Crossing Lines

My body is killing me. The bleeding inside has finally stopped, but my ribs are a different story. My head has been pounding since I woke up. I’ve been wracking my brain, trying to figure out how I even ended up here.

The last thing I remember was being in a burning house with Macy. I remember fading in and out. I could feel slobber on my neck. At the time, I couldn’t figure out if it was slobber from Macy or blood, but now I know for sure Macy was the one who pulled me out.

I’m so beyond proud of that dog. Only two days ago, she came to the station tired, weak, and barely able to stand. Last night, she ran headfirst into a burning building. It takes guts to do that.

Alyssa had stopped back in after the rest of the station returned to duty. She stayed with me all night. She wanted to keep Macy with me, but the hospital wouldn’t allow it, so Macy went back to the station with the rest of them.

“You missed it, Jordan. Macy dragged you out of the fire. Her whole body was dedicated to it. She didn’t stop until she knew you were clear,” Alyssa said when I came out of the small coma I had been in.

I started to laugh until I couldn’t anymore. The thought of Macy dragging my fat ass out of the house was honestly impressive to me. My smile only grew when Alyssa told me Marcus was about to get fired because the Chief wouldn’t let him go in after me. I’m not sure why that meant so much to me, but it did.

“Are you ready to get out of here?” Robert asked as he walked into the room.

“We’re just waiting on the discharge papers,” Alyssa stated.

My eyes drifted over to Macy as she walked into the room with her head held high.

“Oh, look at you. You’re official, Macy,” I said, looking over at her.

She gave the quietest bark she could muster, careful not to disturb the other patients on the floor. I tapped the bed, and she jumped up, taking her place beside me like she belonged there.

Dr. Hart walked into the room and over to my bed. It took her a moment before she noticed Macy lying on the bed beside me.

“Jordan, you know you can’t have pets in the ICU,” Dr. Hart said.

“No, Dr. Hart. Hospital policy says they must either be a registered emotional support animal or a service animal. Macy here is officially part of the Ashwood Fire Department. She was hired last night after her bravery during the structure fire,” Robert stated.

Dr. Hart rolled her eyes for a moment before turning back to me. She flipped through some papers before speaking again.

“Jordan, your discharge papers are ready to go. However, I’m not comfortable clearing you for full duty yet, so I’m putting you on light duty. Basically, when you get back, you’re at desk work only. No going on calls or lifting heavy shit yet.”

I couldn’t help but mumble under my breath. Macy lifted her head and looked over at me. I simply scratched the top of her head, and she lowered it back down.

The Chief helped me off the hospital bed and into a wheelchair. Alyssa helped me into the SUV while she and Macy sat in the back.

The Chief drove us back to Station 17. They tried to get me back into the damn wheelchair, but I refused. I was going to walk myself into this station regardless of what anyone said.

“I’m back, bitches,” I said as I walked through the station doors.

“There he is,” Sarah said, walking over and pulling me into a hug.

“How was your hospital stay, loser?” Emily asked as she walked over to give me a hug too.

“Oh, you know, quiet and stale compared to the station,” I said, looking over at her.

Emily rolled her eyes before heading back into the kitchen. I sat down at the table while Alyssa, Sarah, Kevin, and Robert joined me.

“Jason and Rachel should be back soon. They went out on a call for a possible heat stroke before you got here,” Kevin said, looking over at me.

“Yeah, no, I get it. It never truly stays still here,” I replied with a genuine smile.

“Especially if you’re on Medic,” Emily chimed in from the sink.

“Hey, where’s Marcus?” Sarah asked.

“Yeah, I don’t know. I haven’t seen him since this morning,” Emily replied.

I pushed myself up from the table and walked down the hallway toward the bunks. I may have just gotten out of the hospital, but my ribs were still killing me.

I heard soft taps behind me. Looking over my shoulder, I saw Macy calmly following along.

I reached my room and pushed the door open.

To my surprise, Marcus was sitting on my bed.

I leaned against the doorframe while Macy walked right in and jumped onto the bed. She spun around a couple of times before settling beside Marcus, resting her head in his lap like she always did.

“Hey,” I finally said.

His head snapped toward me, and a flicker of guilt flashed across his face. He looked like he was about to say something, but his mouth opened and closed a few times before he finally managed to speak.

“I know I’m not supposed to be in here. I’m sorry,” Marcus said as he gently moved Macy’s head so he could stand.

“It’s okay, Marcus,” I replied, stepping further into the room.

A sharp pain shot through my ribs, and I grabbed my stomach instinctively. Marcus immediately jumped up and grabbed my waist to steady me, his grip lingering just a little too long.

The second he realized I was stable, he quickly pulled his hands away and left the room without another word.

I looked over at Macy, who stared back up at me.

“That was weird, right?” I asked her.

Macy simply tilted her head.

I shook my own head, trying to push the image of Marcus touching me out of my thoughts. I slowly walked over to the bed and carefully laid down. Macy immediately curled up beside me, getting comfortable before she started softly snoring.

I stared up at the ceiling for a while, unable to stop thinking about Marcus’s hands on me.

Eventually, exhaustion won, and I drifted off to sleep.

“Hey, Jordan. Dinner’s ready, my guy,” Kevin said.

from outside the door.

I lifted my head and looked toward it. Macy raised her head too, glancing over at me before hopping off the bed.

“How about it, Macy? Should we head down there?” I asked as I carefully pushed myself up.

Macy immediately started toward the doorway. I opened the door, and she went prancing down the hallway toward the dining room. I followed much more slowly. I couldn’t wait for my ribs to stop hurting. They were absolutely killing me.

When I walked into the dining room, everyone was already sitting at the table. I grabbed a couple of stuffed peppers from the counter before making my way over.

As I walked toward the table, I caught a glimpse of Marcus down in the bays below. I slowly moved over to the balcony railing and looked down at him.

Alyssa walked up behind me and gently placed a hand on my back to let me know she was there.

“He’s been beating himself up ever since you got hurt,” Alyssa said quietly as she looked down toward Marcus.

“Why?” I asked.

“You know he fought with Chief Robert to the point that he almost got fired at the house fire, right?” Alyssa asked.

“Yeah,” I replied, glancing over at her.

“Marcus was about to run back into the fire after the abort was called. Chief Robert pulled him back right as another section of the ceiling collapsed. Marcus fought with him because he wouldn’t let him go in after you,” Alyssa explained.

“So why’s he beating himself up then?” I asked, looking back down at Marcus.

“I think it’s because you were in there alone, and he couldn’t do anything about it,” Alyssa said softly.

“Hm,” I muttered.

Alyssa headed back to the table while I slowly made my way downstairs toward the bays.

Marcus grabbed his gear and stepped outside onto the training platform. He picked up the jaws and started working on a practice car the department had gotten for drills.

“Hey, you okay?” I asked after he finally set the jaws down.

“Yeah, I’m good. Why?” Marcus asked.

“Alyssa mentioned you’ve been having a hard time since the fire,” I said casually.

“I’m good,” Marcus replied, turning his attention back to the car.

“You know it’s not your fault, right?” I asked, watching him carefully now.

“Yeah, it is,” Marcus said as he looked over at me.

“It’s not, Marcus,” I said, stepping closer.

“You were my partner, and I left you in there.” His voice was rougher now, harder to control.

“Marcus, you left to get a fourteen-year-old boy to the medics. You did your job. My accident is on me. It’s my fault for not paying attention to the ceiling. Not yours. And not the Chief’s,” I said as I stepped even closer to him.

We stood close enough that I could feel the heat radiating off him. Even through his gear, I could smell the mix of smoke, oak, and cedarwood clinging to him. It was enough to drive me insane.

I had to keep myself under control around him. The last thing I ever wanted was to make him uncomfortable.

Marcus was the first to pull away.

He grabbed the jaws and walked back into the station without another word.

Jordan lingered outside for another minute after Marcus disappeared through the bay doors. The cool night air should’ve helped, but his ribs still ached beneath his shirt. Eventually, he forced himself back inside.

He skipped the kitchen.

Skipped the day room.

Skipped the questions he knew everyone wanted to ask.

Instead, he headed straight for his bunk room and shut the door behind him. The silence settled heavily around him.

Jordan sat on the edge of the bed, resting his elbows on his knees as he carefully pressed a hand against his ribs.

The bruising had mostly faded, but the deeper pain still lingered—sharp enough to remind him he shouldn’t even be back on shift yet.

About an hour passed before he heard scratching at the door.

“Macy,” he muttered.

Jordan pushed himself upright with a quiet groan before opening the door just enough for her to slip inside. The boxer immediately jumped onto the bed, circling twice before settling into the blankets.

Jordan shut the door and leaned against it for a moment.

“Ah, Macy…” he said softly. “I’m not really sure what to do here, girl.”

Macy simply stared at him with those wide brown eyes.

Jordan let out a tired laugh before sitting down beside her on the bed. His hand absentmindedly rubbed along the back of her vest while his mind drifted back to the training yard.

To Marcus standing too close.

To the warmth radiating off his bunker gear.

To the way Marcus looked at him like he was terrified Jordan would fall apart right in front of him.

Jordan swallowed hard and stared down at the floor.

That was the problem.

Because part of him wanted Marcus to stay close.