Hello there everyone! I'm here with the next chapter for you all.

I know I'm a day early, but I'm going to be gone almost all day tomorrow and won't have any time to post, and I didn't want to leave you all hanging after the cliffhanger last week. So I decided to go ahead and post this today so you didn't have to wait.

Also, I know this one is a bit shorter than normal, but I did that on purpose. There's a certain spot I was trying to break the storyline up at, and you all will see when you get there, but that's why this one isn't as long as usual. I hope that's okay, and that you still enjoy this chapter. Though fair warning, it's pretty heavy.

That's about all I've got for you all, though. Thank you so much for reading, and I'll see you next time!

ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY

"61… Squad, do you know where 61 is?"

Casey grimaced as Boden's worried voice continued to filter through the radio, Matt turning his volume down as low as he could in an effort to not draw attention to themselves if anyone tried to pass by.

"They were still downstairs." Severide started, the concerned look on Matt's face deepening as he listened to his friend. "But I don't know where the shooter is."

The Lieutenant forced himself to swallow the thick lump forming in his throat while he tried to piece together all of this in his mind. But truthfully, it wasn't the easiest thing for him to do as he was still trying to come to terms with all that had happened in the past few moments. How one minute they were doing their sweep for any sign of a fire, then the next they were hearing a spray of bullets somewhere inside this building, the firefighters then running for the first room they found for cover.

And it was there they'd come across at least two dozen civilians hidden away behind desks and shelves- anything they could find, the firefighters making sure to secure the entrance while some of the men and women began to explain what was going on. But their details were limited, because in truth they didn't know.

No one knew. There wasn't a person inside this building that knew what was happening, or what the reason was behind this. No one but the shooter. And without knowing where he was, they were all trapped with no way out.

"81?" Boden came through once more, Casey shaking his head a bit in an effort to clear his mind before he reached up to grab ahold of his radio.

"I don't know, Chief." Casey answered him while doing his best to stay calm under the circumstances. To not let his worry and fear for Gabby consume him. But it was nearly impossible.

The idea of him being stuck in this building with a shooter was bad enough, but to know Gabby was somewhere in here made him sick to his stomach. Especially since they hadn't been able to get through to them, and figure out if they were okay.

"We're barricaded in a classroom, we have a few civilians with us… But we never saw Dawson and Shay." He finished, feeling almost all the eyes in the room on him while he spoke, some holding more concern than others as all his firefighters knew what was going through his head right now.

"Casey.." Herrmann spoke quietly, gaining the Lieutenant's attention as Matt looked his way. "I'm sure they're fine, this is an older building. Lot of dead spots, they're probably just-"

"Chief… Chief, can you hear me?"

Everyone stopped when Shay's timid voice came through the radio, Casey letting out a breath of what he could only describe as relief now that they had gotten through to their paramedics.

"Shay!" Severide said first.

"Are you guys okay?" Boden asked, Matt then opening his mouth to say something. But he stopped when he registered that Shay hadn't responded. "...Shay?"

"We need help." Her voice cracked. "...Dawson's been shot."

Matt's entire body went numb the second those words left her lips, his eyes widening in horror before his surroundings started to become blurry, an almost white noise filling his head as he was sure he was seconds away from his system shutting down completely while Shay's words continued to sink in.

"She- She got shot, please help us."

"Shay what happened?" Boden asked quickly, the man clearly rattled.

"We were- Gabby, hey. Gabby, open your eyes-" She cut herself off, Matt feeling as if he'd vomit at any second.

Because Gabby was hurt. His Gabby had been shot, and he had no idea if she would be okay.

"Shay?" Severide pushed, everyone hearing the blonde cough out before she responded.

"I don't… I don't know, it all happened so fast. The guy came out of nowhere and started shooting." She finally explained, an angry heat rushing through Casey's body while his face hardened, the conflicting emotions within him pulling him a hundred different directions. "I didn't know she'd been hit until I got us out of there, but she's losing a lot of blood… She needs to get to a hospital."

Casey's breaths were getting faster, his eyes darkening as his mind was racing, Matt desperately trying to push through his debilitating fear and think of some way to help Gabby. That he needed to stay level headed, for her. But with more seconds that ticked by while he sat here, the more it was becoming clear to him that he couldn't do anything to help her by staying in this room.

He needed to get to her.

And he needed to get to her now.

"Shay, where are you?" Casey spoke up for the first time, his voice hardly sounding like his own while he pushed himself up off the ground, Herrmann silently mimicking the action.

"Matt! Oh, thank God." Shay breathed out, Matt coughing a bit on the air in his lungs as he got to his feet. "We have to help her, I can't get the bleeding under control."

"Where was she hit?" He was quick to respond, Casey doing everything he could to put aside what he was feeling in an effort to help Gabby.

"Her shoulder- arm, kind of." Shay rattled out, his thoughts immediately racing as he battled with the idea of what that meant. As a first responder, he knew that wasn't the worst case scenario and there were worse places she could've been shot. But as her husband, it made him sick. Because this never should've happened at all. And there was no way to know any extent of the damage that had been done until they got her out of here. "It's hard to tell exactly with all the blood.. I don't know if the bullet nicked an artery, but I- I don't think this is just a flesh wound, there's just so much blood."

Casey swallowed back his nausea, the man shaking his head a bit before stepping into the middle of the room, his eyes moving over towards the door every few seconds as Shay continued on.

"We need to get her out of here, but I can't lift her on my own and I don't think she can walk, I'm just trying to keep her conscious." She said, Matt feeling his stomach turn more and more with every word before he began to nod, even though the paramedic couldn't see him.

"Where are you?" He asked again, his tone harsh and terrified while he gradually moved closer to the door.

"We're on the first floor, in a janitor's closet." She told him, Casey letting his eyes fall closed for a moment while he tried to retrace his steps and picture what the first floor looked like. "I locked us in here, I don't know where the guy went or if he's still here… I don't know how far away we are from the victim, but we came in through the south entrance. We didn't go far, it was maybe a hundred feet or so once he started shooting, I just pulled us into the first room I could find."

"Okay, alright… I'm on my way." He said, the words rushing from his lips before he could stop them as the other first responders around him went wide-eyed.

"Lieutenant…" Herrmann tried, but a voice through the radio cut him off.

"Casey, you need to stay where you are." Boden spoke for the first time in minutes, though his warning tone was dismissed completely by the Lieutenant.

"Shay, I'm coming." He repeated himself, Casey heading back over to where he had perched himself on the floor to grab his halligan, while the rest of his firefighters and the civilians watched on.

"Casey, stand down."

"Casey, I can try and find them." Severide chimed in, in an effort to diffuse the situation. "I think we're closer, I can-"

"I'm going." He barked through the radio before letting it fall back down to his side, the man straightening out his back as he looked around at the other members of 81. "You all stay put until it's safe, I'm going to find them."

"Lieutenant…" Otis spoke up, but just like he had with Boden, Casey ignored him, the officer picking up his radio once more while taking a couple steps forward.

"Shay, I'm heading down there now… Do everything you can to help her."

"I am… Just hurry Casey."

Matt didn't need to hear anymore as he started off towards the only exit. But his steps were soon halted when Herrmann cut in front of him, effectively getting him to stop while he stood tall in front of his Lieutenant.

"Herrmann…"

"I can't let you go out there, Casey." He responded, Matt's jaw tightening as he narrowed his gaze towards his firefighter. "And you know that."

"Get out of my way, Herrmann." Casey replied roughly while stepping around him, but the older firefighter almost immediately reached out to grab his arm, ensuring he stopped in his path once more.

"I know why you want to do this. Trust me, I get it. But you can't. It's too dangerous." He pushed, Casey unable to stop the heavy scoff that left the back of his throat.

"You think I don't know that?" Matt bit out in response. "I know exactly what I'm about to do, I know how dangerous it is. But I don't care, it doesn't matter… I have to help her."

"Casey-"

"Herrmann, if you don't let me go I'm gonna drop you to the floor." He threatened, his eyes dark and angry before he shrugged out of his hold, Herrmann not attempting to stop him this time while Casey got to the door and began to undo their restraints meant to keep it in place.

"Lock this door behind me." He ordered, Matt glancing back towards them as Otis gave him a sturdy nod, the Lieutenant looking over his men one last time before cautiously stepping out into the hallway.

Once the door shut behind him, Otis was quick to move and secure their barricade back into place, the feeling in the air heavy while Herrmann began to pace on the tile.

"Why did he do that?" One of the civilians asked, Christopher glancing over to the woman who was crouched down by the wall. "Your Lieutenant… Why did he go back out there when someone's trying to kill us?" She repeated frantically, Herrmann drawing in a deep breath before he responded.

"Dawson, the paramedic who was shot… She's his wife."

"Gabby- Hey, Dawson, keep your eyes open for me." Shay instructed while she continued trying to secure her belt- that she was using a makeshift tourniquet, around Dawson's arm. It hadn't been easy given where Gabby was shot, the location of her wound making it hard to apply enough pressure to slow the bleeding down. But after a few moments Shay managed to get it, the older paramedic looking back towards her friend while Gabby's head continued to lull towards the ground.

"Dawson." She said again, tapping her blood-covered hand over her cheek a bit to help her wake up.

Once she felt the movement, Gabby's eyes snapped open before she started to glance around, Shay unable to stop the grimace covering her features while she looked over how pale her partner was, Dawson only looking worse by the second while she sat in a growing pool of her own blood.

"Yeah, there you are." Shay spoke after clearing her throat, while blinking back the tears in her eyes. "I need you to stay awake, alright? Casey's on his way, then we're gonna get you out of here." She promised for what had to have been the tenth time in the last few minutes, but she wasn't sure how much Gabby was actually registering what was being told to her.

"...Matt." She muttered out before she coughed, the PIC then wincing as pain shot through her body.

"He's coming, Dawson. He's on his way." She repeated, the words leaving her lips just as they heard more gunshots firing off in the distance, Shay biting back a whimper while a couple of those tears fell down her cheeks.

But for as terrified as she was at this moment, Gabby didn't react, like she didn't even know what was happening.

And right now, Shay couldn't help but wonder if that were a good thing or a bad one.

"Hurts." Gabby then coughed out once more, her limp body feeling more and more numb as it took all the energy she had to even lift her head.

"I know, honey." Shay whispered, doing what she could to hide the fear in her voice. "I know it hurts, but Matt's coming." She finished, Dawson giving her a slow nod as her face showed every ounce of pain she was feeling.

Before Shay could do anything else to comfort her, there was a sharp knock on the door, the blonde nearly jumping out of her skin as she looked back in panic, given how she had no way of knowing for sure who was on the other side of that door.

"Shay?"

The voice came out in a whisper but it was enough for her to recognize it, her entire body immediately relaxing before she scrambled up towards her feet and starting to unlock the door.

"Casey." She replied just as she got the door open, the two first responders coming face to face with each other for the first time since they arrived at this building. And the second she saw him a sharp pain shot through her chest, as Shay was able to see how terrified the firefighter truly was.

Though that was nothing compared to the fear he felt when he looked down to see her blood stained hands and jacket, as the amount of Gabby's blood he saw covering Shay was the first visible sign of just how hurt his wife was.

"Is she…" He breathed out as tears pricked the edges of his eyes while Shay started to slowly shake her head.

"We gotta get her out of here, Casey." She told him, her voice breaking slightly as a new wave of worry crashed over him before he stepped past Shay into the room.

But nothing could've ever prepared him for the sight in front of him, that intense nausea from moments earlier coming rushing back the second he saw Gabby sitting on the floor surrounded by her own blood. She had a bit of blood covering her face, and the sleeve of her jacket was almost soaked through, Matt able to make out the hole where the bullet had hit her while she appeared nearly lifeless against the wall.

With his breath catching in his throat Matt started to shake his head roughly, an agonizing feeling coursed through his chest while Shay pulled the door closed behind them, Casey letting out a silent sob before he all but collapsed down onto the ground to get to Gabby.

"Baby, baby." He cried out, crouching down in front of her and tossing his halligan to the side before reaching up to rest his hand over her cheek, his touch prompting her eyes to open slowly as she slowly registered his presence.

"...Matt?" She spoke, but it was almost impossible to hear her as a couple tears fell from Casey's eyes.

"I'm here." Matt told her while she looked up at him. "I'm right here, everything's gonna be okay." He promised, trying to keep his voice as steady as he could despite what was happening.

"My… arm." She coughed, Casey's jaw shaking as he forced himself to nod, his gaze then moving back towards her arm while his other hand ghosted over her injury.

It was bad, there was no denying that. She had lost so much blood- too much blood. But Shay seemed to have done the best she could. And all Matt could do now was pray that it was enough. That they'd bought enough time to get out of here and get her to safety, Casey sucking in a deep breath while he slowly started to stroke his thumb over her cheek.

"I know- I know, but it's okay. Everything's alright." He continued to whisper to her, his words of assurance as much for him as they were her.

"Casey." Shay spoke as she crouched down beside him, Matt keeping his focus on Gabby while he waited for the paramedic to continue. "What's it look like out there?"

His eyebrows furrowed, Casey forcing his eyes away from his wife to look back at Shay. "What?"

"Do we have an easy way out of here?" She pushed on. "Did you see the shooter anywhere?"

It was then he began to understand what she was asking, Matt slowly shaking his head while he looked back at Gabby, who was beginning to fade once more. "I heard him, I didn't see him… But he was close." He explained, Shay grimacing before she nodded. "I couldn't tell, but I think he might be trying to block the exits."

"Is it more than one guy?"

"I don't know." He replied quickly. "I haven't heard multiple shooters, but I don't know how many there are." He continued to explain before pinching Gabby's cheeks a bit in an effort to keep her alert. "Hey, stay with me babe.. Just focus on my voice, stay right here." He soothed her, keeping his tone steady regardless of the worry coursing through his system, Matt trying to compartmentalize the best he could. "Gabby?"

"I… I'm here."

He smiled weakly, Matt nodding a bit while he continued to rub over face. "Yeah, you are… You're okay. You're here." He almost whispered, a sad smile coming to his face while tears slowly continued leaking from his eyes. "You're gonna be fine."

"Ti-" She started, before a heavy cough cut off her words, Gabby wincing as she felt more pain course through her system, while she did her best to focus on the feeling of Matt's hand against her pale skin. "Tired."

"I know- I know, baby." He breathed out, Matt using his hand to help prop her head up a bit while the water in his eyes clouded his vision. "I know you're tired, but I need you to stay awake for me, yeah? Just stay right here… Stay with me." He spoke over and over in hopes to help keep her from giving in to the exhaustion she was feeling right now.

"Matt, she doesn't look good." Shay said from his side, while reaching out to check her pulse just as Gabby forced herself to take another wheezing breath.

"No, she doesn't." He replied quietly, while a mixture of anger and panic continued to brew within him.

"Her pulse is weak… We don't have any more time to wait." She instructed, Matt sucking in a deep albeit shaky breath before nodding once more.

"I know, we gotta get her out of here." Casey spoke firmly, bringing his free hand up to wipe away the tears resting on his skin before he quickly looked at Shay. "Do you remember how to get out from here?" He questioned, earning a nod from the paramedic.

"I think so, yeah." She replied, Matt thinking over her words while he devised a plan in his head.

"Alright, okay… Everything was clear when I was out there. I heard him, but I never saw him… So if we move fast, we should be able to get out." He started to explain, his heart pounding in his chest while he looked back towards Gabby. "I'm gonna carry her, if you can lead us out of here."

"Yeah, okay." Shay agreed, their adrenaline pumping as they knew this was their shot to get out of here and get Gabby the help she needed.

Though that didn't make it any less nerve wracking, as they both knew that the second they left this closet they'd be an open target, with nothing to defend themselves. That if the gunman saw them before they found the exit, they likely wouldn't make it out of this alive. And that thought was terrifying.

But they didn't have a choice. Because Gabby's worsening condition left them no choice.

"You ready, Casey?"

"Yeah, just let me get her." He spoke, Matt swallowing down the tight feeling in his throat as he looked over his wife once more, seeing her fight to stay conscious while she continued to make herself take steady breaths. "Baby… Hey, Gabby. Look at me." He prompted, bringing his hand up to help gently lift her chin as their gazes met, the heavy look in her eyes hard to miss. "We're getting out of here, okay? I've got you, I just want you to focus on me… But I need you to stay awake for me, yeah? I know- Hey, Gabby- Gabby, open your eyes." He pleaded as he saw her fading once more. "Open your eyes for me, I know it's hard. But you gotta stay with me." He tried, while lifting her head back up.

"Matt…" Shay warned instantly, as the paramedic was beginning to see the same thing he was. How Gabby was becoming less and less responsive by the second, her unnaturally pale and cold to the touch skin telltale signs of their worst fear.

That her body was shutting down.

And if their time as first responders told them anything, it was that they had to get her out of here before that happened.

"I know." He said roughly, Matt shaking his head before he carefully adjusted her and started to bring her into his arms. "Alright, we're going.. We're getting out of here, just hold on baby." He rushed out, tears streaming down his cheeks as he gently placed his arm underneath her legs, his other wrapping around her back before he pulled her to his chest.

The movement caused a soft, yet heartbreaking cry of pain to leave Gabby's lips before she started to cough. Like she was choking on whatever was left of the air in her lungs.

"I'm sorry, baby. I'm so sorry." He apologized, his voice breaking as he felt her collapse down into his chest. "I'm sorry, but we gotta get out of here. Stay with me, Gabby. Just stay with me-"

Casey barely got the words out before the harsh sound of gunshots filled the air again, the noise practically deafening as Shay instinctively dropped to the floor, Matt's body moving quickly as well as he turned both him and Gabby back towards the wall. He was still holding her, his body completely covering hers as he shielded her from any bullets that might possibly come through that door, as they had no idea where the shots were coming from.

All they knew was that they sounded close.

Too close. Close enough to tell them that the shooter was back out in the hallway, somewhere on the other side of this door.

The shots stopped for a moment, Casey hearing his blood pumping through his ears while he did what he could to keep him and Gabby steady, the sound of her soft, yet faint whimpers going straight to his heart as he held onto her as tight as he could.

"Casey…" Shay whispered just before the gunshots started up once more, the blonde covering her mouth to hide her own cries of fear while Casey did everything he could to keep Gabby protected. No matter what happened to him, he kept himself between the door and his injured wife as he would sooner take a bullet than let her get hit again.

"Matt-" Gabby murmured, her breath hitting his neck as he could hear every ounce of pain she was in, combined with the terror from what was happening around them.

"It's okay, baby. I've got you." He promised, while the shooter continued firing off his weapon, the sound only seeming to get louder by the second. "I got you, you're okay. We're gonna be okay." He continued on, letting his lips rest against her forehead while he carefully tightened his hold on her. "We're gonna get out of here."

"Casey, we can't." Shay whispered, the man slowly looking over towards the paramedic who was still crouched down on the ground, the pained look in her eyes saying what Matt already knew. He just didn't want to accept it. But he had to, because they were trapped.

With no way out, they were stuck inside this closet, while Gabby continued to bleed out in his arms. They couldn't move, they couldn't leave. They couldn't do anything without alerting the gunman of where they were.

They had no options here, and with every moment that passed the reality of it continued to crush him like a weight against his chest, Matt now having to force every breath he took while his head fell down towards his wife.

"Matt, we-"

"I know." He replied defeatedly while he continued to focus on the feeling of Gabby's shallow breaths against his skin, Casey painfully aware of how every wheezing breath she took was getting slower and slower. "I know, Shay."

"But if we don't get her help…" She trailed off once more, unable to get out what they both knew as Casey felt bile beginning to creep up his throat.

"...She could die." He answered after a pause, though he was hardly able to get his voice out as this nightmare continued, Casey feeling a lone tear slide down his cheek as saying those words only made this all the more real.

And he couldn't handle it. He couldn't handle the idea of something happening to Gabby. Of him losing his wife like this, right here in his arms. He couldn't imagine it.

But it was happening. Right now at this very second, they were slowly losing her. And there was nothing he could do to stop it.

"What do we do?" Shay pushed on after a quiet moment, Casey's eyes falling closed as a few more heavy tears leaked down his skin, the man shaking his head dejectedly before giving her an answer that neither of them wanted to hear.

"...I don't know."