Drip…Drip drip…drip. Darkness is all he could see. Water dripping is all he could hear. And smoke is all he could smell. Smoke?! He wrestled with the thought of waking up and trying to figure out a way out of wherever they were. Wait, Kelly? Where is Severide? He attempted to move and pain shot clear up his back and neck. His shoulder and arm hurt too.
"Severide?" He attempted to yell, but it only came out in a whisper. Damn! "Severide, call out!"
He waited for some kind of response. Nothing came except for a creak and shift in the building above. Matt Casey realized what had happened at that point. He remembered him and Severide were on the 4th floor of the apartment complex evacuating civilians. Visions of Severide yelling at him to hurry on getting the last civilian out when they heard the call for the "mayday" from Chief Boden. The last thing he could remember was looking at Severide and falling. He winced as another pain shot through him and darkness overtook him once again…
*4 hours earlier*
Walking in to the station Lt. Matthew Casey scanned the bay area to see if anyone of his crew members were there before him. Finding none were in the bays he continued to his office and set his bag down and then proceeded to the kitchen/living area, finding that most of the squad and truck crew were there he settled in next to Hermann with his cup of coffee that Candidate Peter Mills had so graciously provided.
Hearing the door open he turned to see Lt. Kelly Severide of Squad 3 walk in, "morning Lt.," a mixture of hellos were said to the Lt. Casey looked at him and nodded his head and focused his attention back to his coffee. Severide disappeared to his quarters.
Matt zoned out for a moment when laughter erupted from Hadley and Hermann. He shook his head and rubbed his eyes and vacated outside for some fresh air.
"Hey!" Casey turned to see Dawson walking to him.
"Hey yourself!" He replied, squinting from the bright sun.
"You ok? You seem distracted today. It's not like you." Dawson clearly concerned for the Lt.
"I'm good…really…just a rough night. Didn't sleep well. Hallie called and uh…" he paused and looked at Dawson, "oh never mind."
"Matt! Talk to me!"
"It's nothing, just stupid!" He retorted. He got up and huffed back to the station.
"MEN!" Dawson sighed and made her way back to the station.
As they both entered the tones went off, for an apartment fire.
"Truck 81….Squad 3…Ambulance 61, respond 845 West Monroe, apartment fire…"
"Great just what I wanted to start the shift." Casey said climbing into his seat in the truck.
Arriving on the scene of the fire, Casey looked up and saw the top floor on fire with smoke and flames visible.
"Holy shit!" Casey's gaze broke free from the building at Hermann's comment"
"Alright guys you know your jobs," Matt grabbed his gear and masked up to go inside for search and rescue. Mills and Hadley made their way up top to vent the roof, but when they got up there they soon realized that venting on the roof was a no go, the roof was spongy and very unstable.
"Vents a no go…" Hadley reported.
"Copy that come back down and regroup," Chief Boden replied.
Hermann and Otis were pulling a line when Mills and Hadley came down and they grouped with them to do an interior attack. Meanwhile, Severide and Casey were inside doing search and rescue. Severide had civilian in his arms and at the window passing them off to the firefighter on the ladder when a creaking was heard.
"Kelly…?" Casey's voice faded when the radio cracked to life.
"Mayday…Mayday…Mayday…everyone evacuate…" Chief Boden's voice concerned yet firm all his men made it out, alive.
"Casey, go…!" Kelly yelled as he ran to Matt to pull him out the window, but Severide couldn't reach him in time and they both fell.
