explosion (jay halstead / one chicago)

chapter 38

liz's pov

It felt strange to walk up to firehouse 51 knowing that it was probably my last time doing so as someone who worked here. I gripped the duffel bag I carried over my shoulder tighter, trying to keep my emotions from taking over. I didn't want to cry, not yet. It was only the start of the shift, after all, and we still had twenty-four hours to go.

Boden had called early in the morning, asking me to help out on ambo 61 today since Chout was tied up with urgent personal business. I didn't mind much – I had hoped I would get to have another shift at the firehouse this week. That way, I could enjoy some more time with my friends instead of hanging out at home until I would start at the district next week.

We had been out late last night celebrating my graduation from the academy – and that of my friends, of course – so both Sylvie and I were rather tired. I was glad I had chosen not to drink, though. That way, I was at least spared from the hangover. It had been a fun night, but also a long one, since I hadn't been feeling too well and additionally got a bad feeling after Jay's call, like something was off but I couldn't quite place it.

"Where is everyone?" I questioned as Sylvie and I walked into the locker room to drop our bags. Usually, every corridor and especially the area around the lockers were packed with colleagues shortly before the end of one shift and the beginning of another. "No idea," my friend answered, shrugging. A little suspicious, I followed her to the common room.

Sure enough, when I stepped inside, I was met by a mixture of screams, noises, balloons and glittery confetti all around the room. They aren't really doing this, I thought, but the scene didn't leave much time for astonishment or interpretation. "Congratulations, officer," Herrmann said with a huge smile on his face before he pulled me in for a hug. The rest of my colleagues followed suit. They really were doing this. This was my very own firehouse 51 graduation party.

I looked around the nicely decorated room, taking in the balloons and the glitter again, the huge letters saying 'congratulations' which hung from a string between the walls, the table set with lovely napkins, pretty flowers, cake and non-alcoholic champagne. There was a huge card, a wrapped gift and a small police car made of chocolate sitting on the side of the table where I would usually take place.

Now I really couldn't hold my emotions in anymore, and I started sobbing uncontrollably once I hugged Sylvie, who was the last in line to repeat her congratulations. After all, she had already hugged me a million times yesterday and especially last night. I was overwhelmed. This was such a simple gesture, but it was quite possibly one of the sweetest things anyone had ever done for me.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you," I whispered to everyone while I wiped away my tears with the sleeve of my sweater. "You never planned for Chout to work today, did you?" I then asked as realisation hit me, and we all had to laugh because the answer was too obvious. "We can't have your proper graduation and goodbye party without you now, can we?" my brother Kelly noted, and I nodded, blinking away more tears that were threatening to fall from the corners of my eyes.

Soon enough, we all sat around the table, talking, laughing, and I unpacked the present my friends wrapped for me – a framed picture that showed all of us posing in front of the fire trucks and ambulance. Sylvie and I were in front with our arms wrapped tightly around each other, and Kelly was third wheeling in his try to put his arms around my waist. It was adorable, signed by all my colleagues, and there was a small note stuck to the corner of the frame – "we will miss you".

"I'll miss you guys, too," I said, and I meant it. I would miss all of them, all of this. Kelly cut the cake and handed a piece to everyone. Before I could start eating, however, my nauseous feeling from yesterday was back, suddenly, and worse than it had been before.