Fire and Blood /-/ a Chicago Fire story

3

It's now Saturday morning. 6:30am. I get up and get dressed into my new uniform. I grab my truck 81 fleece jacket and put it on. I walk out of my room and down to Alex's. I go in. I bend down beside her. I shake her shoulder.
"Alexa." I whisper, "time to wake up honey."
She whines and rolls over.
"Come on baby." I lift her out of her bed.
I stand her on the ground and help her get dressed for the day. We go to the bathroom and I do her hair and teeth. I put her shoes on and put mine on too. I grab my duffel bag as Alex starts crying.
"Baby, what's wrong?" I ask her.
"Don't wanna walk." She cries
"Ok, come here." I lift her up.
I'm thankful I put my box of stuff to stay in my locker in the car last night. She tends to do this a lot. I'm thinking of getting some tests done. Just to make sure nothing is wrong. I carry her out to my car. I buckle her in and put my duffel bag at her feet. I close her door, get in the car and drive to 51. I park and get out. I go around to her door.
"Baby girl, I need you to be a big girl and walk for mommy. I need to carry my box and bag." I explain
"No." She cries.
"Come on baby, please." I reason
"No." She starts sobbing.
"Hey sis, everything ok?" Sylvie comes over.
"Rough morning. Doesn't want to walk but I need to carry my bag and box." I sigh
"I've got them, you get her." Sylvie grabs my bag and box from in the car.
I smile gently and lift a sobbing Alex into my arms. I start to sway softly with her whilst we walk up the apron. We go inside. Everyone looks up, hearing Alex's cries.
"Everything ok?" Boden asks
"Rough morning." I explain
"Alright, let me know if you need anything." He nods
I follow Sylvie to the locker room. I claim my locker and place my stuff on a bench. I place Alex on the bench. I start unpacking my box and stick up a few photos. I then put my duffel bag in the bottom of my locker. I close it, locking it, as Sylvie passes me a roll of tape and a marker. I rip off a piece of tape and stick it to my locker. I write Hally on it so it isn't confused with my sister's.
"Smart." She chuckles
I nod as she puts the tape and marker away. I lift Alex back up and head into the bunk room. I slowly sway with the still crying girl. She soon quietens and I notice she is asleep. I don't know where to put her so I keep her on me and walk into the main room. I make coffee. I start to drink it.
"She's asleep, would you like to put her in my office?" Boden asks
"Thanks Chief," I place my coffee down and walk to his office and lay Alex on a couch in his office. I close the door. I head back to the main room and actually drink my coffee.
"So, where'd you move from exactly?" Otis asks
"Sydney, Australia. New South Wales, East coast. Known for the Oprah house and harbour bridge!" I explain, "lived in a condo by Bondi with my mate Jack, he and I worked at the same firehouse. On 47 degree days, we'd walk to the beach and Alex would have so much fun boarding in the ocean. Had to be careful of rips though."
"47 degrees is freezing." Cruz exclaims
"Celsius, not Fahrenheit." I reply, "would've been around 116 degrees if it was here."
"Holy hell!" Severide exclaims, "that's hot."
"Eh, normal for summer." I shrug, "we moved to Sydney only a couple years ago, 2014, before that we lived in rural Victoria, but our place got caught up in the bushfires so we moved,"
"What, you never told me." Sylvie sits on the table beside me.
"Yeah, rough time. We lived with a few sheep and couldn't save them. Couldn't save the Rascal either." I sigh
"Oh sis." Sylvie hugs me, "you'd had rascal for years right?"
"6.5 years," I respond.
*truck 81, squad 3, ambo 61, structural collapse, 192 West Point." The alarm rings
"Show me what you got 51." I smile as we run out to the trucks.
I slide on my boots and strap them on. I grab my bunker coat and get in the truck. I put it on and put on my helmet. We pull up at the scene. I jump out. Casey has a look around. Chief stayed behind at 51 for this call. Half a building has collapsed.
"Alright, Hermann, Mouch, take the left lower section, Otis, get the Aerial up. Hally, you and I will head up the aerial to help on the top floor. Squad take the right lower section." He orders.
I grab my Halligan and wait as Otis raises the Aerial. I follow Casey up. We make it to the stable section on the top floor.
"Go left. I'll go right." He tells me.
I nod. I start searching.
"Fire department. Call out." I yell.
"Help!" A woman screams
I see the woman with her armed pinned under a cabinet behind a fallen beam. I head over. I parkour my way over the beam and reach the woman.
"Ok, ma'am, what's your name?" I ask
"Lisa." She exclaims
"Ok Lisa, I'm Hally, is there anyone else on this side?" I ask her
She shakes her head, "no."
I lift the cabinet off her arm.
"Can you walk?" I ask
She nods and gets up. I go back over the beam. I guide her to slowly climb over the beam. We make our way back to the Aerial. I help her onto it. Casey is already climbing down as his side was clear. I grab onto the Aerial as the ground beneath me falls. I manage to keep hold of the aerial but I'm hanging onto the side. Casey sees. He races back up the Aerial. I feel him grab my arm. He pulls me back onto the Aerial and we head down. I sigh softly as I get off the truck. I am hugged by my sister.
"Holly hell Hal, don't you ever do that again." Sylvie exclaims, "you ok?"
"I'm fine sis." I reassure her.
She heads back to the ambo.
"Alright. Lower section is all clear." Heramann walks over
Casey nods. We clean some up before bordering it off and heading back to 51. I put my helmet on my seat. I hop out and change boots, hanging my coat on the door. I go inside. Alex is playing with toys. She sees me.
"Mommy!" She runs for me.
I hug her, "hey possum, were you being good?"
"Yes mommy," she smiles
I chuckle softly, "go continue playing." I tell her as she goes back to playing.
The rest of shift goes pretty smooth.