Hurricane

Lifeline

No Ones POV

Josh cracks open a beer and hands it to Kelly. "Thanks." Kelly takes the beer and then sits down on the couch next to Josh.

Mike was staring at Kelly and took a drink of his beer. "So Kelly you're a firefighter right?"

"That's correct. I'm lieutenant of squad 3." Kelly takes another sip of his beer.

Bill chuckles. "Leave it too Kat to befriend a firefighter." Everyone laughs.

"So Kelly, back at the hospital you mentioned something about knowing about how to help Kat kick this habit. What did you mean?" Bill said with his beer bottle centimeters away from his lips.

Kelly took a deep breath. "I messed up my neck durning a call where my best friend was killed. I didn't report it. Well it got worse and worse. My roommate and best friend at the time would sneak me some toradol. Then when she refused to give me anymore I asked my friend who was a drug rep. Needless to say my best friend helped me quit cold turkey and I got the surgery for my neck."

The three men all got seriously looks on their faces. Kelly was bracing for what they were going to say next.

"Kelly we just want you to understand she is like our sister. We will do anything to protect her." Mike said.

"I understand. I have zero intentions of hurting Kat. I care about her." Kelly smiled.

"Good."

They all began to exchange stories of fighting fires and drinking beers. Kelly listened as to how badass Kat was when it came to fighting fires. Kelly also learned that night of how Josh and Luke both wanted to date Kat but she chose Luke.

The guys had all polished off 4 or 5 beers each and Kelly got this great idea.

"So I have a question for your guys." Mike, Bill, and Josh all look at Kelly. "Would you be able to convince Kat to go back to Houston for a couple weeks?"

Josh raised an eyebrow. "Uh why?"

"I called her insurance agent and I am having her GT500 delivered to my buddies shop and I plan on fixing it for her."

All three men exchange a look and then Mike speaks. "I think we can manage that. "

Kelly smiled. "Thank you."

"Don't thank us yet lover boy. She may still say no." Everyone laughed.

Kelly felt his phone vibrate. He pulls it out of pocket to see who it is from and smiles.

Kat: You still here?

Kelly: Yeah. Just talking to Josh, Mike, and Bill.

Kat: Can you come upstairs? I can't sleep.

Kelly: Give me a couple minutes?

Kat: Okay.

Kelly slipped his phone back into his pocket and that's when he noticed the other three were staring at him. "What?"

Bill nudges Josh. "he gets that same smile Luke got anytime they were texting." Josh laughed a little, trying to contain any jealousy he felt.

Bill nodded his head towards the stairs. "Go lover boy."

Kelly laughs "See you guys in the morning."

"See ya."

Kelly runs upstairs.

As soon as Kelly is out of sight Josh's smile falls and he cracks open another beer. Mike and Bill exchange a look.

Mike clears his throat before speaking. "Dude what's wrong?"

"Nothing." Josh sounded bitter.

"Bull. You can't tell me you are jealous of Kelly?" Said Mike.

"Dude you can't tell me you are still hung up on Kat." Said Bill.

Josh snapped. "So what if I am?"

Both Bill and Mike sat in silence. They didn't know what to say. They thought this had all been hashed out years ago but apparently not.

Josh chugged his beer. "I'm going to bed. Night." He got up from the couch and went up to one of the guest rooms.

"Well this should be interesting."

Both Mike and Bill soon headed to bed.

***

Kat's POV

I entered my bedroom closing the door behind me. I broke down thinking about how I failed Luke. I promised him I would never do this again.

I go over to my bed and collapse onto it. I pulled the blankets around me as I feel my self shaking with emotions. This was not how my life was suppose to go.

I lay in my bed crying for a while. I can't take the pain in my heart so I start scrolling through my contacts seeing who I could call to get some pills.

But then I stop at Kelly's name and my finger hovers over his contact. I pause for a second but then I send him a text. He promised to help me and all I gotta do is ask.

After a few texts Kelly enters my bedroom and closes the door. He makes his way over to my bed and sits down on the edge. "Kat?"

I was now sitting up in my bed with arms wrapped around my legs. "I'm gonna snap."

Kelly sighed. He crawled into my bed and pulled me close. "No you're not. I've got you. Just lean on me." I take in his scent and feel almost at peace. We lay down and Kelly pulls the blankets over us.

My tears begin to make little wet spots in his shirt. "I almost called the guy I found who gave me some pills." I say crying into his chest.

"Give me your phone. You tell me who to delete and I will." I nodded my head and then handed him my phone.

"His name is Victor Silva."

Kelly fell silent as he scrolled through my contacts looking for the name I had just given him. I hear Kelly take in a sharp breath causing me to look up. "Everything okay?"

Kelly doesn't speak he just stares at my phone screen.

"Kelly?" I try to gain his attention.

"How..." I see him swallow a lump in his throat. "How did you know Leslie Shay?"

I perk up a bit. "We met when she was in Houston for a EMT training. She worked at our firehouse for a couple shifts. I haven't spoken to her in a long time but she's probably busy. Why?"

I can see tears form in Kelly's eyes. I immediately start to become concerned.

"Kelly what's wrong?"

"Shay died 8 months ago."

I was confused.

"Wait what? How do you know that?"

"She was my roommate and best friend. She died in an explosion."

Suddenly it hits me. How could I of forgotten? Shay lived in Chicago.

"You are the guy she use to always talk about." She had only mentioned Kelly's name once or twice. I had been in such a daze since Luke and Nick died I didn't even make the connection till now. "She wanted to introduce us you know?"

Kelly moved to look into my eyes. "What?"

"She uses to always try to get me to come to Chicago and meet you. But then Luke came into the picture and well here we are."

Kelly pulled me to his chest and held onto me tight. I relaxed in his arms and any thoughts of wanting to use were gone. We fell asleep together, holding onto one another.