London's Burning - Past Dwellings

Written by: Gemma Lambourne
Date first published online: 10TH May 2002.
Genre: Drama.
Rating: PG.
Starring: All.
Disclaimer: The characters are not owned by the authors, they are copyright of London's Burning and LWT.

Summary: Carrying on from "On The Line"... An argument, a shout and Chris is in trouble...
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"How long are you going to keep this up?" Sally asked George, who had been giving her the silent treatment for a while now.

"Until you see sense," He mumbled.

"And what is that supposed to me?" She questioned incredulously.

"You and Mr. - Wife - Snatcher."

"George... it is none of your business who I decide to see or who I spend my time with," She told him matter - of - factly.

"It is when he's ruined my life!"

Sally sighed, "George you are seeing Andie, Kelly has nothing to do with you anymore except that she is the mother of your children and you're forgetting one minor detail... it's all in the past George, things change and so do people, you can't keep dwelling on the past."

"It still hurts Sal, it's still up there in my head among my memories. I'm not going to stop acting like this until you finish with him."

"And what if I don't?" Sally asked George, feeling like this must be some sort of ultimatum.

"Then you've lost a friend," He replied simply.

Sally glared at him and got up onto her feet, standing up from the chair in the mess that she was seated on. Then she slowly looked at each and everyone of the fire fighers who were sitting in complete silence, before she left the room.

"Well done mate!" Adam said sarcastically to George.

Hyper sighed, as his eyes stayed in a fixed position on the door, after he had watched Sally leave. "Has it ever crossed your mind that she actually might like the guy? That he's special to her? That there may be love there?" Hyper said, then paused for a moment, "Sally's had a tough couple of years and you all are totally aware of that and now things are beginning to look upfor her, please don't spoil everything."

Just then the bells went down and they all got to their feet, heading out of the mess and down the staircase where they were greeted by Hi - Ho who was clutching a fax roll, "Fire at an old disused garage... down Hendon Park Lane," He read.

They all jumped into the appliances, slowly followed by Sally who sat silently in the back cab of the appliance, not uttering a word for all of the journey.

When they arrived at the shout, they could see thick black smoke bellowing into the air above and the smell of burning rubber from old tyres and slight petrol and diesel, was enough to make anybody physically sick.

They all stepped out of the appliances and grouped around Geoff, who began barking out the orders. "Ok... I wabr two people to go inside the building... there's probably no one inside, but we can't be certain, a fire was started somehow after all. Sally, Hyper, I want you two to kit up in BA kits and go inside. Adam... BA control and George... get onto control and get us an ambulance on stand - by. All the rest of you... get started on trying to calm these flames down."

"You ok Sal?" Hyper asked as Adam checked their BA kits before they entered.

"Oh yeah, I'm fantastic," Sally replied sarcastically and pulled a fake grin, before her face went straight again as she placed her helmet on her head.

"George is a prat, he doesn't know when to keep his mouth shut," Hyper said, trying to be of some reassurance.

"He never does keep his mouth shut Rob, he's always giving me his snide opinions on Chris and our relationship," She paused sighing, "I'm in love with the guy and I'm being torchered for it. Love is supposed to be happy and one of the greatest things of all, but I'm getting constant stick... snide comments from George and Griggs has probably gone onto area and reported us."

Hyper smiled grimly, "Come on," He said, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder, "Lets go inside."

"This place has been out of use for about 10 months now," An ex - worker told Geoff.

"Used to be owned by Mr. Rogers, but he passed away. He left it to his son in his Will but he lives in Canada you see..."

"Was there every any problems?" Geoff asked, "Gas...electricity mains..."

The ex - worker shook his head, "There was always inspections, everything was checked."

"I can't believe her of all people could be so stupid," George muttered.

"Stupid?" Recall questioned, "I wouldn't call it stupid..."

"So you're on her side?" George muttered loudly.

"George, I'm not taking sides. We're grown adults George, taking sides, arguments, being silent on your friends... that's what primary school kids on the playground do."

George sighed, not answering a word as he sprayed some shoots of water up at the building.

"I think you should apologise to Sally," Recall said quietly.

"Apologise? I'm not apologising, *she* should be the one apologising to *me*."

"Chris..." Griggs murmured, as he walked out of the room at a LFB Headquarters somewhere in the city.

"Sir," Chris replied with a fake smile, cringing inside to the fact of calling Griggs 'sir'.

"I'm sure you've guessed what this is about... calling you here that is."

Chris nodded, "I'm no Geoffrey Pearce, but I think I can guess."

Griggs smiled sickeningly, "Goooood... so then it won't be as much of a shock to you will it."

"There's no one in here," Sally said to Rob, after they had searched the entire inside of the garage.

"I've found a mains..." Hyper called out to Sally, "Someone's turned it on..."

Sally approached him, as she began to talk into her radio...

"Go ahead Sal..." Adam replied, answering Sally's call.

"There's a mains in here, it's been turned on... it should be off..."

"Geoff!" Adam called, "Sally and Hyper have found a live mains thing..."

"Chris... I thought you were aware of the rules. Relationship within the brigade, especially with a colleague..."

"Fire fighter Fields is no a colleague... she's based in my area and I know I'm her D.O," Chris said pausing for a moment, "But we met up again before I got this position, we've been together before I go my job here as D.O. for the Blackwall area." Chris knew that was a slight lie, they met up before his promotion, but nothing happened between them until after.

"It's still against the rules Chris. Being promoted means that you make commitments. Meaning you two should have finished it. You haven't exactly got a brilliant reputation have you Chris?"

"What if I said that I love her?"

"Love is a very strong thing Chris, but unless you want to be demoted and your fire fighter friend doesn't want to be transfered out of London..."

The watch arrived back at the station, after everything was sorted at the fire scene. The gas mains had been switched off by the gas company and the flames were controlled until they were fully dampened down and put out. The smell of burning tyres still lingered in the air, along with the damp smell of burnt wood and metals.

"Chicken Korma, how does that sound?" Maggie asked as some of the team entered the mess.

"It sound lovely Mags," Hi - Ho replied with a smile.

Maggie smiled and walked into the kitchenette area.

"Anyone wanna play against me on the DreamCast?" Hi - Ho asked.

"Play against you?" Adam asked in a patronising tone, "I monkey would give me a better game than you!"

Hi - Ho frowned, "George... Recall?"

"Oh come on then," Recall said, walking towards Hi - Ho, who was sitting next to the DreamCast. George didn't utter a word, he was busy staring into space.

"John Coleman..." Coleman said, as he answered the phone in his office. "Oh, hello Chris... you want to speak to her... outside in five minutes... ok, that's fine... I'll go and tell her..." He hung up the phone and walked out of his office and along the corridor and into the mess. "Is Sally around?" He asked the group.

"Probably in the gym..." Hi - Ho replied, taking his eyes of the DreamCast for a couple of seconds.

"Yes!" Recall cheered, "The master wins again!"

Coleman smiled slightly, shaking his head as he walked out of the mess and down the stairs, towards the gym. He stood in the doorway, watching Sally as she looked like she was determined to knock all of the stuffing out of the punch bag. "Chris called me in my office," Coleman began.

Sally stopped the punching and looked up and across at Coleman, "Oh?" She questioned.

"He wants to meet you outside in a couple of minutes."

Sally smiled, "Thanks 'Guv."

Coleman smiled slightly and headed away from the gym and back up towards his office.

Sally left the gym after trying to control her breathing for a while, then she walked out towards the front of the station and lent against a wall outside and waited...

Chris turned up in his car, shortly after Sally began waiting and he parked in a spare parking space. He stepped out, dressed out of brigade clothes, and walked towards Sally.

"Hi," She said quietly greeting him.

Chris smiled slightly, "Hi," He replied.

Sally eyed him suspiciously, "What's wrong? What's happened?" She asked sensing something wasn't quite right.

"I just had a meeting with the senior ranked officers. Griggs went straight to them apparently. I tried saying we've been together since a while before I was promoted, but it made no difference. We either split or I'm demoted and you will be transfered out of London."

Sally stared at him in disbelief, shaking her head, "This job is ruining my life..." She gasped, "I'm happy, I'm happy for the first time in a long time... but now because of the brigade's stupid rules and policy's... I'm going to be miserable again and alone," She said avoiding his eye contact.

Chris didn't know what to say, he felt his throat dry up, he didn't want to loose her, he knew that for a fact. "I'm sorry," He replied finally, "I... I'm sorry," He repeated, not knowing what else to say.

Sally nodded her head slowly, not really knowing what to answer.

"I'd better be going then," Chris said quietly.

Sally nodded, "I'll be seeing you then," She replied quietly.

"Yeah," He replied almost at a whisper, as he slowly walked away from her and towards his car.

Sally watched him drive off, feeling tears forming in her eyes. She *was* happy, her life *was* looking up, she *was* in love with him. But now life seemed to be going in a backwards direction, like the crappy past life she used to have. She'd admit there was good parts among the bad parts. She wiped a tear from her cheek, she was in love with this guy, but because of the brigade, because of her profession and the rules and regulations... the man she wanted to be with couldn't be with her.

She walked inside the station swiftly and up the staircase and into the mess.

"You ok Sal?" Adam asked as Sally plonked herself down onto a chair at the table, without saying a word.

"Oh yeah, fine. I'm bloody brilliant," She replied grimly, "And you'll be pleased to know George! That me a Chirs are finished, over, history!" She said, feeling tears beginning to form again, "Because of the stupid brigade we were forced apart. So I hope you're happy, George. Then it'll make one of us who is actually happy."

George was silent, as was all the other people in the room. Geoff loitered outside the mess, after hearing raised voices, as he wanted to know what was going on.

"I hope you're happy," Sally repeated, almost at a whisper as she walked out of the room and carried on walking down the corridor. Hyper quickly got to his feet and followed Sally out of the room, finding her sitting on a bunk in the dorm with her head in her hands.

"Sally..."

"I want to be alone Rob," She told quietly as she looked up. Her cheeks were slightly stained by the tears.

He nodded for a moment, "I thought you might like some company," He said as he sat down next to her.

She was silent for a while, "Why does everything always turn out bad? Why can't I be happy? There always seems to be obstacles preventing me being happy. He could hardly look me in the eyes before he left, I know he feels the same way as me Rob... I know he does. Why can't we be together?"