Walking into Fire Ch. 04

Jessie raised her head to look into Danny's eyes. "It stopped my heart thinking that you would die without me telling you that I loved you. I've been an idiot not trusting you right away. I should've just put the old hurt aside and let you have another chance. You were almost lost to me because of my stupid pride."

Danny didn't know what to say to her, but it warmed his heart hearing what she had to say. He smiled at her, trying to convey all the love in his heart with that one gesture. She hiccuped again before he kissed her softly on her lips.

--~~--

The next day, a small celebration erupted within the firehouse. Men raised their glass bottles of root beer - unable to have alcohol on duty - to Duncan in toast of his engagement. He was being slapped on the back, his hair ruffled, as his coworkers joked about being tied to one woman. Ted desperately tried to get him to change his mind stating that the women in the family were insane. Duncan just smiled at him and said he wouldn't have it any other way.

Mattie stood off to the side with his bottle of root beer, a sad smile on his face. He was happy for Duncan, but couldn't help the feeling of loneliness that overcame him. When Jessie had shown interest in him, he had hoped she would be the one he would marry. She vaguely reminded him of someone.

He sighed to himself and went outside. Leaning against the firehouse building, Mattie gazed at the stars in the night sky. Past memories flooded his mind. They only made his heart hurt more.

The door opened and Duncan stepped outside. Mattie glanced at him and looked back at the stars.

"Thinking about the one that got away?" Duncan asked.

"No," Mattie said, "thinking about the one that was never mine."

Duncan leaned against the wall next to him and stared up at the night sky. "I'm sorry, man," Duncan sighed. "Tessa said that Jessie and Danny were meant to be. You had an impossible task when she only had a marriage phobia. There's no way you could fight against history."

Mattie kicked at a pebble by his shoe. "I couldn't fight against the marriage phobia either. I was stupid to think I could."

"How so?"

He sighed, "I'm bad with words. Truth is I got myself kicked out of her house by basically calling her a slut." He looked at Duncan expecting the shocked look.

"Ouch, man!"

"Yeah, I know." Mattie shook his head at his own stupidity.

Duncan resumed looking at the night sky. "You made it up to her, though," he said.

"I almost didn't."

"What?"

Mattie leveled a sober look at Duncan. "I was still pissed when I pulled Danny out of that fire. For a split second, when I noticed he wasn't breathing, I considered not administering CPR." The confession shamed him, but he had to tell someone.

"But you did, and you saved his life." Duncan squeezed his shoulder. "You're human. Don't blame yourself for that split second or you'll end up hating yourself for the rest of your life." He went back into the firehouse leaving Mattie to ponder his word.

--~~--

This story is finally done. Sorry it took so long, but...you know. I know there were errors and I hope you don't hold me against them. I was in such a hurry to get the story submitted that I self edited instead of sending it to my editor. Remember that I love it when you vote and comment!