9-1-1 one-shots / 9-1-1 lone star/

Title :"The nightly panic"

Title :"The nightly panic"

The darkness was absolute. Not even a sliver of moonlight pierced the thick curtains of Buck's apartment. He lay rigid, his chest heaving as if he'd sprinted miles, not simply woken from a dead sleep.
His heart thundered in his ears, a deafening drumbeat that drowned out all rational thought. Sweat slicked his skin, chilling him despite the sweltering summer night. Buck's fingers curled into the tangled sheets as if they were a lifeline, his only anchor in a world spinning wildly out of control.
This wasn't the first time the panic had ambushed him. Far from it. But each attack still caught him off guard, a sucker punch to the gut that left him gasping and helpless.
He squeezed his eyes shut, willing himself to breathe. One slow inhale through his nose, a measured exhale between pursed lips. Again. And again. His racing mind rebelled against the calming ritual, taunting him with every worst-case scenario, every past trauma.
A chill swept over him, followed by a wave of scorching heat. Buck flung off the suffocating blankets, his T-shirt clinging to his back. He was dying. He was losing his mind. He was—
"Enough!" The harsh whisper startled him. It was his own voice, but it held a steely resolve he hadn't realized he possessed.
With fumbling fingers, Buck found his phone and pulled up the contact labeled "Eddie - Work". His thumb hovered over the call button. He shouldn't. It was the middle of the night. Eddie had a life outside of their partnership, one that didn't involve babysitting Buck through his meltdowns.
But as another wave of panic crashed over him, Buck couldn't bear the thought of riding this out alone. He connected the call, his eyes closed as he whispered into the darkness, "Eddie...I need you, man."The phone barely rang once before Eddie's groggy voice answered, "Buck, what's wrong?"
There was a pause. Buck could almost hear the rustle of sheets as Eddie sat up, alertness sharpening his tone. "Buck? You okay, dude?"
Buck huffed a wry laugh. It bordered on hysterical. "Peachy. Just...can you come over?"
This time, the silence stretched longer. Buck's anxiety spiked, his mind racing with the worst. He'd overstepped. Eddie had a girlfriend now, a whole life that didn't include being Buck's emotional punching bag.
But before he could apologize and hang up, Eddie spoke, his voice firm. "I'm on my way. Hang in there, Buck. I'm not going to leave you hanging."
Buck squeezed his eyes shut, a lump forming in his throat. He didn't deserve that kind of unwavering loyalty. But as he curled onto his side, clutching the phone like it was his only lifeline, he couldn't help the flicker of gratitude.
The next half hour was a blur of jagged breaths and racing thoughts. Buck forced himself to focus on the sound of his own breathing, on the rough texture of the carpet beneath his fingers. He was not dying. This would pass. Eddie was coming.
The knock at the door was soft but insistent. Buck's heart lurched, but this time it wasn't the panic. He swallowed hard, rolling to his feet. His legs trembled like a newborn fawn, but he locked his knees and made his way to the door.
Eddie stood in the hallway, his hair mussed and a worn T-shirt replacing his usual button-down. But his eyes were clear, filled with a steady calm that Buck desperately needed. Without a word, Eddie stepped forward and wrapped Buck in a tight hug.
For a moment, Buck resisted. He didn't deserve this. Didn't deserve Eddie's calm strength when all he brought to the table was brokenness and fear.
But as Eddie's arms only tightened, as he murmured "I've got you, Buck" into his shoulder, something inside him cracked. Maybe it was the dam of pride, or the walls of self-reliance. Whatever it was gave way to a wave of raw emotion.
Buck clung to Eddie, his body shaking with sobs he didn't know he had in him. It was ugly and ragged, the harsh gasps and wet tears the antithesis of the stoic mask he usually wore.
But Eddie just held him, his own breathing slow and steady against Buck's ear. He didn't tell him to man up, or offer empty promises that things would just get better. He just...was. A rock amidst the storm, a reminder that maybe, just maybe, Buck wasn't so alone after all.