A/N: I'm so happy that some of you are really liking this story. Please let me know what you think. I think I'll be adding a few flashbacks from time to time in this story to cover some backstory to our characters. Although. we'll see. Enjoy & thanks so much for reading! :)

Afire Love- Chapter One

Aiden

Smacking his hands together, he smirks at us. It's the first week of training for Zach and I at the firehouse and I'm pretty sure that Oliver, has some really interesting stuff prepared for us and the other new guys that were assigned to this very fire station. All ten of us.

"Alright Probies!" He states with a grin, walking around with a clipboard in his hands as we glance at each other and I nudge Zach in the ribs with my elbow. "We're screwed." I comment, referring to the fact that we're basically golfers to nearly everyone in the firehouse for the next 12 to 24 months of our probation.

"I've got 25 tips for you little babies." Olivier laughs, pacing the floor as he looks us over and shakes his head, popping his neck from side to side just as I notice my dad coming up from behind him, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Now, Oliver. Let me give them those." Dad states with a smile, glancing over at the small crowd that's gathered around to hear the legendary Stefan Salvatore, my father and mentor speak about what it's like being a fireman at this very station. The station that changed nearly all of their lives.

"From the looks on your faces, I'm assuming all ten of you know who I am." He laughs, licking his bottom lip and placing his arms behind his back as he nods at me and Zach.

"Doing this job isn't easy. You're going to be out there, night and day. Sometimes, risking your lives and praying that you make it out of certain situations alive. Believe me, I know. As I'm sure many of you know, my story. Years ago, I was an eager and naïve rookie firefighter, like many of you are now. And, it nearly cost me my life, my family and everything else that was important to me. With that being said, I want you boys to know that the minute you step foot onto the rig and go out on a call. It's not just your life that you're responsible for. Look around you. Because, you're also responsible for the life of the guy next to you, in front of you and behind you. All ten of you, are responsible for each other. For making sure that you leave together and that you come back together. That no one is left behind. Because, we never leave each other behind," He pauses, smiling over at Uncle Damon and Tyler who have now joined him and are standing on each side of my dad as he continues to speak.

"I'm going to give you all a piece of advice…" His voice trails off as he places one hand on uncle Damon's shoulder and then his other on uncle Tyler's too. "And, it's this. We leave no man behind, ever! You're the first one to rise and the last one to leave. You make sure that everyone in your crew is accounted for and if they aren't. If for some god forsaken reason, one of your men guys missing in a four alarm fire or something even worse, like a wildfire. You make damn well sure that you never leave without them. But, I also want you boys to be safe out there. So, use good judgement and make the safety of others and yourself a priority." Dad tells us as everyone nods and then Tyler steps forward to speak.

"Thanks for coming out here today, Stefan." He tells my dad, patting him on the shoulder as dad runs his hands over his brownish greying colored hair and gives him a knowing smile.

"As many of you already know. My name is Tyler Lockwood and I'm firehouse 17's fire chief. Now, I've probably been a firefighter longer than a few of you might have been alive. But, that would be showing my age. Bad joke, I know. Anyways, I, along with my colleagues will be out on the field with many of you. As my job is to not only sit in my office and do paperwork most days. It's also to manage my men and make sure that my department, the equipment and everything else is running smoothly." Tyler says to us as we nod and I watch uncle Damon take a step forward, smirking with a bit of an amused grin.

"Probies…Ah, I remember being one of you. I also remember being scared shitless on my first day out on the rig. But, no worries. I'll be the one training you boys on everything you need to know to stay safe out there. Also, I'll be working closely with Tyler to ensure that we run a functioning and safe firehouse. Now," I flinch when he snaps his fingers together and turns back to Oliver.

"All ten of you will be with me within the next few days. However, today and tomorrow. You boys will be stuck with Oliver Lawson. Believe me, he's one of the best. Not as good as my brother was. Yet, still pretty good. So, show them around, Oliver and try not to scare them too much." Damon winks, pivoting on his heels and slapping Uncle Tyler and dad's back as I watch them walk back towards the offices and Oliver is left in charge of us for the time being. Zach gives me a petrified look as he leans in and whispers softly. "You're right man. We're going to die here. Or worse, be stuck with Oliver and Sam as our mentors over the next 24 months."

Stefan

"Tyler." I say his name, closing the door to his office behind me as Damon leans against his desk and exhales deeply. "Oh, here we go." His voice trails off in a sarcastic tone, praying that I'm not going to say what I've been wanting to say since he asked me to come into the station.

"You're retired, Stefan. Let it stay that way." Damon says, nearly snarling out the words because we both know how much Elena and I have enjoyed our lives thus far since I left this place behind. "Besides, that settlement money they gave you after you came back is enough for you and Elena to probably never have to work a day in your lives again."

"What's going on, Stefan?" Tyler asks me, kicking up his feet on his desk as we watch him lean back into his chair. The way he's sitting reminds me of Patrick Murphy and the memories of my time here come flooding back. "I want to come back." I tell him honestly and bluntly, allowing the silence in the room to feel extremely awkward as Damon runs his hands over his hair and exhales heavily.

"To work? Stefan, I don't really think that it would be a good idea to-." Cutting him off, I clarify my words.

"No, I want to come back here to be a full time mentor to the new probies. Especially to Aiden and Zach. Our boys, they need my good influence." I tell them, hearing as both Tyler and Damon laugh.

"You can't be serious?" Tyler chuckles, his eyes growing wide as I cross my arms over my chest and give him a stern look. "I'm dead serious, Ty. Who better than me, a legend within this damn department to teach them everything they need to know to stay alive!" I tell them both, trying to defend myself as Damon stifles a laugh before he says in between giggles. "The only reason you're so fucking popular here, Stefan is because you nearly got yourself killed, then you got yourself kidnapped and everyone thought you were dead for five years because you had amnesia!" My own brother reminds me, pushing himself away from Tyler's desk as he shakes his head. "Absolutely not. I don't want you here, little brother. I only brought you in today to make a small appearance. Other than that, I think Tyler and I can handle it ourselves. They're just boys, scared shitless of a fire. Just like the three of us had been when we were practically living here. Honestly, Tyler and I seem to be doing an amazing job without you in the way."

Rolling my eyes, I scoff at his words. "Tyler, will you please knock some sense into my brother and tell him that it's a good idea." I turn my back to him, facing Tyler now. He's glancing over paperwork, ignoring our family drama as he suddenly slams his fist against the top of his desk and looks at both of us, exhaling deeply. "Fine. Damon, I think that Stefan coming in three times a week to mentor the guys and show them the ropes wouldn't be such a bad idea. I mean, he is kind of right, he was one of the best probies that Patrick Murphy had under this roof. And, he does have a plaque with his name on it in the hallway, honoring him. Stefan is a legend and a veteran of this firehouse. I can't deny those facts." Tyler tells Damon, shrugging his shoulders back as my brother puffs out a breath, heading towards the door. He stops for a brief moment though, placing his hand on to the doorknob as he gives me a daring glance. "You do one wrong thing to make these boys trust you more than they should me. The man who's training them and who is responsible for their lives out on the field. Let me remind you little brother, I am their battalion Chief. If you over step my authority in any way while you're here. I'll ask you to leave." Damon warns, slamming the office door in my face as I close my eyes and lean back against Tyler's desk. The room is silent for a few minutes before I turn to him with a smirk spreading across my face as I ask in a gleeful tone. "Great, looks like we're all in agreement. I'm here to stay for a while. So, when do I start mentoring the new probies and our boys?"

Olivia

"Knock, Knock!" I glance up from the book in my hands as Hannah's blue eyes and blonde hair flash in front of my face and I rush over to hug her. It's been months since I'd last seen Hannah Lockwood, my cousin. We're technically not really related. Although, because of the close bond our parents shared throughout their lives and the bond they still share. We consider each other family, even though we're not.

"I brought someone else with me." She smiles, pushing a strand of her straight blonde hair out of the way as another familiar brunette pops her head into Sam's hospital room with a beaming smile as she asks. "Where's Sammy?"

"Abrielle!" I shout her name, hugging her tightly too as I kiss the top of her head while explaining that Sam had to go for an x-ray and I was left in his room to wait for him.

"Why is Oliver outside your brother's hospital room?" She asks me, watching as I roll my eyes. "He's still out there? I asked him to leave, two hours ago." I tell her over my shoulder, marching my way out of Sam's room and nearly slamming into Oliver. He's got that silly smirk on his face, his blue eyes shining gleefully when he sees me as he runs his hands through his dirty blonde hair. "Hello again gorgeous." He says with a twinkle in his ocean blue eyes.

"Stop that!" I comment, giving him a glaring look while he tilts his head to the side, completely amused by my resistance towards him.

"Why are you still here? Everyone left. But, you came back. Don't you have other things to go do? Like, fight fires, taunt probies at the firehouse. Anything else, except for hang out around me like a stalker?" My questions make him smile as he takes a step towards me, the scent of his cologne makes my head spin. He smells like aftershave and a light hint of musk and citrus. God, he smells amazing and he looks good too as I notice him a little better this time around than I had just the day before. He's wearing a tight light gray colored t-shirt, one that hugs his biceps, a pair of dark blue jeans with brown boots. I watch him scratch his face, noticing the stubble on his chin.

"I came back, after my introduction with the probies to tell Sam all about it and to check up on him, since he's going to be stuck in this place for a few more days. Since, that's what best friends and roommates do for one another." He explains as I cough out a breath. "You and my brother are roommates too?"

Oliver nods, glancing down at his boots as he shifts his weight and adds in. "Wow! You really are out of the loop. Yeah. We all used to live together. Him, me and my younger sister, Bailey."

"Bailey was your sister?" I ask him as Oliver's blue darkened eyes meet mine and he gives me a weakened smile. "Yeah, she was" He says in a low voice, trying to change the subject as I close my eyes and exhale deeply. I had never really met, Bailey. In the time that I'd been away from New York, Sam and I had lost touch for a while, living our lives and seeming too busy to really keep each other in the loop. He had told me about her, time and time again. How much he loved her and how he was going to marry her. From everything that my brother had mentioned about her, I knew that she was perfect for him. Although, I never knew how serious they were or the fact that Oliver was her brother or that Sam had even had any roommates at all.

"I'm sorry about your loss." I comment, unaware fully of how she had even died.

"Thanks." Oliver says, inhaling deeply as the sudden ring of his cell phone interrupts us and he glances down at it. "Will you excuse me? I need to take this." He states, telling me that he'll see me later as he walks down the hallway and disappears out of sight.

I make my way back into the room, noticing Hannah and Abrielle sitting on Sam's bed, laughing and joking around with each other. The noise of the door closing behind me interrupts them both as they glance up to ask about Oliver. "He left." I comment, seeing the look of disappointment in my eyes as I pull up a chair to join them. When I finally take a seat, leaning back in my chair, glancing down at my phone, I notice the text message from James.

"I miss you, Liv. How's Sam?" He asks. I stare down at my phone, trying to think of what exactly to tell my fiancé. However, all I keep thinking about is the look of devastation in Oliver's eyes when he mentioned his deceased sister and my heart instantly breaks for him. I want to know more, I want to know it all.

Sam

Oliver's the only one in my room when I'm wheeled back inside. He's rubbing his face vigorously and he looks pissed off as the nurse leaves the room, closing the door behind me. "We need to talk." He states, pulling up a chair while I readjust myself and hiss out in pain. The x-ray revealed I've got a cracked rib and it hurts like hell as I sit there and wait for him to lecture me on something.

"What's wrong now? Where are the girls?" I ask him as he leans back and glances up at the ceiling, speaking while not looking at me. "They got bored of me and left. Also, my mother called….I wanted to talk to you about that. Actually, I wanted to talk to you about why you haven't gone to see her in months? Also, why you failed to tell anyone that you were married to my sister?"

Swallowing the lump forming in my throat, I lean my head back into my pillow and shake my head. I'd forgotten long ago the secrets that Oliver knows about me. The things I promised him to not tell anyone. And, this was one of them. "Tell your mom that I haven't seen her because that was the agreement. That's what Bailey wanted too." I comment, glancing down at my bandaged up hands as Oliver scoffs at my words, looking pissed off more than ever.

"Do you think that's really what she wanted, Sam! My sister didn't want to hide the fact that you two were married. That was you! It was you, because you were too embarrassed by the fact that she was pregnant with another man's baby and you didn't want to explain that to anyone in your family! A man who abused her and wanted nothing to do with his daughter when she was born. The same guy who nearly kicked the baby out of her stomach because he wanted it to die!" Oliver's nearly shouting as I shush him and tell him to keep his voice down.

"Don't tell me to keep my voice down, Sam. We both know it's the truth. Aside from my parents, I'm the only other person who knows about this! Because you've decided to raise her and keep it a secret. You took over his job and gave her an amazing father that she loves so much. Although, what I don't understand is why it's been months since you've gone to see her. Please, tell me. Tell me, Sam! Why haven't you seen gone to see Nina, your daughter yet?"

I'm silent as I look down at my bloodied knuckles, trying to think of something to get him off of my back. But, the pain in my voice can't be hidden and neither can the truth. Inhaling deeply, I turn towards him as I stare directly at him when I state in a heartbroken tone. "Because every time I look at Nina or even think about her. I'm reminded that I'm responsible for it, Oliver. I'm the reason for it all. I'm the reason your sister is dead. Bailey died because of me. Because, I didn't protect her!"

A/N: Thoughts?