Down and Out

Warrant

A week had passed by since Hallie had entered Casey's bare house and found him sleeping on the couch, his legs propped up on top of Severide's. Casey was fed up of sitting in his unfinished house day after day. It was partly his on doing, he could have gone out, could have visited the others at the firehouse, but he hadn't. He was counting down the days until his hands would be free of their casts although he knew even then after six weeks of no use they'd probably just be as useless as they were right now.

He appreciated Severide's visits. Appreciated Hallie and her help, she had all but officially moved into the new house. He appreciated Heather popping by, she'd even brought Ben and Griffin along once and that had brought a smile to his face. Boden even came by with some reports from Truck 81 for him to look through, said he knew Casey would be desperate to read them when he got back and thought he may as well start now, that had brought another smile to his face.

"Thanks for this," Casey said when he passed Severide one of the pillows from his bed. Severide had been over, stripped the bed for him and was currently helping him put fresh sheets on.

"Any time. Honestly."

"You wanna put another coat of paint in the lounge for me?" he grinned, knowing the answer already.

"Think I'll leave you to the painting," Severide put the last pillow back on the bed. "Hey if you really are bored you're welcome to come up to the boat yard?"

"Yeah I'd be so helpful…" he murmured cynically.

"Keep me company."

"Isn't that what your radio's for?" he teased.

"So… you doing all right?"

"Fine," he replied, his standard response.

"Heard anything from Antonio?" Severide tried.

"I don't remember what they looked like, there's no way Antonio can do anything with my shitty descriptions, all three of them were probably in one of those mugshot folders," he explained despondently.

"Well, you did get your bell rung pretty hard…" Severide stated. "Hallie was so worried, did I tell you we nearly called you mom, your sister?" He didn't admit how worried he had been.

"You didn't," he frowned, "Did you?"

"Erm pretty sure you'd have figured we called you sister if she'd come," Severide replied.

But Casey didn't think like that, didn't think he'd have been worth a visit. "Nah, she probably wouldn't have done… I should see mom soon, it's been months… Damnit… can't go like this…"

Severide didn't know what to say, still didn't understand Casey's relationship with his mom. If his own mom was in prison for killing his dad Severide didn't think he'd be able to visit her. "She can wait Case," he said simply.

"I'm the only one who visits," Casey explained.

"She can wait."

"Yeah, yeah, I guess."

"You need a hand with anything else?"

He shook his head. "You're free to leave."

"Yeah? What are you gonna do for the rest of the day?"

"Can entertain my…"

"Wanna go out?"

"Not really," he replied honestly.

"Come over to mine, be a change of scenery at least? And fairly certain I'll have an advantage over you on the Xbox now," Severide teased. "I won't take no for answer."

Severide dropped Casey back off at home even after he'd insisted he'd get a cab, he hadn't wanted to put Severide out of his way. "Thanks for today."

"You should come by the House tomorrow," Severide suggested.

"I'd just be in the way," he replied.

"Matt you'd never be in the way… Better than moping around feeling sorry for yourself."

"Not feeling sorry for myself," he stated as he got out of the car.

"Right. See ya then."

The next few days past by slowly. When he was on his own it felt like the walls around him were shrinking, the mail man had made him step back in surprise one morning when he opened the door the pick up the newspaper, the rattling tumble dryer kept him up at night, or at least that's what he'd told himself. It wasn't the faceless figures of the men who had attacked, it wasn't Andy's face just before he was engulfed in flames, it wasn't the look of anger on Severide's face when Casey had finally stepped off the ladder.

Day to day activities, usual things he took for granted, were not so simple with both his hands in casts, but he was managing it, and he'd not uttered a word of complaint, except that of boredom. He had always liked to keep himself busy, the house refurbishment was a great distraction after Andy's death, after moving out of his and Hallie's apartment. At least they were happy together now, at least they had a plan, she was going to be selling their place, moving in with him, and once Casey was back in action he'd turn the house into a perfect family home.

"Chief?" Casey opened his front door with a surprised expression across his face. "Hi…"

"I'm not allowed to check on my truck lieutenant?" Boden smiled.

"Come in… I'd offer you some coffee but I've managed to break most of the mugs…" he scoffed self-deprecatingly.

"Didn't come for coffee, just to see you," Boden explained lightly.

"You want the reports back?" he questioned.

"No."

Boden followed Casey into the sparse lounge diner area, at least there was no mini fridge there anymore, but the sofa was old and worn out, the dining table cluttered and he'd not had chance to sand the floor boards before he'd been incapacitated. Boden rather thought that Casey matched the mess of the house, he'd never seen his hair look so unkempt, his clothes so rumpled, his eyes were still darkened, but not from bruises, those had almost faded.

"Intention was to have most of it sorted by the end of summer. Not gonna happen now." He glanced around so incredibly conscious of the mess, and of his appearance.

"Sure if you ask the guys…"

"Nah ,just wanted it to be my little project, not done a whole house on my own before," he replied. Although he wouldn't have minded the help, only if he was working alongside them, he didn't want anyone doing so much for him.

"When did you move in?" Boden asked, still glancing around.

"I should have told you right? I thought just changing my address with Connie was…"

"That's all you needed to do," Boden smiled. Casey liked to do things by the book, hated making mistakes.

"Good," he nodded.

"When did you move in?" Boden repeated.

"Couple of days after Andy's funeral," he admitted casting his eyes down to the uneven wood flooring.

"Did you speak to the counsellor?" A counsel service had been organised during a few shifts after Andy's death.

"No." And before Boden could say anything he explained, "Spoke to the Chaplin."

"Good," Boden replied, satisfied, but he didn't know Casey had only spoke to him twice, briefly at the funeral and once a few weeks ago. "That's helped?"

"Helped? I'm fine Chief."

"I find that hard to believe, Matt," Boden said outwardly.

"Severide and I are good now, I think," he shrugged, he knew Boden was talking about the fallout Andy's death had caused.

"You moved out from…"

"Hallie and I are good too," he stated. "Look, I know it's your job to make sure…"

"Matt, I'm here as a friend," Boden ensured him.

"Well thank you for coming." He eyed the front door.

"All right." Boden took it as his cue to leave. "You need anything you'll let me know?"

"Of course," he nodded shortly. "Thanks for stopping by."

"Come on," Hallie stated abruptly as she walked into the house after her shift later that day. "We're going out," she announced enthusiastically at the puzzled expression across Casey's face.

"I've not showered for two days," he stated.

"Well go and get in there then," she smiled.

"Hals..." he began to protest.

"Matt..." she mocked. "Go and get in the shower before I drag you."

"Maybe you should drag me," he grinned.

"Yeah maybe later... don't pull that face... fine I'll come in with you..."

"So where are we going?" Casey asked as Hallie fastened the buttons on his shirt a while later. His hair was still damp from the shower.

"Thought we'd go for a walk, get some fresh air," she replied.

"And I need a shirt for that?"

She smiled as she fastened the last button. "You look good in a shirt."

"I look good in anything," he grinned.

She laughed. "How many painkillers have you taken today?"

The grin just remained on his face. "Pass me my hat?"

She reached over to the side table, grabbed the baseball cap and kissed him as she placed it on his blond hair.

They'd been walking for five minutes when Casey slowed, Hallie said nothing, she just matched his pace, arms entwined, but soon Hallie could tell his steps were becoming pained.

"Your chest?" she could hear his heavy breathing, and noticed how he held his hand against his torso.

"M'all right," he replied.

"Matt your ribs…"

"All right, I just need a breather," he admitted.

"Over there then." She pointed out the bench by the sidewalk.

"Damnit..." He shook his head miserably as he sat down

"This is the most exercise you've done in weeks baby, it's ok," she reassured him.

He shook his head once more, disappointed in himself.

"You'll be fighting fit again in no time, well… not fighting, all right?"

"No fighting, I promise," he laughed breathlessly. "Can't lose anymore teeth, can I?"

"Yeah, just be thankful that you can't tell, or you'd have no fiancé," she teased but her smile faded when the content expression across Casey's face fell, he was on high alert suddenly, eyes darting around. "Matt? … Oh…"

They were sitting on the opposite side of the street to where Casey had been found by the side of the store.

"What are you doing?" she asked as he suddenly stood up and started to walk over to the store. "Matt?" She got up and followed him.

Casey had crossed the road and was now stood on the sidewalk, the exact spot he'd been on when he'd been knocked into the side street. He started pacing around.

"Matt? Ba…" She saw the brown stain on the floor. Blood. Casey's blood. "Matt?"

"I don't remember," he said, distressed, "I still don't remember their faces."

"Baby, come on, let's go…"

"No, I have to remember, I have to…"

"Matt stop it!" She went to grab his arm, to stop his pacing, he jerked away. "You're worrying me, please let's just go."

Casey had stopped pacing, stepped back away from Hallie when she made to touch his arm. "Sorry, I thought…"

"I know," she smiled sadly, "Let's go home, we shouldn't have come this way."

Hallie and Casey had been home for five minutes, they'd walked back slowly and as soon as Casey had entered the house he made his way to the couch where he'd sat down with a heavy sigh as Hallie fetched him a drink.

"How's your chest now?" Hallie asked as she passed him a glass of water, he didn't reply. "Matt?"

He sighed. "It aches but I'm ok."

"Of course you are." She took the glass from him and watched as he sat back dejectedly. "It doesn't matter that you don't remember."

"I do remember," he responded, "Just don't remember enough. He's gonna get away with this and he's gonna do it to someone else."

"Maybe once his son's behind bars he'll think differently, maybe he…"

"People don't change, not really."

"Well, let's…" There was a knock at the door.

"I'll get it." He stood up after a moment and made his way to the front door. He wasn't expecting to find two uniformed officers stood on his porch.

"Matthew Casey?"

"Yeah?"

"We've got a warrant to search your home," the officer stated.

"What?" he frowned, "What for?"

"We got a tip saying you're in possession of cocaine," the officer explained. "Either we can search your house or you can produce the cocaine and your cooperation will be taken into consideration."

"Voight," he stated, "Detective Voight, he put you up to this?"

"No," the officer replied, "I don't know any Voight."

The other officer handed him the search warrant and they both followed him into the house. Hallie was eyeing the worktop as Casey entered the kitchen, she must have heard the entire conversation, she'd found the drugs. Casey immediately stood by her side, quickly formulating a plan.

"The warrant entitles us to search the entire house, you're allowed by law to stay in the house if you remain cooperative," the officer explained.

"I'm a firefighter, firehouse 51. My fiancée is a doctor at Lakeshore. Do we really look like cocaine users to you?" Casey scoffed, attempting to persuade them to call off their search because he knew full well that Hallie had found the planted cocaine.

"If you could please both go wait in the front room," the officer instructed.

But Casey made no attempt to move.

"Now," the officer warned.

Enough was enough. Casey was fed up of being so out of control of the entire Voight situation, he stood his ground. "Antonio Dawson, he's a detective in Vice, he'll tell you. We're being harassed by this cop. I have Antonio's number on my cell, will you please just take a second and talk to him?" He looked from officer to officer, he knew they were thinking about it. "Please."

Casey let out a breath of relief when the female officer reached out to take his phone, he reassured Hallie as the officer spoke to Antonio.

"He's says they're clean," the officer announced, and handed Casey's phone back.

The other officer spoke firmly. "If I ever have to come back here again no favour is gonna get you out of it."

As soon as they heard the front door close they both spun around to face the worktop. "It was under the table," Hallie stated, worry still evident in her voice. She bent down and pulled it from underneath.

"Pass me that knife," he said, eyeing the brown bag she'd placed on the worktop.

"Matt…" But she was silenced by his determined glare, passed him the knife and watched him carefully he cut into the bag. "Oh my God…" It was real.

"That's fifteen years right there…" he spoke. "Flush it."

"Matt?"

"Get rid of it."

"Stop, let's call Antonio…" But Casey clumsily picked up the bag himself, leaving a small trail behind as he rushed over to the bathroom. Hallie heard the flush. "I'm still calling An…"

"No. I can handle…"

"I'm calling Antonio," Hallie stated firmly.

"Hals…"

"Matt someone broke into your house whilst we were out and planted this, you already know what Voight is capable of. I'm calling him."

In the end Casey accepted Antonio's offer to have a couple of trustworthy police officers stationed outside of his house, if only to make sure Hallie was safe, he wouldn't admit to his paranoia, to his worry that he had been watched since he'd left the hospital. It had been less then twenty-four hours since the two officers had turned up at Casey's door with a search warrant when two more officers showed up at his door, this time Hallie was at work, and he had been expecting their arrival.

"Matthew Casey?" the officer smiled.

Casey nodded. "Thanks for coming, Antonio said you'd just be sat out side the house?"

"Yes we will," the man replied. "But do you mind if first we have a quick look around to get the layout?"

"Sure, come in." Casey stepped back and allowed the two officers to follow him into the house. "There's a back door but I don't…" he'd begun to explain when he heard the tell-tale safety click of a gun, he turned, his face fell. "You're kidding right?"

TBC