One Week Later. At Night…
CRACKLE
Creak…
CRACK
CRASH
CRASH
THUD
CRUNCH
THUD
CRUNCH
CRASH
…
BEEP
BEEP
With flames crackling all around, a floor gave way, bringing down two firefighters and crashing against the lower level below. Two red helmets lying around, all dusted and stained with soot.
As two civilians ran out of the hotel entrance, several Ladder and Engine companies were there. Red and white siren lights flashing and reflecting around the area.
The Captain of 55 ran over to the civilians. "Hey! Sir!" Michelle called out. "Was anyone else behind you?" She asked.
The man looked behind him while coughing. "There were two firefighters behi… *COUGH* behind us! I- I heard a creaking sound behind and I looked back and I saw flames! I- I don't know what happened to them!" The man kept coughing. Michelle gave a concerned look at the building. "Crap!..." She gulped. "Cutler, Doss, get these two treated!"
She then looked over at Stella, who recently came back to work. Stella would give a nod. Michelle nodded back. "Alright! Montgomery, Clemente, and Warren, you're on RIT team! I'm heading in with you guys! Our two Lieutenants are still in there!" Michelle ordered as she grabbed her SCBA from the Truck.
Stella went on her radio. "Alright, hold off on that water! We have two firefighters trapped inside!"
THRASH
Flames poured from the top floors of the hotel.
"COME ON, MOVE IT!" Michelle yelled while adjusting her SCBA.
Back inside the burning hotel, two PASS devices were beeping with the two firefighters motionless…
"They were on the fifteenth floor! They were doing a primary search, which explains why there were more civilians inside!" Pep exclaimed as they climbed the stairs to the fifteenth floor.
"And that's where we start! The man said he heard a creaking noise behind him, most likely the floor collapsed behind them!" Michelle replied.
They soon reached the fifteenth floor, where flames surrounded the hallway.
"Alright, we're gonna have to try and retrace their steps before the flooring collapsed!" Michelle started looking around. "Watch your steps, guys! This floor could be compromised!" She used her halligan to check the floor's stability.
"FIRE DEPARTMENT, CALL OUT!" Travis yelled.
"FIRE DEPARTMENT, ANYONE HERE?" Pep shouted. They used their axes to check on the floor's stability so they also wouldn't fall through.
Michelle kicked open a door. "HILLWOOD FIRE, ANYONE HERE?" Only flames in the room. The entire room was engulfed.
Travis and Pep went in a different direction. Travis froze and grabbed Pep's shoulder. "Hey! You hear that?!" He looked around. Pep also started looking around.
BEEP
BEEP
BEEP
BEEP
Pep then stepped on something. "Hey, what's this?" She saw it was a halligan. "I have a halligan here, but no sign of them!" She looked around but then saw something ahead. As she picked up the second halligan, she looked at Travis. "Aye! Montgomery! Look, up ahead!" She pointed.
Travis saw something off. He then reached for his radio. "Hey, Captain! I think we may have found where Arnold and Spinelli are!"
"Copy, we're headed your way!"
Travis and Pep decided to get ahead.
Outside
"Fifty-Five! Status report!" Stella exclaimed through her radio.
"Chief! We may have a lead toward where they are! We'll report back!"
The PASS device's beeping got louder and louder.
"Montgomery! I got 'em! Over here!" Pep motioned Travis over, who was checking a room.
Michelle and Warren came over. "Captain, over here!" Pep pointed.
"Give me ropes! I'm headed down!" Michelle exclaimed. Travis then handed her a blue rope and hooked it onto her escape belt. "COME ON, LET'S GO!"
"Line secured!" Travis replied. "Alright, easy now! We got you!"
Michelle then went over the edge. "Alright, Clemente, have a second line ready! Montgomery, Warren, lower me down easily!" The two nodded and slowly lowered Michelle down.
Michelle kept motioning. "Alright! Down! Down!" She soon reached the ground. "Alright, stop! Stop!" She unhooked the blue rope from her harness.
She then kneeled toward one of the Lieutenants. "... Arnold! Hey! Can you hear me!" She turned him onto his side. She took off his fireproof hood and his air mask. She checked around his neck. "Pulse is strong!" He slowly blinked his eyes open.
"... Ugh…"
"Arnold! You alright?" Michelle asked. "I'm fine! Where's Spinelli?" He looked to his side, finding another unconscious body. "Oh my- SPINELLI!" Michelle yanked him. "HEY! We'll get her out and get her treated!-"
Arnold slowly stood up. He kneeled next to her. Her red Lieutenant helmet was around her boots. "HEY! Spinelli! Spinelli, can you hear me?!" Arnold frantically asked. Michelle helped him turn Spinelli onto her back.
Her mask was all foggy, smokey, and blurred. "SPINELLI!" Arnold took off her fireproof hood and mask. "Her air's out!" He decided to apply his mask on her face. "Captain, you HAVE to get her out of here first!" Arnold looked at Michelle.
She then reached for her radio. "Chief, we're gonna need an extra set of hands in here!"
"Copy. Sending in Johanssen and Henderson." Stella replied, motioning to Gerald and Tommy.
*GASP* Spinelli finally regained consciousness.
"Oh my goodness, SPINELLI!" Arnold immediately hugged her. "Aye, can you stand?"
"I think so…" She rubbed her head. Spinelli put an arm over Arnold so she could stand up.
"Alright, nice and easy!" Michelle said while grabbing the blue rope. "Clemente! Send down the second rope!" Pep nodded and started lowering the second blue rope.
Arnold hooked the rope onto Spinelli's escape belt. "Alright, we're ready, Captain!"
Michelle looked up at Travis. "You heard him! Get her out of here!" She exclaimed.
Travis and Warren started retracting the rope.
"Almost there!..." Pep grabbed her once she was within reach. "Alright, there we are!" She pulled Spinelli up. She then unhooked the rope. "Captain, I'll get her out of here!"
"Copy, Clemente!" Michelle replied.
Tommy and Gerald finally came over. "You guys take over, I'll get her out!" Pep pointed over to the flooring hole.
"Got it!" Tommy replied. "Let's get you out!" Pep started walking with Spinelli's arm over her shoulder. "Chief, I have one of the Lieutenants and we're headed out now!" Pep told her through the radio.
"Copy." Stella replied. "Cutler, Doss, be ready on triage." Stella looked at Vic and Cutler, who both nodded.
"Alright, your turn!" Michelle told Arnold while coupling the blue rope onto the escape belt. She looked up and gave a thumbs-up.
"UP!" Travis and Gerald started pulling the rope back up.
Creak…
Tommy and Warren pulled on Arnold's coat and SCBA tank.
"Alright, let's get you out!" Warren told his Lieutenant while he unhooked the rope from the escape belt. He then helped him to his feet.
"Alright, let's get you out, Lieutenant!" Warren said while he placed Arnold's arm over his shoulder.
As Tommy, Arnold, and Warren started walking out, Travis lowered the rope one more time. "Alright, Captain, your turn!" Michelle grabbed the rope and started hooking it to her escape belt.
CREAK…
"Captain, the floor's getting more unstable!"
Michelle finally got her rope hooked on. "Alright, Montgomery!" She gave a thumbs-up.
Travis and Gerald started lifting the rope up one last time.
CRACK
CRASH
THRASH
The floor below Michelle gave way and flames shot up from it.
"GO!" Michelle yelled. Travis and Gerald tugged on the rope. "Come on!..."
Michelle was within reach. "Alright, Captain! Let's get you out!" Gerald tugged on her coat and soon pulled her to safety.
Travis soon unhooked her rope.
Soon, outside, Travis, Gerald, and Michelle walked out of the hotel entrance. They took off their air masks and took deep breaths of air.
Michelle looked at Stella, who gave a content nod. "Great work, Fifty-Five." She reached for her radio. "Alright, hit it!"
Several raised ladders started spraying water at the top floors, while Engine deck guns sprayed at the lower levels.
As water sprayed at the hotel fire, a faraway shot from the scene was shown. The nighttime sky with smoke filling the air, flames crackling, water spraying, red and white siren lights flashing around the area, and many Trucks (Ladders) and Engines around the hotel.
Hours Later…
Soon, Engine 55 and Truck 55 soon arrived back at their house and were parked in the engine room. Their Aid Car was still at MedStar.
Several truck doors closing, with the Battalion Ford parked near the Ladder. Stella soon walked over. "Great work today, Fifty-Five. I intended to announce something special but unfortunately, with our two Lieutenants at Med, that'll have to wait." With smoke stains on their faces, they only nodded.
Over at MedStar…
"I'm tellin' you, Pheebs, I'm fine!" Spinelli pleaded, but Phoebe only lowered her eyelids while checking Spinelli's pupils. "Yeah, yeah. I hear that every day here." She finished checking her pupils. "The minor smoke inhalation should go away with the oxygen we're providing, but tell me something."
"What?" Spinelli replied with a nasal cannula in her nose.
"How- What even happened? The only thing I can think of that caused the smoke inhalation was your SCBA being damaged." Phoebe shrugged.
Spinelli only shrugged.
"... Right here, Arnold." Catherine was with him and gave a warm smile. "Thanks, Cathy." He smiled back. He then smiled at Spinelli. "How are you feeling, sweetheart?"
Spinelli finally smiled. "I'm a lot better now that you're here." They each other's hands.
"Hey, uh, Phoebe-"
"That's DR. HEYERDHAL to you two." Phoebe smirked. They smirked back. "Right… Phoebe? When can we get discharged?"
Phoebe looked around. "Um… Hey, Cathy!" She called her over. "Yeah?" She chirpily replied.
"Where's Arnold's chart?" Catherine had it in hand. "Right here."
"Any injuries I should know about?" Phoebe asked. "Scans came back negative, no broken bones, no internal injuries. To me, he's pretty lucky." The Italian woman replied and smiled.
Phoebe nodded and pursed her lips for a moment. "Ok, ok…" She exhaled. "Well, apart from minor smoke inhalation to Spinelli, not only can I discharge you guys soon, but you should be cleared for duty." She told them.
"Thank you so much, you two." Arnold smiled.
"Of course." Catherine and Phoebe smiled and soon walked away.
Arnold then smiled at Spinelli. He nuzzled against her nose. "I love you."
Spinelli caressed his cheek. "I love you, Arnold." She smiled back. Arnold leaned over to kiss her soft lips and caressed her cheek.
"I'm glad you're ok, Spin." Arnold stroked her hair. "I'm glad WE'RE ok. Andy still needs us." Spinelli replied.
"WE need each other." Arnold smiled. Spinelli also smiled. They soon leaned over for another kiss.
Arnold then smiled and kissed her forehead. "Alright, you get some rest now. I'll wake you when we're headed out. Ok?" Spinelli would only nod. Arnold kissed her forehead once more. "Love you, sweetie."
An Hour Later
Around an hour passed by, the minor smoke Spinelli inhaled was all cleared, and Phoebe had their discharge papers ready.
She soon came to their room and knocked on the glass. "Hey." She smiled. "I can tell someone's tired, I'll make this quick."
Arnold lightly shook Spinelli. "Hey, sweetheart, time to go." She woke up and sighed.
"Just when I was starting to get some good sleep…" She yawned. Arnold warmly chuckled. "Just hold off a little while, we'll be home before you know it." He kissed her forehead. Phoebe smiled.
"I assume you guys have been hauling your asses off lately?" She asked. Arnold merely shrugged. "How's Gibson?" Arnold asked.
"He came in this morning, I checked him out and he seems to be progressing, thankfully." Phoebe replied while taking the nasal cannula out of Spinelli's nose. "All set, you're good to go." She smiled.
Spinelli sat up and stretched. "The sooner I get to bed the better…" She yawned. Arnold smiled and kissed her cheek. He then rubbed her back. "Just hang in there."
"Alright, papers are out front, and I'll see you two in a half hour." Phoebe told them while looking at a tablet. "Thanks, Phoebe." They smiled.
"How's Teddy? Haven't seen her in a while." Arnold asked.
"Dealing with a toothache but she should be back soon." Phoebe replied. "Now that I think about it, I haven't seen her since the day we brought Scott…" Spinelli had her hand on her chin.
Phoebe paused to think.
"Thanks again, Pheebs." Arnold smiled. They soon walked out of the room. "Hope Teddy's doing alright." Spinelli rested her head on Arnold's shoulder. He only nodded in agreement while rubbing her shoulder and kissing her forehead once.
At Home
Arnold and Spinelli finally got home with Mr. and Mrs. Spinelli awaiting them.
Arnold kissed Spinelli's forehead once more. "Think you have enough energy to shower?" He smirked. "... Shut up…" Spinelli smirked back. Arnold then saw his future in-laws. "I'll come check in with you." He kissed her cheek.
He walked over to Bob, who was currently watching the news in the living room. "Ah! Arnold! There you two are!" He smiled.
"Hey, Mr. Spinelli! Uh, where's Mrs. Spinelli?" Arnold asked.
"She's putting little Andy to sleep." He replied. He then gave a slight somber look. "I uh, I saw what happened on the news."
Arnold gave a confused look. "News? What news?"
"Didn't you see the news helicopters or vans at that hotel?" Bob asked. Arnold yelped. "Mr. Spinelli I- *sigh* I- I never wanted to have your daughter in harm's way-" Bob stopped him.
"Arnold, I know you're a great person, but this isn't about me scolding you or any of that stuff. I'm just glad you two are alright, mainly our little Pookie." Bob shrugged.
"I tried getting her clear of the floor but it was already too late. The floor had collapsed…" He gulped.
Bob stood up and walked toward Arnold. He then pulled him into a hug. "Come here, son." Arnold was now confused. "Just glad you two made it out."
Flo then came over. "Oh, sweetie! There you are! Where's my little Pookie?" She asked while smiling. Arnold walked to her and hugged her. "She's alright, Mrs. Spinelli. She's currently showering."
Flo kissed his cheek. "When we saw the news, we honestly feared the worst, not only for us but your little Andy too."
"Well, I'm here now and that's all that matters." He gave a small smile. Flo smiled back. "Alright, hun, we'll let you be now." She caressed his cheek.
Soon, the front door opened and then closed. Pep finally came home from her shift.
Diesel ran up to Arnold, and Bandit ran to Pep.
"Hey, boy!" She smiled and toyed with Bandit. "Oh, you cute little thing!" She kept walking. Arnold came up to her. "Hey, Pep." They kissed each other's cheeks. "You doing alright?" He asked.
She shrugged. "I'm okay, thanks. Just glad you and Spinelli are alright." Pep smiled. Arnold smiled back and patted her shoulder. "I'll see you later."
Arnold soon walked away to his bedroom while Pep walked toward the kitchen.
In his bedroom, he found Spinelli pulling up her panties and throwing her towel onto the bed.
Arnold smiled. "Hey, Spinelli." She turned around and smiled. "And here I thought you'd take long." She smirked.
Arnold playfully rolled his eyes and wrapped his arms around her hips. "I've been waiting all day for this." He smiled and immediately kissed her lips.
Arnold soon shifted to kissing her shoulder, making her giggle.
"After a long day, you always know how to make it right." Spinelli continued to giggle.
Arnold rubbed his hands on her shoulders. "So, you headed to sleep now?" He asked with a warm smile. "And you better bet your ass you're coming with me." Spinelli smirked.
"Never change, sweetheart, never change." Arnold kissed her forehead. "I'll be back. I just have to get cleaned up." Spinelli nodded.
15 Minutes Later
After fifteen minutes, Arnold finally came back from showering and brushing his teeth and found his fiance lying in bed waiting for him.
Arnold smiled and soon crawled into bed next to her.
They nuzzled against each other and kissed. Arnold kissed her forehead. "Goodnight, Spinelli." He rubbed her hand with a smile.
"Goodnight, Arnold." Spinelli smiled back and soon lied down. Arnold lied down as well and started cuddling her, kissing her cheek one more time.
The Next Morning…
It was just about time for another shift, but not before doing something more important…
In Andy's room, both Spinelli and Arnold had their hoodies on and were with Andy. Andrea was cradled in Spinelli's arms.
"Oh, look how much you've grown up, sweetie…" Spinelli smiled and kissed Andy's cheek. "Just wait until after tomorrow and you'll have the next three days with us, honey. We promise." She kissed her cheek again.
"We'll be back tonight, sweetie. You have no idea how much we really love you, sweetheart." Arnold kissed Andy's cheek. "We love you, sweetie. We'll see you." He smiled.
Spinelli then noticed a text message on Arnold's phone. "Hey. What's that?" She asked.
Arnold picked up his phone from the drawer. "Important announcement for 55. Don't be late." The text read.
"Hey, Spinelli, we better get going, Chief has an important announcement." Arnold told his fiance.
Spinelli exhaled. "We love you, sweetie." Both Arnold and her kissed both Andy's cheeks. "We'll see you soon, honey." Arnold smiled at Andy.
Soon, a shot of the sunrise was shown of the city, and then an overhead shot of FIrehouse 55.
Everyone was gathered in the kitchen and dining room area, with Stella having her black Battalion jacket on.
She cleared her throat. And then a deep breath. "Alright, so, um… Fifty-Five, over the past month, I've been busy with a major change to this house. Before anything, as much as I would've wanted to say you're getting a new Ladder, the city isn't all that keen on it since we have a bit of a turnover problem with that… Um, but speaking of new rigs, this house will be receiving a new rig." Everyone stared at each other in confusion. "Not an Engine, Ladder, or Aid Car."
"So, if it isn't any of our rigs, what rig ARE we getting, Chief?" Donovan asked.
"And I'm glad you asked, Alexander. So, Station 55, the city has provided enough funds for a fourth rig. 55, it is my honor to tell you that this house will be having a Squad team coming aboard."
Everyone stared with mixed feelings.
"The new Squad members will coming by later today, and the new Squad truck will be arriving tomorrow morning. The one thing I honestly haven't resolved is who'll be Squad Lieutenant."
"I think that's great!" Travis spoke.
"Chief, what level hazmat will Squad be?" Michelle asked.
"Squad will be a level one hazmat, you'll be able to deal with hazardous chemicals and contain them, but in terms of cleaning it up? You'll be required to call in level two hazmat. Squad will join Truck (Ladder) on primary searches and also ventilation. They'll deal with water rescue, carry more gear than Truck and Engine, and will be Rapid Intervention." Stella replied.
Everyone soon lit up and had a good feeling about it now.