Reading Time:
22 Minutes

Part 3

Buck lifted Wyatt out of the car seat, shouldered the backpack he used to carry all of his kid’s stuff, and did a quick scan of the parking lot. Eddie’s truck was already parked and empty. He found the man near the front doors of the school, standing with a woman but the distance between them made them look like strangers. He headed across the parking lot, and they both focused on him at the same time.

“Buck,” Eddie said and his shoulders relaxed. “This is Shannon Whitt, my son’s mother. Shannon this is Evan Buckley and his son, Wyatt.”

Very interesting introduction, but Shannon just smiled and offered her hand.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t touch you do to the allergy situation,” Buck said easily and glanced between you. “Which is the craziest thing I’ve heard of in a while. I had to look it up.”

She shot Eddie a look. “We’re just glad it didn’t extend to Christopher as well. Thanks for coming today. I wouldn’t have any idea how to handle Eddie if…things got intense.”

Buck nodded. “It’s no problem. I stopped by the Foundation’s office and picked up all the information you’d guys need to pick a Burton school. Two copies of each to avoid cross contamination.” He shifted Wyatt who was reaching out for Shannon. “Did the allergist suggest that repeated exposure could lead to more dangerous reactions?”

“Not so far,” Eddie said warily. “Just itching and sometimes a very mild rash that goes away if I use the cream I had customized to me by an herbalist. It’s magically infused. If it gets worse, I’m gonna require an exorcism for one of us.”

Shannon shrugged. “You’d not believe how much sympathy I get on dates when I tell them my ex is allergic to me.”

“Oh, I’d believe it,” Buck assured as Eddie opened the door to the school and motioned them both inside. “I almost asked for your address so I could send you some flowers.”

Eddie huffed. “This woman has gotten more than enough apology flowers from me, Buck. She doesn’t need them from you, too.”

“Mind your own business, Eddie,” Shannon retorted and they shared a grin.

Buck found their easy communication a relief because hostile co-parenting could be a nightmare, and he figured he might be stuck with both of them. Shannon did the checking part in the office, clearly having already made an appointment. They were led into a conference room where two women were already seated at a table. Shannon and Eddie sat on opposite sides of the table in a practiced maneuver that left Buck tucking himself in on Eddie’s left.

“Principal Summers, Ms, Flores, this is Evan Buckley. He’s here to act as a bit of a Sentinel buffer for Eddie and his son, Wyatt, is here merely to be entertained,” Shannon said smoothly. “We appreciate that you were able to arrange this meeting on such short notice.”

“Ms. Flores has fifty minutes left in her free period,” Principal Summers said with a tight smile. “If more time is required, I can send an adult in to monitor her next class. You didn’t outline the reason for yours and Mr. Diaz’s visit today.”

Shannon inclined her head toward Eddie, and he shifted slightly forward in his chair.

“Last night, Christopher told me that Ms. Flores had questioned his reading habits, discouraged him from reading above his grade level, and made him feel if he’d done something wrong for the extra reading he does at home. When Shannon questioned her about it earlier in the week, she dismissed her concerns when they disagreed on the subject, and she said she would talk to me because I’m the primary parent. She told Shannon that Christopher should learn his limits and be made to create reasonable expectations for himself.

“So, I’m here today for her to explain why she made my son afraid I’d take his books away from him, why she dismissed his mother’s position on the matter, and why, specifically, she believes he should be given only a limited set of options about his activities and his future.” He stared pointedly at the teacher.

Buck figured there should’ve been a moment when the teacher realized she’d severely misstepped in her interactions with an alpha Sentinel’s child, and yet it was clear she had not.

Ms. Flores cleared her throat. “As a teacher, it’s my duty to see that all of my students work at an appropriate level, Mr. Diaz. Christopher is a good student. But he doesn’t need the burden of extra reading, at home, as it could interfere in his development. Moreover, allowing him so much freedom regarding what he reads is only going to encourage inappropriate expectations. He told me last week he wanted to be an archaeologist, which is inappropriate, to say the least, due to his physical disability.”

Buck exhaled slowly and adjusted Wyatt on his lap so he could put one hand on Eddie’s arm. The man’s rapidly shifting psionics spoke to building anger, and while he barely knew him that seemed out of character for him.

“There are many hundreds of disabled individuals working in the field of archeology,” Eddie said and the teacher actually blinked in surprise. “Several different organizations have been created, in the last twenty years, specifically to develop different methods and site management systems to ensure accessibility. There is a dig going on right now in Arizona being led by man with cerebral palsy. Christopher has attended several of his video lectures and has even exchanged emails with Dr. Demir. We’ve been invited to visit this summer.” Eddie exhaled slowly.

“Christopher started reading at four, Ms. Flores. He’s only reading at a fifth grade level because his mother and I made that decision due to the content of YA novels. Because my son is also a latent Guide, we must take great care with his emotional development.” Eddie raised an eyebrow at her when she made a face.

“Surely he won’t come online due to his disability,” she said dismissively.

Buck sucked air in through his teeth and both Eddie and Shannon glanced at him.

“What?” Shannon questioned.

“I just wouldn’t want my kid anywhere near this level of willful and outright cruel ignorance,” Buck said frankly as he focused entirely on the pair of them as he didn’t care what the teacher thought. “One of the most successful Alpha Guide Prime’s of North America was confined to a wheelchair a full decade before he came online.

“The fact is that due to the way the psionic plane interacts with the human brain, most Guides are some form of neurodivergent, the details of which aren’t normally discussed with mundanes. But we can arrange a meeting at a psionic center for you both so you can get more information on that. I developed an empathy disorder before I was an adult, which was a direct result of my latency. Coming online really didn’t put a dent in it.” He focused on Eddie. “Also, is it a dinosaur dig? Can I go?”

Eddie grinned briefly at him. “Yes, and probably.” He returned his attention to Ms. Flores who looked furious then after a moment grimaced and focused on Principal Summers. “I’ll be withdrawing my son from this school immediately. I’d like him retrieved from whatever activity he’s currently doing and brought to the office. It’s clear we can’t leave him here. I don’t believe it would be safe for any latent child to be educated by this woman.” He paused. “And I’ll be making that clear in the lengthy complaint I’ll be filing with the Burton Foundation regarding this situation.”

Buck lifted his hand off the man’s arm because apparently fury for Eddie Diaz equaled an articulate and immense amount of verbal evisceration.

“That’s not necessary,” Ms. Flores protested. “You’re creating an unreasonable standard for your son. It’s abusive to let Christopher think he could go to a university for his education when he’ll never have that level of independence.”

“Good Lord, I need to leave this room before I forget every single promise I made myself when I left Texas,” Shannon said and stood.

“Principal Summers,” Eddie said. “Is this a school policy? Does this institution engage in the systematic neglect of the students potential based on backward and disgusting opinions that have no scientific or medical foundation?”

“No, sir, we do not,” Principal Summers said stiffly and shot Ms. Flores a dark look when the younger woman started to speak. She stood and cleared her throat. “I’ll have Christopher retrieved and will see that his personal things collected from his homeroom locker within the next ten minutes. Ms. Flores, you’ll stay in this room until I send for you.”

“My students….”

“Would clearly be better off without you,” Buck muttered as he stood and shrugged when the woman glared at him. “You don’t think you’re intimidating, right?”

Leto took that moment appeared and leaned against him, her head pressed against his hip as she surveyed the occupants of the room. Buck let his free hand drop the wolf’s head as everyone in the room adjusted around him.

“Wow,” Shannon muttered.

“Pop,” Wyatt said. “Go. Pop. Go.”

“We’re going,” Buck assured and patted his back.

“He…looks quite young to already be speaking so well,” Principal Summers said in a subdued tone.

“Wish babies are prone to such things,” Buck said evenly. “He’s just seven months old.” He turned to Eddie. “Let’s get you some space from intolerable elements before your Texas upbringing gets the best of you and your ex-better half.”

“Wait, this conversation hasn’t…gone well. We should sit down and create a better understanding of each other,” Ms. Flores said and made a face when more than one person glared at her.

“Are you going to suddenly develop an appropriate mount of tolerance and forward thinking that isn’t rooted in ignorant bias?” Buck questioned.

Shannon huffed. “You did nothing in this life or in the previous to get this lucky, Eddie. I’m appalled.” She shouldered her purse and Eddie followed her out of the room with a shrug.

They ended up in a small atrium waiting for Christopher Diaz to be brought to them. Eddie was leaning on a wall, staring at the wall and vibrating with fury.

“You’re too good for him,” Shannon whispered.

Buck laughed. “Clearly you were, too. Maybe that allergy was the universe doing you a solid.”

“I can hear you both, you know. You aren’t even trying to be discreet,” Eddie said. “And I’m awesome—across the board.”

“He’s pretty,” Buck acknowledged.

“Great in bed,” Shannon shared and Eddie huffed.

Buck laughed. “Good to know.”

“I need you the two of you barely tolerate each other going forward,” Eddie announced. “This thing you’re currently doing is making me deeply uncomfortable in way that is probably, most certainly, Sentinel related.”

Wyatt laughed.

“Even my baby knows that’s bullshit,” Buck said and Eddie sighed. “Besides, the Sentinel in you is incredibly chill, which is weird and I’m not sure it has anything to do with the cuff.”

“He’s always had that vibe,” Shannon said. “His dad is the same—very even tempered.”

The door opened and Principal Summers came out with a small boy using crutches. She had a backpack in her hand that looked full and heavy.

She offered the backpack to Eddie. “All of his text books are accounted for and I’ve filled out all the paperwork to declare the iPad his personal property. Normally, they have to finish two years of schooling here for that, but under the circumstances, I believe this is the least of what I owe him. I’ve included a document for you to remove the monitoring software the school uses complete with the passwords needed to accomplish it.”

Eddie took the backpack. “Thank you.”

“You’ll get a partial refund for this semester and a full semester for the spring,” she continued. “I’ve also had my admin start work on his transcripts and will make sure absolutely none of Ms. Flores’ feedback is included in his official records. I’ll be auditing all of her work at Durand, and I’m confident in saying that her contract will not be renewed.”

“Daddy,” Christopher said, eyes wide and wet. “Did I get expelled for extra reading?”

“Jesus Christ,” Shannon said and glared at the principal, whose mouth dropped open in shock.

Eddie dropped down on one knee, put aside the backpack, and brought his son close with careful hands. “Hey, no. You’ve not been expelled. Your mom and I have decided that your blue dreams are important. We want to put you in a Burton school for your protection. You’ll be taught about the psionic plane and about how your Guide gifts will when you’re older work.”

Buck picked up the backpack with his free hand as Eddie gathered Christopher up and stood. The kid was crying and that was infuriating.

Shannon and Eddie exchanged a look that had her turning toward the exit. She pushed open the door and held it open. Eddie left and Buck followed them.

“I’m going to ruin that bitch’s life,” Shannon said quietly as they all headed toward Eddie’s truck.

Eddie unlocked the truck, opened the backdoor and tucked his son into a car seat with a five-point harness. He stepped out of the way and motioned to Shannon who slid between the open door and the truck.

“Baby, hey,” Shannon said quietly.

Christopher reached out for her and she took his hand. “I’m not in trouble?”

“No, you’re not in trouble,” she promised. “Ms. Flores isn’t a good person for you to be around so we’re going to move you to a Burton school sooner rather than later. Okay?”

“Okay,” Christopher said quietly. “This morning she told me that I couldn’t talk about my extra books with other kids. She said I was being a bad influence because me and Macy were talking about The Wind in the Willows. She has the picture book, and I was telling her about the other version, and she said she’d get her mom to borrow it from the library.”

“There was nothing wrong with that. I promise. I’ll make sure Macy’s mom knows what Ms. Flores said.”

Shannon released his hand after a little squeeze and stepped back.

Eddie took the backpack from Buck’s hand and tucked it into the truck.

“Daddy, I need a wipe for my hand,” Christopher said and rubbed his snotty nose with his sleeve. “And tissues.”

Buck laughed a little as Eddie grabbed a little package of sanitation wipes, opened it, and pulled one free for his son then snagged a package of tissues from a pocket on the back of the driver’s seat. He offered it all to his son with a disgusted face.

“Who’s that?” Christopher asked as he wiped his hand, then his nose, and then put everything in a little paper bag he pulled out of the side of his car seat.

“This is Buck, my partner at work, and his son, Wyatt,” Eddie said as they all three hovered around the open passenger door. “He’s a Guide.”

Leto chuffed a little, clearly put out not to be included in the introductions.

“That’s Leto,” Christopher said and pointed toward the spirit animal using Buck as a prop. “I’ve had dreams about her.”

Eddie paled and Shannon took a deep ragged breath.

“Is that okay?” Christopher asked, eyes going wide again.

“It’s fine, buddy,” Buck said with neither of his parents responded. “I met plenty of other spirit animals in my dreams when I was your age. I met Leto, too. Have you met your spirit animal?”

“Yeah, her name is Adira. She’s a big lion!” Christopher said happily and Buck exhaled slowly.  “I’m glad because I wanted a cat like Daddy.”

“Lunch?” he suggested in Eddie’s direction, who only nodded.

“I have to get to work. I’m already an hour late because of my out of control need for a front row seat to Eddie telling someone off,” Shannon said with a frown.

“Let me get you that packet of information,” Buck said and shifted his backpack off his shoulder and put it down in the bed of Eddie’s truck. Eddie took over unzipping it when he indicated with pocket and pulled out two envelopes. “They’re identical.”

Eddie passed one to Shannon and tucked the other into the pocket of the driver’s seat of his truck. He turned the truck on, then AC, and shut the doors as it started to blow cold air. He took a deep breath and glanced briefly toward the school building.

“I think that woman is the sort to file a complaint with some kind of child protective service with her assumptions treated like facts,” Eddie said roughly.

“It’d go absolutely no where,” Buck assured when Shannon paled. “Because such complaints are always forwarded to a regional psionic center run by the Burton Foundation. There are dozens of local, state, and federal laws protecting the parental rights of a Sentinel.” He glanced briefly at Shannon with wince, but she just shrugged.

“I’d rather Eddie not have a record as a civilian for feral homicide,” she said and took a deep breath. “And that’s exactly why those laws even exist, right?”

“Right. Honestly, no online Sentinel is capable of any sort of child abuse—just the inclination toward that kind of behavior would force them dormant long before they get near parenthood,” Buck said as he zipped the backpack again and shouldered it. “It was great to meet you, Shannon. I look forward to conspiring against Eddie with you.”

She grinned even as Eddie groaned. “Make sure to get my number from him—for emergency stuff and also so I can tell you about all his deeply flawed character.”

Buck nodded. “Probably a good idea.”

Wyatt made a disgruntled noise and held out a hand to Shannon.

“He loves women,” Buck said by way of explanation and she laughed. “If there weren’t the risk of Eddie’s allergy, I’d totally throw my kid at you.”

“I understand,” she assured. “Anything the baby picked up from me could get everywhere if you end up at Eddie’s house today. Fortunately, he’s not progressed to inhalation.” She made a face. “I’m going to insist he get a bubble, if he does.”

Buck considered that, shook his head at Eddie, and headed for his SUV. “You can follow me.”

He’d bought himself a Toyota Highlander three months earlier as a present to himself for getting through advanced Guide classes and the first few months of parenthood without losing his mind. Buck tucked Wyatt into his car seat, stowed the backpack and got in. He turned the AC on full blast to cool the air as quickly as possible.

“Okay, let’s try to get through lunch without saying anything stupid in front of his kid.”

“Pop!” Wyatt responded cheerfully from the backseat. “Go! Zmmmm.”

Buck laughed a little as he continued to make his version of little car noises.

* * * *

“Daddy, are you sure I’m not in trouble?”

“Yes, Mijo, I’m very sure,” Eddie said as he followed Buck out of the school parking lot. “Ms. Flores doesn’t have the same perspective that we do, and her values don’t align with what your mom and I want you to be taught.” That sounded so mature that he was actually proud of himself, but his kid huffed in what was clear frustration. “She’s mean and we don’t like her.”

Christopher laughed. “Lots of adults think they know what is best, some of them don’t even bother to ask me what I want or need.”

“Yeah, I know,” Eddie said quietly. “People did that to me all the time when I was kid. Sometimes, parents have to make big decisions that impact everyone.”

“I get it,” Christopher said. “It’s just I wish the world was different—more fair. I don’t think Ms. Flores is a bad teacher.”

“You don’t?”

“No, she’s just….” Christopher huffed a little. “She doesn’t like to be told she’s wrong. She thinks what she thinks and that’s it.”

“Rigid,” Eddie supplied. “She’s rigid and narrow minded.”

“Yeah, that sounds about right,” Christopher said unhappily from the back seat. “I’m going to miss my friends.”

“I know. I’m really sorry.”

“It’s not your fault,” his son said. “Are we going to the beach? That’d be cool.”

Eddie had no idea where they were going. “Buck mentioned lunch. Have you eaten, yet?”

“Just a snack,” Christopher said. “Apple slices and almond milk.”

“Aren’t you supposed to get two percent milk?” Eddie questioned because he didn’t remember a change on that front.

“They were out because the cartons were crushed in box, it was a big mess when it got opened,” his son explained. “I got to choose between almond milk, soy milk, or orange juice. It wasn’t terrible.”

Eddie laughed a little. “Okay.” He noted that Buck was signaling a turn and was relieved to see he’d been led to his favorite deli.

“Oh, Rory’s,” Christopher said. “Awesome.”

“Mijo, do me a favor,” Eddie said as he parked, unbuckled and half-turned in the seat. “Don’t let Buck know we come here all the time. He doesn’t need that kind of validation.”

Christopher laughed. “Daddy, he’s a Wolf Guide with a wish baby. The universe has already super validated him.”

That was true, and horrible all at once. Eddie grimaced and left his truck, retrieved his giggling kid, helped him get settled on the ground with his crutches, and turned to find Buck watching him in a way that spoke to judgment.

“What?”

“Nothing,” Buck said in a dry tone that Eddie found both vexing and attractive all at once. “From what I can remember, this place has a decent kids menu. Wyatt likes their apple sauce, they make it in house, and he’s used to homemade baby food.”

“You make your own baby food,” Eddie said.

“Yeah, of course.” Buck shrugged. “I meal prep for myself already because I eat organic. It’d be weird if I didn’t extend that process to him, right? He should have good food, not overprocessed crap that I wouldn’t eat given a choice.”

“Daddy,” Christopher said seriously and Eddie focused him. “I don’t think he’s going to let his baby eat chicken nuggets. That’s a crime.”

“Wow,” Buck muttered.

In the deli, Eddie ordered at the counter for himself and Christopher as he tried to pretend he wasn’t in the place twice a week. The girl behind the counter, clearly wasn’t on the same page, as she’d greeted him by name and offered Christopher a brownie sample like they were old friends.

“Man,” Eddie muttered and Christopher laughed as he ate his brownie from the little paper cup.

At the table, they settled in and he watched Buck make a production of putting Wyatt in the high chair they’d grabbed as they entered. The baby had a faint glow currently, and his eyes were sparklingly with happiness.

“I didn’t know they could still glow so long after delivery,” Eddie admitted.

“He doesn’t often,” Buck said and smoothed back his son’s blond curls, and Wyatt giggled. “Just when he gets very amused about something, and he likes riding around.”

“Zmmmm,” Wyatt said and waved a hand around.

Eddie laughed a little. “You drove him around when he wouldn’t sleep, right?”

“Yeah,” Buck admitted. “Just another in a long list of things I did when he was a baby, so he’d stop crying because it hurt my feelings.” He shrugged. “I don’t necessarily regret it, though. Things weren’t easy when I first came online because it happened the moment I picked him up out of that silly basket he was delivered in. The Fey court officer had to call for help, and she’s still resenting me for it.”

“Oh,” Eddie said quietly. “How many searches?”

“I met sixty-two Sentinels before I bowed out of that process,” Buck said and Eddie winced. “It’s fine.”

He didn’t know how it could be. Beside him, Christopher shifted on the booster seat they’d snagged for him. He was almost at the point where he didn’t need it, but it could get dicey in some places depending on table height and the seat situation.

Their food was delivered fairly quickly and the server snagged both of their numbers before disappearing without a word to them. It didn’t seem to bother Buck, so he was clearly a regular, too.

“I asked the owner if his employees make a vow silence,” Buck said and Eddie grinned. “He said only the cashier was required to talk, and that people in LA prefer to be ignored.”

“I’d rather not have a chatty person in my face,” Eddie admitted and Buck nodded.

He opened up the small bag of chips he’d gotten his son and put them within reach. The boy already had half of his panini in hand. “Be careful with that—the cheese could be hot.”

Christopher nodded.

“So, you’re pretty cozy in an organic deli twenty-five minutes from your house.”

Eddie grinned. “Shut up.”

“I’m just saying…you gave me some serious side-eye over my organic diet, and I’ve taken note of the hypocrisy.”

“They have the best roast beef in the whole city,” Eddie said and Buck just nodded his agreement.

Buck focused on feeding his son the small serving of apple sauce, and it was clear the kid was all in on the experience as he continued to glow the whole time he was eating. There was subtle shift of psionic energy around them and Eddie was honestly surprised to feel it as he rarely did because of the cuff.

Buck looked up, gaze sharpening as he set aside the spoon he was using to feeding the baby. Eddie shifted forward in his chair and put a hand on his son who was still focused on eating his panini. He focused on Buck’s face and watched a series of emotions flicker across his face. He wished he knew the man better because he felt like there was a point in their future where they could have a whole conversation with a glance.

He felt weirdly vulnerable in a way he hadn’t felt since he’d come online. A faint wafting scent of gun powder filled his nostrils, and he exhaled slowly. He couldn’t tell if it was a sense-memory or a scent in the room. Regret piled on him in an instant as the cuff shifted in his mind from a comfort to a liability. He started to unfasten it, and a hand settled on his arm.

“Not like this,” Buck said gently. “There is something going on in the room and your brain is just filling in the blanks in response to your lack of information.”

“I smell a trace of something very familiar.”

“Except, you can’t,” Buck said gently and tapped the bracelet. “It’s still working just as it should. So, what ever trace scent you’re picking up is just a memory.” He withdrew his hand when Eddie nodded.

Eddie pulled his phone out of his pocket and put it on the bench between him and his son. A little noise at the front of the deli caught their attention, and he relaxed a little as Athena Grant came in and went to the counter. The power in the room shifted slightly, calmed down, and Eddie realized he’d had a response of another Sentinel entering his space.

“Athena is latent, right?”

“Right,” Buck agreed and glanced toward the counter just once before his shoulders relaxed then started feeding his son again. “But she’s been on the cusp for years, it only got more intense after her divorce last year. I think she’s one bad day away from it.”

Eddie nodded because he agreed and focused on his food as the anxiety that had been building slowly faded.

“Daddy, is everything okay?”

“Yeah,” he murmured and touched his son’s back briefly. “Just me adjusting to changes.”

Christopher nodded slowly, took a sip of his lemonade. “That’s like all adults seem to do.”

Buck laughed. “Well, he’s not wrong.”

Eddie made a face because he didn’t think he was good at adjusting to anything and maybe hadn’t ever learned how to properly do it. It certainly hadn’t been a thing in his parent’s household who thrived on the status quo. The Army had been about order, discipline, and structure. He’d loved that structure.

He thought he’d gotten things pretty settled after leaving the Army even if it had come with advanced senses he’d avoided as much possible and primary custody of his son after years of basically being a FaceTime dad.

“Cool?” Buck questioned.

Eddie focused on him with a smile. “Yeah, I think so.”

Athena Grant appeared at the table then, pulled a chair up, dropped her to-go bag on the table and opened her bottled water as she sat. “Is this a date?” She raised an eyebrow. “I’m still going to be a fifth wheel, but I’d like to know the flavor of it.”

Eddie sighed. “We’re just eating lunch.”

She shook her head at him and sighed.