Page 103 of Keeping Penny

“I’m good. Leg hurts, but at least I’ll be able to tell when it’s about to rain from here on out.” Actually, his leg hurt like hell, but Pyro was doing his best to ignore it. He was weaning himself off the hardcore painkillers because he didn’t want to risk getting addicted.

“I meant about Bowie.”

Pyro looked away. The truth was, he still had a lot of guilt about what he’d done. Intellectually, he knew he didn’t have a choice. And that she’d actually pulled off a miracle and sent help his way. But he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was the worst human on the planet for sending a helpless, blind little girl out into the world on her own. He didn’t deserve to be called Daddy, even though every time she said it, warmth spread throughout his entire being.

And despite Bowie viewing their ordeal as an “adventure”…she’d become super clingy, not wanting either him or Penny out of her sight. Drop-offs at school had been particularly difficult, even though Penny told him that Bowie always did her best to hide her unease. Abigail, her best friend, was a tremendous help, even bringing one of her precious Mickey-ear headbands to give to Bowie as a gift.

It had only been a week, and Pyro knew the memories would fade, but for now, he felt extremely guilty every time he heard from Penny about the little girl’s struggles.

“I…Not good,” Pyro said belatedly, answering Edge’s question. “I question if being with them is what they need. If they’d be better off without me.”

“That’s bullshit!” Casper exclaimed. He took a breath, then said a little calmer, “Look, I probably shouldn’t admit to eavesdropping, but whatever. I was at the hospital and going to check on Laryn, who’d brought Penny to the cafeteria to get something to eat. I came across them in the hall. They were so engrossed in their conversation that they didn’t even see me. Laryn asked Penny pretty much what Edge just asked you, how she was doing with everything that happened. And you know what she said?”

Pyro kept his gaze locked on his team leader and shook his head.

“She said she was fine. Laryn looked pretty skeptical, but Penny said something to the effect that if her child had to be kidnapped, the only person she’d ever want with her is you, Pyro. That it had been stressful and scary, and she never wanted to go through anything like that again in her life, but the fact that you were with Bowie was the only reason she was able to keep herself together. Said she never had any doubt you’d do whatever was necessary to get her home.”

“She said that?” Pyro asked. He intentionally hadn’t talked to Penny much about the actual day of the kidnapping because he was afraid she’d blame him, now that some days had passed and her daughter was struggling. Would be upset that he’d taken Bowie for ice cream instead of straight home from the park.

“Yes. Jeez, man, you need to talk to your woman. Or better yet, a therapist. Get this shit out of your head once and for all,” Casper said.

He was right. Pyro was being kind of a coward. But now that he was home…it was time.

“You’re right.”

“I know,” Casper said.

“Thanks for everything, guys,” he told his friends, looking each one in the eye. “For looking out for Penny, for rushing to get Bowie, for coming to get me. All of it,” Pyro said.

“Fuck off. Of course we did that shit. What’s family for?” Chaos asked.

“I’m sorry I’m going to be out of commission for a while,” he said next, gesturing to his leg.

“Yeah, sucks that I’m going to have to deal with a temp replacement, but you’re gonna be more miserable than me,” Casper said with a smirk. “Desk duty.”

Pyro scowled. He hated to think about staying behind while his friends, his family, were deployed.

Everyone chuckled.

“You’ll be back in the pilot’s seat soon enough.”

“Won’t be the same without you.”

“Just think, more time with Penny and Bowie.”

That last one was very true. The silver lining to this entire fucked-up situation.

There was a sound at the door, and all heads turned in unison as Penny and Bowie walked in, their arms laden with bags from the store.

It bothered Pyro that he wasn’t able to get up and help them with the load, but his friends didn’t hesitate.

“Any more?” Edge asked.

“A few,” Penny said, a little sheepishly.

“On it,” he answered, Buck at his heels as they left to go down and grab the bags still in Pyro’s Malibu.

Penny smiled at Obi-Wan, who immediately began to put groceries away, then came toward Pyro on the couch. She leaned down and kissed him. “How are you? Are you in pain? Do you need another painkiller?”