After all I still love you

Chapter eight. Eddie/Buck

I wake up in my empty bed and just lay there. There used to be one piece missing from my life and now there is two. I don't know if i should be mad or sad at Buck. I mean i guess i understand but i don't at the same time, was i not good enough for him? He ran away, but he gets that from his sister. My phone rings and it's Christopher.

"Hey buddy." I say in a cheerful tone into the phone.
"Hey dad." He says
"How you been?"
"Good. Why is Buck in Texas?" He asks.
"Um..." i gulp as i try to think of something to say
"I saw him on Tv." He says
"He was visiting a friend." I say
"Then why was he dressed as a firefighter?" He asks, shit i hate lying to him.
"He was just helping a friend. Listen i gotta go. I love you." I say
"Love you too dad."

I rub my face with my hands when there's a knock at my door. I get up to answer it and when i open the door i see Maddie.
"What are you doing here Maddie?" I ask
"Came to see you." She says letting herself in.
"Why aren't you down there getting him?" She asks
"Because he doesn't want me anymore. Why can't anyone understand that?" I throw my hands up in frustration. She flinches a little.
"Sorry. I'm so sorry." I say as I realized
"It's okay, he still wants you Eddie he just, he's Buck he ran away and he gets it from me and I'm sorry but he doesn't belong in Texas." She says
"He already got a transfer down there. He's not coming back." I say in defeat
"So you are just going to give him up that easy?" She says
"He gave up on our relationship that easy! So yeah, i am." I snap. There were no words she could say after that, she realized that i have came to terms with ending things with Buck even though it hurts really bad and i know i will never be the same person again.
"I should go." She says
"Yeah" i say under my breath opening the door for her.

I take a cold shower trying to wash away my anger before i get ready for my shift.

Buck POV

"Hey Cap?" I ask knocking on the door
"Come in." He says
"Can i talk to you about something?"
"Yeah take a seat." He gestures towards the chair. "What's going on Buckley?"
"I think i might of made a mistake." I start with
"On a call?" He asks
"No, coming to Texas." I say
"I see. I think i know where this is headed." He nods his head as i tell him the whole story about why i came to Texas in the first place, he said my story reminds him of his son just without the use of drugs.
"I can put in your request for a transfer back." He says
"What if they don't want me?" I ask him
"That's not true. Honestly Buckley me and Captain Nash had this conversation already, we both knew you wouldn't last down here in Texas. You home isn't here its in L.A with Eddie. He only approved of the transfer in the first place because he knew you would realize this sooner or later. I knew you would come in here soon to have this conversation." He tells me.
"You knew  wouldn't last?" I question
"You are an excellent firefighter Buckley i would want you on my team any day but i can tell by watching you that you miss your old team back in L.A. and besides why would you want to give up the crazy calls you get in L.A for some mediocre calls here in Texas?" he says
"From the stories Tk has told me you all have your fair share, i think you all get kidnapped more than we do." I say
"Fair point." He laughs
"I just don't want to leave you hanging. I know Judd is out and..." i go to talk
"Don't worry about us Buckley, i have it handled. Let's go say bye to the team and get you on the road back to L.A" he says
"Thank you Captain it was a pleasure working with you." I tell him
"You too Buckley." He says bringing me in for a hug

We go downstairs sand he gathers everyone around as i say my goodbyes, it was a short while of me working at the 126 but the calls we went on were pretty fun and will be good story's to tell the ones at the 118. I'm still nervous they wont be happy to see me, it will be like the lawsuit all over again with everyone mad at me. I try to put that behind me and i started my jeep for the long ride home.

Eddie POV

We were eating dinner when the bell went off for a car accident on the highway, when we arrived at the scene i saw a grey jeep for a second a thought it was Bucks and my heart sunk but i remembered that he was in Texas there's no way that its his. But what if he was coming back?
"Eddie, Chim go check for survivors." Bobby says.
When we get to the cars i prepare myself to see Buck in case it is him. I held my breath all the way to the window and when i saw it was an older gentleman i let my breath out. I checked on the man and he was still breathing just unconscious.
"Hello sir? Can you hear me?" I ask. There was a mumble.
"Ok we are going to get you out. Chim! I need your help." I yell

We got the man out and loaded into the ambulance to be taken to the hospital,  i hear sobs coming from behind me and see Hen walking with a young boy probably only 15.
"Is he really dead?" The boy cry's
"I'm so sorry sweetheart." Hen says comforting the boy. Behind her paramedics have a stretcher with a body bag on it.
"Is that him?" The boy asks "can i see him?" Hen looks at Bobby who nods his head. The boy gets up and walks over to the stretcher, the paramedic unzips the bag just so the boy can see the face of the other boy. I watch as the kid talks and cry's over the dead boy.
"That's his boyfriend. They took their sister's car to sneak around when they lost control." Hen tells me when she notices me watching them.
"Who was driving?" I ask
"The living one." Hen says softly.
That is going to rough on that boy for the rest of his life, he is going to blame himself whenever he thinks about this night.

We headed back to the station and finished our meal, the empty chair still sits and still no one talks about it.