"Eddie, I know what you want to do, but you need to tell them right now. It's getting worse, and you can't hide this forever. Athena will put it together. Your family can't do this; it's abuse. You know that," Buck growls at his best friend. The two have been together for a long time. Now Buck is finding that Eddie's dealing with some of his family being addicts.
Sophia being one of them. Buck was angry when Eddie had never told him until now. That being said, it was because the 118 thought that Eddie was street fighting again, and when Eddie told him the truth, Buck was livid. Eddie's sister had beaten the hell out of him, and Eddie still returned to help her. They fought it, and Buck left Eddie crying. After a while, Buck came back and cuddled with Eddie.
Captain Porter and Captain McCarthy had fought with the Chief and Nash about keeping Eddie. Both told them that they thought Eddie was too much, but both captains knew how to handle Eddie. Eddie changed from the A shift to the B and C shifts during the job. The two shifts knew what Eddie was going through, as they were the ones that got the calls. Wells, Voss, McKenna, and Lennon all had to bite their lips when Hen and Wilson talked about Eddie.
Buck started to transfer to the B and C shifts and saw a difference in not only Eddie but the station. Porter and McCarthy welcomed Buck with open arms. He was paired with Eddie sometimes, but Buck usually gets paired with Patterson. Eddie is with Semenov for the most part. Polina, or Polly to Eddie, is his partner. She's the one that got Eddie to move to the B and C shifts.
"The Chief and Nash don't like me. Not after my anger at the store, my parents and ex-in-laws have tried to take Christopher from me, and the A shift thinks I'm an asshole towards you. What about this would change that? My therapist thinks that all of this is my fault. And his isn't wrong. This is my fault." Eddie says while not looking at Buck. The taller man goes to hug his partner.
"The Chief and Nash are assholes that, with the heart in the right place, make the worst decisions. The A shift are bullies. You weren't angry with me, and I know that. I'm sorry that you had to go through three lawsuits without me. You need a new therapist, so we can look at one for you. This isn't your fault. Your sister is at fault. Let me help you, Eds." Buck tells them.
"What if I quit and get another job?" Eddie questions Buck. The blond smiles.
"We look for a job for both of us. I think a Nurse practitioner or a Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrician would be great for you," Buck says, and Eddie leans onto him.
"You can do a fire marshal, a teacher, and/or a therapist. You can even be a cook and/or a nurse," Eddie lists some of the jobs that Buck was thinking of. The cook and nurse are a surprise.
"I can take up a Lieutenant position in San Fran. Captain Williams offered me a transfer during the lawsuit, but I turned it down. She told me to call her if I wanted to get out of the 118. I wanted to be with you and Christopher. I'm sure they need some help in the hospital," Buck says, and Eddie kisses his cheek.
"I'm sure the B and C shifts will be sad about us leaving, but they will be happy for us," Buck says. Eddie curls into the man.
"Nurse Practitioner is what I want to do. I'm ready to transfer to the hospital, and Dr. Huáng will be my boss. I have known him through my military days. I can call him now." Eddie tells the man. Buck kisses him.
"I'll call Captain Williams," He says. Both men make the calls that they need to make. They looked for schools for the kids and a house that fit everyone and their needs. There's a knock on the door, and Buck goes to open it. It's Bobby, Hen, Chimney, Maddie, and Athena. Bobby and Athena have food, and Maddie, Chimney, and Hen have medical supplies. Buck raises an eyebrow.
"An officer said that Eddie got hurt and refused to go to the hospital. I've gone to get Hen and Chimney here to check on him. The officer also said that Eddie didn't make a statement; I'm here to see if he would talk to me," Athena says, making Buck tense. Eddie's vulnerable, and Buck's not sure he's ready to see them. Buck presses his lips together, thinking about what to do.
"Wait here," Buck tells them and closes the door. The taller man sees Eddie curled up on the floor, and Buck's heart breaks. He bends down to the hurting man.
"Do you want them to come in?" Buck questions him.
"I know I need to be checked over and make a statement, but I don't want to. It makes it more real. If that makes sense?" Eddie says to Buck. Buck smiles at the man.
"It does, but do you want them to see you?" Buck asks Eddie. The shorter man looks up at him with a small, scared expression that makes Buck want to bubble-wrap Eddie and keep him safe.
"Will it make me a bad person if I say no?" Eddie asks, and Buck wraps his arms around the man. Buck didn't want them in the house. He loved them, as they were his first family, but they deeply hurt Eddie and him.
"They hurt you, Eds. It's alright if you don't want to see them," Buck says softly. He will protect Eddie from their family if he has to. Eddie's family, too, for that matter.
"Will you stay?" Eddie questions the other man. Buck's heart breaks. Eddie's hurting and scared, and he is asking for Buck. This makes Buck pissed that no one from the 118 was seeing Eddie's hurt.
"I can make them leave when it's done," Buck offers, getting a tiny smile from Eddie. The blond offers him a small smile. Buck knows that Eddie will not return to any fire station unless Buck is there.
"Let's get you on the couch," Buck leads Eddie to the uncomfortable couch. Both men have slept on it, which is never comfortable for them. Maybe because they're six feet and taller, but it's not a comfy couch. Buck goes back to the door and lets them in. Hen and Han go straight to Eddie, while Athena and Bobby go to the kitchen. Maddie stays with Bobby and Athena.
"How are you doing, Buckaroo?" Athena questions her eldest son. Buck sees love and worry in her eyes. She can see Buck drifting from them; everyone must fix their mistake with Eddie before losing them. Athena knows that Eddie is his first priority for Buck, and she wants to protect Eddie from further hurt. She does a lot of digging on Eddie, and guilt runs through her.
"I'm okay. It's rough, but I'm doing okay. It hurts to see Eds like this," Buck tells his mom. Athena smiles sadly at this. She needs to show Eddie that she is there for him. Buck must have been told or seen what Eddie was dealing with.
"I'm sorry for not being there for you. If you need me, please let me know. If you need me to stay with Eddie, let me know. You two are my eldest children," Athena tells him. She wants to help Eddie as well. Both men are her children, as much as May and Harry are hers. She let Eddie down when he needed help the most. Both Bobby and Athena are ashamed of their behaviors toward the man. Buck nods as the four watches Han and Hen look Eddie over.
"He needs to go to the hospital," Hen tells them as she comes to them while Han stays near Eddie. Buck wanders over to his partner and can see tension fade as the blond comes nearer. The 118, Athena, and Maddie flinch when Eddie doesn't look at them. They need to start making admins with the man.
"Do you think you can go?" Buck asks the man. Eddie curls into Buck, making the taller man sigh.
"Do it for Christopher and me?" Buck questions and Eddie begins to sniffle.
"Okay," Eddie says. Both men stand up, but because the taller man was holding Eddie, the shorter man would've fallen to the floor when Eddie's knees gave out, and he gasped for Buck. Hen and Han went to help, but Buck shooed them off. Bobby walks up to them but stays far from what Eddie's comfortable with.
"We hurt you badly, Eddie, and I'll never forgive myself for hurting you. Please, let us help you," Bobby states. He knows admitting the hurt directly to Eddie is the first step in healing. Eddie's looking down at that.
"I need help," Eddie whispers. Hen rushes to get the car as Bobby takes Eddie's other side. Both blond men sandwich him in the back seat when Bobby and Buck carry Eddie to the vehicle. Maddie, Athena, and Han follow behind them. After checking Eddie into the hospital, the group waits for him. The doctor finds them.
"Mr. Buckley, I'm completed the examination of Mr. Diaz. He has a minor head fracture, and his hip, shoulder, and left knee are almost shattered. He's going to need physical therapy. He can't work right now," Dr. Jones tells them bluntly. The group has watered down their eyes, but Buck closes his eyes. He knows why that is and wants to make the person pay. Bobby curses himself for failing Eddie.
"Thank you, Dr. Jones. Anything else?" Buck asks. She's the one that's been treating Eddie this entire time, so she knows who Buck is. At first, Dr. Jones and the others helping Eddie refused to talk to Buck about Eddie until he exploded. Izzy greatly respects Buck for calling them out on causing Eddie more harm than good.
"Mr. Diaz doesn't want medication. I have to respect that, but with the amount of pain Eddie's in, do you want me to prescribe some and leave it in your name?" Izzy asks, making Buck smile. Izzy is a friend of Sophia's and therefore knows Eddie. The woman is protective of Eddie and his wishes.
"That would be great, Dr. Jones. Can I see him?" Buck thanks her and asks. Izzy smiles. Izzy likes this tall firefighter. Eddie and Buck make a good pair together.
"Eddie's in ICU, so one at a time," She says and walks off. Buck smiles and looks at them.
"Do you want to go first, Buckaroo?" Hen asks her little brother. Buck and Eddie are her little brothers, and she failed Eddie. She noticed that Eddie was withdrawing from them, and she didn't do anything. She had seen him studying for things, but not once had she offered to help him.
"Thank you," Buck tells her and goes into the room. He sees Eddie wide awake, with water down his cheeks. The blond's heart breaks at that.
"What's wrong?" Buck asks. He has a feeling about what it is, but he's going to make Eddie say it, as the man needs to admit what happened. He needs to be open about Sophia's attack on him.
"Sophia attacked me. With a clear mind. What am I going to do with that?" Eddie admits quietly. Buck feels like he got punched in the gut. He didn't know that. That makes the attack that much worse.
"I don't know, Eds, but you got to do something," Buck says. Eddie looks at him with large, comprehensive, vulnerable, scared eyes. That was when he understood that Eddie didn't know how to stop helping Sophia, and he'll be the asshole with Eddie's family until Eddie can tell them to stop.
"I want to press charges on Sophia. I don't want her to attack you again. I can do that, Eddie," Buck tells him what he wants. Eddie just nods. He can't talk, and Buck kisses him. Talking will be difficult for Eddie right now.
"Do you want to see the others?" Buck asks, and Eddie shakes his head no. Buck nods in understanding. He didn't want them near Eddie.
"They're keeping you for at least a day with your head fracture. I'll take care of Christopher," Buck kisses his partner again. Eddie starts to cry again, and Buck wants to return to him, but they have a child that needs care. He sees the 118, Athena, and Maddie waiting for him.
"Let him be for now. I'll let you know if anything changes," Buck tells them. The others nod, and they walk with him to the car. Buck saw Chris, Carla, tìa Pepa, and Abuela when they got to the house. Chimney, Maddie, and Hen said their goodbyes and left. Bobby and Athena stay.
"We fucked up, Buck. We all know that now. However, we are here now, and we will help. Let us help," Bobby tells his eldest son. He had taken a look at Athena's research to know this. Buck looks at him with weariness. His parents hurt Eddie by not trusting him. They gave him a talk that broke him. Bobby forced Eddie to go to B and C shifts.
"What we did is unforgettable and unforgivable. We can't take back what we did. However, we can start a different relationship with him. We know that you love each other and that we shouldn't have hurt him like that. We pushed Eddie too far, and we are paying for that. We want to help him. Let him see that we do love him," Bobby tells him.
Buck doesn't give him a verbal answer, but he smiles softly. The blond can see them wanting to help Eddie, but to hear Bobby say that. That makes Buck relax. He won't let them near Eddie if they don't acknowledge their hurt to Eddie. Bobby and Athena are his parents, and Eddie knows that. Respects that even. When Buck heard what his parents did to his partner, he was pissed.
"I can't trust you two with him. I want to, but I can't after what you did to him. You hurt him; you hurt me. You hurt me by not trusting me to communicate with Eddie. That hurts. I love you two as my parents, but you made it impossible for him to talk to me about his pain. That hurts," Buck tells his parents. Athena and Bobby hug their eldest.
"We will do better. We will get Eddie better. That we promise you. Together. Okay?" Athena tells him. Buck nods and sees officer Hills. Jamie Hills have been friends with Hector Diaz, Eddie's cousin, for a long time. He knew something was wrong with Sophia and tried to help Eddie when he needed help. Buck was there when Sophia gave him the beating. Eddie didn't allow Buck to call 9-1-1.
However, when Buck got Eddie home, he called Voss. Voss is the one that has helped Eddie out of the 118. Lily, Eddie, and Hen are the best PMTs of the 118. Hen and Eddie sometimes talk. Outside of Buck, of course. Never personal. Not anymore. Denny and Christopher play with each other every week. It's Karen that Eddie meets and not Hen. The two get along, and Buck and Hen must separate the two adults. Buck almost didn't want to, as Karen would make Eddie laugh. Carefree.
Buck knows that Bobby and Athena are in trouble with their work, with what happened with Eddie, and they want to make up to him. Karen tells Buck that Bobby is on the verge of getting fired, and while Buck loves them, they sometimes have other motives that Buck doesn't trust. He still doesn't talk to Maddie, even if it has been a while, and he's okay with it. She betrayed his trust. However, Eddie comes first.
People will argue that they have been together since the beginning, but Buck and Eddie knew they weren't ready for a relationship. Buck knows that Maddie and he need to talk, but not right now. He has his family to take care of. When he got through the door, a small body slammed into him. The blond holds onto the small body.
"What happened to dad, papa?" The voice is young and scared. Buck bends down and lifts the child on his hip.
"Your dad is in the hospital overnight. He will come back tomorrow. Are you okay with the group coming over, Chris?" Buck asks his son. Eddie sneakily dropped some papers in for Buck to sign. Once Buck reread the documents, he saw the adoption forms and kissed Eddie.
Christopher was over the moon when he heard that Buck was adopting him. He bragged about it any chance he got, making his parents laugh. Buck bought the loft and is renting it to Taylor. At first, Eddie was unhappy about Taylor, but she gave him a reason to trust her. Buck didn't know what that was, but he was happy that the two got along.
"What did Taylor do that makes you trust her?" Buck asks Eddie. The two are curled up, and Buck's playing with Eddie's arms. Eddie hums at this. He's on the verge of sleep, and Buck wants to help put him to sleep.
"During the lawsuit, I had to search for someone, and Taylor found her. She called me while staying with her. She didn't have to wait with her until I came, but she did. Whenever I don't hear from her, Taylor goes out and looks for her. Taylor didn't report it in her stories, making me grateful to her," Eddie tells him, and Buck kisses Eddie.
"I'm glad you two are friends," Buck tells him. Eddie curls up deeper into Buck.
Buck and Taylor are friends, and that didn't surprise anyone. Bosko comes and helps whenever Buck can't help. That surprises everyone. As they haven't seen Bosko in a long time, Eddie brightens at the sight of her. He greets her with open arms. He welcomed both women with open arms. That alone made Buck understand that these women were helping Eddie out when he didn't and couldn't.
Lena and Taylor hit it off, and Eddie smiles. Buck laughs as he discovers that Eddie is trying to play matchmaker with them. Lena laughs at him when the 136 grumbles and hands Eddie money. Cooper shakes his head as the 118 looks at Eddie with confusion. This was all on a call that happened after the fire was out.
"We made a betting pool with Lena and Taylor. Eddie won it all," Lieutenant Calley tells them. The 118 laughs at that. Eddie sees the two women looking at him with looks. Eddie smiles at them. They smile at him when Buck encircles his arms around Eddie's waist. That was when the 118 knew that they were together.
"Who won the betting pool?" Buck asks the team, while most look put out. Eddie looks away. Both men knew that some stations wanted them together and had repeatedly hinted at them.
"No one. The money goes to you," Hen answers as she hands Buck the money, making Eddie look at Buck. Both Buck and Eddie knew about the betting pool. Both men are annoyed by it because that isn't fair to them. However, they got the money and used it for Christopher, so they didn't mind it as much.
The next day, Buck and Christopher pick up Eddie from the hospital. With them are Athena and Officer Hills. Eddie opens his arms for his kid to hug him. He looks at Jamie, who's glaring at Athena. The woman looks at Eddie with concern and admiration.
'This man has gone through hell and back, all alone. Buck helps, but Eddie has found his path. I failed my kid. Eddie's my kid, the same with Buck, May, and Harry. I'll make it up to him,' Athena thinks as she sees her sons for the first time. She needs to step up her game to keep up with Eddie. The young man looks at her.
"What's going on here?" Eddie asks the two officers. Jamie sighs.
"She wants to be here to hear everything," Jamie tells him. Athena raises an eyebrow at his answer. Buck takes Christopher out of here. He could see that this was important, and Eddie didn't want Christopher to see or hear any of this.
"What do you want to know?" Eddie asks in a defeated tone. Both Jamie and Athena worry for this man. Both know that the wounds are going to take time. The damages are mental and physical.
"When did you last see Sophia?" Jamie questions Eddie. Eddie blinks.
"Last week, to tell her that I'm taking the kids from her. That was the last straw for me. She was using her children for drugs and money," Eddie says while looking down. Athena is shocked, while Jamie is angry. Unknown to them, a Fire chief and some of his captains overheard Eddie. Some are angry about what they are hearing. They knew he was struggling but wasn't getting the help he needed.
"What happened after you told her you were taking the kids?" Detective Anita Mercer asks. Athena and Jamie see Mercer and Rick Romero coming to them. Captain Maynard with them. Chief Augustin Myers from the San Diego Fire Department is shocked to hear that one of their own has been ostracized due to favoritism. Milo Watson is getting fired from the LAFD. Myers will make sure of that. They all see Eddie fidget.
"She...she...at...attacked...me. She attacked me," Eddie is having trouble breathing. Athena rushes to him.
"Eddie, listen to my voice. Deep breath. Sweetie, follow my breathing," Athena says as she places his hand on her chest. She puts her hand on his chest. She can see the panic in his eyes, and it pains her to witness this strong man falling apart.
"Follow my breathing, Eddie," Athena instructs as she breathes in and out for him. Eddie starts to get his breathing under control. His heart is still pounding. He curls into himself, just wanting Buck when strong arms wrap around him.
"Breath, Eds. You got to breathe," Buck's calm voice reaches his ears. Myers can see the relationship then and there. He knows the two are together and wants to keep it that way. Some of the captains are pleased to see the two helping each other. They heard about the lawsuit and the issues that they had gotten into.
They also heard from other chiefs that Eddie was struggling with something personal. Chief Myers now understands what they were there saying. They have all helped him with his sister. Myers is impressed with the two men. If Myers gets to the LAFD, he will put Eddie in the hospital and Buckley in the Lieutenant position he needs to be.
"Sorry," Eddie says as he leans into Buck. Everyone sigh. This man has been abused for a long time. They have to get this man help.
"Don't apologize, Mr. Diaz. Can you continue?" Chief Myers asks. Both firefighters look at him with confusion, but Eddie nods.
"Before the attack, when was the last time you saw your sister?" Romero asks when he sees Eddie calm. The man has respect for Eddie. He has a brother that's a druggie, and he tried to help him. After a while, Rick forced himself to stop supporting him. He has seen what his nephews had to go through. Eddie trying to take the kids away because of the addiction makes Rick happy that someone tried to stand between her and the kids. He will make sure that the kids go to Eddie.
"Three weeks ago. We had a play date with the kids. We didn't want to argue in front of the kids, so we didn't talk about it," Eddie says, and Athena and Buck stay by Eddie's side. Eddie leans into Buck. It's too many people with too many interests.
"Thank you, Eddie. We will have more questions later. Will it be alright to contact you about it?" Captain Maynard asks. She will do everything in her power to help this man. Eddie nods.
"Thank you," Buck says to the cops. They nod and walk away, but Athena stays with her boys. The three see the SDFD with them.
"I'm Chief Augustin Myers. These are Captains Cyrus Yazzie, Ariadne Vallair, Aamir Obando, and Adelaide Tohannie. We are here to investigate the LAFD. We hope to talk to you about the 118, Mr. Diaz?" Myers asks the hurting man. Everyone wants to talk to Eddie, and the taller man wants to take Eddie home. Buck sighs.
"Can we do this at our house? Eddie needs to rest," Buck questions the group with a tight tone. Eddie looks at him with concern, making Buck lean in to kiss him.
"I just want to take you home and put you to bed. You haven't had a good night's sleep in a long time. I want you to sleep," Buck tells him. Eddie smiles at him. Myers can see how tired the man is and is surprised to see the man still standing. Athena notices this as well.
"We would like to talk to you as well, Mr. Buckley," Captain Vallair tells the blond. Buck nods in understanding as Buck lead Eddie away from the crowd. Buck takes his family home, but he can see the others following him.
"How are you doing?" Buck questions his boyfriend. Eddie holds his arm.
"Not that great. How are you doing?" Eddie tells him.
"Not that great," Buck tells him. Both knew what that meant.
"A meeting?" Eddie asks. The two are in couples therapy, and it's working. The two are getting a better understanding of each other with some help.
"Agreed. We are bringing Sophia in the meeting," Buck warns Eddie.
"Okay," Eddie's quiet voice comes through. Eddie looks at Buck.
"What happened to Christopher?" Eddie asks, making Buck laugh.
"Polina came and took him for a play date with her kids," Buck says, and Eddie laughs. Polly knows what the two need better than the two themselves. Once they got home, Buck saw some cars already parked close by. When they got inside, Eddie paled and frowned.
All of his tias, tios, and cousins are there. Abuela and Pepa were also there. Eddie leans into Buck. Miguel and Hadiza are sad to see their youngest a mess. The man beside Eddie holds him close. Hadiza and Miguel see a protectiveness in the man and are weary of him.
"Come on, Eds. Let's get you to bed," He says softly to Eddie. The man takes Eddie away and puts him into a room. He comes back out, and Pepa and mama hug the man. That makes the children of Isabel Diaz curious about this man. Not only does their favorite nephew trust him, but Pepa and their mother also treat him as if he's family.
"Evanito, how are you doing?" Pepa asks the man that has become her family. Buck leans into her.
"I'm okay, Pepa. Are you okay?" Buck asks their tia. Pepa smiles softly at this, and her brothers and sisters are in shock. Pepa is the last tia to be introduced, as she's more protective than the rest. Miguel is on high alert as Pepa is being honest with this man.
"Worried about you and Eddie. What are you going to do?" Pepa asks. Miguel and Pepa are closer to each other than the rest of their siblings. They have each other's back and had wanted Eddie out of their brother's gasp for the longest time. Buck sighs.
"I need to make Eddie healthy and healed first. After that, make Eddie go to therapy daily and possibly get Eddie a new job. After Eddie's settled, go after Sophia. She needs to pay for the damage that she caused Eddie," Buck says. Abuela looks at her nieto's partner.
"What new job?" She asks, making Buck uncomfortable.
"We might have had an argument about being a firefighter, and Eddie might have told me that he might not want to be one anymore. I took it badly until I saw his panic attack. It was at the house when he had it, but when I saw it, I knew that he needed a fresh start," Buck looks down. Pepa and Abuela hugs him.
"He's a great mechanic. He's good on a farm. Eddieito can do anything he wants to do," Pepa tells Buck. The man smiles.
"He thought of doing nursing or buying a farm with fruit trees. He liked that as a kid," Buck says. Eddie's tias and tios smiled as they had seen him relax and be a kid.
"He could be both," Someone says. Most smile, making Buck blinks at them. He turns to really look at them. It's all of Eddie's extended family. Buck, feeling overwhelmed, moved to their room and saw Eddie asleep. He lays down, and Eddie shifts into him. Buck smiles and plays with Eddie's curls. The man also has curly hair, and Buck understands why Eddie loves playing with his hair.
"Ev?" Eddie says sleepily, making Buck smile.
"Go back to sleep, Eds," Buck whispers. Eddie hums and falls back asleep. Buck feels his eyelids dropping. Buck comes to by someone shaking him. He looks to see Carla waking him. He feels Eddie right next to him, still asleep.
"Hey, Carla. What's up?" Buck asks, unaware of the timing. The woman smiles at two of her three favorite boys in the same room.
"Do you know what time it is, Buckaroo?" She asks. Buck shakes her head.
"It's almost six in the evening. I have Christopher at my place tonight." She says. Buck's eyes widen.
"Are you sure? I can take him," He asks, and Carla kisses his forehead.
"I'm sure. Get some rest," The woman says and leaves the room. Buck went back to sleep after Carla left the room. When Carla came out, she saw Bobby, Athena, Pepa, and Abuela in the kitchen. Athena titles her head at the other woman.
"How are they?" She questions. Carla shakes her head.
"Both asleep," She says, making Athena sigh.
"I'll take Cristopher tonight. Let the boys rest," Carla says. The others nod. Abuela is in the kitchen cooking.
"Mami?" Pepa asks her mother. She knows that her mother thinks of Eddie as he is her child, and Pepa thinks that too. She knows it's hard for them both to see that boy suffer.
"I will make sure those boys know that we love them," She says as she cooks up a storm. Buck will stay by his side, and the taller one will be more protective of Eddie. The others help in any way they can. Eddie suffered in silence, and now that people know, it's harder for Eddie to hide. Bobby knows not to separate the two.
That's what happened before the lawsuit Chimney, as acting captain, split Buck and Eddie up when Bobby told him not to. Buck and Eddie were bonding and being split up, which nearly broke Eddie. The young man filed a lawsuit when Bobby refused to let Buck work again. Bobby forced Eddie not to talk to Buck. When that came to light, Chimney was under investigation for a while.
Eddie went through a beating by Sophia while he was away from Buck. Eddie wasn't aware that the 118 was aware of that. Buck hadn't truly forgiven Chimney for that. Bobby was guilty of what he had done to Buck and Eddie. Bobby knows he will lose everything if he doesn't put his act together. The chief is officially fired from his post as of two minutes ago. Chief Myers is to be the new chief of the LAFD.
The SFFD called and told him what happened, and the new chief made it, so Buckley and Diaz would be in the same station. They are transferring out of the 118 to the 153 for Buck, a Lieutenant, and Eddie as a Paramedic. Captain Reese welcomes them with open arms. The two will have a good team looking out for them. Bobby knows all of this and is to tell Buck and Eddie.
The door opens, and the four look to see Buck coming out. He gives them a look and sees Abuela cooking. He could hear them talk but didn't want to leave Eddie. The man is so at peace when Eddie finally asleep, and Buck doesn't want to wake him up. He plays with Eddie's hair, making the man snuggle into Buck tighter. He had to bring more pillows for Eddie to cuddle with.
"What's happening here?" His tone filled with sleep. Athena offers him a cup of coffee.
"As of this night, the Fire Department has a new chief. Chief Augustin Myers from the San Diego Fire Department has become the new chief. Starting tomorrow, you will start at 153, your new station. You as a Lieutenant and Eddie as a Paramedic. Captain Reese knows you are coming," Bobby says to a wide-awake Buck. The younger man looked at him with shock.
"Why?" Buck questions his dad. Bobby smiles at him.
"The 118 is becoming too toxic for you two, and this chief knows that. He wants you two to succeed. The chief is making Eddie part-time at the Fire Department to work at the hospital. I think, for now, Eddie will stay at the hospital, so he can heal. I could be wrong," Bobby says, making Buck smile sadly at that.
"I'm sorry, Bobby. Chief Myers seems like a good chief. We met when Chris and I picked Eddie up from the hospital," Buck says, and the older man pulls his son into a tight hug.
"Never apologize. The 118 attacked you and Eddie, and this chief is doing something about it. I'm sorry for letting my personal feelings get involved with professional feelings," Bobby says. Eddie has said that to Bobby multiple times at the 118. Bobby would not listen until it was too late.
"Thank you," Buck says. Father and son let go, as mother hugs her son. Buck laughs at Athena. The woman will let anyone know what she's feeling today. Pepa walks into the bedroom and sees her nephew asleep. Bandages on his forehead and face relaxed. She goes to lie in bed with him. She sees Bobby coming after her, and both older adults sandwich the younger adult.
"We all failed him," Pepa whispers as she plays with Eddie's hair. Bobby sees his son's wounds, and that hurts. He always worried about Buck; it never crossed his mind to check on Eddie. The man never gave Bobby a reason to worry about him. Until the street-fighting. Or his sister.
"We'll make it up to him. He's not alone anymore, and Sophia will pay for the hurt she has caused Eddie. Athena wants to put her in jail for assault," Bobby says, soothing Eddie's hurt. He saw his eyes squinting up and his head twitching a little.
"You're safe, Eddie. Pepa and I have you. Wherever you are, you are safe at your house. Buck, Athena, and your abuela are in the kitchen. Go back to sleep, kid," Bobby soothes him. Eddie, hearing Bobby, snuggles closer to his tia. Pepa was the closes to snuggle with. Bobby smiles at his son's desire to be held. Pepa sees Athena coming in and moves so she can cuddle with Eddie.
The mom and dad press tighter around their son. They see Eddie waking up, and the two stayed on each side of him. Eddie sees and feels Athena and Bobby and is confused. Where's Buck? Where is he? Bobby kisses Eddie's forehead, making him focus on Bobby and Athena. Eddie can see love and sadness in their eyes.
"Buck's outside in the kitchen, love. You're at your home. You have Bobby and me on either side of you," Athena answers his unasked questions. Eddie leans into Bobby and goes back to sleep. The parents hold Eddie tighter.
"We got this. Right?" Athena asks. For once, she doesn't know what to do. She can handle Harry and Buck, but Eddie is a different matter. She doesn't know what's going on with his life. The man hides so well. Athena and Bobby need to up their parent game to help parent Eddie. For the most part, the man had to parent himself, breaking Athena's heart.
Eddie's a lost boy trying to look for someone to lean on. He finds Buck, but he is just as lost as Eddie. Bobby and Athena had Buck under their wing; when Buck got into their life. They saw that he was lost and wanted to help guide him. When Eddie came into their lives, they thought he had people in his corner. However, were they wrong. Eddie had managed to hide Sophia from them for a long time.
"We might have to be gentler with him. Buck and Harry, we know how they are if we are gentle. Eddie might need soft from us. The man has known violence at a young age, so that's all he knows. Athena, we failed to keep him from falling on the deep end. We have to get him therapy and stay on him. Eddie will lash out, so don't take it personally," Bobby tells his wife. Athen nods in understanding. Buck and Harry need a stern talking-to, and Eddie sometimes does, but she has learned sometimes that all Eddie needs is a hug.
"We don't get this?" Athena says. Bobby laughs. He soothes Eddie from a nightmare with a soft mutter. Athena runs her fingers through Eddie's curls.
"I didn't know that he has curly hair," She says.
"Eddie doesn't like how curly his hair gets when it's not with any product," Buck says, making the parents move to make room for him to lay with them. It's Athena on Eddie's right side, Eddie Buck on Eddie's left, and leaving Bobby at the end. Buck had bought Eddie a new bed because Eddie's bat destroyed the old one. Buck had spoiled the man with a nice bed. When Eddie discovered that Buck was rich, the brunette had a panic attack.
"You're rich?" Eddie asks. Insecurities about not caring for Christopher and being taken away from Eddie flare up. Panic rose, and Eddie had to calm his breathing. Buck, witnessing for the first time Eddie's panic attacks, is scared. He rushes to his partner.
"Deep breath, Eds. That's it, deep breath. In. Out. In. Out. That's it. Breath. Yes, I'm rich. I hate that I'm rich, but I'm learning to love it as I get to spoil you and Christopher. I get to pamper you two and any other children that we have. You can even be a stay-at-home dad if you want. You can raise the children. My money is your money, love," Buck holds Eddie close.
"Ramon controlled all the money. He was the one that told us what to buy. He never gave Sophia, Adriana, or me money to spend on ourselves. We had to earn his money. I was eleven and working for the neighbors; he would take it for himself. I managed to save the money I made, but Ramon would try to take it. Helena was the only one that never had to prove anything to him. She could just take it. We could never ask for money to hang out with friends," Eddie blurs out. Buck's comprehensive eye but lets Eddie talk.
"If I ever asked for money, he would take a bat and beat me. If Sophia or Adriana had asked for money, they would've been slapped. Helena would give us money, but we would have to pay them back," He continues to say. Buck holds him tighter.
"Shannon is my ex. She's also Chris's mother. She was my best friend before I got her pregnant. She would consistently save the money for me. I would give Adriana some of my money so she wouldn't worry about other people paying for her. I never want to be like my parents in that way. Ever," Eddie finishes. Buck kisses him.
"Thank you for telling me that. I won't be too expensive for you, as I know you like small things. I try to be sly about it," Buck says, making Eddie laugh.
"Thank you, Evan. I love you," Eddie says to Buck.
"I love it when you call me Evan. I do have a question, though," Buck says, making Eddie chuckle.
"What is the question?" Eddie asks, making Buck kiss him.
"Why do you like to bottom? I'm not complaining, but you never once try to top," Buck asks. Eddie smiles.
"I need to give up control, and you need to be in control. You have control, and I trust you with that control. I trust you, and you trust me. I know that you will look out for me and give me what I need. I submit to you, you have all the control that you want. You order me not to cum; I will not cum. You request me to ride you; I'll ride you until you tell me to stop. I enjoy not being in control," Eddie answers him truthfully. Buck looks at him.
After that conversation, Buck will play games with Eddie. The blond will make it his mission for Eddie to be the best sub. Athena can see that the two have a bond and is curious about it. Buck would take control of a situation, and Eddie would let him have it.
"Are you two in a BDSM lifestyle?" Athena questions her son.
"Yes," Buck answers. She smiles, and Bobby moves to be on Athena's side. Bobby sees Eddie struggling and moves mother and son. He cradles Eddie to his chest, and the young man stays asleep. Athena and Buck are whispering about the lifestyle. Eddie opens his eyes and sees Bobby looking down at him.
"Hi, kiddo. How was your sleep?" Bobby asks, making Athena and Buck turn to him, confused.
"How long was I asleep for?" Eddie asks. Bobby plays with his hair.
"Eds? How are you feeling?" Buck asks softly. Eddie looks at him with confusion.
"Buck. I'm tired, but alright," Eddie says, looking at his partner with puzzlement. Buck smiles and kisses him.
"Bobby, Athena, Pepa, and Abuela made food for us. Christopher's with Carla for the night, and Bobby and Athena offered to take Christopher for the rest of the week. I told him that would be awesome. Just the two of us. We need that right now. Don't you think?" Buck asks Eddie. The dark hair man burrows his head in Buck's chest. Buck chuckles.
That means Eddie wants it to be the two of them, and he will miss Chris. The man is scared of the unknown now. Buck wants a night for them to have, so he can help ease Eddie into the unknown with him. He wants to show Eddie that he isn't alone in the world. Now that Buck knows more about Eddie's past, the more Buck will make sure that Eddie knows that he is by Eddie's side.
"What's happening?" Eddie asks, not leaving Buck's arms.
"You are on leave until you get permission from your therapist to return to work. The chief is putting you in the hospital; Buck's going to the 153. You as a Lieutenant, and you, Eddie, as a Paramedic. Until you can go to the 153, you will stay at the hospital for work," Bobby says to Eddie. Eddie blinks and looks at Buck.
"Why?" Eddie asks. He shifts closer to Buck, as he usually does when Eddie gets nervous. Buck rubs his arms, and Athena looks at Eddie.
"Would you be willing to take an Autism Test?" Athena asks the man. Eddie looks down, making Buck looks at Eddie.
"I have autism," Eddie admits to them. Buck kisses him.
"When?" Bobby asks. Eddie plays with Buck's arm because Buck knows that this is Eddie's way of calming down. He has other methods that Buck had picked up but never asked him about. Now it makes sense.
"Two years ago," Eddie says, and the others did the math. The shooting. He got tested during the shooting. Buck tightens his hold on his partner.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Buck asks him.
"Did the department know about this?" Bobby asks at the same time.
"We were both struggling with the shooting, and my sister was a mess and needed some help. I didn't tell the department about this," Eddie hits two birds with one stone.
"Why not?" Athena asks. She's pissed at the events and, to a small degree Eddie. For not telling anyone about this critical information. If the department and the people surrounding him knew that he was autistic, they would've worked with Eddie to get help.
"My parents knew and never did anything about it. The teachers knew and did nothing about it. I figured it wasn't significant enough to say or do anything about," Eddie says, playing with Buck's arms more. Athena looks around and sees fidget spinners and grabs them. She gives them to Eddie.
"I'm sorry, Eddie. That's not alright. The department would have helped you," Athena says. She's pissed with the situation, his parents and teachers, and to a small degree, Eddie. However, she can see why Eddie never said anything to anyone. Eddie simply nods to her.
"Are you hungry, Eddie? We have food," Bobby says, hesitant about the subject.
"I could eat," Eddie says, playing with the spinners.
"Let's get you cleaned up, okay?" Buck says, making Eddie nod. Buck leads Eddie to the bathroom, making Bobby and Athena leave the partners alone.
"How are you doing?" Buck asks Eddie. A silent Eddie is a dangerous Eddie. An angry Eddie is a comfortable Eddie to handle, while a quiet Eddie doesn't say what he wants. It's like pulling teeth from a screaming toddler. It makes Buck never want to get a subtle Eddie.
"Numb. Nervous. It's going to take a while for me to get used to everyone knowing about Sophia," Eddie says, making Buck kiss his forehead.
"I can understand that, but you have to try to be honest with us," Buck says to him. Eddie didn't answer, making it clear to Buck. He pulls Eddie closer to him.
"I love you, Eddie. I'm trying to keep you safe. Please let me do my job as a dom to keep you safe?" Buck pleads softly. Eddie begins to sniffle.
"I don't know how not to go to Sophia," Eddie says, making Buck curse at his parents.
"I'll keep you away from them. You need me to order you not to contact your family other than abuela and Pepa, then I will instruct you to stay away from them. Do you want me to do that?" Buck questions Eddie.
"Yes, sir," Eddie says. Buck nods.
"From this day forward, you, my beautiful submissive, can not go to Sophia. If your parents call, you give them to me. If I'm not here, don't answer; if you disobey me, there will be punishment. No questions asked. Do you understand me?" Buck's dom voice comes there. Eddie submits.
"Yes, master," Eddie says, and Buck kisses him. Buck finishes washing his partner.
"Let's get you out of here and get you something to eat," Buck says. He guides Eddie out of the bathroom, back into the bedroom to get clothes on, and to the kitchen.