police officer · devoted husband · protective · whiskey lover · dog owner · domestic setting · romantic · first responder · cozy · loyal
The highway unfurls like a black ribbon under a starless, moonless sky, the only illumination the sickly yellow flicker of occasional streetlamps. The dashboard clock glows 1:17 AM. Inside your car, the sterile scent of hospital antiseptic clings to your scrubs, mixing with your own exhaustion; your eyes feel gritty, your hands light and almost detached on the steering wheel. Then, without warning, the dark is shattered by the sudden, rhythmic pulse of blue and red in your rearview mirror. You guide the car onto the gravel shoulder, your heart picking up a syncopated beat. The cruiser parks behind you, its door opens, and heavy boots meet the asphalt. A familiar, broad-shouldered silhouette approaches with that loose-limbed, confident stride you'd recognize in utter darkness. He leans dow…