The Rain: The End by Marietta Standlee (good summer reads TXT) 📕

correct, which doesn't help explain anything to Jacky.

I take pity on her. "Colin shot the bear, and as he fell, his claw got me in the leg."

"Wow, Sean has been telling me stories about you guys, but this…. just wow."

She smiles sweetly. "So what was it this time?"

"Believe it or not, a flying dinosaur." I can't help but grimace as I say the words.

Paton raises an eyebrow, "Really? What kind?"

Amused I smirk at him; he sounds like the Professor and his nerds. "I don't know; it wouldn't hold still long enough for me to ask or take a picture."

Jacky giggles and Paton looks at me between narrowed eyes. "You're pulling my leg."

Suddenly more sobered, I say, "I wish I was. One of them took Caren. I have some pilots out looking for her, but I don't have much hope of finding her."

A moment of silence follows before Paton asks what happened to Colin. This time I do have to grin, though. "He got flattened by the bird that hurt me."

He starts to stitch me up. "Jacky, do you think you can find a top for Vivian here? I'm afraid hers is all in tatters."

"Of course. Give me just a minute." Jacky almost runs out of the room.

"Sweet girl," I remark.

"Yes, she is." He agrees.

"How are the kids?" I ask.

"Lulu and Doug?" His whole face lights up at the mention of his newly adopted kids. "They're awesome. Nikki is over the moon. She raided the warehouse for stuff for them; I don't think your friend Maggie was very happy with her."

I smile. So, Maggie is still in charge of all our goods; I feel bad for not being a better friend and already knowing this.

"All done," Paton announces, just as Jacky comes back in with a bright pink shirt.

"Sorry, this is all I could find." She apologizes.

I take it and smile at her. "It's okay, thank you. And you too, Doctor."

"Anytime, although I'd much rather see you uninjured next time."

"Can't make any promises." I grin, hopping off the examination table.

As I peel off what's left of my old shirt, I notice Jacky blanch. I follow her eyes to my almost naked upper body. "Got shot, here and here." I point at the scars I received on the space station.

"These are from maniacs." I show off the scars on my arm from a knife wound and several old claw marks. "Want to see the scars from the bear?" I offer.

"I'm good." She swallows hard. "I'm glad I'm a nurse and not out there doing what you guys do. Thank you." She takes my uninjured arm and squeezes it. And, in her eyes, I see that she is being sincere.

Now I have to swallow; this is the first time somebody has really thanked me. Not an obligatory thank you, but one that comes straight from the heart. Tears almost burn my eyes, and I impulsively hug her.

"Thank you for helping me get stitched up. Sean is a lucky guy." I thank Paton too, who shows me the way to where he thinks they took Colin.

A few minutes later, I find him sitting up on an examination bed. He smiles when he sees me. "Well, hello there, Pinkie?"

I roll my eyes. "This was the only shirt they could find; how are you feeling?"

"Much better. They got me on morphine, awesome stuff." He grins goofily, making me smile.

I walk around to the other side, where Doctor Pheng is taking care of his arm. "You did a good set Viv; sure you don't want to come work for me?"

"And let you boss me around?" I pretend to consider it for a moment. "No, thank you, though."

Colin smiles lopsidedly. He looks so happy that I step over and give him a kiss. His good arm pulls me closer. "You okay?"

"Better than ever." I laugh. "You?"

"That stuff is wicked; we need more of that." He points towards his I.V. before accusing me, "How come you never administered that for me?"

"I rather see you suffer." I tease before turning towards Doctor Pheng. "When can I take him home?"

"Probably in a few hours, since you guys don't live far away." She smiles, satisfied with her own joke. "Just take the I.V. with you, and I'll make a house call later."

"Wow, Doctor Pheng, two jokes in one sentence." I needle her.

"You guys are rubbing off on me." She admits with a barely suppressed smile.

The door bursts open, and Martin storms in. When his worried eyes find Colin and me, his expression softens. "I heard you got hurt."

"Hi, dad." Colin smiles, still so happy on his drug; it makes me laugh.

"What the hell happened to him?" Martin asks after he takes me into a big bear hug. And for the first time in a long time, I don't mind; it's the opposite; I hug him back with all my might.

"A bird fell on him." I laugh.

"Big Bird," Colin says and thinks it hysterical. He laughs so hard he starts to cry in pain.

"Morphine," I whisper to Martin.

He nods knowingly. "The stuff of legends."

"Well, I'll leave you guys to it. Three hours Viv, if he has no fever and his heart rate doesn't go up, you are good to go." Doctor Pheng advises.

"Awesome," I say and snatch the Sharpie out of her breast pocket before she has a chance to leave.

While Martin takes a seat and talks quietly to Colin, I doodle on his cast. You're so annoying; I love you.

Until I remember shamefaced. "Did you guys find Caren?"

Martin shakes his head sadly. "Not a trace, but we haven't given up yet. The Black Hawks are still out there, and so are several teams searching the surrounding forests."

A strange wave washes over me. It's not guilt, and it's not just sadness, too many mixed feelings war inside of me. It could have been me. If Colin hadn't held me down, it would have been me too. I also feel a great sense of loss. Caren was still so young, just barely sixteen, always