5-12-23
That night, Buck and Eddie went to bed normal. They held each other happily, no flinches fused in. Buck went ahead and gave Eddie his ring, though they did plan on having a nice day where everything was done properly. Buck wasn't letting a 20,000 dollar ring go to waste.
Eddie was sleeping peacefully on Bucks chest with his ring hand resting on it, almost as if he was showing it off. Buck was shirtless with his hand above his head. Both were naked.
This is the happiest they've slept in the longest time. Just them two. Their kids safe down the hall, happy. But it didn't last.
Bucks eyes shot open when he heard faint cries, cries he could only know as his daughters. As if right on queue, he heard a scream. "Daddy!" Julia cried making Buck shoot up, knocking Eddie off his chest. Eddie woke up in the process.
"Babe? is everything okay?" Eddie panicked seeing Buck rush to find clothes. Buck didn't answer, worrying Eddie. He just ran off. Eddies immediate response was to follow him.
"Julia? Baby girl? What's wrong," Buck sat on the bed beside her, putting a hand on her head. He moved the hair out of her face, feeling how sweaty and hot she was. Julia couldn't form any words, she was in way to much pain. Pain she didn't know how to handle.
"Mi mundo, can you get me the thermometer?" Buck asked in a panic as Eddie walked in. With no questions asked, he ran to get it.
Julia was crying hard, "Daddy, it hurts," Julia cried, holding her stomach.
Eddie then came back into the bedroom, handing the thermometer to Buck. "Open," He said, holding it to Julia's mouth. She complied and he stuck it under her tongue.
"I'm gonna feel around your belly, okay?" Buck said softly, moving her arms. She nodded. Buck put his hands in the center, pushing down. It hurt her, but that's not where it hurt. He lowered his hands, moving them to her lower right and she screamed. When the thermometer stopped, he saw it was at 105.7.
"Go call Bobby and get dressed. We need to get her to the hospital." Buck immediately said, picking her up.
And again without question, he pulled out his phone and called Bobby.
"Bobby? Can you come watch Christopher?" Eddie said into the phone walking out. "I know it's late, but Carla's out of town and we need to get Julia to the hospital," He said into the phone, pulling a hoodie over his head.
"Thank you so much, see you in 10," Eddie sighed, walking into Christopher's room.
"Chris, wake up," Eddie shook him slightly. Christopher groaned.
"Dad it's the weekend," He said turn the opposite direction. Eddie let out a slight chuckle.
"I know buddy, but Bobby is gonna come watch you. We have to take Julia somewhere," Eddie told him softly, hearing Julia cry softly.
"Why?" Chris asked.
"You know how she hasn't felt good the last few days? Well it got worse. So we're gonna take her to get looked at," Eddie said, the suddenly heard gagging sounds.
"Is she gonna be okay?" Chris raised an eyebrow. Eddie smiled softly.
"I hope so, buddy. Just make sure you're praying for her." Eddie told him, putting a hand on his cheek. Chris nodded.
"Go back to sleep. Bobby will be here when you wake up," Eddie kissed his head, getting up.
He walked to the bathroom, seeing a crying Julia next to the toilet and Buck holding her hair. "Get it out baby girl, it's gonna be okay," Buck murmured.
"Babe, go change, Bobby will be here in 5 minutes. I'll stay with her," Eddie said squatting down. Buck snapped out of his focus on his daughter when his fiancé spoke. He nodded, standing up and walking out.
Julia cried more, leaning onto Eddie.
"Sh, you're okay, i've got you mama," Eddie whispered, wrapping his arms around her. Her whole body was hot, yet cold. She was sweating an ocean but shivering like she was in Antarctica.
A couple of minutes later, Buck came in with sweatpants and a tee shirt on.
"Bobby's here," Buck said leaning down and picking Julia up.
"It's okay, my love. We're gonna get you some help," He whispered, feeling his chest tighten. They shouted a bye to Bobby and jumped in the car. Eddie in the drivers seat and Buck in the back, Julia laying on his lap, clenching her stomach. She wasn't crying anymore, she had no more tears left.
"I should've taken her to the hospital when she first complained about it hurting,"Buck whispered, pushing the hair out of her face again, seeing she was asleep.
"Ev, you don't know what's wrong with her. It could be nothing serious," Eddie tried to reassure him, but even he knew what he said was a lie. They were both 90% sure if what this was.
"The scream she let out when I just barely touched her lower right-hand side was enough for me," Buck said, "I'm so stupid. She's in so much pain all because i chose to be naive. But i don't get it. She seemed fine earlier, after we gave her the children's tylenol." He questioned himself.
"If her—" Eddie paused for a moment, not wanted to finish the sentence. He physically couldn't. "If what we think is wrong with her, is actually wrong with her, then it's normal for her to be fine for a couple hours."
Buck only nodded, not bothering to reply.
Once they pulled into the hospital, they waisted no time running out of the car. Buck quickly signed her in and sat down, waiting and within a few minutes, a nurse came out.
"Julianna Buckley?" The nurse said walking out.
Buck and Eddie stood up and followed the Nurse to one of the rooms.
"Hi, i'm Nurse Covak. What seems to be the problem tonight?" She smiled softly as Buck laid Julia on the bed.
"She's been complaint about her stomach hurting the last few days so we gave her children's Tylenol and treated it like a stomach bug. Until tonight when she woke up screaming and throwing up. She had a high fever of 105.7 and when i felt her lower right hand side she screamed and jerked away," Buck pushed the hair out of her face as he stood by her bed.
"Okay. Hi, Julia. Is it okay if i feel around your stomach?" The nurse asked with a sympathetic smile. Julia whimpered and looked at Buck and Eddie.
"It's okay, mama, they're gonna help you." Eddie smiled. Buck looked at him, seeing the worried look on Eddie's face.
Julia nodded.
Nurse Covak felt around Julia's stomach and as soon as she pressed down on her lower right hand side, she jerked away from the touch with a loud cry.
The nurses soft expression immediately changed regardless to how hard she tried to keep it the same.
"We need to get her into an ultra sound immediately." She stated. Buck looked up at the nurse as she started unlocking the wheels on Julia bed.
"Why? What's going on?" Buck questioned.
"Her appendix feel enflamed and she has all the symptoms. If her appendix did burst, we need to get her into emergency surgery." She said rolling Julianna out of the room. Buck and Eddie following.
-
Julianna did end up having to have an emergency surgery. It was currently 4 am and they just took her in.
Buck and Eddie sat in the hospital waiting room, waiting.
"Babe, do you want coffee or anything?" Eddie asked softly, sitting back down next to Buck after using the restroom.
Buck was snapped out of his thoughts, looking at his fiancé.
"Huh? What? No, i'm okay." Buck whispered, feeling his dry throat walls scratch against each other. Eddie put a hand on Bucks thigh.
"I'm gonna get you a water, at the very least. You need to drink something. Your voice is hoarse." Eddie spoke gently. He stood up and Kissed Bucks head as he walked towards the hospital cafeteria.
He arrived a few moments later with two waters in his hand.
"I should've... i should've done something when she first complained. I'm a bad father." Buck suddenly spoke when Eddie sat down.
"Ev, no. You couldn't have known. She was literally fine and up playing 24 hours ago. You treated it like a stomach bug, just like anyone would have." Eddie assured him that he did nothing wrong, but the words did help.
"I didn't everything wrong. I literally specialize in the stuff. I'm a fucking firefighter. I should have known." Buck said bluntly.
"FireFighter, not doctor. What matters is when she showed life or death pain, you waisted no time rushing her here. You woke up to the faint sound of her cries. You're an amazing father, Evan. That little girl wouldn't be safer with anyone like she is with you. Please understand that. " Eddie said simply. Buck sighed and nodded, not caring to speak, instead pulling Eddie to his chest. Eddie laid against it and they both just waited.
They waited for what felt like an eternity. They were tired, scared.
Buck would occasionally kiss Eddie's head, making sure he was still there.
Buck couldn't fathom the fact that his daughter was on an operating table. He couldn't fathom the fact that his lover has been on them dozens of times, along with his son.
He's almost lost every person he cared about. He couldn't lose his daughter. He would survive.
Eddie sat up, putting a hand on Bucks face. "If your heart speeds up in the slightest, Evan, it's going to explode." Eddie whispered.
"Breathe." Eddie kissed his lips softly, laying back down on Bucks chest.
And after 2 hours, a doctor came out with a sour look.
"Buckley," He called out. Buck and Eddie immediately stood up, walking towards the doctor.
"How is she? Is she okay?" They both asked in unison.
"She's alive, but there was complications during the surgery. We put her in a medically induced coma to give her body time to relax and heal. With how little she is, the infection spread quickly. When she wakes up, we'll discuss putting her on an antibiotic to help remove the infection." The doctor explained calmly.
Bucks eyes watered, "But she'll be okay?" He asked softly, he was so exhausted.
"She should wake up in the next day or two. I can't say for sure, but when she does she's expected to make a full recovery." The doctor smiled.
Buck felt his knees give out and his body went limp. He collapsed into Eddie's arms and cried.
"It's okay. She's gonna be okay, mi amor," Eddie whispered, squatting down with him.