Kelly could be here to pick him up any minute. They were going fishing somewhere and staying a motel nearby so they could get some more fishing in before returning home the next day. Even though Kelly's dad's cabin was not too far from the lake they were going fishing, the cabin was in no way wheelchair friendly so to avoid the hassle, they opted for a motel.
''Hope I packed everything.'' Matt sighed as he pointed at the bag on his lap. Before he could just walk out of the door, but now he had to think about everything he needed to get around when he left the door.
''Don't worry, it will be fine.'' Kelly assured him. ''We can always drive back to get something.''
''Thanks.''
They made their way to the car and Severide opened the door for him.
''I forgot how low your car is.'' Matt laughed a bit nervous.
''Hey, gravity will be here to help you. Let me know if I can help you.''
Matt grabbed the transfer board, but with the car seat being so much lower, he knew it was not going to help him.
A bit nervous, he grabbed the top of the car and the door, pulling himself in with the little power he had in his arms. Making it to the chair, it cause the car door to close as well and the window hit him against the head
''Oww, shit.'' He rubbed over his head, Kelly kneeling down.
''You okay?''
''It is fine, you don't want to know how many times they happened already.'' Matt said then as Kelly started folding the wheelchair. Already a bit tired, Matt pulled his legs into the car and Kelly sat down on the drivers side.
''You really okay?''
''Yeah. Get used to it. I am really clumsy nowadays.'' Matt said with a wry smile.
They drove away, towards the cabin.
'''Feels like everybody needs to take time off to entertain me.'' Matt said as it was bothering him. Now that he did not have to do much but focus on his recovery, he felt he got bored a lot. People seemed to go out of their way to meet up with him.
''Gladly do it, and it is not because I feel I need to, but because you are my friend I want to spend time with you.'' Kelly said.
''Thanks.'' Matt smiled appreciative.
They chatted in the car about sports and the firehouse. Matt was glad to hear some more of what was going on in the firehouse as Gabby did not want to talk about it much because she was worried to upset him.
They arrived at the lake and Kelly helped him out of the car this time, Matt not wanting for anymore accidents to happen.
Looking at the sand and mud around, he felt a bit unsure.
''You might as well lift me to the boat because there is no way I will be able to push over this.'' Matt said.
''Want me to lift you to boat?'' Kelly wanted to make sure his friend wouldn't be upset about it.
''I guess.''
Carefully lifted his friend up and carried him to the boat.
''Please don't let me fall.'' Matt said a bit nervous ad Kelly stepped over the gap between the pontoon and the boat.
''Got you.'' Kelly said as he carefully lifted Matt into the boat, making sure he was sitting comfortably. It was a small boat but there was small bench to the back of the boat.
After Kelly carried the stuff onto the boat as well, they made their way onto the water.
Ou ton the water, they threw the fishing lines out and Kelly grabbed them some drinks from the cooler.
''We should do this more often.''
''Definitely.'' Matt smiled. It was nice to be away from the city, just like had been with Gabby. It was nice to finally be out of the house where he got constantly frustrated and where he had to do therapy all the time.
''Hey, my body temperature is getting really low, can you grab my jacket?'' Matt asked Kelly a bit concerned. Ever since his accident, he had to keep an eye on it. Since he couldn't feel anything below his chest, he couldn't regulate it himself anymore well.
''Ofcourse.''
''Thanks, something I never thought about having to keep monitoring.'' Matt said as Kelly helped him get the jacket on.
''Something I would never think off.''
''Something I have to now.'' Matt said as Kelly zipped his jacket up.
Sitting down across from his friend again, Kelly was still shocked how much had changed for his friend.
''Want another drink?''
''I will have another beer.'' Matt nodded and Kelly wanted to open the can for him,
''No, please let me do this.'' Matt said and Kelly handed over the can to him. Struggling, Matt tried to hold onto the can and open it. Not sure what to do, Kelly looked. Matt got his thumb under the tab and pushed it over, the can slipping from his hands onto the ground.
''Shit, sorry!'' Matt sighed.
''That is fine, you had it.'' Kelly said, cleaning it up handing him a new, opened one.
''Thanks. It is so frustrating sometimes. I hate that I can't walk but the worst is when I can't do these simple things because of my hands.'' He said as he looked down at his hands, firmly holding the can as well as he could.
''I can understand. It is not fair.''
''Don't get me wrong, I am really happy with the progress I made, but it is upsetting when I can't do these easy things.''
''totally understand.''
''Well, cheers to my progress.'' Matt said, not raising the can because he did not want to drop another drink.
After a while, they called it a day and made their way to the motel nearly.
''Thanks.'' Matt said as Kelly held the door open for him and he pushed his chair into the room. It was small, but it was better than being at the cabin tonight. Even though he wished he could stay there with his friend like they had done before. But with his impacted mobility and the problems he had with his body temperature, he knew this was the only option.
Kelly was reading an article on his phone as Matt was taking a bath and getting ready for the night. Even though it took a while, he was glad his friend could mostly manage himself. The last thing he wanted was infringe on his friend's trust and privacy. He hoped that if Matt needed help, he would just call for him.
After a while, Matt got out of the bathroom in his boxers and a shirt as they had decided to just have some beers in the room.
Moving onto the bed, Matt was sitting up against the pillows of the bed. Kelly couldn't help but look at his friend's legs. They were thin and withered.
''That is what happens what happens when you don't use them, like you with you brain.'' Matt said as he caught him looking.
''Sorry man.''
''It is fine.'' Matt said, looking a bit sad at his legs then.
''It is not, you don't need to keep saying it is fine when it upsets you.'' Kelly assured his friend.
''I hate it okay, there is nothing I can change about it. I just want to make the best of it but it is so frustrating to lose everything!'' Matt started to talk a bit louder. '' I mean, I still have you and Gabby and everybody, but my career is gone. I can't do my sports and I can't even get into your car without hitting myself with the door.''
''Matt-''
''No, don't say you understand it because you don't!'' Matt got angrier now. It was not that he was angry with his friend, but he was frustrated and since Kelly was one of the closest people to him, he could finally let go a bit and be angry, because he knew Kelly wouldn't push him away.
''My health is piss poor and with all the complications surrounding this injury it is only going to get worse. I can't feel my temperature, my bladder, nothing! Sometimes Gabby touches me and I need to see it, because I don't feel it. You know how frustrating that is? I am glad I am alive and how much I recovered, but you can't say you understand.''
Kelly just nodded, not sure what to you say.
''Do you regret staying in that building to talk to Gabby on the radio?'' He finally asked.
''No.'' Matt admitted then. ''I would not have done anything differently if I could do it again.''
''Time for a beer?'' Kelly asked then, lighting up the mood a little bit.
''Definitely!'' Matt nodded.
Sitting together they enjoyed a few more beers. Even though a lot had changed over the past few months, their friendship had always remained the same.
Took a while to get this chapter done. Wanted to do a chapter with Matt talking a bit more to his friend! Hope you liked it as well! Thank you so much for reading and please let me know waht you thought.