Galvanize - Nataja

[NATAJA RAMERO SUTTCLIFF]

Now see, I grew up around rough and tumble southern boys so my sense of gender and which person did what was more than slightly topsy turvy. I knew round about most women preferred staying home and looking after the kids, but I wasn't one of those women. Don't get me wrong, I loved kids, I still do love kids but I couldn't be a fully time stay at home mother, I'd love to be able to work while I take care of them. Then again I never really gave the entire thing much thought. Anyway. Distractions, thought distractions.

Datar was probably out, I don't know where, I never knew where he was after the sun went down and that suited me down to the ground because he didn't know where I went either. In fact my eldest brother didn't really ask where I went in general, I think subconsciously he knew better than to start sticking his nose where it didn't belong. He didn't question the bruising around my throat from my bastard boss, he didn't question the black eye and bruised cheek I'd come home with the other day. By the way, makeup was doing wonders to hide all of this. Mwaha for being a woman for once in my life.

Dietrich met me at the gate, that giant great lump was probably the closest thing to a child that I had, apart from the fact that if anything I could ride that dog like a horse if it gave you any indication of his size. Since it was pretty much useless taking the truck - I wouldn't be using it - I just went about jogging there, that was all well and good really because I could use the exercise to keep myself in shape. Not that I needed to be kept in shape... My lifestyle kept me as much but still you could never be too careful could you? No idea when you'd end up running away from the feds for any particular reason and tonight was reason enough.

Although planes are my specialty when it came to fixing them up, there was nothing I liked more than to hear the roaring of a car engine. That was probably why I fit in around the races as much as I did, okay I wasn't bearing all by walking around in bikini's like some girls but I'd get boring to everyone if I did.

Ah, he noticed me before I noticed him but not by long, and the kiss drew a light smirk that I wasn't even going to bother try hiding. Yes, girls got jealous, yes, I liked their jealous, why? Because fucking look at what I'd pulled. Who I'd pulled. Out of all the girls there to possibly choose from that probably - I'd seen it on a few occasions - threw themselves at him he'd come to me instead. We ran together, notes and drops. Phillip had us together and to be frank we made a bloody good team when we were actually on a job. Okay we had our habits, we messed around, but we never missed a drop.

The only time I missed a drop was when I was on my own.

Cars were actually leaving, not that I blamed them. If I was faced with such raw power then I'd have pulled out of the race as well. Once they started lining up I did my usual routine and ducked out of the crowds to head up towards the finish line to wait up there because I knew without a doubt the first person that would be crossing it and he'd want me up there I was sure. So I wasn't going to disappoint now was I?

Don't ask me what, but something forced Deitrich to stop half way up and pull on his lead and let me tell you that having a giant midnight black great dane suddenly and almost violently tugging on your hand tended to get your attention. I did nothing but glance down and drop his lead like normal. He'd still follow me even if I wasn't holding the large thick chain. He'd carry it. But while I was there instead I chose to peak out from between the spectators to see what was going on.

That was when the night suddenly, and violently, went tits up.

I'm not a stupid girl, I'm not. I know damn well what would happen if I ever ever got hit by one of those cars. I'd seen people tagged, taken out, lit up and I'd seen people killed simply by misjudging their timing when running across to the other side. Me? I'd missed death by inches after one of the cars in another state had come skidding off the road and smacked the spectator right next to me into the side of a brick building. Poor fucker didn't get back up that was for damn sure and I - that night - was left running back to the hotel thinking "Oh my fucking god that could have been me" while being thankful that it hadn't been.

Had I known, I'd have backed as far away from the fucking road as possible but I didn't know it was comment so I stayed where I was with my head peeking over someone's shoulders watching the cars come down when suddenly the entire world went upside down for a second and I felt my knees scrape along the tarmac and it took me less than a second to realize where I was now. Oh my god, I was in the road. I was actually standing in the road.

Scrambling up to my feet again it was like... I don't know, I just froze the moment the headlights hit me and I was left in an almost statuesque like position with eyes wide and my arms raised slightly - as if that was going to fucking help me if I got hit by such a fast moving object. It took me probably a little longer to make out what car it was that I was staring at but the noise gave me something to go on and my blood ran cold. This car wouldn't stop, this car couldn't stop in time.

Ever experienced it? That split second of a car crash when everything just slows down? Your stomach sinks as far down as possible, your heart seizes up and your breathing stops. Your eyes dilate as wide as possible and you instantly move to protect your vital organs but I think what stopped most of that was in that split second I caught sight of his face the same moment he caught mine and the slowness stopped, everything sped back up again.

Whichever lucky fucker dragged me back off the road I'll have to kiss and dance with later, because just like someone pushed me into the road someone dragged me out of it again quick enough that I missed the skidding Charger by less than a foot but I missed it none the less. Perhaps it was instinct, perhaps it was just shock or perhaps it was what it was just the fear that made me scream his name. Fuck knows. My heart was in my throat, that was Rick being thrown around like a rag doll. The damage the car was sustaining it was going to be a miracle if he even stayed alive but after it finally skidded to a halt there he was, climbing his way out.

Oh my god he looked like shit. I was surprised he was standing at all but by the time he'd climbed out I was already running across the road - given what had just happened perhaps not my most intelligent move but fuck y'all. I wasn't going to let him suffer on his own - and tumbled down to my knees next to him. He was in pain - well of course he was - but I'd seen it the moment he'd look at me. "Rick? Rick!" But he was out for the count and I knew it. He had no idea, his only three words had been enough and honestly I had no idea either. I had no idea who pushed me, who pulled me back. It was all over in two or three minutes and in those minutes I became so sure of things I'd never even known existed.

People were bailing, cars screaming away from the wreck site so the cops didn't come rushing down to arrest them and I also heard the ambulance, the noise was a welcome thing as I'd ever heard one. By the time they got there though I had him bodily cradled, y'know? Head on shoulder and keeping him upright - or at least attempting to, he was a big boy even dead weight - and trying to stop the bleeding from the gash on his forehead but only little old me could do so much. I wasn't a doctor, and his wounds were severe. Don't ask me how they wrestled him out of my grasp, I had no idea either. I don't even remember getting from the wreck site to the hospital but I did and yeah, this is where I'll be staying until he wakes up. Phillip won't get me to run anymore, not with my running-partner out of action unless the notes were extremely important.

One thing was for damn fucking certain though. If I ever find out who pushed me in front of him, I am going to find them, catch them, and kill them.