
He held tightly onto Eddie with both hands and didn't let go for even a second.

"That's it," Buck said with a smile. "You're doing great."

Theo was still unsure, but he wasn't trying to get away anymore. He simply held on tightly and slowly got used to the water while Buck and Eddie stayed close to him the whole time.

 

After a few minutes in the water, it was easy to see that Theo was starting to relax.
He was still wearing his swim ring and arm floaties, but now he was smiling. Christopher swam over with a small plastic boat.

"Look! Let's race it."

Theo laughed.

"Me too!"

Christopher placed the little boat on the water, and the two boys gently pushed it from one side of the pool to the other. Buck and Eddie watched them from a distance.

"Look at him," Eddie said with a smile.

"A few minutes ago, he was afraid to get into the water," Buck replied.

But every few seconds, Theo turned around. He was looking for Buck. As soon as he saw him, he smiled. Buck waved at him.

"I'm right here!"

Theo nodded happily and swam back to Christopher. After a while, he turned around and slowly floated back to Buck.

"Daddy!"

Buck knelt down in the water.

"What is it?"

Theo just smiled. Buck laughed and kissed him on the forehead.

"Okay, you can go swimming again."

Theo turned around and happily went back to Christopher. A few minutes later, he came back again.

"Another kiss?" Buck asked with a smile.

Theo nodded.

"Yes."

Buck kissed him on the cheek.

"There you go. Now go have fun."

And it happened again and again. Theo would play with Christopher for a while, then swim back to Buck, get a hug and a kiss, and happily return to playing.

"I think he knows where his safe place is," Eddie said with a laugh. Buck smiled and wrapped an arm around Eddie's waist.

"And that's a good thing."

He leaned against Eddie for a moment while they watched the two boys together. A little later, Theo swam back once more. This time, he didn't seem to be in a hurry. He wrapped his arms around Buck's neck and stayed there.

Buck gently stroked his wet hair.

"What is it? Aren't you having fun anymore?" Theo shook his head.

"I am."

"Then why are you here?" Theo looked at him.

"Because I love you very much."

A big smile appeared on Buck's face.
"I love you very much too, sweetheart."

Theo hugged him even tighter.

"I don't want to let you go."

Buck kissed the top of his head.

"You don't have to. Not yet."

They stayed like that for a little while until Theo smiled again and happily swam back to Christopher. After playing for a while longer, everyone started to look tired.

"How about a snack?" Maddie called.

"I'm in," Chimney replied.

One by one, everyone climbed out of the pool. Buck wrapped Theo in a big, soft towel.
"Come here."

Theo let Buck wrap him up from head to toe.

"Am I a burrito?" he asked with a laugh.

Buck laughed too.

"The cutest burrito in the whole world."

He carefully laid Theo down on a sun lounger. Then he pretended to wrap the towel even tighter around him.

"We have to wrap you up really well so you can't run away."

Theo burst out laughing.

"Nooo!"

"Oh yes."

Buck gently tickled him through the towel. Theo laughed so loudly that even Hen turned around.

"You two are never going to change."

"I don't think so," Buck said with a smile.

After a while, he noticed that Theo was starting to yawn again.
Buck stopped playing, loosened the towel a little, and pulled the top part over the back of the lounger to shade Theo's eyes from the sun.

"Now it's time for a little rest."

Theo didn't argue.

Instead, he held out his hand.
Buck gave him his index finger. Theo wrapped his little hand tightly around it.

"Will you stay here?"

"I'm not going anywhere."

Theo nodded happily.

Still holding Buck's finger, he blinked sleepily a few times, and within a few minutes, he was asleep again.

Buck sat down beside the lounger and kept his hand where it was so Theo wouldn't have to let go.
Eddie sat down beside him, gently kissed him on the cheek, and together they quietly watched the others talking while little Theo slept peacefully, holding Buck's finger tightly in his hand.

Theo slept for almost an hour.
The whole time, he held onto Buck's finger as if he was afraid that Buck would leave if he let go.
Buck sat beside the sun lounger and hardly moved.

"You know, you can sit more comfortably," Eddie said with a smile.

Buck laughed quietly.

"I don't want to wake him up."

"You'd stay like this all afternoon if you had to."

"I probably would."

Eddie smiled and gently rubbed Buck's back.

"You're a great dad."

Buck looked at him.

"I just want him to know that he can always count on me."

Eddie leaned over and gave him a quick kiss.

"And that's exactly what he knows."

After a while, Theo stirred.
First, he moved his hand a little. Then he slowly opened his eyes.
He looked around sleepily, and the first thing he saw was Buck sitting beside him.

"Hi, sleepyhead," Buck said with a smile.

Theo smiled back.

"You're here."

"I've been here the whole time."

Theo let go of Buck's finger and held out his arms.
Without hesitation, Buck picked him up.

"Did you sleep well?"

Theo nodded.

"Yeah."

"I'm glad."

Christopher noticed that Theo was awake and ran over.
"Theo, do you want to go to the playground? It's right next to the pool."

Theo looked at Buck first.

"Can I?"

Buck nodded.

"Of course. We'll stay here, so we'll be able to see you."

Theo smiled and, for the first time, ran off with Christopher without holding Buck's hand.
Buck watched them with a smile.

"Did you see that?" he asked Eddie quietly.

"Yeah."

"A few days ago, he was afraid to take even one step without us."

Eddie smiled.

"He's slowly becoming more confident."

At the playground, Christopher showed Theo the climbing frame and the small slide. At first, Theo was careful, but when he saw that Christopher stayed beside him, he started to play.
A few minutes later, he laughed so loudly that Buck couldn't help smiling.

"I haven't heard him laugh like that in a long time," Buck said softly.

"And you'll hear it more and more often," Maddie said as she sat down beside them.
Buck nodded.

"I hope so."
About twenty minutes later, Theo ran back. This time, it wasn't because he was scared. He stopped in front of Buck.

"Daddy?"

"Yes?"

Theo held out his arms. Buck knelt down. Theo hugged him.

"I just wanted to give you a hug."
Buck smiled and hugged him tightly.

"You can do that anytime."

Theo kissed Buck on the cheek.

"Okay, I'm going back to Chris now."

"Okay."

Buck watched him run back to the playground. Eddie smiled.

"I think this trip was a really good idea."

Buck rested his head on Eddie's shoulder.

"And we've only just begun."

They still had a whole week ahead of them, full of new adventures and happy memories together.
They spent the rest of the afternoon at the pool.

Theo wasn't as afraid of the water as he had been that morning. He still wore his arm floaties and swim ring, but he swam all around the children's pool with Christopher. They threw a ball to each other, raced a little plastic boat, and then challenged each other to see who could reach the steps first.

Buck watched them from his sun lounger the whole time.
Whenever Theo turned around, Buck waved at him.

Theo always waved back with a smile before returning to his game.

"He hardly needs you anymore," Eddie teased.

Buck smiled.

"That's okay. I'm just happy he's having fun."

A little while later, Theo swam back to Buck.

"Daddy, look!"

He stretched his arms out in front of him and gently pushed himself forward with his feet.

"See? I can swim with my ring now!"

"I do," Buck said with a proud smile. "You're doing great."

Theo beamed.

"One more time!"

"Go on, show me."

Theo turned around and happily swam back to Christopher.

The afternoon continued like that. Theo would play with Christopher for a while, then swim back to Buck to show him something new or simply cuddle with him for a moment. Every time, Buck praised him, brushed his wet hair back, or kissed him on the cheek.

The afternoon passed much faster than any of them expected.
As the sun slowly disappeared behind the mountains, Eddie called out,

"So, little water babies, I think it's time to get out."

"Just a little longer!" Christopher pleaded.

"Just five more minutes," Theo added.

Buck laughed.

"You've already said that three times."

"Please..."

Eddie looked at Buck, and they both smiled.

"Okay," Buck said. "Five more minutes. That's it."

Christopher and Theo grinned and swam one last lap around the pool.
Then they finally climbed out. Buck wrapped Theo in a big towel.

"You're freezing."

"A little," Theo admitted as he cuddled against him.

Buck dried his hair, helped him into his bathrobe, and put his sandals back on.
Christopher was already changed and waiting by the exit.

"Ready to go back to our room?" Eddie asked.

"Yep," Buck replied.

They returned to their room, where everyone took a quick shower and changed into clean clothes. Theo yawned almost every minute. Buck combed his still-damp hair and knelt in front of him.

"Aren't you getting tired?"

Theo shook his head.

"I am... but I want to have dinner."

Buck smiled.

"Then let's go."

A few minutes later, the whole group met outside their rooms.

"Everyone ready?" Hen asked.

"We are," Eddie answered.

Together, they headed to the hotel restaurant.
The dining room smelled of freshly prepared food. They found a large table by the window where everyone could sit together.
This time, Theo sat between Buck and Christopher. He didn't seem nearly as shy as he had on their first day. He even joined in the conversation now and then and smiled when Christopher told a funny story about summer camp.

Buck glanced at him quietly.
It was obvious that Theo was slowly beginning to feel safer around everyone. And that was one of the main reasons they had planned this trip together.

 

After dinner, they stayed in the restaurant for a while, chatting together. Christopher excitedly talked about summer camp, Chimney kept everyone laughing with his stories, and Maddie and Hen discussed where they should go the next day.

Theo, however, was getting sleepier and sleepier. He sat cuddled up against Buck, yawning every few minutes.
Buck noticed and gently stroked his hair.

"Tired, sweetheart?"

Theo nodded quietly.

"Then let's head back to our room."

Everyone agreed, and they all got up from the table.
On the way back, Theo walked by himself at first. After a few steps, though, he stopped and held out his arms to Buck.

"Up?"

Buck smiled.

"Come here."
He picked him up, and Theo immediately rested his head on Buck's shoulder.

"So," Eddie asked with a smile, "did you enjoy today?"

Theo smiled.

"Yeah... the pool was my favorite."

"And tomorrow is another new day," Buck said.

"Can we swim again?"

"If you want to, absolutely."

Theo nodded happily.
When they reached their floor, they said goodnight to everyone.

"Good night," Hen said with a smile.

"Good night," everyone replied almost at the same time.

Back in their room, Buck helped Theo change into his pajamas. Theo was so sleepy he could barely stay on his feet.

"Time to brush your teeth."

Theo nodded obediently. Together, they went into the bathroom, where Buck helped him with his bedtime routine.
When they came back, Eddie was already pulling back the blankets, and Christopher was changing into his pajamas.
Buck tucked Theo into bed and pulled the blanket up to his chin.

"Good night, sweetheart."

Theo held out his arms.
Buck leaned down and hugged him.

"I love you, Daddy."

Buck smiled warmly.

"I love you too. So much."

Then he kissed him on the forehead.
Eddie leaned down as well, gently brushed Theo's hair back, and kissed him too.

"Good night, buddy."

"'Night..."

Theo closed his eyes and was asleep within minutes.
Christopher wished them both good night and turned off the bedside lamp by his bed.
Buck and Eddie stepped out onto the balcony for a few minutes and sat together. The mountains stretched out before them, and the cool evening air was peaceful and refreshing.

"I'm really glad we came here," Eddie said quietly.

Buck nodded.

"Me too. I think Theo really needed this."

Eddie reached over and took Buck's hand.

"And I think we did too."

Buck smiled, rested his head on Eddie's shoulder, and for a while they simply sat together, quietly watching the stars. Then they went back inside, checked that both boys were sleeping peacefully, turned off the last light, and climbed into bed.
Eddie moved closer to Buck, gently kissed his cheek, and wrapped an arm around his waist.

"Good night."

"Good night."

A few moments later, they were asleep as well. The entire resort settled into peaceful silence, and after their first day of vacation, everyone rested, ready for another day of adventures together.

The next morning, the room was still quiet. Buck and Eddie were still asleep when the door between their part of the room and the boys' sleeping area slowly opened. Christopher smiled at Theo.

"Want to wake them up?"

Theo nodded excitedly. The two of them quietly ran over to the big bed.

"One... two... three!"

With loud laughter, they jumped onto the bed.

"Good morning!" Christopher shouted.
Buck woke up with a start, then immediately laughed.

"Well! What was that?"

Without hesitation, Theo crawled under Buck's blanket and cuddled up against him.

"Good morning, Daddy."

Then he leaned over and kissed Buck on the cheek. Buck smiled.

"Now that's a wonderful way to wake up."

Theo giggled.
Suddenly, Buck started gently tickling his side.

"Nooo!" Theo laughed, trying to hide even deeper under the blanket.

"So, you're going to wake me up like that?"

Theo laughed so hard that Christopher started laughing too.
Meanwhile, Christopher lay down beside Eddie and cuddled up next to him.

"Good morning, Dad."

Eddie wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

"Good morning, Chris."

A few minutes later, everyone finally got out of bed, got dressed, and headed down for breakfast.
Just like the day before, they sat together at a large table with Hen, Maddie, and Chimney.

"So, what are we doing today?" Maddie asked.

Hen pulled out a map of the resort.

"How about a hike to the mountain lake? I heard it's a beautiful trail."

"And there's a mountain restaurant along the way," Chimney added. "We could have lunch there."

"Sounds good," Eddie agreed.

Buck looked at Theo.

"Think you can do it?"

Theo nodded eagerly.

"Yep!"

After breakfast, they went back to their rooms and started packing.
Buck packed the backpack carefully. He packed water, snacks, fruit, a small first-aid kit, sunscreen, a spare T-shirt, and—just to be safe—two hoodies for Theo.

"Why two?" Eddie laughed.

"One in case he gets cold... and the other in case he gets the first one dirty."

"That actually sounds like a good plan."

Christopher grabbed his small backpack, and before long everyone was ready.
Together, they set off along the hiking trail.
At first, Theo walked beside Buck, holding his hand. Every now and then he looked around or pointed at the flowers and butterflies along the path. After a few minutes, though, he stopped.

"Daddy..."
Buck knelt beside him.

"What's wrong?"

"My legs hurt."

Buck smiled.

"I figured they might."

Eddie immediately stepped closer.

"Come here."

He lifted Theo onto his shoulders.
Theo instantly held onto Eddie's head and settled in comfortably.

"Better?"

"Yeah!"

Sitting high above everyone else, he happily looked around at the scenery. After a while, he turned around.
Buck was only a few steps behind, talking with Hen, Maddie, and Chimney.

Theo smiled.
He could still see Buck, and that was all he needed. Every now and then, he waved at him.
Buck always waved back with a smile.

"How's the view from up there?" he called.

"Great!"

Christopher laughed.

"You're the tallest one here now."
Theo sat up a little straighter.

"Yep!"

The whole group continued at a relaxed pace along the forest trail toward the mountain lake. No one was in a hurry. They chatted, enjoyed the fresh mountain air, and looked forward to reaching the lake—and later, sharing lunch together at the mountain restaurant.

 

After almost an hour of hiking, they finally reached a small mountain restaurant. It stood at the edge of the forest, with a beautiful view of the surrounding hills from the terrace.

"This looks like a good place to take a break," Hen said with a smile.

Everyone sat down at two tables that had been pushed together on the outdoor terrace.
A waitress came over after a moment.

"How about hot soup for everyone?" Eddie suggested.

No one objected.
A few minutes later, steaming bowls of homemade chicken soup were placed in front of them.
Meanwhile, Theo climbed onto Eddie's lap.

"Are you cold?" Eddie asked.

Theo nodded.

"A little."

Eddie unzipped his hoodie and wrapped it around Theo, who immediately snuggled into it.

"Better now?"

"Yeah."

Buck was sitting across from them. He picked up a spoon and scooped up a little soup.

"Here you go."

Theo opened his mouth and quietly ate the first spoonful.

"Is it too hot?"

Theo shook his head.

"No."

Buck patiently fed him while everyone else talked about what they wanted to do for the rest of the day.
After lunch, they all ordered something to drink. Once they had rested for a little while, they continued along the trail. About twenty minutes later, they reached the mountain lake.
The water was perfectly still, and only a few other people were nearby.

"It's beautiful," Maddie said softly.

Everyone sat down on the blankets Buck had taken out of his backpack. Then he opened a container of sliced fruit.

"Theo."

The little boy turned around.

"Here you go."

Buck handed him the container.
Theo took a slice of apple and happily sat down beside Buck. After a while, Chimney stood up.

"Buck."

"Hm?"

"How about a challenge?"

Buck laughed.

"What kind?"

"Let's see who can stay in the water longer."

Hen just shook her head.

"You two are never going to change."

"So?" Chimney grinned. "Are you in?"

"You're on."

Buck pulled off his shirt, and he and Chimney slowly walked into the cold lake.
Theo watched them curiously from Eddie's lap.

"Three... two... one!"

At the same time, they both disappeared beneath the water.
For a few seconds, nothing happened. Then Theo's expression changed completely.
His smile disappeared.
He started breathing faster. A memory flashed through his mind—the day he had seen his biological father, Connor, struggling in the water.

"Daddy..."

At first, it was only a whisper. Then he cried out louder.

"Daddy!"

Buck couldn't hear him. He was still underwater. Theo burst into tears.

"Daddy! Please!"

Eddie immediately turned to him.

"Theo? What's wrong?"

Theo started trembling.

"He... he..."

Just then, Buck came back up to the surface. The moment he heard Theo crying, nothing else mattered.
Without saying a word, he climbed out of the lake and hurried over to them.

"Theo."

He held out his arms. Theo immediately threw himself into them. Buck caught him and held him tightly against his chest.

"Shh... I'm here."

Theo wrapped his arms around Buck's neck so tightly that Buck could barely breathe.

"Don't... don't ever go away..."

Buck didn't understand what had happened, but he kept gently rubbing Theo's back.

"I'm not going anywhere."

Theo was still crying.

"I thought... you were going to drown..."

Buck froze for a moment.
Then he understood. He glanced at Eddie. Eddie gave him a sad nod.
Buck kissed the top of Theo's head.

"Look at me."

Theo slowly lifted his head.
"I'm okay."

Buck gently placed Theo's little hand against his cheek.

"I'm right here with you."

Theo nodded, then buried his face in Buck's shoulder again.

No one cared about the challenge anymore.
After a little while, they packed up their things and started walking back toward the resort.
Buck carried Theo in his arms the entire way.
Theo didn't want to let go of him for even a second. When Buck gently asked if he wanted Eddie to carry him for a while, Theo immediately shook his head.

"No."

"Okay."

Buck simply stroked his back.

"Then you can stay with me."

They didn't get back to the resort until early evening.
After dinner, they spent some time relaxing in their room.
Theo was calmer now, but he still sat right next to Buck, holding his hand.

"The outdoor pool is open until ten," Chimney said. "How about we go relax in the warm water for a while?"

"That sounds nice," Maddie agreed.

Buck looked at Theo.
He still couldn't stop thinking about what had happened at the lake.
He wasn't sure if swimming again was a good idea.
In the end, though, he told himself that a warm, quiet pool was completely different from a cold mountain lake.

"We'll give it a try," he said softly. "But if Theo wants to leave, we'll leave right away."

Theo didn't say anything.
He simply stayed cuddled close to Buck, holding his hand tightly while everyone else slowly got ready for an evening swim.

 

A few minutes later, they were all standing by the outdoor pool.
It was already dark. The area was lit only by small lights around the pool and a few lamps along the paths. Steam rose gently from the warm water, and everything around them was peaceful and quiet.
They had the entire pool to themselves.

"This is beautiful," Maddie said with a smile.

Buck looked at Theo.
"Want to give it a try?"

Theo hesitated for a moment, then nodded quietly.

"With you."

Buck smiled, picked him up, and slowly stepped into the warm water.

"It's nice and warm," he said.

At first, Theo carefully dipped only his feet into the water. When he realized how warm and comfortable it was, he relaxed completely. He cuddled against Buck and rested his head on his shoulder.
"Is it okay?"

"Yeah..."

Meanwhile, Eddie stepped into the pool with Christopher.

"Want to play with the little boat?" Christopher asked.

"Sure."

Christopher took a small plastic boat out of his backpack and set it on the water. Eddie made little waves with his hands to help it float across the pool.

Theo watched them for a while but stayed quietly in Buck's arms.
After a while, everyone moved to the edge of the pool. They leaned back against the side and sat on the built-in underwater loungers. It was peaceful.
No one was in a hurry.

By then, Theo had completely curled up against Buck. The warm water, the long day, and all the excitement had caught up with him.
Within a few minutes, he had fallen asleep with his head resting against Buck's chest.
Buck held him a little closer, supporting his back with one hand so he wouldn't slip. For a while, he simply sat there in silence. Then he looked quietly at Eddie.

"He really scared me today."

Eddie nodded.

"Me too."

Buck spoke almost in a whisper so he wouldn't wake Theo.

"I didn't know he was still carrying something like that inside him."

"There may be more," Eddie said gently.
Buck looked down at Theo.

"I'm afraid we haven't seen everything yet."

Eddie reached over and rested a hand on Buck's shoulder.

"We don't have to figure it all out today."

Buck sighed softly.
"I just don't want him to be afraid."

"He won't have to face it alone," Eddie replied. "He has us. And, little by little, he'll learn that he's safe now."

Buck nodded.

"I'll do everything I can to make sure he knows that."

After a while, Theo stirred.
He slowly opened his eyes and looked around sleepily.

"Did I fall asleep?"

Buck smiled.

"Just for a little while."

Theo gave him a sleepy smile.
Buck looked at him.

"You know what? Would you like to swim over to Maddie for a minute?"

"No..."

"Just a little way. I'll stay right here."

Theo shook his head. Buck didn't pressure him. He simply kept holding him and spoke softly.

"Look, Maddie's right over there. If you want to come back to me, you can come back anytime."

Theo looked at Maddie. She smiled warmly at him.

"We can just swim together for a minute. And if you don't like it, I'll bring you right back to Buck."

Theo thought about it for a moment. Finally, he nodded. Buck carefully put his arm floaties back on.

"Okay. Just a little way."

Theo pushed gently away from Buck and slowly paddled over toward Maddie in his own way. Every few seconds, he turned around to make sure Buck was still standing where he had left him.
Each time, Buck waved.

"I'm right here."

As soon as Theo reached Maddie, he wrapped his arms around her neck. Maddie smiled.

"Hi there, sweetheart."

She gently brushed his wet hair back and kissed him on the cheek.
Then she gave him another little kiss. Theo started giggling.

"That tickles."

"Okay," Maddie laughed. "Just one last kiss."

Theo cuddled against her for a moment, then became fascinated by her long hair. He wrapped a strand around his finger and examined it with great curiosity.
Maddie laughed.

"So you've decided to give me a new hairstyle?"

Theo burst into laughter. Buck and Eddie looked at each other and smiled.
After the difficult afternoon they had shared, it was wonderful to see Theo laughing again—and slowly beginning to trust someone besides Buck.

 

Buck noticed after a while that Theo was yawning almost every minute, his eyes slowly drifting shut.

"I think he's had enough for today," he said quietly to Eddie.

Eddie nodded.

"I agree."

Buck turned to the others.

"We're going to head back to our room. See you in the morning."

"Good night," Hen smiled.

"And I hope Theo sleeps well," Maddie added.

Buck picked Theo up into his arms.

"Want to say goodbye?"

Theo gave a sleepy little wave.

"Night..."

Together they headed back to their room.
Buck filled the bathtub with warm water.

"All right, Captain, bath time."

Theo simply nodded quietly.
Bath time was unusually peaceful that evening. Theo didn't even play—he just sat quietly in the water, occasionally looking over at Buck.
After the bath, Buck wrapped him in a soft towel, dried him off, helped him into his pajamas, and they brushed their teeth together.

"All done."

Theo held out his arms.
Buck picked him up and carried him to bed.

The moment he tucked him under the blankets, Theo immediately snuggled close.

"Will you stay?"

"Of course."

Buck lay down beside him.
Theo rested his head on Buck's chest and within a few minutes was breathing steadily. Buck gently stroked his hair.

"Good night, sweetheart."

A little while later, the door opened quietly. Eddie and Christopher had returned.
Both of them tried to be as quiet as possible.

Christopher brushed his teeth and climbed into his own bed.
Eddie smiled at Buck, who simply gave him a quiet nod. He changed into his pajamas, switched off the bedside lamp, and lay down next to Buck.
The room fell completely silent.

---

Early the next morning, Buck felt a gentle touch on his hand.
He slowly opened his eyes. Theo was sitting beside him. With his tiny hand, he was softly stroking Buck's fingers.

"Theo?"

The little boy looked at him but didn't say anything.

"Why aren't you sleeping?"

Theo simply shook his head. Then he lay back down beside Buck, wrapped his arms tightly around his waist, and buried his face in Buck's shirt.
Buck rubbed his back gently.

"Did you have a bad dream?"

Theo stayed quiet for a moment. Finally, he gave the slightest nod. Buck didn't ask any more questions. He simply hugged him.

"It's okay now. I'm here."

Theo didn't say a word.
He only snuggled even closer.
A few minutes later, Eddie woke up too. He sat up in bed and smiled at them. Walking over to Buck, he gave him a quick kiss on the lips before gently brushing Theo's hair back.

"Good morning."

Theo gave a quiet little wave.

"Ready for breakfast?"

Buck nodded.

He helped Theo get dressed, and together they left the room.
Buck locked the door behind them.
Normally, Theo would already be running ahead with Christopher.
But today he only took a few slow steps.Then he stopped and turned toward Buck.
Without saying a word, he held out his hand. Buck smiled, walked over, and took it.

"We'll walk together."

Theo simply nodded. He didn't let go of Buck's hand the entire way to breakfast.
In the restaurant, everyone helped themselves to food.
Theo chose only one small pancake. Buck noticed he barely managed to eat half of it.

"Don't you want anything else?"

Theo shook his head.

"I'm not hungry."

Then he simply leaned against Buck's shoulder and sat quietly. Eddie tried to change the mood.

"You know what we could do today? Maybe go swimming again later?"

Theo gave only a faint smile but didn't answer. Eddie tried a few more jokes. This time, though, nothing worked. Maddie looked over at Buck.

"Mind if I give it a try?"

Buck nodded.
Maddie knelt down beside Theo.

"Would you like to come with me for a minute? Yesterday I noticed there's a little pond with lots of colorful koi fish."

Theo looked uncertainly at Buck.
Buck smiled reassuringly.

"Go ahead. We'll be right here."

After a brief hesitation, Theo nodded.
Maddie gently picked him up. This time, he didn't resist. He only waved once more at Buck.

"I'll be back soon."

"I'll be waiting right here," Buck replied.

Maddie carried him over to the small pond outside the restaurant.

"Look."

Large, colorful koi swam lazily through the water.
Theo stood by the wooden railing and quietly watched them. After a few minutes, a small smile finally appeared on his face.

"The orange one is the biggest."

Maddie smiled.

"You're right. And I think he likes that you're watching him."

Theo let out a quiet little laugh.
When Buck caught sight of Theo smiling from inside the restaurant, he felt a wave of relief.
He knew that morning had been especially difficult for Theo, but seeing him slowly relax again around people he was beginning to trust gave Buck hope.

 

When Maddie and Theo returned, Buck immediately noticed that Theo looked a little happier.

"So, did you like the fish?" he asked with a smile.

Theo nodded.

"They were big."

Maddie laughed.

"And I think we found his favorite one."

Theo hid behind Buck and gave a shy little smile. Meanwhile, Hen unfolded a map of the resort.

"I've got an idea."

Everyone leaned in.

"There's a mountain trail about fifteen minutes from here that leads to a small farm. They have sheep, goats, rabbits, ponies, and even llamas. It's more of a relaxing walk than a hike."

"That sounds nice," Eddie said.

Christopher nodded excitedly.

"Can we feed the animals?"

"Apparently we can," Hen replied.

Buck looked at Theo.
"What do you think?"

Theo thought for a moment.

"Will there be sheep?"

"Yes."

"Then I want to go."

Buck smiled.
"Well, that settles it."

---

After breakfast, everyone packed only small backpacks with water and a few snacks.The trail led through the forest and was almost completely flat.

This time, Theo walked beside Buck the entire way. One hand was wrapped around Buck's, while the other held the little teddy bear he had brought from the room that morning.
Every now and then, he stopped to point at a squirrel or a colorful butterfly. Nobody was in a hurry. About twenty minutes later, they reached a wooden gate. Beyond it, dozens of sheep were grazing peacefully.

"Wow!" Christopher exclaimed.

Theo simply stared with his mouth hanging open in amazement. One small lamb slowly wandered over to the fence. Theo hid behind Buck's leg.

"Don't be afraid," Buck said softly. "Look, it just came over to say hello."
Theo cautiously peeked around him. The little sheep stood quietly, looking at him with curious eyes. A few moments later, one of the farm workers arrived carrying a bowl of feed pellets.

"Who wants to help feed them?"

Christopher grabbed a handful first. Theo looked uncertainly at Buck.
Buck knelt beside him.

"We can do it together."

Theo nodded. Buck poured a few pellets into Theo's small hand and gently wrapped his other arm around his shoulders.
Together, they held out his hand. The sheep slowly stepped closer and carefully ate the pellets. Theo flinched at first and instinctively leaned against Buck.
Then he burst into laughter.

"It tickles!"

"That's just its little nose," Buck laughed.

Before long, Theo was happily feeding the other sheep too. After that, they wandered over to the goats, who decided Christopher's shoelaces looked like a tasty snack, leaving everyone in the pen laughing.

Finally, they reached the pony enclosure.
A small light-colored pony walked right up to Theo and gently rested its nose against his shoulder. At first, Theo carefully stroked its face.
Then he turned to Buck.

"I think he likes me."

Buck smiled warmly.

"I think you like him too."

Theo nodded and gently petted the pony again. Buck and Eddie exchanged a quiet glance.

After the difficult past few days, it was wonderful to see Theo rediscovering the joy in simple things and slowly growing more confident in his new surroundings. No one rushed anywhere.
They spent the rest of the morning surrounded by animals, laughter, and the peaceful atmosphere that all of them had needed after everything they'd been through.

 

After lunch they walked around the viewpoint for a little while longer, but because they were leaving for a seaside hotel the next morning, they decided to head back to the resort early.

“At least we’ll have time to pack tonight,” Hen said.

Everyone agreed.

They took the cable car back down.
The ride was peaceful. Theo sat curled up against Buck, slowly drifting off to sleep, but just before they reached the bottom, he opened his eyes again. Back in their room, Buck sat down on the edge of the bed and rubbed his temples.

“You okay?” Eddie asked.

Buck sighed.

“I think I’ve got a headache. Probably from being out in the sun.”
Eddie looked at him with concern.

“Stay here. I’ll take the boys to the pool, and you get some rest.”
Buck hesitated for a moment before nodding.

“I’ll just lie down for an hour.”

Theo looked up at him.

“You’re not coming?”
Buck smiled and gently ruffled his hair.

“Not today, sweetheart. My head hurts, so I need to rest for a little while.”

Theo didn’t quite understand.
“And then you’ll come?”

“As soon as I’m feeling better.”

Theo nodded quietly. A few minutes later, everyone was at the pool. Christopher immediately ran off to grab a ball. Theo, however, kept looking around.

“Where’s Buck?”

Eddie crouched beside him.

“He’s resting in our room. You know how we’re sometimes tired? Well, now he’s the one who’s tired.”

Theo lowered his eyes.

“I want Buck.”

“He’ll come join us once he feels better.”

Theo stared toward the hotel for another moment. Then his eyes filled with tears.

“I want to go to him...”

A second later, he burst into tears. Eddie reached out to hug him, but Theo took a few steps backward and went straight to Maddie instead. She noticed right away that something was wrong.

“Hey, sweetheart.”

Theo buried himself against her.

“Buck didn’t come...”

Maddie wrapped her arms around him.

“I know. His head just hurts. He only needs a little rest so he can feel better again.”

Theo wiped at his eyes.

“He really will come?”

“He definitely will.”

She rubbed his back soothingly.

“And you know what? While we’re waiting, maybe we can prepare a little surprise for him.”

Theo looked at her curiously. Just then, Eddie walked over with Christopher.

“I’ve got an idea,” he said with a smile.

“What if we surprise Buck by helping Theo learn to swim a few strokes almost all by himself?”

Christopher's face lit up.

“He’ll be so surprised!”
Theo wiped away the last of his tears.

“Really?”

“We’ll do it together.”

Eddie carefully put Theo’s floaties back on.

“We’re not going to rush.”

At first, they simply sat on the pool steps. Then Theo practiced kicking his legs.

“Great job,” Eddie praised him.

“Now let’s try going just a tiny little distance.”

Theo pushed off.
For a brief moment, he was swimming all by himself.
Then he got startled, dipped his head a little too low, and accidentally went under the water for a second. He came back up immediately, coughing.

“Theo!”

Eddie was beside him in an instant.

“Are you okay?”

Theo coughed twice more.
“Yeah...”

“Do you want to take a break?”

Theo shook his head firmly.

“No.”

“Are you sure?”

“I want to learn... for Buck.”
Eddie smiled warmly.

“Okay. But slowly.”

This time, Eddie stayed right beside him. Theo focused only on moving his arms and kicking his legs. Little by little, he made his way forward.

“That’s it!” Hen cheered.

“Keep going!” Maddie encouraged.

Theo didn’t give up.
Finally, he reached Maddie, who was waiting on the other side. The moment he wrapped his arms around her neck, his whole face lit up.

“I did it!”

Maddie hugged him tightly.

“You sure did. And Buck is going to be so proud of you.”

 

Even after resting, Buck didn't feel completely better. He slept through most of the afternoon and didn't leave the room until it was time for dinner.
Theo spotted him the moment he appeared in the doorway.

“Buck!”

He ran over and wrapped his arms tightly around him.
Buck smiled and gently ruffled his hair.

“Hey there, sweetheart.”

“Do you feel better?”

“A little. But my head still hurts.”

Theo frowned.

“Then I'll be good.”

Buck chuckled softly.

“I’m sure that’ll help.”

Together, they headed to the restaurant.
This time, Theo chose only a small baguette. He ate barely half of it before leaning back in his chair.
His eyelids slowly began to droop. Buck noticed right away. He took off his hoodie and carefully draped it over Theo so he wouldn't get cold. Then he pulled part of it over the back of the chair, creating a little shade from the bright restaurant lights.

“Just get some rest.”

Theo didn't even answer. Within a few minutes, he was sound asleep. The others lowered their voices so they wouldn't wake him. When everyone had finished eating, Buck leaned over.

“Sweetheart... it's time to go back to our room.”

Theo slowly opened his eyes. Still half asleep, he reached his arms up. Buck lifted him into his arms.
Theo immediately rested his head on Buck's shoulder and sleepily wrapped his arms around his neck.

“Did you have a good nap?” Eddie asked.

Theo simply nodded.
Back in the room, Buck filled the bathtub almost to the top.
Then he reached into their travel bag and pulled out a little rubber duck he had packed for Theo before they left home.

“Look who came on vacation with us.”

Theo's face lit up.

“Ducky!”

Buck placed it on the water.
The little duck bobbed gently on the surface.
Theo laughed and immediately started playing with it.

“It swims!”

Theo smiled proudly.

“I can almost swim too.”

This bath was filled with laughter. Theo pushed the duck from one end of the tub to the other, pretending it was chasing him.
A few minutes later, though, he sneezed twice.

“Well... I think it's time to get out,” Buck said with a smile.

He carefully lifted Theo out of the tub and wrapped him in a huge, fluffy towel.
The towel was almost too big for him. Only his messy little face and the tip of his nose peeked out.

“You're such a tiny little bean,” Buck laughed.

Theo giggled and ran across the room.

“Eddie! Look!”

Eddie turned around and burst into laughter.

“Well, would you look at that! Where did Theo go? All I see is a walking towel.”

Theo poked his head out and laughed even harder.
Meanwhile, Buck brought over the hair dryer.

“Come here. Let's dry your hair.”

Theo stood patiently while Buck gently dried his hair.
Then Buck helped him into his pajamas and tucked him into bed. Theo picked up his little teddy bear.

“Goodnight, Teddy.”

Buck sat beside him, gently tickling his tummy and sides. Theo laughed so loudly that Christopher looked over from his own bed.

“Again!”

Buck kissed his forehead, then his cheek, and finally the tip of his nose.

“I think that's enough.”

Theo giggled. Buck pulled the blanket up around him.

“Sweet dreams.”

“Goodnight.”

Within minutes, Theo was peacefully asleep. Buck and Eddie quietly packed the last of their things since they would be leaving for the seaside in the morning.
Once everything was ready, they switched off the bedside lamp and climbed into bed.
In the middle of the night, though, they were awakened by soft crying. Buck sat up immediately.

“Theo...”

The little boy was sitting upright in bed, clutching his teddy bear tightly while tears streamed down his cheeks. Before Buck could get up, Eddie quietly climbed out of bed.

“I'll try.”

He walked over and gently sat beside Theo.

“Hey there, buddy.”

Theo looked up at him through his tears. Eddie carefully gathered him into his arms.

“Shh... it's okay.”

Theo snuggled close and rested his head on Eddie's shoulder.

“Did you have another bad dream?”

Theo gave the smallest nod. Eddie gently rocked him and slowly rubbed soothing circles across his back.

“It's over now. You're here with us. With Buck, with me, and with Chris. You're safe.”

Buck watched quietly from the bed. He could see Theo's crying slowly fading away.
After several minutes, Theo was breathing peacefully again in Eddie's arms.
Eddie carefully laid him back in bed, tucked the blanket up to his chin, and gently brushed a hand through his hair. Still asleep, Theo hugged his teddy bear a little tighter. This time, he slept peacefully until morning.

The room was already full of activity that morning. Suitcases and backpacks were scattered everywhere, ready to be packed into the car. Eddie was checking to make sure they hadn't left anything in the bathroom, while Christopher put on his hoodie and packed his tablet into his backpack.
Meanwhile, Buck knelt down beside Theo.

“Come here, sweetheart. Let's get you dressed and head to the beach.”
Theo yawned sleepily but obediently raised his arms. Buck helped him put on his T-shirt, shorts, and sneakers.

“All done.”

Theo smiled. Buck opened the small snack bag and pulled out a fresh baguette.

“We're not going to breakfast today. The drive is long, so you can have your baguette now.”
Theo took it with both hands.

“Thank you.”

He immediately took his first bite and happily began eating slowly.
Meanwhile, Buck looked around the room one more time. He checked the closets, the bathroom, and the balcony.

“Do we have everything?”

“Yep,” Eddie replied as he zipped up the last suitcase.
Buck locked the suitcase, slung his backpack over his shoulder, and took one final look around the room.

“Alright. Let's go.”

They stepped into the hallway.
Theo toddled a few steps behind them. He held the baguette with both hands and was so focused on eating that he walked slowly, carefully making sure he didn't drop anything. After a moment, Buck turned around.

He couldn't help but smile.

“Well, you've certainly found yourself an important job.”
Theo simply nodded with his mouth full.

“Mhm.”
Christopher laughed.

“He can't talk right now. His mouth is full.”

Theo laughed too.
Together, they made their way to the parking lot, where their rental car was already waiting. Eddie opened the trunk, and he and Buck began loading the luggage.
The large suitcases went in first, the backpacks on top, and finally Buck carefully placed the bag of snacks where they could easily reach it.
Once everything was packed, Eddie closed the trunk.

“So... ready to go?”

Theo had been patiently waiting beside the car, taking another small bite of his baguette.
Eddie opened the back door.
“Come on, Captain.”

He carefully settled Theo into his car seat and fastened all the straps securely.

“Comfortable?”
Theo nodded.

Buck opened his backpack, pulled out a soft blue blanket, and gently spread it over Theo's legs.

“It's still chilly this morning. I don't want you to get cold.”
Theo pulled the blanket closer around himself.

“It’s so soft.”

Buck gently stroked his cheek.

“If you want to sleep, you can.”

“Okay.”

Christopher climbed into the seat beside him and buckled himself in.
Everyone else got into the car as well.
Buck took one last look at the hotel, started the engine, and slowly drove out of the parking lot. They had several hours of driving ahead of them before they reached the sea.
Theo rested his head against his car seat, continued slowly eating his baguette, and watched through the window as the mountains passed by, gradually disappearing behind them. Everyone was already looking forward to the next part of their vacation—the seaside hotel, the sound of the waves, and a few peaceful days on the beach.

 

The first few hours of the journey passed peacefully.

The road slowly wound its way down from the mountains into the lowlands, and outside the car, forests, meadows, and small towns passed by one after another. Soft music played quietly in the background.
Buck was driving while Eddie sat beside him, occasionally checking the navigation. In the back seat, Christopher was telling Theo all about the things they were going to do by the sea.

“We’ll build a huge sandcastle.”
Theo smiled.

“And are we going in the water?”

“Of course. But only if Buck comes with us.”

Theo nodded happily and looked toward the front.

“Buck?”

“Yes, sweetheart?”

“Are you coming too?”
Buck glanced at him in the rearview mirror and smiled.

“Of course. We’ll all be in the water together.”

Theo finally relaxed against his seat and happily watched the scenery through the window. After about two hours of driving, Eddie pointed at a sign beside the highway.

“The next rest stop is in a mile.”

Buck nodded.

“I think a break would be a good idea.”

A few minutes later, they pulled off the highway and into a large gas station. Buck parked in the shade near the main building and turned off the engine.

“Alright, let's stretch our legs.”
The car doors opened one after another.

Christopher jumped out first.
“I’m going to the bathroom!”

“Wait for me,” Eddie called after him.

Meanwhile, Buck walked around the car and opened the back door. Theo was still sitting there, bundled up under his blanket.

“Don't feel like getting out?” Buck asked with a smile.
Theo rubbed his eyes.

“I do...”

Buck unfastened his seat belt and carefully helped him down onto the ground. Theo immediately reached for his hand. Buck took it without hesitation.

“We’ll go together.”

They walked inside the gas station. It was pleasantly cool inside.
Buck first took Theo to the bathroom, and afterward they stopped by the snack aisle.
Theo looked around curiously. Then he pointed at a small fruit pouch.

“Can I have this?”

Buck thought for a moment before nodding.
“You can. But sweets later.”
Theo smiled.

“Okay.”

Buck added two bottles of water, some juice for the boys, and several fresh baguettes for later.
When they came back outside, the others were already sitting at a wooden table beside a small grassy area. Eddie was handing out drinks.

“So, what did you get?” Christopher asked.

Theo proudly held up his fruit pouch.
“This.”

“Good choice,” Maddie said with a smile.
Buck opened the pouch and handed it to Theo.

“Careful.”

Theo sat down beside Buck and happily ate it slowly.
Meanwhile, the adults took a short break, stretched their legs, and talked about how much longer they had to drive. After less than twenty minutes, Eddie checked his watch.

“We should get going. If we keep driving, we’ll reach the hotel before evening.”
Everyone nodded. Buck checked the table one more time to make sure they hadn't left anything behind.

“Theo, let's go.”

Theo finished the last sip of his fruit pouch, threw the empty package into the trash, and took Buck's hand again. Together, they walked back to the car.
Buck settled him back into his car seat, carefully fastened the straps, and gently brushed his hand through Theo's hair.
“Good?”

“Yeah.”

“Alright, let's keep going.”

The engine quietly started again, and the car smoothly pulled back onto the highway toward the sea.
Theo leaned back in his seat, holding his little teddy bear in his hands and smiling as he watched the landscape slowly change outside the window. There was hardly any trace of the mountains left now, and somehow, it already felt like the sea was getting closer.

After another hour of driving, the traffic started to slow down.
At first, just a little. Then almost completely. A long traffic jam formed in front of them.

Buck sighed and looked at the navigation.
“Well... this doesn’t look good.”
Eddie glanced at the screen.

“An accident. It says there’s almost a two-hour delay.”

“So we definitely won’t get to the hotel before evening.”

In the end, a few minutes turned into almost three hours.
The sun had long since set, and it was completely dark outside.
Christopher was the first to fall asleep. A little later, Theo fell asleep too. Wrapped up under his blanket, he hugged his stuffed teddy bear and breathed peacefully. Maddie and Hen also took a nap, and Chimney had been asleep for a while, resting against the window.

The car was completely quiet. Only the radio was playing softly, and Buck and Eddie occasionally whispered something to each other. When a sign with the name of the hotel finally appeared, they both breathed a sigh of relief.

“Finally,” Eddie said with a smile.

Buck slowly drove into the parking lot. But as soon as they arrived, they were surprised by how many cars there were.
They drove through one row. Then another. Finally, they went around the entire parking lot.

“It’s completely full,” Buck said.

“Try the other section.”
There wasn’t a single free space there either.

“So what do we do now?” Eddie asked.

Buck pointed to a short lane in front of the main entrance.
“I’ll stop here for a moment. You go to reception. Maybe they can tell us where we can park.”

The car stopped. Everyone slowly woke up. Christopher rubbed his eyes.

“Are we here already?”

“Yeah,” Eddie said with a smile.

Hen, Maddie, and Chimney got out of the car together with Eddie and Christopher.

“We’ll sort out the rooms and find out about parking,” Eddie told Buck.

“Okay.”

Buck nodded.
He didn’t want to wake Theo unnecessarily early. He waited until the others disappeared into the hotel and only then opened the back door.
Theo was still asleep. Buck watched him quietly for a moment. Then he gently stroked his hair.

“Sweetheart... we’re here.”
Theo slowly opened his eyes.

For a moment, he looked around in confusion.
“By the sea?”

Buck smiled.

“Yes.”

Theo sleepily reached out his arms. Buck picked him up and wrapped the blanket around him so he wouldn’t get cold. Theo immediately rested his head on Buck’s shoulder.

“I’m still tired...”

“That’s okay.”

They slowly walked toward the hotel entrance. The others were already waiting for them inside.

Eddie smiled.
“We have our rooms. And the receptionist showed us a place in the underground garage. Luckily, one spot just became available.”

“That’s great news,” Buck said with relief.
He handed Theo to Eddie for a moment.

“Could you take him to reception, please? I’ll move the car and bring the luggage.”

Theo snuggled against Eddie without protesting, but he kept his eyes on Buck until Buck got back into the car. A few minutes later, Buck returned from the underground garage with a cart full of suitcases.

Together, they loaded the luggage, took the elevator to their floor, and slowly walked to the room door.
As soon as Buck unlocked it, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. The room was spacious, and the quiet sound of the sea could be heard from the balcony. Theo smiled, even though his eyes were still half-closed.

“I can hear the sea...”
Buck gently stroked his hair.

“And tomorrow morning, you’ll see it up close.”
Theo nodded contentedly, snuggled against Buck’s shoulder, and fell asleep again within a few seconds while the others quietly unpacked only the essentials and looked forward to their first day by the sea.

The first morning by the sea was completely different from all the previous ones. Sunlight filled the room, and the steady sound of the waves could be heard through the partly open balcony doors.

Buck opened his eyes first. For a moment, he just lay there and listened to the sea. Then he turned toward Eddie, who was still asleep, and smiled. Christopher was sleeping on the other bed beside them. Theo was curled up under the blanket, hugging his stuffed teddy bear.

Buck quietly got up so he wouldn’t wake anyone. He opened the curtains and the balcony doors. Pleasant morning air filled the room. Then he headed to the bathroom. When he came back, he heard quiet footsteps.

Theo was standing next to the bed, his hair messy and his eyes still sleepy.

“Good morning,” Buck smiled.
Theo rubbed his eyes.

“Good morning...”

He slowly walked over to Buck and, without saying a word, wrapped his arms around his waist.

Buck gently stroked his hair.
“Did you sleep well?”

“Yeah.”

“Then let’s get dressed and go have breakfast.”

Theo nodded. Buck helped him put on a T-shirt and shorts, combed his hair, and they waited together for Eddie and Christopher to wake up.

“Good morning,” Eddie smiled and gave Buck a quick kiss.

“Good morning.”

Christopher stretched.

“So? Are we going to the sea?”
“Breakfast first,” Buck reminded him.

“And then the sea!”

---

The restaurant was already full of guests.
This time, Theo wasn’t afraid to walk around the buffet. He slowly looked at everything.

“What would you like?”

He thought about it for a long time. Finally, he chose a small croissant, a bowl of strawberries, and some plain yogurt. Buck added a glass of juice.

“That’s a good breakfast.”

Everyone sat down at their table together.
Christopher talked about how he wanted to build a sandcastle as soon as they finished breakfast. Chimney claimed that he was going to build an even bigger one.

“We’ll see about that,” Hen laughed.

Meanwhile, Theo quietly ate his breakfast.
Every now and then, he looked out of the restaurant window. The sea was visible from there.

“Are we going there soon?”
Buck smiled.

“In a little while.”

---

After breakfast, everyone returned to their rooms. Buck opened the suitcase and started getting everything ready for the day.

“Let’s see what we’re going to need.”

One by one, he placed towels, sunscreen, bottles of water, snacks, a change of clothes, and a small first-aid kit on the bed. Then he took out Theo’s swimsuit.

“Come here.”

Theo obediently walked over.
Buck helped him change into his swimsuit and put sunscreen on his face, arms, and legs.

“It’s cold,” Theo giggled.

“And it protects you from the sun.”
Then Buck inflated Theo’s favorite swim ring and checked his arm floaties.

“Do we have everything?”
Eddie looked around the room.

“I think so.”
Christopher was already impatiently standing by the door.

“Come on!”

Theo picked up his stuffed teddy bear. Buck crouched down beside him.
“Teddy is staying in the room today. He’d get covered in sand at the beach.”

Theo thought about it for a moment. Then he carefully placed the teddy bear on the pillow.

“Wait here.”

Buck smiled.

“We’ll come back for him.”

Theo took Buck’s hand. Together, they left the room.
Inside the elevator, they could already hear Christopher and Chimney excitedly talking. When the doors opened into the hotel lobby, everyone felt the fresh sea air.
Theo stopped. In front of them, between the palm trees, the endless blue sea sparkled in the sunlight. For a moment, he just stood there in amazement.

“It’s... huge.”

Buck smiled.

“Yeah, sweetheart.”
Theo squeezed his hand a little tighter.

“Can we go take a look?”

“We can.”
And together they walked down the path toward the beach, where their first day by the sea was waiting for them.

As soon as they reached the beach, everyone stopped for a moment. The sea stretched out in front of them. The waves slowly rolled onto the shore and gently washed over the sand. The air smelled of salt, and they could hear seagulls in the distance.

Christopher smiled.
“I’m going to build a castle!”

He immediately ran toward the sand with Chimney.
Meanwhile, Hen and Maddie spread out their towels, and Eddie started setting up the beach umbrella.
Buck looked at Theo. He was standing right next to him, holding his hand and curiously watching the sea.

“So, what do you think?”
Theo hid slightly behind Buck’s leg.

“It’s... huge.”

“It is.”

“I’ve never been here before.”
Buck crouched down beside him.

“We don’t have to rush anywhere. We’ll just walk over to the water.”

After a moment, Theo nodded. Buck took his hand, and together they slowly walked to the place where the small waves were washing over the sand. Theo stopped.

“Don’t be scared.”
Buck smiled.

“We’ll just wait.”

The next wave slowly came closer.
Theo instinctively took a small step backward. But then the water gently washed over his feet. The water receded again. Theo looked at Buck.

“It tickled me!”
Buck laughed.

“It did.”

Another wave came. This time, Theo didn’t run away. He let it wash over his feet again. And suddenly, he burst out laughing.

“Again!”

He started jumping excitedly in place.
“Buck! It’s coming back!”

“All the waves do that.”

Theo laughed and waited for every new wave.
A few meters away, Eddie was watching them. Then he walked over with a smile.

“So? Are you friends with the sea already?”

Theo nodded enthusiastically.

“Yeah!”
Eddie scooped some water into his hands.

“Watch out!”

Splash!

A few drops landed on Buck’s leg. Buck looked at Eddie in surprise.

“Seriously?”
Eddie just smiled innocently.

“Accident.”

Theo started laughing. Eddie scooped up some more water. This time, a few drops landed right next to Theo. Theo hid behind Buck with a surprised expression, peeking out from behind his side.

“Buck!”

Buck put an arm around his shoulders.
“Don’t worry. Eddie’s just messing around.”

Eddie smiled.
“Exactly.”

Theo peeked out for a moment. Then he looked at the water. At Eddie.

And then back at Buck.
“Can I do it too?”

Buck smiled.

“Of course.”
Theo scooped some water into his little hands.

He carefully took a step forward.
“Waaatch out!”

He splashed the water toward Eddie.
Most of the drops fell short, but a few actually hit Eddie. Eddie dramatically wiped his face.

“Well! I wasn’t expecting an attack like that!”

Theo burst into laughter so loudly that he held his stomach. He quickly hid behind Buck again, peeking out with sparkling eyes.
“Again!”

“Alright,” Eddie laughed.

“But this time, be ready.”

Before long, all three of them were laughing.
Eddie occasionally splashed a little water in their direction. Theo hid behind Buck and then bravely ran out from behind him, scooped up some seawater with his little hands, and sent it back toward Eddie.
Buck simply watched the two of them with amusement. It was wonderful to see how, within just a few minutes, Theo stopped being shy and started enjoying his first encounter with the sea with pure childish excitement.

 

After the water fight, everyone moved back to the beach.
Christopher and Chimney started building a big sandcastle, while Hen and Maddie prepared some snacks.

Buck took Theo’s favorite toys out of the bag — a small bucket, a shovel, a rake, and several colorful sand molds.
“All right, builder.”

Theo smiled.

“I’m going to build a castle!”
Buck sat just a few meters away so he could keep a good eye on him.

Theo happily played. He filled the bucket with wet sand, turned it upside down, and smiled every time he made a perfect sand mold. After a while, he noticed a group of older children playing nearby. One of them smiled at him.

“Hi.”

Theo became a little shy. But then he smiled back and carefully walked closer.

For a while, they played together. Theo showed them his sand molds and even let them use his bucket.
Buck watched them from a distance with a smile.
“That’s good,” he said quietly to Eddie. “At least he’s trying to play with other kids too.”

But after a few minutes, everything changed.
One of the older boys grabbed Theo’s bucket. Another took his shovel. And the third one grabbed the sand molds.

“Hey!” Theo called in surprise.
The children laughed and ran across the beach.

“Wait! Those are mine!”
Without thinking, Theo ran after them.

“Theo!” Buck called.

But the boy kept running. He was focused only on getting his toys back.
The older children ran faster. Soon they were dozens of meters away from their spot. Buck immediately jumped up and ran after Theo. Theo ran as fast as his little legs could carry him.

“Please! Give them back!”

But the children laughed again, threw the toys onto the sand, and ran away through the other people on the beach. Within seconds, they disappeared.

Theo stopped. He looked around in confusion.
He had no idea where they had gone.
Then he looked at his empty hands. He realized that his toys were gone. His expression immediately changed. His eyes filled with tears. Just then, Buck reached him.

“Theo!”

The boy turned around. As soon as he saw Buck, he burst into tears.

“They took them...”
Buck immediately crouched down beside him.

“Shh... I know.”

Theo was trembling.
“I only wanted to let them play with them...”

Buck hugged him without saying a word. Theo pressed himself tightly against him.

“I’m sorry...”

Buck gently stroked his hair.
“You have absolutely nothing to be sorry for.”

Theo sniffled and hid his face against Buck’s shoulder. Buck looked around. After a moment, he noticed the colorful bucket and the shovel lying a few meters away in the sand.
“Look.”

He stepped away for just a moment, picked up the toys, and came back.

“We found them.”

Theo looked at them and started crying again with relief.

“Mine...”
Buck handed them to him.

“They’re all here. Nobody took them.”
Theo hugged them tightly against his chest, as if he was afraid he might lose them again.

Buck picked him up.
“Let’s go back to the others.”

Theo nodded.

The whole way back, he held onto Buck’s shirt with one hand and tightly gripped his little bucket with the other.
He didn’t look back at the group of older children even once. All he needed was to be back in Buck’s arms and know that he was safe.

The afternoon at the beach passed much more peacefully after that.

Theo stayed mostly with Buck. Sometimes he played with Christopher, and sometimes he sat next to Maddie and made little sandcastles.
Buck kept a quiet eye on him.
After what had happened with the toys, he didn’t want to let Theo out of his sight even for a moment. When the sun slowly began to sink toward the horizon, Eddie clapped his hands.

“All right, everyone. Let’s slowly start packing up.”

Hen began folding the towels, Chimney took down the beach umbrella, and Christopher helped carry the bags.

Buck had his hands full.A backpack over one shoulder, folded beach chairs in one hand, and the bag with the toys in the other. Theo was collecting his bucket, shovel, and molds. Everything seemed completely ordinary. But then Theo suddenly stopped. He stared into the distance.

A woman with long dark hair was walking along the promenade. She had a similar figure and the same hair color as his mother. Theo didn’t move. He only whispered quietly.
“Mommy...”

The woman kept walking and didn’t notice him at all. After a moment, she turned slightly to the side. Theo was convinced it really was her. The bucket slipped from his hand. Then he dropped the rest of his toys too.

“Mommy!”

He started running.

“Wait!”

Buck only looked up when he heard his voice.

“Theo?”

He turned around. He saw only a small figure running across the beach.

“Theo! Stop!”

But his hands were full of bags. Before he could put them down, Theo was already several dozen meters away. Eddie reacted immediately.

“I’ll go!”

He ran after him.

“Theo! Wait!”

But Theo seemed not to hear him.

“Mommy!”

Eddie caught up with him and gently grabbed him by the shoulders.

“Theo, wait!”

But the boy tried to pull away.

“No! That’s Mommy! Let me go!”

Eddie could feel his whole body trembling.

“Theo...”

But the moment Eddie loosened his grip slightly, Theo pulled away and ran again. He reached the woman. Without hesitation, he wrapped his arms tightly around her waist.

“Mommy...”

The woman stopped in surprise.

“What...?”

She slowly turned around. There was a confused expression on her face. She looked down at the crying little boy who was clinging tightly to her.

“Sweetheart... I think you’ve mistaken me for someone else.”

Theo slowly looked up. As soon as he saw her face, he became completely still. She wasn’t his mother. His eyes filled with tears again.

“I’m sorry...”
A moment later, a breathless Eddie reached them.

“I’m so sorry,” he said to the woman. “He thought you were someone else.”
The woman gave Theo a sad smile.

“It’s all right.”

Just then Buck arrived too. He had put all the things down and run over as quickly as he could.
He didn’t say anything. He simply knelt down in front of Theo.

“Sweetheart...”

Theo turned around.
The moment he saw Buck, he immediately threw himself into his arms. He started crying so hard that he could barely catch his breath.

“I... I thought... she was Mommy...”

Buck held him tightly and gently rubbed his back.
“I know.”

Theo pressed himself even closer to him.

“I miss her...”
Buck closed his eyes for a moment.

“I understand.”

For a while, they simply stood there quietly. Then Buck kissed Theo on the hair.

“Come on. We’ll go back together. You don’t have to run anywhere anymore.”

Theo nodded and held tightly onto Buck’s shirt.
This time, Buck decided to carry him instead. All the way back, Theo didn’t let go of Buck’s hand for even a second. He quietly rested his head against Buck’s shoulder while the others walked silently beside them.
No one said anything. They all understood that some memories still hurt, even after a long time.

 

When they returned to the hotel, it was unusually quiet.
No one talked much.

Buck was still thinking about what had happened on the beach, and every few moments he glanced at Theo. The boy walked slowly beside him, holding onto the hem of Buck’s shirt with one hand and clutching his stuffed teddy bear with the other.
He didn’t say a single word. When they got back to the room, everyone rinsed the sand off their feet and changed into clean clothes. Then they all headed to dinner together.

The restaurant was lively.
People were talking, dishes were clinking, and children were running between the tables. But Theo sat completely quietly. Buck sat him down next to him.

“What would you like, sweetheart?”
Theo just shrugged slightly.

“I don’t know...”

Buck brought everything Theo usually liked onto his plate. Small pasta, a piece of chicken, cucumber, strawberries, and finally a small vanilla pudding.

“Just try a few bites.”

Theo silently nodded. Buck picked up a piece of pasta with his fork.

“Open up?”

Theo obeyed.
He slowly ate one bite. Then another. At the third one, he shook his head.

Buck tried a strawberry.
“What about this one? You like these.”

Theo looked at it, but he didn’t want it either.

So Buck tried the pudding.
“At least two little spoonfuls?”

Theo lowered his eyes.

“No...”

The whole time, he absentmindedly played with the hem of Buck’s shirt. He kept rubbing the fabric between his fingers over and over, as if it gave him a sense of safety. Buck sighed.

He knew it wasn’t really about the food.
Theo had simply had a difficult day. When everyone else had finished eating, Hen smiled.

“We’ll take Christopher to the game room for a while.”

“And we’ll take a walk along the promenade,” Maddie added.

Eddie looked at Buck.
“Do you want me to stay?”

Buck shook his head.

“No. I think I need to talk to him for a while, just the two of us.”

Eddie nodded. He briefly kissed Buck on the cheek.

“Call me if you need anything.”

“Thank you.”

A little while later, the restaurant around their table had almost completely quieted down. Buck looked at Theo.

“Want to go for a walk? Just the two of us?”

Theo quietly nodded.
Buck took his hand, and together they walked out of the hotel.
It was already getting dark outside. Only a few people were walking along the promenade, and a pleasant evening breeze was blowing in from the sea.

They walked slowly.
There was no need to hurry. After a while, Theo moved closer on his own and hooked his little finger around Buck’s. Buck smiled.

“You know... you don’t have to tell me anything if you don’t want to.”

They walked in silence for a while. The only sound was the gentle crashing of the waves. After a few minutes, Theo whispered quietly.

“I really thought she was Mommy...”

Buck stopped. He knelt down in front of him.

“I know.”

Theo tried to hold back his tears.
“She looked exactly like her...”

“I can understand why you thought that at first.”

“I... I wanted to hug her...”
Buck gently took his little hands in his.

“That’s completely okay.”

Theo looked at him.

“Really?”

Buck nodded.

“You know, when we miss someone very much, sometimes we feel like we’ve seen them for a moment. Your mind just wishes that it really was that person.”

Theo thought about it for a moment. Buck’s heart tightened.

He gently stroked Theo’s cheek.

“It just means that you loved your mommy very much.”
Theo lowered his eyes.

“And she loved me too?”

Buck smiled without hesitation.
“Never doubt that.”

Theo took a small step forward and hugged Buck tightly.

“I still miss her...”
Buck hugged him just as tightly.

“I know, sweetheart.”

They stood there quietly for a while. Then Buck continued softly.

“You know what? No one can replace your mommy or your daddy. They will always be a part of your life, and you can always remember them.”

Theo listened quietly.

“But you’re not alone anymore.”

Buck smiled.

“You have Eddie. You have Christopher. You have Maddie, Hen, Chimney... and you have me.”
Theo cuddled even closer to him.

“You’re not going to disappear too?”

Buck kissed the top of his head.
“No. I’ll be right here with you.”

After a moment, Theo quietly nodded. Then he took Buck’s hand again.

This time, he didn’t let go.
Together they slowly made their way back to the hotel. Theo still looked sad, but his steps were a little calmer now. He knew that even though some memories hurt, he didn’t have to face them alone.

 

The next two days passed peacefully.
Theo gradually stopped being afraid of the sea. Every morning, he looked forward to going to the beach and building sandcastles with Christopher. Buck was happy to see Theo smiling more and more often. That afternoon, they were all sitting on the beach.

Christopher and Chimney were digging a small moat around their sandcastle, Maddie and Hen were relaxing under the umbrella, and Eddie and Buck were watching Theo, who was happily playing with his bucket a short distance away.

Suddenly, Buck’s phone started ringing. He looked at the screen. An unknown number.

“Excuse me,” he said to the others and answered the call.

“Hello?”

“Good afternoon, this is a social worker. I’m calling regarding Theo.”

Buck’s expression immediately became serious.
“Did something happen?”

“A complaint has been filed with the authorities regarding his care. We need to speak with you as soon as possible after you return and look into the situation.”

Buck was silent for several seconds.
“Can I ask who filed the complaint?”

“I’m afraid I can’t tell you that over the phone.”

Buck closed his eyes. One name immediately came to his mind.

*Tommy...*

He wasn’t sure, but he couldn’t imagine anyone else who would do something like this.

“All right... I understand.”

The call ended. Buck kept holding the phone for a few more seconds. He didn’t say anything. Eddie noticed almost immediately. He walked over to him.

“Buck? What’s wrong?”

Buck sighed.

“A social worker called.”

Eddie became worried.
“About Theo?”

Buck slowly nodded.

“Someone filed a complaint. They’re going to deal with it when we get back.”

Eddie frowned.

“You think...”
Buck nodded before he could finish.

“I think it was Tommy.”

They both looked toward the sea. Theo was sitting in the sand, carefully filling his bucket with wet sand, completely unaware of what the adults were talking about.
He had a happy smile on his face.
“I don’t want him to have to worry about this,” Buck said quietly.

“He won’t,” Eddie replied, placing a hand on his shoulder. “We’ll deal with it together.”
Just then, a loud sound came from the direction of the sea.

“Achoo!”
And then again.

“Achoo!”

Buck immediately turned around. Theo had just rubbed his nose and sneezed again. Buck quickly walked over to him.

“What is it, sweetheart?”

Theo just shrugged. Buck pulled a tissue out of the backpack.

“Come here.”
He gently wiped Theo’s nose and stroked his cheek.

“One more time.”

Theo obediently blew his nose. Then he quietly sneezed again. A cooler wind had started blowing in from the sea. Without hesitation, Buck took the small robe they had brought with them and draped it over Theo’s shoulders.

“Let’s keep you warm.”

Theo immediately snuggled into it.
“Thank you.”

Then he leaned against Buck’s side and looked at his sandcastle again.
After a while, the others joined them. Buck briefly explained what had happened. For a moment, everyone was silent.
“So what do we do?” Hen asked.

Buck looked at Eddie.

“I think... we should leave earlier.”

Eddie nodded.
“We were planning to stay until the day after tomorrow anyway.”

“If we leave tomorrow morning, we’ll have time to sort everything out.”

“I agree,” Maddie said.

“Us too,” Chimney added.

No one objected.
They all knew that Theo was the most important thing right now.

Buck looked at the little boy again. Theo was sitting wrapped in his robe, happily playing as if there were no worries in the world. Quietly, Buck wished it could stay that way for a little longer.

He smiled at him.
Theo immediately smiled back, stretched out his arms, and Buck picked him up without hesitation.
For a moment, he forgot about the phone call and all his worries. Right now, only one thing mattered — making sure Theo felt safe and knew that he didn’t have to face everything alone.

That evening, they wanted to enjoy their last night.
After returning from the beach, everyone changed clothes and went to dinner together. The atmosphere was calmer now, but Buck still had the phone call from the social worker on his mind. He tried not to let it show so Theo wouldn’t notice anything. This time, Theo only had a small baguette, a few pieces of fruit, and some tea.

“Is that enough?” Buck asked.
Theo just nodded.

“I’m kind of tired.”

Buck gently stroked his hair.

“Then we’ll go to bed early tonight.” After dinner, they returned to the room. Buck took a list of things they needed for the journey out of his wallet.

“I’m going to the store across the street. I’ll buy some water and some snacks for the car.”

Eddie nodded.

“Don’t worry. I’ll get the boys ready for bed.”

Buck gave Eddie and Theo each a quick kiss and left. Back in the room, Eddie helped Christopher prepare his backpack for the morning.

“Do you have your toothbrush?”

“Yeah.”

“Tablet charged?”

“Yep.”

Meanwhile, Theo sat quietly on the bed. His eyes kept closing on their own, and he yawned several times. Eddie noticed.

“You’re really sleepy today.”
Theo just nodded.

“Mhm...”

Eddie walked over to him. At first, he thought Theo was simply tired after the whole day at the beach. But then something didn’t feel right. Theo seemed different than usual. He had no energy and barely spoke.

Eddie gently placed his hand on Theo’s forehead. He left it there for a moment.

“Hmm...”
He didn’t feel any fever.

“Maybe you’re just really exhausted.”

Theo was already slowly getting under the covers. Eddie tucked him in properly.

“Get some rest.”

Theo hugged his teddy bear.

“Good night...”

“Good night, buddy.”

A few minutes later, Buck returned. He put several baguettes, fruit, drinks, and a few snacks for the journey on the table.

“How are the boys doing?”

“Chris is still awake. But Theo fell asleep almost immediately.”

Buck went over to check on him. The little boy was sleeping peacefully, all wrapped up under the blanket.
Buck smiled.

“Good night, sweetheart.”
He gently kissed his hair, turned off the bedside lamp, and then went to bed with Eddie.

---

The room was unusually quiet in the morning. Buck opened his eyes first. Eddie stretched beside him.

“Good morning.”

“Morning.”

Christopher was already sitting on his bed, quietly reading a comic.

“I didn’t want to wake you.”
Buck smiled.

“You succeeded.”

He looked at the other bed. Theo was still asleep.

“That’s strange,” Buck said quietly. “He’s usually awake by now.”

Eddie sat up.
“Let him sleep a little longer.”

The two of them quietly started putting the last things into their suitcases so they wouldn’t wake him. After a few minutes, Buck looked at the clock again.

“We should probably get going soon.”
He walked over to Theo’s bed and quietly sat down beside him.

“Sweetheart... time to get up.”

Theo didn’t move. Buck gently stroked his hair.

“Theo...”

Then he placed his hand on Theo’s forehead. He immediately froze. It was hot. Not just a little warm. Really hot. Buck looked at Eddie with concern in his eyes.

“Eddie...”

Eddie immediately came over.

“What is it?”
Buck kept his eyes on Theo.

“He has a fever.”
Eddie nodded without saying a word.

“I’ll get the medicine.”

He immediately went to the bathroom for the travel first-aid kit. Then he soaked a small towel in cold water, gently wrung it out, and came back. Meanwhile, Buck carefully picked Theo up and held him in his arms.

“Sweetheart... try to open your eyes for a moment.”
Theo only let out a quiet whimper, snuggled against Buck’s chest, and sleepily blinked. Buck held him tightly.

“It’s going to be okay. We’ll take care of you.”

Eddie handed Buck the medicine and the cool, damp cloth. They both already knew that their planned departure would have to wait a little longer. Right now, there was only one thing that mattered – making sure Theo felt as comfortable as possible.

Fortunately, during the night, Theo’s condition slowly began to improve.
His fever gradually went down after the medication, and by morning he was no longer as hot as he had been the day before. He still looked tired, but when he opened his eyes and saw Buck sitting beside the bed, he gave him a faint smile.

“Good morning...”

Buck gently stroked his hair.

“Good morning, sweetheart. How are you feeling?”

Theo thought for a moment.

“Better... I’m just still tired.”

Buck touched his forehead again. This time, it was only pleasantly warm.

“I’m glad.”

Meanwhile, Eddie was preparing the breakfast they had bought the night before.

“If you don’t feel well, we’re not in any hurry to leave,” he told Theo.

Theo slowly nodded.

“I want to go home.”

“Then we’ll go home.”

Buck helped him change into clean clothes. He carefully put on his T-shirt, hoodie, and sweatpants because the morning was chilly. Theo stood quietly the whole time and let Buck dress him. It was obvious that he still didn’t have much strength. When everything was packed, Buck picked him up.

“I’ll carry you.”

Theo didn’t even try to protest. He simply rested his head on Buck’s shoulder and quietly watched the hotel hallway. The others were already waiting at the reception desk. Christopher noticed that Theo didn’t have as much energy today.

“Are you feeling better now?”

Theo gave a weak nod.

“Yeah...”

Maddie gently rubbed his back.

“Just get plenty of rest.”

After they finished checking out, everyone headed to the car. Eddie put the suitcases into the trunk while Buck carefully settled Theo into his car seat and fastened his seat belt securely.

“Are you comfortable?”

“Yeah.”

Buck gently stroked his cheek.

“If you need anything, tell me right away.”
The journey started peacefully.

After a while, Christopher took out his tablet.
“Theo, do you want to play?”

Theo smiled.

“Yeah.”

They played a simple game together for a few minutes. Christopher patiently showed him everything, and Theo occasionally laughed quietly. But he didn’t last long. The tiredness was too strong. The tablet slowly slipped from his hands. His eyes began to close. Christopher smiled at Buck.

“He’s falling asleep.”

Buck briefly glanced at them in the rear-view mirror. Theo was already asleep, his head resting against the side of the car seat and his teddy bear held tightly against him.

“Let him rest,” he said quietly.

After several hours of driving, the landscape began to change. The road led through forests, and the first mountain peaks were already visible in the distance. Eddie pulled into a rest area at a gas station.

“Let’s take a break.”

Everyone gradually got out of the car. Hen, Chimney, Maddie, and Christopher headed inside to use the restrooms and get something to drink. Buck stayed by the car. First, he opened the back door and carefully unfastened Theo’s seat belt.

“Sweetheart...”

Theo slowly opened his eyes. He blinked in confusion for a moment. Buck picked him up. A chilly wind was blowing from the mountain forest, so Buck took a soft blanket from the trunk and carefully wrapped Theo in it.

“So you don’t get cold.”

Theo immediately snuggled into it, pulling it up to his chin. He rested his head on Buck’s shoulder. Buck slowly walked with him a little way away from the car, where it was quiet.

“How are you feeling?”

Theo thought for a moment.

“Better...”

“Does anything hurt?”

“No.”
After a short pause, he added:

“I’m just still really tired.”

Buck nodded.

“That’s normal after having a fever. Your body still needs to rest.”
Theo cuddled a little closer to him.

“Can I stay with you for a little while longer?”

Buck smiled and kissed the top of his head.

“For as long as you want.”

Theo contentedly closed his eyes. While the others slowly returned from the gas station with coffee and a small snack, Buck continued gently rocking Theo in his arms. There was no need to hurry. Right now, the most important thing was for Theo to feel safe and regain his strength for the rest of the journey home.

Buck continued gently rocking Theo in his arms.
The boy had his face hidden in the blanket, and his eyes were half-closed. Buck stroked his hair.

“You still don’t seem quite right to me...”

He placed his hand on Theo’s forehead again. It felt much warmer than it had an hour ago.

Worriedly, he looked at Eddie, who had just come out of the gas station with a bottle of water.

“Eddie... I think he has a fever again.” Eddie came closer and touched Theo’s forehead as well.

“He’s a little warm.”

Hen noticed that they were worried.

“Can I take a look?”

Buck nodded without hesitation.

“Please.”

Hen gently placed her hand on Theo’s forehead and then on his neck.

“We’d better take his temperature.”

Eddie opened the travel first-aid kit and took out a digital thermometer.

“Theo,” he said calmly with a smile, “let’s check your temperature for a moment, okay?”

Theo nodded tiredly. A moment later, the thermometer beeped. Eddie looked at the display.

“Thirty-eight.”

Buck sighed.

“So it really did go up again.”

Hen reassured him.

“It’s elevated, but it’s not extremely high. That can happen after the fever he had yesterday. We’ll keep an eye on him and give him some medicine.”

Buck nodded, but it was obvious that he was very worried about Theo.

“I don’t want him to get worse.”
Hen placed a hand on his shoulder.

“I understand. But you’re doing everything right so far.”

Eddie opened the bottle of children’s syrup.

“Here we go, sweetheart.”
Theo just looked at it and immediately shook his head.

“I don’t want it...”

“Just a little.”

“No...”

Buck pulled him closer.

“Sweetheart, it’ll help you.”
But Theo pressed his lips together tightly and hid his face in Buck’s hoodie.

“No...”

Buck sighed helplessly.

“I don’t know how to convince him.”
Eddie crouched down beside them.

“I’ll try.”

Buck nodded and carefully handed Theo over to Eddie. Theo immediately cuddled up to him. Eddie simply stroked his back for a moment.

“Do you know why we want you to take this medicine?” Theo quietly shook his head.

“Because your little body is fighting an illness right now. And this syrup will help it, so it doesn’t have to fight all by itself.” Theo listened.

“You won’t feel as tired afterward.”

“Really?”

“Really.” Eddie smiled.

“Let’s make a deal. You take one small dose of the syrup... and then you can snuggle back into your blanket and rest for the rest of the journey.”

Theo thought about it for a moment. Then he looked at Buck.

“Dad, will you hold me?”

Buck immediately stroked his arm.

“The whole time.”

Theo took a deep breath.

“Okay...”
Eddie carefully measured out the correct dose of syrup.

“Good job. Just a little more.”

Theo swallowed the syrup, grimaced slightly at the taste, and immediately reached for the bottle of water Eddie handed him.

“Yuck...”
Everyone around them smiled.

“I know that feeling,” Chimney laughed. “I used to say all syrups were horribly bitter when I was little, too.”

Theo gave him a weak smile. Buck took him back into his arms, carefully tucked the blanket around him, and kissed his hair.

“I’m proud of you.”
Theo rested his head on Buck’s shoulder.

“Are we leaving now?”

“In a little while.”
Hen looked at Theo one more time.

“We’ll check on him from time to time during the drive. If his temperature goes up or he starts feeling worse, we’ll stop. There’s no rush.” Buck nodded.

“Thank you.”

A few minutes later, everyone got back into the car. Buck pulled the blanket up to Theo’s shoulders, checked that he was comfortably strapped in, and spent the rest of the journey glancing at him in the rear-view mirror every few minutes. He hoped the medicine would start working soon and that Theo would be able to sleep peacefully for the rest of the drive home.

The journey continued peacefully.
The medicine slowly began to work, and Theo slept for almost the entire time. Buck kept looking at him in the rear-view mirror every few minutes. Even though his temperature had gone down, he was still worried about him. The car was quiet. The only sound was the hum of the engine. After a while, Theo shifted restlessly in his sleep. He mumbled something quietly.

“...Dad...”

Buck immediately paid attention.

“Buck...”

His voice was barely audible. Buck’s heart tightened.

“I’m here, sweetheart,” he answered quietly, even though he knew Theo was probably still asleep.
Theo snuggled closer into the blanket.

“Dad... don’t go away...”

Buck looked at Eddie. Eddie gave him an encouraging smile.

“He heard you.”

Buck simply nodded. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Another half hour later, the traffic on the highway slowed down completely. A long traffic jam had formed in front of them. The cars were moving only a few meters at a time. That was when Theo slowly opened his eyes. He looked around in confusion.

“Are we home already?”
Buck smiled.

“Not yet. We still have a little way to go.”

Theo rubbed his eyes. Then he placed a hand on his stomach.

“I’m hungry...”

“That’s good,” Buck said with relief. “At least you feel like eating something.”
He turned to Maddie, who was sitting behind them.

“Maddie, could you pass me one of the plain baguettes? It’s in the blue bag.”

“Sure.”

Maddie found it and handed it to Buck. Buck unwrapped it and broke off a small piece.

“Here you go.”

Theo took the baguette with both hands. He slowly ate one small bite after another. Nobody rushed him. When he had eaten about half of it, he looked at Buck.

“I don’t want any more.”
Buck wrapped the rest of the baguette back up.

“That’s completely fine.”

Theo snuggled back into the blanket. A few minutes later, his eyes began to close again. He was still holding the baguette in his hand. Buck carefully took it from him.

“Keep sleeping.”

Theo gave him a weak smile. “Mhm...”

A moment later, he was peacefully asleep again.

---
After another few hours, Eddie pulled off the highway.

“I think we should get some lunch.”

Everyone agreed. They parked at a small restaurant. Christopher got out first, followed by Hen, Chimney, and Maddie. Buck stayed by the car. He opened the back door and carefully unfastened Theo’s seat belt.

Theo didn’t even wake up. He just mumbled something quietly. Buck very carefully lifted him into his arms. He was still wrapped up in the soft blanket. His head automatically rested against Buck’s shoulder. Buck gently held the blanket around him so he wouldn’t get cold.

“Let’s go get something to eat for a little while.”
Theo gave a barely noticeable nod, but didn’t open his eyes.

They entered the restaurant last. The others were already standing at the counter, choosing their lunch. Christopher chose pasta, Chimney got fried cheese, Hen ordered a salad, and Eddie and Maddie chose something warm from the daily menu. Meanwhile, Buck found an empty table and carefully sat down. Theo was still sleeping in his arms. When a server came over, Buck smiled.

“I’ll have the chicken schnitzel with potatoes, please. And could I also get some plain beef broth? Just the broth, without any extra seasoning. It’s for my little boy. He’s not feeling very well.” The server nodded.

“Of course.”

Buck thanked them and gently stroked Theo’s back. He hoped that when the boy woke up, he would be able to manage at least a few spoonfuls of warm broth. That was more important than anything else right now.
A few minutes later, the server brought all the food they had ordered. The smell of the beef broth, schnitzel with potatoes, and the other dishes filled the table. Buck looked at Theo.

“Sweetheart... can you try to wake up for a little while?”

Theo slowly opened his eyes. It was obvious that he was still weak and lethargic. Buck took a little broth onto a spoon.

“Just a little.”

Theo obediently opened his mouth. He slowly swallowed the first spoonful. Then the second. After the third, he shook his head.

“I don’t want any more...”

“Okay.”

Buck didn’t pressure him. He gave him another small piece of soft bread, which Theo slowly ate. He didn’t want anything else. Buck smiled.

“That’s enough.”

He finished the rest of the broth and bread himself so that nothing would have to be thrown away. Then he handed Theo a bottle of water.

“Have a little drink.”

Theo took only a small sip.
Suddenly, however, he went pale.

“Dad...”

Buck immediately put the bottle down.

“What is it, sweetheart?”
Theo placed a hand on his stomach.

“I feel... kind of sick...”

Eddie immediately stood up.

“I’ll take him outside for a little while.”

Buck nodded.

“Okay.”

Eddie carefully picked Theo up.

“Come on, let’s get some fresh air.”
Theo tiredly rested his head against Eddie’s shoulder.

“Mhm...”

Together, they slowly walked outside the restaurant. The weather was pleasant. Eddie walked slowly along the sidewalk with him, quietly talking to him.

“It’s going to be okay. Your stomach just isn’t completely back to normal yet.”

Theo didn’t say anything. He simply held tightly onto Eddie’s hoodie. Inside the restaurant, meanwhile, silence fell.

Buck sighed.
“I’m really worried about him.”

Hen gently stroked his forearm.

“He’s just had a fever. He’ll be tired for a few more days.”
Buck nodded.

“I know... but it feels like everything is happening to him all at once.”

He was silent for a moment.
Then he added quietly:

“And that complaint...”

Chimney frowned.
“Don’t think about the worst-case scenario right now.”

“I’m trying.”

Buck lowered his eyes.

“I’m just scared someone might take him away from us.”

Maddie shook her head.

“Theo is happy when he’s with you. And that’s what matters most.”

Hen nodded.

“We all know how well you take care of him. You’re not alone in this.”

Buck gave a faint smile.

“Thank you.”

A few minutes later, the restaurant door opened. Eddie came back inside with Theo in his arms.

“He’s feeling a little better.”
Theo’s eyes were already closed. He had fallen asleep again during their short walk.

“Then let’s go,” Buck said.

Nobody objected. They paid and slowly headed back to the cars.

---

The journey home was long but peaceful.
They made several more short stops so Theo could drink something, take his medicine, and stretch his legs a little. But he slept most of the time. When it was completely dark outside, the familiar lights of the city appeared.

“We’re home,” Eddie said with a smile.

Buck first drove Hen, Chimney, and Maddie home. They all said goodbye and wished Theo a speedy recovery.

Christopher waved to them as well. Then only the four of them remained in the car. A few minutes later, they stopped in front of the house. Buck turned off the engine. For a moment, complete silence filled the car.

“We’re home, buddy,” he whispered.

Eddie started carrying the suitcases inside. Christopher helped with the bags. Meanwhile, Buck prepared everything Theo would need in the bedroom.

He placed his medicine, thermometer, and a glass of water on the nightstand.He left Theo’s teddy bear and favorite toy beside the bed. Then he returned to the car. He carefully opened the door. Theo was still asleep. Buck gently picked him up. The boy immediately cuddled up to him. He didn’t even wake up.

Buck carried him to the bedroom, took off his shoes, covered him with the blanket, and placed a cool, damp cloth on his forehead. Then he pulled a chair right up beside the bed.

He simply sat there. With one hand, he held Theo’s little hand. With the other, he occasionally stroked his hair. He didn’t want to leave him even for a moment. After a while, Eddie quietly entered the room. He placed a hand on Buck’s shoulder. Then he leaned down and gently kissed him.

“Come and get some rest for a while.”
Buck shook his head.

“Not yet.”
Eddie smiled.

“Then we’ll take turns.”

Buck looked at him. Eddie sat down beside the bed in his place and took Theo’s hand.

“I’ll watch him now.”
Buck looked at Theo, who was sleeping peacefully.

Then he placed his hand over Eddie’s.
“Thank you.”

Eddie smiled.

“We’re in this together. And we always will be.”

Buck leaned against the doorframe and paused for a moment. After the long journey, they were finally home. There were still many difficult days ahead — dealing with the complaint, helping Theo fully recover, and continuing to help him heal from his old wounds. But there was one thing they knew for certain. Whatever happened, they would face it together.nAnd Theo would never have to face his fears alone again.

**The End.**

to be continued next time...

I'm sorry for the mistakes. I'm copying it over, so some parts might not have copied correctly