Work Text:
118 POV
In the outskirts of LA the 118 sat around a small camp fire at the wildfire base camp, they were exhausted and filthy but their job wasn't done yet. "This fire is a beast!" Athena yelled ruffling Buck's wet hair as she climbed into there circle, "You think? How's crowd control with PD?" Hen asked in her motherly tone, "Evac of nearby neighbourhoods are complete, we've had some issues with on lookers up on the ridge by the dam. They were just being nosy at all the engines and ladders parked down here they cleared off quickly and respectfully much more than I can say to these two." Athena pointed to Buck and Eddie dripping wet wrapped in blankets. The two hadn't listened to evac orders earlier that evening and therefore to escape the flames they had to jump into the lake. "Thanks a lot Mum," Buck sounded like a child that had just been caught misbehaving which he had, "Your welcome son." It was a small ray of sunshine in the dark storm. Thick black smoke bellowed across the horizon as Bobby radioed for the cavalry.
19 POV
In Seattle, Washington 19 were mucking around there firehouse killing time between calls. Travis and Ben were on aid car that day as they had the most call outs, dumb kids kept getting in mischief down in the town centre. "19 overtime this weekend is up for grabs, wildfires in LA are getting out of hand they're so desperate for back up that there calling stations as far away as us and Texas," Maya shouted while handing out the information sheets, "I need the overtime, I'll come," Andy added turning to the others she continued with, "Don't make me go alone," "I'll go," Jack looked up at Ben, Vic and Travis, "Hell why not, what about you Vic, Ben?" Travis cheered, "I'll go," Dean added. Ben thought for a few moments before agreeing leaving only Vic unsure, "Come on Vic everyone else is going," the badgered her quite a bit for a response, "Okay okay I'll come!" She yelled having enough of there teasing.
126 POV
In Austin, Texas the 126 pulled in from a successful call considering it's situation. A kid had climbed onto the roof when no one came to his birthday, same kid they had saved two years before same circumstances. Owen disgruntled trudged out of the truck to receive the phone calls from the chiefs office. He came back down the stairs holding multiple copies of the same paperwork, "126 LA wildfires are getting out of hand they saved our ass two years ago now we save theirs. Emergency mandatory overtime you hear me, Judd? TK?" Texas and New York exchanged glances before turning back to face Owen, "Fine but if I get hurt my husband," TK started but Judd interrupted, "And my wife," then finished together saying, "Will kill you dad/cap." It's true though Grace and Carlos would kill Owen if their spouses were hurt/killed.
Skip ahead two days and 19 and 126 prepared to depart from there respective stations and cities. Little did they know they were soon to meet of all places in LA, in a wildfire, after a 18 hour drive from Seattle and a 20 hour drive from Austin.
19 POV
"19 lets roll out!" Maya yelled as the others climbed onto the engine after shutting all the rig doors. Andy appeared with a CD for the radio, "Is that?" "Yep car tunes!"
126 POV
"126 lets roll out!" Owen yelled, "Love birds say addios till we get there," Marjan whistled as TK and Carlos kissed goodbye so Carlos could drive with his partner to LA. To there surprise Nancy and Tommy appeared with their rucksacks, "You two as well?" TK asked, even though he was a paramedic he still worked firefighter shifts every now and again. Those two were just paramedics, "Yeah we can help at base camp and they always need paramedics," "Buckle your seat belts good and proper yall," Owen stopped to add to the suspense, "Judd's driving." Cue shrieks and moans of the 126, Judd was a maniac driver. "Whats the big deal?" Nancy asked, "Do you get car sick," the two paramedics exchanged glances answering, "No why?" "You will trust us."
118 POV
The cavalry were on there way. Soon all of this will be over. Buck was barely awake and leaning heavily on his husband Eddie who had one two many cups of cheap coffee, Hen was delirious from lack of sleep, Chimney was worried sick about Maddie and Jee-Yun and Bobby was passed out against the tent. "Come on guys, Buck, Buck!" Buck leapt up when Eddie knocked him off his shoulder, "I'm awake, I'm awake," he said panicked, "Buck you and Eddie are to go up to the fire line again with Callie and Stover," they were moaning in disbelief that they would have to go back to mouth of the inferno again while practically passing out when there was fresh meat willing to go. YAY!
19 POV
On the way down 19 pulled into a rest stop diner singing Dynamite by Taio Cruz in there tone death singing voices. The diner workers took once glance at the roaring 19 and sighed, "Dibs not serving them!" One waitress shouted just as they came in, "Do you have a table for us? There's, oh god sound off," "Andy," "One," "Vic," "Two," "Travis," "Three," "Jack," "Four," "Dean," "Five," "Ben," "Six," "Sullivan," "Seven, plus me thats 8. Do you have a table for 8? We can push two four together?" "Yeah we have an 8 out back and if you don't mind leave the ash by the door. There really nice." They sounded so surprised at that statement, all firefighters are nice. "So what are Seattle City Centre firefighters doing in Oregon?" The waitress asked handing out menus, "You read the truck then. We're responding to the LA wildfires. They're so desperate that they're calling us in, us and Austin."
They ordered food and dug in like hungry wolves to the horror of the diner workers. Other visitors came in with young kids and they had to grapple there equipment away from the kids as they were stupid enough to pile it on two chairs in a corner. In the end they were eating while wearing there helmets and there jackets were now on the back of there individual chairs. This was going to be a long meal.
126 POV
The engine rocketed down the motorways with Judd yelling at the top of his lungs and waving his free hand out of the windows, turns out on long distances Nancy get's violently car sick while TK, Paul and Marjan was starting to become sick as well. "Judd slow down!" The whole engine was yelling as Nancy puked yet again in a bucket. "What was that?" He obviously didn't see Nancy leaning heavily over TK head in a bucket as he put his foot down easily hitting over 80m/h.
In the car behind the engine Carlos exchanged looks with his partner who understood his plan. They hit the blues and toos before signalling for them to pull over. Nancy leapt out of the engine TK and Tommy following her, Carlos was speechless at the puking paramedic and the very ill 126 slowly climbing out expect for Judd he was as high as a airplane. "Don't let that lunatic drive anymore!" Carlos yelled snatching the keys from Judd, "See what you did to poor Nancy and the others for that fact," they turned away when she puked in a bush. "Right who can drive the engine, aside from Judd," it was only Owen and Judd so this was going to be great.
118 POV
Slowly the cavalry peeled in, Buck and Hen were stood of the ridge spotting all the different states: Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Idaho, New Mexico, Colorado, Texas and Montana. They took immediate note of one very dirty white engine from there angle only the wheels down were red from Austin and a stark red engine from Seattle about two motors down. The red one was full of cheery friendly faced firefighters, the white one on the other hand. Well how to say this. They looked like rubbish, one was legit green and still puking, the driver a very stereotypical Texas dude. According to Bobby the Seattle engine they were watching was station 19 and the Austin one was the 126. 19, 118 and the 126 were to be working together on this. "Okay so we have to deal with Texas and Seattle?" Hen asked Buck as Chimney, Bobby and Eddie approached them, "Yep, how is this going to work?"
19 POV
We were an engine away from a Texas unit that looked bluntly awfully ill and exhausted. "19 we'll be working with the LA 118 and Austin 126, which by the looks of things is the unit throwing a motor away," Maya called out as slowly 19 peered round to see a tall dark haired girl with her head in a bucket, a sharp featured muscular guy gagging in a paper bag and a big Texas dude complete with a white cowboy hat laughing his head off at his team. "How the hell is this going to work?"
126 POV
We pulled up into the multi unit motor pool and immediately TK, Paul, Nancy and Marjan leapt out to start throwing up as Judd had driven the last mile while Tommy, Owen, Mateo and unexpectedly Judd picked a person (Tommy+Nancy, Owen+TK, Mateo+Marjan, Paul+Judd) to start helping them out. Judd was mainly jackassing off instead of helping Paul. "Alright listen up we'll be working with LA 118 and Seattle 19, after these lot stop puking. Judd your not getting off the hook for causing this Carlos and his partner had to pull us over three times to get you to slow the hell down. Oh hell no," Owen caught the glance of 19's Captain as he was helping his gagging son, "What is it cap?" Marjan asked looking up, "Thats 19's Captain, the team we're working with and they've seen us well, TK," he said sympathetically as TK stopped gagging and instead puked. This was a grisly scene, "How the hell is this going to work?"
APD POV
Carlos and his partner Lexi Heights pulled up to LAPD not knowing what to expect with LA, Carlos took note of the small Sergeant leaning against her patrol car with a coffee cup in hand. Short hair, dark glasses and a looming 'look'. That look sent chills down her spine.
LAPD POV
"We're done for it now," Athena said sipping her coffee. Austin PD had a reputation for being, how to say it? Stubborn? Relentless? Determined. There we go determined but the other two suited them as well, there reputation made it all the way to LA. Just behind them a Seattle Metropolitan PD car pulled up, "And that's Seattle Metro PD also helping us on this case."
SPD
Ryan and his partner Tony Ryder (I had to RT and TR) pulled up behind Austin PD, dam they really did ask for extreme help on the sex trafficking case. God things will be awkward with the firefighters up on the ridge with the wildlife and the cops left to fend for themselves. Well they never really had to rely on the firefighters but they could be stubborn and dependent on each other. At least they weren't in Seattle not to sure about LA or Austin.
Every PD
LA Captain came out to greet the other two departments and called Athena in. A loud snap and crackle echoed over town as another blast of smoke and fire ash spilled from the mountains behind them. "My husband's up there," Athena gulped, "Mine too," Carlos played at his ring as to not show his fear.
FD POV
The fire line breached looks like 19 and the 118 had to help the 126 hold down there travel sickness and get up there asap. No time for pleasantries today. Nancy, Tommy, Hen and Ben were down in medical while the others were split into groups: Group 1 (Andy, Buck, Jack and TK) Group 2 (Owen, Bobby and Robert) Group 3 (Marjan, Mateo and Vic) Group 4 (Maya, Paul and Chimney) Group 5 (Eddie, Travis and Dean). Not only that to be on the safe side the three firehouses created a group chat to stay in touch with one another. 1 and 4 were sent into the fire to figure out why it keeps reigniting, then 3 and 5 we're going to try and contain the fire. Then 2 was to operate in base command.
This went on for 24 hours before the teams got a break and a chance to regroup round the small camp fire. "So Herrera how did it feel to be with the other teams jackasses?" Travis shouted as Andy, Buck, Jack and TK climbed down the ridge from the fire line, "Just that pains in the ass, Maya?" "Paul and Chimney weren't half bad though Chimney's phone kept going off every ten minutes," "Maddie," the 118 all said in unison, "Who?" "Maddie is Chimney's girlfriend and Buck's sister, those two have a deal where every time Jee-Yun does something cute which is every ten seconds they inform one another,"," Bobby spilled to the stares of the 118, "Hey where's Nancy and Cap?" TK asked peeling his turnouts off, "Probably still in med tent, oh and Mateo," Marjan knew what was going on and pulled the others closer to Judd, "NO marshmallows!" The 126 yelled snatching the packet from his hands, "What's going on?" Bobby asked as him, Owen and Robert came out of the command tent, "Did Mateo get ahold of the marshmallows?" "YES!" Owen went from chill to panicked instantly, "Good, oh sorry Mateo he loves them but they make him bounce of the walls in sugar hyper," "Last time we gave him marshmallows, well," TK pulled his phone out to show them the video of Mateo going loopy round the firehouse. "19 I'll go get the radio!" Andy yelled before bolting down, "Can we ask questions now? First off why do you lot love your radio?" "Wait till Herrera works her magic on it," Andy came racing back with a portable radio. They set it down in the middle of there circle where Andy tuned it to Seattle FD and SD, they listened to her working her magic when they reached the 5 alarm radio channel. "When we aren't called into 5 alarms we tune our radio in so one when we get there we're already informed and two we like yelling at there bad choices lets some steam off," they listened for a few moments till they yelled at the chief sending station 23 on evac, "Oh come on why send 23 on evac, come on man!" Dean yelled.
"Oh god hate to say it but we've been working with each other for the last 24 hours and we've become instant family in the last 24 hours but I barely know any of your names so your name and one fact about yourself, so I'm Hen Wilson and I have a wife and two foster kids at home," "I'm Maya Bishop, I am the youngest captain in Seattle and our stations first female captain," "And she has a hot Italian wife back in Seattle," Andy whistled, "I'm Buck Buckley-Diaz no Buck is not my real name that you will never know as I do not respond to my real name any more," "Hi I'm Travis Montgomery and I am the best firehouse cook in existence!" "No I am, Hi I'm Bobby Nash and if I wasn't a fire captain I would be a professional chef," "Hi I'm Owen Strand TK's dad and I was a first responder to the twin towers, "I'm Judd I tried to strangle a guy in the hospital," "The only reason he didn't was because we got there just in time," TK chuckled, "What about you?" "Oh I'm TK Strand, no you are not knowing what TK stands for not even these lot know, I have been sober for 5 years now and couldn't be happier," "I'm Nancy Gillian and I can talk just about anyone's ear off," "You and I will be good friends I'm Vic Hughes and like Nancy I can be very talkative and maybe a tad bit nosy," "Very nosy!" 19 yelled, "I'm Paul Strickland and I can be very frivolous and I need to be knuckled down every now and again," "Hey I'm Tommy Vega I have two girls at home and I'm not very good at this can someone else go," "I'm Jack Gibson aka lover boy of 19," "His words," Maya, Vic and Andy said in unison, "Hey I'm Dean Miller and I have an adorable baby girl waiting for this hunk to get back home," "Hi I'm Chimney Han, to find out how I got this nickname you have to buy me a drink," "Hey I'm Marjan Marwani and I am a self proclaimed badass. Who's left?" Mateo, Eddie, Robert, Ben and Andy were left, "I'm Mateo Chavez and I can bounce off the walls when I'm too hyper/drunk," "Hi I'm Edmundo Diaz-Buckley though everyone calls me Eddie," "Buckley isn't that?" Vic interrupted, "Yep Buck is my husband and we have a son at home and he's called Christopher," "Come on Ben, Robert, Andy which one is gonna bite the bullet," "I'm Ben Warren I was a surgeon before I became a firefighter. Robert, Andy," "Hey Bobby's name is Robert what a coincidence," Buck chuckled gripping his husband's hand, "Yeah Robert Sullivan and I used to work in Montana before I moved back here. Andy?" "Hi I'm Andrea Herrera-Sullivan and I am a legacy firefighter from my dad," 19 froze as Andy never introduces herself as Herrera-Sullivan, "Why Herrera-Sullivan?" "I married this lune last year," she pointed to Robert blushing a bright crimson red as the other firefighters whistled more than when Buck and Eddie announced there marriage to the others.
They heard slow clapping from behind them, "That was incredible, thank god I got it all on camera. The chemistry between firefighters that never met before this day and they're already the best of friends," "Nosy for a cabbage Taylor," Buck snapped, "Buck chill, hi I'm Captain Owen Strand of Austin 126," "And I'm Captain Maya Bishop of Seattle station 19," the two other Captains introduced themselves to the news reporter and her camera man.
"Does anyone know where there's a dog in the motor pool?" A firefighter from Utah 77 shouted catching everyone's attention, "Buttercup!" The 126 yell before racing down to the motor pool. In all the chaos they had forgotten about her. Taylor was ecstatic with the fact that a firehouse actually had a dog, not so much when a big fluffy mutt came plotting up the hill, "19, 118 this is Buttercup legally she is Cap's but to the department she is the 126's dog. Buttercup go say hi to everyone," Marjan cooed as Buttercup was let off her lead. She said hello before settling against TK's legs.
A LAPD cop car pulled up at the edge of the base camp where Athena, Ryan and Carlos climbed out with stacks of pizza and a firing conversation between them. "Food!" The fire chief yelled passing out the many pizza boxes. "Who's that with Mom?" Buck asked, "Mom?" TK questioned, "My parents were abusive so I consider Athena my mom, she treats me like her son that's the best part for me. But back to my question who are they?" Andy spoke up, "Oh thats Ryan Tanner we work with him quite a bit back in Seattle," "And that's Carlos my husband," TK called our making space between him and Maya.
Half way through there pizza the bangs and blasts started again startling the cops but the firefighters weren't spooked in the slightest, "Level two explosives must of been gas barrels left a campsite we evacuated this morning dam that fire is spreading quickly," "19, 118, 126 we need you back up at the fire line that explosion redirected the fire," the firefighters exchanged panicked glances. They had contained it to the other side of the ridge the only way for it to go aside from rocky mountains was towards the city... All units leapt into action knowing that heavy rain fall was just hours away but they could not rely on that fact.
PD was forced to evacuate the outer LA areas as firefighters moved in to cut off there path, many firefighters were driving into the fire's heart to tackle it from there. With time they got the fire to at least go back on itself, but to do so it was crossing the location of where the last group of hikers were. Upon there original analysis those hikers were at no harm of the blaze but now the only way to get them out was by driving through the flames. In that process a unit got trapped, they needed eyes above to get out. The smoke was so thick that they couldn't even send up smoke jumpers, everyone knew this. Who would have the guts to go up?
Dean, Eddie and Owen all volunteered knowing full well the risks on the condition that there houses weren't to be informed unless absolutely necessary. It went textbook flying through smoke till it didn't. "May day, may we are going down may day," Owen's voice was cut off by intense static and loud explosions of the chopper making contact with the ground...
Andy, Buck, Jack and TK were the last off the ridge, laughing there way down. About a third of the way they tossed there stuff into the equipment bays and examined the slope. The water run off made it slippery, they would get muddy walking down anyway so why not have some fun, "Buck your a good rule breaker whats your say in this?" "I would say crack on!" Buck leapt off there standing point quickly followed by Andy, Jack and TK. They shirked their way down sliding through the mud.
19, the 118 and the 126 looked up to locate the shrieks of joy, "Oh god here comes Andy, Buck, Jack and TK, how can we tell them?" Andy instantly picked up on the solemn expressions of the team, she located all her close friends so it probably wasn't for her. "Buck, Jack, TK, how can we tell you this. Dean, Eddie and Owen went up in the chopper. It crashed up past the fire line, Jack we know you and Dean are very close," the three froze stiff. It was a deafening silence but ended abruptly with TK and Buck stormed into the command tent to find out what the hell they were doing about it. Jack was frozen stiff.
The three units sat together waiting for news from Buck or TK in other words when they get kicked out and putting it bluntly they were blistered, sore and bluntly exhausted. TK came out pissed and Buck was looking utterly defeated. "What's up?" "There not sending anyone up they said they don't know there exact location we haven't had contact with them since the may day. They've been presumed dead," Buck chocked on his words as Ben protectively gripped Jack, TK melted in his teams arms and Buck wept against Bobby. Andy immediately started plotting how to get them to the crash site, she shared her plan with TK and Buck. Wether it was babysitting Buck and his rule breaking that rubbed off on her but she enjoyed rule breaking this week.
Andy swiped the keys to one of the three units engines, woke up TK and Buck before sneaking down the motor pool. "Whats the plan?" "You want your dad and husband back, we're going to drive up to the ridge to find them," "Here we go 19," TK pointed out, "Uh no, Maya will kill if she finds scratches on this thing. I've already wreck two aid cars (windstorm and an out of story incident), smashed a window to this engine three times and Buck doesn't have a good track record with engines," "I got crushed by one after a bomb went off and smashed up one learning to drive it," Buck added in, "That's why we're taking the 126 engine. Bright torch lights caught them like criminals, "Hey dumb, dumbass, dumbasser do you think we wouldn't have noticed by now that you were gone?" Judd bellowed.
They buckled under that statement. Slowly but surely they turned to face the others, "You've come to stop us?" "No, we're coming with you," Chimney croaked patting Buck's shoulder, "Herrera go swipe the keys to the other engines," Vic cheered, "Why Herrera?" Paul asked, "She's a pickpocket," 19 said in unison, "Which reminds me Andy." Maya put her hand out as a hint for Andy to empty her pockets, she dropped a packet of chewing gum in there, a money clip and an ID which was definitely not hers, "Oh Herrera forage the sign out sheet."
Andy reappeared with the keys to the other engines, the desk jokey assigned to the motor pool was sleeping on the job. Like he had been up for 60 hours straight. He didn't so much as stir when the engines roared into life. Didn't take long for them to reach the fire line and the charade remains of the helicopter. No remains which was a good sign. "Dam it where could they be!" "Fan out they couldn't have gone far," Bobby ordered. The mountain side rang out in calls for Owen, Dean and Eddie. There family was searching high and low for them.
Something shining caught Buck's attention, a torch light. Buck bolted towards the light shouting, "Eddie, Dean, Owen!" The others followed him just as the three idiots climbed out of a camp site cabin. TK wrapped his arms around his dad, 19 looked like they were about to murder Dean and Buck was just overjoyed to get his husband back.
Two days later with the wildfires all put out 19 and the 126 followed the 118 back to there firehouse. There they cleaned up with PD and Bobby and Travis had a real chefs show down. The spread was magnificent but they couldn't leave Mateo and Maya to lay the table, "Hey how many extra places do we need?" Mateo asked, "Hang on sound off!" Maya shouted. Maddie, Karen, Jee-Yun, Christopher, Denny, Harry and May were also joining FD and PD. It was a beautiful closing to a week together fighting fire, sitting down after showers with hot water and real soap for a mouth watering dinner filled with the specialties of each house. Many phone numbers and contact information was exchanged that day. Though it was unlikely they would ever see each other again but they would always have allies in the uniform to turn too. Always.
19 left first as they didn't have as long as a drive but they all agreed that Judd was not to drive the 126 back. In fact the whole of the 126 asked to go back with Carlos and his partner. "Call us when you get back to Seattle," Bobby's voice cracked as he spoke, he hated goodbyes, "We will, good luck down here. Buck stay away from the fire hydrants (thats another story)," Ben responded saying goodbye to the others, "And always remembers find yourself in Texas," Tommy started, "Or LA," Eddie added, "Call us. In fact every need any advise we'll always be on the other end of the phone," "Brothers in uniform," Mateo added. 19 pulled away and the others ran along side waving goodbye but stopped at the end of the road.
With the flaming red 19 engine disappeared into the horizon the 126 and the 118 picked themselves up off the floor and walked back into the firehouse to stock the 126 for there ride home. They did the same again. Only this time it was a lot harder knowing that when the 126 left it was like the wildfires never happened. "We're gonna miss you," Hen cooed, "Just keep Buck and TK apart and we'll be fine," Carlos added with Eddie agreeing with him, "Come on the sooner we leave the sooner we get back. Nancy, TK, Marjan taken your travel sickness tablets?" Owen asked, "Travel sickness?" FD burst out into laughter remembering how those three especially TK and Nancy were barely standing up right after Judd drove. "Carlos drive with us for an hour put Tommy in with your partner and you'll see what we mean," "I might just take you up on that offer." Cue intense cat calling as the last few came out of the toilets.
The 118 ran with the 126 shouting at each other through the windows before letting them go.
19's POV
We pulled into 19 with B shift already on duty and overjoyed to have the engine back. Not some much when they saw the engines state. After being parked/moved in mud then driving into a wildfire what would you? Eat your dinner off it clean? "Guys we have to call the 118 we promised!" Sullivan shouted, "The 118 who are they?" "LAFD and the 126 Austin FD. You missed probably the time of your lives!" Dean yelled as Maya dialled the 118 to let them know that they were home safe.
126's POV
Carlos regretted riding the 126 with Judd driving as the tablets were working for Marjan, not so much Nancy and TK. They couldn't open there eyes without throwing up, till the others realised that they had the daunting task of cleaning it. 20+ hours later and the exhausted 126 + Carlos finally pulled into there firehouse. Owen decided to order everyone home and they'd clean the rig another day. He called the 118 to let them know they were home safe and everyone went on there merry way.
TK and Nancy opted to walk back to there respective apartments they were still so sick. Carlos ordered his husband straight to bed that evening to which was gratefully followed.
118's POV
With both the 126 and 19 back home safe and sound they felt like they could finally breath again. B shift got to work on the rig as it was not all sunshine and rainbows. For some reason they were drawn to watch, they watched the memories of the blood, sweat, fear, pain got washed away from existence. This was going to be a rough week. How the hell was this going to work?