The Understanding Cowboy

Chapter 22

Jason's pov

I lay in bed, not asleep but with my eyes closed. Miranda gets out of the shower. I move my hand from behind my head and use it to sit up. "Hey you started to say something at the reception but were cut off what were you gonna say?" She sits down. "Oh what was it?" She mumbles, making me laugh. She forgot. "Oh oh yeah! Um when we do finally get a house of our own and get settled, I wanna try to have a baby." My eyes go wide. "A b-baby? Are ya sure hun?" "Not anytime now of course. When we're ready but I do wanna be a mother." I'm nervous. The thought of bringing a child into the world kinda gets to me. I never thought about being a dad. "Hey Jason, tomorrow when you go to the bars to get a deal, I am gonna work on my paintings." "Oh really. Gonna have a new one waiting for me?" She lays her head on my shoulder. "This has been the best few days of my life." "The best day of my life, when I met you." "Aww Jay." We share a kiss.

*the next day*

"I can't outrun it, just keeps coming, girl you're love is relentless. I can't hide it, there's no fighting, girl your love is relentless. I'm starin' at a hurricane, a hundred miles of driving rain, I just smile and lean into the wind." "Fire! There's a fire everyone out!" "What?" I gasp. "There's a fire in the upstairs rooms." A firefighter says. I grab my case and rush out with my guitar in hand, tripping when a beam gives out. "Well that was close!" I gasp, falling to my knees. I put the guitar up then hear a cry for help. I spin around, squinting in the haze. "Help! Help!" Yep, someone calling for help. I rush back in with firefighters protesting. "Where are you?" I gasp, coughing from the smoke. I hear crying and find a little girl, no more than four. "Oh man, Ok remain calm. I'm comin'." This smoke is burning. "Help me!" She whimpers, crying. I shove a fallen piece of flaming wood out of the way. She reaches a trembling hand up and I pull her out of the rubble. Burned wood and soot rain down on us both. I clutch her to my chest and wrap my jacket around her.

Luke's pov

"Jason ran back in!" I hear a panicked firefighter. "Come on! Oh man!" I cry, my hands shaking. He stumbles out as a whoosh of smoke shoots out. His face is dark from soot and he's breathing hard. He coughs hard and falls to his knees unconscious. A little girl also unconscious clutched tightly in his arms. Whoa. Jason saved that little girl. The EMT got them both to the ambulance and he puts the breathing mask on his face and the girl's. What was a four year old girl doing in a bar? Is she gonna be okay? Is he gonna be okay? Did I just lose my best friend? I stare at him terrified as he lays unconscious on the gurney with labored breathing and a pain filled expression on his face. His eyes fly open, his teeth grit. I run over. "Luke?" He gasps. "Yeah man, it's me." "The girl.... The girl is she... Okay?" He chokes out, wincing. I glance over at the other gurney. She's breathing calmly. The EMT gives me a smile and a thumbs up. I smile back. "Yeah she's gonna be fine." He smiles and lays back down. "Good." He whispers with a soft sigh. He closes his eyes, worsening my fear. But the doors close and the ambulances drive away for the hospital before I can even ask if my best friend is okay!