Hi guys,

If I had known that you all love stories about Rick being a fireman, I'd have posted this sooner. I wrote those four chapters last summer and since then, it had rested peacefully on my hard drive.

So, thank you to all who reviewed, followed and favorited this story. You guys are amazing.

Enjoy the next chapter :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Castle.


Chapter 2

Quickly he had found the affected building, smoke smoldered out of one of the upper apartments. Stacy was saying something, but he ignored her – just like he did the whole evening already. But this time he had a good reason to. If there were any survivors, every second counted.

Without hesitating he got up and hurried out of the restaurant, making his way directly towards the apartment building. He could hear sirens in the distance, but they still were at least five minutes away from their position. He had to act now!

Rick entered the building and climbed up the stairs, dodging around the people whom ran down the stairwell and into safety. As he arrived on the third floor, Rick saw an older man who looked rather confused at him, holding his hands to his head. Rick estimated him to be around seventy, and it looked like he had been more surprised by the explosion than anything else. Rick couldn't find any external injuries. Maybe the man was in shock.

He had seen plenty of explosions in his time as a firefighter. Some at close range, knowing there most likely was a ringing in the ears of the man from the noise.

"Sir, are you alright?" asked Rick, eying the man again from top to body just to be sure that he hadn't missed anything. But like before he couldn't find anything.

The man nodded. "I'm fine. There's only a ringing in my ears." The man yelled, and Rick had to wince briefly.

"Alright. Please get out of the building. Help is already on its way."

Rick walked further down the hall. It wasn't hard to localize the exact apartment that must've been the source of the explosion. The apartment was destroyed. The wall had some holes in it. The front door seemed to have not stood a chance against the blast of the explosion. The wooden shards were spread out all over the floor.

After a quick glance through the room Rick entered the apartment carefully, watching every one of his steps. There were many dangers in such situations. The floor could give out on him, the fire, the smoke, debris falling from the ceiling. He had to be on alert, at any time. Rick had to move as quick as he could, but at the same time as careful as possible.

Everywhere were small hearths of fire. The smoke clouded his view, burning in his eyes. What had been once a nice apartment was now a complete mess of rubble and cinder.

"Hello?" shouted Rick. The smoke already creeping in his throat, his lungs started to protest. He raised his left arm and put it over his mouth and nose, trying to keep as much smoke out as he could. He continued his search for any survivors.

Cautiously Rick made his way further into the destroyed apartment. "Anybody here?" he yelled again. He had to cough because of the smoke, a sign that it already made his way through his respiratory tract.

Maybe he had luck and nobody had been in the apartment as it had exploded. Nevertheless, he had to check every room. He couldn't rely on speculations. If there had been someone here, the person could be severely injured, possibly unconscious.

All of the sudden he came to a complete standstill when he heard a noise. He was sure it weren't the flames or even the working building.

There it was again! It sounded like a cough. It came from the rear part of the apartment.

Rick moved quickly, yet still carefully into the direction of the source of the noise.

"Hello? Is there anyone?"

"Over here!" coughed a voice. It sounded like a woman.

He arrived at a smaller room, which he guessed must've been the bathroom.

"Ma'am?"

"I'm over here." Answered a voice, sounding a little rough. That roughness could come from smoke inhalation.

Most people thought that the fire was the worst, but really it was the smoke that was the worst. It crept through any gaps and trapped its victims without them really noticing. It was a slow and painful death. A lot of people die more often of smoke inhalation than being burned alive.

The woman seemed to be uninjured, the bathtub must've protected her from the biggest part of the explosion. As usual Rick quickly scanned for any external injuries, but this time he noticed – much to his own surprise – that the woman was completely naked, and he instinctively turned around.

Really, Rick? Now was not the time to be modest! he thought while searching for something for her to cover herself up. Sadly, he found nothing. The fire had taken everything.

Without considering any longer, he unbuttoned his shirt. He'd be fine without it for a while. He was a tall and broad-shouldered man. His shirt should cover up most of her body.

At least he hoped so.

"Here, slip into it. That's all I can offer you at the moment." He said, passing her his shirt while still having his head facing the other direction to give her some privacy. A naked woman was really a first for him, as surprising as it sounded.

Though it had just been a very short moment before he had turned around, he could tell without a doubt that she was a beautiful woman. Covered by a touch of soot, it didn't made her any less beautiful. Men must be pining away for her. She surely had dozens of admirers, but she most likely was already taken. Women like her weren't single for long. Which man wouldn't try to win over such a beauty?

She got up slowly, Rick still glanced politely away. This situation was slightly awkward. And he had thought being on a blind date was out of his comfort zone. This was certainly way more uncomfortable than a date. But there was a first for everything, right?

The woman quickly threw the shirt over herself, and when he was sure that the most part of her was covered up he turned back towards her. Rick was pleased to see that his shirt was long enough for her.

"Thanks." She murmured in her still rough voice.

"No need to thank me. Can you walk?"

"Yeah, I think so."

Rick helped her out of the tub, her small hand held gently onto his bigger one and he couldn't help but notice how good their hands fitted together.

"Was there anyone with you in the apartment or have you been alone?" he asked as he laid an arm around her hip to steady her movement. She hobbled slightly, being barefooted while the floor was covered with lots of sharp things wasn't helping much.

"There wasn't anyone. Just me."She confirmed. He was relieved by this answer, but he told himself that it had more to do with the fact that he hadn't had to retrieve any other person out of the apartment rather than anything else it could mean.

A little part of the ceiling collapsed just a few feet away from them. Rick decided that they had already wasted enough time by their awkward meeting. They had to get out of here! Now!

He crouched down and put his arm around her legs, quickly lifting her up in his arms. Since she hadn't expected him to do just that, she let out a surprised squeal. Her arm automatically made its way up his naked chest before it took place around his neck, searching for a good hold.

It was hot in the apartment because of the fire, but her touch on his bare skin still made him shiver. What was it about this unknown woman? How did she make him feel so clumsy, as if this was his very first day out in the field?

"I can walk myself." She protested stubbornly, but holding onto him a little more firmly than before.

"Oh I'm pretty sure you can, but we're quicker that way."

He got them out of the apartment and moved towards the stairwell.

"Rick!"

He looked up surprised at the sudden voice calling out to him, glancing straight into the eyes of Finn, a fireman of one of the other fire houses in the city. He knew Finn from training units and already met him now and then outside of work, enjoying a few drinks to decompress after a long day.

"The apartment which was the source of the explosion is empty. But the floors below and above have to be secured." Rick informed his friend. In moments like these there wasn't time for small talk. Everything had to be on point and quickly processed.

Finn nodded."An ambulance is already waiting outside of the building." Replied Finn nodding towards the woman in his arms, before taking off to the next floor followed by other firemen.

Rick held the woman closer to him, so that he could see the steps better. Stumbling and falling wasn't on his agenda at the moment.

It didn't take long before Rick stepped out of the building, immediately breathing in as much fresh air as he could. He felt the woman in his arms doing the same, still coughing a little.

His throat burned, screaming for as much oxygen as it could get. The night had gotten a bit colder and he got goosebumps from its coolness. The only source of warmth was the body of the woman he still held safely in his arms, but just like him she was trembling, fighting against the coolness. He held her a little closer to his body, hoping they'd both find some warmth in the other.

She looked so tiny in his arms.

The woman became impatient, trying to get him to let her down again seeing that they were out of the danger zone. However Rick didn't even think about letting her down. He scanned the area. The immediate area around the building was evacuated, various uniformed people ran around. They were all there: police, fire department, EMS.

Until now the cause for the explosion was still unknown.


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