Hi you all. I'm doing a new probably three-chapter story about an alternate reality for FMA. It might be different, but that's what you should expect from a writer, right? Anyway, you'll figure out what it's based on when you further read through the story, but the movie that inspired me to write this, is Ladder 49. It just comes to show how fragile the human life is, and even though it is, people use their courage to do the unimaginable.

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And true to always for FMA, I'm still using Havoc as a main character. As well as others...

Chapter 1: First Rescue

A young man in his early 20's walked toward the large Firehouse located on 7th street. If anything, people would believe he was just passing by, but his entrance into the building changed their minds. He shut the doors behind him and looked silently around, a bit confused on where to go to see the in charge Captain of the Firehouse.

The room had lockers located to the furthered side of the slightly large room, with a large dinning table in front of the rows. There was a door leading to the trucks stationed in the garage and more lockers, only open, showing the numerous fire gear, were placed on either side of the door. He heard foot steps come down from the stairs leading up into another few rooms. A young woman, probably in her 20's as well crossed her arms over her chest, her garnet eyes blinking at him.

"Your looking for the Captain?" she asked, her voice was hard. She pointed up the stairs, and when he started walking up them, she followed. When they reached the top, the man looked around to see a few others lying about, some eating and reading newspapers, while others were busy talking. The woman tapped his shoulder and pointed to a room located south of the room they were in now.

She pushed him through the door and waited outside, pushing back some of her blond hair.

The man looked around the office and then started down at the desk filled man. His hand was rested in his face, and a light snoring was coming from him. The newer man, the blond man looked cautiously over the desk.

"Ahem...e-excuse me...sir? Jean Havoc reporting sir..." he said, coming closer to the sleeping man.

"Sir...sir?" he said, raising his voice a bit.

The man sleeping awoke with a start and looked up, smiling groggily. "Ah, ah I'm terribly sorry young man, heh. Jean Havoc eh? Lessee, Lieutenant Jean Havoc, transfer from New York city fire department, squad B, Paramedic...hmm, got a ticket under you huh. We'll put that to good use, that's for sure," the man said and stood up, saluting tiredly and walked over to Havoc with a smile, and pointed to the woman outside. "You see her? She's a lieutenant as well; she'll show you where to put your bags and where you're going to be stationed. Alright, go on, go!" the man said, and pushed Havoc out the door, making the younger man confused.

"Follow me." The woman said, and started walking off.

"Hey..." Havoc ran a hand through his blond hair and sighed, following the blond woman. She pointed to numerous men.

"The one with the glasses and black hair is Kain Fury, he's the Codes Inspector and keeps all of our technologies up and running. The gray hair man next to him is Watteau Falman; he's the Plans Examiner and readies the hose for us. The man in red, He's a regular life risking firefighter and a medic named Haymens Breda, he's got an attitude, so watch out. You'll meet the other later; they are out on their breaks. The man in the other room, whose are chief, is Roy Mustang and head captain of our squad, he's a slacker, but, he's also a careful hard working man." She had finished talking once they reached the downstairs again.

"Um...And you are?" Havoc wondered, when they reached his locker assigned to him.

"Riza Hawkeye. I'm an A class firefighter and medic, you and I will be working together on the rescue's and observations within the buildings. We will search for any signs of life and then get the hell out, making sure our person is still alive. Its all about keeping the people alive Jean, nothing else. That's where our courage comes from…" she sighed. "Now, if you excuse me, I need to go file some paper work."

Havoc was left staring at his locker and then at the leaving woman's back. "You talk to much..." he muttered, and opened up the locker, taking off his duffle bag and putting it on the bench in the center of the two rows of lockers. He sighed and grabbed a pack of cigarettes and lit on, taking a long drag from it.

A pair of hands grasped him lightly around the neck, causing the blond man to jump with a cry. "AH, Holy shit!" he turned around to see another man with glasses and black hair grinning at him. "You...don't do that!" he said to the man, and realized he dropped his cigarette onto the stone floor.

"Hehe, sorry young man. Haha. The name's Maes Hughes, leader of the Fire Medic's team. Riza told me you're the replacement for Alex who recently was put into hospital. Kinda glad though, that man always wore sparkles wherever he went...so annoying." Hughes held out his hand.

Havoc shook it. "Oh, before I run off! Wanna see a picture of my sweet, sweet Elicia. She's grown so much, and she's learning to ride a real bike. She follows me everywhere on her tricycle though. See, see!" he put the photo right under Havoc's ace, giving the man a full picture of the little child.

"Wish I could show you more, but I can't. Must make sure everyone's not slacking off, busy, busy. Bye," Hughes grinned again tucked the picture back into his pocket and walked off whistling. Havoc stood pale.

"Oh my god..." he said, and blinked silently.

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Havoc had been working in the firehouse for a few days now. He was playing chess with Breda, and was winning too. "Tell me Breda...how long have you been playing chess that you'd loss to a newbie eh?" Havoc snickered and tapped his cigarette into the ashtray and placing it back in the corner of his mouth.

Falman laughed and patted Breda on the back, the man seemed to be burning steam...whoa. "You..."

"Aww come on. It's just a game, don't take it too seriously."

Hughes walked in with a smile. "Anyone wanna see pictures of my little girl?" he started to take the picture out until the ringing sounded off loudly. Everyone dropped what he or she were doing and dashed for the fire poles, sliding down quickly. Havoc, knowing what to do, did the same, running to his new locker and getting on his gear.

Either someone was half changed or fully changed, every man or woman available hopped onto the Fire trucks, 2 in the front seats of both trucks, others holding onto the sides and some sitting up top, watching for the signs of the fire. Roy quickly jumped into the front seat as Breda took the drivers seat and started driving with half the squad on the back. Hughes drove the other one, with Fury in the front seat. Havoc grasped onto the side of the truck and held on, shrugging on his fire jacket and putting on his helmet as the trucks drove off.

"First chance to be a hero, you scared?" Falman asked from his perched on top area. Havoc looked up and grinned. "Guess not."

"No way..." Havoc muttered, and looked determined ahead.

The reached the building on fire and screeched to a stop, a few men grabbing the hoses and pulling them to separate hydrants. Havoc jumped off and ran to where Hawkeye and Hughes stood along with Roy. He closed up his jacket and listened as Roy gave the instructions.

"Okay, there are two people left in that building, the rest have already escaped. It is up to you three to find those people and bring them out here to safety. Remember, if it's a lose, lose situation, you guys get your asses back out here on my order. Move!" he said, and took his radio, shouting something into it.

Hughes adjusted his helmet and looked up at the raging flames of the 5 story high building and waited alongside Havoc and Hawkeye as the water was sprayed in the doorways to give them entrance into the heating apartments.

"Alright, I want you Havoc to search the 2nd and 1st floors. Hughes search the 5th, while I search the 4th and 3rd. Alright. We have to find these people guys, lets go," Hawkeye said and started making her way with the other two to the 4th story. They dropped Havoc off at the second story, and Hughes continued on to the 5th.

On the second story, Havoc walked cautiously around. "Hello! Is anyone in here!" he called, and began to search through the different rooms, piece of fire exploding either behind him or in his face to which he had to cover. "Come on, anyone!"

The 4th floor wasn't any better. Hawkeye pushed over some debris and continued on, looking intently through all the smoke. Fire was beginning to rise through the floorboards, making exit seeming to go through the top. She heard a person cough in a room.

She walked over to the area and knelt down, taking a deep breath and taking off her air mask and placing it on a young man's face. "Hold on, we'll get you out of here. Don't worry, just trust me, alright!" she said, and lifted him up, ducking as a piece of wood caught fire and debris fell. She started to go down the stairs to the second then the first floor, passing Havoc who was continuing to search the 1st floor.

She got the man outside, ready for the other medics to check him. She looked up and went back in, rushing through the flames and almost bashing into Havoc. "Did you find anyone!" she cried through the flames. Havoc shook his head and looked up, an explosion erupted sending the two firefighters to the floor, ceiling falling quickly upon them.

"Hughes, Hughes is still on the 5th floor Hawkeye!" Havoc shouted. "We haven't found the second person yet, Hughes might have found them, and the path might be blocked!" he said, concern erupting.

Everyone, evacuate now! We have to leave the person, get your asses out now! Roy's voice said through the radio. Hawkeye looked at Havoc, and he to her. "We have to-" she stopped as Havoc started bolting as fast as he could with the gear he wore, up the stairs. "HAVOC!" she called, only to be blocked by flames erupting in front of her. "Jean, Jean!"

Havoc turned around and almost tripped. "Ha...damnit! Come on, where...there!" he ran for the next flight of stairs, leading to the 3rd floor and higher. "Hughes! Hughes, you idiot! Where are you!" he called, and made it to the 4th. Fire exploded beneath him, causing him to fall onto his front. "Ugh...damnit..." he got onto his hands and knees and looked forward. In the center of some fire, Hughes lay face down, the bottom of his pants starting to roast and catch fire. "Hughes!"

He quickly crawled over and started the flip the man over, but stopped when a hand grasped him, Hughes' hand, and he sat up, clutching something to his chest. A little girl. "Havoc, the bottom path is blocked. Too many flames." Havoc knew that, the last explosion caused a lot of flames to appear from the downstairs, the only way to get out of here was up. "Up the stairs to the roof?"

"Yeah! Here, give her my mask!" Havoc said, and took off his mask, placing it on the girl's face, letting her breathe in a fresh breath of oxygen instead of smoke. "Let's go!" Havoc said, and he and Hughes got up from the ground and made their way to the roof stairs.

Hughes had his hand covering the little girl's head as they got up the stairs. Havoc had to bash down the door, and landed on the broken door with a thud and some coughing. Hughes grabbed him by the collar and dragged him to the near edge of the roof. "Roy, we need a helicopter...We have found the last person, but the pathway is blocked, over," Hughes said into the radio.

All right. Just hang tight you guys! The helicopter should be above you soon!

Havoc breathed heavily and looked up to the sky, the wind of a helicopter propeller blowing the smoke in all directions, and air into his face. A rope ladder was dropped and Hughes pointed at Havoc. "You go first, I've got to tie this little girl to me. Hurry!" he said, and the blond man got onto the ladder to the center before looking down to see Hughes' hanging near the bottom, the little girl secure to his chest.

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I know, weird ending for the first chapter, but whatever. I like it, so there. - Well, please review if you'd like to. Thankyou. And, I guess as you can tell, Hawkeye, havoc and Hughes are all main characters!