When the meeting started Buck was there but Eddie wasn't. The atmosphere was dense in the room, nobody said anything and it was making Buck uncomfortable
"Ahem" Bobby said, clearing his throat. "We all know that mistakes have been made" Bobby started but was interrupted by Buck
"I really am sorry Cap, it was dumb of me to file that lawsuit and I didn't think of the consequences, and I completely understand why you all hate me, but please, please don't give up on me now" Buck rambled of, not even stopping to breath
"Whoa easy there Buckaroo" Hen halfheartedly laughed from where she was sitting next to Buck and put a hand on his shoulder
"Yeah, we don't hate you, and we're not here to give up on you" Chimney said, he was sitting beside Maddie with a comforting arm around her. Maddie was sitting on Buck's other side, while Athena and Bobby was sitting together across the table from them
"As I was saying, mistakes have been made, and we're all equally responsible for letting them happen. Therefore I would like to start by apologising to Buck for the way I have been acting towards you and by my example let others treat you wrong. I'm sorry Buck for the hurt I have cost you and I hope that one day you can forgive me" Bobby said looking straight at Buck
"Yeah Cap of course" Buck stammered, not believing what he is hearing
You're worthless, you can't even see when you're being fooled
The thoughts told him, and Buck took both his hands up to his ears to try and drown them out, he wanted to believe what Bobby was saying, he didn't wanna listen to the thoughts
"Buck are you okay?" Hen asked concerned
"It's okay Buck, you're okay, they're not real" Maddie said running a soothing hand over his back like earlier. "Listen to me you're okay" Maddie said and Buck wanted to believe her, but the thoughts were getting louder, one thought which wasn't a thought but a memory
"You're exhausting"
"Shut up" Buck shouted at the thoughts, not realising he had shouted out loud as was, tears were streaming down his face
"Buck, what are the thoughts saying?" Maddie asked
"I can't" Buck said shaking his head
"Why not?" Maddie asked
"Because he's right" Buck said, tears still streaming down his face
"Who's right Buckaroo" Hen asked
"Eddie" Buck cried and everyone looked at each other confused, what could Eddie have said that was so horrible, leaving such an impression on Buck
At Eddie's place it was time for dinner, it was just a simple dish of spaghetti and meatballs, one of the few things Eddie knew how to cook well. Christopher had been his usually happy self all afternoon, they had watched his favorite movie, Finding Nemo, had played a little with his LEGOs and while Eddie had been cooking Christopher had been busy coloring at the dinner table. Now it was time for dinner and Eddie was cleaning of the table when he came upon a drawing that had him stop up in what he was doing
"Do you like it daddy, it's for Buck" Christopher said excitedly
"It's very nice mío, is that Buck in the picture?" Eddie asked his son, unable to look away from the drawing
"Yeah. Did you give him the present?" Christopher asked
"No mío I haven't seen him today, he wasn't at work" Eddie said, a haunted look in his eyes at the memory of the last time he had seen Buck
"That's okay, I think he is feeling better" Christopher said smiling at his dad
"I hope so mío, but I'll give him the present when I see him I promise" Eddie said with yet another haunted look
"Okay" Christopher smiled and that was the end of the conversation for now
At the meeting everyone was at a loss of words, nobody could think of anything Eddie could have said to disturb Buck this much.
"Buck, sweetheart, what did Eddie say to you?" Athena asked in a sweet motherly tone. Buck looked up at her and shook his head, he couldn't answer
"Evan what did Eddie say?" Maddie asked. Again Buck just shook his head and covered his ears
"Buck you need to talk to us, let us help" Hen said, Buck looked at her for a long moment
"You're exhausting" Buck said with a small voice. A gasp ran through the room almost in unison
