A/N Inspired by Herrmann's quote to Dawson in season 3. "It's my job as an old firefighter to teach the new ones how to become old ones."
This is set before the end of season 1.
This focuses on Casey's friendship with Herrmann. I have no idea where this came from but I hope you enjoy it anyway.
It was a Monday, a lull in their shift had everyone relaxing in the common room. Just waiting for end of shift. Christopher Herrmann looked across the table to his Lieutenant. He and Casey had always maintained a close and easy friendship throughout Casey's sixteen years at the House. He thought back on when he first met the younger man.
Matthew Casey had first walked into Firehouse 51 as a fresh-faced Candidate at age nineteen. The truck Lieutenant at the time had entrusted Herrmann with mentoring the young Candidate. Herrmann had liked the kid.
Casey was quiet and always seemed to keep to himself, but he was damned good at his job. He never hesitated and always followed orders and listened to advice. Knowing that the advice given to him came from seasoned firefighters who knew what they were doing. Despite all this Herrmann had been concerned by Casey's distance from human contact. So when it came to the annual firefighters picnic, he was relieved to see Casey laughing and joking with two other young Candidates from other Houses. Who turned out to be Kelly Severide and Andy Darden.
He had been surprised when Darden walked over and began asking him about Casey. Adding that he was worried about Casey. At the Academy something about Casey's past had gotten out, Darden didn't say what, but Herrmann would later find out it was his father's murder and mother's prison sentence. Which had made Casey retreat into himself, almost pulling himself away from Severide and Darden. It was only their stubbornness that prevented Casey from avoiding them.
So Darden just wanted to be sure that Casey was fitting in alright. So from that moment Herrmann ensured that he always made Casey join in the friendly arguments in the House, and was pleased to see Casey come out of his shell. The jokes and smiles came often and without fail would lighten up the atmosphere. Boden, their newly promoted Chief, would look on in pride and amusement at the youngest edition of their House.
"Herrmann?" He startled a little at the voice calling his name. He blinked and found Casey giving him a questioning look.
"I'm thinking," he responded to the unasked question.
"Bit dangerous isn't it?" Pondered Casey, managing to suppress a smirk.
Herrmann gasped and pointed a finger at the younger man. "While you're the Lieutenant and no longer my Candidate. You should still respect your elders."
"Admitting you're old then?" Asked Casey with a serious look.
Hearing a snort, Herrmann looked over to see Severide with a hand over his mouth. Trying to stifle his laughter.
"Oh don't you start!" Exclaimed Herrmann, pointing at Severide.
"It looks like Grandpa Herrmann wants us to stop teasing him Matt," commented Severide.
"Grandpa?! How old do you think I am?!" Spluttered Herrmann.
"Practically ancient," shrugged Casey.
"Yeah. One small nudge and you'd crumble into dust," sniggered Severide. Herrmann was prevented from answering by the alarm.
'Engine 51, Truck 81, Squad 3 and Ambulance 61. House fire...'
Shaking his head Herrmann rushed out to the truck. While his pride had taken a bit of a battering he was pleased to see Severide and Casey getting along again; after weeks of arguments, tense silences and avoidance after Darden's death.
While the truck sped to the fire, Herrmann found himself reflecting once again about the young firefighter Casey used to be.
Casey's year probation was almost up when they were called to an apartment building fire. They had just finished clearing the building, when a flight of stairs collapsed under Herrmann. Casey had been stood right next to him, and had grasped onto the older man's hands tightly. Gravity and Herrmann's weight began to pull Casey further towards the gap in the floor. Despite the danger to himself Casey refused to let Herrmann go and save himself. Herrmann looked up to see sweat forming on Casey's face, Casey's arms began to shake from the strain. They were pulled forward another inch.
"Let go kid," ordered Herrmann.
"What?!" Exclaimed Casey, startled blue eyes snapped up to stare straight into Herrmann's calm blue ones.
"Let me go. You can't hold us both," he reasoned as the fire continued to roar above, below and to the side of them.
"I can't do that!" Gasped Casey, shaking his head desperately from side to side. Trying to dig his toes into the wooden floor, trying with all his might to stop their slow pull into the missing floor.
"You have to," Herrmann calmly stated.
On his radio he heard the voice that belonged to his best friend, Mouch, hiss out his name in worry.
"I. Am. Not. Letting you go." Stressed Casey through gritted teeth.
Herrmann widened his eyes and sighed, "Kid..."
"Shut up!" Interrupted Casey, "I'm not letting go!"
"Listen to the kid Chris!" Came Mouch's stressed voice, "We're coming for you!"
But Herrmann knew they didn't have much time. Mouch and the others would be too late. Not just for him, but for Matt too. Matt, who at age twenty, was not old enough to buy a drink and still had his whole life ahead of him.
So wordlessly Herrmann loosened his grip on Casey's hands and felt himself slip.
Casey's eyes widened in terror, "Herrmann!" He screeched just as he pulled himself forward and tightly grasped Herrmann's wrists. Herrmann felt himself stutter to a stop, hitting the wooden, jagged edge of the splintered floor, his legs swinging above a fire waiting to claim its victim.
Ignoring the shouting, worried voices booming from their radios, Casey glared at Herrmann. "Don't do that again."
"Kid..."
"Nope." Casey shook his head and then he spotted the post that once supported the handrail. Because they were now nearer the edge Casey found himself able to cross his legs around it, adding more support to stop Herrmann's decent into the fire below them. This didn't come a moment too soon.
As soon as Casey had crossed his legs, with a groan more floorboards gave way. Leaving both Herrmann and Casey hanging in the air. Casey lifted his head up with a painful groan, keeping his helmet on his head and making more leverage to keep Herrmann's legs away from the closer, flickering flames below them. Herrmann could only watch as Casey's arms shook more violently from the sudden strain placed on them. His eyes were closed and his mouth was open as he panted, sucking in more oxygen from his mask.
Suddenly, the faces of Mouch and Capp appeared over the edge. Herrmann looked up to see Mouch's face loose the look of terror, but still his face creased in worry.
"We've got you both now," commented Mouch.
Herrmann's eyes flickered up to Casey's face, the younger man didn't look as if he'd heard Mouch talk. He was still desperately clinging onto Herrmann's wrists, he didn't even notice when Capp and Mouch pulled his legs free of the post and pulled him (and Herrmann) up back to the floor.
Lying flat on his stomach Herrmann looked to see Casey had still not moved, and was still shaking. So he turned his hands and patted Casey's inside arms. Casey's eyes flickered open and stared in amazement at Herrmann.
"We're good now kid. You can let go," smiled Herrmann.
Slowly Casey loosened his grip, but his hands didn't seem to cooperate, so Herrmann gently pulled his wrists free and got to his feet, helping Casey up too. He guided Casey to the window where they could see the top of the elevated ladder. Mouch was already on the ladder, so Herrmann helped Casey through the window first, trusting Mouch to help the shaking Candidate back to the ground. He went next followed by Capp, while he stepped backwards, he could hear Mouch talking soothingly to Casey. Once he reached the end of the ladder and jumped down from the truck he moved beside Casey, boxing the shaking Candidate in between himself and Mouch. He took off his mask and looked to his left. Mouch smiled at him and reached around Casey to slap him on the shoulder.
Boden then swiftly approached them. He rested a hand on the shoulders of Herrmann and Casey. "Glad to see you both unhurt," he smiled, his eyes flickering between the two of them. Boden's gaze then centred on Casey, his eyes filling with pride. "Good work Candidate. Damn good work."
Casey just looked back blankly, "...sir?..."
Noting Casey's dazed looked, Boden gently steered the young man away from Mouch and Herrmann and to the pair of waiting paramedics. Boden turned back and motioned for Herrmann to get in the ambulance as well. With one more smile at Mouch, he followed after Casey.
Both he and Casey checked out fine at the hospital, Casey just had strained muscles he could relax over the next forty-eight hours before their next shift. They sat in the waiting area, waiting for their rides home. Herrmann had no doubt Mouch would be his ride, seeing as Cindy would be home with the two kids. He just wondered how Casey was getting home, when Kelly Severide came charging in. His panicked gaze flittering around when it finally found Casey. Who had fallen asleep, resting his head on Herrmann's shoulder.
Kelly slowly approached them, taking in the slight shaking of Casey's arms. He sat down on Casey's other side, and rested a gentle hand on Casey's shoulder. He then looked at Herrmann.
"Is he okay?" He asked quietly, his eyes moving back to Casey's face.
Herrmann nodded, "Just strained muscles. Which will be better by next shift."
Kelly nodded and took in a shuddering breath, while with his free hand he rubbed his face. "Damn," he muttered. "When I got that phone call from your Chief. I was so scared that we'd lost him."
"We?" Pondered Herrmann.
Kelly shot him a half smile. "Andy and me. Matt is our roommate and our unofficial younger brother." His smile darkened then. "Andy had just started his shift when I got the phone call, and I was worried that I'd have to be the one to tell him Matt was gone."
"Well he's still here," Herrmann commented comfortingly. "But I think it's time you got sleeping beauty here back to his own bed."
Kelly snorted with a wide grin, "Good idea." He then gently shook Casey's shoulder. With a quiet groan and blinking eyes, Casey woke up into a half aware state. Herrmann helped Kelly get the youngest of them to his feet and out to Kelly's car. He'd just helped Casey into the passenger seat when Mouch arrived. They stood next to each other watching as Kelly's car went around the corner, taking their Candidate home.
When they arrived for their next shift, they learned that Boden had put Casey in for a commendation, which had been approved.
The next week they were all decked out in their dress uniforms for the ceremony. Kelly and Andy were also there to see their friend receive his medal. As the Chief presenting the medal read out the events that has taken place, and what Casey had done to save Herrmann. He looked over to see Andy's and Kelly's faces a mixture of pride and terror. Evidently Casey had not told them exactly what had happened that night. From that moment on Herrmann had known that Casey had what it took to survive on the job and was as good as any old firefighter.
While he and Casey finished clearing the second floor of the house after Cruz helped the mother outside. They heard Boden on the radio ordering them to get out, saying they had a minute. They were walking down the hallway when Herrmann heard a loud creak and then a crash.
He turned back to see Casey was no longer behind him, and where Casey had been was now a gaping hole. His mind still fresh with the memory from fifteen years ago, he desperately peered over the edge, hoping Casey was holding onto the edge. However, Casey was not clinging to the edge, rather he was lying limply in the living room. Herrmann turned on his heels and rushed towards the stairs and ran around to the living room. He found Casey moving and blinking in confusion. The look in his eyes was one Herrmann had only seen once since Casey was a Candidate. When Andy died.
"Hey Casey," he stated loudly, shaking his friend's shoulder.
"Herrmann?"
"Yeah. Your knight in shinning armour." He grinned, he hoisted Casey to his feet and dragged his friend towards the front door. "Come on. We're getting out of here."
They emerged into the daylight, to see everyone staring at them in worry. Herrmann flickered his eyes over to Severide and could see the moment Severide's worry and terror increased when Casey was put on a waiting stretcher. He expected Severide to approach the stretcher and get in the ambulance with Casey. However, Severide remained where he was standing before moving towards his squad truck.
The opposite way from the ambulance.
Herrmann gritted his teeth in annoyance. Before the fire Severide and Casey had been joking as normal, but now Severide was acting as if nothing had changed.
Herrmann stared up at Casey who was still perched at the top of the ladder, staring through the window Darden had just climbed through. Everyone stood in stunned silence. Squad walked back around to the front of the house, while engine moved in with the hoses. Still Casey did not move.
He watched as Severide looked up at Casey with an unreadable look on his face. While it had been many years since Severide, Darden and Casey had shared an apartment. The look on Severide's face held similarities to the look it had the night all those years ago when he had come charging into the hospital to get Casey. But instead of climbing up the ladder to Casey, Severide instead stalked away to the squad truck.
So sighing, Herrmann climbed up the truck and up the ladder. Soon he was crouched beside Casey, also staring through the window into the room where flames continued to flicker. He could just make out the silhouette of Darden's...body. He shook his head and reached out a hand to rest on Casey's back. The Lieutenant didn't react.
"Casey," he murmured softly. Casey twitched. "Come on down."
Casey's head began to shake from side to side. "I...I...can't."
"Yes you can," encouraged Herrmann softly. Casey turned his head back to look at him, and his heart broke at the lost expression on Casey's face.
"I can't move," mumbled Casey, voice cracking on the last word.
"I'm here. I'll help you," stated Herrmann. He gently tugged on Casey's gear and slowly. Ever so slowly. His friend began to move. Throughout their decline down the ladder Herrmann continued to talk softly to him until they'd finally made it back to the ground.
There; Mouch, Vargas, Cruz and Otis flanked their Lieutenant on all sides. Stood in silent support. Once a wet eyed Boden ordered them to return to the house Herrmann walked with Casey back to the truck.
Over the next few weeks seeing Severide's anger filled eyes bore into Casey, and listening to Severide's loud exclamations that it was all Casey's fault that Darden was dead. Herrmann had stood by Casey in silent support. On a few occasions he had come close to hitting the squad Lieutenant. He often wondered where was the friend that had been so scared about loosing a twenty-year-old Casey that he had charged into the hospital waiting area, desperate to find his friend.
After one of the Lieutenants' arguments, he had followed Casey to the locker room. Where he found his friend sat on the floor, leaning against his locker. Herrmann had approached him and knelt down in front of the saddened man.
Casey looked up at him with tear filled eyes. "Should have been me," he admitted quietly.
"What?" Questioned a stunned Herrmann.
"It was my fault. But I should have gone first. It should have been me." Casey continued.
Herrmann reached out and shook his friend. "Don't say that. Don't you ever say that!" He hissed fiercely, seeing a stark difference in his Lieutenant from the confident Candidate he used to be. He remained sat beside Casey until his friend pulled himself to his feet and headed to his office.
Herrmann walked back to the common room and passed Severide. He glared at the other man eliciting a questioning look in response.
"Just back off!" Hissed Herrmann.
"What?" Asked a stunned Severide.
Herrmann pointed a finger at the other man. "If you can't say anything civil to him, then stay the hell away from him! He's saying it should have been him! And I don't want you cementing the idea into his head! So just back the hell off!"
Severide's eyes widened. Allowing Herrmann to see for the first time that Severide didn't truly blame Casey. He was just taking his frustration out on his old friend.
"He actually said that?" Severide's voice sounded both surprised and sad.
"Of course he did!" Despite his revelation, he had no desire to let Severide off easy. "With what you've been yelling at him the past month! It's no wonder!" Then he turned and continued on his way.
Seeing Casey's stretcher put into the ambulance Herrmann marched over to Severide and pushed the other man towards the ambulance.
"Just get in the damn ambulance after your friend," he fumed.
Severide gaped at him for a moment, before nodding and walking away. Nodding to himself Herrmann turned and issued orders for truck to begin clean up.
Later that evening after shift, Herrmann was sat on his sofa at home beside Casey, both with beers in their hands. After hearing what had happened Cindy had insisted that Casey come over for dinner. Casey only had bruised ribs from his short fall and a small headache. Which Herrmann felt for sure would get worse after being surround by the four children currently squealing at the TV. Dinner had been eaten and Casey was sat chuckling at the antics of the Herrmann children, one of whom, Luke, was his godson. Luke had stuck close to Casey all evening, as it wasn't often that he got to see 'uncle Matt'.
"How's the head?" Asked Herrmann, turning to look at his friend.
"It's fine," smiled Casey. "Although I thought I was dreaming when Severide got in the ambulance with me."
Herrmann nodded, "Well it looks like you two have sorted your differences."
Casey smiled, "It would be nice for things to go back to normal." He paused, a saddened look on his face. "Well as normal as can be now."
"It'll be fine," assured Herrmann, he patted Casey's arm. "You both just need to adjust to the new way of things and everything will be fine. Today showed that."
"Thank you Chris," smiled Casey.
"For what?" Frowned Herrmann in confusion.
Casey squeezed his arm, "You helped me through the fallout of Andy's death. You helped keep me sane. So thank you. You're a great friend."
"Aw. You don't need to thank me," mumbled Herrmann shaking his head. He then smiled. "You're a great friend to have too. You're also one of the best Lieutenants I have ever seen. I'm proud to have seen you make you're way up from a Candidate to a Lieutenant."
Casey looked down at his hands in embarrassment and his cheeks took on a red tinge, but then he smiled up at Herrmann. "It was your training that helped make me the firefighter I am today."
Herrmann nodded and clinked his beer bottle with Casey's, "I'm damn proud of you Matt."
He knew that someday he'd eventually retire from the CFD, but knew that when the day came he'd always be there to offer advice or be a sounding board for Casey. Also with Casey now being a Lieutenant, Casey was helping to train the new ones, how to become old ones. Just like Herrmann had taught him.
The End.
A/N I may or may not write a one shot from Kelly's POV of the bit I wrote about Casey being a Candidate and saving Herrmann. What do you think?
P.S. I have written Kelly's POV in a one shot called 'What Happened?'