Running into the Fire (Skye Blue x OC)

vii

"Don't you need to...." Anna trailed off as she saw Ryder shake his head.

"Think y'all need me more than they do tonight." She looked him up and down for a moment.

"Who are you and what have you done with Ryder?" He laughed at her words.

"Absolutely nothing." He replied before Anna could see his eyes trail to Skye who was talking with Willow Nightingale and Kris Statlander.

"Ryder do you...?" His eyes snapped towards Anna stopping her words.

"No. I.... She just...." Anna had a slight smirk along her lips as Ryder stumbled over his words. "Doesn't she have a boyfriend?"

"No she hasn't for a few months. I could...." He almost instantly shook his head. "Oh I'm going to."

"Don't you fucking dare Anna." She huffed.

"Fine. You're lucky I owe you one or I'd be setting y'all up." He couldn't help his slight glare at her. "Don't you start with me. This is the first time I've ever seen you...."

"Anna...." He cut her off as Skye approached.

"Are you both staying for Dynamite?" Anna's eyes met Skyes before she shook her head. She instantly knew that the younger woman did not want to stay for the night just like she didn't. "Thank god." Ryders hands moved into his pockets as Skyes eyes met his. "I..."

"You don't have to say it. It's my job." Skye ignored his words before she all but smashed him in a hug.

"Just.... Thank you." His hand gently ran along her back before he could see Anna looking at them both with a smirk. He discreetly flipped his best friend off.

"You're lucky he doesn't want to have to deal with my mom if something happens to me when he could've stopped it." Ryder couldn't help his laugh as he nodded.

"That's because she'd kill me without a second thought. She loves me but you're her fucking baby." Anna laughed at his words as Skye carefully pulled away from him. "You alright?" Skye nodded at his words.

"I'm good." Her eyes met Anna's.

"You looking forward to getting back and having a drink?" Skye couldn't help her laugh as she nodded.

"I've got a bottle of wine calling my name. If you both would like to join me." Ryder shrugged and Skye could see a smirk along Anna's lips. When Anna saw she was caught she turned slightly red.

"I would love some wine. Think I've got a bottle I could bring too." Both women looked over at Ryder.

"I don't care. I've got the next two days off. But I'm not drinking wine. I'll stop and grab some beer on the way home." A small smile appeared along Skyes lips as Anna nodded.

"You're driving too." Anna said as she tossed him the keys. Ryder laughed as he nodded.

"After today no way in hell I'd trust you behind the wheel."

—§—§—§—§—§—§—
"You alright?" Ryder asked Skye carefully. Anna had been asleep for nearly an hour and while he had begun to feel tired as well he couldn't help but notice that Skye was still wide awake.

"I.... Just.... How do you do it?" His eyes met hers for a moment.

"It...." He paused as they both saw Anna adjust. "You wanna go out back?" Skye almost instantly nodded not wanting to be the reason why Anna woke up. He followed Skye out to her back before they sat down on the couch she had that overlooked the mountains in the distance. "It's not easy. It honestly isn't. I won't sugar coat it because it's the worst thing to do. I.... I used to talk about it. But I slowly found that talking about it just makes it worse because you relive it over and over again. But everyone's different. I found that running and clearing my head helped the most but that's not for everyone...." He looked over at her for a moment. "You...." He could see tears start to form in his eyes. Without any hesitation he moved closer to her before his arms wrapped around her. "Just let it out Skye." Her arms wound around his neck as her face buried into his shoulder. As she started to cry his hand gently ran along her back.

"I-I.... It's just been so long since I couldn't breathe like that.... I.... I thought...." His arms carefully tightened around her as a sob escaped her lips.

"It's one of the worst feelings in the world." He said quietly. "I'm sorry it took so fucking long to get to y'all." He could feel her arms tighten around his neck.

"Don't be. You found us. That's all that matters." He nodded slowly before he could feel her lips just barely brush along his cheek. "Just.... Thank you."

"It's kinda my job." He said with a laugh causing her to do the same. "There...." He said before he carefully wiped a tear from her cheek. "No more crying anymore." She nodded as a small smile appeared along her lips. "Good because I fucking hate crying." She raised an eyebrow at him.

"You also said you hate hugs...." As she teased him she could see his cheeks flush slightly red.

"I.... You got me there." He said with a chuckle before their eyes met. When he saw her shiver he couldn't help his next question. "Are you cold?"

"Just a bit but I'll be...." She trailed off as he shrugged off his flannel and carefully offered it to her. "You don't need to...."

"I always run a bit warm temperature wise. It's no big deal." She took the flannel with a smile along her lips before she quickly slipped it on.

"Thank you." He flashed her a quick smile as he nodded. "So why have you not passed out yet? You look as shattered as Anna." He chuckled softly.

"Have you seen yourself...." He paused turning slightly red as he realized how the words came out. "I'm sorry I didn't mean for it to come out like that." When Skye started to laugh Ryder couldn't help the breath he let out.

"I have.... And I get it. So thank you." He nodded a small smile along his lips before he could see her move closer to him. "You mind...." She trailed off as he shook his head. Gently she leaned into him her head resting along his shoulder.

"Still cold?" A small nod came from her before she felt his arm carefully slip around her. A sigh escaped her lips as she melted into the warmth he let off.

"Thank you." A gentle squeeze was his response. Gently she adjusted before she couldn't help the fact that she curled into him her feet tucking beneath his leg. As his hand slowly ran along her back another sigh left her lips. "You're so warm." A light chuckle escaped his lips.

"I told you." He said quietly before they could hear coyotes howling in the distance. "I don't know why but I love that sound."

"So do I." Skye replied as her head tucked even more into him. Ryder could tell she was finally getting tired and could feel himself doing the same. "Night Ryder." The words came from Skye as her eyes closed. Gently Ryders other arm wrapped around her before his quiet reply came.

"Goodnight Skye."