Chapter 6: Chapter 6: Oh Hell

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Even though he was a pro and flew more than most, he hated it. He hated overnight flights even more, but if it'd get it him to his family now, he'd do it. Besides, he couldn't just sit around and do nothing. What he hated the most right now is that he was stuck on the damn runway not going anywhere, and there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it. He was tired, churlish, and he just wanted the damn thing to start moving. The only thing being in L.A. had going for it was that he was able to get a flight out within the hour. Other than that, it was a shit place to be when his family needed him.

Every time Austin tried to get in touch with someone and it didn't go through, he got a little more discouraged. He knew in his head that the storm had taken out all communication, but it was going to give him an ulcer by the time he made it there and found them.

"Can I get you anything, sir?"

Austin looked up at the flight attendant who was back again. She'd offered him a pillow and blanket earlier with everyone else. He'd taken it, but it still sat unused on his lap. "I could really use a beer."

Smiling she nodded and asked if he knew what he wanted. When he told her she left and came back with it. He passed over his card and took a pull from the bottle. At least his first-class ticket got him a drink before they took off. Maybe it'd help him get some sleep. He knew he'd need it when he finally got there, but somehow he didn't think he'd get much.

"Rough night?"

"Yeah," he said hoarsely.

Running a hand down his arm, she asked, "Wanna talk about it?"

Usually, he'd be all over a hot flight attendant trying to flirt with him, but he just wasn't in the mood. "Not really."

"Well if you need anything else, just let us know, okay?"

"Thanks."

By the time Austin finished the beer, he felt a little more relaxed, so he pulled out the blanket and pillow and tried to sleep. He knew that it was going to be a long day once he hit the ground.

"I'm sorry, sir," the guy at the desk told him, "there's just nothing I can do."

"Is there anything around that can be brought in? I need to get to my family."

Austin sat in a chair at the rental car office, and the man on the other side of the desk kept eyeing his bouncing knee. He couldn't help it. He was high on caffeine, nerves, and the need to get to the only people he loved. Apparently, everyone else had cleaned out the rental car places, and there was nothing for him. When the man got off the phone and shook his head, Austin had an idea. He didn't know why he didn't think of it sooner.

"Can you take me to a dealership?"

"A what?"

"A car dealership. If I can't rent a car, I'll just buy one."

The man eyed him, no doubt because he was having trouble believing that Austin could just up and buy a car, but screw him.

"Never mind. I'm sure if I call one they'll come pick me up."

An hour later Austin was headed out toward where his home should be. The car he bought was an unexpected expense, but his family would possibly need something anyway, so it worked out. As he neared the place his hometown should be, Austin's hands began to shake and his heart rate spiked. He couldn't believe the devastation he was seeing. Seeing it on the news and seeing it in person was completely different. He was sure his heart was going to come out of his chest as he saw just the bits of damage that he did. Trees were pulled from the ground and houses looked like they exploded. He still hadn't heard from his family, and it was killing him. He knew he needed to think positive thoughts, but with every hour passing, it was getting more and more difficult. Several miles from Horace a police car was blocking the road and motioned for him to roll down his window.

"Sorry, no one gets past here," the officer informed him.

"Where would they take the survivors? My family lives there, and I need to find them."

"They set up a shelter over in Hastings. People are staying in the gym and churches, and they have a call center where they have the names of people who are alive and looking for others."

"Thanks."

"I haven't heard anything about your momma, but when they replace me, I'll personally run over to her place and look around." Austin looked at the man trying to place him. He hadn't been home in so long, and he'd changed a lot in the five years, he knew everyone else had too. "Brody," the man said supplying his name, "Brody Shepard. We went to school together."

"Oh, yeah, I remember now. And thanks. I really appreciate it."

"You're welcome. Go check out the shelter. She and your brother and sister might be there."

"I will. Thanks."

Brody pulled out a pad and handed it over for Austin to put his contact information in, and as soon as he finished, he headed toward Hastings. As he drove that way, he had a sinking feeling he wouldn't find anything. He knew it in his gut that if they'd been found, they would have got someone to call him. They wouldn't have let him worry.

Austin wasn't too familiar with the town, but he found the gym quickly. Walking inside he was hit with a wall of emotion. He couldn't put his finger on how he felt, but it was overwhelming. As he took the place in, he saw people lying on cots that lined the floor, and others sitting in groups laughing. How could anyone laugh at a time like this?

"Can I help you?" a voice broke though.

"Uh, yeah. I'm looking for my family."

"Most of the people who have come from Horace hang out here during the day or some have been helping with extraction. Do you know where they're staying?"

Still looking around the room, Austin tried to answer. "I haven't heard from them since the storm. I..."

"We have a center set up over at the Baptist church. They'll be able to help you track them down. Do you know where that is?" Austin shook his head and tried to pay attention as she gave him directions. It was no use. He kept seeing all the people who were homeless, displaced by the tornado that had ripped through his childhood home. "Here, I'll write it down for you."

"Appreciate it. Thanks."

"Can you please just check again?" Shelby was frantic. She'd heard from her sister right after the storm hit, but then there was nothing. She had run over to Anna and Cam's house, but they weren't there. When she started to walk around and look in the area, rescue workers had found her and taken her away. She was so upset they hadn't stayed to look for them, and she'd been doing everything she could since. It didn't seem like much, but if she were allowed to do it, she was.

"Ms. Peterson, I checked all the lists three times, and there's no Cameron or Anna Morris. Maybe you can check back later or come back tomorrow."

"I don't want to check back tomorrow! I've been trying to find them for over thirty hours now. Why hasn't anyone found them?!"

"I understand you're upset, but there's no reason to yell."

"Oh, you understand, do you?! You understand?! Did you have your house blown to bits? Is the only family you have missing?"

"Like I said, I'm trying to help with whatever I can. Now if you'll excuse me. I need to see what this young man needs."

Shelby winced and took a deep breath, "I'm sorry ma'am."

"It's all right. I know you feel helpless, I think we all do, but together we can all make it through this."

Nodding she turned and ran into the chest of the person standing behind her. Why people stood so close to each other, she never understood. She liked her space and hated that people got in her bubble. Cool hands wrapped around her arms and steadied her.

"Sorry 'bout that," she said as she looked up into the stranger's face, only it wasn't a stranger, it was her high school boyfriend, Austin freakin' King. Oh hell!

"Shelby?"

Not trusting herself to speak, she nodded. She didn't expect to run into him and she didn't expect the fierce hug that came either. A sob bubbled up from deep within and she grabbed onto him pulling from his strength. Too late she realized that she hadn't showered in what felt like forever, she had mud on her, and she was sure she looked like a mess. She tried to pull back from him, but he just kept her in a tight hold.

"Excuse me," Austin said to the lady at the desk while still holding her, "I'm looking for my family. They told me to come here."

"Who are you looking for?"

"Laura, Danielle, Reagan, and Reece King."

"I'll go look. Just a moment."

What Austin said made Shelby stop struggling. "You haven't heard from your family?" When he shook his head she squeezed him around the middle, "I'm so sorry, Austin."

"What about you?"

"I'm still waiting to hear from Anna and Cam."

"Sir, I've checked, and I don't see them on my lists. Like I was telling Ms. Peterson, we try to keep them up to date as much as possible, but there is some delay. You can check back this afternoon or maybe they'll show up at one of the shelters."

"Thanks."

Shelby let go of Austin and took a big step back. She needed to put some space between them. She could smell herself, and she didn't look anything like what she had in the past. A lot had changed in five years. Five years had done Austin good, not so much for her. She needed to get away from him before she went stupid. "Well, I hope you find them all. I need to get going."

"Do you need a ride?"

She shouldn't. She should just wait for the shuttle and take it. She didn't need to be messing around with Austin again. She didn't need to talk to him or be around him. "Sure, I guess." She was never strong where he was concerned, though, and that's why he was dangerous.

As she walked to his car, she thought about how she and Austin had left things. It had been a really ugly when she'd told him she didn't think things would work out. It had always been about the distance and the time apart, not because they ever hated each other or anything. In fact, she'd never met anyone like him since, and she'd never been with anyone who treated her like him. She hated that he was simply too busy and never had time. He said he wasn't ever coming home, and she would never leave her sister, so it had seemed stupid to stay together when she knew it'd never work. When she looked back on it, they were sixteen, and it was stupid to even care about those things, but he had his life, and she had hers now.

Shelby didn't even know why she was thinking about this. It didn't matter. They weren't the same, and they didn't fit together at all. They weren't even the same people. She'd not only changed as a person, she didn't even look the same. She'd gotten in an accident a year ago and broke her hip. She wasn't able to do a lot of exercise and was on bed rest for a long time. Because of that, she'd packed on the weight, and she was nowhere near the size six she'd been in high school. The last time she bought clothes, they were size fourteen, and she had come home and cried. Her best friend Ashley told her daily how beautiful she was, but she knew Ashley was just trying to help her boost her self-confidence. The man sitting next to her was dating a young actress who looked better than Shelby used to even when she was skinny, and he'd even supposedly fathered a baby with a supermodel. Yeah, she was so not his type.

And Austin, he looked better than ever. He'd grown into his 6'3" frame and had nice muscles. He wasn't bulky, but he looked like he could hold his own. And the tattoos, those were a surprise when she'd first seen them in a magazine. The designs snaked down his arm, and it made him look like the bad boy everyone thought he was. Shelby didn't know if he was still the sweet kid he used to be, or if he'd actually adopted that role. According to everything she'd read, it was more than likely that he had.

"Where are you headed?" Austin asked.

"Off a bridge," she thought. "I'm staying in the gym. What about you?"

"I haven't exactly figured that out yet. I got on the red eye last night, and I haven't stopped moving since. I just needed to get here. I should figure it out soon, though, because I'm about to fall over."

"Yeah, I know the feeling. Most of the hotels are booked, and I'm not sure what they're doing with the shelters."

"Don't worry about me. I'll figure something out. Just... if you see any of them, would you tell them I'm here and to call me?"

"Of course." She could do that.

When his car pulled up outside the gym, she hesitated. As much as she didn't want to be reminded of everything she wasn't because she was sitting next to the man she had once been with, she didn't want to deal with the reality of what was waiting for her inside either.

"Well, here you go. Good luck."

"Thanks for everything, Austin. I really hope your family turns up soon."

She saw the hurt flash through his eyes, "I hope you find Anna soon too."

She wouldn't cry in front of him. Too many tears had been cried for Austin King, so none would be shed in his presence either. She had to get out of his car and get away. She gave him a half wave and got out as quick as she could.

Once she was inside, she started to look around. She was hopeful that Anna and Cam were around and her wait would be over. She wasn't sure why it'd take so long for them to turn up unless something really bad had happened, and she wasn't going there yet. She couldn't. Looking around, she took in the families, friends, and people of Horace sitting on cots and talking. When she got to the corner she'd taken up a bed in, her eyes collided with Colby.

"Shelb, what have you been doing? I've been waiting for you for over an hour."

Shelby wrinkled her nose and headed over to the man sitting on the cot next to hers, "Hey Colby, it's good to see you sitting up. How are you feeling today?"

"Like it's time to go. Now, how 'bout we get out of here."

"And go where?"

Colby looked around, "Anywhere. There's nothing left for us here. Let's go find a hotel, a hot shower, and get the hell out of this place."

"I can't. Anna and Cam are still out there. I'm not going anywhere until they're found."

"Ah hell, babe. Just leave them your number and have them call you when they turn up. That's what a lot of people are doing. There's no need for us to suffer in the meantime."

She knew he wouldn't get it. Colby didn't get a lot of things when it came to her relationship with her sister. "I really shouldn't."

"Shelby, you're not thinking clearly. You'll think much clearer with a bed, shower, and a real meal. Come on, let's do it. I know when you get down, you don't always see the end of the tunnel, and this is one of those times. I'm just looking out for you. What would you do without me?"

"Yeah," she said sarcastically, "what would I do?"

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