Page 41 of Bronx

"Yeah you too."

31

Pete and the other medic were already in the landing bay, unloading their patients when I parked the jeep. An area about six inches by three had turned into a painful blister. It was about half the burn that Helix suffered.

It was a Thursday night and not as crowded as it might've been on a weekend. I was thankful for that. I was beat and ready to get home to shower off the grit and smoke. My arm just needed to be cleaned and dressed. Hopefully, it would be an in and out visit.

Helix walked in behind me. "Hey, how'd you beat me down the hill in that plodding jeep?" he asked. Considering he'd hardly spoken two words to me the entire week, it was a little surreal having him not only talk but joke around, as if nothing had happened between us. I hadn't anticipated an event like tonight to bring us back into a friendly relationship, but I was going to take it. I also wasn't going to ever forget what he'd done. He'd pushed Layla away from me. That hurt wasn't going away anytime soon. I was just going to have to ignore that particular thorn because we needed the kind of trust we had tonight when out in the wilderness.

We reached the check-in station. The nurse behind the glass seemed to be expecting us. She smiled. "You must be the two guys who rescued the mom and her little boy. We've been listening to it on dispatch. You two are quite the heroes. Let's get you both checked in, then we'll get you to a room." She stretched up to get a look at our arms. "Those look painful. We'll get you all taken care of."

Helix went first to check-in and I followed. An orderly led us to one large exam room. "Heard all about the big rescue. Everyone at the nurses' station was listening to the whole thing on the two-way. We could hear the explosion too," he said as he pointed us each to a bed. "The nurse will be in to—"

"The nurse is here," a familiar voice said from around the bend. Layla's face was pale as she reached us. She looked at Helix's arm, then mine. "Did you guys plan those burns? It's like my friends and I used to do in high school when we coordinated our outfits," the last words burst out on a sob. She covered her mouth.

"Layla," I said. Just having her name on my tongue sent familiar sensations through me, sensations that reminded me just how much I still loved her.

"Thank goodness you're both all right." She hugged Helix first. I tried not to feel too slighted about it. When she turned to me, she paused and all I could think was how bummed I would be if she didn't hug me too. But she did and for a lot longer than Helix. Burn and crazy night aside, everything about having her in my arms felt right. It was where she fucking belonged.

She released first. "Uh, guess I should do my job since I just played rock paper scissors four times to get the gig where I take the vitals of the two hot heroes slash smokejumpers. You two are all the rage at the nurses' station. I actually lost the last round, but I told Nurse Ryland I would cover her shift on Christmas Eve if she let me do this."

The whole night, the stressful moments trying to get the boy, then the driver free while flames were grabbing at our heels, disappeared, and all I could do was listen to the most amazing, beautiful woman in the world talk. Her words were fast and a little shaky. I selfishly convinced myself it was because she was just recovering from the shock that the two of us might have been hurt or killed tonight.

She smiled faintly my direction while she was taking Helix's blood pressure. I couldn't take my eyes off of her. Her pink lips were glossed lightly, and those big brown eyes sparkled under the fluorescent lights. She pulled the stethoscope from her ears. "Looks like you'll live," she teased. Then she stopped and peered up at him for a second before hugging and kissing him on the cheek.

"I'm going to expect equal treatment over on this side of the room," I noted. Just a few hours ago, I couldn't have even considered suggestively teasing Layla in front of Helix, but without words being spoken, it felt as if all that'd changed tonight. Helix and I were on a different plane now, a much more understanding one.

Layla gazed at me as she listened for my blood pressure numbers. All I could think was my numbers were probably through the roof. She straightened. "It's a little high."

"Not too surprising." I looked at her pointedly. "It's got nothing to do with the injury, I assure you."

The slightest pink blush covered her cheeks. She walked over to the charts and wrote down numbers, then turned to both of us. "Seriously, you guys, good work out there. Proud of both of you."

"How are they?" I asked.

"The doctors are checking them out. Lots of bruises and shaken nerves, but they'll both be fine." She stood there in her nurse scrubs and flat shoes looking as fucking hot as ever. "The doctor should be here soon. I think they're just getting the burn wound trays ready. If I have time, I'll see you before you're discharged." She gazed at me for a long time before spinning around to leave.

"Layla," Helix said hesitantly.

She turned back to us and looked expectantly at Helix. "Yes, Gabe?"

Helix shook his head and stared down at his feet hanging off the end of the exam table. "Layla, I'm sorry." He looked up and glanced at me for a second before returning his focus to her. "I was just—It's just that—"

She walked up to him and took hold of his hand. "I know you were just standing up for Adam. You loved him and it's understandable. You are still hurting. We all are. Death is so fucking final that it doesn't make sense. Nothing that big should be so final."

"I promised to protect you, instead I just tore up your life. You're still alive. You're smart and independent and the last thing you need is some thick-headed yahoo like me messing with that."

Layla smiled up at him. "Yahoo or not, it never hurts to have a big, hunky guardian angel watching over me." She released his hand, took a deep breath and looked over at me. It was brief but it melted my heart. Without another word, she walked out of the exam room.

Helix and I sat in silence for a moment, then he cleared his throat as if he had something difficult to say. "Listen, Bronx, I made a big mistake. I'm not going to get in the way of you and Layla. Frankly, she couldn't be in better hands. You're a good guy. I've always known that. Not sure what got into me. It's just that—"

"That you were standing up for your friend. I would do the same for Kingston." I glanced over at him. "Not sure if I would be such a ginormous asshat about it, but still, I get it."

He chuckled. "Guess I have been an asshat. Anyhow, I won't get in the way anymore."

I nodded. "Yeah, to be honest, I don't think you're standing in the way at all. It's Bulldozer. He's the guy in the way, and I'm not sure how to ever go around him. He was big in every sense of the word."

"You've got that right, Bronx."

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