So yay! My first Chicago Fire story! I just recently got into this fandom (I actually watched all the episodes over the weekend...I have no life) so im rather unsure about this...so this is just the first part, if it's good and people think I should keep it up, I will but if it's crap I'm gonna take it down. Also, the situation encountered here is a little odd but my Uncle, a firefighter lieutenant in Connecticut actually gave me the idea because he told a story about something like this almost (thankfully!) happening to him which got me thinking and then I mentioned the situation to my other uncle who is also a firefighter, in Florida though, and he mentioned that it also almost happened to him! So it stuck in my mind and then I got sucked into Chicago Fire and...well this was the result! Also, heads up, I have no beta, all mistakes are my own.Hope you like!

I do not own Chicago Fire!

Please review!


It's a fairly basic call, apartment building fire, nothing overtly dangerous beyond, y'know, the fire. Casey's the last one still clearing up a floor, the rest of his guys as well as Severide and his having cleared the floors above. His floor had been clear so far, the occupants of the first floor easily clearing out but he's still got one unit left.

"Casey!" Severide's voice crackles through his radio, "Hurry it up! Building's getting' shaky!"

"Last one!" Turning away from the wall, the blond kicks open the door, directing his shout through the newly created opening, "Fire department! Call out!"

For a moment there's nothing but then he hears a voice and whips around rushing into the room.

Casey's not expecting what happens next, he takes two steps into the room, there's twin cracks –not the sound of the building, or the fire he knows those sounds but this, it's different– and that's all the warning he gets before something slams into his chest, jerking him back and dropping him to the floor.

Barely audible over the crackling fire is a horrified shout but Casey's more focused on the pain ripping through his chest and the black spots darkening his vision. He feels the weight drop down next to him but it takes a few blinks before he can make out the figure. It's a teenage boy, shaggy, unruly brown hair, tall, well built. The kid's soot stained and terrified, tears streaming down his face, voice broken and stuttering, "Oh my God! I'm so sorry! I didn't me- it was an acci- oh my God, what did I do? Please, oh God, please don't be dead!"

He keeps rambling but Casey's too confused as to what the kid thinks he did and then his mind clears enough for him to remember that they need to get outta here. So he tries to shove down some of the pain, with not overwhelming success, voice still stuttering "Ki-kid!" the boy jerks up, relief flooding his face but Casey doesn't give him a moment, "Kid, what's your name?"

"Eric…" he sniffs.

"Ok, ok, Eric. We gotta get outta here. You, you need to help me up." Eric nods and the next few moments are a blur of pained gasps and curses as the teenager helps him sit then stand up. Finally they get to a standing position, Eric pretty much holding the firefighter up and Casey does his best to give him direction. Right before they enter into the smoke filled hallway, he catches sight of the black metal discarded carelessly on the apartment floor next.

His stomach drops and just as he loses consciousness it hits him.

He'd been friggin' shot!

CF*CF*CF*CF*CF*CF*CF*CF*CF*CF*CF*

Severide's staring at the doorway, heart beating double time in his chest as it remains empty, nothing but smoke and the occasional lick of flame pouring out of it. He knows the others are staring too, all their hearts in their throats but he can't really think about that right now.

Casey shoulda been out by now, or at least answering his radio, but he's done neither, even with them all shouting through their own.

"Chief! We gotta go back in!" Cruz is the one who shouts finally, even though they're all thinking it. Their lieutenant and friend could be stuck somewhere in the inferno, radio broken, unable to call out for help.

Boden's face is grim, "No, we can't put more guys in, not with this building about to come down."

Even knowing his right, Severide immediately protests, as do the others, horrified at the thought of the blond alive, alone and trapped as the building comes down around him. He whips around and is two second from disregarding orders and running into the building when a shape breaks through the smoke.

It takes a moment till he can make out the shape as two figures leaning against each other, one distinctly familiar as Casey, mask off and jacket flapping open.

Behind him there are shouts of the relief and it flood through Severide for a moment too until he takes in the two.

One's a teenager, tear tracks striping through the soot stains, nothing unusual, but he's not the one leaning over, it's Casey. Casey's not even walking, he's barely being held up by the kid's arm around his waist; head tipped forward, blue eyes closed. His jacket flutters to the side and Severide's heart drops, the younger firefighter's shirt is drenched in dark blood, the crimson liquid soaking into his pants and dripping to the ground.

For a moment he's frozen, just like all those times he hears witnesses accounts of them finding themselves frozen, unable to move, but then he's racing forward, the relief filled joking and banter cutting off with his panic filled shout, "CASEY!"

The kid collapses before he reaches them, legs giving out under the weight and stress of carrying a full grown man, but Severide pays him little heed, even as the teen burst into sobs, instead dropping to his knees next to his fellow lieutenant. More footsteps pound out as both of their men came racing over, abruptly realizing that something's wrong and the Chief's voice calls out for a medic but the dark haired lieutenant's more focused on checking on the state of his friend, hands going instinctively to check for a pulse, finally finding one, thready and light against his fingertips.

"Hey come on Casey, wake up!" His voice is a bit panicky as he stares at the lax face in front of him, "Matt! I mean it! Come on Matt! Wake up!"

"Oh Jesus Christ!" Herrmann gasps put as he comes up next to them, the others following with similar comments as they notice the blood soaked fabric on Casey's torso.

Mouch is the one to turn to the kid, "What the hell happened?"

To their surprise the teen bursts into a new round of sobs, "Oh God! I'm so sorry! I-I didn't know who it was! I didn't mean to!"

Dawson and Shay appear, the guys clearing to one side even as the kid continues his nonsensical rambling. The two rapidly got to work, checking vitals, pulling out equipment and cutting the blood stained shirt all with practices movements.

Severide's stomach drops when Shay tugs the fabric away and violently gasps and flinches face paling, Dawson turns from the equipment, mirroring her partner's reaction and he leans to get a glance.

"Oh god! I didn't mean to shoot him!" the kid finally says a recognizable sentence and the darker-haired lieutenant feels his entire body go cold and freeze as the words hit and the two circular holes become visible on his friend's chest.

Casey had been friggin shot!

.

.

tbc
(if y'all think it's worth it)