Here be Chappie 2. Thank you for reading and hopefully enjoying.
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The sun was setting and Mike was having the time of his life giving little Louie a bath as the baby jabbered. "He really had fun today." He looked up to his wife who was in the door way sipping on lemonade. "Thank you for giving him a bath."
While still watching his son he stood and put his hand on her belly. "Anything for the loves of my life." He smiled, which she returned.
She reached out and tapped his nose. "Looks like you got a little bit too much sun." He crinkled his nose and fell the tell tale pull of a sunburn then looked in the mirror, knowing that Rebecca was watching Louie too.
"I haven't had a sun burn in years." He laughed. "Thermal, chemical, and electrical but not sun burn, weird the things that are normal in a firefighter's house." He went back to the tub as his wife left to answer the phone that had begun to ring.
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Hank had turned up the television while Emily had started cooking, they had convinced their neighbors to come for dinner. The doorbell rung and he answered it to reveal the couple. "Brad and Mary, so glad to see you!" He greeted shaking their hands.
"Hank, have you seen the news?" Brad asked. "I'm sorry for being rushed, but have you?"
The tall man shook his head and followed his friend into the den and flipped the channel. There was shaky footage of a large wildfire on a ridge and a neighborhood that was surrounded.
"What's going on?" Emily came out noting that her guests had arrived and everyone was glued to the screen. She paused when she saw what was happening.
"Em?"
"No need to ask, go." She knew the pull her husband had, there were people who needed rescuing. The man rushed upstairs and dressed in his uniform and packed his small overnight bag with things he needed but wasn't going to wear to the fire. As he left he gave his wife a kiss, communicating what he could without words. Emily watched as her husband got into his truck and pulled away, she then turned and started making phone calls.
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Roy and Jo hadn't said much to each other during the afternoon as they helped the kids with their homework. It was after dinner and Jo was picking up their backpacks when she heard the phone ring and her husband pick up. She could hear the rushed tones and she knew something was wrong.
"Hon?" She asked as she entered the kitchen, she didn't like how serious he looked.
"Yes, I will be right there." He hung up and looking at his wife he sighed. "Big fire on a ridge, multiple people stuck up there, they'll need help." She nodded and he rubbed her arm as he passed her to go upstairs to change and pack his bag.
He came back downstairs and found Jo crying at the table. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be." He put the bag down as she stood, he pulled her close and gave her a deep kiss.
"Come back to us, I can't do this without you." She wiped her face and took a steadying sigh.
"I promise I will do everything to make sure you won't have to." She kissed him again. "I love you."
"I love you right back."
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Lou had a headache after giving her statement again and nearly collapsed on the couch as she entered her apartment. She flipped on the television hoping to distract from the day. Once she saw what was on, she popped up from the couch, took some Tylenol, and changed. She jotted down a quick note in case her nightly guest came by but there was a good chance he was on the ridge as well. She left it on the fridge and rushed out her apartment leaving the television on in her haste.
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Chet was glad he had stopped at two beers as he saw the smoke billow up from the ridge. He turned on his CB and did a channel scan landing on the one he knew was command. He mentally cancelled his plan for the night, hopped in his Jeep, and turned toward the ridge. He may not be officially cleared yet but surely there was something he could do to help his brothers and sisters up there.
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Johnny was flipping through channels absent mindedly while speaking with the woman on the phone. "I remember that." He laughed. "Hey, speaking of birthdays, I know yours is coming up. Do you think it would be ok if I came for a visit?"
There was a pause on the line and he was worried she was going to say no. "I would love that, Kohana." Her voice broke through
He was officially on cloud nine and couldn't stop the grin on his face. "I can't wait." The continued to chat for a bit till he landed on a news channel. "Aponi, I'm so sorry I have to go." He hung up and then immediately dialed out to his director, knowing more likely than not he would be called up to assist.
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Rebecca watched her husband pull out the drive of their home and felt the tears come quickly. She knew they would need good drivers and before he came to 51s he was a engineer with brush station 13. He was good at his job and he would probably be dropping off the smoke eaters and moving heavy equipment. The phone began to ring again and she had a fleeting hope it was them calling off the 'all call' to arms. She picked up the phone and a familiar voice came over the line. "Hi, Emily...yes I would love that...see you in a bit." She got dressed again and all the things needed for Louie. Carefully and quickly she picked her sleeping son up from his crib and strapped him in the car before pulling out, as she drove toward the Stanley's she could see the glow of the fire on the ridge and the smell of smoke, while faint, was unmistakable. She felt the baby kick and rubbed at the spot that it had thumped at, her tears renewed as it was the first time she had felt this baby move and Mike had missed it by less than fifteen minutes.
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Marco and Isabella were having a great date already as they talked about their families and where they grew up. Marco was smitten already and wanted to know everything and anything about her, so he started simple.. "What do you do for a living?"
She was just about to answer when there was a commotion at the bar's television. They gravitated toward it expecting some sort of interesting game on but instead it was a scene straight out of a disaster movie.
"Oh my God there are people stuck up there!" Some on in the crowd shouted. The couple looked at each other.
"Isabella, I'm a firefighter, I've got to go." She nodded and then began to follow him to his car, he turned and raised an eyebrow in confusion.
She smiled broadly. "Your aunties really told you nothing about me." She reached in her purse and pulled out a badge, it was nearly the twin of his. "Isabella Nunez LAFD, with station 110 B-shift."
He had heard there was a female firefighter in 110s, the first of her kind, but he hadn't a clue it was her. The stories he had heard about her were something else. She was as tough as the guys and could throw down just as hard. He had also heard a story of her at a cookout, out drinking most of the crew with tequila shots. "I have so many questions, mostly about a rumor and a cookout."
"Well while we're driving to my apartment so I can change and then to the ridge I will either confirm or deny these rumors." She smiled again her tongue caught between her teeth teasingly.
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Chief McConikee knew the response was going to be large to the fire but he hadn't really prepared for how massive it was. They had three neighboring counties sending crews and engines, the military was coming with deluge helicopters, and he was also sure every firefighter and paramedic that was off duty for the county had shown up in their personal vehicles. He spotted the man he knew that could be of some help to him. "Hank!" The tall man spun and saw his chief coming to him, he seemed to stand at attention. The man also noticed that his crew was there in full even Chet Kelly who was still on medical leave. "Glad you found each other." There were a few nods. "Hank, you will be with me in command."
"Chief?" He turned and looked at his crew quickly.
"I know, Hank, but I'm splitting up the team as well." He saw the uneasy faces. "Stoker, you used to drive for Brush 13, you will be dropping off and picking up smoke eaters." The man nodded and without a word went to where the chief was pointing.
"Lopez, I know you took the engineer's exam last week, congratulations you were number two. As a gift you will be driving as well, follow Stoker's lead he won't lead you wrong." The Mexican firefighter looked shocked, he got a few slaps of congratulations on his back when he parted toward the engines to find his colleague.
"DeSoto and Gage, you will each be given an HT and will be in charge of your own search and rescue teams." Both men looked confused as HTs were given to Captain's only as they were scarce in an emergency like this.
"Sir?" Johnny looked shocked as the chief handed him a HT.
"Gage, I know I rag on you sometimes but you're damn good at what you do, and we need that out there." The man took the compliment with his trademark grin. "I also hope this gives you a taste of what it's like to be Captain and you join your partner next month when he takes the test." Johnny looked at his partner an edge of betrayal on his features. The older man looked embarrassed for a second before he schooled his features. He was handed an HT as well. "Over there you will be given all you need." He pointed and the two men parted.
"Werner." The woman of the crew stood ramrod straight. "I understand that you have been getting additional training." She looked at him wondering how he could know she was learning some basic firefighting skills including learning how to put on and wear a SCBA if needed for things like fumes even if far from ground zero, she just hadn't try qualifying yet. "Did that include this?" He held up goggles, a respirator, and a face shield.
"Yes sir." She was handed the gear.
"Each crew will have a medic on board, you will be paired up with Brush 10 as they don't have one yet." Lou gave Chet a small smile as she ran over to the medical tent to grab a med kit, McConikee turned to leave.
"Sir." Chet Kelly asked tentatively.
"Kelly, are you back on full duty?" The man shook his head. "Then there isn't anything you can do here, maybe a volunteer tent?"
"Chief." He said with more force and confidence than he believed. "The only thing holding my return is skills requal, the earliest I could do it by the proctor schedule is the first week of December, I have been released by medical. I also am damn good at heavy equipment and have been EMT trained." He stood straighter as if to make himself taller. "And you can use all the help you can get."
He could see that Hank was standing behind McConikee and had been giving the 'kill it' signal but he didn't care, he stood still and silent as his superior appraised him. "I knew that you needed skills and had the medical release, I just wanted to be sure you felt ready, take some stones to stand up to a superior like that." He chuckled and Hank visibly relaxed. "You are damn good at what you do you and being EMT trained is going to be needed. Join Werner in 10's they have a lot of guys and she may need help if there is a multiple casualty."
"Yes sir." He grabbed his gear and joined the group of brush 10.
"Hank, you ready for this?" The taller man looked up at the ridge his boss was looking at and could see the hundreds of acres it had already consumed. The flames were so hot and high they were causing their own weather and multiple fire whirls had already been spotted. There was still neighborhood of people stranded up there .
"Would you think less of me if I said no." He answered truthfully, instead of being in charge of his crew and knowing their whereabouts he was going to be in charge of multiple teams and dispersing them, all to danger. He worried that he may be sending them to their deaths as well
The other man clamped a hand on his shoulder. "Not at all the first time I did this I felt sick to my stomach."
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Rebecca showed up at Stanley's and saw that there were some additional vehicles, most notably JoAnne's and the expensive Bentley that she knew belonged to Lou's grandmother. There were a few others she didn't recognize but she inherently knew they were there for Marco and Chet. She was in the process of getting Louie out when she was met with JoAnne and Danielle who came out to get the gear out. She gave Jo a small smile that communicated her thanks. As she entered, the house had a hum to it, there were a few people in the kitchen cooking and talking. Lou's grandmother was in the den watching the news and she could hear the voice of Danielle in another room, probably taking care of Chris and Jenny. She wandered toward her voice as she knew that the young woman had taken her travel crib so she could put Louie in it.
After depositing her son in the bedroom she joined Lou's grandmother in the living room. "What do they say?"
"Just the fire is only about twenty percent contained but the response has been huge to try and fight it." The older woman sighed, Rebecca could see she was glued to the television but her fingers were working on a crochet blanket.
"That's pretty." She looked from Rebecca to the object in her hands.
"Thank you, I can only do granny squares but it helps me stay, well, calm." The younger woman sighed and rubbed at the spot the baby kept kicking. "I remember those days." Elizabeth smiled at her.
"Yeah, it's so different than with Louie." She paused. "I know you have at least two because of meeting Charlie that one day and well Lou's father."
The older woman's face looked pained for a second. "I have a total of four; two boys and two girls." She could see the tears in her eyes. "Well one boy now." Even though her son had been not such a great person for a while it didn't mean he wasn't her boy. Rebecca thought to sweet Louis, sleeping in the other room, and how once upon a time this woman had a toddler just like him and he was probably so loved. She thought if her son grew up to be like Lou's father would she still love her son and the answer was yes she would always love him no matter what. It didn't mean she would be happy with his actions but she would still love him.
"I'm sorry." Rebecca apologized, the older woman waved her off and cleared her throat.
"Don't want to dwell too much on the bad." Elizabeth smiled. "There were too many good days, especially when they were little."
Rebecca smiled back. "Today was a good day. We went to the pier, had too much cotton candy and laughed till our sides hurt." The joy in her tone at the memories changed the mood of the room. "But some days it doesn't seem like I can do it, like when Louie is sick and Mike's working or I feel rough myself."
The mood hadn't changed and Elizabeth gave a short laugh. "There will be days where you get everything you set out to do and then some where you got dressed that day but nothing much else around the house, both days are successful." The younger woman looked at her, confused. "We put too much on visible progress but if all you do is love your son and take care of him that is better than getting the house clean, trust me."
"She's telling you the truth Becca." Emily said as she entered, both woman looking up at her. "I can't tell you how many days Hank would come home and the house was an utter disaster but the girls were happy, clean, fed and had fun." Rebecca stood and gave her a hug. "It's ok, they'll be ok."
Elizabeth stood. "How do you do this?" They broke the hug and looked at her. "How do you wait to know if...if they're coming home?" She had tears in her eyes and Emily felt a sudden rush to comfort her.
"Hug?" She offered to which the woman nodded. Emily enveloped her in a hug and the woman held on tight. "We do this, we wait together, support each other, hold on tight to hope, and never let go."
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James Huntsford hated to admit it, but he was scared. He and his wife have decided to hide in the basement of their house in hopes if the fire burned their home the basement would protect them. It had been hours since the fire first started and he had tried the access road and even trying to see if they could hike out but they were surrounded. They had started to actually hear the fire as it grew closer He had then turned the hose on and tried to soak the house in an effort to slow the burn if the fire reached them. The air was smoky and ash was falling, it felt like he was in middle of the apocalypse. Every once and while he would hear a helicopter and he hoped it was rescue but they would stop so far out dump their load and then take back off, every time his hope was dashed when it happened they didn't look like they were getting any closer.
"James, honey, I'm scared." He pulled her in close.
"I am too Nancy. I am too." He closed his eyes and prayed that either the helicopters or the firemen reached them before the flames.
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Hannah Stanley in 36s common room and frowned at the chatter on the radio. When Captain Wilkes had informed them that they were to remain in the county the crew's reactions were a mixed bag from relief to disappointment. She was afraid, there were hundreds of acres involved and the flames were too hot for water drops around a neighborhood that had people stranded. They were trying by ground but that had it's own dangers and she hadn't a clue where the people she loved were. She had called her mother earlier and was informed that all of 51's A-shift had already responded, including Chet. She was only half paying attention to her surroundings as she turned up the chatter on the radio, and a voice she recognized came through.
"We have broken through a path to the civilians. City 9, City 11, County 45, County 72, pick up brush 10, 13, and 16, rescue teams blue, orange, and green. Head to the north bearing and following the helicopter as it makes drops."
She heard several responses affirming they had heard her father's orders noting two more voices she recognized.
"It's different when you know the exact danger, isn't it?" Her Captain's voice caused her to jump.
She looked up at him. "Yeah ,that was my dad doing the dispatch of crews. I heard my uncle Roy and uncle Johnny respond." She sighed. "I just hope they keep that path to those people open for a while."
"Me too, Roger is up there." He sighed. "I don't know who they put him with, but Martha called and told me that he went before HQ called the house."
"He's still a trainee, right?" She asked.
"No, he's a rookie now with station 86 B shift." He answered and joined her at the table. "One thing I never thought my son would be was a firefighter."
"Why's that?"
"Well, he always seemed disinterested at a kid and as a teen he more than once told me what he thought of my job." He chuckled. "Now he is just a hose jockey, meat head."
She laughed too. "My dad thought having girls would mean he wouldn't have a kid in the department." She sipped her coffee. "They'll be ok, won't they?"
Wilkes stood, pouring another cup of coffee for the long night, and patted her arm. "I have to believe they will be."
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