Chapter Text
When you enter a firehouse, there are multiple scenarios you could encounter.
There is, of course, the typical image people have: firefighters sprinting towards the rigs, while desperately grabbing equipment from all around them. Sirens blaring through the building to signal an emergency, and people yelling to get everyone’s attention.
Or perhaps one imagines silence, due to the absence of everyone except a man behind. Everybody is away on call, except for maybe one person tidying up the mess that was left behind.
However, currently they were just relaxing. There wasn’t somewhere they needed to be; both EMS and Fire were able to take a breath. Owen couldn’t help but turn in his chair occasionally to look down into the rest of the station. The giant window in his office giving him a great view of all the people on the first floor.
Paul was bent over the stove, multiple pans steaming and no doubt smelling delicious. Once in a while, he would turn and yell something towards the table where the other members of their team were sitting.
They seemed to be playing some sort of card game, one Owen didn’t think he’d ever seen before. They were all split into duos and had some sort of chips in front of them. Considering Marjan and Mateo had the most, they seemed to be winning.
Tommy and Judd had the least amount of chips by far, but that didn’t stop them, mostly Judd, from excitedly yelling at the rest of the players.
With that, Owen’s gaze shifted to the last duo, and he couldn’t help but frown as he took them in. Firefighter Gillian was whispering something into Tyler’s ear as the male firefighter nodded, waving his finger threateningly towards Mateo.
All in all, the seven of them seemed to be having a great time. Which was really unfair considering the enormous bomb Tyler had dropped on Owen’s life just days ago.
After what had gone down at his house, Gwyen had told him she didn’t want to see him again for the foreseeable future. He had tried to call her, but she had blocked him on every device and social media platform.
Something that wouldn’t have happened if his own damn child hadn’t come to HIS house and basically trashed his life.
Pulling himself back to the present, he refocused on the scene beneath him. It seemed like they were starting a new game now. Paul had come to sit beside Marjan, gesturing excitedly as he looked at the cards in her hands, and Mateo had scootched down to sit beside Firefighter Gillian.
Before he could wonder about the shift in teams, there was a knock on the door of his office.
When he turned in his chair, he found his son standing awkwardly in the doorway. He was shifting from foot to foot, looking like he’d rather be anywhere else.
Owen opened his mouth briefly before closing it again. He didn’t know what to say. There wasn’t something he’d rather do than yell at Tyler as he deserved. But they were at work; there was no way he could do that.
“I was wondering if you have a second to talk?” Tyler said, biting his lip while doing so.
Owen couldn’t help but frown at that; his son seemed almost insecure. In all the times they had interacted since Owen moved to Austin, he’d never seen Tyler feeling insecure. Passive-aggressive, sure. Defiant, more than once. But not insecure.
“Sure.” He turned away from the window in his office and towards his desk, giving the younger firefighter the entirety of his attention. “Make it quick, though.”
Tyler nodded once before stepping into his office, putting down a piece of paper on the desk between them that Owen hadn’t noticed until now.
“I already went to HR with this, but they told me that as my captain, I should inform you too. It’s really nothing dramatic or anything in that sense.” Tyler shifted from one foot to the other restlessly. “I’m moving.”
Owen looked down on the paper lying in front of him and, indeed, found it to be a simple change of address form. He frowned; he would have thought he would have heard at least something if two firefighters in his station were moving.
“I’m assuming I will be receiving one of these from Mateo as well?” He said as he raised his left eyebrow in question.
Tyler looked down for a second before making eye contact with him again. “No, you won’t be. Mateo isn’t moving.”
Owen couldn’t help but let out a sigh, he thought the infighting within his station was done. But apparently, he was mistaken.
“I thought you and Mateo solved the little squabble you were having.”
Tyler seemed taken aback at that, a confused frown appearing on his face.
“Mateo and I are fine. I’m aware we have had some personal issues this year, but it’s not something that we haven’t already resolved.”
Owen let out another sigh, this one louder than the first one. “Tyler, I really am not in the mood for this. I’m not blind, in fact, I tend to notice quite a lot. Ever since everything with Billy went down, there has been bad blood between you and Mateo. I thought you guys talked that out during your little rescue operation in the stolen fire truck, but apparently you haven’t. I don’t possibly see what other explanation there could be for you now moving out of the apartment you share. I am done with there being so much conflict here at the 126. And this,” he gestured to the paper on his desk, “is giving me probable cause to move one of you to another station.”
Tyler was staring at him like he’d just grown a second head, mouth actually hanging open. His son seemed to need a second to gather himself before he spoke again.
“Captain Strand, I’m moving because I am moving in with my boyfriend. This has nothing to do with Mateo or our friendship. Frankly, our friendship is great, never better. I just want to take the next step in my relationship.”
Owen couldn’t help but feel the blood rush to his cheeks in embarrassment. Now he was feeling just as awkward as Tyler.
He cleared as throat before gesturing to the form on the desk. “I’ll take care of this. Thank you for letting me know.”
Tyler nodded once before quickly turning around and practically bolting out of his office.
Once again alone, Owen found himself staring at the paper in front of him. He couldn’t help but feel angry.
Tyler had just blown HIS relationship up by barging into HIS house, and now he was waving the fact that he was moving in with his boyfriend in Owen’s face.
Like Owen wouldn’t notice that all of this was clearly to get under his skin.
He turned around in his chair to look out of the window again, taking in what was happening one floor below.
Tyler had joined the rest of the crew, draping himself over Judd’s shoulders, while not so subtly making gestures towards Marjan over Tommy’s shoulder.
There would come a moment when Owen would get the chance to correct things to how they should be. He was sure of it.
And whenever that would be, he wouldn’t miss it.
“Incompetent. That’s what they are.”
TK had to bite his bottom lip to stop a grin from forming. He supposed Nancy had a point; the candidates for the open paramedic position at the 126 hadn’t been convincing so far.
“This first guy seems promising, right? But he can’t handle blood. Why would you even become a paramedic if you faint at the sight of blood?!”
TK couldn’t stop a snort from escaping at the indignation in Nancy’s voice. He reached over to take the syringes from her hand before she accidentally stabbed herself with how much she was waving her hands in the air.
“And one headbutted someone, right?”
She nodded her head erratically as she let out a whine.
“And if it’d been an annoying person, someone bothering us without good reason, I could have respected her for it. It could have even been kinda hot. But it was just a concerned husband.”
That did it, TK burst into laughter, he couldn’t hold back anymore. Nancy shot him a look that was meant to be threatening, but she couldn’t quite keep a straight face. A tiny, reluctant smile tugged on her mouth.
“I’m serious.” She muttered, even though the corners of her mouth wouldn’t stop twitching.
“I know.” TK said sarcastically, wiping his eyes. “You’re really trying here, I can tell.”
They sat in silence for a beat, the warm, familiar kind that existed only between people who’d shared real loss together. The ground floor of the station was currently empty except for them. Tommy was going over some details about parking the ambulance with candidate Colin outside of the station, and the rest of the 126 was getting some well-deserved rest. Nancy let out a slow breath through her nose.
“I know I’m being difficult.” Her voice was suddenly low, flat. TK turned his head to look at her fully. “I am holding all these candidates to these impossible standards, and it’s not fair to them. Nobody will ever be as good as Tim. Not to me.”
TK’s smile faded, replacing it with something more careful.
“And I know—” She swallowed once, jaw clenching. “I know I’m making Cap’s job more difficult by being so… so difficult.”
“Hey.” TK leaned his shoulder gently against hers. “Everyone understands. Really.”
She gave a tiny nod, clearly not quite convinced but not wanting to comment on it. Her hands were clasped together in her lap, fidgeting with the hem of her sleeve.
“I can really only imagine working with one other person besides Tim.” She murmured quietly.
He raised his eyebrows in question. “Who?”
Nancy hesitated before looking right at him.
“You.”
TK blinked. It took him a full second to process.
“Me?” His voice cracked embarrassingly, so he cleared his throat. “I-uh-I already have a job I love. Firefighter, remember?”
“I know.” Nancy smiled, but it was clear her smile wasn’t genuine. “Just wishful thinking, I guess.”
She looked back down at her hands, and it was impossible to miss the way the smile fell off her face. Something twisted in his chest. It wasn’t like he couldn’t picture it, the two of them working as paramedics. He and Nancy made a good team, that wasn’t a secret.
He shook his head to banish the thought. He couldn’t just… leave. Nancy knew that.
Movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. Tommy was waving someone forward through the bay doors, Colin, who was awkwardly trying to back an ambulance into the station. TK winced when the ambulance jolted.
“Here I go.” Nancy muttered under her breath as she got up to help Tommy guide the ambulance into the station.
TK watched the way Colin was steering and couldn’t help but frown. That angle was a little off, a little too far to the left, a little too far towards Tommy and Nancy.
Wait.
“Nancy?!”
“Wha—AAAAAAAAAAAA!”
The hind wheel of the ambulance rolled over the front of Nancy’s foot without mercy.
Nancy let out another pained scream as she dropped onto one knee, her hands moving to clutch her booted foot.
“HEY!” TK shouted towards the ambulance. He was already running, heart hammering in his chest like he was heading into a burning building. “STOP THE AMBULANCE! Stop-STOP!”
He assumed Colin managed to stop the ambulance, judging by the screeching sound that came from behind him as he dropped beside Nancy.
“You drove over my foot. YOU FUCKING IMBECILE!” Nancy shot out before hissing through her teeth as the pain really hit her.
“Get. Out. Of. My. Ambulance.” Tommy’s icy voice came from somewhere above them.
TK looked up just long enough to see Colin stumbling out of the vehicle, white as a sheet.
“That’s it.” Nancy muttered bitterly, clutching his forearm tightly with her right hand. “Incompetent. Absolutely incompetent.”
Hot.
That’s what it was. Incredibly.
TK was currently standing in the little bit of shadow their fire truck offered, as they waited for the captains to decide on their course of action.
Considering they were literally standing on the edge of a minefield, he couldn’t help but feel a little anxious. He glanced sideways to look at the ambulance, where the newest addition of the 126 was standing.
Nancy was currently at home, recovering from the surgery she’d had on her foot. So, medical was just Tommy and this new guy, Pearce, for now.
Judd was getting information through his radio, but things weren’t looking good for the brothers in the field. Especially because the oldest one was actively bleeding out at the moment. Their time was probably limited.
Suddenly, his father was walking towards them. Seemingly now having a plan.
“Marjan, get me the 3-inch line, some heavy ropes. Mateo, I need the biggest duffel we got and some spray paint.”
“Spray paint?” Mateo sounded just as confused as he himself felt.
“Brighter, the better. Let’s go!”
TK looked at Paul, and the other man just shrugged at him. Sometimes Owen Strand remained a mystery.
They were quick to gather what was, apparently, needed.
Once they were done, TK let his back lean against the rig, beside Judd.
“So?” He asked.
Judd glanced at him before going back to staring at the kids in the field.
“What do you think of this new guy? Pearce?”
Judd tilted his head as he shifted his glance towards where the new paramedic was talking to Tommy.
“Don’t know. He seems capable. Won’t run over our feet, hopefully.” Judd turned to look at him, raising his eyebrows in question. “What do you think?”
TK shrugged, with his most nonchalant expression. Considering the way Judd was looking at him, it wasn’t very convincing.
“It’s weird. Before he was here, I could still pretend Tim would come back.”
Judd let out a pained noise at that, and a hand squeezed his shoulder. Before anything else could be said, the conversation by the ambulance caught their attention.
“I’ll go.” Tommy was saying to her fellow paramedic.
His father was quick to object to the notion, wherever they were going. “That’s crazy.”
Pearce let out an offended sound, looking between the two captains. “That’s crazy? But it wasn’t crazy when you expected me to go? Into a minefield?”
TK leaned a little towards Judd. “I’m really sorry.”
“For what?”
TK didn’t give Judd a response before stepping towards the ambulance.
“I’ll go.”
Almost every head in the vicinity snapped towards him.
“I was a dual-function FD medic in New York. All my certifications are up to date. I can do this.”
“No. No way!” Judd’s hand was already closing around his arm, trying to pull him backwards and away from the ambulance.
Pearce threw his hands up into the air. “Wait, so she can’t go.” He pointed to Tommy. “And he can’t either.” He nodded towards TK. “But my going is totally fine?”
TK looked at his father, who stared right back at him. “I don’t know. I think Pearce here is the better man for the job.” His father said, gesturing towards the paramedic.
Pearce started talking more, but TK wasn’t paying attention to that. His focus shifted towards the other captain. Tommy walked past the two other men and stopped in front of him.
Her hand shot up and grabbed his chin, pulling him towards her a little. “If you come back with even a single scratch on you, I’m gonna make you regret it.” She whispered before letting him go.
“TK, is going!” She yelled. “Let’s get on with it!”
He didn’t waste any time getting into gear, strapping a helmet onto his head. He didn’t dare glance towards Judd, or the rest of the 126, their disapproval probably clear as day. When he walked up to the fire truck and his dad, no one spoke a word. Following behind his father, they managed to avoid about one-third of the field.
When they reached the end of the ladder, he couldn’t help but look towards his dad expectantly. The man seemed to hesitate for a brief moment before he threw the bag onto the field, right below where they were currently standing.
TK raised his hands to shield his face, but there was no explosion.
“Alright.”
With that, his dad jumped from the ladder, landing on the bag. The man pulled out a can of spray paint, marking the spot where the bag had landed. As the man picked up the duffel bag to throw it again, TK could practically feel his heart beating out of his chest.
Clutching the strap of the medical bag with both hands, he could do nothing but watch as the bag landed.
No explosion.
“Alright, show time.” He murmured before jumping from the ladder into the circle of paint. He landed without any problems, nodding at his father to go ahead.
When the man threw the bag again, he jumped at the sound of it landing.
No explosion.
A sigh of relief escaped his mouth without meaning to. A glance towards the rest of the crew confirmed they were all watching, Tommy through a pair of binoculars. Everyone but Judd. He craned his neck but couldn’t spot the man.
TK made the jump towards the next circle, the two kids now within hearing distance. The uninjured kid was talking to his brother, but TK wasn’t able to make out the words.
His father had painted a new orange circle around the duffel bag and was now picking it up again for the next throw. As the bag flew through the air, it seemed to move in slow motion.
No explosion.
Jumping into the next circle, TK finally decided to call out to the kids.
“Hey, guys? How are you over there?”
The younger kid was the one to answer. “My brother’s hurt. He’s bleeding real bad.”
He didn’t get the chance to answer; his father did it for him.
“That’s a good thing, actually.” Welp, that’s a stupid thing to say. “All right, we’re coming towards you.”
His father picked up the duffel bag without much hesitation and threw the thing forward.
TK barely felt himself being thrown backwards and onto the ground, his head hitting the ground hard enough to make his ears ring.
He could hear yelling, but whether it was coming from the kids or the radio was unclear to him. He had to cough a few times to clear the dust from his lungs before he could really take in what had happened in front of him.
A huge dust cloud has formed around them, thick enough that he isn’t able to see the kids and his father. God, he really hopes the kids are alright. There was a gust of air, and his father came back into view. Unharmed.
A few seconds later, he spotted the kids; their situation seemed unchanged as well.
With them now close enough not to have to throw a duffel again, they were able to cross the distance to the brothers quickly.
Once he landed beside the kids, he could hear that his father had already introduced them. The youngest kid was quite clearly being very distraught.
“I tried to stop the bleeding, but I couldn’t.”
TK pulled stuff out of his medical bag before shooting the boy a smile. “You did great. We can help him now thanks to you.”
The feeling of the tourniquet in his hands felt strangely familiar as he wrapped the thing about the kid’s thigh.
“Alright, Wes. I am going to put this on you. It won’t feel good, but it will stop the bleeding.”
He bit his lip before pulling and tightening the tourniquet, wincing as the kid moans in pain. As soon as the bleeding had stopped, he raised his hand towards his radio.
“Captain Vega. I think you were right, the shrapnel nicked his femoral artery. I tourniquet the leg, and I think the bleeding has stopped for now.”
It takes a second before Tommy responds. “Alright, that’s good. Start a saline line, that should help.”
He pulled out the bag with the blood from the medical bag, handing it to the younger brother.
“Here, hold this for your brother. Wes? This will make you feel better.”
Wes’s head rolled from side to side in delirium, clearly not hearing his words. TK released the blood, holding his breath, but there was no change. Not until Wes’s head lolled back with his eyes rolled back into his skull.
“Wes?! Wes?!” The other kid’s voice was absolutely terrified.
As he pressed a finger to Wes’s neck, TK could hear his own heart beating in his chest. No pulse.
He pulled out the radio again, not sure what was happening. “Tommy. He’s got no pulse.”
Tommy’s voice, as always, came through the radio as soothing and calm. “Then he’s not getting the blood. Start compressions.”
He reached over and took the blood bag before handing it to his father. “Hold and squeeze.”
His fingers were trembling as he placed them on top of the kid’s chest, but he couldn’t hesitate now. Starting compressions, his blood was racing through his ears. After a few compressions, a shaky inhale escaped Wes’s body.
Relief flooded through him as he watched the kid inhale and exhale a few times.
“He’s awake. He’s awake.” He yelled before realizing he should probably talk into the radio if he wanted people to hear him.
“He’s alive.”
The brothers were talking, and not even a minute later, sirens were nearing, and a black van pulled up next to the mine field. The bomb squad, probably.
A hand is squeezing his knee, and he looks down on the kid, Wes.
“Thank you. For getting here.”
He couldn’t contain at least a small smile.
“Of course, kid. That’s our job.”
And it really is, he realizes. Not the constant squabbling with his father but this. Saving people.
That’s the job.
The moment he sent in his resume for the open paramedic position at the 126, he felt better. After the call in the minefield. It had been clear to everyone that Pearce wouldn’t be staying. The guy just didn’t fit what this station stands for.
Tommy hadn’t gotten back to him yet, but the way Nancy had bounded over to him at the end of the last shift seemed good. Her grin had nearly split her face in half, hugging him tight before he could even process what was happening. He was pretty sure he was getting the job.
He wished he could cling to that excitement of this and finally moving in with Carlos without thinking about the other thing. The moment was the end of last shift, when he had been packing up, and every time he looked around, he found his father staring at him. With this icy, unmoving, unreadable gaze.
He was trying to force himself not to think about it, to pretend he didn’t notice the knot in his stomach. His father could stare all he wanted; it wouldn’t do anything.
So now he sat in the kitchen, trying to keep his brain focused on the stack of cards in his hand. Judd sat across from him, chewing on a toothpick and looking at his own cards like it was the most important thing in the world. Not that TK was ever going to win this, Judd won almost always when they played cards.
From a little to their left, Marjan, Paul, and Mateo were yelling at each other over the table soccer game. Judging by Mateo’s indignant shout and Paul’s triumphant laugh, Paul was winning.
It was calm and familiar. Which meant, obviously, that it wouldn’t last.
“Excuse me?”
The voice, female, steady and professional, cut through the room.
Everyone turned their heads.
A woman stood at the entrance to the kitchen. Mid-forties, maybe, polished dark hair, a fitted blazer that screamed state-level authority. She carried a slim folder tucked under one arm.
Hello.” She said politely, projecting easily over the room. “My name is Marla Donnelly, Internal Affairs.”
Judd sat upright so fast his chair squeaked. Behind them, Marjan, Paul, and Mateo were now quiet.
TK felt dread crawl up his spine as he laid his cards on the table.
“A serious complaint has been made.” She continued, he expression unreadable professionalism. “I need to speak to Mr. Strand immediately.
Silence.
They all stared.
Paul recovered first, pointing stiffly towards the stairs. “Uhm, his office is upstairs. First floor. Straight ahead and then on the right.”
“Thank you.”
She turned towards the stairs and stopped when she spotted someone, one Owen Strand, coming down the stairs at that exact moment.
He froze at the sight of her.
Mateo stepped closer to TK and leaned in a little. “Finally.” He whispered it so softly nobody else could have heard it.
TK didn’t answer. His heart was pounding for some reason.
“Mr. Strand?” Marla Donnely asked.
His father nodded once, though he was obviously uncomfortable.
“Please come here.”
His father approached, posture rigid. TK could see the tension in his jaw even from quite some feet away.
“I’m Marla Donnelly, Internal Affairs.” She held out her hand. “I need to see your identification.”
Judd shot him a worried glance. TK returned it, a sick swirl of confusion rising in his chest as murmurs broke out behind him. It wasn’t like it wasn’t warranted, but he didn’t think someone would actually go as far as to make an official complaint.
His father handed over his ID with a tightness around his eyes TK hadn’t seen a lot.
Donnely examined it closely. Her brow creased. She looked up at him.
“Owen Strand? Your name is Owen Strand?” She asked, slow and precise.
“Yes.” His father replied, the man’s expression now carefully blank.
She frowned deeper, flipping open the folder she had been holding under her arm.
“No, this isn’t right.” She murmured, more to herself than to any of them.
Then she looked back up at the room, her voice a little impatient when she spoke next.
“This complaint is regarding a firefighter at the 126 called Tyler Strand.”