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

Court Call

The soft hum of Eddie's house was soothing in the quiet of the afternoon. The sun streamed through the living room window, casting golden light onto the couch where Buck sat curled up under a throw blanket. His hands rested limply on his lap as the low murmur of the TV played in the background—some mindless cooking show that Eddie had put on earlier before disappearing into the kitchen.

For the first time in what felt like forever, Buck had started to feel a semblance of normal. It wasn't much, but staying at Eddie's place had become his safe space—a bubble where the outside world couldn't reach him.

Then his phone rang.

The sound sliced through the calm like a knife, pulling Buck upright.

His heart skipped.

The screen flashed with an unknown number, and his throat tightened. He stared at it, his breath catching in his chest.

"Buck?" Eddie called from the kitchen. "You good?"

Buck didn't answer. His hand trembled as he reached for the phone and swiped to answer, lifting it shakily to his ear.

"Hello?" he whispered.

"Mr. Buckley?" A crisp, unfamiliar voice on the other end made Buck's skin prickle. "This is Deputy Marshal Green. I'm calling to inform you that you'll need to appear in court next week as a witness against Phillip Buckley. You'll be receiving the formal paperwork shortly."

The words didn't make sense at first. They echoed in his mind, fragments of sound that felt sharp and heavy all at once.

"Court?" Buck croaked, his voice cracking. "No... no, I—I can't..."

"It's mandatory," the voice replied flatly. "We'll be in touch with details."

The call ended, and the phone slipped from Buck's hand, landing on the couch cushion with a soft thud. The room tilted as the panic hit him—hard and fast, like a wave crashing down, pulling him under before he could even try to fight it.

Eddie's POV

Eddie dried his hands on a dish towel as he walked out of the kitchen. "Hey, Buck, who was—"

He stopped dead.

Buck was hunched forward on the couch, his arms wrapped tightly around himself as he rocked slightly. His breaths came in sharp, erratic gasps, and his face was pale, eyes wide and unfocused.

"Buck!" Eddie rushed over, dropping to his knees in front of him. "Hey, what happened? Talk to me."

Buck's mouth opened, but no words came out—just a choked, gasping sound as tears streaked his face. His entire body trembled, like he was unraveling right in front of Eddie's eyes.

"Okay, okay," Eddie said, trying to keep his voice steady even though his heart was racing. "You're safe. You're here with me. Just breathe, Buck. Look at me."

Buck shook his head violently, pressing his hands against his ears as though trying to block out something Eddie couldn't hear.

"No, no, no," Buck stammered through gasps. "I can't—Eddie, I can't—court—I can't face him again—"

Eddie's chest tightened. Court. Phillip. It all clicked into place, and Eddie felt a rush of anger at whoever thought it was a good idea to call Buck with that news out of the blue.

"It's not happening right now, Buck," Eddie said firmly, trying to hold his gaze. "It's just a phone call. He's not here. You're safe."

But Buck didn't hear him. His breathing spiraled further, his hands shaking uncontrollably.

Eddie's pulse quickened as he realized Buck wasn't coming back this time—not on his own. Eddie grabbed his phone and quickly dialed a number with one hand, the other still resting on Buck's shoulder.

"Come on, Bobby, pick up," Eddie muttered under his breath.

The line clicked. "Hey, Eddie—"

"Bobby, I need you to come over. Now," Eddie interrupted, panic creeping into his voice. "It's Buck. He—he got a call about court, and I can't calm him down."

Bobby's tone shifted immediately. "I'm on my way. Five minutes."

Eddie hung up and turned his attention back to Buck, who had slid off the couch and onto the floor, his knees pulled to his chest. His breath hitched painfully, coming in quick, shallow bursts as tears streaked down his flushed cheeks.

Eddie crouched down in front of him, keeping his voice low and steady. "Buck, I called Bobby, okay? He's coming over. You're not alone."

"I can't do this," Buck gasped, his voice breaking. His hands dug into his knees, his body shuddering. "I can't go back there—I can't see him. Eddie, please, I can't—"

Eddie's heart clenched painfully. He reached out, hesitating for just a moment before gently placing his hands over Buck's. "Listen to me, Buck. You don't have to do this alone. Bobby, me, the whole team—we've got you. Whatever happens, we'll be right there."

Buck didn't seem to hear him, still spiraling, his chest rising and falling like he couldn't get enough air. Eddie's grip on his hands tightened just a bit—not to restrain, just to ground him.

"Focus on me," Eddie said softly. "Feel my hands. I'm here. I'm not going anywhere."

For a moment, it felt like nothing was working. Buck's head shook, his gasps coming faster.

And then the front door burst open.

Bobby's POV

Bobby barely registered Eddie's shout of "We're in here!" before he was moving. The sight in front of him stopped him cold for a split second: Buck, trembling on the floor, his face streaked with tears, his breathing dangerously fast. Eddie sat next to him, his expression torn between fear and determination.

Bobby dropped to his knees beside Buck without hesitation. "Buck," he said firmly, his calm, commanding voice cutting through the chaos. "It's Bobby. I'm here."

Buck's head snapped up, his red-rimmed eyes darting to Bobby. He blinked, like he wasn't sure Bobby was real.

"Good, good," Bobby said, nodding. "I want you to listen to me. I know it's hard, but you need to breathe. I'm going to do it with you, okay? In through your nose, out through your mouth. Watch me."

Bobby exaggerated a slow inhale, holding it for a few seconds before letting it out in a controlled breath.

Buck made a small, broken sound, his body still trembling violently.

"Come on, Buck, you can do it," Bobby said softly, his eyes locked onto Buck's. "One breath. That's all I'm asking for. Just one."

Eddie moved closer, his hand resting on Buck's back. "We've got you, Buck. We're not leaving."

Buck's gaze flicked between Bobby and Eddie, his breaths still uneven but slowing just slightly. He sucked in a shaky breath, holding it for half a second before exhaling, ragged and uneven but a step in the right direction.

"There you go," Bobby said encouragingly. "Do it again. You're safe now, Buck. You're safe."

Gradually, Buck's breathing began to settle, though tears still streamed down his face as the tension in his body slowly unwound. Eddie stayed close, his presence steady, while Bobby continued to guide Buck's breathing.

When Buck finally slumped back against the couch, exhausted but calm, Bobby sat back on his heels.

"We'll figure this out, Buck," Bobby said gently. "You're not doing this alone. I promise."

Buck nodded faintly, his voice barely a whisper. "Thank you."

Eddie exchanged a glance with Bobby, relief flooding his face, though the worry hadn't quite left his eyes. Bobby nodded back, a silent promise that they'd get Buck through this—no matter what it took.