9-1-1 ᴅᴀᴜɢʜᴛᴇʀ ᴏɴᴇ sʜᴏᴛs

Clingy - Buck and Eddie Diaz

Aria Diaz - 2

The morning sun filtered through the curtains of the cozy apartment shared by Buck, Eddie, their twelve-year-old son Christopher, and their two-year-old daughter Aria. Birds chirped outside, welcoming the start of a new day. Buck was already up, preparing breakfast in the kitchen, the smell of coffee and pancakes wafting through the air. Eddie, on the other hand, had the task of waking their little girl.

Eddie gently opened the door to Aria's room. The soft pink walls were adorned with pictures of animals and family photos. In the middle of the room was Aria's crib, where she lay, still sleeping soundly. Eddie walked over and leaned on the rail, smiling as he watched her tiny chest rise and fall with each breath.

"Morning, princess," Eddie whispered, reaching down to stroke her curly hair.

Aria stirred, her eyes fluttering open. She looked up at Eddie, her face scrunching up as she tried to wake fully. Instead of her usual bright smile, she whimpered softly and reached up for him.

Eddie's heart tugged at the sight of her teary eyes. "What's wrong, baby girl?" he asked softly, lifting her out of the crib and cradling her in his arms.

Aria clung to him tightly, burying her face in his neck. She felt unusually warm, and Eddie could sense that something was off. He rubbed her back soothingly and carried her into the kitchen.

"Buck, I think Aria's not feeling well," Eddie said as he entered the kitchen.

Buck turned from the stove, concern immediately crossing his face. "Oh no, what's wrong, sweetie?" he asked, walking over to gently touch her forehead. "She feels a bit warm."

Christopher, who was already sitting at the table eating his pancakes, looked up. "Is Aria okay, Dad?"

"I think she might be coming down with something," Eddie replied, glancing at Buck.

Buck nodded. "Why don't you take her temperature? I'll finish up here and we can decide what to do next."

Eddie took Aria's temperature and found that she had a slight fever. They decided to keep a close eye on her and see how she felt after breakfast.

****

Despite the comforting presence of both her fathers and Christopher, Aria remained unusually clingy. She refused to sit in her high chair and instead clung to Eddie's lap, her head resting against his chest.

"Looks like someone's going to be having a lot of daddy time today," Buck said with a sympathetic smile as he served Eddie his breakfast.

Christopher tried to cheer his little sister up with funny faces and silly noises, but Aria only managed a weak smile before nestling back into Eddie's arms.

"Poor thing," Christopher said softly, clearly worried about his sister.

"We'll keep her close and comfortable," Eddie reassured him. "She just needs some extra time today."

***

Given their schedules and the need to keep an eye on Aria, Eddie and Buck decided to bring her to the firehouse. They knew their fellow firefighters would understand, and it would give Aria the comfort of being with both of her dads.

After packing a bag with Aria's favorite blanket, some toys, and a few snacks, they headed out. Aria remained quiet and cuddly, her arms wrapped around Eddie's neck as he carried her to the car.

For the fist 5 minutes of the ride Aria cried, not liking being away from her dads.

Christopher, always the caring big brother, held Aria's hand during the drive. "It's okay, Aria. We're going to Daddy's work. You'll feel better soon," he said, trying to comfort her.