"Emergency!" characters are the property of Mark VII and Universal. No copyright infringement intended. Original characters belong to me, but are free to go home with anyone who wants them (just be nice to them).

*From Listen to the Music, by The Doobie Bros.

A/N:I wanted to try a different take from other slash approaches. Chapters will be added every couple of weeks or so…

A Kind of Fire

by Ariane Rivendell

Johnny:

'….What the people need

is a way to make 'em smile

It ain't so hard to do if you know how

Gotta get a message

Get it on through

Oh now mama's goin' to after awhile…'*

Oh, man, I had that tune in my head all morning, since the alarm went off, playing that song off the radio. It fit my mood to a 't'. I'm not normally a whistling kind of guy, but every so often I can't help myself. I'd had a fantastic vacation and I couldn't wait to tell Roy.

I was in the locker room, gettin' my threads on, when I saw a shadow on the floor looming up from the vehicle bay. Damn, I forgot I shouldn't wear these shoes to work, I have a hard time gettin' em off. I gotta press down real hard on the heel of the doggone thing with my other foot just to get my foot out. Suddenly, Roy was at the door, leanin' on it kinda weird.

"Mornin', Roy!"

"Mornin', yourself. It must've gone well, you're awfully chipper this morning."

"Aw, it was great, Roy. At first, I wasn't sure I liked the idea of spending part of my vacation as a working vacation. But, man, it was just fantastic. The kids on the reservation really took to it, y'know? Learning basic first aid, basic fire prevention. I mean, they really took to it! I wouldn't be surprised if a few of those kids become firefighter paramedics." I couldn't help grinning like an idiot – I was so proud of those kids!

"Well, I just came to tell you the coffee's ready."

"Thanks. Be there in a minute." I had to reach all the way into my locker to find my spiffy all-professional firefighter shoes; I'd just tossed them in before I left 'cause I'd been itchin' to get going. "Oh, so how did Benjamin Dunning do?" I'd almost forgotten he was called in as my replacement. He was doing overtime from 24. Kind of an unknown to the rest of us and a fairly new paramedic. I was a little concerned 'cause Cap over at 24 seemed a little too eager to lend him to us, but Roy wasn't all that worried. I was curious to see which of us was right. But then I realized, he hadn't answered.

"Roy?" I closed my locker door, but he was gone.

Roy:

Benjamin Dunning.

A name that will live in infamy. I suppose I should've been more upset about it. I mean, don't get me wrong. I was upset. But I was worried that if I'd allowed myself to think too much on it, I would've been too upset to be of much use to anybody. In hindsight, that might not've been the smartest move on my part. Or maybe it was. All depends on your perspective, I guess.

I'd heard Johnny ask the question. But I wasn't ready to reciprocate war stories, just yet. Only because I knew how he'd react to mine. Figured I'd make my escape while he had his head in his locker. If I could stall him for the next two weeks, maybe I could come out on the other side of this, unscathed. I'd already had the lecture from Joanne. And Cap. And Brackett. And Dix. And everyone else at Rampart. Even Stoker weighed in on it, so that tells you somethin'. But I really wasn't interested in another one. Especially from my own accident-prone partner.

Of course, I knew I really only had a matter of minutes before the levee would break.

Shoulda thought to put in for immediate medical leave. That was my first mistake. Out of about several hundred as far as all this went. But not putting in for time off was definitely a big one. Maybe if I'd had, none of this would've happened...

Johnny:

Mmm, that coffee smelled extra good this morning. Must be either Stoker or Lopez coffee. It's funny, after so much time, so many shifts and easily, a whole lakes' worth of coffee after all these years, I've almost learned to tell who made it just by the smell. I can tell Roy's, Chet's and Cap's. Still don't always get Marco's or Mike's. Can't lose on either count – both of those guys still make the best coffee on our shift. One last whiff test…I'm gonna go with Marco coffee.

I followed the aroma from the locker room and rubbed my hands together in anticipation. I never understood my parents' fascination with coffee when I was growing up. Now that I am grown up, I can't imagine starting the day without it.

"Mornin', everybody," I said, still trippin' from my trip.

A chorus of answering greetings erupted from the others.

Chet and Mike were already in the coffee line. Bingo! Marco coffee it is. This day was gearin' up to treatin' me right, so far. Roy was readin' the paper at the table with Marco.

But something struck me funny about the way Roy was sitting. Not only had he leaned on the doorframe back in the locker room kinda weird, he was sittin' at the table all weird, too. He was by the tv, first of all – not his usual spot – and he was sittin' completely at a right angle to the table, facing the window. He never sits like that. I mean, who sits down at a table without having the table right in front of 'em? Couldn't figure out why he wa'n't just sittin' on the couch. Marco was across from him tugging a section out of the stack.

"So, John, how was it?" Chet asked, handing me the coffee urn.

I was about to regale my shift mates with my incredible vacation stories, but then we heard Cap's voice from the vehicle bay, "Roll call!"

We scurried outta there and lined up beside the Engine. I saw Roy trail out last, stop outside the kitchen, then walk behind us, turning at right angles like he was still in the army and then he went to stand all the way at the other end of the line. What the heck's gotten into him?

Cap ticked off the attendance sheet, read the announcements then went through the assigned duties. Finally, he eyed my partner, "Roy, you feeling alright?"

I looked over at him. Now why would he ask that?

Roy:

Well now you've done it, Cap. I saw Johnny out of the corner of my eye further down the line just lookin' at me.

More for my future benefit than his current one, I put on the biggest smile I could, "Oh yeah, Cap. I'm fine," in the hopeless hope that it would dissuade any discussion from my curious and sometimes overly enthusiastic partner. Oh I knew better, no doubt about that. I just really didn't want to hear it again for the umpteenth time. 'Cause then I'd really get upset, and…well, we've already been over that. Well, my cover's blown. Then again, it's not like I could've hidden it forever…

"Alright, men, let's try to get some of these chores done before a call comes in, alright?"

Johnny:

Now I was really starting to wonder what was going on. The Engine crew started back toward the kitchen, but I hung back, determined to confront Roy.

"What did Cap mean by that?"

Roy walked right past me, started sideways into the kitchen, and pointed back at me, "Hey, did you do the morning radio check to Rampart?"

"Not yet. I was just about to get to it." I made for the Squad. "Roy, you didn't answer my question." Silence. "Roy?"

Roy:

I did everything I could think of to delay it, but there was no getting around the inevitable. He was gonna notice it, sooner or later.

I downed the last drops of my coffee at the sink, ready to start in on the sleeping quarters. I should've started when Johnny went to do the radio check. But I really wanted to finish my coffee. It was Marco coffee, after all. But like a dummy, I decided to put the paper back, first. Mistake number two. Old habits and parental training die hard, I guess. I heard the squeak of skidded shoes at the door just I turned back toward the table. And that's when the Santa Ana winds blew in.

"What'n the hell happened to you?"

Oh boy, here we go…