Love and other disasters (A Zac and Tom story)

Check ups and deep feelings

*Zaina*
"We need someone to take a look at your forehead". Zac says looking at me. "You are bleeding a tiny bit there".

My hand fly up to my forehead. "Something hit me when the stairs collapsed. It is probably nothing".

"Maybe not, but I still want you to get it looked over by a professional okay ?" He says softly looking at me and I nod.

As we don't know where to look for the others, we make our way down to were the emergency service has been set up. Treating small injuries and sending those on that needs to go to the hospital.

I spot Avery and Tom first. Tom is sitting on a chair getting a cut on his foot cleaned out. Avery is standing beside him, with Liam in her arms. I hurry over, hugging them both. "Oh I am so happy to see the both of you. But why do you have Liam ?"

"Evelyn got a bookcase on top of her. Luckily Jared and Jensen showed up and got her out before the hut collapsed. But she has been taken to the hospital to have x-rays and Lucas went with her. So we are babysitting".

"What happened to your foot Tom ?" Zac look at him and Avery starts giggling.

Tom rolls his eyes. "I stepped on something and cut it".

"You can say he lost a fight with the great state of Texas". Avery gets a deadly glare from Tom. And the rest of us is looking pretty confused. "Tom stepped on a keychain in the shape of Texas, right on the pointy end, it was literally stuck, the doctor had to pull it out with force".

I have to admit that the rest of us might be giggling and snickering a bit to and Tom looks rather offended. "It was lodged all the way into the bone, not really funny".

"Sorry Tom, that actually sounds pretty painful". I tell him, ruffling up his hair. "But you both got through the quake okay ?"

"Tom is a real hero". Avery sigh, looking at him with such admiration. "He saved my life, we were in the wave pool and I would have drowned if he hadn't been there. And he saved several others too".

Tom actually look uncomfortable, focussing on his foot that is getting bandaged. "It was nothing special, just did what every decent person would do".

"Yeah decent person, not many of those around. You heard Evelyn, a lot of people just ran past her". Avery says shaking her head.

Tom looks at Zac, his chest adorned in different blue shades. "What the hell happened to you ?"

  Ian explains about them being on the slide and what Zac did and I step in. "He'll probably end up with a medal or the keys to the city. The kid turned out the be the mayor's son".

"Wow, that is incredible Zac. But you better get a check up, you could have internal bleedings or something". Tom gets up from the chair.

But Zac takes my hand, sitting me down. "I will, but please take care of Zaina's cut here first... I can wait".

"Zac your are much worse, they should check you first". I say, trying to get up. But Zac gently pushes me back in the chair and I sigh giving up.

"Thank you babe, to me you are by far the most important". He say softly.

Luckily it is just a shallow cut and it is quickly cleaned and covered with a band aid. And I get up, making Zac sit down, so the doctor can take a look at him. He is explained about Zac's one handed catch too. He looks him over, shaking his head. "Incredible, you should be happy about being in the shape you are. Had you had less muscle mass protecting bones and joints you would definitely have a couple of broken ribs and a dislocated shoulder. You muscles protected you. Take it easy a couple of days and expect some bruising, but there is no real damage".

"I am even more happy about your muscles now". I tell him, gently rubbing my hand over his strong shoulder.

Tom chuckles. "So going around looking like the hulk actually has some real upside, beside making the women go all gooey eyed".

"Jealous Tom ?" Ian ask, looking at him with one eyebrow raised. "You shouldn't be, you got a great woman all head over heels for you right there". Then Ian comes over to me. "Just talked to mom, her and dad is okay and so is both the house and church. Apparently we got the worst of it out here".

Tom looks at Avery, and something I can't read run over his face. But then he smiles. "Yeah I guess you are right about that".

"Where did Jensen and Jared disappear to ?" Zac asks.

"Oh they hurried home to make sure their families were okay. I told them to just go, that we had it covered here. You better call them that you are okay". Tom says.

*Tom*
We are on our way home to Avery. I am driving and she is sitting in the passenger seat, Liam in her lap. She is playing with him and he is chuckling and making happy noises. And I suddenly get a flash, my future, our future together, a family. And honestly it scares me shitless. So much that I stop the car pretty abruptly.

"Is something wrong Tom ? Is there something with the road". She ask my nervously, looking out, but here the roads are fine, it had only been close to the waterpark it was cracked a couple of places.

I take a deep and turn to smile at her. "No, nothing wrong darling. I just.. I just got a bit confused there for a moment".

Starting the car again, I focus on the road, knowing that she is looking on me with some concern, but I ignore it for now. Not really able to explain what I am feeling. Not only did I fall, not only did I jump. I am in free fall here and I fear what will happen when I hit the ground.

We get back to her apartment, finding that only a few things have tumbled over and I quickly take care of it. While Avery sit on the floor playing with Liam. I sit down watching them. Seeing her with the little boy makes my heart thud in a whole different way and I have to swallow hard as I suddenly feel tears threaten to spill.

"Tom what is wrong ? And don't tell me it's nothing again, I can see that there is something". She looks at me, her beautiful eyes filled with worry.

I swallow again, how can I say the truth ? What would she think if I did ? She would probably find my utterly insane. "Honestly, it's nothing. I am just tired".

She turns on the tv and puts on a cartoon, then she get up, making a motion with her finger for my to follow her. Yup I am in trouble now. She walk i to the bedroom and closes the door behind us. "Spil Tom".

"But I don't know what to say. I mean it has just been a really hard day". I can't even look her in the eyes here, shuffling my feet.

She shakes her head, looking so very hurt. "You know what Tom, fuck it.. I get it, you don't want a commitment, the distance, everything. You are looking for a way out. Well here you have it. Have a nice life".

"Avery !" I grab her arm and she whip around, looking like she might slap me, and it just spills out. "I love you.. shit sorry.. I know you are not supposed to say that this soon.. I didn't want to scare you".

She is just staring at me like I am crazy, and my heart falters. Yeah I am officially an idiot. "Tom !? Are you just saying that because I got angry ?"

"No". It comes out as a croak. There is no reason to lie. "No. I.. I mean it.. I know it is completely crazy.. But that is what I feel".

"You don't scare me Tom.. I..". The doorbell rings and there is a loud crash. Both of us sprinting into the living-room.