"So, uh, Luke told me he told you," Sully muttered as the two of them, Dean and Maya searched for Penny.
"More like Jennifer dropped the bomb for him and then I confronted him about it," Mallie muttered back.
"And, uh, you're cool with it?" Sully said.
"As long as he doesn't hurt her, I will remain neutral," Mallie said.
"That's mature," Sully looked at her with surprise.
"Well, I've stopped hating you as much, too. I'm growing, or some bullshit. Amelia's to blame, anyway. She makes me human," Mallie rolled her eyes. "Penny?!" she called out, banging on the door beside her.
"I'd, uh, maybe me, you, Saffie and Amelia could get together some time. Luke could come, and Vic, and we could have a family lunch?" Sully said.
"Fucked up family," Mallie snorted. "I'll mention it. No promises, though. Four firefighters, a brain surgeon and a lawyer taking down pedophile rings makes for very complicated schedules," she said.
"Captain," Andy said into her radio. "She's in the basement trapped in a washer dryer. I need every extraction tool and hand you have," she said.
"Captain, we may have a potential gas leak," Maya said into her radio.
"This is Gibson, I read you. I'm heading back to the truck now," Jack said into the radio.
"No tools!" Mallie said quickly into her radio. "No tools," she said. There was no answer and Sully nodded at Mallie.
"I'll go and stop them, you evacuate this floor," he said.
"Got it," she nodded.
He took off down the stairs and Mallie started banging on doors with the head of her axe.
"Everybody out! Gas leak! Evacuate now!" Mallie shouted. "Gas leak! Let's go!" she shouted.
"Cruz!" Maya called. Mallie looked over, seeing she and Dean coming towards her.
"Evacuate everybody," Mallie said.
"We're on it," Dean nodded.
"Seattle Fire Department, everybody out!" Mallie banged on the door beside her.
There was a loud explosion as fire roared, burning right through the apartment door.
Mallie was launched backwards into the wall and she groaned, putting her head into her arm to cough out the smoke she'd inhaled.
"Cruz?!" Maya shouted, starting to put the fire out with Dean.
"I'm okay," Mallie groaned, getting to her feet and grabbing her fire extinguisher. She started spraying the fire out, grabbing her radio. "Guys, there's fire that we're putting out but the gas will make it spread faster. Be prepared for it to start jumping floors. Continuing with our evac," Mallie said.
"Everybody okay?" Travis came over the radio.
"I'm gonna have a lovely bruise, but yeah. All good," Mallie said, getting back to putting the fire out.
"I want you to get a checkup at Grey Sloan," Dean said, moving the torch in front of Mallie's eyes.
"I'm fine. I didn't hit my head," she said.
"Then why isn't one following the light?" he said.
"Oh, I was meant to be following?" Mallie rolled her eyes, letting them follow the torch. "I'm fine, Miller. Really," Mallie said.
"Let me check your back. There was a lot of impact. You crashed into a radiator," he said.
"You just wanna see me naked," Mallie laughed. She pulled her shirt up over her head, showing Dean the bruise spreading across her back.
"Okay, I want you to ice that you get home. And I want you to get Amelia or someone to check you out, just in case," he said.
"Amelia always checks me out, but, in case you forgot, it's past midnight and she'll be at work by the time our shift ends. I'm not going to strip for her at work," Mallie said.
"Maybe you should. You're reckless. You get hurt more than anyone," Dean rolled his eyes fondly.
"Okay, that explosion was not my fault. I'm very clumsy. But, I'm also a badass firefighter, so it's okay," Mallie said.
Dean laughed and pat her back.
"Go on. You're good," he said.
"Knew it," Mallie sang, pulling her shirt down back and walking to the ladder to go home.
"So, you were in an explosion?" Meredith said, rubbing cream onto Mallie's back to lessen the swelling and bruising.
"A very minor explosion. Don't go throwing around the E-word or Amelia will freak out," Mallie said.
"Good thing she didn't call Amelia, then," Saffie's voice came from behind Mallie. Mallie groaned, burying her face in the hospital bed she was lying on.
"You called my sister? That's like, that's like me calling Amelia or Maggie on you. You psycho," Mallie muttered.
"I called your twin sister, who swung by my house last night because she was bored. It's weird. I've known you longer and I see Saffie more," Meredith said.
"You also like me more," Saffie grinned, smacking the back of Mallie's head. "Stop getting into explosions," she said.
"You're all done. Stop getting into explosions," Meredith said.
"You've jinxed her, now," Saffie sighed, smacking Mallie's head again. "Touch wood," she said.
"That's my head!" Mallie scoffed.
"Tree of knowledge," Saffie shrugged.
Mallie's radio beeped and she pulled it out.
"Cruz responding?" she said.
"Wanna workout?" Travis said. Meredith took the radio.
"No, Montgomery. She's in trouble for getting into an explosion," Meredith said.
"Sorry, Cruz!" Travis said quickly, turning the radio off before Meredith could shout at him.
"An explosion?" Amelia's voice came from the door. Mallie groaned.
"Now I'm in trouble," she said.
"What happened?" Amelia said, stepping into the room and scanning Mallie's back.
"Gas leak in the blackout. Explosion went boom, I went bang, now I'm here and bruised," Mallie muttered miserably. "And Saffie has a crush on Maggie, which is just weird," she said.
"That is weird," Amelia said, kneeling in front of Mallie. Mallie pouted at her. "You okay?" she whispered.
"It hurts like a bitch, but I'm too tough to cry," Mallie whispered. Amelia leaned down and kissed her softly.
"Are you off today?" she said.
"Yeah," Mallie mumbled.
"C'mon, then," Amelia said, helping her sit up and pull her shirt down. "You are gonna be my lackey today so I can keep an eye on you," she said.
"Yay," Mallie smiled, wrapping her arms around Amelia's waist.
"Honestly, she's the most sarcastic bitch you'll ever meet but then Amelia is around her for five seconds and she melts into a baby," Saffie looked at Meredith. Meredith snorted.
"That's love for you," Meredith muttered.
"Ew," Saffie made a face.
"Structure fire," Mallie grinned as the team suited up for the call.
"We got a fire at a coffee processing plant. Could have been out an hour ago, which means conditions have escalated. Alert level's high! The incident commander needs us on stand-by for Rapid Intervention. Chief's already on-site to coordinate. Move!" Sully shouted, climbing into the ladder.
Mallie climbed into the back of the ladder, across from Andy, with Sullivan and Ben in the front.
"Did you know?" Andy asked.
"Know what?" Mallie said, pulling her hair into a messy pony.
"Maya and Jack," Andy said.
"What about them?" Mallie said.
"I found them having sex in a closet," Andy said. Mallie snorted.
"Well, that's very awkward," she said.
"Honestly," Andy groaned.
"I'm sick of being in explosions," Mallie groaned as she dragged herself off the floor after the coffee plant had an explosion.
"Well, stop being in them, then," Sullivan said, brushing the dust off her jacket.
"Wow, I didn't think of that," Mallie said sarcastically.
"Nineteen! You're my rapid intervention team," Ripley shouted. "Sullivan, I'm gonna need a personnel accountability report for everyone on scene. As soon as we have all of our people out, we begin a defensive attack. Go," Ripley said, patting Sully before heading off to get back to work.
"We're being deployed. We have a report of 10 members of 42 being inside the building when it blew, we don't know many were impacted by the blast," Sully said.
"There are no real points of reference once you're in there, so it will be easy to get turned around," Andy added.
"We move in two teams, two pairs each. When we find someone, two of us take them to safety. The other two continue to search. We use 42's hose lines as a guide to find our people. Some of them may be trying to follow those lines out. And listen for PASS devices. Go, go!" Sully ordered.
Mallie pulled her mask on and ran into the coffee plant with Vic. They ducked through the stacks of coffee beans, Mallie wincing as some of the bags exploded across her mask.
"Fuck!" she gasped.
"It's hot," Vic groaned, grabbing Mallie as they headed further in where it was dark.
"Over there," Mallie pointed ahead at one of the firefighters from 42 on the floor.
"Montgomery, Gibson, you get him, we'll go on!" Vic called over her shoulder at Travis and Jack.
"On it," they said, grabbing the man and lugging him out.
Mallie and Vic carried on, searching for anybody else.
"Do we have everybody?" Mallie asked into the radio.
"I got Lee," a 42 firefighter said, appearing beside them.
"Homerun hitter's coming next. How many more?" Jack asked.
"Here comes Galarza," Sully said.
"We got everyone?" Mallie said.
"Still can't find Henderson," Ripley said into the radio.
"Henderson, come in," Mallie said.
"I can do the final sweep," the firefighter said, hurrying ahead.
"No, wait! Sir, we already cleared that area out. There are bags exploding everywhere. You should not go back there," Vic said. There was a bang as one of the vents broke from the ceiling and slammed on the floor. "Sir, this structure is not sound!" Vic shouted.
"I guess you better get moving then," he called back.
Mallie looked at Vic and then after Conlin.
"We'll have to tell Ripley. We can't be in here," Mallie said quickly, pulling Vic back outside.
"Ripley here. Is all of 42 accounted for?" Ripley said. Mallie and Vic ran over to him, Sullivan and Andy.
"No, no. Conlin's still inside. He went rogue and stayed behind to look for Henderson," Mallie said.
"I see Henderson was shipped to Rainer First 10 minutes ago," Sullivan checked the tablet.
"Conlin, what's your location?" Ripley asked into his radio.
"My company's not clear yet," Conlin groaned back.
"Henderson's clear. Now it's your turn to get out of there," Ripley said.
"Not sure if I can do that right now. The beam fell. I think my leg is broken. Put the structure on lockdown! The building's losing all structural integrity. No one comes back in," Conlin said.
"Captain, what is your location? We're coming in for you," Sullivan said.
"Montana, your team's done enough!" Conlin said.
"Tell us where you are," Sullivan said.
"No one comes back in. Captain's orders," Conlin said.
"I mean, screw that, right? There's an officer down. 42 has to follow his command, but not us. He says the structure isn't sound. We can't just leave him in there," Vic said.
"He made his decision. He's the ranking Captain of this scene. He doesn't want to risk more lives because he knows better than to waste them," Ripley said, starting to suit up.
"What are you doing?" Vic scoffed.
"I outrank Conlin. I'm superseding his command," Ripley said.
"I'm coming with you," Sullivan said.
"No. I need you on the building blueprints. You're gonna be my eyes over the radio," Ripley shook his head.
"Luke-" Sully tried to protest.
"I trust you," Ripley said.
"Fine, but I'm coming, too," Mallie said.
"No, you're not," Sullivan, Ripley and Vic chorused.
"Yes, I am," Mallie said. "You're not going alone. Just let me get a fresh O2 tank," Mallie said.
"Fine. Quick," Ripley said. Mallie nodded, jogging to get a new O2 tank.
"Are you going in?" Maya asked.
"Yeah. So, uh, do me a favour?" Mallie said, grabbing the O2 tank.
"Yeah?" Maya said.
"If I die, there's a box in the bottom of my closet. The key, that's in the kitchen in the mug with the tomatoes on. Give that box and the key to Amelia and Saffie, let them give shit out to everyone. And tell Meredith that I do not want to be in the vegetable patch. If I'm gonna die, let me die," Mallie said.
"Cruz," Maya sighed.
"Bishop, listen to me," Mallie rolled her eyes. "I'm going in with him. He's family. If I die, give them the box and the key," she said.
"Don't die. Please," Maya said, grabbing Mallie's hand. Mallie squeezed back before pulling her hand free. .
"No promises," Mallie sighed, running over to Ripley.
"Ready?" he said, pulling his mask on.
"Yeah," Mallie nodded.
The two of them stepped into the coffee plant again, Ripley grabbing Mallie's hand as the two of them made their way through the rubble and fire to find Conlin.
"Found Conlin's drop-line. Sullivan, talk to me," Ripley said into the radio.
"About 30 feet ahead, you're gonna turn left. That will put you in the building's south wing," Sullivan said.
"Copy that. On the move," Mallie said.
"Okay, this way," Ripley pulled Mallie left.
"You still with me, Chief, Cruz?" Sullivan asked.
"Entering the south wing now," Ripley said.
They walked forward a bit further, Mallie's eyes darting around to look for anything familiar from when she'd last seen Conlin.
"I don't know where we are," Mallie said.
"Sullivan, talk to me. We don't know where we are," Ripley said into the radio.
"Wait, over here!" Mallie pointed at a red helmet sticking around the corner of some stacks of beans.
They hurried over, seeing Conlin was stuck on the floor with a burning beam on his leg.
One of the bags exploded and Ripley dropped, head banging off the floor as he fell unconscious. Mallie covered her head as she fell, wincing as her hip smacked against a burning pole.
She groaned and got to her feet, making sure her gloves were on before she started pushing the burning beam off of Conlin.
"Chief, Cruz, talk to me," Sullivan said. Mallie ignored them, wincing as she grabbed Conlin's jacket and started dragging him closer to Ripley.
She dropped to her knees and grabbed Ripley, feeling his neck for a pulse.
"Hey, dickhead, wake up," Mallie said, smacking his forehead lightly.
"Always so nice to me," Lucas mumbled, blinking wearily as he opened his eyes.
"Yeah, well, I was always your favourite niece. C'mon, dumbass. Let's get you back to your misses," Mallie said.
"Let's get you back to yours, too," Lucas said, getting to his feet. The two of them got Conlin to his, supporting him as they made their way back towards the front door.
"Cruz, do you copy?" Maya's voice came over the radio.
"Making our way out," Mallie said into her radio.
They carried Conlin out of the door, other firefighters taking him while Mallie pushed Lucas over to an aid car. She pulled his helmet off and grabbed an oxygen mask, sticking it over his face.
"You're gonna shut up and stay there, alright?" she said.
"Alright," Ripley nodded.
Mallie pulled her own mask off, spitting some phlegm onto the floor and wincing.
"Oh, god, I need some fucking tequila," she groaned.
"Are you hurt?" Maya asked, grabbing Mallie and easing her onto the other aid car.
"No, I'm fine," Mallie said. Maya put the oxygen mask over her face and Mallie nodded thankfully. "We pulling a double to help?" she said.
"Yeah, Herrera already asked," Maya said.
"You know, closets wouldn't be my first choice for workplace sex. Now, the beanery, that's risky, but it is so worth the risk," Mallie smirked.
"Hey!" Maya whined, smacking her around the back of the head. "It was one time at work. And who the hell did you have sex with in the beanery?" she asked.
"Amelia, obviously," Mallie snorted. "But, seriously, sleeping around with Gibson? Behind Andy's back? Messy," she said.
"Very," Maya sighed.
"I need to text Amelia, tell her I'm pulling a double," Mallie said.
"Good," Maya nodded. "And tell her that you love her. You could've died today. She should know," Maya said.
"I'm not telling her today," Mallie laughed, grabbing her phone from Travis as he offered it to her. Maya rolled her eyes, walking away and leaving Travis and Mallie alone.
"You should. Vic just proposed to Ripley. Aunt Vic," Travis cooed quietly. Mallie laughed loudly.
"I'm never going to call her aunt Vic. I'd kill myself first," Mallie said.
"That's dark," Travis said, "But true," he laughed. Mallie threw her phone onto the bed after she'd dropped a text to Amelia, standing up and pulling her mask off.
"C'mon. I'm good. Let's go," she said.
"Let's go," Travis wrapped an arm around her shoulders, ruffling her hair fondly.
"So, the Chief has low calcium levels, and that means..." Andy trailed off as Mallie and Maggie jogged out of the ER doors, Sully and Ben behind them.
"His numbers indicate that he was exposed to some potent toxin. Hydrocarbon, fluorocarbon, maybe even hydrofluoric acid. It's hard to say without knowing the contamination source," Mallie said quickly.
"Can you please call him again?" Maggie asked.
"Considering the aortic stenosis has already put stress on his heart-" Mallie started.
"You're worried about pulmonary edema, respiratory distress, arrhythmias," Ben finished.
"I can't believe he just checked himself out," Mallie cried.
"He wants to explain to Vic-" Andy said.
"I don't care what he wants! I need him here, not Lancelot-ing all around Seattle looking for his girlfriend," Maggie finished for Mallie.
"So, we go get him," Ben said.
"But go where? We don't know where he is," Sully said.
"If he's not answering... If we find Vic, we'll find Chief Ripley. It's our best shot. Then we'll deliver him straight to you," Andy said.
"Okay. I will be here," Maggie said, pulling out her phone. "Hey, I know you're not used to taking orders from other people, Chief, but right now, I am the boss of you, and I need you to pick up my call," Maggie said.
"Cruz, you're going back in," Sullivan said.
"What?" Mallie asked.
"You went in with Ripley. You're getting tested," Ben said.
Maggie grabbed Mallie's wrist and started dragging her inside.
"Get Vic to the hospital and get Luke back right now or I swear to god, I will kill a bitch!" Mallie called after the team.
"We know!" they called back.
"Mags, if you could hold off on-" Mallie started.
"What are you doing here?" Amelia grinned as someone wheeled her patient out of the trauma room for surgery.
"I might have been contaminated by hydrofluoric acid?" Mallie said awkwardly.
"What?" Amelia's grin dropped.
"Ripley has it and now he's disappeared because Vic proposed and he didn't say yes," Maggie said.
"Idiot," Mallie said.
"Yes. So, the team are looking, but Mallie and Ripley went back into the coffee plant to get another firefighter so there's a high chance she's been exposed, too," Maggie said.
"So, I'm patient zero," Mallie sighed.
"I have surgery but I can get Koracik to cover it," Amelia said quickly.
"Mi amor, I feel fine. Go and do surgery, come back and be my doctor," Mallie smiled.
"She's fine with me, Amelia," Maggie assured her.
"Okay," Amelia sighed. "Page me with the results. I mean it," she said.
"We will," Mallie and Maggie chorused. Amelia disappeared after her patient and Mallie sighed.
"God, I am so lucky," she said.
"She loves you," Maggie laughed, leading Mallie towards the stairs. "So, I would really love it if you aren't contaminated," she said.
"Yeah, me too," Mallie said. Maggie's pager beeped and she pulled it out.
"Oh, that's Ripley. He's at Seattle Pres right now," she said. "Uh," she trailed off, looking around. "Teddy!" she called.
A very pregnant Teddy looked up from her charts, eyes widening when she saw Mallie.
"She might have hydrofluoric acid contamination. Test her, don't kill her or let her escape. Mallie, I will keep Ripley in one place, so stay here and let me work," Maggie said quickly.
"Yes, boss," Mallie rolled her eyes, following Teddy into a patient room. "If I have the poisoning, I'm gonna kick my own ass. Can you do that?" Mallie said.
"I'm sure you'd find a way, Cruz," Teddy smiled.