Page 32 of Blazing Hearts

Hours later, the chaos of the site began to wane. The last victims were being loaded into ambulances, and the steady churn of activity was finally giving way to a weary stillness.

Mallory stood near the triage area, leaning against a supply crate. Her body ached, her hands were raw, and her scrubs were caked with dirt. But her mind was a whirlwind, replaying the day’s events, the near-misses, and most of all, the image of Kara rushing headlong into danger.

The sound of boots crunching over gravel pulled her from her thoughts. She looked up to see Kara approaching, her fire gear looking even more battered in the dim light. Her helmet was tucked under one arm, and her face, streaked with soot and exhaustion, was softened by a small, reassuring smile.

“Hey,” Kara said, her voice low and warm. “How’re you holding up?”

Mallory huffed a tired laugh, pushing a strand of hair out of her face. “I think that’s my line.”

Kara stopped a few feet away, her eyes scanning Mallory with a mixture of concern and admiration. “You held your own out here,” she said. “I knew you would.”

The words, simple as they were, hit Mallory harder than she expected. She felt a lump rise in her throat, and she swallowed it down, forcing herself to meet Kara’s gaze.

“You’re incredible, you know that?” Mallory said, her voice quieter now. “What you did back there…”

Kara shrugged, a faint smirk tugging at her lips. “Just doing my job.”

But Mallory shook her head. “No. It’s more than that. You… You risked everything.”

Kara’s expression softened, and for a moment, the weight of her usual confidence seemed to lift. “It’s what we do. And I knew you’d be here, ready to step in if anything went wrong.”

Mallory’s breath caught, her chest tightening as the words sank in. It wasn’t just about the risks Kara took or the lives she saved. It was the trust she had in Mallory, the quiet partnership they’d fallen into without even realizing it.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. The world around them faded, leaving only the crackle of distant radios and the faint hum of engines.

Kara broke the silence with a small, lopsided grin. “I should get back to my team,” she said, her voice laced with fatigue.

Mallory nodded, her throat too tight to respond. She watched as Kara turned and walked away, her stride steady despite the day’s toll.

As Kara disappeared into the crowd of firefighters, Mallory let out a shaky breath. Her heart felt heavier, but not in a way that weighed her down. It was full—overflowing with emotions she was no longer sure she could keep bottled up.

And for the first time in a long time, she didn’t want to.

14

KARA

The firetruck’s siren still echoed faintly in Kara’s ears as she turned onto Mallory’s street, her hands gripping the wheel tighter than usual. The city lights reflected off the windshield, casting flickering shadows across Mallory’s face. She sat silently in the passenger seat, her posture stiff, her gaze fixed out the window.

Kara glanced at her, noticing the way Mallory’s fingers tapped against her thigh in a rhythm that betrayed her unease. It was a small movement, but it felt monumental after the day they’d had. Kara’s heart ached for her—she knew the weight of seeing lives hanging by a thread, the adrenaline that masked the fear, and the exhaustion that seeped in once it was all over.

The radio played softly, filling the silence with the soothing hum of an old jazz tune. Kara let it play, sensing that Mallory wasn’t ready for conversation just yet. The quiet between them wasn’t uncomfortable, though it was heavy with unspoken words, with things Kara wanted to say but couldn’t find the right moment to voice.

When they reached Mallory’s apartment, Kara parked along the curb and cut the engine. The silence was more pronounced now, the hum of the radio replaced by the distant sounds of the city. Kara turned to Mallory, ready to offer a quick goodnight and leave her to process the day in her own space.

But Mallory didn’t move. She sat still, her hands resting in her lap, her eyes fixed on the dashboard as if she were searching for something—courage, maybe, or the right words to break the quiet.

“I, uh…” Mallory’s voice was softer than Kara expected, almost hesitant. She finally turned to face her, and Kara was struck by the vulnerability in her expression. “Do you… want to come in for a drink? Just… to unwind?”

Kara hesitated for a moment, her mind racing through possible outcomes. Mallory’s invitation felt like more than a simple offer—it was a crack in the carefully constructed walls she kept around herself. Kara wasn’t sure what lay on the other side, but she wasn’t about to let fear stop her from finding out.

“Sure,” Kara said, her voice steady despite the flutter in her chest. She climbed out of the car and followed Mallory up the steps to her apartment.

* * *

The warmth of Mallory’s apartment enveloped Kara the moment they stepped inside. It was a stark contrast to the cold, chaotic scene they’d left behind. The space was small but thoughtfully arranged, with cozy furniture, soft lighting, and a few framed photos on the walls. A faint scent of lavender lingered in the air, calming and inviting.

“Make yourself comfortable,” Mallory said, her voice carrying a slight tremor as she slipped off her coat and hung it by the door. She disappeared into the kitchen, leaving Kara alone in the living room.

---