BEAUTIFUL CRAZY

eight. been a long day

Wren was no stranger to destruction. She had seen the aftermath of more tornadoes than she could count. From the age of ten, she’d rush to help whoever she could after a tornado blew through. Even going as far as to offer up her home, it wasn't like her father was home often anyways.

She’d give up her room, her dad’s room – though he never really slept in it. She had people on the couch and even more spread out on the floor as she lit a fire and even tried her hardest to cook them all a warm meal. Even still, she couldn’t cook to save her life.

She offered a small smile as she handed a woman a photo album that she had dug up, “wish there was more I could do.”

“Thank you,” the woman was nearly in tears as she pulled the girl into a hug. “Thank you.”

Wren just wrapped her arms around her because she really couldn’t do much more. “Come on. Let’s get you checked out by the EMTs.” She pulled back, keeping her hand in the woman’s as they stepped over the debris. “Just to be sure.”

“We’ll take it from here,” the EMT smiled, carefully taking the woman’s hand. But he stopped when he saw the dark spot on the side of the girl’s shirt, which he could see even with Tyler’s shirt tied around her. “Hey, were you hurt, too?”

“Oh, no, I’m fine.” she waved him off. “These people need you a lot more than I do.” He just nodded, letting her walk away just as a curfew was announced. Then she joined Javi and Kate.

“You were right back there,” Javi said, looking between the two. “It’s good that we came to help.”  

“I wish we could do more,” Kate breathed out. “Javi, can the data from the PAR radars show us how the tornado died?”

“Yeah, why?”

“I don’t know,” she shrugged a little. “Maybe we could use it to prevent all this.”

Javi smiled, “there’s the Kate I know.” But his smile faded when she spotted Marshall Riggs and Scott. He pulled out his keys and handed them to the blonde. “Hey, look, um, here. Take the truck, alright? I’ll go deal with locating the radar. You should rest,” his eyes flickered to Wren. “And, maybe, get her to see an EMT.”

“I’m fine,” she told him, rolling her eyes a little. And it was mostly true. It had only just started to hurt since the adrenaline had left her body.

“Okay,” he huffed before he walked away.

“You really should-”

“I’m fine, jeez.” She huffed as she turned.

“If you say so,” Kate hummed as she followed her only to stop when they heard whistling. Wren smiled a little when she saw Tyler and Boone digging through the rubble, the former whistling as if looking for a dog. “Didn’t expect that,” she muttered before she turned.

“Kate, he’s not that bad.”

“Really?” Kate raised an eyebrow, pointing over at the table Dexter and Dani had set up.

“That’s not what you think.” She defended.

“Gosh, Wren, does he have your head warped or somethin’?”

Wren stopped, turning to face her, her eyebrows raised before she could say anything, Tyler spotted them, “it was a nice play on the left twin.”

“Yeah, well, didn’t help these people any,” Kate said, looking around as Tyler gave Wren a once over.

“Damn, baby, what happened to you?” his brows pinched as he took her in. She had tiny cuts all up her left arm, his shirt haphazardly tied around her side, and he could tell that something was on her shirt even if it was black.

“We got the good one, remember.” she joked, smirking up at him.

“You should really get that-”

“She’s not gonna listen to anyone,” Kate cut him off.

“‘Cause I’m fine,” she huffed, then she glanced over at Javi and Scott, overhearing as the latter introduced Riggs to the owner of a bar that had been destroyed, then Riggs handed him his business card.

“Didn’t know Storm PAR was in the business of helpin’.” Tyler said, unimpressed.

“Well, from what I see, they’re trying to make a difference,” Kate argued.

“That’s one way of puttin’ it.”

“What?” Wren mumbled, completely confused. She didn’t even really know who that man was, much less what was going on.

Tyler looked down at her before settling his eyes on Kate, “do you even know who you’re chasing for?”

"What are you talking about-"

Clearly upset, he stepped closer to the blonde. "How much more do these people gotta lose before y'all are done making a difference?"

Wren’s brows creased, “wha-”

Kate cut her off, her misplaced anger rising, "sorry, says the guy setting up shop, selling t-shirts and mugs after a storm's hit." Tyler smirked at the ground, shaking his head a little.

Wren groaned, “can we just-”

“Tyler,” Ben interrupted the girl as he neared them, “do you have a minute for some questions?”

“Yeah, I got a dog to find.” Tyler snarled, “Talk to Kate. She seems to have all the answers.” With that he turned and Wren looked at Kate for a moment before following after him.

“Hey, green eyes, wait up!” She called after him and he turned to see her taking careful steps over the debris.

“You seriously not gonna get that checked out?” He nodded towards her side as he held his hand out for her.

“Like you said, we got a dog to find.”

“Fine, but I’m making sure you get looked at before we leave here.”

“Deal,” she nodded. “Now, while we look, fill me in on the Riggs thing.”

He let out an irritated breath, “he’s a developer. Buys up land for cheap.”

“Javi wouldn’t-”

“He would,” he cut her off softly. “He’s buying the land right out from under these people.”

“That’s awful,” she muttered and he hummed, looking from her as he whistled.

“Come here, boy!”

“Hey,” Boone grinned when he saw Wren. “Got you hanging out that truck on video.”

“Oh, God,” she chuckled, hiding a wince.

“It was pretty cool,” he threw his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into him and she winched, pulling away from him. “Aw, shit. What’d I do?” He panicked, holding his hands up.

“Wasn’t you,” she assured him as she held her side. “Come on, we got a dog to find.” she turned, ignoring the burning in her side as she whistled and clapped her hands.

And Tyler couldn't help it when it eyes traveled to her, he was so damn worried that he couldn't even focus on finding the dog.

>>>>> • <<<<<

“I’m fine. I don’t need-”

“Dammit, woman. Just let him look at ya.” Tyler huffed, leading her towards an ambulance. “If it's nothing, then it’s nothing. But you got Boone all worried.”

“Yeah, sure.” She mumbled, “Boone’s the one that’s worried.”

He let out a soft chuckle, “Please, baby.”

“Fine,” she muttered just as they reached the ambulance.

“You’re back,” the EMT said once he saw her.

“Yep, the cowboy’s worried,” she huffed.

“Just your side?” He asked and she nodded as she untied Tyler’s shirt, biting the inside of her cheek to hide her wince. But they both saw it. “Sorry ‘bout your shirt.” She tossed it to him and he caught it, his worry only growing when he realized it was still wet with her blood.

“Can you pull your shirt up?” the EMT asked and she reached for the tail end only to goran, her eyes closing.

“A little help, please?” She looked over at Tyler and he nodded, dropping the shirt to the ground before moving behind her. He grabbed the tail of her shirt and slowly pulled it up, stopping when she winched. “Just take it off,” she muttered, clearly uncomfortable with her arms in the air, and so he did.

“Fuck,” his eyes went wide when he finally saw her side.

“It’s still bleeding,” the EMT muttered, turning to grab some gauze so he could clean the area. “How’d this happen?”

“Um, well…” she wasn’t entirely sure how to explain it. “The tornado… we couldn’t get away fast enough. The truck got caught in the ditch, and a piece of bark shattered the window. Then… kabab.”

“Why didn’t you say anything sooner!” Tyler nearly shouted. “Why didn’t Javi or Kate make you-”

“‘Cause I’m fine.” She cut him off. “It ain’t too deep, and we needed to get here to help.”

“This is gonna hurt.”

“Do what you gotta do,” she told him, squeezing her eyes closed as he started cleaning the wounded with an alcohol wipe. She hissed but stayed in place, her arm resting over her head and her other hand fisting at her side. “Ty,” she held her hand out and he took it, letting her squeeze his hand.

“Sorry.”

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” Tyler mumbled, hating the way her jaw clenched and her eyes stayed pinched. “If I had known I would’ve taken you to the hospital myself.”

“I’ve had worse,” she gritted out and his eyes flickered to her shoulder, following the marks down her arm.

“The bleeding has slowed down, but you’re gonna need stitches.” The EMT told her as he pulled back and she let out a breath, opening her eyes again. “I do suggest going to a hospital.”

“You can stitch it up, right?”

“Yes, ma’am, but I still suggest-”

“Just stitch it up, please.” She shifted on her feet a little uneasily. “I know how to keep it clean, change the dressing every few hours. Let it breathe for a few hours. Don't get 'em wet in the first 24 hours. I’m good, really. Just stitch it up, please.” it almost sounded like she was begging.

Tyler watched as she shifted on her feet. He'd only known for a few days, but he'd never seen her so fidgety. And he couldn't quite piece together why. She was acting as if it wasn't a big deal at all, but just the mention of going to the hospital had her ready to crawl out of her skin.

“Okay,” he simply nodded. “Can you lay down for me?”

“Yeah,” She nodded, then she pulled away from Tyler and climbed into the back of the ambulance before laying on the stretcher.

“Your boyfriend can hold your hand, if you'd like.”

“I’m not-”

“Tyler,” she held her right hand out and he moved, climbing into the ambulance then his fingers curled around hers.

“I got ya, baby.”

“You’re gonna feel a pinch, it's just the anesthetic. It’ll numb the area.”

“Yep,” she muttered, her hand tightening around Tyler’s.

He smirked a little, “I saw you hanging out the window of a speeding truck heading for a tornado, but needles scare you?”

“Shut up,” she muttered, wincing a little when the EMT gave her the shot.

“See, it wasn’t so bad.”

She tugged her hand from his, “okay, you can go now.”

He grabbed her hand again, “oh, no, baby. I ain’t goin’ anywhere.” She tried to hide her smile as he softly kissed her knuckles, but she couldn’t, which made his smile grow. Then she winced as the EMT started with the stitches.

>>>>> • <<<<<

Wren groaned a little as she shifted in the passenger seat of Tyler's truck. A huff leaving her lips when she couldn't get comfortable.

“Hey, be careful. You're gonna pop a stitch.”

“This is not how I saw my first time in your truck going,” she muttered, reclining the seat back in hopes of that helping.

It didn't.

He raised an eyebrow, “what were you picturin’?”

“Boone was there.”

“What?” He nearly shouted, making her laugh. Which she regretted instantly.

“Laughing’s a bad idea.”

“Please explain,” his hand tightened around the steering wheel.

“Don't get your boxers in a twist, cowboy.” She teased. “I just assumed that you'd ask me to join you to go chasin’. I'd say yes this time. Drive right into a tornado.” She hummed, “that'd be something.”

He glanced over at her to see a soft smile on her lips as she laid back. His shirt hung loosely from her torso, and her eyes were closed. She looked almost peaceful.

“You sure you're not a chaser?”

“Well, I wasn't.” She shifted a little, kicking her feet up on the dashboard in hopes of getting  more comfortable. “Always liked to look at ‘em though. Wasn't even gonna go today, but Savannah brought up some things I’d rather leave in the past. And I just wanted to feel it again.”

“Feel what?” He asked softly, his eyes moving to her once again before he forced them back to the road.

“I was ten when I saw my first real tornado. We'd had others, but Mama always got us to the cellar before it even got close. That was the year we lost her.” He glanced over to see her eyes focused on her hands as she picked at her nails “So, when the sirens started going and daddy wouldn't wake up – he'd picked up drinkin’ after Mama passed – I ran outside.

“Wanted to see what all the fuss was about, I guess. And I was… I was in awe. It was beautiful… free. I realize, now, just how sad it was but I remember waiting for it to turn. For it to come right for me. I wanted it to take everything… Even me.”

“Wren-”

“That drinkin’ problem daddy had, made him mean. I don't know if it was ‘cause I look like her or if he blamed me or what. But he was a mean bastard. And I just wanted out… and what better way to go than one of the most beautiful and destructive things in the world.”

“Baby,” he reached for her hand, his fingers gripping hers.

“Don't feel that way anymore.” She added, but he wasn't sure she was telling him or herself. “Today I just got a bit… mesmerized. Lost in that feelin’, that split second where my mind goes blank and I feel free. Alive. If not for me, Javi and Kate would’ve been outta there before it ever turned. I'm just glad they're okay. I don't think I could survive something like that again.”

The air in the truck hung heavy.

She hadn't meant to trauma dump, but she couldn't seem to stop the words from falling out of her mouth.

And he had so many questions. He wanted to know if she really meant it when she said she didn't feel that way. He wanted to know why she had spilled so much. And he wanted to ask what she meant with something like that again.

But he chose not to ask, “hey, baby, you hungry?”

She smiled, a soft hum leaving her lips, “starving.”

“Pizza?”

“I love pizza,” she brought his hand up and softly brushed her lips against his knuckles. He smiled at the action, the tips of his ears going pink.

“Why don't you rest for a while? We got a ways until we get to the pizza place.”

“I'm fine.”

“Just close your eyes, baby.”

She smiled, her eyelids falling closed as the weight of the day washed over her, “I like it when you call me that.” She mumbled, only half coherent. “I like you, Tyler.”

“I like you, too. Now rest a little, been a long day.”

NOVA SPEAKS

peep the gif i made ...
look at my babies!!

anyways, hope y'all are
enjoying this book as much as i am!!

and i already have another
twisters fic in the works... i think
it's gonna be a scott fic