Buck lay in the dimly lit bunk room at the station, his breath coming in shallow, labored gasps. Eight months pregnant with Eddie's child, he felt the weight of the life growing inside him pressing against his abdomen, a constant reminder of the joy and challenges ahead. Seeking a moment of solitude, he had decided to lie down while the others were on call, hoping the quiet would ease the growing discomfort in his body.
As he attempted to rise from the narrow bed, his legs wobbled beneath him. A wave of dizziness washed over him, and he stumbled toward the Rex room, the place where the firefighters gathered. The solitude he had craved quickly turned into an unsettling realization that something was off. Panic stirred in his chest.
Suddenly, his knees buckled. Buck fell to the floor with a sickening crunch, his wrist twisting at an unnatural angle as he landed. Pain exploded through him, sharp and unrelenting, forcing a whimper from his lips. "No… no, no," he gasped, the cold floor pressing against his skin. The station felt eerily quiet, the distant sounds of sirens outside only amplifying his sense of isolation.
As he lay there, another wave of discomfort hit him. A cramp seized his abdomen, tightening painfully, making it hard to breathe. "Oh, God," he whimpered, clutching his belly, tears welling in his eyes. He felt utterly alone and terrified.
He struggled to turn onto his back, clutching his wrist, and then fumbled for his phone. His heart raced, a mixture of fear and desperation coursing through him. Finally, he managed to tap the screen, selecting the first contact he could think of—Sirius, a firefighter with the 128 who often worked alongside them during overlapping shifts. "Come on, come on," he muttered to himself, barely able to focus.
"Buck? Is everything okay?" Sirius's voice came through, calm but with an edge of concern.
"Help… it hurts so bad," Buck whimpered, his voice cracking. "I need Eddie… please."
"What happened?" Sirius pressed, sensing the urgency in Buck's tone.
Buck felt a surge of panic as he fought to find the words. "I fell… I can't move. My wrist… and now the cramps… it hurts." His voice trembled, the reality of his situation crashing over him like a wave.
"Stay there, Buck! I'll send someone. Diaz, your help is needed at the station!" Sirius's voice shifted to a commanding tone, his urgency palpable. "128 has you covered. Just hang on!"
As the call ended, Buck felt an overwhelming wave of despair wash over him. He lay on the cold floor, the pain throbbing in his wrist, and now the cramps clawing at his abdomen, making him feel like he was being pulled apart. "Please hurry," he gasped, squeezing his eyes shut against the pain and fear that threatened to consume him.
It felt like an eternity before he heard footsteps approaching, the sound echoing through the quiet room. The door burst open, and Eddie rushed in, his face pale and eyes wide with panic. "Buck!" he shouted, dropping to his knees beside him. "What happened?"
"I fell," Buck managed to whisper, his breath hitching as he looked into Eddie's frantic gaze. "I can't move… and the cramps… it hurts."
Eddie's expression shifted from panic to determination. "Okay, okay, just breathe. I'm here," he said, his voice trembling slightly. "Chim! We need you!"
Chimney arrived almost instantly, a flurry of movement as he took in the situation. "What's going on?" he asked, his tone serious as he assessed Buck. "Buck, can you move at all?"
Buck shook his head, the tears still streaming down his cheeks. "It hurts… my wrist. I think I hurt it badly… and the cramps are getting worse." He glanced at Eddie, feeling helpless.
"Hen, I need you here too!" Eddie called out, his voice steady but filled with urgency.
Hen rushed in, quickly assessing the scene. "What do we know?" she asked, her gaze focused on Buck.
"I fell, and now I can't move," Buck explained, panic creeping into his voice. "And the cramps… oh God, they're getting worse."
Hen knelt down beside Buck, her brow furrowing. "Okay, Buck. I need to ask you some questions about the cramps. Can you describe the pain? Is it sharp or dull? How often are they coming?"
"They're… they're sharp, like… like a tightening, and it's happening more frequently now," Buck said, his voice shaky as he squeezed his eyes shut against the waves of discomfort. "I think… I think it's getting worse."
"Eddie, keep him focused on you," Hen instructed. "Buck, just keep breathing through it, alright? We're going to get you through this."
As Buck focused on Eddie's face, he felt another cramp surge through him, more intense than before. "It hurts," he gasped, the pain radiating through his abdomen, squeezing around the baby. "I don't know what's happening!"
"Just breathe, Buck. In and out, okay?" Eddie said, his voice low and calming. He kept eye contact with Buck, his own fear barely contained beneath the surface. "Hen and Chim will take care of everything."
"Can you tell me if there's any pressure?" Hen asked, her voice steady, but Buck could hear the urgency behind it. "Are you feeling any pressure in your pelvis or lower back?"
"Yes! It feels like… like something is pushing," Buck admitted, the reality dawning on him. "I don't want to have the baby here… please."
Sirius burst into the room just then, panting as he took in the scene. "What's going on?" he asked, his expression shifting from concern to alarm as he spotted Buck on the couch.
"Buck fell," Eddie explained quickly, his voice tense. "He hurt his wrist, and the cramps are getting worse. We think he might be going into labor."
Sirius's eyes widened as he rushed to Buck's side, kneeling next to him. "Are you okay, Buck?" he asked, frantic. "What can I do?"
Buck shook his head, panic threatening to overtake him. "It hurts… I can't—"
"Help is on the way," Sirius reassured him, placing a hand on Buck's shoulder. "You're not alone. We'll take care of you."
"Just stay with me, please," Buck begged, his voice trembling as he clutched Eddie's hand tightly.
"Never," Eddie vowed, squeezing Buck's hand gently. "We're right here with you."
As they prepared to help him, Buck closed his eyes, taking a deep breath and clinging to the warmth of their presence. With Eddie and Chimney at his side, and Sirius joining them, he felt a sense of security enveloping him, reminding him that he wouldn't have to face this alone.
"Let's get you ready to move, Buck," Chimney said, his voice steady. "We'll take you to the hospital, and they'll help you."
"Okay," Buck said, nodding slowly. "Just don't leave me."
Eddie looked at Buck, his eyes filled with determination. "We're right here. We're getting you through this, no matter what."
As they worked together to make Buck comfortable, the weight of the moment settled over them. Buck focused on their voices, feeling a flicker of hope amid the pain. They were there for him, ready to support him through this unexpected and frightening experience.