Once In A Lifetime • Link Neal

thirty-seven.

The lights were bright and hypnotizing; red, blue, white. The cop was asking her questions as she stood outside the complex, trembling with the residual shock. 

"Miss Rhodes?" He was a younger man, his brows knit as he sidestepped enough to get her attention again, and she snapped out of her daze.

"Yeah, sorry-i'm sorry, what did you ask?" She breathed out, and the cop, Diaz as his plated name tag read, reached a hand out to gently grasp her shoulder. Lucy jerked away, her tired eyes flipping from his to the ground. 

"I asked if there was anything else you could tell me about this, uh, Gavin Daniels." He repeated, and she winced at the mention of his name. Just moments prior she watched his bloodied face get carted into the back of an ambulance, and the image was enough to make her nauseous. 

"I already told you everything." She replied, her tone was unintentionally harsh, but she just didn't care. Not after the day she's had. Diaz nodded his head in understanding, before reaching into the pocket on his chest, producing a card. 

"Call me if you have anything else. Looks like he's got a few warrants a couple states over, and we could really use someone to solidify the cases against him. It could put him away for years." He explained, and she quickly reached out to take the card, glancing at it for the briefest of moments. "Take care, Miss Rhodes." He managed to throw in a warm smile, and she simply nodded her head in understanding. 

She stood there a moment longer, grounding herself before glancing off toward the second ambulance. The one reserved for Link. 

"I don't think it's too serious, really." Link explained, lifting his arm up as the EMT gently prodded the intensely bruised skin of his side. It was purple and blue, and he winced when the medic pushed on a certain spot.

"I think it's serious enough to take you in." He explained, glancing up from the wound to catch Link's dejected expression. 

"Are you sure-I mean, wouldn't I be writhing in pain or somethin'?" Link argued, glancing from the EMT's hands on his ribs, to Rhett, who was standing beside the open truck with his arms crossed over his chest. His brows were knit, lips devoid of any smile. 

"They're takin' you in." He simply stated, tearing his own attention from Link's exposed chest to his face, "You got cracked with a baseball bat, man. I'll bet there's at least some fracturing or somethin'." The EMT nodded his head in agreement as he took a step back, and Link frowned. 

"We have to leave at six in the morning, Rhett. There is no way I'm stayin' the night in the E.R." Link countered. Rhett let out a soft sigh, reaching up to run a hand through his tousled hair. His knuckles ached, a dull throb there that dolefully reminded him of what happened. 

"It's still early, I don't think you'll be there for an all nighter. I can run back to your place, make sure you have everythin', and we'll be ready to go by mornin'." Rhett offered. Link frowned, his gaze boring into Rhett, before a familiar figure approached the two of them. He nodded his head, 

"Alright. I guess it'll have to work." He acquiesced, I clear expression of disappointment on his features, before he locked eyes with Lucy. 

She stopped beside Rhett, her hands working the seam of his old shirt. She looked exhausted, much like the rest of them, with a look in her eyes that threatened tears. 

"I'm so sorry-this wasn't supposed to happen, I never wanted you guys to get mixed up with this and Link-" She inhaled sharply, her voice trembling as she glanced at the bruise on his side, the EMT taking a step back to allow Link to drop his shirt. "-I-I'm sorry-" 

Link wanted to jump out the back of the ambulance and console her, but he knew he wouldn't make it far. Rhett, on the other hand, was close enough to wrap an arm around her shoulder, pulling her shaken form against his chest. Link swallowed thickly, feeling something akin to jealousy, but choose not to say anything as Rhett stroked her hair,