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Eddie made his way through the crowds, searching for anyone who needed medical attention. He'd been at the VA hospital for well over an hour at this point, helping anyone in need. But despite the tragedy that was the tsunami, he couldn't help but feel relieved that Buck and Christopher were far away from here, both safe and sound at the movies watching whatever Christopher had convinced Buck to watch with him.
He was ready for this day to be over and to return home and have his son tell him all about his day. All about the movie and what snacks Buck had given him (he knew he wouldn't be putting Christopher to bed, so he'd probably given the eight year old a lot of sugar).
But that feeling disappeared quickly as he spotted the large group of survivors piling out of a mail truck that hadn't been there five minutes ago.
And amongst the group was a woman. A woman carrying his son, who was wrapped up in a dark red hoodie. Eddie's heart dropped. Why was this woman carrying his son? Was he alive? Was he hurt? How was he here if he'd been at the movies?
"Christopher?" He whispered to himself first, beginning to walk over. He spoke louder the second time he said his son's name. "Christopher?!"
"Dad!" The boy shouted out, and Eddie rushed over, taking him from the woman and holding him close.
He held his son close to his chest, placing a hand on the back of his head, "Oh, my God." He looked him over, seeing absolutely no injuries before looking at the woman. "Thank you. Thank you."
"You're Buck?" She asked.
"No, I'm his father, Eddie." He responded before planting a kiss on his son's forehead.
"He was looking for Buck." The woman told him, and Eddie's heart dropped again. Christopher was looking for Buck. Buck wasn't with him. And from the looks of is, the two had been close enough to be swept up in the tsunami.
Buck was on blood thinners. The realisation struck Eddie almost instantly. Buck was on blood thinners. If Buck was hurt, which he'd be surprised if he wasn't, he'd be bleeding out.
"Buck saved me!" Christopher told him, trying his best to look at him. It was the first time Eddie had noticed his glasses were gone. They must've fallen off during one of the waves.
The woman walked off, Eddie looking at his son, "Yeah, he did. He couldn't let his superman get hurt."
He made his way back towards the hospital, trying to relish in the fact that Christopher was safe. But despite that, he couldn't help the anxiety that Buck was hurt creep over him.
"Is Buck okay?" The eight year old asked. "He's here, right? 'Cause you always have each other's backs, so he must be here!"
Eddie was quiet for a moment, still walking towards the hospital.
"I haven't seen him, bud." He finally said. "But we'll find him."
Christopher lifted his head, "Promise?"
"Promise."
That seemed to convince the young boy enough as they reached the hospital doors. He hung around outside, holding onto Christopher as if he'd disappear if he let go.
Different scenarios played in Eddie's mind. Buck being hurt out there, bleeding out with no one to help him. Buck being dead out there, ignored by the first responders who were looking out for the living instead of the dead. If Buck was alive out there, he was probably freezing. He'd been out there in wet clothing for hours. He was probably even hypothermic.
He just hoped none of those scenarios were true. He hoped that Buck was fine. Somewhere safe and unharmed, waiting on rescue.
"Eddie, is that Christopher?" A voice asked, snapping the man out of his thoughts. He looked up, seeing Chimney stood a few feet in front of him.
"Y-yeah." He nodded, tightening his grip on his son.
"I thought he was with-"
"He was." Eddie cut him off, knowing exactly what he was going to say. "I thought they were at the movies, but they must've changed their minds."
Christopher's head shot up from it's place on Eddie's shoulder, "We went to the pier. We were gonna go on a rollercoaster, but Buck was too tall. He got me a bear, though!" His eyes widened, lip beginning to quiver. "I lost the bear. He won it for me but I lost it. He's gonna be mad!"
"Hey, hey, hey! Buck won't be mad." Eddie assured him, bouncing him slightly. "He could never be mad at his favourite Diaz."
"Promise?"
"I promise." He said, and Christopher nodded, placing his head back down. Eddie looked over to Chimney, frowning.
"You want me to check him over whilst you talk to Bobby?" Chim asked, reaching out to take Chris.
"Uh, yeah." Eddie nodded, passing Christopher over to Chim, kissing his son on the forehead as the older man took him. "I'll come get him once I've talked to Bobby."
Chim nodded, walking into the hospital with the eight year old and leaving Eddie to look for Bobby. He could feel his hands start to shake as the realisation that Buck could be dead set in. It was the worst case scenario but it was a possibility.
But he couldn't let that fear take over until he told Bobby. He couldn't freak out before he told Bobby. According to Buck, Bobby was the closest thing he had to a father, and if that was the case, he had to know Buck was missing.
So he began walking, keeping an eye out for his captain, trying to stop his hands from shaking but failing miserably.
It didn't take long to find Bobby.
He was talking to a small group of people, all of them obviously having been swept up in the tsunami, but at the sight of Eddie, he'd excused himself, hurrying towards the younger man and placing a hand onto his shoulder. Eddie hadn't even realised he was stumbling over his own feet as he walked.
"Hey, you all right?" Bobby asked, looking at him with concern in his eyes. Eddie's hands shook even more and he could feel the tears in his eyes. "Talk to me, Eddie."
"Uh, it's.... Buck." He struggled to say. "He was at the pier with Christopher."
"Are they both all right?"
"Chris is fine. Chim's checking over him." Eddie took a deep breath before continuing. "Buck's not here. He's still out there."
Eddie could see the fear fill Bobby's eyes, and it made the situation even more real to him. Because if Bobby was scared, then this was bad.
Bobby must've noticed as he quickly collected himself and looked Eddie in the eye, "We'll find him, Eddie. He'll be fine. We'll find him."
And Eddie just hoped he was right.
====
They found Buck's body just over a day later. According to the report, he'd made it to the emergency refuge camp at a high school, asking if they'd seen Christopher. As he was leaving, having been told Christopher wasn't there, he collapsed. With the amount of blood he'd lost and the amount of water he'd inhaled during the waves, there was nothing that could be done.
He'd died without anyone he knew by his side. He'd died alone. He'd died thinking Christopher was dead. And Eddie didn't know how to feel about that.
When they had found him, he was lying still in a body bag. Far too still for someone as lively as Evan Buckley. Far too still for someone who was always moving and always looking for new ways to get rid of all the excess energy he had.
His lips were a bluish tint and there were long scratches across his face. Eddie felt sick just looking at him.
His skin was pale and cold to the touch. He almost looked like a ghost. And Eddie hated that sight. He hated seeing the person who was so bright and lively in such a state. It was so wrong to see Buck like this. It was so wrong to see such a lively person in such a lifeless state.
The funeral was a week later. Christopher, who'd been held in Eddie's arms, carried Buck's helmet. Maddie had been the one to suggest it, knowing how much Buck would've wanted that.
And when Eddie arrived home, Christopher having gone to stay at Abuela's for the night, he broke down. He knew he wasn't going to heal from this. He knew that he'd been too late. Too late in realising Buck was in danger and too late in realising how much he loved his best friend.
He wished he could tell him. Drag Buck back just for five minutes to tell him he loved him and to kiss him and to hug him and let Christopher hug him and maybe not even let him go.
But it was too late. And Eddie knew that.