I guess this is kind of short. idk. At least it's an update. I hope you enjoy it. :)

For a minute he doesn't quite hear them. It's dull in the wake of his pounding head and agonizing wounds. They are practically screaming when it finally registers. "Son." He slowly lifts his head and stares through empty eyes at their faces. "We need to take her."

Duncan stares blankly for a moment. He blinks up at them, then says mindlessly, "Yeah…" He nods vaguely. "She's in trouble."

One fireman scoffs. "Not just her. You too. You both need to come with us." He bends down to take Courtney from him.

Duncan immediately pulls away. He narrows his eyes and tenses. His lips curve into a snarl. "No." Just as quickly as his defensiveness rises to the surface it dies back down. His limbs loosen and emptiness settles back on his face. "I…I'll carry her."

One fireman looks reproachfully at him. The other smiles sadly at him and nods. The boy doesn't really need to be putting unnecessary pressure on his burns, but it will be much faster if they let him do this. They don't need resistance right now, when time is of the essence.

Duncan struggles up. He uses the tree as a brace and inches up into a standing position. He nearly collapses halfway up, but manages to catch himself. Finally, with much exertion, he stands before them. His body quivers, but he doesn't let the pain and fatigue overcome him.

"You ready to go?" One asks. He steps to the side to reveal the ambulance waiting by the street. The sirens are especially loud in that moment to them all, even though it's no louder than before.

Duncan leans back against the tree. He breathes heavily in and out. "N…o." He gasps. "Here." He stretches his arms out. "Take her. I…" He shakes his head with much effort. "I can't go. Too…tired."

The fireman steps forward and carefully lifts her from Duncan's arms. "I'll take her." He looks to the other man. "You handle this." He knows that they can't just leave the boy. He needs medical attention just as badly as if not more than the girl.

As the fireman turns to leave, a shrill cry reaches them. All three turn and look up to see a woman and man racing toward them. The woman is farther ahead and reaches them in the next moment. "My baby!" Her shrill voice pierces their ears and makes them cringe.

The man arrives next. "Oh God." He moans. His face twists in terror. "How is she? Is she alright?" His heart beats double time. "W-What's wrong?"

"You idiot." The woman bites. She swivels on him and glares heatedly. "What does it look like? She's not even conscious! Of course she isn't alright!" She chokes up.

The man cringes and shies away. He ducks his head and a deep grimace forms on his lips. "But…" He can't find the words to fight back. He sinks into devastated silence.

The woman turns back to the fireman and Courtney. "I can't believe this." She blubbers. "My baby was perfect. She never did anything wrong. She didn't deserve this." She runs her hands gently over her daughter's face and hair.

"Ma'am." The fireman says. "I know you're upset, but I need to take her. She was exposed to a lot of smoke and needs medical attention." He can only assume this is the mother and father so, "You can come with her."

The woman opens her mouth to respond when the boy behind the firemen catches her eye. "You." She hisses.

Duncan looks dully up at her. He tilts his head slightly, uninterestedly. "Huh?" He mutters.

The fireman looks back and forth between them and quickly makes the decision there's no time to wait for this. This looks like it could escalate into a violent, long lasting argument. He just moves around the woman and runs to the ambulance.

The woman narrows her eyes and her lips curve in a snarl. "It was you!" She clenches her hands into fists and they shake fiercely. 'You did this to her!" She springs forward, at him. "You punkass piece of-"

The fireman jumps and places himself firmly between the two. He throws his arms out, holding her back. "Stop it." He growls. He narrows his eyes. "This boy did nothing. He saved your daughter. We saw him walk out of that building with her. The way," He waves his other hand. "The way he looks right now – burned – it happened saving that girl."

The mother breathes heavily in and out. Her chest heaves and her lips curl down sharply. "Scum." She mouths over the fireman's shoulder. She has heard the way her daughter talks about him – at least it must be him – a punk who isn't worth the ground they trod on. She's seen the tears streaking Courtney's face that must tell of the insults thrown her way. It doesn't pass her mind at all that her daughter cries because of her own inner turmoil that many times has little to do with Duncan.

Duncan blinks, unfazed. He supposes he deserves it anyway. He's done so much wrong. And the way his father attacks him, it must be a sign that on some level he deserves all the hate and mistreatment. These burns too. They are an eternal mark of the sins he surely committed, even if only in another life.

The fireman lets out a heavy breath. He slowly turns away from her to face the boy. "Come on kid. We've got to get you to the hospital too."

Duncan slowly lifts his gaze to lock with the fireman's. "Oh." For the first time the gravity of the situation hits him, but not in the way it would a normal person. "Oh!" His eyes widen. "You can't tell my parents." He shakes his head fervently. "You can't!"

Surprise flashes across the fireman's face. He doesn't really have control over that. Surely the hospital will do that whether the boy likes it or not. Still… "I won't." Because he doesn't have to. It's just he has no power to stop anyone else from doing it.

Duncan sighs and drops his head in relief. He smiles weakly, caught somewhere between believing the man and knowing deep down that it's only a comforting lie. Someway, somehow, his parents will find out. He just knows it.

The fireman touches his shoulder lightly. "Come on." He nods over his shoulder to an ambulance. This kid is in as bad a shape as the girl. They don't have time for this.

Duncan nods. "Yeah, ok." He passes the fireman and limps toward the ambulance he indicated. The lights are bright and the wail of the sirens is piercing, more so than any moment before. Without Courtney or her mother or any kind of distraction everything comes so much sharper. He cringes and cover his ears. He wishes it would all just go away, like before.

The fireman helps him in and the people in the ambulance take over. It's a flurry of movement and voices. Duncan doesn't understand half of it. The only thing that pierces the veil is – better off than her. It takes his breath away and makes his muscles stiffen. No… He is a doll in their grasps. Courtney…please be ok.

…

They don't let him leave his room. They keep him from her despite his protests. Just another way the universe is against him. He tries to fight once, but his burns prove too much for him against a horde of nurses. And he caves. He gives up and simply hopes and prays for the best. Ha. Praying. Even when he doesn't believe in that nonsense. But he does it nonetheless. Every day.

Courtney wakes up the next day. She wakes to the sight of her mother and father by her bedside. She smiles faintly at the sight of them. She doesn't quite remember anything that happened before. It's all a blur. "Mom…dad…" She coughs. "What…where am I?" She looks through half open eyes at the room around her. It's mostly white – definitely not her room – and it has a scent of antiseptics.

Her father opens his mouth to speak, but her mother jumps ahead of him. "Oh, honey, it was awful. The house caught on fire and you were trapped inside." Her heart beats faster at the mere thought, "I-I thought I would lose you." Her throat tightens.

Courtney gasps. That's right! She was making macaroni and-and…! She flinches and her hand snaps to her arms. It was so hot in the house. Then…then what? She can't remember. She cringes and hisses, her head pounding. Her hands snap to her head and she grips it. "How…how did I get out?" She doesn't remember her parents being there. She doesn't remember anyone being there. That's why the bits and pieces she recalls are so frightening.

Her mother reaches out and tenderly strokes her daughter's cheek. "Your father got you out."

Her father starts. What? He catches his wife's eye though and doesn't dare vocalize his disbelief. He presses his lips firmly together and averts his eyes.

Courtney pulls back. "What?" Her father doesn't need to say anything. After years of living with her mother and the dysfunctional workings that is her relationship with everyone she understands the unspoken. "No…" She shakes her head slowly. "No way. You," She points back and forth at the two of them. "You both were gone. You can't be the ones who saved me."

Her mother strains a smile. "Sweetie, you lost track of time. We were on our way back when it happened." She reaches for Courtney.

Courtney smacks her hand away. She scowls. "No. Who really saved me?" She locks eyes with her mother. While her father is easier to intimidate, there's no chance of it when her mother is in the room. Maybe later, maybe when they're alone. If her mother will allow that.

Fire flashes in her mother's eyes. Her lips curl downward. "Your father." She says through clenched teeth. She snatches at her daughter's wrist. "There was no one else there. Got it?" She squeezes tight.

Courtney cringes and suppresses a whine. She's all too used to such intimidation tactics. Showing pain will only let her mother win. "Yes mother." She squeezes out. But that doesn't mean she's giving up. She'll find this out. Once she gets out of here, she'll solve this mystery. She swears.

Her mother gradually loosens her hold. She leans back. "Good girl." She's no fool though. She sees the resolve as much as senses it wafting off of her daughter. It won't be long before she discovers the truth. Then what? She'll have to cut this off at the source she supposes. When the time comes.

What did you think? A bit disappointing? Sorry they didn't really interact. Next time, whenever next time is, will be better. It might be the finale. It all depends.