Stu quickly radioed out of the building.
"Squad 55 to Lieutenant 55, we're going to need another line in here. We have heavy fire on the 4th floor rear." He said
"Okay Squad 55, sending it your way." Walsh radioed back
Stu and Mac were searching the top floor of a vacant storage building that had somehow caught fire. They were checking to be sure that there were no victims trapped inside. Soon Stu felt the floor get soft.
"Back out, can't go any further." He said
"Okay." Mac replied and they began to make their way out
"Squad 55 to Lieutenant 55 advise any units on the 3rd floor rear to back out immediately. Have a possible cave in situation." Stu radioed
"10-4 Squad 55. All units on the 3rd floor acknowledge." Walsh radioed back
"Ladder 100 copies." One of the guys replied
Walsh stood amid the falling snow looking up at the bright orange glow coming from the building. Other units were slowly arriving on scene to assist in the fire ground operations. Grace pulled Adam 55-3 to a halt and Taylor looked out the window.
"Miss it?" Grace asked
"Not on days like today. But yeah, I miss it a little." Taylor replied, "It was hard to give it up but I had to take the best interest of my kids into consideration."
"Yeah, too many chances of both of you getting hurt." Grace
"More like too much extra weight after having kids. Being 33 is starting to feel like I'm 40!" Taylor laughed
"Yeah I'm not looking forward to leaving the 20s." Grace replied
"You have a birthday in a few weeks don't you?" Taylor asked
"Yeah and I'm not looking forward to it." Grace responded
"Well look at it this way, you're not 30 yet." Taylor laughed
Walsh surveyed the scene and listened to the radio. The search teams were reporting the building clear of any occupants. Now attention could be paid to containing and extinguishing the fire. He looked over towards the medic unit and smiled. Then he returned his gaze to the orange glow before him.
Taylor looked around the scene to see what units were there. The radio beeped.
"Adam 55-3 respond for an MVC with injuries Amsterdam and 109." The dispatcher said
Taylor and Grace looked at each other as Taylor picked up the mic.
"Central Adam 55-3 is committed to the fire ground on Glendale. Have Boy 55-3 handle the MVC." Taylor replied
"Adam 55-3, Boy 55-3 was involved." The dispatcher said
Taylor looked at Grace.
"Damn it!" Taylor said as she paused to key up the mic, "Adam 55-3 Amsterdam and 109."
Grace turned the medic unit around and hit the sirens to respond.
"Don't be mad." Grace said
"Oh, I'm not mad. I'm going to kill whichever the two of them was driving." Taylor replied
"You don't know if it was their fault." Grace reminded her
"It's Carlos and Levine…" Taylor paused
"Good point." Grace laughed
They arrived on scene to find the front end of Boy 55-3 badly mangled and both medics still inside.
"That doesn't look good." Grace said as she put the bus in park
Finney and Davis were attempting to get the doors open.
"No use." Finney said
"Yo, Carlos. Talk to me buddy." Davis called out
Taylor and Grace took the backboard and bags over to the damaged bus.
"What the hell happened?" Taylor asked
"Witnesses say that they were coming through the intersection when the van over there came out of no where and just plowed into them." Davis replied
Taylor looked at the van.
"The driver was DOA." Davis added
"Taylor, I got the back doors open. I'm going to go through and check them." Grace said
Taylor nodded as she attempted to get in the driver's side door.
Levine lifted her head a little.
"Don't move." Taylor yelled
"What happened?" Levine asked
Grace slid through the back and almost startled Levine.
"You were in an accident." Grace said, "Don't move."
"How are they?" Taylor asked through the window
"I'm not sure yet." Grace said as she leaned in to check Carlos
"There's a Squad on its way." Taylor said
"Good." Grace said, "Carlos is breathing shallow."
"Damn it!" Taylor yelled
There obviously wasn't enough room for both her and Grace inside the mangled medic unit and she was frustrated that she could get the door open. Squad 4 pulled onto the scene and began to attempt extrication. Another medic unit also arrived on the scene.
"We need to get him out of there fast." Taylor said as she watched Grace struggle to bag Carlos
"Sure thing." The Lieutenant replied as he directed his men to work
Within a few moments they had the door popped and they were back boarding Carlos.
"You hang in there." Taylor said as she began to do a full assessment.
Grace was still inside the bus holding C-spine on Levine, who was going into shock.
Taylor instructed the second medic unit. "I need one of you to drive me, the other stay and help Grace."
Both medics nodded and did as they were told.
"You stay with her Grace! I'll see you at Mercy." Taylor said
Soon the extrication of Levine was complete and she was in the back of the other medic unit.
"Okay I want a set of vitals while I do an assessment" Grace said
Levine was screaming in pain.
"I know Holly, I know. I'm going to give your morphine." Grace said
"No, I don't want any medicine." Levine tried to argue
Grace began to check Levine's legs. When she ran her hands down Levine's right thigh, Holly let out a blood-curdling scream.
"She's got a broken femur." Grace said. "Holly, I HAVE to give you something for the pain."
Levine was still screaming as Grace started the IV.
"Let's go!" She told the other medic
Walsh was surveying the scene and listening to reports coming in from the interior. He was carefully watching the smoke patterns and characteristics of the fire. It was a monster that was hungry, but not on his watch.
Within a couple hours fire department operations were complete and the Fire Marshall was working to determine what started the fire to begin with.
Walsh checked his cell phone.
"Hmmmm… 2 messages." He said as he dialed his voicemail.
"Hey honey it's me. We had to leave the fire ground to respond to an MVC involving Carlos and Levine. Carlos collapsed a lung, Levine broke a femur. Both of them will be okay in a few weeks. Love you."
He scratched his head. He hadn't even noticed that they had left with so much going on around the fire ground.
He checked the second message.
"Hey honey, it's me again. Just letting you know that I put the medic units out of service and I'll be home late because of the paperwork. Love you and see you when I get home."
It was already nearing midnight. It didn't even seem that late. The Squad got back to the house and the guys got cleaned up, showered and then headed out.
Walsh pulled up in front of their house. He walked up the walk and in the door. His footprints in the freshly fallen snow were quickly covered up. He turned on the news and saw footage of both the fire and the ambulance crash. He left the kitchen light on and went upstairs to bed. There would be no school in the morning- that was already announced, so he left the kids at Beth's house. It was well after 2 AM when Taylor finally got home. She tried to quietly go to bed, but he was waiting for her.
"Hey, everything taken care of?" He asked
"Yeah. I got everything taken care of." Taylor replied as she slipped her clothes off and reached for the baggy FDNY shirt and sweats she always wore to bed.
Walsh stopped her.
"We have the house all to ourselves." He smiled as he pulled her down into the bed.
"So we do." Taylor smiled as Walsh's hands caressed her body.
"I love you." He whispered just before he kissed her neck and then slowly began making his way down her body.
"I love you too." She replied