Disclaimer: Well, their not mine. I don't own them. This is the second story in the "Measure of a Hero" trilogy, and it follows "Hero" directly. The last one, "Written In the Stars", will deal with Caitie's reaction to the events of "Hero".

Viva La Revolution!

Aftermath

"Oh God, oh God, oh God..." Val Linar chanted, staring at the burning building with wide, fear filled blue eyes.

"Come on Jamie..." Hank Beechum whispered, kneeling beside the blonde Val as they waited for their friend to stumble from the burning building, clutching the little boy and smirking his all to familiar smirk.

"Oh God, oh God..."

"MOMMY!!" The two's attention was grabbed away from the towering inferno that was once Westminster Apartments at the sounding of the little voice. Turning there heads to look, the EMT duo was greeted by the sight of a little boy, maybe four, running from the fire toward a dark haired woman was clutching as Tyler Connell's shoulder in an attempt to get to him.

"CHASE!" The woman screamed, getting away from Tyler and racing toward her son. The child was swept up into an exuberant hug by his mother, squeezing him so tightly the teenage EMT's half expected to see his eyeballs pop out of his head.

Val felt a small smile of relief pull at her lips--if the little boy was okay, then Jamie had to be okay. He'd come loping up any minute now, smirking that familiar smirk...any minute now...

The stark cry cut through the chilly night air, breaking the hearts of three of the young people who heard it--because they new what it was. A cry to someone he would never see again, a cry of love, a cry of need, longing, passion, pain, fear, duty and pride--a death cry.

Years afterward, Val Linar would still wake up at night, Jamie Waite's deep voice ringing in her ears, calling out her best friend's name.

Years afterward, Tyler Connell would still be able to recall the exact instant he knew that his friend was dead.

Years afterward, Hank Beechum would still blame himself for the death of the stubborn, dark eyed boy that had become one of his best friends.

The building burned on, consuming the body of their friend, and all the trio could do was watch--and cry.

The still stars hung in the heavens, shining down on the world below. The moon still rose above them, illuminating the darkness in it's strange blue light. The world still turned, life went on.

But for three young people, it was subtly different, and they knew, knew at that instant that things would never be the same for any of them again.

@-}--}---

Val sat alone in the front seat of the ambulance, her face buried in her hands, her entire body shaking. How could this have happened? They were suppose to SAVE lives, not lose their own!

The fire had been extinguished, and all those hurt by the flames and smoke had been taken to the hospital. The squad had managed to get a hold of themselves for the people that needed them, though Val's eyes still rained tears and Hank hadn't looked anyone in the eye since...it happened.

It. That's all it was now. It. A measly little two letter word to describe one of the most terrifying and shattering experiences of her life. Her friend had DIED--Jamie was DEAD.

Her mind shied away from the implications of that statement, just continuing on, re-running the events after Jamie...

Once the last person had been taken to the hospital, Hank, who had been driving, had surprised his teammates by heading back toward the site of the fire, instead of the station. Val and Tyler, both to shaken by tonight's turn of events, had said nothing, just letting their serious leader lead them where he would.

Looking back, Val could recognize now the utter and complete desolation on her old friend's face as they pulled up to the site, the last fire truck just getting ready to depart.

Hank had climbed out of the ambulance and walked toward the ruins of the building, his shoulders straight and his head held high. Val was not ashamed to admit that she hadn't even been able to look at the burned out building, instead just burying her face in Tyler's shoulder and letting him hold her.

Hank had stood in front of the building for a long time, just watching the last of the flickering embers die out. When the building was nothing but a black and dark mess, the handsome young man had walked back toward his mourning counterparts, his eyes very wide in his face.

He climbed into the driver's side seat, beckoning to the other two as he did. "Let's go." he rasped, starting the engine, and waiting for Linar and Connell to climb in as well.

As soon as they had arrived back at the station, Hank had leapt out of the ambulance and headed straight toward Alex's office. Tyler, after checking to make sure that Val would be alright, had headed after his best friend, worried about his strange behavior.

And now here Val sat, alone with her thoughts--and her tears.

@-}--}---

Tyler found Hank standing in the middle of Alex's office, a manila folder in his hands. The phone was off the hook and resting right near the other boy's free hand, as he scanned the contents of the folder like a man obsessed.

"Hank?" Tyler whispered, trying to catch his friend's attention. "Hank, what are you..."

Tyler's bright blue eyes landed on the name on the flap of the folder, and his heart flipped over. James Waite.

"Hank, why are you looking at Jamie's personal file?" Tyler asked, fighting back the flood of pain speaking his friend's name brought.

"I'm looking for his home phone number." Hank told him dully. Connell blinked, and then blinked again, staring at the young man in shock.

"What?"

"I'm looking for his home address." He repeated, never taking his eyes off the information in front of him.

"Why?" Tyler demanded, staring at his best friend in amazement.

"We have to tell them."

"Tell who what...you mean Jamie's...family?" Tyler asked quietly, his mind finally catching up with his mouth.

"Yeah--I mean Jamie's family."

Tyler swallowed hard, and reached out to put a hand on Hank's shoulder. "Hank...maybe we should let the police handle--"

Hank cut him off by jumping to his feet, shaking the young man's hand off. "No, Tyler! He was our squad mate, our friend--they deserve to hear it from us. They deserve to hear that he died a saving someone, not just a casualty in a fire. They deserve to hear the truth. That Jamie Waite was the biggest damn hero that I've ever met, and his death wasn't in vain. They deserve to hear it from us, and I'm damn sure going to make sure that they do."

With that, Hank turned on his heel and strode off, leaving Tyler Connell alone with his thoughts--and tears for a boy that would never know about the lives he had affected with his last act.