CHAPTER TWENTY : ALWAYS AN ANGEL

EL RENO, OKLAHOMA

TYLER LEAVES NO ROOM FOR ARGUING WHEN IT COMES TO SEAT CHOICES. Willow is there, ready to voice that it is only fair Kate gets her turn, but the woman is already sliding into the back seat without any complaint, and Tyler, waving her right on into the front with the door wide open.

"You ready, weather girl?" He asks the moment she's situated, ready to peel off in the direction of their storm.

Willow turns to him, her grin wild. "Ready, cowboy."

They head off towards El Reno, in the slip of land between it and Calmut where the storm forms. Tyler keeps his eyes on the road, one hand gripping the wheel, the other lazily tossed over Willow's thigh. The woman herself is locked in, Tyler's laptop pulled to her where she minds the data.

"Okay, ground speed's at 22," Willow informs them, eyes fixed on the radar in her lap. The feed is hooked to the drone hovering above, and the numbers coming through are phenomenal. With some maneuvering, they could really make something out of this drone-data rig. Her eyes flicker to the twister churning just northeast of them, already a brutal thing. The dark skies she'd watched earlier had been a perfect warning. "Intercept is northeast. Look for Siloam Road."

Tyler glances over at her with a smile, all too happy to take her orders. "Siloam Road."

He presses the gas, speeding toward the intercept. Willow glances at him, her lips twitching into a grin—but it's cut short when StormPAR's truck slides out in front of them, wheels kicking up mud that slaps against their windshield.

Kate startles in the backseat, clutching the door as though Tyler might slam the brakes, but he doesn't. He keeps steady, adjusting without hesitation, far better behind the wheel than Javi had ever been.

He lets out a low chuckle. Javi's truck kicks up more debris as it weaves dangerously ahead. Javi only matches Tyler's energy and after that first chase, well, Willow knows he probably had that coming to him. 

None of the others are happy about the arrival of StormPAR, Boone is the most vocal when his voice crackles to life from the radio. "Hey!" He shouts. "These storm buttheads are cutting us off, man"

"All right, let's not get distracted," Tyler responds through his comms, voice steady, no need for the competition anymore. "Let's get these babies in the air!"

Tyler eases the truck forward again, matching Javi's speed. The skies darken ominously, lightning stabbing toward the earth in violent flashes. Debris swirls around them, pelting the truck as the winds intensify. Rain begins to pour, so heavy it obscures the twister entirely. Willow leans forward, squinting through the rain-streaked windshield, her jaw tightening.

"Will," Kate calls from the back, her voice tense. She leans between the front seats, pointing to the radar screen in her lap. "Doppler just went dark."

Tyler tries not to make it a big deal. "That's probably a dead cell zone."

But Kate isn't convinced. Her hand darts for the walkie. "Lilly, are you above us?"

Lilly responds instantly. "It's getting completely rain-wrapped. I can't see a thing."

"We just got to push through this rain curtain," they hear from Dexter next.

There's a crash that sounds in front of them, Willow's unable to see a thing, but she hears Lilly groan in frustration. "Yeah, I just lost my drone." Boone comes through again. "Hey, we lost visual."

Willow's eyes scan the storm, desperate to catch sight of the funnel. It's nowhere to be seen, swallowed by the rain, but she can feel it out there—growing. The stop sign to their right spins wildly, its pole straining against the wind. She glances back at Kate, who swallows hard, fear written across her face.

"Tyler, keep back," Willow orders, pressing a hand against his chest. "We don't know where it is."

Tyler nods, easing back but maintaining his course. They're too close to the intercept to stop now. If they can find the right position, it won't matter how little they can see—their experiment will do the rest.

The hail suddenly lightens, granting them a fleeting view of the chaos. Tyler slams the brakes just as Javi's truck surges ahead, barreling straight into the storm's edge.

Willow watches in horror as the winds catch Javi's truck, lifting it onto its side. Her breath catches. The truck is tossed like a toy, signs and debris slamming against its frame as it drags across the gravel.

Kate shouts his name, lunging forward between the front two seats. Willow watches the truck's weight shift, signs slamming against the siding, the wind dragging it along the gravel. She tries not to scream— she didn't even get to forgive him, to heal whatever the hell happened between them, and she's going to watch him—

"Tyler, we've got to do something!" Kate yells, terror lacing her voice.

"Hey! On your left, guys! It's hitting something big!" someone calls out over the comms.

Willow's focus shifts, her eyes catching the plant beside them. She hadn't even noticed it, too locked on the chaos surrounding Javi. The tornado crashes into the plant, setting off massive explosions, flames surging into the sky.

"Oh, my God," Willow gasps.

"Oh, my God. Oh, my God," Tyler echoes, his eyes fixed on the destruction. The tornado doesn't slow, tearing through the plant and sending more debris flying as flames climb up its funnel. It's headed straight toward them.

Kate shakes her head. "Wait, wait, wait! We can't just leave him!"

"We're not leaving him!" Tyler snaps, his voice firm. "But we've got to move! Now!" He throws his arm behind Willow's seat and slams the truck into reverse.

A massive piece of metal flies toward Javi's truck, slamming into the side with a sickening crash that knocks them back onto all four wheels. Somehow, Javi manages to get it moving, the engine roaring to life as he drives toward them, desperate to escape.

Willow wants to feel relief, but it's hard with her eyes fixed on the tornado, watching it churn through the explosion, flames twisting violently inside it. In her eleven years of chasing, she's joked about fire tornadoes, even entertained the thought of seeing one. But never like this. Never with one barreling straight for them.

"Hold on, hold on, hold on!" Tyler yells, whipping the truck around and slamming the accelerator as the tornado looms behind them. The tires screech against the pavement, gravel spraying, as he leaves the monstrous twister in the dust. He trails Javi's truck, their vehicles tearing down the road like prey fleeing a predator.

Seconds feel like hours before the storm starts to recede in their mirrors. Only then does Tyler grab the walkie, his voice tight but steady. "Is everybody okay?"

One by one, voices crackle back through the line, offering strained assurances.

Then Lilly's voice cuts through, trembling with a mix of horror and awe. "Are you seeing this?"

Is she seeing it? Willow can't look away. The tornado is unrecognizable, quadrupled in size, its towering funnel now streaked with blackened smoke. Whatever violent alchemy of science and destruction occurred when it hit the power plant unleashed a force she'd only ever encountered once before. She twists in her seat, clinging to the cushion, her nails digging into the fabric as the tornado rampages through the landscape. A memory claws its way to the surface—

No, it's behind us.

How did it become an EF5?

"We're out of it, Will."

The words yank her from the past. Kate tries to stay calm, steady, her voice no echo from another time, but the here and now, grounding her. She slides her hand over Willow's and she glances over, seeing the same fear in Kate's eyes that she feels in her chest. "Tyler got us out," Kate reminds, for both of them.

Willow exhales shakily, nodding. "Dani, is your Doppler up?" she calls into the radio.

"Yeah," Dani replies, her voice bouncing back, still shaky.

"What's the trajectory?"

A heavy pause. Then, Dani's voice trembles through the static. "There's a town. El Reno."

"Fuck," Willow mutters, running a hand through her hair. Her pulse quickens. There's no time to think, no room to strategize, to make this work. They're past experimenting, past chasing now. This is survival mode and lives are at stake. Willow presses in on the radio again, addressing the whole crew, voice resolute.  "Okay, guys, there's nothing we can do to stop it, but when you get there, make sure people get to a safe place."

The line goes quiet for a beat, and then Boone breaks it, his voice steady and ready for action. "All right, Dani. Where am I headed?"

Dani stammers, pulling herself together. "There's..." She stutters. "There's a kids' park on Main. Get people to basements. Big buildings with no windows. Stay away from windows. No cars, all right?" Her words hang in the air, a sobering checklist of survival.

"All right, careful, y'all," Lilly cuts in again.

"Stay safe out there. Copy."

Tyler pushes past the StormPAR truck, accelerating toward town with unflinching determination. Willow glances out the window, catching Javi's rattled gaze through the glass. He looks shaken but alive, and that small assurance gives her a flicker of calm in this unfolding nightmare.

When they reach Main Street, chaos reigns. Sirens blare over the din of shouts and crashing debris. What had been a bustling craft fair is now in ruins, tents torn free and caught in the furious wind. The moment Willow, Tyler, and Kate leap out of the truck, they're forced to duck as a tarp whips past, narrowly missing their heads.

They scatter, weaving through the streets to usher as many people as possible to safety. Willow pulls men from their booths and women from their cars, urgency overriding any pleasantries. "Inside! Go, now!" she commands, pointing toward the nearest shelter.

Every few steps, she glances back at the swirling, near-black skies. The storm churns like a living thing, its roar growing louder, spurring her to move faster.

"Tyler! Tyler!" Dexter's shout pierces the chaos, grabbing his and Willow's attention. "Shelters are full! We need to get everyone to the movie theater!"

Willow nods sharply and resumes her frantic pace. The streets empty out quickly, but just as she's catching her breath, a screech of metal against gravel freezes her in place. She turns in time to see the town trolley careening toward Tyler. Debris caught in its path slows it just enough to avoid crushing him outright, but it slams into his legs, pinning him beneath a heap of splintered wood and jagged metal.

"Tyler!" Willow screams, sprinting toward him. She bends at her knees and shoves her hands under the debris, gritting her teeth as she tries to lift it. "Kate, help!"

Kate is at her side in an instant, yanking at the wreckage with all her strength. The wood groans but doesn't budge. Willow's breath comes in desperate gasps, her fingers trembling as she presses harder, her body screaming with effort.

Above them, the water tower groans ominously, its structure compromised. A piece of debris slams into one of its supports, sending the tower teetering on its weakened beams. Tyler's wide eyes lock onto it, realization dawning with horrifying clarity.

"Get inside!" he shouts, panic bleeding into his voice.

Willow shakes her head fiercely, her tears mixing with the rain streaming down her face. "I'm not leaving you!"

"Baby, you gotta go!" Tyler pleads, his voice breaking.

"I'm not leaving you!" she yells back, refusing to abandon him, not when she's barely been able to keep him.

She glances around frantically, looking for anything to help. Then she sees him—Javi, soaked and out of breath, suddenly at her side, a piece of wood shoved under the weight of the debris.

Leverage.

"Javi!" she cries.

"Come on! Lift!" Javi yells, throwing all his weight against the plank. The debris shifts upward, groaning under the strain. Willow and Kate grit their teeth, straining as they lift alongside him. The opening is just enough for Tyler to pull himself free, seconds before the water tower crashes down.

A massive wave of water slams into them, dragging them across the asphalt like ragdolls. Willow collides hard into Tyler, and his arms instinctively wrap around her, keeping her from being swept further away.

They scramble to their feet, breathless and soaked, and Willow barely has time to glance over him. "Are you—"

"Inside! Now!" Tyler cuts her off, urging her in as he stumbles forward, favoring his injured leg. Willow slips under his arm to support him, and together they push through the panicked crowd flooding into the movie theater.

The building groans under the relentless wind, the walls trembling with each powerful gust. Men, women, and children huddle in terrified clusters, shrieks filling the air every time the structure quakes. The theater is no true shelter—its cracking ceiling and splintering walls are a grim reminder that it won't hold for long.

"See if you can find a basement!" Tyler orders Javi, stumbling down toward the screen.

"I'll check the other side!" Javi vanishes into the crowd, and Willow and Kate take off after Tyler.

Together, they reach a set of double doors behind the stage. Kate throws them open, and a blast of wind and rain hurls debris at them, forcing her to shield her face.

Willow peers past her, horror gripping her chest. The monstrous tornado churns closer, a black, writhing force ripping everything apart in its path.

"There's no basement on the other side!" Javi shouts from behind them.

Tyler shakes his head, urgency sharpening his tone. "There's nothing over here either!"

"This theater isn't built to withstand what's coming!"

A crash echoes from deeper inside the building, snapping their attention. Javi and Tyler immediately dart toward the sound, instinctively moving to assist. But Willow and Kate stay frozen in place, their eyes drawn back to the storm raging outside.

Willow's mind churns as her gaze lands on Tyler's truck across the road. Somehow, it's still upright against the gale, barrels intact and loaded.

The realization hits her hard: they prepped the rockets that morning. Everything is ready. The work is done. All they need to do is get into position, take the shot, and—

"Kate," Willow says, her voice cutting through the noise. The girl whips around back to her, eyes alight with a determination that she's only seen once. That night in her room, when they decided to finish it all, to make it finally work.

Willow knows the chances of survival are low, especially for them, having already walked out from under that overpass, scarred, but alive. There are no second chances at miracles—not here, not in a movie theater destined to be shredded to splinters, not in a town with no hope against what barrels toward it.

There's nothing we can do to stop it.

She'd said it herself, and maybe it's true. Maybe the thought running through their minds now is pure, reckless martyrdom. But the memory surfaces anyway—Cathy's voice, so damn hopeful despite everything:

I'm still waiting for you two to save the world.

Well, if this is it, if this is their end, then they'll die fucking trying.

Willow grabs Kate's hand, and they burst into the storm. The theater doors slam shut behind them, the roar of the wind swallowing everything else. It tears at their bodies, relentless, shoving and pulling like the hands of an invisible monster. But they hold on to each other, anchoring themselves until they make it across the road to Tyler's truck.

Willow is the first inside, sliding into the driver's seat, buckling on the harness, and gripping the wheel tight. Kate scrambles in beside her, slamming the door as Willow brings the engine roaring to life, a defiant growl against the storm's howl.

She ensures Kate is strapped in before she shifts into drive, and the truck lurches forward. Willow doesn't look back—she can't. Her eyes flicker briefly to Kate, her other half, her better half, sitting beside her with an expression that mirrors her own: equal parts fear and certainty, burning bright in their shared resolve.

They set out to finish what they started, and that's exactly what they'll do—together, even if it ends in a blaze of glory.

Willow presses her foot down on the gas, the truck hurtling straight toward the heart of the storm. Around them, the world disintegrates—the softball field they passed earlier, gone. Houses in the distance crumble like dust.

Terror rises in her chest, a familiar specter clawing its way up. She remembers the screams she let out that day under the overpass, the raw fear that had consumed her. But she isn't that person anymore. She's learned, evolved, turned her fear into something she can use.

Something she can chase.

Her grip tightens on the wheel, her eyes locked on the monstrous funnel ahead. They enter the dust shield, the kick of debris rattling them, Kate slamming her hand against the roof of the cab. It draws Willow's eyes up, catching sight of the strip of photos Tyler has kept tucked in the strap of his visor. Her breath hitches at the sight of her smiling face down upon her, his gaze not meeting hers one last time, but turned toward the still version of herself, so bright with warmth and what she thinks is love.

What has to be love.

Willow chokes back tears, her throat tight as she forces her gaze back to the road ahead. If they survive, Tyler might hate her for running—leaving him behind—but this time, she has a reason. This is how she saves him. Not by hiding in some newsroom, not by relearning how to chase on the backroads, but by doing what she was always meant to do: taming the storm with Kate at her side.

The truck shudders as debris slams against it, jerking the wheel in her hands. Willow grits her teeth, gripping tighter, trying to stay straight, to stay focused. Each impact sends a metallic groan through the cab, making her flinch, but never stop. They're driving deeper now, past another abandoned plant, straight into the storm's path.

A fiery burst of light flashes as debris ignites, exploding over the hood of the truck. Instinct takes over—Willow slams on the brakes, the tires screeching to a halt. She knows they can't go any further. This is where they make their stand.

Chest heaving, Willow shifts into park, her knuckles white against the gearshift. The storm will come to them now.

Kate doesn't hesitate. She moves fast, deploying the augers. The joystick hums beneath her fingers, though the sound is swallowed by the roaring winds. The truck sinks, anchoring itself in place as she flips the final switches. Three rockets fire, shooting into the funnel above.

Kate's finger hovers over the final release button, trembling slightly. Both of their eyes lock onto the monstrous tornado as it barrels closer.

Not yet. They can't release the barrels yet. Not until they're deep in the eye.

The wind howls louder. The debris grows relentless, battering the windshield with brutal force. If Tyler hadn't reinforced the glass, it would have shattered by now.

The truck begins to shake violently, rattling as the pressure builds. Kate lets out a soft whimper, flinching as the cab lurches. Willow tears her gaze from the storm, focusing on Kate instead.

"Look at me!" Willow shouts, her voice cutting through the chaos. "Look at me! We can do this!" The storm starts to swallow them. "Now!"

Kate slams her hand down on the button first, but it clicks, warranting no reaction. She curses, pressing again, over and over as they are taken further and further into the funnel.

Without hesitation, Willow slams her hand down on the console, hoping the impact will jolt it back to life, just like she used to with DOROTHY. She doesn't falter. Her thumb finds the red button, and she presses it with everything she's got.

The barrels release with a sharp clunk, each latch unlocking in unison as the polymers are launched into the air. The storm seizes them immediately, pulling them into its violent currents and sweeping them upward into the eye. Willow and Kate lurch forward, peering out the windshield, their eyes tracking the flight of the polymers.

A manic laugh escapes Willow as she sees the experiment working, the polymers swirling higher and higher, caught in the storm's wrath. For one fleeting moment, hope burns through the terror.

But it'll take time to work—time she knows she and Kate don't have.

The truck bucks violently as the trailer detaches, dragging them backward with a sickening lurch. The augers are failing—they were never meant to withstand an EF5. Even against an EF3, they would've barely stood a chance.

Willow's chest tightens as she glances at Kate, both of them panting, the storm's roar swallowing any chance of conversation. The weight of inevitability settles over them like the crushing air pressure outside.

Kate is the first to accept it. Her lips press into a firm line, her gaze unwavering as she nods toward Willow. Without a second thought, she reaches out, her hand finding Willow's and gripping it tightly.

Their fingers intertwine, holding fast to each other in what may very well be their final moments.

I wouldn't want to live this life without you.

The truck jerks when something slams into it, crashing hard into the driver's side. Willow grunts, the impact jarring her entire body. Kate cries out as the truck lurches again, the storm swirling around them with relentless ferocity, trying to fling the vehicle like a toy. Each crash reverberates through the cab, turning them upside down, window cracking, glass shattering against their skin.

Willow fights to keep her focus, to block out the chaos. Her gaze locks on Kate, steadying herself by remembering why she's here and who she's doing this for. Every hit of debris, each howl of the wind—it all falls away when she thinks of that.

And then, just as suddenly as it began, the world goes quiet.

EL RENO, OKLAHOMA

IF SHE ISN'T DEAD, HE THINKS HE MIGHT KILL HER. No, that's an exaggeration. He could never harm a single hair on her head, not when the thought of her throwing herself into the storm made him scream out her name in terror, near running after her for whatever last moments they could have together, only held back by not one, but two men.

If she is fine, which she has to be, he will sob, cling to her in desperation, hold her so tightly she'd have no choice but to promise she'd never terrify him like this again.

The moment the storm ends, dissipating into nothing, like they always said it would if they made it work, he cannot revel in the win. Tyler can only think of her, spotting the red rig out in the distance from the collapsed wall of the theater and taking off.

Tyler stumbles toward his truck—overturned, battered, beaten to hell. In another life, he might've cared about the damn thing. Now, it doesn't matter. She's in there. His weather girl is in that truck.

The girl he loves.

Javi is right behind him, their shared tension breaking only when they hear it: a cough, hoarse but alive, followed by a pale hand stretching out of the driver-side window. Fingers claw at the grass as she struggles to pull herself free.

Tyler sees her blonde curls first and runs, ignoring the screaming pain in his leg, his body propelled by sheer instinct. He's by her side in moments, carefully guiding her out of the wreckage and helping her sit against the truck.

"Willow," he breathes, brushing her hair out of her face with shaking hands. His fingers skirt around the cuts on her cheek as he cups her face, his thumb stroking her skin. "Baby, are you okay?"

"Kate," she rasps, her voice raw and strained as she coughs out the name. "Get Kate."

Javi is already moving, circling the truck to help Kate out. He wraps an arm around her, steadying her as they make their way to Willow.

Willow reaches for Kate the moment she's close enough, pulling her into a tight embrace. Kate clings to her just as fiercely, leaning her head on Willow's shoulder as they both take ragged, shallow breaths.

"Is everyone okay?" Willow asks, her voice trembling but resolute. "Is it okay? Did it help?"

Tyler remains beside her, a stunned smile breaking across his face. "You did it," he says, awe thick in his voice. "It worked."

Willow's smile blooms, small but genuine, as her gaze shifts to Kate. No words pass between them, but Tyler can see it—the unspoken understanding, the connection forged in fire and storms. Their foreheads come together, lingering in shared relief, all that turmoil finally ending in some peace.

They only pull away at the sound of commotion, as the rest of the Wranglers storm onto the scene, hollering out when they see both of them, grazed, but alive.

"Oh my God, that was amazing!" Dani shouts, throwing her arms around Javi in an ecstatic embrace.

Dexter, hunched over with his hands on his knees, echoes her sentiment. "Oh my God. We thought y'all were goners for sure."

Ben shakes his head, a wide grin breaking across his face. "You two are brilliant," he says, prompting Lilly to hum in agreement.

Boone, glancing between Willow and Kate, seems momentarily at a loss before finally declaring, "I think I love you both." Willow snorts at the absolutely confused look Lilly throws his way.

Chatter rings around them as Tyler continues to fuss over Willow. She won't pull away from Kate, and Javi watches them both with a sad smile, never once trying to pull them apart. Tyler, though, stays by her side, crouching down to her level, gently brushing her hair back and staring at her as if he fears this might be the last time he'll ever see her.

He can't remember the last time he saw her before she took off; maybe it was when she stood over him, tears in her eyes, her voice raw as she swore she wouldn't leave him behind. Or maybe it was when she stood there, drenched in rain, and he demanded she go inside. He can't bear the thought of those being the last moments they shared, not when he wants more, when he needs more of her than the world could ever possibly give.

Willow finally looks up at Tyler, her eyes searching his face as she swallows the pain she's been ignoring, just to offer him a smile. "You okay?" she asks softly.

Tyler wants to shout at her, kiss her, praise her for everything she's done. But all that escapes him is a watery chuckle, disbelief thick in his voice.

"You're asking me if I'm okay?" Tyler questions, a trace of amusement in his tone. She gives him a small, quiet nod.

"You're crazy, weather girl," he adds, shaking his head.

She grins, her voice light, almost playful. "But you love me anyway."

Tyler freezes for a moment, his heart racing as he runs his thumb along her cheek, absorbing her words that feel more true than anything else in the world. He knows she might not fully grasp the depth of what she's saying, not with the exhaustion weighing her down, but he nods slowly, tears threatening to spill as he looks down at her.

"Yeah, baby," he whispers, a watery smile tugging at his lips. "I love you anyway."

—AUTHOR'S NOTE

I PROMISE I'M DONE POSTING FOR TODAY. i had to get it out, I was listening to You're On Your Own Kid by Taylor and I just saw the scene of Willow and Kate heading into the storm, hellbent on making this work.

kate knew what she was doing in the movie could kill her and I brought that here, willow hoped she'd live, but she knew the likely hood was low, but my girl was gonna get this done.

we'll probably have one or two more chapters for the epilogue (THAT I WILL NOT BE POSTING TONIGHT I AM GOING TO BE SO I CAN WORK TOMORROW NO ONE LET ME POST) but please give me your feedback. i didn't want to flesh out tyler's reaction to her doing all this until the next chapter because he's gonna be dramatic and jo's gonna be dramatic

thank you for all your love, please enjoy the end as it comes,

kari