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“How long did it take you to get out?”he asked as he pressed the device to her chest.
“I woke up coughing and then heard screams and someone pounding on my front door.I didn’t see any flames on my side, just a lot of smoke.I don’t know how long it took me to wake up, though.”
After listening to her lungs, he grabbed a bottle of water and held it to her lips.“Take some sips, kitten.”
She reached up to hold the bottle, but he shook his head.
“Put your arms under the blankets.Let me take care of you,” he said.
When she immediately obeyed, he tipped the bottle up so she could drink.
A few minutes later, King approached the back of the ambulance.“Fire’s out.Looks like it started at her neighbor’s place.Smoke damage is pretty bad on her side, but no structural damage from what we can see.She’s not going to be able to go back in there for a week or so until the super gets a restoration company to come out and clean everything.”
Doc nodded.He had no intention of letting her go back in there anyway.At least not for a few days.
“I have nowhere to go.I have to go back inside,” she whimpered, her eyes wet.
“You can’t, baby.There’s too much smoke.Breathing it is unsafe.The entire building will have to be cleaned by professionals,” Doc said softly.
When her bottom lip trembled, he felt like an asshole for having to tell her no.
“Tell me what you need out of there.Give me a list, and we’ll get it for you,” King said.
“I don’t have anywhere to go,” she said as tears started running down her cheeks.
Doc couldn’t stop himself from reaching out to pull her to him.He wrapped his arms around her.“You’ll come home with me and let me take care of you.”
He felt her tense, but he wouldn’t back down.She’d be safe with him.There were plenty of empty rooms at the clubhouse.She could have a space of her own.Although, he’d prefer it if she stayed with him where he could watch over her and take care of her.
“Tell King what you need,” he said.
She sniffled.“I need clothes.A-and Whiskers.And my medicine.”
When King looked confused, Doc said, “Whiskers is her stuffed kitty.It’s probably on her bed.”
King nodded.“Got it.I’ll be back.”
When they were alone, Doc set her on the stretcher again so he could see her face.“What medication are you on, kitten?”
Her cheeks turned pink, and he realized she was embarrassed.Nope.That wasn’t going to fly.He didn’t give a fuck what she was taking, but she needed to tell him so he could make sure it wasn’t something that would cause problems for her with the added stress of the fire.
“I’m on an anxiety medicine,” she whispered, her gaze averted from his.
Without hesitation, he reached out and cupped her chin so she had to look at him.“There is absolutely no shame in that, kitten.When I got out of the military, I was on anxiety medication for nearly two years.”
Her eyes widened like she couldn’t believe what he’d said.“You needed medicine?But, you’re so…so strong.”
He stroked her cheek.“Baby, just because you need a pill to help balance out the chemicals in your brain does not mean you’re not strong.Our bodies do all sorts of different things and react to our surroundings.Plus, once you add genetics in there, more often than not, things don’t balance.”
“My doctor put me on them after I left Zach.I was so freaked out about leaving the house at first.I was afraid he’d pop up out of nowhere and hurt me,” she said quietly.
She was still embarrassed, and he hated that for her.He would show her there was nothing to be ashamed of.
“That makes sense.When I got out of the military, loud noises got to me.If I heard one, I would get anxious and agitated.The medication helped, plus I went to therapy on top of that.”
His own mental health was usually only something he talked to Gabriel about, but if it would help his girl understand there was absolutely nothing wrong with her, he would tell her everything.
“Thank you.”
