But I'd Have Had to Miss The Dance (Sylverasey Collection)

IVd ~ Apple Of The Eye

I just can't seem to stop writing more than I intended for this arc. This chapter (and the next) were all supposed to be one chapter . . . but there's only so much I can write before saying that's way too big a chapter for me to publish. Let's put it this way - I fully expect next chapter to be at least as long as this one, which is about 12K words, and I wanted to give everyone an update. So . . . enjoy part four of six, and I swear we will get Matt and the Dardens next time XD

Kelly is an overprotective best friend, Jack is the best boss and surrogate dad, Chicago isn't the only city that shows up for its own, Ritter says what everyone is thinking, and it turns out Sylvie doesn't have to be in the same room as her favorite homicide team to help them save a life.

***

When the RPG detonated inside the house, the eruption of flame and smoke from the windows and door made everyone outside dive for cover. Ears rang from the explosion as seconds ticked by.

Then the police were shouting and calling for an explanation, but Kelly pushed them to the back of his head. Only one thing mattered to him. "Sylvie!" he all but screamed into his radio, hearing Violet cry out in shock somewhere behind him. "Report! Sylvie?!" No response came, and Kelly whipped around and pointed at Tony and Capp, who had caught Violet when she crumbled to the ground. "Squad 3, search and rescue!" he barked.

The pair burst into action and beelined for their rig. Kelly didn't follow them; instead, he charged right to the door. "Chief, there could be more explosives!" the SWAT officer protested. "We didn't have time to clear the place!"

Boden shook his head, standing aside as Tony and Capp returned in record time. "My men know what they're doing."

By the time Kelly made his way through the door and into the house, Tony and Capp had caught up to him. "Sylvie? Kidd?" he shouted. "Call out!" A weak groan from nearby made the three men sharply turn, and Kelly pointed to the bomb technician who had fallen. "Capp, check him out." Capp veered to the wall, and Kelly directed Tony to the lingering flames. "Tony, get on that."

"Got it," Tony nodded, approaching the fire with the extinguisher he carried.

Trusting his men to do their jobs, Kelly pushed onwards through the house remains, green eyes scanning for any movement. "Kidd? Sylvie?" he called again. "Hey, talk to me!"

"Kelly?" a croak came from behind a table nearby.

Kelly shoved it away to find Stella struggling to sit up, a prone Pryma next to her. "Hey!" Kelly shouted over his shoulder. "Hey, back here!" Capp rounded the corner and moved to assist Stella, then a rustle of movement behind the lieutenant made Kelly's attention pivot at once. He scrambled past Pryma to reach Sylvie's side, the paramedic whimpering as she attempted to sit upright. "Sylvie," he breathed in relief, reaching to turn her face towards him. "Hey, hey, try not to move, OK?"

"Kelly," Sylvie gulped, blinking dust out of her eyes as she looked down. "Hurts."

Kelly's heartrate rocketed, and he quickly searched every inch of her he could see. When he reached her side, he found her shirt soaked in blood, and he clamped his hand on top of the wound. Sylvie gasped weakly, and it felt like a punch to Kelly's gut. "I'm sorry," he choked, gently guiding Sylvie to lean against him. "Looks like you took some shrapnel." He looked around the house and did a headcount, and he reached to turn on his radio. "Hey, Chief, everybody's accounted for," he reported, watching Capp help Stella stand. "We need two stretchers."

"Copy, Lieutenant," Boden answered.

Sylvie trembled as she curled into Kelly, and Kelly held her protectively to him, eyes darting between the arriving members of Truck 81 and his best friend. "Just take a breath," he told her.