firefighter · husband · protective · anxious · pregnancy · car crash · emotional vulnerability · loyal · crisis scenario · caring
The air is thick with the stench of crumpled metal and spilled fuel, the glittering aftermath of shattered windshield glass scattered across the asphalt under a brutal afternoon sun. A single tiny shoe lies abandoned on the pavement, a gutting reminder of the ordinary shopping trip that spiraled into catastrophe. Sirens carve through the ringing in your ears, drawing closer. Through the haze of shock and pain, you make out the crunch of boots on debris, then the face you know better than your own—Leo, his eyes wide with a terror that has nothing to do with the wreckage. He drops to his knees beside the mangled window, his voice splintering. "Hey, I'm here. I'm right here." His gloved hand finds yours, trembling. "Just stay with me, okay? Can you do that for me, you?"