The Lost Halstead Part 2

Custody Battle

Authors note: Please ignore my shocking medical knowledge, thanks.

Two weeks later

"Halstead, this was left in my office." Boden said, walking over to Hollie as soon as she entered the firehouse. "I thought it looked important so I figured it was best to give it to you in person."

"Do you have any idea what it is?" Hollie asked, taking the envelope and turning it over in her hands.

"If it's from the CFD then it's gone around me." Boden said. It had been two shifts since she had gotten the Christmas card from her dad and she couldn't help but feel like this was related. She slowly opened the envelope as carefully as possible and reluctantly removed the single sheet of paper from inside. Her eyes darted back and forth, reading it but not quite believing it. 

"You're fucking joking me." Hollie said, throwing the paper onto the desk next to her.

"Can I?" Boden asked, his hand hovering over the letter, Hollie nodded as she began to pace, holding back tears. "Is this for real?" Boden said, having quickly skimmed it.

"He sent us a Christmas card and my gut said there was more to it. I guess this is it." Hollie said. "She's already had to restart her life once in the past month." She added.

"And the judge will see that." Boden said.

"How? He's a respectable member of the community, two successful kids. He'll pull up my past, I've got no chance." Hollie said.

"I don't believe that. Amelia knows you, she's got a family, Pat's got no one, the boy's mum left him about eight years ago and his own kids don't talk to him. The judge will take that into consideration." Boden said, placing a hand on her shoulder.

Squad 3, Ambulance 61, child trapped...

"Sir, can you tell us what happened?" Severide asked.

"We were playing frisbee, I through it, it got stuck in the tree and the kid thought he would be able to get it down." The man said,  not seeming too panicked by the fact his little boy was hanging a few feet in the air by his foot.

"Cruz, get the ladder. Halstead, you're going up, that branch looks like it might snap and we don't want to put too much weight on it." Severide ordered. A few minutes later and Hollie was at the top of the ladder next to the boy.

"Can you tell me your name?" Hollie asked as she checked him over.

"Henry." The boy said.

"Hi Henry, I'm Hollie." She said, reaching for her radio. "Lieutenant, he's got a compound ankle fracture that needs to be stabilised." She said.

"Did he fall sir?"  Cruz asked, not quite sure how he could get that injury without falling.

"Yeah, he was near the top." He said.

"Did you hear that Halstead? He could have internal injuries, a head injury or even a spinal injury." Brett said.

"I'm worried about him being upside down." Foster said.

"What do you recommend we do?" Severide asked.

"Stabilise the fracture, get a c-collar on him and bring him down in a basket but you need to be relatively fast." Brett said, Foster nodding in agreement.

"Halstead! Cruz called as Capp brought the basket over. "Put this over a strong branch." He told her, throwing a rope bag up to her which she dropped down seconds later having put it over the nearest strong branch.

"Hey, Henry, you still with me bud?" Hollie asked as he basket was raised so it was next to her, containing a field splint and a c-collar. "I'm just gonna put this on your leg, it might hurt a bit but I need you to stay as still as possible." She said calmly.

"Okay." Henry said.

"Henry!" A female voice shouted, Hollie briefly glanced over her shoulder and saw a woman running onto the property. "Henry! It's okay mummy's here!" She shouted attempting to push past Capp and Severide trying to keep her away from the bottom of the ladder. "Let me get to my son." She said in a harsh tone.

"I'm afraid I can't do that ma'am." Severide said.

"You." She said, spotting Henry's father. "What did you do? He's meant to be at school." She said charging towards him.

"He said he felt ill." The father said.

"Ill enough to not go to school but fine to climb a god forsaken tree." The woman said as Severide and Capp reappeared to keep a fight from breaking out.

"You both need to take a step back and calm down so we can get your son down." Severide stated.

"We're ready." Hollies voice came through the radio.

"I'm scared." Henry said, looking at Hollie. She had put the c-collar and splint on and slowly transferred him into the basket whist the argument had been taking place.

"Just stay still and close your eyes if you want, then before you know it you'll be at the bottom with your parents." Hollie said, gently squeezing the boys hand.

"Okay." Henry said closing his eyes.

"Lower him down." Hollie said into her radio, climbing down the ladder at a similar pace just incase he freaked out at all. "See all done." Hollie said, once they were on the ground.

"Aw, my baby boy." The mum said, rushing to his side. "Everything's going to be okay."

"Ma'am will you please give the paramedics some space to work." Cruz said, noticing the slight glares Brett and Foster were giving her.

"What do you think the story was there?" Capp asked as they all sat in the truck on the way back to the firehouse.

"Messy divorce? Custody battle maybe?" Cruz said.

"Whatever it was the mum did not like the dad." Severide added.

"What are you saying Halstead? One night stand?" Capp asked, trying to involve the youngest member who was staring blankly out of the window.

"What?" She asked, looking at the faces in the truck.

"What's that family's story?" Capp asked.

"Custody battle." Hollie said before looking back out of the window.