Disclaimer: Modern AU, Using our favorite knights just borrowing I swear, NO money made. Please don't sue
At the corner of Camelot and King Street a Firehouse stands...
Arthur lift his sunglasses to rest in his hair as in enters the open bay doors of station. He walks over to the lockers and putting his gear inside. He turns to see Lance leaning against the side of the ambulance while Val does the entire inventory as normal. Lance is more interested in her assets than what she is saying. But before Arthur can warn Lance to behave, the sirens go off and they all mobilize to get the rigs rolling. Bors jumps in the driver's seat of ladder two, Dag sit on the back on ladder two, Arthur, jumps into the drive seat of pump one as Gawain decide how is not sitting with Bors in the front of the ladder truck by in the secondary seat behind him.
As they race down the streets their radios is drowning out everything but the sound of his trusted crews' voices as they bicker back and forth. Gawain just keeps telling Bors and Dag to get the truck there in one piece. They will decide who is driving in which position back to the fire hall.
A fire department car approaches as the unit finishes fighting their newest demon. Arthur is removing his helmet to better clean the visor so he can see if he needs to go back in as he places it on the seat of his open fire truck he shrugs off the air tank to replace it with a fresh one just in case. Taking a small towel from his seat he wipes the sweat off his face placing it down he grabs his water as he glances back to see the rest of his crew exiting the building all members present. Counting in his head that all make it out unharmed he releases a breath he did not know he was holding. Turning back to the car that has just approached he watches as a slim woman gets out of the car with the department chief.
As Chief Charlie O'Malley steps around the car he watches the crew finishing up and the tense young woman at his side. This is the hardest thing I've had to do to this crew. And to introduce her to them like this.
Arthur was attempting to help the young fire victim from having Lance hit on her the whole time he was treating her when Valerie pulled up on the scene in her personal vehicle. She gives Arthur a quick smile and helps him rescue the patient from Lance. As he walks away from the ambulance he can hear Valerie slapping Lance and telling him to behave or she will knock him into next week. Arthur smiles at the comment and shakes his head he almost runs into the chief. "Ah, Lieutenant Castus, I would like to introduce you to your new captain, Guinevere Rourke. This is Arthur Castus, your first Lieutenant at Station 13."
Extending her hand to Arthur with a slight smile on her face, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Arthur."
"Likewise Captain, now if you will excuse me I need to help with the clean-up. Chief," Arthur nods to both of them as he heads back to the scene of the fire. As he approaches the crew they are all together whispering about what they just saw.
"So who is the dish?"
"How would I know Bors, you windbag."
"You don't have to get mouthy about it, Gawain."
"You are beyond hope you know that, Boris."
"Why, you little... " Dag grabs Bors' arm and hauls him back as Gawain mocks him. A hard stare from Arthur quiets the group.
Arthur took a deep breath before he jumped into the heated conversation. "That is our new captain, boys. Get used to it. "
"UHHH, That girl is our new captain? Oh this is not going to be good, not good at all."
"Calm down Bors, I'm sure that you can still get all the KP duty you want. Believe me we don't mind you cooking, honest." Tristan says attempting to not be sarcastic, but thinking, this should get quite interesting once Lance gets a look at their new captain.
"New Captain? What do you mean our new captain? That post should be your Arthur. Aren't
You were going to contest it?"
After arriving back at the firehouse, the conversation continues as the new captain makes her way to the office to try and figuring out their filing system.
"Listen guys, it's all part of the communities new 'Assertive Action' program. You all got the memo on it."
"Note he didn't say read Bors," jibes Gawain.
"Why you scrawny little..." Dag grabs Bors and shoves him toward the ladder truck, while Arthur hooks an arm around Gawain's and pulls him toward the other truck.
"What a great way to act in front of our new captain." Arthur shakes his head as he pushes Gawain down on the bumper. "You really do have a death wish, don't you?"
Arthur looks up just in time to see Gwen entering the Captain's office and closing the door behind her.
After taking care of all their equipment and getting it ready for their next call, Bors heads of to the kitchen to make his special firehouse chili in honor of the new Captain. Bors is humming the entire time he is cooking, Arthur walks past the kitchen takes a whiff of dinner and heads for his office to order several pizzas from the shop down the block. After placing the order he taps his debit card on the desk, writes down the order number and places the card back in his desk. He gets up and notices that Gwen's door is open. He walks over and leans against the doorframe. "Need help with anything?"
She looks like a lost puppy for a second before she answers him, "No, I'm fine thank you. I appreciate your offer thou. Arthur, it was not my intention to take over your house. Really it wasn't, especially not the way it happened."
"Not really a big deal, believe me. Well at least not for me, I really didn't want to make Captain anyway. I would rather just stay where I am and help the public this way. Not deal with bureaucrats all day and play nice. "
Giving a small laugh at his statement, "Well come in and sit down and tell me a bit about yourself."
Arthur walks in sitting down in the more comfortable chairs in the small office, "There really isn't much to tell. I started at this firehouse helping out as a volunteer when my own father was a Lieutenant here and followed in his footstep. My Dad and Mom retired somewhere warmer as my dad puts it. And pretty much this crew was been together since we all entered the fire service with the exception of Gawain and Valerie."
Gwen looks down at her desk, checking the duty roster. "Now Valerie is a paramedic correct and her partner in the bus is Lance, right?"
Crossing his arms, he knows what's coming after Lance's name was mentioned, "Yes."
Flipping through the file with Lance's name on it, she looks up to meet Arthur's concerned look. "I see there are several charges against him for "flirting" with his female patients. But the numbers seem to be decreasing why is that?"
Surprised that she just didn't take them all as one charge, "When Valerie came on board, we all chipped in and found her a long buggy whip so she can keep him in line. Seems to be working so far. The rest of us help run interference when we are able at the scene. "
"Well I have to admit. I respect you for your honesty about a member of your crew and quite surprised at your methods. For the first couple of days I'm just going to watch and see if there is anywhere that needs an overhaul. "
Arthur relaxing and gives he a slight smile, "Well Captain, that actually surprises me. Most would change everyone and everything to fit how they want things run not see what works for and improve only certain areas. Welcome to Station 13 by the way Captain. Oh and if Bors or Boris offers you his chili take my word for it and decline. I ordered some pizza that should be here shortly to save us all from that torture."
"Oh that does not sound good, but I don't want to be impolite so I will at least taste it."
Arthur gets up, "Well it's your funeral, nice knowing you Captain. I'm heading down to pick up the pizzas." Arthur leaves her office. She can hear him descending the metal stair and then silence.
A half an hour later, Arthur returns to the firehouse after getting waylaid by a little old lady that was asking about his Parents and how they are enjoying their new home. Blinking as he enters through the big bay doors, he hears laughter from the mess as he sees his new captain heading for the bathroom. Well she might take my advice after this that's for sure.
The ambulance was just pulling in behind him. He turned as Lance shut the engine off and got out heading for the back doors to re-supply the bus. Valerie walks in the front door and heads right for him. "Ah, Arthur you are a life saver. Bors made his chili again I take it?'
"Yeah, here take one so you and Lance can re-supply the bus at the same time. There better be some sodas in the frig yet." He stares accusingly at Lance.
Lance turns meeting their gazes, stands up straight and putting his arms in the air, "What did I do now?"
Val giggles as she heads in Lance's direction. She walks behind him and slaps him on the ass.
"What was that for?"
"To keep you in line, my soda drinking cohort. You do realize if there are no sodas in the fridge, Arthur is going to hang you from the rafters by your feet again. "
Lance turns white, stammers. "I'll be right back."
Val and Arthur look at each other and laugh at Lance's attics.
Arthur drops off the extra pizzas and takes the last one down the hall towards Gwen's office. He knocks "Come in" can be heard from within.
He opens the door slowly. Glancing at her, he enters and places the pizza on the desk, and pulled two Cokes from his cargo pants. He then places them on the desk, "Here take one, it will help, believe me. Then when your stomach settles a bit slowly eat some pizza. I kept the cheese so you should be OK."
Swiveling the chair around she grabs some paper towels from the middle filing drawer, swiveling back around to hand several to Arthur. Putting her hand to her stomach to calm it at event the site of food, she smiles at Arthur then says, "I have to remember NEVER to let that man in the kitchen ever again. And while I'm thinking of it I'll make sure he is removed from kitchen duty. "
"Wise choice, now come on and drink some coke it will help settle you stomach." She picks up one can, hesitantly opens it and takes a small sip at first placing the can back on her desk.
After several minutes of chatting and eating Gwen puts her last pizza bone down and wraps it up an places it in her desk. "Arthur, since you bought the whole crew lunch I would like to pay you back and ask a favor of you at the same time."
Curious Arthur answers, "What did you have in mind?"
"Well I don't know Pendragon at all except from my apartment to the fire station. And my vehicle is at home. So if you wouldn't mind giving me a ride home, I'll pay for dinner at a nice restaurant on the way there. Would that be okay with you?"
Stunned Arthur slowly puts down his coke, "Sure not a problem we get off shift" he looks at his watch "in three hours. Will be perfect timing to grab something else to eat."
Three hours later when the shift is about the change, Gwen waits at the bay door enjoying the breeze. Arthur walks up behind her taps her on the shoulder, "Come on my car is out back."
On their way out to the parking lot, they meet the other crew and Arthur makes the intro that this is the new Captain of the station. As the other crew makes their way in for their shift, Gwen turns to Arthur and says, "What was that about?"
"Nothing really they all just assumed that I would become the captain, like my father did before he retired. But again, like I said earlier, it's fine with me that someone else has to ride shotgun over these guys. Not that I won't help you with them anyway I can. I'm just saying."
"No really it's OK. I can understand how they feel having an outsider take over your house like this. Actually almost dreading to see what pranks night shift leave for me to find in the morning. I almost shudder to think what I may find."
"Don't worry. The worst is over. Day crew is the worst at jokes and welcoming people into the house. So you're safe, believe me." He crosses his arms across the roof of a black S80 Volvo. "Come on get in and we'll find a decent meal. Any preferences - Mexican, Italian, deli, home-style cooking, what?"
As she opens the door, she slides into the seat. Arthur follows suit, closes the door and drives off before the rest of the crew get out to their vehicles for their escapes.
Driving through town as she tells him where she got an apartment he mentally figures out what restaurants are close by. "Well let's see, there is a nice little Chinese place, a pizza shop that is iffy at best, a nice little bar with great crab cakes and the sub shop anyway. Which, by the way, Valerie says constantly should close just to save us all the horror of seeing it."
Gwen looks at him with a surprised look on her face at his comment and then starts laughing. Once she can finally stop, "Chinese will be fine, Arthur. I could use an order of shrimp fried rice right about now. "
"It's in the next block."
Later that night as Gwen sits reading in her apartment her cell phone rings, Picking it up she answers, "Bourke residence."
A hunky, familiar voice comes through the connection, "Well how was your first day at the new assignment?"
Gwen puts down her book with a smile on her face to hear a familiar voice, "Great really which is quite surprising. The whole crew just clicks you know. "
A husky laugh then, "That's great, Gwen. It's really great. Although you know if Sean was still here you won't have this chance. "
"I miss him I really do. But I have to get on with my own life. And have you found a new assignment yet?"
"Not really looking, debating about coming down for a visit and checking out the college near you."
"Well actually..." She says with a purr in her voice.
"Why can I hear the gears turning from here? Sean told me to watch it when she acts like this. "
Sighing she gets up and heads into the kitchen to pop a mug of hot water in for some tea, she cradles the phone against her shoulder attempting to reach for the hands free device that came with the phone so she could get this kink out of her neck, " Well you still wanted to be a firefighter didn't you?"
"Yeah, I could never give that up at least not until I find something better anyway. What do you have in mind?"
"I have one slot opened on this crew that has not been filled yet and you and your talents would be a great asset to the crew. Please say yes?"
"Well at least I could look out of you then, I don't like you living somewhere all by yourself."
"Yeah right. I have Dolly with me. Remember? What you want to play my big protector in shining armor or what?"
"Protector yes, knights in armor no thank you. That stuff is heavier than wearing fire gear. Ok, I'll be down next week to talk to your chief and see what he says, OK"
"Oh it would be so great to have you around. Night, I have to get up early tomorrow the Chief is showing up is see how everything is going. "
"Night, sis. Sleep well and tell that dog to stay on the floor. I know you are letting her sleep with you. Can hear it in your voice, you have that kink in your neck again. "
"Guilty, but she gets lonely."
"Night, Gwen see ya next week"
" Night"
She hits the call end button just as the microwave beeps.
Gwen walks into the firehouse after having just been through her first budget meeting with chief and the city council. Dreading even seeing her office she starts towards the back of the fire station. She follows the stream of taunts and hitting noises to the back yard where volleyball net is set up and her crew is enjoying a game. Arthur and Lance were on one team with Dag and Gawain was on the other while Bors sat and pretended to keep score of the game. As she gets leans against the doorjamb, Arthur, Dag and Gawain all take off their shirts. Lance doesn't say that his tank keeps him more that cool. Thoughts on bare-chested fireman go dancing through Gwen's brain. She shakes her head trying to clean her thoughts. Well that might be an idea of raising funds to save the firehouse the proceeds of calendar with the local firefighters in them. Gwen spies Tristan filling up some bird feeder in the back of the yard. She focuses in on her second in command as he spikes the ball over the net just out of reach of both his opponents. "Game point, guys lets hit the showers and get back to it."
Grumbling they all file through a door that Gwen had not even noticed on the side of the building before. None seem to have noticed her presence. Content in her own musings of the scenarios she just witnessed. She fails to notice Valerie come up behind her and tap her on the shoulder. Grasping her clipboard to her chest and turning around quickly she comes face to face with Valerie.
" You ok, Captain, you look a bit pale. " Valerie asks her.
"I'm fine, just the shock from walking in from the AC to standing in the sun, that's all."
" They are all beef cakes if you ask me. But that is just me most treat me like a younger sister thou, Boris and Lance seem to like to fight over me. But I just came over to torment Lance, anyway. I saw you watching them. It will be our little secret. "
Blushing at being caught at all rate, " Thanks, wonder how they would all look in a pin up calendar. "
"I don't know about you but I might just buy about 10 of them, just to make my friends drool when they came to my apartment."
Gwen laughs, "Well that's good to hear. Let go see if they left any soda in the fridge I could use one right about now. "
Giggling Valerie, leans close to Gwen and says, "Well if there isn't I know where Lance started keeping his secret stash of soda in the bus, we can raid that. Then mention it to Arthur that we are out of soda. And you will see how truly fast Lance disappears down to the corner store to get the house more soda. "
"You have this crew down to a science, don't you?"
"Yeah sometimes, it's just nice to have another girl on the crew, no offense way too many male hormones floating around this place."
"Valerie, I believe you and I are going to be good friends."
"OH, I hope so."
The Chief was just walking in the front door when the girls entered the bay with the council in tow. All of a sudden, Gwen feels quite warm and her heads starts swimming, she sees her crew coming in from the locker room. As her body just folds up like a piece of paper she collapses to the floor.
The crew and the Chief rush over to her side as Valerie check her vitals. Valerie looks up at Arthur and in a hushed voice Valerie says to Arthur, "You took her home last night, right?"
Arthur nods, "And your point is, Valerie?"
"Take her to her home, Arthur. I think she has a bit of a cold and with the stress of taking over the house just escalated the cold. She needs to rest and somewhere familiar would be best. "
Chief O' Malley chimes in," By all means, Castus takes the Captain home and I'll mark you both up for a full day's pay. No worries. I'm sure the crew can handle things without you two for one day. Tell her when she feels better to report back to work. Good day gentleman and Miss Valerie." And with that the Chief and the council leave the firehouse.
Arthur looks at Valerie handing her his car keys, "Bring me car around front and I'll take her home." Valerie nods getting up and quickly exiting the building to bring the car around. When she pulls up front, Lance steps forward and opens the passenger door as Arthur gently picks up Gwen and carries her carefully places her in the car. He quickly then shut them down, turning to his crew. "If you need me you have my cell number?"
They all nod, and silently walk back into the depth of the firehouse to go about their normal quirky routines.
Climbing into his car, Arthur slowly pulls away from the station heading for her apartment building
Gwen cuddles deeper into the blankets as her chills increased. Sniffling several times she makes a mad grab for the tissue box knocking it onto the floor. Scrunching up just far enough to reach for the box from her comfortable nest. She hears a chuckle from the hallway. She lifts her head to look attempting to focus on the source of the sound. After blinking several times she finally recognizes the source of the sound attempting to talk, "How?"
Walking over to her and sitting on the edge of the reclining chair, "You don't remember?"
She shakes her head, and then stops as quickly as she began, putting a hand on her forehead.
"You past out at the firehouse in front of the chief no less. And Val said you had been flushed all morning. We would have covered for you, if you had told us you were not feeling well. Well at least I was the only one that knew where you lived is the only reason you are home and not at the firehouse with Lance talking care of you."
Gwen got white as her walls at that comment, and then a blush started to come over her. "Well I thank you for bringing me to my apartment. I would much rather be here than at the firehouse. If you want to return to the House, Arthur, that's fine. Dolly and I should be OK." Looking at her watch.
"Dolly is your daughter I take it?"
"No, silly she is my Dalmatian. Well actually she was my late husband's and now she is mine. We sort of bonded after the events of 9/11. I no more made it home from my job as a graphic designer in the city and when Dolly caught sight of me she just curled up at my feet and stayed with me for days. The lease company of the condo we had was gracious enough to let me out of the reminder of the contract on it. I took Dolly and we headed for my folks place near Angelica, New York while I studies to become a firefighter again. Originally I had two majors in school one for fire prevention and the other graphic design with computers. Sean and I were talking serious about a future together but he was adamant about me not being in the force that he wanted someone outside the House but someone who did know about the perils of firefighter and all. So I folded and focused more of graphic design over fire prevention. "
Gwen attempts to sit up as her head is swimming. Arthur crosses the distance quickly to help her. Once she is sitting more up right she leans against the back of the couch, reclining her head she sighs, "So where do we go from here, Lieutenant"
"I have no clue, Captain. Where should it go from here? Well of sorts we have been out on a date but that was more just to set the boundaries and intros the other night. How about this? The Chief gave us the rest of the day off so that someone could look after you. So let me runs down to the corner and I'll cook you something to eat and some cold medicine. So you can fight this thing."
"Thank you, Arthur. I think I'll take a nap until then. My head is starting to get the swimming feeling again. "
"That will work, cover up. I'll be right back. Where is your dog anyway?"
"The neighbor does dog walking and she will be brought home soon enough I imagine. Oh, get some dog treats while you are out in case she's here when you get back. She's very protective of letting anyone near me since 9/11."
"Gotcha" he said with a wink. Not that she saw she was all cuddled up again in the blankets.
He picks up his keys from the table near the door and sees a frame with a black ribbon on it. Tilting the frame very careful he sees a wedding photo with Gwen in white. And a poem in the frame next to it. So that is Sean. He then reads the poem.
Two Thousand One, Nine Eleven
Two thousand one, nine eleven. Five thousand plus arrive in heaven As they pass through the gate, Thousands more appear in wait.A bearded man with stovepipe hat Steps forward saying, "Let's sit, let's chat."
They settle down in seats of clouds. A man named Martin shouts out proud,
"I have a dream!" and once he did The Newcomers said, "Your dream still lives."
Groups of soldiers in blue and gray Others in khaki and green then say,
"We're from Bull Run, Yorktown, the Maine!" The Newcomers said, "You died not in vain." From a man on sticks one could hear,
"The only thing we have to fear ..." The Newcomers said, "We know the rest,
trust us sir, we've passed that test." "Courage doesn't hide in caves, You can't bury freedom in a grave."The Newcomers had heard this voice before.
A distinct Yankee's twang from Hyannis port shores.A silence fell within the mist.
Somehow the Newcomers knew that this Meant time had come for them to say
What was in the hearts of the five thousand plus that day.
"Back on Earth, we wrote reports, Watched our children play in sports, Worked our gardens, sang our songs, Went to church and clipped coupons. We smiled, we laughed, we cried, we fought. Unlike you, great we're not."
The tall man in the stovepipe hat Stood and said, "Don't talk like that! Look at your country, look and see! You died for freedom, just like me!" Then before them all appeared a scene Of rubbled streets and twisted beams. Death, destruction, smoke, and dust And people working just 'cause they must. Hauling ash, lifting stones, Knee deep in hell. But not alone!
"Look! Blackman, Whiteman, Brownman, Yellowman Side by side helping their fellow man!" So said Martin, as he watched the scene, "Even from nightmares, can be born a dream." Down below three firemen raised The colors high into ashen haze. The soldiers above had seen it before On Iwo Jima back in '44. The man on sticks studied everything closely. Then shared his perceptions on what he saw. "Mostly I see pain, I see tears, I see sorrow - but I don't see fear." "You left behind husbands and wives,
Daughters and sons, and so many lives are suffering now because of this wrong.
But look very closely. You're not really gone."All of those people, even those who've never met you, All of their lives, they'll never forget you! Don't you see what has happened? Don't you see what you've done? You've brought them together, together as one!" With that the man in the stovepipe hat said,"Take my hand," and from there he led
five thousand plus heroes, Newcomers, to heaven. On this day, two thousand one, nine eleven.
- Author Unknown
Tears well up in Arthur's eyes. It had been a while since he remembered that day. He quickly slips out the door, leaving the apartment.
TBC