Chapter 11

When the men arrived for their next shift they were apprehensive. They had been informed by headquarters that there was a meeting scheduled and that all of the stations in their response area were to meet at a local outdoor amphitheater.

When station 51 arrived, ten minutes after the rest of the groups, due to a traffic accident they witnessed enroute, no injuries they just needed to direct traffic around the damaged cars until the police arrived, they found the area's Engines, ladder trucks and squads parked in a way so that they could leave in a hurry if a call were to come in.

All of the men were seated on the brick and rock structure and someone from headquarters was passing out papers to all of the battalion chiefs and captains in the gathered group while Chief Houts awaited the set up of a portable amplifier and mic at his side.

"Oh Good, you're here," Chief Houts greeted and the mic squealed as the men came into view. "Will the men of station 51 please be seated down here in front?"

Hank led his men both to the seats the Chief was pointing to and in blushing for all to see.

"Can everyone hear me all right now?" Chief Houts asked and watched for nods from the farthest rows back.

"Good, now let's get down to business. Last shift there was a huge mistake made, a mistake that originated from Headquarters and got totally blown out of proportion before it got to you men.

You all by now know about the production the men of Station 51 here are participating in." the crowd nod their heads and their disgust was in their faces. "They are doing so at my request. Your Captains have been given a copy of a report showing the benefits of a new kind of exercise and injury rehab program and I wanted these men to give you a demonstration. It was decided, again by me, that one or more of the firefighting charities could benefit from this demonstration. As it turns out these men," he motioned to station 51, "Have taken the assignment I gave them and took it far beyond my wildest dreams, in part due to the wonderful assistance they've received from the charity committees they chose to represent.

It was the president of one of those committees that was starting to worry about her star performers getting injured before the big performances and approached someone in headquarters suggesting that they somehow be protected. The person that was talked to was hesitant but when he was told that this production was 'my baby', things started to happen. The best I've been able to find out so far is that the information about this request arrived in my office while I was meeting with the governor to discuss wild fire expectations, planning and prevention so someone else in the office, seeing that this was a time sensitive manner, one of the deputy Chief's made the decision that perhaps you men could be warned to watch out for these men a little. This person assures me that his only intention was to ask you to keep an extra eye on them until the performance was over, NEVER once were they to be given only the safest of assignments at a response or for you men to put your lives on the line to protect them, and NEVER once have these men made any such request on their own behalf. To the best of my understanding each level this message was sent down the line to you, what started out as a simple request grew larger until what you heard at the station level and from what the battalion chiefs have told me even each of you extended what was asked of you.

"Station 51 and all of her men are firefighters first and performers only on my request. They are on the job and have assured me that they are ready, willing, and every bit as able to be firefighters, with all the risks and responsibilities that come with the job, as they were before they took on this extra assignment."

"By the show of hands how many of you can work ALONGSIDE of these men and TRUST them to protect you just as you would protect them, NO SPECIAL TREATMENT."

Hank and his men sighed with relief as they looked around behind them to see the response. A lot of hands shot in the air quickly but there were a few that had to think for a moment before slowing adding their raised hands to their fellow firefighters.

"Good, I do hope those of you who were a bit hesitant can gain more confidence in these men before the end of the day. The whole point of this program is to show that there are things out there that you can learn that will make you just a little bit safer and able to do your jobs just a hair better. I'm afraid what happened last shift gave just the opposite impression and this meeting today is to attempt to undo the damage that was done."

"Now that we have an understanding of what is expected of every firefighter who reports for duty I would like to offer the following counsel and explanation.

"Anyone who has been watching the posters for this production has surely noticed that the first three shows have been completely sold out and that an additional four showings have been added. This will make it necessary for approximately 30 men from among you who are involved in this production; yes men there are more than just station 51 involved in this production, some of you are in the Choir and others in the orchestra and still others working backstage, and they will all need to miss a shift or two. Also because these men, especially the 7 who are staring in this production, are firefighters not professional performers they are getting a little overwhelmed with the number of tickets that are being sold and are admittedly experiencing some opening night jitters a little early in the game. They will be given an extra two shifts off for the final preparations. In the mean time, WITHOUT GIVING THEM SPECIAL TREATMENT, if any of you are to notice them doing anything reckless while on duty, like say, try to fly, they are going to be doing that on stage with the aid of wires by the way, Please stop them. Captains have the power to stand them down and my office should be contacted directly and immediately if that were to happen. Are there any questions?"

No one said anything and several in the gathering were shaking their heads to the negative but with mirthful smiles on their faces.

"Good then are we ready to go to work?" the Chief asked. When no further comments were made Chief Houts dismissed them suggesting they give the report that was handed out a look and then added, "By the way, I've seen one of their rehearsals, and I can tell all of you that anyone who buys a ticket to this thing is going to get their money's worth and then some. These men have really outdone themselves."

All of the men began to make their way to their response vehicles. Some of the men went directly to their trucks; others took slight detours to shake the hands of the men of station 51 and confirm their loyalty and trust in them as well as congratulate them on the success of their program.

More than once they were asked who the seventh person was and after sharing sideward glances and cheesy grins they all refused to reveal the secret identity of the seventh dancer.

When John and Roy finally made it to the squad they, like the rest of their crew, were feeling a lot better. They still had a supply run to make so while the engine returned to the station John and Roy headed for rampart.

"I was wondering there for a while if Chet was the one who requested preferential treatment." John joked with Roy as he drove, "That guy is driving me nuts. If he thinks I might as much as break a fingernail he tries to protect me."

"He really does not want to shave his mustache off." Roy smiled as he drove. Roy too was relieved that the special treatment order had been completely lifted and clarified.

"It's a shame too," Johnny added as they closed in on the emergency department for their supplies. "Cuz Chet would really be better in this part than I am. I'm tall enough that it's harder for me to do the really cute stuff like slide between Cap's legs and some of the acrobatic stuff on the wire."

"Just do me a favor," Roy turned to his partner after the squad was parked but before they climbed out, "If you're going to get yourself hurt so that he has to play the part just wait until after next shift." Roy leaned out of the squad door and then turned back, "And get him a really good fake mustache to wear until his grows back."

-0-

Brice came by the station after his doctor's appointment, he was walking without crutches now, he'd already been testing the waters for over a week now during rehearsals.

"I really want to thank you guys for not throwing me to the wolves today," Brice spoke with a humbleness no one had ever seen from him before.

"You're welcome Brice, but we don't know what you're talking about," Hank questioned when he noticed the puzzled looks on his men's faces.

"When they were asking who the seventh dancer was," Craig enlightened them.

"Oh that," Marco commented while the rest of the men grinned with understanding.

"Well we didn't do it for you Brice," Chet, well let's just say Chet was being himself. "We just figured we could sell more tickets if they had to buy one to find out who the mystery dancer was."

Somehow they made it through the shift. The rest of the firefighters were much easier to work with after Chief Houts conference. That didn't keep them from teasing though. They were all able to take it in stride because, "This is nothing like we dished out to Cap when we first found out he was dancing," Chet pointed out.

Chet continued to drive John nuts, He couldn't go anywhere without Chet following him and he'd turn around and run into him frequently, especially in a fire. Fortunately there had only been two of them and one was in an abandoned storage shed. John and Roy had been sent in just to make sure there were no transients squatting there and Chet kept them a little better covered than usual.

On their last break between shifts before the curtain went up they ran through the production from beginning to end four times. The wire system they were told was operational by the end of the day but they were tired so Cap declared they'd deal with it after the next shift.

-0-

On their last shift before the production Hank was so close to sending his Irish lineman home, if he heard the man ask Gage if he was alright one more time-

Twice during the shift John took Chet by the shoulders and backed him into a seated position before he immediately commanded, "Stay, Stay, that's a good boy, Stay."

The second time was while he was fixing dinner. That time before he took Chet by the shoulders he picked up a chair from the table and placed it in the farthest corner of the room first and then he sat Chet in it. Every few seconds John would turn and call out, "Stay, Stay right there, that's a good boy. Don't move now."

After repeating that action a few times John still noticed that Chet was as antsy as all get up and kept trying to get up and come help him.

"Chet," Johnny tried a different tactic, "you do realize don't you that even if I were to cut myself fixing dinner, or even if I burned my fingers, I'd still be able to play my part in the production."

That did seem to ease Chet up a little, but only a little and only for a few hours.

When Squad 51 was called out at 3 a.m. for a man down at a bar, Chet got up and pulled on his bunker pants right along with the paramedics. He followed them as far as the Captain who had handed them their call slip and was planning to go back to be,

"We are going with them aren't we?" Chet asked.

Hank rolled his eyes and shook his head and in the process realized it wasn't such a bad idea, "Alright guys we're going with them."

There were no objections.

When they arrived on scene there were three police cars and everyone was quick to figure out that the reason the man was down was a combination of too much to drink and being hit over the head by a beer bottle.

While they were there another fight broke out, no one knew for sure why other than the over consumption of alcohol, while the police were cuffing the worst of the fighters one man shouting profanities started toward John swinging a beer bottle over his head. Mike, Marco and Chet came together to stop the man long before his bottle connected with John's head.

Ten men were finally hauled to Rampart where John and Roy were put to work helping to treat their wounds or hold them down so that a Doctor could treat their wounds before all but one of them were hauled off to jail.

One more quick run for a child having an asthma attack and they were headed back to the station eager to give the keys to the next shift.

-0-

Back at the station Hank was surprised when the next shift came in an hour early. After giving Captain Hookraider a questioning glance he was told, "Rumor has it that there is a severe case of butterflies on your crew."

"Yeah," Hank rolled his eyes for the hundredth time that shift. "It's called Chester B. Kelly."

Hank sighed and then slumped into his chair in the office where he was just starting end of shift paperwork.

"He must have the lead in this thing you're doing for the chief," Hookraider smiled enjoying the exasperation of his counterpart.

"Not yet," Hank gave him an appreciative grin, "He's the understudy for the part of Peter Pan and he doesn't want to shave his mustache."

Hookraider just laughed.

-0-

Hank finished his paperwork and stepped out of the office to see a plain clothed Chet and Marco waiting for something.

"Go home you guys; get a couple of hours of sleep before rehearsals." Hank tried to shoo them out of the station.

"I will as soon as Gage and DeSoto get back." Chet stood his ground with so many nerves that he nearly trembled at his captain's side.

"Roy just called from Rampart, they're on their way back will you get out of here already." Hank tried again.

"Hank, Phone," was heard from the office and Hank turned to answer it. He had just hung up when they heard Roy over the radio.

"L.A. this is Squad 51, we have a traffic accident with injuries at the entrance to the parking lot for the supermarket on Sepulveda, please dispatch an Engine crew, ambulance and police."

-0-

Three cars pulled into the parking lot of the supermarket and out jumped three firemen, two in plain clothes, Chet and Marco, and one, Captain Stanley still in uniform. The accident had happened when a woman had tried to turn left into the parking lot and was struck by another car. It looked fairly minor, Hank approached Roy and was told there were a possible broken arm and several lacerations, and he didn't think they would even need to ride in the ambulance with any of them. That's when they heard the shouts coming from John's direction.

"That's my kid in that car and I want him out here right now so that I can talk to him." This very large man that looked like he could make two of John was yelling. Before Hank could get over there to help defuse the situation the man started swinging fists, one, two, three, a left a right and a left right into John's stomach.

Three police officers moved in to subdue and cuff the angry man while John wrapped his arms around his stomach and slid down against the car and into Hanks arms.

-0-

An hour later Mike and Roy joined Chet and Marco in the waiting room. Hank had asked Chet and Marco to put John in the cab of his truck and then sent Roy to take the squad back to the station, change and get John a change of clothes.

Hank had intended for Marco to take one of John's arms and Chet to take the other and walking the half bent over paramedic to his truck but he soon heard John declaring rather loudly, "I can walk!"

The two men had pulled his arms over their shoulders and after locking their hands behind his back reached down under his legs and locked their hands there in what is known in the rescue world as a Chair carry. John was then picked up off of the ground and carried to Cap's truck.

Once at the emergency room there was a wheelchair waiting for John before he could get the truck door open.

"I can walk," John insisted, "I just got the wind knocked out of me."

Hank smiled placed a hand on John's shoulder and then spoke. "John, you can get in that chair and let this pretty young nurse wheel you into the emergency room or you can sit here until Chet and Marco get here and let the beautiful young lady watch them put you in that wheelchair."

John sighed, rolled his eyes and gave no further argument.

When Dr. Brackett heard that John had gotten injured this close to the production he hung around after he was off shift and nearly pushed Joe Early out of the way to take care of him.

Just after Mike and Roy arrived in the waiting room Hank stepped out of the treatment room and walked down the hall.

"Chet," Hank called out once he was close never expecting how his linemen/understudy would respond.

At hearing his name called Chet turned as white as a ghost and slowly sank into the chair behind him. He then placed his face in his hands and began to mumble, "I'm going to have to shave my mustache. I'm going to have to shave my mustache."

"How is he cap," Roy asked more concerned for his partner than Chet's mustache.

"Doc says he just got the wind knocked out of him." Hank answered Roy bringing Chet around a little with a little more color in his face. "Just a few bruises, He's talking with the police now giving them his statement and then he can go."

Four men let out deep sighs but none more pronounced than Chet Kelly.

"Chet," Hank tried again.

"Yes Cap," Chet answered tentatively.

"The guy setting up the wires called just before Roy called that last accident in. He said the wrong harnesses were delivered and wondered if you or John could stop by the other location and pick up the right ones. Do you think you can handle that?"

"Sure cap," was Chet's answer and he couldn't get out of that hospital fast enough.

Hank was counting on that and as soon as he was sure Chet was out of hearing range he spoke to the rest of the group.

"John is really alright, just bruises but Doc's worried he might not handle the harness on his abdominal muscles. I didn't want to upset Chet any more until we know for sure. Dr. Brackett is going to come to our rehearsal this afternoon and keep an eye on John to make sure he's going to be okay."

Author's Notes:

Anyone who's read the two previous stories in this series already knows who's going to end up playing the part of Peter Pan. I'm just trying to write the story around a single sentence that I used twice.