The Way We Burn

Five: Sully

I got us to the hospital across town in record time thanks to the sirens that had been installed in my truck when I took over as captain. Gus's office was closest to St. Augustine's, but it was the furthest hospital from my station and Kindling. I didn't even remember the moment that I slipped into 'protector' mode. At this point in my life and my career, it just happened naturally, but it seemed when it came to the Castellanos, the sassy one especially, it happened even faster. Truth be told, I was likely just as worried as they were, but I didn't have time to think about that. I needed to get them to Gus. That was all that mattered. My own feelings on the matter could wait.

After about an hour of sitting in the waiting room, a doctor finally came out to give Eleni and Gigi the prognosis. It was a heart attack, albeit a mild one, and Gus, in the long run, would likely be fine. There would be medication and the strict need for a diet change, but for the time being, that was it, no surgery necessary. The doctor led Eleni to her husband's side while Galena remained in the waiting room, making sure all five of her sisters had every last bit of information. I gave her some space and headed out to locate some coffee, and when I returned, Gigi was still sitting in the waiting room, her head reclined on the back of the stiff seat, eyes closed.

"You doin' okay?" I asked softly.

Gigi's eyes fluttered open, and she gave me a soft smile as I extended the second paper cup of coffee in my hand toward her. She immediately took a sip and let out a hum of satisfaction. "Thank you," she said before looking up at me again. "I'm... fine. I think the adrenaline wiped me out. Today has been one whirlwind of emotion after another."

"I'm sorry," I apologized as I sank into the seat next to her.

Her head waved lazily from side to side. "It's not your fault. At least entirely." She turned to look at me with a smile. "I suppose I should thank you, actually."

I snickered and took a sip of the hot, black fuel in my tiny paper cup. "What for?"

Gigi sighed. "My dad came to see me earlier. Said you might've talked some sense into him about how he and my mom react to my life choices."

I shrugged. "Just being honest," I stated. "I understand how it feels. My parents weren't always the most supportive of my career path."

Gigi arched one meticulously arched dark brow in my direction. "Yeah. Their kid signed up to be a fuckin' hero every day. Must be fuckin' rough."

I chuckled deeply at that. "I think they only saw the danger for a while. It was hard for them. I was their only kid and the second I turned eighteen, I enlisted. Then the second I got back from fighting in wars, I decided to fight fires. They were practically waiting for the call that something horrible had happened to me, so I kind of understood. Didn't necessarily make it gnaw at me any less, but I at least partially got it."

"But they're proud of you now? Right? They have to be."

I nodded. "Yeah, they always were, they just struggled to say it and I struggled to see it without out the words. My dad passed last year, but we'd gotten through any bullshit that was between us a long time ago. My mom is about as sweet as they come, so the second she found out I thought she was disappointed in me, it was a flood of tears and apologies." I chuckled as I pictured that day. "Still apologizes, even though it's been years since it was a concern."

Gigi let out a breath of laugh and smiled. "She sounds amazing."

"She is. Trying to convince her to leave Chicago and move here so that I can keep an eye on her is another matter all together though."

"Mm. So that's where the stubbornness comes from."

I scoffed out a laugh as Gigi grinned at me. "Like you're one to talk."