"Hello?" Hallie's voice was relaxed over the phone and Casey had to breathe a sigh of relief. After he'd come clean about everything that had been going on with Voight, she'd barely looked at him for the rest of the night and she'd spent the entire next day shooting him wounded looks and spoke in tightly, controlled tones like she was trying really hard not to start yelling again.

But finally, two days later when he was back on shift she seemed to be finally getting over it, promising that they would check in multiple times over the course of the shift, as Casey was doing now, on their way back from refilling the tank and taking a slight detour on the way.

"Just checking in."

"I'm fine," Hallie reassured him, voice light with fond exasperation. "Really, I should be the one checking up on you."

"Not a care in the world," Casey replied automatically and gestured wildly to Cruz who was behind the wheel, "Turn here."

"Some gang cop breaks into our cars and you don't have a care in the world?" Hallie asked as Cruz swung around the corner as directed.

"That's right. Just another day."

"I want it noted just for the record that I don't believe a word you're saying," Hallie was quick to retort dryly.

"Good thing you're a doctor and not a lawyer, because I'm just gonna let this blow over," Casey replied and pondered absently on how much of a liar this Detective Voight thing had made him. "I'll call you later," he added quickly when he caught sight of their destination.

The police station stood tall and threatening on the Chicago street, with policed cops and detectives alike milling in and out of the doors. The truck pulled to a stop right outside which had to be some sort of traffic violation, but Casey didn't plan on staying long enough to get booked.

"Just be a minute," he said, jumping down before any of his men could comment.

"Lieutenant," he heard Mills try, but acted as if he hadn't heard, banging the door closed and striding up the front steps.

Police stations hadn't really been a favourite place of Casey's ever since he was a teenager, the looming, impassioned places never quite providing the comfort and safety he knew others felt after one fateful night fifteen years ago. He shook off the lingering feelings of discomfort however and went in, no one bothering to stop him as he walked through like he was meant to be there. He climbed the stairs to the floor he knew held the detectives offices and past identical white doors until he found one with a familiar figure visible through the glass walls. He ignored a nearby secretary telling him to stop and burst in on Voight who looked away from his phone call impassively. The door banged against the wall but Casey couldn't bring himself to care as he walked straight up to the man's desk and planted his hands on it.

"Listen, I have a visitor. I'll get back to you," Voight muttered into the phone and hung it up before the person on the other line had even a second to respond.

"Stay away from me," Casey growled, ignoring the stares he could feel burning into his back.

"Excuse me?" Voight, naturally, tried for confusion but Casey was having none of it.

"I'm telling you to back off. I'm telling you and whatever garbage you have working under you to stay the hell away from us."

"Sir, I don't know what this department did to-"

Casey snarled at the cordiality in both the man's face and tone and cut across him, too worked up to listen to another lie that fell from his lips.

"I mean it."

All traces of sincerity disappeared from the man's face and his features grew hard like the bottomless pits that were his dark eyes. He stood from his chair, sending it spinning away and rounded his desk to get right up into Casey's face.

"Get your ass out of my office before I throw you through that window."

All Casey could do was laugh darkly. "Your threats don't work, Voight. I'm not some scared banger begging for a look the other way. Know this, I'm not retracting my statement. Ever"

Before Voight could get another word out Casey turned on his heel and strode from the office, conscious of how the entire floor had fallen silent at the display. They were standing and staring with unabashed curiosity and seeing no one willing to step in just served to stoke the flames of Casey's anger.

"What?" he found himself yelling before he could think about it. "You're all afraid of this guy? Someone tell me why."

But not a single soul made a noise and after a few moments Casey shook his head and strode from the maze of desks, thundering down the steps just as a call came through the radio strapped to his chest.

Word traveled fast around the station because Casey earned his fair share of looks on his way out but no one attempted to stop him so he considered that a win. He could tell by the clear agitation on his men's faces and in their shoulders that they were getting antsy and as soon as they saw him coming out they were jumping back into the truck and starting it up, no doubt ready to pull away and head to the scene.

"Drive," he ordered as he climbed into the cab but the order wasn't necessary; Cruz was already taking off, not even waiting for Casey to close the door behind him.

The call was at a factory in the industrial part of Chicago, warehouse after warehouse lined up in a row, all looking almost identical. Truck 81 pulled up at almost the same time as Squad 3, the other cherry red engine screeching to a halt just seconds later.

The two companies went inside, the distant wail of another siren signalling the ambo's oncoming arrival. The owner met them at the door and lead them to the scene, barking orders at his employees to keep them out of the way.

The victim was man with his arm buried in some sort of machinery. The sight of blood spattered on the otherwise spotless steel made Severide's stomach clench. He knew they had to get that arm out now.

"How we doing?"

"I just need some help getting it out," the victim said.

Severide's eyes tracked his sweaty forehead and noted the trembling of his free hand; both things that didn't necessarily mean danger but he would need to keep an eye on.

"Ok, well, stay with us."

Herrmann's voice suddenly behind him signalled the Truck companies arrival inside the building. "The power's off, it's locked out… Holy cow."

Severide gritted his teeth at the exclamation and Mouch's returning remark focussing on the victim rather than reprimanding them.

"What have we got?" Dawson demanded on arrival and Severide again found himself gritting his teeth against the urge to swear. It was a tight fit already with both him and Capp trying to get a good look at the steel trapping the man's arm. He backed off with a sigh letting Dawson take his place to get a look at the trapped appendage. "How are you feeling?"

"Not so good, to tell you the truth," the man said and Severide couldn't tell if it was sarcasm or shock that coated his words.

"That's a lot of blood," Dawson murmured to herself as her eyes scanned the arm. "What's your name, hon?"

"Garrett."

"Garrett, how long you been stuck?"

Severide caught sight of Casey out of the corner of his eye, watching passively until a gleam of realisation lightened his eyes and he dashed away. Severide shifted on his feet, debating whether to follow before rounding the machine to stand across from Dawson.

"I don't- I don't know."

"How long he's been stuck!" The calming note in her voice disappeared as Dawson whirled around to address the workers.

"Going on 15," the owner stammered.

Dawson's eyes lifted to meet Severide over the expanse of the man's back. "We gotta get him out now."

"Alright, loosen it up a little bit," Severide ordered and instantly hands shot down to grip the metal blades trying to loosen them from where they were stuck. Now that he could focus on his job, Dawson and Shay's medical jargon became background noise and he directed all his attention on disentangling the flesh from the steel.

"Garrett we're gonna ease try and ease your arm out now, ok?" Dawson said once morphine had been administered. "Here we go. One, two, three."

As directed all hands on the machinery tried to twist back the way it had come, guiding Garrett's arm out. But the metal was stubborn and they barely got it to move a few inches before Garrett was gasping in pain.

"Stop! I can't! I can't!"

The firefighters and paramedics alike relented with a sigh. They would have to do this another way. Severide wiped at his damp forehead with his arm, closing his eyes as he tried to think what else they could do. A hand slapped at his back, the touch burning even through the layers of his shirt and moments later Casey appeared across from him, nudging his was through to get to the victim.

"The gears come right off," he explained and Severide understood instantly. That's what Casey had gone to look at. "If we get the gears off, we can separate the casing and travel with it," said Casey, maintaining eye contact with Severide. "We need power drills, quarter inch hacks, an allen key. Mills, you do the gears."

Capp dashed away at once to rifle through the tools they'd brought with them into the building, returning in just a few seconds with everything Casey had asked for. Severide accepted the drill that was handed to him and he and Vargas got to work reaching around Garrett to remove the screws while Mills reached up from below to remove the gears.

And then after a few intense of work, orders and swearing from Garrett, the section finally pulled free. With the added muscle from the firefighters Shay was able to guide Garrett back onto the waiting gurney, the steel plates his arm was still trapped in now lying across his legs.

"Alright, let's get him out of here," Shay said once he was settled onto the gurney and they began pushing him towards the exit. "Casey, Severide, we'll need you guys to come along and get this rig off," Shay called as they jogged outside.

Casey and Severide followed at a walk while Shay and Dawson got Garrett settled, changing out his IV and making sure he was comfortable on the journey.

"You know," Severide said as they walked. "If you ever wanted to transfer to Squad, my offer still stands."

Casey didn't smile but amusement flickered in his eyes. "And work under you? Yeah no thanks."

Severide chuckled good naturedly but his smile faded when he saw Casey swipe a hand over his eyes and the amusement in his eyes flicker out only to be replaced by a weary sort of tiredness.

"Hey, you alright?"

"Yeah. I didn't sleep well."

Severide frowned but before he got the chance to ask the other Lieutenant what was bothering him, Dawson poked her head out of the rig, telling them that it was time to go. The ride to the hospital was slower than usual and quiet; Shay hadn't bothered with the siren and had only flipped on the lights due to the patients stable condition. Still they moved faster than the average car and were at the hospital in no time.

"Possible crush syndrome, gave four of morphine, heart rate 130," Shay reported as they wheeled the gurney insides. Hallie met them on the way and lead them to an examination table.

"Call my boss, tell him that I'll be there tomorrow, so don't worry about covering my shift," Garrett said, the sedatives now coursing through his veins slurring his words..

"Dude really loves his job," Severide remarked.

"On three," Dawson said, counting down to lift him onto the hospital bed.

"Like you aren't exactly the same," Casey panted as they hefted the man across.

"Oh God," Garrett groaned and a nurse hurried in to administer something stronger.

"Or do I have to remind you of the time you got pneumonia," Casey said, watching as Garrett's eyes slid closed as the medicine dragged him under.

The doctors bustled around him for a few minutes. Then Hallie glanced at the two waiting Lieutenants and beckoned them over with a jerk of her head. "Tourniquet is on. And we're ready to get this thing off."

Casey and Severide stepped in and unscrewed the final pieces that was holding the whole thing together. The row of plates slid out as Casey had predicted with minimal fuss and they handed it to the waiting nurse before pulling away the other row and the bracket that had held it all together. As soon as the metal was clear of his arm Hallie was sending him off to the operating room.

"What a way to start the day," Hallie sighed and snapped the latex gloves from her hands.

The confrontation with Voight from earlier flashed before Casey's eyes and before he could think better of it, he found himself saying, "Not exactly."

Severide caught the little exchange and sensed the beginning of an argument and didn't want to be anywhere near when those two went of, lest he find himself a casualty. "Nice to see you, Hallie," the sweet words tasting like venom in his mouth.

Hallie's voice was flat when she answered, "You too."

It seemed he wasn't the only liar there.

Casey had moved to pack away his tools and prepare to head back to the station and Hallie was quick to approach him and find out what he had meant.

"Well?"

"Went to the CPD this morning. Talked to Voight," Casey said shortly.

"You two talked it out?" Hallie asked sounding hopeful.

"No. I yelled."

"Why? Why would you-"

"Because there's no reasoning with a guy like Voight," Casey said, voice still clipped. He reach for Hallie and brushed a kiss to her forehead before she could argue. "Gotta get back to the house. See you tonight?" He walked off to meet Dawson, Shay and Severide before she could answer.

Severide watched their interaction through narrowed eyes, refusing to wonder why he was interested in their relationship. He only looked away when he caught Shay's smug look in his direction.

He shifted on the gurney he was leaning on, waiting for Shay to finish her paperwork and looked to see if Dawson was paying attention. She wasn't. "Don't suppose you could point me towards the toradol?" he asked, words punctuated with a nudge to her ribs to get her attention. "I think I might have twisted my shoulder again."

Shay scoffed. "You're dreaming."

"Alright, don't point. Just look towards it; I'll do the rest." Severide wasn't too proud to admit the desperation in his voice.

But Shay just make an exasperated noise and shook off the arm he'd slung around her shoulders. Severide frowned at her profile, snapped the elastic over her shoulder that held her radio and took off for the ambulance rig before she could retaliate.

Once they got back from the call both Severide and Casey hit the bathrooms for a quick freshen up and to scrub away the various dirt and grit that accumulated on their skin after the call. They worked, mostly, in silence, methodically using brushes to wash away the dirt from the lines in their hands and under their nails, washing away stray smears of blood with a detachment that came only with experience.

Severide watched Casey for a long moment in the mirror before he spoke. "You were good in there, with that machine."

Casey's eyes flickered to meet his in the mirror, reading the emotion in them before dropping back to the water running over his hands. "Thanks."

"I know we joked about it before and I always used to bring it up but seriously if you ever wanted to transfer to Squad, well frankly I'd be lucky to have you." Severide swallowed heavily after the confession, feeling as though he might have given away more than he intended.

Casey was silent for a long moment. "I like being a Lieutenant, Severide. I like having my own company. And you're not supposed to say it but I like being in charge."

But Severide was nodding because he understood the feeling completely.

Casey's eyes remained on his hands as he dried them and slowly began to pack up his toiletry kit. "Besides I'm not sure how well we'd work you know after everything."

A breath of air escaped Severide then because again he understood Casey exactly.

"I'm not sure we'd make it more than two calls before we killed each other."

Severide slumped over his arms a little onto the counter. "Fair enough." He felt a touch dejected but mostly relieved that he'd finally said something he'd needed to for years.

"But Severide," Casey said, stopping by the door. "If I ever was to, it'd only be your company I'd want to work with."

He was gone before Severide could muster up a reply and he was left wondering if it was really his company Casey wanted to work with or Severide himself and he immediately cursed himself for even going there.

The rest of the morning was dedicated to daily required tasks that hadn't been done that morning which included any drills that the Lieutenants so fit, a complete check of all equipment and washing the trucks. By the time lunch rolled around the entire house was starving and they filed inside, following the delicious smell of Mills' cooking.

Casey was one of the last in and found most of the house already eating in the rec room.

"Lieutenant Casey, you eaten?"

"Not yet," he replied, making his way to Mills who was heaping a fresh plate with an egg side dish.

Boden appeared from the side door to the kitchen and quickly found his Truck Lieutenant. "Casey, come with me." There was no room for discussion in Boden's tone so Casey handed back the plate reluctantly and, aware of everyone's eyes on him followed Boden from the room and into his office. Inside waiting for them was police chief Grogan and Antonio Dawson.

Grogan got right to a point. "Casey's visit to the CPD this morning was way out of the line and the allegations unfounded."

"Unfounded?" Boden thundered in return. "I'm sorry Chief Grogan, this has got Voight's name written all over it."

"There are no witnesses that detective Voight was anywhere but on the job Halloween night. Do you know how many tyres got slashed that day?"

"Fifteen years he's worked gang unit. You don't think he's got a few locals who can do his dirty work?"

"And that is exactly why we have Internal Affairs and the A.S.A's office investigating." Casey shook his head already knowing the outcome; much like the CFD, the police department would protect their own before him. "But I gotta tell you," Chief Grogan continued. "Without a direct link, what do you suggest we do, Chief Boden?"

"I suggest you handle your precinct."

"Wait just a damn minute," Grogan growled.

"My Lieutenant and his fiancee are being harassed. Don't you tell me to wait."

"Forget it, Chief," Casey broke in before the argument could come to blows like it was looking to. "CPD isn't gonna help. I'll do it my own way."

"Casey, no."

"Give me a better alternative," Casey said directly to Grogan. "Something."

Grogan, after a long minute looked to Antonio, who had been silent up until this point.

"I'll be the primary," he offered. "I.A, A.S.A, they've got fish frying all over the city. I'll take the lead on this."

"That's fine by me," Grogan said. "We good here," he asked Boden.

Boden shared a long look with Casey, who nodded reluctantly before nodding himself. "Yeah, we're good."

The call that morning had been relatively easy and the rest of the day had been a breeze so there was no reason for the discomfort that burnt through Severide's shoulder in the afternoon He sat on the edge of his bed staring out the window at the other empty beds. They hadn't even had dinner yet and despite the easy day Severide was exhausted and hoping for a quick nap before eating but his aching neck was keeping him up.

He dragged himself up the bed and sprawled out, unearthing his phone from his pocket. He slid through his contacts list, hesitated on a name he hadn't thought of since she'd left his life before clicking on it. The phone went straight to voicemail, an automated voice telling him to leave a message after the beep. Severide made a desperate wish that this was still her number before speaking.

"Anna, hey, it's Kelly Severide. Sorry I haven't called you back sooner. I changed cell numbers and it ended up being a big hassle." The excuse sounded false even to his own ears but Severide pressed on. "Anyway, look forward to hearing from you. Give me a call back when you have the chance."

He and Anna had shared a weekend together a million years ago, long before he and Casey had ever become a thing and he honestly hadn't given her a second thought since he'd crawled out of her bed Monday morning.

He tossed his phone onto the bedside table next to him and flopped back onto the pillows, arm reached across his chest to knead fruitlessly at his aching shoulder, hoping that the sweet relief of sleep would come quickly.

His eyes flew open only a few minutes later at the obnoxious blare of the bells.

"Squad 3, Truck 94 construction accident, 248 south francisco street."

Severide guessed that based on the truck from another house being called, Truck 81 was still preoccupied with their own call out. He rolled out of bed with a low groan and hurried to the door, pulling on his boots as he went.

It was obvious even as they approached what had happened. Two figures were visible on the roof of the church, one holding the other, a piece of wood strapped to them. The two companies jumped from their trucks, trying to ignore the yells for help above them.

"I'll need you aerial on the other side of the church," Severide said, glancing at the other Lieutenant, one he'd never met before. "Do the best you can and we'll do the rest." The Lieutenant nodded and he and his company rushed back to their rig and pulled out. "Let's gear up," Severide called to his own men. "Vargas," Severide called. "When they lock it down, have the rope bag at the ladder ready to go."

Vargas called a confirmation and jogged to get the equipment from the truck. Truck 94 went speeding past and Severide grabbed the last of what he'd need before following them around, the rest of his company on his heels. When the aerial was in place he began to climb, Capp and Hadley following him up.

"Talk to me," Severide said to the pair on the roof while he began to rig up the rope system.

"He slipped," one gasped, trying to tighten his hold on his friend who he was holding and as far as Severide could see wasn't attached to a rope.

"I'm loose," the second said, confirming Severide's fear.

"Try to stay still," Severide said as he put the final touches on the system and dropping the counter-weight to the ground, Capp doing the same on the other side of the aerial. "Alright we're coming to you. Hold tight now." He turned and began to rappel down the steep side of the roof.

"I can't hold him," the first man gasped, struggling with the unrelenting weight of his friend.

Severide grimaced but didn't speed up, knowing it would only bring mistakes on his part and injury for the others. He reached them after just a few more steps.

"Hang on to me." Severide reached for the unharnessed man. But he must have hurt it or something because he shook his head. "Can you reach with your other arm?" He was clutching his friend so tightly that Severide doubted he would move it even if he could. The man confirmed as much.

Capp arrived on the other side with the spare rope that they'd use to take both of the men down.

"This blue one's for you," Capp said calmly, as he slowly hooked the unharnessed man up.

"Line secure!" Hadley confirmed from the aerial.

"Ok you can let go him now, we've got it," Severide said and slowly the first man loosened his hold on his friend.

Capp pulled the man over, helping to get his feet under him so they could rappel down the side of the building together.

"No need to push off," Capp instructed as they slowly shuffled down the roof. "Small steps. Keep it steady up there, Hadley."

Capp and the man slowly descended down leaving Severide with the other, waiting for the spare rope so they too could get back onto the ground.

"It's my fault," the man groaned. "He told me not to walk along the top and I didn't listen."

"What's your name?" Severide asked, shifting around on the roof to get comfortable.

"It's Ty."

"Alright, well hold on, Ty."

Severide reached down, trying to loosen the piece of wood strapped to Ty's leg, not trusting his rope to hold him for any extended period of time.

"No, don't, don't, don't. My leg! My leg!" he gasped

"Alright," Severide panted, trying to think of another way to secure him. He pulled a short length of rope from his pant pocket and grabbed Ty's hand, threading both their hands through the loops of the rope. Unbeknownst to him however, the bracket securing Ty's harness was bending with the strain of his weight. Hadley's shout for him was the only warning he got before Ty was slipping further down the roof, the rope wound around both their wrists now the only thing keeping Ty from falling to the ground. Severide grunted at the sudden pull at his bad shoulder.

"Hang on," he groaned. He glanced up at Hadley who was still feeding the rope down to Capp and the other man as they got closer and closer to the ground. "Get that rope up here," he yelled. Hadley looked down at him helplessly, unable to do anything until Capp unhooked the other victim.

Severide's feet scrambled against the slick tiles of the roof trying to find purchase as the rope was hauled back up to them. Sweat from the sun beaded on his forehead and slid into his eyes making it even harder to concentrate on holding Ty. He shifted an inch the wrong way and his feet slid out from underneath him sending him careening against the roof and yanking at his bad shoulder painfully. He fought not to yell at the burning in his neck and tried to focus enough to instruct Ty.

"Ty," he groaned. "Reach up. In my right leg pocket, there's a knife."

He watched over his trembling shoulder as Ty strained to reach his leg pocket before falling back against the roof.

"I can't."

"Ty. Hey, listen to me," Severide barked, the pain in his shoulder making it hard to keep his tone light. "You have to. We've gotta lose that extra weight."

Resolve flickered in Ty's eyes and he ground an elbow into the roof in order to push himself further up. Severide gritted his teeth against a groan as Ty used their linked hands as leverage to reach up into his pocket. Finally he got the knife free and he slid back down again, yanking at Severide's shoulder as he did. Severide cursed under his breath and blinked sweat out of his eyes as Ty cut the line tying the plank of wood to his leg.

"Look out below!" Severide managed to grunt as the wood slid free and flew over the gutter of the roof.

The rope clattered to a stop beside them and Severide twisted around back onto his feet and reached across to drag it closer.

"Ty, grab the line. Clamp it to your harness."

Ty did an instructed, and soon enough Hadley was pulled the rope taut easing off the pressure on Severide's arm. He breathed a sigh of relief and took a few deep breaths to compose himself before standing from his crouch, pull Ty along with him.

"Alright, Ty, just slow now the rest of the way."

Ty nodded shakily and slowly Severide began to slide him down to the gutter, his hurt leg preventing him from propelling himself. Once they got the edge, Severide was able to flip him over and they were slowly lowered to the ground, Tony and Capp rushing in to grab him and lift him onto the waiting ambulance gurney.

Severide left the rest of his squad to pack up the rope bags themselves while he took a few seconds to himself, seated on the back bumper of his truck. The muscles in his right side were still twitching occasionally, a steady ache shooting from his neck into his shoulder joint.

Hadley wandered past, equipment in hand and clapped Severide's sore shoulder with his free one. Severide's mouth twisted into a grimace, which he ducked his head to hide and no audible sign of discomfort escaped. He waited until his men had rounded the truck out of sight before lifting a hand to massage the sore muscles, a low groan slipping past his lips at the pain it prompted.

The second he set foot back inside the house Severide made a beeline for the locker room, intent on having a hot shower to soothe his aching muscles, figuring that he still had an hour before dinner and that sleep would continue to evade him.

He didn't make it very however before the familiar voice of Vargas was calling out to him.

"Hey, Lieutenant."

He didn't slow down in the slightest and although he knew it was rude didn't even turn to see what the firefighter wanted.

"Just so you know," Vargas continued, regardless of Severide's disinterest. "I've completed all the descent rescue training."

"When I think you're ready, you'll be the first to know," Severide bit out.

"Right. I just didn't want you to waste all your resources-" Vargas said as they reached the locker room.

"Hey!" Severide interrupted, finally turning to face him. "Let it go. I've got other things to worry about besides your career track."

Vargas' face remained impassive and Severide didn't wait for an answer before he turned away and headed for his locker. The quiet shuffle of rubber on tile a few moments later told him Vargas had left. He slipped his lock free of the metal ring but didn't open the door in favour of leaning up against it, hoping the cool bite of the metal might help soothe his muscles.

He shucked off his clothes, wrapped a towel around his waist and grabbed his phone before heading towards the shower block. This time he didn't hesitate before tapping on Anna's number but cursed when he was sent straight to voicemail again.

"Hey, Anna, it's Kelly again. Listen, I really need you to call me back. If I don't answer, you can just leave me a message. I'll get back to you. Thanks."

He clicked his phone off and dumped it on a nearby chair and with his desperate words still ringing in his ears he grabbed the other plastic chair and dragged it into one of the shower stalls. Severide made sure to set the shower to hot before collapsing into the chair, the absolute searing pain in his right side preventing him from doing much more than lean his forehead against the wall and let the scorching water pound against his back.

The men had come out of nowhere. One second Casey had been walking down a deserted street, phone and lunch in hand and the next two hooded and masked men had approached him, one delivering a sound punch to his jaw before he could even blink.

The next several minutes were a quick onslaught of pain and punches. Casey managed to land a few solid punches of his own but he was outnumbered by two very strong opponents. They fought dirty, one holding his arms back while the other punched him in the stomach over and over, using the bins in the alleyway to take him down. And once he was down they didn't stop there, delivering kick after kick until they were sure he'd stay down.

Finally they walked away, moving further into the alley rather than go back the way they'd come, leaving Casey to spit blood out of his mouth and try to work up the energy to fumble for his phone. The crunch of gravel signalled the approach of someone else and Casey had only a moment to close his eyes and pray that it wasn't the two thugs coming back to have another go.

"Hey," an unfamiliar voice said. "Just breathe alright, I'm calling 911."

Casey breathed a sigh of relief and closed his eyes to listen for the approaching wail of ambulance sirens. The next hour passed in a blur of paramedics and doctors, Hallie's surprised face flashing past as he was wheeled inside the hospital, x-rays and tests were done until finally he could lie down, Antonio turning up to ask questions.

"No cracked ribs," Hallie announced as she walked back into his hospital room, wielding a set of x-rays. "You're next in line for the CT scan," she added. "Can you sit up for me?" she asked, unhooking her stethoscope from her neck and guiding him to sit up on the bed. "I need you to take some deep breaths, ok?" He complied and each breath felt like a knife to the ribs. "And again. It sounds clear. That's good." She guided him to lie back again.

He looked out the observation window to find Boden leading his company towards his room. He couldn't however even muster the energy for a half-hearted wave and settled for a nod of his head.

"Casey how are you?" Boden asked from where he'd appeared at the doorway.

Casey made a non-committal noise in response and Antonio took that as his cue to start asking questions.

"So no faces for these guys? Markings? Anything distinguishable?"

Casey tried to think through the haze of flashing limbs and twinge of his bruises. "One of them had a tattoo," he said eventually. "Forearm." He shifted the ice pack from his ribs to the bruise colouring his eye.

"Left? Right?"

"Left," he said, but as soon as he spoke he could see it just as easily on the right arm. "Maybe right."

"Think."

Casey flung the icepack down in irritation. "I am thinking."

Antonio sighed and pocketed the pad he'd been taking notes in. "Alright. Alright, rest for a few." He patted Casey on the leg as he passed and headed out of the room.

Boden took Antonio's place as Casey screwed up his face in irritation, trying to remember anything else about the attack.

"Matt. Matt, believe me, I know what you're going through, and I know what you're thinking. But we are gonna figure out how to do this the right way. Do you hear me?"

It was the same thing Boden had been saying earlier in his office and although Casey felt much less inclined to agree he still voiced a quiet agreement if only to appease his Chief.

"Okay." Boden gently clapped a hand to is shoulder, mindful of his bruises and made his way outside, presumably to talk to Antonio.

Hallie watched Boden go quietly before stepping up to Casey's bedside and taking his hand in hers.

"Think the Chief's right?" she asked quietly.

"I am not going to sit back and take it."

"I'm not saying that you should," Hallie soothed, rubbing a placating hand over his hair. "But you make one wrong decision, and suddenly you're the bad guy, and that's exactly what he wants. Just promise me you'll be careful," she said finally when Casey showed no sign of relenting. "Promise me."

"I promise," Casey sighed. Hallie echoed his sigh and leant in to press a gentle kiss to his forehead before leaning their heads together, both closing their eyes.

The call came in just as Severide was cooking dinner for himself, Shay having flitted out to have dinner with her latest. He clicked accept on the call, wondering what Boden could want at this hour and wedged the phone between his shoulder and his ear so he could stir the sauce, simmering on the stove.

"Yeah, Chief, what's up?"

There was a pause, long enough that Severide almost checked to see if Boden was actually there.

"Kelly, I thought you should know…" If his stomach hadn't dropped at the use of his first name, it was sure to with Boden's next words. "Matt's in the hospital."

Severide moved without even really thinking about it, flipping off the burner, reaching for his jacket and snatching his keys.

"Where?" he gritted out.

"Lakeshore."

"I'll be there in ten." Severide flung the door closed behind him and forwent the stairs in favour of jogging down the stairs.

"Kelly…" Boden tried but Severide had already hung up.

The ride to the hospital passed in a blur of streetlights against the darkening sky and fingers clenched so tightly around the wheel that Severide's knuckles turned white. For the first time that day, the searing pain in his shoulder dulled to an ignorable twinge.

Severide parked haphazardly in the parking lot, sparing half a thought to hoping he didn't get booked and just about ran inside. He spent only a few seconds looking around and was just about to grab the nearest nurse and shake Casey's location from her when he spotted Boden's tall form. Severide dragged a deep breath in as he approach Boden's back, trying to at least appear composed.

"What happened?"

"Two guys jumped him. We're thinking they were working for Voight."

White hot rage flared through Severide's chest and it was an effort to temper it down and not race back outside to find the two punks who had done this.

"81?" he asked, mainly for appearances sake.

"Here earlier. I thought you might want some… privacy."

Severide refused to make eye contact at that and kept his unseeing eyes on the glass in front of him. That wasn't something he was even going to dwell on know. He focussed instead on the sleeping form of his… friend.

"So are you going to…"

"I've gotta head home." Boden paused and then clapped a hand on his Lieutenant's shoulder. Only then did Severide look at him. There were many messages in the look Boden gave him but Severide was too strung out and fraught with emotion to begin to dissecting them so he simply nodded and smiled weakly. Boden gave him his own nod and left.

Severide watched him go and waited until he had disappeared completely out the doors before breathing in a shaky breath and walking inside Casey's hospital room. The bruises looked even worse in the darkened room, the shadows making them seem even darker than they probably were. Severide exhaled slowly and approached his friends side, dropping into the chair beside it. Casey's top half was bare - a shirt too painful to pull on, Severide guessed - showing off the bruises and contusions littering the pale skin and Severide could see a glimpse of an old pair of sweats before they disappeared below the sheet.

Severide leant an elbow on the edge of the mattress and propped his chin up in his hand, his free hand reaching hesitantly to trace the edge of a nasty bruise that decorated Casey's ribs.

"Oh Matt."

Severide didn't remember falling asleep but he figured he must have been asleep for a few hours if the ache in his hunched shoulders and the darkened corridor was anything to go by. For a moment he couldn't work out why he'd woken but then he caught sight of the glittering pair of eyes watching him from the doorway. His heartbeat jumped a notch but slowed just as quickly when he realised it was just Hallie. All the same he scrambled to stand, feeling for some odd reason as though he'd just been caught doing something wrong. Something about the expression on her face made him think she'd been there for a while watching them.

"The Chief called me," Severide said yielding to the uncontrollable urge to explain his presence.

"I figured," Hallie said faintly. They stared at each other for a long moment. Then Hallie seemed to jerk out of a trance and she crossed the room to fiddle with some of Casey's bandages.

"So he's staying here for the night then," said Severide, more for something to say than anything else.

"Yes. His last test was pretty late and they weren't going to release him before that… besides it's being covered by his insurance."

"Right." He was spared trying to think up another thing to say because Hallie spoke again.

"I didn't realise you two were friends again." Her tone was purposefully cool and distant but Severide had known Hallie long enough to know that she was fishing for information.

"We're coexisting, I guess," Severide said with a nervous laugh. If coexisting meant jokes and conversations and long looks that leave me questioning the definition of our relationship, Severide thought wryly. "Anyway I should probably go. It's late and I just wanted to see how he was." He stumbled towards the door but paused just before he left. "Don't, uh, could you not tell Casey I stopped by?"

Hallie froze where she stood, face downturned for a moment before she slowly looked up at him, simply blinking for a moment. "Sure," she said finally and smiled blandly at him.

"Thanks." Severide breathed a sigh of relief and hurried from the room. He'd assumed she'd have no problem complying with that little request.