Title: What Matters Most

Summary: AU Two women stand side by side watching, waiting, hoping and praying the men the love more than anything will emerge from the fiery furnace – alive. Based on eppy 5.22 'My Miracle'

Disclaimer: Same as always. I own nothing but my muse and my love for all things #firefighters #Sevasey & #Lindseride

A/N 1: Oh *sniff sniff* wow what an ending! I don't usually like to write speculation pieces but I truly believe Casey will be fine and he and his wife will be happily reunited! (Mouch on the other hand? dang I don't know but I hope he doesn't die b/c poor Trudy!) and well I love my Kelly/Erin so wanted to add that into this so that's why its AU. Enjoy everyone!

As he looked at the wall of fire before him; the ballooning on the walls around him, the debris coming down atop him that this was a bad as it got – if not the worst. Was this really the end? He was trapped. There was visible way out. He knew what he had to do and in that moment…that dire moment, maybe his last, he had only one person on his mind – his beloved wife. He had to make amends…for him…for her…for them. It's what love, true love does.

"Chief…is Gabby there? Can you put her on?"

"I'm here…yeah baby, I'm here. Come out of there…" Dawson begged as her voice cracked the same time her heart rate soared. She stood before the raging inferno with a terrified look, begging her husband to come out…come out to her. He has to come out…he just has to, she told herself as images of him flashed before her inner mind's eye. Come on Matt…come on baby you can do it!

"Can you hear me?"

"Matt…did you take your mask off?"

"I want you to hear my voice," he stated sadly as bits of fiery debris rained down around and before him; the way blocked and his mind and heart fearing his fiery end.

"No…don't you say that Matt. You put that mask on and get out of there!" Dawson shot back into the radio; her voice as firm as she could hold it but teetering on the edge of an emotional breakdown. "Listen to me. Put your mask back on and get out of there now!"

"You're the best thing that ever happened to me."

"You…you put your mask back on. Find a way out. Use your Haligan or your axe. Break down the wall…find a way out!"

"Gabby…I want you to remember us happy…together…holding each other. You're my miracle Gabby. You're my miracle," Casey's labored breath repeated as Dawson hung her head and cried; the silence around her almost deafening. "I love you!"

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO her mind inwardly screamed as she stood motionless before the raging wall of fire that blocked the way out for seven of Chicago's bravest trapped inside. "MATTTTTTT!" Dawson shouted as she took a few steps toward the fiery beast, cursing it's very existence and praying that the only person who made her complete would find a way out.

"Please…please God…please let him find a way out," she offered a whispered prayer as stood in miserable silence a bit longer.

A few seconds later she felt someone near her and turned to see Erin Lindsay on her right with a panicked expression.

"Where's…Kelly?" She asked in a raspy tone as Dawson's flooded eyes nodded toward the building that was about to collapse.

"What? No," Erin whispered as she turned back to the building; both women's tormented gazes fixed on the inferno. Their hands fall and tightly clasp together as they both wait…expectantly…hoping…praying for a miracle – their miracle. Everyone inside would find a way out. Come back to them. Come out alive.

XXXXXXXX

"Life's too short you know?"

"Yeah…I know…." Severide huffed as he sat on the front of truck 81 beside Casey, smoking a cigar. They talked about Casey's father-in-law who was proving to be a real pain in the ass and how the tensions were high at home. But Casey's comment about life being too short really did hit him a bit more emotionally than he had expected.

"Kelly…hey man I'm sorry."

"No…you're right…" Severide paused as they both heard the call for ambulance 51 and watched as Dawson rushed past them, got into the rescue vehicle and then sped away. "Despite the fighting…you have your wife and…and I think it's great."

Before Casey could say a word, Severide pulled away and then slowly wandered back into firehouse 51 with slumped shoulders. It had been about a month since Anna's passing and while it still hurt him, he knew he couldn't mope forever, she had told him to enjoy…live his life and knew it's what she would have wanted him to do. He did feel a tad selfish at times enjoying life but knew Anna wouldn't expect him to keep himself hostage.

Severide slumped down into his chair and absently stared out the window, his fingers fiddling with the edge of his phone; his mind not really focused on anything too important. But just before he could do something else, a small knock is heard on his door and he turns to see to familiar but surprising faces looking at him.

"Hey…" Severide greeted Trudy and Erin as he quickly straightened up in his chair. "What's going on?"

"This is all me," Trudy started as Erin gave Kelly a warm smile; the same dimpled smile that always made his heart beat a bit faster.

"I'm moral support…although I don't know what I'm supporting."

"She's good a keeping secrets," Trudy deadpanned as Severide offered them both an amused expression. "It's about Randy?"

"Ran…Mouch? What's going on?"

"Okay so you didn't hear this from me but Randy wants to retire and I want to throw him a surprise. Herrmann can't keep a secret like that to save his damn life," Trudy paused with a snicker, "and I couldn't find Dawson or Otis but…I want to throw him a surprise retirement party at Molly's."

"Yeah…I wow…really?"

"Really."

"Is it because of this Cruz stuff?" Severide asked seriously. "Joe will come around. He's a good guy."

"That's part of it but he's been thinking about it for a while now. Can you just get Dawson to call me when she's back?"

"Yeah…course," Severide replied as Trudy gave him a nod.

"Okay I better go see my husband because if he saw me come in here and only talk to you he might think I have a thing for you. That would be something," she muttered as she took her leave; Severide offering her a chuckle and then looking up at Erin with a warm smile.

"I only heard there was tension. What happened?" Erin asked gently.

"Cruz moonlights at a bar and was involved in an altercation and is now suspended a few months without pay. He…well he blamed Mouch for not doing his union job better and there has been some tension among them the past few days."

"Without pay?"

"Yeah. I get it but…but I'm sure Cruz will land another job in the interim and be fine. It'll blow over. How are things at 21?"

"Good," Erin answered warmly. "We should catch up sometime."

"I'd like that," Kelly eagerly accepted. "Maybe after shift tonight? I'm off tomorrow…so...up to you."

"See you tonight."

"Okay."

Severide watched her leave and then leaned back in his chair with a smile; his mind now thinking that today was going to end on a better note than it started.

He'd be wrong.

XXXXXXXX

"Severide can you get to Casey?"

"Chief…Kannell and I are stuck with…can't move…we're trapped also Chief!"

Boden heard the desperation in his team's voice...Stella – "Otis and I are pinned down!" Herrmann – "Mouch and I are trapped Chief! Mouch is having a heart attack!" Casey – "There is no way out. The way's blocked." And now Severide and Kannelll – 7 of his House, his family were trapped inside the heartless monster with no way of escape. "This…this can't be."

"Chief! Let us go back inside!" Cruz implored. But just as he, Tony and Capp were about to rush back into the fiery entrance with some hoses, the entrance way exploded and the way was blocked.

"Severide! Casey! The entrance is blocked! Repeat the main entrance is blocked! You have to find another way out!"

Erin heard the calls and looked over at Dawson who didn't care about the sad tears that streamed down her face. "They'll find a way out right?"

"The uh…the roof trusses are giving way. That's what's trapping them," Dawson informed her in a morose tone. "Come on baby…find a way…find a way back to me," she chanted over and over.

On the way to the call, Erin's mind raced with anxious thoughts but told herself that they'd find a way out…they always have and always would. But as she stands before the faltering structure, her mind is as clouded and conflicted as the rest of those forced to helplessly watch the horrible scene unfold before their eyes. Come on Kelly…you can do this…you have to find a way out her mind silently begged as her and Dawson maintained their determined vigil a few meters from the superheated structure.

XXXXXXXX

"Jason! Find a way to…move this damn…thing," Severide groaned as he and Jason Kannelll tried to move the small forklift that was in their way.

"Too bad we can't hotwire this damn thing!" Kannell shouted over the flames.

"Course!" Severide exclaimed as he pried off the front shield of the forklift and yanked his gloves off.

"Severide put your gloves back on! You'll burn your hands!"

Erin and Dawson heard the statement over the radio's and turned to look at Boden in wonder.

"Severide! What's going on?"

"Got an idea Chief!"

"Please let it work," both Dawson and Erin chanted in a whispered tone at the same time.

Despite the heat that nipped at his fingers, Severide worked as fast as he could to strip part of the writing, wrap them together and then try to start the forklift. The little engine finally turned over and Severide pulled his gloves back on; not caring about the painful burns that begged for some urgent medical attention.

"Okay stand back!" Severide told Kannell in a loud tone as he prepared to ram through the wall he thought Casey was on the other side of. "Casey put your mask on…I'm coming through!"

Casey heard the command and had already put his mask back on just in time, as a wave of fire crashed upon him and then kept going, looking for something else to easily devour. Casey knew he had too much to live for and had to get back to his wife one way or another. He rolled onto his side, away from the wall and tried to shield himself as much as possible.

Severide knew the area that he was about to bust into might also give way but he had to try; he had nothing to lose as the way they came in was already blocked and he wasn't about to just sit down and wait for his end. "COMING THROUGH!" Severide shielded is face with one arm as much as he could but the first attack didn't work as effectively as he wanted.

"TRY AGAIN!" Casey shouted into his radio as he watched the large crack starting to grow. Hope…there was hope and he wasn't about to give up when there was still some hope to be gotten.

Severide pushed down on the small gas pedal as hard as he could and rammed into the wall, the front end of the forklift forever destroyed but he didn't care. He pushed through the wall and Casey instantly pushed himself up and hurried over to the small forklift and clung to one side as Kannell clung to the other.

"Let's go get our team!" Severide's voice is heard as a collective sigh of relief is audibly heard outside.

"Thank God," Erin whispered as Dawson looked at her with a small frown.

"They still need to all get out."

Severide maneuvered the battered forklift toward another area where Otis and Stella were and then tried to ram through another wall. But the little machine had done all it could do and while it did help them bust through, their ride on it was over.

"What now!" Kannell shouted as they helped get the beams off and away from Stella and Otis; both a little banged up but just happy to be alive.

"This way!" Stella told them all. "I saw a passageway to the LEFT!"

"We're not leaving Herrmann and Mouch!" Casey's determined voice is heard next.

"We're ahead of you!" Herrmann's voice is heard over the radio. "HURRY!"

"This way!" Stella pointed as they all started to head in the direction of their last two remaining 51 members.

"Herrmann! Hope you saw a way out!"

XXXXXXXX

"I hate this," Erin muttered as they stood affixed in place for what seemed like the slowest most painful eternity in their personal lives. "How do you get used to it…being on calls like this and just…just not knowing."

"Never get used to it," Dawson replied somberly. "Every time he goes in…I wonder…is this it and then…we've been fighting and now…this can't be it. It just can't be…come on Matt…come back to me baby…please find a way out!"

The radio contact had stopped suddenly a few minutes prior and all outside watching held their breaths in eager anticipation. Had they all made it? Was there a way out? Was a miracle waiting to be fulfilled?

"Erin…"

"Dawson…LOOK!" Erin shouted as she pointed to the side of the building where they saw bricks starting to be pushed out.

"51 HELP THEM OUT!" Boden shouted as everyone, literally everyone left standing grabbed whatever they could to help pry the bricks and wooden beams out of the way and get everyone inside out safely.

"Severide! Casey! We're helping you on the outside!" Boden informed his lieutenants as he used his Haligan to help pry some of the crumbling bricks free.

"We've got a hole!"

"Mouch first!"

Erin could only stand back and watch as the hole on the outside of the fatal structure started to grow in size until it was finally big enough for them to pass Mouch's limp frame through. Cruz instantly gathered him up in his arms and raced back toward a waiting stretcher; Brett ready to help out. Dawson watched as Herrmann passed her and then looked at Brett called out to Chout to come and help.

"See you at med!" Brett called out as she told Chout to get into the front and drive; Herrmann slamming the backdoor shut and ambulance 61 speeding away; Erin calling Trudy and giving her the news.

Stella, Otis…Kannell, Casey and then Severide finally all emerged into the smoky daylight.

"Thank you God," Boden offered a small prayer as he clapped his men on the back and then told them all to pull back to a safe distance.

"Don't you ever do that to me again Matt Casey!" Dawson lightly cried as she hugged her husband tightly; both of them with watery eyes but not wanting to let the other go ever. "I have just one thing to say to you," she started in a firm tone as he looked at her with a tender, soot-stained expression. "I love you too. So much! So damn much!"

Casey's arms around his wife tightened as he kissed her hard and whispered that she was the reason he wanted to live and wasn't about to leave her anytime soon. He had given up so much for her but they still had so much life together ahead of them; now…they'd get to do it together. That's what mattered most. To them both.

"That was uh…too close," Erin told Kelly as she neared him. Then without warning she lunged forward and pulled him into her arms and held him close. "I…I thought I lost you."

"Not that easily," he replied with a cheeky smile as his expression turned a bit serious. "Glad you're here."

"Not going anywhere…anytime soon."

"Yeah?" He asked hopefully.

"Yeah," she replied confidently.

"Alright 51! You all need to get checked out," Boden gently reminded them as he looked at Casey's flushed face and Severide's burnt hands.

"Come on guys…let's get to Med and see how Mouch is doing," Casey called out as he and Dawson, still arm in arm walked toward truck 51; followed by Erin and Kelly and the rest of 51.

THE END!

A/N: Okay so I have no idea how they'll get out but I refuse to believe all 7 will die…and since I don't know about Mouch for sure…(hoping for a miracle here b/c until I see him pronounced dead I hope he might just have passed out) I left it a bit open and hope that's okay. Hope you all liked this angsty little take on last night's fiery finale a little bit and please do review before you go and thanks so much!