Title: The Bonds of Loyalty
Chapter 1 - Testing the Brotherhood
Summary: AU Casey and Severide both have their hands full dealing with Pridgen's obvious disdain but when Casey is trapped in the burning structure, Severide defies another order to save his friend. What consequences would both face? Based on eppy 3.15 'Headlong Toward Disaster' Has some spoilers.
Disclaimer: Same as always. I own nothing but my muse, my ideas and my love for my boys #teamsevasey.
A/N: FINALLY some broments. Despite the jerk (gotta be PC here) temp chief being a real well jerk to watch he did afford us some great broments and for I have to be thankful. In the eppy it was Otis in danger but you know Alice can always remedy that for you! Hope you like it!
NOTE: As 'always' "words in italics and double quotes taken directly from the eppy." Just italics are thoughts and 'single is a past convo'.
"Yeah I'll remember that after he pulls everyone out and leaves you inside a burning building."
Severide had tossed the remark to Casey in a somewhat flippant manner and joked about Casey's dangerous relationship with temporary Chief Pridgen's newly ex-wife; not realizing later it might come back to haunt him. They had a beer and then he pried his friend for some more details about their so called break up and then make-up sex; Severide still reminding Casey that he was indeed playing with fire.
Casey had insisted that they were over but Beth continued to make excuses for her just showing up at 51; the latest her telling him that she had to drop off the finalized divorce papers and downplaying Casey's request to have her have them sent there in the mail.
"She was here again? Matt…"
"I know I know…" Casey huffs as he leans against the doorframe to Severide's office. "Worst part? I think Welch saw."
"Oh damn…what? You sure?"
"Pretty sure. He didn't see much…ah damn I think he saw enough."
"Matt, if he goes to Pridgen…"
"I know…I'm screwed!" Casey groans as he rubs his face. "And then I mouthed off to Pridgen in the lunch room…"
"Yeah, you're on a roll," Severide retorts with a small sigh as Casey looks up with a lost expression. "I have your back, you know that right?"
"I know I just…damn this is so out of control," Casey replies in an undertone as he looks past Severide and out the window. "Just wanted a clean relationship break."
"Maybe a new bar is in order."
"I think I like the sound of that," Casey agrees with a small smile as Otis taps on the glass and gestures for a few minutes of his time. Casey leaves Severide's office and heads down the hallway; pausing to watch Pridgen take Severide into his office and then close the door. Damn….this is out of control, Casey's mind silently groans. He looks over to see Welch watching him with a rather perplexed expression and turns away; his mind begging for Boden's return to be swift. 'I have your back…always.'
Casey takes comfort in the fact that Severide would keep his word and much like himself they were brothers to the end – loyal in everything. However, he can't help but wonder what Pridgen is talking to Severide about.
"You mean my good friend and roommate Matt Casey? That Lieutenant Casey? Keep an eye on Casey? Chief, this kind of stuff. This scheming behind closed doors, keeping an eye on other officers. That's not how we do things at 51."
Pridgen then makes it seem like something of a duty that he's performing but there's no way Severide is going to play that game, even when Pridgen makes a rather unusual offer adding, "I'll make it worth your while." Severide had looked at his temporary superior in shock and veiled disgust but knows that no amount of money was going to make him betray Casey's trust. Ever. Pridgen could take his offer and shove it for all he cared. However, from that moment on he had made a mental note to keep an eye on Pridgen in case he had caught wind of Casey's affair with Beth and was now gunning for him in a very personal way. Boden was a fair man and if Casey was doing things on truck that he didn't agree with he'd have said something long ago. This was personal. And that could be dangerous.
And it was about to get just that. The overhead paging system goes off, calling them all to a structure fire and sending them all scrambling to get their gear and get out of the House in record time. Once again being used to having Boden's reassurance on their calls, as soon as they arrive, Severide calls out their plan of attack.
"Hey Casey, we'll do the primary search."
But that logical order is instantly shot down by their interim superior; Pridgen making a judgment call that would test Casey's patience and Severide's anxiety and give every member of House 51 pause.
"Negative, Squad, you're on rig. 81 goes in first."
What the hell? Severide didn't voice his disagreement verbally but the look on his face said it all. A few seconds later, Casey's face displays the same expression.
"It's all yours Casey."
What the hell? Casey locks eyes with Severide and knows…Pridgen is now trying to make a personal point. Trouble is, in a fire if you do that it could cost lives. Unless that's what he wanted. Even innocent lives? But time was racing past and lives were on the line so in front of all onlookers Casey knows he has to obey the direct order.
"Hermann…"
Casey calls out directions to his team and then looks at Severide one more time, his eyes offering one last almost helpless expression before he turns and hurries toward the heated inferno. He instructs Dawson, Otis and Hermann, putting them with him and sending them all into the most dangerous part of the burning structure; Mouch and Cruz taking the roof.
"Watch yourselves in here!" Casey calls out to his team over the radio, Severide's anxiety continuing to rage as he stands helplessly outside under Pridgen's watchful eye.
"Watch the roof!"
"Check the first floor!"
"Fire department call out!"
"I found one!" Casey calls out loudly as he crawls over to the fallen apartment owner. "Sir! Sir can you hear me!" Casey shouts as he prepares to drag the man toward the entrance for some medical attention. "I'm bringing one out! Will need a medic!"
"We're ready!" Mills tells him over the radio as they prepare to receive the injured tenant.
"Hermann take him! I found the fire! I'll take the hose to the second floor!"
"Copy that!"
Casey ducks outside for a few seconds, grabs the coiled hose and darts back inside; his arms feeling the tension starting to gain momentum as the hose starts to flood with water. "Second floor, back room!"
"Copy!"
"I think….ah damn…door just closed and…the hose…"
"Casey? Casey!" Severide calls into his radio as Pridgen tosses him a look of disdain; Severide not caring if it was against orders or not. He might not be in the building yet – but he wasn't about to call out to a brother in distress – that would go for anyone at House 51, but especially Casey.
"The door's closed….FLASHOVER!" Casey's voice yells before static is heard.
The radio cracks and a few seconds later the horrible sound of Casey's personal locator starts to wail; in that moment the words Severide had told Casey came back to haunt him – prompting him to take immediate action. Pridgen be damned…Severide's mind growls as he wastes no time in racing for the entrance to the building. "Let's move!" He shouts as he slaps Welch on the arm, Welch following his lead and falling into step with his Squad leader; the rest of squad close on their heels.
"Casey! Casey talk to me!" Severide calls into his radio as he and Welch hurry up the stairs to the second floor. "Hurry!" He spies the hose on the floor and continues to follow the path that would lead him to his fallen friend. "Casey!"
Casey's mind tries to push past the raging booming from the fire overhead and the pounding in his ear drums from his rapidly beating heart. Severide's…on the way….his mind slipping in and out of the darkness. He recalls Severide's somewhat fateful words but tells himself he let the door get closed, this was on him. Yes Pridgen would be pissed, that is if he survived, and he couldn't accuse his temporary superior for anything other than being ignorant when it came to their way of dealing with the chain of command. Boden couldn't return fast enough.
As the room fills up with superheated smoke, Casey's mind starts to drift further toward the darkness, his brain thankful for the PASS screaming so loudly as it was helping to keep him in a semi-conscious state. Hurry Kelly…his mind begs in torment. His lungs start to feel the burn from the heat on the outside of his professional attire; his mask thankfully keeping the toxic flames at bay. His eyes water from the heat and for a few seconds they blur the intense orangey colors a few meters away. Hurry Kelly….his mind begs once more as the flames come closer.
He knows to stay low is the best course of action but time is running out. He hears Pridgen laughing in the background and feels his teeth grit. I refuse to let him win! Kelly hurry! That request was about to be answered.
"Casey! We're outside the door!"
Casey's mind finally allows himself to feel a bit of relief but the door is jammed and he's not out of the woods just yet.
Severide directs Welch to try to get a lever inside the doorjam so that he can hit it with the end of his axe. Hurry! His mind urges as the heat and smoke start to taunt his friend's fallen condition; adding to that the sound of his PASS device sounding even more anxious than when it first started to go off.
"Casey! We're coming in!"
The door finally pulls free and Severide leads the charge to get Casey out of the smoky inferno. "Casey! Hold on buddy…" Severide huffs as he grabs one side of Casey's fallen frame, Welch grabbing the other and then both dragging Casey back through the door and away from the fiery furnace.
"We got you! Matt…buddy…we got you!"
Pridgen hears the brotherly concern in Severide's tone over the radio, calling Casey, Matt to reassure his friend that he's okay and then watches with a hint of disdain in his eyes as Severide and Welch help bring Casey to the entranceway of the structure; wondering what he'd have to do to really break them apart. Aside from Severide's tone and his quick actions, even more disconcerting is the protective way Severide watches and treats the truck Lieutenant. Severide obviously wasn't going to play by the wrong rules. That very much was evident and it spurned him even more. Their bond was too tight to break.
"Casey!" Severide states in concern as Welch pulls back and lets Severide tend to his slightly dazed friend. He helps Casey remove his mask and then holds onto his back as Casey's lungs violently seize. "Here," he offers him some fresh water.
"Thanks."
"You okay?" Severide asks in concern as Pridgen walks up to them with a less than amused look on his face.
"Yeah…." Casey gently wheezes as he looks up at Severide with a grateful glance, Severide's hand resting on his back in a protective gesture as Pridgen nears. The brotherly affection isn't lost on Pridgen who purses his lips and asks Casey in a low tone if he's okay; telling himself it's his duty to appease all the curious onlookers but that was it – he didn't genuinely care about Casey's welfare. But as he nears Casey's slightly slumped over frame, Severide's posture stiffens and the look in his eyes silently dares him to say anything out of line and not be called on it. Pridgen doesn't.
"Glad you're still with us," Pridgen notes as he nods to Severide.
"Still here," Casey retorts in mild sarcasm just as Pridgen turns and walks back to his tuck, shouting out clean-up orders in the process.
"Matt…."
"Kelly, I'm fine. Nothing a hot shower and a cold beer won't fix. Just got a bit winded but I had my mask on the whole time and I'm okay. I'm fine."
"I'm sure we'll hear about it when we get back."
"What were you two talking about earlier? Saw you in his office," Casey asks quietly as Severide helps him stand upright.
"I'll tell you about that over the cold beer."
"Deal," Casey nods and smiles as they slowly head back to their respective trucks.
Severide hears Casey cough and then slightly wheeze and grits his teeth; once again the protective feeling surging when he sees Pridgen glare at Casey with narrowed eyes. What the hell is going on? But he tells himself, it's not the time or place to call Pridgen out so he helps his team pack up their gear and all head back to 51.
"What was that all about?" Hermann asks Casey as they near the large truck entrance doors.
"I don't know. Maybe he's pissed because McLeod cut his funding and closed his House and he's only temp with 51 and wants Boden's job."
"Can't have it," Otis pipes up in disdain. "Hate that guy."
"Feeling's mutual," Hermann adds as Truck 81 comes to a stop inside the large vehicle garage.
As soon as he hops down from the front of his large rig, Casey's mind wants nothing more than to head to the showers and clean off or find the nearest punching bag and release the leftover inner frustration Pridgen's attitude is causing to fester. However, that plan is rendered moot when Pridgen starts to call out all the errors of Truck 81, himself included and he's had enough.
"Cut them some slack Chief. Everyone here has already proven themselves to 51."
But it's not the fact that Casey defends his team, or himself that riles Pridgen up so much it's that he actually had the nerve to talk back to a superior in public, setting the example of what he sees is insubordination. Pridgen looks at the faces of men at 51 and knows he has no chance to reprimand Casey or Severide for that matter in front of their House and not face personal backlash.
"Lieutenant Casey! In my office in 5 minutes. You too Severide."
"Now what the hell does he want?" Casey mutters as he falls into step beside Severide and both head for the Chief's office.
"Just watch yourself in there. He's gunning for something."
"Kelly?"
"Tell you later," Severide whispers as they enter Pridgen's office and are told to close the door. Pridgen lets them have it, tossing in a warning to Severide for his disobedience earlier and adding a veiled threat that Boden might not return at all and they'll be stuck with him for good.
"It's fifteen degrees out. You want us to wash all the windows?" Casey had tossed back in mild protest, Severide looking at him with a small frown. Of course he can feel Casey's frustrated protest but knows that if Pridgen really wanted to, he could make their professional lives even more miserable. Both of them decide not to involve their teams as they were the men of Firehouse 51 had been through enough and in all honesty it would give them a bit more time to talk and bond.
Casey starts out mocking Pridgen but stating his tone of voice, "at least we all learned a valuable lesson today," making Severide laugh of course. But then he pulls out something that makes his good friend smile even more. "This will cheer us up," Casey tells Severide as he pulls out his cigar carrier and displays two fresh Cuban cigars.
"Hey…nice," Severide's smile widens as he plucks the cigar from the case and smells it. "Wow…Cuban's. Where'd you score these?"
"Chief Pridgen, only he doesn't know," Casey wags his brows as Severide laughs once more; Casey's face making another mocking display as they both laugh.
Severide lights up the cigar and shakes his head at Casey. "So you've called it off right? With Beth?"
"I have. I just hope Beth can finally take the hint."
"She's a tiger alright," Severide snickers as each take a puff of the Cuban contraband.
"In more ways than one," Casey retorts with a smile and an eyebrow wag.
"Yeah? Tell me about it."
"Here? You want details of me having sex with the Chief's ex here? No way," Casey tosses back in mock seriousness. "I need to be a least a little drunk for that to happen."
"Alright, beers after this. I think we've earned it," Severide adds as they stand atop the ladders finishing the last few windows. But when he gets a serious look on his face Casey is quick to call him on it. "You want to know about earlier right?"
"I don't mind talking about that here….just in a low tone," Casey adds; Severide turning to him with that same serious expression. "Okay what's going on?"
"You know we hate secrets right? At this House and ours."
"Right," Casey replies slowly as both look inside to make sure Pridgen wasn't lurking within hearing distance. "Kelly, what is it?"
"Pridgen asked me to keep an eye on you."
"What?" Casey asks in utter shock. "When did he…wait was it after Welch saw us?"
"Bad timing right?" Severide answers in haste as Casey's jaw grits. "Hey man I don't know because I never saw them talk but he did offer me a bribe for it. Said he'd make it worth my while."
"A bribe? We could have him written up."
"We could, only it was offered behind closed doors and it would come down to he said he said and I'd lose. Pridgen, I'm sure has some pull with the higher ups and it'd be even worse here. Just watch your back around him. I don't think he intentionally meant to injure anyone on truck 81 but I don't know now."
"Damn it," Casey curses under his breath before muttering something incoherent. "What'd you tell him?"
"To shove it…in a politically correct way. I told him you were one of the finest firefighters I've worked with at CPD and stuff like that doesn't fly here at 51. You know I always have your back."
"Appreciate it."
"It's the truth," Severide adds with a small shrug as both take another puff of their cigars. "And that the first round's on you," he concludes with a lighter tone; Casey's face slightly relaxing. "Next time Beth shows up at the House, avoid her."
"Copy that," Casey agrees with a heavy frown. Of course he appreciates Severide telling him about Pridgen's little illegal and unethical offer but at the same time knows he's has an even bigger target on his back. So far he hadn't done anything professionally wrong but Pridgen wasn't making it easier for him to avoid injury or danger for himself or his team. If not for Severide's quick actions today, he knows things could have been a lot worse.
"I think that is making your cough worse," Severide comments in warm concern as he gently pats Casey on the back.
"Stress."
"Okay that I can't fault you on. Think we should tell Boden?"
"I want to but just after his father died….kinda like telling him to come back because we can't take a bit of professional scolding."
"Right," Severide groans as he takes another puff and then both finally lean back to examine their progress. "Finished."
"Finally," Casey adds with a stretch and wince. "Still on for that beer?"
"Since you're about to cough up a lung here…" Severide snickers as Casey offers a mock, playful expression of horror. "Yeah nice try, you sound like you're about to fall over."
"Squad's here to rescue me," Casey tosses back in a cheeky tone as Severide chuckles. "Okay…what's your backup plan?"
"Game's on tonight. And we have our own big screen TV."
"Ah so instead of finding trouble at the bar – again," Casey lightly chastises himself before continuing, "we pick up some beer, order in a pizza and get hammered at home."
"See, perfect night in," Severide slaps Casey on the back; Casey offering one more small cough to which they both laugh at.
With the windows washed and their tense and tiring shift over, both of them leave Firehouse 51, Pridgen watching with a look of anxiety-ridden contempt. Their brotherly bond was seemingly unbreakable; he'd have to try something else. But at the same time Casey and Severide were also coming up with a plan of their own to survive Pridgen's dictatorship and come out standing in the end of whatever his personal vendetta would force upon them. Hopefully Boden would return before anything more should happen.
A/N: Sorry I wanted this up last week but real life didn't cooperate but it's up now and hope you all liked this piece and please do review before you go and thanks so much!