NOTE: this story has no real connection beyond the fact that Stella and Severide are together... so somewhere past Season 6x15 - This is a WHAT IF? story... and it may take a few chapters for me to reveal exactly what's happened before the story... but please bear with me...

Thrown to the Wolves

Chapter 1

The air outside the Station House was near freezing, but that wasn't enough to keep her inside. The entire world could be on fire like the surface of the sun with the only refuge inside the walls of House 36 and still, she would have walked into the cold. Hoodie, yoga pants and untied sneakers were all the defense she had to the cold and it didn't matter. The night was dark and near silent as she made it to the curb. The area surrounding them was industrial for the most part, with warehouses forming a cold and lifeless wall around them. No cars moving on the street, and there wasn't anyone walking.

Not in this temperature.

Closing her eyes for a moment she tried to remember the surrounding area. Where she could go for shelter or help.

She needed somewhere with a phone.

She'd gone blocks, or was it feet… her legs her back… everything hurt. She just needed some kind of sign that she's wasn't all alone. That it wouldn't end like this.

Up ahead, a crossing light blinked at her, drawing her one step after another… and still it never seemed to be any closer to her. This wasn't going to work.

She wasn't going to make it.

A crack in the cement caught at her boot and she fell to her knees, ignoring the hard crack of bone against the cold pavement.

She went forward onto her hands, thick tears turning to slush on her cheeks. "Please," she begged, but she had no idea who she was talking to, "please help me."

A wide swath of light swept over her hands and came to a stop with the soft squeal of brakes.

More tears fell when she heard someone call out. "Miss? Are you hurt?"

Her eyes slammed shut and she drew in enough of a breath to speak. "21st District Police Station."

Hands touched her and Stella winced, pulling away. "Don't…" she gasped, "don't please."

"I'm just trying to help you into the car, Miss. The 21st is just around the corner, but I can leave you here alone." He moved closer. "May I help you?"
"Sorry," she moaned and nodded her head. "Yes, please…"

Moments later she all but collapsed into the man's backseat, her whole body crying out in agony.

Someone tucked her feet inside the vehicle and then closed the door. For a moment she wondered if this was all just some kind of a trick.

But then the car started and she felt the blessed touch of a heater warming the air. "Don't try to move," he told her, "I'll get you there in just a minute. Just stay awake, okay?"

And she agreed with him. She didn't want to go to sleep, not with her nightmare of a memory waiting for her on the other side.

#

Sgt. Trudy Platt looked up as an older gentleman walked into the station. He looked around, his nerves clearly on display and his hands wringing the knit cap in his hands. "Excuse me?"

"Sir, can I help you?"

He looked up at her and his expression went from stark horror to a glimmer of hope. "Are you Sgt. Platt?"

Something twisted in Trudy's middle and there was a distinct throb of warning in her head. "That's me. What seems to be the problem, sir?"

"I have a woman in my car," he explained, his face flushed with red. From the cold or shame he didn't know, "she said to come in and ask for you."

Trudy was already around the desk before he could continue.

"She's in real bad shape," he was jogging after her and Trudy pushed open the doors.

"Show me."

He pointed at a car parked behind some cruisers with its lights on and clouds puffing out from the exhaust. "Right there."

Trudy pulled open the back door at his prompting and what she saw froze her blood. "Stella?"

The injured firefighter tried to turn on her side to look at Trudy right-side up, but Trudy touched her shoulder to hold her still.

"Stella," she heard her voice crack as she looked down at the younger woman who looked like she'd gone more than a few rounds with someone three weight classes above her, "what happened?"

"Take me to a clinic, somewhere… anywhere, please."

Trudy grabbed for her radio. "Dispatch, I need an ambo-"

She stopped short as Stella's hand grabbed onto her wrist, holding it in a vice-like grip.

"Don't tell them who I am… they can't know…"

"Stella-"

Stella only squeezed harder. "Kelly can't know."

There was something so certain in Stella's eyes that it broke Trudy's heart just to see it. "Okay, Stella… Okay."

#

Mouch woke to the dulcet tones of Christopher Herrmann smacking at his foot. "Wah?"

"Your phone, Mouch… your phone is ringing and some of us are trying to get some sleep!"

Blinking his eyes several times, Mouch grabbed up his phone from the bedside table and saw the caller ID: Trudy. Sliding off the bed, Mouch rushed into the hallway and answered the phone. "Yes, my lo-" He listened to her orders and nodded even if she couldn't see him. "She what? I'll go tell- No? No! Of course not. Yes, I'll get in my car as soon as I talk to Casey. Bye."

Crossing back through the bunk area he moved over to Casey's door and softly knocked on the glass. Moments later Casey opened up his door and looked out at Mouch. "Something wrong?"

Mouch wanted to say so much more, but he'd heard Trudy's warning loud and clear. "Trudy's on her way to the ER, can I-"

"Sure, go." Matt rubbed at his eyes. "You let us know when we can stop by and -"

"NO." Mouch winced at how forceful he'd made his answer. "It's a… It's a woman's thing… so she wouldn't want… you know-"

Matt had his hands up in surrender. "Well, you call and let me know if there's anything we can do. Okay?"

Mouch nodded. "Thanks, Cap."

And then he was gone.

#

Stella had fought like a wild thing when she'd seen the glowing sign for Chicago Med outside the window, and Trudy was the only one who could calm her down.

When the EMT asked Trudy what she said to get Stella to calm down, Trudy nailed the man with a look that promised death or dismemberment if he didn't heed her words. "I told her you'd remember to put her down as a Jane Doe."

"Yes, Ma'am."

"I'm sorry," Trudy leaned closer, "what did you say?"

He blinked back at her. "Yes, Sgt. Platt."

She nodded at him, satisfied. "That's what I thought you said."