A Swift Rescue

Chapter 4

"...so if you think I'd lose my cool, Lee, you're a fucking section 8!"

Damien was with the members of his former fire team at a small bar, chewing the fat.

"Hellcat, if you lost your cool, there'd be no enemy left," said Lee. "Who was this girl, anyway?"

"Tell ya the same thing I told Mad Dog before we started drinkin'. A very attractive blonde."

"She gonna be okay?"

"Yeah she'll be..."

"Psst!"

Damien turned his head to see a smiling brunette slip him a note and wink before leaving.

"D... did Karlie Kloss just 'psst' you?"

Damien slipped the note into his pocket after reading it. It said:

Meet me at Galeventi's at 5pm. -TS

"Damien... if that was her... and she slipped you a note... than you..."

Lee turned to Damien, surprised. "Damien you didn't tell me you saved Taylor fucking Swift!"

"So what if I did?"

"You know Mad Dog's a Swiftie!"

"And what? I don't want a cute girl dying on my watch!"

"Damn it, Thorndyke... stop being so discreet, we ain't gonna leak this!"

After the drinks, Damien waited until he'd sobered up, then he drove to his uncle's.

Later, at almost five, Damien was at Galeventi's, an Italian place that wasn't fancy, but neither was it a dive.

Taylor showed up a moment later, and the two sat at a far-flung booth.

"Glad you're out of the hospital... are you alright?"

"My chest still hurts a little, but yeah, I'm okay. So look... thank you...". The food had arrived. "Your visiting me was nice, and I'm... I'm really glad we could talk. You seem like a great guy."

"I sense a but..."

"Not an earth shattering one... but yeah. The kiss was... hmmm..."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. You have nothing to be sorry for. I kissed you. I was on all sorts of medication and it... it screwed with my head."

"If it's any consolation, I didn't think you were into me. We had just met. Although I enjoyed that kiss."

Taylor sighed with relief. "Wow... okay. Good. I was worried for a minute." She smiled. "As I said, you seem like a great guy... but you should know something. I've been hurt... betrayed... lied to... a lot. I want to be loved like the next girl, but... I'm not the most trusting person on the planet."

"I... I won't pretend I completely get it. I'm not you. But... I want you to know, if you need anything..."

"I'd be an idiot to reject you out of hand," Taylor admitted. "But I'd also be stupid to just fall into your arms." She smiled. "I know I'm going to love again, but we need to be slow. I need to know for reasonably sure."

"Then I'll do my part and then some," he replied. "I'm a Ranger. Excellence is subpar for me."

"You don't know how it feels to hear something other than 'trust me'."

"I let my actions do the talking. Words whisper, actions shout." He smiled again. "I'm here for you."

Taylor smiled. "Well said," she replied, "now shout it."

"You should know something. When Karlie gave me that note, my Ranger buddies figured out it was you I'd saved. Said they'd be discreet, and Rangers don't lie, but I'm afraid the circle got bigger."

"That's not your fault. Karlie should've gotten you alone."

"I've got it." Damien pulled out his wallet.

"Don't worry about it, Damien, it's my treat."

"Thank you."

"It's no problem."

"We should meet up again."

Taylor smiled. "It's the only way to find out what's what," she said.

That night, a rather contemplative Taylor lay awake in bed. Sometimes a leap of faith was needed... but one should look before leaping... but Damien seemed nice... but so did the others... but.... Points and counterpoints raced through her head, and at the end of it all, she smiled. Her heart felt slightly stronger, and even a bit refreshed.

She'd try again... but it would take time and effort on both their parts.

"One more time, Taylor," she said to herself, letting herself drift off. "But not too fast. If he's worth it, he'll stick to it."