♣️Season 2, Episode 4♣️
Nicole watches Matt kiss Ember's cheeks, causing her to giggle as the newborn lays on Matt and Nicole's bed. Looking over paperwork for her return to work, Nicole pokes Matt's side, "Wanna take everyone to the park? The boys have been cooped up inside the past couple of days and Ember could use some fresh air as well."
"Wanna go to the park?" Matt asks Ember in a baby voice, making funny faces at her, "Let's do it. Get the boys ready?"
"Sure," They share a kiss before Nicole goes to the boy's room, "Get ready, we're going to the park."
"Yes!" They shout.
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Sitting at a park table, Nicole holds Ember so she's sitting up and facing Matt, who calls out to Griffin on the monkey bars, "Be careful, Griffin. No flipping off the bars, okay buddy?"
"I won't," He sasses.
"Look at you being all fatherly," Nicole smirks, "It's really hot."
"Oh, yeah?" Matt flirts, kissing her quickly.
They're interrupted by Nicole's phone ringing, looking at the caller ID, she sees Gabby's name, "One second. Hey, Gabby, what's up?"
"I need some advice. I really stepped in with this total loser, Jay. I'm trying to end it but he just won't let it go."
"Need me to get Matt to have a conversation with him?" Nicole jokes.
Matt looks up at his name, tilting his head in question.
"Nah, I'll handle it....say that's plan B though."
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Nicole sits in the morning meeting next to Shay as Boden talks, "Next order of business, I need a couple volunteers to help with the new wellness program for this house. It involves workshops, physical exams. I believe we all have to have some kind of new fitness diary. So, volunteers?" Shay motions between Mills and Nicole before looking at her phone, "I don't have all day. Good. Mills, Shay, you are now the new wellness reps. Last order of business," Boden speaks up over everyone's cheering, "Join me in welcoming Nicole Severide back on shift."
Everyone claps as Shay forces Nicole to stand, "Alright, alright. I just had a baby, relax."
"You've been looking forward to today since you were cleared for duty," Matt reminds her.
"Matthew, shh," Nicole puts a finger to her lips as the bells sound.
"Ambulance 61, person in distress, 398 Wells Street."
"Looks like you're being eased in with Darryl, our favorite frequent flyer," Shay comments, standing up.
The trio of paramedics make it out to the rig like they've done forever.
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Opening the door, Nicole looks back, "Here we go. Darryl, how have we been, buddy?"
He laughs in greeting, pointing slightly at Shay, "I've missed you. You're looking as beautiful as ever."
"Oh, aren't you the charmer," Shay smiles, getting the bag set.
Gabby goes to Darryl, maneuvering him, "Sit up, bud. C'mon. Here we go. Can I see your finger?" Gabby cleans his finger off to check his blood sugar, "Okay, your blood sugar is 43. Why is it so low?"
Nicole sits on the table next to Gabby, "Look, I know you like it when we come and visit you, but you have to check your levels, okay? And eat. After you take your insulin."
Shay taps Nicole's back, "Alright, I'm gonna check what's in the fridge."
"Aw, you always take care such good care of me," He calls after her.
"We talked about this, Darryl," Nicole starts, watching as Gabby draws a dose of insulin, "This is a lot of time and expense for a glucose shot. There are others that need us to take care of them, just like you."
Shay brings out a plate of food, holding out a wrapped up thing of meat and cheese, "Bologna and cheese and not chips? What's up with that, Darryl?"
"You know I can't live without my girl," He smiles at Shay as Gabby and Nicole start packing up the bag.
Gabby comments, "Well, may I suggest joining a chatroom and letting us do our jobs?"
Shay stands up, "Yeah, she's right, Darryl. I mean, this has gotta stop."
"You know, you have no idea what you mean to me, Leslie," Darryl says before drawing a gun.
"Aw, that's sweet-" Shay sees the gun first, "Whoa," Pulling Gabby and Nicole back with her, "Darryl, Darryl, uh."
Nicole holds her hands up, "Put the gun away right now, Darryl."
He looks right at Shay, "You know I can't live without you."
Shay starts slowly moving forward, "You don't have to live without me, Darryl."
"Darryl, I need you to put the gun on the floor. Right now," Nicole adds, holding Shay back from moving forward anymore, "Shay, come back."
His finger goes to the trigger, causing Gabby to speak up with a harsher tone, "Put the gun on the floor now!"
Shay moves fowards slowly, sitting on the edge of the couch, "Darryl, just, just give the gun, okay? And um, um we can go to Vegas tomorrow and get hitched, okay? Okay? Just give me the gun. Okay, sweetheart? Just give me the gun."
In a swift movement, he brings the gun below his chin and shoots, spraying blood all over the paramedics.
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After calling it in, Boden arrives on the scene, looking over all the blood before addressing the trio wiping blood off themselves, "The three of you should head over to Lakeshore and get checked over for blood exposure. I'll notify medical, I'll meet you there with the paperwork. Look, take whatever time you need to deal with this. Anything I can do for you, just let me know."
They nod, Nicole speaking up, "Can you have Matt arrange for Ember to be a the firehouse when I get back? I need a hug from my baby."
"Of course," He nods before they head out to Lakeshore.
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After getting checked out, the trio pull the rig into the garage at 51 where Truck was cleaning and putting away tools with Matt holding Ember and supervising.
"Hey, you alright?" He asks Shay as she passes first.
She nods, "Fine, thanks."
Gabby just walks past, "Yeah, you know, we're okay."
Nicole walks over to Matt, taking Ember and leaning against him as he holds her. She kisses Ember's cheek, giving her a sad smile when Ember gives a big toothless grin, "We'll be okay. Em and I are gonna go lay in your office, kay?"
"Okay," Matt kisses her temple before watching them walk away.
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Kelly knocks on the door to Matt's office where Nicole lays on the bed, Ember on her chest, "Hey, I heard, you okay?"
"Fine. Check on Shay, for me? She isn't handling it well. She'll tell you she is but she isn't," Nicole urges her older brother.
"I know. I just found her scrubbing at her hands and the sink in the bathroom," Kelly admits, leaning against the doorframe, "I'll talk to her at home. How are you?"
"Better now that she's here," Nicole runs a finger over her sleeping daughter's face, "She calms me."
Snorting, Kelly jokes, "Who knew it would only take motherhood to calm you down."
Nicole chuckles at him, shaking her head, "Keep talking. I could still kick your ass anytime I want."
He nods, "You're probably right. Especially with that new mother strength you got."
"Go boss someone around, Lieutenant."
Kelly raises his hands in defeat before moving forward and kissing the top of Nicole's head, "Love you."
"Love you too."
The mother and daughter are left alone for a few minutes before the father joins them, sitting in his office chair, "Feeling better?"
"Yeah."
"You know you have to take care of yourself, right? Just snuggling her isn't gonna fix everything," Matt reminds her.
"It feels like it is. No one's really tested that theory yet."
Matt rolls his eyes, smiling before laying on the other side of Nicole and wrapping an arm around both his girls, "Well, I'm all for testing new theories."
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After a quick family cuddle, Nicole and Matt hand Ember over to Christine who watches Ember while they both are on shift. Nicole heads into the common room, pouring herself a glass of juice and watching the awkward interaction between Shay and Gabby.
"You get that email from McLeod about the new innovatory request forms?"
Shay nods, walking away, "Yeah, I got it."
She watches as both of them walk out of the room, bodies still tense before she looks over to Cruz and Otis, "I'm gonna have to go deal with them, aren't I?"
"Yup," Cruz nods.
"So glad I'm not you," Otis agrees.
Sighing, Nicole follows after them, hearing raised voices, "If you had stepped back like Nicole told you too, Darryl might still be alive right now."
Nicole intervenes, "Whoa!"
Gabby realizes what she said, "Shay, I didn't mean-"
Shay starts to walk away before turning around, "Sure you did. Blame me for what happened, call in a report with the Paramedics Chief, oh wait, you can't. Because despite how things have been the last few weeks, you aren't actually the PIC. Nicole is. Do whatever it is you need to do to feel better, but do not talk to me! We will work together, that's it!"
Nicole is left standing in the empty hallway as the two go their separate ways.
Tilting her head back, Nicole looks at the ceiling, "I should've taken an extra shift off."
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Nicole sits next to Matt as Shay and Mills present the new wellness program, "So, um, basically, everybody has to keep track of their calorie count, and report them to me so I can put them in my special binder."
"Is Mills gonna tell us how many calories he's putting in everything?"
"He better not," Spellman jokes causing everyone to laugh.
"McLeod can't force us to participate, we have a contract," Mouch argues with Isabella taking pictures.
Shay nods, "Mouch is right. You have the right to opt out if you prefer to pay the higher insurance premium."
Nicole looks at the booklet they handed out, raising her hand, "Please tell me I am not ready this one part correctly."
The blonde clears her throat, "If its the new moms part, yeah, you are. Sorry."
"I have to tell you how much breast milk I produce?" Nicole asks in disbelief.
"I'm not happy about it either."
Nicole shakes her head, "I cannot name one person outside of my OB that I tell how much breast milk I make."
Shay raises her hand, "I can. Me."
Mills moves on, "Alright, so next thing is they're encouraging us to try and be more active. So they're giving out fitness bonuses to anybody who can pass the fitness test."
Herrmann sits up, "Eh, cash bonuses?"
"No," Mills shakes his head, "Gift certificates to....Salad King."
They all fake enthusiasm, "Good enough, what's the test?"
Mills flips through the binder, "Uh, push-ups, for men of your age range..."
"My age range?" Herrmann asks, pushing the binder off his desk before putting his hands on the desk in front of Nicole and feet on the his desk, "Start counting."
Everyone starts cheering, Otis holding Herrmann's feet as Mills tries to focus everyone, "Guys, no! You gotta file a form!"
They only stop when the alarm sounds, "Truck 81, Squad 3, Ambulance 61, car accident."
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Arriving on scene, they look up to see a car hanging over the edge of the parking garage above and another one the ground as debris start to fall.
Nicole gets her helmet on as Gabby and Shay grab the gear when Boden goes up to her, "Driver's losing a lot of blood, least half a liter. Be ready, doesn't look like she has a lot of time."
Nodding, Nicole moves to address the passenger, "Ma'am, ma'am can you hear me?"
The passenger nods, causing Nicole to give directions, "Okay, take your scarf and try to tie it around the upper part of her arm to stop the bleeding, okay?"
She watches carefully as the woman does so, "A little higher up, right under her shoulder. Tight as you can. Good."
Truck works to secures lines to the car to pull it out of the way while Squad is upstairs with Boden.
"I-I don't know if this is tight enough," She says.
"Hey, deep breath. This is scary, I know, but take a deep breath."
"Everybody get back!" Matt yells as they Cruz pulls the car out and the car from above falls right where the first car was.
Truck immediately starts working on getting the car open before the paramedics role the stretcher over, "Right behind you, Mills."
"We need to get this seatbelt cut," He tells her.
Loading both victims on stretchers, they stop as they cross paths and the woman asks Nicole, "Did it work? I don't even know if she's still alive."
"You saved her life," Nicole assures her.
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Nicole sits at home with Ember as Gabby took the boys to the park and Matt's at a construction job.
She lays Ember down for a nap when her phone rings, "Hey, Gabby, what's up?"
"I'm at the hospital with Griffin. He fell off the monkey bars," Gabby tells her.
"Okay," Nicole quickly grabs the emergency diaper bag and her purse before putting Ember in her carseat, "I'm on my way. Did you call Matt?"
"Yeah. He's on his way."
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Pulling up to the hospital, she sees Matt just about to enter, "Matt!"
He looks back before jogging back over to her and helping grab Ember and they walk in together to see Ben sitting next to Gabby.
Gabby is quick to get up, "Hey, he's fine," Ben hugs Nicole's waist, burying his head in her stomach, "Um, he's got a, um, cracked rib and nothing serious. They're doing some routine tests."
"What happened?" Matt asks.
"Um, I had to take a call and I stepped away for a second. He was in the middle of this flip that he saw some other kids doing at school and then he-"
"Hey," Nicole stops Gabby's rambling and self-blaming, "It's alright. We've told Grif a million times not to do any flips. It's a cracked rib that will heal."
"Where is he?"
Gabby points Matt down the hall as the two paramedics take a seat again with Ben and Ember. Taking Ember out, Nicole hands her over to Gabby, "Here, holding a baby always makes me feel better."
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Pulling up to one of the dangerous buildings, Nicole watches as Squad and Truck enter the building, "Okay, this building is known for squatters. Let's prep to treat multiple burns and smoke inhalation."
Gabby and Shay nod, getting the stretcher out.
Nicole paces away from Boden when they hear that the fire bombs went off, watching the doors to the building.
She jumps into action when they bring out a severely burned Hadley, "Put him on the gurney."
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Opening her front door, Nicole is surprised to see Benny on her front step, "What are you doing here?"
"I heard that I had a granddaughter."
"No," Nicole shakes her head, "I had a daughter. You abandoned one decades ago. I have kids sleeping right now, I need you to leave. Now."
"How about we get some coffee tomorrow and talk about everything?" Benny suggests, "I'd really like to get to know my granddaughter."
Nicole looks back and sees Ben out of bed, coming to see what's taking Nicole so long, "Look, Benny, you and Kelly have some sort of relationship. I don't know if it's because he's your son or first-born or whatever. But we don't have that same relationship. Kelly's life is a little more chaotic and all over the place. My needs stability. Especially now that I have three kids living with me. So, we can meet for coffee if you promise you'll stay in my life. Not hop in and out of it."
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AN: I kind of go back and forth on how I want Nicole's relationship with Benny to play out so who knows what's actually gonna happen with that.
I'm trying to fit a few cute Matt/Ember moments in every chapter because we did not get to see nearly enough of that in the actual show.
QoC: how do you think Nicole is gonna handle Shay and Gabby not speaking to each other?
Thanks for all of the votes and reads and comments!!!