Forever Home {a Chicago Fire fanfiction}

First shift is over

As everyone rushed out to the apparatus floor, the concerned questions and statements started to flood the air.

"The West loop? That's not in our district." Herrmann stated

"This is gonna be bad." Mouch agreed.

"Halstead, I want you in the background for this one, but be prepared to go in if you need to. I have a feeling you will." Casey told her sternly, as everyone clambered into the truck

"Yes, Lieutenant." Kenzie said, almost drowned out by the siren on the truck.

Everyone stayed silent for most of the ride until they turned the corner and saw the shit-show that was waiting for them. One house was completely engulfed in flames, nobody was getting in there, and the two houses next to it were on fire too. The flames clearly jumped.

Kenzie saw what was in front of her and shamefully admitted to herself she was happy to be the one standing around outside for this one.

"Hey, don't feel bad, kid. There's a part of all of us that's wishing we were you right now." Herrmann said to Kenzie, knocking her out of her train of thought.

As everyone from truck 81 was putting their masks on, or fishbowls as Kenzie had mentally nicknamed them, Kenzie ran to the back of the truck and climbed on top of the aerial, so she could operate the only water canon on truck 81 had.

She pointed it to the left most structure which was on fire as she saw two firefighters from squad 3 rush in the front door.

She listened as voices very nearly cut into each other over the radio as things got dicey in the right house which had caught alight.

As she saw the two squad members exit the house, they confirmed that nobody was in the house, Kenzie turned on the water canon and aimed it at the flames.

The pressure of the water canon sent her back a bit, but she quickly gained control of it. She waved the water about a bit, as some others from engine 51 ran in with some hoses.

The fire of the left house was quickly controlled, and Kenzie then pointed the truck's canon to the house which was engulfed in flames to try and help control it.

It took them around 5 hours, but they managed to put out the fire on all three houses and everyone was fine. Kenzie climbed back into the truck, and suddenly it hit her. Her first shift was over. A sense of pride and shock washed over her, and she couldn't stop the smile that crept into her face.

"What're you smiling for, kid?" Herrmann asked, with the same smile plastered on his face.

"My first shift is over, and I've already fought two fires and helped save two kids from drowning." She said, with a sense of pride in her voice.

Everyone let out a giggle or two at Kenzie's reason for smiling, because it brought back memories of when they had completed their first shifts.

"I think this calls for a celebration, right guys?" Casey probed, knowing what was bound to happen.

"Yes! We all get together at Molly's tonight, and have a big to-do for Halstead's first shift." Herrmann said, enthusiastically

"Molly's?" Kenzie asked, confused at what or where they were referring to

"Me, Herrmann and Dawson own a bar on West Walcott. We just go there to hang out, or blow off some steam if it was a bad shift."

"The firehouse is there practically every night we're not on shift, and intelligence and people from Med go there too."

"And, since we're celebrating you, I'd say you can have 50% off all drinks" Otis and Herrmann explained to her, but just as Otis said the last sentence, Herrmann shot him down.