If Mike had any hope that it was all just a crazy dream or even just some sort of sojourn in a place where maybe he had gotten hold of some bad Chinese food or even a shot of bad liquor, his hopes were dashed the next morning. He woke up in the sterile apartment and realized he was still in trouble. He was not going to be able to carry on his life as he had known it. He was going to have to live out his character's life. And he had no idea how he was supposed to do that.
He sighed and got ready for work as he normally would. He simply decided to treat it as he did when he was working as Engineer Stoker and not as Actor Stoker. He looked around the bedroom… and decided he was going to do some shopping after he got off shift. If he was going to be sticking around, he wanted to at least be comfortable. Because this place was too much like a set, and that was not going to work. Not at all. He headed into the bathroom to shave. He found what he needed waiting for him and tried really hard not to think about what that meant.
After he was dressed, he popped some bread into the toaster, and poured himself some pineapple juice. He had developed an affinity for the stuff years ago and preferred it to orange. He was glad he had restocked his coffee stash the night before, and he poured a cup, inhaling the strong aroma gratefully. After breakfast, he grabbed his keys and wallet and headed to the station, wondering what this day in his new and bizarre existence would bring.
~51~
Mike was back in his element. Or at least he could pretend he was. The fire they were fighting was a bad one. Any doubts he may have had about his station-mates as to their abilities had vanished as he watched them in action. They worked together like a well-oiled machine, which may have been a cliché, but in this case, also happened to be true. He especially marveled at the speed with which John and Roy brought out and treated victims, getting them ready to transport.
Mike watched Cap as he directed the others in their fight. The fire was stubborn, but Mike knew they were winning. It wasn't easy, but they were gaining the upper hand. As long as the wind didn't pick up, and nothing else went wrong, they had a good chance at a fairly rapid containment. Mop-up would be a bitch, but hopefully, they wouldn't get stuck with that duty.
That cheerful thought was running through his mind as he was adjusting a couple of pressure valves. Suddenly, the scene behind him basically went to hell. It was rare to hear Cap lose it, but it happened then. Mike heard him yell over the handi-talkie "Get the hell outta there… NOW!" And in the next moment, something really big blew in the building.
The earth shook with ungodly force underneath him, and he was thrown off his feet. Dazed, he lay on his back, trying to make sense of the colors and sounds whirling around him, but he had little luck. He thought he heard someone say something about "gas line" but he wasn't exactly sure. He sighed as he let the blackness overtake him. It was easier that way…
~51~
"Earth to Stoker!"
"Huh?" Mike was startled. He stared across the table at Del Martin, one of his station-mates at 69s. What the hell? How did he get here? He looked around in confusion, hoping he didn't look like too much of an idiot. Everything seemed perfectly normal. He shook his head slightly. What had happened at the scene of the explosion? Was everyone okay?
Del grinned at him, talking in his typical rapid-fire fashion. "You looked like you were a million miles away. You sure you didn't come back to soon? You got whacked pretty hard, y'know. I said there's a call for you. Apparently you didn't hear me. Cap says you can take it in his office if you want. Says it's from your agent." The senior line finally drew a breath and Mike flinched at the reminder of the branch that had hit him and started this whole crazy mess.
Del rolled his eyes playfully, the way he always did when the subject of Mike's "other" employment comes up. Even though Mike had been acting in the series for six years now, his station mates still delighted in giving him a bad time about it, especially because the shy, retiring engineer has become a media darling.
Mike sighed, wondering what Cy wanted now. He usually didn't bother him at the station, so this call must be about something pretty big. It still felt weird having an agent, but the move had been necessary in order to deal with both his public and private lives and his full-time career as a firefighter. He'd also found he had to deal with more than one fan/stalker, and Cy had been invaluable help him navigate those awkward and scary waters.
He headed to Cap's now vacant office, thankful for the man's tact and courtesy. He sat in Cap's chair and picked up the phone. "Hey, Cy. What's going on?" There was no need to apologize for the length of time it had taken him to answer. Cy was used to that.
The voice that came back on the other end was tentative and nervous, which was unusual for Cy. "Uh, look, Mike, I got some bad news for ya. Sorry to tell you this, but, ummm, they, they cancelled the show."
Mike sat back in shock. This was completely unexpected. "Wait. What happened?"
"Not totally sure. Not getting much in the way of answers." Cy huffed a sigh. "Really sorry, Mike. You want me to look for any other gigs for you?"
Mike was quiet for a minute, thinking. He was not an actor. He had his SAG card, but only so it allowed him to work on the set of the show as himself… "No thanks, Cy. I think I'm done with acting. I appreciate everything you've done for me, though."
Cy was quiet for a moment. "It's been a good run, Mike. I'll send you the paperwork. You take care of yourself. It's a dangerous world you live in, kid."
Mike laughed. "Ah, Cy, you don't know the half of it." He ended the call with his now former agent and returned to the day room. He thought about the explosion and about the cancellation and the fact he was back in his own world. The tones dropped, and he reflexively raced for his engine. He was home.
~The End~ A/N: