It wasn't the pain that woke Braelyn up, it was the sound. A constant ringing in her ears that made her head throb. Although as soon as she awoke, the pain hit instantaneously. Her eyes were wide open yet all she could see was a thick black cloud of smoke. Her mother had been drunk, and she knew she should never have gotten in the car with her, but she refused to let her go alone, not in the state she was in. She felt like it was her duty to protect Griffin and Ben after what had happened to their dad.
Braelyn had never felt pain like it. She was completely trapped in the back seat. She could scarcely recollect what had happened but all she knew was, as her own mother attempted to abandon the upturned vehicle that her own daughter lay close to death, was that she would never look at her mother the same again. A sudden burst of sound occurred, temporarily unblocking Braelyn's ears. She could hear the sirens in the distance. A gust of relief swept over her body. Sirens meant help, and help meant she could get out alive.
Her relief was quickly reminded that they needed to hurry, when she began to taste more blood in her mouth and felt it run down her forehead.
"Help." She whispered quietly, to anyone who was listening.
"Stay still in there sweetie, helps on the way." The owner of the bar whom they had almost crashed into shouted, shooting a glare at the drunk mother who was having to be kept close by by some regulars who were on the scene at the time. After what seemed like a lifetime, the trucks arrived. Immediately, Heather was put into handcuffs and placed in a police car. Matt immediately ran over to her.
"Heather?! What were you thinking?!" He exclaimed angrily.
"Haha, I was just out for a drive with Brae-" he cut her off immediately.
"You let your daughter get in the car with you?!" He shook his head in disappointment and ran over to help his colleagues.
"Chief what's the plan?" Kelly asked.
"We need to get her out but she's getting scared and agitated and only inflicting more damage to herself, someone needs to be in there with her." He explained, glancing for volunteers.
"I'll go." Matt said instantaneously. Kelly looked at him.
"Are you sure that's the best idea? You saw how she reacted last time she saw you. Maybe someone else should." Kelly explained softly and Matt sighed.
His relationship with the teenager had been strained recently. They used to be extremely close, but since Anthony's death she's been extremely reserved and private and hasn't spoken to anyone apart from her mother and brothers. She had been diagnosed with depression after losing her father, and hadn't felt comfortable talking to anybody about it, and her mother, Heather, hadn't pushed her, struggling herself to cope with her own feelings, never mind her daughters.
"Maybe Mills should go?" Matt suggested and everyone looked confused.
"Me? Why me?" Mills asked. Matt smirked.
"Well, last time she saw you, she told me you were cute, so I'm sure it'd be comforting to see a 'cute' face right now." He stated, when in reality he was just nervous to see the teenager again.
"So it's settled. Mills, go on in. Remember, keep her awake and still, try to reassure her everything is okay and she's going to be fine. If you can, assess her injuries and figure out if there's any spinal damage." He was instructed by Shay and Dawson, as he nodded and climbed into the vehicle. Braelyn awoke with a start at the sudden invasion of the car. She gasped for air as her chest tightened.
"Hey, it's alright, it's just me. I'm Peter Mills, I'm a firefighter for firehouse 51, we're going to get you out I promise." He said slowly, not wanting to alarm the girl further. Braelyn remembered him, she thought he was absolutely gorgeous when they'd first met and made sure to talk to him as much as possible. But the lack of oxygen was making her dizzy and disorientated.
"I.. Can't.. Breath.." She gasped, clenching her fist. Mills immediately put an oxygen mask over her head and she began to feel more at ease.
"Mills were going to begin to cut the door off, keep her still." Matt's voice echoed through the car.
"Was that Matt Casey? My dad's old friend?" Braelyn asked quietly. Mills nodded, holding her head still.
"How is he?" She asked. Mills looked shocked.
"He's doing good, he thought you didn't like him very much." He stated. Braelyn's eyes widened in shock.
"What? No! I don't not like him. I was just, sad and I didn't want to be reminded of my dad that day. I love Matt, he's like a second dad to me." She stated drowsily, slowly beginning to drift off.
"Stay with me Braelyn. Not long now sweetie I promise. So, how old are you?" He asked, now trying to make small talk with her.
"16 tomorrow." She mumbled, flinching as she felt some weight being taken from her legs as the door was taken off.
"Really? Well happy birthday for tomorrow Braelyn." Peter exclaimed happily, but also sympathetically when he realised she would spend her birthday in a hospital room being pestered by police officers to press charges against her own mother. Braelyn simply smiled thankfully and concentrated on staying awake.
After a surprisingly short but excruciatingly painful cut out of the car, Braelyn was greeted by the familiar face of Leslie Shay and Gabby Dawson, who immediately gave her strong pain relief to ease the pain. Matt ran over to the trio. Braelyn, although she was almost passed out with pain and morphine, weakly put her hand onto his cheek.
"You're going to be okay, Braelyn. We're all going to take care of you, I promise." Shortly after, blackness engulfed her. But she wasn't scared; she felt safe.
Beep, beep, beep. Braelyn softly groaned at the sound. She felt a hand place itself into hers and squeeze tightly.
"Wake up Braelyn. C'mon hun." A familiar voice urged and chuckled softly when she shook her head. Braelyn did, however, open her eyes.
"Hey Braelyn. How are you feeling?" Matt asked quietly.
"Sore." Braelyn mumbled, wincing as she moved.
"Let me do get the doctor. I won't be a second." Matt left the room and returned with a younger male doctor.
"Braelyn, it's lovely to see you're awake, at last. Just a few questions if you don't mind. Can you tell me what day it is please?" He asked. Braelyn thought hard about this, but eventually shook her head.
"Sorry doctor, I can't remember." She stuttered nervously. The doctor sighed.
"Yes, we did fear this. You see, miss Darden, when the vehicle crashed, you smacked your head against the seat, and it caused a small bleed. Luckily, we were able to stop the bleed but we were worried that some short term amnesia may set in as we weren't able to stop it immediately. And as we feared, it has. But not to worry dear, it will only be temporary and soon enough you will have your full memory back. To figure out how severe the amnesia is, can you tell me the last thing you remember?" Braelyn sighed shakily.
"Erm, well, it was really cold, and mom was crying a lot, and so were Griffin and Ben, I think Matt and Chief Boden were there, all at my house, and I think Kelly and some other members of squad. I can't really remember why though." She recollected loosely. It only took that small memory for Matt to realise what it was. It was the day after Anthony Darden has died, and it was when Chief Boden had told Heather. He grimaced.
"Lt. Casey, do you know when this was?" He asked the firefighter, who was dressed in his uniform still.
"Yeah, I do. It was just over a year ago, a year and few days maybe, when myself and my chief had told Braelyn and her mother that Anthony Darden was killed in a fire." Realisation struck Braelyn like a truck, and she blinked back tears. Matt rubbed her arm slowly and supportively. The doctor and Matt shared a small look and the doctor left, not without telling Braelyn her other injuries.
"Miss Darden, you have also got 5 broken ribs, a punctured lung, and severely dislocated your hip bone. Above all that though, you have been paralysed from the waist down. Due to this, you will need help to get dressed and washed. Also, you will need to start attending rehabilitation sessions so you can hopefully eventually walk again. It is quite likely that, with persistency and determination alongside a lot of support and hard work, that you will make a full recovery, but it will take time. An appointment will be arranged in the meantime. We've bandaged your minor injuries up and a wheel chair will be provided. You are discharged, so I'll leave you to get dressed then sign you out."
Matt hesitantly walked out the room, realising that she would need help getting dressed. Hearing her frustrated grunts only made him chuckle. He knocked on the door upon hearing her freeze.
"Braelyn, do you need some help." She groaned.
"Erm, yes please Matt." She responded hesitantly, clearly embarrassed at the thought of Matt seeing her in just underwear.
"I've, erm, managed to get my underwear on, but I can't get my pants on. Sorry Matt." She apologised. He shook his head.
"Don't apologise Braelyn, it's no trouble." He dismissed her abruptly.
Once the teenager was dressed, Matt lifted her and placed her gently in the wheelchair, pushing her out the door.
"You've got some people wanting to see you at the firehouse Braelyn, if you're up for it?" Matt asked her and she happily agreed.
"Where are Griffin and Ben? And where's mom? Why wasn't she there when I woke up? And why did I have to wake up? What happened to me?" Braelyn seemed to have a never ending flow of questions that she couldn't stop from spilling out of her. Matt stopped pushing her and crouched to her level.
"I'll explain everything later, I promise. And Griffin and Ben are there waiting for you." He said, and resumed pushing her.
The drive back to the firehouse wasn't particularly long but Braelyn flinched at every movement the car made. Although she couldn't remember what had happened, her gut was telling her that this wasn't safe. Noticing her fear, Matt gently placed his hand on her thigh and patted it softly.
It didn't take long for them to get the firehouse and she smiled as soon as it came into view. Matt pulled up and parked. He got out of the car and jogged round to Braelyn's side, opening her door. She reached around and placed her arms around his neck as he slowly lifted her into the wheelchair. Braelyn winced as she sat down.
Upon hearing the car door shut, Shay and Dawson- who were cleaning the back of the ambulance outside- walked over to the pair.
"Braelyn! You're okay, that's good! How's heather?" Dawson asked after giving her a hug, directing the final question to Matt rather than Braelyn. Matt, however, ignored her question.
"Braelyn's got amnesia, she can't remember anything that's happened in the past year, isn't that right?" Matt said, shooting looks at Shay and Dawson that clearly read to not mention the accident yet.
"That's awful! What else is wrong?" Shay asked, holding Braelyn's hand.
"She's severely dislocated her hip, and some broken ribs. Most importantly is that she's been temporarily paralysed from the waist down, she's going to have to learn to walk again and it's going to take time, but you'll do it, won't you Bee?" Matt patted her shoulder and she let out a small smile.
"We'd better go and see everyone inside and tell them, Griffin and Ben are dying to see you." Shay exclaimed whilst taking over pushing Braelyn inside.
Immediately, everyone stood up to greet her and were shocked to see her in the state she was in.
"Bee!" Griffin and Ben exclaimed and ran over to her, both of them smothering her in hugs and kisses. Shay patted her shoulder and huddled everyone, to explain what Braelyn's situation was she presumed.
"Oh Bee, how are you?" Griffin asked fondly, sitting on one of her knees and Ben on the other, neither of them realised that she couldn't feel them on her.
"I'm okay boys, how about you? What have you been up to?" She asked excitedly, wanting to know why her brothers were here yet her mother was yet to make an arrival.
"We're awesome! We got to ride in the truck and everything!" Ben exclaimed happily and Braelyn chuckled. She noticed Griffin, however, didn't look as excited as Ben did.
"You okay kiddo?" She asked, and just as Griffin was about to answer, everyone came over.
Cruz was the first one there, embracing Braelyn in a giant hug before ruffling her hair. Severide came next, kissing her on the cheek and giving her a supportive hug. These exchanges continued until Matt and Gabby walked back in.
"Hey everyone, I have some news. Griffin, Ben, why don't you go and show Gabby your toys in the locker room?" He asked, and they both jumped off Braelyn causing the wheelchair to roll back slightly.
"Where's the brakes on this thing?" She muttered as Mills caught her, narrowly avoiding a collision with the cabinet.
"Braelyn, this is all news to you, so I'm going to explain from the beginning. Basically, your mom got drunk on your fathers passing anniversary and wanted to pick Griffin and Ben up from the sitters. You and one of your moms friends were in the car and because she was driving whilst drunk, she crashed. That's what caused the accident. Your mom was going to get let off with a small sentence of a couple of weeks, because it was her first offence, but, unfortunately, Antonio told me yesterday that the passenger didn't make it. Your mom was offered a deal, and it was a guilty plea to manslaughter and DUI, which she took, and because of that she's going to be serving a maximum of 25 months in prison. So, that means you and your brothers will be staying with me for a little while." Matt explained.
It was a lot of information for Braelyn to digest. Anger was imminent on her face.
"Does she know what she's done to me?" She asked harshly, asking anyone who knew the answer.
"I don't think so, she hasn't been allowed visitors yet. I was going to take Ben and Griffin to see her on Monday if you're up for it?" Matt asked her, to which Braelyn shook her head.
"No, thanks. I'd rather see her by myself, so we can talk about what she's done to me." She stated firmly, not nastily but firmly. Everyone respected that.
"I'd have to speak with the prison, but I think it should be arrangeable." Matt explained and Braelyn smiled.
"Thank you Matt."
"Enough of all the serious talk, now, I bet you're starving." Mills exclaimed, looking Braelyn in the eyes causing her to blush.
"Yeah, I guess." She answered.
"What do you fancy for dinner? We've got stuff in for pasta, burgers or pizza?" Peter shouted from a cupboard by the oven.
"Burgers please Peter!" Braelyn decided and everyone cheered.
Peter set off to work making burgers for everyone whilst Griffin and Ben came bounding back in with Gabby in tow. Gabby went to sit with Herrmann and Otis.
"Hey, you guys wanna push me over to Gabby?" She asked Griffin and Ben who both nodded excitedly and held a handle each. Braelyn chuckled slightly, this wasn't going to be good.