A/N: Wow, what a season finale! I loved it, and this last scene, what emotions! I'm not like everyone else, I didn't find it sad, I found it beautiful, touching, moving. This scene has multiplied my emotions, and that's all I ask for when I watch a TV show or a movie.
I am not panicked by this end, because I don't see what it might happen to Matt. Honestly, this is one of the main characters, if not the main one. This is not the kind of character that is killed at the end of the season, unless the actor wants to leave the show, which was not mentioned anywhere. He was even present at the NBC Upfronts, what interest to promote a series if we know that in two months we don't return on set? That's why I'm not worried at all, and I'm even excited about seeing the reunion with Gabby, and I can totally imagine Severide and Kannell saving their friend. In short, it sounds exciting to me. If you want to talk all summer with me in a friendly atmosphere, please feel free! You can send me a little message on Twitter, you know where to find me! (Or else, my account is Gaellicious).
Meanwhile, here is a little one-shot on this famous end of episode, and what could happen next. Obviously, this story concerns Dawsey as always. I hope you will like it. Don't hesitate to leave me a review, it's always a good motivation, especially if you want to read until the autumn!
Good reading,
Gaëlle
Gabby was stoic and petrified, like a motionless statue in the midst of the crawling crowd. The hand gripping her radio, she no longer cared about the wounded in the ambulance, she no longer looked at those faces that all had one and the same expression, that of fear, that of sadness. Her gaze was focused on one thing only, the burning building and the entrance through which her husband had gone a few moments earlier to save lives, and which now resulted in flames. Just flames, all bigger and stronger than the others, escaping from the building. The words that Matt was telling the Chief echoed in her ears. She cannot believe it. Matt is the best Lieutenant she has ever known, she has seen him many times in action, he always finds a solution. We're talking about Matt. He cannot be blocked, it's not possible that he cannot find a way out of this building. No, not him, not today, not now. No, it's just impossible, inconceivable, unimaginable. « My god, » is the only thing she can murmur without ever turning away. She doesn't dare look at the Chief, Cruz, Brett or Capp and Tony, who wait, like her, without being able to do anything, helpless.
« Chief, is Gabby there? Can you put her on? » Matt finally asks, and without giving the Chef time to respond, Gabby pressed the button on her radio and moved closer to the entrance of the building.
« Yeah, baby. I'm here, I'm here. Come out of there, » she said with a trembling voice and watering eyes.
« Gabby, you know how much you mean to me, right? » Matt says after a few seconds.
« Matt, did you take your mask off? » Gabby asks, shocked to hear his voice so clearly.
« I want you to hear my voice, » Matt says, the voice sad and hoarse, his lungs and his throat propitiously beginning to be sensitized by smoke and heat.
Gabby starts shaking her head as a sign of despair. « No! Don't say that, Matt! You get out of there! » she yells on her radio as more tears start building in her brown eyes. « You listen to me! You put your mask back on and you get out of there now! » she tells him what to do with a strong and firm voice, but the emotion is still really strong and the tension palpable.
Inside of the building, Matt watches the four walls around him go up in smoke, swallowed by the flames, the debris falling from the ceiling, there is no way out. He closes his eyes and focuses his mind on one person, the woman of his life and opens his mouth to tell her how much he loves her: « I love you more than you'll ever know, Gabriela. You're the best thing that ever happened to me… » Matt swallows his tears, he represses his emotions, and that for the sole purpose of being able to tell the woman he loves all that he has to say to her. All these things he would never have thought to have to tell her. At least, not now, not when they finally come to marry after years of waiting, and especially not in those circumstances.
« Matt! Don't! « she begs him, The way he used her full name makes her realize what he is thinking, and she cannot bear it. As she always does, and despite the circumstances which make her panicked out loud, she tries to pull herself together and yells again: « You use your halligan or your hands, even your head, but you find a wall and you break it down! Do You hear me ? You come out of there! Right now! »
« Ga… » Matt tries to interrupt her, but he can't. It gives him a little positive thought, remembering what he told her earlier in the day, that she was not listening. Even in these circuses, she cannot be resolved to simply listen to him. « Gabby… » he tries again.
« Don't say it! » Gabby starts breaking down. « Don't say it, » she repeats weakly. Around her, everyone listens to their conversation, she knows it, but she doesn't care at all. The Chief turns his back to the building which closes several of his men, his eyes are closed. Cruz looks at him, looking for some form of comfort or reassurance, which he will not get. Brett is overwhelmed by the emotion while she tried to reassure Gabby moments earlier by telling her that they always ended up getting out. « Don't… » she now cries really hard, her legs threatening to let go.
Matt is gasping for breath, his eyes prick him, his skin burns him, his heart beating stronger on his chest, his mind realizing little by little that he had only a few minutes left, but still has things to say: « I want you to remember us happy, together, holding each other. You're my miracle, Gabby. » he smiles. « You're my miracle, » he repeats. « I love you, » he says, out of breath, as Gabby hung s her head low in as a gesture of defeat, and cries more and more every second. « Goodbye, my love, » Matt said one last time before his radio went dead.
« No, no, no, no… » she shakes her head. « NOOOOOO! » she finally screams out loud, trying to run towards the building, but Boden and Cruz quickly prevented her. She struggles against them, shouting, howling, yelling, crying, but they are too strong for her. « NOOOOO! » she screams again, admitting her defeat against the Chief and her colleague, and falling on the dusty soil. Around her, everyone is silent, no one dares to say anything, or to move. « No, no, no ... Matt! Matt! « her tears stifle her cries. Cruz kneels beside Gabby and takes her in his arms, while Brett approaches to console her as she can. Boden takes advantage of this moment to get away a little and try to join his trapped teams.
« Casey! Report! Severide! Report! » he yells at the top of his lungs. « Severide! Severide, do you hear me? »
« Yes… Chi… Chief… » Severide's voice can be heard over the radio.
« Severide! Keep me updated! Casey is trapped and alone! The other members of Truck are dispersed on the building. Where are you? Can you go to Casey? Have you found a way? » Chief asks.
« Chief, we're on the other side of the wall. We're trying to find a way to break it! » Severide answers his Chief before being interrupted.
« Kelly, please, you've to save him! » Gabby is begging him. « Please, » she cries, as Boden turns around to her. His heart bleeds at the thought of seeing Gabriela, whom he considers as his own daughter, suffering so much at the thought of losing the man she loves. He cannot resolve to remain here, standing in front of the building, doing nothing. Without thinking for a second more, he grabs his mask and heads for the flames, taking care to tell his men outside to stay where they are and try to localize the others and help them get out from outside. Boden rushes into a wall of fire, under the astonished gazes and admirers of firefighters on the spot. Cruz and Brett help Gabby get up, Capp tries to get in touch with Otis and Kidd as Tony tries to locate Hermann and Mouch, whose condition requires urgent care. The truck members are still inside, probably trapped as well, but seem to be able to pull themselves out with help from the outside. Only Casey seems to be in a desperate situation, so Boden decides to join Severide and Kannell and lend them a hand. As he clears his way through the debris and flames, Boden heard in the radio exchanges that the four other members of the truck are now together, which helps Hermann to get Mouch out of the building. They still have to find a way out, but at least they are still alive and together.
« Hermann! Update me! » he yells over his radio as he approaches Severide and Kannell.
« Otis and Kidd joined us by breaking a wall... Mouch, uh, Mouch is unconscious. We need to get out of here, Chief! »
« What are your options? »
« I think there are passages, but they have to be blocked by all the debris that falls from the roof, Chief! »
« Find a way! » He orders them. « I want everyone outside, safe and sound! Put it all to work! I beg you! »
« We do our best, Chief! » Hermann replied.
« Look, Hermann, this way! » Otis intervenes, seeing a hole on the ground, which could help them to get close to an exit.
Boden eventually joined Severide and Kannell. They're on the other side of the wall where Casey got stuck. They brief the Chief, and the three of them try to find a solution to get Casey out of there as quickly as possible. They know they don't have much time. They don't know his situation, contact has been lost, and black smoke invades space in no time.
« What if we were looking for metallic debris?Like a metal bar, or a beam? At three, we could carry it and knock into the wall with it until it yields? » Kannell proposes, under the worried glances of his Chief and Lieutenant. « With the splinters we've already managed to do with our hardware and the flames that weaken the structure... I... I know it's risky, not knowing what's behind, or where Matt is exactly behind this wall, but... But I think it's worth giving it a shot! »
« He's right, it's our last chance! We owe him… And Gabby! » Severide says.
« Let's do it ! » Chief Boden agreed. The three firefighters set out to find the debris that would help them save their friend.
All outside companies are mobilizing to find outings and help their friends get out of the building. They are in regular contact with the truck members. Boden, Severide and Kannell found a large metal bar that they push with all their strength to break the wall that separates them from Casey.
Outside, the faces are closed, the mines are defeated, as if all hope had been abandoned. Gabby sits in front of the truck 81, facing the building, never looking away. She tried to reach Matt several times over the radio, to no avail. Tears flow without ceasing from her cheeks, waiting is unbearable. Her mind wanders, she remembers all the good moments spent with Matt in recent years, smiles, kisses, hugs, moments of sharing, evenings at Molly's with their friends, their engagement, their marriage ... All these moments pass before her eyes, she focuses on to keep in mind only the best, but is quickly out of her thoughts by cries in the distance. Capp and Tony run towards them, asking for assistance. They found an exit for the members of the truck, who dug a kind of tunnel to sneak up to the light. Stella leaves first, followed by Otis who holds Mouch's head against his chest, and finally Hermann who pushes Mouch with all his strength. The paramedics quickly take charge of him, while Gabby remains motionless, as if mortified. Hermann runs behind the stretcher to accompany Mouch to the hospital, but stops in front of Gabby, in front of her daughter of heart, and without a word, clasps her hard against him, whispering in her ear: « He'll put through, I promise you! ». She nods, and asks him to give her news about Mouch quickly. She doesn't want to appear heartless, but for now all that matters is Matt. Her man. Her husband.
It seemed to her an eternity since the last time she had heard the voices of Boden or Severide. She grabbed her radio, and tried to get in touch with them, but no answer. Kidd approached her and put her hand on her shoulder as a comfort, no word needed to be said.
Inside, through sweat and hard work, the wall began to weaken. Concrete pieces begin to collapse to the ground, the boys are cautious and try to make a hole to visualize at first where Casey is exactly. Despite the lack of visibility, Severide looks through the hole and distinguishes a figure lean against a cement block a little further.
« I can see him! He's not moving! We must continue! »
« He's far from the wall, you can force it! »
On this, they continue to tap into their latest resourcing and expand the hole that will allow them to reach Casey. They shout, they give all their energy and all their strength. After a few other gestures and teamwork, the space is large enough to let one of them pass. Severide rushed: « Casey! Casey, can you hear me ?! ». He doesn't answer, he moves towards him and shouts a cry of relief when he realizes that Casey had finally put back on his mask: « Good boy! » He whispers. He crouched down at Casey's body: « Matt! Matt! You hear me? » He shakes his shoulders delicately, but gets no response. « He is unconscious! » He shouts to the attention of Boden and Kannell. He tries to find a pulse, but it turns out to be complicated with their uniforms, the fire surrounding them and the black smoke. He panics when he doesn't find one: « I... I... I cannot find a pulse! » He panics.
« Severide, get him out of here! Quick! » Boden orders him. Severide takes Casey in his arms and with the help of Kannell and Boden, passes the body through the hole in the wall. Boden and Kannell quickly set him on the ground, and tried to find a pulse.
« I have one ! It's weak, but I have a pulse! » Kannell exclaimed.
« Let's go, let's move! Quickly! » Severide joined them.
« Cruz! Tell me there's a way out! » Boden turned on his radio.
« There is an exit in the vicinity, but it must be done quickly, the space is gradually reduced, the visibility is very limited and the heat is unbearable! » Cruz replied.
« Chief! Chief! Is Matt alive? » Gabby intervenes and asks over the radio when she finally hears the voice of her Chief. « Chief, please, answer me! » she begs him, crying again.
« Gabriela, we have him! » he simply answers.
« What? What does that means? » she panics, looking around her for a sign, but no one knows.
A few minutes later, four firemen emerge from the flames carrying a body. Gabby raises her head, and sees this image that is unbearable. « No, no! » She screams as she walks towards them. « Matt, baby, Matt! » She shouts louder and louder as she approaches the five men. « Chief, tell me! » She begs him. He doesn't answer her, so she turns her attention to Severide: « Kelly, please, tell me! Tell me he's alive, tell me he's gonna make it, tell me! » she's crying.
« We have a pulse, weak, but we have a pulse…" she said, her voice broken. She approaches him, and looks at Matt's inanimate body. Behind his mask, he seems peaceful.
« Oh my god, we need an ambulance! Quick! » She's screaming. Ambulance attendants quickly took charge of him, put his body on a stretcher and gave him first aid. She watches the scene, unable to move, unable to do her job on the man she loves. She turns to the four firemen who took her husband out of this hell: « Thank you… » she weeps all the tears in her body.
Severide takes her in his arms: « Go ahead, we'll meet you in the hospital as soon as possible! »
Matt was quickly taken in by Dr. Halstead when he arrived at the emergency room. They took her to the intensive care ward very quickly, leaving Gabby alone in the middle of the hall. She paces, she watches for the least information, in vain. Gabby was pale, exhausted. Her eyes were red and swollen with tears. She finally falls into a chair, waiting for others to arrive.
« Hey, Gabby! » Severide approaches her and places his hand on her shoulder. « We are here, the others have gone to hear from Mouch, » he said, sitting down beside her and taking her hand in his.
« Oh, yes, Mouch, I had completely forgotten, how is he? » She said, embarrassed.
« They're trying to stabilize him, but he's in a critical condition, that's all we know, » Boden answers, sitting down.
« What about Matt? » Kannell asks.
« I... I don't know so much... The only thing I know is that he would have inhaled a lot of smoke, which has weakened the lungs and his airways are clogged. It is also possible that some debris fell on him at the time of the explosions, causing some broken odds, a few bruises and scratches... I just hope nothing has touched his head… » she worries about the consequences this could have. « Please, tell me he's going to be okay, he has to! I can't lose him! » she cries, and for only answer, Kelly takes her on his arms.
A few minutes later, Dr. Halstead finally appeared: « Gabby? »
« Oh, Will, please tell me he's okay, I beg you! » She gets up and approaches him. This man who saved her life more than a year ago. She has confidence in him, but she knows deeply that medicine can have its limits. Kelly is positioned behind her and lays his hands on her shoulders to give her all his support, but also because he is worried sick about her best friend.
« He inhaled a lot of smoke, and as a result, Matt had respiratory injuries. I called the pulmonologist who is due to arrive in the next minutes to make a first diagnosis. For now, I can establish respiratory distress syndrome and lung infection, but nothing that cannot be taken care of, Gabby. Physically, it has some broken ribs, superficial wounds and a displaced collarbone, but nothing of much importance. I put him under oxygen to help him breathe… » Will then explains, while Gabby's eyes are becoming more and more veiled, tears flowing abundantly on her cheeks. Will put his hand on her arm: « It's okay, we take good care of him, I promise! If his condition stabilizes, he will be transferred to pneumology to treat the lung infection and de-clutter his bronchi. I'll let you know as soon as I know more, okay? If you need, you send me a text, » he told her before returning to intensive care. Gabby turns and falls into Kelly's arms.
« He is in this condition because he has taken off his mask... For me, to speak to me, for me to be able to hear his voice one last time… » she sobbed.
« Hey, Gabby, look at me! Look at me! » Severide said, cupping her face in his hands. « You've heard Will, there's nothing irreparable, he needs care, but his vital prognosis is not engaged. He's going to get out of it, he'll wake up, and you'll live your life to the fullest, I promise! And as for removing his mask, I confirm that's not his most glorious moment, but what do you want, men, we would do anything for the woman we love… » he teases, succeeding in putting a little smile on her face.
A few hours later, after a long wait, Matt was transferred from intensive care to the pulmonology department, in a private room specially equipped to treat respiratory and pulmonary infections. He still has an oxygen mask and has not yet awakened, which is not surprising doctors considering the importance of the sedatives that were injected, as well as the first antibiotics. Brett went to the Firehouse to get a few things for Gabby and Kelly, knowing it would be impossible for her to dislodge them from the hospital before Matt woke up. She knocks on the door, and finds Gabby sitting in an armchair next to the bed, dozed off, and Severide slumped on the small sofa in the room. She smiled inside and gently waked them to inform them that in a bag there were clean clothes and a few toiletries, and in the other a small replenishment to restore their strength. She leaves by kissing Gabby and asking her to keep her informed as soon as she has news. Gabby thanks her and goes to the bathroom to cool off and change. She puts on a pair of jeans, a tank top, a pair of converses, and a large Matt hoodie that Brett knows she keeps preciously in her locker. She raises her hair in a disheveled bun on the top of her head and looks in the mirror. She looks like a ghost, she is pale, her features drawn, her eyes swollen. She slaps some water on her face and take notice to eat something. She joins Severide in the room, who goes to change at his turn. Meanwhile, Gabby pulls out soda cans and sandwiches that Brett has brought back, and sets it on the couch where she sits while waiting for Severide. They nibbled together, regaining strength, before falling asleep, nerves dropping.
Two hours later, Matt begins to wake up, at first panicked by the mask he has on his face, he stirs, turns his head in all directions before realizing that he is in the hospital. He turns his head and sees his wife and best friend sleeping on the sofa. Gabby has her head resting on Severide's lap, and his arm is placed on her waist. Matt thanks his lucky star for putting these two people on his path, knowing that whatever happens, they will always be there to support each other. Seeing Kelly move a little, he raises his mask and whispers, his voice hoarse: « Are you trying to steal my wife ? ». Kelly emerges little by little, and is surprised to see a pair of blue eyes fix him. With wide eyes, he smiled, relieved, reassured. He drops his head, and sees Gabby sleeping deeply on him. He doesn't know if he should wake her right away, or wait a little, let her recover.
« Believe me, even if I tried, she proved today that her heart beat only for one person on this planet! » He teases him. « It's good to see you, man! » He smiled. « You gave us a scare there! »
« Yeah, sorry about that… I really thought it was the end, really… I've never been so scared, I didn't know what to do anymore! I swear, my life flashed before my eyes… I… I… » Matt can't finish, a coughing fit invaded him. He put the mask back on his nose and took long breaths. « How bad I am? » Matt asks his friend.
« You've some lung issues and tracheal lesions, but according to doctors, nothing they can't cure. Taking off your mask, really? »
« I... I had to talk to Gabby, I had to tell her how much I loved her... I was not sure I'd get out of there alive… » he replies, moved.
« Do you remember when Gabby was a candidate and you yelled at her when she pulled out her mask? » Kelly laughs, Matt nods. « Well, I think you'll hear about it for a very very long time! » He smiles as Gabby comes out of her sleep, probably awakened by the voices around her.
« Yeah… You're lucky I'm so glad you're awake and not too damaged, or I would have punched you… I had the fright of my life! Never do that ever, ever again, Matthew Casey! Do you hear me? » she says, emotional, as she gets up to get closer to him. She approaches him, passes her hand through his short blond hair, on his cheeks, while her other hand tightens his own against the mattress. « Don't ever to that to me again. Never, » she adds, feeling tears burst into her eyes. Kelly gets up in his turn, walks around the bed to greet Matt before leaving them a little privacy, pretending to go out to tell the doctor his friend is awake. « You scared me to death, and those words… My god, you can't tell me goodbye like that, it felt like I was dying inside… You… My god, I was so afraid to lose you! You realize I can't live without you, right? » she says, leaning into his face to put a sweet kiss on his forehead. She sat on the edge of the bed, taking his hands in hers. « You remember, you told me we were a family, our own little family, you cannot leave me like that. How would I live without you? » She sobs.
« Hey, I'm here, I'm pretty good considering the circumstances, I'm not leaving you, Gabby, ever. You're stuck with me for the rest of our days. And I stand by what I said in the fire. I didn't say it just because I thought I was going to die and never be able to hug you again. I love you more than anything in the world, you are the most beautiful thing that has happened to me and I am so proud to be able to call you my wife. I love you so much, you are my miracle. The miracle of my life. You came into my life and from the first moment I saw you, you illuminated my life, you made it softer, more beautiful, » Matt says, by attracting her to his chest. « Now, dry your tears, and lay with me, » he adds, putting her in his strong arms.
« Never, never go in a fire again without us having made peace… » she says, caressing his chest carefully.
« It's a pinky promise, my love! » he says, putting his head on hers, and hugging her really tightly. « You know, I should be the one getting comforted… » he laughs.
« I promise you that once you are healed and at home, you will have all the comfort you want, my love! » she teases him. « I'll keep you locked up at home, you'll never go back into a fire, anyway! » she smiles, kissing his chest.
« Gabby, you're my number one priority, and I'm sorry if I didn't show it to you in the last few days. I've stepped down from my alderman duties to focus on my responsibilities as a firefighter and as a husband. » he tells her.
« When did you do that? » she asks him, surprised.
« Just before the call, I didn't go with the guys… » he admits, and she smiles.
« Thank you, baby! It means a lot to me,» she looks at him. Delicately, she puts her lips on his, before putting his oxygen mask back in place. « Get some rest, don't use up all your energy, » she says, snuggling in his neck. « I love you so much, you know you're my miracle too, you're so good to me. You made my life a dream, Matt. You're the best husband a girl could ask for, and I'm the luckiest wife in the world, » she raises her head again, looking at him as he's dozing off. « You're my miracle, Matt. You're my miracle. »
A/N : There you go! I'm not super satisfied with these one-shot, I had so many ideas this week but by dint of waiting for the weekend, they are a little flying. So I hope it was not too bad and you still enjoyed it. Tell me what you think about it in the reviews! Love, G.