One of my favorite new songs is Leona Lewis' version of Run. It makes my heart break every time I hear it because it's sad, but I also hear such love and devotion in it, too. I heard it this morning while I was getting ready, and I heard Buck and Eddie in my head talking.

I just wrote this in about 30 minutes. I haven't read it or even looked for errors because I just wanted to get it out (and I'm at the conference!). It may not even make sense. Lol But I hope it does.

I don't own anything related to Fox or 911 or the song Run.

"I wondered how long it would take you to show up."

"You don't get to drop a bombshell like that and walk away."

Eddie steps back and lets Buck into the house, arms crossed over his chest, defense screaming off of him in waves. "Are you here to tell me it's a bad idea? Talk me out of it?"

Buck stops in the middle of the hall and turns to look at him. "No, I'm not here to talk you out of it. I'm here to tell you one more time that you aren't alone. You have me, and if you're going - wherever that is - then I'm going with you."

"What?" Clearly, that isn't what Eddie is expecting.

"Did I stutter? I'm doing this with you. Another city, another job, therapy, family therapy - whatever it takes."

Buck lays his hands over Eddie's shoulders. "I've made my share of mistakes, more than ever in the past few months. I stopped my therapy and started running from everything falling apart in my life. I ran from you, and I let you run from me but no more. The only thing I've ever done right in my life is you and Christopher, and it just hit me like a hammer that I nearly screwed that up, too."

Right before his eyes, Buck watches his best friend crumble. Eddie's head drops, and tears start to fall. Buck yanks him against him, wrapping his arms around his shoulders and holding him tight.

"I couldn't look at you. I knew if I did, I'd never be able to walk away, but somehow I knew - I knew - you wouldn't let me go." Eddie clutches the back of Buck's shirt.

"Do you want me to? If that's what you want, if you want me to let you two go, I will."

Eddie raises his head and meets the blue eyes that make him feel like he's drowning. "What?"

Buck's eyes were filling with tears now, too. "I'll let you go. If this is something you think you need to do on your own, then I'll let you walk away. But I'll still be with you. Even when you can't see or hear me - I'll be there. I'll be the strength you need to keep going, Eddie. When you don't think you can be what you need to be or be what you think Chris needs. I'll send it through brain waves if I have to, but you'll know." The hard knot in Buck's throat got too big, and he had to stop. His grip is so tight on Eddie's shoulders that it's painful. "Whatever...whatever..you need - I'll be there beside you or...I'll be in your memory."

Eddie shakes his head, overcome. "I…" he breaks off, choking down a sob trying to get out. He sucks in a sharp, wet breath. "I can't…" his voice cracks again, and he tries to clear his throat.

Buck waits, his own throat so tight he feels the muscles lock up in his neck.

"I'm so tired, Buck. I've run for so long I don't know how to stop. I don't know how to say what everyone needs me to say."

"You're the only one who needs to hear it, Eds. You and Chris."

"And you."

There is something in Eddie's eyes that gives Buck a flare of hope. "I hear you. I will always hear you, no matter where you go." Buck's voice is strangled, but he's determined to say what he needs to, what is in his heart.

"I can't bear the thought of you leaving. I can't imagine going to work and not having you there. I can't imagine not coming here and seeing Christopher. But the worst is letting you go anywhere without telling you what my life is with you in it. You run, I hide. I've spent my life hiding, making myself fade into the background."

"I see you. I've always seen you." Eddie interrupts, touching Buck's cheek. "And you've never hidden from me. You don't have to."

"And you don't have to run from me." Buck clears his throat and swallows hard, determined to keep going. "But I've been hiding from you since you got shot. I hid from my own feelings, hoping if I just kept going, they'd eventually fade away. But they just got bigger until I hid so well that I missed what you needed from me."

"I let you hide, and you let me run. We got off track somewhere, Buck. After the shooting, the wires got crossed. After the shooting, I wanted to run to you, but you had Taylor, and I didn't want to get in the way. And I let you hide behind her. I knew you were hiding, but it was easier to ignore it and hope you'd figure it out on your own," Eddie drops his head down, and his forehead lands on Buck's forearm. Then he looks back up, eyes wet but alive with emotion.

"How about we stop it right here? No more running or hiding, Buck, unless we do it together. I need you to hear me on this. Outside of Chris, you're the most important person in my life. My best friend, my person, the one I got right in a string of failed relationships. I don't know what the next few weeks will bring, but I'm not leaving you, and I don't want you to let me walk away. Please, take this step with me. Have my back."

Buck dips his head, his shoulders shaking. Then his gaze came back to Eddie's, eyes swimming with tears, the blue even more brilliant. "I've got you, Eddie. Always."

And even without the rest of the words both men left hovering at the edges; the message came through loud and clear. I love you