#eddiediaz

Eddie crouched down and scratched him behind his ears, the familiar greeting easing some of the weight in his shoulders. “Missed me?” Eddie smiled as he watched the dog happily huffed in response. 

Scout’s service vest sat snug against his fur, the fabric slightly worn from constant use. The dog leaned into the touch for a brief second, warm and familiar, before his attention shifted, ears twitching as he glanced toward the living room.

Eddie noticed immediately. “Yeah,” he said softly, giving him one last pat. “I know. You’ve got a job to do.” he said. 

He gave him one last pat before heading toward the kitchen, rolling his neck as the stiffness of the last twenty-four hours settled in. He opened the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water, twisting the cap off as he leaned against the counter for a second.

Then his eyes drifted toward the living room. (Y/n) was curled up on the couch beneath a blanket, the TV playing quietly in the background. She hadn’t moved since he walked in.

Eddie frowned slightly at the sight, he walked over and crouched down in front of her, resting his forearms on his knees. “Hey.” he whispered, placing his hand softly onto the side of her head. 

With tired eyes, she looked up at him, offering a small smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Hey.” she whispered back. 

Up close, he could see the faint flush in her cheeks and the exhausted look in her eyes. “You look wiped,” he said quietly. And before she could answer, he leaned forward and pressed a quick kiss to her lips.

Then he moved the hand that was just onto the side of her head, towards her forehead where he gently pressed the back of his hand against it.  “Hey,” she murmured, swatting weakly at his arm. “What are you doing?” she asked. 

“Checking if you’re cooking,” Eddie said. In moments like this the paramedic side of him came up. His brow furrowed slightly at the feeling, she wasn’t burning up, but still she didn’t look well. “You don’t look great,” he added. “You sick?” he asked. 

“Just tired,” she muttered, shifting underneath the blanket, pulling it more over her body. Eddie studied her for another second before sitting back on his heels. “You been here all day?” he asked then. 

“Mostly.” (Y/n) answered. Scout was settled beside her on the couch, resting his head against her leg as if he already knew she wasn’t feeling well.

Eddie twisted the cap back onto his water bottle and rubbed the back of his neck. “Hey… uh. I meant to tell you something.” he said. 

Something in his tone made her look at him more closely. “What?” she asked, while she remained in the exact same position she had been since he walked in. 

He hesitated for a moment. Was this the best moment to tell her? Probably not. Did he try to push back this moment the entire day? Definitely. Was she going to be mad? For sure.

“I picked up another shift tomorrow.” He admitted, the words hung in the air for a second before she blinked at him. She pushed herself up in an instant, now sitting on the couch with the blanket half over her body. “You what?”

“Bobby needed someone to cover,” Eddie explained quickly. “Hen’s got something going on and Chim already worked overtime last week, so..” 

“Eddie…” (Y/n) whined as she sighed and looked up to the ceiling. “You promised tomorrow was your day off.” she continued as she let her eyes wander towards his now. 

His shoulders tensed slightly. “I know.” he said, placing his hands onto his hips. “We had plans.” (Y/n) went on. “We can still do it another day.” Eddie answered as he let a hand brush through his hair to get rid of the strands in front of his face. 

She let out a short, disbelieving laugh. “Yeah. Sure. Another day.” she reacted, rolling her eyes. Maybe it was her exhaustion speaking, but the reaction she just gave, rubbed Eddie the wrong way. Eddie frowned at her words, “What’s that supposed to mean?” he asked. 

“It means,” she started, while folding her arms “you’ve been saying that for the past three weeks.” she continued. 

He held up one of his hands, “Okay, that’s not fair.” he said, while shaking his head. “Oh really?” 

“I’m trying to help out my team,” Eddie shot back. “And I’m trying to spend time with my boyfriend,” she replied, frustration creeping into her voice.

For a moment they just stared at each other across the room. Eddie sighed, rubbing his temple. “You know how this job is, you know where you signed up for.” Eddie said sharply.

(Y/n) shook her head at the words that fell out of his mouth, not even looking at him. “Yeah,” she said quietly. “I do.”

The fever creeping up underneath her skin made everything feel heavier than it should. “You could’ve at least told me earlier,” she added. “Instead of just walking in and dropping it on me like it doesn’t matter what I think.” she continued.

“I literally just found out this afternoon.” Eddie answered, trying to keep calm. But he could just feel that this was going the wrong way already. 

“You still could’ve called.” She said, her eyes locking with his, again. “I was working.” The tone of Eddie’s voice sounded more annoyed.  “And you think I wasn’t waiting for you to come home?”

Eddie’s jaw tightened at her words, he looked down at the floor. “Look,” he said tiredly, “I’m exhausted. Can we just not do this tonight?” he sighed. 

Her chest tightened. “Yeah,” she muttered. “Fine.” 

Silence settled between them. After a moment, Eddie shook his head and made his way out of the living room. “I’ve got to be up at five anyway,” he mumbled as he grabbed his duffle and headed down the hallway.

(Y/n) sank back against the couch cushions, the room spinning faintly as the fever pulsed behind her eyes. “Goodnight, Eddie.” she sighed. Even though she hated him right here, right now… it didn’t feel right for her to end things like that. 

He paused in the hallway for a second as he heard her soft voice say that. “…Night.” And a moment later the bedroom door closed softly. The dog lifted his head beside her, watching her carefully. “It’s okay Scout, we’re gonna be alright.” she said softly, and gave him a small pat on his head. 

-

Eddie’s alarm buzzed softly at five in the morning, just like he said the night before. With his tired eyes slightly opened, he groaned under his breath and reached over to silence it. He let himself fall onto his back and for a moment he just laid there, staring at the ceiling, the heaviness of another early shift already settling into his bones.

Then he turned his head to his left, (Y/n) was asleep beside him. At some point during the night she must have come to bed. She was curled onto her side, half-buried under the blankets, her breathing slow. A faint flush still colored her cheeks, her hair a bit damp where it clung to her forehead.

Eddie frowned slightly.He pushed himself up onto one elbow and reached over, gently brushing a few strands of hair away from her face.

“Hey,” he murmured softly, even though he knew she wouldn’t wake.

Eddie reached out, carefully pressing the back of his hand against her forehead. He frowned at the feeling. “…You’re warm,” he murmured hesitatingly. She hadn’t been the night before. Or maybe he just hadn’t noticed. “Great,” he continued to mutter under his breath.

She stirred faintly but didn’t wake, shifting deeper into the pillow.

For a moment Eddie considered waking her… asking if she needed anything, maybe apologizing for the argument the night before. But when he looked at her again, she looked exhausted. So he let it go, he’d apologize when he’d got back tonight. 

He slipped quietly out of bed and grabbed his clothes from the chair, pulling his shirt on as he stepped into the hallway.

The house was quiet. Too quiet. Not like Eddie was used to. 

Christopher’s laughter wasn’t echoing down the hall, no video game sounds drifting from the living room. Chris had gone to stay at Aunt Pepa’s for the night, something Eddie had arranged earlier in the week when he realized his schedule was getting messy again.

He figured it was better than dragging Chris through another unpredictable shift change. As Eddie moved toward the kitchen, a familiar shape lifted its head from the living room floor.

The golden retriever watched him carefully. “Morning, buddy,” Eddie said quietly. But, the dog didn’t wag his tail like usual. Instead, he stood up slowly and padded past Eddie toward the bedroom, pausing in the hallway like he was checking something.

Eddie glanced after him, “You guarding the sick one, hm?” he said softly as he watched Scout disappear into the bedroom without a sound.

Eddie shrugged it off and grabbed his keys from the counter, taking one last sip of water before heading toward the door. He hesitated for just a second, should he… apologize now? 

Then he looked down the hallway toward the bedroom again, thinking about how (Y/n) was asleep, and felt warm when he pressed the back of his hand against her forehead. He shook his head, “…We’ll talk tonight,” he murmured to the empty house. Silently telling himself to let her sleep.

With that, he stepped outside and closed the door behind him. Inside the bedroom, the dog settled on the floor, beside the bed. Scout’s head rested near (Y/n)’s arm, eyes watching her carefully. A faint whine escaped him as her breathing hitched slightly in her sleep. 

Outside, the first pale light of morning crept slowly across the street. And somewhere in the distance, a car door slammed as Eddie stepped into his car, ready to take another shift.

Minutes later, (Y/n) woke slowly. At first it was just the fever, that heavy, suffocating warmth wrapped around her body, the kind that made every muscle ache. Her head throbbed behind her eyes, and when she tried to shift in the bed, the room tilted slightly.

A quiet whine pulled her out of the fog. She blinked. The golden retriever was sitting beside the bed, ears slightly back, watching her closely. “Hey,” she mumbled hoarsely, as her vision became more clear by every blink.

Her throat felt raw. The dog nudged his nose against the edge of the mattress, tail barely moving. “I’m okay,” she whispered, though it came out more like a croak.

She pushed herself up slowly, pressing a hand against her forehead as a wave of dizziness rolled through her. God… she felt awful. And she was never the one to say that so fast. 

Her eyes drifted toward the bedside table, searching for her phone. But in the middle of her reaching for her phone, she froze as a sound from somewhere in the house shook her. 

For a moment she told herself it was nothing and looked at the time on her phone. 

05:46 AM 

Maybe Eddie forgot something. Maybe he came back. But Eddie would’ve said something. Or maybe not… maybe he’d try and be quiet because she was asleep when he left. 

“Eddie?” she said weakly, placing one elbow underneath her body so she could lean on it. She pushed herself up as she focussed on the sound. Scout was on his feet now, his body had gone rigid, his ears were forward as he stared toward the hallway.

Another sound followed, a soft thud. It sounded like a drawer closing. Her heart skipped as she realized that she wasn’t imagining things. The dog let out a low warning growl and (Y/n)’s pulse started to pound in her ears as she pushed the blankets aside and slowly slid her feet onto the floor.

The room spun immediately as she sat up. “Easy,” she whispered to herself, gripping the edge of the mattress to steady herself. The dog stepped closer to her, pressing gently against her leg as if trying to keep her still.

Another noise echoed from the kitchen. Metal clinking softly through the house. Someone was definitely in the house, and it wasn’t Eddie.

Her stomach dropped. “Okay…” she breathed shakily, only audible for herself. Her hand fumbled for the phone on the nightstand, the screen lit up as she grabbed it. Her thumb hovered over Eddie’s name.

The dog’s growl deepened suddenly, footsteps were coming down the hallway. Her breath caught in her throat. “Shit,” she whispered.

The dog moved in front of her now, body squared toward the door, every muscle tense. (Y/n)’s chest tightened as the fever and fear twisted together in her stomach. The hallway floor creaked and a shadow under the bedroom door shifted.

Someone was right outside. 

(Y/n)’s breath caught in her throat. For a moment, the shadow under the bedroom door stopped. She held her breath, waiting for the shadow to shift. The shadow hovered for a moment at the door, but then moved away. 

The dog stiffened, low growl rumbling in his chest as the shadow disappeared. She let out her breath, softly as her pulse slammed against her ribs. Her fingers fumbled for her phone. She quickly dialed 9-1-1, hoping the dispatcher’s voice wouldn’t give her away. But the moment she had the phone against her ear, she second guessed her choice. 

“911, what’s your emergency?” the dispatcher on the other side of the phone spoke. 

Her mouth opened, but nothing came out. She could barely form a whisper, fear clamped her jaw shut as she realized the shadow coming back her way. Without a second thought or saying anything, she ended the call. One sound from the dispatcher would alert him.

What was she going to do? She couldn’t go anywhere, she was afraid to move, and she was definitely not calling anyone. She looked frantically around, but then the doorknob rattled violently. She didn’t think twice and she hung up the call with the emergency services.

Not a second later, the door creaked open. (Y/n) didn’t move. For a moment, she hoped it was Eddie. That he had forgotten something, come back, would call her name any second now.

But the man who stepped into the bedroom wasn’t Eddie. He stopped when he saw her. Just as surprised as she was. Silence stretched between them, thin and fragile.

Then it shattered. He moved fast, too fast for her to react. His hand closed around her arm and shoved her back hard. Her head struck the wall, sending an echo through her skull. Pain burst behind her eyes, sharp and immediate, her vision swimming as black spots flickered at the edges.

A breath caught in her throat, somewhere between a gasp and a cry, but it never fully came out. Before she could recover, before she could even think, something cold pressed against her side.

She froze and her eyes dropped. A knife.

Her heartbeat stuttered, then raced, slamming violently against her ribs. Slowly, she looked back up at him.

“You weren’t supposed to be here,” he said, voice low, strained, like he didn’t quite know what to do with her now that she was. That was the first thing she noticed. He wasn’t calm. He wasn’t in control. His grip on the knife wavered, just slightly.

Behind him, Scout growled. A low, steady sound that filled the room, warning and protective all at once.

(Y/n)’s breathing came too fast, too shallow. Her head throbbed where it had hit the wall, the dull ache already spreading, mixing with the heat of the fever still burning through her body.

Think. She had to think.

Her fingers pressed flat against the wall behind her, searching blindly. Anything, something… He shifted closer, trying to keep her pinned. That was his mistake.

She moved. Her hand shot up, grabbing his wrist that was holding the knife, and slammed it hard against the wall. The blade scraped uselessly against it, nowhere near her now.

He tried to pull back, but she held on, using every bit of strength she had left, even as her arms trembled from the effort. She twisted sharply, forcing his arm away from her body, slipping out from under him just enough.

And then she ran out of the bedroom. 

Her bare feet hit the hallway floor unevenly, her body swaying as dizziness hit her like a wave. The world tilted, her balance gone, her hand dragging along the wall to keep herself upright.

Her shoulder knocked into something, a picture frame, sending it crashing to the floor behind her. Too loud. Everything felt too loud.

She grabbed her phone blindly from the dresser as she passed, nearly dropping it as her fingers slipped.

She shouldn’t have hung up. God, she shouldn’t have hung up. She needed help.

Her steps faltered.

The hallway stretched in front of her, longer than it should have been, her vision blurring at the edges. She reached for the wall again, then the edge of a table but it shifted under her grip, something falling, hitting the floor with a dull thud.

She couldn’t walk straight. Her body wouldn’t cooperate. Behind her there were footsteps approaching fast.

A hand grabbed her from behind and shoved her forward, she slammed into the bookshelf.

The impact rattled through her shoulder, pain flaring sharply as the entire thing shook. Books toppled, crashing down around her, hitting the floor in heavy, uneven thuds. Before she could even turn his fist struck her across the face.

Her head snapped to the side, the force sending her down instantly. Her hands hit the floor first, then her knees, the impact jarring through her arms as the breath was knocked from her lungs.

For a second, she couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t even think.

Scout barked sharp and furious and then he was there, lunging forward, placing himself between them. Teeth snapped, catching onto something… fabric, maybe more.

The man shouted, stumbling back, trying to shake him off. “Get off!” 

The sound snapped her back. Move. She had to move.

Her hands slipped against the floor as she forced herself up, her arms shaking, her body unsteady beneath her. The world spun violently, her head pounding with every movement, but she pushed through it.

Kitchen. Closest exit.

She stumbled toward it, half-walking, half-falling, one hand dragging along the wall to keep herself upright. She reached the counter and grabbed onto it, her fingers tightening as she gasped for air, her ribs protesting with every breath.

Behind her sounded a high-pitched yelp.

Scout.

The sound cut through her like a blade. “No-” she tried to say, but her voice barely came out. 

Her hand slipped into the sink, knocking into dishes. Plates clattered loudly, the noise echoing too sharply in the quiet house. She turned just as he came at her again.

There was no time to think. She grabbed the first thing her hand touched, which was a plate and swung it hard.

It shattered against him. For a second, everything stilled. He looked at her. And something in his expression changed. Frustration and anger burned in his eyes. 

(Y/n)’s breath hitched, instinct told her to run, to move, but her body lagged behind her mind. His hand shot out, grabbing a fistful of her hair. Pain exploded across her scalp, sharp and immediate. She cried out as he yanked her backward and slammed her down onto the kitchen floor.

The impact knocked the air from her lungs completely. Her head hit hard, the world flashing white for a split second before dissolving into a blur, sound dulled.

Suddenly everything felt distant.

Scout barked frantically, as he rushed to her side, placing himself between her and the man, low growls vibrating through the room. The man stepped back, breathing hard, looking around at the destruction in the house. The broken glass, the overturned furniture, the chaos he hadn’t expected. “…Not worth it,” he muttered.

And then he turned and ran. The front door slammed and silence followed.

(Y/n) lay where he had left her. Her body didn’t respond when she tried to move. Her fingers twitched weakly against the floor. Her vision blurred, darkening at the edges.

Scout nudged her urgently, whining softly, his nose pressing against her arm. Then it started. That familiar, terrifying shift beneath her skin. Her muscles tightened. Locked. Then jerked violently.

Her body convulsed against the floor as the seizure took hold of her body completely. Scout moved instantly, nudging her onto her side, staying close, pressing against her to keep her steady.

A soft, distressed whine escaped him. He stayed for a moment, and then ran across the room to the wall where he pressed the panic button. 

He rushed back immediately, pressing close to her again, watching, guarding, waiting. The house was destroyed.

And in the middle of it, was (Y/n), seizing on the kitchen floor.

______

The fire was out.

Smoke still curled from the windows of the apartment building, but the worst of it was over. The night air smelled like ash and burned wood as the team moved around the engine, packing equipment back into place.

Eddie slid the halligan back into its compartment and shut the door with a metallic clang. His turnout coat felt heavier than usual, soaked with sweat and smoke. He reached up, pulling off his helmet. 

For a moment he just stood there, pushing a hand through his damp hair before setting the helmet carefully into its slot on the truck. He let out a slow breath, glancing back at the building they had just saved.

Behind him, voices carried.

Buck leaned against the truck, shaking his head with a half-laugh. “I’m just saying! If you think you can carry a full flatscreen down a fire escape during a fire, maybe natural selection should take over.” he said.

Bobby huffed a quiet laugh, arms crossed. “People panic, Buck. And when they do, they don’t think straight.”

“Yeah, well, that guy almost took out three floors of railing,” Buck said, pushing himself off from leaning against the truck and putting his helmet into the right compartment. 

Eddie glanced over, faintly part of the conversation, but not fully. His attention drifted as he reached into his pocket, pulling out his phone.

The screen lit up, and his brow furrowed immediately. A notification flashed across the screen. 

Emergency Alert – Service Animal Activation

For a second his brain didn’t fully process it. Then it did. “What the hell…?” Eddie muttered quietly. 

The dog’s alert system, Scout must've activated the panic button. His stomach dropped. He straightened instantly, looking toward Bobby. “Hey, Cap-” but before Eddie could finish his sentence, the radio on everyone’s shoulder crackled loudly. 

“Dispatch to one eighteen.” The conversation they were having went quiet immediately. Bobby grabbed the radio that was attached to his shoulder. “One eighteen, go ahead.”

“One eighteen, we’ve received a panic button activation at 4995 South Bedford Street. We also received a previous 911 call from the residence that was disconnected.”

Eddie felt the blood drain from his face as the address sounded through the radio. Buck’s head turned sharply toward him. “…Eddie,” he said slowly. “Isn’t that-” 

Eddie didn’t answer right away, he didn’t have to. His phone was still in his hand, the alert glowing on the screen. “That’s my house.” Eddie said. 

Silence hit for half a second, then everything moved. “Everybody on the truck. Now,” Bobby ordered, already turning.

Compartment doors were slammed shut, and boots hit pavement as they climbed in. Julie and Thomas moved quickly to the ambulance. 

Eddie barely remembered getting into the truck. His chest felt tight, too tight.

His phone was still in his hand. Same alert.

Sirens roared to life.

And as the engine pulled away, Eddie’s grip tightened on the phone in his hand. “Come on…” he muttered under his breath.

Beside him, Buck didn’t say anything this time. He didn’t joke, didn’t fill the silence. He just sat there. Watching Eddie. This wasn’t just another call.

The sirens cut through the quiet of the morning.

Commuters were just starting to fill the streets, sunlight stretching across windshields and pavement. 

Eddie sat rigid, his back pressed against the seat, one hand gripping the edge so tightly his knuckles had gone white. His foot bounced rapidly against the floor, restless, uncontrollable.

“Come on…” he muttered under his breath, the ride towards his house was only three minutes from where they were. But somehow it felt like three days, weeks or even years. 

Outside, the city passed by in flashes of morning life. People walking, cars slowing for the sirens, someone standing at a crosswalk with a coffee in hand.

Normal. Everything looked normal.

But it wasn’t. Not for him.

His thoughts spiraled, (Y/n) on the couch, her voice, tired. The argument… the way he left it. “You look wiped” Eddie squeezed his eyes shut briefly, jaw tightening at the way he relived the night before. “Not now,” he whispered to himself. 

But the thoughts didn’t stop. What if she tried to call him? What if she needed him? What if…

His grip tightened again around the phone. Beside him, Buck sat unusually quiet. His eyes flicked toward Eddie once, then back ahead, giving him space but staying close, just incase he needed him.

Up front, Bobby’s focus stayed on the road. Eddie’s head snapped up as he realized the truck slowed down. His street.

Morning light spilled across it, quiet, almost peaceful, like nothing was going on. His house came into view. And something in his chest dropped. The truck hadn’t even fully come to a halt before Eddie was moving.

He shoved the door open and jumped down, boots hitting pavement hard. The air was cooler than he expected. “Eddie!” Buck called after him, but Bobby didn’t stop him.

Eddie was already running towards the front door. Closed. No visible movement. No sound. His stomach twisted. He had no keys. They were back at the station, in his locker like always. 

“Halligan!” Bobby called, already moving up behind him. Buck passed it forward quickly.

But Eddie didn’t wait. Not this time. Before Buck could hand over the halligan, Eddie planted his boot hard against the door, feeling the wood shudder. Pain shot through his leg as he kicked again, stronger this time, until the lock splintered.

The door opened with a heavy bang. Bobby and Buck exchanged a quick glance. Eddie didn’t need a Halligan. Eddie didn’t hesitate, he needed to know what was happening.

Eddie stepped inside, “(Y/n)!” his voice echoed through the house, sharp and desperate. “(Y/n)!” he called out. He called out before he realized what his house looked like. 

The sight of the house made him stop. The house was wrecked. Taking in the state of his house, he took a step forward. He immediately stopped, and lifted his foot as glass crunched underneath his boots. 

Eddie’s stomach dropped. “What the hell happened?” he breathed, more to himself than anyone else.

Boots moved past him, voices calling out as the team cleared rooms. But it all sounded distant. For Eddie his world has just stopped moving, as if someone had clicked the pause button. 

But he didn’t have any time to process. A bark got him back to reality. Sharp and urgent. Eddie’s head snapped toward the kitchen. “Scout?” he called out, he was moving before the thought even finished.

He moved through the dining area, through the doorframe that led to the kitchen. And then everything narrowed.

(Y/n) was on the floor. Her body jerked violently against the hardwood, uncontrollable, her limbs moving in sharp, erratic motions. Blood streaked down from her temple, dried and fresh, smeared across her cheek and the floor beneath her.

For a second Eddie couldn’t breathe. “No.. no, no, no!” he cried. He dropped to his knees beside her, hands hovering, not knowing where to touch, how to help. “Seizure!” he shouted, voice breaking.

Scout was pressed tightly against her side, one paw braced gently against her, keeping her from rolling. His body was tense, protective, eyes flicking to Eddie as if saying I did what I could. Eddie swallowed hard, reaching out, his hand brushing the dog’s neck. “You did good,” he said, voice shaking. “You did so good, buddy…”

Scout leaned into him for half a second, but didn’t leave her. He refused to leave her. “Julie, Thomas!” Bobby’s voice cut through as they rushed in. Eddie forced himself back, even though everything in him screamed not to.

Julie dropped beside (Y/n), hands already moving with practiced precision. “She’s still actively seizing,” she said quickly. “We need to stop this now.”

“Pulse is rapid,” Thomas added, while he moved his hand from her neck to her forehead, “She’s burning up, high fever.”

Eddie’s eyes flicked back to the blood on her face. “What happened to her head?” he asked, his voice tight, almost unsteady. Bobby was standing behind Eddie now, placing a light hand onto his shoulder, to offer silent support.

“Likely trauma,” Julie answered briefly, already focused on treatment. Her eyes stayed on (Y/n) as another wave of convulsions rolled through her body.

“She’s still seizing,” Thomas said, tension creeping into his voice. Julie didn’t hesitate. “Get me Midazolam,” she instructed, firm and clear. “We’re not waiting.”

Thomas was already reaching for the kit. “On it.”

Eddie swallowed hard, his gaze fixed on her. The way her body wouldn’t stop, the way her breathing hitched between movements.

“Administering,” Thomas said. Julie supported (Y/n)’s head as the dose was given. “Alright… come on,” she murmured under her breath, eyes tracking every movement, every change.

They waited, seconds stretched. And then finally the violent jerking began to slow, subtle at first, then more noticeably.

“There we go,” Thomas said quietly. “Good,” Julie nodded. “Let’s move. We’re transporting.” She shifted immediately into the next steps. “C-collar,” she ordered. “Given the head impact, we’re not taking chances.” Thomas nodded, reaching for the collar.

“Let’s get her on the stretcher careful with her head,” Julie continued, already coordinating the lift.

Eddie hovered just outside their space, watching every move, every word, like it was the only thing keeping him upright. Bobby’s hand was still on his shoulder. “She’s in good hands,” Bobby said quietly. Eddie didn’t take his eyes off her. “Yeah,” he said, voice low. But he didn’t sound convinced. “I know..”

They moved as soon as she was on a gurney. As they reached the ambulance, Eddie hesitated for half a second, his eyes flicking back toward the house. Toward Scout. The dog stood in the doorway now, watching, ears back, body tense. Eddie’s chest tightened at the sight. “Scout..” he breathed. 

“I’ve got him,” Buck said firmly, stepping up beside him, one hand resting on the strap which held his radio. Eddie looked at him, and Buck nodded once, reassuring him that it was okay. “Go. We’ll take care of him.”

Eddie nodded, swallowing hard. “Okay… okay.”  It was all he could manage to get out of his mouth. Then he turned back. She was already being loaded into the ambulance as Eddie climbed in right after, and the doors slammed shut behind him. 

Inside, everything felt too small. Too loud. Too fast.

Julie was already working on (Y/n) while Thomas was in the driver’s seat, making sure they were at the hospital as soon as possible. 

So many things were happening. Voices. Movement. Equipment.

But Eddie had his eyes fixated on her. He moved closer, reaching for her hand, gripping it carefully. Almost like if he held on tight enough, she wouldn’t slip away. “I’m sorry,” he said, voice breaking now, the words spilling out before he could stop them. “I’m so sorry… I shouldn’t have left like that..” he choked on his own words. 

His thumb brushed over her hand, desperate, grounding. “Just… stay with me, okay?” 

_

Eddie had lost count of how many cups of coffee he’d had. At this point, he had stopped counting and it had stopped being about staying awake.

Now it was just something to do with his hands. The paper cup sat half-empty between his hands, now lukewarm like the others before it. The waiting room lights buzzed faintly overhead, too bright for the hour it was. Too bright for how long he’d been sitting there.

Time didn’t feel real anymore. Every time the doors opened, his head snapped up, only to drop again when it wasn’t for him.

“Eddie.” a familiar voice sounded, bringing him back, once again, to reality. He looked up, and he noticed Athena stood in front of him. “Athena,” he said, straightening slightly. “Hey.” he tried to gather himself back together.

She studied him for a moment. Taking in the exhaustion, the tension, the way he looked like he hadn’t taken a full breath in hours. “I just came from talking to officers at the scene,” she said, getting straight to it.

Eddie’s grip tightened slightly around the cup “what happened?” he asked, voice low. Athena exhaled quietly. “Looks like a burglary,” she said. “Guy broke in thinking the place was empty. No signs he expected anyone to be home.”

Eddie’s jaw tightened.

“She surprised him,” Athena continued. “From what we can piece together, he panicked and things escalated.”

Eddie looked down, the words settling heavy in his chest. “The house is torn apart,” she added. “There was a struggle. Your dog…” she paused briefly, a small nod following, “he did his job. There’s blood that doesn’t belong to her. We’ll run it, see who tried to-”

A flicker of something crossed Eddie’s face. Something like relief, pride, anger, all mixed up together. “He hurt her,” Eddie said quietly, cutting off Athena who was interrupted mid sentence. 

“Yeah,” she said. “He did.” she added. 

Silence took over the scene. Eddie stared at the floor, his mind filling in the gaps. The fear she must’ve felt in that moment while being alone in that house. 

“I was supposed to be there,” he said. The words came out before he could stop them. “I wasn’t even supposed to be on shift. I picked up an extra.” He let out a breath, shaking his head. “We had a fight. Stupid one. I told her I’d make it up to her and then I just… left.” he went on. 

He didn’t even know why he was spilling his guts to Athena at this point, but he couldn’t stop. But Athena didn’t interrupt him, she just listened to him.

“She was already sick,” he continued, voice tightening. “I knew that. I saw it. And I still walked out.” His grip tightened around the cup until it crumpled slightly in his hand. “And then this happens.” he continued and let out an exhale.

“I should’ve been there.” he said. Athena’s gaze stayed steady on him. “Eddie, you don’t know if you could’ve stopped it.” Athena said, trying to get him out of this spiral. 

Eddie shook his head. “I could’ve been there,” he repeated. “That’s the point.” The words hung heavy between them. He scrubbed a hand over his face, trying to push it all down, trying to breathe through it. 

Then, almost like he needed to get out of his own head, “How do you do it?” he asked suddenly, glancing up at her. “You and Bobby. It just… works.” he said.

Athena raised an eyebrow slightly. Eddie shook his head immediately, why did he just ask her that?  “Forget I asked,” he muttered. “That was… yeah. Not my business.”

A small, knowing smile touched her lips. “No,” she said gently. “It’s a fair question.” He met her eyes again, he didn’t look convinced.

“It’s not perfect,” she continued. “It’s work. Every day. We mess up. We miss things. We say the wrong things,” she said. “But we don’t walk away from it.” Her voice softened slightly. “You don’t get it right all the time, Eddie. You just show up. And when you don’t? You fix it.” 

Eddie swallowed hard, looking down again. “I don’t know if I get the chance to fix this,” he admitted.

Athena tilted her head slightly. “You don’t get to decide that for her.” she said, looking at Eddie while he rubbed a hand over his face for a second before looking back at Athena. 

The waiting room fell quiet again.

“Eddie Diaz?” a female voice sounded through the waiting room where he’d been for the past few hours. He looked up instantly. A nurse stood a few feet away. 

He was on his feet before she could say anything else. “Yeah. Yeah, that’s me.” he said. The nurse send him a small smile, “She’s awake, you can go see her.” she said. 

For a moment, everything else faded. Relief hit him hard, sharp and overwhelming. “Okay,” he said quickly, already moving. “Okay.” he repeated, not really knowing what to do, if she even wanted to see him. 

He glanced back at Athena once. She gave him a small nod, silently telling him to go. And this time, Eddie didn’t hesitate.

The walk down the hallway felt longer than it should have.

Eddie barely registered anything around him. The voices, the movement, the distant beeping of monitors. It all blurred together. She was awake, that was all that mattered to him at this point.

The nurse stopped in front of a door and pushed it open gently. “She’s right in here.” she said, Eddie nodded, but his feet didn’t follow right away. For a second, he just stood there. Then he stepped inside.

The room was dim, quiet in a way that almost didn’t feel real after everything that had happened. Machines hummed softly, steady and controlled, their rhythm filling the silence.

(Y/n) lay in the hospital bed, pale against the white sheets, her hair pushed back just enough to reveal the bandage near her hairline. Bruises had already begun to settle across her face, darkening the skin beneath her eye, along her cheekbone.

Her eyes shifted toward the door and when she saw him. Something in her face softened. Lit up, even through the exhaustion she felt. Like she hadn’t been sure he’d come.

It hit him harder than anything else so far. For a moment he just stood inside the room, hands tucked into his pockets, shoulders slightly tense, like stepping any closer would make all of it real in a way he wasn’t ready for yet.

The nurse who let Eddie in,  stood beside her, adjusting the IV, checking the monitor. “She’s doing well,” the nurse said gently, glancing at Eddie. “Vitals are stable. Just keep things calm.” she added, looking at (Y/n). 

(Y/n) nodded, “Yeah.” Eddie said, his voice came out quieter than usual. He stayed where he was while the nurse finished her check, his eyes never leaving (Y/n). Taking her in piece by piece, like he needed to memorize that she was here.

The nurse gave a small smile before stepping out, the door clicking softly shut behind her. And silence followed, Eddie exhaled slowly trying to break the silence as he moved forward.

Each step felt careful, measured, like the ground might give out beneath him if he rushed it. He reached the bedside, his hand hovering for a second before he let it settle over hers.

Her fingers curled around his almost instantly. “…Hey,” she said softly, her voice rough.

Eddie sent her a reassuring smile “Hey.” he said, sounding more like a whisper. For a moment, neither of them said anything. There was too much there. Too much that almost hadn’t been said at all.

“I’m sorry,” Eddie started, the words coming out low, automatic, like they’d been sitting on his tongue for hours. “About yesterday, about the fight… I shouldn’t have left like that, I should’ve..” he stopped talking as she interrupted him.

“Eddie.” Her voice wasn’t loud, but it stopped him completely. He looked at her, really looked at her. “I’m okay,” she said gently, squeezing his hand softly. 

His jaw tightened and his grip on her hand shifted slightly, like he was holding on just a little tighter than before. “I should’ve been there,” he said anyway, quieter now, like the words were heavier the second time. “You were sick, I knew that, and I still left.”

(Y/n) shook her head, “Eddie, I knew what I was getting into.” she said almost immediately.  The words were soft, but they landed. Her thumb brushed lightly over the back of his hand, slow, grounding.

“When we started this,” she continued, her voice steady despite everything, “I knew your job doesn’t come with a schedule. I knew there’d be nights like that. Extra shifts. Calls you can’t ignore.”

Eddie looked down at their hands, his brows pulling together slightly. “That doesn’t make it okay,” he said quietly. 

“No,” she agreed. “It doesn’t.” she said, and left a small pause. “But it also doesn’t make it your fault.” 

The room felt still again.

Eddie let out a slow breath, like he didn’t quite know what to do with that. 

“He said I wasn’t supposed to be there,” she added after a moment, her voice softer now, more distant. “Like I messed up his plan just by… being home.”

Eddie’s head lifted immediately, something sharp flashing across his expression. “He hurt you,” he said, voice tight. Her gaze softened slightly. “Yeah,” she admitted quietly.

Silence stretched between them again.

“I thought…” Eddie started, then stopped. His throat worked slightly before he tried again. “When we got there.. when I saw the house…I thought I was too late.”

The words came out rough, barely held together. Her fingers tightened, once again, around his. “You weren't,” she said softly.

He shook his head slightly, like he was still stuck in that moment. “You weren’t moving,” he said, not even looking at her. “You were just..” He couldn’t finish it. 

Her expression shifted, something softer, more understanding. “I wasn’t alone,” she said quietly. Eddie frowned slightly. “Scout,” she clarified. Something in his chest loosened just a fraction. “He stayed,” she continued. “Kept me on my side… pressed that button. He did everything he was supposed to.”

Eddie let out a slow breath, his hand coming up briefly to drag across his face before settling back over hers. “Good dog,” he murmured.

“Yeah,” she said faintly. “The best.” she smiled. 

Another pause took over the conversation, longer this time. Eddie looked at her again, really looked this time. At the bruises, the bandage, the exhaustion in her eyes. “I don’t know what I would’ve done if…” he started, then stopped, his voice catching slightly.

She squeezed his hand. “You don’t have to finish that,” she said gently. He nodded once, swallowing hard. She shifted slightly against the pillow, wincing just a little as the movement pulled at something sore.

A quiet breath escaped her. “Pretty sure I’m gonna have a bad ass scar though.” It was soft, almost careful. Eddie blinked, the shift catching him off guard.

“…Yeah?” he asked, a hint of something lighter finally breaking through. A small smile tugged at her lips. “Yeah,” she murmured. “Right here.” She tilted her head slightly, careful of the bandage. “Very dramatic.”

Eddie huffed out a quiet breath, something that might’ve been a laugh if it had more strength behind it. “You’ve already got enough character,” he said softly.

Her eyes stayed on him. Like none of this had changed that part. Eddie held her gaze for a long moment. “I love you.” he whispered. 

The words seemed to hang in the air between them, fragile and heavy.

“I love you.”

The words settled between them, quiet but certain.

(Y/n)’s breath caught slightly, her gaze softening as she looked at him. Eddie held her eyes for a second longer, like he was making sure she’d really heard him. Before something shifted in his expression. Not lighter, exactly… but steadier.

He glanced at the bed, then back at her. “…Scoot,” he murmured gently, nodding toward the small space beside her.

It wasn’t a question.

(Y/n) let out the faintest breath of a laugh. It was soft, tired, but real, as she shifted carefully, wincing just slightly as she made room for him. “Bossy,” she mumbled under her breath.

Eddie huffed quietly, already moving, one hand bracing against the mattress as he climbed in beside her with careful movements, making sure not to jostle her too much. 

“Come on, humor me” he shot back lightly, like that explained everything. Once he settled, he hesitated for just a second, like he wasn’t sure how much he was allowed to hold her.

His arm slid carefully around her, pulling her gently against his chest. (Y/n) didn’t hesitate.

She melted into him, her head resting just below his collarbone, her hand still loosely holding onto his shirt like she needed the anchor. Eddie exhaled slowly, his chin resting lightly against the top of her head.

His hand came up to cradle the back of her head, fingers threading carefully through her hair, mindful of the bandage.

“I’ve got you,” he murmured. (Y/n) shifted just slightly closer, her voice barely above a whisper.

“I know.”

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •