"So, a new candidate. That has to be exciting." Dawson smiled at Matt as they stood outside firehouse 51. She had started her candidacy and was placed at a new station.
Matt nodded. "I am going to miss you, though." Dawson kissed him once before walking toward her car. It was going to be hard having to leave 51 and all of its people. Matt watched her walk away with a heavy heart but turned and walked into his station. He changed and headed to Boden's office.
He entered the office and saw a girl with raven-colored hair talking to the chief. Boden smiled and nodded at her before he noticed his lieutenant had entered the room. "Casey, this is your candidate. Meet Easton Lis."
She turned and held a hand out to Casey. He took it slowly. He was too caught up looking into her eyes, enchanted by their odd but beautiful shade of green. "It's nice to meet you, Lieutenant. I'm excited to work on Truck 81."
"Yeah, well, we are excited to have you. Come with me. You need to meet the rest of the truck." She followed him into the day room, where the truck crew was in the middle of an intense card game.
"You know I don't have any 7's. Go fish." Easton smiled to herself as they ignored both her and Casey.
Lieutenant Casey sighed. "Well, there goes any chance of a good first impression. Truck 81, this is our new candidate. Meet Easton Lis." They looked up and nodded at her. "That man right there is Joe Cruz; next to him is Otis." He put his hands on the shoulders of a fireman sitting right in front of where he was standing. "This is Herrmann, and that right there is Mouch."
Easton raised an eyebrow at the older fireman. "It means half man, half couch. It might be better if you don't ask." Herrmann said as he continued to go through his cards as he glanced up at Easton.
She laughed. "I'll take your word for it. Do you guys mind if I sit?" Herrmann took his boot off of the extra chair, and she took a seat. "Is it too late to be dealt in?" They gave her a stack of cards, and the game continued. Casey smiled, turned to retreat to his office, and left the guys to get to know the new girl.
"So why did ya move out here to Chicago, and where did ya move from?" Herrmann asked as a formality.
"I'm actually from Seattle. I moved out here because my father said I needed a change of scenery. It was a complicated family matter." Her gaze almost went blank when she mentioned her father.
Herrmann was interested now. "Why is it a complicated situation?" She glanced at him with her green eyes, and he shook his head. "Forget I asked. You can have your new start right here at 51. Welcome to our family."
Her smile returned. "Thanks. One question, am I supposed to be on cooking duty for the entirety of my candidacy?"
"That is a candidate's first job. You have to impress us."
"I hate to disappoint, but I can't cook worth a damn." She frowned slightly.
Herrmann sighed. "As your supervising officer, I relieve you of that duty. We'll stay in our normal rotation."
"I want to be in that rotation, but I can only make like three dishes, so I don't think you'd want that every meal."
"It's fine. And don't worry, you don't lose any points over this." The pager tones interrupted him. They all shot out of their seats and headed out to the truck. She sat beside Mouch, pulled her turnout coat on, and fixed her turn-out pants. "You are to stay glued to my side. If I lose sight of you, there will be trouble." Herrmann stared her down.
"Got it." She nodded as she pulled her helmet on. She glanced over at Otis, who gave her a reassuring smile. They pulled up on the multiple car collision. They got out and quickly glanced around. While the others were distracted by the cars, Easton noticed something else. A child's bike was lying abandoned on the sidewalk. "Herrmann, look!"
Casey saw what Easton was pointing at. "Herrmann, take Lis to check it out." He nodded, and the two ran toward the bike. Herrmann was looking under the car, but Easton saw something else. There was a small hand holding on to the storm drain grate. "Over here!" She ran and looked down at the grate, turning on her flashlight. The child was jammed down with her hand sticking out of the tiny space.
"I was trying to get my toy. I'm stuck!" The girl, about seven years old, was crying as she sat in an uncomfortable position.
"Hold on. I'll get you out. Don't worry." She looked around the grate. "I think we can lift it."
Herrmann nodded. "Stay still down there." They both grabbed the grate and pulled. They managed to lift it, and they dropped it on the ground. "Hey, are you hurt?"
"My leg is hurt. It's stuck on something." There was very little space for anyone to get down next to her. They would have to be small and agile.
"I got it. I'll fit down there." Easton lowered herself down to the kid without waiting for Herrmann's permission. She looked at the little girl's right leg and saw blood. "Get the medics now. She's stuck on rebar."
"Mills! We need help!" Mills ran over and looked down at Easton.
"She's caught on rebar. Should I pull it off?"
"I don't see any other way to do it."
Easton sighed and smiled at the kid before she grabbed her leg. She pulled her off as the kid screamed in pain. Once she was free, Easton noticed the blood was starting to flow, and the color of the blood darkened. "It nicked a vein." She started holding pressure down on her leg. The girl's head went limp, and she passed out. "I'll pass her up to you as fast as I can. Ready?" They both nodded at her, and she stood up, grabbing the kid and holding her up to the other two. They grabbed her and started treating her right away. Otis walked over and saw Easton standing in the storm drain. He got down and held a hand out to her. She took it and pulled herself up. "How is she?"
Mills shrugged. "If we get there quick, she should survive. Sylvie! We gotta go!" She brought the stretcher over, and the two were in their ambulance in seconds, speeding away to Chicago Med.
Herrmann patted her on the back. "Nice job, rookie. I'm glad I won't be the one put into small spaces anymore."
She shrugged at Herrmann. "I'm used to it." She smiled at Otis before looking behind him. She saw a man with a helmet dawning the number 3. "Who is that guy?"
"Oh, that's Severide. He's the squad lieutenant." He noticed Severide's staring and frowned. "Talk about creepy."
"It's gotta be because I'm new, and we haven't been introduced yet."
Otis nodded. "Yeah, you're probably right." He tried to ignore the nagging suspicion in the back of his head. Another candidate sucked over to the dark side, aka, the squad. "That was a nice save, by the way."
She smiled brightly. "I try. How are the other patients?"
"Mostly cuts and bruises. They'll be fine." The group of three walked back to the truck to help clean up.
They returned to the station, and Easton quietly ducked out to sit on her bed. She was in the middle of reading when Otis interrupted her. She gasped when he cleared his throat. "Holy smokes, Batman." A hand immediately flew up to her mouth. She started to blush. "I am so sorry. I don't think I have control of my mouth."
Otis laughed. "That was probably the best thing I have heard all day." He sat on the end of her bed and picked up what she was reading. It was a comic book about some character he had never heard of. "So, who is X-23?"
She shook her head. "She is Wolverine's clone. She's pretty badass."
"She looks awesome."
"And me, being a dork, cosplayed as her at Emerald City Comic Con." He looked up at her.
"Now that I have to see." She grabbed her phone from the bed and showed him a picture of her and a Wolverine cosplayer, crouching with their claws crossed. "This is probably the best thing I've ever seen. You are my new favorite; it's official."
She laughed. "Keep scrolling. You might like the others." Next was her as Harley Quinn, holding the hand of a Joker. Then Elizabeth Swann and Jack Sparrow and Shado and Green Arrow.
Otis noticed that despite the different styles, the person she was with in all these photos was the same. "Not to pry, but who is the guy with you in all of these pictures?"
Her smile faltered a little. "It doesn't matter." She took a deep breath. "But now you know my little secret. I'm a huge nerd."
"Hey, that's totally cool. I enjoy comics too, but I've never experienced that side of the nerd life."
She laughed. "I will be more than happy to guide you."
Casey stood in the doorway and watched the two people laugh and talk. He couldn't help but worry. A new firehouse romance is the last thing station 51 needs.
