#2 The Darkest Fire

Chapter Eleven

"Ughhhhhh" Gabby moaned as she sat up in bed the next morning holding her stomach. Matt heard her and quickly sat up, placing a hand on her back. "Are you okay?" he asked barely awake, but before Gabby could answer, she stumbled out of bed and ran into the bathroom, leaning over to the toliet and she started to throw up. Matt threw his legs over the side of the bed and quickly hurried into the bathroom, holding Gabby's hair back for her. "I'm sorry...." Gabby cried, Matt rubbing her back. "No need to be sorry" he told her, Gabby nodding. "I think I drank too much last night" she said, standing up and flushing the toliet, walking over to the sink and pulling out her toothbrush. She applied a lot of toothpaste and brushed her teeth good, to the point where she would gag once in awhile on toothpaste. She then pulled out mouth wash and put some in her mouth, swishing it around and spitting it out. "You feel better?" Matt asked her spinning her around to face him, pulling her close. Gabby nodded against his chest, still clutching her stomach. "I think I'm going to have to call in sick" she said looking Matt in the eyes, Matt nodding. "I think that's a good idea" Matt replied, giving Gabby a quick kiss. "I'm gonna hop into the shower" Matt said as he took off his shirt, Gabby sitting on the toilet with her face in her hands. "Why am I so nauseous?!" she said before quickly turning around and opening the toilet, throwing up again. "Yeah, it's probably best that you stay home" Matt replied holding back Gabby's hair again, rubbing her back.
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"Hey Lieutenant where's Gabby?" Hermann asked as Casey walked into the firehouse alone. "She's sick" Casey replied, Severide and Brett looking at him. "Is she okay?" Brett asked walking up to Casey and giving him a hug. "Yeah she's just nauseous and throwing up every ten minutes" Casey told her, Brett frowning. "She's not pregnant is she?" Severide asked walking up to Brett and wrapping an arm around her shoulders. Casey shook his head. "I can assure you she's not pregnant. She just hit hangover" "Wish I could join her" Severide said, making both Casey and Brett laugh before they got a call over the radio. "SQUAD 3, AMBO 61 CHILD DROWNING GREAT LAKES" the dispatcher reported, Squad and Ambo running to their trucks. Casey watched as Brett and Severide left, and he decided to head to Chiefs office before changing out. "Come on in Casey" Chief said as Casey knocked on the door, walking in. "Morning Chief. I just wanted to let you know that Dawson won't be coming in today" Chief Boden crossed his arms. "Why not?" he asked. "She's very ill, and she's still a little shaken up about yesterday" Casey responded, Chief nodding. "That's understandable.... Let her know that I said to take off as much time as she needs" Chief said, Casey smiling. "Thanks Chief" Casey said leaving the office, going into the locker room to change out.
"HELP MY SON! PLEASE!" cried a man as he stood by the edge of a lake that was partially frozen over, a few of the boys friends watching in horror. "HE CAME UP TWO MINUTES AGO! I HAVENT SEEN HIM SINCE!!!" the dad cried, Severide sliding on his scuba diving gear. "Okay Tony, when I give two tugs I've reached the bottom. Three tugs I got the boy" Severide said as he clipped himself up to a rope, placing the scuba mask over his head. "Be careful" Brett told him, Severide nodding before jumping into the lake, the cold water giving his body a shock. Underneath the water it was hard to see. Severide swam underneath the water until he felt a tiny hand grab ahold of his ankle, Severide looking down. Staring up at him was the little boy, who suddenly started taking in water, his grip on Severides ankle loosening up. Severide grabbed the boy and gave three tugs on the line, motioning for everyone outside the water to pull him up. Severide felt himself being lifted and soon he was fully submerged, the boy over his shoulder. "HERE GRAB THE BOY!" Severide shouted making Mills and Brett run over with the gurney, placing him on it. "He doesn't have a pulse! START COMPRESSIONS!" Brett yelled out to Mills who sat in the back, slamming the doors before quickly hopping into the Ambo, driving away to Lake Shore. "WHERE ARE THEY TAKING HIM?! WHERE ARE THEY TAKING CALEB?!" the father yelled as the men helped Severide out of the lake, Severide taking off his scuba mask. "Sir I'm going to need you to calm down..." "CALM DOWN?! THAT WAS MY SON AND YOURE TELLING ME TO CALM DOWN?! ARE YOU EVEN A FATHER?!" the man yelled, Severide nodding. "I am actually, to a little girl. Let me figure out where they're taking him" Severide answered back hastily, grabbing his radio and placing it to his lips. "Brett?" he asked waiting for a response, hearing one soon after. "Severide?" "Where are you taking the victim?" Severide asked. "Lake Shore, 3 minutes out" Brett replied. Severide walked over to the father and looked him in the eyes. "They're headed to Lake Shore" Severide told him, the father nodding and running off to his car, leaving the boys friends behind.
Severide looked at the three boys and sighed. "Do you boys have a ride?" Kelly asked, all of them shaking their heads. "He was our ride" one of the boys spoke up, nodding his head towards the father who quickly drove away. "Come with us. We'll take you back in the truck" Kelly offered, all the boys nodding. "Really?!" "Yeah you bet! Cmon!" Kelly told them, allowing the boys to climb into the back. Kelly then jumped into the passenger seat in front and motioned to Tony the driver to drive away. "This is sooo cool!" one of the boys said, the others agreeing. "Yeah, now do you see why I want to become a firefighter when I'm old enough?" Kelly smiled when he overheard the statement, then he turned around. "What's your boys names?" he asked, one of the boys introducing them. "That's Eric, That's Keegan, and I'm Max" Max said, Kelly smiling. "You want to be a firefighter?" Kelly asked, Max nodding. "That's all I've wanted all my life" "How old are you kid?" "12" Max responded. "Come by Firehouse 51 sometime! I'll be happy to give you guys a tour!" "Whoa really?!" the boys asked, Kelly laughing. "Absolutely! Text me at this number..." Kelly said as he wrote his number down on a piece of paper and handed it to Max who was beaming. "Thanks! What's your name again?" Max asked. "Kelly, Kelly Severide... But you can call me Kelly" They then pulled up to Lake Shore where Ambo 61 had already pulled in. "Alright you guys. Are you sure you guys will be fine here by yourselves?" Kelly asked, Max shrugging. "I guess....." Keegan said, Kelly looking at Tony and telling him to take the keys out of the ignition. "You know what?" Kelly said jumping out of Squad, closing the door. "I think I'll hang out here with you guys until your parents come... Is that cool?" Kelly asked, all of them nodding. "Yeah! But what if you get called to any calls???" Max asked, Eric nodding in agreement. Kelly pointed to his radio and smiled. "They'll call for me over my radio, and I'll meet them there. Maybe I'll take you guys on the call!!" Kelly said, making Max excited. "Really?! Are you allowed to do that?" Max asked, Kelly laughing. "Kid, I'm Lieutenant. I can do whatever I want"
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Gabby laid on her bed holding her stomach when she suddenly got a text. 'Hey baby are you okay?' it read. Gabby smiled and texted Matt back. 'Yeah.. Thanks for checking up on me'. She placed her phone on her nightstand when it vibrated again. 'It's weird not having you here. Let me know if you need anything okay?' she read. 'I will. I love you' she texted him, instantly getting a message back. 'I love you too'. Gabby felt herself smile and she placed her phone on Matts side of the bed, and she sighed. "Oh come.... on....." Gabby mumbled to herself as she got out of bed, running into the bathroom and throwing up. She then flushed the toilet and pulled out her toothbrush. She brushed her teeth again and then walked into the kitchen, grabbing some crackers when there was a knock on the door. Gabby sighed and held the box of crackers in her hand and walked to the door, looking through the peek hole. "Hey Tonio! What're you doing here?" Gabby asked, letting her brother step into the apartment, closing the door behind him. "Gosh you look awful" Antonio said giving Gabby a light hug. "Thanks" Gabby said sarcastically, sitting next to Antonio on the couch. "What're you doing here?" Gabby asked him again, Antonio looking at her and he laughed. "Gabby, does there have to be a reason why I came here to hang out with you?" Antonio asked, Gabby giving him the sly brow. "Ok fine Matt sent me here. He didn't want to leave you home alone sick, so he told me to come over and stay here with you until he gets off shift" Antonio said, Gabby smirking. "I knew it" she mumbled popping a cracker into her mouth. "Aren't you supposed to be working?" Gabby asked, Antonio shaking his head. "Nope. I have two weeks off. You can't get rid of me that easily" Antonio replied taking a cracker out of Gabby's hand eating eat. "Hey!!!" Gabby exclaimed, Antonio laughing. "What?! Does Gabby Dawson not know how to share?" Antonio said in his teasing brother voice, Gabby slapping him playfully. "Why are you off for two weeks? That's pretty long" Gabby asked, Antonio shrugging. "Don't really want to talk about it" "Cmon Antonio..." Gabby said, looking at Antonio with the big brown puppy eyes. "Awe no not the puppy eyes!" Antonio said trying to look away but couldn't. "Alright fine I'll spill! How do you do that?" Antonio asked, Gabby laughing. "It works every time, especially on Matt when he least expects it. Most of the times he doesn't even notice" Gabby replied, Antonio laughing. "You're stalling....." Gabby said, Antonio shrugging. "No I'm just listening to you" "TONIO SPILL" "Alright fine, I'll spill.... I uh... Got suspended" Antonio said, Gabby's mouth dropped open. "What?! For what?!" she asked, Antonio staring at her and clenching his fist. "Let's just say a suspect didn't make it out alive" Antonio replied back, suddenly staring out of space. Gabby looked at her brother and shook her head. Whenever she talked to Antonio, it seemed like he was always carrying a burden, a burden so heavy everyone around him could see it. "That's not your fault" Gabby said lowly, Antonio looking at his sister and shaking his head. "No, it was my fault. I could've handled things differently. I shouldn't have pulled that trigger"