One Chicago one-shots

Passing - Platonic!Reader

Characters: Sylvie Brett, Natalie Manning

Warnings: Cancer, Medical treatment, Swearing and Death

Summary: In which all the signs pass by you.

*****

You were a paramedic. Growing up, that's all you wanted to be as you watched your midwife mother and your neurosurgeon father leave for work every day to save some lives.

Yes, it did mean not seeing them a lot and having a babysitter almost every day but as your grew, you only appreciated their absence. So, when they died in a car accident on the way home to you, their absence felt normal.

It felt normal but you hated it, hated how you could live so easily without them there. You acted so normal after their death that even you were referred to a therapist but even, she ruled out no depression or mental health problem.

Your aunt was given custody of you and that's who you stayed with. She looked after you and was always home, something you weren't used to. It was so odd to have a constant presence by your side that you didn't know how to act at times.

Then your aunt was taken from you too.

She was shot as the two of you were walking home. You were caught in the middle of a burglary and for some reason, the burglar decided to shoot at someone. That someone just so happened to be your aunt.

It was in that moment your paramedic dreams started. Watching as they were the first to the scene, before the police could even arrive, trying to stabilise her but no matter their efforts, she died on the way to the hospital.

Since you were eighteen, you were a legal adult and were left to fend for yourself. You struggled, grieving for the last person you called family and trying to get through an entirely different world called adulthood.

Somehow though, you narrowly made it through med school, deep in debt yes but with what felt like millions of side jobs while studying, you made it work.

Even now, there was still debts to pay off but at least you were better than before, living with people you could proudly call family, even if it wasn't by blood.

*****

Up until today, everything was good. You were happy, currently not in a relationship and were content with work. Not only that but you had yet to receive any big calls which meant being able to make and actually eat your breakfast.

Currently, your mug was missing, and you'd been emptying every cupboard and drawer, trying to look for it but you came out unsuccessful every time. This mug was special, it was the last thing of your aunts you had and if you lost it, the world would end.

Interrupting your search, your phone buzzed in your fleece pocket. Looking down at the name of the person calling, you frowned.

Walking out the common room, you found yourself a quiet corner before answering the call.

"Y/N L/N?"

You nodded before realising she couldn't see your movements. "Yep, that's me. What's up doc?"

The doctor hesitated before replying. "We were going through past files and stumbled across your mother's." She paused, trying to lay down the news on you carefully. "She had breast cancer."

Your heart dropped. What the fuck?

When you didn't reply, your doctor continued speaking. "This doesn't mean anything bad, you know that, but we'd like you to come in and get a mammogram."

She didn't say anything after that, expecting you to say something but after a minute of silence, she spoke again. "This Friday work for you?"

Licking your lips, you swallowed, you desperately needed a drink with your throat feeling as dry as a desert. "Friday."

Not bothering to hear what else the doctor had to say, you hung up.

With robotic movements, your legs moved on their own accord, leading you back to the common room where Sylvie was found with your missing mug.

"Hey, I found your mug..." She came to a stop, turning around to show your mug but found you frozen in the middle of the room in a trance like state.

Eyes void of any emotion, you licked your lips and shook your head in disbelief. You were in denial, none of this was real and you were going to wake up any moment and find this was all just a dream.

Blinking though, you were still in the firehouse.

Breathing in through your mouth, you shook your head frantically, not wanting to believe anything the doctor said but the rational side of you was screaming in your ear.

Placing the mugs on the counter, Sylvie came towards you, forcing you down on a chair where she bent down so she could look at you properly. All you needed to support in the moment, it didn't matter if it was your partner or any of the guys working in this firehouse.

Speaking of which, those in the room kept an interested and concerned eye on you, wearing of your weird behaviour.

"Mom." You forced the words out, taking pauses between them as you struggled to process everything. "She had breast cancer."

In a split second, everything came crashing down.

Everything finally locked into place and a tear slipped.

"Hey, hey, Y/N." Sylvie held the back of your head, placing your face in the crook of her neck as you fell. "This doesn't mean you have it too, you know this."

She was trying to convince you as well as herself. Sylvie knew the statistics, but she wasn't a medical professional; right now, she was your friend.

"I'm coming with you, to your appointment." She stated, not allowing you to refuse her company.

You nodded in her neck, aware of the pairs of eyes on you as you cried in the middle of the firehouse.

And so, Sylvie was true to her words, going with you to your scan, only leaving your side when she had no choice.

*****

Breathing out through your mouth, you tapped your fingers against your crossed arms, back leaning against the desk and Sylvie filled out the necessary paperwork.

The two of you were currently at med, just having dropped off a lady from a call. Once Sylvie finished with all the forms, the two of you would be driving back to the firehouse where lunch was waiting.

It had been a month since your scan and your doctor were radio silent. You hadn't seen nor heard from her since and it was bugging you to the point you picked up all the extra shifts where possible without getting reprimanded by chief.

Catching the both of you off guard, your phone buzzed in your back pocket making you jump. Your sudden movement scared Sylvie, causing her to flinch back which resulted in her pen dragging across her last paper.

Sending her the most apologetic smile filled with nothing but sympathy, you scrambled for your phone, unlocking it and pressing the notification without looking.

Your eyes dragged along the email, not reading the name of the sender and not processing anything, simply skimming for anything important.

It was when you let out a scream that was muffled by your palm that you slapped across your face that caught everyone's attention.

Waving them away with an awkward smile, Sylvie glared at your jumping figure. You were clearly bursting with happiness, something that Sylvie hadn't seen you been in a minute.

Shoving your phone in her face, you continued to bounce on your toes, impatiently waiting for her to finish reading the email.

Sylvie gasped, immediately grabbing you into an embrace where you let a tear of relief slip.

Watching the commotion, Natalie approached and asked. "What's up with you?"

"They found no cancer."

What an absolute fucking lie