Emergency: Station 7

Setting: A new firehouse, Station 7, has been created, headed by first-time captain Chris Larabee. His engineer is his old friend Buck Wilmington, and JD Dunne is a completely green new recruit. The paramedic firemen under his command are Ezra Standish, senior paramedic, and Vin Tanner, junior. Ezra and Vin work with the doctors and nurses at Mercy General Hospital – Doctor Nathan Jackson, head of Emergency Medicine, Doctor Josiah Sanchez, Surgical Fellow to the ER, and Mary Travis, chief nurse. Today is the firemen's first day on the job, and you know it's going to be a crazy one!

The claxons rang through the station house, bringing all five men to their feet. The heavy tones went on for a while, and all of them grimaced. Whatever it was, it was going to be big.

"Station 110, Station 7, Squad 81, Ladder 15, Engine 16, structure fire with injuries, corner of Maplewood and Grove, repeat, corner of Maplewood and Grove."

Captain Chris Larabee picked up the radio transmitter and pressed the button while the others swirled around him.

"Station 7, ten-four, KMG 365."

Placing the transmitter down, he handed a piece of paper to Ezra Standish, sitting in the driver's seat of the paramedic squad, who in turn passed it to his younger partner, Vin Tanner. Jogging in front of the squad to get to the engine, Larabee jumped up into the cab just as the Engineer, Buck Wilmington, started to pull out.

The squad went first, sirens blaring, while the engine followed close behind.

+ + + + + + +

JD wiped the sweat from under his hat as the wind whipped past him on the truck. It was his first fire. He'd only been with the station for a few hours and had been hoping to be eased into the whole thing. In front of him, sitting down in the cab, Captain Larabee turned and gave a tight smile, nodding encouragement.

This is what you've been training for, he seemed to be telling him quietly, you're ready.

JD smiled back. He wished that one nod from his new Captain was enough to clear the butterflies in his stomach.

In the squad, Vin was tapping his leg nervously. Unlike JD, he'd been a fireman for a while, but this was his first assignment as a paramedic without being in training. He'd only just met Ezra Standish, his new partner, a few hours before. What if they couldn't work together?

Ezra Standish was thinking something similar. Fact was, this was a new station. None of the men here had worked together before today except Wilmington, the engineer, and the captain, Larabee. As for Vin and JD, whom had only transferred in today, he had yet to form an opinion, but he had met Chris and Buck yesterday...and hadn't been too impressed. Then again, they didn't seem too impressed with him either. They'd heard he was a good paramedic, but there were also rumors that he was a coward. That he had run out before, unable to do his job. Ezra had done his best to overcome them, but trying to live down one's reputation was about as easy as surviving a stake through the heart. He'd just have to hope that his actions would prove him.

Buck Wilmington gripped the wheel of the engine and tried not too think too much about this new position. He knew it was partly Chris' doing that he had finally been promoted to engineer. He'd never been any good at exams despite being a largely intelligent man, and it had taken several times before he reached a score high enough on the exams to even be considered. As soon as he was, though, Chris had pushed to make him part of the new station, Station 7. His only goal at the moment was to make sure he did not let Chris down.

And sitting in the passenger seat, first time Captain Chris Larabee had no thoughts in his head at all. He only saw one thing - the black plume of smoke rising in the distance. He trusted the others to do their jobs. All of them. His only fear was that he would not be good enough to command them.

+ + + + + + +

Station 7 was the first on the scene, and JD gaped as he practically fell off the engine. It was a large warehouse, and smoke and fire were already pouring out of the windows hungrily seeking a way out. A security guard who had been leading people outside coughed into his hand as he jogged over to meet them.

Chris's eyes narrowed, and he grabbed the radio mike just before the security guard reached him.

"HQ, this is Station 7. The structure is a large three-story warehouse, and it is fully involved. You may have to send in a second alarm and a battalion commander."

"Ten-four Station 7."

Chris hooked the mike back up as he heard the tones sound over the radio, calling for battalion 21 to head out to join them. He shouted at Buck and JD to start setting up the hoses, starting with a couple of inch and a halfs. Anticipating the order, Buck and JD were already attaching the hoses to the engine, while Vin jogged towards the nearest hydrant, hose in tow.

Ezra was slipping into his turnover coat and standing next to Chris when the security guard reached them. The man coughed a few times, and Ezra instinctively moved in to help him as he doubled over.

Shaking him off, the guard straightened and looked at Chris. "There are at least three more inside. I checked the log, and everyone is out except Jeff Zuckerman, Jack O'Malley and Carol Stearn. They were up on the third level, which is where I think this fire started."

Chris nodded and looked at Ezra, "Grab Tanner and get in there. Keep close and take your oxygen masks."

"Right, cap," Ezra wheeled and jogged towards the squad, calling for Vin. The other paramedic looked up and, after handing a hose to JD, went after him.

"What's in there?" Chris asked the guard. "How did it catch so fast?"

"Paper," the guard started coughing again. "It's a paper mill."

"Chemicals?"

"Some," the guard nodded, then he looked to his right. "Here comes Mr. McDonald, the building's manager. He can tell you more." He pointed towards a man in a two-piece suit that was striding quickly towards them.

+ + + + + + +

Ezra pulled out the radio that connected them with Mercy General Hospital and hit the send button as Vin pulled out his own turnover gear.

"Mercy, this is Squad 7, how do you read?"

In the hospital, Mary Travis, the chief nurse, stood up from her stool and reached over to hit the radio.

"This is Mercy, 7, we read you loud and clear."

Looking behind her, she waved a hand to signal for the head of emergency medicine, Dr. Nathan Jackson, who had been reading a chart some ways down that hall. Dr. Josiah Sanchez, the trauma chief attending who had been standing with him, came over as well, once hand holding on tightly to a cup of coffee.

"Mercy, this is merely an informative call. We have fully involved warehouse with at least three possible victims still inside. We can also see that there are other victims who may be suffering from smoke inhalation and other minor scrapes and burns. Squads 81 and 110 should be joining us soon; they'll be able to give you a more accurate account of the minor victims."

Nathan reached past Mary and hit the send button as she wrote down the information. "Any idea on the status of the victims still inside, 7?" he asked.

"Not at this time, Mercy. We're going in to get them now." At the site, Ezra looked up at Vin, who was waiting for him. The younger paramedic nodded.

"Ten-four 7, we'll be standing by," Nathan said, looking up at Josiah. Behind him, Mary sighed.

"So much for a slow day," she muttered. Nathan offered her a raised eyebrow then started ordering for rooms and beds to be prepared. Mary nodded and started checking for what they would need. Josiah finished his coffee and wondered if he could get in one more cup of coffee before the craziness descended. He shuffled away slowly, heading towards the cafeteria.

Nathan, meanwhile, was looking up at the chart on the wall that told him whom Squad 7 was. They were new, he knew that, so it wasn't surprising that he didn't recognize instantly who it was, but there had been a southern tinge to the accent on the radio that reminded him of someone. As he read the name of the senior paramedic, his eyes narrowed.

"Oh no," he muttered. In her chair, Mary looked up curiously, but Nathan was already striding away, the tension thick on his shoulders.

+ + + + + + +

Vin followed Ezra blindly, forced to trust this man he barely knew as they jogged quickly up the smoke filled stairs. The heat was getting increasingly intense as they moved, and already the first signs of heat exhaustion were plaguing him. He knew it was something he was going to have to get used to. Paramedics went in first to get to the victims. He'd always admired the paramedics in the last outfit, it was part of the reason he wanted to become one. But, damn, it was going to need some getting used to.

As they reached the top floor, Ezra felt down the door with his gloved hands, then, after signaling Vin to stand to the side, he kicked it open and jumped back.

Fire flashed through the door, blinding them both for a moment. As quickly as it had roared out, it quieted and faded to a soft crackle. Vin peeked around the corner, then waited for Ezra to move.

He didn't.

The older paramedic was watching him, and though Vin couldn't quite make out the pale green eyes behind the plastic, he thought he could sense panic in them. Vin frowned, then shook his head and went first. He thought he heard Ezra call his name, but he didn't have time for panicked firemen, even if he was his superior.

He plunged down the hallway, keeping low as fire blew out of the rooms to lick at his sleeves as he passed by. He called out the three names he had been told to call for and started banging on the walls and doors. At one point he lifted his mask and shouted, but immediately replaced it as the hot, acrid air threatened to choke him.

He stopped about halfway down the hall and listened, thinking he heard a bang. Turning around, he looked for Ezra...and panicked. The other paramedic was nowhere to be seen and the door to the stairwell was closed again.

"Ezra!"

There was no answer.

"Ezra! Where are you!"? He lifted the handy talkie in his hand, his eyes swiveling around. Did the other man leave him?

"Cap! I can't find Ezra!" He shouted this into the HT, then turned in a tight circle, feeling suddenly very alone.

"Cap, do you read me?"

The HT squawked into life, "I read you, Vin. Was he in front of you?"

"Negative. I got in front of him when we...." He paused, letting go the button as he thought he heard a noise from one of the rooms. "Hang on, Cap. I hear something."

"Is it Ezra?"

"Stand by," Vin put the HT back in his belt and listened intently, trying to hear above the fire.

Thumping. He could hear thumping.

Jogging quickly down the hall, he found a closed door and banged on it. He also tried the handle to see if it was locked. It was.

And on the other side, something banged back. He also heard a voice call out for help.

"The door is stuck! Help us! Jeff hurt himself trying to break it down, but the wood's too solid! He's hurt!"

"Hold on!" Vin shouted back, then picked up the HT. "Cap, I've found someone. I may need help, and I definitely need an axe."

"Ezra's still MIA?"

"Yeah."

"Damn. All right. I'll send Squad 81 in. Do what you can. Where are you?"

"Third floor on the east side. Room 3H."

"Right, hang on. They'll be there ASAP. Larabee out."

Vin put the HT back on his belt, took in a deep breath, and banged on the door.

"We'll get you out as soon as we can!" He yelled, hoping the people on the other side heard.

"Vin!"

Vin looked around and saw Ezra coming towards him, the man looked like he was staggering a little. He held an axe in his left hand.

"I found this at the top of the stairs, right below the roof. I heard you on the HT asking Larabee for one."

Vin took it with a frown, looking at Ezra with an unhappy statement for a moment. Then he turned and started banging on the door again. The other paramedic stepped back and leaned slightly on a wall.

"Get back! We're coming through!" Vin yelled.

Hefting the axe, Vin swung back then slammed it into the door with as much force as he could muster. It barely splintered.

"Damn!"

"Try again," Ezra encouraged. Vin sent him a nasty look. What did the man think he was going to do? Swinging back, he again cut at the door. This time he made a sizeable hole. As smoke raced in through the hole, Vin hefted the axe one more time and swung.

The door smashed. Vin pushed and shoved, and finally got it too swing back off its hinges. Inside two people were crouched low to the floor, one awake and coughing, the other lying very still.

Ezra bent down to check on the conscious patient while Vin checked on the other. Presumably, the unconscious one was Jeff.

"He's barely breathing," Vin yelled to Ezra. The other man looked back and nodded. At the same moment, Squad 81 appeared at the door.

"Need a shoulder?" one of them asked cheekily.

Ignoring them, Ezra helped the conscious man to his feet, taking off his oxygen mask so that he could offer the victim some air. One of the other paramedics helped Vin get the unconscious victim to his feet, then over Vin's shoulder.

"There's a woman as well," Ezra said as they started to leave, one arm under the victim he was sharing his mask with. "She's in the stairwell. She was combative, but she's unconscious now. I was going to take her down myself, but I heard Vin over the HT. Can one of you get her?"

Vin couldn't help the surprised statement on his face. He'd thought Ezra had just panicked and hesitated. A woman? Why hadn't Ezra called him for help? And what did he mean by combative?

Squad 81 headed out in front of them, jogging swiftly for the stairs. As Ezra had promised, a woman was lying on the stairs leading to the roof, blood running down her temple. There was also a gun by her right hand. Ezra's HT was lying not too far from her on the other side. 81's paramedics looked at each other, then back at Ezra as he helped his victim into the stairway. Vin followed soon after, his man over his shoulder. Shaking their heads, one of them lifted the woman up and threw her over their shoulder while the other grabbed the HT.

+ + + + + + +

Vin laid his victim down on the blanket, happy that the man was stirring. He called his name, hoping for a response. The man blinked, focused on Vin for a moment, then closed his eyes again.

On the other side, Ezra set his victim down on the step at the back of the squad and watched as 110 moved in with an oxygen mask. Nodding, he stepped back...and into Chris Larabee.

"What the hell happened in there?" the captain demanded. Ezra turned and blinked up at him. The paramedic lost his balance slightly, and to Chris's mind, he looked a little drunk.

"What?"

"You left Tanner! What happened? Are you telling me the rumors about you are true? Because if they are...." Chris left the threat unfinished, but Ezra read it clearly. He lowered his eyes from the captain, the green in them as cold as ice.

"I admit, for a moment I might have...panicked," he swallowed. Chris grabbed him by his turncoat jacket.

"A moment?! I spoke with Tanner for at least two minutes, Standish! That was more than a moment, damn it! Inside a fire, that's a lifetime!" He shook Ezra by the jacket, and the man didn't resist.

In fact, Ezra never lifted his face, and his eyelids were drooping. "No, it was only a moment, and then I heard her..." his voice faded, and suddenly Chris found himself supporting deadweight.

"Tanner!"

Vin looked up, saw his captain desperately trying to hold onto Ezra as the man slipped from his grasp. He jumped up, pulled the unconscious paramedic back, and laid him down. Out in the daylight, he saw what he had missed inside the darkness of the fire...blood.

"His arm, cap! He's bleeding!" Pulling the coat off, he pulled the damaged arm out. "What the hell? It looks like a bullet wound!"

Over by where they were caring for the woman, one of the squad 81 paramedics looked up.

"This one had a gun, cap. Maybe she fired it?"

Chris stared wide-eyed at the other station's paramedic, then back at Vin and Ezra. Tanner was already calling for someone to bring him the drug box.

"Oh...crap," Chris said to himself.

In the background, JD and Buck were quickly helping the other engines put out the fire, coordinated by the battalion chief who had arrived when the paramedics were in the building. Both were oblivious to the small drama that had affected their station, completely engrossed in their work. Both were acting flawlessly.

+ + + + + + +

Mary was moving quickly, ordering each gurney that came in to their place. Nathan jogged around, checking out those Mary was red flagging. Luckily, there were only a few.

He looked up as he saw Vin come in through the doors, holding up an IV bag as he rattled off vitals to Josiah Sanchez. The other doctor was checking Ezra's arm and nodding.

"Josiah, need help?" Nathan called, his stomach tight with worry. He frowned when Josiah shook his head no, and then disappeared into one of the treatment rooms with the men. Ezra Standish had always been a thorn to Nathan - one of the most argumentative and unorthodox paramedics in the program - but he was still someone the Nathan had come to think of as a friend. Not that he would ever tell him that. The paramedic program had started in this city at the same time that Nathan had become head of emergency medicine, and Ezra was the first paramedic he had ever dealt with. The argument they had had that first time had grown into a full blown antagonistic relationship. Though Nathan knew that Ezra was one of the best, if not the best, he still felt like he had to fight the younger man on everything. But, beneath it all, they had somehow formed a strong friendship, and Nathan had actually defended Ezra vigorously to those who would have him taken off the program. Not that he would ever tell Ezra that, either.

He'd better not be badly hurt.

"Doctor Jackson?" Mary was standing next to a gurney looking down at a blond woman. Nathan jogged over, listening with half an ear as the paramedic with them rattled off vitals. Mary had called him because the woman was stirring, and, after a moment, clear blue eyes blinked up at Nathan.

"Hello," the doctor said, "What's your name?"

"Carol," she replied, her eyes narrowing slightly, "Carol Stearn."

"Well, Carol, how are you feeling?"

She blinked again, then she smiled.

"Is it gone?" she asked.

"The paper mill?" Nathan asked in reply, looking at the gash on her forehead. She also had purpling on the side of her face, as if someone had hit her hard.

"It was a hell pit," she said in response, instantly bringing Nathan's attention back to her eyes. Her smile faded into something truly ugly as he watched.

"I had to destroy it. I had to," she hissed. "Don't you see? It needed to be cleansed!" Her eyes took on a manic statement, and suddenly she was up, holding Nathan by his coat and trying to strangle him. She was screaming something about fire and the devil, and it took both orderlies and the paramedic to pry her hands from off of Nathan. The doctor staggered back, more out of surprise than hurt. A cop appeared out of nowhere and handcuffed her to the gurney.

Just as quickly as she had exploded, she quieted down, her eyes closing as she was forced to lie back down.

"Sorry doc," the cop said, looking at Nathan. "I didn't think she would fight again. She's our arsonist. She also allegedly shot the paramedic they brought in here."

Nathan shook his head to clear it, then nodded. "Right. Not your fault. Take her into treatment three," he said quietly. The orderlies instantly began to move and, with the cop still with them, went in the direction of the indicated room.

"You all right?" Mary asked, looking over at Nathan as she followed Carol's gurney. He nodded in response and went to do his job.

+ + + + + + +

A few days later, Ezra walked into Station 7, adjusting the sling on his arm as he went. It was still the station's first week, and they had already been forced to find a replacement for one of their men. It didn't bode well.

Ezra, though, was wondering whether that replacement would be permanent. They all knew the story now. Ezra had indeed hesitated, the fire flash panicking him. It was something that had never happened before, and he hoped it would never happen again. Regardless, as he had tried to tell Chris at the scene, it had truly only been a moment, though, before Ezra shook himself out of it and moved to follow Vin. Just then, though, he had heard a woman call him from behind.

Turning around, he had looked up at the stairs leading to the roof, to see a woman gripping the rail and watching him intently. He called Vin's name for help as he approached her, taking the HT off his belt so that he could inform the cap that he had found one of the victims. Just then, he saw her raise her hand and point something at him. He had just enough warning upon recognizing the ugly shape of a gun to jump to the side before he felt the bullet hit his arm. In the process, he lost the HT.

The woman jumped down the stairs then and closed the open door to the hall where Vin had gone. Then she approached Ezra, still holding the gun on him where he was sprawled against the side of the stairwell. Her statement had been angry, and she was shouting something about not allowing him to save the building. For the first time he could remember, he was thankful for the heavy smoke because, as a result of her yelling, she was forced to take in a deep breath. The acrid air started her coughing so hard she lost her aim. He managed to kick up at her, knocking her back. Clambering to his feet again, he managed to hit her before she could bring the gun to bear again, knocking her out.

That was when he heard Vin's voice over the HT, calling for an axe. Leaving the woman where she was, Ezra had spotted the fireman's axe inside the emergency glass box on the stairwell above her head. Then he had gone to join Vin.

Still, Ezra knew that, although he had generally been exonerated, he still had one heavy albatross around his neck.

He had hesitated. Vin had gone first into the hallway.

With his reputation, it could be enough.

He swallowed, adjusted the sling again, then pushed through the door into the firehouse.

"Hey!" Vin looked up from where he had been polishing the squad, a big smile on his face. "What are you doing up! I thought you were supposed to still be in the hospital, or at home resting?"

Ezra shrugged, a little surprised by the warmth of the welcome. "I wanted to see the captain," he explained feebly. Vin nodded.

"By the way," the younger paramedic said as he stepped in line with him, "Did you hear that they moved that woman, Carol Stearn, to the mental wing? Poor thing. She was just a temp too, apparently."

"Yeah, I heard," Ezra nodded.

"And those other two, Jeff and Jack, they're going to be fine. Guess that Jeff had a hard head."

Ezra simply nodded again at this news. He was watching the door to Chris's office. It was slightly ajar. He had slowed to almost a standstill, his feet leaden as he considered what might await him in that office.

"Oh, and I wanted to tell you, thank you."

Ezra stopped in his tracks, and he turned to look at Vin.

"What?"

Vin's face had become serious, and something very old seemed to settle in his gray eyes. At that moment, Ezra suddenly felt like he was the younger of the two.

"You came to help me, even though you knew that you were hurt. You knew Cap had was sending 81 up to help, but you still went for the axe and came after me. Thank you. I'm not sure I would have done that." He offered a small smile.

Ezra shook his head, "but...."

"Listen, we all have moments of hesitation, Larabee knows that. It was what you do afterwards that matters. You stayed. That shows me a lot. I'm glad you're going to be my partner." He reached out a hand, and Ezra looked at it a moment. Then he took it, and gave Vin a crooked smile as they shook hands.

"And don't worry about the Cap," Vin said quietly. "I've already had a talk with him. He thinks the same way I do. Actually," Vin raised an eyebrow, "It's sort of eerie."

Ezra's brow furrowed, neither wanting to hope, nor quite understanding exactly what Vin meant by his last statement. Meanwhile, Vin let go his hand and gestured Ezra in the direction of Larabee's office. The senior paramedic looked over to see Chris leaning against the doorframe.

"You've got a second chance, Standish," the captain called across the room, crossing his arms. "Don't make me regret it."

Ezra's crooked smile grew as Vin clapped him hard on the back.

The End