Chapter 3
July 2018
When Carina first met Eddie, it wasn’t how she expected to meet him. Carina had asked her dad if she could stop by right before his shift ends. Right after an earthquake had happened she wanted to check on her dad. Buck’s concern for his daughter played a big role for him in agreeing. He was concerned for her the same way Eddie was concerned about his son Christopher. She arrived and Buck unlocked his jeep for her to get in before she stepped foot inside the station.
“So where are we going?” Carina asks her dad as he got in the driver seat. “Uh. We’re going to pick up Eddie’s son from school.”
“Who’s Eddie?” Carina asks not having met Eddie since he started. “He’s the new guy,” Buck replies. “I’m going to introduce you as soon as he gets in the jeep.” Buck adds on as he looks at his daughter through the rearview mirror. “Cool. So is he like your new partner?” Carina asks. “Yeah, old one left the station.”
“Hey! sorry for taking so long.” a voice says as they open the passenger door and Carina identifies it as Eddie. “Oh I didn’t realize you had company.” Eddie adds on noticing Carina. “Oh! Eddie, this is my daughter Carina. Carina this is Eddie.” Buck says stuttering over his words introducing Carina and Eddie to one another.
“Hi Carina, I’m Eddie Diaz, I’m your dad’s new partner at the station. It’s nice to meet you.” Eddie says and turns to Buck. “Why didn’t you mention that you had a daughter when I mentioned Christopher?” He whispers to Buck.
“Uh, I mean I was about to tell you and we ended up arriving at the scene.” Buck whispers back. “I can hear you both.” Carina whispers scaring the two men.
Time skip..ish
Once Carina had met Christopher, she instantly felt like she belonged. Even being six years older than him, she felt protective over him. Christopher loved having someone to play with him and hang out with him. He felt like something had filled this weird place in his heart. His mom wasn’t in his life and when she came back into his life, she died. Carina noticed how Christopher sometimes needed a little extra time to get comfortable or how his movements were a bit less fluid, but it didn't change how she felt about him.
“Carina..” Christopher says, his voice a little soft as he got Carina’s attention from her textbook. “Yes?” Carina answers, looking up from her textbook. “I think..I want..to go see dad.” Christopher says, carefully shifting his position on the floor. Carina sets her textbook down and turns her whole body to face Christopher. “That’s going to be hard to do, little guy. Your dad and my dad have a very important job to do and we can’t go right now..-“ Carina pauses. “—But, we can go during their downtime which Buck texts me when.”
Christopher beams, his smile wide. “I like Buck.” Christopher says as he giggles, a slight tremor in his hand as he reached for a nearby toy. “I do too.” Carina replies with admiration for her adoptive father in her voice. As if Buck knew she was talking about him, he messages Carina.
Buck 🥺
hey sweetheart 👋🏻
our downtime is in a few minutes 😊
12:30
Carina 💜
hiiiiiii dad! Christopher and I will be there in a few! 🤍
He’s been wanting to see you and Eddie since this morning 🥺
12:32
Buck 🥺
That sounds just like him, his dad can’t wait to get home so he can see him.
12:32
Carina 💜 loved “ That sounds just like him, his dad can’t wait to get home so he can see him.”
Carina 💜
we’re five minutes away
12:34
Buck 🥺
I’ll see you when you get here!!
Be safe! 💙
I love you ❤️
12:36
Carina 💜
we’re here!!
12:38
Carina 💜
I love you too, Dad! 🤍🤍
12:40
Buck 🥺 loved “we’re here!!” & “I love you too, Dad! 🤍🤍”
Carina told Christopher that Buck texted her about their downtime and they can go see them. Christopher almost exploded with excitement, his movements a little jerky but full of anticipation as he reached for his crutches.
When they arrived at the station Buck and Eddie were practically waiting at the entrance of the station for their kids. “Hey Dad!” Christopher exclaimed happily as he carefully used his crutches to walk towards his dad, who immediately bent down to his height to hug him. Buck noticed the slight flush on Christopher’s cheeks from the effort and squeezed his shoulder reassuringly.
Carina hugs her dad “I hope leaving you in charge of Christopher for today wasn’t too much.” Eddie says to Carina as he hugs his son, noticing the way Christopher leaned into him for a moment. “He was no trouble literally!” Carina confirmed with a smile at Christopher, who was now excitedly showing Buck his drawing of a firetruck with stick figures that barely resembled them all. Christopher shifted his weight slightly, his left leg a little less steady than his right as he leaned against Buck for a moment. The station hummed with the low thrum of the refrigerator and the distant chatter of other crew members finishing their tasks. It felt different being here this time. Usually, it was a quick hello to her dad before he rushed off, but now, with Christopher's bright smile and the way he carefully maneuvered his crutches to get closer to Buck, it felt… more connected.
Eddie straightened up from his hug with Christopher and turned to Carina, a warm smile gracing his lips. "Thank you again for keeping him entertained, Carina. He can be a whirlwind of energy, and sometimes his legs get tired easily."
"Oh, it was fine," Carina replied, trying to sound nonchalant despite the small smile that tugged at her lips. "He's pretty easy to hang out with. We were just chilling, reading for a bit." She noticed how Christopher sometimes used his crutches for balance even when standing still.
"Reading?" Buck interjected, looking genuinely surprised. "Since when do you two voluntarily read together without some sort of tech involved?" He chuckled, ruffling Christopher's hair, which made the seven-year-old giggle, his movements a little less fluid but no less enthusiastic.
"Hey, your comics are cool, Buck," Christopher defended, then carefully shifted his crutches to point towards Carina. "But your adventure books are way more exciting! And the pictures are big."
Eddie's gaze softened as he watched the easy banter between Buck and Christopher. He then turned back to Carina. "He mentioned you were helping him with his science homework earlier too? Something about the solar system?"
"Yeah," Carina said, a little more enthusiasm in her voice this time. "He's really into planets right now. We were looking at pictures and trying to remember the order." She'd been mindful of making sure Christopher was comfortable as they sat on the floor looking at the book, offering him extra pillows to lean on. It was actually kind of fun explaining it to him; he asked surprisingly insightful questions. She found herself feeling comfortable talking to Eddie, despite their awkward first introduction. He had a calm, understanding presence, and she noticed the subtle way he kept an eye on Christopher.
"Well, thank you," Eddie said again, a touch more earnestly. "It's a big help. Sometimes trying to explain those things after a long shift… my brain feels like scrambled eggs. And sometimes," he added, his voice softening slightly, "it's just nice knowing he has someone else around who's patient and understands he might need a little extra time or a different way of doing things."
Carina nodded, understanding dawning on her. "He didn't seem to have any trouble keeping up," she said genuinely. "He's really smart." She glanced at Christopher, who was now carefully maneuvering his crutches as he tried to tug on Buck's hand, pointing towards the lounge with an eager expression.
"Movie time? Can we watch the one with the giant robots?" Christopher pleaded, his seven-year-old enthusiasm bubbling over, his movements a little jerky but full of excitement.
Buck looked at Eddie and Carina. "Giant robots it is. What do you say? My treat for all the snacks this guy can convince me to buy." He winked at Christopher, then gently steadied him as he shifted again.
As the opening credits of the movie blared, a chaotic symphony of explosions and improbable stunts, they settled onto the worn couches in the firehouse lounge. Christopher, nestled between Buck and Eddie, was practically vibrating with excitement, occasionally leaning against one or the other as he pointed out something on the screen. Carina found herself on the other end of the couch, a comfortable distance away but still part of the group.
Eddie chuckled softly at one of the particularly ridiculous action sequences, and Buck’s gaze flickered over to him, a small, genuine smile playing on his lips. It was a fleeting moment, but Carina noticed the easy camaraderie between her dad and Eddie, a comfortable familiarity that went beyond just being partners.
"This is way better than homework," Christopher declared, reaching for a handful of popcorn from the large bowl Buck had produced. A few kernels tumbled onto the floor, and without a word, Eddie bent down to pick them up. It was a small, almost unconscious gesture, but Carina saw the natural way Eddie cared for Christopher, a quiet and steady presence.
Later, during a slightly slower part of the movie, Christopher yawned, his eyelids fluttering. He instinctively leaned against Eddie, who gently put an arm around him, pulling him closer. Buck watched the exchange, a soft expression on his face, and Carina caught his eye. There was a warmth in her dad's gaze, a contentment that she hadn't always seen.
Carina found herself surprisingly relaxed. The initial awkwardness of meeting Eddie had faded, replaced by a sense of normalcy. He was quiet but kind, and the way he interacted with Christopher was sweet to watch. She even found herself offering a small smile when Eddie made a dry comment about the movie's illogical plot, and he returned it with a subtle nod.
As the movie neared its explosive climax, the station alarm suddenly blared, cutting through the sound effects. Buck and Eddie were on their feet in an instant, their firefighter instincts taking over.
"Stay here, you two," Buck said, his voice firm but reassuring, glancing at Carina and then ruffling Christopher's hair.
"We'll be right back, buddy," Eddie added, his hand briefly resting on Christopher's shoulder before he and Buck headed out, a well-oiled machine moving towards the engine.
Watching them go, Carina felt a familiar pang of worry for her dad, but this time, it was mixed with a different feeling – a sense of shared concern with Eddie's son, a silent understanding of the risks they faced. As she looked at Christopher, who was now watching the bay doors with wide, slightly anxious eyes, she reached out and gently squeezed his hand.