Title: A New Start
Chapter 1 – Welcome to Chicago?
Summary: AU Firehouse 51 gets two new Lieutenants; each of them looking for a new start in Chicago. But as the past catches up with one, will it affect the other and destroy the new starts both are working hard to create? #sevasey #lindseride #dawsey
Disclaimer: Same as always. I own nothing but my muse and my love for all things #firefighters #Sevasey & #Lindseride
A/N: Okay so…don't want to say too much but this will focus on Kelly/Erin and Matt/Dawson and its AU and I'm kinda nervous about this idea but hope you all give it a chance and….well…here we go :)
"Fire department, call out!"
"Jones! Take your team to the left, find the vent! I'll take Squad to the right!"
"Copy!"
"Herrmann, check the right side for openings! Damn these boards!"
"Jones, make sure truck vents the area before we get there!"
"Copy Caplan!"
"We're almost at the back!"
"Caplan! Jones! Report!" Boden's voice boomed over the staticy radio as the anxious medics stood outside watching as they waited for anyone to emerge with anyone who needed medical help.
"It's taking too long," Dawson muttered as Brett cast her an anxious glance. "Jones needs to get that vent open," she whispered as her brow furrowed.
"Where is that vent!" Boden's voice is heard again.
"Still looking Chief!" Truck Lieutenant Jones replied.
"Hurry! You're almost out of time!" Boden cautioned as he looked up at the top of the building in concern. But within seconds his radio was jammed with all sorts of anxious chatter.
"Copy that! Let's mo…"
"Too dark in here!"
"Smell fresh gas coming from…"
"Find the leak!"
"We need a vent!"
"Hold on that vent!"
"Say again? Caplan…"
"Jones…wa…
But that sentence wasn't finished as a few seconds into the reply to Boden's command to evacuate the building a small wave of fire found a hidden pocket of accelerant and made its results known to all.
BOOM!
Everyone on the outside instantly recoiled; those around the entrance pulled back with frantic expressions and those inside tried to scramble to any kind of safety if it wasn't too late for them. For at least one...it would be too late.
"Caplan! Jones! Report!"
"Caplan is down! Repeat! Caplan is down!"
"We have men trapped and down…"
"Fire's hot in here!"
"Need help in here!"
"Find an exit!"
"HURRY! He's in bad condition!"
"Jones!"
"Oh God…he's burning!"
"No! Caplan! We gotta move him! NOW!"
Boden heard the anxious chatter over the radio from his teams as those on the outside rushed into help free those that were trapped and close to any entrance or exit; not wanting to put any more first responders in danger. Reinforcements converged on the scene a few minutes later and Boden stepped back to watch in horrible agitation as some of his men carried out a few of their team members. "Oh no…" Boden whispered as he watched Dawson and Brett rush up to one of his Lieutenants to offer medical help.
"Herrmann….what happened?"
"The candidate and I," he paused as he nodded to Otis and then looked back. "It was dark; too dark. We smelt the gas. Caplan told Jones to hold on the vent but…but over all the noise he didn't hear…" Herrmann's voice died out as they watched 51's truck Lieutenant rush by on the stretcher with Dawson and Brett calling out directions to one of the other medics waiting by the ambulance; the Squad Lieutenant already en route to Chicago Med. "Caplan didn't have a chance. He was…damn he was in a lake of gasoline when the oxygen hit him."
"Okay. Help with the clean up here and then get to the hospital."
"Sir," Herrmann replied with a heavy heart as he looked at Cruz and Mouch as they approached. "It looked bad."
"Jones is young and strong…he'll pull through," Herrmann replied as he clapped Cruz on the shoulder.
"Caplan too…both lieutenants," Capp huffed as two other squad members approached them.
"Newhouse, you're head…better get that checked out," Boden nodded toward a small cut on his squad member's forehead. "Rest of you check in with the Medics before you head back to 51."
Newhouse gave Boden a nod and then turned and slowly followed after the rest of his team; Boden turning and looking at the building that two engine teams were now trying to get under control.
"Damn," Boden cursed in an undertone as he watched Hank Voight and Antonio Dawson from the Chicago PD approach him with serious expressions. "If you're here, this can only mean one thing…"
"That body you pulled out earlier…he is…was…our chief suspect in a homicide investigation," Voight replied gruffly as he looked at Boden with a distressed expression. "Any other bodies?"
"Heard there were two others…deceased when my team found them," Boden answered in truth as he replied curtly. "Jones and Caplan were both taken to Med. Caplan bore the brunt of the backdraft. At this point…don't know if it was deliberately set or not."
"Like the last one?"
"Looking to be that way," Voight acknowledged grimly. "How are the teams?"
"Some serious injuries today."
"Ah damn…sorry."
"Me too," Boden nodded as he pulled away and headed toward the mouth of the building as the fiery pockets finally started to be extinguished and it looked like they had finally won the battle. But he knew inside…they hadn't won the war – the beast did. It would claim a life. He'd get the horrible news only too soon.
XXXXXXXX
"How is Jones?" Boden asked Herrmann who walked into his office two weeks after the horrific warehouse fire that claimed the life of his squad Lieutenant – Harry Caplan.
"Jones is uh…he's bitter and blaming himself," Herrmann sighed as he slumped down in front of his superior. "He blames himself for Caplan's death. Said it was on him…he was the one to vent. Sir, he didn't know Caplan was standing in a pool of fuel. None of us saw it. It was…was too dark. We smelt it but…but that whole place was full of fuel. His light wasn't working. There was too much static and noise. Told him it wasn't intentional but…Sarah won't go visit him. I think she blames him for Harry's death."
"I'll go see him. No one should be blaming him but I understand why he's feeling the guilt. He looked up to Caplan," Boden explained as Herrmann nodded in agreement. "And I understand Sarah's anger. Donna and I will pay her another visit. She's still a part of this family."
"A family that's broken."
"Herrmann," Boden warned.
"With Jones unable to work in the field…well ever," Herrmann's voice died out into misery. "Suggested maybe he could work as an instructor…or something. He said no. He's done with all of it."
"It'll take time," Boden reminded him.
"So how have the applications been going?"
"Have a few out of towners that I'm considering."
"What about the current floaters?" Herrmann inquired as he took the four applications in his hand and started to look through them. "Kelly…Severide…any relation to…"
"Benny Severide's kid," Boden replied in haste as Herrmann looked up in wonder. "Even Hank Voight put in a good word for him."
"That's saying something," Herrmann deadpanned as Boden gently smiled. "Matt Casey…and Henry Ryder. Both…have impressive letters of recommendation and…have been lieutenants for at least five years."
"I want two guys in those roles who can come in and lead these teams."
Herrmann offered Boden a sour look as he nodded but it wasn't with genuine happiness.
"I think a few fresh faces will do the teams some good."
"Chief…"
"No internal Chicago politics coming with these two. I checked. This House needs that right now."
"We just got Newhouse and Otis."
"And they were outsiders and are now family," Boden reminded him as Herrmann stood up to leave. "Take the Lieutenant's test. I'll book some interviews this week. The sooner we can fill these spots the better it will be for the House's morale."
"Still skeptical," Herrmann offered as he got up to leave.
Boden watched Christopher Herrmann take his leave and then picked up the phone and dialed the first name on his list.
XXXXXXXX
Erin watched Antonio approach her desk with a file and a serious expression. "What's…oh Jackson?"
"We were right…he did kill the boy," Antonio groaned as he showed her a picture from the file that made her instantly cringe. "He used store the fire to cover the murders of the kid's father and uncle. ME confirmed that they were all dead before the fire was set."
"Damn," she cursed as Voight neared them.
"Now with this one in addition to the building manager's murder, we can also add the murder of Firehouse 51 Truck Lieutenant Harry Caplan and the attempted murder of Firehouse 51 Squad Lieutenant Trevor Jones to his list of charges," Voight informed them as Erin looked up concern.
"Murder?"
"AI just confirmed the fire was arson, deliberately set and with the same MO that Jackson used in the last fire that killed the boy. We need to find him before he strikes again. I want this guy!"
"Has Boden hired any replacements?"
"Gabby said they did," Antonio blurted out as Voight looked at him in surprise. "That's…what I heard."
"When?"
"Week ago," Antonio shrugged as they looked a Voight who nodded.
"He hired two from out of town. One from St. Louis – a Matt Casey and the other from Philly. Benny Severide's kid," Voight told them in truth.
"Severide…the AI guy you work with sometimes?" Erin asked in wonder as Voight nodded.
"Yeah. He's solid in his field and I have no doubt his kid will be also. But not our department so let's get back to business. Ernest Jackson. Where are we at with chasing him down?" Voight got his team back on track.
"Okay so we have a lead that might work."
"Tell me."
Erin didn't give it much thought as she told herself that she didn't need to concern herself with Kelly Severide as Voight would be handling the rest of the investigation concerning Firehouse 51. She'd…be wrong. Destiny, however, had other plans in mind.
XXXXXXXX
"How old do you think he is?"
"Single or married?"
"Old or young?"
"Why from outside?"
"Why out of state?"
"Why both out of state?"
"What's really going on?"
And on the questions went as the current members of Firehouse 51 all waited their two newest team members and their new team leaders – one for truck and the other for squad.
"Think…one of them is here," Dawson piped up as Matt Casey's truck pulled to a stop outside Firehouse 51.
"Can you see what he looks like?" Brett asked in haste as Cruz and Otis traded eye rolls.
"He's…he's fine," Dawson smiled as her dark eyes fixed themselves on the blond as he slowly headed toward them. "Hope…he's single," she muttered; not thinking anyone would hear but turning back to see Brett smile and Herrmann just shake his head. "What?"
"That wasn't a requirement on his application," Herrmann retorted dryly.
"Well maybe it should be," Dawson fired back confidently as Brett offered a giggle.
Matt Casey stopped his truck outside Firehouse 51 and looked at his new place of employment. "Well…wanted a new start and here it is," he muttered in an undertone as he grabbed his small duffle bag and got out of his truck. He started to walk toward the entrance but stopped just as he heard the low rumble of an American muscle car and watched as a robin's egg blue vintage mustang came to a stop and an unfamiliar face got out and gave him a nod.
"You work here?"
"Just starting today. Matt Casey."
"Kelly Severide. Guess we have that in common. First day also," Kelly smiled as he shook Matt's hand. "You…from around here?"
"St. Louis. You?"
"Philly," Kelly answered as they headed toward the door to Firehouse 51. "New Lieutenant?"
"Yeah. Truck. You?"
"Squad. Two lieutenants at once. Maybe this place is cursed," Kelly offered in amused sarcasm as Matt chuckled and shrugged. "Well…shall we go meet our new crews?"
"Let's do it."
But just before they could say another word about their new place of employment, they both stop and watch as the large truck doors slowly open and both are now brought face to face with their new team members.
"Welcome to Firehouse 51," Boden approached his two new lieutenants with an open, outstretched palm and a friendly smile.
"Matt Casey."
"Kelly Severide."
Each took turns greeting Boden with a firm handshake before Boden introduced each team member on Truck and then squad and then the paramedic duo assigned to the house.
"Alright come on in and let's get you both settled," Boden entreated as the small gathering parted and inquiring looks were quickly exchanged; and myriads of questions were just waiting to be asked later.
Kelly and Matt followed Boden into the belly of Firehouse 51 and then down to his office each trading a wondering glance before they entered the office, the door was closed and a new journey was about to begin – for them all. But would it be all sunshine and roses?
A/N: so yup…this is an AU for sure but I hope you all are excited to see where it goes. How will our boys first interaction with our girls go and how will their new firehouse accept them and of course deal with the incoming danger (b/c you know I love that and there will be lots!) and hmm maybe a few more surprises (up next!) hehe so please do review before you go and let me know if you want more and thanks so much!