FIRE & BLOOD • EVAN 'BUCK' BUCKLEY / 9-1-1

21.

Buck (the day he woke up)

No matter where I wander off in this strange place I'm in it always ends with me running towards her. It's like I'm surrounded by multiple screens, each one playing my favorite memories.

"I hate you" she says with the most gentle smile plastered on her face, the crinkles by her eyes visible.

"You don't. You couldn't" I shrug. A wet noise escapes my mouth after I suck my finger licking the cookie dough off, Stella looking at me with disgust as I do so.

"It's good, try some" I offer her the finger I had just licked off grinning. She fakes gag as she covers her mouth.

"Eww no" she swats my hand away. "You're nasty"
"I know" I smirk holding in my laughter.

The memory slowly fades away. My name is being whispered off in the distance. It's her voice...

"Evan..."

I want to shout. I want to tell her I'm here. Stella, I'm right here!

"Please come back to me"

God knows how much I want to. I've been fighting to get out this white place that is my mind to make it back to her. There is so much I need to get off my chest. Is it too late for me to tell her?

I've been trapped in here not knowing how to make it out. It's a constant battle. I start walking to nowhere. Everything is a blinding white. Then I hear her voice again.

"Can you hear me?"

"I can hear you!" I shout into empty space. Damn it. I hear you...

"STELLA!" I long to hear her voice again. And look into those round eyes of her that pull me in.

"Stella I.. I can hear you" come on come on come on. I'd do anything to go back to her. Anything.

Suddenly I feel myself drifting away...

*************************************************

Stella

Today is the day Buck gets to go home. To say I was happy was an understatement. Nothing could really explain what I'm feeling right now.

"Careful" Bucks hand grips on mine as I help him out the doors of the hospital. He looks up at the pink sky, his mouth expanding. A smile that reaches the eyes. That's how I would describe it. I watch him as he watches the sky that he hasn't seen in almost two weeks. He was close to never seeing it again. And if that would've happen then I would've never looked at the sky, the stars nor the moon the same ever again.

"What a cute little car you got here" Buck says once he's in my passenger seat of my white Audi. He's never really seen the inside of my car. We usually took his car if we went anywhere and mostly because I prefer to ride in the Jeep.

"I'm sorry I can't have a nice Jeep" I reply. He brushes his hand over mine.

"That must be tough huh" He jokes. "You know you can borrow my baby anytime" he winks.

"You hand me those keys and you might not ever get her back." His mouth opens partially.

"I'd come after you Moore"
"I know" I pull out of the parking lot and head onto the main road. There's a small surprise waiting for Buck at his apartment and the closer we got the more excited I became. I couldn't stop myself from glancing over at him seeing how clueless he was. He was finally coming home. There was no way me and Maddie couldn't plan a surprise.