Dawsey: Raising a Family Part 1

Chapter 415

"So listen...I know this is going to sound like a surprise but, Severide has been reaching out to me to see if there was a spot on Squad here." -Dallas Paterson, Battalion Chief of Firehouse 90

Matt's POV: When I heard that Severide was reaching out to Chief Patterson regarding a spot on his squad, I was shocked. Was Severide not happy at House 71? I mean, he's my best friend and you'd think that he would talk to me about it before reaching out to another Chief. Yet, I also felt betrayed considering he was my best friend and didn't have the courtesy to talk to me about it first before calling another chief to see if it would even be an option. Am I a bad chief to him?

"Patterson, do you mind if I add him to this call? I am shocked that this is the first time I am hearing about this. I mean, he is my best friend..." Patterson agreed with me. "I told him that he should talk to the both of you before I would approve a transfer here. I knew that this would cause problems between the two of you." I agreed with him while picking up my phone. I then went to add Severide to the call and sighed, just hoping that he would answer and explain.

That's when he answered. "Hey Casey, what's up?" I then sighed. "How about you tell me what's up Severide? What's this about you reaching out to Chief Patterson about transferring from my squad truck to his squad truck?" Severide sighed when I said that. "First of all Patterson, I asked you to keep that between us." Patterson disagreed. "My first loyalty is to my men, second is to my fellow chiefs as they are the ones who help  me take care of my men when on joint calls."

I agreed with him when he said that. "I feel the same way. Now can you please answer my question man?" Severide then sighed. "You said it yourself that the dynamic was getting hard on us both. I knew that at the end of the day, it would either be me or you that you have to leave the house if it got too toxic. With you being chief, I already knew I would be leaving. I might as well choose where I would end up?" I then sighed when he said that considering he was right.

Patterson then went to speak up. "Listen Kelly, maybe next time don't do it behind Matt's back? Had I known you were doing it behind his back...I would've never even thought about it."  Severide agreed and understood. "Of course, my apologies to you all." Delaney then sighed. "Severide, is this about me possibly taking over Squad?" I then sighed because I really didn't want that to be the reason for my best friend leaving the house. I mean, what about Stella?

Severide then agreed. "Yeah, it is. No offence Delaney but, I have been with these men on my truck for over 10 years! You haven't even been taking care of their lives for 5 weeks yet!" I then thought about that and couldn't help but agreed with Severide. "Sorry Patterson and Delaney, I have to agree with Severide here. I hadn't even thought about it from that perspective. With me having been Truck Lieutenant and Captain for 10 years...I feel the same way about it as him."

Delaney then sighed. "I understand Casey. I get your loyalty has to stay with your guys from 51." I then went to stop him when he said that. "Okay, hold up there Delaney...that is not what I am trying to say. Just put yourself in his shoes. You just went through this. You felt betrayed that I took over instead of you!" Delaney agreed with that. "You are right." I then sighed. "Severide, I am so sorry. I guess, I got caught up in trying to make a deal with Delaney that I forgot you."

Severide agreed with me. "Listen, you have to remember that you did bring your guys to Firehouse 71 with you Matt. We are counting on you to keep us alive and so that we can go home to our families. But pulling a quick switcheroo permanently instead of just temporarily is not something that I can allow. I would rather resign and have you rebuild Squad 3 instead of letting another guy take over my spot just so that his ego isn't bruised. Sorry Delaney about that."

Delaney laughed and understood. "No offence taken, I get what you mean. And I guess I have been about my ego a bit. I am not going to lie that being demoted to just a captain was hard." I agreed with him. "Delaney, we will work something out. But you are going to continue being my Deputy Chief. Maybe I can just let you take another one of the shifts and that can work." He agreed with me when I said that. "Of course, that can work. I can work the shift after you."

I agreed with him. "Great, then that is what we are going to do. And Severide is going to continue to be Lieutenant on Squad 3. However...I would still like to add the title Captain to that name." Severide laughed when he said that. "Delaney, should we tell him about what happened last shift?" Delaney then laughed when he said that. "Yeah, uhm...Grissom came in last shift." I was shocked when he said that. "I in trouble?" Severide laughed. "Nope, I'm getting promoted!"