Later
In the engine room, Arnold found Spinelli sitting on the bumper of the Ladder.
"Hey!" He gave a cheery smile but found her with a bit of a somber look. "Hey, what gives with that look?"
Spinelli shrugged. "... I uh, I've been reminiscing about my life, to be fair. Just how I lived my life as a tough kid and even now in adulthood as an engaged firefighter." She turned to him once he sat next to her. "I'm tired of waiting, Arnold."
"Waiting for what?" He asked.
She stuck her hand up and showed her ring. "This, Arnold! I'm tired of waiting for months to pass by just for us to get married! We never know what lies ahead! You saw what happened last night! If it weren't for our team, we would've been goners!" She exclaimed.
Arnold took a deep breath. "Spinelli, why didn't you talk to me sooner? We could've had our wedding bumped up! You don't think I feel the same way? Spinelli, I love you with my entire heart, and I feel like I can't wait yet we have to wait a little longer. We'll talk to our parents and we'll go from there. Ok?" He smiled while rubbing her hand.
Spinelli gave a blank stare for a few seconds. But in an instant, she yanked on his collar, pulling him into a passionate kiss, wrapping her tongue around his.
After a few long seconds… "You're the best husband I'd ever ask for, Arnold. I love you." Spinelli gave a wholehearted smile.
"It's what I'm here for, sweetie." He smiled back and nuzzled against her. "Just a little longer." He rubbed her hand.
A knock on the truck was heard. "Hey, uh, can I see you both in my office?" It was Stella coming to see them.
"Sure, Mom." Arnold replied.
Stella soon walked away and headed to her office. Arnold kissed Spinelli once more and smirked, leaving her with a content smile.
In the Battalion Chief's office…
"So what's this about exactly?" Spinelli asked with her arms crossed.
"Look, this isn't exactly what I've been planning but I… With Squad soon coming to this house, and with Squad having no Lieutenant yet… I want to promote Arnold to Squad Lieutenant."
The two lieutenants gave a shocked look.
"Uh… WHAT?!" Spinelli asked, rather upset.
"Spinelli, sweetie, I know this isn't what you had in mind but-" Stella tried to explain.
"BUT WHAT?!" She angrily replied.
Arnold shrugged. "I mean, personally, I feel ok with the decision, to be fair. I mean, I'm a Lieutenant, and we really don't have room for a third Lieutenant." A knock on the door was heard.
"Package for this house?" The delivery guy came with a clipboard. Stella got up and walked to him. She signed the paper. "Just leave the packages where the trucks are, I know where I'll put them." She replied.
"You got it." The man replied.
"Arnold, are you really sure about your decision?" Spinelli looked at him. Arnold placed his hand on her cheek. "I promise you. I'm ok with it!" He warmly smiled.
Spinelli let out a deep sigh. "Alright."
"It won't be any different than being on Truck! I promise you." Arnold smiled and kissed her forehead.
Stella put a hand on his shoulder. "Honey, are you ready to take on the challenge and lead Squad?" Arnold nodded. "I'm ready."
She patted his shoulder and smiled. "And we're just in time to reveal the new uniforms for Squad." She headed out of her office.
In The Engine Room
"Come on! Let's go! Huddle up, Fifty-Five!" Stella shouted.
Everyone soon came walking into the garage area. "What's all this, Chief?" Michelle asked.
Stella gave a nod to her son, who started opening the package. "With Squad coming aboard tomorrow, it's time we reveal new uniforms. Arnold?" Stella looked at him with a smile.
Arnold pulled out one of the coats. The coat was essentially the same color with the same stripe pattern. The only difference is the top stripe on the arm was replaced with red stripes and the middle was white with the words 'Rescue Squad' in red. Arnold then put the coat on.
"Maybe it's not that much of a change, but it does at least tell the difference, no?" Stella shrugged. "Oh! Arnold! There should be something at the bottom of the box."
Arnold gave a confused look and soon looked at the bottom. "Hey, what's this?"
He pulled out a shield front for Squad. The front shield was almost the same, except the number was somewhat smaller with the word 'Squad' on it.
"Boy, now that's something." Travis scratched his head.
"I heard there was a truck in need of more firefighters." A voice spoke. "Dude, shut up…" Another male voice spoke.
Stella turned around. "Well, lookie here! Fifty-Five, meet our Squad members!" The four men soon walked near the Engine.
"Victor Cruz, the driver for Squad, David Suarez, Dan Murray, and someone you all should know… Russell McCaffery." Stella listed out.
"Russ? Oh my God, it's been so long!" Donovan started. "W- How come you're coming back? I thought you were retired."
McCaffery shrugged. "I know I had that injury at that apartment fire, but lately I got several medical exams and the doctor said I was cleared for duty." He replied.
"Squad, meet your new Lieutenant, Lieutenant Arnold Shortman." Stella patted his shoulder.
"Pleasure meeting you, Lieutenant." Cruz shook his hand. "Pleasure meeting you…?"
"Cruz. Victor Cruz." He nodded.
"Alright, Squad, the first shift is tomorrow, and I expect everyone here on time. I don't want any of you guys to be late." Stella reminded.
"No problem here, Chief." Suarez replied. "Got it." McCaffery also said. "I'm already ready to start!" Cruz replied.
Later That Day
In the living room area…
"One thing you haven't explained is what happened last night at that hotel fire." Pep spoke. "Come to think of it, you two never explained what occurred." Travis added.
Spinelli sighed. "I- …" Arnold rubbed her shoulder. "I guess I'll explain." He said.
Last Night ~ Minutes Before The Collapse
"Hey! I found one of them!" Arnold shouted as he tugged the man. He went on his radio. "Chief, I found one on the fifteenth floor! Severe smoke inhalation!"
"Copy! Triage is standing by!" Stella replied.
"Hey, Arnold! *grunt* I found another one! He's conscious!" Spinelli came over to him while carrying a halligan in her other hand.
*GASP* The unconscious man woke up gasping. "Hey! Hey! Easy! Easy! Easy! We'll get you out now! Just hang tight!" Arnold helped the man stand up.
Spinelli reached for her radio. "Chief, we're coming out now! Be advised, the fifteenth floor is bound to flashover! The entire floor's engulfed!" She exclaimed.
"Proceed with caution, Lieutenants! And get your asses out of there" Stella replied. "Emergency traffic! You have one minute to evacuate!"
"Alright, let's get you guys out!" Spinelli started walking behind the man.
Creak…
Spinelli looked back. "GO!" Arnold told the man and motioned him ahead.
"Hurry your ass and let's get out of here!" Spinelli told her fiancee.
CREAK….
Arnold looked down at the floor and noticed something off. He went wide-eyed. "SPINELLI, LOOK OUT! GET OUT OF HERE NOW!" He yelled and pushed her away, causing her to drop her halligan far from her.
CRACK
CRASH
CRASH
THUD
CRUNCH
THUD
CRUNCH
CRASH
…
BEEP
BEEP
The two Lieutenants fell through the flooring. Arnold tried to get Spinelli away from the collapse zone, but it was already too late. Arnold fell through first and crashed against the lower level with his helmet coming off. Spinelli hit her SCBA regulator along with her facemask and fell through and crashed against the floor with her helmet landing at her boots…
Present Day
"We fell unconscious and next thing I know, Captain McShay was there." Arnold gave a warm smile at her. She smiled back. "The one thing I'm not understanding is… who found my halligan after I had thrown it?" Spinelli asked.
"I think the only person you should be thanking is Clemente here." Travis patted both her shoulders with a smirk. "Oh, please! It was nothing." She shrugged.
Arnold immediately hugged her. "But it saved both our lives. Thanks, Pep." Arnold kissed her cheek, leaving her with a furious blush and a dreamy smile.
Arnold went back to Spinelli and kissed her forehead, leaving a smile on her face.
Later Throughout The Day
*smack* Spinelli smacked a newspaper against the table. With her feet kicked up, she let out a sharp exhale. "Man, this feels like a long shift, we haven't gotten a single call today!" She groaned.
The others nodded in agreement.
"I can think of a million different things I can do right now than this right now." Tommy shrugged. "Like what?" Michelle asked while walking by with a coffee mug.
"... I have nothing. BUT I know a million other things better than this." He shrugged while reading the newspaper.
Spinelli merely scoffed and got up and walked out of the living room.
Downstairs, she found Arnold polishing the Ladder.
"A Lieutenant spending his time cleaning? Now we really are that bored!" She walked up to him with a smile. She giggled while nuzzling against him. "I'd have to bet a million bucks you're anxious to be Squad Lieutenant." She smirked.
Arnold shrugged. "Well, it's definitely gonna be an exciting experience. One thing I'm anxious about is for this day to freakin' end! Ugh, I'm so bored! I wish we could be home with Andy right now…" Arnold smacked the towel against the truck.
Spinelli was about to reply, but a car engine came revving near the firehouse. A familiar SUV. It was her parents. Her father got out of the driver's seat, while her mother got out of the passenger seat with Andy.
While Spinelli walked over to her parents, Arnold looked behind him since he kept hearing a strange noise.
"Mom! Dad! What are you guys doing here?" Spinelli hugged her Dad. "Oh, we figured we'd come see you, that is, if you aren't busy." Flo smiled. "I'm glad you two are here, this day has been so freakin' boring!"
While Spinelli was with her parents, Arnold was looking under the Engine, only to find a… a green parrot?
"How'd this little guy get here?" He asked himself. "I wonder where he even came from.
He decided to slowly stick his hand out to see whether the little parrot would move away or closer.
"Oh, how are my two boys?" Spinelli chuckled while Bandit and Diesel were jumping up and down. The two dogs barked with joy at her.
Finally, Arnold soon came by with the little green parrot on his shoulder. "Look how I found hiding under one of the rigs." He chuckled while the parrot squawked.
"Hey, Arnold, who's your little friend?" Bob and Flo came over. "I found this little guy under one of the trucks, although I don't know where he even came from. He must've been hiding under there for a while." He replied.
The parrot then flow onto Flo's shoulder and squawked. Arnold took the chance to pet both his dogs.
"Did you miss us, boy? Did you? Did you? Yes, you did!" Arnold chuckled while toying with both of them. Spinelli then hugged him from behind.
The station alarm went off. "Aid Car 55, respond to man down in 365 Halstead Ave." The dispatcher in the background said.
"At least two of us are getting something." Spinelli rolled her eyes. Arnold turned his head. "Who said it's a boring time when we're together?" He smirked.
"You ass." Spinelli smirked back. Arnold smiled at her and started kissing her while the Aid Car sirens wailed while driving off.
Arnold soon looked at both their dogs. "Sit!" The parrot flew back onto his shoulder. "You should really try and figure out where he came from." Spinelli suggested.
Arnold only shrugged. "I'll start by trying to find his owner and I'll go from there."
Shortly after, the station alarm went off again. "Engine, Ladder, and Battalion 55, respond to house fire in 593 Tanks St." The dispatcher said in the background.
"Yes! Finally, something to do! I'll see you later, guys, love you!" Spinelli kissed both her parents' cheeks and ran back into the engine room. Arnold followed but the parrot flew off his shoulder and onto the hood of the SUV.
Within a minute, the Engine and Ladder sirens started blaring with the Ladder driving off first. The Engine followed behind as the truck horns honked.
With the trucks driving off slowly getting away from view with the red and white sirens flashing, over at MedStar.
"... And I need every one of you to work as quickly as you can or he's dead on this table. I need you to expect the unexpected for this! Let's go, people!" Teddy was handing out orders to everyone in the operating room while she was putting on her surgical gown.
"Absolutely!" One intern replied.
"Got it! Lap pads are ready!"
Teddy then stood still for a few seconds, blinking several times.
THUD
She all of a sudden collapsed and fell unconscious.
"Get a crash cart and page everyone! NOW!" Her surgical mask was taken off.
Meanwhile
As truck horns honked with both trucks coming to a stop, the second floor was completely engulfed.
*Hiss*
The Ladder came to a stop with Michelle hopping out. "Alright, this a two-story residential, fires on the second floor! Truck, you're on primary search! Engine, I want a hose backing them up!"
"You heard her! Let's go, let's go, let's go!" Stella exclaimed as many of them were running around.
The primary search team was masked up. "Alright, CLEAR!" Spinelli used an axe to breach the door.
CRACK
While Phoebe was chuckling with Catherine, "Dr. Heyerdhal, you're needed in O.R.1!" A nurse came up to her. "Yeah, I'll be there in a minute."
"But it's urgent, it's Dr. Deegan! You need to go now! Now!" The nurse insisted. Phoebe then immediately ran to the operating room.
"CLEAR!" Travis kicked open a door to reveal three people trapped inside. "Alright, let's get you guys out!" Tommy and Travis came over to them.
Phoebe came running into the O.R. in her scrubs, finding the patient flatlining with a pool of blood on the floor, and finding her best friend on the floor also flatlining.
"CLEAR!" The defibrillator whirred and shocked her. No change in Teddy's condition. "I can't find a pulse!"
"TEDDY! OH MY- STAY WITH ME, GIRL!" She took over the paddles and shocked her again. "COME ON, DAMMIT!"
"JUST STAY WITH ME!" She exclaimed, extremely determined. "CLEAR!" The machine whirred and shocked her once more. No change as the flatline continued.
With heavy breathing and panic all around, it transitioned to an overhead shot above the two as Phoebe yelled, "CLEAR!" shocking Teddy once more…