Here be chapter two.
Kelly Brackett held the form that could forever change the path Louise's life took as he spoke with the men in front of him. "So on her first day she went from hero to zero, huh?" He started, "Attacked a crewmate and gave him some extensive bruising to his ribs. Kelly was damn lucky none of them were broken like we thought." he sighed loudly. "I hold the termination form from the paramedic program here, is there any reason I shouldn't just sign it and file it?"
"As the damn lucky man, I say we give her another chance." Chet shifted in his chair to be more comfortable, "besides she didn't hit me that hard." The other men in the office laughed at his denial.
"I talked to her about it and she promised me it wouldn't happen again." Hand added. He had fully intended to dress down the woman but when she sat across from him at his desk he could see she was prepared for everything to end and just looked so lost. "She was truly contrite, doc, and if you had been there and seen how she reacted when I touched her shoulder after she hit Chet, you would understand as well."
The doc felt a flare of concern, "Reacted how?"
"She was scared of me doc, like she expected me to...to," The fire captain took a shuddering sigh
"To hit her." Roy finished for him, "I saw it, Cap, she was scared you were going to hit her, expected it even like it's happened to her as a habit."
"I saw it too, she expected to get the tar beat out of her." Chet added. "I promise to not sneak up on her again. Just give her another chance." He remembered that look of pure terror that crossed her face that afternoon and genuinely felt bad that a simple touch could incite such a reaction. Please give her a chance. He begged in his mind.
"Well while it's a plus in her category that you want to give her another chance. It's up to the men who will ride side by side with her." The doctor pointed the pen in his hands toward John and Roy. "So what say you two?"
"I'm ok with it, Dr. Brackett, despite this setback she is great in the field, personable and efficient." The senior paramedic replied, thinking about the runs that of her first shift that ranged from a skinned knee to a precipitous birth. "She is super adaptive in the field and for the rest of day even when surprised or yelled at by people she was fine. No jumping or lashing out." He shrugged his shoulders, "I don't know what caused her to hit Chet."
"Probably his ugly mustache." Johnny quipped causing a snort of laugh from some in the room, "but I say we give her a shot too, for a girl, she's pretty good." He agreed with Roy, she was efficient and got along with patients easily, but there was still something of a mystery. What is it?
Brackett tore up the form and stood to lead the men out of his office. He sighed deeply wondering if he had made a mistake of allowing this woman to qualify for the paramedic program and then pairing her up with the best team he had. Boy I hope this isn't a mistake.
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Three shifts later Chet was back and feeling less sore and less bruised but the way he was sniffing the air in the kitchen was going to reverse any recovery he had made. Oh my god it smells so good! "So what's gonna be for dinner? And will it taste as good as it smells? Because if you can't cook that is definitely a career ender." he laughed at his joke.
Grateful for the olive branch, "Beef Bourguignon and a good crusty bread," She answered as she stirred the simmering stew in front of her that smelled of spices, beef, veggies, and wine. She giggled at his raised eyebrow, "The alcohol cooks off leaving behind the flavor only and of course I can cook, I mean I didn't get to be this size by accident."
Ignoring the joke she made about herself, he asked, "Well, is it ready?" She nodded and he shouted for the others to hear, "Guys! Grub's on!" Not so slow footsteps came toward the galley, the men looking like starved dogs.
"Beef Bourguignon?!" Cap exclaimed when he recognized the smell, "Well then if this is as good as it smells Imma give you KP every shift," his tone more than half serious. Lou smiled and blushed a bit at the praise.
"You should taste my huevos ranchero." Her answer caused Marco to quirk an eyebrow as she ladled up the hearty stew and adorned each bowl with two thick slices of the French bread. "I had... a friend show me how to cook them years ago." Her smile turned a bit sad at the memory of Juanita her first nanny who was the person who started the plan of teaching the life skills she would need to get her out of that house of horrors. She shook the memory from her head, "I'll even, how did Roy say it? Turn down the spice for the gringos." She stood proud, watching the guys dig into the dinner not wanting to chat for a bit so to get the tasty food in. She sidled up a chair and began to eat her serving, the men noticed her portion was much smaller than everyone else.
Mike quirked an eyebrow at Marco who shrugged his shoulders and took two more bites of his dinner before he tried to engage her in conversation, "So Lou, where did you learn to cook this?"
Without looking up or missing a beat, "In my kitchen." Marco sighed, it was Mike's turn now.
"This kitchen where might it have been?"
"In the house I grew up in." she responded picking at the bread and taking small bites. Mike then gave Johnny the signal he was up to bat.
"Where was this house you grew up in?" The dark-haired man tried.
"In California," She had almost finished her meal and the men knew they were running out of time.
Hank cleared his throat, "What I think my, not so subtle, colleagues are asking is what city of California are you from?"
"Well, I am from Carson now." She answered succinctly
She definitely knows how to evade any personal question doesn't she? Johnny thought to himself, he huffed, "Before Carson?".
"Well, where I am from really doesn't matter, Carson is where I am from now." She ended the subject by standing and starting to wash the pots and pans from cooking dinner, humming as she did her chore.
I've heard this song before, but where? Chet mused as he joined her washing the dishes. He started to hum as well trying to match the tune as they stood side by side and worked, gently bumping shoulders from time to time.
The men stayed in the day room watching the movie of the week eating popcorn while Lou retired to her dorm. "Ok, so who else gets the vibe she is holding something back." John stated the obvious. The other men agreed with hums and 'yeahs.'
Chet started, "She hums something every time she is doing her chores. I feel like I know the music but I can't place it."
"That's probably because your man with his music box and your leash is lost." Chet threw popcorn at Johnny. "But honestly she's cold as ice during high stress situations but jumpy when it's calm here, always expecting something to happen and I don't mean a call out."
"She always hides in her dorm unless she is needed." Mike supplied.
"She speaks Spanish, too." A few confused looks were thrown Marco's way so he explained. "That fire earlier today, Johnny and Roy went into the house to get the victims while she set up triage. Me and Chet were going in with a hose as back up and this man ran up to her screaming rapid-fire Spanish. I heard it and knew I was gonna be needed so I was going to help her and suddenly she was talking back to him in Spanish as well. She's fluent, Cap, she didn't pause or skip a beat and defused the situation quickly."
"That was not part of her application." Hank said in shock because he didn't have a clue she was bilingual. "The only personal thing I know about her is that she likes to run, after each shift she goes for a run and then showers here. Captain West told me, he doesn't mind it because she goes to her dorm and leaves it spotless but, yeah, he says she comes in covered in sweat, showers, and leaves quietly. West asked her one time how long of a run she did, and she told him 'Just a short five miles' she brushed it off as if it was nothing."
Roy's eyes bugged out of his head, "I don't think I could run a mile after some shifts let alone five." The five other men nodded in agreement. "I will say, every time I try to invite her over to the house to meet JoAnne and the kids, she says no. I even pulled the 'my wife wants to meet the other woman in my life' card as a joke, but she didn't budge."
Mike spoke up next. "She's crazy good at math too. I was working out some equations on paper for the hose's new PSI limit and how I was going to have to adjust and she was cleaning the kitchen table. She just looked over my shoulder and blurted out an answer I thought I was amusing her as I worked it out with the number she gave me, and I'll be damned, it worked! I had worked on that stupid equation for over an hour and she got it in one go." His facial expression showing how impressed he was adding, "She always asks after Rebecca too." He smiled thinking about his very heavily pregnant wife.
"Throw Em into that mix."
"JoAnne too." Roy informed.
"My nieces and nephews." Marco reported.
Johnny mumbled "My sister."
And last but not least Chet said. "My ma."
Hank sighed. "So, we established this much about her; she hums while cleaning, can cook, speak Spanish, runs for fun, and now she's talking to us more asks about the people we love, genuinely wondering how they are. Imma be honest that is not a whole lot, guys." The men had a general consensus that it was little indeed even after four shifts you typically knew things like where a person grew up or at least one hobby. The men half-watched the movie as they pondered on their mysterious co-worker
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Lou sat in her dorm working quickly on the small blanket in front of her smiling fondly as she remembered Mona, her 'chaperone' she had from ages ten to fourteen, she was always memorized as she watched the woman's fingers work the yarn with the ever-present crochet hook into delicate objects and blankets for the people she loved and cared about. She loved that she could take something so plain and make it something beautiful and useful.
At the inquiry to teach her to crochet the rotund woman laughed, "My dear child why would you want to learn this when you could just buy it?"
Lou bristled a bit at the words but explained calmly, "I know I could buy it but there is no love behind that. With each stitch you are thinking of the person and while love itself is not tangible, what you make is a tangible proof of that love." Mona decided she liked that answer and that was when the young teen added crochet to her lessons.
As the yarn slipped through her fingers, she smiled again, working the light green yarn into a thick but soft fabric. She knew she would work late into the night to finish the crib sized blanket.
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Station 51 was quiet as almost everyone slept, Lou the only one up putting the finishing touches on the project she had been working on.
The klaxons pierced the air with dispatch announcing, "Squad 51, maternity case, 155 West 24th Street. 1-5-5 West 24th street." Johnny and Roy jumped up snapping their turnouts into place while Lou pulled on the approved 'quick dress' uniform of LAcoFD sweats and zip up jacket over her shirt. She recognized the address from when one time her dark-haired partner pointed it out and commented whose house it was, instead of running to the squad she hooked a right and ran into the men's dorm.
She stopped short at Hank's bunk and shouted, "CAP!" The man had woken very briefly when the alarm went off, but he had almost immediately fell back to sleep missing the address when he heard only the squad toned out but at the urgent plea from Lou his eyes snapped open and saw the urgent look to match. She began again, "Cap, the address, 155 West 24th street."
He didn't need to be told again. He popped up from his bunk and poked his engineer in the side, who was also back to sleep. "Mike, that call, your house. Come on pal, baby time!" Hank exclaimed. Mike stumbled out of his bunk and tripped over his turnouts as the captain woke up Marco and Chet so that the engine would respond as well since it was one of their own.
Roy watched her run into the dorm in confusion as he acknowledged the call and went to the driver's side of the squad only to ask his partner, "What the hell is she doing?" He asked, slightly perturbed.
Johnny quirked his mouth, "I don't know but she has fifteen seconds to be in the squad before we leave without her." Now it was the young man's turn to be confused as he saw the rest of the crew run to the engine with Cap getting behind the wheel while Mike climbed into the 'shot gun' side. He looked at the address he had written down and now that his brain was not sleep addled anymore recognition bloomed. "Shit Roy, this is Mike's house."
Lou skidded into the squad's passenger side and closed the door solidly, "Sorry about that." Roy nodded his thanks to her, flipping on the lights and sirens they led the way to their colleague's address.
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The squad and engine made it in record time with Mike nearly falling out and rushing to the house with the rest of the engine crew on his tail. The three paramedics grabbed their gear and hurried up the drive only to be stopped by a closed door. Mike looked dismayed and Marco was knocking loudly on the door to try and get Rebecca to come to the door. "I don't like this." Lou huffed. "What's up?"
Cap answered, "Doors locked, Mike doesn't have his key, and Rebecca isn't answering. We can't bust in the door for fear we'll hit her if she is passed out and behind it."
Lou put her gear down and wandered over to a living room window, she surveyed it for a second and asked, "Mike what's behind here?"
"An end table with lamp."
Before anyone could registered what she was doing, she responded with, "I'll pay you back." and broke the window with her elbow and slipping the sleeve of her jacket over her hand she cleared the shards, reached in, pulled the lamp out, and climbed in. The men gaped at how quickly she done that.. The door jiggled a bit as Lou opened the door and walked away going to the downed woman. "Good thing we didn't breach the door she was right behind it. Guys, she's bleeding but still breathing and has a good strong pulse."
The paramedics on the porch grabbed the gear, and ran in. Mike followed in and gasped how his wife looked. She looked dead, she was sweating, gray in color, and he noted the small puddle of blood at the door and the drips of the scarlet liquid that led down the stairs. His world began to dim, he heard a roar in his ears and he knew he was passing out. Abruptly his world tilted as Captain Stanley sat him down on the floor and pushed his head between his legs.
"Breathe son, they got her." Their Cap stood by, hating there was nothing else he could do in this rescue as his medical team started their care.
Lou opened the OB kit and draped the sheets while Johnny grabbed a set of vitals and Roy got on the biophone.
"Rampart, this is Squad 51 how do you read?" Roy prayed that there was no delay to reaching the ER.
"Squad 51 read you loud and clear." Morton's voice filled the room.
"Rampart we have a twenty-five year old female, pregnant, vaginal bleeding, and unconscious. Pallor is grey in color and vitals are," He read aloud the jotted down information, "Pulse 94 strong and regular, respirations twenty-two, slightly labored, and BP is 106/72." Vitals are not that bad, why is she out?
The trainee had the answer. "Seven centimeter's dilated but there's a prolapsed cord, Roy. I'm applying counter pressure."
God dammit. Closing his eyes at the revelation he reported the findings, "Rampart, cervix is seven centimeters dilated and cord appears to be prolapsed, we're applying counter pressure."
"10-4, 51 start bilateral large bore IV's, one ringers and one D5W wide open. Continue counter pressure. Do we know how long the cord has been prolapsed?" Morton didn't like this, it didn't take long for a fetal demise if it was a complete occlusion, and while a partial bought some time the chances that the baby would make it were slim to none if the woman wasn't in an operating theater soon getting an emergency C-section.
The three paramedics looked at each other knowing that tonight they would probably only be able to save the woman's life. Roy relayed, "Negative Rampart on total time knowledge of cord prolapse, blood is noted in small amounts on apparent path to front door, with additional approximately 150 cc's of blood noted near front door. Response time from call to counter pressure was seven minutes." He felt like he was going to vomit giving that information, he knew that the baby was long gone if this was a complete occlusion, even if Rebecca called the moment the prolapse happened. The woman's color had improved greatly, and she began to come around once Johnny had the IVs in and ran the fluids.
Morton swore under his breath. "51 continue fluids and counter pressure, transport as soon as possible."
Gage grabbed his HT, "Dispatch, this is squad 51 what's ETA on our ambulance?" Knowing that if ambulance was 2-3 min out the baby might have a fighting chance, if it's not already too late.
"ETA 10 min." At the response from dispatch the paramedic wanted to throw the damn thing in his hands against the wall.
"Roy, she still contracting pretty hard," Lou ground out, feeling the cord getting compressed again despite her counter pressure as the woman's abdomen tightened, "Request for premature cord cutting and assisted delivery."
He knew the risks to what his trainee was requesting, cutting the cord and then literally pulling the baby out, was a bloody and damn painful affair. He looked at his partners and then to Stoker who was still sitting down on the floor looking pale, tears tracking down his face.
Rebecca began crying and moaning, "The baby, oh god the baby, save the baby."
"Dammit! Roy do it, it's the only way we have a chance to save them both." Gage nearly begged his partner.
Roy took a deep breath, "Rampart ETA of ambulance is 10 min, request permission for premature cord cutting and assisted delivery." He asked, knowing that Lou was going to be the one to do it because even though he knew the procedure in theory the only one who had the official training was her.
Morton paused before answering, "51, negative, you need formal training for that procedure."
Roy saw Lou grabbing the cord clamps and scissors with her free hand, "Stoker if you can, come over here and hold Rebecca's hand, please. This is gonna hurt like a son of a bitch. Roy, tell him I have the training, we are on borrowed time." While it had felt like hours had passed since they arrived in reality it was probably only five minutes, but that was five minutes too long.
The engineer stood and with the help of Chet stumbled to his wife's side grasping her hand as hard as he could without adding to her pain. "Hi, hon." He whispered and kissed the back of her hand trying to comfort her.
She smiled wanly, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. Oh god the baby, Mikey, the baby." she whimpered as unbidden tears washed down her face.
"We understand Rampart, we do have a paramedic with knowledge and formal training of procedure." Roy informed Morton.
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The dark-skinned doctor had been joined by Brackett at the station who had seen the notes he made and heard the request. "Mike, if it's not already too late it's the only chance the baby has. I approve it, hell, I taught it to her."
Picking up the receiver, the doctor sighed, decision made, "Permission granted 51, proceed."
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Roy nodded at his female partner, and she was all business giving commands to the dark-haired paramedic, "Johnny have the clamps and scissors at the ready this is going to go quick. Rebecca I am so sorry, but this is gonna to be seven different kinds of awful pain. When I tell you I want you to push down like your having the biggest bowel movement of your life. It'll help some."
"Do it." The woman said through clenched teeth as a contraction ripped through her body. "Do it, save our baby."
Lou nodded and set to work, she continued her counter pressure while slipping the cord further out so she had clear margins to clamp and cut. "Clamp," she reached out her hand and Gage slapped into her glove, she quickly clamped off one side and reached out again, "Clamp." Another slap of a clamp and clicks as she clamped the other side, "Cord was pulsating some that's good." The other paramedics sent a thank you to whatever being was watching over this baby. The woman reached her hand out again, "Scissors." The female paramedic took a deep swallow and then started cutting.
"PUSH!" The laboring woman bore down with all her might, screaming loudly as the paramedic reached her hand past the cervix and forcing dilation and pulling on the infant with firm force that caused the head to pop under the pubic bone so it would be delivered. The woman fainted at the pain this caused her, the paramedic though paid no mind she was suctioning the baby and waiting for the rotation of the infant that would allow the shoulders and then rest of the baby to be delivered. Once the baby rotated Lou as gently as possible while still keeping in mind the time limit forced the top shoulder and then the bottom shoulder out, the infant slipped out followed by a not so small amount of blood and clots.
In the background the blonde paramedic could hear gagging and boots running away and briefly noted Marco was MIA. "Baby is delivered, Rampart." He relayed to the hospital. He was grateful when the laboring woman passed out from the pain. Johnny began reobtaining vitals as Lou began tactile stimulation on the infant. "Mom has passed out rampart. Baby is being stimulated with no response."
The young woman suctioned the baby and continued her actions of rubbing with a towel and tapping the baby's feet, "C'mon baby, you can do it, breathe!" She gave two short rescue breaths into the baby's lungs.
Mike continued to hold his wife's hand, the tenuous grip the only thing keeping him upright while he stared at the scene in front of him. He was holding his breath as his baby stayed limp and still.
Rebecca began to come to as Johnny started the ordered vaginal packing. "God, it hurts," she moaned slowly becoming more coherent and aware of how quiet it was. "The baby?" She pleaded
Mike couldn't answer her all he could do is just stare as the young female paramedic gave breaths and stimulation, the senior partner joining her with a stethoscope to listen to the chest of the tiny child. With one more blow the baby wriggled and began to scream in big, angry cries.
There wasn't a dry eye in the house, even Marco who had returned from outside, had moisture in his eyes. "Yes!" The female paramedic exclaimed. "There you go! Let us know how mad you are," Lou gave a short joyful laugh as she wrapped the baby up and handed the crying bundle to Mike adding, "It's a boy by the way."
Roy picked up the biophone, his tone reflecting his elation at the turn of events. "Rampart baby responded to stimulation and some rescue breaths and is now pink and having great respiratory effort."
The doctors could hear the baby's cries in the background. Both of them, could feel and incredible weight lift off their shoulders. "10-4 squad 51, once ambulance is there, transport both mother and child, we'll be waiting."
Brackett took the phone from his colleague to add, "Damn good job, guys." He didn't care that he broke radio protocol and he would gladly take any reprimand that was going to be had for him but this was the first ever time this procedure had been done in the field. "Damn good job."
The young paramedic trainee smiled broadly as she peeled her gloves off and set about cleaning up a bit and stood. She stretched slowly to work the stitch out she had in her side and began to assist Johnny.
Rebecca just kept repeating over and over, "Thank you, thank you, thank you."
Lou reached over and squeezed her arm a bit, "Anytime." She tapped the engineer's shoulder, he looked up at her meeting her gaze. "You ok? You about passed out there earlier." He nodded silently and let out a woosh of air as they heard the ambulance pull up.
Stunned he voiced what the others were thinking. "That all happened in just ten minutes?"
The female paramedic smiled again, "Seemed much longer, I know, but yep all in ten minutes you became a dad to a baby that has already made more noise in the last few minutes than you have all year." Everyone in the house, save for the angry baby, chuckled or laughed and felt the tension lighten considerably.
The gurney was loaded up in the ambulance and Mike joined his wife meeting eyes with his Captain, questioning with a look if they would be following. He loved his wife, but he needed his support system of friends, too.
"Don't worry Mike we'll board up the window and come to the hospital as soon as we can, we're stood down the rest of the night." His captain relayed just before closing the ambulance door and giving it two slaps.
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She was covered in blood, fluids, was tired and achy but damn she felt good, "Hey guys how did the ride go?" she asked as the paramedic duo unloaded the gurney and began to roll their patient in the open doors of the hospital. Stoker was right behind them holding his son that had calmed down but was wide awake and looking about.
The blonde-haired paramedic nodded, "They both did good, baby has great reflexes and mom's bleeding has slowed to what is expected." He surveyed how his trainee looked and joked, "You look like you need a shower."
Lou watched as they were directed into a treatment room and caught Gage giving her a thumbs up and a smile while she walked to the nurse's station.
Dixie looked up at her and crinkled her nose at the female paramedic. "Well, you had a night." The head ER nurse knew what had happened and was a bit prepared that there was going to be a mess, but nothing like this. "Man, while I'm glad you know how to do that procedure, I hope you never have to do it again."
"Me too." She looked down at her white t-shirt coated with dry stiff blood and stretched again, "Got a stitch on my side that just won't go away," She complained, and reached over to massage the point that was giving her issue. When she drew her hand away it was coated in fresh blood. "Well, that can't be good."
The nurse's head snapped up at Lou's slightly slurred words and saw the sticky liquid on the other woman's hand and rapidly growing stain on her side. "Louise?" She asked as the other woman pulled her shirt up a bit, modesty forgotten, and saw the deep gash that had both venous and arterial blood freely pouring out. "Oh man," she rounded the nurse's station and grasped the woman's arm and elbow. "Need some help!" she shouted. A nearby orderly responded, grabbing the other arm to help the nurse steer the quickly fading paramedic.
In the exam room Brackett heard his senior nurse call for help with a slightly panicked edge. He was very busy delivering after birth and stitching up Rebecca while Morton was giving the infant a look over. His face twitched and he barked at the three firefighters in front of him. "You three, go see what she needs and if she needs a doctor come and get me."
The three men booked it out of the room and into the hall about the same time their bleeding colleague passed out and slipped to the floor. "What happened!?" Johnny question in shock as he, Roy, and Mike lifted her up and put her on a gurney to roll her into a free exam room. The answer popped into his head, "the window!"
"Window?" Dix asked.
"To save my wife and son she broke a window and climbed through it before we even knew what was happening. Must had missed a sharp point." Mike supplied.
The nurse paled at the engineer's words, she hadn't a clue it was Rebecca that Lou had to do that delivery on. "Oh god, Mike, are they ok?" He nodded as he took the gauze she handed him to apply pressure. She sighed, "I hate to do this but we need a doctor quicker than not in here and Early's on a heart case." The dark-haired paramedic turned on his heel and quickly marched away to get Brackett.
The door burst opened shortly after and Kel bustled in, taking over pressure momentarily before he lifted the gauze and swore silently. "She got herself good, this is gonna need a surgical repair, some of the intercostal arteries are severed. Dix call me up an OR ,tell them I have a six-inch lac, left lateral chest wall, with arterial involvement coming up." The doctor grabbed more gauze and a pressure bandage and applied it knowing it wouldn't stop the bleeding but hopefully would slow it at least.
"Stoker?" the man in question looked up at the Brackett, "Your wife and son are doing just fine. She will have a bit of longer healing time because of the type of delivery but honestly, they are doing better then expected. If you want, you can follow them up to the OB wing, I'll have Dix call ahead to clear it." The doc did a shoo'ing motion with his hands. "Well go on now papa, you already started those nights of no sleep in fashion." Mike didn't need another invitation and nearly ran out the door to join his family.
Once he left, the doc barked out some more orders, "John, start an IV, LR wide open, and draw labs on our daredevil here. Roy set her up on the data scope and take a BP every five min, Imma see about that OR and get some blood ordered." The doctor stepped out of the exam room on his mission.
"Why didn't she tell us she was hurt." John asked as he started the IV and helped with the other orders.
The voice of the thought unconscious woman startled both men. "I thought I just had a stitch in my side, honest, I mean I was doing a lot of things all while in the same position. It just felt like a muscle spasm." She grimaced as her side seemed to spasm again. "Damn, now it hurts a bit."
The blonde paramedic checked her side and saw that the pressure bandage was already soaked through. He schooled his tone as he made a request of his partner, "Johnny, help me out here, let's put a one on."
He began to peel it away when Lou laughed as if something was suddenly funny and both paramedics shared a look of worry that she had snapped. "I just realized I'm half naked and surrounded by firemen. Girl's dream come true." The last words slurred out and then she fainted again.
The above delivery, while I have taken some liberties, was something similar I've seen in the ED when a laboring woman with a prolapsed cord came in. The OB on call literally ripped the cervix and pulled the baby out. It was literally the bloodiest delivery I have ever seen. Small hospital + long wait time for OR team= bloody and painful solution.