The Limit of a Soul

Disclaimer: As always, the Emergency! people own their characters and I own any that I may create over the course of this story. I am only doing this for fun. No money is involved.

Author's note: This was the very first story I began to write shortly after I discovered the Fanfiction website. It has taken me a lot longer that I had intended to develop it into something remotely close to publishable. Hopefully, I will be able to upload new sections regularly. If you ever see anything wrong or that needs to be changed or just have some suggestions for the story, let me know. I welcome your feedback.

Also, I can't remember if Captain Stanley's wife's name is ever mentioned in the show. Several authors have called her by several different names. Not wanting to step on anyone's creative property, I just picked a name and ran with it.

On with the story…


He wasn't sure what it was, but something about this shift had Captain Hank Stanley on edge. The morning had started out like most shifts. He had arrived at the station before anyone else on his shift. One member of the crew had almost been late. Chet had sprung a phantom prank on John, resulting in a wet uniform and some heated words, which was then followed by grins and promises of revenge. By all accounts, it was a normal day. The station had been called out several times, but no more than usual. All their calls had been routine: a trash fire, two "unknown type" rescues that were simple, and a small structure fire. The squad had a few additional runs. No one had died. Even Johnny had managed to avoid a trip to Rampart. So what was amiss? As much as he tried to pinpoint the problem, he just could not figure it out. So, with a heavy sigh, he returned to the mound of paperwork that constantly occupied his desk.

The rest of the men had gathered in the kitchen. Morning chores had been completed in between the earlier calls of the day. Roy and Johnny were taking turns reading sections of the newspaper. Mike was reading a manual for a new piece of equipment on the engine. Marco and Chet were playing cards. None of them seemed to notice their Captain's uneasiness. They were simply enjoying the break from calls.

After over an hour of complete quite, the tones went off sending them to a structure fire at an apartment complex. Judging by the number of stations being dispatched, it was going to be a big fire. The men quickly jumped up and ran for their respective vehicles. Once Captain Stanley had acknowledged the call and climbed aboard the engine, both the squad and the engine left the station, racing toward the call.


Captain Stanley and the rest of Station 51 arrived on scene a few minutes later. They found the first floor of a three story apartment building in flames. Since they were first ones on scene, Hank took over and began directing the men arriving to battle the fire.

Roy and Johnny were sent in to search the second and third floors. Only a few tenants lived on the first floor and all of them had been accounted for. At the moment, the fire was still contained to one end of the building but could quickly spread.

Marco and Chet were sent into the first floor with a hose to begin attacking the flames. Their goal was to protect the stairway that Roy and John was using to access the upper floors.

Captain Stanley then directed Kevin Nichols and Aaron Conley from Station 8 and Wayne Truman and Frank Stevens from Station 110 to begin attacking the advancing flames. He would send more men in to help them as they arrived.

Roy and Johnny had made quick work of searching the apartments on the upper floors. They had found a couple of teenagers in one apartment and an elderly man in another. After escorting the last of the residents from the building, Roy made his way over to Captain Stanley to inform him that the building was empty and get their next assignment.

Just as he was approaching the engine, an explosion nearly knocked Roy off his feet. He then watched as Marco helped a stumbling Frank Stevens from the building. They were followed by Chet helping Wayne Truman.

Johnny quickly met the men and directed them over the squad and its waiting medical equipment to begin his assessment.

Roy approached his seemingly speechless captain. By the time he had closed the distance between Captain Stanley and himself, Hank had regained his voice.

"Roy, you go back in with Chet and Marco to get Nichols and Conley out of there."

"You got it cap." He took off toward the building hoping that the missing men would be alright.

Once inside the building, they followed a hose that snaked out from under debris. It only took a few minutes to locate the missing men. Another ten minutes passed before the injured men were lifted into Stokes stretchers and carried out to squad and waiting ambulances.

After contacting Rampart, Roy and John carried out the doctor's orders and loaded the men into the waiting ambulances. Stevens and Truman were not seriously injured. They were loaded in one ambulance with a paramedic from their station. Roy rode in the ambulance with Nichols and Conley. Johnny drove the squad in to pick up his partner.

With the injured men in route to the hospital, the remaining firemen returned their attention to the now mostly extinguished fire. After battling the inferno for a total of four grueling hours the fire was extinguished and clean-up began.


By the time the clean-up was over, Captain Stanley was eager to leave the scene behind. "Load up. We're heading back to the station"

The men didn't hesitate and quickly jumped up into the engine. Just as quickly, Mike pulled away from the smoldering mess. The trip back to the station seemed to take forever. But finally, the engine slowly backed into the dark station.

"I am showering first. Call it a perk of being captain." Hank quickly climbed out of the cab of the engine and headed for the shower.

The rest of the men went into the kitchen for a long overdue cup of coffee while they waited for not only their turn to shower, but for Roy and Johnny to return. They were curious about how the injured firemen were doing. The paramedics had seemed worried when they left for Rampart.

Captain Stanley joined his men in the kitchen. "Who's next?"

Mike addressed Chet and Marco, "I didn't get that dirty so I can wait. One of you can go next."

Chet quickly jumped up and practically ran toward the shower. "Thanks Mike!" he called as he was nearly out of the door.

"Don't mention it," the engineer added although he knew the disappearing man never heard him.

It was then that then men in the kitchen heard the bay door start to open followed by the squad backing in. A moment later, the returning paramedics entered the kitchen to find three sets of questioning eyes following them.

"Nichols had a broken legs and some burns on his hands. Conley's got a few bruised ribs and he took in a lot smoke. Both of them were admitted for observation but they are going to be fine. They released Truman. He just had the wind knocked out of him. Stevens wasn't injured."Johnny informed the men.

"I am glad they are going to be alright. I am beat. I think I am going to turn in early tonight. Make sure that you all get to bed at a decent hour." Hank finished off his coffee and left the room.

Roy was concerned about his captain. It was unusual for him to go to bed before everyone else. "Is he alright?" He asked as Chet returned to the kitchen. Marco left to take his shower.

"I think he is blaming himself for those men getting hurt tonight. He is the one that sent them in there."

"That's silly Chet. He didn't know that tank was going to explode. None of us even knew that it was in there. If it's anybody's fault, it is that tenant's. How stupid do you have to be to store a propane tank in your kitchen cabinets?"

"I know that Johnny, but trying telling it to Cap." Mike added as he moved to leave the kitchen. Marco had returned, leaving the shower open.

Chet, wanting to improve the mood, spoke up, "Why don't we see what's on TV tonight. I am tired, but I don't think I am ready to go to bed yet."

With that, the men, minus their captain, settled around the television to watch the evening movie.


In the dorm, Hank was finding it difficult to sleep. Every time he closed his eyes, he could hear the explosion. He could hear men shouting into their radios that men were trapped and hurt and needed help. His mind kept telling him that it was his fault that the men had gotten hurt. He couldn't hear his heart telling him that it was just one of those things that happened, one of the hazards of the job, and that no one was to blame or could have predicted what was going to happen. He finally drifted into a restless sleep.

To be continued…