Chapter 9 – Burn mark
Guys you are really amazing. As you may have recognized I really don't have much time to update so I can't thank each and everyone personally so I am just saying my THANKS here! Keep the reviews coming. I can't wait!
I used another episode of the show here as I think it was such a great scene between Severide and Casey and it would fit in perfectly here so hope you have fun with it.
Gabby didn't wait a second before following Matt. She could still hear his words echoing in her ears. He was beating himself up for it badly. She knew that she had made a huge mistake by calling him on it at the scene but she had panicked even though she knew that Matt had no choice. She rounded the corner, knocking onto the closed door before opening it, not waiting for an answer. Matt's head shot up, looking towards her shocked, his eyes red from crying, tears still running down his cheeks.
"Matt...I...I mean Lieutenant. I am just...just checking in on you." She rambled.
Meanwhile Herrmann made his way directly towards Severide who just hopped out of the Squad car as they had needed to stop for fuel on their way back.
"Any news on the Chaplain?" Severide asked immediately.
"You should check on Casey." Herrmann said not answering his question.
"What? Why?" Severide asked alarmed.
"He asked Mills if the extra time made the Chaplains condition worse. Chaplain is still touch and go and Casey is beating himself up for it." Herrmann filled him in, getting Severide to nod, hurrying towards Casey's office without hesitating.
"All souls weight the same. One life isn't worth more than another." Gabby said getting Casey to just stare back at her.
"That's what the Chaplain had told me after Shay died." She continued while she could see more tears building up in Casey's eyes. He whipped them away angrily.
"Don't do that to you Matt!"
"You where second guessing my decision right on scene. I can promise you it wasn't an easy choice to make!" Matt said with anger in his voice.
"I know and I am sorry. I shouldn't have done that but it's..."
"No there is no BUT! I am your Lieutenant and you should not second guess my orders. How many times have I told you that?" Casey now said. He didn't want her to see him that vulnerable right now and all he could do about it was to get angry about her second guessing him again.
Severide just rounded the corner as he could hear Casey's loud voice.
"I am sorry." Gabby said clearly hurt before turning around, leaving Casey's office again. She nearly collided with Severide but kept storming out while it was now Severide's part to face Casey. He could see that his fellow Lieutenant and best friend had been crying. Something that startled him.
"Hey you okay?" He asked receiving a glance from Casey.
"Yeah okay stupid question, I get that." Severide said.
"I can clearly talk on my own again you don't need to translate my glances anymore." Casey shot back, while Severide closed the door behind him.
"I really don't have any time to talk right now. I need to finish up that incident report and then..." "Casey stop it! I mean it. Stop pushing me away."
"I am not pushing you away."
"Any news on the Chaplain yet?"
"He is still touch and go." Casey said, not giving away any reaction.
"Why was Dawson storming out of your office? Something I need to know?"
"I just told my Candidate to never second guess my decision ever again." Severide just nodded taking in Casey's image. He knew that he couldn't push him any further. After all this years of friendship he knew that he had to wait for Casey to talk about what was bothering him.
"You come and grab some lunch?"
"No."
"Alright. I will bring you a plate."
"I am not hungry."
"And I am not arguing about that part." Severide said before leaving Casey's office, closing the door behind him to let Casey figure out whatever was going on in his head right now.
It didn't take long until the overhead paging system announced their next call. Apartment fire. Casey exhaled deeply. He knew that he had to be completely focused now.
As they entered the scene Severide grabbed his arm for a second.
"Are you good to go? I need to know you are with me here." He said getting Casey to nod.
"Herrmann, Dawson, Mouch with me." Casey tried to yell, his voice cracking immediately.
"Come again Lieutenant?" Herrmann asked into his radio.
"I said Herrmann, Dawson and Mouch with me." Casey repeated, his voice cracking again but nonetheless his team had understood and so Herrmann, Dawson and Mouch followed him inside the burning building.
They had just reached the second floor as a woman came stumbling towards them, crying hysterically.
"My baby! You have to get my baby. I couldn't reach her." She yelled, pointing towards her apartment upstairs, barely visible in all the smoke and fire. Casey closed his eyes for a second. A baby...this was the last thing he needed right now.
"Where is she?" Casey tried to ask loudly through his mask, his voice cracking.
"Where is she?" Herrmann behind him stepped in.
"In the bathroom, the last door on the right."
"Which apartment number?"
"4103"
Casey breathed into his mask, looking upwards. The forth floor was exactly where the fire was raging.
"I will get her. Herrmann, Dawson you continue searching this floor." Casey said, knowing that Mouch was just bringing the woman outside.
"You can't get up there alone." Herrmann pointed out, while Casey found Dawson's eyes under the mask.
"It's too dangerous." Casey said before climbing up the steps as fast as possible.
"Casey, not more than one minute you hear me?" Chief Boden said through the radio.
"Copy." Casey entered the apartment quickly, flames already rising in the living room. Even through his gear he could feel the unbelievable heat. He tried to calm his breathing but panic was slowly rising in his chest. He knew that he shouldn't be here but saving a baby was more important than his own well being.
He proceeded the small path towards the living room, trying in vein to open the door, the roof above him screaming under the fire.
"Casey you need to get out of there now." Boden said.
"Just seconds away Chief." Casey opened the bathroom door with full force, a small dog running out of the bathroom immediately. Casey tried his best to see in all this smoke, his hands searching for the baby, but nothing to be found.
"I can't find her!" He screamed inside his radio, still searching frantically.
"Casey you need to get out of there now." Casey turned around again still trying to find the baby, his heart hammering in his chest. He couldn't make her out anywhere.
"Ask the mother if she is sure the baby is in the bathroom. I can't find her!" Casey said again, while Severide was now the last one getting out of the building, hearing Casey's panic.
"Casey get out of there now!" Boden yelled, while Casey made his way towards the apartment door again, his exit way completely blocked by now.
"Exit is blocked. Get the ladder up here." Casey said into his radio, his voice just above a whisper the stress not doing any good to his voice.
"Come again Casey?"
"Mayday. Mayday. Exit is blocked." Casey said spotting a window in the bathroom. He knew that he couldn't just open it due to the flames raging in his back.
He closed the door behind him, before leaning against it. Severide looked up as he could hear Casey calling for mayday.
"Damn it!" He cursed looking sideways at Dawson, who was starring at him full of angst.
"We will get him out of there." He said before turning around.
"Get the ladder!" Severide said before hurrying towards his trapped friend.
"I am coming for you Casey!" He said, while Casey tried his best to hold the raging flames back. He knew that even with his gear he would burn to death once the door got open.
"Better make it fast, it's getting hot in here." He said into his radio.
"Come on Casey!" Severide yelled as soon as he had reached the level, spotting Casey.
"No way! Not until you are out of range."
"Not moving! Let go now!" Severide yelled making his point perfectly clear.
Casey knew that he had to move fast. Without hesitating any longer he let go of the door and ran towards the window, knowing that he would die if he would trip or stumble. With a huge fireball he jumped out of the window into the complete dark, great full as he could grab onto the ladder but soon recognizing that he wasn't actually on the ladder.
"Damn it Casey hold on!" Severide yelled as his eyes spotted Casey's holding onto the ladder, his legs hanging into the air.
"I can't...I can't get up." Casey said, trying in vein to get his legs onto the ladder.
"Grab my arm!" Severide yelled, trying to reach for Casey.
On the ground Dawson watched in horror as Casey was hanging onto the ladder so far away from the safe ground.
Casey could feel Severide's hand on the thick fabric of his jacket, pulling him towards safety with all his strength.
"Come on. I got you!" Severide said, collapsing to the ladder with Casey as he finally made his way back to safety.
Together they climbed down the ladder, Severide having a securing arm on Casey's back. As soon as they got back to the ground Casey was meet by worried eyes from Dawson. He tried to walk away from the ladder, his legs way to shaky as he collapsed to the ground just inches away. "Casey!" Severide yelled turning around to his friend.
"Your jacket is broken, we need to check your back for injuries." Dawson pointed out at the same time while Casey was just sitting on the floor trying in vein to get his emotions in check.
"I couldn't...I couldn't find the baby." Casey said, looking towards the hysterically crying woman. "I will go talk to her." Severide said reaching out for Casey.
"Come on we will let you get checked at the ambo." He said, Casey slowly shaking his head.
"Mills and Brett where busy enough. I'm fine."
"We will check on him." Mouch said, freeing Casey from his jacket with Dawson's help while Casey watched Severide walking over to the crying woman.
"You got a second degree burn on your back." Dawson pointed out gesturing for Mills to come over.
Severide could see Dawson waving for Mills and exhaled deeply. Not again. It was just Matt's first day back. His heart hammered in his chest as he faced the woman trying to sort out what he could tell her.
"Oh my god! Judy! My baby!" She yelled out of nowhere as a small dog came running out of the building. Severide widened his eyes turning around to see the woman crashing to her knees, cuddling the small dog.
"Ma'me you said there was a baby inside your apartment." Severide said, walking over to the woman not believing what was just happening.
"Yes my little Judy. She made it out on her own." The woman cheered, leaving Severide speechless. He turned towards Casey who was still sitting on the wet ground, Mills now treating his back, while Dawson was kneeling in front of him, talking to him, but Matt had his head down. Severide could physically feel the pressure on his shoulders.
"You tried everything to save the baby. There was nothing you could do." Dawson said, trying to get him out of his misery. She swallowed to stop the tears that where now building in her eyes, seeing Matt like this. She knew that he was beyond strong but maybe it was more than he could take right now.
….to be continued!
