ties that bind

THE TIES THAT BIND

"Well, Sarah Mason, I've heard a lot about you." Steve Brunett greeted her, as she entered Station 36 for her first shift at her new permanent station.

"Oh yeah, who's been talking?" Sarah asked with a semi-serious look on her face.

"Oh, a certain phantom, that's been knocked down a few pegs since the arrival of a new female paramedic trainee at Station 51." Steve grinned at her. "And I for one would like to shake your hand." He extended his hand to Sarah.

"Thanks, but why?" She asked confused.

"I've pulled a few overtime shifts at 51s and I've been the victim of Chet Kelly a few times too often. The two-headed coin bit was priceless. I don't know when I laughed so hard, when I heard about it." Steve chuckled, thinking about it.

"Well a big shot like him, I thought he could use being taken down a notch or two. He's not the first like that I've encountered." Sarah remarked, knocking on 36's locker room door. "Everybody decent?" She called in.

"Yeah come on in." Captain Davidson answered. "Sarah Mason, we've been expecting you. How's Gage doing?"

"Fine, doc says in another week or so, he can get out of the wheelchair and start getting around on crutches." She answered. "Where's an empty locker?" She lifted up her bag a little, to make her point.

"Right there next to mine." Steve pointed to a locker.

"Thanks." Sarah smiled at him as she opened the locker. A water balloon flew out, but Sarah was ready for it and ducked behind the locker room door. The water balloon flew harmlessly past her and exploded when it hit the floor. She opened the locker again and pulled out the sign hanging there. "Welcome to 36's. You're finally out of my hair. Chet Kelly."

"And he thought I'd fall for that?" Sarah chuckled shaking her head.

"Maybe you do have the potential to dethrone the phantom." Steve shook his head amazed that she was ready for the locker trick Chet set up for her. "Need a helping hand?"

"I could always use another devious mind to think up bigger and better tricks." She told him stowing her gear in the locker.

"Well, we'll leave you alone to get changed. Roll call in 15 minutes." Captain Davidson pulled the locker room door open. "Let's go boys."

The other firefighters exited allowing Sarah to change into her uniform. At roll call, Captain Davidson made the same announcements regarding locker room etiquette that Captain Stanley at Station 51 made almost five months ago. "We will use the same system 51's had set up by flipping a coin to see who gets in the locker room first after fire runs. I trust that nobody will mind if I flip the coin though?" He asked looking at Sarah smiling. "Okay, let's get to our chores. We got a station to clean up. Oh, before I forget, let me introduce you to the rest of your shift Mason. Firefighter Kevin Sands, Firefighter Eric Malloy, and Henry Wilkes engineer."

Everybody headed for his or her job assignments. "Mason, glad to see your on my shift." Henry greeted her, extending his hand to her.

She shook it. "Glad to see you made engineer."

"You two know each other?" Steve asked.

"Yeah, Mason was a probie while I was still a firefighter at Station 27. I taught her everything she knows about firefighting. What made you decide to join the paramedics? I thought you had your sights set on being the first female engineer?"

"When we lost Adam Malkovich at 27's." Sarah answered getting out the mop bucket to clean up the locker room mess.

"Yeah, that was a tough blow. I was just stationed here as engineer when that happened." Henry nodded, thoughtfully.

"Well I was with him waiting for the paramedics to get there. And it hit me how we need more squads out there to treat people. As Eric lay dying I swore to him that I would do everything in my power to see that no other firefighter died needlessly because a squad wasn't available." Sarah explained, filling up the mop bucket with water.

"Well just as long as you're happy." Henry smiled at her.

"Yeah, I guess I am. I can take care of people when they're hurt, and I still get to fight the occasional fire. I guess it's the best of both worlds."

"I heard you and Gage got engaged." Henry remarked polishing the dials on the engine.

"Yeah." She held up her hand for Henry to see the ring.

"Well congratulations and don't forget to invite Monica and me to the wedding."

"I wouldn't dream of forgetting you two. How is Monica these days?" She asked leaning on the mop in the bucket.

"Big." He answered laughing as he stuck his arms out in front of his belly.

"Well then, congratulations back at you." Sarah smiled at him. "Number three or four?"

"Five!" He answered. "She had twins last year."

"Well you two didn't waste anytime."

"You know us Catholics, we breed like rabbits." Henry laughed and Sarah joined in.

"Mason, any day now." Captain Davidson interrupted, pointed toward the locker room.

"Right Cap, I'm on it." Sarah told her Captain, and began pushing the mop towards the locker room. She stopped by Henry's side for a moment. "Let me know when Monica feels up to it, and you can get a sitter, Johnny and I will have you two over for dinner."

"Are you kidding, for a free meal and a night without the kids, Monica will be up for it as soon as we can set it up."

Sarah just finished mopping the locker room when the squad was toned out. "Squad 36, possible heart attack, 7210 Rainford, 7 2 1 0 Rainford, cross street Morlock, Time out 09:46."

                                                            ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Sarah jumped in the squad and pulled out the map. "Turn left up here. It should save us two minutes." Sarah directed Steve to the address listed. When they arrived, Sarah grabbed the biophone and defibrillator as Steve grabbed the drug box and the oxygen.

"Please hurry, he doesn't look good." A distraught housewife raced down the sidewalk toward them.

"Can you tell me when the pains started?" Sarah asked following the woman back toward the house.

"I don't know. He said he had heartburn about two hours ago, but it just kept getting worse, and then he started having trouble breathing. That's when I called you." She opened the front door for them.

"Does he have any history of heart trouble?" Steve asked.

"No, nothing. He's always been in good health." The wife answered, and pointed to the hallway. "He's in the bedroom, back there."

Sarah and Steve rushed in. "Sir, we're LA County paramedics, we're gonna check you over and help you out. Okay?" Sarah told him, sitting down on the bed next to him. "Let's get some oxygen going." She looked over at her partner, after checking his respirations.

Steve set up the oxygen as Sarah grabbed the B.P. cuff and stethoscope. Sarah took vitals while Steve set up the biophone. "Rampart this is Squad 36."

"Go ahead 36." Kel immediately answered.

"Rampart, we have an approx. 45 year old male. He is complaining of chest pain, and trouble breathing. We have him on six liters of oxygen. Stand by for vitals." Steve paused, waiting for Sarah's report.

"B.P. 180/100, pulse is 160, respirations are 28 and shallow." She reported, and Steve relayed the information to the hospital.

"36, set up IV D-5-W TKO and send me a strip as soon as possible." Brackett ordered.

"10-4 Rampart. IV D-5-W TKO. Stand by for strip." Steve acknowledged, he grabbed for the cardiac leads as Sarah had already started grabbing the equipment for the IV.

                                                             ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On the return trip to the station, Steve glanced at Sarah. "We make some team."

"Yeah, I was nervous about finding my way around your drug box. I was a little surprised to find it set up just like 51's, all the cardiac drugs on the middle rack to the left." She smiled at him.

"Well, Johnny and Roy trained me two years ago. I guess I just got used to their system." Steve explained. "And yes, Brice bugs me too about how unorganized my drug box is every time he works here."

"Well, from what I've heard so far, I don't think I'm looking forward to working with him." Sarah frowned slightly.

"None of us do." Steve laughed at her remark.

                                                            ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sarah called home when they returned to the station. "Hello?" Johnny answered.

"Hi, handsome." Sarah greeted jumping on the counter next to the phone.

"Hey, I wasn't expecting to hear from you so early." Johnny said propping his foot up on the stack of pillows on the coffee table.

"Been a busy morning. We just got back from our first run."

"How'd it go?"

"Amazing. Steve and I didn't trip over each other once. He had the drug box set up just like you did." She answered.

"Well you know me and Roy trained him." Johnny bragged.

"Yeah, both you and Steve told me that." She replied. "By the way, if you talk to Roy, tell him to tell Kelly nice try."

"What'd he do?"

"Tried to get me with a water balloon sling shot in my new locker here. I was ready for him and the only thing that got wet was the floor." Sarah answered chuckling.

Johnny laughed. "I'll make sure to get the message to him."

"Did you know Henry Wilkes is the engineer here?" She asked.

"Yeah, I've worked at 36's a few times. You know Henry?"

"Yeah, he trained me when I was a probie at 27's."

"I didn't know that."

"Yeah, he and his wife Monica and I all became good friends when we were working there together. I want to invite them over for dinner sometime soon."

"That sounds cool. I'm itching for some company." Johnny agreed.

"Speaking of itching, have you been keeping that leg of yours propped up, and your arm in the sling?" She asked.

"Yes." He lied.

"Yeah, okay, I believe you." She teased, sarcastically.

"Okay, I'm bored to tears right now. I need to get up and around." Johnny admitted restlessly.

"Well, if you want to have Brackett set you free on crutches you better follow his orders.   Unless you want me to take some of that vacation time I was saving for the honeymoon, to come home and baby-sit you." Sarah threatened seriously.

"No, don't do that. I'll be good." Johnny promised.

"Okay, then, I better go. I don't want my new boss to think all I do is gab on the phone all day. I'll see you tomorrow morning, my friend."

"Okay, I love you too. See you tomorrow morning." He replied hanging up the phone.

                                                             ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Before Sarah left the station for home in the morning, she handed Henry a piece of paper. "What's this?" He asked.

"My home phone number. Tell Monica to call me and we'll set up that dinner." Sarah told him jumping in her truck.

"Okay, I'll tell her to call you." Henry promised getting in his car.

Sarah drove home happy that her first shift went so smoothly. "Hi honey, I'm home." She called as she entered her apartment.

"In here." Johnny called from the kitchen.

She entered the kitchen and was surprised to see him leaning on crutches. "Johnny, what are you doing?" She cried out with concerned.

"Relax will you. Dr. Brackett sent Dixie over here with them this morning, as soon as he looked over my X-Rays from yesterday. He said my arm is strong enough for me to hobble around short distances. Long distances I still have to use the wheelchair for two more weeks." Johnny limped over to her. "How's that?"

"Looks like you have some experience getting around on those." Sarah pointed at the crutches.

"I think it should become required learning for us when we join the paramedics." He laughed.

"Yeah, and from what I've heard, partnering with Brice should be a required course too."

"Yeah, he's something that needs to be experienced to be believed." Johnny agreed.

                                                            ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Hey Sarah?" Steve called in the locker room. "Can I come in?"

"Sure I'm just putting on my socks and shoes. Nothing to see in here." Sarah answered.

"I've been thinking about this revenge thing with Kelly. I got an idea." He sat down on the bench facing her.

"Okay, what's the idea?" She asked tying her shoes.

"What if we find a way to distract Chet so bad, that he falls for one of his own stupid pranks, like a water balloon in a locker." Steve suggested.

"That's a good idea, and I think I have just the way to distract him." Sarah smiled deviously.

"How's that?"

"Chet's gonna get a secret admirer. We'll leave him a couple of notes around the station, and when we have him good and hooked, we'll tell him that we left a picture of who his secret admirer is in once of the lockers. When he opens the door to get the picture, he'll get a water balloon right in the face. We'll leave him a little sign, just to let him know who pulled a prank over on the phantom." Sarah plotted out to him.

"Oh, that is perfect." Steve smiled. "I can't wait to get started."

"Yeah, me neither, but let's wait until Johnny's back to work, okay?"

"Okay, I'm sure he would feel bad if he missed this prank." He agreed.

                                                            ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Over the next two months, as they waited for Johnny to recover enough to return to work, Steve and Sarah fell into a comfortable pattern at work. They found out how much they had in common. They also discovered each other's strengths and weaknesses and adjusted themselves accordingly. They got along so well that Kevin and Eric joked that Johnny Gage may have some competition for Sarah if he didn't hurry up and marry her. After that comment Sarah, Steve and Johnny had a private meeting at Sarah's place the night before Sarah and Steve's next shift.

"Burnett!" Johnny shouted into Station 36.

"Quick, in the dorm. I'll hold him off." Sarah whispered to Steve in front of Eric and Kevin. He got up and snuck in the dorm as Johnny blew in the day room.

"Where is he?" Johnny hollered.

"Who?" Sarah asked innocently.

"You know who, that back stabbing partner of yours." He raged.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She stood her ground, face to face with him.

"You didn't think I'd hear about it because I work at a different station did you? Well guess again. Stoker told me he heard it from Wilkes that Sands and Malloy here said you're cheating on me with that miserable excuse for a paramedic. Now where is he?" Johnny demanded. "Burnett you get out here and face me like a man."

Kevin and Eric exchanged a guilty look.

"Alright Gage, I'm here." Steve shouted angrily, stepping in the room.

"No Steve, you don't want to mess with him. You know how hot-tempered he can be." Sarah told him, trying to keep Steve and Johnny separated.

"Sarah, you don't have to defend me. I can handle myself." Steve grabbed around her for Johnny.

"Boys take it out back, this is a firestation, or did you forget?" Captain Davidson ordered in what he hoped was a stern voice, although Sarah couldn't help but notice the twinkle in his eye.

"You heard your Captain." Johnny pointed his finger at Steve. "Let's take this outside, unless you're too chicken."

"Never, your gonna regret this. Cap, be ready to call in a still alarm. We're gonna need an ambulance here by the time I'm done with him." Steve countered.

"We'll just see about that." Johnny shot back heading out the door with Steve hot on his heels.

Sarah waited until she thought they were outside. "Kevin, Eric, you're not going to just sit there are you?" Kevin and Eric looked at each other, shocked by what they'd just witnessed. "Come on, you have to let Johnny know you were just kidding around. They're gonna hurt each other." She said with concern.

Kevin and Eric got up and headed outside. Steve and Johnny were ready for them and pelted them with water balloons as they exited.

"That's the last time you'll say that about my fianc�e." Johnny laughed.

"Yeah, my partner and I are just friends, no more, no less." Steve joined in laughing.

Kevin and Eric looked stunned for a moment and finally joined in the laughter. "I suppose we walked right into that one Eric." Kevin commented.

"Yeah, we should have seen this one coming, but when Cap joined in, I really thought you two were serious." Eric agreed.

"What, just because I'm Captain, I'm not supposed to have a sense of humor anymore?" Captain Davidson asked chuckling, leaning up against the doorway. "Okay people, fun's over. Pick up the mess, and Sands, Malloy, get changed up quick in case we get a run."

"Right Cap." Steve answered as he and Johnny and Sarah began picking up the pieces of balloons off the ground, and Kevin and Eric headed for the locker room.

"Well gentlemen, and lady, thanks for the laugh." Captain Davidson told them, still chuckling. "That was the most fun I've had in a while."

"Thanks for helping. I don't think Kevin and Eric would have fallen for it if it hadn't been for you." Johnny replied extending his hand to the Captain.

Captain Davidson shook it. "My pleasure. See ya around Gage."

"Yeah, I'm sure you will, especially with Sarah working here." Johnny teased.

                                                            ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Man Junior, am I glad to see you." Roy commented, walking in the locker room.

"Yeah, I bet you were counting down the days until Brice was out of here." Johnny teased sitting in his locker tying his shoes.

"You'd better believe it. First thing I'm doing this morning is setting the drug box up like normal again. I don't know how many times I tore that stupid thing apart looking for something." Roy answered as he changed into his uniform.

                                                            ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Two weeks later Sarah and Steve decided that enough time had passed since Johnny's return that Chet wouldn't suspect anything. They sat on Sarah's bunk writing the first note. "How's this sound?" She asked reading it out loud. "Dear Chet, you don't know me, but I know you. I've been watching you for a while, and all I can say is that the sight of you in your uniform turns my legs to Jell-O. I've wanted to introduce myself to you for a while now, but I am sorry to say I am too much a coward to do it. If you rejected me, I would be heartbroken. So, my handsome, mustached firefighter, I will content myself to loving you from afar and hope to build up the courage one day to finally reveal myself to you and hope you can accept me as I am. Your loving secret admirer."

"Oh Sarah, that is so good. You should work for Hallmark writing greeting cards." Steve teased.

"Alright, I'll have Johnny sneak it in his locker next shift with a red rose." She giggled. "Chet's not gonna know what hit him."

"Yeah." He agreed.

                                                            ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Is this some kind of joke?" Chet asked reading the note from his locker. "Gage, did you do this?"

Johnny looked over Chet's shoulder reading the note. "Now Chet, does any of that mush sound like anything you've heard me say since we've been working together? Besides, does my handwriting look anything like that? Look at how loopy it is. That's a girl's handwriting for sure."

"Yeah, I never seen a man's handwriting look like that." Roy agreed looking over Chet's other shoulder. "Looks like Chet's got a secret admirer."

"Chet's got a secret admirer?" Marco asked entering the locker room.

"Yeah, he got a note and a flower." Mike answered.

"Well, alright Chet." Marco said enthusiastically slapping him on the shoulder.

"I don't know about that." Chet looked at the letter, doubtfully. "What if she turns out to be really ugly and that's why she's afraid I would reject her?"

"Yeah, that might be true," Johnny told him. "But she could be really beautiful and just really shy. I had a secret admirer at Station 10 before I became a paramedic. I thought the same thing you did. Turns out she was a knockout. Not too much in the brains department, but man, the way she looked, it didn't matter."

"Well, I guess this could be a good thing, if she ever tells me who she is." Chet finally admitted.

                                                            ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Hook, line, and sinker." Johnny said when he arrived at Sarah's after work. "Of course I fed him some cock and bull story about the same thing happening to me before and she turned out to be stunning."

"Did it really?" Sarah asked.

"No, but I thought Kelly might get his mind going in overdrive thinking about it when I suggested she might be beautiful." He snickered.

"Thanks Johnny, that was good thinking." She agreed chuckling and then pulled him into a hug, and kissed him.

"Anything to help the master prankster." He told her, kissing her again.

                                                            ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Over the next two weeks Chet found more notes in his locker. Finally he read a note and jumped up. "Guys, she left me a picture this time!"

"Where is it?" Marco asked.

"Third locker from the left. It must be that empty one that Brice was using." Chet told him, getting up and heading to the locker. "Oh boy, I wonder what she looks like." He said excited. He yanked the locker door open and a water balloon flew out hitting him squarely in the face dripping water all over him. The other firefighters laughed as Chet pulled out the sign in the locker. "Mess with the best, die like the rest. Squad 36."

"Sarah and Steve?" Roy asked.

"Must be. I kept catching those two on the phone together a lot lately. I figured they were pulling something on one of the guys at their station." Johnny lied, winking at Roy.

"Well tell her that if she wanted a prank war, she's got one." Chet told him, a mischievous grin on his face. "I love it when a pigeon fights back." He muttered heading back to his locker to change into a dry uniform.

Johnny called Sarah while Chet was still in the locker room. "LA County fire department, engineer Wilkes."

"Hey Henry, it's Johnny, is Sarah there?"

"Yeah, hang on." Henry told him. "Sarah, phone for you."

"Thanks Henry." Sarah picked up the phone. "Hello?"

"Worked like a charm." Johnny said laughing.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. By the way, he said if you want a prank war, you got it."

"This should be good." She chuckled. "Let him think he stands a chance and then Steve and I will crush him."

                                                            ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Engine 51, Squad 36 in place of Squad 51, structure fire 5892 Alamedia, 5 8 9 2 Alamidia, Cross street Trip, Time out 15:24." The alarm sent Steve and Sarah running to their squad.

As Steve drove Sarah looked at the map. "I hope they don't need us for a while. It's gonna take us at least 15 minutes to get there." Sarah frowned, judging the distance.

She scanned the map constantly as they rushed to the structure fire, looking for every short cut she knew to get them there faster. They were still some distance from the scene, when the radio crackled to life. "Squad 36, what's your ETA?"

Sarah picked up the microphone, looking at her watch. "LA, Squad 36, our ETA to Engine 51's location is 2 minutes."

"10-4, 36. Be advised code I on scene." Dispatch announced.

"Oh hell, one of ours." Sarah shot Steve a concerned look. "10-4 LA." She responded to dispatch.

They arrived on the scene as Mike Stoker ran along side the squad as it parked, to help the paramedics get their gear out. "What happened?" Sarah asked him.

"Flash over, just as Kelly was entering the building. Knocked him across the lawn. He's having trouble breathing." Mike replied leading them over to where Chet lay.

"Laying around on the job again, Kelly?" Sarah quipped, trying to relax him a bit.

"Just great, they send me you two clowns." Chet choked out.

"Just relax Chet. We're gonna take good care of you." Sarah reassured him as she set up the biophone. "Rampart this is squad 36."

"Go ahead 36." Dr. Morton answered.

"Rampart we have a male firefighter approx. 30 years old. He was thrown approx. 30 feet by an explosion. Victim is complaining of trouble breathing. Stand by for vitals and further health assessment. Steve what you got?"

"Pulse is 100, B.P. 90/60, respirations 34 and shallow. Looks like broken ribs, arm and shoulder, all on the right side. No head, neck or back trauma evident." He reported reaching for splints to immobilize the broken arm.

Sarah relayed the information to Dr. Morton. "36, immobilize arm and shoulder. Start IV Ringers and give 5 mg MS IV push Transport as soon as possible."

"10-4 Rampart, immobilize, IV Ringers, 5 mg MS IV push, and transport." Sarah repeated as she reached in the drug box for the equipment that she needed to set up the IV. They packaged Chet on the stretcher and Sarah rode in with him.

"How bad is it?" Chet looked up at her concerned..

"I won't lie to you. We think you got some lung damage and internal bleeding, you broke your arm and shoulder. But the docs will get you fixed up. You're gonna make it buddy." She told him, holding his hand and squeezing. "Come on, you don't want me to win the prank war by default do you?"

I wouldn't give you the satisfaction." Chet grinned slightly, squeezing her hand back. "Thanks Sarah."

"Anytime Chet." She smiled at him.

After rushing Chet to trauma room 2, Sarah and Steve caught up with Johnny and Roy at the nurses' station. "How is he?" Roy asked.

"Hanging in there. They're getting ready to take him up to surgery." Sarah explained pouring a cup of coffee. "They'll know more after surgery."

"Squad 36, what's your status?" The HT in Steve's hands interrupted.

"Squad 36 available." Steve answered.

"Squad 36, stand by for transmission."

"They're playing our song." Sarah grinned, reached up, and gave Johnny a quick hug and a kiss. "Don't worry, I'm sure he'll be fine."

"I hope so." He replied with concern in his voice.

                                                            ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Two days later, Sarah and Johnny entered Rampart. "Don't you two see enough of this place when you're on duty?" Joe asked grinning.

"I guess not doc." Johnny answered grinning back.

"We came to see Kelly." Sarah added.

"Oh yeah, that's right you people always haunt these halls when one of your own's in here." He teased. "He's in room 214."

"Thanks doc." Sarah replied smiling at him.

They took the elevator to the second floor, and Johnny popped his head in Chet's room. "Up to having some visitors now Chet?"

"Yeah, come on in." Chet answered sitting up a little more in bed.

Johnny and Sarah both entered. "Kelly, good to see I didn't win the prank war." Sarah grinned at him, reaching for his hand and squeezing it.

"Like I said, I wouldn't give you the satisfaction." He grinned back at her squeezing her hand back.

"Hey, hey there Kelly, holding hands with my fianc�e?" Johnny teased.

"You got nothing to worry about." Chet grinned at him. "I already got three nurses phone numbers and I'm working on two more."

"If I was still a single man, I'd be jealous of you Chester B." Johnny smiled holding his hand out for a high five.

Chet slapped his hand. "Well now that Johnny Gage is off the market, somebody's gotta take up the slack. By the way Sarah, did I ever thank you for tying this one down?" He pointed at Johnny.

"Nope, but I'm sure you'll think of some way to pay me back for the favor." Sarah replied.

"Yeah, I'm sure I'll think of something." Chet agreed.

"I know you will. Just to let you know. The prank war's been suspended until you're in better health. I won't kick a man when he's down." She told him.

"Thanks, Sarah, that'll give me plenty of time to figure out how to get you back for the water balloon/secret admirer thing." Chet smiled mischievously at her.

"Do your worst, Kelly."   Sarah returned the mischievous smile. "I'll be ready and waiting."

                                                                                      THE END

return to main menu