So it turns out that when you start writing the funniest episode you've ever seen from a drama, you really want to finish it . . . and while the episode isn't completely finished, I stopped at about 11.8K words. Hope you enjoy this as much as I enjoyed writing it!

Sylvie plays Secret Keeper and arrives in Los Angeles, Eddie doesn't believe in jinxes, Hen and Chimney try to convince him otherwise, and Bobby can't believe Sylvie is enjoying this. Athena and Lena are just along for the ride.

Enjoy "Jinx!"

***

Tommy should have been the odd officer out at the 126, but upon closer examination, Owen realized it was technically Sylvie. Owen was the commanding officer of the 126 as a whole, and he was the captain of Squad 9. Tommy was the officer of EMS 126, but she was not the chief paramedic of the house. Sylvie, while the chief paramedic of the 126 and a paramedic captain, was the only officer in the house that had not gotten an official rig of her own, as she was the riding paramedic of Squad 9.

I'm glad that'll no longer be the case, Owen thought as he finished signing one of the reports from earlier in the shift. Tommy had been informed immediately of Sylvie's news, and she had greeted the blonde next shift with a bear hug of excitement. Nancy, the last paramedic at the house, had been told when she had walked into the locker room where Sylvie bounced excitedly. The resulting squeal from Nancy had made Buttercup freeze where he was getting love from Marjan out on the apparatus floor. Owen knew Sylvie was planning on telling Buck and TK after their current shift, then they would tell the rest of the house the following shift.

The repetitive click of Sylvie's pen finally resonated in Owen's mind, and he looked up to see Sylvie slowly spinning around in her chair, completely focused on the files of Austin paramedics. He watched her do eight rotations and click her pen far more times before he finally cleared his throat. When that didn't catch her attention, he coughed loudly. She jumped, startled, and Owen smiled sheepishly. "At least your pen works."

"Oh, God," Sylvie dropped it like it was a hot potato. "I'm so sorry, I didn't even realize – "

"Geez, don't apologize," Owen shook his head. "I know the toll it takes to put together a crew."

"Yeah, and look at how well you did," Sylvie gestured out the window towards the apparatus floor. "Back in New York, too."

"You're not putting together an entire firehouse, though," Owen pointed out. "It's just one rig."

"One rig with paramedics I need to trust to know how to save a life when it could come down to a second," Sylvie countered.

Owen paused. "You are really working yourself up over this."

"Mackey was perfect back in Chicago," Sylvie sighed, rubbing her forehead. "It helped that I had Cruz's recommendation. I just . . . " She made a frustrated noise. "None of these Austin paramedics are what I'm looking for in a partner, let alone a three-person crew!"

"Chief Radford said it didn't need to be a three-person crew," Owen reminded her. "He said it could be a two-person team, just like you had in Chicago."

"That helps," Sylvie admitted, putting the files down and slumping back in her chair. "I just . . . I usually had my partner assigned to me, or they were already at the house. Dawson wanted to be a firefighter and Mills had an injury that led him to being PIC, then he left and Chili was assigned to 61, then Jimmy had to be assigned to 61, then Dawson came back, then Foster was assigned to me . . . Mackey was really the first paramedic I had any input on." She looked up at Owen. "When you formed Squad, how stressful was it?"

"Honestly?" Owen grinned. "Not at all. TK and I were two for two. As soon as TK brought your names up, you were who I called. When I formed the 126, TK was really the only one I knew. When it came to Squad, I agreed with TK – if one of us personally knew who was joining the team, there was a far better chance this was going to be a successful crew. I'd say we chose right, don't you think?"

"Definitely," Sylvie nodded, looking out the window thoughtfully.

Owen nodded, about to turn back to his computer when he saw her eyes widen and her mouth drop open. He frowned, tilting his head in concern. "Was it something I said?" he asked.

"Yeah," she said slowly, starting to smile. "Yeah, it was." She spun in her chair, facing Owen. "I just need to put in a request for leave."

"For leave?" Owen parroted, eyes wide. "What for?"

Sylvie grinned. "At least let me ask the person before I spill!"

***

"Did I see you packing in your room before dinner?" TK asked Sylvie as they cleaned the dishes.

Owen and Sylvie exchanged looks, and Sylvie bit her lip. "Well . . . considering I've decided to ask my potential paramedic partner in person – "

Buck choked on the drink of water he'd been taking. "Whoa," he coughed. "What's this about a paramedic partner?"

"So that notification I got on my phone when we were at Carlos's?" Sylvie grinned. "It was a message to meet Deputy Chief Radford at headquarters . . . where he pitched the idea of an ambulance primarily for squad calls."

"And you're leading it?" TK's eyes widened in excitement. "Girl!"

"You've sat on it for two days now?" Buck demanded, looking from Sylvie to a grinning Owen. "Why?"

"Because I wanted Tommy and Nancy to know first!" Sylvie defended. "They're the other paramedics, they should be warned there'll be at least one newcomer into the house."

Buck mulled it over, then nodded in agreement. "You're right."

"You know who you're asking, then?" TK asked.

"I do," Sylvie nodded, biting her lip to smother a silly grin. "That's why I want to make the trip in person. Owen told me how, when he interviewed for the 126, he met everyone in person, at the station, when he made the offers."

"Then why can't your potential partners come here?" Buck frowned.

"Apparently she wants it to be a surprise," Owen drawled.

Sylvie rolled her eyes. "Owen, if you were wanting to interview Tommy for a position here, and she lived out of state while working at a firehouse, would you want her to come to Austin?"

"No," Owen replied at once, then blinked. "Oh. I get your point."

Sylvie nodded. "I'm being considerate of the other person's life, too. Besides, you're only losing a paramedic while I'm away. It's not like I'm Buck or TK, who once they're gone, it gets far more complicated to find a replacement."

"That's true," TK grinned. "We're irreplaceable."

"Don't get cocky, son," Owen glowered.

Sylvie snickered. "And I'll only be out of Austin for a few days. I'll be back before you even notice I'm gone."

"I will," Buck rolled his eyes. "I'm starting to look for apartments already."

Owen snorted. "You know I'm not in any hurry to kick you out, Buck."

"I know," he nodded. "But while I love you and appreciate everything, I don't think you want me staying here forever."

TK laughed. "Probably not."

"I'll help look when I get back," Sylvie grinned. "How's that sound?"

Buck gave a thumbs-up and followed TK out to the living room. Sylvie finished drying her current plate as Owen walked up. "You know," he folded his arms, "if this partner of yours does end up joining the house . . . as its commanding officer, I will get the notification of a hiring and acceptance."

Sylvie smirked. "Can you keep a secret?"

Owen gave her an incredulous look. "What do you think I do, kiss and tell? I don't have anyone to kiss, certainly not tell."

Sylvie set down the last plate and fished her phone out of her pocket. She checked her e-mail, then pulled up her flight confirmation. "Guess," she flashed the screen his way.

Owen checked the destination, and his eyes widened. "You are not."

"Oh," she gave an evil grin. "I definitely am."

"Buck is going to kill you for not telling him."

"That's why I'm going to let someone else tell him, not me."

Owen looked at her, impressed. "You play dirty, Sylvie Brett."

She smiled innocently. "If only other people knew that about me."

***

Maddie looked at her phone when it rang, and she put her drink down before answering. "Hello?" she asked.

"Hey, Maddie," a silvery voice chirped. "I don't know if I ever actually told you my number, or maybe Buck did. But it's Sylvie Brett."

"Oh, yeah!" Maddie nodded, checking the Caller ID. "I had it saved, I just don't think we ever got in contact after San Angelo."

"Probably not," Sylvie agreed; Maddie paid attention to her while waving Taylor and Ana over, the reporter and the vice principal deep in animated conversation. "Anyway, I have a question . . . well, more like a favor to ask."

"Oh, really?" Maddie raised an eyebrow as her friends joined her at the table. "What can I do for you?"

"Do you have an open bedroom at your place for a few days, or know someone who does?"

Maddie paused, blinking. "Um . . . yeah, I have one," she said slowly. "What for?"

"You're probably gonna want more from me than me saying I just wanna visit Los Angeles, aren't you?"

"Just a bit more," Maddie scratched her head. "I'm not sure why you would want to come, especially since it sounds like you're coming alone."

She heard Taylor and Ana's conversation stop at that, and when she got questioning looks from them, she mouthed "in a minute" to them. "I need to talk to Eddie about something," Sylvie said. "And only Owen knows I'm coming to Los Angeles. I don't want everyone else to know if this doesn't turn out the way I'm hoping it will."

Maddie started connecting dots in her head, and her eyes widened. "Oh," she covered her mouth to hide a growing grin. "Oh!"

"Yeah, I guessed you would figure it out if I said that," Sylvie said dryly. "So, is there any chance I could – ?"

"You are definitely staying with me," Maddie declared with a grin. "Let me know what time you get here, and I can pick you up and show you around a bit."

"Thank you so much, Maddie," Sylvie sighed in relief. "I owe you one."

"I think you're doing multiple people a favor, actually," Maddie shook her head. "If it works out, we're gonna owe you."

"I think Owen's of the same mind. I'll let you know when I'm scheduled to land."

"Thanks. Looking forward to having you in the city."

"I'm looking forward to being there. Thanks again, Maddie."

"You're welcome," Maddie smiled. "See you soon, Sylvie."

"See you soon!"

"Sylvie?" Taylor asked as soon as Maddie hung up her phone. "Isn't that the name of one of Buck's coworkers in Austin?"

"Sylvie Brett," Maddie nodded. "She's one of the station's paramedic captains, and she works on Buck's crew."

"You met her at the wildfires," Ana nodded, remembering. "You said she was in a helicopter crash. Is she better now?"

"Much better," Maddie smiled. "And she's coming to Los Angeles for a few days."

"Just Sylvie?" Taylor blinked. "Not Buck, too?"

"Just her," Maddie confirmed, giving them a grin. "For a very good reason involving another favorite person of ours."

As Ana and Taylor exchanged looks, Maddie dug into her burger, knowing it wouldn't take long for the other women to figure it out. They were smart, after all. "Eddie?" Taylor finally guessed.

"Yep," Maddie nodded.

"Does this have to do with that Park Police sergeant who ripped into the 118 the other day?" Ana tilted her head.

Maddie snickered. "I'm gonna enjoy telling Sylvie that if she hasn't heard. No, this is a different reason."

"Well," Taylor folded her arms. "I'm gonna want to meet her. Someone just as chaotic as Buck? I want to see it for myself."

"Noted," Maddie grinned.

***

"Thank you for doing this, Carlos," Sylvie smiled as the police officer helped her with her suitcase.

"No problem, Sylvie," he told her, walking with her into the airport. "I have the itching suspicion that you chose this flight time just so no one from the 126 would be able to drop you off."

"Maybe," Sylvie said smugly. "My return flight is the same way, so no one knows where I'm returning from. Only Owen knows."

"You really want to keep this secret, don't you?" Carlos tilted his head.

"Because I don't want to get people's hopes up just in case this goes south," Sylvie nodded. "I mean, I seriously doubt it will, but . . . you never know."

Carlos eyed her. "Now I'm getting curious about who you're asking."

Sylvie shrugged. "It's a need-to-know basis, my friend."

"Fine," Carlos raised his hands in surrender. "Then I will say good luck, and enjoy your time wherever you're heading."

"Thanks, Carlos," Sylvie smiled, giving him a hug. "Keep an eye on my boys, OK?"

"I'll do my best," Carlos chuckled.

She waved and headed further into the airport to check her luggage. Only a few more hours, and she'd be in Los Angeles.

***

TK: It has been a total of three hours and eleven minutes

TK: Sylvie was wrong

TK: She's irreplaceable

Kelly did a double take when he saw that message in the Squad chat, and a glance up around the table saw the rest of his crew looking just as confused. "What's that face for?" Will frowned, the ER doctor having joined Jay at the firehouse for his break.

"Something confusing," Kelly frowned, typing out a response.

Kelly: What's that about?

Buck: It has been three hours and twelve minutes into shift

Buck: And we've already had a Squad call

Buck: And we're down a member so we had to wait for an ambulance to arrive

Buck: It feels so weird not having Sylvie

"Wait, hold on," Joe straightened in his seat. "Brett's not on shift with them right now?"

"What's going on?" Jay asked, completely befuddled and scooting his chair closer to Kelly to see the chat.

"Not sure right now," Kelly frowned, about to respond when he saw Capp beat him to the punch.

Capp: Why's Sylvie not on shift?

TK: Because she's a sneaky sneak who decided to leave Austin on our shift

Owen: Be honest

Owen: If you went with her to the airport, you would absolutely try and find out where she's going

TK: No comment

Tony: Why did Sylvie leave Austin?

Buck: Because she's abandoning us

Owen: You are such children

TK: You knew that the moment you saw Buck and Sylvie arrive Dad

Owen: To answer Squad 3's question

Owen: Sylvie's been given permission to form an EMS crew at the 126 for squad calls

Owen: She'll run the ambulance attached to us while Tommy runs EMS 126 for the ladder

Owen: And she's keeping her idea of a crew top secret

TK: Seriously, none of us know

Owen: Well

Buck: Of course he knows

Buck: What did she do to bribe you

Owen: No bribing needed

Owen: If the end result is what we're hoping it will be

Owen: That'll be enough of a reward

TK: I hate it when you're cryptic

"Geez," Jay knitted his eyebrows, reading the string of messages. "That's the rest of Sylvie's new crew?"

"Yeah," Kelly nodded, exiting out of the app to pull up his gallery. "Marjan took a picture of each of the crews while we worked there. That's Captain Strand in the officer's seat. Buck and TK are on top of the rig. Eddie Diaz, Buck's former partner in Los Angeles, is on the other side."

Will peered over his shoulder to see and let out a low whistle. "Wow. Cruz was right . . . hot damn."

"Thank you!" Joe grinned smugly.

"Well, good for Brett to be running an ambulance again," Tony said. "Wonder who she has in mind that she and Captain Strand aren't saying a thing."

"No idea," Kelly shrugged, switching chats.

Kelly: Reyes

Carlos: Yeah?

Kelly: Keep an eye on your and Eddie's dumbasses

TK: Hey!

Buck: We're right here!

Carlos: You got it

TK: Rude, babe

TK: Rude

Eddie: What's this about keeping an eye on those two?

Carlos: I have dumbass duty

Matt: I guessed that

Matt: I'm not one of said dumbasses

Buck: Wow

TK: And that was from Casey of all people

Eddie: I'm concerned there's no response from Sylvie from that

Buck: She's on a flight to God only knows where

TK: Yeah we're forbidden from knowing

Kelly: Apparently Captain Strand's the only one who knows

Matt: The hell is she doing going somewhere else?

Eddie: I'm more interested in where she's going

Buck: So are we

Buck: She literally chose a time where only Carlos had spare time to drop her off

Buck: The rest of the 126 is on shift and so is Grace

TK: Like Grace would snitch

Buck: Touché

"Good God," Jay shuddered. "You people are a mess."

"And would you believe this is a chat to keep an eye on Sylvie, Buck, and TK?" Kelly snorted, tossing his phone on the table.

"I need context," Matt announced, walking out of the firehouse towards the squad table.

"Sylvie's getting an ambulance for Squad calls," Kelly supplied. "I'm assuming she's flying to ask someone in person."

"Thank you."

"You know," Capp smirked. "You could have just texted and asked that, Captain."

"Oh, that's too easy," Tony chuckled. "He has to do everything the hard way."

Matt stared at Kelly's longest-standing crew members, then shook his head. "Rein in your boys, Sev."

"You don't think I've tried?" Kelly rolled his eyes.

"He has," Joe nodded. "It never works."

Matt closed his eyes, looking like he was fighting a headache. "You were included in that statement, Cruz."

"Exactly."

***

"Maddie!"

Maddie looked up from pacing the baggage claim area, and she smiled widely, seeing Sylvie jog over with a suitcase, a carry-on over her shoulder. "Sylvie!" she cheered, opening her arms. "Oh, it's good to see you!"

"You, too!" Sylvie beamed, hugging her tightly. "Oh, we'll need to stay in contact more often after this."

"Yes," Maddie agreed. "Absolutely, yes. Welcome to Los Angeles!"

"Thank you!" Sylvie grinned, following Maddie out of the airport. "And thanks for coming to pick me up. You didn't have to do that."

"Oh, I wanted to," Maddie patted her shoulder. "Josh cleared me to have some time picking you up and dropping your stuff off before I start my shift at the dispatch center. Bobby's team has a shift at the 118 today, so if you want to see the station . . . ?"

"Yes," Sylvie nodded. "And definitely while they're on shift. I never saw the 118 in action as a house, though Eddie was great to work with while he was at the 126."

"You got it," Maddie nodded, leading her to her car. "So to the apartment to drop your stuff off, then to the 118."

"Thanks again, Maddie," Sylvie smiled, putting her luggage in the trunk of the car.

"You're welcome," Maddie smiled. "And for the record . . . I really hope Eddie says yes to your offer."

"I am, too," Sylvie nodded.

***

"Trauma bag?" Lena asked.

"Yup," Eddie nodded, putting it on the engine rig.

"AED?"

"Check."

"And that's it," Lena clicked her pen. "We are ready for the day."

"Oh, good," Hen smirked as she and Chimney walked up. "Wouldn't want to be unprepared because the strictly firefighters forgot our equipment."

"Do inventory yourself, then," Lena snorted.

"Nah," Chimney grinned. "It was your turn for it this time."

"Hence why we did the job for you," Eddie patted the rig, shutting the compartments.

"And I'm sure you did an excellent job," Bobby chuckled, dropping out of the officer's seat. "I'll call and open the house."

"Dad!"

Eddie spun around to see Christopher hobbling towards him, Carla keeping a watchful eye on him. "Hey, Christopher!" he jogged over. "What're you doing here?"

"Well, we were on our way to school, and due to a few street closures, we had to pass the firehouse," Carla smiled warmly. "So we figured we would drop by, and . . . " She revealed the tray she had been carrying behind her back. "We come with gifts."

"Oh, Carla, you're amazing," Hen sighed, taking the coffee offered to her.

"Oh, I know it," the woman chuckled. "Captain Nash, there's one for you, too!"

"Thank you, Carla," Bobby grinned as Eddie passed his over. "Hope you have a good day at school, buddy."

"Thank you," Christopher smiled at him.

"Which roads are closed right now?" Hen frowned, pulling out her phone. "I should check with Karen about picking Denny up from school."

"It's construction," Carla explained as Christopher leaned against Eddie for support, the boy peering around the firehouse curiously. He always found it interesting to see what changed whenever he visited. Sometimes there were different firefighters on shifts, different changes to how supplies were organized . . .

Or different visitors to the station, as shown by Maddie walking up the drive, a blonde woman in an Austin FD jacket speaking animatedly to her. Christopher gasped, straightening off Eddie. "Sylvie!" he cheered, recognizing Buck's friend at once.

It made the other conversation end immediately, as everyone turned to see the paramedic that brightened when she heard the boy's voice. "Christopher!" she grinned, dropping a duffel on the ground before jogging over. "Oh, I didn't know I'd get to see you here!"

"We're visiting Dad," he smiled at her, using his crutches to move quickly towards her.

"What a coincidence," Sylvie grinned, crouching in front of him. "I'm doing that, too." She tilted her head. "Are your hugs as good as Buck advertises?"

Christopher giggled, leaning forward and hugging her as tightly as he could. "He gives good ones, too."

"Oh, but Christopher hugs are pretty sweet," Sylvie hugged him in return. "He's right. Would absolutely recommend Christopher Diaz hugs to anyone."

"I like her," Carla decided.

"Yeah, I do, too," Eddie smiled, walking over. "Hey, Sylvie."

"Hi, Eddie," Sylvie grinned up at him. "Give me a minute. Your son is a great hugger."

Eddie laughed. "Oh, I know."

"Captain Brett?" Hen blinked in surprise. "You're in Los Angeles?"

"Just flew in over an hour ago," Sylvie nodded, giving Christopher one last squeeze before standing straight. "Maddie was kind enough to pick me up."

"She's staying with me for a few days," Maddie nodded.

"In that case, welcome to Los Angeles," Eddie smiled, giving the paramedic a huge hug, then he whispered in her ear. "You should know Buck and TK are going ballistic trying to figure out where you are."

"Our little secret," she whispered back.

"You got it." Eddie pulled back, gesturing to Carla. "Carla, this is Sylvie Brett. She's the chief paramedic at Buck's house in Austin, and the paramedic captain on his rig. Sylvie, this is Carla Price. Buck helped set her up to help with Christopher."

"Nice to meet you, Carla," Sylvie smiled, holding out her hand.

"Nice to meet you, too, Sylvie," Carla nodded, shaking her hand. "Good to know Buck is in good hands with you."

Chimney snorted. "Rumor has it sometimes she's the one to look out for."

Sylvie sniffed. "Excuse me, if that ever happens, Buck and TK absolutely need to be looked out for as well. They drag me into everything." Eddie snorted his opinion of that. "Shut up," she glared at him.

"Is that Captain Brett?" Bobby peered over the railing to the loft.

"Hi, Captain Nash!" Sylvie waved in reply.

"Welcome to the 118," Bobby waved back.

"Thank you!"

"What brings you to the city?" Lena asked, leaning against the engine.

"That is for me to know, and for you to guess," Sylvie said loftily.

"And for me to watch everyone struggle with," Maddie added.

"Oh, you know?" Chimney raised an eyebrow.

"I had to know so I would let her stay with me," Maddie grinned. "She has a good reason for being here, one I completely support."

"Aw," Sylvie smiled happily at her.

"Well, it's good to see you, Captain," Hen nodded.

"Oh, please, call me Sylvie," she sighed. "I'm just happy to finally see where Buck came from. Though, I have to ask . . . " She pointed. "Glass locker rooms?"

"I always wondered that myself," Lena nodded in agreement.

"Owen would hate that," Sylvie frowned.

"Well, we need to get moving if we want to get to school on time," Carla checked her watch.

"But I want to spend more time with Sylvie!" Christopher pouted.

"Tell you what, Chris," Sylvie crouched. "I'm here for a few more days, so . . . if it's OK with your dad, I can spend one of them with you after school. How does that sound?"

"It sounds perfect to me," Eddie smiled.

"Thank you!" Christopher chirped, hugging Sylvie again.

"Oh, you're welcome, buddy," Sylvie patted his back. "Enjoy school."

"I will," he nodded, following Carla out of the house. "Love you, Dad!"

"Love you, too!" Eddie called after him.

"You are so good with kids," Hen admired.

"One of the lieutenants back at 51 has a whole pack," Sylvie grinned. "I have practice."

"I need to get to the call center, too," Maddie checked the time. "Just let me know when you want to be picked up, alright?"

"You got it," Sylvie nodded, hugging Maddie. "Thanks again, for everything."

"No problem," Maddie grinned, waving to the house before bounding off.

"You're hanging around for a bit?" Eddie asked.

"You got the 126 treatment while you were in Austin," Sylvie shrugged. "I'm hoping I can stick around and see how the 118 rolls, if that's OK."

"I'm happy with it," Lena smiled. "Could always use more women at the house."

"Amen to that," Hen agreed.

"Another medic isn't so bad, either," Chimney nodded. "I'm sure Bobby would appreciate an extra hand."

"Then consider these hands yours," Sylvie wiggled her fingers.

Hen chuckled, then Lena pushed off the engine. "Hey, probie!" she shouted.

A yelp came from behind them, and Eddie and Sylvie turned to see a young man in an LAFD sweatshirt drop the stack of books in his hands. "Whoa," Sylvie blinked, jogging over. "Here, I can – "

"No, no, no, don't worry," he shook his head. "I got it."

"Sorry, Ravi," Lena winced. "I didn't mean to startle you. You're the new B-shift probie, right?"

"Yeah," Ravi nodded. "I mean . . . yes, ma'am."

"Yes, ma'am," Lena grinned. "I like that."

"I just finished my first shift," Ravi added.

"Really?" Sylvie tilted her head. "What did you think? How was it?"

"Oh," Ravi shrugged. "Pretty quiet."

Sylvie's smile vanished. "Whoa!" Hen balked, backing up. "Did he just say – ?!"

"No!" Chimney groaned.

"Sorry," Ravi gulped. "I just said it was – "

"Ah ah!" Sylvie held up her hands, shaking her head rapidly. "Do not say it again."

"Hold on, hold on," Hen frowned. "I don't know, maybe if he says it a second time, it undoes the curse."

"Maybe if he said it a third time, the Candyman will show up and kill us all," Chimney countered as Eddie looked around in confusion. "Let's not test that theory!"

"Word of advice, Ravi," Lena cleared her throat. "That word is forbidden in the firehouse . . . any house. We don't use the Q-word."

Bobby popped up again from the loft, a scowl on his face. "Who used the Q-word?" he demanded.

Hen, Chimney, and Lena all simultaneously pointed to Ravi, and Eddie sighed. "What am I missing here?" he asked.

As if on cue, the bells in the house started ringing. "Attention, Station 118," Dispatch announced. "Vehicle accident with injuries."

Chimney groaned, giving Ravi a frustrated look as he ran for the engine. "We've been jinxed."

"Captain Brett?" Bobby ran down the stairs. "We're probably gonna need all the help we can get today."

"I'm all yours, Captain!" Sylvie promised, following Eddie to the engine.

Bobby nodded. "Hen! Chim! Defer to the ranking officer on medical calls!"

"Copy, Cap!" Hen responded.

"Looks like you'll get your wish," Eddie told Sylvie, helping her into the engine next to him.

She grinned. "I'm almost excited!"

"Excited?" Bobby repeated from the front. "For what?"

"I've never had a jinxed shift before," Sylvie answered, accepting the headset and radio given to her by Chimney. "I missed that one in Chicago."

"You're excited because we got jinxed by the probie saying the Q-word?" Hen almost dropped her own radio.

"Jinxed?" Eddie frowned, looking around with a scoff. "You guys sound like my abuela's neighbor's curandera."

"Does your abuela's neighbor's curandera happen to know how to reverse it?" Lena asked dryly. "If not, we're about to experience the shift from hell."

"Yeah, you shouldn't be excited, Brett," Chimney agreed. "Non-stop calls, all day long."

"Stupid calls," Hen rolled her eyes.

"Probably tempted fate," Chimney glowered up at the sky. "Now the EMS gods are gonna make us pay."

"Those exist?" Sylvie raised an eyebrow.

Eddie scoffed. "Come on, you guys don't really believe that."

Hen laughed. "So Buck never told you about the last time somebody used that word?"

"Was that the time he said it to the dishwasher?" Sylvie scratched her head.

"He told you?" Hen twisted to look at her.

"Before we joined the house, Owen and TK had to pick up a shift right after their usual one," Sylvie nodded. "Someone said the word, and they were running on fumes. Buck told us what happened here. He said it was 37 calls?"

"36," Hen corrected.

"36?" Eddie repeated in disbelief. "In one shift?"

"It was a house record," Bobby confirmed.

"He said it was 37," Sylvie frowned.

"That one doesn't count," Hen huffed.

"That wasn't even a call," Bobby agreed.

Sylvie tilted her head. "So what happened with the fire suppression systems?"

Hen smirked. "Divine retribution."

Sylvie hummed. "I missed the jinx at 51. It happened before I got there. Apparently, one of the ambulance's tires blew when it was on the drive, but they don't count it as a call. House record was 29."

Bobby whistled. "That's pretty impressive in Chicago."

Eddie shook his head as they pulled up to their call. "I think you guys are giving the EMS gods a little too much credit." They piled out of the rig, and Eddie gestured triumphantly to the accident on the street. "See? Fender bender. Not crazy."

Sylvie, however, stopped when she heard someone shouting. "Is that coming from above us?" she asked.

"Uh huh," Bobby nodded, pointing above their heads. "Look up."

Sylvie shielded her eyes with her hand, and her eyes bugged open wide before she guffawed. "Oh my God."

Eddie followed her gaze, and he did a double take when he saw the man howling from where he was on a billboard. "Bosko!" Bobby called.

"Yep," she nodded. "Prepping the ladder."

"Wait," Sylvie squinted. "Is he . . . ?"

"Duct taped?" Hen finished dryly. "Yeah."

Sylvie threw back her head and cackled. "Oh, this is awesome."

"Of course you think it's awesome," Chimney sighed.

Eddie shrugged. "Seen crazier."

Bobby sighed. "Brett, you're in charge of distributing the medics. Hen, Chim, let's make sure if that tape fails, he doesn't go splat on the ground."

"Copy," everyone chorused.

Bobby shook his head, watching Lena climb the ladder to talk to the guy who, judging by his billboard, was Izzy Chainz. He shouldn't have been surprised by Sylvie's excitement. She was similar to Buck that way. He was glad it wasn't Buck and TK, though. He wasn't sure his heart could handle that kind of mayhem.

He was brought out of his musings when Athena walked up to him. "Checked out his story," she said. "Looks like he's telling the truth. He paid for the spot."

Bobby did a double take. "So this is all legal?" he asked, then gestured to the mess on the road. "He could've killed himself, or a bystander!"

"And we will have a word with him as soon as he climbs down," Athena promised. "Best we can do now is control traffic and hope to avoid more accidents."

Bobby sighed. "Damn probie jinxed us," he muttered. "He used the Q-word."

Athena blinked. "Jinxed?" she repeated. "You don't believe in that stuff."

"No!" Bobby quickly scoffed, then gestured to the firefighters setting up. "But they do. And when they hear the Q-word, they get squirrelly, then they make mistakes. They forget to latch the front end of the engine, or they accidentally trigger the fire suppression system. Today is going to be a big mess."

Athena hummed, then a glint of copper caught her eye. "Oh," she grinned, bending down and plucking a coin off the concrete.

Bobby raised an eyebrow when she presented the penny to him. "What's that for?"

"Luck," Athena chortled. "Sounds like you could use some."

"Find a penny, pick it up, all day long, you'll have good luck," Sylvie recited, and Bobby started, turning to see the paramedic had rejoined him. "You should probably take it."

"Yeah," Bobby sighed, taking the penny. "I'll take everything I can get." He pocketed the penny, looking around. "Get the medics going?"

"Yeah, there wasn't anything major I could see," Sylvie folded her arms. "So I figured it might be better for me to be here in case that tape fails." She shielded her eyes against the sun, looking up at Lena and Izzy. "He, uh . . . " She cleared his throat. "He's not wearing anything under that tape, is he?"

Bobby shook his head. "Doesn't look like it."

Sylvie burst into a peal of laughter. "Oh, that's unfortunate."

Bobby looked at her incredulously. "You really are enjoying this, aren't you?"

"Oh, yeah," she giggled. "I think I had too much coffee on the flight over."

"Didn't realize you had another paramedic for this shift," Athena raised an eyebrow.

"I hadn't planned on it," Bobby shook his head. "Brett, this is Athena, my wife and LAPD sergeant. Athena, this is Paramedic Captain Sylvie Brett, Austin FD. You talked over the phone once. She flew in to visit Los Angeles, and because of the jinx . . . well, she's an extra set of hands."

"Nice to meet you, Sergeant," Sylvie smiled, holding out her hand.

"Oh, please, Buck's family calls me Athena," the woman chuckled, shaking her hand. "What're you doing in L.A.?"

"Apparently it's top secret," Bobby rolled his eyes. "Only Maddie knows. She didn't even tell Eddie."

Sylvie smiled innocently, and Athena snorted. "Oh, that's a Buckley look, alright. You'll have your hands full with her, Bobby."

"I know," Bobby grinned.

***

Eddie made his way down the sidewalk, checking to see if he was needed anywhere when a faintly familiar voice called out his name. "Mr. Diaz? Edmundo?"

He spun around, looking through the pedestrians, then saw the smiling woman who was walking up to him. "Ms. Flores!" he realized. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"I didn't expect to see you, either," she laughed lightly. "It sounds like Taylor has more luck seeing you than I do."

"That's right," Eddie nodded. "You and Taylor made friends with Maddie."

"Yeah," Ana nodded. "And please, call me Ana. I'm not Christopher's teacher anymore."

"Much to his disappointment," Eddie snickered. He took in the ice pack she held against her arm, and he seethed. "Did you get injured in the accident?"

Ana shook her head. "Drinking hot coffee while walking," she said. "Usually not dangerous, but some guy bumped into me when the accident happened." Eddie winced sympathetically. "Yeah, burned myself pretty good."

Eddie looked around, noticing he wasn't needed immediately, then pointed at the ice pack. "Mind if I take a look at it?"

Ana shrugged. "Sure."

She held her hand up for him, and Eddie set his bag down on the ground. "Ice is really bad for burns," he explained, carefully peeling it off her arm. "Let's see . . . ooo," he winced. "OK."

Ana frowned, looking around. "That firefighter gave it to me," she said. "Told me to keep it cool."

Eddie frowned, looking up and around. "Which firefighter?"

"Um . . . " Ana's voice trailed off. "He was just here. Had 147 on his helmet."

Eddie blinked. "There's another unit here?" Ana shrugged, looking lost. "Well, he should've known better." He pulled out a roll of gauze. "Keep it dry and clean."

Ana nodded, making a mental note. "How's Christopher?" she asked.

"Good," Eddie smiled.

"Maddie said he was a little down when Buck left the city," Ana fidgeted. "He's doing OK with it, though?"

"Well . . . as good as he can," Eddie sighed, heart sinking a little at the mention of his best friend. "One of Buck's coworkers is visiting, though, and I think it's cheering him up."

"Maddie mentioned that the other day," Ana nodded.

"Maddie talks a lot these days," Eddie said dryly, making her laugh. "Christopher said you weren't one of his teachers this year. I'm assuming that's the vice principal job?"

"Yes," Ana confirmed. "I miss the kids, but I just finished my doctorate. I'm vice principal over at Adams Elementary."

"Congrats," Eddie gave her a genuine smile. Christopher had always raved about how good of a teacher she was. "What made you want to quit?"

"Having a PhD gives me more options," Ana explained. "And I'm never not gonna be a teacher. It's in my blood."

"Sounds like being a firefighter," Eddie remarked, finishing wrapping Ana's burn. "And your job looks really good on you."

Ana smiled. "Thank you."

"And if you see that guy from the 147, get his name," Eddie added, zipping up his bag. "Could've done more harm than good with that ice."

"I guess it's my lucky day, then," Ana laughed. "Good thing you found me."

"I might need some of that luck," Eddie admitted. "Everyone's telling me we're in for the day from hell."

"Diaz," Bobby's voice came over the radio. "Get that protective gear for our stunt musician up here."

"Copy that, Cap," Eddie responded.

"Edmundo?" Eddie turned back to Ana, who gave him a soft smile. "When Maddie said Buck was gone . . . I'm glad you and Christopher are still doing well. When I had Christopher in class, I know he thought the world of Buck."

"Yeah," Eddie gave a strained smile. "We both do."

***

"Cap!" Lena jumped off the ladder, a very irritated look on her face. "He's not willing to leave."

"I'm not coming down!" Izzy started singing. "'Till my time is up!"

"And when is that?" Athena shouted up at him.

"8 a.m.," he crowed. "Tomorrow morning!"

Bobby facepalmed, and next to him, Sylvie frowned. "Does duct tape hold that long?" she asked.

As if on cue, they heard an ominous ripping noise. "You had to ask," Bobby sighed.

"Headed back up!" Lena scrambled for the ladder.

"He should've paid for half a day," Athena rolled her eyes.

The tape came away from the billboard, and Bobby and Sylvie sprinted for the air bags as Izzy tumbled through the air with a mighty bellow of "Download my album!" He landed on the air bags, then bounced up with a grin. "I'm OK!"

Athena sighed when he gave the bystanders a show of his naked body, and Chimney quickly threw a turnout over him. "Oh, he's definitely gonna be famous now," Hen shook her head.

Bobby watched as they left, then he toed the duct tape remains. "Think he'll want this as a souvenir?"

***

"Ooo," Sylvie sniffed, heading to the table. "Something smells good."

"The 126 is great, but the 118 has Bobby's cooking," Eddie patted her back.

"I am starving, Cap," Hen groaned, dropping into a seat.

"Only thing that can get me to walk up those stairs today is Cap's baked macaroni," Chimney agreed as Bobby brought a casserole dish to the table.

"Hey," Bobby scowled when Chimney went to dish up a serving. "You know the rules. We wait for everyone."

"Sorry, guys!" Lena jogged over. "Wow, smells fantastic."

Chimney made a sound of agreement, about to serve himself when the bells rang again. Sylvie was the only one who snickered as she took off for the stairs.

***

"Here he is," Eddie handed the cat he rescued to its owner. "Safe and sound." A squeal came from the tree above him, and he sighed, nodding as Chimney set up the ladder to get the woman's husband. "Don't worry. He's next."

***

"Hurry, Cap!" Hen urged as Bobby quickly opened the oven and brought out the macaroni. "Hurry! Before we – !"

The bells rang again, and Sylvie sighed. "Why did we even bother sitting?"

***

"Dispatch to 118, one accident on Main Street."

Groans rang out in the engine as they were diverted to another call, muffling Sylvie's giggles.

***

Chimney flicked his hands in disgust. "OK, whose idea was it to use the Vaseline?" he demanded.

"Alright, alright, settle down," Eddie said, he and Lena grabbing the lion head that was on the girl they were helping. "Here we go, here we go . . . "

With a few tugs, they pulled the head off, and Eddie grimaced, looking at his Vaseline-slick hands. "OK," Hen jogged up, looking irritated. "Guess we don't need the jaws."

The woman's face rapidly turned green, and she retched, vomiting all over Hen. The woman froze, looking herself up and down, and Sylvie winced. "Well . . . at least someone ate today."

Hen gave her a glare that would freeze volcanos.

***

Sylvie smelled burning cheese the moment she reached the loft. "Uh . . . Captain?"

Bobby opened the smoking oven and wrinkled his nose. "Oh, no," he sighed, pulling out the burnt dish. "Looks like we're ordering in." He quickly held up his hands. "Not that we're jinxed!"

The bells rang once more, and Lena snorted. "Yeah, definitely not jinxed."

Sylvie's day was made when Chimney grabbed the wrong helmet at first, then she stared when she saw the octopus wrapped around a woman's face. "What the hell?" Bobby asked exactly what she was thinking.

"I think it might've come from the sushi restaurant next door," one of the bystanders supplied.

Sylvie nodded, crouching down by the woman's side. "Ma'am, can you hear me?" She gasped weakly, and Sylvie looked around. "We need to get this thing in water."

That was how they ended up being a large tub of water into the room to get the octopus off her face.

***

"Emergency rations!" Chimney waved a box of granola bars as he ran to the engine again.

***

Sylvie and Eddie watched as Bobby and Chimney went to work freeing a boy's head from where he was trapped under a movie theater seat. "These are some of the stupidest calls I've ever been to," Sylvie finally whispered.

Eddie sighed. "We are not jinxed."

"Keep telling yourself that, Eddie."

***

"There we go," Lena grunted, she and Eddie hauling a washer door away in a laundromat.

Sylvie reached into the washer and wrapped a towel around the boy trapped inside. "Hey, buddy," she smiled. "Let's get you out of here, huh? Yeah." She worked on patting the boy down and checking him out, then leaned behind her to whisper to Chimney. "How did he get in here?"

"I'm not asking that while we're jinxed," Chimney shook his head.

***

Bobby hopped out of the engine, sighing in relief as he backed into the station. "OK, start coming back!" he gestured to the driver, nodding as the rig backed inside. "You're good, you're clear. Keep it coming . . . " He nodded, raising his hand. "OK, and we are . . . " The bells rang as he made a fist, and Bobby sighed. "Going back out."

***

Eddie sighed, grabbing an axe when they stopped at the next place, watching Sylvie grab the extra medical bag. "Hey, Sylvie? You ever replay a conversation in your head and worry you sounded like an idiot?"

Sylvie raised an eyebrow. "I have both been the idiot and I know the idiot. We know Buck, remember?"

Eddie laughed, conceding the point as they walked to the store. "I, uh . . . I ran into an old teacher of Christopher's this morning."

"And why does that mean you sounded like an idiot?" Sylvie asked.

"She's not Christopher's teacher anymore." Sylvie looked like she wanted to pry deeper, but they stopped when they came upon Bobby moving helium tanks . . . from where they were piled on top of clowns. Sylvie squeaked, face paling drastically. "Sylvie?" Eddie frowned.

"Um . . . " She gulped. "Chim's in charge medically!" she announced before sprinting out of the shop.

She passed Lena, who watched Sylvie go in surprise. "What's with her?" Lena asked, walking over.

"Maybe she doesn't like clowns," Eddie shrugged.

Lena surveyed the damage, looking like she was trying very hard not to laugh. "Interesting."

Bobby looked up at them. "Help me remove some of these tanks to relieve the pressure," he ordered.

Eddie blinked at his high-pitched voice, and he guffawed. "Uh . . . "

"Come on!" Bobby insisted.

Eddie and Lena burst out laughing, stumbling to join them. "It's your voice!" Eddie choked.

"Eddie!" Hen glared, just as high-pitched as Bobby. "Be a professional!"

Lena collapsed in laughter, working to get a good grip on one of the tanks. Chimney, meanwhile, left as Eddie took his place, and he walked up to the two clowns at the side. "How you two doing?" he asked. "You OK?" One of the clowns shook his head, but appeared fine. "Yeah, you're OK," Chimney looked at the other clown, who had an oxygen mask on. "You OK?" The clown started to nod, then started to choke. "Sir, here," Chimney reached over, taking the mask off. "Try to cough. Sir, can you try to cough for me? Try to cough, try to cough – "

A streamer popped out of the clown's mouth, and Chimney paused, blinking. The clown pulled on the streamer, and more and more kept coming out of his mouth. Chimney watched, thoroughly unimpressed, as the streamer piled on the ground. Finally, the clown finished and dropped the streamer on the ground, pounding his chest, a pleased look on his face.

Chimney looked very displeased as he reached up, took the oxygen mask, and popped it over the clown's mouth, sighing when the clown's rubber nose squeaked. "Everybody's a comedian," he grumbled.

Sylvie was pacing anxiously when they walked back out. "You OK, Sylvie?" Bobby asked in concern.

"Yeah," she smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, Cap. I just . . . I'm scared of clowns."

He patted her shoulder. "No apology needed. Let's get moving."

***

"Man, that was a boring call!" Eddie proclaimed as they walked back to their rig later. "Two people stuck in an elevator. They didn't even need medical attention or anything."

"Don't say it, Edmundo," Hen growled.

"How can I not?" he crowed. "Y'all are acting like a bunch of viejas! There is no curse!"

"Oh, he's so definitive now," Chimney rolled his eyes.

Sylvie squeaked as a gust of wind blew her hair into her eyes, and she shrugged out of her borrowed turnout coat, trying to put her locks back into place. "Geez, where's that wind coming from?"

"Nobody is saying you have to believe in curses," Bobby told Eddie. "Just . . . maybe don't tempt fate."

Eddie snorted, following Sylvie into the rig. "How's that not the same thing?" he asked. "It was a normal call. Went like clockwork. Wham, bam, thank you, ma'am."

Hen sighed. "You notice how you never hear anyone say 'wham, bam, thank you, sir?'"

Sylvie hummed. "Doesn't have the same ring. Y'know . . . it doesn't rhyme."

Hen rolled her eyes. "Or maybe all that whammin' and bammin' is nothing to write a thank you note about."

Eddie laughed. "The point is, I think this proves that the whole jinx thing is a little silly and we should be all done with it."

A loud creaking noise made Sylvie freeze. "What's that?"

Something heavy thudded on top of the engine, and Eddie jerked away from the spray of sparks he saw out the window. "Whoa!" Hen threw her hands up, careful not to touch anything.

Lena looked out the other window. "What the hell?" she shouted at the sky.

"Hey, Cap?" Chimney said slowly. "Did a live power pole just fall on the engine?"

"I believe it did, Chimney," Bobby confirmed.

"Right," Lena turned and folded her arms, glaring at Eddie. "No curse here."

Chimney gave his own glare at Eddie, who winced and squirmed under their attention.

***

Sylvie: Hypothetical question

TK: Oh, she's alive!

Buck: Freaking finally!

"Someone give me something to think about other than not having Gallo and Mouch on the rig today," Matt grouched, storming out onto the apparatus floor.

"Did they get pulled into mandatory TRA training, too?" Joe asked as Kelly looked at his phone.

"Yeah," Matt sighed, plopping into the chair pushed out by Capp.

"Mikami and Mackey just got sent there, too," Tony said. "We're down Ambo for the shift."

"I think Ritter's in it, too," Capp hummed, pulling out his phone when it chimed. "The hell is this?"

"Sylvie's alive, apparently," Kelly said dryly.

Sylvie: So

Sylvie: The reason I've been so quiet

Sylvie: In addition to making sure Buck and TK do not ruin anything

Buck: Hey!

Sylvie: I got pulled in to help the shift

Joe: Sounds like you

Sylvie: There's a reason why

Sylvie: And it's every firefighter's favorite word

TK: Oh shit

TK: Oh no

Sylvie: I have never experienced a shift from hell before

Sylvie: And I'm loving it

"I'm sorry, did Brett just say she loves having a jinxed shift?" Joe looked up, blinking rapidly.

"I think she did," Kelly shook his head fondly.

Kelly: Only you Brett

Kelly: Only you would enjoy a jinxed shift

Sylvie: Oh the best part is someone doesn't believe we're jinxed

Sylvie: And now we have a live power pole on top of the rig

Capp: You have what now?

Sylvie: Yes

Sylvie: So

Sylvie: Anyone know how to get rid of a jinx?

Sylvie: Asking for the other crew members

Capp burst out laughing, leaning back in his seat. "Oh, Brett . . . poor, poor Brett."

"A live power pole?" Matt whistled, impressed. "They're screwed, aren't they?"

"Definitely," Kelly agreed.

Sylvie: Preferably something that doesn't mean another crew has to help us with something crazy

Sylvie: No bells and bay leaves

Owen: What the hell did you get yourself into Sylvie

Sylvie: Hell came to me actually

Sylvie: I'm just working my way through it

Joe: Actual angel Sylvie Brett

Sylvie: That's me

Sylvie: But seriously help

Sylvie: The bickering is driving me insane

Sylvie: A jinx I can handle

Sylvie: Not a debate

***

"Aha!" Chimney cried triumphantly, showing his phone. "It is a real thing!" He turned the screen back to him. "OK, so . . . we have to move our hands in this kind of motion and ring the bells . . . " He blinked. "Nine times."

"Nine in total, or nine for each of us?" Lena asked for clarification.

"It's unclear," Chimney frowned. "I think maybe we should all do it just to make sure we lift the curse completely."

"Well, is it actually a curse?" Hen asked. "I know we called it that, but technically, I think it's a jinx."

"What's the difference?"

"Well, I feel like a curse implies that a person put a hex on you and a jinx is more like a general angering of the gods."

"Got it," Sylvie leaned back. "Googling 'how to appease the gods' . . . "

"OK, wait," Chimney frowned. "So is a hex and a curse the same thing?"

"By that, you mean both are totally made up and not real?" Eddie rolled his eyes. "Yes."

"What more proof do you need, Eddie?" Chimney threw his hands up in exasperation. "We are trapped in a death box! Thousands of volts of electricity coursing through every nook and cranny. Any one of us could literally get fried like that!"

He snapped his fingers for emphasis. "Or we just don't touch any doors or windows until help arrives and nobody gets fried," Bobby said patiently. "With or without a curse . . . or jinx. Whatever."

Sylvie snorted loudly. "OK, all I'm getting from Capp and Tony is stuff about human or animal sacrifice. I don't know about anyone else, but I'm not vibing with that."

Eddie snorted loudly. "Do you guys not hear yourselves right now?"

"Do you?" Lena scowled. "It's like the universe is screaming at you, and you refuse to listen."

"The universe does not scream," Eddie denied.

Electricity sizzled above them, and Sylvie shied away from the sparks outside. "Oh, there are clearly forces at work here," Chimney argued grimly. "Forces beyond my control and your control."

"That's it," Eddie pointed at him. "That's the difference between you and I. I don't worry about things that I can't control."

"Aha!" Lena pointed victoriously. "But you can say you don't worry about things you can't control, but you can at least acknowledge that something is controlling the things that you can't control!"

" . . . that's hard to follow," Sylvie blinked.

"Like what?" Eddie sniggered. "Gremlins? Bogeymen? Santa Muerte? Look, we've had a crappy day. It happens. But it didn't happen because of a curse, or a hex, or because someone said the word qu – "

"Ah ah!" Bobby exclaimed as Sylvie slapped a hand over Eddie's mouth. "Don't!"

Eddie raised an eyebrow at Sylvie, then tok her hand off his mouth. "Come on, Bobby, you really can't believe in all this!"

"You know, Cap," Hen narrowed her eyes. "You have been pretty silent today about all this jinx stuff."

"Yeah," Chimney agreed. "Suspiciously silent."

"Where do you stand, Captain?" Lena asked. "Jinx or no jinx?"

Bobby sighed. "Aren't we all a little superstitious? People don't walk under ladders, some buildings don't have a 13th floor, we bless people after they sneeze . . . " He gave Eddie a pointed look in the rearview mirror. "Some of us even wear a good luck charm around their neck."

Eddie shook his head vehemently. "That's not the same thing."

"To you," Bobby pointed out. "But wearing that medal reminds you of your son, helps you feel better about the day. So if Chimney wants to ring some bells so he can feel better, what's wrong with that?"

Chimney gave Eddie a victorious look, but Sylvie frowned. "I didn't hear a yes or a no."

"Yeah," Eddie blinked.

A horn honked, and Bobby sighed. "Ah, and help has arrived. Look at that."

Lena, however, groaned. "What?" Sylvie asked in confusion.

"I've worked with this house before," she griped. "And if I know them . . . yeah. Look."

Sylvie peered out the window, and her eyes widened. "Are they – ?"

"Stopping to take pictures of us trapped in our own engine?" Bobby asked dryly. "Yes. Yes, they are."

"And the jinx continues," Chimney rolled his eyes.

***

Sylvie: We are no longer stuck in the death box

Capp: So the sacrifice worked?

Sylvie: No

Sylvie: We just waited for help

Sylvie: Help also wanted to take pictures of us stuck in the rig

Buck: I want that picture

Kelly: Same here

Sylvie: Maybe later

***

"You're sticking around?" Eddie asked as he walked into the loft that night, looking at Sylvie.

"The jinx will carry if I leave," Sylvie said simply, flipping through a file of what looked like statistics. "And I'm having way too much fun."

"That makes one of us," Lena muttered from her chair.

"Thought you were hitting the bunks," Bobby looked at Eddie.

"Couldn't sleep," Eddie shrugged.

Bobby smirked. "Maybe that curse is getting to you, too."

"Or maybe I just couldn't sleep," Eddie countered.

Chimney snorted. "Yeah, welcome to the club."

Eddie looked around the loft, seeing everyone engrossed in some form of reading. "Am I interrupting book club?"

Hen pointed to herself, then Chimney, then Lena, and finally Sylvie. "Medical, medical, women, ambos."

"Ambos?" Eddie echoed, looking at Sylvie.

She shrugged. "I had it with me in my bag. Planned on doing this reading while you were out on a few calls, but since I'm helping out . . . book club."

"Question for you, Eddie," Lena piped up, looking up from her book. "What would you say Ana's love language is?"

Eddie froze, and Hen looked up curiously. "Ana who?" she asked.

Eddie glared at Lena. "You weren't at that call!" he seethed.

"I heard you talking to Sylvie," Lena corrected.

"Wait," Hen blinked. "Are you dating someone?"

"Hen's not taking a test yet," Chimney dropped his book on the table and gave Eddie his full attention. "Who's Ana?"

Eddie sighed, looking at Bobby for help. The captain just shrugged, looking interested as well. "She was Christopher's old teacher last year," he explained. "She and Maddie bumped into each other at some point, so they've been hanging out. I've seen Taylor, but I haven't seen her until I bumped into her at the billboard call this morning. She's got a new job."

"Wait," Hen blinked. "Is this the teacher that you yelled at?"

"Eddie yelled at a teacher?" Sylvie raised an eyebrow.

"It involved Christopher," Chimney explained.

"Ah."

"I apologized for that," Eddie rolled his eyes.

"But still didn't ask her out?" Chimney asked.

Both of Sylvie's eyebrows rose, and Eddie swallowed, uncomfortable. "She's Christopher's teacher!"

"Thought you said she had a new job," Bobby pointed out.

Eddie was saved by the fire bells. "Station 118. Structure fire, single-family residence."

He sighed in relief and ran down the stairs ahead of everyone, and he was shortly joined by Sylvie. "You good?" she asked.

"I'll be better," Eddie sighed.

***

"Lena, Eddie, you guys start running a hose line," Bobby ordered when they reached the house. "Chim, Hen, shut down the utilities here and the neighboring houses. Gas, power, water. Sylvie, with me." She nodded and followed Bobby to a man who was aiming a hose at the burning house. "Sir, we'll take over from here."

"What?" the man blinked at them.

"Sir, hand me the hose," Bobby reached out.

"Great, listen, I want to keep going till you're all set up, OK?"

"Hey, sir?" Bobby grabbed the hose. "I understand you want to save your things, but right now, you need to back up for your own safety, OK?"

"Fine!" he snapped, backing away. "Just hurry up!"

Sylvie frowned. "Is there something in there that we should know about?"

"No," the man shook his head. "Just some old files, Christmas decorations . . . stuff like that."

Sylvie and Bobby exchanged looks, then jumped away from the house when colored rockets shot into the sky and exploded into sparks. "Hen! Chim!" Bobby bellowed.

"Everybody back!" Hen screeched.

"Everyone, back away!" Sylvie herded bystanders onto the road. "Way back!"

"OK, you wanna try again?" Bobby whirled on the house owner. "'Cause your taxes seem a lot more exciting than mine. To save your house!"

"Fine!" he stammered. "I drove to Costa Mesa and bought some fireworks, OK? Guessed I could sell to the people up here."

Bobby sighed, trying to decide how much help to call in. "Well, how much is in there?"

"I don't know!" the man thought quickly. "Like . . . ten grand?"

Bobby's eyes bugged wide, and he turned away, speaking into his radio. "Dispatch, this is Captain Nash requesting assistance at Bay Park Drive. Fire has been upgraded to second alarm." He winced, hearing another firework whistle as it soared into the sky. "Send more units!"

Sylvie lost track of the rest as she went from bystander to bystander, assessing any injuries and treating them as best as she could. "Dispatch, this is Paramedic Captain Sylvie Brett, Austin FD, I'm assisting the 118 for the shift," she said into her radio. "No EMS units are necessary at Bay Park Drive."

"Copy, Captain Brett," the familiar voice of Josh Russo responded. "If I may, it's nice to hear from you again."

"Thanks, Josh," Sylvie chuckled. "I'm having the shift of my life right now."

"Rumor has it."

" . . . couldn't be the 147."

Sylvie turned as Eddie and Bobby walked up, Eddie looking confused. "Yup, it was," he said slowly. "I'm sure."

"Eddie, there's nobody at the 147," Bobby shook his head. "Their house was damaged during the mudslide. They're still rebuilding."

"What happened?" Sylvie asked in confusion.

"So when Lena left . . . who the hell was I talking to who helped me out?" Eddie asked.

"I have no idea," Bobby shook his head.

***

Eddie scanned the photo Bobby pulled up on his laptop, then he shook his head. "I don't see him in here," he said. "His turnout said Harmon."

"Yeah, well," Bobby pointed to one of the men in front. "That's Aaron Harmon, right there."

"Definitely not the guy," Eddie shook his head. "He said his name was Brian." He looked up. "You think he was a fake?"

"Another thing I've never seen on shift," Sylvie frowned. "Fake firefighter."

"It happens," Bobby shrugged. "Sometimes they're criminals. They use it as a ruse to get inside people's homes."

"I don't think that's what this one is," Eddie shook his head. "He seemed to want to help. I mean, it's bad, but it's not . . . "

"It's worse," Bobby said. "They're not trained. They can wind up doing more harm than help. It's like someone faking being a paramedic and rushing to help intubate a patient."

Sylvie shuddered. "Now I'm glad I never saw that happen."

Eddie sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Said all he ever wanted to be was a firefighter."

"Yeah, sometimes there are those guys," Bobby nodded. "Try for every class, never make it, never give up."

"I admire the perseverance," Sylvie admitted.

"I do, too," Bobby agreed. "And their dedication. But I also feel sorry for them. They're so focused on what they don't have that they mis the chance to have something else, something real." He eyed Eddie. "Sometimes, you gotta move on."

Eddie stiffened before Sylvie's eyes, and she lifted her chin from where it rested on her hand, eyes flitting from captain to firefighter. "We're not talking about this guy any longer, are we?" she guessed.

"We're back to Ana Flores," Eddie groaned, closing his eyes. "I thought you, of all people, would understand."

"That's why I'm saying it to you," Bobby nodded. "Because I know what it's like to be stuck inside the worst moment of your life, to be afraid to hope, to try again."

Sylvie slowly looked at Eddie, who stared at a spot on the table. "Do you want me to leave?" she offered quietly.

"Do you know what happened?" Eddie asked lowly.

Sylvie bit her lip. "Only that your wife was killed in a hit and run," she responded. "I didn't press for information."

"Well, you got it right," Eddie sighed. "I was falling back in love with her . . . and she wanted to get a divorce." Sylvie winced. "I'm still not completely over it," he admitted. "Over Shannon."

"And you never will be," Bobby said. "You will always miss her. And that part of you she took with her? You never get it back. Every day, you heal a little bit more, then one morning, you wake up and losing her isn't the first thing you think about."

Eddie tapped his fingers on the table in a repetitive rhythm. "But you're happy now?" he asked. "I mean, with Athena and the kids?"

"I love the family I have now," Bobby nodded. "But that doesn't mean I ever stopped missing the one I lost."

Eddie was silent for several moments. "Thanks," he finally said shortly.

Bobby took his cue to pick up his laptop and leave, patting Eddie on the shoulder as he went. Sylvie watched him enter his office, then she bit her lip. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I, uh . . . I didn't know Shannon, but I've lost people close to me in my life. I can't imagine how much it hurt to lose her."

"Thanks, Sylvie," Eddie sighed, resting his arms on the table and rubbing his face. "I could kill Lena right now, you know?"

Sylvie tilted her head, looking Eddie up and down. "She read it wrong, didn't she?" Eddie blinked at her. "Ana doesn't have your attention, does she?"

Eddie laughed bitterly. "No," he shook his head. "No, she doesn't. It was good to see her, yes, but she's one of Maddie's friends and Christopher's former teacher. That's all I see when I look at her. Maybe a new friend? But not the way the rest of the 118 seems to think."

"Then why didn't you tell them that flat?" Sylvie asked.

Eddie pinched the bridge of his nose. "Has your station ever talked about sexualities?" he asked.

Sylvie blinked. "Yeah, we have," she nodded. "Buck, TK, and I discussed ours shortly after we met." She giggled. "Buck and I both might have drooled a little over Carlos."

Eddie snickered. "I'm holding that over your head, y'know?"

"You wouldn't be a good friend if you didn't," she grinned.

Eddie smiled at her, but the glee faded. "So you know Buck is . . . ?"

"Bisexual?" Sylvie nodded. "I do."

"He thought the rest of us knew when he let it slip before he left," Eddie admitted. "And I, uh . . . it had never really come up with me, so when Chimney asked if anyone else had something to share, I said I was bisexual, too."

Sylvie smiled. "Thank you for telling me."

"I trust you," Eddie nodded. "So, uh . . . " He groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You know where this is going," he grumbled.

Sylvie straightened, feeling the weight of Eddie's thoughts get heavier. "Hey," she reached over to put a hand on his arm. "Anything you want to tell me, you can. Anything you share here that you don't want elsewhere, it stays here. You hear me?"

"Saying it will make it real," Eddie mumbled.

"Saying it will take that weight off you." Eddie was silent, and Sylvie rubbed her thumb over the back of his hand. "It's not Ana you're interested in."

"No," Eddie shook his head.

Sylvie let the silence hang between them. "But you know what you want."

"God, yes, I know what I want," Eddie seethed, standing up quickly and starting to pace. Sylvie leaned back to avoid being hit as Eddie ran a hand through his hair, looking like he was struggling with what to say. "I've known what I've wanted ever since everything here blew up!"

Sylvie watched him for a few seconds. "Good," she finally said.

Eddie stopped in his tracks, blinking rapidly. "What?" he finally stammered.

"Good," she repeated. "You know what you want." She stood up from the table, fiddling with her watch strap. "Look . . . this is coming from the girl with two broken engagements," she sighed. "When I tried dating again and it didn't work out, Casey and Severide told me something that stuck with me."

***

"Successful venture?" Kelly guessed as he slid onto the stool across from Sylvie.

"Extremely successful," Sylvie confirmed, smiling widely as she showed off the Slamigan shirt she proudly wore in support of Joe. "One booth advertised a cheap copy, and in the demo, that copy broke."

"Really?" Kelly's eyes brightened, and when Sylvie nodded eagerly, he barked in laughter. "Oh, that's perfect. Tell me Cruz showed him up."

"And it was glorious," Sylvie sang, taking a sip of her beer.

Kelly chortled. "I hope there's a video. I need to see that."

"I'm certain Tony and Capp can help you there," Sylvie giggled.

"Awesome," Kelly nodded, taking a pull from his beer.

"Hey," Matt walked up to them.

"Wondered when you would show up," Kelly kicked out the stool next to him.

"In a minute," Matt waved him off. "Sylvie?" She hummed, looking up as she took a sip of her beer. "Next drink is on me. What's your pleasure?"

"Oh," she blinked, putting her beer down. "Really?" When Matt nodded, Sylvie tapped her fingers on the table. "Then I will take a glass of the good rosé that Stella hides behind the bar."

Matt blinked, looking intrigued. "Ooo," he commented, turning to look at the bar with interest.

"What did I do to deserve this?" Sylvie looked in confusion at Kelly, who shrugged, just as lost as her.

"I used your trick with the big sister on a golfer today," Matt explained.

"Oh," she smiled. The setting an example trick. "I'm glad it worked out."

"Like a charm," Matt nodded.

"Surprised you're not with the rest," Kelly pointed to the Slamigan crew behind them, Joe chatting excitedly with the rest of the house. "Or were you waiting on someone?"

"Like the not-boyfriend?" Matt smothered a grin.

"The not-boyfriend?" Kelly repeated, looking like he wanted to laugh.

"Don't be mean," Sylvie buried her face in her hands. "Especially when it's pretty obvious I mess up everything I touch when it comes to romance."

"Hey," Kelly shook his head, reaching out and carefully prying her hands from her face. "That's not how we meant it. And just because you have a few missteps doesn't mean something won't finally go your way."

"Kelly's right, Sylvie," Matt nodded in agreement. "I mean . . . you're looking at two of the unluckiest bachelors in Chicago." She giggled at the face Kelly made at the statement, but Matt winked. "My money is on you finding exactly what you want, because that's what you deserve."

Sylvie looked up at him, her heart flip-flopping in her chest. "You mean that?" she asked quietly.

"One hundred percent," Matt nodded.

"Don't settle for what you don't want," Kelly agreed. "You deserve better than that."

Sylvie smiled shyly, very aware her cheeks burned. "Thank you," she whispered. "Both of you."

"You're welcome," Kelly squeezed her hand. "What are best friends for?"

***

"Matt is adamant that I should get exactly what I want because that's what I deserve," Sylvie told Eddie, stepping up to him. "You deserve that, too, Eddie. So don't settle for what you don't want."

Eddie swallowed hard. "I don't think it's as simple as you think, Sylvie."

Her eyes averted to the file she'd been looking through earlier. "What if it can be?"

Eddie frowned, confused. "What does that mean?"

Sylvie took a deep breath, but before she could speak, the bells went off again. "Goddamn bells," she groaned, running for the stairs. "We're finishing this later, Eddie!"

"Breakfast is on me!" was all he answered with, following her into the engine.

***

OK, OK, Sylvie will be making her offer to Eddie next chapter, I promise. I can hear you all yelling at me. Blame the bells of "Jinx," not me!

Also, I've decided that the image of Bobby and Sylvie dumpster diving is hilarious and one the rest of you must have, too. So "There Goes The Neighborhood" will take place while Sylvie's visiting Los Angeles. She won't be on call with the 118, but Bobby knows (mostly) about her off-duty shenanigans from Chicago . . . so who else would he snatch to help him and Michael?

And I know, I promised "Double Red" was coming up . . . I am now positive that will be next chapter.

As always, keep an eye out for updates!

graphic by marvelity