Life without Hallie was odd, though not quite as painful as Casey had expected. A week later and all he had really noticed was that he disliked the quiet of a night and that sometimes his days off were a bit too solitary for his liking; but Severide's growing reentry to his life kept him from missing her too much. So aside from a few sympathetic glances from his fellow firefighters as the news inevitably spread throughout the house, life went on as normal. It was the same house, the same people, getting into the same ridiculous situations. And maybe that shouldn't have been as comforting for Casey as it was. But it was so Casey wasn't complaining.

"Why the hell are you studying Japanese?" Casey asked peering over Mouch's shoulder to try and decipher the strange symbols scrawled across the page of his book.

"I read online," he replied. "That once you turn 50, your brain starts to atrophy unless you keep it in shape."

Cruz, beside him on the lounge leaned over to take a look at the book before rolling his eyes with a disbelieving huff.

"I think that train's already left the station, Mouch," Shay quipped from the table without looking up from her own book.

"Say something in Japanese," Cruz demanded, still looking skeptical.

"I just started," Mouch protested.

The chatter was all still the same and it circled Casey, wrapping around him like an embrace as he retreated to get himself a cup of coffee. As alright as he was after Hallie leaving, she'd still left a hole inside him. But each day that passed with the people that reminded him of everything that he still had, it continued to shrink.

"Hey where's Herrmann?"

"Seminar."

"I got 20 bucks that says in two weeks, you won't be able to string along a sentence in Japanese."

"Easiest money I ever made."

"What's today?" Otis wanted to know just so Mouch got two weeks and two weeks only.

Casey felt utterly content there, leaning back against the kitchen counter, hot coffee steadily warming his hands and surrounded by some of his favourite people. Which was why when Dawson answered Otis' question the realisation hit him like a lightning bolt, changing his feeling so quickly he felt physically sick.

Catching his agitation, Dawson asked, "Everything alright?"

He smiled gently at the concern but didn't want to get into it with her while half his company was in earshot so he just nodded and excused himself, leaving the rec room and heading for the living quarters, seeking a certain Squad Lieutenant.

The door to Severide's quarters was closed but Casey didn't let that deter him when he reached it. The man in question jerked upright at the sudden intrusion and Casey spared half an apologetic thought wondering if maybe he should have knocked but brushed it off as he took a seat on the man's bed.

Rather than looking annoyed however Severide turned away from his paperwork altogether and before Casey could start, started talking himself.

"So during the past week, during which we had drinks several times and went to a hockey game together you didn't think to mention you'd broken off your engagement?"

Casey choked on his sip of coffee and blinked up at his friend who was looking at him intensely with an eyebrow raised. "Oh," he said dumbly. "That."

"Yeah, that." Severide said. "And to make matters worse when I didn't finally hear about it, it wasn't from you, my best friend. No I had to hear it from Shay who heard it from Dawson."

While the twitch of his lip betrayed Severide's amusement, Casey could detect a hint of hurt hidden deep in his eyes. He just didn't know if it was the Dawson part of the story that bothered him or the rest of it.

He shrugged and finally looked away, staring down into the rich, brown depths of his coffee instead. "The breakup was... boring, I guess. Amicable. I would have told you eventually."

Severide remained silent and when Casey dared a glance up it was to find Severide looking at him, a hint of a smile playing around the edges of his mouth. Casey returned the smile and kicked out at him gently before resettling himself against Severide's pillows.

"Nice job distracting me, by the way."

Severide's grin broadened, though something in his eyes grew softer. For once Casey didn't bristle at the show of sympathy. "Caught that did you."

"You're a lot of things Sev, subtle, isn't one of them."

Severide chuckled and the pair lapsed into a comfortable. Casey considered his coffee for a long moment but didn't drink - he'd lost his appetite - before he finally said what he'd come here to talk about.

"I forgot."

Severide understood immediately, a relief to Casey who thought he'd have to elaborate and didn't think he'd have the stomach for it. But instead he nodded his head and was quiet for a moment.

"That's understandable," he finally said. "It's been what, fifteen years."

"Fifteen years," Casey confirmed.

Fifteen years to the date since he'd opened the front door to find two detectives waiting to utterly destroy his childhood. Fifteen years since he'd virtually become an orphan.

"I did it once with my mum," Severide grunted and Casey looked up sharply in surprise. "Yeah," he continued. "And I felt like shit because of it. But eventually, you know I just had to think what she'd say if she was here. She'd be hurt yeah, probably a little mad too but eventually she'd forgive me for forgetting."

"Yeah," Casey murmured.

"You going to see him?"

"If Boden gives me the time."

"Want me to go with you?"

Casey smiled at the offer. "Nah, I think I need to go on my own. Thanks though. Besides I don't think we can deprive 51 of both their lieutenants."

Severide settled his hand on Casey's ankle, the weight warm and comforting. "All good, Matt. Let me know if you need anything."

A knock on the door frame caught their attention and they jolted apart, glancing around like they'd been caught doing something wrong. Boden stared back at them from the doorway, a knowing twinkle in his eye that the pair resolutely ignored.

"Our guests are here, if you wanted to come meet them."

He disappeared before they could answer and they both scrambled to follow.

House 51 was hosting two Canadian firefighters for a couple of shifts as part of a relations program between the CFD and the Toronto Fire Services. Two would come to the US to observe training techniques while two of the CFD did the same in Canada.

The two Canadians, Gavin and Presley, were nice enough, shaking Severide and Casey's hands warmly when they were introduced and even holding up under Mouch's blatant dislike of all things Canadian.

"Ignore him," Casey advised them, after Mouch fled swiftly from the room and the bells blared before they got a chance to reply.

"Truck 81, Squad 3, Ambulance 61, injury on the blue line, Logan Square station."

They were directed down onto the train line the minute the pulled up by one of the workers. Boden remained on the platform to coordinate.

"Be aware, men, the third rail could still be hot." Boden told them through the radio as they made their way to the scene. All eyes went to the line they were walking parallel to and those closest took a precautionary step away.

"You heard him, guys," Casey called. "Everyone keep your eyes forward. Let's do this the right way."

"Main, do we have a hold on the blue line power in Logan square?"

"Stand by. We're waiting for confirmation," an anonymous voice said.

Casey nodded at Cruz. "Start setting up to the test the power."

"Yes, Lieutenant."

Casey and Mills made their way to the nose of the train where a window opened and a frazzled driver poked his head out.

"I think I hit someone."

"Chief, we might have a victim on the tracks. Conductor thinks he hit someone."

"You and Mills walk back down toward the tunnel. Mind that third rail."

"Copy," Casey replied and jerked his head to indicate Mills follow him.

They quickly walked along the length of the train, intermittently crouching to check underneath. Casey kept an ear on his radio, to stay in the loop with the rest of his company.

"C.T.A confirms power has been shut down."

Boden gave them the confirmation they were waiting for. "Cruz, we got the all-clear. Throw the chain."

Casey and Mills were quickly running out of room with the tunnel fast approaching and they still hadn't seen so much of a sign of an injured person.

"3, 2, 1," came Cruz's countdown just as Mills yelled out for him.

"Hey, I see somebody!"

Casey took a step towards him but the explosion of sparks that told them the power was still on had him freezing and momentarily torn. Then Boden's gruff voice came over the line and he decided to leave him to deal with it.

"Main, we still have power on the southbound track."

Casey ran the short way to Mills and sunk to his knees beside him, using his flashlight to get a look at the victim. The kid couldn't have been more than 18 years old and had a bloody face and hand that was reaching out to him. His voice however was strong when he spoke.

"Please, help me."

"His leg's stuck in the axle," Casey muttered to Mills, following the line of the kid's body with his flashlight to wear his leg was wedged to the knee in the wheel axle. "I need this rail turned off," he said into his radio.

"We're working on it, Casey," Boden promised.

Satisfied, Casey turned his attention on the victim. "My name's Matt."

"Jacob."

"Can you tell me what happened, Jacob?"

"My sister Kayla and me went into the subway through an access door, just to look around."

Casey grimaced at the way the kid was starting to shake but didn't interrupt.

"But it locked behind us. We were trying to get out through the tunnel."

As if on instinct Casey and Mills both turned to look down the dark tunnel. Casey looked back at Mills and the candidate was already nodding and heading off to look for the other victim.

"Chief, there's another kid in the tunnel. Mills is going inside."

"I have two victims on the track," Boden growled at the officer responsible for turning the power off. "I need that damn power off now."

He tuned out the sounds of Mills calling out for the girl, Boden growling orders and Cruz throwing the chain again just to confirm and focussed on the shivering kid in front of him.

"Hey it won't be long now, alright? They're coming to get you out now."

Sure enough Severide appeared beside him only a few minutes later.

"Name's Jacob," Casey supplied before Severide could ask and shuffled out of the way.

"Hey, Jacob. My name's Kelly. We're gonna get you out of there, alright?"

The squad appeared with cribbing and the jack to lift the train while Dawson and Shay hovered and prepared themselves to get the pressure bandages on him the second he was free.

"Alright, that's good," Severide decided and slid in underneath the train to get to work on the axle. Casey could still hear Mills calling out for the girl in the tunnel but decided not to leave Jacob until either he was free or Mills found the girl.

The whir of the saw powered up and Jacob grunted weakly as Severide got to work taking the axle apart.

"This is going to hurt, buddy." The apologetic admission was the only warning they got before Severide guided Jacob's leg free, ignoring the kid's agonised groans as he did so. They pulled him out and Dawson and Shay got to work getting a c-collar on him and dealing with the bloodied leg.

"My sister?" he gasped, eyes searching Casey out of the crowd of firefighters around him.

Casey leaned over him. "We're looking for her now."

"Alright, pressure dressings in place," Shay said. "Let's go."

Squad 3 stepped in and helped lift him out of there leaving Casey behind to find the other victim. He frowned down at the tunnel when he realised he hadn't heard Mills call out for a few minutes now.

"Mills, update."

When there was no immediate response he took off for the tunnel calling for his young candidate. He slowed when his flashlight caught the back of the kid's turn-out jacket where he was kneeling in the centre of the tunnel.

"Mills?"

His head was bowed over his knee and even with the distance Casey heard the shaky breath Mills drew in. He slowly approached Mills side and flashed his torch around catching sight of the horrible sight Mills was determinedly not looking at and had to swallow down the sudden bile that filled his mouth. Blood and flesh was smeared along the walls and floor of the tunnel, and Casey flashlight followed along, catching on small pieces that could have been shoes until it rested on a small, dark, bloodied body stretched out.

With trembling fingers Casey pulled his radio to his mouth. "Yeah, we, uh found the other victim. I need two body bags, more lights, latex gloves." He turned to greet his oncoming company. "Two teams scour each side of the tracks. Call out whatever body part you find."

His company looking grim only nodded and moved past them and started to work. Casey knelt beside Mills and ducked until he met the kid's eyes.

"Hey, you okay?"

Mills nodded but the blank look on his face told Casey all he needed to know. Still there was a victim that needed to be recovered before he could fully check in with his candidate so he just clapped a hand to his back and moved to help his company handle the small body.

The mood was sombre back at 51 once they finished the gruelling task of scraping the girl off the tunnel and putting her into an ambulance. Mills was completely silent as he set to fixing lunch, Otis was sleeping at the table and the tv was only on low. Despite having both the squad and truck companies crammed into the rec room it was oddly quiet.

Boden walked in slowly and tapped at a sheet on the bulletin board. "Department counselor. Wasn't easy what we saw today. There is no shame in reaching out to talk to somebody."

Casey had never done it, preferring instead to talk to his friends and family about the horrors he faced on the job but he knew others who had talked to the department counsellors and were better for it. Boden had been talking to everybody in the room but Casey noticed that his eyes seemed to linger a split-second longer on Mills than the rest of them.

"Hey," he said, noticing Presley and Gavin for the first time. "Take a seat guys. Make yourselves at home."

They smiled gratefully and took seats at the table opposite him. Casey watched over the top of his newspaper as Boden talked to Mouch on his way out and he could hazard a guess at what the Chief was telling him. Not that it seemed to make much of a difference because the moment the Chief disappeared, Mouch slipped into a free chair looking positively gleeful.

"How's that socialised medicine working out for you guys?"

"Mouch," Cruz barked from the other end of the table, sounding equal parts annoyed and exasperated.

Mouch ploughed on, regardless. "To get your tonsils out, I heard you have to wait in a line around the block for the same doctor who just finished a colonoscopy."

"You're the only guy I know that could have a beef with Canada," Otis put in.

"Let's just say I got a snoot full of how things really work up there. Nothing against these two, but pull back that curtain a little bit and you might be surprised at what you find." Mouch nodded and left the table.

Casey beyond embarrassed rubbed his forehead. "Again, please ignore him."

Gavin ad Presley nodded and smiled, shaking their heads a little and Casey was just glad they were going to be good sports about it.

"Mouch you are out of your damn mind," Cruz laughed, watching the man go.

Inside the locker room, Severide was looking dolefully at the single pill left inside one of his blister packets, mentally counting the ones he had left. It had only been a few weeks since he'd gotten them and he'd already made a sizeable dent in the supply.

He sighed and chucked the packet back into his locker, slamming the door shut to vent a bit of his frustration. He stalked from the locker room and back into the rec room where he found Mills staring blankly into a pot of water on the stove.

He snatched an apple out of the bowl and wandered closer curiously. He looked between the pot and Mills a couple times but the candidate didn't seem to notice is presence.

"Works better if you turn on the heat."

Mills blinked a couple of times like he was coming out of a daze and looked away, walking away and gathering up the trash to take out without another word. Severide watched him go and then looked over to where Casey was talking to Boden. He waited until he caught his eye then raised an eyebrow and cocked his head in the direction Mills went. Casey nodded, understanding.

"Hour, hour and a half, tops." Casey was promising as he met Severide's eye. He'd deal with Mills when he got back.

Boden nodded. "I'll have Cruz cover truck until you're back."

Despite the agreement Casey hesitated. "And I'm sorry about this. You know this isn't my style but…"

"Handle your business, Casey," Boden said and clapped a hand on his shoulder before leaving to go back to his office.

"Hey," Casey called to Severide. "While I'm gone, keep an eye on things?" The And Mills went unspoken between them. Severide nodded his understanding. Casey nodded back his own thanks and turned on his heel to leave.

Severide barely had the time to watch him disappear through the doors before the bells were going off and the cool voice of the dispatch officer was filtering through the halls.

"Truck 81, Squad 3, Ambulance 61. Heart attack victim, Dearborn and Elm."

They arrived at the scene to find a shell-shocked man on the street looking up at his friend who was hanging from a tree, limp in his harness.

"Frank's dead," he babbled as they approached him. "He must've had a heart attack or something. One minute he was fine, dropping branches to me. And the next thing I know, he's just hanging there."

They were all standing there and watching, wondering how they were going to get the victim down when the branch Frank was hanging from jolted, sending them all skittering back a few steps. The branch cracked a little but didn't dislodge completely, the wood creaking and groaning painfully.

"Cruz," Boden barked. "You get that aerial up in that tree now."

Cruz frowned at the other branches surrounding the victim. "I could get close but there are a lot of branches. I don't see a clean path."

Severide also frowned, considering. "Then we make one," he finally decided. "Vargas!"

"On it," Vargas nodded, already heading for the truck. Cruz got into the truck and pulled it around and started setting up the aerial while Vargas pulled the saw from the squad truck compartment. The minute it was in place Vargas was up there and clearing the path.

Meanwhile, on the ground Severide started gathering the ropes to rig up a quick two-to-one pulley system. A stokes basket would have been ideal but there wasn't enough time, not with the tree limb creaking ominously.

"Path is clear," Vargas announced and moved off the aerial. Severide took his place and hurried up with the rope bag. He moved quickly with the fingers of someone who'd practised this a million times before and hastily constructed the pulley, making sure all the ropes went in the right places. He could hear Boden barking orders down on the ground.

"When Severide drops his line, you take up the slack. When he cuts the old line, it's on you."

Finally he had it all set up and got the new line clipped to the guy's harness, just as he blinked and looked around in confusion.

"Hey! He's alive," Severide yelled.

"Get him down here fast," Dawson called back.

As if on cue the tree branch finally gave way and Severide was left holding the weight of the man with his bad side. Although he tried to control it, his surprised cry of pain was loud enough to alert the firefighters on the ground, if their sudden burst of activity was anything to go by.

"Hadley, move," he heard Boden order. "Get his back."

Severide knew he couldn't wait for Hadley to get his slow ass up on the aerial to take the load, so, grunting in pain he fumbled for the weight bag with the attached rope and pushed it over the side. Mouch and Otis were there in an instant grabbing it and tying it to the truck bumper.

"Set!" came the blessed call and Severide finally felt the relief as the firefighter's on the ground took the weight. Feeling numb he felt around for the knife and cut the other man's line, taking total pressure off the damaged branch.

From there it was on everyone else to get the man down and clear which was good because all Severide felt like doing was lying there. But he could also hear Hadley coming so he forced himself up and to start moving, despite how much his body protested it. Hadley met him halfway as he was slithering down the rungs.

"You okay?"

"Yeah fine," Severide answered automatically but he didn't miss Hadley's eyes as they raked over the arm he had cradled to his chest. "Let's just get on the ground."

He took another moment even after Hadley turned away to just sit and try to force down the pain before he moved on, climbing down from the truck painfully. He got back down on the ground and leant against the side of the truck, forcing deep breaths to calm his racing pulse. He was looking around absently, half watching Shay and Dawson tend to their patient when his eyes fell on Mills, standing by himself and looking into space. He frowned. That was something someone was going to need to deal with.

Casey hated cemeteries. The pretty flowers, elaborate gardens and man-made lakes didn't change the place's purpose and Casey couldn't make himself feel comfortable for any moment that he was there. He pulled up at the right section, tried to make himself relax fractionally and grabbed the plastic bag from the passenger seat before getting out of the car begrudgingly.

He stopped after only a step however at the sight of a familiar blonde figure standing before his father's grave with her family. Casey stiffened at the sight of his sister, the action being instinct after not having seen her in months.

Not wanting to force a confrontation today of all days, he turned to head back to his truck but before he could make it Christie turned and caught sight of him, raising a hand in greeting. He nodded and with a grim smile he started towards her.

"Hey, Matt," she said softly.

"Christie."

After a long, awkward pause she stepped forward and hugged him gingerly. He returned it hating how forced and cold it felt.

"Jim," he greeted, shaking the man's hand once he and Christie released each other.

"Sweetheart, do you remember your Uncle Matt from Thanksgiving a couple of years ago?"

Casey's breath caught in his throat at the sight of his niece, the exact spitting-image of his sister at that age and he was overcome, suddenly by the intense ache to go back to that age, when everything was simpler.

He crouched down and murmured a greeting, hugging her back when she wrapped her thin, little arms around his neck. He stood again and they parted, allowing him the first glimpse of his father's grave. It was a little more weathered from the elements since the last time he'd been there but there was a fresh bouquet sitting atop the headstone, from his sister he presumed.

"I can't believe it's been fifteen years," he murmured half to himself, half to the others.

"I still miss him," Christie croaked in response and Casey nodded as though he agreed.

It was easier for Christie to maintain that perfect image of their father; she'd been in college and safe in her dorm when the fighting had started, when insults had ricocheted around the house like bullets and Casey had to sneak around just to avoid getting hit. She hadn't had to see that so it was so much easier for her to put their father up on a pedestal, leave him blameless in all of this. Casey didn't have that luxury.

He stepped forward and knelt to dig the two hockey flags he'd gotten for the occasion into the ground; Blackhawks because his father had been a loyal fan right up until the end. He stood again and looked down, trying to figure out as he always did standing there how he felt.

From behind him, Christie spoke, "Well, we'll let you have some time alone."

Casey felt a sudden pang of loss and not ready to let his sister go again was quick to assure her, "You don't have to go."

But Christie just smiled. "No, it's ok. We were just leaving. We've been here a while." She paused and laid a hand on her brother's shoulder. "I guess I'll see you in a couple of weeks."

Casey swallowed painfully. "Yeah, I'll see you there."

Christie smiled and then left with her family, leaving Casey to watch her go. Once she was out of sight he crouched down again, eyes tracing over the engraved words and numbers feeling conflicted. It wasn't as though he could blame his father, how can you blame someone for their own death but he can't put his father on the same pedestal as his sister. Because he'd been there and saw what he could be and what he could do and knew how all that lead up to his death. So when he was crouching there he tried not to think about all that or else he'll have gotten a headache and tried instead to remember all the good he'd seen his father do. That was easier.

Severide staying true to his word to Casey, caught up with Mills after the call. Body aching and shoulder burning he lead the kid into his quarters and gestured for him to take a seat on the bed before taking the desk chair for himself.

"I know the call this morning was hard."

Severide had half expected Mills to argue there, object and say that he was fine but the kid remained quietly, looking pensively at his folded hands. Seveide ploughed on.

"And I know it was your first call like that. But we've all been there, man. It happens first few months after being on the job. And right now you have nothing to compare it to, but you will. I know this sounds horrible but the longer you work this job, the more good you'll see, you'll be able to take days like this and put them into context and move forward."

"It's just that afterwards, I'm looking at Mouch telling stories, Cruz playing video games and Otis making jokes." Mills shook his head softly. "I don't know how they do it." Mills looked right at Severide for the first time, catching his gaze.

"Everybody has their own way of dealing. Some take some time for themselves, others surround themselves by people and act as normal as they can. You will get on the other side of this, Mills," Severide assured him. "Why don't you take the rest of the shift off. I'll talk to Boden and Casey. Take it easy or maybe go see the Department counsellor. They're available, so am I, so's Boden, so's Casey. Alright?"

Mills nodded slowly. "Ok," he murmured.

Severide clapped a hand to his shoulder. "Alright. You head home, I'll go talk to Boden."

The conversation with Boden was short and sweet, Boden signing off on Mills' leave immediately, which Severide was thankful for as the pain in his shoulder was flaring up again and slowly spreading down into his fingertips. He excused himself from Boden's office and retreated to his own quarters, digging out his phone and dialling a now familiar number as he went.

"Anna, hey," he said as he shut himself in his room.

"Hey?"

"It's me."

"What's up, Kelly?"

"I need a refill, somewhat urgently," he said thinking off the almost empty packet in his locker.

Anna's voice was outraged when she spoke again. "Are you serious? Do you know how many I gave you? Do you know how dangerous it is, if you've taken them all already?"

"I know, I know, I know," he said trying to placate her. "I just- can you please help me out?"

"I don't know. I can maybe get some but it'll take a few weeks and I'm out of Chicago now. Unless you wanted to come here-"

"I really don't have the time to wait that long." Severide thinking quick just said the first thing that came into his head, "I could pay you for them, if that's easier."

He knew immediately that that was the wrong thing to say and Anna was quiet on the other end of the phone, her breathing the only thing telling him she was still there..

Then finally, voice cold and tight with fury she spat, "Fuck you, Kelly," and hung up. He pulled back to look at the screen of his phone and with great control, resisted the urge to throw it across the room. His whole right side had gone numb now and it was like he was someone else as he watched his fingers flex, barely feeling the movement at all.

He tossed the phone down on the bed beside him before retreating to the locker room where he was hoping a hot shower would dull the pain in his arm.

Any work that the shower might have done for his arm however evaporated quickly when Boden found him in the bathroom.

"Hey." Boden nodded at him as he washed his hands and Severide tended to one of the small cuts he'd gotten on one call or another. "Nice job up there in that tree."

"Thanks Chief."

"What's up with your arm?"

Boden spoke so quickly Severide was half convinced that he'd heard him wrong. Nevertheless, he played it dumb.

"What's that?"

"I said, 'what's wrong with you arm?'"

Boden's dark, knowing eyes bored into him insistently and Severide tried to play it cool.

"Tweaked it a couple days ago lifting weights," he said with a shrug that sends stabs of pain running all down his right arm.

"Looked like more than a tweak."

Severide attempted a casual smile but felt like he missed by a mile. "Really, I'm fine."

"Ok," Boden said easily, and for a half a second Severide thought he'd gotten away with it. "I see it again, you're going in for an x-ray, for your own safety."

Severide forced a smile. "Oh, yeah. Absolutely."

"Oh and if you see Casey, tell him I need to talk to the both of you in my office about Mills."

Boden nodded again and left. Severide managed to wait until the door closed behind him to drop the facade and run a worried hand over his face.

"You get onto Mills?" Casey asked Severide the next day at breakfast after Mills yet another of his calls. Severide looked up from his bowel looking worried and gave a solemn headshake.

"I tried to call him but nothing. I tried his sister too but she didn't know where he was."

Casey rubbed at his tiredly and took a seat. First breakfast, then he would track down his loose candidate.

The Canadian, Presley, hovered nearby for a moment before slipping into the seat beside him.

"Lieutenant? Could I talk to you about something?"

"By all means," Casey said wondering if this would have something to do with Otis and Mouch's prank. He didn't know why Otis had felt the urge to bait Mouch into pranking the Canadians but here they were.

"I don't want to get in anyone's business here, but I was recently in Peter's situation. I went on a call that involved an infant mortality. And it really got to me. But our Lieutenant at the time, he did something that really helped us out."

Casey listened to Presley as the man described what their Lieutenant had done and an idea started to form in his head.

He stepped away and pulled out his phone. After a moment's deliberation he dialled Mills' number and waited for the line to connect.

"Lieutenant?" Mills' voice was low and scratchy when he answered.

"Listen, I know lots of people have been talking to you today, uh, but before you go and make a decision, there's something I want to show you."

Mills was quiet for a long moment. Then, "Yeah, ok."

"I can swing by the restaurant after shift."

"Sounds good, Lieutenant."

"Just trust me on this," Casey said and then hung up when Mills didn't say anything else.

Severide found the nondescript brown paper bag waiting for him when he got back to his apartment that afternoon. Barely managing to restrain his hope, he scooped it up, thanked God that Shay hadn't been the one to find it and let himself into the loft.

He made a beeline for the kitchen island and emptied the bag, dumping the contents onto the counter. Out came four new blister packets and a handwritten note.

You owe me.

He flipped it over but the three words were the only thing written on it. He tossed the card aside, popped two pills and downed them dry just to overcome the pain that had steadily been growing since he'd started trying to ration his supply.

Casey met Mills after shift at his diner and together they drove over in Casey's truck.

Mills heaved a sigh after a few minutes of silence and glanced across the shadowy cab at his lieutenant. "Where are we going, Lieutenant?"

Casey's eyes never left the road. "You'll see."

It wasn't a long drive and soon enough they were weaving between the narrow residential streets at the edge of the city and pulling to a halt outside an unremarkable two-storey.

"Come on," Casey said when Mills just sat there and stared up at the house.

A familiar face answered the door when Casey knocked and immediately offered his hand to shake.

"Lieutenant Casey," the man grinned.

"Hey Gary. Thanks for letting us stop by."

"No problem," Gary answered, stepping aside to let them in, out of the cold night air.

"This is Peter Mills," Casey adding, nodding at the kid hovering over his shoulder. "My newest candidate."

"Nice to meet you," Mills smiled as he shook Gary's hand.

"Yeah, you to. Make yourselves comfortable," Gary added as they stepped into the living room right off the hallway. "Sophie," Gary called, turning to look up the stairs. "Lieutenant Casey is here."

While they listened to the pad of approaching feet Casey explained in an undertone to Mills. "Their last house burned down a couple years back. We responded to the call." He turned back to Gary, "How's she been doing?"

Gary grinned. "She gets her learner's permit next week. Can you believe it?" Gary looked like he could hardly believe it himself and Casey shook his head, feeling the sentiment.

"Sophie's driving?"

"Well not till next week, she isn't," Gary joked.

Their conversation cut off at the sudden appearance of Sophie jogging down the stairs. Her face brightened when she caught sight of Casey and she immediately hurried over to hug him, baring her burnt shoulder to Mills.

Casey knew what Mills would see when he looked at Sophie partly because she refused to cover up despite the scars but also because of the sheer number of times Casey had been to see her over the years. The skin of her shoulder, despite the many operations and transplants she'd had was still rippled and pebbled from the fire, parts reddened by the severity of her burns. Even for someone who had seen his fair share of burns it still turned Casey's stomach to see it sometimes.

"Peter," Casey said once they parted. "This is Sophie."

Mills smile was only small, shock still evident in his eyes but he managed to murmur a greeting that Sophie returned.

"I want to show you something," she grinned, turning back to Casey.

They followed her to the next room where a trophy was proudly displayed.

"What have you got?"

She handed it over with a small smile and he read out the small plaque at the bottom. "'Second place, girls sectional finals.' Congratulations," he added as he smoothed a thumb over the writing, a blossom of pride unfurling within his chest.

She took back the trophy and placed it carefully back in its place and turned to find Mills eyes glued to her burns. She followed his gaze and took in the burns marring her skin before glancing back at him. He came back to himself after a moment and blinked and looked away.

"Sorry," he mumbled, blushing slightly.

But that was why Casey had brought him to see Sophie, because he knew she wouldn't have a problem with it.

"Don't be," she said. "I don't mind if you stare. Lieutenant Casey pulled me out of that fire."

This was why Casey went back to visit the people he saved, because sometimes, after particularly bad calls he couldn't just see the point in at all. And he just needed the reminder of all the one's he had saved because he chose to do this with his life and that's why he continued to do it.

"I'm alive," Sophie said. Mills blinked and his eyes met Casey's and that was when Casey knew that he understood.

Another chapter? Ikr I am smashing it atm. Ha ha lol it's just the procrastination that's motivating me but also the fact that I only have two more ch to write. Yay :D

Also can't remember if I told you after I finish posting I'm going to do a massive re-read of this fic, (probably want to kill myself at all the mistakes I made) and do an edit. I'll probs combine some of the chapters, rewrite sections etc. Just letting you know. And then after that I'll get started on the second book :)

Also this fic is over 90, 000 words which is longer than the second HP book and I know you're probs going lol not that long but I have seriously questioned my ability to write something more than a short story so I'm high on life right now.

Finally, I feel like connecting to you lot so if you leave me a comment, tell me who your favourite character is. Mine would probably have to be Shay, Severide or Casey. Make sure to tell me what you thought of the chapter xx