Finding love in the silence

Chapter 3

"And that smile means?" Bobby glances over at Buck and Buck knows he was caught, but besides that stern stare, Buck caught a small smile forming over Bobby's lips.

"Okay, so maybe I like him. I mean- I didn't really see him at the scene but seeing him at the hospital... I can't explain it but I felt something. Don't worry though, I will respect the boundary rule; plus I don't think he will be interested. He has a lot going on- he lost his wife, his son has CP and he is deaf and still coming to terms with it." As Buck explains, he sees Bobby has turned to look at him again.

"You got a lot of information seeing as you just went to color with his son," Bobby quips.

"It was Chris - he drew a picture of an explosion and angels so I asked what it was about, and that's when he explained how his dad became deaf and how his mom died."

"Alright, changing the subject. Have you decided on taking some time off then? Even if you don't travel, as a friend I'm saying you need to take some time away and sort out your life," Bobby brings the conversation back on track, and Buck knew he would ask this eventually.

"Yeah, I'll take a few weeks. I was going to travel but I don't feel like it especially with my luck of getting injured" Buck chuckles "but I'm going to attend a sign language course, mainly so I don't feel like an idiot when I next have to save a person hard of hearing."

"Well, I wasn't expecting that but I'm glad you aren't leaving the country," Bobby huffs a sigh of relief before continuing. "And what about the transfer request you wanted?"

"I don't think I want it. I said it in the heat of the moment; it's been a hard few weeks and Maddie was the icing on a very large cake. I'm happy with everyone at the station. We are like family. I couldn't give you guys up. My sister and I will sort everything out, I just need to find a place to live and have a few weeks for me to find me first." Buck is dedicated to figuring himself out.

"Glad to hear it," Bobby says. "So, you're now off for the next few weeks. It makes sense to start now as you're injured and would be off anyway, at least this way it's classed as holiday and not sick pay, just keep in touch."

"I will, and thank you. It means a lot. I will have to ask you for another lift tomorrow so I can get my jeep from the station," Buck finishes with a sheepish grin.

"I will get Chim and Hen to drop it off, we can't have you driving with that hand," Bobby explains.

"Brilliant, thanks."

They finish their journey chatting about what Buck had missed whilst in the hospital, eventually pulling up outside of the apartment block where Buck was staying. Buck gets out of the car and says his goodbyes to Bobby, promising to keep in touch.

Entering through the main doors to the building he hopes not to see anyone, he just wants to get in and relax. Riding in the elevator he anxiously watches as the numbers roll pass each of the floors till it stops and the doors open to his hallway. Walking down the hall always makes him feel more lonely, knowing an empty apartment waits at the end. Opening the door with a sigh that will go unnoticed, he places his keys down and heads to the bedroom. Wrapping his hand with a plastic bag after stripping his clothes he makes his way into the bathroom and enters the shower, he stands under the pulsing bursts of the jets letting the dirt and stress wash away from him.

Once clean, he dries and changes then heads into the kitchen to make something quick, going to the living room where he sits down with the food and watches TV. Eventually, he reluctantly gets his phone out and starts scrolling the estate agents, searching for a place to stay. He finds a few properties he likes the look of, deciding to go for the rent option as the cost of houses on his own was way out of his league. Seeing some apartments and two houses, he books appointments to go view them then starts thumbing through the leaflet he was given earlier. Checking online for the next available date with the tutor has him signing up for the upcoming week. Luckily, it was one-on-one sessions that Buck was hoping for; he wouldn't get distracted by other people. It would also give him a few days to get things organized and sorted.