Page 35 of Nanny for the Firefighters

Theo's bouncing on his toes, the youngest of us, always eager to get started. "Today's the day I beat my record," he declares, flashing a confident grin.

"Dream on, Sparks," Ethan quips, adjusting his helmet. "You'll never be faster than Blaze here."

Will, ever the pragmatist, rolls his eyes. "Less talking, more moving. Let's see if you can actually follow through this time, Theo."

We line up, the drill instructor giving us the rundown. "Scenario. Residential fire, occupants trapped. You've got ten minutes to get in, locate the dummies, and bring them out safely. Remember, time and accuracy matter."

I nod, feeling the weight of leadership settle comfortably on my shoulders. "You heard the man. Let's do this."

We burst into action, splitting into teams. Ethan and Theo take the left side of the simulated building, while Will and I tackle the right. The air is thick with the manufactured smoke, visibility dropping to almost nothing. But we've trained for this. We move with purpose, our breathing steady through the masks.

"Stay close, and keep an eye on your buddy," I remind them over the radio. "We're in and out, no mistakes."

Theo's voice crackles back, filled with determination. "Got it, Cap. We're making our way through the first floor now."

Will and I navigate through the debris-strewn hallway, checking rooms systematically. "Clear," he says, moving to the next door.

"Keep it tight," I reply, my tone a mix of command and encouragement. "We're not leaving anyone behind."

Ethan's voice cuts through the static. "Found the first dummy. We're heading to the exit."

"Good work," I acknowledge, feeling a surge of pride in my team. "Theo, how's your side looking?"

"We've got one more room to check," he reports, his breath heavy but controlled.

Will and I move to the second floor, our movements synchronized. There's a dummy trapped under a fallen beam, the kind of scenario designed to test our strength and coordination. "We've got this," I say, setting my jaw. "On three. One, two, three!"

We lift the beam, freeing the dummy and securing it onto a stretcher. "Ready to move," I announce, leading the way back through the smoke-filled maze.

Outside, the sun feels blinding after the darkness of the drill. We emerge, breathing hard but victorious. "Time?" I demand, looking at the instructor.

"Eight minutes, thirty seconds," he replies, a note of admiration in his voice. "Not bad, Captain. Not bad at all."

"Damn right," I say, pulling off my helmet and wiping the sweat from my brow. "Good work, everyone."

We gather around, the camaraderie strong as we debrief. Theo's practically glowing with pride. "I told you I'd beat my record."

Ethan claps him on the back. "Alright, alright. You did good, kid."

Will's still catching his breath, but there's a rare smile on his face. "Next time, let's see if you can do it without all the chatter."

We head inside, the adrenaline still pumping. The smells of coffee and breakfast greet us, a reward for a job well done. "Let's eat," I say, leading the way. "We've earned it."

A few minutes later, we've all assembled in the kitchen.

"Hey, Big Mac, you gonna hog all the bacon again?" Ethan grins at me as he flips a pancake on the station's ancient griddle. He's got that trademark smirk on his face, the one that's gotten him into—and out of—more trouble than I can count.

"Only if you promise not to burn the pancakes this time, Blaze," I shoot back, grabbing a strip of bacon and popping it into my mouth. "Remember, some of us have taste buds."

"Touché, Captain." He laughs, shaking his head. "I'm just trying to keep us all fed."

Will, our brooding genius, sits at the table with a thick book in his hand—some Gothic romance novel he's been devouring lately. He looks up, his intense eyes twinkling with rare amusement. "I think you'd all survive on charred pancakes. Builds character."

Theo, the youngest and most energetic, is busy tinkering with some piece of equipment. He's always got a project, some way to make our lives easier or, occasionally, more complicated. "Hey, Cap, think I can install this new sensor on the engine? It'll cut down response times by at least twenty seconds."

I chuckle, shaking my head. "As long as it doesn't blow up in our faces, go for it, Sparks. Just don't test it on a live run."

We settle into breakfast, the camaraderie palpable. It's moments like these that remind me why I love this job—why I love these guys. We're more than a team. We're family.