Chapter one -Boy Crush Denial

The cheers of the LA lakers filled the stadium the loudest cheers and laughed coming Buck, Eddie, Christopher, and chimney and Maddie on their day off enjoy the first basketball game as they were their tickets were comp to them being first responders. They have given the VIP treatment in the box and enjoying every minute of it.

As half time started, Maddie and Buck made the snacks rounds. While waiting for meals, Maddie looks at her brother gazing in sheer enjoyment watching Eddie and Christopher, playing swords with their foam fingers. She had to say something to his brother

"So, the brother of mine, when are you going to tell him."

"Tell who what?"

Buck trying to play dumb but that didn't work for Maddie as she replies

"That you have a bad boy crush on your best friend, Eddie."

"I don't have a crush on Eddie, I just..." he looks Eddie and says, "I just admire the guy."

Maddie sighed slowly realizing this boy crush might mean more to her brother,

"I admire buck, do you like him I mean like him like him."

"No," Trying to give his sister the best poker face he could.

But Maddie couldn't help but tease her brother by saying, "You are so in boy crush denial, this is 2019, I love you, and I want to be happy, and Eddie seems like the perfect catch."

She started to laugh as Buck began to laugh with, but the laughs turn to coughs as drop to ground smashing glasses which slashed his right arm and blood and started gushing out coming from his slashed arm Maddie screams

"Buck, No, not again, Eddie, help me!"

Eddie rushes to Buck's aid, Eddie trying to think the best he could for Christopher, who was with chimney calling 911 screaming for buck to get up. Luckily due to his training in Afghanistan, he was ready to handle in saving his best friend the best way he knew how he asked Maddie to find tea bags and soak them with water.

She looked around the bar and found tea bags. Maddie washes them with water rushing back to Eddie to give him the tea bags press it on top of the wound. Hold for a minimum of 10 minutes. And the bleeding stopped as paramedics came in to get Buck to hospital. As Buck got carted away Maddie sobs in Eddie's arms saying

"My brother is so lucky to have you and Christopher in his life; you are the best thing that has ever happened to him."

Eddie had no words as Maddie left with Buck. Eddie went back to Christopher as chimney left to be with Maddie. Eddie hugging his son as Christopher asked,

"Is uncle buck going to be okay."

"I pray so buddy, how about we let the doctors take care of him first, and I am sure his sister will call us to see when he is better okay."

Christopher starts to bawl and scream,

"I don't want him to die like mommy. I love Uncle Buck."

Eddie hugs his son tightly and promises him,

"I promise I won't let nothing happen to uncle buck."

"You pinky promise,"

"Pinky promise."

They leave the box and game early to check and see buck is going to be okay. Buck's eyes slowly open to see he was in the hospital again; He saw Maddie sleeping on the chair to his left. But Buck was Startled to scream of joy from Christopher

"Daddy, Maddie, uncle buck is alive and wake."

"Hey, Christopher, thanks for the wake-up call sorry I scared you and missed the game I will make up to you."

"You better." Eddie added, "you gave us a scared."

Maddie slaps his brother,

"You sure did, now never do that again. Now thank your best friend, for saving your life."

Buck turns to Eddie and asks him,

"You saved my life."

Eddie says, "You would do the same for me."

"Of course, thank you for saving my life, I owe you, man, seriously."

Buck takes Eddie's hand and repeats to Eddie

"Thank you if there is anything you need, it's yours."

Eddie let's go buck's hand and pats on the back and tells him

"You're welcome, Buck."

Eddie and Christopher come home, and Christopher starts walking inside as Eddie stop to get the mail, and reality sets in as he realizes he might be a big problem. He wasn't sure how he was going to handle it. The next day Eddie went to the Los Angeles Department of Human Resources to handle a matter. After about an hour's wait, someone was able to see him. When Eddie sit a cubicle that was Cramped and small, a woman came from behind him and sat at the desk and said,

"Hello, I am Ashley Whitmore, your case supervisor, how may I help you, Mr. Diaz."

"Yeah, I got this letter stating my wife is still Beneficiary, but she died about a year ago, and I want my benefits to set in trust to my son till he turns 18."

"Sir, we sent you countless letters on this matter; you refused to reply."

Eddie trying his best not snap her but taking breaths he stated,

"as I said, I lost my wife. My son has cerebral palsy. It was hard for me then to handle I need to takin of my son and me."

The woman said, "I am sorry for your loss, but..."

Eddie starts to snap,

"I don't want to be sorry. I want you to help me protect my future for my son, please."

The woman sighed feeling sorry for him, so she sighed and decided to give him a tip,

"But is there is a way to have your benefits Transfer to your son?"

"What way, I will take anyway."

She sighed and asked Eddie the question that was going to make his mouth drop,

"Are you planning on getting married anytime soon?"

Eddie was walking the rest of the 118 families to visit Buck Eddie was thinking of Ashley explained to him to get married within the year. That spouse immediately is the beneficiary to his benefits, and his future for his is protected. But Eddie wasn't getting married nor planned to, but it was the only way. Who can trust and find someone to be married to protect his son? He stopped at buck's hospital room. Eddie with 118 when chimney once Eddie stop and was hesitant to enter, so chimney asked

"What a matter Eddie."

"Just got a lot on my chimney, tell buck I will be then."

"Alright," chimney said as he left Eddie to be alone

As Eddie was left alone, he overheard conversations going on in Buck's hospital room.

Captain came up buck hugs him to see him well,

"Gave us another scare again there, Buckley."

"Sorry, cap; I am better once this hospital I will be ready for the good fight."

He adds, "This guy, you never stop and take it easy. You need a real break."

"Guys, I am fine, really where is Eddie?"

Athena added "yes where is the man of the hour

"Chimney, did you see him?" Maddie asked

"I want to thank him. Eddie was a sure hero."

Buck added, "He is a hero, he is firefighter, a good friend, I trust him, and he trusts me with his son, that means the world to me I would do anything for him and that kid."

"Eddie is sure lucky to have you, uncle buck." Maddie giggles doing a light fist punch on her brother's shoulder.

Eddie smiled overhearing that and knew that perfect choice to help him and son with a problem the question for Eddie how to go about it.

Eddie enters and tells him. "Happy uncle buck up and running again."

"Yup ready to get back home fighting fires with my best bud," buck offers a fist, and Eddie accepts pumping his fist.

Maddie reminds "Not anytime soon right Bobby,"

"Cap what is my sister talking about."

Bobby hating to give bad news, but he had to tell Buck,

"Buck, take time off for a month or so regain your strength back. Then you come back with open arms

"What comes on, but." Buck snapped

Eddie he didn't want the buck to lose not like last time when was laid off, so he intervened by telling him,

"No, buts take the left rest feel better, okay bud, Christopher would want you to get better."

Buck sighs hating to agree that his sister, best friend was right he hissed out

"Fine, I will take leave, but I don't have to like it."

"Good, "Maddie said as she suggests, "I don't want you to leave alone during this so you can stay with me and chimney."

Buck wasn't going have that and told his sister,

"Okay, sis, I love you, but I am not going to be the third wheel of your budding new romance with chimney, I am perfectly capable of living on my own."

"But if you have another blood thinner episode, it just for a month. Or so. I don't want you to be alone if..." Maddie insisted

Buck Interrupts

"Maddie stops worrying me. I am not dying."

"Come on, buck, we are just trying to help be there for you. "chimney added while holding Maddie comforting her.

Maddie tried not to cry as she tries to explain to her brother.

"I didn't say you are dying. You are my brother; you took care of me, let care of you for a change."

Eddie didn't want to brother and sister fight, so he sighed and decided to be the mediator, and as he jumped with a practical solution.

"Buck can stay with me during his leave."

Maddie turns her head to smirk the prefect ploy she did for Eddie to bounce, helping his brother. And helping Buck to deal with feelings for Eddie. But Maddie play coy as she and Buck looked at Eddie at the same time said,

"What?"

"Buck can stay with Christopher and me for a month or so till his leave is over. Hate you fight over this, besides Christopher will be overjoyed in having in uncle buck sleeping over, don't let the kid buck, what do you say?"

Buck sighs wanted to say, but he wanted to tell told Eddie,

"Eddie, you and Christopher have done so much for me already, I can't ask you to..."

Eddie places his hand on his friend's shoulder assuring Buck,

"I didn't ask I am offering as your friend to my son, who trusts and cares about you to help you, and me. You have your choices to stay here hospital, stay your sister and chimney, or you can stay with me, your choice, buddy."

Buck looks at Maddie as nods her to Eddie's direction urging to accept Eddie's offer to help. Buck remembering the conversation they had before passed out at the game. Maybe this was his shot to show how much he cares for Eddie and Christopher as more than friends but his family. So buck made the decision and told Eddie

"Alright, I will say with you, but you have to let me help you take care of Christopher and your house. It is the least I can do."

Eddie told him, "I accept nothing less."

Maddie Secretly cheers for joy as she tries to keep her composure and, she tells Buck and Eddie,

"I am going to get a wheelchair for Buck, and we will be on our way."

Before leaving the room, Maddie hugs her brother whispers to him,

"Tell him."

Then Maddie goes to Eddie hugs him and tells him,

"Thank you for always being there for my brother. He trusts you with his life. He would do anything for you and Christopher."

Eddie smiles tell her, "You are welcome."

Eddie slowly realizes the truth in Maddie's words and begins to think about his problem with benefits, and maybe buck is the answer. Buck sighs and realizes that his sister was right. Eddie, he needs to know how he cares for Eddie and Christopher. He needed to know now before he had a chance. So he coughed and asked,

"Hey, all thanks for coming, but um, I want to talk Eddie alone but new living arrangements if you don't mind."

Bobby said, "Of course, come on guys; let's these two have some time, you guys."

The team left Buck and Eddie alone Eddie was relieved that he the chance for them to be alone and ask the biggest favor from a buck as he started to ask,

"Hey, Buck, I am happy you asked the team out of the room for their something I want to ask you."

Buck seeing his friend was unhinged and was worried if this was right to tell him anything, but he had to try before he never gets the chance to, so he started to tell Eddie,

"Well, there is something I want to tell you, but with that look on your face, your question seems more important than mine."

"It is," Eddie said

"Then ask away," Buck said

With no hesitation or feeling, Eddie asks Buck,

"Will you marry me?"

Buck's eyes are popping out him. Those four words of this question left Buck speechless. Nothing compared to what he was going to Eddie the question now what is going to Buck's answer.