A Firefighter's Secret

The Secret is Out

"Hughes!" Sullivan called as she passed by the gym.
"Yes?" She asked as she walked in, she noticed Ripley on the floor.
"Get the aid car ready. Grey-Sloan needs to know he's coming. He's having a heart attack and definitely needs stitches for the wound on his head. Probably got a concussion too." She barely heard what he'd said. She slid onto her knees and took his hand.
"NO!" Luke wake up!" She begged. That drew the rest of the crew in.
"Damn it! Vic, I forgot. Help us get him in the aid car and then you can lose it. Can you do that?"
"Yeah. I can do that." She replied softly as she wiped her tears and moved to help them get him on the gurney.
Once they were on their way to the hospital Vic started an IV in his arm.
"Eggy? What happened?" She smiled and moved closer to him.
"You had a heart attack and you knocked your head pretty good. So you'll need stitches and you probably have a concussion."
"They know?"
"Yeah. I'll call Sarah as soon as we get to Grey-Sloan. They'll have to speed up their investigation process now."
"No kidding. Hey, look at me," she locks eyes with him, "I love you, Victoria."
"I love you too, Lucas." She replied and ignored the looks of her team as she helped unload the gurney.
Sullivan took over for Vic as she stepped away to call the head SFD's HR.
"Hello?"
"Hey Sarah. It's Victoria Hughes. Luke had a heart attack at 19. My crew knows about us. At the moment, I am on my way to check on him. I know what you said, but I can't stay away from him right now."
"Vic, I would never keep you both apart during a medical emergency. Stay with him. I'll have to come down there anyway. Grey-Sloan, right?"
"Thanks Sarah. Yeah, we're at Grey-Sloan."
"No problem. I'll let the ACO know he's down for the count for a few weeks."
"Thanks, see you in a little while Sarah." Vic replied as she hung up. She went to find Luke. Sullivan pointed her towards his room and went to talk to his crew.
"Vic is dating the Chief?" Andy asked.
"Yes. They are dealing with HR investigations now. To make sure neither of them were coerced or forced into anything."
"Does he take care of her?" Miller asked.
"Yes. He takes excellent care of me. He treats me like a queen. I will be more than happy to answer questions, but right now I'm more worried about him. He is my priority."
"As long as he is good to you and you're happy I have no issue." Dean replied.
"Same here." Travis added as the rest of them nodded.
"How is he?" Sullivan asked as Sarah rounded the corner.
"Good. Vitals are stable and his concussion is only minor. Docs are stitching him up now." Vic replied.
"That's good. You know I have to do interviews with the two of you again after I ask them a few questions about today." Vic nodded.
"Yeah. But you know my story and his. They won't change because they are the truth." She replied.
"Oh, I am more than sure. To be honest, the investigation past those interviews is just protocol and not necessary in this situation. They way you two have consistently repeated the same story with the same words tells me it's the truth. You would forget details and they would change over time if they weren't true." Vic nodded.
"We'll answer your questions whenever you're ready." Sullivan added.
"We'll do it one at a time though I would prefer to do it at 19."
"Of course. Hughes if you'll come back and get these interviews over with then you can take off for the rest of the shift." Vic nodded.
"Thanks Captain. Give me a minute and I'll be out there." She went to let Ripley know and say goodbye.
Ten minutes later, Sarah was sitting in the conference room with Sully. She pressed play on the recorder.
"Please state your name and rank."
"Captain Robert Sullivan, station 19."
"Captain how would you say Hughes carried herself during today's incident?"
"Hughes reacted as anyone would. She was concerned for her loved one, however, she quickly pulled herself together and did her job expertly."
"So, you would say she was professional for the most part?" Sarah asked.
"Absolutely." He nodded.
"And she didn't pressure anyone into giving the Chief medical care more than she would have another firefighter or civilian?"
"No. She actually started the IV once we got him in the aid car. For his condition it was really all we could do. Once he woke up en route Montgomery did a neuro check. Chief Ripley and Firefighter Hughes did exchange dialogue; however, it was about whether or not the crew knew and what exactly had occurred." Sarah nodded.
"Alright that's great. I have only one more question. Did you in any way feel she treated him differently than any of you on your crew?"
"No. She would treat us all as equally well as she treated him."
"Alright. Thank you for your time Captain. If you will send the next member of your crew in." He nodded before he stood and left.
"Montgomery, go." He said as Travis was the first one he spotted after leaving the conference room.
Travis walked in and sat himself across from Sarah. She began immediately.
"Please state your name and rank."
"Firefighter Travis Montgomery, station 19."
"Tell me, did you feel any discomfort when you learned about the relationship between Firefighter Hughes and Chief Ripley?"
"I mean it's weird, but it doesn't make me uncomfortable. Vic is my best friend and if he makes her happy then I am more than willing to deal with a few weeks of awkward get to know you questions." Sarah nodded in understanding.
"Do you feel she would have reacted and/or treated you and/or another member of your crew the same way?" Travis smiled.
"Yes. Vic is loyal to a fault and we are all a family here. She, like any one of us, would put her life down to protect or save the rest of us." Sarah nodded again, she had seen that loyalty to the Chief during her interviews and assumed that it was given to all she cared about.
"Do you feel that if your crew was in a fire and the Chief had to make a call without solely caring for her safety he could?"
"Yes. Because he cares for all of us. There's a reason he makes himself a part of every firefighter recovery. Including my husband's. I still trust him with my life."
"Did it occur to you than either of them coerced or forced the other into anything?"
"No. Because I know despite her personality Vic is not one for confrontation unless absolutely necessary. And I know enough about the Chief to know that he is not the type to use his position or authority to intimidate, coerce or force anyone to do anything." Sarah nodded.
"Thank you, Montgomery. If you'll send someone else in on your way out."
"Of course." Travis left and sent Miller in.
When he sat across from Sarah she smiled and immediately began to question him. He said much the same that Sullivan and Montgomery had.
Gibson, Herrera, and Bishop had felt a bit more uncomfortable but not as if he would choose her over any other firefighter. He cared for all of them more than most, especially the top brass. Most of them are high and mighty and don't give a damn about anything but putting the fires out and keeping the mayor's office happy. They had said that once they had a chance to learn more and really see them together it would probably change. Sarah was completely okay with that response. She would check in with them in a few months just to be safe.
Warren didn't have an opinion either way. He and his wife had been in a similar situation when he was still a surgeon working at Grey-Sloan and chose to let them figure it out. It wasn't his business, and he didn't feel any less safe under Ripley's command because he and Vic were together. He also didn't feel like he had a right to have an opinion either way. He felt no matter what it would be hypocritical. Sarah understood and it made sense.
Finally, Vic walked in. Sarah smiled because she knew she wouldn't have to ask questions. Vic would answer them all in a series of short statements.
"I'm Firefighter Victoria Hughes. I've been in a relationship with Chief Ripley for 10 months although we've only been dealing with HR for about two weeks. I will reiterate that he neither intimidated, coerced, or forced me into anything." She paused as she locked eyes with Sarah.
"As an adult I knew what I was doing. As a firefighter I knew what I was risking." Sarah sat back as she listened to Vic. She'd heard this story twice before.
"The Chief and I have consistently and constantly remained professional on the job. Speaking specifically to today's incident yes, I did lose my cool. For about 30 seconds. Then I did my job. I can guarantee I would react the same if it were anyone on my crew including my Captain. I did my job as I always do; to the best of my ability." Sarah nodded as she turned the recorder off. Vic was done and they both knew it.
"Okay. My team and I will take all this new information and evaluate everything. Give us 72 hours and we should have a ruling. I have to make you aware, there will be some rules that you, the Chief, your Captain and Lieutenants must follow.
"My Captain and Lieutenants?"
"To ensure you are not inside a blaze that he is running unless it is absolutely necessary." Vic nodded.
"Okay, yeah. That makes sense. Thanks Sarah."
"No problem. Go. I believe your Captain told you to cut out after we were done here."
"Thanks. Bye Sarah." Vic said as she hurried to grab her stuff from her locker and go back to the hospital to be with Ripley. She stopped at Sully's office on her way out.
"Captain, I'm on my way out."
"Go. Tell him he owes me a beer." Vic chuckled knowing the sentiments behind his statement.
"I will." She went back to the hospital to sit with Luke.