9-1-1 What's your emergency

Chapter one

"I'm gonna ask Alex to marry me tonight ."TK said as the elevator began ascending to where the emergency was. "Dad, please don't say anything negative, all right? I already bought the ring." TK finished as the elevator was almost to the top. "How about moving in together first?" Dad said looking at me to barge in to the conversation. "Grand gestures, right? Isn't that what you always say? Big swings?" My older brother said and I silently facepalmed. "I've also been divorced twice." Dad said as the elevator hit the top an we walked to the edge of the building. "New York Fire. We're here to help." Dad said and we carried on with our business as usual. Oh, God, I love New York. "So, uh, you gonna tell me what you really think about this proposal, or are you just gonna keep pretending that you don't have an opinion?" TK asked and I looked at him. "I think you should do what you think is right bub." I said before Dad had a chance to say anything. "Be nice." I said to my dad before walking to put my helmet in the truck. "You're an adult, you think it's right... I say go for it." Dad says to TK when I come back that way. "Really?" TK asked. "Yeah." Dad say and TK gives him a hug. "Thanks, Dad." TK says backing up and getting ready to get in the rig. Dad starts coughing and we look t him worriedly. "Hey, you okay?" TK asks. "Yeah, it's some viral thing I can't kick. I'm gonna go to the doctor, get some antibiotics." Dad replied and I went and got in the rig. "All right." Tk says before climbing to get in the rig. "Hey...I'm happy for you." He says and TK gets into the rig and shuts the door.

"TK! Open the door!" I yelled as Dad stepped away from the door. "Yeah, it's Captain Strand. I need the ladder ambulance at 2735 West 7th, apartment 105. And bring the battering ram." He said and not but Ten minutes later we had the battering ram and we were busting into my older brothers apartment. "TK? TK! TK!" I yelled rushing into the apartment and seeing my brother lying on the floor not moving at all. "He's in cardiac arrest." Dad said before beginning compressions. "Sir, you should let us take over." An EMT said but dad refused to move over. "Give me the Narcan!" He yelled and an EMT complied. "Dad. Dad." TK said sitting up and going right into dads arms. "It's ok TK we're here." I said leaning on TK's back and hugging him. "I'm sorry" He said. "It's ok TK its ok." Dad said.

"Damn it, TK, you promised me this would never happen again. Where'd you get the pills?" Dad asked as I opened my coffee. "Come on, Dad. I mean, there's an opioid epidemic. I mean, you could throw a stick and you'll hit ten guys selling Oxys." TK said and I mentally facepalmed. "Is this your first relapse? Is there something you want to tell me?" Dad asked and TK shook his head. "No, I haven't touched a pill in years. I swear." TK said looking at me and Owen. "Were you trying to kill yourself?" I asked him with concern lacing my voice. "No. He's in love with somebody else. And that's why he's been acting weird. A Spin Cycle instructor named Mitchell." TK said and I furrowed my eyebrows in anger. "He's obviously an idiot." I said and Owen elbowed my in the side as a shut up. "I'm sorry." Dad said. "Are you gonna have to report this now?" TK asked not wanting anything to come between him and work. "We used the battering ram. The whole crew was there." Dad said and I nodded. "The last thing I need right now is to be suspended." TK said laying his head in his hands. "I'll report it as an accidental overdose. That'll satisfy them. But it won't satisfy me. It is tough love from now on. You want out of this? You do this my way. Therapy, twice a week, with a therapist that I choose. And pack your stuff. We're getting out of town." Dad said patting me and TK on the back. "Dad, please, I am not in the mood for a vacation." TK said looking at me and Owen. "I'm not talking about a vacation." Dad said and TK and I looked at him confused.

"This place is exactly like it was the night the call came in. They shuttered it the next day. It's like a tomb." Dad said and TK and I walked behind him as he opened the door and walked into the dust filled hall. "Dad, tell them you change your mind. We...we don't belong here." TK said and I nodded in agreement. "We were invited here." Dad said and I looked around. "Yeah, not by anyone grieving the loss of those men. I mean, they're not even ready to get rid of the dead flowers on the sidewalk. And now what, some city slicker's gonna come in here and scold them on how they're doing life all wrong?" TK said and yet again I nodded in agreement. "City slicker?" Dad asked and we nodded. "An outsider. A stranger." I said and this time TK nodded in agreement with me. "Sometimes it takes an outsider. Someone they can blame, and possibly hate." Dad said and I shook my head. "Just don't go out of your way to prove the point, okay?" TK said. "You know me. I tread very lightly." Dad said and TK and I went to check out the rest of the building. "So, is this in the budget?" A tall guy asked dad as TK and I took sledge hammers to the wall to make open space. "This is one way to spend a Saturday." I said and TK smiled. "At least your hanging out with your super cool older brother." He said and we laughed. "I find people work better in spaces where there's more natural light. What you got there?" Dad said as he paused at a somewhat empty table about three feet from me and TK. "Resumes. They've been coming in from all over the state. Got a lot of good people here. This one here, that is my past-" The tall guy began to speak but Dad cut him off. "Uh, who's he?" "Oh, that's Mateo. Frequent flyer in the academy. Never passed, but he's a good kid, so I hired him as my driver." The guy said laughing and I looked at the guy they were talking about. "All right, Chief. Well, I will look at your resumes. I'm casting a slightly wider net." Dad said and called me and TK over and we hopped in the truck.