Disclaimer: I do not own 911 or the characters in it.

AU Story, purely a fanfiction story

I just want to thank FictionWriter91 as well for helping me. It's all thanks to you for encouraging me to write and finally post my stories.

Hope all the fanfiction readers will enjoy Chapter 1

Happy reading :-)

Chapter One: Help is on the Way

"9-1-1 what's your emergency?"

Heavy breathing could be heard on the line followed by background noises of screaming.

"HELP! He's going to jump!" a woman shrieked on the other line.

"Ma'am, who's going to jump?"

"My BROTHER!"

"Ma'am, what's your location?"

"We are at the Santa Monica Pier; you gotta HURRY! He's going to kill himself! Oh, GOD!

…Line disconnected

The Santa Monica Pier

Station 118 quickly arrived at the scene with LAPD just a few minutes behind. Crowds of people were around the roller coaster ride, forming a big wave of bodies. Since the tsunami hit a few months back, the ride was bound to be repaired, but that wasn't the reason why the people were around the roller coaster. A man had climbed on top of the ride, threatening to end his life by jumping from the ride.

Captain Robert Nash was the first responder to exit the fire truck with Buck and Eddie close behind him as they walked to the scene. They looked up in astonishment, taking sight of the man, who was sitting on the edge on one of the white poles that were holding the roller coaster's structure.

"Dear mother of God," Chimney called out as he and Henrietta also arrived at the scene, standing beside their captain.

"How on Earth did he get up there?" Henrietta asked in disbelief, her mouth wide open from amazement. The members of the 118-team stood there, waiting on their captain's order, but to their surprise, he said nothing. He just looked around, analyzing every outcome of this situation could offer.

"Who called 9-1-1?" he asked, searching in the wave of people that formed around him, scanning the faces that were staring at him. He noticed that most people were looking stunned or upset, which made it difficult to pick out the person who placed the original call. He was informed by dispatch that multiple people called about the emergency, but there was a woman who claimed to be the sister of the man, so he put his focus on the females of the crowd.

"I did." A woman appeared from the crowd; her face visibly moist from all the crying she has been doing. She was a beautiful young woman with sparkling blue eyes and blonde highlighted hair. She had a long-sleeved white shirt on with skinny jeans and leather boots, but the sleeves of her shirt were stained with mascara as she constantly tried to wipe her tears away. Her eyes were as red as a tomato, and a few sniffles could be heard.

"Hi, I'm Captain Bobby Nash from the 118-fire department. Tell me, is that your brother up there?" he asked, following the protocols although he knew it was her brother. Henrietta shielded her eyes with her hands from the sun to focus on the man who just shifted his position closer to the edge. He was inches away from falling, and Captain Nash had to act quickly. He remained calm at the situation though, gathering the necessary information from the woman first.

"Y-y-yes, it is," the woman stuttered on her words, running a hand through her hair.

"Okay, what's your name?" Nash asked calmly, offering a gentle smile.

"Jessica. Please help him," she pleaded, her face looking defeated as more tears streamed down her face.

"Okay, Jessica, we are going to help your brother," Captain Nash nodded. "Do you know why your brother is up there?" He looked up once again for a moment before he turned his attention back to the woman. Jessica crossed her arms over her chest before she explained.

"His fiancée died in a car accident last week, and ever since, he has been miserable. He didn't eat, sleep, shower, or even leave the house. He claimed that he couldn't live without her. I was starting to get worried, so I came up with the idea to come to the pier since it always puts a smile on his face, but now I think it was the worst idea ever."

Captain Nash nodded, analyzing how he was going to handle the situation. It was a tough one. Losing someone you loved was not easy. The golden question was, how on Earth did the man get up there in the first place? Did he really scramble his way up to the ride to the highest point with his bare hands? It seemed a little bit unrealistic to the Captain, but he believed that anything was possible.

"Don't worry, Jessica," Buck said, reassuring her. "We're going to save your brother." He wanted to help her feel better as he saw she was on the verge of breaking point. She forced a smile at Buck and nodded before Captain Nash spoke again.

"Do you perhaps know how your brother got up there?" he asked, as he had noticed that the sign of the roller coaster said, "Closed for Repairs". The woman shook her head vehemently, bursting into a fresh batch of tears. Eddie was the one who jumped in then, wrapping his arms around the woman, soothing her, and whispering that everything is just going to be all right. Captain Nash concurred that the man must have climbed onto the railings of the ride.

"Who's in charge of this ride?" he called out, scanning faces once again.

"I am." A man in his late forties appeared from the crowd, his hand in the air for a moment as he walked. He had a visible receding hairline of light brown hair combed to the side and was wearing a white and blue striped shirt with a matching tie as well as some blue faded denim pants and black leather safety boots.

"Does the ride work yet?" Captain Nash asked, arching an eyebrow.

"The repairs were done yesterday, Captain, but we hadn't tested it yet," he said truthfully, looking at the man who sat on the edge of the pole.

"Can the ride be stopped if I order you to?"

The man nodded his head quickly.

"Buck, go get my gear," Captain Nash ordered.

"But, Cap," Buck protested, but he was given a stern look in return, so he only nodded as he quickly gathered the gear from the fire truck. Captain Nash quickly geared up in his safety equipment in seconds as there was no time to waste. The man had shuffled once again closer to the edge as he watched from below how everything was playing out. Captain Nash quickly ran up the stairs with Jessica and Buck close behind him, Henrietta, Chimney and Eddie had gathered the safety cushion from the truck, positioning it in the right spot just in case something didn't go to plan.

"Let me do it," Buck insisted, But Captain Nash shook his head.

"Thanks, Buck, but I'm the Captain of this firehouse, and I can handle this one," he smiled. He appreciated the concern on Buck's face all the same though.

"Please keep an eye on Jessica. I will be down in a sec," Nash ordered. Buck slowly nodded his head. There wasn't any room for argument as a man's life was at stake.

"What's your brother's name?" Nash asked Jessica, strapping himself tightly in the ride.

"It's Jack," she said, and he nodded before he gave a thumbs up to the operator, who switched on the ride. It made a weird noise at the beginning but ran normally after a few seconds.

"Captain!" Buck called out.

"Be safe," he said smiling for a brief moment before the look of concern replaced it quickly.

"I'm ready," he said as the ride slowly made its way up. The operator switched the ride on testing mode, but he was scared that something might go wrong since they hadn't tested it fully. Everything felt like it was in slow motion for Bobby as the ride made its way up. He wanted to get there as fast as he could, but he couldn't risk his life for that. He knew all too well about how those seconds between ending it all and choosing to live were so important.

The coaster finally traveled around on the railings, soon coming to a stop where the man was sitting on the edge of the white big pole. Captain Nash could perfectly see how the man's eyes were dark in color and baggy due to the lack of sleep he seemed to have endured in the past week. But most importantly, he could tell how scared this man was. It was a look that he recognized all too well.

"Hi Jack," he greeted as the ride came to a screeching stop. "I'm Captain Bobby Nash from the 118-fire department, and I'm here to help." He offered his hand, but Jack refused to reach for it. Instead he crossed his arms over his chest, making sure his hands were out of reach.

"I don't need your help!" Jack retorted, shifting his body away from Nash. Jack was inches away from falling. One more shift, and he would fall. The safety cushion was deployed, but one could never know what way the man could fall. The crowd gasped, and more people gathered around the coaster, like it was some kind of drama show on TV they were watching.

Sergeant Athena Grant entered the scene at this moment, watching in shock how her husband was up in the air on the roller coaster that wasn't fully operational yet. She had read the sign. She couldn't stop thinking about how her husband was a very stupid man yet brave for climbing on the ride to save a man he didn't know, but deep down in her gut she also had the feeling of terror that he was risking his life. Anything could go wrong with the ride, and yet he dared to go on it.

The rest of the 118-team felt helpless from below, watching in terror how their captain was risking his life. Although they couldn't hear what they were talking about up in the air, but knowing their captain, he was probably talking about his own past experiences.

Captain Nash sighed, taking a deep breath before he spoke again, taking a softer approach.

"Jack, I know you are hurt, and I can relate to how you are feeling. I'm so sorry about your fiancée. What you are going through is terrible, and I'm genuinely sorry about that, but, Jack, let me help you out of this mess," Nash offered calmly, hoping to get through his head.

"How do you know what I'm going through?" Jack demanded, a tear rolling down his cheek. He quickly wiped it away, because showing emotion made him feel weak. But that is exactly what he felt he was right now since he was sitting there and contemplating ending his own life. It's the coward's way out, he knew, but he just couldn't deal with his heartache anymore. Right now, dying was the only choice that seemed like a good and easy fix.

"Because I lost my wife and kids in a fire," Nash softened his voice, looking away because a tear escaped his eye. Jack was floored by this; it was not what he expected to hear from the captain. He wanted to say something. He wanted to turn to the captain, but he remained still and silent. Captain Nash took a moment of silence before he spoke again.

"I'm going to be honest with you, Jack, it's not going to be easy to get past this, I know. This destroys you mentally, physically, and emotionally. I couldn't eat or sleep or do my work properly because I had this burden that couldn't be lifted. But Jack, you are not alone in this. You have friends and family who care about you…especially your sister, who is standing right there," he finished, gesturing to the docking station. Jack looked that way, and he could see his sister holding her hands above her mouth, her face one of horror. He felt even worse then.

"She cares about you, and your family and friends can help you get past this, if you just let me help you down. Believe me, Jack, it does get easier over time. Grief is a process, and it's not an easy road, but you walk it with the people who love you by your side. Your fiancée surely wouldn't want you to end your life, right? She would want you to live and be happy again."

Silence filled the air between Captain Nash and Jack. The waves of the beach could be heard perfectly, crashing against the rocks and pillars. Jack stared into his lap; a few sniffles could be heard from him as tears started to stream from his face. He ran his hand through his hair before he looked at the captain.

"I just miss her so badly!" he whispered honestly. He didn't bother to wipe his tears away because he could see the emotion in the captain's eyes as well. If a tough firefighter could show emotion, Jack decided he could too because it meant it was okay to be vulnerable.

"I know you are Jack," Nash expressed. "But ending your life is not going to bring her back."

"I just want to see her again. I didn't even have the chance to say goodbye," he broke down, burying his face into the palms of his hands. Bobby also sheds a tear as flashbacks of his wife and kids came crashing down on him, but he managed to push it away and focus on the matter at hand.

"Come on, Jack," Bobby offered his hand once again, hoping Jack would take it this time. "Let's get you down. Your sister is worried sick about you." It took Jack a moment to realize what he had done. He had been so focused on himself that he never considered other people's feelings, especially his sister's. Jack snapped out of his trance that he has been in before he reluctantly took the captain's hand. Slowly but cautiously, he climbed onto the ride before the captain strapped him down in his seat next to him. He gave a thumbs up to the operator to signal that the roller coaster could be started again.

The weird noise could be heard again from the roller coaster as it started to move again. Bobby sat back, letting out a sigh of relief. They were two turns away from the ride's docking station before one of the wheels started to get loose, losing traction on the railings and making the ride unstable. The crowd gasped as sparks fly on the railings.

"What's going on?" Jack panicked. Captain Nash looked down, seeing that the bolt of the wheel had gotten loose.

"Hold on," he said, bracing for the impact that was yet to come.

"Oh my God!" Jack cried. "I really don't wanna die!"

"It's all right, Jack," Nash assured him, but he was feeling a bit worried.

"What the hell?" Buck called out, looking at the operator.

"The wheels might have gotten loose; I don't know what to do."

"Switch it off!" Buck ordered, and the operator pulled the handle down, making the ride came to a screeching stop. They were only a few yards away from the docking station.

"Cap, you okay?" Buck yelled. Captain Nash looked over to Jack, who was trembling with fear, but he was okay as he nodded at the Captain, not saying a word.

"We're good," Captain Nash nodded. He looked around, assessing the situation. Luckily, the wheel was still intact, but it was unsafe to travel further. He looked around. They were stuck at a high turn of course. Heavy breathing could be heard from Jack. Buck and Jessica rushed down the stairs towards the place where Nash and Jack were stuck.

"Eddie, go get the ladder," Buck said as he passed him, and Eddie nodded, hurrying over to the truck. He pulled out the ladder and ran back. The ladder was high enough where Nash and Jack were stuck. He positioned the ladder beside the ride, making sure it was firmly on the ground.

"Okay, Jack, you have to climb down," Captain Nash said as he unbuckled himself and Jack from the seat. Jack carefully climbed over to the ladder, slowly making his way down as the captain followed, taking each step carefully. Once they both reached the ground, Jessica came running towards Jack.

"Jack!" she exclaimed, cupping his face with her hand before she pulled him into a hug. She had never felt so happy to hold her brother again. Jack happily returned the hug, burying his face into her shoulder and holding her tightly against him.

"I'm so sorry," he kept saying. "I'm so sorry." They bent down on their knees, and they stayed like that for a couple of minutes, the 118-team smiling at them. Henrietta eventually made her way over to the siblings as she had to do her job.

"I'm so sorry to break this up, guys," Henrietta said gently, bending down on one knee beside them and putting her hand on top of Jack's shoulder. "But I need to check up on you in case you have gotten any injuries." She smiled., and Jack nodded, following her to the ambulance with his sister. He did feel sore from all the climbing he had been doing. He thought he might have pulled a muscle. The crowd cheered as he passed them, making him feel a little bit embarrassed by his actions.

"Good work Cap!" Eddie called out, bumping his fist lightly against his captain's shoulder before pulling down the ladder and going back to the truck with it. Captain Nash nodded in appreciation, a smile creeping on his face. He spotted his wife a few yards away. She was at one of the food stalls ordering herself a cup of coffee now that the anxiety-provoking situation was over.

"Hi there," he smiled as he gave his wife a kiss on the cheek.

"Oh, hi there," she greeted with a smile. "I didn't see you here." She winked, which made her husband scoff a little.

"I was pretty high up," he noted, giving her a wink back.

"Oh," she nodded her head playing along with her teasing game. "I didn't know I had to look up." She paid for her coffee at the stall, heading over to her patrol car. He followed.

"You're an idiot, you know that?" she said. This time she gave her husband a stern look as she took a sip of her coffee.

"And why is that?" he asked, raising his eyebrow.

"You risked your life to save a man on a ride that is not fully operational and tested yet," she continued. "And the wheel had gotten loose. I could have lost you."

"Well, it comes with the job, and you didn't," he countered playfully. She only shook her head, knowing that was true. But it didn't make her feel any happier about it.

"You're a very brave man, Captain Bobby Nash," she added. "One of the many reasons why I married you." She winked once more. He couldn't help but smile broadly at her statement.

"Many reasons you say," he smirked, turning to face his wife as they arrived at her patrol car. She just laughed as she opened the door of her vehicle.

"I will see you tonight after my long shift, my dear husband," she said giving him a passionate kiss on the lips before entering her vehicle. The smile on his face never left him as he watched his wife drive off. Henrietta was done checking up on Jack (luckily, he had no major injuries, only a pulled muscle) as she finished packing her equipment away in the ambulance. The ride back to the station was packed with chattering as the 118-team debriefed together about the intense day they had of saving lives.

They had started off with a multiple car pileup, which was caused by a faulty traffic light relay. Then they were off to saving a pregnant lady, who had fallen over a rug that was slippery on the newly polished wooden floors she had just ordered and put in. Then there was a small accident with a woman where she accidentally hit her head against a tree while she was playing with her kids. Finally, there was this one, where their captain saved a man's life who wanted to kill himself because his fiancée had died in a car accident. Eddie's mind traveled to Shannon, how she had died. The memory was still fresh in his mind, and he had constant nightmares of her. He didn't tell anyone because he was handling it. Eddie quickly snapped out of his thoughts when the truck was reversing in the building.

The team safely arrived at the fire station. All of them headed to their lockers to gear down from their equipment as it was the end of their 24-hour shift. Chimney had plans with Maddie. They were going on a date to this expensive restaurant he had found when he was on a call. Henrietta had plans with Karen and Denny, which involved building a castle for Denny out of cardboard boxes. Eddie had promised to spend the night with Christopher watching some children's movies with him. Bobby had plans with Michael, who was going to join him and the kids for a game night as Athena was still on duty for the night. Buck, on the other hand, was alone, but he preferred it after the long day he had. He was exhausted from the day's work, and he just wanted to get home and sleep. Everyone said their goodbyes to each other as they slowly dispersed, and Buck was the last one to leave the station.

He was on his way home, and he didn't realize how actually tired he was as he struggled to keep his eyes on the road. When he finally got home, he did his best to wind down and not think about the day's events, but it didn't work out so well, so he tried to go to sleep. It was 11 at night, and even though he was dead tired, he couldn't sleep. His body just didn't allow him to shut down, so he decided to go for a drive to the nearby garage to get coffee. It was peaceful in the neighborhood as only a few cars were on the road. Buck stopped at the red light, waiting for it to go green. He changed the radio station until a familiar song came up. He decided to sing along as he put his focus back on the road. The light turned green after a couple of seconds, and he pressed the gas pedal. Before he could even register what was about to happen, a truck had slammed into the side of his car, causing it to skid sideways before it flipped and did a few barrel rolls before it struck a pole. The car was severely damaged, and smoke was coming out of the engine, but Buck was even more injured. Blood was running down from his forehead; he could barely breathe. He felt as though he had broken every bone in his body. His entire world slowly turned black as he heard shouting outside his car.

"Help me," he managed to say weakly. "Help..."

...

"9-1-1 what's your emergency?"

"Oh, God, there has been an accident! The car just… flipped, and it kept flipping! I think the driver is dead. You gotta get here now!"