Dawsey: Starting a Family Part 2

Chapter 204

Forty-five minutes later when the fire has been put out, Matt sits on the edge of the truck to see Chief on a stretcher with Chief Walker at his side. "You feel better Wallace. I am so sorry this happened to you." Boden nodded when he said that and then went to grab his hand. "Matt, you're in charge." Walker agreed with him and nodded. "I think that sounds good. You might be out for a while. That leg is injured." Walking up to Chief, Matt then went to grab his hand. "Chief, you sure that's a good idea? I mean..." Chief nodded. "Matt, this is your future. Good practice for when Firehouse 51 is yours someday." Matt laughed and agreed with him. "Yes, someday." Letting his hand go, Matt when went to watch as Ambo 61 drive him off to the hospital.

Matt's POV:
Turning to look at Severide and Hermann, I just sighed. "They just appointed me acting Chief of Firehouse 51." Severide looked at me and nodded. "I heard what he said. God, you are going to be chief for a while." I nodded and agreed with him. "Looks like I am not taking a break from the firehouse anytime soon. Listen, we can talk about this later. I want to clean this scene up." That's when Chief Walker came back to me. He then went to give me the keys to Chief's car. "Here, these are the keys to the Jeep. This will be good practice for you." I agreed and nodded. "Just curious, do I have to work every day as Chief?" 

Walker shook his head when I said that. "No. But now you are in charge of all the men. Please appoint an acting captain." I nodded and agreed before turning to look at Truck 81. "Stella!" Stella then looked at me. "You're in charge of Truck 81 effective immediately." Severide then turned to look at me, getting concerned. "You okay man?" I sighed and looked at him. "You are looking at acting Chief Casey. Boden just put me in charge while he's out." Severide smiled and nodded. "Looks like you aren't leaving anytime soon." I nodded and agreed with everybody. "Okay, back to the firehouse guys. And I am the one who tells Gabby."

That's when Antonio walked over to me and smiled. "I told Jay to ride back without me. I want to ride with you so we can talk." I nodded and agreed with him. "See you all back at the house guys. Please talk about it in your trucks, no more meetings. Break and rest when you arrive at the house." Everybody nodded when I said that before going to start making their way back to the firehouse. Meanwhile, I went to get in the Jeep with Antonio so that we could make our way back together. Taking off my tank and gear, I went to get in the driver's seat before turning on the car so that I could drive back to the firehouse.

Antonio's POV:
As I watched Matt get in the jeep to drive back to the house, I could tell he was nervous. "Let me guess, you are nervous that you were just appointed Chief?" Matt sighed and nodded as he went to pull away from the scene. "Hell yeah man. I mean, that means that I am back on shift work. I can't be at OFI while I am here in an acting duty. Heck, that might be for a month so...I am just hoping that Gabby will understand." I nodded and agreed with him. "She will understand. Just be glad it's still shift work and that you aren't going into fires." Matt laughed and agreed with me as we went to drive on the road to get to the house.

"You nervous about this?" Matt nodded and agreed with me when I said that. "I am going to see it as an audition. I am pretty sure that they already have me on a shortlist to be a chief somewhere. I mean, I am not going to say it hasn't crossed my mind that maybe I would like to be chief. Boden offered me the chance for him to put my name up to get more money." I nodded when he said that. "But, I want to stay where I am for now." I smiled when he said that. "Good, because I think that is the best bet. You and Gabby going to go to the hospital?" Matt sighed and looked at me. "You think that's a good idea with her pregnant?"

I then agreed when him when he said that. "Yeah, not the best idea." Matt laughed and smiled at me as he went to grab my hand. "Listen, let's get back to the house and you can work on some of your cases. And I can give Gabby a bit of a break from Louie." I then looked at him when he said that. "You mean when you aren't acting Chief?" I sighed when he said that. "I am just basically doing my captain stuff. There's not really a big difference in the roles." I shrugged and just agreed with him, not really an expert when it comes to this considering I am a police officer and he is a Captain/Acting Battalion Chief.