PROLOGUE

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BEING READY TO SACRIFICE YOUR LIFE FOR PEOPLE YOU DON'T KNOW TAKES COURAGE HUNDREDS OF MEN LIVE WITHOUT.

That courage becomes a drug, A drug Harley Flores couldn't imagine her life without. Yet here she was. honourably discharged from the 75th Rangers Regiment, due to a Joint injury she'd sustained during an operation in Iraq.

Her chest flooded with inconceivable Emotion, Her career, Her military family, Everything she'd worked so hard for gone after a single meeting with her superior officers.

Harley sat in her dress uniform head in her hands as she felt her whole life collapsing around her. Her chest tightening almost refusing Oxygen access her attempts at keeping her composure faltering as she stood from the seating area outside her sergeants office.

Reaching into her pocket she pulled her phone out, Almost instantly rushing to call the only person she had left. Her brother. Isaac Flores. Harley Walked through the building, The urge to escape growing stronger with each step she took.

Ring. Ring. Ring. She waited. Waited for her brother to answer as she tore Her dress Hat from her head, Her whole career up in flames with no way to stop it.

"Flores." His voice. Her brothers voice. Harley hadn't spoken to him in months, She'd barely been back from deployment for a day. Everything seemed to happen all too quickly.

"Isaac it's me. i'm coming back to chicago" The shame of losing the only thing she'd ever wanted in life cling to her as she took a breath, The line remained silent for a few seconds as Isaac truly processed the words he wasn't sure he'd actually heard.

"har, you're coming back home?" The man's usual stern voice no where to be found as relief washed over him his voice instead laced with joy, His sister was Safe, She was coming home.

"I'm coming home for good, I'm in Charleston now, But i'm booking a flight tonight." Harley nodded tucking her hat under her arm, Her free hand rubbing her chest in an attempt to Ease the violent pains of dread that lingered within her.

"Hold on Jay." A slither of worried consumed Isaac's voice before a few inaudible voices invaded the line before the sound of a closing door. then he continued; "what Harley? For good? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine... i'm okay. I'll Explain it when i get home. Can you get me from the airport?" She questioned her voice almost breaking as she tried to remain her usual hard ass self, yet having your whole life torn from you in than half an hour makes that task almost impossible.

"Yeah, Yeah of course if not i'll send some patrol officers to get you. Just call me... Be safe okay?" His voice softened as he heard his sisters voice waiver, a sense of protection rushing through him at just the sound of her unsteady voice.

"yeah i will. you too okay?" She nodded despite the fact he couldn't see her. Harley's mine racing with thoughts, what could possibly be her future? She couldn't be stuck behind a desk. She couldn't.

"always" His voice rung through her ears truly reminding her of what she was going home too. A small smile tugged at her lips despite the violent anxiety pains she was experiencing.

****

The 13 hour flight back to chicago was one of grief, Grief for a life fought so hard for, A life that had been torn away for the wrong reasons. The fear of the future tugging at Harley's stomach as she drudged through The Airport.

She was back. Back where she grew up. Back to a place she wasn't sure was ever truly her home, Her eyes darting through the crowds of people in search of her brother.

Her military issued backpack weighing down her shoulders as her eyes finally locked with his, and within seconds a classic grin shone brightly on Isaac's face as he rushed toward Harley.

Relief flooding his veins as he saw his sister for the first time in months, The pure happiness she was safe and back home almost indescribable to any emotion he'd ever experienced. Isaac rushed for his sister instantly pulling her into his arms inciting a chuckle to slip past her lips as he did.

"i'm so glad you're back" Isaac smiled as he hugged his sister, Rubbing her shoulder before pulling away to look at her. A soft smile tugged at Harley's lips, a smile she subconsciously had to force despite the strong love she felt for her brother the loss she felt within her bones cling to her like a disease.

"yeah.. me too" She chuckled patting her brothers arm trying to push her feelings back down to whatever dark corners of her soul they'd crawled out of as the pair walked through the Airport.

Isaac knew his sister all too well, His ability to sense the shift in her behaviour despite the fact he hadn't seen her in almost 8 months was annoying, Well at least to Harley.

"Gonna tell me what the fuck you mean for good?" Isaac's impatience's making him unable to refrain from questioning his sister until they got to the car.

Harley rolled her eyes as the brunette beside her took her backpack off her shoulders relieving her from the physical weight, yet the mental weight remained.

"I got honourably discharged" Harley brushed it off, Her voice remained monotone as she pushed her emotions deep within herself hoping they'd never see the light of day.

"what?? what for? Harley are you joking?" Isaac's eyes wide as his head shot toward his sister in disbelief, He'd asked her to contemplate leaving years ago. yet her exact words had been 'i'm a soldier through and through. i'll always be a soldier'

Harley shrugged as she began walking unsure of how to begin, the shock surging through her brother, still rushing through her veins despite having been discharged over 24 hours prior it still didn't seem real; "i had an injury a few months back. i was cleared, I still should be fucking cleared. but 'it was brought to my superior officers attention that i seem to be struggling with the physical aspects of the job' which might i add is bull"

"what injury? Har you haven't told me shit, can't you appeal?" Isaac scoffed, Agitation clear through his voice. Harley's backpack now hung over his shoulder as he adjusted his Jacket to Cover his CPD Badge and Gun.

"i got caught in the blast radius of an IED, crushed my leg under some rubble. But i was Fine, that's why i didn't mention it. I did, well i said i was going to appeal. But due to the one stain on my record from when i first joined it wouldn't get very far apparently" Harley explained clearing her throat half way through her sentence hiding the way her voice broke.

The ache in her chest only growing as she voiced what had happened. Almost making it worse, making it all real. She'd been stripped of her duties. of her career. and she wasn't sure there was a greater pain.

Even with all the grief, the pain she'd experienced while serving she never wanted to stop. the job gave her life a meaning she wasn't sure she'd ever be able to get back.

"so what har? you still need to fucking tell me if you get yourself hurt" Harley rolled her eyes at her brother as they made their way into the airport parking lot.

"don't act like you haven't done the same thing" Harley scoffed knowing the detective beside her would never call to tell her of an injury he'd sustained.

"not the point." Isaac huffed as he fished around in his pocket for the keys to his PD issued SUV before continuing; "So what's the plan? you gonna appeal again? or look for a new job?"

Harley took a breath the question making her body seize as Isaac unlocked his SUV walking round to the trunk Putting in Harley's Backpack. She didn't have an answer, she didn't know. She'd never imagined herself being anything other than a soldier.

"har?" Isaac broke the veteran from her thoughts, Shaking her head she forced her lips to curve into a smile; "look for a new job i guess"

The words sending a spiral of nausea through her stomach as she opened the passenger side door of Isaac's SUV and climbed inside. Isaac huffed as he slammed the truck closed rounding the SUV before getting in.

"PD is looking for people" He smiled offering his sister an Idea, Yet her face on contorted with none other than disgust at the idea; "and have you outrank me? hell no"

"what about CFD?" Isaac suggested shaking his head at his sister's antics as he started the car and began driving back to his apartment.

"what like a firefighter?" That thought hadn't even crossed the veterans mind... A firefighter? She'd done operations with bomb squad. Her brows knitted together as she took a moment to think..

"yeah. i can pull some strings get you into the academy pretty quick. One of the lieutenant's at 51 owes me." Harley's eyes flickered to her brother as she nodded in thought. The fire academy? maybe that was a start....

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A/N- Hello hello! We're back with more one chicago! i don't know if anyone actually really likes matt but i love him so i'm writing this!

anyway this first bit is just the introduction to get to know my two OC's a little better, i hope you guys Enjoy and are ready for the next chapter!