Buddie: Partners in Fire

Chapter 103

Scene: Common Area of the Station

For the first few hours, the station hummed with its usual calm. The rhythmic clinking of mugs being set on the kitchen counter, the low murmur of conversations, and the occasional scrape of chairs filled the room. Buck and Eddie sat at the large table in the common area, surrounded by their teammates, all of whom were catching up after months apart. The slow pace of the morning felt almost like a gift—a gentle way to ease back into the routine after such a long and turbulent absence.

Buck leaned back in his chair, glancing around the room. Hen and Chimney were seated nearby, sipping their coffee and quietly chatting about the latest station gossip. Bobby was over by the stove, stirring something that smelled faintly like chili. Ravi was at the far end of the room, checking the equipment logs with meticulous focus, a reminder of his growing role in the team since Buck and Eddie had been out. The atmosphere was easygoing, comfortable—exactly what Buck needed. 

Chimney (grinning): “So, did you guys hear about the ‘cat stuck in a tree’ call last week?”

Buck raised an eyebrow, intrigued but not surprised. Cat rescues were the bane of many a firefighter's existence, more so because of how quickly they could turn from routine to ridiculous.

Buck (with a smirk): “Let me guess, Ravi had to climb the tree?”

Hen snorted into her coffee, shaking her head.

Hen: “You’d think so, but no. Chim got stuck in the tree this time.”

Chimney (mock-indignant): “I did not get stuck, okay? The branch was faulty.”

Ravi (from across the room): “The branch was perfectly fine when we checked it afterward.”

Laughter filled the room, and even Bobby, standing by the stove, chuckled at the memory. Buck grinned, picturing Chimney dangling from a tree, probably cursing under his breath while trying to keep his cool in front of onlookers.

Eddie (smirking): “Let me guess, there was an audience?”

Hen (grinning wider): “Oh, a crowd. The neighborhood kids were filming the whole thing. I’m sure it’s online somewhere. Chim's newfound tree-climbing skills might’ve gone viral.”

Chimney waved a hand, clearly over the ordeal but still willing to play along.

Chimney (sarcastic): “Yeah, laugh it up. But I’m telling you, that branch was out to get me.”

Bobby (from the kitchen): “Chimney’s right—sometimes nature has a way of humbling us.”

Buck snickered, taking a sip of his coffee as Chimney shot Bobby a grateful look for the backup. The stories rolled on from there, each member of the team sharing something that had happened while Buck and Eddie were gone.

Hen told a story about an unruly family barbecue that almost turned into a full-blown grease fire—how a panicked uncle threw a cup of water on the flames and nearly made things worse.

Hen: “I had to explain to the guy that throwing water on grease is like throwing gasoline on a bonfire. I swear, it’s a miracle people don’t burn down their homes every holiday weekend.”

Buck (laughing): “Maybe we should start handing out fire safety flyers along with the hot dogs and burgers.”

Ravi (grinning): "Or just ban grilling altogether.”

Everyone laughed, the thought of an American summer without grilling absurd, but the camaraderie was undeniable. The room buzzed with energy as story after story flowed from the group.

Then, Chimney shared another incident—this one more serious—about a young man who had driven his car into a pole while texting, narrowly avoiding a fatal crash. The team had responded quickly, getting the guy out before the car could catch fire, but it was a sobering reminder of how fast things could go wrong.

Chimney (more serious now): “It’s always the simple things that trip people up. A text message almost ended his life.”

The mood in the room shifted slightly as they all took that in. Buck nodded, thinking about how unpredictable life could be—how in one second, everything could change. He’d lived that truth. They all had, in one way or another. But as quickly as the mood dipped, Hen lightened it again with a joke about Chimney’s terrible attempt to comfort the guy afterward.

Hen: “He tried to make the kid feel better by saying, ‘At least you don't end up with an iron bar in your head,’ and the poor guy just looked at him like, ‘What?’”

Chimney threw his hands up in mock defense.

Chimney: “Hey, I was trying! Sometimes humor helps, alright?”

The group laughed again, the warmth of their connection palpable. For a moment, Buck allowed himself to sit back and just soak it all in—the light-hearted banter, the stories, the easy camaraderie. He had missed this.

Buck (softly, to Eddie): “I forgot how much I missed this.”

Eddie gave him a soft smile, his gaze flicking around the room as well.

Eddie (equally soft): “Yeah... me too.”

Before the conversation could dive too deeply into any more serious territory, Chimney piped up again, this time teasing Buck and Eddie about their synchronized return.

Chimney: “So, what, you two planned this whole ‘coming back on the same day’ thing? It’s cute, really. Matching outfits next?”

Buck rolled his eyes, though a smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

Buck: “Hey, we’re a package deal. Where one goes, the other follows.”

Hen (grinning): “I don’t know, Buck. You’re starting to sound like one of those romantic comedy duos. Next, you’ll be finishing each other’s sentences.”

Eddie (deadpan, without missing a beat): “We already do.”

The room burst into laughter again, and even Buck couldn’t hold back a chuckle at Eddie’s perfectly timed comment. For a few hours, it was like nothing had changed. The jokes, the camaraderie, the way they all fit together like pieces of a well-worn puzzle—it was all still there.

As the laughter faded, Chimney leaned forward, his tone light but with an edge of curiosity.

Chimney: “So, how’s it really been? I mean, coming back after everything. It’s gotta feel... different, right?”

Buck exchanged a quick glance with Eddie before shrugging.

Buck (honestly): “It does. But I think that’s normal. Things change, but... I’m ready to be back.”

Eddie (nodding in agreement): “Yeah. It’s different, but we’ve got this.”

Hen nodded, her expression soft with understanding.

Hen: “We’ve all got your backs. You know that, right?”

Buck and Eddie both nodded, their hearts a little lighter with the reminder that they weren’t alone in this. They had their team, their family. Whatever challenges lay ahead, they’d face them together.

Just as the conversation started to pick up again, a loud beep cut through the air, and the familiar sound of the alarm echoed through the station. Buck’s heart skipped a beat. The moment of calm had passed.

Bobby (from across the room): “Alright, team, let’s move. We’ve got a call.”

The crew quickly shifted gears, moving from the warmth of the common area into the focused mindset they needed on the job. Buck stood, his heart pounding a little faster now. Eddie shot him a look, his eyes full of unspoken understanding and reassurance.

Eddie: “We’ve got this.”

Buck nodded, taking a deep breath as they headed toward the trucks, ready to face whatever was waiting for them outside the station doors.

The peace of the morning was over, but the team was ready. And for the first time in months, Buck felt ready too.