Okay guys! A pretty long Chapter following here. Please let me know what you think! I really need some more reviews...so longing for them! So please if you got the time to read this, leave a review!
Chapter 12 – With me
Severide took his seat in the waiting area and was soon surrounded by his comrades from 51. Of course they had all shown up to sit with him in the hospital, waiting for news on their Lieutenant, on their friend.
It took Charleen about 2 hours until she made her way to the waiting area again. She knew that everyone was waiting for answers, especially Kelly.
"The surgery went good as far as I could tell but we will have to wait and see. We don't know if the optical nerve is damaged and if he is damaged how bad it is going to be. Still there is a very high risk that Matt is going to stay permanently blind or visually handicapped." Charleen said before taking a seat with the guys from the firehouse to talk. She knew there where a lot of questions. Questions she would love to have an answer to herself. But to her surprise no one asked, they just talked and laughed and made her feel more light modded within seconds.
As Matt finally came through he threw his head from one side to another, glad as Severide's voice came to his ears.
"I am here. I am here Matt. It's Kelly." Severide said, hurrying towards Matt's bed. He had been looking out of the window for a couple of minutes and had missed the second Matt had started to wake up. Kelly could just imagine how it had to feel, waking up in complete darkness in a foreign room.
"How did it go? Where is Charleen?" Matt asked, his voice still giving away how tired he was.
"Charleen got another surgery. You slept longer than she had planed you to sleep. I should tell you that she will be here as soon as the other surgery is finished. You did good."
"So did she damage that nerve?" Casey asked, his heart rate rising.
"She can't tell yet. Time will tell."
"Yeah I am kinda used to it."
"The guys are all here. Should I call them in or do you want to rest some more?"
"No call them in. They need to get home and spent time with their families." Matt said, knowing that no one would leave the hospital until they had said their hellos.
Matt didn't have to stay long in the hospital and left just a day later together with Charleen. Of course she had ordered him to stay in bed for a while longer as he still needed to rest up. That was the usual plan they had.
2 days after the surgery Matt's head shot up as his phone started to ring on the nightstand. He knew that it had to still be night as he had been fast asleep.
"2.34" His clock told him before he reached for his phone, answering it. He could feel that Charleen was awake too and the little click told him that she had switched on the lamp on her nightstand.
"Mister Casey, this is Officer Charles Nowell." The man on the other side said. "Do you know a woman called Nancy Casey?" He asked.
"Yes I do know her. She is my mother. Why? What's going on?" Matt asked, already smelling trouble.
"We caught her driving without a drivers license while being under the influence of alcohol."
"Just great." Matt said, rubbing a hand through his tired face.
"Will you pick her up at the Police Station, Northwestern drive."
"I will." Matt said shutting down his phone.
"Is everything alright?" Charleen asked alarmed.
"Do you remember when we talked about my mother?"
"Yes." Charleen said slowly. Matt had told her everything, his whole story.
"Well that was the police department. We have to free her from jail. Or better I have. You need to work tomorrow. Get back to sleep."
"Matt there is no way I will let you get there alone in the middle of the night." Charleen said and before Matt could say anything Charleen was already out of the bed. She wasn't happy that Matt had to be up and about in such a stressful situation just two days after his surgery.
As they arrived at the police station Matt let Charleen lead the way.
"We got a call for Nancy Casey. I am her son, Matt Casey." Matt said as he could feel the desk in front of him.
"Wait a second hun, there is no one behind the desk. Ah there someone is coming." Charleen said. "Can I help you?" The voice of the officer sounded like the one he had talked to on the phone.
"I think it was you who called me. My name is Matt Casey."
"Yes it was me. Mister Casey do you have a passport for me to identify yourself?"
"Yes sure." Matt said turning towards Charleen direction. "Can you please get it out of my wallet?" Matt asked, glad that Charleen was with him again. He was good to get along in his natural surroundings but as soon as he had to leave them he was just screwed and this was another situation that was smacking it into his face again. He would always need someone taking care of him...was that something he could put Charleen trough? His thoughts got interrupted by the police Officer.
"Alright. You can wait here, I will get your mother."
"That's always the way I imagined you and my mother where going to meet." Matt said and Charleen could see the sad look in his face.
"At least it does fit into what you had told me about her."
"Indeed." Matt said taking Charleen into his arms as he could feel her leaning her head onto his chest.
"You should head home and get some sleep, I can call a taxi when we are done here."
"No way." Charleen said raising her head to look at Matt who was just starring at the darkness.
"How do you fell? Any headache?"
"No I am fine." Matt assured as the door opened again. Charleen had pictured Nancy as a homeless woman but as she made her way towards them she was surprised how "normal" she actually looked and seemed.
"Matt!" She cheered and Charleen could see her irritated look onto the long cane Matt was holding. "Mum." He answered dryly.
"What is going on, why are you using this cane?", she asked, not even paying attention to Charleen.
"Well you missed the news that I got hurt in an accident. I am blind since nearly five months now. We hope that it's temporary."
"Oh my god! Why haven't you said anything! We talked in the meantime."
"Yes we did. Mum this is my girlfriend Charleen." Matt said, not bothering to explain himself. "Oh."
"Hello Misses Casey." Charleen said. She hadn't been aware of the fact that Matt's mother didn't know anything about his blindness.
"I am sorry we met under these circumstances. It's all just a big mistake."
"Where is the mistake in the fact that you don't have a drivers license and you are drunk."
"I am not drunk. I just had a drink with dinner."
"Yeah whatever mum. Come on, we need to go back to bed." Matt said while turning around.
"Matt wait! Who is taking care of you?" She asked getting Matt to face her again.
"I don't need anyone to take care of me, but if I do I still got Kelly and Charleen, you really don't need to worry."
"But I am worried. Are you completely blind?"
"Everything is pitch black but I had surgery 2 days ago and if I am lucky I should be able to see at least something soon."
"Please Matt don't leave me standing here like that." Matt just wanted to answer something when out of a sudden all hell break loose. He could hear someone screaming and within a second there where shot fired. He automatically ducked, whirling Charleen into his arms, to shield her, even if he had no idea what was actually going on here.
"Down on the ground! Down on the ground!" He could hear someone screaming, pressing his body even harder against Charleen's.
"What is going on. Do you see anybody?" Matt asked, his heart hammering violently in his chest.
"No." Charleen whispered.
"Hey sweet couple, I said down on the ground now." The voice started again and Charleen could finally take a look.
"It's one armed man. He is pointing the gun at us. We should sit down." Charleen said, slowly sinking to the ground, taking Matt with her.
"My mum?"
"Opposite corner. She is sitting on the floor. Scared but okay."
"Hey! What are you talking about. I didn't say you where allowed to talk! You sweet girl, come over here." Matt could directly feel that he was talking to Charleen. He raised to his feet without hesitating, shoving Charleen behind is back.
"She is not going anywhere." Matt said, hoping he found the direct location to look at.
"And what are you going to do about that, huh?" The man asked and just seconds after Matt could feel the barrel of the gun connecting with his forehead. He could hear Charleen whimpering behind his back.
"Look at me when I am talking to you!" The man screamed violently.
"I would but I am blind tough guy." Matt answered.
"And you are dating this girl? Oh come on you have to be kidding me. Come to me baby, I am a good shot."
"She is not going anywhere." Matt said again, his voice loud and clear.
"Robert, we got Cynthia here for you now." A voice interrupted their talk and Matt stumbled backwards as the man now called Robert shoved him back ungently.
"I got you." Charleen said, stabilizing Matt.
Within seconds Matt could hear loud noise and muffled sounds again.
"They got the gun, they are tackling him down." Charleen explained.
"Situation under control." A police officer said and Casey could feel his heart rate getting back in line.
"Are you okay?" He asked immediately turning down towards Charleen.
"Thanks to you I am. What about you?"
"I'm fine." Matt just said way to quickly before turning around.
"Mum!"
"I am here. I am okay too. God I was so scared when he pointed that gun at you." Nancy said and Matt could feel her hug just seconds after.
Together they walked out of the police station after talking to one of the officers. They where all glad they had gotten the situation under control so fast.
"Mum are you still staying with Edith?"
"Yes I am."
"Charleen would you mind if we take her there? It's not too far away."
"Of course not." The drive to Nancy's friend was silent.
"It's the house on the right." Nancy explained and Matt could feel as Charleen slowed the car down. He got out of the passenger seat, swaying a little, but grabbing the door for support.
"Matt promise me we will talk more often on the phone, okay?" Nancy said, touching her sons arm.
"Okay." Matt said, accepting his mothers hug before sitting down in the car again.
Charleen shot a worried glance at Matt who's head was leaning against the window, eyes closed. "Hey you okay?" She asked getting Matt to turn towards her.
"Yeah just tired. Didn't have planed my night like this." Matt said. He was glad as they finally arrived at the apartment again. He could feel the darkness around him spinning again. Charleen had just closed the door behind her as she turned around and found Matt still standing in the hallway, his white cane in his hand.
"Don't you want to leave it here?" She asked, getting no response. "Matt?"
"I am not...feeling to...good." Matt said his voice sluggish. Charleen was by his side within a second.
"Matt!" She screamed as his legs finally buckled and she crashed to the ground with him. Without waiting a second she shoved his weight from her body, turning him on his back.
"Matt! Can you hear me! Matt! Shit!", she cursed, hurrying towards her doctors bag that she always kept in the closet. As she returned just seconds after, Matt was still unresponsive, she took his blood pressure just to see that it was way too low. He had surgery just two days ago, this had all been too much.
"Matt, come one. Open your eyes for me.", Charleen begged, rubbing Matt's chest, glad as Matt's clouded eyes opened just seconds after.
"What is going on?", he asked, not sure what had just happened.
"You passed out. Any headache, anything else?" Charleen asked.
"No. I was dizzy and then I can't remember anything."
"Stay still, I will just check on you further okay?" Charleen said getting Matt to nod. She got the flashlight out of her first aid kid and looked at Casey's pupil reaction.
"Wait!" Matt suddenly said, getting Charleen to stop.
"You okay? Do you need to throw up?" She asked worried.
"No. Do that again."
"What do you mean? Matt!" Matt could hear the panic in Charleens voice.
"Did you just shine a flashlight into my eyes?" Matt asked, turning his head towards Charleens direction.
"Yes I did."
"I saw it! There was a change. I swear to god there was a change." Matt said and Charleen tried her best to stay calm.
"We will test that now. Come sit up, slowly." She said, helping Matt into a sitting position.
"You okay? Any dizziness, anything?"
"No."
"I will shine the flashlight into your eyes but to not effect you I need you to tell me when you think to see something, okay?"
"Okay." Matt said. Charleen switched the flashlight on and waited a few more seconds before she got it up and shown it into Matt's eyes.
"There! Left eye!" He said and Charleen couldn't help the tears building in her eyes. She shown it into his right eye as well but getting no response. As soon as she got the light to his left eye again Matt began to smile brightly.
"It was clearly a change of light there." He said.
"Oh Matt!" He could hear the tears in Charleens voice.
"Come here." Matt said, tears now building in his eyes now too.