Maddie spends the night in and out of Buck's temporary room. He struggles to sleep, due to the nightmares. They finally settle on the sofa again watching TV. Buck looks over and sees that Maddie has fallen asleep. He slowly gets up, trying not to disturb her. He moves the blanket, so it is fully over her, then he glances at the coffee table where his phone now sits the screen cracked. He reaches out to attempt to pick it up, but he stops and shook his head and heads to the kitchen hobbling, using the crutch as best as he can. but as quiet as he can and gets a drink of water. As he drinks, he looks back into the living room. The tv has some silly shopping show on asking to buy the latest crap for Christmas.
'No one will want me round for Christmas, Maddie will leave me to go off and enjoy it and ill be alone like I always am.'
Buck decides he needs some fresh air. He slowly heads to his room. Thankfully, he is on the lower floor so he would not need to climb any stairs. He grabs a fluffy gown that his sister had got him. He looks at the picture of stitch (from Lilo and Stitch) on the front and smiles. He looks at the time on his bedside clock its five-am. He slips his trainer on and heads back down the hall, quietly lifting the crutches up and down. He opens the front door slowly and takes the keys that were nearby.
As he closes the front door slowly making sure it was locked, he turns around and as the brisk cold December early morning air hits him, he rubs his hands as he looks round the enclosed courtyard, Buck liked the fact that Maddie lived in a enclosed complex. He made his way across the courtyard trying to manoeuvre the crutches on the cold ground and saw a bench nearby and sat down. As he sits there, he looks up and can see the stars above him it is a clear night he could see that dawn was close, but dark enough that he still could see the stars. He just sits there looking up wishing he could be up there where he would have no worries whereas down where he is there is problems all over. He looks over at the fence and watches the odd car and jogger pass by.
'I'm broken and weak, maybe it be better off for everyone if I just vanish.'
He sits there for a while longer not knowing how much time has passes as he just watches people go by there business, the morning sky still dark but the tell-tale signs of morning is in the air, he is broken out his thought when he hears a voice.
"Now, I know you aren't sitting out here all alone, now are you?" Athena says as she opens the gate.
"I've not been out here long." Buck replies truthfully as he turns round to look at Athena walking to him.
"Well, come on. Let us get you back in the warmth, put some coffee on and we can chat" She says with a smile.
They head over to the front door, Athena watches and offers to help him as he struggles with his crutches and trying to use the key to open the door. They quietly enter and walk pass the still sleeping Maddie and into the kitchen. Buck starts to walk over to the kettle, but he feels a hand on his shoulder he tenses up.
"Sorry, Buck." Athena says, "You sit at the island, I'll make the drinks." She continues
"It's okay, I'm sorr-" He starts but Athena gently interrupts.
"Baby, you don't need to say anything. I understand completely." She says with a smile
He nods back and watches as she fills the kettle and starts making the drinks.
"Hey Athena, is it six am already?" Maddie says
Buck looks at her and when he glances over to the clock on the microwave. sure enough, it was nearly six am. he had been outside for nearly an hour.
"Yeah, I found this one outside watching the world go by, so I brought him back in." Athena says as she sets a third cup.
"Buck, what, when?" Maddie asked a bit shocked
"Sorry, you fell asleep and I couldn't do the same, I wanted to get some fresh air, so I went out." Buck said looking at his sister.
She walked over and held her arms up signalling for a hug and she waited till Buck leaned in and held him close.
"You should have woken me up, we could have gone out together." She says
"I know but you have work, and needed the rest, I'm fine." He says
The sound of mugs being placed on the table made Buck turn and break the hug, he turns round and sees the mugs and looks at Athena and smiles as he picks up his crutches and wanders over to the living room. Maddie walks over and places his coffee mug down and smiles as she heads back into the kitchen. Buck positions himself and looks at the TV which is now turned off he just sits there looking at the black screen and tries to listen into what is been said in the kitchen.
"Rough night then?" Athena asks.
"Yeah, it did not help when he turned his phone on and the first thing he saw was Aaron, he threw his phone across the room, I left it on the table. I'm going take it with me to work and I'll see if I can get the screen fixed and then change the background etc, he then had nightmares so we came to the Livingroom but I must have nodded off." Maddie explains.
"We knew it would be hard, it's his first day. How was he at the hospital, Bobby mentioned something about not processing everything?" Athena asks
"Well, I got called in as he thought the male nurse had come to take him back to his own room, he had somehow gotten it in to his head that they worked for Chase you know like the police officers. Anyway, Hen went to him to be there until I got there as Chim took over watching Chris, she got to his room and he was not there. He was in Eddie's, when I got there I spoke to Eddie, it turns out Buck had gone to his room after I left and slept in his bed, Eddie asked the nurse to leave him as he was asleep, he broke down shortly after that with the nurse, but then when he got back to his room his attitude changed and wouldn't talk to anyone." Maddie explains
"So, Eddie is like a safety net?" Athena asks but notices Buck is listening in and walks into the living room and Maddie follows looking abit confused.
"Hey Buckaroo, I don't want you thinking were talking behind your back we aren't we are just trying figure out what's best for you." Athena says and sits next to him and Maddie sits on the other chair.
"I know, I guessed people would talk about me, and to answer you yes he is." Buck says looking down.
"Hey, don't you worry. No one thinks less of you for feeling that way. I would rather know you have someone that can do that for you and make you feel calm than no one at all." Maddie says looking at him.
"Yeah, but now I won't see him for a while, and I can't even text or call him or Chris because I broke my phone." Buck says as he starts to cry again.
"Don't you worry baby; we can use mine to call them later. Why don't you settle on the sofa and I will sit with you and Maddie can get ready for work, what you say?" Athena finishes with a question, rubbing Bucks arm slowly to assure him.
Buck does not give an answer. He just places his cup down and turns to lay on his side, pulling the blanket further up to cover his face, he can feel the tiredness seeping in and nods off. He doesn't know what time it is, but the loud crash of a glass be smashed makes him jump up, he looks round and swears he see's someone in the corner of his eye at the window and jumps up and runs best he can with his crutches in to the kitchen.
"Woah, slow down Buck, I'm sorry I dropped a glass." Athena says stopping Buck in his tracks.
"There someone by the window." Is all Buck can say as he looks over still shaking and tears dropping
"I'll go look you sit here and don't move." Athena says.
He watches as she walks over and looks through the window after looking, she grabs the tv remote and puts the CCTV on watches the screen, she turns round and heads back.
"There's no one their baby, come look." She says.
She walks him back over to the sofa and they watch the CCTV, Buck looks at the screen watching and after five minutes there is no movement of any kind.
"I'm sorry, I could have sworn there was." Buck says holding his hands to his face.
"I know, but your safe I promise. Do you think I would let anyone we didn't know anywhere near you?" Athena states questionly.
"No, you would kick their asses." Buck says, "Why can't I be strong like you?" He continues in a self-pitying tone.
"Baby, you are strong, after everything you are here and yes there is going be dark days but there is also beautiful days to come. I promise you that you will be back at the firehouse enjoying life and we will have a big party."
"At yours?" Buck asks
"Wherever you want." She replies with a smile.
They sit there watching the TV and Athena changes the channel to some day time crap, they sit together for a while in silence, Buck feels comfort that he knows no one would mess with Athena Grant, and that she wouldn't let anyone hurt him.
"You must be hungry, its eleven am. Shall I make us some food." Athena says
"Yeah, I'll help if that's okay." Buck responds
"Tell you what, you sit at the island and we call Eddie how about that?" Athena says with a smile.
"I'd like that." Buck replies with a smile.
They wander over to the kitchen taking it slowly, so Buck didn't put any strain on his cast. Once he was sitting down he watched as Athena messed with her phone and then he heard the ringing as she passed Buck the phone, half expecting it be a voice call he was surprised when he saw Eddies face appear on the screen, Buck let a smile out.
"Well, you're not Athena." Eddie jokes.
"Yeah, sorry to disappoint." Buck says looking a bit sad.
"Hey, don't be. To be honest I prefer you over her any day." Eddie says with a grin.
"If you want come out of that hospital and end up back in there within the day, I'd be careful what you say." Athena says teasingly, appearing next to Buck and Buck just let out a laugh and Athena hugged him and walked off.
"Well now that's you told off, how is Chris?" Buck asks.
"He is fine. He should be out by Sunday." Eddie starts and looks a bit grim
"What is it Eddie?" Buck asks noticing the look.
"I don't want to worry you, everything be okay, but they took another scan of his head and the swelling hasn't fully gone like they hoped. It's dramatically smaller but they want keep him in until it goes away fully." Eddie says looking at Buck.
Buck does not say anything he can feel the tears forming.
'It's my fault, I said he would be okay. He is going hate me for lying to him.'
"Buck don't think anything bad. You could not of know this would happen, and he will be fine. I promise." Eddie says firmly.
"I know, thank you." Buck says
"How did the first night go." Eddie asks
"Could have gone better, but I'll get there." Buck replies
"I'm proud of you-" Eddie starts and then he looks up. Buck wonders what's going on "Yeah, can you come back in a minute? I'm just on the phone." Eddie can he heard saying and then looks at the phone "Sorry, the doctor wants me go for an ultrasound." Eddie says.
"Why? you are ok aren't you?" Buck asks starting to panic
"Yeah, it's just routine to make sure all the work they did inside is holding and there's no problems nothing more. So, do not worry, I better go. I don't want upset them too much." Eddie says
"Ok, I'll call back later." Buck says
"Tell you what, call about seven pm." Eddie says with a grin.
"Why then?" Buck asks curiously.
"Just do it okay. I promise you will enjoy it." Eddie says grin still on his face.
"Fine, talk later." Buck says, shaking his head.
"See ya later." Eddie says as the call ends.
Buck looks up at Athena, who smiles at him and slides over the plate with a sandwich on it and he passes her phone back to her. She joins him and they sit in silence as they eat the food once done she passes Buck his pain pills and Buck takes them and then moves back on to the sofa and starts watching random stuff on TV and Athena joins him, the show on TV is on about Christmas and spending time with people. Buck turns it over to another channel and again it is about Christmas and he huffs as he turns off the tv and Athena looks at him.
"You okay?" She asks.
"Yeah, just all this Christmas stuff." He says looking down
"Go on what about it? I thought you loved Christmas." She asks with an enquiring tone
"Yeah, normally I have somewhere to go but this year I don't, who's gong want a broken mess like me round for Christmas bringing the atmosphere down?" He sarcastically says as he gets up and starts hobbling off.
"Buck, wait." Athena says standing up.
"Just leave me, I'm going to my room to rest." Buck says not even looking back he hobbles off to his room and sits on the bed, eventually he lays down and starts to cry and nods off.
Buck wakes up, sweat dripping down him he had yet another nightmare. He shook it off and looked at the clock it was 6:30pm he had managed get a few hours before the nightmare had started, as he get's his senses back he can hear shouting from down the hall. He stands up and starts hobbling down the hall with his crutches and the sound of Maddie arguing could be heard once he got near the end of the hall he stopped so he could listen in to what was been said.
"You don't understand what he's been through." Maddie says.
"But you can't do that, its nearly Christmas and you are being unfair." She says again sounding frustrated.
"Fine, you get your way I'll speak to him and sort out a date." She says and then the sound of the phone been tossed down indicated the call had finished Buck waited a minute before he started walking into the living room.
"Sorry, did I wake you" She asks.
"No, I had a nightmare, who were you shouting at?" Buck asks
"It is okay, we can talk about it later, Athena made us food for either now or later, she explained Eddie said to call at seven so up to you." She says
"Later please not hungry, guessing she said I walked off? And Maddie, tell me if whatever happened concerns me, I need know." Buck says looking at her
"Athena explained but she understands, she came to check on you and you were asleep so she left you to it, and that was the lease people for your apartment they have apparently been trying get in touch with you for a while I explained everything, Buck I really did but they were having none of it." She says
"Shit, I forgot it was up at the end of this month, with everything going on I forgot, what am I going do?" Buck says as he sits and starts sobbing.
"It's okay, you can move in with me till your back on your feet understand, we will sort a date to go get your things" Maddie says
"I don't know if I can face going in there it's too soon though." Buck replies
"Its fine, I can arrange with the 118 to go and get everything out so you wouldn't need to go there. At least that way, you won't have to deal with seeing anything of his again." Maddie says as she strokes his arm.
"True, but I can't stay here forever, ugh. So, I will be alone and homeless for Christmas. Great." Buck voice changes as he turns and looks away from Maddie.
"First you aren't homeless. You can live here and second what makes you think you will be alone for Christmas? I am here plus Athena has asked, well not asked more like demanded that we turn up at hers on Christmas Day and if we do not, she's coming here to drag us there. I promise you I'll be next to you." She says but can see his attitude has changed she knows its to be expected just when he thinks he is getting somewhere something else happens.
"Well, you will have move and talk to me or have you forgot you're due to call Eddie hasn't he got something for you?" Maddie says
She watches as Buck reluctantly turns round and smiles at her.
"See not so hard smile at me is it? Oh, you got an appointment with the therapist in two days. The appointment's time is on Friday 6th December at 11am but I'm working and can't get it off so Bobby and Chim both offered to go with you. So, I'll let you decide which one you go with." She says as she wanders into the kitchen.
Buck sits up and looks round he had not noticed Maddie had brought all the Christmas decorations down he smiled. Even though he felt like the whole world was out to get him, Christmas still made him smile. he turned to see Maddie coming back with her laptop and setting it down, once she had set it up and was about to leave, he grabbed her and pulled her in to a hug.
"Thank you" He says and breaks the hug.
"Anytime brother, now let's call Eddie see what he has planned." Maddie says taking a seat next to him.
They click call on Eddie's contact and watch as it says connecting video, Buck has the biggest grin when he see is the cheery face in front of him.
"BUCKY!" Chris shouts.
"Hey Superman, what you doing there? Shouldn't you be in bed resting?" Buck asks with such a big smile.
"Dad promised I could talk to you, he said you were feeling sad and that I would cheer you up and I have! Look at how much your smiling." Chris explains
"That you did, let me say hi to your Dad." Buck asks.
They watch as Chris moves a bit so both Eddie and Chris fit in to the picture, Buck smiles as he sees both Diaz boys there on the screen. He watches as Maddie does something and smiles to him.
"Hey, looking a lot happier, now aren't you?" Eddie asks.
"Yeah thanks to you, thanks for letting him come on." Buck says
"You are joking. I would have never heard the end of it if I hadn't, how did the rest of your day go, Athena make you do anything silly?" Eddie questions
"You are only asking that because you know once your out she going hit you after your comment earlier, to be honest it kind of went bad not long after that and not long I woke up but hey, guess what my bad luck continues I'll be homeless after Christmas." Buck says sarcastically
"Buck you won't, I've told you." Maddie says
"What's Bucky on about?" Chris asks looking confused.
"It's okay he got a bit confused; he is going be staying with me a bit longer his lease was up and the company won't extend or let him apply again." Maddie says
"Why not, did you explain everything?" Eddie asks.
"Of course, they just wouldn't have any of it." She replies
"Are you surprised, after all I brought to the building, I bet the neighbours said not to, its fine like you said I'll stay with you." Buck says disheartened to Maddie.
"Its okay, Bucky me and Dad will come to you and we can make slime." Chris says chuckling
"Yeah, okay." Buck says
"Not in my kitchen you won't" Maddie jokes.
"Well, if I'm staying it's ours." Buck responds smartly.
They continue to talk for the next half hour and eventually they can see Chris is finally nodding off so they say their goodbyes and arrange the next call, as they hang up Maddie takes hold of the laptop and does something when she places it down there's a picture of Chris and Eddie set as the background and Buck starts to tear up.
"So, if you can't talk to them at least you can see them" She says as she rubs his arm.
"Thank you, it means a lot" Buck says wiping his eyes "So are you putting the decorations up?" Buck says pointing to the pile of boxes.
"Yeah, only if your ok for me to put them up I didn't know weather you would want to" She replies
"Go for it but we will need a tree, it would be best to get Chim looking for the perfect one, but before we do that, can you help me do some Christmas shopping I need order a load of things?" Buck asks.
"Of course, But first I'll make a hot chocolate for us both." Maddie replies.
She goes over and makes the hot chocolates and they sit there as Buck says what he wants to buy, and Maddie finds the products and she smiles as she sees Buck is so happy as he orders the presents.
"Buck, I can't believe how much we have spent." Maddie says
"Well I feel like I need to make it up to people." He replies. "But I had saved up all year to spend loads at Christmas, it called saving" He continues to say
"They are happy you are back and safe; you didn't need get them anything, but I'm sure with the amount you have spent on Chris he will be so happy. I can't moan at you I know you really do love him; I'll have to tell Eddie to up his game." Maddie jokes.
"Oh yeah he will." Buck laughs.
After finishing there drinks they settle down and end up going bed, again Buck struggles to sleep. Over the next two days they seem to go past as a blur. Different people staying with Buck as Maddie works. He has his off moments with them, but they stay around. Chim turned up Thursday night with a tree and helped decorate as Buck instructed where it should all go. In between it all, parcels kept arriving from wherever Buck had ordered them. It finally got to Friday, and Buck asked Bobby go with him they first went to the nurse to get his dressings changed then in the session Buck broke down and walked out after just thirty minutes, the therapist explained she understood and scheduled him in again for Tuesday. but she asked if someone would come in with him, Bobby explained he would arrange it. When they got back to Maddie's, Bobby made some coffee and they were sat there just watching TV he was waiting for Buck to talk, he did not want to push it.
Buck sat there watching tv not wanting to talk. Today had taken its toll, but he looked round and smiled at the sight of boxes he needed go through and wrap he was looking forward to doing that, he jumps when there was a load knock at the door and he looked at Bobby who looked at him.
"There's no one due, everything I ordered is here and Maddie wouldn't knock." Buck said with a tone of panic.
"Don't worry you're okay. I'm here, you put the CCTV on, and I'll go answer." Bobby says
Buck fiddles with the remote trying make it work and he struggles trying to figure it out.
"Its okay, Buck you will like who's at the door." Bobby shouts and Buck looks over.
"BUCKY!" Chris says as he wanders over to Buck.
"What are you doing here? I thought you were staying in hospital till Sunday." Buck says
"The doctor said the swelling had gone so he was free to leave, I said I'd take him to mine until his aunt could get him. But he said he would only leave if I brought him here. I hope its okay, I know it's after eight so it might have been too late." Abuela says
"Of course, it's never too late to bring him round. Come here buddy." Buck says as he opens his arms and pulls Chris in for a hug.
"Come on I'll make you a coffee so they can spend some time together." Bobby says and walks with Abuela into the kitchen
"I told them I wanted see you and give you a hug plus I have one from Dad too." Chris says as he hugs Buck tighter.
"Thank you, so your free at last. Now we focus on Christmas." Buck says with a grin
"Yeah, I asked my aunt to have the decorations out so I can help put them up before Dad gets home." Chris says
"I'm sure he will love that." Buck says
"He will, it be more fun if you came to help, but I know you have to stay and get better." Chris says with a yawn.
"Come on hop up, I'll put a movie on, and we can watch it." Buck says he looks over to Abuela and she nods.
As they watch the film half way through Buck see's Chris has nodded and fallen asleep on Bucks chest he could feel a dull ache as Chris was on his wounds but he didn't mind, he reaches over to get the blanket which was down the side of the sofa and pulls it over the both of them and he feels himself nod off to, happy he had Chris with him.