Chapter 1.3 - Hole

Who ever said that firefighting was all work, obviously didn't work at Charlton fire station.  Pillow fights happened weekly.  The team was bonded tight, they had to keep each other alive, so without that bond they were just people putting out flames.

Kiwi become the queen of making salad for dinner, she made big batches so they lasted about 3 days and packaged it up for lunches.  Kiwi never realized that life would be so lonely here.  Sometimes she missed her parents, they always made time for her and hung out, so did the boys, but now they have lives. . . . .  and girlfriends.

Kiwi decided to go for a walk, it was one of those nights they had late night shopping. When Kiwi bumped into Coy and Jodie. "Long time no see stranger" she said as she pulled him into a hug and said her greetings to Jodie.  Apparently Vett was at home looking after the 1 week old baby, while the young couple went out shopping and to the pub for a few drinks.

"Oh gosh, what if it ends out like the 'baby egg' episode" Kiwi lost it then and Coy had a look of disgust, then started laughing himself.  Jodie looked at the pair of them and walked inside.  Coy and Kiwi followed behind laughing.

Busy days followed, and Kiwi was rushed out to fire.  Joey was fearful of his team, but there was someone in particular he was worried about.

It turns out it was a little baby fire, from some kids littering.  Kiwi put it out with ease, everything to do with her job seemed to flow with ease.  That was the problem, her whole life revolved around work.  Kiwi removed her cell from her pocket and decided to call her brother.

As Kiwi sad there drinking the long awaited beer she had craved all day, her brother rang to say he couldn't make it.  Something fell to the pit of her stomach, loneliness, often associated with depression.  Yet no one can be depressed when they order the world best NACHOS!  Miranda the bar maid asked Kiwi how she had been, as Kiwi often stopped in for a beer on her way home.  Kiwi just smiled and made some mindless banter.

On her return home, Kiwi slid into her gym gear and turned on her favorite exercise dvd. She sweat out the loneliness that was embedding itself into her skin, ridding herself of those horrible fatty nachos.   It wasnt long after that she showered and fell asleep watching the Game of Thornes.

Kiwi decided it was time she had some company.

"Hey Joey, what you up to tonight? I though maybe you want to come over and watch a movie? I make a pretty mean mac'n'cheese if I don't say so myself? Kiwi asked casually.

"Sure, thing, I can't wait I am sick of meal'n'box for one week."

"YAY!" Kiwi said as she bounced away.

So it turned out that Kiwi actually DOES know how to cook Mac'n'Cheese.  It was nice to have someone who shared the same interests as you and to learn about the things one does not speak about at work.

"You know..." Joey started ".....this Mac is pretty darn good."  Kiwi smiled  "Thank you, I know its pretty simple but I have this system, that I have to perfect something before......" she stopped at blushed "....sorry I am babbling."  Joey couldn't help but laugh and when they stood......

"Nothing is nearly and good as the company." He closed his eyes and his heart started to race.  He took this beautiful smart woman into an embrace and kissed the pouty full lips, that he had been longing for, a very long time.

Chapter 1.2 High.

Kiwi had always worked hard for everything she wanted, she always done her homework, always helped her bother who was 2 years older then her.  The played sport and aced it to first grade.  Her and her mother made paintings together spending HOURS on them.  Running to get up her fitness.

It is no different now, but she knows the people here don't see it.  When they look at her, they see a prissy little princess with painted nails and polished hair. Not the girl who has spent her entire life working her ass off, pushing herself until her muscles ached, studying so hard that she would full asleep at her desk and still be perky the next day. People live in a haze, they only see what they want to see.  It is time for Kiwi to show them, never to judge a book by its cover.

 

I headed into the fire station that day, not knowing what the day was going to bring, it was quiet and no one was there yet.  I must of go there early, the air in the building was airy.  There was a gleam on the fire engine as she run the pad of her index finger along it.  Something about today felt different. I climbed the stairs into the gym, now was a good as time as ever.  Let me just tell you this, tread mills are not my thing.  There is something completely unnatural about them, the jolting and the noise.  It is nothing like getting out in nature, listening to the birds and having the fresh air rush over your face and tangling your hair.  An adrenalin rush of sorts and the best way to clear your mind.  .   .   .  Yeah, treadmills have nothing on that.

 

The day has started getting on so I decided I should go down stairs, I still hadn't seen anyone and I needed to do some maintenance on the fire engine.  I was thinking that is was odd that I still had not seen anyone, but seriously does no one in the freaken fire department know what time work starts? As I was walking past the study I bumped into Joey, he had been promoted to team leader of late. The alarms started donging in my ears and  I stepped back a bit, just so he was out of my bubble.

 

"Hey Kiwi, what do you think about taking the fire engine out for a spin?" Joey indicated down the road with his thumb. "There is an apparent fire down on forth street, it is only small you just have to get down there and contain it.  Do you think your up for it?" I had the biggest grin on her face "Are you kidding me, I will be there in a flash.".  I prepared myself for battle, or as much battle one can have with a small fire.  Protection is always the key.

 

I am so glad I did though, because when I got there it was not just some little fire, the place was engulfed in flames, I felt the sweat beading on my forehead as I burst through the door.  I hoped for the life of me and these peoples belongings that I could put it out.  Inch by inch the flames died down, until eventually it was a little brown dot. After I knew I couldn't drive yet and my heart was pumping so fast.  I just sat outside in the cool air just laying there. 

About twenty minutes later, I ended back at the station.  I was ashamed that I let the fire get out of control.  Bet no one else let that happen.  Joey was striding towards me, there was no where to hide.  So I took a deep breath and met him 4 paces later.

"Kiwi, I know it hasn't been easy on you the last few months." Joey started.

I started fidgeting then wondering where this conversation was going, I don't think I could cope with being fired.

"But you have really proven yourself." Joey spoke softly with a grin his face. "I want to offer you my old job as the safety instructor, if you want to take it of course. Also a small bonus."

"OH HELL YES!" I squealed. I hugged Joey so hard and ran through the fire station screaming. 

Sometimes the little things mean everything.

Chapter 1: Beginnings.

 

Hello, My name is Kiwi, Kiwi Malkier.  I am a 19 year old fire fighter.  What made me choose to do this job?
Well it started a while back.....

My Mum and Dad had not even thought of my brother and I. She had a sister, well she actually had 3 and they were all a set to a twin. Her twin, named Rue, was a troubled child. No one actually knew the real reason for this. She fell pregnant when she was a teenager, followed by marrying the father.  Mum had left to live with Dad then, although they were only friends at that time. Mum and Aunt Rue had not talked in a very long time, until one Christmas, Rue decided she would get help and go to see a psychiatrist for her mental disability. 

In between there and this next incident, Mum and Dad decided they loved one another and announced they were to get married. This is the really sad part, Grandma Jordan passed on at the bachelorette party.  Everyone was really upset but the next day, Grandad Vance come to see Mum. He told her he wanted her to go on with the wedding. So she got ready and the youngest of the twins turned up, Rue was no where to be seen. When Mum tried to find Rue, she was at the motel were they were all meant to stay, but everyone was so upset from Grandma Jordan's passing, that they stayed at home.  Rue did not, she was at the motel, passed out surrounded by pills and booze.

No one knew if she was going to survive, but the wedding was canceled and Mum stayed by Rue's side the whole time  Rue eventually woke up, she had everyone by her side, including Uncle Jarabi and Rodrigo.  Rue decided she would never talk to mother again and was sent to a rehab facility. By then Jarabi and Rue had given birth to another little boy who they named Coy, and Mum and Dad had Vett.

They never did get married, which was sad, but they were happy. Also by then Jade and Tegan (the younger of the twins) had grown up and started their own families. Grandad also announced that he was gay, and everyone came to terms with that. So Vett and I grew up around that life knowing it was ok. Some people didn't get it.

Somewhere in there Mum and Dad had me. Vett and I were close with Coy, but Jarabi was all grown up and come to visit Mum sometimes, but he had his own life.  We were like the 3 musketeers if you didn't count the times they would laugh at me because I was the only girl. I sometimes couldn't do things they could.  By the time we were teenagers, life seemed like it was normal, Coy had his mother back.  But his Dad had started seeing some one else, so most of the time he lived with his dad and went to see his mother in the weekends.

After Coy went home one weekend, Rue was heading out of town to visit a friend of her's from rehab.  No one actually knew what happened, but the car crashed and rolled down into a ditch. People say she did this on purpose, but why would anyone want to roll their car and let their body burn? Rue never lived to see her sons grow up, the town often spoke of the "Crazy woman". People mad fun of Coy for this, and kids never let us live it down either.
But after the ordeal my whole family went through, Rue was actually getting back to a normal state in her life.  I vowed to protect people as much as I could.That is when I decided I would be a fire fighter.

I started jogging and exercising to build up my strength. The boys thought it was silly, but you could see it in Coy's eyes that he appreciated the gesture.

To this day we have each others side. I no longer wanted to live in Queenstown, people talked too much, like no one else had lives. Vett and Coy followed, I think they still think of me as a little girl, that I couldn't make it in this big bad world alone. I guess they were sort of right. First we lived in an apartment together, but that got too much for me. So when I saved enough money, I moved to the dingy part of town and got a little 2 bedroom apartment. I have been the water girl at the fire station for a while now, I guess they don't see how this prissy little blonde thing could do any damage, but they will see. For now I will practice the drills with the fire safety instructor Joey Vasher.

Coy had started dating a girl. Who convinced him to follow his dream and get a job in the film career. Something happened to slip. Coy and Jodie Trammel had an accident and are expecting their first child over the next few months. Vett on the other hand has a job in the music business, he still lives with the couple.  Hopefully Jodie lets him live there forever.

Life is slowly moving along, but I do hope for everyones sake, that our luck is going to turn around.