Michael
When Justin turned down Fourth Street, everything snapped back into focus. I straightened in my seat, thinking I’d completely overreacted. Justin was on call this weekend, and it was obvious from the mess of emergency vehicles that this was an all-hands-on-deck situation. Even though I had left the squad over a year ago, I’d do whatever I could to help. But first, I needed to get my nerves under control.
I could do this. I’d done it more times than I could count. And I hated myself for the slight thrill I felt as the adrenaline hit my system. Nothing mattered other than getting in there and helping. Being a part of saving someone. I would do this.
Justin parked as close as he could get to the scene and the two of us sprinted down the sidewalk. No-one stopped us after seeing Justin in the lead. There were bricks and broken glass all over, and the back half of a car blocking the walk. Smoke billowed out from the hole where the car had crashed into the front of the town’s diner. Shit. This was bad. Really bad.
I was just about to find the captain and ask what I could do to help when I heard a soft voice crying. “Daddy, you’re here!”
I looked up and saw Jagger wrestling his way out of Matt’s grip. Both of them were scraped up and dusty. Jagger had tears streaming down his face. “You have to help, Daddy,” Jagger wailed as he threw himself into my arms. “I can’t find him. You have to help.”
I kissed Jagger and rocked him, whispering over and over that everything would be okay. I stood and carried Jagger back to Matt. I found Justin running back from the car, this time with his gear in hand.
“Where is he?” I demanded. Matt just shook his head. I could tell he was in shock. “Goddammit, Matt. Tell me where he is!”
He pointed toward the diner and my knees buckled. It was only because of Matt’s ability to think through his stunned haze that Jagger didn’t wind up on the ground.
“This can’t happen,” I sobbed. “Not again. I can’t do this again.”
I buried my face in my hands and rocked back and forth on the ground. I couldn’t go through this again. At some point, someone kneeled down beside me and started trying to calm me, but it was useless.
“Come on, man.” It was Justin. He leaned in close and whispered in my ear. “He’s going to be okay. But you have to get a grip. You’re scaring Jagger.”
I couldn’t believe him. I wouldn’t. All I could see was the last time. Dax’s vacant eyes staring up at me, the blood soaking his shirt.
“Look at me,” Justin demanded. I shook my head and covered the back of my neck with my arms. If I tried hard enough, I could make everything go away. It had to. This wasn’t real, it was just a nightmare. I was still home and asleep, and if I could wake up, Dax would be lying next to me. “Dammit, Michael!”
He yanked on my shoulder and pulled me off the ground. “Have I ever lied to you?” I shook my head. Even as messed up as I was, I knew he hadn’t. Not when it mattered, at least. “Okay. He’s inside. You need to know, they’re taking him in to have him checked over, but he’s going to be fine.”
“No,” I argued. “No, nothing is going to be fine.”
“Snap the hell out of it, Underwood,” he yelled. My cheek stung, and that was when I realized he’d actually slapped me. The prick would pay for that. “He’s awake and talking. He’s not out here because he messed up his bad hip again, but heisgoing to be fine. Now, you need to get it together because Jagger needs you. Do you think you can do that?”
I nodded. I wiped away the tears and snot from my face, cursing when I got dirt in my eyes. I was still trying to blink away the debris as Justin hoisted me upright. “Can I see him?”
“Yeah, I think that can be arranged,” he said softly. I allowed him to lead me through the wreckage. I kept my eyes down to keep from falling apart again.
“Is anyone…” I couldn’t imagine there weren’t any fatalities given the wreckage. Tables were thrown all over inside the restaurant from what I could see, and glass crunched beneath our feet.
“No,” Justin assured me. “They’ll be taking a few people up for observation and one has some pretty nasty injuries, but she’ll be okay. It could’ve been worse if Dax wasn’t paying attention.”
“What do you mean?” I asked, wondering how much longer it was going to take for us to get to him.
“He shoved Matt and Jagger out of the way,” Justin told me. “From what Matt said on the phone, Dax saw the car swerve and he pushed them. The car clipped him, but by that time it wasn’t going as fast as it had been.”
“I could’ve lost him,” I said flatly. My body was shutting down and every step was like walking through setting concrete. “I just got him back and I could’ve lost him.”
“That’ll never happen,” a weak voice informed me. “Do you seriously think I’d put you through that twice in one lifetime?” Dax coughed and held on to his side. “Fuck, that hurts.”
“Then don’t go getting hit by cars,” I said, trying to keep my mood light. “You fucking scared me, you asshole.”
“I love you, too.” Dax reached up and pulled me down for a searing kiss. I was so relieved to feel the warmth of his lips that I couldn’t think of anything else. His tongue dove into my mouth and I sank into him. “Careful, babe. Not sure if you heard, but I tried to take on a car and the car won.”
Then, he laughed a bit maniacally. Asshole. “It’s not fucking funny,” I reprimanded him.
“It kinda is,” he argued. “We really have to stop meeting like this. At least this time I’ll remember you being here.”
“Don’t even joke about that.” I kneeled in front of Dax so I could see for myself that he was okay. I held his face in my hands and stared at him. Glass pierced through my jeans and I could feel the blood, but I was too relieved to care.
“Sorry to interrupt this little reunion,” the captain said from behind me. “But we’re ready to load you up and take you in to get that hip checked.”
I turned to tell him that I’d take Dax in, and he cocked his head to the side. “Wow, this must be one of those déjà vu moments people talk about.”
He shook his head and went off, muttering about how he needed a vacation as two EMTs loaded Dax onto a stretcher. After confirming that his injuries were minor enough they were only transporting him across town to the small hospital at the city limits, I went to find Justin. I needed his keys. Hopefully, no one would give me shit about not having Jagger in a booster given the circumstances.
