Written by: Gemma
Date first published online: 1ST June 2003
Archive: Just ask me
Genre: Humour
Starring: Cast of Series 10: Geoff Pearce, Nick Georgiadis, Carole Webb, Billy Ray, George Green, Jack Morgan, Gregg Blake, Recall and Sicknote.
Disclaimer: None of the featured characters are owned by the author (sadly enough), but are owned by London's Burning, LWT and their affiliates etc
Authors notes: I came up with an idea for a fic after reading this quote that Kaz posted up on The London's Burning Board. I haven't seen Series 10 since it first aired in 1997, so I obviously can't remember everything that happened. This is just my own account.
Summary: Nick Georgiadis tells Geoff that Carole has been made up to Chief Officer and he considers it to be just a joke...

"It's good news."

"Really sir?"

"Yeah, she's being made up to Chief Officer, start tomorrow! Bit of a turn up isn't it!"
Chief Officer. Is she was made Chief Officer than the Brigade's standards had definitely dropped. That was Geoff's opinion anyway. He couldn't understand how Carole Webb had got the Sub Officer's position in the first place, after being posted at the Brigade's Health and Safety for so long.

She was incapable of running the Watch. That is what Geoff kept on telling himself. Compared to John Hallam, she wasn't even near. He considered Hallam and himself a far better Sub Officer than she'd ever be.

"Come on Bruno... I've told you before, you have to sleep in the kitchen," Geoff said as he coaxed the dog into the kitchen with a bowl of food. "And don't expect to always get this special treatment," Geoff said sternly, looking down at the dog, that just glanced up at him with it's head held to the side.

Geoff left Bruno in the kitchen, sitting on his basket as he made his way to the door. "Night Bruno..."

After flicking all of the light switches off and finishing in the bathroom, Geoff found himself in bed and slowly drifting off to sleep. "Chief Officer," he muttered with a sigh as his eyes slowly drifted shut...
"It's good news," Nick informed Geoff.

"Really sir?" Geoff questioned, prompting his Guv'nor to carry on.

Nick nodded, "Yeah, she's being made up to Chief Officer, start tomorrow! Bit of a turn up isn't it!"

Geoff smiled a forced smile, "Yeah..." He knew Nick was joking and he knew that Nick probably though he deserved to be the butt of a joke. It served him right for sticking his nose into other people's business.

Nick grinned and his expression confirmed with Geoff that he was in fact joking.

Geoff wandered away from Nick, making his way into the Watch Room and began to move around certain pieces of paper, pretending to actually do some work.

"You thought he was joking, didn't you?" Carole asked, appearing out of no-where.

Geoff jumped slightly, but tried his best to hide it. "Sorry?" he asked Carole politely, wondering what she was leading to.

"The Guv told you I've been made Chief Officer," she began, "...And you thought it was a gag, you thought the Guv was just trying to teach you a lesson for starting off rumours and idle gossip... How wrong you are."

Geoff stared at Carole, before laughing a short dry laugh. She actually did seem genuine.

"You don't believe me do you? I have been made Chief Officer and I start tomorrow at nine a.m. pronto," Carole stated, "...And there are definitely going to be a lot of changes in this place!"
"You really thought she was joking Geoff?" Billy asked Geoff across the mess table, as Geoff sat unusually quiet.

Billy glanced across the table at George and Jack who were grinning. "He did, he really thought it was a joke!"

"Geoff didn't want to believe it, did you Geoffrey!" George laughed, "He didn't like the idea to begin with that she was a rank higher than him and now he has to put up withe the fact that she is loads of ranks higher than him!"

"How will you cope?" Gregg grinned, as the Watch began to laugh at Geoff's expense yet again.

"I always thought she'd do well in her career," Jack commented, "She looks the type."

Recall nodded thoughfully, "Yeah I agree, she does. Unlike some," he stated, looking across in Geoff's direction.

Geoff sighed, not bothering at all to disguise the loudness of the sigh as he stood to his feet, pushing his chair backwards so it screached along the floor.

Just as he stood to his feet, the door opened and Nick walked in, followed by Carole who was dressed in formal Brigade uniform.

"Morning all," she greeted them, before walking to the head of the mess table. "As I informed Geoff yesterday, I've planned a lot of changes within this place." She said as the Watch all looked at each other, before turning their attention back to the newly appointed Chief Fire Officer.

"First of all ranks. Seeing as this Watch is without a Sub Officer, a new one needs to be appointed..."

A small smile crept to Geoff's lips, this is what he had been waiting for a promotion to boost his career, as well as a boost in his pay.

"...And I have taken this all into consideration, after thinking the pro's and con's into all of the changes here and I thought, to bring the Blue Watch into 1998 that Recall should be appointed the new Sub Officer!"

Geoff's mouth dropped wide open, as each Watch member turned their heads in Recall's direction.

"Well I always said that a person with my special gift should be appointed Sub," Recall grinned, "I have memorised every single detail of our call out area."

"I always knew you had it in ya," Billy smiled, "You'll be good as a Sub Recall, Ben and Jamie will be proud."

"...And while I'm on the subject of ranks..." Carole started again, prompting the Watch to quieten down. "The Leading Hand," she began, looking at Geoff, who still remained standing, before looking at the Watch, "Billy. I admit I found you annoying at first, but I've always believed that junior members of the Watch should be given a chance to lead and broaden their skills. So... as from now, you've been appointed the new Leading Hand!"

"Leading 'and, has a nice ring to it that!" Billy grinned, looking across at Gregg, then to Jack... George...

"Now wait a minute!" Geoff raised his voice. "Billy - Leading Hand?! You must be having a laugh?"

"You must be having a laugh ma'am," Carole corrected Geoff sternly, "And no Fire fighter Pearce, I am not 'Having a laugh'," she said, mocking Geoff's accent. "As from now Pearce, you're a fire fighter..."

You're a fire fighter...

You're a fire fighter...

You're a fire fighter...
Geoff woke up quickly, opening his eyes wide as he eyes gazed around the room as sweat collected together on his forehead. He was in his bedroom... He had been dreaming... It was just a dream...
"You're a bit late aren't you Geoff?" Jack commented as Geoff walked into the station.

"Yeah," Billy added, "You're usually counting the paper clips in the Watch Room by now!"

Geoff wandered past the two of them, ignoring them as he made his way to the stairs. "And good morning to you too!" Billy yelled after him.

"What's the matter with him?" Gregg asked, appearing from behind an appliance. "Got up on the wrong side of the coffin?"

About half an hour later, the Watch all met up in the mess. Nick was also there and wasn't in his office where he usually resided at that time of the morning, so he obviously had an announcement to make. "Can I have all of your attention please?" he asked, causing everyone to go quiet except for Sicknote, who was blabbering on about the rising prices of council tax in the London area, until Recall nudged him and he went silent.

"As you all know," Nick began, looking at the Watch members one-by-one, before looking at them all as a whole. "The Sub is transfering."

Carole, who was sitting at the mess table amongst her colleagues, smiled a small smile, before Nick carried on.

"Some of you, I'm naming no names, has been questioning where to and at what position and so forth and seeing as there has been so many rumours, myself and the Sub thought you all should know where."

Carole stood up, but remained in the same position. "I'm transfering to Upham, there's a temporary Station Officer's position going so I thought I'd take it."

A small smile crept onto Geoff's lips. The Chief Officer thing, it was just a stupid joke. Temporary Station Officer, she was being promoted yet again, but he partly didn't mind. That dream about her being prompted to Chief Officer, it has freaked him out and the thought of Recall and Billy ranking higher than him in the same Watch made his stomach churn.

He was now happy, she was finally going and he would be made up to Sub Officer for the time being or even permanantely.

"So..." Carole carried on, as Geoff snapped out of his day dream, "I was hoping you'd all join me at the end of a shift for a drink next door as a sort of good bye."

Each Watch member agreed, as Geoff sat silently, choosing not to take part in the conversation.

"Geoff?"

Geoff glanced up, noticing all attention was on him.

"You joining us?" Carole asked.

"I uh..." Geoff tried to make up a reasonable excuse. He didn't like the woman, he never had, the last thing he wanted to do was drink her good luck at her farewell do. But then again, she was going, he could secretly drink to getting rid of her.

"Ok, why not."
Geoff's Nightmare - 01-June-03 - Gemma Lambourne©