turned out to be the only two that mattered…
Then he and the rest of the team descended one more deck to assess and contain the electrical fire. It was a nasty bitch of a fire, too. Charlie fires always were. And it was already threatening to get out of control. Luckily, no one had been injured here, so after assessing the fire, the extent of the damage, and in consultation with one of the electrical specialists, he made the call to engage the Halon system here, too.
He was just feeling good about getting things under control in relatively short order when another explosion rattled the ship.
What the fuck was that?
The public address system crackled on, announcing the locations of the fires and directing all hands to their stations.
Then DC Central was in his ear with the news that would change his life: there’d been a massive reflash event on the deck above resulting in multiple casualties.
Sean hauled ass up the ladder and through the passageways, the weight of his gear and the air tank on his back making him feel like he was running through molasses. One refrain ran through his mind: Don’t let it be Keaton and Westover.
Oh, Jesus, don’t let it be my guys.
Chapter Sixteen
“No! Nonono…”
The mournful shout jolted Dani awake. Blinking into the darkness, she was disoriented, but then Sean’s pained voice reminded her where she was.
And, oh, God, she’d never heard him in so much pain, not even once after he got hit. His whole body shuddered.
Dani moved closer and laid a hand on Sean’s chest. Beneath her palm, his T-shirt was damp and his heart was pounding so hard it was as if he were running. “Sean,” she said, gently shaking him—which wasn’t easy given how tense every muscle in his body was. “Sean, hey. Wake up.”
“God, no,” he rasped.
The sound of his voice made Dani’s heart ache. In the hospital, she’d written off the bad dream he’d had as being a result of the accident, but this seemed like something else altogether. “Sean, it’s me, Dani. Wake up.”
His head jolted off the pillow. “What? What’s wrong?”
“Hey, it’s okay. You were having a nightmare. I’m sorry I woke you, but it seemed bad.” She couldn’t make out his expression as he dropped his head heavily and scrubbed a hand over his face, but with the other hand he covered hers where it rested on his chest.
On a long sigh, he released a single word, “Fuuuck.”
Dani wasn’t sure whether or not to push, but he’d been there for her earlier in the night when she talked about all her losses—okay, well, not Anthony—but all the rest. She could be here for him for whatever this was. So into the quiet of the room she asked, “Wanna tell me about it?”
A long moment passed before he finally said, “Gimme a sec.” Then he slid off the bed and padded to the bathroom. The light of the bathroom made her realize he still wore his jeans, and then the door clicked shut behind him. It seemed a long time before he returned, now wearing a pair of boxers and a different T-shirt. He sat on the edge of the bed with his head hanging on his shoulders.
Dani hated the defeated cast of his body language. Whatever this was, he needed to fight it. And something inside her said he needed her help to do it. Which was why she closed the distance between them and hugged him from behind, her knees on either side of his hips, her body fitted against his back, her head on his shoulder, and her arms gently wrapped around him. “I’m listening if you need to vomit out whatever that dream was about.”
There was a soft rumble that was almost a chuckle. “Vomit is about right.”
“I’m worried about you. I’d hug you harder but I don’t want to hurt you,” she said, the darkness making it easier to voice the affection she felt towards him. The protectiveness. Exactly when had those feelings started?
“That’s okay. I’ve never been much of a hugger anyway.”
“Oh,” she said, loosening her grip. “Should I—”
“No.” He caught her arms and encouraged her to hug him again. “I like this. It’s not that I’m not into hugs, it’s just that…”
Dani’s belly had a sinking sensation because it seemed like whatever he was trying to say was rough, and she really wanted him to finish that thought.
“I guess it’s just that, well, I didn’t grow up with anyone ever hugging me,