Hold On To Me

Chapter 29

Sienna's 10-hour-shift started at 5:30 am when both Antonio and Gabby were still sleeping. It's March in Chicago, and she's freezing her freaking ass off.

Five surgeries later and a helluva lot of trauma procedures, she can finally grab breakfast. Just as she's taking the first bite of a banana muffin she gets paged, 911, to the pit. She groans and tells Maggie to not eat her muffin. The charge nurse laughs but obeys nonetheless.

She gowns and gloves and waits for the ambo to come to a halt.

"It's Kelly" Gabby says as she gets out of the driver's seat. Sienna helps Sylvie get Kelly's lifeless body out of the ambulance.

"He jumped out of a two-storey window on a call. GCS 14; Positive LSD; Pressure is 90 over 60. Heart rate 100. 60 gage in both arms"

"Let's take him to trauma two, careful with his head. Page Neuro"

"Right away doctor" The nurse runs out of the room. "Let's get him on the bed, on my count. 1 – 2 – 3."

They lift him from the stretcher onto the bed. "I'll take care of him"

Gabby nods as the paramedics walk out of the trauma room. There's nothing else they can do now, it's up to Sienna.

The rest of firehouse 51 walks in as Gabby and Sylvie wait in the waiting room.

"How is he?" Matt asks

"Still out. Sienna gave him pain meds, and they're doing X-Rays and a CT."

Boden looks at the sombre faces of his men and women, "51. He's in good hands."

**

A while later Sienna walks out to update the 51 family, "So there is good news." She says, "He's moving his hands and feet, so we can rule out paralysis."

"What's the bad news?" Herrmann asks

The doctor smiles, "There might not be any. I'll keep you posted."

"Thanks doc"

"Yeah" She nods and walks away from them.

**

"Look who is up and alert" Sienna grins as she walks into Kelly's room a few hours later. It has been a busy, busy day. Chicago is at its finest again – multiple drug overdoses and gang bangers shooting and stabbing their enemies.

Kelly chuckles, his face is scrunching up in pain but all in all he looks good and alert.

"You know Kel, if you wanted to stop by and see my gorgeous face all you had to was invite me for a beer"

Kelly laughs, they formed a great friendship after working together so many times; "I figured this was less painful. If your husband found out I grabbed a beer with his wife... let's just say a two-storey fall is better."

Sienna laughs, "Aw, he's a puppy dog. I'm glad you're okay. Only you would jump out of a two-storey window and live to tell. 9 lives"

"Hey Si" Kelly turns serious, "I'm donating bone marrow to a girl but my doctor told me I can't anymore because of this."

Sienna nods, "Because of the trauma to your spine, nobody would recommend an epidural."

"Is that why they won't do the surgery – the epidural?"

She nods, "Yeah"

He frowns, "So this is because of how much it will hurt?"

"Pain; liability and safety, the lawyers will have a field day with it. I'm pretty sure that's why the doctor cancelled the procedure."

"I'm not going to let someone else make that call. It's not going to happen."

She gives him a tiny smile, "Talk to Miss Goodwin, she's the Chief of Staff. I need to go, get some rest Kelly."

She smiles at him and walks out of the room, getting paged immediately for another surgery.

**

"Sienna, my office if you have a minute" Sharon tells her just as she finally gets to eat her banana muffin. She nods but takes the muffin with her, no way will she stay hungry for another minute.

She walks into Goodwin's office, "What did I do now?"

Sharon chuckles but turns serious a few seconds later, "Mr Severide wants to continue with the procedure, and he wants you to be the doctor on this case. I already talked to him about how painful the procedure is, he still wants to proceed."

She sighs, "I'm not scared of a lawsuit, Sharon, and I know Kelly won't file for one. The procedure is dangerous even with the epidural, but if he wants to continue with it and he knows the risks, then I will gladly be the doctor on his case."

Sharon nods, "Okay, I'll tell Van Der Burgh that you're taking over his case. Expect backlash from him."

Sienna smirks, "That man is a law book on legs. I can handle him."

**

Doctor Van Der Burgh storms up to the Chief Of Trauma in a fit of rage, Sienna doesn't recoil. She stands her ground.

"You do know why I refused the treatment on Kelly Severide, don't you – or has the war wiped out the part of your brain that knows what's right and what's wrong Roberts?"

She scoffs, "I do know why you refused the procedure. I'm not stupid. I would have refused the treatment if it was anyone else, but Kelly Severide is a decorative firefighter. He knows the risks, he knows the excruciating pain that follows after this procedure and he still wants to go through with it."

"He'll sue you and this hospital, I can guarantee it. He's all big talk and you won't ever give up a case."

"I'm not in this for the money or fame or whatever you think I am, I'm doing this because Kelly wants to do it. I'm doing this because without him, and his immense bravery, Anna will die. I don't care about liabilities and lawsuits. I know what I'm doing Sean. I've done worse procedures on weaker men in Afghanistan."

He gives her a bitter smirk but walks away wordlessly.