Hey everyone, here is the next chapter. I hope you all enjoy it. Don't forget to leave any feedback for me :)
CHAPTER 11
Brett and Casey arrived at Brett's apartment and once inside, Brett closed the door.
"Uh, you can either sleep on the couch or in Cruz's old room." Brett suggested.
"Alright." Casey said.
Brett went into her bedroom and closed the door. She changed into a pair of black yoga pants and a light pink tank top. She came back into the living room and saw Casey sitting on the couch wearing a pair of pajama pants and a grey shirt. He was watching TV.
"Want some popcorn?" Brett asked.
"Sure." Casey said, not paying any attention to Brett.
Brett giggled quietly to herself as she noticed Casey was watching the HGTV Network. She went into the kitchen and made some popcorn and then brought the bowl of popcorn over to the couch where Casey was sitting and sat down beside of him.
"Popcorn is done." Brett said as she handed Casey the bowl.
Casey was in deep thought that he didn't even notice Brett sitting beside of him.
"Thanks." Casey said.
There was something bothering Casey. Brett could tell by the tone in his voice that something was bothering him.
"What's wrong?" Brett asked, catching Casey off guard.
"Oh nothing. I was just thinking." Casey said.
Brett wondered if Casey was thinking about Gabby. Before she could say something, her phone rang.
"Hello?" Brett asked.
"Sylvie, it's Scott. I know it's last minute but I don't know what to do. Amelia won't stop crying." Scott said.
"Have you changed her diaper?" Brett asked.
"Yeah." Scott replied.
"And you have fed and burped her?" Brett asked.
"Yeah." Scott said.
"Try taking her for a car ride. Most newborns are a little fussy at first. Car rides usually help them sleep." Brett explained.
"I'll try that and see if it helps. Thank you." Scott said.
They said their goodbyes and hung up the phone.
"Everything ok?" Casey asked.
"Uh, yeah. Scott is just having trouble with the baby. She's a little fussy and won't sleep." Brett said.
"Oh." Casey replied.
Casey had a lot on his mind. Painful memories of Gabby flooded Casey's mind. He was no longer in love with with Gabby but he was thinking about the time he and Gabby lost Louie and their unborn child but didn't know how to Brett.
"Are you ok?" Brett asked.
"Yeah. Just thinking about Louie and..." Casey said.
Brett knew exactly what he was thinking about without hearing him finish the sentence.
"I know." Brett said as she rubbed Casey's shoulder to let him know she understood what he told him.
The touch of Brett's hand on his shoulder felt good on Casey. He reached up, grabbed Brett's hand, and brought it down beside him. He squeezed it and then placed his head on Brett's shoulder.
"You're the only one who has been here for me." Casey sighed.
"Same could be said about you for me." Brett answered.
"I'm glad you didn't leave when Julie died. I don't think I could have gotten through this last year or so without you." Casey said.
"Same here." Brett slightly chuckled.
Casey lifted his head up and looked at her with a sneaky grin. He then grabbed a throw pillow that was beside of him and playfully hit Brett with it.
"You did not just do that." Brett smiled.
She grabbed the throw pillow that was beside her and playfully hit Casey with it.
"Oh, so it's gonna be like that, huh?" Casey teased.
"You started it." Brett giggled.
"I'll show you." Casey said as he started to tickle her.
She started screaming with laughter and tried to playfully tickle him back but it didn't work. She somehow managed to escape from him but was still laughing. Casey was laughing too and for Brett, hearing Casey's laughter meant that she was taking his mind off of everything, at least temporarily.
"I...can't...breathe." Brett said as she stood in the kitchen trying to catch her breath while still laughing.
Casey saw her and walked over to her. She finally caught her breath and he gave her a hug.
"I needed that." Casey whispered.
"Me too." Brett replied with a smile.
They stood close to each other for what seemed like an enternity before Brett decided to go to bed.
"I'll see you in the morning." Brett whispered.
"See you in the morning." Casey whispered back.
He gave her a hug and took in the radiant scent of her intoxicating perfume one last time before watching Brett walk away to her bedroom. Casey decided to sleep in Cruz's old room. The next morning, Brett got up and went to take a shower. Casey woke up after hearing Brett in the bathroom. He looked at his phone and saw that it was 6:00 a.m. and wondered why Brett was up so early. He let out a small groan and tried to go back to sleep. He normally didn't get up until 6:30 or 7:00 a.m. on mornings he had to work. He couldn't get back to sleep, so he got up and opened the door. Brett finished and came back into the room, fully dressed.
"Good morning." Brett cheerfully said.
Casey couldn't help but smile.
"Morning." Casey replied with a smile.
Truth is, Casey had Brett on his mind all night and even in his dreams. He had dreams of Gabby before but with Brett, it was different.
"How did you sleep?" Brett asked.
"Uh, good." Casey smiled.
"I'm gonna finish getting ready for work. Feel free to use the bathroom to take a shower. Towels and wash cloths are in the cabinet above the toilet and there is a spare toothbrush unopened in the top drawer of the sink." Brett said before leaving to go back to her bedroom to put on her work boots.
Casey went back to Cruz's old bedroom, grabbed his bag, and went into the bathroom. Brett came back into the living room and sat down. She wasn't really hungry and Casey was taking a shower. Her thoughts wondered to places it shouldn't have gone, but she couldn't help it. After Casey was finished, he got dressed and came out into the living room. He put his shoes on and then he and Brett headed to work. Foster saw Brett and Casey arriving together in their own cars but at the same time. Casey and Brett headed into the locker room where they put their things in their locker and then everyone headed to the morning meeting. While waiting for Boden to show up, Foster decided to ask Brett about Casey.
"So, what happened with you and Casey last night?" Foster asked quietly.
"Nothing." Brett said.
"Kidd said that Severide told Casey to find a place to stay because Kidd and Severide wanted to be alone." Foster said.
Brett gave Foster a knowing look.
"It's not like that. He stayed in Cruz's old room." Brett answered.
Foster knew better than to push the subject. Before Brett could say anything, Boden came in.
"Good morning. I have a few announcements..." Boden said but was interupted by the dispatcher.
"AMBULANCE 61. WELLNESS CHECK. 6284 GARFIELD SQUARE. Apartment 4B." the dispatcher said over the intercom.
Foster and Brett took off in a hurry. They arrived on scene and knocked on the door.
"Fire department, call out!" Brett yelled.
No answer.
"Fire department, call out!" Foster then yelled.
Still no answer. Brett and Foster then checked the door to see if it was unlocked, which it was. They opened the door and walked inside the apartment. As they looked around, they didn't see anyone. The house was empty. All of a sudden, gunshots were ringing throughout the apartment.
"61 to Main. Gunshots fired! There is a fire coming from the next floor. Send backup!" Brett yelled over the radio with a scream.
She and Foster managed to make it to a closet and hid out there. CPD arrived along with all of Firehouse 51.
"Brett, give me a status update!" Boden said over the radio.
"Chief, there's shots being fired throughout the building. Foster and I are inside a closet on in apartment 4B. There's a fire coming from the floor above us." Brett said in a calm but worried voice.
The calmness in Brett's voice worried Casey and Boden. Voight and the other Intelligence Unit members arrived on scene.
"Brett, stay calm. I'm sending Truck and Squad inside." Boden said.
Before Boden could send in Truck and Squad, Voight chimed in.
"Alright, I need men on the front and back of the building. Upton. Halstead. Take this side. Rojas and Atwater the other side. Ruzek, stay with me. Chief, we need your men to check on the fire and get as many victims out as possible while being on alert. If there is an active shooter, there's no telling what is going to happen." Voight said.
"Truck 81, get in there and access the situation. Squad, go in and rescue any victims trapped. Engine, be ready with the hoses when given the signal. First and foremost, get Foster and Brett out of there. They are one of our own and we need them to help with victims. Alright. Let's go! Let's go! Let's go!" Boden said.
"Kidd, you and Mouch take take the first two floors. Be careful and keep an eye out for an active shooter. Gallo, you and I will take the third and fourth floors. We all meet on the fifth floor. Got it?" Casey asked the others before he went in.
Everyone nodded and split up. Stella and Mouch cleared the first and second floor with no problem. Gallo and Casey cleared all of the third floor, but when they arrived on the fourth floor, the fire was spreading fast.
"Fire department, call out!" Casey yelled.
One by one, Gallo and Casey checked each and every apartment and once it was cleared, Casey yelled for Brett and Foster.
"Chief, tell Voight to have his guys stand down. There's a fire inside and it's spreading pretty fast." Casey yelled over the radio.
"Copy that." Boden said and then told Voight.
"Get away from the building. The shooter is still inside but there is a fire." Voight told his team over their radios.
The Intelligence Team ran back to where Voight was waiting.
"Brett! Foster!" Casey yelled.
"Casey!" Brett and Foster yelled in unison.
Casey and Gallo heard them.
"You guys ok?" Gallo yelled.
"Yeah but it's getting hard to see in here!" Brett yelled.
"Mouch, are you and Kidd done?" Casey asked over the radio.
"Copy that, Captain. Kidd and I are on our way to the fifth floor." Mouch said.
"Mouch, the fire has spread to the fourth floor. Brett and Foster are trapped." Casey relayed.
Mouch and Stella arrived on fourth floor.
"Chief, we need Squad! The fire has spread to the fourth floor and Brett and Foster are trapped inside the building!" Casey yelled over the radio.
"Copy that. Severide, Brett and Foster are trapped on the fourth floor. We need to get them out of there." Boden said.
"Copy that, Chief." Severide said.
Kelly gave orders to Capp, Tony, and the others on Squad. They somehow managed to get a ladder to the window of the apartment where Brett and Foster were. Herrmann and the rest of Engine were waiting on Casey's signal to spray the building. Brett and Foster were by the window, waiting for Squad. Severide reached them and Foster crawled out the window first, followed by Brett.
"Casey, all clear. Get out of there." Severide relayed over the radio.
"Copy that." Casey said and told the others to leave.
"Herrmann, all clear!" Casey said after he and the others arrived back near Truck 81.
Herrmann and the rest of Engine 51 put out the fire. Brett and Foster were being checked out by other paramedics. After the fire was put out, the shooting started up again.
"Everyone, take cover!" Boden yelled.
Casey's first instinct was to protect Brett.
"You ok?" Casey asked after running over towards Brett.
"Yeah. What about everyone else?" Brett asked.
"I don't know." Casey said.
"Take cover!" Upton yelled.
Brett, Foster, Stella, and Severide jumped into the back of Ambulance 61 and closed the doors. Casey jumped and locked the front doors and then sat down beside of Brett. The gunshots echoed throughout the neighborhood for nearly an hour. Boden and the others kept in contact through radio communication. After what seemed like forever, the gunshots stopped. The CPD Intelligence Unit finally caught the man who was firing the gun. After getting the all clear from Voight, Truck, Squad, and Engine stayed to clean up the scene. Brett and Foster went to Med as a precaution per Boden's orders. This had been a very eventful morning and they still had several hours to go.