9-1-1 One-shots (Buddie And 118)

The sound of the firehouse door opening echoed through the room, cutting through the tension. Maddie's voice filled the silence. "Buck? Where is he?"

Chimney, who had been standing quietly off to the side, nodded toward the changing room. "In here, Maddie."

Maddie's feet hurriedly carried her in that direction, her concern clear in every step. She didn't even need to see Buck's face to know something was wrong—the air felt heavy with it. The moment she stepped into the changing room and saw her brother, her heart sank.

Buck sat on the bench, his back hunched forward, his face buried in his hands. His whole body trembled slightly, and when he looked up, his face was streaked with tears, his eyes red and swollen.

Maddie didn't hesitate. She dropped to her knees in front of him, her hands reaching for his, gently pulling them away from his face. "Evan..." She whispered his name softly, almost as if afraid to break the fragile quiet between them. "What happened? You've been through a lot, haven't you?"

Buck gave her a half-hearted smile, one that didn't reach his eyes. "I'm fine, Maddie. Really. It's just... just a rough day."

"No," Maddie replied, shaking her head. "You don't look fine. You look like you're about to break. Buck, talk to me." Her voice was pleading now, full of worry as she cupped his face in her hands. "Please, just talk to me."

Buck's eyes flickered away from her, not wanting to burden her with his pain. "I don't want to make a scene," he said softly.

Chimney, who had followed Maddie into the room, exchanged a glance with Hen. They both knew something more was going on, but it wasn't their place to push.

Hen came closer and nodded toward the door. "We'll give you two a minute," she said gently, knowing Buck needed space with his sister. She didn't say it aloud, but they were all wondering the same thing: What had Eddie done to make Buck spiral like this?

Once they were alone, Maddie sat next to Buck, wrapping an arm around him. He stiffened slightly, but didn't pull away. "Buck, please. I know something's wrong. What did Eddie say to you?"

He turned to face her, tears threatening to spill again. "It's not just Eddie," Buck whispered. "It's everything. I just... I'm too much for everyone. All the time. I try to help, but I can't... I can't save everyone. I can't even save myself."

Maddie's heart broke at his words, but she refused to let him spiral further. "Buck, no," she whispered fiercely. "You're not too much. You've never been too much. I don't care if you've had a bad day, or if Eddie—" She stopped herself, not wanting to cause more tension.

Before Buck could respond, Bobby and Athena walked into the room, their steps measured but full of concern. Bobby's brow furrowed slightly as he saw Maddie holding Buck, but his eyes quickly softened when he saw how fragile his son looked. Athena was right beside him, her eyes filled with that unmistakable maternal worry.

"Buck," Bobby said, his voice soft, but firm. "How are you holding up, kid?"

Athena approached cautiously, sitting beside him. Her eyes searched his face, her hand reaching for his knee in a comforting gesture. "Sweetheart, we heard what happened. Chimney filled us in."

Buck swallowed hard, his breath catching. He shifted uncomfortably, a lump forming in his throat. "I don't want him to get in trouble," he said in a rush, his voice breaking slightly. "Eddie, I mean. I don't want him suspended or anything."

Bobby exchanged a glance with Athena, their silent communication clear to Buck. He wasn't sure what to expect, but hearing his dad's calm voice reassured him slightly. "He's not in serious trouble," Bobby said slowly, his voice low and measured. "I had a talk with him. He knows what he said was out of line, Buck. He knows it hurt you, and he feels awful about it."