Because hell no, that’s why. Not in this lifetime or any other was he leaving Noah alone in that.
He felt his brother stir and paused on the stairs, tightening his grip in silent warning. Noah might wake up disoriented and struggle, and there wasn’t much room for Wyatt to maneuver here if his hold slipped. He knew Noah would understand, even in his current state.
“Fuck!” His next step sent a stab of pain through his ankle and had him swearing in his head, lips pressed tight together to avoid the smoke surrounding him. “Fuckfuckfuck!”
There was a hole where one of the steps should be, and he’d found it, his booted foot going right through to the base of his calf. It hurt, but he didn’t think anything was broken.
How the hell had he missed that on the way up?
You were thinking about me instead of where your feet were going. As usual.
A groan vibrated against his shoulder as he shifted, careful not to dislodge the mask he’d slipped over Noah’s face to replace his shattered—
Don’t think about it.
“I’ve got you, okay?” He coughed and tried to blink the sting out of his eyes. “Zach isn’t losing his favorite uncle tonight.” Or you.
Noah tapped him on the back once in what he hoped was silent reassurance. As if to say he’d laugh at that if he wasn’t in such bad shape.
Jesus. He’d been actively thinking about anything but the shape Noah was in since he found him. One crisis at a damn time. “Hang on. Foot’s stuck.”
The smoke in the narrow stairwell was getting thicker, swirling in front of the beam of his headlamp. It clawed at his eyes and filled his nostrils, smothering him in darkness. He tried to keep his breaths shallow and his torso still as he worked his boot carefully out of the smaller opening, but with the added weight and cramped location, what should have been easy felt nearly impossible.
There was no time for this. Noah had no time for this. With an impatient grunt he yanked his foot out forcefully, and the discomfort and effort it took to break free of the jagged concrete caused him to suck in a sharp, deep breath.
Just like that, his lungs started to burn.
Hurry, Wyatt. You need to hurry now.
He’d stuck his foot in it. That’s what his brothers would say at his funeral. That’s what he did, which is why he refused to go out like this. He’d be dead and they’d still never let him live it down.
His laugh turned into one long cough that didn’t stop until he’d leaned his free shoulder into the partially wedged door at the bottom and pushed, limping into the main lobby. The smoke billowed out and up behind him, but at least he could see colors and shapes now. Red trucks, flashing lights and yellow jackets. Somewhere out there was an ambulance ready for Noah.
They were so far away. The ringing in his ears was getting louder. With ten steps left, he stumbled at a sudden wave of dizziness that made his guts churn.
Don’t stop. Almost there.
He heard a low rumbling, felt a vibration and his instincts took over. He couldn’t breathe, he was limping badly and everything hurt, but he ran with all he had left. Noah’s weight was slamming into his back and his legs felt like lead, but he couldn’t stop yet.
Run, damn it!
Familiar figures were gesturing and screaming things he couldn’t hear, but he saw the concern etched into their sweat and soot covered faces.
The sound of something collapsing behind him hit his ears as he nearly plowed into the waiting Kadir. He didn’t let himself register the man’s horrified expression when he looked at the body on his shoulder. They were fine. Noah was alive and they were fine.
We did it, Fi. We got him out.
Wyatt saw the captain coming towards him at the same time the weight on his shoulder disappeared, followed by unknown hands jostling him to strip off his helmet and gear.
Panic gnawed at his already shredded throat.
“Noah,” he choked, hacking as he struggled to make his body obey his commands, to turn around and look for his brother. “No.”
Wyatt dropped to his knees when he saw the broad-shouldered Bobby carrying his brother toward the waiting ambulance. “Need—”
“You did what you needed to do, Wyatt.” The captain knelt beside him as another round of coughing made him double over. “Medic!” he shouted over Wyatt, and then an oxygen mask was slipping over his head. “You got him. You hear me? You did that, you crazy son of a bitch. Calm down, son. We’ll take care of him now.”
Kadir bent over, hands on his knees. “He told me to get her out of there. That he was right behind me. What happened?”
Wyatt shook his head at Kadir’s question, grabbing it when the action caused a sharp, piercing pain that had his vision narrowing.