Title: Plan C
Chapter 9 – Fighting Your Way Back


Randy Cameron looks down at Kelly Severide's unmoving frame with an evil glint in his eye, spitting onto the sweater of the unconscious firefighter's battered frame.

"I'd say you put up a brave fight but…talk is cheap," Randy sneers. "Now my decision…do I let you die slowly…basking in the knowledge that I've won – AGAIN!" His voice shouts in contempt. "Or do I just put you out of both our miseries. Maybe you can spend your last few minutes thinking about…those you'll miss. I'll give you one thing…you never begged. Even my partner begged like a dog for his life…pathetic! Just like…" he pauses, hearing new sounds finally coming to the fore; his mind urging him to hurry up!

Before he can bend down to do a careful inspection for a pulse, not wanting to leave until he was sure he was dead, he hears a honk and the train starts to slow. Voices getting closer and his panic slowly builds. He didn't care if they found Severide's body; his mind already assuming Severide was dead but he didn't want to be found with it.

So he quickly bends down…his fingers slipping a bit from the blood and sweat, missing the very faint but still existent, carotid pulse – his mind assumes Kelly Severide is actually dead. "Well…dead men tell no tales. Good riddance! And for the record, this wasn't only about Erin…it was about winning! And I WON!"

Thinking he's won – again, Randy Cameron stands up and prepares to leave. With the crowbar still in his grasp he carefully checks the outside of the slowly moving car – the coast is clear; or so he thinks. He turns and looks at Severide's frame, smiling into the air before he disappears into the early evening air; his mind confident that with the train still moving on toward another destination – his body won't be found for a long time. He'd be wrong.

For an hour the rail car remains motionless, nothing moving inside or outside in the near vicinity. But…

Kelly Severide's body lies motionless for what seems like an eternity, unaware of the outside world carrying on around him…outside the darkened rail car that now smells like death. Covered in dirt and dried blood…looking like he had survived a near massacre. In reality he had. Nothing moves…nothing breaths…and then…

The train jolts to a start once more…a soft moan is heard. A sign…the life-force inside Kelly Severide was still there…wanting to survive. Fighting to live. Desperate to live.

Erin…

Darkness.

XXXXXXXX

Erin can only stand in numb horror listening to her partner, Voight, Benny and the rail yard supervisor all chattering anxiously about where Kelly Severide might be; Casey looking at her in quiet disbelief. This can't be…oh God please let Kelly be okay…please…

"Okay so these are our two best guesses," Voight tells his gathered team. They all hover over the map looking at the information as it's given; the rail yard supervisor directing his two clerks to call the five active trains to stop their present course, if safe and possible, and do a quick inspection in any open, unlocked or broken locked cars in search of a missing person...a kidnapped firefighter.

"We can't just wait here," Erin states numbly as she starts to walk towards the door; Voight hurrying after her. "I can't…I saw those pictures Hank and Randy…he…" her voice finally breaks as she looks away, her eyes gently misting.

"We'll find him," Voight tries to assure her firmly. "It's only been a few hours and…"

"But…it's been a few hours. Even one is too long!" She angrily interjects. "I hate waiting."

"I know…I do to…we all hate waiting but what happens if we pick the wrong one to follow. These train guys…they'll find him. They know their cargo…they inspect their load before they pull out. They'll find the one that doesn't belong."

"Randy is a killer!" Her voice rises, the supervisor looking at her with a knitted brow.

"Kelly is alive…we will find him. He's a fighter and has too much to live for," Benny interjects emotionally.

All heads turn to look at Benny Severide's weak but firm statement. His expression a mixture of rage and panic.

"My boy," he adds with a sad huff. "I have to believe he's alive."

Silence builds for a few seconds before the rail staff are back on the phone, excitedly calling out orders and taking in information.

"Okay so both trains going east have been accounted for," the supervisor tells them about twenty minutes later.

"That leaves the three west bound," Casey notes quietly.

"Four," one of the administrators pipe up.

"Four," Erin groans.

Another fifteen minutes and the one bound for St. Louis is taken off the list. But twenty minutes later the call comes in they are all dreading – all five have been checked and accounted for, no body was found amongst the cars.

"I hate this….this waiting," Erin whispers as she looks up at Voight in remorse. "Randy he…he has Kelly now because…"

"Don't start blaming yourself," Voight quickly warns her. "Randy is evil…we all know that. He's left a trail of bodies in his wake at his own doing…not yours."

"I love him Hank…I can't lose him."

"I know you do," Voight replies warmly as his hand rests on her shoulder. "We'll find Kelly alive."

But another hour passes, Erin's mind spiraling downward as she hears him calling out to her in her subconscious. Kelly…baby please hold on….please…

XXXXXXXX

"Hey John!"

"Evening Mike. Hey uh…Rick said he thought he saw someone jump out of the last car about an hour ago. Was going to check it out but got sidetracked. Probably nothing but never know what they leaved behind. Last time it was a smoldering fire. Check it out while I get it started."

"Copy that!"

Mike Gardner slowly saunters back toward the end of the now slowly moving train; his pace almost faster than the large iron snake. He reaches the end car and frowns at seeing one of the side doors open.

"Ah damn…here we go again. Damn hoppers," he curses as he nears the wide open door. The first thing he's hit with is the raw smell of…blood? He quickly pulls his flashlight and shines it to the left…his heart starting to race. Then slowly pans to the middle and then to the right. He stops and literally feels his stomach lurch.

"Oh…my…God…"

The color drains. The flashlight drops. Hope – starts to fade.

XXXXXXXX

Erin, Casey, Benny Severide, her partner Jay and her boss, would be father Hank Voight, all anxiously wait as another call comes in.

"Nothing. But we can strike another off the list," the clerk pauses. "I just…here's another."

"Put it on speaker," Voight mentions as he remains glaring at the map, ready to strike off another false lead.

But before all hope is lost another call comes in…from a train heading north-west; one that the clerk hadn't submitted all the paperwork from. They all listen to the fateful call. The call from – Wisconsin?

"Dispatch this is train 3-34. Uh…damndest thing…someone reported seeing a person hop off one of the last cars and when one of my guys went to check it out…damn it's bad…we found a body…he…just called the medics…don't know if it'll even make a difference…it's bad."

XXXXXXXX

Is he alive? He has to be alive…has to be alive…HAS TO BE ALIVE! Please God…please let him be alive…please…Erin's mind chants over and over as her, Benny, Casey all sit in the belly of the helicopter on the way to Madison, Wisconsin where Kelly Severide's body had been flown – currently being treated in the Emergency surgery area. Voight had given her a supportive hug and told her that since Kelly was found, he was her priority and the finding of Randy Cameron and bringing him to justice was his – Voight's.

"I need to be there to bring this bastard down!"

"Kelly needs you now and you need to be at his side. Randy…he can't hide. Don't worry when we find him…if he comes to us still breathing, Jay and I will make sure he's given a proper welcome."

"Hank…if it comes down to you or him…"

"Randy Cameron's days are numbered. Call me with an update."

She had nodded in agreement, her mind racing with horrible thoughts that she wanted to be the one to rip Randy limb from limb but knows Voight's words to be true – Kelly was her priority now. Casey of course would help his best friend but with her and Kelly on the road to becoming a family, her duty was to them now.

"Can't this damn thing fly faster," she grumbles; both Benny and Casey offering her a small nod of sympathy. It seems to take an eternity for them to arrive at the unfamiliar destination but when they do, she rushes past them all, charging into the ER and almost demanding to know where Kelly was being treated.

They are directed toward the Chief trauma surgeon who finally appears about fifteen anxious minutes later; his look one of apprehension and frustration.

"I'm Doctor Harvey. Are you family of Kelly Severide?" The father asks gravely.

"I'm his father," Benny answers nervously.

"Brother," Casey interjects as the doctor looks at Erin.

Casey said brother…oh hell…"his…wife," she manages in a quiet tone as her heart threatens to explode. If the doctor didn't believe her or Casey he didn't say…Benny not really giving him a chance and in reality the older man not caring about semantics.

"Is he okay?" He manages as his voice breaks. "My son…is he okay?"

"He's…"

"Oh God…" Erin breaths in horror as the older man looks at her in concern. "Is he alive?"

"It was touch and go there for a bit…but he's alive. He's a fighter and good thing too…when he was brought in…I just have to ask, what the hell happened? The medics said he was found in an empty rail car? They thought he was dead. Looked like it when he came in."

"My son was kidnapped and beaten by a killer," Benny states angrily.

The doctor goes on to explain that he had lost a lot of blood, had coded twice and was now resting in a medically induced coma. He had a broken arm, badly sprained thigh, broken ribs, had a few punctured organs, multiple bruises and cuts but literally surprised them all when he fought his way back after his heart stopped the second time.

Erin's heart starts to race as they near the ICU, the doctor telling them that he couldn't even think about moving him for at least a few days, just to make sure that when he comes out of the medically induced coma, everything internally would be out of the danger zone and steady enough for transport back to Chicago.

"It's okay," Casey whispers as she stops outside Severide's room; looking up at his best friend on her left and at Kelly's father on her right. Her somewhat shaking hand drops to her side; Benny's hand grasping it and giving it a comforting squeeze for a few seconds before they dare to enter. Casey would check on Kelly and then call Pauline to give her an update and ask her to keep Aurora until Kelly was well enough to be flown back to Lakeshore in Chicago where father and daughter would be reunited.

Erin's breath literally catches as she enters the room and then stops and stares in horror; there a few meters away, lying motionless in a small hospital bed was her beloved…boyfriend…would be fiancé and soon to be husband. Her eyes water and her heart rate increases as she takes a few steps closer. His casted left arm rests in a sling; his thigh wrapped, chest wrapped, tubes attached to his mouth and nose, a call alert on his finger, heart monitor…monitors of all kinds. Her eyes flood and her hand grips Benny's tighter than both might have imagined.

"My boy…" Benny whispers as his jaw hardens. "Randy will pay…I swear to…he's going to pay for this!"

"Voight will make him pay," Casey whispers in misery.

Erin pulls away, her morose gaze resting on the still figure before him, her heart racing at top speed as she nears the bed. "Kelly…" she whispers and sniffles at the same time. "What did he do…" she lightly growls as she looks at his swollen eye, the cut on his cheek, fat lip and the dried blood on his nose. Her watery gaze drops down to his chest that above the thick bandages trying to reform his ribs, is now marred with darkening bruises. "Bastard," she curses Randy as she looks at the bandages around his wrists, her mind correctly surmising it was from where he had been cruelly bound.

Her hand gently drops and rests on his cool, stationary limb; her mind willing him to open his eyes. 'He'll stay in the medically induced coma for at least another 24 hours, his body needs to heal without outside distraction or additional stimulus and give the surgery time to heal.'

At first it's almost overwhelming to take in…her mind picturing the handsome firefighter so confident and strong. Of course he had tried to fight back…hold his own but was rendered helpless – going one on one with a trained killer.

'Looks like someone got interrupted before they could finish him for good…good thing to, he was barely alive and unresponsive when we found him. Damn….sickening sight. Someone just left him for dead.'

Time seems to slow as she, Benny and Casey all just stare in quiet horror; the nurses buzzing around them and the doctor telling them he'll return in a few hours to check on Severide's progress unless one of the monitoring alarms calls him first.

"Whatever you have to say to him…keep it positive. He needs that right now."

Casey pulls away, heading into the hallway to update Voight, Boden, his sister and of course Pauline, who would simply tell Aurora that her father wasn't able to make it home tonight but would see her very soon.

"Kelly…it's Erin," she leans in, her warm lips brushing his ear, her eyes watering again as her brain takes in his scent of sweat, blood, dirt and hospital antiseptic. "I uh…I'm here with you and you're going to be fine. I need….you're going to be fine."

XXXXXXXX

"Jack…Hank Voight again, yes that's right Benny Severide's friend. Need some help here. Randy Cameron…"

"He's trouble. What's happened now?"

"He kidnapped and nearly killed Benny's son, Kelly. We lost his trail somewhere near the Wisconsin border. I just need you to point me in the right direction…I don't care how old the lead…I gotta stop him before he kills again. And Jack…he will kill again."

A heavy sigh followed by a curse is heard on the other end of the line – the anxious anxiety – palpable. "Do you know why he went in that direction?"

"I do. But Sargent Voight…I gotta warn you…this isn't a man to suffer lightly."

"Well Agent Stanton…neither am I."

XXXXXXXX

"I want him to open his eyes…tell me he'll be okay," Erin whispers as she looks across Kelly's unconscious frame to his weary father; Casey on his way back from the cafeteria with a few strong coffee's.

"I keep looking up at those damn monitors and then at that breathing tube…can't believe this," Benny's voice trails off as Casey returns.

"Here," he offers one to Erin and then sits down beside Benny, offering him the last steaming cup. "Everyone is brought up to speed and Aurora will stay with Pauline until we're back in Chicago," Casey softly informs them as Erin offers him a silent nod.

For a few moments the three of them sit in silence…the soft but rhythmic beeping the only noise inside the room; a busy hospital environment going on outside around them.

"I'll take the first watch," Benny volunteers as he looks over at Erin, watching for a few seconds as she struggles to keep awake. "I can't ask for much but maybe just close your eyes and…I'll take the first watch."

The painful despair in Benny's tone isn't lost on either Erin or Casey as they both exchange glum expressions but then nod; fatigue from the long day pulling at them both. But sleep wasn't to come easy or remain for longer than a few hours at a time.

As soon as Erin closes her eyes, she hears Kelly's voice crying out for help…hears Randy's twisted laughter and then Aurora crying for her father. She tries to force her mind to think on something happy – their first official date and the beautiful walk afterwards. The twinkling lights. Them holding hands. The heated kiss. For a few blissful seconds, her lips dare to smile in the dark. But that happiness is once again shattered when she hears Kelly begging for his life and Randy laughing as he hits him once more.

Her body gently jolts awake, her eyes fluttering as they look over at Benny and Casey, both slumped over in their sleeping chairs – asleep. She looks at the clock, a little past midnight and then over at Severide in haste. No change.

Erin's hand dares to reach out, tenderly caressing his slightly puffy cheek, her eyes misting as she looks at the swollen skin around and above his eye, the few ugly black stiches above his eye brow and the bits of dried blood adorning his stubbled cheek a few inches below his swollen eye.

"If I clean this you better not think I'm doing it so you can flirt with the nurses," she whispers as she slowly gets up and heads for the some supplies and then comes back with a damp cloth. Not wanting to disturb him too much, she starts to clean the blood from around his jaw, lips, nose and cheek; pausing to look up and see Benny watching her in silence. "Can't…sleep," she whispers in torment.

"He'd want you to do this," Benny assures her warmly.

"What do we tell Aurora?"

"Work accident. She'll grow up knowing her father has a serious job and it sometimes comes with…injuries. We always downplay that right now. Don't want her to have nightmares."

"Yeah…nightmares," Erin agrees softly as she finishes cleaning Severide's face and then tosses the cloth away. She climbs back onto the sleeping chair, pulling the blanket over her and praying when she wakes up, the man she loves more than anything will be up waiting for her. This prayer would not be answered. She'd try again. The results would be better.

The next person to awaken a few hours later is Casey, looking at his still unconscious friend and then down at his wrapped chest and casted arm and his anger freshly surges. But his emotions are of course different from Erin's or Benny's as he knows from working with Kelly and living with him every day, being rendered so helpless and then nearly dying would have been almost too much to handle. Thank God he's alive, Casey's mind inwardly states.

But the recovery process wouldn't be easy and he wonders how the hunt for Randy Cameron is going. Voight better get this guy…Casey's mind seethes. And while he might not have seen eye to eye with the surly Detective in the past, when it comes to something this personal, he knows Voight will not stop until Randy is brought to justice – preferably his own.

Casey drifts back into sleep, silently begging that his friend's prognosis would be better the next day.

XXXXXXXX

"Think this lead is on the up and up?" Halstead asks Voight as the helicopter touches down atop the roof of the Monroe police station.

"Can't believe anything else," Voight replies heavily. "You saw the pictures right? Of when he was found and then brought in?"

"I did."

"Erin can't ever see them."

"Copy that."

"Okay, let's go to work. Chief Tolson?"

"Detective Voight? Welcome to Monroe. So how can we help you?"

XXXXXXXX

'You honestly think she wants to be with you? You're nothing! A passing amusement! She's with you because she's bored! Passing the time…'

Kelly Severide's mind had sunk so far into the emotional mire that it was just physical drive that kept him alive…that and the desire to see those he loved. His body had been taken care of by the best medical trauma team in the southern half of the state; but his mind…his emotional state hadn't even been touched. Those memories were coming to the fore…and they would be horrific.

His body gently jerks but doesn't awaken. No sounds are emitted. But the monitors slightly jump.

'You think she wants to be saddled with a kid! She hates kids! She's there for her amusement!'

This time his actions don't go unnoticed as Erin's eyes slowly open and she notices…or thinks she notices something. Kelly?...baby are you back? Her mind silently begs as she looks at the monitor's, willing them to move.

They remain still.

'She'll get bored! Think on that hero! You've lost!'

This time Erin's patience is rewarded as the monitors jump and his jaw slightly twitches. "Kelly?" Her whispered gasp isn't lost on the other two men; Benny and Casey snapping to attention instantly.

"He's awake?" Benny asks in haste as he looks at his son's sleeping expression.

"No he uh…I thought I saw…maybe not," her voice nervously stammers as she rubs her face. "Sorry."

"Don't be," Casey replies in a kind tone. "He…"

'You're still breathing? Just give up already! JUST…DIE!'

This time the heart monitors start to wail and all three of them exchange horror-stricken expressions. Doctor Harvey rushes up to the bedside with his two nurses at his side; his lips calling out orders as he starts to check for what could be causing his patient's heart to act so erratically.

"He has to be okay," Erin whispers as Benny's arm wraps around her slightly trembling shoulders.

"He will be," Benny whispers as he kisses the top of her head and holds her close, Casey looking at them in helpless frustration.

"What happened?" Casey asks as Severide's monitors return to normal.

'Don't give up Kelly…' first he she's Shay's peaceful smile. 'Come back to me daddy…' then it's Aurora and then… 'I need you Kelly…' Erin's beautiful face. Fight…FIGHT TO LIVE! Fight…

"His body has been through a lot of trauma and is just starting to heal itself inside and that means working through the antibiotics running through his system as well as…as whatever his mind is showing him and I'm guessing whatever he endured…it's going to take its toll. I'll be back in a few hours to check the dressings."

A few moments later the three of them are once again left alone in the room with Severide's quiet frame; the three of them hovering over his bed, looking down in concern.

"Can't imagine what he's thinking right now," Casey mentions softly as Erin's eyes water.

"He's feeling what that bastard did," Benny hisses quietly as he looks at Casey with a tight jaw. "But…we need to focus on happy stuff now. My boy should only hear good things."

The three of them talk a bit longer in hushed tones, before Benny says he's going to call Voight for an update and Casey says he's going to get the three of them breakfast; Erin not wanting to move from the spot at his side. She watches them go and then looks down with a teary frown.

"Okay they're gone now," Erin starts as she looks down at Kelly Severide's face and tries to smile. Her fingers start to gently run through his hair, her mind anxious for him to wake up and just tell her she's being overly dramatic and he's okay. But he doesn't and her heart continues to ache. "You know if you wanted me to play nurse…you could have just asked…" her voice wavers before a nervous chuckle is emitted.

He remains still.

"I uh…I need you Kelly," she tells him in a loving tone as she leans in closer, her hand gently snaking into his and squeezing it tightly. "I know Randy told you lies…but I need you…you can't leave me…me and Aurora and your dad and Matt and Hank…" she pauses as she sniffles and smirks at the same time. "We all need you."

She leans in closer, her lips brushing his jaw…just below the breathing tube, a few tears gently falling onto his scuffed cheek. "I need you so much," she lightly whispers as she plants a soft kiss on his mouth. "I have something to tell you but you have to wake up. I need you to look at me when I tell you," she continues as she remains bent over his bed, her fingers caressing his cheek.

She looks up to see Dr. Harvey entering and nearing the bed. "Do you know when he'll wake up?"

"His body will fight to come back. It was trying to this morning so that's why I'm not going to prolong the medical coma and have removed the breathing tube. If I feel there is danger that there's too much stress on his system and he's faltering or stops breathing on his own again, I will re-induce the coma. I just want to check a few dressings."

"Can I uh…stay?"

"Course you can."

Erin steps back and casts a morose gaze as Dr. Harvey checks the area on his chest, lower abdomen and then his thigh.

"He'll have a few scars but I'm confident that he'll make a full recovery and in a few weeks should be back on at least light duty," the doctor assures her, leaving out desk duty to start so as to keep the solid reassurance for them all going strong.

"I needed to hear that and I know he did too."

Casey returns with something to eat; Benny entering the room about ten minutes later.

"They've picked up Randy's trail going west but um…nothing yet," Benny informs them in truth as he slumps down into a nearby chair and looks at his food with a somewhat glum expression. But they all know they have to eat and despite not having much in the way of an appetite start to slowly eat their meal.

Afterwards, Benny and Casey just talk quietly, Casey giving them updates from Pauline on Aurora, telling them she's missing her dad and Pauline praying that he'll put through. Dr. Harvey comes back a few hours later, telling them he's taking Severide off the breathing tube as he wants to see how well Severide can breathe on his own.

Dr. Harvey lingers in his room for about half hour, casually talking to Erin, Benny and Casey in turns as each of them take turns being at Severide's side, talking to him in a comforting tone and only telling him positive things. But Kelly Severide still doesn't wake up.

"He's fighting his way back," Dr. Harvey tries to assure them. "I'll be back in another hour or so."

"How do we speed up time," Benny gently moans as he looks at his watch. "Over twenty four hours now and…and he just needs to wake up…at least just open his eyes…something."

Casey looks at Benny and can only nod back in helpless misery. In reality there was nothing they could do except – wait; something they all hated. But it was up to Kelly Severide now – he had to want to fight his way back.

Another hour ticks by painfully slow…all three of them lightly dozing off…milling around…talking to their friend and praying he wakes up soon. Erin slowly stands up and then looks at her watch…wishing Kelly would wake up or she'd get an update from Voight on Randy's takedown. She rubs her face as she heads back to Severide's bedside, leaning in and planting a soft kiss on his forehead, her hand taking his once more.

"I need to tell you something…" she whispers as she remains leaning in close. "I uh…I've been kinda scared to say it out loud…but I'm not I'm scared I'll never say it…I've said it in my mind…in my heart but I uh…I need to tell you this before I…this is positive right? So…here goes…I love you," she whispers; Benny overhearing but not making a fuss, his lips twisting upward into a warm smile.

Her gaze remains fixed on his face, her heart thumping nervously in his chest. "I do…I love you so much…you are my life Kelly and I need you in my life…I can't lose you now. Please come back to me….please."

She waits.

He remains still.

But a few moments later her heart starts to race faster and her eyes widen as his eyes start to flutter.

"Kelly!" She exclaims excitedly as Benny and Casey hurry to the other side of the bed. "That's it baby…please come back to us," she begs as his eyes struggle to open; the one that was swollen shut slightly watering as his brain realizes that he can only see clearly out of one eye.

His lips try to move…his brain desperate to get some words out…only three…he tries to focus on her…his throat dry. His lips try to move once more as she leans in closer.

"Say it…again," he manages hoarsely as her eyes instantly water and her grin widens; Benny's arm around her shoulder squeezing it tightly, Casey on the other side with a happy grin.

"I love you," she tells him in a tender but firm tone; her hand squeezing this and this time feeling a small squeeze in return, her mind leaping with elation; fresh but happy tears flooding her eyes. And just before he slips back into darkness, his mind offers his lips three more words – ones that would reassure her, reassure them both that their future was still on track.

"Love you…too."

Two worlds of emotions collide as in that moment, Erin phone buzzes with one message that would soon be acknowledged – 'we caught Randy.- Voight.'


A/N: okay and…..*exhale* ah yes well right from the start we all knew Randy was evil and of course Severide couldn't die; but yup had to put in as much angst as possible hehe. How will Randy finally meet his deserved end? And now that the first confession has been uttered how will things progress for our little family? Please do review before you go and thanks so much!