CrossroadsofCourage

云柔兰 · 发表于 2023-5-26 03:20:00

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Serve... first, peril, quiet, rubble, you're other's arms.

ð¨Preludeð¨ television, a level, a hum. I recliner, lifted. year, soul.

I a wine, wouldn't I coming.

I Terrence, book, a he'd weeks, breathing. safe, problem, stagnant.

"Terry," I softly. stirred, a smile. "Hey. You're home. shift?" close,

"We talk," I said. faded, tone. I I a a doorstep, I him.

"Is 'click' again, Nic?" asked, book. voice, a realization.

"It's clicking," I admitted, a chest. "You're incredible, Terry. You're a light. we're just... paths. aren't, I admit, I anymore." lap, me. A small, lips. "I know. I I've Christmas. I didn't loud." eyes. "You right, I'm pretending." exhaled. "You fun, a Nicole. a time, resentment, respect. a chapter, we'd together.

"Give apartment?"

"Yeah, course." o'clock, a minutes. room, I desk, book. Boyle's altitudes. out. I hadn't test. I lesson. I patients.

"Steve, a minutes, okay."

"Sure LT, thanks." I I important. I highlighter, brightness.

"Station Nine, Nine, reported, Michael's interchange, 2152."

I finished. I time, slow, listening, I truck.

"Dispatch, scene, Michael's, injuries." I I route.

"Dave, now?" I Firefighter/EMT Donald, be.

"I'm Steve. Let's go!"

I needed, shouldn't much, night.

I chaotic. assistance. clear. 'The Anchor' I shifting, I there. I storm. this, it, I steady, anchored.

I didn't who, didn't tonight, needed, I familiar, chest. were, I them.

ð¨Chapter Oneð¨

I a table, ballroom. didn't I do. a wasn't I off. again, ago. wasn't all. Association.

I a wine, not? I a rideshare, I emcee.

"This a recognized." a crowd, continued, "Would Barrett, forward."

I I name. room. I I stood. I tall.

Yes, I shock, tall. I a stage. I Mayor, Chief, attire. began. protects, distinction. a crisis, communication hostage. (NABLEO) Barrett, day. a a community. a I a Mayor, Chief, Officers. I officers. I I I I afternoon. night, I condo. I me. jacket, I sidearm, I I go, belongs, table. access, now. house, that's now. bed, Goldilocks, she's favorite, a 19.

I drycleaners. I didn't soon. I mirror, I I I academy. that's a lie, I a pounds. I a professor. I Terry.

Now, I fit, issues, yes, I change. I it.

I set. I mumbled, "Maybe day, I'll a again."

I shower. I needed. lips.

"Nikki, don't empty..." I head, I laid.

I bed, naked. I point.

ð¨

"Hey Cross?" me, hallway.

I around. slightly. "Yes Chief?" I tall. shoulder. "Walk kid." administrative building. "Wall Legends" paused. "These quit."

I taller, now"Look isn't related, now, that, you."

"Yes Chief."

"Look him," a wall. "He doesn't he?" shoulder.

I a face. "No Paul, I up."

"That's Steve, wouldn't mother. No, brother, father, okay?"

"Yes Chief." I face. "I'm yesterday."

"I kid." a longer. "Okay I you. I'll weekend."

I hand, "Yes Chief." I a moment. I picture. I him. "I Dad."

ð¨ I gym. I a happened. Paul, soon. me.

I gym, room. I I room.

I a stretch. I I minute, I pace. I mile, I I minutes.

I a I sweat. I finished, I treadmill, points.

I room. I turned, I a woman, collided, back. We'd autopilot, worlds, attention.

"Forgive me, I'm sorry." I I doing. wall, I me, "Hey! it!" I resolve, apologies. "Hey I I wasn't again, you." I room.

That's I reply, "Thanks, I'll mine."

I room. I biceps, today. I I minutes, I men's a shower. a shower, I up, center. I don't I that's I I hallway. reason, I I I I bag, a a tone. "Pardon Officer?" a face. I a posture.

"I again, a day." response, I center.

ð¨ morning, I station. I needed.

I I briefly. I Captain's office, a seat. asked, manner. "Well? role?"

I well, a didn't a recruiting.

"Cap, LT, I'm good, I it, I didn't time, it's a thing, I worried. I grind. It'll come."

I don't with. I do. I them, me.

I room, I we're I a catastrophe. enforcement, firefighter, brewing. speakers.

"Station Nine, Bridge, entrapment, bridge, 1525. again, Nine, entrapment, Bridge. inside. 1525. fast, fast. "I going, don't GPS" truck, 9 first. me, "Steve, that's serious..."

"I this." I siren, silent. I siren, 9.

ð¨

I a distance, yards, I soon. I mic, "Station 8 801"

"801"

801, I'm entrapment, Bridge, it. road. trapped. driver's door, side."

"Copy 801, enroute." I myself, "Well, hurry."

I happening, I her, driver, woman, unconscious, airbags. I crying... cries. "Ohh damn." I murmured, I mic, "8, EMS?."

I couldn't a apart. "801 out."

Damnnit. I babies, seats, in. I "Hey it's okay, don't I you."

I passenger's open, wasn't locked. I passenger's window. faster, I seats, driver's unconscious. I I shouldn't I inside. I I driver, wasn't moving, "Damn!"

"Barrett stop!" I shout, "You wait, soon!" I shoulder, Sergeant, car.

I acted, I I babies. I possible.

I screamed. "Hurry something." again, "Get Barrett!"

I didn't listen, I seat. I girl.

"Hey one, I Nikki's you." I restraints. I seat, I seat. louder. I shift. shifted.

I out. I baby. Thankfully, a there, there's I sirens.

"Here her, hurry." I driver, again. I I did, I balance. I forward, seat.

I I orders, I car. I child's seat.

I back, seat, I screamed. "Take him! him!"

I him, man, gym. fuck? there, baby. a locked. child, in, arms. I it, I 9 car, axle. I voice, Sergeant.

"What Barrett!" me.

I body. control, I breathe, I lightheaded.

A door. EMT's car. I driver's side, a backboard. CPR, a stretcher, ambulances.

I standing.

"You Nicole." a continued. "I don't thinking!" me.

"Do was?" tone, me. I body, spinning. I focus. buckled. me, I name, that's I eyes, I to. I a me, dark.

ð¨Chapter Twoð¨

I I scream.

"Medic! Medic!"

I car, a me, frantically.

"Medic!" again. I a again. in, I officer. I close, I a concrete. I screamed, "Dave O2."

I sergeant. "What doing? say? bleeding?" "No, no, no, talking, I collapsed." I assessment, unconscious. weren't shallow. clammy. I pulse, dilated. I capsule, response.

I a rub, a vest, a a stimulus.

"Dave O2." I Sergeant, "Go a stretcher. move!"

I hand, I I truck. arrived. "Sergeant, weapon, I responsibility."

I flow. I Dave, "Okay, let's stretcher." a ground, stretcher, truck. back, I vest. I monitor.

"Dave, General." I Barnett's readings, I a I exhaustion. stable, rhythm, stimuli. safely. entrance, I Barrett's staff.

I a breath. ritual. situation, done. Dave's assistance, truck, room, "trip report".

I finished, agreed, I send. done, truck, station.

I truck, Dave, I'll back.

I was. I name, "Officer Barrett?" I aside. snarled.

"What want?"

I tracks. "Nothing Officer, a thing." I turned, ER,

ð¨

I change, station. I days. I I a days, I time. later, a session, I a run. I towel, I treadmill. father's playlist, "Songs 70's", roll. I turned. stood, her, a top. me, I walking. I room, her. I didn't a scene, I her. Alabama, I name, I walking. I a a sauna. a a a sauna. great.

Yeah, was.

I off, dried, dressed, center. I I leave. dressed, well.

"Pardon Mr. Cross?" I walking. I face, great. I on, I again.

"Mr. Cross! Please!"

I her, on, I forehead. "What want, Barrett?" I her.

I wasn't I am. Yes! I her? unprofessionally did, pfft, I don't care.

"Please talk?"

"I'm interested." I hand, eyes.

"Steven, I'm I rude. a day."

"Yeah? it's us. a day." I me.

"Come Steven, words." I her.

"Look it's cool, accepted, there's now. a Officer."

"Damn didn't this, I me."

I feet. "Snooping huh? Nicole?" hesitated. "Come Nicole, I ice. what...go drinks? Coffee? buddies? Yeah, I'll pass."

I lot,

ð¨

I a / I hadn't a mistake. reason, I again. , I shift. I come.

I a in. "Hey Cross, are. a dinner."

I crazy. "LT, about? dinner?" chuckled, "Don't woman!" kitchen. "Cross, her?"

"Captain, about?" other. "Cross," started. "That day. you."

I I ask, "Did Cross?"

"Captain, a something!" head. laughing. I there. laughing. I a probie. room, "Why Precinct, dumbass." I off... 1984 a injured, injuries. 0725.

I moving, truck, I GPS, "Dispatch, 1984 child, scene." went. scene, cars, a grass. up, I still, time. I kit, case.

I gathered, it's luck, boy.

"Hey guy, doing?" I asked. I a what's on. course, a a question, answer. I chuckling..

I a fine. wrung. I quietly, Nicole's ear.

"Hey I a fool, I you?" me. examined, worked. a transport. I child.

I a child's provider, I a room. I free, truck. I out.

"Nicole, I apologize, I a so..." lips, me. I a I shift. touch. I station.

ð¨Chapter Threeð¨

I excited, I there, menu, a time. I a early, 8 o'clock breakfast. tomorrow, a Sunday. a dating, I it. I a a fireman, a family, it.

Maureen, waitress, coffee. I at.

"This isn't love, it's son's now. I'm I don't old."

"Regardless, it's a I here."

I did. wasn't a city, a beings. beings, I jingle. a I in.

I stood, I was, I date.

I me. A I wore. weren't tight, beautifully. a body, places. I smiled, too. perfect. skin. light. I on. a date, I forget. didn't a living, a officer. me, barrier, I mine. I I time.

I ear, "This I cheek?"

I I nonverbal, response. first. moment, booth. I eyes.

I her. "You up. I would've date." I her.

"Just wait, check, I a them." chuckled. I that's I I her. a breakfast. A eggs, you'd taste. a I syrup.

I me. "You Steven, couldn't a jerk, idiot, lot..." paused, mine, slightly. "All over." a I I could.

"Nicole, I I you. I am."

"Apology accepted, Steven," whispered, softening. life, a paramedic, a scheduling. it, a schedules, smiled. I I schedule.

"This I shift." I cautiously. head. I chuckled, "No silly, a bridge, again." mine. "Thank I a bridge." again, I shivered, I I smitten.

ð¨ app, easier, wasn't. other, matters. in. ritual. there, Mimi. I a flowers. couldn't herself. ever. I I blind. me, "Now Steven, black? time. I Mississippi." her, "Now Mimi, secrets." asked, "Which one, you're white?" again. a a leave. I I passenger's Nicole, me. wasn't lover's different.

a ear. "That you, me. coming, Steven." didn't other, did, moment. I a so, scheduling. lives. months, "stolen moments." game, a turn, enforcement, station. dating, a text. I day, I didn't. I replied,

'Just you.'

'I Steven. me?' I response. simple,

'Of Nicole, I'd them.'

'Great I'll place.' place. I passenger's side. I a flowers. I it. 43, hers. "Steven, isn't think." I Cemetery. side. a car.

"I I'll you. accident." a firmer. "This I them."

I hand, I cheek. "I'm me." a moment. silent. headstone. spoke, "Daddy, Mom, I Steven, he's a guy, him." me, I eyes.

"I'm him, I know." a cheek, herself, "Guys, I well. ear." a minutes. I a ear, "I'm well." I said, "Mr Mrs. Barrett, I'd daughter.". a giggled, "Well weren't I me." car. Tuesday, I a Street, courthouse. I a cruiser. I window. me.

"Hey beautiful, here." I joked.

I perfect. out. a allowed. me.

"Hey sexy, safe, you." car.

ð¨ a year. working. I rotation. shift. I don't a relationship, other. I a arrest. a store. I a was. her. "Hey gorgeous! you?" I asked, upbeat, her.

"Worn out, I bed." Street, a disturbance. a seconds, I her, I briefly. go?

I I'd I hospital. machines. I drinks, a latte. I substation. later, I a hot, latte. report's room, I door, report. I I sleep. a truck, kind. I girlfriend, a evening. a break, a scheduled. relax, music, a TV. I countered, I a dinner. other.

So, a Mimi's I another. dinner, place, time, together.

A speakers. room. I softly, back. right, a soft, kiss. I away. dark, thrive. heart, soul, forever. perfect. perfect...

ð¨Chapter Fourð¨ year, normal. weren't long, that's summer.

However, I walks, colder. I year. Nine, be, physically, emotionally. I in, I uncle, Chief.

No, wasn't a communicating a paper. private. a moment, I I could. I a position. I away. I calendar, Nicole's schedule.

I a I could, news. I a a a caption,

'Keeping bearable! Anchor.'

I replied,

'Love happy!' "The Anchor" Anchor. us.

'Keep love, this!' got, a other. I a coffee. I him. me, partnership, went.

"Come Anchor, backwards. a breath. brother!" I respond. station.

"All 79 62. a injuries. involved, notified, 0840." doing, over. alert. "All 79 62. a injuries. involved, notified. 0840." I protocol, 9.

"Ohh gawd, treacherous." slick, a oil. I there.

"Steven, dangerous."

"You brother." I coming. me, " interstate. That's a nightmare." heavy, in. a facing. yards. pocket. I out, a a prior.

'Heading a southbound. there, Steven, I life. bad.' a strange, flip. call.

'Already route,'

I quickly, screen.

'Be careful, love! I'll well.'

I pocket, ribs. wasn't us, a entirely. unpredictable, fast, unforgiving.

ð¨ 61. a a movie. distance, gloom. traffic, I right, I 412. Nicole's car. scene. a ahead. A distance, down.

"Jesus Christ," whispered, truck, could. ahead, a lanes. cargo, pallets, interstate. semi, a crushed.

"Focus, Dave!" I mic. "Dispatch, scene. lead?"

"Medic Nine, command, lead." highway. I Dave, I gear. I out, I ran.

I passengers, trapped. driver, me, forearms. roof, I wasn't passenger.

I mic. "Engine Nine, passengers. I can't occupant, ASAP."

"Cross, out!" channel, Nicole's voice, panic. a second, air. a SUV, lanes, median. medium, over, lanes, semi, sedan, me. crawl. I motion. silent.

I spinning, metal. body. I me, right, semi. a steel, metal. SUV, sideways, semi. action, I position, helmet, I pants. second, I vehicle, side, seen.

I truck. I about, I them. must've

I I wasn't go. I I couldn't sedan. I couldn't I I couldn't backwards.

I something, place. I a breath, ribs. smell. odor, asphalt, gear.

"Dave!" I out, trailer, throat. "Dave, copy? I'm trailer! axle!" silent. dive.

Panic, sharp, throat. I couldn't sky. I couldn't truck. steam, I Nicole's crash. coming. me.

"Nikki!" I darkness, debris, free. "Nikki!" a overload. I down, I anchor. I a I could.

I darkness, I head, I it. I wreckage. voice, voice, Captain.

"We've sparks!" I Captain's bark, undercarriage me.

"Lay a now! a standby, SUV's sparking!"

"Cross!" Dave's chaos, frantic. I that. terrified.

"Captain! sedan! Cross! Steven!"

I coat, I could. "Dave! here! trailer!" engine's pump, foam, SUV, muted. a cold. loud, authoritative radio, I I uncle, Chief, waves.

"Command Dispatch, a for. I a immediately, 79 southbound, 62. a a vehicle. immediately!" for. a knell. me? mean... silence, a moment.

"Cross!" barked. "Where you?"

I I could. "I'm truck!" a orders, semi! semi!"

Suddenly, a thick, semi's axle. helmet.

"I've him! I've a Cross!" a screamed. "He's alive! He's trailer!" seconds, Dave's narrow, sedan's semi's tires. wide, soot.

"Don't move, brother, don't move," out, coat. "We're out, Steven. on."

"Dave... Nicole," I gasped, a us. "Where she? radio. Dave, Nicole?!"

Dave's a smile, "She's brother, safe, she's safe! now." said, steady. spinning. gasoline, smoke, relaxed, me. ago, parents' me... chaos. alright.

ð¨ could've I tell. coordinated, me. time, me. stopped, eased, I out, "Structures stable! loose!" I I a shoulder. a me. I David's voice. "Cross, board, it."

"Got Dave!" I screamed. a time, I saved. I a I a away, I freed. a slow, movement, I backboard, I Dave, "I'm go!" did! asphalt, wreckage. free, I up, face. a mouth. I a I violently, lungs.

I breath, lungs. I Dave's orders. three. I stretcher. ambulance. I voice, "Stop no! yet!" A out, wasn't a firefighter, Nicole. eyesight, eyes, focus. beside. beautiful, eyes, haircut, hat, couldn't moved.

I cheeks. me.

"Steven," whispered, face, skin. "Oh God, Steven."

"Officer, go."

"Nicole?" I I could. I her. "I'll there."

"You be, life!" I breathed, tight.

"Cross, man!"

I work.The shut, a me.

I I go.

ð¨Chapter Fiveð¨

I away, weren't morning, distance, I away. I that's I Sergeant.

"What here? Barrett, firefighter, hurry, ambulance!" laughing, loud. "I that!" I

"followed ambulance."

I ambulance, I General. I carefully, way, ER. I winked. I him. a in. a face. winked. I a relaxed. a woman's out. me, me. a tone.

"Officer, we'll a now, a him." winked, bay. I I side, still. I his.

"Hey!" opened. I forehead. "How you?" I softly.

""I'm great, again." mask.

I I again. a wall. "Cross?" A him. I away. Chief. smiled. I back, bay.

"Hey kid, outside, her?"

I ear. "I'll out." head, "No, stay!" again, "Uncle Paul, in." eyes.

Mrs. I doing. I head. radiology. out, clear, monitoring.

ð¨ concerns. lungs. issues, immediately. paperwork. existed. hours. me. I me. "If do, I a hand, work, Officer." a face. I wasn't concerns. "Nicole, Mrs. Cross, Nicole, I'll schedule." I hard, tighter.

"Rose, Nicole, Mrs. Cross, Rose."

Don't a cheeks. "Of Rose, you." alone, charge, bed. a home. I officer's Reconstruction team.

I me, me. I I next. in. stood, "Officer Barrett, I morning. toll."

I tall, "Yes sir, I..." shoulder, wasn't finished. "In that, don't Time. It's understanding monitoring?" winked.

"Yes sir, sir?" nodded. "Sir, isn't a firefighter, a / paramedic, sir." smiled. "Well let's quickly, I job. That's Nicole."

I I Steven's couch, time, bed. didn't wreck. didn't to. selected. suddenly, Prince, MJ, things, "Jersey Boys". I a playlist. I wasn't complaining.

ð¨

Saturday, a later, together. a treadmill, enough. I him. hadn't I later. dressed. I keys. I cheek, "Would Mimi?" I wasn't I a eyes. a sign. room. Steven. him. whispered, "How feeling, crash?" back. I I a him.

"So Steven, me, a a interstate?" him, "Walk me, today." chair. sat, sit.

I immediately. a past. yawned. winked. "Okay I do, me." a face. "Hey, don't road? It's a traffic."

I him, confused. added, "Oh, what, I I Mimi, bag. a restroom?"

I car. I a I wasn't sure. alert.

.

I room. I Mimi, "I a but..."

"Yes!" wide, "Yes man."

"But Mimi, ask." nodded.

"Mimi, isn't I much. I a now. I'm I granddaughter marriage." face. I a tissue. I her. "Mimi, I her, I it."

"I boy" shoulder. "And yes, yes, I can't her. Now, us.

I me, I a story. place.

"What Steven?" I voice.

I shoulder. "I gifts, that's all" shifted, I I woods, a policewoman, knows.

ð¨ a stressors, triumphs. Paul, well, I interview.

Dave's word, 'crushed', mine. I I I it. I a arrived. I a 1st. neighbors, I'd earned. arrived, a city, a strain.

ð¨ I Christmas, us. I morning, I changed. I church. us. days. a children. back. stone. coming. a be. mother's. comfortable, I a break. I Nicole. easy, biscuits, a eggs, favorite. a day. room, a a touch. finished, I chatting. I wanted. a I mom's. unwrapped, cherished, first.

"Well, I that's everything," smiled, a ear.

"Not quite," I murmured."If you'll grandstanding moment, there's gift" spine. I Mimi, smiling. I tree, I a ago. I tree, Nicole.

I stand. I shiver. I I do. I I her.

"Nicole," I said, emotion, room. "We've together, we've us."

I sniffle, "You sanctuary, I anchor."

I cheeks.

"I don't side. me?" a broken, sob, cheeks. didn't ring"Yes," fiercely, neck, a deep, forever. "Yes, Steven. A times, yes." shoulder, I mom, a well.

I Nicole's finger. I arms. hug, ring. I life, complete.

I story. so, comments.