Lost and Found || Buddie

Chapter 20

The next few months flew by as Eddie took on his role of single dad, going back to El Paso after visiting Buck and Maddie in LA. Even though he had been reluctant to leave, he knew he needed to. The man had been working three jobs, leaving Christopher to spend time with his grandparents, to make money to save up for the both of them to move. He knew he had enough money saved but he figured that more couldn't hurt.

When he told his parents about the move, they weren't happy, demanding that he leave Christopher with them, not to uproot his whole life. And how could Eddie leave his family for his best friend? "Because he supports me. He and Maddie both do, and they'll help me look after Christopher, they'll always have his best interests in heart. All you want to do is take him from me and that is not happening." He had told them both, not really wanting to argue about it.

Eddie and Buck had Face Timed almost every night so Christopher could tell his Buck that he missed him and couldn't wait to see him again and Buck saying, "Right back you kid." With a bright smile on his face. 

Eddie would be lying if he said his true feelings for Buck weren't coming to the surface because they truly were. He caught himself staring at Bucks lips more often than not while they were on Face Time (because what friend doesn't look at their friends' lips, wondering how soft they'd feel against their own, he had thought but then he realized that it probably wasn't a normal thing amongst friends). But he swears he caught Buck looking at his lips too, but he couldn't be too sure. 

This time though, Eddie wasn't going to call Buck because of Chris. Buck had called earlier to wish the boy a happy birthday and apologize for not being able to be there to celebrate with him and that he had his birthday present ready to go when they made the move to LA in a couple of weeks. 

Buck kept his promise to Eddie, helping the older man with finding a place to live. They had found a decent three-bedroom house, all one story so Chris wouldn't have to walk or down any stairs and when Buck asked why he needed bedrooms, Eddie just said, "So you have somewhere to sleep when you spend the night, Buck."  And Eddie thought he saw a glint in the man's eyes but he didn't ask.

Eddie had Christopher down for a late nap, knowing he would regret it later when the newly minted five-year-old would refuse to go to bed on time, but he didn't care. 

Sitting down on the couch in the living room, surrounded by boxes in every corner, Eddie looked down at his phone about to dial Bucks number before his phone started ringing. He chuckles softly to himself when he sees Bucks name pop up and answers it, pressing the phone to his ear. "Hey Buck, funnily enough I was about to call you." He speaks.

"Oh, yeah that's funny." Buck laughs softly, nervously. "I called because I have some news."

Eddie frowns at the tone in Bucks voice, lately the man was always chipper and in a good mood. "Is everything okay? Are you okay? is Maddie, okay?" He starts to ramble, a little worried at this point. 

Buck breaths out slowly and clears his throat, oh this didn't sound like it was going to be good. "Maddie's fine. She got a call this morning, from a sergeant in Kentucky." He starts. "And they think they caught the people that took me. They want me to come and see if I can identify them so we can press charges against them." He whispers. 

Multiple emotions flood through Eddies body as he listens to Buck, his free hand balling into a fist. He can understand why they want Buck to identify his captors, but he shouldn't have to go see them again, not after everything he had gone through. "Holy shit Buck. Why do they think it was the same people that took you?" He questioned, curiously. "But first, how are you feeling?"

"I don't know how I'm feeling Eddie. My captain made me man behind today because I'm just not fully with it today." Eddie understood that he didn't think the man should be fighting fires after getting that news. "And as for why they think it's them, I don't know much but they found another person who had said they had been kidnapped and was dropped off around the same spot that I was. But someone happened to drive past when it happened, and they called the police, hence how they got caught. They said the description I gave them last year fit them pretty perfectly." The words got caught in Buck's throat. "Of course it had to happen today of all days."

"I know. I was going to call you and ask you how you're doing today." Eddie spoke softly. "It's been a year since they let you go, and I wanted to check up on you, wasn't sure if the day would bring up any unhappy memories, but I got my answer." He hoped the two people got what was coming to them, hoped they rotted in prison once Buck identified them. 

"Wait, you remembered the date?" Buck asked, confusion laced in his voice.

Eddie scoffed. "Of course, I remembered Buck! How could I not? It was the date you came back to us. The date you came back to me." He whispered the last part and Buck almost couldn't hear it, but he did.

"Right." Buck murmurs and sighs heavily. "As soon as the team comes back Hen is taking me home, they didn't want me driving myself. And then Maddie and are going to book flights and head to Kentucky either tonight or tomorrow. I'm scared Eds, I never wanted to see them again."

"I know Buck. I wish I could be there with you, but you'll have Maddie and she'll be with you every step of the way, I'm sure." Eddie tries to reassure his friend, but racking his brain trying to see if he could figure out a way to be there for him. 

"Yeah, me too." Eddie heard a commotion of noise on the other end of the phone. "But hey, I got to go. I'll let you know about everything okay?"

"Okay Buck. Stay safe." Eddie says before Buck hangs up the phone and Eddie immediately Calls up his sister, praying that she'd be more than happy to take Christopher for a couple of days so he could be there for Buck and Maddie. 

The Phone rings a couple of times before Adriana answers. "Hey big brother. Soph and I were just about to head over there to celebrate with Chris. Is everything okay?" She asks him, he didn't even get a word in, but he knew he didn't call his sisters enough so of course she would think something is wrong. 

"Uh, I was going to ask you if you could take Chris for a couple of days. Buck and Maddie are going back to Kentucky to identify the two people that took him." He started and he heard Adriana gasp, Sophia whispering to her in the background, she must have him on speaker. "And I wanted to be there for the both of them."

More whispering on the other end and finally he heard Sophia speak. "We've got him Eddie. You go be with your man. I'm sure this is rough on him."

Eddie didn't even try to fight her, Buck wasn't his man, sure he wanted him to be but that was neither here nor there. "Okay thank you both so much. I love you and I'll see you soon." He hangs up the phone and searches flights, not even thinking twice about texting Shannon about the situation, knowing the two were friends. 

Eddie: Hey, sorry for bothering you, I know we talked earlier when you told Chris happy birthday 

Eddie: But have you talked to Buck at all today?

Almost instantly Shannon responded. 

Shannon: You're not bothering me, Eddie. We're friends, remember?

Shannon: I haven't, is he okay?

Eddie: Long story short, he's heading to Kentucky soon to identify his captors. I figured you might want to know since I know you two were close.

Shannon: Shit.

Shannon: Are you and Maddie going with him?

Eddie: Maddie's of course going with him, but he doesn't know that I'll be there. I just got things figured out.

Shannon: Do you think He'd mind if I was there?

Shannon: He needs a support system.

Eddie: I don't think he'd mind, but text Maddie first. She'd know better than anyone.

Shannon: Thank you for letting me know Eddie.

Shannon: By the way, I still say you should tell the guy how you feel.

Eddie: Okay, bye Shannon.

Eddie sighs heavily and contacts Maddie, telling her to let him know when her and Buck were flying out so Eddie could coordinate his flight to hopefully land about the same time. Maddie didn't seem at all surprised that Eddie was tagging along, or that shannon had gotten ahold of her to see if it was okay if she did as well. The woman just agreed and said Buck was going to need his support system, that seeing these horrible people were going to bring up some bad memories, bad thoughts.