Eddie woke up as he saw the sun shining through the window. He looked next to him but the other side of the bed was empty,
"Buck?"
He jumped up and looked around but he wasn't in the bathroom, He walked out and looked around the apartment but he wasn't there. Carla had taken Chris to school already so he put on his clothes and started calling around starting with Maddie,
"Hello, i hope you're doing ok but is Buck with you?"
"No, he isn't. Is he with you?" Maddie said
"He was here last night but he is gone now"
"Well where is he?"
"I'm going to look. I'll keep you updated"
"Doug is still out there Eddie"
"I know, I'll find him"
Eddie left his apartment and started to drive around while calling the rest of the team. He met up with Bobby, Chimney and Hen.
"I think I know the best place to check" Hen said
"Where?" Bobby asked
"The firehouse"
Eddie drove there and pulled in, they looked around and Eddie spotted him sat on the couch at the top of the stairs,
"Guys" He whispered
"Eddie and Bobby, I think you should go up there. He wouldn't want all of us"
The two made there way upstairs and sat either side of Buck. Buck wiped his face and looked down.
"You had me worried for a few hours Buck"
"I had to clear my head"
"Buck, Doug is still out there, you can't be running off without telling us" Bobby said
"yeah he is still out there and everyone and Maddie just thinks they can carry on like normal when he is probably watching us right now"
"buck, if you wanted to kill you and mad-"
"we'd be dead" buck said interrupting Eddie, "I basically was. He might as well come and finish the job" buck said
"buck.. don't be crazy"
"that's all I feel like I am..."
"we can help you buck" Bobby said
"nahh no one can help me. I feel trapped in my own body. Like I shouldn't be here, I should of died back on that dirt road"
"Buck.." Eddie said
"I'm leaving"
Eddie looked at Bobby, "what are talking about?" Eddie said
"living here in LA isn't like it used to be. I'm constantly looking over my shoulder, I can't work for god knows how long and I can't feel like this anymore. I'm going home"
"home..."
"to my mom and dad"
Eddie stood up, "they treated you horribly, your whole life"
"They can give me a place to stay while I get better and try and move on with my life"
"Move on! Your family is here, me, Chris, this team and Maddie"
"but until Doug is gone I can't live here"
"So go Buck, you throw your whole life away and go and stay with with two people who didn't even want you as a child"
Buck stood up and pushed Eddie, Bobby stood up and got in between them both. Buck grabbed his stomach and picked up his duffle bag.
"Bye guys"
"Buck, come on" Eddie pleaded.
Buck turned around and walked back grabbing hold of Eddie, "I'm sorry. Tell Chris I'm sorry" he said walking away.
Eddie stormed out the firehouse and didn't say a word.
Hen and chimney came back in from outside and Bobby was sat upstairs,
"what happened cap?" Hen asked
"buck left"
"what, where?"
"he said he couldn't be here anymore so he's going back to his parents"
"what! I'm gonna go home and speak to Maddie" Chimney rushed off.
Buck got to his apartment and started packing more bags. He listened to his phone ring as he got call after call.
Maddie was pacing around the apartment with her phone to her ear,
"he's not picking up!"
"Maddie, he said he was going to your parents. Have you tried them?"
"he would never go to them. They don't treat him like a son. Never have and they sure won't start now"
"he was a mess Maddie. I've never seen him like this"
"hello... mom! Have you spoken to Evan?"
"no honey, not for a while"
"so he isn't coming to stay with you?"
"no he's not"
"okay thanks" Maddie hung up
chimney looked at her, "he's not going to our parents. They haven't spoken to him in a while"
"well. Where is he?" Chimney said
"I don't know. He's just gone"
Maddie grabbed her bag and pulled Chimney up. They left for the firehouse. They got there and everyone was getting to work. Maddie looked around and she saw Eddie. She ran over and grabbed his arm,
"Have you heard anything?"
"nothing. Have you?"
"I spoke to our mom and he hasn't spoken to them in months. He isn't going there"
"so where is he going?"
"we don't know"
Eddie pulled out his phone and called buck but it went to voicemail, "buck, it's not funny anymore. You need to tell us where you have gone. Call me, or any of us"
.
.
.
Two days later
Buck stepped out the New York taxi and closed the trunk as he grabbed his bag. He walked up to the door and it opened before he has time to knock.
"Buck.." the quiet voice said as she pulled him in for a hug.
"hey.. when I left, I didn't think you would even answer"
she put her hands either side of his face and squeezed it, "no matter what happened Buck, I will always love you and hearing you on the phone, how broken you sound. I wasn't going to let you disappear on your own"
He stroked the back of her head and looked as the sun shined through the orange steaks, he pulled away and smiled slightly,
"thanks Abby"
"Come on.. let's get you in"
Buck put his bags in the spare room and walked out into the living room where Abby was sat with a glass of wine. He sat down next to her and he looked up at her,
"Buck what happened?" She said looking at the bruises on his face
His eyes welled up and his hands were shaking.
"My sister Maddie came home, I was still living in your apartment and she was suddenly back. It was amazing, it was what I needed but she came home because she was running from her abusive husband, Doug. We moved on and we kept her safe but he found her... us"
"oh buck.." she grabbed his hand
"He attacked me, then took Maddie and me along with them. Some pieces I don't remember, I was out of it but I could hear Maddie crying, Doug shouting and the blood running down my head into my mouth. I felt like I was drowning but I couldn't move. We drove for a while but Doug was getting more mad, he pulled over and made us all get out, we were basically in the desert and I knew that was it, he was probably going to kill us"
buck took a deep breath, "what happened?"
"he shot me in the stomach. Took Maddie with him and left me to bleed out down a dirt track. I tried so hard to stay awake while they tried to find me but I could and them a couple of people found me. Doug drove Maddie back to the hospital, stabbed her and then took off"
"how is she?"
"she's okay. It was like she just moved on and that was it. Doug is still out there and he doesn't give up but it's like she isn't scared"
"listen buck, your sister went through this for a while so she probably is scared she just got really good at hiding it"
"What happened after?"
"it's like everyone forgot what happened, he's still out there. I can't eat, I can't sleep.. I didn't know what to do" buck looked around Abby's room,
"maybe I shouldn't of come here..." he stuttered
she pulled him back down and moved closer, "you came here because it's far away right. He can't find you here. I would never ever turn you away. You are scared buck and that's normal"
"I thought.. maybe.. I was just. I don't know, I just can't get it out my head. A lot has happened to me but this, knowing he could still be watching everything we do is something I had to get away from"
"listen to me... you are safe here. You take as long as you need. I'm not going anywhere" Abby wrapped her arms around Buck as he cried into her.
"it's okay buck. You're ok now"
A couple of hours passed and buck woke up, he was leaning on Abby who was sat watching tv in the couch,
"I'm sorry, I must of drifted off"
"buck, you're fine. Gave me an excuse to watch the real housewives of wherever this is" he laughed
He sat up and looked at her,
"what?" She said
"you're still the same"
"of course I am. I may of moved my whole life to another state but I'm happier. I made new memories"
"where's your husband?"
"ahhh that's an old memory.. we didn't work out in the end but I have no regrets about it"
"good im glad you don't regret anything"
"I didn't say I don't regret anything" she laughed
"sorry... sorry" he smiled
"right, we should get some food. I'm thinking this little Italian down the street"
"maybe we could just get takeout?" Buck said
"of course. Just remember you don't have to be scared anymore"
"Thankyou"
Back in La
It was the beginning of the night shit for the team and Eddie slammed his phone down on the table in the firehouse,
"Eddie"
"sorry cap"
"anything?"
"nothing.. even down to some old girlfriends in college and nothing"
"he needed to clear his head. He needed to feel safe, he'll come home"
"I make him feel safe. We all do" Eddie said
"have you spoken to Maddie, she might be able to help?"
"we've both been ringing people since he left but nothing"
"I'll keep thinking, but remember this is buck. He will spring back from this"
"I don't know cap. Maybe not this time"
The bell quickly sounded and they left the kitchen leaving the conversation behind.
The whole team were in the truck,
"is there anywhere else he could of gone?" Hen said
" I don't know but I'm starting to think about listing him as a missing person" Eddie said
"buck wants to feel safe, he will be with someone who makes him feel safe and gives him peace. He was scared being in La because doug Is still out there"
"...surely not.." chimney said
"what?" Cap said
"..Abby..."
"Abby?" Hen said
"bucks old girlfriend, last thing I knew she was in Dublin or something"
"well does anyone know where she ended up living?" Eddie said
"Not a clue, he hasn't spoken about her in over a year"
"this is useless" Eddie started to get angry
"not necessarily... my wife's a police Sargent" Bobby said pulling his phone out.