Later, in Stella's office, Arnold walked to remind Stella of something.
"Hey, Mom? Later tonight we'll be giving Cutler a proper send-off later tonight." Arnold mentioned.
"Huh?" Stella set aside a file. "Oh. Uh- Yeah. Yeah, I'll be there."
Arnold exhaled. "You okay, Mom? What's the deal with this Schultz guy? Heard you Cap and you were discussing this Tray guy. Is he coming over on Engine?" He leaned on a desk.
"Not in a million years." Stella answered.
Arnold sighed. "Look. Mom. Not that I wanna overstep in your business, but what exactly is going on?" Arnold asked. Stella rubbed her forehead and sighed. "Look, honey, all I know is I'm not letting Jared Schultz call the shots in the Firehouse I raised…"
Arnold exhaled and walked up to her. "Mom, I say this out of love and as your son… But that's your pride talking. You're bigger than this. You need to make the best choice for this house, long-term. It's not just about us Officers, it's about who our crew is…"
Stella softly smiled and rubbed his cheek. "Thanks. I'm glad you're always here if I need something." Arnold smiled. "Of course. But if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna head to Med with Spinelli to check on Mason."
"Of course." Stella nodded once.
Arnold soon walked out of his mother's office, adjusting his radio on his belt as Stella only stood there, contemplating a lot at the moment while thinking of what Arnold said.
Later at Med…
With their arms linked together, Arnold was currently holding a stuffed animal of a Dalmatian as they found where Mason and his Dad were.
"Think we should come back later?" Spinelli asked once they found Mason asleep.
Soon, Mason's dad, Bart, came over with his IV stand. "'Scuse me, are you the firefighter who saved my boy?" He asked.
"Uh- Yeah, I came to check how he was doing. I brought him this." Arnold showed the stuffed animal and handed it to Bart.
Bart smiled at the stuffed animal. "It's great. I think he'll like it. Thanks. I think he has a new career goal for when he grows up, he's talked non-stop about you guys." He chuckled.
"How's he holding up?" Spinelli asked, still linked with Arnold's arm.
"Recovering well, though the doctors say he's looking at weeks of rehab." Bart replied. "Well, anything we can do to help, let us know." Spinelli offered.
Bart nodded. "I will… I- I would never hurt my boy. I hope you know that."
"Look… I'm not the police, I'm not someone you have to convince." Arnold mentioned.
"But you were there and saved my boy's life. It was an accident! … We were driving along, and suddenly Mason shrieked like he saw something. I turned to check on him, but when I turned back, I saw a weird shape, I don't know, a deer? I swerved to avoid it but couldn't react quick enough…" He sighed. "The rest is a blur…"
"And you told the police all this?" Spinelli asked.
"Yeah. I did. Nobody's filing criminal charges but a family court's different. It's not the same burden of proof, my wife's lawyer smelled blood. I have no evidence…" Bart started breaking down. "… I just have my word- I'm praying it's enough because… I'm terrified I might lose my son over this… Honest to God…"
"Daddy…" Mason groaned in the background. Bart looked back toward his son, and back at the two. "Let me just tell him you're here." Bart walked back to his son's room.
"Yeah, sure." Arnold replied and looked at his wife.
As Bart toyed with Mason and the new stuffed animal, Spinelli asked, "You believe it?"
"What? A deer wandering that deep into the city? I mean, I've seen weirder…" Arnold questioned. "If he's right, he's gonna lose his only child over an accident…"
Spinelli put both hands on his shoulder. "Whaddaya say we… skip our dinner plans, pick-up along the way, and head back to the accident site, check it out and see if there's anything." She offered and rested her chin on his shoulder.
All Arnold did was put a hand on her cheek as Bart waved them over.
Arnold and Spinelli walked over while holding hands.
Later…
Now nighttime, the headlights of the Ford pickup shining as both Arnold and Spinelli were at the accident site, so far finding nothing.
"I finally see what you meant… Sharp turn out of nowhere." Spinelli mentioned as she shined her flashlight over a pile of trash.
"Anything unusual?" Arnold asked. "What? What do you want? Find the deer and ask what happened?" She chuckled.
"Ashley…" Arnold looked at her. "Alright, alright!" Spinelli looked around before mentioning, "If they hit the deer, it probably stumbled off bleeding at least." She scratched her head.
"Possibly." Arnold answered as they walked through the grass.
"Let me ask you this. How far are you willing to go for this?" Spinelli asked. "You've been on this since the moment I saw you get back at the Firehouse."
Arnold shrugged. "I… I just explain exactly. But, I can't imagine what this does to a child. Mom and Dad going at each other, accusations flying… Everything just falling apart. Not just that, as parents ourselves… It's unimaginable."
"I hear that." Spinelli gently rubbed his cheek.
As they kept walking along and looking through the grass, shining their flashlights, Spinelli sighed. "Before anything, I think we-" Arnold interrupted. "Ashley."
Arnold shined his flashlight at what they saw. "Damn…" Spinelli said.
There it was. A dead deer lying there.
"Let's get some pictures, that should be useful evidence." Arnold suggested. "Wow then…" Spinelli stood beside him as they looked at the deceased deer.
The Next Morning…
At Med that morning, Mrs. Whitticker was currently drinking coffee as she awaited her son. Just before clocking in, Arnold decided to stop by to check in with them.
"Mrs. Whitticker?"
"Lieutenant Shortman! You came at the perfect time! Doctors expect Mason to be discharged. And with rehab, they expect him to fully recover." She explained.
"That's great." Arnold answered with a friendly smile.
"I'm sorry if you had to see me at my worst. These past few days… They've been pretty bad…"
"No need to apologize." Arnold replied as she sat down. "My attorney told me he spoke with you. Said you were pretty helpful. Even with the circumstantial evidence, he's confident I'll gain sole custody." Mrs. Whitticker smiled.
"Listen. About that." Arnold sat down. "I found something that might make a whole difference."
"Ok, what is it?" She asked curiously.
"I came to the hospital last night with my wife to check on Mason. Your husband explained everything he remembered from the crash and said that he saw a deer on the road and that's why he swerved." Arnold explained.
"A deer? In the middle of the city?" She questioned.
"Yeah, I know, I know. But I went with my gut and decided to check out the accident site, and found this." Arnold pulled out his phone and showed the deceased deer photo.
Mrs. Whitticker looked at the photo. "There's no other reason he would've swerved off the overpass." Arnold said.
"So… It was an accident…" Mrs. Whitticker said. "I have no reason to believe your husband would hurt Mason… Nothing at all." Arnold mentioned.
"I… I think I'm losing my mind…" She handed him his phone and rubbed her forehead. "You're not. You're in the middle of a crisis and only looking out for your son. You got lawyers in the mix doing anything to win. Something's gotta give." Arnold answered. "Not every kid is lucky to have parents who look out for them."
"Thank you, Lieutenant. For everything." Mrs. Whittcker touched his shoulder, expressing her gratitude. "Of course." Arnold got up and soon walked out of the room.
Ten Minutes Later At Med…
Currently sitting in the Ambulance bay of MedStar in a Ford pickup, Arnold and Spinelli soon saw Mrs. Whitticker and Mason out of the hospital. Mason was currently in a wheelchair with his recovery beginning.
Mrs. Whitticker then waved Bart over. Bart walked over to immediately hug his son, extremely thankful to see his son once more.
Arnold stared with a warm smile on his face. Spinelli leaned over to kiss his cheek.
"You did good, Arnold." She smiled. "I'm proud of you. I'm proud to call you my husband. I'll always be proud of you…" Spinelli held his hand and smiled.
Arnold didn't answer, but his smile spoke a million words. Spinelli looked back to see the Whittickers walking away, with a fresh new start to their family.
All Spinelli felt was her heart melt in joy and squeezed Arnold's hand. Being a mother herself made the feeling more heartwarming.
Arnold looked at Spinelli with a warm smile. She looked back, returning the warm smile. They soon leaned to each other, resting on each other's foreheads and smiling happily.
Later At The Firehouse…
Currently on the apparatus floor, Truck and Squad parked beside each other while two Lieutenants enjoyed their presence together.
"Spinelli, I don't need you to be clingy all the time…" Arnold chuckled as Spinelli hugged him from behind. "Mmm… I'm still gonna hold onto you…"
Arnold rolled his eyes with a smile. Spinelli gave a kiss on his cheek, an audible smooch coming from her too. "I love you, Arnold." Spinelli warmly smiled.
Arnold smiled. "I love you too, Spinelli." He nuzzled against her. Spinelli returned the nuzzle eagerly.
Before Arnold complained of the small mess in one of the Squad truck's compartments, he noticed a paper left behind. "What's this?…" He took the paper and started reading it.
"'Oakland Fire Department'?" Spinelli questioned while peering over his shoulder, her chin resting on his shoulder. "' Dear, Dean Smith…'" Arnold continued reading it for a moment and saw that the Oakland FD had… "… We're offering you a job opportunity and join our family…'"
"Oh my God…" Spinelli said in disbelief. "Dean lied to me… A lot going on but never came to me about this…" Arnold dropped the piece of paper. "Wh-… This is what he had on his mind since yesterday?…"
"Who can even afford to live in Cali on a freakin' firefighter salary?" Spinelli asked. Arnold sighed. "… He can… Wherever he goes, I'll fully support his decision…"
Spinelli only exhaled as she continued to hold Arnold.
The station alarm suddenly went off. "Engine 55. Truck 55. Squad 55. Ambulance 55. Deputy-District-Chief 7. Explosion and structure fires at 647 Wright Avenue." The dispatcher said.
"Our work never ends either way." Arnold shut the compartment door as Spinelli immediately rushed over toward Truck.
Upstairs in the common room, as everyone rushed downstairs, Catherine was currently visiting but lowered her eyelids. "Why do I even come here? Why?" She questioned and set the apple down.
As DDC-7 was the first to rush out, sirens wailing, Truck 55 followed as its sirens started wailing. Horns blared as Squad finally drove out while Engine only peeked out, waiting for Squad to drive out. Engine soon followed as Ambulance 55 raced out
Minutes Later…
With a brief view of Squad's cab, sirens wailing as horns blared from Truck 55 as Engine 55 followed behind.
Currently, inside the Squad truck, things weren't exactly serious at the moment as they goofed and made random jokes as they were still away from the scene.
"Oh, nah! Stupider!" Dean chuckled, but his smile faded quick as the truck's horn blared.
Pep and the others kept laughing before Arnold spoke. "Smith, I know you're not talking about stupid when I found this paper." Arnold showed the paper and set it down. He then looked back. "Smith… You didn't think about informing me?"
"Lieutenant… I- I was going to tell you when the time was right.
I wasn't sure whether I'd take up the offer, I was thinking real hard but…" The Squad truck suddenly went quiet as Dean spoke. "But I've been considering it today… Heck… I- I thought long and hard… All day and all night… and I think my time here at 55 is up…"
"Smith, whatever you choose… I'll support you all the way. You were a great addition here… We were lucky to have you as long as we did." Arnold answered.
"So you're really leaving now?…" Pep asked as she got her gloves on.
Dean nodded slowly. "Yeah…"
"Good luck wherever you're going…" McCaffery patted his shoulder.
Dean nodded again, looking down at his boots as he soaked in the moment.
As it transitioned to a view of Truck 55, the horn blared loudly as they arrived. The entire neighborhood was a mess, the road all messed up as Truck slowed down, Squad slowled behind as it tried finding where to park.
DDC-7 was parked on the front lawn of a house as Engine slowed beside Squad with all the truck's brakes hissing.
"District 7 to Dispatch, be ready, you're gonna get a bunch of calls on this!" Stella radioed. "I need an EMS Plan II! Ambulance 55 is Triage! Truck! Squad! Primary search, get any civilians you find out! Engine! Knock these fires down!"
Arnold looked at Squad. "Come on!"
"You heard her! Move it!" Spinelli looked at her crew while tightening her SCBA straps. "Tommy! Get the stabilizers and the Aerial ready and join us after!"
"Copy that, Lieutenant!" Tommy set down his halligan and climbed onto the truck's turntable.
"Let's go, let's go, let's go!" Stella shouted as sirens wailed in the background.
Soon after, Squad entered one of the homes for any victims inside.
"FIRE DEPARTMENT, CALL OUT!" Arnold shouted. "ANYBODY IN HERE?"
"FIRE DEPARTMENT, CALL OUT IF YOU CAN HEAR ME!" Cruz shouted.
"CRUZ! OVER HERE!" Arnold shouted as he found an elderly couple. "GOT IT!"
"Hey! We'll get you guys out, don't worry!" Arnold looked up. "Cruz, you get him, I'll get her!"
"Ma'am! We're gonna get you out!" Cruz told the woman as Arnold looked up. "Hey, Clemente! Suarez! We still have more victims here!"
"Copy!" Pep answered and walked ahead.
Soon walking outside, Arnold and Cruz guided the two elders to safety.
"We'll take you to that big tent, ok? They'll check you out and make sure you're ok." Cruz told them. Arnold soon walked away and let Cruz take them to Triage.
"Hey, Squad! Truck! We still have a couple more houses to clear!" Arnold radioed as he went with Tommy. "C'mon!"
Sirens continued wailing in the background as Stella went on her radio. "Engine 55, once we're cleared, I want lines on the South side! Cap!"
"Captain McShay here, I copy, Chief!" Michelle answered.
Police squad car sirens yelped in the distance as Stella walked up to an injured man. "Were you here when the explosion happened?"
"The line wasn't supposed to be there!" The man said. "Hey, hey. Tell me what happened, we're here to help." Stella told him as sirens kept wailing and yelping.
"I was digging an irrigation trench with the tractor, I've done it a thousand times!" The man explained.
"And?" Stella asked.
"I think I must've hit a gas line, thing went off like a bomb! It flipped the tractor with me in it!" The man added. "Did you walk away or were you helped out?" Stella asked.
"I got out, tractor's built like a tank. It took the force of it. Although, my head feels fuzzy and my ears won't stop ringing." The man explained. "District 7 to Dispatch, we have a ruptured gas line. Judging by its torching, it looks to be a major transmission! I need HPD to clear and secure the scene, I need a Still and Box Alarm!" Stella radioed.
"Copy that, District 7." Dispatch answered. "There was no line on the map!" The man added.
"Hey. You're not in trouble. We'll take care of you." Stella told him. "Brett!" Stella nodded her over.
"On it, Chief!" Vanessa came over. "Sir, come with me and I'll check you out."
Stella briefly touched Vanessa's shoulder. "And this will only get worse. Be ready for more victims."
"Copy." Brett nodded and walked away.
"Chief! Squad and Truck have cleared the last two houses! We're clear!" Arnold radioed.
"Doss! Alley-oop! Be ready on the Aerial! Smith, you're on supply!" Stella told the two.
The Aerial ladder on Truck was now being raised to start hitting the flames from above.
"… Still and Box Alarm. Be aware, multiple companies responding." Stella's radio went off as the deck gun on Engine 55 started spraying.
Suddenly, the water pressure immediately dropped.
"Talk to me! What's happening?" Stella walked over.
"Supply lines flat! The explosion must've taken out our water main!" Michelle explained. "Three minutes top before we run dry!"
"Okay, Springfield's a block South, they're on a different main, get a supply line going from there." Stella answered.
"Alexander!" Michelle looked over, Donovan already had a supply line over his shoulder. "Way ahead of you, Cap!"
As an ambulance drove away, Stella's radio went off. "Chief, we need more ambulances out here!" Vanessa radioed.
"Brett, traffic's jammed, we're all out right now! Next available ambulance is unknown!" Stella answered.
Over with Brett, looking over her shoulder, a horn blared loudly as a Tower bucket Ladder truck arrived, sirens shutting off as the loud engine rumbled and stopped behind the Squad truck.
An Engine company soon arrived behind the Tower company truck and stopped at a weird angle since parking space was severely limited.
Crews of Tower 67 and Engine 24 hopped out and immediately got their SCBAs strapped on.
Back up on 55's Aerial, water finally came back to Truck and started spraying from the ladder's water line. Hose lines and Engine 55's deck gun sprayed alongside with Truck's ladder.
Standing side by side, Arnold and Spinelli had halligans in their hands as they looked up at the ladder.
Overhead of the ladder, an entire roster of trucks filled the small neighborhood.
CRACKLE
An electrical wire snapped and directly hit Vic on the ladder, immediately making her fall unconscious and hang off from the ladder…
"VICTORIA!" Dean yelled.
"SMITH!" Arnold shouted as Dean ran by him and toward Truck.
"FIREFIGHTER DOWN, AMBULANCE 55, BE READY!" Stella shouted on her radio.
Water to the ladder was shut off instantly as Dean began climbing up the ladder.
"Steady, Smith!" Stella told him as he climbed.
Shortly after, Dean reached Vic and held her in his arms.
"Vic! C'mon! DOSS! Not like this! C'mon! Wake up, please! Please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please!" Vic suddenly woke up. "Hey! Hey! You with me?" Dean asked. "I got you! I got you!…" Vic wrapped her arm around Dean to hold onto him.
"Tommy, get the Aerial down!" Spinelli shouted. "I don't want anyone else on the Aerial right now!" She told everyone on her radio.
Arnold exhaled in relief seeing movement from Vic. He looked over at Spinelli briefly before looking back up.
A couple of minutes later, once Vic was strapped on a backboard, she was cautiously slid off Truck 55's turntable to a crew waiting beneath.
Once she was off Truck, she was carried over toward Triage as sirens wailed in the distance.
Stella, the Lieutenants, and Captain were at the rear of Truck 55, discussing what to do next. Siren lights from the Squad and Engine trucks flashed at them.
"Chief, every minute the gas continues flowing, the pipeline is in danger of rupturing and making this entire block look like a disaster scene!" Arnold mentioned.
They started walking to the front of Truck 55. "And you don't think I don't know that?"
"Chief, the Response team is stuck in a gridlock because of the fire!" Michelle added. "You three know the risks! The heat is extremely intense, the valve is probably blown to bits, or if not, it's on the brink!" Stella answered.
"Our hose line spray pattern is enough to protect us! Chief, give us a chance! If the valve is broken, we'll back off and call it in!" Spinelli suggested.
Stella stood there before sighing. "Alright. Three lines. Squad, Truck, and Engine each. You three choose who you want to go. Full SCBAs and fresh air bottles. I don't want ANYONE ignoring their air timer." Stella sternly said and looked at Spinelli.
"Copy, Chief." Spinelli answered. "Got it." Arnold replied. "We copy, Chief." Michelle answered.
The three started walking away.
"No heroics! We almost lost someone today, I don't need it to be like that AGAIN! UNDERSTOOD?" Stella exclaimed.
"Yes, Chief!" They answered.
"ENGINE! HOOK UP THREE LINES!" Michelle shouted as Stella looked back at the mess.
As sirens wailed in the distance, each company now had a hose line and were far back from the raging flames from the gas line pipe.
"Make sure your streams form a solid shield, no gaps!" Spinelli informed as the three commanding officers switched on their lines and switched the spray pattern.
"Slow and steady!" Michelle shouted as they slowly made their way toward the gas line.
"Cruz! Get ready to shut that pipe off!" Arnold shouted. "Ready as ever, Lieutenant!" Cruz answered.
As water sprayed against the raging flames, all three companies were at the gas pipe, fighting off the flames as Cruz stepped forward to shut off the valve.
Pulling really hard with the tool, the valve wasn't budging.
"LIEUTENANT!" Cruz shouted as he continued to try and move the valve.
"DON! GIVE HIM A HAND!" Spinelli signaled forward. Donovan let go of the line and stepped forward to help Cruz.
"THE HEAT MUST'VE COMPROMISED IT!" Cruz shouted. "TRY IT AGAIN, I'LL GIVE YOU A HAND! C'MON!" Donovan shouted back.
Cruz nodded as the two started to push the valve wrench.
With a loud creak, Cruz and Donovan finally got the valve unstuck and Cruz started shutting off the valve by hand.
The flames started slowing down and shutting off as the two went back to their Lieutenants.
"Squad! Truck! Back down the way we came! Nice and slow!" Michelle shouted.
"Copy!"
As the three companies started backing away, the flames went from a minor fire to now completely out.
Over at Triage…
"Chief, Doss's condition is barely stable, we need an Ambo ASAP!" Brett radioed. "I'm working on it, Nessa!" Stella answered.
Suddenly, a hand tapped Murray's shoulder. "Heard you needed a hand?" An Italian woman asked. It was Catherine, who was messaged for help for a pregnant woman.
"Oh, thank goodness you're here, Shepherd! 32 weeks pregnant and BP is sky-high!" Murray told her as he got up to treat another victim.
Over at the front of Truck 55.
"Chief, we're not in the clear." Spinelli said. Stella was currently with Chief Walker of District 4. "Pipeline showed corrosion, with these embers in the wind-" Michelle started, but Chief Walker finished her sentence. "If these embers rush, they can ignite this entire neighborhood."
Stella nodded once. "We have to evac now. Truck, you take one side. Squad, take the Even. I'm going with you. McShay, with Truck. I'm joining Squad. Walker?" Stella looked at Chief Walker of District 4. He gave the nod.
The four Commanding Officers walked away to gear up. As they walked away, the entire South side of the neighborhood had hose lines watering down houses and extinguishing any fires.
Rather than the SCBAs, everyone had on the goggles that usually sat on the brim behind their helmets, except Stella's of course.
"Alright, Squad, let's move!" Stella adjusted her gloves and fireproof hood over her nose.
"FIRE DEPARTMENT! ANYONE HOME?" Dean shouted. "ANYONE HOME?" He went on his radio. "One home clear, I think they already got the message, Chief."
"FIRE DEPARTMENT! I NEED EVERYONE TO EVACUATE!" Stella shouted. "Copy that, Smith!"
Back with Dean, he stepped in a mud puddle that felt a foot and a half deep. "Chief, the explosion must've knocked this house off its foundation! There's busted water pipes, and there's another cracked one!"
"FIRE DEPARTMENT, ANYONE HERE?" Arnold shouted. "FIRE DEPARTMENT, WE NEED YOU OUT OF YOUR HOME! WE NEED TO EVACUATE!" Pep shouted.
"There could be gas building up inside the house!…" Dean radioed Stella.
Stella immediately looked at the Captain of 67. He was opening the door as embers were floating his way. "AKINO! NO STOP!"
THRASH
KA-BOOM
SHATTER
BOOM
KA-BOOM
THRASH
WHOOSH
The rush of embers ignited the house, causing a big explosion in the house and bursting into flames….
Background Music: Near Me by Daniel Wilson
Everyone by the trucks flinched as the explosion settled down. Squad and Truck looked over and rushed over to help.
Suarez found one firefighter with the lower half of his face crackled and burnt. He took off his glove to check for a pulse. Donovan came over and waited for Suarez.
Suarez shook his head, signaling the firefighter died immediately from the blast…
"CHIEF!" Arnold and Spinelli came up to Stella, who was on her knees and holding her stomach. "CHECK ON AKINO! CHECK ON AKINO!" Stella yelled as she finally got up. Her radio blasted off her coat and swung around, and her white helmet beside her.
Akino, the Captain of Tower 67, was lying on the ground and impaled with a metal object. Half his lower face burnt as Michelle and Donovan were already assisting him.
Akino grabbed the metal he was impaled with, but once Squad reached him, Cruz kneeled over to stop him from touching it. "Hey, hey! Easy! Take it easy! It's alright, Cap…"
"Chief Walker, we'll need several Ambos!" Pep radioed.
"Copy that, Squad!"
Over with Arnold, he was searching for Dean, who was caught very near the explosion along with the deceased firefighter. He looked to his right and saw Dean lying unconscious, his helmet nowhere to be seen and with his fireproof hood still on.
"SMITH!" Arnold ran over, unstrapping his SCBA and tossing it aside as his axe swung from his utility belt.
He immediately kneeled to him to get him on his back. Arnold took his gloves off as he checked for his pulse.
Spinelli found where Arnold and Dean were and ran over to help as Arnold radioed in. "I GOT MAN DOWN, I NEED HELP HERE ASAP!"
Back with Akino and the others, he was already being treated.
His coat was cautiously opened and a C-collar was put around his neck. Truck 55 and others were tending to him as Squad and Ambo 55 went to Dean and Arnold.
Arnold was doing chest compressions on Dean as Spinelli came back with Squad and Ambo.
Murray immediately got an Ambu bag to pump it on Dean's face as Vanessa got the C-collar.
As Vanessa kneeled to apply the collar around Dean, Arnold looked around at the war scene of a neighborhood before looking at his wife and back at the unconscious Dean and continuing chest compressions.
Soon after, Dean was on the stretcher and being wheeled toward Ambulance 55 by Squad, passing by Truck 55 and their Squad truck. Murray had intubated Dean and was currently pumping the Ambu bag. Vanessa was leading the way back with the EMS bag on her back as she occasionally looked back.
The rear doors of Ambulance 55 were already opened as the police were holding off a crowd that overlooked the entire mess. Many civilians recording the tragedy…
Walking by the front of Squad's truck, Michelle saw Smith was one of the firefighters down and immediately followed behind Squad. Catherine was standing aside at the ambulance as they finally reached them.
Michelle looked back and saw Akino being wheeled over by Truck, the red and white siren lights flashing everywhere and reflecting off them.
As they passed behind Squad's truck to Ambulance 23, a human wall was created around Dean as he was loaded inside the ambulance by Squad. And as a flatline sounded…
It transitioned to Ambulance 55, sirens wailing as Murray continued chest compressions. Arnold tagged along since Brett was driving and Murray needed a hand.
The cardiac monitor flatline sound kept ringing as resuscitation efforts seemed hopeless…
Over with Truck 55, the entire cab was extremely silent. Not a word, or a sound, aside from the engine rumbling as they drove to Med…
Travis just sat there with a look of disbelief, almost like he wasn't breathing.
Donovan was leaning forward in his seat as the image of the chaos kept popping up in his head. Gibson, there was no need to explain because he was dead silent…
Spinelli was just slumped in her seat with a hand on her forehead in frustration, sadness, and disbelief as many firefighters were injured, along with two of their own at 55.
Back with Ambulance 55, the flatline kept going as Murray was sweating from the chest compressions. Arnold pumped the Ambu bag as Murray stopped.
"Pulse check…" Murray said as he was breathing heavily. "Still nothing!… It's been 33 minutes…" Murray continued chest compressions.
Arnold got another needle of EPI ready. "C'MON, SMITH, C'MON! YOU SURVIVED WORSE THAN THIS!" Murray shouted as he continued chest compressions.
Over with Engine 55, who was following behind Squad, and just like with Truck, all three trucks were dead silent along the way.
Michelle shook her head. "No… That wasn't a normal day…"
"A nightmare, that's what…" Gerald pointed out.
Since Vic was out, he was chosen to drive Engine.
Back with Truck…
Background Music: All My Love by London Grammer (Skip to 2:18)
Spinelli looked back and saw everyone with a saddened expression. "No. No. T- There's nothing to be sorry about! I- Once we're at Med, we'll see Smith, and he'll be alright!… T- This can't be a world in which another little girl is abandoned by her mother and loses her Dad in a FIRE! NO! CANNOT BE! This won't be a world which another girl loses one of her parents!…" Spinelli waved off that thought as tears formed in her eyes.
And who is the little girl she mentioned? The Captain herself, Michelle McShay… Abandoned by her mother at a young age and then losing her father in a fire two years ago… As for the other little girl, was Spinelli's beloved daughter Andy, who lost her biological mother…
"Tommy, turn the siren on…" Spinelli slumped over again. "But-" Tommy started, but Spinelli snapped. "Turn it on dammit!"
Tommy turned the siren of the truck on.
Outside, the following two trucks, Squad, and Engine 55 turned their sirens and siren lights on, one by one, following each other's gestures.
Everyone in the trucks slowly broke down in tears as the sirens wailed through the streets.
Spinelli punched the dashboard and buried her face in her hands, breaking down into tears and crying.
Back with Ambulance 55, Arnold pushed another dose of EPI as Murray frantically continued chest compressions. But no matter what they did, Dean's heart wouldn't restart… Resuscitation efforts were absolutely hopeless…
Arnold looked up at Murray. "Hey! Murr! Wanna switch? Hey! Murray, you wanna switch?" He asked after seeing Murray on the verge of giving up. Murray shook his head no quickly as he quickly regained his breath to continue chest compressions.
His muscles were exhausted, but Murray tried to restart Dean's heart before they got to Med, but it seemed and felt hopeless…
Arnold merely shook his head in disappointment as he looked at the cardiac monitor, which had flatlined the entire route to Med…
An overhead view of Dean was shown. The music faded out with his body being lifeless, all sound slowly faded with the cardiac monitor flatline sound growing louder. Several burns on Dean's face were more visible as the shot zoomed in slowly on his face…
Everything suddenly went black as the flatline sound went on for a good five seconds before fading out…