I've got an army in my head
My bullet brains and I'm better off dead
I've got a cyclone in my soul
My hearts bleeding into a big, black hole
"Bang Bang Boom" - The Unknown

Magic Mike Soundtrack

Brooklyn, New York

"GOOOOOOD MORNING, BROOKLYN! This is your eye in the sky Dean Wiggins. Traffic is at a stand still on the 278 because of an overturned freight truck. Anyone needing to get into the central city is going to be LATE, LATE, LATE!" The radio announced from the speakers of a beautiful, cherry red Camero that was currently stuck in said traffic jam. The driver growled and jammed his finger at one of the buttons, halting the announcements of the AM Radio DJ in favor of a beautiful guitar solo in progress.

"Nah shit we're gonna be late. I'm supposed to be in there!"

Paul Lahote was not a patient man.. This was proven by the fact that he began to honk his horn, even knowing the other cars were going nowhere. At an early age, Paul had been accepted to train to work for the Brooklyn fire department.. NYFD! He had busted his ass on the tests, the training and the physicals. He was in the best shape of his life and could only go up from there.

But then his mother had gotten sick.. His father had walked out on them before he was even taking a bottle, so it was just him and his ma.. Suddenly, he was juggling his work, her meds, her doctors appointments and all the household bills. He knew he was screwing up, but he couldn't let his ma down..

He spared a glance at the clock. 9:15.. He was already fifteen minutes late!? He glared through his aviator sunglasses at the traffic infront of him. It wouldn't be clear soon, he knew that much. Glancing out his window at the grassy shoulder beside him, he sighed.

"Sorry Cherry. I'm gonna owe you a wash and wax.."

With a huff, he pulled onto the grassy shoulder and sped through the mud and debris up to the accident. Parking his car, he threw himself out of the car and met up with his partner Benny.
Benjamin "Benny" Mendez had been part of the Brooklyn NYFD for "too many years" and had seen "a'lotta fucked up shit, Pauly"- And he was the father that Paul had never had.. Okay, maybe an uncle. Dad's have a tendency to not pan out right. He was in his early 50's with dark hair that seemed to be peppered with gray. Benny had never been married and never had kids of his own, so he'd volunteered to train "the young buck" and they'd never looked back..

"Yo! Benny!"

The older man turned and rolled his eyes, "Pauly! Where the hell have you been?!"

"Stuck in this shit mess. I called the station. What's the deal?"

He lost himself in his work as Benny explained the problems and how they needed to clean it up. They were trying to get everyone to safety while making sure the truck wasn't going to catch fire and explode.

"We don't know if it's on fire or not?" Paul gaped.

"Well sorry there, Mista Muscles, but not all of us can monkey-climb ourselves up there to see through the tear in the hood. And you know we ain't getting a truck through all'a this!"

At the look on Paul's face, Benny growled and grabbed Paul by one of his suspender straps, "You listen ta me, kid. Don't you go takin' no risks. Your ass is already gonna get chewed 'cause you was late. You think the Chief'll not go all rabid on ya for goin' outside your paygrade?"

Paul raised an eyebrow and removed Benny's hand in an overly calm way from his person... Before running off and vaulting up the side of the overturned truck. He grabbed the wheel and swung his body, causing the huge rubber item to rotate enough for him to reach the foothold with this knee. He hefted his body up and walked gingerly along the door to the edge of the window before crouching to peer down into the hood. A giant gash had been ripped through the hood somehow, giving him a beneficial view into the engine. He pulled his mini-Maglite from his pocket and looked inside the cavern. With a huff, he stretched his body out and held himself up in push-up position one handed to get a closer look.

Five minutes later, he was back on the ground brushing his hands off. "No leak. No fire. We can get this hunk'a tin outta here. I'm gonna head on to the station, yeah?"

Benny waved him off, not making eye contact. Paul brushed it off as him being butthurt about his "risk" and they'd work it out later.

"LAHOTE! Get ya ass in here!"

He groaned and turned towards the Chief's door, "Can I get a cup'a coffee first?"

Never a man to deny another coffee, Chief Derrick Kenworth waved his hand at the pot while glaring at the young buck in his firehouse. He'd taken a risk on Lahote and for the most part, he thought it had paid off. He knew about the boy'd problems with his mom and he'd tried to help him out. However, there are just some things you can't save people from...

He sighed as Paul entered, "Close the door, Kid."

Paul paused, an icy hand of nervousness raking through his body and settling to grip his stomach, "Yes, sir."

He sat down and took a sip of his coffee, looking at his Chief, "Sir?"

He watched the older, very gray man run a hand through his thinning hair before flopping into his chair, "What were you thinkin' out there?"

"Well sir, I was thinking there was a job that needed to be done and I was able to do it."

"You could have been hurt."

"But I wasn't."

"You were told, by a senior member and your own partner, to not act how you did.. The Head Marshall was on scene. He called me and told me to send your file to him. He wants you outta the firehouse.."

"What? Why?!"

Kenworth laid Paul's file out on the desk, "He thinks that you're getting worse. I tried to tell him you're a helluva fireman, kid.. But you know your practical marks are falling steadily..."

"Chief! Please! You know what's been going on! You know-"

"-Yeah.. I know.. The decision isn't mine."

Paul nodded and forced the emotion from his face, holding his hand out to Kenworth to shake while refusing to meet the other man's eyes, "Thanks for everything, Sir..."

"Lahote, I-"

"I get it. Okay? I get it."

He burst out of the office and punched a wall before heading to his locker and starting to clear out his own personal items.

"Pauly.."

He turned and glared at his partner, betrayal written all over his face, "Benny! SAVE IT!"

"I tried, Pauly. It wasn't any of our calls!"

"You knew it had to be done!"

Benny simply sighed, "Call me later, kid. Take care of yourself."

Paul tossed his badge at Benny's feet and walked out...

Later, sitting in his car outside his home, he let his tears fall. What would he do now? He had to take care of his ma. All the bills were caught up for now, but new ones would come in the mail tomorrow. A never ending cycle. A flyer taped to the lightpole caught his eye..

THE SLIPPER ROOM – Looking for attractive males ages 21-30 to perform as Exotic Dancers.

He sighed as he stared at the number on the ad. He didn't really have any other options. He washed out as being a fireman.. Who would want a wet-behind the ears young man who had no college degree? He'd been told several times he looked too pretty to be as intelligent as he was... Time to make a stupid life decision...

"Yeah.. Is this the Slipper Room? I'd like to schedule an audition... Paul Lahote... Twenty-Two... Ah, I got got tattoos and abs... Was gonna be a fireman... Yeah. See you tomorrow then."

With a sigh, he got out of Cherry and went inside. He heard the sounds of his mother's soaps playing from the living room as he scooped up the bills in the hallway.

"Ma?"

"Oh! My Pauly! You're home early."

Paul sighed and went to sit infront of his mother. She muted the TV and looked at him with a sigh, "What is it?"

"Ma... I washed out. I'm sorry. I made the Fire Marshall upset today without even knowing until I got back to the firehouse. It's okay though. I get my last check from them tomorrow and I've already got an interview lined up somewhere else."

Sophia Lahote eyed her son as he sat infront of her. He looked so much like a boy, but she knew he'd been forced to become a man when she took ill. "Doing what? You're not going to be doing anything illegal are you?"

He shot up from the table and ran a hand through his hair, "Christ Ma! No! I'm going to be.. Bartending."

Sophia snorted, knowing automatically he was lying but not wanting to tell her exactly, "Oh yeah? You've never mixed a drink in your life. Whatcha gonna do?"

"They're going to train me if I get the job. Don't worry about it.. Okay?"

Feeling weary, Sophia let the matter drop, "Alright. Just don't get into trouble. I need you here."

Paul sat on his knees and took her hand, brushing a kiss overtop of it before looking up at her like a young child, "I need you too, ya know.."

She nodded and ran a hand over his head softly, "I know. I'm still here."

He cleared his throat and stood up, shaking his body as if to shake off the feelings, "Let me make you some lunch, huh? Maybe some pasta?"

Sophia chuckled and waved him off, "Sure. Just let me watch my stories."