Hey all... again. Lol. I don't know why this story has gotten me writing easily, but I am not knocking it. Let me know if you want another chapter of this story concept. Enjoy!

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Eddie didn't know how long had passed, all he knew was that his pillow had abandoned him and was cursing under its breath. *Wait... it was too firm to be a pillow...* He opened his eyes, his eyelids way heavier than he had anticipated.

"Oh... Eddie, I'm sorry. Go back to sleep." Buck urged, seeing that the man was still groggy and pale with flushed cheeks. He leaned down, pressing his lips against the sick man's forehead. "Still very feverish." he muttered more to himself than anyone else.

Eddie moaned softly, his eyes drifting closed, when he felt Buck's lips on his heated skin. "Where you going?" he asked, his voice wrecked from the earlier vomiting.

"I gotta go home," Buck said, looking towards the front door in frustration.

Had Buck been looking at the eldest Diaz, he would have seen a wounded look that would have stolen his breath, and simultaneously crushed him. Eddie nodded his understanding, knowing that Buck was dating Taylor, but it still hurt him to think that Buck's home wasn't with him.

"Okay," was all Eddie managed to say, as he sat up too fast, but he didn't show how dizzy it made him.

Buck looked back down at Eddie with a longing look, but the man he loved so much it hurt, didn't look his way. "There's soup in the microwave for when you're hungry, I left more water and Tylenol on the coffee table beside the bowl. Anything else I can do to help?" he asked, watching as Eddie shook his head.

"I'm fine, Buck." Eddie said, a hint of annoyance in his tone. He didn't look up until he heard the footsteps fading away followed by the front door opening and closing. He lifted his eyes, not bothering to stop the tears that rolled down his cheeks. He couldn't bare the thought that Buck was choosing Taylor over him.

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Buck left his lover's home with a heavy heart, he didn't want to leave, but he knew he owed Taylor an explanation and an apology. He got into Eddie's truck, driving to his loft, replaying everything that happened in his head. He parked, arriving there much faster than he thought, and somehow not getting pulled over or in an accident. He had no idea how.

He got out, took a deep breath and walked up to the door, opening it to see a suitcase standing by the door. His breathing picked up, looking around in a panic.

"Oh hey, there you are." Taylor said, looking up from the laptop she was typing away on.

"Whose...?" Buck asked, gesturing to the suitcase by the still open door.

"Oh, that... It's yours." Taylor said, closing her laptop and giving him her undivided attention.

"Wait, what?" Buck asked, his head reeling. *Was he getting kicked out of his own apartment?* he thought, his brain speeding by so fast, he missed the look of amusement on Taylor's face.

"Remember whenever you get hurt, you never ran to me. You always ran to him, he is your home. I'm glad you're happy with him, you deserve to be the happiest." Taylor said, a soft smile on her lips.

"Athena?" Buck asked, still too stunned to formulate an actual sentence.

Taylor laughed, nodding. "She didn't need to tell me, I could already see it. Every time he walked into the room, you're face and eyes would light up and not dim until he left." she explained, getting up and kissing Buck on the cheek. "Go be with him, let yourself enjoy being happy." she added gesturing to the bag.

Buck pulled her into a tight hug, before kissing her cheek. "Thank you. I'm sorry I didn't figure it out sooner, so you didn't get hurt." he said, looking guilty and sad.

Taylor laughed again. "Its okay, I can't say I blame you, he is quite the catch." she said, earning a smile and a blush from the man who had never really been hers.

Buck nodded, wondering how he could ever repay.

"Oh, if you ever need a romp in the garden, let me know. And I better be invited to your wedding, or I promise you I will write an expose that will make God himself blush." she promised, causing a look of surprise on the firefighter's face.

"I won't lose your number... Of course, I don't know if we will get married, but I do know that if we do, you'll be one of the first to know." Buck said with a bewildered look.

Taylor smiled, before walking over to the table again and sitting down. She opened her laptop, and got back to work on whatever article she was working on.

Buck watched her for a moment, before heading for the suitcase and the open door. "Thanks, Taylor." he said, earning a wave and thumbs up. He closed the front door behind him, booking it for his lover's truck, ready to be back home.

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Eddie stayed on the couch, long after his tears stopped falling, leaving his head pounding and his nose clogged. He stood up, slow as the room spun so much he almost collapsed.

"Probably need to eat." he mumbled, even his voice sounded dizzy, which made ignoring his stomach's aggressive churning near impossible. But he forced himself to walk, well stumble, into the kitchen. He grabbed a chair which he dragged to the counter, so he could sit down as soon as he pulled the soup out.

He sat down heavily, as soon as he had a spoon and the bowl of soup. He ate most of it, much to his own surprise, but it didn't help how he was feeling at all.

He leaned his pounding head against the countertop, relishing in the cool temperature against his feverish skin. His eyes drifted closed, as more tears threatened to fall. Unfortunately, his body had a mind of its own, as he felt tears on his cheeks again, leading him to hiccuping.

He was hiccuping so much, that he didn't hear his truck pull back into the driveway or hear the front door open and close. He was unaware that he was no longer alone, or that the reason for his tears was standing in his kitchen looking freaked out.

"Eddie? Are... what's wrong, my love?" Buck asked, approaching with slow steps as he didn't want to freak the older man out.

Eddie's head jerked up, with a sick and miserable sounding groan. "Buck... You left?" he asked, his voice nearly gone from the vomiting and crying.

Buck nodded. "I left to break up with Taylor, and she already knew about us." he said, looking sheepish with a blush.

Eddie thought for a moment, before what Buck had just said made sense. He looked at the younger man for a moment, truly appreciative of the man coming home... to him. He went to stand, and evidently that was the last straw, as his stomach leapt to his throat, sending him over the kitchen sink with a harsh heave.

Buck moved quick, rubbing the sick man's back, not liking how much Eddie was trembling under his hand. "You're okay, just get it up and you'll feel better." he encouraged, cringing as he saw a little bit of red in the sink too. He moved around, in time to see that Eddie's nose was bleeding, nothing else was bleeding.

Eddie made a panicked noise in-between heaves, as he too noticed the blood. "B...b..." he tried to stammer between heaves, but heaved too hard to allow conversation.

"Focus on your stomach, I will deal with the blood," Buck said, switching from loving and doting lover, into first responder. He pulled his phone out of his pocket to text one of their fire fam for help.

Hey, what can I do to help with a bloody nose brought on by puking? he sent to Hen and Chim, figuring one of them would answer him, as it would turn out they both did.

Who is puking? How long have they been puking? When did the bleeding start? came Hen's response, earning a relieved smile from Buck.

Now, Buckley, who did you hurt this time? Chim teased in the text back.

Eddie is sick. He has been puking off and on since this morning. He puked on scene, then seemed okay until the bbq where he left in a rush, I offered him a ride. And he puked himself empty a few hours ago. I just got back here to find he ate some soup, but its almost all in the sink thanks to him trying to stand up. The nose bleed started a moment ago. Buck sent to both, waiting for them to give him an answer, as he rubbed Eddie's back, who had been reduced to dry heaving.

Pinch his nose, gently, to stop the bleeding. DO NOT tip his head back, the blood will go down his throat and make him vomit more. He needs to bring down his fever with Tylenol as soon as he can stomach it, and hydration is key. Then just have him rest. came in from both his fire fam.

Buck actually laughed, shaking his head before sending a quick thanks and turning his attention back to the sick man. "Ready to go lay down... in bed this time?" he asked, earning a nod from the man who was now pinching his nose. He encouraged Eddie to let go of his nose, smiling in relief when he saw the bleeding had stopped.

He wrapped an arm around his sick lover, and guided him to his bedroom. Having him sit down on the bed, before retreating to the living room for the popcorn "puke" bowl, Tylenol, and the bottle of water he had left there. He walked back into the room, to help Eddie get situated, which he only stopped when Eddie, grabbed his hand.

"Sorry, am I going too fast?" he asked, earning a head shake. "Okay, what's up?" he asked in concern.

"Stay with me..." Eddie whispered, just loud enough for Buck to hear him.

"Are you sure?" Buck asked, suddenly feeling anxious about the idea of cuddling with Eddie. They had only done it on the couch, or when stuck in a dangerous situatuation, never willingly.

Eddie nodded, patting the bed beside him, even as each blink left him struggling to open his eyes again.

Buck laughed, before climbing into bed with Eddie, pulling him carefully into his arms, feeling the too warm man sigh in relief. "Get some sleep, I'm not going anywhere." he promised, earning a hum from Eddie.

"You sleep too," Eddie said with a tired yawn, before nodding off.

Buck lay there quietly, thinking about the day, about his talk with Taylor, about what was going on around him, and pulled his phone out of his pocket again.

Thank you for your help today. he sent to Athena, knowing a simple thank you was in no way worthy of what he felt for her, but he could shower her with thank you's later.

I don't know what you're talking about. Athena sent back to him, which he saw before laying his phone on the nightstand, closing his eyes as exhaustion took over his body and mind.

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I hope you all enjoyed this sequel. As always: vote, comment, and request away. Love you all! <3