One day passed by quickly and before they knew it another day passed. Buck laid asleep in the hospital bed after his surgery and no one knew what the everlasting effects would be until he woke up.
Buck slowly started to come around and he opened his eyes as he saw the moon shining over La out of his window. He looked over and saw Eddie, asleep in the chair with his leg propped up on the bed. His eyes were swollen underneath like he'd been crying. Buck reached down and shook Eddie's leg. He jumped and sat up,
"buck... are you ok?"
"what are you doing here? Where is everyone?"
"I wanted to stay. Everyone else went home"
"how long has it been?"
"two days. I got here just before you went into surgery"
"have you left?"
"no. Not yet"
"what... what did Maddie tell you?"
"that you got home the day before this happened"
"Eddie I was gonna call. I just wanted to get straight"
"and you brought Abby back with you"
"Eddie... I'm so sorry I left like I did but I needed to get help"
"I just wished you would of let me help you instead of-"
"instead of what?"
"running back to her"
"Eddie. I didn't know where else to go. I was scared if I stayed, I would hurt myself and I couldn't deal with you finding me or something stupid like that"
"are you feeling better?"
"my psychiatrist was really happy with my progress in New York. I have good and bad days"
the door opened and in walked Abby with a coffee in hand,
"you're awake" she rushed over and sat on the bed next to him.
Eddie stood up and brushed himself down, "I'll leave you both to it" he said looking away
"Eddie you can stay" buck said
"no it's fine. I'll go home. I'll speak to you soon Buck"
Eddie left and buck looked at Abby, "he's so mad at me"
"buck he hasn't left your bedside for two days. We tried to get him some food and clothes but he didn't want it.. he's just been watching you"
"have you spoken to the doctor?"
"yes, he said we would know anything until you woke up. I'll ask the nurse if he's around"
Abby put her head out the door and asked the nurse for a doctor. After about five minutes he came in,
"welcome back buck"
"hey doc. Listen... this feeling I have is it normal?"
"you can feel in your left leg but not your right one cant you"
"yeah. Why?"
"the bullet damaged your spinal cord. We removed the rest of the bullet but we want sure about damage but this has happened before"
"will it come back. The feeling?"
"maybe. It could be temporary but it could take time for that feeling to come back. Your observations have been good and I'm positive you are going to make a recovery but you have to take it easy and rest"
"when can I leave?"
"You had a huge surgery Buck so we will see how you get on today and we will then see about getting you up and around"
"Thankyou"
The doctor left,
"Hey Abby.. is Maddie here?"
"she's in the waiting room"
"can you get her for me?"
"of course"
Abby left to get Maddie and buck grabbed his phone off the table. He dialled Eddie but it went to voicemail.
"Eddie please come back. Please. I'm sorry"
the door opened and Maddie walked in. She closed the door behind her and stood near it.
"get over here" he said to her
she moved over and sat on the chair,
"Maddie- list-"
"I'm not mad at you. Not anymore"
"I'm so sorry I left Maddie"
"I understand why you left buck. I did it before. I understand that you needed help and we couldn't do that for you"
"I'm sorry I didn't answer your phone calls, I just felt like if I spoke to anyone I would react in the wrong way and hurt you or someone else"
"I love you buck ok and I'm sorry that I put you back here. I was never supposed to hurt you like I did"
"listen to me mads. This surgery was going to happen anyway, you just moved it forward" buck chuckled
"shut up" she said
"I'm sorry again"
"it's forgotten and forgiven buck just don't leave me again"
"I won't.. especially now it won't be just you I'm leaving now..."
"I found out around in the hospital but didn't say anything. It was a surprise for sure but a blessing in disguise. Me and chimney have never been closer"
"how far along are you?"
"I'm about 10 weeks now"
"so you were pregnant when Doug.."
"yeah I was. I was lucky I guess."
"at least something good is coming out of this whole situation"
"you're tough buck. And you're a fighter and everything will turn out good in the end"
"I'm never going to be a firefighter again."
"you don't know that Buck. The captain from that other crew who got stuck in the tsunami. He lost his arm and he's still a firefighter"
"yes but I'm not going to be able to be a firefighter if if I can't walk because I can only feel one leg"
"but with physio that could change. We have to positive remember"
"I know. I know"
"so... Abby?"
"please tell me you've been nice to her?"
"I'm nice to everyone Buck. I was just surprised to see her back"
"when we were together, she just knew how to talk to me and calm me down"
"so she's here for good"
"I think so. She's here to help me through this and I want everyone to welcome her back. The team knew her before from when she did your job"
"yeah she's coming back"
"is she?"
"yeah.. sue came by to check on me and she was here"
"that's good. You can help her back into it"
"buck I need to talk to you about something else.."
"what?"
"Eddie"
"I know. He left when I woke up"
"he has been a mess since you left Buck. Me and chimney have even been looking after Chris"
"what.."
"you need to speak to him Buck about everything"
"I will when I get out of here seen as he won't answer my calls"
"I'm gonna leave you to rest but if you need any help with anything, you call ok"
"thanks mads"
"I love you buck"
"I love you too"
Maddie left and buck laid in the bed looking out the window.
The Next day
Buck sat in his wheelchair with his meds on his knee. Abby grabbed the handles and pushed him out the room,
"well buck. We hope to not see you in here again for a while. Your appointments for your physio are booked but you take it easy ok"
"thanks doctor for all your help"
"right let's go" Abby said
they went out to the parking lot and buck used his crutches to stand himself up and he shuffled into the car. They drove home and buck took the elevator upstairs. He got to his apartment and Abby opened the door as he wheeled himself in.
"I love having such an unpractical apartment. This is gonna suck" buck said
"that's why I made some changes"
buck looked over and saw his double bed in the corner of his living room.
"my bedroom is now my living room."
"it's both. Your couch is still in there. We just moved it forward"
"you did this yourself?"
"chimney helped me do it"
"Thankyou Abby"
"no problem... anyway I start back at work tomorrow are you going to be ok"
"I can look after myself Abby"
"I know it's just with you getting around and stuff"
"I can manage. I've got a wheelchair and crutches and it's only one leg"
"okay. You can call me anytime"
"Thankyou"
"hey buck, I've been needing to talk to you about something"
"yeah?"
"I might have to go back to New York soon?"
"why?"
"I got a call from my landlord and he needs someone to be in the house due to break ins and everything recently. If not he'll make me move out"
"well you could just move out"
"what?"
"live here with me permanently"
"I can't Buck"
"why?"
"I just can't" she snapped
buck looked down, "you don't plan to be here forever do you?"
"buck.."
"tell me the truth"
"I'm supporting you buck"
"why the hell would you come back here with me if you weren't going to stay with me"
"buck you came to me for help and I've have helped you and supported you but the memories and pain I get from being back here hurts"
"you should just go now then. Save me from the pain of going later. At least I know you won't come back this time"
"I'm gonna get you some groceries and essentials while you cool off. I'll be back soon"
Buck sat in his wheelchair, he moved to the fridge and grabbed a beer. He drank it and moved to the tv. He looked around and down at himself in the chair. He drank the rest of his beer and put in on the table. He hit his leg but there was nothing, no feeling at all. He kept hitting it and hitting it getting upset.
He heard a knocking on the door. He ignored it but the knocking carried on. He wheeled over and opened the door and looked up to see Bobby,
"Bobby"
"hey buck"
buck was visibly red in the face from getting frustrated and upset.
"Come on in"
Bobby sat down on the couch and buck sat in front of him.
"didn't see you at the hospital?" Buck said
"oh I was there but you had a lot of doctors in and out of your room including Abby and your sister"
"what brings you by?"
"I just wanted to make sure you were doing ok after everything"
"I'm doing ok. There's going to be some big changes but I'll be ok"
"You don't have to be tough with me buck... it's me"
"I..erm.. my life.. is over. I have one good leg and one they might as well not be there"
"your life isn't over buck.. trust me"
"all I ever wanted to do was help people and be a firefighter and that's all over. Even if I regain feeling, I'm never going to be able to run properly or lift someone up"
"you're gonna be okay Buck"
"Thankyou for coming by but I think I'd just like to be alone"
"I can stay with you until Abby gets back from grocery shopping"
"you spoke to her then.."
"I told her I was coming over"
"right and she asked you to stay until she was back because she thinks I'm going to do something stupid"
"no buck. She just wants you to be-"
"I'm fine! Bobby please just leave"
"buck.."
"go.."
"okay I'll go but call me buck"
"yeah"
Bobby left and closed the door behind him.
A couple of hours later, Abby came back with bags of groceries. She placed them on the counter and walked round to buck,
"hey how are you doing?"
"I'm fine Abby"
"what you been doing?"
"Bobby stopped by"
"did he? I bet that was nice"
"yeah not like you asked him to come"
"buck I just want you to feel better"
"yeah sure"
"you're acting like a child"
Abby stormed off and closed the bathroom door behind her. Buck grabbed his jacket and slipped it on behind him and left his apartment. He went down to the bottom floor and called for an Uber,
He pulled himself into the Uber and the driver placed his wheelchair in the trunk. The Uber drove away and buck pulled his phone out and turned it off. After about 30 minutes the Uber pulled up, grabs bucks wheelchair. He helped him get out and left. Buck wheeled himself up onto the sidewalk, and down the driveway. He got as close as he could and pulled himself up on the porch. He hopped up the step and knocked on the door hard. After about a minute, it opened,
"hey" he said out of breath
"buck?" Eddie said looking at him up and down.