Rubble, just rubble everywhere. Chief Boden was still on the ground while a small stream of blood flowed down from his forehead to his cheek. His elegant suit was covered with dust. On the asphalt there were thousands of shards of glass that seemed to stare at him and tease him.
"Oh no..." he moaned standing up. "Severide report!" he yelled at the radio, "Casey! Whoever can hear me, call out."
The ground seemed to tremble under his feet, and he felt like he was unable to breathe. He spoke again into the radio. "Central, there has been an explosion, mayday mayday!" he shouted at the top of his voice.
It stopped, and he looked at the building in front of him. An intense blanket of smoke came out from the windows and from the exploded doors. His whole family was in that building. Those were his men. He was petrified, frozen in front of that mountain of rubble.
Erin Lindsay felt an annoying whistle torment her ears. She felt it since Sergeant Platt had told her that a whole building exploded and almost all of 51 with it. Antonio and Erin looked at each other, the same fear in their eyes… Kelly was inside, as well as Gabby.
She took a deep breath running a hand down her face and giving a quick glance to Detective Dawson. His hands were tense; he was squeezing the steering wheel so strong that his knuckles had turned white. He was pale and Erin could understand how he felt.
Her thoughts flew to Kelly. It was like the day when Chicago Med had exploded, only this time Kelly wouldn't be knocking at her door that night, to kiss and hold her tight.
Not like this, she thought. Their relationship had just started, it couldn't end that way. They had not even said "I love you" yet. They knew in their hearts they loved each other, but the idea that she would never hear those words coming out from the lieutenant's beautiful lips made her shiver.
"Antonio..." she whispered. "What if…"
"Don't say that!" he exclaimed. "I am sure that everybody is fine."
Erin nodded hiding the fear. Antonio was right, Firehouse 51 was strong; surely everybody was okay, alive.
When they reached the scene of the explosion, Detective Dawson stopped the car not too far from Chief Boden, and he squeezed Erin's hand before they got out.
Other firehouses were already there; tons of firemen were swarming the scene, some of them inside and others outside the building. The paramedics were ready to take care of the wounded.
Antonio went towards Boden, followed by Erin. "Chief!" he said, "What happened?"
The man shook his head, "I don't know. We were called, they went inside and then suddenly there was an explosion. Nobody responds on the radio."
"How can we help?" asked Erin.
"There's nothing we can do. The other firemen are doing their best. We can just... wait and pray."
Erin turned around and hid her face with her trembling hands. She uselessly tried to hold back the tears. "Please..." she whispered watching the sky.
Antonio caressed her arm in a brotherly way, gently bringing her to his chest and cleared his voice. "I am sure that everything will be all right. My sister and the others are tough people. They will be fine," he told her. But his voice was broken by fear.
Erin Lindsay took control of her feelings, but she didn't pull back from Antonio's comforting arms.
She needed that. She needed to hear that everything was going to be okay.
From chief's radio, mute for such a long time, came a confused rustle. Boden quickly brought it near his mouth, "Someone, can you hear me?"
Silence.
"Someone, can you hear me?" he repeated.
A few seconds later Kelly Severide's voice made its way, cutting through the noise. "Chief!" he called.
Erin, Antonio and Boden breathed a sigh of relief; it was just one of them, but it was something.
"Kelly, I'm so glad to hear your voice," Boden said.
"Me too chief!" the lieutenant answered. "I can see Mills, Capp, Tony and Newhouse. They have some bruises but looks like everybody is good. We're going to look for Casey and the others."
"Kelly, be careful. The other firemen are working to open a passage among the rubble. You find the others and you all remain together. They're coming to get you out of there," Boden ordered him.
"Copy that!"
Boden smiled. In his eyes there was hope again. He looked at Erin and asked her to come closer. "Kelly," he told the lieutenant, "there's someone who wants to talk to you."
Erin Lindsay took the radio, her hand trembled and her voice labored to speak. "Severide," she called.
Kelly hinted at a small laugh. "Hi, gorgeous."
"Kelly Severide," she told him bringing the radio near to her mouth, "you better come out of there in one piece. You didn't even take me out for a real date yet. You are not allowed to die! Do you hear me?" She melted in tears and a sob broke her voice.
"Erin," Kelly told her, his voice breaking too. "Just hearing your voice is a good reason to get out of here. Be patient, I'll be there soon as I can."
She nodded, with the tears wetting her lips. "Okay. I'll be waiting."
Two hours later almost every man from 51 was out of the rubble. Antonio had followed Gabby to the hospital; Shay and Lieutenant Casey were injured but out of the woods.
One by one rescue squad's men made their way through the dust, bruised, but alive.
Kelly was the last one to get out of the building.
Erin walked towards him, the debris making noise under her shoes. She stopped halfway, tears taking control of her eyes again. She wanted to race in his arms and bring him into hers, but she was stuck.
Kelly smiled thinking how beautiful she was. He dropped his helmet and walked faster. "I finished as soon as I could," he told her. On his face there was his usual smirk, one of his best features. His eyes were full of tears and fear. Perhaps also relief.
Erin rolled her eyes and shook her head; the usual Kelly, she thought. "Don't do it again Kelly. Don't you dare do something like this again." she told him. "Please." She continued, starting to cry again.
Some tears fell from the lieutenant's blue eyes, running along his cheeks. He went closer to her and kissed her. He instantly felt his body relax, like every time he was in her arms.
Erin ran her hands through Kelly's hair, then she stepped back. She dried his face and kissed him again. "I love you, Kelly Severide," she whispered.
Kelly chuckled, hugging her stronger and kissing her mouth. He wished time could be stopped, because her lips... oh, if he could die on those lips... He broke the kiss but remained just a breath away from her face.
"I love you too," he answered. "I love you so, so much."
Erin smiled. "You still owe me a date."
"No. I owe you much more Erin Lindsay."
4
