Ashley tried to swallow the piece of toast and sipped her coffee to help get the bread down her throat. She had expected to be nervous, but this was ridiculous, she could barely swallow and she was pretty sure she was going to vomit. Ashley tossed the piece of toast into the garbage can and pulled a can of ginger ale from the refrigerator. She figured she could sip it on the way to the fire station and perhaps it would help settle her stomach. She figured the Captain probably got there early so maybe she could get her new uniform and get changed before the other guys arrived.
She grabbed her overnight bag and her keys from the hook by the door and began to leave. She stopped considering the pills in her medicine cabinet in the bathroom. The doctor said they would help with her anxiety. She had taken them before and they did not seem to make her tired, just took the edge off her nerves. She walked quickly to the bathroom, opened the bottle and poured a pill into her empty hand. She used the ginger ale to swallow it, dropped the bottle into her overnight bag and exited the small apartment taking a moment to lock the door. She walked down to her little yellow convertible corvette, happy that she had decided to splurge on the fun car for this transition in her life. She had bought it before leaving North Carolina and had driven across country with the wind in her hair, trying to symbolically leave behind all the negativity that had permeated her life recently.
Ashley turned her car into the station drive and headed toward the back parking lot, a truck also turning and following her behind the building. She hoped it would be the Captain and they could take care of some of the formalities quickly. Apparently, the idea to arrive early and avoid awkwardness in the locker room had been shared by many because three men had already exited their vehicles and were standing around in the parking lot as she pulled into a spot. Ashley found it difficult to swallow and took a deep breath before reaching for the door handle. Her hand trembled slightly as she opened the door and exited her car.
She glanced at the men standing in the parking lot and then turned to see the one that had pulled in behind her. He was standing next to his vehicle his mouth hanging slightly open, his blue eyes riveted on her.
"Streaker!" Ashley exclaimed as she rounded the back of her vehicle and threw her arms around the stunned man. She gave him a big hug and drew back slightly when he didn't immediately return the embrace. Fear entered her eyes; maybe he couldn't stand to be around her, the constant reminder of that day.
The shock wore off as he caught the fear in her eyes and he pulled her in for an embrace, "Ashley, I can't believe it's you," Mike whispered in her ear. "When the Cap mentioned the name Ashley James, I immediately thought of you, but since he said you were comin' from North Caroline I figured there was no way."
Ashley raised her hand and brushed it through his short hair, "Look at you all conservative and proper," she tried to joke as the other men moved closer to them. Her hand trembled, and her stomach lurched. Would Mike be able to stand having her around? When she first saw him she had been so relieved that she may have a friend, but that had lasted only a second before that day came rushing back to her.
"Streaker?" Chet asked with an amused look on his face.
"Drop it, Chet," Mike warned.
"No, no, I gotta know, why do ya call him Streaker?" Marco asked standing next to his partner.
"Because he was notorious for streaking at ANY major event," Ashley laughed remembering Mike's run across the football field at the homecoming game the fall before the three of them had started hanging out, and again through the town park at the annual spring picnic. That was the day she and Maddie had introduced themselves to him. Stoker had sounded so close to Streaker that a nickname had been born.
"Mike?" Roy, Marco and Chet all said in unison.
Ashley looked at the shocked expressions of Mike's partners and the blush that was now coloring Mike's face and wondered just how much her old friend had changed in the last decade. "You mean to tell me he isn't always walkin' around here struttin' his stuff?" She teased trying to keep the atmosphere light, despite the tension she could feel building in her chest.
"Mike?" The three said again looking shocked.
Ashley reached up and scratched her earlobe, looking back at Mike, "I guess some things do change." She looked around at the group. "I'm Ashley James; I think you've all been told that I'll be working with you for the next few months." Ashley extended her hand to the man closest to her.
"Chester B. Kelly, but everyone calls me Chet," Chet took her hand still looking at the blushing Engineer.
"Marco Lopez," Marco leaned past Chet and shook Ashley's hand.
"Roy DeSoto. You'll be working with me and my partner Johnny, he should be here any minute," Roy leaned over and shook her hand, glancing back at Mike who was still looking pink. "And it appears you know our Engineer." Roy smiled as Mike's color deepened again.
Ashley giggled slightly, "Nice to meet all of you. I guess we all kinda had the same idea of getting here early so we could change and not be in each other's way." She looked around at the men all still in their street clothes.
"Yeh, I guess so," Chet shuffled his feet and looked at the ground.
"Do you know if the Captain's here yet?" Ashley asked.
"His car is here," Mike spoke up. "Why don't you guys go and get changed, I'll take Ashley to meet the Captain and join you in a minute. I am sure he will want to talk to you for a bit, and then you can have the locker room when we are done."
"What about Gage?" Marco asked.
"If he isn't here before she goes in, he'll wait." Mike said putting his hand on Ashley's elbow and turning her toward the station.
The other guys hung back for a minute while Mike walked Ashley inside. "Streaker," Chet said raising his eyebrows, a smirk spreading across his face.
"Our Mike?" Marco looked unsure.
Roy gave a small shrug and grabbed his bag off the ground where he had dropped it during the introductions. "People change."
"Captain Stanley, this is Ashley James," Mike leaned against the door frame of the Captain's office as he made the introduction to his Captain. He was trying to appear casual, but the truth was he needed the support of the wall, his legs felt like jello.
Captain Stanley stood up and walked over to the door. He extended his hand to the young woman in front of him. He tried to smile to calm her nerves. She looked like she might pass out. "Why don't you come in and have a seat? We can go over a few administrative items, I'll give you your uniforms and you can go get ready for roll call. Mike, close the door on your way out."
Mike closed the Captain's door. He walked a few steps and leaned against the wall dropping his head down and trying to catch his breath. How long had he been holding his breath he wondered? Black dots briefly floated in his vision and the room seemed to move slightly. Mike took a couple of deep breaths trying to stop the trembling he could feel just below the surface. What would the guys think if they found out what he had done? Ashley James had just walked back into his life and she had the power to destroy everything he had spent the last 10 years building. He had worked so hard to redeem himself, "to everyone but her," he whispered out loud.
Mike moved toward the locker room knowing he needed to get dressed so she could have the room.
The guys cleared out and went into the kitchen for more coffee as Mike showed Ashley a free locker and then left her to change into her uniform. The men were sitting on couches and at the table as Johnny rushed in, hurrying to get changed before he was late to roll call. It took a moment for the group to remember that John couldn't go into the locker room. He had already exited the kitchen and was rounding the corner before the first man called out, "Whoa, John wait, you can't…"
Johnny pushed open the locker room door and stopped dead in his tracks when his eyes met the startled green eyes of the woman standing in the locker room. Thankfully she was fully dressed and just pulling her hair into a ponytail before the start of the shift. She moved to shut the door of her locker and smiled up at John, "It's all yours."
She walked passed the junior paramedic who was still standing in the same spot with his mouth hanging open.
"That, is John Gage, the other paramedic," Roy said handing Ashley a cup of coffee.
The warm cup felt nice in her hands, she smiled gratefully at Roy, "Thanks."
He gave her a few minutes to sip the coffee, feeling like she needed the warmth. "We should go get lined up for roll call," he reached to take the cup from her.
"Oh, yeah, okay," Ashley looked around as Roy walked over and set the cups in the sink.
"Right this way," Roy put his arm around her and rested his hand on her back; he led her to the front of the engines.
Johnny rushed over skidding to a stop next to Roy at the end of the line just as Captain Stanley walked in carrying his clipboard. "Nice of you to join us, Gage," Captain Stanley gave his junior paramedic a stern look.
"Sorry, Cap."
"Gentleman, we have our newest member here with us today, Miss Ashley James. Ashley, welcome to 51s A shift. I am sure everyone will make you feel right at home." Captain Stanley looked at his clipboard and began giving out assignments. "Gage, DeSoto, why don't you take the day room and kitchen and show Ashley what needs to be done after you have a chance to show her the squad and how your equipment is set up."
"Sure thing, Cap," Roy put his hand on Ashley's back again leading her toward the squad. He took the lead in teaching her both where the items in the squad were located and then began to cover what they did when they cleaned the kitchen and day room. Johnny hung back watching and wondering to himself how she had ever been a firefighter in North Carolina. The minimum weight for a firefighter was 143 lbs., there was no way this woman weighed over 120 lbs. Roy was just showing her where they kept the different utensils when the klaxons sounded giving them their first alarm of the shift.
"Station 51, fire at a warehouse, 963 Triumph, cross street 4th street; time out 9:12."
All the men boarded the engine, Roy got into the driver's seat and John held the door for Ashley to slide into the middle. She complied, and Roy pointed to the helmet behind her as he tightened his. Johnny reached behind slipping on his helmet, he watched as Ashley easily adjusted her strap.
The squad pulled up to the location and the three jumped out; Ashley stood slightly to the side as Roy and Johnny pulled on turnouts and grabbed air tanks. Captain Stanley walked over, "Two men are missing; they were last seen in Corridor C on the west side of the building." Johnny and Roy nodded and headed into the building.
Ashley fought the urge to throw something. She walked over to Mike who was manning the gauges on the engine. "This sucks," she huffed as she leaned against the engine. "I should be going into the building; that's my job."
Mike glanced at the pout on her face and wondered what had happened to the girl he remembered, the one who had been afraid to try anything new or remotely dangerous.
She kept a careful eye on the warehouse waiting for the paramedics to exit. She saw one of them coming out struggling under the weight of the much larger man. She ran forward, ignoring Captain Stanley when he called out for her to stop.
She stopped in front of Roy, grabbing the victim's legs to help Roy carry him to a safe distance. They laid the man on the ground under the angry stare of Captain Stanley. Ashley grabbed the oxygen and placed the mask over the man's mouth and nose.
Roy hooked up the biophone as Ashley began taking the man's bp.
"Rampart, this is squad 51."
"Go ahead, 51" Dr. Early's voice came over the phone.
"Rampart, we have a male victim, approximately 35 years of age. He has suffered from smoke inhalation, his bp is," he looked over at Ashley.
"Bp is 220/165, pulse is 110 and respirations are 18 and shallow," Ashley gave Roy the vitals, keeping one eye on the warehouse wondering where Johnny was. Ashley noticed Roy also kept checking for his partner.
As if in answer to their silent prayers Johnny exited the warehouse with the second victim. He made his way quickly over the squad and laid his victim down on the blanket that Ashley laid out for him. She pulled the second oxygen over and placed the mask on the victims face as Johnny started checking vitals. She moved back over to help Roy as his patient went into B-fib efficiently handing him medications and administering them when necessary. When the patient flat lined she began CPR as he worked on setting up the defibrillator.
"Clear," Roy said as he moved to place the paddles on the patient. Ashley leaned back on her heels.
The patient jerked upward, the monitor reading a successful capture. Ashley moved to the drug box, knowing the doctors would order a second IV. She was handing it to Roy as the order came over the biophone. She moved over to Johnny to see if she could be of any assistance.
The time moved quickly and pretty soon they were loading both victims into separate ambulances. Roy went with his patient and she rode with Johnny's as he drove the squad.
She followed the patient into the treatment room at Rampart General taking in her surroundings as she walked. She grabbed the sheet under the patient and helped move him from the gurney to the exam table. Dr. Brackett noticed she had not waited for him to help, even though he had been just a step behind her. She moved the IV bag to the pole and started recounting the patient's most recent vitals and what had been done for his care since Johnny had gotten him out of the building.
Dr. Brackett listened to her as he began examining his newest patient. "Thank you," Dr. Brackett said dismissing the young woman from the room.
She exited into the hallway and looked around. Johnny was standing at the end of the hallway chatting with a nurse. Ashley hesitated not wanting to interrupt, but unsure of what to do with herself. She began to walk slowly toward Johnny who was obviously flirting with the young nurse.
Ashley chose to side step them and leaned over a water fountain taking a tentative sip of the cool water.
Roy stepped out into the hall and Ashley made her way to his side. "Nice job," he said with a warm smile.
"Thanks," she smiled back following the senior paramedic toward the doors.
Johnny jogged down the hallway to catch up. He opened the door and stepped back to allow Ashley to get in the squad. She cocked her head to the left and looked him in the eye, "Why do I have to ride in the middle?"
"What?" Johnny looked at her.
"Why do I have to be the one to ride in the middle?" Ashley said slowly, acting like Johnny had not understood the question. "Is it because I'm a woman? Because the possibility of two men riding close to each other somehow offends your male ego?" Ashley stood looking at Johnny.
He looked over the cab of the squad at Roy, then back at Ashley, "What?"
Ashley laughed and moved to get in the squad, "God, you are easy."
Roy joined her in laughter and Johnny just rolled his eyes. "Seriously, are you gonna be a female Chet?"
Mike drove the Engine carefully back to the station stealing glances at his Captain. He could not remember the last time he had seen the man this mad. Captain Stanley did not say a word, but Mike could feel the anger radiating off him. Mike had heard him order Ashley to stop as she ran toward the building, knew there was no way Ashley hadn't heard him, yet she had ignored the order.
The men were just putting away turnouts when the squad backed into the station.
Captain Stanley eyed the young woman as she got out of the squad feeling his blood starting to boil. Part of him knew he should calm down before speaking to her, but before that part of his brain won out, his mouth opened, "Miss James, I want to see you in my office right now."
Captain Stanley marched to his office throwing open his door and entering the room, obviously expecting she would immediately obey this order. Ashley glanced at Mike and then Roy, took a deep breath and moved to the Captain's office, closing the door behind her.
Johnny and Roy looked at each other and then over at Mike. "What happened?" Johnny asked.
"She did great on that rescue, it's hard to believe it was actually our first time workin' together, things flowed well." Roy moved over to stand near Mike and Johnny.
"When she ran to help you with the victim, Captain Stanley ordered her to stop and she didn't," Mike looked at the Captain's closed door wondering what was happening. Johnny and Roy looked at Mike, then each other and then over to the door, this was not good.
