Title: When The Heat is On (2/?)
Author: Angela Penfold
Email: AngelaPRPi@aol.com
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: See the first chapter. No profit made etc.
Chapter 3
Jimmy's breathing and the steady beat of the heart monitor were the only sounds in the room. He'd come round briefly in the recovery room, asking how Sweet was doing before the drugs had swept him back into unconsciousness once more. Kim had almost laughed with relief when she'd heard but the worry hadn't truly left her, she still had to tell Joey that someone had hurt his father on purpose. They tried so hard to preserve their son's innocence, to keep him safe from the evils of the world but it kept creeping in anyway.
"Got you some coffee."
Looking up, Kim met Bobby's warm brown eyes and she smiled slightly. He'd headed out fifteen minutes before to give her some time alone. "Better be warm still," she murmured softly, a half grin on her lips.
He shrugged, handing her the steaming polystyrene cup and settled into an uncomfortable plastic seat. "Freshly brewed downstairs. I sent the others home; they looked like hell in that waiting room. News was in so I figured they could rest easy."
"Thanks." The coffee was scalding hot and extremely bitter but Kim sipped at it anyway, let it help drive the chill from her bones. "You should head off too. I'm gonna stay here tonight. My mom's got Joey, said she'd keep him till tomorrow."
"I'll stay a while," Bobby said softly. He stretched an arm out along the back of her seat. "Steak's probably blacker than the charcoal by now and the hospital vending machines do have those amazing soggy cheese sandwiches."
His staying hadn't been in question, Kim thought. Smiling softly, she
reclined in her seat, letting the warmth from the coffee and Bobby's arm soothe her.
"The ones with the month old lettuce leaf and tomato squidged into the bread?"
"That's the ones. Think they might have really pushed the boat out and added a ham sandwich or two."
"She never did like ham sandwiches 'less they were toasted."
Kim nearly spilt her coffee as the croaky voice emerged from the bed. The doctors had predicted that Jimmy would probably sleep through this evening but there he went, proving everyone wrong again. He was still very pale, Kim noticed, and his eyes were shadowed with pain but he was moving under the covers and talking.
Learning forward, resting his forearms on his thighs, Bobby grinned at Jimmy. The humour was a definite relief from the fear and anxiety. "Think the lab here would toast it over a bunsen burner for her?"
"Only if I head down there and work my magic on those pretty techs," Jimmy said weakly.
A sad smile curved Kim's lips, almost painting her eyes with tears. She set her coffee cup down on the floor and stood, crossing to Jimmy's bed in silence. Reaching out, she gently brushed hair back from his forehead. She'd done the same thing to Joey as he'd slept hundreds of times before but she'd never seen the angry red burns then like she had with Jimmy now. "I don't think you'll be doing that for a while yet," she said softly. "I'll just toughen up and eat
them any way I can get them."
Dark lashes flickered shut for a moment, hiding the pain filled eyes beneath. Jimmy's voice was almost inaudible when it emerged. "I've really messed myself up this time. We were nearly on the top floor when it went, just seemed to be droppin' forever. Couldn't breathe but I had to find Sweet Kim, I tried to get to him, get him out but the flames were everywhere. Hurt so much."
"We know Jimmy," Kim whispered. Her fingers continued to move restlessly through his hair, down behind his ear. "You both got out, a little time and you're gonna be just fine."
Doherty licked his lips, trying to bring some moisture back to their parched surface and some strength back to his voice. "How's he doing?"
Bobby broke into the conversation, his speech tighter than it'd been minutes ago. "Spoke to the docs downstairs. Looks like he landed on his arm. They popped his shoulder back in, gave him a cast and a sling. Burns weren't too bad. They're letting him home in the morning. He's more worried about you than he is about himself."
"There wasn't anythin' I could do," Jimmy said hoarsely. "Cap sent us up to check the top floor, look for anyone trapped in there. The stairs, they . they seemed steady, just a little flare up beneath them." He drew in a ragged breath, the threat of a cough and the panic building within, constricting his chest.
Kim reached for the call button, ready to bring the hospital staff running. He reached out slowly, battered fingers gripping her wrist. Jimmy's eyes still burned with the pain that swamped his body but the hold on her arm was strong.
"I'm OK." A ragged breath flowed through Jimmy's lips before he continued. "The stairs were fine 'til I got about two thirds up. S-suddenly the beams began creakin', bouncin'. It all started comin' down before we could move. Kim . Kim, s-shouldn't have happened. Stairs shouldn't have come down. No reason for it. N-no reason."
Letting out a deep breath, Kim glanced at Bobby. "Jimmy, it was arson."
"They did it on purpose? Torched the place, h-hurt us."
Bobby stood up slowly, the grim reality etched all over his face. It was almost murder today. "They're gonna get all kinds of investigators down here and catch whoever did this Jimmy. They hurt out own now and when the heat is on we always get them."
"Better," Jimmy said softly. "Better get them." Dark lashes fluttered shut once more, spelling the exhaustion finally taking control of Jimmy's body and the easing of his breathing as he fell asleep. The frown slipped from his brow, the tension disappearing from his grip on Kim's arm.
As Kim slowly lowered Jimmy's hand, Bobby's comforting touch settled on her back. He waited until Kim had bent and kissed Jimmy's forehead before speaking. "There's nothing else we can do here tonight Kim. We should get you home, let you get some sleep."
Kim nodded slowly and rubbed a hand over her face. "I'll be back here early in the morning to check on him." She cast one last glance at the bed before heading out, Bobby's supporting arm around her shoulders.
The car trip home was almost a blur, just the chill gusts from the air conditioning in Bobby's jeep making an impact upon her fevered mind. The barbecue was predictably burnt out by the time they made it into her apartment but her appetite was just a distant memory. Dragging her hands through her hair, Kim stood in the middle of the living room. There were a dozen things her mind was screaming at her to do but it wouldn't settle enough for her to do them. She flashed Bobby a tight smile as he came back inside, empty beer bottles dangling from his fingers, it was just like him to tidy up.
"I should phone my mom, update her, tell Joey what's going on. I need to talk to Jimmy's family too," Kim whispered almost frantically. She glanced around the room, trying to spot the phone.
Bobby stepped closed to her, the scent of warm skin and barbecue smoke that clung to his t-shirt instantly soothing. "He's doing alright now Kim. All that can wait till the morning, just relax now," he said softly. His arms rose and she stepped into his embrace, her head finally finding somewhere to lay against his shoulder, the tears of fear and sadness and relief finally flowing. "It'll be OK," he whispered against her hair.
Author: Angela Penfold
Email: AngelaPRPi@aol.com
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: See the first chapter. No profit made etc.
Chapter 3
Jimmy's breathing and the steady beat of the heart monitor were the only sounds in the room. He'd come round briefly in the recovery room, asking how Sweet was doing before the drugs had swept him back into unconsciousness once more. Kim had almost laughed with relief when she'd heard but the worry hadn't truly left her, she still had to tell Joey that someone had hurt his father on purpose. They tried so hard to preserve their son's innocence, to keep him safe from the evils of the world but it kept creeping in anyway.
"Got you some coffee."
Looking up, Kim met Bobby's warm brown eyes and she smiled slightly. He'd headed out fifteen minutes before to give her some time alone. "Better be warm still," she murmured softly, a half grin on her lips.
He shrugged, handing her the steaming polystyrene cup and settled into an uncomfortable plastic seat. "Freshly brewed downstairs. I sent the others home; they looked like hell in that waiting room. News was in so I figured they could rest easy."
"Thanks." The coffee was scalding hot and extremely bitter but Kim sipped at it anyway, let it help drive the chill from her bones. "You should head off too. I'm gonna stay here tonight. My mom's got Joey, said she'd keep him till tomorrow."
"I'll stay a while," Bobby said softly. He stretched an arm out along the back of her seat. "Steak's probably blacker than the charcoal by now and the hospital vending machines do have those amazing soggy cheese sandwiches."
His staying hadn't been in question, Kim thought. Smiling softly, she
reclined in her seat, letting the warmth from the coffee and Bobby's arm soothe her.
"The ones with the month old lettuce leaf and tomato squidged into the bread?"
"That's the ones. Think they might have really pushed the boat out and added a ham sandwich or two."
"She never did like ham sandwiches 'less they were toasted."
Kim nearly spilt her coffee as the croaky voice emerged from the bed. The doctors had predicted that Jimmy would probably sleep through this evening but there he went, proving everyone wrong again. He was still very pale, Kim noticed, and his eyes were shadowed with pain but he was moving under the covers and talking.
Learning forward, resting his forearms on his thighs, Bobby grinned at Jimmy. The humour was a definite relief from the fear and anxiety. "Think the lab here would toast it over a bunsen burner for her?"
"Only if I head down there and work my magic on those pretty techs," Jimmy said weakly.
A sad smile curved Kim's lips, almost painting her eyes with tears. She set her coffee cup down on the floor and stood, crossing to Jimmy's bed in silence. Reaching out, she gently brushed hair back from his forehead. She'd done the same thing to Joey as he'd slept hundreds of times before but she'd never seen the angry red burns then like she had with Jimmy now. "I don't think you'll be doing that for a while yet," she said softly. "I'll just toughen up and eat
them any way I can get them."
Dark lashes flickered shut for a moment, hiding the pain filled eyes beneath. Jimmy's voice was almost inaudible when it emerged. "I've really messed myself up this time. We were nearly on the top floor when it went, just seemed to be droppin' forever. Couldn't breathe but I had to find Sweet Kim, I tried to get to him, get him out but the flames were everywhere. Hurt so much."
"We know Jimmy," Kim whispered. Her fingers continued to move restlessly through his hair, down behind his ear. "You both got out, a little time and you're gonna be just fine."
Doherty licked his lips, trying to bring some moisture back to their parched surface and some strength back to his voice. "How's he doing?"
Bobby broke into the conversation, his speech tighter than it'd been minutes ago. "Spoke to the docs downstairs. Looks like he landed on his arm. They popped his shoulder back in, gave him a cast and a sling. Burns weren't too bad. They're letting him home in the morning. He's more worried about you than he is about himself."
"There wasn't anythin' I could do," Jimmy said hoarsely. "Cap sent us up to check the top floor, look for anyone trapped in there. The stairs, they . they seemed steady, just a little flare up beneath them." He drew in a ragged breath, the threat of a cough and the panic building within, constricting his chest.
Kim reached for the call button, ready to bring the hospital staff running. He reached out slowly, battered fingers gripping her wrist. Jimmy's eyes still burned with the pain that swamped his body but the hold on her arm was strong.
"I'm OK." A ragged breath flowed through Jimmy's lips before he continued. "The stairs were fine 'til I got about two thirds up. S-suddenly the beams began creakin', bouncin'. It all started comin' down before we could move. Kim . Kim, s-shouldn't have happened. Stairs shouldn't have come down. No reason for it. N-no reason."
Letting out a deep breath, Kim glanced at Bobby. "Jimmy, it was arson."
"They did it on purpose? Torched the place, h-hurt us."
Bobby stood up slowly, the grim reality etched all over his face. It was almost murder today. "They're gonna get all kinds of investigators down here and catch whoever did this Jimmy. They hurt out own now and when the heat is on we always get them."
"Better," Jimmy said softly. "Better get them." Dark lashes fluttered shut once more, spelling the exhaustion finally taking control of Jimmy's body and the easing of his breathing as he fell asleep. The frown slipped from his brow, the tension disappearing from his grip on Kim's arm.
As Kim slowly lowered Jimmy's hand, Bobby's comforting touch settled on her back. He waited until Kim had bent and kissed Jimmy's forehead before speaking. "There's nothing else we can do here tonight Kim. We should get you home, let you get some sleep."
Kim nodded slowly and rubbed a hand over her face. "I'll be back here early in the morning to check on him." She cast one last glance at the bed before heading out, Bobby's supporting arm around her shoulders.
The car trip home was almost a blur, just the chill gusts from the air conditioning in Bobby's jeep making an impact upon her fevered mind. The barbecue was predictably burnt out by the time they made it into her apartment but her appetite was just a distant memory. Dragging her hands through her hair, Kim stood in the middle of the living room. There were a dozen things her mind was screaming at her to do but it wouldn't settle enough for her to do them. She flashed Bobby a tight smile as he came back inside, empty beer bottles dangling from his fingers, it was just like him to tidy up.
"I should phone my mom, update her, tell Joey what's going on. I need to talk to Jimmy's family too," Kim whispered almost frantically. She glanced around the room, trying to spot the phone.
Bobby stepped closed to her, the scent of warm skin and barbecue smoke that clung to his t-shirt instantly soothing. "He's doing alright now Kim. All that can wait till the morning, just relax now," he said softly. His arms rose and she stepped into his embrace, her head finally finding somewhere to lay against his shoulder, the tears of fear and sadness and relief finally flowing. "It'll be OK," he whispered against her hair.