A Fire That Burns

by Kirsty-Anne Still

  “You don’t need a gun. For one, because you were just a tech, you had us for protection, Liam always made sure of that, and secondly, you don’t believe in guns,” Jessica shot her down and then looked to Jane. “Did you know you raised such a stubborn daughter?”

  “Didn’t raise her like that, she came like it,” Jane teased lovingly. “Do I dare ask what the hell she was up to?”

  “If you don’t ask, I will,” Dean jumped in with an intrigued tone. “Gonna tell, Blondie?”

  Austin rolled her eyes, “Jeez, Dean, you’re seriously gonna start hitting on her with that nickname?”

  Dean nodded with pride.

  “There’s a few stories to tell,” Jessica began and prayed her blush wasn’t as bad as it felt, because at that moment, her cheeks were red hot with embarrassment. She used the excuse of grabbing a chair as a good reason to turn her back on Austin’s brother to get a moment to gather her composure and rid the blush away.

  “In and out of work,” Archie added in and looked wide eyed as Austin shot him a look. “What?” he asked, “Your office supplied insufficient amounts of air or light. Even though you don’t need either of these to survive, they both contri-”

  “Not now, Arch,” Austin groaned, she could feel a lecture coming on from all different angles. “I went out when you guys asked, and worked when I was needed to. I got air, I got light, and I got company. All was right in the world. No mischief making.”

  “Ah, so you did get some free time then, Sunny,” Tyler dropped in as he leaned in towards her.

  Jessica laughed and looked at Archie, “When she was dragged out.”

  Austin shook her head as everyone gave her a pointed look and then looked out of the doorway, passed her brother and felt her eyes bulge a little. “Is that Emma?” Austin asked as she saw someone running through the corridor, her almost raven like hair swaying back and forth. She knew she was tired, but even her mind wouldn’t hallucinate that type of thing.

  “Ooh! She made it!” Jessica exclaimed. She rose to her feet and went to rush out past Dean and Sienna as Austin spoke.

  “I’m guessing that’s a yes?” Austin asked with slick sarcasm. “Seriously, how did you three get away from work? I mean, how did the Ice Queen authorize this?”

  “We had Liam on hand,” Jessica winked and then left the room to go get Emma.

  “Really?” Austin asked Archie and he nodded at her. “And she just rolled over and listened?”

  Shrugging, Archie smiled, “You hit a soft spot with the bureau and other teams took our cases. Apparently, the team exceeded expectations when they appointed you as our lead TA. People want to know where you disappeared too.”

  Austin laughed, “I highly doubt that.” She then looked to the door to see what was keeping the pair, and saw them talking. “So does that mean Liam and Michael will be coming?” Austin had to gulp; she worked in a team of five other people that had helped make living day to day easier but now they were finding a new Austin.

  “They were briefing other teams and then flying out,” Archie told her with a self assured tone. “Michael said he wasn’t coming just yet. Not until he was wanted here.”

  “Right,” Austin responded and looked towards the doorway as Jessica came back in with Emma tailing her.

  Walking in, Emma scanned the room, more a comforting move than anything else. Her career within the FBI had taught her multiple bad habits and reading anyone and everyone was one of them. She then rested her eyes onto Austin and felt her heart race. She hadn’t expected this when she received the text to tell her they were at the hospital. She had, admittedly, expected worse – more of a worst-case scenario, insane moment than anything – and then she had rationalized and remembered how calm Jessica was. However, she hadn’t expected to see Austin quite so pale with her arm bandaged tight and the minor scrape to her forehead.

  “So you finally turned up then, eh Parker?” Austin teased sternly, putting on a front for the moment. She loved how in the last couple of days she had felt like her. “Way after the other two. Shows me exactly where I am in your list of priorities.”

  “Bite me,” Emma quipped back at Austin, then melted into a smile as she looked at the woman who had swept into her life and then left, leaving a void. “God, I’ve missed you, Aussie!”

  “It’s good to know, EP!” Austin chimed at her friend, “Now will you wipe the worry off of your face please?”

  “I don’t think I can at the moment,” Emma responded, “You leave and this happens. This is worse than anything before.”

  “Worse than anything before?” Tyler jumped in, casting worried glances between Austin’s family.

  “What the hell does that mean?” Nicolas interjected with concern.

  “Can we do this another day?” Austin asked putting her hand on Tyler’s, “I mean, when I’m more awake and not as high as a kite.”

  “We can,” Tom confirmed, “But for tonight they can tell us the details.”

  Austin groaned and caved, “I got into some sticky situations.”

  “Like?” Tyler pressed, his eyes watching Austin. “If I find out you did something stupid, Sunny, I swear to God I’ll...”

  “What?” She asked him and began to smirk, “Spank me?”

  “Let’s not get into your bedroom antics here,” Tom stopped them with a short chuckle.

  “So,” Dean probed, his curiosity getting the better of him and he didn’t want to know where that conversation would end up. “What did Austin do so much of?” he cast a glance to Austin as she shot him a wayward look, “What? I’m curious as to what you’ve done.”

  “Well,” Emma began and turned to Dean, “She negotiated with our suspects, worked until she was dog sick, hacked too much, building computer programs on the sidelines,” Emma started to countdown off of her fingers.

  “Not to mention going completely ballistic over some things she found during cases and near enough cracking up,” Jessica joined in with Emma’s count down.

  “If you two don’t stop, you won’t need to worry about me cracking up,” Austin so kindly told the pair. “I have enough of my family making sure I’m doing what I should be and not getting up to mischief without them knowing what the last year or so of my life entailed.”

  “Aus, you’re one of the FBI’s best hackers, they need to know you’re dangerous,” Emma dropped in, giving her friend a twisted grin to show she meant this friendly.

  “You’re enjoying this aren’t you?” Austin asked, her voice becoming a dying moan, “Plus I am not dangerous, just, erm, talented. Like my brother, Daniel, is. He’s the guy that taught me.”

  “Well for now, this is about you and your talent. You were in such high demand, hell, every agency wanted you,” Emma told her truthfully, “Well, except the CIA, they’re just scared of you, you little threat.”

  “I don’t think they classify knowing your way round a computer a talent,” Archie suddenly piped up. “Talents are usually conducive in the forms of sciences, or arts. Computer management is more an acquired skill or not.”

  “Arch, who is it that can fix a computer in like ten seconds flat?” Jessica asked Archie with a smirk, “Who can hack into someone’s computer in an entirely different state and not even leave a trail?” She continued to ask, and when she got no response, she looked back, “Prove a point?”

  Tyler looked from the pair and at Austin who was quiet, “You’re blushing, Baby,” Tyler observed as he saw the pink strike out against her pale complexion.

  “Of course I am!” she said a little exasperatedly, “You don’t need to hear this.”

  “And why not?” Nicolas asked, “I like knowing that you’re fully capable to do something quite... unique, whereas your brother over there can barely fix a computer without electrocuting himself.”

  “Hey!” Tom defended playfully, “It was one time!”

  Nicolas rolled his eyes as everyone sat around amused, “Anyway, Aussie, you shouldn’t be ashamed of telling us what you�
�ve done with your life. We need to embrace that part of you, and it shows what an impact you’ve made, that three of the people you’ve met there have taken the time to come and find you.” Nicolas continued, “Just because you’ve come back to this life, doesn’t mean you have to forget about another life you made.”

  “We forced her to make it,” Emma pointed out. “Otherwise she would have spent her time working for us, and then going home to be a recluse the rest of the time.” She smiled at the older man, “I’m guessing you’re Nicolas?” she asked assumingly and he nodded, “I thought so. Austin had photos of all of you on her wherever she went.”

  “What about us?” Dean asked defensively, keeping an eye trained on Austin.

  “Oh I had every photo possible out of you guys,” Austin said as she shifted a little to find a comfortable spot. “She was the one that beat everything out of me the first month I was on the team after she saw the photos. Then Jessica quickly followed.”

  “Been thick as thieves ever since,” Emma said almost proudly. “I know right away you’re Tyler,” She said and eyed him over, “So you let my girl back in?”

  “Erm, yeah,” Tyler said a little nervous as he felt on the hot seat all of a sudden.

  “That wasn’t at all convincing,” she scoffed, “Has she told you everything?”

  “I presume she has,” he then swung around to look at Austin, “Is there anything else I should know, Aussie?”

  She shrugged, “It can wait for another day.” She told him and watched as he tried to stare her out, “Really, I’m tired and it’s a rather long story.” She then looked to Emma, “The four on either side of you are my brothers and that’s my mom. So you can be happy that you now know everyone.”

  “Extremely,” she commented and put her hands on the frame of the end of the bed, “Now what the hell happened?”

  “House fire,” Austin told her truthfully, “But its all dandy!”

  “Is that you being honest or just trying to move the attention off of you?” Emma retorted sarcastically as she crossed over her chest.

  “Do I really need to give an answer for that?” Austin asked with a smirk.

  Emma shook her head.

  “Now get a chair or something, you’re making the place look messy.” Austin finalized, proving that she wanted the conversation to really move on.

  It was as the banter became unleashed, that Tyler stalled for a moment and looked over at the three new people in the room. “Don’t talk much do you, Kid?” Tyler teased as he narrowed his vision onto Archie as he sat in the corner out of the way. Chuckling, he shrugged, “I wouldn’t blame ya either if I was stuck with these three. I can barely keep up with one, let alone three. They must be a handful.”

  “Is it okay to hit him?” Emma asked, her eyes darting from person to person.

  “Feel free, Em,” Austin replied sweetly.

  “Ow!” Tyler said as Emma swatted him and then watched as Tom gave up his seat for Emma. “I was merely commenting! I know that when Austin gets started she just can’t stop talking.”

  “That is true,” Jane dropped in.

  “And I wonder who I learned that from?” Austin quipped at her mother with a knowing smile. “So, why have you really arrived out of the blue?” Austin questioned as she laid back to get completely comfortable. She had wanted to know why they had surprised her with a visit since Jessica and Archie walked into the room.

  “We just missed you,” Jessica responded with a smile.

  “Is that all?” she continued and watched them nod; cocking an eyebrow, she accepted that. “Okay then,” She replied and watched as everyone took part in the conversation around. As she watched them all interact, Austin couldn’t stop herself from feeling like there was more to the trio’s arrival than met the eye. She guessed she would have to wait and see.

  Chapter Forty-Five

  AS they walked up the corridor they saw a sight to behold. Austin was sitting up in the bed, cross legged as Tyler sat opposite her, his back to them, and she was full of smiles as she picked apart a croissant.

  “I don’t know how you manage it, but you do it every time,” Austin chimed away happily, “I wished I’d changed a little so I wasn’t so predictable.”

  “Ahh, I love that I know you,” Tyler told her in a low tone and leaned right in to her. “Just like I love how your weak spot is still behind your ear.”

  “You can’t change where you’re ticklish, Ty!” Austin told him, “It doesn’t work quite like that.”

  “I know that, Sunny, but it means that I know where to get you vulnerable to my will,” Tyler quipped and waggled his eyebrows at her, making her giggle even more.

  “Oh yeah, vulnerable to your will am I?” she questioned him amused and felt the butterflies in her stomach flutter as she remembered just how vulnerable he could get her.

  “Not interrupting are we?” Jane asked as she stood in the doorway watching her daughter and Tyler intently.

  Looking over his shoulder, Tyler quickly chewed and swallowed before speaking, “Not at all. I got breakfast for everyone so I hope you’re hungry.”

  “We already ate,” Jane commented, “I made sure everyone was fed before we left.”

  “I’m still hungry,” Archie commented much to Jane’s dismay.

  Having already seen the boy indulge in two helpings of breakfast and pick for more she was amazed at how skinny he was. He seemed to be an eating machine with the fastest metabolism she had ever seen.

  “I knew you would be, Sweetie,” Austin commented lovingly as she looked at Archie. “Just tuck in. I’ve nearly had enough.”

  “Has she eaten a lot this morning?” Jane asked Tyler caringly. She took her jacket off and went to grab a chair to take a seat next to her daughter’s bed.

  “I can answer my own questions, Mom,” Austin groaned a little, as she looked at her mother smiling teasingly at her. “I’ve eaten the right amount needed for a small army.”

  “Is that true?” she asked Tyler and caught Austin’s death glare. “What? I have to get secondary back up with you, Aussie.”

  Tyler winked at Austin before looking to Jane, “She’s eaten her body weight three times over in food.” He told the older woman with smirk, “I don’t even kid, I couldn’t get her to slow down.”

  “Someone’s trying to get home,” Jessica pointed out as she looked away from Archie shoveling his second helping of breakfast.

  “Of course I am!” Austin chirped happily and smiled brightly. She was ready to get back to some semblance of normal life. She was anxious to heal and start working again. Austin was ready to take back her life completely and work towards her new future with Tyler, and being stuck in this hospital room did not enable her to do that.

  “Well she does have a surprise waiting at home too,” Tyler teased as he casually looked at Austin. He Watched as her face filled with awed shock.

  “What surprise?” Austin quickly asked, her mind a buzz with possibilities.

  “You’ll just have to wait and see, Aussie,” Tyler teased her a little more with a smirk.

  Austin looked to her mom, “Mom?”

  “I’m not saying,” she said with a smile. “Like Tyler said, Baby, you’re going to have to wait and see.”

  “C’mon, what is it?” she asked Tyler again trying not to be excited and huffed at the only thing filled the room.

  Silence. She knew she wasn’t getting that answer for another two days.

  Chapter Forty-Six

  SCRUNCHING her face up, Austin tried to ignore the pain in her body. She didn’t want to admit defeat and that getting changed was a hassle. When she finally caved and let Tyler help her, she was more than a little grateful.

  “Thanks,” she grunted as he helped her stand steady on her feet which allowed her to drop her pajama bottoms and step out of them. She reached around for her bottoms and found Tyler beating her to it. She knew her legs were working, but the idea of bending and stretching was painful at the thought, let al
one the action. Looking at what Tyler had for her to wear, she felt a little emotional as she recognized a pair of his tracksuit bottoms. “Your clothes?” she asked innocently. It had been years, but she still loved the idea of wearing his clothes when she wasn’t feeling one hundred percent herself.

  “I know how you like being in them and I just think they won’t pull as much so you should be more comfortable,” Tyler commented as he waited for her to step into them so he could pull them up. As he did so, his phone rang and he grumbled something incoherent.

  “I’ve got it from here,” Austin told him and smiled. “Take the call.”

  Tyler grabbed his phone out of his pocket and quickly answered it, pacing as he did so. From the look on his face and the way he was talking – work was calling. Not that she was shocked, he had really let his personal life overrun a little, and his presence here had been more than his appearance at the station.

  Putting the phone down, he turned to Austin with a sad, remorseful look.

  “Go,” she told him with an understanding grin. “I’m dressed, well almost, but mom and dad are here. I’ll see you when I’m home later.”

  Tyler approached her, “My hoodie’s in the bag over there, I expect you to wear it.” He told her and kissed her selfishly and ashamedly. He kissed her like this was going to be a long goodbye, when it would be a couple of hours at the most. “I’ll see you later for dinner, baby.”

  “I know you will,” she told him with a smirk. “I’ll save a seat for you next to me.” She then stole a kiss and pushed him away from her, “Now go and let my parents and brother in so I can escape.”

  “Will do. Love you,” he told her, stole one more kiss and left.

  She grabbed the bag, ready to take the hoodie out and replace it with her dirty clothes and toiletries. After nearly three weeks, she was finally getting to go home and could sleep in a big, soft bed with her favorite sheets and quilts. She could sit and watch endless decent TV and enjoy the space of Tom’s house. She put her hand on the hoodie and smiled, she knew that the majority of that – the TV watching, the enjoyment of pure silence, the sleeping – was going to be done with Tyler by her side.