Matt woke up with a start from a nightmare where he was engulfed in flames. The fog of restless sleep cleared his head and Matt realized that he was in the hospital. He glimpsed around and saw that Gabby was slumped over in the chair next to the bed sleeping. Right now his wife looked peaceful as she slept but the strain of the last few days were written on her face. Matt had been keeping the nightmares a secret so that he did not worry Gabby any more than she already had been. All he could remember from the dream was being surrounded by flames and not being able to reach Gabby. Matt could remember the sinking feeling of loss that lingered long after the dream was over and he was awake. Normally, he was a private person but needed to talk to someone since the near death experience had shaken him to the core of who he was. Casey had never had so much to lose when he went walked into a fire since he married Gabby, and that fear lingered in his gut. In the firefighting business any distraction was a serious matter since other's lives were on the line. Matt was engrossed in thought when the door to his hospital room was opened and Severide stepped through. Severide's eyes darted from Dawson to Casey as he regarded the couple. Matt put his finger to his mouth to be quiet since Gabby was sound asleep.
Severide nodded and spoke in a muted tone, "Hey Case, How's it going?"
Casey shrugged and tried to hide the worry that had previously been etched on his handsome face. "Ok, still going to stay here a few more days since I have been spiking a fever. They want to make sure that there is no more hidden pieces of shrapnel. "
Gabby started awake as she realized that Matt was awake and that they had company. She rubbed her hands over her eyes and then squinted and asked, "What time is it? How long was I asleep?"
Severide glanced at his watch and replied to a confused Gabby, " It's a quarter after 9:00 shift just ended."
Matt looked at his wife and shook his head, "Gabby why don't you go back to the apartment and get some rest, take a shower and eat something? Christy and Violet are supposed to be here around noon."
Gabby shook her head, "Baby, I am fine really. I am ok. I want someone to be here with you when the doctor's come back. I don't feel ok leaving you alone. "
Casey gave Severide a pleading glance for help. Matt knew that when Gabby got that look on her face that he was about to fight a losing battle. He thought that maybe with Kelly together they could convince Gabby to go home and take a break from the hospital. Severide gave case a slight nod of understanding before he spoke.
"Gabby, I can stay until Matt's sister comes at one. I just got off shift from a full night's sleep since it was a slow night. Go ahead, and come back tonight."
Gabby's eyes narrowed and said suspiciously, "Matt Casey I saw that look don't try to double team me."
"Ok babe you caught us. Look I am just concerned about you and want you to get some rest. It will make me feel better if you will just listen with no argument." Matt's blue eyes mirrored his concern for Gabby and gave her his best wry smile.
Severide said and waved a scouts honor sign toward the very tired looking Gabby, " I will text you if anything happens. Promise!
Gabby stood up and grabbed her purse, leaned over to Matt and planted a kiss on his lips and then turned to look at Kelly, "Thanks Sev, I know he is in good hands."
Kelly looked at Gabby and patted her on the shoulder, "No problem go get some rest. You look like hell Dawson, um Casey. Whatever. …..
Casey and Severide watched Gabby leave and close the door behind her. Casey spoke first,"So it was a quiet night last night?"
Severide shook his head and grinned, "Nope our last call was over at 2am and then I spent a lot of this morning filling out follow up paperwork. I feel like hell but Dawson looked like she hasn't slept or showered. I am good. After I leave I am gonna go crash for the rest of tonight.
"Thanks Kel, I miss the house. It will be about 6 weeks before I can go back to work because of the surgery. At least I am going back to work thanks to you, Kannell and Cruz." Matt looked at Kelly with a grateful heartfelt smile.
"No problem. If you didn't come out of the fire alive then who was I going to smoke cigars with, Otis?"
They both burst out laughing at the thought of Otis trying to smoke a cigar. Kelly sat down in the chair and stretched his long legs out in front of him and looked at Matt thoughtfully. "So after you get out of here and Gabby let's you out of her site what do you say that we take a trip to the lake and fish for a long weekend. I'd like to invite Kannell too. "
Matt turned slightly in his bed and perked up, "Sure that sounds great but I can plan a trip from my hospital bed. It will give me something to do."
Severide shook his head and then replied, "Casey let me plan this one. I need the distraction right now. The apartment feels lonely. I need something to look forward to and to keep me occupied."
"Great just tell me when to be there and I am good. The only condition I have is that you are going to have to convince Gabby to let me out of her sight."
"No problem I can ask Brett to maybe plan something with Gabby like a weekend or something like that." Severide began to think of enlisting her help to give both Matt and Gabby a little fun after the long recovery ahead.
"Kannell is not a fisherman but I am sure he will be in for a long boys weekend. If you have good beer and cigars and maybe some poker then he will say yes in a heartbeat." Matt smiled as he thought back to the times he and his friend Kannell had spent late nights winning and losing at poker.
Kelly nodded, "Yeah he is a good guy. We've been hanging out some outside the fire house. He seems to want to keep busy too. It helps to keep moving and not think about everything, you know."
Matt nodded thoughtfully as he remembered the comfort of having Gabby by his side when he woke up from the first and second surgeries., "As much as Gabby bugs me by clinging to my side lately. I don't know what I would do without her. Sev I know it is hard but just keep moving. I promise it will get better."
" I am sure it will get better but right now it just sucks and hurts like hell. I wouldn't trade my time with Anna but man I miss her. I just want some company to fill the time right now" Kelly answered bluntly.
"Have you thought anymore about spending time with Stella?" Matt questioned Severide trying to sound as casual as possible.
"Stella hasn't been around much. She is supposed to start back to work next shift but I haven't seen her at all outside of her stopping by to drop off some paperwork to Chief. And Cruz has been MIA too since he started his suspension. Both I and Kannell have reached out to Cruz but he isn't returning our phone calls at all. I kind of wanted to get your suggestion to see what I can do as his squad leader. He served under you for years so what do you suggest? Kelly's brow furrowed as he thought of Stella and Cruz with concern.
Matt reached for his phone and said, "I will text Cruz to see what is going on. He could have headed to Florida to visit his brother since he has time off. You might try talking to Otis to see what is up with him?"
"Sure maybe I'll stop by Molly's tonight after I crash and see if he knows what is going on with Cruz."
Matt looked at his friend and then brought Stella up again, "Are you going to check on Stella too?"
Kelly ran his fingers through his hear and let out a prolonged sigh, "I don't want to lead Stella on with any kind of false hope. I liked her and cared for her but now I just feel friendship for her. We are alike in a lot of ways and I care for her but its friendship only."
"Got it, I will have Gabby reach out to see how she is doing. I guess I got lucky to find Gabby after Hallie. In fact, I was just thinking how lucky I am to have her." Matt reached his thumb and stroked his wedding ring remembering the day at the court house with Louie standing between them. It was by far the best day of his life thus far.
Kelly looked off into space trying to remember the contours of Anna's face. Their time had been so short that he was afraid that one day he would forget what she sounded like or all of the things he loved about her. He wanted to make sure that her memory did not fade into the distance.
Casey watched his friend and saw a look of hurt pass across his face. Matt considered what he was about to say next and then thought his friend had the right to know. "First, any time you need to talk let me know since right now all I have is time until I heal completely. Second, Gabby heard that Erin is leaving Chicago for good to take some kind of position in New York. Apparently the last time Antonio saw Erin she was determined to leave but reeling from her break up with Halstead. Maybe you should give her a call before she leaves. I know you two were pretty close for a while"
Kelly looked at the floor for a few seconds before responding, "Thanks Matt." That was all he could manage at the thought of another person leaving his life. Erin and he had been second only to Anna in his life. Kelly knew that the loss of Shay had derailed the relationship with Erin and had regretted it several times before meeting Anna. He looked up and Casey had started to nod off to sleep. Then Kelly's thoughts turned to his best friend Leslie Shay and her deep abiding friendship that had always brought him comfort.t So Kelly leaned back in the chair to get a few minutes of welcomed sleep. The last face he saw before he drifted off to blissful sleep was Shay. They were standing in front of the building before her death and she smiled serenely at him and said "Always, Kelly. Love you."