Taking Back Control Of My Lfe

Epilogue

Making a wedding happen takes more effort than Buck Eddie had expected. Luckily, they had Maddie and May to take care of most of the things for them. Their only stipulation was that, they were going to use Buck's grandparents' Rolls-Royce to ride after the ceremony and that Christopher has to be thering bearer. That is a must. Chris was very excited about that.

Another thing Chris was excited about was the medal ceremony.

While, the Buckley-Diaz family had been in Austin, the news had caught the story of the brave firefighter that had saved over a dozen people, women and children included, dring the tsunami, while bieng off duty. When people realized that firefighter had been on the news for stopping the bombings in Chicago and later for having been shot by that same bomber...

That he had saved people, while recovering from being shot...

The news were taken to a nation-wide level. Poeple started demanding that he received a medal for his actions, while the news hounded the 118 for news about Buck. Luckily, they were in Austin. Unluckily, they got ambushed as soon as Buck and Eddie had returned to duty. At the end, Buck was set to receive a Medal of Honor, one of the highest awards given to a firefighter. Eddie was so proud of him. He could have not asked for a better fiance.

Until, one day at work, it happened.

"Buck, Eddie, to my office," Bobby called out for them. The couple exchanged looks, before following their captain to his office. "Take a seat," they did. "As you oth know, the 136 has gone through a lot lately. The tsunami hit them hard and their captain lost an arm and is not fit for duty." Bobby sighed. "There are talks of the Fire House being closed."

"What?!" Buck and Eddie exclaimed in shock.

"Yes, but there are also talks of giving it to you," Bobby turned to Buck. "YOu are on the fast-track to captain."

"Isn't it too early?" Buck looked stunned, before grimacing. "They want to use me and the media attention I've gained for donations."

"What?" Eddie turned to Buck confused, before frowning in understanding. "I'm being offered a lieutenant position to sweeten the deal for Buck."

"You are," Bobbby amiled proudly at his smart firefighters. "It does not mean you are not worthy or do not deserve it. Because you do. You are both incredible firefighters. However..."

"If we do not accept, the LAFD might not find a way to keep the Fire House 136 afloat," Buck sighed, before turning to Eddie with a serious expression. "It's up to you."

"I'll follow you wherever you go," Eddie smiled at his fiance. "Let's do it. For Fire House 136 and a well-deserved promotion."

"Great!" Bobby exclaimed. "I'll tell my superiors!"

Which he did. The day Buck received his medal, surrounded by the 118, the Strands, the 51 from Chicago, and the Diaz family, it was announced. As expected there were journalists there to record the whole thing. Donations poured in soon after the medal ceremony.

Buck and Eddie were not set to take their new positions until after their wedding and honeymoon in the Caribbean. Chris was sad to miss a vacation at a Caribbean cruise. However, he was consoled by a promised family vacation to Hawaii. Until, then, Buck was busy guiding Hen through her future new duties as the lieutenants of House 118. Yep, she got the promotion. A well-deserved one at that. Luckily, for Buck, there was not much for him to teach her. As she was that good and experienced. It did give him more than enough time to focus and get the last details of the wedding done with.

Buck could not believe it was already time for it. That his happily ever after was so close. Something that would have not been possible, have it not been for someone very special.

"Buck! I'm so glad to see you!" Charlotte greeted her son of the heart. Her husband and her were not able to have kids of their own, but she was not sad. She had Buck, after all. "You will not believe what Chris did today at school! By the way, your son is so smart. He reminds me of a certain someone."

Buck blushed at the praise, but also because she had called Chris his son. Something that now was real. As preparation to the wedding, Buck had adopted Chris and the adoption had finalized yesterday. Something everyone knows by now. Buck had not been shy to share the news. He had been to excited. He still is.

"Charlotte... no, mom," Buck corrected, gaining a teary smile from his pseudo-mother. "I love you. I would not be here today, be the man I am, had it not been because of you. You saw this hurt kid and cared. Went above and beyond what was your job and I will forever be grateful, if you officiated the wedding... my wedding."

"Oh, Bucky... of course!" Charlotte threw her arms around Buck and cried in hapiness, so emotional about how much her little boy had grown.

When the day came, it was beautiful and perfect. Buck's parents were not there. But he did not care. He did not need them. He never did. Buck was surrounded by his real dad, his real mom, his husband, his son, his sister, his brother Kelly, his family and friends.

He was happy and complete.

It was perfect and all he could ask for.

All because he took control of his life back then.

Now, onto his happily every after.