Chapter Text
Ashley had just been assigned to a Firehouse in New York after passing the needed requirements to become a firefighter. Her friends and family all told her that it was impossible for a woman to get a job in this field of work, but she wanted to prove them wrong.
She had always wanted to help and save people. She could have become a police officer, a doctor, but something about running in a burning building interested her. She did like to live life on the edge.
Ashley was at the top of her class in the Fire Academy. She passed the written test with a perfect score and the physical ability test was an easy pass. She had always been so athletic.
When she received the letter in the mail for her placement at a Firehouse, she was beyond excited. She could barely sleep the night before her first shift.
The following morning, Ashley changed into her uniform. She slipped on her FDNY Candidate t-shirt, tucking it beneath the waistband of her navy-blue pants. She pulled her hair into a ponytail and grabbed her duffle bag with a change of clothes. Ashley left her apartment and headed towards the Firehouse that would soon become her second home.
It was fifteen-minute drive to the Firehouse. When she pulled up to the curb, she immediately smiled. Ashley climbed out of the car and draped the duffle bag across her body. Hesitantly, she stepped inside and noticed the male-dominant Firehouse. She looked around the main area, taking note of the elongated table to the left of her. To the right of her, she noticed the two small couches facing a small flat screen television following the large opened kitchen towards the back.
It was nice and she was more than excited.
“You must be Ashley Wright,” one man grinned, standing from the table.
“Yep. That’s me. Hi,” she grinned.
“I’m Larry.” he returned the smile, resting a hand on her shoulder and extending his other arm to motion to the entire room.
“Guys, meet the new candidate.”
“Hello everyone…” Ashley smiled nervously.
“You’d probably want to meet the Chief. He’s down the hall, take a left and you’ll see his office. Don’t forget to knock,” Larry advised.
“Great! Thank you.”
Ashley smiled to herself. She was already receiving a warm welcome by her fellow firefighters.
Once at the Chief’s office, she quietly knocked. The man behind the desk smiled politely and motioned her inside. She stepped into his office and shut the door, taking a seat.
“Miss Ashley Wright… It’s a first time we’ve got a woman firefighter in this Firehouse. It’s a bit of a breakthrough. I’m Chief Hudson.” he said, “Here at Firehouse 51, we’re a family. We’re a close-knit group. I’m sure you’ll fit right in, Ashley.”
“Thank you so much, sir. I’m so excited to be here. I’m ready to get to work,” she said excitedly.
“That’s great. As you know, you’re here on a probationary period. For the first six months, you are a candidate until your lieutenant thinks you are ready to become official. Now, I’m going to warn you. Just because you are a woman doesn’t mean that we will take it easy on you,” he warned.
“No, no of course not. I didn’t think you would. I would rather you didn’t, actually. I want to be treated as equally as everyone else. I don’t want my gender to be the reason why I get special treatment,” Ashley responded confidently.
“Well, that’s a relief. When we get a new candidate, the guys around here tend to get carried away. You’ll be under Lieutenant Sullivan on Truck 81. How about you go ahead and get yourself a locker and then come back to the office so you two can meet?” Chief Hudson suggested.
“Oh, okay. That sounds great. Thank you.”
Ashley left the office and followed the signs that led to the lockers. She noticed many names plastered onto the lockers with tape and when she found a vacant one near the end, she opened it up and smiled. It was now official.
She set her things into the locker and shut it close, grabbing a strip of tape and writing her last name onto it. After she taped it to her locker, she pocketed her hands and walked in the direction of the Chief’s office before a taller, much bigger man bumped into her.
“Oh my god! I’m so sorry!” she exclaimed, her hands resting absently on his shoulders.
“Gotta be careful around here, little lady,” he smiled.
Ashley looked up at him, biting her lower lip. She never did indulge in workplace romance, but this man was absolutely beautiful. His sparkly eyes, his dimples, and his deep New York accent made her blush.
“Sorry. Still new around here,” Ashley replied.
“Oh. You. You’re Ashley Wright, aren’t you?”
“I am, yes…”
“Well, I’m Lieutenant Sullivan. You’re the new candidate for Truck 81.”
Well, fuck me. Why did he have to be the one in charge? Goddammit. He’s staring at me. He’s still smiling, too. I’m in so much fucking trouble because all I want to do is push him against the wall and – No, Ashley. Get it together.
It took her a moment before she decided to respond, “Oh. Nice to meet you, Lieutenant Sullivan. Like I told Chief Hudson, I don’t want any special treatment because I’m a woman.”
“I’d watch what I’d say if I were you,” he winked.
Fuck.
“What does that mean?”
“How about I introduce you to the guys?” Patrick grinned, extending a hand out towards the main room. She stepped forward and noticed the eyes that turned onto her. She bit her lower lip in slight embarrassment.
“Now, we all know Miss Wright here.” Patrick began.
“New candidate!”
“Fresh meat!”
Ashley heard the laughter coming from the men. She had heard stories about how being a candidate was the worse, but everyone had to start somewhere.
“She doesn’t want to have any special treatment, boys. So, we’re going to treat her like any other new candidate here. Right?”
Larry grinned, walking towards Patrick and Ashley. “If that’s the case, get to it, Ashley. We’re starving and we haven’t had breakfast yet.”
Ashley widened her eyes. She was not expecting to cook for the entire Firehouse. She looked up at Patrick with her big, brown eyes.
“You said to treat you equally, right? That’s what we will do. Max, over there, likes his eggs over easy. I like mine scrambled.”
Ashley narrowed her eyes. Just because she was new didn’t mean that she was going to let these men step over her. She was going to stand her ground.
“You’ll all get whatever I cook. If you’re going to thrust the job of being a cook onto me, then you will eat whatever I make,” she replied, turning on her heel to walk to the opened kitchen.
Ashley looked through the cupboards and drawers for the needed items. The men, specifically, Patrick, had an amused look on his face and slowly, his lips turned into a smile.
“You’re going to fit just right in here with us, Ashley. Welcome to Firehouse 51,” he grinned.
Ashley looked up to see him walk away to the group of guys surrounding the table. She sighed and began cooking breakfast.
There was no turning back. This was it now. She was a firefighter.
And she was more than ready to take on whatever may be thrown at her.