Elmira's Embers

Seven

Firehouse 55 was sent out on three different working fires that shift. With every strike with her halligan or ax, Elena's left hand burdened her with pain. Though she still believed punching Xander was worth the pain.

Truck Co. 17 only had to don their SCBA masks (Self Contained Breathing Apparatus) and oxygen tanks for two of the three fires, and had successfully extricated all the victims. Elena herself rescued two children from the first fire and a young woman and her dog in the second fire. She had disobeyed Captain Prince's orders by going back for the canine, but he was an emotional support dog. The woman suffered from anxiety and began to hyperventilate once Elena brought her to the ambulance, whimpering about her buddy. She remembered seeing dog toys spewed across the apartment during her search for the woman and sprinted back inside, all while Prince was shouting over the radio for Truck 17 to retreat immediately. "You have two minutes, Riley! Make it count!" He was shouting at her. "Who's on the nozzle?" The men preparing the hose responded and the captain warned them of the two minute delay.

When she emerged from the burning building, large labrador retriever over her shoulder, she nearly collapsed from exhaustion. Elena had just carried a 130-pound woman out of a burning building while wearing 70 pounds of turnout gear. She then returned at a full sprint and carried out 80 pounds in the form of a canine and never once complained it was too much. Tiny made a joke about how technically Elena was the labrador retriever and she placed the dog on the ground smiling widely. Captain Prince handed Elena a water bottle and nodded curtly as to say, "job well-done, Riley." Elena watched as the dog--Gizmo, she later learned--ran straight to his owner being treated in the back of an ambulance from Firehouse 46. The woman broke down into tears upon the arrival of her dog and looked up to wave at Elena and mouth a quick thank you. Elena responded by pinching the top of her helmet with her fingers and dipping it kindly.

The female firefighter downed the bottle of water and laughed as Tiny attempted to pour some over her head. Elena shed her gloves and turnout coat and moved to lean on the bumper of Truck 17 when she got shoved to the side. Finding her footing, Elena turned to see Brooke let out a deep breath.

"Okay, woah. What's up, Howard?" Elena tightened her dark ponytail and leaned against the truck.

"What's up? Are you kidding? You just...you almost...Are you okay? Why would you sprint into a burning building. Prince specifically said--" Brooke trailed off and sighed. "You shouldn't have done that."

"Brooke," she stood and took her by the shoulders, "breathe. I'm alright. The dog is alright. The woman is alright. We're all good."

"All good?"

"All good," Elena promised.

Brooke shoved her again and shook her head. "Dumbass."

Elena smiled brightly and pulled Brooke into a bone crushing hug, "Shhhh."

Brooke took a deep breath and let it out with a series of coughs. "Dude you smell like smoke."

"Yeah that happens," Elena laughed until a fit of coughs of her own took over her lungs.

"Come over to the ambo. Get you some nice clean oxygen, yeah?"

"I'll be alright, Brooke." Elena's short blonde roommate gave her a look that could kill. "Lead the way, Brooke."

In the back of the ambo, Brooke tried relentlessly to get the oxygen mask over Elena's head. Once she finally reasoned with the stubborn brunette a bouncing dog came hurtling toward the Elena and she quickly ripped off the mask to play with it. Brooke sighed in defeat.

"Sorry about Gizmo, he's not usually this excited," said an accented voice.

Elena looked up to find the woman she pulled out of the fire crouched before her trying to calm down the dog. "No, it's totally fine, he's adorable. Not unlike his owner," she sneakily flirted. "I don't think I caught your name." Elena flashed a smile and stuck out her hand.

"Amber. Russel." Her accent must have been Australian, Elena guessed. It suited her well.

"Elena." She shook Amber's hand. "Riley." She looked behind her to see Brooke shifting uncomfortably. "This is Brooke, my roommate."

Brooke shook the aussies hand and damned the tall, dark, and gorgeous woman in front of her for catching Elena's eye so quickly. "Gorgeous dog you have here," Brooke said.

"Thank you," Amber replied brightly. "And thanks again Elena. I don't know what I'd do without him."

"Just doing my job, Amber. Happy to help."

Amber took Gizmo and bid the girls goodbye before going to Captain Prince to find out when she could return to her apartment. Brooke snapped her fingers in front of Elena's face, as she had been zoning out.

"Earth to Elena. What are you thinking?"

"Hm? Nothing. I should probably help the guys load the truck." Elena walked back to Truck 17, her eyes darting toward Amber time and time again. Brooke pulled off her rubber gloves with an aggressive flourish and closed the back of the ambo before returning to Firehouse 55.