good/right/real

Chapter 43: Cut to the Bone

Summary:Peter returns to 51.

The Morning Briefing is going well. It's mostly basic housekeeping until Boden looks out the door with a grin and then the whole room knows an announcement is coming.

"So, today, Tony is acting Lieutenant on Squad while Severide is out, but that still gives us a spot to fill for at least one shift," Boden says as he motions toward the door.

The room erupts into cheers the minute Peter Mills comes into view. Matt claps along with the rest of them but his eyes drift toward Sylvie.

She appears fine. She's clapping and smiling like everyone else.

"Alright, alright, Mills, take a seat," Boden orders. "Peter Mills will be filling in with Squad Three today. We are happy to have him back at 51 where he belongs, even temporarily."

Mills waves to the room as he picks a chair in the back. "Happy to be back. I've missed you guys, believe it or not."

Once everyone else's attention is back on Boden, Matt sees Peter give Sylvie a small wave and a sheepish smile. She grins back at him with an encouraging thumbs up and then returns her focus to their Chief. Matt thinks he's the only one to notice the exchange and he's confused as hell by it.

Once the briefing is over and they're all disbursing, he hangs around until he can subtly follow Sylvie.

"Hey," he asks as they walk toward the common room. "Are you good with Mills being here?"

She smiles and nods. He sees no trace of sadness or doubt on her face. "Yeah, I am. He's wanted to be back on Squad for a long time now and he's worked hard to make it happen. He deserves it. And I've been thinking and Pete was right to end things with us. Sometimes you can be in love with someone and not be meant to be with them. I'm glad that he recognized that when I couldn't, you know?" At his nod she continues with a shrug. "I think he and I are gonna be better off as friends, whenever we're ready for that."

"Good," Matt says, offering her a relieved smile in return. "Not good that you broke up, obviously, but good that you seem to be at peace with it."

"It took a little while, but yeah I am," she says as they continue walking toward the smell of breakfast. "Mostly I think I've just missed him. Not dating him...just him as my friend. So maybe him being here is the key to us becoming friends. Or maybe I'm just being overly optimistic."

He chuckles and nods. "Maybe, but that doesn't mean you're wrong. As one of your friends, I can tell you that he'd be lucky to have you in his life again in whatever capacity that looks like."

"Thank you, Matt," Sylvie says as she playfully bumps his shoulder while they walk. "You're sweet."

They join the rest of his Truck crew for breakfast. They don't see Mills or the rest of Squad while they eat. Matt assumes they're all out at the Squad table. That assumption is confirmed when a call comes in a few minutes later and Squad is already suited up and pulling out of the house. Casey's crew and Ambo follow after them, and the scene they roll up on is truly bizarre.

There's a man impaled on a lamp post, with no indication of how he got there.

"What the hell is this?" Boden asks as they all climb out of their rigs.

They take one moment to stare in shock before they spring into action. Squad using the ladder on the Truck to reach the man and cut him free and then slowly lower him down to the stretcher. Shay, Herrmann, Brett, and Mouch slowly lay him on his side.

"Okay, looks like a broken femur, a dislocated shoulder, and multiple contusions. Jesus, what happened to this guy?" Shay says as they strap him down.

The man on the gurney begins mumbling. "Banana, banana, banana."