What if Scott had been out on the road?
“Calm,” Jacob said. “Stay calm. Everything will be okay.”
It would be okay for James. But what about the people that they couldn’t save? Their families would be getting the news very soon that their loved one was not coming home.
Somehow James’s hands had ended up wrapped in the front of Jacob’s shirt. He blinked again. “They’re dead,” he whispered.
Long fingers stroked the side of James’s face.
Why was the professor touching him? Not that James minded. James was grateful. He needed grounding.
“Who?” Jacob asked gently.
James shook his head. He didn’t know their names. Should he have asked?
“That’s okay,” Jacob told him. “You don’t have to tell me.”
“I don’t know their names,” James confessed. “They died and I don’t even know their names!” That seemed so important now. Why hadn’t he asked?
“You were on shift at the fire station tonight,” Jacob said.
James nodded even though it hadn’t been a question.
“Did you get called out?”
“So many times,” James managed.
“And you guys lost a patient?”
That did sound like a question. “Yeah.” Lost a patient. That wasn’t quite right. There hadn’t been anything they could do. The three young people in the car had been crushed. Hadn’t stood a chance. “Yeah.”
“I’m so sorry,” Jacob told him.
“Why?” James tightened his hold on Jacob’s shirt.
“I’m sorry that you lost—”
“No!” James wailed. “Why? Why? Why?” He was shaking Jacob now.
“I don’t know, baby. Shh, I don’t know.” He pulled James into a tight embrace.
Even with his hand trapped between their bodies, James tried to get closer to Jacob. Maybe if Jacob held him hard enough, the shaking would stop. What if it never stopped?
“I’ve got you,” Jacob soothed. He ran his hands up and down James’s back.
Where was his jacket? Was that why James was so cold? He had a jacket. Somewhere. He’d worn it to the station. James never rode the bike without the protection of leather. He didn’t have it on now though.
“You’re so cold,” Jacob said. “Where’s your jacket?”
James’s laugh sounded manic to his own ears. Jacob was warm though. James just needed to get a little closer. Closer was good. Closer was vital.
“Come on, sweetheart. Let’s get you inside.”
Inside? Inside sounded good. Inside meant that James didn’t have to try and fail to save someone. No one inside was hurt. “Inside,” James repeated.
He was moving. That was good. His legs worked. Legs were important. If he didn’t have legs, then James couldn’t stand, or walk, or ride his bike. He wouldn’t be able to run into a burning building to save someone. Yes, legs were very important.
“Step up. Careful. I’ll help you,” Jacob murmured.
