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It comes out of nowhere.
Eddie and Buck are clearing the fourth floor of an office tower that's caught fire when a metal support beam breaks through the ceiling above them. Eddie barely has time to suck in a breath before it swings down like a pendulum, one end still fastened to the next beam. By the time the warning makes its way to his lips, though, Buck is already down.
And he's not moving.
Eddie radios it in, but there's no time to wait for a backboard and c-collar. Not when flames are suddenly pouring down through the hole in the ceiling, consuming everything in their path as they spread.
"Where the hell are those damn sprinklers?!" Eddie yells into his radio. Bobby's been working on that since they arrived on scene.
"Still offline," Bobby radios back. His voice is tight, uneven. He's worried. "Can you get Buck and get out?"
Eddie's pretty sure he doesn't have much of a choice.
So he maneuvers Buck as cautiously as he can to lift him over his shoulder and then Eddie hits the stairwell at a sprint. It's smoky, but the farther down he goes, the clearer it gets, and soon enough he's bursting out onto the street where Hen and Chim are already waiting with a stretcher and matching looks of concern marring their faces.
"Pupils are even, but unresponsive, heart rate is steady but weak. Cap, we need to get him to the hospital now," Hen pronounces after a quick once over.
"Go," Bobby orders. "Keep us updated."
Eddie is pretty sure Bobby's fighting the same damn urge as he is, wanting nothing more than to hop in the back of the ambulance and stay by Buck's side, but they have to get the fire out and continue evacuating the building.
So they stand back, side by side, and watch the ambulance drive away, a whispered prayer falling from each of their lips as Buck disappears from sight.
And then they turn back to the fire, because it's what they've sworn to do.
Thankfully, it isn't long before the sprinklers come online. After that, containing the fire is a breeze. And as soon as they're done on scene, Bobby takes them offline and the engine carries them right to the hospital.
It's been less than three hours, but Eddie's heart is lodged in his throat as they walk through the doors, gaze scanning the room for Hen and Chim the second he's inside. Chim is pacing the waiting room, likely on the phone with Maddie who's in Hershey with Jee-Yun, but as Eddie and Bobby and the rest of the team make their way over, Hen walks out from the exam rooms and Eddie swings towards her so fast that his boots squeal on the linoleum floors.
"How is he?"
She looks…confused, more than anything, but she's quick to assure them that Buck is okay.
Mostly.
"He's doing alright. He's awake and responsive and his vitals are reading just fine. But—"
One little word and it's like the ground gives way beneath Eddie's feet. He grabs on to the back of a nearby chair to keep himself steady. "But what?"
"Look, they're running more tests, and the doctors think it's temporary." Hen reaches out and wraps a hand around Eddie's forearm, shoring him up. Preparing him. "But there's a bit of swelling in his brain and it's…causing some side effects."
Fuck.
Fuck.
Eddie can't breathe. Of all the injuries they could sustain in their line of work, brain trauma is the one that scares them all the most, the one that there might just be no coming back from.
And Eddie doesn't know what he would do if he lost Buck.
"Eddie. Take a breath," Bobby says, suddenly right beside Eddie with a hand on his back.
Somehow, he does.
And then another.
"How bad?" Eddie whispers.
"He, um," Hen pauses. "He thinks he's a kid. A seven year old, to be precise."
"What?"
It's almost like an echo as Eddie, Bobby, and Chim all ask at the same time, the same disbelief in all of their voices.
"Some sort of age regression?" Hen explains, though it's clear she's at a loss herself. "The doctor says it's not unheard of, and that it typically resolves itself within a week or so as the swelling in the brain subsides."
For a fraction of a second, Eddie's mind goes completely and utterly blank, unable to comprehend what that even means, but then he's hit with a hundred thousand thoughts all at once, all competing for the top spot in his brain. In the end, one very specific thought wins.
Buck's childhood was…lonely. It's taken a lot of time to get him to open up about just how alone he was after Daniel died, and Eddie knows that Maddie was the only person in his life that showed him any love or kindness. So if he's reverted to his seven year old self…
"Where is he? I need to see him."
He must be so scared.
"I already told the doctor you were coming. Buck's limited to one visitor at a time, so everyone else will have to wait. I'll take you to him," Hen nods sympathetically, like she knows exactly what Eddie is thinking. Everyone else falls back, already familiar with the song and dance of visiting one of their own in the hospital.
Hen leads him to a little curtained off cubicle near the back of the emergency ward, pausing just outside the makeshift room. "He doesn't remember himself as Buck, so it's just Evan for now," she warns quietly. She waits for Eddie's nod of understanding before going any farther and Eddie's thankful for the reprieve.
Because the moment she opens the curtain, his heart breaks.
For a man over six feet tall and built like a brick shithouse, Buck has somehow managed to make himself so damn small in that bed. Curled up on his side with the flimsy sheet pulled all the way up to his chin, he looks like a frightened seven year old. And Eddie feels so fucking helpless all of a sudden.
"Hey, Evan," Hen says quietly and suddenly Buck looks just a little less scared. Hen must've made a comforting first impression. "Remember the friend I told you about that I said would come visit you? This is Eddie."
Eddie takes a half step forward but doesn't get too close. He doesn't want to overwhelm him and if Buck truly thinks he's seven again, that means Eddie is just another stranger. He has to pack away just how much that idea hurts, though, so he can be there for Buck, however this version of Buck needs him.
"He's your friend?" Buck asks. His voice is small and shaky and makes Eddie ache to reach out and wrap him up in his arms and never let go.
"He is my friend, but he's also your friend, even though you can't remember him right now," Hen says, voice gentle and assured. She's always been good with kids.
"My friend?" Buck asks, eyes wide.
"You're my best friend in the whole world," Eddie whispers. It's the truth, pure and simple, even if he has to leave off that Buck is also the love of his life and his fiancé and means the whole damn world to him.
"Really?" Buck seems so full of hope as he pulls himself up until he's cross legged in the middle of the bed with the sheet still pooled around his waist and the hospital gown sitting askew on his frame.
"Yeah, really." Eddie manages a hint of a smile, and Buck meets it with a shy smile of his own.
"Wow," Buck breathes as his gaze tracks over Eddie's soot-covered uniform. He'd left the turnout coat in the truck, but still has the boots and pants on, held up with their standard high-vis suspenders. "And you're a fireman?"
"Yeah, buddy. I'm a firefighter."
Buck seems to open up a little more after that, though he's still quieter and far more timid than Eddie is used to, especially when Hen gently pats Eddie's back and then walks away, presumably to update the rest of the team.
Eddie, meanwhile, pulls up a chair next to the bed and encourages Buck to lay back down and rest while they talk. It takes a bit of finagling to get Buck to agree — he's suddenly just as stubborn as Chris about being told to lay down — but eventually Buck curls up in bed and his eyelids begin to flutter the second his head hits the pillow.
"Is it exciting? Being a fireman?" Buck asks around a jaw cracking yawn.
Eddie keeps his voice pitched low and quiet as he tells Buck a watered-down version of what it's like to do their job and soon enough Buck is snoring lightly, face lax and free of the small signs of pain that had been tugging at the corners of his eyes when he was awake.
And Eddie just keeps talking.
He's really not sure what else to do.
It's nearly a half hour before a doctor walks into the little cubicle, a metal clipboard tucked under her arm. With her hair pulled back in a severe bun and posture so stiff she might as well be a two-by-four, Eddie expects a no-nonsense approach when she opens her mouth, but her voice is soft and seems to match the simple compassion that twinkles in her eyes, and Eddie immediately relaxes.
"Mr. Diaz, correct? You're listed as Mr. Buckley's next of kin and power of attorney?" she asks, not even looking at Buck's file. "I'm Doctor Wendell."
Eddie stands and moves to the foot of the bed, hoping not to wake Buck with the conversation they're about to have.
"Yeah, um, Eddie is fine," Eddie says, then quickly glances back to Buck to make sure he's still sleeping. "Is he going to be okay?"
"Mr. Buckley sustained an acute head injury. If he hadn't been wearing a helmet at the time, we wouldn't even be having this conversation, so all things considered, I'd say he's pretty lucky," Doctor Wendell says, not unkindly. "And while any trauma to the brain must be taken seriously and remain closely monitored, the swelling in Mr. Buckley's brain is localized and not nearly as severe as we'd been expecting."
It's good news, and Eddie breathes just a little bit easier, but it doesn't assuage his worry entirely.
"We'll keep him overnight to monitor for any complications, but I suspect we're just going to have to wait this out. And if he continues to improve as he has been, I would actually suggest taking him home. I think it would greatly benefit him to be surrounded by people and items that are familiar."
The doctor continues to speak, filling Eddie in on the results of various MRIs and PET scans, as well as diagnoses from Buck's physical exams, but half of Eddie's mind is already making plans for how to take Buck home and make him feel safe and loved without overwhelming him or making him feel pressured to remember.
And Eddie knows it'll be a fine line to walk.
But Doctor Wendell seems to have faith that it's the right move and that Eddie will be the ideal caregiver, especially given his army medic and first responder training.
Still, that doesn't keep Eddie from hoping and praying that Buck will come back to himself before that comes to pass.
Unfortunately, those prayers are left unanswered.
He spends the night by Buck's bed, only stepping away to make a quick call to Carla, asking her to keep Christopher overnight, and then for the occasional bathroom or coffee break when Buck is wheeled off for more tests. Otherwise, he keeps watch, chatting with Buck every time he wakes up or carding a hand through his hair when Buck whimpers in his sleep.
The team had all left once they were assured Buck was mostly okay, but Eddie also keeps them updated each time he finds out new information and, eventually, to tell them he'll be taking Buck home.
"I'm going home with you?" Buck asks Eddie when the doctor comes by to release Buck early in the afternoon. That hint of worry is back in his voice and it hurts Eddie more than he thought possible.
"Only if you want to, buddy. But it's not much fun staying at the hospital with nurses coming to poke and prod you all the time, right?"
Buck scrunches up his face like he's certainly tired of all the tests he's endured, and Eddie plays his trump card while Buck is already halfway to agreeing.
"And, I have a son at home that's just a few years older than you that I think you're really gonna like." Eddie hates saying I have a son, rather than we have a son, but he knows it's for the best. He doesn't want to confuse Buck any more than he already is.
Besides, Buck lights up at the idea of meeting a new friend and that joy in his eyes is kind of worth the white lie.
"Can we play?" Buck asks, unconsciously scooting towards the edge of the bed, like he's ready to leave. Now.
"Yeah, of course. But you still have to take it easy, too, okay? You took a pretty big bump to the head so you need to rest still."
Buck brings a hand up to his head where he's sporting a pretty epic goose egg, but he barely even touches it before he winces and drops his hand, tears springing to his eyes. It must hurt quite a bit.
"Hey, you're gonna feel better soon. I promise." Without even thinking, Eddie reaches out to give Buck's hand a squeeze, and with the way Buck practically melts into the touch, Eddie realizes that maybe keeping his distance isn't the way to go after all.
Buck told him once that he can only remember Maddie hugging him when he was a boy. He doesn't have a single memory of his mom wrapping him up in her arms, and only hazy memories of half-hearted back pats from his dad.
"Hey, buddy?" Eddie asks, mentally switching gears to treat Buck the same way he would treat Chris if he were sick or injured. Which means, if Buck is okay with it, a whole lot of hugs and cuddles to follow.
Buck's lip quivers as he whispers, "Yeah?"
"Would it be okay if I hugged you?"
A couple tears spill over as Buck nods his head and holds out his arms and Eddie doesn't hesitate. The angle is all wrong, with Buck sitting up in bed and the guard rail between them, but Eddie couldn't care less. He steps into the hug and pulls Buck close, his hands clenched into fists in the back of Buck's hospital gown as he hugs Buck with everything he has.
And Buck holds him back just as hard.
He sniffles and buries his face in Eddie's neck, and Eddie just holds him until Buck starts to pull away, rubbing at his eyes as he does.
"Okay, Evan. How about we go home now?"
"Okay."
It doesn't take long to get Buck's discharge papers or the pain killers that he'll need over the next few days, and soon enough Eddie is buckling Buck into the back of a cab and they're headed home.
The ride seems to tucker Buck right out and as soon as they're home, Eddie barely even gets Buck settled in bed before he's out cold, curled up on what is normally Eddie's side of the bed, though he knows he'll be sleeping on the couch for the foreseeable future so Buck can have the room to himself.
Any doubts that Eddie may have still had about bringing Buck home disappear as Buck burrows into Eddie's pillow, breathing in deep even as he slips further into slumber. He looks completely at peace and Eddie suspects he'll be out for a while now that he can sleep uninterrupted.
And Eddie thinks it's probably for the best.
Because now he has to explain things to Chris and he's honestly not sure where to begin.
Carla, bless her, had kept Chris in the living room while Eddie got Buck settled in, but after that, with a promise to check on them soon, she heads out, leaving a very confused Christopher waiting for answers about what happened to his Bucky.
It's simple enough for Eddie to explain the accident without going into too much detail, but then comes the hard part.
"So. Remember how we talked about the brain being really complicated?" Eddie says, remembering the health class homework Christopher had brought home last year.
"Yeah?" Christopher answers, suddenly confused about the turn the conversation has taken.
"Well. Buck's brain is just a little bit jumbled right now. A lot of his memories are gone, but the doctor said they should come back soon. Probably."
Chris chews on his lip for a moment before his face lights up, like he understands completely.
"Like Esperanza in our stories!"
And really, Eddie couldn't be more grateful for their recent binge watch of old telenovelas. at least it gives Christopher a frame of reference to work with."
"Sort of," Eddie smiles and reaches out to ruffle Chris's hair. "Except Buck can't remember anything after when he was just a kid."
Christopher seems to be chewing that over, but the longer he thinks, the more his face falls and Eddie can practically see the sadness wrap around him.
"What's the matter, mijo?"
"Bucky doesn't remember me?"
Eddie probably should've been prepared for that but it's like a kick to the chest to hear that heartbreak when Chris's voice is usually so sunny and bright.
"Right now, no. He doesn't remember you or me or the 118. He doesn't even remember himself. But the doctor says that it should only be temporary. So for now, you and me need to work together to make Buck feel safe here, okay?"
Chris pulls back, sadness replaced by confusion. "Why wouldn't he feel safe?"
"Well. Buck's brain thinks he's just a boy. And he woke up in a hospital with a whole bunch of strangers around him and a bump on his head and no memory of what happened. Think how scary that must be."
It must be terrifying, really, and Eddie is determined to make Buck feel as comfortable as he possibly can. Judging by the look on Chris's face, he feels the same.
"So. I know it's hard, but we can't push Buck to remember. We just have to support him and be there for him while he remembers things at his own pace, okay?"
"Okay, dad."
And it turns out, that's easier than Eddie would've expected.
Eddie and Christopher spend the next half hour or so sitting on the couch discussing all the things they should or shouldn't do when a small voice floats from down the hall.
"Eddie?"
Eddie winks at Chris and then turns toward the hall. "Out here, buddy."
When Buck shuffles out, clad in a pair of sweatpants and a hoodie that looks oddly large on him as he tugs anxiously at the sleeves, Eddie smiles softly and says, "Evan, this is Christopher. My son."
Buck dips his head but waves shyly, and Christopher pushes to his feet.
"Hi, Evan. Wanna see my room? I have lots of Legos."
Buck perks right up at that.
"Okay!"
And they're off.
Which is pretty much how they spend the next three days. Chris and Buck play with his toys and video games, Buck naps on and off through the day, the team comes over — one at a time so Buck is never overwhelmed — and Eddie essentially becomes a stay at home dad with two kiddos to look after.
Fortunately, Bobby was able to arrange emergency leave for Eddie and sick leave for Buck, so they're able to stay at home and focus on healing. But while the goose egg on Buck's head slowly begins to shrink and he gains his energy back, needing fewer and fewer naps through the day as the week marches on, his memory doesn't improve at all.
The funny thing is that, while Eddie obviously wants Buck to get better and get his memories back, he has to admit that it's nice to see Buck so carefree. Because it doesn't take long at all for this new version of Buck to fit right in, just like he always has and always will.
The shy boy Eddie first encountered at the hospital quickly blooms into the excited, enthusiastic bundle of joy that Eddie and Chris already know and love, even if it's just a seven year old version of the man they're used to. And without all of the trauma that adult Buck endured, this version seems to radiate a pure happiness like Eddie has never seen before.
It's nice. Weird, but nice.
But on their fourth day home, Eddie is struck by just how pure that childhood joy can truly be.
"Dad!"
"Eddie!"
The shouts come simultaneously as the backdoor swings open and Eddie spins around to find Buck and Christopher grinning from ear to ear, Chris panting as he tries to catch his breath and Buck's cheeks flushed with excitement. They're both damp from the unexpected rainstorm that they absolutely insisted they had to go play in.
"Dad, you have to come see!"
"See what, mijo?" Eddie asks, but he's already turning the burner off so he can follow them outside. Lunch can wait.
"We found a waterfall!" Buck bounces in the doorway, like there's just too much energy inside to contain.
It's adorable.
"A waterfall?" Eddie says. "Here?"
"Weeeeeell—" Buck's toe scuffs at the floor, his gaze suddenly darting off to the side, and Eddie's already pretty sure they did something they weren't supposed to.
"It's only a few blocks away," Chris says, puppy dog eyes on full display. "And Buck, I mean, Evan still looks like a grown up so no one said nothing."
Eddie shakes his head and huffs out a breath. They were told not to go anywhere that involved crossing any streets while Eddie made lunch. "You're both grounded for breaking the rules."
His head spins even as the words come out of his mouth. Can he ground his fiancé? How the hell does that even work? But Buck looks so sad and Chris looks moderately annoyed at being told he can't cross the street alone when he's been allowed to do it for the last two years, so Eddie softens just a little.
"But that doesn't start until after you show me the waterfall you discovered."
Buck lights up like a damn Christmas tree, Christopher whoops and pumps his fist, knocking a crutch to the ground with a clatter as he does, and the next thing Eddie knows, he's being led to a small park a few blocks west of the house.
The community greenspace isn't overly large, but it's lined with trees on two sides and has a little playground in the center so it's always a pretty popular space with families. Buck and Christopher, though, lead Eddie right past the playground and into the trees at the back of the park.
There's not much to walk through before the greenspace is cut off by a chain link fence that separates the area from the back of a small strip mall with a convenience store, drycleaner, hair salon, and pet grooming business, but from the determined looks on Buck and Christopher's faces, they might as well be trekking through the depths of the amazon rainforest.
Eddie's grinning before they even get to their destination, just from watching Buck and Chris chatter excitedly, and seeing how Buck is always close by to help Chris with any tree stumps or underbrush that tries to trip him up. So when they stop at the bottom of a small incline, grassy ground bracketing either side of the strip of rocks and small boulders that climbs the short hill, Eddie's ready to go along with whatever the plan is.
"Okay. We gotta get down for the best view," Buck says, looking to Eddie for permission, then glancing down at the front of his clothes where there's already dried mud smudged here and there. Eddie hadn't even noticed until just now, but Buck looks more than a little guilty.
"Well then we better get down," Eddie smiles.
What's an extra load of laundry against this much excitement?
"See, I told you it would be okay. Dad's the best," Christopher beams.
Eddie's pretty sure his own grin matches Buck's.
But then they're all getting down on their stomachs in the damp grass, just next to the small rocky outcropping that leads its way up the little hill. The whole thing is less than four feet tall, but Eddie admits that it looks much larger once he's craning his neck to look up at it. And as soon as he's on the ground, he sees exactly what they're there for.
The rocks leading up the hill are uneven, some overhanging others, which leaves little alcoves scattered here and there all the way up.
Just big enough for some of Christopher's army men to make a home in the little pockets.
Eddie spies four of them already in place in the rocks, though the last of those takes a second for him to find. The rain from earlier still runs down from overhead, flowing in a steady stream over the rocks in what, to the army men, must surely look like an epic waterfall, and the last little green guy is tucked in an alcove that's almost entirely hidden by the rush of water.
And Buck and Christopher, as it turns out, have pockets full of more brothers-in-arms.
Every single one of those toys finds a home in the hidden caverns behind the waterfall, except for the three at the bottom that stand on either bank of the flowing river, keeping an eye out for threats for their squad.
Their names, Eddie is informed quite solemnly, are Colonel Eddie, Captain Evan, and Private Christopher.
And they all take their job very seriously.
Even if Buck and Chris dissolve into giggles in random intervals, which makes it nearly impossible for Eddie to stay in character.
They're out there for nearly an hour with their tiny green counterparts when Buck grabs hold of his head, eyes squeezed shut tight as he bites down on a pained groan. The movement knocks his army man into the stream, but none of them pay it any mind.
"Bucky?"
"Evan?"
Eddie and Christopher call out at the same time, but it seems to take a moment before the pain lessens its hold enough for Buck to respond.
"Eddie? My head hurts. I think I wanna lay down?"
Eddie's on his feet in no time with Chris just behind him, and it only takes a few minutes before they're all heading back to the house, far more subdued than on the way over.
"Okay buddy, let's get you settled into bed," Eddie says, leading Buck into the house and down the hall to the bedroom. He helps him get changed out of his dirty clothes and into his pyjamas, then tucks him into bed, with Chris never leaving their side for even a second. "You just lay down and I'm going to call Hen over to come make sure everything is okay."
Buck's bottom lip trembles, but he nods his head, just once, before he drops back against the pillows. By the time Eddie makes it to the doorway, Chris is already next to the bed, wrapping his hand around Buck's.
Eddie loves them both so damn much.
Hen comes over immediately, quite obviously from the middle of a shift since she's in uniform, and Eddie uses the time she's with Buck to get himself and Christopher changed into clean clothes, too. Fresh and clean and just a little antsy, they both wait on pins and needles for Hen to come out.
Thankfully, the wait isn't long.
"I think he's fine. He just needs to rest. It sounds like you guys had a busy day and Buck needs to let his brain turn off for a little now."
Eddie knows she's keeping things simple for Chris, but he can tell she means it. Buck is going to be okay.
And Eddie has never felt more relieved in his life.
But even with Hen's reassurance that Buck is fine, Eddie and Chris are both tense throughout the rest of the day. After she leaves, with a promise to come back in the morning to look Buck over, they throw on a movie but Eddie only half pays attention to the plot and he catches Chris looking towards the hallway constantly, no doubt wondering how Buck is doing.
So when Buck finally does wander down the hall late in the evening, Eddie and Chris are both on their feet before he even makes it into the room.
"Hey buddy, how are you feeling?" Eddie asks quietly. If Buck still has a headache, he doesn't want to make it worse.
"I had the weirdest dream," Buck says while scrubbing a hand over his face. "A whole platoon of soldiers were defending a waterfall? I don't know what from, but they were taking their job very seriously."
There's something different about Buck, Eddie realizes as he stands there, watching the man shake off the dream that makes perfect sense to Eddie, considering the afternoon's adventure. And that something is infinitely more solid and grounded than Buck's been the last few days.
"Buck?" Eddie asks. It comes out a little breathy as the word catches in his throat.
"Eds?" Buck returns with a tilt of his head, looking at Eddie like maybe Eddie's lost his mind.
With a quick look between Buck and Eddie, Chris seems to catch on and carefully walks forward, until he's only inches away from Buck. "Bucky? Are you back?"
Even though Buck's face scrunches up in confusion, he still drops down to one knee so he can look Chris in the eye. "I never left, superman. What's—oof"
The question cuts off as Christopher launches himself into Buck's arms and Buck immediately wraps him up in one of his patented Buck hugs, all the while looking over to Eddie with an arched eyebrow.
"Kinda feels like I missed something?" It's more of a question than a statement and Eddie can tell Buck is trying not to say anything that might upset Chris as he tries to work out what's happening.
It feels a little like Eddie's feet are stuck to the ground, but he forces them to move, one step at a time, closer to Buck. "What's the last thing you remember before waking up?"
"Uh. We had a call out to a fire at an office tower. Bobby sent us up to clear the floor below…" Buck's eyebrows tug down, like he's trying to remember something that's just beyond his reach. "It's kinda fuzzy after that. Something with Legos, and maybe a hike through the woods?"
Eddie can't help it. He drops down next to Buck and Christopher and throws his arms around them both, fully intending to never let them go.
He has his family back.
"Uh. Eds?'
"I missed you." It's hardly a whisper, but then Eddie pulls back just enough that he can lean in and drop a gentle kiss to Buck's lips, something he's very much missed doing the last few days.
Buck kisses him right back but still looks a little confused as he says, "What'd I miss?"
Eddie knows he'll have to explain, and he figures they should probably make a follow-up appointment with the doctor to ensure everything is really okay, but right now, Eddie just wants to take a moment for himself, to hold his boys close and know that they're going to be okay.
So that's exactly what he does.
At least, until Buck pulls back, face scrunched up in a mixture of confusion and shock.
"Wait. Did you ground me?"
Chris laughs so hard that Eddie is sure he'd tip over if Buck wasn't already holding him so tight, and it's only a second before Eddie and Buck are joining in. All three of them laugh so hard that they're left gasping for breath as they hold each other close, and Eddie isn't entirely sure if the tears that streak their cheeks are just from laughing, but it doesn't really matter because they have their family back.
And that's all Eddie has ever needed.