#girlinlotsoffandomfics

[girlinlotsoffandoms]

day one - stab wound

notes: hi friends and welcome to febwhump 2024 or sev whump as I've been calling it. that's right, 29 days where I hurt or torture everyone's favorite squad lieutenant!

read on AO3 or below

It was a calm night at Molly’s, something the members of Firehouse 51 desperately needed after the past few shifts they’d had. The first cold snap of the season had brought snow and ice along with it, causing multiple car accidents and house fires that made for hectic shifts.

The entirety of 51’s second shift, even Boden, had made it to Molly’s that night. They all wanted to relax with a beer or two before heading to their homes for two days of well-deserved rest. The only one who hadn’t made it to Molly’s yet was Kelly, who’d met at the Fire Academy with the other instructors. Stella expected him soon though, he’d texted her when he left the Academy and told her he was heading over.

The relaxing night everyone so desperately wanted was promptly ruined when the door to Molly’s burst open and a young woman, barely over 21, ran into the bar. Her hair was wild, and mascara-stained tear streaks painted her cheeks, but the most alarming thing to everyone in the room was the bright red blood staining her hands.

“Help, please!” She cried from the door. “Someone call 911!”

It was those magic words that made everyone jump into action. The members of 51 sprang to their feet and ran towards the girl. Brett and Violet reached her first, immediately followed by the others.

Brett and Violet started checking her for injuries. “What’s your name sweetie?” Violet asked.

“M-Meagan.”

“Hi Meagan,” Brett said with a smile, trying to calm the girl. “Can you tell us what happened? Where are you hurt?”

Meagan shook her head. “No no no, it’s not me. You have to help him!”

“Help who? What happened?” Stella asked.

“My friend, Ava, and I were walking home and one of the guys from the bar down the street was following us, harassing us. He grabbed Ava’s arm and started being aggressive with her. Then this other guy runs up, pulls him away, and stands in between us and him. He told him to leave but the guy pulled a knife and he just…. he stabbed him!” Meagan explained, a fresh round of tears running down her face. “Ava’s in nursing school, she started applying pressure but he needs help!”

Boden pulled the phone away from his ear, 911 dispatch still on the line. “CPD and an ambo are a few minutes out.”

“Let’s go,” Herrmann ordered. He grabbed the first aid kit from behind the bar and led the group out of Molly's and into the chilly Chicago night.

It didn't take them long at all to find what they were looking for. There on the ground, on the other side of the street, was their victim. The closer they got though, they realized their victim wasn’t just a good Samaritan who tried to help someone in need.

“Oh my god,” Stella exclaimed. “Kelly!”

Stella sprinted the last few feet and dropped to her knees by Kelly’s side. Her eyes roamed over his body and her stomach dropped. Stella had never been one to be squeamish but the sight of her husband’s blood pouring onto the sidewalk made bile rise in her throat.

Out of the corner of her eye, Stella saw Ritter helping Ava up and Brett and Violet beginning to try and help Kelly but her focus was solely on Kelly. His eyes were glassy, and Stella could tell he was fighting to stay awake.

She moved closer to his head and laid a hand on his cheek, trying to keep his attention. “Hey, Kelly, stay awake ok?”

“Stell-“ Kelly started, quietly.

“Shhh, I’m right here,” Stella shushed him gently. “Don’t try and talk ok? Help’s on the way.”

“Girls?”

“They’re ok,” Stella said, a sad smile on her face. “You saved them.”

At Stella’s assurance that Ava and Meagan were safe, Kelly lost his hold on consciousness.

“No, no, no, Kelly!” Stella yelled, panicked. She tapped his cheek but Kelly didn’t respond.

Stella turned towards Brett and Violet, hoping for some reassurance, but the grim looks on their faces did the opposite. “What-?”

“The bleeding won’t stop,” Violet growled, frustrated. She tossed the bloodied gauze to the side, where a terrifying pile of soiled gauze had rapidly grown over the last few minutes.

Brett’s hands replaced Violet’s with fresh gauze, but it quickly began turning red. “I think the knife might have hit his spleen,” she said grimly.

“Where the hell is the ambulance?!” Stella cried.

“They’re pulling up now!” Cruz called from the street. He and the others from 51 had formed a barrier around their downed teammate and friend, keeping the curious masses away from the scene.

Sure enough, the street was soon bathed in sirens and flashing red and blue lights as the ambulance and a few CPD cruisers arrived. The paramedics made quick work getting Severide stable enough for transport. They loaded him into the ambulance, Stella climbing in right after. 

“Stella,” Boden called from the doors of the ambulance. “We’ll meet you at the hospital as soon as we can.”

Stella gave a curt nod and turned her attention back to Kelly. Boden closed the ambulance doors and thumped it twice, signaling it was good to go.

The ambulance took off, lights and sirens blaring toward Med, leaving the shell-shocked group of first responders behind, drowning in a sea of red and blue and concern for their friend. 

… … …

It was barely controlled chaos in the ambulance. Stella had taken over applying pressure to the wound while the paramedic got Kelly hooked up to the monitors and an IV started.

No matter how much pressure Stella applied, or how much she begged and pleaded, the bleeding just wouldn’t stop. Her husband, the love of her life, was bleeding out right in front of her and there was nothing she could do to stop it. This was not how their story was supposed to end–after everything they’d been through, this wasn’t how things were supposed to go. 

Tears fell from Stella’s eyes. It’d been a while since she acted as a paramedic but the knowledge hadn’t left her. She knew Kelly had lost a lot of blood…was still losing a lot of blood. He needed surgery and transfusions and a hospital and he needed it fast but Stella knew there was no guarantee even that would be enough to save him. 

Her mental and emotional turmoil was interrupted by the paramedic taking over holding pressure on the wound with fresh gauze. 

Stella moved away towards Kelly’s head. She grabbed one of his hands, squeezed it, and leaned in close to him. “Don’t leave me, Kelly Severide. Don’t leave me.”

… … …

Stella had been alone in the waiting room for almost half an hour when the rest of 51 rolled in. They spotted Stella immediately and quickly hurried to her side. Brett and Violet, both now free of Severide’s blood, sat on either side of her and wrapped their arms around her.

“Any update?” Brett asked gently.

“They’re still working on him. Maggie said she’d update me as soon as she could.” Stella answered flatly. She was numb at this point. “Are Meagan and Ava ok?”

“PD took their statements and escorted them back to their apartments.” Boden shared, looking at Stella carefully. “Physically, they’ll both be fine. Mentally and emotionally, well…they’ve been connected with some resources to help them with that.”

Stella nodded. She understood that; they’d all be pretty messed up mentally and emotionally for a while. Seeing someone you love, a friend and teammate, bleeding out on the pavement will do that. 

“What about the asshole who did this?” 

“Cameras in the area caught the harassment and the stabbing, along with the guy’s face.” Mouch chimed in. “The officers on scene are looking for him and Trudy called Voight, so now Intelligence is involved as well. They’ll get him.”

Nodding, Stella went to say something else before jumping out of her seat at the sight of Maggie entering the waiting room.

“How is he?” Stella asked desperately. 

“Dr. Marcel took him into surgery a few minutes ago. Scans confirmed the knife hit his spleen,” Maggie explained gently. It was always hard when a first responder was hurt but the entire Med team had soft spots for the firefighters of Firehouse 51. “He’ll be in surgery for a few hours. If you want to move up to the surgical waiting room, I’ll have someone keep you updated.”

“Thanks Maggie.”

 … … …

It was several hours later, long past midnight, when Stella and the others got the news they had been desperately waiting to hear: Severide was out of surgery and would make a full recovery. 

Dr. Marcel had been able to save his spleen but they’d be keeping a close eye on Kelly in the ICU for a few days to make sure no more bleeding occurred. Kelly also had to have several blood transfusions, so he’d be weaker than normal as his body recuperated. 

He’d be off work for a while and would need PT and a lot of rest but he would heal. 

Everyone in the waiting room was relieved, the stress of the night falling off of them. Stella once again had tears streaming down her face only this time, they were tears of joy. 

“Thank you, Dr. Marcel.”

“You’re welcome,” Dr. Marcel said. He hugged Stella briefly then stepped back. “He’s in recovery now but they’ll be moving him to a room soon. Visiting hours are over but we’ll make it so you guys can see him for a minute. Stella, you’ll be able to stay overnight with him but the rest of you should go home and get some sleep.”

There were nods all around. After years as first responders, they were all seasoned pros regarding hospital and visitation guidelines. They were all just grateful they’d be able to see Severide.

Stella was thankful she was automatically given the green light to stay with Kelly in the ICU. She was prepared to do whatever it took to stay with her husband, hospital rules and visiting hours be damned.

… … …

It was a quiet night in Kelly’s ICU room. After seeing Kelly and saying goodbye to Stella, the other members of 51 headed home with the promise of returning later that day. Stella had settled into the chair by Kelly’s bed, grabbed his hand, and waited for him to wake up.

She ended up falling into a fitful sleep, the uncomfortable chair and constant interruptions from medical staff coming in to check on Kelly keeping her from getting more than an hour or so at a time. It certainly didn’t help that every time she closed her eyes, she saw her husband bleeding out in agonizing detail.

Those images were why she forced herself to stay awake, downing cups of crappy hospital coffee to try and avoid that nightmare as long as she could. She’d lived through it once; she didn’t want to experience it again. 

It was, however, because of that very real nightmare and the fear and anxiety surrounding it, that Stella was wide awake when Kelly started moving the hand she was holding.

“Kelly?” Stella’s voice was gentle, but the emotion still rang clear. She stood from her chair to be closer to the bed, still gripping his hand. “You with me?”

The wait seemed painfully slow but eventually Stella was rewarded with the sight of Kelly’s beautiful blue eyes. Stella smiled her first real smile in hours as happy tears filled her eyes. She moved her free hand up to Kelly’s cheek. “There you are. How do you feel?”

Still groggy from a combination of blood loss, anesthesia-induced sleep, and pain meds, all Kelly could do was groan in response to Stella, making her chuckle. “That well, huh?”

“Yeah,” Kelly grumbled, his voice thick from being unused. Stella quickly poured him a cup of water and held the straw to his lips so he could drink. After a few sips, Stella took the cup away to keep him from overdoing it. “Meagan and Ava. Are they okay?”

“They’re fine, babe. You saved them.” Stella tried to keep her voice from cracking but the longer she looked at Kelly she was reminded of what had happened and she couldn’t stop the tears from falling. “You scared the hell out of me. Seeing you like that I thought…. I thought I was going to lose you.”

There wasn’t much Kelly could say because he knew how close he’d come to dying, to leaving Stella behind. Telling her he was okay wasn’t the best bet, given how horrible he felt, so he went in a different direction. “I’m sorry I scared you. I just, I saw that asshole messing with Meagan and Ava and I knew I had to do something. I just thought he was drunk… I didn’t think he’d have a knife.”

“I know.” Stella squeezed his hand. “You’re a good man Kelly Severide and I love you so much but please, don’t get stabbed again.”

“I will try my hardest not to,” Kelly chuckled, but it was quickly cut off by a groan.

Stella rubbed his arm soothingly and hit the call button on the wall behind his bed. He’d been awake long enough without a nurse or doctor coming in to check on him and it was clear to Stella that he needed some pain meds whether he said so or not. She could see it in his eyes.

It didn’t take long for a nurse to enter the room and Dr. Marcel followed soon after. He was pleased with what the monitors were showing and how Kelly’s incision looked. Dr. Marcel wasn’t ready to move him out of the ICU just yet, but things were looking promising. They hooked Kelly up to a pain pump so he could give himself a bolus of pain meds when he needed it.

With pain meds on board, Kelly fell back asleep quickly. Now that she wasn’t crippled with worry, Stella felt lighter. There was still fear and anxiety lurking in the shadows and she was sure the memories of last night would stay with them both for a long time, but Kelly would be okay and they would deal with it together. 

[girlinlotsoffandoms]

day two - “don’t do this”

notes: hi friends and welcome back to febwhump day two! This one is based on season 6 episode 12 because I think the river scene needed a little more whump. Enjoy!

read on AO3 or below

“Come on. Get ready. Count of three.”

“This is insane.”

“Let’s go! One… Two…”

“Damn it, Casey!”

“Three!”

They ran. There was no time to come up with another plan. 

So Kelly followed Casey, running to the edge of the roof and then jumping. 

There was an explosion behind him, a painful, smacking splash in the water, and Kelly knew nothing more.

———————

The atmosphere was tense as the crew of Firehouse 51 watched as Stella and an unconscious Severide were lowered to the ground. Mouch and Cruz moved in to help get Severide safely down and stayed close as Stella unhooked herself from the aerial. 

Everyone moved closer, but no one spoke—they just waited on bated breath for Severide to come to.  

“Severide, can you hear me?” Stella asked from her position on top of him. “Kelly…” 

“Come on, Lieutenant, talk to us!” Joe pled from his position at Severide’s side.        

Casey moved closer to where his best friend was lying—guilt weighing him down more than his soaked turnout gear. It was his idea to jump from the roof and use the river as an escape. He heard the doubt in Severide’s voice as he questioned the plan, but Kelly followed his lead anyway, and now, he was hurt.

Matt paid no attention to what was happening around him, barely acknowledging the blanket being draped across his shoulders. His focus was solely on his motionless friend. 

“Come on, come on,” Casey pleaded quietly.  

When words and touches did nothing to rouse Severide, Stella leaned in closer, and her eyes widened. “He’s not breathing!” 

Gabby and Brett immediately sprang into action, hurrying to Severide’s side and practically shoving Stella and Cruz out of the way. They stayed close by though, too afraid to move any further away.  

Mouch stayed where he was, supporting Severide’s head and neck, as Brett worked around him. She grabbed the Ambu bag from their kit and started bagging Severide, providing him with the oxygen his body needed.

Gabby ripped open his soaked turnout coat and uniform shirt. She slipped her stethoscope into her ears and moved the drum around Severide’s chest, listening to his lungs, while her other hand moved to check his pulse. 

After a few seconds, Gabby’s head snapped up. With wide eyes, she made eye contact with Brett, the hand with her stethoscope paused on Severide’s chest. “No pulse.”

Everything stopped in the second for the men and women of Firehouse 51. The lights and sirens, the hustle and bustle of the scene, had all faded into the background as everyone focused on Severide.

Casey sank to his knees.  

Stella and Cruz shared a look, fear evident in their eyes.

Gabby’s words had incited a deep fear in those gathered around and no one knew what to do. It was a few seconds of stunned silence before everyone sprang back into action.

“Cruz, start compressions!” Gabby ordered, ripping off her stethoscope and moving to grab the AED they kept with their gear.

Joe did as he was told, immediately moving into position and starting CPR. He knew how to do it correctly, they all did, but no amount of training could prepare you for having to do CPR on your teammate and friend.

As Cruz worked his way through the first set of compressions, he paid no attention to Gabby as she stuck the AED pads on Severide’s chest.

The second the first round of compressions was done, Gabby called out “clear!” and Cruz, Mouch, and Brett moved their hands away from Severide’s body.

The AED shocked him once, then gave prompts to continue compressions and breaths. Severide still didn’t have a pulse.

This time Gabby took over compressions and she willed herself to ignore the feeling of Severide’s ribs shifting under her hands.

“Come on Kelly,” she pleaded. “Don’t do this.”

After the second round of compressions, the defibrillator shocked Severide again. His body lurched with the shock, then settled back on the ground. The seconds that followed were tense and the remaining hope that Severide would be ok was almost completely dashed when the AED prompted another round of compressions.

Gabby jumped back into another round of compressions, falling back on her training as tears filled her eyes. A few slid down her cheeks, but she couldn’t (and wouldn’t) risk taking even a second to wipe them away, not when her friend’s life was hanging in the balance.

The second Gabby finished her compressions she hit the button on the AED, signaling it to shock Severide one more time. His body lurched once again and, as Gabby moved back into position, ready to start compressions again, the AED signaled that Severide's heart was beating again.

“We got a pulse!” Brett cried, relieved.

Relief flooded through the rest of the crew as well. Severide was far from out of the woods, but he was alive. Gabby wasn’t the only one with tears in her eyes or streaming down her face. Boden had a hand clasped tightly on one of Casey’s shoulders and Cruz had pulled an emotional Stella into a hug.

The relief didn’t last long as reality came crashing down the second Gabby put her stethoscope back on Severide’s chest.  

“I’m hearing rales and no breath sounds,” Gabby announced as she listened to Severide’s lungs. She shook her head and looked over to Brett. “He’s still not breathing on his own. We need to intubate.”

Brett nodded once and immediately dug into her bag to get the necessary equipment, allowing Gabby to take over pumping the Ambu bag.

Gabby looked to where her teammates were gathered. “Get that stretcher and backboard over here! We need to get him to Med.”

Once Severide had been intubated, getting him secured onto the backboard and loaded into the ambulance didn't take long.

“Casey, go with them. Get checked out.” Boden ordered. “We’ll meet you at Med.”

Casey nodded and hopped in the back of the ambulance, sitting next to Severide but still leaving ample room for Gabby to work.

The ambulance doors shut, someone thumped it a few times as a signal to Brett, and then they were off towards Med, lights, and sirens blaring.

… … …

“Dr. Halstead, Dr. Choi, incoming!”

“What do we got Maggie?” Will asked, slipping gloves on their hands, as he and Ethan hurried to meet the ambulance.

“It’s Severide.”

The two doctors shared a look. They knew this was going to be hard, it always was when a first responder came through the ED. They arrived at the doors just as Gabby and Brett rushed in pushing Severide on the stretcher, Casey following closely behind.

“36-year-old firefighter pulled unconscious from the river after jumping from a roof to escape an explosion.”

“He jumped from a roof?” Will asked as they moved the stretcher into one of the treatment rooms.

“It was my idea,” Casey mustered, guilt clear in his voice.

“He was defibrillated three times and intubated on scene.”  Gabby relayed as Brett continued pumping the bag and breathing for Severide. “GCS 3, bilateral rales, and he’s made no effort to breathe on his own. Spinal precautions were taken once he was out of the water.”

Ethan acknowledged her assessment and then worked with the paramedics, Will, and the few nurses in the room to transfer Severide to their gurney. They carefully moved him off the backboard and handed it back to Gabby before jumping right into their assessment, ordering tests, scans, and bloodwork.

The treatment room was a flurry of activity and for the first few minutes, the medical staff had no time to realize that Brett, Gabby, and Casey were still in the room.

Will was the first to notice they were still there. “We’ve got him, guys.”

When they didn’t move, or even acknowledge him, Will looked to Maggie. “Maggie, get them out of here.”

Maggie gently escorted them out of the treatment room and back into the ED. Brett and Gabby had snapped out of their stupor, but Casey was still staring at the trauma room in front of him. The charge nurse turned her attention towards the Truck Captain and noticed he was soaked. “You jumped in the river too? Do you need to get checked out?”

Maggie’s questions fell on deaf ears; Casey’s attention was elsewhere. Maggie understood and normally she’d let it go but, given how Severide was after his dive in the river, she needed to press to make sure Casey didn’t end up in the same boat.

Maggie put a hand on his shoulder, and he startled. Maggie gave him a small smile. “Kelly’s is in the best possible hands. They’re going to take good care of him so let us take care of you. Do you need to get checked out?”

“No.” “Yes.” Casey and Gabby answered simultaneously.

Casey shot her a glare before turning his attention back to Maggie. “I’m fine.”

“Mhm,” Gabby hummed, rolling her eyes. The PIC looked to Maggie. “Can you get someone to check him out please?”

Maggie nodded, trying to hide a smile, and showed Casey and Gabby to an empty exam room.

Brett let them go, choosing to head out to the waiting room to wait for the rest of 51 to arrive.

… … …

 As soon as the nurse left his treatment room, Casey moved his hands to cover his face. "This is all my fault."

"No, it's not."

"Yes, it is," Matt argued, looking at his wife. "Gabby, it was my idea to jump off the roof into the river. I knew he was hesitant when I told him the plan, but I didn't even give him a chance to argue or come up with a better plan. There wasn’t time – it was either follow me or stay on the roof as it exploded. And now, he's here."

Gabby walked over and put her hands on either side of Matt’s head, making him look at her. “This is NOT your fault, Matt Casey, and as soon as Kelly wakes up, he’ll tell you the same thing. Jumping off the roof was stupid, but it was your only option.”

“What if it wasn’t?!” Matt argued.

Gabby sighed and pulled Casey into a hug. As she comforted her husband, and allowed him a moment to collect himself, Gabby prayed to whatever God was listening that Severide would pull through.

She’d already had to bury her best friend and deal with the crushing guilt when Shay died. Gabby didn’t want Casey to go through that too.

Like Shay, Severide was a big part of the DNA of Firehouse 51. If he didn’t make it through this, he’d leave a hole they’d never be able to fill.  

… … …

Brett was alone in the waiting room, finishing paperwork, when the rest of 51 arrived at Med.  She stood as they approached.

"Any update?" Boden asked for the group.

"Casey's fine," Brett assured them with a small smile. "He's going to be sore for a few days, but he's okay. Gabby’s with him, they'll be out soon."

"And Severide?" Stella asked, hesitantly.

"No word yet. Maggie said she'd update us as soon as she could." Brett’s smile fell. “But he was still unconscious and not breathing on his own when we got here.”

The crew settled in for the wait. Most chose to occupy the chairs in the nearly empty waiting room while Cruz and Stella paced nervously. Boden had stationed himself in the corner, fielding calls from Headquarters.

Gabby and Casey joined them about 10 minutes late and while that lightened the mood a little bit, the worry for Severide still hung over everyone’s head.

It was another 30 minutes before anyone from Severide’s medical team came out with an update. Ethan and Will entered the waiting room to a sea of anxious firefighters. They all stood to meet them.

“How is he?” Casey asked. His voice was anxious and desperate in a way his teammates rarely heard. The Matt Casey they all knew was usually unflappable, but the day’s events had shaken him. It had shaken them all.

“Alive and on his way to the ICU.” Ethan announced. He could see the questions forming on their lips so before they could ask, he continued speaking. “A CT and MRI ruled out any spinal damage, but he does have a serious concussion. He’s passed all cognitive testing so far so there shouldn’t be any long-term effects but he’ll have one hell of a headache for a while.”

“He’s awake?” Stella asked.

“He is, and he’s breathing on his own” Will confirmed, jumping into the conversation. The relief that flooded the room was overwhelming. “We’re going to monitor him closely and we’ve got him on heavy flow oxygen and broad-spectrum antibiotics.”

“We’re hoping to avoid pneumonia, among other things, from the water in his lungs and the bruised ribs so Severide will be working with a respiratory therapist and doing some breathing treatments and he’ll be given oral antibiotics upon discharge.”

“We’re going to keep him here for a few days and he’ll be off work while his body recovers,” Ethan started. “But if he listens to his medical team and does what he’s told, he should be back in action in a couple of weeks.”

“So he’ll be ok?” Casey asked. 

“He’ll be fine though I do recommend he, and the rest of you, avoid jumping off any more buildings,” Ethan quipped, a playful smirk on his face. 

“I second that,” Boden groused. This incident had taken what felt like years off of his life. 

Ethan’s and Boden’s comments made everyone laugh, ridding the last bit of fear from those in the room. Before leaving, Will and Ethan gave the firefighters the green light to go up to the ICU to see Severide.

Boden informed them all that they couldn’t stay long—their shift had ended quite a while ago and third shift was offline while they waited for the trucks to get back.

Arriving outside of Kelly’s room, they were all happy to see him awake. Even though he looked rough with an oxygen mask strapped to his face and he had a horrible cough that they could see physically hurting him, he looked far better than the last time they saw him. They all got to see Kelly with their own eyes and let him know they were all glad he was going to be okay.

After a few minutes, the others filed out of the room until just Casey remained. He stepped closer to the bed but stayed silent. A few awkward minutes of silence passed before Kelly decided to break the ice. “You okay?”

Casey snapped out of whatever stupor he was in and looked at Kelly with a confused face. “Me? I’m fine.”

“Are you sure?” 

Casey nodded but didn’t say anything else for another minute or so. Kelly just waited. It was clear something was bothering his friend, but he didn’t want to push just yet. His patience was rewarded when Casey finally started talking again.

“I’m sorry Kelly.”

Now it was Kelly’s turn to look confused. “About what?” 

“I knew you didn’t like the plan….my plan…to jump into the river but I pushed you to do it anyway.”

Kelly’s face softened. He could feel the guilt radiating from Casey. “We didn’t have a choice, Casey. There wasn’t time to come up with another plan.”

“We had a little bit of time!” Casey started pacing. “We could’ve figured out another way to get off the roof!”

“And we probably would’ve gotten cooked by the explosion.” Kelly tried to reason. He didn’t have the energy to deal with Matt Casey’s guilt complex right now, but he needed his best friend to realize he wasn’t at fault. “It was a crazy plan, but it was a good plan. It was our only plan to get off that roof.”

“You got hurt! God Kelly, you were dead when they pulled you out of the river!”

Kelly sighed. “Things happen Casey, but I’m fine and I’m going to be fine. It’s not your fault.”

Casey stared at Kelly for a long time before his shoulders slumped and he gave a small nod. “I’m still sorry.”

“I know,” Kelly said. “But it’s okay. We’re good.”

[girlinlotsoffandoms]

day three - car accident

notes: hi friends and welcome back for febwhump day three! What better way to ring in day three than by having Squad 3 in a bit of a pickle? This is part one and part two will be posted tomorrow!

read on AO3 or below

It was a stormy morning in Chicago, the clouds looming in the sky above still frighteningly dark, as if the constant rain and thunderstorms that had plagued the city for the past 24 hours had done nothing to ease their burden.    

The men and women of Firehouse 51 were exhausted, having responded to countless car accidents and swift water rescues for those particularly brave (or foolish) drivers who chose not to heed the ‘turn around, don’t drown’ warnings. They were just a few hours shy of finishing their shift and they hoped the lull in the rain would last long enough for them to ride out the rest of their shift at the station and get home safely.   

That hope was shattered, however, as the bells tolled and Squad 3 was called out to yet another water rescue.

It was an easy rescue given the weather and within an hour, Squad 3 was headed back to 51. 

The rain had picked up again and between the downpour and the dark of early morning, visibility was low. The few cars that were out on the streets were driving with extreme care and caution. Even Tony, the experienced engineer he was, had difficulty navigating the city streets.

As they approached an intersection and made their way through, no one saw the delivery truck driving far too fast on the slick road. 

No one saw it blow through the stop sign.

No one saw it coming until it was too late.

The crash was catastrophic. By the time both trucks saw each other, there was nothing either of them could do. The delivery truck plowed into the front passenger side, sending both trucks careening in the intersection. 

The sounds of squealing tires, the sickening crunch of metal, and shattering glass filled the early morning air; a cacophony of harsh, devastating noise. It seemed to drag on for a lifetime, but it was barely more than a minute before all the noise stopped. As quickly as the accident began, it ended with both trucks smoking, Squad 3’s truck on its side, and all occupants unconscious.

… … …

“Truck 81, Engine 51, Ambo 61, Squad 6, Ambo 57, DC 4, auto accident at 16th and Whacker.”

The station erupted to life, each person running out to their respective rigs to get to the scene quickly.

“An entire station plus some for a car accident?” Carver asked from the back of Truck. “Do we know anything else?”

Stella grabbed her radio. “Chief, do we know any details on this accident?”

“Dispatch is still fielding calls from the scene. They’ll relay more information to us once they have it.”

It didn’t take long for them to arrive at the scene but just before they rounded the corner dispatch came across the radio with an update. 

“51 be advised, Squad 3 was involved in the accident.”

A shocked silence filled the trucks. When Squad 3 was not included in dispatch’s call out, they’d all assumed they were still at their earlier rescue. None of them expected them to be the ones in need of rescue.

No one said anything, all their thoughts were on their teammates and friends. They hoped, by some miracle, it was a minor accident with minor injuries but given how many trucks had been called to the scene they suspected that wasn’t the case.

“Oh my god,” Stella said quietly, fear creeping into her every being.

Mouch had just turned the corner and Truck 81 had just gotten their first glimpse of the accident. It looked like a bomb had gone off. Pieces of warped, crushed metal littered the street along with glass from broken windows and windshields and fresh skid marks painted the road. A delivery truck with a crushed front end was smoking but the most alarming sight to them was the familiar Squad truck turned over on its side. 

Before Mouch even parked the truck, Stella was hopping out and rushing towards the involved trucks. She was desperate to get to Kelly and the others. She wasn’t alone in that desperation as the rest of 51 joined her almost immediately.

Squad 6 and Ambo 57 had not yet arrived on the scene, so Herrmann and the Engine crew took off towards the delivery truck. They’d handle the smoke and check out the driver while Truck assessed Squad’s situation.

Stella ran around to the front of the truck and knelt to look through the shattered windshield. It was hard to make anything out through the spiderweb of cracks but she could see movement on the driver’s side. “Capp! Tony! You guys okay?”

“We’re good!” Tony called out. “Some cuts from the glass but nothing major.”

“Capp, what about you?”

“I hit my head when we flipped but other than that and some cuts I’m good!” Capp answered, his voice strong.

“Glad to hear it,” Stella responded, genuinely. “What about Cruz and Severide? How do they look?”

“I’m okay Lieutenant!” Cruz’s voice was laced with pain, but he sounded coherent. “I think my shoulder’s busted.”

“Anything else hurt or feel off?” Stella asked as Brett knelt beside her.

“Maybe a concussion and some bruised ribs.”

“What about Severide? How’s he looking?” The anxiety in Stella’s voice was unmistakable.

“He’s been out the whole time,” Tony started. “The impact was on his side so he got the worst of it. I can see some blood and it looks like he’s stuck.”

“Stuck how?” Stella asked, waving over the Lieutenant from Squad 6 who’d just arrived on the scene.

“The frame of the truck looks like it wrapped around him.”

Stella relayed the information and updates to Lieutenant Hanson, who sent his men to get the tools they’d need. He bent down next to Stella and Brett. “Hang tight guys, we’ll get you out of there soon.”

When the rest of Squad 6 returned, Stella and Brett were forced to move back to give them room. Stella walked over to Boden who had stationed himself between the two trucks.

“How are they?” Boden questioned.

“Capp and Tony seem okay with some minor injuries. Cruz is a bit more banged up—possible broken shoulder, concussion, and bruised ribs.”

“And Severide?”

“Unconscious. Tony said he’s been unresponsive the entire time.” Stella took a shuddering breath. “He thinks he’s stuck in there, trapped under the crushed metal.”

Boden hummed, unable to put his thoughts into words at the moment. He’d spoken with the officers on scene and heard some of the statements from a few witnesses. While Stella’s update had provided some relief from his worry, his anger at the situation was overpowering every other emotion. This accident shouldn’t have happened.

“How’s the other driver?”

“Drunk,” Boden groused. He saw Stella’s eyes widen. “Witnesses say he blew through the stop sign. The paramedics on 57 checked him out and he’s getting a police escort to Med.” 

“Unbelievable.” Stella was beyond angry. Her friends and teammates, and her husband, could’ve died because some idiot decided to drink and drive. Her husband could be seriously injured and the other driver walked away scott-free.

The whirring of equipment and the sound of metal being cut and pried apart pulled Stella out of her thoughts and brought her back to the scene. She and Boden moved closer to where the team was gathered and to where Squad 6 had just opened the roof of Squad 3’s cab.

It took some careful maneuvering but after a few minutes, Capp and Tony were both out and being examined by Brett and Violet. They were cleared of any serious injuries, not even a concussion for Capp, but Boden still radioed dispatch for additional ambulances. Every member of Squad was taking a trip to Med to get checked out.

Getting Cruz out took a bit longer than Capp and Tony due to how smashed his side of the truck was. They also had to be extra careful to not jostle Severide’s seat. By the time Cruz had gotten out, two more ambulances had arrived on the scene. The paramedics from Ambo 21 immediately began treating Cruz while the paramedics from Ambo 37 took over helping Capp and Tony. 

Boden insisted they all head to the hospital and even ordered the paramedics to take them as soon as possible, but Cruz, Capp, and Tony all refused. They wanted to stay until Severide had been freed. “He wouldn’t leave until we were all out so we’re not leaving until he’s out.”

Cruz’s words rang true and Boden found it hard to argue.

… … …

Extracting Severide was an agonizingly slow process. The impact of the crash had folded and crushed the metal around him, creating a cocoon that had to be carefully cut and peeled away. Brett had climbed in and put a C-collar on Severide, taking full spinal precaution since he hadn’t woken up yet. The blood covering nearly half of his face, however, confirmed he was injured so they were working on the assumption he was far more injured than they could see.   

It took 30 minutes to get enough of the metal away so they could move Severide safely. Getting him out of what remained of the truck’s cab and onto a backboard called for great caution. It wasn’t until Severide was fully strapped and secured to the backboard and on his way out of the truck that he started to come to.

First, it was fluttering eyelids, then a quiet groan, then moving fingers which is what got everyone’s attention.

“Hey, I think he’s coming too!” Benson, one of Squad 6’s guys called out as the backboard cleared the wreckage. 

They gently set the backboard on the gurney Brett and Violet brought over. The paramedics immediately began assessing him. He never fully regained consciousness, but his pulse was strong given the circumstances and he was responding to stimuli. That’s as good as things got, unfortunately.

“Decreased breath sounds on the right,” Violet announced, removing the stethoscope from her ears.

Brett turned her pen light off and stuck it back in her pocket. “Right pupil is blown. Let’s get him to Med.”

Brett’s declaration set everyone else in action. Capp and Tony climbed into Ambo 37 under their own power and Cruz was loaded into Ambo 21. Brett and Violet loaded Severide into the back of 61 and allowed Stella to climb in beside him before closing the doors.

Brett sped away from the scene, leading the convoy of ambulances towards Med.   

… … …

As Violet started cutting away Severide’s shirt and jacket to start an IV and hook him up to the monitors, Stella stayed silent. She just sat on the bench on his other side and held his hand. Her fingers played absentmindedly with the black silicone ring on his finger while she stared at his face.

“You think he’s going to be okay?” she asked Violet.

Violet shot her friend a sympathetic smile. “I think he’s a little worse off than Cruz but he’s strong and he’ll pull through.”

Stella nodded and was quiet for a moment. Then, all at once, it was as if everything she’d been bottling up since her talk with Boden erupted. “The other driver? He was drunk…almost three times the legal limit. He blew through the stop sign and the roads were too slick for him to stop in time. He walked away with nothing but a few bumps and bruises! He hurt so many people! Cruz and Kelly are going to be out of work for weeks if not longer all because some idiot wanted to get wasted and get behind the wheel of a truck!”

Violet reached an arm over Severide and placed it on Stella’s arm. “That jackass is going to get what he deserves and Cruz and Severide are going to be fine. You gotta believe that. Focus on that.”

Stella nodded and went back to playing with Kelly’s wedding band.

“Before you know it, all four of the Squad guys will be back at 51 bragging about the shiny new truck they’re gonna have.” Violet added after a minute, trying to get a smile out of her friend.

It worked and Stella chuckled, some of the tension melting off of her shoulders.

Violet was right; Kelly would be fine.

He had to be.

[girlinlotsoffandoms]

loving you is easy - b is for bungalow

Summary: L-O-V-E is easy as A, B, C....especially if you're stellaride

aka 26 chapters of Kelly and Stella loving each other, A to Z

Notes: hi friends! I'm blown away by the response from last chapter! I hope you guys like this one just as much!

Welcome to stellaride's honeymoon do-over!

Read on AO3