Buck makes his way through the hospital heading towards the exit and a most likely pissed-off Athena. He knew she would know where he had been but Buck couldn't care less he wanted to help a family and he was going to. Sliding the phone into his pocket as he exited the building he felt a bit bad for the way he spoke on the phone but to be honest they had it coming and helping him with something is the least they can do.
As he walks through the car park he spots Athena's car and the intense look that only Athena can do which made Buck shrink, it was the one she gave him when she was going give him a talking to, with a sigh, he opens the car door and takes a seat closing the door.
"Before you say anything..." Buck starts.
"Seatbelt. Now." She commands, Buck pulls the belt across and clicks it into place.
"Look, I'm sorry I went up but I'm glad I did. They need help and no one will give it to them." Buck explains as Athena pulls off.
"Buck, you know the rules, you saved him therefore you are professionally obligated to stay away. You of all people know how messy things like this can get! Or do I need to say his name to make it hit home?" Athena states and that's the last thing Buck wanted.
"I know, it's just..."
"You are too kind and have a big heart and that's what we love about you, but the last thing I need and everyone else is for you to be getting in trouble."
"It's a stupid rule, I mean Eddie is fully aware and even said I wasn't overstepping, so I can't see why I can't do it."
Buck grips the dash as Athena swerves and pulls up on the pavement.
"Now you listen here, stop wallowing in the self-pity you have going on. I get that you want to help but let's face it we both know it's so you stop focusing on sorting yourself out, so I will take you home, and then you will start packing up what things you have in that place. I know you have viewings for some places so the sooner you move the sooner you can move on." She states and Buck looks at her, everyone is telling him he needs to move on but when he tries to they shoot him down.
"You know what? I don't need this. I tried to explain what I wanted to but everyone played the 'Oh, you're only thinking of traveling because of Alex'. Well, I wanted to travel again before him, it's not my fault if everyone wants to leave me behind. So thanks for that I'll walk from here. I can't be dealing with the BS you and everyone else is spouting at me." Buck states unclipping the belt and climbing out of the car walking down the street and turning down an alley he knew Athena couldn't follow.
As he walks down the alley he grabs his phone sending a quick text.
'Meet me at Alex's place, anytime after 6 is fine.'
Once the text is sent he turns off his phone and continues to walk thinking about what just happened and the fact he may have been a little harsh on Athena, but he was just fed up with everyone telling him that what he wanted to do was based on what Alex had done, and not for himself.
Walking through the alley he reappears on the other side of the block and looks round to take in his surroundings and to figure out where he was and where he wanted to go. Noticing the sign for the beach he turns that way and makes his way down the street towards the beach.
The long street leading to the beach was filled with shops and some little cafes, as Buck walked past them he realized he had never been down this part of town before, mainly as he lived on the other side of town so to get to the beach was a different route, but walking it now made him think how much of LA had he seen.
Noting the smell of the sea as he nears the end of the street and the beach coming in to view he enters a coffee shop to get a drink, stood in the line he looked at the menu trying to figure out what he fancied but some of the items reminded him of Alex. shrugging the thoughts away as the barista calls him forward he orders an iced latte and a brownie and a large bag. Food and drink in hand he makes his way to the beach as he approaches the sand he stops placing the drink and bagged food on the side as he takes his trainers and socks off with great difficulty considering he's pretty much handed, once he rolls his trousers up he places his trainers and socks in the bag and picks his drink and food and strolls across the beach.
The last time he had been to the beach was with Alex, so as Buck walked and saw couples it brought some bad feelings but his love for the beach out wayed the whole Alex thing. Finding a spot he takes a seat on the sand and watches the waves crash into the beach. He loved watching the ocean. It was his escape from everything shitty that had been going on, he didn't discover that till he was older and traveling, but when he was a teenager and needed time from his parents he would head down to the Susquehanna River and watch the water flow by wishing he could follow it to the sea.
Thoughts back to his parents were never a happy one and ones Buck rather forget, they were always fighting. He thinks back to the final time he saw them.
*****Buck when he was 18*****
Buck stood at the front door of his own house, he knew this was a big thing he wanted to talk to his parents about, he had finished high school and was about to enroll in college, so he wanted to start college as his true self and not some painted up version that made his parents happy and stop their friends looking down at them.
He looks at his phone, he had called Maddie several times as the support from her would have been welcomed so much, but she had left over two years ago with Doug, leaving Buck her old jeep and disappearing off to another state. So with a sigh, he enters the house, he can hear his father talking in the family room.
"Ah, Evan you're home, we have guests." His mother explains and as he enters he sees people he has met at one of his father's work gatherings.
"Hi Evan, do you remember me? I'm Jonathan Jones or JJ. We met at some of the work gatherings, this is my wife Alison and our daughter Clarke." Jonathan explains, holding his hand out, Buck begrudgingly shakes it.
"Nice to see you again and meet you both." He says looking at the wife and daughter "Can I borrow my parents for a minute, just something I need to talk about." Buck knew he played a blinder, if he asked his parents they would fob him off but this way they would have to talk.
"Sure, take as long as you need, we're staying for supper anyway." Jj explains.
Buck looks at his parents and can see his father is less than impressed but they follow Buck into the kitchen, at least with people here they won't bellow.
"What is so damn important you will take us away from guests? And you stink so you best go wash up after whatever you have to say." His father states.
"Well it's something big, and now that I've left high school I feel it's the time to be me." Buck starts.
"Evan, darling as much as I'd love to listen to a long story, can you cut to the end bit, I don't want to keep the Jones's waiting." his mum explains and he knew they wouldn't want to keep someone else waiting. He was low on their list of priorities for some reason.
"Yeah thanks for the warning that we had people coming over, I needed to talk to you both about something." Buck explains.
"Well, this is our house we don't have to explain who comes and goes to you." His father retorts and Buck notices his dad ignored the bit where he wanted to talk to his parents of course he did.
"Excuse me, I live here too, I'm your son. Or did you forget that piece of vital information?" Buck snarls back.
"Look here boy, we are trying to secure our future and yours in the process." his father states, and Buck is thrown by the comment.
"What do you mean about my future? I'm going to college to get a degree in History and become an archaeologist, as that's what I want to do." Buck responds, he knew his parents knew this or they just pretended to listen to him.
"Well to be a teacher you need to have good grades and we know. Well, we know you are a special lad who struggles." His mother says.
"He's a retard dear, no point in sugar-coating it, look the Jones have brought their daughter who we all think would be a perfect match for you, you then can learn the ropes at the business and start your future." His father says.
Buck didn't even know how to respond to that, he had told them what he wanted to do and they bluntly called him a retard. The fact they never looked at the record card that came home as he knew he had passed all his grades after struggling to start. He huffs and heads up the stairs.
Pacing around his room he could feel his blood boiling, who were they to tell him how to live his future, and who it should be with. He grabs his phone and calls Maddie yet again it goes to voicemail.
"Hey Maddie, I could do with your help please call me?" he says before heading for a shower, even though he hated his parents for what they just said he was always polite so was going to make the effort.
Heading down the stairs he catches his mother watching him and then the Jones who smile at him.
"Someone scrubs up nice." Mr. Jones jokes.
"Yeah, he can look the part when he tries." His father jokes.
As they sit around the table Buck ends up next to Clarke which was an obvious setup, talk round the table turns to Buck's dad and Mr. Jones work and what they had planned for the future and Buck was waiting for the smushing to begin and right on queue it does.
"They make a lovely couple don't they." Mrs. Jones says looking over at Buck and Clarke, Buck just eats his food even though it was bland.
"They do indeed dear, You raised a fine young man Philip and Margaret." Mr. Jones states and Buck has to stop himself laughing he needed to put an end to this whole well whatever this was.
"Ok, shall we get this over and done with because as funny as this is." Buck says, circling his hands around the table, noticing the enraged look in his father's eyes. "We are not yours to force into any kind of relationship, we are your kids." Buck continues, "Clarke I have a question for you, do you have a dick?!" Buck casually asks, if he hears the scoff of his dad and the spoon drop from his mother it's a sound of success.
"Excuse me?" Clarke asks.
"You know, do you have a penis, a pee-pee, willy, cock? Are you a guy?" Buck asks and just stares at her before looking at the people. The Jones look in shock and Buck tries to keep a straight face.
"No, I'm a girl." Clarke responds.
"Shame, you see I love cock, I love sucking them and being with men '' Buck lied he had never been with a man yet but they didn't need to know that he just wanted to drive the message home. "so it's a hard pass on us getting together, I'm sorry Mr. and Mrs. Jones about the scene but I did try telling my parents I was gay when I got home but they wouldn't listen." Buck says, and Mr. Jones nods. "So mother and father have you got the memo, I AM GAY!!! So no amount of trying to force me into a relationship with a girl to get you higher up the food chain at work is going to work." Buck says as he gets up from the table.
As he gets up there mumblings as he looks around the table his mum and dad look pissed, Mr. and Mrs. Jones have smirks and Clarke is full-on laughing. He heads off upstairs and starts packing his bags. He couldn't stay there any longer, he didn't know where he was going but he wasn't staying here. The sound of the front door opening and mumblings were happening but Buck packed the last of what he needed and leaned under his bed and got a shoebox labeled escape money, the box was filled with money he had collected and saved over the years. Placing it into another bag he walked out of his room and down the stairs, he could see the Jones had gone and his parents stood in the hall looking at him as he reached the ground floor.
"Why do you lie like that? Especially to respected people and our guests." His father snarls.
"They ain't lies, it's the truth im gay and love men." Buck replies.
"Dirty fag." His father states.
"Philip..." His mother says which caught Buck by surprise as he expected her to follow suit.
"Well, he is, and no son of mine will live here and like men." His father states.
"Evan, I know you're confused but there are places we can send you to help put evil thoughts away." His mother says.
"Mum there's nothing wrong, if you can't love me for me then I'm gone." Buck says he knew they never loved him anyway there was always something holding them back but he didn't know what as no one would ever say.
"Go!! And just know that you are no longer our son, you are an embarrassment and a disgusting creature, now get out of our house." His father snarls.
Buck doesn't answer, he just leaves, holding the tears back they didn't deserve his tears, they were horrid parents. He opened the jeep door and placed his bags in the back before jumping in the driver's seat and driving off not knowing where he was going. But he never looked back.
*****Buck present day*****
"Is this spot taken?" A familiar voice snaps Buck out of memory.
He looks around and sees a face he hasn't seen since he first joined the 118 as their replacement. It was Tommy Kinard. Wiping the tears away he smiles at the man.
"Hey, didn't expect to see you here? You on a call?" Buck asks, noting the fact Tommy was in his turnout gear.
"Yeah just dealt with a fender bender when I clocked you sitting here not looking so good, guess you're off work at the moment?" He questions and Buck can see Tommy glaring at his hand.
"Yeah, cut it in a fire, so I'm off and trying to figure out what I want to do with my life." Buck says not wanting to go into details.
"Ah, the whole Alex thing." Tommy casually states, and Buck was in shock how did someone who works the other end of the city know about his love life.
"How... Do you know about him?"
"Shit sorry guessing it wasn't meant to be public knowledge, I still speak to Chim and I was asking how my replacement was doing he explained you had split from your fella and he went away leaving you here." Buck was shocked at the information and he knew he would need to have words with Chim.
"It's fine, I'm getting used to being everyone's gossip magazine." He says with a smile.
"At least you can smile about it, is that why you're here." Tommy asks, pointing to the surroundings.
"Sort of, I find it eases me if I'm by the ocean."
"I get that, I'm the same, look Buck I got to head off, but you do what you feel is right for you, take on board what people say but you do you. I wish I wasn't... I wish I handled things differently back when I was at 118, so keep ya chin up, get my number off Chim if you know ever want to talk and get an outsiders opinion on anything, see ya."
Buck nods and watches as Tommy jumps in the rig and it disappears, his attention turns to the beach in front of him and the vast openness of it all, just like his life with so much dirt under him like the mess of his past and the openness in front was like his future nothing there. He stares out to the sea thinking of what to do.
*****EDDIE just after buck left his room*****
Eddie watches as Abuela fiddles with her phone looking for Bucks number, he knew she was right Buck was the first person who wanted to help, hell he even paid Eddie some attention which was a rarity. So if he could get Buck to come back again and not be in trouble he was going to try more so for Chris's sake and Eddie wouldn't admit it but he liked watching Buck with Chris it warmed his heart.
He looks over as Abulea waves her phone in front of him and see's Buck's number, he grabs his phone and adds the number. Then stares at the message screen, what does he say? It's hard to figure out especially when Eddie knew right about now Buck was most likely getting a lecture because of him.
"What do I say to him?" Eddie asks, looking at Abuela, it was an easy enough question that Abuela knew him and how closed off he could be especially when it came to letting people help. But made worse by the fact Buck was ridiculously hot.
He watches as Abulea types with a smile before handing the tablet, he looks at the tablet and see's it has a notification of an app being downloaded and guesses whatever BUck had used on his phone Abuela had somehow downloaded it to.
'I mean a simple hi, it's Eddie, might be a good start' he looks at her and gives her a smile, the most obvious thing to do and he had to overthink it as normal.
He looks over at Chris who is now coloring in something, Eddie is quite unsure but something Buck mentioned had Eddie thinking he looks at the tablet and types the message out as he doesn't want Chris to hear.
'Buck mentioned that Chris drew about the explosion, do you think I should get him to see a therapist again?'. Passing the tablet over.
Watching her read he can see the sadness in her eyes, obviously, she was thinking the same thing. Then he watches as her fingers tap on the screen.
'It might be an idea, but also you need to brace yourself as your parents are in town so I'm guessing it will be soon when they arrive.'
That just made Eddie angry. He knew straight away they would try to do the normal thing of trying to convince him to move back to El Paso he rolls his eyes, the last thing he wants is Chris to witness them argue well be it he shouts and they try to but he can't hear.
"Could you take Chris to yours please for a few hours? I'd rather him not be here when they start, which we both know they will." Eddie asks and Abuela nods
Watching Abuela talk to Chris he could sort of imagine her voice and Chris's too, it was something he missed so much. Though the doctors told him he would never hear again, he was hoping that they got it wrong and one day, he would wake to at least partial hearing but nothing. It had been just over a year or so since the accident, thankfully he had spent a few months out of it in a coma so the burns and broken bones had healed up but waking up from a coma and not being able to hear was far more worse.
There's a dip on the bed and he sees Chris clambering over to him to hug him, he embraces Chris and holds him tight kissing the curls on his head. He can feel the movement so guesses Chris is typing and looks down to see that the boy had indeed typed a message, taking the tablet off he reads the message.
'Don't be sad dad, we will be back later on, I love you.'
He smiles at the message, he hated how much his son had to grow this past year especially with the move but he promised himself once he was settled and ready he was going give his son the best childhood he possibly could. He just didn't expect a fire to slow that process.
"I love you, son, now be good for Abuela and I will see you later." Eddie says with a kiss to Chris' head.
He watches as Chris starts packing his things and looks at Abuela who hands him the tablet, he didn't even feel her move it.
'We will come back later, message me when your parents leave, also remember to message Evan. I expect good news when I return.'
Eddie smiles and nods at her as he waves goodbye to his son, once the door closes he feels alone but he knew it was the right thing to do considering the storm that was his parents were due to arrive. Picking his phone up he hovers over the message screen to Buck and thinks about what Abuela said and just keeps it simple, Eddie could do simple.
'Hey, it's Eddie, I just wanted to say hi, and thanks again for coming by. Hope your hand is ok?'
He clicks send before he could decide not to, he starts to scroll through web pages with regards to houses he knew he needed a better place to live but finding one and on a very low income of benefits was hard, the life insurance people were still playing hardball with Eddie mainly because they wanted to talk to Eddie over the phone and obviously, he couldn't plus it meant traveling to El Paso to see them face to face, but the thought of that sent shivers down his spine.
He dozes off but wakes to see his parents in the room, glancing at his mother she looks worried and sees her lips moving and eyes closed so guesses a prayer and his dad stood behind her pretty much scowling at him, he looks at his phone and notes he must have been out for at least a good two hours, but also no text back from Buck, Eddie wouldn't admit that hurt a little, but maybe this Athena lady had had a go. But he had to focus on what was in front of him, his parents.
"Hey." Eddie says and watches as they both look at him in shock and start talking towards him, he shakes his head even now they still think he will hear them. "You know I'm deaf, as in I can't hear anything you say, you need to use this." Eddie explains passing them the tablet.
His father looks less than impressed as his mother types on the tablet, she types for a very long time and he doesn't know if it's because she is slow or she's writing one hell of a lecture. It takes a few minutes and all Eddie can do is look between his parents, his mother who has tears rolling down her cheek, and then the stone-cold glare his father is giving him, eventually, the tablet is handed to him and it was a full-on lecture.
'Edmundo, we are glad you are ok, but we do not like you yet again in hospital. We expressed our concerns when you said you were moving out here before you had a chance to focus on getting yourself adapted to life with your condition. The fact you are living in a flat which is inadequate for both you and Chris just shows how much of a rush this was, we want you to move back to El Paso with us, we know you don't want to, but you have to think of Christoper he needs a stable home life and a routine, you don't even have him a school that supports his needs. We know the insurance company hasn't paid you out either as the letters keep arriving at our place asking you to contact them. So come home with us.'
Eddie places the tablet down, he knew this is what would happen, in their way they cared for him but not how he wanted, he was annoyed the insurance company had sent letters to his parents' house even though he had told them he had moved. He thinks back to the day he decided to move it was a heated argument.
****Eddie El Paso a few months ago*****
"I need to speak to you both." Eddie says as he walks into the kitchen where his parents were, his body was still tender but pretty much-healed bar the deafness.
He looks at his mother who is jotting something on the whiteboard they had in the kitchen. His mother refused to use the tablet in the kitchen in case it got damaged and then wouldn't be able to be used at all.
'What is it?' he reads, now he knew no matter how he worded it they were going to be mad but at least when they start shouting he won't hear them.
"I've put a deposit down somewhere for me and Chris to live, it will do until Shannon's life insurance comes through and my vet cheques will keep us afloat till then." he starts and sees his mother write again but notices his father just staring at him.
'You don't have to move out, it's too soon and you're still healing, we know you want your space, is it local?' Eddie reads now this is the bit where he knew it would get heated.
"No, it's in ermm LA." he explains and can already see his dad shouting and Eddie couldn't help but laugh "Father im deaf rant all you want I won't hear, look I was thinking about this long before the accident, me and Shan, well we were not working, (he avoided telling them the reason why he and Shannon weren't working as that would open another can of worms and this one was enough for now especially with the guilt he would have to carry around) so I was looking at jobs in LA obviously that has to change but I have my PT certificate still so I'm gonna start a business doing that." Eddie explains that being deaf would make it hard to do PT, but he knew that with a little work, he could make it work and there might be deaf clients who would prefer a deaf teacher.
He watches as his father takes the whiteboard pen and starts scrolling words no doubt about how Eddie wasn't thinking about Chris or that his family is here, eventually the board is put up.
'You need the support of your family, Chris is settled here, you realize if you go there is no support for you, who will look after Christopher and what school will he go to.'
"First, you forget we have Pepa and Abuela in LA as well as a few cousins, I've spoken to them, and they're fine to help out, I will get Chris into a school that suits him, I've already seen a few that deal with kids with disabilities, look this is happening I know you love us and want the best but I need this, Chris needs it, we walk around this house and the town and it's just bad memories I want Chris to make new happy ones not live in the past." Eddie states he can see his mother give him the caring look but his father still looks pissed but nods.
"Thank you." he says.
*****Eddie present day*****
"Right, let's just get this clear so I don't have to repeat myself as let's face it I'm the one who has the hearing problem, not you two, I and Chris are staying here, I will be coming back to El Paso only to sort out the life insurance money from Shannon so I can get a better place to live for me and Chris. I will be sorting out Chris's school so you can stop with the whole I need you guys to help me. I have it covered, thanks for visiting but if all you will do while you are here is try to convince me to move back to Texas then you need to go back there now. Look, it's been a tiring few days and I'm tired so I want to sleep before Abuela brings Chris in later so I will talk to you later. Think about what I said." He explains he watches as his father just walks out and his mother nods towards him as she leaves. Eddie rests his head against his pillow and again looks at his phone and still no text. Before placing it on the side and closing his eyes.
*****Buck at the beach*****
Buck finally gets up off the beach floor, it must have been a few hours and he needed to get home, it was getting close to 6 pm and he needed to be sure he was in, walking to the roadside he wipes his feet of sand before placing his footwear on and walking down the street where he spots a taxi and hops in.
On the taxi ride home, he turns his phone on and sees he has had several calls and messages from people worried he just ignores them and spots one from an unsaved number and smiles when he sees it's Eddie. He knows he shouldn't be talking to him but Eddie had messaged him so surely that's a loophole he could work with so sends a message back,
'Hey, yeah my hand is good, hope you're feeling better, How is Chris? Any news on when you can leave?' Buck questions he knew he had to be careful what he said.
He arrives at his well Alex's flat building and pays the taxi and heads on in, he quickly enters the flat and sits on the couch for a bit letting the day ooze out of him until he hears the knock on the door and makes his way over to it. He didn't want to answer it, but he wanted to help Eddie and knew the person on the other side was the best in the business, so he opened the door with a major sigh.
"Hey Buck, I wasn't expecting you to ever call or message me." Carla explains as Buck stands to the side to let her in
"To be honest I wasn't going to but I know someone who could do with your knowledge."
"Ok, I can do that, but maybe we could discuss..."
"NO! I don't want to talk about how you betrayed my trust and kept important things about Alex from me, so can you help my friend or not?." Buck states and folds his arms across his chest as he looks at Carla standing in the kitchen.
If she didn't want help she could go, Buck was in no mood for games especially from her.