Fire on Fire - Evan Buckley

003

Aurora woke up in the hospital confused. She sat up looking around to try to understand her surroundings.

The hospital.

She looked over her body not remembering what happened to her. Her ankle was in a cast now, bandages wrapped around her torso to cover her stitches.

"Oh hey welcome back to the real world" she heard a familiar voice.

Eddie

"Eddie? W-what happened?" she wondered.

"You had another little accident but you're all patched up and ready to go. You should be getting out of here soon." he smiled down at her before he sat next to her.

She continued to look around the hospital room in the corner she saw all her things. Her uniform, her bag.

"Eddie?" she spoke a little scared not taking her eyes off of her equipment sitting on a chair in the corner of her hospital room.

"Auri, listen how about we get you home and settled so we can talk?" he suggested

"No, no do not tell me this is what I think it is Eddie" she spoke her voice cracking as tears threatened to fall from the rim of her eyes.

"Aurora..." he moved a little closer to her on the hospital bed. "it wasn't our decision, it wasn't completely Bobby's either b-"

"They fired me?" she finally turned to him with tear filled eyes

"N-not necessarily, they but you on an indefinite leave until you meet department requirements again"

"So they involuntarily resigned me" she cried leaning into Eddie's shoulder.

All he could do was caress her head, he didn't know what to say he just wanted to be there for her. Bobby was supposed to come break the news to her but they got called in for a big fire at an apartment building and Eddie was the only one that had off so he stayed with her.

"Hi uh, sorry to interrupt but I have you discharge paperwork for whenever you're ready" a nurse spoke softly placing a packet of papers down at the foot of the bed.

"Listen, this isn't the end okay" Eddie finally broke  the silence "I'm going to grab your things and throw them in my truck so you can get changed. I'll get you home okay?"

All she could do was nod, she was numb. She didn't know how to feel or what to do. She stood up as best as she could on one foot to get dressed again the best she possibly could.

There was a knock on the door. She looked up to see Eddie was back and waiting for her to go.

"I um just have to sign these really quickly" she spoke sadly as she sat down to sign her discharge paperwork.

"Yeah no take your time" he smiled sympathetically at her.

It only took her about 5 minutes to read and sign the packet of papers. She stood up as Eddie handed her the crutches she has to use for the next couple of weeks.

She crutched over to the nurses desk with Eddie close behind her to hand in the paperwork. Soon after they were loaded into his car and on the way to her apartment.

"This is a very nice apartment" Eddie spoke as they walked into her small studio apartment.

"Oh thanks" she tried to smile up at him as he placed all her things down by her door.

"Do you want me to grab you something to eat? Or do you want to be alone? I know the news is a lot to deal with along with being hurt" he spoke honestly to her