Watch What Burns

by Kirsty-Anne Still

  “I’m going to get them help now,” Tyler told Alice, trying to console her a little momentarily.

  “Gracie, go into the den and do some drawing, okay, Honey?” Austin asked her daughter as she knelt down. “I’ll come and get you in a moment.” Austin watched as Grace just nodded and headed into the room that was solely hers and went over to her small drawing table. She sat with Alice after that, keeping close, letting Tyler take over what was going to happen.

  “Yeah, I need back up,” Tyler said into the phone and began to leave the room. “And an ambulance.”

  Austin swallowed the lump in her throat as she heard him say her brother’s address and she turned her attention to Alice. “Honey, you need to calm down. Tyler is sorting this. Cassie and Sienna will be fine.”

  “She had a gun, Austin,” Alice continued to sob, her fear in overdrive. “She had a gun pointed directly at Sienna.”

  Austin immediately sent a silent prayer, but she kept herself outwardly calm. “I know, but we can’t panic. We don’t know what’s going on. Sienna, well, she’s good at self-preservation. She can handle the situation until help arrives.” Austin was trying to rationalize her mind, try as she might to help Alice and herself in one swift move. When Tyler came out, she looked over to him and saw the dire look on his face.

  “I’m going over there,” Tyler warned, his voice was feral as he spoke. He then raced towards the study, ready to grab his gun. He was stopped by Austin’s hand grabbing his wrist and turning him to her.

  “You can’t,” Austin cried at him, her voice catching with an element of fear. “I can’t risk you being hurt.”

  “But I can’t sit here and twiddle my thumbs. I know it’s scary, but that’s our sisters over there, Aus. I wouldn’t be a good cop if I didn’t go over there and help.”

  “You’re too involved,” Austin admonished, trying to find a good reason to stop him from playing hero, but there were none. She wanted their sisters safe as much as he did. She allowed her shoulders to sag as she admitted quick defeat in the silence of her mind. “I don’t want you doing anything stupid.”

  “I won’t,” Tyler fought back, not backing down. His adrenaline was fuelling him now. “I will be back,” he said going to the gun safe in the corner. “Tom is on standby at the hospital, our fathers will be over as soon as possible, but for now I want you to be the voice of reason. You’re the one that’s been strong this entire time, Austin.”

  “That was until she had my sister at gunpoint!” Austin lost it in that moment. “I don’t even know if she’s okay. Or Cass.”

  “Which is why I’m going down there,” Tyler told her and tucked his gun into the back of his waistband. He closed the safe, locking it tight before heading out of the room. “Keep the lights off and keep the house quiet. I don’t want you to draw attention to the house. If anything happens, keep down and hide.” He kissed her forehead, “Do you hear me?” he asked her, and watched her nod her head slowly. “I love you, Austin. I’m going to go and make sure our family is safe.”

  “Okay,” Austin managed, the lump in her throat harder to swallow. She was terrified to let Tyler out of her sight, but she knew he had to do this. He would not feel like a failure at protecting his family. She didn’t say anything else, just followed him to the door as he rushed out, telling her to lock it. She knew he had a key and would let himself in when he came back.

  Closing the door, she turned the lock and rested her head against the wood. She closed her eyes and cursed Natasha for doing this to them. They were all going to reach their breaking points and unravel before long and she also hated not knowing if her family were hurt or not.

  “Mommy?” Grace called out from behind her.

  Turning around, Austin came face to face with the innocence of her daughter as she stood in front of her mother in her pajamas, teddy and blanket in hands, looking for what was going on.

  “Hey, baby girl,” she whispered and rushed forward, scooping Grace up. “We need to get you to sleep again. Daddy’s just gone to see Auntie Sienna and Cassie.”

  “Are they okay?” Grace asked, staring intently at her mother.

  Austin nodded, biting on a lie. “They’re more than okay, baby, but if you want to see them, you need to sleep.”

  “Oka,” Grace mumbled, laying her head to mother’s chest.

  Going into the living room, Austin reached down to Alice as she walked passed her before sitting on the couch, laying Grace on her lap and covering her with her blanket. Rocking her gently, Austin was thankful when Grace fell asleep almost instantly. Now she just had to help Alice.

  “They’ll be okay,” Austin whispered at Alice who just nodded. “They have to be.”

  “I only went to the bathroom. I heard someone screaming at Sienna about you, Austin. When Sienna saw me, she told me to run. I heard gunshots and bullets hit the wall behind me, but I didn’t stop.”

  “And I’m so glad you didn’t,” Austin replied, more than happy to know that Alice listened to her sister and just ran for help. “If you hadn’t, you all would have been stuck in that house with no help coming. You’ve probably saved them both.”

  Alice nodded, but dissolved into a new flood of tears. “God, I hope you’re right.”

  “I am,” Austin said sarcastically, trying to weaken Alice’s emotional state and help her calm. “My brother’s waiting at the hospital. When we can, we’re getting you checked out.”

  “I’m fine,” Alice waved off the worry and didn’t feel the need to take up hospital time. “Not like I’ve been hurt.”

  “It’s called shock, Ally,” Austin responded, moving a little in her seat. “You’re going.”

  “Okay,” Alice gave in, and allowed the silence to settle, but she was finding it hard. She felt concern attack her, consuming her wholly. It seemed that Austin noticed as she felt her take her hand and give it a reassuring grip.

  Suddenly the sound of glass smashing came from behind them, and Austin jumped so harshly it startled Grace from her light slumber. The sound of three more windows breaking in the kitchen shattered behind them. Austin and Alice looked at one another, only the moonlight silhouetting their panicked expressions.

  “Get down,” Austin ordered Alice, climbing down onto the floor with Grace. She held her daughter’s face close to her chest. “Baby, you need to be quiet for me.” She felt Grace only breakdown more. “Shh, Sweetheart, think about when we play hide and seek from Uncle Tom, you’re so good and quiet. Do that for me. Daddy’s coming back, he’s going to find us if you keep making all this noise isn’t he?”

  Grace nodded; crying quieter into her mother’s shielding body.

  As more glass shattered, Austin began to panic thinking this would be it. Her mind screamed at her to get Grace and Alice upstairs and hiding, but she couldn’t move. She just held on tightly to her daughter, and curled in tighter to Alice. If she moved, she didn’t want to know what could happen. There was no way she could assume this was anyone else, but Natasha, and if she was right, then she knew Natasha was wielding a loaded gun.

  “Mommy,” Grace cried, as she tried curling into her mother’s body even more than she had, the terror racking her tiny body with endless shakes.

  “Shh,” Austin tried to calm her daughter, but a tear slipped down her face, knowing she was unarmed and unable to save her daughter if Natasha got into the house. “We’re all okay, baby. I know you’re scared, but mommy’s here.” She whispered at her daughter, only wishing she could believe her words herself.

  The next thing she heard imprinted so far into her brain it sent shivers down her spine.

  “I’m coming for you,” Natasha’s voice sliced into the air, the house falling silent thereafter.

  Austin just prayed it was a trick of her mind, but the noise of fear that escaped Alice told her it wasn’t her imagination this time. As the door opened, the noise of it hitting the wall behind it, Austin’s panic went into overdrive. She squeezed her eyes tighter, her body shielding her daug
hter more. She didn’t want to open her eyes and allow Natasha to see the fear she was feeling. She wouldn’t let her revel in that.

  “Aus,” Tyler’s voice penetrated the dead air around them.

  “Ally,” Nicolas’ voice reverberated after Tyler’s and movement drew closer.

  Austin uncurled, looking from her husband to her father and realizing they were now safe. It was then she just broke down, kissing her daughter’s head knowing they were now safe and able to feel that way.

  Dropping to his knees, Tyler cupped his wife’s face, her tears spreading beneath his palms as he forced her to look at him, Nicolas going to comfort Alice while he did so. “I’m here,” he said, and released her face. “You’re safe,” Tyler told them, rushing straight to wrap his arms around his wife and daughter. “You’re safe. I promise you.”

  Chapter Twenty

  AUSTIN laid her head onto her husband’s shoulder as she closed her eyes. It had been hours since they had arrived at the hospital, and the only thing she knew was her sister was in surgery to stem the bleed to her leg and remove the bullet.

  Hearing his wife sniffling beside him, he decided to break the silence that had descended upon them. “Sunny,” Tyler commented, forcing her to sit up.

  “This is my fault, Tyler.” Austin dipped her head, unable to look at her husband. She was scared if she did, she would see the one thing that terrified her - the bare truth. “You heard Alice. She was trying to find me so she used Sienna to do so.” As she felt her husband lean in to comfort her, Austin pushed him away, the tears falling in droplets down her face. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. Fear, guilt, and hopelessness consumed her and realizing everyone’s eyes were on her, watching her, she was up and out of the waiting room. The moment the doors closed and she was safely tucked away around a corner, Austin sunk to the floor, only breaking completely the moment she hit the ground.

  “Aus,” Tyler’s voice followed her as he found her instantly.

  “I just want to know why this happening,” Austin pleaded, unable to make sense of any of this. “I don’t know why she can’t just leave it be. I am trying to keep my head on straight and not be like this, but tonight has me terrified. I don’t want Natasha to win. I don’t want to be beaten by her.”

  “You won’t be,” Tyler told her and watched her snort at his comment. Tyler sat with her, his back to the wall, his shoulder pressing against her as he spoke. “You are one of the most caring, loving women in this damn town, Austin, and you’re strong and vigorously courageous when you want to be, but stop trying to be the hero. Stop trying to be the strong one who then feels like they fail when they cry over things that scare them. It doesn’t make you any less brave or weak in comparison. It makes you human.” He turned his head and saw her staring at him, her gaze intently fixed upon him. “It makes you my wife.”

  “I just feel so guilty,” Austin admitted feebly.

  “Why?” Tyler asked, turning on his side so he could get the right affect with what he was about to say. “Because somebody we both were involved with in the past decided they were going to be vindictive and evil and try for something that will never ultimately happen? Aus, this isn’t down to you. You didn’t set out on purpose and make Natasha who she is. She did that a long time ago when she set us against one another, enough for you to run and me to be blind to my responsibilities. Shall I let you in on a little secret?”

  “What’s that?” she asked him, wondering where this could be going.

  “We’re not the same people anymore,” Tyler told her, smirking a little. “We aren’t the Austin and Tyler that were madly in love all the way through our childhood, and we certainly aren’t the couple that first got engaged.”

  “Not really a secret,” Austin grumbled to her husband sarcastically.

  “I know,” he agreed, nodding his head swiftly. “You just seem to forget that important part. You and I, Aus, we’re better than we first were as a couple. We’re wiser, more in love, happier, and I think that’s because we were broken for some time of our lives. Perfection is this, Austin. This life had broken us down and built us back up, and right now, with what happened to Cassie and Sienna, we’re going to become a much tighter knit family.”

  “Any tighter and we’ll be living together under one roof,” Austin joked, making Tyler laugh at her wit. “Ty?” she asked and looked at him, “Can you promise me one thing?”

  “Anything,” Tyler told her, prompting her to carry on.

  “Do you promise to be here, whatever?” she asked him, and watched him nod. “Promise me that whatever happens you’ll be here by my side, fighting for me, and keeping me strong when I feel like breaking down. Can you do that, Ty?”

  “I’ve been doing it for the past three years, Sunny, I intend to do it for the rest of my life,” he admitted gently, leaning in to kiss her. “Whatever happens, you and I will always have each other.”

  “What about loving me when I ugly cry like I have been?” she asked, teasing him.

  “I’ve done that your entire life,” he mocked her, earning himself a back handed slap across his chest. “I think I can definitely do that for a little while longer,” Tyler smiled at her, putting his hand out for her. “Now, you ready to go back?”

  “I think so,” Austin replied, trusting him to keep her standing until she found her fight again. She allowed Tyler to pull her to her feet and take her back into the waiting room feeling a lot less guilty and a lot less like the whole world was riding on her shoulders. Walking back through the doors, everyone looked at Austin and she smiled bravely, but as she went to talk, Tom came towards them and she was grateful all of the attention was taken off her and applied to her brother.

  “You look exhausted, son,” Nicolas stepped in, concerned about how much more his son would be able to take in one shift.

  “I am,” he laughed weakly at the stance.

  “Tom, you need a break,” Austin stepped in, also worried at how exhausted Tom looked.

  Offering his sister a small smile, he acknowledged her bid, but waved it off. “I’m fine. I won’t be sitting down until Sienna is out of surgery and the doctor can say she’s not critical. Then I’ll be going home,” he paused and thought about his home now before restarting. “I’ll be going to mom and dad’s with you two,” he stated, and offered a weak smile.

  “I guess mom and dad have a full house,” Austin commented nonchalantly. She allowed Tyler to put his arm around her and hold her tight, remembering how they had commented on their house not being safe due to Natasha’s vandalism and verbal taunting.

  “It’ll be fun,” Tom stated and looked to Tanya and James and offered them a short smile. “I’m going to see if Cassie is up for you guys. Then I’ll come back down here for you.”

  “Thank you,” they both spoke in unison.

  Waiting on him to leave, Tyler turned to his parents. “She’ll lap up the attention she’ll get from this,” he joked and saw his father smile, while his mother shot him a look to calm it. “Look mom, you can’t keep panicking over this. You heard Tom, there’s no major damage. I would take a slight skull fracture over a bleed on the brain or a-”

  “Or a bullet,” Austin quipped dryly, cutting in over her husband as she stood thinking about her sister’s untold future.

  “Austin,” Tyler snapped at her, trying to make her see. “They’re both going to be fine. Why can’t you just see that?”

  “I just want to see her,” Austin mumbled, and hated herself for being so weak and miserable.

  “Well you can do that soon,” Tom spoke, having walked in to hear his sister’s current emotional crisis. “You can come through in a bit to see her for yourself, but right now, Tanya, James, Cassie’s waiting on seeing some people,” Tom broke the moment, and saw the intensity in the room quickly disband. Even though everyone was on tenterhooks over Sienna, knowing Cassie was okay was making this situation easier to handle. Tom then smiled; knowing how to make sure everyone really was okay. “Sienna’s just b
eing brought up to recovery, we can go up there when she’s woken up a bit more,” Tom told his parents and siblings.

  “But she’s okay?” Jane asked, stepping in towards her son, holding onto her husband for dear life.

  “She’s more than okay. The doctor told me she was stable and her stats were good,” Tom told them and knew he would need to get more information before coming back to his family. “For now, who’s coming to see Cassie? She’s asking for people,” he spoke and offered a small smile.

  “Tyler?” James asked his son as he noticed him holding back.

  “I’ll be through in a moment, I’m just going to talk to Aus quickly,” he said and immediately felt grateful his father understood. Tyler settled as his parents ran off in the direction of Cassie’s room. Tyler, however, turned back to his wife and sat back down on the chair. He reached out and took her hand in his, letting her know he was there and waiting for her to just cave.

  A few moments passed before Austin took the silent gesture and opened up to him.

  “Our life is meant to be simple. We meet, we fall in love. We get married, have the family everyone wants and live happily ever after. It’s supposed to be that simple, Tyler.” Austin’s eyes were watering, her lip beginning to tremble. “It’s not meant to be full of deceit and hurt. There’s not meant to be heartache and fires, and crazy ex’s and hostage situations, and gunshot wounds!” She closed her eyes, allowed her head to bow and gave herself to a weakened emotion. “It’s not how it’s supposed to happen,” she whispered, her voice wracked and heavy with an emotional onslaught.

  Tyler wouldn’t settle for this. He placed his hand to her chin and gently lifted her head back so he could look her in the eyes as he spoke. “Don’t start that. I know that right now we’re all worried and scared. We’re all trying to make it day to day, but I know we will make it through this.” He leaned in, his eyes level with hers as he continued. “I always promised you that fairytale life, and even though we’ve had our moments, I’m pretty sure I’m living out my happily ever after. I dreamt every night of you coming back, don’t you think for one moment that now I’ve had you back this long, I’m going to walk out and bail on growing old with you.”