a/n: Okay, so this took awhile to get ready. Let me just explain that I've rewritten it at least three times, and hopefully I won't hate this tomorrow, but trust me when I say it's better than the other versions I wrote. Let me know what you think, though, and thanks for the reviews!
By the way, I found a new Tears of the Sun fic. It's called Paralyzer by curlingsmoke.
Chapter Twenty-One: Cool-down
Seeing him now, I didn't know if I had the energy for this. Not now. How had he found me? Why? But of my problems, Lake was secondary. Winston and two National Guard stepped in front of me.
"She's the one who stole the Jeep," Winston was saying. I rolled my eyes. "And now it's been destroyed."
One of the guardsmen, a man with a buzz cut that he must have given himself, looked me in the eye. Was he trying to intimidate me?
"Is that true ma'am?" he asked. Seriously? Did I have to deal with this now? Now?!
"Yes," I sighed out. "Although, I asked Winston here to take me. When he refused, I drove myself."
"In his vehicle," the guardsman corrected.
"In the government's vehicle," I corrected back. Just then Angie, Sam's mom, cut past the men and hugged me. I heard her sniffle. I was torn between wanting to acknowledge her and glaring at the National Guard in front of me.
"Thank you," she said in my ear. "You saved him." She drew back, and through her watery eyes, I knew no matter what I'd done the right thing. I could only nod. She smiled and retreated to her family. I saw Sam wave at me with his good arm before his parents led him away.
The guardsmen looked a little reluctant after that. I saw Lake shift from the corner of my eye.
"Listen," the guardsman said, "while we know you did a good thing, someone has to answer for this. Stealing government property is against the law."
"I'm pretty sure stealing anything is against the law," I said back. The look I got back was priceless. I almost smiled.
"Then you understand that we need to place you under arrest."
Suddenly Lake stepped in front of me, and Karina got protective too.
"You can't do that!" Karina said. "I'm calling the Red Cross." She turned to do so, although I wondered who she would reach at this hour. What time was it anyway? I lost track somewhere.
"You really think Uncle Sam cares about one car?" Lake said. I snuck a glance his way, The smirk on his face was slightly unnerving. He took another step towards the guardsmen and Winston. I saw them look to each other.
The one guardsman spoke up. "Sir, this isn't your concern." His hand fell by his side, at ease but ready by his sidearm. Was he that afraid of Lake? Lake noticed the movement.
"If it involves her, it's my concern," Lake said. I should have been excited by that, but it annoyed me instead. Who did he think he was, coming in and acting like he had some pull where I was concerned? Especially in front of other people.
"Sir, we need you to stand back," Winston said. His voice cracked. I smiled. Coward. Lake must have been thinking the same thing. He relaxed his stance enough that the other guardsmen loosened up.
"No wonder she had to go and do your job for you." It took me a second to realize what he'd said. Apparently, judging by the delayed reaction from Winston, it took him awhile too. His face went red.
Winston pointed a finger at Lake's face, close enough that I thought Lake would pound him back if necessary.
"I had orders!" Winston said a little loudly. People around us were looking. "You wouldn't understand!" His voice was getting higher with the more excited he got. I chuckled. The guardsmen and Lake looked in my direction.
I smiled at the guardsmen. "He understands better than you think." Winston leaned back from his aggressive stance. He warily gauged Lake. "That's it. Retreat, Winston. This time it's a smart move."
"Who are you?" one guardsman asked Lake. Lake just smiled. His green eyes sparkled in a challenging way, but it was sexy too. I couldn't take my eyes off him.
"Tell you what," he said, "have your CO call my CO." The National Guard boys straightened up at that. "Have him explain what happened. After my CO stops laughing, you'll get the picture and see how meaningless one vehicle is compared to who she is—" he pointed at me—"and what she's done. And what she's done here is just the tip of the iceberg for the army. As a civilian she's done more than you'll probably do your whole career."
I wasn't the only one baffled by his speech.
-0-0-0-
Karina was relieved when she got off the phone with whoever she tried calling. The National Guard rethought their position, and Winston was probably skulking in a corner. I grinned at the thought.
"So who's this?" Karina asked, looking to Lake. It reminded me that I had explaining to do—
Wait! I didn't have any explaining to do. Lake was the one who showed up without any reason, and I was still ticked—hurt too—at how he'd brushed me off in Norfolk. I felt anxious, but that made me even madder. If anyone should feel uneasy here, it was Lake!
I cleared my throat. "No one." Lake cocked his head to one side. With the mohawk, it looked even more pronounced. I turned to Karina. "Sorry I left you without explaining."
Karina looked between me and Lake. "I'm just glad you're okay. That family was freaking out, and that Winston guy was all high-strung." She looked Lake's way, still curious. "I'm Karina."
She held out her hand to him. Lake glanced at me before shaking her hand.
"Lake," he said simply. Karina was expecting a first name. Who wouldn't?
"Call him Kelly," I said. Lake actually looked miffed at me. I smiled sweetly.
"Nice to meet you," Karina said nervously. "Jane, you look a little pale. You need anything?"
I looked pale? I shook my head.
"Why don't I take you home?" Lake suggested. He reached for my arm. I stepped out of his reach.
"I'll take a cab," I said firmly. Karina's eyes shifted back and forth between us.
"No, she won't," Lake said without looking at Karina. I crossed my arms in front of my chest.
"I can take care of myself."
Lake raised an eyebrow. "Really? You almost got arrested by the National Guard."
"Oh please!"
He had that cocky non-smile on his face. "If I hadn't come, you might be in a cell." Great. He's rubbing it in.
"You really think you 'saved' me from that?" I challenged. "I didn't need you. Just like you don't need me, remember?"
That was a low blow, but I didn't care. How dare he think I owed him something. Wait, was that what was going on? I was confusing myself. My head was starting to feel a little light. Lack of oxygen, I told myself. I took a deep breath.
Suddenly my left leg buckled. I stuck out my hand to catch myself, and felt Lake grab my right arm.
"Jane!" He put his arm around my waist to support me, even though by then I'd straightened my leg and was back on my feet.
"Jane?" Karina's voice reminded me she was still around. "What's wrong?" I pushed Lake's arm off me.
"Nothing—"
"She's in shock," Lake talked over me. He kept a hand on my arm. I pushed him away from me, staggering back as I did so. What was up with my legs?!
"Seriously?" Karina asked again.
"I'm fine." And then my hands started shaking. I stared down at them. Not just my hands, but my arms were trembling too. I quickly crossed my arms in front of me.
"It's shock," Lake said again. I rolled my eyes.
"Is that your diagnosis for everything?" I looked to Karina. "It's not shock."
Oh really?" Lake started. I think I was ticking him off. "In a minute you're going to throw up." My eyes flashed with embarrassment and anger.
"I will not!"
Karina kept glancing between us.
"You did last time around," Lake shot back.
"How do you two know each other?" Karina asked.
"Doesn't matter," I said. "Karina, can you call a cab?"
"No, don't call a cab," Lake interrupted, yet again. "I know you're pissed at me, Jane, but let me help."
I was starting to feel sick to my stomach. This couldn't be happening. I would NOT throw up. Not in front of Lake, again, and certainly when I had no reason to feel sick. Stubbornly, I kept arguing.
"How would you help?" My stomach churned, and my mouth went dry. I knelt down gingerly on the ground, groaning as I did.
"What's wrong?" Karina asked. Her voice was suddenly annoying to me.
"She's feeling sick," Lake said.
"Am not," I muttered.
"Lie down," he said, unaffected by my denial. I wanted to fight his command, but my body gave in. I lied down on the pavement.
"I'll get some water," Karina said. I didn't want her to go. I didn't want to be left with Lake, not like this, weak and tired and . . .
"I told you it was shock."
If looks could kill, I would have gladly set back Lake for life.
"Yeah, probably brought on by you," I muttered.
"I don't know everything you just did, but you're tired, dehydrated, and you look like hell," he said. "If it's because of me or not, your body still can't handle something."
I hated how he twisted my words.
"What are you doing here? Don't you have some assignment to be on?" I asked as a wave of nausea hit me. My skin felt hot. I shut my eyes, partially to block out Lake's face, hovering over me.
"I'm on leave still," he said. "Navy docs still think I need time to recover." At those words, part of me felt bad. I'd gone straight to the aggressive defense, forgetting his injuries and just how close I came to losing him.
You did lose him, I reminded myself. He wanted it that way. I amended my thoughts: I'd forgotten how close he'd come to dying.
My sense of guilt melted away. I had every reason to be angry. I repeated that in my head, my personal mantra. Now if only my body could back me up with a little energy.
"Any better?" Lake asked. My stomach hadn't revolted yet, but the night was young. I ignored his question and stared at him.
"Why are you here?"
He looked away. Was that remorse somewhere in those green eyes? He sat down on the ground next to me, his knees propped up and his arms leaning over them.
Lake took his time answering. "I came to find you." I blinked. I was expecting a more round-about answer. "I called your apartment in Ohio. Called your parents. Tracked you down to here." He shrugged.
Nice, but it didn't explain anything. I didn't ease up at all in my expression. He cleared his throat.
"Red finally convinced me I was an idiot," he said. He smiled to himself. "He used a different word, but you get the drift. Normally I listen to Red, but . . . I saw you and him kiss."
The blood drained from my face. Actually, I think it was already gone, but I felt a chill. He saw us kiss?! My mind flew with the possibilities. If he'd seen us, then did he think . . . Which was why he acted the way he did . . . Jealous? Envious? . . . Betrayed . . .
"I know it was Red who . . . initiated it," Lake said uncomfortably. "He told me what you said. How you felt. You were already gone for a few weeks, and he and I had to work stuff out before I'd listen, but . . . anyway, I came as soon as I could."
I got the impression that 'working stuff out' between Red and Lake involved a physical confrontation and not just words. Probably not the best for Lake's recovery. I wasn't sure how I felt about what Lake had said. I was excited—it was a misunderstanding. But that didn't excuse how quickly he'd dropped me.
"Jane?" He watched me expectantly.
"Why didn't you tell me?" His features darkened at the question. "I kept convincing myself that somehow I'd made more of everything than I should have. Come on, you told me to get lost."
"I didn't say 'get lost,'" Lake objected.
"That was the gist of it," I said back. He scowled at me. But after a few moments, he looked to the ground again and relented.
"I thought my friend had gone after the one girl I'd cared for in a long time," he said. "The woman who saved my life. Who kept me going through one of the hardest missions I've ever had. You saw me react in a way I'm not proud of."
My chest ached again, this time with hope and not despair. I sat up. Lake put his hands out to catch me, but I was feeling better, physically. Emotionally, I had my doubts. I looked to Lake, saw his eyes search mine for some sort of response. The girl in me wanted to shout for joy, but I wasn't going to make the same mistake twice. I didn't trust him, not with my heart.
That was my answer then, wasn't it? I felt a drop on my head. I looked up at the sky and saw more drops fall. It was raining. That was good for the fires. I didn't know what else to think though—somehow it fit also with how I felt.
"Lake." I drew a deep breath. "I don't know what to think. With you." I opened my mouth to say more, but I couldn't think clearly. "I—I just don't . . ."
I threw my head back with a sigh, watching raindrops fall until they hit me. The rain felt cold, maybe because I was still hot and sweaty from the fire. I didn't want to think how I looked. I shut my eyes.
"Here's some water," Karina said, trotting up with no idea how relieved I was for someone to interrupt right then. I took the water and downed most of the bottle. Karina looked at Lake. He looked beyond downtrodden. Karina glanced at me. I couldn't say any more to him. I couldn't do this.
"Karina, can you just take me home?" I asked, my voice small. I know she was planning on staying longer, but I needed the simple way out of here. She looked to Lake again. This time he didn't object.
"Sure. I think everything's under control here anyway."
I moved to stand up. Lake gave me his hand. I stared at it before letting him help me up. Once on my feet, I turned away, but Lake held onto my hand. There was no choice but to face him.
"Please." He swallowed. "Meet me tomorrow. Anywhere." I nodded without really thinking. I was feeling weak again and wanted nothing more than to sit down again, but that would be just as difficult as moving on.
"Where?" he asked as I walked away with Karina.
"I don't care," I muttered. He called after me.
"Cory's, in the middle of the boardwalk at Mission Beach," he said. "Noon?"
I glanced over my shoulder without answering. The water was threatening to come back up from my stomach. I followed Karina and left as quickly as I could.
