Squid Milk

“Give it back, Sev!”

Mills looks up from where he’s showing the kindergarteners how to put the turnout coat on just in time to see Severide running past with something in his hand. Casey’s chasing after him, looking pissed. The two run towards the truck and disappear behind them only to reappear around the other side.

“Severide! Give it back!” Casey yells again before tackling the other lieutenant to the ground.

The item flies out of Severide’s hand when he hits the concrete and lands near Mills feet. The candidate bends over to pick it up and frowns in confusion when he recognizes it as a domino. Mills puts it in his pocket with a shrug and turns back towards the kindergarteners, trying his best to ignore the two lieutenants wrestling behind him. It’s clear that he’s lost the kid’s attention as they stare, mesmerized, by the firefighters fighting between the trucks. Mills gives up on trying to teach them and instead joins them in watching the fight.

He watches as Casey flips them over so Severide’s beneath him. He throws a couple punches, making sure to keep them light, before Severide shoves him off and pins him. Casey scowls as he squirms, trying to get free. Casey somehow manages to get out from under his friend and rolls under the squad truck. Casey doesn’t seem to realize this as he tries to sit up and smacks his head with a clang.

Severide’s playful grin immediately morphs into a concerned frown as he pulls an unconscious Casey out from under the truck. Mills runs over when he sees the lieutenants eyes shut.

“Case? Hey, Matt?” Severide calls, tapping his friends cheek. He’s sitting on the ground with the top half of Casey’s limp body draped over Severide's lap. Casey opens his eyes with a groan just as Mills reaches them, snapping on some gloves.

“You ok, man?” Kelly asks, helping his friend sit up and ignoring Mills.

“My head hurts like a-,” Casey starts before Severide slaps a hand over his friend’s mouth, motioning to the kindergarteners watching, wide eyed.

“Come on,” Kelly says, looping one of Matt’s arms over his shoulders. The two head into the main room. Mills hears Casey mutter something about losing the domino to which Severide replies that they would find it later.

“What the hell?!?” Kelly shouts when he walks into Matt’s office to see his best friend about to inject himself with something.

“Kelly, I swear it’s not what it looks like. I’ll explain in a minute,” Casey tells him, taking the cap off the syringe. Severide grabs the syringe out of his hand and holds it away from the other lieutenant.

“You’re doing drugs?!? What the hell Casey! Is this why you got Andy killed?!? You were high?!?” Severide shouts, quickly attracting the rest of the station.

“Sev, please! I need that back!” Casey says, already feeling his throat closing up.

“So you can get high and get the rest of us killed?!? I don’t think so!” Kelly yells, waving the syringe around. Casey looks behind Severide and sees his crew looking at him with a mix of disbelief, anger and betrayal.

“I’m not doing drugs! Just give it back! I’ll explain when I’m done!” Casey yells reaching for the syringe. He can feel his body starting to burn and he knows the hives are coming soon. It’s already hard to breathe, let alone carry on a conversation.

“Bullshit! If you’re not doing drugs then what the hell is this?!?” Severide asks, stepping back when Casey reaches for it again.

“Answer the question, Lieutenant,” Hermann snaps, stepping forward with his arms crossed.

“It’s my epipen and I need it right now!” Casey chokes out before his throat closes up and he passes out, falling to the ground. Kelly reads the label on the syringe and finds out that it is in fact an epipen.

“Oh shit,” Severide mutters as he quickly takes the epipen and jabs it into Casey’s thigh.

“Somebody get Shay and Dawson!” Herrmann shouts, kneeling beside the two lieutenants. Cruz runs off and returns a few seconds later with the chief and the two paramedics in tow.

“Mills, there’s an epipen in the top drawer of my desk,” Chief Boden says and the candidate runs off only to return a few seconds later, epipen in hand. The chief takes it and jabs it into the firefighters thigh, next to the other one.

“Dawson! Shay! Get the stretcher over here!”

~~~

Casey wakes up in the hospital a bit later and groans when he tries to move.

“You’re awake!” Severide says, smiling at him. Casey turns to look at him and is immediately reminded of why he was in the hospital.

“Get out.”

“What?” Kelly asks, his smile faltering.