Forbidden (Kelly Severide)

Chapter 8

Kelly Severide had been putting off the doctor's visit for weeks, but after Ivy's insistence, he finally found himself sitting in an examination room. The sterile smell of the clinic hung in the air, and Kelly tried to push away the anxiety gnawing at his gut. He'd been through worse, he told himself, but the thought of something being seriously wrong with his shoulder nagged at him.

Dr. Harris, a no-nonsense orthopedic specialist, walked in, clipboard in hand and a serious expression on his face. "Kelly, I've reviewed the scans we took earlier. Your shoulder has a significant tear in the rotator cuff."

Kelly's stomach dropped. "How bad is it, Doc?"

Dr. Harris sighed, setting down the clipboard. "It's not good, Kelly. The tear is severe enough that it's affecting your range of motion and causing the pain you've been experiencing. If you don't get it surgically repaired soon, it could lead to permanent damage."

Kelly leaned back in his chair, absorbing the weight of the news. "How long will I be out?"

"Recovery from this kind of surgery typically takes about six months, maybe more, depending on how well you heal and how diligently you follow physical therapy. But if you push through the pain and keep ignoring it, you could lose full use of your arm," Dr. Harris warned.

Kelly nodded slowly, feeling the burden of the situation settling on his shoulders. He couldn't imagine being away from Squad 3 for that long, but he knew he couldn't afford to ignore the injury any longer. "Alright. Let's do it. Schedule the surgery."

Dr. Harris gave a curt nod. "Good. We'll get it scheduled as soon as possible. I'll have the nurse give you all the details before you leave."

As Kelly was about to thank the doctor and leave, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out, expecting a routine message or call, but when he saw Matt Casey's name on the screen, a cold wave of dread washed over him.

"Matt?" Kelly answered, his voice tense with concern.

"Kelly," Matt's voice was strained, fear palpable in every word. "It's Ivy. There was a fire—an old building collapsed while she was inside. She's in critical condition. We're at Lakeshore General."

Kelly's heart plummeted. "I'm on my way," he said, already bolting out of the room, ignoring the startled looks from the clinic staff as he rushed out the door. The drive to the hospital felt like an eternity, every second dragging on with the terrifying possibility that he might lose Ivy—his Ivy.

By the time Kelly burst through the hospital doors, his chest heaving from both exertion and fear, he spotted Matt pacing in the waiting room.

"Where is she?" Kelly demanded, desperation clear in his voice.

Matt looked up, his face pale and eyes bloodshot, telling Kelly that he hadn't just been pacing—he'd been crying. "She's in critical care," Matt said, his voice breaking. "They...they don't know if she's going to wake up, Kelly."

The words hit Kelly like a physical blow, leaving him momentarily breathless. "Can I see her?"

Matt nodded, tears welling up again. "Yeah, I went in for a minute. She's...it's bad, Kelly. I told her you'd be here soon."

Kelly swallowed hard, trying to keep it together as he moved past Matt toward Ivy's room. As he reached the door, he hesitated for just a second, steeling himself before walking inside.

The sight of Ivy lying there, surrounded by machines, tubes, and bandages, nearly broke him. She looked so fragile, so unlike the strong, fiery woman he had fallen for. It took everything in him not to collapse right there.