Teased by Fire

by Molly O'Hare

  “Does it?” Lucas remarked. “Hank, this is Olive we are talking about. The shy girl that would do anything in the world to avoid people. Do you really think she’d be okay with you shouting out I love you? And I bet your dumb ass did it in the middle of boinking her. There is no way in hell she would believe you. So, in turn, you fucked it up.”

  “I didn’t do it in the middle of boinking her.”

  “Really?” Lucas looked impressed.

  “It was after.”

  “Yup, you fucked it up.”

  Hank’s lips flattened as he glared at Lucas.

  “Olive is one of those special girls, Tank. You should know better than to have said it like that.”

  “Well, I did,” he snapped. “Then she pretty much told me to fuck off. I fucking saw red, man. It was like I was talking to the wall. She wouldn’t listen to reason no matter what I said.” Something inside of him broke. “I stormed out of there telling her we were done.” As he recalled the shock on her face, his gut clenched. This was never supposed to be like this. When he told her he loved her, she should have jumped into his arms and told him she loved him too.

  “So that’s that, then?” Lucas asked.

  With a solemn nod, Hank answered. “I’m her research subject.”

  Lucas’ brows shot to the ceiling. “Wait, hold up a second. What do you mean research subject?”

  Hank quickly jumped to Olive’s defense. “It’s not what you think. She writes those sexy books that women read. I only found out when I happened upon it by accident. To make a long story short, I convinced her to use me as her live-in research subject for the scenes in her books.”

  “I bet that’s been working out for you.”

  Hank smiled as he waggled his brows before the realization of the morning set back in. “It never was working out for me,” he answered honestly. “We fell into this stupid agreement when I’ve always wanted more. I’ve wanted more for years, but I was willing to take whatever she gave me.”

  “And now she won’t give you anything.”

  “That’s the kicker. She’s willing to keep using my body, but she won’t give me her heart.” Hank’s eyes pleaded with his friend. “I can’t do that anymore, Luke. I won’t do that anymore. She needs to realize that love is a real thing, what we have is love. I mean for fuck sakes she writes about it.”

  Lucas moved closer to the table as he pondered the predicament. “Why do you think she writes about it but doesn’t believe in it?

  “Her parents are all sorts of fucked up.”

  “Aren’t most?”

  “If you only knew. They really did a number on her. Hell, man, they still do.”

  They were both quiet for a few moments before Lucas spoke. “Are you saying you’re giving up?”

  Hank sat back in his chair. No, he wasn’t done. There was no way in hell he was done. Olive was his other half and he was going to stop at nothing to prove it to her. He only said they were over in the heat of the moment. He might be pissed, but he wasn’t giving up.

  Hank opened his mouth to tell Lucas that, when the alarm rang through the station causing both men to jump to their feet.

  Within seconds, both men were back in action.

  It only took a few minutes before everyone was in their turnout gear and in the truck headed to a scene of a potentially fatal car crash.

  Lucas drove the rig while Hank sat in the passenger seat. The rest of the team was in the back, while Rick and Tim were in the ambulance directly behind them.

  Hank did his best to put his situation with Olive out of his mind as he readied himself to get to work. This is what he loved about his job. He thrived on the adrenaline of the unknown.

  When he glanced to his left he saw Lucas staring at him. The pity that quickly glanced through his expression before turning back to the road had Hank’s body tense.

  Now was not the time.

  Right now, they had a job to do and as soon as that job was done, he was going to her and they were getting back on track.

  As they rounded the corner to the accident he readied himself for whatever was to come.

  The moment the accident came into view, Hank’s heart stopped.

  It can’t be!

  His face paled as he felt sweat break through his skin. Please, god no.

  When they pulled to a stop his greatest fears were confirmed. “That’s Olive’s car!”

  Everything came to a screeching halt for Hank.

  There in front of him were two mangled cars. Olive’s was flipped over with zero signs of movement. Hank bolted out of the rig, protocol be damned.

  He propelled his body as fast as he could to Olive’s car. When he was a few feet away he skidded on his knees to the crushed driver’s side as he screamed her name. “Olive! Olive are you okay? Baby, please answer me!”

  He fell to his stomach, crawling through the broken glass and debris trying his best to get to her. When Olive came into view, a new wave of panic rushed through him. Her body hung limply upside down, with blood pouring from her head. He frantically worked his way to her as his mind thought the worst.

  “Is it Olive?”

  Hank heard the faint words from behind him but didn’t bother to acknowledge them. The amount of blood coming from Olive’s body horrified him.

  “Go check on the other vehicle,” Lucas hollered to the others before he fell to his knees next to Hank. “I need you to stay calm, Tank. Right now, you freaking out isn’t going to do Olive any favors.”

  Ignoring him, Hank tried pushing his body through the crushed opening of Olive’s window. “I’m in love with her, you don’t get it.” Hank couldn’t get his body to move right. No matter how many times he adjusted his frame he could only reach her limp hand that had fallen into a pool of her blood.

  “I know you are, buddy.” Lucas took off his glove after pushing Hank out of the way.

  Hank watched in horror as Lucas reached for Olive. When he placed his fingers on her neck he heard him breathe a subtle sign of relief. “She’s got a pulse. It’s faint, but it’s there.”

  Hank let out a breath he hadn’t known he’d been holding.

  “Hank, man. I know this is rough but I need you to move out of the way so we can get Rick in here.”

  Hank knew Rick stepping in was the best course of action, but he couldn’t find the strength to move away from Olive.

  There was so much blood.

  Rick pushed his way between him and Lucas. “I’ll take good care of her, Hank, I’ll die before she does.”

  At Rick’s words, Hank finally let go of Olive’s hand and moved away. Once he was back on his feet he stood there in shock as he watched Rick and Lucas work on her.

  Tim called from the second vehicle. “Victim is D.O.A.”

  Hank spun toward Tim and started sprinting his way. “Fuck!” When he got to Tim, he was able to confirm what he’d announced. “Damnit!” Hank punched the side of the car as hard as he could.

  This was his worst case scenario come to life.

  Looking back at Olive’s flipped car he didn’t know what else to do. Tim had run to Olive’s side as the rest of his team used the Jaws of Life to rip open her car.

  He knew between Rick and now Tim they would do everything in their power to keep Olive stable enough to transport her to the hospital.

  He couldn’t stop his life with Olive from flashing before his eyes. The look she gave him after he told her they were done haunted him.

  “Grab the stretcher!”

  Hank rushed to the ambulance helping his teammates. While one of them pulled the stretcher out of the back, he yanked the backboard and a collar from the bus and sprinted back to the mangled car.

  Within seconds Olive was freed. They placed her on the backboard before getting her onto the stretcher. Hank stayed at her side while Tim checked her eyes for any sign of movement.

  “We need to intubate.” Hank’s stomach sank as they pushed her to the bus. “She’s stopped breathing.”

>   “Let’s go!” Rick yelled as he ran towards the driver’s side door.

  Hank turned toward Lucas. “I’m going with her!” He didn’t wait for his answer as he hopped into the back of the bus with Tim.

  “I wouldn’t expect anything less,” Lucas hollered back. “I’ll meet you at the hospital.”

  Tim pounded on the back window signaling for Rick to gun it. “We’ve got to go!”

  Hank looked at Olive on the stretcher, her face bloodied and bruised. As he watched Tim work he did his best to assist with her breathing once Tim got her intubated. He’d done his stint with the EMT side of the department just like every other firefighter. But for the life of him, he couldn’t keep his mind focused on what to do next.

  Not while the love of his life was dying in front of him. “I’m here. Olive, baby. I’m here. Don’t you fucking leave me!” He held onto her hand, as tears formed in his eyes. For the first time in years, he prayed. He prayed to see her sea blue eyes just one more time.

  “Shit.” Tim moved around the back of the ambulance doing everything he could for her.

  As Hank watched her blood riddled face, tears poured down his cheeks. “Baby, I need you. Please. Please.”

  Tim called to Rick. “Put a move on. It’s not looking good. I’m losing her.” Tim reached for epinephrine.

  Hank watched in horror as Olive’s eyes opened for a split second before her whole body sagged. That’s when she flatlined.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Everything had started to look the same as Hank continued to pace throughout the surgical waiting room. Hank rubbed the back of his neck as he mindlessly moved through the confines of the walls, begging for anyone to let him know how Olive was doing.

  It’d been hours since Olive had been rushed into surgery, and he hadn’t heard anything since.

  The door to the surgical ward beeped which caused Hank to freeze in his tracks as he looked toward the door.

  Please, be for Olive.

  The moment the person made it through the opening and turned away from him, making their way down the hall, his heart fell.

  He didn’t know how much longer he could take this.

  Hank’s hands fisted at his side, as he scrunched his eyes closed.

  He’d never get the image of Olive’s heart stopping in the back of the ambulance out of his head. There had never been a moment he’d been more terrified in his life.

  He owed everything he had to Tim. If it weren’t for him, Olive wouldn’t have made it to the hospital.

  Hank opened his eyes only to look down at his blood-soaked uniform. His knees weakened.

  Knowing he couldn’t stand anymore, he moved over to a nearby chair and collapsed in it. His body hunched over as he placed his head in his hands.

  This can’t be happening. Not Olive. Not my Olive.

  The sight of her blood made bile rise in his throat.

  “Have you heard anything?”

  Hank looked up to see Lucas make his way into the room with two cups of coffee in his hands.

  “Not a damn thing,” he answered, as he looked at his watch. “It’s been six hours, Luke. Six fuckin’ hours.” He took the coffee Lucas handed him, with a sigh. Six hours.

  Lucas’ eyebrows drew together before he fell into the seat next to Hank’s. “You’d think you would have heard something by now.” He pulled out his phone. “Tim text me while I was in the cafeteria. They want to stop by after their shift.”

  “They don’t need to.” Hank shook his head in disbelief. “At this point, we don’t know how much longer she’s gonna be in surgery, or if she’ll even make it.”

  “Don't talk like that, Tank.”

  “Talk like what? The truth.” With a solemn expression, Hank fell back into his seat. “No one is telling me anything, man. At this point, I don’t know what to do or what else to think.” Hank looked at his friend, a pained expression marring his face. “I can’t lose her, Lucas.”

  “You won’t,” he replied before he gripped Hank’s shoulder jutting his chin towards the receptionist. “When was the last time you asked for any updates?”

  “Five minutes after you left to grab something to eat.” Hank shrugged.

  He knew he couldn’t go back to the receptionist so soon. At this point, he was sure she was going to call security on him. Every time he passed by the desk, she’d eye him warily, ready to make her move if need be. Sure, he might have been a tad aggressive trying to get answers, and if his mother were here she would’ve scolded him for his behavior, but he couldn’t care less. That was his Olive back there, and he didn’t care who he pissed off. He wanted answers.

  Lucas must have gotten the picture because he grabbed his coffee and headed over to the receptionist.

  Hank couldn’t help the small pang of hope that ran through him as he watched his buddy lean against the counter. He knew Lucas was the master sweet talker. If anyone would get him answers it would be him.

  His hope was short lived when he saw the lady shake her head no. When Lucas turned back to him, the pity Hank saw made him snap his head away.

  Fuck!

  Hank threw himself into his chair as his head started to pound.

  How much longer was it going to take for them to hear any news?

  Hope was all he had and as every second dwindled by, he lost more and more of it.

  Two hours had passed.

  Two. More. Fucking. Hours.

  During that whole time, not one single person came out to tell him if Olive was alive.

  The beep from the surgical ward door sounded once more causing him to jump from his seat. Let this time be for Olive. Please dear god, let this time be for her.

  When he saw a middle-aged man wearing a surgical outfit make his way towards the receptionist he jumped from his seat and ran over to the man cutting him off at the pass. “Are you working on Olive Quinn? Do you have any information at all?”

  The gentleman moved his attention to Hank, a soulful expression in his eyes. “I’m sorry, sir. But I am not familiar with that patient. I’m sure if you ask at the desk, one of the ladies will be able to get you an update.”

  Hank spun on his heel as he threw his hands in the air in pure frustration. “You’ve got to be kidding me.” If someone didn’t tell him how Olive was in the next five seconds he was going to break down that fucking door and go find her himself.

  “We’ll do that,” Lucas the voice of reason sounded from next to him.

  “I’m tired of talking to her.” Hank glared at the receptionist. “She doesn’t know shit, and she doesn’t want to go back there and find out. It’s the same goddamn story every fucking time.”

  “She’s doing her job, Tank. You and I both know there is nothing more she can do.”

  “It’s bullshit and you know it.” Hank was done. He stormed over to the desk. “Have you heard anything? Anything at all.”

  “I’m sorry, sir, but no.”

  “This is unbelievable.” Hank slammed his fist on the counter. “You don’t fucking get it. The woman I love is back there and I haven’t heard a goddamn thing since she’d been taken back. Fucking hours. I’m trying to be patient here, but my patience is running thin.” He pointed to the phone. “Call someone and get me some fucking answers.”

  The receptionist stared at him, before turning her gaze to Lucas. When Lucas gave her a pleading smile, she nodded. “Let me call back there and see if they finally have any updates.”

  You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.

  “Thank you, was that so hard?” Hank pushed away from the counter before heading back to his abandoned chair with Lucas following behind him.

  “Olive will be okay, man.”

  “You don’t know that. None of us know that.” Hank pleaded with his friend as images of the crash flooded his brain. “You saw the car. You were there.” Hank looked at his soiled clothes. “There was so much blood.”

  Lucas’ hand clasped around Hank’s shoulder as he tried to give him strengt
h. “She’s gonna be okay, Hank.”

  He wanted to believe that. He wanted to believe she’d be okay with every fiber of his being, but at this point, he didn’t know if he could. He looked to his friend, begging for him to understand.

  When he saw Lucas nod in a small reassurance, Hank leaned back in his chair closing his eyes once again. He’d give anything to go back to that morning.

  Of course, he’d never take back telling Olive he loved her, but he would have damn well not walked out on her. What he should have done was thrown her over his shoulder and toss her back onto the bed and make her see without a reasonable doubt, they were meant to be, and that he did love her.

  No, instead he let his emotions take control and he stormed out of the apartment.

  He felt his body cringe. How could he have ended them like that? Especially, when it was said in the heat of the moment, there was no way he meant it.

  And right now, as she lay on the surgical table with them doing god knows what to her, the last thing she’d heard from him was how he was done.

  He flinched.

  Everything was a mess.

  When the door beeped again signaling someone was about to come through, Hank didn’t bother to look up.

  “Olive Quinn?” A middle-aged man in a surgical gown called out.

  When the words registered in his head, Hank jumped from his seat and darted over to the doctor. “Right here.”

  The doctor held out his hand. “I’m Doctor Wyatt. I’m one of the surgeon’s that worked on Olive.”

  Hank shook his hand. “Thank you for coming out to update us. I’m Hank Parker, can you tell me how Olive is doing?”

  Hank waited impatiently as Doctor Wyatt looked at the file in his hands. “Her chart shows a Miranda and Hank Parker as her emergency contacts.” He closed the chart before placing it under his arm. “I’m not going to sugar coat this for you, Mr. Parker. It shows in the file you’re one of our local firefighters, and I’m assuming by the sight of your clothes you know the drill. It was touch and go there for a while. We lost her a few times on the table.”