Written for OQ Angst Fest using the following prompts:
6. Don't you dare die on me!
19. Why did you come back?
42. It's not your fault
44. I'm not going anywhere
47. Is that blood?
Part 1: The Fire
Robin's heart beat wildly as he drove to Town Hall, weaving around stopped cars and drivers standing next to them. They all stared at the giant dark plume rising menacingly against the bright blue skies. It made Robin's throat close up and he struggled to swallow as he honked at someone to get out of his way.
He inched her way up to the barricade preventing the public from approaching the building that was on fire. Robin parked his car and got out, feeling nauseous. Flames shot out the windows of Town Hall and he regretted running out for lunch. Maybe he could've prevented it…somehow.
As he approached the barricade, he took note of his coworkers gathered around as the building burned. He ticked them off on a mental checklist, feeling more relieved with each one knocked off.
Except there was one missing. It made his heart jump into his throat and he reached out to grab the sheriff as she passed the barricade. "Emma, where is Mayor Mills?" he asked.
She turned to him, green eyes full of fear. "I don't know. No one's been able to find her."
Despite the heat radiating off the fire, Robin felt a chill sweep through him. "What do you mean no one can find her?" he shouted.
"She didn't come out with everyone else," Emma explained, sounding like she was keeping her own anxiety and frustration at bay. "We think she probably was making sure everyone got out and got trapped."
Robin rubbed his face, knowing that sounded exactly like her. He glanced over at the building, smoking pouring out of the windows as the flames licked at the façade. Thinking that Regina was still trapped in there made him sick.
"Is anyone trying to find her?" he asked Emma.
Her look told him what her answer was. "It's too hot," she said. "The firefighters can't send anyone in."
"So they're essentially leaving her in there to die?" he asked, shouting. He didn't care who heard him. "They can't do that."
Emma looked close to tears. "I hate leaving her in there too but I have to defer to the fire captain. This is their area of expertise."
Someone called for her and she leaned closer to Robin. "I have to get back to work. Don't do anything stupid."
Emma walked away and Robin kicked a rock, trying to let out his anger. He headed back into the crowd, his mind trying to figure out a way to rescue Regina. There were several entrances to Town Hall and there was no way they could guard each one. He had to find one that wasn't being watched and he could get in. Robin knew there wouldn't be much time once he got inside so he had to figure out where Regina would be so he could go straight there.
Regina was a smart woman who always managed to keep her wits about her, no matter the emergency. It had been what got her elected mayor—she had handled her opponents in court well as the District Attorney and then had served as a strong leader while on the town council. She had won in a landslide, which had made Robin proud. He was her chief of staff, making sure Town Hall ran efficiently and helping Regina enact her agenda as mayor. Robin also took care of her, making sure she ate and didn't get sucked into her work so she didn't burn out. He knew she could change the world outside their small hamlet in Maine and wanted her to be able to do so.
He also was madly, deeply, truly in love with her.
It had crept on him slowly and he didn't realized it had happened until he was already head over heels for her. He loved how passionate she was about the things that were important to her, how intelligent she was, how compassionate she was. Robin was also privileged to see the side of her that she kept private—the one who loved to bake, who sang and danced along to the class rock station, who absolutely melted at the sight of either a baby or a dog, who read comic books when she needed to unwind, and who love to listen to science podcasts. They had had interesting debates from who was better—Batman or Superman—to ways to stop the growing threat of global warming. Robin couldn't imagine his life or this world without her and so he couldn't just leave her in the burning building without trying to save her.
He just had to think like her.
Regina would first make sure everyone had gone out. If she had gotten trapped, she would remember that smoke and heat rises, so would probably head to the basement of Town Hall. There were also utility tunnels that led from the building, so she was probably trying to make her way out of them. He raced toward one of the entrances, hoping to find her emerging—perhaps a bit dirty and coughing, but relatively unharmed. Robin even started to prepare his arguments for her to go check out at the hospital for smoke inhalation as he rounded the corner to face the door.
Disappointment filled him when he saw it closed but he didn't let that deter him. His heart told him she was going to come out through the tunnels, so he would go to her and help her. Robin pressed his hand to the door and once assured it was cool, he opened it and slipped inside.
It was dark and he wished he had grabbed his flashlight from his car. Robin pulled out his phone instead, using that to light his way as he headed toward the back entrance to Town Hall. "Regina?" he called out. "Regina, are you down here?"
He didn't get a response but he pushed forward, knowing that at least he could get into Town Hall from the tunnels. So even if she hadn't been able to make it into the corridors, he hoped he could still rescue her using them.
Robin approached the service entrance to the building, noticing a haze in the air. It had gotten hotter but when he reached out to feel the door, it didn't feel hot. He prayed that meant the fire hadn't gotten there yet as he opened the door unsure what awaited him on the other side.
The air felt thick beyond the door and sweat started to trickle down his face from the heat. He kept low to avoid the smoke clinging to the ceiling, covering his mouth with the t-shirt he wore under his button-down shirt. Tears pricked Robin's eyes and blurred his vision but he kept pushing on, determined to find the woman he loved.
He glanced down one hallway, eyes widening as he saw flames at the very end. It wouldn't take them long to get to where he was and that would block his escape route. Time was not on his or Regina's side.
"Regina?" he called out again, briefly uncovering his mouth. "Regina?"
He pulled the cotton fabric over his mouth again, stomach clenching when no one called back to him. Robin went the opposite way of the flames, checking every room he could for Regina—even going into the women's bathroom on the first floor. All were empty, forcing Robin to head upstairs to check for her. The stairway had no smoke and fresh air, so he lowered his t-shirt to take a few gulps of fresh air as he climbed the stairs. He hit the landing for the second floor and felt the door. It was warm to the touch but it didn't burn his hand, so he took the chance. With one last gulp of cool, fresh air, he covered his mouth and nose again and pulled open the door.
The smoke in the hallway was thicker and he watched as fire burned what was his office at the very end of the hallway. He crept along the wall, heading toward Regina's office as he tried to figure out why she hadn't made it out yet. Images of her dead or gravely injured filled his mind and he tried to chase them away as he began to cough, lungs burning from the smoke. Common sense told him to turn back but his heart ordered him to push on—Regina needed him.
The door to her office was opened and he lowered his shirt again. "REGINA!"
A hand reached up from behind her desk, waving weakly. His heart sped up as he raced into the room, running around the desk. He let go of the shirt, leaving his mouth and nose uncovered as he stared at Regina.
She lay behind the desk, curled in the fetal position by the window behind her desk. He guessed she had tried to open it to let in fresh air but something had stopped her. Soot covered her face and the white shirt she wore. Her arms were wrapped around her middle, which concerned him.
Robin knelt beside her, carefully touching her. "Regina, are you okay?"
"Pain," she groaned. "My stomach."
"Okay. I'm going to roll you over so I can take a look at it," he told her, doing just as he said.
She let out a whimper—something he had never heard from her. Her eyes were screwed shut and sweat rolled down her face even as she shivered. Robin realized she was going into shock and when he glanced at her middle, he realized why.
A giant piece of wood protruded from her stomach.
"Shit," he said, rubbing his face. "Fuck."
"I was making sure everyone else got out and just came back to grab something. When I tried to leave, the ceiling gave out." She raised an arm, pointing above them. Robin looked up to see insulation and wiring hanging down. It was probably only a matter of time before the fire ate through everything and started to fill the room. He needed to get Regina out of there.
Taking off his jacket, he wrapped it around her wound. "The fire is moving fast but I think I can get you out. I'm going to carry you," he told her.
She shook her head. "It's too dangerous. Save yourself. I thought you were out anyway. Why did you come back?"
"They said you hadn't gotten out," he replied, gathering her up in his arms. "And they didn't think they could get to you at all. I wasn't going to leave you to die."
"But now we both could…" Her sentence was cut off by a jagged cough that shook her entire body. Robin knew he had to get them out as his own lungs were starting to burn and breathing grew more difficult.
He stood with her, holding her close. "The fire hasn't reached the tunnels. We can get out using them. It's how I got in."
"Wait," she said, letting her arm flop in the air as she tried to point to her desk. "I can't leave…without…it…"
Robin knew exactly what she had come back for, picking up the framed picture of her and her father taken when she was sworn in as mayor. He had held the Bible for her and beamed with pride. In under a week, his heart gave out and he was gone. Regina had been devastated but had pushed through her grief to do her job.
He handed her the frame and she clutched it to her chest, eyes still closed. "Thank you," she croaked.
She then smacked her lips, which were dry and chapped. Robin knew she needed water, fresh air and medical attention—preferably all at the same time. He walked toward the door, his stomach churning as he felt the heat of the fire which was fast approaching her office. Glad her eyes were close, he turned and hurried toward the stairwell.
Keeping a good grip on Regina, Robin reached out and pulled open the door. He entered the stairwell and took a deep breath of fresh air. "We've made it off the second floor. Let's see how the first one looks," he told her.
Regina didn't respond but he didn't expect her to. They needed to get out of the building.
He was able to enter the first floor but the fire had moved quicker down there. It didn't impede his ability to get to the tunnels but made it more precarious. He had to walk a fine line to ensure neither he nor Regina got burned, all while holding his breath for as long as possible to avoid too much smoke inhalation.
Robin put one foot in front of the other, almost heel to toe. It felt as if he were walking through the world's largest oven, flames licking at his clothing. So much sweat rolled off him, he believed he was melting. His tongue stuck to the top of his mouth and his lips dried out so much, it felt like they had shrunk and were now stuck together. For a moment his mind flashed to an old cartoon where the main character had been so thirsty, a desert had spilled out when he opened his mouth. Robin wondered if that would happen to him.
Eyes watering but mouth dry, skin stinging and lungs burning, Robin pushed on even as he felt himself slow down. He just had to reach the service entrance, which appeared to be moving further and further away. Regina grew heavier in his arms and he didn't like the sound she made while breathing—drawing in short breaths that still sounded like she wasn't getting any air as something rattled inside her chest. A distraught voice told him they were going to die that day, in that place but he pushed back against it. At least one of them was going to live and he was going to do everything in his power to make sure it was Regina.
He started to wonder if this was hell—surrounded by flames, physical discomfort and the taunting prospect of safety all while failing the most important person in his life.
Smoke started to billow around him and he coughed, reaching blindly for the door. A thrill when through him when his fingers closed on a handle and with all his might, he pushed open the door and barreled through it.
Robin fell to his knees inside the cooler utilidor, breathing in the somewhat fresher air. He gently lay Regina down, taking in her appearance. He removed his jacket to see the blood stains on her shirt turned black. She struggled with every breath, wheezing each time she inhaled. Her skin was pale and clammy despite the sweat that had drenched her hair and her eyes were closed. That troubled him the most and he gently tapped her cheek. "Come on, Regina. Open your eyes for me. Come on. Don't you dare die on me!"
She coughed but managed to open her eyes. Her brown orbs were unable to focus but he didn't care at the moment. Robin gave her a soft smile as he caressed her face. "There you are. We're in the tunnels under Town Hall. We're almost out. Can you hold on for a few more minutes?"
"Why are you so determined to get me out?" she asked, coughing.
He paused, wanting to confess his true feelings for her but knowing it was not the right time. So instead, he said: "Because I wasn't here to do so in the first place. I shouldn't have gone to pick up lunch. I should've ordered out. Then I would've been here and maybe I could've prevented the fire…"
She raised a weak hand, placing her finger on his lip. "Hush. It's not your fault. Something just exploded in the ceiling and the fire ignited. There wasn't much we could do to prevent it."
"Still," he said, his guilt gnawing at him. "I could've gotten you out. You wouldn't have gotten injured or in such a bad way. So I'm going to get you out now."
"No. Leave me," she gasped. "Save yourself."
He shook his head. "I'm not going anywhere without you."
"Robin," she started to argue, though her voice was only a hoarse whisper.
"Save your energy and your breath. We both know I'm just as stubborn as you," he teased her gently.
A burst of adrenaline and hope energized him. He picked her up again. "We're almost there, sweetheart. Just hold on a bit longer," he whispered.
Robin carried her through the tunnels, even though he found it more difficult to fill his own lungs with air. He did his best not to cough but he was powerless to stop them from coming. All he could do was tighten his grip on Regina and focus on getting her to someone who could help her.
He made into the sunshine and fresh air outside Town Hall but he did not consider it a victory just yet. All the emergency personnel were gathered at the front of the building so he needed to get Regina there. Robin focused on a red fire engine and he stumbled toward it, making it his new goal.
He didn't even have to make it that far. As he emerged from the shadow of the building, EMTs and firefighters surrounded him. They took Regina from her arms, rushing her to the ambulances parked on the grass as onlookers gasped and pointed to the mayor's unconscious and injured form. Robin fell to his knees, struggling to fill as lungs as he kept his eyes on Regina.
Emma knelt next to him, placing her hand on his arm. "You need to let the paramedics look at you."
"No," he wheezed. "They need to tend to Regina."
"There are more than enough paramedics to look after the both of you," she insisted, waving one down. "You ran into a burning building, Robin. You need medical attention."
As a paramedic raced over to him, Robin dissolved into a series of hacking coughs. He spat out black phlegm and his mind dimly noted that that wasn't a good sign before darkness crept into his vision. Robin felt himself pitch forward, falling into the black nothingness.