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Chapter Text

Monday September,22,2014

Stepping out of the airport terminal Matthew Casey looked around the airport parking lot for the pair of blue eyes and blonde hair, when he locks eyes with her he started walking toward each other. 

"Long time no see stranger" he says as they come to a stop a few feet from each other. 

"Well, if you'd you visited more than once a year it wouldn't be such a long time Mr.L.A. Fire Captain. the women says

"Good to see you to Christie"

"You too baby brother"

"Really, still calling me that"

"Yep" she says popping the 'p'. "Speaking of baby, where is she" she says looking around.

"She's still in L.A., she'll be here this weekend i'm closing on a house on wednesday"

"Yeah, well i miss her" even though they facetimed yesterday morning.

"Don't worry i'll make sure she sees you and Violet first" he says chuckling.

"When do you start working"

"Tomorrow, so can we go its getting late, and i got to get their early"

they start walking to christie's car

"Sure, Violets with Jim tonight, but she'll be home tomorrow and wednesday"

"I thought you were going to get full custody" he asked sounding surprised.

"I was but didn't want to out violet through that"

Matt nods at her understandingly, then decides to change the subject.

"So you want me to drive i maybe tired but i can drive" he said while trying to take her keys, but ends up having them snatched back.

"Nope, i'm no getting into a wreck because you fell asleep at the wheel"

"Ok, fine but lets go, i'm tired and i got to be there early tomorrow" he say trying but failing the stiffle a yawn.

They get to her car and she says "ok, lets go" while she gets in the driver side while he gets into the passenger side.

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The drive to her house was a smooth ten minutes, when she parks outside her house Matt looks at her, shocked.

"I thought you didn't want to buy a another house"

"Well i bought because the neighborhood and plus for you there's this cute girl that lives next door to me" Christie says with a little smile.

They get out of her car and walk to her house.

"Christie"

"What, i'm just saying"

"Hey Christie" a voice calls from down the sidewalk.

When they look down the sidewalk they see a petite blonde walking towards them.

"Hey Sylvie" Christie says happily.

"Hey" she hugs her. "who's this" she says while backing away from the hug.

"Sylvie this is my brother Matt, Matt this is Sylvie"she introduced them.

"Hello, Brett" he says, they look him confused.

"Sorry i'm not used to saying surnames,i'm a fire fighter"

"Oh, really i'm a paramedic, actually starting tomorrow"

"Ah, funny me to, i'm starting as Captain of firehouse 51 tomorrow"

"You know what firehouse your starting out" he asks

"Nope, manpower said they'll call me tomorrow morning, with the firehouse location"

"Ah well good luck with that" 

"Well thank you"

They stare into each others eyes, until trance is broken by a cough from Christie.

"I'm going to go to bed" she looks to Matt "There is spare sheets in the hall closet" then turns and starts walking to her house.

"Uh, yeah me to i got to get up early tomorrow' he starts walking behind christie, as he gets to her front porch he turns around and says " good luck with tomorrow, goodnight"

"Goodnight" Sylvie turns to go back to her house with a big smile on her face.

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In Christie's living room christie is giving Matt a knowing look

"Stop it, christie remember i have Cameron to worry about"

"I know but, i'm just saying" she shrugs and starts to walk to her bedroom "Goodnight" she says from her bedroom door.

"Goodnight" Matt says and starts making a make shift bed on the couch.

As soon as his head hits the pillow he's out like a light, thinking about one thing he has to make a better life for him and Cameron in Chicago.

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Tuesday September,23,2014

He woke up feeling less nervous about today, more excited actually, but still nervous. so he decide to skip breakfast, just showered and ran out the door using christie's car, cause she said she didn't need it until Wednseday, and drove to the fire house.

Stepping out of christie's car, taking a deep breath, he started walking towards the house, when he got the apperatus floor,he was met with men standing by behind a SCBA air pack refiller.

"Hello i'm Matt Casey, i'm looking for Chief Boden"he said looking between the two men.

"Ah yes, through those double doors take a left,then a right, then down the hall another left, and he's in that office you first see" One of the men said.

"Thank you" Matt said, then went the way the man said, when he got to the office he saw three silhouettes in the office, he knocked

"Come in" he heard a deep, raspy voice say, and he walked.

"Chief Boden"

"Yes and you are"

"Matthew Casey"

"Ah, the new captain on truck" Boden said with a small smile.

"Yes sir"

Then there's a cough signaling the other two people in the room.

"Ah sorry, this is Engine lieutenant Craig Johnson" he shook his hand. "And this is P.I.C Gabriela Dawson" he shook her hand.

"Good to meet you both"

Matt sees Boden looking over his him, when he sees who's it was his heart started beating fast.

"Ah, and you must be the new paramedic, Sylvie Brett"

"Yes sir i am"

"Again, Craig Johnson of Engine 51, and Gabreila Dawson P.I.C, and Captain Matthew Casey of Truck 81"

"Good to meet you Johnson, and Dawson" she says shaking their hands " and you too Casey" she says trying to stead her voice and heart rate.

"Ok, lets go meet the rest of the crew at morning breif" says Boden while walking out of the room.

Chapter Text

Walking towards the briefing room, Matt keeps looking at Sylvie, out of pure shock and delight and if he was he did actually feel something for her, but just like he told Christie, he can't lose focus on what he came here to do, which is to forget about the things that happened in California, but he's not getting into his head now, ha has a firehouse to be introduced to.

Walking into the briefing room all eyes turned to the two new people.

"All right everybody listen up this is Captain Matthew Casey, and Paramedic Sylvie Brett, as you all know six weeks ago we lost both Paramedic Leslie Shay and Lieutenant Andy Darden, and i know we've been hesitant about replacing them, these two are to stay, is that understood?.

"Yes sir's" were echoed around the room, then a greyish-blonde haired man stood.

"On behave of the rest of 51 i welcome you"

"Thank you, Herrman" Boden says then turns to us."You can find your seats, now." Sylvie and i walk to table in the back of the room and sit down.

Morning briefing was the basic checklists Maintnence on the rigs, chores, who has the honor to cook that shift, and basic house grooming stuff.

When the briefing was done, Boden turned to me saying." Captain, take your crew to the apperatus floor and get proper introductions"

"Yes chief, all right 81 out on the apperatus floor" using my captains voice, but not too authoritic.

When we get to the floor they line up in a line.

"Ok, first of all if you got a specific skill your good with let me know i don't want you out of your comfort zone on a scene" when i see them nod i continue. "Ok first of all i see a turnout coat with the name 'mouch' first of all why 'mouch' and second what does it mean?"

One of the older men chuckled, then elaborated. "Hi i'm Randall Mcholland, but they call me mouch cause i like the couch"

I chuckle."Ok mouch, who's next?" I look to the rest of them.

"Hi i'm Joe Cruz i'm the driver of truck" I nod to him.

"And i'm Brain Zvonecek, but they call me otis" I raise my hand to signal him to stop.

"Let me guess your our elevator wiz?" I ask.

"Yep that's me" Otis said.

"Ok so its Cruz, Mouch, Herrman, and Otis" I confirm and go a 'yes' from all of them.

"Ok i guess do what you would do on a normal day"

I walk back into the common room, and go get my bags out of the chiefs office and ask him where my quarters is and my locker, he tells me where they are and i go to put my stuff up. i'm walking out of my new quarters when Dawson stops me.

"Hey captain?" she says flirtingly

"Yes, P.I.C Dawson" already knowing where this is going.

Before she can say anything Cruz come into the bunk room.

"Captain truck needs a top up"

"Ok coming" I say slipping between Dawson and my quarters door way.

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Where almost done fueling up when truck 66 pulls into the next pump.

"Uh oh" Otis says.

"Whats up?" I ask. 

"Ah, Captain Welch uh lets just say he's a dickhead" Hermann says

Before i have chance to respond, Welch comes up and stares straight at me."Well well look what we have here, never thought i see your face again"

Everybody on truck 81 looks at me surprised, i smirk saying."Yeah, last time it was Baghdad" I look to my crew, they still have a look of surprise on their faces.

Before anybody has a chance to respond our radios go off."Truck 81, Truck 66, Squad 3, Ambo 61 house fire"

"First truck on scene gets comand" hermann yells as he gets in the truck.

We dart towards the truck, while doing that i tell Cruz."I don't want to get there behind these guys"

"Don't worry captain, i got it" Cruz says while getting into the truck.

We all get in the truck and start responding to the scene, cutting off truck 66 in the process.

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Truck 81 gets on scene first, beating truck 66, by a few seconds, and start directing the rest of the units.

"Truck 66 your R.I.T, and traffic control, Mouch with me primary search on the first floor, Otis, Cruz take the second"

When we walk up to the house, a women comes out saying her son is still in the house, when i ask her if anyone, beside her son, is inside she says no, when we go inside Otis and Cruz got to the second floor, and Hermann and Mouch search on the first floor, while i go to basement.

I get to the basement and find the son on the floor, coughing, i go to him, and that when the stairs give out.

"shit, i need assistance in the basement, i got a victim down her-" I say into my radio getting cutoff by the victim pulling on me.

"Help me, i can't breath" he says coughing.

"Its okay were going to get you out of here" I reasure him.

Truck 81 and 66 get him out and into the hands of the medical team, when the man starts coughing hard again.

"Sir, slow deep breaths, ok i need you to breath" Brett says trying to calm the man.

"Alright, pass me the kit" Dawson says, Sylvie hands her the kit."Ok do you know how to intubate a burn victim?"

Brett shakes heard."I do, but didn't have tim-"Brett gets cut off by Dawson.

"Watch" Dawson shows her how to do it and explains everything, she finishes and they start to load up the paitent.

"Can i drive?" Brett asks excitedly.

"If you can't intubate a burn victim, why should i trust you to drive the rig" Dawson says rudly, a remark that dosen't go missed by Boden and Casey.

When ambo drive off all of 81 and 66 are resting after they did their last searches, when welch makes a nasty remark.

"Case, good thing history didn't repeat its self today, don't want a repeat of when the two member of your team came to save you, and you got them killed" Thats when i through my water bottle at him, both the crews of 81 and 66 had to hold us both back, when boden comes over.

"THATS ENOUGH" Boden shouts."both of you pack up your trucks and return to your quarters" he looks to me."when i get back to the house, i want to see you in my office"

"Yes Chief" I say as i get into the truck.

When we get to the station, i storm into the bunkroom, not noticing that Brett and Dawson have returned from med.

"You alright?" i hear Sylvie say, i see them sitting on theirs bunks.

"Yeah" i lie "all good" then i hear someone running towards me, when i look to my left i see her.

"Huh, Cameron. What are you donig here?" i say surprised picking her up.

"We came see you da da" she says, for a two year old she got a good vocabulary, and causing gasps from Brett and Dawson.

"She said she wanted to visit you" Christie says, walking form the briefing room and waves to sylvie who waves back.

"Can you give us a minute please?" i say to christie, who winks at me and walks back into the common room.

I walk over to Brett and Dawson, and sit on the bunk next to Sylvie, who stares at me amazed.

"Brett and Dawson this is Cameron, Cameron these are my friends Sylvie and Gabriela, can you say hi?"

"Hi"she says shyly, while digging her face into my neck.

"Captain. Chief wants to see you" Otis says when walks past us on the way to the locker room.

"ok, thank you" i look to Sylvie."Hey can you watch her for a second?"

"Sure" she says 

"Cami, can you stay with my friend Sylvie for second?" i ask her.

"Were going da da?" she asks 

"Daddys gotta go get yelled at by his boss" i say as i poke her in her side, causing her to giggle.

"k" she says looking at Sylvie, then to me then 'whispers' into my ear."she petty da da"

I look to Cameron, to Sylvie, the to Cameron again, then 'whispers' to Cameron."Yeah. She is pretty" then i raise my voice to full volume."Ok, i got to go, be good for Sylvie" I put Cameron on Sylvies bunk, then start walking the Bodens office.

Chapter Text

/>I was a lot more nervous standing in front of Boden's office, than walking to it, but that could be because i'm about to tell him something that's part of the reason that made me move from Los Angeles to Chicago, and i'm hoping after this he will trust me to lead my team in safely into a fire ground, but never mind that.

"Any reason why my brand new Truck Captain already has beef with another Truck Captain?" Boden asks, when i step into his office.

"Chief i so-" I start to say, but get cutoff.

"I mean how Captain? I don't know how they did it in the LAFD but that's not how we do it in the CFD."

"WELCH AND I HAVE A PAST OK!!" I instantly regret snapping/yelling at my senior officer, i pause to calm myself, then continue.

"Chief i'm about to tell you one of the reasons why i moved here." I motion for him to sit down, when he does i continue.

"Chief i joined the Marines when i was 18 after i graduated high school, i was with the 12th Marine regiment, 3rd Marine division, i served 3 tours, on my last tour we were doing a regular patrol when we uh." I pause, remembering all the events that occured on that day."We were clearing a house when i fell through a trapdoor in the floor, two members of my team repelled down to get me, they sent me up first when i got to ground floor with the rest of my team, when we heard shots ring out from the hole i just came from, we looked down to see both members on the ground retilled with bullets." I pause again to regain my emotions.

"It took us 2 hours to get them out, and on a medivac, to the base were they were prenounced dead. When word about what happened got out, my team at 134 didn't trust me and so i moved out here.

"Captain."Boden say with a sympathetic look but i couldn't hear what he had to say.

"Can i be excused?"

"Your excused Captain."

I get up and walk out of his office to my quarters where i see Christie sitting on my bunk.

"I thought she was coming on Wednesday?" She asks from my bunk.

"Nah i wanted you two to have the whole day before we move into the new house." I explain. I asked Mrs.Turner to bring her a day early."

"Ah well im going to go home, its almost her nap time right?" 

"Yeah, good thing." I give her a hug when goes to get out of my office to get cameron, and go home, when i whisper.'i'll think about it' with a wink.

"You better." She walks off to get Cameron, then walks out to her uber.

The rest of shift was uneventful and luckly enough we were able to get out on time. When i got to Christies house Cameron was taking her early afternoon nap.

"Hey Matt when are you going to get the keys to the house?" Christie asks me when i got out of the shower that afternoon.

"Already got them, here you go." I throw here the key extra key. "Thats why i was late this morning."

"And tomorrow im going to the Ford dealership to get a new truck, cause i need one and cause your car sucks.

After i went to the dealership, purchasing a new Matallic grey Ford F250, i went to go pick up cameron and stuff for the new house.

Ok i say new house but its really a condo like house. It was a decent size a two bed, one bath, a decent size kitchen and family space.

Later that night i'm sitting with Cameron at the dining room table.

"Hey monkey? you want to sleep in your new big girl bed tonight." I ask her.

"No. I seep you dada." She has a attitude of a freaking 10yr old.

"Ok. Finish your dinner and we can go to bed."

When she finishes her dinner, i help her brush her teeth after thats done we get into bed with me on my back and her on my chest, cause its been her favorite spot to fall asleep ever since i brought her home when she was a baby. I fall asleep hearing her soft small breaths against my ear.

Buzzing. Buzzing. What is that Buzzing. Crap. My phone. Why did i turn it on silent mode, oh yeah so it didn't wake Cameron. How in the hell did she get her feet in my face?

Buzz. Buzz. Buzz.

I pick up my phone from my night stand, and answer it.

"Hello?" My voice groggly.

"Matt!" Christies panic in her voice cause me to shoot straight up, careful not to wake Cameron.

"Christie? Whats wrong? What happened?"

"Matt! Sylvies house was broken into. she said she chased a guy out of the house, but doesn't know if there's anybody else in the house. Could you come over and check it out."

Yeah. Let me get Cameron ready and i'll be right over."

"Ok, thank you." She says, then hangs up. I get out of bed and go to camerons room to get her shoes. After getting her shoes on i go to my night stand and get my gun and holster and attach it to my belt.

I picked up Cameron, who's still sleeping, and carry her to my truck and buckle her into her car seat.

***

Getting to Christie's house, i park my truck going to the back seat getting Cameron, who's still sleeping, i walk up to Christie's front door. I knock.

"Hey thanks for coming so late Matt." she says when she opens the door.

"No problem." I look around the living room. "Where's Sylvie."

"Right here." I hear coming from the kitchen.

"Hey, uh you want to come with me or stay here with Christie and Cami?"

"Uh, i'll come with you."

"You sure, i can go by myself."

"Yeah, i'm sure."

I set Cameron on the couch, and walk to Sylvie's house. We get to here front door, when we hear something fall in her house, i pull out my gun.

"Stay close to me no matter what." She nods, and we enter her house.

After clearing her house, we come to the conclusion that a picture fell off her wall, with a very familiar face on it.

Getting Cameron into my truck. I start to get in when i hear Sylvie.

"Hey Matt can i ask you a question?" She asks biting her lip nervously.

I nod.

"Would you like to got to dinner with me tomorrow, after shift?"

"Sure i would love that, I'll have to have Chris watch Camer-." I'm cutoff by Christie shouting.

"If it means that you two go out on a date, HELL YES!!!."