AN: Written for my friend, who kicks just as much ass as Silvie, if not more! Severide's Girl, I am honoured to call you a friend :)
Disclaimer: I do not own the Chicago fire; either Dick Wolf or NBC does...
It was one of the crisp, clear January mornings, and so when an ambo rolled up the apron of Firehouse 51, Joe Cruz had to get up and open the doors to the apparatus floor only to shake his head. "Lieutenant; why would 99 roll up our house? Anything happened to our ambo?"
Severide looked up from the fire report he was reading and shook his head. "Nothing, nothing other than the first watch leaving the tank nearly empty again. Brett and Foster took it to the motor pool to fill the tank" he got up and looked out where two paramedics got out of their ambo and headed up to the firehouse. He recognised the PIC and called at him, "What is this, Anderson? Forgot your house? Well, come in, don't waste the heat!"
The two paramedics laughed and made it to the apparatus floor. The PIC nodded at Severide and explained, "Nah, Lieutenant, we are on the way from Med back to our house, but my greenhorn asked if we could take a ride. Seeing as he made a very good save today, I thought he earned it" he patted the young PIC on the back. The 51 crew gave their own shouts of approval, and Severide spotted Ritter and called, "Hey, Ritter, we have guests; get us two cups of coffee, would you?"
Soon the coffee arrived, along with Matt. He looked at the 99 crew and said: "So I heard that you wanted to take a ride to our house as a reward for a good save? Care to elaborate? We ain't have no openings right now."
"It is not like that, Sir; I am happy where I am," replied the kid. Matt shook his head "Captain or Casey, you are a visitor, and this is not a rescue scene. So if you are not looking to join us, then why this?" he raised an eyebrow.
Silvie slammed the brakes, and Ambo 61 came to an abrupt stop at the intersection when a pickup truck sped right into their way. She hit the horn and shook her head in anger when the driver rolled down a window and gave them a one-finger salute.
"Hey, think positively; that crate is way too old to have decent heating. He will freeze his balls off for the next 15 minutes," said Foster from her position, riding a shotgun. Silvie shook her head again, and then she cracked a grin. "Yeah, still, he is lucky I don't date cops anymore." She hit the gas harder than was necessary and, for a moment, crossed the speed limit before correcting it.
Brett sighed. "So let's recap, shall we? I got maybe four hours of sleep because the student flat in the unit above celebrated the glorious occasion of Friday evening… No, it did not help when Cruz went to tell them to shut it up. He barely made it out with his reputation intact… I am running on a cup of espresso because someone flavoured sugar syrup, put it in the kettle, and called it coffee. And then when I think, "OK, let's check the rig and catch some sleep, we find it understocked and running on fumes. Does that sound like someone took "Let's dump on Silvie" and "Let's dump on Ambo" days and put them together?"
"Hey, calm there, partner," said Foster. "I say we put this into thinking up some prank on Chout and Rafferty." she smiled in a way that showed she was already thinking about doing just that. Her PIC shook her head. "No good; the first shift crew will be back by the next shift. We would need to find out what house they are going to float next. And you would say the same, Foster, only if you said it, you would make every priest in the neighbourhood blush with your sailor speak."
Foster shook her head with a grin. "Common Silvie, me? Talking like a sailor? You know I am much worse!" that led to a moment of silence, and then Brett laughed. "You have a point there," she said and relaxed a bit.
Brett taped the wheel. "you know what? Baked goods make everything better; we grab some before going back to the house!" she did not wait for agreement and took a right at the next intersection on the fastest way to her favourite bakery.
Brett slammed the brakes again the moment they rolled into the street. "Hey, Foster, you see what I see?" she asked incredulously. The other paramedic looked out of the front window and deadpanned, "If you see half a pile-up of half a dozen skaters on the street and at least two broken legs, then yes, I see what you see."
Brett sighed and took the radio. "Ambo 61 to main, we found a pile-up of skateboarders, multiple wounded. Send at least two more ambulances to our position. Our position is South Wabash, two blocks south of E. Jackson Drive."
Otis looked out from the dispatch. "Guys, Indiana and Foster will take some time; they ran into a pile-up of skateboarders and are ferrying one to the hospital. They dont need truck assistance, though", almost everybody groaned.
Casey shot Otis a look. "Didn't see you having any breakfast; go get some, that is an order", he said with a smile, but Otis nodded sheepishly and said, "Yes, Captain", as he trotted to the common room.
"Indiana?" Asked the young paramedic. Casey smiled even wider. "That's what we call Brett. You picked a nickname yet?" The youngster shook his head. "Not unless the Kid counts."
Stella laughed. "Unless you are my extended family, it counts! Stella Kidd," she finished by introducing herself.
"It will do," said Anderson. "Kid got some of the fastest and steadiest hands I saw on a greenhorn. A ton to learn, of course, but go on like this, and he will make us proud one day."
He then got up and asked for a direction to the bathroom.
Casey got up and nodded to the young paramedic. "Kid, walk with me, need to check if there is no water getting in?" He nodded back. "Yes, Captain… Casey," he said and fell in formation. They walked in silence for a few moments. Then Casey looked at the youngster. "OK, Kid, what is your story, and why did you ask for a ride to 51 as your favour for that save?"
They made another dozen or so steps in silence before the Kid replied, "I wanted to talk to Brett" Casey gave him a piercing look and shot. "Why did you want to talk to Indiana?" He asked in a very serious tone.
The other man smiled. "She is the reason I became a paramedic, saved my life a few years back, and then saved me from bullies; I want to let her know, I think, let her know that she caused this to happen" he looked Casey straight in the eyes.
Casey was silent for a moment. Then he nodded, smiling as he did. "You could not do much better for a role model. Now, come help me find where that came from," he pointed to a poodle of water on the floor.
Brett was in a foul mood as she pulled on the apron of house 51. "And we did not even get baked goods," she said with a sigh. Then she frowned and shot a look at Foster. "What does 99 do in here?"
Her partner shook her head at the question and drove the ambulance in. When they disembarked, Silvie noticed that there were a lot more people on the floor than usual this early in the morning. She wondered for a minute and then glared at Otis. "Hey, you did not tell them we were only ferrying a broken leg to the Lakeshore?"
The accosted fireman looked up from his second breakfast and shook his head vehemently. "was the first thing I did when I heard it", he said to a murmur of general approval. Silvie nodded and said, "Sorry, Otis," before turning to the rest of the assembled firefighters "then why are you all bloody freezing in here?!" she asked with disbelief.
Everyone made a room around the rookie paramedic, and there were good half a dozen of pointing fingers. Silvie nodded, taking in the appearance and trying to remember. OK, so you are the new rookie on Ambo 99 since Mokami broke her arm at that five-car pile-up on South Wabash?"
He nodded. Silvie went on, "I think I recognise you. Even if we had not had a run with your crew, you come to Molly's?" he shook his head. "I heard of the place but did not get to go there yet."
Brett sighed. "Ok, someone, spill it. Why are you all waiting here, and what does he have to do with it."
"Well, tell her, Kid," said the PIC from 99. Silvie rolled her eyes. "Tell me what? If this is a prank, you be advised I am in no mood for pranks. I just had to roll all the way to Lakeshore. and back because some idiots thought skateboarding in the parking lot makes sense in January!"
Then she looked at the young paramedic. "Ok, go on?" she asked, trying to mellow her I will take some heads off attitude. She added, "If someone shoehorned you in a prank, I would make them suffer, not you." When she gave everyone in the room a look, most people found something else to occupy themselves with for about twenty seconds.
He fidgeted and got clapped on the shoulder by his PIC, "Go on, Kid, tell her"
"Well, I am Adam, Adam Czermak; I am here to tell you. You saved a life today through me," he fell silent for a moment, and Silvie was about to ask something, but then Adam went on, "You know, a few years back, I was a sophomore, knew fuck all about what I want to do with my life, and I got caught in a stupid prank."
Long story short, I fell off the tree. Then you got me to Lakeshore, it was one of the most important days of my life, but I bet for you it was Tuesday. And then you learned I got bullied for the proposal, and you shut up all my bullies by going to my prom…."
And looking at the faces around you, ain't told nobody either. Long story short, when I got out of high school and asked myself what I wanted to do, I knew I wanted to be a Chicago paramedic."
When he started talking, a bunch of 51 firefighters chuckled in amusement, but everyone was silent now.
Adam drew in another breath. "So, any time at all that I help someone or save someone, you saved them too" he looked like he was looking for a crack in concrete to shrink into, but he stood tall.
"Hear, hear," everyone turned to the sound of the voice and saw Chief Boden stepping on the apparatus floor. "I was wondering where all my firefighters went, went looking for them, and what do I hear? I hear that one of my paramedics did a wonderful thing for someone telling no one about it… That I am used to. But I hear it got someone else to decide to make saving lives their life call, and that is amazing. Welcome to Battalion 25, Adam," he crossed the distance and gave Adam a solid handshake.
Silvie used the time to collect herself and smiled. "Hey, I definitely don't expect you to swing by every time you save someone, but thank you, you did today! What did you do?"
He nodded at her first sentence and got to explaining, "...So here I was, with a second victim, as my PIC was resuscitating the first one, and I had to intubate him and keep him from thrashing around and hurting himself. To be honest, I was nervous as all hell, and my heart rate probably went up to 200s."
Foster laugh. "That never goes away, not completely; you just learn how to operate in that range, and it sounds to me like you are right bang on the way!" there was a murmur of an agreement to that.
"She is right," said Silvie. "Just keep moving, one hour at a time, keep working your best, and you can't go much wrong. Now, I must insist, both of you, at Molly's tomorrow!" this time the "Hear, hear!" come mostly from Hermann and Otis.
A few moments later, the PA system cracked to life. "Ambo 61, man down, broken leg, Grant Park", Silvie sighed and got up, reaching for her radio. But Adam and his PIC shook their heads. Black reached for his radio instead "Main, this is Ambo 99; we are at the area. We take the call instead."
A moment later, the response came, "Ambo 99, acknowledged, the call is yours, Ambo 61, return to quarters" Black turned to Silvie and explained, "We have to get going anyway, and you guys look like you could do with a bit of rest. See you tomorrow."
"See you around," said Silvie before everyone else could join in their responses.
Silvie turned her head as she heard steps. When she realised it was Matt, she smiled and admonished, "Matt, you scared me. How do you know I am even awake? And why are you not asleep? It is half-past five in the morning."
Matt shook his head and answered, "I woke up a few minutes before and was thirsty, so I went to the common room and did a roll call walk to see if everyone was getting their proper rest; you weren't, so I went looking for you" he gave her a mug of steaming tea. "figured you might want tea too."
Silvie shot him a grateful smile and took the mug, then checked if the apparatus floor was otherwise empty, leaned into Matt and put his hand across her waist.
"Had a bad dream?" she said after a moment. "The stupid call from yesterday, mixed in with the hockey team call we ran into last winter, you know, the one from girls' weekend."
Matt pulled her closer. "How bad?" Silvie closed her eyes and drank some of her tea. "Bad enough."
My brain kept throwing scenarios at me. What if one more thing went wrong, and if even one more thing went wrong, people would die" she felt colder than she should and wrapped her fingers around the mug.
"But it did not. You handled it. Three people live because of you and Foster." Matt said with complete confidence.
"Thanks, you almost sounded like a chaplain," said Brett and finished her tea. Matt laugh. "Probably played too much poker with Chaplain Orlovsky. But there was one thing he kept saying that stuck with me, he said. "Matt, He never gives you a trial you can not pass, but the way to pass need not be straightforward or clear"."
"What do you mean?" Brett asked, shifting to look at Matt. She yawned and had to chuckle when Matt mirrored her. He then gave her a serious look. "Silvie, you are hard-wired to be incapable of EVER giving any less than your best when it comes to lifesaving or when it comes to being a good person. And that is enough. That will always be enough. Even if all goes to hell." he kept looking into her eyes, and she could read he really meant it.
"Thank you," she said and stepped away to stretch. "this helped," she leaned against the truck. "Any time, Silvie, anytime," Matt replied and turned to the exit from the apparatus floor. "How about some food?"
"Food sounds good," Brett agreed, and fell in step next to Casey. A moment later, she said, "I did not even imagine I could have such an impact on Adam" When she saw a moment of confusion on Casey's face, she added, "The paramedic from yesterday. I mean, I did not do THAT much beyond patching him up after he fell from a tree."
Casey smiled. "You did enough; that is all that matters." they both grabbed cereals for breakfast, and Silvie started a new pot of coffee. She smiled as she sat down. "I guess I did enough, but I don't get how it could inspire a person to commit to a life of 24-hour shifts, all year around of stitching the people of Chicago" She realised she was, in fact, quite hungry and started eating while waiting for the reply.
"Takes the right kind of crazy to do it", Matt replied and drank some of his coffee, "For me, I wanted some kind of order in my life, and I wanted to do better than my dad and the fire trucks certainly were cool for 17 year old me" he finished the sentence with a laugh.
"But for a LOT of firemen and paramedics, it is someone who helped them when they were down, someone who was a role model for them when those who should have been wasn't, someone like you."
Silvie, this kid is not the first person who chose a better path because of you, and he won't be last."
"Or because of you", she replied quietly. He nodded, "That's what makes this job worth it, that and Boden's red numbers."
"Red numbers?" Brett said with a bemused look.
"Numbers I put in my incident books, each number for how many lives we saved in that call," said Boden and walked into the common area, he started making himself a toast.
Casey looked at Boden and said, "Why are you up so soon, Chief?" Boden finished his snack and sat down to eat it. "Donna asked me to go do a talk to the kids from her class since MLK day is around the corner. Going to tell my father's story, how he made a detective with CPD."
Silvie smiled. "I think that is a great idea," she said and got up to get a refill on her coffee.
Matt nodded to that. "She is right, Chief. Just have to make sure to beat 21st at the next boxing match…" They both laughed, and Boden said, "Damn right, I should start training for that."
Just then, the PA blasted, "Engine 51, Truck 81 Squad 3, Battalion 25, Ambo 61, warehouse fire, 6146 South New England Avenue," The three firefighters looked at each other and made for the apparatus floor…