The Fighter

Chapter 14

I got to the station and had just missed first truck. I went with Harry and Kyle in the second truck. Kyle was waiting for me there. "It's about time!" Kyle teased me on the ride to the scene. "Yeah, I know. My brother's girlfriend was over for dinner. I had to get around her car to leave the drive way." "Excuses, excuses." "Shut up!" I laughed and punched his arm. "Wait, Ky don't you usually get first truck?" I realized. "Yeah, but so do you. I was waiting for you." "How'd you know I'd be here?" "Because I know you." "Right." Looked down at my bunker pants. I felt bad for leaving dinner, but I was out of place there anyway. At least here I feel like I belong.

We got to the scene and the car was upside down. "Well, this is going to be fun." I sighed. "Hey, get the jaws!" John yelled over. "There's a man inside!" "Yeah, glad you came now?" Kyle ran over to the ambulance to get the spreaders. I got the tarp and went over to the car. The car looked familiar to me. I wasn't sure why. I had a chill run down my spine. "Mickie, go get traffic until Greg gets here." Pete directed me. I nodded and went to the road. I watched Kyle run over to John with the spreaders and Jet was ready to get this guy out. Greg parked his truck and came over to me. "Go, they need you." He smiled putting his coat on. "Thank you, here take this." I gave him my vest. "Go!" he laughed at me and I ran over to the car. "This is going to be rough. There is no way any of us can fit in there to pull him out." John sighed. "Mickie can. She's small enough." Jet looked at me. "Are you okay to do this?" Kyle asked. "Yeah, I can do it." I agreed. I went over to the car and got down to an arm crawl so I could get in. I looked up and saw the man. It was my Dad. Suddenly I froze.

It took me a second to get back to reality. I panicked a little bit. My breathing got faster and my heart started racing. "Mickie, what's going on?!" Jet demanded. I couldn't answer him. "Mickie, what's going on?!" he repeated himself. I still didn't answer. "MICKIE!" "It's my Dad. Guy's it's my dad!" I finally got out. "What?!" Kyle pulled me up. "Kyle, I can't do this!" "Listen, breathe. Calm down and breathe!" he spoke calmly. "Mickie you are the only one small enough to get him out. He is in danger. You saw his face, he's bleeding a lot. He's covered and he's losing a lot of blood. We don't have much time. You have to do this. Please just try this one more time." He looked me in the eyes. "Okay, I'll try it." I gave in and got back down on my stomach. I got in the car and they handed me the seat belt cutters. I cut it and caught him. He was unconscious, but breathing. He smelled of alcohol. They slipped in the neck brace and the back board and I slowly loaded him on it. They pulled him out and got him on the stretcher. "He's alive." Kyle looked at me after I crawled out. I hate this man, why was this tearing me apart inside.

I was answering the questions on his medical history the best that I could. I knew some of the medications that he had been on and I mentioned that he was a drug addict. "Okay, that's everything that we need. Do you want to go?" Jake asked. "No, where are you taking him?" "St. Ives." "Okay. Thank you." I smiled and went over to the boys. The flat bed had arrived while I was talking to Jake. I felt relieved when I saw the ambulance pull away. I was even more relieved when they took the car away and we finished cleaning up.

Back the station, I was in the office looking at the run sheet for the accident. I really couldn't believe that it was my dad. "Hey, you okay?" Greg walked over and put his hand on my shoulder. "Yeah, I'm okay." I sighed. I felt like crying. "So, that was your Dad?" "Yeah, I haven't seen him since the day I had him sign the papers for Avery." "Was he...." He trailed off. "Yeah, he was drinking. I could smell it. He might have been on something too, but we can't assume anything. I just know him." "Mickie, I know it was hard for you to go in and get him. Are you sure that you're okay?" he was really worried and I thought it was sweet. "Yeah, I'm fine. It was just weird seeing my dad like that. I've never freaked out on a scene like that before. It wasn't right and I feel so terrible for it." "Mick, it was your dad. No one blames you." "I know. It's probably a good thing that I left dinner. My brother is going to be pissed, but.... Did anyone call my brother?" "No, because you were there. You gave his medical history and you claimed him." "I don't know who his emergency contact is on his medical records. If I'm right, he never changed it and it's still my mom." "So, they won't call anyone else?" "Probably not." "Listen, if you need anything I'm here. You can call me." "Thanks Greg." I smiled. He hugged me. "Mickie, have you told Gavin yet?" Kyle came into the office. "No, I'm going to tell him when I go home after I help finish cleaning up." "Go now. You don't have to help clean up." "Kyle, yes I do. I was there. I helped." "Mickie, this is your father, you have to go home and tell your brother." "Kyle..." "No! Will you just listen to me? You have to tell your brother." "Fine. I'll go home. But answer me this question. Was he coming from Clarksville or was he coming to?" "He was on his way into Clarksville." "That's what I was afraid of." I got up and left.

I walked into the house and my brother was not happy. "Did you really have to go?" He asked. "Actually, yes I did." "Why? Why did you have to leave dinner? Julie was here! She wanted to get to know the family more. Especially you." "Gavin, stop. I have to tell you..." "Tell me what?! What was so important that you left when I needed you?! I needed you here! Do you just not like Julie? You didn't talk once when she was here!" "Gavin, please shut up for one second." I was trying to stay calm. "No Mickie! I'm sick of you always putting us aside! Why is the fire department more important than your family?" "It's not! Just stop and listen to me!" "No! I've been letting you get away with this long enough...." "Gavin shut the Hell up! It was dad! The accident was dad! You have no idea what we do! I crawled in a car with my almost lifeless father and pulled him out! I had his blood all over me! He was coming to Clarksville. He smelled like alcohol and now he's at St. Ives." I freaked out. "What?" he was shocked. He sat down on the closet stool. "I don't know his condition. I know nothing, but where they took him. They asked me if I wanted to go with him, but I had to come here and tell you." I explained and he just stayed quiet. "Do we tell Avery?" "Not yet. Where is Avvy?" "She's with Grandma at the store." "Good. Do you want to go to the hospital?" "Yeah." He nodded. "Okay, let me change and then we will go." "Okay, I'll call Grandma and let her know. I'll make sure that she doesn't tell Avvy." He sighed and took out his phone. I went into my room and took off my bunkers.