The Fire Within (A small town romance)

Ch 16: What Have I Done Now?!

Even with me screaming for Phoebe to stop her car; she didn't. It wasn't like I was expecting her too but I was surely hoping she would. I walk back into the house in frustration. Last night was a horrible night and here I was taking it out on her.

For what?

Sleeping in Oakleigh's bed?

I didn't mean to snap; it just shocked me to see my three girls all clinging onto Phoebe as they all four slept. At first I was in a panic when I hadn't spotted her on the couch; I searched the house. I stopped at every room looking for her. I hadn't expected to see her in there with them. I know I overreacted but when you go from frustrated to panic to fright to shocked to a mixture of every emotion a person can; the only one that came out was anger.

Why?

I honestly don't know.

Phoebe has me feeling emotions I hadn't felt in years. Emotions that still scare the hell out of me. I take my boots off and curl onto the couch; the same couch she left her shoes at. How can one forget their shoes is beyond me; I guess I must have pissed her off enough to forget them and a few smaller items. Sleep becomes a struggle. I was lying on the couch for a good two hours or so before my tones dropped. I grab my phone and send my babysitter a text. I waited a few minutes to see if it would turn into a two tone; meaning all hands on deck.

Luck isn't on my side today because two tones hit which means my boots must come back on. By the time I have my keys in my hand, she's walking through the door. I give her a quick nod and exit my house. Running to my truck like a Hellhoud is on my ass. As I make it to the scene, I see Phoebe's car parked next to Jackson's. I can see my team have all just arrived and are getting the trucks ready to fight this fire.

Great, it's going to be one of those investigations.

As soon as I step out of my truck, Phoebe has turned to face me. Her eyes went from hurt and sorrow to immediately pissed off. She sends me a sharp glare before turning on her heels and going back to her conversation with her boss and Jackson. I make my way over to the sheriff, my best friend, Jackson.

"What do we have Jax?" I ask the most obvious question.

"Reports of shots being fired and minutes later an explosion."

"Obviously if you open your eyes you would see a fire." Phoebe grumbles her sassy remark.

"This isn't the time Pheebs." Jackson says with a warning. My playful best friend has turned into a stone cold machine. She shoots Jackson a glare from Hell and storms off to the rest of her team. Jackson runs his hand across his face as we walk behind her, closer towards the scene.

"One investigator, officer, and firefighter will each be paired once the fire it extinguished." Jackson announces. I watch as my team begin to put the fire out. It felt like an eternity when it has only been five hours of fighting a blazing fire. As soon as the flames have died down and the fire is out; Jackson's voice rings out. He begins calling out peoples names and I'm hoping he has more common sense in his brain to not pair Pheebs and I up together. She needs time to let her blaze die down and I'm not ready to get burned just yet.

"Phoebe, Grayson, and I will be the following team."

Apparently his common sense has left the chat because he done exactly what I was hoping he wouldn't have done. He calls out the last few groups. Phoebe storms over with fire in her eyes. Jackson is hot on her heels. As soon as he reaches us she lays into Jackson like he couldn't just send her home for disorderly conduct at a scene.

"What the fuck Jackson?!" Phoebe growls at him.

"Drop it Phoebe, it's the last time." Jackson snaps back at her.

"Drop it? Seriously! You paired me up with that asshole." She yells loud enough to attract other's attention.

"Seriously Phoebe let the personal shit stay outside this scene. I don't care what the hell is going on between you two. It's not work related. Now, let's get to work. And shut up already." Jackson says in a sharp tone. Damn, Jackson must be having a horrible day like the rest of us. He never snaps at Phoebe because he knows Lorelei will kick his ass if he had. We walk through the chard reminisce of the once beautiful house. I watch as she makes her way through one room looking at each small section with precision. She doesn't leave a burnt rumble unturned. She moves with ease in this chaotic mess.

"We found two bodies in the back bedroom." Lane calls over the radio.

"Medical Examiner is on the way. Collect any evidence you guys can find. Bag and tag it." Jackson says over the radio.

"There's nothing in this room that shows a crime or any evidence of one. Shall we move to the next room?" Phoebe says in a short tone.

"Next room." Jackson grumbles under his voice. We scour the rest of the rooms for any evidence which wasn't a lot actually. The medical examiner will identify the bodies once she gets back to her forensic morgue. There's one body missing in this rumble and my guess, they hit the road in a hurry. I watch as Phoebe storms back towards her car with me trailing behind her.

"Pheebs." I call out. She doesn't stop, not like I was truly expecting her too.

"Phoebe! Damn it." I scream out again. She stops suddenly and turns back around to face me. Her face has a mixture of hurt and hate registering on it.

"Fuck you. Friend, companion, or acquaintance can go to Hell along with you. I don't know you and you don't know me. We're strangers and that is how it'll be." She slashes out with her voice breaking at the end. I watch as she turns on her heels and gets into her car. She locks eyes with me and gives me the fuck you finger as she backs out.

What have I done?

Fucked up a friendship that was just starting, obviously.