Chapter 19
Thought it was going to take a couple days for me to write these last two chapters. Guess not :P
Ambulance 61 stab victim, 27 and Achon.
Gabby and Shay climbed into their rig, taking off down the driveway.
"You ready for this?"
Gabby clenched her jaw. "Wouldn't be here if I wasn't."
Shay took the hint and switched to lighter topics as they drove. The house they were going to was on the good side of town.
"What do you think. Robbery gone wrong or wife walks in on cheating husband."
Gabby snorted, grabbing her bag and exiting the vehicle to meet the guy that was waiting for them.
"Can you tell me what happened sir?"
"Katie, she only just moved in a couple a days ago, I heard yelling this morning. When it suddenly stopped I got worried and decided to check on her."
Shay patted him on the back. "It's a good thing you did."
A small red head was laying on the hardwood floor of her main hallway. The blooded seemed to already be pooling all around her.
"I don't see a knife Dawson."
Gabby looked around and couldn't see one either. "Maybe the person she was fighting with pulled it out."
"Like a sword fight? Why would he pull it out if he didn't plan to stab her again?"
"I don't know. We've got to move, she has a pulse but it's weak."
"I'll get the backboard." Shay turned and quickly made her way toward their rig.
Somewhere in the kitchen, behind Gabby a glass shattered. Turning around she was a women, her eyes wide and wild. Upon further inspection Gabby noticed the blood on her shirt and the knife in her hand.
"Oh my god." The guy behind her gasped.
Gabby's hands were busy keeping pressure on the victim, but her eyes stayed trained on the girl.
"Did you do this?" Gabby asked, already knowing the answer.
"She took him, she took him away from us." The women's voice was robotic.
"Ma'am you need to put that knife down and take a seat over there." Gabby titled her head toward the nearby piano bench.
The women didn't make a move to put down the knife, she rocked from side to side, her eyes filling with panic.
Shay came back in, yellow back board in hand. "Woah, what is going on here?"
"Get out!" The women yelled, raising her knife.
"Back down Shay." Gabby told her. "Take him with you."
"Dawson."
"Now Shay."
Teeth clenched tight, Shay grabbed the man who had called for EMS and together they backed out.
Gabby breathed deep. "What's your name?"
"Tessa."
"Ok, Tessa." Gabby smiled. "What happened here?"
"She- She took him."
"Who?"
"David." Tessa sobbed. "He was mine."
Gabby felt panicked, was David somewhere in the house, bleeding to death?
"Is he here? David."
Tessa shook her head, knife shaking in her hand.
"Listen Tessa. I am sorry about you and David, but Katie is bleeding out. She is going to die if we do not get her out of here and to a hospital. If she dies, you're not looking at assault or attempt at murder, it will be murder."
"I just, I loved him and he left us."
"I know." Gabby tried to sympathize. "It hurts when someone you love breaks your heart or moves on. But that isn't Katie's fault."
Tessa dropped the knife, it bounced a couple times on the floor before stilling.
"Thank you Tessa." Gabby turned back to the victim, taping the bandages down to stop her from bleeding so much.
Sirens rang in the distance but Tessa didn't move from her place in the kitchen. She seemed to have come back to herself, realizing what she had done. Her cries were pain filled and sounded like the tears of heart break.
Gabby reached for her radio, "Shay get that back board in here."
A moment later her partner was through the door, the cops followed soon after.
Gabby road in back, hooked Katie up to an IV and gave her a new bandage, she had soaked right through the first one. From what Gabby could tell, Tessa had missed any vital organs. Hopefully that would lessen her charge.
.
"A crime of passion huh?" Shay asked on their drive back to the fire house.
"She loved this guy so much, she was willing to kill someone because of it."
Shay smirked at her partner. "You're telling me that if someone swooped in on Casey, you wouldn't even consider stabbing a bitch?"
Gabby's jaw dropped open. "Leslie Shay, no I would not."
"Ambulance 61 are you able to assist Truck and Squad at a structure fire on queens blvd?"
Shay leaned into her radio. "Ambulance 61 responding."
"Gonna be a busy day." Gabby sighed, already feeling a headache coming on.
"Like you wanted any down time today." Shay chuckled, she knew her partner well.
There was no way Gabby was looking forward to sitting around at the station. After what happened, everyone would be giving her pitying looks and wanting to ask her questions. Gabby would have tried to spend all her time in the rig, taking inventory and avoiding the common room.
Pulling up to the scene, grey smoke trickled out of open windows. Tuck and Squad weren't on scene yet, Shay and Gabby climbed out of their rig to take a look. There was a small group of people standing on the sidewalk.
"Hey." Gabby called out. "Any of you live here? Can you tell me what happened?"
One older lady turned around, stepping away from the group. "We aren't sure. This building is mainly offices, we have a cafeteria on the second floor. Other than that it's all offices."
Both paramedics nodded, taking in the information.
"Do you know if the fire started in the cafeteria?"
The lady shrugged. "I don't think so, I work on the forth floor, the smoke was coming above me. It's not that smoky on the lower floors."
Gabby nodded, she like Shay had to take some fire fighter training to work in a fire house. There was a lot of smoke but there weren't any visible flames.
"Where the hell are the guys?" Shay turned away to talk into her radio. "61 to Main, where are the companies?"
"There was a car pile up on the freeway, 51 and 81 were rerouted to the crash. Squad 3 and an engine from linkin park should be arriving soon."
"Thanks main."
There was a crash above them, a toaster fell from the eighth floor.
"Get back." Gabby yelled, moving everyone away from the building.
"Help! Somebody! Please we can't wake him up!" A women yelled franticly out the now shattered window.
Gabby and Dawson looked at each other. Shay shook her head at her PIC while Gabby kept looking back up at the window.
"I'll put on my flame retardant jacket and make a run up-"
"Dawson-"
"The smoke isn't thick and we've been here for four minutes already. I can't hear sirens yet, that man could die up there if we wait for them."
"So could you if that fire gets out of control."
"I'll be careful. If I can't get to him I'll come back out."
Shay put her hands on her hips, "What are you going to do about the smoke, enough gets into your lungs are you could pass out."
Gabby looked around the rig, they didn't have any kind of breathing apparatus like the boys had. They did how ever have a couple left over PRIDE bandanas from the parade a couple weeks back. Dumping some water on it from her water bottle, Gabby tied it the best she could around her mouth and nose.
"You have five minutes Dawson, i'm not kidding."
Gabby nodded, not wasting anymore time she grabbed her gear bag and ran into the building.
"She's going to give Casey a frigging heart attack." Shay muttered out loud to herself.
Watching the clock on her wrist, Shay counted down the minutes. At two, she heard sirens from a couple blocks away. About ten people emerged from the smokey entrance of the building. At three, squad 3 had pulled up in front of the building. The boys jumping out and Severide came over to her.
"What do we know?"
"Kelly, Dawson went inside." His eyes widened.
"The hell is she doing inside?"
"There's someone knocked out up there, she said we couldn't wait for you."
Kelly threw his head back, only slightly lucky 81 got sent to that car accident. If Casey were here right now, he might just drop dead. He's already been through enough where Dawson's safety is concerned.
"Which floor?"
"Eighth."
"Well get her." He promised his roommate.
Moving to the front of the building Lt Severide started calling out orders to his men. He and Capp were headed to level eight while the rest checked the other floors for victims.
"Dawson how's your progress?" Shay asked her.
The radio crackled. "He's dead. Seems like he hit is head off the desk, there is blood coming form his nose and ears."
"Ok, Squad is here now. Severide's coming to you."
"I'll meet him in the stair well, I can't do anything for this guy."
"Copy."
.
Gabby took off her gloves, throwing them into the garbage. Grabbing her bag she turned and make her way back to the stair case.
"What the hell Dawson?" Kelly yelled at her.
She looked up at him, she didn't think Kelly had ever been mad at her before. Maybe years ago when Shay's life had fallen to peaces after Darel killed himself in front of them. But even then he was more sad about his best friend being distort than made at her.
"Capp, take Dawson out, I'll search the rest of eight and meet you on seven."
Gabby shook her head, she was about to tell him she could get out on her own. The fire in Kelly's eyes stopped her, he was pissed. Diverting her eyes, Gabby continued down the stairs, Capp behind her.
The fire had been contained in the mall back office of the sixth floor. It was small and easily put out. A couple of the staff had gotten stuck in the elevator when the alarms started going off. They were easily recovered and escorted outside for fresh air.
With everyone checked out everyone packed up and headed back to the station.
"Our tank is low, we should fill up before our next run."
"Sounds good." Gabby agreed, eating a granola bar she kept in the dash for emergencies.
The detour to the gas station took less than five minutes, they were back at the station not too long after squad. Truck 81 was still out on their call.
"Dawson, Chief want's to see you." Mill's told her upon sight.
"About what?" He shrugged and continued into the bunk rooms.
"You think this is about the stabbing from earlier?" Shay asked.
"If it were he'd be pulling us both in. I'll find you after."
Gabby could tell that Kelly was also in Boden's office. Gabby had a feeling he had ratted her out for their last call.
"Chief." Gabby smiled, closing the door behind her.
She avoiding making eye contract with Kelly, trying to get a lock on the Chief's mood. He was so good at keeping a lock on his expressions, until he wanted you to know them.
"Lt Severide just got done briefing me on the fire at the office build. Now, he told when he pulled up that you had already gone inside to attend to a victim." When she didn't answer right away he prompted her. "Is that right?"
"Yes sir, there was a man in distress. Squad was still minutes out, I had to act."
"I see. Kelly told me you were unable to save him, I am sorry." Gabby nodded. "But you going into a building with an active fire inside is unacceptable."
"Chief, I know it isn't the perfect scenario, but I did what any of you would have done in my situation."
"Maybe." He had to admit it, because it was the truth. "That doesn't excuse your behaviour."
Gabby threw her arms out to the side. "Chief you just said-"
"I know what I said. You have had one too many close calls lately. Three out of the four, happened while you were on duty. My job is to keep everyone in this fire house safe, that includes you and Shay. Not just my fire fighters."
Gabby huffed, trying to calm herself down. Chief Boden looked to Kelly, dismissing him with a nod. He wanted to talk to Gabby alone.
.
Kelly made his way into the common room, wanting to get some food before he was called back out.
"What's going on?" Shay asked him.
He looked around at all his brothers, no one really giving them much attention.
"I told Boden what happened on the call today."
"Tattle tale." Shay teased him. "You did the right thing."
"Dawson's pissed."
"She'll get over it, this morning she faced down this girl who was all freaked out and stabbed her husbands side chick-"
Kelly slid deeper into his chair "Luck is really not on her side recently."
"Casey's not back yet, wait till he finds out."
Kelly snorted. Turning to the fridge to find himself some left overs.
As Shya had predicted, it was a busy shift for ambulance 61. Before truck got back, they went on two more calls, one a heart attack. The second one a demestic call.
The husband was holding his wife hostage, he was yelled and screaming so loud it could be heard from the street. Every once and a while the couple would cross in front of one of the windows.
Gabby tried to keep thoughts of Luke out of her mind. She had done a pretty good job of it since last night, but as she listened to the fight escalate, she couldn't help it.
Luke holding her down, how he screamed and yelled at her to open the "fucking door".
"You ok?" Shay asked her.
Gabby quickly walked behind the ambo and puked her guts up. She hadn't been able to eat much, but her breakfast sandwich and granola bar. Her body shook as she tried to push the memories from her mind. But they assaulted her, coming fast and vivid.
"Come on." Shay said coming up behind her. "Get in, I called for relief."
"What? I'm good Shay."
"I already called it in, they'll be here in two minutes. Come on, I'll drive us back to the station."
With no fight left in her, Gabby got into the ambo. She didn't say anything, letting Shay break the silence.
"Look, I know you're miss bad ass, alright. But what happened to you after last shift and even before that. Dawson you need to talk to someone, it doesn't have to be me or Casey. Clearly, you're having trouble dealing with everything that has happened. It's not weak to talk to someone, get a little extra help."
"He messed with my head."
"I know sweetie." She reached out to rub her arm. "We'll get you the help you need."
When they pulled back in, the Chief was waiting for them. The paramedics followed him into his office. Gabby apologized for her earlier behaviour and promised that she was going to get help. She requested to be taken off duty for the rest of the shift, but insisted that she'll be back for the next one.
"I think that is a good idea." He told her honesty. "I will send for relief."
"Thank you. Chief." Gabby said, letting Shay wrap her arm around her and lead her into the bunk room.
"Looks like Casey's back."
Gabby nodded. "I'm going to go talk to him."
Matt was focus of forms he was filling out. His pen moving fast over the lines. Gabby watched him for a couple minutes before opening his bunk door.
"Hi." He smiled up at her.
"Hey." She played with her hands nervously. "Do you have a second?"
He turned his chair toward her. "I always have time for my girl. What's going on?"
"I talked to the chief, i'm going to start seeing Dr Charles twice a week."
Matt reached out for her, getting up from his seat. "Gabby what happened?"
She told him about the calls, and how she kept getting flashes from the night she was taken. As well as from back when she was a kid. No tears fell down her cheeks but her eyes were shining as she held them back.
"I thought I could handle it, but after today-"
"Say no more." Matt pulled her into his arms, praying no one came by and disturbed them. "I'm here, whatever you need."
"Chief called in a replacement for me. I see Dr Charles tomorrow morning. But I'll be back next shift, I'm not going to let Luke take anymore of my time."
"I'm sure Chief would mind you staying over night. I don't like the idea of you home al by yourself."
Gabby pulled back so she could look up at him. "No, no. I'll be ok. A little time to myself might be just what I need."
Matt held his tongue and nodded. "I'm just a call away if you need me."
"I know." She rocked up on her tippy toes and gave him a kiss. "I'll come by after shift, pick you up. We could get breakfast before my appointment?"
"Sounds perfect."
I'll post the last chapter when I wake up tomorrow. Until then, stay safe!