Disclaimer: I don't own Chicago Fire or any affiliated shows, or the characters thereof. This is just for fun.

Okay folks, here we go… the final chapter. Thank you to each and every loyal reader of An Occupational Hazard!

Enjoy!

Chapter Seventeen

Through the night various members of the firehouse took turns sitting with Stella, while the Herrmanns remained with the, as yet, unnamed baby.

The nurses had threatened Stella with sedation to keep her in bed. In their opinions, Stella was still, far too unstable to be moving around the hospital.

It wasn't until nearly six o'clock the following evening that Stella was transferred to the postnatal ward, and therefore she was allowed to go see her baby. As soon as Stella was given permission, she was on the edge of her bed, waiting for Christopher to bring her a wheelchair.

Although Stella could barely manage half a dozen steps without feeling breathless and still required some oxygen via nasal prongs, nothing would delay her from meeting her baby for the first time any longer.

Stella saw Cindy first as they rounded the corner into the NICU; Cindy was sitting quietly knitting what looked like a small blanket in varying shades of blue.

Then, Stella's attention was drawn to the humidicrib that Cindy was sitting by.

The tiny baby boy was connected to a ventilator, multiple IV pumps, numerous monitors, and other assorted medical paraphernalia, but all Stella saw was her baby, and at that moment, Stella knew that he would be okay.

"Hi Noah," Stella crooned softly.

"Noah, it's a beautiful name," Cindy said as she opened the round flaps on the side of the humidicrib. "If you put your hands through these, then you can touch him."

"I won't hurt him, will I? He's so little."

"It's okay, Stella. Go ahead."

Time passed, and soon Stella was reluctantly being wheeled back into her hospital room, when they were startled by Stella's phone ringing.

Shaking herself mentally, Stella answered her phone.

"Hello, Stella. It's Susan from Fairview Palliative Care calling. Can we speak?"

"Sure, what's going on? I'm sorry I haven't had a chance to check on things with Kelly; I'm not sure if you heard that I had to have an emergency c-section."

"Yes, I have been in contact with the carers looking after Kelly while you've been unwell, that's actually what I need to speak with you about… Kelly is deteriorating. If I had to hazard a guess, then I would say that he has a matter of days, if that."

"But I can't come home," Stella murmured brokenly. "Can you just keep him holding on? He has to meet his son."

"Stella, you have every right as Kelly's power of attorney to determine what course of treatment to pursue, but I think you need to think about what is in Kelly's best interests. Kelly is suffering despite every comfort measure that we can and have put into place."

"Okay, I'll talk to my doctor, maybe I can come home. I don't want him to be alone."

"I cannot discharge you in good conscience, Ms Kidd," Stella's doctor said firmly as he stood beside her bed, where Stella was sitting restlessly.

"Well then I'll just leave," Stella replied in an equally firm tone. "My husband… I need to be with him."

"I understand that you're in a difficult situation, Ms Kidd, but if you are determined to leave it will be against medical advice."

"Fine. I'll sign whatever you need, but I am going home."

Stella was trembling by the time she reached the front door of the apartment; her whole body was hurting and exhausted, but she knew that coming home wouldn't be restful.

"Can I help you, Stella?" Casey asked as Stella seemed to freeze at the door with her keys in hand.

"I don't know," Stella replied in a rare show of true emotion. "As soon as I go inside I think it's just going to be too real. I don't want him to go. Noah needs his dad."

"Hey hey, listen, I know this is an impossible situation, but I also know that Kelly needs you to be strong for him and the baby."

"…I know," Stella replied with only a slight tremor to her voice. Slowly she moved to open the apartment door, and all the while Stella had to keep reminding herself to keep breathing steadily in order to calm the emotional storm brewing within her.

The space around Kelly's bed was even more congested with medical supplies than it had been just days ago, and Stella knew from one look at her husband that he didn't have much longer.

The attendant from the palliative care service was kind enough to make themselves as scarce as possible in order to give the couple what privacy they could.

Stella wasted no time before she gently climbed into the bed beside Kelly, and snuggled up to him. All she could do now was to be there.

Kelly Severide passed away at eleven thirty-two that same night with his wife by his side.

Epilogue

Noah Benjamin Severide stood in front of his whole class proudly holding his late father's firefighters helmet. It was his turn to do show and tell, and naturally as a six year old, Noah could hardly wait.

When his name was called, Noah practically ran to the front of the classroom, his show and tell item clutched tightly in his small hands.

"And what have you brought today, Noah?" The teacher asked kindly as she had been forewarned by Noah's mother about the significance of the day. It was six years to the day that Noah's father had died.

"I brought Daddy's helmet, because my mommy let me borrow it. Daddy was a firefighter, like Mommy is, and Daddy used to wear this when he went to fires and stuff. Mommy and me are going to visit Daddy at the cemetery today, coz it's been a lot of years since he died. Mommy says that he's still with us though, so I don't get sad. It's pretty cool that Daddy's with me all the time."

All the kids hands shot up in the air, pleading with Noah to let them see it closer or better yet to let them try it on. Noah however was having none of that; he wouldn't let anyone touch the prized possession, let alone wear it.

"Mommy says that it's very special, no touching," Noah stated firmly, protectively holding the helmet closer to his torso.

Stella was gathered with her 'mom friends' in the playground as school finished for the day. Stella smiled to her son as he appeared through the doors, and she waved to him.

"Are you sure that you don't want to evening off?" One of the other moms asked gently. "I'm always up for having Noah over for a play date. Especially today, you should give yourself a break."

"Thanks for the offer, really, but it's better if I keep busy, especially today." Stella paused to help Noah with his school bag. "Honestly, I'll be alright. I'll see you all tomorrow."

The moms graciously accepted Stella's decision, and farewelled her and Noah as their own children began making their way over.

As Stella walked beside her son, she lightly asked him, "Did your friends like seeing Daddy's helmet?" Stella tried to ignore the tears subtly moistening her eyes as she spoke.

"It was so cool, Mommy! But I had to tell everyone that I'm not allowed to let other kids play with it, and they didn't like that."

"Well, thank you for keeping your promise to take really good care of it, kiddo. You know that I'm really proud of the young man that you are now," Stella paused, "Are you ready to hop in the car so that we can go see Daddy?"

Kelly's final resting place was located in a carefully landscaped garden on the edge of town; Stella had purposefully chosen a large rock at the edge of a beautiful garden, right beside one of the many timber benches, to inter her husband in behind a large brass plaque.

As was their ritual, Noah sat by the stone, excitedly talking about all the things a side year old boy tends to want to talk about, while Stella arranged fresh flowers and then tidied the surrounding area. Once Stella was finished, and Noah had said everything that he wanted to, Stella gathered up their belongings, pausing only briefly to trace the lettering of the plaque, which read:

Kelly James Severide

05/20/1982 - 11/06/2020

Rest In Peace

Then, Noah caught Stella's attention once again, and they headed home.

The End

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