Chapter Text
Prologue
Buck's knuckles turn white as he clings to the steering wheel in front of him, his leg bouncing away below.The apartment seems to grow taller the more he stares, walls growing comically, the glass windows out front staring into his soul. He's been outside his sisters apartment for hours, anticipation has grown into a fog around him, clouding his mind.
Buck still remembers the fight his sister had with their mom when she told them she was going off to college.
"This is all his doing wasn't it? He's always tried to take you away from me!", Margaret yelled.
"You have no right to bring Doug into this!", Maddie's voice strained as it got higher.
She was always opposed to Maddie leaving the "family buisness" but it never got this bad. A thirteen year old Buck is sat on the edge of a crappy hotel bed watching his life fall apart.
"He has everything to do with this! He's taking you God knows where and forcing you into a nursing program!", Margaret spat, "When have you ever wanted to be a nurse?"
Maddie takes a step towards her mom, "Since I was six, you would know that if you were ever there!" Maddie's tone grows in pitch and rage.
This movement catches Buck's attention. He slips out an earbud blasting at full volume, his only hope at drowning out the fighting. Buck's eyes focus on the two women screaming at each other.
"Don't you dare use that tone with me Maddie", Margaret hissed closing the space between her and her daughter.
"Or what? You're going to "lose you temper"?", Maddie countered defensively.
Buck finally had enough, he smashed the loose earbud back in and shoved past them to the door.
He never heard the rest of that fight, maybe if he did he could have stopped whatever happened that caused his sister to leave. Maybe they could be as close as they used to be. Maybe Maddie thinks that too, blaming him all these years for leaving that day. Or, she doesn't. Buck's not sure he wants to know the answer. Thirty more minutes, Buck thinks to himself, Then I'll finally know.