Shay sat on the couch. She ran her slim hand through her hair. She checked her phone. Had Gabby really been gone that long or was she just clingy? She smiled at her screensaver- a photo of her and Gabby at the CFD dinner. It was one of Shay's favourite photos. Gabby was looking over at Shay with those bright eyes. Shay was looking down, almost blushing. She remembered that moment. Gabby had made a funny comment about the Chief looking lonely when Donna went to the toilet. Shay had laughed a little bit too much and had embarrassed herself. What she didn't know was that Gabby had found it adorable. She had watched as Shay recomposed herself and smiled at her slight embarrassment. Kelly walked in and saw the worried look on Shay's face. He smiled and sat down next to her "missing your girlfriend?" he smiled "how long has she been gone? Ten seconds?" he put his hand on her shoulder. She looked at him "shut up" and smiled "she went to get some stuff from her place, she said she was gonna be quick, I don't know, it's just not like her, she would have called" Shay sighed and shrugged, Kelly watched as her eyebrows furrowed "call her" he said sincerely. Shay nodded and hit the call button. She closed her eyes as the dial continued. "Come on Gabby" she whispered. She sighed as the answerphone messaged played. Kelly watched as she paced around for a few moments before calling again. He stood up and hugged her "since when did you get so clingy" he smiled and kissed her head. She looked up at him "since she hid her injuries from me" Shay said, her voice shaking "what if she's hurt Kelly, what if she's been in an accident?"
"Injuries?" Severide frowned "from the crash?"
Shay nodded silently before adding "she has this laceration on her leg that she told me was a scratch, but I made her show me and it was awful, Kelly the pain she must be in, what if there's something else"
"Gabby's tough" Severide said "I don't think she even feels pain" he smiled
"I know" Shay said "if she's not back soon I'm going to go after her"
Severide nodded "just call her again, you know what she's like she will have fallen asleep in some random position"
"maybe" Shay nodded. She called Gabby again, and again, and again.
Gabby lay on the cold tiles. Blood pooled around her head. Silence filled her apartment. She had her arms by her side, almost gracefully and her legs were sprawled between the table and a cupboard. Cold air covered her. The navy CFD t-shirt and blue trousers provided little protection. Her eyes rested shut, and dark bruising ran down past her eye to her jaw. Her hair was still in its ponytail, with those signature loose pieces sticking to the blood on her head. Her face was pressed against the floor, her torso the same. Her chest was rising and falling in shallow motions. Her breathing was silent. Her phone lay on the table buzzing over and over. Ten missed calls from Shay, as well as 5 texts. Shay left a voicemail "Gabby I'm worried, I know you said you were getting your stuff and maybe you've fallen asleep and sorry if I've disturbed you but please can you just read the messages, even just listen to this, erm I love you"
Shay looked up at Severide "she's been two hours Kelly. I'm going after her"
"I'll come with you" he said protectively. She nodded and they headed to his car. Shay sat down next to him and called Gabby again. They got stopped at traffic lights. "come on!" Shay said, reaching over to hit the horn. Kelly pushed her back "woah Shay that's not going to help"
"Kelly there's something wrong I can just tell" she said. He saw the tears in her eyes and carried on driving. As the car stopped Shay opened ran towards Gabby's front door. She knocked on it. Kelly appeared beside her. She knocked again, hard enough to bruise her knuckles. Kelly pulled her back "call her" he said "and keep quiet"
Shay nodded and called Gabby. Kelly pressed his ear against the door. He heard the phone buzzing.
"what?" Shay said
"I hear it" He said
"what?" Shay said, panic taking over "GABBY" she shouted and hit the door with her palms "GABBY OPEN THE DOOR!"
Kelly grabbed her and pulled her away from the door "Shay!"
"Kelly do something" she begged, tears starting to roll down her cheeks.
"stand back" he said calmly. She stepped away. Kelly turned so his back was against the door and kicked it. Nothing. He grunted and kicked it again. It swung open. Before he had even regained his balance Shay ran inside. She stopped and looked around. "Gabby!" she gasped as she saw her girlfriend. She fell across the room and landed beside Gabby. "Gabby talk to me. Gabby oh my God" she saw the blood and just froze. Severide ran over. "Gabby?" he said "ok Shay call 911". Shay didn't move. Severide rolled Gabby over. He shook her. Shay fell from crouching to just flat on the floor. Severide looked at her. He hissed and pulled out his phone. "Shay!" he snapped. She blinked and took the phone. She gave Gabby's address and then hung up. She took Gabby's hand. "Gabby Gabby please talk to me" she whispered. She looked over Gabby's face. Her usual glowing skin was a grey ashy colour and her pink lips had a blue tinge. The bruising looked painful. Shay ran her hand over the blood. Severide was trying to stop her head from bleeding. Shay had tears streaming down her cheeks. She gripped Gabby's cold hand "you said you were ok" she whispered "oh Gabby". Severide called Boden and said they all needed to get to Chicago med. Boden sighed "she said she was ok" he sighed. The guys all looked up as he coughed to get their attention…