Embers

~3~ First Call

Ellie's POV

I go back to the apparatus floor to try and find my partner. It shouldn't be hard; We're the only two females in the entire house. I go over to the rig, and I see her. She's beautiful. Blonde hair with striking blue eyes and ridiculously long curly eyelashes. She's about my body size, but probably about 5'7. She sees me and smiles, but the smile doesn't quite reach her eyes. I put my hand out for her to shake.

"Hi! My name's Ellie Freeman, I get to be your partner," I say, trying to make it breezy.

"Hey Freeman, I'm Megan Fields, it's to meet you." She takes my hand in a firm grip.

There's a moment of awkward tension, before I speak.

"Listen, Megan. I really hope there are no hard feelings. I heard that you were hoping to be PIC. I'm sorry, I'm not meaning to overstep. I hope to learn as much as I can from you," I say, hoping she will hear the sincerity in my voice.

She immediately relaxes her jaw, and her smile is a little more genuine this time.

"Thank you," she says as she goes back over to the rig to start putting adhesive tape and dressings back into the medical bag.

"I've heard great things about you," she says after a moment. "I think we will make a good team."

"We're going to make a GREAT team" I say as I immediately relax. She's going to be my best friend. I can feel it.

DING
*Engine 20, Truck 80, Squad 10, Ambulance 20, car accident on 5th street, driver pinned

My first call here at this house! My nerves change into steely determination as I rush to the passenger side. Megan looks at me quizzically. "You're PIC, don't you want to drive?"

"If you don't want to drive that's fine, but I would much rather ride and learn the ropes around here," I say, silently praying that she'll drive. I'm honesty not the best driver. Alex never would get in the car with me if I was driving.

She smiles really big, and it definitely reaches her eyes this time. "I'm good to drive," she says as she climbs in and shuts the door, flipping on the siren. I breathe a sigh of relief. Good, maybe she will drive the whole time, and I won't have to.

Chief Ryder's car moves out first, then truck, engine, squad, and finally us. We go through the streets at a fast speed, getting to the sight quickly. Once there, it's obvious that squad is going to need to assist getting the driver out. He's pinned by his legs and unconscious. Lieutenant Preston orders one of his men to grab the Jaws as Megan and I assess the victim. I go ahead and put a C Collar on and quickly get out of Preston's way. As Megan and I wait with the gurney, we watch as Preston, Greene, and two other men I haven't met yet get the door off, get his legs unpinned, and lift him to the gurney. Once he's on the gurney my instincts take over.

We immediately get him on the heart monitor, to find that he is Asystole. Megan grabs the defibrillator, and I get it set up.

"Charging to 300, Clear!" I say as the shock jolts the victim. When we look at the screen, nothing changes.

"Charging to 350, Clear!" I say again, praying this one gets his heart moving.

We look at the screen, and see the beautiful heart rhythm moving steady.

"Let's go!" Megan says as we load him in the ambulance.

I stay with him in the back while Megan drives to the hospital.

When we get back to the firehouse, everyone surrounds us, asking for an update.

"He should be fine!" Megan smiles

Cheers erupt and people clap us on the back. I then get introduced to the remaining men, and spend the rest of the evening learning the ropes of this firehouse. I deliberately stay away from Lieutenant Preston, although I notice that he's been watching me quite a bit from a distance.