It was me in there( 9-1-1 )

Shots Fired

The air felt charged, electric with tension as Buck stood frozen on the street. The call had been standard—someone shot, nothing more. But now, as he stared up toward the building where the sniper was positioned, a chilling realization hit him like a freight train.

It was him.

It was Phillip.

Buck's throat went dry as the sniper's face sharpened into focus through the glare of sunlight bouncing off glass. Phillip Buckley, his father, was the one with the rifle aimed at the scene.

His stomach flipped, his pulse hammering in his ears so loudly it drowned out everything else. His body reacted before his mind fully caught up, a surge of panic propelling him to spin toward Eddie, who was crouched behind a firetruck, scanning for the threat.

"Run!" Buck's voice came out raw and desperate, echoing across the street. "Eddie, run!"

Eddie froze, startled by the sheer terror in Buck's voice. His brows furrowed in confusion as he began to step toward Buck instead of away. "What are you talking about? What's going on?"

Buck shook his head frantically, waving Eddie back with a trembling hand. His chest tightened, panic clawing at his throat.

"Go! It's him—my dad!" Buck's words were rushed, barely audible, but they were enough to make Eddie falter.

"What do you mean? Buck—"

Phillip shifted the rifle slightly, and Buck could see his father's intent as clear as day. He didn't have time to explain.

"Go!" Buck screamed, his voice cracking under the weight of his terror.

And then the shot rang out.

The sound was deafening, shattering the air around them.

Buck felt the impact before he even registered what had happened. A searing, white-hot pain tore through his chest, stealing the air from his lungs. His legs buckled beneath him as his body crumpled to the ground.

The air shattered with the crack of the gunshot, and everything froze.

"Buck!" Eddie's scream ripped through the chaos as he watched Buck collapse, the bullet slamming into his chest and sending him to the ground.

Time seemed to slow. Eddie's heart pounded so hard it felt like it might break his ribs. His legs carried him forward before he even registered moving, his instincts overriding the overwhelming dread suffocating him.

Buck was lying on his back, motionless, his face pale, his breaths shallow. Blood seeped through his uniform, pooling beneath him in an ever-widening circle. Eddie fell to his knees, his hands shaking as he reached for him.

"No, no, no," Eddie whispered, his voice trembling, almost a prayer. "Buck, stay with me. You're okay. You're going to be okay."

He pressed his hands against the wound, trying to stem the flow of blood. The warmth of it coated his palms, sticky and unrelenting. His chest heaved as panic clawed its way through him.

"Help!" Eddie yelled, his voice breaking as he turned toward the others pinned down behind the fire truck. "I need help!"

Another gunshot cracked through the air, and Eddie instinctively hunched over Buck, shielding him with his body. The sniper wasn't letting up, and the others couldn't move without risking their lives.

Eddie turned back to Buck, his face inches from his boyfriend's. His voice softened, desperate but tender. "Hey, look at me. Open your eyes, Buck. Please."

Buck's eyes fluttered slightly, just enough to show Eddie he was still hanging on. His lips moved, but no sound came out.

"I've got you," Eddie murmured, his voice trembling. "You're okay. Just keep breathing for me, alright? One breath at a time. I'm not going anywhere."

Buck's chest rose and fell unevenly, each breath a shallow, ragged gasp. Eddie pressed harder against the wound, his hands trembling as he fought to keep the blood from spilling out faster than he could contain it.

"No, no, no," Eddie whispered again, his tears falling freely now, mixing with the blood smeared across Buck's face. His voice grew louder, more frantic. "Buck, don't you dare leave me. Do you hear me? Don't you dare!"

Buck's eyes opened again, just a sliver, but his gaze was unfocused, distant.

"Eddie..." Buck's voice was a faint rasp, barely audible over the pounding in Eddie's ears.

"I'm here," Eddie said quickly, leaning closer, his voice trembling. "I'm right here. You're not alone. You've got me, okay? Just stay with me."

Buck's lips twitched, as if trying to form words, but his eyes began to drift shut again.

"No!" Eddie's voice cracked, panic surging through him. He pressed his forehead against Buck's, his tears falling harder. "Don't do this. Don't close your eyes. Look at me, Buck. Look at me!"

Buck's breaths grew fainter, each one more strained than the last. Eddie's own chest tightened as if the pain Buck was feeling was mirrored in his own body.

"Please, Buck," Eddie whispered, his voice breaking. "I can't lose you. I can't."

Eddie's mind raced, consumed by a cacophony of terror and helplessness. He was a firefighter, trained to handle emergencies, but this—this was Buck. The man he loved, the man who'd held him together through his darkest moments, was slipping away right in front of him, and Eddie didn't know how to stop it.

He looked up toward the others again, his voice raw as he shouted. "Bobby! Chim! I need help!"

Another shot rang out, and Eddie ducked instinctively, shielding Buck once more. He could hear Hen yelling something, her voice carrying over the chaos, but her words didn't register.

Eddie turned back to Buck, his focus narrowing to just the man in his arms. His hands pressed harder against the wound, though the blood continued to seep between his fingers.

"Buck," Eddie said, his voice firm but breaking. "You've been through worse, right? You've fought through everything life's thrown at you. You can fight through this too."

For a moment, Buck's eyes fluttered open again, his gaze locking onto Eddie's.

"Eddie..." Buck's voice was barely a whisper, his lips trembling.

Eddie leaned closer, his own tears blurring his vision. "I'm here. I'm not leaving you. I've got you."

Buck's hand twitched, as if he was trying to reach for Eddie, but his strength failed him. His head lolled to the side, his breathing shallow and uneven.

"No!" Eddie's voice broke, his panic reaching a fever pitch. "Buck, stay with me! You're not allowed to give up, do you hear me? You're not allowed!"

Another gunshot rang out, this time further away, and Eddie barely registered it. His entire world had narrowed to the man in his arms, the man who was slipping further and further away with each passing second.

"Help is coming," Eddie whispered, though his voice trembled with uncertainty. "Just hold on a little longer. Please, Buck. Please."

Buck didn't respond. His chest rose and fell faintly, each breath weaker than the last. Eddie's own breaths came fast and shallow, his heart pounding so hard it felt like it might burst.

"Stay with me," Eddie whispered again, his voice breaking as tears streamed down his face. "You promised me, Buck. You promised you wouldn't leave."