[ORIGINAL CHAPTER]

Myself and Greg had been sitting on his couch for hours with my laptop on my legs waiting for news back from the fire academy "how much longer" Greg said sounding annoyed because I think he was more excited to hear back from the academy than I was, when we heard a ping it was my emails so Greg leant over and I opened up my Mail box.

As I opened it up I sat there and read it before a smile appeared on my face "you did it you got in" Greg said excitedly "yeah" I said still In shock. It took a couple of weeks before I was going to start at the academy and today was the day. The night before I had set an alarm earlier than usual because I wanted to have enough time to get ready and get to the academy early because I wanted to make a good impression.

As I heard the alarm start to ring I groaned rolling over for a second before pulling myself out of bed and heading to the bathroom and had a shower before I got dressed before heading to the kitchen and making myself a bowl of cereal along with a glass of orange juice and banana because I needed to make sure I ate because it was going to a long day. After I fixed myself someone cereal I walked over to the kitchen table as quietly as possible so that I didn't wake up Greg who was asleep on the couch.

As I placed my bowl down on the table I heard a groan from the couch "sorry did I wake you?" I asked as I looked at Greg who rubbed his eyes as he looked at me "nah your good" Greg said as he smiled at me before getting up from the couch and walking over to me "do you want a lift to the academy?" Greg asked as I sat there and ate my cereal. "That would be great" i said with a smile "great I'll go and get dressed" Greg said before heading into his room and getting changed.

When he got dressed I grabbed my bag before we headed out of his apartment and headed to his car and got in before he drove me to the academy before he went to work. But as we pulled up to the gates of the academy I began to get more nervous than I had ever been in my life which felt odd so I just sat there frozen "you ok?" Greg asked which made me snap out of daze I had gone into. "Just a little nervous" i said trying to hide my nerves from him "you'll do great" Greg said as he placed his hand on mine.

"How do you know?" I asked doubting myself "because I've known you for a long time, and I know you and who you are" Greg said as he placed his hand on mine "Thankyou" I said smiling at him "now go and knock them dead" Greg said with a huge grin on his face. So I grabbed my bag from under my feet before opening the door and getting out before waving Greg off.

As Greg drove off I took a look at the building with a huge smile on my face before heading inside the building. As I entered the building, the room was packed with people, and the loudness made me even more apprehensive, so I strolled through them all before finding a table. Where I needed to go to sign in along with getting all the information I needed.

"Tessa Michaels," I said as I looked at her, "take up your uniform, gear, and locker room assignment in room a, and report for roll call in the drill hall," the woman said as she handed me a booklet before i headed out of the room before heading up a set of steps until I reached the locker room and I headed inside as I walked in I looked around me to see a full room of the women in the same position as me. I walked around until finding my locker room.

As I began to get dressed a girl approached the locker next to mine I looked at her for a moment before she smiled at me "hey" the girl said with a smile on her face "Hi, nice to meet you I'm Tessa" I said with a smile as I placed my hand out for her to shake "Millie" Millie said as she shaked my hand "so are you from a fire fighter generation" Millie asked as we closed our lockers and began to head out. As we walked I just looked at her confused "are your parents, or any of your family fire fighters?" Millie asked. My mothers husband was a firefighter but only a few people knew of this and I had only just met.

"No just me" I said as I looked away when she wasn't looking before we started to head down the stairs when she heard someone start to yell,
"Hup, Hup!" yelled the commanding officer as I and Jack dashed down the stairwell. Speed! "Class Ten-hut, Candidates, welcome to the Chicago Fire Academy," he exclaimed before we all lined up As I stood there with a smile on my face.

Before we all headed out for a jog into the Chicago winter It was to test our durance but I was used to the cold I had lived in Seattle for most of my life so the cold weather didn't effect me. After todays training season I sat there and wished until each person left and I was the last one left in the locker room eventually I stood up and grabbed my belongings from the locker before heading down the stairs and heading to the badge wall as I walked down I looked each badge taking in each one the wall at the academy signified each fire fighter and paramedic that died in the line of duty.

And I began to understand what I was letting myself in for, the chance that I wouldn't be going home after a fire but at this moment I only had one person that would be waiting for me which was Greg. As I was stood there I heard footsteps approach me so I turned to face them to see a man stood there with a smile on his face "you thinking of joining the academy?" He asked with a smile on his face "I'm already enrolled on the program" I said with a smile "that's great I'm Christopher Herrmann" Christopher said which shocked me, he was my mothers husband.

"Tessa Michaels" I said trying to hold my nerves because I didn't expect to come across him yet "nice to meet you Michaels" Christopher said with a smile.
End Of Chapter 3