Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination

I am SO SO SO SORRY for taking so much time to post this chapter. I knew what I wanted to do but wasn't sure how to write it down and every day life made it hard to write so here it is.

Thank you everyone for your reviews as well as the favorites/follows. I'm glad you guys are happy Adam and Haley made up so in this next chapter and maybe the next, we'll see Haley's recovery process and how things go between her and Adam. Tension will rise some when Haley visits the firehouse and finds out who her replacement is.

Two weeks later - Haley's POV

Adam had come by a few times in the past weeks since we kissed after out fight. Every time he would come, he would bring something for me. It was either food, magazines or movies so I wouldn't go completely out of my mind. My mom was no longer living with me because things were getting better and I wanted her to go back to her life. I woke up today feeling much better and the tension that I felt in my back and shoulder were not as bad as before. I had an appointment with Dr Taylor at ten so they could take x-rays of my shoulder so I could start PT as soon as possible. I had refrained from going to 51 for the past two weeks because I was scared of being angry of not being able to do the job that I loved. I walked out of my building to find Adam leaning against his car, waiting for me with a coffee and breakfast.

"You didn't have to come down today. Your case is more important than x-rays." I smiled as he handed me the coffee.

"Your x-rays are more important than any cases. How do you feel?" He opened the door and helped me sit down before going to his side and sitting down too, closing his door.

"I feel better than last week so it must be good news."

"Let's hope so." He started driving in the direction of Lakeshore.

"Can you tell me when I can go get my things in my car? I need to call my insurance so I can have a new car before I go back to 51."

"I don't know. Tell you what. While you go get your shoulder x-rayed, I'll give Voight a call to see where things are at."

"Thanks, I really don't want to be on foot when I get back."

"I'll drive you around if it gets to that." he chuckled as he parked his car and we went to wait for me to be called. We sat patiently in the waiting room while the nurse at the desk got my file.

"Ms Reed." He called me and Adam helped me up so we could go in his office. I didn't need help because it hurt but this brace was in the way or getting up so until it came off, someone had to help me off chairs. "Ok so I know we said you had to keep the brace three weeks for your ribs but I'd like to go ahead and x-ray your shoulder and your ribs at the same time to see how they are both healing."

"Does that mean that if everything is ok I'll be able to get the brace off?"

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves Ms Reed, we'll x-ray and we'll see."

"Thanks doc." The nurse came to prep me for my x-ray and soon after I was wheeled away.

"I'll keep my fingers crossed." Adam bent down to kiss me. I came back to the same room about fifteen minutes later and after another fifteen of waiting, Dr Taylor came back in with my images.

"So what's the verdict?" I was so beyond ready for some good news.

"I have some good and some bad news." He started.

"Bad news first." I wanted to get this over with sooner rather than later.

"Ok so the bad news is that you're shoulder is not quite where it should have been so you'll need to keep the sling for another week before we x-ray again. The good news is that your ribs are healed up just like we like them so we can go ahead and lose the brace a week earlier."

"Oh thank God for that. So the sling, do I have to do anything different?"

"No but we need to fit you for a different kind of sling for when you're sleeping." I had no idea what other kind of sling he could be talking about. "The fact that you had a body brace prevented you from taking any sleeping position other than on your back, which was helping you not to move your shoulder. Now that that is gone, we still need to keep you immobile during the night so this sling will wrap around your mid-section and keep your wrist strapped to you to minimize movement."

"So that is for nights? I can keep the other one during the day?"

"Absolutely. From the images we took, one week should be enough to get it all fixed so if you follow the instructions the nurse gives you before leaving, PT will be waiting for you next week and then we can gradually ease you back into firefighting." It was not exactly the news I was expecting but my recovery was still on track as far as the timeline was concerned so I was happy about that.

"Thanks doc, I really apreciate it."

"I'll make sure she listens to the instructions." Adam shook the docs hand before he left and a nurse came back with the brace I had to wear at night. Once we were done, we walked back to Adam's car. "So where to?"

"Do you mind dropping me off at 51, I'll give them the update myself."

"Sure." We drove the short drive to 51 and Adam parked on the parking lot of the house so I wouldn't have to walk much. "Call me if you can't find a ride back home."

"I will. Talk to you later." I leaned across the car and kissed him before getting out of the car and making my way onto the apparatus floor. Squad was sitting at their usual table, playing cards.

"Hey, look who it is." Severide smiled and got up to greet me with a hug. "What are you doing here?"

"I had a doctors appointment and came to update Chief and the rest of the house." I smiled as he pulled away from me. "Who's my replacement?"

"You remember Tommy Welch? Matt probably told you what he did to 81."

"Yes, I was still in New York when it happened but wasn't he on Squad before?"

"Yeah but he was stripped of his rank and the only available spot for him right now was yours."

"That's perfect." I rolled my eyes. The truth is, Matt had told me all about the truck accident and how Welch had played a role in it. In all of the CFD, this guy was the worst that could take my spot while I was recovering. "Thanks lieutenant." I plastered a fake smile on my face and walked towards the common room. Most of truck was there and the girls were there too. Once they noticed it was me, both jumped up from their spot and carefully wrapped me in a hug.

"Hey, you lost the body brace." Shay noticed first.

"Yup. That part is good news.

"Great news even."Gabby added. "So what did the doc say?" She asked what everyone was thinking.

I gave Matt a nod before answering. "Is Chief Boden in his office?" I wanted to tell him first but he came walking into the common room.

"I'm right here. What's the news? Good or bad?"

"Well the good news is that my ribs are healed up so the brace is gone. The not so good news is that my shoulder is not as healed up as they'd like so I got another week with it but doc says it looks good for PT starting next week." I smiled at him. A few of the guys were clapping but I could see Welch from the corner of my eye, an unhappy look on his face.

"It's what we like to hear. Staying with us for lunch?"

"Absolutely. Help me out with lunch Gabs?" I smiled at her. She smiled back and went to get some stuff ready. I made my way towards Welch who was reading the paper. "Haley Reed." I extended my good hand for him to shake. He only looked up at my hand and went back to reading his paper. "So you're than kind of firefighter huh?

"Go on and cook our lunch, it's what your good for." He said, never looking at me. It took a hand on my shoulder and around my waist from Severide to stop me from jumping down his throat.

"You stay here long enough, I'll school your ASS on that truck." I growled before he moved me towards the stove.

"Keep your cool, he's just trying to get a rise out of you." Gabby nudged me against my good shoulder.

"It's working." I hissed looking at him. We started cooking lunch, joking around. "So, any new wedding planning we should know about?" I asked as Shay leaned against the counter in front of us.

"Well next week, we have an appointment at the taylor's for my dress." Gabby smiled and Shay squeeled.

"I so want to see that." Shay.

"It's not done yet. Last week he did the sketches, I just have to see if it's what I want. I'll tell you ladies when I have to go try it. And, as soon as your sling comes off, we are going to go with Laura for the bridesmaid dresses." She smiled.

"Chow's up." we called and put the food on the counter in front of the stove. I took the empty spot next to Matt at the top of the table.

"How are you feeling?"He asked.

"Better, looking forward to PT and coming back." Welch was sitting across from me and just smirked up at me before getting back to his food. I was determined to wipe it off his face.

"How's it going with Adam?"

I looked at him funny, not sure where he was going with it. "Getting there, slowly. He's not pushing me to get back like it was before."

"I wasn't happy when they wanted to get you two back together but you've been happier since you guys got back together. So what happens with your car?"

"I'm not sure. It's still in CPD lock-up, Adam is supposed to update me today. I kind of need to get another one before coming back."

We were cut off in our discussion by the overhead paging system going off.

Ambulance 61, Engine 51, Truck 81, Squad 3 and Batallion 25, structure fire.

Everyone got up and went to their respective trucks. Chief came through the common room as I was finishing to eat my lunch since I was off duty.

"Want to come with me?" He smiled at me.

"Yes sir." I smiled back at him and quickly got up from my spot and following him. As we get there, the apartment building is already engulfed in flames. I stand next to chief as he gives out his orders and look at the scene in front of me. Both Casey and Severide redirect those orders to their respective teams and they all go in. As they go through the different rooms, they radio in their progress but then, we hear an explosion and all radio activity stops.

"Chief. The floor under me collapsed and I'm stuck in the basement." Casey reported. I breathed out, relieved that he seemed fine apart from him being trapped.

"I can't get to him chief." Severide calls in.

"I'm going in." Chief announced as Otis and Herrmann came out with a victim. "Otis, Herrmann, you're with me." He turned and looked at me, giving me his radio.

"I trust you will make the right call." I nervously picked it before he masked up and put his gear on and went inside. Minutes passed and still no one had given their progress.

"Severide report." I called into the radio.

"We're almost done with the top floor search, Capp and I will be down in three minutes." The rest of Squad 3 were already outside. Otis, Herrmann and chief Boden were still helping Casey inside but I didn't know where Mouch and Welch were.

"Mouch, Welch, what's your status?" Mouch came out as I let go of the radio button but I was still waiting for Welch to reply.

"I'm coming out with a victim." He finally answered. He came out a few seconds later and handed the young girl to Dawson and Shay. Then, Severide and Capp came out with a second victim, the mother. Other than having dust on her face, she seemed fine. I was hoping the rest of 51 would be out soon but a huge cloud of black smoke emerged from the roof.

"The smoke just turned black, you've got one minute left guys." I called anxiously in the radio. "Dawson, call an extra ambulance in case for Casey."

"Copy that Reed." Gabby called an extra ambo while I waited impatiently for the four of them to come out. When they finally did, Matt locked eyes with mine and offered me a smile.

"Another ambo is on its way to check you guys out." I said as they removed their gear and drank the water that was offered to them by the rest of truck.

"Great job Reed." Chief patted me on the back.

"Right back at you chief." I smiled at him as the second ambo arrived. I asked the paramedic to take a look at Matt while the guys were packing up their truck to leave. After being given the all clear, Matt got up in front of 81 and they left to go back to the house. I got back into Boden's truck and we went back to the house too. When we got in the common room, Adam was there.

"Got to go on a ride along?" he kissed me as Matt came behind me.

"I even got in on the action." I smiled at him as Matt clapped both hands on my shoulders. I could see Adam didn't like the fact that I had been active during this rescue because of my shoulder.

"You are looking at Chief Reed." He chuckled. I swatted him away and he went towards his office to write the incident report.

"Chief Reed huh? Can I talk to chief Reed in private?" He laughed.

"Sure, let's go in the conference room." He followed closely behind me and closed the door behind him.

"Ok so what have you found out about my car?"

"Well, your car needs to stay at 21 but Sargent Voight said that CPD is paying to replace your car since it was damaged because of one of our cases."

"He has the authority to do that?" I was beyond surprised.

"Well he had to get it authorized by the commissioner but they gave him the go ahead. Find the one you want and come see Voight, he'll get all the paperwork done."

"That's great."

"And your replacement?" I just rolled my eyes and growled.

"Sexist ASS."

"He won't know what hit him. Are you ready to head home?"

"Definitively. Let me go see chief Boden and then we can go."

"I'll wait for you at the car." He kissed me and walked back out of the firehouse. I walked the short distance from the conference room to chief's office.

I knocked and he motioned for me to come in. "Thanks for letting me come along chief." I sat down in a chair in front of his desk.

"It was my pleasure. You did a great job out there. Did you ever think of taking the lieutenant's exam?" He removed his glasses and put them on the desk.

"No sir." Truth is that I had briefly thought about it when I was in New York but finally had decided not to take it.

"You would be great, you should think about it."

"Can I tell you the truth?" Since he was being honest, I thought I'd repay him the favour. He just nodded for me to continue. "When I was in New York, the thought crossed my mind. I knew it would be difficult because I'm a woman but after I came here and started working at 51, I don't see myself working in any other house in Chicago."

"We're glad to have you on our truck but if you ever change your mind, come see me."

"Thank you chief." I extended my hand and he shook it before I left. I said by to everyone before going to join Adam at his car. We drove back to his place and spent a quiet evening together.

a/n: Again, I am so sorry it took me so much time to write this chapter. I hope you like it and please leave some reviews, I always love to read what you think.

Next up: Haley gets her sling off and starts her PT and the girls will go dress shopping for the wedding.