Best Friend To The Very End

A Real Wake-up Call

'Hurry up Hannah or you'll be late for school' Kelly called out to Hannah as he looked for his keys
'Yep,' She replied as she sat on the floor finishing her homework.
'What are you doing on the floor?' He questioned as he walked into the kitchen.
'Finishing my homework' She replied
'On the floor?' He questioned
'Well kinda have to when we don't have a table' She said pointing at the small table holding up the toaster, kettle and the very few pieces of cutlery they had
'We'll get a table tomorrow, have you seen my keys?'
'On top of the fridge'
'Thanks' Kelly said getting the keys down from the fridge 'Come on, I've got to get to work'
'I'm coming' Hannah said running towards the door
Kelly closed and locked the door behind him
'Hey dad' Hannah questioned
'Yeah'
'Can I start dance again?' She questioned
Kelly sighed
'What about cheer?'
'Take it up with your mom when she gets back' Kelly replied
'Why?' Hannah questioned
'Because she's gonna be the one taking you'
'Can I drive?' Hannah replied as she got in the car
'No, we agreed, you can only drive mums car. It's safer'
'Fine' Hannah replied
'You got your stuff for tonight?' Kelly questioned
'Yeah, it's in the back of the car'
'Good'

'You right to walk to the firehouse after school?' Kelly asked as he dropped Hannah off at school
'Yep' Hannah said opening the car door
'Hey Hannah' A boy said walking past
'Who was that?' Kelly questioned
'No one' Hannah replied, her face went red
'Have you got a boyfriend?' He teased
'No, He's just a friend'
'Does he have a name?'
'Xander, and that's all I'm gonna tell you' She said closing the door
Kelly laughed to himself as he put the car back into drive

'What's with the smug look on your face?' Casey asked as he, Severide and Dawson walked up to the firehouse
'I think Hannah's got a boyfriend' He laughed
'What?' Casey questioned 'He have a name?'
'Xander, I think she said'
'What's he like?' Dawson questioned
'Not sure'
'As long as he is not like you when you were a teenager'
'Very funny' Kelly replied 'Don't let anyone else hear this or Hannah will kill me'
'Good luck with that' Dawson replied.

Hannah walked up to the firehouse with her eyes locked on her phone.
'Keep looking at it like that and you'll walk into a pole' Otis said to Hannah as they stood out the front of the firehouse playing Cornhole.
'Must be important' Cruz said as Hannah kept looking at her phone
'Huh?' Hannah questioned as she looked up from her phone.
'You texting your boyfriend?' Cruz questioned
Hannah looked at him confused
'Xander' Otis teased
'Dad!' Hannah complained as she walked into the firehouse, While Cruz, Otis and Mouch laughed
She went over to the squad table, put her phone down and glared at her dad
'Hey squirt, how was school' Kelly asked
Hannah didn't reply, instead, she kept staring at him.
'Uh oh' Capp said quietly
'What?' He asked, confused
'Did you have to open your big mouth dad'
'About what?'
'Xander' She replied
'So he is your boyfriend' Kelly laughed
'No' Hannah replied
Kelly raised his eyebrow at her
'Not at the moment' Hannah said quietly
'That's my girl' Kelly laughed putting his arm around her, tackling her
'We ever gonna meet this Xander' Capp asked
'You guys? Am I crazy' Hannah replied 'I'm never bringing him here'
'Scared he'll find out all our secrets' Tony added
'No, but I know what you guys are capable of' She said walking into the kitchen
Hannah sat at the table across from Borelli
'How was your first day on Ambo?' Hannah questioned
'Pretty good, how was school?'
'School' Hannah replied getting a folder out of her bag
'Homework already? You only just got here'
'It's not really homework' Hannah replied
'What is it? A love letter for Xander' Borelli teased
'Not you too'
'Sorry, Brett told me'
'Dawson told me' Brett added
'Anyway, what's this 'non-homework'?'
'Its a letter' Hannah said handing it to Borelli 'About the firehouses being closed'
'Hannah, didn't your dad tell you to stay out of this?'
'Yeah, but what he doesn't know won't hurt him'
'He'll find out eventually'
'So long as no one tells him' Hannah looked at Brett 'But I don't think secrets are kept very well around here'
'Blame Dawson' She said continuing to look at her book
'More like blame my dad' She said to herself

'11:30 and not a single callout.' Borelli said as Mouch, Casey, Dawson, Kelly and Hannah sat in the kitchen
'Shut up candidate' Mouch called out
Borelli looked at him confused
'You of all people should know not to say things like that in a firehouse' Casey added.
'Why?' Borelli questioned
'Once you say that the calls won't stop coming in' Hannah explained
'$5 says we won't get one between now and the end of shift' Said Borelli
'$10 says you will' Hannah replied
'Deal' He replied
'I think its bedtime for you Han' Severide added
'Fine' Hannah moaned
'Mom will get you in the morning if she gets here before we finish shit'
'Yep' Hannah replied getting up from the table
'Come on' Kelly said walking to the bunk room with Hannah
'Night Han' Casey said as she walked past
'Night guys' She replied

The siren called throughout the house.
*Squad 3. Working fire assist. 6101 South Cottage Grove Avenue*
Hannah looked at her watch. 4:26 am. She rolled over and tried to fall back asleep.
'Go back to sleep' Kelly said as he walked past and kissed Hannah on the forehead
'Love you' Hannah moaned, still half asleep
'Bets still on Han' Borelli called out, also half asleep
'You owe me ten bucks' She replied
Borelli moaned in his sleep

'Morning Pumpkin' Katherine said as she sat on the edge of Hannah's bed
'Morning' Hannah replied, slowly waking up "How was Naperville?'
'OK' Katherine said
'Is everything OK?' Hannah questioned
'It's just the case, it's a tough one'
'Does it involve kids again?'
'Yeah' Katherine replied 'Anyway, it's the weekend and when dad's off shift we'll go looking for furniture'
'We can finally get a proper kitchen table' Hannah cheered
'Where's dad?' Katherine asked
'Squad got called to a fire about 4:30'
'Where?'
'Woodlawn'
'Why didn't they call everyone else here?'
'Mom you should know how the firehouse works, there are 4 squads and like 96 engines and 65 trucks'
'Alright then miss know it all' Katherine laughed
'I don't know everything, not like I can predict the future'
Katherine laughed
'Come on hurry up and get dressed and we'll get breakfast'
'Burger King?' Hannah asked
Katherine raised her eyebrow
'Fine' She replied, knowing Hannah had her wrapped around her little finger 'Let me guess, waffles'
'Correct everytime' Hannah said running to the bathroom to get changed

'Hurry up, my tummy's rumbling' Said Hannah
'Didn't they feed you at the firehouse last night?' Katherine teased
'Yes, but I normally have breakfast at 7:00'
'Weirdo' Katherine replied
'What, I've always been an early bird'
'Well be there in 10 OK.'
'GPS says five'
'Do you remember traffic in Chicago at 7 in the morning?'
'More like your driving' Hannah whined 'Why couldn't I drive'
'Do I have to repeat myself? Peak. Hour. Traffic.'
'But dad said I can only drive your car because it's safer'
'Not right now, OK'
'Am I ever gonna drive'
Katherine laughed
'What's this bet you've got with Jimmy?' Katherine asked
'What bet?' Hannah bluffed
'A bet about whether or not there would be a call out'
'He reckons he won.'
'No way' Hannah replied 'There was a call out, he owes me $10'
'A squad call out, not an Ambo call out'
'It's still call out' Hannah replied, putting her brush back in her bag 'Oh man'
'What?' Katherine replied
'I left my folder at the firehouse'
'I asked you before we left if you had everything'
'I know' Hannah replied
'Text dad and get him to bring it home with him'
'Doing that now' Hannah said texting her dad
They heard sirens in the distance as they sat at the intersection, waiting
'What's the bet its dad?' Katherine asked
'This far down?'
'They were just in Woodlawn'
'Maybe' Katherine replied, slowly moving the car forward on the snow-covered road
Hannah watched as the cars went past, the sirens still far off in the distance. Katherine began to turn. Suddenly the sirens got louder.
'Mom! Look out!' Hannah screamed as she looked out her window