Saved By The Firefighter
Chapter 100

Lucy's Point of View

As I wake up, I stretch out my feet, having turned my alarm off last night when I got back home.

It had taken ages to get home last night. After walking for an hour, we finally were able to flag down a taxi, for the rest of the journey, after taking a few detours due to the evacuation zone. Unable to sleep, I had listened to the local radio to try and gather information on the bomb scare, once it became apparent that nothing had gone 'Bang' and Ben was as safe as he could be, I eventually took myself to bed.

Normally when Ben is on nights, I get up early and make him his big breakfast /supper before he gets into bed for the day. But this morning, I have woken up with a cup of cold tea by the bed, a congealed bacon and mushroom sandwich beside it, which is now inedible. Clearly Ben had made me something, thinking I would wake up soon, and a tinge of guilt washes over me, that we did not get a chance to chat before he slept for the day.

My large, musclebound, hunk of a man is beside me, his arms wrapped around my waist as he softly snores. I turn over, just looking at the face of the man who I love with every last beat of my heart. Gently I stroke the scruff on Ben's face, hoping not to wake him, as he clearly needs the sleep, but a secret selfish part of me, wants him to wake up, so that we can enjoy some Saturday morning, well, almost afternoon, fun.

Ben doesn't stir, so I prize myself out of his hold, a little bit disappointed, but mostly glad he is getting rest. Then getting out of bed, I grab the cold tea and sandwich and head downstairs to dispose of them. Looking at the cold bacon fat that has soaked into the bun is making my stomach turn a little bit. It's nasty!

I head to the living room, curling up on the sofa, putting the TV on, just for background noise and to try and wake me from my still, soporific state.

Picking up my phone, I see a text from Cal, asking where I am. Yeah, it is 11:45 I should have been at his house a couple of hours ago.

Morning, sorry, got home late last night, then listened for news about the scare on the radio. I have just woken up. I will get some food in me then head over. I text him.

My phone pings, and I let out a big yawn, I am still really tired.

Hey sis, Joanne is here already, she said she will make you some food when you get here, if you want. Xxx Cal replies.

I let out a breath, blinking my eyes repeatedly, wishing I could just wake up already. The idea of not making breakfast or brunch is appealing though, so I drop a quick text back telling him I will get ready and be there ASAP.

I peal myself off the sofa, and head back upstairs, then jump into the shower, hoping that will wake me up a bit.

It has been a busy week, running the business in Anders absence. Plus making sure all the staff were okay and ensuring the Maxwell family were not camping outside the office. Thankfully though, since that incident there has been no sight of the pair of them. I cannot help but feel relieved, but I had booked another self defence class with Haley for this evening, with Joanne. Josie is at work, so she cannot come, but after last week, I really want to continue with those classes, just in case.

After washing myself, the shower waking me up slightly, I quickly grab a pair of leggings and a sloppy t-shirt, pulling it on. Then write a quick note to Ben.

Ben,

Thanks for the tea and sandwich, unfortunately I didn't wake up till gone half eleven this morning. Sorry I missed you.

I have gone to Cal's. Your mam is there as well today, then I am heading to my self defence class.

I love you, hope to see you before you go back on shift.

Only three nights to go If I don't see you, Stay safe.

Love always.

Lucy xxx

I place the letter on the bed side table, as Ben continues to snore, then with one last look at his handsome face, which is drooling a little as he sleeps, I giggle slightly, before heading out to go see Cal and the Kids.

As my taxi pulls up, I get in. The driver, is a chatty one, complaining all journey about the money he lost last night, given the city centre was locked down. Apparently, the hoaxer has been arrested, and a guy he works with, knows a guy, who knows the man concerned, and well, he was giving me all the third hand information about the incident. I find myself zoning out, not really listening, still fighting this tiredness. Finally, we arrive at Cal's, and I pay him his money, before wishing him a good day. "AUNTY LUCY!" Kirstie shouts as I walk through the door.

"Hey Kirstie, how is my favourite girl in all the world?" I ask as she rushes forward holding what looks like a giant poo with eyes, giggling like crazy.

"Look what Nana Joanne bought me and Daunte." Kirstie grins, as Joanne giggles behind her.

Kirstie turns around then begins to chase Daunte with it as the pair of them let out squeals of laughter.

"Sorry, but I couldn't resist them." Joanne shrugs, clearly not sorry at all that she had bought the kids fake poo's.

"Hey, are you okay Lucy, you look pale?" Cal asks me.

"Yeah, just tired, could not seem to wake up this morning. I didn't even wake when Ben got in. It has been a long week." I smile.

"I have made us all some lunch, I decided to do a full English with some chips on the side," Joanne grins at me.

"Thanks, I missed breakfast. Ben had made me a sandwich, but by the time I woke up it was cold and congealed so went in the bin." I smile grateful for the offer of food.

We all make our way to the dining table, as Joanne serves us the brunch, but the smell of the bacon after this mornings cold, congealed sandwich doesn't hold its normal attraction, so I offer my two slices to the kids, eating just the sausage and a few of the chunky chips. "So did you speak with Ben this morning?" Joanne asks, looking rather sheepishly at me.

"No, I was asleep, why?" I ask.

Joanne blushes, then shakes her head.

"No reason." She states.

I do not believe there is no reason, not for one second, so I furrow my brows at her, wondering if she had some information regarding last night, that something happened that I do not know about.

"Joanne, there clearly is a reason." I state, concerned that something may had happened with Ben on the shout.

Joanne's blush deepens, then she looks at the kids and Cal before shifting in her seat.

"Ben may have come into Whip-me's office at the wrong time." She tells me, concentrating on her food, her voice barely above a whisper.

I look quizzically at her, tilting my head to one side.

"How do you mean?" I ask, as Cal begins to chuckle beside me.

"Well, I was kind of eating my tea." She says, giving me a pointed look.

"Why would that bother Ben?" I ask, clearly, I am missing something, as Cal's chuckle turns to full on laughter.

"I was eating sausage." Joanne continues, her cheeks now aflame, and still, I am not getting her point.

"Big, sausage." She looks at me her eyes wide, as if to make the point.

I shake my head, still not understanding.

"Lucy, you are not that innocent, I have heard you and Ben in the bedroom." Cal laughs.

I turn to look at my brother, who grabs his own sausage off the plate and thrusts it in and out of his mouth, before biting down on it.

The realisation dawns on me, and wide eyed I look over to Joanne, the nostrils of my nose pinched together, my eyebrows shoot up, and a shocked grin on my face. "Really... Joanne!"

"Look Dante, I am eating my sausage like daddy." Kirstie's little voice shouts to her brother, and I look at her to see her copying what Cal had just done with his, "Oh shit." Cal whispers.

"Just ignore it. If you make a big deal, she will do it all the more." Joanne whispers over the table, as we all try hard not to burst out laughing.

"So, you couldn't wait till Kelvin got home this morning then?" I ask Joanne.

"What can I say, he told me he loves me, introduced me to his daughter and grandson, and I was suddenly... hungry." Joanne shrugs, her usual sense of humour returning. "Poor Ben." I sigh but cannot stop giggling.

"Yeah, he wasn't a happy chappy, but Whip-me tells me they are okay." Joanne smiles.

"Are you not eating your fried egg Lucy?" Cal asks looking at my plate, I have only really managed one sausage and a few chips, I wonder if I am coming down with something.

"No, don't fancy it. I am still exhausted, truth be told." I sigh, passing my plate over to my brother, knowing he will polish it off for me.

"Well, Whip-me and Ben are coming over here around three this afternoon. You have your physical and fitness on Tuesday." Joanne smiles at Cal.

"Yeah, I know, I have been working hard when the kids are at nursery. I am excited for it." Cal grins at Joanne.

"Whip-me is going to bring the full apparatus for you and do an obstacle course in the garden. Apparently, a lot of guys fail when it comes to wearing the kit for the first time, claustrophobia is a thing." Joanne informs him.

I can never repay the kindness all of Ben's work colleagues have shown Cal, and now the station officer is going out of his way to help get him through the second part of his interview process. I think, Joanne needs to reward him in the office a little bit more, and Ben will just have to get over it!

"We also need to make a plan for your training. If you pa*s this next test, there is an intake starting a week come Monday. It is 9-5, the days I am off work I will pick the kids up for you and have them those days. But that leaves three days you are going to need childcare." Joanne tells Cal.

"I know, Kathline recommended the lady she uses, Mel her name is. I rang her and she has reserved some space for the pair of them, just in case." Cal nods his head.

"Great. Does she pick the kids up?" I ask.

"Yes, once they are back at school, but for now she will have them all day. I need to change the nursery now anyway, the old one is to far away. So going to put them into the same school as Andy is in. It has a nursery attached, I can get 30 hours for both of them free." Cal nods. "Cool, you seem on top of everything." I smile with pride at my younger brother.

"I have the forms, just wondering if I should put Samantha down as a point of contact. I don't want to, but she is their mother." Cal sighs.

"Only you can decide Cal, you run the risk of her being able to sign them out of school if you do." I warn him.

"I know, but I don't want to be that Dad, that stops the kids from knowing their mother." Cal shrugs. Clearly not sure what to do about the whole situation.

After we finish the brunch, I help Joanne clean up, as the kids run outside to play on the big playhouse Whip-me and Ben made them in the garden.

I go beck to the living room, my eyes feeling heavy again, as I sit down, I am so damned tired! I close my eyes, just for a little bit, because the truth is, I cannot keep them open.

"Hey sleepy head." Ben's baritone voice wakes me.

"Oh hell, did I fall asleep again?" I ask blinking my eyes open.

"Yeah, the mother said you fell asleep as soon as lunch was over, have been out for the count since." He smiles at me, taking a piece of my hair and placing it behind my ear. I rub my eyes and sit up.

"Sorry, I don't know what is going on, I am so tired." I tell him.

"It has been a busy week. Sorry to wake you, but we did the fitness stuff with Cal, he is a natural. I have to get to work in a hour." Ben smiles at me.

"s**t, what time is it?" I ask, I have seriously lost a full day.

"Half four." Ben tells me as he sits down on the sofa beside me, wrapping his big arm around my shoulder pulling me into his chest before placing a soft kiss on my lips. "Are you feeling, okay?" he asks, concern laced in his tone.

"Yeah, just really tired." I smiled up at him, but then my stomach begins to flip, and not in the way it normally does when Ben is around me.

"s**t, I feel sick." I tell him, then rush off to the bathroom.

Ben follows me, coming in as I sit on the floor hanging over the toilet bowl.

"Sorry." I whisper, as the wave on nausea washes over me, but I don't think I am actually going to vomit.

"Its fine, you are obviously not well." Ben tells me feeling my forehead.

"You don't have a fever though." He smiles at me, looking relieved.

"s**t, I best ring Haley and cancel going to the self-defence class tonight." I sigh.

"Yes, I think you should. I will take you home now, get you tucked up in bed." Ben smiles.

"I can get a taxi, it seems silly to go all the way home, just to turn around and come all the way back over this side of the water." I sigh, not wanting to put him out. "Nope, you are not well, so the least I can do is get you home, tucked up in bed. I will get the mother to ring Haley." Ben tells me, then stands up, helping me off the cold bathroom floor. "Hey guy's I am taking Lucy home, she isn't well." Ben shouts down to Cal, Joanne and Whip-me.

"Okay, feel better soon Lucy." Joanne shouts, as Whip-me nods his head in agreement, crawling around the floor with my niece and nephew on his back pretending he is a horse.

We arrive home, as Ben opens the car door for me, then gathers me into his arms, leading me into the house.

"Come on, straight to bed." He tells me, then lifts me up bridal style taking me to our bedroom, before laying me down and pulling the covers over me.

Sitting on the side of the bed, he watches me, before leaning over and placing a soft kiss on the top of my forehead.

"Sleep, you obviously need it. I will see you in the morning." He whispers softly.

"Thank you." I sigh.

"I will leave you a sandwich in the fridge for if you feel hungry later. I love you." He tells me, before placing a soft kiss on my lips.

"I love you more." I smile at him.

"Impossible. See you in the morning beautiful." Ben grins down at me.

"Stay safe." I whisper to him, before turning onto my side into the foetal position, as once more sleep takes me.