Athena ended up being the one who found him, it was something Eddie had told her, about what Buck had written in his text to Eddie. She found him close to the old pier where he and Christopher had been when the tsunami hit. So far he looked unharmed, but you could never be too careful, especially not with Buck, so she sent a text to the others, letting them know she had found him and where they were, before actually approaching him. He didn't seem to notice her at first, just sitting at the edge of the water looking at something, thinking maybe, afterall he did write in her text that he was having second thoughts, maybe there was still hope. Athena sat down next to Buck, she didn't say anything, didn't try to touch him or pull him back, just waiting for him to respond to her presence or respond to anything really. He didn't look at her, just continued sitting at the edge staring out over all the damage and hawork the tsunami had brought, remembering that day. He did notice when she sat down next to him, damn it he hadn't expected for any of them to actually find him, why were they even looking for him, they hated him, hated him for what he had done, he hated him for what he had done. For a while they just sat there, he could feel her staring at him, but neither of them actually said anything. He was the one that eventually broke the silence;
"I looked for him for hours, only thing I ever managed to find was his glasses. I didn't know how to tell Eddie, wondering if maybe it was better if I had just disappeared when the tsunami hit, it wouldn't have been hard, afterall Chris was missing and I couldn't find him, and no one even knew that we had been at the pier when it all came down, no one was looking for me, for us, it would have been easy to just have let it all end right then and there, and I thought about it, so why didn't I?" He was looking at her now, his eyes still so far away lost in memories, and she could see the tears forming in his eyes as he was telling, looking at her. She didn't answer, didn't know how, she just looked at him silence filling the gap between them again. He turned away, returning to blankly staring at the water. She could hear the sirens blaring from the trucks of the 118, coming closer. She saw as he stiffened hearing the sirens as well. He turned his head looking at her, fear and sadness all over his face. She leaned in and hugged him, afraid of what he might do if she didn't try and stop him, and she was sure he wasn't gonna do anything that would bring her in danger. He was completely stiff in her arms, holding his breath. And then he was crying, his body just completely limp in her hold, she dragged them in land, further away from the edge, and he didn't fight her, he just cried. They stayed like that until the others arrived.
Bobby's phone vibrated in his pocket, indicating that he had received yet another text message. He was hesitant at first, picking his phone out of his pocket, after the last text he had received being from Buck, saying goodbye, them rushing over to his place, scared of what they were going to find and turning up empty, just finding his door unlocked and his phone turned off at the table, he was afraid of this text being the one confirming all of their fears. It was a text from Athena: I've got him. we're at the edge of the leftovers of the old pier, where the tsunami hit. Love Athena". He sighed with relief before calling the others to once again gear up, not that any of them had taken off their gear, ready to leave as soon as any news came in about Buck. He had called the Chief and explained the situation and the team had been pulled from calls for the rest of the shift. So when he read Athena's text they were already ready to leave. Sure Buck weren't exactly a favorite around the station lately, but he was family, and he was hurting, and it was partly their fault for not seeing how much pain he was in, for isolating him and not talking with him, he just hoped that they would get a change to make it up with him, afterall it was hard to be mad at him for long.
The ride from the station till the old pier wasn't long, but it was absolute silence the entire way there, only sound being the sirens coming from the trucks. No one said a word or looked at eachother, all fearing what they were about to find once they reached their destination. Chimney had sent a text to Maddie, letting her know that they Athena had located Buck, not knowing whether or not Athena herself had already texted Maddie, but figuring she would want to know. When they reached the old pier, the first thing they saw was Athena sitting on the ground holding a very sagging Buck in her arms. Chimney and Hen took their gear and ran towards the two people on the ground. Once they got closer they could hear the sops of the big guy in Athena's arms, saw how his back was rapidly rising and falling with each staggering breath, and they sped up closing the gap between them and Athena and Buck on the ground. Once they reached them they both simultaneously took their gloves on and started working on Buck, trying to identify any injuries he may have suffered, freeing Athena who looked like she was about to break under the weight of the sobbing Buck.
"Do you feel any pain? Is it possible you have any injuries that we can't see?" Hen asked Buck, but he didn't answer, just continued to sob now in Eddie's arms, who along with Bobby had caught up with them and was now seated next to them, helping with what they could. Eddie was holding Buck, while Bobby helped up Athena, moving away from the others to gain whatever little information she might have that could help them. Hen just continued her work, now searching Buck for any pain or hidden injuries, while Chimney got started on blood pressure and other vital measurements they needed.
"Blood pressure and respiration is a little high and the oxygen level is a little low, but nothing to be alarmed by, probably just from the crying and all the stress" Chimney said while taking the blood pressure cough back off Bucks arm, along with the rest off the equipment.
"No obvious injuries or pain either it seems" Hen stated. Looking at Buck again she asks: "Buckaroo, sweety, have you taken anything, done something to hurt yourself before Athena came and found you?". Bucks sobs became louder and his breathing sped up even further to the point where he was now hyperventilating, but he shook his head as to answer Hens' question.
"Ok, that's good sweety" Hen said, relief filling her voice and her posture relaxing a little bit after hearing that, it meant that he was probably going to be alright, still had to get him to a hospital, but looks like their lovely Buckaroo was gonna be ok.
"Buck, sweetheart, it's good that you didn't take anything and that you aren't hurt, but we still need to get you to a hospital, have them check you over, just to be sure, ok? We're not saying we don't believe you, just want the doctors to give you a quick lookover to make sure we didn't miss anything" Hen said, moving her focus back to Buck, seeing the horror in his eyes when she mentioned going to the hospital. She couldn't help but feel a sting of pain looking at him, he was looking like this fragile and frightened little child, and she wanted to hold him tight and tell him that everything was going to be ok, even if she was still angry with him for what he had done to the cap, all of that was forgotten right now looking at him.
"I know you don't like hospitals, but we need to take you there. You don't look like you are feeling very good right now" Eddie said while looking down at Buck, laying there completely limp in his arms, sobbing and shaking. "Let us help you, ok?" he added.
Buck looked up at Eddie, damn it, why did he have to be so perfect and sweet and right. He held on tight to Eddie, looking at him pleadingly, hoping for him to understand his silent plea.
"It's gonna be ok. I'm gonna come with you, I promise, and I'm sure Maddie is gonna meet us at the hospital when we get there, right Chim?" Eddie was looking at Chim as he said the last bit, and then quickly returned his gaze to catch Bucks eyes, now tearing up upon hearing Maddies name.
"Yes of course. I can call her straight away if you would like, tell her that we will be bringing you in shortly?" Chimney looked nervously at Buck, not sure how he was going to react.
Buck just nodded, starting to cry again, turning away from all of them, letting Eddie comfort him by rubbing his hand in circles on his back and talking soothingly to Buck. Chimney got up, found his phone before looking at the three of them on the ground and saying; "I'm just gonna go over by the ambulance, calling Maddie, and then we'll work on getting you into to the ambulance afterwards" looking at Buck he added: "And maybe get a drop and some fluids set up as well, looks like you might need them", and then he walked of in the direction of the ambulance, already dialing Maddie's number on his phone.
A few minutes later Chimney came back. Hen and Eddie got up, Eddie lifting Buck at the same time, supporting most of his weight, it was obvious that Buck had given up completely, having no strength left to hold himself up. When Bobby saw the rest of the team getting up, he and Athena went back to join them, and together him and Eddie supported Buck, one under each arm holding him upright more or less dragging him to the ambulance, Hen had gone ahead and outloaded the gurney, so that they could get Buck into the ambulance a little easier. Chimney was giving Athena a report of what they had done so far, and the further plan, informing her that Maddie was gonna meet them when they got to the hospital, Athena in return told Chimney what had happened since she found Buck, up until the others arrived, so that Chimney had all the information to give on to the hospital once they arrived. Once Buck was safely loaded into the ambulance, Eddie and Chimney drove off headed for the hospital, while Hen, Bobby and Athena packed up the rest before following the rest of the team.
The team gathered in the waiting room at the hospital while the doctor examined Buck. Eddie was with him, but Maddie was with the rest of them out in the waiting room, Buck hadn't wanted his sister to be there with the doctor, and Maddie, though a little offended Eddie was allowed, let it slide for now, so in the waiting room now sat Maddie and Chimney in two chairs next to each other, a little isolated from the rest, because Maddie didn't want to be around to many people right now, Chimney she allowed, it was different, it was Chimney. In a small sofa group on the other side of the waiting room sat Hen, Athena and Bobby, along with Karen, Denny and Christopher. Hen and Karen had promised Eddie that they would take care of Christopher tonight, since it seemed like Buck prefered Eddie around right now, and Christopher was excited to be sleeping over at Denny's house, the two of them having become really good friends, so Eddie had agreed, but no one had any plans on leaving before they knew for sure what the plan were gonna be for Buck, and that he really was ok.
Karen was reading the boys a story, trying to have them think of something else, but it wasn't working, Chris worried about his Buck, but he stayed quiet about it like all the adults seemed to do. Eventually he got up and started wobbling over to where Maddie and Chimney were seated. He noted that Maddie was crying and stopped, before slowly moving closer.
"Is Buck hurt?" Chris asked, while looking all puppy eyed and innocently at Maddie, not hiding his fear completely, even though he tried, so as to not make Maddie more sad. Maddie couldn't answer, so instead Chimney lifted up Chris, put him on his lap, gave him a tight squeeze as he said: "Buck is not hurt in the way we would normally think of, when we think of someone who is hurt. He hasn't broken anything or gotten any cuts or bruises or anything like that". Chris looked at him, wondering if he could ask the question he really wanted answered, deciding to ask anyway. "Is Buck…" he looked down shortly before gathering himself again and looking back up at Chimney, he needed to know. "Is Buck going to die? Is that why Maddie is sad and no one is talking about him" he asked, afraid of looking up at Chimney, or anyone else, afraid of the answer.
Maddie started crying more now and Chimney brought Maddie in to their hug before answering Chris, saying; "Nobody is dying" He looked at both Maddie and Chris before continuing, the others following the conversation closely from the other side of the waiting room. "Buck is going to be ok. Right now your dad and the doctor are with him, trying to figure out how to make him all better again. He isn't hurt on the outside, and he isn't sick like when you get a stomach ache or something either, Buck is…" he trailed of thinking of what to say, when Maddie seemed to have collected herself i little, freeing herself from Chims grip and looking at Chris, little tears still forming in her eyes but she dried them of with the back of her hand, her voice a little shaking when she told Chris
"Buck is really sad right now, not feeling like his happy self, having some not so nice thoughts telling him bad things, wanting him to do something very bad. That's why I got a little sad, because I love him and he is my little brother, and right now he doesn't wanna let me help him" tears were starting to form again, and she began taking in her breath in short, quick gasp.
They hadn't notice that Denny had now joined them, also curious as to what was going on, now crawling up to sit at Maddie whilst asking: "Is it like when you have a nightmare and you wake up alone and afraid, and you want somebody to come and comfort you, but you are afraid to call out and ask?" Everyone was quiet now, the people in the sofa group almost holding their breath, Hen getting up to retrieve the boys before this could escalade, but pausing midway there when hearing Maddie answer
"Yeah, yeah I guess it is a little bit like that. But more like a nightmare he can't wake up from and doesn't know how to make it end, so instead he just keeps being in it until someone comes and helps him wake up, like the doctor and Eddie are now trying to make a plan for how to do". Chris and Denny both thought of that for a little, while the rest of the room waited anxiously to hear if there was more, Hen moving again towards the four people in the corner
"Ok boys I think that is enough, let's get back to the sofas and leave Maddie and Chimney alone now", she held out her hands motioning for both Christopher and Denny to come along. The both a little disappointed they were forced to leave, reluctantly jumped down back on the flour and started moving towards the sofas and Bobby, Athena and Karen, while Hen followed along behind glansing back towards Maddie and Chim with an apologetic look, but they didn't seem to notice, just looking at the two boys now moving away from them.
Once back at the sofas, sitting down on either side of Karen, who is about to continue with the story when Chris looks at Bobby and Athena and asks: "Does that mean Buck is sleeping? Maybe I could try and wake him up so he doesn't need to have that nightmare anymore". They all look at him with sad and at the same time admiring eyes, smiling slightly at his innocent mind and always positive spirit, this kid is simply amazing, Eddie has done a wonderful job raising him. Athena is the one that answers him.
"No baby, Buck isn't actually sleeping, he is awake, but his mind is sleeping and unable to think clear" noting the disappointment that shortly washes over Christopher, before ones again returning to his happy, bubbly self, she adds: "but I am sure, that once the doctor and your father is done talking to Buck, that he would love to have a special get well hug from you, do you think you have one of those that you can give him?", she smiles at that last part, noticing that it seems to cheer Chris up even more.
Chris nods and smiles: "yeah".
"Do you think he wants two get well hugs?" Denny asks, hoping that he two can help Buck wake up from his nightmare.
"We'll see D. Maybe he'll have it to save for another time when he might need it, but no matter what we have to wait until the doctor and Eddie is done talking with him" Hen stated, smiling to herself and sending Karen a smile as well, loving how Denny just automatically wanted to follow Christophers idea and help.