Chapter 57: Ready or Not

Phoenix got a job with the fire department. Not only does the career suit her personality, but she'll be able to shower here. and after spending the night in a tent, she really needs a shower.

Her starting position is as a mechanic, so she spends her first days on the job working on the truck.

She's also tasked with dealing with more domestic type handyman jobs.

Once she's proved herself, she gets sent out on her first fire.

Fox spends his days fishing. In the evenings, he stays at the fire station with Phoenix.

Phoenix tried to keep Fox's presence in her workplace at night quiet, but it's not really possible to keep secrets in this small town. Rather than disciplining her, the town took pity on her homeless situation, and granted her and her 'boyfriend' a parcel of land where they could build a house to settle in. She never corrects people when they assume she and Fox are romantically involved. Their assumptions save her from having to explain the situation.
Phoenix tells Fox the good news over a foosball game at Reserve Tavern. "Building a house will be a lot of work," she says, "But we'll have our own home."

After the game, they sit outside for awhile before heading back to the station. Not having enough money for drinks, especially not now that they need all they've earned to build a house on their newly acquired land, Phoenix doesn't like to overstay her welcome in the pub.

Phoenix isn't sure if she initiated, or if it was Fox, because they moved in unison, drawing closer, meeting their lips in a kiss.

"I can''t," she whispers, her lips brushing against his, too reluctant to move away from him, "I have a boyfriend. Back where I'm from."

"He isn't here," Fox says, "I am."

"It's not that simple," she sighs, "I can't just forget him, pretend like he never mattered."

Fox wraps an arm around her shoulder, and she leans against him. His voice rumbles through his chest as he speaks, "When my woman, Summer Rain, died, I wanted the world to stop along with her. Without her, I didn't want to carry on with my life. But the world doesn't stop, and if you stop, you die. I would have accepted my death, then, but I could not. I was a hunter, others needed me. I had to go on, to live. I never forgot her, but I live."

Phoenix rises from the bench and takes his hands, "I am living, and trying to accept that this is my life now. I know I can't go back, and that I'll never see Emilio again. But I'm just not ready yet for this."

That night as she tucks herself in to the fire station bed, Phoenix thinks about Fox, the way his lips brushed softly against hers, the taste of his tongue, and the strength of his arms when he holds her. As the days pass, she thinks of Emilio less and less, and tonight, when she tries to recall what his kisses felt like, she finds she cannot.

The next day, Phoenix is deals with a large house fire. When she breaks down the door, she finds one of her ancestors inside, Roslyn Burden. Except, she wouldn't be a Burden at this point, Phoenix reminds herself, she would still be a McDermott.

She rescues Carey Burden from the same fire, and wonders how her two ancestors are getting along, and whether they would be conceiving their son Gibson soon. It comes as a great shock when she gets the news in the next few days that Roslyn is pregnant with Pelvis Eastly's child, and that the couple have decided on a quickie marriage. The same day brings gossip about Maya Riley, who was the mother of Foster Enmity's daughter Jasmin in Phoenix's ancestry, but who is now marrying Jimmy Ropata in this timeline.

Professor von Threadneedle was right, this past is not the past she knows, and the future is a world in which she will never be born. Here, her past does not exist, her future does not exist, she only has now.

Phoenix and fox pool their earnings to buy the materials thy need, and together they build a small house on their land.

One room, with a bathroom. Phoenix refurbished and old wood burning stove, salvaged a sinks, bathtub and toilet from the junkyard and plumbed the house herself, but they have no electricity, so they must light the house by candles, and make do with a hand built larder rather than a refrigerator. 

Phoenix hasn't stopped thinking about that kiss. Now that the work is done and they've settled into their new house, it's time to move forward.

"I've thought about what you said," she says as she pulls Fox into her arms, "I want to live."

Somewhere, in some other universe, some other time, Emilio is alive, and having to carry on without her. She hopes he will allow himself the same choice she's made for herself, to move forward, and let their past be a memory.

Phoenix takes care of maintenance at home just as she does at work.

Fox has started a garden.

And he's taken charge of food preparation. He's come a long way from his cave dwelling beginnings.

He's even taken an interest in learning to read, so Phoenix picked up some toddler books for him to start with.

Phoenix has learned to live without regret. Whatever she might have had with Emilio, Fox is as right for her as any man could ever be, and she's not going to feel guilty about loving him.

She has Saturday off, so Phoenix sets up a Gnibb game and teaches Fox to play. He swears it's his first time, but he beats her easily.

"That was amazing," she congratulates him when he's knocked down al the rabbits, "How did you get so good at it on your first try?"

"I'm a hunter," he answers, "Knocking over rabbits that aren't trying to get away is a lot easier."

"That is so sexy," she sighs, picturing him in his loincloth, throwing his spear.

"It's survival," he answers.

"Don't spoil my fantasy," she whispers, leaning in to kiss him.

After the sun sets, they roast fish over the fire pit.

And then they cuddle by the fire until bed time. "I never imagined how fulfilling such a simple life could be," Phoenix says, thinking of all the things she once had, the cars, computers, TVs, every kind of entertainment and distraction.

"I never imagined a life that wasn't a constant struggle for survival," Fox answers. 

They came from two entirely different worlds, and have found their own paradise together.

Sunday morning brings more chores. Fox has no sense of privacy whatsoever, and Phoenix has learned to lose her, living in such close quarters with him.

Later in the afternoon, they visit the secluded park on Lovers Lane. Foster Enmity is there, and immediately makes advances on the only female in the park.

Even if he weren't her ancestor, Foster is not Phoenix's type.

Fox doesn't like what he's seeing.

So he rushes over to mark his territory.

Foster is not pleased with this outcome.

Phoenix is impressed with the way Fox handled his jealousy. As much as she might enjoy watching him get into a fight over her, she's happy that's not his most immediate response. 

The event with Foster brought up another question she wants to raise. "I think we should talk about exclusivity," she says when she gets him home.

"Exclusivity," he repeats, pronouncing each syllable slowly, the way he does when he's presented with a new word.

"You know how you felt when you saw that guy coming on to me? What you and I have together, is for us alone. We don't share it with other people."

Fox nods, understanding, "You are my woman. I am your man. Exclusivity."

Phoenix sighs, "Could you pound your chest when you say that?"

"What?"

"Nothing," Phoenix laughs, "It's a bad joke. I just love it when you get all cave man on me."

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Challenge Notes:

Living in the fire station got old real fast, so I got the house going a little sooner than I expected.

I love living in the tiny house. I love having no money. Though, the firefighter job does pay well, so the money is coming in a bit. But there was one day where they only had $35 left after paying the bills. That felt good.

Phoenix had her various school awards and trophies to decorate the house, plus two gems cut in the sculptor's egg cut, gifts from her father. They'll never be sold. And her prom pic with Emilio.

I was a little sick about the Pelvis pollinating my Roslyn. :( 

But that's SP for you. Carey and Foster have both dated several other women, but nothing serious so far. Foster even dated Maya Riley before she married Jimmy Ropata.