Noncandescent

The Reconciliation

A few days later, Buck's back at the agency, and Maggie smiles as she greets him,

"Hello, Mr. Buckley-Diaz. How are you?"

Buck smiles back, as he reaches into his pocket, "I'm fine, thanks for asking."

Maggie asks, "How's your nephew doing?"

Buck tells her enthusiastically, "Elisa is working wonders with him."

Maggie beams when she hears that, "I'm so glad to hear that. So how can I help you today?"

Buck tells her, "You know, I just want to look at some daycare centers and schools for kids with Down's Syndrome."

Maggie nods in understanding, "Sure, I'm sure there's plenty of places you can look at."

Buck replies, "Good. Looks like that's the only thing the good doctor didn't cover when he paid for Elisa."

At that, Maggie looks confused, "The good doctor?"

Buck's not sure why she's confused, so he helps her out, "Yeah. Dr. Regis? The secret donor?"

Maggie explains, "I'm not sure how you came to that conclusion, but I don't think it was Dr. Regis."

Buck tries to say, "No, I'm almost positive it was him. I talked to him about it almost right after."

Maggie pulls out the file with the transaction, then shakes her head, "Mr. Buckley-Diaz, if memory serves me, $30,750 was donated for Elisa, but Dr. Regis wasn't the main donor."

Now Buck doesn't know what to think, so he asks, "What?"

Maggie clarifies, "Of that amount, Dr. Regis only donated $750."

Something about that specific number hits him somewhere in his gut, but he just shakes his head, "Well then who else could it have been?"

Maggie's still confused as she tells him, "Your husband, Eddie."

The second Buck hears that, he can feel his mouth literally drop open, as Maggie goes on,

"Came in a few weeks ago to pay for Elisa's salary for the next 10 years. I thought you knew."

Buck's still reeling, but he's just noticed something else, "Did you say a few weeks ago?"

Maggie tells him, still confused, "Yes. He said not to tell anyone about it, but I never thought he meant you. It was a few weeks from Monday. Just called us up and asked how much it cost for the home care provider you were looking at."

By now, Buck's already stopped listening and started walking away, heart pounding as he realizes what that means.

Eddie took the money he was saving to restore his classic car, and used it to pay for Elisa.

I love you and Chris more. That's what the card said. Buck thought he just meant the laptop, but now he knows Eddie meant the car too.

Eddie gave them both up. For him.

Quickly, Buck tears off like a bat out of hell back home, making a run for the guest room, frantically pulling open the dresser drawers, looking for the one he threw his wedding ring in.

He panics slightly when he can't find it at first, but finally, there it is, right in the back.

Buck gingerly picks it up, tears streaming down his face as he slowly brings it to his left hand, and slides it all the way back on.

The second it's on, it feels like a weight, one that had been sitting on his heart since the night he took it off, is finally gone.

And it's in that freedom that he finally lets himself cry openly, knowing now what he needs to do, and he can't let Eddie go without knowing for another second.

Resolved, he looks in the mirror to wipe his tears away, still shaking his head in amazement at this new discovery, before breaking down crying again.

Somehow, he manages to compose himself, then gets back in his car, only one destination in mind.

Eddie's up in the loft helping a rookie, when Bobby comes up and tells him,

"Eddie, I need to talk to you for a second."

Eddie's a little confused by this, and asks, "Right this second?"

Bobby nods, "Yes. It can't wait."

Sighing, Eddie gets up, and once they're face to face, Eddie asks, "What's wrong? Is it Chris?"

Bobby shakes his head, "No, not at all. Buck's downstairs."

That throws Eddie for a second, and has to ask, "Buck? Our Buck?"

Bobby nods, "That's right."

Eddie's only more confused by this, so he decides he needs to investigate.

Eddie makes his way down the stairs, and the first thing he sees is Buck, dressed in the same outfit he wore the night Eddie proposed to him.

That should be the tipoff something big's about to happen, but all Eddie says is,

"Buck?"

Buck looks like he's trying not to cry, as he twists his wedding ring, then says in a shaky voice,

"If I've never told you what an amazing father you are to Chris, you are."

Eddie doesn't know how to respond to that, but Buck's not finished, right hand never leaving his wedding ring as he goes on,

"If I've never said I've forgiven you, I do."

Eddie has to look away for a second, but even he knows Buck needs to finish, so he looks right in his eyes as he hears Buck say, while they both move closer,

"And if I've never told you how much I love you, I never stopped."

Eddie thinks that's it, but Buck has one last thing, "Eddie, I don't know what happened to you, but whatever it is, I want it. I want to be the best husband to you, and father to Chris, I can possibly be."

Finally, Eddie sees his opening, and takes a step forward as he says, barely above a whisper, "You can."

Buck's barely holding himself together as he holds up his left hand, and Eddie can see his wedding ring is back on, like it was never off in the first place, and asks,

"Is it too late to ask you to spend the rest of our lives with Chris together?"

There's no need for a response here, as they both meet in the middle, their lips crashing together, hungry for each other's taste, something they've gone way too long without, something they never want to go without again.

Up above, Bobby smiles, and silently salutes them, whispering silently, "You crazy kids."