Chapter Text
He knows it's not going to end well. The entire 118 knows, somewhere at the back of their minds they just know. A small anxious thought, an aftertaste of a tragedy that hasn't played out yet. But Eddie knows better than anyone else that in this line of work even when your gut feeling screams STOP, you go.
‘An explosion in the building, subsequent collapse’ Bobby is serious and fully focused on the rescue plan given by the Incident Commander. He looks around, makes some notes, checks with IC and in just a few seconds he comes back to the team.
‘Chim and Hen, you go to the Charlie side, find a triage team and help people on the way out. Ravi and Eddie you are on Bravo, there are 10 apartments on each floor, you have two floors to cover. Don't go if you're not sure it's stable, take as many as you can out. And Buck’ Bobby stops as if making sure the decision is right.
Eddie finds it weird, he trusts his captain wholeheartedly and knows: Bobby will always find the safest way to do the job. He wants them all back home. So he is quite surprised, to say the least, when Bobby says:
‘I need your crazy, reckless only-Buck-can-do-it side. Delta side.’
Or whatever is left of it. The building folded in a weird angle, collapsing to one side, where floors are basically nonexistent. Buck's grin is annoying, Eddie really can't stand his lack of self worth in the near death situations.
‘You go in, you check for survivors, don't go too far and you're out. You understand?’ Bobby is grave serious, pointing at Buck.
‘Got it cap!’ he really should hide his excitement because Bobby looks reluctant to let him go ‘No really, I got it. In, check, out. No stupid hero stuff.’
Bobby nods and lets them all go. The team falls apart, minds fully on the tasks at hand. In the next few hours they're not people, they're firefighters. There shouldn't be anything personal, no emotions, no thoughts of home, not a second of doubt. So before they dive into this insane rhythm, Eddie stops Buck by his shoulder.
‘You are to be so extra careful that you will hate it, yes? You are not dying today or ending up in the hospital’ he squeezes Buck's shoulder tighter. Eddie is damn tired of hospital waiting rooms, buzzing light, whispering TV, tasteless coffee and waiting. Never ending waiting for the news. But most of all he is exhausted of Buck on these stupid white sheets covered in tubes and wires.
‘Sure thing, I have a museum trip with Chris on Saturday, I don't miss it’ Buck gently smiles and Eddie lets go of his arm. Buck isn't stupid. Reckless yes, maybe a little too heroic in nature, too much self and not enough care. But not stupid. And Eddie trusts him, with his life and with the right call in the tough situation. He knows how much Buck loves his kid and maybe that made him less careless on the calls recently. Eddie hopes so, prays so, he's not losing him again. Never again.
Buck disappears into the crowd of rescue teams. Eddie grabs his medical bag.
It's going to be a long day.