The victims on the roof continued to wave their arms frantically, calling out as Kidd positioned the truck so Mouch could get the aerial aligned.

"Just hold on! We're coming!" Casey called up and saw them all nod, huddling together as the smoke curled thickly around them. The fire inside the shop was cooking, Cruz and Severide already inside.

Casey secured his helmet as he walked toward the back of Truck. "I'll go and get the victims down."

Gallo ran up, ropes in hand. "I'll come with you!"

Casey reached out to take the ropes. "No, I'll go alone. With how hot that fire's rolling the roof won't last long. I'll minimize the risk of collapse if I'm alone. I'll get the victims off and then follow them down the ladder."

Gallo hesitated a moment, clearly disappointed, but he nodded and handed over the rescue ropes.

"Alright, I'm going up!"

"Copy that, Captain!" Kidd yelled back as she positioned herself under the aerial to watch the rescue, ready to intervene if anything went wrong.

As Casey began to climb the aerial ladder, a cloud of smoke caught his eye as the shop doors opened and Cruz and Severide came out, a victim slung over their shoulders. They deposited him on a gurney and took off their masks before Severide reached for his radio. Casey breathed a small sigh of relief knowing that his boyfriend was out and no longer in any danger.

"Shops clear, Casey."

"Copy that Sev. I'm getting the victims off the roof and then Herrmann can hit it with the cannons."

He dropped his radio and kept climbing, holding the rails as he climbed higher. Suddenly the ladder jerked slightly beneath him and he stopped, looking down. When nothing happened and no one said anything, Casey shook it off and continued to make his way up, his focus back on the victims.

When he was almost at the top, the ladder jerked again, harder this time, and Casey turned and looked down at Mouch, raising his arms in a what the hell? gesture. Mouch seemed puzzled as he scanned the controls frantically. He didn't have time for this; he needed to get those victims down before the roof collapsed.

Just as he turned back around, the ladder bucked and Casey slipped, scrambling to hold on to the slick metal rails. Then the ladder lurched sharply to the right and a loud crash sounded before Casey saw a blur of bricks falling. That was all he saw before he was thrown into the right rail by the force of the aerial, his face smacking against the metal, disorienting him as he tried to regain his footing. The bounce of the ladder from hitting the object on the roof made it impossible. His momentum from slamming into the rail carried him over and suddenly Casey could only see the ground below as his body tipped over the rail. He grabbed out, trying to grab anything at all to save himself, but it happened too fast. He watched as his helmet fell, landing on the ground with a loud crack and Casey was sure he was about to join it, smacking into the concrete below. Then, his body jerked like a yoyo at the end of its rope and he yelled out as his left leg screamed in pain before he felt something pop in his left foot and lava flooded the joint. His body swung backwards and he found himself upside down, swinging through the air like a pendulum. The only thing keeping him from falling to his death was his right foot that had gotten caught in the metal spacings of the aerial rail. His boot must have wedged itself when he toppled over.

A strangled yell escaped him as his body shifted in the wind. The pain in his foot was excruciating, even worse than the time he had been shot.

"Captain!" Someone yelled from below, Kidd maybe, followed by, "Mouch! Lock the damn stick!"

Casey didn't hear Mouch's response. His blood was pounding in his ears as he hung upside down, the concrete below taunting him. One false move and his boot would dislodge.

"Case!" A new voice yelled and he saw his boyfriend come running over from where the Squad rig was parked. "Hold on, I'm coming!" Casey didn't really have a choice in the matter, but he tried to hold himself as still as possible to minimize the risk that his foot slipped out from where it was wedged.

As Severide grabbed what he needed and made his way to the back end of Truck, Casey watched as Kidd and Herrmann grabbed something from one of the Truck's compartments, pulling it free and then dragging it as fast as they could. They positioned it below where Casey was dangling and he realized that it was their airbag they used for jumpers or other people at risk for falling from high up. They were positioning it in case he slipped before Severide could get to him.

He heard Severide begin his climb up the aerial, his boots thunking on the metal, and then the ladder jerked again and Casey really did scream this time as rippling pain shot through his foot and up his leg into his hip. It felt like lightning was striking his ankle, unbearable heat scorching through the joint.

"I'm coming, Case!" Severide cried, desperation in his usually calm voice.

Casey grit his teeth, breath coming out in short pants as he tried to reel himself in, close off the pain and focus on getting back on the ladder. It was difficult, even more so from the blood that was now pooling in his head from hanging there. It felt like he was underwater, the pressure in his face growing with each second. Then there was a hand on right leg, bringing him back into the moment.

"I got you, I got you Case. You're going to be okay," Severide soothed as he fumbled with Casey's turnout coat. After a moment Casey heard a click followed by a louder metallic bang and he knew that Severide had clipped a line onto his gear and secured it to the ladder. If Casey were to fall now, the rope would stop him.

"Alright, now for the hard part Case. Your foot is wedged in there pretty good. I'm going to reach down and grab you around the waist. I want you to grab onto me and just hold on tight, okay? I'll do all the work. When you're upright you're going to have to pull your foot from your boot and then I'll pull you the rest of the way in."

"Somethings wrong," he grunted, "heard a pop."

"Your foot took all your weight as it stopped your fall. It'll hurt like hell to get you out, but it's the only choice. You ready?"

Casey sucked in a deep breath, trying to prepare himself before he said, "Ready."

Sev wasted no time. Casey still couldn't see him since he could lift his body up on his own without his ankle screaming in protest, but he felt as his body leaned over the edge of the ladder, pressed up on Casey's legs. He continued reaching down and then his arms were on Casey's torso, pulling him closer to him. Casey tried to help, curling forward to give his boyfriend more leverage. He blocked out the pain in his ankle, black spots dancing across his eyes as it shifted in his boot. They needed to do this in one motion. If Casey slipped back down, he wouldn't have the strength to do it again. Severide clasped his arms around Casey's back and Casey did the same so they were locked in position. Then he was being lifted up, the world turning the right way. A wave of dizziness both from the blood rushing out of his head and the pain in his ankle almost sent him flying back again, but Severide kept his tight grip. When they were almost fully upright Severide yelled, "Now! Pull your foot free!"

Casey didn't even stop to think about how much the action would hurt. On his boyfriend's command he yanked his left leg, hard, and felt his foot slip free. The pain increased tenfold, taking over every one of Casey's senses. His vision blacked out as he let out a strangled scream. He didn't even feel Severide pull him the rest of the way and set him down, back first, onto the aerial. It took a moment of ragged breathing before his vision returned and the world appeared before him, his boyfriend hovering over him with a worried look on his face. "You with me?"

Casey nodded. "That sucked," he panted and Severide grimaced. "I bet."

A thought had Casey jerking, craning his head to try and look behind him. "The victims-"

"They're fine," Severide said softly, running a hand through Casey's, now longer, hair. Ever since the Captain had decided to grow it out a bit, Severide had made it a habit to run his hands through the longer strands whenever he got the chance.

"Gallo got them down as I was getting you. He's getting a stokes basket for you now."

Casey groaned. "I don't want to be carried down. It's bad enough I fell."

Severide frowned disapprovingly. "First of all, the ladder crashed into the building and threw you off. You didn't just 'fall'. And secondly, have you seen your ankle? Cause you're not going to be walking on that anytime soon."

Casey glared up at his boyfriend but he knew he was right. If his ankle looked half as bad as it felt, he knew he didn't want to see it.

"Fine. You can be right this time."

Severide's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "How hard did you hit your head before you fell? Matthew Casey telling me I'm right?"

"Shut up."

Gallo suddenly popped up behind Severide, yellow stokes basket in hand. "Uh, is this a good time or should I come back later?"

"Nah, nothing urgent happening here. Why don't you come back in ten minutes?" Casey said and Gallos eyes widened as he looked to Severide for help.

"Don't mind him, he's just mad because I was right. Lighten up, Case, you're scaring the kid."

Casey shot Severide another glare but there was no real heat behind it. He wasn't mad. He was actually glad for the banter. It was distracting him from the fire in his foot.

"It's all good, Gallo. Thanks."

Gallo nodded and handed Severide the basket. "Need any help?"

"I got it."

Gallo headed back down the aerial as Severide stood up and placed the basket so it was behind Casey.

"Lift your body up slightly so I can slide this in behind you. Once you're strapped in I'll slide you down nice and slow. Think you've had enough excitement for one day, huh?"

"More like for the rest of my life," Casey muttered as he did what Severide said and felt the basket slide into place. Severide was quick in bucking him and then Casey was sliding down, Severide going backwards as he pulled the basket as he made sure to take his time. When they reached the bottom, multiple hands grabbed the basket and lowered him onto the ground.

"Please get me out of this," Casey said as Kidd's face popped into view. "I can hop from here."

"Got it Casey," was all she said before he began undoing the straps.

Free from the basket, Casey sat up and saw his ankle for the first time. He quickly looked away as nausea flooded through his body, the pain increasing. His ankle was completely crooked. But thankfully, while the bone was clearing at an angle, it hadn't broken through the skin.

Severide jumped off the truck and made his way to his boyfriend. "Ready for some pain meds?" He asked as Casey heard a stretched roll up behind them.

"God, yes."

Severide laughed and reached down to help Casey stand. His boyfriend held tight as he swayed slightly and then placed him on the cushioned gurney. Within seconds an IV was placed into his arm and his first dose of morphine was administered. A warm buzz encased his body and he sighed as the pain in his ankle faded to a dull buzz.

"Better?"

"Yeah," he sighed and leaned back, closing his eyes.

"Kidd, you're in charge of Truck until you get back to 51 and talk to Boden," Severide delegated as he climbed into the back of the ambulance with Casey since he was in no state to be giving orders. "Cruz, you're in charge of Squad till I get back."

The doors of the ambulance shut and then the vehicle swayed as it started moving. Casey opened his eyes and soared a glance at his boyfriend who was sitting on the bench with a smile on his face.

"What?"

"You said I was right."

Casey groaned. "I'm never going to live that down."

Severide's smile grew into a grin. "Never."