Burning Flames (Chicago Fire Fan-fiction) - Under Editing

Chapter 22: Last Truck Ride

Towards the end of shift
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Gabriela Dawson's POV
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I wake up to bells going off, "Squad 3, Truck 81, Ambulance 61, and Battalion 25. High-rise fire at 16947 Adams street."
I get out of bed and go to the apparatus floor. I pull on my turnout gear and get in the truck.
We are almost there when I say, "What's going on? Nobody has said a word the whole time."
Nobody says anything so I shake my head and look out the window.
When we get to the fire and get out we immediately get to work.
"Dawson, Herman, with me. Mouch, Otis, Cruz, be ready to start spraying on command, but help out paramedics as needed." Casey calls out.
I mask up and follow Herman inside. We determine that no ones on this floor and then I hear a low rumble over Herman. Then a creak; I lunge at Herman and knock him out of the way just as a beam comes straight down through the floor where he had been standing just a few seconds ago.
"Thanks, candidate." Herman says as I pull him to his feet.
I follow Casey up to the second floor as Severide, Capp, and Kyle search the basement.
I see someone lying on the ground across the room. I make my way over to her and pick her up. I say, "I've got this one, don't worry."
I head downstairs and reach the front entrance just as Chief tells the boys to be ready with the attack lines.
I take the woman over to the ambo as Mills calls for a backup ambo.
I ask the Chief, "When's that assistant truck getting here?"
He shakes his head then he radios, "Casey, Severide, you two have one minute to get your crews out of there, now."
I watch as the two company's come out and Chief Boden says, "Somebody get that water cannon going on this building."
I get on top of the truck and raise the apparatus up then start the water cannon. The rest of the truck crew starts spraying with the attack lines, and we get the fire put out.
Boden sends squad in for a quick look as he cancels the assisting truck, and they confirm the fire was put out.
We get in the truck and this time it's reversed. Everyone else is talking, but I stay quiet.
"Sixty bucks Dawson is still with us next shift." Otis says.
Cruz adds in, "Me too who wants to bet against us?"
"I will. I know she won't be with us next shift. Hey Gabby, I wanted to know if you wanted to come by after shift?" Casey says.
I look at the guys and then say, "This is my last time in truck 81, and I'm not sure why I feel like this was the worst ride I've had in this truck. So I can tell you one thing in the year I've been on this company this is a low point for me, and I can tell you now I won't be here next shift."
We pull up to the house as I finish and I get out and head to my locker. I change clothes and start packing my stuff up.
I finish as Casey comes over and kisses my neck. I shut my locker and turn around. He pulls me into a hug and says, "You know I would really like to lose this bet, but I want you to do whatever you think is best for you."
I nod and hug Casey even tighter. I hear someone walking in and pull away from Casey. Shay walks over and hugs me. She hands me a permanent marker and I open my locker back up, and under the list of names of people who had used this locker I write today's date in the spot. I close the locker and step back then Shay says, "Casey, if you would excuse us I want to talk to Ms. Dawson real quick."
He nods and kisses me on the cheek. Then, walks out of the room.
"Spill." Shay tells me.
"I woke up this morning and got ready. When I walked outside Casey was standing on the sidewalk in front of my door in his dress blues. The ladder truck was sitting behind him, and when I got down to the bottom stairs and was about to leave he stopped me and said how he had messed up and that he loved me. Then, he proposed and I said yes. When I did the sirens, lights, and horns started going off. Then the crew piled out and congratulated us." I say.
Shay smiles and is about to say something when Mouch comes in and says, "Gabby, you have a visitor."
I frown and grab my bag and box of stuff. When I walk out to the apparatus floor I see my mom standing there talking to Severide.
"Oh, hi. Listen Gabriela, I came here because I wanted to know why you left this picture for me. My kids stopped talking to me and our family years ago, I don't see how you would think I'm your mother." She says.
I reply, "You had two kids, Antonio and Gabriela Dawson. Antonio was the oldest. Your kids stopped talking to you after you and your family had tried to keep them cut off from the world. You got a divorce more than a year before all of this happened. You did it because you found out your husband was cheating on you. I left that picture for you because even though it's a copy it still means something to me. It means that that was the first day I knew I was in love."
She gives me a tender smile and says, "I am so proud of you. You have made a difference in this community. Who did you say this was again?"
"That is my fiancé Matthew Casey, and like I said that picture represents the first day I knew I was in love." I tell her.
I hear someone walk over to me and then feel strong arms wrap around my waist. Casey kisses me on the side of the neck and asks, "Whose this?"
"This is my mom. Mom this is my fiancé, Matthew Casey." I say.
My mom replies, "He better be your fiancé the way he's acting towards you."
I smile as Casey shakes hands with my mom and he says, "Well, meet me at my house and we will have dinner and beer."
I nod and give Casey a quick kiss as he leaves.
"He's a keeper. I can't believe you work here it's so nice. I remember this one time station 83 had to come to the store, and they took 20 minutes to get there. I heard about that high-rise fire you all worked today. You were there with in ten minutes, weren't you?" She says.
I nod and she says, "Oh, I almost forgot I made this for you. It's a spice cake, I think you'll like it."
She hands me a cake pan and says, "Well, I better get going. My lunch brake is almost over."
She hugs me and I walk over to my car and get in. I have to run by my place to grab some stuff then I'd head over to Casey's place.
I pull up to my apartment and walk in. I walk to my bedroom closet and pull out an outfit Shay had bought for me for Casey. I put it in my bag and walk over to my dresser. I grab a pair of jeans and shirt and stick them in my bag and zip it shut.
I walk out my door, close it, and lock it. I walk out to my car and toss my bag in the passengers seat. I drive to Casey's town house and get out. I walk up to the door and knock. Casey opens the door a few seconds later.
"Hey. Oh, and just so you know you don't have to stay the night if you don't want to." He says.
At first I'm confused then I realize this is a Tuesday.
"Oh Matt, I forgot that the guys were coming over for poker tonight. I'm sorry I forgot all about it. Go ahead and have your poker night I will just find something else to do tonight, but I am staying the night." I say. I walk back to his bedroom and put my bag down on his bed.
When I walk back out Matt asks, "Gabby, what would you say about moving in with me?"
"Yes! Although we would have to find a new place. Both of our places have too many bad memories." I reply.
He smiles and wraps his arms around me. He says, "Deal."
Then he kisses me...