A Fire That Burns

by Kirsty-Anne Still

  “Better,” she mused lightly, “My arm doesn’t hurt like it has been so I’m guessing the op worked.”

  “I definitely say that is a good sign,” he replied with a confident smile. “Just gotta get you back home now.”

  “Sounds like heaven,” Austin offered back a bigger smile and then looked around the room. “Where’s Michael?” Austin pondered as she wondered why Tyler had turned up alone. She could tell from just the one time she was awake that the pair of them had formed a new alliance, one that enabled them to be friends, best guy buddies at least, and be there for her how they both needed to be.

  “He’s just parking the car,” Tyler told her with a smile. “Told me to come and get our favorite girl up.”

  “And here I was, already up,” Austin replied with a wink. “Now what is the deal, because I can’t deal with you two arguing and fighting anymore.”

  “No more fights, no more animosity,” Tyler said as he sat on her bed putting his hands up to show his defeat and that a new change had occurred. “He understands your choice, and I understand it too. I know you love him, but you’re in love with me, and I understand that you want him in your life, I wouldn’t expect it differently. He now sees that too, and he recognizes that you did him a good deed by setting him,” Tyler scrunched his nose at this term, “Free.” He saw Austin laugh at that, “He just realizes that you want what’s best for him and he wants the same for you without losing you.”

  “Good,” Austin replied and relaxed with a satisfied grin. “That’s what keeps a girl happy.”

  “That’s all you’re gonna hear,” Tyler told her honestly and leaned in. “Now I hear you didn’t try to escape during the night,” Tyler teased her and he watched her smirk, her eyes glinting with undying tease.

  “I’m not going far as long as my arm’s like this,” she joked, while being serious at the same time. She looked to her arm as it lay heavily bandaged for the moment. The bandage was worse than before, making it impossible for Austin to use her arm, but she guessed it was all part of her recovery and she just knew soon she’d get her arm free again. “I’m trapped here.”

  Tyler placed his hand on the other side of Austin’s body, and watched her intently, “I’m amazed right now.”

  “With?” Austin asked cautiously. Her mind panicked over what he was going on about. “I don’t see anything amazing right now.”

  Smirking, Tyler watched her innocence, “You’re beautiful,” he said simply to her and watched her face light up with tender surprise. “Even when you’re not feeling on top of the world, you just never lose that smile.” He went silent after that, his heart thrumming in his chest harshly.

  “Tyler?” Austin asked out to him, her free hand moving to his face so he had to look at her. “Where did your head go?” she continued to ask him as she noticed the sudden rush of emotions in his face. “What’s the matter?”

  “It’s stupid,” Tyler told her. And you’ve heard it all before, his thoughts sneered up at him.

  “Don’t be ridiculous, talk to me,” she pushed him lightly, her worry becoming clear in her tone. “You don’t get to shut down on me, Tyler Armstrong.”

  Tyler smiled at her then, a light appreciative grin. “I just get a little shot of reality every now and again and I realize that you were always right.”

  “With what?” she asked with elated confusion. She knew the two emotions shouldn’t have been together, but she couldn’t separate her happiness at having him here, and feeling confused at what he was hinting at.

  “Knowing that everything happens for a reason,” he finalized and looked at her. “I had to lose the best thing in my life to gain it all back, and sometimes reality catches up on me and tells me again that I might have messed up, but I got my life back.”

  Austin smiled bright, about to speak up when she noticed a new presence around them.

  “Not interrupting am I?” Michael asked as he entered the room.

  Austin tore her attention from Tyler, her smile still illuminating her face, “Hey you!” she chirped at him happily. “Was starting to get worried.”

  Smiling awkwardly, Michael walked in and gave her a kiss before backing up. “Parking was a nightmare,” he told them and looked at the pair of them. “Do you want me to leave and come back in a minute or two?”

  “Nah,” Tyler started and gave Austin a wink, “Just having a little chat. Nothing that can’t be continued later when you head off to find the car again and I do want a long goodbye.”

  Austin giggled, “I like enduringly long goodbyes. Just as much as I love those long kisses in the rain.” she closed her eyes against the memory, “Mmm,” she sounded and opened her eyes, “Or long showers when the water goes from hot to freezing before you get out.”

  “Long naps,” Michael cut in and watched Austin burst out laughing.

  “Ah, she subjected you to them too then?” Tyler asked and watched Austin before looking at Michael. “Did she give you the whole ‘Just resting my eyes for five minutes and we’ll be peachy’ statement?”

  Michael nodded, chuckling away, “Oh yeah, and the ‘Micro naps are healthy’ one, except she never did a micro nap because I don’ think three hours at a time classes as micro.”

  “Naps are healthy though,” Austin cut in as she watched Tyler and Michael work towards conjuring up secrets that both had experienced. “Believe me; I will graciously take multiple naps while you two are on Austin watch.” She watched them both begin to make a comment, “And I bet my next income on a computer system that my technically magical fingers make that you both will join me every single time!”

  Neither said a word, both exchanged wayward looks before looking back at Austin.

  “You both are so scarily alike at times it’s unreal! I can read you easier than I read a book sometimes,” she teased them and grinned at them.

  “Yup, she’s all set for an amazing recovery now,” Tom chimed as he walked into the room to see Tyler and Michael sitting on either side of the bed at Austin’s feet. “We get to take her home within the next three, four days.”

  “Her?” Austin asked with a cocked brow. “I lose a name now? Is this the new hospital bedside manner doctors have to offer?”

  “Patient-doctor confidentiality and all that jazz, Aust,” Tom teased her even more with a smirk. “If it makes you feel any better you’ll be home before next Monday.”

  “That does make this seem less crappy,” Austin optimized happily as she thought ahead to getting out of here. “And what’s the protocol for recovery this time around?”

  “A simple, stress free recovery,” Tom said, then gave both men a careful glare as he dabbled with the next subject matter. As much as Austin was sure it was over, he wasn’t so sure that a man would just lay down and get over loving a woman. So he was the cautious part of Austin’s brain for her. “I’ve gotta ask,” Tom began and he sat at the bottom of the bed. “Is everything okay between this trio? Or do I have to worry about pulling apart fights and watching my little sister flee said fights?

  “No, I think we’re all good,” Tyler said and looked to Michael who agreed profusely.

  “I’m just the buffer,” Michael said almost proudly. “I’m the one that’s going to make sure her and Tyler don’t repeat history.”

  “Oh believe me, I lost her once, I don’t plan on repeating it,” Tyler announced as he sat up straight to make sure they got the idea. There was no way he was going to let history have the opportunity to repeat itself. He had lost her for six years; he wasn’t going to lose her for another moment – or for a lifetime.

  As she listened, Austin was reassured her life was finally getting back to normal. For that, she couldn’t be happier to realize that both her favorite men were here to stick by her side for the right reasons and for the right path to loving her.

  Chapter Fifty-Five

  “THIS-is-the-life,” Austin mused as she relaxed into the sun lounger in her parents’ back yard. In a whirlwind three days she had co
me on leaps and bounds and actually taken her recovery seriously and forgot about her drive for independence. Now with Tyler currently at work, Austin knew she wasn’t needed for any form of over exertion, so she spent her first day just relaxing with Michael.

  “You’re telling me?” Michael quipped, “If I could, I would give up work and do this for a lifetime.”

  Austin giggled a little, “Get a decent talent like mine and you can, Mikey.”

  “Hey!” Michael chided her with an amused grin that took away his hurt.

  “Aussie,” Jane called out as she interrupted the pair. “You’re needed,” Jane said as she came out with Nicolas behind her.

  “I am?” Austin asked as she sat up a little with anticipation. She looked up at her father as he came and put his hand out of her.

  “You’ll like what you’re needed for, Kiddo,” Nicolas told her as she took his hand with no hesitation.

  “What is it I’m needed for exactly?” Austin asked as she was helped to stand by her father. “Where are we going?” No one said anything as she was led around outside and she continued to press and ponder, but got nowhere.

  Everyone just walked.

  Austin was getting agitated, “Guys, seriously. What is it I’m needed for?”

  “This,” Nicolas told her and then let her hand go and stepped back so that Austin was left to marvel at the sight before her.

  Austin looked up at the house, her eyes welling as all of a sudden it was some grand masterpiece, not a magnificent framework. The house now had walls, windows, and doorways. It now had character and poise and it screamed at them that it was unique.

  It was her and Tyler’s idea of a family home.

  As that connotation hit her, she bit her lip and felt her emotions cripple her. This house had been built up in haste beforehand, but after the fire, it was really taking shape quicker than she had ever anticipated and she never thought she would see it this perfect in such a short amount of time.

  “Hey Baby!” Tyler said as he ran down from the house. “Surprise!”

  “You’re supposed to be working,” Austin chided him tearfully, the shock still pumping in her veins. “Not building our dream home.”

  Tyler turned to her with bright smile, “That is working in my eyes, Aussie.” Tyler told her and then smirked, “Now, before I have to see Miss Impatient came out to play, I best give you a grand tour so that you know exactly what is needed of you.”

  “Can’t you just tell me?” Austin asked as her shock refused to subside. “I mean, isn’t that easier to do?”

  Shaking his head, he spoke to her; “Na uh, Baby Girl. Some things are better shown than told.”

  “Gonna show me then?” Austin quipped intrigued.

  “Of course,” Tyler told her and put his hand out to her and then whisked her away.

  Austin knew this had to be good as she looked over her shoulder and saw everyone smiling. Looking back, she didn’t think she would be back in this house so soon, but she was, and she was excited to see the new layout, the new future.

  They seemed to bypass rooms, Tyler pointing out the work that had happened, the plans that were in action, but he seemed to rush through them, implying that the importance was situated upstairs. It wasn’t until she finally stopped that she realized just how fast tracked the progress of this house was.

  Standing in the room, Austin’s eyes watered heavily and she looked around at the detail. Out of all the rooms completed, Tyler had finished and furnished the bedroom wholly and it now stood in its full glory.

  This was how she had always dreamt it to be - spacious and comforting; bright and airy; quaint and colorful. Everything and nothing combined in unison to create solid perfection. The walls of the room were pale and neutral, but the grand bed – one that had only been in her dreams – was covered in sheets that added color, pillows and cushions piling on the bed in reds and purples; blues and yellows. The magnificent white dresser sat opposite the bed, with the door to a walk in closet directly next to it. The large mirror above the dresser added to making the room grow and the large bay window only added to the room feeling like something from a distant fairytale fantasy.

  “This room, Sunny, is exactly how we dreamt it,” Tyler told her as he let her hand go and walked into the room. “Think of all the mornings waking up in here. The big bed, the open windows, the light. It is exactly how we dreamt it to be, Baby! Exactly how you had told me you wanted it. How I told you I wanted it. This is reality now!”

  As she watched Tyler walk to the bay window area, his arms stretched as he persisted to show her the grand scheme of the house. His ideas slotting in with hers perfectly. All of their old plans coming alive, because after all, this room was exactly how they had imagined it to be the night they had laid in Point Arena Cove after they had decided to buy up and make this their dream house.

  Dreams were always a reality whenever she was around Tyler, and it seemed that after growing up knowing that, she finally had it back.

  It was hers to keep. No one else’s. All hers.

  Except now that concept of reality was by far a lot scarier than it had ever been.

  “Tyler,” Austin called out, her stomach becoming an unsettled mess as the butterflies fought the feelings of anxiety snaking around her body. Realization hitting her harder than ever before.

  “You okay, Baby?” Tyler asked as he came to stand in front of her.

  Without any shift in her emotional battle, Austin just spoke: “I want to marry you,” Austin said as she turned to Tyler. Her face was drawn with how serious she was feeling, there was no joke to it, no signs of a lie, just pure truth.

  However, she was met with stunned silence and the look on Tyler’s face could be described as nothing less than pure fear.

  Austin’s stomach churned with regret.

  Fuck!

  Chapter Fifty-Six

  “JOKING!” Austin tried to say as she felt the lump in her throat expand. She could feel herself beginning to tear up over what she had just done. It was an immediate impulse to this moment - knee jerk even.

  Stupid, Austin, stupid!

  Austin took in Tyler’s shocked expression as it remained unchanged and her heart beat was slowly picking up, “I was joking, Ty. We’re not ready for that.”

  She knew it was a half truth, because at that moment, she believed that she and Tyler could jump a few steps in this relationship and they would survive. Especially seeing how they were forced apart years before. They didn’t break up because of an argument, or because of mutual feelings. They were forced apart, but right now all she could do was laugh. Laugh nervously in a bid to hide the fact that she was ready to cry at what damage she had just brought down on them.

  Tyler felt his heart balloon, that sentence had sealed Austin’s heart in his hand forever. He owned that one single muscle and he knew that for the rest of forever he would look after it and cherish it for the fragile, precious, loving thing it was.

  Going towards her, he grabbed her gently and kissed her heavily. Allowing the passion and want to travel from his lips to hers and he just carried it going until he was ready to take her joke and make it a truth.

  Pulling apart breathless, he looked at her intently. “I was ready for that the moment you came back to town,” Tyler told her and his expression broke into a grin.

  “Really?” Austin asked him meekly and doubtfully.

  “Really,” he told her as a tear dropped from the corner of her eye left eye. “Why are you crying, Sunny?” Tyler asked as they separated and he could see how glassy her eyes had become and how ready she was to break.

  “I thought I had just screwed up,” Austin admitted to him sorrowfully. “I don’t want to screw this up, not when it’s the best thing to happen in so long.”

  Tyler’s heart slowed its beating as he realized that Austin had gone without so much, but now she had it all back, she didn’t want to lose it. “Can I tell you something?” he asked her lightly.

  “What?”
Austin questioned as she could feel the overwhelming sincerity filling the air.

  “When I saw you in the hospital after the fire, I have never felt so useless,” Tyler started to tell her. “Then when you started to get panicky and Tom had to step in, there was so much jealousy in me for him being the one to calm you down. I wanted so much to just step in, wrap my arms around you and make everything better, but I knew that I couldn’t just do that, and it was like the six years of us being apart attacked me. I never want to have to feel like I can’t help you and that I don’t have the right to help you.” He ran his hand up the side of her face as she looked at him intensely, “I want to be the only person that can calm you when you’re hurt, be your support when you feel lost and I want to be the one that catches you every time you fall.”

  “Believe me, Tyler, since the fire, you have caught me repetitively, but that night so many people came back to me – my mom, my brothers - that having you as well felt too unreal. I mean why would you ever love me when you believed that I had purposefully hurt Natasha? I didn’t blame you for hating me because she put on a convincing charade. Even I was starting to believe it,” Austin scoffed at him. “Had that night not happened, I would have watched my own worse nightmare happen, so I’m glad that fire happened.”

  “I’m not,” Tyler replied lightly, “You got hurt, badly hurt.”

  “But I got you back,” Austin retorted truthfully and smiled as his thumb ran across her cheek. “You came back to me and proved who you really loved.”

  “It’s always been you,” Tyler said and leaned down to kiss her. “Even Natasha knew that which was why she did what she did. I don’t intend to love a fool anymore. I plan to love you and only you.”

  “Sounds like a plan to me,” she said and reached up to kiss him. Everything that had happened – the six year separation, Natasha, the fire – seemed so insignificant in the grand scheme of things.

  This was how both their lives were supposed to end up.