Chapter Text
Sarah decided to stay behind with Cathy. “I really wike Katey. I wish I had a mama like you and her.”
“Sweetheart your father loves you. Someday he will meet a lady should he choose to and she will be your mother. When my husband passed away, it was just me and Kate. I raised her like your daddy is raising you.”
“Oh… well maybe daddy will choose Miss Katey.”
Cathy smiled and petted Sarah’s hair. “Come on let’s go gather some eggs.”
“Uncle Boone says these things are expensive.”
“Mine are free.”
-
Kate was nervous being in Tyler’s truck with just him but was fascinated at how he had fixed it up to withstand storms and how Sarah had her own specialized seat in the back. She was moving around and looking through everything.
“You ever been in a truck before?”
“You’ve got so much stuff, did you build all of this?”
He nodded. “Yeah with the help of Boone. So which cell are we going to chase?”
She opened a glove box and autographed pictures fell out, “oh Lord…. Um let’s see this one to the east has the sky all to herself but those others well they will die out.” She grinned.
“Yeah I’m not falling for that again,” Tyler quipped; Kate grinned, and leaned back. “You serious?”
“Tell you later.”
This woman. He adjusted his seatbelt and veered his truck to the east. They came upon the massive storm cloud.
Tyler and Kate jumped out, leaping around enthusiastically. “It’s low precep, and everything. Oh she’s perfect.”
“She’s gorgeous.”
Tyler looked back at Kate, who buried herself behind a camera. And he realized something: while she might have been talking about the tornado, he was busy thinking about how his heart started beating harder when he was looking at her.
Kate lowered her camera. “Come on! She’s gonna give us something.” They raced off to the truck.
—
“Maybe it’s the model that’s the problem.”
“How do we create a better one?”
“That’s a good question.”
“Hey where did you get these sandwiches?”
“Your sweet mama passed them off to me before we headed out.”
“She would.”
“I kinda like her Kate.”
"well there's no question that she likes you too Tyler Owens."
—
Kate called up Javi. Tyler didn’t like it. So when Javi pulled up outside, Tyler decided to follow Kate as she went to talk to him, but then retreated inside with one look.
Javi apologized, a half ass apologies, but one nonetheless. Kate had the PAR data. She watched Javi leave and then she walked back inside.
“So the system setting up tomorrow looks very promising. Are we going to do it?”
“Yeah I’ll make a few calls.” He tried Boone but no answer so he dialed Lily. “We will come to you guys.”
Kate hugged her mom. “Yes I promise I’ll come back.”
“You take care of yourself.” After Kate and Sarah were loaded in the truck she looked at Tyler, “I hope you know what you’re getting yourself into.”
“I’m beginning to.”
“You take care son.” She pat him on the back. “And take care of that girl she’s precious.”
“Will do Miss Cathy.” They waved bye and left.
They met up with the others at the lot for trailers, and Tyler forked over the cash for the largest one they could get, then hitched it to the back of his truck. They loaded it down with all the barrels from the barn, and even purchased a few more, then filled them up. There was an EF-1 touching down by the refinery. They went for it. But something was wrong. It didn't feel right. Kate got that feeling in her gut, which turned out to be right when she watched Javi's truck get flipped, and suddenly his name was pulled from her throat.
--
The tornado had grown in intensity--from a meager EF-1, to a monster EF-5. There was nothing they could do, except drive into El Reno to help everyone escape. Sarah was in the back, holding tight to a bear she had found in Kate's room. It comforted her, and Kate didn't seem to mind. Once they were in El Reno, Sarah clung as tightly to Kate as she could while everyone fought to get the towns people to safety.
The trolley was coming fast. Tyler had to make a split second decision: it was him, or Kate and his daughter. The choice was obvious. At the last moment, Tyler pushed them both out of the way, and the trolley platform came down hard on his left leg.
"DADDY!" cried Sarah as she and Kate climbed to their feet.
Tyler screamed in pain, color drained from his face. Kate rushed over with Sarah. They two of them tried to lift it together, but there was no way it was going to lift. Tyler's heart squeezed. "Kate, you have to get inside!"
"No, I'm not leaving you."
"Damnit Kate, you take Sarah and you get inside!"
“Daddy I’m scared!” She cried.
Kate didn’t want to leave him her heart was pounding as she looked around desperate when suddenly Javi appeared beside them.
“Lift Kate!” She did and they managed to get Tyler out from under the debris only to end up in a wave of water sliding down the road. She held Sarah in her arms as they moved.
“That was fun.” She giggled but then saw how close the tornado was. “Daddy what now! I’m scared.” They got inside the theater, and were reunited with the others. Tyler was focused on Sarah and arguing with people that he didn’t see Kate slip off. “Daddy where’s Kate?”
All at once Tyler, Boone and Javi noticed she was gone. “Where’s Kate!”
-
She took a deep breath using all her strength to get in the truck and drive off towards the storm. She had to try and stop it or everyone was going to die including that little girl.
Tyler and Javi did all they could to get everyone as far back into the theater as possible before the EF-5 ripped through the wall. Tyler dropped, tightening a grip on the theater seat. Sarah held on, too, but she was screaming crying. “Daddy!! It’s scary!!”
“I know baby. I know. Hold on tight. It’ll be all over soon.” He had hoped.
“DADDY!” Sarah screamed as she felt herself being ripped away from him. He held on as tight as he could, his leg screaming in pain as skin and muscle tore, and blood trickled from the open wound.
—
Just like that, it was over, and everyone was safe. Almost everyone. Tyler, limping along, pulled himself out of the damaged theater, followed by Javi, and the others. They hurried, Sarah at Tyler’s side, to the overturned truck on the ground. He dropped to his knees, pain shooting through his whole body.
He and Javi carefully pulled Kate from the truck. “You okay?”
“Yeah…” Kate breathed out, and pulled in another. She was definitely rattled, but otherwise okay.
Sarah sprang forward, throwing herself at Kate. Kate, in spite of the soreness of her body, hugged the little girl. Kate felt nauseous and leaned to the side and began vomiting before everything went black. A few hours later she opened her eyes and everything was cloudy. It smelled like bleach and she knew she was in a hospital. Then panic began to set in, the last time she had woken Up in a hospital after a storm she had lost everything. On her left side was her mother. “Whoa take it easy Kate, you’re alright minus bruised ribs and a mild concussion.”
“Is everyone okay?” She coughed out.
Cathy squeezed her hand, “yes because you didn’t give up sweetheart, you did it.”
She began to cry. “I totaled Tyler's truck. He’s going to kill me.”
“He’s not going to kill you baby because you saved their lives.”
Javi entered the room, “how is she doing?”
“She’s coming around.”
“Thank you Javi.” Kate mumbled.
Javi dropped onto the side of the bed and squeezed her hand. "Anytime. I'm glad you're okay. We have a lot to talk about." Starting with how much of an idiot he's been.
"Later." She rubbed a thumb over his knuckles. "Are you okay?"
"A couple scratches, and I'll have headaches for days but I'm otherwise okay."
"And Tyler....?"
"He didn't break anything--except maybe his pride--but he'll have a nasty bone bruise for a while. They stitched him up already, and they're treating him for an ear infection, but he should be okay."
Kate sighed. "And Sarah...?"
"Perfectly fine. Well, scared shitless, but otherwise okay. You and Tyler are hurt so she's worried."
--
Tyler was given the good drugs, and currently sleeping in the hospital room down the hall, with Sarah curled up next to him. If he did well enough responding to the medication, they would release him the next day, but they wanted to hold him at least overnight for observation. His leg was resting on the outside of the bed covers, wrapped from knee up his thigh.
The quiet beeping had lulled Sarah into a peaceful sleep. She needed the rest.
Kate stood up and walked into the room where Tyler was. She was sore but tired of being down. Peeking inside she admired the sight before her then turned to head towards her room when Boone stood there. “You saved us all. Thank you.”
“It was nothing.”
“Nothing are you crazy city girl? You’re a genius and this is big.” He pat her back.
“It is but I have to go home in a few days.”
“Tired of us already?” She couldn’t take her eyes off Tyler and Sarah.
“No.”
“She’s going to be crushed whenever you go back home.”
“I know. I’ll come visit. It’s been nice hanging with you guys and Sarah.”
“He won’t admit it but I think T kinda likes you.”
She shook her head, refusing to admit the growing feelings inside for that man. “That’s nice.” The next morning she was released while they were going to monitor Tyler another day. Sarah begged to go with Kate and he let her. “Sarah, I have to go back to New York in a few days.”
“That’s so far away.”
“I know.”
“What about daddy?”
Kate sighed, heavily, and shoved the ice cream spoon into her mouth so she didn't have to answer her. But Sarah's questionable stare compelled her to, and Kate pushed her ice cream aside.
"I'm not sure, Sarah. I like him, but my life is in New York, not here in Oklahoma. Besides--you and your daddy are probably going back to Arkansas soon."
Sarah frowned. "Don't leave us, Miss Katey. My daddy likes you. I like you, too."
"I know. I know. You and your daddy are both great people, sweetheart, and I'm glad I met you both." Kate walked Sarah back to Tyler's hospital room. He was sitting up in bed, reading. When he saw the two of them, he smiled. Seeing Kate, especially, with Sarah holding onto her hand, had his monitor spiking a little bit.
She giggled. "Careful, Tornado Wrangler."
"I can't help it. I can't remember the last time I've seen her this happy."
Sarah broke free from Kate and climbed onto the bed to lay next to Tyler. "Be careful of your daddy's injuries, Sarah," Kate warned.
Sarah nodded. "I'm sorry about your boo boo, daddy."
"I'll be fine, sweetheart." Tyler kissed the top of Sarah's head. After Sarah fell asleep for a nap in his arms, he looked at Kate. “Whenever I get out of here, I’d like to take you on a date.”
It caught her off guard. “What did you say?”
“I was wondering if I could take you on a date sometime?”
“Are you serious?”
“Tell you later.”
“You know if you weren’t injured I’d smack you cowboy.”
He raised a brow, “you didn’t answer my question.”
“Tyler, my life is in New York.”
He smirked. "You never heard of long distance?"
"Would that work? I mean, what about Sarah?"
"We won't even know until we try. One thing I do know is that Sarah really likes you and, to be honest, you're the first real maternal figure she's had in her life." Kate's face flushed. Tyler gave her hand a squeeze.
She sighed. "I don't know about this..."
"I don't either, but I'm willing to give it a try, darlin'."
"I don't know when I'll be able to come back..."
"Maybe we can come to New York after chasin' season is over. Neither of us have seen snow before. I think Sarah would like it."
Kate smiled. He was all about being lighthearted, but then he started getting more serious in his tone, and suddenly he's pulling her hand to his chest. She swallowed a lump in her throat, feeling his heart beneath the pads of her fingers.
Tyler smiled. "Please. I haven't felt this way about anyone before. You can't come into our lives and just leave like that again. Gimme a chance."
“Alright I’ll go on a date with you, but under the condition we sit down and talk.”
“I think I can handle that.” He sent Boone a text,
T- Hey uh need a bit of help
B- What’s up T?
T- I want to take Kate on a real date without tornadoes.
B- You want me to babysit?
T- Yeah.
B- I can do that.
“Are you going to visit your mom before you go back?”
“Yeah mom and Javi were going to take me to the airport Friday.”
It was the day after tomorrow. Tyler had one more day until she left. He wanted to get to know more about her. Tyler went into a lot of detail to make himself look presentable. He even had Boone take him to the mall so he could buy himself a nice pair of jeans, and nicer button up, and a bottle of cologne. The moment he pulled up to the farm, Cathy was smiling. "So handsome."
Tyler was nervous. His heart was pounding. Kate met him at the door wearing a yellow sundress, her hair pulled back into the same style clip he saw her in on day one.
"I hope you're hungry," he said, limping away from the truck, opening the passenger door.
Kate pulled herself up. "Starving."
Getting around was a pain in the ass for him, but he took his meds, as prescribed, and the pain hurt less. He ended up taking her to an Italian restaurant in town.
---
“Everything looks so delicious. New York isn’t as gracious with their portions.”
“I’ve never been there. Something about having to take public transportation over my favorite truck bothers me.”
She smiled and ate some of her salad and sipped on her favorite wine. It had been over five years since she had been on a date that wasn’t work related. She almost forgot how to be a woman. “So you haven’t been on a single date since Sarah was born?” He nodded. “I honestly haven’t dated in five years.”
"So seems like we're both rusty at this," Tyler quipped, and it seemed to get a laugh out of Kate.
"I guess so, but I like it."
"I probably *shouldn't* be asking, Kate..." His voice trailed; she picked up on it.
"Oh, it's okay." She put her fork down a moment and wiped her mouth. "His name was Jeb. He was my boyfriend. He was one of the three who died in the tornado."
Tyler frowned. "I'm sorry. That must have been real hard."
"I couldn't deal. I left, and I didn't look back. I just... needed to leave."
"I get it. You loved him."
Kate nodded. "Very much." She touched a hand to the necklace that hung from her throat. "I think about him a lot, especially that day in El Reno."
"He was special to you, and I think he'd be proud of you."
"You think?"
"I realize I don't know him but I'd like to think he would be."
Kate smiled, feeling a warmth in her chest. "Yeah. I think so too."
“You never bring up your family aside from Sarah. Do you have a mom dad or grandparents somewhere?”
He straightened his body. “I was raised by my aunt and uncle.”
“I see. Well they raised a fine gentleman.”
“And your mama raised a lady.” They both smiled. After dinner he took her to a small town gathering place where they danced. He loved that Kate knew how to line dance and other country dances.
-
Boone and Javi, babysitting together--what could go wrong? Javi wasn't even sure how he ended up here to begin with. They didn't interact much, even when Kate wasn't involved, and Javi was still thinking there was an animosity between them. Here they were, though, watching Tyler's kid while he was on a date with Kate. And they somehow ended up at the ice cream parlor. Javi was silent for the most part, focused more on the butterscotch cup in front of him.
Sarah crept off towards the soda machine and pressed the button. It ended up spraying all over the three of them and she giggled. “I made a mess Uncle Boone.”
Boone tried not to laugh. “T is gonna kill me, he doesn’t allow soda. I think this is part of the reason.”
Javi chuckled. He was getting in the truck when a couple former StormPAR guys approached him. “You’re a fuck up Rivera! You messed up bad. Riggs is going to end you.”
“Piss off.”
“Or we could piss on you.” They began to laugh. “Did you enjoy fucking your blonde friend? Cause we all knew she was just a piece of ass to you.”
Javi started seeing red and Boone heard it too.
“Hey! Do we have a problem here?” Boone looked at them.
“Oh how cute, Javi decided to join the Wrangler and his crew.”
He clenched his fist. “Shut the hell up.”
Sarah came from the side of the truck. “It’s not nice to speak like that.”
The guys laughed. “Oh that’s low now he’s got you babysitting.”
Javi put himself between the larger of the three, and Sarah. “Walk away now, guys.”
“Or what?” The man’s hands planted square in Javi’s chest. Javi stumbled, only a moment. His fist came at the man’s face, knuckles cracking across the dude’s nose, splitting blood everywhere. Another one came in, going low, catching Javi at his waist. They both went hard on the ground.
Sarah jumped back, scared, “Boone, get her out of here.”
“Aw, look, the traitor jumped ship real fast.”
Javi’s hands cracked across the man’s face, his elbow digging into the man’s solar plexes. “Boone, NOW.” The police had been called already. Someone inside. Javi cried out as his arm was pulled behind him. He heard something pop. His head came back against the man’s nose. The man got back and Javi jumped to his feet, his right arm hanging useless at his side
“Uncle Boone why are they mean?”
“Because they’re angry that mister Javi did the right thing and they don’t like it.”
“Oh…” All three men were either unconscious or semiconscious by the time police arrived, and Javi was sitting on the ground—forehead split, arm useless, and a pounding headache. Most people who called all said that the men attacked first, and Javi was defending himself. A few more units were called in, and an ambulance to get Javi looked at. Sarah clung tight to Boone, scared shitless. “The bad men hurt him.”
“He’ll be okay, kiddo.” Boone held onto her, but she trembled.
Javi spit blood, wincing as he was touched. But he saw Sarah in tears and smiled in spite of his own pain. He held out his left hand and she wanted down. Sarah crept over to Javi, who pulled her in. “I’m okay.”
“But you’re hurted.”
“I’ve had worse…” The EMT checked him out—taking his blood pressure, listening to his heart and lungs, and getting his shoulder temporarily wrapped, then gave him something for the pain.
Boone looked at him, “if you don’t mind I’ll drive.” He took the keys from him. “Where are you staying?”
“Motel.” He laughed.
-
They got back to the farm and sat on the tailgate of his truck talking. “Thank you for tonight, I uh actually enjoyed myself. In fact I’ve enjoyed myself with you since the rodeo minus the storm.”
“Me too.”
“I hope Javi didn’t mind me sending him along with Boone and Sarah.”
“Nah don’t tell Boone but I sense a connection there. I’ve seen the way they look at eachother.”
She smiled, “kinda like you with me?”
Tyler smiled. His face flushed. And he hoped Kate wouldn’t slap him for what happened next. He leaned in, tilting his head just so, and pressed his lips to hers. Kate hadn’t been kissed in years. Not since Jeb. It took a second for the shock to wear off. But only a second, and she was kissing him back. It was soft and gentle, and she inhaled to scent of his amber cologne. Tyler pulled back slowly, a smile spreading across his jaw. “I liked that.”
“Me too.”
They sat there staring at the stars. She rested her head against him. “Where are you and Sarah staying tonight?”
“I don’t know uh Boone was supposed to pick the motel.”
She squeezed his hand “maybe you guys could take the guest room one more night before I go back tomorrow.”
“Wouldn’t want to be a burden to your mother.”
Cathy came walking out of the barn, startling them both. “Nonsense he can stay.” She walked into the house.
Both laughed, “your mom is like a ninja I had no idea she was around.”
“That’s mama for you.” They pressed their lips together once more only to be blinded by truck lights in the drive.
“Damnit Boone you sure know how to make an entrance.” He scoffed.
“Daddy!” Sarah came running.
She hugged him. Kate saw Javi. “Okay that doesn’t look like ice cream stains what happened Javi?”
Boone chimed in, “they’re calling him a traitor.”
Javi winced; Kate pulled back with an apology on her lips. “Shit. Are you okay?”
“Yeah I’ll be fine. Shoulder hurts like a son of a bitch, but it’ll heal up.”
His shoulder was in a sling, suspended outside his shirt, which hung off half his body. Kate could see the bruising where he was kicked. She frowned. “I’ve had worse, Kate.”
“He put himself between those bastards and Sarah, T. Laid all three out. I’m impressed.”
Tyler smirked. “Boone, anything with a pulse impresses you.”
Javi’s heart palpitated still at an elevated rate, a symptom of the adrenaline he hadn’t yet come down from. “StormPAR,” Tyler started, getting Javi’s attention. “Thanks for keeping her safe.” He gently pat Javi’s unbandaged shoulder.
Boone looked at Tyler, “I haven’t booked the motel room yet.”
Cathy walked outside overhearing everything. “Javi you take the guest bed. Boone I’ll get the air mattress for you.”
Kate looked at Tyler, “you and Sarah can have my room, I’ll take the couch.”
"Are you sure Kate?"
She nodded, "I am."
-
A few hours later Sarah sat on Kate’s bed refusing to sleep. “Daddy I want Kate in here.”
Kate overheard them talking and opened the door. “Sorry I was not being nosy.”
“Kate come have a sweep over with us.” She walked into her room and when Tyler stood up shirtless she couldn’t look away, he was like a Greek god. Dear lord he’s hot.
“You sure?”
“Yeah!! Can she daddy?”
Tyler blushed. “It’s her room..,”
Kate kicked off her slippers. She crawled into the bed, putting Sarah between herself and Tyler.
She was nervous. She hasn’t shared a bed with anyone in five years. Now she’s got Tyler there. And there’s a lot about him that she liked but she was afraid to open her heart to him.