Disclaimer: I still own nothing.
* * *
"You have to take another shot!" Brianne stated as she giggled. A very inebriated Caitie swallowed another shot of tequila. After ingesting seven previous shots, the liquor no longer burned.
"My turn. Kenny. You." Caitie tried hard to focus her vision as she slurred her words. "Why are you and Jamie so distant after he joined the squad?"
Kenny thought for a moment. "He punked out."
"Tell the truth!" Brianne pushed. "You are just pissed off that Jamie and Caitie are getting their act together and you're not."
"True?" Caitie inquired.
"Forget it. I plead the 5th. I rather take the shot."
Before Caitie and Brianne could press him for a clarification, Kenny downed yet another shot of tequila.
"Answer . . ." Caitie began speaking before Kenny cut her off. "I took the shot. Brianne is next."
Kenny thought long and hard. "Do you have a thing for anyone?"
Caitie slightly giggled. She knew that Brianne had a huge crush on Kenny.
Brianne's hand reached for her shot glass.
This game was only self-destructive.
Alcohol.
People who will not admit the truth.
It was insanity.
* * * * *
After a few hours of drinking, the trio left the bar. Dale, Kenny's brother---now being off duty----opted to drive the three to their respective homes.
"She had way too much to drink," Dale stated as he carried Caitie inside her house.
A barely conscious brunette was gently let down on her living room couch. Kenny and Brianne, very much intoxicated, remained in the car.
Dale looked around the house for a moment. He spotted a cordless phone and quickly went to retrieve it. He placed the phone by Caitie's side.
He grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge. He also brought the trashcan in the living room by the couch where Caitie rested.
Dale stood in the living room, resting his hands on top of his head pressing down his tousled hair. "Advil," he thought aloud to himself.
He headed towards the bathroom medicine cabinet, guessing it would be the best place to retrieve pain relievers. With the small bottle in his hand, he grabbed a blanket from Caitie's bedroom. Before leaving, Dale couldn't help but look around the room.
Pictures covered Caitie's room. He spotted one of Caitie, Brianne and Kenny. It was taken a while ago.
Another picture caught his eye. It was of Jamie and Caitie. Dale thought they looked good together.
Dale headed towards the living room. He made sure Caitie was on her side and draped the blanket over her. He placed the water and the Advil on the coffee table.
Before he could leave, Dale felt a pang of sympathy. "It's not easy losing your mom, is it?" he whispered. He allowed his hand to stroke her hair. "Hang in there."
Leaving Caitie's house, Dale returned to his car.
* * * * *
Hank and Val sat in the common room of the station. Jamie was relatively quiet, hiding himself in the station's garage.
Val occupied herself by reading the paper. Hank stared at the large clock that hung on the far wall of the room.
"Seven minutes!" he exclaimed. He eagerly awaited the end of his shift so he can rush home.
"Big plans this weekend?" she asked without looking up from her paper.
"Jasmine and I are going to celebrate our one year anniversary!"
This caught Val's attention. "What do you have planned?"
"It's perfect! I'm going to take her favorite restaurant!" He pulled a little velvet box from his jacket pocket. He opened it, revealing a small silver ring. "And . . . I'm going to give her this."
"A promise ring!" Val stated excitedly! "Oh Hank! She's going to love it!"
A smiled played on Val's lips as she ran her finger on the design of the ring. Hank couldn't help but smiling at her excitement. He only imagined how Jasmine would react, if Val was so ecstatic.
"You know, that's probably the first time I saw you smile since . . ." Hank allowed himself to trail off. "Since . . . what happened to Caitie's mom."
Val's smile slightly faded. "It's tough. I feel horrible. I can't even imagine how Caitie feels . . . I wonder . . . I was spared my father. She was denied. I just wonder, why things happen like this."
Hank remained silent. He did not know what to say. "You would think, being EMTs like we are, things like this would . . . shake us up less. You know what I'm saying? We are well aware of the accidents that happen, the tragedies . . . but if anything, it makes it harder to bear."
Hank reached for Val's hand. He looked her straight into her eyes. "Val, the fact that you're not desensitized to what's happening . . . really says something about you. Don't ever stop feeling. You are strong and you have to be strong for Caitie."
Val smiled warmly at Hank.
"That's two today! I'm on a roll!" he stated teasingly.
Val looked at the clock. "Hank, it's time to go!"
Hank gathered his things, preparing to leave the station.
"Hank?" Val called out before he left.
"Yeah?"
"Thanks."
Hank smiled as he nodded his head. "Anytime."
* * * * *
A/N: Please read and review! Thank you guys for your comments!!!
* * *
"You have to take another shot!" Brianne stated as she giggled. A very inebriated Caitie swallowed another shot of tequila. After ingesting seven previous shots, the liquor no longer burned.
"My turn. Kenny. You." Caitie tried hard to focus her vision as she slurred her words. "Why are you and Jamie so distant after he joined the squad?"
Kenny thought for a moment. "He punked out."
"Tell the truth!" Brianne pushed. "You are just pissed off that Jamie and Caitie are getting their act together and you're not."
"True?" Caitie inquired.
"Forget it. I plead the 5th. I rather take the shot."
Before Caitie and Brianne could press him for a clarification, Kenny downed yet another shot of tequila.
"Answer . . ." Caitie began speaking before Kenny cut her off. "I took the shot. Brianne is next."
Kenny thought long and hard. "Do you have a thing for anyone?"
Caitie slightly giggled. She knew that Brianne had a huge crush on Kenny.
Brianne's hand reached for her shot glass.
This game was only self-destructive.
Alcohol.
People who will not admit the truth.
It was insanity.
* * * * *
After a few hours of drinking, the trio left the bar. Dale, Kenny's brother---now being off duty----opted to drive the three to their respective homes.
"She had way too much to drink," Dale stated as he carried Caitie inside her house.
A barely conscious brunette was gently let down on her living room couch. Kenny and Brianne, very much intoxicated, remained in the car.
Dale looked around the house for a moment. He spotted a cordless phone and quickly went to retrieve it. He placed the phone by Caitie's side.
He grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge. He also brought the trashcan in the living room by the couch where Caitie rested.
Dale stood in the living room, resting his hands on top of his head pressing down his tousled hair. "Advil," he thought aloud to himself.
He headed towards the bathroom medicine cabinet, guessing it would be the best place to retrieve pain relievers. With the small bottle in his hand, he grabbed a blanket from Caitie's bedroom. Before leaving, Dale couldn't help but look around the room.
Pictures covered Caitie's room. He spotted one of Caitie, Brianne and Kenny. It was taken a while ago.
Another picture caught his eye. It was of Jamie and Caitie. Dale thought they looked good together.
Dale headed towards the living room. He made sure Caitie was on her side and draped the blanket over her. He placed the water and the Advil on the coffee table.
Before he could leave, Dale felt a pang of sympathy. "It's not easy losing your mom, is it?" he whispered. He allowed his hand to stroke her hair. "Hang in there."
Leaving Caitie's house, Dale returned to his car.
* * * * *
Hank and Val sat in the common room of the station. Jamie was relatively quiet, hiding himself in the station's garage.
Val occupied herself by reading the paper. Hank stared at the large clock that hung on the far wall of the room.
"Seven minutes!" he exclaimed. He eagerly awaited the end of his shift so he can rush home.
"Big plans this weekend?" she asked without looking up from her paper.
"Jasmine and I are going to celebrate our one year anniversary!"
This caught Val's attention. "What do you have planned?"
"It's perfect! I'm going to take her favorite restaurant!" He pulled a little velvet box from his jacket pocket. He opened it, revealing a small silver ring. "And . . . I'm going to give her this."
"A promise ring!" Val stated excitedly! "Oh Hank! She's going to love it!"
A smiled played on Val's lips as she ran her finger on the design of the ring. Hank couldn't help but smiling at her excitement. He only imagined how Jasmine would react, if Val was so ecstatic.
"You know, that's probably the first time I saw you smile since . . ." Hank allowed himself to trail off. "Since . . . what happened to Caitie's mom."
Val's smile slightly faded. "It's tough. I feel horrible. I can't even imagine how Caitie feels . . . I wonder . . . I was spared my father. She was denied. I just wonder, why things happen like this."
Hank remained silent. He did not know what to say. "You would think, being EMTs like we are, things like this would . . . shake us up less. You know what I'm saying? We are well aware of the accidents that happen, the tragedies . . . but if anything, it makes it harder to bear."
Hank reached for Val's hand. He looked her straight into her eyes. "Val, the fact that you're not desensitized to what's happening . . . really says something about you. Don't ever stop feeling. You are strong and you have to be strong for Caitie."
Val smiled warmly at Hank.
"That's two today! I'm on a roll!" he stated teasingly.
Val looked at the clock. "Hank, it's time to go!"
Hank gathered his things, preparing to leave the station.
"Hank?" Val called out before he left.
"Yeah?"
"Thanks."
Hank smiled as he nodded his head. "Anytime."
* * * * *
A/N: Please read and review! Thank you guys for your comments!!!