Drowning on Dry Land

When Life Gets Too Hard to Stand, Kneel

Eddie was exhausted— bone wary from eighteen hours on his feet, but also deeply emotionally exhausted.

Buck was still in surgery, had been for the last few hours. He had been airlifted to a more functional hospital before the team could even make it to the VA. The doctors were worried about internal bleeding and a possible brain bleed, and the VA just wasn't equipped to help him.

The whole team was draped over each other, some napping, but Eddie was pacing. He couldn't calm his racing heart. He had never wanted to wait in a surgery waiting room again— not after last time— but here he was, waiting for news on Buck but also dreading it.

He felt bad for Maddie. She hadn't cried since they moved hospitals, instead was just staring vacantly at a wall, waiting to hear if she would lose her baby brother. He wished he was emotionally stable enough to comfort her, but he was a wreck— maybe worse than she was right now.

She was so much stronger than him. When she found him sprawled on the floor of the VA, tear tracks etched down his cheeks, she just silently passed Christopher to Bosko before sliding to the floor and wrapping herself in his lap, where they sobbed together.

They broke down completely, until a doctor came rushing out to them, telling them that Buck's injuries were more serious than they thought and he needed to be transferred immediately. Maddie's back had straightened and her face hardened when she told them to do it. Save him, however necessary.

Eddie didn't know how she did it. He was used to this chaos— probably more than she would ever be, but he wasn't prepared— not to lose Buck. No matter how many times he was hurt, he never got used to the gut wrenching fear that enveloped him.

This time was worse though, Buck had been injured saving his son— fighting to get him back. God, if he didn't make it, Eddie would never forgive himself for forcing Buck to go out.

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After six hours of waiting, the doctor finally came out.

"Family of Evan Buckley-Diaz?"

The whole group stood, some shooting Eddie weird looks, which he ignored. He'd never said that Buck was a Diaz— the doctor at the VA must have assumed.

They stared at the woman expectantly, but it was Cap who broke their silence.

"Is he—?"

The doctor smiled softly, which unclenched Eddie's heart just a bit. "He's doing okay. We managed to stop all of the bleeding, pumped him full of fluids and gave him several blood transfusions. He had a broken rib that was puncturing his lung, which caused his lung to collapse on the table, a large laceration to his forearm, some internal bleeding in his abdomen from blunt force trauma, and some slight swelling in his brain, which should go down soon. We believe the nonepileptic seizure he suffered while at the VA was a result of blood loss or the hit he took to the head, and that he is unlikely to have any more, however we will be monitoring him for those as well. If he wakes up, he'll have some recovery time, but— "

Eddie's heart flew back into his throat when the doctor said "if", so much so that he couldn't stop himself from interrupting. "I— If?" he managed to stammer out.

The doctor turned to him and her face softened. "We see no apparent reason that he won't wake up, however, the brain is very sensitive, as you know, and he's doing much better than when he got here, but there is a chance that he won't. We really just have to give him some time. A nurse will come out to bring you to his room shortly."

As she walked away, Eddie's legs grew weak, and a sob tore through his throat. All at once someone launched themselves at him, forcing him to stumble back in shock before he regained his balance and wrapped his arms around them. He didn't even need to open his eyes to know that once again he had an armful of Maddie, who had finally broke down again and was sobbing steadily against his neck.