Hello my friends. I am sorry I did not realize I had not posted the last chapter. Thanks for being so patient! Thanks to my beta as well for helping this work better than as I started it.

Chapter Six

"How's he doing, Mike?" Gage asked looking at the sleeping Captain.

"Fine, Johnny. He was up for a while today, got to eat some lunch, but he got pretty tired so they gave him something."

Roy smiled as he looked over at Stanley. "Yeah his color looks better, and he looks more relaxed."

"Yeah. He seemed in good spirits at lunch."

Gage and DeSoto looked at each other, wondering what had changed but neither asked. "Hey, you ready to go home for a while? Your mother called. She wasn't happy about us bringing you home."

"Yeah, I'm ready but who is going to stay with the Cap?"

"Marco and Kelly are off tomorrow so they said they would come by a little later today to visit then come back tomorrow."

Stoker seemed satisfied. "Okay, I guess that's fine then I can check on him the next day. He probably could use some sleep for a while anyway."

"So he really seemed okay?" Gage asked again as he looked back once before leaving.

Stoker sighed. "Yeah; we talked a little and he seems fine. Should have seen the look on his face when I showed him the turnout."

"Yeah–I bet it was similar to our look when we first saw it." Gage helped Stoker with his things and they left Stanley's room. As they exited the hospital Stoker turned to Gage. "What about Cap's wife?"

Gage shrugged. "No calls when we were there but we were out a lot. Chief said he is going to try the brother's house again."

Stoker knew they wanted to know what they had talked about. He never spoke to the others about what he and Stanley talked about, but they needed to know that Stanley was indeed okay. "I talked to him about Joe Garcia, and it was hard for him, but he told the story much like the chief. I think he is going to be okay about that."

DeSoto sighed in relief. "That's good Mike. Thanks for doing that. I know you and he talk more to each other—I guess like me and Johnny do, so it's best that you did."

"Yeah but he knows you all know, and I think he is alright with that. We'll just keep an eye on him to be sure."

"We always do," Gage said with a laugh. "Wonder how he and the Chief will get along now. I mean I never knew about that story, but maybe that was kind of between them."

"Maybe we helped the Chief a little too," DeSoto added.

Stoker nodded in agreement. "And maybe Cap won't be so crazy around him."

There was always hope.

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Stanley looked up when he heard a knock at the door. "Hi Chief," he said with a smile.

"Hey Hank," McConnike said matching Stanley's smile. It was good to see the Captain looking significantly better than the last time he saw him. "You're looking great."

Stanley put a small book down on the tray in front of him. "Thanks Chief. I feel better."

"You still have to be pretty sore."

Stanley nodded. "Yeah, but the docs help me manage it pretty well. But I can eat regular food if that is what you call hospital food."

McConnike smiled as he lifted Stanley's turnout from a chair and sat. "Well, I don't recall you being too picky except for fish. Never figured how you could eat so much and not put on a pound."

Stanley shrugged. "Lucky I guess."

McConnike patted his stomach. "I only wish. So they sent Stoker home?"

"Yes. He left earlier today. The boys are busy back at work. I told them they didn't have to sit here with me all the time, but Stoker will be coming by during the day while he recovers at least until someone gets hold of my wife."

McConnike suddenly turned red. "Jeez Hank, I forgot to tell you as soon as I walked in. I talked to her earlier today. We tracked her down. I told her you were fine and recovering. They were going to leave early tomorrow, but it will take her a couple of days. I reassured her that we were looking after you and that there was nothing to worry about."

"And that worked?" Stanley asked. Though his wife was calm and never showed her worry, she always asked tons of questions when he even came home with a bump.

"She accepted it. She asked quite a few questions, and I told her the truth of course without going into very specific detail. She should be happy to see you looking pretty good. She was going to call tonight as I gave her the number to your direct line."

Stanley sighed. In a way he was glad his wife had not been here to see him a few days ago. "Thanks, Chief. I should be up and about more on my own by the time she gets here."

"Good. So, uh, you really doing okay? Been sleeping okay?"

Stanley half grinned. Talking was really hard for the chief. "Yeah, I really am okay Chief, thanks."

McConnike nodded absently and seemed to be searching for words. "Well, I'm glad. You know the boys….well."

"Chief, it's okay. Stoker told me. I know they know the story, and Stoker and I talked about it. I'm fine. Really."

McConnike sighed with relief. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you Hank."

"It's okay Chief, I didn't make it easy."

"Joe was a good man and a helluva firefighter."

"Yeah, he was, Chief."

McConnike then looked uncomfortable again. "Hank, I'm also sorry for acting like I might even hold burning my hat against you. I never would do that, you know, even though I joked about it. The boys told me you threw those books away, and I wondered why you had not taken the chief's test. Well, maybe I knew. "

Stanley shrugged. "I don't know. I guess at first that was why, thought you would hold it against me, but I like what I'm doing, and the men I'm working with."

McConnike nodded. "Yeah, the Lord works in mysterious ways. If you had taken that test, you would have passed in the top five for sure and would have been a chief when this accident happened. And so who knows."

"Maybe."

"I guess I took it too far. Bad leadership on my part. I took my frustrations out on you. You were always so damned unflappable, which works under pressure mind you, but maybe I thought you needed to be a little more anxious Didn't mean to make you uptight–at least around me."

"It's okay, Chief. I know my strengths and my weaknesses thanks to you and my men. Sometimes I stretch the nervous act out for them. I think it give them pleasure sometimes to see me a little rattled."

McConnike marveled. He had learned something from this Captain…that sometimes showing vulnerability can be a strength when leading others. Not weakness but an openness. "You're going to be an exceptional chief one day. Hank."

"Thanks Chief." Stanley said, slightly embarrassed. He was not use to hearing praise form McConnike.

McConnike looked around the room. "Hope you aren't allergic to flowers."

Stanley grunted in amusement. "No but the nursing staff has started to disperse them out. Lots of cards too. They guys of the battalion and surrounding battalions have been really great."

"Yeah well, it was amazing what you did Hank, and they all know it."

Stanley shook his head. "I did what any one of them would have."

"What anyone of them would have wanted to do and hopefully will never have to find out."

Stanley looked thoughtful for a moment. "Joe let go to save me-and it cost him his life."

McConnike stood. "Yes son, you're right about and you held on to save Stoker, but you were willing to sacrifice yourself like Joe. Any man that gives his life for another–well … they never truly die. Oh I know it doesn't fill the void, but…"

"But it helps. Thanks Chief."

McConnike took Stanley's hand and shook it very gently. "You let me know if you need anything."

Stanley nodded in appreciation, then seemed to remember something. "Hey Chief?"

McConnike turned around. "Yeah Hank?"

"Will you take my coat for a while?. I don't want my wife to see it just yet if ever."

McConnike picked up the coat and smiled. "Yeah, I don't blame you. You know you might still be in more trouble yet." McConnike laughed as he left.

Stanley closed his eyes with a grin. He was glad to have cleared the air between them.

He could feel Garcia close to him, and he had been angry these few years at Joe doing what he did., but he realized in talking to Stoker, it was not he that had let Joe down but that Joe had truly placed his friend first and Stanley would have done the same. "I still miss you Joe. God I wish you were here, but I know you were there with me in that truck. I sensed you then, just like I think you've been with me before and always will be." He felt his thoughts drifting and for the first time in a long time he had not bad dreams or neutral dreams but actually good dreams.

0000000000000

Stanley looked up and it was a feeling of déjà vu. The fire was nearly all around them and he could feel the creaking in the supports holding up the building. They had to get out now. It was getting hotter and time was running out. He watched the far wall burst into flames.

"Get the hose on them Kelly!" Stanley shouted from the side. He looked back behind Kelly at his other two men. "Pull, Stoker, damn it. Pull, Lopez!" Stanley looked around. They needed more men but there were none to give. He had put in a call but there was no time, and everyone was tied up with problems of their own. His stomach turned in knots as the floor creaked around them. They had to get out now. The fire was at bay but it wanted them, all of them so it would not be contained for long.

Stanley reached over the rail. They were just out of reach. "Pull, Stoker!" Stanley shouted over the fire. He looked down over the rail. "Hand him to me, Gage!" Stanley just caught the wrist of the victim and used everything he had to pull the old man over. He laid him quickly on the ground as he reached back over again. "Come on!" He reached down again and Gage caught Stanley's wrist and Stanley once again used everything he could muster to help the paramedic up as Stoker and Lopez pulled. Stanley expected DeSoto to be nearly at the top but noticed the rope was not moving. He looked back wondering why the momentum had stopped.

"It's stuck!" Lopez shouted.

Stanley looked down. He turned back. "Mike, Marco, get my legs!" There was no time to rig something else. He lay on his stomach. When he felt hands on his legs, he reached as far down as he could. He saw the rope caught on a broken piece of railing. His voice was calm. "Roy, take my hand then cut yourself loose. We can't get you free otherwise. Hurry."

DeSoto looked up into Stanley's eyes. They were intense and focused. He nodded quickly. He reached up with one arm and Stanley took it with both of his own then DeSoto pulled the knife from his belt with the other hand and slashed the rope. He slipped down slightly and instinctively reached up for Stanley. The Captain freed one hand to catch DeSoto's other arm. "Pull!" Stanley shouted. Soon DeSoto felt himself being hauled up and it did not take long for him to get close enough to the railing to help himself. Stanley stood and noticed Gage struggling to pick up the victim. "Let's get out of here! Drop your gear and run! Gage, help Roy. I'll take the victim. Kelly, move it!"

Stanley bent and picked up the victim and followed his men. He heard creaking and crashing but did not look back. He saw the exit, and his men make it out, and he was on their heels. Stanley stumbled near the exit, and he felt as if someone steadied him. He made it out, and tripped and fell over debris with the victim on top of him. Again he felt as if hands helped him, and he stood and ran away until an explosion threw him to the ground. He felt the weight of the victim being lifted off of him and hands hauling him to his feet. "Cap you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. Everyone accounted for?" Stanley asked, taking off his mask.

"Yeah, Cap," Stoker replied as they walked back toward the engine. Gage and DeSoto worked on the victim while the rest of the men sat quietly on the engine around Stanley. He had calmed his breathing but he could still feel the adrenaline coursing through him.

"Hey Cap who is that?" Stoker asked pointed toward the building as it collapsed slowly. Stanley stood and squinted. His eyes widened in shock. The figure waved, and he caught a smile as the figure started to walk away. Stanley waved back with his own smile.

He turned to Stoker and the rest as they watched the exchange. "That was Joe," he said simply.