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"911, what’s your emergency?"
"I need to be put through to Maddie Han," Buck says quickly.
"Sir, this is 911-"
"I know, I know. Maddie Han is a dispatcher at Los Angeles Service Centre, my name is Evan Buckley, I’m a firefighter with the LAFD."
"Buck?" the unknown dispatcher asks and Buck lets out a gasp of relief.
"Yes, yes! I- please, please transfer me to Maddie," he begs.
"Transferring now."
Buck grips his phone to his ear, his breath coming harshly.
"Buck?" Maddie’s voice sounds over the line and Buck lets out a gasping sob.
"Maddie! Mads … Mads, I’m not making it out this time," he chokes out.
"Evan? What’s going on?" Maddie asks quickly. Buck can hear her typing away.
"It’s … I’m on a plane, Maddie-"
"I know, the 118 is at the crash site and-"
"No, Maddie. No. I was on the flight."
"What?" she gasps and Buck laughs shakily.
"Yeah. I was, fuck-" he gasps as the metal in his side shifts, "I was going to Texas. Christopher wanted to come home, Maddie. Oh my g- Chris, fuck, I’m not gonna get to Chris."
"Buck, are you hurt?"
"Yeah, Mads."
"What happened? Where are you?"
"I’m … I don’t know. By the cockpit? I think. But, Maddie, it’s … fuck, they’re not gonna get me in time, Mads. There’s too much debris and I … I don’t have long."
"What do you mean, Buck?" Maddie asks, her voice high with stress. "I'm going to put you through to the 118, you need to tell them where-"
"I … Maddie, listen to me. I need you to listen," Buck begs and he hears his sister sniff, shuffling on the line tells him she’s wiping tears off her face.
"I’m listening, Evan."
"Okay, I’m gonna - you can record this, right?"
"Yes, but Evan, they’re going to-"
"No, Mads. It’s okay. Just … I’m gonna talk, and then when I tell you to, I want you to record, okay? Then I need you to get it to Bobby and Eddie, okay? Do you understand me?"
"Buck, please …"
“Tell me you understand, Maddie." His voice is desperate, and he hears his sister choke back a sob.
"I understand. I’ll do it."
"Okay. Okay, here goes," he takes a deep breath, groaning as the metal shifts. "Maddie. You are the best sister I could have ever asked for. You raised me, Mads. You gave me everything. I love you, you hear me? I love you so much. Keep going, Mads. Keep Chimney afloat. Lean on each other. Tell Jee I love her every day. I wish I could watch her grow up. Fuck, I want to grow with all of you. I wish I could … Shit, okay. I love you, Maddie. I love you," his voice shakes as he sobs. "Can you record now?"
"Yes," Maddie whimpers, clearly in tears, "it’s recording."
"Okay. Bobby, I need to thank you. You … Cap, you believe in me like no one ever has. You’re like, you’re the dad I needed, Bobby. Thank you for teaching me so much. Thank you for letting me into your family." Buck clears his throat, listening to Maddie sob quietly.
"Eddie …"
And then he talks. He talks, and talks. Telling Eddie everything he needs to as he cries, pain radiating through him. He listens to Maddie sobbing softly on the other line.
And then, it’s done.
"Okay, that’s it, Maddie."
She cuts off the recording. "Evan … Evan, please."
"It’s okay, Maddie. I can go now. I need to go now."
"No, no, Buck. Please, keep talking!"
"It’s … it’s time to go."
Maddie jumps as a clatter sounds over the line. And then it cuts dead.
She scrambles to get someone, anyone, from the 118 on the line.
"Dispatch?" Bobby's voice crackles in and Maddie gasps.
"Bobby. Listen to be. Buck is on the plane."
"What?" It's her husbands voice this time, shrill and worried.
"Buck is on the plane. 118, I need you to search near the cockpit.
"Maddie, what's-" Eddie's voice now. Maddie let's out a gut-wrenching sob. Her brother's words ringing in her ears.
"He was on the plane. Search near the cockpit, please!" she begs.
"Copy that, dispatch," Bobby says quickly, then his professionalism drops. "Maddie, we'll find him."
"You have to, Bobby, you have to."
~
Eddie can’t hear what’s happening around him.
He’s sat in the back of the ambulance.
There are hands on his arms. Holding him back. Who’s holding him back? Why?
He looks around, vision fuzzy as his ears ring with a deafening tinnitus.
It’s Hen holding him. She’s got him held so tightly, both of them pressed up against the wall of the ambulance.
Chimney is working on a patient laying in the gurney.
Blood drips from the gurney to the floor of the ambulance. Eddie cranes his neck. Chimney is obscuring his view of the patient.
Suddenly, the tinnitus stops. Everything is too loud.
Chimney moves and Eddie sees the man on the gurney.
Buck. It’s Buck.
And then he’s blacking out.
~
They're in a private room. Eddie feels catatonic. Chimney is sat on his left, Maddie the other side of him. Bobby is on Eddie’s right, and Hen is sat on the floor, her head resting against Eddie’s knee. Athena is pacing the floor in front of them, making him his head swim with motion sickness.
He only snaps out of it when his phone rings, the contact image that flashes up on the screen one that he hasn’t seen in months.
"It’s Christopher, I need to-" he nudges Hen and she quickly moves so he can stand up.
"Christopher?" he answers, in disbelief.
"Um, hi, Dad."
"Hi, buddy. I … Chris, is everything okay?"
"I don’t know? It’s just … Buck was supposed to pick me up today-"
"What?" Eddie gasps.
"He was … he was coming to Texas. I was coming home with him. I’m … I’m ready, but … Dad, where's Buck?"
"Oh, Chris …"
"He was on that plane, wasn’t he? The one that crashed," Chris says quietly and Eddie’s chest tightens.
"He … he was, Chris."
"Is he … is he dead?"
"Chris, I-"
His son cuts him off. "I need to know the truth, dad."
"I don’t know, Christopher. He was alive when we got him here, but … I just don’t know, Chris."
"I need to come home," Christopher whispers, his cracking harshly.
"Hey, hey, it’s okay, Chris. It’s okay. I can’t … I can’t let you come back right now. Not on a plane. I can’t have that."
"I understand," he sighs. And then he bursts into heart-wrenching sobs. Before Eddie can say anything else, there's crackling on the other end of the line.
"Edmundo?"
"Adriana," he chokes out at the sound of his sisters voice.
"Oh, Edmundo. Is he alive?"
"I don’t know," he sobs.
"I’m bringing Christopher home, Eddie."
"No, no. Not on a plane. Don’t put him on a plane."
"Eddie, listen to me. You need your son. He needs to be there. The airlines are all up and running. It wasn’t a direct flight that crashed, Buck was flying to Arizona, then Texas. It was a freak accident, Edmundo. Let us come to you."
"I … okay. Okay. Bring him home."
"First flight, okay? I promise." And then she hangs up. Eddie collapses.
"Eddie?" Maddie whispers when she finds him in a heap on the floor in the hospital.
"He was going to get Christopher."
"I know he was. He- Eddie, come with me. I need you and Bobby to hear something."
"What?"
"He called 911. I spoke to him, Eddie. He asked me to record a message. I have it on my phone."
"Fuck. Okay."
Maddie leads Eddie into an empty conference room. Bobby is waiting.
"Is Christopher okay?" he asks, and Eddie nods quickly, sitting down next to his captain.
"Buck was going to get him."
"Oh, god, Eddie," Bobby sighs, gripping his shoulder.
"My sister is bringing him home. He needs to be here. In case …"
"Yeah. I know."
Maddie sits down opposite them and places her phone on the small table.
"I transferred this straight from the system as soon as the line got cut off. It’s hard to listen to but … he wanted you to hear it. Bobby, he talks to you first, then Eddie. You can … when you’re ready."
Bobby squeezes Eddie’s shoulder again before he reaches over and hits play.
Eddie is shaking by the time Buck says Bobby’s name. They listen in silence as Buck’s tinny voice thanks him, Bobby’s hand still on Eddie’s shoulder, squeezing so tight it should be painful.
And then, "Eddie …"
Eddie lurches forward and pauses the recording, his breath ragged. "I can’t," he gasps. "Bobby, I can’t."
Bobby pulls Eddie back into his seat, his hand still on his shoulder. "You can," he whispers, voice thick with tears. "You need to hear what he has to say."
Eddie sighs shakily and nods to Maddie, who reaches out slowly and presses play.
"Eds, hey. It’s … it’s me. I guess it finally got me, Eds."
Eddie lets a sob rip from his chest. Maddie is already up and stepping towards him, kneeling on the floor and taking both of his hands in hers.
"We’ve nearly died so many times and somehow … somehow we kept going, but -" Buck sobs, guttural and broken, "I’m not coming back from this, Eddie. So … so I need to tell you this. I was going to get Chris."
Eddie isn’t sure if the noise that comes out of him is another sob or a scream, but Bobby’s hand moves from his shoulder to the back of his neck, holding tight, and Maddie is sobbing onto their joined hands.
"He was ready to come home to you, Eds, so you can’t shut down on him. You hear me? You have to fight for him. Keep him happy. Don’t let him ever forget how much his Buck loves him, no matter how old he gets," Buck lets out a sad laugh, and then splutters slightly. "It’s … There’s something puncturing my side, Eds. It’s - my lungs? Maybe? I don’t know. But there's too much blood and I’m running out of time," he takes a deep breath.
Eddie drops forward, his forehead hitting the table harshly.
"I’m sorry I’m not coming home with him. All I want is to come home. You and Chris, that’s my home. I-" he gasps. There’s noise around him. "I’m running out of time, Eds. I know you … I know you’re out there, searching for survivors not even knowing I’m here, so don’t feel guilty, Eddie. It’s okay that you didn’t find me. But I have to … I have to tell you that all I need is to come home to you. All I want is to be with you, Eddie.”
Eddie wants to scream. But we did! We did find you!
"Just know … Eddie I need you to know I died loving you," Buck pauses and there's a strangled gasp on the line. Maddie, Eddie thinks. "I love you, Edmundo Diaz. I love you so much, with everything I am. I wish I told you that sooner," his breath slows, "so I’m telling you now. I love you. Keep going, Eds. I wish I could come home to you, baby." Another deep breath. "Okay, that’s it Maddie."
The recording stops.
This time, Eddie knows he does scream.
He’s not sure if any sound comes out, but he does know that he’s tumbling out of his chair, into Maddie’s arms, as sobs tear through him. Bobby’s hand is on his head, petting heavily as he hears his captain murmuring comfort through his own tears. He claws at Maddie's clothes, desperate to get purchase on something.
"Maddie," he chokes out, gasping breaths escaping him as he hyperventilates.
"I know, Eddie. I know. I'm sorry."
He doesn't know how much time passes before the door to the small conference room swings open and they all look up to see Chimney looking frantic.
"Guys-" he cuts himself off. "Woah, what's going on?"
"The call," Maddie says, as a way of explanation. Chimney nods.
"He's … Guys, Buck's alive!" he says quickly, and Maddie and Eddie let out simultaneous sobs, clinging onto each other. Bobby jumps from his chair and rushes over to Chimney, pulling him into a bone crushing hug.
"He's," Chim pauses, letting out a shocked, breathy laugh, "he's alive."
~
Buck is alive, but he has not woken up.
Eddie dissociates as he listens to doctors explain that there is a possibility that he might not.
No one has been allowed to see him, but they have been given use of a private family room for as long as they need it.
Adrian texts Eddie at midnight.
Just landed at LAX. Which hospital?
He's sat on the floor by Bobby's chair. He hands his phone off to Bobby with shaking hands. He doesn't speak, but Bobby understands immediately and stands up, hitting call as he leaves the room.
He comes back five minutes later and hands Eddie his phone. "I ordered them an Uber."
"Thanks, Bobby," Eddie whispers.
Less than an hour later, the door swings open, and Eddie looks up, expecting a doctor with an update. Instead, he sees his sister holding the door open while his son clambers into the room, his crutches echoing against the linoleum.
"Chris!" Eddie gasps, his body relaxes as he holds his arms out. Chris rushes over, dropping his crutches before he collapses in his dad's arms. "I'm sorry, son. I'm so sorry." Eddie chokes out as Christopher sobs against his chest.
"Any news?" he hears Adriana ask as Bobby offers her his chair.
"He's out of surgery and is alive. He hasn't woken up. They've got him sedated at the moment," Bobby explains and Eddie looks up to see his sister nod before he hands drops to his hair.
"Hi, Edmundo," she whispers.
"Thank you," he mumbles, rocking Christopher back and forth, "thank you for coming."
~
The doctor returns at 3:30am. Maddie and Chimney are curled up on the sofa. Hen is stood making coffee. Bobby, Athena and Adriana are talking quietly in the corner. Christopher is asleep in Eddie's lap.
"Hi, folks," the doctor says softly, smiling sadly when he see's Chris curled on the floor with his head on Eddie's thighs. "I'll bring a cot in for him shortly," she says, nodding to Christopher and Eddie smiles slightly.
"How's he doing?" Bobby asks and the doctor sighs, then smiles again, slightly wider this time.
"We have confirmed there is no traumatic brain injury. He was very lucky, he sustained only minor crush injuries, obviously the most pressing issue was the puncture wound, but vital organs have been cleared. We are comfortable to ease him off sedation."
"That's, uh, that's good, right?" Adriana asks softly and the doctor nods.
"It is. It's very, very good all considering. I just need consent from his next of kin, then we can-"
"Yes, that's me. That's fine. Ease him off it," Maddie says quickly and the doctor looks down at the paperwork in her hands.
"Uh, Maddie-" Bobby starts but the doctor cuts him off.
"Your name?"
"Maddie Han. Or Buckley, depends when it was last updated."
"I'm sorry, Miss Han. You aren't-"
"What? I'm his sister!"
"I understand that. You are Buck's next of kin, but you are not listed as his medical directive. I can follow your wishes if he's not here, but-
"Who is it?" Chimney asks.
"It's Eddie. He changed it months ago," Bobby explains. Eddie gasps.
"Yes, Eddie Diaz." The doctor says and every head turns to Eddie.
He clenches his jaw, fighting back the sob as tears spring to his eyes again.
"Do it. I consent. Just … just do it. Bring him back to us." He says quickly and the doctor nods, walking over and handing him the consent form and a pen.
The doctor rushes out of the room so quickly, she forgets about the child sleeping on the floor.
The door slams and Christopher wakes with a jolt.
"Dad?" he gasps and Eddie quickly wraps his arms around his son.
"It's okay, it was just the doctor coming to talk to us."
"About Buck?" Chris asks and Eddie opens his mouth to speak, but nothing but a whimper comes out.
"Chris, come up here, kid." Chimney grins and Christopher carefully gets to his feet and staggers towards the sofa, sitting between Chimney and Maddie.
"Buck was stuck in the plane when we found him. He had a big piece of metal stuck in him. Remember when we met and I told you about the metal in my head?"
"Yeah."
"Well, Buck had metal going through his ribs. Luckily, it hasn't damaged his organs, and his brain is okay, even though he probably got thrown about when the plane crashed. He's had surgery and he's been kept asleep for a while, but the doctor just came in to ask if we wanted to wake him up. Your dad had to make that decision."
"Why Dad?"
"You know when you hurt yourself at school," Maddie says softly, "and they call Carla or Pepa or me if they can't get hold of your dad?"
"Yeah?"
"Buck put your dad on his list. So he has to make big decisions when Buck is hurt."
"You said to wake him up, right?" Christopher asks desperately, looking at his dad.
"Yes, buddy. They're going to take him off sedation."
"But, Chris …" Hen speaks up carefully, "there is a chance it won't work, okay? So we just have to wait and find out."
"Okay. Wait and see." Christopher nods before settling back against Maddie's arm that has been wrapped around his shoulders.
Eddie breaks. He pulls his knees to his chest and hides his face, sobbing heavily.
"Dad!"
He hears Christopher try to rush to him, but Chimney hushes him.
"It's okay, Chris. Just let him get it out, he's scared."
~
The early morning sun is peaking through the blinds of the room when the doctor finally comes back.
The entire room feels lighter as soon as she walks in.
"He's awake."
Eddie doesn't listen to the rest. He gets lost in the sounds of relieved gasps and tears and Christopher flinging his arms around his neck.
He feels hands on his shoulders and feels Bobby press a kiss to his hair.
Maddie grasps his hand, he nails digging into his flesh bring comfort rather than pain.
Hen is sobbing, calling Karen who has stayed up all night at home, looking after Denny, Mara and Jee-Yun.
"When can we see him?" Chimney ask's after a short while and everybody settles down, looking at the doctor hopefully.
"I would like to start with one person, two maybe, just to see how he reacts."
"Eddie," Maddie whispers, squeezing his hand. "You go."
"No. No, Maddie. You need to go see your brother."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. You and Chim go. Me and Chris can go next, if that's okay?" Eddie looks at Bobby and Hen who both nod.
It's less than 15 minutes later when a nurse pops her head in.
"Eddie? Would you and your son like to come with me?" she asks softly and Eddie immediately helps Chris stand up. Bobby hands the boy his crutches as Eddie get's himself up. They start to make their way to the door when a hand grasps his. He turns to face Bobby.
"Eddie," he whispers, "he's it."
Tears spring to his eyes once again as he nods and squeezes Bobby's hand once before following the nurse and his son.
Christopher doesn't hesitate to charge into the private room. Crutches clacking against the floor loudly.
Eddie freezes outside the door.
And then he hears him.
"Christopher," Buck rasps, "buddy, you're here!"
Eddie takes a deep breath and walks in.
Buck is lying in the hospital bed, hooked up to various machines. He's in a hospital gown, with one sleeve off, revealing the bandages wrapped around his midriff before they're cut off by the blanket.
Eddie, for the first time in 9 hours, feels like he can breathe.
He watches as his son falls carefully onto Buck's bed, on the side of Buck that doesn't have bandages on display. He watches as his best friend wraps his arms around the 13 year old. Seemingly unfazed by any pain the movement or touch may cause him.
Eddie doesn't say anything. He just takes in this moment. Buck, with his eyes closed, holding Christopher tightly. Chimney watching the two, grinning, with tears in his eyes.
Maddie is looking at Eddie. Tears stream down her face as she smiles at him. He smiles back.
"Chris, I'm so sorry I didn't come get you," Buck chokes out, his hand in Christopher's hair.
"I'm here, Buck. I'm home."
"So am I, Chris. God, I was so worried I wouldn't see you again, sweetheart."
Eddie's heart clenches at the pet name, watching as Buck presses kisses to Christopher's hair.
Then, Buck's eyes open.
Bright blue meet dark brown, and Buck sobs.
The hand that was in Christopher's hair reaches out towards Eddie. Eddie sways slightly, suddenly lightheaded.
"Eddie …" Buck gasps out and Christopher carefully removes himself from the bed and looks at his dad.
"Dad? Are you okay?"
Chimney butts in then. "Hey, Chris. Let's go find you some food, yeah? Give your dad and Buck a minute," Chimney suggests and Eddie throws him a grateful look before looking back to Buck, who hasn't taken his eyes off him.
Chimney helps Christopher towards the door, squeezing Buck's hand as he goes. Christopher squeezes his dad's hand as Chimney claps Eddie on the back.
Maddie stands and kisses her brother's forehead.
"I love you, Evan," she whispers before stepping away.
She circles her fingers around Eddie's wrist on her way out. "You're okay," she whispers, "just breathe."
Eddie nods quickly, sucking in a breath, not taking his eyes off Buck as she lets go and the door shuts.
"Eddie-"
"Tell me," Eddie pleads, cutting Buck off.
"What?"
"You said … You said you wish you'd told me sooner, so … tell me now," Eddie says through tears, his voice trembling.
"You heard it." Buck whispers. It isn't a question. Eddie nods as he stumbles over to the chair beside Buck's bed.
"I heard it. I need you to tell me."
"Eds, I-"
"Buck, please. I need to hear it from you when you don't think you're about to die," Eddie begs, reaching out and grabbing Buck's hand. He holds it in both of his and feels Buck relax. He squeezes Eddie's fingers gently.
"All I wanted was to come home to you," he whispers. "I love you. I love you, Eddie."
Eddie breaks. His head falls onto their tangled hands as his body wracks with sobs.
"Eddie, Eds, please," Buck sighs, reaching his other hand over to stroke his fingers through Eddie's hair.
Eddie lifts his head slowly. "I nearly lost you. You were doing something so … so good, for me. And I nearly lost you. You nearly died," he cries and Buck nods, his own tears rolling down his cheeks.
"I know. I know, Eds. But I'm here. I came home," he whispers and Eddie nods quickly.
"I love you," he whimpers, squeezing Buck's hand. "I love you, Evan Buckley. I don't even know how long I've fucking loved you."
"Eddie, oh baby. You already know I love you," Buck laughs softly and Eddie looks up at him, brown eyes big and watery. Buck's heart breaks.
"Tell me anyway," he whispers, suddenly letting go of Buck's hand and moving to sit on the edge of the bed, where Christopher was. He takes Buck's hand again and raises the other to his face, cupping his jaw gently.
"I love you, Eddie Diaz. I love you so much and … and the idea of dying without telling you that scared the hell out of me."
Eddie smiles slightly, and then his lip quivers and his hand drops from Buck's face, landing just below his shoulder. His fist clenches in the material of the hospital gown as his head droops, his shoulders shaking with silent sobs.
"Eddie, shit, Eds," Buck sighs, carefully pulling Eddie forward until his forehead meets his chest, careful of the bandages covering the left side of his body. "I've got you, Eddie, I've got you," he hushes, lacing his fingers through Eddie's hair as Eddie fist tightens in the hospital gown.
As his sobs start to subside, he pulls back slightly to look up at Buck, their faces inches from each other.
"I was so scared. I was … I thought I'd lost you - fuck, Evan, I was so certain we were going to bury you," he chokes out and Buck carefully pulls Eddie's hand away from his shoulder and moves it over his heart. Eddie's fingers splay out automatically, warm against Buck's clammy skin.
"You feel that?" he asks and Eddie nods, more tears slipping down his cheeks. "I'm still here, Eddie. I'm here."
Eddie nods again, sucking in a ragged breath as he stares at his own hand, covered by Buck's where it's pressed against Buck's chest.
"I found you," he whispers, not lifting his eyes. Buck presses Eddie's hand down harder.
"You did?"
"Yeah. You - I thought you were dead, but then you … you said you could go now, and then you just passed out again. I … I don't remember much else."
"I was thinking of you. And Chris. I just … I dropped my phone after talking to Maddie so I just, I kept thinking of you all. You, then Chris, then Maddie, Chim, Bobby, Hen … just a - like I had you on a constant loop in my head, each of you tell me to keep fighting."
"You fought," Eddie chokes out, "you fought so hard."
"For you, Eddie. I fought for the life I want with you."
"You've got it. Whatever life, however you want me, I'm yours," Eddie says sternly and Buck laughs softly, moving his hand from on top of Eddie's to hook a finger under the shorter mans chin, lifting his head to meet his eyes.
"I love you, Eddie. I want the rest of my life with you. Can I have that?" he asks softly and Eddie blinks tears out of his eyes before smiling.
"Yes, Evan. Yes. Forever, always, a lifetime, I don't care. I love you." He moves the slightest bit closer, and feels Buck's small gasp ghost across his skin. "I love you," he says again, before leaning in and pressing their lips together.
It's not like the movies and the romance novels. There's no fireworks, there's not spark. All there is, is Eddie Diaz kissing Evan Buckley like his life depends on it. That, and the increase in rhythm of Buck's heart monitor.
Eddie pulls away first, smiling ear to ear as his eyes flick up at the machine beeping loudly. Buck groans.
"Don't even talk about it," he mutters, his hand settling on the side of Eddie's neck.
"I love you," Eddie sighs happily and Buck places another quick kiss on his lips.
"I love you. Marry me."
It doesn't come out as a question.
"Are you proposing?" Eddie smirks and Buck looks at him seriously.
"More of a demand," Buck shrugs, then winces. "Shit, forgot I had a chunk of metal in my ribs like 5 hours ago," he whines and Eddie squeezes his shoulder sympathetically.
"Will you go get the others? Buck asks softly and Eddie nods, kissing Buck's cheek before standing up.
"I'll be right back, okay?"
"I hope so, fiancé," Buck beams.
When Eddie walks into the family room, every head turns to face him.
"Buck wants to see everyone," he says with a grin and they immediately start moving and piling out the door. He catches his son's shoulder as he stumbles towards him.
"Chris, wait a second, buddy," he says softly as he kneels down to be eye level with the 13 year old.
Once the last person is out the room, he squeezes his sons hand. "You know what a ring bearer is, yeah?" he asks quietly and Christopher squints at him, sceptical.
"Yes, why?"
"Would you, um … would you do me and Buck the honor of being our ring bearer?"
"Oh my god, Dad. Yes, obviously. Can we go see Buck now," he whines, rolling his eyes. Eddie laughs and takes Christopher's crutches before turning on his knees.
"Come on, up you get," he instructs and Christopher easily loops his arms around Eddie's neck. As Eddie stands, Chris rests his forehead against the back of Eddie's head.
"I'm glad you figured it out, Dad. And I'm glad it's Buck."
"I love you, Christopher."
When they get to Buck's room, Maddie slips out the door.
"Does he know?" she asks, nodding to Christopher and the holding her hand up and wiggling her ring finger.
"Yeah, I just told him. Wait, you know?"
"Yes. I'm really, really happy for you, but fair warning, he was given morphine basically straight after you left. It's hit quick."
"Oh god," Eddie laughs and Maddie grins at him as she holds the door open.
As soon as Eddie steps into the room, Buck's face lights up.
"There he is! My fiancé!" he says excitedly and Eddie laughs, a blush colouring his cheeks as he hands off Christopher's crutches into Bobby's waiting hand and eases his son to the floor.
"And your son!" Christopher says indignantly and Eddie barks out a laugh while Buck gasps.
"Chris … you - fuck, I'm gonna cry again!" Buck whines.
"Language!" Eddie and Hen snipe at the same time.
"Sorry, sorry. Okay, no crying. Let's do that again," Buck says quickly as he helps Chris onto the bed with him, "as I was saying, there's my fiancé and here's my son!" he grins as he ruffles Christopher's hair.
"Congratulations," Bobby says softly, squeezing Eddie's shoulder. Eddie lifts his hand and places it over Bobby's.
"Wait, he's being serious?" Hen exclaims and Eddie laughs, tears in his eyes.
"He's high, but he's so serious."
"Chim, you owe me fifty dollars!" she grins and Chimney groans, pulling his wallet out.
"I was really, really hoping you'd just forgotten," he mutters, handing her a few notes.
"Thank you very much. Eddie, Buck, I'm very happy for the both of you."
"Thanks, Hen," Eddie beams, moving over to Buck and Christopher. He put's his hand on the back of Chris' head and leans down, pressing his lips to his forehead, before he moves on to Buck, kissing him on the lips softly.