Okay you are really and absolutely the best readers and reviewers!

Thank you so much for your warm welcome and all of your comments after such a long break. You know that reviews are always getting me to write so here is the new chapter. I really hope you enjoy it. Please let me know what you are thinking about it! And as I read a request for less Dawson...here is a chapter without any Dawson. Please guys let me know...get her into this story or leave her out of it? What do you guys prefer? THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!

Chapter 20 – The best day so far

The routine had been the same for 5 days but today Hallie had asked Severide to step out of the room while she had walked in with 3 doctors following her. Severide knew that it could either be a good sign or a bad one. Maybe they where about to get Matt off of the ventilator and get him to wake up again...or maybe it was the complete opposite.

Severide could feel his stomach turn around. He couldn't stand it anymore. He needed to know that Casey was going to be alright, that there was nothing he needed to worry about anymore.

As Hallie got out of the room after what felt like an eternity Kelly's hope dropped immediately. "Kelly we need to talk. Would you please follow me?" She asked and Severide could feel the panic rising. As he sat down opposite of Hallie in her office he knew that it wasn't the news he had hoped for.

"He is not going to wake up...is he?" Severide asked, not wanting to hear what Hallie would tell him.

"He is but before we can wake him up we need to take him into surgery again."

"What? Why?"

"To tell you the truth I didn't want to get you more worried but it was clear after the last surgery. There is a big wound on Matt's arm where Dr. House had to remove the infected parts. We need to transplant skin from his leg to his arm."

"What? You need what?" Severide asked laying his hands on his head.

"The wound is to big, there is no chance that it could heal without a transplantation."

"Damn it. When do you want to do it? What are the risks? Is there permanent damage? Hallie you need to talk to me otherwise I can't make a decision. I need to know everything. Matt trusts me with this so please help me out." Severide begged, feeling the pressure on his shoulders. It was on him, all of this was on him.

After Hallie had told Kelly everything he needed to know he got the necessary papers signed before exhaling deeply. He could feel the tears burning in his eyes.

Again.

"When are you going to wake him up? Is he stable enough for this operation?"Kelly asked. He could see his hands trembling as he handed the papers to Hallie.

"He is. The fever is down, infection is gone. We will get him into surgery today and then we will let him wake up slowly. I think two days from now and he should be awake again." Kelly exhaled deeply. He felt like he had waited forever to hear these words.

Kelly grabbed Matt's hand before the nurses could wheel him out of the room.

"One last time buddy and then you are going to be fine. I am here, all the time just stay strong, it's going to be okay." He said.

Kelly had tried everything to get his mind off of thinking. He had tried to watch TV, he had tried to read but finally he had just starred out of the window, getting miserable with every second, so he had called the only person he wanted to see, the only person he knew that could get his mind straight again. It hadn't took Shay long to arrive at the hospital. She had nearly dragged him out for a short walk and the cool air had finally helped him to calm down, to clear his head, to focus again. Matt was going to be fine.

It took them hours until Casey was finally back in his room. All Severide could see where the bandages on Casey's arm. His legs where covered with a blanket and the bandage on his arm looked like the one he had on his arm before. Casey was completely pale but he had been like this during the last few days. Severide rushed towards his friend and squeezed his hand again.

"Here you are again. I think you did good in there. Now you just need to get better and wake up. Everything is going to be alright. You know the guys stopped by earlier. I should tell you that they are all praying for you. Herrmann got a new business idea. Matt I tell you it's the best one you have ever heard..." Severide began to talk like he had during the last 5 days.

Severide exhaled full of relieve as Hallie told him that the surgery went just fine and that they where sure that Matt was going to make a full recovery. During the same night Severide was by Matt's side as Hallie and another Doctor got him off of the ventilator. He was with Matt as he struggled to breath on his own again. He had hold his hand during the whole procedure, his gaze never leaving Matt's face. Matt had struggled a bit but at least he was moving. Hallie had told him that it was a good sign, that Matt was beginning to wake up.
Severide had been there as Matt's eyes had fluttered open during the next afternoon, but he knew that Matt wasn't completely awake. Nonetheless he had talked to him, had assured him that he was going to be alright.

"Kelly." Matt's voice cracked even though it was only a whisper. It was late evening and Severide couldn't believe how good it felt to hear his name out of Matt's mouth again.

"Oh thank god! Here you are again." Kelly said not holding back the tears that where now escaping his eyes.

Tears of happiness.

Tears full of relieve.

"What's..." Matt tried, his voice breaking again.

"Shhhh buddy, don't rush it. There is no need to talk. You where on a ventilator for 6 days, your body needs time to heal. Just nod if you are in pain." Severide said receiving a small nod from his friend.

"Alright, I will call the doctor." Kelly said while pushing the button. Matt closed his eyes again for a second before Hallie entered the room just a few minutes after Kelly had set off the alarm. "Kelly?" She asked but her eyes where on Matt. She smiled immediately as she could see his eyes looking back at her.

"Hey sleeping beauty. Look who is awake again."

"He is in pain and he can't talk."

"I know. Matt you where on the ventilator for 6 days. Your wounds got heavily infected. Please nod if you understand what I am telling you." Hallie said, her voice loud and clear. As she received a clear nod she continued.

"We had to remove the infected parts on your arm. The wound was really deep as you can imagine. We had to take you in for a second surgery to transplant skin from your leg to your arm so the wounds on your arm can heal properly." Kelly could see Matt's eyes grew wide but Hallie continued to talk.

"You are going to be just fine. Wounds are healing good. I will give you something for the pain. A nurse is going to bring you some ice chips. Your voice should get better after a few of them." Hallie said before walking out of the room again.

Matt looked over at Kelly who was constantly holding his hand. He could see the dark shadows under his eyes. Deep down inside he knew that Kelly had been there the whole time. He had always imagined to hear his voice even if he couldn't remember anything clearly. The door opened again and a nurse handed Kelly the ice chips as Hallie had promised.

Matt tried to reach out for them but Kelly just shook his head.

"Let me do it. Just relax." He said before placing some ice into Matt's mouth.

"Slowly." Kelly said his eyes watching Matt with full attention. After another two ice chips Matt cleared his troth before trying to speak again, this time with a lot more success then before.

"You where here the whole time, right?" Matt asked getting Kelly to smile.

"It's so good to hear you talking again. It was quite a lame conversation during the last days. You weren't that entertaining." Matt smiled a little.

"Dawson and your sister have been here too but it was me sharing this room with you yes. I am pretty sure my snoring hasn't bothered you."

"Not at all. Kelly...I...thank you...I don't know..."

"Safe your energy. It's okay. I know that you would do the same for me. There is nothing you need to explain except of the fact that you got me as your emergency contact."

"I know I should have told you earlier."

"Yeah you should have. I had to decide if they should hook you to a ventilator and get you into a medical inducted coma, I had to decide if they should transplant skin from your leg to your arm...it was a hard time man!" Severide said, tears now welling up in his eyes again.

"I trust you." Matt said getting Severide to lower his head and except the small hug Matt could offer him in his current situation.

"Don't ever do this to me again." Severide said after brushing the tears away.

"I won't."

"You know what? You should rest. There is plenty of time to talk about everything during the next days. I will give Dawson, your Sister and Chief Boden a call to let them know that you are finally out of the woods."

"Thanks!"

"You're welcome. I will be back in a few."

"Kelly you can go home and rest if you..."

"Don't even try it." Kelly said smiling before walking out of Matt's room.

He had never felt so relived, so grateful, so happy.

This was the day he had waited for and he was more than thankful for it.

….to be continued!