Title: Seconds Count

Summary: With Casey nursing a bullet graze and Stella missing, Severide knew he had to do something. When his moment came to take action would it work? Or would he pay the ultimate price? Based on eppy 5.16 'Telling Her Goodbye'

Disclaimer: Same as always. I own nothing but my muse and my love for all things #firefighters #Sevasey & #Lindseride

A/N: eeeks what an eppy! But seriously no one takes on Boden's family and just walks away! and our boys! yikes! And…b/c I love my Kelly/Erin had to get some of that in here and I don't like him with Anna at all (sorry but not sorry they have ZERO chemistry!) do love to see him smile but lots of stuff makes him smile haha and hey come on…Stella is a gem! (love her!)

Note: As always "words in quotes and double italics taken from the eppy" single quotes or without are past convo's or thoughts.

The tension outside was almost as thick as the tension inside. However, as Erin Lindsay watched the SWAT team moving toward the entrance of Firehouse 51, she could only pray for a favorable outcome. Christopher Herrmann had taken a real risk to get outside and get them the lay of the land, where the hostages were and the armed gang members; but she now worries most for those left inside – especially Kelly Severide.

This has to work…her mind chanted as she looked over at Gabby Dawson and caught her eye and knew she was thinking the same thing about her husband. This has to end soon.

XXXXXXXX

Don't think…just go…the gunman is distracted – GO NOW! Severide crouched low, raced toward the door and prayed he'd get away before he was seen and there would be hell to pay. Would he make it?

*a few hours earlier*

"I know that smile," Stella Kidd commented as Kelly Severide looked up from his text with a grin and couldn't help but chuckle. "Erin's good for you. So…hot date?"

"Maybe," Severide retorted. "If I can reply."

"Alright…hint taken," Stella nodded with a smile as she turned to leave but then paused. "Just saying…I'm rooting for this."

Severide looked down at his phone before he texted back his reply and then added, 'just going to take a shower.'

'How is that fair? –Erin'

'It's not lol –Kelly'

With that he pushed himself up from his office chair and slowly headed for the showers to get ready for the night ahead. Matt had asked if he and Erin wanted to double sometime with him and Gabby. 'It's Gabby's idea,' he admitted with a laugh.

'Sure…why not,' he shrugged in return. 'But maybe like date number two or something?'

He recalled Matt's mock horrified expression and could only laugh but nod in agreement and then went back to what he was doing.

"Need to get past the first date first," he snickered as he quickly disrobed and then stood under the hot streams and closed his eyes. He tried to wash away the stress of the past week not realizing that the stress of the week was nothing compared to what he would experience over the next few hours.

Severide finished his shower, wrapped a towel around his waist and headed back into the locker room to grab his razor and then finish up before he headed back into the common area to hang with his crew before he finished his shift.

But that wasn't about to happen, instead he was forced to duck behind a wall while he had to wait for Stella Kidd to make a distraction that took the her and the gunman out of the locker room and then back out of sight. He would chuckle later at the fact that he never dressed so fast – ever, but right now he just needed to get to a radio and call it into dispatch.

Get to the truck…keep low and quiet and make the call!

With his heart rate elevated more than he could ever imagine when being in the Firehouse, Severide crept along the back hallway with a slight pause as he looked around the corner to see one of the gunmen with Boden. Thankfully a distraction allowed him to zoom past and make it to the large truck area and stealthily climb inside and call the hostage situation into dispatch.

"We have a 10-1 here…repeat a 10-1 hostage situation here in need of emergency assistance."

"Can you get out?" Dispatched asked in return.

"I can, but I'm not leaving anyone here."

It wasn't even a consideration for him. He had to stay and do whatever he could to help his family; telling himself he'd be more good inside than out. From his vantage point in the front of Squad truck 3, he could see the gunman in the distance inside the common area with the rest of his 51 family and could only hope that all of them were okay and it wouldn't escalate any further. Just sit tight and wait for the CPD to arrive. Maybe it'll motivate these guys to…but his inner thoughts are quickly cut off when he heard one of the large doors starting to open and could only watch in horror as Ambulance 61 started to come into view and he could only curse their bad timing. This…would now escalate things – for the worse.

"No…no no…" Severide chanted as he carefully got out of the front of the truck in the hopes of shooing Ambulance 61 away.

He'd never make it. As soon as Casey knew it was Dawson returning he bolted from the common area and raced toward the front of the station house, not realizing Severide was there. Just as Casey neared the front one of the gunman lowered his gun and prepared to fire. Severide deliberately slammed his frame into the gunman's just as he fired – causing Casey to be grazed but not dealt anything more severe.

With Casey still down and not moving, Severide tried to wrestle the gun away, hoping the other gang members would just remain where they were and not join the melee. He'd be wrong again as a few seconds later, he felt the cold tip of the gun muzzle from the other gang member pressed into the back of his head and he knew time was up and he would pay for his interference.

"Don't move!" One of the gunmen growled as he forced Severide to his knees with his hands raised while the other gang member, the highly agitated one recovered and then glowered at him.

"You a bad ass huh!" The one he had tackled, the one who shot Casey hovered over him with an angry expression. "See how tough you are NOW!" He shouted before he kicked Severide in the chest with his boot. "Come on…." He taunted as he kicked Severide again, which forced him to land on all fours. Another solid kick to the chest and his frame buckled and crumpled to the floor. One more kick and he could only groan in pain as he landed on his stomach with a heavy grunt and wince.

"Casey," Severide called out with a painful wheeze.

"I'm okay…bullet…just grazed my shoulder," Casey answered in truth.

"Get your ass up fireman!" The one who had kicked him bellowed as he grabbed a handful of Severide's jacket and yanked him to his knees.

"Severide?"

"Yeah…fine," he groaned as the one holding him offered a quick pistol whip to the back of his head, making him wince once more.

"I said…shut up!" He hissed in Severide's ear as he dragged him back inside. "You do anything funny and I'll put a bullet in your back!"

Just before they slipped inside, Severide quickly glanced outside and saw the rows of red and blue lights and could only pray this ended soon and without more bloodshed.

XXXXXXX

"Dawson!"

"Erin!" Dawson rushed up to the CPD intelligence detective who bore the same panicked expression as her. "Have you heard anything?"

"No. We're not point on this. You?"

"Matt was shot…I saw him get shot…I don't know if he's okay or not," Dawson stammered in agitated emotion.

"Anyone else?"

"We…don't know."

"Let me find out…something."

"Okay."

Erin pulled away and headed back to Voight. "Can we help or do we just have to stand here and wait?"

"SWAT's in charge. We have to wait," Voight hissed as he looked at her in concern. "Boden's people are tough stalk. They'll be okay."

But even as the words escaped Hank Voight's lips the worry that they carried resounded to everyone within earshot.

XXXXXXXX

Sitting and waiting was something he hated to do more than anything. You have to wait on SWAT…his brain reminded him as he sat watching the gunman at the front slowly pacing by Boden. Waiting wasn't in his nature and he wasn't about to just sit around while Stella and Casey were out of view. He had heard one of them say he hit Stella and he had to see if she was okay.

"Cover me when there's a distraction," Severide whispered to Cruz who readily agreed.

He didn't have to wait too long until the people outside helped with commotion and the gunman's back turned to him. He Severide didn't wait to see how much time he'd be afforded, he slid off his chair and rushed toward the door that took him into the meeting room attached that would then take him back into the back hallway.

Thankfully the rouse worked and he was able to get away undetected and then headed toward the area he thought Stella and Casey would be. However, when we quickly peered into the sleeping room where he thought Stella might be but saw only Casey and Otis and his panic started to grow.

"Go check on the girl."

He heard the one that was a bit calmer tell the one that beat him and he pulled back and watched as the other one left the room and headed toward the locker room. If Stella was there, hurt or not, and the gunman was alone and he could take him by surprise he had to try.

XXXXXXXX

Erin watched as Christopher Herrmann, who had been wheeled out by his own clever rouse, drew the SWAT commander a picture of where everyone in Firehouse 51 was when he had been wheeled out; not knowing that Severide had gone after Stella.

"They're going in," Voight told her in a gruff tone as he pulled back and headed toward the SWAT commander.

This has to work…her mind chanted as she looked over at Gabby Dawson and caught her eye and knew she was thinking the same thing about her husband. This has to end soon.

XXXXXXXX

Just as the gang member was about to reveal where Stella had been hiding, he just took a deep breath and charged. Severide told himself to push past the pain in his chest from his earlier beating, her life was on the line right now and he had to tip the scales in their favor.

The two of them slammed into the bathroom door as they traded blow for blow. Severide managed to pull back and twist them around, but he lost his footing and ended up crashing into one of the shower stalls. The two of them collided with the cold tiles with a grunt and he could only curse as his head hit the back of the stall and started to throb.

At least the gun was gone from his attackers grasp, but the younger gang member had youth on his side and hadn't sustained a beating earlier so he was slowly losing the battle. Severide sustained another blow to his already throbbing chest which temporarily winded him and allowed his attacker to wrap both hands around Severide's throat and start to squeeze.

He tried to kick at the punk, but with his frame atop his, Severide had to concentrate on keeping himself alive and getting oxygen into his lungs. His faced started to turn a bit red as his lungs started to heave. However, a few seconds later, salvation presented itself at Stella's hands when she hit the gunman on the back of his head, which stunned him and took him out of the game.

"Come on!" Stella stated anxiously as she extended her hand for him to take.

"What's the commotion outside?"

"Think SWAT's coming in!"

"We gotta get out of here! Side door!"

He crept low, Stella following suit and headed into the hallway that would take him past Casey. If there was only one gunman in there, maybe he could take him out also. All he'd need is a distraction and despite being injured he knew Casey would help him take the gunman down. But he didn't want to risk Stella's life either.

"I'm gonna help Casey."

"Don't be…" Stella started and then stopped. "Right. I'll crate the distraction. I'll run past and draw him out into the hallway. You…just watch your ass or Erin will come after me."

"Stella…"

"You're gonna argue with me?"

"Just...be careful," he deadpanned as he headed toward the middle of the hallway.

"Hey!" Stella shouted as she dared to run past, making the gunman look up and then dart into the hallway.

Severide didn't even think twice; he knew seconds counted and he couldn't afford to waste one of them second guessing himself or how it would turn out. He dropped his shoulder and barreled into the gunman, which prompted Casey to take swift action as well.

The gunman raised his gun to fire at Severide just as Casey used one of the fire extinguishers to hit the gunman on the back of the head, which caused him to stumble forward. Severide then punched the gunman in the stomach and reached for the gun as Casey struck him from behind again. Just as the gun clattered to the ground, the SWAT team rushed in to finish the job.

"Hey…" Severide offered a bit breathlessly as he touched Casey on his uninjured shoulder. "You sure you're okay?"

"Yeah…just a graze. I made it seem worse than it was," Casey replied with a smile. "How about you? You look pretty rough."

"Think I need another damn shower," Severide retorted dryly as Stella just shook her head and the three of them slowly headed for the front entrance.

XXXXXXXX

As she watched the SWAT members breach the interiors of Firehouse 51, Erin had to remind herself that this wasn't their call so they had to wait like everyone else. But as soon as she heard that it was all over and saw CPD members, as well as the mother of one of the young gang members rushing toward the front door, she left her place at Voight's side and hurried after Dawson. While Dawson pulled away to help treat the young man who heroically helped Boden end the hostage situation, her eyes darted around for 51's Squad Lieutenant.

Finally he emerged and she could only emit a small gasp at his roughed up appearance and his right arm wrapped around his chest.

"Hey," Severide offered as he slowly limped toward her with a comforted smile.

"Kelly," Erin whispered in relief as she hurried toward him and then, despite any onlookers wrapped her arms around him and held him close. "Thank God you're okay," she told him as she planted a soft kiss on his cheek and then pulled back and looked at him in concern. "What the hell…"

"Just another day…" he replied with a small wince as he draped his arm around her shoulder.

"So…about tonight."

"Yeah…about tonight," he huffed as he looked down at her with a small frown as they slowly limped toward a quiet area of the parking lot; a few meters from where Casey and Dawson reunited. "So I know I promised dinner out but, how about we…" Severide started with a small groan.

"Stay in and I can nurse you back to health?" She offered with a growing grin. "And then…you can tell me exactly how you ended up like this."

"Deal."

THE END!

A/N: So am currently dealing with a very emotional personal trial and hope this was okay a little. If not I do apologize. Had to get some #sevasey in there as well as some Kelly/Stella friendship b/c I do love her‼ and of course a bit of Kelly/Erin at the end please do review before you go and thanks so much everyone!