25. Lux

25

LUX

L ux took a deep breath, trying to shake off the residual unease that had settled in her chest since they'd been rescued.

"Is it me or did you grow fatter out there?"

Lux turned to see Joe, her older brother, on a chair next to her hospital bed, and a smile crept up her lips. He'd left his business in Vegas to come all the way to Phoenix Ridge as soon as he heard she was stuck in the fire.

"You're still the blond in an XL shirt," Lux said.

Joe burst out laughing. "I knew it'd take more than a burning mountain to rid you of your scalding tongue."

"You bet." She looked around. "Where's Dad?"

"He finally agreed to have some sleep," Joey said. "The old man barely had any while you were still out there."

"Old man?" Lux chuckled. "You should try calling him that to his face."

"No, thank you." Joe raised his hands and laughed. His silver cuffs caught the sun, reflecting in Lux's face.

It had only been a day since they were airlifted off the mountain, and while she was relieved to be safe, a strange emptiness gnawed at her. The adrenaline that had kept her going through the ordeal was gone, replaced by a dull muscle ache and a lingering sense of disorientation.

But it wasn't just the physical exhaustion that weighed on her.

Without thinking, Lux swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood up. Her body protested with a sharp twinge in her side, but she ignored it. She needed to see Zoey.

The hallway was quiet as Lux made her way to Zoey's room. The sterile antiseptic smell hung in the air, mingling with the distant hum of hospital machinery. When she reached Zoey's door, she paused, her hand hovering over the doorknob.

She could hear voices on the other side—familiar voices. She recognized Zoey's soft tone and the deeper, comforting sound of a man's voice, followed by the warm laughter of a woman.

Taking a deep breath, Lux knocked lightly on the door and pushed it open.

Zoey was sitting in bed, her face lighting up with a smile as soon as she saw Lux. Beside her, a woman turned to look at the door. It wasn't difficult to spot the resemblance. This woman had to be Zoey's Mom.

"You must be Lux," the woman said.

Lux nodded. "Yeah, that's me."

Before Lux could say anything else, the woman crossed the room and hugged her tightly. The embrace was solid and comforting, and for a moment, Lux was too stunned to react. It had been so long since anyone had hugged her with such genuine affection.

"Thank you," the woman said as she released Lux. "Thank you for keeping my daughter safe."

Lux felt a lump form in her throat as she looked at Zoey's mom. She wanted to say so much, but the words wouldn't come. She could only nod, her chest tight with gratitude and sadness. The warmth of the embrace lingered.

"Come in," Zoey's dad, said. "We were just talking about how glad we are to have her back."

Lux stepped into the room, feeling slightly out of place but welcomed. Zoey's dad had a kind face and warm eyes, the same as his daughter. He stood up and offered his hand, and Lux shook it, feeling a sense of relief wash over her.

"It's good to meet you finally," he said. "Zoey's told us so much about you."

Zoey blushed slightly, her eyes darting to Lux's before looking away. Lux felt her cheeks warm in response, but she managed a small smile.

"I'm glad to meet you too," Lux said, quiet but sincere. "I'm just glad we both made it out of there."

Zoey's mom gestured to the chair beside Zoey's bed. "Please, sit down. You must be exhausted."

Lux hesitated momentarily before sitting, the chair creaking softly under her weight.

Zoey's mom sat on the edge of the bed, her hand resting lightly on Zoey's. "It's a miracle you two are alive. We were so worried when we heard about the fire."

"It was rough," Lux said, her voice low. "But Zoey is a really strong woman."

Zoey glanced at Lux. "We kept each other going."

"Lux," Zoey's mom said, "how are you feeling? You went through just as much as Zoey did."

"I'm…I'm okay," she said slowly. "Just glad to be out of there, to be honest."

Zoey's mom nodded. "It will take some time to recover, both physically and mentally. But you're strong, Lux. I can see that."

Lux wasn't sure how to respond to that.

Zoey's dad cleared his throat, his expression serious. "We can't thank you enough, Lux. For everything you did for Zoey."

"I didn't do anything special. I just did my job," Lux said.

Zoey's mom reached over and squeezed her hand. "That's more than enough, Lux. More than enough."

Lux swallowed hard, her eyes stinging with unshed tears. She wasn't used to this—this feeling of having a mother. "Thank you," she managed.

Zoey's parents exchanged a look, and her dad spoke up. "We should let you both get some rest. It's been a long few days."

Zoey's mom stood up and leaned down to kiss Zoey on the forehead. "We'll be back later, sweetheart. Get some rest, okay?"

Zoey nodded, her eyes filled with warmth as she watched her parents leave the room. Lux stood up as well, feeling a strange reluctance to leave.

"Thank you," she said.

Zoey's mom smiled and pulled Lux into another hug. "You're always welcome with us, Lux. Always."

When they finally pulled away, Lux watched Zoey's parents leave the room, the door closing softly behind them. She stood there for a moment, her heart full and heavy at the same time.

Zoey's voice broke through her thoughts. "You okay?"

Lux turned to look at Zoey, who watched her with those kind, understanding eyes. "Yeah," Lux said quietly. "I'm okay." Zoey patted the spot on the bed beside her. "Come here."

Zoey and Lux exchanged glances, but the door opened almost immediately.

It was the crew from the fire station.

"Hey, look who finally made it out of the wild," Jay said.

Zoey grinned, sitting up a little straighter. "You guys found us."

"We weren't going to stop until we did, Lieutenant," Ramirez said.

"I think we can drop the titles now, Ramirez," Zoey said. "It's Zoey."

"You had us all worried sick," Jay said.

Zoey smiled. "We were pretty worried ourselves."

Jay turned to Lux, her expression serious but kind. "You did well out there, Lux. You kept your cool and got Zoey through it. We're all proud of you."

Lux felt pride in her words, but she also felt overwhelmed by the attention. She wasn't used to being in the spotlight like this. "I just did what I had to."

"You did more than that," Jay said, her tone firm. "You kept her safe.."

Ramirez nodded in agreement, her eyes warm as she looked at Lux. "We're just glad you're both okay."

Lux shifted slightly. She was grateful for their support, but being the center of attention like this was uncomfortable.

Zoey's expression softened as she looked at Lux, then back at the crew. "I couldn't have made it without Lux. She was there every step of the way."

Jay nodded, her gaze steady. "You both made it. That's what matters."

The room fell into a comfortable silence as the crew settled in, filling the space with their familiar presence. Lux relaxed a little, the tension in her shoulders easing as she listened to the friendly banter between Zoey and her colleagues.

After a while, there was another knock at the door, and the legendary Fire Chief Becky Thompson stepped inside.

"Chief," Zoey said.

"Zoey, Lux, it's good to see you both safe."

"Thank you, Chief," Zoey said. "For a moment, I was afraid we'd be mistaken for dead."

Becky frowned and shook her head slowly. "Not around here, Lieutenant. We stick with our own. We never gave up on you- not for a second."

"Thanks, Chief."

Becky's gaze shifted to Lux, and for a moment, she thought she saw the faintest hint of a smile. "Besides, Lux's father and I go way back. He would have my neck if I didn't get his princess back in one piece."

Lux laughed. "I can imagine that."

Becky nodded. "I'm proud of both of you."

Zoey broke the silence. "Well, we're here now, right? That's what matters."

Ramirez grinned, the tension in the room easing. "Yeah. That and your new awards."

Everyone paused and exchanged glances. Ramirez's smile soon waned when she noticed that she was the only one still smiling.

"What's she talking about, Chief?" Lux asked.

Chief Thompson shook her head before clearing her throat. "Well, since that's already out there, the station has decided to award you two an award for your resilience and bravery."

"That doesn't come with an overdue leave, does it?" Zoey asked.

Chief Thompson laughed. "You can take as much rest as you want. The award ceremony will be in a week. You two should be discharged pretty soon and should be all good for the awards ceremony. Unless you run off up that mountain again."

The crew laughed. Lux found herself smiling too.

As the conversation flowed, Lux found herself listening more than speaking, content to soak in the presence of her colleagues. They were indeed family.

The chief stayed for a while, occasionally joining in the conversation but mostly observing. Lux noticed how her gaze would occasionally land on her. Just like her father, she was always looking out for her.

Eventually, the chief stood up, signaling it was time for her to leave. "I'll let you all get some rest."

The crew also stood, saying their goodbyes with promises to check in later.

As the last crew filed out of the room, Becky turned to Zoey and Lux one last time. "You both did well out there. Remember that."

Zoey nodded, her expression serious. "We will, Chief."

Becky gave them a final nod before stepping out of the room, the door closing softly behind her. The room fell silent once more, the weight of everything that had happened settling over them.

Zoey let out a long breath, her shoulders sagging with exhaustion. "That was…a lot."

"Yeah," Lux said. "So, how does it feel to be a hero?"

Zoey chuckled, shaking her head. "Right, because getting us through a wildfire is just a casual stroll for you." She rolled her eyes.

Lux smirked, leaning forward slightly. "Well, I did have some pretty great company. Couldn't have done it without you."

Zoey's cheeks flushed a light pink as she met Lux's gaze. "We make a good team."

"That we do," Lux agreed, her voice softening. She glanced around the room before returning her gaze to Zoey. "Think they'll ever let us live this down?"

Zoey laughed, her eyes sparkling. "Probably not. We're going to be legends at the station."

Lux grinned. "I always wanted to be remembered for something. Maybe not quite like this, though."

"Hey, fame is fame," Zoey teased. "I'm just glad we're both here to tell the tale."

Zoey's smile softened as she closed the distance between them, pressing a gentle kiss to Lux's lips. The moment was brief but filled with unspoken promises and relief.

As they pulled apart, Lux's eyes shone with happiness. "You sure we won't go on a vacation up that mountain sometime?"

Zoey chuckled, resting her forehead against Lux's. "You're impossible."

"And you love it," Lux replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

Zoey's smile widened. "Yeah, I really do."

Zoey squeezed her hand and gazed into her eyes. "I love you, too." Zoey smiled and Lux felt her insides flutter.

She loves me.