Ashes

under the knife

The three roommates enter the common area, the sight of shay causing cheers and applause as the couple split off from their best friend.

"Just a little fender bender, that's all, no big deal" shay insists, "oh shut up shay you had a head injury it was a big deal" carter warns as shay and gabby share a hug, "how's the noodle?" mouch asks, "hard as ever" shay says knocking her head, "that's" mouch begins but shay cuts him off, "that's what he said" shay remarks causing laughter from the room as otis brings a wrapped gift over to shay, "just a little something from us" otis says, "oh, my you guys" shay muses as she unwraps the gift and opens the box pulling a soccer helmet out, "oh, ha ha!" shay remarks chuckling as she puts it on, "added protection" otis explains, "oh, I love it" shay grins as carter pulls her phone out and snaps a picture chuckling, "carter strand, you did not" shay says, "leslie shay, I did so" carter retorts laughing, "welcome back" boden muses, "thanks, chief, thanks, guys" shay says, the three roommates watch as boden exits the room, the two women give kelly matching looks, "I'm gonna tell him" kelly shrugs, the two women narrow their eyes more, "today" kelly adds, "great" shay says, "I'm gonna be right there with you, I promise" carter assures rubbing her thumb over the back of kelly's hand comfortingly when the alarm goes off, "truck 81, squad 3, ambulance 61, police assist, 4000 South Kildare and West 44th" the alarm announces.

"Abandoned truck, and there's something funky inside, It's padlocked shut" the cop explains, "capp, grab the k-12" kelly instructs, "got it" capp confirms, "Texas?" casey questions, "yeah, came back stolen from a minivan in san angelo, wherever the hell that is" the cop explains, "everyone quiet" matt instructs as he walks up to the side of the truck and knocks on it, "someone in there? call out" matt instructs, a knocking noise is heard from inside the truck, "I didn't hear that before" the cop explains, kelly walks up to hadley grabbing the halligan off him as he walks up to the truck and breaks the lock off with it and proceeds to open the door, a pungent smell filling the air, kelly climbs in and helps carter up the crew having donned their masks, the two lieutenants shine their torches as they walk through the cab, "we have multiple victims... women, men, maybe 15 of them, they all look D.O.A, but we need to check vitals" kelly rattles off as carter continues searching, "damn it, there are children" carter reveals, the two continue their search and find someone alive, "hey Dawson!" kelly shouts, gabby makes her way over allowing the two lieutenants to carry on the search.

Kelly and carter gather in the kitchen where the crew were gathering, kelly acts strangely around boden.

"You need something?" boden asks, "nah, I'm all good" kelly confirms as carter wanders off to where shay is, "he was acting weird around chief then when chief asked if he needed something he said no when he should've said yes" carter reveals, "I'm gonna speak to him, come on" shay instructs linking her arm with carters, the two women head over to the squad finding kelly chatting, "hey" shay greets catching his attention, "hey" kelly greets back, "how'd it go?" shay asks playing dumb, "with?" kelly asks, "boden" shay clarifies, "yeah, n-no, cause here's the deal, yeah, on the last call, I ripped off that lock like it was bolted on with paper clips, no pain, nothin" kelly explains, "I moved back in because you said you talked to boden" shay explains, "I can't stand by you and be a supportive girlfriend and work partner if you won't come clean" carter warns, "I'll talk to him now" kelly cracks under the two womens pressure as he takes carter's hand in his own and heads to bodens office with her, "chief you got a minute?" kelly asks as he knocks the door, "come on in, severide, strand" chief instructs, "the C-5 vertebra" kelly explains, "fracture" boden repeats, "that's what the doctor said" kelly explains, "how long ago was this exam?" boden asks, "you don't want to know" kelly muses, "okay" boden agrees pausing momentarily, "this doctor may be a little eager to get you under the knife" boden says, "yeah?" kelly asks, "yeah, cause they're not gonna know anything until they do an MRI, we are not gonna go worst-case right now, gonna let the CFD medical give a fully informed diagnosis" boden explains, kelly nods, "chief, I don't ask for a lot of favors, but since I feel fine 90% of the time, I'd like to stay on squad while this whole thing runs its course, In the meantime, I'll set up an appointment for after shift, I'll get in there the next opening they got" kelly explains, "severide, you know I can't allow that, I'm placing you off duty until the results come in and as for you Strand, I'm taking you off duty as a punishment for allowing your co-lieutenant to work when he wasn't at 100% of his ability, this is to prevent you getting suspended" boden explains, "we completely understand chief" carter nods, the two exit the office and head to the locker room changing out their uniforms and grabbing their bags, "what's going on?" shay asks, "off duty till the results come in" kelly informs, "off duty as a punishment for lying and to protect myself from being suspended no time frame of when I'll be back" carter explains, the two walk out to kelly's car, carter getting in the passenger seat as kelly speeds off to the apartment.