Lights and Sirens

A Targeted Call

Casey was driving down the street in his truck with Jamie in the back on the way to school. Jamie was sitting in a hat, scarf, gloves and a coat, looking out of the window as the city passed by.

"Dad." He started.

"Yes monkey." He replied looking in the mirror. "What's up?"

"I'm so happy that you and mum are back together, but she doesn't seem much happier."

Matt didn't quite know how to answer, he knew that Jamie knew he was ill but he didn't know to what extent Gabby had told him. "Your mum has gone through a lot this past few months and she is talking it as well as she can." What was I supposed to say? He asked himself.

"Dad, I know i'm ill." He said finally looking up at his father.

At that moment Casey was sure that his heart had broken. Both he and Gabby had tried to hide the severity of his illness but they knew they couldn't hide it for long. Jamie was way to smart and they knew that he would find or work it out some day.

"Monkey, we are doing everything in our power to make you better." He chocked out it sounded a little different way than he had expected. He had always tried to hide his emotions from his family because letting them see that he was struggling wouldn't help them get through their own suffering. All his emotions had built up and he was ready to snap. Not now goddamnit, not now! He told himself.

"Dad, are you ok?" Jamie's little voice came from the back of the car.

Matt took a deep breath and focused on making his voice come out more normal this time. "I'm fine." He answered quickly as he pulled up to Jamie's school. He turned around to face his son but Jamie was already leaning over and wrapping his arms around his father's neck.

"Dad, I love you." He whispered before he pulled away and looked Matt in the eye.

"Monkey I love you to, never forget that ok!" he called as Jamie climbed out of the truck and began to walk over to a group of children.

He turned round and smiled. "I won't forget!" he called before he reached them.

Matt took one last look at his son, who was happily talking, and began to pull way on his way to work. He was happy that Jamie was ok at school. The situation could be so much worse if he wasn't.

_____________

"You didn't come in with Casey today, everything ok?" Kelly asked as him and Danny walked hand in hand into the bays of the firehouse.

Gabby had gone in early to explain the situation Matt and herself had to Boden. She felt like he needed to know just in case they both had to leave urgently.

She was standing at the back of the ambo with a clipboard in her hand and boxes of gauze and other equipment around her.

"Yeah," she said looking up from the clipboard. "I just had to talk to Chief so I came in early. Matt offered to take Jamie to school."

"Dawson, I will be right out. Let me just drop these off at my locker and I will come and help you." Danny said letting go of Kelly's hand and jogging backwards towards the Common Room doors.

"How is she doing?" Kelly asked as soon as she went through the door.

Gabby placed down the clipboard on the step and took a seat next to it. "She's confident. It's a good thing, she has real potential." She answered with a smile. "I'm the lucky one that gets to work with her."

"She keeps going on about how she loves the job and how you and Sylvie are teaching her things. Dawson I want to thank you personally, it means a lot to me you know." He said putting a hand on her shoulder. "I know you; Matt and Jamie have all been through a lot and if any of you ever need anything, remember that we're all here for you."