Dark lashes swept up, revealing pearly glazed eyes. Now Jake couldn't breathe.
Cal's lips twitched. He hiccupped a small cough.
Jake froze. That was it? No hacking or gagging? "C-c-cal?" He didn't mean to stutter, also didn't mean for tears to start running down his face, but he'd thought Cal was dead, that he'd never see his eyes open again, and now he was okay, coughing out the prissiest little hiccup Jake had ever heard after suffocating. His brother had freakin suffocated! He was okay he was okay oh Gods. Without realizing he was doing it, Jake scooped Cal up into a crushing hug, burying his face in the kid's gritty hair, losing all his composure when he felt long fingers curl into the fabric of the back of his T-shirt, then still.
"Jake?" Cal's muffled voice carried up from beneath Jake's chin. "Where's Dad?" And Jake's world crashed around him again. He felt Cal's head turn away from his chest, felt the kid flinch as he saw their father stretched out, the veterinarian performing rescue breathing.
"Dad?" Cal leaned forward, but Jake held him back.
"Let him work, Cal."
Cal's breathing that Jake had worked so hard to just get going was now ramping up, pulling shallowly. Jake's was right there with his.
Doc Wal lifted his head, sorrow-filled eyes latching onto the Gillants. "I'm sorry, boys."
"What?" Cal lurched forward. "What? No! Dad!"
Jake sank back, shaking his head. No, no. Nononono. This wasn't happening. Not to their dad. Their dad was invincible.
Cal scrambled on his knees to get near the top of Henry's head, his fingers searching for a pulse, moving their father's head back and forth. "Come on, Dad, wake up. Wake up!" Tears dripped down his young face, shattering Jake's heart.
And Henry gasped, his body arching upward, muscles coiled just before he sagged and started hacking. Doc rolled him on his side toward Jake where Jake grasped his shoulder, tried to steady him while the veins in Henry's neck bulged with the effort. As soon as he sucked in enough air, Henry let it out in a strangled scream. "Cal!"
"It's okay, Dad. Just breathe. Relax. Okay?"
Henry's eyes flicked up to Jake, filled with instant relief. "Jake. You're okay?"
"Yeah, Dad."
His gaze started tracking around. "Where's Cal? Your brother…oh God, Jake…"
Jake squeezed Henry's shoulder. "He's right here. He's okay."
"Dad?" Cal's voice was soft, scared.
Henry's head wrenched up. "Cal?" With uncharacteristic emotion, Henry shot up and hauled both his kids against him. "Thank God."
Crushed against Henry's shoulder, his side quashed into Cal's and not in any hurry to wriggle away, Jake met Doc Wal's gaze. The vet tipped his head in an understanding nod. They still had work to do.