Chapter Text
Buck is cleaning up the kitchen from breakfast while Theo runs around the dinner table in circles. Making breakfast turned into a war zone every time Theo helped, especially with pancakes—the batter always goes everywhere.
"Theo! No running in the house!" Buck yells, nervous that Theo might fall and hurt himself. Buck now understood how Bobby felt every time he did something reckless on call. Thankfully, Theo actually listens, unlike Buck during his early years in firefighting.
Ever since Buck fostered Theo, he's been afraid Theo will get hurt and that the system might question his parenting. Last thing he wants is for them to take Theo away. Buck thought he was going to have a heart attack every time he saw a bruise or cut on Theo. He knew it was normal; kids play rough. But he still worried. How could he not?
Theo has turned Buck's life around. He's finally happy. He feels like he truly has a purpose that isn't just being a firefighter, but also being a father to his son.
He hasn't gotten high or even drunk anything alcoholic in almost a year. He feels proud of himself. Bobby would he proud.
Back to the kitchen, Buck looks at his watch and sees he was twenty minutes to get Theo and himself ready so he can drop Theo off at daycare and then head to work. Thankfully, he's already in his uniform, so he has plenty of time.
"Okay kiddo, let's get our butts in gear and get ready for the day." Buck says, as he claps his hands together as he looks at Theo.
"Okay, Mister Poooop!" Theo yells with a huge grin, while running to his room with his hands flopping in the air.
Buck still smiles at the nickname. Over the past six months, Theo has started calling him "Buck" more often then not, but sometimes still uses "Mister Poop" here and there. But it doesn't matter what Theo calls him; he will cherish it anyway.
Buck walks into Theo's room, watching as Theo starts tearing through his dresser to find one of the Spider-Man t-shirts he owns. The kid practically has a million. Buck has tried to convince him he should wear something a little different a time or two, but of course, he gets ignored.
Once Theo is dressed, they both head to the bathroom to brush their teeth together. Afterwards, Buck combs his fingers through his and Theo's curls so they don't look a totally mess of bed head.
"Alright, go get your backpack off the couch and put your shoes on," Buck tells Theo, seeing he has less than five minutes to get out the door.
Buck sprays cologne and his neck and applies deodorant. Wouldn't want to forget that. He walks out the bathroom to the front door, where he sees Theo slip on his last shoe.
He looks down and notices Theo has his shoes on the wrong feet and has to stop himself from laughing. "Hey. Spider-Man, I think you might have your shoes mixed around a bit there," Buck says, pointing down to Theo's shoes.
He watches the slow realization on Theo's face as he looks down at his own two feet. "Oh," Theo says, like it's some groundbreaking devastation. He then bends down to swap his shoes around on his feet.
As Theo is still fixing his shoes with a look of determination on his face, Buck hears a knock at the door and immediately looks through the peephole. He knows it's not Eddie or Maddie; they both have a key and invite themselves in without knocking.
When he looks, his heart drops to his stomach. It's Diedra, Theo's social worker. His head starts racing with thoughts as he reaches to unlock the door. He knows it's not a surprise visit he gets here and there to check on Theo's well-being with Buck, they never come this early in the morning.
He see his hand shaking as he opens to door. "H-hey Diedra, what's going on?" Buck asks, anxious as to what her answer will be.
"Hello Mr. Buckley," She says, with a look on her face he can't quite place, but he immediately knows it's not good—whatever it is.
Buck feels sick and has to put his hand on the wall next to him to stabilize himself. Oh fuck this is really not good.