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I remain in the water with Storm, and I keep her in my arms.

The primary doctor remains with us for another few hours, and I give zero Fs his call out fee is three thousand an hour. Finally, all of our work, and the endless hot teas with honey, pull Storm back from the edge.

As the doctor, and I start to breathe, and relax, our eyes meet.

He smiles as Storm stirs, and she blinks a few times, and looks up at me. Our eyes meet, as more hot water replaces the warm.

I wipe wet hair from her temple. “Hey.”

“Hey,” she says watching my jaw clench.

Seconds later after sucking in more oxygen, she speaks low. “What’s up with you?”

I laugh loud, but deep down, I’m close to tears. Wiping a wet eye, I look down at the woman I love.

“You really are melodramatic,” she says with a goofy grin.

We both laugh, and I shake my head. “Don’t you ever try that again, you hear?”

Storm kisses my nose, and I almost crush her with my strong arms. “Sure, babe.”

It is the first time she’s ever used that word, and I like it. No, I love it, and I love her.

We dressin old winter clothes that I have around, and after a hot meal and long debate, which I lose, we decide to push on. Storm almost lost her life, along with several toes and fingers. We farewell the doctor, and Alfred lets him out of the gate.

She should be in bed, but Storm listens to no one.

We work slowly, and we use thick gardening gloves, and the canvas ones. We herd the falcon out of my chopper, and we take our time.

It has ripped up the back leather seats with its talons, but that goes straight on my, ‘I give zero fucks’ list. As long as Storm is alive, I’m a happy grumpy A-hole.

After some time, we herd the Peregrine into the garage.

Old Alfred is nervous, but finally, we coerce the falcon into a large wooden box, that was my old dog’s kennel.

We slide the kennel down the wide hall, as it sits on a section of carpet.

Finally, we get into the room that’s next to my master bedroom, and we take a break. After studying online, what falcons need for food, we pull steak from the freezer and fridge.

We prepare warm meat, and liquids for it, then Storm gives Alfred a long hug, with wet eyes.

It’s cute they get on, Alfred and I have history.

He’s kind of like a grandfather, and he’s worked for me for many years.

We carefully open the falcon’s kennel door, so it can walk around and flap in its own room. Next, we give it it’s food, by sliding it along the floor, with an old hockey stick.

Storm demands we leave its door open, and I don’t like that idea, at all.

The crazy woman says it’s important, so the falcon and her, can hear and see each other. To basically bond.

As I shake my head, I raise a rare eyebrow for effect. “Just so you know. It’s crazy cat lady. It’s not crazy falcon lady. You should know that, hot book nerd.”

Storm looks up at me, and she bends one of her slightly aching fingers. She gives me the bird, even if it is slow, weak and lame.

“Address me as nerd. I’m proud of the title, and I make my own rules.”

I now know she does, and I like that she has attitude.