Falling in Love : I love you, Today and Forever

"Shit!" Ian cursed and opened his medical kit. "Is the pain unbearable?" He queried as he cleaned the blood first to see where exactly Ryder was wounded. Even though his leg looked severely injured, it did not necessarily mean that Ryder's leg had to be amputated. If they could manage with normal procedures, then he could save Ryder's leg. His wounds were not infected to take such a drastic measure to save him.

"It's manageable, Doctor," Ryder mumbled, still in disbelief to see the woman he had called barely half an hour ago here. How had she come here so fast when she lived far away, on the other end of the city, while he was here, on the outskirts of the city?

Ian continued to clean his wounds, a frown marring his handsome face. He had to be extremely careful as the injuries were still fresh and the place was messy. It was easy to get infected if he was negligent.

"This might sting a little. Maggie, if possible, keep him distracted." Ian's words came out more like an order and Maggie clasped Ryder's hand tight to assure him.

"Have you found Valerie and Preston? Are you alright?" She started, looking around and Ryder hissed when Ian started to clean the wounded area.

"Not yet." He gritted his teeth to bear the pain. "We are still searching."

"How many people were with you on the team?"

"We were twenty-two in number. I do not know about the enemy." Ryder let out a sigh and stared at the lady beside him. "I did not expect you to come here, Maggie. I do not know what to feel."

"You scared me. Why did you end the call?" Maggie's tears continued to fall and Ryder lifted his free hand to caress her cheek. He had been waiting for this moment for a long time, to touch her, look at her and admire her. And it did happen but in different circumstances, one which he had no control over.

"I do not know. Maybe there is a problem with the signal here. The call ended automatically." Ryder smiled at her. By now, the pain in his leg had reduced. Yet, it was still there and his eyes moved to Ian when he heard the man sigh in relief. Google search 𝗳𝔯𝒆e𝘸𝗲𝗯𝓷𝗼𝘃𝘦l. 𝒄o𝓂

"Thank the lords," Ian muttered and he leaned back a little, not relaxed. "Your leg is fine. You might have a fracture and some external wounds. I do not have to amputate your leg."

His words scared the shit out of Ryder and his smile slipped in fear. "Amputate?"

Ian instructed his men who were proficient in medicine regarding Ryder's condition before he rushed out of the tent, only to stop suddenly when he remembered something. He turned around to "Do not worry, Officer. Your leg is fine. You will recover quickly. You have only fractured it if my analysis is not wrong. Now, let me check your head." Ian leaned forward and checked Ryder's head.

Fortunately, it was his forehead that he had hurt. If he had hurt the back part of his head, then it would be a problem for them. Yet, Ian did not make any conclusions until he was thorough with his diagnosis. At least for now, there was no danger to his life. So, he cleaned his wounds and tied a bandage around his head to prevent his wounds from getting infected.

"Let us move from here first. I have given him first aid. It's best that he moves away from the dust and the debris to stop his wounds from getting infected." Ian suggested and did not allow Ryder to object. He was his patient and he had to obey him in these matters.

Without waiting for Ryder to object, Ian supported him while Maggie supported him on the other side and the three people left the place of diaster toward the temporary tent Ian's men had set up to treat the injured.

Ian instructed his men who were proficient in medicine regarding Ryder's condition before he rushed out of the tent, only to stop suddenly when he remembered something. He turned around to find Maggie standing beside Ryder as she stared intently at the person who was now treating his wounds carefully. Her eyes were red, he could see it and she was controlling herself from crying again.

Ian was in a dilemma but he did not stay silent anymore. "Maggie, do you want to stay here or come with me to search for your colleagues?"

Both Ryder's and Maggie's snapped to him and they looked at him for a moment before Ryder broke the silence. "Maggie, go with him. The more people, the faster we will be able to find all our men."

"But..."

"Maggie, Deputy and Preston are still missing. Please." Ryder added and Maggie gave up eventually. She looked at him intently for a moment before she followed Ian out of the tent.

"Ryder is fine, Maggie. Do not worry." He assured her with a smile and Maggie nodded at him, not speaking a word in response. Her mind was filled with Ryder and all she wanted was to return to him immediately. But the next instant, Valerie's face flashed through her mind and she stopped herself from running back to Ryder.

Ian and Maggie continued to look for people along with the people Ian had brought with him. However, they could not find Valerie and Preston even after searching for long and Maggie's heart contorted in worry and fear.

This is bad. This is definitely bad. She thought and her face blanched as she thought of her Deputy, the woman who had guided her and helped her to become the officer she was at the Intelligence before she was forced to leave. Valerie was her sister, her mentor, her Deputy, and her friend and as every second passed, the premonition feeling only turned intense.

Ian sensed the change in emotions from the lady beside him. Since the time they had set out in search of the wounded, he had kept an eye on Maggie, making sure to observe her lest she lost to her emotions. At first, she had been strong and composed. But as time ticked, he saw the way her face turned white. She was losing it slowly and he understood that she was now immensely worried for her friends.

Ian did not know what to say to her, or how to console her. He could only purse his lips and move a step closer to her as assurance. He was not that emotionally attached to her to offer her words of comfort and Maggie seemed to be too in distress to even listen to him.

"Doctor Ian." One of the men shouted, garnering Ian and Maggie's attention on him. "Emergency." The man yelled, his voice trembling and vanishing with the night wind.

Ian glanced at Maggie before he took off and Maggie too forced herself to calm down and ran after him to help the injured.

Maggie stopped short when she saw the men trying to move the debris that was lying on the ground. Even though she did not know who was underneath it, she could faintly make out that the person was trapped because their right leg was jutting out and her heart almost skipped a beat when she saw the shoe the person was wearing.

And her worst fears came true when she saw the men moving the rubbles and she saw Valerie lying in a pool of her own blood.