It had been eight weeks and Buck still wasn't home. Maddie had been ringing everyday but it was going straight to voicemail.
"do you think he's ok?" Maddie said
"I think he's doing What buck needs to do and he will come home" Chimney said
"I miss him"
"me too"
"come sit with me. I want to talk about something"
Chimney sat down and looked at Maddie, "I spoke to sue yesterday about me going back to work"
"already.. it's barely been two months"
"I know but I'm going crazy at home and I need to start getting my life back to normal and get a healthy routine going"
"I'm worried about how this may effect your mental health mads. I know physically won't be an issue but some of the calls you take are difficult"
"I know but I will have Josh by my side every step of the way. And sue will understand if I need a break. since you've gone back to work full time I feel like I'm going crazy. I don't even have my brother here to keep me company"
"are you sure this is what you want?" He asked
"definitely..."
"well I support you then but don't push it okay"
"okay"
"I love you"
"I love you" she said
In New York
Buck put his cup of coffee down on the side and was reading something on his phone. Abby came out of her room with her robe on and wet hair wrapped in a towel.
"morning love" she said
"morning"
"I'm sorry I was sleeping when you got home, how did therapy go?"
"he thinks he doesn't need to see me anymore"
"what! That's amazing"
"do you think so?"
"yes buck. You've been here what 8 weeks and he wants to discharge you"
"he doesn't quite want to discharge me. He thinks I need to go home, he wants to transfer me to another doctor he knows just to see once every two weeks but he thinks getting back to normality will help me"
"and what do you think?"
"I miss my sister and everyone of course I do but he's still out there"
"Buck I think Doug is gone now. If he's stupid enough he would still be hanging around but he's not. You've got dozens of cops protecting you"
"I think he was right about needing my family around me but you're my family too"
"oh Buck.. you don't have to worry about me"
"I've been staying here for two months and you don't deserve me to just up and leave the minute I'm feeling a little better"
"buck I love you ok but you should go home to your family"
"what if you came back with me?"
"buck...I've got my home here, my job..."
"oh yeah right... sorry"
"I didn't say no"
"are you serious?"
"I agree you need to go home but I'm not gonna leave you just yet."
"I'm scared Abby that they will all hate me for leaving like I did. But I was scared that I was a danger to myself and it would of hurt them more if I didn't leave"
"buck they don't hate you. They love you and care about you"
"I guess we better start packing"
"let's go home Buck"
In La
Abby and Buck arrived back in La and stood outside the airport,
"so... where are we gonna go?"
"well we could go back to my apartment or we could go back to yours" buck said holding the key up
"you still have a key to my apartment?"
"well there was no rent on it seen as you bought it and I used to check on it every now and again"
"how long did you live there?"
"not long honestly. A few months if that.."
"let's go to your apartment" Abby said
They called and Uber and set off back to bucks apartment. They pulled in and went upstairs. Buck turned the lock and pushed the door open. It was so quiet and tidy in there, it felt weird to him being back. He pulled their suitcases in and closed the door,
"well welcome I guess"
"I like this. It's nice"
"there's lots of memories here.." buck said
"good ones I hope"
"most of them yes... erm so it's pretty open plan, bathroom is over there, kitchen, couch, tv, bedroom.."
"thanks buck"
"I'll take your suitcase up"
Buck lifted them both up the stairs and put them against the railing. Abby stood looking outside the window taking in the view.
"it's a really beautiful place Buck"
"Thankyou"
"do you think it's time to call your sister?"
"I just want to get settled back in first before they all start rushing over here"
"okay buck..."
buck took Abby's hand and held onto it,
"I just wanted to say Thankyou for the last couple of months. I feel like you pulled me out of the hole I was stuck in."
"you're welcome buck"
Buck stared at Abby and moved in closer and kissed her. He stopped and looked at her, she kissed him back and they held each other. Abby pulled away and put her hand on his face,
"I need to shower"
"good idea.." buck said
Abby turned around and pulled bucks hand with her,
"join me.." she said
Buck smiled and spun her around, he followed her into the bathroom and took off his clothes. He stood in the shower with Abby and kissed her. He brushed her hair with her hands and hugged her,
"Thankyou"
Abby moved her hands up and down bucks body and ran her hand over his scar on his stomach. Buck looked down and away,
"never be ashamed with me buck" she smiled
Buck held on to the back of her head as he kissed her some more. They carried on showering together until buck turned it off and they both grabbed a towel. Buck wrapped it around his waist and stepped out into the kitchen area.
"I'll put some coffee on" he said
"I'm so tired buck. It's late"
"sorry. Did you wanna sleep? I didn't realise how late it was from the travelling and everything"
"thanks.." Abby looked around at where to go
"of course. Take the bed. I'll sleep on the couch"
Abby looked over at the couch, "buck that couch is half the size of you."
"well..."
"come on" Abby pulled his hand and lead him upstairs. They laid on the bed together and buck wrapped his arms around Abby. He looked down at her as she looked up,
"promise me something Buck.. that you'll always carry on fighting. I can't lose you again"
"I promise Abby as long as you continue to stay with me and help me. I can't do this without you"
"I promise" she said. She tilted her head and kissed Buck before drifting off to sleep as buck laid there awake for most of the night until finally he found himself falling asleep with Abby wrapped up in his arms.
The next morning
Abby got up and wandered into the bathroom as buck sat on the end of his bed. The pulled out his drawer and grabbed the bottle of pills. He took two out and ran downstairs to grab some water. He swallowed the pills and put some coffee on. Abby came out the toilet in her underwear,
"come here" buck said
she walked over and buck kissed her. He wrapped his arm around her waist, "I was thinking Abby"
"what about?"
"are you gonna be bored here?"
"no buck I won't be"
"what if you spoke to sue and got your job back?"
"buck it's been years. Not like I can just jump straight back in"
"why not? You were amazing at the job and it could be different this time"
"let's settle in first ok and then I'll see. You should see your therapist first and see how that goes"
"I've got to be there at three"
"plenty of time then" she smiled.
Buck picked Abby up and placed her on the counter top. He kissed her up and down. She jumped on to him and wrapped her legs around his waist. She kissed him and jumped off.
"let's get dressed. You've not got one grocery in that refrigerator and I'm starving"
"okay okay" they both got dressed for the day and left for the store.
They decided to go to the store and go straight to the hospital for bucks appointment. He also had a check up with his old doctor to check his wounds and needed some up to date scans.
Buck went for two scans and he headed up to the fourth floor to psych. Buck sat and faced the therapist with Abby next to him. "So buck. I spoke to my colleague in New York and he was really impressed with your progress. How are you feeling?"
"nervous to be home but thankful I haven't been alone through all of this. Being back home is a big step for me I feel scared that Doug may still be around but I feel safe this time"
"good that's really good. I reviewed your medications and think we could reduce or even stop your antidepressants"
"wha... doctor. Sorry.. I forgot to mention about the nightmares and anxiety attacks. The pills really help reduce those and if I come off those I might become a total wreak again"
Abby grabbed his hand,
"I'm sorry Buck. You can continue to take them for now but I want to review at our next meeting in two weeks"
"thanks doctor"
Buck and Abby left his room and headed down to the second floor to the surgical floor. Buck sat in the surgeons room and looked around,
"been a while since I've been in here" he said
"you've got this" abby said
The surgeon walked in and sat down, "sorry about that. So buck, good to see you back. I've had a chance to review your scans. It's okay but something looked slightly off in your scan. Have you been in any pain recently?"
"not really. A few twinges and shooting pains every now and again"
"that's due to this..." he put a scan up on the screen and switched on the light. "You've got a fragment of the bullet sat in a pocket of tissue just next to the bottom of your spine"
"how did that happen?" Abby said
"it is a possibly. When the bullet broke up into pieces one wasn't visible but when movement has occurred, it has shifted"
"what Will you do?" He asked
"we need to remove it before it gets too close to your spine as that could cause permanent damage"
"when will you do it?"
"I have a space in my diary for Friday. Seven days from now"
"Okay that's fine" buck said
"I will send you an email with the details but for now, limit the physical activity you do. We don't want that bullet moving anymore"
"Thankyou Dr" Buck said as he left
Buck and Abby drove home and got back to the apartment. They unloaded the groceries and sat on the couch together. Buck hugged Abby as she leant back on his chest.
"I like this.. the quiet. This city is so loud but being here with you. It's so peaceful"
Abby tipped her head back and kissed Buck. She spun around and pulled her shirt off as buck did the same. They kissed each other and were messing around when Abby sat up,
"buck we shouldn't"
"what.. Abby.. really"
"it's not anything like that but after what the doctor said. The bullet needs to stay where it is for now"
"That's so boring" He said
"well be bored for the week buck because I won't be to blame for you getting hurt"
"ok..." he said pouting
back at the hospital
Maddie walked out of the reception area with Chimney with the photo in hand. Chimney smiled and held her hand. They turned the corner,
"hello Maddie.."
"oh hello Dr Fredrick"
"hope you're doing as well as to be expected"
"we're good doctor. Staying to feel like everything is getting back to normal now"
"it was nice to see your brother too. He's looking much better"
"My brother? Buck. He's here"
"... Sorry Maddie I shouldn't of said anything" He said rushing off
Maddie looked at chimney, "do you know what this means" she pulled his hand and they rushed off
Buck got out the shower and left Abby to wash her hair. He was stood in the kitchen drinking a beer and he opened another drawer pulling out his pills taking two more. He swallowed them and put them away. Buck started to look for food when he heard to lock turn. He quickly but lightly ran across the floor when the door opened,
"Evan Buckley" he heard as he stopped in his tracks and turned around
"Maddie..."
"buck.. what the hell"
she stepped inside with chimney and threw her bag and jacket on the floor, "when did you get back!"
"yesterday.. I was going to call I was just sorting things out. Going to appointments"
"it's been 8 weeks. 8 weeks since you left with no contact. Nothing, no phone calls, answering machines, lies. You left your family"
"I wasn't safe Maddie to myself or anyone else. I needed help"
"I could of helped you. Me!"
"no one could help me Maddie. I needed to help myself first"
"you left me buck"
"I thought I'd do the leaving for a change" he said
"that's not fair" chimney said
"we all suffered buck"
"Maddie. You of all people should understand. I wanted to kill myself. I thought about it, the morning I left Eddie's, I went up to the hills up a small track road and I found this bridge you could stand on and look out to La. I was gonna jump off, I was about to and I stopped and thought about you"
Maddie wiped the tears from her face, "buck.. I just wished you answered the phone so I could tell you"
"tell me what?"
The door Maddie opened,
"I thought you were coming ba- o"" Abby stopped as she stood there in her robe, "im so sorry"
"you just couldn't wait could you buck... couldn't even see your family first"
"Maddie listen this-"
"I don't wanna hear it buck. I'm not even surprised-"
chimney stopped Maddie as she ranted, "Maddie.. this is Abby"
"Abby... you brought her home with you"
"yes I did"
Abby stepped over to buck, "I wanted to support him through all of this and that meant coming back with him"
"she broke your heart Buck"
"she fixed my heart Maddie."
"You're such an idiot.."
"mads"
"why would you bring her home?"
"I needed her maddie. She understood me"
"I needed you. What about me and what I needed. I needed my little brother and you left without a work" Maddie was getting more and more angry
"Maddie I need you to understand that I'm home now"
"yeah now till you leave again"
"I won't"
buck walked towards Maddie and she pushed him, "I needed you" She said pushing him over and over again until Chimney grabbed her and pulled her away. Buck lost his footing and Abby grabbed his hand but he felt his feet go from underneath him and he cried out in pain. He laid on his back and Abby got down with him,
"Abby... Somethings wrong. It hurt for a second but now there's nothing"
"It's ok Buck"
Abby pulled the phone over and dialled 9-1-1. She gave the address and started to explain. "I've got Evan Buckley here. He had a gsw approximately nine weeks ago. A scan revealed he's got a bullet fragment near his spine and I believe it has shifted near his spine and is causing a blockage. He is numb from the waste down."
"okay ma'am. We're sending help now"
"Thankyou"
"what's happening?" Maddie cried
"he had a scan today. They found a bullet fragment in tissue near his spine. He had to reduce all movements or it could go into spine"
Chimney ran around and supported bucks head with his hands.
"this is all my fault" Maddie cried. She crawled on the floor next to him,
"I'm so sorry Buck"
"I'm scared mads"
"don't be scared okay. We're here"
"can you call everyone and tell them I'm sorry I didn't tell them I was home especially Eddie. He'll be mad with me."
"we're gonna make sure you're better first... I need you to get better buck. You can't let your niece or nephew grow up without an uncle now"
"you're pregnant?" He smiled
Maddie pulled the scan photo out and showed buck. "Look buck, there's the little baby"
"I'm really happy for you both Maddie" buck gazed off into the distance.
"Buck?" Abby said
"I'm.. still here" he whispered
"good" Abby said, "what's happening?" Abby asked chimney
"blood isn't circulating around his body properly and he's not getting enough oxygen. He needs to stay perfectly still for now"
"I can hear the sirens buck. They're coming, just hold on bud" chimney said to him.
The door opened and two paramedics came in,
"I need to towels or blocks, whatever you have and I need tape to keep his head straight" chimney said, "he's losing consciousness, he needs oxygen and run a line wide open"
"ladies, we need some space" one of the paramedics said to Maddie and Abby. Abby pulled Maddie up and hugged her,
"he's gonna be ok"
"yeah.. he is" Maddie said as her eyes flickered
"Maddie?" Abby looked at Maddie as her eyes rolled, "let's get you sat down. This stress isn't good. I'll get you some water" Abby said
Abby have Maddie some water and she quickly went to throw on some clothes. They loaded buck onto a back board and lifted him up carrying him down to the ambulance.
"dispatch, this is paramedic davey, I need surgeons on stand by at the hospital. Male, with bullet fragment lodged in spine on route. In and out of consciousness"
they loaded buck up and closed the ambulance doors as Abby jumped in the back. Maddie and chimney rushed over to her car and followed the ambulance to the hospital.
