I just have a lot of feelings about Chet and Mike, and I'm not sure where they came from. Maybe because they're pretty much opposites, with Mike being so quiet and calm and Chet being so obnoxious and excitable. I've seen a few fics with them interacting and helping each other, but I needed more, and I'm sure you do, too.

This is related to my other fics, 'Somebody to Lean On' on AO3 (as xcourtney_chaoticx) and 'To the Memory of Boot, a Dog,' but this should work on its own even if you don't read them. (Of course, I'm not going to stop you from reading them...)

***This fic does have some salty language, mentions death from a variety of causes, and mentions multiple kinds of injuries.***

"Let me help. A hundred years or so from now, I believe,

a famous novelist will write a classic using that theme.

He'll recommend those three words even over I love you."

-CPT James T. Kirk in 'City on the Edge of Forever', Star Trek: TOS

xXxXx

1.) The A-Shift of the newly-formed Station 51 had not quite been together for three months when they had their first structure fire with fatalities as a team. Separately, every one of the six men had dealt with fire-related fatalities, but it never got easier, especially for the two men who were now paramedics, Roy DeSoto and John Gage. Their whole job, after all, was to rescue people and get them to the hospital alive. Their lineman, Marco Lopez and Chester Kelly, were hardly better off, always wondering what they could've done differently to affect the outcome. CPT Dick Hammer had obviously been doing this job for longer than any of them, but he surely asked himself if he could have moved his people faster, made a different judgment, made a faster decision.

Lastly, there was their engineer, Mike Stoker. As the engineer, there was no one safer on scene than he was, standing back with the engine and monitoring the pumps. He loved being an engineer, not because it was safe but because he enjoyed the work. Being safe meant he was the furthest removed from the deaths physically, though he was no less affected by them. The engine was quiet on the way back to the station. Even the usually rambunctious Chet Kelly was silent, and the lack of chatter was disconcerting when it had never been so quiet with this group of men before.

Mike went about his chores following the run and thought about his fellow firemen. CPT Hammer, Marco, and Roy were all married, so they could talk to their wives about what happened tonight. John was single, but he was close with Roy, so the older paramedic would probably be able to help more than anyone else. Mike lived alone, as well, though he was generally able to work through his problems, and if he wasn't, he had the number for the department shrink from his probie year. (The Oaks Manor Apartment Fire of '62 did a number on everyone involved, not just the probie Mike Stoker.) Chet lived alone, too, and Mike realized with a jolt he knew next to nothing about him. For all the talking he does, none of it's about him. I don't know if he has any family around or anyone to just talk to about stuff like this. He cast a glance over at the younger man cleaning a spot on the engine. Chet was still much too quiet.

As everyone got ready to leave after their shift, Mike quietly approached Chet and asked, "Hey, you got any plans for the rest of the day?"

Chet blinked up at him, as if he couldn't believe Mike was speaking to him.

"I just…" Mike chose his words carefully, "Well, with everything that happened… I don't really think any of us should be alone, y'know? Figured we could just grab breakfast or something."

Chet chewed his lip, his brow slightly furrowed as Mike waited for a response.

"Uh… sure, Stoker. That sounds… sounds great," Chet replied at last.

They met up in the parking lot behind the station, where Chet suggested a little diner he knew of not too far away that was good and cheap. Mike followed him to a little hole-in-the-wall called Lou's and went in with him.

"Hey, is Charlie in?" Chet asked an older woman leaning on the counter.

"Nope, not 'til ten."

"Aw, alright. What about Missi?"

"Yeah, Missi's in. Wanna sit with her?"

"That's be great, Lou. What section is she in?"

Lou pointed them toward the far side of the diner, and Chet led Mike to a booth in the corner, secluded from view.

"Hiya, Chet," a bubbly blond waitress greeted them, "Who's your friend?"

"Missi, this is Mike Stoker. We work at the station together."

"Nice to meet ya, Mike."

Mike offered her a friendly nod as Chet spoke up, "Could you just start us out with some coffee, Missi?"

Not quite fifteen minutes later, the two firemen were presented with plates piled with eggs, bacon, potatoes, and pancakes. They ate in silence, needing to refuel after their stressful morning and not wanting to ruin their appetites. But we'll have to talk sooner or later… Breakfast was finished in record time, their mugs refilled with fresh coffee. Silence reigned for a long moment.

"Are you alright, Chet?" Mike asked quietly.

Chet didn't look up from his coffee. Mike worried he'd screwed up, that Chet would get angry or clam up. Finally, Chet shook his head.

"You wanna go somewhere else to talk about it?" Mike suggested.

Chet snorted, sarcastically replying, "Your place or mine, Stoker?"

"I'm serious. We can pick up some beers, I can make some lunch, we'll watch some football… Otherwise, we'll both be alone all day with nothing but our thoughts, and after the shift we just had, I don't think that's such a good thing."

Please, Chet… just understand that I wanna help you… let me help…

"O-okay," he said at last, "okay… can we-… let's go to my place. It's closer."

Mike paid the bill (over Chet's protests) and headed to the gas station for a couple six packs, hoping Chet had enough in his fridge to make something for lunch as he followed the beat up VW van to an apartment building. Chet's apartment was a disaster. Every available surface was covered with empty beer cans and food containers and (presumably) dirty clothes. (The only items in any sort of order were his records, all of which were in alphabetical order by artist, then chronological order by release.) Mike wrinkled his nose, "Would it kill ya to clean up once in a while, Chet?"

"Hey, man, if you're gonna be critical, you can-"

"Did you want lunch or not? I'll take my beer and go."

"You make a good point, Stoker."

Chet put on the Rams pre-game while Mike sought out food for lunch later. The Rams were playing the Eagles in Philadelphia that week, so the game would start at ten, giving them some time to talk over what happened before there was the chance of a distraction. Mike finally settled on the couch beside Chet, both cracking open a beer. Maybe just sitting here like this will be enough… Chet was still tense. Mike could feel it rolling off him, and after only a few minutes, he asked, "Didn't you wanna talk, Chet?"

"Honestly, Stoker, not really," Chet replied, "I'm just fine with sittin' here with a buddy and tryin' to forget this whole mess ever happened. If we do any talking, I don't want it to be about what happened. We can talk about football, about work, about the next prank I'm gonna play on Gage, anything but the dead guy we pulled outta that house tonight and those kids that don't have a dad anymore, okay?"

Mike simply looked at Chet for a moment, then asked, "What prank are you gonna pull on Gage next?"

Chet let out a bark of laughter that surprised Mike enough to make him jump. He laughed loudly and for a long time, until his face was red and his eyes were full of tears.

"You're a good guy, Mike… the best, probably," Chet said when he was finally able to speak again, "I-… thank you. If you hadn't asked me to hang out… thanks."

"You're welcome, Chet. Now, spill about this prank on Gage…"