Through the Fire Pt. 03

[:::: Authors Note ::::]

Welcome to Part 3 of 'Through the Fire', if you have not yet read Part 1 or Part 2, spend a little time and get acquainted with our characters.

In part 2, we found Brian and Betty falling in love. But in a cruel twist, Brian receives photos from his arch-nemesis, Brian DuMont, of DuMont and Betty in very compromising positions while she is in Paris. The question is, how will Brian respond.

[:::: Through the Fire - Part 3 ::::]

[:::: 11 ::::]

I don't know how long I looked at the images, it may have been seconds, it may have been hours. But at some point, I found myself sitting out the back of my place on my bench, watching the last of the sunset not understanding how I got from my house to out the back.

There were dark clouds in the sky and the air smelled of ozone, but as the sun finished setting and the stars came out, I watched the sky as I felt a breeze pick up against my skin. I casually placed my arms over the backs of the bench then let my head fall backwards to point at the sky as the first drops of rain fell to the ground.

That night a storm raged, lightning flashed, and the wind howled. But I hardly noticed it as I sat on the bench, lamenting my existence. Explosions of lightning came and went breaking the sky open with impressive regularity turning night into day. Even the large cracks of accompanying thunder did not disturb me as over and over in my head my life played in a depressing loop. The spotty images of saving Harper, my time in hospital, meeting rejection by Ava, the time spend with Tim and Sonia.

The humiliation heaped on me by Brian DuMont caught on repeat more often than most memories. In my mind he took everything and ruined each happy occurrence. His snarky appearance broke me over and over as I retreated further and further into the back of my mind and the storm continued to lash at me in time with my internal torment.

And of course, Betty Brown. The international super model that held the world in her hand as well as my heart. I honestly thought that she cared for me, that she loved me. But again, DuMont came along and took her.

Eyes closed and ignoring the environment around myself. The figure of Betty in my mind, tortured me. Firstly, she was the angel who gave me confidence, then she became my tormentor, dashing my hope that life could be more. Her body was beautiful, but the smile, her eyes that caught me and the memory of our kisses, I knew she would haunt me for the rest of my days.

I retreated even further into my mind as I could not chase the feeling of her kisses away despite the pain it now brought me. Betty may no longer be mine, but she would forever be with me, the touch she shared with me, the exquisite feel of her lips pressed against mine telling me of promise and what I wish could have been.

My tears mixed with the rain, and my body shivered with both emotion and the cold that was setting in.

I groaned, my voice lost against the storm, as I knew that Betty's lips were now his. Again, he had taken my happiness. Why? because I shared his name, and he got perverse pleasure in hurting me. But this time he wouldn't win.

I knew he wouldn't, because as the storm ended, the wind continued.

I guessed it was the early morning. So, as I sat there on the bench and the temperature continued to drop. With the wind against my body, I was rapidly losing the formidable strength I had always had, the night was taking its toll. I wasn't against staying, but in this moment, neither was I against nature taking me somewhere that people wouldn't be able to hurt me anymore.

As my body continued to tremble, now more a physical need then emotional outlet, I thought about Harper. What if I had not run into the fire? I would still be normal. But I would have lost my sister. No, if I had my time again, I wouldn't change it. I would still run into the fire to save her; there would never be a choice, my sister was worth it.

Harper would be sad if I left. Actually, I knew she would be royally pissed. I knew that she would miss me more than anyone. In this world there had been no greater advocate for me than my little sister. For a time, I had thought Betty would give her a run for her money, but I had now learnt that I was mistaken. Harper would likely chew Betty a new asshole when she found out what happened, but she would mainly be sad.

Mum, Dad and Trey would also be upset. Not as much as Harper, but they were my rock when I needed them. Geoff as well, I couldn't ask for a better boss, and the guys at work too. Perhaps there were a few people that might mourn me.

I felt a deep cold now, my body had stopped trembling, and I knew that was not a great sign. I momentarily wondered if I would end up with hyperthermia, but it wasn't likely in our climate. However, exposure to the earlier storm and the continued winds could still easily do me in.

I again thought of Betty, even though she had been seduced away from me, would she miss me? I replayed our time in Sydney, really believing we had a chance at a future together. But those pictures, and that final one left no doubt. She may have had some type of feeling for me, but no one would pose for an intimate picture like that unless it was for your lover. Which I could see I was not.

For a moment the image of her and DuMont together was replaced by just her eyes and that smile. Immediately, I felt my pulse quicken. I felt my blood flow through my veins, the hairs on my arms came to attention not being caused by the cold. From our first real meeting a few months ago in the Burns unit, I had dared to hope we could fall in love.

It was then I thought of Tim and Sonia, the twins would also be sad that I was gone. They were two kids facing the world together, burnt like me and would have to face the same ridicule I had. If I was going to live, it would be for them.

The thought roused me, and I realised I was being stupid. Sitting here and feeling so depressed didn't mean I could let myself go and not be there for Tim and Sonia as they grew up. They were going to face the same challenges, the same prejudices that I had, and they needed someone there to help them through it. I understood that without their parents that was me.

I tried to move but found my energy sapped, my arms were numb and wouldn't respond to my commands. I tried to move my legs and found the same, I think I could feel my toes move, but that could be my imagination.

In a panic I tried to twist myself, but even then, I couldn't move my arms, they were still braced over the bench. My muscles had locked into place diverting blood flow from my extremities to my core to try and keep me alive. By trying to twist, all I did was slide a few splinters into my arms and not move more than a couple of inches.

Trying to think my way out of this, I gave myself a mental uppercut for letting my depression get in the way of being there for Tim and Sonia. So I stopped and tried to listen to the world around me wondering if I could find a way to save myself.

Inside I could hear my phone ringing. I think it had been for the past hour, but I hadn't been aware of it consciously. I figured it was likely Betty calling to break up with me, but that was okay. I would have a hole in my heart I know would never again be filled. But I reasoned I didn't need her, while I know Tim and Sonia would need me, and that was all I required right now.

Focused, other sounds were coming to my ears. In the distance, I could hear a garbage truck moving, that meant it had to be close to dawn. Dawn meant warmth and if I could make it that far, then I could likely move and get help.

A sudden gust of frigid wind though, made me doubt myself. While I could feel it on my skin, I also felt numb, the sensation dampened from what it should be. Worse, I was suddenly weary and tired, and I knew that falling asleep was the last thing I should do.

Through mostly closed eyes that were blurry and out of focus I saw a light on the horizon. I heard a car stop and a knocking at someone's front door, most likely one of my neighbours. For a moment I wondered who was stupid enough to knock at what was likely four am in the morning.

But I also realised they were likely the only ones that might be able to call for help, and I tried to call out. But my voice was also affected by the cold and my lethargy. I managed a voice that was barely above a horse whisper, nowhere near enough to get the persons attention.

My energy sapped; I was struggling to stay conscious when I think I heard my back door open.

"What the fuck Brian," Harper said angrily as she must have noticed me. "Betty is in a panic; she tells me you haven't messaged her back and she..."

My sister suddenly stopped speaking, seeing me not moving as I sat on the bench.

"Brian?" she said suddenly at my side.

"Brian!" she screamed, "Oh my God, Brian, what... Brian, fuck. Help!"

She stopped and I heard her fumble.

"Betty, I found him, he's... he's out the back, it looks like he has been out here all night, he's soaked from a storm that came through, he's lips are purple and he's freezing. Betty what..."

"No, you're right, ambulance," I heard Harper say in her hysteria as she hung up and made another call.

She spoke to someone who said an ambulance was on the way, they must have asked her to calmly speak to me while they waited.

"Brian, what happened, why did you stay out here. What's wrong my hero?" her use of the word hero causing me to groan.

"DuMont," I whispered when she got close enough.

Storm clouds regathered very quickly as my sister's countenance took on a rather nasty vibe. "What did you say Brian, DuMont did this?"

"Took Betty," I managed to whisper out. Harper would find my phone and see what DuMont has once again done to me, what he had taken from me.

She kissed my forehead and frowned. "Brian, that can't be true, Betty wouldn't do that to you," she told me as her lips seared my cold skin with heat as we heard the ambulance arrive.

Nothing more was said between us as Harper yelled that we were out the back and there was sudden movement as hands were all over me and a strange voice told me to relax. They asked me things to which I whispered, but I am not sure what I replied with. They wrapped me in something, and I felt movement as I gave into the inevitable and passed out.

[:::: 12 ::::]

I woke up slowly and was told later, it had been four days since Harper had found me. I was in a hospital room and somehow Betty was snuggled in beside me. It was a large hospital bed, a little larger than normal, I think they had them for bigger patients of which I suppose I was one of them with my bulk.

Betty was snuggled into me lightly snoring as I came awake. Though that changed the moment I let out and audible groan as aches and pains throughout my body made themselves known.

Betty was instantly awake.

"Brian, Brian, are you okay?" she asked, panic in her voice.

"Betty, what are you doing here, what about DuMont?" I asked weakly.

I watched as Betty grew angry; her voice had a hard edge to it that I had never heard before. "That fucker can shove a red-hot poker up his arse and rotate on it till he dies."

I looked at her, not understanding, I had seen the photos, the articles.

"What?" I said hoarsely, my throat sore. "Betty, I saw everything, the photos. I don't understand, what are you doing here?"

"Shhhh," she told me leaning in and kissing me lightly on the lips. "Brian, it was all deception and lies. I was never with him, and I'm pretty pissed off at you right now if I'm being honest."

"Me, what did I do?" I asked the angry woman holding onto me for dear life. The fury at my nemesis now redirected at me.

"Brian, why the hell would you do that, stay out in the rain in a storm. The doctors told me that if Harper hadn't turned up when she did, you likely would have died, your organs were already shutting down, why Brian, why?"

Betty then broke down, crying into my chest. Despite everything I was feeling, the prominent emotion being confusion. I put an arm around her and held her as she cried. I could move again, that was good.

After a minute or two, she looked at me with the question on her lips, why.

"I'm sorry Betty," I told her sadly, still wondering what she was doing here, perhaps it was pity. "I never really told you about my history with Brian DuMont, I am assuming that Harper has filled you in now?"

She nodded, "Yes, let's just say that your sister... well I never ever want to be on her bad side again?"

"Again?" I asked.

Betty nodded, looking away embarrassed.

"While they were loading you up into the ambulance, I called Harper again to try and find out what was going on. Harper was telling me that they had you, but you were in a serious condition due to exposure."

I nodded.

"Well, Harper was going through your house locking up before heading to the hospital when she found your phone. It still had the picture open on it..."

She looked at me and blushed. I looked away in shame. Here she was proclaiming how much she cared for me, that it was lies and deception, but she had still fucked DuMont, I had the photo.

"Brian," she said a moment later, then again more intently. "Brian, look at me."

It took her hand to turn me back to see tears in her eyes.

"The photo isn't real, it's a fake. The experts are calling it a 'deep fake'. DuMont took a picture of himself having sex with someone that had a passing resemblance to me and then got someone good with computers to integrate my face onto the body to make it appear we were having sex."

I looked at her crying and felt my heart soften.

"It! Was! Not! Me!" She emphasized each word, still crying. I then realised I was crying too. Relief washing over me as I realized Betty hadn't been seduced by DuMont, but that wasn't all, I needed to know everything.

"What about the articles, the other photos with you?"

"I had Andrew look into the articles," she told me still with tears falling down her cheeks, she was still adorable. "The articles are also fake, DuMont tried to get them taken down, but Harper got Andrew to look at your phone and they got the cache. The other photos though..."

She sighed.

"Brian, those other photos are real but taken out of context. I've told you about Tommy, I don't know how he got those photos of Tommy and I, they were taken at a private event a few years ago..."

I nodded not needing to know any more at that moment.

"What about the ones in Paris?" I asked.

"Aside from the sex one, those were real," Betty explained now blushing. "Brian, you know when we model, most of the time we walk around backstage in almost nothing?"

I nodded; Betty had explained it to me. There was nothing overtly sexual about it. The models, male and female walked around in G-strings and nothing more as they quickly changed. I didn't like it, but knew it was part of the modelling world.

"Somehow DuMont got a backstage pass and got that photo of me topless during a change. Usually there is an assistant, and it happens quite quickly, but somehow DuMont got in and took a picture. He's in major trouble for that one alone, let alone everything else."

She sighed.

"Brian, the other pics, the selfie with me waving and us cheek to cheek. He introduced himself and told me he knew you, he even had pictures of you two in school to prove it. He told me he was going to send them to you to say hi, I thought it was on the level, so I allowed it."

I understood, but I still felt deceived.

"Brian, I understand," she told me her hand now in mine. "In your head right now, you feel I betrayed you. You thought that I was just using you, you thought that I was going to run away with Tommy or DuMont."

I blushed, "Yeah, pretty much."

She lent in and kissed me. "I get it Brian, I do. For one selfless act, you have been teased and humiliated over and over again by the world and by this DuMont asshole more than others. But Brian..."

I looked at her.

"You have me, I've joined Harper in the Hero Brian Fanclub. I love you Brian Other, madly, deeply and no man but you is ever going to get this body. When you get out of here, for which I am upset at you for ruining my plans and timeframes. You're going to have to lick, kiss and touch every part of this body, including a few areas that have been off-limits to everyone else. I am yours Brian. No one else's.

"I want to marry you, to have your babies, I want to laugh with you, cry with you, get pissed off at you for not getting baby formula on your way home from work, or just hold you when you're sad. Your scars are nothing negative to me Brian. They show me the type of man you are, a man that rescued his sister, a boy that was there for my brother as he lay dying, that comforted me giving me his precious toy. Let me be there for you, Brian. Please, don't push me away or leave me."

In the early morning light after her impassioned plea, we remain quiet for just a moment.

"Yes," I said simply.

"Yes?" she queried me, cocking her head to the side.

"Yes, I'll marry you," I replied smiling at her.

Betty's eyes went wide then teared up and she again pushed herself into me and sobbed.

"What's going on here?" the voice of my sister queried a few minutes later, with an obvious level of mischief. She had two coffee's in her hand, one for her and one for Betty.

"We're getting married!" Betty exclaimed, tears still rolling down her cheeks.

"What do you mean married?" Trey asked, standing behind Harper, sipping his own coffee. "And by the way, good to see you awake Brian."

"Idiot," Harper said punching him in the arm. "He just woke up after almost dying and that's what you ask."

He smiled, "Yep, I know this man and it takes more than a night in the open to stop him. I mean his ability to battle the elements brought me you didn't it."

Harper turned to mush, "Awwww," she said and kissed Trey, then punched him in the arm. "He still almost died dickweed."

She then turned to us placing the coffee's down and putting her hands on her hips, "And what's this about getting married. Brian, did you just ask Betty to marry you."

"Nope," I said smiling, enjoying the confusion on my little sister's face. "She just asked me."

Harper looked back and forwards between Betty and I for a moment, then suddenly squealed. But she had to give me an awkward hug, as Betty refused to let go of my hand or be shifted from my lap. Trey just walked around the other side of the bed and we fist bumped.

"Bro," was all he said.

Harper disappeared and a few minutes later, she brought in Tim and Sonia. Apparently, they had visited me yesterday while I was still asleep and were very relieved to see me awake. Tim was the ever-excited young boy and even Sonia with her blonde hair starting to grow back was looking a lot healthier. Like me, she would forever have scars over her body, but a lot had progressed over the years and her skin wouldn't quite look like the patchwork that mine did.

Betty helped her up onto my bed and I soon had Betty in one arm and Sonia on the other while Trey and Tim played a game of tic-tack-toe on a travel game board.

Sonia told me about her latest doll, holding it up to show me, it was made of a patch work of cloth wearing overalls with the message, 'I need hugs' written on the chest. It was given as present from one of her mother's cousins that came to visit. She was sad because the lady was too old and lived a long way away so she and Tim couldn't go to live with her.

I told her it would be okay, because wherever they ended up, Betty and I would always be there for them.

"I know Mr Brian," she told me.