Malia Ryland has just arrived in Chicago and is starting her first shift as a nurse at the Chicago Medical Center while waiting for a vacancy in one of Chicago's firehouses as a paramedic.
Warning : some chapters contain scenes with sexual content.
...
I had my operations exactly four weeks ago. They kept me for a week to make sure everything was going well for me and the baby. Today I'm going back to work. I only work on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays now. And with Kelly and my gynaecologist we decided it was best that I always have someone with me in case there is a problem. So on days when Kelly is on call and I'm not working, I'll go to the firehouse with him. When I got out of the hospital I spent the week with Kel at his flat. He had taken a week off to stay with me. I'm in my first trimester of pregnancy but I have an appointment every fortnight to check that everything is OK.
The loss of one of our future children was emotionally hard enough for Kelly and I even though we didn't know about it until the surgery.
There was a big step in our relationship that I think contributed to us going through this ordeal. I moved in with Kelly! Anyway, we would have moved in together sooner or later with the baby. His flat was the best because it has two bedrooms unlike mine. And it's halfway between the hospital and the barracks so it's perfect.
Last weekend we went to the firemen's picnic. And we learned that Hermann was becoming the new lieutenant of truck 51. Everyone was very happy for him.
In the emergency room we've only had fairly simple cases so far. I prepare the paperwork for one of the patients to be discharged when there are two new arrivals by ambulance. From the first one a woman is shot. The ambulance driver tells us that her companion said she has had a cold in the last few weeks. She was holding the baby when she passed out and fell on top of him. I have an immediate grinding in my teeth from hearing this. The baby is the patient from the second ambulance. He is 18 months old, a deformity in his right arm which was hitched on the spot but no other apparent injuries. I have a pinch in my heart for this child. Me and my hormones!
Dr. Manning, Nathalie, examines him. His right arm needs to be reduced and put in a cast. And since it is a child, it has to be done with special measures. I follow the ambulance man and take him upstairs so we can treat him properly. The father follows us. The poor little one saddened me while we were reducing his fracture but he was brave. I then gave him his cast.
After that I stayed with the child and his father because it was almost the end of my shift and I couldn't have started taking care of another patient.
In the evening Kelly picks me up to go back to the flat. We spend a quiet evening watching movies on TV.
The next day we go to the barracks because Kelly has a guard.
Kelly, Capp, Tony and I are at the first aid table when a man arrives "I'm looking for Stella Kidd". "You must be Tyler," says Kelly. He stands up, shakes her hand and introduces himself as "Kelly Severide".
"The boyfriend. You're a lucky man," says Tyler. Now I raise an eyebrow and stand next to Kelly, "The ex-boyfriend. You're a few months late, Tyler". "I think Kidd is in the kitchen looking for something to eat," says Tony. Thanks a lot! I can't see that guy.
Later, Rescue 3 goes on the scene. I'm off to Kelly's office to rest.
In the afternoon, Cruz, Kelly and I are at the first aid table when an old lady comes in and gives Casey a box. From the table you can't see what's in it but he tells her to be careful when the lady gives it to him. Both Kelly and Cruz get up and go to see them wondering what is going on.
Casey turns around with a worried face and I can see the inside of the box from my place at the table and it is grenades. As a reflex, I immediately put my hand on my stomach.
"Cruz tells everyone to evacuate," Kelly orders immediately. "No worries" Cruz answers, then he leaves to warn the others.
Then Kel looks at me and says, "Malia gets out of there right away". "No way I'm leaving you here" I get carried away. "Here," says Kelly, taking the box from Casey's hands, "I'll watch them until the bomb squad arrives. They look old, it could be unstable". "Kelly! What are you doing? You're going to be a daddy, this is no time to be a hero," I exclaimed, looking at him with tears in my eyes.
"Shouldn't we evacuate?" asks Casey. "The radius of the explosion is reduced to a few metres with a Kevlar waistcoat around it. "I'll take care of it," says Kelly. "Kel, this is not the time," I begged him. "It's going to be OK Lia, don't worry," Kelly tries to reassure me. "Lady over here," says Casey as he guides the lady inside the building. Personally, even though I know it's completely stupid, I'm staying with Kelly. There's no way he's going to stay here alone while I'm carrying our baby. Unfortunately for me, Hermann and Otis leave the building and force me inside. They were ready to carry me if I didn't move.
Almost twenty minutes later the bomb squad arrives and Kelly can finally get away from the grenades. They enter the barracks building and I don't wait long before jumping into his arms and kissing him passionately. "You're going to have to calm the hero inside you for a while," I tell him before I kiss him again.
A few moments later, we are in the meeting room with the rest of the barracks. Boden comes in "ok everybody calm down. I'm sure you've heard that there's another grenade in the neighbourhood. The police are on the case, but now the 51 will help them". Casey adds "we're going to put up flyers, make phone calls and post on social networks to warn people that the grenade is real. But also to find the boy who has it".
"Won't it cause panic to talk about it so much?" asks Otis. "A little panic seems normal given the situation we're in," Boden replies. "The boy is between 11 and 12 years old. He arrived on foot by himself, which means he might be living in the area," Casey tells us. Boden says, "Each unit will have a street to go to with schools and playgrounds. Let's get going. Every second counts".
I decide to go with them to distribute the leaflets. After more than an hour's search, we learn by radio that Casey has found the boy's whereabouts. A few minutes later, we learn that the grenade has exploded but fortunately there are no injuries.
We end this hectic day quietly at the flat.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
