[Okay, so I felt like I should slip in a bit of a lighter chapter here! I thought it could be fun to incorporate Shay and Herrmann's interactions with Casey into the story, but from the perspectives of people who can't see him yet… let me know if it works or not!]

Capp walked into the firehouse with his bag slung over his shoulder and his phone in hand. He sighed as he walked past Truck 81 and noticed how Casey's boots were still stood up-right next to the front passenger side door. It was their second shift back and about 6 days since the accident had taken place, and everyone was struggling. They had a relief Lieutenant filling in on squad as there was still no word on when (or if as Shay had let slip the other day) Severide would be coming back. Herrmann was snappy and grumpy at the moment, not that anyone blamed him or was offended by it. They just made sure to give him a wide berth and followed his orders exactly on calls. Everyone knew he had been waiting years for a Lieutenant spot to open up, but they all knew this was not how he had wanted it to happen. Capp dumped his bag onto the squad table and slumped down in one of the chairs. He watched as the others started arriving, and nodded at Cruz and Otis as they made their way past. He looked down at his phone, and heard what sounded like Shay entering the firehouse.

'Yes, I tried that and he didn't listen. Just slammed the door in my face.'

Capp glanced up briefly, assuming Shay was with someone else. When he couldn't see anyone nearby he guessed she was on the phone and looked back down to give her some privacy.

'He locked it behind him or I would have forced him to listen to me.'

Capp smiled slightly. Despite trying not to eavesdrop, Shay was talking fairly loudly and seemed quite riled up over something or other. He looked back up again and frowned as he realised she didn't have a phone in her hand. Maybe she had one of those wireless headsets or earpieces like the one Mouch had gotten a couple years back. As Shay got closer Capp looked back down at his phone so she didn't catch him unintentionally listening into her conversation.

'No! I'm not gonna kick his door down! Yes I know I'm more than capable but I'm not pissing off our landlord because he wouldn't come out of his room.'

Capp was pretty sure Shay was speaking about Severide, and he sighed to himself. There was no doubt that Severide was the one who had been hit hardest with the loss of Casey. He just wished there was something they could do to help their Lieutenant. Shay smiled at Capp as she walked past and then frowned to herself and whispered something, Capp guessed to whoever she was on a call with, the earpiece must be hidden under her hair or something.

'Just, zip it would you. People are gonna think I've gone crazy. It's hard you know. Yeah well I can still…'

Shay walked through the common room doors and her conversation was cut off as the doors closed behind her. Capp leant forward in his chair and rifled through his bag for a moment before he found what he was looking for. He looked around the apparatus floor but nobody seemed to be nearby so he pulled the letter out of his bag. He stared at it for a while, wondering why he hadn't been able to open it yet. He guessed part of him was still in denial, and shock even though the accident was 6 days ago. One week tomorrow. Capp shook his head. How had it been almost a week since they lost one of the bravest and best men he knew. The sound of the bells going off brought him to his senses, and he stuffed the letter back in his bag before he leapt out of his chair and ran over to the rigs where he was swiftly joined by the others.

It was later that evening and Capp was once again sat at the squad table. The others had turned in for the night, hoping to get some sleep before the bells went off. Even though the shift had been extremely busy, Capp felt restless and full of energy. He had poured himself a coffee out of habit and was now sat at the table staring at Severide's chair. He had spoken to Shay at lunch to ask about how he was doing, but had just gotten a vague response before the bells went off calling for ambulance 61 and he hadn't seen her since they got back. He wished there was something he could do or say to help Severide out, but from the sounds of it he wasn't talking to anybody at the moment. He had messaged him trying to get him to grab a drink with them at Molly's but hadn't received a reply.

He sighed and stretched his arms out in front of him, accidentally knocking over his coffee mug in the process. He grabbed the mug as quickly as possible but the damage had already been done as the brown liquid flowed off the table and straight onto Severide's chair.

'Ah crap! No, no, no!'

Capp stood up and looked around him to see if there was something he could use to mop up the coffee. He grabbed a cloth that was on the end of the table and started scrubbing at the chair, hoping the liquid hadn't soaked into the fabric too much. He grimaced as a voice spoke up from behind him.

'Yeah, you should probably clean that up before Sev comes back and sees you have messed up his chair.'

Capp grinned to himself, not even bothering to turn around to confirm his suspicions of who was talking, of course it was him.

'Just couldn't stay away, huh?'

He dumped the now soaked through cloth back on to the table and sat back down in his chair. He looked over at where the voice had come from and chuckled as Casey made his way towards the table. Capp watched as Casey shrugged, grinning broadly, and sat opposite him.

'Eh, I had nothing better to do. Thought I'd come see what was going on.'

Capp smiled, then turned his attention back to Severide's now coffee stained chair. He saw Casey wince out of the corner of his eye, still grinning as he looked between the chair and Capp.

'Yeah, that's gonna stain.'

Capp groaned and threw his head back, realising that once again he owed Severide a new chair.

Capp looked down at Severide's chair in horror. What had he just done. He had been painting over some numbers on one of engine's hoses that had started to fade, and he had knocked into the paint can when he was startled by the bells going off calling for ambulance 61. Now there was paint all over Severide's chair and he was desperately trying to mop it up, although he seemed to just be making it worse. He stood back from the chair, and then froze as he heard the doors to the common room open and someone approach the table.

'Ooh, that's gonna stain.'

Capp spun around to see Casey stood with his hands in his pockets, grinning at the chair.

'You gotta help me, Severide's gonna kill me if he finds out! What gets out paint?'

Capp watched as Casey shrugged.

'No idea.'

Capp continued to scrub at Severide's chair, vaguely aware that Casey was still nearby and had sat down at the table. Casey watched him in amusement as he managed to stain even more of the chair.

'You might have to just buy him a new chair before he realises.'

Capp groaned to himself.

'There has to be something that gets out a paint stain.'

There was silence for a moment as Capp continued to stare forlornly at the chair, and then he turned as Casey spoke up from behind him.

'I heard vinegar works.'

Capp nodded, and ran around the table towards the kitchen. When he got back, bottle of vinegar in hand, Casey was no longer there. Capp poured the vinegar onto the chair and groaned as he realised that this was not helping in the slightest. He looked around him and grabbed a cushion that was rested on one of the other chairs. He placed it on top of the paint stain and walked swiftly back into the common room.

It was later that day when Severide realised something had happened to his chair. They had gotten back from a call and Severide had just sat down when he wrinkled his nose and looked at the rest of squad before he spoke up.

'Why does it smell like vinegar out here?'

Capp held his breath, and shrugged along with the others. He watched as Severide stood up and removed the cushion from his chair.

'What the hell happened to my chair?'

Capp grinned sheepishly as Severide looked at him and rolled his eyes.

'Do I even want to know Capp?'

Capp shook his head.

'I ordered a new one. It'll arrive before next shift.'

Capp watched as Severide nodded and sat in one of the other chairs around the squad table. The sound of Truck returning after a call filled the apparatus floor, and Capp stood up and walked over to the Truck as Casey jumped out and hung his jacket on the door. Casey grinned as he spotted Capp approaching him. Capp shook his head.

'Vinegar doesn't work to get out paint stains.'

He watched as Casey nodded and stepped out of his turnout pants.

'I know, I just wanted to see whether you would use it.'

Capp turned to face Casey, not surprised to see he was still there.

'I'm not using vinegar again.'

Capp watched as Casey grinned broadly.

'Ah, damn it!'

Capp glanced around the apparatus floor, and seeing there was nobody else around pulled out the letter from his bag.

'Is this a load of mushy stuff that's gonna make me feel sick.'

Casey shook his head, still smiling.

'You think I'd be able to write that without feeling sick myself.'

Capp chuckled to himself, and pried open the envelope.

Capp,

You know, I was worried that these letters would all end up sounding exactly the same. At least I know this one is gonna be different. You're a unique guy, Capp. You're funny, even when you don't mean to be, and you're one hell of a firefighter.

Now, if you're reading this… well it means I'm gone. And I am sorry about that. But what the house needs, now more than ever, is for someone to help them laugh. Someone to help them joke around, have a bit of fun. Lighten up. That's you. They need your jokes, your sense of humour. I think Boden might even be okay with a few harmless pranks if it helps to cheer everyone up.

Capp grinned to himself. That he could definitely do.

I've had the joy of working alongside you for years. You're an amazing firefighter and I know you're gonna do what you can to help everyone at 51 through this.

Look after yourself Capp, and never stop being you.

Capp smiled slightly and placed the letter back inside the envelope. The sound of the common room doors opening startled him slightly. He looked up to see Shay making her way over to the driver's side door of the ambulance. He watched as Casey stood up, grinning at him as he walked away from the table. He swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat before he spoke up.

'I'm not gonna cry you know, if that's why you stuck around to watch me read it.'

Casey grinned and shouted back to him as he rounded the corner of Truck.

'Sure, I was just gonna remind you to replace Sev's chair before he comes back to work. I'm gonna go annoy Shay for a bit. See you around Capp.'

Capp shook his head and as he went to stuff the letter into his bag he froze for a second, taking in what Casey had just said. He grinned to himself as he realised that maybe Shay hadn't been on the phone when he heard her talking that morning after all.