Herrmann's point of view.
By entering my kitchen, I was pleasantly surprised by the presence of Charly. As a matter of fact, since a couple of days, neither Cindy nor I have seen her. Since she learned the truth about what happened in Austin, she barely gets out of our guest room, she barely eats, barely talks and barely sleeps.
"Morning Charly!" I smiled.
"Morning Christopher!" She replied, handing me a cup of coffee.
"Thanks! So, what are your plans for today?" I asked her.
"I got an appointment with this cop of the Intelligence Unit. Erin Lindsay, it seems to be", she answered. "I have some questions to ask her about Austin."
"Take it easy", I advised her.
"I need to put that behind me once and for all. The sooner this is settled, the better I will carry", she contradicted me, before watching her watch. "I'm already late. See you later!" she yelled.
"Be careful", I said, watching her leave the kitchen then the house.
Charly's point of view.
After what looks like half an hour of walking around the streets of the Windy City, I finally stopped in front of the twenty-first district. Amounting the first stairs and after looking around me, I was welcomed by a woman in uniform, working behind a counter.
"Hello", I smiled nervously.
"What can I do for you?" she asked me.
"I have an appointment with Erin Lindsay", I said.
"Wait a minute", she ordered.
I look at her, dial a number and talk with someone through the phone. Two minutes later, the officer, called Platt according to her badge, invited me to follow her upstairs. The stairs let place to six offices separated by nothing but air.
"Thanks, Trudy!" Erin said, walking towards me. "Follow me!"
Without saying anything but watching the others detectives, I follow her until in a room that looks like their restroom. She gives me a cup of coffee before inviting me to sit down on the couch.
"I'm glad you come, Charly!" She smiled.
"Can I ask you a question?" I asked.
"Sure."
"How did we meet?"
"Smith, keep these people away!" Casey ordered me.
Halligan in my right hand, I started to walk towards the curious persons who impinge the accident's scene.
"Sir, you cannot be here! Move back, please!" I tried politely.
"Why don't you come here and show me your bitch's talent", he smiled.
"I said, "Move back"! So get out of here before I have to use force", I tried again.
"They don't teach you to execute an order in the Academy? Come here, we can have fun."
Angry, I approached this asshole and stopped myself in front of his face.
"Get out of here now, before I sink you my halligan in your pervert's throat!" I barked.
"You excite me!" He laughed.
And before I can jump on him and kick his ass, Cruz and a pretty woman with a CPD badge stopped me.
"I get her", the woman said. "Believe me, you don't want to kick his ass and pay for that even though he deserves it."
"Yeah, your right. I'm sorry for all of this", I apologize, putting my helmet properly. "Smith, Charly Smith", I introduce myself to her.
"Erin Lindsay, Intelligence Unit."
At the end of the flashback, I can't help but laugh. That's a hell of a meeting.
"Yesterday, you told me that you need to see me for something really important. What is this?" she finally requested.
"I need you to tell me what happened in Austin."
"I don't think that a good idea", she started.
"Erin!" I shouted. "I don't care if that's a good idea or not. They ask for a review of the sanctions that fell after the complaint I filed. I need to remember."
"Well..."
With a perverted smile, Buckett left me, broken, dirty and alone, on the ground of the locker room like nothing happened. I couldn't help but sob out. For like the thousand time, Erin tried to call me. I want to accept the call but I can't. I can't even breath again. In the need to escape and to find fresh air, I ran out of this damn locker room, and out of this damn firehouse. The cold wind of this month of January grabbed me by surprise. I realized that I was running in the street wearing only my skirt, my shirt that he had torn, and only one shoe. After what looks like an eternity, I felt to the ground, at the limit of the hypothermia.
"Are you all right, Ma'am?" A police officer asked me but I cannot answer like the words cannot get out of my mouth. "Have you drunk something?" He tried again, while I started shivering. "Halstead, I need back up over here!"
Less than thirty seconds later, the officer called Halstead arrived. Without any doubt, I recognized him: he's Erin's boyfriend.
"Charly!" he barked, kneeling in front of me.
"You know her?" his colleague asked him, surprised.
"She is Erin's friend", he replied. "They were supposed to see each other tonight", he continued, looking directly at his friend, whereas I started feeling weird like if my mind slides in a sweet darkness place. "Dawson call an ambulance, now! Charly stay with me! Charlotte!"
"I hate that name", I whispered barely.
"No time for an ambulance, we have to get her to Med, right now!" Jay yelled.
"Don't touch me", I blew out at the feeling of his arms around my body.
"You are safe, Charly!"
That was the last thing I heard before waking up in a hospital bed with around me a black nurse. She stopped me when I tried to sit.
"Easy honey", she smiled at me. "Do you know why are you here?"
Suddenly, all the memories of what happened couples hours ago came back. Swallowing my tears, I just nodded.
"We were obliged to proceed to a forensic examination", she explained slowly. "They aren't any doubt that you were abused. The police officers who bring you here, are waiting outside to take your complaint."
"No", I blurted. "No complaint!"
"Charly, we can stop if you want", Erin tried.
"No. I'm fine", I replied, hiding my trembling hands.
"A week after, you asked for your transfer to another firehouse..."
"51", I cut her.
"Yeah, 51! You were starting to feel better when Buckett and Welch come to 51 to work."
At the earing of their names, I can't help but cringe.
"Kelly Severide is the one that helps you to complain", she continued.
"The no-face man has a first name", I whispered.
"What?"
"Nothing", I lied.
"You need to complain", the firefighter without face said, hugging me against his chest.
"No", I refused.
"Charly you cannot let him win, you cannot let him break you, you cannot let him drag around you and around other women. What happened is absolutely not your fault", he continued in a recomforting voice.
"I can't do that alone", I mumbled.
"I'm not going anywhere. Before we go to the 21st district, you have to talk to Boden."
"Can I ask you a question?"
"Sure", she accepted.
"This firefighter, Kelly Severide, who was he for me?" I finally asked the question that was in my mind since I'm back.
Lindsay winces a minute before finally answer my question.
"At this moment of your life, he was just a friend and a colleague", she smiled nervously.
"What do you mean by "at this moment of your life"?"
"Charly, don't..."
"Erin, I need to know!" I shouted.
"When you had your accident, Kelly was your fiancé."
Suddenly, my mind only focused on the word "fiancé". How can that be possible? How can I not remember the face of the man that I was in love? How can I have not idea, since today, that I was engaged? After all these questions, I became fully aware that it had been a year since all this had happened and that after six months in the coma, I came back home in New-York City.
"How is he?" I said, trying not to cry.
"Not really good", she admitted. "He is broken, sad but always in love."
"It's my fault. I shouldn't have driven this day", I expressed.
"You were in the wrong place at the wrong moment. Your car was hit by a truck", she explained to me, but this time no flashback occurred.
"Can you tell him that I'm sorry for everything he goes through because of that?"
"If you want", she smiled. "So, what can you tell me about Austin?"
"I went to Austin a week ago..."
"What? Charly you can't! There is a removal order against him", Erin shouted.
"How can I know that? I even remember my past!" I replied. "But Buckett told me something..."
"What?" she cut me.
""Maybe you want more than the last time we're just together". Can we take this for an admission?" I questioned.
"Not really and we have to hear it."
"So, what do we do?" I asked.
"I think I have an idea but I have to speak to my boss. I'll call you when I know more."
Kelly's point of view.
"Severide, my office, now!" Chief Boden ordered as soon as I enter the common room.
I simply nod, rest my cup of coffee on the table and direct me to the office of my superior. I knock on the door and wait to have permission to enter.
"Hello Chief!" I smiled.
"Kelly", he started, removing his glasses. "Are you feeling better?"
"I'm fine, thanks", I replied.
"Are you ready to going back to work?" He continued.
"Yeah, if not I wouldn't be there."
As always, Wallace smiled while trying to read in our eyes, in our soul. He finally closes the door which makes me understand that the discussion isn't over.
"Kelly, you know that we have psychological help available at the department."
"That won't be necessary."
"There is no shame to accept help", he tried again.
"Look Chief, I'm sorry for the other day for what I said and I did. I was just pissed off", I apologize.
"Yeah, you go through a lot of things this last year: Smith, Darden..."
"Don't", I cut him before me to be cut by the intercom.
Chief Boden's point of view.
"Keep an eye on Severide", I ordered to Capp, while I observed the Squad 3 Lieutenant jump into his gear and place his helmet on his head.
Two minutes later, the truck of the Squad left the firehouse, howling siren, in the direction of the distress call.
"Casey, can we talk?" I asked my second Lieutenant.
"Sure!"
"I'm worried about Severide", I admitted.
"Yeah, me too! He is completely weird, he acts like if he's hiding something", Matthew replied.
"What do you mean?"
"I just note that he rubs his shoulder a lot of time and the other day, I found him under the cold water of his shower, fully dressed", he confessed.
"Do you think he hurt his shoulder?"
"He says it's nothing, just a simple muscle pain, but I know him and I know that he is the best to hide injuries."
"Keep an eye on him. Do you have some news about Smith?"
"Herrmann tells me that she has an appointment this morning with Lindsay. I hope that gonna bring her some memories of Kelly."
"We have to keep an eye on both of us. They need us more than ever", I concluded.
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