Episode 6.2 – Rush

Tess Egan and Sarah Morrison sat in the library, working on their art project for Mr Simmons. Their class was getting ready for a new girl, who would be starting in the next week or so. Her name was Morgan Neilson, and the class talked excitedly over what she would be like. The library was quiet, all except for the rain falling on the roof. The librarians stamped books, and returned them to shelves. It was nearing three o'clock, almost the end of school, when the rain increased in intensity, pounding on the roof. Thunder clapped, and lightning flashed across the darkened sky, lighting up the room. Tess and Sarah stopped what they were working on, and looked at their teacher for guidance. He stood up just as the power went out, shutting down every computer and turning out every light in the building. Darkness fell quickly, and hail covered the ground in a thick blanket like snow. Water started pooling in the school grounds, and some of the buildings in the lower campus started to fill with water, trapping the younger students. The carpark quickly filled with water, the cars shifting in the current. Three children were still inside one car as it floated towards the large drain. Cars on the main road struggled to see as they drove, and one car veered into the oncoming traffic, creating another accident. Tess looked out the glass doors leading outside the library, and saw the torrent of water coming towards their building. The deluge swept Tess, Sarah, and the entire class into the swollen river…


An hour earlier, Lachie, Kate, Emily and Rachel had just finished the paperwork with the registrar at what would soon be Emily and Rachel's new school. It was almost the end of January, and Kate wanted to make sure they got a place at the school she thought was best, even if they would start a little later than everyone else. With the payout from Vanessa's private fund, and the sale of her house, both girls would be able to attend the private school right through to year twelve, and Emily had been awarded a full scholarship, and they catered for both girls better than their current school. Kate turned on the radio to catch the afternoon news as they headed back to Kate's house in North Sydney.

"An unusual storm front is coming through, and is expected to hit the Campbelltown area in the next hour or so. Those who can are advised to stay indoors and undercover for their safety and protection." Kate switched off the radio, and glanced at Lachie.

"We need to drop them off to your Dad's place. Something tells me we're going to be needed back here shortly." Lachie nodded, and floored the accelerator, speeding up the highway. Twenty minutes later he stopped out the front of Shane and Fiona's house. Kate helped Rachel down, and Lachie opened Emily's door for her. Both got out, dragging their bags with them. Fiona met them outside and ushered the girls indoors.

"What's going on?" She asked.

"There's a massive storm heading out to Campbelltown, and we think that we're going to be called out there soon to deal with the damage." Fiona nodded, and waved goodbye to them as they jumped back into Lachie's car.

"Stay safe!" She called. Lachie nodded to her, and they sped out of the driveway.

"Head straight to headquarters. We'll probably get briefed there," said Kate, pulling out her phone. She dialled HQ, and pressed the phone to her ear.

"Rescue Special Ops, Chase speaking," answered Chase.

"Chase, it's Kate. Check the weather report for Campbelltown. They're predicting a freak storm out there, and from the looks of the clouds we saw earlier, it's going to leave a serious mark." Chase held the phone to his ear as he logged onto the system, and gasped.

"Kate, you've got to get here now, we're getting the reports in of the damage," said Chase urgently. Kate and Lachie pulled into the driveway.

"Yeah, we're here Chase." Kate hung up her phone, and dashed into the locker room, Lachie close behind her. She grabbed her spare uniform and pulled it on hurriedly, Lachie doing the same. Jordan, Dean, Lara and Andy joined them, grabbing their jackets.

"Where's Heidi?" Asked Kate, glancing around.

"She's still got a few days off, and she's been talking to Lexie, and visiting Jess. She just needed some time to process." Jordan didn't look anyone in the eyes. No-one had been told what was going on with her, but most of them had guessed; she'd lost the baby, and wasn't taking it well.

"That's fine, Andy, you'll be paired with Jordan. We'll take two patrols, the thirds got a steering issue. Jordan, you can come with Lara and me, Andy, you go with Kate and Lachie." The teams nodded to Dean, and they ran to the patrols, Kate checking the back of theirs, then running back to grab two extra oxygen tanks. Lachie nodded his approval, and climbed in the front, switching on the ignition.

"So what's going on?" Asked Andy. Kate had grabbed the paperwork off Chase before she'd run to the patrol, and she pulled it out, scanning through it.

"A school in Campbelltown has been flooded due to the sheer amount of rain falling. We've got a class of kids trapped in a classroom, three kids trapped in a car, and a small class of students that got swept into the current. We're also treating a car accident that happened. SES is there, but they're already stretched to the limits." Andy sighed.

"It's going to be one tough afternoon."


The Rescue team pulled up to a scene of total chaos. A flooded school bus lay in the school grounds, parents cars crowded near the school gates, and people milled around, trying to help, but only becoming hindrances. Water lapped the edge of the road, unable to drain away properly. Dean climbed out of the patrol, Lara and Jordan following him, and stood, surveying the scene. A SES worker ran up to him just as Kate, Lachie and Andy pulled up.

"You're the team leader of the rescue unit, yes?" Dean nodded.

"Okay. We've got two classes of children missing, a car that's filling with water that has several children in it, and an accident up the road. We're struggling to deal with everything, any help you guys can give would be great," said the man, breathless and harried looking. Dean looked over his shoulder at his team.

"Right, Jordan, you and Andy head down the road to the car accident, deal with what you can. Kate, Lachie, get the kids out of the car, hand them over to the police when they get here, and then you can help Lara and I search for these other kids. Got it?" Jordan, Andy, Kate and Lachie grabbed their kits out of the patrols, and split off. Lachie and Kate slid down the road slope a little, stripping down to their wetsuits. Dean headed off to help Andy and Jordan, and Lara stayed with Kate and Lachie. The two of them slipped into the frigid water, and struck out towards the slowly sinking car. Two small boys bashed on the window, tears streaking down their faces, mouths open, screaming. Their baby sister lay still asleep in the back seat. Kate made it to the car first, and shattered the glass in the window. The water started to pour in.

"Lara!" Yelled Kate. Lara stripped down and plunged into the swirling waters. She struck out to the car, and took one of the boys out. He clung to her, frightened, taking in water as he flailed his arms a little. Lara headed back to the road line, where police and ambulance workers took the boy off her, wrapping him in a thermal blanket. He screamed in terror, but Lara ignored him. Kate took the other male child, and headed over to where Lara was standing, shivering. Lara lifted the boy out of the water, and handed him to the ambulance officer, and then helped Kate out. Lachie was last to come over, the tiny baby in his arms screaming her lungs out. Lara took the little girl from him, and held her close to her chest, trying to soothe her. She calmed down quickly before being handed over to police officers. The three children's parents were nowhere to be seen, and Lara dismissed the thought that they were poor parents, and followed Kate and Lachie over to held the others. Kate gasped as she saw the car wreckage. The two hatchback cars looked like they had melted together, and the people trapped inside didn't look good. Jordan was working over one young teenager, her head covered in blood, one leg at an odd angle.

"I need some help over here!" He called. Kate ignored the fact that she was wet and cold and ran to him.

"I need you to put pressure on this wound, it'll stop bleeding soon." Kate nodded, and pressed down. The girl winced and moaned a little. Kate glanced up at Andy, who was dealing with another patient. Dean was working with Lara to extract another man, and Lachie was trying to keep the media away while the rest of the team worked. Andy's patient pulled her close, spitting in her face as he spoke.

"I knew you'd be here today Andrea. I've driven all the way from Melbourne to find you, and I've got you. You're boyfriend wants you back, and he's not going to stop at anything." Andy felt herself starting to tremble, but tried to recover from it.

"I dumped Adam Lancaster for being abusive. And besides, your life lies in my hands at the moment, and I wouldn't be making any threats like that." The man shrugged. He was trapped under the steering wheel of his car, a sure crush injury that would need to be attended to shortly. Lara came around the car, Dean attending the unconscious man from the other car.

"What's going on?" Asked Lara. Andy appeared flustered.

"I need you to monitor him while I go and get a combi-tool," she said breathlessly. Lara nodded, and traded places with her, glancing at Andy's retreating back. Andy reached the patrol and shook herself, trying to focus again. She had no idea who the man was, but if Adam was behind his presence, she would be in serious trouble. She'd left him after he'd been abusing her, and Keith Jacobs, the station manager at Melbourne, had advised her to stop seeing him, and had then put her in for the training in Sydney, to get her away from her foster family and Adam. Seems that she'd been found again. She rested her head against the window, rain still pouring down, and tried to get her head on straight. She waited a moment, and pulled out the combi-tool. She knew that her only real option was to leave, travel far away, hope that he still wouldn't find her. A restraining order wouldn't help, nor would police protection. He'd find a way around it, and then she'd be in ever more trouble. She slammed the doors of the patrol shut, imagining Adam's face there, and wiped the tears from her face. Her radio crackled into life.

"Rescue Portable Two to Rescue Portable Seven, where are you with that combi-tool Andy?" Asked Lara, sounding annoyed. Andy picked up her radio and sighed.

"Rescue Portable Seven to Rescue Portable Two, I'm on my way Lara, sorry for the hold up. Be there in a few moments."


"What kept you?" Asked Lara, taking the combi-tool off Andy.

"I had to find it, it wasn't in the right patrol," lied Andy. Lara handed Andy the sodium bicarbonate solution.

"You need to inject this into him when I start lifting off the dashboard. Right?" Andy nodded nervously, and glanced at the syringe in her hand. Lara dug the jaws of the tool into the body of the car, and flipped it on. The man in the vehicle started to squirm, and then started to seize.

"Andy, inject it now," commanded Lara. Andy froze, a lone tear running down her cheek. How could she possibly be expected to help the man that wanted to take her back to Melbourne, to the boyfriend she no longer loved? The potassium was starting to kill the male, and Lara became frustrated. She snatched the syringe out of Andy's and thrust it into the man, injecting it into his system. He stopped seizing, reducing to mere twitches, and then stopped. He was unconscious now.

"Go sit in the patrol," said Lara. Andy shuffled her feet, not really moving. Lara pointed in the direction of the patrols.

"Go. You're obviously not capable of treatment today, and I'll need you out of the way," said Lara, helping the ambulance officer's load the man onto the spine board, and then into the back of the ambulance onto a stretcher. Andy walked slowly back to the patrol, wiping away the tears. Police officers, parents, onlookers and SES workers stared at her as she trudged back, heart heavy. She opened the door, and climbed in the back, slamming the door. She locked all the doors and leant against the window, the tears falling heavily.


Back where Lara was working, Dean glanced up as his patient was carried away.

"Where's Andy?" He asked, looking around. He spied her in the patrol.

"Removed her from duty. She froze up Dean, she could treat our patient. We can't have it happening again," said Lara, packing her gear back into her medi-pack. Dean nodded in agreement.

"Alright. Next time though, consult with me before you do that, okay?" Lara nodded, and stood up. Lachie, Kate and Jordan joined them.

"Where to next Deano?" Asked Lachie, tightening the strap on his medi-kit.

"We've got to canvas the school, and evacuate the kids. The water's receding now the cars have been removed out of the drain, and the schools PA system isn't working. It's up to us to get them out. Jordan, Andy's been relieved of duty. Are you okay to work by yourself?" Asked Dean. Jordan nodded.

"Is she alright?" Asked Kate.

"Just leave it Kate. I'll deal with her later. Right, I need you to start at the foremost classrooms. They've got the younger children there, and we need to get them out to parents. We've been told already that teachers will help us where possible as well." Dean handed out maps of the school campus, and pointed to the front classrooms.

"Let's go." The team trundled down the slope, slipping a little on the thick mud that covered the ground. Kate and Lachie headed to the first classroom, full of three- and four-year olds. Kate opened the door, and a deluge of water flooded out. Kate and Lachie stuck their heads inside, and Kate giggled a little. All the children were gathered on desks, the teacher trying to reassure them, and the aide rocking a small girl who was crying.

"Hi, we're from Rescue. The evacuation order has been given, would you like help?" Asked Lachie. The teacher smiled, her hair a nervous mess.

"Not help, but you could help the classroom next door. They're lower than us, and the water went higher in their classroom." Lachie and Kate bolted down the path to the next room, and pulled open the door. The force of the water behind the door swept Kate off her feet, and Lachie pulled her back up again. A teacher came to the door.

"Please, Jacob isn't breathing," she said quickly. Lachie followed her inside, and Kate check over some of the children. Lachie started CPR on the small boy while the teacher and her assistant gathered the other children. He had slipped into the water and had been unable to right himself, and had taken in water. Kate check over twin girls who had been knocked off their feet when the water had flooded in. One twin, Mia, had a concussion, and the other, Simone, had a broken arm. Kate handed Mia over to the aide, telling her to watch her. She then proceeded to splint up Simone's arm, the little girl whimpering as she touched the limb. Lachie worked over the small, pale boy, compressing his chest, breathing air into his lungs. He opened his tiny eyes and coughed, water flowing from his mouth. Lachie turned him to his side as he struggled for air.

"That's a good boy Jake. Cough it up," said Lachie encouragingly. The teacher let out a sigh of relief as Jake took his first halting breaths. Lachie pulled an oxygen mask out of his kit and secured it over the boy's face. He carefully lifted up the boy in his arms.

"Kate, you right?" He asked. She nodded, and hoisted up Simone. She held a green whistle in her mouth, and was giggling at Kate. Kate smiled and ignored her. The teacher led out the able children in her class, and they headed for the road. Parents tried to meet them as they walked, but police and media kept them back.

"Jacob! JACOB!" Screamed a young woman. She broke free from the police barricade and slid down the hill. Lachie braced himself as the woman ran into him.

"Please, ma'am, let the ambulance officer's take him. He needs to go to hospital, be checked over." The woman nodded tearfully, and after Lachie handed Jacob over to a paramedic, followed her son as he was bundled up into an ambulance. Kate made sure that Mia and Simone were taken in the same ambulance, and asked police to notify their parents. Lachie's radio hissed into life.

"Rescue Portable Three to Rescue Portables Five and Six. Lachie, Kate, if you guys can help me, I'm in block C. I've got a multitude of injuries." Lachie and Kate started running down the slope, heading towards the building that Jordan had indicated.

"Rescue Portable Six to Rescue Portable Three, we're on our way Jordan."


Lachie and Kate pounded the carpark, heading towards the block that Jordan indicated, and screeched to a halt. The class that Jordan had worked his way to was a high school class, teens scattered. They'd been standing outside the library when the water had flooded down, and the injuries were numerous. Jordan stood up from where he was tending the male teacher.

"Hey guys, I've tried to get Dean and Lara, but they're dealing with an anaphylactic attack. We've got two queried spinals, broken limbs, concussions. Deal with what you can, and we'll try and get SES down to get them out." Kate and Lachie nodded and split off. Jordan had dealt with the two spinals already. Kate knelt down next to a girl.

"Hi, I'm Kate. What's your name?" Asked Kate, pulling out her medical equipment.

"I'm Tess Egan. Please, have you seen my friend Sarah Morrison?" Kate shook her head as she handed Tess a green whistle.

"I haven't seen her. Suck on this, it'll help with the pain." Tess nodded and laid back down on the cold concrete. Kate checked over the girl's leg.

"Tess, I've got to splint this broken ankle, and it's probably going to hurt. Stay still for me if you can." Tess nodded, and Kate pulled out a temporary splint. She braced herself, counted to three, and quickly slid the splint under the girl's swollen leg. Tess howled in pain, but calmed down quickly. Kate finished, and smiled at Tess.

"We'll find Sarah, okay?" Tess nodded, and one of the other girls from her class came and sat with her. Kate moved over to help Lachie.

"What have you got?" She asked. He clicked his fingers in the boy's face.

"Come on Robbie, stay awake," said Lachie. Robbie opened his eyes sleepily, struggling to focus.

"Dislocated shoulder, concussion, and laceration to the head," commented Lachie. Kate pulled out a gauze pad and taped it to Robbie's head.

"It won't need stitches, but he'll have to go to hospital to have his head checked. What are we going to do about his shoulder?" Asked Kate. Lachie handed Robbie a methoxy whistle, and pulled down on his shoulder. Robbie's eyes snapped open as the pain hit him. Lachie grimaced.

"I'm so sorry mate." Robbie nodded, and leant back against the wall. Kate glanced around, and noticed a figure lying face down in a puddle of water. She stood up, trying to get a better view, and realised it was a teenager.

"Lachie!" Cried Kate. She grabbed her kit and sprinted toward the teen, Lachie close behind her. Kate skidded to a halt, and rolled the girl over. Lachie started CPR on her, and Kate checked her over. She was cold and pale, lifeless, and Kate feared the worst for a moment. Then she coughed and spluttered, and Kate could have cheered as the girl sucked in a breath. The colour flushed her face, and Kate put an oxygen mask over her face.

"Just breathe, you're okay." Lachie pulled off his radio, and called for medical assistance from ambulance crews.

"What's your name?" Asked Kate.

"Sarah," the girl whispered.

"Sarah Morrison?" Asked Kate. The girl nodded.

"Wait here. Your friend Tess has been asking for you." Kate left Sarah with Lachie, and ran back to where Tess was waiting.

"Tess, we found Sarah. She's okay," said Kate breathlessly. Tess started to cry.

"Thank you Kate." Kate nodded, and headed back to Lachie. Ambulance officers and SES crew made their way down to Kate and Lachie's patient, and then over to Jordan's patients. Kate and Lachie dusted themselves down.

"Where do you think Dean and Lara are up to?" Asked Kate, hoisting up her pack.

"I dunno," answered Jordan, joining them.

"We've still got sixteen class rooms to evacuate. We'd better keep moving."


Andy felt miserable. She hoped that when she left Melbourne, her past would stay behind. So far, it had proved her wrong. A shadow was cast over the patrol, and she looked up. Upon seeing who it was, she scrambled away from the door, glad she'd locked all the doors. That didn't deter then individual, who took one of the rescue tools to the window, covering Andy in shards of glass.

"Adam, what are you doing here?" She asked, frightened.

"I want you back Andrea. We were perfect together." He slipped his hand inside the car, and unlocked the door. He opened it slowly, and Andy unlocked the door on her side. He approached her slowly, a leer plastered across his face, and Andy flung her door open. She toppled out, cracking her head on the bitumen. She ignored the blood from the back of her head, and sprinted away from him. She couldn't find her voice, and she wanted to scream for help. She was terrified.

"Andrea, there's no use running. I'll still find you!" He yelled, pursuing her. Andy grabbed her radio, depressing the talk button.

"Rescue Portable Seven to anybody, please, help me!" Said Andy, still running. She tripped, and skidded across the bitumen, tearing up her skin. She grimaced as Adam caught up to her, grabbing her by the hair.

"I thought my little trick at New Year's Eve would have sent you back running to me, the fear making you want me again. Looks like I was wrong," he said, pressing his face into hers, kissing her. Andy pushed him away, ripping her hair out of his hands, and started running again.

"Adam, I don't love you!" She yelled behind her.

"You'll change your mind. I was the only one who was ever right for you!" He screamed back. Andy couldn't believe her misfortune.

"Adam, please, I don't want this," she called back to him. Her feet were caning, and her grazes were bleeding, gravel still trapped in them. Her head ached from where she had fallen out of the car, and she was breathless. He was slowly catching up to her, and she tried her radio again.

"Rescue Portable Seven to anybody. Help me!"


Dean and Lara finished the area they were assigned, ushering the children up out of the school. Parents, teachers and ambulances crowded around the entrance as each of the classes were evacuated. Dean's radio crackled and static filled the airwaves. Lara looked at him.

"That's not normal," she said. She picked up her own radio.

"Rescue Portable Two to Rescue Base, did you want us Chase?" She asked, glancing at Dean.

"Rescue Base to Rescue Portable Two, no, why?" Asked Chase, sitting at his desk. He'd just finished a meeting with Cam and Jess, trying to work out the next replacement for Dylan.

"It's weird, we've got static coming through, like someone's trying to get onto us, but nothing's coming through. It's alright, we'll deal with it. Rescue Portable Two out." Lara dropped her radio. Dean pulled his off his shoulder.

"Rescue Portable One to all units, check in please." Lara grabbed her radio.

"Rescue Portable Two." They waited for Jordan's reply.

"Rescue Portable Three," he answered, heading back to the entrance where Lara and Dean were standing.

"Rescue Four is Heidi," Lara reminded Dean. He nodded.

"Rescue Portable Five and Six. We're heading back to your position now Dean," answered Lachie, traipsing back. They'd just finished a final check of the last classrooms. Dean waited. Several moments passed, and Andy hadn't checked in.

"Rescue Portable One to Rescue Portable Seven, do you read me?" Static filled the air. Lachie, Kate and Jordan arrived near Lara and Dean at the same time.

"Andy hasn't checked in?" Asked Kate. Lara shook her head.

"Something doesn't feel right," said Dean. He motioned for them to head back to the patrol. Dean, Lara and Jordan split away from Lachie and Kate, and started back to their patrol. Lachie and Kate looked up at their patrol, and stopped.

"Dean, you need to get back here! Something is seriously wrong," yelled Lachie. Kate stepped forward, glass crunching under her shoes. Dean and Jordan came around.

"Kate, stay with Lara please. Lock yourself in my patrol, don't do anything stupid." Kate nodded, and walked over carefully to Dean and Lara's patrol. Dean inspected the patrol, and Jordan stepped around the other side.

"Dean, there's blood around this side, and the doors still open. Something's happened, and it doesn't look good," said Jordan as Dean and Lachie ran around to him. Dean glanced around. He couldn't see Andy anywhere, and was growing concerned. His radio filled with the same static as before, as he stood up.

"We'll go this way. We really need to find her." Lachie and Jordan nodded at Dean, and they started running up the road. The lack of people around made everything seem eerie, the only sounds that could be heard was the sound of wet shoes slapping the ground, heavy breathing, and the soft falling rain, until Lachie heard something.

"You should never have left me Andrea!"

"Andy!" Screamed Lachie. He saw the ginger-haired man standing over her, his foot pressed down on Andy's trachea, cutting off her air supply. He tackled the man to the ground, but the man fought back hard.

"This is between me and my girlfriend. Get off me!" He demanded. Dean and Jordan came over and helped Lachie hold the man down.

"Who are you?" Demanded Dean.

"Adam. Adam Lancaster, and I came up from Melbourne to get her back. Get off me!" Adam said angrily. Andy had rolled over and was coughing hard, breathing uneasily. Jordan and Dean nodded to Lachie, who got up off the man. Dean and Jordan held him captive, and Lachie crossed over to Andy. She had pulled her legs to her chest, and was crying hard. Lachie sat down and put his arms around her.

"Shh. We've got you know," said Lachie soothingly. Andy leant against him, and winced as her head touched his shirt.

"Oh, that hurts," said Andy shakily, raising her hand to touch it. Lachie pushed her hand away and looked at the wound.

"It's just superficial," said Lachie quietly. He pulled his medi-pack closer, and grabbed a gauze pad. He passed it to her.

"Hold that to it, and let me check you over." He moved from her side, and looked at the long grazes on her legs.

"Lachie, look out!" A blow to the head knocked Lachie to the ground, rendering him unconscious, and Adam made it to Andy, striking her face.

"Oi!" Yelled Dean, tackling him to the ground again. Jordan pulled off his radio.

"Rescue Portable Three to Rescue Portable Two and Six, Lara and Kate, we need you both just up the road, grab your medi-kits, and bring some of the police officers with you. Hurry!" Said Jordan, holding Adam pinned to the ground. He was strong, and fought hard, but Dean and Jordan refused to let him free this time. Lara and Kate came into view, four police officers by their sides.

"Over here!" Yelled Dean. The four officer's wrestled with Adam Lancaster, and then led him back along the closed road, to their squad cars. Dean and Jordan dusted themselves down.

"Andy, are you alright?" Asked Kate. Andy shook her head, and then Kate noticed that Lachie hadn't moved. She ran up to him, and knelt next to him. Lara helped Andy to her feet, and put her arms around her, letting her cry on her shoulder. Jordan bent down next to Lachie.

"He's just taken a blow to the head, I don't think it's too serious," he commented. Lachie's eyes snapped open, and he sat bolt upright.

"Oh, my head. What the hell happened?" He asked. Kate kissed him on the cheek.

"Adam got free, kicked you in the head, and then punched Andy in the face…" Lachie cut off Dean midsentence.

"That bastard! Where is he? I'll get him for what he did to her!" He swore under his breath as he struggled to his feet, Jordan and Dean helping him. Jordan glanced at Kate nervously. He wasn't sure if he could stop Lachie if he went running, and he was pretty confident Dean wouldn't be able to. Kate stepped in front of Lachie.

"Lachie, the cops have got him. It's over. We need to help Andy."


The entire team headed to their patrols, Andy with Lachie and Kate. They were heading back to base to debrief about the day. It had been long and hard, and Lara and Kate felt like they'd been dragged through the mud.

"Rescue Portable One to Rescue Base, we're heading back now Chase. See you there for debrief," said Dean, pulling himself into the front seat. Lara grabbed her radio.

"Rescue Portable Two to Rescue Base. Kate, Andy and myself are having the shower's first, okay?" Chase smiled from his desk.

"Rescue Base to all units. Sounds fine Lara, I'm not going to fight you for them. Over." Lara settled back into her seat, and glanced back at Jordan. He was staring vacantly out the window.

"Are you okay Jordan?" She asked, turning in her seat to face him. He looked at her.

"I'm just worried about Heidi," he said quietly.

"Is everything okay with you two at the moment? I know she's been on leave for almost a month now, and I was a little worried," commented Lara.

"She'll be back next week. And things are okay with us." He sighed.

"What?" Asked Lara softly.

"Heidi lost the baby, when we were out on New Year's Eve. I've never seen her so devastated before. She's just had a hard time dealing with it this time around. She's been spending time with Annelise, her older sister, and with Jess, just talking things out. She wanted this so badly, and we thought it was going so well." Lara felt for both Jordan and Heidi. They had been so excited to become parents, and it had been snatched away so easily.

"Oh Jordan, I'm so sorry," said Lara. Jordan smiled at her.

"We'll be alright."


"Andy, what happened out there today?" Asked Chase. Jess had gone home, and Cam joined them. Lara handed out drinks to everyone, and sat on Dean's lap. Kate leant her head on Lachie's shoulder, and Andy was sitting on the floor, leaning against Lachie's legs. Their relationship was more that of a brother and sister, and she knew if she needed help she could rely on Lachie and Kate, or anyone in the team for that matter.

"Adam, my ex-boyfriend happened. I dumped him a year ago after he was abusing me, and the station manager in Melbourne advised me to leave him, and then apply for the training available here. The guy that I started working on today in the car accident was with Adam, and had been trying to find me. Adam spiked my drink on New Year's Eve, hoping that I would come back to him. He found me today, trying to convince me that I needed to come back. When I said no, he got angry, started chasing me down the road. I'm so sorry I didn't tell you guys what was going on," she said, staring at her hands.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you today. I had no idea that was going on. If had any clue, I would have let you go," said Lara apologetically. Chase nodded at the team.

"Well, today we finalised the paperwork for a new member of the team. His name is Joseph Beaumont, he's originally from France, moved here when he was four, and has worked for Wollongong Unit for three years now. He's being transferred because of an incident involving two members of the same unit, and he asked for the transfer. He should be here next week sometime."

"Sounds fine Chase. Will the teams stay the same?" Asked Kate from her seat next to Lachie. He nodded.

"He'll be paired with Andy." Chase turned to face Andy.

"Andy. You've improved so much since being here, assimilated into the teams well, done what's been asked of you and so much more. You're an amazing member of the team, as are all of you. I'm proud to be the station manager of such an experienced team of Rescue personnel, and I think Cam, Jess and Michelle would agree with me. We've come so far since the days of when there was only five of us, and we were all so young." Dean smiled at Chase, and got up from his chair. He ruffled Chase's hair, holding him in a headlock.

"We love you too Chasie, and sure, we miss you being out with us, but I'm glad I don't have to worry about you doing something stupid. Instead, I've just got Lachie and Kate to worry about!" Chase laughed and tried to escape his brother's grip.

"Yeah, I miss being out with you guys, but if I work here, I'm still a small part of the action, and I get to see my fiancé all the time." Lara and Kate sighed.

"Chase, you're becoming a softie mate. You should see someone about that, it could become a serious problem," joked Lachie. Chase jumped up from his chair, and started towards Lachie. He jumped up, almost tipping Kate off the desk, and Chase ran after him, trampling down the stairs. Kate fell off the desk laughing, and Andy helped her up.

"Come on, I'll take you home And," said Kate, picking up Lachie's keys.

"Hey, you're taking Lachie's keys!" said Lara, calling after her.

"I know! Tell him he can walk home or ring me," called Kate. She linked arms with Andy, and they headed out to the car together. Lara leant on Dean.

"Nice work today. The hospital reported that everyone's doing fine, no deaths or anything. I'd call that a pretty good day." Dean nodded.

"I feel bad for Andy though. I know how it feels to have someone out to get you," commented Dean, finishing his report, and turning to face Lara. She smiled at him.

"Now you've only got me after you," she said, laughing. He kissed her cheek.

"I know, and you're the only one I ever want after me," he said, putting his forehead against hers.

"Only you could get away with that Gallagher."