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For the twentieth time in as many minutes, Howard “Chimney” Han wished that Station 118 currently had a probationary paramedic to foist the ambulance inventory and restocking onto.
Unfortunately, since Eddie Diaz's shield ceremony a couple months ago, there was no probie to be found. And Eddie, while trained as a combat medic, wasn’t certified to handle the ambulance without a paramedic supervising him.
Chimney figured that supervising someone was actually more time-consuming than doing the job himself, so here he was, carrying boxes of gauze pads and bags of tubing and saline solution from the stockroom to the ambulance when he’d much rather be doing almost anything else.
At least it was a beautiful day - not that Los Angeles had that many days that weren’t beautiful; as the song said, the weather’s good in Southern California - and the station doors were open to the late morning sun and the breeze blowing in from the Pacific Ocean.
The rumble of a handful of engines made Chimney pause and then stare at the vehicles pulling up outside the 118. First came a blue Audi SUV of some kind, then a white Audi R8, then a black Chevy Suburban, and finally a pair of trucks bearing the logo of one of Los Angeles’ fanciest steakhouses.
Fortunately, the part of Chimney that wasn’t baffled by the display noted, none of the five vehicles blocked the driveway in any way.
When the driver of the SUV got out, Chimney nearly dropped the supplies he was carrying.
What the hell was Tony Stark, of all people, doing at the 118?
“You!” Stark pointed, and Chimney almost looked over his shoulder to see who Stark meant. “Where’s the captain?”
“His office,” Chimney managed, and nodded in the direction of Bobby’s office.
“Right.” Stark looked over at the large-ish man who’d improbably climbed out of the R8. “Happy?”
“Got it, Boss,” the man replied, and Stark nodded before striding into the station and past Chimney.
*BREAK*
“You want to help me with breakfast, Eds?”
Evan “Buck” Buckley’s question made Eddie Diaz look up from the word game he’d been playing on his phone.
Eddie quirked an eyebrow at his friend. “You sure you want my help? It’s not like I’m a great cook, or even a good one, honestly.”
“Can’t get good without practice.” Buck grinned at him. “So, come get some practice.”
Shaking his head, Eddie grinned back and rose from the couch, shoving his phone in his pocket as he followed Buck toward the kitchen.
“What’s on the menu, and what do I do?” he asked.
“Sausage and egg bake,” Buck replied. “Not fancy, but filling. Eggs, sausage, cheese, and milk from the fridge.”
“Breakfast for dinner, eh? Sounds good.” Eddie detoured toward the refrigerator, but barely got the door open before a loud inhale of breath sounded from outside the kitchen area. By the pitch, Eddie thought it came from Hen Wilson.
“Oh, my God.” The words, at least, definitely came from Hen. “What’s he doing here?”
“What’s who doing here?” Buck asked, his voice somewhat muffled as he pulled a mixing bowl from the lower cabinet.
“Buck, Eddie,” came Bobby’s voice. “You have a visitor.”
Eddie frowned, and a glance told him Buck wore a similar expression. A visitor that wasn’t Abuela or Tia Pepa or Carla, whom Bobby would have announced? Who else would come to see both of them?
Quickly, Eddie put the ingredients back into the fridge and fell into step with Buck as they left the kitchen for the rest of the common area - then promptly froze in his tracks when he recognized their visitor.
Tony Stark.
"Mr. Stark, Firefighters Evan Buckley and Eddie Diaz," Bobby said. His tone was polite enough, but his expression suggested he was as confused as everyone else.
"Right, thanks," Stark said and strode forward, pulling his sunglasses off as he did. "You two did me a solid last week, so - thanks."
Eddie exchanged a glance with Buck before Buck said, "Pretty sure I'd remember meeting you, Mr. Stark - especially if it was just last week. And that's assuming that Iron Man would ever need our help."
"Stranger things have happened." Stark shrugged. "And I didn't say I was involved - just that you did me a solid."
Eddie blew out a breath as the pieces fell into place. "That accident on the PCH."
Stark pointed at him with his sunglasses before hooking them into the Black Sabbath T-shirt he wore under a sport jacket. "Exactly."
"What accident?" Hen asked. "We didn't get called to an accident on the PCH last week."
"We were taking Christopher to the pier," Eddie said. "First time since the tsunami."
"And there was an accident - six cars involved," Buck continued. "We were just a few cars back, so we got out and tried to help."
"Of course you did," Bobby said with a grin. "It's what you do."
"Saved several lives," Stark put in. "Including my friend Rhodey."
"Rhodey?" Eddie couldn't help asking.
"James Rhodes," Stark clarified. "Tall, African-American-"
"Broken left tibia," Buck said, then winced. "And a broken rib that punctured his lung."
"Which you guys stabilized, and he's on track for a full recovery," Stark said. "So, to say thank you, I'm buying your entire house lunch. Figured I'd bring it myself so you'd know it's legit."
"But-" Chimney's voice came from the stairs behind Stark "-Carlucci's isn't open for lunch."
"Details." Stark waved that away. "Hope you guys aren't vegans."
"Pretty hard to get all the calories we need on a vegan diet," Buck said with a snarky grin. "We all like cow."
"Excellent." Stark grinned and rubbed his hands together in satisfaction. "Now - Happy should have gotten lunch set up downstairs, so - shoo!"
Hen and the others started toward the stairs. Buck and Eddie made to follow, but Stark held up a hand.
"Not you. Not yet, anyway."
Eddie wasn't certain which one of them Stark meant, and he assumed Buck wasn't, either, as they both stopped in their tracks. Bobby remained beside Stark, his expression clearly puzzled.
Then Stark's intense gaze was focused on him, and Eddie straightened instinctively, as though he were still in the Army.
"Not the first time you've done me a solid, Sergeant," Stark said.
Both Buck's and Bobby's gazes landed heavily on him, and Eddie blew out a slow, silent breath as he considered how to respond.
Finally, he settled on, "I didn't think you remembered."
"Honestly?" Stark grinned. "I didn't, until after I talked to Rhodey. He talked about this guy who distracted him with pictures of his kid."
"So you didn't recognize Eddie," Buck offered. "You recognized Christopher?"
"That your son's name? Then, yeah - him I remembered."
Eddie had to laugh a little. "He's very memorable."
"Eddie?" Bobby asked quietly, almost as though he were afraid to intrude. "What didn't he remember?"
Eddie looked over at him briefly. "I was part of the team that brought him out of Afghanistan. He was in pretty good shape, all things considered, but-" Eddie broke off before he said any more.
Between patient confidentiality and respect for the things Stark had done as Iron Man, he really shouldn't say too much. Still, there had to be some way to explain it that didn't violate protocols or laws. After a moment's reflection, he had it.
"He's got a very busy mind, and busy minds tend to go to nasty places in stressful situations. So - I told him about Christopher, showed him a few pictures. It seemed to help."
"It kept me grounded in the here and now," Stark said. "And I'm grateful. I don't know what would've happened if you hadn't."
Eddie ducked his head. "I was just doing my job - in Afghanistan and on the PCH."
"You were off duty on the PCH," Buck pointed out.
"Like you were off duty during the tsunami," Eddie shot back, and Buck had the grace to look embarrassed, if only for a moment.
"So, look," Stark said, breaking into the moment before it could turn awkward. "I know there are rules and regs about what you can and can't accept. But - speaking now to Sergeant Diaz, formerly of the United States Army and now a private citizen - my lawyers assure me that giving a gift to a private citizen is perfectly legal. So - here."
With that, he tossed something toward Eddie, and Eddie caught it reflexively. When he opened his hand, he saw a key fob with the Audi logo.
"What's this?" he asked.
"A small thank-you for what you did in Afghanistan."
Eddie looked up at Stark. "I didn't do much."
"More than you think," Stark countered. "Besides, that's more for your kid than for you. It's fully equipped with every safety feature Audi offers - and a few upgrades they don't offer."
Eddie blinked, then swallowed, then finally managed a, "Thanks-?"
Stark grinned. "I haven't even met the kid, and I know he's awesome. Keeping him safe? Yeah, that's a given."
"Did you want to?" Buck asked. "Meet Christopher, I mean - 'cause I'm sure we can persuade Eddie to let you."
Eddie mock-glared at Buck before assuring Stark, "You won't even have to twist my arm."
"Honestly? No." Stark held up a hand before Eddie even realized what he'd said, or could take offense. "I'd rather not spoil the image of him I have in my head with the reality of an eight-year-old."
"That's fair," Eddie said. Then he followed his gut and took a risk. "But this eight-year-old has a fascination with robots - including the ones you've built. Can he meet them?"
"You play dirty, Diaz," Stark said sternly. Then he grinned. "I approve. Sure, we'll set something up. Make a note, Happy - Diaz and his kid get a full tour."
"Done, Boss."
Eddie's gaze flicked to the man who'd come up behind Stark - Happy? - and was met with a small smile and a nod.
"Thanks," Eddie said as sincerely as he could. "He'll love that."
*BREAK*
Stark hung around long enough to take selfies with everyone on A shift who wanted them - which was everyone, of course. Then he slid into the R8 and sped off. Eddie joined the others in waving him off as the Suburban - driven by the man Stark had called Happy - followed at a slightly more sedate pace.
Buck came up beside him where he stood staring at the Audi Q8 that remained in the parking lot. It was the exact shade of blue of his LAFD uniform. He assumed that the key fob he idly twirled around his index finger would work for it, but hadn't tried it yet.
"That's a sweet ride," Buck murmured.
Eddie nodded, but before he could say anything, Bobby, Chim, and Hen joined them.
Of course it was Chim who asked, "So, Eddie - why did Tony Stark give you a hundred-thousand-dollar SUV?"
His fist closed around the fob and Eddie turned a gaze that felt wide and wild on him. "How much?"
"Base model retails for around ninety," Buck said. "Then there's the upgrades."
"Madre de Dios," Eddie murmured. "Selling my truck won't even begin to cover the taxes on it."
"Maybe he left some cash, too, to cover it?" Buck asked, and Eddie couldn't help snorting.
"You think Tony Stark cares about taxes on a hundred grand?"
"His assistant probably does," Hen ventured. "Pepper Potts - as efficient as she is hot."
"You ignoring the question, Eddie?" Chim asked.
"Hm?" Eddie brought his mind back from taxes due next April to the people around him. "What question?"
Chim gave an exaggerated sigh. "Why Tony Stark gave you a car."
"I was part of the team that brought him out of Afghanistan." It was the same thing he'd said to Buck and Bobby, and it was safe enough.
"Oh, come on. That can't be everything!"
Eddie stared at Chim. "Which are you asking me to violate? HIPAA, or my oath of service?"
"Neither," Bobby said firmly. "If that's all you can say, that's all you can say."
Chim looked flummoxed, and Eddie relented a little.
"Like I told Buck and Bobby," he said, "I kept Stark's mind busy while I was working on his body."
"That sounds kinky as hell," Buck said.
Hen chuckled. "It really does."
"It really wasn't," Eddie said firmly and turned to Buck. "Can you drive my truck home after shift? We can come back for your Jeep."
"Depends." Buck grinned. "Do I get to drive that back here?"
"You drive a hard bargain, Buckley."
"You know it, Diaz."