A/N: I randomly wanted to write the basic concept of this fic. I just had the urge, like a craving. This will be a multichap, but unlike my last one the chapters will be shorter (which means more chapters). Hopefully, you guys will enjoy this one just as much as the last one!

Happy reading!

angellwings

PS - this fic does involve a character death but not a MAJOR character.

You're Where I'll Be

by angellwings

CHAPTER ONE

"Brett," Boden announces as he marches into the common room.

She glances up from her magazine and starts to stand but Boden holds a hand out to stop her.

"I've worked it out with Kidd. She'll cover ambo for you so feel free to take off a couple of hours early."

She nods but doesn't look excited about it. "Thank you, Chief."

"See you bright and early the next shift," Boden tells her as he walks away.

Sylvie sighs and starts to gather her things. She's just been told she can leave early but she looks as though she's about to suffer through chilli night.

"Everything okay?" Casey asks from where he's pouring himself a fresh cup of coffee.

"Yeah! Sorry, the request should have gone through you but you were off half of a shift and it was last minute so—"

He nods and interrupts her nervous rambling. "That's not what I'm asking. Really, it's fine. But why the last minute request? Are you good?"

"Oh! Yeah, definitely. Just doing a favor I'd rather not do," she answers him with obvious relief, but it doesn't take long for relief to become discomfort. She glances around the room to verify it's just the two of them before continuing. "Do you remember Hope?"

He quirks a brow with an unamused expression — not even bothering to answer her. Hope made sure she was hard to forget so the question is absurd.

"Right, of course you do. Well, she and I sort of talked when I was in Fowlerton. She was dating a firefighter in the house I was working out of and then Kyle—" She stops and huffs. He can see regret reflecting in her eyes and he can't help but feel partly to blame. It was his words that convinced her to go. "You know Kyle. Big on forgiveness. So I tried to patch it up but then...I don't know. It never felt right. The trust is just...gone. But I thought I was going to have to see her everyday so I put on a friendly front and let it go. Only then…"

"Then you left," he finishes for her.

"Exactly, and I assumed I left her there too."

"I'm guessing you assumed wrong?" He asks curiously.

"She's coming into town. Taking a bus. She needs a ride from the bus station to her hotel and I'm the only person she knows in Chicago. Plus, she thinks we're still friends," she explains as she shakes her head at herself. "It felt rude to say no even if I'd rather do anything else. That's dumb, right? To drop everything and do a favor for someone you don't even like? I feel like such a doormat when it comes to Hope."

He picks up his mug and moves over to the table where she's sitting. When he reaches her, he's sure to meet her eyes. "Being a good person doesn't make you a doormat. Plus, you and Hope have a history. That's a hard thing to let go of. No one knows that better than me."

She stands and ends up eye level in front of him. Her eyes are still on his, only now they look tired. He can understand why. "Thank you. I appreciate that, Casey. But I think...I think I've long outgrown Shock-And-Awe, in more ways than one. This should be my last favor for her. From now on, I think—I think she makes her way in the world without me."

He could tell that wasn't an easy thought for her to voice. Even after having said it she looks as though she doubts herself. She mentioned trying to forgive Hope for Kyle and for the first time he wonders if she felt pressured to meet Kyle's expectations of her "goodness" often. He knows Sylvie is a good person but he would never expect her to do something she wasn't comfortable with simply because she's so good. Had the Chaplain supported Sylvie or had he expected her to support him?

"Well, I get it. You've definitely given her enough chances," he says, encouragingly. If Sylvie thinks someone doesn't deserve the benefit of the doubt then they don't. He's certain of that. He lets his serious expression fade and then smiles softly at her. "But I do feel sorry for Hope. A world without Sylvie Brett sounds pretty dull to me."

Her exhaustion turns into pleased elation as a bright smile blooms on her face. Her chest puffs out slightly with pride and he swallows down a laugh. She's cute. She's always been cute.

"Why, thank you, Matt Casey. That feeling is definitely mutual," she replies, squeezing his arm as she breezes by him to make her way to the door. "Thanks for the talk. I'll see you next shift."

They trade friendly waves as she walks off toward the locker room. Before she left for Fowlerton, they talked like that more often. He misses that. But spending time with Sylvie leads to confusing feelings that he's been trying to avoid, especially after his relapse with Gabby. Getting over Gabby the first time around was hard, but falling backwards and having to recover ground was frustrating in addition to being difficult. He needs to get his own head straight before letting himself go down that road with Sylvie again. Sometimes he thinks he's there but then other times his mind overrules his gut and he worries about ruining their friendship and working relationship. So, lately, he's just been not thinking about it. It's the safer option for both of them.

Besides, he's sure she's still getting over Kyle too. And that's fine — to be expected, actually. There's no rush. They've got plenty of time. Or at least that's what he tells himself every time he forces away a not-so-platonic thought about Sylvie Brett. Just like he's going to do now.

He dives back in to incident reports and personnel requests and let's the job distract him from his emotions. It's probably better that way.

Nearly an hour later, they get a call about a vehicle accident and take off to the location. When they arrive they find a silver sedan pinned between a large SUV and the guardrail. It doesn't look as bad as it had the potential to be but it's still gruesome.

It's not until he steps toward the cars that his heart plummets. He knows that car. He's seen that car parked outside of the firehouse and Molly's hundreds of times.

"Cruz!" Casey yells, his voice breaking.

When Cruz looks his way he nods toward the car. Joe recognizes it as easily as he does. "Holy shit. Casey, that's—"

Once he has confirmation of his fears, the world goes red. Anger, panic, fear. He doesn't let Cruz finish his sentence.

"Brett!" He takes off toward the silver sedan, hops the guardrail, and approaches the driver's side — Cruz hot on his heels.

His chest feels like it's in a vice at the sight of her. Her head is back against the headrest instead of slammed against the steering wheel. That's a positive sign. But she's still out cold, covered in glass. There are tiny laceration littered over her face and arms. He pokes his head in the window and one glance is enough to tell him she's pinned into the seat by the steering column.

His eyes haven't quite made it to the passenger side yet, but he knows there's someone else in the car with her.

"Captain," Joe says somberly. He squeezes Casey's shoulder and then nods to the other seat. "It's Hope."

He tears his eyes away from Brett to find Hope, twisted and broken. It'll be a miracle if she still has a pulse.

"Shit," he mutters under his breath. He looks over the top of the sedan to Hermann as he checks the SUV. "Where's the driver?"

"Bailed!" Hermann yells. "Driver hit them in a much larger car with the center of the bumper. Probably got away with barely a scratch."

"Haul it off!" Casey orders. "Get the jaws, get the passenger door open, and get Hope out!"

"What about Brett?" Kidd asks, brows creased in worry.

"She looks okay, but she's unconscious and pinned. We need to get Hope out to get to her!" Cruz replies. "I'll get the jaws."

"Capp, put a chain on the SUV and tow it!" Casey demands. "Let's go!"

Cruz leaves but Casey can't. He doesn't want to leave her alone like this. It doesn't feel right. He's not sure how long he's been standing there, staring at Sylvie, but it must be long enough for people to notice. He can hear Boden calling for him.

"Captain Casey," Boden says sternly. "Focus up! You can't help Brett from that side of the rail!"

He knows that. He should know that. The rail blocks the door and the way she's pinned would prevent him pulling her through the busted window, but his feet won't move.

"Casey!" Boden tries again.

He swallows and it feels like sandpaper but the fog clears ever so slightly. She's not dead. She's not seriously injured, but the longer she stays in that car the riskier the circumstances become. Pull it together, Casey.

"Alright!" He yells as he stands to his full height and forces his eyes away from her. "Foster! Kidd! Be ready with a backboard!"

He jumps the rail as Capp finishes chaining the SUV to the truck. He pulls it out of the way and then Cruz and Hermann rush in with the jaws. The door is forced open and then immediately falls off. It was bent in almost a perfect horseshoe shape and barely clinging to the car by its hinges.

Foster approaches and checks Hope's pulse with a gloved hand. She glances over at Casey with a shake of her head.

"Nothing," she states. "She's gone. Body temp has dropped too. They may have been here a while."

"Get her out," Casey instructs. "Clear the seat. Brett's living. Focus on her."

They get Hope secured on a backboard and walk her toward the stretcher. The minute her body's clear, Gallo calls out from the back of the sedan.

"We got a leak, Captain!"

The pressure that's been sitting on his chest since he recognized Sylvie's car turns into a throbbing ache that travels all over his body.

"Get back!" Boden yells. "Get clear!"

Are they fucking kidding? They can't leave Brett when the car might spark any second!

"Casey!" Boden yells as everyone else clears scene. "That includes you!"

Like hell it does.

Before he has a chance to be talked out of it, he jumps into the mangled passenger seat. He thinks he hears Boden curse but he doesn't care. It's Sylvie. He will not lose her like this. Not to a hit and run and a gas leak. No fucking way. He needs to move the seat back or the steering column up. Her chest is rising and falling, he doesn't see any major gashes or breaks. If he can get her out of the car before it goes up then she'll be fine.

She has to be.

He reaches over her prone body and uses all the strength he has to push the locked wheel upward. It frees her just enough to pull her out with minimal risk of further injury. Mercifully, the seatbelt isn't jammed and it lets go quickly.

"I need a handoff!" Casey calls out.

He waits until his men show up at the door to lift Brett from the seat as gently as possible. When he pulls her out, he can see a large gushing slice on her right thigh and open gash just below her left knee. Both are injuries from being crushed under the steering wheel, but he knows it could have been much worse. Still could be if this hand off doesn't happen fast.

Joe is the first at the passenger side door. He grabs Brett under her arms while Hermann, Ritter, Mouch and Capp flank her sides. They move carefully, leaving him to wait for them to clear out before he can crawl out too.

Just as Brett is clear of danger, he hears Gallo yell that the car has sparked. Shit. Casey hauls ass to get free from the car and then launches himself the necessary number of feet away. A split second after he hits the pavement the car bursts into flames.

If he'd waited like he'd been ordered, Sylvie would have been trapped inside that vehicle when it lit up.

He hears the ambo doors close and turns to find it speeding away from the scene, with Sylvie Brett inside. His focus evaporates pretty quickly after that. He feels a hand on his shoulder and turns to find Boden giving him a knowing and sympathetic look. He tosses him a set of keys which Casey barely catches.

"Take my buggy and go to Med," he instructs. "I'll stay here and supervise clean up."

Casey hesitates because he feels like he shouldn't be this affected by what just happened. Sylvie will most likely be fine and Foster and Kidd are with her. With any other member of his crew he'd stay and go to Med after, but...this isn't any other member of his crew.

"Thanks, Chief," Casey says with a thick swallow. And just like that, accident clean up is forgotten. He has more important things to focus on right now.