Hey everyone! This is my first uploaded fic to this site. I love Rescue Me and hate how this show doesn't get enough love. Seriously, it's a crime. So I decided to write my own. This is my first time writing female OCs, but I'll do my best with em. :) Leave me a review if you can please.

Important note: This story starts off near the end of Season 5. Just so no one is confused about the timeline here.

Watch Me Burn

Chapter 1: Persuasion

Tommy marched into the break room, and headed straight to the refrigerator. He sighed inwardly, knowing somehow that today would be a day like any other – filled with loathing, hatred, booze, and smoke. Smoke from a fire probably started by some idiot either getting high or falling asleep before taking his last inhale of a guilty pleasure.

Taking one last look into the empty refrigerator, he closed it, and passed Mike on his way to the coffee machine without a word. Thoughts of recent events in life polluted his mind like a thick cloud of suffocating smog.

"Hey Tommy, what's up?" Mike asked, looking up and standing from his chair to get closer to him. Tommy was jolted from his thoughts immediately and looked at Mike just as he finished pouring a cup of coffee, "Nothing. Another day in god damn paradise, am I right?" he responded, leaning against the counter behind him and looking at his fellow firefighter before taking a sip of the coffee.

Mike smiled and looked down for a minute, "I guess so. Hey Tommy, I know.. it's like your day off from the bar and stuff but.. I was wondering if you'd be able to come to the bar tonight anyway, you know? The band's getting together and I invited this new chick I met the other day."

Tommy rolled his eyes and set his cup of coffee down next to him before returning his eyes to him, "You're unbelievable, you know that? What the hell does that have to do with me, exactly?" he asked, waiting for the horrible excuse he knew would tumble in-cohesively from Mike's mouth.

"Oh come on Tommy, it'll be fun! Everyone's gonna be there! Sean, Franco, Lou, it's gonna be like.. a huge thing and I want you to be there," Mike said quickly, looking away from Tommy as soon as he uttered the words.

Tommy stifled a laugh and shook his head in disbelief, "You know, you can't bullshit a bullshitter, Mike. And I'll tell ya something else, I've got about twenty more years of bullshitting experience under my god damn belt compared to your... tch... whatever. Ok? So tell me why you want me there or I'm not doin' it, cause I've already got plans, ok pal?"

Mike fidgeted a bit, and looked back up to Tommy's icy glare, "Ok ok... it's cause I lost some stupid bet with Lou the other day about how to spell the word 'denial' and so Sean and Franco got the night off... But I already told this chick about the band thing before the bet so I need someone to take over the bar duties."

"What about Derek!"

"He already said he's busy and he can't do it.."

"Tch. Yeah well, I'm busy too. Ok, asshole?" Tommy started, "and denial? You don't know how to spell denial? Jesus, how the hell did you spell it?" Tommy asked him, continuing to stare, but completely amused and sincerely curious to know.

Mike shrugged, "I thought it was like that river in Nigeria or whatever in Africa."

Tommy buried his face in his hands from the sheer idiocy coming from Mike and ran them through his hair before responding, "The Nile River?"

"Yeah! See? Easy mistake right?" Mike asked with a smile.

"Ok. First of all, it's located in Egypt, not Nigeria. Second of all, no. It's a stupid mistake only you would make."

"Egypt is in Africa?" Mike asked, a look of complete astonishment on his face.

Tommy shook his head in frustration and picked up his cup before turning to walk away, "Alright, this conversation is officially over."

Mike pulled on his arm to stop him, "Wait! So you'll do it, then? Come on Tommy, I'm begging you!"

The older man grunted in annoyance and turned back to him again, "God damn it! Alright! But you owe me, asshole. Who the hell is this broad anyway! She already has you on your god damned knees trying to please her? Jesus Christ."

Mike let go of his arm and smiled, "Sweet! Thanks, Tommy! Um... her name's Michelle. She just moved here like last month from Texas. She's really hot and cool and stuff but I've known her for like three weeks and I don't know... I don't think she's interested, Tommy. I mean.. I've made it pretty obvious I like her and stuff but it's like she only wants to be friends or something. I'm thinking if I show her the band and stuff tonight she'll change her mind, you know?"

"Not interested? In you? Imagine that," Tommy responded sarcastically.

"Come on, Tommy. I really like this chick.. Haven't you ever been in a situation where there's someone you like but it's like she doesn't like you back in that way?" Mike asked him, a look of sincerity in his eyes.

Tommy just scoffed and shook his head, "Never, ok? You know, you should just be thankful I'm even agreeing to this, pal. I had plans, but now, they're ruined. Happy now, asshole?" Tommy asked, pulling his arm away from Mike and continuing on his path out of the kitchen in annoyance.

Michelle pushed open the door to her apartment in complete frustration. She knew she should have had a new key made that day, as the door took ten minutes to open with the one she had in her possession.

"Damn piece of shit!" She cursed to herself, locking it behind her and throwing her bags onto the table nearest her. She looked at her friend and roommate, Angie, who was currently glued to the television and who had apparently not even noticed Michelle walk through the door.

"Angie? You're already home?" she asked her.

Angie turned her head from where she sat, "Oh, hey Michelle. Yup, I got out at two today remember? It's Friday."

Michelle nodded in recall, moving some of her long blonde locks from her face, "Oh. Well... did you not hear me struggling with the door for ten minutes?"

Angie shook her head apologetically, "Sorry... the television was a little loud.."

"Never mind. Anyway, listen!" Michelle said, sitting down next to her and muting the TV. Angie looked at her like she was crazy but didn't bother to unmute it.

"Um ok. What?"

"Ok first you have to promise to not say 'no' right away," Michelle said, knowing it'd probably be the definite answer from her friend.

Angie sighed and continued to look at her, "Ok fine. I won't say it right away."

Michelle just shrugged it off and continued, "So you know that guy Mike right? Remember I introduced you guys the other day?"

"Oh, the firefighter, right?"

Michelle nodded, "Yeah him. Well anyway, he invited me to go see his band play tonight at some bar he owns with some other guys and-" before Michelle could finish, Angie sighed half way through, "Let me guess, you want me to go with you?"

"Please Angie! I don't wanna go alone!"

Angie ran a hand through her short red hair and shook her head, "Ugh... nooo! You know I hate bars, Michelle!"

"Come on, I'm not a huge fan either but it's not like we'd be there long anyhow. Plus, maybe you'll meet a guy you like."

"Oh please. Yeah right. I don't think guys like that exist in the real world, and especially NOT in bars!" Angie said loudly, shaking her head.

"Ok ok ok forget the guy thing! Just go with me anyway. Please? For me?" Michelle begged, staring at her friend with pleading green eyes.

Angie stared at her friend silently for a few moments and thought about it. It's not like she had anything else to do that night. She wasn't tired and she didn't have work tomorrow. She also didn't want her friend to have to go by herself, but she just hated bars so much that she wasn't sure if it'd be a good idea.

She sighed once more and finally gave in, "Alright alright. I'll go. But can we just stay for a few hours and then leave?"

Michelle jumped up happily, "Yes! Thank you Angie!" she shouted happily, hugging her friend, "we won't stay more than two or three hours, ok?"

Angie nodded and stood up, "Fine. I'll start getting ready then..."

And that's it for the first chapter. Please let me know what you think if you have the time.