The cavalry

Danny landed another kick to my chest. Though my palm was able to soften the blow a little, the hit sent my head spinning and my lungs gasping for air. Danny stood strait staring at me behind him the door clicked. Danny swiftly turned eyes wide.

"What the fuck's happening here!" A blurry figure stood across from me.

"Ah nothing Cap, I just heard her fall in the shower. Y'know I'm just looking out for my girl. She'll be fine." He bent down to lift me up. The pain was excruciating. My head lulled back as I lacked the strength to lift it. Speak dammit, ask for help. A tear rolled down my face and fell to the floor.

"She is not okay don't touch her. I got a pretty clear picture of what's going on here. You better walk out while you still can." The voice, it sound like Adonis, why him? No I'm glad it's him. No one else could take on Danny. They're both like two massive bears.

"Nah, Cap. You're misreading the situation. Let just let men do what we gotta do. You know how it is." His voice was plotting. He was looking for a way out. He approached Adonis, his back towards me, and gestured for him to take his leave. My eyes pleaded for him to save me.

" Danny, real men don't do this," Adonis tried to de-escalate, using his best captain's voice, "Let's get her some help and we can talk this out." Adonis grasped Danny's shoulder as if to guide him. Instead of leaving, Danny reared back and punched Adonis in the face, causing him to step back. Adonis didn't let him get a second hit in. He retaliated by grabbing his arm and throwing him to the ground. He went down hard, his head hitting the tile. Adonis reaching for me, now distracted, took another blow to the face with my hair dryer. Blood dripped from a cut on his cheek. He grabbed for Danny's legs taking him down again. This time he got up slowly. Adonis too stood, tension filled the room, sweat and blood drizzled from both of their faces. They were evenly matched. Danny made a move to run but commotion attracted several others who burst through the door, eyes wide in horror.

"Jack, get PD here now, you and Alex don't let him leave! Call for Ryan and Grant, tell them to get the a gurney here, and call dispatch. " Adonis commanded. Turning towards me, still a heaping muddy mess, gently touched my face. My hand wrapped around his before I knew what I was doing. Thought attack had silenced me I knew he understood this gestures meaning. Seeing that I was still alert he grabbed the towel from behind him and covered me.

We sat there like that a few minutes. He didn't dare move me for fear of a spinal injury. Alex and Jack has managed to get Danny in a conference room where he waited with them. When Ryan and Grant got to me, I could see the anger and shock on their faces. The put me in a c-column and back boarded me. It hurt to move and breath. I'm sure I'll be out of work for a few weeks. Tears of pain and relief fell down my cheeks.

"Hey, we are with you," Grant said gently holding my hand in the ambulance, "Cap's gonna wait for chief and PD and then he will come get checked out too. This isn't on you. Cry all you need. I'll pretend I never saw it." He smiled. As we passed the lockers to get the ambulance he grabbed my track jacket I had hanging up and put it over me. My hands folded around it and brought it close to my face. I sobbed quietly into it as the loaded me.

After arriving at the hospital, nurses and doctors crowded me, running tests and x-rays left and right. I was run up and down the halls until finally my mom showed up. She came and found me in x-ray, followed by an older man in his early 50's. He was Adonis' spitting image. The man had a quick word with the doctor, finally finished my tests in a hurry. Once cleared to enter my mom busted through the door, arms outstretched.

"Are you okay, are you hurt! Obviously you're hurt, my baby. Adonis called and we came right over. He will be here soon too. I'm so sorry. Baby say something," she cried.

"Water," I croaked, my voice hoarse, " I need some water. Mama I'll be fin in a bit. My whole shift saw me naked so I can't go back to work." I knew making her laugh would put her at ease.

"None sense baby, Adonis assured me no one ever bring up this incident with you should you choose. He assured me nothing like this will ever happen again. The locks on the doors are gonna be changed too."

"Mom don't hover I'll be okay. The guys on my crew, they protected me, they're like a second family. Danny isn't the standard, he's just crazy."

" Aurora, let you mom hover, she wants you to be safe. This should have never happened. Not in a fire station." Tom's voice tightened, I could tell he too was rocked by this.

"This does happen though, to lots of women, who don't have the protectors that I do. I can't dwell on the bad, I can only stay positive." I coughed, clearing my throat, " It's not the city's fault this happened. He must have tampered with the lock. He went crazy, how could that be anticipated. Luckily everyone is willing to take my side too." Tom seemed surprised that bore no grudge against the city but satisfied that I was doing alright. I knew that I'd need counseling later but I would take that opportunity later. I just wanted to go home and sleep. My mother had stayed with my through all the tests and results. In the end I only had two broken ribs and a minor concussion. Obviously the severe bruising was also cause for concern so I would have to be monitored at home the next few days. By the time Adonis arrived I was ready to leave.

"Adonis, so glad you're here," my mom chirped, I could tell she was plotting, " Can you watch over my baby tonight? I would but your father and I were just leaving for an overnight trip." She grinned her motherly grin, knowing it'd be hard for him to say no.

"Doesn't she want to stay the night with a female friend?" He said considerately.

"Pity she doesn't have any, you'll have to do. Goodbye now take good care of her!" She said as she whisked Tom away. He stared back apologetically. Adonis and I looked at each other in disbelief.

" You need monitoring," he starts, " I could call that girl from the admin office."

" It's fine you'll do, you've seen me naked twice already and haven't done anything. You're clearly harmless. Besides we are practically brother and sister. Your words not mine." I said flatly, " Beside, I feel safer with you in my spare bedroom than that admin. She's short and weak." He looked surprise by my answer and a little disappointed.

"So is that your way of saying that you don't see me as a man?"

"I see you as a much older brother," I said pointedly. He grabbed his heart, pretending to gasp for air.

"Hit my right where it hurts, MUCH older, " he whined still pretending to have been stabbed.