***The characters do not belong to me, except for William Graham (“Will”). They do belong to he 1970’s television series “Emergency!” Also as always, a big thanks to Audrey for the beta, and for posting this story!***

“It’s Only Gear”
 
 By: Wanda C.H.

 
You’ve all heard the old saying about all the things that walls might if they could talk. Well, little did you know that the same applies to fireman’s gear. Those helmets and turnouts that all firemen wear see it all. When not in action, they hear it all at the station.
 So, a fireman’s gear contains a wealth of information: his thoughts, his close calls, his friendships and other relationships, which one is in trouble with the captain, etc. This story is unique in that it will be told from the viewpoint of the men’s gear.

 
 *************

 
 You could say we know everything there is to know around the department. I’m the helmet worn by Los Angeles County Station 51’s Captain Hank Stanley.
 
 Hey, I’m the turnout coat worn by various firemen over the years!
 
 Together, we could keep ya’ busy for years with stories; all true! However, for now I think we need to stick with one story that we have in common. I’m the helmet (much superior in storytelling to any turnout coat) and will be telling this one which happened recently. It’s a fresh story, almost too fresh.
 

 *************

 
 I’ll never forget that day….Wednesday, May 30, 1973.
 
 Captain Stanley announced to the guys at roll call that they would be getting a rookie to train.
 
 “Oh no, not another pigeon to break in!” Chet Kelly sighed to their captain, “I’ve just gotten Gage tolerable at times, and now you’re tellin’ me that we have a new guy comin’ in.”
 
 
 “Kelly, you will be nice, correct? Now, does anyone else have anything to say about our new guy?” The rest of the crew knew not to say a word. They would all allow Chester B. to take the blame for saying what a lot of them felt about a newbie. “Listen, this kid is the most promising recruit that the academy has seen in a long while. We’re lucky to get him, and we’re gonna’ welcome this man and make him feel right at home. Is that understood?”
 
 The crew nodded in unison.

 *************

 
William Graham was a strong twenty-three year old that was single and very dedicated to his work. From day one Will knew how to start out on the right foot with his new crew members. The man who would quickly make friends with even the most unlikely firefighters arrived at the station with a warm box of doughnuts. In the other hand he carried a box of doughnut holes, just to make sure everyone had at least a bite of his favorite flavor. The youngster wanted all to be happy, but also wanted them to know that he realized he had to make an impression. He wanted to be the best rookie ever, but he wanted to earn that title. The blond-haired man with smiling green eyes, and chiseled features had a good, and a big heart. There was a way about this special person of bringing the best out of everyone. He didn’t even recognize that he possessed this gift, but Will had it from an early age.
 
 “Hello, anyone home?”
 
 Everyone assumed the new voice must belong to the new man on the job and one by one they introduced themselves to him while enjoying fresh doughnuts. He seemed nice enough, but each wondered if his skills were really as great as they had been told.
 
 “Hey, Roy, he looks more like a model than a fireman, don’t ya’ think?” The Latino firefighter did not seem to think this rookie was as hot as his paperwork stated.
 
 “Well, remember, some folks thought that Johnny had the makings of a model at one time. Just give him a chance. Gotta’ admit that he seems nice enough, and getting along is a lot of the job.”
 
 “Huh? You guys talkin’ about me? Don’t compare me to some rookie hose jockey!” Gage’s infamous crooked smile had disappeared to a furrowed brow at the thought of being compared in any fashion to anyone, most especially a rookie.

 *************

 
Perhaps Will’s character is why Chester B.’s guard diminished. After the young man arrived, they soon became close, much to the amazement of the rest of the crew. The Phantom had chosen to take Will under his wing and teach him everything about firefighting that he knew. Now all the guys at the station agreed that Chet was hardly the one to teach, but Will seemed to go along with him and respect him perfectly. Not admitting this to anyone but himself, this newfound relationship between himself and Will meant everything to him, even though Chet didn’t understand why. He really liked this kid and was happy to have him at Station 51. Up until now every rookie that entered the large doors of the station received the horrible Chet Kelly welcome. There was usually a bucket of water hanging to be dumped on an unsuspecting head at some point, but none existed with Will. This fireman actually wanted to be a better fireman, maybe even the best, and for some reason had latched onto Chester B. Kelly, of all the crew members at 51’s to teach him.

 *************

 
Gage, DeSoto, Cap, Mike, and Marco were equally perplexed. No one could understand why anyone would listen to the Phantom. Captain Stanley so appreciated Will’s attitude. It was nice to have some peace and quiet without Gage and Kelly going at it for a change and he liked what he saw both in his rookie, and in his veteran. One day, Cap pulled his newest fireman aside and thanked him for the change of attitude that he had caused in his trouble-making crew member. Stanley went as far as to let Will know that the entire shift appreciated the disappearance of the Phantom (and explain some of his antics to the young man), and for a quieter place to work. Will just told his commander that he was learning a great deal and wanted to be the best fireman that he could possibly be.

 *************

 
Each day that went by, the youngster was more appreciated and respected by everyone. The men at Station 51 secretly hoped that somehow after his training he would be assigned to their A-Shift. He had gone to Marco’s house for a family and friends cook-out, and the Lopez family both loved and accepted him as their own. He managed to speak some Spanish, to the delight of each Lopez! Captain Stanley had him over for a clam chowder dinner and Beverly Stanley stated how she’d like to adopt Will if he needed a family. The youngster even double dated with both Johnny and Chet and each of the guys actually enjoyed the date with his colleague. Johnny had enjoyed double dates with Marco, but never Chet and the same went for Chet with Johnny. All the nurses at the hospital seemed to have their sights set on Will, much to John’s dislike. The paramedic finally realized that he had a chance with most of the nurses anyhow, so why not give the rookie a chance? During their down time, the fireman went to the hospital to visit kids that the guys had rescued or that had been in accidents, often taking them stuffed animals, or toy fire engines. Dixie noticed this trait and it won her affection. She knew how much a seemingly small gesture could mean when time was limited and the head nurse began to really show an interest in the career of this young firefighter and wished him the best. She even passed her observances on to the doctors, who also began to notice the blond-haired man who visited the children and picked up supplies. He was the real deal and too often rookies just wanted to seem concerned, and did not show genuine concern, but there was something about this guy, William Graham.
 
Roy had talked to Will about possibly becoming a paramedic, but his heart was in firefighting. Although he did help out the paramedics whenever possible during calls, and showed interest in their jobs too. He would man the radio when there was no one to take care of the job, hand Johnny and Roy supplies when needed, and basically do anything that needed to be done around the station. Sometimes the guys couldn’t figure this man out; he didn’t even seem to mind latrine duty when his time came. Chet was stuck with that most of the time as punishment due to his many goofs at the department and with Captain Stanley, although Cap liked all his guys, even Chester B. was special in his own way. This rookie was a captain’s dream, and the dream of an entire crew. Will was the total package and the beauty was that he was extremely humble, in spite of his skills.

 *************

 
 Then came the day that I’ll never forget, May 30, 1973…it was a Wednesday, and all the guys were busy doing their various in house duties while waiting for that first run of the day.
 
 Little did they know that none of their lives would be the same after this call.
 
 The klaxons suddenly rang out, and the men of Station 51’s A-Shift quickly began to put away their mop buckets, cleaning tools, boxes of drugs that needed to be checked on a daily schedule, and other objects.
 
 “Station 51, structure fire with injuries…365 Martin Street-3-6-5 Martin Street, cross street Forbes. Time out: 10:09.”
 
 Captain Stanley ran to acknowledge the call while Mike Stoker opened the massive doors to the station with the push of a button.
 
 “Station 51, 10-4, KMG-365.” Hank Stanley then handed a piece of paper to Roy, who in turn handed it to John with the information on it about the run. Johnny recorded the roads and numbers in the proper place inside the squad. With that the captain rushed into the engine, and sirens blared. Big Red followed the squad to the site of the fire as quickly and safely possible.

 *************

 
 As the engine pulled up to the scene, Captain Stanley could hardly believe his eyes. There wasn’t one building, but a series of buildings on fire. He knew this was much more than his station could handle alone. The mayhem of the inferno wasn’t the only problem, but the entire lot was on a hillside. Hank immediately realized that they needed backup to bring this demon under control, so he called dispatch for help. Several more units were summoned to join 51 to fight this huge fire, but until they got there, Hank and his crew were on their own.
 
 Captain Stanley began to shout orders, but before getting out a sentence, he realized that his crew had already begun their work. The guys were so accustomed to fighting fire that each man knew his place the hoses and the paramedics were already gearing up to go into the inferno to search for victims. Although the men knew that people were trapped in the frail buildings, each wondered if there would be life inside.
 
 “Marco, you, Kelly, and Graham take the inch and a half and get the west side of the building. Gage and DeSoto need you there and you guys take another inch and a half in with you. I’m gonna’ look around and see if I can get any information on where the victims might be.” The captain noted the paramedics looking at each other with questionable glances. “Guys, this fire’s hot, and I don’t want you risking your lives before we know where victims may be, okay? Everyone, help is on the way. Just hang in there the best you can.”
 
 John looked at Roy, and with their close friendship, each knew what the other was thinking.
 
 “I hope they get here soon. Cap’s right, that fire’s hot, and I was wonderin’ if anyone could survive it.”
 
 “Yeah, if there are many casualties, we can’t handle ‘em, and if Cap hadn’t stopped us, we could’ve gotten in too deep.” Roy had a very thoughtful and ghostly look in his eyes. He would do his job, but the experienced paramedic was very thankful to have a leader that made decisions after some thought. He was glad that Cap cared about them.
 
 Turning his head slightly sideways, Johnny gave his partner a look that said I know what you mean as they rushed to get the hose to its destination.

 *************

 
 “This one’s bad, huh?”
 
 “Actually I’ve never seen anything like it. Being on the hillside doesn’t help either, does it?” The rookie felt uneasy for the first time since going to the Station 51.
 
 “Just stick by me, kid.” The Irishman who seemed too sure of himself was going to watch the rookie like a dog would watch her pup. “You’ll do just fine. Remember everything I’ve taught ya’, okay?”
 
 “Thanks, Chet, but I really don’t think we went over infernos on hillsides. It’s times like this that I’m happy to be around so many veterans though, that’s for sure! Ya’ want me to take the end of the hose?”
 
 “Sure, well I would, but, Will? Hey, man, where’s your gear?”
 
 “Well, they never got me a coat to replace the one I had to trash from that last big fire that we had. As for my helmet, it would be over that cliff.” (Will pointed toward the bottom of a long hillside.) “I slipped on my way up, didn’t have my chin strap tight, and off she went. I guess I wasn’t prepared for the mud right along the edge.”
 
 “Man, I really like you kid, but you definitely have the Gage complex when it comes to accidents.”
 
 “Huh?”
 
 Everyone within ear shot laughed at the curly-haired man’s remark. Being the good teacher that he was, he instructed his protégée to go to their captain and get some gear so he could actually help fight the fire. After Will was out of sight, Chet shook his head and asked Marco if he thought the young man would be okay. Kelly wondered if he was ready for a fire this big.
 
 “Chet, come on, it’s just nerves. We’ve all had ‘em. He wants to impress you. Why I’ll never know!” Marco began to laugh at the thought of anyone wanting to impress Chester B. Kelly. Even worse, this wasn’t just anyone; he was actually a good kid who was working on being a great fireman.
 
 “So, he’s a smart guy. Scored the highest in his class, right? Naturally he would cling to the most elite fireman in the crew.” Chet actually thought himself a lot better than he was, and that point would be made in a painful way.
 
 The men worked steadily on the fiery nightmare while the youngest got the proper gear to join them.

 *************

 
 “Cap, do you have a turnout coat and a helmet that I can use?”
 
 “Pal, what happened to your gear?”
 
 “Well, they never got my coat back to me after that accident with the finishing sprayer in the furniture plant fire last shift. Oh, and I slipped and lost my helmet down that cliff over there.” He pointed to the cliff, “on the way up with this fire.” Everyone around the captain looked toward the hillside and could understand how that could happen to anyone, especially a rookie.
 
 “It’s not like you’re gonna’ bankrupt the department, but let’s be careful.” Hank Stanley looked up on the engine and immediately only saw his own gear. “”Here, use mine until we can do better. Will, be careful. This is likely one of the worst situations you’ll encounter, so walk slowly and watch your step. Oh, and don’t forget to tell Kelly that you’ve been promoted to captain.”
 
 “But, Cap, this is your gear. I can’t wear it, can I? I mean that just wouldn’t be right”
 
 “Graham, it’s all I have for now, and if you want to fight this fire, you’ll wear it. I’ll be manning this one since Chief McConnikee is at a seminar this week. I don’t need it-you do-end of discussion. Do not forget to tell Kelly!”
 
 “Cap, I don’t know, I mean, Chet’s been really good to me. I like him and I wouldn’t want to make him sore at me. You know the other guys are gonna’ laugh if I go up there wearing your gear and tell him that.”
 
 “You worry too much, Will. Chet’ll get a kick out of it. He’ll likely think he personally trained you so well that you became captain! Besides, that’s an order, okay?”
 
 “Yes sir, Cap if you say so. Man, I’m glad to be in such a great department. This may not be the best time to ask, but do you think I can stay with you guys after my training is over?”
 
 “You’re doin’ a great job and fittin’ in really well with the other guys. You even get along with Chet, and you’re the only person that I can say that about. Will, I’ll check into it. I’d be happy to have you and I know the rest of the crew would feel the same way. Let’s just keep this conversation between us for now, okay? Now, let’s get to work. This one’s gonna’ take a while and I’m hungry!”
 
 “Thanks, Cap!” The young man had a smile that would have lit all of L.A. County.

 *************

 
 Will cantered back down to the middle of the hill, gear in hand, to help is fellow firemen. They immediately noticed that he held the captain’s helmet. While the others snickered softly among themselves, Chet pulled the young man aside.
 
 Chet continued to man his hose, and whispered to Will so that only the young man could hear the lecture.
 
 “Uh, Will, man, you can’t wear the captain’s helmet. Now you need to get that back to him, pronto before you get into a lot of trouble. Even Gage never pulled a trick like this. Now, go on and take it back.”
 
 Will was never one to hurt anyone or have the guys make fun of Chet, but somehow that night the words of his mentor hit him the wrong way and the young man became angered that Kelly would consider him to be so ignorant.
 
 “That’s really odd, Chet, ya’ see, Cap told me to let you know that I’ve already received a large promotion. Quite large indeed, see, I’m now Captain! Also, I’m to thank you for all the work you’ve done to make me such a wonderful fireman, so thanks, Pal!”
 
 Chet had not expected those words to come from the rookie’s mouth. Will had been so pleasing and hadn’t rubbed shoulders with anyone. This guy had gone out of his way to protect Chet from the rest of the crew. Now Chester B. was afraid that he would once again be the laughing stock of the crew. He looked around and some of the guys were still laughing under their breath, but none seemed to notice what was going on with the rookie and his mentor because they were too busy fighting this fire.
 
 “Okay, fine, but,” Kelly grabbed Will by the arm while whispering something in his ear. “When this fire’s out and we’re all back at the station safe and sound, I’m gonna’ kick your butt, kid!”
 
 “Even though I was following orders, I suppose I expected at least some reprimand from ya’.” Will smiled; his face was such a bright red that it showed through the soot from the fire. All the men of Station 51 wished that he could stay with them, possibly too much.

 *************

 
 Hoses in hand, gear on, and with very careful footing, the men marched forward into the inferno with plans to slow, and then stop the monster. By now Cap had assigned the paramedics to hoses. He didn’t want his men in a situation that was impossible. If there were people in the buildings, they had no possibility of survival, and this would turn into a search attempt once the fire was out and the hot spots were taken away. Johnny was with Marco on one line on the east side of the buildings. Chet and Will came up the middle, which was very dangerous with the hillside terrain. Finally another crew arrived. They took the west side. The front, back and roof remained concerns. The fire was growing and Cap found out that help would be slow arriving as there was a big pile up on the freeway. Cap was looking over the crews and making sure that no one was in trouble. Roy worked on an onlooker who was overcome by smoke. The senior paramedic wasn’t anxious to get a hose and fight this one. He was in his comfort zone working on patients, and he wouldn’t mind staying there. Johnny enjoyed the hose work much more than his partner, so it worked well for both of them. The paramedic watched his captain and knew that Hank Stanley was troubled. This made Roy feel uneasy. He could never remember seeing Captain Stanley this troubled before this fire. However, Roy had never seen a fire this extensive or this hot. There had never been a situation where Cap had told the paramedics to get out of any building. Looking for victims would be futile. This made the paramedic want to call his beloved Joanne. He wanted to speak to his soul mate just in case this would be the fire that every fireman doesn’t want to think about, the last one. He would love to hear the voices of Chris and Jenny playing in the background. Days like today made him think twice about what he did, but it was only a fleeting thought then he was ready to get back to business.

 *************

 
 The area in which Kelly, Gage, Lopez, and Graham were placed was especially tricky because of the lay of the land. They had trained for fighting fires such as this one, but none had any real experience. The ground was sloped and damp, but the guys had to set their sights on the hoses and fire more than the earth beneath them. This fire was especially hot because most of the buildings were made of wood and some had cedar trim. They also learned that some were offices which contained large amounts of paper. The oldest of the buildings contained petroleum which was used by workers in a nearby park. They were fighting a little of everything with this blaze.
 
 Will and Chet manned a line as Chet began to slip. The mustached man felt his legs give, but thought he could control his fall. Out of the corner of his eye, Marco saw his crew mate begin to fall and knew that Chet couldn’t stop it. The Latino motioned to the paramedic to kill their hose because he knew that when he fell, Chet was going to need help, quickly. By the time the line was stopped, Kelly was laying on the ground far below all of the other members of Station 51. When they looked over the cliff, Marco immediately noticed that not only Chester B. was down there, but Will was by his side yelling for help.
 
 “I think his leg is broken and well, you can hear him screaming. Chet went down hard. He needs help now.” Will called up to Marco in a concerned tone.
 
 Johnny assessed the wreckage of the men and immediately asked, “Will, are ya’ hurt?”
 
 “No, but you guys need to help Chet. He keeps telling me how much he’s hurt and that I need to get help.”
 
 The sideways grin disappeared. Johnny suddenly remembered how Chet had helped him when he was bitten by a rattle snake and now it was his turn to help his friend.
 
 “Hold on to your shorts, I’m on my way with the drug box and biophone.” John asked Marco to let Roy know just in case Chet was hurt badly. He knew that Will was fairly good at assessing a patient from some experiences they had.
 
 “Now, Chet, how are you gonna’ impress Will here if you’re down on your butt?” Gage was determined to take the fireman’s mind off his pain.

 *************

 
 “Will, hand me the HT. Roy, how are ya’ set?”
 
 “Marco just got here. I’m available if ya’ need me. How’s Chet?”
 
 “Um, I could use some help here, Roy. The fall has Chet banged up pretty bad. I’m thinkin’ a tib-fib fracture. Uh, Roy, its compound, so I’m gonna need the stokes and some rope to get him outta’ here.”
 
 “Does Cap know?”
 
 “Negative.”
 
 “Okay, I’ll inform Cap, then I’ll be right there with the supplies you need. I’ll also call for an ambulance, or get Cap to.”
 
 “10-4.”
 
 As Gage waited for his partner, he made Chet as comfortable as possible. Johnny knew that with this injury Chester B. had every right to complain because of the nature of the injury, so he didn’t tease the man for doing so. He did take the Irishman’s mind off his pain as only John Gage could do.
 
 “Will, I need ya’ to help me man the hose, okay?” Marco wanted to get Will away from Chet as soon as possible. Since the rookie wasn’t hurt, he didn’t need the paramedics, and they had to fight the fire. The young man also had to learn that even though he hurt with his friend, he couldn’t stand by him until the job was done. Cap was coming to the site and was very pleased to see that Marco was doing what he would have him do. Captain Stanley knew that it was just as hard for Marco to leave Chet as it was for Will, but he also knew that was a lesson for the rookie too. He looked at the Latino man and winked his approval.
 
 Even though he wanted nothing more than to stay and hold his mentor’s hand if nothing else, Will went with Marco without question. He did look back just once and whispered to the injured man that he was in the best hands in the force.

 *************

 
 Roy hurried over to his partner’s location to aid their fallen comrade. The fair-haired paramedic already knew that the scene would be a stressful one before he arrived. It’s difficult when anyone is hurt, but when one of your own is hurt, it’s almost impossible to keep the proper attitude. John was getting vitals while Roy contacted Rampart General for instructions. The guys had been working together and had so many calls under their belts that they knew what to do, but they had to have the okay by the doctor.
 
 Roy began thinking as he waited for Dixie to get a doctor to the base station at Rampart. I hope that Chet didn’t break his femur too. That would be tough. He might not even be able to work again if he did. Johnny will take good care of him. I wonder how Will is gonna’ be affected by this. He’s so close to Chet, and still a rookie. Could be a good experience for him, I guess. Can this day get any worse?”
 
 “Go ahead, 51.”
 
 “Rampart, we have a male, twenty-eight years of age, be notified it’s Chet Kelly. Vitals are: BP: 100/65, Pulse 120, Respiration 30. Patient fell approximately thirty feet off a cliff while operating a hose. He is believed to have a compound fracture of the tibia and fibula. Patient is complaining of severe pain. We have splinted the leg, and request an IV with ringers and something for pain.”
 
 “51, 10-4 on the IV with ringers. Does the patient have any injury to his head?”
 
 “Negative, Rampart, Johnny says to tell you that Chet’s head is too hard to hurt.”
 
 “10-4, 51, give him 5mg MS IV and transport as soon as possible. Is the bleeding controlled, 51?”
 
 “Almost, he’s still losing a small amount, but John’s got it basically under control. We are packaging him on a backboard and collar for the ride up this cliff on the stokes.”
 
 “10-4, 51, just get him here as soon as possible. Rampart out.”
 
 “10-4, 51 out.”

 *************

 
 Even through worry about Chet, Marco and Will continued to fight the fire of the rookie’s career. They manned a hose as the mustached man audibly menaced in pain.
 
 “Marco, do you think it’s bad? I know his leg is broken. Do you have any idea how bad it is? Can you tell by the way they are treating him?” The young man began to sweat profusely with both the heat from the fire and worry about his friend.
 
 “He’ll be okay. He’s in the best of hands; you know that, right, Will? I think it’s just one of the small bones in his lower leg. That’s where Johnny working, so it probably isn’t that bad. I’ll tell ya somethin’ that we all know and you haven’t learned yet. Chet Kelly simply cannot handle pain very well.”
 
 “Yeah, who does?”
 
 “I know what ya’ mean!” The man added with a small giggle. He knew that most all of them could handle it better than Chet. That’s only one of the reasons that he hated for it to be Chet hurt. The man simply could not handle pain, and if he did have a broken bone, it would hurt…a lot!

 *************

 
 The stokes ride up the cliff was no party, and even with five mg of morphine running through his veins, Chet was still grimacing. Johnny hadn’t even attempted to set the bones. He cut Chet’s turnoffs off and could see both bones torn through the skin. With the amount of pain the fireman was in, Gage decided to give the agony of setting those bones to the doctors, preferably in the OR. The dark-haired man climbed up the cliff with the stokes and held the Chet’s hand all the way. He felt that was the best he could do given the situation.
 
 When they topped the cliff, Marco, Captain Stanley, and Will were there to see Chet before his ride to Rampart.
 
 “It’s gonna’ be okay. You know that you’re in great hands here. Remember all the times that we visited the hospital on our days off? Well, they can’t be beat, Chet. I’ll see ya’ as soon as we get this under control.”
 
 The mustached man made an effort to smile at the rookie, and looked into Cap’s eyes while whispering….”You guys take good care of the kid, okay? That cliff’s a killer, not to mention this fire…promise me, Cap.”
 
 “Not that he needs our supervision, but I promise ya’ Kelly. We’ll keep an eye on Will, okay? Now get yourself better because the station’s gonna be too quiet without ya.” After looking into the eyes of his fireman, Cap Stanley patted Chet on the shoulder to let him know that they were all wishing him well.
 
 With those parting words, Chet was whisked away in the ambulance. As the men got back to work, they could hear the sirens blaring in the distance.

 *************

 
 “What did Will mean by all of your hospital visits, Chet?” John was both curious and wanted to keep his patient with him and keep Chet’s mind off his pain.
 
 “Well, the kid never tells people about what he does. I found out …on our days off he was… visiting some of the patients that were still at Rampart. So, I tagged along with him a few times. Ya’ know, Will even… takes teddy bears to all the kids that are involved in accidents that we cover. He’s really amazing, Johnny, you ought to get to know him better.”
 
 “I probably know him better than ya’ think, Chet, we took a couple of dates to that charity benefit last week. He really is a good man.”
 
 “What, you mean you sprung fifty bucks for a charity benefit? (Chet had a look of pain on his face, so Johnny wanted to talk even more.) John Gage sprung fifty bucks for charity!”
 
 “I do my part, I mean, I’m no tight wad, ya know?”
 
 “No, I didn’t know, and neither did any of the guys at the station. Just wait ‘till I tell em…man, what laughs we’re gonna’ have!”
 
 “Chet, do you see this biophone here? Do you realize that I have control of this? Do you also realize that this controls the amount of pain medication you get?”
 
 “Okay, okay…I get your point. Gage, your bedside manner… could use some work.”
 
 “I think I did okay, Chet. You see, it’s all in the mind. We’re at Rampart, and you haven’t needed any more morphine. Ha!”
 
 “That’s only because you were bugging me… and once there you sent me into shock with your charity story.”
 
 “Hey, that was a true story, but it better not get outta this ambulance, okay?”
 
 “I’ll have to confirm it with Will, okay? Then I promise, I’ll leave it alone, but only because I’m really startin’ to hurt.”
 
 “Chester B., you have yourself a deal!”
 
 “What’s goin’ on?” Roy caught the end of the conversation and was more than a tad bit curious.
 
 “Roy, ya’ wouldn’t believe me if I told ya.”
 
 “Yea, probably not, knowing you.” The paramedic decided to let the conversation go and keep his focus on their patient.

 *************

 
 Even with extra help, the fire was growing and for one of the few times in his career, Captain Hank Stanley was beginning to wonder what he was going to do. He finally decided that his men plus the men called out to help them would not be enough, so he called dispatch for more help. McConnikee had been a thorn in his flesh since captain’s school and now he wasn’t here to man the worst fire he had ever witnessed.
 
 Just like the good chief to be absent when I really need him. Now he’ll read the story of how well I did, or didn’t do in the papers, and the rest will be history.
 
 Everyone knew that the chief and the captain didn’t have the best relationship, but they did manage to work well together. Hank felt that he needed someone with more experience than he had to help him out and he didn’t know who to call. Stanley would just do his best and if that wasn’t good enough, he’d answer to McConnikee.
 
 My main goal is to keep the rest of my men safe.
 
 “Is everyone on the east side doing okay with the fire? Do you guys need assistance at this point?” He called over the HT.
 
 “We’re barely holding her, Cap; the cliff seems to be moving in on us. I’m a little worried about our footing,” Marco radioed back to his boss.
 
 “Okay, hang in there and I’ll see if I can’t get a ladder truck in somehow.”
 
 “10-4…Um…Cap….I don’t see where one could go. I mean you could set one up below the cliff, but I don’t think the ground would be stable.”
 
 “Okay, Pal, I’m leaving this one up to you guys. When you think it’s getting too close, back off, do you read? Back off!
 
 “10-4, Cap, I’m afraid that will be within the hour unless maybe something else could be done. How about a helicopter drop? Is the fire too hot for that to help?”
 
 “I’m thinking about it, Marco, but I don’t think one would do it, or even two would make that much difference. This thing is growing faster than we can make a difference, and we have six full units working on her now. I’ll come up with something and get back to ya’. Just remember, if your footing becomes unsure, back off. I don’t want another man in the hospital.”
 
 “10-4, Cap, and good luck!”
 
 “Thanks, Lopez, I’m gonna’ need it.”
 
 “How about the west side, how are you guys doing?”
 
 “This is Engine 110 and, Hank; she’s coming in on us too. We’re working her as hard as we can, but it looks like the fire’s winning.”
 
 “10-4, okay, the same goes for you. If things get too out of hand, back off. We’ll let this thing burn itself out and keep the surrounding area from harm.”
 
 “10-4 from the west side.”

 *************

 
 Gage grabbed the HT in order to talk to Captain Stanley. He had an important question to ask his commander.
 
 “Cap, this is John at Rampart. Um, Roy and I are here with Chet. He’s in a lot ‘a pain and we were wonderin’ if we could stay until the docs get him under. It’ll only be a couple more minutes and I don’t know, Cap, it just really feels like Chet needs us.”
 
 “Okay, Gage, give Chet our best and remember, just until he’s asleep. I don’t want to be out here without you guys, so hurry up and get back.”
 
 “10-4, Cap, are things getting’ worse out there?”
 
 “I think we’re just gonna let her burn herself out and protect the buildings that haven’t been burned. I just want to be on the safe side and have you guys here, plus you’re two more hose jockeys to help out.”
 
 “10-4, Cap, we’ll head back as soon as he’s under.”

 *************

 
 As the inferno grew hotter, Marco looked at Will and yelled to him that he was too close to the cliff. About that time, terror was all that could be seen in the eyes of the Latino.
 
 “Cap, are Gage and DeSoto back yet?”
 
 “Negative, Lopez, but they’re on their way, what’s wrong?” Hank Stanley had been captain several years, and knew the difference between a simple problem and sheer terror over the HT. Unfortunately this call was the latter.
 
 “It’s Will; he’s fallen over the cliff. Cap, it’s approximately the same spot where Chet fell. I can’t see him for the thick smoke. What do you want me to do?”
 
 “Stay put, Lopez, do you read me? I don’t need another man over the cliff. I’ll bring some rope and we’ll work on this. Gage and DeSoto will be along shortly. Stay put, do you read me?”
 
 “10-4, Cap.”

 *************

 
 “Roy, when I saw Will down there with Chet my heart sank. I thought they both were injured. I’m just glad that ole’ Chet wasn’t hurt any worse than he was. A fall like that could kill a person. I mean, if ya’ hit just right and had internal injuries, you could bleed to death before we could get ya’ to Rampart. Speaking of that, I hope they have a chopper available. Ya’ know, just in case.”
 
 “We might need to mention that to Cap, Johnny. Hey, you actually came up with a good idea!”
 
 “That’s enough from you, Roy. I’m gonna check in now and see how things are going. Engine 51, this is Squad 51, how do you read?”
 
 “This is Engine 51. John, Will has fallen over the cliff. He’s unconscious and Marco and some of the guys from 85 are on their way down to see what they can do to help him.”
 
 “Uh, 10-4, Cap. Do you know if we have a chopper available in case he’s seriously injured?”
 
 “10-4, there’s one on the way. Engine 51 out.”
 
 “10-4, Squad 51 out.” Johnny and Roy looked at each other as Roy began to speed the squad up while blowing the horn. The dark-haired paramedic helped watch the intersections. Time was a factor.

 *************

 
 Hank Stanley began the descent to join Marco and the other fireman. He wanted to see how Will was for himself. He also wanted to be able to relay information to his paramedics directly until they arrived. Perhaps the crew members who were with the fallen fireman could help him until Roy and Johnny arrived.
 
 When he saw Will, the captain’s stomach began to tighten.
 
 Not two men in one fire. This can’t be happening.
 
 He looked at the fallen heap lying still on the ground and advised the men not to move him.
 
 “Cap, his pulse is very faint. Are Johnny and Roy gonna’ be here soon?” Marco was worried about Will. Even though there were no signs of broken bones that he could feel. No broken skin that Marco could see right away; nothing out of the ordinary except a very faint pulse and rapid, shallow breathing, he knew this man was much sicker than Chet. Maybe Chet was in pain, but they all wished that William Graham would just open his eyes and whimper.
 
 In the distance they could hear the beauty of sirens. Hank would hold off on an HT transmission to the men in the squad until he knew if it was them or an ambulance. The captain wasn’t sure that the ambulance was cancelled. He had called for a chopper, but realized that the ambulance might be necessary to transport to an appropriate location, so he never cancelled it.
 
 “This is Captain Stanley to Engine 51, Mike, is that the squad or an ambulance?”
 
 “Cap, its Roy and Johnny.”
 
 “10-4 have ‘em bring the drug box, O2, and biophone. Heck, have ‘em bring everything they’ve got! If they need any help, feel free to leave the engine long enough to help ‘em. This kid’s in bad shape.”
 
 “10-4 Cap; I can set Big Red up long enough to hold her own for a few minutes. I’ll say a prayer for him. Do ya’ need anything else?”
 
 “That’ll do it, Mike, and thanks. Captain Stanley out.”

 *************

 
 As the squad pulled in, Stoker ran to it. John and Roy looked at each other. Mike never left the engine during a fire. They knew Captain Stanley had to give an order for his action. This told the men that the rookie was even worse than they thought.
 
 The engineer helped the men with their gear, and then hurried back to Big Red and his duties. Both Johnny and Roy began the descent into the bosom of the cliff. When they got there, Marco and the other fireman were on their way back up to the top. Captain Stanley had already spoken with some of the other captains and all agreed to allow the monster to burn itself out. The others did have the task of keeping the nearby structures safe as the blaze grew within itself. Hank stayed to help his paramedics and to see how badly wounded his rookie was from the fall.
 
 “I’m glad you guys got here as quickly as you did. Things seemed to be going downhill fast here.”
 
 “Yeah, I’d say we have ourselves a sick kid here, Cap.” John began taking vitals as Roy made the biophone call to Rampart.
 
 “Rampart base, this is Squad 51.”
 
 “Go ahead 51.” The voice of Kel Brackett came across as though he had been expecting the call to come any second.
 
 “Rampart, we have a male, age 23. He’s taken a fall from about thirty feet. Be advised the patient is Will Graham. Vitals are: blood pressure 90/50, pulse 120, respiration 15 and shallow. There are no apparent broken bones. Patient is unconscious at this time. “
 
 
 “51, do you have any head trauma, or any other visible trauma?”
 
 “10-4, Rampart, there are a few scrapes and a laceration at the hairline. Patient also has a dilated and unresponsive right pupil. His abdomen is also rigid, Rampart.”
 
 “Uh, Roy, there’s something stuck in the back of his head. I think its some rocks, and he’s losing some blood there. Roy, make that lots of blood.”
 
 
 “10-4, 51 start two IV’s ringers and transport as soon as possible. Do you have an ambulance at your location?”
 
 “10-4, Rampart…we have an ambulance waiting to take us to a chopper nearby which will be transporting the patient.”
 
 “10-4, 51, get him in here as soon as you can.”
 
 “10-4, Rampart, will resume transmit if necessary in chopper. 51 out.”

 *************

 
 Dixie looked at the concerned doctor and knew that things didn’t look good for Will.
 
 “What do ya’ think, Kel?”
 
 “I don’t know. Dix, have an OR set up. We’re gonna need it. We could be looking at internal injuries. The head injury worries me, Dix. Will could go sour at any minute, and there may not be anything that can be done. I’m just thankful that the guys had the forethought of calling a chopper. What do we have available?”
 
 “I have one set up.”
 
 “I’ll meet ya’ there. Have a gurney at the entrance so we can get him in here fast. I can’t remember a when time was so important. I’ll have to see him first, but John and Roy are darn good paramedics. Dix, we could lose Will.”
 
 “Well, Kel, I know you’ll do everything you can to stop that from happening!” With those words, the head nurse rushed to get a gurney to the front doors. Waiting was the difficult part. She had no doubt that Will was in the best hands possible until he arrived at the hospital. The minutes dragged by and seemed more like hours. Finally, Johnny and Will arrived via the chopper.

 *************

 
 As soon as Dixie saw Johnny’s face, she knew that the patient had gone down hill since their last communication, and that wasn’t good.
 
 “Let’s get him in one.” Dixie led them into the exam room.
 
 Brackett was waiting on them and immediately ordered new vitals to be taken as Johnny looked on, helplessly.
 
 “Pulse is 125, BP is 70/30, and respirations are shallow.” Dixie was quick to give him the numbers that he needed, but the doctor didn’t like what he heard. It seemed the OR would be needed after all.

 *************

 
 About the time Roy arrived at the hospital, Will was on his way to the OR, along with Johnny, who was communicating with the rookie as long as was possible.
 
 Will opened his eyes, weakly and looked at Johnny. The paramedic gave him a reassuring smile.
 
 “Johnny… something’s wrong.”
 
 “What do ya mean, Will?”
 
 “I feel….. funny….. ya know?”
 
 “Oh, that’s because you have been hangin’ around Chet too much. Right guys?” Johnny looked over at the orderlies who were assigned to take the patient to OR. Neither had a clue as to what he was talking about, but both nodded affirmative. “That happens to all of us when we do that, even Henry gets a little weird when Chet hangs out with him for very long.”
 
 “No, I…feel….like….I’m…floating…….”
 
 “Will, man, you hang on. Chet made us promise to take care of ya, and we’re gonna do it, so you hang on, buddy, okay?”
 
 “Johnny…I….don’t….think….I….can.” Will took Johnny’s hand and weakly grasped it as if Johnny had the blond man’s life in his own hand. “Please….Johnny…..”
 
 By the time these words came from the rookie’s lips, Johnny had to lean over to hear them. It was apparent to everyone in the room that life was quickly leaving the rookie’s body. He was fighting to stay with them, but he was too weak and his injuries too bad for even a fighter like William Graham to live much longer.
 
 “Johnny…please….tell…Chet….thanks….and….that….I….tried….”
 
 With those words Will’s hand went limp. Then he was wheeled into the OR where Brackett was waiting to try and save the rookie.

 *************

 
 Roy came in and wanted to know how things were going. Johnny told him that Will had regained consciousness for a bit then lost it. The dark-haired paramedic didn’t go into detail because he knew that Dr. Brackett’s skill was likely to bring Will back to them.
 
 “Now we wait.” Roy decided to get a cup of coffee because he knew that this could be a long surgery and if they didn’t get a call, Cap wanted them at the hospital. He had talked to their commander and he said that the rest of the crew would likely be at the hospital soon. The fire was beginning to look better and burning herself out. Houses were looking to be out of danger enough to spare his skeleton crew.
 
 “Johnny, if Will doesn’t make it, have you thought about how we’re gonna tell Chet?”
 
 “Now, Roy, ya just can’t think like that. We’ve seen Brackett bring back a lot worse.”
 
 “Yeah, that’s right, we have, and they’ve done well. I was just thinkin’….what if?”
 
 “Well, don’t, Roy, you’re creepin’ me out.”

 *************

 
 Dr. Brackett came out of the OR after a battle. Unfortunately this was a battle that he had no chance of winning, but the man tried. He knew where to find the paramedics. He just dreaded having to give them the news. Just as the doctor suspected, the paramedics were in the lounge drinking coffee.
 
 When the door opened, Roy immediately looked up and saw a very grim Brackett and Dixie. He knew the news couldn’t be good, but he never expected to hear what he was about to.
 
 “I’m sorry guys, Will had just lost too much blood, and too many organs were damaged. We tried everything we could to bring him back, but he didn’t make it.”
 
 Brackett lowered his head and Dixie had a tear in the corner of her eye.
 
 “What?” Johnny couldn’t believe what he just heard. “Doc are ya telling us that Will is dead? I was just talkin’ to him in the elevator. How?” The paramedic felt his jaw clenching and a huge lump formed in his throat.
 “I know that you guys were close to Will. We all were, but…there was just nothing we could do. Has the engine crew arrived yet?”
 
 “Nope.” Johnny was feeling so many emotions. He was bitter that Brackett with all his skill didn’t save Will. He was shocked that a life so short and special had been taken. He was sad that he had lost a friend. The young man had not felt this way since losing his friend, Drew. The police man’s death was as much a shocker to Johnny as Will’s and he just did not know how to handle that kind of shock.
 
 “They should be here any minute.” Roy was whispering. The last thing that he planned was to attend a funeral for such a promising young man. He knew that was coming after Captain Stanley notified the family.
 
 How would anyone go about telling parents that their son was dead? A young man with so much to look forward to and so much skill. I wouldn’t want to be in Cap’s shoes about now.
 
 The fair-haired paramedic had so many thoughts running through his head. His thoughts were more along the line that he wanted to tell the rest of the crew. DeSoto and his partner should tell them, it would be easier coming from them, or would it? How could it be easy?
 
 “Doc, can Johnny and I tell them? I just think that would be better.”
 
 “If that’s what you both want to do.” Brackett knew that neither of them was up to it, but he needed some sign that John wanted this too. He gazed at the paramedic who was staring into space.
 
 “Yeah, it would be better comin’ from us.” Johnny had no idea how they could tell them, but the toughest part would be telling Chet.

 *************

 
 After the doctor and nurse left the room, the paramedics decided how they would tell their crew mates.
 
 “We’ll tell them all when they get here. He said that the fire was to the point that they could leave soon. They should be here anytime and we can let them know about Will together.” Roy wanted to break the news to their friends, but knew that he needed Johnny to help him.
 
 “Then we can all gently break the sad news to Chet. That’s gonna be the hardest part.” Johnny knew that was going to be tough. Chet would need to draw from the strength of the entire crew.
 
 “Johnny, are you up for this? I mean we’re both in shock and I didn’t really ask you before I volunteered us.”
 
 “Thanks for askin’, Roy, I’m as up for it as I can be. How about you?”
 
 “Same here…I don’t think it’s really hit me yet.”

 *************

 
 The fire was quickly dying, so Hank Stanley gathered his crew which consisted of Marco and Mike together. He informed them that Roy had called to tell him that Will was critical and going into surgery. He hadn’t heard anything since, so they all assumed the old cliché of no news being good news.
 
 “Let’s get to Rampart and see how Chet and Will are doin’.” To that both Marco and Mike nodded and they got into Big Red.

 *************

 
 When the guys arrived at Rampart they thought the paramedics would be in the surgical waiting area, but neither was to be found. They went to the front desk and asked Dixie if she knew where John and Roy were. She seemed to be acting a little strange to them, but it had been a long night for everyone.
 
 “Sure, they’re in the break room. I told them to go get a cup of coffee. Somehow I thought it might make them feel better.”
 
 The guys looked at each other and headed to the break room. When the door opened, there sat their crew mates looking out the window.
 
 “You guys are hard to find!” Marco said as Johnny and Roy looked over at what was left of the firefighters.
 
 As soon as they saw the young men’s faces, all three men knew something was wrong.
 
 “What’s up? You guys look like you’ve just lost your best friend.” Hank Stanley had no idea how right his observation was.

 *************

 
 Roy and Johnny looked at each other. Both wanted to tell the guys that Chet was going to be fine, but that Will didn’t make it, but the words seemed stuck in the back of both men’s throats.
 
 “Uh, Cap, ya see,” Johnny began to struggle, “Uh, Chet’s gonna be just fine. He’s still real groggy, but he’s outta surgery and everything went well. Brackett says that he should be able to work again, providing there are no surprises and he heals the way he should.” The dark-haired man began to clear his throat and his partner knew that it was his turn to give the news.
 
 “Guys,” Roy cleared his throat as well, searching for the right words. “You all know that Will was hurt really badly. That’s why we chose to bring him in by chopper. Cap, when I called ya on the HT, Will was about to go into surgery. It’s just that… he was hurt so badly ….and had lost so much blood…..”
 
 Johnny chimed in. “Will didn’t make it.” He never looked at his fellow firefighters and friends when he spoke, and the words were almost whispered.
 
 “What?” Captain Stanley couldn’t believe what he just heard. “Are you guys tellin’ me that Will is dead? Why didn’t you call us and let us know?”
 
 “Cap, we thought it would be better to tell ya in person, and I had just talked to ya. John and I knew that you guys were on your way in.”
 
 “Cap, could you have told us over the HT that Will was dead?” After those words, Johnny left the room.
 
 Marco started to go after him, but Roy explained what had happened in the OR and that John was having a hard time with this. Roy thought that his best friend should be left alone for a while.
 
 They were all in shock.
 
 “Has his family been notified? What am I saying? That’s my job.” Hank was as visibly shaken as any of his men. He had never had to tell a family that their son was dead on his watch, and he did not want to do it now. McKonikee had that job, and since the chief was gone, the burden fell on Hank’s shoulders.
 
 “I’ve never followed an engine during a fireman’s funeral. I’ve been on the sidelines a lot, but never behind the engine.” Marco was in shock with the rest of the men. None of them had followed an engine except for Hank Stanley, and the captain knew that his men would never be the same again. Will offered something different to each man; he offered something unique to everyone he befriended. “We really need to find Gage. He’s too upset to be wandering around the hospital. At a time like this, he needs his friends. We all do. Roy, have you called Joanne? I think I’ll go call Beverly.”
 
 Roy hadn’t even thought of calling Joanne. He was so upset and worried about Johnny and Chet that he didn’t realize he needed his wife. As the men went to call their wives, the others looked for John Gage, but had no luck.

 *************

 
 They never mentioned it to anyone, but both Hank and Roy were relieved that their spouses were going to be at Rampart as soon as they could get sitters. When they joined the others, no one had any luck finding the missing paramedic.
 
 Roy had a thought, “I might know where Johnny is.”
 
 The slightly older paramedic had a couple places in mind inside the hospital. They passed Dixie’s desk on their way to his second place. Dixie had a wonderful way of comforting everyone and he thought John might be with her, but she was alone doing paper work. So they headed to the only other logical place in the hospital for his partner to be and there he was. The others seemed shocked, but not Roy. Gage and DeSoto were like brothers and knew each others patterns.
 
 “I knew you’d be here,” Roy said as they all moved into Chet’s room. They could tell that Johnny had already broken the news to The Phantom who seemed more like a lost soul at the moment than a prankster. None of the guys had ever seen Chester B. Kelly look so sad. He had lost more than any of them. Will took the curly-haired man seriously, and that’s something that no one else had done. Chet and Johnny were much closer than either would admit, so it only made sense that John Gage would want to be the one to tell his friend that Will had perished in the horrible blaze.

 *************

 
 The guys surrounded Chet’s bed in silence as Hank went back to the station. The captain put on his dress uniform and prepared to do the most difficult task he had ever attempted. He had to tell Will’s parents about the young man’s death. Another captain accompanied him to give the sad news. Normally the chief would undertake this task, but since he was out of town, Hank Stanley had the responsibility. He dreaded this more than anything else he’d done in his career.
 
 As the captains approached the Graham home, they cleared their throats simultaneously and rang the door bell. Mrs. Graham answered and quickly recognized Captain Hank Stanley.
 
 “Please come in! What a pleasant surprise. Isn’t Will with you?”
 
 “No ma’am, I’m afraid he isn’t. Mrs. Graham, we’re here on official business.” Hank’s voice had a very serious tone.
 
 “Oh, is Will in trouble of some sort? I’ll get my husband. Henry, the captain from the fire department is here. Can you come down, dear?” Her attention back to the captains, she explained, “He’s been working on a project of some sort all day for Will. He’s going to surprise him when he comes home!”
 
 This statement made the news even harder to deliver.
 
 As Mr. Graham came down the winding stairs he saw the grim look on both captain’s faces and immediately knew that something was wrong.
 
 “Is Will okay? I can tell by your expressions and your dress that something’s wrong, so please just spit it out.”
 
 “May we sit down?” Stanley wanted them seated when they got the devastating news.
 
 “Sure, let’s have a seat in the living room. It’s the most comfortable.” Mrs. Graham was a wonderful hostess.
 
 After being seated and clearing his throat again, Captain Stanley said the words just as he had read them in the handbook. They seemed so uncaring, but he wanted to follow code as he knew the chief would have done.
 
 “Mr. and Mrs. Graham, I’m very sorry to inform you that your son, Will, passed away this afternoon. He was killed in the line of duty. You can do the funeral as you wish, but as firemen we would appreciate a memorial in which the casket is carried on the engine, followed by the crew that worked with Will. I’m very sorry and we all share in your loss.”
 
 “What? Our son is dead? We just saw him this morning and he was fine. What happened?” Mr. Graham was obviously in shock.
 
 “I was there and can tell you that he didn’t suffer. He fell from a slick cliff and hit his head. He had massive internal injuries and was flown to Rampart General Hospital. Dr. Kelly Brackett operated on him. The paramedics and the doctors did everything they could to save him, but the injuries were too bad. He lost a lot of blood. You can see him if you would like. His body is at Rampart General now. Again, the entire crew is mourning his loss. Your son had the makings of a great fireman and we all will miss him greatly. Do you have any more questions?” Hank Stanley felt like running away from this situation, but knew he had an obligation to tough it out. “Is there anything I can help you with?”
 
 “No, we will go to the hospital. Will would like that ride on the engine you were talking about. He loved what he did and he really liked each of the guys he worked with. He had so much respect for you, Captain Stanley. Thank you for telling us and not allowing us to hear about his death on the radio or television. We will go be with our son now.” Mr. Graham was holding his wife of thirty years. She was weeping uncontrollably. Will was their only son.
 
 What would they do without him? How could they bury a son so young and full of promise? How could God allow this to happen? Will never gave them any problems and he never gave anyone any problems, how could he be dead? They would have to see it to believe it. It couldn’t be true. He was just in his bed that morning. He was getting ready for work like any other day. He loved his job. How could he die on the job? The captain said that he was a good fireman, so how could he be dead? No, it wasn’t possible. It had to be a mistake. When they got to Rampart, someone else would be there, not their Will. Not their son. This was too hard. A parent’s not supposed to bury their child. It isn’t right. This was a nightmare and they would both wake up and be glad that it was just a dream. How could they be having the same nightmare?
 
 The two men had left and Will’s parents had to get to Rampart to prove them wrong. Henry had been working on a model squad all day to surprise their son when he got home. He was almost finished. He needed to stay home and finish it so Will could see it when he arrived later. Will was working the fire, the big fire on TV, and he would be home soon because it was almost out. He had to come home. Okay, they would go to Rampart and prove the captains wrong. Why? Will was a young man; he couldn’t be dead, could he?

 *************

 
 Will’s mom and dad had thoughts scrambling through their heads as they rushed to the hospital. Both parents were in denial, but that was normal. Once they saw their son’s lifeless body, reality would set in and they would realize that condolences were indeed necessary. The captains seemed so sure of themselves.

 *************

 
 As the guys sat by Chet’s bed, the silence was deafening. No one knew what to say. Johnny had told Chet in detail what had happened to their friend, and the crew of Station 51’s A-Shift were simply too sad to speak. Joanne DeSoto and Beverly Stanley had joined the boys to see if there was anything they could do to somehow ease their grief. The ladies were also mourning as they both had gotten to know Will through firehouse and family functions. None of them knew yet if his parents would want a funeral involving the guys and Big Red, but they all hoped within themselves that the Grahams would choose that type of good-bye. It would help each of them bring some closure to the sad situation. Every man who was there was second guessing himself.
 
 Could I have done anything differently to have kept Will from falling? Could we have gotten him to Rampart quicker? Why wasn’t I there? Chet began to wonder if he had been beside his friend if he could have made a difference… Did the guys really watch Will? He wasn’t experienced for a fire like this one. What if I had been there? Could I have made a difference? The kid listened to me. He would’ve stuck by me. Did anyone stick close to him? The guys are great and they all liked him, but did they watch after him as closely as I would have? Could I have caught him as he was falling? I fell. I knew how slick that cliff was. Maybe no one else really knew just how bad it was. If I had been there, maybe Will would be with us today and we wouldn’t be sittin’ here like we are. I hate this. I’ve never buried a friend before and I don’t want to do it now. Maybe they will just let me stay here. No, I have to be there. Will would have wanted me at his funeral. Funeral? This is all so surreal. I was just talkin’ to the kid not long ago and now we’re waiting for his family to claim his body.
 
 Johnny began to wonder if he could have done something in the helicopter to have saved his friend’s life. Poor Chet, look at him. Man, if I could have just gotten Will here more quickly Brackett might have been able to pull off some of his magic. Did we take too much time down under the cliff? Maybe Roy and I shouldn’t have stayed with Chet. He really wasn’t in danger and we knew he was in good hands. If we had gotten to Will quicker, loaded him in the chopper, and got him here, he might be alive now. Heck, he could be here talkin’ to us and laughin’ at Chet’s fall. Man, I’d hate to be in Cap’s shoes right now. How do ya’ tell a kid’s parents that he’s dead during your watch. It wasn’t Cap’s fault, but what if they take it that way? Oh man, this could get ugly…even uglier than it already is. I wonder why I felt like I had to tell Chet. I mean we all agreed to do it together and it would have been so much easier that way. I just needed to brace him and before I knew it, the whole story came out. Did I do the right thing? Why is it so quiet in here? Man, I wish Cap would get back. I can’t take too much more of this not knowing what’s gonna happen next. How could God let this happen? Will was the best and now he’s gone. It’s just not fair. Nothing about this is fair. Chet’s laid up and that’s not fair either. I know he’s in pain, and not just from losing his buddy, either. His leg is hurting. I can tell from the look on his face.

 *************

 
 Soon after, both Captain Stanley and Dixie came into the room. She immediately noticed how many people were in Chet’s room, and knew that she had to clear it so he could get some rest. Dr. Brackett had ordered a sedative for him and some pain medication so the fireman could relax.
 
 “Okay, I know that you all want to be together, but this young man needs his sleep.”
 
 “Dixie, it’s okay, I need them!” Chet was protesting before she had a chance to give him the medication.
 
 “Chester B. Kelly, do not argue with your nurse! You do need rest and the guys can visit with you later. I’m sure that Joanne and Bev will also be around. Guys, the break room is available. I’m sure that you have lots to discuss. Chet will be getting some medicine that’ll make him sleep for a while.”

 *************

 
 Each of the guys and ladies said a little farewell to Chet as they left his room. The first thing they heard in the hallway was weeping. When they looked, it was Mrs. Graham. Each heart went out to her. They all felt loss, but none like a mother. Joanne and Bev couldn’t imagine and both hoped that they would never find out what she was going through at this moment.

 *************

 
 “Okay, guys, we have a funeral to plan. The Grahams decided to go with the engine carrying the casket to the church, then a hearse from there. We’ll do the last call and present the flag at the gravesite. Is there anyone here who doesn’t know the protocol? I guess what I’m askin’ is has everyone at least been at a funeral for a fireman before?” Hank Stanley had to know his men were prepared, but at this point did not want to go into detail unless he felt it necessary. The wounds were too fresh and his crew was too hurt for to be too technical at this point.
 
 With the question, each man nodded affirmative.
 
 “Someone will have to push Chet in a wheel chair. Brackett said that if he’s still healing well enough he will be allowed to follow the engine as long as we keep him in the chair.”
 
 “I’ll do it, Cap.” Johnny seemed to be taking Chet as his man to watch. Captain Stanley would have a talk with Gage about this later to make sure the young man was up to it, but this wasn’t the time.

 *************

 
 The next few days were both grueling and a bit of a blur to the men of Station 51 as they buried a comrade. Mike drove Big Red with the flag-draped casket in the back as the guys, in their dress uniforms gathered to pay last respects. The members of 51’s A-Shift walked immediately behind Big Red with John pushing Chet in the wheel chair as promised. Hank Stanley had that talk with Johnny and decided that the young man wanted to push his buddy for the right reasons.
 
 Other firemen from the area and several states lined the roadside, standing in salute to a fallen hero. Marco, Chet, Hank, John, Roy, and Mike only recalled sadness and wonder at how one so young could have died. Not only had someone they worked with, but a dear friend to each of them as well. The usual last call was made and “Amazing Grace” was played on the bagpipes. This was a sad day for all; the heaviness in their hearts was what his crewmates would remember most about that day. Then, as quickly as the dreaded came, it was gone. They’d miss Will. But because of him, each man had become a better person, and each was aware of the positive changes this young man had made all around.

 *************

 
 After the funeral, Chet had to return to Rampart for a couple of days, so the days off that the men had were spent by Chet’s bedside. Brackett normally would not allow this much visitation, but given the circumstances, he considered Chet’s co-workers as much medicine for him as the medication he was putting into the curly-haired man’s IV. They wanted to get back to work, but didn’t know how work would be without Will. Chet would be out for a few weeks. His absence would somehow make the transition even more difficult, but the men had to face reality and unfortunately reality did not include William Graham.
 
 One day after visiting Chet, Dixie noticed Johnny and Roy with a bag filled with teddy bears. They were headed up to the children’s ward, just like John and Will used to do.
 
 “Now I like what I’m seeing, and somewhere Will has a smile on that handsome young face of his!” Dixie winked at the paramedics as she passed them in the hall. She liked the changes in the men that Will had begun and was happy that the changes were sticking. The staff at Rampart missed the young fire fighter so dearly, but acts like this seemed to help. She almost felt as if Will was carrying on through his crew mates.

 *************

 
 As the guys came back to work for the first time after the funeral, they were haunted by the first thing they saw upon entering the station. On the very corner of Big Red was gear. There was a turnout coat and a helmet perfectly hung on the edge of the rig. On closer examination each man knew that this wasn’t just any gear. It was the gear worn by Will when he died. His parents had returned it to the station, and the guys from the other shifts had left it hanging in various spots, unable to just put it aside. The gear was almost a shrine to their fallen friend. Each fireman stood around the gear and remembered Will. They were speechless. Finally, Captain Stanley broke the silence.
 
 “Look, guys, we’re all hurting and we all miss Will. We’ll miss him for a long time, but let’s try and remember the good times. That’ll get us through a lot better and that’s how Will would’ve wanted it. So let’s get his gear down, and I’ll put it some place nice. Where we can remember the fun times and not just stare at Will’s gear all the time. I’m sure that’ll help. Now we need to get down to business for today. I’ll give out assignments as usual and we’ll give Chet a call later and see how he’s doin’, sound good?” Hank didn’t know how he was going to do it, but he knew he had to lift the spirits of his crew.
 
 Each man began his work for the day, waiting for that first call.
 
 Suddenly, Marco made a shrieking noise. It was hard to describe. He didn’t scream, but it was unnerving all the same.
 
 “Mary, mother of God!” Marco exclaimed as he knelt before Will’s gear that hung in line with the gear of the other men.
 
 As each man looked at the lone gear, they all began to smile, then the smiles turned to laughter. The day was cloudy, but one tiny ray of sun shone through. Out of the row of turn coats, the ray hit perfectly to light up Will’s old gear. What Marco saw as a sign from God, the others saw as Will laughing at them for working. He always did his chores, but that was his least favorite part of the day, and everyone at the station knew it, even Marco.
 
 “How can you laugh? It’s a miracle. It’s as if Will is still with us.” Marco was frustrated with the laughter.
 
 “I think you have that wrong, Pal, it’s as if Will’s saying, ‘Ha, you guys are down there working your butts off and I’m up here takin’ it easy! See ya later!”
 With that Marco joined in the laughter. Finally the grim mood had changed and Captain Stanley didn’t have to do a thing. The one tiny ray of sun, or hope, gave each man what he needed to go along his necessary rounds that day.
 
 “Hey, what do you guys say we make that call now and tell Chet what just happened? He would get a kick out of this!” Hank began to dial the number and they all had a laugh together, and with that, the captain knew that his crew would be fine. Hank Stanley looked up with only one thought…Thanks Will!

 
 The End

I would like to dedicate this story to all fallen firemen and paramedics and their families. To us they were and will always be heroes! Thanks to all who have given so much. ~ Wanda C.H.

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February 2006 Picture Stories       Stories by Wanda CH