Flash
It took and my companion, Vaughn, four hours to hitch our way back to base, limping the majority of the way through the burning landscape barely managing to avoid the flas.
"Chief," a voice bellowed. "We got ’em!"
Fire blankets were thrown over our shoulders as we were shuffled to the dical tent and forced onto cots, oxygen masks shoved over our noses.
"Fuck!"
"What are you doing here?" I asked, stunned to see my father rushing in.
Without answering he pulled in for a hug. "Jesus, I’m so relieved you’re okay, boy."
"Yes, of course I’m okay. What are you doing here?"
"I had Sticks arrange a flight for from Portland. I ca down here as soon as I heard about your mayday call."
"You really didn’t have to do that, I’m okay."
"Okay? You almost died, son. We thought maybe...well, we didn’t know what to think. Your mother and I were so worried—"
"She’s not here is she?" I asked, horrified.
"No, she’s at ho, but what if she was?"
"It’s just bad enough that my dad is checking up on at work. If mom was here, I’d never hear the end of it."
"Is that what you’re worried about? The ribbing you’ll get from the guys at the firehouse. Did you hear ?" He squeezed my shoulder. "We thought you might be dead."
"Well, I’m not and I don’t need you to check up on ," I said. "I’m a grown man, and I can take care of myself."
My father smiled, but I could see the hurt in his eyes.
"That’s the foolishness of youth," he said. "Once you get older, you’ll realize that a real man knows that he can’t take care of himself. That he needs others, and they need him."
I sighed. "Yeah, Pop, I hear ya. But I’m good. Sorry I freaked you."
"You’re gonna need to call your woman while I call your mom."
"My phone’s dead, can I borrow yours?"
He nodded, handing it to , and I dialed Tate’s number.
"Hatch?" Tate answered on the first ring. She sounded like she’d been crying. "Did you find him?"
"It’s , baby."
"Oh my god."
That was all she managed to get out before she was overtaken by sobbing.
"Hello? Hatch. It’s , Shannon. What’s happened?"
"It’s , Mrs. Burke, Flash. I’m good. Is Tate okay?"
"Oh, honey, I’m so glad you’re okay. Yes, she’ll be fine. Um, let get your mom really quick while Tate pulls herself together."
For the next twenty minutes, the phone was passed around to my mother, sister, and brother before finally being given back to Tate.
"When are you coming ho?" she demanded.
"Not sure, but soon."
"Are you okay? What happened?"
"Yeah, baby, I’m good." I filled her in on everything that happened, which was probably a mistake because it sent her into another crying jag.
"Oh my god, Parker, you’re never doing this again. Promise ," she sobbed out.
I sighed. "Baby—"
"Promise ."
"We’ll talk long and hard about it when I get ho, okay?"
"Flash, you need to get that mask back on," the EMT ordered.
"Baby, I gotta go. I’m handing the phone to Hatch."
"I love you," she rasped.
"Yeah," I said, placing the mask back on, and handing the phone to my dad.
"Hey, sweetheart. Yeah, he’s good. I promise I’ll bring him ho safe." I rolled my eyes, still irked my dad was here in the first place. "Can you get Maisie for ? Thanks. Hey, Sunshine." Dad glanced at . "Not even a scratch. A little smoke inhalation, but he’s good, baby. Flew the fuck outta that machine and saved a guy to boot." He chuckled. "You know it, but he’ll get the fuck over it. Tomorrow. Yeah. Okay. See you then. Bye, baby." He hung up and faced again. "You hungry?"
"I could eat."
He grinned. "I’ll see if there’s any pizza left."
"Thanks, Pop."
He squeezed my shoulder and left the tent, giving the dic the chance to do a full workup on .
Tate
My mother had forced back to bed when she’d found in my kitchen at four a.m. with a half-eaten pint of mint chocolate chip ice cream open on the counter. As promised, she’d stayed with and had no plans of leaving until Flash got ho.
"Honey, what ti did you wake up?"
"I haven’t gone to sleep," I admitted, taking another bite of ice cream.
She physically removed the spoon from my hand, wrapping her arm around my waist and guiding to my room.
"Lie down, sweetness. You need your rest. Flash will be ho this afternoon and you’ll want to be lucid for your reunion."
I’d acquiesced reluctantly knowing full well there was no way I was going to be able to sleep, but then I felt the bed dip, and Flash’s voice whispering my na.
At first, I thought it was a dream.
"Baby, wake up." I forced my eyes open and reached for him, landing a loud slap to his cheek. "Ow, fuck."
"Oh my god, sorry," I cried as I sat up and threw my arms around his neck. "Are you really here?"
He chuckled, holding close. "I’m really here."
"When did you land?"
"About twenty minutes ago." He cupped my face, stroking my cheek. "You look really tired, baby, you okay?"
"Um, no, I thought you were dead. I haven’t slept in two days."
"Fuck, baby, I’m sorry. I won’t ever do that to you again."
"Promise?"
"Promise," he said, kissing . "Why do you taste like mint chocolate chip?"
"I plead the fifth."
"You really should sleep, honey," he said.
"Oh, hell no. Not unless you’re coming to bed with ."
He grimaced. "Mom’s freaking out, so I think she and Poppy are on their way over."
"My mom’s already here," I warned. "I’ll just get up and get dressed. I won’t be able to sleep anyway." The second the words were out of my mouth, nausea reared its ugly head, and I was forced to make a run for the bathroom.
"Jesus," Flash hissed, rushing after . "I’ll call the doctor."
"No," I rasped, waving my hand.
"Want to get your mom?"
"No, honey, I’m not sick." I flushed the toilet and washed up, letting him wrap his arms around once I was done.
"You’re not sick?"
"Nope. I’m pregnant."
He cupped my face, eting my eyes. "What the fuck now?"
I nodded. "Took two tests."
"Oh my god, baby, that’s fuckin’ aweso."
I smiled tentatively. "You’re happy?"
"Yeah, aren’t you?"
"I am now that you’re ho safe. Yesterday, I was scared to death," I admitted.
"I’m so fuckin’ sorry, Tate."
"I know. It’s okay. You’re ho now and you’re never leaving my sight again."
He chuckled, kissing gently. "Nope, never. You, however, are going back to bed."
"I’ll sleep, but only next to you. So, if you plan to have a reunion with your family, then you do it in the family room with sacked out on the sofa."
"Okay, baby, I can do that."
I followed him out to the family room where I curled up on the sectional with a pillow and blanket while he alerted his family, and mine, that they were welco to visit... quietly. I fell asleep despite the noise, knowing my man was finally ho safe and sound.
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