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Bobby sighed for what felt like the millionth time. They were waiting for news, news that never seemed to be coming, and that just had him anxious. He never liked waiting in hospitals.
Especially when he was waiting on news of one of his own.
Buck had gotten hurt during a call. He had been on the second floor of a house that was on fire, trying to find a child that was supposedly still in the house. He had luckily found the child, but then the floor had given way. And Buck, being the damn good firefighter he was, had taken the brunt of the fall. When they had found him, the child had been cradled to his chest, the oxygen mask securely on them and not him. Hen and Chimney had done everything they could for him as he was rushed to the hospital before letting the doctors take over.
And now, they were waiting.
Bobby had planned to wait no matter what. He knew how bad back injuries could be. Hell, that was what had led to his spiral that had destroyed his life back in St. Paul. So, he wanted to assure Buck that he was going to be okay, that the team was going to be there for him, no matter what.
“Here.” He looked up as Hen held something out to him. “Coffee, the good kind. Karen dropped it off when she brought me some clean clothes.”
“Thanks,” Bobby said as Hen sat down next to him. Chimney was in the seat on the other side of her and he was startled awake when Hen shook his arm. He made a noise of discontentment until Hen passed him a cup of coffee.
“You know what I was thinking when Karen came by?” Bobby glanced over at Hen, noticing a sad look on her face. “We didn’t call anyone for him.”
“We didn’t know anyone to call," Chimney pointed out. Bobby just nodded solemnly. Buck didn’t talk much about his personal life. They knew he was from the east coast and had a sister who was a nurse. But other than that, they knew nothing else. Buck filled conversations about family and significant others with random facts that he had read about or stumbled across. Bobby had figured when he had come clean to all of them about his relationship with Athena that Buck would open up too. But the young firefighter had stayed quiet, leaving his personal life to be a mystery to all of them.
As Bobby took a sip of coffee, he noticed a man walk into the emergency room. Well, walk was the wrong word. It looked like he had partially run in, while carrying a small boy in his arms. He had a distressed look on his face as he looked around for the desk. Bobby felt rude for watching but he couldn’t tear his eyes away from the man, from how distressed he looked or the way he whispered to the boy, who just burrowed closer to him as he spoke.
“Excuse me.” He was close enough that Bobby could hear him when he found the desk and a nurse standing behind it. “I’m looking for my husband, Evan Buckley? He was brought in earlier.” Bobby raised an eyebrow at that. He felt someone smack his arm and he looked away, realizing Hen and Chimney had noticed the man as well.
“Did he say husband?” Hen asked and Bobby just nodded.
“So Buck is married?” Chimney asked. Bobby could only nod again, looking back towards the desk. The man was no longer talking to the nurse, either waiting for a doctor or having been given the same answer they were given.
So, Bobby got up and went over to him.
“Excuse me?” The man looked up, a little confused. He adjusted the boy in his arms, who seemed to be mostly asleep. “I don’t mean to intrude but I heard you mention Buck? I’m Captain Nash.”
“Oh yeah from the station,” The man said with a nod. He adjusted the boy again before holding out his hand. “Eddie.” Bobby shook his hand.
“Here, why don’t we sit down?” Eddie nodded and followed Bobby over to where the others were. “This is Hen and Chimney. Also from the 118.” Eddie nodded as he set the boy down so that his head was resting on Eddie’s leg.
“And who’s this precious little angel?” Hen asked. Bobby glanced at the boy smiling a little. He had unruly brown curls and glasses that kept sliding down his nose.
“My son, Christopher.” Bobby felt Hen and Chimney glance at him, as if asking an unspoken question. “Buck’s step-son.”
“We would’ve called,” Bobby said, suddenly feeling guilty that someone from the hospital administration probably had to dig through Buck’s medical records to find someone to call. “But…”
“No I get it,” Eddie said with a sigh. “Buck’s not...he doesn’t like opening up about his personal life. He’s got this big heart, but sometimes he’s too scared to share it with people.” Bobby nodded solemnly. He knew what that was like, hiding a part of yourself from people who you were supposed to trust and were supposed to trust you right back. And it was sad that Buck had a good life that he wasn’t willing to share with the team. And Bobby just wanted to make that right, to let Buck know that they were there for him and that they wanted to know everything about him.
But first, they had to wait.
Buck groaned as his eyes opened slightly. They closed immediately when he was blinded by the most offensive light he had ever been privy to.
“Buck?” His eyes opened slowly this time, getting used to the light. Someone was standing by his bedside. As his eyes adjusted, he realized who it was.
“Eddie?” Eddie just nodded, sniffling a little as he sat down. Buck tried to move closer to him, but couldn’t when he felt a weight on his chest. He glanced down and smiled when he saw Christopher fast asleep and using him as a pillow. “What...what happened?”
“You got hurt at work,” Eddie said, reaching for Buck’s hand. Buck just nodded. “The doctor said you’d need some recovery time, six to eight weeks, but then you’d be all good.” Eddie’s thumb ran along Buck’s knuckles and Buck sighed a little.
“Who called you?” Buck asked quietly, knowing that his co-workers weren’t aware of his marital status.
“The hospital,” Eddie said with a sigh. “But um...I met your team.” Buck’s eyebrows raised at that. “They were in the waiting room when I got here and your captain overheard me.” Buck sighed. “I know you prefer to keep them at arm’s length, but they seem like really good people. I mean, they waited all night to make sure you’re okay.”
“They did?” Eddie just nodded and Buck sighed again. “Eds…”
“Buck, I know,” Eddie said gently. “I know how hard it is for you to open up to people but I think they’re worth it.”
“I don’t know,” Buck said quietly. Eddie just nodded and leaned forward, gently kissing Buck.
“Okay,” Eddie said. “I’m going to go grab one of the doctors. You just rest, okay?” Buck nodded as Eddie got up. Buck squeezed his hand and Eddie just attempted a smile before leaving the room.
Buck let his head gently fall back on the pillow, one of his hands coming up to card through Christopher’s hair. He knew Eddie had a point. Hell, Eddie had been telling Buck to open up to the team since he started working there. Everyone else was pretty open about their lives. Chimney talked about his crappy dad and his many unsuccessful dates. Hen talked about her wife and son. Bobby had started opening up after he started dating Athena Grant.
But Buck didn’t share.
It wasn’t anything to do with them or his trust in them. He trusted his team. He just didn’t trust himself. Buck had spent too much of his life being let down by people. And after Maddie left him for a second time, Buck just couldn’t handle letting people in again. And for the most part, he had stuck to that.
Until he met Eddie and Christopher.
Buck had essentially lived on the road for years, floating from town to town after his attempt to attend college had failed. And he had found himself in Texas working odd jobs, when he met an adorable little kid and his very handsome and very single dad. And keeping a kid who grew very attached to him very quickly at arms length was impossible. And while it had worked out really well opening with Eddie and Christopher, Buck didn’t know if lightning could strike twice.
And more so, Buck wasn’t sure he was ready to try.
Buck’s hand stilled as his eyes started to drift shut. Whatever choice he was going to make could wait a few more hours until he got some more rest.
“Are you sure about this?” Buck was sitting up in the hospital bed, glancing over at Eddie. He had made a decision. Whether or not he was ready for it was a different story.
“Not really,” Buck said with a sigh. “But it’s worth a try, right?” Eddie nodded as Christopher came out of the bathroom.
“Alright mijo,” Eddie said, turning to Christopher. “We’re going to get out of here for a bit.”
“But what about papa?” Christopher asked, glancing over at Buck. Buck just smiled a little.
“You two are going to get me some real food,” Buck said. “Because do you know what they’re serving for lunch today? Meatloaf.” Christopher gasped at that.
“Papa, you can’t eat the meatloaf!” Buck glanced at Eddie, who had a fond smile on his face. “That’s how I lost a tooth.”
“I know kid,” Buck said, chuckling a little. “So that’s why you guys have to go get some real food for me.” Christopher just nodded, before turning to Eddie.
“Do you think Abuela’s tamales will make papa feel better?”
“Only one way to find out,” Eddie said, ruffling his son’s hair. “We’ll be back in a bit, okay?” Buck just nodded as they headed towards the door. Once Christopher stepped into the hallway, Eddie glanced back at Buck. “I’ll send them in. And I’m just a phone call away, okay?”
“Thank you,” Buck said. “I love you.”
“Love you too.” Then Eddie left the room. Buck let out a long sigh as he watched the door. He was still nervous about this, but after his conversation with Eddie he knew he couldn’t put this off anymore.
The door opened and Bobby walked in, Hen and Chimney a step behind him. The room was quiet as they all pulled up chairs around the bed.
“How are you feeling?” Bobby asked, breaking the silence.
“Alright,” Buck said with a shrug. “Got some recovery time to get through, but other than that…” Bobby nodded as they lapsed into silence again. “I um...I don’t really know how to start this.”
“You don’t have to,” Bobby said. “I know how hard it can be to open up to people.”
“I think that’s kind of moot at this point,” Buck said. “I mean, you’ve met my husband and kid.”
“He’s really cute,” Hen said. “The kid, I mean. I don’t swing that way.” Buck chuckled at that.
“Yeah Chris is great,” Buck said with a small smile. “Eddie too. They uh...they were the first people I wanted to open up to in a while.” Buck sighed, glancing at the three of them. They just watched him with patient eyes, reminding Buck that this was the right decision. “I just had a lot of people let me down and leave me and so opening up doesn’t come easy for me. My parents aren’t really in the picture and I barely talk to my sister. But knowing that you guys waited to know that I was okay, that you weren’t upset with me when Eddie and Christopher showed up, well it showed me that maybe I shouldn’t let the past dictate how I am around people. Especially people I trust.”
“As someone who wasn’t open to people at first as well,” Bobby said. “I appreciate you giving us that chance. Especially because you’re a great kid and pretty damn good firefighter.”
“Thanks Bobby,” Buck said with a small smile.
“So have you just been wearing a wedding ring the whole time and we didn’t notice?” Chimney asked. Buck chuckled. “Or do you hide it?”
“Eddie got me this chain,” Buck explained. “Sort of like a dog tag, where I can put my wedding ring.” Chimney nodded. “Though, I suppose I don’t really have to do that anymore.”
“Now that you’re in the parent club,” Hen said. “We’re going to have to set up a playdate with the boys. And maybe bribe Chimney to babysit both of them for a couples date night.”
“I’d really like that,” Buck said with a smile.
“I wouldn’t,” Chimney said. “Why am I getting volunteered to babysit?”
“Get married and then we can talk,” Hen said and Chimney rolled his eyes. The two continued to bicker back and forth and Buck felt some of the tension he had been holding melt off his shoulders. And as he glanced over at Bobby, who offered him a smile, Buck knew opening up to them was the right choice.