Still Burning

1- The Hall

He felt his heart race as he jumped into the truck. The sirens screamed out into the busy roads. His hand ran through his hair before he sighed.

"It's a small building. A workshop. Owner says there are about fifteen people inside."

"Illegal?"

"Yeah," the driver said with a sigh. "Load of Romanians- girls. They are locked in a room and the owner says that the keys are in. Squad 5 are on it."

After driving through the street, Tony, the driver, pulled up by the burning building. Nathan glanced around the firefighters, each with a young woman in their arms. He knelt down on the floor, pulled on his mask before storming into the building. His hands traced along the wall as his vision blurred and soon turned dark.

"Fire department, call out!"

"Squad 5 to your right! The door is unlocked." Nathan hurried over, raising his hand to the other side of the wall. He felt the rope under his foot and quickly picked it up. The heat was rising and he knew he was in now.

* * *

Nathan walked into the firehouse, listening to the joke Tony had said just four hours ago. He was telling Asher now, who was pretending to be interested the same way he did when his daughter showed him a picture she drew.

As soon as he entered the kitchen, he felt a smile break out onto his face. Before he could make his way to the woman smiling back at him, he heard his chief call his name. Nathan raised a hand, giving a small wave.

"Chief," he said as he entered the office. He turned his head to his right and smiled at the lieutenant of squad 5. "Is something wrong? You look a little worried."

"Urm...you know how you trusted me and Esposito with getting that place for your wedding? And we said we had it sorted two months ago?"

Nathan shook his head. "Chief...Esposito you promised me!"

"Look, I've spoken to Andy and she said it's okay."

Nathan leaned over the table. "That was the place she dreamed of. She always wanted to get married there and-"

"Look, she said she wouldn't mind having it here. It's where you both met and-"

"I'm going to go and talk to her. I can't believe you guys left it to this late to tell me." With an irritated sigh, he pulled the door open and marched towards the kitchen.

When he walked into the kitchen, he saw Andy giggling with the guys. Tony had stuffed a number of meatballs in his mouth again.

"Hey, babe, can I talk to you for a second?"

"I'll be back in a minute Jessica," Andy said with a smile before following Nathan to his office. It wasn't a big office, just a small desk and bed. "If this is about-"

"Of course it's about that!" Nathan let out a groan before turning around to face her. "De, this is all you've been dreaming of. That one place, getting out that car and walking down that aisle. I trusted-"

"Hey, they tried their best." With a smile, she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Come on, you know I don't like it when you're annoyed."

"I just...Pumpkin, you dreamt of that place for ages and I finally thought that I could give it to you for our wedding." She gently kissed him, feeling his tensed muscles relax under her hands. "I'm so sorry babe."

"As long as I'm with you, with the people I love then I am okay. Marrying you isn't about the hall."

"I know-"

"No buts."

"I'm sorry."

She pulled back to smile at him. He frowned back before leaning down to kiss her again. "Nathan Carter, you listen to me right now." He pulled back to lean his forehead against hers. "I am marrying you, at this firehouse, in front of close relatives and friends and then we are making our way to the venue where the guests are. We are going to have our first dance in front of everyone like we practised. We are going to get a little tipsy because we didn't spend that much on alcohol for nothing. Then we are going home, to bed and the next day we are flying out to Spain. Is that okay?"

"Very okay," he said with a smile.

"I don't want any more grumpy Nathan, okay?"

"Okay." He let out a sigh as he pulled her into a hug. "I love you. I don't know what the hell I'd do without you."

"I love you too. Now come on, it's time to eat."

Andy pulled his hand, leading the way out the office. He felt a smile rise on his lips as he watched her. He loved how calm she was about everything and how quick she could calm him down.

"Babe," he said softly before pulling her to a stop. They were by the lockers now and she could see the kitchen from her view. The men and women were serving themselves some food, many gathered around the table, making jokes and passing time.

She looked back at Nathan who was smiling. "Remember when we first met? You came in with your school and I was assigned to you to help with any questions you had."

Andy rolled her eyes. "I came with the university. Don't act like I was fifteen and had some crush on a guy four years older than me."

"No," he said with a laugh. "You're right. But this can be special too. Having it here, where we met, where I proposed. As long as I'm with you, that's all that matters."

Andy smiled up at him before kissing him. She felt him smile into the kiss and pulled back. "You're the best thing that happened to me, Nathan."

"You're the best thing that happened to me, Andy Lancaster. And the best thing that happened to this firehouse. You come here and you make everyone happy which is something I am so thankful for. We see a lot and it's nice to have someone there to cheer us up at the end, for someone to talk to and-"

"Cook for you?" she said with a laugh. Nathan smiled at her before pulling her into a kiss. "Come on, I'm hungry."

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