I almost lost you

Gabby looked over at Shay and caught the last of her conversation with Severide. She smiled feeling grateful that they both had a man like him in their lives. “I love you, you know?” Shay asked before tucking a piece of her hair in.

“I know. I love you too” Severide replied before putting on his helmet.

They wrapped up their conversation and Shay went to go join Gabby. “You ready girl?”

“Mhmm lets do this”

The pair of paramedics slowly made their way into the smoky building to try and find some victims that needed oxygen or bandaging up.

“Shay.”

“Yeah, Gab?”

“Switch places with me.”

“What why?”

“Because one day you’re gonna be the PIC and you’re gonna be teaching some rookie how to put a bandaid on.”

At that, Shay laughed and did what she was told.

As they were preparing to load the stretcher out; the building started to shake. Shay looked at Gabby and said two words. “Save yourself”

Of course, Gabby didn’t listen and reached for Shay right as a beam came down in front of her. “Shay!”

Suddenly a high-pitched whine filled her ears and the world went dark. Gabby was out cold. What seemed like hours later, but was only minutes Shay woke up to a rough glove shoving her. Severide. “Severide... Shay..”

“I know Dawson, she’s right over here, come on.” Following Kelly, she got up and ran to see her unconscious best friend. “She has to be okay” she whispered more for herself than anyone else. Finally, they were able to get her on oxygen and a stretcher.

“Dawson you riding with her?”

Gabby sniffled. “Yes sir.”

“Okay, then let’s get on it!”

The whole ride to the hospital was one of the most terrifying she’s ever had. It felt different to be in the back instead of the passenger seat. “Hang on sweetie, we’re almost there just a little longer.”

As soon as they got to med, the doctors forced Gabby away from Shay amid her protests. “No, she’s my partner!”

“Let us do our job ma’am” The doctor replied. There was nothing left to do except to wait. And wait, and wait. People came, people went, Gabby stayed put. She didn’t care that she was covered in dust and ashes from the building. “How’s Shay?” Boden asked seeing Gabby staring at her hands.

“I don’t- I don’t know.” Right on cue as she said that, the doctor came out. “Family of Leslie Shay?”

“That’s me, I’m her proxy. How is she?”

“ She’s gonna make it. She had a head injury and we needed to get the swelling under control. She also has 3 broken ribs and a fractured wrist. Ms. Shay is going to need a lot of help while she recovers, I need to go over that with whoever is going to stay with her.”

“Me. I’ll do it.” Gabby would do anything for Shay. Not just because they were partners, but because she loved her.

“Alright then. Would you like to see her? One person at a time please.”

“Yes.” Gabby replied immediately following him into the ICU. Shay looked so pale it immediately brought tears to her eyes. “I’ll give you two a moment. Please be gentle, she’s still recovering.”

Gabby nodded in agreement and made her way to the chair beside Shay’s bed. “I almost lost you today sweetie. First the ambo, now the stupid building. I’m so sorry I asked you to switch positions with me. I just wanted you to be prepared for when I apply to be a candidate. “

She waited for a second and watched the monitors. “I never told you this but...I love you, Les. In a way that it hurts me to see you hurt. I want to protect you from anything that comes your way, I would throw myself in front of a fire for you, literally.”

A hand movement out of the corner of her eye got Gabbys attention. “Shay? Shay, come on sweetie, open those beautiful blue eyes for me.”

Shay moaned and squinted against the harsh lights in the hospital room. “Okay, hold on sweetie let me fix that.” Gabby cooed quickly shutting the lights off in the room.

“Is that better?” She asked moving a piece of hair back from Shays face. “Yeah”

“How are you feeling? 1 to 10.”

“2. Everything...hurts.” She coughed.

“Okay okay, you don’t have to talk, I’m going to get the doctor and he’ll check you out okay?”

“No!” Shay whispered hoarsely trying to reach for Gabby. “Okay, I don’t have to go. I’ll press the call button and I won’t leave your side. “

Soon enough the doctor came in. “Hello Ms. Shay, my name is Dr. Lopez, I’m your surgeon who operated on your brain, Dr. Stone is the surgeon who took care of you in the ER. You have several broken ribs, a fractured wrist and you had a pretty significant brain injury from the fall.”

“Okay.. so when can I get back to work?” Shay asked while reaching for Gabbys' hand.

“It’ll be a while. To be on the safe side, I’m going with three months at least. And I’ll be talking to your chief to make sure we’re on the same page. Now, as far as the ribs go, everything is going to be extremely painful for a while. If you can avoid multiple trips up and downstairs, that would be ideal. I would say call me if you have any questions but I know your girlfriend here is a paramedic. You’re in good hands.”

“She’s not my girlfriend...” Shay replied. Gabby noticed the tone and immediately the wheels started turning. Was she disappointed that they weren’t dating? She wanted nothing more than to kiss those beautiful lips but she was so afraid of rejection.

“Oh I’m so sorry ma’am I just assumed... I’ll let you two talk, I’ll be back in a couple of hours.” With that, the doctor made his hasty exit out of the room, clearly embarrassed.

When Gabby finally looked back at Shay, the blonde seemed to be looking everywhere but her eyes. “Shay...sweetie talk to me, tell me what’s going on in that pretty little head of yours.”

“I heard you,” Shay whispered so quietly Gabby almost couldn’t hear.

“You heard me?” Gabby confirmed, as her heart pounded in her ears.

“Yeah..”

“Well? It’s fine if you don’t feel the same, I mean I know I don’t look like Clarice or Devon, I just wanted you to know that in case those were the last words I ever said to you.” By now the tears had begun to well up in her eyes. “I love you, Leslie Shay. Just because you’re alive, doesn’t change a thing. I just wanted you to know that.”

“Gabby...” Shay finally interrupted.

“Yeah?”

“I love you too.”

“You do?”

“Yeah.” She admitted softly twirling with the blankets covering her legs.

“Can I kiss you then?”

“Please do,” Shay replied, extending her arms out for Gabby to come sit on the bed.

“I don’t want to hurt you.” Gabby paused looking anxious.

“You won’t, come here,” Shay replied with her smile that was bound to make anyone happy.

And before Gabby knew it, her lips crashed into Shays. She never realized how soft Shay's lips were until she finally got to kiss them.

“I’ve been waiting so long to do that.”

“Me too.”

This time Shay leaned in gently pulling her partners' face towards her own. It seemed like their little bubble would last forever until Kelly knocked on the door with a shit-eating grin on his face.

Suddenly realizing that she was literally on top of Shay, Gabby made to move but was stilled by the blonde's arm. “It’s okay, something tells me he already knew.”

“Can’t say I’m surprised, but well done Dawson. Never pegged you for going for this one here, but congrats.”

“Thank you...” Gabby blushed.

“How are you feeling Shay?” Kelly asked coming over to kiss her head.

“Pretty good.” She replied grinning at Gabby.

“Glad to hear it. I’m gonna assume you want to stay with Gabby while you recover?”

“I...”

“Yes, you’re staying with me, sweetie,” Gabby replied as if it was the simplest question in the world. “And before you say anything, I want you to stay. Please?”

“Okay. If it’s not too much of a problem.”

“It’s not.”

“Okay.” Shay sighed laying back down on the pillow.

“Okay I’m gonna head out, you two have fun, I’ll see you later,” Kelly said as he started for the door.

“Bye Kel,” Shay whispered sleepily. Now that it was just her and Gabby. “Gab?”

“What can I do?

“What are we? I love you but I don’t want to screw this up, I’m so afraid of losing you.”

“Oh Shay, listen sweetie. I love you too. I’ll be honest, this scares me, I’ve never been with a woman before and-“ She was cut off by Shay’s lips gently pressing to hers.

“It’s okay. We can go slow. I just want to be with you.” Shay replied after breaking the kiss to let them breathe.

“Slow it is then. Now get some sleep.”

“Stay?” Shay yawned.

“Wouldn’t want to be anywhere else,” Gabby replied kissing her girlfriends head.

“Will you tell me a story?”

“Only if you promise to sleep.”

“I promise.” Shay grinned.

“Remember your first day?”

She nodded and cuddled against Gabbys' side. “You looked at me with those bright blue eyes of yours and confidently introduced yourself. You met me and then...” Gabby paused and looked at Shay whose eyes were starting to droop.

“Kelly got up from his squad table and immediately tried to see if you would fall for him. I remember you telling him to keep it in his pants and that he wasn’t your type. He was so shocked by that and immediately asked why.”

“Because I’m gay,” Shay whispered sleepily.

“Because you’re gay. And he may have struck out but I got very lucky.” And finally, Shay was out like a light. Snoring softly along with the beep of the monitors. Gabby had never felt so happy.