Let me in

Chapter 16 : A step in the right direction.

The return trip is done in silence.

Giving Eddie the opportunity to think about what to do next.

It's when Bobby pulls up in front of Buck's building and turns off the ignition with a deep sigh, that Eddie turns his head to him and speaks up.

"I need two weeks. Think you can cover me ?"

Bobby turns his head toward him, meets his eyes, and doesn't look surprised.

He merely nods slightly.

"It's doable, yes. I'll figure it out." He replies in a low voice, then, after a slight breath ; "So, how do we--"

"I'll stay with him." Eddie interrupts him and Bobby is about to open his mouth, but Eddie is already resuming ; "The next forty-eight hours are going to be the most difficult. I'm going to spend them here with him. I'm going to ask Hen if Christopher can stay two more days, I don't think she'll mind. Then I'll bring them both home."

"Eddie... It's not going to get sorted out in so little--"

"I know, Bobby. Fuck, I know." Eddie interrupts him again, and turns his head, closes his eyes for a moment. "But I need-- he needs to be with me. I need him to be with me. I know you want to help him, and I know you'll probably be more helpful than I am and you can come in after your shifts or-- well, whenever you want, and do whatever you want to help him, but I need him with me. I--"

"Okay." Bobby interrupts him with a hand on his shoulder and Eddie releases his breath. "Okay."

He clears his throat, blinks a few times, then unbuckles his belt.

"Let's go." He murmurs and Bobby imitates him.

[...]

"Can you tell me what you were thinking, Eddie ? You hit a federal judge. What do you think is going to happen now ?" Maddie exclaims, her eyebrows furrowed to the extreme, her hands on her hips, and for a moment Eddie feels like he's eight years old again and being scolded by his mother. "What about you, Bobby ? You were supposed to--"

"You hit my dad ?"

The three of them pivot abruptly on their feet, to see Buck, standing on the last step of the stairs, one hand on the railing as if it were the only thing keeping him upright, his eyes reddened by the tears he only stopped shedding when he felt too tired to do so.

Eddie swallows and as the knot in his throat prevents him from speaking, nods weakly.

Buck's eyes drift over his bruised knuckles covered in dried blood.

Buck frowns, descends the last step and walks over to Eddie, before grabbing his hand to inspect it.

Eddie can't ignore the shiver that runs down his back as his skin makes contact with Buck's.

Buck looks up at him, before grabbing his intact hand and pulling him towards him as he heads for the stairs.

Eddie nearly trips over his own feet before following him, his fingers unconsciously tightening around Buck's.

He takes him into the bathroom, sits him on the edge of the tub and opens the medicine cabinet to pull out some gauze.

Eddie watches him soak a compress with antiseptic lotion with trembling fingers.

Trembling fingers that grasp his hand and apply the compress to his knuckles, disinfecting the wounds and cleaning away the dried blood.

Eddie can't take his eyes off them, because even when he should be taking care of himself right now, Buck is still taking care of others.