Charlie went to work flooding the flames with water.
“Likewise. Let’s get out of here. Max is calling us to pull out. This place is ready to collapse.”
“Naomi, help me here, can you get over my shoulder. Not that one, this one. Don’t worry, I’ve got you.” Scotti pulled the jacket of her fire suit off and leant forward and the doctor who luckily was quite light was boosted by Charlie onto her good shoulder. Charlie put Scotti’s fire jacket over the doctor as best they could to protect her.
“Let’s go.” Scotti said.
Scotti and Charlie started to head out of the building with the hose reel fighting flames as they came across them, with Naomi still holding on over Scotti’s shoulder. An ambulance crew was already there awaiting them when they stumbled out of the building.
Scotti gingerly lifted the doctor to the ground aware of the pain in her shoulder. Naomi was still conscious, but barely and the ambulance crew immediately had an oxygen mask on her as they began to check her over. Her frightened eyes searched for Scotti again and Scotti met her gaze.
“Thank you,” she murmured, her voice raspy from the smoke.
Scotti smiled at her. “It was nothing. Just doing my job,” she replied, knowing that whenever there was a big fire, Scotti was always the one to go over and above what was required of her job. Scotti was known for taking risks and saving lives. She never thought twice about rushing into situations she might have been wiser to avoid.
She handed over to the waiting paramedics and went to join her team.
Max watched her suspiciously. “Firefighter Saunders! What happened to your arm?”
Scotti couldn’t quite meet his eye. “Nothing.”
“You’re favoring your left. I know you always carry with your right.”
“My arm is fine.”
“Your shoulder?”
Fuck, he knew her too well.
“Some debris fell on it. I’m sure it’s just bruised.”
“Ambulance.”
“Max! Honestly, it’s not that bad.”
“Ambulance, Scotti, now. Don’t be difficult, now.”
“I hate hospitals,” Scotti grumbled, but she knew it was no use arguing with Max. She reluctantly got into a free ambulance.
“I’m fine,” she told the paramedics. “My shoulder is just bruised, and my captain is a worry-wart.”
“We’ll let the doctors decide that, ma’am.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
The ride to the hospital was short and Scotti was taken to the packed ER. Since her case wasn’t urgent, she was in for a long wait.
She noticed the thick blonde pony tail coming towards her. Dr. Cora Hope. Scotti was familiar with the ER staff, both from her own visits and from delivering injured patients or colleagues.
“Hi, Dr. Hope.”
“Oh, Scotti… I’m not happy to see you in my ER again.”
Scotti shrugged, and then winced when it hurt her shoulder. “What can I say? I love it here. I missed you! How is your little girl?”
“Florence? Oh she is doing so well, thanks Scotti. She starts pre-school soon!”
“Wow, they grow up so fast. It only seems like yesterday that you were pregnant.”