Chapter Text
A soft knock, then the creak of the door. “Buck?” Eddie’s voice was gentle, a warm current in the cold silence of the room. Close behind him, a small, bright voice chirped, “Buck! It’s morning!”
Buck groaned, burrowing deeper. “I’m sleeping.” He mumbled, his voice rough with disuse.
Eddie sighed, a soft sound, and then Buck felt the dip in the mattress as Eddie sat on the edge of the bed and suddenly his covers were thrown off Buck. “Up, sleepyhead. We’ve got plans.”
“Plans?” Buck winced from the sudden brightness of the room. He buried his head into his pillow.
“Yep, plans,” Eddie said, and Buck could hear the smile in his voice even if he couldn’t see it. “Christopher and I were thinking… we could go to the aquarium. And then, maybe, ice cream for lunch. And then, if we’re still feeling adventurous, the pier fair.”
Buck finally opened his eyes. Christopher was peeking around Eddie, his face full of eager anticipation. “Please, Buck? I wanna see the sharks! And the sea otters!”
The effort of even that small movement was exhausting. He turned to his best friend, “Eddie, I just… I don’t think I can. I’m too… sad .”
Eddie’s hand found his arm, warm and steady, rubbing a slow circle. “Yes, you can. We’re doing this. The three of us. Your life isn’t over just because you’re not a firefighter.”
“Says the firefighter.” Buck’s chest ached with a familiar, lingering doubt. “The three of us?”
“Yeah. We’re going to have a family day.” He turned to Chris, “Right, bud?”
“Yeah!” Chris cheered.
A deeper sadness started to bloom in Buck’s chest. “Family?”
The air in the room seemed to still. Eddie’s hand stilled on Buck’s arm, and then tightened, a reassuring squeeze.
“Buck,” Eddie said, his voice dropping to a low, earnest tone that Buck knew meant absolute truth. He leaned closer, his eyes locking onto Buck’s, unwavering. “ Dios mío , Buck. What do you even mean? Of course you’re family. Our family. That’s why we’re here. It wouldn’t be a family day without you.”
Christopher chose that very moment to pipe up, “You’re my Buck! Please come with us.”
A small, almost imperceptible tremor went through Buck. Eddie squeezed his arm again, then reached over to gently cup Buck’s jaw, forcing him to meet his gaze completely. “Listen to me. You are family. You’re my family, Buck. Christopher’s family. The three of us, we’re a unit. Always have been, always will be.”
The words were a balm, seeping into the desolate corners of Buck’s heart. Eddie smiled at him. “Now, get up and shower. No more laying around in bed being sad.”
A hesitant, small smile touched Buck’s lips. “Okay,” he whispered, the sound still raspy, but with a new fragile hope woven through it. “Okay. Aquarium then the pier? Sounds good.”
Eddie’s smile was wide, relieved.
“Yay! Buck’s coming!” Christopher shouted with glee, already bouncing. He darted forward, throwing his arms around Buck’s neck as best he could while Buck was still half-buried. “We’re going to have so much fun!”
Buck hugged him back, a warmth spreading through him that wasn’t just the residual heat of the blankets. Eddie watched them, a soft, contented look on his face. He extended a hand to Buck, a silent offer of help. Buck took it, letting Eddie pull him fully upright.
The moment they pushed through the aquarium doors, the cacophony of the city faded, replaced by the soft hum of life support systems and the gentle murmur of other visitors. Christopher’s eyes went wide, reflecting the shimmering light of the massive shark tank.
"Woah!" He exclaimed, pressing his nose against the cool glass. A majestic sand tiger shark glided by, its powerful tail propelling it through the deep blue.
"Isn't that incredible, buddy?" Buck asked, his arm slung casually around Christopher's shoulders. Eddie stood just behind them and watched both of them. He loved seeing Buck’s unbridled enthusiasm mirror Christopher’s awe.
They wandered through the glowing jellyfish exhibit, their translucent bodies pulsating like living lanterns, and marvelled at the vibrant coral reefs teeming with fish in every colour imaginable. Buck pointed out a particularly grumpy-looking anglerfish, making Christopher giggle. Buck then went on a rambling rant about the difference between a sea turtle and a tortoise, Christopher listened to every single word like Buck spoke secrets to the universe.
Leaving the cool, aquatic depths, the world outside felt brighter and more vibrant. The salty breeze promised their next delight: the beach. They found a quiet spot near the crashing waves, spreading out a blanket. Lunch was a glorious, messy affair of ice cream cones. Christopher went for the triple scoop of rainbow sherbet, which promptly started melting down his arm.
"Woah, careful, Chris! You’ve got more ice cream on your shirt than in your mouth!" Buck laughed, already having a sticky smear on his own chin from his cookie dough concoction.
Eddie produced a stack of napkins, rolling his eyes at the messy pair. "You two are going to need a hosing down later." He chuckled, but his eyes were full of affection. Eddie cleaned both Chris and Buck’s chins and hands, making all three of them laugh.
They ate, listening to the gulls cry and the rhythmic crash of the waves, the sweet chill of the ice cream a welcome contrast to the warm sun.
"What’s next?" Buck asked, licking his lips clean.
Christopher practically bounced. "The pier!"
The pier was a sensory explosion. The air vibrated with the happy shrieks from rollercoasters in the distance, the tinny music of carousel organs, and the symphony of game barkers. Neon lights were already beginning to flicker to life even though the sun was still high.
"Alright, Chris, what's first?" Eddie asked, his wallet already coming out.
Christopher dragged them towards a classic: the ring toss. Buck immediately jumped in. He concentrated, eyes narrowed, as he tossed a ring. It bounced off a bottle. Another clattered uselessly on the felt.
"So close!" Christopher cheered, truly believing it.
"Don't worry, Buck," Eddie teased, stepping up. "Some of us have a better aim." He tossed a ring with an easy flick of his wrist. Clink! It landed perfectly around a bottle neck.
"Dad! You did it!" Christopher shrieked, bouncing on the balls of his feet.
Eddie won a small, goofy-looking rubber duck, showing it off to Buck. "I’m the champion!" Buck clapped in sarcastic applause, making Christopher laugh.
Next, a water gun race. Eddie and Buck stood side-by-side, aiming their powerful streams at targets. Their competitive spirits flared, both men grinning as they furiously pumped their guns. Buck’s stream was strong, but Eddie’s aim was true, and he edged out Buck, making his clown balloon inflate faster.
"You owe me a big one for that, Diaz!" Buck declared, playfully nudging Eddie.
"Only if you can beat me at the basketball shoot!" Eddie challenged, leading the way.
Buck, surprisingly, was good at the basketball shoot, sinking four out of five hoops and winning a small, sparkly squishy ball for Christopher. They tried the claw machine, losing a dollar or two but getting plenty of laughs as the claw tragically dropped a promising-looking plushie.
Finally, Chris spotted a massive, oversized plush octopus at the very top of a prize wall. "Buck! Can we get that one?"
Buck looked at the octopus, then at the game below it – a classic knock-down-the-cans. "Alright, buddy. For you, I'll give it my best shot."
Eddie stood back, arms crossed, a knowing smirk on his face. Buck took the three softballs offered to him. His first throw missed wildly. His second, aimed with intense concentration, knocked down two cans. Christopher groaned.
Buck took a deep breath, adjusted his grip on the third ball, and winding up like a pitcher, he launched it. Bam! The remaining cans tumbled with a satisfying clatter.
"He did it! Buck did it!" Christopher was practically levitating with excitement.
The game operator, a bored-looking teenager, begrudgingly unhooked the giant purple octopus. Buck, beaming, carried it triumphantly back to where Eddie and Christopher were waiting. It was almost as big as Christopher was.
Christopher immediately threw his arms around the soft, squishy tentacles. "Thank you, Buck!"
Buck ruffled his hair, his smile wide and genuine. "Anything for you, kiddo."
They all took a break on the bench at the very top of the pier. Buck sat on it while Chris stood to look out into the ocean, Buck’s hand securely holding Chris’ shirt so he didn’t fall.
“I’m gonna go get us some drinks. You stay there and don’t get into any trouble, you two.” Eddie said, giving them both a comedic warning look.
“We’ll be good, dad.” Chris said seriously.
Buck just smirked, “Not making any promises though.”
Eddie rolled his eyes then went off to make his way to the food and drinks area a few feet away.
Chris and Buck stayed quiet for a bit then Buck shattered the silence with a question.
“Ever think about what you wanna be when you grow up?”
Chris paused to think. “Astronaut or a pirate.”
“Some good choices. Cool outfits too.”
“Oh wait.” Chris suddenly got an idea. “A firefighter!”
Buck’s smile faulted. “Yeah, me too.” He then smiled up at Chris. “But Chris, if those career paths don’t work out, I hope you find something you love. Y’know. Something you’re good at. It makes you feel like you matter. Something you could do forever. Cause when you do its going to tell you who you are and its going to show you the rest of your life. And that is the best feeling. I hope you get that. And I hope you get to keep it.”
“You’re going to be okay, kid.” The little boy said, reaching over to stroke Buck’s chin and cheek.
Suddenly a crowd began to form at the rails, people all murmuring to one another.
“Buck? Where did all the water go?”
Christopher’s question got Buck to stand and turn around. The ocean tide had receded dramatically to the point where the rock underneath was visible. Buck then saw the massive wave forming just ahead and it was getting bigger and faster by the second.
Instinct and pure dread hitting him harder than the fire truck did, Buck was moving. He flung Chris over his shoulder and started to run.
“GET OFF THE PIER!” He screamed to everyone around him and then everyone was running and screaming and panicking. “EDDIE!”
He needed to find Eddie but more importantly, he needed to get Christopher to safety. He ran and ran and ran but he knew the water would catch up so he got to the baseball toss game stand and put Chris inside it before jumping in as well. The water hit them. They went under.
A deafening roar of water, splintering wood, and shattering glass was all he heard. The world dissolved into a maelstrom of cold, churning water. Buck felt himself ripped from his feet and he was suddenly flying with the waves. He was tumbling, disoriented, the pressure immense, the salt and debris stinging his eyes and mouth. The cold was shocking, the power of the water absolute. He hit something hard, pain flaring, then was dragged further down into the chaos.
He fought, he clawed, he kicked. His lungs screamed for air. The light from above was a distant, shimmering hope, then it was gone. He thought of Christopher, small and vulnerable, and of Eddie, he'd just lost from the chaos. His family.
Then, with a violent cough and a strangled gasp, Buck broke the surface.
The world was a watery, nightmarish landscape. Where the pier had been, there was now a debris-strewn expanse of churning ocean. Rides were twisted metal skeletons, storefronts were gone, and people were dead, scattered like broken dolls.
“CHRIS!” He yelled, hoping for an answer. “CHRISTOPHER! EDDIE! CHRIS! CHRISTOPHER!”
“BUCK! He heard a yell back and it was like the purest form of music to ever be heard.
Twenty yards away, amidst the chaos, a small, bright stripy yellow shirt. Christopher. He was clinging, tiny hands white-knuckled, to a light post that somehow still stood, half-submerged, tilting precariously. “BUCK!”
"Chris!" Buck choked out, his voice hoarse, a primal surge of relief and terror. Without a second thought, he started to swim, pushing through the current, dodging floating planks and twisted metal. Every stroke was fuelled by a desperate, singular focus. His injured leg screamed in protest but he kept going, ignoring it.
“Bucky!" Chris cried, seeing him, his voice thin and reedy with fear.
Buck reached him, pulling himself up onto the leaning post, his arm wrapping around Christopher, hauling him close. Chris was shaking, soaked, a small cut bleeding on his forehead, but he was there. He was alive.
Buck held him tight, pressing his face into Chris's wet hair. "You're okay, buddy. I’ve got you. I've got you, Chris."
His heart was still hammering against his ribs, a frantic drumbeat of panic. Now that Chris was safe, the other, more terrifying question slammed into him.
Where was Eddie?
"Eddie!" Buck yelled, his voice cracking, scanning the wreckage, his eyes darting frantically. "EDDIE! CAN YOU HEAR ME?! EDDIE!"
He strained his ears over the groaning of the broken pier, the distant screams, the roar of the water. But there was no answer. Only the horrifying, churning silence where Eddie should have been.
"E-EDDIE!" he screamed again, louder, desperate, a cold, hard knot in his gut. Chris whimpered, clinging to him. Buck held him tighter, his gaze sweeping the ruined landscape, a sickening dread rising with every passing second that his call went unanswered.
Eddie was nowhere.
Suddenly the light post they’re holding on snapped and the two were under the water once more. Buck held onto Christopher tightly, fighting against mother nature to keep the boy within his grip. He got them to the surface and the two were pushed with the force of the waves down the street. Buck cradled Chris’ head and desperately tried to keep their heads above the water’s edge.
He then saw a fire truck and someone was on the roof of it, yelling for them.
“BUCK! CHRIS!”
A familiar voice.
“It’s daddy!” Chris confirmed it.
“Eddie!”
“Buck!” Eddie was on the truck’s roof, soaked and shivering, blood dripping from a shallow cut on his neck but otherwise not hurt. He was dangling over the side, hand reached out. “Grab my hand!”
Buck did that and Eddie pulled the two most important people in his life out of the water and onto the truck with nothing but pure adrenaline and strength. Buck and Chris collided with Eddie’s chest and Eddie held them both, crying in pure relief as he kissed Chris’ head.
“Are you okay? Are you hurt? Buck. Chris. Look at me.”
Eddie’s hands were already moving over Christopher, checking for injuries. Christopher just buried his face in Eddie's neck, trembling.
Then Eddie shifted, his gaze falling on Buck. And his breath hitched. Buck's face was a mess. Jagged gashes ran across the left side of his face, blood already welling and trickling down his cheek, mixing with the saltwater and grime. His lip was split, and there was a dark bruise forming on his cheekbone.
"Buck! Your face!" Voice sharp with worry, his thumb reaching out to gently touch one of the cuts, his eyes wide. "You're bleeding."
Buck winced slightly at the contact, but managed a tired, reassuring smile. "Just a scratch, Eds. Seriously. I didn't even know I was hurt. Nothing broken, I think. Christopher?"
Eddie pulled back just enough to look Buck in the eye, his own filled with unshed tears. "He's… he's okay. Just scared." He looked down at Christopher, who was slowly unburying his face, his eyes red-rimmed under his glasses.
"You saved him, Buck." Eddie whispered, his voice cracking. "You got him back to me. Thank you. Fuck, Buck, thank you." He leaned forward, pressing his forehead against Buck's, ignoring the blood smearing his skin. The sheer relief, the profound gratitude, was overwhelming.
Buck let out a shaky breath, hand coming up to rest on Eddie's back, a silent anchor. "He's your kid, Eds. Of course, I did." His eyes, though weary and pained, held that familiar, unwavering loyalty that Eddie treasured more than life itself. "We're okay. All of us."
Eddie pulled back, looking at both of them, his boys, safe, battered but whole. He tightened his arms around them, a big, desperate hug. Christopher, still shaky, wrapped his arms around his dad and Buck, burrowing into the warmth of their bodies.
"We're okay," Eddie repeated, his voice stronger now, a desperate mantra. "We're all safe. Together. I’ve got you."
But even off-duty, even battered and scared, Eddie and Buck were firefighters.
So when they heard the horrific screams for help from in the water, they looked at each other, a silent understanding passing between them.
They saw the struggling figures in the waves.
"Hey! Over here! We have room!" They called for them. Buck even got back into the water to fish out the people while Eddie hurled them up onto the truck.
One by one, then in small groups, terrified survivors bundled onto the unlikely haven. Eddie and Buck worked in tandem, their movements practiced and efficient. They reached out strong arms, pulling trembling hands, hauling people over the side of the truck, offering calm instructions, making sure everyone was safe before helping the next. They were a beacon of stability in the watery chaos, two heroes in soaking wet clothes, their faces grim but resolute.
The truck roof was soon crowded with a diverse group – a young couple, an elderly man, a family with two terrified children, three students and four other strangers. They huddled together, shivering, watching the destructive waves, but also watching Eddie and Buck, their gratitude palpable.
One of the rescued children, a little girl with wide, teary eyes, pointed at Buck, who was helping a woman climb aboard. "Mommy, who are they?"
Christopher, huddled between Eddie and Buck's legs, looked up. He’d been quiet, observing, the fear began to recede, replaced by something fierce and bright. He puffed out his chest, a proud, goofy grin spreading across his face.
"Those," Christopher announced loudly, his voice echoing slightly in the sudden lull as the worst of the wave passed, "are my dads."
The little girl’s mother smiled weakly. "They're very brave."
Christopher nodded emphatically. "They're firefighters! They're always brave!" He wiggled, turning his head to look up at Buck, then at Eddie. His eyes shone with admiration. "They’re heroes."
Buck froze. His hands, which had been automatically checking a woman for injuries, stilled. He looked down at Christopher, his jaw slack. The exhaustion, the fear, the adrenaline – all of it seemed to drain away, leaving only a raw, profound emotion. His eyes, already misty from the sea spray, welled up.
Eddie, too, felt his breath catch. He looked at Buck, a silent, knowing moment passing between them – the culmination of years of friendship, partnership, and a family built not on blood, but on love.
Buck knelt, pulling Christopher into another tight hug, his face buried in Christopher’s hair as he murmured, "You’re the brave one here, kid." His voice was thick with unshed tears. "But thank you."
Christopher patted Buck’s back. "We can all be brave. Because we have each other."
Buck sniffled but smiled brightly.
The fire truck continued to bob, a small, crowded island of resilience and burgeoning hope, carrying its precious cargo towards a future that was uncertain and scary.
As Eddie went from person to person to help with now more minor injuries thanks to the slowing current, Buck and Chris played I-Spy to pass the time.
“I-Spy with my little eye… something that moves people around.”
“Um…. oh! A scooter!”
Eddie looked over at them as he helped bandage a woman’s arm using strips of shirt and he couldn’t help the little smile on his lips as he watched them.
“Yeah! Nice one. Okay, genius, your turn.”
“I-Spy…. A shopping cart.”
“Hey, come on! That’s not how the game works! You’re not supposed to just call things out!”
“But calling things out is the fun part!”
They laughed.
The woman gave Eddie a smile too, “You have an adorable son. And an amazing husband.”
A red hot blush bloomed his face. He chuckled nervously, flustered as he secured the makeshift bandage. “Thank you.” He said quietly before going over to his next patient, the woman’s boyfriend, who’s broken his nose.
Buck’s voice came back through the air, this time softer and full of admiration. “You amaze me, buddy.”
“Why?” Chris asked.
“Well, I got some bad news at work the other day and I’ve been really sad ever since.”
“Is that why you were in bed?”
“Yeah, bud. I didn’t wanna get out of bed for a whole week but you, and the day you had… here you are smiling and laughing. You never gave up. When that water was washing over you back there, you just kept on swimming.”
“Like Dory?”
“Yeah!” Buck gave a breathy laugh, memories of watching Finding Nemo together flooding his mind. “Like Dory. Not just today though, but everyday. You never say no, never complain… How do you do that?”
“Well, I complained once but it didn’t work.”
“So what did you do?”
“Just kept going.”
“Like Dory?”
Chris nodded.
A rush of water came through the street and with it came the bodies of those who didn’t make it. They float like pool noodles, bashing into one another and fallen debris but they just carry on being dragged, not making a sound. The people on the truck watched the bodies as they swam by. Parents shielding their children from view.
“Buck!” Eddie called for the other man, nodding his head to Chris.
He got the message instantly. He picked Chris by the armpits and placed the boy’s back to the horrors. “Uh.. I-Spy with my little eye… something that is something high.”
Chris looked up behind Buck, unaware of the dead behind him. “A street sign?”
“No, something higher than that. Much much higher.”
Buck and Eddie’s eyes found each other and Eddie had a face of gratitude and love written all over it. Buck just gave him a sad small smile in response.
Eddie goes over, sitting down beside Chris.
"We need to find something bigger, a real boat." Eddie said, his eyes scanning the horizon for signs of rescue.
Just as the words left his lips, the water around them began to roil again, a deeper, uglier sound emanating from beneath the surface. It wasn't the distant roar of the first wave, but a more insidious, closer rumble. A second aftershock wave, smaller than the first but still powerful, surged up from the depths beneath them.
The fire truck lurched violently, pitching sideways. People screamed, scrambling for purchase on the slick metal. Eddie grabbed Chris, wrapping an arm around a ladder rung, desperate to hold them both steady. Buck, still closer to the edge, was flung against the side of the truck. A woman he had just helped onboard, lost her grip and went tumbling back into the churning water.
"No!" Buck yelled, not even thinking. He launched himself forward, grabbing her outstretched hand just as she was about to disappear under the floating debris. With a grunt of effort, he hauled her back onto the truck, muscles straining, his face grim with exertion.
He had just pulled her to safety, scrambling back to his own footing, when a third, rogue wave, perhaps an eddy from the second, struck the truck with shocking force from an unexpected angle. It was a sudden, violent shove, twisting the massive vehicle. Buck, off-balance from his rescue, had no time to react.
Eddie saw it happen in slow motion. Buck’s eyes widened, a flicker of pure shock. He was airborne for a terrifying instant, flung clear of the truck, arms flailing.
"BUCK!" Eddie’s scream tore from his throat, raw and desperate. Chris’s terrified wail echoed his.
Buck hit the water with a sickening splash, disappearing under the dark, frothing surface. The truck bucked again, a helpless beast, carrying them further away. Eddie strained, eyes locked on the spot where Buck had vanished, willing him to resurface. But the water, turbulent and unrelenting, offered no sign. There was only the endless, churning grey, and the terrifying, deafening silence where Buck had been. Eddie and Christopher could only watch, paralyzed, as the water closed over the last trace of him.