Slowly creaking the door to Buck's room open, Eddie peered in and got greeted by a bandaged Buck's smile. "Hey Buck, you look better." Buck didn't say anything but looked questioningly behind Eddi's back. "Oh, right Carla had to go home so I brought some company with me for you. while I talk to the docs here." Buck looked puzzled for a minute then it clicked and as Christopher walked into the room Buck's face broke into a giant smile.

Eddie grinned and walked over with Chris to Buck's bed. Buck did look better, well at least better now that he wasn't unconscious and such. He had some bandages here and there peeking out from beneath a way too thin hospital gown that seemed too small for Buck's big frame. What was concerning Eddie the most was that Buck still had not spoken yet. Chris was sitting in the chair by the bed chatting about his week and Evan just sat there nodding and grinning at him but he still hadn't opened his mouth and said anything.

Eddie left to go talk to the doctor and so he went to the nurses station. He found Buck's doctor and what he had to say was not positive.

"He had another seizure after we called you Mr. Diaz. He is still stable but we are detecting some abnormal brain patterns. His body seems to be okay and recovering from his flesh injuries but he hasn't spoken." The doctor was a young man who couldn't have been 4 years older than Buck was. His concern leaked into his words unprofessionally but very sympathetically.

"So you think the seizures might have damaged his speaking ability? Are these seizures going to happen all the time?" Eddie didn't know what Buck was going to do if the seizures were going to be consistent. He would have to quit being a firefighter and everyone knew how well that worked out last time Buck couldn't be a firefighter.

" We're not sure yet. The seizures could possibly be from the head injury which is causing his brain to swell and that is creating the seizures. Or it could be from the concussion which is a more likely scenario. The injury wasn't too deep thankfully but it was long and required about 17 stitches. We would do a Head Trauma Panel including a CT to look at his brain to see if it indeed is swelling but since he has had 2 seizures we're don't want to put him in and then have him endure a 3rd seizure. every time he has a violent seizure like that it ends up risking hurting him further physically and mentally."

Eddie stood there and let everything sink in before speaking again. " So what can we do? What can I do?"

The Doctor looked at him kindly and said "All we can do is wait and see if the seizures were 1 time occurrences and for the concussion to clear up before we can do further tests." He shook Eddie's hand goodbye and before parting said " Just be there for him and see if you can get him to speak. You put down on the forms that you were his best friend. Be that for him."

The Doctor left and Eddie walked lingeringly back to Buck's room musing over everything and coming up with only 1 answer. He was going to be there for Buck like he should have been all the other times. This was going to be different. This time they were going to get through it together because that's what brothers, family do.

Eddie arrived at Buck's room and smiled upon entering to the sight of Buck sleeping with his hand tangled in Chris's hair as his head lay sleeping on the hospital bed beside Buck. Buck woke up when Eddie got closer and Eddie gently smiled at him. "Hey, how are you feeling?" He just nodded with his head and Eddie interpreted it as okay. "Hen texted me earlier and said that the rest of the crew was going to come but then it got really late and you were still unconscious so they're going to come tomorrow okay?" Again he just nodded, not even attempting to speak.

So, Eddie decided that Buck needed a push. "Buck, I need you to say something to me okay?" He got a confused look on his face before he opened his mouth giving Eddie hope, only to shut it again with an audible click. Buck shook his head and motioned with his other hand which had an IV stuck in the back of it that he didn't want to speak. Now Eddie was confused. "Why don't you want to speak?" Again a head shake but his blue sapphire eyes started to tear up and it slapped Eddie in the face. "Hey, Hey, no, no shhhhh. Buck it's okay, it's okay." Eddie continued saying soothing words to Buck as the tears started to drip down his face.

Eddie sat on the bed next to him and as soon as Eddie's rump hit the mattress Buck was moving, with a speed that he probably shouldn't be moving at with a concussion, and he hugged Eddie hard. He was stunned but immediately hugged Buck back, being gentle because of his big bruises. They stayed that way for Eddie didn't know how long. A Nurse came in and told him quietly that she didn't mind him staying and asked if she should get a blanket for his kid.

Eddie told her no thank you and he knew that it was long past Chris's bedtime but he hadn't had the heart to break Buck's desperate hug. Buck who had fallen asleep on Eddie's shoulder, his hair falling into his eyes and looking plain adorable, Eddie laid him gently back on the bed. Eddie squeezed Buck's arm lightly goodbye and scooped up the still sleeping Christopher.

Eddie would be back tomorrow bright and early after Carla comes in and he wasn't going to be going anywhere until Buck was okay.

TBC

Notes:

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