Heart Of Concern
Stella had heard the call over the radio, they all had. "Get out now!" Boden had ordered. Stella looked in front of her at Herrmann and gave him a nod, letting him know she was right behind him. They worked their way through the house.
Stella heard the groan and instinctively pushed Herrmann forward out of harms way as the solid beam gave way, coming down hard.
"Mayday, mayday, structural collapse. Kidd's down." Herrmann called through the radio as he crawled to Stella who was on the ground, her helmet laying to the side and her mask blood stained. He checked for her pulse and was relieved to find one.
Chicago Fire
Severide stood in front of the burning building waiting for Kidd and Herrmann to make their way out as they were the last two. The conditions were deteriorating rapidly, much quicker than usual. The almighty bang rippled through the airy silence outside before the radio cracked with Herrmann's mayday call. He was already moving forward before the next call came over the radio with their location. Capp and Tony already following behind him. He barely registered Boden ordering Casey and the rest of Truck 81 to stand down, to let Squad rescue them.
"Herrmann, call out!" Severide yelled as he tried to keep the panic that he felt out of his voice as he registered the PASS alarm, Stella's alarm. He immediately veered to the right following the noise.
"Herrmann, call out!" He yelled again as he stepped back as burning debris fell.
"Over here Severide!" Herrmann yelled, his voice muffled through his mask.
Severide rushed to them and immediately dropped to his knees next to Stella.
"We need to get out of here now." Capp spoke sternly knowing they were loosing the race to safety and fast.
"Capp, help Herrmann. Tony, lead us out of here. I've got Kidd." Severide ordered pausing as he went to left Stella into his arms. An internal debate raged for a split second, he feared that he would make any injuries that she had worse by moving her without a backboard and C-collar but they didn't have time for that, not if they wanted to make it out alive. He lifted her arm and laid it around his neck as his other arm slid under her legs then lifted her up. He couldn't stop to look at her as much as he wanted, he couldn't do a proper assessment as he wanted but he had seen the blood. The panic rose inside of him as they made their way out of the building, that was collapsing behind them as they went.
"Brett! Dawson!" Severide almost yelled despite them already being at his side with the gurney.
"Here, I've got her head." Brett signalled as Dawson worked quickly to Stella's oxygen tank and mask off of her without too much movement. Reluctantly, Severide placed her as gently as he could down on the gurney before he stripped off his own mask and tank, handing it to Cruz.
He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned his head just enough to see his Chief, Boden, give him a small but telling nod.
"Let's get her to Med now." Dawson stated already on the move with the gurney.
Severide scrambled after them, climbing into the ambulance and immediately clutching Stella's hand in his.
Chicago Fire
Kelly paced back and forth as he waited, as they all waited for news on Stella. The tension was palpable in the silent waiting room full with everyone from House 51.
Kelly couldn't recall what his last words were to her before the call, his last words to her in their final private moments before they had started their shift. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't think of what was said between them.
His hand subconsciously rubbed at his chest right over his heart, the ache that had settled there was more noticeable the more he paced. His fingers curled and dug into his skin through his shirt as the image of her bloodied and pale face came to the forefront of his mind. He had held her in his arms many times before but she had never been so limp, so quiet, so still. He paused in his pacing as he felt his head spin.
"Severide? Kelly?" Matt stood in front of him suddenly, his hand on his arm just below his elbow. "Let's grab a seat." Matt half suggested, half ordered as the concern set in. Kelly complied readily not sure what exactly was going on, and let Matt push his weary body into the nearest chair.
Matt's eyes landed on Kelly's hand, he watched the way he rubbed at his chest and the way his fingers clenched harshly; it was reminiscent of the symptoms he had with his broken neck. Matt thought back to the words he had told Kelly when Otis had been shot at the hospital, 'That feeling, that connection, it won't go away just 'cause you don't want it to be there.' This time though, as Matt quickly realised, Kelly's subconscious actions weren't because he was hurt physically but because he was hurting for Stella, fearing for her and for himself. He was going to a dark place that he knew all too well.
Matt took the seat next to Kelly knowing there was no way to stop him thinking what he was. The only thing that would stop him going to the dark place in his mind would be seeing Stella and having the doctor tell them she was alright, or at least would be alright after she had recovered.
Chicago Fire
Kelly stood up so quickly he almost fell as Doctor Will Halstead walked into the waiting room. If it wasn't for Matt's quick action of grabbing under Kelly's arm he would have hit the ground.
"How is she?" Boden asked sensing Kelly's reluctance too for fear of the worst outcome.
"We've done a CT and an MRI just to be safe as she sustained trauma to her head. She has a large laceration to her skull which we've cleaned and sutured, hence the large amount of blood. Both scans showed that there is no serious brain injury although she does have a severe concussion. We're also treating her for dehydration and smoke inhalation. She's still unconscious but should be awake soon. She's going to be pretty sore considering the amount of bruising but nothings broken. We're keeping her under observation for the next twenty four hours minimum." Will informed them promptly. The tension in the room melted significantly from the men and the women with the exception of Kelly.
"Can I be with her?" Kelly asked quietly needing to see her with his own eyes, needing to confirm what he had just be told.
"Sure but only you. She's going to need all the rest she can get." Will replied knowing of the pair's relationship. Technically Stella could have more than one visitor considering she was unconscious but he figured Kelly needed to be on his own with her. Even he had seen the way Kelly was rubbing at his chest, and the privacy would allow him to check Kelly out as well, as long as the firefighter complied.
Chicago Fire
Everything passed by in a blur as Kelly followed behind Will as he led the way to Stella's hospital room. Kelly stopped at the glass door and glanced at Will who gave him a reassuring nod before he clumsily made his way into the room and to the seat right beside the bed. His hand found hers instantly, and as carefully as he could being mindful of the peripheral line in her arm that was delivering fluids intravenously, his hand wrapped around hers, entwining their fingers. His eyes wondered over her body that wasn't covered by the thin hospital blanket as he mentally catalogued each mark, each injury, to her skin before his eyes returned to her still closed ones. He wanted to crawl up and lay next to her, he wanted to hold her tightly in his arms but he refrained as he didn't want to cause her any more pain.
"Kelly, are you in any pain?" Will asked quietly breaking him out of his thoughts.
"No." Kelly answered confused as to why Will was asking. Will stepped closer making Kelly tears his eyes away from Stella.
"You keep rubbing at your chest, and digging your fingers into the skin as if there's pain there." Will explained making Kelly glance down at his other hand that was on his chest.
"Huh... I'm fine... severe concussion, what sorts of symptoms will she have to deal with in the coming days?" Kelly let his hand drop from his chest to his lap, and turned back to Stella. He knew some of the symptoms but wanted Will to tell him so he could be prepared, and could help anyway he could.
"Headaches, nausea and vomiting, blurred vision and light sensitivity, mood swings, sleeping problems, trouble concentrating, some confusion, short term memory issues, dizziness, balance issues, lack of coordination and tinnitus which is where there is a ringing sound in her ears." Will paused sensing he had said too much before he continued. "Once she wakes up we will assess her. She most likely won't have all the symptoms I just listed but there will be some... I'm going to leave you with her but if you need me, have the nurse page me. I'll be back up to check on her soon." Will finished before he left the room, closing the door behind him.
Kelly settled back in the chair, his hand still entwined with hers. The last time he had been in the hospital, he had woken with her sat beside him. He didn't know it at the time but now he realised that there was no one else he would have wanted to have been there with him. She was always there for him even when he was a complete idiot. She was always there for him.
"Need you to open those eyes for me." He murmured quietly as he settled back in the seat prepared to wait forever for her to come back to him.
Chicago Fire
Kelly watched as Stella's eyes fluttered open then closed quickly, the pain etched across her face as a soft groan escaped her slightly parted lips. He quickly stood, let go of her hand, and crossed the room turning the lights off before he returned to her side and took her hand on his once more.
"Hi." Stella said softly as she opened her eyes once more and gazed at him. He smiled as the momentary relief flooded through him.
"Hi." He choked out, almost overwhelmed with relief that she was awake and talking. "How do you feel?" He asked softly as her eyes fluttered.
"Sore." She responded before she paused as her stomach rolled and her head swam.
Kelly has seen how pale Stella had become and quickly grabbed the emesis basis that was beside the bed bringing it to her mouth just in time as she vomited, retching and gagging until there was nothing left in her stomach. "It's alright Stella, you're concussed." Kelly murmured as he pressed his lips to her forehead hating to see her so ill. Neither of them had noticed that Will or the nurse had stepped into the room until the nurse stepped forward and took the emesis basin from Kelly's hand.
"Sorry." Stella murmured before Kelly stepped back letting Will have the space he needed to examine her.
Chicago Fire
Stella turned her head towards Kelly and opened her eyes as she smiled at him. She hadn't been able to sleep since she had first woken up with the nausea and headache she had. She was grateful that she hadn't vomited again as that was unpleasant enough once. Her hand was still firmly grasped in his as if he was scared to let go. She looked at his eyes, she loved his eyes, they really were the windows to his soul, they were so expressive and emotive.
"Lay with me." She spoke softly in the darkened room being careful not to disturb the settled peace that they were immersed in.
"Yeah? You sure?" He replied worried although she knew he loved the idea by the way his eyes lite up and the smile that graced his face grew wider.
"Want you next to me." She replied as she moved herself to the edge of the hospital bed and tugged on his hand all the while being careful not to tangle the intravenous line and monitors that were still attached to her.
"Alright." He replied as he eased himself onto the bed being careful as he knew she was sorer than she was admitting. He laid on his side facing her with their hands still entwined.
"You scared me." He murmured softly, the vulnerability evident in his voice as he pressed his face into her neck.