I thought of this story a while back when I heard about the 19 Hotshots (elite firemen) who died fighting a wildfire in Arizona. The story was such a tragic one, it really stuck with me. I could picture Kelly joining such an elite group of firefighters, and came up with this. Hope you enjoy.

Kelly hadn't heard from Dave Bloom in… what? Maybe a month now. He'd been in almost constant contact when the old firefighter returned to Denver for a stint in rehab. He listened to his new friend recount all of the steps he was goin' through, all about the assholes he had to listen to...then the stories took a turn and the assholes weren't so bad. By the time he checked out, they were his friends who were gonna help him stay clean. The calls went from every week to once every couple of weeks. Now, it had been a month. A good sign he was returning to his life.

Bloom was back at his old firehouse, 15, in Denver after a long struggle with the dark side. He was on light duty, probably never be back without restrictions, but he was good with the situation. It was a helluva lot better than where he was.

Bloom's lieutenant on squad at 15, Jim Ellis, was one of the guys Kelly flew to Chicago to talk the hurt fireman "off the ledge." He was the one with a new baby, one of the guys Bloom had to fight off from returning into a burning building to try to save ten trapped fireman. Ten brothers who'd died, leaving a heavy weight for the old guy. Bloom went on a downward spiral of prescription drug addiction and self-hatred that Severide recognized. He'd seen it in himself a year earlier. Jim and his men accepted part of the responsibility for Bloom's descent, but they were also taking responsibility for his rise from the ashes.

Jim and Kelly became fast friends...both sharing a love of squad, of the rush of saving lives, of kicking ass on the job. Bravado was both their middle names. They also had a loyalty and sense of honor to those they loved. The two had only met the once in the Bloom intervention, but phone conversations bonded them as brothers in fire fighting.

"The old guy's doin' great," said Jim. "Lost about twenty pounds. Hell, he's probably gunnin' for my job next."

Kelly laughed, thinking about a skinny Bloom. Yeah, he'd have to see that one.

"Hey, I've been meaning to ask you about the wildfires. Are they gettin' a handle on 'em? Is 15 pitching in?"

Record high temperatures were sparking a number of wildfires throughout the state. The Black Forest fires near Colorado Springs had engulfed over 2,000 acres in a matter of weeks becoming the talk of every fire house in the country.

"We've got a bunch of wildfire teams fightin' the bitch, and Hotshots from all over the country are coming in every day. We'll tame her."

"So you don't see any action? I thought maybe you guys were helpin' out." Kelly had seen the news stories and it was unreal. Acres gone, houses destroyed.

"We got our hands full in the city..enough idiots tryin' to burn their houses down with barbecue pits, turkey fryers, all the usual suspects," Jim laughed. "Good buddy of mine is with the Hotshots out of Cali and he just arrived. He called me the other night...damn, the conditions are unreal." Jim paused before continuing. "No, but they'll get a handle on 'em."

When Kelly hung up, he was thinking of the Hotshots, that elite group of fire fighters specializing in wildfire suppression. Jim had described them as "squad on steroids." Kelly laughed at the description. They sounded like a rowdy bunch, a group of badasses...guys you could look up to, guys who could be counted on, guys you'd be lucky to meet.

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No calls for squad that night at 51, just a whole lotta card playing and ball busting. Truck went out on a small grease fire...Shay and Dawson had one run, attempted suicide. The despondent girl tried to OD on Vitamin C, not very successful.

Severide's thoughts were heavy on his fellow firefighters in Colorado. Every time he watched the national news, there was another story about the out of control blazes engulfing acre after acre and house after house.

Kelly spoke to Jim a week later… and things had changed. Drastically.

"I'm joining my friend, Trey, and his unit. They're gettin' their asses kicked. More units are comin' in every day, but these fires aren't givin' up." Jim told of how his in-laws house in Colorado Springs was swallowed by the flames and that was his wake up call.

"I can't sit back and do nothin'. Gina's not happy, but she gets it. She does."

Kelly wasn't sure who he was tryin' to convince with that last statement.

"Well, I wish you luck, buddy. Keep in touch, and I'll be thinkin' about you."

"Hey, we can always use another warm body," added Jim before hanging up. "You're kinda made for this...quick thinker, good ideas, no fear."

"Yeah, all my years in Chi Town make me really qualified for your group of firefighting Seals," joked Kelly hoping to lighten the mood. A husband, father, friend was risking his life… no laughing matter. "Take care," said Kelly before hanging up, his one thought of the baby Jim was leaving behind. Hopefully, just for a few weeks.

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Kelly didn't hear from Jim for two weeks. His friend called on a two day break from the Hotshots. His tales of battling the giant wildfire sounded more like stories from a war zone. They were unreal… and Severide couldn't get enough.

At the tail end of the conversation, Kelly asked, "Were you serious when you said you could use a guy like me?"

"Hell yeah, but are you serious?"

"Hell yeah," answered 51's lieutenant.

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"You don't know anything about this, Kelly," reasoned Shay not believing what had just come out of her best friend's mouth. Some nonsense about Hotshots, and wildfires, and Colorado. At that moment, she wished Dave Bloom had never drunk stumbled into their lives.

"Fire's fire, right? Besides, Jim asked if I'd come help out. Can't really say no." Kelly responded.

"I know that every macho bone in your body is telling you yes, but I'm saying no." Shay's mouth set in a grim line, eyes flashing with anger now.

"Hey now. C'mon, Shay. I know you're worried, but nothing's gonna happen." Kelly tried to pull her over in a hug playfully, but she was having none of it.

"Kelly. They have their own people. I am asking you as your best friend not to do this." The pleading in the blonde's voice was unmistakable.

"I gotta go. I already told Jim I'd do it."

"Well, there's nothing more for me to say, is there?" Shay walked out of his quarters obviously pissed.

She'll come around, thought Kelly. I'll make her come 'round.

She didn't go to the farewell sendoff at Molly's, she didn't take him to the airport, and she didn't respond to his "I'll miss you" text. This 'comin around' was gonna be a lot harder than he thought.

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"Shay's not takin' this well," Kelly complained to Gabby on his way to catch his flight.

"You think?" answered Dawson with a small smile.

"You'd think I joined the damn army, or the circus, or somethin'. It's three weeks. That's it. Just three weeks out of my life."

"She's worried. She loves you. We all love you," Dawson explained without really having to. "A lot can happen in three weeks," she added.

"Just take care of her, okay. Take her out, keep her busy, get her drunk," he laughed. "Don't let her worry too much."

"You got it. But you do something for me. Come back in one piece. Deal?"

"Deal."

More soon with Kelly in the thick of it, fighting the "bitch" alongside Jim in Colorado. Hope you like it!