"What did you think of your first Squad shift Mills?" Severide asks, as he and the newest member of Squad 3 walk out of 51 after shift.
"I really enjoyed it; I hope I get to see a lot of new and interesting things." Mills says.
"Oh believe me Mills; you will get to see a lot." Severide says.
"What's the weirdest call you've been on Lieutenant?" Mills questions the seasoned Firehouse 51 lieutenant.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." Severide admits.
"No really, I want to know." Mills presses.
"Okay, fine" Severide huffs.
"I guess I have to think about what my weirdest call was, I'll tell you next-shift." Severide says.
"Thanks lieutenant." Mills says.
"Oh, Mills, one more thing." Severide starts.
"Yeah?" Mills responds.
"Just promise you won't put my weirdest call story into a book or something." Severide says.
"I wasn't planning on it." Mills says with a smile.
"Why?" He quickly asks.
"I was just wondering; I tried to write a book one time." Severide admits.
"What happened?" Mills questions.
"I don't really know; I sort of just dropped the idea after a while." Severide says.
2 DAYS LATER…
"Hey Casey!" Severide says, as he spies the other Firehouse lieutenant reporting for his shift.
"Have you seen Mills?" Severide asks Casey.
"No sorry." Casey responds.
"Why?" Casey questions.
"Um, no reason." Severide quickly says.
"No, really why?" Casey asks.
"Mills wants to know what my weirdest call was, after I told him 'he'd see a lot of things' " Severide admits.
"Do you even have a weirdest call story?" Casey challenges.
"Yeah, I do, I just haven't ever told anyone about it…" Severide says, trying to maintain his toughness.
"I guess it wasn't really weird, as it was scary…" Severide adds, very quietly under his breath.
"Oh, c'mon, you know you're going to have to tell me now." Casey responds.
"Really, both you and Mills now?" Severide asks.
"There is a reason I never have told anyone about it" He finishes.
"Hey Lieutenant!" Mills says as he rounds the corner to find both lieutenants standing on the floor.
"Did I interrupt something?" Mills asks.
"Uh, nope we're all…" Severide starts.
"No, we're not." Casey starts.
"He was just about to tell me his weirdest call story." Casey says.
"Casey no!" Severide half-begs.
"I can't believe you actually got him to tell you!" Mills says with a little excitement in his voice.
"So I'm guessing I have to tell both of you now…" Severide says.
"You'd be guessing right." Casey says with a smile.
"Now spill it." He adds.
"Okay, fine!" Severide huffs…
"I almost…" Severide says as he begins the story.
AMBLULANCE 61, TRUCK 81, SQUAD 3, BATTALIAN 25… House Fire
"Would you look at that, duty calls!" Severide says, rushing away from other two men, happy to get out of telling the story.
"Hurry up Mills, Let's go!" Severide yells as he jumps into the Squad truck.
Severide shoots Mills a look as he jumps into Squad's truck; last, as usual.
"Still getting used to heading to the Squad truck for calls? Severide lightly teases.
"Yeah sorry, it almost feels weird coming over here…" Mills admits.
"All I can really do for you; is help you survive being on Squad." Severide says.
"Damn…" Severide starts, as they pull up to the call.
"This doesn't look good…" He finishes.
"Casey, are you seeing this?" Severide asks, as he radios the other firehouse 51 Lieutenant.
"Yeah, this oughta be very interesting…" Casey's voice trails off.
"Looks like to me; that the middle home caught fire first, and then spread to the homes on either side." Severide says as he looks at the engulfed homes in front of him.
"This means there could be quite a few victims…" Casey says.
"Looks like Shay and Dawson are going to have their hands full tonight." Severide says.
"Mills, you better be careful inside, I'd rather not send you back to Dawson and Shay like last time." Severide says, before hearing a small chuckle on the other end of the radio from Casey.
"I personally don't want to suffer another near-death experience, so I'll be careful." Mills says.
"Alright, I want Squad inside for a primary search and a small Truck team inside as backup." Chief says soon after his arrival on scene.
"Casey, make up a small team and head inside with Severide." Chief orders.
"Ok, let's see; Herrmann with Cruz to vent the back, and Otis, Mouch inside with me inside." Casey orders.
"Mills, Capp let's go!" Severide yells while searching for his small but very effective team.
"Should we go together and search one house at a time, or split and do the first two, then come back for the third." Severide asks Casey.
"I honestly think we should stick together for two reasons." Casey says.
"One, we have backup in case of our men decides to get hurt…" Casey says, shooting a look at Mills, who's not amused.
"And two, we will be able to search faster as a bigger team." Casey says.
"Okay, fine then; we'll stick together." Severide replies.
"Let's move out!" Casey says.
"Mills, be careful." Severide says once inside the burning home.
"I will." Mills replies as he looks over at his lieutenant.
"You okay?" Mills asks.
"Oh yeah, perfectly fine; I was just thinking about something for a second, that's all." Severide replies.
"Damn!" Severide curses.
"I got one! Casey!" Severide yells.
"I need some help over here" He yells, louder this time.
"Dawson! Severide and I are coming out with one!" Casey says as he radios Dawson.
"Okay, thanks Casey, we'll be ready!" Dawson says.
"Crap!" Casey starts.
"Here's another one!" Casey says on their way out to meet up with Dawson and Shay.
"Dawson, we found another one; we're coming out with two!" Casey radios to Dawson again.
"I'm calling another team for backup." Dawson says.
"We're heading back in!" Casey tells Dawson as they bring the victims out.
"I'll keep you updated if we find anymore." Casey says.
"Let's go!" Casey yells as he motions for Severide to follow.
"Hey Mills, did you and Capp find any more victims?" Severide radios to Mills.
"Negative Lieutenant, we haven't found any more." Mills answers.
"Have you guys searched the whole house?" Severide questions Mills over the radio.
"Capp and I are in the last room now." Mills replies.
"Ok, Casey and I are spiting to search the other two houses." Severide says.
"Squad's heading to the far left house and Truck to the far right one." Severide says.
"We need to move, these houses are getting more unstable every minute me let them burn." Casey says.
"Capp, go with Mills to the other house, I'll be over there in a sec." Severide says.
"Mills, are we clear in here?" Capp asks the candidate.
"Clear!" Mills shouts back.
"Let's move then!" Capp says.
"It is getting ugly in here…" Severide remarks as he joins his team to begin the search of the second house.
"Let's just search and get out of here." Capp says, with an almost nervous tone.
CREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!
"Lieutenant!" Mills yells, as he watches a beam come crashing down from the ceiling.
"Casey!" Capp shouts over his radio, as he stares down at an unmoving Severide.
"Severide got hit with a beam; we need your help over here!"
"Wait what?!" Casey starts.
"Just come help please!" Capp says.
"Damn!" Capp curses.
"We need to get him out of here, but I can't move that beam, and where the hell is Casey?" Capp says all at once.
"He's pinned in there really tight." Mills says.
"What happened in here?!" Casey questions, as he comes storming into the other house.
"The beam fell…" Mills says frantically.
"Let's move it on three!" Capp says.
"One, two, three!" Capp says.
"Damn it!" Casey says.
"He's out cold, someone get a hold of Shay and Dawson!" Casey orders.
"Seems as if we are plagued by injuries…" Capp says under his breath.
"First Mills, now Severide…" He adds.
"Shay, Dawson, we're coming out with Severide"
"What?" Shay asks.
"Believe it or not, he got hit by a beam and he's is out cold, we're coming out now." Casey responds.
"Ok then." Shay says.
"We'll be ready. She adds, just as Casey's team exits the other house in a fury.
"Hey Otis, I think we're going to need your help again!" Shay yells.
"Let's go!" Dawson yells.
"Well, he's out cold, but breathing, I guess that's good, all things considered." Dawson says.
"Can you feel any broken bones?" Shay asks Dawson.
"No, but that doesn't mean that there aren't any." Dawson replies.
"Casey said he was pinned under that beam pretty good." Shay says.
"I always thought Severide was indestructible." Dawson jokes.
"I never thought I'd see anything take him down." Shay adds.
"Oooh, damn, what happened?" Severide tries to mumble.
"You got hit and pinned by a falling beam." Shay tells Severide
"Capp, Mills, and Casey got you out pretty quickly though." Dawson says.
"See, I told you nothing could take him down." Shay teases.
"What, oohh…" Severide mumbles, as he winces in pain.
"Oh, nothing..." Shay says.
"We're here!" Otis calls.
"Great, now we can focus on getting you better!" Dawson says.
"At least he didn't crash on us, like Mills did." Shay says under her breath as Severide is taken inside.
"Hey, did you ever tell him what happened?" Shay asks.
"Nope, and I'm personally hoping he forgets to ask again." Dawson admits.
"We should probably head inside and check on Severide." Shay says.
"He's lucky." A doctor says, as Shay and Dawson ask for an update on Severide.
"Only 1 broken rib, but we are keeping him overnight for observation; you guys can go see him if you want. She adds.
"Here we thought you were invincible." Shay jokes as she and Dawson enter Severide's room.
"I thought so too." Severide says weakly.
"You didn't scare us quite as much as Mills did, but you did have us a little worried." Shay admits.
"So, where were we?" Casey questions as he enters his fellow lieutenant's room, followed by Mills.
"Really, now?" Severide asks.
"Looks like you guys have something to get back to." Dawson says, as she and Shay exit.
"You were just about to tell us your weirdest call story." Casey reminds him.
"Oh I remember; I didn't want to tell you." Severide says.
"But, you said you would tell us." Casey presses.
"Fine, I'll tell you." Severide huffs.
"I almost died as a candidate." Severide admits, as he begins to tell the story.
"I remember being at the house before this huge call came in. Andy and I came up together as candidates, both assigned to 51. I was goofing off with Andy before our Lieutenant came in to tell us to knock it off. Then the bells went off, and I got excited and told Andy to hurry up; *Flashback* "Nice job Andy, you got us into trouble again." Severide jokes as he and Andy head for the truck. We were pretty much brand-new candidates, 2nd week in; not sure exactly where our place was in the house, besides to do the hard work no one else wanted to do. Our Lieutenant, shot us a straight face and told us not to screw anything up, and if we goofed off at all, he would never let us forget it. By that he meant making us run drills and loading us down with hard work. I will admit, as a new guy, I was pretty scared of the Truck lieutenant; and I will say; I am a little scared of the current Truck lieutenant too." Severide says with a smile. "I remember pulling up to the call site, and being at a loss for words, even our lieutenant was a little surprised at the sight before him. I know, we didn't have much to compare the size of the blaze to being only 2 weeks in, but to this day; almost 15 years later, that fire was one of the biggest I've ever seen. I was still getting used to searching buildings, and I was a little nervous. As I followed my lieutenant and Andy inside, I remember Andy asking me if I was nervous. *Flashback* "Why do you seem nervous?" Andy asks. "I'm not nervous; I guess I'm still getting used to the whole firefighting thing." Severide fires back, slightly embarrassed. I was standing over what I didn't know was a weak spot in the floor, and before I knew it I heard a loud 'CRACK', and I fell through the floor, almost taking Andy with me. Before I blacked out from the fall, I remember hearing Andy curse, and yell for our lieutenant. Next thing I remember was waking up in a hospital, hearing a doctor say how extremely lucky I was to be alive, and that I came really close to dying. I woke up to find Andy right by my side; I later found out that he never left it. *Flashback* "You know the house would have been horrible if you weren't around; I don't think I could have survived our lieutenant without you here; I might have quit." Andy admits. I have a scar that always reminds me of that day. When I got back to the house after my 2 week recovery, even as a candidate, I was given a huge welcome back, which for the first time made me feel like I was a part of the house. I had mostly been looked over and ordered around before then, but after coming back, I felt like I really meant something to the house. I got this little medallion, as a candidate, and I haven't taken it off for a minute since then. It's St. Florian's cross; he's the patron saint of firefighters. I remember looking down at the little cross the day I made Squad, that day always reminds me of my experience as a candidate. I still remember that day like it was yesterday, I'm sure Andy would too if he were here. The more I think about it, that call wasn't really weird, but was scary. That moment between going in the building and falling was one of the first moments I have actually found myself being truly scared of what was to come. Severide says, finishing the emotional story.
"Wow…" Casey starts.
"I had no idea you were holding onto something like this." Casey says.
"See, I told you there was reason I have never told anyone about this." Severide says, wincing again.
"I can see that now." Casey replies.
"Was your experience as a candidate what made you go for Squad?" Casey asks.
"I never really thought about why I went for Squad, I kind of just went for it." Severide says.
"You know, I'm going to have to torture you while you're recovering, right?" Casey smirks.
"Maybe even put you through some truck drills while we're at it." Casey adds with a smile.
"You wouldn't." Severide lightly begs.
"So you think you will be ready to go back to being in charge of Squad right after all this." Casey challenges.
"How well do you know me?" Severide asks.
"Truck drills it is then." Casey says.
"Maybe I'll have Mills show you how it's done." Casey teases.
"You are going to make me go against him?" Mills questions, with a small amount of fear in his voice.
"Mills has the house record in the down firefighter assessment, maybe you can beat him." Casey says, shooting a look at Severide.
"Like this?" Severide asks Casey.
"As soon as you get out of here, and we get you back to the house; I'll have Mills run drills with you, since he is still the candidate after all; and now I'll get to torture two for the price of one!" Casey says.
"Mills, you better not take it easy on him." Casey adds.
"I promise I won't." Mills says.
"Maybe I'll have the whole house watch Mills kick your ass." Casey says.
"Oh please no!" Severide begs.
"I personally think Otis would enjoy seeing Severide doing truck drills the most." Casey says.
"Oh great, I can't wait…" Severide says sarcastically.
1 WEEK LATER…
"Well look whose back." Casey says, as Severide enters 51 for the 1st time since his accident.
"I'm telling you, sitting at home for 5 days and not being allowed to work was far worse than being in the hospital." Severide says obviously happy to be back.
"Well, we are going to make you do some work today." Casey teases, as the truck team comes out onto the floor."
"Shall I bring out your Squad too?" Casey asks with a smile.
"I'm sure they would love to see their Squad lieutenant do a Truck drill, with the candidate. Casey adds; his smile widening.
"Wait, you were serious, about the truck drills?" Severide asks.
"You really think I would miss out on a chance to make you work?" Casey taunts.
"I was hoping you would forget about that." Severide says under his breath.
"Mills get out here!" Casey calls.
"Gear up; I wasn't joking when I said you were going to do drills with Severide." Casey orders.
"Wait, he's serious?" Mills asks, as he shoots a look at Severide.
"Everyone gets to watch too!" Casey adds.
"Severide, I'd get a move on if I were you, Mills is going to beat you in getting geared up too." Casey warns.
"All right, I'm going!" Severide says.
"For the record, I'm still sore." He adds as he looks over at the now smirking Casey.
Severide moves to get his gear, just as Mills emerges fully dressed.
"Wow, he wasn't even moving that fast and he still beat you." Casey says.
"Show off" Severide teases as shoots a look at Mills.
"Ok, Severide gets to go first, because I want to see him work; and I'm pretty sure everyone else wants to see him work too." Casey says.
"Now I'm excited." Severide says with a sarcastic tone in his voice.
"I never thought I would get to see a day where Lt. Severide was completely at the mercy of Casey." Cruz says to Otis, trying to hold back a laugh.
"Mills; go over to the north gate and act like your unconscious or something." Casey orders.
"Ok then." Mills says, retreating to the other gate.
"You have to crawl in and drag the 'unconscious' Mills to the other gate all while wearing this blacked out face mask, to simulate zero visibility while doing it." Casey says to Severide, who has an annoyed look on this face.
"Man, you are really not taking it easy on me today." Severide says.
"You can ask Mills, but this is pretty easy for me." Casey says back with a smile.
"Ok how about this; let's make this a little interesting." Severide suggests.
"If I beat Mills' record, you have to train with us next week, on top of your 'normal Truck duties'. Severide says.
"Now what would that entail; training with Squad? Casey asks.
"Oh, trust me, Casey; we do plenty of ass-busting on Squad, you'll see. Severide says with a grin.
"I always thought you guys just spent all your time at the table." Casey says.
"Oh please, we may own the table, but we actually do work, why do you think we're called Rescue Squad?" Severide gloats.
"Very funny, now get moving, Mills isn't going to drag him-self over here." Casey says, shoving the blacked out face mask into Severide's hands.
"Now, let me show you how it's done." Severide says before putting on the blacked out mask.
"Cruz, time him!" Casey says, tossing a stopwatch to an eagerly watching Cruz.
"I kind of want to see Casey work his ass off for a week." Otis mutters to Cruz, who can't help but smile.
"I agree; that would be a sight to see." Cruz says back.
"Wow." Cruz says looking at the stopwatch.
"That is an impressive time, you sure that's right?" Otis says.
"Now what was Mills' time?" Otis asks.
"Whatever it was, this one is faster than it; I can tell you that." Cruz says, double checking the time on the watch.
"I am actually surprised by that." Casey says.
"I suppose being the leader of Squad gives me an advantage, oh well." Severide says, pulling off the face mask.
"I can't believe you didn't think of that possibility Casey." Severide adds with a smile.
"I thought with you not completely healed, I had a chance to see Mills kick your ass." Casey says.
"Boy, are you in for one hell of a week next week." Severide says turning to Casey.
"You're not even at 100% and you still kicked Mills' ass." Casey says almost laughing.
"I told you being the leader of Squad gave me an advantage!" Severide says.
"I guess I finally get to see what Squad's like, don't I." Casey adds
"But don't think this means you get to sit at the table." Severide jokes.
"You get to see the ass-busting side of Squad; and I'll make sure of that." Severide says.
"Hey, you know we're not done yet." Casey says.
"Oh, yeah, yeah, I know." Severide groans.
"You have to go 'play dead' for Mills now." Casey reminds him.
"Oh great, well at least I will be able to see this time." Severide says.
"Why do you think I have two blacked out masks?" Casey asks, shoving the mask back into Severide's hand.
"Thanks for that, Casey." Severide says sarcastically.
"Now go over to the north gate and 'play dead'." Casey says.
"Okay, okay, I'm going." Severide says, before pulling on the mask once more.
"It's official, I hate this thing." He mutters under his breath.
"Nice job Candidate; good time." Casey says.
"We need to wait until Severide's really hurt and then you can take back your record." Casey adds with a chuckle.
"He just got lucky today, that's all." Mills says.
"I heard that!" Severide says, as he pulls off his gear.
AMBLULANCE 61, TRUCK 81, SQUAD 3… Construction Accident
"Really?" Severide asks himself.
"After all this?" He adds.
"Looks to me like we have some real work to do tonight!" Casey says, as the Firehouse 51 teams head for their respective rigs.
"Hey, Gabby!" Mills yells before jumping into the Squad truck.
"Yeah?" Dawson answers.
"When are you going to tell me what happened to me last-shift?" Mills asks.
"Uh…. Next shift?" Dawson says, less than confidently.
"Damn, I was hoping he'd forget about that…" Dawson curses under her breath.
"Looks like I'll have to start tormenting you next shift!" Severide yells to Casey from his shot-gun spot.
"Less time for me to be at the mercy of you!" Casey says with a smile.
"I like how that sounds!" Casey adds, before the teams roar off into the dark Chicago night.