Against All Odds (E.Buckley x Female Reader)

4

TW
*Few Months Later*

I was in the middle of a complicated delivery when my phone buzzed with a text from Buck, "Big fire downtown. Might be a long night. Be safe." My assistant nurses replied quickly, "You too. Be careful."

Hours passed, and my shift at the hospital was nearing its end. I had just delivered a healthy baby girl and was feeling a rare moment of satisfaction when the hospital's emergency alarm blared.

A fire had broken out in a nearby apartment building, and the ER was about to be flooded with victims.

My heart skipped a beat. I knew Buck and the 118 would be there. I quickly brushed away my worry, focusing instead on the incoming patients. The first wave of victims arrived, and I was immediately in the thick of it, treating burns, smoke inhalation, and other injuries.

"Paige!" I yelled. "I deliver babies! I don't know what I'm doing here!" I called out to her.

"Remember your intern year! You can do it Y/N!" I got flashbacks to my intern year.

I was fresh out of nursing school, eager to finally become the trauma nurse I dreamed of being. I had been assigned to the ER, during a night shift, the kind that seemed to stretch on forever. Until everything changed.

The call came in just after midnight. A multi-car accident on the highway. The ER buzzed with a sudden, frantic energy as they prepared for the influx of patients.

My heart pounded as I prepared myself for the things to come. Paramedics wheeled in the first victim, a young boy, no more than five, covered in blood and barely conscious.

My mentor, Dr. Harris, barked orders, and I fell into step, assisting with intubation and starting IV lines. The boy's parents followed, the mother hysterical and the father barely holding it together. I glanced at them, feeling a pang of empathy mixed with a rising wave of anxiety.

Over the next hours, the ER filled with more victims. The boy's condition deteriorated rapidly, and despite our best efforts, he went into cardiac arrest.

Dr. Harris and the team worked tirelessly, but after what felt like an eternity, he called it. Time of death: 2:43 a.m.

I stood frozen, my hands still stained with the boy's blood. I had been holding his hand, whispering words of comfort, promising he'd be okay.

I watched his parents break down outside of the trauma room. Still frozen, finding something to do.

In the midst of the chaos, I snapped back to reality when I caught a glimpse of Buck being wheeled in on a stretcher, unconscious.

My heart lurched, but I forced myself to remain professional. Helping the patients who needed me.

When I broke free from the ER I  rushed to Bucks side, assessing his condition. The doctor quickly filled me in. Buck had been caught in a collapsing stairwell while rescuing a child. He had suffered a concussion and smoke inhalation but was stable.

I fought back tears as I tried to help him. I couldn't be his doctor, not with my emotions running so high, but I made sure he was in good hands.

Once the immediate crisis was over, I finally allowed myself to sit by Buck's bedside. He was hooked up to monitors, his breathing steady but shallow. I held his hand, feeling the roughness of his skin.

I sat there talking to him about my day, not knowing if he could hear me.
Hours later, Buck stirred, his eyes fluttering open. He looked around, disoriented, until his gaze landed on me.

A weak smile spread across his face. "Hey, you," he croaked.

"Hey yourself," I whispered, tears of relief streaming down my face. "You scared the hell out of me." Buck squeezed her hand. "Well, you know me."

I laughed softly, leaning in to kiss his forehead. "We have got to stop spending time together in this hospital."

Buck groaned, "I know." He shifted over, "Lay with me?" Buck asked. I managed to scoot in.

He wrapped his arm around me. "You should be in your own bed, you know," Buck murmured, his voice a blend of fatigue and tenderness.

I smiled, brushing a strand of hair away from his forehead. "And leave you here all alone? Not a chance. Besides, someone needs to keep an eye on you." I said.

He chuckled softly, wincing again at the pain. "I think that's supposed to be my line." He said and I laughed.

I leaned in, resting my head gently on his chest, careful not to jostle him too much. "How did I get lucky enough to be dating a real-life hero?"

Buck sighed, looking up at the ceiling, his thoughts drifting back to the fire. "I don't feel much like a hero," he admitted quietly. "Just doing my job."
I lifted my head to meet his gaze, my eyes shining with unshed tears.

"You saved lives tonight, Buck. You always do. And then you came back to me. That's all that matters."

He cupped my face, his thumb brushing away a tear that had escaped down my cheek. "I always will, Y/N. I promise." I looked up at him, "I'm holding you to that promise."

Buck's eyes grew heavy, and he fought to stay awake, not wanting to waste a single moment with me. I noticed and kissed his forehead gently.

"Sleep. I'll be right here when you wake up." I stayed awake a little longer, watching the steady rise and fall of his chest.

Now that Buck and I have been together for a few months, each time he goes out for a job I always fear that he won't come back home to me.

With Buck now conscious and his condition stabilizing, the doctors allowed me to take him home a few days later.

I had arranged for some time off to help him recover in his apartment. Buck was reluctant to leave the hospital, knowing he would be out of action for a while.

At Buck's apartment, I transformed into a caregiver. I ensured he rested, managed his medication, and kept a close eye on his recovery. Buck, who was used to being the rescuer, found it challenging to be on the receiving end of care.

One night, a few days into his recovery, Buck woke from a nap as I was making soup in the kitchen. He shuffled into the kitchen, where I was stirring a pot on the stove.

"Hey, you should be resting," I said, turning to him with a smile. "I was tired of lying down," Buck admitted, leaning against the doorway. "Smells good."

I poured the soup into bowls and brought them to the small dining table. As we ate, we talked about everything and nothing. "I hate being out of action," Buck confessed, his voice tinged with frustration. "But having you here, makes it easier." He smiled.

I reached across the table, taking his hand. "We're a team, Buck. Just like you'd do anything for me, I'll always be here for you."

As days turned into weeks, Buck's strength slowly returned. But Buck had been put on blood thinners after he had a blood clot form.

Buck climbed out of bed and headed to his closet to put on his work uniform. Trying to not wake me up.

"You can't go to work Buck.." I said crawling out of bed and then tugging on his uniform. "I'm just going to try and see if Bobby will make an exception."

"Buck." I said softly. He gave me a quick kiss, "You're gonna make me late." He said.

I gave up and cocked my head to the side, "What's five minutes?" I whispered kissing him again. He grinned, "Five minutes." He said sternly as he picked me up and placed me on the bed.

"Oh, so now we're gonna play sexy firemen?" I asked, grinning. He crawled on top of me and then...