My hands fly to my mouth. "Oh my god." Tears pour out of my eyes. "No, no, no." I shake my head vigorously, as if doing so will reverse what just happened.

"Lia-"

"He isn't dead." I say, staring at the rubble. "He isn't, he-he can't be."

"Lia-" TK says again.

I look up at him, my vision blurred with tears brimming in my eyes.

"Are the seismic sensors still intact?" I ask.

"Yeah, I-I think so."

That's all I needed. Turning around, I run to where the seismic readers were set up to detect the kids.

I put a set of headphones on, and TK does the same besides me, since he's Blake's Captain.

"Everyone, shut up!" Tara says into her radio. It's silent.

I try to control the tremor in my voice.

"Blake." I shout. "Blake, it's me, it's Lia." Nothing. I'm starting to lose hope. "Blake, please, please say something. Please." I beg. I close my eyes as the tears start pouring out again. I remember everything he said to me before we left. I pull out the ring he gave me. "Look, I should have said it then and there, but I didn't. And, I'm sorry. Blake, I can't live without you either. I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you." I shout into the emptiness. "I'll marry you, just please, come back to me." I beg him. "Please." I whisper again. I bit my bottom lip in a weak attempt to stop crying, but it doesn't work.

"I love you-too-Lia." It comes out as a whisper, but I hear him.
"Blake!" I shout, looking at TK. The look on TK's face tells me that he heard it too. "Blake, hang on, we're coming." I take off my headset. "West side!" I shout to the others.

"Lia, you should stay back." TK stops me from running to the house.

"What? But-"

"Stay here, get checked by Tara. I'll go with the guys to get Blake, okay."

I sigh. "Okay. Just-just get him back, please."

"Don't worry. I will remember to skin him when I do as well." TK jokes.

I chuckle as Tara walks up to me. Putting the ring back into my pocket, I sit down so she can check me out as TK walks towards the West side of the house.

"You gave us all a scare, you know that." Tara says as she checks my blood pressure.

"Yeah, you and me both." I reply.

"So, Blake proposed, huh?"

I blush.

"Yeah."

"The ring's beautiful." Tara says. "That's why you said yes, right?"

"Shut up!" I say, shoving her playfully.

"Tara, get the Ambulance ready!" I hear TK shout, his voice full of worry and urgency.

A few moments later, he and Travis come into view, carrying Blake between them. Blake has a metal rod in his abdomen.

"Blake!" I shout, running up to him.

"Lia." He whispers, opening his eyes.

"Oh my god, what happened?" I ask, crying as they put him on the gurney.

"He came out like this." TK replies as we rush towards the Ambulance.

The guys help load Blake into the back. TK and I hop in after, and Travis closes the door. The moment the doors are shut, Tara starts driving.

"Austin General is ready with a trauma surgeon." Tara informs us.

"What's our ETA?" TK asks as he hooks Blake to a saline drip as well as some blood.

"Twenty minutes max."

"He doesn't have twenty minutes!" I exclaim.

"Get us there faster." TK says, ignoring my outburst.

"Copy that."

"Blake, Blake, please, stay with me." I cry, trying to keep him awake and alert. "Please, talk to me."

"Where do you want the wedding?" He asks with a smile.

I chuckle through my tears. "You still haven't put the ring on my finger yet." I point out.

"Right." He chuckles. "Where is the ring?" He asks, holding his palm out.

I take the ring out of my pocket and place it in his palm.

"Give me your hand." He says. I hold my right hand out, palm faced down. He slowly slides the ring onto my ring finger. The tears flow freely as I look at him. He intertwines our fingers. "I love you Lia." He says.

"I love you." I reply.

"We're here Cap." Tara says as we come to a stop in front of Austin General.

The doors open and the nurses help TK and Tara get Blake out.
"You'll be fine." I whisper to Blake. "I'll be right here. You'll be fine." I say as they roll him into the hospital.

"I love you Lia." he whispers, giving my hand a light squeeze.

"I love you."

"Thank you." He says. "I'm finally a real firefighter." I remember what I had said to him two years ago on his first day here.

"No, no, please, don't say that." I beg him. "Please. I love you." I say as they pull him towards the operating theater, and he's taken away from me.

I fall against TK as I watch Blake be taken into the operating theater.

****

We all wait for Blake to come out of the operating theater. TK called Maddie to tell her what happened, but she was on a flight back to LA today, and didn't pick up. I look up when the surgeon walks out and takes his mask off.

"Who's the patient's next of kin?" He asks.

I stare at him.

Since Maddie isn't here, I stand up.

"Me." I say.

"What are you to the patient, mam?"

"I-I'm his-" I choke, "I'm his fiance."

I see the instant pity in the doctor's eyes. No. No, this can't be happening.

I let out a choked sob.

"No." I whisper.

"I'm so sorry mam."

"Can-can I see him?" I ask.

The doctor nods. "Yes. We need you to sign some papers."

"Okay." I nod and follow the doctor.

"Sign here, please." The doctor points to a line on the paper.

He has me sign in three more places before taking the papers.

"That's it?" I ask.

"Yes. You can see him and collect his clothes."

A nurse leads me through a door. There's a pane of glass separating the room. On the other side is Blake, lying on an operating table. He's dressed in a hospital gown. I stare at him lying there, dead. Tears stream down my cheeks.

"Ma'am."

I wipe my tears and turn to see a nurse holding his clothes. The necklace I gave him for his birthday is neatly placed on top of the clothes. I hold my arms out, palm facing up, and she places the clothes in my hands before leading me out of the room. I stare at the clothes as I walk back into the waiting room where the others are waiting. I try not to cry, to stay strong, but when I look up and see the entire team there, waiting for me, I lose it.

Tears pour out of my eyes. My legs give out before I can make it to one of the chairs, and I fall onto my knees, sobbing as I bury my face in the last clothes that Blake ever wore. Everyone runs up to me in an instant. I cry, knowing that he's gone. Knowing that I will never be able to see him, touch him, kiss him, or hear his voice...ever again.

Well, you all probably wanna kill me now(feel free to, i ain't running anywhere). But, there will be a second book coming up. I still have to finish it, so please, bear with me.

Also, I'm very sorry for not updating sooner. I've just been so busy lately. A lot of stuff has been happening in my life that writing was the last thing on my mind. And I truly apologize for that. I just haven't been myself lately and it's been tough for the past few months, with getting back to school in person, and managing work and life. It's just been so hard. I opened my drive today, and I realized I haven't touched this book in more than a month. So, I decided to upload the last chapter today.

I hope you liked book one, but book two is on its way. I have also been working on another book, With Love..., with my best friend, AwesomeZAS2, and we finished it recently. After the final proofreading stage, I will upload it chapter by chapter to keep the suspense. :)

Anyways, if you read through that rant, thank you so very much. If not, sorry to have wasted your time. Love you all!