The Dangerous Gentleman

Chapter XXXII | Returning Home

Two weeks and a day later, and the couple had returned to the ranch although it was late at night, they still had made it back and they made their entry into the house. The two were happy to be home, although they remained quiet. Allow Blake and them to sleep, however Elizabeth was up making a drink for herself when she heard someone come in. Elizabeth had seen Romeo and them and she said "Oh it's you two, thought it was someone else".

Romeo replied "Hey Eli" while the two walked into the room after he shut the door, the gem on Amethyst's finger had glinted in the light. Elizabeth noticed the ring now, she had looked at Amethyst and Romeo now briefly. Romeo replied "New addition" which Elizabeth said "I knew it, I knew it and I knew it, I knew that you two would". Carrie had come downstairs, she had heard the commotion and she said "What's going on?".

Elizabeth had said "Well Carrie, both Amethyst and Romeo are finally tying the knots" which Carrie only said "Ah then, well congrats I suppose". Carrie had gone back upstairs now, which Amethyst had held onto Rome now before Rome said "Well then". Elizabeth said "I'll see you two in the morning" and the two went upstairs now. Elizabeth seemed to celebrate to herself now, since she knew that they would get engaged.

The Following Morning, Amethyst and Romeo came downstairs and the family looked up to see the two which they had gone and joined them at the table. Of course, their main interest was the ring that Amethyst had on her finger since it was quite noticeable. However the two wouldn't talk about it, just yet until Blake asked "So what happened in New York". Romeo said "Well, we have a new addition to our family".

Elizabeth just said "I get to take Amethyst dress shopping" however that was when a small conversation happened, but their father said "No one's doing anything". Then the father said "We're not celebrating it until our feud is put down, for the safety of both of them". Which he wasn't wrong either for being like this because he wanted it to go smoothly. After all, it was a great event, so he wanted to make sure there were no interruptions. 

Romeo only said "So the station is getting a new addition to the crew, a new lieutenant from New York" Blake said "Oh god, Javier again". Romeo said "No, but he's someone that we all know" Elizabeth asked "Who is it then". There was a knock on the door, which their father got up to answer the door, Roosevelt stood there at the door. The two stared at each other, it was quite obvious it was Roosevelt due to his rough look.

Roosevelt then said "Well can I come in" which surely enough their father let the guy in now, which Roosevelt walked into the house now. Blake got up and so did Elizabeth, since they haven't seen the man since August of 2001. Carrie only got up since she was confused on who this person was, Roosevelt gave his nephew and niece a hug. Roosevelt had only seen Carrie now when he said "Well, you must be my grand niece then".

Carrie said "The name's Carrie" which Roosevelt nodded before he said "Heard your music on the radio, which is how I knew I had a grand niece". Roosevelt added "Plus my brother was the one in my family to take your guy's last name". He chuckled a bit before he said "No but it is great to see all of you again, and I am sorry about what happened". And he gone over to the table where his brother said "You better explain why you disappeared".

Roosevelt only said "Fine then, but after I do you'll see why I went off the planet" and he sat down now and this was going to be a long story indeed. Back in 2001, Roosevelt was one of the few of the first responders to the attack on the twin towers. Roosevelt had shut the door to the engine and he said "I want a perimeter maintained around ground zero". He added "I want no one inside that building until we confirm it is structurally safe".

He was only a Lieutenant back in that day, however there was a Captain on scene and he said "Lieutenant I want you and your guys to go inside". Roosevelt on the other hand said "Captain we are not going in there until we're given the all-clear on the structure". The Captain said "You're either going in there or you're fired". Roosevelt did not want to go into the building, he felt off about it and he had reason to.

Roosevelt said "Alright guys get your equipment, we're going in" he had grabbed his own helmet and gear which he seemed uneasy about this. His guys knew this, he and his crew weren't the first ones in there, another group had gone in as well. However when they entered the building itself they felt the ground shake slightly. They looked at each other and when they heard the message to get out.

It was already too-late and the building had already begun to collapse and, it was already too-late and resulting in this, lives were taken, except for one. Two hours after the collapsing of both towers and underneath some rubble. Somehow, Roosevelt had survived but his right leg was impaled by a rebar pole, which he was in pain. However he knew that he would die from an infection before he was found by any first responder.

He searched around for anything and he managed to find an ax that was held by one of the guys on his ladder company, and he began hacking at his leg. He was amputating himself to preserve his life, he was already in too much pain from the impalement. So him amputating himself was like a relief of the pain then more pain. Once his leg was chopped off, all he had done was cut off his pants and he turned one leg pants into a bandage.

Once his leg was free, he had to figure out he was going to get out because he was not used to walking single-leg but he knew he had to do it for his own safety. Instead of walking he climbed over the rubble and such. Once he made his way to the light, or outside of the rubble, he heard people searching for the guys in Company 8. He didn't want to exactly live with their deaths so he left his jacket with the rubble.

Roosevelt only said "I died that day, It was better that way" he said "But I guess a deadman can't stay hidden forever" he looked at Romeo and Amethyst. He added "Shame me, hate me all you want but I could not live knowing that they were dead". He said "My new identity helps shield me from the pains of their death". He added "Every year I got wasted because I needed to shallow the pain, a toast to my friends who aren't here".

Romeo had only said "That explains the fake leg" which Roosevelt nodded before he said "I would've died from an infection before they found me". Roosevelt said "My hacking off my leg was what preserved my life" he then said "I wish sometimes I didn't". Amethyst only said "But then you wouldn't be here to see your family". Roosevelt chuckled a bit before he said "True, but my family is also in the sky as well". 

Roosevelt had remained quiet before he said "At least I know Romeo followed after me so I am happy about that as well". Blake chuckled a bit before he said "He's also quite crazy, well sometimes he can be quite crazy". Romeo rolled his eyes and then Roosevelt then said "So who wants to hear a story about Amethyst and Romeo". Roosevelt added "Especially their first time meeting back in 1998" which Amethyst said "No, not again".

Roosevelt began to tell the story again for the family to hear this time, Amethyst was only 22 and Romeo was 24 which explained their age difference. Yet this was the beginning of a new Era at least on the ranch and the return of a long-lost family member. Maybe things will get better again especially in the times to come.