Archive of Our Own ^beta

He stared at the body that lay on the bed, dark curls splayed around an angelic face. The scrapes that had been cleaned only added to the picture of innocence.

Eddie reached out and pushed back a stray curl from Christopher’s face. He tried to imagine what the boy had gone through and panic set in. Eddie knew fear. He knew the panic of not being able to escape what was attacking. He never wanted his son to experience that feeling. Not only had his son had to go through something like that, but so had Buck. Buck, his best friend, who was still recovering from being crushed by a ladder truck, had to go through another near-death experience; all the while being in pain and keeping his son safe.

Eddie could not bear the thought of letting Chris out of his eyesight, but he needed to call Buck to make sure he was okay. He needed to hear his voice again, this time while he was not trying to blame himself for something that couldn’t be controlled.

He got up from the floor and walked out of the room, leaving the door open so he could still catch glimpses of the boy. He grabbed his phone out of his pocket and hit the first speed dial on the phone as he walked toward the kitchen. He would fully think about why Buck was first, and not someone like his Abuela or Pepa, later.

He let it ring and ring until he received Buck’s voicemail.

“Hey, this is Buck. Sorry I missed your call. If it is important send a text, if not leave a message.”

“Hey Buck, it’s Eddie, um. . . I’m just calling to check-in. Please call back. I want, I need to know you are okay.” He ended the call and instantly sent a text as well, needing to get ahold of him.

From: Eddie 

Please pick up your phone or reply to this. I need to know you are okay. 10:30 PM

“Hey, this is Buck. Sorry-“

“Hey, this is Buck.”

“He-“

From: Eddie

Buck, your standard ‘I’m fine’ would work just to know you are still alive. 10:50 PM

From: Eddie

I’m calling Maddie  10:52 PM

Eddie closed out the messaging app and found Maddie in his contacts. He could not even make himself feel guilty for the late time.

The phone rang long enough that he thought he was going to be sent to voicemail until he heard the click of it being answered.

“Hello?” He heard Maddie’s groggy voice answer.

“Hey Maddie, it’s Eddie, sorry for calling so late. I was wondering if you knew how Buck was. You were the one to take him home and I don’t want to bother him if he is resting.” He did not mention the missed calls or texts.

“Yeah, I dropped him off around eight, I think. I bought him food on the way home and made sure he got inside. He said he wanted to be alone. He appeared to be okay, so I allowed it.” She said and Eddie could hear the lingering worry.

“Thanks, Maddie, I was so focused on Chris I couldn’t stop to make sure he was okay.” Guilt ate at him. From what Maddie had said, Buck wasn’t okay. Eddie stopped himself from getting mad at Maddie for allowing Buck to be alone right now. Not after hearing Buck’s self-blame for 'losing' Christopher and then calling her for help.

“No problem, Eddie. How is Chris?” She asked and he let out a sigh.

“Surprisingly, he’s okay. He talked about how Buck saved him and a bunch of others before he finally fell asleep.”

“That’s good. I was worried. I’ll run by Buck’s before my shift in the morning and let you all know how he is.” She said and Eddie could hear her falling asleep.

“Thank you. Sorry again for bothering you. Goodnight, Maddie.”

“Goodnight, Eddie.” He heard the click and laid the phone on the counter.

He leaned forward on his elbows and rested his head in his hands. The conversation with Maddie did nothing to calm his nerves about Buck. The longer he went without hearing from him, the more anxious he got. He needed to go to Buck’s, but Christopher had just fallen asleep. But it was Buck.

Eddie grabbed his phone again. Bobby was closer and could quickly go over there while he got his and Chris’s things for an impromptu sleepover. He held the phone up to his ear as he went around the house. Bobby thankfully answered on the third ring.

“Eddie? It’s late, is everything okay? Is it Chris?” Bobby asked, not sounding as if he had been asleep, and Eddie could not stop the smile he heard from the worry in Bobby’s voice.

“Hey Bobby, sorry for bothering you. Chris is okay, he is asleep for now. I was wondering if you could run by Buck’s. He isn’t responding and that isn’t like him. I have a bad feeling and you are nearer until I can get there. I’m getting stuff together now for me and Chris.” Eddie knew he was rambling a little, but he couldn’t shake that something was wrong. Eddie heard movement on the other side of the phone, he figured Bobby was putting on shoes or actual clothes.

“I’ll head over now Eddie. I’ll call when I get there. I know I can’t stop you from coming but be careful. You have Chris to think about.”

“I know, but he was given the all-clear and I really need to see Buck for myself.” Eddie said, the fear leaking out into his voice. He heard a car door and an engine starting before Bobby replied.

“I’m leaving now Eddie. You’ll see him soon. I’ll call you when I get there.” Bobby hung up before Eddie could respond. He went to Chris’s room and tried not to wake him as he lifted him. Thankfully, he did not have to worry about a pair of crutches as they kept a pair at Buck’s.

Eddie did not even bother locking the door as he walked out, unlocked the truck, and got Chris into his seat. He jumped into the driver’s seat, got the truck started, and reversed down the drive. Eddie knew Bobby should reach Buck’s in ten minutes if driving the speed limit at this time of night, but doubted he was driving normal and probably was pulling up now. At the normal speed limit, it would take Eddie thirty minutes to get to Buck’s, but he did not plan on driving the speed limit and was going to try and get there in at most twenty-five. He could not risk too much as he did have Chris.

A couple minutes later, his phone rang, and he quickly answered it.

“How is he, have you seen him?”

“I haven’t gone in yet, I told you I would let you know when I got here. Thankfully, Buck lives in one of the only places you don’t have to be buzzed in for.” Bobby said and Eddie could hear him moving.

Eddie did not say anything as he listened to Bobby run up the stairs and make his way down Buck’s hallway. He jerked a bit when Bobby started knocking and calling for Buck.

“I’m coming in Kid.” Bobby said and Eddie could hear keys jingling. Eddie’s panic ramped up now that Buck was not even responding to Bobby at his own home. If Eddie stepped on the gas a bit more, well, the only witness to it was knocked out in the back-seat snoring.

Eddie heard Bobby sharply inhale and then click. He glanced down at his phone and realized that Bobby had hung up.

Eddie knew he did not think things through properly. He did not fully think of this, however, until he pulled into Buck’s apartment complex. He had to bring Christopher as there was no one to watch him this late and Eddie planned to stay a few days. But he did not think about the possibility that something could actually be physically wrong with Buck, and now he had to make sure Chris didn’t see Buck until they were sure things were okay. He looked back at Christopher and saw him still deep asleep. Eddie let out a breath as he got out, knowing that Chris would not wake for a while. Hopefully.

Leaving the duffle bag, for now, Eddie scooped up Chris and ran inside to the elevator. He would love to take the stairs but carrying a sleeping nine-year-old up multiple flights of stairs made that impossible. The doors opened and Eddie got in hitting the button for Buck’s floor.

Once the doors opened again, Eddie jogged down the hallway and tried the door, thankful that Bobby remembered to leave it open. Stepping in, Eddie froze. The air in the apartment was tense, stale like no one had even been home for a long time. He saw food, untouched, laying on the island, figuring that was the food Maddie had bought when she dropped off Buck.

Eddie moved further in and laid Chris on the couch and covered him in the blanket Buck kept on the back.

“Bobby?” Eddie called as he walked toward the stairs.

“Bathroom, upstairs, now.” Was all heard before he took off up said stairs. Once he got to the door, he didn’t hesitate to walk in. What he saw made him wish he had gotten here sooner. Buck sat against the wall still in the clothes he was wearing at the VA hospital. The scrapes on his face looked as if the only care they had received was the cleaning from one of the aids. He did not want to think of the cut on his arm and the possible effects that the blood thinners could have had during the day. He shook his head to get rid of the image of a bleeding-out Buck.

What scared Eddie right at that moment, however, was glazed over eyes that were usually so vibrant with life and the blue tinted lips. Now that he looked, he could see Buck’s uneven breathing.

“He was like this when I got here. The shower was running as well.” Bobby whispered as if not to startle Buck. “When I tried to move him, he panicked and started rambling about Chris. I turned the shower off and he completely shut down, no words, no movement, nothing. If I had not seen him blink and the movement of his chest, I would be worried he was dead.”

Eddie did not say anything to Bobby as he knelt in front of Buck.

“Buck? Can you hear me?” Eddie whispered, making no move to touch him. He got no response and tried again. “Buck, come on, give me something. You are okay. You are not there anymore. Chris is okay. He is here, just downstairs asleep. You saved him, Buck. No one else, you.”

Eddie and Bobby watched for any kind of reaction as Eddie spoke. They noticed Buck slightly twitch when Chris was first mentioned, and more life slowly came into him. Eddie could see when Buck realized where he was and that he was not alone. His eyes connected with Eddie’s and Eddie knew that he was back with them.

Buck gasped in a deep breath and heaved as he fell forward. Eddie caught him and wrapped Buck in his arms.

“It’s okay, we got you. We got you, Buck.” Eddie whispered as he pulled Buck closer.