Playing with Fire

Chapter Twenty-Five - Chief Tiberg.

*Edited*

Everly

"You've been coming to see me for five straight weeks, and for five straight weeks, you've sat on that couch and said nothing. Nobody's making you come here. Which means that you want to be here. Every counseling theory I know says that I should wait for you to make the first move. That you'll tell me what you want to tell me when you're ready to tell me, but I also know first responders, and we're a different breed. We have to do things, whether we're ready or not."

I nodded.

"It's okay. I can wait."

"We traded places. We traded places. I told her to switch with me, and she ended up right where I was standing. Where I should have been when the beam came down."

"Everly."

"I wouldn't be here, this baby wouldn't be here. It should of been me. I'm the PIC."

"This is not your fault Everly. Not even one bit. You can't blame yourself for this."

I nodded as I wiped my tears away. I talked with Chaplain Orlovsky for the rest of the half hour session and it felt really good. It felt like a weight was lifted off my shoulders.  I left the office and drove straight to the firehouse. I walked up the driveway and smiled at Kelly who was sitting at the Squad table as I walked by before I walked to the locker room. I quickly changed into my uniform that barely fit me anymore and looked at myself in the mirror. I put my hand on my stomach and smiled at myself in the mirror as the bell went off.

"Ambulance 61, Truck 81, Squad 3, Boat Accident, 22nd and Canal."

I looked at myself once more in the mirror before I jogged over to the apparatus floor.

"Hey, look who finally came down from the mountain. Are you sure you remember how to do your job, Lieutenant?"

"Forgetting is better than never knowing, Capp."

I shook my head as I pulled the driver's door to the ambulance open and got in. I flicked on the lights and drove off towards the scene. As we pulled up to the scene this man came running towards us. 

"Oh, help! Oh, please save them!"

I got out of the ambulance and walked closer to the scene and pulled my hair back into a ponytail. Kelly nodded towards who I assumed was the mother and I walked over to her. I put my hand on her shoulder  and smiled at her.

"Stand back, ma'am. Give the guys some room to work."

She nodded and walked back with me.

"It's all my fault. I left the truck in drive! My daughter is in there!"

"Mom! Help me!"

"What's your daughter's name?"

"Elena."

I looked over at Kelly to see if he got that and he nodded at me before he walked over to the edge of the hill.

"Elena, stay as still as you can. Okay?"

"Okay."

Kelly looked back at his men. 

"Mills, wrap a sling around this frame. Capp, get the winch cable ready."

The guys did what Kelly told them and I smiled as I watched him work.

"Alright, Tony, take the winch cable back slowly 'till we get some tension in the line."

"Elena, we're coming down to get you."

"Down on Severide."

"Down on Newhouse."