First Responders

10

A/N: Hi Friends, another shorter chapter. I'm sorry. My life is so hectic right now, I'm just trying to roll this out as quickly as I can!


"We REALLY have to stop doing this..." Lucy groaned as Megan dragged her into her bedroom, kicking the door shut behind her.

"Why?" the older woman replied, lips attached to Lane's neck as she shoved her against the door and cupped her breasts. "You've been wanting to break up with him for like two weeks now, Luce!"

Lucy shoved Megan away playfully and then walked her backwards to push her onto the bed and straddle her thighs. "It's not as simple as that and it's not fair to Jimmy." She stripped the older woman of her shirt and bra, leaning down to run her tongue over the newly exposed soft, dark skin.

"Why? It's not like you're married. Hell, your father doesn't even like him," Mores exclaimed. "And since you're here with me right now, I don't think YOU even like him!" The younger woman paused and then got off the bed, leaving Megan in a state of half-undress as she buried her face in her hands and shook her head. The older woman sighed. "Lucy, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that."

But Lane shook her head. "I'm the one who's sorry, Meg. I keep running back to you when things aren't working with Jimmy and it's not fair on you either."

The older woman chuckled softly as she sat up to lean on the mattress on her hands. "It's not like I've said no." She took the younger woman's hand then and tugged her closer. "But there will come a time when you'll have to make a decision. If you don't love him, don't stay with him out of a sense of misplaced loyalty. Even if you don't want to be with me, you shouldn't settle for him."

"I know," Lucy nodded. She caressed Megan's cheek, looking her into her brown eyes. "I do want to be with you," she admitted. "I'm just scared of the future. Scared of what the team will think."

Megan nodded with a smile. "Do you think there's a single member of the team who doesn't suspect we're sleeping together, Honey?"

Lane laughed softly. "No... maybe not." She leaned down and kissed the older woman, then eased her back onto the bed again to lie over her. "You're so beautiful, Megan," she said softly, tracing dark nipples with her fingertips and then ducking her head to suck gently on one.

Mores sighed and then rolled them over to gaze down at her lover. "I... love you... you know?"

Tears welled in Lucy's eyes as she gazed back. "I know," she breathed. "I love you too."

The older woman stroked dark hair back from her lover's forehead to kiss it tenderly. "Stay the night with me?"

And there was no hesitation when Lucy grabbed her phone out of her pocket to text James that she was staying with a friend. Then she dropped the phone onto the floor and smiled as she wrapped her arms around Megan's neck to kiss her again.

Xx

Lucy was pacing back and forth outside the apartment she shared with her boyfriend. She was nervous to talk to him but had already set the scene by sending him a text to ask if they could have a serious talk when she got home. She knew that he knew something was wrong. Something had been wrong for a long time.

With a sigh, she got her keys out and opened the door, stepping quietly into the space to find boxes already packed and two suitcases by the door. "What the..." she muttered, then headed for the bedroom to find James.

"Jimmy," she said softly. The tall man was on his knees, rummaging for something in the closet and he looked back over his shoulder at her.

"I know it's over," he said simply. "It's been over for a while and... there's no point in prolonging the agony, Lucy. I know you've been seeing someone else."

The firefighter nodded and went to sit on the end of the bed. "I'm sorry," she said quietly. "I never meant to hurt you. You're right... and Jimmy you don't have to move out. I was going to go."

"I don't want to live here anymore," James said with a shrug. "Too many memories. I'm going to stay with a friend until I can find somewhere else to live." He sighed then. "And I'm sorry too, Lucy. We should have had this conversation a while ago. I don't think either of us has been happy and it's only fair that I tell you I've been seeing someone else too."

Lucy just nodded again and got up to cross the room and hug him. "Do you want to stay here for tonight and finish packing your stuff? I'll go."

"Is that ok?" James asked.

"Of course," Lucy smiled sadly. "Take your time. Take a few days if you need to. I'll just come back and grab some stuff tomorrow."

The tall man nodded as his ex-girlfriend headed for the door. "I'll text you."

Xx

Captain Jones was sitting at his desk when Winn knocked on the door and stuck his head inside. "Excuse me, Sir. Um... did Lieutenant Danvers call in today?"

Jonn frowned and checked his phones for voicemails or texts. "No, why?"

"Well, it's just that she's not here yet and it's not like her to be late," Winn replied with a worried look.

The captain nodded. "I'll call and check in with her. Thanks for letting me know, Schott."

"Yes, Sir."

Jonn frowned again as he hit Alex's contact and waited. After several rings, it went to voicemail.

"Alex, it's Jonn. Winn just told me that you haven't made it in yet and, for obvious reasons I want to make sure you're ok. Drop me a text or call. Thanks."

He continued brooding as he waited for Alex to contact him but after a while, he picked up his desk phone and called Paul Williams.

"Paul, Jonn Jones, hey... anything more on Alex's case?"

"Actually," the investigator replied. "I'd planned on calling you a little later. Something DID come up that's interesting. Did you know that she worked as a volunteer firefighter while she was in college? Is it possible that something happened BEFORE she joined the NCFD? Something that isn't in the records we have at all?"

Jonn leaned back in his chair, quietly thoughtful. "I think she would have mentioned that but... she's not here yet to ask her. I'll let you know what she says." Jonn's eyes went back to his cell phone, but the screen was still empty.

"Ok," Williams replied. "Talk later."

Jonn set the phone handset back in the cradle and then picked up his cell phone again. He dialed Kara's number and it also went to voicemail. "Kara, Jonn. Call me back, wouljda? Alex hasn't made it into work and I'm worried. Thanks."

There was a gnawing in the pit of his stomach that Jonn didn't like, and he got up to pace slowly across his office. "I could be overreacting," he murmured to himself. "But..."

"ENGINE ONE-TWO-EIGHT, AID CAR ONE-TWO-EIGHT, REPORT OF A FIRE DOWNTOWN..."

Jonn sighed and shook his head. Down Alex and Kara, he said to go to the incident himself, so he ran from his office to join his team in the garage below.

Xx

The drug had been unexpected and when Alex came to and slowly got to her feet, she watched as the intruder herded her groggy girlfriend into a seat at the island. "Good morning, Firefighter Danvers. I don't expect you to remember my name... but do you recognize me?" the woman asked as she slowly skirted the island toward the brunette lieutenant. Her eyes moved between Kara and Alex, watching them carefully.

"Monica Rodriguez," Alex said softly. "Do you think there's any way on Earth I could have forgotten you... or Antonio."

"Forgotten or not, you seem to have moved on just fine," the woman said in an angry snark. Her eyes moved to Kara, who was steadily gazing back at her. "I've had time to look around your apartment while you were both sleeping like babies and you have, unlike me, a happy and plentiful life."

"How about you put the gun down so we can talk," the blonde lieutenant said. "Tell me about Antonio?"

But to her surprise, Alex stepped closer to the Latina, her hands raised. "Antonio was three years old," she said softly. "He was a beautiful little boy. Dark hair and the most soulful brown eyes you'll ever see. He was adventurous, curious and he loved to go to the window to see what was happening outside."

Kara nodded, a soft smile lifting her lips.

Alex started to pace now. "Monica and Antonio lived on the third floor of an older apartment building. It wasn't very well maintained, despite the tenants, including Monica, asking the superintendent to fix things."

Monica swiped her hand across her sweaty forehead but lowered the gun as she nodded. "All the super cared about was sex and when I said no, he refused to fix anything in my apartment."

Alex nodded, still slowly pacing. "September 28th four years ago. The lock on Monica's balcony door was broken and Antonio got outside. The railing width wasn't up to code so, when his little..." Alex's voice broke and her throat bobbed in a hard swallow. "His little body slipped through, and he fell, there was nothing to stop him... except the cardigan he was wearing got snagged and he was hanging, holding on desperately to it so he wouldn't fall any further. Monica tried to pull him up, but she couldn't reach him to get a good enough hold on him."

Monica's face was hard, but tears crept down her face, and Alex moved closer to her. "My unit arrived, and we had a decision to make. Set up the air cushion to catch him if he fell, or someone go up to pull him back up onto the balcony." She shook her head. "We didn't have much time, so we decided to do both. I headed upstairs. I was moving fast because I knew he could fall any second. The rest of the unit was setting up the air cushion below. But the balcony was old... it was..." Alex was breathing heavily, the emotion of the memories taking over. "I stepped onto it and with the weight of both myself and Monica, the... the metal that Antonio's cardigan had snagged on... bent and collapsed. We grabbed for him but his slipped out of the cardigan and fell before the air cushion was fully deployed."

Kara's eyes closed and she nodded. "He didn't make it. I'm so sorry."

But Monica stepped forward angrily, gun raised again. "He survived three minutes, bleeding out on the pavement... BECAUSE OF HER!"

"Hey..." Kara said softly. "Listen, Monica. It was a terrible accident and I hope that superintendent is rotting in prison somewhere... but that's what it was... a terrible accident. Alex was doing her best to save your little boy..."

"But her best wasn't good enough, was it?! She let him die!"

"I didn't want that," the brunette lieutenant said, voice pained. "I wanted to save him, Monica. I just didn't have enough time. And I'm so sorry he died. So, so sorry." Tears welled in Alex's eyes and crept down her face.

Kara shook her head. "Monica, you were there too. You couldn't save him either. It was an impossible situation..."

"SHUT UP!" the Latina yelled. "This is NOT my fault!"

"And I'm not saying it is," the blonde lieutenant soothed. "I'm just saying that it wasn't Alex's fault either."

Alex spoke then. "Look, please, just let Kara go, ok? She's already been hurt, and I don't want her to get hurt again. Just shoot me if you have to but let her go."

"Alex," Kara protested, holding her good hand up as her eyes moved to find something to help them. "You are not going to sacrifice yourself for me."

Monica shook her head. "It's ok. I'm going to kill both of you," she said.

"But... why did you kill my team if it's just me you want revenge against," Alex said. "Why, Monica?"

The woman's eyes narrowed. "What?"

The lieutenant moved closer to her. "My whole team, Monica. All gone bar two. Why did you set that extra accelerant to kill them? You could have just killed me."

Monica shook her head. "I don't know what you're talking about, Danvers."

Alex and Kara exchanged a look and the blonde slowly stood, wincing a little as her slinged arm ached. "Are you saying you didn't set a warehouse fire?"

"No," the woman replied. "I didn't."

"What about the public library?"

"No," the woman said again. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Gunshots in the woods?"

"Yes, that was me."

"Pushing me off the side of a building under construction?"

Monica shook her head again. "Sounds like you're a very unlucky person, Danvers."

"Bomb in the one-two-eight firehouse?"

"I didn't set the bomb, but I was there to take advantage of it."

"What the fuck, Kara?" Alex frowned. "What the hell is going on?"

But the blonde was suddenly grabbing a mug off the island and whirling to smash it into the side of the Latina's head. It shattered and took her down. She dropped the gun as her hand hit the floor and Kara kicked it away from her as Alex dove onto her and knelt on her arms to hold her down as she struggled desperately.

"Stay down," Alex commanded. Then she looked worriedly at her girlfriend. "Get my phone please. We need to call Jonn. I think we have two different unsubs. Monica, who wanted to get revenge on me... and someone else who just wanted to set fires and have them blamed them on Monica. Kara, I think we're dealing with a pyromaniac."

Kara couldn't deny the probability that her lover was right. She nodded and went to grab Alex's cell, then quickly returned to hand it to her, shaking her head. "Jonn's been calling and texting, looking for you."

"I was supposed to be at work at six," she said, looking at the time on the device in her hand. "It's almost eight. She rolled her neck unhappily. "We've been out for ten hours."

Kara grabbed some zip ties from her island drawer and helped Alex to restrain Monica. Then they tied her to the fridge handle while Kara called the police and Alex tried to call Jonn. His phone went to voicemail and the brunette left him a message explaining what had happened and her theory on the potential pyromaniac.

"What if they're out on a call... what if they're in danger?" the blonde said quietly. "Fuck, Alex."

Xx

Firefighter Schott rolled his eyes as Megan and Lucy exchanged another look. "Are you two finally... like... together?"

"What?" Megan said, folding her arms. "Whatever gave you that idea?"

"Oh, come on. I have eyes!" the man exclaimed as he pulled out another hose and started to unroll it. "You've been like little puppy dogs around each other the last few months. Tony and I were talking about it a few days ago."

Lane and Mores exchanged a look and then the younger woman sighed. "James and I broke up. Megan and I are seeing each other."

"I knew it! That's awesome!" Winn grinned. "I'm so happy. I can't wait to tell the others. I mean, can I tell them?""

Megan chuckled softly. "Alright, you can tell them but how about we put out this fire first."

"Got it," Schott laughed as he opened the nut on the hydrant. "WATER!"

At the head of the hose, Brainy flipped the lever and held on tightly as the first burst of water erupted. He pointed the stream at the flames inside the warehouse and then started walking forward, entering the building with Vasquez right behind him. "Which direction, Vas?" he asked, steam lowering the visibility in the large area.

"Go left," Vas replied as she shone her powerful flashlight into the space. Schott and Mores followed them inside with a second hose. "Winn, go right!"

"Wait!" Vasquez suddenly yelled. "What… Oh shit…"

Across the space creeping across the floor toward them was a wave of blue flame and they all looked at each other as they realized what was going on.

"Fuck!" Winn exclaimed. "OUT OUT OUT!" But as they turned to leave, they realized that the blue flame had crept around them, effectively blocking their egress from the building. "Guys! Make sure your masks are tight. Copper chloride flames produce noxious gases!"

"Um… refresh my memory… how hot does a copper chloride fire burn?" Lane said, looking at Brainy.

"Hotter than our turnouts can stand over an extended period of time," Dox replied worriedly.

"We need to get out of here," Vas said, looking around. Visibility was still bad, even with her flashlight and they had a small period before they were completely encircled. "Guys, find a window or another exit!"

"Captain Jones…" Schott said into his radio. "Copper chloride fire rapidly spreading. We're trapped and trying to find another way out. Looks like it was deliberately set."

Outside, Jonn's heart and stomach sank. "Oh fuck. It's a trap."

Xx

"They're out on call," Alex said as she hung up with the firehouse. "Warehouse fire downtown." The police had just left, taking Monica with them and they finally felt like they could breathe again. "Hey, Babe, are you feeling, ok? Maybe we should get you checked out at the E.R.?" she suggested as she watched Kara sit down and rub between her bloodshot, blue eyes.

"No, I'm ok," the blonde replied. Then she wrapped her arm around her girlfriend and pulled her close. "Are YOU ok? That was a lot."

Alex nodded. "I'm ok, really. I know Antonio's death wasn't my fault," she said quietly. "I just… Monica is the last person I would have suspected. I went to Antonio's funeral, and I spoke to her. I just don't get it."

"Grief hits people in different ways," Kara said gently. "She could have been triggered by something and it just ended up being easier to blame you than to deal with it."

"I guess," the brunette lieutenant agreed. Her phone dinged and she picked it up to open a text message. Then she stood up abruptly. "Jesus Christ. Kara, it's a message from Jonn. The team is trapped in a CC blue flame fire."

"We need to get down there," Kara said after a brief moment's thought.

"Yeah," Alex agreed. "We need to do something to help them. Get dressed. I'm not going to lose them too."

Ten minutes later, they were in the car, heading for the warehouse, fear pumping adrenaline through them as they were both filled with a feeling of dread.