Chapter Text
Chapter 6
“Are you sure you’re comfortable taking him for the day?” Eddie asked, running his fingers through the short hairs at the base of his neck while Christopher made himself comfortable on Buck’s couch upstairs.
Buck snorted, looking between the two with a growing fondness he couldn’t seem to control. “Of course. You know he’s my favorite Diaz.” His grin widened when Eddie huffed out a pleased laugh and caught his hand. “Don’t worry about us. The shop is closed anyway, and Christopher and I can handle a day on our own. We’ll get breakfast, maybe see a movie. The pier is within walking distance too, so we have plenty of options.”
Eddie nodded, the tension slipping off his shoulders. “Thanks, Buck. With Carla out of town, I wasn’t sure what I was going to do for this twelve-hour shift. Sounds like you guys will have plenty of fun without me.”
“We will!” Christopher piped up with a wide smile, throwing his head back with a laugh at the faux-hurt look his father shot him.
Buck nudged Eddie toward the door. “Like I said, don’t worry. You just focus on staying safe on the job, alright? Let the team have your back.”
Eddie nodded, pressing close to kiss Buck goodbye and wave at Christopher. “Always. I’ll see you both tonight, alright? Thanks again.”
When Eddie was gone, Buck turned around with a twitch of his lips. “Alright, Superman, what’s first?”
“Pancakes!”
XX
Taking the stairs up to the Station’s loft two steps at a time, Eddie found himself whistling a tune he recognized as the song playing from Buck’s old-school radio during their dinner a few nights ago. Something slow and soft that kept the mood light but intimate, drawing the two closer together as they cooked side by side.
It was no surprise that Eddie wasn’t great in the kitchen, but Buck’s playful instructions, intersected by strong hands guiding his own across the cutting board, meant their dinner turned out better than Eddie could have anticipated. Their time together after all of the food was gone and cleaned up was even better than the meal.
“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say someone was—I dare say—happy this morning,” Hen’s voice broke Eddie out of his thoughts, and he shot her a glare in return.
Chimney smacked his gum, shaking his head on the couch beside his best friend with a mischievous grin. “Not possible; Eddie isn’t a morning person. Remember the last time we tried to have a conversation before he could make his morning coffee?”
“I thought it would turn into a bloodbath,” Bobby chuckled from the kitchen, pointing to the coffee maker. “It’s one of the reasons the pot is always full for you, Eddie.”
Eddie sighed, his shoulders slumping. “I can be in a good mood sometimes. It doesn’t mean the world is ending.”
Hen hopped up from her spot with a little too much glee on her face, Chimney following at her heels, and came to lean against the kitchen island. “Hmmm, not the end of the world, no. But an indication of something else going on? Absolutely.”
“So?” Chimney leaned forward, his elbows resting on the countertop. “Who’s the lucky lady? Or gentleman—we don’t judge here.”
Eddie sputtered, absolutely floored that his friends managed to get down to the root of the matter so quickly. It was unnerving. “What?”
“Hey, now,” Bobby frowned at them. “If Eddie isn’t ready to share his relationship with us just yet, we need to respect his decision.” He gave a slight dip of his chin, the corners of his lips twitching upward. “Just know that we’re happy you’re happy.”
“Why do you guys assume I’m in a relationship at all?” Eddie couldn’t help but ask, wincing at how snappish it came out. He wasn’t used to people prodding about his life and actually caring about the outcome. “I mean, I’m not any different, really.”
Three sets of eyebrows went up simultaneously around him, and a series of scoffs from the living room from the rest of A-shift could be heard.
Eddie crossed his arms, narrowing his eyes at everyone around him. “What?”
Hen and Chimney looked toward Bobby for his input, and their Captain let out a small sigh before setting his mug down. “Well, Eddie,” he started with exaggerated calm as if approaching a skittish horse, “I don’t know if you fully appreciate how far you've come in the last few months, not to mention weeks.”
Eddie scowled harder. “How far I’ve come? I’ve always been good at my job, Cap. That hasn’t changed.”
“I’m not talking about your performance, and I think you know that,” Bobby told him with a pointed glance. “In fact, I believe we’ve all taken significant strides into becoming more of a family than simply a team. While we used to trust each other to do our jobs, I think we can be confident that we all have each other’s backs now, in both our professional and personal lives.”
“I think we all know who to thank for that,” Hen grinned, resting his chin atop her fist. “Buckaroo has a way of bringing people together.”
Chimney nodded, a dreamy expression drifting over his face. “Like me and Maddie. We wouldn’t have ever crossed paths if Buck didn’t help me with Kevin.” He blinked, something occurring to him because he turned to look at Eddie. “Is that what’s going on here, you’ve made a friend? I didn’t think you and Buck got along outside of the few barbecues we’ve had at Bobby and Athena’s.”
Eddie couldn’t help the flush that crept across his cheeks. “We’ve been hanging out, yeah.”
Bobby, Hen, and Chimney all exchanged knowing, overly-excited looks. “Mhhhmmm,” Hen smirked. “And by ‘hanging out,’ you mean…”
Before Eddie could answer one way or another, the Station’s alarm rang above them.
“Alright, we’ll discuss this later,” Bobby clapped his hands together to bring their attention back to the job. “Let’s move out!”
XX
“Say ‘cheese!’”
The shutter sounded from Buck’s phone as he took a selfie of himself and Christopher—whose face was covered in chocolate from the devoured pancakes they had for breakfast.
Buck sent the picture off to Eddie before turning to the boy, his lips tilting upward in amusement. “Let’s get you cleaned up, Superman, and then we can go do something fun.” As he shifted over to Christopher’s side of the booth to begin wiping the boy’s face, Buck hummed. “What do you want to do next? Any movies you want to see?”
Christopher made a face and shook his head. “I don’t think so. Can we go to the pier instead? We can walk there from the shop, right?”
“Yup,” Buck confirmed. “Plus, if you get tired at any point, I’ll have you know that I am the master of piggy back rides.”
“Perfect,” Christopher agreed with a wide grin. “Let’s do it.”
XX
Buck tilted his face up to the sun, humming in delight as he sat beside Christopher, who stood on top of the bench in order to feed the fish down below the pier.
“What do you want to be when you grow up, Chris?”
“I—“
“MOVE!”
Buck jerked in place, gripping the back of Christopher’s shirt tighter at the sound of his brother’s shouting. “What? Daniel?”
“Daniel?” Christopher asked, turning to look at Buck with a frown.
The Other appeared beside them with a horrified expression, and Buck felt himself react viscerally. “What—“
“The water,” Daniel choked on his explanation. “RUN!”
Buck spared a glance behind him, finally noticing the surf slowly retreating away from the beach. He sucked in a shuddering breath, his world tilting on its axis for a moment as the implications of what he was seeing became known.
Tsunami.
Without a second thought, Buck pushed up to his feet and swung Christopher over his shoulder before taking off at a sprint, yelling at the top of his lungs to anyone who would listen—anyone within screaming distance—“GET OFF THE PIER! GET OFF THE PIER!”
“B-B-Buck!”
He barely had enough time to look back before the water was upon them.
XX
After finishing up their third back-to-back call of the morning, Eddie finally found the time to unlock his phone to check the message Buck sent about an hour and a half ago. He couldn’t help the smile stretching across his face and tilted the screen so that Hen and Chimney could see as well.
“It looks like they’re having fun,” Hen observed happily before sneaking a sly look at Eddie. “How often are you seeing Buck?”
Eddie shrugged, attempting to display an air of nonchalance. “A normal amount. We’re…close.”
“Close?” Chimney butted in with a smack of his gum. “How close? Are we talking ‘going on those long-ass hikes of his together’ or ‘dinner-and-a-movie’ type of close?”
Heat dotted Eddie’s cheeks as he pulled his helmet off, his mouth working as he tried to come up with an answer. It wasn’t that he didn’t want his friends to know about his relationship with Buck, but they hadn’t had the chance to discuss going public just yet. Then again, the thought of everyone knowing that Buck was taken—that Buck was his—made Eddie’s chest warm.
As he decided to just go ahead and spill the beans, all of their phones pinged simultaneously, creating a reverb effect that sent a chill down his spine.
When he looked down at the notification, all of the blood left Eddie’s face as his lungs seized.
TSUNAMI ALERT
SANTA MONICA PIER
The alarm rang above them, but Eddie was unable to move, still standing and staring down at his phone.
“—Eddie, Eddie!” Bobby’s voice sounded above him, the captain’s grip tight against Eddie’s arm. “Do you know if Buck is working today? Is he at home?”
Eddie tried swallowing past the knot in his throat, terror leaving him light-headed and dizzy. “He’s—he’s with Christopher. Buck—Buck said they might be going to the pier today.”
“Oh my god.”
XX
Silence.
Deafening silence.
The force of the wave yanked Buck through the current, the weight pressing heavily down around him while disorientation set in and spun him every which way. Just as the edges of his vision began to creep in, he broke the surface with a pained gasp, coughing wildly and expelling a lungful of saltwater.
Echoing screams and vague cries for help surrounded him, and before Buck’s mind could catch up with the disaster crashing around him, he threw his hands up to grab hold of the string of lights above. He held on tight and blinked away the water from his stinging eyes, forcing his thoughts onto the piece missing from his side.
Christopher.
“Evan!”
Buck’s eyes snapped upward, frantically searching for the familiar voice before finding his brother hovering a few feet away above the turbulent water. “D-Daniel?”
“Oh thank God,” Daniel breathed out shakily. “You’re alive.”
“C-Christopher,” Buck managed between trembling lips. Panic began to set in, his heart rate skyrocketing as his temple throbbed. “I-I need to find Christopher!”
Daniel nodded with a determined expression. “Shannon is with him. He’s a little bit further south—I can lead you to him, but you’ve got to be able to swim, little brother.”
Buck steeled himself, cataloging the ache behind his eyes and the pain of the deep scrapes across his face and down the side of his leg—the blood seeping down out of the corner of his eye. Mentally, he pushed it away to focus on the muscles he’d need to cut across the current. “Okay. Okay, I’m ready. Take me to Christopher.”
“Alright. Time to let go, Evan.”
XX
Buck collapsed onto the top of the wedged fire truck, greedily sucking in air and letting his head rest against the cool metal. He allowed himself a few more seconds of rest before pushing up and curling an arm around a shivering Christopher.
“You okay, Superman?” Buck asked as he checked the boy over for any injuries. Thankfully, besides a few bruises and small scrapes, he seemed to be relatively unharmed.
Christopher nodded, burrowing into Buck’s side. “Are you?”
“Yeah,” Buck exhaled with a loaded sigh. The laceration on his face and the gouges cut into his leg were painful, and his headache had grown into the beginnings of a migraine, but the sheer relief of finding Christopher alive was more overwhelming than any physical damage. “I’m okay. Just happy we’re together.”
“Buck, Shannon said there could be a second wave coming soon,” Daniel told him, and Buck turned to see a very stressed-out Shannon wringing her hands together and flicking her gaze between Christopher and the open ocean.
Buck made a quiet noise of horror in the back of his throat. “Shit, she’s right.” He started peering around the top of the engine, mentally searching for something to secure Christopher down.
Of course, the boy didn’t miss Buck’s muttering, and he looked up with a frown. “Who are you talking to?”
The question made Buck freeze, remembering Eddie’s insistence that Christopher be kept in the dark about his Other. Unfortunately, Eddie wasn’t here, and Buck had a trembling kid clinging to him after getting caught up in one of the worst natural disasters the city had ever seen.
If knowing his mom was here would give Christopher some peace of mind, Buck wasn’t about to keep it from him. Buck cleared his throat, sharing a look with both of the Others hovering beside them, and pulled Christopher in closer. “I—uh. Remember how I can see people who aren’t here anymore?”
“Others, right?” Christopher asked with a furrowed brow. “The ones that died? I thought your eyes were supposed to glow when they were around”
Buck nodded hastily. “Yeah, but my contacts are still in.” He chewed on his bottom lip before continuing. “My brother, Daniel, is here. He helped me find you. And—and…”
He saw Christopher’s throat work as he swallowed. “My mom’s here too, isn’t she?”
Buck froze for a moment, surprised at the boy’s deduction. “Er, yeah. She’s been watching over you for a long time, Superman. She just reminded Daniel and I that tsunamis typically have multiple waves, so we need to strap you down to make sure we stay put.”
“Oh,” Christopher said quietly, clutching Buck’s shirt tighter. “I miss her.”
Shannon’s gaze softened and she placed a translucent hand on top of Christopher’s wet curls.
“She misses you too, buddy.”
After situating Christopher in the middle of the roof and extracting a promise that the boy wouldn’t move a muscle, Buck looked over the side of the engine to see if the hose was still in place. The supply bag was most likely on the inside of the cab, so he’d have to wriggle his way in through the open window to get it. He and Daniel talked through a plan while Shannon stayed by Christopher’s side, and half an hour later, Buck hauled himself back up to the roof with everything he needed.
As soon as Christopher was strapped down securely, Buck let out a breath of relief, touching his forehead to Christopher’s. Before he could give any reassurances, a chorus of screams rang between his ears. His head shot up, the movement making him wince, and Buck frantically searched the water for the source of the cries.
A searing pain lanced across his temple, and Buck inhaled sharply and clutched the side of his head. “God,” he breathed out, clenching his teeth together. The voices caught his attention again, this time with Christopher pulling on his arm.
“Buck, look! They need help!”
But when Buck’s burning gaze scoured the water, there wasn’t just a handful of people floating down the current screaming for help, it was a flood of bodies all writhing around. “Oh, God,” he repeated, his voice dripping with dread. “I—I can’t…”
“Buck?” Christopher asked hesitantly, his grip on Buck’s arm tightening. “Are you okay? Can we help them?”
Buck swallowed thickly and blindly reached for Christopher’s hand, patting it soothingly. He didn’t want to scare the boy, but the sheer amount of people crying out for Buck was more than a little overwhelming. “I think I hit my head, Superman. I—I can’t tell who is real. Who is alive. There are so many of them.”
“I can help!”
“Christopher, this rope is staying on—“
Christopher nodded quickly, placing his little hand on Buck’s cheek in understanding. “I—I know. But, I can see the people down there. If I tell you what they look like, can—can you get to them?”
Buck blinked in surprise, absolutely floored at Christopher’s line of thought. “That’s…that’s brilliant, Chris. You’re such a smart kid. I’m gonna brag on you so hard when your dad finds us. Yeah,” he pushed up to his knees shakily and started looking out at the water, quickly tracking everyone that was coming closer. “Let’s do it—who’s first?”
XX
“Blonde hair, blue shirt—real or not real?”
“Real!”
Buck dived back down beneath the waves for the sixth time.
XX
“Dark hair, green jacket—real or not real?”
“Not real, but the lady in red is!”
“You’re the best, Chris. Be right back.”
XX
Nearly three hours later, Buck rested his forehead against the warming metal of the fire engine’s side, his breaths coming in a little too shallow. Over twenty people now sat on the roof, completely surrounding Christopher to ensure the boy didn’t fall off, and Buck was more than grateful for the survivors’ protective instincts.
Buck raised his head with a grimace, checking behind him and scanning the water’s surface. “Do you see anyone else that needs help?” It was getting easier to tell Others from the Living, but his head was still too muffled to properly separate the two in his mind.
“I—I don’t think so,” Christopher called out, peeking between two middle aged women. “Can you come back up now?”
“Yeah,” Buck exhaled loudly, working up the energy to pull himself up. Two of the men from the roof began getting into position to help, but before Buck could grab for their hands, the water surged once again, tossing him to the side and threatening his grip on the engine.
“Buck! BUCK!”
Buck’s hands trembled from the force of the wave, and the current gained a sudden spike of strength, ripping him away between one heartbeat and the next. Water surged over Buck, cutting off his cry for Christopher and knocking his head against something jagged and heavy.
“BUCK!”
XX
Bobby swiped a gloved hand over his gritty face, frustration and fear bubbling far too close to the surface for a fire captain who needed to keep a cool head. They’d been out with Search and Rescue for nearly six hours, and Bobby felt like they were no closer to finding Buck and Christopher than they were when they first arrived at the scene.
Everything was a mess. The tsunami’s devastation would most likely continue to be tallied for weeks, even months, to come. The line of shops where they knew Buck’s to be were completely underwater, and even the Ferris Wheel on the pier had more than enough damage that rescuing survivors was nearly disastrous.
Despite everything, Bobby couldn’t help but feel immense pride at his team’s resilience. Every single one of them had grown to love Buck in their own way—Hen and Karen bringing him over for dinners and babysitting, Chimney finding a brother and the love of his life in the Buckley siblings, Eddie opening his life to a “best friend,” and Bobby reveling in his time with Buck, teaching him how to cook and talking on the phone every single day about their lives.
And now that Buck and Christopher were missing, his team could have lost hope or fallen into their frustration as the day went on, but the 118 continued with fierce determination. They would find the missing pieces of their family—alive—before they even thought about leaving the scene. Bobby couldn’t be more proud.
As they dropped another round of survivors off at the field hospital, the radio strapped to Bobby’s chest sounded. “IC to Rescue 118.”
“118 responding.”
“A civilian using a drone to assist in SAR just reported a group stranded on top of a fire engine at the north end of Area 2. Count was around twenty. Sending coordinates your way.”
“Copy, IC. 118 is on the move.”
Bobby clicked off his radio and gave the orders to the 118 and SAR teams assigned to them, letting both know they’ve got their work cut out for them. Eddie, Hen, and Chimney shared a hopeful look before rushing off to get the gear ready.
“C’mon, Buck,” Bobby muttered under his breath. “Be on that truck.”
XX
Eddie was practically vibrating in his seat as the zodiak drew closer to the engine, fighting against the urge to stand before they were stable to try and get a better look at the small crowd huddled together. He had trudged through the day doing his job and stopping to save any survivor he came across, but all Eddie wanted to do was keep moving until he found Buck and Christopher.
His son was out in this disaster and Eddie was forced to pause in his search over and over and over again. But, as much as he wanted to complain to Bobby—to beg to be sent off on his own—Eddie kept his mouth shut and followed orders because he knew every single member of his team wanted to do the exact same thing.
Buck meant something to all of them. He’d grown from the stranger that Athena started bringing around to part of their little family—hell, he was the main reason they became a family in the first place. Bobby, Hen, and Chimney would all drop everything in order to search for Buck and Christopher, and that was good enough for Eddie to stay the course. If the 118 was going to find their missing family, they were going to do it together.
And, as if summoned by his silent pleadings, an achingly familiar voice called out for Eddie. “DAD!”
Eddie’s heart squeezed at the sound, and he nearly fell off the zodiak in his haste to stand. “CHRISTOPHER!” He leapt out the second they were close enough, splashing into the seawater up to his knees and scrambling toward the engine.
The moment Christopher collapsed into his arms, Eddie felt like he could finally breathe again.
That is, until he looked around in confusion, brow furrowed, waiting to meet a pair of perfectly blue eyes. “Chris…where is Buck?”
XX
Daniel Buckley stared down at his unconscious brother, disbelief etched across his translucent expression. “Evan!” He called out for, what felt like, the hundredth time, desperately hoping for a different outcome than the continuous silence. Blood trickled down Evan's temple at an alarming rate—which was worrying enough—and his breathing was painfully shallow, but the downed telephone pole crushing his brother’s leg caused the real panic to set in.
In all his years watching over Evan, Daniel had never seen him this pale. The kid had survived motorcycle crashes, aggressive spirits, and violent poltergeists with broken limbs and nasty concussions, but nothing compared to the devastation brought on by the tsunami. Evan was always a bit of a danger magnet, either getting into situations to get their parents’ attention or putting his own safety at risk for the job.
This was different though.
In the few short months of watching Evan spend time with Eddie and his son, Daniel had never seen his brother love someone so fast. Yes, Eddie was special in his own way, but Evan was completely enamored with Christopher. He thought the world of the kid who lived life so freely, who never got discouraged or frustrated with his disability, instead using it as a strength to try every new activity under the sun—even if it looked a little different than the other kids participating.
And when Christopher was in danger? Evan didn’t hesitate to throw himself into turbulent waters.
Thankfully, Daniel had been able to confirm with Shannon across the Plane that Christopher was safe on top of the engine. SAR was coming for him and the other survivors soon—Kevin let them know the 118 was on their way.
But what about Evan?
Who was going to save him?
Daniel forced his gaze away from his brother, searching for any indication of where Evan had landed. In the west, the sun was beginning to set, sending a wave of muted oranges and reds across the receding waters. Judging by the debris surrounding them, they seemed to be about ten blocks north from the engine and any hope of rescue.
So close, yet so far. Too far.
“C’mon, Evan,” Daniel muttered, worrying his lip between his teeth. He needed to find a way to help his brother, but what could he do? Evan was one of the few Living that could even see him, and the others that could were out in Kansas. So, no help there.
The only other time a spirit could interact with the physical plane was when they lost the piece of themselves that made them human, letting the violence and anger take over after too much time alone. They usually…
Daniel paused as a thought suddenly occurred to him—those types of spirits were typically around for much longer than others. More time spent here without crossing over could lead to disastrous consequences if one wasn’t careful. If hunters caught wind of a spirit wreaking havoc, they would show up to salt and burn the body, sending the violent spirit to an unknown afterlife in the most painful way possible.
But if one could control themself…
Daniel had been dead for over thirty years now. Was that enough time to be able to influence the world around him? Daniel looked down at his brother, determination settling in somewhere deep inside him.
It was time to find out.
XX
Bobby watched Eddie huddle close to Christopher, keeping an arm around his shoulders as the nurses in the field hospital looked him over. Thankfully, it looked like the scrapes sporting his arms were the worst of it, causing the entire 118 to breathe out a sigh of relief.
“C’mon, Dad!” Christopher wriggled in Eddie’s hold when the nurse cleared him. “We have to find Buck!”
Bobby’s chest tightened at the reminder that Buck never made it back onto the fire engine after falling into the water. Hearing that they only missed him by a few hours made something inside of Bobby crumble. He pushed past the clawing feeling and cleared his throat. “Christopher, Eddie needs to stay here with you, okay? I promise, the rest of us will do whatever it takes to find Buck. You can count on it.”
“He’s right, Chris,” Eddie told his son with a wobbly smile. “Buck would kill me if he thought I was leaving you here. He worked so hard to make sure you were safe. I trust the 118 to bring him home to us. I know you do too.”
Christopher sniffled but ultimately nodded, burrowing closer into Eddie’s warmth. The kid was obviously exhausted, but the fire in his eyes told Bobby that the boy hadn’t given up hope even for a second. Eddie caught Bobby’s gaze, pleading with his eyes.
Bobby nodded, giving Eddie his own reassurance. He wouldn’t stop until he found Buck.
Outside the field hospital, he immediately looked over the map of the disaster zone. The IC had sectioned everything off into four different areas, and the 118 had finished combing through Area 2 with the survivors on the fire engine. It was up to Bobby to determine which area to search next, so he conferred with Hen and Chimney on the most likely direction Buck might have ended up.
And that’s when things got…weird.
Later, Bobby will kick himself for taking so long to notice.
When the streetlight above them flickered three distinct times before burning out, Bobby simply clicked on his head lamp and continued his conversation.
When a nearby abandoned car’s alarm sounded three times before falling silent, Bobby frowned in its direction before returning his attention back to the map.
It wasn’t until the glass shattered that the three of them truly began to pay attention. “Hen, Chim, go check to see if someone needs help.”
As Bobby was rounding up the SAR team under him to prepare to head out, Chimney called for him, his voice cracking from strain. Bobby immediately ran over, worry gnawing at his throat. When he skidded to a stop beside them, Hen and Chimney were staring in horror at the disturbed car—a broken down SUV with the windshield blown out.
“What’s wrong?”
“Don’t you feel it?” Hen asked, her voice barely above a whisper. All of the blood had drained out of his paramedics’ faces, and she was clutching at Chimney’s arm.
Bobby took a step back, taking a breath and trying to determine what could have freaked the two out so much. After a long moment, a chill ran down his spine as he began to understand. The temperature around them had dropped a frightening amount, and Bobby could see the puff of air leave him as he exhaled in shock. “What—“
Before he could come up with some explanation for what was going on, a glacially slow layer of ice began to cover the SUV. Small crystals began encasing the black paint, inching its way toward the windows. As they watched the windowpane disappear beneath the frost, Bobby’s heart dropped straight out of his chest.
Someone—something—was writing on the ice.
3
While the message was clear—they were to search Area 3 next—the question of who sent it made Bobby’s knees weak.
“Cap!” Chimney cried, his fast reflexes catching Bobby before he hit the ground.
Nausea coiled in Bobby’s stomach, and he had to fight to keep from vomiting onto the pavement beneath their feet. He shook his head in a panic, ignoring the hurried questions and concerns from Hen and Chimney as they surrounded him.
“B-Buck?” Bobby breathed out shakily, the cold air curling in front of his mouth. Because who else would know how to contact them and have the strength to? Buck had explained how things worked during one of their dinners: Others couldn’t interact with the physical plane unless they’d been dead for enough time for their power to grow or had turned violent.
But if anyone could break the mold, it would be Evan Buckley.
A sob escaped Bobby’s chest at the thought. “No. No. Buck? Is that you?”
Another word etched across the ice.
No
Pure relief flooded Bobby’s chest, warming him a few degrees. Thank God.
In the next moment, the number “3” was underlined not once, but twice, highlighting the urgency in the request—no, the order.
They were to go to Area 3. Now.
“Hen, Chim,” Bobby swallowed around a lump in his throat, forcing himself to be the captain of the 118 and not a scared man afraid to lose someone he’d come to care about as family. “Go alert SAR. We’re searching Area 3.”
XX
They moved quickly, mobilizing two additional teams before heading north. As they came across survivors on their trek, Bobby directed SAR to attend to them while he, Hen, and Chimney marched forward. It felt dangerous to follow an unseen entity without question, but anytime they strayed too far off the path, a street lamp would spark or a cold brush of air would nearly knock them off their feet to push them in the right direction.
Bobby wondered who might be the one leading them toward Buck and what they would find when they reached their destination.
From his conversations with the 118, Bobby knew that Marcy, Emmett, and Eva had all crossed over during their conversations with Buck, finally completing their unfinished business and finding peace. Kevin and Shannon both decided to stick around to watch over Chimney and Christopher, respectively. While Kevin had been around much longer than Eddie’s wife, Bobby didn’t think he was nearly powerful enough to interact with them the way this Other had. And didn’t Buck say that most powerful spirits like this were usually violent? If so, what was this Other doing helping them?
“Bobby!” Hen shouted, pointing at a single illuminated street lamp amongst a sea of darkened debris. This area looked to be the dumping ground for all the destruction from the pier. Broken wooden beams, ripped tarps from the game booths, and water-clogged machines were scattered around.
Beneath the light was a familiar figure trapped beneath a downed telephone pole.
“BUCK!”
Bobby collapsed near Buck’s head while Hen and Chimney immediately started checking him over—focusing on the crushed leg. “Buck, Buck!” Bobby grabbed hold of his cheeks, tapping them gently. “C’mon, show me those baby blues. Open your eyes.”
A weak groan sounded below him, and Bobby exhaled shakily in sheer relief. Buck’s eyes flickered open, shining brightly against the dim light—confirming that he must have lost his contacts along the way and that an Other was nearby.
“You with us, Buck?” Chimney asked haltingly.
He didn’t respond except for a pained grunt, and Bobby swallowed down his panic.
Hen made eye contact with Chimney, something unspoken passing between them. “How’re we doing, Buckaroo?”
“Kind of numb,” Buck answered, his voice breaking from the pain as he slowly began coming back to himself.
Hen nodded. “I’m going to run two lines.”
“Skin is cold and pale,” Bobby told the paramedics, his thumbs brushing against Buck’s jawline.
Chimney sucked in a breath. “Alright. Pushing sodium bicarbonate.”
Bobby grit his teeth. “Hang in there. We’re all here for you.” He directed his attention to the radio. “IC, this is 118 at the north perimeter of Area 3. We’ve got a possible crush injury. We need all hands on deck to move this pole and clear a path to the nearest trauma center.”
“Copy, 118,” the radio sounded. “Emergency vehicles en route.”
The SAR teams rounded the block at the tail end of Bobby’s call, and once Hen and Chimney shouted for them, they all sprinted the rest of the way. They followed Bobby’s hurried orders, positioning themselves around the pole and gripping the edges to leverage it up. Even with their combined strength, it still took a few tries before they managed to free Buck’s leg.
Bobby knew he’d never forget the sound of his friend’s screams for as long as he lived. “I know, I know, Buck,” his voice shook. “I know it hurts. I’m here. I’m here.”
Thankfully, an ambulance had waded through the receded water and arrived just in time for the 118 to strap him on a stretcher and lift him into the cab. Bobby swallowed thickly and sent Hen and Chimney off with Buck, not trusting anyone else with his safety until they reached the hospital.
He wanted to go with them—he did—but Bobby had a job to finish.
As they drove away, Bobby looked up at the flickering light, giving a weak smile. “Thank you. Whoever you are.”
XX
A loud, continuous beeping slowly dragged Buck into consciousness. He winced at the dim light, reaching a heavy hand up to rub at his face and frowning when something tugged with it. Opening his eyes, he saw an IV tucked into his arm.
The hospital room was dark, only the machines he was connected to giving off light. Buck’s head felt fuzzy, most likely from the pain meds, but he could make out that it was in the early hours of the morning. Thankfully, there was a familiar face in the room with him.
“D-Daniel?” Buck slurred, blinking to reorient himself.
His brother broke out into a smile, moving closer until his hand hovered above Buck’s. “Glad to see you’re awake. Too bad you came to in the middle of the night; the rest of your crew has been by every second of visiting hours. Maddie tried to get the nurses to let her stay, but they’re sticklers for the rules here.”
“What—what happened? Why am I here?”
Daniel looked away. “You…you fell. During the tsunami.”’
The tsunami.
“Christopher!” Buck sat up straight, letting out a painful groan and wincing when his heart monitor ramped up. “Where—”
“Christopher is fine!” Daniel quickly assured him. “Calm down! He’s safe.” When Buck sucked in a sharp breath, Daniel gestured toward the door. “Get that heart rate down, little brother, or the nurses are going to come storming in here. Your glasses are on the table next to you just in case, but I’d rather have more time to explain.”
Buck made a concentrated effort to relax, breathing through his nose and exhaling loudly. “Okay,” he muttered once he was sure nobody was coming to check on him. “Where is Christopher?”
“Home,” Daniel answered with a soft smile. “I checked with Shannon about an hour ago. Christopher is asleep in his bed, and Eddie is right there on the floor beside him. He didn’t want to let Christopher out of his sight. They will be back here to visit in a few hours.”
“Good,” Buck nodded and sank back against his pillow. “Good.”
Daniel moved a little closer, his hand absently tapping Buck’s tangled curls. “After you fell, you washed up a few blocks north. Your leg…“
When he paused, Buck’s gaze snapped down, finally noticing the enormous cast encasing his left leg. “What—“
“The doctors are pretty confident that with rest and physical therapy, you’ll be able to walk normally again,” Daniel told him with a serious expression, cooling Buck’s panic momentarily. “You’ve got some hardwood now, but that’s to be expected when you were crushed beneath a telephone pole.”
“How did I get out?”
Daniel puffed out his chest, looking proud. “I saved you.”
Buck blinked slowly. “Um, what?”
“Well,” Daniel shrugged in faux nonchalance, although his lips twitched upward. “The 118 helped, I guess. But, it was a group effort.”
“Daniel,” Buck said slowly, squinting at his brother. “What are you talking about?”
“I had to find some way to let the 118 know where to find you,” Daniel explained. “I didn’t know any Others who could communicate with the Living, and the Winchesters weren’t available, so…I improvised.”
“How?”
Daniel grinned, hovering over to the lamp on the far side of the room. “Like this.” When he stuck his hand through the bulb, the light flickered. “I learned a new trick.”
Buck threw his head back and laughed before wincing at the movement. When he cleared his head from the pain, he smiled at his brother. “Wow. Only you, Daniel. Thank you. Thank you for saving me.”
“What can I say, the Buckleys are special. And you’re welcome, little brother. Anything for you.”
XX
When Eddie pulled over to the curb, he placed a hand on the back of Buck’s headrest. “You ready?”
“I can’t believe you guys wouldn’t let me put the finishing touches on everything,” Buck responded with an exasperated sigh. “You all have done more than enough to help me get my shop rebuilt.”
Eddie reached over to swipe a thumb over Buck’s birthmark. “You’re family. We couldn’t let you do this on your own. Plus,” he let out a soft chuckle, “we’ll take any excuse to throw a party.”
Buck hummed, already thinking about Bobby’s smoked brisket. “I can’t argue with that. Okay, I’m ready.”
“Hold up, let me get the door.”
During his recovery, Buck stayed with Eddie and Christopher, although Bobby and Athena stole him away for a weekend every once in a while. It made working with the wheelchair—and then the crutches—easier with the Diaz household already set up with handrails in the bathrooms and a sloped front porch walkway rather than stairs. At first, Buck had been worried about Maddie being on her own, but with Chimney the first to offer his place, he knew she would be perfectly fine.
When the dust settled and the city-wide cleanup efforts were underway, Buck was more than a little grateful he’d thought to spring for insurance. He was able to use the money to purchase a storefront inland and closer to the 118 Station, meaning Buck wouldn’t be anxious about suffering through another natural disaster and his friends and family were nearby.
It was a win-win.
Everyone had been a tremendous help in setting the shop up the way he wanted, but as they got closer to finishing, Eddie and Christopher were given orders to keep Buck busy and as far away as possible. They didn’t let Buck stress out about a single thing, and instead, took him out to the zoo and on crutch-friendly adventures.
Daniel had stuck by Buck’s side for a few weeks after the tsunami, constantly worried that the rods in his legs would lead to a secondary condition. Kevin, Daniel, and Shannon were a united front in harassing Buck to speak with his doctor about blood thinners to keep the chances of throwing a clot low. At first, Buck had refused to pass on the information because he thought they were just hovering with needless worry, but with Daniel’s new “abilities,” he managed to wrangle Bobby and Athena in on it too.
Buck could never say no to Bobby or Athena.
So, even when his Living family wasn’t around, Buck was never really alone. The Others kept a close eye on his recovery, and eventually, his leg healed well enough for the cast to come off. Fortunately, that didn’t stop Eddie from being hands on. Buck would never admit it, but he loved his boyfriend’s fussing.
“I can get my own door, you know,” he groused without any heat. “I can even walk on two legs now.”
Eddie came around the truck and helped Buck out, pressing a kiss to his forehead. “What, are you saying I can’t open your door now that you’re healthy? Is the spark gone already?”
Buck tugged him back when Eddie moved to step away, a playful grin on his face. “I guess I can handle you trying to take care of me for just a little longer.”
“That’s what I like to hear.” Eddie threaded his fingers through Buck’s. “Are you ready to head inside? Our family is waiting.”
“Yeah. Yeah, I’m ready.”
XX