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Buck had been invited to a dinner at Athena and Bobby's place at Athena's insistence, and Buck had dragged Eddie along for the ride. He wasn't sure why his pseudo-mama had sent the invitation out of the blue, but he thought it must have been important by the way she'd insisted and agreed that Eddie could accompany him. She did suggest he leave Christopher with a sitter, which had both of their hackles up, but they were rolling with the innocuous conversation.
Buck noticed Eddie was looking nervous as talk turned towards the fire drill and class action lawsuit that had been filed over the last few days while Athena was in the kitchen. But despite the warning squeeze of Eddie's hand on his thigh, Buck barrelled on. He said, "Hey, that lawyer, he uh, he got me thinking. There's strength in numbers, right?" He ignored the stony look that came over his captain's face as he continued, "Maybe I could get everyone to sign a statement of support or something, show the higher-ups that— that you don't think I'm a liability. They'd have to listen, right?"
Bobby sighed and said, "Buck, I want you to listen to me—"
But Buck ignored his protest, as he realized the captain was trying to shut him down, and he implored, "If you told them I was ready, the brass, they would, they would have no right to keep me—"
"I'm the one keeping you from the job," Bobby thundered over the top of what Buck was saying.
Buck tilted his head and asked, "What?"
"You're not ready," Bobby said flatly. "That's what I told them when they asked."
Athena came back to the table, and she was about to offer food, but at the look on Eddie's face, she silently placed the plate she was carrying down and sat beside her husband.
Buck demanded, "You're the reason they won't let me back to the 118?"
Bobby shook his head. "The medication is the reason, Buck."
Athena pleaded, "Bobby is just worried about you, Buck. That's all."
Buck scowled and said, "I thought you were on my side?"
Bobby sighed, "I am on your side, Buck. But I am also the captain of almost 20 other firefighters whose lives and safety depend on decisions I make, and I can't put them at risk."
Buck stood and said, "Ed's, are you coming?"
Eddie shook his head but passed his partner the keys to the truck. "Are you good to drive?" When Buck nodded, he said, "I'll Uber home. I have a few things I want to say to our captain."
Buck took the keys and said, "Your captain. He's obviously not mine anymore." He stormed out of the house and slammed the door, making both Grant-Nashes wince.
Eddie quietly put down his fork and gave his captain a hard look before he said, "You're acting on emotion, not fact, and it's about to cost you two very experienced firefighters."
Bobby glanced at the door before he asked, "Two?"
"Where he goes, I go," Eddie said bluntly. "We've both had offers to transfer out of the 118; the last was just a few days ago. The last three captains are aware of Buck's blood thinner issue; for them, it's not a problem since they each have people certified to use surgical glue."
Athena asked, "How is that not a problem? I didn't think he could work on the blood thinners."
Eddie gave her husband a pointed look before he explained, "He can; Buck's been cleared for active duty by his personal physician, the surgeon who operated on his leg, the vampire doctor he consulted after the embolism, and the department therapist. The only condition required for his clearance to work is that something to seal the wound has to be stored on the truck, and at least one medic qualified to seal the wound has to be with him for any calls he goes on. For the 118, that's not a problem since Hen, Chim, and Bobby are all certified to use the surgical glue. The job Bobby has him relegated to will kill him before active duty would."
Bobby demands, "How?"
Eddie rolled his eyes and said, "Sitting in a sedentary job will cause more clots. Sure, Buck gets to oversee fire drills, but that's once a week. He does inspections on buildings, and that's another hour a week; for the rest of the time, he's sitting at a desk typing up reports. And while he's great at it, don't get me wrong, it's already caused another two clots. It's a kick in the teeth when he's cleared for active duty."
Bobby shook his head. "I have a report and information that Buck pushed himself too hard; that's what caused the clots."
Eddie huffed. "The report was not from his doctors and probably wasn't cleared for release by the hospital; however, the whispering in your ear is Maddie trying to prevent her brother from returning to work, using you to destroy his career in the hope he'll pick something safer. She's manipulative enough to use you, via Chimney, as the delivery vehicle. The ER doctor, the one who probably gave you that report, has already been fined for breaching HIPPA by giving information, albeit wrong information, to Maddie, even though she's not his medical proxy, next of kin, or power of attorney." With a long sigh, Eddie stated, "Maddie interfered with his first surgery, and she was removed as his secondary medical proxy since she used that position to abuse Buck's trust. The doctor should have spoken to his primary medical proxy before making any decisions, and the surgeon Buck went to for a second opinion after his release from the hospital has already reported his first surgeon for malpractice. That's why Buck returned to the hospital for a second surgery a few days after his release."
Athena wisely asked, "Who is his medical proxy, next of kin, and power of attorney?"
Eddie smirked and said, "Me."
She narrowed her eyes and asked, "How permanent is the need for blood thinners?"
The younger man stated, "They are only needed for a few more weeks. He has an outpatient surgery scheduled to remove the screws in his ankle; that will stop the build-up of blood clots, as the clots are his body having an adverse reaction to the hardware. Something that was clearly stated in the report sent to the LAFD with his clearance for active duty." Eddie narrowed his eyes at his captain and asked, "Were you aware that when Buck was released from the hospital the first time, he was given nothing for blood clot prevention, and it was discovered by the surgeon we went to for a second opinion, that nothing was done for clot prevention while he was in the hospital. I even questioned the nurses while I was visiting Buck, and they blew me off, saying it's being handled and to not worry about it." He saw the anger on Athena's face and reassured, "Buck's lawyer has already settled out of court for the malpractice."
There was silence at the table after the truth bomb Eddie had just laid down. After a few minutes, Eddie said, "Bobby, I say this with all due respect, but if you don't pull your head out of your ass, you're going to lose both of us. I only agreed to join the 118 because Buck was there. I promised I would always have his back, and I can't do that if he's working at a different station."
Bobby said, "He needs time to slow down. He never thinks before he acts, and one day it's going to get him and those with him killed; he's impulsive and reckless."
Eddie gave him a funny look and said, "Just because he can think fast and come up with plans at the drop of a hat doesn't make him reckless or impulsive."
The captain shook his head. "He's still that reckless kid I met when he was a probie; nothing's changed."
Eddie chuckled. "When do you think I met Buck, Bobby?"
"During your probation year," Bobby answered confidently.
"Nope," Eddie denied. "I met him in 2010. I was freaking out because my parents had just called to tell me the girl I had a one-night stand with was pregnant, and I had to marry her. They presented it as a fait accompli; they weren't giving either of us a choice. Buck calmed me down and talked me through several options that didn't involve me marrying a girl I barely knew."
Athena asked, "He was in Texas?"
Eddie laughed. "No. He was in Afghanistan with his SEAL team. They were working a mission from our base, and Buck was hiding out behind the med tent. It was private, and he could read for a few hours to get some downtime without the rest of his team interrupting him constantly. Only his CO knew he would hide there. I used to go there to think or to hide when things became a bit much. Anyway, Buck's plan helped; we hired a family lawyer, another of his recommendations, and we ironed out a custody agreement where we would co-parent. Shannon would have primary custody while I was deployed, then when I retired, I would take over as the primary parent, and she would have occasional visitation. She really didn't want to be a mother, and the only reason she didn't abort was because she was catholic."
She asked, "What was his role in his team?"
Eddie replied, "I can't say much because most of his missions were classified, but he was the team's XO and the demolition expert. He and his CO would work together to create the plans for the teams to execute. From the missions he was able to tell me about, they worked mostly infiltration and rescue, which is why he's so good at coming up with rescue plans on the fly, and how he was able to save Christopher and dozens of others during the tsunami."
Athena shrewdly asked, "Just how close are you both, Eddie?"
Eddie pulled out his necklace from under his shirt, and they could see a black ring with vibrant red opal running down the center next to his St. Christopher medal. He explained, "We got married while I was in the academy. I filed the paperwork for both of us before I graduated; it included our marriage certificate and a change of address details, since we bought a house together."
Bobby tried to think back to Buck's first year, and he asked, "Wasn't that when he was dating Abby?"
"No," Eddie said honestly. "He went on one date with Abby, it was a blind date on Valentine's Day, and he ended up choking on a piece of bread and was taken to the hospital after the woman performed a highly dangerous tracheotomy on him with a steak knife rather than trying the Heimlich or attempting to pull the bread out first. Luckily, Buck wasn't damaged permanently by what she did. The hospital called me as I was still listed as the next of kin on his license, and that's when he discovered I wasn't dead like he'd been told."
Athena gave him an incredulous look and said, "You can't just leave the story there, boyo."
Bobby nodded and said, "I agree. It's like a cliffhanger on Claws."
Eddie sighed and demanded, "This stays between us. I don't want it out there as gossip fodder." When they both nodded, he explained, "By the time Buck injured out of the SEALs, we'd been together for a few years, on the quiet, because while DADT had been repealed, it didn't make the attitudes go away. We were engaged, and we'd decided that when Buck got back stateside once he'd recovered, he'd travel around, see the places he'd always wanted to see, then when my contract was up, we'd meet up in El Paso, and he'd finally meet Christopher. However, when my helo was shot down and I was injured, the wrong report was sent back stateside, and Buck was in Peru when he was notified that I'd been killed in action. By the time anyone realized what had happened, he'd smashed his phone in his grief and dropped off the face of the Earth. When I talked to him after we met again, his phone was the only way he had to log in to his email, Skype, and the few other ways I had to reach him. All his passwords were stored in the phone. By the time he got back to the States, the time had lapsed for him to reactivate his phone account, so he had to get a new number, which he did when he joined the academy." He sighed and said sadly, "The Buck you met, the guy you both met, he was ruined by grief, and rather than fester in his rage at the world for taking me away, he went off the rails. Which I completely understand; I did something similar when I woke up and found out what they'd done. I knew it would break Buck, and there was nothing I could do to prevent it. I tried his email, Skype, everything I could think of, and nothing. I even called Maddie, but unfortunately got Doug, who informed me that the waste of space that was her brother wouldn't dare call the house."
Bobby asked, "How long was there between you getting shot down and you finding Buck again?"
Eddie said, "About 18 months. I took him home from the hospital after a small argument with Abby, and within a week, we were house hunting. He was honest about what he'd been doing since he'd been told of my death."
Bobby frowned and said, "It was all over dispatch that Abby was dating Buck, and that she'd abandoned him when she left for her European Eat Pray Love tour."
Eddie muttered, "More like Eat, Prey, Love…"
Athena snorted and said, "Now you have to explain that."
The younger man said, "She straight up stalked him. He told me about her calling him after they'd had hard calls. And she'd been trying to wrangle a date with him, even though he kept blowing her off and saying he just wanted a friend. Eventually, she talked a mutual friend into setting up a blind date. Buck was not happy that she was the woman waiting for him; it was why he accidentally choked on the bread. He was so angry he wasn't paying attention to what he was eating. She got his number from the call where he used the sirens to rescue that little girl, the one where he saved Athena with the hose." He noticed the scowl on Athena's face, and correctly guessing what she was angry about, he said, "Buck reported the breach in his privacy after she left. If Abby returns, she won't be welcome to work at the dispatch centers in LA."
Bobby said, "I can rescind my recommendation that he remain on light duty."
Eddie nodded. "Honestly. It's up to Buck from here on out. He's going to be feeling pretty betrayed right now, with good reason. You'll have to regain his trust, which will be an uphill battle. As I said earlier, we've got offers from several captains willing to take us both on." He looked down at his hands, then with a huff, he looked Bobby in the eyes and asked, "Why would he stay?"
Bobby asked, "What do you mean?"
"Through my probation year, I kept my mouth shut," Eddie said bluntly. "Purely because my husband asked me to. You've got Hen, who treats Buck like he's a naughty puppy who needs to be smacked with a newspaper because he piddled on the mat, Chimney, who is caustic as fuck to Buck, playing it off as some form of humor, but honestly, I'm not laughing. What really pisses me off is that Buck said he's toned it down since he met Maddie, and it surprises me that nothing's been done about it. Then there is you, who constantly holds him back. Did you know that most of the ideas I put forward for rescues in the last year were Buck's ideas, but he knew you'd shoot them down just because he recommended them, so Buck walked me through the plans so I could recommend them, knowing you'd trust my experience, even though he has more, and even more chest candy. Then you have the rest of the station, who takes their lead from the three of you. They treat him like a Himbo Ken doll who wants to play at firefighting. He's the most qualified firefighter in the station; he even has more qualifications than you. He has a master's degree in fire science and a second degree in emergency management; his thesis is currently required reading in one of the academy courses that deals with natural disasters. The name of the course escapes me right now, but the thesis was on how big city first responders deal with large natural disasters."
Athena suggested, "What if you arrange a temporary transfer to another station for Buck and Eddie, and Bobby gets in floaters that will show the station just what they've chased away. The LAPD knows that the 118 is the team to call when you have a difficult rescue because of you and Buck, Eddie. Your reputation outside of the 118 speaks for itself, and I think those in the station have got complaisant about the station's upgrade in status since Buck joined." She turned to her husband and said, "And while they are on their temporary assignment, you need to get all the therapy to learn how to separate your surrogate son from your firefighter when you're at work."
Eddie suggested, "If you need to talk that through with someone, I can give you the number for Owen Strand. He's just transferred to Austin, Texas, with TK, his son. They've been working together since TK graduated from his probation year. Owen can separate son from subordinate when they are on the job. Owen is Buck's adoptive dad, and TK is his adoptive younger brother. The Strands adopted Buck after Maddie left for college. I think Owen is somehow related to Buck's egg donor, but I'm not sure of the exact details. Buck never mentions it, and it's still a sore subject years later." He took a deep breath and said, "I'll agree to a temporary transfer if you get therapy and talk to Owen, and I'll talk Buck into it. However, while we are gone, you need to work on Hen and Chim and how they treat Buck because if they pull the same shit when we return, or even if we are on the same call, I will drop a similar truth bomb to them, and it will be loud and very public. Trust me when I say I won't hold back, no matter how embarrassed Buck gets."
Bobby nodded his agreement. "I'll try. I do want to ask something though. You mentioned Buck has more chest candy than you?"
Eddie smirked. "You talked about my Silver Star when you introduced me on my first day. But Buck has the Navy Cross, which is the highest medal you can earn in the Navy for Valor that's not a Medal of Honour. He also has the marksmanship medals." He glanced down at his watch and noticed it was getting close to Christopher's bedtime, so he pulled out his phone and ordered an Uber, then said, "I need to get home; it's my turn for story time tonight. Athena, thanks for the meal, Bobby; get therapy, and I'll send you Owen's contact details in the morning."
They all stood, and Bobby said, "Let me know what station you end up choosing for the transfer, and I'll talk over exchange options with the captain."
Eddie saluted and left. The driver recognized his need for silence, and Eddie made sure to give him a good tip when he got home. When he got inside, he found Buck pacing the living room while a bemused Christopher alternated between reading on the sofa and watching Buck pace.
When he heard Eddie clear his throat, Christopher looked up and asked, "What happened at the dinner, Dad? Papa was so angry when he got home."
Eddie wasn't quite sure how to explain it to his son, so he eventually said, "Mostly, a miscommunication."
Buck sounded incredulous when he demanded, "A miscommunication? How?"
"Maddie," Eddie said bluntly. "Bobby was under the impression that you pushed your rehab too hard and you caused your blood clots. He was unaware that it was the hardware, mostly because she's been pushing Chim to whisper in Bobby's ear. Cap has agreed to a temporary transfer to see if he can get the team to wake up and smell the coffee. When we choose a house to take us in, he's going to talk to them about making it an exchange with an eye to the transfer being permanent if things don't change."
Buck asked, "So tomorrow we start making calls to the captains that have offered to take us and see who's willing to work on a temporary transfer to start with." He wanted to say more, but he was aware of Christopher watching them both like a hawk, so he said, "Christopher, it's your bedtime."
Christopher said, "Fine, but I want to hear more about your transfer tomorrow, please, Papa."
"Deal," Buck agreed. "I'll tell you what I can when we pick you up from school."
Once Christopher was in bed and asleep after a few chapters of Percy Jackson, Eddie flopped down on the sofa beside his husband and said, "He's down for the count."
Buck asked, "What happened after I left? I didn't think you would be so far behind me."
The older man smiled and said, "I dropped the world's biggest truth bomb on our captain. With Athena's help, his eyes were opened to how badly he and the team have treated you, not just over your return to work but in general. He's agreed to get therapy and is interested in talking to Owen about a better work vs. friends balance with you."
Buck leaned in, kissed him gently, and said, "Thanks, corazón. It's comforting knowing that no matter what's going on, I can count on you to have my back. So, what house are we going to call first?"
Eddie shrugged. "I figured we'd start with the ones closer to us and work our way outwards. I was thinking on the ride home, we should mention a three-month transfer, which will give Bobby a chance to clear things up, especially in regards to our qualifications."
Buck chuckled, "I don't think most of the house realizes that if we're not there, the 118 loses its status as a backup for the SAR bureaus, since no one else has the heavy rescue qualifications we do. Well, depending on who transfers to take our place, and if Bobby is smart, he'll take on two heavy rescue assets with less qualifications than we do, or at least one of them will."
Eddie said, "I'm glad you talked me into those extra courses during my probation year." He had a thought and said, "And I certainly won't miss working with Bosko. She keeps inviting me out for drinks, and I've lost count of how many times I've told her I'm not interested."
Buck admitted, "It's not just drinks, Eds. Do you remember me telling you about the fight club I went to when I thought you were dead? She was a regular at one of the junkyard fights. It surprises me that she's a firefighter, given how often she got injured. Invites for drinks from that crowd were normally introductions for new members. I'm betting she's seen you on the heavy bag at work, and it's obvious to anyone who watches you that you'd know your way around a ring."
Eddie scowled, "That explains her ignoring broken ribs during the tsunami and wanting to go out and search for her captain. She didn't seem to understand just how dangerous that was for her and others if they'd been forced to rescue her from her stupidity."
-x-
The following morning, after Christopher was dropped off at school, the two men pulled out the various business cards they'd collected over the years, but before they could make any calls, Buck's phone rang with a name he'd never expected to see. He answered it, "Tommy?"
He put the phone on speaker so they could both talk to him. Tommy said, "A little birdie tells me you're looking for a temporary transfer… for now."
Buck frowned and asked, "Did that little birdie mention I was looking for a transfer for myself and my husband?"
"He did," Tommy reassured. "I take it Eddie is there listening?"
Eddie confirmed. "I am. I'm not sure who I am listening to exactly though."
Tommy said, "I'm Captain Tommy Kinard of Station 217. I have a new heavy rescue pair willing to transfer for three months to get your point across. Buck, you tutored them for their basic heavy rescue qualifications while you were on sick leave."
Buck asked, "The Gilmores? I'm not sure that's a great idea; I don't think some members of the 118 would understand Blake and their pronouns for starters. Bobby will end up having to send half the shift in for sensitivity training before the end of the first week."
Tommy snickered. "And that's a bad thing? For all Bobby's efforts, a lot of Gerard's teachings are still prevalent at the 118. The Gilmores might be the last push to weed out those who need the extra training. It'll make it easier for you two to come out, should you decide to. As far as I'm aware, no one at the 118, aside from Bobby now, knows that the two of you got married before Eddie was done at the academy. I only know because I looked you both up properly before I made the call. After reading your files and your collective experiences, I can see why Bobby is spitting tacks at the others at the 118 that have alienated the pair of you."
Buck frowned. "They haven't, not really."
Eddie put his hand over Buck's and said, "Cariño, they have. They treat you like a dumb himbo blond who is just around for muscle. They need a wake-up call, and I think, based on what the two of you are saying, the Gilmores will be exactly what they need."
Tommy explained, "Blake Gilmore is non-binary, uses they/them pronouns, and refuses point blank to answer questions about their gender identity, nor do they respond to gender-specific pronouns. Their husband, Rodrigo, is proudly pansexual."
Eddie snickered. "Chim will not handle that well at all." He glanced at his husband, and when he got a nod, he asked, "What do we need to make this happen?"
Buck added, "The sooner it can happen, the better."
Tommy asked, "Buck, what about your surgery? Bobby mentioned you were getting your screws out in a few weeks."
"I am," the younger man confirmed. "But I scheduled it for the first day of Eddie's four days off. So it should be fine when we return to work as long as we are on the same rotation."
The captain confirmed, "The Gilmores are also on the A shift rotation, so it's a straight swap. Eddie's currently on two days off, so how about instead of returning to the 118, you come here instead, and I'll send Blake and Rodrigo to the 118. I'll also arrange for Buck to be transferred to me from the fire marshal's office. You'll just need to pick up your gear from the 118. I'd recommend grabbing Buck's turnouts; if I remember correctly, he's all leg, so it might take a while to order new ones."
Eddie said, "That's fine; they're already in my locker since they gave Buck's to Bosko. I'll go in later today and grab our gear while C shift are on. They're less likely to say anything to A shift about me packing our locker."
Buck asked, "Do we need to get in touch with Bobby?"
Tommy said, "Leave that with me; I'll contact him and let him know he's got the Gilmores for three months and to take care of them. I should be honest and let you know that the Gilmores are aware of the low opinion many at the 118 have of you, Buck. They are determined to show them that they are idiots for dismissing you like that. I've told them to have at it because if that shit had gone on in my firehouse, I'd have had them in sensitivity courses until their few brain cells leaked out their ears."
Buck flushed and murmured, "Thanks, Tommy. It's appreciated. They should inform them that the station's status has been dropped, with both of us transferring to the 217. That they are no longer backup for SAR since the Gilmores don't yet have the same qualifications we do."
They could both hear the glee in the captain's voice as he said, "Oh, I'll make sure they hammer that point in. I remember Bobby saying he was glad Eddie had done all the extra certifications for heavy rescue when I saw him at the last captain's lunch. It meant there was no drop in status while Buck was in recovery."
Eddie snarked, "Chim might actually have to do some work now. They'll likely get more medical calls than we did as SAR backup."
Buck sighed and admitted, "You should probably warn the Gilmores about Chim's hazing. He chased away the three probies before me, and Eddie's nearly let him have it a few times. He just kept his sass to himself because I asked nicely."
"I'll see you both in a few days," Tommy said before he hung up.
Buck ended the call, and before Eddie could say anything, he called Bobby. When the captain answered, Buck said, "Thank you."
Bobby asked, "Tommy called you already?"
Eddie confirmed, "He did. As you know, it's a straight swap, so you'll have the Gilmores at what would have been my next shift in two days. I'm going to go in before I pick up Christopher to pack our gear."
Bobby said, "I'll drop it off to you in an hour or so. I stopped in to process the transfer paperwork. It's officially in the system as an exchange, and I've let the chief know why we are doing the exchange."
The younger man said, "I hope you have the dates for the sensitivity courses memorized; I can see Chim being the first to need it when he makes a joke about Blake's gender identity or accuses Rodrigo of being a slut because he's Pansexual."
Eddie asked, "He did that to you?"
"Within an hour of finding out I am pan," Buck said dryly. "It's when the slut shaming really started."
When Bobby arrived at the house an hour later with two duffle bags, Eddie showed him to the living room where Buck was waiting.
Bobby said, "I'm sorry, Buck. I've already signed up for therapy with Frank; he's a PTSD specialist with the department. Eddie was right; I was mixing my trauma around losing my kids with you being blown up, and that's not healthy. I've also talked to the Chief about what I did, and he's added a formal reprimand to my file and warned me to learn better ways to cope with major incidents like the bombing. He's also completely on board with the plan to shape up the house regarding their attitudes towards other firefighters. He was not aware of the hazing that still existed and how I was being hamstrung in dealing with the perpetrators purely because of the previous captain."
Buck nodded. "From what Hen has said, Gerard sounds like a toxic ass who shouldn't have made it to the rank of captain." He turned to Eddie and explained, "He believed firefighters should only be white, big, and buff. Anyone else assigned to the station as diversity hires, like Chim, Taneka, and Hen, were basically pushed into quitting."
Bobby said, "I was brought in to clean up the house, but there were conditions on how that could be done. I didn't think much of them at the time, but then I had no idea that hazing would be overlooked because of who was doing it. The chief has removed all the restrictions, and I've been told that he can arrange for the entire shift to do a personalized sensitivity training if needed."
Buck snickered. "Do it anyway. It'll prevent more incidents like that time when Chim nearly got his clock cleaned by Trixie Normous at the drag club we were called to because he kept calling her he."
Eddie shook his head. "That's who she was ranting about that night? I thought she was mistaken; I didn't think anyone at the 118 was that fucking dumb."
Bobby admitted, "A formal complaint was sent in, but nothing came of it because of who it was about."
Buck said, "Tommy said he's going to get the Gilmores to be blunt as fuck about what the 118 are throwing away and how their stupidity has removed their SAR backup status. Blake seriously has no fucks to give and they are protective of me after I helped them get through their heavy rescue certifications."
The captain said, "After a month, I'll arrange a barbecue at home for the 118, you guys and Tommy. It'll ostensibly be to celebrate you being back to full health after your final surgery and are off the blood thinners. Hopefully, most of the 118 will have realized just how much they have lost with the two of you working at the 217 by that point."
Buck admitted, "I'm just glad to be done with the fire marshal job. It was so boring."
The two other men laughed at Buck's confession. Bobby said, "I'll say it repeatedly until I'm blue in the face; I'm sorry for putting my trauma response onto you, causing you even more health issues."
Buck pulled Bobby into a hug and said, "I forgive you. Just... just don't do it again."
Eddie said, "I think Athena would castrate him with a blunt and rusty spoon if he tried."
When the hug was done, Eddie passed over a piece of paper and said, "This is the contact details for Buck's Dad, Owen Strand. He's the best person to talk to about working with family, since he's worked with his son since TK was 19."
Buck nodded. "Almost ten years now. Dad adopted me when I was eight, when my bioparents gave me up for adoption after my sister went to college. I don't think Maddie even realized I was never around when she visited after that; we've never actually discussed it.. or much about our childhoods."
Eddie muttered, "She doesn't discuss much that isn't about her, what she wants, or what she expects you to do."
Bobby looked uncomfortable when he admitted, "He's not wrong."
-x-
By the time the barbecue rolled around, Buck and Eddie had been at the 217 for just over six weeks. It had taken a while to get the dates lined up on a weekend so everyone could attend, including the 118 kids. Buck took longer than expected to finish making Abuela's tamales, making Buck, Eddie, and Christopher one of the last groups to arrive. It was his first time making them without her assistance, so he wasn't overly surprised; he'd been up since dawn getting everything done in time. They'd also picked up Tommy and Alicia, Tommy's fiancé, on the way to Athena and Bobby's since it was on the way.
When they walked in, Athena had barely had time to take the platter of tamales when they got out to the backyard before Maddie stormed over to Buck and demanded, "Why did you return to firefighting?"
Tommy had dragged his fiancé over to meet Bobby, and Christopher had beelined for Harry and Denny as soon as they got outside, so it was just Buck and Eddie facing the onslaught. Buck gave her an unimpressed look and said, "I returned because I was cleared to return to active duty by several doctors and two psych reports." He scowled and said, "Just because you browbeat a doctor into giving a false report that said I shouldn't return doesn't mean he was right. He was, in fact, so wrong he was fined for that false report that you gave to Bobby."
Eddie muttered, "Mostly for the HIPPA breach, not the false information he put in it."
"It's too dangerous," Maddie interjected as she ignored Eddie's muttering. "You need to find a safer job."
Buck huffed. "No, I don't. You're not actually my mother, and—"
Eddie put a hand on his husband's arm, and when Buck stopped talking, he asked, "Will you be asking Chim to quit? Since the job is too dangerous?"
Maddie shook her head. "Of course not; he has more qualifications and experience."
Eddie held up his hand before she could continue and said, "Actually, he doesn't… on both counts. When you factor in his military experience, Buck has more rescue experience than most people at the 118; as for qualifications, Buck has a master's degree in fire science and a degree in emergency management. He's the most certified member of the 118 when it comes to heavy rescue. I am close behind him; I'm just waiting for an opening on a swift water course so I can catch up."
Chim scoffed. "He doesn't have military experience; he's just been exaggerating."
Eddie sassed, "One doesn't lie about being a Navy SEAL, Chim. Buck was a SEAL for six years before he was injured; he spent two years traveling after his honorable discharge before he joined the LAFD."
Bobby had approached and said, "It's in his records, Chim. Those came directly from the Navy when he applied for the academy. Especially since the experience helped him test out of some of the courses."
Maddie snarked, "Why are you speaking for him, Eddie? Can't he speak for himself these days?"
Eddie shrugged and said, "That's what husbands do; they back up their spouse when others try to bring them down."
The entire barbecue was silent with that announcement. Karen whispered, "Mic drop!"
Eddie winked at the rocket scientist before he said, "Before you start spouting some shit about it being too soon or some such nonsense, we've been married since I was in the academy, and we've been a couple since 2010. That's when I met him in Afghanistan."
Buck sighed and said, "Well, there was that two-year period where I thought you were dead, and I was not handling my grief well." He saw the others watching and explained, "It was apparently a mix-up with the dog tags. By the time they realized they'd done a notification on the wrong person, I'd already smashed my phone, and they had no other way to get hold of me."
Maddie protested, "I still think you should find a safer job. Something that won't cause the rest of us heart attacks when you go to work."
"Get therapy, Maddie," Buck demanded. "I shouldn't have to deal with the burden of you not dealing with your trauma. I said the same to Bobby, and he took my advice to heart, and we are doing much better, but if you keep coming at me with this tired rhetoric, I'm going to cut all contact." He turned to Chim and said, "You also need therapy since you're all aboard the enabling Maddie's bullshit train."
Bobby said bluntly. "I agree, you both need therapy. I did it, and I'm still standing. I even talked to Buck's dad about how he works with his other son and the ways he handles that both on and off the job."
Maddie exclaimed, "Our father isn't a firefighter."
Buck snorted. "Your father isn't, mine is. I was put up for adoption the day you left for college. I was adopted by a firefighter in New York the day after you left. I'm not sure how they arranged it so fast, and I really don't want to know. But Owen was a great dad to me and TK. He's my little brother; he's a few years younger than me."
Maddie just looked poleaxed, so Bobby said, "You both need to leave." When Maddie looks at Buck expectantly, the captain said, "I meant you and Chim, Maddie. You're the ones causing a disruption, and until you both get an attitude adjustment, you're not welcome back."
Chim demands, "You've got to be kidding?"
"Dead serious, Chim," The captain replied. "We want to celebrate Buck's return to full health, since he's no longer on the blood thinners, and you're both making that difficult."
The two of them saw that the rest of the party was in agreement, so they packed their things and flounced out of the Grant-Nash house.
Hen approached the pair, pulled Buck into a hug, and whispered, "Sorry for treating you like a dumb blond. I had no idea I was even doing it until someone pointed it out to me."
Buck grinned and asked, "Taneka?"
She nodded. "She was pretty blunt to most of the station during the course we were forced on. Apparently, she wouldn't have gotten through her last few training courses if it wasn't for you."
Buck chuckled. "Taneka would have done fine, but she was nervous since they were outside her comfort zone. As it is, she aced one of the courses, and that's all her." He glanced at the Gilmores and asked, "How's things with Blake and Rodrigo?"
Hen said, "It's been entertaining. I think Chim has the record for the most threats for sensitivity training, followed closely by Beal."
Buck rolled his eyes and said, "Threats are well and good, but what's the point if they don't actually have to go."
Hen grinned. "They are going though, Buck. The threats have been to make them go over and over again until they actually learn something." She glanced across the yard where some of the older members of the 118 were hanging out in a small group. She admitted, "I think some are going to get forcibly transferred out of the 118. Even after we were all put through the sensitivity training, some in the house won't learn without someone to ride them 24/7 when they are on shift. Bobby might have developed a bigger backbone now that he can actually log reprimands; it won't be enough for some."
Eddie grinned and said, "Good."
Hen nudged Eddie and asked, "So, you're married?"
Eddie snarked, "You're just mad you didn't figure it out yourself. We both know about the bet you've got on when we'll get together."
Buck said, "It's been entertaining from our point of view, especially when we would do things like snuggle on the couches in the loft, and no one would say anything in case they screwed up their bet."
Karen whispered, "I would have won the bet because I would have put money on the fact that you were already together. No one makes reciprocal heart eyes like that without a relationship in the mix."
Eddie hugged Karen and said, "We need more wine nights when these two are working."
Over the rest of the night, most of the 118 approached Buck and Eddie, letting them know they were missed on shift and that they were glad to see Buck back on the job, even if it was with Tommy, whom many of them had worked with before. Tommy and the Gilmores made it clear over the evening that if the 118 didn't smarten up their act, the 217 would be happy to keep Buck and Eddie permanently. The boys had made it apparent to all that they were a package deal; to take one of them was to take both of them.
-x-
Eighteen months later, Buck, Eddie, Hen, and Bobby were in San Angelo. A large wildfire had been spreading fast, now spread over 180,000 acres with less than 5% containment. When Buck found out the call had gone out for help, he pushed Bobby into sending a small team.
Bobby said, "I've already put the request in. I'll put the call out for volunteers as soon as it's approved. I think Tommy is doing the same. Owen told me the chief was putting out an all-call to neighboring states."
Buck pulled out his phone and checked it, and still no new text from TK. They texted a few times a week, but he'd been radio silent for a few days now.
Bobby sighed, "The 126 is one of the teams that were sent to help out in San Angelo; they've been run ragged with how this fire is spreading. Owen said he tried to call you last night to explain, but he went straight to voicemail, so he called me."
Buck said, "Sign us up. We just need to sort out childcare for Christopher."
Bobby said, "I've already talked to Athena; she said for the days Carla can't take him, she will. I think if Hen comes, Karen and Athena will pool their resources for Denny and Harry, so one more kid won't be a problem."
Buck said, "Just let me know when we're leaving, and I'll make sure we're both ready to go."
Bobby said, "If it happens, we'll be leaving tomorrow, and you'll have a few hours to get your go bags and sort out Christopher."
The younger man said, "I'll let Eddie and Hen know what's happening."
A few days later, they were standing together, waiting for the briefing to start so they could get their team assignments. Hen nudged Buck and said, "Stop staring."
Buck smirked and said, "I'm not staring."
Eddie looked at his husband, across to the group he was staring at, then asked, "Then what are you doing?"
Buck said, "I'm trying to glare my little brother into submission for ignoring my phone calls."
Hen asked, "TK's in that group?"
With a grin, Buck nodded. "He's the one next to Judd; he's the tall one. His boyfriend, Carlos, should be around here somewhere too. He's a police officer based in Austin; apparently, they also got called in to help with the evacuations in San Angelo."
The briefing finished, and TK ran over and tackled his brother. He said, "I haven't been ignoring your calls, Buck. I kinda sorta dropped my phone while we were dealing with one of the lava fires; the lava ate it. I haven't had time to get a replacement."
Eddie snorted from beside his husband. "You two are definitely brothers."
Buck protested, "I wouldn't drop my phone in lava, Eds."
"No, but a tsunami killed yours a few years back," Eddie replied pointedly. "And I remember TK getting on your case about not replacing it straight away."
Bobby approached the group and said, "Buck, Eddie, you two are going with," He glanced down at the post-it he'd been given and said, "Firefighters Ryder and Marwani. There is a camp for at-risk youth in the hills; they haven't reported in since last night. Eight kids, one counselor, and no cell phones. Hen, you're going to the med tent to cover for the 126 ambulance crew who are offsite right now."
TK muttered, "They're at Tim's funeral."
Buck murmured, "He's the one who died when the lava bomb hit?" When TK nodded, Buck pulled him in for another hug and said, "I'm sorry for your loss, TK."
Hen asked, "What about you, Bobby?"
Bobby said, "I'm taking the rest of the 126 and the 217 to the fire line to dig a fire break since Owen's stuck in the command tent with De Leon."
They split off to do their tasks for the day, and when Bobby returned from the fire line with the two crews hours later, he found Buck, Eddie, Judd, and Marjan pacing beside the command tent. The captain asked, "What's going on?"
Buck wanted to explain, but Eddie got in first, "Captain Strand and Hen were in the helicopter that crashed beyond the fire line. We've all volunteered to go up and search for them, but Chief De Leon has refused our request. He says it's too dangerous and not worth it since the beacon is coming from two miles inside the burn zone."
Bobby pulled out his phone and called Chief Alonzo; when the chief answered, he walked into the command tent and demanded, "What's this about you refusing to let my team go up and search for my paramedic."
From the phone, Alonzo demanded, "What the hell is going on, Nash."
De Leon protested, "It's too dangerous, they probably didn't make it, and it's just putting your team at too high a risk."
Judd stalked in behind Bobby and said, "Teams, both the 118 from LA and the 126 from Austin are willing to go up and search for our captain and paramedic. Both teams have assets certified in wildfire rescue. Hell, Buck and Eddie are more certified than most smoke jumpers."
De Leon said, "That doesn't change the fact that it's my call, and I say they aren't going."
From the phone, Chief Alonzo said, "Are you telling me, Assistant Chief De Leon, that you refuse to allow the firefighters I've loaned you to search for one of my firefighters that you've lost? I'll make sure to notify the press that it was your call that killed one of ours. I'll also pull out the rest of our crews since they would be at too much risk to fight the wildfire with someone who won't use their resources effectively."
De Leon demanded, "Just who the hell are you?"
"Chief Tom Alonzo," came from the phone. "Chief of the LAFD. By the way, I've just emailed your chief and let them know just how unhappy I am with your lack of willingness to act in this situation."
Chief De Leon sounded defeated when he said, "Go. It's clear I have no choice in the matter."
Bobby ushered them out, and when he noticed Tommy and his crew standing with the other firefighters, he said, "We'll be taking the 217 up for extra manpower. It depends on what state we find Hen and Owen in when we get back as to whether we stick around or not."
They ran for the engines; Buck had already liberated the keys for all three engines and rounded up the 217, 118, and 126, so they were ready to go as soon as Bobby and Judd arrived with authorization to leave.
As they drove up, TK vented, "That bastard said that Dad would agree with his call to not send out a rescue party. He's beyond wrong."
From the 118 engine, Buck said, "Dad would have been first in line for the rescue party."
Judd said, "I've already sent a message to Chief Radford about De Leon. I also mentioned Chief Alonzo having to blackmail him before he would authorize the rescue party."
Paul was quick to spot the shirt hanging up outside the mine when they were searching around the crash site, and they found Owen, Hen, and the unconscious pilot holed up inside an abandoned mine.
Hen said, "We've all got concussions; the pilot is obviously worse than us, and Owen is worse than me since he's hallucinating. But I think we'll be fine with a bit of rest."
Tommy suggested, "We can take the pilot; we've got more room and a functional paramedic who can treat him on the trip back to base. We'll take him straight to the local hospital, which can treat him more effectively than the med tent."
Bobby said, "We'll take Owen, and Marjan can swap places with Buck; Eddie can keep Owen stable on the drive down, and that way, TK can help Hen since he's a paramedic, and Buck and TK will not be tempted to try and work on their dad."
TK tried to protest, but Buck pushed him toward the 126 truck and said, "Don't argue with Bobby when he has that look on his face. It's like arguing with a brick wall." He and Paul supported Hen and helped her up into the truck.
Hen murmured, "I'm fine, guys. Just tired."
TK said, "Yeah, that's the smoke inhalation speaking."
Buck asked, "What about hypoxia? They'd blocked the entrance pretty well with the sticks of ancient dynamite." He glared at Hen and said, "What have I told you about playing with old explosives."
"Don't," She replied dryly. "We had no other choice, Buck. The mine was about to fill with smoke, and we had no other way to block the entrance."
Buck sat back in his seat and said, "I know. I don't have to like it, but I do understand. I just wish I'd been with you."
She scowled, although the effect was lost with the oxygen mask, and said, "So you could have been trapped with us?"
"So I could have created an exit vent for the carbon monoxide," Buck replied. "It's why you feel so crap right now. And why you'll likely be on bed rest for at least the rest of today while the medics get your oxygen levels back to normal."
TK said, "Actually, I'll be prescribing bedrest for the concussion mostly. It's not a bad one, but enough to need monitoring."
Buck promised, "While you're recovering, we'll tell you all about Bobby helping to blackmail the IC into letting us rescue you."
Hen gave him a wicked side-eye, and sounding incredulous, she demanded, "Bobby, our Bobby?"
Buck snickered. "Athena would be so proud. When he realized the deputy chief was blocking our rescue attempts, he called Chief Alonzo, who threatened the IC with bad press coverage until he let us take the trucks into the fire."
Paul said, "While it was risky, all three crews had enough personnel with the right experience to keep us all safe."
TK snarked, "My brother, the overachiever, has the most certifications of any firefighter I know. He never stops learning."
Judd drawled, "It's not a bad way to be, and the way LA likes to punish its first responders with natural disasters, it's a good thing."
Hen started laughing and said, "You have no idea just how true that is. Especially for our Buckaroo… What's the count now, Buck?"
Buck rolled his eyes and said, "The only natural disaster that tried to kill me was the tsunami, and I wasn't even working that day."
"And yet you still saved dozens of people," She replied. "Including your own son. From everything I've heard about that day, you and Christopher should be dead. You were on the end of the pier when the tsunami hit; there was no warning klaxon, yet you both survived." She started counting on her fingers, "Plane crash in the ocean, full moon mass birth, 7.1 earthquake where you and Eddie climbed the leaning tower of hotel, and that's just the major stuff that I can think of with a concussion."
TK murmured, "You forgot the bombing, which resulted in a ladder truck landing on his leg."
Mateo commented, "Captain Nash told us about some of the big calls you've had in LA. I'm amazed you all survive living in one piece with what that city throws at you."
Hen asked TK, "You visited him in the hospital. You and Owen, I remember now that I've seen you both."
"We did," TK confirmed. "Eddie was keeping us updated, but we wanted to be sure and see he was okay with our own two eyes. We also visited after the embolism, and your captain is lucky Dad didn't sock him one for holding my brother back."
Hen nodded sadly. "Not his smartest move, but it had some good side effects later."
They pulled up outside the medical tent behind the 118 truck, and both crews got out, supporting their patients as they walked into the medical tent.
Tommy Vega, the paramedic captain in charge, demanded, "What the hell happened out there, Owen?"
Owen snorted and said, "We crashed, Bobby threatened De Leon, we got rescued before things got too bad."
Bobby refuted, "I didn't threaten him; I left that up to Chief Alonzo."
She got them set up with fluids and oxygen and prescribed rest. She also put the rest of the crews from the 118 and the 126 on a rest break since they'd been working since early in the morning, and thanks to the out-of-towners, the fire was almost back under control.
Bobby said, "You'll also need to pass the orders for rest onto Tommy Kinard. He's with the 217 from LA; they've been on the go just as much as us. They took the pilot to the local hospital since he was still unconscious from the crash."
Tommy nodded. "I already passed on the orders when I directed them to the hospital. They'll head straight to the tents when they get back. You guys can all chill out here, so I can check on Owen and Hen between patients in the main med tent."
When she left Owen nudged his son, TK, who asked, "Does this mean we can start to grill Buck and his team like a trout?"
Buck scowled and asked, "Why?"
"Because you never tell us anything substantial in our phone calls, Buck," Owen chided gently. "You said you'd tell us the major stuff next time we visited, but we've been flat out here between my cancer treatments and the politics around the move."
Judd said, "Next time you both want to visit, just say the word, and we'll all make sure you've got coverage for your shifts."
Owen smiled, "Thanks, Judd." He sat up straighter in his cot, making sure not to dislodge the oxygen mask, then asked, "So what was the fall out of Eddie's truth bomb and your transfer?"
Hen started laughing, which resulted in a coughing fit. She waved away help as she wheezed, "Truth bomb. I love it."
Bobby admitted, "I needed it. It was a wake-up call that ended up changing a lot of things at the 118. While Buck and Eddie were at the 217, the house was forced to undergo group sensitivity training, and those who didn't learn from it were mandated to take courses until they got the point. Two members of the house chose to retire rather than learn, and Chimney wasn't getting the point, but also didn't want to retire, so he was given the choice to transfer or leave. He demanded to know why he had to go. It was made clear to him that I had to decide between him or Buck and Eddie, as they were a package deal. I told him they were honestly the choice I would make given the qualifications and skills they collectively bring to the team. Chimney grudgingly chose to transfer to the 136 when they reopened after the repairs."
Mateo asked, "Reopened?"
Buck explained, "The firehouse was in the path of the tsunami, so it got slightly flattened and had to be demolished and rebuilt from scratch. Good thing too, it gave Captain Cooper time to get used to his prosthetic arm before he was back running the shift."
"And he was exactly what Chimney needed," Bobby interrupted. "He's a former Army officer who runs his crew like he used to run his army teams: strict and by the book."
Hen commented, "I miss working with Chim, but the new paramedic I got to choose is great."
Eddie added, "The hazing and slut shaming that was endemic in the house has almost completely stopped too. Now, we get actual jokes instead of the caustic levels of humor that was common in the house when I started there. And I still can't believe that Chimney was toned down from what he was like when Buck started."
TK asked, "What about your sister, Buck? You haven't mentioned her in a while."
"Because I haven't spoken to her in over a year," Buck said bluntly. "Maddie wouldn't stop harping on about how I needed to quit firefighting and bitching about how I got Chimney transferred. Oh, and she tried to force a reunion with my bioparents, and got pissed off when I called the police to report a breach of the restraining order I have. I told her if she couldn't respect my boundaries, she could join our genetic donors on my block list. The next time we spoke was just more bitching, so I hung up and blocked her."
Bobby said, "She's also on thin ice at work, since she'd been redirecting calls that should have been for the 118 to other houses that didn't have the resources for them. She was formally reprimanded when Sue, her boss, worked out what she'd been doing. Thankfully, none of the redirections resulted in a loss of life, but it was close for a few of them."
Owen asked, "So I should stop trying to convince you and Eddie to move to Austin?"
Buck smirked, "You should. I'm happy, Dad. I promise. I've got my husband, a team that feels like a family, and Christopher is thriving with all the extracurriculars we found for him."
Eddie added, "Plus, Austin is a little close to El Paso for my liking. My parents still haven't accepted our marriage, and if they found out we were in the same state, I'm sure they'd sue again for custody of our son."
Bobby said, "I'm not giving up the two of you without a fight, and we all know I'd sic Athena on anyone that actually steps up for the challenge."
Owen held up his hands and said, "I just want my boys happy. If it wasn't for Carlos, I'd send you TK for him to get experience working under a captain that isn't me."
Buck said, "How about you visit us in LA next time you get some free time."
Before Owen could protest, Judd said, "We'll make sure it happens, Buck. As the cap says to us, family is important."
Buck grinned, "The families we build can be the best things ever." He picked up Eddie's hand and kissed his palm, then said, "The family I chose is awesome, I wouldn't trade it for anything else in the world."