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

Chapter 4

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Chapter 4

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"Can't they arrest him?" Maddie questioned.

In an attempt to keep some form of control, Buck had decided not to cancel their dinner date, arriving with Eddie shortly before seven as Chimney had rushed off to pick Maddie up. They had filled her in on everything over the course of the night, or at least Eddie and Chimney had. Buck couldn't quite seem to put it into words. He was still having trouble comprehending it all. He was no stranger to attention and compliments, but all of this went well beyond that.

"Wouldn't do them any good," Chimney answered, picking up a fry from his plate as he did so. "They don't have any evidence to hold him on."

"Yet," Eddie added, firm, his hand squeezing Buck's slightly as he said it.

The small gesture could have been seen as a one of reassurance, but Buck could see the darkness in Eddie's eyes, the cold and calculated anger. Keeping a tight hold of Buck was as much for his benefit as it was for Buck's, and as Buck returned the gentle squeeze and saw Eddie somewhat visibly relax, he knew he was right. The touch was keeping Eddie grounded.

"But Athena said they're looking into him, right?" Maddie had barely touched her food, picking at it only mindlessly.

Her eyes kept wandering to Buck periodically throughout the night, and he felt himself squirm under the scrutiny. He wanted to play it off, pretend that it didn't bother him, but the thoughts circling his mind kept dragging him back into silence. The only reason his own plate was almost empty was that it gave him something to focus on.

He barely even realised he was lost inside his own thoughts again, the conversation washing over him, unheard, until Eddie's voice break through, concern lining it as he attempted to catch Buck's gaze, holding it firm once he finally did.

"Buck? You okay?" Eddie questioned, even though they all knew the answer was very clearly no.

Buck cleared his throat and forced a small and strained smile, gently freeing himself from Eddie's grip and pushing away from the table. "I, er, I'm going to get some air..."

He was moving away before any of them had a chance to speak, and though he heard the scraping of chairs, it was only Eddie's presence he felt following.

"Just give them a minute," he heard Chimney say, gentle and kind, and he imagined him to be guiding Maddie back into her seat.

Eddie waited until they were outside before he grabbed Buck's arm, bringing him to a halt and forcing him to turn around and stare down into those deep brown eyes of his. "Buck… Just slow down a minute."

"Eddie, I…" he started, trying to get his thoughts in order, but the words fell away from his lips as he caught sight of the reflection in the window behind Eddie. He spun around and swallowed hard, his body stiffening.

"Well, if it isn't Evan Buckley. What are the chances of running into you here?" Shawn Harris stood there, his grin wide and eyes alight with something akin to devilish intent.

Before Buck had a chance to react, Eddie was moving, brushing past him and toward Shawn, pushing him firmly in the chest and forcing him back a step.