Matt woke up, confused as he was not in his own apartment, but then it all came back to him.
''Whoa, don't move, take it easy.'' Andy suddenly popped up above him and Matt closed his eyes again, groaning a bit as his side was so sore.
''Hurts.'' Matt mumbled then.
''Probably does, but you are going to be okay.'' Kelly said then, feeling sorry for his friend. He had just come here from shift, so glad that Matt had pulled through. Andy had called the firehouse to explain the situation and Boden had told them what happened. Luckily Andy had also kept him up to date.
''Do you remember what happened?'' Andy asked concerned.
''My neighbor...stabbed me this morning.'' Matt said, his hand feeling his side then, feeling bandage.
'' Careful there, you needed a lot of stitches. That was yesterday morning. You were out most of yesterday.'' Andy explained.
''When you were awake you were just blabbering nonsense.'' Kelly said after.
''That is not really a change from usually.'' Matt mumbled softly, closing his eyes again, trying to feel a bit more awake, but he was still feeling woozy.
''Take it easy.'' Andy said again. Even though they were messing around a bit with their friend, they knew he was probably in pain and not feeling well.
''Your car?'' Matt mumbled then, remembering a bit of what had happened yesterday.
''All clean again.'' Andy assured him, ''But I am not really worried about my car, more about you.''
''I am going to be fine.'' Matt said then.
''Yeah, now the doctors patched you up yeah.'' Kelly said.
''When can I go home?'' Matt asked then, not wanting to stay in the hospital.
''Maybe tomorrow, you should rest up.'' Andy told him then. He and Kelly left, Matt falling back asleep soon.
The only thing he did not know, was that Kelly and Andy were using today to clear out his apartment, and they were not sure what Matt was going to say when he was going to find out.
They went down to his apartment. The whole place was pretty much rummaged through by more nosy neighbors, probably also looking for valuables after the door was left open when Andy had found Matt.
But there was still some stuff to take. They took his clothes and other personal stuff as well as some stuff that would still be useful for the next apartment.
Only now, looking through the mess that their friend had lived in, they wondered how happy he had really been, although he had never seem so sad or broken.
Later that night, Matt woke up again, this time Maureen Darden sitting by his bedside now.
He stirred a bit, Maureen nearly jumping up as she had been reading a book.
''Oh, you are awake!''
''Yeah, barely.'' Matt said with a small smile, still feeling drowsy. Probably because of the painkillers.
''Andy is picking up some stuff from you apartment and storing it at our place. But he didn't want you to be alone so I stayed. '' Maureen said.
''Thank you...but what is he picking up?''
''All your personal stuff.''
''But I need to go back there.'' Matt said then
''No, you are not going back there.'' Maureen told him then. ''There is no way you are going back to that building and that neighborhood. I know you are 21 and I can't tell you what to do and I am not your mother, but there is no way I am really letting you get back to that studio.''
Matt didn't say anything. He knew Maureen was right and honestly it was nice that she and Andy were looking out for him now.
''And I am not your mom, but ever since the moment Andy told me what happened to your family, I just wished I could help you. I know me and Andy can not make up for what happened to your family, but we hope we can at least let you have a safe home.''
Matt couldn't help but tear up a bit, quickly wiping past his eyes when Andy came walking into the room then, nearly walking into the get better balloon.
''What's that?''
''I brought that.'' Maureen said, Andy shaking his head.
''I think it is nice.'' Matt smiled with a small chuckle, immediately regretting it as his side hurt.
''Alright, I will leave you boys be.'' Maureen said then. ''You take care, I want to take you home tomorrow.''
''I am on it, Maureen.'' Matt smiled, grateful as she was so sweet to him.
''How are you feeling?'' Andy asked as he sat down.
''Still pretty shit.'' Matt admitted. ''Heard you played mover.''
''Yeah, rallied up some guys from the academy to empty your apartment, although there seems to be as much clutter in here right now to clean out tomorrow.'' He said as he looked around at the flowers and the balloons.
''You mom.'' Matt said then.
Andy shook his head with laugh. ''Yes, that is her. She cares a lot about you.''
''You didn't need to get all my stuff. I was still planning on going back there.''
''No way! There is no way you are going back there. Me and mom are already on it, you are moving in with us until the two of us have found an apartment and then we can move in together. It is about time I move out too.''
Matt grumbled a bit, angry because he wanted to prove that he could take care of himself.
''Look Matt, I am just doing this because you are my friend and I don't want you to get hurt again, or worse. You can't keep living there.''
''I am going to be fine.''
''Yeah, you only nearly bled out and needed 8 stitches.'' Andy said sarcastic. ''Why are you so stubborn? You are my friend and I care about you. It is no shame to move out there and move in with me and mom and then we will just look for an apartment together, okay?''
Finally Matt was silent for a second.
''Okay.''
''Finally!'' Andy sighed relieved.
''No it is fine, I just don't want to bump into you and your moms life.''
''It was her idea. She really cares about you.'' Andy assured him. ''I said I would look for an apartment very quick but she said we could take our time. You can stay in my brother's room.''
''I don't have money to look for a new apa-''
''Don't worry about it.
''Okay.'' Matt finally agreed then.
''Alright, that's settled then. She is probably decorating your new room now.''
Matt groaned again. ''Please tell her to stop.''
''Oh no, there is no stopping her now. Just pray you don't get a whole homecoming party tomorrow.'' Andy laughed as he got up, making sure Matt was alright for the night before he left.
Matt couldn't sleep, not because his side was hurting too much but mostly because he knew his life was about to change. From having to take care of himself, on his own, he had suddenly gotten a family, going to a new home tomorrow, with people that cared about him.
The next morning
''You two boys be careful with him!'' Maureen warned Andy and Kelly as they were holding Matt as they made their way to the car.
''Mom, he is still not made of porcelain.''
''Even grandma Severide wouldn't get porcelain as ugly as this.'' Severide joined the joke.
''Even getting knifed doesn't get me away from getting shit on my you guys.'' Matt panted as they were almost at the car.
He sat down careful in the passenger seat then, his side still sore but also glad he was going to home, well not really home, but his new home.
''Are you okay?''
''Yeah.'' Matt said then and they drove to the house. There Andy and Kelly helped him out of the car again and they walked to the kitchen. Sitting down at the table Andy got them all some drinks.
''Are you okay sitting up.''
''Yeah, fine.'' Matt said as Andy brought him some water.
''So, now home?'' Kelly said then to Matt, wondering what Matt was thinking now. He was sure it was a great thing for Matt to move in here.
''yeah, yeah.'' Matt smiled. He had not been so sure about moving in here yesterday but now he was glad. All he had wanted for the past 5 years was to belong somewhere and he was sure he would feel at home here and that he would belong here.
''Alright, sorry, I got to go.'' Kelly said then and he left soon, leaving Andy, Matt and Maureen together as Maureen was making lunch.
''I made some apple cake!'' Maureen said then as she carried to the table.
''It's the best.'' Andy promised Matt.
''Yeah well, I guess we have something to celebrate.'' She said as she cut pieces for all of them.
They some cake but Andy also saw his friend struggling to sit up, his side probably killing him.
''You should rest a bit.'' Andy said then and Matt nodded, still not feeling really well. He and Maureen walked with him to the room across from Andy's, that had been his brother
''Alright we tried to make it as complete as possible. I mean, you and Andy could move out soon so-''
''It is great, really.'' Matt assured them, deep down inside a bit glad that he did not have to go back to the mess he was living in but he could start over.
NOTE: So Matt not only made it through (obv cause this is a prequel ;)) but also had his whole life changed by his friend. What do you think about that?
I really hope you like this story, I know this update is again, very very quick after the other, but I do hope you don't mind that as I had already written a lot of it. Please do leave a review because I am always wondering what you think of if there is something that you still think I could improve! Also it motivates me to get the next chapter out! Thanks so much again and hopefully till next chapter, which will be after a time jump!
