(A 911 Buddie fanfic) Every Breath You Take (I'll be watching you...)

Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own 9-1-1 or anything associated with the show.

Author Notes: I'm back with my second fanfic for 911 and Buddie! This takes place after the events of my first fic (Turning Point) but it can be read as a standalone.

Trigger warning: Mentions of substance abuse/addiction.

Set after season 6.

Part of 'Once Upon a Buddie' series:

Story 1: Turning Point
Story 2: Every Breath You Take
Story 3: Crash

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Chapter 1

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"Buck! Buck!"

Young Christopher's voice called out from next to a sleeping Buck, his hands pushing against Buck's arm in an attempt to wake him. Buck forced his eyes open, attempting to stifle a yawn, and squinted in the light of the early morning sun. He frowned and pushed up, glancing around him and at the empty space in the bed beside him.

"Hey, bud," Buck greeted, "what's going on?"

"He's doing it again," Chris complained, his voice taking on a low whine. "You have to stop him."

As if on cue, a loud beeping began to echo throughout the house, Eddie's house, and Buck was moving immediately. He made it all the way to the kitchen before he allowed himself to take a moment, and when he did, he was unable to keep the smile from his face as he let go of a breath and leaned against the doorframe.

Eddie stood under the smoke alarm, wafting the smoke away with a rag, a pan abandoned in the sink with the remnants of a burned pancake sticking to it. So engrossed in cursing at the smoke and the alarm, he showed no sign of noticing Buck's presence until Chris spoke from beside Buck, drawing his attention to the doorway.

"See!" Chris groaned, waving his arm toward his father as he stared on with an accusation in his eyes.

"Looks like we're having cereal for breakfast," Buck answered, ruffling Christopher's hair. "Again."

"Hey, it's not my fault this sartén maldita del infierno refuses to do what it's supposed to." Eddie looked between them, the beeping now silenced, and headed to the sink where the offending pan taunted him.

Chris took a seat at the table, rolling his eyes, but said nothing further. He pulled a bowl toward himself and took the cereal box Buck passed his way.

"I thought you didn't believe in curses," Buck said, retrieving the milk from the fridge and another two bowls from the cupboard.

"Well, I'm thinking I might change my mind on that," Eddie grumbled, but the tension left his face and shoulders as Buck brushed up against him. One hand going to Buck's waist, keeping him close, Eddie used the other to grab the bowls. "Cereal it is," he breathed out, enjoying the moment a second longer before joining Chris at the table.

Buck took the seat beside Eddie and swapped the milk for the cereal, shaking some into Eddie's bowl before doing the same for his. It wasn't long before they were all munching happily on their breakfast, chattering about the day ahead and making plans for the upcoming weekend that both Buck and Eddie had managed to wrangle off. With Halloween fast approaching, time was running out to get costumes and candy and decorations, and Christopher was insistent that they needed to go big.