The fire within | Chicago Fire/ Kelly Severide/ Matt Casey's daughter

Chapter 11

    "What should we do?" Otis worried, sitting me down on the couch. My water had broken and Otis and Cruz were the only ones not out on the call, as their shifts had changed.
   "Fuck." I whined, holding my stomach. "One of you take me to Med, the other stay here and do your fucking job. One of you tell Kelly or something."
   Cruz took me to med in his car. Otis, the sweet person that he was, was panicking for my safety. I had assured him that I would be okay and that he should come and see me as soon as his shift was up and he agreed.
    "Okay, Rainy, Otis just called Chief and he said that Kelly is still on the call but he will be told the second he is down from the building." Cruz reiterated the message from Otis as he swerved into the parking lot at med. He took my hand and helped me into the maternity center.
   "Hi, her name is Georgia Casey, she's just gone into labour." Cruz rushes out. The receptionist called for a chair and some nurses. When Cruz tried to come with me, the nurse put her hand in front of him.
   "I'm sorry, sir, who are you?" She asked.
   "He's the closest thing to a brother, let him come with me." I cried in pain. The woman nodded and sent us both through.
   Cruz stayed with me through all the walking and the screaming. He held my hand when I was placed in the bed.
    "Okay, Miss.Casey, push." The nurse encouraged. Cruz gripped my hand as I pushed until, finally, there was a cry. I looked up, sweaty and tired to see the nurse wrapping my baby in towel.
    "Congratulations, it's a girl." She handed me the little girl and I cradled her in her arms.
    "Hi, Esme Grace Severide. God, you're so small." I cooed. Cruz strokes her head before his cell went off and he left to answer, returning with a grim face.
   "Rainy," he said, sitting down. I looked at him, unsure. "The emergency today went wrong. The building collapsed and Kelly was still inside." Tears spilled down my cheeks. "They got him out and he is in Med. He's unconscious. I'm so sorry." He hugged me, tightly as I held my little girl close to my chest.
    "Can you take me to see him?" I asked. He nodded and, with the help from the nurse, got me into a chair.
    "Rainy, he's a fighter. He's gonna be okay." Cruz tried to encourage me to be positive but all I could think about was if Esme had to grow up without a father.
    It seemed like forever when we made it to the wing where Kelly was. The waiting room outside the unit was full with the firehouse, everyone waiting for the news on their colleague.
    "Guys, it's Rainy." Otis called, making all the guys look at me. I heard a chorus of 'congratulations' and they all cooed over my daughter.
    "Esme Grace Severide, meet your crazy uncles." I laughed. Herrmann hugged me and kissed Esme on the head.
    "She's lucky she got her mother's looks." Everyone laughed. I saw my dad looking over and I smiled at him.
    "I'd let you guys hold her but I want Kelly to be the first to." They all understood. "What happened?" I asked. All the guys looked grim.
    "The building was unstable." The chief explained. "We had just done our final sweep and everyone was making their way out and then, just as Severide was making his way through the door, it collapsed on him."
    "The doc said that he got a broken rib and it punctured his lung but he is stable." Mouch interjected. "The look on his face when I told him you had gone into labour. You have never seen somebody so happy in your whole life." I bit my lip and smiled.
     "Are you Mr.Severide's partner?" A dark-haired nurse asked. I nodded. "You can see him if you'd like. He is still unconscious, though."
    She took me to his room. The love of my life lay still, tubes coming out of his body and attached to machines, although, luckily, he wasn't on a vent. That was a good sign. The nurse left me right at his bedside, Esme in her arms.
    I took Kelly's hand and held it for a moment before I kissed it.
    "Kelly, I love you so much." A tear slipped from my cheek. "And I'm sorry, I don't know, I guess I just feel like this is my fault." I looked at Esme through the window; she had her father's eyes. "Fuck, please don't leave me. I can't do this on my own, Kelly." I kissed his hand.
    I went to put his hand down when he squeezed mine. I looked up to see his bright eyes open.
    "Baby, I'm not gonna leave you, ever." He smiled. I didn't know I was holding my breath but I exhaled in pure relief. "I love you so much." I kissed his head. He tried to get up but I pushed him back down.
    "I love you so much." I smiled, tears of joy leaking from my eyes.
   "Are you okay? Is the baby okay?" He asked, a hint of worry in his voice. I looked around to the glass and signalled the nurse. She opened the door and placed the baby into my arms, leaving my and my lover alone with out child.
   "Kelly Severide meet Esme Grace Severide." I smiled, showing him his daughter.
    "It's a little girl. We have a daughter. I'm a dad." He cheered, ecstatic. He sat up, even though I protested against it. "Can I hold her?" He asked.
    "Of course you can, she's your little girl." I smiled. He held his arms out and I placed his six-hour-old in his arms.
    "Hey, Esme. I'm your daddy." His voice was the softest whisper I had ever heard. "I love you, you know. I've been so excited to meet you."
    "See, Esme," I interrupted, "I told you your daddy would be all mushy." Kelly laughed.
    "Esme, sweetie, you mummy is the most beautiful person I have ever known, apart from you, and I just want you to know that you two are the only girls I see."