“Sir, she’s coming down!”
Then I heard it. The house was collapsing.
The chief looked over his shoulders at me, as I stared helplessly at the house. I knew what his next call was going to be, and it was going to kill me.
“Get out of there, Danvers.”
At his words, the house started coming down piece by piece. A few moments later, Danvers walked out with no Maddison in hand.
I dropped to my knees. I had no tears in me to cry. I didn’t even make a single sound. All I did was stare as the flames engulfed my world. Ethan placed his hands on my shoulders, as he stood behind me silently.
One single lonely tear traveled down my face. One single lonely tear was the only pain I could communicate. I hung my head, the despair stabbing my heart.
This was why I never wanted to fall in love. This was why I never wanted to place my heart into the hands of another person. I was never meant to fall in love with Maddison Vandlewoods. It had only been a façade but, somewhere along the lines, she took the keys to my heart and set it free.
Even before I knew it, she had been a knight in my life. She had been my peace and my beacon. She had been my salvation and now? She had been robbed from me. Taken away before I could even utter the words ‘I love you.'
“Marcus, look.” Ethan tapped my shoulder, but I kept my head down. I was in no mood for words of comfort. No comfort could give me back Maddison.
“She’s out!” I heard someone yell, and my head snapped up.
Hobbling from the backyard gate was Maddison. She had her hand around her arm, and she was covered in soot, but she was alive.
I sprung to my feet and pushed past everyone to get to her. When she saw me coming, her face scrunched up like she wanted to cry. She lifted her arm, and I swooped her into my arms.
“Thank God,” I whispered into her hair. I held her close to my chest, never wanting to release her. I pulled away from her slightly and captured her lips into mine. She tasted like smoke and dirt, but I didn’t care. She was here and alive.
I pulled away when I heard the paramedics trying to get their way to her, but I was blocking them.
“I love you,” I pecked her lips, “I never want another second to go by without you knowing that I love you. You are every good thing in my life. I don’t care if this all started fake, I love you, Maddison Anderson. You give me hope again. You breathed new life into me. I was only a shell of a person before you came along. I love you.”
“I love you, too,” she said, “I love you so much.”
“This is nice and all, but can we please check her and then you two can continue this conversation on the way to the hospital?”
We chuckled, and I stepped away from her but not too far away. I refused to take my eyes off her just in case she suddenly disappeared.
Once they were satisfied she was stable enough to transport, we ambled into the ambulance. I looked to the door where Lily and Ethan stood.
“We will meet you at the hospital.”
“It’s okay. You don’t have to worry about that. You can come tomorrow. You two get some rest,” Maddison said looking at our friends.
“No, we are coming because my water just broke.” Lily smiled like it was nothing at all. “What an eventful night, am I right?”
Ethan rolled his eyes and grabbed his girlfriend's hand and made their way to their house.
The paramedics closed the doors, and we were off.
The EMT was administering a drip into Maddison, but then she stopped.
“I need to give you something for the pain. Are you pregnant or think you may be pregnant?”
I waited for Maddie to say no, but when her answer was delayed, I looked at her in shock. Her eyes met mine, and she bit down on her lip.
“Surprise,” she said in a weak voice. “This wasn’t how I was planning to tell you, but I guess now is as good a time as any, right?”
Lily had been right; what an eventful night.
“Maddison Anderson, have I told you that I love you?”
“Once or twice before, but I wouldn’t mind hearing it again.”
“I love you and I am already in love with this little human you are creating in your body.”