Kelly opened his eyes and he was in a bright white room. He finally got his eyes to adjust to the brightness and began to look around the room. He soon realized he was laying in a bed.
"About time sleepy head."
Kelly's head shot to the right and there sat Leslie Shay, his best friend.
"Shay?"
"No I'm Santa." Shay started laughing. "Of course it's me!"
"Be nice to him Shay." Kelly looked towards the front of the room and there Andy was walking in holding something.
"Andy?" Kelly was chocking back his tears. Then a voice came through Kelly's ears.
"Black Tag him!"
"No!!!"
Kelly wasn't sure what he just heard. He shook his head and focused on what was happening in front of him.
"Hey bro." Andy had one of his big goofy grins on his face.
"What... what's going on?"
Andy walked over and took a seat on Kelly's bed still holding something in his arms. "What do you remember Kelly?"
Kelly tried searching his memory trying to remember. "I... I pushed Amber out of the way of a bomb. Then everything went dark."
"You dying Kelly. We are here to help you with whatever you choose." Shay spoke as she placed a hand on Kelly's bed.
"Whatever I choose?" Kelly was confused.
"You can either stay here with us or you can go back to Amber, Matt and the rest of 51."
Kelly stared off into the distance not sure what he wanted to do. Suddenly a little hand popped up out of what Andy was holding.
"Whose that Andy?"
Andy smiled. "This is your daughter. The one Amber and you lost."
Kelly Severide was generally a very strong willed man but this broke his heart. It was the little girl Amber and him never got to hold. The one they never got to see grow up. The one they never got to hug and kiss goodnight.
"Can I hold her?" Kelly had tears streaming down his face.
"Oh course." Andy handed the little girl over to Kelly so he could hold her.
Kelly took the sweet girl into his arms and just smiled. "She looks just like Amber."
"I can see some Kelly Severide in her too." Shay smiled at her best friend.
"Alright Kelly whatever fucking bright light you are seeing I need you to run in the complete opposite direction. I am not losing you. Not today."
Amber? Kelly through he was going crazy. He swore he could hear her but he couldn't see her. Kelly shook his head again.
"Did you and Amber ever pick out names?"
"Yeah we did. Her name was going to be Maddison Grace Severide." Kelly was cradling his little girl.
Andy and Shay both smiled as they watched their best friend hold his daughter. Kelly would make a great father someday.
"Clear!"
Kelly felt a jolt go through his body. And then he heard Amber's voice again.
"God damnit Kelly Severide! I fucking told you to run from whatever fucking light you were seeing!"
"Amber?" Kelly was looking around the room. He knew for sure he had heard her that time.
"Kelly." Andy placed a comforting hand on his best friends leg. "it's time to make a choice."
Kelly looked from Andy to Shay and then back to his daughter. He was having a really tough time with his decision. He wanted to stay but yet he wanted to go back. Then he heard Amber's voice again.
"Kelly Severide I need you to fight! I love you so much! I can't live on this earth knowing you are gone. You are the other half of my heart and I need you to fight! Fight for me!"
Kelly knew in that moment what he needed to do. Maddison would be just fine with Andy and Shay. Kelly looked down at his little girl.
"Daddy loves you. And so does your mommy. But Daddy needs to go back to mommy." Kelly choked back another sob. "But Aunty Shay and Uncle Andy will take great care of you. I will see you again one day my princess."
Kelly kissed the top of her head and handed her back to Andy.
"We will take good care of her Kelly."
"I know." Kelly smiled and then both of his best friends gave him a hug.
"Go be with your girl Kelly."
"Clear!"
Kelly closed his eyes and felt himself lay back down onto the bed.
Amber and all of 51 were watching Kelly's monitors waiting to see if there was some sign of life. When the beeping of Kelly's heart monitor started going again everyone in the room cheered.
Amber felt herself cry happy tears. She then looked down and saw those blue eyes that she had fallen in love with all those years ago.
"Kelly." She smiled at him. Kelly tried to speak but he had a tube down his throat. "Hey shhh we can talk later right now this tube is helping your lungs and helping you breathe properly. Just relax. Everything is going to be okay."
Kelly grabbed Amber's hand and squeezed. Amber smiled and placed a kiss to his forehead.
A few minutes later they were given the all clear and they were able to move Kelly up to a permanent room. Amber was exiting the trauma room and Will happened to be standing there.
"You ever think about black tagging Kelly Severide again without giving it your all first, your going to be wearing that black tag next." Amber was pissed at Will, he didn't even try to save Kelly.
"Amber, I'm sorry."
"Save it William. I don't want your I'm sorry's."
Amber turned on her heels and headed upstairs so she could go sit with Kelly and make sure he was going to be okay.
Will was kicking himself for not even trying. He didn't know what it was about Kelly Severide but it made him question his judgment. He through for sure he wouldn't make it. But there he was being wheeled upstairs alive.
