Flicker

18

Valerie PoV

That evening, Ben runs into the main area.

"It's here, let's go." He orders and Levi glares at me.

"I mean it Valerie." Levi warns as we jump in the truck.

The other lieutenant that Levi was talking to earlier just rolls his eyes at me.

We go about 1/2 a mile away from the fire and start lathering everything in this thing that helps with the fire, I just can't remember the name.

"Andrews, back away!" I hear as I'm covering a house and I roll my eyes.

Someone grabs my arm and pulls me back just before there's a huge explosion.

Someone left their darn stove on.

I fall on-top of the person and it's Ben.

"Are you okay?" He asks quickly and I nod, looking at him.

He shakes his head and points me to Levi, "You're by his side at all times."

"I'm not-"

"That's an order, rookie!" He screams, pointing at Levi much harsher.

I walk over to Levi and he glares at me harshly.

I follow him around as we continue to spray everything everywhere.

"Alright guys, focus on pushing the fire back!" Marks screams and we pull our face masks on.

I see a woman hanging out the window and look to Levi.

"Keep the fire off that house." I say and before he can say anything, I run into the house.

There's fire everywhere. I run upstairs and I'm snatched back before a pillar falls in front of me.

Levi sprays it down and helps me over it. We run up the stairs and to the farthest room.

I see the woman and I pull my mask off putting it on her.

"Is there anyone else in the house?" I ask and another mask is slapped on my face.

She nods.

"Where?" Levi asks and she points to the closet.

There's a little boy and girl that look to be twins, both about Gabby's age.

Levi grabs the kids and I grab the woman.

"We can't go out the door." Levi announces and I realize he gave me his mask.

I open the window and radio in for someone to being a latter.

Gabriel responds and I see a latter hitting the roof.

We climb out and down the latter, Bracy and Franks quickly putting them on gurneys.

I put the mask back on Levi and he shakes his head, putting it back on me.

"Don't fight me." He coughs and Ben puts his mask on him.

"Good save." Ben congratulates us and Levi just glared at me.

He sighs and pulls me into his arms, taking the mask off to kiss my head.

"You've scared me enough, today." He whispers and I melt into his arms, "Quit being so damn reckless."

I pull out the hug and we get back to fighting fires.

Two hours later and we're finally pushing this thing back, almost to a point where it's controlled.

"I say two more hours and we'll have this thing out." Marks announces and Levi lets out a shaky breath.

"I'm not liking this wind, Captain." He says worriedly and Marks nods in agreement.

I feel drops on my cheek and look up, only to see rain.

"YESSSS!" Gabriel screams jumping up and down, "Come to Daddy!"

He runs towards the fire and we all
Take that as cue to fight the hell out of this thing.

For three hours we spray all the trees down, and eventually get to the source of the fire.

Someone had poured gasoline all over a tree and lit it with a match.

In the end, Drake was the only one who got injured, only burning the hell out of his right hand.

But he was saying nothing of it.

"Guess it's time to start rebuilding." Ben sighs when we get the the fire house.

It had been in the path of the fire, and it had been destroyed.

Many houses, stores, a gym, and even a daycare had been destroyed as well.

3 families stayed, and we only lost one person's to the fire.

"So what do we do?" Levi asks, looking at Ben.

"We stay the hell out of it and have it rebuilt." Ben warns as he looks around, "Nobody sets foot in there, it's not safe."

"Drake, we're going to get Gabby and Daniel!" I scream and he runs over.

"I need to see my kid." He says sadly, knowing he had also saved a kid about Daniels age.

We get in Levi's car and when we get to the hotel, we see Alayna sitting in the lobby with a worried expression on her face.

When she spots me, she jumps up and runs, giving me the largest hug ever.

"Oh my goodness." She whispers before her face straightens out.

"Is Ben okay?"

"Yeah. He's talking with contractors-"

"WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO YOUR HAND?!" Alayna screams rushing over to Drake.

"It's fine." He says quietly, diverting his eyes from the others in the lobby.

"It is not fine, young man." She growls as she inspects his hand.

"I was pulling metal bars off a girls bedroom window that she was pounding on. When I got it unscrewed I had to pull it off the save her." He explains and Alayna rolls her eyes.

"I wanted to put bars on her window but Ben told me it was a hazard." She says, jutting a finger towards me.

"Where's the kids?" Levi asks and she sighs.

"They're upstairs with Marks' wife."

I take Levi's hand and we walk to the elevator.

When we get to the room, I knock on the door and Elizabeth, Marks' wife, answers.

"Is Damon okay?" She asks quickly and I nod.

"MOMMY!" Daniel screams and he comes running towards me.

"We thought you were dead." Elizabeth says to Levi before hugging him as my son tramples me.

I pick Daniel up and walk into the room.

"He's dead, isn't he?" She asks in an almost bored tone.

As if she knew, she was just begging for confirmation.

"Why do you think I'm dead?" Levi asks and she jumps up and tramples him.

"We saw you both run in and only Valerie come out, and then they said someone died!" She rushes out.