Lost and Found || Buddie

Chapter 14

"Buck, you don't have to do all of this." Shannon said as she watched Buck make dinner for the three of them. "I'm sure you're tired from the flight."

"I'm fine Shannon." Buck shrugs, he always tried to keep busy when he was nervous or stressed, and right now he was both of those things. He decided on making grilled cheese and tomato soup from the can since that happened to be Christopher's favorite. "Keeping busy keeps me from spiraling." He laughs softly and Shannon could understand that.

The three ate dinner, Christopher talking away to Buck who engaged in the conversation, smiling widely at the boy. Buck put Chris to bed that night for Shannon as she went to bed, leaving Buck by himself for the rest of the night.

Buck couldn't sleep, his mind racing. He flipped through the tv channels and landed on some documentary that he could barely pay attention to. Before he knew it, the sun was rising. Eddie called him again, letting him know the information he needed and Buck left with Shannon's car going to the airport to pick up his best friend. He left the woman a note telling her where she was.

The drive to the airport seemed like it went way too quickly, his mind racing the entire time. He pulled up, parking and walked into the airport departures, his eyes scanning the crowd until they landed on his best friend in his uniform.

"Buck!" Eddie calls out, waving him over. The man had crutches, his duffel bag sitting on the floor next to him. "Where's Shannon and Chris?" He asks, a little disappointed that it was just Buck.

"Oh, I was letting them sleep. Didn't want to wake them up." He shrugs his shoulders, bending down to grab Eddie's bag. "You can wake them up when we get back."

Eddie nods his head slowly, making his way to the doors with Buck by his side, his crutches clicking against the ground. They walk in silence to the car and Buck throws Eddie's bag in the backseat, opening the passenger door for his friend. "Thanks for picking me up." Eddie says softly, getting into his seat, Buck putting his crutches in the backseat.

He gets himself into the driver's seat and rubs his hands over his face, sighing softly. "Yeah no problem Eddie." He says and puts the key into the ignition, pulling out of the airport parking lot. "Chris is going to be so excited to see you." Buck was just trying to make small talk.

"Yeah, I'm excited to see him." Eddie says, staring out the window as they drive. "How have you been, Buck?"

Buck wasn't expecting that question, not when Eddie hadn't spoken to him in months. He didn't think he really cared. "I've been fine. Work keeps me busy." He shrugs.

"Are you still going to therapy?" The older man questions, glancing over at his friend.

"Yes, but why does it matter? Why do you care?" Buck was annoyed now. "Didn't talk to me for months and now you care all of a sudden?" He asks, taking in a deep breath.

Eddie furrows his eyebrows and shakes his head. "I had my reasoning Buck." He mutters. "It's not that I don't care. I was going through some shit."

Buck nods his head, staying silent. He was going through some shit too but he hadn't blatantly ignored his best friend.

"You didn't have to come If you didn't want to." Eddie snaps at him, looking out the window again. "You could've stayed back in Los Angeles."

"I came because I did want to." The younger man said he was exhausted with this conversation already. "You're my best friend and I care about you so much Eddie, I'd literally do anything for you." And he meant it in more ways than one.

Nodding his head, Eddie closed his eyes and leaned his head against the headrest. The man was tired and he was in pain. "I care about you too Buck, more than you know."