Ladder 118 Begins
Part 1: This life we choose
Written for @911crackweek Day 5: Non human outsider POV
Link to AO3
The explosion comes from deep within Ladder 118. She feels her walls expand and contract and sheâs barreling through the pavement sending everyone inside flying. She ends up on her side, collapsing in the middle of the street.
She tries to keep tabs on everyone and she senses most of her firefighters are out safe.
Most.
She panics when she realizes someone is missing from the headcount and a teenager is running around her with a bomb strapped to his chest.
Buck wiggles underneath her and Ladder 118 groans in frustration. She has landed over own of her own.
Maybe even her favorite firefighter.
And she might be killing Buck, but thereâs nothing she can do about it.
âGet me the captain!â the teenager yells.
Ladder 118 knows Captain Han is here. She has faith in him, he will save them all.
Then the teenager sees Captain Han, but he doesnât want him⌠he only wants Bobby and Bobby is not-
âFreddie.â
A wave of relief takes over her the moment she hears Bobbyâs voice.
Thatâs the boy from that restaurant fire. Ladder 118 doesnât know him, but sheâs heard Bobby talk about him and his father.
âThought youâd be on the truck.â
âIâm here now,â Bobby replies.
Ladder 118 slips in and out of consciousness. She fights it, but canât stay aware of her surroundings for more than a few seconds at a time.
âWhat about him?â Bobby demands and Ladder 118 only wants to keep Buck safe right now. She knows sheâs gone, but Buck still has a chance. âHeâs got parents, a sister, a girlfriend and he never did anything to you. He wasnât even a firefighter when your father burned down that restaurant.â
Everything turns black again.
She wakes up with Captain Han standing beside her.
Itâs over.
Is it over?
âJust hang in there, Buckaroo.â Captain Hanâs voice gives her a sense of security. A certainty that Buck will be alright.
âAlright. Letâs try to lift this off him, yeah?â
They are trying to move her, lift her up but sheâs too heavy, they know sheâs too heavy and she canât help them at all.
âWe got anything on the truck we can use for leverage?â Bobby asks, but no, she doesnât have anything in her to help.
Sheâs helpless and sheâs going to end up taking Buck with her.
A swarm of civilians surround her after a few minutes and Buck screams in agony.
âHeâs almost clear. Hold it.â Captain Han yells while still holding on to Ladder 118.
âKeep pulling!â Someone else eggs them on.
âAll right. We got him out. We got him out,â Eddie reassures the group of people.
Buck is safe in Eddieâs hands and nothing else matters anymore.
Darkness unfolds around her as she hits the pavement one last time. Itâs Eddieâs turn to take care of Buck.
Ladder 118 can rest now.



















