Chapter Text
Part IV
Chapter 46
The video went viral.
Every major news station worldwide got ahold of the video evidence of the unsuspecting Guide in California physically manifesting his Spirit Animal to save him from the weight of a ladder truck. The reporter on the television at the hospital covered the story repeatedly while the other people in the waiting room played the video on a loop.
Eddie wanted to crush their phones under his boot and snarl at them until they backed away with their gaze attached firmly to the ground, but Athena kept him seated with a knowing glare. Didn’t they realize that the pinned firefighter in the video was an actual person ? With feelings? Buck would never want his life and trauma so publicly displayed, but these people didn’t seem to understand that.
Thankfully, with a few pointed comments and threatening raised eyebrows, the phones guiltily got put away, and the television got swapped to a different channel. Though, his fingers still curled into fists as he dragged them over the rough surface of his uniform pants.
After Buck— somehow because, seriously, what the fuck —shifted the ladder truck off his leg, Hen and Chimney had instantly moved to help him onto the backboard. Their astonishment-filled, wide eyes never left Buck as they loaded the Guide into the ambulance, with Eddie and Bobby climbing in with him before Chimney started toward Cedars-Sinai. The Sentinel refused to ask Bobby about what the fuck just happened—not yet, anyway. He needed to know Buck would be okay first, then Eddie could ask the steadily growing list of questions he mentally marked down.
Eddie called Shannon from the hospital to let her know the situation. She’d seen the news, and through her tears and wobbling voice, Eddie made out that Shannon had successfully kept Christopher from watching and that the boy was safely tucked away in bed, none the wiser. She would explain what happened to Buck in the morning once Eddie had an update for her.
Nobody wanted to be the bearer of bad news without a silver lining.
Eddie forced himself to take a deep breath, folding in on himself, his senses narrowing down, searching the hospital for Buck’s heartbeat. It made sense now that Eddie could pick out his boyfriend so easily. Studies showed that Sentinels could fixate on their Guide’s heartbeats, breathing patterns, and voice almost immediately after their first substantial meeting.
Due to the circumstances surrounding their encounter in Afghanistan, Eddie hadn’t had enough time to create any sensory imprints for Buck. But, at least now, Eddie understood the rush of comfort spreading through his veins, pulsing underneath his skin, when he caught on to the distant rhythm of his Guide’s heartbeat. Eddie could keep calm as long as he could hear that sound.
At first, the waiting room was bursting at the seams with people who loved the young Guide, all anxiously waiting to hear how he was doing. Unfortunately, after a few hours with no news, Hen reluctantly had to leave to get home to her family, and Athena convinced May to bring Harry back to the house to get some sleep with a promise to call as soon as they had news. Deacon, too, had to head back to check on Annie and the kids. The rest, Buck’s SEAL team and the remainder of the 118, stood vigil in the uncomfortably stiff hospital chairs and sunk into a morose silence.
Two distantly familiar faces broke the blanket of tense stillness that had settled over them. An older Sentinel around Eddie’s height in a tight grey shirt and black leather jacket stormed in with a tray of coffee cups with a younger man, maybe a bit younger than Buck, following at his heels in a yellow hoodie and jeans with his hands full as well.
While Eddie was trying to figure out why he recognized them, Bobby abruptly stood to his feet; the two set their drink trays on a coffee table and slammed into the older Guide with enough force to rock him backward.
“What are you two doing here?”
The Sentinel stepped back, keeping his grip on Bobby’s shoulder, and gave him a disbelieving look. “Are you kidding me? We saw the news at the station. We hopped on a plane as soon as we could.”
“Yeah,” the younger man agreed, still under Bobby’s arm, chewing on his bottom lip. “Buck was there for me when I got shot. It’s only right we were here for him.”
Oh , Eddie thought. These were Owen and TK Strand, Buck’s family from Austin. He pushed to his feet, running a hand through his disheveled hair and trying for a smile, which most likely fell into a grimace.
Bobby pulled away and gave him a soft smile. “Owen, TK, this is Eddie Diaz.”
“Buck’s Sentinel,” Eddie explained, although saying it out loud still made him dizzy. It still seemed fucking unbelievable that the man who saved him in the Valley of Death was the same man with whom he’d fallen in love.
God, Eddie hated the universe’s sense of humor.
Owen and TK shared a look of surprise before the younger firefighter scratched at the back of his head. “I’m sorry, what? No offense, because we’ve heard a lot about you, and I know how Buck feels about you, but—but he does have a Sentinel out there somewhere. I’m sure he’s told you—”
Eddie cleared his throat, shifting nervously on his feet and crossing his arms over his chest. “That was me.”
“You…” Owen hesitated. “You’re the Sentinel from—”
“Yes,” Eddie sharply cut him off, forcing himself to take another deep breath to control his temper. These men were Buck’s family; all they were doing was looking out for him. “I’m sorry, tonight’s been—”
Owen nodded solemnly, finishing for him, “a lot.”
Eddie swallowed and pinched the bridge of his nose. Bobby took pity on him and laid a hand on his arm, looking over at the newcomers. “We haven’t heard an update just yet. Daniel’s in there with him.”
“That’s good,” Owen assured the older Guide. “Daniel’s one of the top Orthopedic surgeons on the west coast. Buck’s in good hands.”
“Thanks,” Bobby gave him a small smile. He turned to look over his shoulder at the rest of their group. “Come on; I’ll introduce you two to anyone you haven’t met.”
XX
Finally, two hours later, Daniel pushed through the doors and tore the scrub cap off his head with exhaustion seeping from every pore of his body. Everyone immediately stood, tension lining their shoulders as Daniel came to stand before Bobby, Eddie, and Maddie. “He made it through.”
A breath of relief collectively rushed out of everyone, and he could hear the rest of the teams behind him clapping each other on the back, though Eddie’s gaze never left Daniel. He already knew Buck survived the surgery, the Sentinel never once took his attention away from the Guide’s rhythmic heartbeat, but he didn’t know the status of Buck’s leg.
“We saved the leg,” Daniel grinned, placing both hands on his hips and letting out a sigh. “Which is good news. I put in a titanium rod and four cobalt-chromed screws. He’ll walk again.”
“Will he work again?” Eddie asked with bated breath. He knew that was the first thing Buck would want to know after waking from the anesthesia.
Maddie let out a pained noise in the back of her throat. “Does it matter? He survived being crushed by a ladder truck. Maybe it’s time for him to think about doing something else—something safer.”
Eddie narrowed his eyes, ready to argue with her, but Bobby placed a hand on his arm, silently warning him it wasn’t the time to discuss this.
Daniel grimaced and pinched the bridge of his nose. “He has a good point, Mads. It’s what Buck is going to ask too. Honestly, I think with how determined Buck will be to get back on his feet and the support system he has around, he can do it. But ,” Daniel moved his arms to cross over his chest. “I’m worried about the risk of blood clots. Once he wakes up, I’m going to talk to him about going on blood thinners to prevent something like that happening.”
The doctor watched them all with varying degrees of concern on his face. “I know we can all work out a schedule to help him through this. For now, I can let Bobby, Maddie, and Eddie come see him. You guys can rotate out.”
Bobby stepped forward to pull Daniel into his arms. “Thank you, Daniel. You saved him.”
Eddie watched Daniel’s shoulders slump as he clung to the older Guide. “He looked so small on that table, Bobby. I didn’t know if I’d be able to get him through it.”
“You did, though,” Bobby assured him, rubbing his hands down the doctor’s back in a fatherly fashion. “I’m so proud of you.”
Daniel briefly turned his face into Bobby’s neck, whispering a ‘thank you’ before pulling back and hugging his sister. He did the same with Owen and TK, then showed the three toward the double doors.
XX
Buck couldn't hold back the anxious energy that had his knee bouncing up and down or his hands from shaking as he sat on his rack in the barrack tent. The rest of his team decided to give him some space after he snapped at everyone when they looked at him piteously. Even after coming up empty-handed after his shore leave, they swore up and down that they believed he’d find his Sentinel again after losing him in the Valley of Death four months ago, but Buck was one of the most powerful Guides in North America.
He always knew when someone was lying to him.
And as much as Buck hated it, his team was losing faith he’d ever find his Sentinel. They were working on limited information—practically nothing—and, considering the classified status of their SEAL Team’s presence in the Valley of Death, nobody would be looking for Buck either.
Deacon assured him they’d help him keep looking and that nobody was giving up, which Buck appreciated more than he could ever say. Even if they didn’t believe they’d ‘have a win’, his team was willing to keep trying anyway.
When Hondo stepped through the tent flaps, Buck’s head jerked up, and he snapped to his feet. His trembling fingers curled into white-knuckled fists, and he chewed on the inside of his cheek, his mouth dry. “Well?”
His commanding officer watched him for a moment with a furrow between his brows, and the disappointment swirling within his chest rends the last strand of Buck’s hope. The Guide’s eyes watered without his permission, and he pressed the heels of his palms against his eyes to stave off the stinging tears.
“Buck, I’m sorry.”
“Don’t,” the Guide choked out, collapsing down onto the rack and digging his elbows into the tops of his thighs. “Don’t.”
Hondo’s quiet footsteps came closer until the heat of his body came to rest beside Buck. “There are still other options we can try—”
A groan of disagreement tore from Buck’s throat as he shook his head. “You know there’s not. Your contact at the Pentagon was our last shot. I’m—I’m never going to find him again.”
His commanding officer’s hand wrapped around the back of Buck’s neck, grounding him as his shields flickered with his grief. Hondo squeezed, waiting in silence as the Guide let the tears fall, choking back the crushing disappointment.
When Buck finally fell silent, Hondo encouraged the Guide to face him. “Buck, Admiral O’Connor might have been our last option for now, but there will be others. Have I ever once lied to you? Have I ever given you the impression that I bow out when the going gets tough?”
The Guide wiped the salt-covered tracks from his face with the sleeve of his shirt, sniffling lightly before shaking his head. No. Hondo was a stubborn son of a bitch. He never let anything stand in his way.
“Then what makes this any different? It might take some time, but I promise, Buck, we will find out what happened to him.”
Buck closed his eyes and leaned into the Sentinel’s grip, letting his commanding officer’s determination keep the spark of hope burning within his chest. “Okay,” he nodded tightly, repeating it once, desperate to convince himself everything would all turn out alright.
XX
Buck stared down at the phone buzzing in his hand, frustration welling up in his chest as he fought the urge to crush it between his fingers.
“Are they calling again?” Eddie asked with a frown, leaning against the bedroom doorway with a steaming mug cradled between his hands.
The Guide fought off the prickle of awareness and the nervous drop in his stomach at seeing the Sentinel and nodded solemnly. “The GSGA hasn’t stopped calling since I was released from the hospital last week. I’ve already told them I’m not interested in an interview, nor am I anywhere near ready to be a mentor. There’s so much to figure out before I can even think about mentoring someone. I asked Charlotte Keen if she can get them off my back for now.”
He heaved a sigh and switched his ringer to silent before tossing the phone to the side. Between his limited bouts of lucidity, interspersed with a need for pain medication or the sleep his exhausted body demanded, and either Christopher clinging to Buck at all hours of the day or someone from Buck’s family coming to the house to see how he’s doing, he and Eddie hadn’t even had a chance to talk about the giant pink polka-dotted elephant in the room.
When Buck woke up in the hospital room a week ago, he only had about three seconds to panic from seeing his leg before Bobby was there calming him down. The older Guide assured him Daniel was able to save his leg and that he would be able to walk again— thank God . But, apparently, surprising no one, his second question would be if he could work again because his brother stepped into the room with a throaty laugh, his pinched expression smoothing out into something Buck recognized.
From there, the hospital was pretty much a revolving door. Buck and Eddie only had time to share a quick kiss, surprisingly deep and dirty for their company, before Maddie pointedly cleared her throat. After that, everyone came by to see him in groups of three. Owen, TK, and Bobby: Athena, Chimney, and Maddie: Hondo, Chris, and Street: and Mumford, Victor, and Luca.
He, honestly, expected a bit of an argument about who he would go home with, like with his recovery from the tsunami, but apparently, Eddie had seniority with the fact he was Buck’s Sentinel.
Fuck.
Eddie was Buck’s Sentinel .
Watching Eddie leaning against the bedroom door frame, Buck didn’t want to wait to talk about it anymore. His mind was clear from the fogginess of his pain medication; he’d woken up half an hour ago from a nap that left Buck feeling more himself in far too long. Bobby and Athena had stopped by earlier that morning, which meant no one was due to stop by for a few more hours, and Christopher was having a sleepover with Denny and Harry at Hen and Karen’s.
They were finally alone.
Eddie must have been thinking along the same lines because he watched Buck with a soft look, a small smile touching his lips. “How are you feeling?”
“Finally good enough to have this conversation.”
“Are you sure?”
Buck nodded, holding his hand out for his boyfriend. Eddie took it, climbing on the bed beside him and tucking his legs beneath the sheets. He handed Buck the mug, one of the decorated pottery ones Eddie bought for him when they took Christopher to the Renaissance Fair, and pressed a kiss to Buck’s temple. “Okay, then, let’s talk.”
Buck leaned into Eddie’s side when the Sentinel wrapped his arm around Buck’s shoulders and hummed. “When did you find out?”
He heard — and felt—Eddie swallow harshly. “When the bomb went off, I sort of…” he tilted his head to the side to think about it. “Went into a semi-fugue state? It wasn’t as intense as the ones I experienced in Afghanistan, but I could instantly tell something was wrong. I didn’t realize what happened, or that you were in danger, until Hen snapped me out of it.”
“How did she do that?” Buck asked quietly, knowing the near impossibility of anyone but a Guide to help a Sentinel when they get trapped inside their own head.
Eddie shook his head. “I don’t think she really did. I think my body was just reacting to your pain. It’s happened before, back before you started at the 118, and then again during the tsunami. I just didn’t realize at the time I was channeling you .”
Buck blew out a breath and sunk further into Eddie’s hold, feeling like a complete asshole. Eddie didn’t deserve any of that — neither Buck’s pain nor his fear when going through something traumatic like preparing yourself for a missile to blow up the building you were on top of or a wall of water to crush you. “Shit, Eds, I’m so —”
“ Please, don’t apologize, Buck,” the Sentinel told him in exasperation. “None of that is your fault. If anything, we should be glad I was able to feel you at all. Your shields are the most powerful I’ve ever seen.”
Buck scoffed bitterly, dragging his good leg closer to his body to wrap his arms around his knee. “Yeah, and because of them, we didn’t know who we were to each other until I was pinned under a fucking ladder truck. We could have had this ,” he gestured between them, “so much earlier.”
“Hey,” Eddie protested, leaning back to watch Buck’s face and touching the Guide’s chin lightly to return his attention to the Sentinel. “ Evan , I wouldn’t change a single thing about our relationship.”
“Really?” Buck faltered in disbelief. “Why not?”
Eddie’s eyes searched Buck’s face for a few moments before speaking again. “I’ve spent my entire life not wanting a Guide, or a bond, or anything of that nature because my parents ruined everything about it for me. They basically shoved the entire idea of it down my throat from the moment I manifested. I even swore to my sisters when I was ten years old that I’d never even consider a bond.”
“That’s…not great.” Buck frowned, shifting uncomfortably but unable to look away with Eddie’s hand moving to cradle his jaw and keep him in place.
Eddie’s lips twitched into a smirk. “I didn’t want any of it until I met you , Buck. Yes, I did my due diligence when looking for you after you saved my life in Afghanistan, but I didn’t get anywhere, and, honestly, I was kind of relieved. I didn’t know what kind of relationship I might want with a Guide at the time, even if I did find you.
“Moving to LA was supposed to be a new start for me, and it was. I had put all of that behind me, tried closing the door, until you walked into the station and looked at me with those big, ridiculously-beautiful, blue eyes. I’d never wanted anything more than I wanted you.” Eddie huffed out a laugh and moved his hand from Buck’s jaw to cup the back of his neck. “I felt so guilty because I thought that if I was going to think about anyone , it should be the Guide I lost in Afghanistan, right? I took my frustration at myself out on you, and I’m sorry about that.”
“No, Eddie,” Buck argued weakly, falling quiet when Eddie pressed a finger to Buck’s lips.
“I wouldn’t change anything about our relationship because I got the chance to be your friend and watch you interact with my son like he’s your favorite person on the face of the planet.”
Buck couldn’t help the smile that broke out across his lips. “That’s because he is.”
The Sentinel grinned. “I know he is. You fought for him at every turn, including saving him during the tsunami, protecting him from your parents, and standing up for him against my parents. You love my son like he’s your own.” Eddie leaned forward to press their foreheads together, letting out a puff of air against Buck’s lips. “I got the chance to fall in love with you, Evan. When you’re with me, I want so much more. I want to stand in front of an altar with you and declare our love in front of all our friends and family. I want to bond with you, so I can be even more attuned to you than I already am. I want to move into the house you’re building and decorate our room together. I want to have more kids, maybe a little girl that looks just like you so Christopher can have a sister. I want everything with you, Buck.”
“Eddie,” the Sentinel’s name fell quietly from Buck’s lips as he leaned forward to bury his face in the hollow of Eddie’s neck. “You — God, you’re so fucking romantic . What am I supposed to do with that?”
“Nothing, you lunatic,” Eddie laughed, pressing a litany of kisses against Buck’s curls and tightening his hold on Buck. “You just needed to know.”
Buck sucked in a deep, calming breath and blew it out heavily, humming against the skin of Eddie’s throat. “I love you, Eds. After the well incident, I decided that if I ever found the Sentinel from Afghanistan—and trust me, I tried— then I’d tell him we could only have a platonic bond. I couldn’t imagine loving anyone else but you. I didn’t want to.”
“Oh, Carino ,” Eddie sighed fondly. “There’s no one else for me either.”
They sat like that for a while, drinking each other in. Eventually, Buck’s body protested not being horizontal, and his eyelids grew heavy. Eddie must have noticed because he took the now-empty mug from the Guide’s hands, set it on the nightstand, and then maneuvered Buck—not an easy feat considering his size—down further on the bed so he’d feel more comfortable.
“Sleep,” Eddie ordered softly, so Buck, never one to deny Eddie anything, curled further into his Sentinel and drifted off.
XX
“Woah, Woah! Be careful!” Buck protested, reaching a hand out across the kitchen table toward the seat where Athena was cutting into his suit pants.
The Sentinel paused with the scissors in her hands and a perfectly raised eyebrow. “Buckaroo, it’s either I do this, or you’re going to the courthouse in shorts .”
Buck groaned, leaning back in the wooden chair and decidedly not pouting as he adjusted his cast. “No, no. I want to look nice for your wedding.”
“ I’m not wearing a suit,” Harry grinned from beside him in a pair of jeans and a collared shirt.
“And you still look better than I do,” Buck shot his future little brother a wink.
Athena’s lip twisted up into a smirk. “Well, I’m glad you’re both comfortable.” She finished tearing through the pant leg and held it out for Buck, who took it back with a flourish. “I wonder where the rest of the crew is.”
“Almost ready!” May called loudly from her room.
Bobby appeared not too long after in a dark suit with a light blue tie matching Buck’s. The older Guide adjusted his jacket, and his face lit up when he caught sight of Athena in her simple, stunning white dress. “Wow, you look incredible.”
The Sentinel stood with a bright expression and looked Bobby up and down appreciatively, pressing forward to plaster herself against Bobby’s chest. “I could say the same about you, Handsome.”
“Oh, gross,” Buck scrunched up his nose and exchanged a pinched look with Harry. “It’s like watching my parents flirt right in front of me.”
Harry threw his head back and laughed, slapping the table lightly. “Buck, it is watching your parents flirt right in front of you.”
“Mhhm,” Athena agreed, wrapping her arm around Bobby’s waist and pursing her lips at the younger Guide. “Damn right.”
Buck ducked his head when a flush spread over his cheeks. He didn’t think he’d ever get used to the way Athena treated him like one of her own right off the bat. The entire Grant family took one look at him all those months ago and instantly decided he was part of the family. “Maybe it’s not so bad.”
“Let me help you get your pants on, kiddo,” Bobby suggested, and Athena dutifully turned around so the older Guide could help Buck slip into the suit pants and tuck the cut-off portion into the cast taking up the majority of his leg. “There, that’s better.”
“Thanks, Pops.”
Athena looked him over with a nod, cupping his cheek lovingly. “You look great, Baby.”
May interrupted Buck’s gratitude by running into the kitchen, curls sticking up every which way, looking severely out of breath, and huffing in frustration. “Ugh! I can’t get my hair right!”
“I think you look great,” Bobby offered with a soft smile.
Buck, Harry, Athena, and May glared at him like he’d lost his mind. The older Guide wilted at the joint exasperation and swallowed loudly.
“I’ll help you,” Buck grinned, struggling to stand.
May sighed in relief and handed him his crutches. “Thank God.”
Athena winked at him when he passed by them and Bobby mouthed a “ thank you. ”
Buck followed May back to her room and fought back a laugh at the piles of clothes strewn across the bed and floor. She’d already picked out a pretty green dress with a floral pattern, but it appeared she went through her entire closet before deciding.
“Okay, help ,” May begged, handing Buck her brush and sitting down on the carpet beside the bed after the Guide took a seat.
“How did you even get this piece so far up in the air?“ Buck huffed out a chuckle and started combing through her hair. “It’s honestly kind of impressive.”
May looked over her shoulder with narrowed eyes. “I might have used a little too much hairspray.”
“Maybe,” Buck agreed with a grin. He managed to wrangle it into place and added a clip to pin a few strands back before tossing the brush onto her small vanity. “There we go. I think you’re all set to watch your mom get married.”
May’s shoulders slumped, relieved, and she pushed to her feet to help Buck stand with his crutches. “Don’t forget about bonding.”
Buck knocked his crutch against May’s leg lightly. “Definitely not. Let’s go.”
An hour later, Bobby and Athena stood face to face with their hands threaded together in front of a judge while Buck leaned against his crutches next to the older Guide with May and Harry on Athena’s other side. In addition, Buck’s lips twitched upward as Artemis and Zeus curled around each other in anticipation as the ceremony progressed.
“Robert and Athena,” Judge Holloway looked between them with a soft smile. “In the eyes of the law, you two are now husband and wife; it is time to take the final step in binding you two together until death do you part.” He held a small, worn book with yellowing pages between his hands. “As important as marriage is to our society and the history of our people, nothing is more sacred than the binding of a Sentinel and Guide. Two souls, existing in both the physical and spiritual plane, finding each other through a sea of chaos and confusion.
“You two have chosen to merge your lives irrevocably,” Judge Holloway continued. “With this bond, Robert, as Guide, Athena’s emotional state shall never leave you. The two of you will no longer be two separate entities but of one flesh sharing a beating heart and an unceasing soul. You, Athena, as a Sentinel, will never lose the tether of your Guide. From hundreds of miles away, across oceans and continents, he will always remain your true North. ” He cleared his throat and met both of their gazes. “Now, Robert and Athena, do you, before the eyes of the law, your family, and the physical and spiritual planes, accept the responsibility of your decision today?”
In unison, they responded, “I do.”
“Robert, do you take Athena, your wife, to be your sacred bonded? Do you take her to be your Sentinel and the other half of your soul?”
Bobby’s expression softened even further as he looked into Athena’s eyes. “I do.”
“Athena,” Judge Holloway continued, switching his attention to the Sentinel. “Athena, do you take Robert, your husband, to be your sacred bonded? Do you take him to be your Guide and the other half of your soul?”
Athena didn’t hesitate. “I do.”
Justice Holloway nodded with a smile touching his lips. He twisted around to pick up a sanitized curved blade and handed it to Bobby. “The two of you shall now exchange blood rights, forever binding your bodies, hearts, and souls together until death do you part.”
Bobby accepted the blade and touched the tip of it to the pad of his thumb, pressing down until it broke skin and blood welled to the surface. He then passed it to Athena, who repeated the action on her own hand. Finally, the judge took the blade back and cleaned it while the pair pressed their blood together, letting out a hiss of pain as the binding ritual set into their skin, changing the tattoos etched into their bodies.
Buck wondered what their joint tattoos would look like—Bobby’s displayed between his shoulder blades while Athena’s rested over her left thigh. Of course, everyone had different opinions about their marks—some thought they were intimate and should only be shared with your bonded, while others presented theirs proudly. His—chosen—parents didn’t advertise their tattoos, but they didn’t keep them hidden either, so Buck hoped they’d be willing to show him how theirs merged together.
Judge Holloway handed each of them an alcohol pad and a band-aid to press to their small wounds and gave them both a pleased grin. “I am happy to pronounce you two husband and wife and officially bonded.”
Buck let out a holler of joy, May and Harry following along loudly while Bobby swept Athena up into a passionate kiss, dipping her low to the ground while their kids celebrated around them.
XX
Two months later, Buck was finally out of his cast and proudly standing by Street’s side as he and Molly declared their love for one another in front of two hundred people. The rest of the boys—Hondo, Deacon, Mumford, Victor, and Luca—all cheered boisterously, whistling and shouting in celebration, from the other side of Buck as Street scooped Molly up into a bridal carry in one fluid movement and walked her back down the aisle with a huge grin plastered across his face.
The young Guide wiped the escaped tears with the tissue he prepared for the occasion and led the maid of honor, Molly’s best friend from law school, through the rambunctious crowd and caught sight of Eddie standing near the aisle. He shot a wink his partner’s way, reaching out a hand to grab Eddie’s as he passed by.
They made it through the hour of photographs in one piece, dancing their way into the reception hall, receiving their introduction to the tune of “Marry You” by Bruno Mars. He took his seat at Eddie’s side at the wedding party’s table, pressing his lips against the Sentinel’s and hauling Christopher, now eight, into his lap and hugging him close. They watched the bride and groom share their first dance, humming along to the tune, before the toasts started up.
Once it was his turn, Buck stood to his feet to grab the microphone, standing tall with a hand in the pocket of his light blue suit pants. “For those of you I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting yet, my name is Evan Buckley, although I go by Buck—”
“Or Overwatch!” Street called out with a wink, his arm resting comfortably across the back of Molly’s chair at their sweetheart table.
Buck groaned but nodded good-naturedly. “Street is actually the one who came up with that nickname, in case anyone was wondering.” He laughed and grinned brightly at the couple. “First off, I just wanted to say, Molly—you look beautiful . Your dress is stunning, and when you were walking down that aisle, I—and I’m sure all of the Sentinels in the room did as well—heard the shocked breath of air that Street let out when he saw you for the first time.”
He got a round of cheers of agreement, and Buck shook his head fondly. “I met Street on my twenty-first birthday a little over eight years ago at a bar called O’Bannons in Coronado. I was going through BUD/s and decided I deserved a night out. Street—on mission from Hondo—found me at the bar and ordered me my first legal beer, and we hit it off right away.” Buck and Street exchange a smile, both remembering the night in question. “I didn’t grow up around any bonded pairs, so when Street told me about his Guide, Molly, who he bonded with right before starting BUD/s, I instantly wanted to know more. I hadn’t even thought about the potential for a bond until he described his own experience with Molly.”
Buck ducked his head and fought the flush staining his cheeks before returning his attention to the couple. “Because of that, I remember every single thing he said about you, Molly. Street told me that you stomped right up to his desk in Long Beach, and his entire world just stopped . He described it as almost like a fugue state, where his senses were dialed up to eleven. Your perfume sat heavily on his tongue, your eyes held more colors than he ever thought existed, and Street could hear the catch in your throat and the stutter of your heart when your eyes met.”
When Molly melted against Street and brought their lips together, Buck continued with his eyes stinging. “He loved you from the moment he saw you, Molly. Once I graduated BUD/s and completed my training, Street was assigned as my sniper partner. Over the next six years, we spent many, many, many,” the crowd let out a rumble of laughter at that, “hours together. We spent so much time together that I feel like I know Street better than I know myself. As a Guide, I can feel and see the love that pours out of him whenever he talks about you. As his friend, I’ve seen the unwavering support you’ve given Street, and I can’t thank you enough for that. Thank you for loving him, Molly.”
He raised his glass for the toast, and the bonded pair stood up to hug him tightly. Buck buried his face in the Sentinel’s neck when Street tightened his grip on him. “You’ll always be my partner, Overwatch.”
“Always, brother.”
XX
Eddie watched Buck’s eyes roam over the discharge certificate in his hands, the Sentinel curling around Buck’s back and hooking his chin over the Guide’s shoulders. The party was in full swing around them, the music pumping over the soundbar Luca had installed for them while the glass-paned double doors leading out to the back porch swung wide open as their friends and family explored the newly completed house.
Eddie and Buck had officially moved in about three weeks ago, but because of their shift schedule, decorating efforts, and the timing of the SEAL team’s honorable discharge, they decided to wait to have a housewarming party.
When Michael called to tell them the house was finally complete, the two of them dropped their groceries back on the shelves and rushed to pick Christopher up from Shannon’s before heading over to the property. Because it was a larger one-story home rather than two, the house spread out over three thousand square feet. The landscapers had done a great job with the trimmed bushes and small garden in the yard, nestled directly in front of the wrap-around porch.
Buck had the house painted stark white with dark-green shutters outlining the large windows on either side of the front door. Inside, the front foyer was wide and open, letting in plenty of sunlight to dapple the wood-tile floors, with large beams lining the ceiling. Much to Bobby’s delight, the sleek, modern kitchen, with its light grey marble countertops, was enormous and included a large island in the middle. There were four decent-sized bedrooms, and all the bathrooms had accessibility for Christopher, plus enough space in the garage for their vehicles and workout equipment.
Christopher let out a shout of excitement when they finally made their way outside. A white-picket fence surrounded three-fourths of an acre’s space behind the house, enclosing the pool and a stretch of grass and trees in case they decided to get a dog in the future. Buck had the pool bordered with flagstone, lined the concrete with a slip-resistant gripping for Christopher, and the hot tub tipped over into a waterfall.
Buck also fenced off the rest of his land with space to build a barn, ensuring that if they ever did get the pair of horses he and Eddie had talked about in the future, then they would already be covered on that end.
Over the next few weeks, their friends and family not scheduled to work helped Buck and Eddie paint all the walls, move all the furniture, and packed up boxes to take to the new house. They decorated Christopher’s room with a space theme, and Luca painted an incredible mural that stretched across all the walls, making sure to add glow-in-the-dark stickers to the ceiling. Of course, nobody had seen it completely finished yet, as everyone came by in shifts to help hang decorations on the walls or put together their fitness gear in the garage.
Once the house was finally complete and Buck, Eddie, and Christopher had spent a few nights there getting used to the new layout, the SEAL team received a notification informing them that their discharge certificates were in the mail. Hondo had called them all immediately to reassure everyone that he’d spoken with the Brass to confirm they had everything they needed to return officially to civilian life. When the team had the certificates in hand, Buck and Eddie invited everyone over for a giant party celebrating their discharge, the housewarming, Buck’s completed probation period, and the end-of-summer blow-out for the kids going back to school in just under two weeks.
Carla, Shannon, and a very pregnant Maddie came over early to help them decorate, while Abuela, Tia Pepa, and Bobby all spent hours in the kitchen with Buck preparing the food for the party. The rest of the crew trickled in over the next hour, bringing coolers full of drinks, bags of chips, and treats to go alongside the meal spread out over the island. All of the kids—Matthew, Lila, Victoria, Samuel, Christopher, May, Harry, and Denny—headed straight to the pool, where Annie, Deacon, Luca, and Karen were watching them and enjoying the LA sun shining down on them.
Out in the yard, Chimney and TK played cornhole against Luca and Shannon, with Hondo, Jessica, Hen, and Victor cheering them on with drinks in their hands while Owen and Maddie watched with fond expressions. Mumford, Athena, Street, and Molly were walking the property’s fence line, discussing all of the potential uses for the land and what Buck and Eddie might decide to do with it.
Daniel sat on a barstool with Chris between his legs, his hands settled on either side of her waist, as they caught up with Bobby, who diligently followed along with Abuela and Tia Pepa’s detailed instructions on how to make the perfect tres leches cake.
Eddie stood with his arms wrapped around his Guide, pressed up against his back, and watched Buck look between the discharge certificate in his hands and the family gathered around them. He’d come so far from the desperate and terrified four-year-old boy who manifested as a Guide.
Buck had gained a family who adored him, who would do anything for him, in so many walks of life—Two parents in Bobby and Athena, new siblings in Harry and May, an uncle and cousin in Owen and TK, a team who had his back no matter the cost in Hondo, Deacon, Luca, Mumford, Victor, and Chris, and a new start to the rest of his life with the 118. Maybe, even, the start of his own family with him and Christopher, with a chance to grow.
As Buck spun in Eddie’s grip, curling his arms around the Sentinel’s shoulders, Eddie reached down to tap the slight bulge in his pants pocket, checking for the thousandth time today that the ring was still there. He grinned into the kiss Buck drew him into, knowing that ‘the start to the rest of their lives’ was the perfect way to describe the remainder of the evening.
XX