History

Congratulations

(3 months later)
"Hey what are you doing?" Skylar asked after knocking on my bedroom door.
"Oh I'm getting ready to go back to work today." She nodded.
"When's the babysitter coming?" She asked.
I checked the time on my watch.
"She should be here soon." We heard a doorbell ring.
"I'll get it." I nodded.
Since Shay is still a newborn we have our old babysitter Kelsey watching her.
"Sophia! Kelseys here!" Skylar yelled up the stairs. I grabbed my bag and went downstairs.
I saw Jay filling his cup up with coffee.
"I'm leaving. Bye kids. Ben behave." I kissed Jay on the cheek.
"Love you bye!"
"Love you!" He responded. I went out to my car. I drove to the firehouse.
"Hey!" Gabby said basically knocking me over when she hugged me.
"Dude I've seen you, since I gave birth." I said with a laugh.
"Speaking of how's the baby?" Grace said coming up to me.
"She's great, how's your leg?"
"Good as new."
"That's great, where's Kelly?"
"He's in the chiefs office." I nodded and went to Bodens office. I walked in and saw Matt sitting in the chiefs desk.
"Where's Boden?"
"He's being investigated for something." Kelly answered.
"What!" I exclaimed.
"Yeah, he made Matt temporary chief."
"Wait, so does that mean there's no captain or lieutenant on truck?" I asked.
"Actually, Boden wanted me to ask you if you wanted the job?Permanently" Matt asked me.
"He knows you passed your lieutenants test awhile ago so. In fact I suggested it to him."  He added.
"Yes! I would love the job. Thank you Casey."
"Anytime, your a good firefighter you deserve it." I smiled end went to walk out but I heard the bells go off.
"Apartment fire. Truck 81, squad 3, battalion 25, ambulance 61."
"Come on lieutenant." Kelly said. I smiled to myself and followed him out to the rigs.
"So lieutenant now?" Stella asked as I got into the rig next to her.
"Yes. Lieutenant Sophia Halstead, has a nice ring to it." I said with a smile.
"Don't let it get to your head."
"Oh I already did." She laughed as we pulled up to the scene. I saw there was two other fire trucks there.
"What do we got?" Matt asked the other chief who was at the scene.
"Fire is contained on the second floor."
He nodded.
"Alright truck help evacuate the building, squad search and rescue."
"Alright you heard him. Come on." I said leading truck into the building.
"Stella, Gallo come with me, we'll help squad with search and rescue."
They put their masks on and followed me up to the second floor.
"Fire department call out!"
"Fire department!"
I knocked on one of the doors, but I heard a strange noise. I noticed it was a furnace about to blow.
"All units get out of the building now! There's a furnace in the 3rd apartment on the second floor. It's about to blow!" I said into my radio.
"Come on!" I said motioning for Gallo and Kidd to follow me. Everyone got out safely thankfully. I was helping put away equipment when someone came up to me.
"Excuse me, lieutenant?" I'm never gonna get tired of hearing that.
"Yeah?" I asked turning around.
"Chief Riley. Firehouse 34." He said introducing himself.
"Lieutenant Sophia Halstead."
I said shaking his hand.
"Halstead? Are you related to the doctor?"
I nodded.
"He's my brother in law."
"He's a great guy. Stitched up a couple of my men before." Chief Riley explained.
I nodded.
"Anyway, you showed great potential today. Your the reason my men are even still alive. Thank you."
"I was just doing my job."
"Well you do your job very well. You know I've heard about you before."
"Good things I hope."
"Definitely good things. I've talked to every chief you've worked for, all of them have said your one of their best firefighters, and your so young. How old are you?"
"I'm 30."
"Your probably the youngest female I've ever seen become a lieutenant in the C.F.D."
"I'm proud to hold that title."
"Well, lieutenant I don't want to take anymore of your time, but I did want to give you this." He handed me a card with his name and his number.
"If you ever want a new opportunity call the number. You take the job offer I can guarantee you a captains job."
"Thank you for the offer. I really appreciate it."
"Halstead come on!" I heard Gallo yell.
"I gotta go, it was nice meeting you though."
"You too." I ran over to the rig and got in so we could drive back.
I was sitting at the squad table with Kelly, Cruz, and Capp.
"Hey do you guys know anything about Chief Walter Riley?" I asked flipping the card over in my hands.
"Yeah, he's a good guy, not a great chief though. Why?" Kelly asked.
"He came up to me at the fire today. Offered me a captains job."
I said handing him the card.
"You gonna take it?" Cruz asked.
"I don't know yet." I answered truthfully.
"You would leave 51?" Capp asked.
"I'd be captain. What would you do if you were offered the job?" I asked.
"I would say no." Kelly said throwing the card back to me.
"I just need time to think. I mean I don't think I'm gonna though."
He nodded.
I felt my phone start to vibrate on the table. I noticed it was the babysitter so I answered.
"Hello?"
"Yeah, I'll be right there."
I got up and grabbed my jacket off the back of the chair I was sitting in.
"Everything okay?" Cruz asked.
"Bens coughing up blood. I gotta go." I said.
"I'm coming with you." Kelly announced.
"Tell Matt where we went please." I yelled running out to my car.
I got in the drivers side while Kelly got in the passengers. I called Jay and put him on speaker.
"Hey what's up?" He asked answering the phone.
"What are you doing right now?" I asked.
"Paperwork. Is everything okay?"
"No, Kelsey just called me, Bens in the hospital. He's puking and coughing up blood. Kelly and I are on our way to Med now."
"Alright, I'll meet you there."
"Alright love you."
"Love you too." I hung up the phone, and continued to drive to med.
—
I saw Jay truck in the parking lot and pulled in next to him. As soon as he saw me he got out of his truck.
"Hey do you know what happened?" Jay asked walking next to me.
"All I know is he's coughing and puking blood."
"Alright come on." I followed behind him with Kelly on my trail.
Jay and I went to the front desk while Kelly waited for us.
"Hi, how can I help you?"
"Ben Halstead, he was just admitted right?"
"He's a minor, I'm sorry I legally can't give you any information on him."
"He's our son." Jay said clearing up the confusion.
"I'm gonna need some I.D."
I grabbed my I.D. out of my wallet and Jay did the same.
"Alright Mr. and Mrs. Halstead I'll take you to him."
"I'll come get you soon." I said to Kelly as I passed him.
The secretary lead us to where Kelsey was waiting with Skylar, Ben, and Shay.
"You guys can go wait in the waiting room if you want." I told Skylar and Kelsey. They nodded and went out. I checked the carrier to see that Shay was asleep. I went over to where Jay was sitting next to Ben.
"Hi mommy!"
"Hi Ben." I said giving him a kiss on his forehead.
"Mommy look!" He said showing me his arm where he had an IV.
"I didn't even cry!"
"Good job Ben."
I looked over at Jay who was smiling at Ben.
About twenty minutes later Natalie came into the room, followed by Will.
"Is he okay?" I asked.
"Yeah he's perfectly fine. He just has a little chest infection, nothing a little medicine won't help." Natalie said with a smile.
"Thank you."
"And this is for you Ben." She said handing him a lollipop.
"Thank you Aunt Natalie."
"Your very welcome Ben."
She turned to me.
"Here's his medicine. Twice a day for a week and he should be fine."
"Thank you Natalie." Jay said grabbing the medicine.
"I'll get you his discharge papers." I nodded and sat down next to Jay.
"So guess what?"
"What's up?"
"I was.." I went to answer but I was interrupted by the nurse with discharge papers.
—
After we signed the discharge I put both Ben and Shay in my car. Kelsey and Skylar ended up going home but Kelly was still here.
"Hey, Matt wanted me to tell you to take the rest of the day off." He said when were in the car.
"Alright,I'll drop you off at the firehouse then."
"Alright."
I drove him to the firehouse.
"Bye Uncle Kelly!"
"Bye Ben. Hey maybe this weekend you and the girls can have a play date."
"Okay!"
"Alright, behave for your mom, and feel better." I laughed and drove home. I knew Jay had to finish his case so I went into the house with the kids.
"Skylar!" I yelled upstairs.
"Yeah?" She asked coming down.
"I just wanted to see if you were here." She nodded and went back upstairs.
I put Ben and Shay in the living room to play so that I could start dinner. I was sitting at the kitchen island waiting for the timer on the oven to go off when I saw Skylar walk downstairs with a duffel bag.
"Where are you going?" I asked her.
"I'm going to my friends house until Monday."
"Today's Thursday. Tomorrow is Valentine's day. Does this friend happen to be a boy? I asked with a smirk on my face. I saw her blush.
"Well judging by the blush on your face I'm gonna say the answer is yes."
"Please don't go all mom on me."
"I'm not your mom, and I would never replace her. I was just gonna say don't do anything stupid."
"I won't."
"Alright love ya kid." I said before she walked out.
"I love you too."
—
I heard the timer beep and I pulled the chicken out of the oven just as Jay walked through the door.
"Hey perfect timing, dinner just got done."
"Smells good." He said before giving me a quick kiss.
"Ben dinners done!" I yelled into the living room. Shay was upstairs asleep so she wouldn't have to eat anything.
Ben ran into the kitchen and gave Jay a hug.
"Hi dad!"
"Hi Ben, I just saw you like two hours ago."
"I know but I missed you!" Jay picked him up and put him in the chair and then he sat down himself. I sat down next to Ben.
"So you wanted to tell me something at the hospital? What was it?" Jay asked.
"Oh that's right! I was promoted to Lieutenant, but I also got a job offer from a different firehouse. If I take it I'd be a captain."
"What are you gonna do?" Jay asked.
"Honestly I think I'm gonna stick with 51. I mean they're family."
"You also know how the people are that work there. They trust you."
"Well good for you Sophia. You deserve it."
"Thank you." I said smiling.