This Walk of Life

Chapter 12: Not Anymore Part 2

Nick's POV

Strolling into Station 7 I greeted my second family with warm and hearty hellos and good mornings. For the first emergency of the day, we responded to a simple car fire belonging to a teenage girl who panicked when the smoke started puffing out the engine and then boom, engine fire. While Alli and Anthony extinguished the fire as quickly as possible, Norman was commanding the accident scene with the police along with Hiryu's assistantce, and I consoled the teenager who was a crying mess. I sat with her and what a conversation with her while we waited for a friend of hers to get her. I was proud of myself. Instead of being cruel and cold to a patient I talked to her and made her smile while her car burned. After that my day was better, the feeling of being happy was alien to me but it was nice for what little time I had.

Currently I was checking my gear for anything faulty after we a false gas leak call, checking my gear is a pain in the ass but it's essential to survival well others survival not mine. While checking my SCBA's oxygen level, my phone vibrated in the phone call pattern, checking the screen I saw it was Ethan calling me. Sliding to answer I put the phone to my ear.

"Hey Ethan!" I greeted my buddy with great enthusiasm, "Hi buddy, um do you have a moment?" Ethan asked sounding a bit worried, "Um..." I stalled looking at the gear and figured only few minutes wouldn't hurt. "Yeah, what's up, are you okay?" I asked and there was silence for a moment.

"Why are you lying about being happy?" Ethan asked, the question formed a crack in my dam and anger rose in me, "I'm not faking-" I tried to retaliate but Ethan was quicker, "You're faking it Nick, I know you buddy and I know when you're faking it" I was caught red handed how I could have been so stupid, Ethan knows me too damn well. "Nick, listen to me please don't kill yourself, you have kids who love you so much, you have me and Angie, and you're a firefighter your dream job since we were kids" Ethan almost made me cry in the bay, but I would not let the demons see weakness. But the strain was too much and some of the dark slipped out and charged Ethan.

"Listen to me you son of a bitch, I am trying to enjoy what little time I have on this fucking Earth. No one is gonna fucking stop me not your weak ass and not that bitch your with either, not my disappointment of children, not that sensitive bitch I married, no one will stop me Ethan fuck you and mind your own goddamn business" in a rage of fury I hung up the phone and threw my helmet hard against the wall creating a loud echo in the bay.

Regaining my composure, I took deep and quick breaths so much so that I became lightheaded. Anthony came into the bay and looked at me with a confused look, "Sorry I dropped my tank, all good" I assured Anthony who gave me a thumbs up and left me alone again. Taking a seat on the rigs step I took deep breaths and cleared the dark clouds and made it sunny again, finally being able to calm down I got back to work checking my gear.

BEEP

BEEP

BEEP

I didn't even listen to to what the emergency was I just threw off my shoes and shoved my feet into my boots and pulled the bunker pants up. Being quick I put my jacket on, grabbed my helmet and carried my SCBA in my arm, using my available fingers I opened the door and got inside the truck. While everyone else was still getting prepared, taking the time I had I put the SCBA in its slot behind me and zipped up my jacket.

Anthony took the driver seat, Norman took the passenger, and Alli and Hiryu got in the back with me as always. Anthony rolled the engine out and added gas to the engine, pushing the heavy beast down the street and towards the location. "We got a fire today; Italian restaurant, grease fire got out of control" Norman informed us. Using that information, we put on our SCBAs and strapped them tight.