Hello again, folks, and welcome to my latest story. After all that angst for poor Mike in my last one, I've let the bunnies have some fun with him this time.

It's set just before The Old Engine, where we first see the boys fussing over Big Red. But then, I wondered how they'd react when they heard they were getting her. And how would a certain engineer feel, as she replaces the engine he's become so attached to?

With thanks as always to my lovely reviewers, especially Marbo and Ginger713, and Madi for her help with the research, here's what the bunnies came up with.

Enjoy!

Boys And Their Toys

"Yes, Chief, I will... and she's arriving tomorrow? Yes, sir, I'm sure she will. Yes, you have a good day too, Chief... goodbye, sir..."

Sitting back in his chair, Hank felt a mere smile grow into an all out grin. Checking there was no-one around to see it, he then punched the air with a wholly un-Captain like whoop.

"YES! We've got her!"

Just as quickly, though, he came back down to Earth with just a bit of a thump. Yes, he'd waited weeks for this very special call, yet it now left him with one hell of a problem. Luckily, he knew the two perfect people to help him handle it.

Two highly trained professionals, who also happened to be working right outside his office. Checking their squad for supplies, and - well, what kind of leader would he be, if he didn't just check how they were getting on?

Striding out to join them, he treated them both to his very best smile. And in case that didn't work on its own, his very best 'Team Dad' hug.

"Roy! Johnny! And how are my two favourite paramedics this morning?"

Staring at his partner, Roy saw the same 'what the hell?' on Johnny's face too. In fact, an entire conversation now whizzed silently between them.

'Roooy! He's freaking me out!'

'Me too, Junior, so... go on, just answer him!'

'Why me? You're older!'

'Yeah, but you're... oh, never mind-'

"Uh, we're fine, Cap. Yeah, we're just fine... right, Johnny?"

"Wh-? Oh, sure... yeah, Cap, we're... uh... just as fine as we were at breakfast."

A meal they'd had just... ten minutes ago. Another 'what the hell?' glance between them confirmed it. Their fearless leader had finally flipped.

"Good, that's good... 'cos with what I've got to tell you, I might... uh, need your help."

Help? As in - professional help? To the ears of two highly trained paramedics, this didn't sound good. Not good at all. And this time, there was no debate on who was going to answer him.

"Is everything okay, Cap?"

"Yes, Roy, I'm fine, and... hey, Johnny, quit checking my pulse, okay? I'm fine, I'm just... well, thinking more about our favourite, engine obsessed engineer."

Now seeing the twinkle in his captain's eyes, Roy relaxed, and started to grin too.

"Aah. I'm guessing it has something to do with that 'YES!' we heard just now... right, Cap?"

Oooh, they'd heard that? Damn. Still, so long as another certain someone hadn't heard it, he'd gotten away with it, right? Right.

"Yes, I've just heard from the Chief. We're getting our new engine tomorrow. And if you remember the state he was in when we came back from our training days... well, I might need you both to... um... calm him down."

Ah, yes. That already legendary day when his unflappable engineer had slipped his leash, as if all his birthdays and Christmases had come at once. Given three days of training on his new engine, he'd covered the whole lot with six hours to spare - earning a 'well done' nod from his instructors, and an equally proud 'that's my boy' from his captain.

In hindsight, that captain now wished he'd thought of this brilliant plan then, because - yes, the family baby was now making a scarily valid point.

"Yeah, he made the Duracell bunny look like a geriatric sloth, so... yeah, Cap, this is gonna be tricky. So, uh... what do you think, Roy? You think a shot of Diazepam would do it?"

"Yeah, maybe... though I was thinking of calling a vet. Or the zoo... see if they have any tranquillizer guns we can use for-"

"...chasing dogs on roofs again? And who's like a geriatric sloth?"

All through this masterclass in bantering wit, none of them had noticed the shadow that had crept up behind them. But when that unmistakeable voice sent three fearless firefighters out of their boots - oh yes. Then they noticed him.

Now in genuine need to have his pulse checked, Hank turned to glare at its ever innocent cause. Damn, he was always doing that, and - yeah, as captain's privilege, he was going to check his engineer's file. Whether it confirmed his suspicions officially or not, he was still sure of it. Michael Stoker was a damn ninja in disguise.

More worryingly, how much of this little plot against him had he actually heard? Enough for him and his co-conspirators to get away with it? Or enough for them to spend the next month looking nervously over their shoulders?

'All right, Hank... now, nice and easy does it.'

"Mike! Michael! And... so... Michael, my boy, how are you?"

Glancing to where his captain was now shaking his shoulders, Mike reacted to its teeth-rattling vigour as... well, only he could. With sarcasm - Stoker style.

"Uh, Cap? I'm an engineer. Not a gumball machine."

Released with a sheepish grin, Mike then smiled that slow, dangerously innocent smile. Folded his arms over his chest, and gave his new 007 counterpart a real run in the art of arching eyebrows.

"Oh, I get it. We're getting our new engine, and you think I'm gonna flip out about it. Right?"

Aaand - busted! As three faces grinned back at him in pointless denial, Mike gave Roy another masterclass in 'I'm working with idiots' eyerolls - muttering just loud enough for them to hear as he strode into the day-room.

"Dear Dad... I know I said I wanted to be like you, and make Captain too, but please... I'm begging you... get me out of this nut-hutch."

Staring after him, Johnny threw a duly nervous glance towards his own fearless leader.

"Uh, Cap? You think he heard us?"

Those lessons in 'I'm working with idiots' eyerolls were clearly working, since Hank's now ranked as the best of the day.

"Of course he heard us, you twit! Now, come on, let's get this over with. Oh, and Roy? Bring that drug box, pal. And a couple of really strong ropes."

Aah, the advantage of being a taller than average Team Dad. When trying to read over your overgrown toddlers, that extra bit of height came in real handy.

Finally, the huddle of bodies dispersed, to reveal a somewhat dishevelled engineer beneath it. Watching him straighten his shirt and smooth back his hair, Hank bit back a grin. Yes, nothing ruffled one of LACoFD's immaculate poster boys more than being ruffled out of it.

Unfazed by that 'damn it, guys!' glare, the others were grinning too. Without the need for ropes or tranquillizers, they'd done it. They'd found a way to keep him under control over... that.

Their new engine. The newest rig on the fleet. And they had the honour of being one of the first stations to break her into service.

They'd both seen her already, of course, during those training days at HQ. But as the others continued to familiarise themselves with her specs and layout, only one of them still looked like a lovesick teenager on his first date.

'Smitten' didn't really cover it. 'Flipped out' came a bit closer, while 'Silently ga-ga' pretty much nailed it. Smirks, grins, and several games of bunny ears above his head had passed unnoticed. If Cupid had been an engineer himself, that arrow with a wrench on its end would have hit him square in the butt.

If he'd been any kind of puppy, he'd have wagged his tail clean off, and - yeah. Hank knew he was going to pay for this, big time, but - hell, like he could ever hope to resist it.

"Down, boy."

"Grrrrr."

Oh, so Number One Son felt like upping the ante, did he? Well, two could play at that game.

"Uh, Michael? Did you just growl at your senior officer?"

"Me, Cap? No, Cap. that was just my stomach... you know, gurgling. 'cos I'm hungry."

Yeah, right. Mama Stoker might have been suckered by those big blue eyes and that adorable face, but was this firehouse captain going to fall for it too? Well, aside from that giveaway laughter - of course he was.

But then, they were all laughing now, as they all leaned - more carefully this time - over Mike's shoulder. To Hank's own amusement, he didn't just have one smitten engineer on his hands now, but a whole, equally besotted crew. Even when Johnny's opinion that she was 'a bit of a monster' earned him another growl, there was too much of a grin on Mike's face for him to take it seriously.

Yet to eyes that were sharp enough to notice, and a soul who'd understand why, there'd been a tinge of sadness there too. As Hank knew himself, the relationship between an engineer and his engine defied description. It was every bit as special, every bit as unique, as the bonds that bound these five, unrelated brothers together.

So yes, he knew Mike was still buzzing over this flagship new engine that had finally been assigned to them - just as he felt his own sense of loss for the one that she was going to replace. So when he pushed back his chair, and did his usual ninja act out of the day room, Hank followed him just as discreetly.

There was a reason, of course, why he'd gone to the Crown's 'out of sight' side. No-one could see him here, or tease him for the hand that now ran so gently over her ladders. With their last shift together about to end, it was time to say goodbye.

Giving him every minute of that time to walk slowly, and undisturbed, around her, Hank watched him in silent empathy. Through sadly proud eyes, every inch of her was being committed to memory. Every callout. Every time that she'd ridden into the fires of hell, and fearlessly saved the day.

The sound of her sirens. The power of her engines. The thrill of having so much power, so much life-saving strength, at his fingertips.

Finally, he turned to face him because... yes, he knew his captain would be there at his side, to share this bittersweet moment between them. And if there was an unnatural shine to those eyes now, then Hank chose not to see it.

Instead, he patted his shoulder. Let his hand stay there, to reinforce his words of consolation.

"She's served us well, pal. She's earned her rest now."

From an equally proud nod, he knew Mike felt the same. Yet that ever quiet voice still revealed the sadness beyond it.

"Yeah, Cap, I know. It's just... you know, kinda sad to think this is the last shift we'll have with her. When we come in on Thursday, she'll be gone."

Another typically practical point - answered this time with another, Team Dad pat on his shoulder.

"But never forgotten. And just think, Michael... when you come in on Thursday, you'll have a brand new lady in your life."

That earned him a wry grin. Another of those classic Stoker eye-rolls.

"Don't let my mom hear you say that. She keeps nagging me for grandkids enough as it is."

As one pact between them was sealed with laughter, so another brought this private moment to a more serious close. With just seconds to go now, before a crowd of off-shift firefighters disturbed them, they'd have to be quick.

Still smiling, they stepped back together, for the send-off that only captains and engineers were privileged enough to give.

Softly proud words, in thanks for all those unforgettable times.

"Goodbye, girl."

"You couldn't have served us better."

And a perfect, textbook salute.