Chapter 1
Dr Webber walked out of the double doors leading towards the ambulance bay and the Surgeon waiting outside. “Hi Mer, what’s coming in?” He greeted. Meredith Grey there stood with 3 interns.
Meredith shrugged. “Nothing exciting, An RTA but the pits quiet today so I took the call.” Just then the Seattle Fire department aid car came around the corner with sirens blaring. Dr Grey recognised the firefighter who jumped out the front as Travis Montgomery and when the back door opened she saw Dean Miller, who use to have a crush on her sister!
“39 year old African American female rta, unconcious. We intubated on scene.” Miller said opening the aid car and lifting the gurney out with Montgomery as he reeled off her vitals and symptoms.
“Thanks guys” Dr Grey said her interns taking the gurney off them.
Dr Webber looked at the woman’s face, she looked familiar. “Any ID?” He asked the firefighters. Dean handed him a clear bag which contained the woman’s belongings. He reached inside into her handbag and pulled out her wallet. Her ID said “Valerie Carter”
The name didn’t sound that familiar, but he could swear he knew this woman. That she’d been bought in on a gurney before. He sighed and walked inside ignoring the nagging feeling he felt.
***
Robert Sullivan was finishing off paperwork when Andy Herrera knocked on his door.
“Good afternoon captain. How are you today?”
“Good afternoon Herrera. You’re nice and early. shift doesn’t start for another hour.”
She smiled. “You know I like to relax a bit before starting work. Helps me get in the zone.”
He chuckled he did know that. “Well I think lunch is still upstairs and so go help yourself.” He looked back at his papers but could she hadn’t moved. He looked up at her.
“Herrera?”
She had something to say but didn’t know how to bring it up. She walked in and closed the door. “I’ve heard there’s a Battalion chief position coming up and wondered if you would be applying for it?”
He raised his eyebrows and then slowly smiled.” You mean you want to know if a captain’s position is coming up here” she blushed waiting for his answer. “In truth I haven’t thought about it but a Captains position will come up somewhere even if I don’t apply for it.” He looked at her thoughtfully “Herrera you don’t have to stay at 19 your whole life just cause your father did.”
“I know that Sir.” She nodded “but what I don’t get is why you don’t want to be more than a captain. You could have made battalion chief 5 years ago at least but instead you came here as Captain.”
He and Herrera were friends she had helped him settle at station 19 when he didn’t really know anyone and him and Ripley weren’t still on speaking terms. He was silent as he thought about what she said. “Not everyone wants to climb the ladder. This paperwork is bad enough. I’d have 6 times this if I got promoted. Not to mention I wouldn’t get to be in the field as much.”
“No offence but you’re not getting any younger. Do you want to still be running into buildings with the youngsters?” She chuckled
“Ha Ha I’m not that old thank you!” He stood up to put the papers in his filing cabinet. “I’ll think about it and if I decide to apply you’ll be the first to know okay? Herrera smiled happily but she didn’t get up to leave his office.
“Is there something else?”
He watched as she played with her fingernails nervously which was very out of character for such a confident young woman.
“Andy?”
She looked up at the sound of her name. The captain never used first names. “I’m having second thoughts…”she trailed off.
“Second thoughts?”
She sighed. “About marrying Ryan. I keep putting it off and I’m now wondering if I’m putting it off because deep down I don’t want to marry him.”
Robert looked at her, feeling puzzled. Why was she coming to him with this? It wasn’t work related. “Um, er.” He paused trying to think of what to say. “Have you er tried talking to Ryan about how you feel.”
She shook her head vehemently. “I can’t exactly tell him I think that I might be missing out on better opportunities, can I?” She laughed as he widened his eyes at her statement and then licked her lips. He watched the motion and met her eyes. She held his gaze. “I’m definitely interested in someone else. I just don’t know if he’s interested back.” This time Robert bit his lip. Was she flirting with him? He cleared his throat and turned back to the filing cabinet using it as an excuse to process the situation.
“Um maybe ask him out on a date..this guy you’re interested in and see how he responds.” He mumbled.
“I might just do that.” He turned to face her as she stood up ready to leave but then she said. “Captain would you like to go for a drink with me?”
If he’d had a drink he would have spat it out. He liked hererra she was attractive and she loved the job just like he did. It worked for Lucas and Vic so maybe dating a firefighter could work for him too. He hadn’t dated much since his wife died nearly 17 years ago. Just a dinner here or there and some one-night stands. Never enough to get involved. Going on a date with a colleague would be more awkward but did he really want to spend the rest of his life alone. Taking a deep breath he nodded. “Sure, how about tomorrow after shift?”
Herrera smiled prettily. “Looking forward to it. I’m gonna go and get some of that lunch you mentioned.” She walked out swaying her hips. He shook his head and chuckled. He was mad. She was a handful at the best of times. He sat down at his desk and looked up to see the Aid Car pulling in.
Dean and Travis jumped out and walked upstairs to the beanery behind Andy.
“How come you two are on Aid? Shifts not for an hour!”
“We got called in early. Felix went home sick and Reed twisted his ankle” Dean rolled his eyes. “B shift are really slacking.”
“Why didn’t D cover?”
“It’s only a couple of extra hours. Sullivan okayed it we were in the gym anyway.” They opened the door to the Beanery and walked in.
“Hmm coffee” Travis said picking up the jug giving it a deep inhale.
“Do you need to get a room with that pot.” Dean chuckled.
“Don’t judge. Good coffee is vital for brain alertness!”
“it’s called caffeine you doof” Andy punched him lightly in his arm
“Caffeine sounds good” Sullivan’s deep voice boomed as he walked into the beanery. “everything go ok with that call?”
“Yes Sir just a RTA. Car must have lost control and hit a tree. Took vic to Grey Sloan.” Dean shrugged.
“I’ll do my report right after coffee Sir.” Travis added. He looked like he was in love with his cup. Deam rolled his eyes before turning to the captain. “I wrote mine on the way back I’ll bring it down in a minute.”
Sullivan nodded and left to head back to his office. 19 were a crazy bunch but he wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.
***
“You didn’t really have to come with me Eggy,” Lucas smiled at his beautiful girlfriend as they walked towards the hospital entrance. “It’s just my yearly physical I have to get done to prove that the Fire Chief is 100% fit, healthy and able to do his job.”
“I should just tell them how good you are in bed and then they’d have no doubt about how fit you are” she wiggled her eyebrows at him
His eyes widened and she grinned cheekily. “Your so bad, Eggy. You probably would too!”
She raised her eyebrows in mock indignation “Me?” He laughed and bent his head to kiss her deeply. They’d been together nearly 2 years and he still couldn’t get enough of this crazy, beautiful, funny, smart woman. He had asked her to marry him two months ago in front of her whole team. He’d been nervous as hell, but she had said yes and he couldn’t be more happier.
“Is Maggie performing it?” She asked when they broke apart.
He nodded pushing a curl of out of her face “She said to page her when I arrived”
“Well I didn’t have much to do today so I get to see two of my favourite people by tagging along”
He stopped again “well I know I’m one but who’s the other?”
“Actually, I meant Maggie and Delukes.” She pokes her tongue out at him and he laughed kissing her again.
Everyone commented that they were like a couple of teenagers who couldn’t keep their hands off each other and it was true. They walked into the hospital with their arms wrapped around each other’s waists. “I’m gonna go to the restroom while you page Maggie okay?”
He nodded and kissed her again before watching her walk away. She was everything to him and he was thankful that neither of them had lost their job once HR found out about them. It was more a reprimand for not disclosing their relationship when it first started and he’d been put on probation for a year as punishment but other than that they had got off very lightly. Although, Vic hadn’t yet been called on to do partner duty things yet and he wondered if she would hate it and then resent him for it.
He sighed and walked to the reception desk. “Lucas Ripley to see Dr Maggi Pierce. I have an appointment.”
The receptionist told him to take a seat while she paged the doctor. He smiled his thanks and turned around bumping into an older Doctor who he recognised “Chief Webber.” He said bending down to pick up the card, the older doctor has dropped. “How are you?”
“Chief Ripley.” The doctor greeted back. “Except I’m haven’t been chief here for a long time now.”
Lucas smiled “you’ll always be chief to me. I remember you from when I bought my first patient here.”
“A long time ago.” The two men laughed. “Are you here visiting someone?”
“no no I’ve just got my yearly physical. Protocol and all that. I’m waiting for Dr Pierce.”
Dr Webber nodded. “Maggie’s good. She’ll have you in and out in no time.”
“I’m not in a hurry. Just paperwork awaits back at the office.” He rolled his eyes and looked at the card he had picked up ready to hand it back to him.
“That’s the one thing I don’t miss about being chief” Webber laughed but realised the fire chief wasn’t laughing. He was staring at the driving license in his hand. His face had gone considerably pale. “What is it? Do you know her? I thought she looked familiar but can’t place her…”
Lucas felt like the life had been sucked out of him. He opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. It couldn’t be, he must be seeing things but it was.
“Lucas, who is she?”
“I…its..Claire!” He stuttered. “Claire Sullivan.”