Chapter 10

Nature's Fury

Belldandy woke in a very good mood the day after the dinner with Danny. Urd and Skuld were still whispering behind her back some, she knew that they were likely conversing about how she acted last night. No matter. She liked Danny very much for some reason. She wasn't exactly sure why. He just seemed to tickle her fancy. If not just her curiosity. She decided to go outside this morning, and start to work on the yard a little more. Urd and Skuld were sitting at the kitchen table, eating breakfast.

Urd: "Morning Bell."

Skuld: "Good morning sis."

Bell: "Hi Urd, Morning Skuld."

Urd: "So how was the rest of the evening with Danny?"

Bell: "It was nice. He's a very interesting fellow."

Skuld: "Did you give him a kiss good night?"

Urd started to laugh a bit.

Bell: " Ah. Skuld! Why do you ask that? "

Skuld: "I was just curious. I think he's kind of cool. He seems nice."

Bell: "Yes he is. Isn't he."

Urd: "Yep. She's smitten with it."

Bell: "Huh?"

Skuld: "Belldandy's in LOVE!"

Bell: "Love? I don't think I'd call it love. I just met him."

Urd: "That look in your eyes last night. It's love alright. Just admit it."

Bell: "Oh. Alright. I really like him ok? I wouldn't call it love yet."

Skuld: "Nah. It's LOVE alright. Hehehe."

Bell: "Oh really. I'm going outside to work on the yard."

Urd: "Ok. Lover girl..hehehe."

Skuld: "I'll help you Belldandy."

Bell: "Well. Ok Skuld. I guess it's ok. No LOVE cracks ok?"

Skuld: "Ok I won't."

Bell and Skuld went out to the building out back to get some of the tools and things they needed for the yard. They worked feverishly until lunch, then they took a well needed break. At least Belldandy did. She was working to the point of a sweat, this kind of intrigued Skuld. She'd never seen Bell sweat before. As they rest in the kitchen with a cool drink the phone rang, Urd grabbed it up.

Urd: "Vidblain Residence, this is Urd. Uh-huh. Oh must we? So there's no way that one of us can stay behind? Ok. We leave immediately."

Skuld: "What was that Urd?"

Urd: "That was father. We have to go home for a few days."

Skuld: "But what about Belldandy? We can't just leave her here!"

Urd: "We have to do as father says. You can go against him if you want. I'm NOT."

Bell: "Oh. Don't worry. I'll be fine really. Please go do as you've been told ok?"

Skuld: "We'll be back as soon as possible sister."

Urd: "Yes as soon as we're done we'll return."

They both gave Bell a kiss and a hug and left swiftly.

Bell was still amazed that she used to have to do such things as her sisters. She rested a bit more as she watched the TV in the Den. She noticed that the weather on TV was warning of bad storms somewhere. She wasn't familiar with where.

She got up and went back outside to the sun, and clear skies as she continued to work on the flower bed in the front of the yard. After she had finished the flower box, she went inside to a warm shower and fresh clothes. She then made herself a small meal for dinner. As she began to eat, she heard Danny's truck pull into his drive. She rose from her seat and walked to the kitchen door to see him unlock the door to his house and step inside. She smiled to herself, thinking. "Maybe I should go see how he's doing? No. I should wait a little while. He's just gotten home. I'm sure he has things to do first. I'll wait a little while.

Bell had the kitchen window open. The air was cool and felt good on her face and skin. The scent of the air smelled fresh. It was already dark outside. It was late summer after all, close to the fall season, so the days were getting shorter. Bell sat quietly, humming to herself. She was getting lonely already? She felt awkward not having Urd and Skuld around to talk to.

It was getting late as she woke up from a short two hour nap she succumbed to while she tried to read a book on the couch in the den. Bell decided she should just get some sleep. It was apparently to late to go see Danny. The clock read 11:15 pm. She was disappointed in herself for falling asleep so easily. But then she thought if he really wanted to see her. He would have likely come over tonight. This kind of upset her, and made her sad thinking about it. She slipped on the silky nightgown she'd been sleeping in at night. And she slid beneath the sheets of her comfortable bed.

Danny woke as the scream of the alert on his radio went off. There was a severe storm warning out for his area. He noticed the wind was picking up a lot as the lightning and distant roar of thunder, came shortly after. He looked toward Bell's house and noticed all of the lights were still off. They must all be asleep still. He thought of going to see if they would wake up to be aware of the coming storm. But then he thought they would think he was just making an excuse to come over. He decided to wait and see if the weather got too bad he would check on them.

The rain began to fall, as Bell was still fast asleep. She was dreaming of things she couldn't comprehend again. She had been having these dreams not long after Urd and Skuld explained to her about her origins. She never said much about these dreams, mainly because she couldn't explain them herself, if she wanted to. They were very abstract, like tiny movie clips in her head. She wasn't sure if they were real, or just a hallucination.

The storm drew nearer. The weather began to get quite bad, Danny was glued to the TV watching as Tornado warnings abound the screen. He was beginning to worry of the approaching storm, the rain was torrential and the wind hard and gusty. He even heard light pings of hail off and on as the storm came even closer. He checked next door again. Still, no lights at all. "Maybe they aren't home?" he thought. A warning went up for the county they lived in for two spotted tornadoes, already on the ground. The rain got even harder and the lightning became very frequent as well as loud claps of thunder. He decided to wake them now. If something happened they wouldn't know what hit them. He threw on his shoes with only his cut off jeans and a t-shirt on. He left his back door in the torrential down pour, he was instantly soaked, he ran to the back door of Bell's house. He knocked and beat relentlessly on the back door. He knew someone should have heard him. It was closest to the bedrooms. He tried to open the door, but found it securely locked. He rammed the door with his shoulder three times to dislodge it from the frame to open and let him inside.

Danny: "URD! BELL! (he looked around as he turned the lights on in the kitchen) Skuld!"

Danny was concerned no one answered. "Oh man." He thought. "If they aren't here. They're gonna think I broke in on purpose. Way to go Stupid moron!" He shook his head in disbelief.

Danny: "Bell? Belldandy!"

Danny: "ANYBODY HOME AT ALL!"

Danny searched bedrooms. The first two no one was there. The last door he saw someone sleeping in the bed. He turned on the light, it appeared to be Belldandy, but as soon as it came on, the light went out. "Oh Hell." Danny thought. It's nearby. Got no time..

Danny walked over and shook Bell and startled her enough for her to almost jump out of bed. Danny grabbed her and scooped her into his arms.

Danny: "Bell is Urd and Skuld home?"

Bell: "N-No! Why? What ARE you doing with ME?"

Danny: "No time to explain trust me.."

Danny carefully carried Bell toward the door to the basement down the hallway, just as the back door slammed open and the kitchen window was blown out from debris.

Bell: "WHAT ARE YOU DOING! LET ME DOWN!"

Danny: "I will I promise, give me a few more seconds.."

Bell: "WHAT IS GOING ON! Why are you CARRYING ME?"

At that point Danny opened the door, closed it behind him and locked it as he stepped in the dark he fell to his knees in pain from missing the last few steps on the way down with Bell in his arms, he felt his knees had been severely damaged from the impact of his weight along with hers, but he had to make sure she was safe. He took the pillow he had grabbed and the blanket, and he threw it over Bell as he heard debris hitting the house, windows shattering and a piercing wind that he felt even from where they were in the basement. He managed to carry Belldandy to a safe interior area of the basement across from the washer and drier.

Bell: "DANNY JUST WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

Danny: "Bell, under here. (he took her pillow and covered her head and threw the blanket around them). It's a Tornado, Bell. I was worried you wouldn't know it until it was too late to take cover yourself."

Bell: "Oh Danny! Your Knees, they..they're bleeding!"

Danny: "It's ok Bell. Don't worry about me."

One of the Basement quarter windows gave way and spread glass around them on the outside of the blanket.

Bell: "OH MY! What was that!"

Belldandy was frightened, she'd never experienced a storm or a tornado that she could remember. Danny pulled her close to him, and Belldandy did the same as she gripped him tight as she could.

Danny: "Bell. Don't let go no matter what happens ok?"

Bell: "I won't. Danny, I'm scared."

Danny: "It will pass soon, I promise. Just keep your head covered, and under this blanket."

Bell was shaking with fear as she could hear the debris and the wind slamming the house, creaking the roof joists and the sound of glass hitting walls inside the basement. It seemed as though the storm would last forever, but just as fast as it had borne down on them it passed just as quickly.

Danny: "Ok. I think it's over for now. We should be careful getting out, debris and loose objects could be in the way."

Bell slowly pulled the pillow from above her head, trying to look through the darkness of the basement to assess the damage, but it was too difficult. She noticed Danny was very quiet.

Bell: "Danny? Danny are you alright?"

Bell carefully placed her hands on the sides of his head to lift his face up, she felt something warm and fluid on her hands. Blood, dark, red and warm. She was speechless at first, until she saw her hands covered in it.

Bell: "Danny? DANNY! Please, can you hear me?"

Danny: "Y-yeah. I can Bell. I-I'll be alright I just need to rest a minute."
Bell: "But your head is bleeding badly. I have to find something to help stop it."

Before Danny could say no, Bell jumped up and ran over to the drier to look inside. She found towels inside that Skuld had not yet removed, so she grabbed them and ran back to where Danny was propped against the wall.

Bell: "Here let me place these on your head to stop the bleeding."

She gently placed the towel around his head loosely, but enough pressure to reduce the bleeding. She jumped back up again, and ran to a standing cabinet and opened the doors. There she found cleaning chemicals, rags, a sponge and a flashlight. She looked at the flashlight as she fumbled to figure out how to turn it on.

Bell: "YES. It works! Not real well. But it works.."

She returned to Danny, who was half conscious at this point. The loss of blood and the pain in his knees were taking its toll on him. Bell shined the light at his head as she removed the towel some to see if there was glass in his hair or skin. She found none. The bleeding had also been reduced to almost nothing. She inspected his knees. What she found wasn't pretty. His knees were bloody also, but they looked very swollen and one looked actually deformed in a way. She was afraid at first, but she carefully touched each one to see his reaction.

Danny: "OOOOOOWWW! God don't touch them please..i just need the swelling to go down. Please, don't touch them again, I beg you."

Bell: "I won't Danny. I'm sorry! Please forgive me?"

Danny: "I know you were just checking me out Bell. Thank you. I didn't mean to sound, well. Angry?"

Bell: "I know. It's alright, I know it must be painful. But how are we going to get you out of this basement. I don't think I can carry you."

Danny: "I know, Bell. If you can just sit with me for a while, I know I can get out of here with just a little support. Is that ok?"

Bell: "Certainly. I'm not letting you out of my sight for one second!"

Danny: "That certainly makes me feel better..hehe. Owww.."

Bell sat close to him and pulled his head carefully to her chest as she put her arms around him. She placed the pillow they had behind his back and covered them both with the blanket, when she started to hum quietly to herself. The humming made Danny very sleepy, and it wasn't long before he had fallen asleep with his head on her lap, as she stroked his face gently with her long, soft and warm fingers as she continued to hum along to herself.

Bell woke to the sound of people talking outside, it was just beginning sunrise in the community. The sounds she heard were residents and rescue personnel going from house to house, looking for any injured or trapped residents.

Medic: "Hello! Is anybody there? Hello!"

Bell: "Hello! Please help us! We're down in the basement!"

Medic: "Are you alone down there!"

Bell: "No I have someone injured with me! Please help us!"

Medic: "Hang on, we'll be to you in a few moments!"

Bell was relieved help was on the way. She noticed Danny was still sleeping. She stroked his face, told him everything was ok. Then she kissed him gently on the lips.

Bell: "if it weren't for you, Danny, I might not have been ok at all. I'm so grateful to you. I know you might not hear me right now, but. I hope we become, very, very close."

Danny was out cold, the toll from the bleeding and the damage that was caused from the fall to his knees had exhausted all his strength. Belldandy swore that she would see him back to good health. No matter what it took.

The medics arrived and checked out Bell quickly as they helped Danny onto a strecher, to carry him to a waiting ambulance. Bell was still in her nightgown, she grabbed only what clothes she could lay hands on and ran to Danny's side as they put him inside the ambulance.

Medic: "You going with him ma'am?"

Bell: "Oh! May I!"

Medic: "Sure, come in and have a seat."

Bell sat in the jump seat next to Danny and held his hand on the way to the hospital.

Medic: "Looks like he lost quite a bit of blood, but I think he'll be ok in a few days. He your husband?"

Bell: "OH no. He's just a close friend."

Medic: "Sorry, it just seemed you two might be married."

Bell: "No. But you never know huh? (bell laughed at the thought)"

The medic started an IV and gave him a unit of blood while they were in transit. It wasn't long before they arrived at the hospital. They whisked him back to the trauma room to look him over, taking various x-rays and removing most of his clothing. Bell could only stand in the hallway as the technicians and the doctor looked him over.

The ER nurse offered Bell some coffee and a chair with a blanket. She also told her that it would be a while before the doctor would talk to her about Danny's condition.

Bell thanked her and she curled up in the chair with the blanket, worried about him, and better yet what Urd and Skuld were doing, what if they came home and found her gone? She fell into a light sleep.

The hospital had called John and told him about Danny. They requested he come to the hospital, since he was immediate family. He forced Greg to stay at home with his Friend Trey. Greg complained, but he knew not to argue at a time like this.

John arrived at the hospital and the ER nurse told him the doctor would see them shortly. Then she showed him to Belldandy. "Them?" he thought. "Who the hell else was here with him?" He soon found out. The ER nurse pointed to Bell, asleep in the chair. "His wife is there in that chair" the nurse spoke. "WIFE? " John laughed. "Wonder when he got married?" He chuckled.

He walked over to Bell's chair and lightly tapped on her shoulder. She woke easily as she stared at the tall dark haired gentleman before her.

Bell: "Yes? Are you the doctor?"

John: "Ah. No unfortunately not."

Bell: "May I help you then?"

John: "My name is John. John Burdett. I'm Danny's older brother."

Bell: "OH! It's so nice to meet you."

John: "The nurse says you two are married."

Bell: "OH no. hehe. Everyone has been saying that this evening. I'm just his next door neighbor. My name is Belldandy.. Vidblain."

John: "Very nice to meet you. I actually assumed that. He mentioned you and your sisters to me the other day."

Bell: "He saved my life this evening. That storm was awful, and I wouldn't have even known it if he hadn't came and woke me and took us to the basement."

John: "Is he hurt badly?"

Bell: "The nurse and the medic said he's serious but not life threatening. He got cuts to his head and his knees, his knees he hurt carrying me down the steps he landed on them. I feel so awful. It's all my fault."

John: "Don't say that. It's not. My brother always tries his best to help people."

Bell: "I'm very much in his debt."

The doctor approached them as they were talking.

Doctor: "Excuse me. Are you with Danny Burdett?"

John: "Yes. We both are."

Doctor: "Good. Have a seat. I've looked Danny over and the biggest problem I see was his loss of blood. He'll recover fine, but he may be here a day or two to regain his strength. His knees were badly injured, but I'm sure with some therapy and walking on crutches for a few weeks he'll be good as new. I don't see any use in surgery on his knees at this point, but as the swelling goes away I'll be able to tell more about them."

John: "That's good. I was worried it were more serious than that."

Bell: "That's such a relief."

Doctor: "We'll have him up in a room in the next half hour. From there you can visit or stay with him if you like. He is alert and talking. He asked about a Belldandy, and wants her to come to the room, and if we called his brother, John."

John: "Well I'm John, John Burdett."

Bell: "And I'm Belldandy. Belldandy Vidblain."

Doctor: "I am Doctor Harold Gressham. If you need anything please let me know."

John: "Thank you doctor, we appreciate you talking with us."

Doctor: "Your welcome. Have a good evening."

Belldandy appeared nervous, and upset now that things have wound down a little. She knew she couldn't go home right now. Her house was most likely a mess. She was unsure about what to do.

John: "Say. Ms. Vidblain?"

Bell: "Please call me Bell."

John: "Would you like to stay with Danny till he's released?"

Bell: "Can I do that? I wasn't sure if I could stay."

John: "Sure. I'll make sure they even leave you a cot, like a spare bed to stay in his room with him."

Bell: "I'd be honored to stay and help him out. I-I certainly can't go home now. The house is likely a wreck."

John: "I'll be there this afternoon to check the damage. I'll check your house too okay?"

Bell: "Thank you so very much. You both have been so nice to me. I don't know how I can repay you."

John: "Ah, don't worry. It's what friends are for huh?" he laughed.

Bell: "Still I thank you very much."

ER Nurse: "Excuse me. They have moved Mr. Burdett into private room 352. You can go up anytime."

John: "Thank you ma'am. Shall we go see him?"

Bell: "Sure. Let's go."

Next Chapter

Chapter 11

Closer to You