21 Ronan

Despite the warm temperatures and the bright sunshine, Ronan felt like a frozen fish stick. He'd been out of the dunk tank for about ten minutes and had changed into dry clothes, but he was still ice cold. He had no idea how many times he'd been dunked. He lost count around forty. Those assholes from the Salem Fire Department were all members of the softball team. A team that had gone undefeated for the last five years.

It was all for a good cause, so Ronan couldn't be too upset, but he was starting to worry that the feeling hadn't come back to his hands yet. He'd grabbed a hot cup of coffee from one of the food trucks and wrapped his frozen fingers around it. He'd wanted to get a deep fried Snickers bar, but was afraid he'd drop it before getting to eat it.

"Hey, Ronan!"

Spencer called out. He was eating a sausage and pepper sandwich and carrying a cup filled with crispy fries. Taking a seat at the table, he set down his food. "I caught your last few dunks in the tank. I'll try my luck later when it's Jude's turn in the chicken suit."

"Don't remind me about the chicken suit."

By the time the Salem Fire Department left the tank, all of Ronan's feathers were floating in the water and he'd lost one of the large orange chicken feet. He was in mourning for the costume, which Tennyson had to peel off of him while Fitzgibbon used a pool strainer to clean out the sodden remains of Ronan's glorious chicken.

"The fundraiser seems to be going well. I went to get one of your kitchen sink cookies and they were all sold out. A lot of the goodies were sold out."

"Yeah, I'm sure the fireman cleaned the place out,"

Ronan grumped. "Everly and I will bake you an entire batch if you like."

"That would be great,"

Spencer agreed.

"What's up next for you?"

Ronan knew there was one condition left to go before Spencer fulfilled the terms of Aunt Effy Lou's will.

"I went to my interview with Carson and Cassie yesterday and I'm starting at the bakery on Monday morning. Cassie was impressed with my baking experience. Carson wants me to come in and shadow him for a few hours so I can see if I like the job."

"That's great news, Spencer. How do you feel about this new way forward for you?"

Spencer smiled at Ronan. "You know, I felt good when I went to bed last night. I wasn't angry or frustrated or guilty. I was just happy. I don't know how to thank you for everything you've done for me."

"Live a good life. That's how you thank me. The sky is the limit for you. Make friends. Get married. Start a family. Your entire future is in your hands."

"Dad!"

Everly shouted, running toward the table. Tennyson and Ezra were behind her. "You're finally dry."

"I am, but I'm still cold. I need a hug to warm me up."

Before Everly could climb into his lap, he scooped her up and gave her a squeeze. His daughter squealed with laughter.

"How's Fitzgibbon doing in the tank?"

Ronan would never say it out loud, but he hoped Fitzgibbon got dunked with every ball thrown.

"All of the people trying to dunk Uncle Fitz missed."

Everly giggled. "Uncle Jude fixed that problem by pressing the bullseye and laughing when Fitz hit the water."

"Jude's gonna pay for that when it's his turn in the tank."

Ronan couldn't wait to personally dunk his best friend over and over again.

"Everyone's having such a great time today,"

Ten said. "I think we should do this again next year. Maybe we could get a petting zoo."

"Daddy, I'm hungry. Can we get some fried dough?"

Everly's eyes glittered. She and Ronan had tried one of the treats when they'd gone to Old Orchard Beach a few weeks ago. It had been love at first taste for the little girl.

"Sure,"

Ten agreed, turning to Ronan. "Can you keep an eye on Ezra while we're gone?"

"I can. Get me a fried Snickers."

Ronan reached into his pocket for his wallet.

Ten waved his money away. "I've got it."

He set Ezzie in Ronan's lap and headed off with Everly, who was skipping.

"In that case I'll have two Snickers!"

Ronan called after them.

"They're great,"

Spencer said, watching Ten and Everly walk away. "You think I could do this? Be a husband and a father?"

"Of course I do,"

Ronan agreed easily. "When I was in my twenties and early thirties all I cared about was myself and my job with the Boston Police. I wouldn't have given Ten a second look if we'd met back then and I definitely didn't want any kids cramping my style."

"What changed for you?"

Spencer asked, sounding genuinely interested in Ronan's answer.

"After a bad break up, I had trouble with alcohol to the point where I had two choices, go to rehab or lose my job. Obviously I went. One of the things I learned there was that none of us can do this alone. We all need help from time to time. When I landed in Cold Case after I finished rehab, Fitzgibbon gave me an unsolvable case, though he didn't tell me that at the time. After working on it for several weeks and getting nowhere, I knew I needed help. That's when I saw an interview with Tennyson on the news after he'd helped to find an abducted child. I reached out to Ten for his help and together, we solved the case. Here we are, going strong, all these years later."

"That's an amazing story. You make it look so easy to be a husband, a father, and a detective."

"I'm glad you think so, but it's hard work. All of it. Ten and I have hit some roadblocks over the years, that we've thankfully been able to work through. I'm leaning daily how to parent a daughter who has incredible talents, all the while trying to bring closure and peace to families who's loved ones were cruelly taken from them."

There were a lot of moving parts that were involved in Ronan's life, but he wouldn't have it any other way. "Everything changed for me after my eyes were opened for me in rehab. I have a feeling the same thing is going to happen with you once you've fulfilled all of Aunt Effy Lou's conditions."

"I think so too,"

Spencer agreed. He looked like he had more to say on the matter when a shrieking voice caught his attention.

"Daddy!"

Everly screeched. "Get down!"

Before Ronan could get his legs untangled from the picnic bench, a fire ball exploded from the food truck serving fried dough. He watched in horror as his husband and daughter flew back from the truck and hit the ground. Flames licked through the serving window of the truck. "Call 911! Watch Ezra!"

Ronan shouted and deposited his son on the table. He took off running. His heart was in his throat. Both Everly and Tennyson lay face down on the ground. Neither was moving.

Reaching his daughter, he flipped her onto her back. He set two fingers against the side of her neck and felt her pulse. Her chest was rising and falling. Ronan scooped Everly into his arms and ran back with her toward the table.

"I called 911,"

Spencer said. "They're on their way."

Screams from inside the truck caught Ronan's attention. "That must be the chef."

"I'll get him. You get Tennyson,"

Spencer shouted before running toward the burning food truck.

Ronan knew he should stop Spencer from running into the truck, but if he didn't get help now, the chef was going to die. Setting Everly on the table next to Ezzie, Ronan took off for Tennyson, who'd just started to move. He helped his husband back to his feet and brought him to the picnic table. "Jesus, thank God your safe. Stay here with the kids."

"Where's Spencer?"

Ten asked, sounding dazed.

"He's trying to save the cook. I'll be right back. Stay here with our babies, no matter what happens."

Not waiting for an answer, Ronan hightailed it to the back of the truck, where both doors were open. Black smoked poured out. "Spencer?"

Ronan shouted over the roar of the flames.

"Here!"

Seconds later, Spencer emerged from the smoke, dragging the chef by his arm.

Ronan reached in and took over, putting his arms beneath the man's back and wrapping them around his chest. He pulled until the chef was free from the truck. Spencer hopped out and grabbed the man's legs. Together, they brought him to a nearby table and laid him on it. Feeling for a pulse, Ronan found none. "He's in cardiac arrest. Start CPR!"

Spencer shot Ronan a terrified look. "O-Okay."

Straddling the man, Spencer started chest compressions.

Ronan ran toward the restrooms knowing each facility building was equipped with an AED, an automated external defibrillator. Grabbing the device off the wall, he headed back toward the man, who was still down. "You're doing great, Spencer keep going until I can get this thing ready to use."

Quickly scanning the instructions, Ronan grabbed the scissors. "Stop compressions and move,"

he ordered and cut the chef's shirt exposing his bare chest. Ronan applied the electrode pads and felt for a pulse one more time. There was none. "Clear! No one touch him."

Ronan pressed the shock button and the chef's body jerked with the electricity. Feeling for a pulse, Ronan didn't detect one. "Clear!"

He pressed the shock button again. Seconds later the monitor beeped with the man's heartbeat. "Thank Jesus,"

Ronan muttered. He heard sirens and knew the cavalry had arrived. He was swarmed by the medics and gave a brief description of what he'd done.

Stepping back, Ronan went to his family, who were huddled together on the picnic bench. They were clinging to each other. Ezra was crying. "Are you all okay?"

He reached for Ten and Everly, knowing he wouldn't soon get over seeing both of them flung to the ground like rag dolls.

"We're okay,"

Ten said. "My ribs hurt, but that's it."

"What about you, little miss?"

Ronan asked Everly. The left side of her face was red and he had a feeling there would be a bruise.

"I'm okay, Daddy."

Everly started to cry.

Ronan scooped her into his arms. "You're safe, honey. I've got you."

"It's all my fault,"

Everly wept.

"Nothing is your fault. You warned everyone."

Ronan could see the anguish in his daughter's eyes.

Everly shook her head. "I was excited for fried dough. I wasn't paying attention to my gift."

Ronan understood what Everly was trying to tell him. She thought that if she'd been more in tune with her gift that she could have somehow prevented the explosion and the fire. "You did pay attention. You saved everyone. Look."

Ronan pulled back from his daughter and pointed to the decimated food truck. The firemen had doused the flames. The medics were loading the chef into the back of the ambulance and Ronan could see his arms moving, which was a good sign. "Thanks you, Spencer and I were able to get you, Daddy, and the chef away from the burning truck."

"Okay,"

Everly wrapped her arms around Ronan and cried harder.

"Are you okay?"

Ronan asked Spencer, who was bent double and looked as if he were struggling to breathe.

Spencer shook his head.

"Medics!"

Ronan shouted, waving a hand in the air.

Two burly paramedics ran toward Ronan, who pointed to Spencer. "He went into the burning truck to save the chef. There was a lot of smoke."

Feeling as if he were in the middle of a nightmare, Ronan watched while the men assessed Spencer. Several firefighters looked Tennyson over and tried to do the same with Everly, who had Ronan in a death grip.

It took a few minutes of gentle coaxing, but Ronan finally managed to separate Everly from him. He stood back while the firemen looked over his daughter. He saw Fitzgibbon and Jude running toward them.

"What the hell happened?"

Jude asked.

"I don't know. Ten and Everly were in line for fried dough and the truck exploded,"

Ronan answered.

His mind's eye replayed Everly's scream and the explosion.

Once again, he saw the people he loved most flying through the air like they were in a movie scene.

Only this was all too real.

He felt his entire body starting to shake.

He tried to take a step toward Jude and felt his legs go out from beneath him.

Fitzgibbon and Jude caught him and dragged Ronan to another picnic bench. "Okay, right here."

Fitzgibbon helped ease Ronan onto the bench. He waved to the medics who'd just finished with Tennyson.

"I'm fine,"

Ronan gasped. "It's just that I saw them fly."

Tears streaked down Ronan's face. When he tried to speak only sobs came out.

The medics knelt in front of Ronan.

One attached a blood pressure cuff, while a second asked him a million questions.

From over their bulky shoulders, Ronan could see Tennyson holding both of their kids.

He gave his husband a thumbs up, which Ronan knew meant everyone was okay.

Spencer was being helped onto a stretcher.

His face was blackened by the soot from the fire.

An oxygen mask sat over his mouth and nose.

The medics loaded him into the ambulance and drove away with lights flashing, no sirens, which Ronan knew meant there was no immediate need to get to the hospital.

Spencer was going to be all right too.

There was nothing more important to Ronan than the people he loved. They'd all had a close call today, but his husband and kids were okay. They were all safe.

Family was everything.