Dermatomyositis.
- Is it as scary as it sounds? - It's an autoimmune disease.
It causes this rash on my hands and it attacks muscles,
so I'll get tired more easily.
Now, we want to be up-front with you two. This can get serious.
- But we're not gonna let it. - No, we're not.
So there's a cure?
No, but there's treatments, and I've already started medications.
Now that's the easy part.
For the rest, we're gonna need some help, okay?
We're in. Tell us what you need.
Well, first, there's diet.
No artificial colors, no high-fructose corn syrup, no gluten.
- No fun. - Avocados are fun.
Leafy greens are fun.
We got cashew butter, sun butter,
and your omega-3s are gonna be off the chart.
Salmon, cod, herring.
Can't you just make, like, a pumpkin loaf?
Also, exercise is key.
With muscle tone, you use it or you lose it.
We're gonna maintain your flexibility, range of motion and balance.
So you're turning Buck's backyard into a yoga studio?
Not yoga. Samba.
Samba?
Some patients have a hard time swallowing and get vocal problems.
- What the hell is that? - It's called a trill,
and I know that it sounds weird, but it helped me when I lost my voice.
- Trilling fixed it? - It didn't hurt.
Dexterity is huge.
Flare-ups make my hands weak, so I've gotta stay nimble.
One, two, three, four.
I declare thumb war.
- Gotcha! - Come on.
We're gonna throw the kitchen sink at this thing.
There's no such thing as a bad idea.
And you got this idea from TikTok?
Apparently, it works wonders for lymphatic drainage.
You first.
This isn't just my fight.
It's the whole family's fight.
- This one right here. - Okay.
Nobody said you couldn't have fun.
You know how this game ends, right?
Back. Forward. Back.
Dare I ask what's in it?
Mostly sardines.
Oh, yeah.
One, two, three.
Now you're counting?
Slow and steady.
Steady is the hard part.
You got it, Hen.
Like a horse.
Mm-hmm.
- One, two, three. Oh. - Oh.
Wait until you try this.
♪ Lean on me ♪
♪ Call on me brother... ♪
Ready to fly?
Like Superman.
Super-Hen!
Bunny goes over the log, through the hutch.
Come on, damn rabbit.
Whoa!
Ooh. Hey, hey! Ha! Ha! Ha!
Done.
- How are those lymphs? - I think it's working.
♪ Lean on me ♪
♪ For it won't be long... ♪
How you like me now?
However long it takes, we're gonna kick this thing's butt!
You got this, Mama.
We've got this.
You hungry, baby?
Not really.
- You need any help? - No.
I got it.
- Move your car! - What the hell is going on?
Come on.
What's the deal? Let's go!
What is this guy doing?
Ordering cluck-cluck combos for a small village?
Damn it. Let's move it!
- I got it. I got it. - Tell that jackass to move.
Hey, just grab 'em!
It's a huge line!
Is there a problem here?
Oh. That's why you haven't ordered yet.
- Texter. We've got a texter. - The jerk's on the phone!
No one's asked for my order yet.
Hello?
Is nobody working today?
Where is everybody?
The hell?
Hello.
Oh. Oh, no.
My God.
Oh!
Dispatch, this is Captain 118. We're gonna need backup RA units.
Copy 118. En route.
I'm counting eight.
No, 12 people.
Buck, get me readings on oxygen, carbon monoxide, smoke, everything,
even spilled cleaning products.
Roll everyone on their side.
No fingers in mouths unless you're looking to lose them.
Dispatch, what's our ETA on those RA units?
We really could use some extra hands here.
I have two additional units six minutes out.
No sign of any leaks. Building's all clear.
So what the hell is this?
- Captain 118? - Go for 118.
It looks like there was an earlier call from your location.
911, what's your emergency?
Hi. I'm the manager over at Cluck n Pluck 5.
Someone just collapsed.
I think they're having a sei... se-se...
- Call dropped right after that. - Copy that, Dispatch.
So, one person had a seizure, the others were just witnesses at first.
- You thinking what I'm thinking? - Uh, not really.
Psychogenic, non-epileptic seizures, they're pseudo-seizures
brought on by a traumatic event like seeing someone have a seizure.
- One person goes down. - Rest follow.
Okay, so if only one of them is experiencing it for real,
- what about the rest? - They just think they are.
This has been going on for at least six minutes,
which means we need to find the real seizure victim before it's too late.
They all look the same to me.
But they all won't look the same to the FLIR.
Okay, this has been going on for more than six minutes,
which means their muscles start burning through their energy
before they break down.
The brain's thermal regulation center goes completely haywire.
Whoever is having the real seizure with this much physical activity...
Clear.
...their body temperature should've risen drastically compared to the other people.
So they'll show up much hotter than everyone else.
Exactly. All right, this side is clear.
Where are you?
Clear.
She's clear.
Okay, got him. Buck, check his wallet for medical history.
Maybe a bracelet or a dog tag.
Rapid pulse.
He's tachycardic.
- Yeah, and epileptic. - Mystery solved.
Starting an IV.
Let's assess the rest of our friends.
Start with arm tests to confirm it's psychogenic.
All right, pushing 4 milligrams of lorazepam.
Come on, buddy. There we go.
All right, BP's stabilizing.
Nice and easy. Hey. Hey.
Hey. Welcome back, sir.
Buck, how's our test going?
Everyone is passing with flying colors, or I guess failing.
All right, everybody, let's try some box breathing exercises with them,
see if that helps.
If not, maybe get them out of each other's lines of sight.
Well, you don't see that every day, huh?
No, you do not.
Are you doing okay, Cap?
Hen would've loved this.
Yeah.
Knees up, Grant.
- Eyes up, Norris. - Nepo baby.
Showboat.
Recruits, you've made it to Week 12, your three-phase drill.
Phase one, forced entry.
Gonna go for another class record?
- Wouldn't hate that. - I would. Save some for the rest of us.
Phase two, advance an inch-and-a-half hose line into the structure.
You will notice there's no vertical ventilation,
which brings us to phase three.
♪ Never been seen before... ♪
You will climb the aerial and breach the fifth floor window.
♪ Burn where we go ♪
You got it, Grant.
♪ Burn where we go... ♪
There you go.
Yeah! Take that window.
♪ Gonna start the show Burn where we go ♪
Grant!
Excuse me, uh, Harry Grant, do you know which room he's in?
- Mom. Mom, why is he here? - Hmm. Hmm?
Oh. He's okay. Harry's okay.
He was drilling on the tower, took a spill off the aerial.
The aerial ladder?
Luckily, a mezzanine caught him before the ground did.
Could've been a lot worse.
Oh, my God. Oh!
Oh, my God. Harry.
- Mom, Mom, I'm fine. - Oh. Oh, my God.
The wheelchair is protocol. They're discharging me.
He has a mild concussion. Doctor's ruled out anything serious.
I just got my bell rung. That's it.
That's the TBI talking.
Thank you for coming down.
- Of course. - I'm sorry, Chief.
I-I was rushing. It was a stupid mistake.
Well, shake it off, son. Accidents happen.
Hazards come with training, same as on the job.
You know that better than any recruit.
So he's still a recruit?
We'll place him off-duty IOD for 48 hours. He can rest at home.
Then if he has no symptoms, he'll be clear to return.
I'm ready now. Let's go.
Don't worry, you won't lose your spot.
Good news. Um...
Okay, let's get you home.
Protocol, remember?
- Okay. Okay. - Thank you.
- Of course.
No screens. Doctor's orders.
Mom, I-I feel fine.
Well, let's keep it that way. Oh...
And no salami either.
The last thing your brain needs is inflammation from cured meats.
So what am I supposed to do?
What your chief said.
Rest.
Mom, it's a concussion, not the flu.
She's treating me like a child.
You are her child.
Y-Yeah, but why is she so chipper about it?
I swear she's happy I'm injured.
Happy? She's terrified.
- It was a bump on the head. - This time.
You didn't see her walking into the hospital.
- She was barely holding it together. - Yeah, I know.
She thinks me joining the department is dangerous.
Harry, you just proved it's dangerous.
Ten more inches to the left, and she could've been at another funeral.
Buck, do not make me write you up for reheating fish in the microwave.
I know, I know it's bad workplace etiquette,
but sardine loaf is better when it's warm.
Yeah, it's even better when you leave it at home.
Listen, it's good for brain and heart health,
and I have tons left over 'cause Hen wouldn't see me
when I tried to stop by the other day.
I'd blame it on the sardine loaf, but she wouldn't see me either.
Every time I try and visit,
Karen tells me that she's either sleeping or in the shower.
I usually get "doctor's appointment."
Maybe she just needs some time to herself.
No, isolation doesn't help the healing process.
She needs people to support her.
Maybe we're a reminder that she's not here doing what she loves to do.
Might be hard for her to see us right now.
Okay, so what do we do?
Keep showing up.
Athena, what are you doing here? How's Harry?
Desperate for me to be anywhere other than hovering over him.
I wasn't sure what was on Hen's diet,
but I was thinking at least you and the kids
could have something easy to reheat and eat.
Excuse the mess.
Things have been a little hectic around here lately.
So how is she?
Because she hasn't been returning any of my calls.
Yeah. She has good days and bad days.
Which is today?
Hen, you up for a visitor? Athena's here.
She just wants to check on you.
It might be good for you to see a friendly face.
I'm sorry you came all this way for nothing.
I think all this has just really taken it out of her.
Is she really sleeping, or did she tell you to get rid of me?
She's not telling me much of anything these days.
You know, when we got the diagnosis, I had hope,
and I thought we were gonna fight it.
Together.
But... [sighs] ...nothing's worked and she's getting worse.
Every day, it's like I can feel her slipping farther away from us.
I try to keep her active and make sure she's taking care of herself,
- but the more I push, the more she-- - Pushes back?
No.
That's the scary part.
She doesn't push back. She just... disengages.
We just need to get her back in the game.
How?
Do I just keep pushing her until she's mad enough at me to push back?
No, you're her wife.
You do not wanna become the face of the thing she's fighting.
So... [chuckles] ...what am I supposed to do?
Give her another face to hate.
Yeah, yeah.
Not bad.
Yeah, man. Work on your drills. We'll hit it again on Tuesday.
- Yeah. - All right. Catch you later, brother.
Come on, baby.
♪ Why I love you... ♪
♪ Why I love you ♪
♪ Baby, my days and nights are lonely ♪
♪ I need your lovin' every day ♪
♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah ♪
Whoa!
♪ I don't know why I love you ♪
You hit me with your car.
Car versus pedestrian?
That's the question. The driver says he fell down on his own.
Yeah, don't they always?
- He talking? - More groaning than anything.
We didn't wanna move him without you.
Why?
Why did he run me over?
Dude, I didn't hit you.
Someone did. He's in rough shape.
Sir, I'm Eddie. Can you tell me your name?
Colt.
- Can you move your fingers and your toes? - Yeah.
All right, we're gonna roll you over so we can take a better look at you.
Okay.
One, two, three.
Whoa.
- He got hit hard. - Not by me.
Did he break my arm?
Arm, nose, probably ribs.
We're gonna get you to the hospital, okay?
Mm-hmm.
Hey, look at that. His shoes are still on.
Yeah, and not a crack in his windshield either.
I don't know if this car did all that.
It didn't do any of it. I did not hit him.
All right. You said he came from that way?
He ran from over there and then fell in front of my car.
- Hey. - Thank you so much for coming.
Oh, come on, it's my pleasure.
- You cool with me putting stuff here? - Yeah.
- Um... - Okay. All right.
Hello?
Hey.
Babe, who's this?
You must be Hen.
Hi, I'm... Um, I'm Adam,
a physical therapist and your new chief motivational officer.
- Hi, Adam. - Hi.
My wife must have forgot to mention you were coming.
Slipped my mind.
Adam comes very highly recommended.
- Karen. Can we talk about this? - Hmm?
Later. I have to go out and run a few errands.
Are you serious?
You two have fun.
- Bye. - Bye.
What do you say we wake up those sleepy joints, huh?
So, how you feeling?
Like I got hit by a truck.
Well, we both know that didn't happen.
So you wanna tell me what really happened?
It's all fuzzy.
I think I... I got jumped.
You got jumped?
Yeah, from behind.
It was a big dude.
"Big dude."
Might even have been two of them.
Vicious.
Did your assailant look like this?
How long you been snatching purses?
Shame on you.
Wait for it.
I've had enough!
Whoa, whoa, whoa.
Come here.
She's still going.
Yeah, she is.
You're gonna get your ass beat.
You picked the wrong one!
Do you wanna amend your statement about two big dudes?
I'd like to call my lawyer.
They'll keep him here for observation, then straight to Men's Central.
You got a mean left hook.
Am I in trouble?
Self-defense, but, uh... Most folk would've let go of the purse.
What got into you?
I had had a day.
It's dollars and cents.
Cuts, cuts, layoffs, cuts.
And, frankly, the granola bars are doing more around here than you are.
You're a great gal. But I've been doing a lot of work on me.
We're done.
Thanks for the coffee.
For the love...
Sometimes, you just need to fight back.
Fair enough.
All right. And then push out.
Come on. Breathe, breathe.
Very good, Hen. Clockwise, counterclockwise.
How's that feeling?
Not good, Adam.
There you go.
Look at you, rock star. There you go.
Breathe, breathe. Make sure to breathe.
- Two. - Yeah.
Very good.
Okay, one more.
- Very good. - That was awful.
What are you talking about? That was awesome, right?
- Come on, give me one more set. - You said that was the last set.
Well, I'm sorry, Hen. I lied.
Screw you, Adam.
Hen, it's okay if you want to punch me.
I do not wanna punch you, Adam.
Sure? I mean, look at my face. Not even a little bit?
Maybe a little bit.
Morning.
You going back to training today?
Yeah. It's been two days. Feeling pretty good.
No signs of a concussion.
I thought you were training to be a firefighter, not a doctor.
I'm okay. No headaches, no nausea,
no sensitivity to light or noise.
You know it's okay to take another day if you need it.
I mean, just to be on the safe side. Oh...
You want me to call your doctor and ask him to write a note?
A doctor's note from my mommy. No, thanks. I'll pass.
- Love you. - I love you too.
- Miss me? - I did.
You're my favorite person to beat.
Look who got cocky while I was gone.
Okay, three-phase drill. Let's go.
Let's start with the aerial ladder. Grant, you're up.
Grant, you doing okay?
Uh...
No, sir, I'm-I'm-I'm feeling a bit dizzy, I guess.
Okay, well, don't push it.
Go home and get some rest, all right? We'll try again tomorrow.
All right.
Hi, honey. You hungry?
I think Karen ordered enough food to feed us for a week.
I think you've forgotten what it's like to feed a teenager.
Oh! Pickles.
Here, honey, let me help you with that.
I should be able to open a jar.
You did. You loosened it for me.
- Ma, don't patronize me. - I'm not.
I think working with Adam is helping, even if you won't admit it.
- Can I hide out here? - If it's your mom, absolutely not.
No, I'm hiding from my shame.
What happened? I thought you were back in training.
I was, but I froze up.
When it was time to climb the ladder again, I-I panicked.
That's the whole point in training.
Panic there so it doesn't happen in the field. Here.
So how do you not panic everywhere?
I don't know, you just don't.
That is completely underwhelming advice.
I'm sorry, I didn't know you were coming over.
You get lukewarm pep talks when I'm unprepared.
Look, it-it's normal to be scared.
What makes it brave is that you show up anyway.
Is it brave or is it selfish?
Selfish how?
If something bad happens to me, what happens to them?
You mean your family?
Your mom?
I-I-I don't wanna be the reason why she has to plan another funeral.
You can't think like that.
So what do I do if that is all I can think about?
Come on in.
Look at you getting to the door like a champ, huh?
Must be those wrist rolls you gave me.
I, uh... I can't believe I'm saying this, but thanks to you,
I'm finally making progress.
That's great, Hen. But remember, progress is not always in a straight line.
I know, I know.
So where do you wanna start today?
Some sit-to-stands?
Uh, yeah, uh, it doesn't matter.
All right, well, I'll just follow your lead.
I don't think you should do that, Hen.
Oh.
- Adam, are you all right? - I don't know. I don't feel so good. No.
Whoa!
Adam.
- LAFD. - Julie.
Hen.
This is Adam. He's my personal trainer. He's been down five minutes.
No pulse, no resps.
Okay, get him on the LIFEPAK. Take his blood sugar.
Prepare to intubate. What was he doing?
He came in. He went down.
Makes me think cardiac.
Let's shock him. Clear.
- There it is. - Brugada syndrome.
Something tells me he's getting an ICD today.
Let's pack him up.
Need a hand?
Yeah, thanks.
One, two, three.
It's good to see you, Hen.
We're all pulling for you.
Buck?
What are you doing here? Is everything okay?
It's about Harry.
He came to see me after his first day back.
Actually, he didn't even make it through the whole day.
I knew it. It was too soon for him to go back.
Look, I don't think there's anything physically wrong with him.
But you're worried enough to show up here.
Okay, so you know that voice you get in your head,
the one that says, "You suck, you-you can't do anything."
I mean, you probably don't have that voice.
Everyone has that voice, Buck, even me. Okay? So what?
You think Harry's gotten into his own head?
No, I... I think you have.
Not that you did it on purpose.
But I think the accident and your response to it scared him,
but not for himself, scared him for you.
I don't wanna see him give up and regret it later.
His office called.
- Looks like he's gonna be okay. - Well, that's great news.
I've been a paramedic for 15 years, Ma,
and I couldn't provide that man with basic life support.
My body just wouldn't let me.
If the actual paramedics hadn't gotten here in time--
But they did.
I started out thinking that...
I just wanted to get well enough so I could go back to work.
Just get my life back.
But what if that part of my life is over?
You have always been the most impatient child.
Ma, you don't understand.
I wanna read you something.
Oh, please.
I'm not in the mood for some woo-woo nonsense
you got from some self-help book you found in the garage.
It's not woo-woo.
It's a first-person account from someone who's been on a similar journey.
Let's see. "It's been three months, and I'm still not okay.
How is that possible?
Everyone says, 'Be patient. Don't lose hope.'
Eventually, I'll feel like myself again.
But I'm starting to think everyone's been lying to me."
Preach.
"Ma says I'm too impatient, but she just doesn't understand."
Well, that certainly hasn't changed.
Are you reading from my diary? Where did you even find that?
You know those boxes I've been storing in your garage for the past ten years.
I decided to start going through them while you were napping.
You've been napping a lot.
"Ms. Dawson told me I didn't have to run,
but I was tired of sitting on the sidelines, so I did it anyway.
Didn't even make it a minute
before I doubled over trying to catch my breath.
Jamie Tyler said it was because I had a hole in my heart from when I got shot.
Because that's who I am now.
The girl who got shot."
Jamie Tyler. I never liked that child.
But the girl who wrote that diary,
she was a pretty cool kid.
A tough one too.
Thanks.
But I think I had a little bit more resilience at 16 than I have now.
You did not.
Your recovery was painful and hard, and longer than expected.
Some days, you couldn't even get out of bed.
But with enough time, eventually you got better.
But it was not an easy road.
I guess I forgot that part.
Most people do.
We focus on the big moments, the victories,
not the blood, sweat and tears that got us there.
But I remember,
and I know you're still the same fighter.
And if you don't believe me,
believe yourself.
Don't make me take the covers.
What is happening right now?
You're getting dressed, and we're going out.
You got 15 minutes. Don't make me come back in here.
When you said we were going out, I was thinking breakfast.
I got you a smoothie.
I figured you'd want something light before climbing that ladder.
Look, Mom, I appreciate the pep talk.
- I really do-- - No, no, this ain't a pep talk.
You wanna run toward danger for a living?
- I'm not looking to pep you into anything. - Then what are we doing here?
I want you to quit.
Excuse me?
I want you to turn around and stop growing older.
Go back to being that kid who would run over to hug me after every shift,
that same kid who used to beg me not to go to work every morning
- and say, "Mommy..." - I want you to quit.
And I would kiss your head and leave feeling terrible.
And when I got to work, you know what I would do with that feeling?
What?
I would set it aside.
Family fills us.
It drives us.
But fear makes you hesitate, and hesitation gets you killed.
We don't put on that uniform so that we make it home.
We put it on so that others will.
And if we do that well enough without fear
or self-doubt,
then maybe we get to make it home too.
I guess I didn't think about how hard this would all be.
I mean, for me, and mostly for you. I...
I'm following in the footsteps of a man whose job,
this job, took him away from you.
That was his path.
I just... I don't want you to worry.
You let me worry about what I worry about.
And if and when you put on that uniform,
you learn to set it aside, the same as I did.
Because you can't carry nobody out of a fire if I'm already on your back.
♪ Let winter break ♪
♪ Let it burn ♪
♪ Till I see you again ♪
♪ I will be here with you ♪
♪ Just like I told you... ♪
"Dear me,
I know I haven't written in months. I haven't wanted to.
When I write, I'm reminded of all the pain and misery I went through
in the last year, and who wants to think about that?
I was about to give up and never think about it again.
But then I thought, if I, AKA you, find it again years from now,
are those dark days really the part I'd wanna remember?
♪ Only you and I... ♪
A terrible thing happened to you, Henrietta Wilson.
And that could've been the end of your story.
But it wasn't.
It was the start of a new one.
The world knocked you down and tried to keep you there,
but you refused to stay put.
Even on the days you really wanted to."
♪ You are the only thing I've ever truly known ♪
♪ So I hesitate ♪
♪ If I can act the same for you ♪
♪ And my darlin' I'll be rooting for you... ♪
- You gave it your all! - Yes, sir!
- You came in as recruits! - Yes, sir!
- And you're leaving as firefighters! - Yes, sir!
And I'm proud of each and every one of you.
- Who are you? - Firefighters!
- Who are you? - LAFD!
Congratulations!
"So, yes, you'll always be the girl who got shot,
but you'll always be the girl who lived and can do anything she sets her mind to."
♪ I'll be rooting for you ♪
Please take your seats. The ceremony will begin shortly.
Keep moving. We need two more.
There she is.
Just couldn't resist upstaging the kids, huh?
Hey, at least we didn't show up in the middle of the ceremony.
Well, I wanted to make sure that everyone saw that I was getting better.
We're just glad you're here.
In this job, I give a lot of speeches.
But of all the many speeches I give, this is by far my favorite.
It doesn't look back with sorrow or wistful cheer,
but rather aspires forward,
with boundless hope and abundant pride.
Because it knows what I know.
That you will save lives.
That men and women will walk this earth who otherwise wouldn't...
without you.
That children will be born and deathbeds far delayed
for all your acts of bravery.
And, yes, for some, your sacrifice.
You'll reunite families and return home to your own.
And with each shift, you'll clock into another family.
One forged in fire, with bonds far stronger than any you've ever known.
The lives you save, the worlds you make better...
will not just be the people we serve,
but also each other's.
Congratulations to you all,
and welcome to the family of the Los Angeles Fire Department.
Yeah!
Hey, this is, like, the welcome party to the rest of your life.
Can you maybe get off your phone?
Sorry, I was checking the station assignments.
They said that they'd post them after the ceremony.
Well, we may have gotten an advanced look at that list.
Hmm.
Are you serious?
All that work we put in to help raise you,
you didn't think we were gonna let that go to some other firehouse, did you?
You're stuck with us now, kid. Welcome to the 118, probie.
- Come on. - Congratulations.
- Thank you. Come on in. - Come on.
Come on in, guys.
- May, you too. - Yeah.
- Aw, thanks, guys. - Bring it in.
- Congratulations, Harry. - Thank you.
All right, 118 on three. One, two, three.
118!