Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

May, Athena and Buck all sat on one side of the table while Bobby and the rest of the 118 sat on the other side.

When Athena found out it was Bobby stopping Buck from returning to work she was not angry and after the meal they had and he stormed out she phoned him up the next day and spoke to him and asked to meet him.

May had overheard her mum talking to Buck on the phone and she asked her mum what was going on and Athena told her and May was completely angry and she couldn't believe Bobby would stop Buck from coming back to the 118 but the more she thought about it the more Buck got treated differently to everyone else.

May and Athena had met Buck and spoke to him and he told them that he had gone to the union and with their help he was suing Captain Nash and the LAFD and he got himself a lawyer and the lawyer was very well respected as Buck didn't trust Chase Mackey to defend him.

Athena and May were shocked but they understood why Buck was doing what he was doing.

“I would like to thank everyone for coming today and making the time to attend this meeting so let's get started” An official LAFD representative says.

Everyone nods and they all know that they need to act professional.

“Mr Buckley you are claiming that your boss Captain Nash treats you differently from everyone else can you please state any examples that you have to back this up?” The representative asks.

“Yes I can. After Mr Han was impaled with rebar in his head he was back to work a month later and after he was stabbed by my deceased brother in law Mr Han came back to work 2 weeks later.

Mrs Wilson after killing a woman while driving the ambulance was back to work a week later and behind the wheel at the same time.

Mr Diaz was back to work 2 weeks after his wife died and we responded to the call that involved her getting hit by a car” Buck says.

“Captain Nash what do you have to say to what Mr Buckley has stated?” The representative asks.

“It is true that those people were back to work but they followed orders and didn't push themselves and Mr Buckley failed to follow doctors orders” Bobby says.

Buck looks at Bobby and for the first time he sees the man for what he truly is, a massive hypocrite and someone who believes what other people tell him without getting the facts checked.

“Captain Nash, can you please elaborate on what you have said?” Buck asks.

“Well from the information I received Buck you pushed yourself and didn't listen to what the doctors told you to do” Bobby says.

Buck looks at Han and he knows that the man has been telling Bobby what Maddie has been saying and Buck laughs.

Everyone looks at Buck and they wonder why he's laughing.

“I'm sorry but Captain Nash, your job as a boss is to check the facts yourself and to make sure that what you are told is actually true.

My embolism was caused by the metal rods in my leg and that's why I collapsed and I have statements from my doctor his team confirming that and I also have evidence stating that certain people are not to be informed of my medical information so Firefighter Han please tell me how you were able to tell Captain Nash that I was to blame and I went against medical advice?” Buck asks.

Chimney looks uncomfortable and he needs to word his explanation very carefully so he doesn't get in trouble.

“Well Firefighter Han we're waiting?” The representative asks.

“Well it was Buck's sister who told me that Buck hadn't been following the doctors orders so I thought Captain Nash had the right to know” Chimney says.

The LAFD Representative looks through the file and she does not see Maddie Buckley's name on any of the forms stating she is Buck's medical proxy or power of attorney.

“Firefighter Han, how did Miss Buckley get that information as looking through these forms she is not on any of them so either she broke the law by lying to the hospital staff or the hospital broke the law by giving out information about a patient that they have no right to give out” The representative says.

Chimney and the team are shocked they thought Maddie was on the medical forms but it looks like they were mistaken.

When Maddie came back into Buck's life he made sure to put boundaries in place as he knew Maddie would disrespect them and one of those boundaries was to keep her from making any medical decisions for him and he kept his parents as his medical proxy and power of attorney.

Buck has recently gotten in touch with them and he had told them how he felt growing up and how they never cared but it turns out they did care but it was Maddie who had made it look like they didn't and when the Buckley's had came to L.A they told Buck about Daniel and how Buck was born but they told Buck they never wanted to hide Daniel from him but it was their daughter who wanted to forget about him and she had ruined some pictures of Daniel and Buck so they made the decision to keep quiet.

Buck was shocked and he couldn't believe what his parents told him but after the big secret came out Buck went to therapy and he opened up to his therapist Dr Copeland and she told him that he has rights to set boundaries and when Buck told her what had happened with Dr Wells and how no one on his team took him seriously Dr Copeland couldn't believe it.

With Dr Copeland's help Buck was able to see that no one at the 118 actually took him seriously and thought he was some dumb kid and even when Eddie joined the way they treated him was very different to how Buck was treated and when Eddie would disobey orders he never got reprimanded but when Buck did that Bobby gave him the riot act.

“Captain Nash it's very clear that you treat Mr Buckley different from the other members of your team and I am very shocked that you think it's ok and yes my client has faces trauma but he is not the only one and that's why we are not only suing the LAFD and you Captain Nash but we are also demanding retribution and Captain Nash,Firefighters Wilson,Diaz and Han face the consequences and lose their jobs” Buck's lawyer says.

The room is completely silent and Buck looks at Athena and May to see what their reaction is and they are unfazed as they said they would stand by Buck no matter what.

“You can't do that” Eddie,Hen and Chimney say.

“Actually he can and with the evidence that is in front of me and the files I have received from the union you'll all be lucky to keep your jobs” The representative says.

“Look this is ridiculous Buck is just acting out and he needs to learn how things work he is not ready to return to work” Eddie says.

“Just like you were ready to return to work Firefighter Diaz when your wife died or when Firefighter Wilson had killed someone or when Firefighter Han was stabbed or when Captain Nash relapsed after the plane crash incident and what was it Mr Buckley said to you Captain Nash when he and Firefighter Wilson found you black out drunk” Buck's lawyer says.

“I can't remember,” Bobby says.

“Firefighter Wilson, what did my client tell Captain Nash that day you both found him?” Buck's lawyer asks.

Hen looks at Bobby and she can see it in his eyes that he remembers but he is asking her to stay silent.

“Firefighter Wilson I would tell the truth as your career is at stake” The representative says.

“When we found Bobby we got him into the shower and Buck helped to clean him up and get him sober and I looked through Bobby's cupboard and found he had coffee so I made him a cup and once Bobby was sober and he came out of the bathroom he was in a dressing gown and he sat on the sofa and Buck told him it's ok to ask for help as help will always be given to those who need it so Bobby asked for help and me and Buck protected Bobby and made sure that he didn't get into trouble” Hen says.

“Well I think we're done here as it's clear that my client has a case and to be honest there's nothing left to talk about so my advice is to look out for yourselves” Buck's lawyer says and she,Buck,May and Athena leave the room.

The group gets back to the lawyers office and they all take a seat.

“So do you think the LAFD will settle?” May asks.

“Definitely as they won't want to drag this out and with it being Buck they know after what he did during the tsunami and how he saved loads of people they will need to save face” The lawyer says.

“How much do you think he will get I mean after you take your fee?” May asks.

“I don't know but I have a guess on how much it will be but a lot of people will be forced to move to another station” The lawyer says.

“Ballpark figure?” Buck asks.

“Well you'll be looking at 90 million” The lawyer says.

“Wow that's a lot and how many firefighters will have to move to a new station?” Athena asks.

“Only the 118 and 217 as they are the most expensive ones” The lawyer says.

Buck,Athena and May look at each other and they can't believe it.

The lawyer's phone goes off and she answers it and she speaks to the other person on the other end and it's like they are negotiating as Buck's lawyer keeps saying that's not doable.

30 minutes later the lawyer puts the phone down and she looks at Buck.

“Well they have made the decision and they have come up with a figure” The lawyer says.

“What is it?” Buck asks.

“How does 100,000,000 million sound?” The lawyer asks.

“You're joking right?” All three say.

“Nope they have offered 20 million more but that's my fee for this case so yeah that's the figure” The lawyer says.

“I'll take it,” Buck says.

“OK I'll phone them back and tell them you accept and you're fine with me taking the 20 million as a fee?” The lawyer asks.

“Yes,” Buck says.

The lawyer phones the person back and they talk about what happens next and the lawyer said that she want the public and other firefighters to know that it's Captain Nash and his team to blame for what Buck has been forced to do and if it's not made public than she will be suing them directly as they are putting Buck's character at risk and the representative agreed to the stipulation and hung up.

The lawyer tells Buck he will receive money in two weeks and then it's his choice on how he spends it but she does hope he finds a career he loves.

Buck tells his lawyer that he and May are moving to New York City and this will help with a new place and a new career for both of them.

May and Athena get back to Buck's apartment and he lets them in and Athena makes them some coffee and May gets Buck's laptop and she sees he's been looking at courses for nursing and May thinks about dispatch.

“OK here we go guys” Athena says and she hands both Buck and May their cups.

“I'm going to hit the shower. May there is some information on apartments or houses that I have saved that you should look at” Buck says and he heads upstairs.

May looks at the information and she nearly dies off as they are expensive and most of them have a door man and they are all on the upper west side and May knows she can't afford them.

Buck comes back downstairs after 20 minutes and he sees the look on May's face.

“Buck there is no way I can afford these prices,” May says.

“May they are for both of us did you actually think I would let you live in some dump no my sister is living the life of luxury” Buck says.

May hugs Buck and she is so thankful that he is in her and Athena's life.

Athena is sad that both her kids are leaving L.A but at least they will look out for each other.

Chapter Text

New York City.

It had been a few days since Buck and May had moved to New York City and they were both enjoying it.

May already had a job at dispatch and she was doing very well and her boss liked that she was honest about what had happened to her and how she had tried to take her own life and May said she was actually seeing a therapist and that satisfied her boss.

Buck had been accepted on a nursing course and he was doing amazing and he was very well and everyone on the programme respected him.

Buck and May had decided to go out to a new bar that had opened up and it was called R&R.

Buck had been told what hospital he would be working at and the man was excited so May told him they were hitting the town and Buck laughed.

When Buck got the settlement money he immediately offered May some of it but she refused so he put it in a trust fund for her and said she can access it at 21 and May was happy with that stipulation.

Both May and Buck get to the bar and it's packed so Buck goes and gets their drinks.

May found a table and it was facing the entrance and the exit.

While May was waiting for Buck to come over with their drinks she was lost in thought and she wondered how her brother was doing and how her dad and his new boyfriend were getting on.

May was so lost in thought that she didn't notice that a random guy took the seat next to her.

“Hey gorgeous, can I buy you a drink?” The random guy asks.

May looks at the guy and he looks very creepy and May is getting a bad vibe from him.

“Thanks but no thanks” May says.

“Come on one drink and who knows you might enjoy getting to know me” The guy says.

“I'm actually here with someone so please can you leave?” May asks.

The guy does not like that May is giving him the brush off and he is getting frustrated.

“Look, I only want to buy you a drink, you don't need to be a bitch about it” The guy says.

“I told you I'm here with someone and I've asked you to leave me alone but you have refused to listen to me” May says.

May gets up from the table and she goes to find Buck but the guy blocks her from getting past.

May looks at the guy and she was right to trust her instincts as it's clear this guy is off his head.

“I'm getting sick of your attitude and I was being really friendly but I'm going to have to teach you a lesson” The guy says.

“Hey May I couldn't get you the white wine as they have run out so I got you a vodka and tonic instead” Buck says and he looks at May and then looks at the guy.

“Everything ok here?” Buck asks.

“Yeah this guy was just leaving” May says.

“Well you heard my sister,” Buck says.

Buck can tell this guy is dangerous and May is feeling uncomfortable so Buck protects her.

“I'm not going anywhere you're the one who's leaving” The guy says to Buck.

Buck is not easily intimidated and this guy is clearly trying to start a fight so Buck decides the best thing to do is to walk away from the situation.

“May let's head to another bar instead” Buck says.

May steps away from the guy and she makes sure to have her bag with her.

Buck and May walk away and the guy grabs May and turns her around and she gasps out in pain.

“Let her go right now,” Buck says.

“What are you going to do?” The guy asks, laughing at Buck.

“He won't do anything but we will” A voice says and the group look at the guy who spoke and he and his friend are walking towards them.

The guy with brown hair and green eyes speaks again.

“Let that girl go and walk away and you won't be spending a night in the police cell” The green eyed man says and he flashes a police badge.

The guy next to the one who is speaking flashes his badge as well and the guy lets go of May’s arm and walks away.

Buck checks May's arm and he can see fingerprints on her arm and a bruise starting to appear.

“Your arm looks ok just ice it before you go to bed” Buck says.

“Are you both ok?” Joe asks.

“Yes we are both fine. Thank you officers” Buck says.

“No problem. I'm Joe Hill and This is my uncle Jamie Reagan” Joe says, introducing himself and Jamie to Buck and May.

“Nice to meet you both. I'm Evan “Buck” Buckley and this is my sister May Grant” Buck says introducing himself and May to both Jamie and Joe.

“Maybe you should get a nurse to look at your arm, May” Joe says.

“He already did, Buck is a fully qualified nurse but thanks for your concern Officer Hill” May says.

“That's detective actually but no problem I'm glad you're ok” Joe says.

Jamie looks at his nephew and then looks at May and he can clearly see them flirting.

“Well we will let you both enjoy your evening” Jamie says.

“Yes, I do hope you enjoy the rest of your night” Joe says.

“I'm sure we will,” May says.

Both Jamie and Joe leave and they take another look at the table where Buck and May are and smile to themselves.

“OK they have stopped looking at us” May says.

“You are terrible,” Buck says laughing.

May laughs at that and after having 2 drinks both Buck and May head home.

May can't seem to get Joe Hill out of her head and she isn't going to lie to herself she saw the man was very sexy and she saw the way he looked at her.

The cab both Buck and May are in pulls up at their building and Buck pays and they get out the cab and head inside and the doorman greets them and tells them to have a nice evening and they thank him and get the elevator up to their apartment.

Buck and May’s Apartment is the penthouse and once the elevator stops on that floor they get out and head inside and May goes to the kitchen and grabs the ice pack and goes to bed.

Buck can tell May has been frightened so he lets her calm down and he will speak to her tomorrow.

Buck texts Athena and tells her he will phone her over the weekend and May is doing ok.

After putting his phone on charge and locking the door and setting the alarm Buck heads to bed.