Chapter Text
The 118 gang were all making small talk in the engine on the way to their latest call. The call had come in from an old abandoned construction site where some young kids were messing around on the beams and one of them climbed too high and got stuck.
“Dude I can tell today’s gonna be a longgg day” Buck announces directing his statement to all the others in the back of the engine while rubbing his eyes and stretching.
“Aww did Buckaroo not get enough sleep last night” Hen says jokingly at Buck pouting a lip earning chuckles from the others.
“Hey it’s not my fault, it was these 2 that insisted on going out” Buck retorts signalling to Eddie and Chim.
Eddie laughs as he responds “I didn’t see a gun to your head, you wanted to” Buck rolls his eyes lightheartedly just as they pull up to the construction site.
The team floods out of the engine and start gearing up, Hen and Chimney grabbing some med supplies just in case. They all follow Bobby to where the kids were as they await his instruction.
“Alright Hen and Chim I want you guys to lay down the airbag, it’s not a long drop but it could still do some serious damage. Buck and Eddie you’re on ladder duty, gear up” Bobby directs as he moves closer so he could talk to the kid on the beam.
“Hey son what’s your name?” Bobby asks.
The boy doesn’t answer either because he couldn’t hear or is too afraid to respond.
“His names Jack” A voice comes from beside Bobby, he looks down and sees a little boy around 10 years old looking up at him.
“Hey Jack, this is the fire department we’re here to help you!” Bobby yells up at the boy, he sees Jack nod but still looks terrified.
Hen and Chimney had just about set up the airbag, meanwhile Eddie and Buck were getting the ladder truck into position and they were almost ready to head up.
“Hey why does this place look so…abandoned?” Buck asks as he climbs up onto the bottom of the ladder.
“Because it is” Eddie responds as he hooks the safety line onto Buck’s harness. “I heard that it was gonna be this huge business centre but their funding got cut”
“So what they just leave it here?” Buck responds not waiting for a reply as he starts heading up the ladder.
Buck gets to the top and he’s right below where the child is, he’s able to reach up and grab him before he can fall. He boy thanks him profusely as Buck straps him in.
Just as he’s about to head down Buck hears some very loud creaking and before he can even react he gets sideswiped by a beam that had come loose by all the movement up there. It swung around to his left still somewhat connected to the building.
It was a small beam maybe only 5ft long but it had unfortunately hit him smack bang in the side of his helmet where it is thinnest. He quickly brushed it off and laughed nervously hoping nobody saw it, but they did, they all saw it and they know they’re all gonna question him when he gets down.
“Woah Buck you okay?!” Chim yells up at him from where he’s standing at the air bag.
“I’m okay it’s all good!” Buck yells back, he quickly brushes it off and laughs nervously hoping nobody saw it, but they did, they all saw it and they know they’re all gonna question him when he gets down.
Buck made it down with Jack, and passed him down to Eddie gently. Bobby comes up to the pair and kneels down to the young boy “hey Jack, good to see you on solid ground” he says ruffling his hair. “Do you know where your parents are?”
“At home we live across the street” he answers, leaving the others just staring in shock about how these young boys were able to cross a busy road in LA alone.
“Better let dispatch know” Hen says to Bobby as he’s already getting his radio ready.
The LAPD had come and collected the kids already and left the 118 crew to head back to the station. Buck is sitting at the base of the ladder and is completely zoned out and doesn’t realise they’re packing up. Eddie comes up and studies his face for a bit not completely buying the story that he’s fine.
“You sure you’re alright you took quite the hit” He asks still trying to decipher his expression. Buck quickly zones back in not quite taking in anything Eddie said.
“Huh?” He shakes his head and seems to understand what Eddie asked. “Oh yeah nah I’m good, the helmet took the brunt of it, just startled me is all”
He laughs it off and hops down from the engine, he stops the moment he gets down as if he forgot what he was doing, this makes Eddies concern skyrocket.
“Buck you can tell us if you got hurt, we’re not gonna be mad”
“Guys trust me I’m okay” He says smiling at all of them, trying so hard to make them believe.
They all share a look between each other but let it go as he’s not going to admit it anytime soon.
“He seems alright, he might be the luckiest idiot ever” Chim says laughing as he finishes packing up the air bag and closing the door of the rig.
They all pile back into he engine as they make their way back to the station, Eddie closely watching Buck to make sure he was actually telling the truth, he seems fine now but he was definitely acting a bit off before.