A Slow Burn // Brian 'Otis' Zvonecek // Chicago Fire ✔️

15 || ONE SHIFT

The weight of the decision whether Riley should hang up her helmet stayed with her heavy for the next couple of days. The idea of leaving Chicago behind was still seeming like a very, very good one.

Tomorrow was shift day, her third shift back after returning to work following the Truck crash, but she didn't really feel like going. Not while James and Rose were still laid up in hospital, and especially not while the bastard who hit them was still running free.

Voight had kept her in the loop while he tracked down the other driver, who hadn't realised there were many cameras in the area he decided to hit and run in, which meant the cops got a nice clear shot of his license plate. All they had to do now was find him, as it appeared he wasn't heading home any time soon.

But Riley had faith in the Intelligence unit because if there was ever a bunch of detectives who could find him, it would be them. So, for now all Riley could do was sit in the hospital, donate more blood and wait for Rose to finally wake up.

Riley sat in James' room, a needle in her arm and a bag of blood hanging by her side whilst Dr Choi checked on James. He was healing well, thankfully, and in a few days he'd be allowed to be move into Rose's room so they could be together.

"Have you seen her?" James asked weakly, catching Riley's attention, making her look up from the tube her own blood was winding through. Dr Choi must have left the room while Riley had zoned out as he was no nowhere to be seen.

"I have, she looks good." Riley replied softly, offering James a reassuring smile in hopes it would give him a little relief over not having seen his daughter since the accident.

"I didn't even see him, Riles... He came out of nowhere. I-"

"I know, James, I know." Riley nodded, scooting her chair closer to him so she could take his hand. If there was anyone who could relate to what James was feeling right now, it was her. "I saw the footage, you aren't at fault."

"And the other driver?"

"Hank is looking for him, they know his name and where he lives... They'll find him." Riley said assuringly, giving James' hand a gentle squeeze. A lone tear rolled down the side of James' face as he lay looking up at the ceiling, his head bandaged and his arm in a rather large cast.

"I don't think I can stay here anymore." James whispered, turning his head gently towards Riley. "This city is cursed."

Tell her something she doesn't know.

"It's funny..." Riley huffed out a quiet laugh. "...I've been thinking the exact same thing."

"You have?" James seemed surprised by Riley's seriousness, he'd have almost expected her to fight him on his decision to move.

"Nothing good has come of this city." Riley sighed, leaning back in her chair. "We left Ireland when we struck oil, lived here for barely two years before my mom pissed off to Barbados... Even though moving here was her decision, cause she wanted to come back home or whatever. Then my dad left and went back to his home... I sometimes wonder why I stayed here." She sighed again, taking her hand from James' to run it through her hair.

"You miss Ireland?"

"Everyday." Riley exhaled, looking down at the needle in her arm before her attention fell back on James. "I've got nothing left to remind me of it, my accent is gone, my dad is gone, Ryan is..." She stopped herself quickly before finishing that sentence, neither of them needed that reminder. "I just don't know what I'm doing anymore."

"So go back home, get out of this city." James shuffled up in his bed as much as he could, Riley's words were something he could relate to. Ever since Ryan died he'd had no idea what he was doing either.