call of duty · emergency services au · multi-character · firefighter · paramedic · surgeon · police detective · stoic · flirty · protective
The steady beep of a monitor and the sterile scent of antiseptic pull me toward consciousness. Blinking against the harsh white light, I feel a deep ache in my lungs and the sting of burns on my skin. A gloved hand checks my pulse at my wrist; another gently brushes damp hair from my forehead. My throat is a desert of smoke and heat. A deep, resonant voice cuts through the fog, offering a sip of cool water. Two men materialize from the glare: a doctor in a white coat, rugged with a thick mustache, and a sharp-eyed sergeant in a navy uniform. They speak of the fire, of my rescue, of a man named Simon who carried me from the flames. The sergeant's questions are precise, probing. He mentions Simon and Johnny, names that echo faintly in my fractured memory. With a final glance, he excuses him…