(6 Years Later..)
"Hey Cruz, what time is it?" Casey said. He and his team were just driving back from a call.
"Uhh almost 3:00 Lieutenant." Cruz replied.
"Oh shoot.. Hey guys we're gonna need to make a quick stop before heading back." Casey said.
Truck 81 pulled up in the pickup line of Chicago Elementary School, where a bunch of little kids stood waiting. One in particular waited, big smile on her face, and her mother's engagement ring on a chain around her neck.
"Hi daddy!" A little girl said coming forward from the crowd.
"Hey! There's my girl! Hop in Hallie!" Casey called from the window of the truck.
Little Hallie giggled and jumped in.
"Hallie Casey on board!" Mills chanted as the little girl was securely seated.
Casey rang the horn once and off they went.
"Daddy!" Hallie chimed as she jumped out of the back of the truck and dashed forward into her father's arms.
"How was school today my darling?" Casey asked after he had finished embracing her.
"It was great, I counted all the way to 100 today!" Hallie told her father proudly.
"That's great baby! High five." Casey said as he and his daughter hit hands.
"Down low!" She said as they hit low fives.
"In the middle, oh too slow!" Casey said pulling his hand away just in time. Hallie giggled.
"Hi Kelly!" She said as Severide walked in.
"Hey princess" Severide said, ruffling her hair as he went by. "Staying out of trouble?"
"Yes sir" She said with a giggle.
"Hey Severide, hold up a second." Casey said.
He kissed his little girl on the cheek and told her to go play.
"Hi Ya" little Hallie said skipping up to Gabby and Shay who were in the back of the ambulance.
"Hey miss. Hallie" Gabby said. "Whatcha doing?"
"Nothing. What are you doing?" She said.
"Cleaning the ambo." Shay said as she wiped down the gurney.
"Can I help?" Hallie asked, bright-eyed.
"Sure" Gabby said with a smile as she and Shay helped the small girl into the rig.
"You can help me wash the floor" Shay said.
"Ok!" Hallie said, grabbing a rag and getting to it.
"17...18...19...20! Ready or not, here I come!" Casey called loudly. He was playing a game of Hide and Seek with Hallie, Gabby, and Mouch.
Mouch was the easiest to find because he always hid in the same place. Casey went into the locker room and check his locker. His daughter knew the combination and had hidden there once but this time it was empty. Next he checked the shower room where he found Gabby hiding.
"Ah Ha! Got you!" He said.
"Yeah, yeah." Gabby said as he helped her out.
They pair looked all over for Hallie, but couldn't find her.
"Alright Hal, time to come out!" Casey called out.
"Yeah you win!" Gabby yelled.
After a few seconds the little 6-year-old came running out of the laundry room, looking quite pleased with herself at having won the game.
"Where were you munchkin?" Casey asked his daughter, kneeling down to meet her at eye level.
"I hid in the laundry hamper!" She said beaming.
Gabby tried to hold in her laughter by cupping her hand over her mouth.
"Ok, I think you've won a bath as soon as we get home." Casey said.
After dinner and a bath, little Hallie was ready for bed. She was staring at her mother's engagement ring that hung around her neck when her father came in to tuck her in.
"Daddy, tell me about mommy." Hallie said with a smile as Casey sat on the edge of her bed.
"Your mommy was the most beautiful person in the whole world." Casey started.
"And she had eyes just like me." Hallie said.
"Yep, just like you. She would come to the station sometimes and we would have lunch out on the lawn or on the hood of my car. And sometimes she would bring cookies for all the guys."
"And they were the best cookies ever made, Mouch always said." Hallie chimed.
"Haha yeah, Mouch always said that." Casey said.
"Tell more" Hallie said as she snuggled deeper into her covers.
"One of my favorite things about your mom was that she loved to help people. She had this glow about her when she was doing it, like the sun was always on her face. And she loved the Blackhawks. I swear.. sometimes your mama would yell at the TV more than me when a game was on." case said shaking his head and smiling.
"And your first date was a Blackhawks game." Hallie said.
Casey nodded, still smiling.
"And when she told you she knew what icing was, you knew you had to keep her." Hallie said.
Casey laughed,"Yeah, haha, yeah I did. Your mom.. she was some lady."
Hallie smiled. She looked so much like her mother.
"Alright kiddo, time for bed." Casey said, giving her a final tuck in, and a kiss.
"Night Daddy. Love you." She said closing her eyes.
"I love you to sweetheart."
"Dad" Hallie called, as Casey turned off the lights.
"Yeah baby?"
"Do you think mommy would like me?" She asked softly as sleep started to take her.
"Your mommy would love you." Casey replied.
Hallie smiled and fell asleep.
:) Thanks so much to everybody that's been reviewing, favoriteing, and following this story! It means a lot to me and really motivates me to write :) R&R. See you next chapter! Peace and Love
