Madison (Maddy) Briggs is from Manhattan, New York. She was in 3rd grade, just 8 years old, when the World Trade Centers fell on September 11th, 2001. Her dad was a firefighter, and his station was one of the first on scene that day.
Her dad, Larry...
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*eh heh.. eh heh* "damn it.."
"Owen? You okay?" Maddy said as she walked into his office. She saw him leaning over the sink. "Damn.. the chemo?"
"Mads. Ahh.. yeah. But I'm okay!" He perked up right away.
"Owen.. it's okay to not be okay." Maddy walked over and hugged him. "I love you, papa O!"
"I'm okay Maddy. But I love ya too kiddo! Oh! Also.. *pwwwhhht*" Maddy looked around confused, but then heard the gallop and jingle of what she hoped was a cat or dog running towards Owen, "Buttercup!" He beamed proudly.
"Omg! Hi boy?" Maddy asked as she knelt down.
"Yep, boy." The dog began to lick Maddy's face and she smiled as she hugged the massive dog. ——————————————————————— "TK! How often is your dad getting chemotherapy?"
"Twice a week. Why?"
"Just wanted to know, so I can keep my eye on him," Maddy winked.
"Ha! Sure okay," Tyler rubbed her back. He knew she was worried about Owen, because he was too. "But uh... he did agree to take the rookie skills exam.. in under 12 minutes..."
"What?! But you've told me that that's like basically impossible.."
"Yeah.."
Maddy ran her fingers through her pixie cut, and sighed. "Well let me know how that goes." Maddy knew it probably wouldn't go well, Owen had diminished lung capacity, and this test was hard enough for younger firefighters with FULL lung capacity and function. She just hoped it wouldn't kill him. ——————————————————————— 'Hey Teek! How's it going? I have a few minutes to chat..' Maddy said into her phone as she typed away on her computer.
'Yeah.. well he hit 12 minutes...'
'Okay!?!'
'But.. he had four more stations to run..'
'Oh no...'
'Oh, I'm not done.'
'Jesus..'
'Then he passed out..'
'What?! Oh my god. Is he okay?!' Maddy tried her hardest to whisper since she was working.
'He's fine. Just collapsed. His lungs are fine. I checked already..'
'Okay good. Well now what?! Why'd he have to do that shit anyway?'
'Oh, he didn't HAVE to. He told the chief he WOULD..'
'Your father is a psycho..' Maddy laughed nervously. 'Do I want to know WHY he said he would?'
'Ha, not really. But the chief found out about his cancer, and to prove that he was fine, he offered to do this. Some old captain who wanted the 126, told chief..'
'Wow. What an ass..' Maddy rolled her eyes.
'Ha yeah. Judd said he was like that..'
'Jesus. Well let me know if you need my help with anything. Shit.. I gotta go! Talk to you later boo! Love ya!'
'I will. Love ya too!' ———————————————————————- "Maddy! We got a lightening strike coming in..."
"Lightening?! I didn't even know it was raining?" Maddy laughed awkwardly as she ran to help attend to the patient. When she was getting her nurses ready TK texted her, 'your lightening strike victim. Old captain of the 126.. dad was with him. They were golfing..'
Maddy stepped out of the room, and looked at her phone again. She now knew who this guy was— she didn't like him. But getting struck my lightening is no joke, and she was a nurse. She had to help him still. She did.
Owen walked in her ER a few hours later. "Owen! Are you okay?" Maddy ran over to him and started to check him out. He pulled her into a hug and kissed the top of her head. "Yeah kiddo, I'm good. I carried your lightening victim back to the golf lodge.. about 200 yards.."
"You what?!" Maddy gasped as she pulled back from their hug. "That's dangerous!"
He chuckled as he rubbed her back, "I don't have to prove myself to the chief anymore."
"Jesus, Owen." Maddy laughed. "He's in room 202.. I'll take you to him." She walked Owen to the old captain's room and left them alone. ———————————————————————
One week later.
"Good morning darling," Tim said as he kissed Maddy's head.
"Mmm.. morning." Maddy buried her head in Tim's armpit. "Do we have to get up? Well.. you do.. you need a shower," she laughed. Maddy moved her feet, but could only go so far as she felt Tim's cat between her outstretched legs.
"Cheeky. But yes dear, we do.."
"Mmm.. fine."
"We're gonna be late if you don't get your ass up right now," Tim said as he smothered her neck in kisses.
"Fine, fine.. I'm up," Maddy giggled. Tim smacked her ass as she stood up. ——————————————————————— "Have a good day gorgeous!" Tim smiled before kissing her as he dropped her off at her apartment, so she could grab her car.
"You too handsome." She smiled back as she ran in to change and get ready.
Tim's favorite color is orange, which amused Maddy. She actually had three orange scrub sets— after she put on her light orange set, she sent a risqué picture of herself, to Tim.
He responded only with a double heart-eyes emoji and the words, 'you're getting it tonight.' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Something was about to happen that would shatter Maddy's life and leave her numb to the core.
"Ambo for the 126 requesting response from University Hos!"
"Go for U of T at Austin.." Maddy uttered into the radio.
"White male. Early/Mid-twenties, gun shot to the chest. BP 110/56; O-2 levels 90%; loss of consciousness. ETA 5 minutes!"
"Alright people! We got a gunshot wound coming in! Adult male, white. Early to mid-twenties. BP was 110/56, and we are positive for loss of consciousness! Let's go guys! What do we need ready?"
Maddy had no idea who she was calling code for, until Tim and Nancy rushed in.
"Maddy...." Tim yelled in preparation as he and Nancy rushed past her. On the gurney was someone she hoped she'd never see in her hospital....
"TK....." her eyes widened with fear as she panicked before her adrenaline kicked in and she went into hero mode. "Okay people!" She commanded as she walked in the room. Her eyes became transfixed on Tyler though— he was laying there, lifeless and barely breathing.
The adrenaline flushed out of Maddy's body and she lost all she knew about being a nurse at that point. She tried to push it away, and focus on her patient, but all she could see was her best friend.
She heard Owen's pained breath racing toward the ER room. "Owen!" She met him in the hallway. "What the fuck happened?!"
"We.. went to a.. call. Shot through the door.."
"Well Jesus Christ!" ——————————————————————— "Tyler.." she said as she rubbed his arm. "It's Mads. I know you can hear me you, dick." She forced out a chuckle. "Please.." she sniffed as she pulled Tyler's hand up to her lips and kissed it. "You'll be okay." She stood up kissed his forehead, and when she turned around to leave, Carlos appeared at the door.
"He's doing better today, Carlos. He'll be alright.." Maddy rubbed his arm as she looked back at TK before going back to work.
