Taming the Flame |Chicago Fire| [1]

Pilot

Today the sunlight conjured the most brilliant of mosaics, reflecting from each leaf and wisp of cloud. It was pure joy in the light, as if it were happy to create art where it shone, warm and steady. It was as the smiles of friends, as fresh rain after summer sun, something to quench and soothe all at once.

A woman smiled as she got out of her car taking her bags out of the back before closing the door. She walked up to the station she called home for most of her life. Taking in everything around the station, she prayed that this shift would be as easy like the past two have been. 

Firehouse 51. Her home. All the men in her family had been firefighters. Her father, brothers, uncles, best friends. She was surrounded by them, so it made sense that she became one with her childhood friends, Matt Casey, Kelly Severide and Andrew Darden. It had always been the four of them against the world.

She lost her mother to a car accident when she was five and her father when she had just turned sixteen at an apartment fire. Since then she had lived with her brothers, until recently she had moved in with one of her best friends.

Knowing her way around the brunette walked up to the door and went inside one of the rooms and over to the sleeping area.

"Hey Cas!" She turned around to see Gabby walking towards her with Shay following. Her dark eyes sparkled with amusement.

"How was your guys' break?" Cassandra asked. The three of them had to stick together when surrounded by all these men.

"Same ole Same ole." Shay said, wrapping her arms around Cassie's shoulders. Her blonde hair was unruly; thrown back into a messy ponytail at the base of her head. The blonde hair and vibrant blue eyes made her fair skin pop. "Any dates, we need to talk about."

"Only date I went on was with my TV and couch." Cassie said, smiling at her friends as they rolled their eyes. "What about you two?"

"Nothing to tell." Gabby said.

Shay and Cassie shared a look. "You mean nothing to share?" Cassie smirked.

Gabby stopped, and turned to the duo. "Nothing happened."

"Was it that bad?" Shay asked. "Like no sex?"

"Leslie Elizabeth Shay!" Cassie laughed.

Gabby rolled her eyes. "Exactly."

"You two are a mess." Cassie looked down at her phone for a moment. Ten minutes in, everything was looking calm.

Laughter down the hall made her look up as she heard the loud voice of Andy Darden. "He never changes." Smiling, Cassie walked with Gabby and Shay into the kitchen area.

She stopped a moment and took in each of her friends.

Her friends were not perfect, or neat or tidy. Her friends were those with enough love in their hearts to fight for and defend what is right and good. So come with those frayed edges and scratches, because what counts is what holds a steady rhythm within.

Her eyes found her three best guy friends. Her brothers from another mother. Andy was explaining some story he probably has told hundreds of times due to Kelly's face. Though he had a smile and nodded when Andy would tell him to agree. Matt, though, was just silence listening. That was the type of friend he was. He listened to anyone who wanted someone to hear what they had to say.

Each one stuck up for each other in front of others, even when they knew they were wrong. Then privately they''d let each other know what they really thought and how they should have behaved differently. They were friends no matter what.

"I hope you all got empty stomachs, cause I'm making my famous chili tonight," she said, leaning against the doorway and watching her second family interact with each other.