UPDATED AGAIN! Thank you to the guest reviewers who pointed out my tenses were a mess and things weren't developed. Hopefully, everything is now fixed. I apologize to anyone who dislikes the posting again for the third time. I am just trying to make this story the best it can be for readers.

Also, for those who believe I said I would quit due to lack of reviews and were trying to manipulate people: I only was expressing how I felt, no manipulation was intended. I'm not even sure I know how to manipulate people. It took me a couple years to figure out 'my friends' were using me and knowing how that felt, I would never wish to do that to anyone. I just tend to speak the truth and when I posted that, I was feeling depressed. I left it up even after I realized by the reactions I got that it wasn't good to post as it explained reviews. I take responsibility for it. I'm still learning about these things and I do appreciate people telling telling me how it effected them, although it did hurt and made me sad since my intentions weren't to gain sympathy or anything.

Sorry for not posting. Not an excuse, but when you have autism, sounds/smells/etc are amplified and since around the holidays, usually starting about Halloween, things go crazy and continue to go crazier till Christmas Day, I say any holiday without a meltdown is a successful one. Mine was lol. I ended up unwrapping my gifts way after everyone, but I MADE IT! I was so excited, I started writing as I got home. Here is my gift to my readers!

As the 'A-Shift' crew began their chores, the Klaxon sounded. Heart racing, Johnny dropped the sheets he'd gathered from the bunks and slid into the squad. Leading the engine out of the station, Roy glanced at Johnny, who appeared to be made out of stone, as he was so still and tense with what Roy assumed was fear.

"You okay?" he asked, his voice just loud enough to be heard above the wail of the siren as he steered the squad through traffic.

"Yeah, think so," John replied truthfully, as he pointed out when to turn left with a slight tremble that was hardly visible. "I'm just hoping it isn't the arsonists again. I mean, you said it's been a couple of weeks since any activities could be traced to them."

Nodding, Roy continued driving the route Johnny laid out for him. Despite the excellent navigation skills and the fact the apartment was less than fifteen miles away, they were the second station to pull up. Jumping out of the squad, the two grabbed their turnout coats, swinging them on as they reached for their SCUBA gear, certain Captain Stanley would have them on search and rescue after checking in with Station 49's Captain.

Within seconds, the paramedics were proven right and told to head inside to help with Station 49's paramedics.

"They have the first through third floors. You take the fourth through six," Hank told them, yelling so he could be heard above the roar of the blaze and keeping pace as they both made their way towards the building. "Make sure you each take a HT. Work your way up. Our guys will back you up. Work fast as you can. We'll send help when Station 93 gets here."

Nodding, Roy and Johnny paused long enough to strap on their face masks before rushing into the building. Once on the fourth floor, Roy took the left side while John went right. Each time an apartment was deemed clear, a large 'X' was marked on the door. Luckily, this fire was not only in a building that typically didn't have families and it was past the time people left for work, so with each apartment discovered empty of people, Roy and Johnny's worry of someone being stuck inside the inferno lessened just a tiny bit. This fire also had no signature marks of the other fires that the arsonist team had set before.

Although intense, with smoke and fire coming from multiple walls, it was nowhere near as bad as it could have been. Yes, their vision was so clouded that both Johnny and Roy had to hunch over, blindly reaching out to feel for any victim. However, for them, it was nothing new. Nor was the intense heat that bubbled up, coating them with sweat within seconds. Or the heart-pounding fear that crept closer to hope just a bit each time another apartment was found empty and the search was nearing completion. The partners were just grateful that with the positive factors on their side, within fifteen minutes, Johnny, Roy, and the other paramedics searching were outside of the building.

Now, it was a simple surround and drown mission. After this, what started the fire would need to be investigated, but the firefighters who'd been inside had already seen the signs of what looked like electrical fires throughout the building.

After ensuring no new fires would spark up, starting a new fire, the Station 51 crew arrived back long after lunchtime that it was close to dinner. Given an hour's downtime to shower and rest, the guys did so quickly. Since Johnny had been first in the shower and the others were either outside or were getting ready to shower, Hank finally had a chance to put his worry to rest.

"Hey, pal," he greeted as he helped Johnny finish up the beds. "How are you doing?"

"Ah, pretty good, now," Johnny admitted, sitting on his half made bunk. "I'll tell ya though, when I heard three stations called out, all I could think of was it was another one of their fires."

"And," Hank sat next to him and nudged him gently with his shoulder to prompt him to keep talking.

"I don't remember ever being that scared, not even when that car hit me a couple of years ago," he whispered, lowering his head down, causing his unruly hair flopping into his face.

"I was shaking a bit too," Cap confessed to his junior paramedic, rubbing his hands together, not looking at him.

Head popping up, Johnny looked at him and saw the truth when Hank turned towards him.

"How do you deal with it? Knowing that people hate you for what you can't do? Or thinking that'll happen again?"

Sighing deeply, Hank thought a moment, "I know having my family helps. I tell my wife what happens and if she doesn't think I'm getting things through my head, she'll slap me silly."

Laughing as he pictured that, Johnny smiled wistfully, "Wish I had that."

"You may not have a wife, but you've got a family. You have everyone here, my family, Roy's family, and I'm pretty sure Marco's mom has adopted you as well. That, son, is a lot of family members."

"True."

"And we really are here anytime."

"Thanks, Cap," Johnny grinned softly, embarrassment clouding his voice.

"It's what I'm here for and make sure if you need to talk, just get a hold of me or Roy, got it?" he glared a bit at John to make sure he knew how serious he was about that order.

"I promise," responded Johnny, touched by how caring so many people were. To lighten the mood, he announced, "I do believe I heard the doorbell. We'd better go find out if there is any food left. You know how fast those guys can eat."

Grimacing at the idea, Captain Stanley followed Johnny quickly into the kitchen while a mere ninety miles away, two men were planning what they considered their biggest blow-out yet.