A/N: MY FIRST FANFIC. ALL MISTAKES ARE MY OWN. I DON'T OWN ANY OF THE CHARACTERS, THERE ARE PROPERTY OF SHONDA RHIMES. REVIEW ARE WELCOME AND HOPE YOU ENJOY!
Chapter 1: Probie Goes to Work
Callie Torres enjoyed the cool night air, riding to the scene hearing the sirens and feeling her heart speed up with anticipation of the impending chaos. She jumped off the truck, grabbed her tools and headed into the building. After searching 10 minutes she was making her way out of the building when the floor started to shake and drop from beneath her. As she landed she felt her ribs crack and a searing pain shoot through her leg. Suddenly thoughts started rushing into her head, as the fear and the darkness began to overtake her she focused on her 2 loves, this job and the woman who captured her heart a year ago. The last thing she thinks of is the night when she met Arizona.
As Callie is wheeled into the Emergency Department of Mercy Grace Hospital all Arizona's fears are coming true before her. How is she supposed to live without the love of her life? As Callie is worked on she sits down and thinks back to the night they met.
1 YEAR AGO
Callie was the only female paramedic to successfully make the transition to firefighter in Rescue Company 73 in the County of Prince George, Maryland. PG County was across the Potomac River from Washington D.C. Callie had always wanted to be a firefighter. Even at a young age she loved the lights and the sirens. Her father was a wealthy businessman, wanting Callie to go to law school. She couldn't ever imagine becoming a lawyer, sitting in an office all day. She needed the adrenaline rush of fighting fire and saving lives. Her father though, being persistent and overprotective convinced her to become a paramedic first. Although Callie excelled at being a paramedic and received many commendations from the department, her heart was always pulling her towards firefighting. After waiting the 2 year probationary period, she applied to become a firefighter. When the letter arrived she was thrilled. 6 months of training and another 2 years of assignments at Engine 10, then at Ladder 22, she was promoted to Rescue Company 73. 73 was the highest trained, best firefighters in the County. The Rescue was sent on all rescue assignments and multiple alarm fires within the County and assisted the D.C.F.D. when needed.
73 are known to be the busiest Rescue in the state, and the firefighters to be the toughest around. Most of the guys had been on the job for years, and never had a woman been assigned to their company. Callie was placed on B shift with Battalion Chief Richard Webber, Captain Derek Sheppard, Firefighter Mark Sloan, and Firefighter Alex Karev. Owen Hunt was just promoted to Lt of the Company which left the spot open for Callie. After several weeks of complaining and hazing by the guys, Callie was given her chance to prove she belonged at 73. It was a chilly autumn night in October, the crew had just finished the dinner Callie had prepared, and was cleaning the kitchen were the alarm rang. "Rescue 73, in the Fairview Section, 118 Commerce Street the building, Second Alarm."
"Let's go probie!" Sloan called out to Callie as she put the last dish in the drain.
She sprinted to her bunker pants and got dressed in record time. Her heart was racing; this was what she dreamed of, lived for. Jumping in the truck next to Sloan, she quickly pulled her hood on listening to the reports on the radio.
Captain Sheppard called from the Officer's seat, "We have a 3 story apartment building, with number 2 and 3 floors involved and occupants trapped. We are being sent to the 3rd floor to help get the residents out of the building. We are to enter A division and meet up with the crews on the 2nd and 3rd floor."
Callie finished strapping the Scott Pak on and was going over her orders, when Sloan elbowed her. "You up for this probie? It might get a little hot up there and I don't want you running home to daddy!" he snickered. "Shut it, Sloan!" Callie was getting tired of the constant remarks from the guys. She knew that it was all part of the process, but really it was getting old. She was on the job for almost 5 years both as a medic and firefighter. She had been in numerous fires, and always performed her duties better than most of the seasoned firefighters. As they arrived on the scene, the smell of smoke and fire was intoxicating to Callie. She inhaled deeply, knowing that at this moment she was in her element. She jumped off the truck, grabbing the Halligan and Axe and started heading towards Capt. Sheppard.
Sheppard started "Guys we have 2 residents still unaccounted for and conditions are deteriorating. Karev, Hunt go to the 2nd floor, Torres, Sloan 3rd floor. Remember to stay in contact with each other at all times. Let's get going, we don't have time to lose."
As Callie and Mark started to climb the stairs to the 3rd floor a mayday call was coming over the radio. "MAYDAY! MAYDAY! We have a collapse of the roof," but as they were listening, the ceiling started to come down on them and the next thing Callie knew she was falling backwards down the stairs.
Callie landed onto her side and rolled to cover her head from the falling debris. After several moments all she felt was a body on top of her and smoke completely surrounded them in darkness. "Torres, Torres are you ok?" Mark was calling her name; he laid himself on top of her, shielding her from the debris.
Callie yelled "Yes, Mark I'm good, what the hell happened?"
Mark rambled, "The roof must have collapsed on us, and the stairs went out, and we fell. I believe we are on the second floor. Standby while I radio Chief Webber to let him know our status." Mark radioed to the Chief letting him know we were involved in the initial collapse and now were somewhere on the second floor.
The Chief stated that after the collapse, 2 members of Ladder 22, were missing and that Karev and Hunt were unaccounted for. Mark turned to Callie, "We need to find the guys, let's begin a standard search. We aren't leaving until everybody is out!"
As they began their search Owen came over the radio. "Lt. Hunt to Command. We are on the second floor, B division. We are trapped inside an apartment with 2 residents and the crew from Ladder 22. We need immediate assistance."
"Command to Hunt, what injuries do you have?"
"Hunt to Command, we have 2 girls, a 12 y/o with smoke inhalation and an 8 y/o trapped with an injury to her leg. One of the crew from Ladder 22 were injured in the collapse. He is also trapped with the little girl and has multiple fractures. Please have EMS standing by. We will require the Ladder to be placed outside the B division, 2nd apartment window ASAP. We are in a void space in the interior of apartment 3."
"Callie, let's go give them a hand and get the hell out of here!" Mark shouted as he crawled towards where the crews were trapped.
As they moved through the hall, they discovered that it was blocked with debris. All the while the fire started to rise below them and the heat was making it difficult to work.
"Sloan, I think we can go through this wall into apartment 2 and break through the interior wall into apartment 3." Callie had begun to swing the axe at the wall and soon both her and Mark had reached into the apartment next to where the crews were trapped.
"Sloan to Hunt, We believe we are in the apartment next to you, is there anything blocking the east wall?"
"Hunt to Sloan, no if you go low, you should be able to cut through. Is Torres with you? Her medic skills are needed in here, Avery is starting to become unconscious!"
As soon as Callie heard Owens's statement she began pounding into the wall with her axe. She made a 4x3 hole and crawled through into the place that held the guys. Mark crawled right behind her, looking around the small area, they found 1 little girl lying next to Karev, taking turns breathing with his air mask. Owen was holding pressure on April Kepner's arm; she had what looked like a compound fractured radius. Owen had laceration to his head, which blood was dripping down his chin.
Mark immediately went to the girl and grabbed her, pulling her through the opening in the wall. Over the radio he called down to the Chief advising him we had reached the crews and that we would need equipment getting Avery and the little girl out. The Chief acknowledged and one by one Mark assisted each of the survivors through the opening. Callie wrapped a shirt around a piece of fallen debris Kepner's arm trying to splint it in place as best she could. After initially refusing to leave Owen crawled back through the opening leaving Callie, Jackson Avery, and the little girl alone in the collapsed apartment.
Callie had been able to stop some of the bleeding to Avery's leg, but without getting him out soon, would go into shock. Jackson Avery had been one of the guys who Callie had become close to while at Ladder 22. They dated briefly, but after a while Callie decided that dating within the service was a bad idea.
"Jackson, you stay with me! You know I can't be responsible for drinking at Joe's alone!" Callie joked.
"I'm not letting you welch out on our bet, Torres. You owe me $20 bucks and I told you that you couldn't handle tequila like a Latina!"
Callie laughed, recalling a night a few weeks ago when they had went out and he bet her 20 bucks he could drink more tequila then Callie before throwing up. Avery lost the bet, not even making it out the door of the bar.
Callie moved next to the little girl, and spoke softly to her. "My name is Callie, what's your name?"
"My name is Lily, are you going to get me out of here? I miss my mom and my sister."
The little girl was small with green eyes and curly brown hair. She was under debris with her upper body lying next to Avery. She had on a nightgown with Dora on it, clutching a small brown bear.
"Who is this?" Callie asked rubbing the bear. "That's Jeffery, he is my best friend." Lily whispered.
Mark crawled back through the hole with some IV supplies and airbags to help lift the debris off Avery and Lily. Callie worked to start the lines and give some pain meds to Avery. Mark set up the airbag and slowly began to inflate, lifting the debris. Callie held Lily's hand while Mark started to position the airbags. As he began to inflate the bags Lily began to cry.
"Owwwwww! Please stop its hurting!" Lily screamed. Mark stopped and Callie could see immediately the problem. As the airbag inflated it lifted the debris, but shifted most of the weight onto Lily's legs. Jackson was free, but the airbags needed to be repositioned where Avery lay.
"Lily where is it hurting?"
"In my legs and my belly. It's getting cold Callie and I really want to get out of here."
Callie turned to Mark and told him to get Avery out now, and she would work to free Lily.
"I'm not leaving you Torres! There is another crew on their way up. I'll get Avery next door and come back." Mark was pulling Avery through when Callie answered.
"We don't have time, Mark. Avery is going into shock and soon so will Lily. We need to get her out now, and I'm in the best position to do it. I'll be right behind you."