Dandelions

Hen Wilson

"Hen! Can you believe this?!" Chimney continued to whine, prompting Hen to force down a sigh. This was the sixth time she had to listen to her best friend complain about the same thing.

"Chim, not all couples tell everything to each other," Hen repeated for the seventh time. "Maddie has the right to her own privacy."

"I know!" Chimney rapidly agreed. "But don't you find it weird that the Buckley parents came back out of the blue? The wedding is still months away."

Hen had to agree with Chimney that it was weird. Margaret and Phillip Buckley had changed and been trying to do better by their children, especially after the lightning bolt. But for the two of them to come to LA and stay for a couple of weeks? No wonder Chimney was losing his mind.

"I mean, they've been babysitting Jee, which is great! I got to take Maddie out like three times!" Chimney continued, not waiting for an answer from Hen. "But she is starting to talk about a pretty house. You don't think they are moving to LA?!"

The look of panic and horror on Chim's face would have been hilarious had it not been for the fact that Hen was feeling the same exact thing as her friend. She had heard all about the Buckley family dinners, but more importantly...

"God! Please no! Athena would kill them!" Hen shuddered as Chim started to spiral down.

"You're right! The only thing keeping Maddie's parents safe are the many states between them!" Chim panicked.

"They're Buck's parents too," Hen pointed out, startling Chim. He turned to Hen, not understanding what she was saying. Though Hen could understand why, in the 118 there were some irrefutable truths that every member knew. Maddie and Buck are siblings. Margaret and Phillip are Maddie's horrible parents. Athena and Bobby are Buck's parents, May and Harry are Buck's younger siblings. "Let's calm down and ask Buckaroo if he knows what's going on.

"Good idea!" Chim perked up and skipped up the staircase, taking two steps at the same time.

Hen shook her head in amusement before following him to the loft. However, Chim wasn't pestering Buck for answers. No, he was staring awkwardly at where Eddie and Bobby were having a tense stare down, with a worried Buck stuck in the middle.

Hen turned to Ravi, who was fidgeting nervously. "Ravi, what happened?"

"Eddie was complaining to Buck about his aunt trying to get him to go on blind dates after his breakup with Marisol, when Cap overheard and agreed that Eddie should move on and put himself out there," Ravi explained, making two paramedics wince.

"Oh, Cap," Chimney hissed under his breath. He knew Bobby meant well, but his "advice" came at the worst time, they all remembered the rebar accident.

"It's only been a month since the breakup," Hen commented, thinking that both Pepa and Bobby were being too hard on Eddie.

Chimney turned to Ravi. "What happened afterwards?"

Ravi grimaced, fidgeting nervously. "Well... Eddie turned to Cap with an unimpressed look and asked him to remind him how long it took Cap to move on from his first wife."

Hen and Chimney looked at Ravi shocked, before turning to look at the staredown in disbelief.

"Damn! That's savage!" Chimney cursed.

Hen nodded, but internally she agreed with Eddie. Bobby had pushed his ideals of finding love and healing after the death of his wife on Eddie, first with Ana and now with this. All without taking into account that it took Bobby many years to do the same.

Almost a decade before Bobby was ready and found love again with Athena. And Bobby was expecting Eddie to do the same only one year after Shannon's death? A bit hypocritical, if you asked Hen.

Eddie finally sighed and spoke up. "I'm sorry, Cap. That was low of me." Eddie shook his head. "I know you and Tia Pepa mean well, but this is not a rom-com, where love is the cure that will fix everything. I know Athena helped you finish healing and made you feel complete again. But I'm sure that to get to the point where you were ready for her, it took many meetings and therapy."

"Shit!" Hen, Chim, and Ravi cursed at the same time, Eddie was on fire. First throwing his dead family at Cap's face and then his addiction.

Eddie continued, paying no mind to everyone else. "I love Shannon, I still do and it is not guilt when I say that she was and will always be the love of my life. But I am no longer blind to the fact that my marriage did not work out. Sometimes love is not enough. I have PTSD, survivor's guilt, panic attacks when trying on suits, and when I'm way over my head, I join fight clubs! Cap, do you truly think I should be out trying to find Mrs. Right? Or at home with my son and trying to take care of my mental health?"

Eddie huffed exasperated, shaking his head. "I do not care what you or Pepa, or anyone back at El Paso think, I will focus on Chris, have fun with Buck, go to my sessions with Frank, and, Hell, I might even join a support group for veterans." By now, Eddie was on his feet glaring down at a speechless Bobby. "And that, Cap, that is more than enough. I am at a good place, and I am happy. I do not need romantic love when my life is filled with so much love of various kinds."

There was a deep silence as everyone stared at Eddie, stunned at his uncharacteristically emotional outburst. Then, the sound of clapping. Everyone at the loft turned to Buck, who was clapping with a beaming smile on his face and tears in his eyes. Ravi soon joined his mentor, followed by Hen and Chimney, even Bobby joined by the end. Buck then threw his arms around Eddie, who clung tightly and melted into the hug.

Hen sighed with a sad smile as she observed Buck and Eddie. At the beginning, Hen had thought that Buck was suffering from what almost every queer person does and was crushing on their straight friend. She had then thought Eddie was repressed and so deep in the closet he could see Narnia. However, like everyone else, Hen had misunderstood the beautiful bond of BuckandEddie. They were soulmates, best friends, but in the strictly platonic sense. There had not been a single moment where they had been attracted to each other. And even if part of Hen lamented the waste of Buck and Eddie not being a couple, she also found their friendship just as magical.

"You're right, I'm sorry Eddie," Bobby stood up, looking at Eddie with a guilty expression.

Eddie finally let go of Buck and turned to smile at Bobby. "It's all right, Cap. As I said, I know you mean well. Just don't do it again."

"I promise," Bobby smiled, and it was like all the tension disappeared in the loft.

Not wasting another second, Chimney took advantage of the good atmosphere. "Hey, Buckaroo! Please tell me you know what's going on with your sister! And your parents. Are they moving to LA?"

Buck laughed at Chimney's panicked expression, before shaking his head. "They are simply helping me out with some things."

"Some things?" Hen repeated with a raised eyebrow, she turned to Eddie and Bobby, who were suspiciously quiet; they knew.

"Then what's this about a house? Jee keeps on gushing about the pretty house your parents have been staying in!" Chimney exclaimed, his panic blinding him to anything else.

Buck blushed, rubbing the back of his neck shyly. "Well... that's my house. I was planning on it being a surprise, with a home-warming party this weekend. But Chimney looks like he is about to work himself into a heart attack. I bought a house and you're all invited."

"Buck, that's incredible!" Hen hugged Buck, feeling so proud of how far her reckless friend has come.

"So glad!" Chimney sighed, practically slumping in relief before wincing. "You've been living with Phillip and Margaret for two weeks?! Yikes!"

"It's been... honestly, quite nice," Buck laughed as they all turned to him in disbelief. "I know! I could not believe it at first either. But they've changed, and living together drove in how much things were different. They were proud of how much I've matured and become responsible."

"I'mglad," Bobby clasped a hand on Buck's shoulder, and Hen almost laughed athow possessive the firefighter was. "We can't wait for this weekend."