Just us║E. Buckley x O.C.

Hope stood frozen, her breath caught in her throat as the sound of the door slamming shut echoed through the apartment. Jayden squirmed in her arms, sensing the tension that had stiffened her entire body.

She didn’t know how long she stood there, lost in thought. She knew Buck was right. She should have told him. She should have faced that pain with him instead of making the decision on her own. But in that moment, standing at the bedside of their newborn sons, with his parents in front of her for the first time, she had felt the weight of their suffering. She had wanted to do something, anything to fill that void.

But Buck didn’t see it that way.

Jayden let out a small whimper, pulling her back to reality. She held him closer, pressing a gentle kiss to his head before carefully laying him down in the crib next to his brother and sister. Then she sank onto the couch, burying her face in her hands.

She had to find him. She had to talk to him.

Buck wasn’t the kind to walk away for long, but his anger was real, deep. And if there was one thing Hope knew about him, it was that when he felt betrayed, it took time for him to let it go.

Buck walked with no real destination, his steps heavy on the pavement. The night air was crisp, biting at his skin, but he barely noticed.

He felt like he was suffocating.

It wasn’t just about the secret Hope had kept from him. It was everything. His family, their conditional love, the revelation about Daniel, and now even his wife—the one person he was supposed to trust more than anyone—had made a decision about his life without including him.

He stopped in front of a small park, watching as the swings swayed slightly in the night breeze. How old had he been the last time he sat on a swing? Five, maybe six? Before his parents stopped looking at him as a child and started seeing him as a disappointment.

He took a deep breath, trying to ease the tightness in his chest.

“You planning on staying out here all night?”

Bobby’s voice made him startle. Buck turned sharply and found his captain standing beside him, hands tucked into his jacket pockets.

“How did you find me?” Buck asked with a sigh.

Bobby shrugged. “Hope called me. She was worried.”

Buck let out a bitter laugh. “Funny, considering she wasn’t too worried about telling me the truth for over a year.”

Bobby didn’t say anything at first, giving him space. Then, in a calm voice, he replied, “I get why you’re angry. And you have every right to be. But you also know that Hope never wanted to hurt you.”

Buck shook his head. “It’s not just that. It’s… I feel like no one ever trusts me with the truth. First my parents, then Maddie… now Hope. It’s like no one thinks I can handle it.”

Bobby studied him carefully. “Do you think you can?”

Buck stayed silent.

Bobby stepped closer. “The truth hurts, Buck. You know that better than anyone. But sometimes, the people who love us try to protect us in the wrong way. That doesn’t mean they don’t love you.”

Buck dropped his gaze. He knew Bobby was right. He knew it, but he still couldn’t shake the feeling of betrayal.

“What am I supposed to do?” he asked finally, his voice quiet.

Bobby placed a firm hand on his shoulder. “Talk to her. Listen to her. Be angry if you need to be. But don’t let this break something you’ve built together.”

Buck gave a slow nod. He wasn’t ready to forgive Hope, not yet. But maybe, at least, he could listen.