Burnin' Love (1)

Beginning

♣️Season 1, Episode 1♣️

Racing off to the next fire, Nicole Severide sits in the passenger seat as Leslie Shay drives and Gabby Dawson sits in the back with her face moved between the other two.

"Hey Severide, how soon until you can take Darden off my hands?" Matt Casey, Nicole's boyfriend, says over the radio.

Kelly's laugh floats through, "Andy makes Squad the day I'm not longer in charge."

The trio of girls laugh in the ambo as Nicole grabs the radio, "This is why ambo is the best. Andy is more than welcome to join us anytime."

"Are you trying to poach my firefighters?"

"Can't poach what you are trying to give away," Nicole says, getting ready as they see the house ahead.

The paramedics stay back as Squad and Truck get set up. Matt walks past them, "Has Severide always been this cocky?"

"Only since kindergarten," Andy tells him, climbing on top of the rig.

Nicole snorts, "Kindergarten? Try the womb."

Andy's laugh floats down to them. A woman comes over, getting checked over by Gabby and Leslie as Nicole keeps a look-out for any other potential victims.

Nicole watches as a flame shoots out the window that Andy Darden just went in. She sees Matt duck out of the way before bowing his head.

♣️One Month Later♣️

Nicole and Matt walk into the firehouse in silence, holding hands.

After getting changed, Nicole heads down to the kitchen, leaving Matt to pack up Andy's locker.

Joe knocks on the table next to Nicole's head where she was resting it, "Hey, Chief was looking for you. Looks like Casey and Severide are already in there."

"Oh, joy," Nicole groans as Gabby and Shay laugh at her misfortune, "Why don't you two go do inventory?"

"Yes, ma'am," Shay mockingly salutes.

Knocking on the Chief's office door, she peeks in to see Matt and Kelly standing in front of Boden's desk, "Nicole, good, come in."

Nicole moves in, standing between Matt and Kelly as he continues, "I was just telling the two Lieutenants how it is coming up on the one month since Darden's passing. How this animosity between them needs to stop. How Andy was a friend to all of us."

Kelly looks over Nicole and to Matt, "Yes, he was."

"Is there something you want to say?"

Nicole sighs as she's literally in the middle of them again, which Chief notices, "See this? This is exactly what I'm talking about. You two are putting Nicole in the middle of your disagreements and making it hard for all of us to do our jobs."

"You're right, Chief. I'm sorry, it's all good."

"We're fine, Chief," Matt nods.

Nicole and Boden share a look before she shakes her head, "Okay, then you two are dismissed for now. Nicole, wait a second?"

They wait until the two are out of the room, Matt giving Nicole a kiss on the temple, "They aren't good, Chief. We know that those two are gonna be arguing for the next ten years."

"That's why I need you to... aid them in discovering the...benefits of stopping this ridiculous thing between them," Boden smiles.

"Short of physical violence, I think we're gonna have to let this play out," Nicole shrugs before a call for Ambo 61 comes through, "I'll think about it, Chief."