Crash (A 9-1-1 Buddie Fic)

Chapter 8

Eddie had taken Chris out shopping for the day. No Buck's allowed. Once over, that would have set Buck on edge. He would have been worrying non-stop about whether or not he had done something wrong, worrying that the pair were growing tired of him and needed their space. But Eddie knew him too well to let that happen. Eddie, who placed a reassuring kiss on his lips as he told him they were going shopping for Christmas presents.

"And I can't come, because?" he had asked.

Chris had chuckled, his smile bright and contagious. "Who do you think we're shopping for, dummy?"

Out of everything, that was not the answer Buck expected. It never even occurred to him, even though he had been spending stolen moments trying to decide on presents for both Chris and Eddie. Chris was easy. He was at the age where his gaming addiction was truly starting to flourish and as his gifts were a team effort between Buck and Eddie, they were pretty much done and dusted. Unless he suddenly decided to add something new to his Christmas list.

Finding the right gift for Eddie, that was more difficult. Buck wanted it to mean something. He didn't want his first Christmas gift to Eddie as a couple to be something like a candle, or a fancy new shirt, or some teddy-bear holding a heart with some corny pun written there. And the one thing he knew he wanted to give to Eddie, there was no guarantee he could deliver on.

Still, he had to try.

Which was why, whilst Eddie and Christopher were shopping, Buck found himself at Tía Pepa's front door. She didn't seem surprised to see him there. She didn't even ask where Chris or Eddie were. Instead, she gave him a warm hug and kiss on the cheek, before welcoming him into the house.

"He's out on the patio," she said, leading the way along the hall.

"I'm sorry?" Buck said, brow furrowing.

She looked at his with a small shake of her head and a raised eyebrow, muttering something under her breath that Buck didn't quite catch. "Ramon. That's who you're here to see, right?"

Buck opened his mouth to answer, trying to figure out how she knew, but he should have known by now, it was a Tía thing.

"Go ahead," she said, with a small wink and smile, waving a hand toward the sliding doors that let out back. "I'll be in the kitchen if you need me."

Even before he made it outside, he was questioning himself, wondering if he had made a huge mistake by coming here. Seeing Ramon, sitting by the table in the shade, looking out over the garden as he supped on a bottle of beer, only made things worse. The man didn't even look his way at the sound of the door opening, and Buck stood there awkwardly for a moment, watching, unable to get his thoughts in order.

"You gonna stand there all day?" Ramon finally said, flashing a quick and unimpressed look toward Buck. "Or you gonna come out with it? Tell me I'm not welcome at my own son's home anymore, I'm not welcome in his life anymore. That's what he sent you here for, right?"

"I er," Buck started, taking a step forward, feeling unsure about what to do with his hands and finding himself fidgeting. "Eddie didn't send me."

Ramon let go of a huff.

"He doesn't even know I'm here."

"So, what? You're here to defend his honour?" Ramon placed the bottle on the table and looked Buck up and down. He let go of what sounded like a Spanish curse. "And what about Christopher? You going to try and tell me I can't see my grandson either?"

Brow burrowing, Buck shook his head. "I think you have the wrong idea. That's not-"

But Ramon all but growled under his breath, interrupting Buck. "I did my best to raise a good man. I made mistakes, but I... I'm only human, dammit. What father doesn't fail their kids at least once?"