From The Ashes {21}
Chapter Twenty-One: A Change of Scenery
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Description: Another shift rolls by and what starts as a cut-and-dry call-out turns into a terrifying ordeal for the whole Firehouse. Whilst emotions and tension run high in the fall out, Firehouse 51 are left to lean on each other.
Warning(s): mild language, canon-typical gore/violence/drama, vague discussion of serious injuries, brief descriptions of emotional distress, if I missed anything let me know!
-/-/-
“Truck Eighty-One, Ambulance Sixty-One, Rescue Squad Three. High-rise fire -” Everyone jumped to action and they rolled out in a matter of seconds. Andi had abandoned her cup of coffee on the common room counter and regretted the choice as she pulled her jacket on and secured it around her.
“Okay, I wanna hit the ground running on this one. Otis, you’re on elevators, Cruz, Mills and Ramirez evac the floors closest to the fire. Herrmann and Mouch tackle the lower levels and direct civilians out of the way,” Casey explained as they neared the scene, alarms and sirens going off non-stop.
“Yes, Lieutenant,” they echoed back.
When they arrived, there was no hesitation in disembarking from the rigs and masking up. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched Squad set up and wait for instruction. Joe and Peter were ready to go, so the three of them headed inside.
Everything was hot and dark as they ventured further up the building. The lights sparked and crackled overhead as they pushed on. Every person they passed, they directed towards the stairwells until they reached the target floor.
“I’ll go left, you go right?” Cruz questioned above the noise and Andi gave him a thumbs up. They split ways to start evacuating any people left behind. Andi made so many runs from the stairwell to the apartments that her legs began to ache.
As she hoisted one of the last residents over her shoulder, she grimaced and took a moment to steady herself under the strain before she headed to the stairwell. The smoke filled the stairwell and made it almost impossible to see where she was going, but as she finally broke free into the fresh air and handed the casualty over, Andi could relax.
Whilst Shay and Gabby tended to the victim, Andi made herself busy by helping set up the water lines into the building. Rescue Squad needed to exit the building before they could open them up and Andi kept listening to the radio on her shoulder.
“Chief - Severide’s down and it’s not looking good! We’re bringing him out now,” Capp informed them over the radio and Andi’s heart jumped into her throat. As she handed over the last of the water lines to be carried into the building, Rescue Squad appeared, carrying Kelly between them.
“What happened?” She rushed over to the ambulance with them. Since Shay and gabby were indisposed, he had to be taken by a different ambulance rig.
“We’re not sure. One minute he’s barking out instructions, the next… The ceiling caved in and he caught the brunt of it. We have no idea what shape he’s in,” Capp filled her in and for a split second, panic rose in Andi’s chest whilst she watched the Paramedics open up his turn out gear and began assessing him.
“I can ride along,” she assure the two paramedics she wasn’t familiar with. The one gave her the side-eye and the other refused to acknowledge what she’d said.
“I can help! I’m EMT trained. Let me ride along,” Andi insisted and they conceded. As they pushed the gurney into the back of the Ambulance, she was right beside him.
-/-/-
On the ride over to Med, he’d crashed when they were seconds away and Andi had shed her turnout jacket to help with compressions as they wheeled the gurney into the ER.
Whilst the paramedics relayed all the information about Kelly’s situation to Will, tears rolled down Andi’s cheeks as they rushed to set him up in a trauma bay. April directed her to the waiting room and eventually she calmed down enough to take a seat.
Eventually, the rest of 51 arrived. Sweaty, soot-covered and still reeling from the call, they took up most of the chairs in the waiting room. Andi was too worried to think about anything else as the minutes ticked by. Eventually, Will reappeared with an unreadable expression on his face. Andi was the first to stand up and everyone else gathered around to hear the news.
“Kelly’s injuries were fairly extensive. However, they’re all in the process of being treated accordingly. It’ll be a while before he’ll be up and around, so we’re keeping him mildly sedated for now in the hopes that the rest will allow the injuries to heal unhindered.”
“He’s gonna be okay?” Andi’s question was slightly teary and when Will nodded his head with a smile, she let out a sigh of relief.
“Yes. He won’t be able to return to work immediately, but the outlook is positive.” As he left them to churn over the good news, they got another call-out over the radios.
“You guys go ahead, I’ll stay for a while and keep you all updated,” she assured them and the rest of the company took off towards the doors. With her turnout jacket over her arm, she made her way through to the room he was in.
Tough didn’t even begin to describe how it felt to see him so still and washed out under the fluorescent lights. The heart monitor beeped rhythmically, which offered some reassurance. The chair nearest the door was filled with his discarded uniform, so Andi took the seat closest to his bed.
“I, uh… I don’t know how much of this you’re gonna hear, but… I’ve never been so scared. Seeing you, in the Ambo like that -” Tears welled again and she drew in a deep breath to keep calm.
“Even when those guys came into the Firehouse and put a gun to my head. I wasn’t half as scared then as I was today…” Andi reached for his hand and squeezed gently.
“I love you. And the thought of losing you so soon after we’ve finally started working through things… Terrifies me.”
She stayed for a little while longer before Boden requested her presence back at the Firehouse. Begrudgingly, Andi left the hospital, but not before insisting that they keep her updated. Shay and Gabby swung by in the ambulance to pick her up and there was an unsettled, sombre mood between them all.
“He’s gonna be okay,” Shay stated simply as they returned to 51.
“I know… That doesn’t make this any easier, though.” They disembarked and headed up to the briefing room. Andi was nothing short of exhausted as she dropped down into one of the plastic chairs. Boden stood front and centre, his hands on his waist.
“I’m sure you’re all deeply concerned about Lieutenant Severide’s current condition. However, this can’t take away from your attention to the job. Keep an eye out for one another. Lean on your brothers and sisters in this house. Dismissed.”
They dispersed throughout the Firehouse and made themselves busy. Andi took a shower and cleaned herself up. Whilst her hair dried, she made her way through to Matt’s office. She knocked once. Twice.
“Come in,” he called out, Andi pushed the door open.
“Hey, have you got a minute?” Matt turned in his desk chair and greeted her with a slightly tense smile.
“For you, I have several. Take a seat.” She sat down on the edge of his bed and it took all her strength not to cry.
“You’re worried about him,” he observed quietly and Andi nodded.
“Yeah - that’s putting it lightly.”
“Look, Andi, I’ve known Severide for a long time. He’ll pull through.” Andi ran a hand through her hair and straightened up slightly.
“I know… Doesn’t make it any less scary, though…” Matt stood up and gestured for Andi to do the same. She did and he pulled her in for a hug. It was a comforting gesture and Andi appreciated it.
“He’s gonna be just fine. Trust me.”
-/-/-
True to his word, Will kept in touch and updated them all on Kelly’s condition for the rest of the shift. By the time it came to clocking out, everyone had figured out when they were going to visit.
Andi got into her car and made the drive back to her apartment. A light breakfast and hot shower made her feel better, but only marginally. It felt strange, finishing the shift without Kelly by her side. She’d become so accustomed to his presence that him not being there in the apartment unnerved her.
When Andi made it back to the hospital, she was wearing her comfiest sweats, a faded t-shirt and a hoodie tied around her waist. She signed in the visitor’s book and when she got to Kelly’s room, she was surprised to see him awake.
“Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes?” His voice was hoarse and his eyes were barely open as she took the seat next to his bed.
“I’ve been worried about you all day and the first thing you do when you wake up is crack jokes? Why am I not surprised?”
“M’sorry that you were worried about me… I didn’t see it coming,” he stated as she took his hand in hers.
“I was with you in the ambulance. You crashed, Kelly, I was doing chest compressions on you as they wheeled you in…” Andi explained as new tears welled in her eyes and threatened to roll down her cheeks. Kelly didn’t say anything, just let her hold his hand and be there with him.
“Look, I uh, I know this isn’t like, the ideal time… But whilst I was under, I saw some things,” he began quietly. Kelly took in the deepest breath he could manage before he continued.
“I want you to move in… With me - and Shay.” Andi looked at him, brows creased in a frown before she realised he was serious.
“Wait - for real?”
“Yeah. I mean, you basically already live with me, why not make it official?”
“And Shay’s okay with that?”
“Oh, please, she adores you. It’s probably the last thing you wanna think about right now, but I want you to know that I’m serious… About us.” There was an overwhelming swell of emotions as Andi contemplated Kelly’s offer.
“Yeah, I will. I’ll move in with you.”
“Really?”
“All or nothing. You’re stuck with me now,” she joked with a smile before leaning in to press a kiss to his forehead.
“I’m not complaining.”
-/-/-
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