Hey everyone, here is the next chapter. I hope you all like it :) Also, don't forget to leave a comment and review and let me know what you all think. I would like to say that some things are very similar to the recent episodes but I have changed some of it. I do NOT own the rights to the characters or the storyline. I am simply creating a fanfic based off the episodes. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this :)
CHAPTER 24
Just as things were getting heated between Mouch and Rutledge, Engine 40 received a call.
"Guess you'll have to clean that up all by yourself." Rutledge said as he smirked and walked away.
Mouch was about to say something but Casey stopped him.
"Mouch, get back to work." Casey ordered.
Mouch finished cleaning up the debris with help from Gallo and Stella. They all returned around the same time. Mackey went inside while Brett stayed back to help Stella run drills for her Lieutenant's exam. Casey, Gallo, and Mouch were inside on the apparatus floor talking when Brett and Stella were greeted by Sydney, the redheaded woman from the car accident.
"Excuse me, but I was wondering if you could help me. I'm looking for the firefighter who helped me this morning." Sydney said.
Brett looked at Stella.
"Are you talking about Stella?" Brett asked as she pointed towards Stella.
Sydney let out a nervous chuckle.
"No, I'm looking for the male firefighter who saved my life." Sydney said.
Stella took notice of Brett.
"She's talking about Casey." Stella said.
"Oh, uh, he's inside." Brett said.
Syndney smiled and then walked away. Brett then in turn gave Stella a look.
"Maybe I shouldn't have said anything." Stella noted.
Brett turned to look inside where she saw Casey and that woman talking and smiling at each other.
"It's ok...you ready to go again?" Brett asked.
"Sure. Let's do this." Stella said.
"Ready...and go!" Brett yelled as she timed Stella for the drill.
Inside on the apparatus floor, Sydney was trying so miserably to flirt with Casey, going as so far as to say something about her mother being dead and then saying that her mom was actually alive. It was extremely awkward.
"So listen, I don't know if you're seeing anyone but here's my card." Sydney said with nervous smile.
Casey took the card but kept looking back at Brett, who would then look at Casey when he wasn't looking.
"No, I'm not seeing anyone." Casey replied.
"Good to know. Maybe we can go out sometime. Social distancing, of course." Sydney nervously joked.
"Of course." Casey replied.
"I have to get back to work. Call me sometime if you ever wanna do nothing together." Sydney nervously joked again.
Casey nervously chuckled and Sydney left. Brett watched as Sydney came out of the firehouse with a smile.
"Did you find Casey?" Stella asked Sydney.
"I did. He seems so sweet and so caring. I'm hoping he and I go out sometime since he said he's not seeing anyone." Sydney said.
"Oh, well, uh hope it works out for ya." Stella said.
"Goodbye." Sydney said with a smile as she walked away.
Brett turned to look at Casey, who returned her look. Not wanting to let it bother her, she finished helping Stella run drills and then went inside to the common room. Mouch was planning a prank war on Rutledge, the firefighter from Engine 40. Mouch had made a sign to hang at the firehouse where Rutledge worked at. Mouch, Gallo, Casey, and Stella took a trip over to that firehouse and Mouch began hanging the sign on the side of that firehouse. The lieutenant from Engine 40 walked over to Casey and asked him about Brett.
"So, that blonde paramedic that works on 61, uh, Brett I think. Is she seeing anyone?" the lieutenant asked.
"I don't think so. Why?" Casey asked.
"No reason. Just thought about asking her out." the lieutenant said.
"Lieutenant Grainger, what do you think?" Mouch yelled.
Lieutenant Grainger walked over to Mouch.
"I like it but don't tell anyone I said that." Grainger said.
"81, let's go!" Casey yelled.
Mouch, Gallo, and Stella headed back to the truck and then left. They arrived back at Firehouse 51 and Stella went looking for Severide.
"Hey Cruz, where's Severide?" Stella asked.
"Last I saw, he was with the Chief." Cruz said.
"Huh." Stella said as she headed into the common room where Brett was.
Stella walked over and sat beside of Brett at the table.
"I know that look. What's going on?" Brett asked her best friend.
"It's Kelly. He's been avoiding me." Stella complained.
"I wonder why." Brett said.
"I don't know but he's been acting really weird lately." Stella said.
"How so?" Brett asked.
"He's been avoiding me every chance he has. I've just had about enough of it." Stella said.
"Well, my door is always open anytime you need a place to stay." Brett offered.
"You know, I may take you up on that if Kelly keeps acting this way." Stella said.
"Just let me know." Brett half smiled.
Stella looked up and saw Severide walking towards the apparatus floor.
"Hey, wait a minute." Stella said.
Severide paused and turned around.
"What is going on? You're not home. When you're not on shift, you're nowhere to be found. I haven't seen you in a few days. What's going on?" Stella questioned.
"I'm just doing some work for a friend." Severide lied.
"You were supposed to help me study." Stella said.
"You don't need my help to study!" Severide yelled.
Brett overheard Stella and Severide arguing and went to go check it out.
"Fine. Don't expect me to be home tonight." Stella said as she walked away.
Severide just stood there looking defeated. Why did he listen to Casey?
"Hey, is that offer for me to stay with you still stand?" Stella asked Brett, who was standing in the doorway of the common room.
"Yeah." Brett said.
"I'll see you after I get off work at Molly's." Stella said.
Brett reached into her pocket and pulled out a key.
"Here's a spare key. Don't lose it." Brett smiled as she handed Stella the spare key to her apartment.
"Thanks, Brett." Stella said.
"Anytime." Brett smiled.
"AMBULANCE 61. TRUCK 81. CONSTRUCTION EXPLOSION. 2220 SOUTH ESSEX AVENUE." the dispatcher said over the intercom.
Everyone headed out to the call. Brett was still thinking about Casey and things that were going on. She thought about how she saw that red headed woman from the accident flirt with Casey and how Casey flirted with her right back. As they all arrived on the scene, Brett took a deep breath and parked the ambulance. Truck 81 arrived on the scene and Stella parked the truck. Brett and Mackey began treating victims as soon as they could.
"Get all of these victims out and accounted for. Brett, set up triage!" Casey ordered.
"Got it!" Brett replied.
Even though she had asked for space, when it came to their job, they were professionals and they respected each other. Brett and Mackey were setting up triage and preparing for several victims to come be treated. Gallo, Casey, Mouch, and Stella were making sure that the victims of the explosion made it out safely.
"Gallo, over here!" Mouch yelled.
Gallo went over and helped Mouch move two victims who were stuck underneath debris from the first explosion. They brought the two victims over to Brett so she could check them out. Mackey was over by the debris area tending to a victim who was unresponsive when one of the victims that Gallo and Mouch brought over got their attention.
"You have to get him out of there before it explodes!" the victim said.
"Sir, what are you talking about?" Casey asked.
"Over there! There's another explosion that is set to go off." the victim said as he pointed to where Mackey and the victim were.
Gallo noticed and rushed over there just in time as the explosion happened. He used his body to cover Mackey and the victim. Afterwards, he and Mackey made sure that they got the victim out and over to the ambulance safely. Brett and Mackey worked on the victim and then safely transported him to Med. After cleaning up the site, Truck 81 arrived back at the firehouse. Ambulance 61 pulled in about five minutes later. Casey watched helplessly as Brett walked passed him. He wanted to give her space but he also just wanted to tell her how much he missed her and needed her. Several hours passed and shift was over. As everyone began to leave the firehouse, they found that leaving wasn't going to be so easy as Firehouse 40, namely Mouch's old nemisis, Rutledge, decided to use a helicopter to dump donuts in front of the apparatus floor.
"You have got to be kidding." Cruz said as he came up to the scene.
"You know, I'd clean this up before the Chief sees it." Stella smirked with a smile.
Brett turned and noticed Lieutenant Greg Grainger, the hot firefighter from Firehouse 40, sitting in the passenger seat of the firetruck and gave him a small smile as she barely shook her head over the scene that she just witnessed. He smiled back at her and Casey took notice of it.
"What's with the look?" Severide asked Casey.
Casey turned to look at Severide.
"What look?" Casey asked.
"You know what look. I saw how you were looking at Brett and Grainger. What's up with that?" Severide asked.
"Nothing." Casey said as he headed towards his truck.
Brett turned and noticed Casey leaving. Just as she and the others were headed out to leave, she received a phone call. It was the garage letting her know that she could come pick up her car as it is ready. She left and called Olivia to meet her at the car rental agency to drop off her rental as her car was ready to be picked up. After turning in the car rental, she had Olivia drive her to the garage where her car was. Olivia dropped her off and headed to work. Brett signed some paperwork and then was given the keys to her car. She got in it and headed home to her apartment she shared with Casey. Things were awkward but she couldn't avoid Casey forever and he certainly couldn't avoid her. As she arrived home, she spotted Sydney's vehicle and Casey's truck. This was bound to be awkward. She headed inside the apartment building and upstairs to where her apartment is. She checked to see if the door was locked, which it was, and then used her key to open it. She tried to be as quiet as possible but ended up making a little noise. She could hear noises coming from Casey's room and that was enough to send her into an emotional meltdown. She opened the door to her bedroom and slammed it behind her. Casey, thinking that he and Sydney were alone, realized that Brett was home.
"I thought you said your roommate was staying at a friend's house." Sydney said.
"I thought so too." Casey said as he scratched the back of his head.
Brett had came home to get a few other things but after hearing what she heard, she was furious. She grabbed the rest of her things that she needed, placed them in a small bag, and then walked out the door, slamming it behind her. Casey walked over to the window and watched as Brett left, not knowing what to do or say. Brett had just heard him and Sydney having sex and that was the last thing he wanted her to hear. Yep, he sure screwed up some more. Sydney did her best to take Casey's mind off of things and while they continued to have their own fun, Casey's heart just wasn't into it. Brett arrived back at Olivia's and decided to watch TV since Olivia was at work. Brett had told Olivia that it would be another day or so before going back to her apartment. Why did she let things go this far? Had she not brought up Gabby, then she and Casey would be together by now but that was just it. They really wouldn't be together because the issue of Gabby would be there. The next day, Brett arrived at work and told Stella what had been going on.
"So you came home to get a few things and actually heard them in Casey's bedroom?" Stella asked, making sure she heard Brett correctly.
"Yeah, well, it was more like I heard her but still." Brett replied.
"Did Casey say anything?" Stella asked.
"No. I left before he could say anything." Brett admitted.
Stella was about to say something but the bells went off.
"AMBULANCE 61. PERSON DOWN. SOUTH WASHINGTON PARK COURT." the dispatcher said.
Brett and Mackey ran towards the apparatus floor. Mackey missed bumping into Sydney but Brett, on the other hand, accidentally ran into Sydney.
"Oh hey, you're my paramedic friend, uh, Sylvie? Right?" Sydney smiled.
"Uh yeah." Brett smiled as she turned and ran towards the ambulance.
Sydney's smile faded as she watched Casey hide the shirt she borrowed behind his back as he watched Brett and Mackey leave the firehouse.
Sydney wondered if there was more to Casey and Brett's friendship than what she saw.
"So, I'll um, I'll see you tonight for drinks?" Sydney casually asked.
"Yeah. I'll meet you at Molly's." Casey said.
Sydney smiled and then left. Severide came out looking for Casey.
"I know that look. What happened?" Severide asked.
"You mean before or after Brett heard me and Sydney at the apartment yesterday?" Casey said.
Severide gave Casey a look.
"Brett heard you and Sydney?" Severide asked.
"Yeah and now things are extremely awkward between us." Casey said.
"But weren't things already a bit awkward with you two?" Severide asked.
"Yeah but this is a whole different kind of awkward." Casey said.
"How so?" Severide asked.
"Well, I'm going out with Sydney tonight." Casey stated.
"After Brett heard you guys? You better hope that Brett doesn't see you two together tonight." Severide joked.
The men laughed a bit and then got back to work. Several hours later, Brett was on the apparatus floor with Stella, doing inventory of the ambulance talking when Greg Grainger showed up.
"Grainger, what brings you by?" Brett said with a warm smile.
"Well, my firehouse is running low on bag valve masks and I was wondering if you guys had any extras to spare." Grainger said.
"Yeah, of course. Let me check and see." Brett said as she opened the door to the back of the ambulance.
Grainger nervously smiled watching Brett climb in the ambulance to check for bag valve masks. Stella, on the other hand, was amused by what she was looking at. She watched the awkwardness between Brett and Grainger. It was obvious that Grainger had a little crush on Brett and found her attractive but Brett was either missing the signs of Grainger flirting with her, or she just wasn't interested in him.
"That's sweet of you coming by to help your fellow paramedics out. Not many engine officers or officers in general, would do that." Stella casually said.
"Well, I'm a team player and I believe in helping my fellow firefighters and paramedics out." Grainger said.
Grainger knew that Stella was onto him about the real reason he was there.
"Here you go." Brett smiled as she handed him a bag of bag valve masks.
"Thanks. Hey, uh, maybe I could thank you with dinner or drinks sometime." Grainger said.
"That sounds great. Uh, I was planning on grabbing a bite at Molly's after shift." Brett said.
"Well, I'll see you then." Grainger smiled as he walked away.
Brett smiled as Grainger left. Stella looked to see if Grainger was gone and once she saw that he was nowhere in sight, she began to tease Brett a little bit.
"Girl, that man has got it bad for you." Stella snickered.
"What? No." Brett said.
"Oh come on. What lieutenant shows up to a firehouse looking for extra bag valve masks instead of the actual paramedics? Just saying."
Stella teased.
"I don't know. Maybe he was just helping out his paramedics." Brett said.
"Uh no, he was here to see you." Stella teased.
"You think?" Brett asked, amused by what Stella was saying.
"Huh." Stella smirked.
"What's that for?" Brett asked.
"Look, I know Casey hurt you and you had your heart broken, but look at it this way: that lieutenant is hot and has it bad for you." Stella said.
"Huh. Good to know." Brett smiled.
"AMBULANCE 61. TRUCK 81. SQUAD 3. ENGINE 51. BATTALION CHIEF 25. STRUCTURE FIRE. NORTH LOWELL AVENUE." the dispatcher said.
Everyone rushed out of the firehouse and headed to the fire. It didn't take them long to arrive on the scene.
"Gallo, you're with me. Kidd. Mouch. Do not let anyone back there." Casey said as he pointed to what looked like an alley way.
Casey took in the scene.
"Herrmann, get a line in there now!" Casey ordered.
"You got it, Captain!" Herrmann yelled.
Herrmann turned and looked at his crew.
"Alright, you heard the Captain! Let's get a line in there now! Let's go!" Herrmann instructed.
"Let's clear out!" Casey yelled to everyone.
"We'll take the left side. You take the right! Cruz. Capp. You're with me. The rest of you, help search those tents! Capp, search the tents over there. Cruz, search these. I'll check over there." Severide ordered.
Severide took in the scene.
"Tony, over here!" Severide yelled.
Tony rushed over to where Severide was.
"Help me get this man out of here." Severide said.
"You got it, Lieutenant." Tony replied.
They worked together to get a man free from the small debris caused by the fire.
"Tony, take them to 61." Severide ordered.
Tony did as Severide instructed. Meanwhile on the other side of the homeless camp, Casey and his team were working hard to help people get away from the danger.
"Let's get this line going!" Herrmann yelled to 51.
Cruz heard a whistling sound and was looking around to see where it came from when a propane tank exploded and part of it cut Cruz's face.
"Cruz is down! I repeat, Cruz is down!" Capp yelled.
"Everyone report!" Severide ordered.
"All good here, Lieutenant!" Tony said over the radio.
"Capp, status report!" Severide said.
"All good. Bringing Cruz out now." Capp replied.
The homeless people from the camp site were complaining about the fire and how they needed their things. One homeless woman in particular caught Ritter's attention. She reminded him of a friend of his that was once homeless.
"Hey, hey, hey, you can't go in there." Ritter said.
"I need to get my things, namely my book that my grandmother gave me." the woman said.
"What's your name?" Ritter asked.
"Vanessa." Vanessa said.
"Alright, Vanessa. I need you to listen to me. This fire is very dangerous. Once we get it under control, I will see if I can find your book. What book is it?" Ritter asked.
"The Secret Garden." Vanessa replied.
"Alright, I'll do my best to save it if I can. Alright? I need you and everyone else to stay back while we work to save everyone else." Ritter said.
"Big Jim!" another woman yelled out.
"What? Where is he?" Vanessa asked, panicked.
"He went to go get Ricky's wheelchair." the woman said.
Severide couldn't help but hear what the woman said.
"Which tent?" Severide asked.
"The last one on the right." the woman said.
"Casey, we have one unidentified male victim unaccounted for! The woman said he's in the last tent on the right!" Severide said over the radio.
"Copy that!" Casey said as he went to look for the man.
Casey went looking for the man and found him trapped underneath some debris. He pulled the man out to safety. Severide found Casey struggling as Casey had ordered Gallo to take a victim back to 61.
"Casey, need some help?" Severide asked.
"Help me get him up and out of here." Casey said.
With Severide's help, Casey and Severide got the man out of harm's way.
"Brett! Mackey!" Casey called out.
Mackey had just finished treating Cruz's cut.
"Get him on the stretcher!" Mackey yelled as Brett was finishing bandaging up a victim.
Casey and Severide placed the man on the stretcher. The man was coughing really bad. Brett checked the man's pulse.
"His pulse is weak. Let's start an IV." Brett said.
Mackey helped Brett start an IV on the man.
"Wait, I know this man." Casey said.
"You do?" Severide asked.
"Yeah, he helped save a man on a call a few years back." Casey replied.
"Everyone calls him Big Jim." Vanessa said.
"How's he doing?" Casey asked.
"Not good. Let's get him to Med!" Brett said.
Brett and Mackey got the man into the ambulance. Casey watched as Brett drove away in the ambulance. Casey ordered his crew to clean up what little debris they could.
"That's the last of it, Captain." Mouch said as he and the rest of 81 came from the site.
Everyone got in their respective firetrucks and headed back to the firehouse. Brett and Mackey were already back at the firehouse when everyone pulled in. Shift was almost over and Brett was glad. Stella kept teasing her a little bit about her "date" with Grainger at Molly's. Little did Brett and Stella know that Casey was also having a "date with Sydney.
"So, are you going back to your place tonight?" Stella asked.
"Yeah. I figured I've stayed with Olivia long enough." Brett said.
"What about Casey?" Stella asked.
"He lives there too. I mean, he's free to date whoever he wants. I just wanna see him happy, even if it's not with me." Brett said.
"So, what are you planning on wearing for Grainger?" Stella asked.
"I don't know. It's like the polar vortex outside, even with the outside heaters at Molly's Patio." Brett said.
"What about that red halter top shirt with the black lacey jacket?" Stella suggested.
"You know, I was saving that outfit for when...nevermind, it doesn't matter. I think that's a perfect outfit." Brett said with a smile.
"Good because shift is finally over." Stella said.
After they changed clothes, Brett told Stella bye and headed to her apartment. Casey had to stay after at the firehouse to finish up paperwork. Stella was about to head out when Severide stopped her. They talked about why he was being so distant with her and why he was acting the way he was towards her. After, they made up and then Stella told Severide about Brett's date with Grainger.
"Wait, she's going out with Grainger? You mean the guy from 40?" Severide asked.
"Yeah, unless you know another Lieutenant Greg Grainger from 40 that I'm unaware of. Why?" Stella asked.
"Where are they going or did Brett tell you?" Severide questioned.
"Molly's. Why?" Stella asked.
"I'm not sure how to tell you but Casey and Sydney will be there tonight." Severide admitted.
Stella knew that this was gonna be a date that Casey and Brett never forgot and they weren't even the ones going on a date with each other.
"Well, they both are bound to bump into each other with their dates at some point. They might as well do it tonight. After all, they do live together." Stella said.
"Better now than later." Severide smirked.
The two of them headed back to Severide's apartment and since Casey had to finish up some paperwork, he decided to get ready for his date with Sydney at the firehouse. Little did he know that Brett was having a date with Greg Grainger at Molly's on the same night he was having a date with Sydney at Molly's. This was going to be a night that both Casey and Brett wouldn't forget.