A few hours later around 10pm, Abby crawled into bed. She grabbed her phone to text Sage when she saw a message from Buck.
**Hey, sorry! Phone died. How are you?**
'Is he kidding', she thought.
She threw the phone down onto the bed without responding and fell asleep.
When Buck woke up the next morning he checked his phone expecting to see something from Abby, but there were no messages.
He decided to call.
Abby's phone began to buzz, [Incoming call from Buck]
'Is he serious?' she thought.
"Hi Buck, I wasn't expecting to hear from you." She said coldly.
"Why? You mean because of yesterday? Sorry, I had something important to do and my phone died. I texted you last night, but I guess you were asleep." He said in his normal tone.
He really didn't seem to know what she was talking about. "Bobby stopped by yesterday. He told me about your conversation with him and Hen. You know, the conversation where you said you never wanted kids then had a realization and ran out." She said, her tone even more icy than before.
"Look, I get it Buck. I knew it would be a shock and that you may not wait to continue this. Please just tell me. I was so blindsided when Bobby came here last night. Based on our conversation, I thought you were ok with Sage" Abby finished.
"Abby, I had no idea that Bobby came to see you. And I am ok with Sage. I … Listen, I don't want to have this conversation over the phone. Can I come over?" Buck asked.
"Yea" She responded flatly.
Buck could her it in her voice. She was so hurt.
Buck arrived at Abby's apartment 20 minutes later. He rushed over because he could tell she was so upset.
"Hey", he said as he walked in the door and closed it behind him.
"I'm so sorry about all of this. I don't know why Bobby came over and told you all of that stuff. I mean, we did have a conversation but it was more about him freaking on me. He thinks I'm going to screw this up. He's the one that made me doubt myself", Buck said.
"So you are doubting…", Abby asked.
"No, well I was. That's why I talked to Hen. She asked me if I ever wanted kids. Honestly the answer was no."
Visible disappointment showed on Abby's face. Buck saw it and said, "damn, I'm really messing this up right now."
"The answer was no. I've never thought about kids before. I've only every thought about myself. But that's when I had the realization that Bobby mentioned to you. I realized that I never wanted kids and yet when you told me about Sage, I started to think about having a kid. I was fine with it. I was thinking about meeting her and being with the 2 of you. It all seemed so natural, Abby, and that's because its you. I never thought about having kids before, but with you its different. Everything is different. I knew you were special the first time we talked on the phone and a swear I fell in love with you the first time we met." He continued.
"Did you say love?" She said shocked. Her voice barely above a whisper.
"Yea, I know its crazy. We've only known each other for a few weeks, but when you know, you know right?" Buck took a step closer to her.
"Bobby said that if I wanted to continue with you I need to be reliable and not bail, because of Sage and I know he's right", Buck continued.
"That's what I was doing all day yesterday. I was trying to think of a way to show you that I'm reliable and not just a dick kid like everyone thinks. Then I remembered something. After my mom died, I went into foster care. Most of her stuff went, well I don't know, and all I had was a backpack with the essentials. But the government office in Bakersfield did keep a box there for me. It had all of my important documents like birth certificate, and social security card, but it also had my mom's necklace. I actually remember her wearing it. It's one of my only memories of her. Foster homes are rough so I chose to leave the necklace with them. I didn't want anything to happen to it." Buck was so vulnerable in this moment.
"The necklace was of her first initial. An 'S' for Sarah." Buck paused and looked Abby in the eyes.
"Also for Sage. I thought if I gave the necklace to Sage, it would prove that I'm here. That I'm here for both of you" Buck was so weak in this moment. So completely exposed.
"I drove to Bakersfield yesterday to get it." He said as he pulled the necklace out of his pocket.
Abby was in complete shock. She had her hands over her mouth and didn't say a word.
"I'm sorry if this is too much. It seemed like a good idea, but maybe its not. Please say something", He whispered.
"Buck, this is the most incredible idea." She choked out as tears began to flow down her face.
She closed the gap between them and hugged him, just like the day her mother went missing.
"I'm sorry I doubted you, this is the sweetest thing in the world and it means so much. Really!" She said into his ear.