The night was calm at the fire station, with only the low hum of machinery and the distant wail of sirens breaking the silence. Kath sat in the break room, sipping on a cup of coffee as she checked the clock. It was nearing midnight, and she was counting down the hours until her shift ended. Her thoughts wandered to Lin, her wife, who was working late again at the office. They had spoken briefly during dinner, but Kath hadn't heard from her since. She was used to Lin's late nights, but something about tonight felt off.
Just as she was about to text Lin, the piercing ring of the station's emergency phone echoed through the room. Kath's heart skipped a beat as she reached for it.
"Station 17, Firefighter Kath speaking," she answered, her voice steady.
There was a brief pause on the other end, followed by the sound of labored breathing. "There's a fire," a voice whispered, barely audible. "The Morgan Building... downtown... it's bad."
Kath's blood ran cold. The Morgan Building was Lin's office.
"Who is this?" she demanded, but the line went dead.
Panic surged through her as she slammed the phone down and bolted to the control room. "We've got a fire at the Morgan Building!" she shouted to her team, who immediately sprang into action. As the sirens roared to life, Kath grabbed her helmet and gear, her mind racing.
"Come on, come on, pick up," she muttered as she dialed Lin's number. The phone rang and rang, but there was no answer. She tried again, and then again, but each time, it went to voicemail.
"Lin, please, pick up the phone," Kath whispered, fear tightening her chest.
By the time they reached the Morgan Building, flames were already reaching the sky, the fire raging through the upper floors. Kath jumped out of the truck, her heart pounding in her ears as she scanned the crowd of people who had evacuated. But Lin wasn't among them.
"Has anyone seen a woman, mid-30s, dark hair, about five-foot-five?" she asked frantically, showing Lin's photo to anyone who would look. "Her name's Lin, she works on the top floor."
No one had seen her.
Kath felt a crushing weight in her chest as she realized Lin was still inside. "Chief, my wife's in there," she said, her voice trembling as she turned to her superior. "I need to go in."
"Kath, the building's unstable," the chief warned. "We're working on getting everyone out, but it's too dangerous to go back in now."
"I don't care!" Kath snapped, her eyes blazing. "I'm going in. I'm not leaving her in there."
The chief hesitated, knowing better than to stand in Kath's way when she was this determined. "Be careful," he finally said, nodding to her. "And keep your radio on at all times."
Kath didn't need to be told twice. She adjusted her gear and headed for the building's entrance, the heat from the fire hitting her like a wall as she pushed forward. The air was thick with smoke, making it difficult to see and breathe, but Kath forced herself to focus.
She knew the layout of Lin's office building like the back of her hand. As she ascended the stairs two at a time, her thoughts were solely on Lin—her laugh, her smile, the way she made Kath's world brighter. She couldn't lose her. Not like this.
"Lin!" Kath called out, her voice muffled by the thick smoke. "Lin, where are you?"
She burst onto the top floor, where the fire was at its worst. Flames danced along the walls, and the ceiling was beginning to crumble. But Kath pushed on, her determination overpowering the fear.
She reached Lin's office and found the door partially blocked by debris. "Lin!" she shouted, shoving the debris aside with all her strength. "Lin, are you in there?"
For a moment, there was only silence, and Kath's heart sank. But then, faintly, she heard it—a soft cough, followed by a weak voice.
"Kath?"
Kath's heart leapt. "Lin! I'm here!" she cried, kicking the door open. There, huddled under her desk, was Lin, coughing and covering her mouth to protect herself from the smoke.
Kath rushed to her side, pulling her into her arms. "Thank God you're okay," she whispered, her voice breaking with relief. "We need to get out of here."
Lin nodded weakly, her eyes dazed. "I... I couldn't get out," she gasped. "The smoke... I couldn't see..."
"It's okay, I've got you," Kath said, helping her to her feet. "Stay close to me, and we'll get out together."
The way back down was even more treacherous than the ascent. The fire was spreading fast, and the building groaned ominously under the strain. Kath kept a firm grip on Lin, shielding her from the worst of the heat and smoke as they navigated the maze of burning corridors.
"Kath," Lin whispered, her voice barely audible. "I was so scared."
Kath squeezed her hand. "I know, baby. But you're safe now. I'm not going to let anything happen to you."
They finally reached the stairwell, only to find it partially collapsed. Kath's stomach dropped as she realized there was no easy way out.
"Chief, I need an exit route!" Kath shouted into her radio. "The stairs are blocked!"
"Hold on, Kath, we're working on it," the chief's voice crackled through the radio. "We're sending a team to your location now."
Kath gritted her teeth, trying to stay calm as the flames crept closer. She could feel Lin trembling beside her, and she tightened her grip on her wife's hand.
"We're going to be okay," Kath said firmly, more to herself than to Lin. "We just need to hang on a little longer."
Minutes felt like hours as they waited, the heat becoming almost unbearable. Just when Kath thought they couldn't hold out any longer, she heard the sound of footsteps and voices.
"Kath! Over here!" one of the firefighters called out, and Kath felt a surge of hope.
They had found a way through the debris, creating a path to safety. Kath didn't waste any time, guiding Lin towards the exit with renewed determination. As they stumbled out of the building and into the cool night air, Kath felt the weight of the world lift from her shoulders.
Lin collapsed onto the ground, coughing and gasping for breath. Kath knelt beside her, pulling off her helmet and taking Lin's face in her hands.
"Are you okay?" she asked, her voice trembling with emotion.
Lin nodded, tears streaming down her soot-covered cheeks. "I'm okay, thanks to you."
Kath pulled her into a tight embrace, holding her as if she would never let go. "I was so scared I'd lost you," she whispered, her own tears mixing with the dirt and grime on her face.
"You didn't," Lin whispered back, clinging to Kath. "You found me. You saved me."
They stayed like that for what felt like forever, holding each other as the fire continued to burn behind them. But it didn't matter—nothing else mattered except that they were together, alive, and safe.
Finally, Kath pulled back, looking into Lin's eyes. "I love you so much," she said, her voice thick with emotion. "I would do anything to protect you."
Lin smiled, her eyes shining with love and gratitude. "And I would do anything to be with you."
As the flames died down and the firefighters continued their work, Kath and Lin stood together, hand in hand. The lingering question is who started the fire.
