Blaze Of Glory

PikaDarkness

Chapter 7

Let The Truth Be Told And The Pain Set Free

Mothers Day… the one day of the year where mothers get to celebrate… but what are they really celebrating about? Themselves for being knocked up and successfully having a child? Or the child's life? Either way there celebrating something.

Emma was playing snap with Andrea while the dinner was cooking. Jeff would be home in an hour more or less.

"Snap! I win I win!" Emma cried, jumping up and down in her chair. Andrea hi5'ed her daughter happily.

Suddenly they smelled smoke. But it wasn't coming from the stove. The

whole house was surrounded by flames! There was no way out. Emma started to cry, Andrea ran to the backdoor but found that it too was engulfed, she was panicking, she knew she was going to die but she wasn't going to allow her seven year old daughters life be cut short.

Andrea grabbed Emma's hand and hauled her upstairs as the fire spread through the door melting the windows.

Emma and Andrea burst into Andrea's room, there was only one crochet blanket and Andrea covered Emma with it.

"No matter what happens do not get up or throw this off!" Andrea ordered as she put Emma to the ground quickly kissing the top of her head.

Emma could hear the raging fire and the sirens of the fire trucks symbolising that they were on there way. Emma heard screaming, looking up she saw Andrea… on fire… Emma wanted to get up and help but was reminded of the promise she gave, so she could only watch as her mother burned.

Emma started to cry, putting her head down so she couldn't see anything anymore.

Suddenly she woke up. Emma was suddenly reminded of what happened and started to cry for her father, the fire fighters said they don't know who he is or where he was, Emma only cried for him harder, witnessing her mothers tragic death she knew she wasn't coming back,

Suddenly out of the mass of people Jeff comes running, Emma stood up on the stretcher and hugged him with all the strength she possessed. Emma closed her eyes immediately the scene flashed back to her. She felt her father's body shake and pleaded for him not to cry.

All he could say was "Thank goodness."

But for what? Andrea was dead! She should've died too! Why was she still here? She shouldn't be here!

Jeff only cried harder Emma felt sick to her stomach, he should hate her! She did nothing to save her mother henceforth he shouldn't be hugging her; he should abandon her on the spot!

Jeff and a paramedic had a few little words before Jeff picked Emma up and she drifted off to sleep, momentarily leaving the world to join another.

Jeff was horrified; Emma looked down at the ground, waiting for him to blow up at her

"Oh Emma…" Jeff sighed. He didn't hate her; he felt a strong wave of emotion crash on him. "It still isn't your fault, you obeyed your mother you did what she wanted you to do!"

"I shouldn't have just put my head down like nothing was happening!" Emma started to cry. "She was burning and I wasn't!"

Jeff tentatively sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed. Standing cautiously he walked slowly over to her and hugged her. Emma stood up and hugged him tight, not minding that Jeff was leaning heavily on her.

"Don't blame yourself, your mother knew what she was doing, she wanted to save you, if I was in her position I would probably have done the same thing."

"Would probably?" Emma questioned.

"I wouldn't know because I have never been in that position before." Jeff explained then his left leg gave out and he thought it was best if he got back on the bed. With Emma's help he managed to do so.

"I feel so horrible." Emma choked back sobs.

"Don't, if the flames were around the house then the person who lit the flames should be feeling horrible, not you, definitely not you." Jeff was desperate to make Emma see it will never be her burden.

Emma knew he proved a point, all she had been doing was playing snap with Andrea and there was only one crochet blanket so Andrea gave up her life to save Emma's.

Emma nodded. "Your right." Jeff smiled. "But I wanna know who lit the fire."

"As do I Emma, as do I." Jeff sighed. Emma got up and kissed his forehead, then explained she was going to the kiosk thing and asked if he wanted anything so he put up a small order.

Coming back Emma gave him the pie and drink he wanted, Emma shut the door so they could eat without fear of intrusion.

"So how are you getting on without… her?" Emma asked, giving look like seeing something foul on the side of the road.

Jeff looked up pausing in the act of devouring the pie Emma bought him and looked instantly depressed, Emma regretted asking.

"I'm managing well enough." Jeff said eventually, Emma did not persist on the subject.

"You know when Ash called I expected him to scream at me for speaking to Delia like that…" Emma trailed and shook her head.

"I think he knew Delia deserved it." Jeff said, then taking a bite out of the pie, looking indifferent. "Can I ask you something Emma?"

Emma nodded.

"Have I been a good father to you since the fire? Have I given you everything you need and been there for you?" Jeff felt tears burn his eyes, he was so afraid he hadn't done what he promised his life on.

"Yes, yes you have dad, why do you ask?" Emma was truly concerned, why was he asking this?

"I just feel like this is god's way of punishing me for not being the best father I know I can be." Tears streamed down his face, he bit his bottom lip and looked at the ceiling.

"Dad you have been the best, you made a few mistakes but what great father doesn't? You have learnt to both supply for both of us and be there for me! I wouldn't be able to find a better father if I searched the world a million times over! You've done your best and not all single parents can do what you have!" Emma assured him, she wasn't sure why he doubted his parenting skills, but she was resolute to stop him thinking he was no good or he failed her. "Why don't you believe that?"

"I made a promise to you that I would get you through the troubling time, and support you and give you everything you need, I cant help but feel that I didn't fulfil the promise." Jeff still wasn't looking at her, he felt so ashamed of himself, not because he was stabbing himself with knifes of guilt and doubt but because he was seeking reassurance from someone who very well could be lying to him.

"Dad look at me." Emma said it took Jeff a couple of moments before his teary eyes could lock on to her serious ones. "I swear on my life that you're a great father, the best I could ever ask for, you didn't fail me in any way! You're the best single parent in the world… if there was an award for it you would get it!" Emma then grasped Jeff in a hug, feeling his body vibrate a little bit.

"God I feel stupid…" Jeff chuckled as soon as they let go, he wiped rivers of tears from his eyes. "I don't know why I was feeling like that…"

"Probably because you were carrying a growing burden on your shoulders… I don't blame you for breaking down." Emma received a kiss on her forehead for that.

Jeff gave a great sniff, and then sighed. Emma watched him for a moment; he looked down at her then ruffled up her hair. She whacked his hand away playfully. Jeff smiled.

"Are you feeling better now that you got that off your chest?" Emma asked Jeff nodded. "Good because I wont tell you it again."

Jeff chuckled weakly; he wouldn't need reassurance again, once was enough.

"I cant wait to get outta here, but they wont let me go until I am feeling at least 80 percent better." Jeff shook his head. "I hate this place."

Emma's head tilted to the side. "But there helping you recover, how could you hate a place where so many lives being saved?"

"Not all the people that come in here make it back out…" Jeff reminded her, "I just wonder how many people have died on these beds… its unnerving to think that the bed your lying in was occupied by a dead person…"

"Well you can be sure you wont be one of those people who die in here so don't bother worrying." Emma said a little bluntly.

"Yeah I hope so, if these stitches open up and a disease gets in then its goodbye for me" Jeff muttered, Emma didn't catch what he said.

"I'm feeling a bit tired." Emma confessed, jumping onto the bed beside Jeff. "I think I'll just go to sleep."

"Goodnight…" Jeff smiled, Emma weakly smiled back.

"Night…" Emma closed her eyes and was asleep within minutes.

To Be Continued…

This was a challenge to write, I added stuff in took stuff out then realised it was better off with the deleted stuff, hectic. I find Jeff quite a loveable character don't you reckon? Sweet, sensitive kind and caring - exactly what I want from a man so I twisted Jeff's original character of the 'bad guy' style I was going for, trust me if Jeff turned out to be the bad guy this story wouldn't be half as good as it is.

With the summary, I said Emma and Ash might become brother and sister, but I come to that when I divulge deeper into the story, this might be 20 or so chapters by the time I am done, but it depends on the chapter lengths and where to break them off at.

Oh and I need your opinion on the story and if you want me to kidnap some characters or kill them off and if so the who. But it cant be Jeff Emma Ash Delia Misty or Brock that you want to kill but they can be kidnapped.

Oh and FemaleSpock you'll get your Gary next chapter plus he'll be in more then one chapter. Here is a little hint towards next chapter, Jeff is released and the chapter is going to be so long its gonna take you an hour to read. So that should keep you guys entertained! J LOL

I have caught no gist of Team Rocket from anyone so no Team Rocket will be added in until someone wants them.

Keep Reading!

PikaDarkness

(The storm brews inside the story just waiting to set its lightning free)