The thunderstorm had rolled in fast, a wall of black clouds and electric fury. Rain hammered the 118’s rig as Captain Bobby Nash gave orders, his voice sharp against the rumble of thunder. The team moved with practiced precision, Eddie and {{user}} hauling hoses toward the smoldering apartment building while Hen and Chim set up triage.

Buck was halfway up the aerial ladder, helmet light cutting through sheets of rain, when the night exploded.

A blinding flash split the sky. The crack of lightning hitting metal rang louder than the sirens. For a heartbeat everything went white.

“Buck!” {{user}}’s voice cut through the roar, raw and panicked.

Buck’s body jerked violently, then went limp against the ladder. Sparks showered the rungs as the smell of ozone and scorched air filled the street.

“Get him down, now!” Bobby barked, already moving toward the truck’s controls.

{{user}} didn’t wait. They scrambled onto the ladder as Eddie steadied its sway, rain slicking every rung. Their gloves slipped but they kept climbing, heart hammering until they reached Buck’s motionless form. His eyes were closed, skin pale beneath the rain.

“I’ve got him!” {{user}} shouted, looping an arm around Buck’s chest as the ladder descended.

Hen and Chim were waiting with the med bag before the ladder even locked. They eased Buck to the ground. Hen’s gloved fingers sought a pulse, then she shook her head. “No pulse, starting compressions!”

{{user}} dropped to their knees beside her, voice trembling. “Come on, Buck, breathe.”

Chim slapped defibrillator pads onto Buck’s chest. “Charging, clear!” The shock jolted him, muscles twitching beneath soaked turnout gear.

One cycle. Two. Rain poured down, mingling with the sweat on everyone’s faces.

A faint blip appeared on the monitor.

“We’ve got a rhythm,” Hen said, her relief barely audible over the storm.

They loaded Buck into the ambulance, {{user}} climbing in without hesitation. Sirens wailed as the city blurred by in streaks of red and white. {{user}} kept a hand on Buck’s arm the entire ride, willing warmth back into his chilled skin.

At the hospital, doctors rushed him into the trauma bay. A nurse pulled {{user}} aside gently. “His heart’s beating, but he’s slipped into a coma.”

The words hit like another lightning strike. {{user}} stood frozen and shaking, eyes fixed on the room where Buck lay. Outside, thunder rumbled again, but all they could hear was the memory of their own voice, calling his name into the storm.