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Chapter Text

Buck was at the HQ trying to cancel his transfer request with the HR department when one of the secretaries told him that Chief Simpson requested a meeting with him. Was he in trouble? Was this about leading the military on a wild goose chase using stolen government and municipal properties?

Buck frantically tries to figure out a way to absolve everyone in that incident (Tommy doesn’t deserve a suspension just because Buck begged him for help) when Chief Simpson finally spoke, slapping down a thick pile of files in front of them. 

“These are the offers I got just this week from over half the captains in the district, all fighting to have the first pick on you. I know for a fact that with your current certifications, you are overqualified to be in 118, especially without having a proper partner.”

Buck, floored by the files, could only listen as Chief Simpson continued. “And with your success training firefighter Panikkar with your high standard, even the Academy had approached with an offer for you to train future heavy rescue operators. Even the fire marshal department had made an offer after your short stint with them, where your analytical approach in enforcing safety standards puts you down as one of our best fire marshals. The point is, firefighter Buckley, you have the potential to rise high, and I hope you will take the chance to do it.”

“I don’t know what to say, Sir. Surely my record with the LAFD… I sued LAFD once!”

“Firefighter Buckley, I think we all can agree you have just cause for that lawsuit. And the fact that you turned down the settlement offer and only requested to be allowed back to work with LAFD speaks well of your dedication to the calling. And the achievements you've garnered throughout the years only show how valuable an asset you are for LAFD.”

Noticing Buck’s indecisive looks, his voice gentled. “I think Captain Nash would agree with me, we were in talks before he passed away, on the possibility of you being trained to be a captain. He was thinking about retiring in a few years and hoped that you would be his replacement.”

“Bo - Captain Nash did?” Buck blinks, not sure what to say. “Erm, can I-can I think about it? And get back to you in a few days?” 

The Chief nods. “Of course. I truly hope you give this serious consideration, firefighter Buckley. This is a good opportunity for you.”

Buck needed space and some time to think about the offers. 

And yet, coming home to Eddie packing up his things haphazardly into boxes was the last thing he expected to see.

“What are you doing?” Buck froze by the front door, staring in increasing horror as he took in the stacks of boxes waiting for him in the hallway. 

“Hey, Buck!” Eddie still struggled to wrestle one of the boxes, not noticing Buck’s furious look. “Chris and I are moving back to LA, so I’m gonna need my house back by this Friday because our stuff will be here by then.” 

“But I’m subletting,” Buck said. “Where am I supposed to go?” Buck tried to hold onto his temper. This is his house now; he has a contract and everything.

“You’ll figure it out.” Eddie waved his hand vaguely. “You can sleep on the couch if you need it.”

“So you’re evicting me? Without proper notice?!” He had a contract. A lawful, binding contract. And he read on subletting and rental law in California when he moved in, what Eddie is doing to him right now is illegal, by law. 

“Don’t be silly, Buck. This is me giving you notice; I need my house back by this weekend, so I need you to clear out your stuff by Friday.” Eddie sighed, crossing his arms across his chest. “Look, can you just not make things difficult? I really can’t afford to rent a new place right now, not with the house in El Paso and everything else, so I just need you to give me my house back. I finished packing up the living room and your bedroom, so after this, we can finish packing up the rest of the house by tomorrow.” 

There were a lot of things Buck wanted to say right to his face, but he didn’t want a repeat of Eddie tearing him down with his vicious words. He just walked around Eddie and into his bedroom, where everything, including his clothes, in the room had been packed up.  

“I can’t do this right now.” He muttered and went out of the room again. “You need to leave.”

“Leave my house?” Eddie looked at him in confusion. “What, now you’re going to throw a hissy about me moving back in? Come on, you’re the one who wanted us to come back, so here we are, coming back.”

“I’m not throwing a fit, I just need some time for myself. Just come back on Friday, I’ll be out by then.” 

“Whatever, get over yourself.” Eddie turned to storm out, but stopped and turned back to him. “Oh, and there’s a letter from the attorney for you. I’m revoking your guardianship over Chris.” Eddie said off-handedly. “No offense, but I can’t trust someone who let Bobby die to protect my son. A lawyer will be contacting you with the paperwork.” He walked past him and into his car.  

Buck felt his entire innards turn cold as if he had taken an impromptu dip into icy water.

“Shit, I forgot we’re supposed to meet up.” Buck rubbed his face tiredly as he opened the door to the little family waiting outside. He hadn't slept last night, having to repack everything.

“You ok, Buck? You look tired, man.” Connor passed Liam to him as he and Kameron entered the house. They reconnected when the Mcdonalds moved back from New York just after Halloween, and he had spent time with the Mcdonalds by babysitting Liam and feeding them with his baked goods. “Wait, I thought you finished setting up the house?” He peered into one of the boxes, confused why the colourful sofa cushions that they bought for Buck were in the box.

“Turns out I don’t live here anymore, I just got evicted,” Buck said tiredly, rubbing his cheek against Liam’s head as the toddler giggled. 

“Wait, what?” Kameron looked so confused. “Who did that to you?! The landlord? Is he not aware that under the California Eviction Laws, he can’t do that without a proper eviction letter and 30 days' notice, right?” She was very miffed as she had helped Buck review the agreements that he signed with the original tenant and later with the owner, and nowhere in the contract had it mentioned that they could evict him without just cause.

“Eddie. He needed the house back since he and Chris are moving back this weekend.” Buck let the couple steer him to the couch, still hugging Liam for emotional support. “

“What are you planning to do now?” Connor asked gently, having known Buck for the long years, he had never seen him look so defeated.

“My stuff is going into the storage unit, and I’m gonna stay at a motel or B&B while looking for a new place to stay. Got some listings I found online,” he points at a sheaf of papers chucked haphazardly on the coffee table. Connor grabbed the papers when he saw the official-looking paper. He quickly passed it to his wife, who looked even angrier as she read it. 

“ Notice on Motion to Terminate Guardianship ?! What the fuck, Buck, he’s taking away your guardianship over his son too?!” Kameron shook the paper furiously. 

Buck’s smile was twisted unhappily. “He said he can’t trust the person who let my captain die to keep his son safe.”

“He’s the one who forced you into accepting the guardianship!” Connor said furiously. “Buck, you know he’s wrong, right? You did everything you could that night; what happened wasn’t your fault. And he’s wrong, Kam and I, we would trust you to keep Liam safe and happy if anything happened to us.”

“Thanks.” Both of them turned to Kam, the one with the law associate degree, to understand the official document, muttering to herself as she read through it. “Whomever this Judge Silva is, he managed to forgo your rights to a hearing to defend your rights as Chris’s guardian. You’re only left with the final accounting of your duties as his former Guardian.”

“Did he name a new guardian for Chris?”

“He named one Adriana Diaz as the new guardian?” Kameron said absently as she continued reading. 

“That would be Eddie's youngest sister.” Buck frowned. He met her once during Shannon’s wake; she was there to support Eddie’s parents, trying to take Chris back to El Paso. He was surprised Eddie would pick her over Sophia, seeing that he spent the last few years complaining about her and her husband. He guessed things had changed while he was in El Paso. 

“Do you want to come with you? I can take an early lunch break.” Kameron offered. 

“Nah. I can go alone. But can you help me understand the legal jargon?”

Frankly by now, with everything that's has been going on, he's hoping to deal with this whole final accounting thing now and be over with the legal drama before he can stress over finding a new place to live.

(And if he was still hurt over the callous way Eddie just easily removed his guardianship over the boy he had helped co-parented for the past 7 years, he wasn't going to tell anyone about it. Who would listen anyways?)

“Right, this seems to be in order. We still need to discuss the final accounting. According to the paperwork filed with the firm, you set up a college fund for Christopher Diaz. We would need to confirm whether you would continue with the payment.”

“If I discontinue the payment, would it hurt the account?”

“Well, seeing you’re the sole contributor-”

“Wait, what?!”

Buck remembered how he first introduced Carla to the Diazes, amongst the paperwork she had to work through ( that he helped with his spreadsheet skills), Eddie had never set up a college fund for Christopher. Buck had helpfully set one up and contributed $500 into the account every month, reminding Eddie to match his contribution so Chris could have a small nest egg to cover his college education and maybe even a down payment for a house when he needed one. And when Eddie had finally told him about the guardianship, the first thing the first Buck did was to go to the bank and increase his contribution. 

“Wait, you’re telling me Eddie never contributed even a dime to the account?!” Buck never felt so furious. He knew Eddie could be careless with his financial responsibilities (i.e., buying a truck with the illegal fight club money), but he didn’t know it was this bad!

And yet a part of him still remembers how Eddie forcefully reminded him that Chris is never his child, not his responsibility. 

Buck took a deep breath. “I would like to discontinue my contribution. However I would like to request, as my last act as Christopher’s guardian, to set up a compound interest of 4% on the account and to make sure that no one can access that account other than Chris in which he can only use it for his education and his expenses, which includes his medical expenses.”

Let’s hope this can help stop anyone from accessing the account.

He spent a few days sleeping in a motel, his stuff in a storage unit as he searched for a new place to live. Thanks to Connor and Kameron, who listened sympathetically to his problems, they offered their spare bedroom ( the least we could do, after you did for us, man ) and a chance for him to connect with little Liam. 

It was with them that Buck finally made his decision to go through with his transfer; both Connor and Kameron even helped pick which ones he should go for: Station 88 as part of the west bureau US&R team. (If it was close to Van Nuys Airport where 217 are stationed, no one commented on it.)

Ravi, after finding out about his impending transfer, even helped him find a place with his connections, a cosy three-bedroom in Archwood Street, not far from his new station and the McDonald's. 

Unfortunately due to issues that Buck couldn't predict, on his last shift with the 118, Hen was on emergency leave because the kids had food poisoning, and Chim was at the HQ doing last-minute paperwork over his new position as interim captain, meaning they missed out on Gerrard's announcements on Buck's transfer. 

“So how are you going to tell them you’re leaving?” Ravi asked curiously as he watched Buck empty his locker after the shift. 

“I’m taking Chim, Maddie and Hen out for dinner later tonight to tell them.” He thought he might as well ripped the bandage in one go by telling all three of them on the same time. 

“Not Eddie?”

“I’m not ready to talk with him yet.” Buck shrugged.

“Want me to come for moral support?” Ravi offered.

“You do that for me?”

“Eh, there’s free food so…” Ravi grinned playfully.

Buck shook his head ruefully. “Never change Panikkar.”

Well, this was a disaster, Buck thought glumly.

Buck tried to organize a dinner at a restaurant, hoping the neutral location would tone down the loud protests and accusations, but Hen had invited Eddie, thinking it was a surprise party to welcome him back to the 118. 

“I can’t believe you. Is this to punish me? You just can’t be happy that I’m coming back, that you needed to transfer to another station?! You’re being selfish, that’s what you are! Everything just had to be about yourself. Get over yourself, Buckley.” He spat.

It wasn't harsh words Eddie spewed at him (he's used to that), but the fact that both Hen and Chim did nothing to defend him and along with Maddie just stared with such disappointed looks as Eddie railed on him was the last straw. 

What happened to being family? Guess that meant nothing when it comes to him.  He thought bitterly.

Buck stood silently, staring at them with cold eyes before walking away, Ravi following him after throwing them a disgusted look.

That night, his phone was blowing up with miscalled calls and angry text messages, duly ignored by Buck, McDonalds, and Ravi as they celebrated his upcoming shift with Station 88 on Wednesday. 

He was done pandering to their moods.

It was time he put himself first. 

Chapter Text

Eddie Diaz was furious.

 First, he found out he won’t be able to come back to 118 immediately. Apparently there was some bullshit about him needing to recertify since he was away from LAFD for a few months and how his placement with the 118 was not even guaranteed, as priority would be given to the senior firefighters first.

He was a senior firefighter! And with experience working with 118, he should be the one there, taking over Buck’s old spot, not some random SAR officer from Michigan! 

Now he was stuck working with 133 while Chim tried to figure out a way to get him back to 118, where Lena gave him cold shoulders and terse conversations as if they weren’t friends before. 

And then there's this nonsense with his landlord for illegally evicting Buck! It was his house; he has the right to ask for it back, especially since Buck did it to help them in the first place! 

But Mr. Mendez claimed that the only reason he doesn’t sue Eddie’s ass for the infraction is that Buck told him not to. He did mention that he would not be renewing the agreement with Eddie when the lease is up next year and that he should be looking for a new place soon. 

The fucker.

This is all Buck's fault, the traitor! He shouldn’t have complained to Mr. Mendez about needing to find a new place or how he should have at least waited for Eddie to come and take his place with the 118 if he was going to leave anyways. 

Well, now he’s not going to talk to Buck until he apologizes for all this mess he made for everyone and comes back to 118 (not that he would have a spot when Eddie has first priority). 

At least there weren’t many problems with the paperwork moving back to LA. Carla unfortunately had retired and moved to Santa Clarita, so he couldn’t have asked her for help, but thankfully he had her old paperwork and managed to reinstate Chris’s old medical and physical therapy appointments as well as manage to find a place for Chris to start his high school. 

Hopefully he didn’t forget anything. 

“Buckley.” Buck, in the middle of doing a rope check with Alex, looked up from his clipboard to see Captain Hunt coming toward him with two unknown firefighters following him. “This is Sophia Marks and Theo Matthews. They just graduated from this year's batch and will be our new probies. Marks, Matthews, this is Lieutenant Evan Buckley. He joined Station 88 last year from 118 and is one of our best high rope and heavy rescue specialists. He will be one of the firefighters that will be training you throughout your probationary year.” 

“Hi.” Buck shook their hands. “I look forward to training you guys. In fact,” he nodded at the pile of ropes, “how about your first lesson on high rope rescue: the importance of maintaining your ropes?”

Within minutes, he got the two new firefighters tangled up in old ropes, barking questions as they desperately tried to untangle themselves without destroying the ropes, his captain nodding approvingly, already used to the lieutenant's intense concentration when it comes to firefighting.

Alex, who was watching on the sidelines with the ropes they deemed in excellent condition, ended up helping the poor probies by helpfully telling them the answers, Buck shaking his head disapprovingly at him when his phone chimed. 

Connor: Your kids want Peruvian for dinner. 😈

Buck laughed loudly, much to the probie’s unfounded horror.

“I’m home! Hey, kiddo.” Buck called out much, much later as he entered the Mcdonald's place, Liam running up to him, holding a book, followed by a laughing Connor. He passed him the shopping bag full of food while he carried the young boy, listening attentively as the boy babbled about his day as they made their way to the dining table. 

“So, what did you make, man?” Connor poked at the bag.

“I made Rocoto Relleno and Aji de Gallina. I'm pretty sure the probies were giving me heart eyes when I gave them the leftovers. The least I could do after I terrorized them all day long.” Buck laughed as he unpacked the Tupperware. Both he and Connor pretended not to see Kam pouring mayonnaise and pickles all over her food.

Between the new station, part-time work with the fire marshal department, volunteering at the church Bobby used to go to, and studying for an associate degree in night school, Buck barely has time for dating (or space in his heart for another heartbreak). Yet he wanted something more permanent in his life, someone who he could give all of his unconditional love to without getting hurt back.

It was then Kameron gave him the most precious of gifts. She offered to surrogate for him, an offer she once made to him when he helped them with Liam years ago. 

After spending a long time thinking, he accepted the offer. Connor and he even went to Vegas, where they managed to earn twice the funds needed for the IVF treatment AND starting a college fund for the baby. (Buck also insisted that some of the funds be added to Liam’s college fund; the three of them argued loudly and long over it till the McDonalds gave up. Buck was too stubborn to be out-argued by the both of them.)

To find out they were expecting twins was exciting news; Buck and Connor fainted simultaneously when they saw the ultrasound (an incident Kameron swore to hang over their head forever), Ravi was already begging to be one of the babies godparents, and Liam was excited at the idea of having baby siblings to play with. 

Later, after dinner, Liam was napping on his lap as he edited his essay for one of his modules, while Kameron was working through another deposition and Connor was replying to his work emails. Buck decided to tell the McDonalds his news.

“So the wildfire season is going to start soon.” Buck shared as he put away his books. “I’m thinking about volunteering; the extra money would be good for the babies.”

“Won’t it be dangerous?” Kam asked worriedly as she rubbed her swollen stomach, Connor looking on in concern.

“Ravi is applying as well; both of us are going to keep an eye on each other. Plus my captain thinks it's a good idea for me to gain experience if I’m aiming to be captain in ten years.” 

“If you think it’s a good idea,” Connor said slowly, “and take all the precautions, I say go for it, man. Just check in with us whenever you can, or Kam will be worried sick.” He coughed when Kameron dug her elbow into his ribs. 

“You mean you’re the one going to worried sick, right?” She said sweetly, as Buck laughed.

Buck was surprised when he arrived in San Bernardino’s wildfire command center with the team of volunteers from LA (where, surprisingly, no one from 118 had volunteered that year) to see that he was tapped to help out at the command center as the incident commander coordinator, helping coordinate the firefighting and rescue efforts, even giving him his own clipboard and assistants that Ravi had made fun of. 

(Buck suspects this is some weird test for him, though he’s not sure for what.)

At least he gets to see action from time to time, rotating out to help with a few rescue efforts, pulling out campers and hikers trapped in the wildfire.

It was after one such rescue that Buck, taking a breather before heading to the command center to help update the red zone, had someone step into the shade he was under, offering a much-needed bottle of cold water and a voice he hadn't heard (and dreamt about) for a while.

“Looks like you needed this.” Tommy Kinard, in his sooty flight suit, stood in front of him. “Long time no see.”

“Tommy!” Buck said breathlessly. “H-Hi!”

“Evan, hey. You’re volunteering for the wildfire too?” Tommy eyed his wild curls, resisting the urge to rub his thumb against the speck of soot covering his birthmark.

“For two weeks now. You too?” 

“High demand for pilots that can navigate through wildfires so I'm always up for rotations for years now. Who else is here from 118?” 

“Oh, I’m not with the 118 anymore.” Buck rubbed his neck awkwardly. “I’m with Station 88 now, part of the SAR unit.”

“Station 88. That’s not far from the harbor.” Tommy smiled, pleased. “So what are you doing this Saturday?” Tommy asked playfully.

“Same as you, apparently, fighting fire in this hellhole.” Buck said dryly before both of them burst into loud laughter. 

Ravi kept playing interference during their rare downtime (Buck might have cheated a bit by making sure his breaks aligned with Tommy’s), letting them spend time together resting in the same cot or sharing their meal together, hiding away in nooks and crannies, talking about everything and nothing at all, just enjoying the moment while they could during the hellish time.

It was nice talking to Tommy again. 

And when they came back to LA, they chose the same cafe as their second first date and laid down everything on the metaphorical table, from their insecurities (Buck asking forgiveness for saying the wrong thing and hurting his heart when Tommy wanted to try again, Tommy for accusing Eddie of being his competition and for thinking his relationship with Buck wasn’t going to last) to difficult topics (families for both of them) and their shared fear for their relationship of not being enough for the other and being left behind again. 

They agreed that honest communication was needed for both of them if they wanted to try again: Tommy needed to not default to his sarcasm and his insecurities, and Buck needed to think his words properly before blurting them out and hurting other people and himself with them. 

When Tommy heard about the babies, he was surprised but was supportive, even coming around to help Buck convert one of the guest rooms into a nursery, from painting it in shades of green to finding Buck a beautiful crib to match the one that Athena had bought. 

(Buck saw the beautifully wooden-carved, sky-themed baby mobiles Tommy snuck in the nursery and, much to his hilarity, included mini helicopters and planes.)

And yes, he has been keeping in touch with the Grant-Nash family after he left 118. He even tried to keep in touch with everyone, but it seems that, like the others that left 118, he seems to not exist to the so-called ‘firefam,’ the Wilsons turning down his numerous offers to hang out and Chris never returning his calls or emails ever since his fallout with Eddie.

Of course, what hurt the most was Maddie preferring her ‘found’ family with Chim, her children, and the Wilsons over him, hardly hanging out anymore for their sibling time, and only calling about updates on her family and barely listening to his news.

“Oh, Buck.” Maddie sounds regretful over the phone. “I would love to see you, but Howie and I are leaving for Hershey tomorrow with the kids; it's time they see where we grew up. Hey,” her voice warm, “how about you join us? Mom and Dad would be happy to see you too!”

Buck shuddered. Ever since Maddie's wedding, all he got from his parents were sporadic phone calls, even when they were in LA to see their granddaughter. 

“It's ok, Maddie. We can just reschedule.” He said softly, listening as Maddie gushed about baby Bobby and Jee before hanging up.

Well, that's another lost chance to tell Maddie about her future niblings. 

So yea, in a way, he was very thankful Athena and her children didn’t drop him like the rest. When he told her about his decision to transfer to Station 88, she told him that Bobby would be proud Buck took the step to secure his future and she would support his decisions. 

She was excited to hear about the babies and had taken the concept of being their honorary grandmother to the next level, from buying so many things for their nurseries to planning to spend time with them when they arrived. 

(May whispered to him that she was thankful he was going to be the first to give her mother grandchildren; at least it took some pressure off from her for a while.)

With Tommy came the Delucas, Sal dramatically proclaiming how Buck should have been his firefighter instead of joining the West Bureau Search and Rescue unit, Gina crackling as their girls hounded Buck for desserts. (Sal blamed Tommy for their sweet tooth). 

Still, he was still hesitant to take the next step with Tommy, worried he might wake up one day and think Buck and the twins would be too much for him and run away again, breaking their hearts in the process. 

Ravi helpfully pointed out that instead of fretting over it (Buck threw a crumpled burger wrap at him for that), he might as well talk to Tommy about it and see if their ideas of the future aligned with each other.

Buck took that advice by talking to Tommy at a cafe after a class on newborn care (isn’t that a doozy, Tommy asking to join the slew of parenting classes Buck had joined the moment he knew about the twins?). 

“So,” Buck fidgets with the free sugar sachets till Tommy grabs hold of his hands, “we need to clarify something if we are seriously doing this. Tommy I need to know you’re ok with this whole me being a parent to twins. I don’t want you to one day realize all this,” he gestured vaguely at himself, “is too much and you're just going to leave again. I can’t have that, especially when the twins are here. They deserve a better childhood than both of us ever had, and I don’t want them to feel abandoned.”

“I…” Tommy rubbed his thumb across Buck’s shaking knuckles. “Seeing you getting ready for the babies, I couldn’t help but see a future we can have with each other, raising the twins in the beautiful nursery we prepared together, hearing them calling us their dads. I want that so much, Evan, and I want it with you, a family where we can be happy together. If you let me, I would like to be a part of your future."

Evan exhaled, the tension in his body dissipating after Tommy’s confession. “I want that too.” Buck said shyly.

They were having breakfast with the Mcdonalds when baby names came up. 

(Kam and Connor had issued their own versions of shovel talk to Tommy when Buck brought him around the first time and then told Buck that they both agreed that A. Tommy is definitely the one for him and B. He was right; the cleft chin was definitely hot.)

“How about Benjamin?” Kam stared at her phone. “You can shorten it to Ben or Benny.” 

“Put it in the maybe list.” Buck scribbled on a clipboard. “How about Sloane?”

“Remember Slo? From our roommate days?” Connor reminded him. “The one who kept eating everything in the communal fridge, including expired food, and kept clogging the downstairs toilet? Plus, Sloane Buckley does not work at all.”

“Hard pass.” Buck scratched out the name, still shuddering over the nightmare of an ex-roommate. “Ermm, Atticus?” He asked jokingly.

“NO!” The other three said in unison. “Tommy, got any good names?” Connor asked the older man.

“I like Oliver or Olivia.” Tommy shared. 

Buck mutters the name to himself. “Hmm, I like that.” He writes it down in the maybe list. “Cordelia?”

“The hot chick from Buffy the Vampire Slayer?” Connor scratched his head. 

“Er, no, I just like the meaning of the name.” Buck said shyly, “It means daughter of the sea.”

“Oh, I like that!” Kam rubbed her stomach. “And it’s very pretty. And if we are going by meaning, the name Felicity is pretty too; it means good fortune and happiness.”

Tommy took a peek at the clipboard while Evan scribbled the names down. On the very top of the shortlisted names, scribble the names Daniel and Wade. Buck told him he wanted to use a variation of those two names for the twin’s middle name to honor the two people he couldn’t save.

(Tommy and the Mcdonalds kept telling him that their deaths were never Evan’s fault, but they guessed there was some trauma that would never truly be healed for him.)

“Are we naming my siblings?” Liam came up to them after running around the flower beds and herb garden in Buck’s backyard, looking at them in interest. 

“Do you have a suggestion, baby?” Kam smiled as Liam hugged her stomach. 

“Em! Leo and Alice! Like in my books!” 

“Leo Buckley. Leona Buckley. Alice Buckley. Ellis Buckley.” Buck said out loud, liking the sound of the names rolling through his tongue.

Leo Kinard. Leona Kinard. Alice Kinard. Ellis Kinard . Tommy thought hopefully but was too shy to say it out loud just yet. Though judging from the Mcdonalds smirks, they knew what he was thinking about. 

That or he had that stupid, sappy look that Sal always made fun of on his face again.

Tommy was being an absolute menace that day. 

Just before his 48 started, Evan texted him, ‘D DAY!!’ And as much as he wanted to be outside the delivery room with Evan and Connor to wait for the babies, he couldn’t justify calling out on his shift at the very last minute. 

Hence being a menace right now.

“Stop that!” Lucy threw a dirty rag at his face. He had been badgering everyone all morning over routine inspections, terrorizing everyone with his clipboard. 

This has got to be Buckley’s fault.

(The entirety of 217 had cheered the moment Tommy came in for work with the biggest adorable smile they had ever seen on him and a basket full of baked goods, having suffered from months of mopey, depressed Tommy haunting the station.)

“That’s enough!” Tommy squawked as his aeromedic, Miriam, wrestled the clipboard from his hands as Melton and Zach grabbed his shoulders and manhandled him onto the nearest surface (one of the desks) and sat him on it. 

“Now, spill! What’s getting you all wound up today? It can’t be Buckley breaking up with you again, or you would look like a sad puppy left in the rainstorm again.” 

“It’s noth-”

“It’s not nothing. It has to be something big for you to be acting like this.” Melton said, at one point Captain Pruitt had joined the crowd but just watched as her crew interrogated Tommy over whatever had gotten him agitated all day. 

“Fine.” Tommy huffed. “It’s Evan. He texted me earlier about how it’s D-Day for the babies, and I’m waiting for updates on it.”

“WHY DIDN’T YOU SAY SO?!” Tommy was ushered out of the station with his duffle bag within minutes, Captain Pruitt already on the phone getting another pilot to come in and cover Tommy’s shift. “Call us when the babies are here!” Lucy cheered.

Apparently it was a smooth delivery for Kameron since Evan texted him to head straight to the nursery when he arrived at First Presbyterian. There he found Evan staring at two of the cribs by the window with such loving looks that left Tommy breathless by it. 

“Hey.” Tommy gently wrapped his arm around his waist. “How are you feeling?”

“Overwhelmingly happy right now.” Buck whispered back, tapping their cheeks together.

“Mr. Buckley?” Both of them stepped away from the glass to see one of the nurses beckoning for them. “Are you ready to hold your children for the first time?”

The twins both look exactly like Evan, Tommy thought as he marveled at the newborns, from their beautiful blond curls to their delicate bone structure. The only thing that differentiated them from one another was the same birthmarks as their biological father that were located in different locations. 

Watching as Evan gently cradled the baby on the left, her heart-shaped birthmark at the left bottom corner of her lips, his eyes sparkling with such love and affection for the little girl in his arm, his thumb gently tracing her cheekbone. “Tommy, may I introduce you to the most precious girl in the whole wide world, Miss Leona Danielle Buckley?”

“Why hello, Miss Leona.” Tommy cooed, then gasped as Evan asked, “Would you like to hold her?”

“Evan, are you sure?” Oh, how Tommy wanted to hold her but at the same time was terrified at how much trust Evan was putting on him. 

His smile was as brilliant as the bright sun outside. “I trust you with my heart, Tommy. Of course I would trust you with my daughter.”

Tommy couldn’t help the little gasp as Evan then gently deposited her into his arms, his left hand automatically cradling the back of her delicate head before picking up the second baby, his birthmark located on the same spot as his father but on the right side. “Hello, my darling. Your name is Ellis, my sweet Ellis Wade Buckley.” He whispered softly and gently ran his finger across his adorable nose. 

One of the nurses stationed at the nursery offered to take a photo of them holding the babies, cooing about how lovely the fathers look holding the newborns, and oh, how Tommy’s heart yearns to really be their father and Evan’s husband one day.