The Fire Girl: A One Chicago Fanfiction

Chapter 34

"She just went in for surgery," I told Sylvie over the phone.

"Okay. Keep us updated. Seriously let us know if you guys need anything. We're just chilling at  Matt's apartment with the boys."

"They said she'll most likely be in surgery through lunch if you guys want to come by if the twins are well behaved."

"They're fine. We'll be there. Stay strong."

Kelly and I sat the nearby waiting room. He had flipped through the tv and found one of the Fast and Furious movies playing. I sighed, cuddling into Kelly. My anxiety always got the best of me when Ember was undergoing a serious medical procedure. It didn't help that this is an emergency type one.

"She'll be okay," Kelly spoke, as if reading my mind, as he wrapped his arm around me and traced circles on my skin, "She's a strong little girl. A warrior like her mama."

"And stubborn like her dad," I added, making us both crack a grin.

We passed time my swapping stories like when we first met and just talking. It was actually kinda nice.

"Remember what Hermann told us when we found out about Ember's diagnoses?" I smiled, leaning more into Kelly.

"Like I said, it's not gonna be all sunshine and roses, but I can promise it's gonna be a hell of a ride," Kelly replied as he fiddled with my fingers.

"Before then everything felt so simple."

"Things were a mess," chuckled Kelly, "You and I weren't together yet, Ember's paternity was still pending, things were crazy."

"I know. I know. I'm talking about that sweet spot between when you and I got together and us finding out the news. But either way, the person I was back then, I'm not now and I absolutely love it. Sure our lives are doctors appointments, changing diapers, and playdates, but God I wouldn't trade it for the world."

"I hear ya. Before us I had the thought of maybe having a family some day, but settling down just seemed so out of reach. Then before I knew it I was stupid in love with you and having a kid. Now I'm a dad to a strong albeit sassy little girl, and two handsome little boys. I've got a hot ass wife. and I'm stilling doing the job I love. I've got everything I could've asked for."

An hour later we were eating lunch with Matt and Sylvie while the twins napped. I was stuffing my mouth with an egg roll when Natalie walked in. Immediately I tried to chew down my food to give her my attention.

"So we just finished up surgery. Everything went well and she should make a full, fast recovery. You're girl's a warrior."

"She really is," I smiled, "Thanks Nat."

"Of course. She's still out for now, but we expect her to wake in the next hour or so. I can bring you into her room in about a half hour."

"Sounds good."

I let out a sigh of relief as Kelly pulled me close, "She's fine Corin."

"I know. It's just you worry and until you know it's a weight off your shoulders."

"I know. But our girl is a fighter and she's fine."

"I know. I love you."

"Love you too."

***

Ember's recovery was going well. I stayed home with her for the first week and Kelly went back to shift. Cindy then offered to watch her, so I could go back to work. My first shift back was a somewhat emotional one for Kelly. We were called to a fire at his childhood home and he saved a teenage boy from it. It came to light that the reason the mom was hospitalized was because she was attempting to save her son's insulin supply.

The boy was having a hard time with the guilt of it all. After shift Kelly and I stopped by the hospital to share the good news about a free insulin study. Then we found out after the kid ran off from the hospital, he never came back. But the neighbor spotted him breaking into the old, burnt house.

"You stay with you wife, we'll go get your son," Kelly told the man.

"Thank you."

We headed to the house to see the wooden plank knocked off. We took flashlights inside and looked around. Kelly nodded towards the back bedroom, the kid's room, and low and behold, that's where we found him.

"Packing?" Kelly asked, as I stood back to let him handle it.

"They're better off without me. I overheard them, they spent all their money on my insulin. I'm just a problem."

"Kid, you're not a problem. There's option. And your parents, they're gonna miss you."

"My parents will be fine. I'm just a burden, they'll be relieved."

"I have a daughter, she's two. Before she was even born, we found out she has a heart condition. One that she'll have to deal with for the rest of her life and the meds she needs to live, their expensive. And she just had surgery a week ago which is going to cost more money," Kelly spoke, trying to relate to the kid, "My point is I'm in a similar situation to your parents, and I love my daughter more than anything. If she ran away because she felt the way you do now, I'd be heart broken. I know you're thinking you're helping, but you won't be."

"Okay," he sighed, stopping packing, "I just need my mom to be okay."

"Hey, she will be. When we stopped at the hospital, they were about to bring her out of the coma."

"Come on," I spoke up, "We'll take you."

That night when Kelly and I got home, we snuggled the kids a little closer before putting them to bed. When the two of us climbed into bed for the night, Kelly held me close.

"You know what you said to that kid, that was really sweet. You really found a way to relate to him."

"To be honest, I kinda felt like him. It was weird. I could relate to his situation or at least his parents because of Ember, it was my old house that's now his house. It was a lot to uh to handle."

"I know, but I'm here for you, we have our kids. And you know, I love you."

"I love you too."