Sylvie opened her eyes and rolled on to her side a pain shot along her back and she groaned. The last thing she remembered was the Chief shouting and pulling Foster up from the floor.

Looking around she couldn't see either of them just lumps of stone and rubble. To her side fire was leaping up the walls consuming a mattress and some wood.

She turned onto her back and squeezed her eyes shut willing the pain to go away. She had to get up, she had to look for her friends.

Someone was shouting but it sounded too far away.

Opening her eyes again Sylvie looked up to the ceiling, but it wasn't there. A large opening had formed and dust was spilling down.

It was in that moment she realised she was no longer on the upper floor but that she and the stone she'd been kneeling on was now on the floor below.

"BRETT!" a voice shouted down through the dust and the smoke.

"Here" she crocked her voice barely getting above a whisper. Coughing she took a deep breath and tried again. "I'm here!"

"I hear you Brett" it was the Chiefs voice. "Are you hurt?"

"I don't know" she whispered to herself.

Sylvie pulled herself up against a large piece of stone and pulled her legs up. At least they seemed okay. Her arms worked. It was just her head. She felt around the back feeling for an injury but coming up empty.

"Sylvie?"

"I'm good!" she shouted, "I hit my head but I think I can stand."

"Stay where you are!" he called "I'm going to get someone down to you."

"Okay!" she called wincing as the sound of her own voice hurt her head.

In her seated position Sylvie looked back over at the fire. It didn't look any worse but neither did it look like it was going out. The smoke was building a little in her corner, she could feel it coating her skin and every breath in felt harsh and wrong.

She could at least see around the room better and make out a doorway at the end. More rumble lay between her and the doorway, but it wasn't too bad that she couldn't get over it.

With no word from above Sylvie decided to try standing. She needed to know if she could get out under her own steam. What if no one could get to her? She knew the Chief was okay but what about everyone else?

They'd been in the basement helping save people. Was there really anyone who could come and save her?

Taking a deep breath of the smoke-filled air Sylvie pushed herself up until she could rest back against the stone behind her. The effort brought on a coughing fit and she pushed her hands against her thighs squeezing her eyes shut until it subsided.

"Brett…? Sylvie…? " A voice called out but it wasn't the Chiefs.

Turning she looked over her shoulder at the same moment a figure appeared in the doorway.

"Casey?" she half coughed half laughed at the sight of him. "Casey!"

Casey came through the door covered in dust and soot. She thought he looked like he'd had a building dropped on him.

"Sylvie" he climbed over the rubble as if it wasn't there and in moments held both of her arms in his hands. Tugging them slightly he stared at her. "Are you okay?"

"I think so…" she began but at the look of horror on his face quickly added "I'm fine!"

He didn't look totally convinced and didn't let her go as he looked up at the ceiling through which she'd fallen. "You're sure?"

She ignored him instead patting his shoulder "What about you? Are you okay?"

He looked back at her and nodded. "Severide and I got lucky" he pointed towards the doorway.

For the first time since he'd arrived, she noticed the other person in the room. Severide stood with one foot in and one out his gaze flicking from them to the room beyond.

"We need to get out of here." Casey looked up at the hole again then back at Severide. "No chance!" he called.

Severide nodded and backed out of the room.

"Come on" Casey pulled her gently by the arm.

"No chance?" she asked as he helped her over the rubble and to the door.

"We can't get out through that hole." Casey replied. "We're going to have to take the long way back."

Sylvie nodded but her stomach dropped at the thought. She felt exhausted just walking across one room.

In the next room Severide was already over the other side and looking through another door.

"Fire everywhere!" he called back.

"Can you see a path out?" asked Casey as they joined him.

"Yes but she doesn't have gear" he replied nodding at Sylvie.

Casey looked back at her then at Severide.

"Stay here" Casey said.

"No you stay" Severide replied and pulling the door open a little more. "Casey stay with her."

Before either of them could speak again Severide stepped through the doorway pulling on his mask and disappearing into the flames along a path only he could see.

Sylvie felt a wave of relief and then quickly felt guilty. She didn't want either of them to get hurt but her already confused feelings for Matt made her want to pull him into a hug and not let him go near the fire in the other room.

Matt pushed the door shut and looked back at Sylvie. "He'll be okay."

She nodded. Feeling a tear roll down her cheek.

"Its okay" he said placing a hand on her shoulder. "We'll get out of here soon"

Placing her own hand on his she gave it a squeeze. "I'm glad you're okay."

He smiled, though it didn't really reach his eyes. "I'm sorry you're here."

"What?" she asked letting her hand drop.

"It was me that made the call to get you and Foster in the building. It's my fault you're down here!"

Sylvie shook her head. "None of this is your fault Casey, you couldn't have known this would happen. Besides you came to get me."

"Still…"

"Matthew Casey you're my hero and no amount of blaming yourself for things beyond your control is going to change that." She smiled at him.

"He was right" he said rubbing his hand up and down her arm.

"Who was?"

"Kyle when he said your smile lights up rooms. He was right." Casey ducked his head and pulled his hand from her arm.

Sylvie opened her mouth but closed it again when she couldn't think what she wanted to ask him. The thought crossed her mind that up until that moment she'd not even thought of Kyle. Then the door opened and Severide emerged clasping a mask and an oxygen tank.

"Put this on." Casey said taking them from Severide and holding them out.

Turning she let him pull the straps over her shoulders and hand her the mask. Taking it she pulled the mask over her face. Matt tugged the straps tighter until they pinched her skin but she didn't complain just watched him fuss.

Eventually Severide tapped him on the shoulder and Casey stopped. Pulling on his own mask he grabbed a hold of her hand and pulled Sylvie closer to him.

"Don't let go of my hand!" he called out.

Severide and Casey nodded at one another and then opened the door. As they stepped into the room Sylvie felt the overwhelming heat hit her full force. The flames looked higher and more intense than before. She had no earthly idea how Severide had managed to get through it all.

She heisted a moment feeling the tug of Casey hand. He pulled her closer. "You can do this" he called out as they followed Severide.

Sylvie focused on the back of Severides coat and the tight clasp of Matts hand.

The fire was raging around them, the heat growing stronger the further they went. For a moment it was so intense Sylvie thought she her skin might be on fire. She wondered if it would be easier just to let the fire take her so it could be over.

But Casey didn't let her slow down his hand pulling her side against his as they moved around the flames and finally to the wall at the end.

They walked along the wall to a door which pushed open and out into a smaller space. The moment the door shut behind them Sylvie felt the heat recede and she could breath again.

Only she couldn't stand any longer. Sylvie felt her knees buckle and the last of her energy slip from her body. She only had moments to wonder if maybe that fall had done some damage after all before the blackness took her vision.