The Next Morning
It was bright and early, the sun rays were shining through Arnold's bedroom windows.
Arnold and Spinelli were cuddled up and asleep together comfortably.
Spinelli would soon be awakened by the sun's rays.
"Ugh… damn sun rays…" She rubbed her eyes. She felt Arnold's arm over her waist. She only smiled as she saw him sleeping.
"He looks so cute when he's asleep." Spinelli stroked Arnold's messy hair. She then looked at the time. "Well, going to work isn't too bad when you're a first responder."
She lightly shook Arnold. "Arnold. Arnold, get up, we're gonna be late." Arnold was still asleep. "Wake up before I hit you with your laptop over the head!"
"And I'm up…" Arnold woke up after. "Looks like I gotta rethink my choice of getting you pregnant. I can handle your normal temper as it is, but pregnancy anger? Man, what'll that be like?" Arnold sat up.
"Oh, I think you'll bear through it. After all, you do love me, no?" Spinelli smirked at Arnold. He only smiled.
"Alright, let's get out of bed before we start making out before our shift." Arnold started. "Too late."
Spinelli cupped Arnold's face and pulled him straight into a kiss, and slipped her tongue inside his mouth. Arnold's tongue wrestled Spinelli's tongue. Soon, Arnold slipped out of the kiss and started kissing her neck.
"If only it was nighttime right now…" Spinelli gave a delighted sigh. Arnold noticed it wasn't time for their fooling around, but didn't want to leave her hanging.
Arnold started kissing Spinelli's neck and worked his way up toward her lips.
"Now let's get to work." Arnold smirked. Spinelli nodded and kissed him again.
At Station Fifty-Five
"Crazy to think how he was choking yet he didn't want the Heimlich maneuver. In what world does that make sense? I can't be the only one who thinks that!"
"You know something even crazier?" Donovan told Travis. "What?"
"You shitting the bed thinking you saw a ghost."
Everyone tried to contain their laughter.
"Dude, c'mon! I was twelve when that happened!"
"Twelves years old and you shit the bed? Oh, come on! Really?" Vic bursted into laughter. "That's not even what we're even talking about here! How does that even come to mind? At least I shit the bed at twelve instead of eating expired cereal from last month!"
Donovan stopped laughing and looked at the cereal, and looked back at Travis. "Why didn't you guys tell me?!"
"You were too busy the other day telling jokes." Tommy replied as he went over to the fridge. "Yeah, I think you'll be stuck on desk duty."
"Why?"
"This milk expired yesterday." Tommy showed the empty milk carton.
"If anyone needs me, I'll be on the toilet shitting my guts out." Donovan got up and immediately ran towards the restroom.
Arnold and Spinelli came in as he rushed by them.
"Why does he look like he's been holding in puke?" Spinelli looked back. "Probably doesn't look as bad as you when the day comes of you giving birth." Arnold replied. Spinelli lowered an eyelid and raised her other eyebrow.
"Get me pregnant tonight and we'll see in nine months." She smirked. "If you insist." Arnold lightly yanked on her shirt. "Stop that."
"If it isn't our favorite love birds?" Travis looked back at the two. "How's it hangin', you guys?"
"Oh, well, the usual."
"No touchy-touchy in here!" Travis lightly smirked.
Arnold and Spinelli smirked at each other. "Oh, we don't have to even touch each other to show love." Arnold replied. Spinelli kissed him after.
"Aww, how cute of you two!" Michelle said. "That's still touching, c'mon!" Travis just chuckled after.
"Oh, c'mon already. It's not like we're doing each other in the showers."
"Oh-kayyyy let's stop all that before it gets any weirder." Michelle rolled her eyes but then laughed. "So Arnold, how you feeling this morning?" She then asked.
"Welp, what can I say? I guess one can say I had some support." Arnold gave Spinelli a side-hug and kissed her head.
"You're not referring to anything… weird? Are you?"
"And you were the one to say not to say any weird stuff. Oh, please." Gerald laughed. "That's what I was gonna say!" Travis also laughed.
As they all laughed and chatted away, the alarm went off.
"Aid Car Fifty-Five requested at 2931 Southwestern Ave. Medical emergency."
"Michelle, Montgomery, you two are up." Arnold said as he sat down with Spinelli. "Just don't eat those cereals!" Travis shouted as he ran out the door.
"Why's that?" Spinelli looked at Arnold. "They expired last month. It's from B shift but they didn't care to throw it out for some reason." Arnold shrugged.
Aid Car Fifty-Five soon took off from the engine room and headed towards the address.
"Huh. That's funny…" Travis looked at the provided address. "What's wrong?" Michelle asked.
"This address is familiar. I remember it, I just don't know from where!"
"Maybe a relative? If that street is familiar to you, then it has to mean something, no?"
"Yeah, I guess we'll just have to wait and see." He shrugged as the ambulance raced through traffic.
"Engine Fifty-Five, Ladder Fifty-Five, requested at structure fire." The station alarm had gone off again, minutes after their ambulance left.
Everyone was down in the engine room and gearing up fast.
"Alright, you guys! Let's go!"
Both truck siren lights were on and soon started blaring.
Ladder Fifty-Five came out first, and Engine Fifty-Five followed after.
"Just got word we're dealing with a run-down fireworks shop. Alright, remember, if you hear any popping noise, it's not gunfire, it's just fireworks most likely igniting, so be careful in there." Arnold told his crew.
Arnold then looked over at Spinelli. "Spinelli, can I trust you not to be reckless this time?"
"Oh, you ass…"
"What was that?" Arnold smirked. "Yes, Captain." She rolled her eyes. "Grounded?" Gerald laughed. "I'd mention what I want to mention since it's more private."
"Minus well not go there…"
The trucks honked their horns as cars moved out of the way.
Aid Car Fifty-Five soon arrived at the address.
Michelle and Travis walked up to the door.
"Hillwood Fire Department! Anyone home?" Michelle asked from the door.
The door was opened by a woman Travis knew.
"Mom?!" Travis asked in shock.
"My husband, he's having a heart attack and I didn't know what to do!"
"C'mon!" Michelle ran in with Travis.
Meanwhile
Engine Fifty-Five and Ladder Fifty-Five soon pulled up to the firework store. Many bystanders were outside and several injured people.
"Oh, Christ…" Arnold looked at the store. "Dispatch, requesting additional Aid Cars and two more Engine companies."
"Copy that, Fifty-Five."
"Vic, Tommy, and-" Arnold noticed they were a little short-handed. "Great… Alright you two, you guys are on triage. Once Aid Cars get here, I'll have their Captain assign them to it, I'll be wanting multiple fire attack units." Arnold started as he got out of the truck.
"Spinelli, Gibson, you two on fire attack, Dixon, Warren, you two are on evac. Kyle, and Lefkoe, you two are on evac as well. Wiggins, Smith, you guys on triage." Arnold handed out assignments as an Aid Car came to a stop behind him.
"About time you guys got here." Arnold looked back. "Alright, you two, Triage. Wiggins, you're still with them, Smith, you're now on evac."
"Copy that, Cap!"
"Alright people, let's move it!" Arnold then saw a man come out from the store, coughing and stained with smoke with minor burns. And Arnold recognized who it was.
"Mr. Lloyd?!" Arnold ran over. Buckley saw who it was. "Ar- Arnold?!"
"Dean! Get this guy treated!" Arnold called Smith over. "Wait! You have to find your mother-in-law!"
Arnold was about to retaliate on what to call Brooke, but he didn't have a second to waste.
"Lieutenant!" Arnold called Spinelli over. "Yeah, Cap?"
"You stay out here on incident command, for now, I'm headed in!"
"What?!"
"My mother-in-law is in there and I-" Arnold felt a hand on his shoulder. "You're staying out here, Captain. And that's an order as your Chief." Arnold looked over to see Stella behind him.
"But…" Arnold sighed. Stella noticed the minor disappointment on his face and had to make a decision fast. "You're going in there but you stay out here once Brooke is safe. Got it?"
"Yes, Chief." Arnold nodded. "Lieutenant, get back to Gibson, he's waiting."
"Got it, Chief." Spinelli ran back to Gibson.
"Thought I had to do this all by myself." He laughed. "Just get in there before I smack you with this exact line." She replied as she put her breathing apparatus on.
"Dispatch, this is Chief Shortman, what's the ETA on the next Aid Car?"
"ETA six minutes."
"Copy that."
"LOOK OUT!" Gibson and Spinelli ducked as several fireworks kept igniting.
"Hillwood Fire Department! Anybody here!" Warren called out. Arnold followed behind. "This is the Hillwood Fire Department, if you can hear us call out!"
POP
POP
POP
POP
"Anybody here?!"
"Arnold, over here! I got one!" Warren found an unconscious victim who had blood coming from his head. "Ben, get him outta here, I still have someone to look for! Hurry!"
Warren started to carry the unconscious man, while Arnold carried on.
"One would have to be extremely retarded to light fireworks in a fireworks store!" Gibson mentioned as he shot water up high. "And you're telling me. That's like eating a whole takeout meal at home, and coming to the place you got it at and wanting a refund!"
"Not exactly like that but close enough."
Fire flashed right at them and nearly struck them.
"SHIT!" The two backed up.
"Ventilation team, what's going on up there?" Stella went on her radio as she looked up at the roof.
"Chief… most of the roof is stable, but we found several weak spots on the roof and we're not sure whether it'll hold until everyone's out!"
"Copy that, Luiz."
Meanwhile
"You're NOT dying on my watch!" Travis exclaimed as he was doing CPR on his father.
"Soon as he stabilizes, we have to get him to MedStar Memorial immediately!" Michelle replied as she intubated Nathaniel. Travis checked for a pulse. "I GOT A PULSE."
The cardiac monitor soon showed a pulse along with his blood pressure.
"Quick! On the stretcher!"
The two got Nathaniel on the backboard, and immediately laid him on the stretcher.
"All we can hope for is that he doesn't flatline on the way there!" Michelle mentioned as they went out the door.
Michelle kept pumping the IV bag as Travis opened the rear ambulance doors. The stretcher legs were raised and he was put inside.
"I'll drive." Michelle told Travis as she shut the doors. Michelle then saw Travis' mother. "Ma'am, if you'd like, you can meet us at MedStar Memorial Hospital, that's where we'll go." She only nodded as she was distressed.
"MOM!" Arnold finally found his mother-in-law, but she was unconscious with minor burns on her arm.
"Chief, I found our victim and we're headed out!" Arnold radioed before picking up Brooke.
"Copy that, Captain."
Additional Ambulances came up and came to a stop.
"Oh, Shit…!" Vic had found an unfortunate person who was killed in the fire. He also had a rocket impaling through his head.
Arnold soon came out with his mother-in-law, Stella sent two paramedics his way.
A loud explosion came from inside the building as part of the roof collapsed, nearly bringing down two firefighters on the roof.
"Ventilation team, get off that damn roof NOW!" Stella demanded.
"Gibson, Spinelli, Vic, does anyone read? Over?" Arnold radioed. No answer. "Scott?! Ashley?! Victoria?! Does anyone read me, over?!" Arnold frantically asked. He looked at Stella. "Get your asses in there and find 'em, now!" She ordered.
"Warren! Wiggins! You guys are with me!" Arnold called out. Warren ran over to him, and Wiggins ran over to get his gear on.
Members of Ladder Twenty-Three were coming down as the roof was starting to get unstable.
Scott was weakly getting up as he had ringing in his ears. Vic managed to find the two.
"You two alright?"
"I'm fine but… where's Spinelli?" Gibson found her lying beside him, unconscious. Vic kneeled over. "C'mon, girl! Wake up!"
"We're losing him, Montgomery!" Michelle had to start CPR on Nathaniel again. "Two minutes away! C'mon!" The ambulance weaved through traffic.
"C'mon, Spinelli! Wake up!" Gibson tried slapping her awake, but nothing was working.
"Call it in." Vic could only nod. Shortly after, Spinelli woke up, gasping for air. "We'll take her from here, you two get out of here! I'll have Wiggins and two others in here for fire attack!"
"Cap-"
"NOW." Arnold sternly said. Vic and Scott got up and immediately headed outside. Arnold and Warren put Spinelli's arms over their shoulders. "Nice and easy now…"
"Chief, we have everyone accounted for and we're headed out!" Warren radioed.
"Copy that."
Soon enough, Scott and Vic were both outside as they took off their masks, Arnold, Spinelli, and Warren were all outside as well as two members of Ladder Twenty-Three headed inside.
"Fifty-three-year-old male, went into cardiac arrest twice, resuscitated twice, and intubated on scene." Michelle told the emergency room doctors all the information they needed.
"You ok, Trav?" She looked at Travis who was sitting at the rear of the truck. He only nodded. She only sighed and sat next to him.
Spinelli had her gear and turnout coat off as she was placed on a stretcher, Arnold was beside her every second.
"A- Arnold?" She looked over. "I'm here, sweetie. I'm here." Arnold gripped her hand. They still had their gloves on.
"I love you…" Spinelli gave a weakened smile. Arnold smiled back. "I love you more, Spinelli." Smith and Warren placed the stretcher inside and went with her. "We'll take it from here, she'll be fine." Arnold had to stay for incident command.
As the Aid Car raced off with its sirens blaring, Stella approached her son.
"You ok, sweetheart?" She put a hand on his shoulder. "I'll- I'll be fine…" Arnold shedded a small smile. "You'll see her after this, don't stress about it, hun." Stella smiled at her son. "I think you have some people that wanna see you." Stella looked at the triage.
"I'll be right back." Arnold walked towards his former in-laws.
"Arnold, is that really you? Our son-in-law?" Buckley asked. "It's me, Mr. Lloyd." Arnold replied. "How's your wife?"
"She's alright, thanks to you." Buckley gave a small smile. Arnold hadn't seen them smile at him in so long. "Well… that's great to hear. I guess I better get going now."
"Honey, wait!" Brooke soon called Arnold. He looked back before putting his helmet back on. "Come over here for a sec, please."
Arnold took a deep breath and kneeled next to Brooke. "What's wrong?"
Brooke pulled Arnold into a hug and kissed his cheek. "We're so sorry for everything we've ever done to you, sweetheart! I miss seeing you, Buckley misses having his son-in-law, and I miss the connection we had!"
Arnold hugged Brooke tightly. "We're so sorry, Arnold! We'll do whatever it takes for you to trust us once more! We love you!" Brooke had tears flowing down her face. Arnold had several tears fall from his face.
"Mrs. Lloyd, I appreciate all the kind words you said, but quite frankly you guys honestly hurt me, but I'm willing to try and reconnect once more."
"We love you, Arnold." Brooke replied while crying. Arnold soon stood up. "Say, how come you guys were here?"
"We were here to see whether they had candle lighters but that's a story we can tell you soon enough. We're so happy to see you again, Arnold!" Buckley looked over.
"Thanks."
"Arnold, if you ever want to talk, you know our phone numbers." Brooke soon mentioned as she wiped her tears away. "I know, and I have a feeling we'll talk soon enough." Arnold gave a small smile. He then waved, and they waved back.
"You did good, honey." Stella approached Arnold. "Thanks, Chief."
"I'm talking as your Mom, not your Chief!" Stella chuckled. Arnold only smiled. "Any word on Spinelli?"
"She arrived at MedStar Memorial, she's fine, in stable condition and she's in good spirits." Stella smiled. "The best thing I've heard all day right now." Arnold smiled. "Now let's get back to work, we still have a job to do."
"Let's show Hillwood what the Shortmans are really about!"
"Please don't say that…"
"Oh, lighten up!" Stella chuckled as Arnold smiled while shaking his head.
At first I thought of this pairing as an experiment, but now deep into this story, I'm starting to love it! And I may love it as much as I do with the Arnda pairing.