Standing Outside the Fire

22 - The Explosion

**BAILEY POV**

Today was the day, after work I was meeting Severide at the firehouse to talk. He promised privacy even though I wasn't sure where he was planning on us sitting to have privacy, but I was letting him take the lead. We just had a lot to talk about.

I would be lying if I said I didn't miss Kelly and miss being with him and I would be lying if I said maybe I was being stubborn about this whole situation especially after Stella came and talked to me, but I really was thinking about my life and future with Kelly and where it could go.

Not that I thought we needed to get engaged and married right away but I was hoping somewhere in time in our lives together, if we stayed together, he would want a future, a marriage, a kid or two, a house, a life of our own. I guess tonight would be the night we discussed this, tonight would be the night it would all be out in the open.

I was sitting on a phone call when my cellphone went off beside me on my desk. I saw it was from Kelly.

Kelly: Hey, are we still planning on talking tonight?

I smiled seeing it and got off the phone as quickly as I could. I wanted to answer him and since the person on the phone was keeping my whole attention I didn't want to try and answer all their questions as well as talking to Kelly.

Once I got off the phone I answered him back.

Bailey: Yeah, sorry I was on a call. I will be there right after work, and we can talk.

Kelly answered be back quickly.

Kelly: Good, I can't wait to see you. It's been too long Bails.

Seeing him call me Bails and hearing it in my head was enough to make me giddy, make my heart skip and a smile immediately appear on my face.

Bailey: I know I miss you and can't wait to see you too.

I put my phone away and knew I needed to get to work. I had a client coming in and I didn't know how I was going to get through today with the...excitement I guess I had to see Kelly tonight.

🔴 🔴 🔴

It was a few hours later and I looked at the clock after picking out flowers and colors for my dad and Trudy to pick from. I knew what style they were going for but they needed options. I couldn't believe the time had passed and I had 2 hours until it was time to leave and go see Severide.

I pulled out my phone to text him and typed it out.

Bailey: Hey, just wanted to let you know 2 hours and I get to see you! I hope you have everything planned out! 😘

I smiled re-reading the text before I sent it. I wanted him to know I was excited.

Before I could hit send the building shook a little bit. I got up, putting my phone in my pocket and walked outside my office, Shirley was looking just as confused.

"What was that?" I asked and she shrugged as we walked out all together and ran into some other employees on my floor from other companies. "What's going on?" I asked.

"Not sure it felt like an earthquake, but we don't get those in Chicago." Wayne, the other guy said. I knew he was working here with a printing business. He had cut me a deal on new business cards when I got into the building.

As we were all standing there the building shook again only more prominent this time. I fell into the wall and then the fire alarms starting buzzing. Shirley looked at me and I shook my head.

"It's not a drill." I said and she looked panicked going to run back into the office to grab her purse. "NO TIME!" I yelled. "EVERYONE OUT! DOWN THE STAIRS!" I yelled and everyone started trying to stay calm and go down the stairs. Shirley was the first one out to lead the group. I dialed 911 while I held the door and made sure everyone got out. They informed me they had a call about it and I told them what floor I was coming from and there were also 3 floors above us. Being a high rise has it's perks but not right now.

I was making sure everyone was out, even taking a minute to check all the offices. The firefighter in me made me do this.

Once I saw everyone was out, I started to head towards the stairs, and I started down. I made it 4 floors and I heard people screaming from an emergency door that was stuck. I stopped with someone else, and we all worked on pulling as they pushed. The smoke was starting to rise in the stairwell and the air was getting thin, I knew this wasn't good.

We finally got the other door open, and everyone pushed out knocking me down in the process. They all left, and I got myself up once it was clear and noticed my head was bleeding from where I fell backwards and hit my head on the wall. I just kept going, even covering my mouth trying to save myself from breathing in too much smoke.

I was getting down towards the main floor and I found an elderly lady in the stairwell sitting down.

"Come on...we have...to...go..." I coughed.

"No, leave me, I can't make it..." She barely got out.

Before I could answer her, I heard the foundation shift and then start cracking up the walls.

"We really have to go!" I yelled and then started coughing. I put her arm around my shoulder, and we rushed down the stairs.

We made it out, at least the old lady did, as I got to the main entrance, I saw some people inside the main lobby where part of the ceiling had already collapsed, and they were helping kids from the company day care climb over it. I looked at the entrance and the fire engines were just pulling up. I groaned and walked into the lobby and started to help the kids get over the piece of ceiling.

I was coughing and I could barely breath as we got the last kid over the piece of ceiling. As the man who was helping me carried out the last kid, leaving me behind him I started coughing again and couldn't stop. I tried walking to the door, and I had no strength, I fell to my knees and the room went black.