Danger Zone (File One of The First Responders Files)

Chapter Fifteen

 . . . yeah, I have nothing, folks. Strap in. That's all I'm gonna say.

Matt and Kelly realize something's up, Squad enters Overprotective Brothers Mode, TK makes some new friends, Matt and Kelly do what they do best, Buck's world gets flipped once again, and Sylvie makes her decision.

I'd say enjoy, but . . . well. You'll see.

***

Someone who wasn't so in tune with a specific person would have thought everything at 51 was completely normal. They would have thought everything at 51 was, in fact, perfect with the announcement Joe made about Chloe being pregnant. Then there was the fire at an encampment for homeless people, where the entire house worked like a well-oiled machine. If someone from the brass were to arrive and evaluate the house, they would find nothing wrong.

Matt knew better. And he knew something was wrong with Sylvie.

The paramedic had been quiet all morning from the start of the briefing, her posture stiff as she listened attentively to Boden, only turning to acknowledge Gianna when she made a comment or asked a question. She didn't look at anyone else, which Matt knew threw not only him and Kelly through a loop, but also Joe, her other go-to person for silent conversations during meetings. She had also never budged from the coffee pot in the kitchen, only moving from her post to hug Joe tightly when he made the announcement. She never moved to sit anywhere or get comfortable; she looked ready to bolt at a moment's notice. And she never spoke a word to anyone, never initiating conversation. The only talking she did was when someone spoke to her first.

That wasn't Sylvie. Matt knew it, and from the clear worry in Kelly's eyes, his best friend knew it, too.

The fact was further evidenced by, as Matt and Kelly collaborated to fill out their reports form the fire, Joe knocking insistently on Kelly's closed door until Matt leaned over and opened it to find the entirety of Squad 3 standing outside. "What did you guys do?" Joe scowled, his folded arms and the gauze covering a bad gash making him much more intimidating than usual.

"What?" Matt blinked.

Kelly sighed, dropping his pen and rubbing his forehead. "Are we always going to get blamed whenever something's up with Sylvie?" he wondered.

"Considering what happened with Halleck?" Joe snorted.

"Seriously, as far as I know, we haven't done anything," Matt made a helpless gesture. "I mean, the last time we saw her was at Molly's the other night. Nothing happened between then and now, and it looks like that's when she's been . . . well . . . "

"Stormclouds and fog instead of sunbeams and rainbows?" Capp suggested.

"Look at you, being all artistic," Tony smirked.

"Am I wrong?"

"You're definitely not wrong," Joe shook his head.

"We've been trying to approach her all morning," Matt leaned back on Kelly's bunk, not noticing Capp eye the way he was completely at home reclining on the other officer's bunk, Kelly not saying a word. "She's always slipped away."

"So you did do something?" Tony frowned.

Kelly made a frustrated growl. "If we did, we don't know what we did!"

"Or when we did it," Matt scowled.

Joe frowned, but Tony sighed. "It definitely wasn't anything last shift."

"Maybe she'll talk to one of us?" Capp suggested.

"Yeah, try that," Joe rubbed the gauze. "I need to get this off my face and hope Chloe doesn't kill me later."