December 9th & 10th
Friday Night/Saturday Morning
Syd tried not to panic as she lay on a narrow stretcher, slowly breathing the sweetest, most beautiful air ever. She tried to remain calm as she waited for Frerin to be brought out. All she knew what that one of the biggest men she'd ever seen emerged from the smoke like an avenging angel to scoop her up. The strange woman Frerin had been yelling at simply vanished and that was all Syd remembered until she opened her eyes on the gurney.
Then she heard the clatter of wheels on pavement and sat up to see EMTs wheeling Frerin her way. She jumped up, ignoring the shout of the paramedic, the sting in her arm from moving the IV catheter, nearly hanging herself in the tubing carrying the very oxygen that cleared the smoke from her lungs. She clawed at the mask over her mouth and nose, shoving it up and off her head.
"Take this out now," she said to the medic, pointing at the IV.
"Miss... we need to run in that until it's finished."
"Take it out now," Syd growled, "or I'll do it myself."
"Miss Pres—"
"I mean it. Now."
The medic removed the IV and gave her a cotton ball to hold against the site and she ignored everything but the need to see Frerin.
He was pale and still, His sweat-dampened hair poking up in all directions, his face smudged with soot, an oxygen mask over his nose and mouth. Her throat seized, her eyes stung. "You big jerk," she managed to choke, slipping her hand beneath his, "why didn't you keep that fucking mask on? Why?"
She squeezed his hand, hoping he'd squeeze back.
But his hand remained limp in hers.
Pressing her lips together in a foolish attempt to keep them from quivering, her eyes flooding with tears she didn't bother to hold back, she crouched beside him. "Open your eyes, Frerin. Please? You have to be okay because... because you just have to, okay? I know you were telling me the truth. And I'm so sorry I blew up the way I did. I should've known better. I know there is more beyond this world. I know it. It's my family's business. If anyone should believe you, it's me. And I am such a fucking idiot for not believing you."
She reached down to smooth his spiky dark hair away from his soot-streaked forehead. "And you did not sacrifice yourself for me, do you hear me, Frerin Durin? You'd better get your ass back to this plane, back to this side of that fucking veil because I love you and I want to introduce you to everyone as the boyfriend and I don't care how seventh-grade it sounds."
The winds picked up and snow fell yet again and she started when the burly firefighter who'd pulled them both out draped Frerin's turnout coat about her shoulders. "I'll give you a ride to the hospital, Syd."
She looked up. "How—how do you know my name?"
"He spent all week talking about you." He smiled, his dark eyes warm. "I'm Nico and I doubt he's mentioned me, but he couldn't shut up about you."
She pressed her lips together once more and smiled down at Frerin. She swallowed hard, waiting until she trusted herself to speak, before she managed to whisper, "You better not have told them everything."
"Nah. You don't have to worry. He left all the good stuff out. That's how I know it's serious, when Frer keeps the details to himself." Nico caught her by the elbow. "Come on."
"No. I mean, thank you for the offer, but I—I have my sister's car. It's at the far end of the lot. I'll just follow him."
"You sure?"
YOU ARE READING
Seven Days
ФанфикFirefighter Frerin Durin died in a fire set deliberately. But after he helps his brother, Thorin find happiness, Frerin is offered a second chance. He has to prove himself worthy by righting the one major wrong in his life. Otherwise, history will r...
