Chapter 5: Chapter 5: Cinnamon and Spice
Felicity
After several hours, they were able to get the fire under control. The night shift stayed to make sure it wouldn't reignite and work on helping with the investigation as to what started it to begin with.
The day shift headed back to the station, showered once again and tiredly walked to their vehicles and made the trip home.
Felicity had a long night of paperwork, so she knew she wasn't leaving any time soon. She took a moment to go outside to think and reboot her mind before diving in.
She walked the flight upstairs to the second-floor balcony that overlooked the park and the central part of the city.
She loved this view. Everything about it brought her back to a year ago when she couldn't imagine her life falling apart. When the thought of being without him was one she couldn't even begin to fathom.
But she was living a life without him now against her will and she never missed him more. Especially his wisdom and guidance. He was her best friend. Her partner. Her everything. Until he wasn't.
The breeze picked up and the smell of cinnamon filled her nose. She floated back to many autumns ago. The leaves had just started to turn various shades of orange and yellow. She loved watching the change, the feel of the air turning crisp and the sounds of autumn love in the air.
It was Julian's favorite too.
They had met in the autumn, many years prior to his death. They had both been standing at a coffee cart outside the courthouse, just a few blocks from Station 23. They walked up at almost the exact same time and ordered cinnamon coffee with extra whip cream.
She looked over at him, said jinx and knew instantly she had found her soulmate.
"Stealing my coffee flavor?" he had joked, smiling sweetly as he took a sip.
"Isn't that hot?" she had asked, blowing on hers to cool it.
"Not as hot as you."
"Ha-ha." His line was cheesy, but she couldn't have cared less about what words came out of his mouth because they were perfect, and she was hooked.
The walked the short distance to the station together. It was both of their first days as firefighters. He was a transfer from a station on the other side of town. He had moved and it just made more sense to switch to a closer work location.
She had just graduated from the academy and was beginning her trek up the station ladder.
"So, what made you want to be a firefighter?" he asked her between sips of coffee.
"I don't know. I just want to help people I suppose in an environment that is exciting." She semi-lied. It was true, but she wasn't ready to tell him her father was the chief. She hated people knowing because they instantly concluded that she was being given the job, not that she could have earned her spot.
"That's admiral."
"What about you?" she asked.
"To meet pretty girls," he joked. She playfully punched his arm, he smiled at her and she knew after this day, she could never be the same.
And how true that was. He had become her world.
They walked into the station for the first time together. She had no clue that would become a daily thing from there on out. She would never walk through those double doors without him until he was no longer breathing.
They walked the hallway until they reached the chow hall. They were given instruction to meet there upon their arrival. There were various firefighters gathered around the table, most of them sipping coffee and some munching on the provided donuts.
"Thanks for joining us Felicity and Julian. Take a seat," the captain instructed.
They took seats next to each other. It was hard for Felicity to concentrate on what the captain was saying because she just wanted to look at this beautiful man to her left.
She forced herself to listen as the captain went over everything pertaining to her new job.
"Take a look around you at everyone seated at this table. This is your shift; this is your family. You will see them more than you see your actual family, so get used to it.
Take a moment, go around the table and introduce yourselves. Some of you are new, some are veterans, but everyone is an important part of this team. Welcome."
One by one everyone took their turn to introduce themselves.
It was her turn. She was nervous.
"My name is Felicity, Felicity Turner."
The room erupted in chatter that she couldn't make out, but she knew what it was about. She didn't have to tell them she was related to the chief. They all figured it out with the mention of her last name.
Just great, she thought.
She didn't even want to look over at Julian, but she felt him reach for her hand and squeeze it under the table.
She instantly calmed.
"As you were saying," he said as he looked at her and then around the room, daring anyone to interrupt her again.
"I'm Felicity Turner, newbie. Excited to be here and fight some fires with you all. Thanks for welcoming me into your station."
"It's your station now too," stated the captain.
Julian piped up to take the pressure off Felicity.
"My name is Julian Spencer. I just moved to the area from the other side of town and transferred stations. I worked with a great crew, and I have a feeling this one will be just as great."
Julian chugged the rest of his coffee, crushed his cup and tossed it into the wastebasket like it was a basketball.
"Great meeting everyone. Now get to work!"
Felicity watched as Julian stood and headed out of the room. She was smitten, almost entranced.
"You coming?" he asked.
"Yeah, yeah. I am coming." She followed him out of the room as he made his home in her heart.
Her memory was interrupted as someone approached her on the balcony.
"Captain?"
"Yes?" she asked.
"There's a call for you. I tried to page you, but I didn't realize you were out here," said the firefighter.
"Thank you. I will be right in."
She took a deep breath of the cinnamon air once more and walked back into reality.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone