I Hate the Way...

Part 72: "What Did You Say?"

~~~~~

Josie was supposed to be getting dressed for the engagement party, since guests would start arriving in only a couple hours.

But instead, she found herself pacing in the living room, and Peaches eyes would follow her every movement.

Hope left to go meet with her Sergeant this morning. And now, she's been gone for 3 hours.

'I knew I should've gone with her,' Josie thought to herself. 

She paced a few more times until she heard the doorknob moving and what sounded like keys jingling, making her turn in the direction as the front door finally swung open and Hope finally entered the house, tossing her keys on the small table by the door and saying "hi, love," before taking off her uniform top to leave her in her undershirt, letting out a sigh as she took it off.

Josie just stood there, dumbfounded, "Hi? That's it?" She said walking over to Hope, "What happened? What did your Sergeant say? Does he know about us?"

Hope's gaze softened as she reached out and placed her hands on Josie's shoulders, "Babe, breathe." When Josie keeps the same anxious expression on her face, Hope tells her, "He doesn't know about us. We're still in the clear."

Josie released a relieved sigh, "Thank god." Then she got that curious expression back, "Then what did he want to talk about?"

Hope scratched the back of her neck before replying, "He wants me to fly again."

The drop in Josie's expression was completely expected. And Hope could sense that her heart fell from her chest to her stomach. Images of Hope in the hospital all bandaged up and in so much pain, burns all across her skin.

She swallowed, trying not to show her emotions, "What did you tell him?"

Hope walks over and sat down on the couch, letting out a small sigh, "I told him that I needed to talk to my wife about it before I make any decisions."

Josie nodded slowly, crossing her arms against her chest, mostly to comfort herself. But she stays silent.

Hope asked softly, "What are you thinking, Jo."

Josie bit the inside of her cheek, blinking a couple times before finally meeting Hope's gaze. And Hope's heart ached at the sight of her teary eyes, fighting the urge to cry.

Hope's gaze softened, "Come here," she whispered loud enough for Josie to hear, reaching out for her.

Josie immediately stepped closer, letting her composure shrivel to nothing as Hope pulled her gently by her hip to sit in her lap, wrapping her arms securely around her waist while Josie clung to her, nuzzling into the crook of her neck as her tears finally fell.

She knows Hope loved her career before she got hurt. And she knows that telling Hope not to do this would be incredibly selfish. But she's terrified of the possibility that what happened to Hope before could happen again, or worse.

She couldn't live with that. It would break her.

Hope didn't say anything for a while, she just held Josie as she cried softly. Eventually she pulled back around to caress her cheek, wiping some of her tears away, and Hope shook her head, "I'll tell him no."

"No," Josie sniffled, wiping another tear that fell, "That's not fair to you. I get to do what I love with my music, you should be able to do the same with flying. You can't make this big of a decision for me. You have to make it for yourself. That's the only way you'll truly be happy."

Hope furrowed her eyebrows, studying Josie's expression before she shook her head slightly. She uttered quietly, "I already am happy."

Josie's gaze softened, leaning into Hope's touch, something that made the corner of Hope's lips upturn slightly.