First Responders
1
"Who's the newbie, Winn?" Lieutenant Zorel asked as she leaned back in her chair and hiked one ankle up on top of her thigh. She hinged forward a little to stretch her glute and then switched sides, deciding that it wouldn't hurt to take some Advil to ease the discomfort of sore muscles caused by the extra weighted squats she'd done earlier in the morning.
"Alex Danvers," Schott replied, as he finished his coffee. "She's a transfer in from the one-one-six."
"Oh..." the blonde said softly. "Damn."
"Yeah," Schott replied, looking down. "I can't imagine what she's been through, Kara."
"Mmmm. For some reason, I always thought Alex Danvers was a guy. Anyway, I'm gonna head down to the locker room and get some Advil. My everything's killing me."
Winn laughed shortly as Kara got up and ambled over to the stairs, bounding down them two at a time and then screeching around the corner to push the locker room door open.
The newbie was standing at a locker with her back to the door, buttoning her uniform shirt and Kara grinned as she came up behind her. "Hey, Danvers, right? Welcome to the one-two-eight." She stuck her hand out as the woman turned but Danvers just looked at it and then looked up at her with closed-off, brown eyes.
"Engineer Alex Danvers," she said, tone stony as she made no effort to shake Kara's hand. She merely turned her back to her again. "And do you always sneak up behind people like that..." She glanced over her shoulder at Kara's name tag. "Zorel."
Kara blinked and then crossed her arms over her chest. "It's Lieutenant Kara Zorel," she said mildly. "And I guess you got out of bed on the wrong side this morning?" There was a slightly teasing edge to her tone.
Danvers finished buttoning her shirt and then sat down to put her boots on. "No, this is my good mood," she replied. "You don't want to see my bad one." She got up then and without another word stalked out of the locker room and away.
"Wow," Kara murmured, pushing an escaped wisp of blonde hair back behind her ear. "Prickly." Then she shook her head and chuckled as she went to her locker to grab her pills.
Strolling back out of the locker room, she walked along the main hallway, passing the open door of Captain Jones' office. "Oh, Kara!" he called as he spotted her. "Come in here, will ya?"
"Morning, Sir," she said as she stepped into the office and closed the door behind her. Danvers was sitting in the guest chair, arms crossed and body language angry. "Danvers."
"Ah," Jones replied as he got up and circled his desk to sit on its edge with his big arms folded across his chest. "You've met."
"Briefly, Sir," Kara said, blue eyes twinkling as they landed on the other woman's scowling face.
Danvers was thirty or so with short dark hair, shaved on one side and pinned back neatly on the other. She was slim but muscular and came in at about two inches shorter than the tall lieutenant.
"You're aware of what happened to the one-one-six?" the captain asked. Kara just nodded. "Alex has transferred in to work here until a more permanent decision is made about that house."
A disgusted tut sounded from Alex's direction and she quickly got up from her chair. "With all due respect, Sir, I'd rather be with my own team, not stuck here alone where..."
"You're not alone," Kara interjected softly. Alex stopped in surprise as her head whipped around. "You're with family and we get it."
Jones nodded as he straightened. "Alex, I'm going to have you shadow Kara, just until you get used to how things work around here. She's the best firefighter in this house."
"Sir," Kara chuckled, shaking her head. "The team makes me look good." She looked at Alex then. "How about we start with getting some coffee while I go over some stuff with you?"
The brunette was still scowling but she reluctantly nodded and stuck her hands in her pockets. "Fine." Then her scowl deepened as the tall blonde beamed at her.
"Excellent! If that's all, Sir?"
"Dismissed," Captain Jones replied, and he rounded his desk to take his seat, chuckling softly to himself as his lieutenant led Alex out the door, talking a mile a minute as the brunette just rolled her eyes.
Xx
"Your reputation wasn't wrong," Alex said as they climbed the stairs to the kitchen and dining area of the station house.
Blonde eyebrows hiked. "Oh? What do you mean?" Kara asked. "I wasn't aware that I HAD a reputation."
"People call you Sunny Zorel because you're always in a good mood. It's annoying."
"Oh…" Kara frowned and shoved her hands in her pockets.
Alex sighed, not wanting to be the one to take away the sunny smile, despite her bad mood. "It's not that annoying," she allowed.
"And you're maybe not as grumpy as I thought you were."
"Yes, I am," the brunette replied, although the tiniest hint of a smile lifted the corner of her lips. They stopped in front of the coffee machine and Alex grabbed two cups. "Fancy," she muttered as she looked at all the buttons and settings.
"Yeah, Jonn likes his coffee so he didn't balk when we asked for this to be installed.," Kara chuckled.
"Pays to be on the posh side of town, I guess," the brunette said mildly. "We just had a pot."
"It was part of the retrofit last year," the lieutenant explained. "I know the one-one-six is up for retrofit this coming year."
"If there's a one-one-six in the future," Alex said quietly.
Kara rested her hand on the older woman's shoulder. "I know this is hard, Alex…"
But the brunette shrugged her off. "Until you can tell me, and I hope you never can, that you lost almost your entire team in a fire, you'll never know what HARD means, Lieutenant Zorel."
Kara nodded. "I may not have been through what you have, but I know what loss feels like. I became a firefighter because I lost my parents in a house fire when I was thirteen. I got out, they didn't, and I heard them screaming as the flames engulfed them. I'll never forget that."
"I'm sorry," Alex said softly, leaning back against the countertop with her arms folded. "I had no idea."
"I may be the one person here who truly understands how you're feeling." Kara turned the coffee maker on and looked at the brunette. "Latte?"
"Please," Alex replied and a few moments later, they were taking seats at the large table. "What happened after your parents died?"
"I lived with my aunt and, after high school, went to the Fire Academy," Kara replied. "I've been a firefighter for twelve years now. How about you?"
"I went to the academy after college," Alex said. "Been ten years on the job."
"I've heard good things about you, Alex," the blonde commented. "I'm looking forward to working together. Now, let me run through a few things with you."
Over the next hour, Kara went through everything she could think of that might have been different than what Alex was used to.
"You take turns cooking for everyone?" the brunette asked incredulously.
"Um…" Kara looked down sheepishly. "I was taken out of the rotation after I almost burned the house down. We were sent out on a job, and I forgot to turn the oven off. I ended up paying for Big Belly Burger for everyone that day." She lifted her eyebrows as Alex sniggered. "Ok, Firefighter Judgy. I'm looking forward to tasting YOUR cooking."
Alex actually did laugh this time and Kara smiled as a twinkle developed in the previously closed-off brown orbs. "I won't poison you, promise."
"You'd better not 'cause that would just be embarrassing for you," the lieutenant deadpanned. Then she tapped her fingertips on the table. "Let me show you the engines and aid car."
"I was trained in the Fast Response Vehicle Program," the brunette said. "So use me."
"Great," Kara replied, impressed. That training meant that Alex was part of a Tactical EMS unit that could medically clear patients for transport to mental health institutions and sobering centers rather than just transporting them to the emergency room. Her experience would be invaluable. They toured the vehicles and then Kara helped Alex to go through her gear to make sure she had everything she needed. "So, when we're out there, stay with me, ok? During a call, Captain Jones will let me give the orders inside the building, while he runs things outside. I'm pretty laid back and I love getting suggestions but, once I make a decision, I expect my orders to be followed."
Yes, Ma'am," Alex nodded. "Understood."
"Cool," Kara replied. "Now, ready to meet the team?" She watched as Alex's brown eyes cooled and closed off again. "They're really great," she soothed. "They'll give you a warm welcome, I promise."
The brunette just nodded. "Ok."
Alex followed the lieutenant out into the vehicle bay and waited with her arms folded.
"One-two-eight," Kara yelled. "Front and center. Move it!" One by one, the team appeared, forming two lines facing each other, between the ladder engine and aid car. "Good morning, team," she went on. "I'd like to introduce Firefighter Engineer Alex Danvers, temporarily assigned to us from the one-one-six. Alex is FRV certified and, with ten years' experience, she's going to be an invaluable asset to this team." Six pairs of eyeballs swiveled in Alex's direction, and she straightened a little to let her eyes lock with each person in turn. "Danvers, meet Firefighter Paramedics Sue Vasquez and Jack Johnson… Engineers Winn Schott and Querl 'Brainy' Dox… and Apparatus Operators Megan Mores and Lucy Lane." Each of the firefighters nodded in turn and Alex nodded back. Then Kara cleared her throat softly. "Let's make sure Alex knows she's supported here and let's help her feel like she's part of the family."
"Yes, Lieutenant," the team replied in unison.
"Ok, fall out."
Vasquez immediately sidled up to Alex. "The guys are idiots. Stick with the girls," she winked.
"Hey, I heard that!" Winn complained.
"I think you were meant to," Alex added, making Kara snort a laugh.
Vasquez hooked her arm around the man's neck and rubbed her knuckles rapidly through his hair. "We love you really."
"Owww… stop!" Winn whined.
Alex rolled her eyes. "So manly," she teased, and Kara's smile broadened. This was going better than she'd imagined. Their new addition seemed to be already fitting in and she was glad. From what she'd heard, Alex Danvers was a good person and she wanted her to be ok… if not happy.
Xx
It was lunch time before the first alarm went off.
"ENGINE ONE-TWENTY-EIGHT, AID CAR ONE-TWENTY-EIGHT. FIRE REPORTED AT ONE SIXTEEN MAGNOLIA CRESCENT."
Alex was first to make it to the vehicles and into her gear and Kara grinned at her as she got into her own gear and climbed into the engine. "Winn, you're driving!" Captain Jones yelled as he got in and a moment later, the truck was starting up and the rest of the team were hopping in. Vasquez and Johnson climbed into the aid car and started it up and then the two vehicles pulled out of their bays onto the street, sirens blaring.
"What's the deal, Captain?" Winn asked through his microphone from the driver's seat.
"House fire called in by a neighbor," Jonn replied. "Won't know more until we get there."
"ETA five minutes," Kara said, glancing at the GPS. "Alex, stay on my ass, ok?"
"Stay on your ass. Yes, Ma'am," the brunette replied with a little smile. For some reason, it made Kara blush a tad and she looked away as Alex's smile broadened.
The engine pulled up as Johnson and Vasquez were opening the rear of the aid car to get a gurney and their medical gear bags ready. The firefighters all hopped out and went to work.
"Danvers, Zorel, get the main hose connected to the hydrant," Jonn yelled as he went to take in the scene. The house was a single-story family home, and it was completely engulfed in flames. Jonn already knew it was a lost cause when a man ran to him to grab his arm.
"You have to save our home," he said frantically.
"Is everyone out?" the big man asked gently. "Is anyone hurt?"
"No," the man replied. "We all got out. It was my mother. She has Alzheimer's. She left something on the stove, and we didn't know. By the time we realized, the whole kitchen was…" He burst into tears and Jonn beckoned to Vasquez.
"Let's get this gentleman evaluated for a sedative."
"Yes, Sir." The Latina gently took the man's arm and led him away. "Let's get you some oxygen, Sir." His family joined him at the aid car and Johnson checked them over too.
Meanwhile, Alex and Kara were looking around for the hydrant. "Where the hell…?" Alex crossed the street and scowled as she saw the hydrant behind a parked car. "Fuck," she muttered. "Lieutenant! Permission to teach some idiots a lesson!"
Kara jogged to meet her and rolled her eyes. "Go for it."
Without a moment's hesitation, Alex used the hose's metal end to smash the driver's side window, fed it through the car to drop it in the passenger seat and then walked around the car to smash the other window with her pentagonal hydrant tool. She picked up the hose, opened the hydrant and connected the hose to it. "WATER!" she yelled and then turned the nut to start the flow. The hose immediately stiffened and, at its nozzle, Dox opened it up to begin drenching the house. The fire had spread to the trees in the yard and even one in the next yard over, so Lane used another hose connected to the engine's water supply to quickly put those out.
Alex was keeping an eye on the hydrant when a man suddenly appeared out of a house and ran toward her. "Hey!" he yelled. "What the fuck?! That's my car, Bitch!" He skidded to a stop, hand running through his hair. "It's only a month old!"
The brunette straightened as she looked at Kara, whose eyebrows were raised. "Did he just call me a bitch, Lieutenant Zorel?"
"That's what I heard, Engineer Danvers."
Alex took a deep breath. "Sir," she said. "It's illegal to park in front of a fire hydrant. You're lucky I just broke your windows and didn't call the police. The fine is more expensive than getting a couple of windows fixed, believe me."
The man sneered at her. "Fuck you, Bitch," he said, moving toward her menacingly.
"Oh no…" Kara said, holding up a hand. "Oh HELL no." She pulled out her radio and keyed her mic. "Dispatch, this is Lieutenant Zorel with the one-two-eight. I need a police unit at my location please."
Captain Jones had heard the call and when he spotted his firefighters' situation, he quickly crossed the street to them. "Lieutenant Zorel," he said. "What seems to be the problem?"
"Just a case of the ignorantz and stupidz, Sir," Kara replied as the man backed off. Jonn was half a foot taller than he was. "This gentleman took exception to us using the hydrant and was threatening toward Engineer Danvers."
Looking back over his shoulder, the captain saw that Dox and Mores were at the front door of the house, drenching the inside. "Ok," he said. "Let the police handle it. He's not going anywhere with a hose through his car. Zorel, Danvers, I need you inside the house pulling down the ceilings."
"Yes, Sir," the two women replied and with an eyeroll at the man, Alex followed Kara toward the almost extinguished house. Slipping oxygen masks on, they made their way inside. It was smoky and visibility was low, but the fire was mostly out. They moved through the house poking holes and pulling down sections of ceiling to make sure the attic space was clear too.
"Thanks for having my back, back there," Alex said, as she ducked under a fallen ceiling joist.
"Of course," Kara replied as she stomped out a piece of smoldering wallpaper. She used her pike pole to tear down a piece of drywall where the paint was bubbling. Behind it was active flame so she used the extinguisher Alex handed her to put it out. "This is really bad," she said quietly, and the brunette nodded. "I don't see this as salvageable at all. They're going to have to tear everything down and rebuild."
"Can I ask you something?" Alex asked after a moment of quiet.
"Sure," Kara shrugged. "Ask away."
"Is it… is it hard for you to be in places like this? Homes that have been burned down?"
The lieutenant thought about that for a moment. "I think… I've had enough exposure and experience now to where I don't let those feelings overwhelm me… but I'd be lying if I said it didn't make me think about that night."
The brunette nodded. "I… I have dreams," she said softly. "Nightmares really."
Kara nodded as she poked more holes in the ceiling and walls. "Do you want to tell me about them, Alex?" she asked.
"Maybe over a bottle of something," Alex replied. "Doing anything when we get off?"
"Actually, I have plans with my boyfriend," the blonde replied. "He's been travelling for business, so I haven't seen him in a while."
"Ah," the older woman said. "Maybe some other time then."
"Yeah," Kara agreed. "I'd like that." Their eyes met and held, and they smiled at each other. Then Kara startled slightly as Jonn's voice came through the radio.
"Lieutenant Zorel, are we clear?"
Kara keyed her mic. "Give us a few more minutes, Sir. I'm not comfortable with calling it yet."
"Good call," Alex added. "Look up."
"Whoah!" Kara said as flames suddenly dashed across the ceiling. "What the hell?"
"I don't think the insulation is up to code," the older woman pointed out. "It seems to be reigniting."
The lieutenant nodded and keyed her mic again. "Captain, I need a hose in here. There's still some active burning."
"Acknowledged," Jones replied and a moment later, Dox and Mores brought the hose back to the door and began spraying again, drenching Alex and Kara and making them dodge out of the way.
"Jeez, Guys," Kara laughed but Alex fully embraced it and just shook herself off like a dog. "Woof!" the blonde added and earned another eyeroll from her teammate, this time, good-natured.
Thirty minutes later, they were exiting the house and pulling off their oxygen masks to get some cool air. The man whose car they'd damaged was having a ticket written and the other firefighters were packing up and disconnecting the hose. The homeowners were upset but glad no one got hurt and Kara heard something about the mother having to move into a care facility. She felt sad but understood when Jonn explained that it was the elderly woman who'd caused the fire.
Xx
"Is it always like this?" Alex asked as she climbed into the single bed next to Kara's.
"Like what?" the blonde asked as a couple of the other firefighters filed in.
"This quiet. Only one call all day?"
"Sometimes," the lieutenant shrugged. She crossed her arms behind her head and let out a sigh. "The fewer the better, I guess. Means people aren't getting hurt."
Lane got into the bed on the other side of Kara and turned on her side to gaze at the lieutenant. "Mike's home tomorrow, right?"
"Right," Kara smiled. "I got us courtside tickets for the Sharks as a surprise."
"Sweet," Lucy chuckled. "I wish James would do that for me."
"James doesn't deserve you," Kara pointed out with a chuckle.
"I know… but I love him." Lucy reached over and poked Kara's shoulder. "What about you? You and Mike have been together a couple of years now. Will we be hearing wedding bells any time soon?"
The blonde laughed and shook her head. "I'm not sure Mike is the marrying type. He changes the subject when I try to bring it up."
Winn snorted from his bed. "And you were saying that James doesn't deserve Lucy. Mike doesn't deserve you, Kara."
Alex listened with interest as they teased each other.
"HA!" Kara exclaimed. "What about Tony? He doesn't deserve YOU, Winn."
"Touché," the man nodded. Then his eyes turned to Alex. "What about you, Newbie? Got a significant other?"
Alex shook her head. "No… I… no." She left it at that, and the others seemed to recognize that she wanted to keep the information to herself, so they just went back to teasing each other.
After the room had quietened down, Lucy flipped over. "God, I hate sleeping in my bra. The girls want to be free!"
Another round of laughter circled the room and Alex chuckled softly as she turned onto her side and looked at Kara's profile in the dim light. The lieutenant was beautiful and those blue eyes… The firefighter found herself wondering what she looked like under her clothes, but she quickly dismissed those thoughts. Kara was straight so she knew she'd never get to find out. She closed her eyes and relaxed then, letting Winn's soft snores lull her to sleep.
"ENGINE ONE-TWENTY-EIGHT, AID CAR ONE-TWENTY-EIGHT. REPORT OF A PILEUP ON THE ONE-OH-FOUR."
Alex and Kara were the first out of bed and the brunette saw the lieutenant scowl at her for the first time as the lights came up and partially blinded them. "You jinxed us," Kara accused.
"I don't believe in jinxes," Alex grinned back.
"See if you're saying that after you've had no sleep." But Kara was smiling now, and Alex realized that she really liked when Kara smiled.
The pileup was bad, and the one-two-eight wasn't the first unit on scene. The situation commander gave Captain Jones orders, which he filtered down to Lieutenant Zorel and team. They began walking through the scene, shining flashlights to check each car for injured people, and Dox stopped as he came upon a family trapped inside their SUV. The front of the car was underneath a jackknifed tractor trailer.
"Lieutenant!" he yelled, waving his light to catch Kara's attention. She and Alex ran to him.
"Whatcha got, Brainy?" the blonde asked.
"Two adults and two children trapped inside," the man said, shaking his head. "It's hard to see but I think the adults are hurt but the kids seem ok for now. Can't see too much more detail because of the airbags."
Kara nodded and pulled on the door handles. The doors wouldn't open. "Alex, let the air out of the tires to take the pressure off the roof. Do it slowly to make sure it doesn't cave in. Brainy, get the jaws. We're gonna have to pry these open. And be careful, the engine is still running."
"Got it, Lieutenant," Dox replied and Alex nodded as she pulled out her small crowbar from her gear belt.
"Tires deflating," she warned and speared the tool into each tire one by one. The roof of the car remained intact, and Kara was able to shimmy herself onto the hood to shine her flashlight through the windshield. She smiled as two pairs of frightened eyes looked back.
"Hi, I'm Kara. I'm a firefighter. Alex, Brainy and I are going to get you out of here, ok?" Two heads nodded in reply. "Good. Ok, it's going to get a bit loud in a minute. We're bringing in a machine to help get the doors open. Sir, can you turn the engine off please?" The man blinked at her. "Sir? Can you hear me?" He nodded. "Ok… good. Can you turn the engine off?" He nodded again and his hand slowly lifted to push the button. "Great job," Kara smiled. "I'll be right back, ok?"
Alex was waiting for her as she shimmied back out from under the trailer. "Are they ok?"
"Definitely in shock," the lieutenant replied. "It's a little smoky inside too but I can see the door locks are disengaged already, even though the doors won't open. Where are the jaws? We need to see the state of the kids."
"I could break the side window," the brunette suggested. "The side curtain airbags would protect them from the glass."
"Yeah, do it," Kara ordered, and Alex nodded before getting another tool out of her belt. Kara went back to the front of the car.
"Hey, Kids?" she called. "We need to break the side window so we can see how you're doing. Cover your eyes, ok?" She saw the kids do as they were asked and then raised her voice. "Alex, three, two, one."
The firefighter shattered the window and pulled the pieces of safety glass out carefully. Then she lifted the air bag and leaned in through the frame, smiling at the little girl who was looking back at her. "Hi. I'm Alex. I'm a firefighter. What's your name?" The little girl was shivering, and Alex was concerned. "I need some foil blankets please," she said, and Kara quietly relayed the request through her radio.
"Ashley," the child said, voice quivering. "And this is my brother, Peter."
"Are they ok?" the woman said from the front seat. "Please? Just get them out?"
"We're going to get you all out," Kara said gently.
Vasquez and Johnson arrived with the medical supplies and Alex backed out of the window to let them look at the kids and put the foil over them.
"Ready with the jaws," Brainy said. "We're going to need about…"
Kara chuckled as she held up her hand. "I don't need the pounds of pressure per square inch, Brainy. Let's just get everyone out."
"Yes, Ma'am," the man replied and then shoved the jaws into the door to separate it from its frame. It took a few minutes but finally both the front and rear doors were open.
Kara crouched next to the woman, using her flashlight to look into the car as Brainy set up a couple of portable flood lights. She couldn't see any blood, which was always good, but it looked like the dashboard and steering wheel were pinning both adults inside. "My team is taking care of the kids," she said gently. "But I need to know how you guys are doing. Any pain?"
Alex had come up next to the lieutenant and got onto her hands and knees to shine her light on the couple's legs.
"I can't move my legs," the woman said. "But other than the pressing of the dashboard, I don't feel any pain." She looked at her husband. "John? How are you doing?"
John didn't say anything, and Alex slowly leaned across the woman to put her hand on his calf. It was stone cold and when she looked up at him, she realized he knew that something was very wrong. "Lieutenant," she said. "We need to get John out. His circulation is compromised."
Kara nodded her understanding, and she crooked a finger at Brainy. "We need to pry the dash up. Be very careful, ok?" Then she looked at Vasquez who had just let Johnson take the two kids to the nearest empty ambulance. We're going to have to get them out quickly so let's get the collars on them now."
"Got it," Susan nodded, grabbed two collars from her gear bag and threw then into the back of the car. Then she climbed in and carefully velcro'd them into place around the two adults' necks. "Done," she said.
"Brainy," Kara said. "Get ready." She looked at the woman then. "What's your name?"
"Joanne," she replied.
"Joanne," the lieutenant said. "We're going to use the jaws to remove the dash and we're going to get you out onto a backboard, ok? Then we're going to get John out right after." She looked at Brainy. "Go."
Moments later, the dashboard and steering wheel were lifted, and John winced in pain as the blood began to flow back into his legs. "Oh God, that hurts," he moaned as sudden pins and needles made it impossible for him to stay still.
"Try not to move, John," Alex said as she helped Vasquez lift Joanne from the car and onto a backboard. Kara got into the passenger seat then and undid the man's seatbelt.
"Thank you, Kara," he said quietly. "Thank you so much." And then he passed out.
"John?" the lieutenant said loudly. "John, can you hear me?" She felt for a pulse and, to her relief, found one. Then she leaned down and lifted his pants legs. His legs were turning purple. "Shit," she said as Alex came back and crouched next to her. "I think he has compartment syndrome."
"Not much we can do about that here," the older woman replied. "We need to get him to the hospital so they can get him into surgery right away. Otherwise, he'll lose those legs."
"Right," Kara said. "Then she keyed her mic. "Vas, Johnson, I need one of you back here right now with a backboard. Our victim needs to get to the ER." Then she switched channels. "Dispatch, this is Lieutenant Zorel with the one-two-eight. I have a male car wreck victim with suspected compartment syndrome of both legs. Please have the ER at NC General standing by to receive him. ETA fifteen minutes."
By now, Alex was helping Johnson get John out of the car and onto the backboard. They loaded him into an ambulance, and it sped away, lights and sirens blaring. Kara leaned back against the SUV then and sighed, rubbing her hand over her face. "One down," she said.
"Several more to go," Brainy added.
"Yeah," the lieutenant nodded. "Let's get back to work."
The team continued walking through the vehicles until they finally got to the cars that were just stopped behind the wreck. "I think we might be done," Alex said, and Kara nodded as she flashed her lights into a couple more cars, but then she stopped and brought her light to the last car again.
"Mike?" she said in confusion. She walked around to the driver's window and tapped on it. It lowered and Kara came face to face with her boyfriend… the one that wasn't supposed to be home until the next day. Then she realized he wasn't alone in the car. "Mike? What are you doing here?"
The man swallowed. "Stuck behind a wreck apparently," he said quietly. "Hi, Kara."
Kara shone her flashlight on the other occupant of the vehicle. "And who's this?"
"This is um…"
The woman leaned forward in the seat, shielding her eyes from the flashlight's beam. "I'm Mike's girlfriend, Tiffany. Who are you?"
Alex closed her eyes and slowly shook her head.
The lieutenant was almost too shocked to speak. Then she simply looked at Mike, aware of her teammates around her. "We're done," she said and then walked away.
Alex debated what to do for a second, but the decision was simple, and she went after the lieutenant, catching up to her and walking beside her. "I hope his dick rots off," she said, and Kara laughed a little through her tears.
"Deep down, I think I knew," she sniffled. "He wouldn't even think about moving in together. Now I know why."
"Kara…" the brunette said.
"I'm ok," the lieutenant replied. "Let's just get back to work."
So, the brunette just let it go for now. It looked like they'd BOTH need that bottle of something in the near future.
