Title: Being Happy
Rating: Teen And Up Audience
Warnings: None
Fandom: 9-1-1
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley/Taylor Kelly, Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz/Taylor Kelly
Tags: Alternate Universe, Established Relationship (Buck/Taylor), First Time (Buck/Eddie/Taylor), Fluff,
Summary: Taylor loves her adorable idiot, and so does Eddie.
Word Count: 3,692
Spoilers: Up Through Season 5 (Wrote before the airing of 5.16)
Beta: Grammarly




Taylor looked at Buck and smiled at the way he was dead asleep but still reaching out for her. Despite their issues, Taylor loved him, and she didn't want to leave him. Something was going on with him, and she thought it was all kissing Donato. Yet, there was something else there. She knew that Buck wasn't lying to her, but she thought that maybe he was lying to himself.

Buck's phone vibrated, so Taylor reached over and picked it up. She saw it was from Eddie, and she shook Buck's shoulder. She didn't read it and turned the phone screen off again.

"What?" Buck sat up and groaned as he rubbed his eyes.

"Eddie texted."

"Thanks." Buck took the phone and tapped out the code. "He and Chris are up. Nightmare. Eddie's nightmare woke Chris up too, and now Chris doesn't want to go back to sleep until I'm there."

"Then let's go," Taylor said.

"What?" Buck rubbed at his eyes to remove whatever sleep crud was there. He blinked at Taylor in the low light. "It's the middle of the night. You don't need to come. You have work tomorrow."

"I know I do, and I can do it from their kitchen table as I can from the office. Let's go. I can cuddle with Chris while you tackle Eddie, and then we can swap off so you can get Chris to sleep and Eddie won't be alone."

Taylor knew all of the issues that Eddie had been having and how much he leaned on Buck. The new pull-out couch that had been bought and dropped into Eddie's Eddie's living room by the 118 had been one that Buck could sleep well at night when he was over there.

"Okay. I'll text him that I'm on my way, but if he doesn't want you there."

"I'll leave. I know. I don't want to upset him."

Buck looked unsure, but he didn't protest it when Taylor threw a sweater over her shirt and just slipped on shoes from the closest before packing up a bag for herself in the morning. Taylor slipped a few things into Buck's bag when he was in the bathroom, making sure he had his Kindle that he nearly left and the pills he would want if he had a headache. He and Eddie used different kinds, and Taylor had heard enough bitching about Eddie not having Buck's pills since the last time Eddie had run out of them.

Taylor was glad that Buck was willing to drive as the expansive jeep was big enough that she could stretch out, her body wanting to sleep and be relaxed.

Eddie was standing outside of the house with the lights from the living room behind him.

Movement behind Eddie drew Taylor's gaze to Chris as he hovered behind his father, waiting for Buck to go to him.

Eddie didn't look shocked when Taylor opened the passenger door. He actually gave a smile as he looked at her. Slowly the Diaz family had accepted her as part of Buck. The rest of the 118 wasn't too sure, and Taylor knew that most of it were their not liking Buck with her, but Buck stayed, and it was all that mattered to her. There was no reason to doubt Buck's love, even if he did call himself a settler.

Taylor had heard the talk about how Buck had settled for Taylor when Eddie had been with Ana and then stayed out of loyalty when Eddie and Ana broke up. Taylor hadn't figured out how true it was, but she didn't see a man who settled when Buck looked at her.

"Sorry," Eddie said when Taylor got to the door. He opened his arms when Taylor stepped into him for a hug.

"It's more than fine, Eddie. Don't worry about it. I'm gonna take Chris back to his bedroom and cuddle while Buck talks to you for a few minutes, then Buck's gonna get Chris fully down while I entertain you."

"Sounds good," Eddie said. He sounded exhausted, more than he had the last time Taylor had been around him. She thought about how much it would disrupt the Diaz household if Buck and Taylor moved in for a little while. She would still go to work when Eddie did, and Carla would have her hours watching Chris after school. Then when Buck was working, and it was night, Eddie wouldn't be alone anymore.

"Buck, Chris said, his tone watery like he was barely holding on. Buck picked him up and the crutches hitting the floor were like small bombs with the way that Eddie flinched.

"Or maybe Buck will settle with him first, and you can have more time together." Taylor looped her arm into Eddie's and dragged him into the living room while Buck carried Chris down the hall into his bedroom.

"Thank you," Eddie said.

"For what? Not that I'm not worthy of thanks, but I would like to know what you are thanking me for."

"You've not been upset about any of this. Even though I know, things have been rocky since Buck told you about kissing Donato the night it happened."

"It's been a little rocky, but there is nothing you can do that would make me tell Buck to make a choice."

"Even if I said I'm in love with him and figured it out after therapy the other day."

"Even then."

"How?"

"Buck's easy to love. His parents are pieces of shit and horrible for how they treated both kids after Daniel's death but reframing everything I thought about him after learning that was easy. He was abused as a kid, and he's only just grasping that. He's trying, and that is all that matters to me. You aren't the kind of man who would step in where he wasn't wanted." Taylor leaned into Eddie and curled up with her feet on the couch. Eddie's arm went around to hold her tight. "So, what was the nightmare?"

"Same one I've been having for the last week. Usually, I wake myself up, but I couldn't tonight."

"And?"

"Buck's trapped, and no one can get to him. I see it all, and I know I could get to him. By the time that heavy rescue gets there from another station, he's dead. I promised him that I would have his back and I don't right now."

"He doesn't see it that way. He sees it as you getting the help you need. He would rather you be healthy than stay there and make a mistake that costs someone their life."

Eddie nodded. He tipped his head to rest it on Taylor's and inhaled deeply before holding it and exhaling. "I didn't mean to fall in love with him."

"No, I doubt you did. It is what it is, though. What are you going to do about it?"

"Nothing. I'm not going to tell him. He doesn't need that. It's selfish to put that on him."

"And if I thought you needed to tell him?"

"It would hurt him."

"Or it might not. Eddie, I am honest, when he said he kissed someone else, I thought it was you. I wasn't that upset for that split second, and then I found out it's Donato."

"You think he would cheat on you with me?" Eddie asked.

"No, I think that if there was anyone he would be tempted with, it was you, but it's not Buck. He might be freaked out and do something stupid like kiss someone but full-on having sex with someone. He was stupid; he was high from the rescue, high from the bomb, and had a drink too many and then kept on going."

"What's she like?"

"Donato? A weird mix of both you and Buck. She's not the worst, but she's got a thrill-seeker in her that I am afraid is going to get him hurt. I'm really afraid she is going to get him killed. It's not on you. You need this."

"I know I do, and I feel like I'm getting there. I'll work on that even more."

"You two don't need to be that worried about me," Buck said.

Taylor didn't move, but Eddie did. He turned his head around to look behind. It wasn't until Eddie didn't look back that Taylor finally looked. Buck was leaning on the doorway. He looked like he had been there for a few minutes.

"How long have you been there?" Eddie asked.

"Chris is asleep, and I think he'll be out the rest of the night. He heard you yelling for me. He thought something was wrong, and you said you would call me in the morning, and he was freaked out. He's good now that he saw me."

"Good, but that's not answering the question." Eddie stood up, and he looked at Buck.

Taylor felt like something would go wrong in this if she didn't step in.

"No, I didn't answer the question because I am not sure what answer is that is the best answer for you."

"The truth," Eddie said.

"He's been there since before you said you loved him," Taylor said.

"You knew?"

"No, but think about it, Eddie. It's the only answer. He says it, and you freak out; it hurts you. He doesn't say it, and you don't tell it to him in person."

Eddie looked a little broken.

"It's the middle of the night. Eddie, go and get some sleep; Buck and I will crash out here."

"I don't know that I can sleep alone," Eddie said.

"Do you want company?" Taylor asked.

"I have no clue. I really have no clue what I want or need right now."

Buck walked over to where Eddie was, and he pulled Eddie into a hug. "Nothing changes. What do you need?"

"I honestly don't know. What do you think I need?"

"To not be alone. Let's go." Buck turned to look at Eddie, and he nodded his head to the bedroom.

Taylor nodded her head.

---

Taylor felt the bed move, and she looked over to see Buck moving to sit behind Eddie. Buck was wrapped around him like he did to Taylor a few times when Taylor had dreams about her father.

"Hey," Buck said.

"I can't...Buck, I can't lose you."

"You haven't lost me, and you won't. I promise you that. I'm here, even if we just stay friends or become more."

"You think I would just let you leave her?" Eddie asked.

"Polyamorous is a thing," Buck said.

"All three of us?" Eddie asked.

"Yes. All three of us. I've looked into it before. Hen said something that made me think about it once after Ali left me. I found many people who said that they had searched to find people who fit them, and they didn't want to let go of any of them. There is a woman in California I was talking her. Her boyfriend is everything she needs, but she is not everything he needs, so he has a boyfriend. That boyfriend knows the first is everything that he needs, but he understands that the first needs more than just him. The second boyfriend and the girlfriend are best friends, though. They make it work. I've seen the tension between you and Taylor, though. I think we could all three be something."

"How long have you been thinking about that?"

"About four hours. I didn't actually get any sleep. I have thought about it a lot, and well, we both know that Taylor wouldn't mind having a threesome."

"Is it really a threesome if it's an actual relationship? I thought that word was just for one-night stands?" Taylor asked.

"Hmm, well, you are right. I like triad for the word used. There was one that I hated, a portmanteau of three and couple, called throuple. It felt like I was a teenager using that word. I could see May using it."

"Let's never tell Athena that you used her daughter's name in the same theme as all of that." Eddie turned on the bed to where he was looking at Taylor. "You don't look too upset."

"No, I also have been thinking about it. It's not the worst idea he's ever had. You have told me a lot of stupid ideas he's had."

"He's had a good bit of them, but I don't think it's a bad idea. I just...slow. It's gotta go slow. I don't think I want to do anything fast."

"Slow and steady wins the race," Buck said. He finally turned to face Taylor, a smile on his face. He tugged Eddie with him, not stopping until Eddie was on the bed between them.

Eddie moved to where his back was on the bed, and he could look at both of them with just a turn of his head. "My parents would disown me."

"Is that a pro or a con?" Taylor asked.

Eddie snorted.

"Pro," Buck said.

"Like yours would, Buckley?"

"My parents already want to act like I don't exist. I think I really do like it that way. We could just keep the family we want to claim. Abuela, Pepa, Maddie, I guess maybe Sophia and Adriana. Chris is a must. I'd take him over you in a heartbeat. Jee-Yun is a must as well. Anyone else?"

"Off the top of my head, no," Taylor said.

Eddie shook his head at the words. "It feels too easy."

"Sometimes it is, but sometimes it's the hardest part getting to it. It's not been easy getting here. We did the hard work already. We will have hard times ahead as well," Taylor said.

"And this is something you want?"

"I think that your friendship can outlast it. You both love Chris too much, and I adore the hell out of that little boy. I haven't started to hear that ticking from my biological clock but you two as fathers? That kid would be the best-loved kid in the world. I think I will want a biological kid one day but not right now."

"We aren't anywhere ready to bring a kid into this," Eddie said.

"No, I know that, but I don't want you to think Chris would be the only kid. I want them just later."

Buck laid his hand on Taylor's hip and pulled her closer, tucking her close to Eddie. "It's good to know that. You said before you really weren't sure."

"No, but seeing you with Jee has shown me that I do. I never thought I would because of my life. My mother's death, my father, possibly doing it. It wasn't a good childhood, but I have seen the effects on both of you of your childhoods. Eddie's parents almost love him too much, while Buck's don't love him at all. I know that my parents loved me back then, but not nearly like Eddie's parents love him. Whoever we have will have so much love, and we will try our hardest not to fuck them up as our parents did ours. Look at the kid you two are already raising together."

Taylor shifted to where she could get her hand on her head to hold it up. "When will Chris wake up?"

"Soon unless he sleeps in. We all need to get things figured out on what we want."

"I'll work from here today; let Chris know he's not alone but still have Carla here when he's out of school. You have work, Eddie and Buck you need can stay or go."

"You have everything you need to work from here?" Buck asked.

"Yes."

"Yeah, I'll work on a few things around the house that Eddie's been slacking on."

"Just waiting on you to do them as we talked about."

"See you already bicker," Taylor said. She leaned over to look Eddie in the face. She smiled at him and waited for Eddie to make the first move.

Eddie took only a few seconds to figure out what Taylor wanted, and he slowly lifted up to press a kiss to her lips. It was a simple thing that lasted only a few seconds before he laid down again. He smiled up at her.

"What happens if we aren't sexually compatible?"

"We don't have to have a sexual relationship to have a deep and meaningful one. As long as we have a partner to get off with, I don't see why we can't be happy." Buck sat up after he was done speaking, looking at the pair of them who was still lying on the bed.

"That makes it sound so clinical," Taylor said. She looked at Buck.

Buck grinned at her then he moved. He grabbed Eddie's hand and pressed them to the bed, and looked down at him, looking at Eddie with the emotion that had been hiding under the surface of not wanting to end things with Taylor but wanting him as well.

Taylor knew that Buck loved her; he was happy with her but the chance to have more, to have everything he wanted. He wasn't one who was going to hide behind it being proper. He had done his own thing for a long time. This was just him taking what he wanted and telling the world to fuck off.

Buck leaned down slowly, letting Eddie take the lead if he wanted but also making sure that Eddie didn't freak out. Eddie's eyes closed when buck got closer, and Buck just brushed his lips over Eddie's in the softest and sweetest kiss that Taylor had ever seen in her life.

Eddie gasped into the kiss and tried to follow Buck when he pulled back, but Buck used his hands to keep him down. It was hotter than it had any right to be.

"Dad?" Chris asked.

"Fuck," Eddie said under his breath.

Taylor sat up, and she patted the bed at her feet. Chris carefully made his way through the room to get up on the bed as Eddie and Buck also moved into a place where was laying over Eddie.

"Taylor?"

"This is vastly different than what your father probably wanted to do. It is what it is, though. So I know that you talked about how you wanted your dad to be happy again. I talked to you about how it would take finding the right person."

"I remember that," Chris said.

"Well, we are all going to try and be in a relationship together. Buck likes your Dad; I like your Dad. I think your Dad likes me, and he likes Buck."

"And you like Dad and Buck?" Chris asked.

"Yes. Your dad had a few issues, and I think that those are easy to deal with, and honestly, they are not deal breakers like some men's are. Then there is you. I think we all like you better than we like each other."

"That's 'cause I'm awesome; Buck tells me that all the time."

Buck laughed.

"Chris, are you okay with this?"

"Does that mean you are going to move in?"

"At some point, yes. We are all not ready for that, and this place isn't big enough for all of us without another bedroom."

"Then we should look for a new place. Dad says that the lease is up in six months, and it took forever for May to find a place she liked."

Eddie laughed, and he picked up Chris to set him in his lap before wrapping his arms around him. "And that means you can get that dog and cat you have been asking for, right?"

"You said when we moved into a bigger place." Chris leaned back into Eddie, and he smiled. "And I think I need someone to keep me company since going on dates will mean that Buck isn't the one to watch me anymore."

"Well, sometimes it will be. Sometimes it will be just Taylor and your father going on a date. There are actually four relationships in a triad like this. Your dad and Taylor. Your dad and me. Me and Taylor, and finally all three of us."

"That's complicated. It's a good thing you are all smart. This would be hard with someone who wasn't smart."

"I think he's making fun of us," Buck said. He reached out and tickled Chris' side, right where he was the most ticklish.

"STOP!" Chris yelled while laughing. Buck stopped a few seconds later when Chris nearly wiggled right out of Eddie's lap. "I agree, but I want to make one rule."

"Okay," Eddie said.

"If it's just two of you going out, I get special time with the other, our own little play date."

"I think that can be arranged, even if it's just a good meal here at home that you pick and a movie," Eddie said.

"Yeah, I like that. Are we doing breakfast?"

"Yes, I'll be down in a minute to start pancakes," Buck said. He reached out and ruffled Chris' hair.

Chris carefully got out of his father's lap and then dropped down to the floor, making sure he was steady before leaving.

Taylor looked at Buck and Eddie, watching Chris leave the room. Buck had already been a tight part of this family, and she knew that there was no Buck without Eddie. While she was sure that they could have stayed like they were, why not evolve a little and make their lives better?

The little voice inside of her brain that had been pushing her to make a choice about what she wanted to do with kids. A kid with Buck's hair and eyes, a little girl who was the apple of her father's eyes. She wanted for the first time in her life. She wanted that life swelling inside of her. She wanted that family that felt like it was finally in reach. It felt like it was right, the three of them, filling that little space inside of her that had been empty, even with Buck.

Maybe the one-day thought of having kids was ever closer.

The End