(Authors Note: This is a sad chapter, that may go into detail about drowning, and I did cry writing this chapter as well.)
Alexa Hotchner's Apartment, Bucktown Chicago Illinois
Alexa spent the rest of the weekend curled up in bed watching movies on her laptop or just sleeping. The ginger took all her dirty work clothes out of her work bag to wash them and put them back in her bag for her shift at 51 tomorrow.
The weekend seemed to drag on, but Monday morning slowly rolled around followed by the sound of Alexa's alarm going off. The ginger reached for her phone switching the annoying sound off, before she threw the covers off her body and got up to take a shower, get dressed, and have a quick coffee before heading over to the firehouse.
Firehouse 51, Chicago Illinois
Alexa parked her blue Honda across the street from the firehouse and jogged up the driveway and into the station running slightly behind this morning. The ginger quickly made her way to the locker room and got changed out before tossing her bag in her locker and running to make the morning briefing.
Alexa made her way into the room at the same time as Chief Boden. "Alexa, how are you doing?" Chief asked holding the door for her. "I'm Good, how are you?" Alexa asked as she walked into the room. "I'm good," he replied as the ginger smiled, nodded, and made her way over to an empty seat next to Sylvie.
When the morning briefing wrapped up and everyone was dismissed, Alexa made her way over to the coffee maker and poured herself a fresh pot of coffee. "Hotchner, are you coming to the CFD picnic On Thursday?" Lieutenant Matt Casey asked her from his seat at the long table. "Sure, as long as someone sends me the location and time. I'll be there," Alexa replied as she took a sip of her coffee. "You could even bring your dad, your brother, and that buff guy you're dating it'll be fun," Herrman said.
The moment he mentioned Derek out of the corner of her eye she could see Sylvie and Gabby shaking their head and signaling no to Herrmman who was confused. "What?" Herrman asked Sylvie and Gabby confused. "Umm, I would but we're not... together... anymore," Alexa said taking a sip of her coffee. "I'm gonna go over inventory on the rig," Alexa replied noticing the room got quiet.
Alexa finished her coffee setting the mug in the sink before she made her way out to the apparatus floor. The bells sounded through the P.A. system followed by a call. "Squad 3, Truck 81, Ambulance 61, Structure fire South State Street and East Lake Street,". Alexa made her way over to the passenger seat in the rig hopping in followed by Sylvie who climbed in the driver's seat and the two were the first ones racing out of the driveway followed by Squad and Truck right behind them.
They sped toward the call with sirens blaring and their lights flashing. "The CFD picnic at Grant Park, it starts around 11 and ends later in the afternoon some people stay till dark others head home around 4 in the afternoon, it should be fun though," Sylvie said as they sped towards the call. "I'll be there," Alexa replied looking at Sylvie as they went to take a turn.
A white pickup truck went flying through the intersection and smashed into the front left side of the Ambo hood sending the rig spinning out of control. Everything was happening so fast around them Alexa didn't even have a chance to scream. She heard Sylvie scream something before the Rig smashed into something before it started falling.
Sylvie managed to get her seatbelt off when the rig was spinning out and flying towards the guard rail on both sides of the bridge over the Chicago River. "JUMP!" Sylvie screamed throwing the door open and throwing herself onto the pavement before the rig smashed through the railing and plummeted into the river below.
Sylvie stood up looking around for Alexa hoping she jumped and landed somewhere on the bridge. "BRETT?! BRETT?!" Lieutenant Casey yelled as he ran over to the blonde along with Squad who was on the radio with dispatch about the crash. "Are you okay?" Casey asked her as she just continued to look around. "Where's Alexa?" was all she asked causing Casey to pause looking around before looking at where the rig went over the bridge. "ALEXA!" Sylvie yelled running over to the edge of the bridge where half the ambo was already submerged in water.
Alexa felt the water rushing into the rig before she saw it. Panic started rushing through her as she struggled to unbuckle her seatbelt that locked up in the crash. Each time she tried to move her right shoulder agonizing pain followed, to the point she couldn't move it. "Come on, COME ON! NOT LIKE THIS," Alexa yelled trying to get her seatbelt unjammed as the water was already starting to rise past her waist and over the seatbelt making it even harder to get off.
Alexa looked around realizing she had maybe a couple of seconds before the entire rig was full of water. How long would she be able to hold her breath? did Sylvie make it out? Alexa inhaled a huge breath of air as the water started passing her shoulders, her face and the rest of the rig sending it to the bottom of the river.
Alexa looked around and started punching the seat belt buckle with her left hand trying everything she could think of to get free but it was no use. Within 30 seconds her lungs started screaming and she knew she would be able to hold her breath much longer. Slowly the air left her lungs and instantly started burning as they filled with water. Alexa stopped fighting, knowing there was nothing she could do to get free. Everything started to fade around Alexa, the last thing she saw was her mom? sitting beside her in the driver's seat of the flooded Ambo. Alexa looked at her confused, "It's gonna be okay Lex," she said softly using the nickname only her mom used for her. That was the last thing she saw as everything faded away completely.
It took Lieutenant Kelly Severide less than a minute to get his diving gear on and less than another minute for him to be attached to a line and lowered off the bridge into the river. Severide started diving towards the bottom of the river immediately, finding the rig pretty quickly. He swam over to the passenger side, knowing that's where she was from what he gathered from Sylvie.
Using a glass breaker Severide shattered the window noticing Alexa was completely still unconscious. With the same tool he used to break the window, he used the side of the multi-use tool, cut the seat belt, and pulled the ginger from the rig. Severide tugged on the rope and the two started making their way towards the surface.
When Severide got Alexa to the surface of the river, Severide clipped into a line they had hanging from the truck ladder. He held onto Alexa's limp body as they were lifted out of the river and back up to the bridge. Alexa was instantly set on a stretcher brought over from the ambo that arrived on the scene less than a minute before. "No pulse, or breath sounds, Starting CPR," Sylvie said as she started compressions.
Gabby grabbed the defibrillator and placed the pads on Alexa's chest and side. "Charging," Gabby said. "Come on Alexa, come on, you can't leave us, not like this, come on breath," Sylvie pleaded as she continued compressions causing Alexa to spit up water but she wasn't breathing and had no pulse. "Shocking, Clear," Gabby said and Sylvie stepped back and she pressed the button. The steady sound of Alexa's heartbeat sounded through the monitor causing a sigh of relief to wash over them all. "She's back, let's get her to Med," Gabby said as they rolled Alexa over to the waiting ambo. "Brett if you coming with us we gotta go now," One of the paramedics Chout told her. "Go, we're right behind you," Casey told her as she nodded climbing into the back of the ambo before it sped off towards Med.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hey everyone, when an intense chapter, let me know your thoughts in the comments. I'm gonna try to have Chapter 19 posted later today or by Tomorrow at the latest (Monday, April 8th, 2024). Thank you for all the incredible love and support on this story <3
-Muskokagirl204
YOU ARE READING
Tainted (Criminal Minds / One Chicago FanFic)
FanfictionCo-Writer: @BrooklynDaniels32 Alexa Hotchner worked in Quantico Virginia for almost 3 years as a Paramedic before the unspeakable murder of her mom. Being called to the scene, and the unforgettable state she saw her mom in. A week after her mom's fu...
