The Joe Sally Trilogy Chapter 2: Angel, a london's burning fanfic

LONDON'S BURNING
The Joe Sally Trilogy
Part 2 - Angel

He had given up everything for the girl he loved. He had been posted to the most boring fire station in London, but he was happy to start again with a new group of people. The posting was probably his punishment for trying to defy a set of rules, stupid as he thought they were. He couldn't help falling in love. She had finally provided an answer to his proposal, so there was nothing stopping them now.

"I really hope this bubble you're living in will pop soon!" Angel commented as she joined him in the mess.

He realised he'd been daydreaming again. He couldn't help it, he had a lot to daydream about these days.

He grinned. "I hope it never does!"

"Well I do, cos then you might stop looking so spaced out!" she told him. "Make sure you don't put sugar in that instead of salt!" she watched him prepare lunch in the kitchen area.

He jokingly picked up the sugar bowl and moved it towards the tall silver stew pot.

"So, what's this wedding gonna be like?" she asked casually, changing the subject.

"Dunno, something quiet I hope! I'm leaving all that stuff to Sal!"

"Is that cos you want everything to be right for her, or because you can't be bothered?!"

He grinned again. "A bit of both!"

"Figures," she muttered. "What's for lunch anyway? I'm starvin'!"

"I'll show you later," he tried to block her view of the pan on the stove.

"Oh yeah?" she ventured into the kitchen. "Is that an offer?!"

"Not from me, I'm practically a married man!"

She smiled. "There's still hope then."

"What do you mean, they want to close Blackwall?!" Sicknote demanded as Recall passed on some gossip he had picked up.

"Are you sure?" George asked.

"I've seen the plans," Recall explained. "They're going to build a new station!"

"Well, it's an outrage!" Sicknote wasn't happy. "This building is a landmark…"

"Quite right," Pearce joined in.

Sicknote glared at him, annoyed that Pearce had cut him off in mid flow! Blue Watch were busy cleaning the appliances in the back yard.

"And what would you know about it?" Sicknote demanded.

"Quite a bit actually," Pearce replied.

"Only because you've stolen all the history books from the library!"

"I did not steal them!" Pearce argued. "It's not my fault if other people are interested in local history! The library isn't just for you, you know!"

"It wasn't long ago they were all ready to celebrate the Centenary of this place," Sicknote surveyed the old fire station building.

For over one hundred years it had stood here, providing a shelter for firefighters and serving the local community.

"A new station would bring us up to date," Dan put in his words of wisdom. "Times are changing, Sicknote, we shouldn't be living in the past."

Sicknote seethed at the thought of a high-tech station. He wasn't one for fancy architectural buildings. Blackwall had character.

"You know, I think I might put in for a transfer here," Hi-Ho was saying as he turned the hose on to soak the pump.

"What?" Sally hadn't been listening to him.

Recall grinned, as she looked lost in thought. "Are you missing Joe already?"

"No… well, yeah," she admitted. "We don't see much of each other when we're on duty."

"Where is Little Hilton anyway?" Hyper asked.

Recall shrugged. "Somewhere in the leafy countryside. I expect Joe is having the time of his life!"

Little Hilton's Blue Watch had been dealing with a fire on a farm. Joe was amazed that a real working farm, with real animals, actually existed in London! But then he realised he was no longer, technically, in London.

"Is it always this exciting?" he asked sarcastically as he helped Angel deal with the fire in a barn.

"If you're lucky, you might get to rescue a cat from a tree. We have plenty of those around here," she replied.

"What, cats or trees?"

"Both," she handed him a rake.

"What's this for?"

"You have to rake through to check the fire's out."

Joe looked uncertainly at the heap of manure inside the barn, where the fire had been.

"You are joking?!"

"No," she grinned. "I thought all you City boys were used to shovelin' muck!"

He didn't look too content with the task he had been assigned, but decided to get it over with as Angel continued to dampen down the, clean, haystacks.

"So, how long have you been playing Farmers In The Den?" he asked, trying not to breathe in too much of the foul smelling air.

"I grew up on a farm."

"Oh. How come you joined the Brigade then?"

"Farming's a mugs game."

"Yeah, tell me about it! Should we be wearing BA in here?!"

She just laughed at him.

Since he had been transferred, Joe spent less time in the flat he now shared with Sally. He reckoned it made more sense for him to stay with one of the lads from his station during his tour of duty. She had agreed that was logical, considering the long drive he had back to Blackwall, but it didn't mean to say she had to like it. He reckoned he was going to look for a posting closer to home. Either that of they moved to somewhere in the middle. He was staying with some woman, Sally wondered if she should be jealous.

"Earth calling Firefighter Fields?!"

She looked round to see Hyper calling her.

"Fires don't put themselves out, Sal," he reminded her.

She looked back to the pump and realised she hadn't turned on the water, which was what she was supposed to be doing before the insecurities about Joe's living arrangements crept into her head. Technically, he was living with another woman…

"Water on!" she yelled, turning on the pump tap.

"About time!" Recall yelled back as he and George tackled the small skip fire.

"What is up with you?" Hyper asked, concerned, as she had been looking preoccupied about something for a while now.

"It's Joe," she confessed. "He's staying with someone from his Watch while he's on duty."

"Makes sense."

"Yeah, I suppose."

"You don't seem to happy about it," he observed.

"It's a woman."

"Oh. Well, I'm sure he's not getting up to anything, he wouldn't dare!"

She managed a slight smiled, but still wasn't convinced.

"I'm sure you've got nothing to worry about," Hyper continued, trying to reassure her.

"Yeah, maybe you're right," she sighed, not knowing what to think.

"They couldn't afford to put on a small celebration, yet they can afford to build a new station!" Sicknote was still outraged at the Brigade's plans. "Something should be done!"

"Like what?" asked. "The Powers That Be have spoken, there isn't a lot you can do about it."

"We," Sicknote corrected him.

Dan pretended to go back to his newspaper, desperate not to get involved in Sicknote's hare-brained scheme to overthrow Top Brass decisions. The pump crew returned from their shout to find the others on stand easy in the mess. Only Pearce agreed with Sicknote that they should do something about the proposal to close the station.

"You lot don't have a clue about preserving our heritage!" Sicknote stormed out of the mess.

"Should we go after him?" Sally wondered.

"What for?" Hi-Ho asked. "It's only a building!"

"It's more than that to Sicknote!" Recall pointed out.

"The Brigade will do what they want," George commented. "Like they always have!"

"I still smell!" Joe was complaining as the Little Hilton crew stood down that evening.

Angel just grinned. "You'll get used to it!"

"I don't want to get used to it!"

"Have a bath," she suggested as they left the station together.

"I've already had two showers!"

She smiled and shook her head.

"Have you got any strong soap?" he asked.

"What?"

"I smell like a …"

"Pig in shit?"

"Farmyard. Come on, I need something!"

"Yeah, a guide to the countryside! Just get in the car, Joe!"

"If you're that worried, why don't you go over there?" Hyper suggested as he and Sally left the station that evening.

"But that would look like I don't trust him."

"Do you?"

"Course I do!"

"Well then, stop worrying about it! Come and have a drink," he offered.

"I could surprise him, I suppose…" she contemplated the idea.

"Lift?" Hyper offered, retrieving the spare motorcycle helmet from the store under the seat of his bike.

She took it, gratefully. "Thanks, Rob."

"How is it?" Angel called through the bathroom door.

"Um… I think the question should be what is it?!" Joe replied, as he took the bottle of soap Angel had given him before he went for his bath.

"Industrial soap!" she replied.

"What does it do?"

"It makes you grow a beard and four heads!"

"You what?!"

"It'll stop you smelling like pig slurry! Trust me!"

In the bath, he squirted a bit of pink soap from the bottle on to his hand. It didn't smell much better than he already did, but it was decidedly better than smelling like a muck spreader.

Angel left him in peace as she headed for her bedroom.

"It's around here somewhere," Sally told Hyper as they pulled up in a country lane.

"I'd suggest asking someone," Hyper scanned the deserted lane. "If there was anyone around!"

"I think it's just down there," Sally pointed to another lane leading off behind some trees.

They followed the quiet pathway, the only noise came from the powerful engine on the bike. Soon, they came to a small cottage set on a hillside, surrounded by trees and green fields. Hyper stayed with the now silent bike as Sally went to knock on the door.

"Just a sec…" a woman's voice called from inside.

Sally glanced back at Hyper, unsure if she wanted to find out what lay beyond the old fashioned heavy wooden front door.

"Hi," a young woman wearing a blue bathrobe opened the door. "Oh…" she paused. "You must be Sally."

Sally was about to reply as Joe also appeared at the door, a bath towel wrapped around his waist.

"Sally!" he was surprised to see her. "I didn't know you were coming."

"So I see. Do I need to book an appointment?!"

"I was in the bath," he tried to explain.

"Really?" she didn't know if she should believe him or not. "I think I've had a wasted trip, you're obviously busy!" she turned to leave.

Joe had to chase her down the garden path.

"Sal?" he stopped her. "What's going on?"

"Shouldn't I be asking you that?"

"What?"

"You and her," Sally nodded back towards Angel, who stood at the door.

"I was in the bath," he repeated.

"On your own, or did she scrub your back?!"

"What? No! Sal, wait…" he stopped her as she tried to leave again. "Why did you come here?"

"To see what was going on, I'm glad I did now! Here," she removed the engagement ring from her finger. "You'd better have this back."

"I don't want it," he refused to take it.

She dropped it on the path and went over to Hyper, who started up the bike again.

"I was in the bath," he repeated again, for all the good it did him. "She was getting dressed…"

"Oh right, I get it now."

"No, I meant… Rob, you believe me, don't you?" he pleaded.

"I'm staying out of this!" Hyper decided to remain impartial.

Joe sighed as Sally got on to the back of the bike.

"I'm not having an affair! You have to believe me!"

"Bye Joe."

He watched them ride off down the hill on their way back to London.