Page 31 of Blazing Hearts

As if sensing Mallory’s gaze, Kara straightened and looked over. Their eyes met, and for a moment, the chaos of the scene seemed to fade into the background. Kara walked toward her, her movements deliberate but unhurried.

“You holding up?” Kara asked, her voice rough from shouting over the noise and breathing in smoke.

Mallory nodded, though her body felt like it might collapse if she let herself stop moving. “I’m fine,” she said, though her voice came out weaker than she intended.

Kara’s hand reached out, resting briefly on Mallory’s arm. The touch was light but grounding, like a lifeline in the storm of the moment.

“You’re doing great,” Kara said, her tone softer now, the rough edges smoothed by something almost tender.

Mallory felt her chest tighten, a wave of emotions she didn’t have the time or energy to sort through crashing over her. But what she did feel—clearly and undeniably—was a sense of safety in Kara’s presence.

“Thanks,” Mallory said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Kara squeezed her arm lightly before stepping back. “We’re almost through this,” she said, her eyes searching Mallory’s for something unspoken. “Stay close if you need anything.”

Mallory nodded, unable to find words as Kara turned and walked back toward the wreckage. The moment lingered, warm and steady amid the chaos, and Mallory felt a renewed surge of determination. They weren’t just fighting the aftermath of a disaster; they were building something fragile but real between them.

With a deep breath, Mallory squared her shoulders and turned back to her work, ready to face whatever came next.

* * *

The air was still thick with the acrid smell of smoke when the ground beneath Mallory’s feet gave a sudden, violent tremor. Shouts echoed across the collapse site as debris shifted and groaned under the pressure of an aftershock. Mallory’s heart jumped into her throat as she stumbled, catching herself against a nearby firetruck.

“Kara!”

The name escaped her lips before she could think. Her eyes darted frantically toward the northeast corner of the site where Kara and her team had been working to secure the remaining unstable structure. A sickening crack echoed, and Mallory saw a section of the building crumble, sending a cloud of dust and rubble cascading down.

Amid the chaos, Kara was already moving. She sprinted toward the collapse, her gear clanking as she signaled her team to follow.

“Kara, wait!” Mallory shouted; her voice almost drowned out by the cacophony.

But Kara didn’t stop. She didn’t even hesitate. Her focus was locked on a victim—trapped in the newly fallen debris, their faint cries for help barely audible over the noise.

Mallory’s chest tightened as she watched Kara dive into the unstable structure. It was reckless, dangerous, and exactly what she should have expected from someone like Kara.

“Damn it,” Mallory whispered, gripping her medical bag tightly. She wanted to run after her, to pull her back, but she knew she would only get in the way. Instead, she stood frozen, torn between admiration and fear, her pulse hammering in her ears as seconds stretched into agonizing eternity.

Inside the wreckage, Kara and her team worked with furious efficiency. Mallory could see glimpses of them through the haze—Kara’s strong frame illuminated by flashlight beams as she maneuvered carefully through the rubble.

“Come on,” Mallory whispered, her knuckles white as she clutched the strap of her bag.

Finally, Kara emerged, her arm wrapped protectively around a man who was coughing violently, his face pale and smeared with grime. Kara’s helmet was askew, her face streaked with sweat and soot, and her movements were labored as she half-carried, half-dragged the victim to safety.

Mallory’s legs moved before she realized it, closing the distance between them in a rush.

“Here!” she called to the medics, gesturing for a stretcher. As they took the victim from Kara, Mallory turned her attention to her.

“Kara, are you hurt?” she asked, her voice tight with a mix of urgency and concern.

Kara waved her off, still catching her breath. “I’m fine,” she rasped, her voice rough from smoke inhalation. “Focus on him.”

But Mallory didn’t miss the way Kara winced slightly as she straightened. Her heart twisted, but she let it go for the moment. The victim needed her more.

As Mallory worked to stabilize the man’s breathing, she couldn’t stop her eyes from flickering back to Kara. Even in exhaustion, even bruised and dirtied, Kara stood tall, her presence unshakable.

And Mallory felt something shift inside her—a realization that her fear of letting someone in might pale in comparison to the fear of losing someone like Kara.

* * *

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