Burn
I don't own any of the characters except for my OC, Kathy!
The phone rang three times before Kathy finally picked it up. She had no idea who it was or what the person wanted. She figured it was her husband, Stephen, who called to tell her that he was going to be late because he was out saving lives. Kathy loved her husband more than her own mother and father. No one could ever make her stop loving him, he truly was the love of her life.
They didn't have any kids and actually there was no real reason to it, but their excuse were always the same, they were both too busy. He wanted to have kids and so did she, but the time just wasn't right.
"Hello, this is Kathy," she said and waited patiently for an answer. She had just finished cooking a sumptuous meal for her husband and herself. It was their 3rd anniversary. 3 years of marriage, it really meant a lot to both of them. Kathy had lit candles all around the house. She had spread fresh rose pedals all over the floor in the living room and all over the bed in the bed room, she though it created a romantic atmosphere.
Even though she had put such a huge effort into making it the night of their lives, she didn't mind if he called to tell that he was going to be late. She actually thought it was a good thing. Whenever he was late, it just meant he was out there, saving someone's life. He was a fireman, even one of the best. He was a true hero and a lovely husband, a man like him was the only thing Kathy needed in her life to feel complete.
"Kathy," she was surprised to hear her husband's best friend and not her husband. He sounded upset, but it didn't ring a bell.
"Wade, is something wrong?" she asked in a caring tone, never expecting what he was about to tell her.
"Kathy... I'm sorry, I'm so sorry... There was a fire and Stephen went in... The roof... It just... It just collapsed... Kathy, I'm sorry... Kathy?" the receiver slid out of her hand and banged into the side of the table, which the telephone was standing on. She stared into space, not moving an inch. Her feet were stuck to the floor, she couldn't move them. Her arms felt like they were made out of lead and they got heavier by every second, forcing her to sink to her knees and sit on the cold carpet. It wasn't true, it couldn't be true. She had lost him. She had lost her hero, her husband. She had lost everything she loved and lived for. She had nothing left but a broken heart.
She pressed her hands to her face, feeling the cold skin against her palms. Tears started to flow freely, she couldn't stop them, but she didn't want to anyway. Her heart pounded in her chest and she breathed with difficulty as the stream of tears became smoother.
He was gone.
Gone forever.
Even though he promised...
It was now 6 years since her husband had passed away. She still thought of him every single day, even though she claimed that she had moved on. Her husbands best friend, Wade, was now her best friend. Her husband's death had brought them together. They both suffered from a great loss and that was when they became each others pillar of support.
They talked almost every day. He would call her, she would call him or one of them would just randomly stop by. Her girlfriends always told her to start dating Wade, they thought they were perfect for each other, but that was something Wade and Kathy would never do, never even consider. Their friendship was something special, her husband brought them together, so they could never be anymore than friends. Besides, Kathy had sworn to herself that she would never again date or marry a guy, who's job was to risk his life for others.
One day Kathy had looked out of her window and seen her neighbor's house on fire. She called the fire station immediately and they were there only a few minutes after. She went out to them to see how things were progressing. She was calm because she knew no one was in the house, since her neighbor had given her the key to the house the day before because she was going out of town and she needed Kathy to water her plants while she was gone. It was tragic to see such a beautiful house burn down to the ground, but as long as no one got hurt, she was happy.
Wade went over to her once the fire was put out. He stood in front of her in his fireman's uniform, all dirty in his face. He smiled at her and gave her a hug to comfort her, he knew fire reminded her of Stephen.
"So, this was the good looking woman you were talking about, right?" a deep voice asked from behind. Kathy turned to look at the man who was smiling down at her.
"Actually, no, this is Kathy... But as you can see she's pretty good looking too," Wade chuckled and poked her in the ribs, making her giggle and blush.
"Oh, so this is not your girlfriend?" the blond man raised his eyebrows, looking pleased.
"Nope, Jenna is at home," the man stepped closer, never taking his eyes off Kathy.
"Why don't you introduce us?" he asked Wade. Kathy stared into his sky blue eyes. They were beautiful and they reminded her of Stephen's, even though they weren't the same color. They were deep and staring and yet so soft and friendly.
"Oh, I'm sorry! Kathy, this is John. John, this is Kathy," Wade said, pointing from one another.
"Hey, John," Kathy extended her hand, John taking it immediately and giving it a gentle shook.
"Hey Kathy," they couldn't stop staring at each other. It was definitely love with first sight.
Wade didn't want to interrupt their little staring contest, so he slipped away to join the rest of the team. He was happy to see that Kathy finally showed some interest in another man than her dead husband.
"So... would you like to join me for dinner sometime?" John asked and bit his bottom lip. Kathy nodded and looked down at her feet. She didn't want him to see her blushing again. They stood silent for a couple of seconds, before Kathy looked back up at him and nodded once again.
"That would be great," it was a chilly night and Kathy started to feel the effect of it.
"You're shaking... Here, take my jacket," John took of his jacket and laid it around her shoulders. She looked up at him and flashed a smile. He couldn't help but sneak an arm around her and pull her a little closer: "I'll keep you warm," he said with a twinkle in his eye. She laughed softly and pressed up against his warm figure. She thought it was nice to finally be close to a guy again, a guy who wasn't just a friend.
John was the tall and muscular kind of gentleman, which Kathy absolutely adored.
Kathy was the small and feminine kind of shy girl, which John absolutely adored.
They were the perfect match and they could both tell from the first time they met. And they were right, they were perfect for each other because 2 years after that, they were happily married and on the top of the cake, pregnant.
Wade and John had become quite good friends as well. So close that they would actually call themselves best friends. Kathy wasn't the only one seeing Stephen in her new husband. Everyone thought they were alike. They were always the men to stand in front of everyone else to extinguish the fire. They were the ones to go against the officers word and enter a house in flames, just to rescue another human being. Everyone looked up to them, they were the ones to visit schools to tell about how it was to be a fireman and every visit ended with a whole class wanting to be a fireman, both boys and girls. They were the true heroes of the team, the face of every local newspaper.
Kathy knew it was a big mistake to marry another fireman. Her ex-husband's death had made her terrified. She would constantly call John to check up on him and every time he answered the same: "Honey, I'm fine. I'll be back before you go to bed... I love you, bye," she knew he was right, nothing was going to happen. He was a great fireman, one of the best. Stephen had become a legend and she was sure that John would become one too, once he retired – not died, but retired! Stephen was known as, Sheamus the shooter, because of his amazing way to put out a fire. Sheamus, that was what everybody used to call him at the fire station. Kathy didn't know why, but they always gave everyone some kind of nickname. It didn't even have to be related to their real name. Wade's real name was Stu, but he hated it and made everyone call him Wade instead. Kathy had always known him as Wade, so that was what she called him too, but Stephen was Stephen, since she met him before he became a fireman.
Every hero needed a nickname, but how would a true hero react when they weren't able to rescue a person in need?
She remembered one day where John had come home and she had asked him how his day had been like. He had told her that it was a rather sad day, since he had tried to rescue a mother and her child from the fire, but he couldn't get to them so they had burned to death. She didn't get why he wasn't upset, he was acting like it was any other day, than a day where a mother and her child died. He shrugged and told her that he couldn't do anything, he tried his best, but it wasn't good enough. She had to remember that he had saved many other lives before, it was God who didn't allow him to do it every time.
Kathy walked inside the kitchen, finding her husband sitting in silence.
"Honey, I didn't hear you come home," she said and sat down beside him, it wasn't until then she saw that he was crying: "Stephen? Stephen what's wrong, are you okay?" she asked, not knowing what to do.
Stephen turned towards her, showing his red puffy eyes.
"They died, they both died... I couldn't do anything but stand there... they died, Kathy, they died," he whispered, Kathy quickly pulling him into a tight hug.
"It's okay, baby, you couldn't do anything, you tried, you did your best, don't cry," she begged, tears starting to fill her eyes as well, she couldn't bear to see her husband like that.
"I rescued him, but I couldn't get them out... I was standing with the boy in my hand while listening to his parents screaming for help, I killed his parents!" Stephen's voice raised and he pushed himself away from her. He started to clear the table and throw everything against the walls and floor. Kathy was scared, she didn't know what was happening to her husband, he had become insane in a split second: "I'm the reason why he has no parents!" he shouted, smashing a plate against the wall. It shattered and porcelain flew everywhere.
"Stephen, stop it, you didn't kill them, it's not you fault!" she yelled and grabbed his arm, trying to calm him down. He looked down at her, the tears still streaming down his cheeks. He closed his eyes and hid his face in his palms.
"They're dead," he whispered and sobbed loudly. Kathy pulled him into a tight hug once again, reassuring him that she would be there for him no matter what.
John was at the fire station, getting ready to go home to his wife. He was excited, since it was their 1st anniversary together and he had a surprise for her, which he knew she would be thrilled about.
"Happy anniversary, John. From the moment I saw you with Kathy for the first time, I knew you were perfect for each other," Wade laughed and held out a beer in front of John: "Let's celebrate."
John shook his head and chuckled happily. He took the beer from Wade and opened it.
"To you and Kathy.. I wish you my best and may you live happily ever after," John nodded and touched cans with Wade.
"Thank you man, you're the best," he said, before taking a huge sip of his beer, Wade doing the same thing. They stood for a minute without saying anything, until Wade broke the silence.
"So how are the little one doing?" he asked, making John smile proudly, he always did that whenever he was talking about his baby.
"It's going great. Kathy an I went to an ultrasound scanning here the other day and the baby looked just fine... Guess what, it's a boy!" John couldn't help himself, he promised Kathy not to tell anyone about the babies gender, but he was so proud, he just had to tell someone.
"Congratulations man!" Wade shouted, giving him a pat to the shoulder: "So have you thought of any names yet?" John nodded excitedly.
"We have two names, but we're not completely sure which one to take."
"So, what is it?" Wade was curious and John didn't make him any less.
"Well... We don't know if we should call him Stephen or Sheamus," the smile on Wade's face faded and he put on a very serious expression instead.
"Are you sure that's what you want?" John nodded once again.
"Absolutely... Stephen was a great man, he died trying to safe someone else life. Our baby will carry a hero's name. It's our tribute to him," Wade was close to tears, he missed Stephen so much and what John and Kathy did to remember him was just so beautiful.
"I like it... very much," he said nodding approving and sending John a sad smile. It was now John patting Wade's shoulder.
"So, what do you think... Should we call him Sheamus or Stephen?" John asked.
"What would you prefer; Spiderman or Peter Parker?" they both chuckled and nodded in agreement.
"I get the point, Stephen it is then... Thanks for the beer, but I've got to get back to Kat-"
John was cut off by the disturbing alarm. They both looked at each other. John sighed loudly and shrugged his shoulders.
"Guess it'll have to wait another few minutes," they ran to their lockers and put on their uniforms in under 30 seconds, which was a requirement. They also had to be at the fire station in under 5 minutes, or else the fire trucks would leave with out them, but since John and Wade were already there, they didn't have to worry about it and they could go along with one of their fellow colleagues immediately.
Dave, or Batista as he was called, were the one driving and therefore the only one knowing where they were going. John and Wade sat in the back, putting on their helmets. They both glanced out of the window to see which direction they were heading and they both got a weird feeling in their stomachs as they drove by some very familiar houses. They looked at each other, seeing that they both shared the same uncomfortable feeling.
The fire truck stopped only a few minutes after, neither John nor Wade wanted to get out of the truck, but it was their duty so they didn't have any choice.
They jumped out of the truck, immediately being met by John and Kathy's house in flames. John panicked, he knew she was in there and he had to safe her.
"Kathy!" he screamed and ran inside the burning house, not listening to all his colleagues warnings.
Wade was paralyzed, he couldn't move. Not even the sound of another fireman's scream of help could make him get back the feeling in his body.
"Kathy, where are you?" John screamed with panic as he searched through the burning house, suddenly hearing his wife calling from the bedroom.
"John! John help me, help me, I'm trapped!" she cried out. 3 huge rafters had fallen down and was now blocking the bedroom door: "John I can't get out, please, help me!" she shouted, tears flowing down her cheeks. John could hear that she was crying, it was like someone stabbed him in his heart with a knife and twisted it really slowly.
"I'm coming, Kathy!" he shouted back and made his way to the burning rafters. The flames were too thick and high, he would never be able to get her out of there.
"John, help me, help me!" she sounded like something bad was coming closer, it was the fire, no doubt about that.
"Hang on, Kathy, hang on, I'm getting you out of there!" John took a few steps closer to the burning rafters, but ended up burning his hand badly. He tried again, receiving another burn. His uniform wouldn't be able to hold if he kept approaching the fire: "Fuck!" he screamed and clutched to his head in disbelief. How could he let her down. She was the love of his life and she was caring their child. He had to safe her. This wasn't just some random woman, this was his wife, he couldn't just stand there and do nothing, even though he knew it was impossible and every other fireman would have given up already.
Suddenly there was a loud scream with pain, which could probably be heard through the whole town.
"Kathy?" he screamed and walked into the fire, but his body forced him to go back again when he was burned.
"I'm burning, help me!" she screamed and screamed, it never stopped. John clutched to his head once again. His wife was on fire and he couldn't do anything but listen to her burning. She cried and screamed and cried and screamed, but no one were able to help her. John ended up screaming along with her. He was so close, but so far from her. The pain was to die for and for a second he actually wanted to jump into the flames and burn up with her, but again his body prevented him from doing so.
It felt like it never ended, the screams kept going on and on, but then suddenly it all ended. For John it was dead silent, he couldn't hear the burning flames around him, the only thing he noticed was the missing screams.
"Ka... Kathy?" he stuttered and looked at the bedroom door: "Kathy? Kathy? Kathy?" he kept repeating her name over and over again, his voice getting louder with every time.
"John, get out of there, now!" Dave grabbed John and began to drag him out of the house. John desperately tried to wrench out of the other mans firm grip, but it was impossible. He was weak. All his strength burned together Kathy. There was nothing left, he could barely move his own feet.
When Dave had finally forced John out of the house, it was like all hope in John's eyes just disappeared. The house collapsed before his very own eyes. He stood there, not doing anything but look at the burning ruin, which was once his house. He didn't even notice Wade on the stretcher with an oxygen mask on. The medics were getting him inside the ambulance, he went into shock when he saw the familiar house burning, knowing that his best friend was inside.
The firemen were doing their best to put out the fire, everyone was helping, even the citizens were helping, even though they couldn't do much.
Dave helped John over to one of the fire trucks, where he made him take a seat. John didn't say anything, he just watched as his whole life burned down in front of him.
Dave had gone back to help with putting out the fire, but when the fire was finally out, he went back to John.
John was staring at the black leftovers of Kathy and his house, not knowing what to say or do.
Dave placed a hand on John's shoulder, making John look at it, before looking up at Dave himself.
"I'm sorry, John, I'm really really sorry," John's eyes slowly began to tear. He couldn't believe Kathy was dead. She burned to death, something a fireman, like himself, should have prevented.
His bottom lip trembled and he bit it to make it stop, but it was too late. He burst into tears and screamed: "Why? Why her?" Dave dragged John to his feet and hugged him tightly. He wondered if John had even noticed that Wade was gone, still he understood him if he hadn't. He had lost his wife in a fire. He had been standing right in front of the door she was standing behind, not being able to get to her, his only choice was to listen to her scream as she stood in flames.
"Will you marry me?" John asked with a nervous smile on his face. Kathy was so surprised, she never saw it coming. They had only been together for a year, but still marrying him seemed to be the right thing to do.
"You'll have to promise me something first," she said, looking dead serious.
"Anything for you, baby," he whispered and took her hand. She looked down at their hands, wondering if marrying him really was the right thing.
"Promise me you'll never die," they got eye contact. Her eyes were tearing, she couldn't help but think of Stephen. He had been the love of her life and he still was, but she had to move on. Unfortunately for her the only guy who seemed to be able to match Stephen, was John, another fireman.
"Don't worry, I won't."
"Promise me," she insisted, a tear falling down her cheek. Her heart hadn't beat as fast as it did since the day Stephen died.
"Kathy," he started and stood up from his kneeling position: "I promise you... I'll never die."
Hey everybody, I hope you enjoyed the one shot :) I don't know if I like it or not, so please review and tell me what you think :)