There was a knock on the hospital room door.

Sookie blinked blearily and raised her head up from her folded arms. Chase's face resolved in front of her, resting peacefully against the pillow. Still no sign of waking, but she would watch over him for years, if she had to. He deserved as much shuteye as a man could manage, now that he was out of the woods—both literally and figuratively.

"Come in, Hank," she called over her shoulder. The door opened, and her brother entered. She had already recognized him by his knock.

"Just wanted to check in on you, Sook. How's the leg?"

"Fine." She winced as she moved it into a better position. "Well, not fine, but not broken, and they have me on some pretty good meds."

"I heard you refused the meds." Hank was always good at catching her in a lie.

"I'm on eight hundred milligrams of Ibuprofen. I'd say that counts for something. I swear, I can't feel a thing." Sookie crossed her arms. "And anyway, I don't want to be compromised if I have to go back up there again."

"Sounds to me like you're grounded for a while," Hank said quietly.

This time, Sookie didn't lie to get him off her back; she nodded slowly, sadly. The Black Hawk was gone, consumed by the inferno. She would have been in deep shit, normally—losing a six-million-dollar piece of government equipment because you were trying to save your lover's life wasn't exactly smiled upon by the Guard—but Frank had been adamant that it wasn't her fault. He had gone to bat for her with maintenance reports flying and fists swinging. She knew the Hawk had been in need of more than a few parts, and Frank cited the delay in getting them paid for and delivered as the reason why they had lost it.

Sookie knew that she would have some people to answer to, of course, but she wasn't overly worried. She would have brought the Black Hawk down again in a heartbeat if it meant prolonging Chase Kingston's life just a little longer.

Hank stood awkwardly for a moment, then indicated Chase's unconscious form. "How's the patient?"

"Good. They stuck an IV in him and got him hydrated. His suit kept him from suffering any serious burns. Still hasn't woken up, but he's sleeping peacefully now. He should be back on the firelines in the next few days."

"Guess he’s earned himself some time off," Hank grunted. "How are you holding up?" His eyes drifted to where Sookie held Chase's hand tightly in hers.

She squeezed it in a small demonstration. She didn't care anymore if her brother knew. "I could be worse," she said. "I'm alive right now because of Chase."

"I know you are," Hank said. "Chase is a good man." He moved closer, and Sookie shifted to face him. He let his hand settle on the back of her chair, and she didn't try to lift it off or push it away. A part of her wanted to reach out and squeeze it, the same way she did Chase's, but she didn't feel ready. Not yet.

But soon.

"I know I have no right to be your protector after having left you," Hank whispered. Sookie's heart lurched a little, but she said nothing. She understood this next moment was imperatively important. "And I know I went a little overboard when I found out about the two of you. I think a part of me—" He struggled for words. Sookie let him. "A part of me was jealous that Chase got through to you before I did. I'm your brother, Sook. I know I made a huge mistake in our past—but I love you, and I miss you, and you grew up on me when my back was turned."

"Don't stop trying," she whispered. "Please."

Hank was silent a long moment. Together, they watched the rhythmic rise and fall of Chase's chest beneath the thin hospital gown. "I won't," Hank said finally. "Anyway, looks like we're both going to be here a while."

"Plenty of time to annoy each other," she said with a wry smile.

Hank's own smile twitched in agreement. His phone buzzed, and he checked the screen. "I gotta head out," he said. "Fire's under control at the moment, but there's a storm coming. Could either help or make the situation worse, depending on whether it rains or blows."

"Let's hope for rain," Sookie said.

Hank nodded. His hand found her shoulder, then, and she leaned her head against the solid length of his arm. Then he withdrew and left. He passed another fireman in the doorway, and stopped to converse a moment.

Sookie turned and saw that it was Landon Brenner, one of the members of the Alaskan squad.

He tipped his cap to her and ambled over. He looked totally exhausted, and Sookie could tell by the pained way he walked that he had been out all night fighting the blaze. The three of them together wore the cologne of campfire.

"How's he doing?" Landon asked her.

"Better. He'll be up and aggravating us all in no time," Sookie assured him.

Landon grinned and gave her a thumbs-up. The nurse assigned to Chase arrived just then, and Sookie turned along with Landon to watch her enter. "Visiting hours are just about over." The nurse's eyes never left Landon's face as she said this.

Sookie glanced from one to the other and couldn't help lifting an eyebrow. "The two of you know each other?"

"We just met." Landon's eyes also lingered on the nurse. Eventually, he pushed his cap back onto his head and nodded to them both. "Have a good night, Sookie—miss. Text me when the princess awakens."

"Will do." Sookie flipped him a wave as he left. When she was alone with the nurse, she said, "I'll take off, too. I just wanted to stay a few more minutes."

"Stay as long as you want to," the pretty nurse reassured her. "No doubt he'll want to see his girlfriend when he wakes up."

It was on the tip of Sookie's tongue to correct the other woman, but she didn't. A part of her thrilled at the omission of the truth. Besides, who was she to say it wasn't true? By the way Chase had been talking before their ordeal, it sounded as if he was ready for something serious. She just nodded her thanks.

The nurse's mouth flexed in sympathy. "These firefighter guys. Always out there chasing danger, huh?"

"Yeah." Sookie chuckled. "I'd say it's his middle name, but his first name really is Chase."

The nurse just smiled and shook her head. "He's lucky. You be sure to tell him that, when he wakes up."

"I will."

The nurse departed, leaving Sookie to watch the door curiously. She couldn't help sensing that there was more to that nurse—and that the other woman had left much unsaid. Sookie vowed to get her name later. For now, she heard weight shifting on the bed. She turned back, pulse tripling its pace when she saw that the patient had finally awoken.

"Is this an angelic visitation? I must be dead." Chase groaned as he tried to sit up.

Tears sprang into Sookie's eyes. In that moment, she couldn't care less who might walk in next and see. "That's what you get for being a goddamn hero. Heroes die doing stupid shit like you did all the time."

"Not my fault you're a shitty pilot," Chase croaked.

They stared at one another, and when neither of them could keep a straight face any longer, they burst out laughing. Sookie gave herself over to great gales of laughter that sounded like half-sobs, but she didn't try to repress them, the same way she hadn't tried to hold back her tears at seeing Chase awake. She reached forward and took his hand, and he squeezed her like she was the only life support he needed.

"Hey, we got interrupted before," he said hoarsely. Sookie tried to pass him a glass of water, but he pushed it away obstinately. "I'm not going to be interrupted again. I'm trying to tell you that you lit a fire in me, and it took me over completely. Something poetic like that. The last thing I want right now is water."

"You really want to give this thing a shot?" He had said it before, back inside the Hawk, but Sookie could still scarcely believe she was hearing it. "Even after . . . everything?"

Chase grunted. "I've been through worse."

"Even after everything I said?" she asked dubiously. "I know I don't always have the best way with words, Chase, but I meant it. I value my independence. Now that I've finally found it, I won't ever be able to give it up."

"You think I'd want you to? Besides, you don't owe me a damn thing," he said. "I think I've just fallen a little in love with you. So let me love you, Sookie Logan. That's all."

Sookie sat stunned, but it wasn't because she didn't know what to say to this. Hell, no. She knew exactly what to say to this. "I think I've fallen a little in love with you, too, Chase Kingston."

"Even angels fall sometimes," Chase said. They gazed at one another for a long moment, at a loss for words—but for the first time in her life, Sookie didn't feel lost. She felt like she was exactly where she belonged.

"Yeah?" She broke the spell and raised an eyebrow. "You want to see how devilish this angel can be?"

"You know I do. Push that chair against the door and get over here," was Chase's answer.

"You sure you aren't too injured?" Sookie joked as she tucked the back of the chair beneath the doorknob and drew the curtains.

"Why don't you climb on up and find out?"

It took some careful maneuvering, and more than a few painfully misplaced knees, before she finally sat astride him, naked from the waist down. She moved as he thrust up from the bed, taking his length inside her, marveling and mewling and throwing her head back as his warm hands found the curve of her waist.

Afterward, she climbed off the bed to pull her discarded panties back on. Chase watched her through half-lidded eyes, before he eventually turned from the view to finally take her up on that glass of water. Sookie left the chair stuck under the door as she climbed back into bed with him. "The fire's still spreading, you know," she said as she tucked herself against his side.

"Mmm," Chase hummed into her hair.

Sookie pushed herself up a little to look at him. "You're not worried?"

"No," Chase said. "Not yet. But we both need to get back out there ASAP."

"Just when I thought I finally left Cedar Springs far behind me." Sookie sighed and snuggled back in against him. "Oh well, I guess it isn't so bad. At least if I'm stuck in this town, I'm stuck here with you."

"I'd gladly be stuck wherever you are," Chase agreed as he folded her into his arms.

They may have had their arguments, Sookie thought, but at least that was something they could both agree on.