Reading Time: 119 Minutes

Title: One Step Closer
Author: Duochanfan
Fandom: 9-1-1
Genre: Angst, Drama, Family, Hurt/Comfort, Romance
Relationship(s): Evan Buckley/Eddie Diaz, Maddie Buckley/Howard Han
Content Rating: NC-17
Warnings: Hate Crimes, Hate Speech, Violence-Graphic, Violence-Domestic, Violence-Against Children/Child Abuse, Bigotry, Mental Health Issues, Character Bashing, Talk of Attempted Suicide, Discussion of Rape, Attempted Murder, Stalking, Brainwashing
Author Note: Thanks to HarleyJQuin for all the help, the encouragement, and the push to keep going.
Beta: HarleyJQuin
Alpha: HarleyJQuin
Word Count: 114,129
Summary: When Chimney learned of the Big Buckley Secret, he realized that he needs to do something. Maddie is never going to tell Buck if he doesn’t push. In the end, he’s going to have to decide, keep the secret and face the fallout and feel guilty for never saying a word, or tell Buck and face the possibility of the end of his relationship with Maddie.
Artist: WestWind

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Chapter Twenty-Eight

Eddie smiled as he hugged Christopher, “You be good for Abuela,” he told his son. It was the day after he had confessed to Buck about his feelings, and the other man had remained until the morning, and they had shared a bed, and then breakfast. Unfortunately, Buck had a few errands to run in the morning while Eddie went to his Abuela’s for a bit. He hadn’t told either Abuela or Christopher what had happened yet, but he knew he would after their date.

“Always, Dad,” Christopher laughed brightly as he let his dad go and headed to the living room. He and his bisabuela had plans that involved a good few episodes of one of their favorite shows.

“What are you up to, nieto?” Isabel asked, looking at her grandson. There was something different about him. She had noticed it from the moment she had opened the door to him that morning. There was a bounce in his step that hadn’t been there when he had dropped Christopher off the day before.

Eddie thought for a moment, sighing, “Don’t tell Chris yet, we’re waiting for us to see how things go today. I… asked Buck out on a date. I was late coming since I had made a few things to have a picnic with him. I plan on going on a hike, as I know we don’t get many chances for that, since we usually do things that Chris can join us with.”

“Oh, nieto, I’m so happy for you both,” she smiled, hugging her grandson, “Why don’t you come back in and we’ll add more for your picnic, I have some tres leches cake that I was going to send home with Christopher tonight, but how about you take some for you and Evanito,” she said, as she pulled him back into the house, closing the door, before making sure he followed her into the kitchen.

Eddie shook his head, but watched as his Abuela began to make up a basket of food and goodies for the two of them to enjoy. “Gracias, Abuela,” he said, kissing her cheek before he was finally allowed to go.

Eddie messaged Buck, making sure he was ready to head out. He stopped by his first, grabbing the basket he had done for them to add it to Isabel’s. He smiled as he headed to Buck’s.

Buck was waiting outside his apartment. Eddie pulled up, and Buck jumped in.

“Hey,” Eddie said, as Buck leaned in close and they shared a sweet kiss. “So, we don’t get much chance to take the harder trails, so I thought we could do that one that you talked about a few weeks ago. The one that has the nice spot for a picnic,” he added.

“Oh, that would be great,” Buck grinned, “If I’d known that, I’d have made us something to eat.”

“Already taken care of,” Eddie laughed, “And Abuela figured out something was up, as soon as she learned my plan, she added to the lunch menu I’d made for us,” he told him as Buck buckled up and Eddie headed off for the trails they liked to hike. Almost an hour later, they parked in one of the parking lots around the trails and got out.

“Right, it should take about an hour to an hour and a half to get to the picnic spot,” Eddie said as he went to the trunk and grabbed the baskets and his rucksack.

Buck took one of them after shouldering his own pack, “Then let’s get going,” he grinned.

Eddie smiled back as he took a hand, and the two began the hike up one of the harder trails. They talked about anything and everything as they slowly made their way up, smiles and laughter all around. They didn’t meet anyone else on the trail as they came to the picnic area. There were a few tables and benches, as well as larger areas where people could sit on the ground and overlook the park.

“Right,” Eddie said as he finished spreading the blanket out for them, “Ready for something to eat?” he asked.

Buck laughed, “More likely with your Abuela, that we’ll be rolling back down to the truck,” he grinned as Eddie began to laugh.

“Yeah, she packed a lot,” he said as he began to pull the tubs out, Buck doing the same.

“Oh,” Buck grinned as he saw the tres leches that Eddie had pulled out last.

“For later,” Eddie said, before Buck could get any ideas of having it first.

“Spoil sport,” Buck pouted for a moment before he then looked over all the food, “Are you sure we can eat all this?” he asked. There was a lot: sandwiches, finger foods, fruit, and more.

“It is, but what we don’t eat, we can snack on for a movie tonight with Chris,” Eddie told him. “No doubt, Abuela is going to be sending him home with even more food. We should be good for a few days,” he laughed as they settled on the blanket and began to eat.

“This is nice,” Buck said softly as he looked out toward the city that lay before them.

“Yeah, it really is. We do a lot together, but it’s always with Chris, and I love him to bits, but sometimes I need-”

“Some company that’s not just a kid and kid-friendly activities,” Buck guessed as he glanced over, a hand inching across the blanket.

Eddie smiled and nodded, taking the hand and turning his palm over and clasping hands, “Yeah, that. It’s so easy to get lost in being nothing but a dad, a parent, all the time. I was starting to forget how to do anything for myself. When Shannon first left, I thought that was it, that just being Chris’s dad was going to be enough for me. But when you walked into my life, pulling pigtails,” he teased, “It changed, and it was like the clouds cleared away in my head. I wasn’t just a Dad, I was Eddie, I was someone that meant something to more than just my son. I was more than just a provider.”

“You are Eds, so much more. You’re a great dad, an amazing one. Chris is flourishing so much, he’s growing up, and has a thirst to learn new things, to try anything and everything that he can. You did that,” he told him, “I just… wish I could have had a dad like you when I was a kid. Maybe I wouldn’t be such a mess most of the time.”

“You’re not a mess, Buck,” Eddie told him, “You’re not.”

“I feel like it a lot of the time. My parents can’t stand me, think of me as a failure because I didn’t save Daniel. My sister only wants me around to control me,” Buck sighed, “I’ve been alone for so long. Then I came here, met those at the 118 and I finally felt like I had a family. Then you came, and the possibility of more teased me for so fucking long,” he said as he picked up another of the chicken strips that Eddie had made and took a bite.

Eddie laughed, “Yeah, well, you did the same,” he snorted, “You have no idea how hard things got.”

“I could guess,” he said, wiggling his eyebrows at him.

“Mind out of the gutter, Buck,” Eddie told him, laughing and shaking his head.

“But it like being in the gutter, it’s a great place, Eds. You should join me,” he grinned back.

“Another time, when we’re not in public,” he replied. “And Buck, you’re not alone anymore. You have me, the 118, my family. We all love you, but blood doesn’t always mean family at times, Buck.”

“Yeah,” he agreed, nodding, “I do have a lot more than I had before.” He ate a little more of the food as he started eyeing the cake, “Can we have cake now?” he asked, a pleading tone in his voice.

Eddie rolled his eyes but nodded, “Yeah, we can have cake now,” he snorted, “You’re as bad as Christopher,” he said.

“No one can be as bad as Chris when it comes to tres leches,” Buck snorted, “Or don’t you remember Abuela’s birthday a couple of months ago, where Chris was able to get five slices,” he said.

“The sugar high was…” Eddie shuddered, “He knows how to work the crowd.”

“Yep,” Buck nodded, “He really does.”

They ate cake before settling there for a while longer, talking and resting until they had to head back down to pick up Christopher.

XxXxX

Buck and Eddie walked into the Grant-Nash home, and Christopher darted off after greeting Athena to see Harry. “Well, he’s in a hurry,” Buck snorted. They had talked to Christopher yesterday, after picking him up from his bisabuela’s. He had been happy when he learned that his dad and Buck were now dating.

“Come on in, Bobby’s almost done cooking,” Athena said, laughing lightly as she let the two men inside.

“Thanks for having us on such short notice,” Eddie said, “We could have always just stopped by to see you instead.”

“Nonsense,” Athena admonished lightly as she walked toward the kitchen and dining area. “Bobby,” she called out.

“Buck, Eddie,” he smiled, “I take it Chris has already headed to Harry’s room?” he asked, getting a nod from all three. “Buck, why don’t you join me?” he suggested, gesturing to the salad that he was in the middle of preparing.

“Sure,” he grinned as he walked over and began to help. “So,” he began, glancing at Eddie, who was helping Athena set the table.

“Buck and I are dating,” Eddie said, seeing how nervous Buck was about telling the two people he considered his parents.

“Finally,” Athena couldn’t help but say, “but congratulations.”

Bobby smiled, “Congratulations, both of you,” he told the two, “I’m happy for you.”

“Thanks, Pops, Athena,” Buck said softly, “Only Chris and Abuela know so far. And we thought that you two should know as well. We don’t want anyone else knowing just yet. Not with my parents around. I… don’t feel like having to constantly defend myself with them, or with Maddie if I’m being honest.”

“We want to enjoy this for a while before everyone else starts to weigh in. We all know Hen and Chim are going to take the teasing route. And with Maddie,” Eddie paused for a moment, “She’s not going to be happy.”

“She doesn’t like Eddie, mostly because he’ll stick up for me and tell her off when she pushes too much. She doesn’t like it when I don’t fall in line with what she wants,” Buck said, “Like at the moment she’s pushing things that my parents love me. They don’t. I’m a failure to them,” he said, being honest with it for once. “They’ve… never cared, and she’s been doing this since we were kids,” he muttered.

“Well, you know you always have Bobby and me,” Athena said, her words soft and full of promises unspoken.

“I know,” Buck looked up and smiled at her, “I know that. I really do,” he nodded a few times as he and Bobby finished the salad and side dishes.

“Right, go and get the kids for dinner,” Bobby said as he and Buck began to bring the dishes over to the table.

Eddie went to get the kids for dinner, walking back, Christopher stopped just before he reached the table and grinned. “Smells amazing,” he complimented as he sat down with everyone.

“It really does,” Harry said as he looked at Bobby. “Thanks, Bobby,” he grinned.

Christopher smiled as they began to eat, “So dad and Buck are finally dating,” he grinned, “It’s awesome.”

“Yeah, kid, it is,” Bobby smiled.

“It’s about time,” Harry added, “I know when you’re ready for everyone else to know, they’re gonna be happy for you both. May said that you’ve been dancing around each other, like Dean and Cas do in Supernatural,” he grinned at Buck and Eddie.

“But they don’t get together?!” Buck exclaimed.

Harry smirked, “Subtext, it’s all in the subtext, or so says May,” he said, shrugging, unrepentant as he and Buck began to debate, with the two vowing to get May involved when they could.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Eddie moved to another person as he helped take care of the crowd gathered near the billboard. He could hear Buck talking with Bobby about the man yelling at the top of his lungs about his album. Eddie had to admit that it was a bold move, but not one he would have done at all. The man was naked under all that duct tape, and he knew it was going to be painful when he tried to get free.

“Edmundo,” a soft voice called to him as he walked closer.

“Miss Flores,” he stated, not looking happy to see the woman who had neglected watching the children under her care, had allowed Christopher to get hurt, and had also said a few things that led Buck to fly into a rage when he heard. “It’s Diaz,” he told her. “Now, what’s the problem?” he asked as he knelt and began to assess her hand as she held it out to him.

Flores huffed a little, “Edmundo is a fine name, though, I don’t know why you prefer to be called something else,” she said after explaining her injury and the firefighter who had told her what to do.

“It is, but it’s also one that only my family calls me. No one else. You’re not family to me, Miss Flores,” he stated as he treated the scald. “I would get that checked again by your own GP, make sure it’s healing.”

“I will, Edmun-” she began to reply.

“Don’t,” he said more forcefully, “Miss Flores, I’m asking you not to use my given name. It is Diaz or Firefighter Diaz in this situation. Respect my boundaries,” he stated as he stood up. “As I said, make an appointment with your GP when you can,” he began to turn around.

“We could become family, if you’d like to meet for coffee later,” Flores said as she stood up, smiling at him.

“The answer is no, Miss Flores, I have no interest in you at all,” he shot her down quickly. “Goodbye, Miss Flores,” he said as he hurried to where Hen was watching him, a little smirk playing on her lips. “Don’t even think it, Hen, I don’t want to date my son’s former teacher, and one that said such ableist bullshit to me about him being better off as a writer than doing anything that requires him to be up and about.”

“I’m just going to say, don’t you think it’s time to move on a bit. Maybe even just do a first date, to test the waters. She seems like a nice woman,” Hen said as she raised her hands in surrender.

“What part of what I said didn’t you hear, Hen?” Eddie asked her. “That I don’t want to date my son’s former teacher. Or that she was ableist?”

“Hey, I’m just thinking about you,” Hen said, frowning at him, holding her hands up.

“Hen, I said something before you even started talking. When I’m ready to date, I’ll find my own partner,” he told her as he headed past her to where the others were. She huffed but dropped it as they headed out and back to the station after the idiot on the billboard was duct tape-free and on the way to the hospital after having a few layers of skin and hair removed from various places.

“You okay?” Buck asked, seeing the annoyed look on Eddie’s face.

Eddie nodded, “Later,” he answered, giving him a tight smile. He didn’t want to get into it in front of the rest of the team.

Buck nodded as they finally left and headed to the station. They didn’t even get a chance to get out of the truck before the alarm went off again.

XxXxX

“Everyone, listen up,” Bobby said as he called out, “We’re offline for the next two hours. We’re to eat and rest up. I’m trying to get them to give us longer so we can sleep, but don’t expect it with the volume of calls going through.”

“Need help cooking, Cap?” Buck asked as they headed toward the loft.

“Always, Buck,” Bobby smiled at him as some of the others started to restock the truck and ambulance to prepare for when they went back online.

Buck and Bobby started making dinner for everyone. The pasta that they had made for lunch had been burnt so badly that it had to be thrown away in the end. No one had been able to have anything during the day, and now the sun was setting, and stomachs were growling for something more than trail mix. It took almost an hour for everyone to start gathering at the table, ready for the stir-fry, rice, and various other side dishes that Buck and Bobby had made.

“Here we go,” Buck said as he finally sat down beside Eddie.

“Thanks,” Eddie grinned, as others said the same.

Hen looked up from her food, “So, Eddie, have you given any more thought to dating again?” she asked.

“Hen,” Eddie muttered and growled a little, “I told you that I’m not interested.”

“Yeah, but she was,” Hen told him, “Come on, she seems like a nice lady.”

“No, she isn’t,” Eddie replied.

“What’s going on?” Buck asked, looking confused between the two.

“I treated Miss Flores, that teacher from Durand earlier, during the billboard,” he said, “She’s not at Durand anymore,” he added, as Buck nodded.

“Ah, the ableist teacher,” Buck said, nodding a little more as he ate a few bites, “So why the comments about how she seems like a nice lady?”

“She was flirting with Eddie, and well, I just think it might be time for Eddie to move on,” she said, shrugging as she looked unbothered by Eddie’s annoyance.

“And if I don’t want to date at all? Happy being single? Hanging out with Buck, my son, my family?” Eddie asked, “You thought about that? Not only that, but I told you at the scene that even if I was, it wouldn’t be with Miss Flores.”

“You think he should go with Flores?” Buck snorted, “Wow, didn’t you listen to us when we talked about her when Eddie got the call about Chris being hurt at school?” he asked her, before eating some of his rice.

“Chris had a littl-” Hen began to dismiss the incident that Buck was talking about.

“A little accident. She wasn’t supervising the children under her watch. She was too busy gossiping with some of the other teachers. Chris goes to a school that has tight rules on the children being watched, as a number of them have various health conditions that could change at the drop of a hat,” Buck told her.

Eddie nodded, “It’s one of the things that I liked about the school. Children were encouraged to grow and play like any other. That they would be watched but allowed to have that independence.”

“Flores is one of those who don’t believe children like Chris could or should do anything physical,” Buck snorted, “She’s a menace, and when she left Durand, it was with a bit of a cloud.”

“And how would you know that?” Chimney asked him, curious.

“I talk with a lot of the PTA moms. Flores had a number of complaints about her. Her ableist talk wasn’t just for Christopher, but a number of the other kids as well. Principal Summers was a few steps away from firing her, and had sent her to a couple of seminars to educate her on what Durand stands for,” Buck grinned.

“I heard something from Angie, Nigel’s mom, about that,” Eddie nodded in agreement, huffing as he found another kernel of sweetcorn in his stirfry. “Here,” he muttered as he pushed the few he found onto Buck’s plate as he took a couple of his mushrooms.

“There is nothing wrong with sweetcorn,” Buck told him, rolling his eyes, “I really don’t know why you hate it so much.”

“I just don’t like them, and Hen, stop trying to interfere with my life. I’m happy with how things are going at the moment. I’m not going to add someone like Miss Flores into it,” Eddie told her.

“Come on, Eddie,” Hen said, pushing a little.

“Hen,” Bobby said, “Who and when Eddie dates is up to him. Stop.”

“But, Bobby,” Hen began, frowning at her Captain, “I’m just-”

“Hen, when Eddie is ready to date, or anything like that, it’ll be up to him,” Bobby told her, “It’s his business.”

“I just want to see him find someone and settle down,” Hen huffed a little.

“Hen,” Eddie said as he looked at her, “I’m happy with how things are going in my life. I’m not going to give in to peer pressure because you’ve got it in your head that I should be dating again. Mentioning Flores is not a good example of who I would ever want to date. She’s ableist and disrespects my boundaries, as she called me Edmundo several times when I told her not to. In what world should I date someone like that?” he asked her, eating a few bites as he waited for an answer.

“I just thought she would have been perfect for you. I didn’t know about her past connection. She was flirting,” Hen protested.

“But was I flirting back or shutting that down?” Eddie continued to question her.

“Shutting it down,” she answered.

“So, wouldn’t that indicate that I wasn’t interested. She might appear perfect to some, but I know more about her. A former teacher at Durand who didn’t leave on the best of terms. Failed at watching the children in her care properly, and was also very ableist toward some of the children and toward their parents. Myself included,” he told her, “So let it rest. I’m not going to date her or anyone else you think I should be dating,” he finished.

“Understood,” Hen sighed, but nodded as dinner continued.

The second they went back online, they were off out once more.

XxXxX

Hours and several calls later, they were back at the 118. “I can’t believe he stole the truck,” Buck said as he and the others began to get out of their gear, shower, and get ready for shift change.

“Anyone ever says that word again, I’m gonna go in for the kill,” Chimney said as he leaned against a wall for a second.

“Honestly,” Eddie muttered, shaking his head at everyone.

“Come on, Eds,” Buck said, “We had the truck stolen, we had something fucking land on it and trapped us inside, and more.”

“Still just a bit of hocus pocus,” Eddie said as they headed to the locker room to shower.

“I’ll get breakfast started for both shifts,” Bobby said, hiding his yawn behind a hand, “I’m also going to ask Athena to stop by.”

Bobby showered quickly, while Buck did the same so he could help the man with breakfast for both shifts. Eddie joined them after a few extra minutes to message Carla, who would be taking Chris to school before they arrived home.

“Chri-” Eddie began as someone called out from downstairs. “I’ll see to that,” he sighed as he turned around and began to head down.

“Oh, Edmundo,” came the voice of Ana Flores as she hurried over. “I just wanted to stop by and thank you personally for helping me.”

“Oh, hello,” came Hen’s voice from behind Eddie as she came out of the locker room.

“Ah, hello, I was here to thank Edmundo for his help yesterday,” she smiled.

“For the last time, stop calling me Edmundo, you’re not a member of my family and never will be,” Eddie snapped, hating having his name being used so casually. No one in his family did so. It was something that only Abuela was allowed to use freely.

“Eddie,” Hen began, frowning.

“No, butt out,” he told her, “Miss Flores, I was doing my job yesterday, any one of my fellow firefighters could have done it. Please leave if you’re not having a medical emergency,” he said as he began to turn around.

“I was hoping that we could have coffee after your shift? I know that you said no yesterday, but that was more because you were working a scene, I understand that,” Flores said as she reached out to stop him, resting a hand on his arm.

Eddie pulled his arm free, “The answer remains the same, and always will. I’m not going to go out for a coffee with you. I have no interest in you at all.”

Hen watched him open-mouthed at how quickly he was to shut Flores down. “Eddie,” she said as she watched Flores walk out, looking upset and embarrassed.

“What?” he snapped, “I told you I wasn’t interested, and she pushed it. She even stalked me to my place of work to push herself at me again. I’m happy with my life, and why can’t people accept that?” he demanded to know.

“I’m sorry, Eddie, I just thought-”

“Yeah, you thought, you don’t know,” Eddie told her, “I’ll deal with my own dating life, thanks,” he sighed, “I know you mean well, but please butt out of my business.”

“Fine,” she sighed and nodded as they headed up to the loft for breakfast, as C-Shift started to arrive.

Chapter Thirty

Buck stretched as he got off the truck. They had just been at a four-alarm fire for the better part of eleven hours. He and the others on shift were exhausted, but elated that they had managed to save everyone in the apartment complex. They had been able to get in and out before anyone had been severely injured, saving all 109 residents and nine pets.

“That was one of the better ones,” Buck said as others nodded in agreement.

“Yeah, everyone safe and sound,” Eddie grinned as he and Buck bumped shoulders.

“Right, food has been ordered, shower and change, we’re off for five hours. If something else like that happens, they’ll leave us till last to call, since we were first on scene and last off it,” Bobby said.

Hen and Chimney stepped out of the ambulance, already getting ready to shower and then restock. Everyone went to the locker room to shower and change. Half an hour later, the food was served buffet-style. Buck and Eddie sat next to each other at the table, as others settled around them.

“Chris left a message before he went to bed,” Eddie said as he pulled out his phone.

Buck and Eddie watched as Christopher came on screen, a large smile on his face as he said his goodnights and stay safe to his dad and Buck. He heard voices from below and got up. Others did the same, as they were about to close the shutters to get some sleep.

“Can we help you?” Bobby’s voice floated up as he had been in his office, eating and doing some paperwork. The only one who hadn’t joined everyone at the tables in the loft.

“We’re here to see Evan Buckley,” came a voice that Buck hadn’t wanted to hear again.

“My parents,” Buck whispered as Chimney headed over and the two of them looked over the railing. The Buckley parents stood there, looking at their Captain with an expectation hanging around them.

“I’ll try and head them off,” Chimney said as he began to head to the stairs.

“No, I’ll do this. It’s not like they’ll really listen,” Buck sighed as Eddie jumped up and hurried to follow the younger man down the stairs to where his parents were standing.

“Buck,” Bobby said, as he noticed the young man, “Y-”

“It’s alright, Bobby,” Buck said, “I can talk with them for a few moments, then they can leave,” he said as he looked at his parents.

“Alright,” he nodded, as he looked at Buck and Eddie.

Eddie nodded, letting Bobby know that he had Buck’s back, just in case.

Buck turned to his parents, “You have a few minutes, I want to get some food and sleep, we’ve just come off a scene that took almost twelve hours to get under control.”

“We’ll… not be long… Buck,” Margaret said with an air of distaste at the nickname.

Buck raised an eyebrow, “Oh?” he said, wanting to know what they were up to.

“Look, Buck,” Phillip said, hesitating on the name a little. “We know that we’ve kept something back, we had to, we… didn’t know how to cope well, still don’t,” he said.

Buck was frowning at the sudden change with his parents. “Why are you doing this now?” he asked them, “Why the change?”

Margaret looked away for a moment, “We… love Daniel, still do,” she murmured, “We can never have him back,” she said, glancing at him, “We were always wrong to blame you. It wasn’t your fault at all.”

Buck was still frowning as he looked from his mother to his father. He couldn’t tell if they were being sincere, but they appeared to be. But could he put his heart and feelings on the line again when it came to the two?

“She is right. Maddie has been talking to us over the last few days. Talking and getting through to us that… we were wrong,” he added, taking hold of Margaret’s hand.

Buck didn’t know if he should believe them at all; part of him was wary of the two. They had made things miserable for him over the years when he had lived under their roof, and now they’re sorry. “I…” Buck took a breath, “I think this is a little too late,” he told them, “If you’d asked, you’d come to me, before I made my home here, then you might have had a chance. At the moment, I’m not prepared to do so. With all the secrets, the lies, and the abuse you piled on me. It’s… too late. It really is. I’m happy to see you with Maddie, but I don’t need or want you in my life. I can’t forgive or forget what you’ve done this easily.”

“Buck,” Phillip started, “We’re willing to do what it takes to try and work past everything. We’re here to make… a family with you, Maddie, and Howard, as well as their child,” he added.

Buck shook his head, “I can’t,” he told him, “Like I said, too much has happened between us. A few years ago, when I was still alone, I may have done so. May have worked on things with you. But I have a home and a family here, people who respect and love me without condition, and for me, your love would be. I’m happy that Maddie has you in her life, but I don’t want you in mine. I will be polite and distant, and that’s how I prefer it,” he finished quietly, looking at his parents.

“W-” Margaret began as a cry echoed through the station.

“Bucky!”

Eddie and Buck glanced at each other before they turned to the cry and saw a tearful Christopher heading toward them, Carla walking a little more calmly behind him, but looking slightly relieved to see the two.

“Chris!” Buck and Eddie called out as they hurried to him.

“Bucky, Bucky,” Christopher cried as he flung himself at Buck as soon as the man was close enough to catch him.

“Hey, Superman,” Buck said as he picked him up. Eddie grabbed the crutches before they could fall to the ground. “What’s wrong?” he asked gently as he rubbed Christopher’s back as the nine-year-old cried against him.

Eddie looked at them, “Go and take him upstairs to the loft, I’ll join in a moment,” he said as Buck glanced at him and nodded. “It’s okay, mijo, Buck’s going to take care of you,” he said, rubbing his son’s back and letting his partner go toward the loft.

“I’m sorry, Eddie, I tried calming him down, even offered to call,” Carla said as she walked over to him. “He wouldn’t accept anything less than coming here to see Buck. Tsunami nightmare,” she finished softly.

“Right,” Eddie said, nodding slowly as he turned to watch Buck and Christopher go up the stairs. “Thanks for bringing him here. Let Buck get him settled, and he should be alright to go back home. If you don’t mind hanging around a little.”

“You really do trust him,” Margaret said as she watched them.

Eddie turned toward her, “Of course I do. I said that before, at the dinner. There is no one in this world that I trust more with my son than Buck,” he said.

“I see,” Phillip said, “We… don’t know the man that he is.” He looked at Eddie and then to where Buck had disappeared. They could all just about hear Buck talking to Christopher, reassuring him that they were both fine.

“Buck is a dad to Christopher and has been for a while now. He’s been there through a lot,” Eddie said, “He’s an awesome dad. You should take note of it, now, please leave. Carla, come on up, Bobby’s going to be locking up soon. We have food at the moment, we just got off a long call.”

“Oh, honey, hopefully not bad?” she asked cautiously.

“No, just very long, we were able to get all victims out,” he told her, as he glanced at the Buckley parents.

“Please… tell Buck to call when he can, we’re… open to trying to get to know the man he is now,” Phillip said as he and Margaret finally left.

“I take it we don’t like them,” Carla said, giving Eddie a look.

“No, we don’t,” he huffed, keeping his voice low. “They abused Buck as a child, and now they want to make nice. All because Maddie has this weird obsession with the perfect family. Grandparents, uncles, parents. I don’t trust them, but I know that there is a part of Buck that wants to accept this for what they are saying, that they are willing to try and make amends. So for now, he’s going to wait and see.”

“Just take care of him, in case they do wrong by him again,” Carla warned, looking worried.

Eddie nodded as he looked at her. “I will be,” he said, smiling, and then went to catch up with Buck and Christopher.

XxXxX

Eddie watched as Christopher settled against Buck. The man had been able to calm him. Carla had gone with Bobby as the two made hot chocolate for everyone. Hoping that it would help calm Christopher down enough that he would be able to head home. It was starting to get late, and Christopher needed to get some proper sleep.

Bobby walked over with three mugs in his hands, putting two down. Carla had hers and Eddie’s in her hands as she walked behind the Captain of the 118

“Thanks, Bobby,” Buck said as he leaned over and grabbed one, handing it to Chris before taking the second one for himself.

“You okay, Chris?” Eddie asked as he joined the two on the couch.

“Yeah, I’m okay, Dad. It was just really scary, and I needed to see that Buck was okay,” he murmured behind his mug as he curled against Buck.

Buck put an arm around him, “Well, I’m right here, keeping your dad out of trouble,” he said, as he looked fondly down at the young child.

“Yeah,” Christopher grinned up at him.

Buck yawned as he rested against the couch. Eddie moving closer.

“You tired, Buck?” Christopher frowned.

“Just a little, we were at a really big fire earlier,” Buck explained.

Christopher looked down, “Were you able to save everyone?”

“We were,” Bobby was the one who answered.

Christopher looked up, smiling widely, “Really?!”

“Yeah, we were able to get everyone out and all the animals too,” Bobby smiled back, sipping his hot chocolate.

“Wow,” he grinned, happy at the thought that everyone was okay.

“Yeah, we rescued a goldfish called Harry,” Buck added, grinning as Christopher laughed. He quickly held Christopher’s mug as he did so, since he almost dropped it.

“That’s so funny,” Christopher continued to giggle as he took his mug back and drank some.

When Christopher finished drinking his hot chocolate, Eddie spoke, “Right, mijo, you need to go home. I know you’re supposed to go to school tomorrow, but if you want, you can stay home. Carla, if you can’t watch him, Abuela has said she’d do so,” he told her.

“I’ll be fine to stay until around noon,” Carla smiled, “So if he’s not too tired for school, I’ll keep him home.”

“I’ll be okay, Dad,” Christopher said as he let Buck take his mug and got up, going over to his dad and flopping on him, “It was a really bad and scary dream, but I’m okay now I’ve seen you both,” he said, hugging his dad tightly.

“Like we always feel better when we see you and give you a big hug after a hard day at work,” Buck said, as Eddie reached out and pulled him into a hug.

“Come on, we’ll walk you both out,” Buck said as he detangled himself from the hug, a soft smile on his face as he grabbed Christopher’s crutches. The five of them made their way downstairs. Buck handed the crutches over as soon as the nine-year-old was up on his feet again. Eddie now standing behind his son.

Carla stood up, “Thanks, all of you,” she said, as Christopher hugged his dad and Buck one last time before the two of them walked to the car.

“Bye,” Buck waved as the car set off. He hid a yawn behind his hand, “Right, sleep.”

“Agreed,” Eddie said as the two held hands for a few short moments before heading back into the station to get some much-needed sleep.

Chapter Thirty-One

Buck smiled as he got out of the truck. They were dropping Christopher off at school. It wasn’t often that they could do so, since most of the time they were working during the early hours until almost ten, and then their shift would change. But on those four days off, they sometimes got a chance to take him. Eddie got out as well, as the two walked him down the line, along with many other parents.

“I need to learn how to do this on my own, Dad, Buck,” Christopher said as he looked up at the two of them.

“And one day, we will, but not today,” Buck said, as Eddie nodded his head in agreement.

“We’re going to do this until we’re forced to stop,” Eddie said confidently.

“Not a chance, Dad,” Christopher laughed, “One day, I’m going to be too cool to be seen with either of you.”

“Hey, we’re cool!” Buck protested, “We are? Aren’t we, Eds?”

“Very cool, nothing cooler than firefighters,” Eddie nodded, grinning as his son rolled his eyes.

“You are so un-cool,” Christopher declared as they reached the drop-off point. “Bye, Dad, bye, Buck, will you be picking me up?” he asked.

“Yep,” Buck nodded.

“We’ll be picking you up together, but Buck has something to do, and I need to get something done for that. But we’ll be back to pick you up,” Eddie said, as he nodded to himself a few times, going over what the plan was for the day.

“Awesome,” he grinned, “Oh, can we go to that dinner place that has the kiddie mocktails?” he asked, “They do that really cool burger and fries,” he added.

“We’ll see,” Buck said as he got a nod from Eddie. “Right, in you go, have fun today.”

“I will, school’s always fun,” Christopher said as he headed inside.

“He’s growing up, and I don’t like it,” Buck huffed as they headed back to where they had parked the truck.

“Don’t I know, I still remember him being this tiny baby that could easily fit in my arms,” Eddie sighed as he held his hand up to show how small Christopher had been. “It still amazes me seeing him so big now. I felt when he was first put in my arms that he would always remain so small. But I have a feeling he’s going to be tall, just not taller than me, I hope.”

“He eats his veg, he’s gonna be bigger than you,” Buck teased as they reached the truck and got in.

“Not a chance,” Eddie huffed as he got in the driver’s side. “Right, I’ll drop you at yours, and you pack some things. We’re really going to move in sooner rather than wait?” he asked.

“Yeah, you asked me last night, and I said yes. Eds, I know us, I know it’s fast but…” Buck shrugged; it felt right to him.

“It feels right that we don’t need to hang around for months and years before we take that next step,” Eddie smiled as he started up the truck and pulled out of the parking space he had been using. It was quickly filled by someone else dropping their kid off.

“Yeah, exactly that,” Buck smiled at him, “so, I’m going to start sorting and packing, and while I might not fully move in for a week, it’s going to be a slow move over,” he said, “So let’s get a lot of what I want over there.

“I’ll start rearranging and sorting as well. No doubt most of your cooking things will take over.”

“That’s the plan,” Buck laughed.

Eddie dropped Buck off, and the young man headed to his loft apartment. The lease was up in just over a month; by the end of it, he’ll be moved in with Eddie. Buck began to grab the boxes he had stored around the place, just in case he wanted to pack anything away. He began to sort through his kitchen first.

Buck looked up as he packed away the second box he wanted to take to Eddie’s. Someone was at the door and letting themselves in. It could only be one of two people. Eddie or Maddie, and he knew Eddie was at home. “Going to have to get that off her,” he stated as he got up and waited for his sister to enter his apartment.

“Evan,” she snapped as soon as she saw him and frowned at the two boxes, “What are you doing?”

“Nothing you need to concern yourself with,” he told her, “and give me my key back,” he said, holding out his hand for it.

“No, how am I-” Maddie began, holding the key tightly.

“I’m not going to have you traipsing in and out like you own the place. You don’t. Now key, please, or I’ll just change the lock,” he said, waiting for her to give it to him.

“Fine,” she muttered as she slapped it into his hand.

Buck tucked it away and watched her as she began to try to look through the boxes. “Stop being so nosy, Maddie. What I do isn’t up for you to debate or berate me over,” he told her.

“I’m your sister, and you really should have listened to mom and dad-” she began to berate him, as Buck rolled his eyes at her.

“Right, that’s it, leave,” Buck said, gesturing to the door. Stopping her mid-rant before she could say anything more about their parents.

“No,” she said, “You have a lot to answer for. Chimney stopped me from moving in!” she yelled out, “And it’s your fault for putting ideas in his head about our parents being bad. He doesn’t want them around our child!” she said as she rubbed her stomach as though to emphasize that she’s pregnant.

“Maddie, I’m going to stop you right there. I’m not to blame for this; you are. You’re the one who decided to push me to meet with people who have abused me. Not me, I want nothing to do with them, and I would have told you not to contact them or tell them anything about me if you had even mentioned that you were talking to them,” Buck said, shaking his head as he sat down on a stool, “so stop trying to blame others for the decisions you make and then believe everyone else should be making the same thing. We’re not you. You had a good relationship with the, better than what I fucking had,” he snapped a little, “They hated me, and now I know about Daniel, I know why they hated me. Why they made my life miserable as much as they could. Because if Daniel wasn’t there, what use was I except for their punching bag, both physically and emotionally.”

“I’m trying to make sure that my daughter will have the life and people in her life that she needs and deserves. She deserves to have her grandparents and her uncle getting along,” she pushed, “Doesn’t she need that?”

“No, she doesn’t need it, it’s what you want for her,” he pointed out to her, “So stop that too,” he leaned back on the stool a little to stare at her.

“I’m not going to, you’re going to get along with them. They’ll be visiting again as soon as they can, and you will be there,” she said, starting to lose her temper as she stomped her foot, much like a toddler would when they didn’t get their way. All he needed to see was her arms crossed in front of her chest and a big huff, and it would be perfect. ”You have to, I need you to do this for me,” she finished, glaring at him.

“I’m not going to push aside years of abuse from two people who should have loved and cared for me. You might want to bury your head in the sand all the time, but I don’t, and I won’t be. You can go live in La La Land, I’m not joining you, not a chance. Now get it through your head, Maddie, I don’t want to be around them. I can be cordial, but getting along with them is never going to happen,” Buck threw back at her, trying to keep himself as calm as he could.

“Please, Evan,” she said, as she began to tear up. The other weapon in her arsenal to get Buck to do her bidding.

“Stop with the waterworks,” he said as he got up and began to sort things out again. He wanted to get the kitchen sorted at the very least, so he could take everything over to Eddie’s, along with at least some of his clothing as well.

“I need you by my side, Evan!” she yelled at him, the tears stopping. She had always been able to turn them on and off again when she wanted to. Used it to her advantage a lot over the years.

“It’s not going to happen, Maddie, so get over it and get used to my answering being ‘Fuck Off’ and ‘Not a Chance in Fucking Hell’,” he snapped at her as he looked up from what he was doing.

“Well, you should,” she growled, “And what are you doing?” she demanded to know.

“No, you have no right to know what I’m doing at the moment. All you need to know is that this is my business, not yours, and not yours to gossip to your parents about,” he told her, shrugged as she began to try and wheedle it out of him. The tears came, and through it all, Buck ignored her, going about what he was doing and not paying her any attention.

“I can’t believe you’re ignoring me like that, I’m your sister!” she yelled in his face as she stepped in his way as he was putting a fourth box to one side.

“I don’t care that you’re my sister. At the moment, your demands don’t mean shit to me. I hate the person that you’ve become since they came back into your life. You’re acting like a fucking bitch, and it pissed me o-” he began to rant as a slap echoed in the room. “Get out,” he said, not even looking at her.

“Evan, I’m… I’m sorry, I didn’t…” she trailed off, starting to cry.

“I don’t give a fucking shit, get out now, or I will call the cops to have you escorted out. Just get away from me and don’t come near me. I don’t… I can’t deal with you,” he said, still not looking at her.

Maddie stared at her brother, seeing the red mark on his cheek. A mark she had caused. “I’m sorry.”

“Leave,” he said through gritted teeth. He wanted to snap, to yell at her, but he knew he could say something that could break everything. Even though in his heart, he felt like she had already done so with her actions.

“I’m sorry,” she cried as she rushed out of the apartment.

Buck tried not to cry as he went over to the couch and sat down. His whole body was shaking, and he didn’t know if it was from anger, hurt, betrayal, or a mix of everything and more. He let the tears fall as he just sat there on the couch. He didn’t move for almost an hour. It wasn’t until a message from Eddie, asking when he would be arriving, that he got up off the couch and headed to Eddie’s with what he’d packed so far.

XxXxX

“What happened?” he asked, seeing how upset his boyfriend was.

Buck just pressed himself into Eddie’s arms, letting the other man hold him for a few minutes before telling him what had happened with Maddie.

“She’s not welcome here at all,” he said, not wanting that type of behaviour around Christopher. It was bad enough that he had brought it close to home when he’d joined the fight club during the lawsuit. It was the worst mistake he had made, and in his mind, he was still paying for it.

“Yeah, okay,” he nodded, agreeing, “I don’t know if I want to be around her. She’s been… messaging and trying to call.”

“Block her for now and warn Chimney what’s happened,” he suggested as Buck nodded and pulled out his phone to do so while still leaning against Eddie.

“Done, I messaged Chim, telling him what happened,” he said a few minutes later.

“Come on, we have a bit of time before we need to get Chris, so why don’t we go lie down for a bit? We can always bring your things in later,” he added.

Buck nodded in agreement and went to lie with Eddie for a bit, letting the other soothe the frazzled nerves he had after the confrontation with his sister.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Eddie and Buck got to the end of the pickup line, and Eddie groaned and leaned against Buck, “She’s here.”

“What who?” Buck asked, looking around.

“That woman who came to the station. The teacher, I thought she’d left Durand,” he muttered quietly in answer.

“Oh, oh,” Buck nodded, “Yeah, I thought so too.”

“When I had to treat her that day, when she came to the station. She said something… erm… about coming back, missing working here,” he pulled a face.

“Right, well, it’s not like she’ll do anything now,” Buck said, as they reached the end,

“Edmundo,” Flores smiled as she greeted him.

“Miss Flores,” Eddie began, his tone sharp, “I thank you not to call me by my given name, I’ve not given you permission,” he added, glaring at her.

Flores flushed, “I’m sorry, but I-”

“Miss Flores,” Buck said, calling attention to himself, “Can you please get Christopher now?” he stated.

“Of course,” she said, sneering slightly at him before turning to call Christopher.

“Dad, Buck!” Christopher grinned as he started coming outside.

“Hey, buddy,” Buck grinned as he went over to him, “Right, we’ve got a few things to do when we get back, and I’m going to need your help,” he said.

“I’ll help, I like helping you, Buck,” Christopher said with a nod, a large smile on his face.

“Awesome,” Buck smiled, taking Christopher’s backpack and slinging it over his shoulder.

“Edmundo-” Flores began once again, only for Eddie to send her a glare. “I’m sorry, but are you-”

“Miss Flores, if this is about Christopher’s school work, then ask me to make an appointment with the school so we can discuss it. However, if this is about anything else, then we have nothing to discuss. Now my boyfriend and I have a few things to do tonight, as he’s moving in,” he said, before beginning to walk away. He then turned and added, “And don’t call me Edmundo again; you’re not my partner, or my family. I will be speaking with the principal should you do it again. It’s inappropriate.”

Eddie didn’t wait around to hear a reply as he hurried to catch up with Buck and his son. He hoped that she would listen to him. She had been annoying when she had worked there before. She had flirted with him then, but he’d been able to ignore it for the most part, brushing it off. When he met her again a little while ago, he hadn’t thought much of her comment about going back to Durand.

“Hey, Eds, you gotta listen to the latest gossip,” Buck grinned at him as he caught up.

“Yeah?” he said as he looked at Christopher as they reached the truck and got in.

Christopher began to regale them both with tales of the playground and the latest in the school yard drama going on between Christopher’s two best friends.

XxXxX

Buck parked the truck in the drive and froze when he got out. Maddie was standing on the porch, waiting for them. “I don’t…” he said as he glanced at Eddie.

“I’ll get rid of her, you get Christopher inside,” Eddie told him, as he helped Christopher out and gave Buck his backpack.

“Yeah, thanks,” Buck said as he began to walk to the door, ignoring Maddie as best as he could. “Let’s get inside, buddy,” he said as he unlocked the door and went inside.

Maddie tried to push her way in as Eddie got in the way. “I want to talk to Evan.”

“No,” Eddie said as he closed the door after Buck and Christopher entered the house. He turned to face her, “I’m not letting you inside, Maddie. You’ve hurt Buck, and he needs some time away from you.”

“It’s been hours,” Maddie said, “He has to… he should be-”

“What, over the fact that you hit him? Like your parents did when he was a kid?” he pointed out to her. “Look, Maddie, you hit him, you hit Buck. He’s hurting and feeling fucking betrayed by you. He thought you would be one of the few who would not hurt him physically. Because Dios knows you hurt him mentally almost daily.”

“I don’t do that, I don’t,” Maddie said, taking a step back and almost falling down the stairs of the porch.

“Careful,” Eddie said automatically.

“Please, I have to talk to him, I have to let him know that I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it, I really didn’t,” she said as she began to sob.

“Give him some time, Maddie. You always want to do things on your terms, on your time. You don’t actually care about how Buck is feeling in all of this. Why can’t you give him a break and let him come to you when he’s ready for it?” he asked her, glaring at the woman.

“I just… I need to…” she stammered a little through the words.

“I, I, I. Always about you, always, isn’t it?” he snapped at her, “You want, you need, you just. Why not Buck?” he asked her again.

“I-” she began, only to stop as she looked down, her tears falling.

“I don’t like you, I don’t think I have properly for a while,” Eddie said quietly, “You hurt Buck all the time. When something is wrong, you go to him, and he’ll help, but you abuse that help all the time.”

“I don’t!” she screamed. “I don’t, stop… stop lying!”

“He’s not, though,” Buck said as he opened the door and stepped out, “Chris is starting his homework and in the dining room,” he said, letting Eddie know that Christopher was on the other side of the house and out of earshot, hopefully.

“Evan,” Maddie said as the tears dried up and she headed toward him.

“No, stay there, I don’t want you near me at the moment,” Buck said, holding up his hand.

“I just-” she began, looking like she was going to cry once more.

“You just wanted to stomp over my boundaries like they don’t matter. Like you always do,” Buck said softly, shaking his head, “I want some time away from you. You hit me, Maddie. I never thought you would do something like that to me. I thought… I thought you cared, even if you have this stupid idea in your head that we can make a happy family. We can’t, I will never be able to be around them, and at the moment, I really don’t want to be around you. So leave, don’t come back, and when, or even if I can forgive you for what you’ve done, then maybe I’ll get in contact, and maybe we can repair our relationship,” he told her, hoping she would listen to him this time.

“Evan,” Maddie said as she started to cry once more.

“No, Maddie, and it’s fucking, Buck,” he spat at her, “Buck, or can’t you remember my preferred name, Madaline,” he told her, glaring.

Maddie flinched, “I changed it,” she said as she looked away, tears falling from her eyes.

“No, you didn’t, and I know you didn’t since it’s still the name on your driver’s licence. You might have everyone else believing that’s your name, you may have Philip and Margaret believing it, but I know the facts,” he told her, “So call me Evan at your peril,” he warned her. He wasn’t going to let her get away with things from now on.

“Evan,” Maddie said, as she dried her eyes, stopping crying once more.

Madaline,” he replied.

“You know I don’t like it,” Maddie told him.

“And I don’t like Evan, but you keep insisting,” he shrugged. “Please leave,” he then stated, “Look, I don’t want to see or talk to you at the moment. You broke the trust I had in you, now leave,” he repeated as he turned to go back into the house.

“No, please, Evan, Buck, please, please, you have to listen to me,” Maddie began to beg as she rushed toward the steps, only to find Eddie blocking her way. “Get out of my way!” she yelled at him, trying to push him aside. Eddie remained still, not moving as Buck went back inside.

“I won’t be,” he told her as he heard the door close.

“You need to move,” Maddie said. This time, her voice had changed; it was more threatening now.

Eddie looked down at her, “I will not let you near Buck at the moment. He needs some time away from you. Maddie, you hurt him, physically,” he reminded her, “this morning you hit him, across the face, and broke what trust he had in you. It’s going to take a lot for him to be able to trust you again. Instead of crossing the boundaries he’s set up, why don’t you actually listen to what he’s asking you to do?”

“I just need to tell him I’m sorry,” Maddie said, breaking down into tears once again.

“He knows you are, but he needs time, and you just keep pushing. The more you push, the more he doesn’t want to speak or see you. It’s always about you, what you want, never about what anyone else might need. Are you going to be like this with your kid? Will their needs come after your wants?” he asked her, “Because I can see you doing that with the way you act with Buck.”

“I wouldn’t-” she protested.

Eddie raised an eyebrow at her and waited.

“I wouldn’t,” she protested again, “I just need to talk with Evan about what I did and about our parents. That… he, but he needs to be able to forgive them. To-”

“He doesn’t need to do anything like that at all,” Eddie told her, shaking his head as he sighed heavily. “He really doesn’t. They abused him and neglected him. They showed that enough with the bits I saw of them. They’re pretending to stay in your good books.”

“But they… they do care,” she said, frowning, “They do, they really do.”

“If you tell a lie often enough, you start to believe it’s true. And that’s a lie you’ve been telling yourself since you were a child, and Daniel had died. Get some help for your issues, Maddie, and if you seriously don’t think you have any, you need to stop lying to yourself,” he snapped at her.

“I’m not lying, I’m not!” she screamed, but even the words didn’t sound truthful.

“Go, before I decide that I’ve had enough of you on my front step and call the cops to have you escorted away,” he warned her. “I want to have a nice evening in with my boyfriend and our son,” he added as he went to the door.

Maddie tries to push past him to get to it, and Eddie once more blocked the way.

“Maddie, go home,” Eddie said, now having had enough as he pulled out his phone, “I will call the cops if you don’t leave. At the moment, I’m going to message Chimney,” he said as he sent a message to his friend.

Moments later, Maddie’s phone started ringing. “You shouldn’t interfere.”

“You should listen to what other people want and need in their lives, but you’re too selfish to care about anyone but yourself,” he stated as Maddie finally answered the phone.

Eddie remained outside just in case and waited until Maddie finally left, sending Eddie another glare before getting into her car and leaving.

The door opened, and Buck walked out again, wrapping his arms around his boyfriend. He murmured, “Thank you.”

“Welcome, you know that,” Eddie said as he turned around and pulled Buck in for a gentle kiss, “Let’s go inside and tell Chris what’s going on with you moving in. Hopefully, we can still spend a good night at home and enjoy some take out and a film together,” he suggested, they had been planning on going out, but he could see that Buck now didn’t wish to.

“Sounds like a good plan,” Buck smiled softly as they headed inside to do just that.

Chapter Thirty-Three

Buck walked into work, seeing Chimney waiting for him. He just hoped the man wasn’t going to be telling him that he should make up with Maddie.

“You okay?” Chimney asked him. Buck could see concern in his eyes.

“I’m… okay,” he said with a stiff nod, “I just can’t wait until they go.”

“They left last night. Got on a flight. They sold the RV yesterday morning. I dropped them off at the airport myself, since Maddie was being a bit of a shit about it. I really don’t like the two of them,” Chimney said, pulling a face. “She changed so †much with them around. It’s like the Maddie that I fell for disappeared for a while. I’m just hoping that a lot of this is just pregnancy hormones and the fact that they were whispering in her ear almost constantly.”

“They’re horrible people, and I know they treated her a lot better than me, but they were still horrible to her most of the time,” Buck frowned as he walked to the locker room. Eddie was trailing behind them, giving Buck that comforting presence of his boyfriend.

“There’s something I’d like to talk to you about, when you’ve got a chance. I just… need a… bit of help with something,” Chimney said, “It’s about Maddie, and no, it’s not about forgiving her, or anything like that. I just need someone to talk to about something that’s been on my mind for the last few days.”

“Yeah, sure, when we have a lull,” Buck nodded as he and Eddie got ready for the day. Breakfast was interrupted by a call, a pile-up during the morning rush hour.

Chimney and Buck headed up to the roof when they had the chance. Eddie glanced at them and watched, wanting to go as well, to make sure things were okay.

“Thanks,” Chimney said as he sat down on one of the chairs that were on the roof. They would sometimes sit up there on the really nice days.

“So, what’s going on?” Buck asked, wanting to get whatever was bothering Chimney out into the open.

“So, I stopped Maddie from moving in. She was going to a few days ago, but with the way she’s been. I told her I think we shouldn’t, just yet. I-” he cut himself off, wringing his hands together a few times, “I love her, I really do, Buck. But there is just… something about her parents that rubs me the wrong way. I know neglectful parents; we see a lot of them, and they scream that type of attitude at me. We see so much on this job,” he said as he looked out over the city before them, “And I know shitty parents. And while my own dad is an idiot, we’ve talked a lot over the last few months. Since Maddie became pregnant. He’s an asshole, but Mom chose to remain in the USA, to become a citizen, for me to do the same. Dad went back to Seoul for work; he didn’t really have a choice. He would have been fired, and we would have had to go back no matter what if that had happened,” he rambled a little, “But Maddie, she follows them, when they say something, she goes along with it.”

“She does, always,” Buck snorted, “Like with the Daniel thing, she kept it secret for so long because they told her to. She could have told me at any point during my life. When they say jump, she jumps. They told her to look after me, and she did. They told her not to date someone, so she didn’t. The only time she really defied them was when it came to Doug. Maddie is a… follower; she follows the crowd and the mob.”

Chimney nodded, “Yeah, I’ve noticed, but…” he sighed, “I think something else is going on, more than just the hormones, I think she’s at the point where she needs to take care of her mental health, but with her parents around, she would never admit that she needs the help.”

“No, she won’t. Our parents are very much against therapy of any kind. I can see why they are against it; it’s because that would mean they would have to face the reality that they fucked up. That Daniel is gone, and that they are abusive assholes. Maddie doesn’t want to face reality either. She wants this picture-perfect life; it’s what she’s always wanted. She wanted it with Doug, and now, she wants it with you. You… you’re a good guy, Chimney, took a bit, but you got there. You admit your faults, and you’re trying to help yourself. As for Maddie, I don’t know what I should say there,” he sighed heavily, glancing over at Chimney for a second before getting up and going to the edge. To look over the city.

Chimney remained where he was, watching Buck. He could see that the younger man was tense and knew that it had something to do with what had happened a couple of days ago. “I know she betrayed you,” he said softly, “And I’m not telling you to talk with her or anything. I just… I think she’s heading for a mental breakdown, and I can’t do anything to stop it. She’s scaring me with some of her behavior. I never thought she would hit you, and she has. She’s allowing her parents to whisper in her ear about things, and she’s following whatever it is that they’re telling her.”

Buck was quiet for a while, taking in what Chimney had told him and the things that he’d observed over the last couple of weeks. Mainly since Maddie had told him that their parents were on the way to LA. “I can see where you’re coming from. I think… it might be an idea to have her move in with you. Especially if you’re scared that she’s heading for a mental breakdown,” he added, turning to face Chimney. He sighed, “Look, I don’t…” he trailed off, looking away.

“As I said, Buck, she’s betrayed you. I get that. I’m worried about her, especially when her parents are around. Thankfully, now that they’ve headed back to the East Coast, maybe she’ll go back to who she was,” Chimney said as he stood up, joining Buck at the edge of the roof.

“I don’t know if she will,” Buck said, and Chimney could hear the fear of that in his voice, as the young man turned back to face the city. “That she’s going to keep pushing the narrative that our parents love us both. I know they love her, or I think they do. They’ve always celebrated her accomplishments, her birthdays, and celebrated Christmas with her. All the holidays. I was always an afterthought. A tag-along. I didn’t get birthdays, or celebrations of my achievements, or anything like that. At Christmas, I would get something generic that I knew they had gotten at the last minute, just to be seen getting me something. But for Maddie, she was the one who celebrated me, though. Until she started being a normal teenager,” he snorted. “When it was time to go to friends’ places, sleepovers, and movies at night. Weekends were spent out and about in the town with friends. A boyfriend or three,” he said, a sad smile on his face, “I think that’s when we started to drift apart. She stopped seeing me as her little brother and someone she loved and cared for, and started seeing me as a burden. And… I was in a way. She was made to be a parent before she should ever have been one. She was a kid at first, and then a teenager. What’s going on between us might be a long time coming.”

Chimney watched him for a moment and then nodded, “Yeah, I’ll talk with her,” he said.

Buck looked at him again, “I know things are hard between Maddie and me, but don’t hesitate to call me if you need me. I know she’s tough at times, but she’s also weak in other areas. And against our parents, she’s weak and easily manipulated into their way of thinking. I’ve seen them do it several times. As I said, the only time she stood up to them, she ended up with Doug. Don’t be surprised when she follows their lead because of fear.”

“Thanks for talking to me,” Chimney said, “And Buck, it goes for you as well. I know you and Eddie are together, even if Maddie is in deep denial about it,” he snorted, “But, I’m here too. I’ll see if I can start talking her into therapy.”

“Good luck with that,” Buck snorted, shaking his head, knowing it was going to be a losing battle for Chimney.

“Oh, one last thing, Buck, how are you doing after what she’s done?” he asked him as they began to head to the door.

Buck froze for a second. “I’m… dealing with it, I had a therapy appointment after, and it’s going to be a bit before I can face her again. She’s been blocked on my phone, but not Eddie’s, just in case,” he stated, “But she’s hounding him, and he’s about ready to hit the roof with her.”

“Have him block her as well, if anything happens, I’ll call from my phone,” he told him.

“I’ll tell Eddie that,” Buck nodded, “Thanks.”

Chimney smiled as they headed back down, “Yeah,” he nodded.

XxXxX

There was a peaceful moment at the station. They had one more call before it was afternoon. Buck and Eddie quickly finished a call with Christopher and Carla, who were taking him home.

“Chris got an A on his Math test,” Eddie said proudly as he sat down on the couch. Buck quickly joined him.

“That’s great,” Bobby said, as he walked over, “Chim, Hen, I still need that after-action report on the call this morning from the two of you. Everyone else is done.”

“Almost done with it, Cap,” Chimney stated as he looked up from the table he was working at.

“I left mine in the ambo, I’ll grab it for you in a mo,” Hen said as she glanced up from the book she was reading.

“Hello,” came a soft, feminine voice from below.

Eddie groaned and leaned against Buck, “I can’t believe it,” he muttered.

“What’s going on?” Hen frowned as she stood up to see who it was.

“Sounds like Flores, a teacher at Durand. She’s been flirting with Eddie a little. Tried to ask him out before she started back at the school,” Buck answered.

“Oh, the one that came here last time?” Hen asked, getting a nod from Buck and Eddie.

“Want me to take care of it?” Bobby asked as he stood up as well. “I don’t mind getting her to leave.”

“If you don’t mind,” Eddie said as he looked up from where he was hiding in Buck’s neck.

Bobby smiled at the two of them and then headed downstairs. “Ma’am,” he said with a nod of his head, “What can I help you with?” he asked, being polite.

“Yes, I’m here to see Edmundo,” she smiled, “I’m Ana Flores,” she added.

“I see, you mean Eddie,” he said sharply, a reprimand within his voice.

Flores frowned at it, “Edmundo,” she insisted.

“Considering that I know of Eddie’s family, and have met them, his parents, siblings, and other family members, not one of them call him Edmundo,” he added, “So I know for a fact that he doesn’t like using that name,” he stated, “So why would you try and call someone by a name they don’t like?” he asked her.

Flores flushed, “I thought it would be nice to use a wonderful name like Edmundo, it’s the same name as my grandfathers,” she said, “I think it would be fine for Edmundo’s partner to use.”

“Well, you’re not Eddie’s partner at all, are you?” he said, wanting to roll his eyes.

“It’s why I’m here, to ask him,” she said, “Even though I believe he should be doing this.”

“I already told you I’m dating someone, and it would never be you,” Eddie called out from the balcony, Buck and Hen on either side of him, with Chimney coming to stand beside Hen. A few others were lingering around.

“Edmundo,” she admonished.

“Shut up,” Buck said, “Oh my god, you’re so annoying. Eddie has told you not to call him that, and you have once more disrespected his wishes. He’s told you that he’s dating someone, and that he wouldn’t be dating you when you mentioned it that one time during a pick up, I think.”

“Or a drop off, when we were dropping off Chris,” Eddie said as he took Buck’s hand. “Now, Miss Flores,” he said as he turned to face her, “I will not be dating you, do not wish to date you at all. And don’t call me by my given name again. I’ll be making a complaint at the school about you turning up at my workplace,” he added.

Flores flushed red in embarrassment as she saw the looks she was getting. She turned and flounced out, head held high. She didn’t need to be embarrassed; she had made a move, now it was up to Edmundo to make the next one.

Chapter Thirty-Four

Buck headed to make coffee and tea for everyone as they headed back to the couches after Flores had left. He could see that Eddie was starting to get really irritated by her behaviour. “Come and get it,” he called out as he finished making them. Grabbing his own and Eddie’s, he headed over to the couch and sat down, handing Eddie his.

“Thanks, Buck,” Eddie said, smiling softly and kissing his cheek.

“So sweet, I’m going to have to visit the dentist,” Hen said as she walked over with her own and Chimney’s.

“Like you and Karen aren’t the same when you get a chance,” Bobby pointed out to her, grinning as he settled down with a tea.

“But we’re married, we have an excuse,” Hen tried to defend herself, knowing it was a very weak argument.

“Marriage doesn’t mean we can’t show how much we love each other,” Buck said as he leaned against Eddie a little.

Eddie put an arm around his shoulders and pulled him up against him properly, “Exactly that, Hen. I know Cap is the same with Athena, and I know Chimney and Maddie can be very loving toward each other as well.”

Chimney sighed at that, “Not as much as you think, at the moment. Things are a little off and tense, but that’s a conversation for another time,” he said before Hen or Bobby could ask what was going on.

“Just know my doors open if you need to talk,” Bobby told him.

“I know, Bobby,” Chimney said with a nod, and a small smile on his face as he blew on his coffee and took a hesitant sip of the way too hot liquid.

“So, what’s with this Flores woman? I know she’s turned up here before, tried it on then as well, if I remember right,” Hen asked Eddie and Buck.

“She was Christopher’s teacher a while ago. She…” Eddie stopped for a moment and sighed, “She was always calling me Edmundo, always my full name, no matter how many times I told her to stop. Even Carla did, and she ignored her, too. Nothing got through to her at all.”

“She’s also ableist,” Buck said, taking up the explanation, “She was… dismissive of children being able to try things in a safe environment.”

Bobby frowned at that, “How is she a teacher in a school that caters to those with different abilities?” he asked, “You would think she wouldn’t even be able to have a job there if she was?”

“It’s subtle,” Buck answered.

“When I got the call that Chris had hurt himself at school. Found out that she and the other teacher missed a group of nine students, all playing around with a skateboard in the playground. Now the playground is large, but there are usually five teachers or staff members who are watching over the kids. The teacher for Christopher’s class at the time was Flores. She was supposed to be watching the children. She missed the skateboard, and four of the kids using it before Christopher got on to have a try.” Eddie told them, shaking his head.

“How the hell do you miss something like that. A bunch of kids, no doubt being loud as well,” Chimeny shook his head, “I remember my own skateboarding days, and it gathered a crowd.”

“Exactly!” Buck exclaimed as he gestured to Chimney, “See! There is no way she and the other teachers missed it. I still say that they just didn’t care at that moment in time to deal with it,” he snorted.

“If that’s the case, then what the hell were they doing?” Hen asked, leaning against the back of her chair and watching the two.

“Oh, that’s easy, gossiping,” Buck rolled his eyes.

“Chris tells us that the teachers often go to one side of the playground and stay there just to have a chat. He says they’re worse than Abuela for her gossip,” he grinned a little, “But yeah, they weren’t watching, too busy talking to each other until someone got hurt. Then it was all, oh, we didn’t notice, but we were watching them. Bullshit,” he huffed, taking a sip of his coffee, and then a larger one.

“This is when Buck built that skateboard contraption for Chris? Isn’t it?” Bobby asked, a slight frown on his face as his phone began to buzz.

“It is, and you’re popular today, Cap,” Eddie said as Bobby quickly looked at his phone, typing a message and sending it before putting it back down again.

“Just Michael, we’re just talking,” Bobby said dismissively. “I saw the videos that Buck posted about the skateboard he made for Christopher; it was really well done.”

“Yeah,” Buck said, grinning widely as he added, “I’ve made a few adjustments to it since then. We should take it out for a spin again soon, I know Chris loves it when we’re charging around the skate park.”

Eddie nodded, “We’ll do it on our next four days off, we have a weekend then to go out and spend some time with Chris,” he suggested, as Buck nodded in agreement.

“I-” Chimney began as the alarm sounded.

Bobby jumped up, grabbing the tablet as he looked over the call as it also came over the tannoy. “Right, full gear, everyone. Hen, Chim, lock up and then join us!” he called out as they all headed down to get into their turnouts before heading into the trucks. Chimney and Hen closed up the station before getting into the last ambulance and following them to the callout.

XxXxX

“Right, I’ll see you guys tomorrow,” Bobby said as he was the first one out of the station.

“But, Cap, we’re going for breakfast together, don’t you want to join?!” Hen called out after him.

“Sorry, got something to do,” he called back before heading to the parking lot.

“Wonder what he’s up to?” Buck said as he held Eddie’s hand before going to where the truck was parked.

“Breakfast, you two?” Hen asked, “Chim, me and some of the others are going, usual place.”

“Sure, we’ll join, Carla’s already taken Chris to school,” Eddie said, nodding as Buck nodded too.

“Great, see you there,” she said, grinning as they all headed off to meet at their usual diner after a long shift. There had been almost back-to-back calls through the night. With snatches of sleep between. Meeting at the diner, they talked a little more. Chimney and Buck quickly whispered about Maddie and what Chimney was planning on doing.

“Look, you do what you need to, just make sure you take yourself into consideration as well,” Buck reminded him, “You’re going to have to deal with most of the fallout of what’s going on.”

“I will be, I’m still seeing my therapist as well,” Chimney nodded, “I’m taking care of myself.”

“Good, don’t forget about that,” Buck nodded.

Chimney smiled, “I won’t,” he said as they finished breakfast and headed their separate ways.

Chimney parked up outside Maddie’s apartment building. He gave a heavy sigh as he looked at it as he got out. He knew she wasn’t on shift until this evening. She’ll be doing it until the early hours of the morning. A six-hour shift. He headed up, knocking on her door and waiting for her to answer. It took a few minutes before the door opened.

“Howie,” she said, not looking happy at him, “Why are you here?” she asked, not letting him inside.

“I thought we should talk about things, about you moving in. If you still want to,” he said as he looked at her, not expecting much as she looked unhappy and slightly angry.

Maddie moved aside, “Come in then, I’ll not have people gossiping about me,” she stated as she let him inside.

“Thank you,” he said as he walked in. He could see she was still packed, ready to move in with him. She’d gotten rid of some of the furniture before her parents came. Since they had already planned for Maddie to move in with him.

“What are you here for?” she asked, as she went toward the small kitchen.

“I was thinking about the moving thing,” he stated, “I know that things have been a little up in the air. I still love you, Maddie. I still want to build a life with you.”

“You’re the one who stopped the move,” she said, “So why change now?” she asked, as she grabbed herself a drink of water and headed back to the lone couch.

Chimney followed her, “Because I love you,” he stated, and he did. He truly loved her and wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. He just wasn’t sure about the things he was just starting to see when it came to her parents. Before they came into things, everything was good, great even. They were looking forward to everything, and now it felt like it was a hairbreadth away from falling apart around them all.

Maddie sat down and looked at him, “You hurt me, Howie,” she said, tearing up a little.

“Maddie,” Chimney said, feeling guilty for doing so. He knew that he was right in taking a few moments for himself, to make sure that this was something he could do, could live with. He was making a choice, not just for himself, but to keep a close eye on Maddie as well. He wanted her well, and he knew something more was going on. Guilt, maybe, that her brother had died, guilt for not telling Buck when she should have. There were so many things that could be going on in her head.

“You did, you’re supposed to be on my side, at my side, and you weren’t,” she told him, looking upset and hurt.

“Maddie, you have to understand that what you knew, what he didn’t know, could have caused harm. And while things are tense between you both, it’s more because you hit him than keeping Daniel secret. Buck’s dealing with everything as best as he can. But what you did hurt him even more than what I’ve hurt you. He feels betrayed by the one person he thought loved him unconditionally.”

“I didn’t… mean to,” she said, “It was just… I just…” she added, trying to think of a way to defend herself.

“Buck needs time to come to terms with it. So stop hounding him and Eddie for now. What we need to concentrate on is us. How are we going to get through this, because Maddie, it was like you were someone else when your parents were here. You weren’t a good person, you were… so different from how loving and kind you usually are,” he stated, not sure how he could word it. He didn’t want to upset her again, but he had a feeling he would have to if they were going to mend things between them.

Maddie sipped at her water for a few minutes, letting the silence drag out between them. “We do need to talk, and I need to talk with Evan, sort things out there as well.”

“No, Maddie. First, focus on us. We need to talk, and yeah, I do want you to move in. I just don’t want your parents around much. There is something about them that I don’t like, I’m sorry,” he said as he saw the upset look on her face, “I’ll let them be around our daughter, but the first instance that they show anything toward her, disdain or anything negative, I don’t want them there. I don’t want our child to ever feel like they’re not enough. Like Buck has for most of his life. And let’s not get into what you believe versus what Buck believes,” he said before she could protest. “Let’s just be us, no Buck, no Buckley Parents, just me and you.”

“Okay,” she said after a few moments. “Howie,” she began, “Don’t… don’t do that again to me, though,” she asked of him.

“I’ll do what I can to not break confidence with you, unless it’s detrimental to you, or someone else,” he promised her.

Maddie didn’t look happy with that, but took it as they finally began to talk again about their relationship, and what had happened when her parents had arrived.

Chapter Thirty-Five

Two days later, Maddie and Chimney were finally moving in together. Chimney hadn’t asked Buck and Eddie to help, wanting to give them some space from Maddie and how she had been like the last few weeks. Instead, he’d asked Albert to help him. The man had been quick to say yes.

“Okay,” Albert said, smiling, “That’s the last of the boxes,” he said, “Anything else that needs to be gotten?”

Chimney looked from one lot of boxes he had set near the couch so Maddie could go through it to see what she wanted, and to decide where it would go in the apartment. “No, I think that’s it,” he said as he got a nod from Maddie.

“Thank you for helping,” Maddie smiled at him, “It’s a pity Evan and Eddie couldn’t have helped. They did wonderfully last time they helped me move,” she added, almost absently.

Chimney looked at her and nodded, “Yeah,” he said, biting his lip.

“Yeah, Buck’s packing so many things up,” Albert said as he started to move things around so it would be easier to get for Maddie and Chimney.

“Why is he doing that?” she asked, looking up, her lips pursing together.

“It do-” Chimney said, hoping to head off the argument and ranting that was going to come as soon as Maddie found out her baby brother was going to be moving into Eddie’s house.

“He’s moving in with Eddie, it’s so awesome to see them together, but I’m taking over his lease when he goes. But he’s taking a lot of his things with him. Eddie is giving me what is swapped out until I can get my own things. Which is really nice of him,” Albert said as he looked at Chimney, who was making some weird abortive movements with his hands.

“He’s moving into Eddie’s place,” Maddie said. There was a hint of anger and annoyance in her voice.

“Yes,” Albert nodded, “Howard, could I get a soda?” he asked his brother, not sensing the danger that he was in with the information he held.

“Albert,” Maddie said, as she stood up, holding her stomach. “Tell me everything about moving,” she said as she went to the fridge, pulled out a cold can of soda, and handed it to her future brother-in-law.

“Thank you,” he smiled, taking it and opening it. He gulped almost half of it down before he started to answer her. “Well, he and Eddie are moving in. It would be easier to move in with Eddie for now, though they did mention that they’d like to find a new place, one that’s a little bigger for the three of them. Buck’s really happy about the move,” he added, “He’s doing it a little slowly, and I’ll take over the lease when it ends next month. It means I’ll have my own place, and the landlord is nice and has gotten to know me as well.”

“I see,” she said, nodding.

“I need to go,” Albert said as he saw the time. “I’m meeting a new friend,” he told them as he chugged the last of his soda and put the can away in the recycling spot.

“Okay,” Maddie smiled as she went to see him out.

“Maddie,” Chimney said as she walked back.

“I’m going to see him,” she said, as she grabbed a light jacket and her keys. “I’ll be back soon. I just want to talk to him,” she repeated as she headed off before Chimney could get to her to stop her.

“Fuck,” Chimney cursed as he started to try to find his phone. He’d put it down, but where the hell did he put it down?

XxXxX

Buck walked up the stairs to the loft apartment. He had taken a load of things to Eddie’s, and he was grabbing the last of it now. It was a little sooner than they had thought, but Christopher was eager for him to be fully moved in, instead of living half and half. “Still got to change my address everywhere,” he muttered as he reached the top and entered the hallway, only to stop when he saw Maddie standing there.

“Evan,” she said, not looking happy as she waited for him to open the door and let her in.

“I don’t want you here,” Buck said, shaking his head. “I’ve told you that I need some time away from you. Why can’t you listen to me?” he asked her, as he slowly made his way to his door and opened it up.

Maddie brushed past him and looked around the apartment. There were so many things she knew that had belonged to Buck, now missing. “You’re really moving out of here, aren’t you?” she said as she turned to face her brother. “You never even told me, were you just going to let me find out when I knocked on the door to see you, and find out that you’d gone?” she asked him, looking teary-eyed.

Buck sighed and shook his head as his phone rang. He looked at it, Chimney, he answered him. “She’s here,” he stated.

“Yeah, she found out from Al, sorry, I didn’t shut him up in time,” Chimney apologised, “As soon as I find my key’s I’ll head over to try and get her. If things get bad and I haven’t arrived, or even left, message me, and I’ll just uber and drive her back in her car,” he told him.

“Alright,” Buck said as he hung up.

“Well, are you going to answer me?” she asked, her voice still quiet, even though it looked like she wanted to raise it and yell at him.

“What do you want me to say?” he asked her, “That I’m moving out, moving in with Eddie, and we’re really happy about it.”

“How could you move in with someone who never wants me to see you?” she said incredulously.

“It’s more of a case that he doesn’t like the way that you avoid my boundaries like they’re there for everyone else and not you. They’re for you as well. Like my name, it’s Buck, not Evan; I don’t use Evan. Thinking about changing it legally as well at some point,” he snorted, thinking about going the route that Maddie failed to go with.

Maddie didn’t look happy. “Daniel chose that name for you,” she whispered.

“I didn’t know Daniel. I never got the chance to know him because you all hid him away and forgot about him,” he said, his words blunt, and he knew they would hurt Maddie, but it was also the truth. How could he know someone who had been forgotten by the people who should have remembered him the most? His parents and sister.

“I had no choice,” she said, “Mom and Dad, they were stuck in their grief.”

“Yeah, I’ve seen how people deal with grief, right up front the moment death happens and even months and years after the fact,” he said, thinking about Bobby, “But I don’t see Bobby continuing to wallow in what happened to his family, to his wife and children. He lost them, but he still lived, still carried on. Found love again, loves May and Harry, treats them like he would his own. He does the same to me as well, treats me like his kid most of the time. That’s something that Margaret and Phillip failed to do right from the start. I was there for spare parts that didn’t work.”

“I-” she began, “This isn’t about that, I’m here because you’re moving. Why the hell didn’t you tell me?”

“Because I didn’t want you coming here and nagging me half to death, trying to talk me out of what I want in my life. You wouldn’t have talked me out of it, but I’d rather save myself the headache of having to listen to you bitch about it,” Buck snorted slightly, shaking his head as he watched his sister, keeping a distance between the two of them. He didn’t want to take a chance that she would become violent again.

Maddie watched him, looking sad as she said softly, “Evan,” she began.

“It’s Buck, please, Madaline, listen to what I’m saying instead of just burying your fucking head in the sand and pretending that everything is hunky dory in your fucked up world. I want you to listen and actually hear me now. This is the last time I’m going to fucking say this, but my boundaries are there for a reason. You keep crossing them, which is making it harder and harder to want to be around you. You also fucking hit me,” he hissed at her.

“That was just… just the hormones,” Maddie tried to protest, “and I’m trying to help you, and you never ever want to see that. I’m your sister, older than you by ten years. Eddie isn’t going to be good for you. He’s a parent, and he has different priorities, and it won’t be you.”

“Of course it won’t be me, I wouldn’t expect Chim or you to put each other above the needs of your child, and I would never ask Hen, Karen, or Eddie to do that either. The kids come first in any relationship. Their needs are a must to think on, and that is why I love Eddie, and I love and fucking adore Christopher to the moon and back again several times over. So yeah, he’s a parent, has different priorities, but both of us have the same priority when it comes to Chris, and that’s making sure he is happy and has everything he needs and most of what he would like to.”

Maddie shook her head, “You’re throwing your life away with him. Don’t you want to have kids of your own?” she said, “Like I am with Chimney?” she asked, trying a different way to get him to go with what she wanted.

“I have a kid, his name is Christopher,” he stated, “I’m happy with the one, and I don’t need someone to be biologically related to me to make them my kid.”

“But-” she began to say, eyes going wide at her comment backfired on her.

“No, Maddie,” he said, “Now, can you leave? Chimney is heading this way, so maybe head home before he gets here,” he added, moving around so that she could leave without getting too close to him.

“Why are you avoiding me?” she asked, starting to get upset again at Buck’s actions.

“You hit me, Maddie, you hit me just like Margaret did,” he replied quietly, “At the moment, I really don’t want to see you, talk to you, or anything. I need some time and space, can you please, listen to this one thing for once?” he begged her.

“I’m your sister,” she began again.

“Stop saying that, it doesn’t mean anything at the moment. It just means that you can hurt me in more ways than physically. You’ve hurt me emotionally, mentally, and physically now. Just like they did,” he added his words quietly.

Chimney arrived just then, “Maddie, come on, home,” he said, “I told you we need to focus on us, leave Buck to do what he wants. He’s an adult after all,” he said as he walked over to her and put an arm around her shoulders, and started to guide her out.

“I can walk alone,” Maddie snapped before storming off.

“Sorry, Buck,” Chimney said as he looked at him, “I’ll try and keep her home, but she’s not listening to anyone at the moment.”

“Chimney, if I could, I would get a restraining order out against her. But for now, I’ve sent all the evidence of the harassment she’s doing. My lawyer is going to send her a cease and desist letter, that there is to be no contact between us for a set time of around a month. That if she breaks it, then I will take legal action to get a restraining order out against her,” he warned him.

“I’ll make sure she listens to it, and do what I can,” Chimney said. “I’ll head back home now, and sorry,” he said, “I took an Uber in the end, hopefully, Maddie hasn’t left without me,” he sighed.

“I can drop you off if she has. I’m just packing the last few things and then heading to Eddie’s,” he told him.

Chimney nodded and left. Returning a few minutes later, Maddie had left without him. Chimney helped him pack things away and take them down. Buck dropped Chimney off before heading home to Eddie and Christopher.

Chapter Thirty-Six

Chimney watched Maddie as she paced, holding her stomach. She was six months pregnant, due near the middle of February. It wasn’t even Thanksgiving yet, but Chimney knew he was going to miss a lot of things with the rest of the 118. He had to stand by her and be there for her. He’d already talked to Eddie and Buck about what was going on and what he would be doing. Bobby also had a heads-up that he wouldn’t be at the planned gathering that Thanksgiving, since he was going to be with Maddie. He had hoped he would be able to take her to see the Lees for the day.

“I can’t believe he sent me this!” she yelled as she turned to face Chimney, “A fucking cease and desist letter from a lawyer, what the hell was he thinking!” she continued to rant. She had been going on for almost half an hour, and Chimney was starting to worry about her blood pressure.

“Maddie,” Chimney said, finally ready to face her unmitigated rage about his friends and coworkers.

“He sent me something so demeaning,” she said as she threw the letter toward him. It was partially screwed up as she had been waving it around wildly as she paced.

“Maddie,” he said again, as calmly as he could, “I know it’s not nice, but-”

“But… there’s a fucking BUT!” she yelled as she turned to face him.

“Yes, there’s a but.” Chimney took a breath and steeled himself for what he needed to do. “Maddie, you walk all over his boundaries constantly, and you even belittle him at times. You’ve harassed him as soon as you’re not getting your way in things. To a point, he’s had to block you several times in the past just to be able to sleep. You even entered his home when he was there and several times when he wasn’t. I don’t blame him, maybe when this is over, and it’s Christmas, we’ll be able to have a family gathering for it, all be together. Instead of being separate like we are now.”

“I never… I never would do that to him,” she said, eyes going wide at Chimney’s words.

“Give me your phone,” he said as he held out his hand and waited for her to hand it over.

Reluctantly, she did so, “Why, what do you need it for?” she asked as she watched him open it and tap a few times.

“This is your call log; it tells you how many calls you made to a certain number. This is Buck’s number,” he said as he settled beside her and showed her, “You called him over a hundred times in the last week, a hundred Maddie, that’s more than excessive, that’s worrying and practically stalker behavior. Then there are the messages, and there’s even more of them. Though most of those wouldn’t have gone through, they’re still there in your history,” he said as he went through them with her, “That’s why he sent the letter. Not because he doesn’t love you, but he doesn’t want you ruining your relationship with him, that’s on the rocks as it is. He needs some time; use this time to settle yourself down. You don’t need to worry about Buck. Eddie’s got that job now, all you need to do is worry about you and our little mango,” he told her, smiling and slowly touching her stomach, where the baby kicked a couple of times before settling again.

“I need to make sure he’s okay, Howie,” she said softly, “I just need to make sure he’s there, safe and sound.”

“He’ll be okay, he’s got Eddie and the others watching out for him. You don’t need to do that,” he said, trying a different approach.

“But he hasn’t got me, I know him better than anyone,” she protested again, shaking her head and moving away from Chimney again. “He needs me.”

“He’s an adult who’s spent more years without you than with you,” Chimney said, this time being blunt, “He needs a sister, not a controlling mother figure,” he pointed out to her, “You also slapped him across the face, something I’ve never seen you do before. He needs some time away from you, and I think it might be an idea to step back. To remember how to be a sister and not a mother to Buck.”

Maddie went wide-eyed at Chimney’s comment, “Howie,” she said, lip trembling as much as her voice was.

“I’m telling you the truth, Maddie,” he said, “It fucking hurts me. But he’s been alone in this world longer than you’ve been in it. You were what, just gone eighteen when you left for college? You stayed away. Wasn’t there often, maybe one or two visits in the two years between then and trying to decide what you wanted to do. Then you met Doug, and worked part-time, while studying nursing. You weren’t really there for him from when he was eight. But even before then, he said you had boyfriends, went out with friends, and were barely home. Like a teenager should be. You weren’t Buck’s mother, you were his sister, and they took advantage of you,” he pointed out to her, remembering some of the things that his therapist had told him over their sessions while discussing Maddie and what was going on around them.

Maddie walked away, going to the kitchen area and making herself a drink. “I don’t like you trying to decide what my role is in Evan’s life. I’m his sister, yes, but I raised him.”

“Yeah, you did, and now you’ve got to detach from him. He’s almost thirty now, Maddie,” he told her, following her and staying one side of the counter, “I know you love him a lot, he’s a good man, and part of that is from you. But you now have another kid to think about, and they’re going to need you a lot more than what Buck will,” he pointed out.

“He’s seeing a therapist, Howie. He needs me; he doesn’t need someone else to tell him lies, and that’s what that therapist is doing. No doubt they’ve told Evan that I assaulted him, it was a simple correction,” she said as she thought about what she had done to Buck.

Chimney looked at her in horror, “Maddie, that was assault. That wasn’t correction, that’s… fucking hell, Maddie,” he said, shaking his head and stepping away from her, like he could distance himself from the vile words that she was using to describe what she had done to Buck.

“Howie,” she frowned, “Why are you going over there?” she asked, moving toward him.

“Maddie, do you even realise what you’ve just said?” he asked her, as he waited a few moments.

“There’s nothing to explain about that; siblings fight all the time,” she said, waving a hand and the other still clutching the letter that had been sent to her.

“Yeah, but I’ve never hit Albert in the face. We’ve argued, and I know that Eddie argues with his sisters occasionally, but they’ve never been violent to each other,” he said, shaking his head, “I… Maddie, that is something an abuser would say. It wasn’t a hit, it was a correction, how many times did Doug use that line on you. Saying he had to correct your behavior?” he asked, hoping he was making the right choice in bringing Doug up. He always avoided saying anything about him, not wanting to bring up bad memories for either of them.

“How can you say that to me?” she said, tears pooling in her eyes, “You know what he did to me, I’ve done nothing of the kind to Evan, he’s my brother, I would never hurt him.”

“But you have, and it wasn’t a sibling spat; it was more because you wouldn’t respect his boundaries, and he called you out on it, and you slapped him for it. Now you’re saying you were correcting his behavior?” he asked her, trying to get her to see that she was going about things the wrong way.

“Howie, I was correcting his behavior, and he was swearing at me. Calling me a bitch,” Maddie defended herself, “Now I have other things to worry about. I was thinking about asking my parents to come for Thanksgiving,” she said as she changed the subject. “I need to get in touch with Evan, and you’re going to do it for me.”

“No, I’m not, I’m not going to let Buck into the mess you’re making. I’ll stand by you, but that’s about it. You want them here, I really don’t. They… I felt like they made you someone I didn’t recognise,” he said softly, as he went quiet at the end.

“I’m still me,” Maddie frowned, “I’m always me, you just never realized,” she said, shrugged, dismissing what Chimney was trying to tell her.

“Maddie,” he started again, “Look,” he said, sighing heavily.

“It doesn’t matter, Howie, what matters is that Evan is trying to shut me out of his life, and it isn’t going to work. I want to bring my parents here for Thanksgiving,” she said, ignoring the fact that Chimney was against that idea.

“I was thinking we could spend it with the Lees, you know, they’re my family, we-” Chimney began, hoping to derail her thoughts.

“With the Lees?” she said, frowning, “But Howie, I wanted to spend more time with my parents. They’re… they’ve got things planned, and I would love to share them with you when it’s time,” she smiled sweetly.

Chimney shook his head, “Yes, with the Lees, I’m going to Thanksgiving with them, and I’ve arranged it for both of us.”

“We’ll see,” she said, not looking happy but not really saying anything, just to keep the peace for now. “Why don’t you help me sort Evan out and make sure that he doesn’t do something stupid?”

Chimney slumped where he was sitting for a moment and then got up, “No, Maddie, I’m not going to do anything to help you against Buck. He needs some space and time away from you. You’ve hurt him, and I’m not going to be a part of hurting him again because you don’t want to listen to what others are saying.”

“Where are you going?” she demanded to know as she followed him.

“I’m going out, I need to clear my head a bit, and I can’t listen to you pretend that you’ve done nothing to deserve that cease and desist order. You…” he sighed and trailed off, “You know what, forget it, Maddie, I’m heading to the Lee’s for dinner, I’ll be back later, when I’ve cooled down a little more,” he told her before heading out

Maddie stood there, “I can’t believe he left me here alone. What kind of person does that?” she yelled, wanting to throw something and deciding it would be better to talk with her parents, to see if they could help in sorting out what Buck was doing. “I’m not going to let him ruin things,” she said, as she began to call her parents.

Chimney leaned against the door, hearing Maddie yell, and closed his eyes. He had no idea what he could do to try to get through to her. She didn’t want to listen to anything anyone was saying. Instead, she was calling her parents at all times of the day and night. He caught her talking with them at four in the morning last night, and he had no idea what they were talking about. But Maddie had gone into the bathroom and closed the door, locking it as she continued her conversation with them.

“What the fuck am I to do?” he said, sighing as he left the apartment building and went for a walk in the local park. Hoping he could think of something that he could do to bring back the Maddie he had fallen in love with.

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Maddie looked at Chimney as they entered the OBGYN’s office. They were having a check-up on the baby, making sure that everything was alright with little Mango.

“Maddie, Howard,” the woman smiled as she looked at the two of you. “How have things been since the last time I saw you both?” she asked as she began the general check-up on Maddie. Blood pressure, weight, and more.

“We’re doing wonderful,” Maddie smiled, “I’ve been talking to my mother a lot, and she’s been telling me how things were for her when she was pregnant with me,” she added softly. Dr Kelly Richards took her blood to be sent off, and nodded as Maddie went over a lot more of what she had been doing over the last few weeks since her last visit.

“That’s good to hear about the move,” Richards smiled at her, “Now, let’s have a listen and look at this little one,” she added as she got Maddie up on the bed and began to use the Doppler to let them hear the heartbeat nice and clearly. “Going strong,” she nodded, bringing out the ultrasound. “A little chill, as you know,” she laughed lightly and began to move the transducer around to get a lock on the baby. “There they are,” she smiled.

Maddie and Chimney looked at the screen, seeing the grainy picture of their daughter as they moved around in the womb. “Wow,” Chimney murmured, still in awe at seeing his daughter.

Maddie and Chimney listened to what Richards was saying as she printed out some pictures for them to share with friends and family. “Thank you,” Maddie said as she tucked them away.

“Now, we’re going to have to talk about your birthing plan,” Richards said as she walked over to her desk. with Maddie and Chimney following her.

Maddie sat down as Chimney took the other chair. “I’ve thought about it, and I would like a home birth,” Maddie said. “I want to have my brother there, you see,” she told her.

“Maddie,” Chimney frowned, “That’s… not a good idea,” he tried to say.

“This is my pregnancy, my body, and this is what I want, Howie,” she said firmly as she began to go over the things that she wanted during the home birth. To the people that she wanted in the apartment, and the one helping her through things. Which was mainly Chimney and Buck.

“Alright, Maddie, if this is what you want, I will see what we can do. But for your pregnancy, even though things are going smoothly at the moment, I would rather you be here in the hospital in case something happens,” Richards advised.

“I’ve thought about this long and hard. I know what I need to have happen,” Maddie said as she got up, “come on, Howie, I want to go home.”

“How about you head to the cafe for a bit? I know you love the hot chocolate they have here. Get one of those so I can talk with Dr Richards and ease my mind a little about your choice,” Chimney said, smiling at Maddie.

Maddie smiled back as she headed out of the office.

“Mr Han?” Richards said, “What do you need to ask me?”

“I’m actually worried about Maddie. Her parents visited between the time she last saw you and now,” Howard said as he added, “Her behavior changed. Clingy to the extreme with her brother. She would call him, demand to know where he was, and things like that. Then her parents came, and everything got worse. She dismissed the fact that her brother had been abused by them, and to some extent, Maddie as well. She ignores it, dreaming of that picture-perfect family. I’m worried that she’s going to get worse.”

“Explain more, if you can?” she pressed a little more.

Chimney sighed, “So she’s clingy with her brother, to the point where she is constantly demanding to know what he’s doing. Over a hundred calls a week. She doesn’t like the person that he’s dating either, or the fact that he basically has a son with him. She doesn’t like it because they stand up to her when she makes demands and steps over Buck’s boundaries. Not only that, but he was abused by his parents, physically, emotionally, and mentally. Maddie had none of that; her parents did love her, but they parentified her. She was the one who raised Buck for the first five years of his life. Now, with her parents, her behavior changed drastically. She’s not listening even more than normal. She has no care for what anyone else thinks. Not me, Buck, no one. She… does what she wants, and ignores anyone else’s needs or wants. I don’t know… I don’t know what I’m to do with her? She’s not the woman I fell in love with, Dr Richards. I’m worried that the pregnancy is causing some of the imbalance, but I’m also worried that something more is going on. She was abused by a previous partner, and escaped to LA to her brother.”

“Hmmm,” Richards nodded, “I would suggest that you get her to talk to someone. Hormones during pregnancy are all over the place and can cause some extreme behaviors during and after a pregnancy,” she warned him, “it could all be to do with that. Especially if these behaviors were there before she became pregnant.”

Chimney nodded, “So this could all be part of that?” he asked.

“It could, or it could be a symptom of something more. There are a few things that can affect a woman’s mental health during pregnancy; most people only think there is one: Post-Partum Depression. I suggest getting in touch with a therapist for her, getting her to talk to someone about what she is going through. A woman’s mental health during pregnancy is just as important as her physical and emotional well-being,” she advised, “and don’t forget yourself as well. It’s important to keep yourself healthy, too,” she added after a few moments.

“Right, thank you, I’m going to see if I can talk her out of a home birth,” Chimney sighed as he headed for the door.

“That would be the best option for her,” Richards said as Chimney thanked her again before heading out of her office.

Chimney went to find Maddie, smiling a little as she was talking to some of the other mom-to-be’s in the cafe. “Hey,” he said, as he kissed her cheek, “Ready to go home?” he asked.

“I am, could do with a nice soak in the tub,” she said, “Nice talking with you all,” she smiled at the three women she had been talking to.

“Nice to speak with you as well, Maddie,” one of them said as the other two nodded and said their goodbyes.

Maddie took Chimney’s hand, and they walked out of the cafe and toward the lift that would take them to the ground level. “It’s nice to meet other moms like that,” she said softly.

“I bet, don’t forget that, Hen, Karen, Athena, and Anne are there for you to talk to as well. They’ve all had children, and while only Athena and Anne have been pregnant, Hen and Karen are still mothers too. We could also talk with Eddie’s Abuela and his Tia. They’ll both help if you ask, they’re really nice and kind, too,” Chimney said as they got in the lift.

Maddie nodded but said nothing as they traveled down to the first floor. “Maybe I will talk with Athena,” she said, “when I have a chance,” she added quietly as the doors opened and she walked out.

Chimney sighed a little as he followed her. taking the lead and going back to the car to head home.

XxXxX

Chimney cleaned up the dishes for dinner, and Maddie was seated on the couch, looking at the ultrasound picture she had. From all of their scans. A timeline of little Mango’s development. He washed the last of the dishes and dried them before putting them all away and joining her.

“Well, Mango is doing well,” Chimney said as he sat down beside her, glancing over the pictures as well.

“Yeah, she is,” Maddie smiled as she rubbed her stomach a few times. “Only three more months,” she said softly, “Three months and then she’s here.”

“Yeah, I can’t wait to hold her and tell her all about her amazing mother, her uncles, and everyone,” Chimney smiled softly as he reached out and placed a hand on Maddie’s stomach, feeling a little kick. “Hey, little Mango, be good for your mom, okay, she’s doing amazing to make sure you stay safe in there,” he finished.

Maddie smiled and laughed a little. “She loves to hear your voice,” she told him, as the baby kicked a few more times while Chimney talked to her.

“Maddie,” Chimney said, “I was talking with Dr Richards, and she reminded me of something important,” he said as he straightened up.

“Oh?” she said as she sat up straighter and moved around to look at her partner, “About what?”

“That it could be dangerous for you to be at home. You’re slightly older, and there are risks when it comes to it. It would take too long to get you help should something go wrong. I don’t want to lose either of you, and it scares me that you want to be home. I don’t think I’ll be enough if something happens, and I… I can’t handle the thought that I could be right here and be powerless to help should something go wrong, should the worst happen.”

“This is what I want, Howie, and I will get what I want. You and Evan will be there, and everything will be fine,” she snapped, getting up and moving away from him.

“Maddi-” he began, trying to be careful with his words.

“No, this is what I want,” she glared at him, “You keep saying about you, you, you, but what about ME!” she yelled, looking frustrated as she growled a little. “I want something for me, I don’t want to be in a hospital, so this is how it’s going to be,” she said.

“Maddie, I want you to talk to someone about all the things going on in your head. I… plan to do the same. I want to be the very best version of myself that I can be for our daughter. To make sure that none of the things our parents did will ever happen again, not to our kid,” Chimney said, hoping that this approach to therapy might be a better idea.

“I don’t need any help!” she snapped at him, “You’re always telling me I should get help, to talk to someone, you and Evan. I don’t need any help at all. You know what. Get out, leave, I can’t stand the sight of someone that isn’t respecting my wishes,” she said, moving away from him all the more.

“Maddie…” he began, only for her to go to the front door and open it, gesturing for him to leave and not saying another word. “Maddie, please, I’m trying to look out for the both of us, and our little Mango. Do-”

“Do not finish that sentence, get out, you have no idea what you are telling me, that you don’t trust me to know what’s best for myself, to know myself,” she hissed at him, eyes flashing in anger, “Now leave. I don’t want to see you at all!”

Chimney stared at her, seeing that she was serious, “Fine, I’ll go, do you still want to spend Thanksgiving together in three days?” he asked her.

“Why the hell would I want to spend time with someone who doesn’t respect me?” she snapped at him as he got him to walk through the door and slammed it shut in his face.

Chimney was lucky he had picked up his things before moving out the doorway. He shook his head, contacting the Lees as he left, to cancel going to theirs for Thanksgiving. He’d just have to find something to do on his own; he knew that the Lees had been planning to go away for a few days to see Anne’s sister in San Francisco. Maybe they still could, while he would see about crashing at the loft with Albert, hoping his brother would return the favor and let him sleep on his couch for a few days while he tried to sort things out with Maddie.

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Chimney knocked on the front door of his apartment. He’d called Maddie a few times over the last two days. It was now Thanksgiving, and Albert had gone out with friends to celebrate, and Chimney was at a loss as to what he should do, or even where. Not wanting to be alone. He hoped he would still be able to salvage some of his Thanksgiving and spend it with Maddie. He loved her and wanted to be there, but at the moment, she still wasn’t really talking to him.

“Maddie,” he called through the door when he found out that the deadbolt had been used to keep him out.

“I don’t want to talk to you. I’m still angry with you,” she spat through the door, “Go away, when I’m ready, I’ll talk to you. Give me time, like you all want me to give Evan,” she snapped.

“Maddie…” he huffed, rolling his eyes, “Now she wants to police boundaries, where was this when Buck wanted to take time?”

Chimney hoped that Maddie would get over her snit with him soon; he wasn’t going to take being out of his home for much longer. “Maddie, I’m not going to be kept from my home for much longer,” he said through the door before turning away and heading out again. He was almost to his car when his phone began to ring.

“Hey,” he said as he answered the call from Buck.

“Hey, Chim, Happy Thanksgiving. Were you able to get to see Maddie?” he asked.

Chimney snorted as he got in his car, “No. She’s put the deadbolt on. I told her that I’m not going to be locked out of my home for much longer. I’m sick of Al’s couch, it’s not good for my back at all.”

“I know that feeling, before Eddie and I got together, I was always on his couch, it’s lumpy as fuck,” Buck told him.

“It wasn’t that bad!” Eddie called out in the background of the call.

“It really was Eds, be happy we brought my own, it’s at least comfortable to sleep on,” Buck replied, and Chimney could just imagine the man rolling his eyes.

“Yeah, no Maddie, she’s being…. difficult still,” he said, “I know she doesn’t want to do therapy, but I was hoping that if I suggest that I was going to join her and do the same that she would-”

“Take the hint and do it herself as well,” Buck snorted, “Maddie has the Margaret mentality of burying her head in the sand and pretending what pains her doesn’t exist. She’s done it ever since I can remember. When I told her back then, when I was a kid, that Margaret and Phillip would hit me, she would nod and then say that they loved me and pretend I never said a word. I stopped trying to tell her by the time I was seven.”

Chimney could hear Eddie saying something, but not what it was.

“Yeah, sure,” Buck said, “Eddie said if you don’t have anywhere to go for Thanksgiving, come over here. It’s just the three of us. Pepa and Abuela have gone to Luis’s place for Thanksgiving this year. You’re welcome to join us, we don’t mind, and don’t forget that tomorrow we’re heading to Athena and Bobby’s place for BBQ,” he reminded him.

“Yeah, if you don’t mind my coming, I’d like to. Al’s out with some friends from Korea who came over for a few days. Maddie doesn’t want to talk to me, and I told the Lees to head to San Fran to see Anne’s sister.”

“Then head on over,” Buck told him, “I’ve made plenty of food for everyone, enough to feed A-Shift and maybe B-Shift too,” he finished.

“Alright, I’ll head on over,” Chimney said, relieved that he had somewhere and someone to spend this holiday with. He looked to where the window was for the living area and saw Maddie standing there watching him. He nodded at her, and she turned and walked away. He sighed as he started up the car and headed to Buck and Eddie’s place.

XxXxX

Buck walked over to Eddie and smiled. “Well, she didn’t show,” he said, the smile dropping for only a second.

“She was told to keep away for tonight by Athena,” Eddie reminded him. “At least Chimney is here,” he added, gesturing to the man beside them.

“Yeah, he was thinking of not coming tonight. But since Maddie is still locking him out of the apartment, well, he’s bored and lonely, I think,” he murmured as they went to start mingling with the other guests.

Chimney smiled at the two of them, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I wish Maddie would…” he trailed off, “Sorry, Buck, I know at the moment you don’t want to see her.”

“She’s still my sister,” Buck said, “I’m giving her a time out at the moment, since she’s being a bit of a brat,” he added.

Athena walked over, “How is Maddie doing alone at the moment?” she asked.

“I don’t know,” Chimney answered her honestly, “I’ve not been able to talk to her at all; she just shuts me out each time I try. I’ve gone round there, talked to her through the door. But she just ignores me. I’ve called, gone there, done what I can to get her to talk to me, but she just isn’t. I get that she’s angry and annoyed, because I don’t want her to do a home birth, and I would love to get her into therapy; I think she really needs it at the moment.”

Athena frowned, “And it might just be her hormones, and she needs to calm down a little more. Being told what to do when I was pregnant was never a good thing, and you can ask the idiot one over there.”

“Idiot?” Eddie asked, “What’s Michael done to get in the dog house?” he carried on, snorting a little as Bobby and Michael were at the grill cooking and talking.

“Idiot one and idiot two brought Idiot three into things, and they almost ended up getting killed by a bastard that decided to operate illegally out of his home,” Athena said as she began to explain what Michael, Bobby, and even David had ended up getting involved in. “He’d lost his licence to practice and ended up doing discount jobs at home, stealing supplies from the hospital he used to work at, by going back and seducing the staff there and getting what he needed. He’s been arrested and charged.”

“Good, and I can agree with the idiot monickers for now,” Buck said, with a small grin, “So you think it could be hormones? What’s causing Maddie to be so in my face all the time? And the fact that she is trying to create this perfect family life for herself?”

“I think some of it might be, especially the way she’s clinging to you. She does see you as hers half the time,” Athena reminded him, talking about what Maddie had told her over the few times they had met.

“The thing is, though, Athena, she’s not been a mother figure to me since I was about six. She was a teenager then. Could you imagine any teenager turning down dates and social outings with friends to look after their six-year-old little brother?” Buck asked her, “She’s not a mother to me, and hasn’t been in a long time. I barely know her now, she doesn’t want to get to know who I am, but she… was starting to,” he trailed off, “She really was, although she didn’t like it when I went against her. But it was starting to temper down a bit until her pregnancy. Then she was back to being how she was when she first came here, overprotective, demanding, and forgetting who I am as a person again.”

“How long… has she been in contact with your parents?” Athena asked, “Because I’m wondering if they started whispering in her ear about you.”

“Oh, they’ve always done that and tried to turn Maddie against me. Most of the time, she just ignored it and pretended everything was fine,” Buck shrugged. “She does that a lot, especially when talking to them. But I’m not sure how long she’s been talking to them. Mostly because I’m not in touch with them. I called them a couple of times and never got an answer. The only time I did was when I had to tell them that Maddie was safe after being kidnapped by Doug.”

“She’s been talking to them a lot,” Chimney was the one to speak. “Not long after she found out she was pregnant, she called them. I overheard her talking to her mother about the pregnancy and being scared about it. I think she was thinking about Daniel at the time,” he said, glancing at Buck.

“Daniel became ill, and she’s worried her own child will go through the same thing.” Buck nodded slowly, getting a swift nod from Chimney.

“Yeah, I think that’s part of why she told me about him, was because of that worry. She’s been talking to them a lot more since they visited as well. I’m not liking it, she disappears when she starts talking to them, going into the bathroom, so I can’t overhear anything she says. She’ll sometimes call them in the early hours of the morning, at any time. They always answer.”

Buck frowned, “So they’re still talking with her,” he sighed, “I don’t know… They’ve never been a good influence on her.”

“I don’t think they are either. It’s like she turned into someone else,” Chimney said, shaking his head, “Well, I don’t-”

“Let’s change the subject, Maddie is having trouble at the moment, and we’re going to be there for her, even if there is a bit of a ban on her being around Buck,” Eddie said, seeing that Chimney and Buck were becoming uncomfortable with the topic.

“Sure,” Buck said quickly, “So….” he trailed off, stuck for what to actually talk about.

Chimney snorted, “How are things going between the two of you? I know you moved in really quickly.”

“It was right for us,” Eddie said as he glanced at Buck, taking his hand, “I can’t believe half the time that Buck is living with me,” he added quietly.

“Sap,” Buck muttered under his breath, “But yeah, it was right for us,” she said as he looked at Chimney, “When you know, you know.”

“I had that feeling with Maddie,” Chimney said softly, “When I first met her, when we were installing the security system, I knew that she needed a friend, someone that wasn’t her brother. And I just wanted to be that for her. Did I want more, even back then? Yeah, I did, but I was willing to wait for her to be on the same page. Slowly… things changed between us, we got closer, and then Doug,” he sighed, “Took us a bit to restart things, but we got there in the end.”

“You did, and I was… happy for you,” Buck said with only a brief hesitation.

“Were you really?” Athena asked, raising an eyebrow.

“It took me a few to be happy for them,” Buck confessed, “But that was more because both of them weren’t in the right place.”

“I admit, I really wasn’t, and not just because of what happened with Doug, but more because of my anger issues and a few other issues I had. I was a liar when it came to women back when I first met Maddie. So I can understand why you were hesitant back then. I’m doing better on that front,” Chimney said, knowing exactly what Buck was thinking. Though he was thinking it too, he had been a bit of an asshole when it came to women when Buck had first come to the 118. Some of the things he had said and done back then, he was ashamed of now. Some of it he knew stemmed from jealousy over the fact that Buck found it easy to find a partner.

“Yeah, hesitant,” Buck said, “But I think you were both good for each other. You both leveled out, I thought that this was going to be it for Maddie, and I hope that she kicks Margaret and Phillip to the curb soon enough, that you can get back to the way things are supposed to be between you both, between all of us,” he said, hopefully.

“Yeah, let’s… let’s hope,” Chimney nodded as Bobby called everyone over to the grill to start grabbing food.

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Eddie grabbed a basket; he didn’t have that much to get. Just a few things that Buck needed for the dinner tonight, since he and Christopher had changed what they were going to have. “Honestly, Buck,” he muttered, “You need to start being able to say no to our kid,” he finished as he pulled out the list he had been given and went over it, before making a path in his mind of exactly which places he needed to go to get everything.

“Hey Edna,” Eddie said as he greeted one of the women who lived across the road. She was getting on in years, but just as spry as Eddie’s Abuela and quite capable of doing things alone.

“Oh, Eddie, surprised to see you in here at this time. Isn’t that lovely man of yours usually cooking dinner with you and your son?” she smiled back at him.

“Change of dinner plans, Christopher wanted a cottage pie. So I need to get the meat, veg, and gravy,” he said after quickly glancing at his list. “Buck always gives in when Christopher mentions something else.”

“You’re going to have to nip that in the bud soon,” Edna laughed, “I know my own grandson does the same with his father.”

“Yeah, Buck get’s one look at Christopher’s pouting face, and he’s done for,” Eddie laughed, “I’m going to have to work on him, but it’s been like that since they met,” he said, shaking his head, “Right, I need to get dinner, or I’m going to have Chris on the phone asking if I’m trying to starve him,” he joked lightly.

“Ah, the always hungry child,” Edna smiled, patting his arm, “You go and get the meat,” she said, telling him the best one to go for.

“Thanks, Edna,” he nodded as he headed toward the meat aisle and started to move down it to where the ground beef was. “Right, Edna said… this one,” he murmured to himself as he picked out the meat. Looking it over, he got a second pack, knowing that Buck wanted to do some meal prep at the same time and freeze a couple of meals for those long days when neither of them wants to cook.

“Oh, Edmundo,” came a voice that sent a shiver down Eddie’s spine as he walked into the vegetable aisle.

“Miss Flores,” Eddie said, clenching his teeth, “I suggest that you don’t call me by my birth name again. I’m already sick of your blatant disrespect of who I am as a person. You constantly call me a name that only my Abuela uses. Not even my parents use it, since it solely belongs to my Abuela, and she is the only one who is.”

“But it’s a beautiful name, and one that should be used by someone special to you,” she simpered a little, fluttering her eyes at him, and smiling coyly.

“Then you wouldn’t qualify, you are at best a teacher in my son’s school, and at worst a stalker,” he said, glaring at her, “Now, leave me alone and do not speak to me again.”

“But E-” she said, smiling sweetly.

“I said no, Miss Flores!” he almost yelled out this time.

Eddie began to walk away again, going to the veg that Buck asked for. He picked up what he needed, feeling Flores following him still. He closed his eyes and carried on, doing his best to ignore her. He picked up the last of the things he needed. He was almost at the tills when Flores slid up to him, putting a hand on his arm. “Let me go,” he told her firmly.

“Oh, Edmundo, stop being so horrible,” she said, this time her voice was louder, causing a few of the patrons of the grocery store to look over at them.

“Miss Flores, I’ve told you several times to leave me alone, to not call me by that name,” he told her once more, shaking his head, “And let go of my arm.”

“Oh come on now, young man,” an older woman said, “Why would you want to say something like that to your wife?”

“She’s not my wife,” Eddie grit out, shaking his head, “She’s not any-”

“How can you say that!” Flores gasped as she took a hurtful step back.

“Miss Flores, you’re nothing but a teacher at my son’s school, and I really wish you weren’t. More because I don’t want anything to do with you,” Eddie said, “And Ma’am,” he said, turning to the strange woman, “Please keep out of my business. This has nothing to do with you or anyone else around me.”

“Of course it does,” she said, shaking her head, “This young woman is obviously a wonderful young woman if she is here with you. And you’re treating her like garbage.”

“Ma’am, this woman has nothing to do with me. She has stalked me to my local grocery shop, and has been trying to make a pass at me for weeks. Nothing is going to happen-” Eddie began, only for the woman to wave her hand to get him to stop.

“Then you should be honored that she’s decided that she should give you attention. You’re a man, what kind of man turns down a beautiful woman?” she asked him, shaking her head, “No, you should accept her as-”

“I’m not going to cheat on my partner,” Eddie stopped her.

“Partner?” the woman said.

“Oh, he just says that about his work colleague,” Flores said, “He keeps denying what he wants.”

“Are you a cop?” she asked, “Just because you have a work colleague you call partner doesn’t mean it should stop you from dating such a nice woman.”

“Once again, I remind you that this is not your business at all who I see or not. And Miss Flores here, is a stalker. She has come all this way to try and confront me, she turns up at my place of work, which I am a firefighter. My partner is actually not just a work colleague, but also my boyfriend, and we have been dating for a while now,” he said, telling a small lie on how long he and Buck had been together. “not only that but Buck, that’s my partner, has moved into my home with me and our son,” Eddie said, “Now, nose out of my business,” he snapped at her, “Miss Flores, fuck off and don’t come near me again. I need to get home to my son and partner, we have dinner to get on the table,” he said as he turned around and began to head to the checkout. He started putting his things down to be scanned, “Hey, Jason,” he said to the cashier.

“Hey, Eddie,” the young man smiled, “Hows Christopher and Buck?” he asked, “Usually they’re here with you.”

“Not today, Buck’s got a few things he needs to sort out, and Chris has homework,” he said, “And I’m in charge of getting the dinner, since the one we had planned went out the window as soon as Christopher heard about cottage pies and wanted one,” he snorted slightly, a smile starting to form on his face.

“How could you let your son not have a mother figure in his life?” the woman who had butted into Eddie’s business said.

“He has many mother figures in his life, why would I want a stalker in his?” he asked her back.

“Being with a man is teaching you son-” she began a homophobic rant.

“Ma’am,” Eddie said, “I can teach my son the values and morals that I myself follow. If you don’t like it, fuck off,” he said, being blunt, “Your homophobic view isn’t needed nor wanted.”

“This is why I think I would be the better choice, he needs a good mother figure in his life, to make sure he doesn’t turn like that,” Flores said, wrinkling her nose in distaste. “Christopher is such a gentle and sensitive child. He’s going to grow up confused if you keep pretending to date a man.”

“Will you shut up,” Eddie said, “I will be contacting the school and reporting you for your behavior outside of it. I will also be making a note to my lawyer and the cops to make sure that this is all recorded. Jason, I hope you don’t mind, but I’ll be contacting your manager here, to ask for footage and audio of today.”

“That’s fine, you know Kelsy will be happy to help,” Jason said, nodding as he finished scanning Eddie’s things.

“You-”

“Will you fuck off!” Eddie snapped at the two, turning to face them, “Why the fuck are you so in my business. I’ve never even met you before today, yet you’re shoving your homophobic big nose into my business like you’re my family. News for you, ma’am, you’re not, and I dislike busybodies like you. Fucking hell, all I wanted to do was to shop in peace.”

“I demanded to see your manager,” the busybody said as she glared at Jason.

“Gladly,” Jason said, as he made the call, “Kelsy to till four, someone is demanding to see the manager.”

“I would say she’s a fucking Karen, but I don’t want to insult the amazing Karen that’s in my life,” Eddie mumbled as he paid, “I’ll stick around, since I want to talk to Kelsy myself.”

“That’s fine,” Jason nodded.

Kelsy walked over, “Jason,” she nodded at the young man, “What’s th-”

“That man is the problem. He’s rude and abusive towards this lovely young woman. He’s even dating a man, which is disgusting!” the woman yelled.

“Right, Eddie,” Kelsy turned, “Can I ask someone sane and not homophobic what’s going on?” she asked, as she held a hand up for the woman to shut up.

“Edmundo-”

“I was asking Eddie, and who the hell is she thinking she can call you that. I heard your Abuela have a go at someone who decided to try and call you that once,” she snorted, “Now, Eddie, what’s going on?” she asked again, “I’m asking Eddie, not either of you.”

“Miss Flores, the ignorant, disrespectful one,” Eddie began, ignoring the call of his birth name again, “Is a teacher at my son’s school. Who has basically been stalking me. She’s asked me out a few times. Even though I’ve told her I’m with Buck. She ignores it and carries on; she’s ableist toward my son. I dread to think what she would do if she had any more authority over him. I’m going to have to get in contact with the school and make them aware of the situation,” he huffed, “But she has been trying to weasel her way into my life, and I won’t take it. Then we have the busybody who doesn’t know how to keep her nose out of other people’s business, deciding that being homophobic and a bitch is the way to be in this day and age,” he rolled his eyes, “She was telling me that I should date a wannabe stalker instead of Buck, who I love.”

“See!” The busybody said, pointing at Eddie, “He need-”

“Ma’am, what needs to happen is for you to leave this store and never return,” Kelsy said, stopping her from speaking.

“What!” she exclaimed, eyes wide, “You can’t do that!” she shrieked.

“Ma’am, I’m the manager here, and we take care of our customers. At the moment, neither of you is familiar to me. You especially,” she said as she looked at Flores. “So, both of you are now banned from this store. Do not come here again, I’ll have security escort you from the store,” she said, as she nodded at Jason.

“You can’t do that to me, what will my husband say?” the woman said, horrified.

“Then maybe you should have thought about that before you harassed a customer with your bigotry. Now, Eric, Tyler, please escort the two from the store.”

“Hey, Kelsy,” Eddie said, “If you have security footage of this, and if there is sound, then could you send it to me. I’m going to have to make a report for the police, since this is getting ridiculous. She’s appeared at my place of work, flirts when I’m trying to drop off or pick up my son, and has now followed me to my local store,” he rolled his eyes, “Buck’s going to have a fit, he really doesn’t like her attitude.”

“I’ll make sure it’s given to you, and there is sound for most. We had that feature installed a while ago,” she told him as the two women were protesting as they were escorted out. The woman’s husband came over to find out what was going on and then walked away when he had been told what happened.

“Thanks,” Eddie said, giving her an email she could send it to. He left the store, seeing Flores standing nearby, looking at him with a very disappointed teacher look. He gave her the middle finger and walked to his truck, and headed home.

Chapter Forty

Buck and Eddie walked into the office of Principal Summers. “Thank you for agreeing to see us,” Eddie said. It had been two days since the grocery store. Both Eddie and Buck were still pissed when they thought of it.

“Welcome, Mr Diaz, Mr Buckley,” Principal Summers greeted the two of them, “please, sit down,” she said, gesturing to the chairs opposite her desk.

“Thank you,” Buck said as he and Eddie sat.

Eddie nodded and took Buck’s hand, holding it tightly. He was annoyed and pissed off with what was going on with Flores. “I’m sorry to be bringing this to you, but we’re hoping to talk here at least, to make sure that our son is nowhere near Miss Flores.”

“Hmm,” she hummed, “May I ask what has been going on for that to be necessary?” she asked.

“Over the last few weeks. Since just before she started working here again. We met on a call. She had been injured, I helped her with her injury, and that was it. She did try and ask me out then, but I was quick to turn her down. I was already dating someone at the time, Buck,” he said.

“I see, and you feel after that, that you believe it would be best for your son to be separated from her?” Summers asked, frowning. It wasn’t the first time a teacher had asked a parent out. Nothing usually comes of it when they are turned down. So she didn’t really understand why Eddie and Buck were insisting that they keep their son away from one of his teachers.

“If it were only that, then we wouldn’t bother with this. A day after the injury, she stopped by the station I work at to try and get me to ask her out again. I told her that I wasn’t interested, but she was… insistent that we could be something, even using a given name that only my Abuela uses, as it’s her late husband’s name, my Abuelo. He passed when I was a teenager, and after that, no one has called me by my full name, but her. Miss Flores keeps using it as if she has the right. Now, I’ve asked repeatedly for her to stop, but she refuses. She also corners me when I’m dropping Christopher off, and when picking him up, to flirt with me,” Eddie explained more of what was going on.

“It came to a head two days ago. Eddie was out getting a few things for dinner, and Miss Flores was there. She made a scene, and it was recorded on CCTV, with audio. I’ve viewed the footage, and she is implying something rather homophobic. Saying that Christopher needed a mother figure in his life, or he would grow up confused if his father continued to pretend to date a man. She has ignored the fact that we’re dating, and is very…” Buck said, struggling to find the words.

“She comes across as very entitled about her viewpoint. When she was here, she was somewhat ableist as well. Saying that Christopher shouldn’t be doing certain things. She often puts messages on his work about the activities that he does, advising that he shouldn’t be doing them, even though his doctors have agreed that they are good. When she left, I was about to make an appointment with you to intercede about it,” Eddie sighed, “Look, I don’t know why she’s fixated on me, but she has. It’s uncomfortable, and her behavior is basically stalker-like. We’re in the process of having a letter from our lawyer sent to her to get her to stop. I’m not letting this… escalate any further.”

“I understand and will put down an edict that she’s not allowed near Christopher. She will also be taken off pick up and drop off. Any issues she has with Christopher, as a student, will be dealt with by me, not her. I’ll make sure that his English class is changed as well, since at the moment he has her,” she said, nodding as she made a few notes. “I’ll be speaking to the board about her actions outside of school, as well as those while she should be working. In case there is anything else we can do to discourage her behavior. It could be her job and teaching licence if things continue to escalate. So I don’t believe she will when she faces the minor consequences for what she is doing at the moment.”

“Let’s hope. I don’t really want to drag this out longer than needed. But I will involve the legal system if she doesn’t stop,” Eddie sighed, “I will be speaking with a detective later on, to make sure that what’s happened so far has been noted down. Since I’m friends with a sergeant, she has always advised that, should things like this happen, start going to the police straight away. Nothing might be done, but it’s on record. They’re going to end up talking with her and taking a statement from her as well about the incident at the grocery store, especially since she was banned for her behavior by the store manager.”

“We were told she may get a small unofficial warning by the police, but that will be about it for now,” Buck added.

“I see, well, then I will speak with her, and reassign her from pick up and drop off duties,” Summer said, “There isn’t really much I can do apart from that, and going to the board and warning them of her current behavior.”

“Thank you for at least listening, and for trying to do something,” Buck said, “We know that this… isn’t really on you to sort out, and we’re not asking that. All we are asking is if you can make sure Christopher remains away from Miss Flores.”

“I understand that,” she said, “But this can become quite serious if she isn’t told the consequences of her actions.”

“I know it can, but her actions are causing harm, and consequences are something she has earned with her behavior,” Eddie said as he got up. “Thank you for meeting us, and I hope we don’t ever have to speak of this again.”

“Let’s hope,” Summers said as she stood up, shook their hands, and escorted them from her office, asking the receptionist to make sure that Flores came to her office as soon as she was done with lunch.

Buck and Eddie sighed, hoping that this would work and Flores would take the letter and the fact that her place of work knew what was going on, seriously, and stop whatever it was she was doing.

XxXxX

There were still two weeks before the ban that Buck and Eddie had put on Maddie would be lifted. Chimney still hadn’t been able to return home, and he was getting a little sick of her behavior. He was a few days away from forcing the issue if she didn’t let him home soon. Buck moved around the living room of his home, tidying it up a little. Christopher was in his room getting his homework done, instead of at the dining table. More because Eddie was going over some paperwork for Christopher that he needed to get done.

Buck almost jumped when his phone began to ring. He frowned as he saw that it was a number he recognised as belonging to his mother. “What the hell is she calling for?” he said, feeling worried, since maybe they knew something about Maddie, that something was wrong, and they didn’t have Chimney’s number, so they couldn’t contact him. “Hello?” he said, frowning as he put it on speaker and sat down at the table with Eddie.

Eddie looked at him, “Who?” he mouthed.

“My mother,” he mouthed back.

“Evan Buckley, what the hell do you think you’re doing to your sister!” Margaret yelled down the line.

“I’ve done nothing to Maddie; that would be both of you lying to her about the past. If you want to keep her in the dark, fine, but don’t fucking lie to her about it and try to turn her against me. Just because you couldn’t get yourselves out of the pit you went into, doesn’t mean you need to drag everyone else down with you. Maddie is getting on with her life, and you’re here to bring her down, no doubt,” he snapped at them, feeling like that was what they were doing to Maddie.

“We’ve done nothing; you’re the one who is the problem. Why can’t you let your sister have what she wanted for once in your life? Stop being selfish. You’re goin-” Margaret ranted at him.

“I’m not going to do anything, Margaret. I’m my own person, and I’m protecting myself from a couple of abusive assholes, and I wish that Maddie had never gotten in contact with either of you again. She may want you in her life, but I hope that I’ll be able to talk her out of that as soon as I can. No one needs to fucked up abusive dicks in their life. Now, don’t call me again-”

“Listen, Evan,” Phillip said, his voice sharp and unforgiving, “We’re trying to help your sister through a difficult time. She is worried about so many things. She needs you in her corner, and us. She needs all of us, and your behavior is causing her problems in her relationship with Howard. You need to start thinking about the others in your life, not just yourself,” he said as he then hung up.

“Fucking asshole,” Buck muttered. “He-” he cut himself off and rubbed his face. “Is he right? Do I need to think about Maddie more? I know she’s going through a hard time.”

Eddie stopped what he was doing fully and looked at his boyfriend, “Buck, you’re not being selfish at all. They are. All three of them. Maddie knows you want to be there for her, even when she’s such a brat about things going on in your life. She uses the love you have for her against you at times. To your own detriment,” he sighed, not sure how truthful he should be, “Not only that, but your parents can jump off a fucking cliff for all I care. They’re abusive, manipulative, and are driving a wedge between you and Maddie. Your sister is no doubt thinking a lot about Daniel and what happened to him. I know if that had happened to a member of my family, I’d be just as worried about my own child, and history repeating itself. Having your parents around isn’t good for her, as no doubt it’s bringing up a lot of what happened back then. And with you all at odds, Maddie doesn’t know what she wants to do, now I’m only guessing at all this,” he said, holding his hands up, “But it’s a possibility.”

“So I should cut Maddie some slack?” Buck asked, frowning a little as he glanced over at Eddie.

“No,” Eddie shook his head a few times. “I get she’s worried, but continuing to do what she wants and letting her get her way is going to make things difficult for you later on. She’s going to keep pushing any boundaries you have aside to get her way. So, no, don’t give in now. Sure, she’s having a tough time, but she has Chim for that. If she ever lets him back in and stops listening to the bullshit her parents are no doubt feeding her.”

Buck snorted, “It’s why I don’t want them anywhere near me. They… they always made me feel worthless, useless, not capable of anything. Like my life was never going to be anything more than a footnote for them, maybe not even that. I don’t want Maddie to feel like that.”

“Then she has to do what you did, and cut them out, protect herself,” Eddie said.

Buck’s phone beeped as a message came through. “Oh, Chim. He’s finally back home, but… something’s happened to force it,” he frowned. “He’ll call tonight when Chris is in bed to explain, or even stop by. Maddie’s doing okay, but not happy,” he snorted.

“Alright,” Eddie said, frowning and wondering just what the hell was going on now.

Buck sent a message back and got up, “Going to finish cleaning and then start dinner,” he stated, wanting to keep busy as he worried about what was going on in Maddie and Chimney’s lives at the moment.

Chapter Forty-One

Chimney had canceled going over to Buck and Eddie’s that night as they’d planned, and instead asked to meet with them both after Christopher had gone to school. Buck set down the mugs of coffee he had made before getting his and Eddie’s and walking back into the living room. There were now five people inside. Himself, Eddie, Chimney, and two people from Child Protection Services.

“So, can I ask what’s going on?” Buck asked as he sat down beside Eddie on the two-seater that was usually tucked away in the corner.

“We’ve been made aware of a situation concerning Ms Maddie Buckley,” the older of the two, Kevin Havard, said as he looked at the two men he was now going to be talking with.

“What… situation?” Buck questioned, eyes full of worry for his sister.

“A Susan Blevins contacted CPS after she was given concerning information about something that Ms Buckley said while at work. We’ve seen the footage, and we are concerned about the things she has mentioned. She was heard speculating on if her unborn child would be able to bring someone called Daniel back.” Carson Wright sighed as he looked at his notes.

“She said that her child could bring him back to her,” Kevin commented as he shook his head. “It was more the way that it was said that caused some concern for Mrs Blevins. We just want to talk to you both about Ms Buckley and her behavior over the last few months.”

Buck sighed and looked at Chimney. “Her behavior…” he rubbed his face and sighed again, “Maddie is… bossy, she believes her way is the right way. Especially when it comes to me. This is more because, for the first five or six years of my life, she was the one who raised me. She took me to the park, she played with me, and she was the one who fixed my hurts. Always her. Never our parents. But, the last few months, since about three months into her pregnancy, she began to get worse in some of her behavior toward me.”

“How?” Carson asked him, as he made a few notes.

“She… wanted to know what he was doing, all the time. She would call him up at all hours of the night and day. Even when we were working. She would call. If he was at work and he didn’t answer, she would call Chimney,” Eddie said, gesturing to Chimney.

“That would be me,” Chimney said, “It’s a work nickname that I use,” he added.

“I see,” Kevin nodded, “Not one I’ve heard before. What happened to cause it?”

“Not something I’m going to say in polite society,” Chimney snorted.

“It’s a mystery, no one but our friend Hen knows what caused it, and both of them keep quiet,” Buck grinned, “Gotta love how close firefighters can get. But, yeah, Maddie would call Chim to find out what I was doing. If I didn’t answer and we’re not at work. Then she’d try and find me, and if she doesn’t, then I get messages and calls until I answer them and talk to her,” he finished explaining. “Before, she would call or message, but not demand that I answer her straight away.”

“I see,” Kevin nodded a few times, as he glanced at Carson. “What about Daniel?”

“We’ve heard a little from Mr Han,” Carson added, “But we’d like your perspective as well, and as to why she believes that the baby will bring Daniel back.”

“That… I don’t really know that much myself. Maddie doesn’t want to talk about it at all. I was able to find out a few things, but mostly I’ve pieced things together from my medical records,” Buck answered, “I’m a savior sibling, one of the very first ones. I was a year old, well, about two weeks away from turning one, when they took bone marrow to give to Daniel. It looked like it was working. Unfortunately, a month and a half later, he caught a cold, and with his immune system severely weakened, he passed away. I don’t know what Maddie was told about what killed Daniel in the end. She was only eleven when he died. And when he did, she was forced to never speak of him again by our parents.”

“I see, and Ms Buckley believes that her child might be a savior sibling to your… deceased brother?” Kevin asked, wincing at the wording.

“It’s possible,” Chimney said, “She… she’s been worried that the baby could have the same issue as Daniel. That maybe she’s wondering if her own child could do the same. Could they have brought Daniel back?” he wondered as he looked at Buck.

“It could be,” Buck said, “But-”

“We’re not taking that chance. We’re going to be monitoring her and see how she is doing through the rest of her pregnancy and a while after the birth as well,” Kevin told them all. “We’ll be talking with Ms Buckley again soon. We’ve had a short interview and some of the things she’s said are mildly concerning; nothing major is flagging us as red, yet.”

“But you’re worried?” Chimney asked, looking at both of them.

“Yes, what she said in private feels like she might do something to either herself or to the baby. Depression can happen before the baby is born, which is what we’re looking into at the moment. We can’t really force her to see someone, but we’re recommending it,” Carson added, frowning when Buck snorted. “Mr Buckley?”

“Sorry,” he said, holding up a hand as he leaned against Eddie, “My sister is of the same mindset as our parents. Getting therapy is a BIG NO-NO in the Buckley household. I threw that out the window, and I see a therapist. Several of us have repeatedly advised my sister to get professional help. But she refuses, she sees it as showing weakness. She is a domestic abuse survivor, and had to kill her husband in self-defence; she didn’t see anyone properly after that either. She’s a survivor, but I’m wondering if she’s reaching the end of her rope with everything that’s happened, and the pregnancy is just the last straw.”

Kevin nodded, “We’ll make a note of that, and strongly recommend that she see someone. Other than that, we’re going to be monitoring her and the health of the baby. Any problems that we might see, we will intervene more. At the moment, this is more of a cautionary visit.”

“Right,” Chimney nodded.

The two men got up, “Thanks for speaking with us about your sister, Mr Buckley.”

Buck, Eddie, and Chimney got up and showed them out. Chimney sat back down with a thump on the chair. While Buck and Eddie went to the couch, the two men and Chimney had previously been sitting on.

“This is fucked up,” Chimney said, “I still have no fucking clue as to what was said. Other than Daniel was mentioned, and that Maddie may harm herself or the baby to get him back.” He rubbed his hands over his face and gave a frustrated cry, “I don’t know what the fuck to do, the Maddie I knew and fell in love with, just isn’t there.”

“At the moment, no, but then she has worries and more than she had before. She’s… acting a little erratic, but hopefully, having CPS involved and people watching out for her, will help her return to how she was,” Buck said, hoping that would be the case.

“Yeah, let’s hope,” Chimney said, “Right, I should get back to Maddie; they said that they wanted to talk to her tomorrow, since she’s not working at all. I’m going to take the day off, at least. Thanks for doing this,” he said, getting up and heading out.

Buck walked him to the door, “If you need anything, Chim, even if it means talking with Maddie, you know I will.”

“In your own time on that, but if I need something or someone to talk to, I know you’re there,” Chimney said, “And so is my therapist, I’ve got a session booked for later on today. So I’ll be going to that after seeing Maddie for a bit.”

Buck nodded, “Alright, take care, bye,” he said as Chimney left. Buck closed the door and turned to find Eddie standing there. “Hey.”

“Come here,” Eddie said, opening his arms.

Buck was quick to walk into them. “What the hell happened to the sister that came here and was fighting to be herself?” he asked, knowing that there wasn’t an answer he would be able to get that would explain it all to him.

Eddie held him for a few more minutes before he got Buck settled on the couch with a hot drink. Watching something mindless on TV until they had to collect Christopher.

XxXxX

Maddie looked at the two men who had come into her home with Chimney two days before. She hated the fact that someone had told CPS to investigate her. She was going to be a good sister, and a good mother, everything. She didn’t need someone coming into her home to tell her what to do. She was the one who raised Buck after all.

“Right, Ms Buckley,” Kevin said as he finished going over a lot of what they had found out. “We need to discuss your birth plan, you said that you wanted a home birth?” he asked her.

“Yes,” she nodded, “I want to be at home, surrounded by my own things, not in a sterile hospital. I just want my midwife, Howie, and my brother Evan. I think that is all that should be there, I don’t want… others around me at all.”

“Ms Buckley,” Carson said, frowning, “You do understand that at the moment you’re going to be monitored by CPS. Because of your behavior and our belief that you or your child could be in danger, we’re going to insist that you have a hospital birth. It might not be what you want, but we’re thinking more of the child that you currently carry.”

“This isn’t fair. I should be able to choose how this goes. I want to be at home with my family. With Daniel, my parents, and Howie,” Maddie snapped, feeling frustrated and upset that she’s not getting what she wants.

“Maddie,” Chimney said, eyes wide at the name she had used. “You… Daniel’s gone, remember?”

“What… I said Evan, not Daniel,” she shook her head, looking confused at Chimney.

“Ms Buckley, you said Daniel,” Kevin said, “Not Evan.”

“I meant Evan. Sorry, I’m worried about my little mango being like Daniel,” Maddie said as she put a hand on her stomach, rubbing it softly as she felt her baby kick a few times.

“I see,” Kevin nodded, “But we’re still going to insist that you have a hospital birth so both of you can be monitored.”

“I… I’m not going to get my wish? This… this was supposed to be a joyful time, looking forward to doing this my way, the way I always imagined when I was growing up. With my brother there, my parents nearby, and my partner right beside me,” she said, as she began to tear up and looked at Chimney like he would be able to fix everything.

“I’m sorry, Maddie,” Chimney said as he reached out and took her hand.

Maddie began to cry as she realized that she wasn’t going to get her way and that the three men around her wouldn’t be giving in to her at all. Kevin and Carson went over a few more things before they were escorted from the apartment.

“Why, Howie?” she begged him, “Why can’t I have what I want?”

Chimney held her tightly, “I’m sorry, Maddie,” he said again, “But this… this might be for the best. I’m worried as well about our little Mango. If something happened, I don’t know if Buck and I would be enough to make sure they’re okay. And I need you both to be okay, it would kill me to lose either of you because I wasn’t enough.”

Maddie leaned against him and cried for her wishes being tossed aside.

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