Back in Business

Chapter 1

Author's Note & Disclaimer: I want to kind of do my best to bridge gaps between the old and new series. Yes, people don't like the CGI series, I know. But I do. And that being said, I like the CGI series and I LOVE the old series. Fireman Sam and all related characters belong to the people who created them. And my OC belongs to me.


Ella cringed as she made her way upstairs. It was acting up again. Luckily, she had remembered what she needed to do, so the sting was easy to ignore. She finally reached the room and knocked.

"Come een," said an older woman's voice.

Ella entered the bedroom. The first thing she noticed was the ginger cat sitting on the lap of a woman in a red dress, who sat in a rocking chair. Her black hair was slightly tinged with white.

"Ciao, Rosa," Ella said softly, stooping and petting the cat. Rosa half-opened her feline eyes and gazed up lazily. She was no longer the feisty kitty that got stuck in trees all the time. She was now a mature lap-warmer that was more than content to live out life peacefully in retirement. Ella turned to face the older woman, who was now watching her affectionately.

"You called, Auntie?" Ella asked.

"Si, cara mia," said her aunt, "I just-a wanted to talk-a to you. About-a your future."

"Oh, Auntie, not this again!" Ella groaned and stood straight, "Honestly, I'm happy just being here in Roma with you and Rosa. I told you I could never go back there again!"

"I know, bambina, I know. But ev-a-ry time I try to tell-a you to go out and have-a the fun, you won't-a listen!"

"I already have fun running nonna's trattoria with you. Besides, what's done is done and, frankly, I don't care!"

"But you need-a to go out and-a be independent again, Ella! I know-a you haven't got over it!"

"Auntie, I got over it a long time ago!" Ella was starting to get exasperated. "And why do you have to bring it up?! Next time, I swear..."

"You must-a go back to Wales!" The aunt shouted. "NO! I will NOT!" Ella shouted back.

"Then go to Pontypandy!" The aunt shouted again and tried to get out of her chair, only to grimace as her back started to hurt. Rosa jumped off in alarm and meowed anxiously.

Ella's eyes widened in surprise as she quickly helped her aunt back into the chair and patted her back. Auntie Bella Lasagna had never mentioned anything about her time in Pontypandy, until now.

"Auntie Bella..." she started calmly, "Is this what you've been trying to tell me the whole time?"

"Ah! Finally, you-a listen to me!" Bella was about done shouting herself hoarse. Bella may have been as old as she always was, but her dramatic outbursts were always a staple of her personality. "Now, sit-a down!"

Ella obeyed. Things were about to get interesting. Bella took a deep breath, then spoke, nostalgia making its way into her voice.

"Wales, she is-a bellisima and I loved-a living there. Rosa and-a me, we had-a good times there. Didn't we, Rosa?"

Rosa purred happily, sitting next to Ella, who absentmindedly stroked her.

"We lived-a in a beautiful town called-a Pontypandy. Lots of-a mountains, scenery and the sea. Bellisima!"

"Go on..." Ella encouraged.

"I lived around-a my friends, the best-a friends in the whole-a world! My cafe was-a always full of-a visitors." Bella paused to wipe her eyes with the back of her hand, remembering all the friends she and Rosa had left behind. "But Pontypandy, she was-a also the most exciting-a town in the world!"

"Really?!" Ella replied. How could a seemingly idyllic town be so exciting, she thought.

"They put out-a fires ev-a-ry day!"

"F-fires? Really?" Ella said incredulously. A quaint little town that sees its fair share of fires. Now where has she heard that before?

"Si, bambina! Even I had-a the fire in-a my little cafe sometimes! And Fireman Sam, he always-a help me!"

"Who's Fireman Sam, Auntie Bella?" Ella asked, mentally adding, 'And why do you speak as though he's the only firefighter in Pontypandy?'

"Fireman Sam, he's-a our hero next door! And-a Elvis and-a Penny and-a Station Officer Steele! I miss-a them so much! *sniff* And-a Trevori and Mrs Price and the Jones-a family! The Floods too-a! I even miss-a Naughty Norman Price! Never a, how to say-a, unpolished moment with-a him and his-a tricks! *sniff-sniff*"

"I believe you meant to say a dull moment, Auntiekins," Ella got up and handed Bella a box of tissues. She suddenly felt a rush of affection for the whacky drama queen of an old lady she had been living with in Rome for the past six years, since she left Wales. In fact, if she had never got that letter from her parents on that fateful day six years ago, she wouldn't have known that she even had an aunt in the first place.

"Ah, si, well anyway..." Bella dabbed her eyes and composed herself. "Bambina, I know-a you don't want-a to go back home again..."

"Do I know it!" Ella replied. Her aunt was right, she hadn't got over it. She sighed, then remembered, "Auntie, you said something about going to Pontypandy?"

"I did, cara mia. Listen. When I left-a Pontypandy to care for your nonna, my and your mamma's late mamma, I left-a my little cafe all shut up and closed. For a long time, I have-a been using my money to keep it all-a safe for the right time."

"What time?" Ella asked, then realized, "Oh, Auntie, you couldn't!"

"I am and I will-a!" Bella replied. "I cannot-a stand thinking of-a that poor little cafe standing so lonely in-a Pontypandy anymore-a! Someone must-a take the charge of it and that must-a be you! Your ex-a-perience working in the trattoria should-a be enough!"

"But Auntie, it's too soon!" Ella exclaimed. "Even if it means going back to Wales, then how could I just take off and leave you all alone here? And why don't you just come back to Pontypandy and reclaim the cafe yourself?"

Bella smiled, "A long-a time ago, I would have. But ever since-a your nonna died, I have-a made up-a my mind to stay in-a Italia and look after the trattoria. So I stay, you go. It will-a be magnifico, I promise."

"No," Ella replied, trying to get up, "I can't. I don't want to. I mean...after all that happened in Tonypridd, I finally found out that I had a wonderful aunt I never knew about...And I've been having so much fun here. So much of the pain ha-oof!" She winced as she felt the med-controlled sting while getting to her feet.

"Bambina, are you all right?" Bella tried to rise from her chair as well.

"No, no, you stay where you are, I'm fine," Ella straightened up.

"Please, cara, listen to Auntie Bella," Bella sat back down and resumed talking, "I know that I want-a to stay in Italia with-a Rosa and the trattoria. You are-a my favourite niece-a, so I want-a you and only you to inherit-a my beautiful Ridoli's Bella Cafe in Pontypandy. You will-a know what to cook-a when you start-a running it. And your cooking is-a mwah! Molto bene! And-A Roma is-a becoming too noisy for a lonely young lady like-a you, you know."

Ella snorted, "I'm not lonely! I have friends in Tonypridd and in Roma too!"

"Well, where are they now?"

"..."

"See! You have-a so much of-a the world to catch up on!"

"...Oh, Auntie, I don't know..."

"You think about it, Ella, passerotta mia, take-a your time."

"I'll think about it. I better whip up some fresh sfogliatelle pastries while I'm at it then," Ella nodded and left, gritting her teeth as she felt another dull wave of pain.

Bella sighed and looked out the window at the splendid city of Rome. "My beautiful niece-a, she is such a brava ragazza, but sometime she need push in-a right place-a. Eh, Rosa?"

Rosa meowed back in agreement.

"And one more thing," Ella suddenly said, opening the door slightly and peeking in.

"Si?"

"I'm your ONLY niece, Auntiekins!" She laughed and shut the door as she left Bella, who laughed as well.

Ella was quite worried, when she reached the trattoria floor though. "I still think it's too soon. What do you think, Pavarotti?" She asked her aunt's pet goldfish (Somehow, Bella had managed to get the fish to Italy as well). "Should I take over my aunt's old stomping ground?"

Pavarotti just let off bubbles.


Four weeks later, all the way in Wales, Chief Fire Officer Boyce from Newtown had come down to Pontypandy to help Station Officer Steele supervise a new training exercise. He was currently standing by the window of the break room, regaling anyone who would listen with yet another tale of his past firefighting days.

"...And that's how I rescued those children and a couple of chickens from that barn fire!"

"Ooh, sir, that was very brave!" Fireman Elvis Cridlington exclaimed with his usual childlike delight.

"Yes, yes, I-I'm sure it was," Station Officer Steele chimed in. Then Firefighter Penny Morris arrived with a wrench.

"Hello everyone, has Sam returned from Newtown with Jupiter yet? I told him I have to borrow her to check her engine."

"No Penny, we di...Oh, that must be him now," Elvis said, as he spotted Jupiter getting parked in the garage. Soon, they heard footsteps coming up the stairs and Fireman Sam Jones came in. He threw Jupiter's keys at Penny, who caught them with one hand. "Hello Penny, she's all yours now. Sorry I'm late."

"What took you?" Penny asked. "Ooh, did you have to help Trevor start his bus up again?" Elvis asked.

"Not really, though that bus does need to be looked at," Sam replied thoughtfully, "On the way back to Pontypandy, I saw a young lady pushing along a bicycle with a flat tyre, so I helped her fix it. Nothing an air pump and a patch can't do. She wasn't too keen on bicycle safety though."

"That was very generous of you, Fireman Sam," CFO Boyce declared, then sighed, "I remember an acquaintance of mine who used to ride a bicycle. She used to live in Tonypridd." That made Penny, who was just about to leave, turn around.

"Tonypridd, sir?" she asked, "I remember going there on holiday, when I used to live in Newtown. I had a friend there, who worked for the Fire Department. Firefighter Luca. Come to think of it, I haven't heard from her ever since I moved to Pontypandy."

"Why, that is exactly who I was referring to!" CFO Boyce exclaimed, "I knew her quite well myself! I'm proud to say that her brother Fireman Luca is an Auxiliary Fireman at Newtown!"

"Did you just say...Firefighter Luca?" Station Officer Steele had clearly heard that name somewhere as well. "From what I heard, she was almost as brilliant as our very own Firefighter Morris!"

"Well, I would like to meet her! She sounds nice," Sam smiled at the thought of a contemporary to work with someday.

"She was a credit to the force, she was," CFO Boyce remarked, "Tonypridd still misses her."

"Wow! I'd like to meet Firefighter Luca too!" Elvis grinned, "I'd make some of my special cupcakes for her!"

Sam, Steele and Penny exchanged anxious glances with each other. They knew exactly what Elvis' cooking tasted like. Not that they'd be rude enough to say it to his face, of course, he was the most sensitive firefighter of them all. Then Penny realized something.

"Tonypridd still misses her? What's that supposed to mean? Did she move out of town? Surely I would have known. Wouldn't I?"

"Ah, Firefighter Morris," CFO Boyce said solemnly, "Nobody knows! She just...disappeared!"

"Nobody...? Not even you, sir?" Elvis asked. This was intriguing. "Firefighters don't just disappear into thin air!"

"Quite right, Elvis," said an amazed Sam, "When did she disappear, sir?"

"Well, er..." CFO Boyce started to explain, "It was about five or six years ago, when the Tonypridd Grocery Store owner's house caught fire. A candle had not been put out properly and the flame caught on to the curtains and then the entire house. At first, it seemed as though everything was going like clockwork. The whole family had been evacuated. Almost."

"Do continue, sir," Station Officer Steele nodded and the other firefighters listened with bated breath. Elvis glanced worriedly at Penny, whose eyes were wide.

"Just as the situation looked to be under control, we heard a cry from upstairs. Firefighter Luca recognized the voice as that of the owner's little boy, Joey."

Penny went pale, "Oh no! I'd forgotten how much she loved children! Don't tell me she went inside!"

"I'm afraid she did," CFO Boyce remarked gravely, "You were right, Luca always had a soft spot for the little ones. She dropped her hose and ran inside straightaway! Without even wearing any breathing apparatus! And her brother went after her as well."

"Isn't her brother serving in Newtown's Auxiliary Fire Service?" Sam asked, "You said it yourself, sir."

"Yes, well, at that time, Fireman Luca was serving alongside his older sister. Anyway, after a few minutes, Fireman Luca came running out with little Joey in his arms, looking as though he had seen a ghost. He asked us all if his sister had returned. And no one had seen her at all!"

"Great balls of fire!" Elvis cried, putting his hands to his head in despair, "Maybe she died and became a ghost! No no no!"

"Calm down, Elvis!" Penny exclaimed, grabbing his arm, though she too was fearing the worst, "Let Chief Fire Officer Boyce finish!"

"No, Elvis, she's not dead. I know it, because two weeks later, Station Officer Delaney from Tonypridd showed me a parcel containing Firefighter Luca's neatly folded uniforms and a resignation notice bearing her signature. Nobody saw her ever again. Her parents believe that she may have gone to live in her grandmother's house far away, but no one knows why. And then a week later, her brother resigned and moved to Newtown."

"Poor Luca," Penny said solemnly, "We used to surf together and write each other letters. Wherever she is, I do hope she's feeling better."

"Question is," Sam said to her, "Feeling better from what? It's all very mysterious."

"Indeed, Fireman Sam," Station Officer Steele replied, "Now, sir," he said to Boyce, "My men...and, er, woman...have a new training exercise to start. Please come this way..."


At just about the same time, in another section of Pontypandy...

"Wow!" Norman Price breathed as he stared across the road from his Mam's shop. It had been a long time since anyone had seen activity going on at that particular area of Pontypandy. And now there was a moving truck dumping two large brown suitcases and a few big boxes in front of the little red building that had once seen its fair share of action and now fallen silent to loneliness. "I wonder..."

His mother, Dilys, yelled from inside their shop, "What's all that noise, Norman? You better not be doing anything dangerous!" She joined her son outside the door, trying her best to look stern and failing. Then she noticed the pile of luggage across the road and the truck driving away.

Then she heard a familiar voice, "Say, isn't that Bella's cafe? Why all the boxes?" It was Trevor Evans, bus driver and former auxiliary fireman. Former, because he decided he wasn't competent enough to juggle two demanding jobs at once. Today he was just walking. "Oh, hello Trevor," Dilys smiled, blushing like a schoolgirl, "Norman and I were just observating the cafe and wondering who was moving in."

Trevor smiled as he looked across the road, "Hmmm, whoever they are, they must be here to stay. And they'll need a hand with all that."

Dilys had an idea which immediately perked her up, "Oh my, it must be Bella! She's decided to come back! It'll be a thrill to see her again!"

"Or maybe not, Mam. Look!"

Dilys Price was the second to hear the bicycle bell ringing. Mother, son and Trevor turned towards the sound, which, as it got closer, took the shape of a person riding a blue bicycle. The rider stopped near the postbox in front of the building and dismounted and stood the bike up with her back to her audience.

It was a young woman wearing a red cardigan, light blue camisole, blue trousers and brown shoes. Her long brown hair was tied into two simple braids that circled the crown of her head like a woven halo. She took off a big brown rucksack, which was slung around her body and dropped it at her feet, then looked up, arms akimbo, at the red building. She just stood there, staring for a while, before fumbling with something down her front and walking up to the cafe door.

"Well then, no point standing here," Trevor said, "I better introduce myself." "I'll come too, Trevor. Come along, Norman precious," said Dilys, suddenly feeling jealous of the much younger-looking woman. Norman just rolled his eyes and followed suit.

"Uh...hello there, miss," Trevor cleared his throat politely and greeted.

The newcomer turned around and Dilys saw that she was holding a rusty key, that was strung alongside a small USB and a very familiar-looking diamond ring, on a fine gold chain. The girl also had strands of hair delicately framing her face. She smiled rather nervously at the three people in front of her.

"H-hello..." She began, "How...How do you do?" She extended her hand. The little group looked shocked to see that this girl with an exotic light olive-skinned face had a good Welsh accent, though it was slightly tinged with an Italian tone. Trevor reached out to shake her hand, but Dilys beat him to it, "How do do, I'm Dilys Price and this is Norman, my little treasure," she put an arm around Norman who said, "Oh, Mam!" and ducked. She added, "We live above the Cut Price Store over there." She pointed.

"Ah, so this makes us neighbours then?" The newcomer smiled, "Nice to meet you. Come to think of it..."

"And I'm Trevor Evans," Trevor popped up and smiled as hugely as he could, "If you ever need a bus ride, I'm the man for the job!"

The young lady laughed, "It's a pleasure to meet you all. I'm Ella." She looked at the cafe building again and sighed, "I believe my Auntie mentioned your names. She used to live here, you know."

"...You mean Bella?" Norman asked eagerly, "So Bella is your auntie?"

"Yes indeed," Ella replied, then smirked, "She did put in a special mention for Naughty Norman Price..." She winked, making him huff, "I'm not naughty! I just love jokes, that's all!"

"I can't wait to see what you're up to then! Oh my giddy aunt..." she cast a mournful look at the pile of luggage nearby, "Looks like they arrived early. I'll have to bring those inside before someone trips and gets hurt."

"I'll help you!" Trevor said and picked up two. "Ooh, me too! Me too!" Norman said and tried to carry a nearby box, only for Ella to suddenly slap his hand away. "OW! What was that for?"

"Sorry, Norman, but I think I'll take this one myself. It has all my...personal belongings in it," Ella said and promptly lifted it up. The box shielded her grimacing face from view, when she felt the chronic pain overwhelm her again, making her buckle under the weight.

"I'll take your bag over there then," Dilys picked up the brown bag that Ella had discarded earlier.

"Thank you, everyone, really you're too kind," Ella smiled gratefully, "This won't take long, hopefully. Norman, if you look in the side pocket of that bag your Mam's carrying, you'll find a bicycle lock in there. You know how to use one don't you?"

Norman found it, "Yes, Bella...uh, I mean Ella. I'll get to it."

"All right then! Once all these boxes are safely upstairs, I'll whip up a batch of melt-in-your-mouth macaroons as a pre-housewarming treat!"

"Lovely, I'm sure," Dilys said enthusiastically, "I'll get some ingredients from my store just for you!"

"YAY!" Norman yelled, "I can't wait!"

Ella unlocked the cafe door with the key around her neck and the adults all set to work carting Ella's luggage through the cafe to the living quarters above it, while Norman somehow ended up locking his leg in with the bicycle and had to wait till Ella had to come out and release him with the key to the lock (Which she also wore on the same chain).

Afterwards, Ella made good on her promise to make macaroons by cleaning and testing out the cafe's kitchen area and they sat down to eat them. Trevor then noticed the diamond ring strung on the chain around Ella's neck.

"Why, Miss Ella, that's a fine large diamond I see there. It looks like the one I choked on a long time ago!" The ring was a gold one, with said large diamond flanked by two ornate little scrolls. Ella looked down and fingered it delicately, "Ah yes, Mr Evans, Auntie Bella inherited it as the eldest daughter in her family. She couldn't hand it to my mother, so she let me have it. I don't wear jewellery on my hands, so I'm wearing it on this...Wait, you choked on it?!"

"Choked?! On a diamond ring?" Norman asked.

They both burst out laughing, making Trevor blush and Dilys glare. Ella recovered and continued, "Anyways, I believe Auntie kept in touch with you all? She never really had a chance to tell me about you all till many weeks ago."

"Really?" Dilys said, "Oh, but she must have been recovering from her loss, you know."

Ella sighed and smiled, "Ah yes, my late nonna, as I always called my Gran. She was a wonderful cook. I knew her quite well as a child, but I'm glad I got to know Auntie. She was the one who taught me how to run a cafe, you know!"

As they talked, the delicious smell of the macaroons wafted outside of the cafe and caught the attention of a blonde woman and her twin children. They stopped and sniffed. "Mmm! That smells mega-brill, Mam!" Sarah Jones exclaimed, "Can we have some?"

Her mother, Bronwen took a whiff, "Ah! That's a delicious idea Sarah! But where is it coming from?" "It's coming from over there, Mam!" said James, Sarah's brother. He added, "Gosh, it's Bella's cafe! And it's open! Maybe she finally came back! Let's go see!"

They rushed in and though there was no Bella, they were pleased to meet Ella, who was only too happy to let them eat as many macaroons as they wanted. Eventually, Bronwen, Dilys, Trevor and the three children learnt that Ella was born and raised in another part of South Wales to an Italian family, whose mother was Bella's long-lost sister and that Bella does not wish to come back to live in Pontypandy again after losing her mother, but will visit if she wants to. And Sarah and James learnt the true meaning of Trattoria di Napoli ("It means 'Restaurant from Naples,' which is another lovely part of Italy," Ella explained, "And my nonna came from Naples to live in Rome. I'm surprised that Auntie Bella forgot! Bless her, she's so absentminded!"). They also learnt that Ella had decided to inherit her auntie's cafe, so that she would be able to come home to Wales again and start a new life.

"But why was Bella separated from her sister?" asked Bronwen.

"Yes!" added Dilys, "And what part of Wales did you come from?"

"You look like a princess with that hairdo, Bella! Could you please teach me how to do one? " Sarah said.

"And why are you starting anew? From what?" Trevor remarked.

Ella laughed, "Oh my giddy aunt, so many questions! All in good time, everyone! And my name is Ella, not Bella. I didn't know it at the time, but my mamma did name me after Auntie, so I guess they never forgot each other after all this time apart...Oh dear, I better get more macaroons. They're on the house for today!"

She stood up, gasped and almost stumbled. "Are you all right, Miss?" Trevor asked, trying to get up, but Ella stopped him. "Oh no, it's nothing Mr Evans, I'll be back soon!" She strode quickly into the kitchen, gritting her teeth and thinking, 'Oh no, I have only one pill left!'

While Ella collected a tray bearing fresh macaroons, no one noticed Norman Price sneakily slip a whoopee cushion onto the chair Ella was sitting on. He giggled behind his hands as the young woman returned, but frowned when she suddenly slammed the tray down and raced upstairs with a distressed look on her face and one hand on her right leg. Five minutes later she rejoined them, looking slightly happier and walking calmly...and fell prey to Norman's prank. Norman couldn't help it, he started laughing. But just as Dilys was about to box his ears and tell him off, Ella fell off her chair laughing. Soon, the others joined in and the cafe was full of laughter.

Well, I know there won't be many people reviewing this. I mean, who'd be nuts enough to write fanfiction about Fireman Sam of all people?! But Bella was always my favourite character and I feel like there's been a hole in my heart and the entire Fireman Sam series ever since they wrote her out. So I hope you enjoy this.