(911 fanfic - 7x04) Shots through the Heart

Shot 3: The one with a very confused Eddie

Shot 3: The one with a very confused Eddie

It was the Thursday by the time Eddie got the clear to get back to work and he was ready for it. He was ready to be back in amongst his team, and he was ready to get back to some normality with Buck.

Even after their phone call and Buck coming over to see him and Chris, Eddie wasn't surprised by Buck's awkwardness with him during his first day back. If anything, he expected it, because after everything that had happened, Buck blamed himself because that was what Buck did. He refused to accept Eddie's apology, refused to accept that Eddie had any part in what Buck called his own 'bad behaviour', and continuously reinforced that he was okay with Eddie and Tommy hanging, because Tommy was a great guy... right?

"So, Christopher is at a sleepover Saturday night," Eddie said, changing back into his civilian shirt at the end of their shift. "You should come over, or we could go out."

Buck stilled, a slight wince appearing on his face. "I can't... I er, I have plans."

"Plans?" Eddie questioned, raising an eyebrow at Buck, but he didn't miss the blush that spread across Buck's cheeks or the wistful sparkle in his eyes, and when Buck didn't say anything further, the pieces clicked into place. "You have a date."

It wasn't a question, it didn't need to be.

Buck smiled and rolled his eyes, looking anywhere but at Eddie. He didn't confirm it, but he didn't deny it either. In fact, he seemed to be almost relieved when Hen walked in and asked what was taking them so long. So, Eddie didn't get to press Buck any further on the matter, and on the Friday, they were on different shifts.

By the time Muay Thai with Tommy rolled around on the Friday afternoon, it was eating Eddie up a little, no matter how much he tried to distract himself.

"Hey, er, what are you up to tomorrow night?" he asked Tommy, wiping away the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. "I was gonna spend some time with Buck, but apparently he has a date."

There was a smile on Tommy's face at that, almost cocky, a look in his eyes that vanished as he turned to Eddie and threw him a towel. "He told you he has a date?"

"Well, he didn't technically say it wasn't a date," Eddie corrected, using the towel to pat at his neck and shoulders. "Which is weird, because we usually tell each other everything."

"Maybe he's not ready to tell you," Tommy suggested, and he leaned against the wall, eyebrow raised at Eddie as he picked up his water bottle. "Did he say anything else?"

Eddie shook his head, pursing his lips as he pushed out a breath and dropped down onto the nearest bench in Tommy's garage.

"And how do you feel about it?" Tommy asked. "Buck, going on a date."

Why did that feel like such a trick question? And why did Eddie feel like he wasn't exactly sure how to answer it?

He shrugged. "I don't know. I mean, it's not really any of my business... Yes, he's my best friend and I thought if he, you know, was dating again, he would tell me, but I don't really get a say in it."

"That's not what I asked."

But Eddie frowned as he looked to Tommy. "It's Buck. He's... I don't know. I guess I'm fine with it?"

"You guess?"

"Okay, yes. I am totally cool with Buck going on a date. He deserves it. Just so long as it's not one of those chicks from the bachelor mansion, I'm sure it'll be fine."

And maybe it was, or at least maybe it would have been, if Eddie could just get his thoughts in order, if he could understand why, when he walked into that restaurant with Marisol and saw Tommy and Buck sitting together, it caused his chest to tighten.

He couldn't stop thinking about it, even when he was sat with Marisol, even when they were supposed to be looking at the menu and ordering food, and talking about things that maybe weren't Tommy and Buck related.

"I just don't get it," Eddie said, unable to tear his eyes away from Buck as he laughed at something Tommy had said. "Why wouldn't he tell me he was hanging out with Tommy?"

Marisol placed her hand on his. "Maybe they just want to get to know each other a little better, see what else they have in common."

"What else?" Eddie questioned, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Well, besides you." She waved a hand at him. "You said so yourself, you really want them to get along with each other."

"Yeah, but like..." He swallowed hard, turning his gaze back toward Buck and Tommy. Was this how Buck had felt when he and Tommy had rushed off to Vegas without him? When Eddie had left him babysitting Christopher as he and Tommy went out and had guy time? He didn't like it.

It ate away at him to the point that when his food was arriving and he saw Buck and Tommy leaving, he pushed up from his seat and chased after Buck, capturing his wrist and bringing him to a halt as Tommy continued on toward the cloak room.

"Eddie..." Buck breathed out, turning to face him with questioning in his eyes.

"What's going on, Buck?" Eddie asked before he could stop himself. "If this is you teaching me a lesson, I get it – I screwed up."

"No, this isn't..." Buck shook his head, throat working. "This doesn't have anything to do with that. We're good, Eddie."

"Then why didn't you tell me you were coming here with Tommy? We could have come together."

"That's er, that's..." And Buck was blushing furiously, stumbling over his words. He still hadn't been able to get them out by the time Tommy returned with their coats and placed a hand on Buck's waist to get his attention.

"Sorry, Eddie," Tommy said, as Eddie's hand fell away from Buck. "I've got to steal Evan away. We've got somewhere to be. You're still on for watching the game Tuesday, right?"

"Uh, sure," Eddie answered, not knowing what else to say, not knowing what else to think.

All he knew was that, watching Tommy lead Buck away, hand still lightly at Buck's side, it hurt in a way he couldn't understand. It hurt so much that he was still thinking about it hours later, while he was sat on his couch, attempting to watch a movie with Marisol by his side.

"I mean, I get it," Eddie said, completely oblivious to the sigh Marisol let out as she reached over for the control and paused the movie. Again. "Spending all that time with Tommy, I got a little too into it at first, and I neglected him."

"Neglected... him..." Marisol repeated, pulling back from Eddie and crossing her arms over her chest as she looked at him. "And Buck was the only one you were neglecting?"

But Eddie barely even heard what she said. "I know, I'm reading too much into this. It's Buck... he wouldn't... He would never deliberately try and hurt me."

"He pushed you playing basketball. You could have broken your ankle."

"But I didn't," Eddie countered. "And besides, Buck... I know he didn't mean to hurt me. It's water under the bridge."

"Okay, okay... can we just – for one night – not talk about Buck?" Marisol hung her head and let go of a sigh. "Because sometimes, I really have to question... which one of us are you in a relationship with again?"

"What?" Eddie frowned.

"I like you, Eddie, I do, but I need to know if this is going somewhere or if I'm just a distraction?"

"What are you talking about?" He could only watch as she pushed up from the couch and began gathering her things, pulling on her coat.

"How about you give me a call when you figure things out? You do remember my name and number, right? It's under Marisol, just in case you've forgotten."

And with that, she was gone, leaving Eddie feeling even more confused than before, alone on a couch that felt more empty than it had the right to feel.