Love Me Like a Love Song

Prayer For The Road

Steele

With renewed vigor, we turned the handle like it was new, and water shot from the hose. While her father worked the hose, I grabbed a pair of extra clothes I'd left in Ace's truck and dressed quickly before throwing myself into the water traugh, effectively soaking myself. Once I was sure I couldn't get anymore wet, I grabbed the now wet bandanas and tied one around the lower half of my face and tucked the other two into my pocket before climbing out of the traugh

"STEELE NO!" I heard her mother scream as I ran through the door of the barn.

----

George (Ace's father)

I watched, terrified, as the boy who had my daughters heart ran into the barn after her and dissapeared into the orange haze of smoke

"Dammit!" I yelled, not dropping the hose. If I turned off the water now, they would both die. Kelly, with more strength than I've ever seen her use, was running back and forth between the water traugh and the barn with a bucket, screaming and crying. Slowly, over the course of about fifteen minutes, the seemingly never-ending cries of our horses died off, leaving nothing but the crackling if the timber to break the eerie calm of the night. Neither of the kids had came out yet, and I wasn't sure if they would, and the thought terrified me. Our neighbor to the South had pulled in minutes after Steele had run into the inferno with their water truck and more buckets, promising that they had called the fire department who was now on their way. With two trucks, numerous buckets, and soon after, the fire department, the flames lowered before only a few patches of flames and glowing embers remained

"Ace...Steele!!" I yelled, pushing through the fire fighters attempting to stop me

"Sir! Sir you need to step back!" One man yelled. He was as round as he was tall, and had that pompus ass air about him

"Get out of my way!" I growled, pushing him aside as I ran towards the barn. Hands grabbed my arms, and it took 7 men to hold me back

"George! George please!" Kelly cried, standing in front of me as tears fell down her cheeks. We watched in silent terror as 7 fire fighters rushed into the barn, emerging moments later, one carrying a young woman, two others dragging the tall frame of a young man. Once they'd put the kids in the ambulances, I heard them say there was a horse who was completely unharmed, except for some smoke inhalation

"Get that horse out now!" I roared, stomping towards the men

"Yes sir." One man stuttered as they grabbed a large tarp and ran back in

"I'll go with Steele, Ace needs you more." Kelly smiled softly as she was helped into the ambulance with him

"Sir we need to go, now." An EMT demanded, holding the door open. Without a second thought, I ran and jumped in, sitting beside the stretcher my baby was laid on. She was scratched and bruised, but I couldn't see a burn anywhere, and I hoped that Steele was in similar conditions.

------

Upon arrival at the hospital, both of the kids were rushed away, leaving us to call Steele's parents. Kelly talked on the phone quickly before hanging up and slumping over to the chair next to mine

"They'll be here soon." She muttered, rubbing circles on my hand. I said nothing

"They'll be okay." She promised gently, as my eyes started to sting. Again, I said nothing. We sat quietly for over half an hour in a dead silence, only the odd cough of an unseen person or the squeak of a nurses shoe

"Where are they?!" A female voice cried as the doors slammed open; I couldn't bring myself to look

"They're being assessed, the doctors haven't said anything yet." Kelly mumbled, standing up and walking towards the Grahms. I could see the tears on her cheeks, but I couldn't tear my thoughts from Ace. I could have lost her; I still could

"What happened?" Mr Grahms demanded as his wife sobbed on his shoulder

"Lightning struck the barn loft....the hay up there caught fire right away. We woke the kids up, and they both came outside to help, and I guess Ace put her horse in the barn tonight, and she ran in to find her; Steele ran in after her." Kelly sniffed, wiping the tears from her cheeks

"Is your husband okay?" I heard Mrs Grahms ask quietly

"He and Ace are very close...he's terrified by the thought of losing her." Kelly explained sadly just as a doctor stepped out

"Steele Grahms' family?" The doctor asked, looking around

"Right here." Mr Grahms said quickly, walking over to the doctor, who started talking to them quietly before walking away, Mrs Grahms falling against her husband as she sobbed loudly

"Is everything okay?" Kelly gasped, placing her hand over her mouth as if to physically stop herself from crying

"He's okay, sore, and shaken up, but he's alive. The morphine put him to sleep." Mr Grahms muttered, a few small tears rolling down his cheeks as well. Kelly helped calm the crying woman down before they all made their way over to chairs near where I sat. The larger hand on the clock above the vending machine ticked slowly, painfully drawing out each minute. 5 minutes.................10 minutes.................45 minutes.................an hour an a half later and the doctor still hasn't come out with news on Ace. I hadn't moved at all. My back was cramping, and my legs and arms were stiff, but I couldn't make myself move. The door opened and a tired looking doctor stepped out

"Family of Ace Jobins?" She called out, looking around the room. I stood up and walked towards her, her eyes widening as they took in our appearances. I was in pajama pants and a t shirt I'd grabbed from the water truck, my wife was dressed similarly

"Is she okay?" I asked, my voice rough and strained as I looked down at the small woman.

-----------------

Brad (Steele's father)

I watched anxiously as Ace's parents walked towards the dorctor. Never had a seen man like George Jobins look so scared and fragile; like he'd break if it rained. The doctor looked down at her clipboard before looking at the couple and saying something slowly, looking at then with sympathy. Both of them froze before George walked away, resting his head against a wall a little ways from his wife and the doctor

"NO GOD DAMMIT!" He screamed, slamming his fist against the wall, the thin wall giving way with a boom. Everyone in the waiting room jumped, staring at the mountain of a man as tears ran down his cheeks and he slid down the wall to the floor

"No..." He muttered, his tears falling harder