She had gone to bed flat out tired. She managed a late night shower before turning in but tumbled into bed quickly after that, not bothering with a nightgown tonight, since it was warm; this was a panties only in bed night.

Kate had worked long into the night on some new menu ideas and wanted to make sure that they were all set and properly backed up on her laptop. She was pleased with the work that she'd done, and by bed time was simply exhausted.

Her dreams were strange and disturbed. She was in the kitchen, directing traffic as usual but someone had spilled something on one of the ranges and was causing a stink.

Then the dream morphed to something more ominous that was all sounds and strangeness; it was the kind of dream that comes to get you during the night, leaving little or no explanation and little or no sense but only a vague feeling of unease in the morning, when it is remembered, if it is remembered at all.

Lately, Kate Willman had been spending more and more time working evenings like this on ideas for the menu. She was the owner and executive chef of Morton's, a successful and popular local upscale eatery, and took all of it seriously.

At 32 she was all energy and great ideas. She blessed her grandma and grandpa for the money that they left to her, that allowed her to realize her dream, Morton's, at such a young age. She even named it for them, Grandma and Grandpa Morton.

She experimented with sauces and recipes on herself and a few good friends, who as often as not urged her to 'get a life'. Kate's immediate and usual response was that she indeed had a life and the one that she favored, thank you very much!

The dream continued to be weird and suddenly in a strange and unaccountable way, piercing. It was then that Kate woke. She woke to the brash, startling sound of the smoke alarm somewhere in the house, outside of the bedroom door, she thought in a clear second.

Then the realization came full upon her that the house was filled with smoke. At least her bedroom was filled with smoke. She heard from somewhere outside a great deal of clatter and realized that it was the sound of fire engines. Someone had apparently seen the smoke and had reported it.

She decided instantaneously on two things. She grabbed her laptop from the desk in the bedroom corner, and then it was a robe she wanted--natural but foolish decisions. Taking time in a room, a house filled with smoke to get any 'extras' before crawling your way out was against any advice that was ever given.

Kate had the laptop in her grasp, when she collapsed, the smoke getting to her and beginning to take its toll. For a bit then, she remembered nothing. She lay on the bedroom floor, rolled kind of into a little ball, clutching the laptop. The robe was nowhere in sight.

She didn't see him come in; she didn't hear him come in. He was only suddenly there, speaking loudly into the built in mic at his helmet he called out:

"I've found the occupant and she's down."

He took a second only to take the air from his own mask and put it over Kate's face.

Kate began to cough. It was the sign that he wanted. Then his professional instincts took over. He scooped her up, along with her laptop and began to carry her to the doorway. In the process he continued to share with her the air mask.

Kate simply clung to him, with her arms around his neck.

As he was struggling down the stairs with her, coughing as he went, and sharing his air with her, she spoke up to tell him something.

Mike didn't right away understand what she was saying and then she repeated herself and he realized that she was saying:

"I'm sorry that I'm not dressed!"

He just grinned at her then, certain male instincts taking over.

"Ms," he said, heading for the door, "You look just gorgeous the way you are."

He got a muttered 'thank you' for his gallantry and she lay her head on his shoulder. She was speaking again, as he reached the door. This time it was:

"Thank you for getting my laptop. It's important."

He smiled at her then only, as soon as he got her through the door, he had help from all sides. They had a blanket for her and took her to the waiting ambulance, where she was loaded, covered with a sheet and whisked off to the hospital.

The fire was an electrical one that had been discovered and extinguished but the smoke and water damage was considerable.

They gave her oxygen immediately in the ambulance. She was woozy from having taken so much smoke. The attendant, a lovely young woman, stroked Kate's face and told her how lucky she was.

Kate replied:

"But his name; the fireman's name; I don't even know his name."

She began to cry then, all of the tension of what had just happened finally crashing in on her.

"They'll know at the station," the attendant, whose name tag said that she was 'Gail Robbins', said.

"They will?" Kate asked between sobs.

"They will," Gail assured her.

By that time, the firemen were wrapping up their efforts at Kate's house. There was some good natured banter going on among them, as usual.

"Hey, Schantz," someone said, "How did you get so lucky? She was a babe!"

The comments were directed at fireman Mike Schantz, who was the one who'd brought Kate out of the building. He was a sturdy 5'11" and 190 lbs. He'd been a fireman for fifteen years, since coming out of the marines.

His response to the comment was to give them all al huge grin!

"Well," he said, "The pretty ones just know quality, when they see it!"

"When they see it!" someone scoffed, "She was out cold and didn't see quality or anything else."

They all laughed at that. It was then that the assistant chief came along and they stopped their raillery.

"Good rescue, Mike!" he said, clapping Mike on the shoulder. Then he too remarked: "A pretty one too!"

Mike grinned at him and nodded. They went about the business then of cleaning up and getting ready to go back to the fire house, where, as might be expected the kidding started again.

"So, tell me, Mike," one of the lieutenants asked, "Was she already undressed or did you take her clothes off first?"

There was general laughter.

Mike good naturedly answered: "Lieutenant, I brought her out the way that I found her."

"Hey, Schantz," another voice joined the fray, "How do you get to be so lucky? I never get to rescue a babe like that!"

"It's good living," Mike said and went himself into a kind of coughing fit, while there was a general amount of hooting and such noises then.

At the hospital, Kate was being looked over and had a rest. They told her that she could go home. She began to cry at that point:

"I don't have any clothes," she wailed.

The doctor in attendance was a surgeon named Jackie and asked Kate softly if she could call anyone for her. Kate gave her the name of a friend, Dee Dee, who also lived in the city. She told Dr. Jackie that she'd make the call, if she could have the use of a phone.

Deedee answered after the second ring.

"Hello," a sleepy voice said.

"Dee Dee," Kate began, "It's Kate."

Dee Dee could tell right away that something was wrong. She spoke quickly:

"Kate, honey, what's wrong?"

Kate began to cry again at that point, and finally calmed down enough to get the news out

"Dee, I've had a fire at my house and..." she paused then with her crying. "I had ... had to be rescued and would have died but for the fireman."

"Oh, honey," Dee Dee said. "Where are you?"

"He got me out and all I got out of the house was my laptop and..." she broke off again and cried until she was ready to go on again:

"All that I have to wear is the panties that I was wearing to bed..."

At that point Kate broke down altogether, and one of the nurses picked up the phone.

She explained to Dee Dee that Kate'd had a fire at her house and only was wearing her panties, when she was brought out of the burning, smoke filled house by a fireman, who'd rescued her.

Dee Dee woke totally immediately and said to the nurse that she'd be right there with some clothes for Kate. It relieved Kate's mind tremendously.

Dee Dee was as good as her word; she was there in a very short time and had a set of running clothes for Kate to wear.

They had Kate in a side room at the E R and had given her a hospital gown to wear. She fairly threw herself into Dee Dee's arms, when her friend came into the room.

"Dee Dee!" Kate said, sobbing in her friend's arms.

"It's okay, honey," Dee Dee cooed to her, holding her.

It was then that the nurse came into the room. She smiled at the two of them and said:

"Ms Willman?"

"Yes," Kate said.

"I, uh, just wanted to tell you that we have a fireman here; he had had a little too much smoke. His name is Schantz, and I believe that he's the one that brought you out of the house. It seems that sharing his oxygen with you got him into a little bit of breathing trouble."

"Ohhhh," Kate wailed then, "Can I see him?"

"Well, yes," the nurse said, "He's in #8. Why don't you get dressed and then I'll take you over there."

Dee Dee had brought a tee shirt and some running pants, plus underwear for Kate, since they were both pretty much the same size.

Kate and Dee Dee went eagerly with the nurse down the hall way. They could hear the occupant of #8 telling the attendants that he was fine and the spell was just a fluke.

"Well, Mr Schantz," the doctor was saying, "We just want to look you over a bit; you took a bit of smoke in that one. It's only a routine kind of thing."

The doctor came out of the room and the nurse spoke to her and asked if Kate could go in and see him. The doctor said that it was probably, at that point, the best thing for him.

Kate went to the door with the nurse and tears began to flow immediately from her eyes.

Mike Schantz looked up, smiled but didn't recognize Kate. She spoke up then and said:

"Maybe you'd recognize me if I only had my undies on!"

He got a smile on his face then and said: "You! How are you?"

"Fine, thanks to you, you wonderful, lovely, brave man!" she said in a rush, and went across the room to put her arms around him.

She said to him softly, as she held him, with her arms around his neck:

"Sorry about the comment about my undies! I really wasn't trying to be smart."

"Hey," Mike said, "It sounded like a great idea to me!"

Kate giggled at that point, and was joined by Dee Dee and the nurse, who were still in the doorway.

"I'm getting you all wet," Kate said finally, and stepped back. She realized then that she hadn't even introduced herself to him:

"My name is Kate Willman!" she said, "You already know where I live!"

"Well, I guess I do," Mike said.

Mike Schantz was older than some of the firemen but had over the years rejected the possibility of higher command and a desk job. He loved the job of being a hose jockey too much. He was, at 40, still in great shape. Some gray curls were beginning to creep into his curly dark hair. They had him currently in a hospital gown too.

Kate took it up at that point:

"I don't know how to properly thank you for saving my life. I tried to get my laptop and then a robe. It was silly I know!"

"Not silly, really," he said back to her, "You never know how you'll react to that kind of situation until you in the middle of it. Work and modesty are important items."

"You're so nice to say so," she said, stroking his chin, "I almost got myself killed tonight but for you. Thank you..."

"It's Mike," he answered, "Mike Schantz."

"Thank you, Mike Schantz!" she said, and kissed him.

It was the kind of kiss that you give to someone who's supremely important in your life, a mentor, a huge and wonderful influence, and, maybe, someone who saves your life.

Mike Schantz was grinning at the end of the kiss.

"No, thank you, Ms Willman," he answered.

"It's Kate," she said, and in a low voice: "You've already seen my in my unmentionables!"

She giggled and he grinned at her.

"Made the job of grabbing you easier!" he quipped and Kate put her hand over her mouth and giggled again.

"But it got you hurt!" she said ruefully then.

"I'm fine," he said to her then.

"Oh, I hope so!" she said. "I was wondering," she continued, "Could I come to the, uh, fire house some time to thank you properly?"

"Sure," he said, "I'm scheduled the day after tomorrow. The shift begins in the morning at 8 AM and runs 24 hours until the next morning."

"I'll plan to stop by then some time during the day," Kate said.

She turned and looked at Dee Dee, who was still standing in the doorway and waiting for her.

"Mike," she said, "This is my friend Dee Dee Schultz; she's come to rescue me also. She brought me clothes to wear."

Mike nodded to Dee Dee.

"I have to go now," Kate said, "Lots to do."

Before she left, he said to her: "Contact Benson-Johnson; they do a great job at clean up. I know how much destruction the smoke and water do in a house. They'll get you right."

"Will it be ... much of a loss?" she asked him then quietly.

"I'm afraid that it might be," he answered, " The fire originated, I guess, in the attic with some wiring. We had lots of smoke to deal with, and water. Don't know if you're going to be able to save the furniture and rugs. B & J can do a great job on the clean up with other stuff and help getting the smell out. They do it well." Then he added: "And I'm not related; I don't even work for them."

She laughed and said: "Thank you again."

Then following an impulse, she went to him again and hugged him. His arms went around her and she almost melted against the bulk of him.

"Thank you," she whispered into his ear.

"You're welcome, Kate," he answered.

Then she whispered one more thing: "You look so cute in that gown!"

He broke out into an all out laugh, which made her laugh too. Dee Dee was watching them and raised her brows at the laughter. Kate explained:

"I just told him how cute he looks in that gown!"

Dee Dee put her hands over her mouth and laughed also.

"Well, he does!" Kate insisted.

Then she turned away and blew Mike Schantz a kiss and went out of the room with Dee Dee.

The nurse stopped in and said: "Nice to run into a person who is really appreciative!"

"I guess!" Mike said, "And me here looking like my maiden aunt in this gown!"

The nurse laughed and said: "Well she did say that you looked cute in it."

Mike laughed and said: "Gee but 'cute' wasn't maybe what I needed in dealing with a lovely woman like that."

"No," the nurse said, "Cute will get you a long way. And anyway the doctor says that you can get dressed and we can let you out of here now."

"Too late," he said ruefully, "I've already done my maiden aunt impression for the lovely lady! So much for my luck!" But by the end of what he was saying, he was grinning to the nurse.

Dee Dee took Kate home to her house. She'd called her husband in advance and he was waiting for the women, and had some coffee ready.

When the two women went into the house, he me them and gave Kate a hug.

"Oh, sweetie," he said to her.

She sobbed quietly and said: "Thank you, Rick."

"Are you okay?" he wanted to know.

"Now I am," she answered. "There's a lot of work to do beginning in the morning."

"Well," Dee Dee said, "I have some time coming; so, I'm going to take the time off and we're going to get you straightened out."

Kate hugged her saying: "You two are just the best!"

They had some coffee then, and she went through what had happened in detail, beginning with the strange dream that she'd had. Once the story was related, they talked together and made some plans for what was to be done the next day.

"Well have to see," Dee Dee said, "If we can rescue your clothes and get them cleaned up."

It was, by that time, about 4 AM. Rick went back to bed, and Dee Dee took Kate to their guest room.

When they were together in the guest room, Kate said, a bit hesitatingly:

"Dee Dee, can I ask..."

"Of course, I'll stay with you; we'll be fine here you and me."

Kate cried again and hugged Dee Dee as the two of them settled down for the balance of the night. For a good long while, Dee Dee simply held her friend.

Both Kate and Dee Dee were up and functioning well the next day. For Kate, at least, the shock had worn off and she was ready, in her usually efficient manner, to tackle the tasks that needed it.

They breakfasted and went off to Kate's house, first calling B & J and making an appointment for a couple of hours later. The also made a call to Kate's insurance agent and got an appointment with him to come and talk to them about damages.

Kate was stricken, when she saw the house and needed Dee Dee's comfort again, as the two of them looked on the mess. There were black smoke stains and blackened windows. It was a sad looking sight.

"Ah, well,"Kate said eventually, "We'd better get at this and see what is salvageable."

They did a general tour first and learned first hand what Mike Schantz had already told them, namely that the furniture was probably going to be a write off. Kate looked with sadness at the mess that had been her comfortable home.

The main task that they involved themselves in was sorting through clothes. They ended up with a large pile of messy things to be taken to the cleaner, and an equally large pile of things to go through the washing machine. These latter included all of Kate's casual clothes.

They divided the chores. Dee Dee took the casual things and went to her house to wash them. By then Kate had access to her car and took her other clothes, especially her professional laundry, off to the cleaners to be dealt with. She had enough time left, when doing that errand to also stop and buy a new set of work whites for her job at Morton's.

By early afternoon, it was all sorted out. Kate got back to Dee Dees and they settled down for a cup of tea. The good news at that point was that Dee Dee had already done most of Kate's personal things, and Kate was able to change her clothes and wear her own.

"Well," Kate began, "They have it under control. B & J will haul off the old furniture that can't be saved and will rehab the interior. The insurance people were very nice and will expedite the insurance check to make sure that it is all taken care of."

She put her head in her hands for a moment and said: "I am so lucky! First, being saved by that ... that..."

"Say it!" Dee Dee said, smiling.

"By that gorgeous man!" Kate said with a smile at her friend, "And then you being the best friend that anyone ever had in the world, and now getting the rehab all underway."

Kate ended simply shaking her head with tears running down her cheeks. Dee Dee went over and held Kate's head to her stomach and stroked her hair.

"We'll get through this, Kate," she said, "We just will!"

They spent the balance of the afternoon working on Kate's clothes, and had these all taken care of by the time that Kate had to go to work. They had talked about it and Kate had merely indicated that it was very important to her to begin to get some order again in her life, and going to work would certainly do that. Dee Dee agreed at that point.

"Will you and Rick please come to dinner tonight at Morton's?" Kate asked. "I want to at least do that to say 'thank you'!"

"We'd be happy to," Dee Dee said and the plan was laid.

The next day Kate was pleased that B & J were already on the job and beginning the process of cleaning up her house. By the time that she got to the house to simply look on and kind of inspect, they had already hauled away the refuse that the fire, smoke and water had destroyed, and were in the process of working on the smell and doing the general cleaning inside. Kate was emotional about it but also pleased.

She and Dee Dee went shopping that day for the kitchen things that Kate was going to need. She had a favorite place, where they'd heard about her misfortune and were anxious to help her out. The arrangements were made for delivery at a time, when B & J was finished and the house was rehabbed.

It was Dee Dee that afternoon who spoke up: "And what about Mr Gorgeous?"

"Oh, yes," Kate said, "I told him that I wanted to go to the fire house to say 'thank you' to him there, and the rest."

After their lunch, Dee Dee and Kate went to the fire house. Mike was working. The fireman on the desk called out loudly, as Kate and Dee Dee entered:

"Ladies on the floor!"

Kate went to the him smiling and asked for Mike Schantz.

"Schantz, front and center!" he called out loudly. "Lovely lady to see Schantz!"

There was the sound of hooting and some razzing from the back of the fire house, where the firemen were having coffee.

Mike appeared a few minutes later. In seeing him approaching, Kate was a bit overwhelmed again, and moved to where he was coming and threw her arms around his neck.

The initial razzing about Mike's 'love' ceased, when they realized that she was indeed overcome and was sobbing on his shoulder.

"Thank you," she said softly, when she released him from the hug. Then she added, in a voice even softer: "That felt so nice!"

Mike turned to the rest of the shift and said:

"Gentlemen, and I use the term loosely, this is Ms Kate Willman; it was her home that you guys wrecked a couple of days ago early in the morning."

A voice from the back said, in a loud stage whisper, "The 'undies lady'!"

"Hey!" Mike called out but Kate jumped in and said:

"That's me! Figured it was the way to impress the fire men!"

Mike grinned at her then and said: "Worked too!"

Kate got serious then and said: "Guys, I really came over to thank Mike especially again and say 'thank you' to all of you for helping out, when I had my disaster. I'm hoping that there's a way that I can say 'thank you' to all of you."

A voice called out: "You can, cook dinner tonight!' There was general laughter at that, and they went on:

"Yeah," another voice added, "It's Schantz' turn to cook and he's terrible."

Dee Dee grinned at the suggestion.

"What time is dinner?" Kate wanted to know.

"Usually, if we're not on a run," Mike explained, "6 PM."

"Good," Kate said, "At 6 PM your dinner will be here; I'll make sure of it."

"Cook lots," one of them called out.

"It's my specialty!" she said.

They all cheered at that point. Kate was smiling at the prospect and gave Mike another hug and kiss, which called forth more hoots and razzes from the guys, before leaving.

"This is so exciting," Kate said to Dee Dee outside. "Dinner at the fire house."

She and Dee Dee made great progress again that day but she went in to work at Morton's early, to give herself time to get everything ready. She herself provided the things that she needed for the firemen's dinner.

She got things up and running and made sure that they were on track for the long dinner crowd that was expected, and then she turned her special attention to fixing dinner for the firemen.

She fixed two items for their main course; it was a German 'Jaegerbraten' and special lamb roulades, for which she made a fruit chutney sauce. She accompanied these with special new potatoes with tarragon and braised fresh asparagus spears. She prepared a greek salad to go with these and had time to prepare three apple pies. She worked with a will throughout the late afternoon and was ready to take it all to the firehouse at 5:30 PM.

She arrived and walked into the fire house to the now familiar: "Lady on the floor!' cry from the dispatcher.

They gathered from the back, as they had that morning, and this time were surprised to see her in her starched whites. Mike hung back with the rest of them this time but Kate would have none of it.

She held her arms out and Mike walked into them with a smile, and the various cat calls and hoots of his mates.

"You look so different," he said.

"Yah," someone said, "More on than her undies, so you didn't recognize her."

"Okay, wise guys," Mike said, "Can't you see that the lady is going to feed us."

She reacted then to his statement about how she looked:

"I'm the chef at Morton's!"

"Struck it rich!" someone called out. "We get real food instead of Schantz' chili mess tonight."

He turned and grinned at them.

"Hope you all like what I brought," she said.

"If it's food, it's got to be better than his swill!" someone said and there was general laughter.

"I need help fetching the food from the car," she said then and had a plethora of help immediately.

She set out the dinner and indicated what it was that she'd brought. They were over the wall with their thanks. Mike insisted that she eat with them, and Kate was pleased. She sat next to him for the dinner.

"If we get a call," he said softly, "You just stay here and let us do our thing."

"Oh," she said softly to him, "That sounds so sexy!"

"You'd better not start with this crowd!" he said to her in an undertone.

"Sorry," she said and grinned.

"It's okay with me though; we know each other. After all, I've seen you in your..."

Kate blushed then, and he went on:

"And a really exciting sight it was too!"

"Thank you," she said.

"Hey, Schantz," one of the others said, "Do you want us to clear out the truck hose bed so that you two can have some privacy?"

Kate blushed all the way to her ears.

"Nice thought!" Mike said, "But to many on-lookers!"

When dinner was finished, and the last piece of pie disappeared, Kate reluctantly got up and said:

"Sorry, guys, I've got to get back to work to make sure that Morton's is on track!"

Their thanks were profuse. They insisted on keeping the pots and pans so that they could clean them.

"Schantz can bring them to you in the morning," someone said.

"Yeah," another chimed in, "See if you need to be carried out of your house."

"And what you're wearing!" a third voice chimed in.

At that point, Kate faced them and simply took a bow. Their cheer was thunderous, and it left her grinning at them.

As she turned to go, someone asked:

"Hey, Kate, Schantz is supposed to cook every Wednesday; can you help us out?"

"Well," she answered, smiling at Mike, "I do owe you guys. I'll give you a month and then we'll re-evaluate. You might be tired of my cooking by then."

Their hooting then was at her, and she took it with a grin.

Mike walked her to her car then. They stopped, once they were at the car, and Kate turned to him. He was ready for her this time. He pulled her into his arms and she went there with a contented sigh.

"Oh, this is nice!" she said into his ear.

"I'll be there in the morning with your gear, if we aren't busy at a fire," he said.

"Oh wonderful," she said, "How about breakfast?"

"Super!" was his response.

He said then, in a determined voice: "Kate, I'm going to kiss you."

"Oh, I wish you would," she said softly, and he did.

She greeted his kiss with her lips and her tongue, and found it was sweet and soft and sexy. She was breathing a little hard at the end of it. But they were forced back to earth suddenly by the hooting and cheering of the rest of the men standing and watching them from the door of the fire house.

Mike and Kate grinned at them and bowed their heads, getting yet another cheer.

Once she left, she called Dee Dee to tell her about it.

Dee Dee was excited to hear about the connection that was growing between Kate and Mike. She said, with decision:

"In the morning, honey, Rick and I will be out of your hair. I'll see to that."

Kate said over the phone: "I'm blushing now!"

"'Bout time!" Dee Dee said with a laugh. "You just make the most of your fireman!"

"I intend to do just that," Kate said.

She went back to work then and was in a chirpy mood that whole evening, doing things and organizing things with equilibrium and a grand attitude. She slept soundly that night, after a late night drink with Dee Dee.

In the morning, she found a note that told her that Dee Dee and Rick were already gone, and she had the run of the place. She found herself excited by the prospect of Mike's visit.

With her own clothes now, she wore a pair of running shorts and a tee shirt, as she set about getting the breakfast ready for Mike. She also felt like being a 'siren', so she wore the tee shirt, a red one, with no bra on beneath, letting her magnificent 36c breasts poke against the tee shirt. She tempered the effect a little by wearing an apron. She was in a brash and sexy mood, all anticipation.

He called just as he was about to leave the fire house for Dee Dee's. She gave him directions and went on with her preparations. In only a few minutes, she heard the doorbell ring. She hustled to answer the door, beaming at him, when she opened the door.