Drowning on Dry Land

Momentary Relief

Normally when a disaster happened, Eddie was able to keep his cool and save lives because that was his job. But this tsunami was kicking his ass. He had been prepared for it to be awful and for the high death toll, but nothing could prepare him for what he would feel with his own child and his– Buck being out there somewhere.

He dropped Firefighter Bosco off at the Veteran's hospital, even though he would much rather be out in the streets searching for his son.

When his eyes landed on the coughing boy sitting beside his mother, all Eddie could see for a moment was Chris. But as quickly as the thought came, it was shoved aside as he lurched forward to the child whose coughing suddenly worsened.

"Kyle, what's wrong?" The woman shouted frantically.

"He's drowning." Eddie stated calmly, grabbing the boy, and laying him on his side on the floor. He used a flashlight to check the boy's throat, identifying the blockage, and quickly removed it so he could cough up the water that had been suffocating him.

"Short breaths, Kyle. Nice and easy," He waved the stretcher toward him. "All right. On three. One. Two. Three."

He settled the boy on the stretcher with a mask and let the doctors take him away.

Bosco started to talk to him, but he ignored her in favor of a stressed doctor.

"Paramedic?"

"No, but I was a medic in the service." Eddie offered quietly.

"In case you couldn't tell, we are severely shorthanded. Any chance you could lend a hand?" He pleaded.

"I'm sorry. I wish I could help, but my son is out there. He's only eight."

The doctor nodded understandingly. "If you find him and can lend a hand after, we will welcome it. For now if you go to the tent outside, they have a list of all the patients."

He shook the man's hand quickly, then sprinted outside leaving Bosco behind.

He flagged down a woman holding a clipboard. "Hi, excuse me. I'm looking for my son. He's got brown hair. Chris– Christopher."

The woman gives him a soft look before asking, "How old?"

"Eight. Almost Nine. His birthday is next month. Christopher Diaz. He has CP. My–," he hesitated for a moment before continuing. "My husband said he lost his crutches and his glasses, but they got separated."

"Christopher Diaz. No, not here," she placed a hand gently on his arm. "You may want to check over there at the black tent."

Eddie looked over her shoulder at said tent, standing ominously against the building. "But that's–"

"The morgue. Excuse me."

His whole world stopped. He tripped his way to the tent barely breathing. He leaned heavily against the side of the building trying to steel himself for what he might find.

He focused on his breathing, trying to will the panic from his chest. When he heard a woman's voice to his left.

"Hijo, estamos a salvo. Ahora podemos a buscar tu Buck. ¿Bien?"

The second he heard 'Buck' he straightened, searching the crowd for his son. Buck wasn't a common name it had to be–

"Christopher!"

There was a second of nothing before he heard it. "Daddy?!"

He was on his son in seconds. Practically tackling his small child, placing kisses to his hair. A sob of relief wrenching its way from his throat.

"Are you Buck?" The woman asked kindly.

"No, I'm Eddie. His father."

She nodded smiling, "He was looking for his Buck." Before leaving them to hold each other.

He carried Chris to a cot and practically begged someone to tell him his son was healthy.

Chris just smiled a bright tired smile, as though he hadn't just been through a terrible disaster. "Daddy, I'm fine. Bucky saved me. Where is he?"

"I will radio for him. Don't worry, mi hijo."

He stepped away just enough to give the nurse space to work, before reaching for his radio.

"118, do you copy?"

"Go ahead Eddie." Bobby responded immediately.

"I've got Christopher. We are at the VA hospital. He's okay."

"Thank god. Has he been looked over? Did you tell Buck?" Hen exclaimed, as Chim and Bobby made similar sentiments.

"I'm going to radio the officer from earlier now." Eddie couldn't help the small smile on his face. His family was okay.

"Copy. We are headed your way with survivors now."

Eddie switched his radio to the open frequency, happy that both of his boys were safe.

"This is Firefighter Eddie Diaz for Mobile One, Officer Ryan. This is Firefighter Eddie Diaz for Mobile One, Officer Ryan." He repeated a couple times before the radio finally crackled.

"Officer Ryan. Go for Firefighter Diaz."

"Sir, we found my son Christopher. Can you send Evan Buckley to the VA hospital?"

If Eddie was expecting any response it wasn't the one he got.

"I'm sorry Mr. Diaz. Your husband left the camp at least an hour ago. I asked him to help with survivors, but he insisted he needed to find your son. He didn't even wait for an evaluation. He just got his breath back, grabbed a dry shirt from your ladder truck, and headed back out."

"He's gone?" Eddie asked stunned, sinking down to his knees.

"I'm sorry sir. If we see him again I will radio."

He had been happy for one beautiful moment, and then it was shattered again. Buck was out there. Alone. Searching for Christopher. And Eddie didn't even know if he was hurt... or alive.

Notes:

Spanish translation: Son, We're safe. Now we can look for your Buck. Good?"

Thank you to my beta, httpstiles <3