The 2 Ryders

Friends like these

The 126 are on shift and vet called to a truck vs car.

Judd: Good lord all mighty.
TK: Does he seriously not notice?
Owen: Cant see it in his mirrors. Probably never even felt the impact.
Judd: Well he can see us.
They get the truck and car pulled over.
Judd&Owen: 1,2,3.
Tk: Hey can you slide out?
Taylor: Yeah but what about her?
Tk: We'll get her next. Come on, let's get medical to check you out. Medicals not here yet.
Mateo: Dispatch says there getting someone to us as soon as they can.
Owen: Okay Ev, your up on your own I need Tk to help us get the driver out.
Judd: You can do it sis.
Ev: Okay, hi can I just get you to come over here for me.
Taylor: We were arguing, this was all my fault i shouldn't have been arguing with her.
Ev: I'm pretty sure it takes two people to start an argument and keep it going.
Taylor: Is she gonna be okay?
Ev: They're gonna do everything they can, did you hit your head at all?
Taylor: No, we used to be friends in school.
Ev: And now your not?
Taylor: We haven't seen each other in years.
Ev: I get that.
Taylor: you dont talk to your school friends anymore either?
Ev: No, me and my school friends are always texting. Most people lose contact with people from school, im told it's how the world works. Me and my friends have always been and still are close, although that could be because I spent more time at their house than mine. I dont see signs of a concussion.
Taylor: Thats good right?
Ev: Yeah thats good, medicals here now so they'll take it from here.
Taylor: One quick question, why did you spend more time at your friends house than you own?
Ev: Its a long story the short version is my mum died when she gave birth to me and my dad and brothers always blamed me for her death, I was always picked on at home. So for a quite life I would spend all my time away from the house.
What I didn't know is that the 126 had heard everything.
Ev: She's all yours.
Taylor: Wait how do I make it up to her?
Ev: Take some grapes to the hospital and try having a conversation again just this time dont turn it into an argument.
Ev goes to assist the firefighters with the car and the victim, the column won't budge and they start to lose her.
Taylor: I'm type O, O negative. That means I'm a universal donor. I can donate to anybody, right?
Michelle: Whats your name?
Taylor: Taylor.
Michelle: Taylor a field transfusion is risky for both of you, you understand?
Taylor: I'm just trying to help my friend.
Michelle: Get the transfusion kit.
Tim: Cap, you're not seriously thinking of doing a person to person, I mean protocol is--
Michelle: If we follow protocol, she's gonna be gone before we get her out of this car. Gillian get a 14-gauge. Firefighyer you connected with her right?
Owen: Ev she's talking to you.
Ev: Uhmmm yeah i did.
Michelle: Then come round here, dont get in the way your job is to make sure we don't take too much, Taylor when you feel like your gonna pass out and you can't take anymore you tell her, okay?
Taylor: Got it.
Ev: You know this isn't exactly what i had in mind when I said to talk.
Taylor: Would you do this for one of your friends?
Ev: Yes I would.
Taylor: Then I'm doing it too.
Michelle: Gillian prime the line with blood, Rosewater keep an eye on her vitals. Stay with us. Stay with us.
Tim: Come on.
Michelle: I'm in.
Tim: Come on, Come on, come on, come on.
Michelle: How's her BP?
Tim: Taylor good but almost nothing from the driver.
Taylor: Her names Tina. Come on Tina.
Michelle: Damn it.
Tim: - wait i-i got an uptick. Yeah!!
Taylor: Tina!
Tina: Taylor.
Michelle: Hey, your friend just saved your life.
Ev: She's definately gonna forgive you now, I bet you'll be best friends again in no time.
Paul: That should do it cap.
Owen: Grab a C collar lets get her out of there.
Tk: One, two, three.
Taylor: Tina, i'm sorry. About everything.
Tina: T and T.
Taylor: Yeah T and T.
In the truck back to the station its an awkward atmosphere, I still didn't knowthe team heard everything. Back at the station. Judd wraps his arms around me.
Ev: Whats that for?
Judd: On the call, we all kinda heard everything.
Ev: Oh, well I'm fine no need to fuss. Dont make it into a big deal.
Mateo: But it is a big deal.
Marjan: Probie!
Ev: Look I've come to terms with it, yeah Judd blamed me but he was my safe space in that house. He only acted like a jerk when we were around our dad and brothers because otherwise they would have turned on him too. Lets just drop it, im going for a lie down.
Judd: I never knew what we did would affect her so much.
Paul: Getting blamed for her mums death all her life.
Owen: Never getting comfort when she was sick or upset.
Tk: Carrying around all the guilt of being responsible for he mums death.
Mateo: Never getting to meet her mum.
Marjan: Tell someone something enough times, they'll start to believe it.
Owen: Everybody go get changed ready to head out.
A little bit later.
Mateo: Have a good night Marjan.
Marjan: You sticking around after a 24 hour shift? Dont you have any friends probie?
Mateo: scoffs. My only friend is Ev, we went through the academy together only difference is she passed her written exam. My written exam is this week. Its hard to study with roommates who play beer pong all night.
Ev: I've told you you can stay at mine.
Mateo: I dont wanna intrude.
Marjan: I'm sure you'll crush it.
Mateo: Glad someone thinks so. Every time I've taken it, I've bombed it, so...
Marjan: Well then you better busy your ass.
Judd: Come on there ain't nothing to be afraid of. I promise you'll have fun.
Paul: Yeah, said the wolf to Red Riding Hood.
Tk: Seriously.
Marjan: What you guys talking about?
Judd: Uh, well, I host a friendly game of Texas Hold'em with some firefighters from around town, and we had a chair open up for tonight's game, so.... so who's in? Tk?
Tk: No im good. I know a rope-a-dope when I see one.
Judd: Strickland?
Paul: Nah, cards bore me. It's too easy to see everyone's tells. Also, I crave sleep.
Judd: Marwani?
Marjan: Oh, gambling not really my jam,and dont even ask Chavez. He's gotta study
Judd: Here i thought y'all were my friends. Looks like its me and you Ev, come on.
Ev: Oh no absolutely not, im helping Mateo if he will let me if not im going home to bed.
Owen: I'll play.
Judd: Oh.
Owen: Unless you don't want me to.
Judd: No it ain't that. Its just, you know, I dont-- This really ain't your scene,  Cap, that's all. Its just a bunch of Texas roughnecks talking smack and drinking cheap beer.
Ev: We'd get more done at my house come on Mateo I insist. Night y'all.
Mateo: Good night.
Ev and Mateo spend the night studying for Mateo's test. During their next shift.
Marjan: Ev, you got a sec?
Ev: Sure what up?
Marjan: Cap has just put me in charge of being Mateo's study buddy for this exam, im asking for your help too. You know him better than any of us here.
Ev: I would love to help.
Marjan: Great I've got a plan, were gonna need the guys help though too, lets go round them up.
Tk: Says who?
Marjan: Anybody who respects the game. Doesn't matter anyway 'cause you're calling it. Everybody come take one of these.
Judd: Whays that? The Austin FD Academy Manual? No. I memorised that chapter and verse when I was 18.
Ev: This isn't a refresher. Its for the other probie.
Marjan: He has his final academy exam coming up, so everybody has some reading to do.
Paul: And what are we supposed to do? Teach him by osmosis? Besides I just started this book.
Tk: Probie's dyslexic. It came up in his interview.
Marjan: This is his last chance to pass the test before he washes out.
Ev: So put that book down and help us, please?
Paul: What do you need us to do?
Marjan: Everybody is going to record themselves reading a different section of the manual for him to listen to. Tk 1st page to page 75, Paul 76 to 151, Judd 152 to 227 and Ev has 228 to the end. Alright im gonna need these audios by end of shift, so everybody warm up this pipes. And get reading.
We all spend most of the shift doing chores and recording the FD Manual for Mateo. We get called to a dog attacking two kids.
Girls: Help!! Please help!!
Marjan: Holy mother of cujo, is that--
Owen: Yeah its blood. Hi, girls. I'm Captain Strand. Whats your names?
Gabby: Gabby sir!
Owen: Well your very polite. And you?
Sophia: Sophia!! We were walking home from the bus stop, and he started chasing us.
Owen: All right your being very brave. Just stay there for a minute. We're gonna come and get you, okay?
Paul: What do you think? Extend the ladder and try to sccop 'em from above?
Judd: Hey if y'all give me ten minutes, I can get animal control out here with a tranq gun.
Owen: Just hang on a second. You see, his hackles aren't up. His ears are down. You see how he's moving around like that? That's not a scary dog. That's a dog that's scared.
Marjan: Nah its plenty scary.
Owen: All right, when I say so, you guys move around quietly, slowly, and get those kids. Not till I tell you.
Paul&Tk: Got it.
Marjan: Cap, where are you--
Owen clicks his tongue.
Mateo: How does your dad know so much about dogs?
Tk: He loves them. And Cesar Milan.
Owen: Sh, sh, sh, sh, hey. Go, go. Shh, shh. Hey, Hey. Hey, I got you. Its okay.
Marjan: Alright come down, come down.
Tk: Its all right I got you.
Owen: Its all right I got you.
Sophia: You know you have really big muscles.
Marjan: Trust me he knows.
Tk: Thanks, come on. Let's go, lets go.
Owen: Hey, its okay. What happened to you?
The dog runs off.
Owen: Mateo, Ev stay back with those girls, Everybody else come with me.
Tk: To where?
Owen: He wants us to follow him.
Into the radio.
Owen: Medical 126, need you to come to our location now!
Michelle: You two got 'em?
Ev: Yeah we'll let them sit in the truck for a bit, parents are on their way.
The crew comes back the kids parents come to pick them up and we head back to the station. We give Mateo his recording and throughout the next shift we all notice him wearing headphones non stop. We also spring  quizzes on him out of nowhere. 5 days later me, Mateo and Marjan are at the academy.
Marjan: Deep breaths probie you okay?
Mateo: Yeah. I think I'm gonna vomit. Ev: Oh--
Mateo: No, no, no, no,no,no. I-its passing. I'm good.
Ev: You sure?
Mateo: Yeah. Definately. I think.
Marjan: Hey, look at me. This is the easy part. You've done the work. Just stay present, listen to my voice, and I promise you, the answer 'll pop right into your head. Remember in 100 years no one'll care what happens anyway. And wether you pass or not we are going out for drink after.
Administrator: Chavez, Mateo.
Marjan: Okay, its go time. Shoulders back. Head held high. We got this. Say it.
Mateo: We got this.
Marjan: Mmhmm.
Ev: Good luck Mateo.
Administrator: Ma'am, you'll have to wait outside.
Marjan: What are you talking about? I have to read his exam to him.
Administrator: We don't allow firefighters from the same house to proctor each other; it's Academy policy.
Marjan: But in Miami, i--
Man: This isn't Miami, sweetheart.
Ev: Hey watch it.
Man: Besides he's more accustomed to my dulcet tones than yours anyhow.
Marjan: You know this guy?
Mateo: He was my old captain, he sucks.
Man: Style points for creativity, though. Nobody's ever played the disability act card to retread their exam.
Ev: Okay I am so gonna punch him.
Marjan: No your not, Mateo get in there quick remember memento mori. Come on miss im gonna punch him lets sit down.
Ev: If you wont let me puch him im at least taking it up with the department.
Marjan: you do that.
We nove down to the lobby when the others tell us they're here. 2 hours later.
Mateo: You guys are here? On your day off?
Owen: Well we may not be on shift but we never take a day off from being the 126.
Judd: Yeah, so if its good news, we'll go get some beers, and if its bad news, uh, we'll go drink some whiskey.
Tk: Or mineral water. Some of us will be having mineral water either way.
Marjan: Told ya. So how'd it go?
Mateo: That guy was a total dick. He tried to make me feel like an idiot with every question. I mean, my face got all hot and everything started getting all blurry.
Paul: Thats a bunch of BS, probie.
Owen: We can contest the results.
Mateo: Thats probably not a good idea, Cap. I kinda told him he'd be dead soon
Paul: -Whoa! That is dark, probie.
Ev: Yeah but I'm so proud he stood up for himself.
Mateo: No Marjan taught it me, Uh, Monumental Moriarty, right?
Owen: You mean like the Sherlock Holmes guy?
Marjan: I think some parts might have got lost in translation. Did it help?
Mateo: Hell yeah. I got a 92%.
Marjan: What?
Judd: Woah!
Paul: My man.
Judd: Hey, good job, man.
Paul: This kid.
Owen: I'm proud of you.
Mateo: Thank you, Cap. It was all because of you two.
Marjan&Ev: No it was because of you, Mateo.
Mateo: Hey, Marj called me Mateo.
Marjan: Shh, dont ruin it.
Owen: Mateo im proud of you I've gotta go and sort something out Tk has my card drinks are on me.
We go to a bar me, Tk and Mateo are the only ones sober by the end of the night. The next day I go out to the store, I'm late on that can only mean two things, i'm late or i'm pregnant.