The Candidate | A Casey Story

1

Academy

*Flashback*
Casey and Severide were having one if their cigar chats after a tough shift.

S- "I'm teaching an academy class for the next couple weeks" He says taking a drag of his cigar.

C- "Seriously?" He asks

S- "Yeah, boden pulled me a favour for furlough" taking another drag. "Candidates just started a couple weeks ago, so all I have to do is put them through their pases" He says looking directly at casey who's deep in thought.

C- "She's going to hate me for asking since she wanted me to stay out of it... But mind keeping an eye on my daughter?" He asks. Kelly is one of the four people he's trusted with the information about his kids, a sigh of relief when he agrees.

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It's a week after that conversation, Kelly's definitely stuck to his promise but a known deal. The candidates are a month into training so far and they're all very disciplined to learn and conditioning. Happy that no one complains about getting up at 5am for a swim in ice water or going for a run in Chicago snowy weather.

It's been a lecture based morning and Severides phone dings loudly, he pulls it from his picked before shouting "Right guys I want you to GEAR UP and meet me outside in 3". All 13 candidates in that class run outside and wait to get in the bus that takes them to a real accident scene firehouse 51 are responding to. "RIGHT CANDIDATES, YOU DO NOT MOVE. UNLESS YOU ARE TOLD TO, UNDERSTAND?" He pipes up earning a "Yes Drill Sargent" from all candidates in Unison.

All 13 quickly pile from the bus and watch from a safe distance, despite the accident being in the middle of a freeway junction, they stand in a safe place but still close enough to watch the extraction from the trio of cars in crumbled around various bodies infront of them. All stood silently to attention as they watch.

Time passes and they're still watching as truck and engine work on cleaning up the scene. The youngest of the class is a brunette he knows as C-Sloan turns to him and pipes up. "Instructer Severide. Anything we can do to help?" Her voice is confident and authoritative, definitely not afraid to challenge authority, she's definitely a Casey. However Severide hadn't ever been asked anything like that by a candidate, so early in academy training. He hesitates for a moment.

S- "Hey Murphy, anything the candidates can do?" He shouts to 3rd watches Battalion Chief, the chief instantly responds with "Cleaning up the scene, a couple with engine, rest help truck!" Severide nods "You heard the man, GO!" He shouts as every candidates beings to clean bits of cut car, glass and oil from the road and a few other candidates help engine repack the hoses. All thankful for a hands on experience.

The atmosphere on the bus is buzzing and positive, everyone greatful for the usually quite and reserved candidate, speaking up. Severide sends a message to his best friend who's likely napping saying 'Definitely one of the boldest candidates I've ever had'

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A couple weeks later Kidds hosting a forced entry class. She set up a situations and is stood infront of the group.

"Right now I'm holding a firefighters two most used and most useful tools" She pauses holding them up "An axe and a hallagen. You will use these on most jobs you go to. I'm going to show you how to use these to get into re-inforced doors" She says in her authorative tone before guiding them on how to do the drills and then asks them to pair up. To work together to break through different door scenarios, they all comply apart from one.

"Um candidate you not working with anyone?" She asks confused, the quite young brunette shakes her head after looking around "For one there's an uneven number in here, two I know I'll be ok" She shrugs picking up the tools and volunteering to go first. She busts the door open as if it were a banana before setting the tool back down.

"Where'd you learn to do that candidate?" Stella questions stunned, she's seen firefighters make it look this easy before but never has she seen it by a candidate. The young girl shrugs "Firefighter blood" before heading back to her text book in the corner to study while the other teams struggle. A couple candidates whisper between themselves "Miss show off does it again" while rolling their eyes before going back to their drills, Kidd shuts them down and goes back but she's definitely going to keep an eye on her.

Over the next few weeks, she frequently catches eyes of many instructors and becomes the talk of the CFD officers. Word spreads fast.

She's going places and they all know it.