Episode 77

The air in the locker room hung heavy, thick with the scent of sweat, stale coffee, and the metallic tang of gear recently cleaned. It was a familiar perfume, one Sarah Jenkins had come to associate with exhaustion, camaraderie, and the quiet hum of anticipation that always followed a major incident. The wildfire had been contained, the community safe, but the emotional residue lingered, clinging to them like the phantom smell of smoke.

She was meticulously folding her turnout pants, the rough material a stark contrast to the softness she craved. Her muscles still ached, a dull throb that served as a constant reminder of the physical ordeal. But it wasn't the physical exhaustion that occupied her mind. It was Jake.

Captain Jake Riley.