Chosen Family (Buddie)

Chapter 1

Evan Buckley lays in his bed beside Natalia Dollenmeyer, the Death Doula he's been seeing. She's beautiful. She has amazing skin, brown eyes, an amazing body. Sure, she's not the one Buck truly wants, but he is seeing someone, too.

A naked Natalia moves over and she props herself up on her right elbow, her left hand resting on Buck's chest. Sure, she did first want to go out with Buck because of his brush with death. She does think it's cool how he died for a small period of time and was brought back. The dream scape he was in, all of it. But then she got to know Buck. She likes him. His life is really freaking wild. Taylor Kelly writing a book, Kameron - a friend Buck donated his sperm to - crashing in his loft, Kameron giving birth to a son not even two days ago. He just isn't feeding right, so they're keeping him an extra night in the hospital.

"Did your captain give you all time off?" Natalia asks. "That bridge collapse was insane."

'It was," Buck says. "But yeah, he's giving us a few shifts off. He's on a honeymoon with Athena, finally."

"That's good," Natalia replies. She traces a finger over Buck's chest. She doesn't move when his cellphone rings.

Buck reaches onto his nightstand and he checks the caller ID. "Conor, is everything okay?" he asks. Conor is Kameron's husband, it was him and Kameron who came to Buck for a sperm donation because Conor's sperm wasn't working.

"Hey, man," Conor greets. "Can you come out to the hospital? Kameron and I want to talk to you."

"Yeah, I'll be there," Buck replies. He ends the call. "That was Conor. Him and Kameron want to talk to me. I gotta get to the hospital."

Natalia nods. "Can I stay here?"

"Keep the bed warm," Buck teases and he kisses her forehead. "I won't be gone long."

Buck leaves the loft once he's dressed and he goes out to his Jeep. He drives to the hospital and he parks. He lowers his visor and looks at the picture he has. It's of him and Christopher Diaz, his best friend and crush's son, at the pier on the day the tsunami hit. It's a selfie he sent to Eddie Diaz, Buck's best friend he's into big time, of him and Chris eating cotton candy at a red table on the pier, about thirty minutes before the tsunami hit land.

Buck closes the visor when his cell rings. "Hey, Mads," he greets as he gets out of his Jeep and heads inside.

"Good morning, Mr. Buckley," Doctor June Calloway greets. She's a doctor here who treats broken bones and such. She worked in Buck years ago afger he got crushed.

"Good morning, Doctor Calloway," Buck greets.

"Doctor?" Maddie Buckley gasps as soon as Buck steps onto the elevator. "Are you at the hospital, Evan?"

Buck presses the 4 for the maternity floor. "Conor called me," he says, knowing Maddie will know who he means.

"Oh..." Maddie exhales in relief. She thought her baby brother was hurt. Again. "Is he okay?"

"I'm on the elevator headed to the maternity floor now," Buck replies. "I left Natalia at the loft."

" I don't like her, Evan," Maddie says.

"I don't love her, really," Buck says. "The sex is spectacular, she's hot as hell, but I'm not in love. Not with her, far from it."

"We all know who you're in love with, Evan," Maddie says and the elevator dings, and the doors open. "Okay, I'll go. Call me as soon as you've spoken to Conor and Kameron... Better yet, come to Howie's room. He's here for another day or two."

"Okay." Buck hangs up and he puts his phone on silent before he walks into the room. "Hey, guys."

"Hey, Evan." Conor gives him a hug. He calls him that because he knew Buck before he was a firefighter. They met in Peru, they were bartenders together. "Cambiamos de opinión sobre el bebé. No lo queremos," he blurts out.

Buck stares at him. "What? You're... why..." He pinches the bridge of his nose and he takes a deep breath. "You're changing your mind on the baby?" He looks at Conor. "What happens to him since you don't want him?"

"We were hoping you'd take him," Kameron admits. "I mean, he is your baby. You made him."

"Because you wanted a baby!" Buck's eyes are wide. He's glad that the baby's not in here this second, because damn it.

"I know..." Kameron moves around. "We thought we did, Buck. At the time, honestly, we did want a baby, but then you handed him to me after you delivered him. That wasn't my baby. Not the baby I wanted. Then, after the first night here, I realized I'm not ready to be a mom at all yet."

"And I only wanted to be a dad because Kam wanted a baby," Conor admits. "It's you, Evan, or it's the system. We don't want him."

That's when someone knocks and Nurse Joanie, a nurse Buck met when his niece, Jee-Yen Buckley Han, was born, pushes in a bassinet containing a newborn baby boy who has Buck's exact birthmark. Buck seems to soften as soon as he lays eyes on him, just like he did when he first laid eyes on him.

"The way you look at him is why I want you to keep him," Kameron says. "You love him already."

"Hey, Joanie," Buck greets.

"How's your sister and niece doing, Mr. Buckley?" Joanie asks him.

"Maddie's better now," Buck says. "She got help for her PPD. Jee-Yen is growing up." He shows her a picture.

"She's adorable," Joanie praises.

"I'll keep him," Buck says.

"Then I'll get you the paperwork," Joanie says before she gives his arm a squeeze and leaves.

Buck carefully picks the baby up and the baby stares at him. "Did you guys name him?"

"Quinton Davian," Kameron says. "We didn't give him a last name, just in case."

Buck looks down at Quinton. He has the same birthmark in the same spot. His eyes are closed right now, but Buck finds him precious and he can't wait for Christopher to meet him. If Eddie's not too busy with Marisol. Buck sighs when Joanie comes in with the paperwork. He lays Quinton down.

Quinton Davian Buckley, is what Buck puts down for his full name and he starts filling out the rest of the papers.