by Ranae Rose
His eyes stung too badly to open, so he moved forward blindly, getting away from the heat. Whoever had led him out was coughing just ahead.
He felt the grass against his face before he even realized he’d fallen, and then everything finally went black.
* * * * *
Peyton vomited onto the lawn. She’d never been so simultaneously relieved and terrified.
Her nostrils burnt, and she could feel the same smoke that rose from the edges of the roof in her throat, drying her from the inside out. As she puked again, her head began to throb.
Her heart pounded too, supercharged with adrenaline. Why had she been feeling guilty all these years for not having a gym membership? Apparently, she could move a hell of a lot of weight. If she was scared enough.
Screaming sirens intensified her headache. God, let there be ambulances and not just fire trucks. Every single person she loved in the entire world was sprawled at her feet in the grass. Madison and Elijah were like toy soldiers, still and battleworn.
Jace had wrapped himself around her lower leg and didn’t seem to care that she’d thrown up just feet from him. “Aunt Peyton! Aunt Peyton!”
She reached down to touch his head, then recoiled.
It hurt to touch his feather-soft hair. She raised red palms as her mind flashed back to inside the house.
If it had hurt to grip Elijah’s vest, she didn’t remember the pain. Now, her eyes watered.
She squinted and tried to watch Elijah and Madison for signs of breathing.
Elijah’s vest made it hard to tell whether his chest was rising and falling, and she couldn’t tell with Madison, either. Was she the problem, or had her sister stopped breathing?
Cold dread filled her chest like toxic sludge. After everything she’d survived, was Madison gone?
“No.” She choked on the single word as sirens eclipsed the afternoon sun and she was surrounded with emergency vehicles.
Jace stood and gripped her around the waist. She wrapped her arms around him, even though it hurt.
* * * * *
Peyton stood in Madison’s hospital room, her bandaged hands resting on Jace’s shoulders.
“Mom?”
An overly-tight feeling radiated throughout Peyton’s chest as she watched Jace approach Madison for the first time since an ambulance had taken her away, unconscious with a mask strapped over her face.
She looked better now, luckily – awake and outfitted with a less obtrusive nasal cannula.
“Jace. Thank God!” Madison sat bolt upright in her bed, her gaze shifting to Peyton. “They didn’t admit him?”
“They’re going to monitor him overnight, but I talked them into letting him visit.” Peyton smiled.
Jace had been intensely anxious to see his mom himself, and Peyton knew without asking that Jace had been the first person on Madison’s mind from the moment she’d regained consciousness.
Jace leaned over the edge of the bed and hugged Madison, who hugged him back.
“I want him moved into this room,” Madison said. “I’ll ask the nurse.”
“How do you feel?” Peyton asked.
“Well,” Madison said, “my throat’s pretty sore. I can’t believe the paramedics intubated me!”
“They tend to do that when you’re unconscious and not breathing very well.”
“Yeah, you’re right. But I don’t remember much, so it all seems … surreal.”
Peyton’s pulse sped. “Do you remember enough to have any idea what caused the fire?”
Madison dropped her gaze and grimaced. “I had a scented candle burning in my room. I was trying to relax and I fell asleep – that’s the only thing I can think of that might’ve caused it. God, I’m such an idiot. I could go back in time and kick my own ass.”
“The fire started in your room?”
“Isn’t that where the fire fighters found me?”
Peyton blinked. “No. Madison, the firefighters didn’t find you.”
“What?”
“I was watching TV and I came to your room to ask you if I could have some cookies,” Jace said. “I smelled something weird and you wouldn’t answer when I knocked on the door so I peeked in. The curtains were on fire, and so was your desk.”
Madison’s jaw dropped, and Peyton barely kept hers from doing the same.
“I could only get you out into the hallway.” Jace’s tone was apologetic.
Meanwhile, Peyton stood stunned. She’d assumed that Elijah had located Madison and carried her out of her bed, or wherever she’d been when the fire had started.
“How in the world did you manage to get your mom out of bed, Jace?”
“I couldn’t wake her up, so I pulled on the sheet until she rolled onto the floor. I kept pulling her out into the hall, but then the sheet came out from under her and I couldn’t move her any farther without it.”
Madison ran a hand through Jace’s hair. “I’m so sorry, honey. This was all my fault. I can’t believe you did something so brave. Thank you.”
Madison’s frown gave way to a radiant smile. “You’re like a real-life superhero, Jace. You know that?”
“Well, it wasn’t just me. It was Officer Bennett and Aunt Peyton, too.”
Peyton’s stomach flip-flopped as confusion clouded Madison’s expression. “What?”
Peyton drew a deep breath and prepared to tell the truth. She didn’t know why or how Elijah had stumbled across the house fire, but she knew that he’d probably saved Jace and Madison’s lives.
“The story’s a little complicated,” she began. “And Jace is right – Elijah and I were there too…”
* * * * *
Elijah no longer felt in danger of vomiting up every meal he’d ever eaten. Then again, he’d basically done exactly that in the ambulance, all over some unlucky paramedic’s boots.
The headache wasn’t so bad anymore either, just a fading halo of pain resting above his temples. The worst side-effect the fire had left him with was the smell of chemical char – he couldn’t seem to get it out of his nostrils. He tried rubbing at them and swore; the motion had jostled the cannula prongs, and his nasal passages felt raw and irritated.
The raw feeling remained as the door swung on its hinges and a woman in smoke-stained jeans and a matching tank top entered his hospital room.
“Hey, baby.” He swung his legs over the edge of his bed, not caring if his gown flapped and exposed his ass to the window behind. “Shouldn’t you be in bed?”
Her hands were wrapped in bandages that might as well have been white mittens. And Jesus, he remembered – just barely – how she must’ve burnt them.
He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close against his chest, tugging his wheeled IV pole along for the journey.
“I’m fine.” Her breath warmed his chest through his thin hospital gown when she spoke. “I wouldn’t let them admit me.”
“Fine? You’re wrapped up like a mummy from the wrists down.”
“I have first degree burns on my palms and fingers. That’s it.”
He could still feel the tug of someone pulling him up from the floor by his vest, the shock of strength that’d jump-started his stunned mind enough to allow him to stumble out of the house.
He hadn’t realized it’d been her, at first. But when he’d come to on the lawn as EMTs poked and prodded at him, he’d seen her in her smoke-stained clothing, a non-rebreather mask strapped over her reddened face, and he’d known.
“I can’t believe how strong you are,” he said, tightening his hold on her even though it made him cough. “I knew you were stubborn, but damn.”
He didn’t just mean physically, although that had shocked him too.
“Yeah, well, you’re not quite as heavy as you look.”
“I’m damn near twice your weight, and that’s without any gear.”
“Adrenaline.”
“Imagine what you could do if you got into lifting weights.”
“Now that I know what I can do with
out practicing, I don’t think I’ll bother.” She grinned, then pressed her face to his chest. “Are you okay? What did the doctor say?”
Her voice rose in pitch, and he felt the slight tremor in her arms.
“They want me to stay overnight for monitoring. Got a touch of CO poisoning from the smoke and fumes, but that’s all.”
“That’s all?” She tipped her head back, narrowing her gaze as he met her eyes. “It was more than a touch. And more people die in fires because of smoke than burns, you know.”
“I know. But I’ll be all right. I already feel a lot better than I did at first.”
“You didn’t get burnt, did you?”
“Think I singed my nose hairs off, but that’s it.”
“It could’ve been so much worse. You risked your life going into that house.”
“Yeah, well, I guess I got tired of fire fighters getting all the glory. Wanted a slice of that pie.”
She tapped his chest. “Stop joking around. I’m trying to build my way up to thanking you for risking your life to save my sister and nephew. Only … I can’t think of anything good enough to say. Not even close.”
“Don’t worry about it. I couldn’t have done anything less with a clear conscience.”
“Not many people would’ve done what you did.”
He slipped a finger beneath her jaw and gently lifted, until her blue eyes locked with his. “You did. You saved my ass, and your sister’s. Don’t act like you’re not the real reason we’re all here.”
She shook her head. “It was my house, though – my family. It’s different.”
“No, it’s not. We both went into that fire for people we loved. I know what your family means to you and I’d never let anything happen to them. Ever. Protecting them is protecting you.”
She pressed her face against his chest and sighed. “You’re the best. I love you so much.”
“I love you too.”
A welcome heat filled his chest as he held her, nothing like the oppressive swelter of the fire. “Are you really okay?”
“Yeah. I think most of what I felt when I got out of the house was panic, to tell the truth.”
“Still. You’re not leaving this hospital anytime soon.” He guided her to the edge of the bed and eased her down onto the edge before taking a seat beside her.
The fire had left him fatigued, almost like he was getting over a case of the flu. But the sheer pleasure of her presence kept him upright by her side.
“Damn right I’m not. I’m staying here to keep an eye on you, Jace and Madison.”
If that was how she chose to view it, that was fine. But she wasn’t walking out the hospital doors just hours after charging inside a burning building. He was going to keep an eye on her – a close one.
“How are they?”
“Jace is doing great. Did you know he pulled Madison out of bed and into the hall while she was unconscious?”
“No.”
“He did. The fire started in her room while she was asleep, and he was the first one to discover it.”
“Wow. I guess you’re not the only one in the family who’s a lot stronger than they look.”
“Yeah. I just… He’s so young, and he’s already been through so much. I’m worried about how this kind of trauma will affect him.”
Elijah gripped Peyton by the shoulders. “Is his mom okay?”
“She fared the worst, but they think she’ll be all right. She was poisoned too, but not burnt, thank God.”
The weight on Elijah’s shoulders lessened. Getting Madison out of the house would’ve meant fuck-all if she hadn’t survived the smoke exposure she’d suffered inside.
“Jace still has his family,” Elijah said, “he’ll get through it.”
Peyton rested her head against his shoulder. “How in the world were you the first one at the fire anyway? I thought they had you doing paperwork at the station.”
“I was already off work, on my way to the wholesale club down the street. They’re having a sale on mattresses today. Saw the smoke when I drove by.”
“Seriously?”
“What, you haven’t noticed how badly we’ve worn out my mattress?”
She laughed, and the sound silenced the clamor of anxiety that’d been clouding his mind all summer. In that moment, he didn’t care about anything besides the fact that she and her family were alive and well.
Not even the false accusations that threatened his career. He loved his work, but he loved her more. The revelation filled him with gratitude so intense it made his heart hurt, and for the first time in weeks, he felt at peace.
* * * * *
After hours of bouncing back and forth between Elijah’s hospital room and the room Madison and Jace were sharing, a nurse told Peyton she had to stay in one place for the night. She chose Elijah’s room so he wouldn’t be alone.
His parents had come that evening and so had Jackson, Belle and several co-workers, including his Lieutenant. But they’d all left by the time it was dark. His mom had been the last to go; Elijah had sounded like a cross between a lawyer and a doctor as he’d argued his case to her, insisting that he was fine and was only staying overnight because it was hospital procedure and his insurance would cover it anyway.
Eventually, Peyton fell into a surprisingly deep sleep on the fold-out chair beneath the window. When she awoke, it was to the sound of familiar voices.
“Shhh,” Madison was saying, “we’ll come back later.”
Peyton’s eyes flew open, and she squinted against the morning light. Jace was pushing Madison out of the room in a hospital wheelchair.
Elijah was already awake, sitting in the center of his bed with a newspaper spread on the sheets.
What time was it?
Almost nine am, according to the clock on the wall.
Peyton blinked. “Where are you two going?”
Jace stopped in his tracks, and he and Madison both turned their heads to stare.
Madison winced. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you up.”
“It’s okay.” Peyton sat up straight and stretched. “I can’t believe I slept this late. Is everything okay?”
Jace turned the chair so that he and his mom faced the room.
Madison nodded. “We’re both fine.”
She wore a patterned hospital gown, her hair tied back into a loose ponytail. There were purple half-moons beneath her eyes.
“Did you sleep?” Peyton asked.
“Not much.” Madison looked down at her lap, where she cradled a blue teddy bear embroidered with the words ‘thank you’. It held a bunch of artificial wildflowers in one paw. “I couldn’t stop thinking about everything that happened yesterday, even though I don’t remember most of it.”
Her eyes were wide, and her mouth was weighted at the corners. She looked back and forth between Peyton and Elijah, seemingly unable to let her gaze settle.
“I owe everyone in this room a bigger thank you than I can ever give,” Madison said, “but I also owe both of you an apology.”
Genuine shock rippled through Peyton.
“I’m sorry for the things I said to you, Elijah,” Madison continued. “I thought I knew who you were, but obviously I was wrong. I got you this dumb little bear from the gift shop, as if that makes up for anything.” She offered it to Elijah, who leaned forward to take it.
“Thank you.” The bear was all but swallowed up by his hands, which were much larger than Madison’s. He held it carefully though, and didn’t put it down.
Madison’s face was pink, and her gaze wavered. “I’m sorry I gave you such a hard time too, Peyton.”
“It’s okay.”
“I would’ve gotten you a bear too, but it was the last one.” Madison’s smile was weak. “So instead of a stuffed animal, will you settle for me staying out of your relationship from now on?”
Peyton stood and approached her sister. When she got close enough, she hugged her.
Having her safely out of the fire had been
enough of a gift. This – her acceptance, despite everything – was unspeakably priceless.
* * * * *
“Crap. Mom’s going to kill me!” Jace pressed his palms over his eyes and groaned.
“Blame it on me,” Elijah said. “I can take the heat.”
They both stood in the yard, staring at the shards of glass littering the lawn below the living room window. Beyond the broken pane, the baseball they’d been tossing back and forth lay somewhere in the house.
“She’ll be mad,” Jace warned.
Elijah nodded solemnly. “I can handle it. I’m gonna have to answer to your aunt, anyway.”
Jace shot him a grateful look.
It’d be another fifteen minutes before Madison and Peyton got home from work. Elijah could at least call his uncle and get a time frame estimate on repairing the window. He’d pay for it, of course.
It was the least he could do. He’d volunteered to watch Jace that evening so they could both be at Charmed for the big end of summer sale they were holding. He’d only meant to help.
So much for that.
“I’m gonna make a quick call,” he said, and pulled his phone from his pocket.
Before he could dial, it rang. As soon as he saw the name on the screen, he answered.
“Hello, Lieutenant.” His gut knotted instantly.
“Bennett, where are you?”
“I’m at my girlfriend’s place.”
“Maybe I ought to just give you the news over the phone then.”
Elijah braced himself. This definitely had something to do with the Joseph Weitcamp ordeal. What now?
The heat at work had cooled a little since the house fire. The media had reported on his role in the rescue, which had cast shadows of doubt on the image that’d been painted of him as an abuser. But he wasn’t out of the woods yet.
“Joseph Weitcamp was arrested in Columbia on another DUI.”
“Really?” The crushing weight that’d settled over his shoulders lessened just a little.
“That’s not all. He had an open container of alcohol in the vehicle, and his pockets were full of pills. Apparently he cleaned out his grandmother’s medicine cabinet while she was in the hospital.”
