Alex wandered into the 55 lounge and plopped down on the couch. Finally some rest for her aching body. She had pulled a double shift and wasn't even going to bother going home. She laid down and put her arm over her eyes, thankful for the silence as the second shift had gone out on a call. She drifted in and out of conciousness for a few hours before waking to the smell of lunch being cooked.
Alex got up off the couch and headed for the kitchen. As she entered, she took a step back at the sight of the cook. It was Jake and he was whistling softly as he threw some more bacon in the frying pan and went back to making sandwiches. Alex watched him work and smiled slightly as he flipped a piece of bread on a plate and missed, hitting the counter with a slap. He grimaced and put the bread onto the plate and shrugged. Alex shook herself as she realized who she was watching. The man who she had given her soul to and he had just walked away.
Turning around she saw some of the guys from the second shift come down the stairs. She said hello a few times and headed up to the bunkroom to catch on some sleep. She needed as much sleep as she could get before her shift started. She was starting to like Jake again and she swore to herself it was just the lack of sleep.
* * *"Alex? Alex wake up."
Alex rolled over and yawned. Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, she looked up to find Jake standing over her. "Babe, I have to go to work. They just called me in. I can't go with you today," said Jake, dressed in his work clothes.
"You promised, Jake. You said you'd go with me!" she yelled, her few hours of sleep catching up to her.
"I know, but baby, money is money. We need it. I promise, when this is done. I'll settle with the 57th working the first shift. But right now, we really do need the money," he replied.
"So you expect me to go alone?" she asked, giving him a nasty look.
"Of course not. I called my mom, she said she'd go with you," he said, grabbing his jacket.
"I don't want your mother with me. I wanted you to go. I wanted you to be there, damnit Jake!" she yelled when she realized he was halfway out the door.
"Alex! I have to go! Please!" he said, walking out.
Alex laid there, staring at the door he'd just walked out of. Getting up, she walked over to the window and watched as he walked down the street and out of sight. She couldn't believe she would have to go through this alone. She was finally graduating from the academy and he wasn't going to be there to watch her.
* * *"Taylor! Hey, Alex!"
"Yeah!?"
"Wake up, Sleepyhead. Shift starts in twenty minutes," replied Doc, tossing a towel at her. "You better hit the showers before the guys get here."
"Thanks, Doc," she said, running a hand through her hair. She hated when she had dreams about Jake. They just brought back the past.
Alex went and took her shower and then came into the bunkroom, wearing nothing but a towel. She jumped when she came out and Jake was standing there. "What are you doing?!" she yelled, stepping back into the shower room.
"Sorry! I didn't realize you were in there!" he explained, scooting away from the door. "Why are you so mad? Its not like I haven't seen everything before!"
"I don't care! I don't want you seeing it now!"
"Alright! I'm sorry!" he yelled, walking out.
Alex composed herself and walked back into the bunkroom, grabbing her clothes, she started getting ready for her shift. She just hoped she wouldn't have any more problems with Jake. If they worked together again, she was probably going to scream.
* * *Jake sighed as he looked at the shift roster. He looked down the hall and saw Doc coming towards him. He stepped in his path and held out his hand. "Doc, I know I said I'd take a couple paramedic shifts, but this isn't going to happen," he said, pointing at the shift roster.
"I have no choice, Jake. Kim's home with Joey and Bobby's got a family thing he asked about months ago. Its you and Alex."
"How about I work with Carlos? You can work with Alex," he said, looking around. "Come on. Things are tense enough around here already. I probably won't come back to the station alive if I work with Alex," he whispered.
"I'm sorry. Its too late to change it now," Doc shrugged, walking away.
Jake sighed and glanced at the sheet again. He couldn't believe he'd have to work with Alex. It was bad enough working with her as a firefighter, but being a paramedic meant spending the whole day with each other. And being in an ambulance was not going to be a favorite of his.
* * *"I quit!" screamed Alex, walking into the kitchen. "No way in hell am I going to work with him!"
"Alex, come on. I had no choice! Carlos is up for review next week and I want to go over things with him," explained Doc.
"You don't understand, Doc. If I work with him, you'll be two paramedics short next shift."
"Two? Why two?"
"Because if I work with him, I'll kill him. And I would enjoy going to prison for that!" she screamed, throwing her stethescope onto the table.
"One shift, Alex. That's it. You only have to talk to him when you've got a patient. And its all medical. Nothing nice. You don't even have to say 'good morning' to him."
Alex sighed and glared at him. "You owe me big time, Doc. I don't know how you'll owe me, but you will," she growled, heading towards the bus.
Doc shook his head as Jake came around the corner. He watched Jake watch Alex as she climbed into the back of the bus to begin the shift inventory check. Doc couldn't believe the two were acting like they were. He could remember when they were happily married instead of at each other's throats.
"I see you told Alex," Jake said, setting his duffle bag down at his feet.
"Yeah. Look, Jake, don't try to make conversation with her. I don't think right now is a good time to ask her how's she doing or anything like that."
"I wasn't planning on it. Alex hates me. I know that," he shrugged, picking up his duffle bag. "I guess its about time for me to go and get set for a hell of a shift."
"Good luck," said Doc, grabbing Carlos by the jacket. "Let's go. We might have a call for a fellow paramedic down. I don't know if he'll make it through inventory check."
* * *"Um, did you find another bottle of saline?" asked Jake, looking in a bag.
"No, why?" asked Alex, glaring at him.
"We're a bottle short. I'll go grab some more," he said, stepping out of the bus. "Anything else we need?"
"More four-by-fours and grab a new B.V.M mask, this one's got a leak somewhere," she replied, checking things off on a clipboard as she went.
"Right," he replied, shutting the door. He turned and started towards the station only to stop dead in his tracks as he almost crashed into Carlos.
"You're alive?" chuckled Carlos, looking behind him.
"Yeah, she's being civil," he shrugged. "Sorry, can't talk. Gotta get some supplies. Check you later."
"If you're alive!" called out Carlos.
Jake shook his head and went to the supply room. Searching around, he found the four-by-fours immediately and the saline right after. But much to his displeasure, he couldn't find the masks. Moving boxes and looking around on the floor, he finally gave up and headed back out to the bus. Alex was sitting in the driver's seat, checking radios and fuel gages.
"I got everything but the B.V.M mask. I couldn't find them," he stated, hopping into the back to put away the supplies. "If we really need it, I'd suggest you go look. Either I'm blind as a bat or there's none in there."
Alex rolled her eyes. "Fine. You finish the list and I'll go find a mask," she said, handing him the clipboard and getting out. "Oh, and make sure the damned thing runs. Doc and I got into one the other day and it wouldn't start for us."
"No problem."
* * *Alex entered the storeroom and sighed. She could see why Jake couldn't find the mask. No new supplies had come in yet that day and the place was a mess. She lifted boxes here and there and searched for a while before giving up and heading to find Doc.
She wandered outside and found Doc and Carlos, sitting in the bus, finishing up their checklists. She knocked on the window and laughed as Carlos jumped.
"A little nervous?" she grinned."No, I just don't enjoy being scared," quipped Carlos. "What's up?"
"We need a new B.V.M. mask. Ours has a leak."
"Check the storage room?" asked Doc.
"Yeah, nothing in there," she replied.
"Alright. Head over to the hospital and see if you can get one from them until we can get a new one. If they won't give one up, try the 23 or the 57," he stated, handing Carlos the clipboard.
"Thanks, Doc," she replied, heading back towards her bus.
Alex opened the passenger door and climbed in. She adjusted her seat and threw on her seatbelt. Jake watched her with curiosity and looked at the radio. Alex noticed his confusion and laughed.
"We have to head over to the hospital. Doc says to get a mask there."
"Oh! I thought we had a call. I was wondering why my radio never even sqwaked," he replied.
"Just drive, brainiac." * * *
"Ok, I don't think I've ever gone this long without a call," whined Jake, sitting at the table.
"Its almost five," stated Alex, glancing around.
"Hey, I'm not complaining. I've got studying to do," said Carlos, not looking up from his books.
"Who's cooking dinner tonight?" asked Jake.
"Doherty, I think," replied Alex, grabbing a handful of peanuts and leaning back in her chair.
"Damn, and they're on a stand-by over at the 57," grumbled Jake, pouting.
They all jumped as the speaker spit out a call coming in. They all jumped up and took off out the door for the buses. Alex and Jake both made for the driver's seat but Alex backed off and jumped in the passenger seat. Pulling up to the scene of a house fire, they parked and waited. Alex grabbed a book out of her bag and began to read, ignoring Jake completely. Jake sighed and grabbed a video game out of his own bag. After a little while, he got tired of the game and watched everyone out the window. He didn't mind taking a few paramedic shifts when needed. It was the way he'd always worked. He filled in when nobody else could handle it. He smiled softly as he realized how many different stations he'd worked for.
"What's so funny, Taylor?" asked Alex, snapping him out of his thoughts.
"Nothing. Just thinking bout a few things," he replied, glancing over at her.
She nodded and looked at the building they were parked near. "Looks like they're almost done," she said.
"I hope so. I'm starving," he looked at his watch. It was almost eight. "Dinner's done with at the station. How about if we all go out to dinner? My treat," he said, opening his door.
"I guess. Go ask Doc and Carlos. I'll call dispatch and we'll take a break as soon as we're released here," she said, grabbing the microphone.
"Sure thing." * * *
"Okay, hold on here," said Jake, holding up his hands. "I said I'd pay for dinner, not to feed an army!" he laughed as Alex downed her second plate of pasta and asked for another.
"What?" asked Alex, looking around. "Doc's had two plates. Carlos is on his third."
"Wow, there goes today's paycheck," he chuckled, drinking his cola.
"Couple more hours," mumbled Doc, looking at his watch. "Guess when Alex is done we should call back in and tell them we're available."
"I don't need the third plate," replied Alex, getting up. "Let's go."
Jake sighed and went to pay the check. He watched as Doc called and told dispatch both buses were available and was surprised to hear that they were both sent off to another fire. He shook his head and paid the bill and headed for the bus. He jumped into the passenger seat as Alex sped off towards the scene.
* * *"Uh oh, guess we get a call today," said Alex, pulling up and jumping out of the bus.
"Shit!" exclaimed Jake, grabbing gear and running towards the fire.
Rounding the corner a police officer directed them towards the front of the building. Alex cringed as she saw their victims. Two small children suffering from smoke inhalation. Doc and Carlos came running up right behind them. Alex knelt down and picked up the littlest and held him as Jake handed her the oxygen mask. She spoke softly to him as Jake tried to check to see how bad his lungs were. Doc and Carlos had their patient handled and were heading towards their bus as Alex and Jake got the little boy set to be transported.
"I can't get him to stop crying but at least he's taking a good helping of oxygen," said Alex, over the toddler's screams.
"He's hurting. There's not much we can do for him," replied Jake, opening the doors to the bus and helping Alex into the back.
"Jake…"
"Yeah?" he asked, looking up at her. Realizing she was a little scared, he turned and yelled for someone to drive the bus. Climbing in after her, he sat on the foot of the stretcher, trying to calm the little boy down.
"Did anyone find out where his parents are?" asked Alex to Ty Davis, who was driving.
"Yeah, neighbor said the mother was at work. Supposed to have been a babysitter, but she's no where to be found. Says the boy's name's Nick," he replied.
"Hey, Nick," said Jake, reaching under the bench seat and pulling out a small stuffed dog. Nick looked at Jake and calmed down a bit, but still cried. Jake held the dog up to him and Nick took it greedily in his arms, holding the stuffed animal up to his face.
"Nice," said Alex, holding the mask up near the boys face, trying to get him to breathe in the oxygen.
Jake held out his arms to the boy and sat at the head of the gurney, strapping himself and the boy to it. "Ok, Nick. We're gonna take a ride to the hospital and see if we can find your mommy."
Nick cried softly and held onto the dog as they pulled up to the hospital.
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