"What! Cridlington is in hospital!?" Station Officer Steele interrogates.
"Yes, sir. He slipped on some ice and broke his ankle." Sam replies, quietly. Norman, Sarah and James are all huddled round the kitchen table with Dilys and Penny, whilst Sam and Station Officer Steele are in the latter's office.
"This is serious, Fireman Sam. We can't have our firefighters get incapacitated left, right and centre!"
"He can't help it, sir. He'll be out of action for a while." Sam admits sadly.
"Well, in that case, I'll see if Auxiliary Fireman Evans is up to doing his auxiliary duties." The station officer decides, grimly.
...
"Poor Elvis..." Sarah says sadly. "He doesn't deserve to be stuck in hospital."
"I agree," James put in. "He'll be stuck with a broken leg until after New Year."
"Well, it's his fault for not watching where he's going!" Norman interrupts; earning him shocked glances and gasps from everyone else present.
"Norman Price, you better not let me hear you say something like that again!" Dilys interrupts. "Ice is a nuisance! It ruined our house and my shop, for one thing! And poor Trevor cannot drive his bus until it is mended!"
"Yeah- that was horrid, Norman." James admits to his best friend.
"Well, I"-
"Not another word out of you, Norman!" Dilys announces sternly, her hands welded on her hips.
Norman just nods, ashamed.
...
A few days after, Penny jumps out of Neptune and hurries round to the passenger side to open the door and help her passenger out.
"No- Penny, I've got it..."
"Are you sure, Elvis?"
Elvis ignores her and limps onward towards the fire station of Pontypandy. His mood had gotten worse at the hospital and now the thoughts of him being useless and his new feelings towards Sam have on his mind more than ever.
...
"Cridlington! You should be at home, resting!" Station Officer Steele admonishes, on seeing his youngest fireman hobble in on crutches.
"Well, I...I know sir, I just..."
Oh dear- you'll be needing help, boyo!" Trevor exclaims in shock, his eyes going wide as he takes in Elvis' plaster cast.
"No, Trevor, just leave me alone, please!" And he hobbles away again, much to the shock of everybody else.
"Oh dear," The bus driver mutters sadly, looking at where his friend had once been.
...
Elvis wishes he hadn't run away. He just didn't know what to do- he hadn't told anyone about his feelings yet, and his heart was aching very, very badly.
"Elvis?"
Elvis turns to see Trevor standing there, with a kind and sympathetic expression. "Is something bothering you, Elvis? You're not normally like this- running off and being so..."
"Negative? I'm sorry, Trevor. I'm just feeling really down right now..."
"Well would you like to talk to me?" Trevor offers, patting Elvis' shoulder in a benevolent gesture. "I'll put the kettle on."
So once Trevor has brewed some tea, poured it and gave a cup to Elvis, the younger fireman nods in gratitude, before speaking.
"Well, there's to things bothering me, Trevor. One, I...I've been feeling as though I'm not much use to anyone."
"Do you know why?"
"Yes- whenever Sam, Penny and I go out to perform rescues, I feel it's always them that make any actual contribution to the job, and I'm just there to do menial things..."
"Hmm, yes. I'm sorry to hear that, Elvis. It is something painful to deal with, but there will come a time when you will be needed for an actual rescue, and the one thing I've always admired about you is that you're unwaveringly loyal to the Pontypandy Fire Service. That is appreciated."
Elvis sniffs a little on hearing this. "Really?"
"Of course," Smiles the bus driver/auxiliary fireman. "Just remember, even when it doesn't seem like it, we always need you here, Elvis. Besides," He adds with a grin. "Who else is meant to keep the rest of us from going without lunch?"
Of course, Trevor knows that Elvis is not a great cook, but he knew that Elvis did enjoy his cooking, and was unwilling to spoil that for him.
The comment makes Elvis laugh a little. "You're right Trevor. Thanks- I needed that."
"No problem boyo." But although his friend is looking a bit brighter now, Trevor remembers that the young fireman had said there were two things bothering him, and Elvis still looked a bit tense with anxiety.
"Is there anything else you'd like to add?" He probes gently, making Elvis jump and spill his tea on the table.
"Oops... sorry Trev."
Trevor sighs, but he sees Elvis attempt to head for the sink for a cloth. "Here, let me, Elvis- you stay where you are." He says firmly, and he briskly walks to the sink, grabs an old rag Elvis used to clean the dishes, walks back and wipes the liquid catastrophe.
"Thanks again," Elvis says somewhat awkwardly. "The other problem is, Trevor...I...I'm in love."
"Well, that's good Elvis." Trevor says, but on seeing his young companion blinking away tears of fear from his eyes, he regrets his choice of words.
"I guess it is, Trev. But there's one problem- well, two. I'm in love...with Sam."