Matt looked at his phone as it buzzed. He smiled as he responded to the text message from his new girlfriend Claire. They had only been dating a few weeks but the first few dates had went well. This was the first girl he had dated since Matt and Gabby broke up 4 months earlier. He put the phone in his jacket pocket as he continued to catch up on his mountain of his reports. Opening a desk drawer to get a new pen he looked at the picture of Gabby and he standing in front of the door of Mollys. He sighed thinking of the happy days and nights they spent together as a couple. All of a sudden he was pulled out of his thoughts and memories by a knock on the door.
It was the Chief and Severide standing in the doorway to his office looking somber and pale. Matt immediately turned and stood looking at both of them saying "What is it?"
Chief Boden took a step toward Casey, put a hand on his shoulder and said, "Matt, we just got some bad news from Morningside. Both Gabby and Herman have been involved in a fire and one fatality has been reported. I wanted to be the one to inform you. At this point we do not know much more than that."
Both Gabby and Herman had transferred to Morningside four months earlier. Herman went to fill the Lieutenant slot that had opened up and Gabby followed to become a firefighter. Matt knew in his heart she had also transferred to give them space after the break up.
Severide added that Shay was on her way to Lakeshore to see the condition of both Herman and Gabby. At that point Severides' phone rang and he picked up "Yeah Shay what is their contidtion"
He nodded and just listened for several seconds before he looked up and took a deep breath. Meanwhile Casey hung on every look and gesture Severide made trying to figure out if the news was bad or not. Kelly pressed the disconnect button and took a deep breath and began in a low voice, "Herman got out with only minor smoke inhalation and is still at Lakeshore. Another firefighter was killed and Gabby is in critical condition." Kelly took another deep breath and continued Seems like the other firefighter Bryant had a suspected heart attack during a fire and Gabby tried to save him and refused to leave until back up came. There was gasoline on the scene that ignited bringing down part of a wall on Gabby and Bryant. By the time Herman reached Gabby she received 3 degree burns, smoke inhalation and a severely broken leg and was rushed to Lakeshore. Bryant was pronounced DOA on arrival. It doesn't sound good Shay says that Gabby may not make it. They have called in her family "….. Kellys voice trailed off as he got choked up.
Matt sat back down in stunned silence trying to comprehend the news.
Chief Boden says clearing his throat "We cannot divert calls since morning side is already off calls so that means everyone has to continue the last two hours of shift . Casey, Casey are you gonna be ok?I know you and Gabriella were close."
Casey replies hands shaking trying to hold back his emotion, " Yeah Chief I am ok, " was the only reply that Matt could muster. Kelly and Chief left his office to go tell the rest of the guys and Matt heard his phone buzz again and saw that he received a text from Claire, " Are we still on for tonight?", Casey replied, "No something important has come up, will explain later." And pushed send as he walked out to the bay to see if Shay was back from Lakeshore yet. He wanted to talk to her himself, to see if he could find out anything more.
Fiftenn minutes later Shay pulled into the station still red faced and looking distraught. " Matt, I saw her being brought in, I couldn't do anything except watch, They don't think she is going to, to " Shay breaks down sinking, no falling into Kellys arms. The only sound that can be heard in the firehouse is the sobs of Shay as they wait for shift to be over or news on Gabbys condition. She was family, a sister and the thought of losing her was too much for any of them to think about. Matt walked away from the crowd and picked up his phone and called Antonio Dawsons' number. It went straight to voice mail… This is Antonio leave a message, " Antonio this is Matt, I know things have not been good since I broke it off with Gabby. I want, no I need to see her after shift. " Matt hangs up and walks to his office engulfed in his own grief and regret to wait until shift was over to head to Lakeshore and to Gabby…..