Caught in the Flames

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Okay, so I'm starting something new. I'm one of those writers that I have to have a ton on my plate or I get bored. I doplan on finishing all of my WIPs, but I wanted to try something different. Anyhow, this will be a drabble-ish fic. My chapters will be a thousand words or less, unless the chapters lend themselves to something longer (i.e., a lemon...). We're also going to be switching back and forth, every five chapters between our two favorite characters, Edward and Bella...

As always, none of this is mine. I'm just the perv who want to make our beloved Twilight characters swear, drink, and go at it like horny rabbits. This story will be a combination of love, suspense, some violence and steamy, sweaty sex.

On with it!

Chapter Thirty-Eight

EPOV

"Are people getting dumber?" Jacob asked as he drove us back to the station. "Lighting off fireworks inside their apartment? Really?"

"They looked a little lit themselves. Obviously our victims were not firing on all cylinders," I snorted. "Too bad their stupidity displaced nearly twenty residents of that brownstone apartment building."

"I hope they all have renter's insurance," Mike said from the back.

"That'll make a dent, but not cover the cost to replace all of their belongings. Whatever the case may be, it's not our problem anymore," I said.

"Do you think that one guy is going to lose his hand?" Ben asked, his nose wrinkled.

We were driving back from that house fire. A couple of the guys were completely wasted and were shooting off fireworks from their apartment window. One guy was holding a mortar when it went off and his hand was gruesome. "I think Jess found all of the fingers, but I don't know."

We backed the rig into the garage after we filled up the gas tank. I was sweaty and gross, wanting nothing more than to soak in the shower. I hoped that Bella had stayed. The call took four hours to completely strike. The building was a total loss, now a smoldering pile of ash. On top of that, the skies opened up while we were working on the fire and it had been raining ever since. Dragging our soaked, ash-covered bodies out of the rigs, we removed our turnout gear. Seth looked in the yard, seeing all of the food had been brought in. "It looks like everyone left," he frowned.

"It was probably for the best," I shrugged, clapping my hand on his shoulder. He'd been struggling with being newly married and bonding with his newborn baby girl. We got inside and the barbeque had been moved indoors. The dining room table held all of the food. Bella, along with Claire and Alice were working on warming up the meat. Alanna, Seth's baby girl, was cuddledin the arms of Carole, the assistant for Garrett.

"Food!" Emmett bellowed. He went to make a plate when Claire put her hand on his chest. "What?"

"Emmett, guys, I'm saying this out of love and respect. Shower and then eat," Claire snorted. "You smell like something that came out of my baby's ass."

"That would be, Em," Jacob laughed. "He's pungent."

"You all suck," Emmett growled, stomping toward the showers. We all followed suit. I let the water cascade down my body. Making quick work of scrubbing my body of the sweat, grime and ash from the fire, I dressed in a fresh uniform. Putting on some deodorant and cologne, I went back to the dining room. Seth and Jacob were almost sitting on Emmett, trying to keep him from inhaling each plate that Alice, Bella and Claire put out on the table. Just as the final plates were set out, Jasper, Jess and Angela walked in.

"Just in time, baby," Alice squealed, running over to Jasper and hugging him closely. "Dinner's ready."

"You cooked?" I asked, rubbing my stomach. Alice could order out with the best of them. But, she was not a cook. At. All. I did not want to spend the rest of my shift hovering over a toilet, suffering from food poisoning.

"No. Claire and Bella did. They just finished what you guys started. I was merely the grunt who carried everything inside. I'm glad I wore my comfy shoes," she said, pointing her toes, wearing some weird contraptions on her feet. They did not look comfortable.

"You keep telling yourself that, Little Bit," I snickered. Alice smacked me and got in line with Jasper. Bella was still in the kitchen, mixing something. "Hey sweet girl. You didn't have to cook for us."

"It wasn't cooking as so much as reheating. Dry, cold hamburgers are not good," she said, mixing up some pasta salad. "Try this." She speared me a few noodles and veggies. I moaned in appreciation. "Does it need anything?"

"I need a big heaping pile of this on a plate," I said, grabbing a bowl and digging in. Bella giggled, handing me the fork she used for me taste her pasta salad. "How did you get to be so good at this cooking thing?"

"Necessity. If I hadn't learned to cook, my mom and I would have starved. Regardless, I find cooking to be relaxing," she said, eating a small plate of her pasta salad as well. "If I'm not working at the computer, I'm usually cooking or doing something related to food."

"Well, I'll eat it. I'll eat anything except calamari. Tastes like rubber bands," I shuddered.

"Not the way I cook 'em," Bella sang.

"You can try, but it's going to take a miracle for me to enjoy calamari," I snorted. "Now, this is where I'm trying to being all smooth and shit, but I'm a little out of practice with the dating thing, if you know what I mean."

"Me, too. Though our first date was pretty nice," she blushed.

"It was, but I want to do better. Would you join me for a date tomorrow evening?" I asked, blushing slightly. "A night out on the town, as it were."

"Do I need to dress up?" she asked.

"Yes," I smirked. "We've done the casual thing, but tomorrow I want to treat you to the best that Chicago has to offer, sweet girl. Will you join me?"

"Yes," she giggled, throwing her arms around my neck. I smiled down at her before kissing her softly.

A/N: Up next will be the beginning of their date. Where should they do? What should they do? Leave me some!

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