Fighting Strong

Sixteen

How time flies! It's been a month since my dad was taken into hospital and in the end, he did have the surgery on his heart, which was a sigh of relief for us three Halstead kids. Even if we didn't have the best relationship with him, it was a good thing that he had the surgery so he could spend time getting better and mending his bond with his children. 

I wasn't due at the district, so I was spending the day at the firehouse with Gallo and the rest of the firehouse members. I had my radio with me just in case I get a call or a case comes up and I need to go. To pass the time, I decided to cook for the firehouse and made my special mushroom and spinach pasta with feta cheese. For sure this is going to go down a treat with them all because I just know that they are going to be so hungry by the time it is done. 

Half an hour later food is done and I'm plating it up for all the hungry firefighters and the paramedics. "CHOWS READY" I shout from the kitchen and everyone gets up from their respected seats grabs a plate from the counter and heads over to the long table. I was the last one to grab a plate and I sit in my seat next to my boyfriend, who is already stuffing his face. 

"This is amazing Beth! You should cook for us more often" Herrmann said. I was about to reply to Herrmann and then the PA goes off.

Truck 81, Engine 51, Squad 3, Ambulance 61, high rise apartment block fire at West Couch Place

My heart dropped when I heard the address and I heard the address. And I grabbed my bulletproof vest and I hear Matt shouting my name. "BETH" Matt shouted. I turned around and look at him. "The address that came over the PA is the apartment block my dad lives in and is it alright if I ride with 81 because I'm not stable enough to drive," I said. Matt nodded and I jumped into truck 81 with lights and sirens, everyone left the firehouse and headed to the call. 

I was in the back on truck 81, trying to call my dad on his cell phone but there was no answer which got me extremely worried about him but I felt Gallo's hand squeeze mine to give me some sort of reassurance but the next person I call is Jay. It rigns a couple of time before he answers.

Jay: Hey Beth, you alright?

Beth: Have you been able to get ahold of dad in the last 10 minutes on his cell phone?

Jay: No why?

Beth: I was with 51 and they got a call apartment block fire at West Couch Place which is where dad live. Get the rest of the unit and meet me there. I'm almost there because I'm travelling with Truck 81

Jay: I'm running to my truck now. Do you want me to call Will?

Beth: No. I'll do it once I get to the scene

Jay: Alright, I'll see you shortly 

Beth: Bye 

I hang the phone up and the  I let go of my boyfriend hand and lean forward to see the apartment building up in complete flames. "Shit, this is bad" Herrmann states as we get out of the truck. I get out of the truck and stand by Chief Boden. All I can hear was Chief barking orders at the firefighters that are on scene, the I walk up to Boden. "Cheif, let your men know to check 23rd floor apartment 23C, that where my dad is" I said. "Casey, check 23rd floor, that is where Pat Halstead is" Chief said over the radio to Lieutenant Casey. "Copy that" Matt replied. 

After I heard that Matt was going up to the 23 floor to check for my dad, I knew I need to call Will to let him know the situation. Several rings of the dialing tone later, picks up. 

Will: Hey Beth you alright, I was literally about to call you

Beth: Will, dads apartment building has gone up in flames. I'm currently at the scene. Casey is going up to dads apartment now to look for him and Jay is on his was to the scene with the rest of intelligence. So, I'm letting you know now that Med is going to get busy and that dad is most likely going to be coming in with really bad smoke inhalation. 

Will: Dad isn't strong enough, he only had a bypass done 30 days ago. But keep me updated when you find out more on dad. 

Beth: Will do brother. Keep your phone near you at all times

Will: I will. I've got to go but talk later

Beth: Bye 

Will hangs the phone up and i put my phone back in my pocket and all of a sudden I see my brother running towards me and pulling me into a tight hug. We don't say much to each other and then we look at the Boden, as we heard his radio go off. "Chief, Pat Halstead isn't on the 23rd floor, I've checked his apartment and he isn't there" Casey said over the radio and my heart dropped. "Copy that Casey" Boden replied and then turned to me and my brother. "Where else could your father be in that building" Boden asked us. "He has a friend on the 25th floor in apartment 25C. His friend is called Ronnie who is in a wheelchair" Jay state. Then Bden get straight back on the radio to Casey. "Casey, Check the 25th Floor, apartment 25C that is  where Pat Halstead is, there is also a wheelchair bound victim in the same apartment" Boden said on the radio. "On it Chief" was the response I heard from Casey. 

I leaned into my brother and he put his arm around me, then placing a kiss on the top of my head and telling me that dad is going to be okay and that we can spend time with him when he gets better. 

A super long half and hour later, I see dad being put on a stretcher and put into an ambulance, but not 61. I asked the paramedic if I could travel with them and they said only if I was family and I told them that I was the patients daughter. I got into the back of the ambulance and held my dad's hand and told him it was going to be okay and that we will be at me soon. I knew Jay would be there when I get there because he was following the ambulance. 

Within a few minutes we get to Med and the paramedics, get my dad out the ambulance and wheel him quickly into the ER and do a hand over to Dr Rhodes and I just run over to Will and give him hug. Out of my periferal vision I see Jay running in and I could see him heading towards myself and Will and giving use a hug. 

Dr Rhodes said we could go into the room and be with our dad for a little while but all of sudden, all the machines stared beeping at dad was flatlining and Will started CPR and I was burying my face in Jay's shoulder and he as wrapping his arms around my shoulder to comfort me. But we just found out that he had stopped breathing 5 minutes before the machines went off and that Dad was brain dead and there wasn't a chance of him waking up. This just caused a massive argument between Jay and Will. Jay also punched Will in the face and ended up acting as the go between, between my brothers which I didn't like. But after a family discussion, we decide to switch the machines off. I walked away from my brother and through te ER to see 51 and Intelligence in the waiting room and they all looked at me waiting for me to speak but I couldn't get the words out. 

"Beht, hows your dad?" Adam asked. "He's brain dead, we've just had to switch his life support off meaning he's dead. He's gone" I said with my voice cracking. My knees go weak and I fall to the ground and burst into tears and my boyfriend crouches down and pull me into a tight hug and lets me cry. I turn my head slightly to see that Jay has entered the waiting room and gone to Hailey for a hug and that Will had just walked straight passed and headed up to the balcony with Natalie following behind. Everyone is just sitting and standing there in complete silence, letting me and Jay mourn the loss of our father and just being their to comfort and support us.

Hi everyone, hope you enjoying the book but the next chapter will be the last one for this book. It's a shame that it is coming to an end.