As soon as their shift ended, Sam sighed and took his things out of his locker. It was a long night. They had a problem getting to Lucas to help him bring Otto back to safety, because the stairs to the basement were so old that they broke of the heat. The only good news was that the hose Otto was holding all the time saved his life when he fall on it downstairs, it partly cushioned the impact of gravity. Krzysiek and Sam quickly put the fire in the old fireplace out while Lucas and Matteo managed to secure the ropes around Otto's body and pull him up.
But they didn't laugh or play that night when they came back from the call. Even though Otto regained consiousness, it was still a big risk of the unknown. He tried to joke that nothing happened to him, but it was too obvious he was lying.
The sound of a ringing phone brought Sam out of his thoughts. He looked at the display and sighed. He wasn't in the mood for a talk and he didn't want to sadden Penny with his mood. He wanted to denied the call, but he hesitated. His hand shook and therefore he accepted the call.
"What took you so long, Sam?" He heard in the phone and he could bet Penny was smiling saying that.
"Not too long" he complained as he shouldered his bagpack and close the door after him, walking on to the street watching a sun rise.
"What happened?" Penny imediatelly felt something was wrong.
"Nothing, I'm just tired after all night up on my feet" Sam tried to pretend he was yawning, but unsuccessfully.
"All night up on feet?" Penny asked him sceptically. "Are you trying to fool me with that?"
"I'm not fooling..." Sam tried to defend himself, already thinking about better excuse, but Penny quickly interrupted him.
"Sam, what's wrong?" She pressured as worriness could be heard in her voice, but Sam sighed in responce.
"It was a long night, Penny. Can I call you back when I reach home?" He begged, wishing for a moment of silence as he stopped.
"But on video" she replied after a moment of hesitation. "I want to make sure you're not up to for something stupid".
Sam fall on the bed, as soon as he let his backpack fall on the floor, and buried his face in the pillow. All he wanted to do was to fall asleep, but he promised Penny. And he wasn't willing to break a word only because of laziness.
Reluctantly he openned his laptop, only to discover that Penny just made a video call.
"What's going on, Sam?" She asked him straight from the bridge.
It took her a little time to get an answer from Sam, but when he finally told her what had happened she understood why he closed himself and didm't want to talk. Neither of them was used to things like that happening in Pontypandy. For that part their job as firefighters there was a paradise. But they knew deep inside that accident also could happen.
He slept whole day to have energy for another night shift. He gathered his bag as he heard like Lucas overslept one of his alarm clocks either. But that didn't stop him from smiling when he read a message Penny sent him right before her shift: I know you will do the right thing ;-)
He answered before he walked with Lucas to Essen fire station. They was uncomfortable silence and only the noise of their firefighting boots on the pavement in the dim light guided their way.
"Do you think Otto will come back on duty?" Sam broke the silence when they reached the door, as the lights in the hall were still turned off.
"For sure someday, but I guess it can take him week or two"Lucas muttered. "I'll be in the office if anyone of you is looking for me" he called to Sam, closing his locker.
After around one hour, Lucas came back to him, Hans, Henri, Matteo and Krzysiek, but his facial expression was even more serious than before.
"The results of expertise came back" he announced indifferently. He put the file on the table, they were sitting at. Sam and Krzysiek who coudln't understand anything from the raport just watched how their colleagues' facial expressions changes from anxious to frightened.
"Why does it says that Otto will be brought to responsibility?" Henri named what they all where thinking, while Sam and Krzysiek turned to the rest with silent "what?" painted on their faces.
"The rules are strict if someone gets injured" Lucas replied formally.
"Womit spielst du, Lucas?(What are you playing with, Lucas?)" Matteo grabbed his friend's arm as he whispered. "Sind Sie auf unserer Seite oder möchten Sie in die Zentrale zurückkehren?(Are you on our side or want to come back to headquaters?)"
"Ich weiß nicht, wovon du sprichst(I don't know what you're talking about)" Lucas replied offendedly.
"Du weisst(You know)" Matteo didn't give up. "Wir wissen beide, dass das nicht so sein muss. Otto kann ohne Probleme da rauskommen. Warum stehst du nicht für ihn ein?(We both know it doesn't have to be that way. Otto can go out of this without any trouble. Why don't you stand up for him?)" He accused.
"Weil er einen Fehler gemacht hat und es nicht unsere Schuld ist(Because he made a mistake and it is not our fault)" Lucas replied calmly, but when Matteo stormed past him, he didn't look so calm anymore. "What are you staring at?" He shouted angrily and while Hans and Henri politely obeyed, lowering their gazes, Krzysiek and Sam looked at each other surprised, before Sam started spoking, carefully choosing his words.
"Did I understand right, that you want Otto to be punished for the thing he is not responsible for?"
"Sam, it doesn't conclude you, so why do you worry? Why you make yourself trouble, Krzysiek?" Lucas turned to them helplessly.
"I can only speak for myself" Sam started, but Krzysiek quickly nodded in his direction to show him he would agree with everything he was going to say. "I am a leader too. I know how it is to bear this responsibility" Sam tried to avoid Lucas' bored gaze. "But I would never, ever imagine, that I could put the blame on someone who was injured in the action" Sam stood up for Otto.
"It is really honorable of you" Lucas looked at him with helplessness still in his eyes. "But I can't do anything about it".
"If you can't put a statement, then I'm willing to take all the blame on me" Sam spoke loudly, after he swallowed heavily. "All of it".
"And me too" Krzysiek laid his hand on Sam's shoulder to underlined his words.
"And we too" Matteo appeared from nowhere as he, Henri and Hans joined their two exchange colleagues.
"I think you don't have any other choice, Lucas" Matteo joked proudly as they all smiled gratefully to Sam.
YOU ARE READING
Separated ways
FanfictionIn Pontypandy changes came unexpectedly, changes that could ruin anything, by giving better light to live. In this mess Sam nad Penny found themselves on a broken path that seperated their feelings. Can their friends help them or it was already too...
