"Afonin, finally I get to meet you. And we aren't in a burning building." Cruz shook his hand. "Good to see you standing."
"Yes well am glad to be standing." He followed Cruz into 51's common area where he sat at the table. It had been two weeks and while Afonin had scared Cyra and her station he pulled through mostly okay.
"When do you get to go back?"
"Should be no more than few days."
"Good to hear. Thanks for what you did for Cyra. It means the world to our family and everyone here."
"Well that is fireman code is it not? To protect our friends in arms?"
"Yeah, you're right. Coffee?"
"Please. How is Cyra? I have not seen crazy woman since three days ago." Everyone in the room laughed including Cruz.
"She's fine. Back to work. Unfortunately."
"Why is it unfortunate?"
"I wish she would have a safer job."
Afonin shook his head. "It makes her happy. Yes it dangerous but she loves it."
"You're right. And I know that."
The alarm went off. "Squad 3, Truck 81, Engine 51, Ambulance 61, assist companies at 61046 Spirit Avenue."
"We'll be back."
Afonin waved them goodbye. "I shall go and walk dog!" He shouted as Joe went out to the truck.
The scene was horrible. Three warehouses were on fire and firemen were coming out with victims or with their brothers and sisters in their arms. Cruz parked right next to a squad and when he saw the number his heart stopped. Jackson came running out of the building and he quickly pulled a Halligan from the truck. "Where is Cyra?"
"We need help." Cruz put his oxygen tank on and ran into the flames. Severide and Casey followed close behind. They were led to the back of the warehouse. A whole wall had fallen down. "She's under there."
"Oh God." They started digging through the rubble. Casey caught sight of her tank. Severide helped him pull all of the drywall and framing off of her. Casey froze when he saw a pool of blood around her. Severide found the source and immediately put pressure on the area underneath her heart.
"Casey." He stood frozen. "Casey! I need your help!" He wasn't going to move. "Jackson! Over here!" He joined the two lieutenants and he put pressure on her wound while Severide checked the rest of her body for injuries. "Alright. We have to go now." Finally Casey came back to the world and helped Severide pick up Cyra. "Cruz!" They started going back toward the ambulances knowing he would catch up at any second. They got her onto a gurney as Cruz came running out of the building.
"Shay, put the pressure on it. I have to get dressings." Dawson ran toward the ambulance. Severide and the others were panting and when Severide looked down, he saw his turnout coat covered in her blood.
"Dawson hurry!" Shay reached up to her neck and felt for a carotid pulse. "Dawson!" She finally returned with all the supplies she needed but now she was concentrating on keeping her alive. Joe ran to Cyra's side and took her hand.
"We're losing her!" Dawson stood on the gurney and started CPR. Shay shook her head.
"No. Dawson, stop." She kept going. "Dawson!" The paramedic shook her head but stopped.
"She can't..." Her voice disappeared and she covered her face with the crook of her arm.
Joe shook his head and rested it next to hers. He started shaking but no one said anything. Casey looked like he was going to fall to ground. He kneeled and put his helmet down. Jackon fell to his hands and knees while Severide mirrored Casey, putting his arm around Casey's shoulders. Boden caught sight of them. When he saw Cyra's body he shook his head. "No." The paramedics looked up at him with tears in their eyes. "You have to save her! Come on!"
"Chief, we tried. There isn't anything we can do." He approached them.
"An arsonist started this fire and has taken the lives of 6. I do not want her to be number 7!"
"I'm sorry." The fire was mostly out and the relief stations were getting ready to leave. "I'll go call it in." Shay pulled off her gloves and went to the ambulance. The rest of the station came over to the others, looking for their chief to get orders.
"Hey Chief. What..." Herrmann caught sight of the lieutenants covered in blood, staring at the ground blankly. There was silence from that point on.
While stations 51 and 74 waited for Cruz and Casey at the hospital, Severide sat and looked around. Every once in a while he would look down and see the blood. Eventually he ripped off his coat and threw it on the floor. Shay put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Why couldn't she be the one that lived against all odds?"
"She did that once remember? After she was attacked. For a while after that I looked at her like she was a zombie or something." Shay's mouth twitched but stopped almost immediately.
Casey came out and faced his friends, Hell, his family, and shook his head. "Boden, we are going to need some time off."
"I tried Casey. I really did." Severide let a single tear fall down his face. The first one anyone had seen in a while. "I'm sorry."
"You tried. You did more than I did."
"Should we go get Chad?" Otis asked quietly.
"Yeah I was just about to ask. I would like to go but-"
"I'll drive you." Otis stood up.
At the school, Casey's expression was still hard and it looked like he hadn't even really been able to absorb the news. "Hey there Lieutenant Casey. Do you need Chad?" He nodded and the secretary looked at him curiously. "Are you okay?" He ignored her and sat on the couch to wait.
"Hi, my name is Brian Zvonecek. I need to talk to the principal. It's urgent."
"Alright. Follow me." The fireman sat in the office, waiting in his turn out pants and boots. He only had to wait for a minute before the balding man walked in and sat at the desk.
"Sorry for keeping you waiting. My name is Justin Smith."
"Brian Zvonecek." They shook hands.
"Can I help with something? The only thing I know is Chad Cruz is involved."
"We had a huge fire today and when our station got there, they had to search through rubble to find Lieutenant Cyra Cruz. She fell in the line of duty."
covered his mouth and sat quietly. "I am so sorry for your loss. I've already called Chad up here. Do you need a room or something to tell him?"
"We'll be taking him to the hospital to see his stepfather."
"Okay. Let know how sorry we all are."
"Of course. Thanks." When he returned to the front of the office, Casey was staring at Chad as he was standing in front of him, looking at him with a blank expression. "Hey Chad. Let's go." The trio headed for the doors.
"Are you okay Uncle Matt?" He didn't say anything. The ride to the hospital was quiet and tense. As soon as they got there Otis took him up. Chad looked very concerned and scared when he saw Station 51 and Station 74 all sitting there. "What is it?" Joe was standing at the end of the hallway. Casey walked him to his step father and then all three of them disappeared into a room.
"Chad. Your mother was so brave and she saved so many lives. All of those people are alive because of her. Just remember that." Joe stopped when he saw Chad's facial expression. He was scared and confused.
"I don't understand. Why are you telling me this?"
"Your mother fell in the line of duty today." Tears started flowing down his cheeks as he shook his head. "We tried to save her-"
"No! You promised you would keep her safe! You lied to me and now my mom is dead!" He pulled open the door and ran out, Casey going after him while Cruz sat crying. Herrmann grabbed hold of him before he could get past them. Chad collapsed into Herrmann's arms. The fireman comforted him while he cried. Everyone could make out what the heart broken teenager was saying. "He lied. He lied to me. He said he would keep her safe." At that moment everyone's hearts broke in two. Severide kept his eyes on Chad as he hugged Herrmann. He picked up his turn out coat.
"Chief." When Boden caught sight of what he was holding he shook his head.
"I'll get someone to take all of the... someone can burn that for us."
